BASEBALL NOTES

Baltimore Oriole majority owner Peter Angelos is seriously considering firing Manager Davey Johnson without a settlement for the remaining season on his contract because Johnson directed second baseman Roberto Alomar to pay a $10,500 fine to a charity with which Johnson’s wife is associated, sources familiar with the situation told the Washington Post.

Johnson and his wife, Susan, said Tuesday that Alomar’s fine--imposed by Johnson in July for Alomar’s missing a team banquet in April and an exhibition game during the All-Star break--was directed by Davey Johnson to be paid to a scholarship fund run by a doctor at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Hospital, where Susan Johnson is involved in fund-raising for the charitable foundation.

Johnson’s representative said earlier that Johnson wants to return to the Orioles next year for the final season of his three-year, $2.25 million contract.

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Paul Molitor, Darryl Kile and Kenny Lofton were among 26 players who filed for free agency, bringing to 62 the total after two days.

Kile, a right-hander who will be 30 next season, was 19-7 with a 2.57 ERA for the Houston Astros. Lofton hit .333 for the Atlanta Braves with 27 steals after his spring training trade from the Cleveland Indians.

Molitor, who will turn 42 in August, said he isn’t sure whether he wants to play next season.

In other moves, the Boston Red Sox declined to exercise 1998 options on right-handers Bret Saberhagen and Jim Corsi, Toronto exercised its $800,000 option on left-hander Dan Plesac, and the San Francisco Giants exercised their $550,000 option on pitcher Mark Gardner.

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The Minnesota Legislature rejected plans to pay for a new Twins stadium, leaving the team’s future in doubt and dragging the issue out for at least another two weeks. . . . The Fresno City Council narrowly rejected a financial deal to build a $36-million downtown stadium for a triple-A team.