Yo, Commish! Get With The Program!

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig decides to show up in Milwaukee to watch Barry Bonds chase the home run record, because it's "the right thing to do," according to an article on mlb.com. Selig has been weaseling around this subject for months. The right thing to do?

So, you have a day job, do you Mr. Commish? So do I. I took the day off to see the All-Star game. I also took a week and a half off so my wife could deliver a baby and bring him home. I've flown all over two countries to watch otherwise meaningless games. Business travel not a part of your day job? You're not promoting the breaking of the single most revered record in all of sports? You are commissioner, aren't you?

"This is a big game and I understand all the history," said Selig, who hails from Milwaukee and owned the Brewers in the waning days of Aaron's career. "I don't want to be trite about it. In fact, I'm glad to be here."

Trite? That's all you've been. A commissioner who understands baseball, is a big fan, who used to own the team that Aaron played for should say nothing other than, "Damned right I want to be there. I'm going to try everything I can to be there." But you didn't. You need a different day job.

715...I Heard About It

Writing about something that you just saw is natural. But maybe not writing about something you didn't see is too. Well, when Bonds got to 712 I tried to catch every one of his at bats possible. From 712 to 715, which stretched out over about two weeks, I either attended, watched on TV or listened to the radio every one of his at bats. Except for about 5 or 6. Of those I missed included both 714 and 715. A combination of a sick baby, a nephew's birthday, missing church and a few other distractions, I tuned into the radio about 15 minutes after he hit the home run. I saw 716 on TV.

At least I saw the replays.

714...And Sloooowly Counting

Wouldn't ya know it. I missed Bonds' 714th homer because I was at my church's family camp and wasn't listening to the radio. But at the rate he's hitting them, Friday might come and go before he hits 715. Friday is the next day we have tickets. His 713th came in Philly, and I wanted to buy single bleacher tickets to every game of the next homestand, and we had tickets for the following Saturday. Well, the entire homestand came and went, so did the next series in Houston, and he didn't hit 714 until Saturday in Oakland.

When he finished 2004 with 703 homers, it seemed most likely that he'd hit #715 in May of 2005. Over a year later, he's not there yet. Now I doubt he'll catch Aaron at all, even if he plays in the AL.

No Celebration for Passing The Babe

Earlier today, Bud Selig announced that MLB would hold no official celebration for Barry Bonds' passing of Babe Ruth's home run mark of 714. This is as it should be. Babe Ruth doesn't hold the home run record. Although it is true that the number 714 is the greatest and most celebrated number in the history of baseball, and will probably be the record most admired for quite some time to come, it is no longer a record. Henry Aaron holds the record with 755.

When Bonds passes Ruth, he will take over second place on the all-time home run list. It will be a great cause for celebration to be sure, but not the ultimate celebration. I just hope I'm there.