[NativeNewYorker]

Yeah. Racial quotas! That'll REALLY increase fan appeal.

Insert NBA parallel here.

[Hans Moleman]

Sports is about the only place left where one advances only on ability with no affimitive action influence. Now they want racial quotas for baseball? What's next? Three balls and four strikes for minority players? A seperate set of bases closer to the plate for minority players?

[anniegetyourgun]

Pretty soon they'll be faced with "gender equity" in pro sports. Won't that be fun?

[Howlin]

I say we find out the ACCURATE percentage of blacks in this country and HOLD FIRM to that number. Not ONE extra.

[billsux]

They're (owners) seriously discussing cutting the Twins and everyone here is bitching about affirmative action? Keep your eye on the ball. Affirmative action just won't happen in MLB. Contraction has a very real chance of happening. Want to cut Montreal and Tampa or Florida? Fine. But the Twinkies? They had one of the most exciting teams in baseball this year. And they're young too, they'll only get better. Contraction should happen (there just isn't enough talent at the Major League level right now), but it shouldn't happen to teams that are competitive and especially shouldn't happen to a team who's community is as behind it as the Twins. And don't give me any s--- about "oh they didn't support a stadium". Taxpayers shouldn't be stuck with the tab for a private business. Stadiums should be privately funded, if a little overhead needs to come from the city for parking or whatever, fine. But the bulk of it should come from private businesses, individuals or, here's a crazy thought, the damn team! The most left-wing city in the nation used 94% private funds on their new ballpark and it seems to be working out ok.

[Willie Green]

I have no sympathy at all for MLB owners, management or players. They extort money from local taxpayers to fund lavish new stadiums, then squabble like a bunch of spoiled brats over their megamillion dollar salaries and bonuses. And tickets, parking, hot dogs & a coke cost WAY too much. They ruined the game themselves.

Congress should step-in and force a restructuring of the League. NOT a contraction that the bloodsucking owner's are talking about, but drastic EXPANSION to 128 teams in 16 regional devisions. Have a true quarterfinal playoff system (patterned after NCAA basketball) leading up to an East vs. West World Series.

• Regular season, teams play ONLY the other 7 teams in their regional division, promoting local regional rivalries, minimizing team travel expenses, and eliminating East Coast teams playing late night games on the West Coast (BAD TV ratings -- ain't worth it.)

• NO new stadiums > 25,000 capacity. Keep the fans close to the field where they can see what's going on. Teams are entitled to their own gate receipts, concessions, parking, etc. All broadcast revenue/endorsements, etc. are split evenly among the 8 teams in the division.

• All playoff revenues are to be split 30% winning team, 20% losing team, 30% shared by other teams in the winner's division, 20% shared by other teams in the loser's division.

Yeah, I know. It's a kooky idea.

But the dang sport needs to get back to basics with some REAL competition.
I'm sick and tired of these whiney, crybaby multimillionaires. Both the players and the owners.