MLB Franchise Notes: Selig Tells Hank Steinbrenner To Stop Labor Talk

On Long Island, Boland & Davidoff cite sources as saying that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig called Yankees co-Chair & Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner and President Randy Levine yesterday to "remind them of his gag order on speaking publicly about labor issues" after Yankees co-Chair & General Partner Hank Steinbrenner's comments on Monday. Asked yesterday about Selig's reaction to his comments, Hank Steinbrenner said, "What, you think I'm the only one who ever said anything? He fined John Henry, the owner of the Red Sox, for saying something at one point. The bottom line is I'm not the only one" (NEWSDAY, 2/23). In N.Y., George King III writes, "Has Hank Steinbrenner found his voice again? It had been a while since Steinbrenner made back-page news" (N.Y. POST, 2/23).

MONEY ON MY MIND: In Chicago, Mark Gonzales reports the White Sox' projected $125M payroll for '11 has given Senior VP & GM Ken Williams "plenty of sleepless nights." Williams yesterday said, "Hell no, I'm not comfortable with the payroll right now, we're out on a limb. But that's our choice. We made the choice in an effort to give our fans hope and give ourselves a chance to compete for a championship. If things don't fall our way, if we don't get the support, we'll lose money" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/23). Williams yesterday also "stood by his comments" on Monday that the possibility of Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols earning $30M a year "would be bad for baseball" (MLB.com, 2/22).

IVY LEAGUE EDUCATION: Cubs P Randy Wells yesterday said team Chair Tom Ricketts and his family are "very hands-on" and "that's a great thing" for the franchise." Wells: "We get Tom's concepts about community and other topics as well. He's very accessible to everyone. Tom is really a down to earth guy. It's a lot easier to play for someone like that." Ricketts, beginning his second season as Cubs Owner, during an address to players on Saturday "shot down" the suggestion that Chicago "has become a White Sox town." Wells: "He said that it's our town, and we need to step it up and play like it is. That's a good message" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 2/22).

TIME TO REWARD HIM: In Ft. Worth, Gil LeBreton writes Jon Daniels has "more than measured up" during his first five seasons as Rangers GM, which is why team President Nolan Ryan "needs to find time soon to take care of one more piece of lingering off-season business -- Daniels' well-earned contract extension." No "hang-ups have been reported or rumored." Instead, there are "indications that the timing simply hasn't been right." When asked this week about his contract situation, Daniels only said, "I prefer to deal with those things privately" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/23).