Expos, Alou To Stay In Montreal

The Expos said Monday they will not attempt to move before the 2001 season and that Felipe Alou will return as manager.

"The rumors have all been false Felipe Alou is our manager next year," team executive vice president David Samson said before the Expos' final home game of the season. "That's never been a question at any time. Felipe Alou is the man who will help this team go to the next level."

While the Expos have confirmed they will be back at Olympic Stadium next season, they did not guarantee they would stay in Montreal beyond then.

Samson said a priority will be to sign broadcast agreements. This season, the Expos had no local or national television deals and no local English language radio broadcasts.

Alou, 65, who has managed the club since relieving Tom Runnells during the 1992 season, was rumored to be on the way out since Jeffrey Loria, Samson's stepfather, bought a controlling interest in the team last winter.

Reports said the midseason firing of coaches Luis Pujols and Bobby Cuellar, said to be close to Alou, may have been intended to provoke Alou to resign.

"It's not just the Expos a lot of teams fired coaches in the middle of the season," said Alou, adding that Pujols, a fellow Dominican Republic native, was "just another coach a company man, just like me, trying to win for these colors."

Alou nearly accepted an offer to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers two seasons ago, but was convinced to stay with the Expos with a three-year contract.

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