Can someone please find Fay Vincent a job?!

[OldBlevins]

The Link

He needs to get on with his life.

[Alkie]

Hey, what a surprise.  He's a better commissioner than the guy with the actual current title.

[Fredia]

for sure he would not have let the bonds, barry bonds.. thing get to the point of embarrassment

[Browneye]

In the union/labor deals of the past 10 years or so, has the commissioners right to ban someone for the better of baseball gone away? Basically, can Selig get rid of Bonds?

[MusicMan]

Quote:
In the union/labor deals of the past 10 years or so, has the commissioners right to ban someone for the better of baseball gone away? Basically, can Selig get rid of Bonds?

It's usually called the "best interest of the game" clause, and yes - it was the very thing that led the owners to neuter the commissioner's office and put Bud in instead.

Selig will suspend Bonds so that he can pretend to have a pair.  Such a suspension would be easily overturned on appeal.  However, what I am unclear on is whether the MLBPA would appeal, given that (IIRC) Bonds opted out of the union to pursue his own marketing.

[Browneye]

Thanks for the update. It is too bad they cant use the clause on him since he isnt part of the union.

I suppose a blanket party is off limits too.

[S.P. Rodriguez]

I read Vincent's book "The Last Commissioner: A Baseball Valentine".  It was interesting, from a historical point of view, IMO.  However, it's pretty clear he harbors some lingering resentment towards the owners, Selig in specific.  Needless to say, I think his job is going to be taking pot shots at MLB until he's damn good and ready to move on.

[mihoba]

Quote:
Selig will suspend Bonds so that he can pretend to have a pair.  Such a suspension would be easily overturned on appeal.  However, what I am unclear on is whether the MLBPA would appeal, given that (IIRC) Bonds opted out of the union to pursue his own marketing.

As a labor organization official, it is my understanding that the union may represent a non-union member if said member is part of the bargaining unit, in this case all players in ML baseball (40 man rosters of all teams). However, the union is not required to do so.

Bonds is the only player in MLB that declined joining the MLBPA by choice, there are a few others (Kevin Millar, for example)  that were ineligible to join because they were "replacement players" during the '94-'95 strike.