HOR gets tough on baseball

[punchdrunk]

Congress gives Selig, Fehr, sluggers long day's hearing

I watched most of the baseball executives' testimony live and caught some of the players' testimony afterwards. The committee really came after them, in way that only a bi-partisan congressional committee going after a cheesecake issue can. Reps, Dems, and Independent all were indignant and baseball's lack of good stewardship over this issue, which is ruining the game they (the ******** representatives) dearly love. Biggest loser in all this: perhaps Mark McGwire:

Mark McGwire hemmed and hawed, his voice choked with emotion, his eyes nearly filled with tears. Time after time Thursday, he refused to answer the question everyone wanted to know: Did he take illegal steroids when he hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 or at any other time?

It was brutal. A couple of times he tried to avoid direct questions about his steroid use without taking the fifth, which ended up making him look worse. Red-faced, grasping for words that could somehow get him out of his predicament, the best he could do is say "Steroids is (sic) bad." "I'm here to make a positive impact." Yes, Mark had his tiny, tiny testicles roasted yesterday.

And I have to wonder about Rob Manfred's future in baseball after the contentious time he had yesterday. Here's a lesson to be learned from him: never become arrogant with lawmakers in their own forum; oddly enough, they don't like it.

I can't find a transcript of the Q&A sections of the testimony - the fun parts - but written testimony can be found here.

 

[easycruise]

Let me prevent a lot of posts here that will complain about Congress wasting their time with this matter.

It is not a waste of their time. About 50 years ago, Congress passed legislation that gave MLB a monopoly in their sport. There can be no other baseball league, IIRC. That's why the NFL has had upstart league competition, the USFL and the XFL, but baseball has not.

So Congress has a duty to investigate this sport, as they have defacto control over it.

 

[punchdrunk]

Let me prevent a lot of posts here that will complain about Congress wasting their time with this matter.

It is not a waste of their time. About 50 years ago, Congress passed legislation that gave MLB a monopoly in their sport. There can be no other baseball league, IIRC. That's why the NFL has had upstart league competition, the USFL and the XFL, but baseball has not.

So Congress has a duty to investigate this sport, as they have defacto control over it.

It happened in 1920, more than 80 years ago. Saying that MLB's antitrust exemption means there can be no other league is an over-simplification, imo.

De facto control? They have authority to investigate and legistlate on antitrust complaints I suppose. What does steriod use have to do with antitrust complaints? Aren't there already federal laws in place to deal with people, MLB players or not, that use illegal steriods?

 

[cbish]

What I find interesting (and disturbing) is that this strikes at the very core of a long time tradition in baseball, the clubhouse. Jose Canseco is being villanized for being the whistle-blower. Why? Because he's violating the sanctity of the clubhouse. Not because he's lying (if he is), or he's wrong. It's because what goes on in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse. It's kind of like getting mad at the highway patrol for pulling you over; nevermind you were going 100 mph.

Baseball has always had the attitude that they're above it all. They will govern themselves.

It makes you wonder when Mickey Mantle drunk drives his car into a shop and the Yankees pay it off and cover it up, whether Mantle was really well served.

 

[hgc]

It happened in 1920, more than 80 years ago. Saying that MLB's antitrust exemption means there can be no other league is an over-simplification, imo.

De facto control? They have authority to investigate and legistlate on antitrust complaints I suppose. What does steriod use have to do with antitrust complaints? Aren't there already federal laws in place to deal with people, MLB players or not, that use illegal steriods?

While it is annoying how this committee is poking their noses in order to puff themselves up, it is also the case that the anti-trust exemption makes Baseball a quasi-government entity. Baseball's exemption means that there are no anti-trust complaints of any relevance. But since Congress has seen fit to keep all competitors out, they have a slightly broader oversight responsibility beyond anti-trust. Afterall, a competitor might offer steroid-free baseball, for the market to decide.

 

[punchdrunk]

While it is annoying how this committee is poking their noses in order to puff themselves up, it is also the case that the anti-trust exemption makes Baseball a quasi-government entity. Baseball's exemption means that there are no anti-trust complaints of any relevance. But since Congress has seen fit to keep all competitors out, they have a slightly broader oversight responsibility beyond anti-trust. Afterall, a competitor might offer steroid-free baseball, for the market to decide.

Perhaps I'm out in 'left field' here. I thought the exemption was put in place so that owners could act collectively when it came to negotiating with players, etc. And while this may effectively hobble other upstart leagues, nowhere does it state that another professional baseball league cannot be formed. Corrections are gladly welcome.

 

[punchdrunk]

Giambi tunes out hearing; most players do likewise

At one point, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling were asked if baseball should adapt two-year bans for first-time violations, similar to Olympic policy.

"I think we're kind of jumping the gun a little bit on saying we should go to the extreme of the Olympic two-year ban," (San Diego player representative Adam) Eaton said. "Obviously if they get caught a second time it's a lifetime ban. We're in an entertaining business. The Olympics are put up on a pedestal of purity."

Right on. I think they should get rid of batting helmets, gloves, and nut cups. That would make the game more entertaining.

 

[Tmy]

The whole thing was regoddamndiculous. they had some parents with sob stories on how roids killed their kids. They commited suicide! How can you pin that on the riods.

What a joke. I was wishing a player would ask why Congress doesnt drug test themsleves. Considering the importance of their jobs.

As for baseballs monopoly. Do they even need it?

 

[BPSCG]

What a joke. I was wishing a player would ask why Congress doesnt drug test themsleves. Considering the importance of their jobs.

That's why they didn't summon Barry Bonds. He'd have been snarling at them the whole time, and asking them exactly that kind of question. Too bad - woulda been fun.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

After watching the hearings yesterday, I have never been more proud of my decision not to vote.

But I do have to admit that I didn't realized they had balanced the budget. Because, after all, if they didn't, they wouldn't have had time for these hearings.

 

[TragicMonkey]

After watching the hearings yesterday, I have never been more proud of my decision not to vote.

But I do have to admit that I didn't realized they had balanced the budget. Because, after all, if they didn't, they wouldn't have had time for these hearings.

Political wisdom in the modern era:

"Drugs are bad. Mmmmmkay? Drugs are bad. Don't use drugs. Mmmmmkay?"

Except for alcohol, tobacco, and Viagra, all of which are constitutional rights and whose industries should have protection, incentives, and free money for the asking.