FROM OWNERSHIP: Phillies President Bill Giles: "The basic
goal here was to kind of get her out of control but keep her
dignity. But I don't know if that's going to happen" (PHILA.
DAILY NEWS, 6/13). Padres Owner John Moores: "All things
considered, I don't know that frankly the options were all that
great." White Sox Owner Jerry Reinsdorf: "I don't know if it's
a matter of what's good for baseball. Marge owns that team and
as long as she adheres to the rules of baseball she is entitled
to run that team. So hopefully what she's done is behind her"
("Sports Tonight," CNN, 6/12). As for a potential new CEO for
the Reds, Pirates President Mark Sauer and former Angeles
President Richard Brown are prominently mentioned. Brown said he
would be interested in heading the Reds -- "under the right
terms" (Ken Daley, DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/13).
LOCAL REAX: The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER quotes several sources
close to the Reds who are doubtful the decision will be
enforceable. One source: "How are they going to keep her from
meddling? They're not dealing with Peter O'Malley. She's not
going to be in her [Reds] office reading novels." Another:
"Telling Marge to stay out of it doesn't mean anything to her.
Who's telling her to stay out of it? Men, in New York, in
baseball. You already know what she thinks of that group as a
whole. This could turn out to be one heck of a mess" (Erardi &
Hobson, CINCI. ENQUIRER, 6/13).
NATIONAL REAX: In Atlanta, I.J. Rosenberg writes Schott
"had no choice but to give in. She had little leverage" (ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION, 6/13). ESPN's Charley Steiner: "Last night, Marge
Schott said, 'We're going to do what's best for baseball.' And
what's best for baseball appears to be baseball without Marge
Schott" ("SportsCenter," 6/12). In Philadelphia, Bill Conlin:
"The Marge Schott decision restores a measure of power to the
powerless, raises the voices of baseball's ownership eunuchs an
octave" (PHILA. DAILY NEWS, 6/13). In New York, Claire Smith
writes "running Schott off is a good step" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/13).
Mike Lupica notes, "As if getting rid of [Schott] will somehow
put baseball back on top." Lupica adds MLB owners "are the worst
people we have in sports" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/13). Wallace
Matthews chastises owners for their "witch hunt." Matthews says
owners have decided Schott "is not good enough to be a member of
their club. In a way, that almost seems like a complement" (N.Y.
POST, 6/13). USA TODAY's Tom Weir notes with the deal, Schott
"is a martyr. ... All at once, we kind of like Marge" (USA TODAY,
6/13). In Chicago, Dave Van Dyck notes, "If only it were so easy
to make union chief Don Fehr disappear." Van Dyck adds MLB
"probably" did the right thing, but Schott's "fellow owners could
do something about her because she was not a player backed by a
powerful union and because she was a member of their inner
circle" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/13). In San Francisco, C.W. Nevius
notes, "It looks suspiciously as if baseball has spotted a parade
and is running frantically to the front so it can appear to be
leading the way" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 6/13). "CBS Evening News"
chronicled Schott's troubles -- citing her "insensitive" comments
and actions over the past several years (CBS, 6/12).
... AND ANOTHER THING: In Washington, Tony Kornheiser notes
by the time Schott returns to full ownership, Selig would be in
his seventh year as acting Commissioner: "The guy's had so much
practice acting, he ought to be Lawrence Olivier by now"
(WASHINGTON POST, 6/13).
