Odds and Sods

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Cornelius Alexander McGillicuddy, more commonly known in baseball history as Connie Mack.  He managed the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-50, winning 5 World Series Titles and 9 American League pennants over that span.  He is the Major Leagues’ all-time leader in Wins, Losses, and games managed.

Astute observers will notice that Mack is in the dugout, but not in uniform.  A man who was one of the great icons of the sport in the first half of the century forsook the traditional playing uniform for a business suit, tie, and fedora.  He was always dignified in his actions, and his wardrobe reflected it.

Managerial fashion has largely been neglected since Mack retired, though the issue recently flared up again in tonight’s Yankees-Red Sox game.  Red Sox manager Terry Francona was called out of the dugout by a Major League official in the middle of the 2nd inning to check if he was wearing his uniform top under his jacket.

Francona was not pleased stating, “When Derek Jeter is on second base and I got somebody coming from the league making me go down the runway, I was a little perturbed.”

Yanks manager Joe Torre agreed with him saying, “You’d think there’d be more important things to do this time of year than do Mickey Mouse stuff like that. It’s a farce, I think, I really do.”

MLB Vice president Bob Watson refused to comment on the situation, though he said that he was “disappointed” that the managers had chosen to publicly discuss an issue that was intended to remain “in house.”

Francona, apparently, did not have a problem with the rule itself, but with the timing of the check while the game was occurring.

First, this incident displays in a nutshell why baseball has accrued so many problems over the Selig years.  With major issues like steroids or Bonds, he lacks the cojones to take even the slightest stand.  Yet, when a comparably minor issue like a tie in an all-star game or managers failing to follow the dress code, he all of a sudden becomes a tough guy.  Spineless.

Second, why are managers even required to wear uniforms in the first place?  Sure, there are the occasional jollies of watching a pot-bellied man attempt to reconcile the over-under debate with his pants on national television.  But really, is it necessary?  Do we need to see a pitching coach with a saggy old man ass saunter up to the mound every time the team needs to go to the bullpen?  Is Lou Pinella waiting there, spikes in hand, ready to run out on the field if he needs to?  Is there any compelling reason besides the fact that they have been doing it for too long without ever questioning it?

Bud Selig followed Bonds for nine games, missing only to attend the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.  He was in attendance, at least physically, for Bonds’ 755th home run, although standing motionless with his hands in his pockets he wished he could have been anywhere else.  After the ninth game, with Bonds heading back to San Francisco to attempt to break Aaron’s record in front of the home crowd, Selig announced that he had called it quits and would not be attending the games in San Francisco, sending an MLB representative in his place.

The commissioner justified his decision by stating “I don’t think anybody can say I haven’t made a Herculean effort,” because sipping Pinot Noir from the owner’s box at a baseball game is such an arduous task.  We here at Odds and Sods are sure that firemen, aid workers in Africa, and the troops in Iraq bestow their sympathies upon poor Bud.

Selig supporters portray this as a diplomatic decision.  However, it is not a diplomatic decision.  It is no decision.  It is waffling of the worst kind.  It is the tied all-star game all over again.  Rather than make a difficult choice, Bud simply refused to make one, and in the process has blown up his indecision into as big of a story as the home run itself.

Take a stand.  If you think that Bonds’ record is tainted, say so.  Release a statement stating that you believe there is enough evidence to conclude that Bonds was taking performance enhancing drugs, and out of respect for the sport you love and your friend Henry Aaron you refuse to condone this accomplishment in any way.

Or, state that as commissioner of baseball, it is your responsibility to be there.  Take responsibility for the fact that it is under your watch that baseball’s greatest stars transformed themselves into WWE style freaks of nature using any and every drug available, and that your sport reaped the financial benefit of that.  Or, at the very least, acknowledge that you consider Bonds innocent until proven guilty.

As Michael Wibon points out, Bonds has actually behaved with more dignity than Selig the past few weeks.  Being, for the most part, friendly to the media and making respectful comments about Hank Aaron and about his probable eventual successor Alex Rodriguez.

Bud Selig did face a difficult decision, and would have faced criticism no matter what he did.  But, the fact is he took the worst possible option and did nothing.  There would have been some vestige of nobility in taking some sort of stand, but he did nothing.  He tucked his head and extremities inside his turtle shell and hoped it would all blow over him.  By attempting to avoid all controversy, he brought nearly all of it crashing down upon himself.

Selig’s actions are pure unadulterated weakness.  He will skulk back to Milwaukee and shirk the burden of being present for the tainted record to one of his underlings.  His conduct is shameless and unbefitting of a Commissioner of Baseball, let alone a human being.

On March 29, 2006, Major League Baseball announced that former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell would head an investigation into Steroid use in baseball.  The impetus, besides a very public backhand from congress and public outcry, was largely the book Game of Shadows, released earlier that month, which collected and presented all of the evidence that Barry Bonds had in fact used steroids.  The investigation declined to designate Bonds in particular, but he was assumed to be the primary target.

The investigation sounded like a good idea, except that it had one glaringly fatal flaw.  No one was compelled to cooperate.  Players, Managers, Coaches, Trainers, Doctors, Front Office People, and Clubhouse attendants could all refuse the request for information.  In the sport with arguably the most familial lockerroom atmosphere, the person who came out to invesitigators (see Jason Grimsley) would have been an immediate pariah.  Coupled with the threat of losing a large amount of money in contracts and being suspended, it is not unsurprising that no one has come forward to give evidence.

Their desperation to find any shred of evidence can clearly be seen with Jason Giambi, who a few weeks previously had apologized for using that “stuff.”  He has about forty million ($$$) reasons for not wanting anything to do with the Mitchell investigation, and obviously has bene unwilling to reply to queries.  But, they are so desperate for someone to talk, that Selig, despite the blantant dubious legality, has chosen to hold the threat of suspension over Giambi’s head unless he cooperates with the investigation, thereby putting the union in the position of having to defend him in public.

Buster Olney believes that the commissioner may take the same road with Barry Bonds.  If it is successful with Giambi, why not Bonds?  It would also give him an out for not showing up at the game where Bonds breaks Aaron’s home run record.

Even if Giambi or Bonds do talk to Senator Mitchell, neither one of them is going to say anything of substance.  If Bud Selig does decide to pursue suspensions against them, neither one of them will serve a game.  The only reason to even pursue this avenue is for Bud to be a big man and make himself look good for posterity, which is quite ridiculous.

Selig’s actions do not constitute being serious about the steroid issue.  He is fruitlessly bullying players who are already shunned and fingered by most fans anyway.  It is grandstanding in front of an audience without substance. If he is going to go after one player linked to steroids, he should go after the whole lot of them.  But we already know that Bud isn’t a big enough man to go out and suspend the Gary Sheffields and Ivan Rodriguez’ of the world.  If he isn’t going to go after everyone, he shouldn’t go after anyone.

It is fairly clear that the Mitchell investigation has produced nothing.  After 15 months of investigation, they have to resort to bullying to get dirt on two players who were both heavily linked to BALCO and both had grand jury testimonies leaked where they admitted (at least to unknowingly) using steroids.  One all but admitted it publically and apologized twice, and the other had an entire book worth of material written about his alleged usage.  With even the most conservative estimates in the hundreds for number of players using steroids, this is atrocious.

The sad fact is that baseball does not want the truth to come out.  At a time where MLB is rolling in the cash from increased possibility, no one wants to admit that the last decade has been a sham.  It is much easier to employ unpopular figures like Bonds and Giambi as scapegoats and push the rest of the distressing information under the rug.  It convenienlty allows Bud and the other suits to wash their hands of this.

The only organization with the clout to step in and hammer out the truth is Congress.  Perhaps baseball would be a welcome diversion from not getting us out of Iraq, not passing a sensible immigration policy, not drafting up universal healthcare, and not improving an embarassment of an education system.  If they can hold the anti-trust exemption over baseball’s head to prevent George Soros from purchasing the Washington Nationals, you would think they could try to do something about steroids.

Jason Giambi admitted to using steroids, well sort of. His Grand Jury testimony was leaked in December 2004, where he owned up to using multiple steroids and human growth hormone. After said leakage, Giambi made a public apology to the media, without specifying for what. On Friday, Giambi qualifed that slightly.

Giambi stated to USA Today, “I was wrong for doing that stuff” in reference to steroids. He also stated that baseball should have made a public apology much earlier, and taken greater steps to eradicate it from the game. He did, however, remain adamant that the roids did not help him hit home runs. Not a particularly great apology, but he certainly has done more than a number of players (ahem…Gary Sheffield).

The story, however, gets deeper. Baseball officials have told SI.com that Giambi has opened a large can of worms with his comments. He could face additional scruitny from MLB and possible suspension if he can be proven to have juiced up since 2005 (the first year MLB had suspensions in place for steroid usage). More importantly, however, if he can be proven to have taken it after 2002 (which he admitted during the grand jury testimony), the Yankees may have a case to void his massive 7 year $120 million contract, which is mostly backloaded and runs through 2009.

So basically, Jason Giambi told the truth. Now, because he was honest, his reward is a baseball investigation into possibly suspending him and a potential legal case for the Yankees to void his contract.

Here, in a nutshell, is the exact reason why the Mitchell investigation will fail miserably. Not only is there zero incentive to cooperate, but if a player does tell the truth they then face scrutiny and ex post facto punishment. That is absolutely ridiculous and will send any investigation into steroids or performance enhancing substances spinning around in circles and inconclusive. But, with the game gaining in popularity and money rolling into the owners’ coffers, perhaps that is what Bud Selig wants.

More info here from ESPN.com

Major League Baseball instituted Interleague Play in 1997.  In Selig-speak this would be an astounding innovation to greatly enhance our national past-time as it moves into the 21st century.  In reality, it is a shameless PR plug that was designed to help recoup reduced attendance and viewership numbers in the immediate Post-Strike Era.  As it reaches its ten year anniversary, it is time to put this crackpot abomination to rest.

For one, the supposedly novel matchups have become staid and flaccid.  Mets-Yankees or Cubs-White Sox still possess some juice, but not nearly as much as when they initially started.  What was once a dream subway series in October, is now, for all intents and purposes, a division rivalry.  Teams without geographic rivals are forced to sit through drudge fests like Detroit-Arizona.  The division matchups once had the “wow I never got to see this team before” factor, but teams are now cycling through these “unfamiliar” cities for the 2nd and 3rd times.  Attendances are still up for these matches, but eventually any novelty factor will be removed.

Secondly, it detracts from traditional interleague venues like the All-Star game and the World Series.  The All-Star game was once an historic and memorable event, and often the only arena where fans could see the best from the NL face off against the best from the AL in dream pitcher-batter matchups.  Now, these players often face eachother several times a season.  Baseball has had to resort to yet another gimmick (giving the winner homefield advantage in the World Series) in order to maintain interest.

It also detracts from the World Series.  There would have been a special quality to seeing two traditional franchises like the Cardinals and Tigers, had they not already played about a million times in Interleague play in the last few seasons.  Interest in the playoffs, sans a story like the Red Sox, has flagged so much that they had to bring out a senile and obese Tommy LaSorda to encourage even hardcore fans to continue to watch when their team didn’t make the playoffs.

Finally, and most importantly, it unbalances the schedule and can affect pennant races.  Teams like the Mets are instantly disadvantaged by having to play six games against the Yankees every year while the Cardinals get to cruise through six against Kansas City.  Even worse are the non geographically assigned games.  Teams in the division playing the AL East can draw the Red Sox and the Yankees, as opposed to the Devil Rays and the Orioles, and that fact can sway a tight pennant race one way or another.  Interleague play is not just annoying but an unforunate draw can kill a pennant run.

Interleague play should be removed because its novelty value has worn off, because it detracts from some of the game’s greatest spectacles, and because it unbalances scheduling to the point where it can affect the outcome of a pennant race.   Unfortunately, this would involve long-term strategic planning and turning down the quick buck, which is completely impossible as long as Bud Selig is commissioner.  Enjoy this festering cold sore on the luscious lips of the MLB season, because it is going to be here for a while.