AUG. 13: Major League Baseball owners are confident that they will emerge from tomorrow’s vote with a new commissioner, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
However, in a full-length column earlier this morning, Nightengale explained the divide between frontrunners Manfred and Werner, with some Manfred supporters telling Nightengale they feel they have at least 20 owners committed to Manfred. Sources in the Werner camp tell Nightengale that there will be at least 11 votes for Werner, and another eight were undecided.
Brosnan, too, has his supporters, according to Nightengale, but they fear that he doesn’t have a realistic chance at winning the vote. If Brosnan doesn’t receive enough votes on the first ballot, he could bow out and throw his support to Werner. In that scenario, Brosnan could end up serving as deputy commissioner to Werner.
In the video atop his article, Nightengale speculated that no consensus would be reached. All of this speculation, of course, came prior to each finalist giving a one-hour presentation to MLB owners today at their quarterly meetings, so things may have changed.
Sources have also told Nightengale that there was to be a fourth candidate among the finalists — former Yale University president Richard C. Levin. However, Levin withdrew his name late in the process. Nightengale wonders if MLB will try to convince Levin to reconsider in the event that the owners aren’t able to reach a vote tomorrow.
AUG. 5: The search committee formed to identify a successor for Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has narrowed the candidates down to a list of three finalists, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred, MLB vice president of business Tim Bronson and Red Sox chairman Tom Werner are the candidates, according to Nightengale.
MLB owners will vote on the trio at next week’s quarterly owners meetings, and if 23 or more owners can agree on a candidate, that candidate will be named as Selig’s successor. Of course, Selig is set to remain in office through the end of his term — January 24, 2015. He is expected to remain involved in baseball in a limited capacity, Nightengale writes.
Shortly after the committee formed back in May, reports indicated that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf — a longtime Selig backer — was surprisingly resistant to the idea of Manfred succeeding Selig as commissioner. Manfred has long been thought to be Selig’s preferred choice as a successor.
Giants president Larry Baer, Disney chief executive Bob Iger, Braves chairman Terry McGuirk, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and MLB Advanced Media CEO Bob Bowman have all been thought to be candidates at various points since the committee has formed.
An elaborate ruse from Selig.
1) Announces retirement and candidates for replacement
2) New PED scandal emerges. Selig can’t step down during scandal.
3) Selig declares emergency powers and declares War on PEDs 2.0
4) Adequate technology emerges to implant Selig into immortal robot.
5) Instead of Robot Umps, MLB gets a Robot Commish that is afraid of progeess
Robots always fear that the next update will render them obsolete
Biogenesis Episode II: Attack of the Bud
I thought Selig already was an immortal robot.
The Commissioner is elected by the Owners. The Commissioner is a puppet of the Owners.
But *I* fight for the users!
MLB immediately signs long term television contract with mysterious network known only as SkyNet…..
I like Tom Werner but I’m not sure he has the presence to be a commissioner. He always seems kind of meek.
I was thinking the same thing. I thought Liverpool FC was more of his thing.
I’m still strong in thinking George W. Bush would make a very good commissioner.
Am I the only person who thinks Manfred would be a disaster as commissioner?
Jerry Reinsdorf seems to agree
Werner’s a surprising name. I wonder if that would effect the Red Sox ownership group if he gets the vote?
without a doubt it is going to be Seligs crony he wanted all along, Manfred. One thing we have learned from the roid cover ups and passing the buck, political sham reports with an agenda as well as the crazy game changes is that selig is only concerned with his Legacy and not the games, what better way to do that than to pass it to “his guy” to ensure no bad info is passed after he is gone. Too bad we have to endure months more of this useless bag and his self image propaganda.
If you see white smoke, you know we have a new commissioner.
Hey, Owners: I’ll underbid all the other applicants. I’ll do it for… oh, I dunno… $100K per year. That’s a significant savings. Think about it.
If you don’t charge very much, people will think what’s wrong with it. :-)
Jack Bogle built a financial empire by keeping expenses lower than the other guys. We’re visionaries, he and I. :)
I’m more interested in how much the next commissioner will make per year. Selig was a joke and he was making a whopping $20mil+ a year.
I can be less of a joke for .5% of that! Hire me!
What ever happened to Andy MacPhail possibly being the next commish?
I think it’s a mistake to pick an owner for Commissioner. While Bud clearly did a wonderful job for the business of baseball–revenues and values soared, he was perhaps too close to some of his fellow owners, and too close to a shared legacy which included things like steroid use. The business has never been better. Now, I think, it’s time for a fresher start to clean away some of the less savory things (like the latest Biogenesis thing) and some of the inherent cronyism that comes from have friends and rivals before you start,
Agreed. I guess it was unrealistic to hope for the appointment of someone currently outside of the MLB corporate structure, someone who might look after the good of the game instead of just the owners’ money. Now it looks like nobody of that kind is even begin considered, and that is just sad.
Bob costas should be considered
Bat Boy…..yeah, I go for that.
I think Andy MacPhail would have been a good Commissioner. I know he has wanted to get back in the game for a while now and with his background in the game I just think he would have made a great commish.
Why narrow it to 3? they know exactly who’s getting the job and have for a long time.
There is one obvious choice and I haven’t seen his name mentioned once. It is a no brainer. DEREK JETER!
Thought for sure Dave Dombrowski would be in the running, but this Tigers fan is quite happy we get to keep him for a little while. Once the free-spending Mr. I is gone, we’ll need DD’s savvy more than ever.
What about this Kevin Miller guy I’ve heard so much about. Word is he’s the tops. Best sports mind around. Not to mention handsome as all get out!! And strong!! I’ve seen him lift 10000 lbs over his head!! Done deal.
nice try, Millar! heh
What about Kim Ng?! She’s being passed up again!
Its a Man’s World.
Can the New Commish change a few things about this game..
– One would be stop tying the All Star game victory with which league gets the World Series edge…..
– Also, interleague play every other year……
– Bring DH to the N.L.
– Limit one replay review on all non HR plays per game
– Term limits of Commissioner for (2) three year terms.
aint manfred the same guy who gave a 100k in cash to a known drug dealer tony bosch to get info on arod for mlb
If it’s either Manfred or Werner, I really don’t expect much to change.
Both are smart businessmen, which is what the owners prioritize. There
might be a few variations in “optics” but that’s about it. The problem
with Manfred is that he will not re-examine last administration’s
missteps, because he was part of them. The problem with Werner is his
Red Sox association. I just don’t see how it could be good for baseball for any team owner to become Commissioner, particularly one from one of the economic super-powers.
The voting process sounds like selecting a new Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch… Who’s the Jon Snow candidate?
If anyone is still following this, there’s an interesting story in today’s New York Times about some of the politicking going on amongst supporters of the three candidates. I don’t think MLBTR allows me to post the link, but if you go to it, you can get some additional background.
There are basically five big questions for the next Commissioner. In no order of importance, a) the PED situation, which is clearly not resolved, b) the “cosmetic” things like replay, DH, inter-league play, the all star game, c) the big ticket issues like revenue sharing, d) relations with the MLBPA and the next CBA, and e) rebuilding and expanding the fan base and even international popularity. MLB’s immense profitability is largely derived from high prices and taxpayer subsidies. The next Commissioner should also be thinking about the game itself.