Giambi Awaits A’s New Offer

While Joe Torre, Yogi Berra and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani have been courting Jason Giambi to play for the New York Yankees, the slugger is still waiting to get a new offer from the Oakland Athletics.

Giambi turned down a $91-million, six-year contract extension during the season because the Athletics refused to include a no-trade clause. The A’s have said they are willing to give the no-trade now, but have not raised their offer.

“Nothing’s really going on so far with them right now,� Giambi said Thursday on Fox Sports Net’s “The Last Word with Jim Rome.� “They still have the same offer. Nothing’s really come up.�

By the time the A’s do make a new offer, it could be too late. Yankee President Randy Levine talked with Giambi’s agent, Arn Tellem, on Thursday.

“I think something is going to happen fast,� Giambi said.

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The incoming mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul proposed plans to a state task force examining whether a ballpark can be built to keep the Minnesota Twins from folding.

Minneapolis Mayor-elect R.T. Rybak called for a $315-million, 38,000-seat open-air ballpark to be built near the Target Center, with about two-thirds of the money coming from the team and private investors.

St. Paul Mayor-elect Randy Kelly proposed a $375-million stadium to be constructed in his city, funded by private sources and state-issued bonds.

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Ozzie Smith, Andre Dawson and Frank Viola were among 11 first-time candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot of the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

The rest of the newcomers were pitchers Mike Henneman, Jeff Russell and Scott Sanderson; infielders Alan Trammell, Robby Thompson and Tim Wallach; and outfielders Lenny Dykstra and Mike Greenwell.

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Prospective owners of the Boston Red Sox submitted bids for controlling interest in the team with no indication of when or how the winner will be selected.

The Jean R. Yawkey Trust is selling its 53% stake of the team, which owns Fenway Park and 80% of the New England Sports Network. The price is expected to be $350 million or more.

Among those confirming bids were South Boston land developer Frank McCourt, Cablevision Systems Corp. chairman Charles Dolan and New England Sports Ventures, a group led by former San Diego Padre owner Tom Werner.