MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has "orchestrated his succession plan with secret meetings that ... have left little doubt about his wishes," according to owner sources cited in a front-page piece by Michael Schmidt of the N.Y. TIMES. The sources said that Selig would "like the sport’s 30 owners to anoint" MLB COO Rob Manfred as the league's next commissioner. But Manfred’s candidacy is "meeting turbulence from an unexpected antagonist" in White Sox Chair Jerry Reinsdorf, one of Selig’s "most loyal allies." Sources said that Reinsdorf has "broken ranks and tried to upend the plan" to place Manfred in the commissioner’s office. Reinsdorf has raised questions about Selig’s "transparency as commissioner and argued" that he should "play only an advisory role in picking his successor." Reinsdorf said, "What I have said about Rob is none of your business." Reinsdorf added he has "never said a bad word about Bud," and he "was the game's best commissioner." But Reinsdorf said that he "believed that the owners -- not Mr. Selig -- should be in charge of picking the next one." Sources said that Reinsdorf, after "years of having a direct pipeline" into Selig, he is "concerned that his power could wane" under Manfred. Reinsdorf has "never been close" to Manfred. Reinsdorf also is "driven by the belief," that Manfred "will not combat" the MLBPA. Other candidates "being considered" to replace Selig include Disney Chair & CEO Bob Iger, Giants President & CEO Larry Baer, Braves Chair Terry McGuirk and Tigers President, CEO & GM Dave Dombrowski. MLBAM President & CEO Bob Bowman and Exec VP/Business Tim Brosnan are "seen as even longer shots." Schmidt interviewed "more than 20" owners, senior team officials and MLB execs (N.Y. TIMES, 5/23).
DREAMWEAVER: In L.A., Joe Flint wrote Iger is a "dream candidate" to replace Selig. Flint: "Of course, just because baseball wants Iger doesn't mean Iger wants baseball." He is "under contract for another two years and some think he may be around even longer than that" (L.A. TIMES, 5/22). Meanwhile, Dombrowski said of his candidacy for the position, "It’s very flattering. But no one can be sure Bud is leaving. And besides, I like my job and the challenge here.” In Detroit, Lynn Henning writes lately there has been "less chatter" about Dombrowski as commissioner. A source said, "Some want Manfred. More want him to remain the lead in a lead lawyer-negotiator role" (DETROIT NEWS, 5/23). CNBC.com's Matthew Belvedere writes of former Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke as a candidate to replace Selig, "Stranger things have happened." Bernanke is "known for his love of the sport, and he needs a new gig" (CNBC.com, 5/23).
