New baseball commissioner touches the bases with George W. Bush
When asked about baseball’s place in America, new MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke candidly about the only time he ever cherished a bit of memorabilia.
As someone who’s been directly involved with Major League Baseball since 1987, he’s never felt the rush from a player’s autograph or a foul ball that bounced his way.
But when former President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium in Game 3 of the 2001 World Series just weeks after 9-11, the lifelong Yankees fan knew how special that moment was.
“The only ball I’ve ever kept was the one [Bush] signed that night,” Manfred told a crowd gathered to watch him discuss the state of baseball with the 43rd president at the George W. Bush Presidential Library on Friday night.
“When our country has crises, baseball plays a role in the healing process,” Manfred said. “Baseball is a part of people’s lives, we connect with it because they’re there for us all season long.”
In one of his first public appearances since taking over as commissioner on Jan. 25, Manfred talked about the hottest topics of the day with Bush in advance of the unveiling of a new exhibit at the presidential library.
“Baseball: America’s Presidents, America’s Pastime” examines the role of presidents within the game of baseball. It opens to the public Saturday morning.
During the 45-minute question-and-answer session with the former president, Manfred spoke on an international draft, Pete Rose, popularizing the game worldwide and the possibility of a franchise in Mexico City.
“I think you will see a time when there’s a franchise in Mexico City,” Manfred said.
It’s part of a theme Manfred has shown during his short tenure. As a supporter of an international draft, he said he believes there should be one mode of entry into Major League Baseball. That will undoubtedly be discussed when negotiations for the next collective bargaining agreement begin in 2016.
Manfred takes over at a time when baseball’s popularity may be waning and the media landscape is evolving. As football and basketball continue gaining in popularity, he’s tasked with finding a way to reinvigorate interest in the sport.
With inner-city baseball programs such as Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities (RBI) working to bridge that gap in interest, Manfred said he understands the draw many kids have to other sports — scholarships.
After explaining that NCAA football and basketball programs offer enough full-ride scholarships to field full teams, NCAA baseball programs are limited to 11.7 per team.
“I’m a numbers guy, but I’ve never been able to get anyone to fully explain to me where that .7 comes from,” Manfred said, adding there needs to be more cooperation with the NCAA.
But while he takes over with many possible changes down the road, Manfred takes over some of the lingering issues from past administrations. From steroids to the Hall of Fame to Pete Rose, there is plenty on his plate, and he didn’t give a signal of having an imminent solution.
“I’m going to be in touch with Pete Rose and his people to agree on a process that will allow me to properly review the case,” he said on Rose, who has formally appealed to have his lifetime ban lifted.
With the 2015 All-Star Game set for Cincinnati, there’s incentive for Manfred to move sooner than later on that front. And speaking of that All-Star Game, Manfred doesn’t plan to change anytime soon the rule that the All-Star Game winner hosts the World Series.
“It’s not like switching back and forth each year is a great way to do it either,” he said.
Manfred said he’s learning how to handle the spotlight, taking the lessons from his “banning defensive shifts” remark a weeks ago as a reminder that every comment is dissected when you’re in charge.
When he throws out the first pitch at Nationals Park on Opening Day, it will mark the first time baseball has opened a season with a new commissioner in 18 years.
What the commissioner said
On possible discipline for Josh Hamilton: “I expect a decision before Opening Day.”
On Pete Rose: “I have no predisposition with respect to the issue of whether or not he should be reinstated.”He will set up a process to revisit Pete Rose’s reinstatement case.
On former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington: “Someone with Ron’s experience would be a good candidate to be a manager.”
This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 10:40 PM with the headline "New baseball commissioner touches the bases with George W. Bush."