A triumph of politics over baseball--"The Classic"

MLB Advanced Media sells the 2009 World Baseball "Classic,"

• "The international flavor has been underscored for the 2009 event by the choices of sites for first-round play. Tokyo,

• Mexico City,

• Toronto and San Juan, Puerto Rico, will host the first round,"....

Mexico? Most are aware there's a good chance you'll get killed if you set foot in Mexico.

• It's worse now than this Washington Post story reported a year ago:

"In the past 15 months, grenades have been thrown into newspaper offices in Cancun, Hermosillo and Nuevo Laredo, and gunmen have attacked a radio station and newspaper in Oaxaca. On Saturday, the decapitated head of a city councilman was left in the doorway of the newspaper Tabasco Hoy in the eastern state of Tabasco.

• The threats and violence have sown fear across the journalistic spectrum. While crime reporters are common targets,

• sportswriters have been kidnapped by drug cartel hit men upset over coverage of their favorite soccer teams.

Feature reporters have been kidnapped, too, though the reasons are more mysterious. In the case of TV Azteca, colleagues suggested López might have been targeted because he had boasted about knowing the locations of executions and proudly told a colleague that he had twice been kidnapped -- for him it was a badge of honor."...

• From Washington Post, "Mexico's Journalists Feel Heavy Hand of Violence," by Manuel Roig-Franzia, 5/30/07

(A press release from George Bush or Dick Cheney touting a favorite program would be widely criticized and analyzed in the media. Bud Selig's office advocates views via MLB.com and no one says a word). sm

• P.S. The late Doug Pappas had the initiative to look behind stories from MLB, but sadly he is deceased. No one has replaced him although numerous sites discuss the business of baseball. Some may have a financial connection with MLB or hopes of one.
• One reason Mr. Pappas has not been replaced is the "landscape" explanation, ie, everybody likes Bud now, therefore no one wants to point out that the Emperor Has No Clothes:

(5/21/07): "In the time since Doug left us, the landscape of Major League Baseball has changed. The industry is awash in cash from multiple revenue streams, and Selig’s approval rating is much higher than before, no doubt in part due to labor peace. Still, Doug most assuredly would have had plenty to say about the business of baseball today, playing Selig’s foil, and taking him to task wherever necessary."...

• From BizofBaseball.com, 5/21/07 by Maury Brown. "Remembering Doug Pappas."

*The fact that the industry is awash in cash does not make business dealings any better. If anything, they are worse. A higher 'approval rating?' That only increases the ability of those in charge and their countless hangers-on to render mute whomever they wish. An avalanche of ridicule is a favorite method by the Lords of the Flies. *Of note, Mr. Pappas was accomplished in baseball research as well, and is remembered as much or more for his contribution in that field.

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