MLB Commissioner Bud Selig may have just taken the title of worst commissioner in the history of professional sportsaway from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and for that he gets the Sports Climax Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week.

In a sports world where the NHL relies on verifying with video footage that a puck is in the net and the NFL that two feet are inbounds on a TD pass, after yesterday’s interview, Selig appears to be comfortable allowing human error to continue to create controversy in his sport.

Selig has been saturated in controversy over the past few decades with many accusing him of ignoring the steroid abuse issues that were prevalent and obvious during the 1990’s when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were playing home run derby.

We know how Selig has managed to skirt around issues involving  several other situations including the Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds perjury investigations and the uncovering of A-Rod and several other player’s syringe use.

The more recent issues surround the blatant, game-changing calls that his umpire crews have been making. Some of these blunders, like those made during recent playoffs, have sent hard-working organizations home packing earlier than they should have been.

More recently the Jim Joyce “three-blind-mice- I-have-my-head-up-my-ass” call that took a perfect game from a young Detroit pitcher now has center stage.

That said the buzz about expanding the instant replay had gathered more steam than a locomotive; that is until yesterday when Selig all but squashed the concept.

In an interview with the AP, Selig said he will continue to look at expanding the use of instant replay in baseball, but doesn’t think it will happen this year—if at all. WTF!

“I doubt it, but I wouldn’t ever say never. It’s worked out well.”

SLAP! That line deserves a good bitch-slappin’. What has worked out well? Allowing crews to make blunders that advance the biggest market New York Yankees to another playoff series?

Wouldn’t determining the correct winners for the fans as often as possible be considered working out well?

Making changes that limit mistakes and blunders your blind umpire crews seem to be making on a more consistent basis would be considered working out well.

On another note, these calls have affected our country’s legal gambling systems. Some of these calls have affected the final score or winners as in several MLB Playoff games in the past meaning the people who have wagered on that game have been cheated.

Logical minds who run the NFL and NBA and even Bettman’s NHL have realized how advantageous it is to utilize video replay technology but Selig continues to hide behind some sort of curtain that many of us cannot figure out. How could he not want to reduce those occurrences and limit mistakes?

Selig went on to say in the interview that he “wants to do what I think is best for the sport.”

If that were true Mr. Selig than many people would say then you should resign.

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After botching several critical calls during this year’s playoff series and World Series, Major League Baseball decided to ignore the serious issue surrounding their sport and did not present any proposals to expand on their current video replay system – Sports Climax Editor

Below is a story contributed by National Sportswriter Paula Duffy.

CHICAGO – In Chicago this week, the MLB general managers never even made a proposal related to expansion of replay, never mind  vote on anything.Mlb.com reported on Tuesday afternoon that the prevailing opinion was in sync with public statements made by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. 

MLB executive vice president, Jimmy Lee Solomon said:

“We only have now a season and a couple of months’ experience with it. Now there are those who clamor for more and more instant replay. I think we have to digest what we’ve got. We’ve got to look at this technology and look at where we are as a sport.”

In other words, what’s your hurry buddy, we don’t like to be pushed. As previously noted, a younger more tech-savvy base of executives wouldn’t blink at discussing what was the hottest topic to come out of the post-season, besides A-Rod’s awakening and use of pitchers on “short rest”.

Yankees GM, Brian Cashman spoke for those of us who don’t see this as heresy or acting hastily. MLB.com carries this quote: I’m big on technology,” Cashman said. “I’m open to any way we can help the umpires. We want what the umpires want — to get the calls right.”

Unfortunately he added that he would leave the matter up to the Commissioner’s Office and the umpire’s union. If they believe all is fine, Cashman will be good with that.

Too bad.

I don’t expect revolutionary changes to be made only a week after the conclusion of the World Series but the absence of an agenda item with a proposal that could be studied and debated is disheartening. We’re left with the usual blather that can be summed up by a statement made by Mets’ GM, Omar Minaya: “Look, umpires are going to make bad calls.”

Well at least that doesn’t need to be an agenda item and debated. We all know that already.