Selig Predictably Weak On Blown Call In Detroit ... Nothing New

No one should be surprised that Bud Selig so far has shown an unwillingness to right an injustice that happened to Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, who was cheated out of history (a perfect game he earned against the Cleveland Indians).

Selig had a chance to do justice after a clearly blown call by umpire Jim Joyce (who has been very good, honest and upstanding about his mistake). Galarraga handled it well, the Tigers handed it well, but Bud Selig has failed.

He should have corrected this obvious injustice. Instead, he has been complicit in a sports crime committed against Armando Galarraga.

Here is an update on the story: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5246454

Here is a variation of what Riley Freeman (aka The Santa Stalker), from The Boondocks, might say to Bud Selig (parental guidance suggested due to language):

Selig Shows His Weakness In Arizona Controversy

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has shown his weakness in refusing to deal with the growing problem with Arizona's draconian immigration laws.

Here is an excerpt from a CBS News (Sports)-published story from Associated Press:

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is ignoring calls to move next year's All-Star game from Phoenix because of Arizona's new immigration law.

Asked about such demands at a news conference Thursday following an owners meeting, he responded with a defense of baseball's record on minority hiring.

"Apparently all the people around and in minority communities think we're doing OK. That's the issue, and that's the answer," he said. "I told the clubs today: 'Be proud of what we've done.' They are. We should. And that's our answer. We control our own fate, and we've done very well."

What is Selig talking about?

Selig's response is gutless and weak. He needs to step up and at least be man enough to discuss the issue head on. Instead, he starts going off on a strange track about minority hiring.

What the hell does minority hiring have to do with the issues of Arizona's outrageous law that dangerously targets Latinos?

Major League Baseball Umpire Out Of Line For Pushing Magglio Ordonez

Major League Baseball needs to come down harshly on umpire Paul Schrieber for pushing Detroit Tigers player Magglio Ordonez. We know that there is low to zero tolerance for players pushing or excessively touching umpires. But, if that is the case, then the same should be true for umpires pushing or unnecessarily touching players – as Schrieber did during Wednesday night’s game in Minnesota against the Twins. Ordonez was stunned and Detroit manager Jim Leyland was justifiably irate about an umpire basically shoving his player out of the way as if to tell him to move along and get to the dugout. Schrieber was out of line and he should get a suspension (and/or fine) that is the same as what a player would get if the situation was reversed.

If the MLB commissioner’s office does nothing with this incident or in any way attempts to cover it up, then the sports leadership will prove itself to be corrupt, inconsistent and incompetent. Will MLB step up and do what needs to be done or will it follow its own history and that of the National Hockey League and put into motion a cover up that will stink almost as bad as the original crime?

Here is an excerpt from a column in the Detroit News (written by Tony Paul):

If Paul Schrieber isn’t suspended for at least five games, Major League Baseball will have some serious splainin’ to do. Any player, manager or hot-dog vendor who puts his pine tar/cigarette/mustard-stained hands on an umpire pays an oh-so-stiff penalty, so the home-plate umpire at the Metrodome Wednesday night should be shown no leniency for what went down.

Good points by Tony Paul. Schrieber’s suspension and/or fine should be equivalent to what a player would get for shoving an umpire out of the way. Watch the video and notice the arrogance of Schrieber who threw Leyland out of the game after arguing with the Detroit skipper (what he could be arguing is beyond me since he was the one who committed the act that led to the argument).

Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090514/OPINION03/905140446/1361/Commentary–Ump-way-out-of-line-in-treatment-of-Magglio-Ordonez