Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke weighed in yesterday with his opinion of the giant crab sculpture proposed for Baltimore's Rash Field, suggesting it needs more seasoning.

"I don't think that should be the final," he said when asked what he thought of the design. "I think it should be refined a little bit."

Blue Crab Park -- grassy mounds sculpted to look like a crab when seen from the top of Federal Hill -- was one of several elements proposed by a design team that won a national competition held to generate ideas for improving the Inner Harbor shoreline.

Mr. Schmoke said at his morning news briefing that the city agency that sponsored the design competition is not necessarily going to build the crab just because it was part of the winner's concept.

He said the competition was held to select a design team, not a specific design, and the city is open to other suggestions.

"The blue crab is not a done deal," Mr. Schmoke said.

The mayor added that he has received more letters about the crab in the past week than he's received in the past six years about Rash Field.