62 replies to this topic

[Oriole85]

President Bush? Heard his name mentioned the other day..

That's been mentioned before, I think he's a pretty good painter. I actually think he could do a good job here, but I doubt it's what he wants to do. Few people can say that Baseball Commissioner would only be the second most stressful job they've had.

[SammyBirdland]

My vote goes to Bill "Commissioner F*ckFace" Ripken.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: Selig: Commish must know 'culture'

 

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig wouldn't rule out the possibility of having someone from outside baseball succeed him next year but said Wednesday that his successor has to be someone who understands "the culture" of baseball.

I don't see it happening, look at the NFL/NBA hirings in recent years.

[Russ]

I think it would be a shocker if Manfred isn't the next commissioner.

[Oriole85]

I think it would be a shocker if Manfred isn't the next commissioner.

He's clearly the favorite, but I wouldn't be so surprised if it was another insider. I think if it was a such slam dunk the way Adam Silver was, they would've just named him already.

[Russ]

He's clearly the favorite, but I wouldn't be so surprised if it was another insider. I think if it was a such slam dunk the way Adam Silver was, they would've just named him already.

That's a good point actually, but I think baseball is different.  The commissioner is now clearly on the side of the owners (thanks to Bud) and I can't see MLB changing that with an appointment from outside of baseball.  I agree that if it's not Manfred, it will be another insider.

[Oriole85]

That's a good point actually, but I think baseball is different.  The commissioner is now clearly on the side of the owners (thanks to Bud) and I can't see MLB changing that with an appointment from outside of baseball.  I agree that if it's not Manfred, it will be another insider.

Not sure how that's "different," if the owners weren't comfortable with Adam Silver, they wouldn't have voted for him. If there was a clear consensus like there was in that case, they wouldn't go through this whole process.

 

The commissioners in all major sports are clearly on the side of the owners, not just baseball. The days of Kenesaw Mountain Landis have long passed. The position has drastically changed from what it was intended to be -- someone from the outside, who maintained their independence.

[DJ MC]

I think, if they go outside of baseball, they go with Bush. Former owner, likely to be hands-off, political connections.

[Oriole85]

I think, if they go outside of baseball, they go with Bush. Former owner, likely to be hands-off, political connections.

I doubt he wants it, he's enjoying his low-profile life (painting).

 

Plus they probably want someone younger (he's almost 68). 

[Pedro Cerrano]

Just give it to Tim Kurkjian.

[DJ MC]

Just give it to Tim Kurkjian.

 

Kurkjain v. Costas: Celebrity Home Run Derby.

[DJ MC]

Charlie Pierce: This Bud’s for No One

 

In addition to a completely reasonable anti-analytic opinion, and some fantastic writing ("Facing a horrendous cluster of that of which you do not want a cluster, unless you’re Caligula, and doing so in his home ballpark in Milwaukee, Selig declared a tie.") this is a really nice summation of the Selig era.

[Oriole85]

ESPN: 3 candidates to be new MLB commish

 

The three final candidates, according to one source familiar with the vote, are MLB's chief operating officer, Rob Manfred, MLB executive vice president for business Tim Brosnan and Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner. The identity of the three finalists was first reported by USA Today.

 

The successor to commissioner Bud Selig will be decided next week, sources confirmed.

Owners will vote on those candidates Aug. 14, the final day of the quarterly owners meetings. A candidate needs 23 of the 30 votes to get elected. Manfred has long been viewed as the favorite to succeed Selig. However, a dissenting group, which sources say has been led by Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno, has nominated Werner for the job and has been working behind the scenes to rally the eight votes needed to block Manfred's election.

If no candidate is elected on the first ballot, owners would have to hold a second vote -- and possibly more -- until a candidate is finally elected, in a process some people in the sport have jokingly likened to the way the College of Cardinals elects a pope.

Still think it's going to be Manfred but who knows.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Please not Werner. Eff that.

[DJ MC]

http://mlb.mlb.com/m...bio=brosnan_tim

 

Tim Brosnan was named Executive Vice President, Business in February 2000 and in this role oversees all domestic and international business functions of Major League Baseball's Office of the Commissioner, including licensing, sponsorship, domestic & international broadcasting, special events and MLB Productions.

 

Interesting.

 

I know the Selig era has been good for the owners, but it really seems like there's a groundswell against Manfried. He's the keep things going the same way candidate, but he also likely wouldn't be easy to dominate with Selig behind him (even in retirement).

 

Werner is an owner, and would have some similarities to Selig in that and in being the former owner of a small-market club (San Diego), but why would the owners want to anoint one of their own again? Selig likely only kept the job because of the labor trouble precluding a wider search in 1993-4, so by the time he was named to the job officially he had experience by default.

 

Brosnan is interesting because he's an unknown guy (see: Goodell, Roger) who, like Manfried, came up through MLB but doesn't have the Selig stamp (for better or worse). He's a lawyer with DC connections. He's overseen all of the business functions of the sport for 15 years and likely can claim at least some credit for the increase in money in the sport over that period.

 

I can see him coming up through the stretch run as the compromise candidate and passing the other two to get the job.

[Oriole85]

@jonmorosi Vote on new MLB commissioner expected roughly 1 hour from now in Baltimore.

[SammyBirdland]

@jonmorosi Vote on new MLB commissioner expected roughly 1 hour from now in Baltimore.

Here's to a hung jury.   We need some fresh blood in there.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Here's to a hung jury.   We need some fresh blood in there.

[SportsGuy]

Manfred gets the job.

[bnickle]

The thing about Werner was he was more likely to fight the union, which would've been a good thing.