MLB Exec VP/Baseball Development JIMMIE LEE SOLOMON has been fired by Commissioner BUD SELIG, according to industry sources, ending a 21-year association with the league. MLB execs declined to comment, and it is unclear what precipitated the surprise move or what Selig plans to do to replace Solomon. The move comes two years after Solomon was demoted from Exec VP/Baseball Operations following a spate of high-profile umpiring issues. In that instance, he retained an Exec VP title as well as a role with legacy potential managing the game's Urban Youth Academies and the league's relationship with Minor League Baseball. Solomon played a prominent role last year in negotiating a six-year extension of the Professional Baseball Agreement with MiLB for the '15-20 seasons. Sources pointed to a sometimes-polarizing presence by Solomon as a factor in the move. "This was probably a long time in coming. It seems like the writing was on the wall," said a team exec. Solomon is the second senior-level league exec to leave MLB in less than two years, along with former league President & COO BOB DUPUY. Current Exec VP/Baseball Operations JOE TORRE also took a two-month leave earlier this year during a failed effort to buy the Dodgers (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal). BASEBALL AMERICA's Josh Leventhal noted Solomon joined MLB in '91 as Minor League Operations Dir and "steadily climbed baseball’s corporate ladder." He also helped "add the Futures Game to baseball’s all-star celebration." Before joining MLB, Solomon spent 10 years as a partner in the DC office of the Baker & Hostetler law firm and "primarily served corporate and sports industry clients" (BASEBALLAMERICA.com, 6/5).
