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Selig says Ramirez is proof drug tests work
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Selig says Ramirez is proof drug tests work
Reuters – Bud Selig, Major League Baseball Commissioner, speaks at the Reuters Media Summit in New York, December …
By Larry Fine – 1 hr 19 mins ago
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Major League Baseball chief Bud Selig had a positive spin on the Manny Ramirez suspension, saying on Thursday that it illustrated the sport's progress in its doping policy.
Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Ramirez was suspended for 50 games earlier this month after testing positive for a banned substance.
"My take is, we have a drug testing program and it worked. No one is above the law," Selig told reporters at a news conference following this week's owners meetings in New York.
"We've administered way over a thousand tests this year. We have one positive. It's working.
"What the Manny Ramirez situation proved and no one can miss -- we have a tough program that is working.
"Everybody should at least take comfort in that."
Selig said he told the owners that he was encouraged by how the sport was faring in difficult economic times.
He said bad weather in the early spring, along with the economic downturn contributed to a nearly 4.5 percent decline in attendance compared to a year ago.
"It's early and we've had horrendous weather," Selig said. "We're living in the most difficult economic environment since the Great Depression.
"If the races all hang together, that's a help. The weather clearly gets better. I told the clubs over and over that I'm encouraged and they were happy to hear that."
Selig said owners shared his enthusiasm for the deal this year with broadcasters to start World Series games earlier.
"Everybody was happy about that, none more than me," he said about beginning games 35 or 40 minutes earlier.
The change come after weather delays, slow play and extra innings pushed many games into the wee hours of the morning and raised questions about whether baseball was losing viewers and young fans unable to stay up to watch the premier event.
"I always hear, you've lost a generation," he said about younger fans deserting the game. "You don't draw 75, 80 million people and have lost a generation."
The Fall Classic start times will be the earliest since 1971.
"We're the earliest starting championship games on TV of any sport with the exception of the Super Bowl, which is a one-day event," Selig said.
"It's big. It's very big," he said about changing the start times. "I'm really happy where we're at now."
Reuters – Bud Selig, Major League Baseball Commissioner, speaks at the Reuters Media Summit in New York, December …
By Larry Fine – 1 hr 19 mins ago
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Major League Baseball chief Bud Selig had a positive spin on the Manny Ramirez suspension, saying on Thursday that it illustrated the sport's progress in its doping policy.
Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Ramirez was suspended for 50 games earlier this month after testing positive for a banned substance.
"My take is, we have a drug testing program and it worked. No one is above the law," Selig told reporters at a news conference following this week's owners meetings in New York.
"We've administered way over a thousand tests this year. We have one positive. It's working.
"What the Manny Ramirez situation proved and no one can miss -- we have a tough program that is working.
"Everybody should at least take comfort in that."
Selig said he told the owners that he was encouraged by how the sport was faring in difficult economic times.
He said bad weather in the early spring, along with the economic downturn contributed to a nearly 4.5 percent decline in attendance compared to a year ago.
"It's early and we've had horrendous weather," Selig said. "We're living in the most difficult economic environment since the Great Depression.
"If the races all hang together, that's a help. The weather clearly gets better. I told the clubs over and over that I'm encouraged and they were happy to hear that."
Selig said owners shared his enthusiasm for the deal this year with broadcasters to start World Series games earlier.
"Everybody was happy about that, none more than me," he said about beginning games 35 or 40 minutes earlier.
The change come after weather delays, slow play and extra innings pushed many games into the wee hours of the morning and raised questions about whether baseball was losing viewers and young fans unable to stay up to watch the premier event.
"I always hear, you've lost a generation," he said about younger fans deserting the game. "You don't draw 75, 80 million people and have lost a generation."
The Fall Classic start times will be the earliest since 1971.
"We're the earliest starting championship games on TV of any sport with the exception of the Super Bowl, which is a one-day event," Selig said.
"It's big. It's very big," he said about changing the start times. "I'm really happy where we're at now."
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