Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
August 02, 2003
Czar Bud

Peter Gammons has an article on ESPN.com about Bud Selig interfering in the Yankees-Reds deal for Aaron Boone.


That afternoon, Finley had extracted $2 million from the Boston Red Sox for Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers, and $1.5 million from the New York Yankees for Vida Blue. In Boston -- courtesy of then-general manager Dick O'Connell's notes, provided by the Yawkey Foundation -- the Red Sox had tried several combinations of trades involving players and money ranging from a 5-for-5 involving some of Boston's potential free agents (including reigning MVP/Rookie of the year Fred Lynn) to a 3-for-2 that would have sent $2 million, catcher Andy Merchant, outfielder Rick Miller and pitcher Jim Willoughby for Rudi and Fingers.

"Finley says forget the damn players," O'Connell noted on June 14.

That night 27 years ago flashed across Selig's mind when he heard at 12:30 a.m. ET on Thursday that the Reds had shipped Aaron Boone and Gabe White to the Yankees for Brandon Claussen and $3 million. He talked to Sandy Alderson and told him that he would not approve it.

Alderson called Selig at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday to tell him that both the Yankees and Reds asked that he reconsider. "No way," Selig said. "There's no way that they're going to exceed the $1 million limit."

Selig did agree to talk to Reds owner Carl Lindner and Yankees president Randy Levine. "They made their cases, but I made mine in pretty strong terms," says Selig. "I told them that they'd have to restructure the deals with prospects and do it with Sandy. They weren't happy about it, and I probably used some choice language, but this is all part of a competitive balance problem that this industry faces."


Okay, the Yankees were going to transfer three million dollars to a small market team, and that money can pay for a lot of young players. Why is that worse than prospects? My guess is the Reds, like Charlie Finley three decades ago, needed the money more than the players. Selling players is a great way of transfering cash between teams, and Bud should do a way with a limit that was put in place to spite Finely.


Posted by David Pinto at 03:33 PM | Commissioner | TrackBack (0)