Who Should Be Commish?

[NetShrine]

If it was your call, who should be the Baseball Commish? Would you stick with Bud?

[BuzzBuzzard]

I do not follow this stuff as closely as most of you so I ask this as a question, not a defending of Bud. You all paint him as a blithering idiot. Why? As I say, you follow this part of the game more closely than I do, but I don't see where he is doing such a horrible job.

[NetShrine]

Not so much as "what he was done" as much as "what he hasn't done" - - plus, he's not even close to knowing what the fan wants.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Work with me here and give me something tangible. What hasn't he done? What do the fans want?

Remember, I am asking for educification purposes only and not necessarily defending Bud.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
Work with me here and give me something tangible. What hasn't he done? What do the fans want?

Remember, I am asking for educification purposes only and not necessarily defending Bud.

You're a fan. What do you want? Has he done anything to address want you want?

You like artificial turf? Post season games that start at 8:30 PM? The problems of 1981 and 1994? Carl Everett? Opening Day in Japan? The Montreal Expos? Having to pay for listening to games on the Internet?

I know, I know.........he's very busy trying to figure out how to make the All-Star exhibition game more intense........

[BuzzBuzzard]

I guess that is my point. I don't think there is much wrong with the current product except for inept teams and that screams for contraction. You all know how I feel about that. It is not up to the commish (IMO) to ban artificial turf or Carl Everett. As for 8:30 starts to post-season games, don't forget, there is a West coast in this country and 3 of the 8 post-season teams are west-coast teams. Do be so selfish, east coast fan. 'From sea to shining sea.'

[NetShrine]

You think the West Coast people are seeing much with a 5:30 PM local start? Another 30 minutes early won't kill them - - and, there's always tape delay.

[Duque]

Maybe it's just me - but I always thought there was something inherently wrong in having a team owner be commissioner. Conflict of interest and all.

That said, I think someone like Tim McCarver would make a good commish....



Just kidding
Someone with management experience - like a Billy Beane or a Brian Cashman - would be my choice.

[NetShrine]

Rudy G will need a job after the NYC Mayor gig - - - he has what it takes: Baseball fan, knows government politics, can handle the media, has zero tolerance for bullshit or outlaws. Alas, the job is not "available" since Bud removed the interim preface to his title.

I also think Steve Palermo deserves a better job in baseball. Maybe he could do it with someone else to handle the business end?

Selig is a joke. He is out of touch or uncaring with what the fans want, like Joe Jackson and Pete Rose in the hall. He refuses to take decisive action to curb the players association (like a Salary Cap or something similar). I know it would mean a strike, but I think we could wait it out. They'd come crawling back eventually, cause I don't think they're going to settle for the money they'd make in independent leagues, and they'd crawl back to a better league. He wanted radical realignment, which is bogus. I assume he had something to do with the latest expansion, which is counterproductive. Tampa, undeserving of a team, is a joke, and Arizona should have gotten a team from Montreal or another unviable locale if they were going to get one. I think a good commissioner would be Whitey Herzog. He is in accordance with pretty much everything I believe in, and he said he would take the job if it was offered, except he didn't want to move to NY.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by NetShrine
- - and, there's always tape delay.

That is the most ridiculous thing you've ever said in this forum.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by Throwback
He is out of touch or uncaring with what the fans want, like Joe Jackson and Pete Rose in the hall.

Of all the things I as a fan might want, this is so at the bottom of the list. And Bud is not unlike any other commish baseball has had with respect to this issue.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by Duque
Maybe it's just me - but I always thought there was something inherently wrong in having a team owner be commissioner. Conflict of interest and all.

That I agree with 100%, although he does seem to have managed the conflict very well. On the flip side, to Net's point, Rudy G would be an interesting candidate, although I don't think there is any way that guy could divorce himself of his allegiance to the Yanks.

[NetShrine]

I know the tape delay thing was silly - - just threw it out there.

Mike Lupica, bless his whiny soul, was on the issue of late games during ESPN's The Sports Reporters this weekend.

He had a good point - - "baseball" does this, the late start, so that West Coast fans can see the game - - thus aiming for ratings points from the West Coast. But, in reality, the only thing baseball is doing is giving ESPN SportsCenter ratings points on the day after - - because no one on the East Coast can stay up to watch the game.

Lupica went further to say that - - even if the games started at 7:30 on the East Coast, West Coast fans can still see the end of the game - - - and, in playoff time, the end of the game is often more interesting than the first 3 innings.

[BuzzBuzzard]

OK, so a 7:30 start for the benefits the East Coast in that they can see the whole game. An 8:30 benefits the West Coast so they can see the whole game. Neither answer works for everyone. For now, MLB is more partial to the West Coast. Is that wrong?