MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Alabama businessman Donald Watkins, who has expressed an interest in purchasing the Minnesota Twins, met with team officials for the first time Wednesday.
Watkins and his attorney, Kenneth Thomas, met with Twins owner Carl Pohland and team president Jerry Bell for two hours.
Watkins has said he would keep the Twins in Minnesota if he is allowed to buy the franchise and said he has the financial resources to build a new stadium with private funds.
The Twins and Montreal Expos are rumored to be the teams that would be eliminated under Commissioner Bud Selig's plan for contraction.
However, the Minnesota Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld an injunction requiring the Twins to play all 81 home games during the 2002 season at the Metrodome.
The ruling makes contraction appear even more unlikely this year, although Major League Baseball has appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court.
Watkins, who also has expressed interest in purchasing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, received permission last week from baseball's ownership committee to begin talks with the Twins.
