And then there were three - three finalists to success Bud Selig as commissioner of Major League Baseball. Good thing, too, because the new commissioner is expected to be named next week during an MLB owners meeting at Baltimore. Owners are scheduled to vote on Aug. 14 with candidates needing 23 of 30 votes to get the job.

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Selig, 79, announced last fall that he was leaving the job when his contract ends next January. Former owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, Selig was named acting commissioner in 1992 and permanent commissioner in 1994. He guided MLB through a devastating 1994 labor dispute, then oversaw changes in the game including interleague play, additional playoff teams, introduction of the World Baseball Classic, instant replay, and perhaps most importantly, the financial resurgence of the game.

Sources say the three finalists are Tom Werner, Boston Red Sox chairman; Tim Brosnan, MLB executive vice-president for business; and Rob Manfred, MLB chief operating officer. Manfred was recently promoted by Selig and is believed to be the frontrunner. However, several owners, according to reports, including Arte Moreno of the Los Angeles Angels and Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox, oppose Manfred and have been promoting Werner.

Manfred has been Selig's top aide over the years and was labor relations chief for MLB since 1999, an era of good labor relations. He was the go-to person for big issues including the introduction of drug testing, revenue sharing and the contentious sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Werner made his mark in television as showrunner for such classics as "The 70s Show" and "The Cosby Show." He owned the San Diego Padres before becoming part of the Boston Red Sox ownership group in 2002.

Brosnan has been a key official at MLB since 1991. He has been involved with sponsorship, licensing and broadcasting issues along with the World Baseball Classic.

Baseball's commissioner search committee did a thorough job of looking at candidates from outside baseball and within before making the final three recommendations. Owners will vote as many times as needed to name a commissioner  should nobody get the required 23 votes on the first ballot.

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