By Jonathon Machota
FOXSportsSouthwest.com
February 17, 2011
SportsRadioInterviews.com recently posted the transcript of a 98.5 the Sports Hub in Boston interviewing Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.
Selig was asked about the balance of competition in the MLB, if he anticipates any issues for the 2011 labor negotiations and if he is concerned about the length of games.
Do you think enough of your teams have a chance competitively to win? Do you think there is competitive balance or that the whole thing is out of whack?
Selig: "Oh no, not out of whack at all. That's one of the great myths that people do not understand. We have more competitive balance than ever before. We have more competitive balance gentlemen than any other sport. We produced a lot of numbers and figures that Mike and Tony I'm sure you've seen them, Pat Courtney and others. You know we've had 20 teams in the playoffs in the last 10 years (and) more different division winners. Last year was a classic in terms of the teams in the playoffs and what happened. I'm proud. In the 1990′s we had a problem. Today not only the best in our history, but the best of many professional sports by far."
I would contend you were fortunate that it's worked that way. San Diego and Tampa are two contenders for example last year with superstar players, who just couldn't afford to keep them and are bound to take a step back this year? That exists in your sport more than any other by far?
Selig: "I don't think so. That's fine, but I don't agree with that. I keep hearing that and yet, look you can't say what's existed in the last ten or twelve years is an accident. It's a reality. That's what it is. You go to Minnesota today or come right here to Milwaukee or go to Cincinnati and you can go on-and-on. Now I talked to Stu Sternberg [Rays Owner] and he tells me he thinks they are going to be very competitive this year, but I can tell you a lot of clubs that I know
