By Phil Rogers
Looking to the future in regards to the use of technology on umpiring and a postseason format, commissioner Bud Selig has created a 14-member committee to study and recommend changes impacting baseball on the field.
It appears to be modeled on the NFL's competition committee, which has been used to make changes to playing rules.
Selig said today that he will "be guided by what this committee comes up with'' on matters including scheduling, postseason format, umpiring, pace of play and instant replay.''
Looking to the future in regards to the use of technology on umpiring and a postseason format, commissioner Bud Selig has created a 14-member committee to study and recommend changes impacting baseball on the field.
It appears to be modeled on the NFL's competition committee, which has been used to make changes to playing rules.
Selig said today that he will "be guided by what this committee comes up with'' on matters including scheduling, postseason format, umpiring, pace of play and instant replay.''
The committee includes four managers (Tony La Russa, Jim Leyland,
Mike Scioscia and Joe Torre), four current or former general managers
(John Schuerholz, Andy MacPhail, Mark Shapiro and Terry Ryan), four
representatives from ownership (Paul Beeston, Chuck Armstrong, Bill
DeWitt and Dave Montgomery) as well as MLB executive Frank Robinson and
journalist George Will.
It will hold its first meeting in Phoenix in January.
La Russa spoke for his fellow managers, saying they were pleased to be included in the process. He said he had no reluctance finding time to participate.
"It's a matter of priorities," said La Russa, the St. Louis Cardinals manager. "What bigger priority for any of us than what benefits the game?"
Selig said he is concerned about "the pace'' of the game. Schuerholz said he has most debated the designated hitter during his career. La Russa also cited the DH rule as as issue he has long considered, saying he would like to eliminate the DH.
Based on comments from the winter meetings last week, there does not appear to be widespread support for expanding the use of instant replay in determining calls. It was a hot-button issue in the 2009 postseason but Selig denied that the committee was formed in response to media pressure on that issue.
"I have been looking at this for a long time," Selig said. "This is not a reaction to some of the things that happened during the playoffs. I'm not saying that didn't keep me moving forward, because it did, but I've had this in my mind for a long time ... I am really looking forward to this group doing some things that are really meaningful. Maybe in a year or two we'll look back and see how significant this really was."
It will hold its first meeting in Phoenix in January.
La Russa spoke for his fellow managers, saying they were pleased to be included in the process. He said he had no reluctance finding time to participate.
"It's a matter of priorities," said La Russa, the St. Louis Cardinals manager. "What bigger priority for any of us than what benefits the game?"
Selig said he is concerned about "the pace'' of the game. Schuerholz said he has most debated the designated hitter during his career. La Russa also cited the DH rule as as issue he has long considered, saying he would like to eliminate the DH.
Based on comments from the winter meetings last week, there does not appear to be widespread support for expanding the use of instant replay in determining calls. It was a hot-button issue in the 2009 postseason but Selig denied that the committee was formed in response to media pressure on that issue.
"I have been looking at this for a long time," Selig said. "This is not a reaction to some of the things that happened during the playoffs. I'm not saying that didn't keep me moving forward, because it did, but I've had this in my mind for a long time ... I am really looking forward to this group doing some things that are really meaningful. Maybe in a year or two we'll look back and see how significant this really was."
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