Baseball screws up baseball, one more time

Further proof-positive of why Major League Baseball needs a true, independent Commissioner, one that isn't either one of the owners or owned by the owners but that does what's best for baseball, the game:

Let's Play Few: MLB's Half-Baked Opening Day

Written by: Jeff Passan

World Series games creeping into November bothered baseball's brain trust, particularly commissioner Bud Selig, and he vowed for it to end in October this year. Fox wanted the series to start on a Wednesday. So MLB pegged Game 1 of the World Series for Oct. 19 and worked backward from there.

Rather than start the season on the traditional Monday -- March 28 would have been the earliest opening day ever -- MLB chose Thursday, which works as the kickoff to March Madness but is hardly a guaranteed score in April. By offering home teams the opportunity to choose whether they wanted to play Thursday or Friday -- most with precarious weather situations took Thursday, and warm-weather and domed teams chose Friday -- they almost ensured the split.

I repeat, baseball, Major League Baseball, needs a Baseball Commissioner that is NOT a team owner and one that is not "owned" or controlled by the team owners so that he--or she (that'd be refreshing, wouldn't it?  a FEMALE Baseball Commish?--would make decisions for the betterment of the game.

It won't happen unless and until baseball fans raise hell and make it happen.

(Rather like campaign finance reform in the US--it won't happen until the people make it so.)

Enjoy your lightly-snowy weekend, folks.  Think of it this way--you likely won't see much if any more of the light, fluffy stuff until the end of next year, if we're lucky.

Link to original story:  http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201103/lets-play-too-many-baseball-slices-opening-day-half

Your diversion--and amusement--for the day

It seems some clown dressed up like this--in a tight, red suit--and went on the field last night at the Phillies game at "Citizens Bank Ballpark" (wasn't it great when ballparks weren't named after companies?) so Matt Diaz stopped the knucklehead. He also probably saved him from getting tased, for that matter. He owes Mr. Diaz a big "thank you", I should think.