Zell's Pinstripe Blog

Sources have indicated to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune that Bud Selig will step down after the 2012 season. If this is true, then the next labor agreement, due in 2011, will likely be his high profile impact on the game of baseball will be.

Selig, in 1992 after Fay Vincent resigned became the defacto commissioner until being ‘voted’ in as commissioner in 1998. During his time, Selig will be known for a laundry list of things, some good, some bad. How his legacy after 2012 portrays him, who knows as he still has 3 seasons left to change a few things.

During his tenure, before the 1994 season, Selig realigned the American and National league into three divisions each and instituted the Wild Card playoff berth for both leagues. However, in 1994, baseball for the first time since 1904 did not hold a World Series which was canceled due to the work stoppage. Before baseball would officially recover from the strike, Selig instituted interleague baseball during the summer of 1997, which still stands today with great success.

Baseball would not fully recover from the ’94 strike until the great HR chase of 1998 which in someways officially welcomed Selig’s greatest battle, performance enhancing drugs. Since 2005, Major League baseball has instituted a tougher performance-enhancing drugs testing policy, but still has some holes (See: HGH testing), however it is much better in a time when it is needed.

Going forward, Bud Selig was further embarrassed when he called the MLB All Star game in 2002, in his hometown of Milwaukee, in the 11th inning of a 7-7 tie. Since then, the winner of the All Star Game would have homefield advantage during the World Series.

In a good move, Bud Selig created the World Baseball Classic (with help from the International Baseball Federation) which for the most part has produced positive results with few drawbacks. The next WBC will be in 2013 and will continue every four years.

In 2008, Selig instituted instant replay for disputed home run calls (Alex Rodriguez thanks you), but nothing else further. With the institution of instant replay for home runs, many people have called for expanded use of replay, especially after the 2009 Postseason. However, Selig still stands against expanding replay, which might stand until he leaves office.

Looking back on everything that has happened, it might be easy to paint Selig’s time in office as slightly bad considering the impact of the 1994 strike and performance enhancing drugs. However, I point to the success of interleague play, the wild card and introduction of revenue sharing. In my honest opinion, Selig will be vilified for things that happened earlier in his tenure (See: ’94 Strike, PEDs), but will likely be remembered in a good light for items he has done mid to later in his tenure (Instant Replay, Drug Testing, Revenue Sharing).