Vote Puts the Expos Closer to Moving

Baseball owners took another step toward moving the Montreal Expos to Washington next year, giving conditional approval Friday but hinging their decision on the September agreement that did not cap the cost of a new ballpark.

Owners approved the move during a conference call by a 29-1 vote, with the Baltimore Orioles dissenting, a baseball official said on condition of anonymity.

Approval was “subject to all conditions set forth in the baseball stadium agreement” signed Sept. 29 by the Expos and Washington Mayor Anthony A. Williams, Major League Baseball said in a statement. That agreement called for the District of Columbia government to enact by Dec. 31 funding for a new ballpark for the team, which would be renamed the Nationals.

The District of Columbia Council voted this week to approve funding but placed a $630-million cap on the project -- $195 million above the estimate in the September agreement. For the funding to become law, the council must approve the measure again, and it must be signed by Williams, who favors the project.

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The New York Yankees began reshaping their roster Friday, sending outfielder Kenny Lofton and more than $1.5 million to the Philadelphia Phillies for setup man Felix Rodriguez and also reacquiring Mike Stanton from the Mets.

The Yankees got Stanton and $975,000 from the Mets for Felix Heredia in a swap of left-handed relievers. Stanton waived his no-trade clause to rejoin his former team.

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Fired Arizona DiamondbackManager Wally Backman was sentenced to 10 days in jail in Kennewick, Wash., for violating his probation three years ago.

Backman was fired by Arizona last month just four days after he was hired. He was dismissed after revelations he had been arrested twice and struggled with financial problems.

Backman, 45, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in 2000, when he was manager of the Tri-City Posse minor league team. He later pleaded guilty.

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Prices for most Dodger tickets will remain the same next season, but about 10,000 premium field and loge level seats will cost more. The biggest increase will be for the first few rows on field level, where tickets will increase from $45 to $70.

Nine new multiple-game ticket plans are being implemented, including one as low as $36 for 12 games. More than 70% of the seats can be purchased on a season-seat basis for $17 or less and more than 10,000 single-game seats will remain at $6 or less.

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Times staff writer Steve Henson contributed to this report.