Hey, it's the second installment in our continuing series about your New Improved Baseball Commissioner! It seems like people have been asking Rob Manfred about everything, and someone just asked him about The Charlie Hustle Situation:
"I have heard from (Rose's) lawyer, and I do anticipate having a conversation about that," Manfred said. "I've been very careful not to say anything about the merits of it because ultimately I'm going to have to make a decision there. But it's a conversation I'm willing to have."
It's possible that Manfred doesn't mean this. We won't know if he's the sort of Commissioner who keeps his word until he's actually in a position to keep his word. But he's already gone farther than his predecessor ever went. For whatever reasons, Commissioner Bud never came out on side or the other, I think because he lacked the courage to upset anyone's apple cart and, you know, make an actual decision.
But Commissioner Rob has thrown down a marker. Selig never said he would make a decision. He prevaricated and equivocated and tergiversated and, more than anything, delayed. Until either Rose died or it became someone else's problem.
Manfred might do the same thing. But whether it's well-placed or not, I've got faith in him. I think he'll take a look at Rose's case in particular, and maybe even a look at baseball's ancient rules, generally. I have an opinion about what Manfred should do, an opinion I've shared before and will share again. But all I'd really like to see is the Commissioner doing something. And I think this one will.
Oh, and it's not about somehow making baseball more popular, as this poor soul seems to suspect. It's just about doing, you know, the right thing.
