MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has "ordered" MLB owners to
"consider minority candidates" for openings in the positions
of manager, GM, Assistant GM, Dir of Player Development and
Dir of Scouting, according to Murray Chass of the N.Y.
TIMES, who wrote that the move was Selig's "clearest and
strongest effort" on the issue of minority hirings. Selig
wrote a letter to owners and said that they "must notify me
personally" if any of those positions become available and
then provide a list of potential candidates. Selig: "I
expect the list to include minority candidates whom you and
your staff have identified. I will provide assistance to
you if you cannot identify candidates on your own." Selig
added that "he would discipline clubs that did not
'aggressively pursue equal opportunities and initiatives'"
and he also would "not be reluctant to impose sanctions on
clubs that do not comply" (Murray Chass, N.Y. TIMES, 4/25).
SALARY ISSUES? In Denver, John Henderson writes that
MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr thinks the current CBA works,
with the luxury-tax negotiated by owners "just starting to
significantly kick in." Union sources "estimate" that the
tax will generate $12-13M for each small market team this
year (DENVER POST, 4/26). D'Backs Managing Partner Jerry
Colangelo appeared on FSN's "The Last Word" on Friday and
said that owners can't convince players of the need for a
salary cap through "confrontation." Colangelo: "We need to
sit down and continue to talk. Don't wait until this [CBA]
expires. I think you start now, laying the groundwork,
informing people" ("The Last Word," FSN, 4/23)....In
Charlotte, Stan Olson wrote on the crisis MLB may face after
its current CBA expires. Olson: "I expect a bloodbath when
the current agreement expires, a labor war from which there
may be no recovery" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/25).
