ARLINGTON, Texas -- Outfielder Juan Gonzalez was held out of the Texas Rangers' lineup again Wednesday night as the two-time AL MVP considered whether to accept or reject a trade that would send him to the Montreal Expos.

	Juan Gonzalez Outfielder Texas Rangers Profile
	2003 SEASON STATISTICS G R H HR RBI AVG 65 38 76 18 50 .286

Despite assertions by his attorney that he would likely invoke the no-trade clause in his contract, Gonzalez said he hasn't made that determination.

"I haven't decided,'' Gonzalez said after taking batting practice before Wednesday night's game against Oakland.

Gonzalez has until Saturday morning to make his decision. He said he wasn't sure when he would decide.

The Expos reached an agreement with Texas on Tuesday to acquire Gonzalez, but his attorney, Jeff Moorad, said then that Gonzalez "in all likelihood" would block the deal.

A message left at Moorad's office Wednesday night wasn't immediately returned.

Gonzalez met Wednesday with Montreal general manager Omar Minaya, who has a long history with the slugger.

"I have met with him but I'm not going to talk about the meeting," Minaya said.

Minaya is credited with helping develop Gonzalez for the Rangers in the mid-1980s, when he coached the Gulf Coast Rangers for three years.

The last-place Rangers were expected to receive prospects, possibly three of them, if Gonzalez goes to Montreal. The Expos are in the thick of the NL wild-card race.

Manager Buck Showalter said Gonzalez was available for him to use, but he held him out of the starting lineup and had spoken to him.

"I talked to him about the whys and the factors," Showalter said. "I told him we support him, either way, whatever decision he makes."

Gonzalez is in the second year of his $24 million, two-year deal, and $4.5 million of his $12 million salary this season deferred. The 33-year-old outfielder is hitting .286 with 18 homers and 50 RBI.

The Rangers have made it clear that they want to move forward with younger players and that Gonzalez, in his second stint with the team for which he signed at age 16, won't be re-signed after this season.

Texas has already traded outfielder Ruben Sierra to the New York Yankees for a minor leaguer. Other potential movers before the July 31 trading deadline are closer Ugueth Urbina , starters Ismael Valdes and John Thomson and outfielder Carl Everett, all players that are eligible for free agency after this season.

Gonzalez spent several minutes in the clubhouse Wednesday talking to Urbina, who spent parts of seven seasons in Montreal. The subject and nature of their talk wasn't known.

The Expos play on artificial turf, and that could factor against a player with a history of injuries. He has never played for an NL team.

Gonzalez was the AL MVP in 1996 and '98 for Texas, but was traded to Detroit in a nine-player deal in November 1999 because he was going to be a free agent the following season. He played just one season with the Tigers and then spent a year in Cleveland before returning to the Rangers.