MLB's Executive Council has selected the executive
search firm of Heidrick and Struggles to conduct MLB's
search for a commissioner. Heidrick and Struggles helped
the NFL land Paul Tagliabue as its commissioner in '89
(MLB). The N.Y. TIMES reported that MSG President Dave
Checketts said he has received a inquiry asking if he "would
want to be considered in the search for a baseball
commissioner." Checketts: "I wouldn't make this any bigger
than it is. I'm not running for it. I was flattered to be
considered. ... It's a great job, because there are still so
many terrific things about baseball" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/10).
BOSS STEPS BACK? Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner
said he would remove himself from any MLB Executive Council
deliberations about his antitrust lawsuit against MLB,
according to the N.Y. TIMES. Steinbrenner: "For any
discussions of the lawsuit, I would recuse myself. I've
made that known to [MLB Acting Commissioner] Bud [Selig]"
(N.Y. TIMES, 5/10). In Boston, Peter Gammons: "Expect the
other owners to try to find a way to suspend [Steinbrenner]
for a third time. ... The Red Sox and White Sox had more
lucrative side deals with Reebok than the Yankees had with
Adidas, but they backed off, Bud Selig confirmed. ... The
first act of revenge likely will be removing Steinbrenner
from the Executive Council" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/11). In N.Y.,
Tom Keegan: "The bottom line is this: Jealousy is at the
heart of the three-stripes-and-you're-out threat made
against The Boss" (N.Y. POST, 5/11).
TV TALK: On tonight's HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant
Gumbel," James Brown looks at MLB's Commissioner's office.
He interviews Selig and former MLB Commissioner Peter
Ueberroth (HBO). In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes that MLB
"moles" say Selig is "kicking himself for taking advice" of
MLB Dir of PR Rich Levin to do an interview with Brown, who
"played it tough" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/11).
