SIDELINES : 2 Phoenix Baseball Bids Likely

The Phoenix area apparently will have at least two applications for an expansion franchise before National League officials next week.

Class AAA Phoenix Firebirds’ owner Martin Stone said Tuesday that he will return a questionnaire and submit a $100,000 application fee on Friday.

The Maricopa County Sports Authority had already received permission from the National League to apply without an owner and said it will do so by next Tuesday’s deadline.

Phoenix is one of several cities vying for two expansion teams to be announced next year by the National League to begin play in 1993. Among the other applicants are Denver, Buffalo, N.Y.; Tampa, Fla., and Washington, D.C.

Stone, of Lake Placid, N.Y., earlier had balked at the $95-million franchise fee set by the league, leading the county authority to submit an application of its own.