Bud Selig To Step Down As Commissioner In 2012
by Al Yellon on Nov 28, 2009 5:05 PM CST
in News
182 comments
There was some discussion of of Bud Selig's decision to leave as commissioner when his term ends in 2012, but I see the post was deleted by the original poster, likely because it was devolving into political discussion, which I had specifically asked several times in the post for people NOT to do.
I'm reposting the topic for discussion here. Keep the politics OUT of this post, or I'll delete this one, too.
0 recs |
182 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Bud Selig has been ungodly awful
I can’t wait until he is gone. But that said, he has been announcing a retirement date for something like 10 years.
Next commissioner might be Condeleeza Rice. Which I think would be great on many levels.
"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)
Rice, IIRC, is a football fan.
She wanted to be NFL commissioner, not baseball.
No politics, please, even if you mention a political figure, please keep your personal views on politics to yourself.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
No political view offered
Condy Rice is a woman, African-American and holds a PhD. She is articulate, energetic and a person of great accomplishment. I could care less her political affiliation, and offered her up as a logical choice to take over as Commissioner.
"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)
Understood.
I don’t think she’d be interested, and I doubt the owners are going to name someone like that.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Trying not to get political
Without trying to get political I thought the first President Bush would make a great commisioner. I actually met him and his wife and Laura at a Cubs/Astros game in 1998.
Brennan and Booth their Story Really begins November 2009
by puckishcubsfan on Nov 29, 2009 8:43 AM CST up reply actions
Uhggg !!
I knew some individual was going to suggest W. Simply said, ABSOLUTELY NOT
by cubssouvenirman on Nov 29, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions
George Bush
The FIRST. Please read more carefully. This I may be able to handle. That’s it, I’m done .
by NWIowaCubFan on Nov 29, 2009 12:31 PM CST up reply actions
no to both
i will say no more, as no matter what is said about their business dealings, it will get into politics, since everything the Bush’s do ends up in a political mess
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Interesting criteria. At last check, there's a few million such people in this country.
Maybe we could make them all commissioner of something?
by Orval Overall on Nov 28, 2009 5:18 PM CST up reply actions
We could have a volleyballocracy!
One person serves until they screw up and then everyone rotates.
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
she is a member of the coaching staff at Stanford
and was an honory captain vs ND.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Christmas came on November 28th this year! COOL!
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
Maybe it's just me...
but somehow this seems a bit surprising to me….maybe all the pressure on him over steroids, the state of the league, instant replay, etc has finally forced him to say enough and hang it up for good?
this is definately just me....
but I think he’s too old for any pressures of the 21st century.
"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not." --Mark Twain
by cooliogirl47 on Nov 28, 2009 7:15 PM CST up reply actions
This might seem political, but it's not.
I would love to see George F. Will as the next Commissioner of Baseball.
1) He’s brilliant, thoughtful, and articulate.
2) He has a deep passion and understanding of the game.
3) He rocks the bow tie.
4) He’s a Cubs fan. This would be a welcome break from the Brewers-Fan-In-Chief who currently holds down the fort.
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
by Goodie1969 on Nov 28, 2009 5:19 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
Not bad
But perhaps a tad stuffy.
Personally I’d prefer Bill Murray.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Nov 28, 2009 5:26 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Not sure about 3
… but points 1, 2 and 4 make a whole lot of sense. Then again, the man wrote a column a few years back decrying the widespread wearing of jeans by people who did not need the durability of denim in their jobs. So I kind of doubt he’d be the type to be open minded about modern issues like instant replay….
by Orval Overall on Nov 28, 2009 5:26 PM CST up reply actions
Will
Will had it worked out with ABC that he could wear a Cubs championship ensemble the Sunday after the Cubs won the world series.
Kind of like William Peterson among others have let it be known production on their tv series goes down the week the Cubs are in the series.
Of course the people saying yes to them were counting on it never happening like the pony my parents promised me when I was 6 when the Cubs won the world series (for the record when it happens I AM DEMANDING MY PONY knowing my parents they’ll get me a stuffed one)
Brennan and Booth their Story Really begins November 2009
by puckishcubsfan on Nov 29, 2009 8:49 AM CST up reply actions
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Doubt the owners nomnate a player, but he a pick I could respect….although the Holiday Inn Exprerss commercials aren’t helping that reputation.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Nov 28, 2009 5:20 PM CST reply actions
Nolan Ryan
he is a success in business, and takes no sh*t from anyone
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
He's also someone who's been on both sides of the game
As a GM and a player, I wouldn’t mind seeing Nolan Ryan be Commish
"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher
by Musicdude10 on Nov 28, 2009 8:54 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
that is a name that came to mind
I am definitely not a big fan of the used car salesman Selig, who is intent upon taxing stable, profitable franchises to death through revenue sharing to support inferior markets like Milwaukee. Baseball needs someone from within to step up. In departing,I hope that Selig takes with him the dark cloud that has been cast upon baseball during his tenure.
by cubssouvenirman on Nov 28, 2009 6:19 PM CST up reply actions
Bob Costas???
I saw him interview Selig……just wondering…..does it belong in a whacky thread????
"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not." --Mark Twain
Little Bobby Costas?
Only if he promises to never bring up the Mickey Mantle baseball card he carries in his wallet.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Nov 28, 2009 5:43 PM CST up reply actions
i think he would be great
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I've said he should be commissioner for the past 15 years.
He’d be great. And that’s why baseball will never let it happen.
Someone from the “good ’ole boy” inner circle will emerge and get the job.
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
Bob Costas has come out recently against the sudden-death nature of overtime in the NFL
No guts, no glory, Bob. Put me down as a “no” on this suggestion.
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
That's silly.
Sudden death overtime gives too much of an advantage to the team that wins the coin toss. It’s different in sports where turnovers are more common (soccer, hockey); a sudden-death overtime makes sense there. Sudden-death overtime in football is like sudden-death overtime in basketball — it would look worse in basketball because the pace is so much faster, but the math would work out pretty similarly in terms of advantage for the first team with possession.
Well, anyway, I have my opinions and you have yours on football overtime. There are good arguments for sudden death in the NFL. It isn’t fair post-coin toss, but there’s no pre-coin toss bias, so it might be fair enough. It does a good job of ending games quickly (important because so many injuries are fatigue-related). It minimizes ties. I wouldn’t say that someone that liked sudden-death in the NFL was a bad choice for that reason, and it’s silly for you to say it about someone that doesn’t like sudden-death.
On the other hand, anyone who like the college football overtime system should be drowned in a lake of burning oil (and thus, being dead, be unable to take the MLB commish position).
I'd like to know...
… what percentage of OT games are won by the team winning the coin toss. That would tell us whether that’s an advantage or not.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I've seen games where the team that won the toss didn't win the game
In last night’s game, the Steelers won the toss, but failed to score on their opening possession. The Ravens went three and out before turning the ball over to the Steelers by way of punt. Dixon threw a pick and that was all she wrote for the Steelers. There’s also an infamous game involving the Packers and the Giants a few years back. One can say that if Favre doesn’t throw that pick, then the Patriots might have gone 19-0 that year.
The reality of the situation is that sudden death ultimately makes it a little more exciting because it doesn’t eliminate the possibility of a tie. We nearly got one earlier this season in a game between the Jets and the Bills. I don’t have the statistics, so I can’t say how fair the sudden death system is. More times than not, I’ve seen the team that wins the toss score on the first possession.
And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.
Of course you've seen those games...
every sports fan that ever lived has seen that happen. The point is, a simple coin toss is determining a VERY strong advantage. That’s silly.
Also, didn’t Lovie Smith win the toss and elect to kick the ball in an OT game a few years ago? Or am I thinking of another team?
It did involve the Bears.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200211240chi.htm
The Lions actually won the toss, and their coach deferred posession. because the Bears would kicking into the wind. Bears scored on the 1st possession.
The 2009 White Sox....like a 40 degree day.
by Ozzie Montana on Nov 30, 2009 3:40 PM CST up reply actions
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 30, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions
I found something, but don't know how old this is.
29% of the time the team that wins the toss drives down and scores without the other team touching the ball. Overall, however, the coin toss winner only wins 52% of the time. It seems fair but these numbers are somewhat misleading because in 1994 a rule changed moved the kickoff back 5 yards to the 30 yard line (those numbers were based on data from 1973-2003). Since then, it’s been about 60%. Prior to the rule change, the coin toss had no predictive value for deciding who would eventually win the game. Since 1994, the coin flip winner has a clear advantage.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I go back and forth
I dislike the college approach very much. I prefer sudden death to that nonsense.
It comes back to this. You have to play defense as well. WIthout looking, I’m sure there is probably a slight advantage to scoring first in a game, so it would seem that whoever wins the OPENING coin toss would have an advantage.
(No, I don’t want to bring back the XFL rule where you have to fight for the ball to determine first possession.)
The only change I would like is to require TDs to win. If you win the toss and go down and kick a FG, then the other team gets a chance. You score a TD, you win.
Or just do away with FG altogether in OT. It takes a TD to win.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
I too dislike the college approach but I might be more open to it if...
…they started from farther back, thereby negating the almost automatic FG in that first series if they don’t make a first down.
I’d say start out at the 35 or 40. And I might even throw in a provision that you have to make a first down before you can try for a FG.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Scroll down, Al.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 30, 2009 10:14 PM CST up reply actions
The link that I'd posted talks about more than Sunday's game
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 1, 2009 8:44 AM CST up reply actions
Y'all are missing the point of my post.
There are good arguments on both sides of the NFL overtime debate, and there are lots of interesting proposals to try to fix perceived problems. Liking sudden-death or not liking sudden-death does not make you more or less qualified for the MLB commish job. Having a position that you can argue intelligently is, in my eyes, a credit, even if I disagree with the position. If we’re talking about Costas specifically, I’d like to hear his alternative proposal and why, taking into account the arguments for the status quo, that his way is better.
I’d have to look up the relevant stats, but I think I’d basically play a 15-minute period and if it’s tied at the end of that call it a tie. I kind of like the “sudden death but each team is guaranteed one possession” idea, too. Actually, the more I look at it the less I dislike sudden death — in general the randomly-assigned bias created by the coin toss is not as bad as a systematic bias (i.e. the home team always gets the ball). But I agree with Costas that this one-game random bias that evens out over time is not in line with the NFL’s other attempts at fairness like instant replay. An abstract randomly-generated one-game bias is more acceptable in MLB, with its 162-game season, than in the NFL’s 16-game season — in baseball there’s already a concrete advantage given to the home team (batting last).
Bob Costas
I know he’s said he wouldn’t want it, but I think he’s certainly sufficiently knowledgable, well-liked and, more importantly, well-respected by most everyone involved with the game.
I am, of course, doing all of the owners’ thinking for them, here but that’s what the internet’s for – talking out of one’s ass.
by stuartscottslefteye on Nov 28, 2009 5:37 PM CST via mobile reply actions
"what the internet’s for"
…sweet anonymity
"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not." --Mark Twain
by cooliogirl47 on Nov 28, 2009 7:57 PM CST up reply actions
Happy Birthday to me!!! Bud, I didn't think you'd remember....
It’s been a great birthday so far, even if I can’t remember how old I am – or maybe it’s been a great birthday so far because I can’t remember how old I am… ;-)
Started celebrating shortly before midnight last night, and still got some more to do tonight, but I gotta say, this little nugget about Bud stepping down is a most welcome birthday present. I only wish it would happen sooner than 2012, but I’ll take it.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Happy BDay
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Great to hear you are having a GREAT birthday,
ballhawk! I’ll raise one in your honor tonight ;-D
Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.
Ballhawk
You deserve a happy birthday. You’ve always been one of the better posters here. Never contentious and a great sense of humor. Your offer to send some of you baseballs to our troops last year was first rate. I toast you on this, your birthday. I hope to meet you one day. Here’s to many more and a world series for the Cubs.
And so it goes.
Consider my glass raised
And drained. Happy birthday, ballhawk!
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Cheers!
"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not." --Mark Twain
by cooliogirl47 on Nov 28, 2009 6:24 PM CST up reply actions
Happy Birthday!!
Sounds like it’s been a good one.
OK I don't know shit about basketball.
by SoulEater7 on Nov. 5, 2009 9:51 PM CST
Happy Bday
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
many thanks for the birthday wishes
a glass was raised (and drained) several times – dutch beer on late Friday night, and french bordeaux last night.
And joy of joys, I come to BCB this morning and find out it wasn’t a mirage – Bud really does plan to step down. Happy happy day day. Now let’s work on a Cubs Indians World Series for an early birthday present next year…
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Maybe his last act will be to re-instate Pete Rose
Let’s hope.
That’s not true!!! WHY THE F*CK WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU AHOLE!! Ok maybe your right but you gotta give a little something here for it to work. I don’t know what I’m going to do this is the worst thing I’ve ever read, this day could not get any worse. Fine, F*ck it, you’re right.
by Ditkavsworld
NOT!!
Rose is a criminal. Rightfully banned for life as per MLB rules.
by cubssouvenirman on Nov 28, 2009 6:20 PM CST up reply actions
No Hall of Fame for Pete until after he's dead
He deserves to be in there, but he shouldn’t have the satisfaction of being inducted while he’s still alive.
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 28, 2009 6:20 PM CST up reply actions
I honestly don't care either way
It’ll never happen. Shoeless Joe still feels the wrath of the commissioner’s office from beyond the grave.
And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.
Bud's smackdown at the hands of Jesse Ventura
Like most people here, I’ve never liked Bud, and I enjoyed, nay, relished, some sweet schadenfreude a few years ago when I saw him and then Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura, being questioned by members of Congress about the proposed contraction of MLB. I forget the details, but Bud was trying to make the case for why the Minnesota franchise should be eliminated and Jesse was rebutting him while openly mocking and insulting him. Bud was absolutely steaming mad, and he kept glaring at Jesse but never said anything back. I’m sure he wanted to give it right back to him, but kept his mouth shut because he knew Jesse could completely dismantle him with one finger. It was wonderful, especially since Bud didn’t get his way with contraction.
And one more thing. From what I’ve read about Bud, he apparently felt overshadowed by many of the other owners and did everything he could to suck up to them. He volunteered to do any crappy job that needed doing, and it’s probably why he agreed to become commissioner, a position with a lot of headaches and virtually no glory. Good riddance!
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 28, 2009 6:26 PM CST reply actions
You could certainly blame Bud for the robbery of Montreal's team
There are a laundry list of items against Bud Selig, but moving the Expos was pretty bad.
And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.
John McDonough or Andy McPhail
It would be interesting to see them pick a non-baseball person though. I would think they would stay out of the political arena just because there would be so many hard feelings against any major political figure even before day 1.
by jerry morales rules on Nov 28, 2009 6:32 PM CST reply actions
I don't care who the New Commish is....
Black,brown,yellow,white,red,male or female as long as they restore the fan’s best interest.
Here’s a short list of my many things I wanna see changed:
1) If your willing to pay to see a certain game no matter what geographic location your in, you should have that right. No more blackout BS!
2) Ban any baseball games that are to be played on non American soil. MLB is an American past time and should be played in America. If other countries wanna see American Baseball, well come to America or find a way to watch or listen on the PC or via satellite. I’m not a bit racist but I feel very strongly about this.
3) Get rid of that stupid All Star Game Homefield Rule.
4) Negotiate a salary cap of some sort. I realize we live in a free enterprise but seriously, it’s mostly us middle class people who support and pay their salaries. It’s out of hand and getting ridiculously costly!
5) Time to go full scale with replay. In college football every play is reviewed behind the scenes and there’s a call to the field if play needs to be stopped. I’m not even against some sorta challenge rule. I don’t care just get the calls right!
6) Speed the play of the game up. Seriously does every batter need to step out of the box to scratch himself,readjust his batting gloves and helmet etc? This goes for pitchers too. No need in all the silly rituals, readjusting your cap, scratching yourself etc. Speed it up!
7) I realize there are already some MLB Boys and Girls clubs setup. We need more of this. The game needs to give more to the kids of America. Let’s restore any lost hope for all American kids that they have a chance to one day fulfill their dream of playing in the MLB if they work hard enough at it. There are parts of the USA where kids are less fortunate and don’t have the means to be able to play the sport. I for one wanna see more to be done, so that the number of these goes way down. I love baseball and think every single kid is given the chance to realize his on field potential if any! Hope that all makes sense!
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
What do we do with the Blue Jays?
Does that mean that Vancouver can’t have a team? Or San Juan?
by jerry morales rules on Nov 28, 2009 6:59 PM CST up reply actions
move em to portland
and switch them to the NL so I can at least have three cubs games a year.
by portlandcubfan on Nov 28, 2009 7:10 PM CST up reply actions
I should have said
With the exception of the Jays.
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
But no to Vancouver?
I think if the game is to grow it will have to grow outside of the US, and I don’t mean just Canada or Latin America, but that’s where I think it will start. I know the NFL is already considering a team in London for example. Baseball is a game that is played in more places in the world than football is too.
by jerry morales rules on Nov 28, 2009 8:20 PM CST up reply actions
It's just my opinion
I don’t like the idea of playing games all over the world. That’s just me. It’s not fair to the cities who support and help pay for these new stadiums nor is it fair to ticket holders etc. Really didn’t mean to start a whole debate just stating my opinion.
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
That's fine
I didn’t think your opinion was racist, just perhaps a bit parochial. I know there are challenges, but the game is loved in may places in the world and I’d like to see it expanded wherever it can be accepted.
by jerry morales rules on Nov 28, 2009 8:48 PM CST up reply actions
Just to clarify
I think that should be a goal of the next commissioner, not just some pipe dream..
by jerry morales rules on Nov 28, 2009 8:48 PM CST up reply actions
i see no reason to have games played
where the home fans who paid for season tix cannot be without spending an arm and a leg to fly there, etc. Now if the MLB team involved abroad lowered their season tix to adjust for one lost home game it would be different
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I'm not talking about just a game here or there
I’m talking about having a home town team in a foreign city. Yes, having teams in Japan or Brittan does have problems, but perhaps there are ways to mitigate that.
by jerry morales rules on Nov 29, 2009 1:40 PM CST up reply actions
i was talking current teams alone
i was not talking about expansion obraod.
i guess it would make it a true world series if we were able to make something work that way.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Now that would be something
Just imagine this article about the 2030 MLB season…
In a seven game series the London Beefeaters of the European League win the World Series against the Yokohama Amaterasu of the Asian-Pacific League. The best North American Team was the Chicago Cubs (NL). The other league champions were the Havana Buena Vistas of the Southern League and the Boston Red Sox of the American League. This ends the Cubs’ almost 20 year domination of the World Series.
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
that i could welcome as a change
with each league being like it was before with AL and NL not playing each other (MLB doesngt play PCL so to speak) then an international post season to crown a true World Champion
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I am sure that Tatyana Pavlovna (Baseball's commissioner in 2030) would agree...
;-)
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
I think a team in Vancouver is a good option.
But I wonder if the NFL will go through with the London plan, or form a bunch of new teams so that there will not need to be a team with a week off every week in the regular season.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 28, 2009 8:31 PM CST up reply actions
easy to understand what he means
no opening games in Japan between teams that are not from Japan, same with games in Puerto Rico, or anywhere else that M LB wants to play.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
If that is what he meant then that is what he should have said. The statement made was a much more sweeping generalization.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions
i think he got too winded
and it turned into a lot more than he meant. but that is also how i understood it and i could be wrong
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Nah your right
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
About Intstant Replay,
That might be a little hard to manage, but I agree something has to happen (especially after the playoffs this year!).
I only hope the new commissioner will be open to Instant Replay.
Agree with all your other points.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 28, 2009 8:12 PM CST up reply actions
For your own sake, I hope you are not serious about this
2) Ban any baseball games that are to be played on non American soil…
I feel shocked and amazed by such jingoistic, chauvinistic and xenophobic bias.
And, btw, Baseball or very similar games, e.g. Rounders or Schlagball, were played in Europe long before the American game developed out of Town-Ball in the 19th century.
Woodcut from “A Little Pretty Pocket-Book” (1744) England, showing first reference to baseball
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
How would you like it...
If you were a season ticket holder with the Cubs/Cards in a tight race. They were playing the decisive 4 game series for the Div. title in London, England instead of at Wrigley? I wouldn’t be happy at all!
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
The same would apply if they played the game in New Jersey
I think you badly misstated your point. It sounded very differently as you orginally put it.
On the other hand, if MLB can get their foot in the international sports market, it could mean much higher revenue for the teams, allowing them to spend more money on things like player development. And do it without raising ticket prices.
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
by eths on Nov 29, 2009 7:19 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
that's assuming quite a bit, isn't it?
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Nov 29, 2009 7:39 AM CST up reply actions
My other answer is
As an expat living in Europe, I, personally, would love it.
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
by eths on Nov 29, 2009 7:27 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
I guess that means the Blue Jays would have to be eliminated.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
2) Ban any baseball games that are to be played on non American soil. MLB is an American past time and should be played in America. If other countries wanna see American Baseball, well come to America or find a way to watch or listen on the PC or via satellite. I’m not a bit racist but I feel very strongly about this.
All other issues aside, this idea is just bad business. If there is a market for your product somewhere you don’t already offer it, you take it there. The MLB isn’t “America’s pastime”, its a multi-million dollar business with owners, employees, expenses, and market share. That all has to be considered.
4) Negotiate a salary cap of some sort. I realize we live in a free enterprise but seriously, it’s mostly us middle class people who support and pay their salaries. It’s out of hand and getting ridiculously costly!
The assumption that a salary cap would stop the increase of the expense of attending a game for the middle class is a bit of a stretch. Other leagues with a salary cap aren’t getting any cheaper…
Other than those two (both of which i agree with in principal but understand it isn’t how the world works) i’m all with you.
Dum spiro spero…
Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.
by AndrewJStone on Nov 29, 2009 10:34 AM CST up reply actions
So the MLB commissioner should ban games not on US soil and see that American kids have a better chance to play baseball?
When you claim MLB needs to “give more to the kids of America” you seem to neglect to realize that MLB is a business and not a government entity. Does Rawlings and Louisville Slugger also need to do more to see that “every single kid is given the chance to realize his on field potential?” You want MLB to do more for “American” children as if they are somehow doing more for children elsewhere and you don’t want games played anywhere but America even though a franchise on Canadian soil hasn’t hurt the game in any way.
I really can’t believe the ignorance being spouted in points 2 and 7 and people around here are worried that politics might enter the debate.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 11:57 AM CST up reply actions
I find the ignorance much more disturbing than politics on BCB
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
Well, your point is taken.
Keep in mind that virtually everyone here agrees with you regarding that, and the reason I want to keep politics out of this is, this is a baseball site, not a political site.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
by Al Yellon on Nov 29, 2009 12:11 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Well said Al
+1
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
I'm not advocating political discussion, simply find the ignorance stated previously to be much more egregious.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions
Rather than simply yell "ignorance"...
…. maybe you could refute the argument in your own words.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I think I did refute what was being said when I pointed out MLB is a business.
I also pointed out that having a franchise on foreign soil hasn’t hurt the league in any way. I don’t believed I was yelling either but you are entitled to your opinion and to defend other’s ignorance.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions
What on Earth are you talking about?
I’m not “defending” ignorance — don’t know where you got that idea.
I happen to agree with your position. “Yelling” ignorance is a metaphor, and you darn well know it.
You often come here with no other seeming purpose other than to condescend. You’d come across a lot better if you didn’t.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Didn't you just claim that I should "refute the argument?"
That is exactly what I did and it’s rather annoying that you would claim I simply yelled ignorance. You attacked me by claiming I was just yelling ignorance even though I offered legitimate points. You agreed with those points and still attacked me? Who is condescending here? You seem to be trolling my comments even when you agree with them. Strange. You seem to have a problem with things I have said in the past so you choose to attack me even when you agree with my point.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
Criminy.
I agreed with you, yet you still had to point out “ignorance”, as if it was your personal mission to stamp that out, and then claim I was “defending” it, completely wrong.
I think we ought to stop right here.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
1st of all don't ever call me ignorant again!!!
And you damn right its a business and who the heck do you think supports that business?? We do! I think that’s where baseball is taking a bad turn to the worse! They are forgetting who pays their salaries. It’s our tax dollars that fund these new stadiums not Europe’s or Asia’s or anywhere else for that matter. Nothing against none of these people but its my opinion that games shouldn’t be played there. Maybe it’s your ignorance for not understanding that!
Here’s 1 example, I live in OKC, OK and we got the NBA last year. First rattle out of the box there was a 2% sales tax increase up for vote to fund a 100+ million dollar expansion of our Arena. This was for the OKC area residents only and it got passed. I was in favor of it also. Shortly after the team began talk of playing in another Oklahoma city(Tulsa) and myself and many others were outraged! Were paying for them to play here not Tulsa or anywhere else. Sure after season ticket sales for their home arena, they could go elsewhere for a game or 2, charge astronomical prices and make out like a bandit. That’s crap, just like it would be crap for say the Cubs to take a home series elsewhere when season Chicago area residents pay for a season worth of home games.
Again I understand it’s a business but it’s getting out of hand. If you pay to see a game on TV, you should be allowed. I love the Cubs and pay for a MLB package, so that I’m allowed to watch them. Low and behold there are several Saturday games I’m blacked out!
What’s with this blog now AL??? 2-3 years ago when people like myself followed this blog and your old blog, you could come on every day and have a descent convo or throw out opinions. Now you try to do that, everything you say is picked apart, belittled, spat on etc. Hell you can’t even say I don’t like Milton Bradley without being called a racist etc.
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
I stand by my opinion that points 2 and 7 were ignorant. Don't expect your opinions to go unchallenged.
I never said you were ignorant just the points you made. I’m also curious why you believe a season ticket holder would be forced to pay for a game elsewhere? That makes no sense. I certainly can’t say you are inconsistent.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 5:01 PM CST up reply actions
A season ticket holder
pays for All home games, not 96% or whatever. Just like in the case of our NBA team, no one else is paying for the sales tax increase we have to endure to keep a facility that is good enough to satisfy a NBA team. Why the heck should they get games? If they wanna see our team play come to our facility and pump money into our local economy. That away we as a whole are reaping the benefits of supporting and paying for a big league team!
Even if it’s 1 game or 1 series, that’s taking money out of Wrigley Field’s surrounding area. That same area is the money that is keeping Wrigley Field going! I understand wholeheartedly why a baseball team would wanna do it in terms of profit for themselves but it’s not good for those of us on this side of the equation.
As far as point 7 is concerned, Baseball is my favorite sport and I wanna keep it alive for generations to come. It kinda hit home for me when my 10 yr old told me last year while I was watching game," Dad those big guys hit that ball really really far cause they do drugs." My response, “Where did you hear that at?” He says to me" My PE teacher was telling us about it and told us not to ever do like they did" Baseball as a whole took a big hit with the whole steroid era. That’s why I say I want them giving back more. Get out and teach the game the right way. Their influence on young children is powerful.
Another example is the OKC Thunder do a tremendous amount of this sorta thing. They show up to local area schools constantly. They read to kids, talk to them about the game, hold free camps etc. Kids idolize those guys for that and most I’ve seen instantly believe they can be a Kevin Durant. I’ve seen kids who didn’t even like Basketball become fans. Good business from their standpoint? You better believe it! Now those same kids wanna their parents to buy em a jersey or take em to a game. Let’s keep the tradition going for the next generation so on.
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
I think comparing pro basketball in OK City to the Cubs at Wrigley is apples and oranges.
The Cubs aren’t in a tax payer supported facility and frankly owe nothing to the neighborhood business owners that they make very wealthy. I also doubt the season ticket holders would be forced to pay for games the Cubs might play elsewhere. If the Cubs hosted a series in Puerto Rico for instance I would imagine that people actually attending the games would be the ones paying to see those games.
The Cubs do community outreach with kids and I’m pretty sure they have helped rehab little league fields in the city. There aren’t enough big leaguers to actually teach the vast majority of kids how play the game. It’s on the shoulders of parents and people like phys. ed. teachers to teach kids proper fundamentals of the game. People that actually live in the community and are around the kids on a daily basis are the ones that have the biggest opportunity and obligation to make a difference. I would imagine that every big leaguer could tell you about an unknown non-major leaguer that taught them how to play the game.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 5:46 PM CST up reply actions
About season ticket holders....
… when the Cubs played in Japan in 2000, they gave up a home date at Wrigley (as did the Mets at Shea).
I paid for 80 games that year, not 81.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
So only 80 played at Wrigley that season?
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 5:56 PM CST up reply actions
Correct.
One of the Japan games was designated a Cubs home game (and the other a Mets home game).
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
OT: Was anyone from the BCB crowd in Japan in 2000 for the games?
If so, what was it like?
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
BCB didn't exist then.
I went with a couple friends. There were maybe a few hundred Americans in the crowd; it was mostly Japanese. Japanese crowds at their own games blow horns, sing songs, etc. but they had been told not to do that because… well, I’m not sure why. So it was pretty quiet, because they’re not Mets or Cubs fans and it was hard for them to get excited. The only real cheers were from American fans.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
my guess
American MLB players are not used to the crazy noises so it was for their comfort
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I'm sure that It was an interesting experience
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
by eths on Nov 30, 2009 1:52 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
thanks for clearing that Al
I didnt know if they reduced the season ticket cose for the one game or not
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Wrigley
Isn’t the only baseball city. There are several cities who have baseball teams who do have tax payer supported facilities. That’s why I want the new commish to put a stop to any such games. Whether they make you pay for 80 games instead of 81 or not theirs still a profit loss for the economy for the most part that funds the team.
In the grand scheme of things 1 game or 1 series won’t kill anyone but 1 game or 1 series will be just the start of it, once they realize how much they can profit!
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
Nonsense.
Nobody is going to play more than a series overseas or in another country. It’s done to promote the game. It doesn’t hurt the home team at all — as MLB usually makes up any losses they might suffer from lost ticket sales.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Why don't they owe them anything?
The profit there making goes to pay the salaries of fans who in turn support the Cubs. Its a circle! When those same business owners get their profit cut, they in turn have to cut salaries and/or jobs. That will slow the support of the local fan and you will start seeing the team look for more ideas such as playing games/series overseas to make up for lost profit locally!
I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT
If local businesses can't make a profit in Wrigleyville it's not the Cubs' fault.
The Cubs have no obligation to worry about anyone’s profit but their own. They are a business not some type of not for profit community outreach program. It’s also a stretch to suggest that businesses in Wrigleyville would somehow be impacted by a lost series.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 6:07 PM CST up reply actions
Giving you the benefit of the doubt,
as I responded earlier, I think you are stating your point very poorly. I think I understand what you actually want to say, but the aggressive, seemingly chauvinistic and sweeping timbre of your posts are doing you a disservice, imho. This is why and others have reacted so strongly.
I really fail to see why a Cubs home game in London should be any different from a Cubs home game Spokane? Why do you feel it necessary to use such a xenophobic tone?
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
Unbelievable
Earlier, you said, “I’m not trying to start a debate” and “That’s my opinion.”
In other words, you want carte blanche to express your opinion without being challenged.
Your xenophobic attitude is pathetic. One of the few good things that has happened to baseball recently has been the influx of Asian players.
If playing games overseas to open a season inspires the next Ichiro, then that’s a good thing.
By the way, it’s a GOOD thing for the Thunder to get a game in Tulsa here and there. If Tulsa residents like what they see — and they should, because it’s a good, young team — then perhaps they travel to OKC to see MORE games.
And that means they spend money in restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc…
But you’re too short-sighted to see that. Had you been around in the 40s, you would have spat on Jackie Robinson and in the late 50s and early 60s, you would have bemoaned the Latin influx.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
My nominees...
1. George Will — a real baseball fan who isn’t a former player or owner
2. Nolan Ryan — while he is a former player, he also has been a minority owner so he knows both sides; negotiating the CBA would be easy, because no one would mess with him
3. Doug Glanville — he’s probably a bit too young, and he has no ownership experience, but it would be nice to have a commissioner who is a good communicator and can relate to the fans
Note: I won’t nominate DeRo because I hope he is still playing in 2012.
"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007
Abbie Hoffman for commish!
Joe, you coulda made us proud!
by copingwiththecubs on Nov 28, 2009 7:21 PM CST reply actions
Oh, he's political...
Joe, you coulda made us proud!
by copingwiththecubs on Nov 28, 2009 7:22 PM CST reply actions
And dead...
Joe, you coulda made us proud!
by copingwiththecubs on Nov 28, 2009 7:22 PM CST reply actions
How about the guy who runs "The Office"?
Joe, you coulda made us proud!
by copingwiththecubs on Nov 28, 2009 7:23 PM CST reply actions
I don't know.
This one certainly isn’t going that way.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 28, 2009 8:12 PM CST up reply actions
Hyperbolic question.
One person mentioned a certain ex-president and things just snowballed, I guess, from there. There’s a reason why politics should never be discussed in this forum.
The only reason William Howard Taft carried Illinois
Is because everyone was still drunk from celebrating the Cubs’ WS victory. William Jennings Bryan wuz robbed. Robbed, I say!
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Yeah, that's what happens when politics come onto the online sports blogs.
I didn’t even see this posting, sounds like I didn’t miss much.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Nov 28, 2009 11:02 PM CST up reply actions
No.
At least not that I saw. Someone mentioned George W. Bush as a candidate, and the discussion then carried into foreign governments potentially not allowing their citizens to come here and play b/c Bush would be the Commish. Deleting the post altogether was flat out stupid. No one was even discussing their political beliefs. Just the potential ramifications on the game and foreign talent.
I didn't delete it.
The original poster must have. In any case, let’s keep it non-political here.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
by Al Yellon on Nov 29, 2009 11:38 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
+1
and when a politician gets a nominee (or possibly the position) it becomes impossible not to talk about any politics. And there are even politics in MLB and they have their own lobby group that funds politicians called MLBPAC
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
how is it impossible?
Just don’t type anything that has to do with politics. Are you not in control of your own fingers?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
easy there bday boy
when talking about a politician, politics will come into play with or without trying to.
Any business that this politician has touched failed, and when pointing out such facts about his business background it was perceived as political bashing by others when it was actually the exact opposite. Examples were given, and accusations were made against me by others that I was strictly bashing him, when all I did was give real life examples and cold hard facts of his failings. Now, if one person decides that giving examples of his failings in business is a political statement, it is, even tho it isnt.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
you're talking about the other post, right?
I’m going off of memory here since it was deleted, but I do recall political references in some of your comments. However I thought you were fine with the business background comments. You were very specific, listed examples and kept it there.
If others brought up politics in their responses to that, then they were the ones who didn’t keep politics out of it, not you.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
they were in defense
when it came to foreign countries, and i was using a sports reference with it, Yao Ming. It was not about Bush’s politics. Others tried to go that way with my comments.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Why are you starting this again?
Stop now or this post is going to vanish like the other one did.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
i understand Al
but maybe u should also ask the person who is making the accusation not just the person defending himself……but thats just how i would think it should be
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
My fingers lead a secret life, a bit like Dr. Strangelove's arm...
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
Regarding GWB as a commissioner
Without getting into my politics, I feel confident in saying that a young Governor Bush would have been MUCH happier being commissioner.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Honesty compels me to say,
that I believe Erin Andrews would be a wonderful replacement for Mr. Selig.
Hey Lou, we're long overdue.
I nominate Erin Andrews for any position (twss)
where she needs to be in front of a lot of cameras
"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher
You can see that now....
Just google her and hidden camera.
:P
That’s not true!!! WHY THE F*CK WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU AHOLE!! Ok maybe your right but you gotta give a little something here for it to work. I don’t know what I’m going to do this is the worst thing I’ve ever read, this day could not get any worse. Fine, F*ck it, you’re right.
by Ditkavsworld
This makes me happy.
The way I see, the major mistakes Selig has made are these -
1. Interleague play – no one really likes it now that the novelty has worn off and it messes with the integrity of the schedule
2. Unbalanced schedule – why again do we play only two series with non-division teams and six or seven with division teams? There has to be a better to do it
3. Over-expansion – 28 teams/14 per league was a good number. The 1998 expansion, however, has diluted talent, particularly in the NL where we have two extra teams to worry about. It’s not gonna happen, but I’d really like to see a contraction back to 14 teams a league.
4. Wild card – this is a touchy one. I see the benefits in letting more teams into the postseason, but a much better way to do that would be to have a single division in each league and just take the top four teams. The current 3 division/wildcard structure is super cumbersome and the worst part is the radically different schedules played by teams in different divisions making it impossible to properly choose a wildcard based on record.
5. WS home field advantage – this isn’t really such a big deal but it’s kind of annoying. Go back to alternating home field each year.
Hopefully the next commish corrects most of these whenever 2012 comes around.
The only one of those that really bothers me is...
… the All-Star Game for home field in the WS. Makes no sense.
I’m fine with interleague play at its current level, and the unbalanced schedule means play for a division title is more meaningful, playing teams in your own division.
I have a bigger problem with things like TV blackouts and Selig’s pigheaded opposition to expanded use of replay.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
by Al Yellon on Nov 29, 2009 8:45 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
ummmmm
1. I know more who like it than not
2. i have unbalanced schedule, agree 100%
3. I have no problem with expansion, I do think it sucks that the way it was done there are 14 and 16 team leagues which cause schedule problems. i personally think (like other sports) all NL and AL teams need to play each other, fixing unbalanced schedule concerns
4. Wild Card has kept Septermber fun and exciting for many fans
5. dumbest thing ever, this was Fox putting pressure on Selig IMHO
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
McDonough
McDonough would be the perfect choice. There were rumors in the early part of this century about baseball offering him a position in charge of marketing in the commisioners office.
Hopefully the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup this year and he will feel his job is done there!
Brennan and Booth their Story Really begins November 2009
I mentioned Montreal, but here are my complaints about the Selig administration
1) He ripped a franchise away from its fanbase in Montreal. This wasn’t like the Dodgers moving to Los Angeles to make more money. This was pure highway robbery. Attendance was down, but it’s the same thing in Pittsburgh these days. I’ve talked to a number of people from Quebec and they loved the Expos there. Montreal simply didn’t get a chance.
2) He’s been too wishy washy on the Pete Rose front. Either he’s back in, or he stays out. Soundbytes to the press that say, “You’re thinking about it,” only serve to fan the flames of Pete Rose’s supporters. While I don’t care either way, if Selig thought Pete Rose belonged in the Hall of Fame, the year to reinstate him was 2003 so the BBWAA could have a chance to vote for him. Guess what? Bud blew it. It’ll be a cold day in hell before the VC elects a living player again.
3) He called an All-Star Game a tie and then used it to get the game to decide home field advantage. While no fans of an American League team have complained since then, it was the turn of the NL to have home field when the Marlins won it in 2003. The Astros would have had home field in 2005. The Rockies would have had it in 2007. The Phillies would have had it in 2009. See how much better alternating home field is? They do it in the NFL even though the Super Bowl is played at a neutral site. They don’t say, “The conference that wins last year’s Pro Bowl gets home field.” Why? Because it’s stupid.
4) Selig’s opposition to expanding replay is not a good thing. Times have changed and the technology exists to make sure close calls get called correctly.
Now there have been some positives.
1) Selig’s opposition to steroid use in baseball was fought by Donald Fehr. It’s not Selig’s fault the party went on as long as it did. Now there’s a fair system in place to deal with the presence of PEDs in the sport. It’s one of the toughest programs out there.
2) The Wild Card was a good idea. It still is. As many teams have found out over the years, Wild Card teams are dangerous in the playoffs because they’re just as good as the teams that win the division.
That’s all I can think of. For the incoming administration, here are some things I’d like to see:
1) Expansion of replay.
2) The DH in the National League.
3) End of home field advantage to the winner of the All-Star Game.
4) A real effort at expansion to even the leagues again (move Milwaukee back to the AL, add another AL team and add an NL team in Montreal to right the wrong of the previous administration).
5) Play less postseason games or have less breaks between the series. The ALDS and ALCS can both be five games with the WS remaining in the seven game format. Less off days would speed things up as well.
And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.
I agree with many of your points, but...
… Selig isn’t to blame for the Expos leaving, unless you blame him personally for the 1994-95 strike. (Yes, he does bear some of the blame, but not all of it.) After that, management there blew up a first-place team. The ’94 Expos had a real good shot at a World Series; that might have kept them there.
That fanbase was pretty thin — maybe you talked to a few people who loved the Expos, but I think most of the baseball fans in Montreal left during the political upheavals of the 1970’s. Montreal was the biggest city in Canada and its financial center in 1968, when the expansion franchise was granted. Today, it’s the third-largest city in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver are both larger) and the corporate base, that could have supported a team, has mostly moved to Toronto.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Most definitely agree on complaint #2.
Yes, I think Rose should be in the HoF. And I know many here don’t. But that’s a debate for another day. The issue here is Bud’s unwillingness – after 12 years – to rule on Rose’s request for reinstatement. That’s just being petty, gutless, and vindictive. If anyone has any other explanation for Bud’s refusal to act on Rose’s request, I’d like to hear it.
Personally, I think Rose should be banned from baseball. But he should be eligible for the HoF. Tying the banning to HoF consideration was another deplorable act. Let the writers (or now the VC) have the chance to do what they’re supposed to do – either elect him or not. Bud exerting his vindictiveness influence on others is a dismal and woeful display of leadership.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
If you let Rose in, you have to let Joe Jackson in, too.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
okay by me.
although I’d be happy if they just had the opportunity to be voted in (or not)
Actually that’d be an interesting scenario. Let’s say they both are reinstated or even just the “banned from baseball makes you ineligible for the HoF” clause was dropped. Let’s further say the voters all of a sudden develop really thick skin and they don’t care what Bud says or thinks.
Do Pete Rose and Joe Jackson get in the HoF? Under the current structure, I guess it’d be the Veterans Committee doing the voting, but what if there were a one-time exemption and the writers did the voting?
My guess is that Joe Jackson would be elected either way – VC or writers. Rose would NOT be elected by writers, but the VC is a tougher call. I imagine Bob Feller would still hold a lot of sway amongst the older HoF players but Schmidt, Bench, etc. might be enough to counteract that and vote him in.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I think you have it scoped out pretty well.
… under that scenario.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
No problem here
My biggest problem with Selig has been the handling of the issue. He simply could have ended all speculation by saying, “I’m never going to consider Pete Rose for reinstatement.” Instead, he’s danced around the issue in classic Bud Selig fashion. Maybe he thinks Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. A lot of what has gone on over the years seems to suggest that.
When Selig does something, it can be either extremely good or extremely bad. He’s most frustrating when he says, “I’m considering it.” It’s as if he’s offering sound bytes to the media just to keep himself in the spotlight. No one ever got a college degree by simply considering to enroll and not doing it. If Selig wanted Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame, all he had to do was reinstate Rose and damn the consequences. The guy weathered calling the 2002 All-Star Game a tie. He’s clearly capable of acting, but he didn’t do anything about it. He may have feared a reaction from the owners, so we’ll never know.
And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.
That all tells me
that Rose will be let in as part of Selig’s final days in office.
That will be a sad day for baseball. I’d rather see the Hall burned to the ground than for Rose’s plaque to soil those walls.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Selig was never opposed to steroids in fact he promoted the McGwire/Sosa HR race and looked the other way.
Steroid users made the owners very rich and Selig helped to promote the use of steroids. There was actually proof that MLB had doctors tell teams that steroids weren’t harmful and could improve performance. Once public outcry against steroids stepped up Selig was forced to act but do not ever believe he tried to prevent the proliferation of steroid use by players, he didn’t. Selig was a complete wind sock in regard to steroids.
I also have to disagree with you about reducing the playoff series to 5 games. A 5 game series gives the weaker team a better chance of winning. All playoff series should actually be at least 7 games. They could go back to a 154 game schedule to help with the length of the season.
by Acapulco Taco Pie on Nov 29, 2009 11:44 AM CST up reply actions
Thanks
That was a well thought-out post.
I am going to oppose your call for DH in the NL, However. It is a rule that I truly abhor. It takes a great deal of strategy away from the game, and keeps players in the game who should not be there (in many cases, any more). Baseball is about the combination of offensive and defensive skills and the strategies involved in executing them. The DH rule erases a good deal of that.
Thanks for letting me rant. Carry on.
by NWIowaCubFan on Nov 29, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions
No thanks to both
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
dubya would be worse than Selig for baseball
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
See? Perfect! That wasn't so hard, was it? ;-)
You get your point across very succinctly with no mention of politics at all. And if someone should ask you to expand on your thoughts, you can list his business experience (or lack thereof), his Rangers owner experience (esp. his talent evaluation) or his propensity to clear out lots of brush and undergrowth (now that could come in handy w/ MLB).
And if someone asks you to expand even further, well… chances are they’re just looking for a fight so you can just take the high road and explain that you’re not going there out of respect for Al and BCB policies. You look good and they look like idiots.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
ballhawk
i respect you, but there is no need for you to moderate my every post.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
ok - that's twice I've been labeled a moderator in two days.
well, at least that’s something you and cubsluver can agree on.
However, it is not my intent to be a moderator. Once can be considered an exception. Two hints at a pattern. Not good. I didn’t think that’s what I was trying to do but if it’s coming across that way, then I’ll try to rein myself in, especially w.r.t. to any posts you make.
Carry on…
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
i enjoy your feedback
and with the topic at hand, you have more than once seemed like it towards my posts, and i do welcome your comments but if you read back at a few of your responses to my posts, you come off a tad modish, no harm , no foul, was just pointing it out nothing more.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
As a corollary, do read:
Highlights include:
bq. •Saw the NFL institute an almost-total instant replay policy in 1999. Nine years later, introduced instant replay only for home run calls.
•Two days after the thrilling and inspiring 2001 World Series, held a vote on contracting the Twins and Expos. Was charged with racketeering and settled the case outside of court. Got the Expos moved anyway.
•Failed miserably at keeping a secret list of steroid users secret. Fans now look forward to the annual reveal of superstar names.
•After one year in office, rescinded George Steinbrenner’s lifelong suspension. Denied that the fact that the suspension was handed down by Fay Vincent had anything to do with it.
•Led a secretive group of owners (“The Great Lakes Gang”) in pushing for commissioner Fay Vincent’s ouster. As the most vocal, he became de facto acting commissioner.
Enjoy.
Thanks for the link.
Other highlights from that article, and how I imagine Little Alan might respond:
•To compensate for 1998’s expansion, one AL team had to move to the NL, with a considerable financial advantage. Selig’s Brewers were selected.
“Gee, what a lucky break! I honestly can’t believe my good fortune sometimes. Six teams in one division seems a little odd, admittedly, when many others have only four, but who really cares?”
•Though acting commissioner for the past six years, Selig continued to operate the Brewers. Upon officially being named commissioner, Selig transferred his ownership interest to his daughter. Many suspected he continued to make decisions for the team up until their sale in 2004.
“Nope, nothing to see here. It’s in my daughter’s name. That should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have extricated myself from any conflicts of interest. I mean, I barely talk to her any more. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure she’s the right person for the job. She knows nothing about baseball, as far as I can tell.”
•Threw daughter under the bus, claiming the Brewers’ disastrous performance under Wendy Selig-Prieb is proof that he was no longer running the team after 1992.
“See what I mean? This is proof positive. An anomaly like this should exonerate me immediately. After all, the rest of my decisions were rousing successes, if you don’t count handing a multi-million dollar business over to a family member who has no apparent competence or baseball expertise whatsoever. "
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
It pains me greatly to type this because I loathe what the man has done while in office...
…but fair play compels me to point out that regarding the 1988 expansion, I’m pretty sure Bud gave the Royals first chance at switching leagues but they refused. Maybe Dan or someone else can confirm.
Not sure why the Brewers were the second choice though.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
You meant 1998, of course.
And I think you’re right.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
He is right, but it's smoke and mirrors
Selig knew damn well that the Royals had no interest in making that switch.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 30, 2009 9:06 AM CST up reply actions
That's my recollection as well (Royals having no interest in switching)
but I’m not sure why they wouldn’t have wanted to switch. Was Bud really a visionary (perish the thought)? Was he the only one that knew this would a financial windfall?
I can see why the White Sox would say no. Don’t know if the Tigers or Indians gave it serious thought. You’d think Texas would have rather switched leagues in order to stay in the Central time zone for most of their games than go out to the AL West.
Bud the puppetmaster wins again!
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
It was a clear-cut windfall for the Brewers
Because Cubs fans travel more than White Sox fans. (Before Doc gets all upset, that’s not a criticism. It is what it is.)
It also got them the Cardinals and Reds, who are reasonable drives away.
I know I’m more likely to go to a Brewer-Cardinal game than I was a Brewer-Twins, Royals, etc. game. I love baseball, but if it has an impact on the N.L. Central race, I’m more interesed.
Yes, the Royals would have gained games with STL, but it’s not as short a distance.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Nov 30, 2009 11:20 AM CST up reply actions
Thank you for the link.
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
Doug Glanville
Doug Glanville would make a good choice of former players. With his playing and business background it would be a good choice. He’s also young.
I think they should stay away from political figures period. Whether it be George Mitchell on one side of George HW Bush on the other. Especially since any of the names mentioned a good example being those 2 are too far to one side of the political spectrum. Only someone in the middle.
Brennan and Booth their Story Really begins November 2009
While there have only been 9 commissoners of baseball
Bud Selig has the second longest tenure after Kenesaw Mountain Landis (1920-1944). His six years as “acting commissoner” was a longer tenure than William Eckert, Peter Ueberroth, Bart Giamatti and Fay Vincent had as commissoner.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
Cubs By The Numbers
Cubs By The Numbers is a history of the ballclub by uniform number, but the biographies help trace the history of our beloved team in a new way. For everyone who's a Cubs fan, anyone who ever wore the uniform is like family. Cubs By The Numbers reintroduces readers to some of their long-lost ancestors, even ones they think they already know.
Click here to order your copy, available now!
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
