The 10 most memorable moments of Bud Selig's career as commissioner

Bud Selig's remarkable 22-year run as commissioner of Major League Baseball comes to an end Saturday, but the imprint he leaves behind promises to loom large long after he's gone.

From scandal to innovation, and everything in between, baseball won't soon forget Selig's time in office. 

Before welcoming MLB's 10th commissioner, Rob Manfred, we count down the 10 most memorable moments from Selig's career:

1992 - Acting commissioner/expansion

After leading a group of owners in the removal of Fay Vincent, Selig assumes the role of acting commissioner. Three months later he would oversee the expansion draft for the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies (approved before his ascension to power).

MLB expanded from 26 teams to 30 during Selig's tenure, including the addition of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the 1998 season (and subsequent move of the Milwaukee Brewers franchise - which was still owned by Selig's family - from the National to the American League).

1994 - Central Divisions

Selig had several big changes approved ahead of his second full season as commissioner, beginning with division realignment. MLB expanded from four divisions to six for the 1994 season by adding the Central to each league. Over the next 20 years there would be minor realignment to the divisions. The most significant move shuffled the Houston Astros from the NL to the AL in 2013, balancing out the league for the first time since 1997.

1994 - Strike/World Series canceled

Selig calls it his biggest regret as commissioner: the longest work stoppage (948 games) in baseball history resulted in the cancellation of the World Series for the first time since 1904. Though the owners' hard-line stance eventually led to the advent of revenue sharing, MLB suffered a tremendous loss of revenue and popularity due to the strike.

No team had more to lose than the Montreal Expos, who had the best record in baseball and second-lowest payroll. A decade later, Selig would help facilitate the sale and subsequent relocation of the Expos to Washington.

1995, 2012 - Expanded playoffs

MLB approved the addition of two more playoff berths - one in each league - by establishing the wild card prior to the 1994 season. As a result of the strike, the expanded format didn't come into effect until 1995, but in its first year, fans were treated to a thrilling best-of-five Division Series between the Seattle Mariners and wild-card entrant New York Yankees. 

Selig would later oversee the implementation of two additional wild card berths  - increasing the number of postseason teams to 10 - and the single-elimination wild-card game for the 2012 season. The change intensified the playoff race and has resulted in some of the most exciting sudden-death games in recent memory. 

1996 - Revenue sharing

Though the revenue sharing program has gone through several iterations since it was introduced in 1996, it remains one of Selig's greatest contributions. Due to the absence of a salary cap, the revenue sharing model and competitive balance tax have helped small-market teams in their efforts to compete with big-spending clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Together with the explosion of local and national broadcast deals and the establishment of MLBAM, the sport is thriving economically like never before.

1997 - Interleague play

For the first time in baseball history, teams from the AL and NL competed against each other during the regular season. The inaugural game was played between the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers on June 12 (SF won 4-3), and the format has continued since, to mixed results.

2002 - All-Star Game ends in a tie

In one of his career's most controversial decisions, Selig ended the 2002 All-Star Game in a 7-7 tie after both teams ran out of available pitchers. Baseball stumbled into the new millennium with the Steroid Era and threat of another work stoppage, but if there's one lasting image of Selig's early 21st century struggles, it was the commissioner huddled up with the umpire crew (2:45:15 mark of video) in the 11th inning of the Midsummer Classic.

The following year, and every season since, the winner of the All-Star Game has been awarded home-field advantage in the World Series.

2005 - Selig, MLB stars testify on Capitol Hill

By 2005, the steroid scandal had become must-watch television. Three years prior, baseball was pressured by lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to implement a more strict drug-testing program than the current policy in place. Turns out it wasn't good enough.

Subsequent revelations from the BALCO scandal (involving Barry Bonds) and Jose Canseco's tell-all book prompted yet another intervention by Congress - this time resulting in several major leaguers receiving subpoenas to testify before the House Reform Committee. Selig's presence was voluntary. 

Other PED-related milestones during Selig's tenure included the investigative Mitchell Report (2007), Alex Rodriguez's 162-game suspension (2013) and HGH testing (2014).

2007 - Selig doesn't attend Bonds's record-breaking game

For Selig and so-called baseball purists, the Steroid Era hit rock bottom when Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's all-time home run mark. While Selig was in San Diego for the record-tying 755th home run - with his hands in his pockets and sitting in his seat at the time - he chose not to attend when the Giants slugger broke Aaron's revered mark. Selig, to this day, suggests Aaron is still baseball's home run king.

2008, 2014 - Instant Replay

Despite claiming to have never sent an email, Selig helped baseball out of the dark age with instant replay in 2008. The system was initially restricted to home runs and boundary calls, but expanded to include a challenge system for most types of plays beginning in 2014. 

Selig's final gift to baseball was this hilarious reaction to awkward "Chevy Guy"'s MVP presentation to Madison Bumgarner. Cheers: this Bud's for you.