Deja Vu All Over Again, IV

The commissioner's office is saying that they "will do whatever is necessary to maximize the consequences for those individuals who intrude on the field or assault or make any attempt to interact with umpires, players or coaches or fans in the stands." It's good that they are taking it seriously, but MLB is infamous for making proclamations and not following through (Does anybody remember, the tied All-Star game?).

They are said to be reviewing security in all major-league parks, which has to be a good thing. They did send baseball security chief Kevin Hallinan to Chicago to aid with last night's ballgame security, and all did go smoothly (thank god). Although it is interesting that suspending beer sales for the game was not entertained. The attacker confessed to drinking all day at a Cubs' game before going to the White Sox-Royals affair.

If nothing else I found one topic on which Bud Selig and I see eye to eye. Quoth El Bud, "There is no place in baseball for such deplorable fan behavior." I couldn't agree more.

Thebaseball folks interviewed also agree there are limitations as to what can be done:

"You still couldn't prevent a person, one lunatic or whatever you want to call it, from trying to get his 10 seconds of fame,'' [Cubs general manager Jim] Hendry said. "I don't think you could ever say you're going to prevent it completely in any stadium: football, basketball, baseball, whatever.''

And I'm glad that my references jibe more with managers than players. It doen't make me old in the slightest:

"In the old days, you were always looking forward to Morganna running onto the field,'' [the over-excited Mets manager Art Howe] said. "It would be a shame if we had to do what they do in Japan, where everybody is screened in.''