# Major League Baseball !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 13, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801 "2002-07-13T18:17:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/1 "2002-07-13T18:17:45Z")
**Major League Baseball** has become a joke!! Don’t they realize what is going to happen to the game if they strike again!!! Am I the only one or does someone else out there think we need a new commissioner? Someone with the **balls** to do what is needed! I have 2 suggestions for a new commissioner, Frank Robinson or Peter Gammons. I would chose Peter Gammons becasue I think he knows more about baseball than anyone else. Let me know what you think!!! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/2 "2002-07-13T18:23:35Z")
I think rants belong in the Pit. Welcome to the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/3 "2002-07-13T23:50:45Z")
Peter Gammons is an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/4 "2002-07-14T00:04:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*I think rants belong in the Pit. \*\* Me too. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/5 "2002-07-14T00:22:04Z")
Frank proved that he can make anything profitable, even the Expos. If he was commish he would make both the baseball owners and the players union his personal bitches. That’s probably why he won’t be it. ---
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/6 "2002-07-14T01:36:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yookeroo \* > \*\*Peter Gammons is an idiot. \*\* OK! You think Peter Gammons is an idiot! Could you explain why?Do you know why you think this?:wally ---
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/7 "2002-07-14T01:41:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*I think rants belong in the Pit. Welcome to the SDMB. \*\* This is my first day posting! I’m sorry if I’m not the pro poster that you seem to be! Hopefully I’ll become as knowledgeable as some of you who would rather complain(“that should be in the pit”) than to respond to the post. Have a nice day!!!:smack: ---
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/8 "2002-07-14T01:43:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\*I think rants belong in the Pit. Welcome to the SDMB. \*\* This is my first day posting! I’m sorry if I’m not the pro poster that you seem to be! Hopefully I’ll become as knowledgeable as some of you who would rather complain(“that should be in the pit”) than to respond to the post. Have a nice day!!!:smack ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/9 "2002-07-14T01:51:45Z")
Major League Baseball: Who gives a shit? There I’ve responded to your misplaced post. What’s with the jerkiocity? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/10 "2002-07-14T04:04:39Z")
Peter Gammons is an idiot because he doesn’t appear to know anything about baseball. His modus operandi is to write articles citing “unnamed sources” claiming a variety of trades are going down, which almost never do. It’s fairly obvious, reading his columns, that he basically just makes up most of the alleged deals out of his own imagination, and his unnamed sources don’t exist. The LAST person you want running baseball is some sportswriter. In fact, a good commissioner would be a baseball fan who has no professional connection with MLB at all. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/11 "2002-07-14T09:36:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheBip \* > \*\*\*\* Am I the only one or does someone else out there think we need a new commissioner? \*\* I believe _everyone_ thinks we need a new commish! ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/12 "2002-07-14T10:53:53Z")
Hey RickJay, who would you nominate? Who would possess the necessary credibility and “balls” to get this madness straightened out? I like Bob Costas. Have no idea if he is willing. But I think he is a class act through and through. sorry for the hijack ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/13 "2002-07-14T11:15:05Z")
Umm, having just come from Hijacking a Donovan thread to say stuff about Bob Dylan – are you guys flaming Peter Gammons? **RickJay** actually responded to the OP. The last -rightful- commissioner was a big-time baseball fan. Even a Red-Sox fan. [http://www.pubdim.net/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/G/Giamatti\_Bart.stm](http://www.pubdim.net/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/G/Giamatti_Bart.stm) Bart rules! ---
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/14 "2002-07-14T15:51:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jacksen9 \* > \*\*Hey RickJay, who would you nominate? Who would possess the necessary credibility and “balls” to get this madness straightened out? I like Bob Costas. Have no idea if he is willing. But I think he is a class act through and through. > > sorry for the hijack \*\* Never thought about Bob Costas. He might be an interesting pick. I don’t know how much baseball would be able to pay him, but whatever it is I’m sure would be a pretty nice pay cut! Who knows though maybe he would be interested. Good choice and thanks for the input!! ---
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/15 "2002-07-14T15:55:17Z")
I don’t remember his name but how about the guy who ran the show at the Salt Lake City Olympics! Not the first guy who screwed everthing up but the guy who came in and straightened everything out. What do you think? He has no connection to baseball and he proved he can come into a situation that is a mess and fix it. ---
**Author:** ![markdiscordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@markdiscordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdiscordia)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/16 "2002-07-14T16:03:35Z")
How about someone from another sport with extensive experience as both player and owner? That would eliminate loyalties to any particular part of baseball while keeping a deep understanding of the issues in professional athletics. Mario Lemieux comes to mind, as do various former NBA players who bought minor-league basketball teams after retiring. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/17 "2002-07-14T16:58:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheBip \* > **I don’t remember his name but how about the guy who ran the show at the Salt Lake City Olympics!** Mitt Romney. What I would do, if it were humanly possible, would be to clone or bring back all of the commisioners of baseball. (Forget about Ted Williams-we should clone people more important!) Then we would have nine men-kind of a Baseball Supreme Court. Let’s see: Bud Selig obviously couldn’t do anything, and based on their performances, Fay Vincent and Spike Eckert couldn’t either. That leaves the “good ones:” Judge Kenesaw Mt. Landis, Happy Chandler, Ford Frick, Bowie Kuhn, Pete Uberoth, and Bart Giamatti. They could probably work together to get something done. Also, with nine men, they could be a baseball team! (I know it’s stupid, but I’m an idiot.) ---
**Author:** ![TheBip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@TheBip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBip)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/18 "2002-07-14T20:23:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mobo85 \* > \*\* > > Mitt Romney. > > What I would do, if it were humanly possible, would be to clone or bring back all of the commisioners of baseball. (Forget about Ted Williams-we should clone people more important!) Then we would have nine men-kind of a Baseball Supreme Court. Let’s see: Bud Selig obviously couldn’t do anything, and based on their performances, Fay Vincent and Spike Eckert couldn’t either. That leaves the “good ones:” Judge Kenesaw Mt. Landis, Happy Chandler, Ford Frick, Bowie Kuhn, Pete Uberoth, and Bart Giamatti. They could probably work together to get something done. Also, with nine men, they could be a baseball team! (I know it’s stupid, but I’m an idiot.) \*\* I think you have some real good ideas! Thanks for the input !!!I can tell you have some knowledge in baseball; maybe you should be commish !!! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/19 "2002-07-14T22:17:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jacksen9 \* > \*\*Hey RickJay, who would you nominate? Who would possess the necessary credibility and “balls” to get this madness straightened out? I like Bob Costas. Have no idea if he is willing. But I think he is a class act through and through. > > sorry for the hijack \*\* No, I wouldn’t nominate Bob Costas; he’s a nice man and I think he’s a fine broadcaster, but I don’t see any evidence he would know how to run a four billion dollar business or participate in labour negotiations. Again, my choice would be a baseball fan who had NO professional connection with pro sports whatsoever. What baseball needs is someone like Judge Landis or Bart Giamatti; a professional man, an educated man, and intelligent man (or woman) and a man with no axes to grind and no personal stake in it, who can come it with as few preconceived notions as possible, but who has experience running something. Mario Lemieux was a fascinating nomination; I don’t know that he in particular is the right man for the job, but that’s the SORT of guy I would be looking for. Or the guy who saved the Salt Lake games. Or any one of 15000 solid, respectable businessmen and businesswomen. Or a university president like Giamatti; I bet the president of my alma mater would be a better commissioner than Bud Selig and Bowie Kuhn ten times over combined. Bud Selig is a crappy commissioner because he A) isn’t very bright, B) he’s dishonest and isn’t very good at lying, either, and, most importantly, C) isn’t really a “commissioner of baseball” so much as he is a shill for the owners. Kuhn was a fool who refused to look forward. You don’t need guys like that. Bob Costas SEEMS bright, but my read of him is that he thinks the 1950s were the greatest time ever for baseball - actually, the 1950s were a terrible time for baseball, with attendance dropping like a stone - and I’m not sure he really understand the issues so much as he understands the surface of the issues, the veneer. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2002, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801/20 "2002-07-15T00:19:24Z")
The replacement commish has to know something about marketing, too. Seriously. Baseball is one of the most poorly marketed sports out there. It’s ridiculous. Someone who understands TV and how to use it. I have to agree with **RickJay** about Costas and Gammons. Sometimes, I don’t think Gammons has any clue what he’s talking about. **RickJay’s** assessment of Costas is, IMHO, dead on. He sees a salary cap as the magic cure to everything that baseball is suffering from. When, in fact, it really isn’t. Baseball needs a commish who understands marketing, understands baseball, and who the players’ union can actually trust. Someone who EVERYONE can trust, actually. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-league-baseball/118801.md?page=2)