You've all seen the video at least a dozen times by now. But just in case, here it is again. Bud Selig's response to the Barry Bonds 755th home run can hardly be called a reaction because he remained entirely neutral. It seemed he was prompted to stand up, looking rather aloof, hands in pockets waiting for everyone to sit back down. I loved it, but that doesn't seem to be the overwhelming response this morning.
On Mike and Mike in the Morning, Golic went on an extensive rant that was detailed by The Starting Five.
“act like the commissioner of baseball and acknowledge that the greatest record has just got tied. Give a couple of claps. It was embarassing, Greenie, it was embarassing.”Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus was even more disappointed in Bud Selig.
Would that I could say the same about the game’s commissioner. Bud Selig, given yet another opportunity to change the narrative, to rise to the occasion and promote the game, embarrassed himself and his office with his reaction to the historic blast. As the crowd around him cheered, Selig rose slowly from his seat and made a grand show of putting his hands in his pockets, refusing to acknowledge the player, the achievement or even the excitement around him. With that one gesture, Selig made it clear what he is: an old man determined to protect the interests of other old men, even if it means degrading the game of baseball.
Selig was a ringleader of the process that gave the game first its invasive testing program, then increased penalties for positive tests, all as part of a plan to increase management’s leverage over the players. Bonds has been subject to that program and never tested positive for steroids (he did test positive for amphetamines, a result that was to remain confidential, like grand-jury testimony) and yet Selig refused to cheer Bonds last night. By doing so, he put the lie to the arguments of 2003 and 2005–that testing and harsh penalties were the key to a clean game–and made it clear that he has joined those who have convicted Bonds based on innuendo and observation and innumeracy.
Did you have a problem with Selig's official non-reaction? Just because he's the commissioner of baseball and was in charge of the game during this steroid era doesn't mean he must applaud the accomplishment. I'd rather know that the commish isn't a phony, and while he hasn't come out and publicly said he's suspicious of Barry Bonds, his reaction Saturday night was good enough for me.
Selig's disappointed, just like the rest of us, so what's the problem?
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