Tony Massarotti: 'If Tom Werner Can Be Commissioner Of Baseball, I Could Be President ... Of Germany'
BOSTON (CBS) -- When news came down in the late afternoon of Tuesday that Red Sox chairman Tom Werner was one of three finalists to be the next Major League Baseball commissioner, it was a bit of a surprise. Well, that's putting it lightly. It was pretty shocking.
If it had been Larry Lucchino's name in the mix, it would have made a lot more sense, as Lucchino's brash style and baseball acumen would make him a good fit for the job.
But Werner? As part of the ownership group, the former television executive has handled much of the entertainment aspect of the Red Sox, but he's never come across as the baseball brains of the operation.
As such, the reaction on Felger & Mazz was one of hilarious laughter.
"So you've heard the reports today," Michael Felger said, with audible laughter taking place in the background. "Major League Baseball has narrowed their list of finalists to replace Bud Selig as baseball commissioner down to three: Rob Manfred, [Selig's] current No. 2 at the Major League Baseball office. Who's the second one, Beetle?"
"Tim Brosnan, he's the vice president of business for Major League Baseball," Marc Bertrand said.
Tony Massarotti, fighting off the giggles, finished the list: "And Shemp!"
"If Tom Werner can be the commissioner of baseball," Mazz said, before losing himself to high-pitched laughter and then restarting. "If Tom Werner can be the commissioner of baseball, I could be president. Of Germany."
Mazz added: "If he's the next commissioner? Boy, the game's in trouble."
Bertrand analyzed the situation as the Red Sox' ownership group doing Werner a favorite, to help him prove his worth.
"This is the Red Sox taking Tom Werner to go get some ice cream," Bertrand said, "[and saying] 'We're going to make you a finalist, you're going to be a big deal, it's going to be out there that you're being considered for the job. You have no shot of getting it, but you're going to be considered. You're going to be a finalist."
Mazz concluded: "It just doesn't fit, man. It does not fit. That's all."
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