What Bud Selig Is Doing Right
I have three dogs. In training them, there's correction and praise. I try to lean heavily on praise so I can get the behavior performed repeated. While we've all written corrections for Bud Selig previously (see Conn and Phillips), it's time to add some positive
reinforcement for our favorite target.
- Letting Pete Rose show up at the World Series and All-Star game. Unless he's molesting kids at the ballpark or causing a disturbance, you really shouldn't be prohibiting him from attending games.
- Opening a dialog with Pete Rose at long last. Like I've said, if you have him dead to rights, you have nothing to worry about. If you don't, then reasonable doubt should set him free.
- Telling Fay Vincent, et al., to butt out. By asserting your authority as commish, you've set the ground rules nicely. Rose's case won't be tried in the press, where MLB has a good shot at losing even if the evidence is there, and it won't be tried by folks no longer in baseball's core.
- Making the All-Star game matter by accepting the proposal to have the winners of the All-Star game have home field advantage in the World Series.
- Encouraging the Expos to play 22 games in Puerto Rico. It's the beginning of my Havana Americans idea, and should make for increased interest in the Expos, both from a fan standpoint and from the players standpoint. I've already expressed my appreciation for his selection of Omar Minaya and Frank Robinson as GM and Manager.
- Getting daughter Wendy to step down from her position with the Brewers. Having the family out of the day-to-day control of the organization reduces the collusive behavior, but owning the team still hosts conflict of interest charges.
Next steps:
- Sell the Expos.
- Complete the Rose appeal.
- Increase the All-Star Roster to 30 or, more radically, make it a series.
- Find a buyer for the Angels before the season is over.
- Warn owners that collusion cannot be tolerated.
- Fine George Steinbrenner for negative comments about the luxury tax agreed to last season.
- Change the rules of the baseball draft to be cut to 34 rounds, 17 international, 17 United States and its territories. Allow teams to trade draft picks.
- Have your family sell the Brewers or create a committee to find your replacement.
- Get Carl Pohlad to sell the Twins to local owners (or owners committed to keeping the Twins in Minneapolis for at least the next 5 years. The Twins just won the division and look to win it again. Buy low, sell high.
See also New Year's Resolutions
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