Bernie on the Scene: From the Top of My Soapbox

Forgive me for departing from my usual evaluations of baseball players. Today I am ON THE SCENE on my soapbox.

I find myself spending an incredible amount of time and energy on something I can't control.

I have been upset, worried, optimistic, pessimistic, troubled, confused, angry, hopeful, without hope and tired. A lot of emotions. I have spent emotions about something over which I have no control.

Baseball once shot itself in the leg. During the 1994 baseball strike, baseball took a huge hit. But it limped back. However, since then it has lost plenty of fans. Other professional sports are far more popular with younger fans.

I'm fearful baseball has loaded the gun and is preparing to shoot itself once again — maybe this time right in the head. 

I've written about it over and over. I've tweeted about how selfish the major decision makers in the "game" of baseball have been. After all, aren't we in the worst health crises in this nation's history? Yes, we are. And all the major power brokers of the "game" have been discussing is … money.

And here I am … writing about it. Again. If they get a deal done, good. If they don't get a deal done, we all likely will survive. But man, I do miss baseball. And a few powerful people are keeping you, me, our familes and our friends from watching professional baseball.

Even if there is a season, has too much damage already been done? I wonder if fans will stop buying tickets?

I wonder if fans will stop buying team clothing and souvenirs? I wonder if fans will drop their baseball aps and outlets? That would be real control.

So I guess, in a way I do have some control. Some. Not much. We all do. But I'm not ready to pull the plug yet. I'm not ready to abandon the game I grew up with and love.

But I'm close.

Who do I blame most? Commissioner Rob Manfred. He is the Commissioner of the owners. Not the players. Not the fans. The owners. Everything he has done since he became Commissioner has been skewed to making the owners richer and richer. He answers only to the owners. Not to the players. Not to the fans. Only to the owners. I don't like that. Not at all.

I want a Commissioner for all of baseball, not just the owners.

There were times I was critical of Bud Selig. But Bud Selig loved baseball. He had baseball in his blood. He was a solid owner of the Brewers. He made some mistakes, but I forgave him. I never, ever wrote a word criticizing Bud Selig. I understood him. He understood us. He understood the game.

Rob Manfred is a lawyer. A labor lawyer. He acts like he doesn't even like baseball. He's tinkering with the rules of the game. He certainly wants to build his own legacy. And he's doing just that. However, I don't think he'll like the legacy he's creating.

Manfred has listened to those around his inner circle who want to teach the players a lesson. They, too, are labor lawyers. I wonder if their motivation is to break the Player's Association, once and for all?

Rob Manfred wants to eliminate leagues and teams in Minor League Baseball. He wants MLB to control Minor League Baseball. Control. control and money.

But Minor League Baseball isn't just about guys hoping to make the big leagues. It is about creating entertainment for a community. It is about creating jobs for a community. It is about enriching the lives of people in the community.

And many of the communities that now enjoy Minor League Baseball will lose their team.

What's next? Do we actually think baseball players will be confined to their rooms on the road? Do we actually think baseball players won't spit? Do we actually think the health guidelines developed by MLB and sent to the players will be followed? I don't think so. And so far, the discussions about health and safety regulations haven't really been addressed and approved. They don't involve money.

The owners are taking no health risks. Uniformed and game-day personnel will be subjected to the virus during every game they play. Ownership and the Commissioner will not.

So, what comes next? Health issues or money issues? 

Plans floated in the media called for the second iteration of spring training to begin in early June. Kiss that goodbye. If — and that's a big if — spring training begins again in mid-June, when will the new season begin? Not the first week in July. Maybe mid-July? The clock is ticking. 

And do you think games can be played in Boston, Chicago, Phoenix and the cities that have had new spikes in COVID-19 cases? How could they?

Let me apologize again for not including player profiles in this edition of ON THE SCENE. My scouting reports will continue next week.

This week I have to vent. This week I have to share my deepest feelings with you.

This week I have to discuss how the powers who run Major League Baseball are doing their best to divide the players who have made them richer and richer.

This week I have to share my feelings about how Mr. Manfred and the owners have proposed to have the most expensive and best players in the game take a bigger hit in their wallet than the less expensive players. Divide the labor force and cause division among the ranks?

The players are not blameless. But they thought they had struck a deal with the owners back in March. They thought financial issues were behind them. Not so. The owners want the players to take a much bigger haircut if games are played in empty stadiums. Do the owners want the players to go bald? Probably. I don't think the players will budge on salary issues.

A guy that is worth 3.2 billion dollars has found it very, very difficult to set aside money to pay scouts, office personnel and team employees while there is no baseball. Instead, Angels owner Arte Moreno can just furlough his people and call it a day. He's not alone. Other owners have jettisoned staff and sent them to the unemployment offices. The Oakland Athletics have followed the Angels' plan.

Hundreds of minor league players were released last week. They will join the massive number of unemployed in this country and Canada. But you won't find an owner standing in line at a food bank. But you will find professional baseball players and team personnel out of work.

What are some of these principal owners personally worth? I'm glad you asked. These are the figures as noted in "Stadium Talk." Franchise values, as reported by "Forbes" are in parenthesis.

Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees  -  $3.2B ($5B)

Mark Walter, Dodgers - $3.1B ($3.4B)

John Henry, Red Sox - $2.6B ($3.1B)

Tom Ricketts, Cubs - $2.3B ($3.2B)

Charlie Johnson, Giants - $6.4B ($3.1B)

Fred Wilpon, Mets - $500M ($2.4B)

William DeWitt Jr., Cardinals - $4B ($2.2B)

John Middleton (Buck Family), Phillies - $3.2B ($2.0B)

Arte Moreno, Angels - $3.2B ($1.975B)

Ted Lerner, Nationals - $3.3B ($1.9B)

Jim Crane, Astros - $2.5B ($1.85B)

Terry McGuirk, Braves - $5.1B ($1.8B)

Ray Davis, Rangers - $2.7B ($1.75B)

Jerry Reinsdorf, White Sox - $1.6B ($1.65B)

Edward Rogers, Blue Jays - $11.6B ($1.625B)

John Stanton, Mariners - $1.1B (1.6B)

Ron Fowler, Padres - $500M ($1.45B)

Peter Angelos, Orioles - $2.1B ($1.4B)

Jim Pohlad, Twins - $3.6B ($1.3B)

Ken Kendrick, Diamondbacks - $600M ($1.29B)

Charles and Dick Monfort, Rockies - $700M ($1.275B)

Bob Nutting, Pirates - $1.1B ($1.26B)

Christopher Ilitch, Tigers - $4.2B ($1.25B)

Mark Attanasio, Brewers - $700M ($1.2B)

Larry and Paul Dolan, Indians - $600M ($1.15B)

John Fisher, Athletics - $2.8B ($1.1B)

Bob Castellini, Reds - $400M ($1.075B)

Stuart Sternberg, Rays - $800M ($1.05B)

John Sherman, Royals - $1.5B ($1.025B)

Bruce Sherman, Marlins - $500M ($980M)

Will those that have the power to start the engines and get the motor running get the game going? Last week I was more optimistic than I am this week. In two weeks it may be too late.

Thank you for following me on Twitter @BerniePleskoff and read my baseball columns at forbes.com.