MARLINS FIND MARIJUANA IN BAG BOUND FOR S. FLORIDA

If not for the suspicions it raised, a padlocked bag stuffed with a half
kilogram of marijuana almost found its way onto the charter flight that
brought the Marlins home from Montreal on Friday.

"Frightening," said Marlins manager Jeff Torborg.

As it turned out, the mysterious bag was opened before it was ever loaded
with the team's bats and uniforms and was then turned over to Canadian law
enforcement officials.

According to Florida club officials, Luis Pirez -- a former Marlins bullpen
catcher who's now with the Expos -- approached Marlins video coordinator
Cullen McRae before Thursday's game at Olympic Stadium and asked him to
take one of his bags back to South Florida for him. McRae said Pirez told
him he would stop by Pro Player Stadium to pick up the bag when he returned
home after the season ended Sunday.

On Saturday, Pirez, a Miami resident, was arraigned on charges of drug
possession and intent to export and pleaded not guilty. Pirez, 23, was
released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 3.

The Marlins turned the bag and its contents over to police Thursday night.

Torborg said it was a teal-colored equipment bag bearing the Marlins logo,
and it was padlocked.

That aroused suspicions.

Cullen and Marlins equipment manager John Silverman made a surprising
discovery when they decided to open the bag to see what was inside.

"I've been going through customs for 26 years and I'm always careful," said
Silverman, who worked previously for the Expos and Toronto Blue Jays.

"That's not funny stuff," Torborg said, adding the Marlins could have run
into seri ous trouble when the charter made a required stop early Friday
morning at Syracuse, N.Y., to clear U.S. customs on the way back to South
Florida.

The Marlins, who played the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night, did not
touch down at Fort Lauderdale until 4:30 a.m. that day.

"We never would have made it home in time to play the game," Torborg said,
figuring the team would have been held up at customs for questioning had
the bag been found on the plane.

The incident, which comes a week after allegations were raised concerning
marijuana use by members of the New York Mets, is being investigated by
Canadian police and Major League Baseball.

Pirez is a Miami resident who became the bullpen catcher for the Montreal
Expos after Jeffrey Loria sold the team in February to purchase the
Marlins. He worked for the Marlins from 1998 through last season.

Pierre Belisle, head of security for the Expos, referred all questions
concerning the incident to the league.

"I can't answer any questions regarding this matter," Belisle said.

Major League Baseball officials did not return calls Sunday.