Selig Announces Retirement

Posted by Robert Christy Dec 1, 2006

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bug Selig has told reporters that he'll step down at the end of his current contract and retire.

Selig's tenure as commissioner started in 1992 and will have spanned 17 years at the end. His biggest achievement will have been to change the economic landscape of baseball by introducing revenue sharing among the teams and imposing a luxury tax on big-spending teams.

On the other side of the coin, he led baseball to the brink of destruction which resulted in strike of 1994. And who can forget the shameful tie in the All-Star game. Does anyone remember the relocation issues? What about the Expos moving out of Canada? He tried to eliminate the Twins even though his Brewers were in a smaller market and drew fewer fans.

I think he'll be mostly remembered for his inaction on the drugs and steroid issue. His head in the sand approach allowed the situation to fester for years.

I've been in baseball a long time. I know a lot of the players, coaches and umpires. Were steroids a problem? No question. Still are. That's only the tip of the iceberg, though. What about the uppers or "greenies", the pain pills, the new-age vitamin pills, growth hormone, etc. Players gobble these like M & Ms.

Drugs are still a problem and will be until a strong commissioner sits down with the players and gets all of the dirty laundry out in the open.

Bud Selig was a weak owner and even a weaker commissioner. I hope the next person appointed commissioner will be better for baseball.