Alou Not Ready To Leave Expos

Felipe Alou wants to listen to offers from other teams but has not yet made a firm decision to resign as manager of the Montreal Expos.

Contacted at his home in Florida before he left to visit his native Dominican Republic, Alou told the Journal de Montreal he has asked for formal permission to talk to other teams.

"I'm waiting for the papers," Alou said. "I'm not used to this procedure because I've been an employee of the Expos for 24 years."

Alou said he was torn between Montreal, where his wife is from and where he has a home in the St. Francois district of suburban Laval, and testing the market to see if he can manage a contender.

"In Montreal, there is always uncertainty about the franchise and the team," he said. "And there comes a time in a man's life when he wants to find out what he's worth."

Alou said he felt better about the Expos after meeting Wednesday in Florida with general manager Jim Beattie.

A week before the end of the season, Alou read a newspaper article in which Expos president Claude Brochu said he would refuse if Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Kevin Malone asked permission to offer Alou a job.

When Beattie a few days later asked Alou if he wanted to listen to offers, Alou took it as a change of heart by Expos management and "an invitation to leave."

"Jim and I cleared the air," Alou said. "After our conversation, Jim said he would sleep better and so will I. Jim's intentions weren't bad, and maybe I took what he said the wrong way."

Beattie offered to resign if it would convince Alou to stay.

The Dodgers, who this week fired interim manager Glenn Hoffman, are the leading candidate to sign Alou. Malone, a former Expos general manager, has said Alou is his first choice to take over the job. The Colorado Rockies, who fired Don Baylor after the season, are also looking for a new manager.

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