Bud Selig: MLB didn't know Biogenesis documents were stolen

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig on Tuesday said Major League Baseball had no knowledge documents it obtained in the Alex Rodriguez Biogenesis investigation had been stolen. Newsday reported Sunday that MLB ignored repeated warnings by Florida investigators and law enforcement officials not to buy the files.

"Our people have adamantly denied it," Selig told reporters in Manhattan, where the retiring commissioner was being honored by the National Museum of American Jewish History. "In fact I talked again to people and I'm telling you it isn't true."

According to Florida investigators and an April police report obtained by Newsday, MLB investigator Ed Dominguez was specifically told by a Florida investigator not to buy the records. Dominguez and four others who worked for MLB in the Biogenesis probe were recently fired by the league. Selig said the shake-up was unrelated to any accusations against the investigators. "It really didn't," he said. "It's a much broader thing that we're going to do with those departments. It's a fair question, but it had nothing to do with it."

Selig also was asked about a New York Times report Monday saying Saul Katz, who owns a majority share of the Mets along with brother-in-law Fred Wilpon, is looking to divest his portion of the team because of financial losses. "I think I've been very clear on that," Selig said. "I have said this repeatedly. I have no [financial] concerns about the Mets. I have no reason to have any concerns about the Mets. I'm very optimistic about what they're doing. I read the story. It was adamantly denied. They [the Mets] have so told me and I just I have no concerns.

"People keep telling me I should have concerns. They have an excellent farm system; I have a lot of faith in Sandy Alderson. I've talked a lot to him. I have a lot of faith in the Wilpons and the only people telling me to have concerns are people who don't know and haven't seen any facts."

Selig said he had no knowledge that Katz might be interested in selling his portion. "I've never heard it," he said. "I know nothing about it. I don't believe there is. Saul denies it and the Mets deny it. Major League Baseball has all the economic information and this idea that I should have reason to be concerned is just wrong. I don't know how else to say it. I've said it before and I'll say it again."

Selig was also asked if he has concerns that the Mets may be losing too much money. "No, there isn't. I don't understand all these stories because I have all the economic facts, nothing to support that. I've never heard one word from another owner about the Mets. Never heard one word. And one thing about it, I hear all the gossip every day."

Fred Wilpon, Katz's partner in the team, refused to discuss the matter, saying, "I'm not going to get involved in that information."