Bud Is No Friend to Baseball
You would think that starting up an MLB-focused blog a day after the annual “New York Yankee spring training confessional” press conference implies a focus on this year’s circus leader, Alex Rodriguez. However, there’s plenty a of media coverage concerning his use of banned substances from 2001-2003; instead, I’d like to draw some attention to another story that was conveniently planned to slip under the radar as A-Rod demanded the attention of baseball fans everywhere. It’s a story that is as infuriating as it is expected.
This past Monday, Newsday released a news story entitled “Bud Selig to fans: Don’t blame me,” which contained excerpts from an interview with the commish. As you can probably deduce from the title, it’s all about Bud’s latest efforts to absolve him of any blame for steroids being rampant in baseball. He talks about being sensitive to critics who believe he should have been more stringent with his banned substance policy in the past 15 years. He even goes as far as to say “I’m not sure I would have done anything differently.”
In an age where personal responsibility is sorely lacking and accountability is continuously pushed off on others, this is, sadly, an unsurprising response from Selig. The problem here is that someone has to be responsible for steroid use getting to an uncontrollable level in baseball, and, if it isn’t the commissioner, then who is it? Part of the job territory for anyone with “commissioner” in their title requires taking responsibility when things go wrong, even if they are not directly responsible for whatever has happened (which, I could argue, is not the case here).
At the very least, Selig should have acknowledged that there was a problem earlier and pledged to the players and fans that it would be taken care of right away. Consider David Stern when he was confronted with a referee gambling problem. He said, “This is something that is the worst that could happen to a professional sports league. I want to say on the other hand that we are going to make good on the covenant that we believe we have with our fans, and I pledge that my involvement will be as intense and complete as it can possibly be.” Or look at Roger Goodell’s authoritative stance on the off-the-field problems that were becoming more frequent with players. By upping his suspensions and enforcing stricter policies, he was able to gain control of the situation before it spiraled out of control, and even garnered the respect of the players, coaches, and fans in the process.
Bud Selig has done some good for baseball. The introduction of the wild card teams in 1995 added an exciting element to the playoffs. He has been involved in helping to globalize baseball through the World Baseball Classic. He has seen the revenue of the sport increase exponentially during his tenure. All these accomplishments are worthy of credit, and Selig does in fact pat himself on the back during the Newsday interview by defensively declaring that “The reason I’m so frustrated is, if you look at our whole body of work, I think we’ve come farther than anyone ever dreamed possible.” However, in order for someone to be credited with their accomplishments, they must also be held accountable for their failures.
Having an All Star game end in an anticlimactic tie is very disappointing, but understandable to a degree. Suspending a World Series game and causing confusion and outrage is another notable gaffe, but ended up blowing over rather quickly. However, ignoring the blatant signs of illegal drugs being used by the players over such a prolonged period of time – which includes but is not limited to Barry Bonds’ hat size growing at alarming rates, Mark McGwire’s Popeye-like, disproportionate arms, and Roger Clemens’ size 48 inch neck – is simply inexcusable. By not taking immediate action to control the infusion of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, and other banned substances, Selig created an environment where players saw their peers getting away with such substance abuse and making an immense profit by doing so. So while the players were the ones abusing the system, ask yourself if you would take a substance that your peers were taking and getting away with in order to make millions of dollars. With the economy the way it is today, it’s hard to imagine anyone declining that kind of offer. Once again, guilty players took it upon themselves to cheat, but they shouldn’t have been put in a situation where they might have felt the need to do so in order to compete with others or to land an outrageous contract.
It’s time for Selig to earn the $17 million annual salary and to stop using the “look over here tactics” by discussing past successes in order to create a diversion from current problems. There is no reason that baseball should not be using the most accurate testing possible. The MLB Players Association has been given too much power, and they have done nothing but abuse it. If blood samples will help clean up the sport, then they should be instituted immediately. If the players don’t want to provide blood for testing, then they should not be allowed to play. Some of them seem to forget that it is a privilege to play professional sports for millions of dollars. Declining to provide a blood sample should immediately be interpreted as an acknowledgement of guilt.
There isn’t a moment to spare; Major League Baseball is long overdue in getting its act together and cleaning up the sport. And regardless of what Mr. Selig might think, it begins with him. Hopefully 2010’s spring training can be one that accentuates major offseason acquisitions like CC Sabathia or Mark Texiera instead of the next two or three names on “The List.”[ad]
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Reader Comments
While I have never been a fan on A-Rod, mostly because of his demeanor with the media and the fans, I applaud his fundamental handling of his situation. This is by no means a defense of his irreprehensible actions, which are frankly despicable; but I respect his decision to come clean regarding his infractions, however I wish he was a little more specific and forward with his admission. This being said, when Selig condemned A-Rod and his admission of guilt, I feel that he is setting a standard that promotes lying among the players. In reprimanding him for coming clean he is simply upholding MLB’s tradition of denial.
Bud Selig is unbelievable. His inability to control the steroids situation is a prime example of a management strategy that has become all too familiar. Ceo’s justify salaries by stating how involved they are in the entire process but then when the bad situations arise they plead ignorance or say the company (sport in this case) is too large for one person to oversee. Selig needs to be held responsible for everything that has happened under his watch and should have been more proactive in his dealings with steroids. His reign, his problem, his legacy.
No doubt Selig is a terrible commissioner and baseball has taken a giant step back under his watch. From a PR standpoint, he needs to do something to clean up the sport. If the federal government can trace rec. drug use years back, there’s no reason baseball can’t do the same w/ steroids. I think the vast majority of players from the past 15 years or so (or whenever salaries became ridiculous) used PEDs and those who didn’t probably took “legal” supplements w/ the same effects. The line between legal and illegal in baseball is totally arbitrary. I could care less about who took what when; it doesn’t affect my perspective of the game. Statistics were equally cheapened by juiced balls, expansion, smaller parks, etc. Players should be judged against their era period, regardless of who “cheated” and who hasn’t yet been caught.
In a sport more entrenched in its history than any other, it is sad we must submit to the fact that one era may be irrevocably tarnished. Whether it be juiced balls (questionable); smaller parks (only affects numbers to a certain degree); or expansion (the most significant and lasting effect to the era–talent saturated the market), none will be as publicly and historically scarring as actually CHEATING. An entire time period–where some of the most unbreakable records were broken–will be thrown out in the minds of many.
Thus now is the time for Selig to act. The majority of these factors occurred under his watch–steroid (and amphetamine) use flourished under his nose. Instead of preempting the situation–an opportunity he blatantly missed–he must now react in a big way to repair the game.
Blood tests are a no-brainer. With your biggest stars outed for cheating, you must leave no doubt to the renewed validity of the game. One-year bans on the first offense–and lifetime on the second–should also go unquestioned. It is the players’ responsibility to know what goes into their body.
But the true question of Selig’s legacy will be his decision on Bonds, Clemens, and A-Rod’s numbers. No action now will leave them OFFICIALLY unblemished. But placing the first asterisks in the record book is also a weighty decision.
Why do we have such a doofus deciding our pastime’s fate? Godspeed Selig.