Canseco saga has possibilities

The baseball world may not be a better place with Jose Canseco in it, but it certainly is more interesting.

Canseco played just one game in his return and has already struck out three times, given some weird steroid hot-potato speech, compared Major League Baseball commissioner's office to the Mafia and been traded.

Baseball purists are trying their best to ignore the Jose Canseco Fiasco. At MinorLeagueDugout.com, we revel in the idiocy.

Canseco played for the San Diego Surf daisy of the independent Golden Baseball League, a six team league which features a traveling Japanese team.

After his 3K debut, Canseco requested a trade. The Juice reportedly didn't realize his nine year old daughter would be living with him this summer. The trade to the Long Beach Armada allows Canseco to live in his Los Angeles house, making it easier to look after his daughter. Or is it the other way around?

Is this whole situation good for baseball? Probably not. But think of the potential.

Some team has to give away free juice boxes when the Pumped One comes to town. How about bringing few lucky fans onto the field to practice heading balls over the outfield wall? Certainly a Madonna look-a-like contest/kissing booth isn't out of the question.

It's hard to imagine Canseco's comeback lasting very long. He'll pull an appendix or tweak a tonsil. Can't recover quickly from something like that without a little needle knocking.

And in the Golden Baseball League, at least he's not taking a spot from some kid who has a legitimate shot at reaching the major leagues. Maybe the attention he brings to the Golden Baseball League will make the league financially viable.

If that's the case, it's worth putting up with his antics – and even reveling in them.