ESPN.com: MLB – Selig fines Bowden for ‘insensitive’ 9/11 remark
In my day I have seen a lot of things. I have been surprised by all manner of tawdryand insensitive actions. And I admit I have not prejudice favoring Major League Baseball.
But as stupid as Jim Bowden’s comments were, the idea that they should be fined is anethema to every value I hold to be true as an American. As stupid as Bowden’s comments were, the only possibly stupider thing would be for the Commissioner to fine someone for saying them.
Bud has already told baseball people who comment on the labor situation that they will be fined One Cool Million Dollars. I don’t have to be AJ Weberman to point out the egregiousnessness of the commissioner fining management who happens to say stupid things unrelated to the labor situation.
My love for baseball does not falter. Really. But this bullshit fills me with despair. I look forward to following the adventures of Jack Cust, just as I once followed the adventures of Ben Petrick. No, the weasly owners of MLB teams don’t owe me a game to watch (nor, as an mlb.com columnist, do they owe me a job beyond my current contract).
But the fact is that the game of baseball exists and will continue to exist, regardless of the interference of men named Selig, Steinbrenner, Wilpon, Loria, Henry, McGowen, and so on and so on and so on. The most endowed owners are free to negotiate with the most talented players, and one hopes they’ll come up with a league that we can trust features the best baseball players around.
But if the best players choose not to play because the owners won’t pay them, well, I will miss them. But I can wait. I’ll pay more to see Andruw Jones play center field, but I’ll gladly watch some local girl play center in the local Little League.
One of the beautiful things about this game is that it’s nearly as beautiful, warts and all, as it is played flawlessly.
P.