On FSN's "Goin' Deep," MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was
asked about the growing payroll disparity in MLB: "In 1998,
the difference between the top and bottom club was $135
million dollars. And that's just intolerable. I don't care
how smart a club is that has $100 or $130 million less in
revenue. They just can't compete." MLBPA Exec Dir Donald
Fehr, asked about a salary cap similar to one instituted in
the NBA's latest CBA: "I don't want to second guess the NBA
players. They have to decide what's best for them. All I
can tell you is I have seen nothing which would suggest to
me that it should be a model or a precedent for baseball."
Padres P Trevor Hoffman, on a salary cap: "It just doesn't
make sense. It's just not going to happen" (FSN, 6/13).
SELLING MLB: George Will, who was recently appointed to
Selig's Blue-Ribbon panel on baseball's economics, asked why
teams such as the Yankees should share the wealth: "The fact
is, the Yankees are not selling Yankees baseball. They are
selling Major League Baseball. If you doubt that, let the
Yankees play 162 intersquad games and see how many people
show up." Selig: "On the field, we want to beat each
other's brains out. But off the field, we're partners.
We're here to help one another" ("Goin' Deep," FSN, 6/13).
