Monday, July 9, 2007

I should be the Commissioner of Baseball

I really do think I should be the Commissioner of Baseball.

Okay, someone like me.

By that, I mean a fan.

The Commissioner of Baseball should be someone who is not beholding to the owners. And he should not be someone that is just in favor of the players.

The Commissioner of Baseball should be a fan.

Because, without the fans, George Steinbrenner would be building model ships and coaching high school basketball.

Without the fans, Barry Bonds would be a corrupt cop in California.

Without the fans, Bud Selig would be a Milwaukee used car dealer.

The fans make the game. No, the game can't be played without the players. And the teams wouldn't exist without the owners. But all that would be meaningless without the fans.

Way back in 1920, Kenesaw Mountain Landis became the first Commissioner. He made some decisions that upset players and managers, but were done with the best interests of baseball in mind. And that's what baseball needs today. Baseball needs a fan in charge. Like me.

What would I do?

Well, I'd ban Barry Bonds. He's a cheat and an illegal drug user and is a bad face for baseball. He's a weasel. And weasels get banned.

I'd ban Bud Selig. He's been a bad influence on baseball, having forced a no-confidence vote that led to Fay Vincent's resignation. And guess who took over for Fay Vincent? Yep, Bud Selig. He's a weasel. And weasels get banned.

And Pete Rose? Well, my favorite non-Braves player would be reinstated. After he dies.

He accepted a lifetime ban. And a lifetime ban it is. When he dies, the ban is lifted, and he'd be eligible for the Hall of Fame. Because nothing he did, though against the rules, inflated his stats. He took no drugs. He bet on baseball. Which was wrong. Even though, unlike the "Black Sox" players, his gambling involvement was in favor of his team, it was still against the rules. So Pete Rose stays banned for life.

The Black Sox? Buck Weaver would be reinstated, since he was not in on the fix (although he knew about it, but didn't report it). The others? Heck, I don't know. Probably would lift the lifetime ban, since they're all dead. I mean, a lifetime ban ends when the lifetime ends, right?

The steroids investigation? I'd ban every player that there is reasonable evidence used steroids.

Inter-league play? It would end. The whole thing makes the schedule uneven. American League would play American League teams. National League would play National League.

If the teams want to play cross-league rivals, let them schedule exhibitions that don't count. Or better yet, win the pennant and face off in October.

And the World Series would be in October.

Oh, and there'd be day games. Television would not force night games. If the team wants to play at night, great. Go ahead and play at night. But if they want to play day games, play day games. TV will put up with it. They won't like it, but so what. Baseball is not a TV program. It's a sport. If they want to carry the games, they can carry the games. If they don't like the schedule, they can air a reality show.

Oh, and the season would open every year in Cincinnati. The Reds would host the Braves. The Cubs would play an hour later.

You see, the first professional baseball team was the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, who disbanded after the 1870 season and reformed in Boston, again as the Red Stockings. After several name changes, they settled on the Braves. Then moved to Milwaukee. Then to Atlanta.

So, a game in Cincinnati would harken back to the origins of the game. And the Braves, the descendants of that first team, would be playing.

Oh, about the Cubs? They are one of the original National League teams, and as such, deserve to be a part of opening day.

What else would I do?

Heck, I don't know. I'm open for ideas.

But, you know, Major League Baseball would never allow me ... or someone like me, a fan ... to be Commissioner. They aren't interested in what's best for baseball. They're looking for a buck. Just like many of the players. They're out for the almighty dollar.

They just forget that those dollars come out of your pocket.

9 comments:

  1. Have you been to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown? You might be overcome! heh

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  2. What about cut the season down to 154 games?

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  3. The AL has 14 teams. If each time played each other 11 times, that's 156 games.

    The NL has 16 teams. If they play each other 10 times, thats 150 games. 11 times is 165 games.

    It gets really complicated if teams play others in their division the same number of times, and teams in other divisions a different, but consistent, number of times.

    The number of games played depends on the number of teams. As long as it's unbalanced (14 in AL, 16 in NL), there will be issues.

    But a shorter than current season is fine.

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  4. I agree with all of your ideas except for one. As a fan I prefer night games. My work schedule precludes me from watching tv during the day.

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  5. Dave: Let me clarify. I would not let TV dictate when the games are played. I'd leave it up to the teams. If the team wants to play day games, because it's better for them (and their fans), then day games it is. And this applies to regular season, as well as playoffs and World Series.

    Like you, I don't often have the opportunity to see day games. But I have no problems if the team wants to schedule some day games for those that work nights. I just don't want TV to think they run the show.

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  6. What I would do would force better scheduling.

    The Tigers played all their games against Toronto in May, they do not play them any more this year. They have several other teams they play like that, don't play until end of season or play all games against them in the beginning of the season.

    That's crap, the games should be spaced out during the season.

    I also hate the Interleague games.

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  7. Really like the idea of Pete getting into the Hall after death.

    His stats are just too good to pretend he never existed.

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