Mike Celizic

If Casey Stengel were alive today, he wouldn’t be saying, as he did of his 1962 Mets, “Can’t anybody here play this game?” Instead, he’d be saying of baseball itself, “Can’t anybody here run this game?”

He’d eventually get an answer from the office of commissioner Bud Selig, but it would come a week after the question was posed and would take the form of a prepared statement, which would be overturned shortly thereafter by an arbitrator.

Already taking heavy criticism for his handling of the timing of the announcement that Rafael Palmeiro had been suspended for using steroids, Selig took another hit Tuesday when an arbitrator shortened the suspension Selig had imposed on Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers.

Baseball had a procedure for dealing with those who broke its rules. Bob Watson was the game’s vice president in charge of on-field operations, which is a rather lengthy and murky way of saying “dean of discipline.” He’s the person who handed out fines, suspensions and other penalties. Selig was the person who heard appeals of Watson’s decisions.

Rogers had assaulted two cameramen before a game June 29 on the field in Texas because Rogers was annoyed that they were doing their job. Selig was well aware of a new intolerance for boorish behavior in sports that has arisen in the wake of the brawl that invaded the stands during an NBA game last November between Detroit and Indiana. Determined to show that his sport would not tolerate similar behavior, Selig told Watson, “Let me handle this, Bob,” or words to that effect, and personally handed down a 20-game suspension and $50,000 fine.

When Rogers appealed the penalty, Selig, who had imposed the sentence, also ruled on the appeal. After carefully considering the arguments, he ruled in favor of himself and said that 20 games it was and would be. That happened to be twice as long as a first-time suspension for using steroids.

Just like that, an appeal was born. The players association, which is as obtuse as Selig in boldly venturing into situations illuminated by a bad light, argued in front of arbitrator Shyam Das on behalf of Rogers that Selig couldn’t be the trial judge and the appellate court. Today, the arbitrator agreed and cut the suspension to 12 games, which means that a player is still better off cheating with performance-enhancing drugs than shoving photographers.

Rather than admit he blew this one big time, Selig issued a statement, saying, “I strongly disagree with arbitrator Das’ decision today. It sends the wrong message to every one of our constituents: the fans, the media, and our players.

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