The MLB owners gathered on Thursday to choose a new commissioner to govern their league. After Tim Brosnan withdrew his name from consideration, the race was between the current COO of the MLB, Rob Manfred, and the owner of the Boston Red Sox, Tom Werner.
When the first round of votes were submitted, Manfred won the approval of the 30 MLB owners with a 20 to 10 count. Unfortunately, in order for a new commissioner to be elected, at least 75% of the team owners must agree on the candidate, which means Manfred needed 23 votes to be officially sworn in as the league's 10th commissioner. The second ballot had Manfred winning 21-9, and the third 22-8. Finally, Bud Selig went into the room of owners and talked some sense into them.
It took six times, but the league finally elected Rob Manfred, the Chief Operating Office of Major League Baseball and right-hand man of Bud Selig's for over 15 years, as MLB's new commissioner with a unanimous vote. It was the first election for the position in 46 years. Although Tom Werner was said to have impressed the owners during the rounds of interviews, Manfred's invaluable experience as the head negotiator for the last three collective bargaining agreements as well as the current league drug policy played a big role in his victory.
"I've worked with Rob for a long time," said current Commissioner Bud Selig, in this MLB article. "He's had great experience. The last couple years, he's dealt with every area and I've given him many tasks, some of them not very pleasant, quite frankly. But he's done them well and there's no doubt in my mind he has the training, the temperament and the experience to be a very, very successful Commissioner."
Manfred, 55, will replace Selig on January 25, 2015. Prior to being appointed the COO of the MLB, Manfred spent 15 years as the league's Executive Vice President of Labor Relations and Human Resources. He led the negotiations for the CBAs in 2002, 2006 and 2011 and got them completed without a work stoppage - the first time that's been accomplished since the MLB Players Association was established in the 1970s. He also played an instrumental role in the MLB's investigation of last year's Biogenesis Scandal.
Baseball is doing well right now. Regardless of what many think about Bud Selig, the game has been doing tremendously well over the past decade, and Manfred was there every step of the way to watch the development and growth. Relations between the owners and players are also the best they've ever been, so it was a no-brainer to install Manfred, who has been an integral part of those relations.
"I am tremendously honored by the confidence that the owners showed in me today," said Manfred, in this ESPN article. "I have very big shoes to fill."
