Cross Bud Selig off David Wells' X-Mas list

Wells lost his appeal so his 6-game suspension will not be reduced. I had never been so happy for a rain delay because I just got to watch David Wells lambast the commissioner for 30 minutes. I'll try to find the full transcript later, but here's some highlights:

• "I've been tested three times this year, but it's obvious that there's guys getting away with doing it," Wells said. "And he's not doing a thing."
• "I guess that gives umpires a reason to do whatever the hell they want to do," Wells said, adding that he thought he was pushing teammate Kevin Millar, who was trying to restrain him. "It's a sad day for me. ... I don't get it. I'm very bitter about the situation."
• Of Watson, the well-respected former Astros [and Yankee] All-Star, Wells said: "I don't even know why he played, because it's like he's against the players."
• "I'm really holding back because I've got a lot of negative things to say," he said. "I can't wait to win the World Series and have Bud Selig come up there [with the trophy]. I really can't. Who knows what will come out then."
• "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise," he said. "I can't miss a game or I'm out a big chunk of money. I wouldn't mind losing that money if I was in the wrong. But I look back at the video and I wasn't wrong."

During the interview, they replayed the argument over and over. First, the only contact I saw was Wells pushing into Millar inadvertently into an umpire. Maybe that gets you six games, but there's no rhyme or reason to punishments in baseball.

Then I noticed this. Three players and an umpire separated Wells from Macho Man Chris Guccione. Macho Man Guccione is on the other side of the blockade screaming at pointing at Wells. If baseball had any integrity, Guccione would have been fired the next day. Only in baseball can a man in that position get away with behavior like this.

Now contrast this incident with what happened with Greg Maddux on Saturday against the Marlins. After two straight close pitches were called balls, Maddux "showed up" the umpire and demonstratively screamed obscenities right at the homeplate umpire. His display made Wells initial reaction to the close calls look tame. So what did the umpires do? Nothing. The second base umpire didn't even run into save the day!

The result of good umpiring. I got to watch a good Cubs/Marlins game, and Greg Maddux doesn't have to worry about a suspension.