Council gets the save for Washington

Baseball fans in the nation’s capital can start thinking again of their first opening day in 33 years.

The District of Columbia Council voted 7-6 Tuesday to approve legislation to finance a ballpark, clearing the way for the Montreal Expos to move to Washington next season and be renamed the Nationals.

The measure allows the city to sell up to $584 million in bonds for construction of a 41,000-seat stadium about a mile south of the Capitol and renovations to RFK Stadium, where the team would play next year.

Ticket and team merchandise sales were to resume today after being suspended for a week because of uncertainty caused by changes the council made last week in the city’s agreement with the team.

“The Nationals are finally rounding third and heading for home,” said Mayor Anthony A. Williams, who negotiated the move with Major League Baseball officials.

Williams said he will sign the bill as soon as it gets to his desk, leaving only commissioner Bud Selig’s approval of the RFK renovations for the move to become final.

Average salary sees rare drop

Baseball salaries went down in 2004 for the first time in a decade and only the third time since record-keeping began nearly 40 years ago.

The average dropped 2.5 percent this year to $2,313,535, according to final figures released by the Major League Baseball Players Association. The average had been $2,372,189 in 2003.

Since the union started keeping track in 1967, the only previous decreases had been an $86 drop in 1987, when owners were found to have conspired to hold down salaries among free agents, and a 4 percent decline in 1995, following a 7 1/2 -month strike that wiped out the World Series for the first time since 1904.

Randa signs with Reds

Third baseman Joe Randa agreed to a $2.15 million, one-year contract with the Reds, ending Cincinnati’s plan to move right fielder Austin Kearns to the position next season.

Randa, 35, played the last six seasons with Kansas City, batting .287 with eight home runs and 56 RBIs last season. He has a .286 average in 10 major league seasons with 102 home runs and 643 RBIs.

Zimmerman to try comeback

Former All-Star pitcher Jeff Zimmerman agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, pushing ahead with his comeback attempt from elbow problems that sidelined him the last three seasons.

The deal is likely to be rejected for now by the commissioner’s office. Zimmerman became a free agent after the season and Texas did not offer salary arbitration on Dec. 7, meaning the Rangers are ineligible to sign him until May 1.

But because of his injury, Zimmerman isn’t likely to pitch in the major leagues before then.

Zimmerman last pitched in a game in the 2001 season finale, when he converted his 17th straight save opportunity, then a team record. He finished with a team-high 28 saves and was rewarded with a $10 million, three-year contract.

Clearing the bases

Catcher Ben Davis and the Chicago White Sox agreed on a $1 million, one-year deal, one day after the team cut him by failing to offer a 2005 contract. … The New York Yankees finalized their $4 million, two-year contract with second baseman Tony Womack. … Catcher Todd Greene and right-hander Jamey Wright agreed to one-year contracts with the Colorado Rockies and utilityman Greg Norton agreed to a minor league deal. … Left-hander Wayne Franklin and the San Francisco Giants agreed on a one-year contract. … Reliever Amaury Telemaco agreed to a $600,000, one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.