Smart PR by Bud Selig

It may be baby steps, but we all need to thank someone in MLB's PR department for taking a stand on an issue. From Boston.com's Sox blog:

PITTSBURGH -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was still upset today about Manny Ramirez not coming to Pittsburgh for tonight's All-Star Game because of a tender knee. "Maybe I'm old fashioned, but if you are voted on the team, it's a privilege," he said. "You ought to be here. He's the only person who did not participate this year. Everybody else has been here and has been terrific." Selig pointed out that two Mets, Tom Glavine and Jose Reyes, were both in Pittsburgh although they won't be playing in the game.

Now, Bostonians could have told you this spring that if Manny was picked to play in the All-Star Game, he would find a way to back out by July. There is nothing wrong with this. The Game's outcome does have some postseason meaning, but other than that, it's a place for fans to network and for sponsors to have tons of events to generate interest in their product or services.

Here is what I don't understand. It's great to see Selig address an issue to the national media by taking a strong position. Why in the world can't he or won't he do this regarding the steriod issue or fixing staduim issues? As I have said before, MLB needs a strong spokesperson to take the lead from the commissioner's office moving forward.