Ken Davidoff's baseball insider

Before we lionize Selig - let's find out if MLB was told about illegal drug use by the FBI in the early 90's and ignored it. (My FBI source says that MLB security was infromed about Operation Equine).

If so, ban Bud from the Hall of Fame!!

I very much look forward to seeing whether that's on there, RMT.

Bud Selig has done very well for himself, indeed. His family made a fortune off the sale of the Brewers after he did little over the years to keep the team competitive. If I recall correctly, (and I am sure that I am doing just that), Mr. Selig once spent less money on payroll than he received in revenue sharing. He pocketed the difference. He is a terribly overpaid commissioner, has swept under the rug for years the steroid problem, will forever be known as the commissioner of the tie All-Star game and the cancelled World Series and is generally full of himself. Yes, he loves to debate and he is most definitely arrogant, as his testimony before the Congressional committee showed to all the world. Selig was a small market owner. He was relentless in shaking down his city for a new stadium, which raised the value of his team. Many small market teams should be folded because their locations cannot support a major league franchise. Selig is sorely lacking in this area. I also have to slam him on the swap of franchises he allowed Jeffrey Loria to make. Loria is one of the worst owners in baseball, right up there with Peter Angelos. He should never have been given another franchise. That's what I think about Buddy-boy.

Jim:

Just think back to those good old days when George Mitchell was on the blue ribbon economic panel (along with George Will, who was on the boards of the Padres and Orioles at the same time). baseball was a basket case, but Mitchell was interested in being part of the investor group (not mangemnet group) looking to buy the Sox.

Selig tried to contract the Twins and Expos, lent money to get Loria to buy the Marlins, steered the Sox sale to Henry's group (for 70 millin less than the top bid, shorting a the Yawkey Foundation and those precious kids with cancer). Hnery at one point in time owned the Marlins, Red Sox and 1% of the Yankees.

All of this under Bud's rule.

RMT:

If your point is that Bud leaves something to be desired, I agree. Bud, supposedly wanted to contract the Twins and Expos, not his own team, which should have been near the top of the list. He is self-serving and egotistical. Loria has been a disaster both in Montreal and Florida. It is questionable if Florida should have even one team, let alone two teams. Bud has made quite a bit of money as commissioner, much more than anyone else and much more than he deserves. He comes across as a stiff to me. I also recall the time when Bud was serving in an interim capacity and when many thought Mitchell was destined to be the next commissioner. I think Mitchell thought the same thing and it was one of the reasons why he left the Senate. Bud clearly thought that Mitchell would be a company man as far as this investigation goes. I am not sure if he is or isn't or is something in between. All I know is that when Ken says that Bud has baseball's best interest at heart, it is a meaningless statement. Our country is divided over the Iraq War, but both groups have America's best interests at heart. What does that mean? What does it matter if Selig loves baseball and thinks he is doing the right thing if he is really wrong in his actions? As far as I am concerned, Bud is close to a do-nothing, but that's probably exactly what the majority of owners want in a commissioner. As "bad" as the Players' Association is, I always find myself rooting for them because Selig is worse.

Mitchell supposedly had a revelation one day in the Senate (mostly because he was now in the minority), and went looking for a high paying low work job that would let him enjoy life and his new 20 years younger wife who is in sports marketing.

Baseball commissioner was a perfect choice - but he reached the same point of do nothing for high cash by becoming Sox director.

As for the union, talk to most reporters and they will tell you that Fehr and Orza do not lie to their faces - while MLB has a passing relationship with the truth

RMT:

My thoughts exactly. After you have been Senate Majority Leader it isn't good for the ego to be stripped of power and plunged into the ranks of the minority. Look at Dennis Hastert in the House of Representatives. He's packing it in mid-term.

I enjoyed very much when Congress grilled Robert D. Manfred, Jr. on national TV and found it interesting how he reacted: With the same arrogance that Selig displayed. This crew thinks they are above the rest of us.

Baseball is the greatest game ever. How could it not be and survive all the mismanagement and barely competent/incompetent people that have been involved in it all these years?

I think that Bud Selig despises the big market teams, but he loves the money they produce. He lived off it (as did his daughter Wendy) for quite some time.

Selig put his ethics in a blind trust a long time ago.
Congress never had any ethical identity to lose.

You guys are good. I'm still relatively new at this blogging thing, and there are times like now _ some 14 hours after I posted this item _ when I re-read what I wrote and wonder, "What was I thinking this morning?"

I really can't disagree with much of what you guys are saying. Thanks for the exchange of ideas.

Ken, I think you are a very good reporter/writer and provide us, the fans, with fantastic inside information and analysis. It would be fun to have you as commissioner for a month or so. Unfortunately, you would probably last about 15 minutes because you would actually want to do something in the position and the owners/union would insist you do nothing. I am already looking forward to your next post. I have my friends at work reading, too.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jim! My first act as commissioner would be to outlaw all public funding of stadiums.

I'd second that in a heartbeat. What a joke!