New York ? Unable to eliminate teams this season, Bud Selig sounded a familiar baseball cry Tuesday: Wait ’til next year!

Stung by a streak of legal losses, the commissioner backed down from folding the Minnesota Twins and Montreal Expos this season but vowed to shrink the major leagues by 2003.

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal to lift the injunction that forces the Twins to honor their 2002 lease at the Metrodome.

“I couldn’t really rest in peace. Now I can,” Twins outfielder Torii Hunter said.

Owners voted Nov. 6 to eliminate two teams but did not specify which ones. Their labor negotiators later told the players’ association the Twins and Expos were targeted.

“We are pleased that the 2002 season will proceed with 30 teams,” union head Donald Fehr said. “However, it is regrettable that the clubs continue to assert that they can and will act unilaterally, rather than by negotiation and agreement.”