Replacement ban on state agenda

Orioles owner Peter Angelos says he won't put an Orioles team on the field if his fellow baseball owners use replacements for striking major-leaguers. Now, the Maryland General Assembly apparently will be weighing in on the replacement issue.

This week, companion bills banning replacement games at Camden Yards were introduced in the State Senate and the House of Delegates.

The bills -- sponsored by Sen. John Pica and Del. Sandy Rosenberg -- would make the state-financed ballpark off-limits to the Orioles or any other major-league club if fewer than 75 percent of the team's players were not in the big leagues the year before.

Another set of bills would prohibit a professional baseball team from advertising its games if fewer than 75 percent of its players were new to the major leagues.

The proposed legislation apparently would give Angelos more leverage in his battles with baseball officials, who are pressuring him to field a team of replacements. Those officials have threatened heavy fines and possible seizure of the Orioles franchise if Angelos and his partners don't comply.

The bills effectively would free the club from its obligation under the stadium lease to play all regularly scheduled home games at Camden Yards.