If I Were Commish (Act 2)

This is the second of three parts to a fantasy world where I act as commissioner of Baseball. That's right, I do live in a fantasy world most of the time. How else do you think I can cope? Anyway here are my next acts as commish.

2) Reschedule the World Baseball Classic

This world wide tournament is only played once every four years. Personally, I don't really understand the purpose; I mean isn't there a competition called the Olympics where international baseball is organized? Why have another all-world tournament? Also, Selig says that the point is to help promote baseball internationally. Alright, I can see the WBC as a marketing tool but the countries that participate already have a strong interest in baseball. I haven't heard of Estonia or Nigeria signing up. This is a weak argument on my part because the hope is that the WBC will spark interest in the kids watching their countries perform. Since this tournament is probably viable at some level in terms of entertaining an inspiring international youth, let's discuss when it should be played. As it stands, the WBC is played during the traditional spring training period of Major League Baseball. Owners of MLB clubs obviously have trepidation about sending players to participate. Player salaries are too great to risk injury for a promotional tournament. There are no simple solutions because the MLB season is so long.

As commissioner I would move this promotional tournament to December and January. Players will have had 2 months of rest (except for the World Series participants which is a small number of players) plus most of the players begin their off-season workouts during this time anyway. Keep in mind that many professionals play in winter leagues anyway. Once the tournament is over, these players can have a couple of weeks off before they report to spring training camp. But hey, if you want to just cancel it all together then I'll prepare my rubber stamp.

3) Drop Interleague Play

This will never happen because the revenue gets a huge boost during these games, especially for the small market teams as they enjoy the national interest the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Cardinals generate. As commissioner I would just outlaw the fraternization of leagues. The main reason is to create an intrigue between the different styles of baseball represented by the two leagues. I remember as a kid watching the World Series and feeling the mystery of two teams facing off where the players are almost completely unknown to each other. Apart from scouting and video, the players don't possess an upper hand with experience. Watching the skills and play from the very best players in the world unfold naturally and spontaneously makes for great baseball.

If these games are dropped, the regular season schedule could become balanced and the divisional races become more important, especially to those second tier teams trying to earn a wild card bid. These interleague games would be replaced with divisional games. As it stands now, any particular team in a division could play just as many games against the opposing league than an opposing division within their own league. As a way to make this argument more credible I should provide an example. Commissioners don't normally skip the research stage but for now I must keep moving.

4) Drop Instant Replay

Instant replay is stupid. Period. Instant replay makes football stupid. If you want the umpires to make the right call the majority of the time then provide better training, performance based compensation and stronger accountability. Problem solved (although I don't believe there really is a problem).

One more to come...

If I Were Commish (Act 1)

Pitchers and Catchers have reported and spring is in the air; sort of, I mean if all this snow would disappear. Anyway, there has been talk of Bud Selig retiring as Commissioner of MLB. While we wait for the snow to melt and the real games to start let me wax rant style on what I would do as the next commissioner.

1) Contract and Realign

I understand that baseball is the all-American game and that MLB is the one major American sport that has had extreme success in globalization. Since there has been great strides in world popularity (look at Latin America and Japan) I think the sport could overcome the loss of two Major League teams for the sake of balance and improved play. Which teams you ask. I've hinted at one already. Toronto. What value does a Canadian team bring? Since the Expos are now in D.C. that leaves one lone out of nation club. Not being an insider, it seems that Toronto is a viable market and probably financially secure which alone makes good reason not to contract them. But if I'm commissioner, the reason is to keep everything in house. Not PC I know. This decision feels tighter, cleaner, provides better travel schedules and less hassle (dealing with another country), and makes is easier to answer to a mob of angry fans. I can ignore Canada without losing sleep. Which leads me to the other team I would contract. Oakland. The big reason here is to avoid having two teams sharing the Bay market. Oakland is the smaller of the two and struggles to compete. Axing the A's would enhance the Giants. Answering to the fans here would be much more difficult but hey, that's why the Commish gets the big bucks, right?

Now we have 28 teams instead of 30 which by default makes competition that much better. Less teams makes for less players needed to fill those rosters which in turn enables players who are not ready for the big time to stay in the minors for more seasoning (the minor league towns would enjoy and benefit from) and for those who just really are not the best of the best, keeps them out of the league all together. This improves play on the field which is most important for the true fan.

With Toronto and Oakland gone a void has been created in the American League. No worries, let's just realign. Baseball has done this several times. No biggie. Might I suggest moving the hapless Pirates to the A.L. East to replace the Jays and the Rockies to the A.L. West to replace the A's. Now we have 14 teams in each league and balanced divisions all around. Normally, I am not a proponent of trying to create fairness, probably because I don't experience it myself in my own life, but in this case I am looking out for the fans who have the big picture in mind and not just their fav team.

My rational for moving the Pirates and Rockies is simple. The Pirates cannot compete now as it is in the N.L. Central plus this division has 6 teams. Moving the Bucs forces one of two PA teams to the opposing league which allows the fans to enjoy both styles of baseball, one with a DH and another without. I know, the A.L. East is the toughest division in baseball. Does it really matter what division you put them in? The Pirates just suck, that's all there is to it. Logically, Pittsburgh is the eastern most city geographically to fill the void lost by contracting Toronto. As far as the Rockies are concerned, wouldn't you love to see a DH hit in Denver? With the light air, it seems a good fit to entice the club to play an offensive style. The Rockies early history suggests that's the approach they took to construct the roster. They were bad then, but an offensive emphasis in the N.L. isn't the right approach. Putting them in the A.L. combined with their new pitching philosophy makes for an interesting A.L. West division.

That's a busy day. Can't make all the changes at one time. Stay tuned for further action taken from the office of the new Commissioner. Now for a hot dog and suds.

Baby Girl Video

Libby Mae! from Rebecca Bryan on Vimeo.

A short produced by Rebecca Bryan. More Questions Than Answers has partnered with Vimeo for distribution. As a proud Pop my motivation is obvious.

Century Mark (100 Songs for the 100th Post)

This is it, the 100th post of More Questions Than Answers. I thought I would make it a fun one since a good portion of the 99 are serious and rather depressing. If you have been reading since the beginning you know that the primary reason I starting blogging was for its therapeutic benefits. Music also displays these same therapeutic benefits.

The songs we fill our ipods with represent more than just entertainment. We get lost in the stories told as these songs convey emotions that reflect our place in this world or at least our place in this moment. The music we enjoy sits within a context of our own understanding of our experience.

So, let's make a list of 100 songs that make you smile, laugh and remember good times. Click the comment link below to contribute. Remember 100 songs for this century post. I'll start with the first 6:

1) Y.M.C.A by Village People

2) Your Smiling Face by James Taylor

3) You've Got A Friend In Me by Randy Newman

4) Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Cheers theme) by Gary Portnoy

5) You May Be Right by Billy Joel

6) Centerfield by John Fogerty

Now it's your turn.