Cut the crap. Give me a drink.

"We are growing increasingly concerned about the District's ability to meet the agreed-upon December 31, 2005 deadline, by which date a number of critical tasks in the Baseball Stadium Agreement must be completed," Major League Baseball president Bob DuPuy said in a letter sent Tuesday to Mayor Anthony Williams and Council Chairman Linda Cropp.

DuPuy repeatedly cited the deadline, when a lease is to be completed, Washington is to be in control of the ballpark site and the funding for the ballpark is to be available.

The D.C. Council has been scrutinizing the deal it approved last year that allowed the Montreal Expos to move to Washington and become the Nationals. The council narrowly approved the plan to borrow $535 million to pay for the stadium last year, but three new members who are opposed to a publicly financed ballpark have replaced stadium supporters since then. Members have been seeking ways to cover cost overruns.

While city officials urged the council to follow through on the original deal, councilman Jim Graham, one of six members who voted against it last year, said at a hearing Monday that the original site is "pretty much dead" without concessions from baseball.

DuPuy's letter points out the importance of meeting the deadline or risk "disillusionment of baseball fans in your community."