The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that Lance Berkman has apparently apologized to Selig over the Extortion remarks.
Berkman:
"I basically apologized for using the word 'extortion.' I had a chance to tell him where I was coming from and he had a chance to explain where he was coming from."
Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt:
"I tried to explain the process and how it played out. The concept was endorsed by the (players') union to have two leagues with 15 teams in each. It was approved by a 30-0 vote of the owners. It's an unfair situation if you have a division like the National League Central, where you have to beat five teams to win it, compared to (the American League West) where you only have to beat three teams. It's more symmetrical — and much fairer — to have three five-team divisions in each league."
Berkman, on Selig - who was not happy:
"Several sources told me he was not pleased with my remarks. I didn't expect him to be. I knew he was going to be a little upset. Having read them and having some time to reflect, I realized there wasn't any need to be quite that over the top."
Now, if Berkman had said something along the lines of "No, it wasn't extortion. But coercion...?"
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
