On Tuesday afternoon, outgoing Commissioner Bud Selig paid Citi Field a visit, and like his other stops on the farewell tour, he took questions from reporters.
Friend of the site Howard Megdal got things off to a rollicking start, not beating around the bush when he asked the following:
“In 2011, when denying the Fox TV deal and taking control of the Dodgers, you cited the slashed payroll and attempt to use Dodger television resources for owner debt. In 2014, the Mets now have a payroll at or below the 2011 Dodgers, and have acknowledged using team and television resources for owner debt. Please tell me any specific differences between the two situations that led you to permit the current Mets owners to do so, and please be as specific as possible.”
Seems simple enough. Here’s Selig’s response:
“Well, I’m not sure I quite understand your question, but let me try to answer it, and you tell me how I did. There are big differences. I think I’ve covered this subject many, many times.
But, and I don’t want to go back into the whole Frank McCourt situation, because there were enormous ramifications there — many of which perhaps weren’t public. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve said it in the past, and I’ll say it again, I don’t have any problem with the way the — with the Mets’ financing, with what’s going on. As far as all of our economic rules — and we have a myriad of them — they are in compliance with ’em. They’re doing fine. The Dodgers were not in compliance with any of them.”
Strange answer, especially since Megdal did some reporting and found rules which the Mets are not in compliance with.
What this question and answer – and the ensuing back and forth which was Megdal continuing to press for an answer and Selig slyly sidestepping giving one – shows, is that the outgoing commissioner is either delusional, or a liar. Since Selig is not dumb, I’m betting it’s the second.
Selig has undeniably done great things for the game of baseball – the game has grown immensely under his watch, there has been labor peace for 20 years, and he does receive some unfair criticism for the steroid era (that’s just as much on the MLBPA fighting against testing as anything else) – but if you’re going to give his legacy credit for the successes of his term, you must also give him blame where he deserves it. The Wilpon ownership mess should be a big black eye on his legacy.
Selig believes in rewarding loyalty and down through the years the Wipons have always supported Bud. The latest example is the election of Rob Manfred. From reports I have read, the Mets were strong supporters of Bud’s choice. Frank McCourt was never in Bud’s close circle—thus the rules that Bud used to oust him
did not apply to the Wilpons.
Unless Fred or Jeff or Saul end up in a messy divorce that risks exposure of MLB documents/financial statements — I don’t think we should expect the commissioner’s office to do anything like what it did with the McCourts.
And crediting Selig with labor peace is a little bit like pointing to Ray Rice and saying that since the day he stopped beating his wife the NFL has been free of spousal abuse. For years, Selig was one of the most aggressive hawks out there for management when it came to labor issues. It’s funny how when he stopped being the problem — the problem went away.
MLB finally figured out it could make more money by forging some sort of peace with the players instead of antagonizing them (and the customer base) every time a labor deal was about to expire. Better late than never but Selig was involved in eight work stoppages before he finally saw the light. Forgive me if I don’t want to give him too much credit on this issue.
If looks could kill I wonder if Fred Wilpon will fire whoever let Mr. Megdal into the press gathering. Seeing as how the first question is usually a fluff question. I think FW must have been throwing daggers at Howard in his mind. Isn’t hypocrisy wonderful when it comes to light? So status quo and the commissioner (old or new) will not do a damn thing to change our outlook for the future of this franchise. What B.S.The more we learn about the Wilpons the sleazier it gets.
If only Sandy Alderson had gotten the commissioners job and took TC with him…
Ah! Steevy! I’m with you! Don’t you get the feeling that the Wilpons had a hand in making sure that did not happen? That would mean they would have some one with sensitive information who could really do some damage to their sparkling reputation as honest but ignorant businessmen. Now they can breathe a sigh of relief and extend SA a contract.
Gotta love Howie! He never stops! Unfortunately, we’re still stuck with the Wilponzis…..
Howard Megdal asked a legitimate question and Selig did not answer it.
Reporters like Megdal should be commended.
Selig was anti union, a member of the ownership group, and appears to be part of the old boy network. I don’t hold him in high esteem and agree that the Wilpon ownership mess should be a black eye to his legacy.
Selig opened the press conference with “Good afternoon gentlemen – ladies and gentlemen, I’m sorry”. It wasn’t the best start for Selig by not acknowledging the female reporters, especially with the lawsuit accusing the Mets of workplace descrimination due to gender. That opening remark was enough to convince me that the commisioner’s office had no intentions of investigating the matter, and later Selig confirmed my beliefs.
To what extent Selig and the Wilpons are complicit in questionable activities will probably never be answered. But we can say definitely that the decisions made by this team’s ownership in their personal affairs has negatively impacted the Mets franchise. At it’s core, that was the reason McCourt was forced out. And it should be the same in NY.