Oh ye of little backbone
First Pitch: 1:10 PM CT
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN
Know Thine Enemy: Royals Review
Another common opponent for our Minnesota Twins this holiday weekend Sunday afternoon, so a few musings on a recent MLB ruling instead of Kansas City Royals banter:
As you likely already heard, a few weeks ago MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred changed the status of the league’s ineligible list. Essentially, the statute of limitations now expires upon the death of the ineligible individual. So, the likes of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson & Pete Rose are currently eligible for National Baseball Hall of Fame consideration (HOF rules have long stated that an MLB-ineligible person could not be enshrined).
I’ve previously said my piece on Rose. In short: I don’t believe any individual who gambled on baseball while participating in it should be celebrated in such a fashion as the HOF garners. With all due respect to his recent passing, the fact that Rose was a beloved hustler (I’ll let you decide the exact definition of that word in Rose’s context) and the all-time MLB hit king does little to move me. It certainly makes his overall case more tragic, but that was Rose’s issue to work through—not mine.
What’s more interesting to me was the timing of Manfred’s proclamation—and how I wish he’d shown more backbone in the process. If Manfred had come out and said “we’ve reviewed this ruling and believe it is in the best interest of baseball” and really stood behind it, I could have perhaps respected it—even if not wholeheartedly agreeing with it.
But two things trouble me…
- I know no one wants to talk politics before a ballgame, but Manfred’s announcement comes on the heels of a meeting with President Trump so it needs to be mentioned. Ostensibly about securing passports/visas for international players, it was reported that the President repeatedly brought up Pete Rose’s possible reinstatement.
Photo by Gene Shaw/Getty Images
- The last portion of Manfred’s statement: “I want to emphasize that it is not part of my authority or responsibility to express any view concerning Mr. Rose’s consideration by or possible election to the Hall of Fame. I agree with Commissioner Giamatti that responsibility for that decision lies with the Hall of Fame”. I wonder how many lawyers Manfred ran that prose by? Essentially, the Commissioner is saying “it isn’t my fault if Rose gets into the HOF”.
Therein lies the rub: Manfred knows (as we all do) that Rose’s induction into Cooperstown is very likely the end result of this policy change. So, to make the change and then subtly disavow it & put the entire onus on the Hall of Fame and BBWA voters seems disingenuous at best and cow-towing to the Commander-in-Chief at worst.
Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
I do not hate Commissioner Manfred or some of the things he’s done for MLB. One could make a compelling argument that without the recent pitch clock, shift-ban, & base-enlarging changes baseball might be dead-in-the-water. But in terms of an expressed care for the sanctity (not just the business) of baseball, Manfred is no Giamatti. In that single aspect, he’s not even Bud Selig.
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
(me climbing down off of soap box)
Okay—now let’s all watch the Twins finish up this quick homestand by (hopefully) sweeping the Royals!
