The Hall of Fame's Presidential Campaign

No matter where I go in the Cooperstown area, I'm asked the inevitable question of the month: who will be the next Hall of Fame president? To be perfectly honest, I really have no idea--but that could change in the coming days. Several sources tell me that interim Hall president Jeff Idelson has the inside track, assuming that he is interested in the position. But at least one reliable source believes that the Hall of Fame will select someone from outside of the organization, as it has with its last two presidential selections, Dale Petroskey and Don Marr. Either way, the Hall of Fame will officially begin its search next Monday, with the goal of having someone in place well before the July 27th Induction Ceremony.

Who are some of the possible successors to Petroskey? Two names come to mind. One is Ted Sizemore, the former major league second baseman who has become a successful executive with Rawlings and was very interested in the Hall's presidency in 1999, when Marr was let go at the end of his five-year contract. The other name is Andy Strasberg, a former major league executive with the Padres who has been active as a Hall of Fame consultant and confidante over the years.

I'm sure that at some point we'll hear the names of Bob Costas and Joe Morgan, but that isn't likely to happen. As mainstays at NBC and ESPN, respectively, they would have to give up lucrative broadcasting positions in order to take the job and avoid any potential conflicts of interest--and that just isn't likely to happen.