Tigers GM Dombrowski to succeed Selig as Baseball Commissioner?

[savafan]

Let the speculation begin. Interesting, seemingly somewhat out of the box choice. At least he has experience dealing with players and owners.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20111...ner-candidates

"I have never really thought about it," Dombrowski said of his potential candidacy. "When I've been in any job I've had, I haven't thought about other jobs. That's just how I work."

Dombrowski, though, has a 33-year background in baseball that includes GM jobs in both leagues. He also possesses a CEO aura — "a regal style," says Jim Bowden, formerly a general manager with the Reds and Nationals — that with his broad executive experience, could assist in making him a serious contender.

[RedsManRick]

Was there ever an official change from where the commissioner meant to serve the interests of baseball and be an intermediary between players and owners to the current position of being the representative of the owners?

[savafan]

I should have put "Possibly" or "Rumor" in the subject line. Hopefully the question mark will serve to not make anyone think this is a done deal.

[savafan]

Was there ever an official change from where the commissioner meant to serve the interests of baseball and be an intermediary between players and owners to the current position of being the representative of the owners?

I don't think it was ever official, it just sort of happened when the owners ousted Fay Vincent and named Selig interim commissioner for life.

An interesting fact about Selig also:

http://articles.businessinsider.com/...l-commissioner

But what caught our attention was the monstrous salary of Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, who made $18.4 million this past year, or the same as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ($10.9M) and Bettman combined.

How high is Selig's salary? In a sport known for bloated contracts, there currently only 12 players with contracts with average annual salaries higher than Selig's $18.4 million.

[steig]

I always thought Selig wanted George W. to replace him. Before being president W did not hide his desire to one day be commissioner.

[Chip R]

Was there ever an official change from where the commissioner meant to serve the interests of baseball and be an intermediary between players and owners to the current position of being the representative of the owners?

Who hires and pays the commissioner, the players or owners?

[RedsManRick]

Who hires and pays the commissioner, the players or owners?

The sport itself should have an independent organization with a separate fund (paid into by the organizations), otherwise that sounds like a monopoly to me.

[Chip R]

The sport itself should have an independent organization with a separate fund (paid into by the organizations), otherwise that sounds like a monopoly to me.

The question still stands. The commissioner works for whoever pays and hires him. In every sport it's the owners. If he can be fired by the owners then he is beholding to them. And these sports - especially MLB - are monopolies. In a perfect world the commissioner would work for the owners and the players but that isn't going to happen.

[cincinnati chili]

I think Chip has this exactly right. The owners appoint the commissioner and they can remove him at any time. On the other hand, ironically, the commissioner can call for the punishment (or banning) of individual owners. Commissioners are necessarily politicians for this reason.

Wise commissioners, however, recognize that the players are the product. While the commissioners serve the owners, it is ultimately in the owners' best interest if the players are given the reasonable opportunity to thrive and if they are portrayed in a positive light.

[RedsManRick]

Fair points, Chip. I would much prefer to see a system whereby there is a committee comprised of say, 4 electees of owners, 4 of players and 1 of umpires -- or something to that effect -- and that committee elects a single commissioner with a defined tenure and no re-election.

[Chip R]

Fair points, Chip. I would much prefer to see a system whereby there is a committee comprised of say, 4 electees of owners, 4 of players and 1 of umpires -- or something to that effect -- and that committee elects a single commissioner with a defined tenure and no re-election.

I think that would be a pretty good idea.

[marcshoe]

I think that would be a pretty good idea.

If my idea of a sort of Fans Union with representatives from every team ever gets off the ground, they want a seat at the table.

[IslandRed]

Was there ever an official change from where the commissioner meant to serve the interests of baseball and be an intermediary between players and owners to the current position of being the representative of the owners?

I don't know that the commissioner's job ever was to be an intermediary between the players and owners. Serve the interests of baseball, yes, but the original job description was about protecting the integrity of the game in the wake of the Black Sox scandal. If commissioners had ever made it a priority to balance needs of owners and players with respect to what's best for everyone in the game, Marvin Miller may have been unnecessary.

[Rojo]

Serve the interests of baseball, yes, but the original job description was about protecting the integrity of the game in the wake of the Black Sox scandal.

Yes. IOW, the Commissioner's Office is like the Federal Reserve -- it serves owners as a whole by keeping individual owers in line. But serve owners, it does.

Rick's idea is great. But why would owners agree to that?

[REDREAD]

Fair points, Chip. I would much prefer to see a system whereby there is a committee comprised of say, 4 electees of owners, 4 of players and 1 of umpires -- or something to that effect -- and that committee elects a single commissioner with a defined tenure and no re-election.

I don't think that would work.. the owners would basically bribe the umpire rep to have a majority.. I don't really want the umps to have the power of being the swing vote.
Seems like it would create more tension between the owners and players.

The commisioners job is to keep the revenue of the sport growing. Bud has done a good job of that for the most part.