Mike Greenberg launches campaign to become MLB commissioner: ‘I’m not kidding.’

With MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announcing plans to retire in Jan. 2029, Mike Greenberg is already campaigning to be his successor.

Apparently, Greenberg likes baseball. You wouldn’t know it by watching Get Up or listening to him on ESPN Radio, but that’s par for the course when it comes to talking baseball on national sports shows. Earlier this week, however, Greenberg did mention baseball on his ESPN Radio show when he claimed to want Manfred’s job in five years.

“You may remember, that back in the early 20-teens when it was frequently talked about that Bud was going to step away from that job, that we ran a campaign where I felt I should become the next commissioner of baseball,” Greenberg said. “There was nothing jokey about it. Some may have perceived it as jokey, but I was doing nothing of the kind.

“I would like to state now for the record,” Greenberg continued. “I’m throwing my hat in the ring. I would like to be the next commissioner of baseball and I will tell you why. I think I would do an outstanding job.

“I’m not kidding, I really think I would be a great commissioner. I think I have an understanding of a great many different elements of the business. I have a true love of the sport. I would represent the fans first and foremost, but with an understanding of the limitations that exist on that. I’ll continue to make this case as we go, but I’m telling you right now, I want the gig.”

That’s not really telling us “why.” If Greeny is serious about giving up his ESPN responsibilities in five years to succeed Manfred as Major League Baseball’s commissioner, he’ll have to do it on a stronger platform than, “I think I would do an outstanding job. I’m not kidding, I really think I would be a great commissioner.” But he has time to figure that out.

For someone like Greenberg who already holds jobs prominent enough to make him one of the foremost faces of ESPN, this is the second time in the last month that he campaigned for his next gig. Not more than three three weeks after Greenberg pitched himself to host a hypothetical podcast with Bill Belichick and Nick Saban, the ESPN personality is onto the next one.

As farfetched as it is to believe MLB owners are even remotely interested in Greenberg as the sport’s next commissioner, there’s one glaring reason why he’ll never fit the mold. Fans hate commissioners. And like most people, Greenberg cares about his perception.

Fans hate Roger Goodell, they hate Gary Bettman, they hate Rob Manfred, they hated Bud Selig and they’re going to hate the next talking figurehead chosen by team owners to represent the sport. That’s not the type of attention Greenberg seeks.

[ESPN Radio]