Condi would not have to decline. The article was quoting her spokesman saying she would decline if the position were offered.
Your complaint that her having been Secretary of State would somehow be detrimental does not stand up, I think. Commissioner is a highly political job (not in the sense of dealing with government though it can be that too as you point out with baseball), and it requires political skills. Baseball's great, and first, commissioner was a Federal Judge. Many politicians have been involved in sports.
I agree that Congress should stay out of baseball, but I fail to see how that has anything to do with Condi. I might have to object on the grounds she is Browns fan, however.
