Devil's Advocate: Why Bud Selig Wants No Piece of Barry Bonds

This is the major debate as Barry Bonds approaches his date with history.

And it has little to do with Bonds.

The issue here is a simple one: Will MLB Commissioner Bud Selig be on hand when Bonds launches homer number 756?

Selig, for his part, has dodged the question as Barry has inched closer to Hank Aaron's mark. Most fans and analysts agree that Bud should be there for the big day. The case for his absence is less clear.

Some apologists speculate that Selig doesn't want to follow Bonds from city to city waiting for him to break the record. Other observers believe his reticence comes out of respect for his good friend Aaron, who has himself said he won't be present for the passing of the torch.

The real reason the Commissioner doesn't want anything to do with Bonds, though, is far less noble:

Bud is trying to save his own ass.

I know it's not a popular pastime in the baseball world these days but let s be honest here.

There's no way Selig was unaware of the increasing prevalence of steroids in baseball in the late 90s. His failure to nip the problem in the bud was born of the same motivation that has caused people in power to "look the other way" for as long as there has been an other way to look:

Greed.

Sex sells. So do home runs. The saying isn't "chicks dig the long ball" for nothing. The casual fan doesn't want to see a 1-0 pitchers' duel. Sluggers put fans in the seats and money in MLB's pocket.

And Bud? He let players like Bonds use the juice because it improved his bottom line. He changed his tune when Congress threatened to step in and clean up baseball itself...but by then it was too late.

Now, with Bonds set to break the most hallowed record in the game, there's a storm brewing on Selig's doorstep. The Commish understands that his legacy is in jeopardy—and knows well enough to seek shelter wherever he can find it.

The only problem: There aren't many places left to hide.

You've made your bed, Bud.

It's time to lie in it.