Baseball Notes | Ex-union chief Miller on ballot for Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame's revamped Veterans Committees will announce their vote today, and former players' union chief Marvin Miller is among 10 on the executives/pioneers ballot.

Miller, 90, is 26 years removed from his last negotiation. He was succeeded by Donald Fehr. When Miller was hired as executive director of the union in 1966, the average salary for players was $19,000. When he retired at the end of 1982, the average salary was $241,000; now it is pushing $3 million.

"The criteria for non-playing personnel is the impact they made on the sport," commissioner Bud Selig said. "Therefore, Marvin Miller should be in the Hall of Fame on that basis."

Others on the executives ballot include former commissioner Bowie Kuhn and former Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley. There are also 10 candidates on a managers/umpires ballot, including Gene Mauch, Whitey Herzog and Billy Martin.

The executives committee consists of Hall of Famers Monte Irvin and Harmon Killebrew; former AL president Bobby Brown; former Red Sox boss John Harrington; executives Jerry Bell (Twins), Bill DeWitt (Cardinals), Bill Giles (Phillies), David Glass (Royals), and Andy MacPhail (Orioles); and reporters Paul Hagen (Philadelphia Daily News), Rick Hummel (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), and Hal McCoy (Dayton Daily News).

Astros.

Second baseman Kaz Matsui, 32, finalized a $16.5 million, three-year deal with Houston, a little more than a month after helping the Colorado Rockies to their first World Series appearance. The switch-hitter batted .288, stealing 32 bases and scoring 84 runs.

General manager Ed Wade said Matsui likely will bat second, behind centerfielder Michael Bourn, acquired last month from the Phillies in the deal that brought reliever Brad Lidge to Philadelphia.

Rangers.

Sammy Sosa, 39, was not offered salary arbitration by Texas, who still may be interested in bringing back the slugger.

After a year out of baseball, Sosa hit .252 with 21 home runs and 92 RBIs in 114 games for Texas.

Yankees.

New York likely will pull out of trade talks for Johan Santana if the Minnesota Twins don't make a decision by late today.

"I'm not going to be played against the Red Sox. That's not something I'll do," said Hank Steinbrenner, the Yankees' senior vice president.

The Yankees have proposed swapping pitcher Phil Hughes, centerfielder Melky Cabrera and a prospect for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who can become a free agent after next season.

Boston is thought to have offered a package including pitcher Jon Lester or centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Centerfielder Coco Crisp also could be part of a trade.