MLB.com

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

Commissioner Bud Selig speaks to public figures and media Wednesday in San Juan. (Michele LaFountain/MLB.com)

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SAN JUAN -- Commissioner Bud Selig showered Puerto Rico with accolades at a press conference Wednesday morning that included local politicians, promoters and many members of the Puerto Rico media. But he stopped short of saying the team would return next season for at least another slate of 22 Montreal Expos home games.

"Given the unprecedented nature [of the situation], this at least has been a vehicle to continue taking our sport to different [international] sites," Selig said. "And so San Juan, Puerto Rico, has been a very successful home for the Montreal Expos. I would say that at the very least we've made the best of a very tough, sensitive situation."

Major League Baseball's relocation committee is currently trying to assess the Expos situation for next season and beyond. Among the myriad possibilities and combinations for the 2004 season are bids from San Juan and Monterrey, Mexico, to host 22 games, with the remaining 59 again in Montreal.

There's also the faint possibility that the team could be relocated permanently for next season with Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Portland, Ore., as the likely candidates. However, funding and site selection for a new ballpark in each of those communities is far from complete.

Selig arrived at Hiram Bithorn Stadium before Tuesday night's 4-3 Expos' loss to the Chicago Cubs, which drew a crowd of 15,632. Selig left soon after Wednesday's press conference. He said he was delighted with his stay in San Juan, but reiterated that MLB is "still considering all options."

"I came down here yesterday knowing it would be good, but I must admit it has been a very impressive 24 hours," Selig said. "We're grateful for that. The relocation committee is going to come back with their recommendations. But obviously we're very, very impressed with San Juan at this point."

The words were music to the ears of Antonio Munoz, Sr. and his son, Antonio, Jr., whose company, MB Sports, guaranteed MLB between $7 million and $10 million this season and is offering a similar package, plus about $3 million worth of improvements to the 18,000-seat stadium, for a 22-game schedule next season.

The younger Munoz said he had hoped for at least a sign from Selig regarding what direction MLB is headed, but remained optimistic.

"All I know is we're still in it and that's a good thing," the younger Munoz said. "We'll continue to fight."

Monterrey's forces, led by promoter Carlos Bremer, have been told by MLB to "sit tight," said Eric Stern, who is handling the bid from the Northern Mexico city.

Like San Juan, Monterrey initially bid for the entire 81-game home schedule and has recently sent in another bid for 22 games. Like San Juan, the Mexican promoters are guaranteeing about $3.5 million in renovations to 30,000-seat Estadio Monterrey.

If the Expos players agree to a split home schedule again next season, Stern said he's confident that Monterrey has the stronger bid.

"We have an offer in front of them that we believe is going to be very difficult to turn down," said Stern, when reached by telephone in New York on Wednesday.

Stern wouldn't divulge the terms of the offer or compare it to what is on the table from San Juan.

The players, meanwhile, are in the process of discussing their options and haven't taken a vote yet on splitting the schedule. They met with Gene Orza, an associate counsel for the union, before last Friday's game, and said they would consider the split. On Sunday, they got details from Expos president Tony Tavares about travel in and out of the respective cities and alternate playing schedules.

On Tuesday, they met for 90 minutes and discussed the options. They probably will meet again one more time with Orza before taking a vote.

"This team has a pretty significant responsibility ahead of them," said Todd Zeile, the team's associate player representative who has had years of experience dealing with union-related baseball issues. "We'll probably be ready to discuss things with Gene in the relatively near future, perhaps in a matter of a few days."

Selig said he wanted to set no timetable on coming to a decision about the team's future. Last year, because resolution of the new collective bargaining agreement with the players was reached with one month remaining in the regular season, the union and MLB didn't sign off on the San Juan schedule until November. The press conference announcing the San Juan dates was held here in December.

"Back in December, when we announced the deal, all of us had some concerns and trepidations about this experiment," Selig said. "But I do believe very deeply in our continuing effort to internationalize our sport. It's not only our responsibility, but also a pleasure to do it -- to bring the greatest game in the world to as many people as possible, who never had the privilege and opportunity to see it.

"This has worked out far better than any one of us had any right to expect. It's been a wonderful experience."

Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.