After watching the A's versus the Red Sox's in Japan ealier this month i had and idea that might revolutionalize the collective bargaining agreement for Major League Baseball.

What about two major league teams playing in a different Major League ballpark, like for example the Los Angeles Dodgers playing the San Francisco Giants in Yankee Stadium. Or the Red Sox vs The Yankees playing each other in Pittsburgh. The idea isnt too radical, but think of the money that could be made. Now so far i have only given examples of team's rich in tradition and who carry a rivalry versus their opponent, but think of the Pittsburgh Pirates playing the Chicago Cubs in Minnesota, there are enough Cubs fans and Pirate fans in Minnesota to sell out the game (something that wouldnt happen in Pittsburgh) so the revenue would be higher for the game. Now much of that revenue would go to the Minnesota Twins franchise since they are the host city, that would help their bottom line and keep them a little bit more competitive in the ever robust Major League Baseball offseason. Now if your worried about the revenue lost by the Pirates for their home game lost just think of this, you could replace that home game with a game between the Mariners and the Orioles two teams with a few Pittsburgh ties and then the Pittsburgh Pirates could take the revenue for that game. This would allow people in different parts of the country to get a chance to see players from other teams and some possibly intense rivarlys. Another intriguing concept with this is the oppurtunity to increase the popularity of other teams in a somewhat regulated area (as in most pittsburgh residence are strictly Pirates fans, but a chance to see another team live might insight a few new fans of different teams).

i personally think that the idea could help level the playing feild between the haves (dodgers, yankees, red sox, etc...) and the have-nots (pirates, A's, Royals, etc..) and bring more money to the small markek teams.

As a baseball fan I have found it easy on occasion to heckle and blame Bud Selig for the problems America’s Pastime has encountered over the past 11 seasons. But I stand here today looking at all he has been through and been apart of as commissioner, and I think it will soon be time (if it isn’t already) for him to step down and Baseball to anoint a new commissioner. After quick discussion amongst friends over a few cocktails and obviously way too much time on my hands I tried to think who would be the best candidate for the next commissioner of baseball? A few names were spurted about during our conversation from the meaningful (Cal Ripken, Nolan Ryan and George W. Bush) to the ridiculous (Senator Mitchell, Tony Larussa and Pat Gillick) to the laughable (Roger Clemens, Mark Mcgwire, Ozzie Guillen and Steve Howe) I came to a conclusion that I think would be the perfect fit for baseball. He’d be a hit with the fans, the players and the owners… he is…. Joe Torre. Yes, Joe Torre and here is why…

 #1- He has a charming sense of humor, he once retorted to a question on his record breaking performance “"I'd like to thank Félix Millán for making all of this possible." (Regarding setting the NL record for most double plays grounded into in a single game, 4, July 21, 1975. Millan batted ahead of Torre in the lineup, singling in all four of his at bats.[

 #2- He has won as a player and as a coach. Personal honors (MVP in 1971) and as a manager (all those titles with the Yankees)

 #3- He sat in the hottest seat in the biggest pressure cooker in baseball and rarely did we see him sweat. Could you have imagined him on capital hill answer questions about integrity, something I truly believe he will never waver upon. As a manager of the Yankees he had to watch his words closely, yet was still an advocate for both sides of the issue. (Publicly defending Jason Giambi’s apology, publicly denouncing the myth that many clubs had knowledge of the steroid use amongst players)

 #4- He’s just so likeable, even if you hate him, he can still make you respect him.

 "He's always the same. That's the reason he's been so successful. He relays that to us in good times, bad times, and he's got the perfect mentality, I think, for a manager." Derek Jeter on Joe Torre

  #5- He’s seen both sides of the political issues inside of baseball. In his playing days he was a players representative for the union (if Im not mistaken) and was influential in the players getting the right to free agency. He also sat-in and helped keep the dialogue between the players and ownership during the 1995 strike.

 #6- He’s got the right mindset “"What I try to do is make sense, try to be as honest as I can possibly be and be able to communicate. I think that's the most important thing. Whether you're managing a baseball team or running a business, I think it's all about people." -Joe Torre

 #7- He’s never been bashful about making an important yet controversial decision. He batted A-rod 8th when he was struggling two seasons ago, he started Derek Jeter as a rookie, stayed with his coaching staff almost completely intact, resigned last season instead of taking one year offer stating "I just felt that the terms of the contract were probably something I had the toughest time with. The one year, for one thing; the incentives for another thing. I had been there for 12 years, and I didn't feel the motivation was needed. I just didn't think it was the right thing for me, or the right thing for my players.” I just don’t think that he would have settled for a tie in the All-star game nor would he have even allowed the thought that he would nor could have snubbed Barry Bonds on his route to becoming the home run king, he also wouldn’t have allowed baseball to crumble at the edges like it did before the Mitchell investigation. I believe he would have been forthcoming and had an investigation inquiry started on the subject way before Jose Canseco opened his mouth.

 #8- He was seen as a pillar of strength within the New York community during and after 9/11. His endearment to the tragedy and the community he lived in was evident in everything he did and said during that time. Almost political like in his approach throughout that period of time, he seemed to carefully think about his every statement and his whereabouts. Many still regard the first game back and the image of him and his team wearing the FDNY and NYPD hats as a form of healing and help within the mental aspects of the aftermath of the tragedy. (God bless those lost and those left behind)

  #9- the man has been a Manager in the American League and the National League. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but there is a quaint difference in the leagues and I think he and Tony Larussa probably understand this better than anyone in baseball.

 #10- he signed a three year contract with the Dodgers, but he also brought along his manager replacement in training, Don Mattingly. So it’s not inconceivable that Joe Torre if he has success this season stepping down earlier than his contract states to give Mattingly the position and accept the commissioner’s office. And if I am not mistaken Bud Selig just recently signed a two year extension a few months back, so the timing could work perfectly.

 Well those are my reasons why I think Joe Torre should be next in line to be the commissioner of America’s Pastime. Plus who wouldnt want a commisioner who's nickname is the Godfather?

So this weekend i was sitting at my favortie (and this small towns only place where you wont get stabbed by a drunken paroled fool) and i was approached  by this man in a Chicago Cubs hat slurring something under his breath that resembled "#### cardinals fan, you outta be shot... this is our year ####." Now for the record im not a Cardinals fan, but my entire family is and my uncle thinks that since he got me to love OU football when i was a kid by buying me a jersey every year, that maybe now that im an adult if he buys me a cardinals hat every year for christmas maybe ill start liking the team. Either way, if i was a Cardinals fan i might have taken offense to this beligerant ####'s statement (i would have taken offense if i were #### too, the ignorant drunk shoulda realized that if i was a cardinals fan then i probably would have been #### then he really would have been in trouble/ j/k) Now back to the point, instead of getting pissed off at him, i decided i'd have some fun with this and invited him and his double jack and coke a seat to discuss the upcoming year. Here is how our conversation went-

Drunk "The cubbies are gonna win it all man, it's our year"

King Baron- "well they do have a-

Drunk interupts me dead sentence "Were gonna #### win man. Your not listening to me. In the good name of all thats wonderful, for Haray Carey, for Ryne Sandberg, for all the little cubbies around the world... WERE GONNA #### Win. Your not listening to me." (that is a direct quote i wrote it down on a napkin so i wouldnt forget it. And i remind you this guy is spitting all over the place, never in my life have i seen so much saliva with noone having sex)

King Baron- "I think they got a shot"

Drunk (whispering now cause the barkeep just told him to keep it down)- Ryno man, the hawk, glenallen hill, mark whiten, man the hawk... he was so strong.... i loved the Hawk."

King Baron (baiting him now)- "Who's the Hawk?"

Drunk (top of his lungs) - The HAWK you mean you dont know who the HAWK is? He was the greatest Chicago Cub of all time, he was so tall, he could hit the little #### ball a mile without even swinging the bat. ( for the record i'd pay to see that) He's the #### Hawk you little ####...

i cut him off this time King Baron- "oh yeah i remember him, he was pretty good. He had a strong arm if i remember"

Drunk- "the strongest, he was sexy"

Even i was taken back at this point, this man all six foot three of him, who's homophoebic insinuations had taken up much of our conversation was now saying that Andre Dawson was sexy. I might have understood if he said that Ryno was sexy, i think... but Andre Dawson. Well whatever i digress.

(laughing) King Baron- "So is he your favorite player of all time?"

Drunk- "naaaa, he sucks" as he said that he literally fell off his barstool on to the peanut shell covered floor spilling his double jack and coke across his chest. He layed there for almost two minutes before i offered to help him. He sat back down and didnt say a word for over five minutes, he just had his eyes glued to his empty glass, i attempted to rekindle the conversation for the sake of it (i felt bad for this guy at this point)

King Baron -" are you alright man?" i waited a minute no response... "Hey Cubbie, are you alright?" still no answer but i can just slightly see his lips underneath his Cubs ballcap, and there wide open and moving as if he were talking. "i cant hear ya man" i shout but still no response, so i stand up and start to leave the table thinking i must have pissed this guy off, and he had considerable size on me so i thought dscretion would be the greater part of valore onthis occasion. As i started to walk away, i looked back at my new found drunken freind who will by all means try to forget this evening (if he ever remembers it).

i sit there with my freinds at the bar for awhile, and as i am prepared to leave i walk past my drunken freind again and decided i felt rude, i had never asked him his name. So i ordered a double jack and coke brought it to him and introduced myself... he didnt remember me at all... we were just talking five minutes, well maybe fifteen minutes before this and he had no idea who i was.

so i sat back down for a mintue, he looks up at my Cardinals hat and states "you #### #### the cardinals are ####.

King Baron- "relax buddy, have a good night."

he slams the drink i bought him and says at the top of his lungs (right as the jukebox died down) "I wanna marry Hawk.... He was so sexy"

i got up from the table and left laughing as hard as i could all the home. The bar i was at for fear that our drunken cubbie was gonna drive got him a taxi, now i just happen to be freinds with the only taxi driver in town and he was over my house last night and he was telling me how the ridiculously drunken Cubs fan tried to fight him through the cage on taxi because he had a Cardinals air freshener in the back seat. My buddie had to call the cops because this drunk kept kicking the safety window till he actuallt punctured the side of it.

i dont know why this is so funny to me, but i know i can never root for the cubbies again, he just brought down the good name of many a Cub fan in my eyes.