Soon, Bud Selig Will Rule the World! Bwah Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

We've never imagined the Yankees' front office as rebel types, but there's a first time for everything, we suppose. On Saturday, some brave soul in the Legends Field ticket office posted a sign in the main concourse of their spring training complex in Tampa, apologizing to fans for the absence of Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter at spring training games due to their participation in the World Baseball Classic. When Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig heard about this, he blew a fuse. Selig, apparently, instructed his minions to remove the sign the following day. No one messes with the WBC, Selig's pet project. NO ONE.

We had always though of Selig as kind of goofball — sort of like Bill Gates without the brains. But when stuff like this happens, we get a clearer picture. Witness Selig's quote to the Associated Press concerning the sign incident:

I will tell you that I am as confident as ever, that someday, long after I m gone obviously, this will have been the first crucial step in the absolutely tremendous internationalization of this sport. At some point in life, you ve got to rise above your own selfish interest. If this sport is to go to the heights we have to do, you can t let your own myopic interest guide you.

And just then, a huge metal hatch opens above his head and we see a giant missile pointed toward the U.S. Yes, that is evil super genius monologuing if we've ever heard it. If the reporter had let his tape recorder run a little longer, we're certain we would have heard: "We're really not so different, are we Mr. Bond?"

Bud To Yanks: It's a Bad Sign [New York Daily News]