Q&A: Rob Manfred on Trevor Bauer, payroll disparity, rule changes and TV blackouts
NEW YORK — On July 8, 1980, the day of the last All-Star Game played at Dodger Stadium, the No. 1 song in America was Paul McCartney’s “Coming Up.”
In 2019, McCartney performed at Dodger Stadium. He’s still got it.
And, three years later, the All-Star Game is back at Dodger Stadium. Our favorite ballpark has still got it too.
Before the stars take the stage, I talked Dodgers and all things baseball with Rob Manfred, the major league commissioner. Here is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation:
Q: The All-Star Game celebrates the 60th anniversary of Dodger Stadium, but it also marks 10 years for the Dodgers’ ownership group. In 2012, after Frank McCourt had taken the Dodgers into bankruptcy, the team was auctioned to the highest bidder. With what you did not know then and what you do know now, how do you assess this ownership group?
Manfred: However we got here, I would say Mark [Walter], Todd [Boehly], Peter [Guber], Magic [Johnson], that whole group was an unalloyed success for baseball. Obviously, they put a tremendously competitive product on the field year after year. They have done a great job revitalizing Dodger Stadium, which I still view as a really important part of our history.
Mark, in particular, has emerged as a real forward-thinking, significant thought leader among ownership.
Q: Can you give me an example of that?
Manfred: I think probably the best example is, he’s on our local media committee, dealing with the future of what our local broadcasts are going to look like. He has been phenomenal in terms of putting aside his Los Angeles hat and thinking about what is best for growing our overall business for all 30 clubs.
Q: As you know, there are plenty of fans across America who say, “Well, of course
