Nightengale: Selig won't let Marlins owner off easy

• MLB commissioner Bud Selig knows how you feel South Florida
• Selig said Thursday he's reviewing the trade with the Blue Jays
• Selig can execute all sorts of actions to embarrass the Marlins owner

CHICAGO — Bud Selig knows how you feel South Florida.

He also feels like a sucker.

The commissioner and members of his office spent hours with Florida politicians lobbying for nearly a decade to get the Marlins a new ballpark. He pleaded with taxpayers to approve a sales tax to fund their new $634 million retractable-roof stadium, even with a $2.4 billion service debt.

Now, he finds out the same way you do that owner Jeffrey Loria is conducting yet another fire sale, shedding $160 million in salaries with his 12-player trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.

And you, as Marlins fans, can't do a damn thing but stay home and show your disgust by refusing to give Loria any more of your salary.

Selig's vengeance?

He is making Loria sweat.

Selig said Thursday he's reviewing the trade with the Blue Jays, giving the perception he's considering vetoing the deal.

"My job is to do what's in the best interests of baseball," Selig said. "People have different views of that, of what you should do, and how you should do it.

"I know what the commissioner can do, can't do, what his legal responsibilities are, and other things. I understand all of that. And in the end, I'll do what I've done in other past situations."

Selig, baseball's most powerful commissioner since Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis from 1921 to 1944, can execute all sorts of actions to embarrass Loria.

Remember that All-Star Game that was supposed to come to Miami in 2017? Hey, give it to Cincinnati. Make sure the Marlins never host the finals of the World Baseball Classic.

He just can't stop this trade.

He knows it. The owners know it. But hopefully Loria is so clueless that he doesn't know it.

Technically, Selig could implement his "best interests of the game" provision. But there hasn't been a trade blocked since Commissioner Bowie Kuhn stopped Oakland Athletics owner Charley Finley from selling several of his players in 1976.

Loria isn't selling his players and is even paying the Blue Jays $ 8million. He's just trading the high-priced players, with shortstop Jose Reyes being the only one actually worth his contract. The Marlins are getting back two major-league shortstops, a No. 3 starter and some prospects.

This really isn't a bad baseball trade for the Marlins, who finished last in the National League East with a $118 million opening-day payroll in 2012. It might even turn out as a stroke of genius. The Marlins have one of the best front-office staffs and the finest scouts in the business.

It's just the timing is terrible, considering Loria's history of similar salary dumps.

"I am aware of the anger," Selig said. "I have a great sensitivity to fans and people in areas. Remember, my career started because the Milwaukee Braves went to Atlanta, and I never forgot the hurt that I felt.

"So, I've lived through it."

Selig soothed that pain by purchasing the bankrupt Seattle Pilots in 1970 and moving them to his hometown of Milwaukee.

He'll appease himself this time by making Loria's life as uncomfortable as possible until the day he sells the franchise, or Selig retires.

The retribution started Thursday.