Bud Selig Has Little To Say About McCourt, Dodgers

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig stopped by Camelback Ranch today to watch the Dodgers and White Sox play. He met with several reporters during the game and, while he spoke for nearly 15 minutes on a variety of baseball topics, Selig really didn't say much at all.

Understandably, Selig wouldn't touch the Dodgers or the McCourt situation with a ten foot pole. He was asked about the pending divorce battle between Frank and Jamie McCourt and how it would affect the Dodgers, but all Selig said was "it's a situation I'm monitoring very closely, and I think any comment from me at this point is inappropriate."

Given that there are also White Sox reporters here today as well, Selig was asked about manager Ozzie Guillen, known for being outspoken to say the least. "Given the problems I have today, Ozzie is problem number 794," Selig joked. He was then asked about White Sox (and apparently nearly Dodger) catcher A.J. Pierzynski, and Selig quipped, "He's 795." Naturally, somebody asked where the Dodgers ranked on Selig's list of problems and he said, "That's a different story."

Selig has said he plans to retire after 2012, when his current term expires. But he also said that he would retire after 2009 as well, and Selig's still here, so it's understandable that not everyone believes Selig will be gone so soon. "[The owners] don't believe I will be gone, but I really do believe it," Selig said.

Earlier this month, Selig hired Kim Ng from the Dodgers and Peter Woodfork from Arizona as senior vice presidents of baseball operations, working under Joe Torre. Selig had nothing but praise for Ng, and thinks she will one day become a general manager. "Kim is invaluable. I know her goal, and I know Peter Woodfork has the same goal, and I'd like to be helpful in them achieving that goal."

Finally, since this year marks the 30th anniversary of Fernandomania, Selig reflected on the impact of Valenzuela's rookie season.

It's one of those great things that baseball produces, one of the amazing periods in baseball history. The impact he made, not only in Southern California, but all over the country, was really wonderful and great for the game. This game produces moments that no other sport produces and nothing else produces, and Fernandomania was one of those moments.

"[Fernando] comes in and makes a dramatic impact on society for generations of kids to come," Selig said. "He became somebody that really, really helped us in a myriad of ways."