Attorneys for the baseball interests argue that no state law gave Hennepin County District Judge Harry Crump the right to order the team to play out its lease with the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.
The judge’s original ruling threw doubt over baseball's plan to get rid of two teams by next season. The Twins are among a handful of candidates for the so-called contraction, which commissioner Bud Selig wants to complete before spring training.
Selig said baseball wants to dissolve two teams because they can’t generate enough revenue to compete. Contraction would allow the remaining 28 owners to get a bigger share of baseball’s six-year $2.5bn (B2.8bn) television contract with News Corp’s Fox, and free wealthy clubs from having to support weaker counterparts.
