Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Selig Spending A Lot Of Time Straddling Fence on Realignment

At first, I thought Selig was not in favor of "fast-tracking" realignment. But then I read his quotes again and frankly, I'm not sure where he stands (as usual, I might add):

PHOENIX -- "Massive realignment" isn't "on the horizon," baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Tuesday, in his annual midseason meeting with the Baseball Writers Association of America.

But later Tuesday, in a separate session with the baseball writers, union chief Michael Weiner said that realignment to two 15-team leagues, and a potentially extensive overhaul of the regular-season and postseason schedules, are ideas that have "a lot of appeal to players."

Selig spoke first Tuesday and said stories suggesting realignment is "imminent" have "amazed me."

"Is there anything imminent? I don't know where those stories are coming from," the commissioner said.

Selig went on to question aloud where the hell he was, whether he was still MLB commissioner, and whether he was wearing pants.

But Selig also admitted there are "things I'd like to accomplish" that only realignment can provide -- such as evening out the number of teams in all six divisions and making the schedule for competing teams more fair.

The commissioner reiterated his longstanding reservations over having interleague play throughout the season, an inevitable consequence of going to 15 teams in each league, saying, "I like it the way it is." But he conceded that he might be willing to soften that opposition if he could achieve larger objectives.

"Would I go to 15 and 15? I don't know," Selig said. "It would depend on how everything else broke out and what we were trying to do."

Could Selig stop asking rhetorical questions and start spending his time extruding Frank McCourt from Dodgers ownership? I don't know.

11 comments:

Jason said...

Did Selig just spend the All-Star break attending the Jim Tracey school of rhetorical questions? I don't know.

MR.F said...

I'd prefer not to think about what Selig is or isn't straddling.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Selig could expand by two teams and create four divisions of four teams in both leagues like the NFL.

Steve Sax said...

Selig could also expand by 70 teams and make eight divisions of 12.5 teams, finally affording the opportunity to give Spokane a major league team.

Josh S. said...

I'm in favor of dissolving the Giants and Yankees.

Preferably with acid.

Steve Sax said...

Selig is already on acid, thanks

Steve Sax said...

Speaking of which, isn't there a reality series debuting tonight on Showtime? Something about foreign-born MLB players, "The French Guys"? Maybe I misheard that.

Josh S. said...

"The French Fries: A Season with the McDonald's ads behind home plate at AT&T Park."

Steve Sax said...

@Josh S.: I'm lovin' it

Kyle Baker said...

Super-sized: Kung Fu Panda

spank said...

Straddle this!