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Selig Says New Park Is A Must

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

NEW YORK - Baseball commissioner Bud Selig on Tuesday repeated his oft-made assertion that the Rays, Florida Marlins and Oakland Athletics can't compete unless they get new ballparks.

"Florida is I think very close. Oakland has got a lot of work to do but owner Lew Wolff is a very innovative, resourceful guy," he said to the Baseball Writers' Association of America prior to the All-Star Game. "And I have confidence in the Rays ownership, that they will solve it."

Selig also touched on the investigation into possible skimming of signing bonuses in the Dominican Republic, a probe into gambling among scouts, the lack of offers to Barry Bonds, instant replay, maple bats, the slowing economy, baseball's efforts to rejoin the Olympics, and poor television ratings for the Washington Nationals.

Owners likely will postpone any effort to institute a worldwide draft until their next labor contract with players begins in 2012.

Selig said interest in a worldwide draft has increased among management, but Rob Manfred, his executive vice president for labor relations, indicated owners probably wouldn't push for the players' association to reopen the collective bargaining agreement over the issue. The current deal runs through the 2011 season.

Selig offered no details on the FBI and baseball probe into Dominican signing bonuses other than to say, "We understand exactly what's going on and we'll do what we have to do to clean it up." As for the probe into betting by scouts, he said, "There certainly is no evidence that it's widespread."

A day after Bonds' agent said prospects appear bleak for the home run king to find a major-league job, Selig denied that there was a conspiracy against Bonds. The seven-time NL MVP, who turns 44 in two weeks, faces a federal trial next year for lying when he told a grand jury in 2003 that he didn't knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs.

Selig, an opponent of instant replay, has softened his opposition to using it to assist umpires' decisions. Baseball is thinking of implementing replay for boundary calls, such as whether home runs are fair or foul, or whether balls clear fences for home runs.

Decisions likely would be made at a central location with access to all replays.

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