Brewers Happy To Join N.L.

For the Milwaukee Brewers, switching to the National League is like “coming home,” Bud Selig said Thursday.

”(There is) sadness over the prospect of ending a 28-year relationship with the American League and its member clubs and anticipation over returning Milwaukee to its roots in the National League,” said Selig, baseball’s acting commissioner and the Brewers’ controlling owner.

Milwaukee, the home of the N.L.’s Braves from 1953-65, leaves the A.L. Central to play in a six-team N.L. Central. The switch, approved Wednesday by the ruling executive council, is the first in the major leagues since the 1892 season and leaves the N.L. with 16 teams and the A.L. with 14.

“Those of us old enough to remember the glory days of Aaron, Mathews and Logan, and Spahn and Burdette, we view this as coming home,” Selig said.

Baker voted top N.L. manager

Dusty Baker was announced as the National League Manager of the Year for the second time on after leading the San Francisco Giants to a worst-to-first division title.

The Giants went 68-94 in 1996, then won the N.L. West with a 90-72 record, two games ahead of second-place Los Angeles.

The Giants were swept by Florida in the first round of the playoffs.

Baker was also voted the top N.L. manager in 1993.

“After we struggled the last couple of years, this one means a lot more,” Baker said. “I’m a lot more appreciative of it now.”

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Gene Lamont finished second.

Rangers, Red Sox pull off trade

The Texas Rangers traded catcher Jim Leyritz and center fielder Damon Buford to the Boston Red Sox for right-handers Aaron Sele and Mark Brandenburg and catcher Bill Haselman.

The Red Sox have given up trying to sign infielder John Valentin to a long-term contract and they will try to trade him, general manager Dan Duquette said.

Smiley has 30 days to buy Marlins

Florida Marlins owner Wayne Huizenga said he is negotiating the sale of the team to a group headed by club president Don Smiley and has given the executive 30 days to complete the purchase.

Smiley said he has assembled a group of 25-35 investors who are more interested in making money than winning the World Series. That means the Marlins will be busy this winter trying to trade their high-priced players.

Huizenga said although he received other offers, Smiley’s bid was the only one that would guarantee the Marlins would remain in South Florida. Smiley, though, said that will change if Florida doesn’t get an agreement on a baseball stadium in the Miami-area by 1998.

Charge filed against Canseco

Five years after a violent confrontation with his first wife, Jose Canseco was arrested Thursday and charged with beating his second wife.

Police charged the 33-year-old Oakland Athletics outfielder with battery for hitting his wife, Jessica, during an argument in a friend’s car in Miami at 2:30 a.m.

Canseco was released from the Dade County Jail after posting a $2,000 bond.

His lawyer, Louis Hillman, confirmed the couple are in the process of getting a divorce.

Twins donated to charity?

Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad would donate his team to a charitable foundation and taxpayers would build a $250 million open-air ballpark under a plan just announced.

“This is a last-best hope for keeping the Twins in Minnesota,” Gov. Arne Carlson said.

Legislators will consider the plan next Thursday. The state would finance the plan by the sale of naming rights, concession contracts and taxes on tickets, parking and items sold in and around the ballpark. Income taxes paid by Twins and Vikings employees would be redirected to pay for a stadium.