Normally when the Bay Area tunes in to hear MLB Commissioner Bud Selig speak, it’s for some sort of post-season awards show, or for the state of the Giants/A’s territorial drama. The All Star Break is another good time to hear the Commissioner give some sort of State of the Sport type of address as we hunker down and wait to hear things we will probably have issue with. Since Monday morning, Selig has had words transcribed by tweeters, and these are some of the things he’s spoken into a microphone:
On his legacy:
Bud Selig, speaking at @politico breakfast event, says "reformation of the economic system" in #MLB is proudest achievement as commissioner.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2013
Bud Selig says he's going to write a book about his 50-plus years in MLB, has "hundreds of boxes of notes" ready to go. @mikeallen
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2013
Bud Selig reiterates he plans to retire Jan. 24, 2015. @politico
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2013
Bud Selig on a potential succession plan: "There's been some conversation, but I can't tell you anything is definitive yet. There will be."
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 16, 2013
I have not heard any rumors yet about whom would be the possible successor to Selig, and I know plenty of people will be happy with his leaving office, but I’m not so confident things will change drastically with the owners being the people that elect the commissioner.
Oct 28, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; MLB commissioner Bud Selig at a press conference before game four of the 2012 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
On Biogenesis and drug program:
Bud Selig didn't answer yes or no when @mikeallen asked about reports that PED suspensions could come this week.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2013
Selig: "This sport is cleaner than it's ever been."
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2013
Bud Selig rejects notion that he's vigilant about PEDs because of his legacy. "That's nonsense. This is in the best interest of baseball."
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2013
Selig on Biogenesis; Not about "some kind of retribution or something to do with my legacy."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
Selig on MLB drug tests: "We must be doing all right. I haven't heard from anybody in Washington in 8-1/2 years."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
Then again, as someone said, if they’ve sent him an e-mail, how would he know?
Bud Selig on Biogenesis investigation: "It's thorough. It's comprehensive. And it's aggressive. I'm proud of that."
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) July 16, 2013
Selig: Increased drug penalties should be part of next collective bargaining talks.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
One wonders then, how aggressive does Selig want to get on those that test positive for a PED? 100 to start? A season? Do they start really enforcing the “if you lied to investigators that counts as another strike” rule that they’re trying to nail Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez on?
MLBPA head Michael Weiner says 50-game suspensions may not apply to non-analytical positives. Length of suspension open for discussion.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 16, 2013
Guess that answers that question.
Selig says there has been more than 16,000 drug tests administered last year, and less than half of 1% tested positive
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 16, 2013
So, less than 80 positive tests in both MLB and MiLB.
Selig on possible impact of suspension announcements on pennant races: "When they're done with the investigation, that will be the time."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
About Biogenesis, Bud Selig says: "There's nobody more unhappy about the leaks than me. I know this: the leaks do not come from us."
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 16, 2013
Weiner on Biogenesis: "When all the interviews are done, we will meet with the commissioner's office and try and work something out."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
You might have heard reports that Alex Rodriguez and his group were trying to agree on a deal for a 150-game suspension. If the report is true, I’m not sure what his suspension would be after the agreements are put into place between the sides.
MLB PA head Michael Weiner notes that Biogenesis suspensions, under current drug program, can be "5 or 500 games"
— Anthony Witrado (@awitrado) July 16, 2013
Non-analytical positives are not same as positive tests, so automatic 50 games does not apply. Number of games determined by MLB.
— Anthony Witrado (@awitrado) July 16, 2013
Hence the 5 to 500, which is a little scary. Giving a 500 game suspension (a little over 3 years) for “just cause”… that is heavy.
Weiner: Appeal hearings could start "as soon as September."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
Weiner on likelihood that appeals would stretch beyond season: "If we can't reach a deal, yes."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
So when you consider players like Nelson Cruz that are due to be free agents, this could impact the deal he gets, since it’s looking likely that if he got a suspension, the bulk of it would happen in the 2014 season.
On attendance:
Selig: attendance down, "the weather has really hurt us." Lost 34 dates to weather this year. Lost 21 all of last year.
— Scott Miller (@ScottMillerBbl) July 16, 2013
Selig on Rays attendance: "very disappointing, and very worrisome. It's beyond disappointing."
— Danny Knobler (@DannyKnobler) July 16, 2013
Selig calls Rays situation "economically intolerable."
— Danny Knobler (@DannyKnobler) July 16, 2013
Selig on Rays attendance figures: "That may have been OK in 1956."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
Breaking news, nobody’s happy about attendance in St. Petersburg. While we wish the Rays could just violate their deal with the stadium before 2027, they have such a long ways to go there, you really do hope something happens. Florida has been doing a good job in showcasing how it is not an ideal place to house a baseball team. Might it be unfair of me to say that since the Rays have never actually been in the City of Tampa Bay? Perhaps, but I have no faith in that state to show up for baseball consistently over the course of a season, good or bad.
On replay:
Selig on replay: "Life isn't perfect, the sport isn't perfect, but we live with it."
— Danny Knobler (@DannyKnobler) July 16, 2013
Selig on replay for '14: "We have to be careful in our zest to improve things not to affect the game as we've known it."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
Joe Torre on replay: "We're trying to make sense of what makes sense."
— Danny Knobler (@DannyKnobler) July 16, 2013
Torre on more replay: "if you start doing it from the first inning to the ninth inning, you may have to time the game with a calendar."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
Torre: More replay in some form should be in place for '14, not necessarily just balls down line and trapped balls.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 16, 2013
The process doesn’t have to take forever, Joe Torre. If you have a central command in New York, or even a better system of using replay at the stadiums, set a rule of a number of replays, this doesn’t have to take forever. It does appear they are moving forward from just home run calls or fair/foul on home runs, so there is something positive that should be taken from that.
On the international draft:
"I'm very much, as you all know, for the international draft. And I'm getting impatient on that." -- Bud Selig
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) July 16, 2013
I am shocked he is trying to save the money of the owners. Just shocked, I tell you!
On the future of the All Star Game: