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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Montreal Expos players reversed course Friday and said they would consider a split home schedule for next year.

The Expos, bought by the other 29 major league teams before the 2002 season, are being sought by Northern Virginia, Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C.

But team president Tony Tavares omitted all three of those groups when he listed options for 2004, instead saying the choices were to play home games at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, in Mexico or in San Juan.

Tavares anticipates commissioner Bud Selig will make his choice next week.

"I expect a decision for 2004, not beyond 2004. You're either looking at Monterrey, Puerto Rico and Montreal," he said before the Expos played Florida on Friday night in the start of their final Puerto Rico homestand.

To raise revenue, the commissioner's office moved 22 of the Expos' home games this year to San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating office, would not rule out a permanent decision for 2004.

"All the options are on the commissioner's desk," DuPuy said in New York after being told of Tavares' comments. "I would hope within a week to 10 days we'll have some direction from him."

After meeting on July 31 with Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association, Expos' players said they would not approve another schedule with home games at two sites, saying the extended road trips hurt their chances to make the playoffs. They were 32-18 on May 25, then went 8-14 on a 25-day trip that included their second homestand in Puerto Rico.

After meeting with Orza again Friday, players said they would reconsider their opposition to a split schedule.

"The players are still not keenly interested in a split, but at least they're willing to look at the schedule," Orza said.

Home games cannot be played at more than one site without the union's approval. Orza said players would consider approving the shift of "22 games or thereabouts."

"They're not going to play 81 games in Puerto Rico," Orza said. "It's 22 games in Monterrey or 22 games in Puerto Rico."

Expos player representative Brian Schneider said players will respond next week.

"We still would rather play 81 games in one place," he said.

Montreal won Friday, leaving the Expos at 72-70, 5½ games back in the wild-card race. The Expos were not adding any players for the final month.

"We're not going to be allowed to get any callups because we're substantially over budget," Tavares said.

Orza said players were angry the team has not made any September callups from the minors, moves routinely made by other teams.

"No September callups? How can that be?" he said. "The players are not happy campers."

Orza said the lack of callups had "wended its way into the decision" on whether to approve a split schedule for next year.

"The have traveled more than any other team in the major leagues," he said. "They are uniquely situated to be the beneficiary of September callups."

The commissioner's office operates the Expos and sets the team's budget. DuPuy declined comment on the callups issue.

Tavares recently traveled to Monterrey and said he was "pleasantly surprised" with what he saw. Monterrey was host to a three-game series between the San Diego Padres and New York Mets in August 1996 and the major league season opener between San Diego and Colorado on April 4, 1999.

"I think it's a viable option," Tavares said.

Antonio Munoz, the Puerto Rican promoter who brought the Expos to San Juan this year, wants to expand the schedule of games on the Caribbean island.

"There hasn't been a yes or no decision," he said. "The proposal is still on for 81 games. If they ask for a 22-game proposal, we'll do it."

The spokesmen for all three groups bidding to lure the Expos long-term said they would not be surprised if baseball postponed its decision on where the team will play beyond 2004.

"Over the past couple of weeks, we've sort of gotten the impression that that's the way baseball was probably heading," Northern Virginia's Brian Hannigan said.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press