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Equity delights to do justice, and not by halves

According to Tom Boswell:

Baseball needs to name an owner for the Washington Nationals as quickly as possible, probably before Opening Day on April 3. The necessity for quick action has little to do with improving the level of talent that the team can put on the field this season. However, it has everything to do with the morale of the club and the mutinous mood of the team's new fan base.

Boz proceeds to support his argument with several appeals:

  • "First, Bud Selig has had more time than anybody could need to evaluate the eight potential ownership groups."
  • Second, "Nationals' players themselves have been, for nearly a year, almost obsessed with knowing who their new owner will be."
  • "The final reason for the rapid announcement of a new owner is by far the most important. Since the end of last season, Nationals fans feel like they have been repeatedly kicked in the gut."
I do not disagree with what Boswell is urging; I merely believe he is skirting around the most compelling reason, the most equitably-minded reason why the Seligulans must name an owner, and fast: MLB owes it to the District of Columbia.

Like or dislike the manner in which DC promised and reaffirmed the ballpark's funding, mock or express exasperation at the different personalities involved, all of that stuff does not much matter now. The District ponied up a lot of money to MLB ($611 million in all) and MLB owes it to the District to act in kind, releasing this franchise to be an independent and competitive unit---not just for the players, and not just for the fans, but for the District itself, the city that not only took in this vagabond team, not only secured its future, but enabled MLB to collect an incredible windfall for getting out of the ownership game.

Mind you, this is not a legal obligation. But, to stretch the viewpoint a bit, it is one of equity. As the maxim goes, one who seeks equity must do equity. Baseball sought and received a fulfilled promise by the District; now, it must do what is right. No excuses.

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Other stuff of note:

Bowden also said that not having U.S. catcher Brian Schneider "is like the Colts playing without Peyton Manning."