The Dodgers have had back-to-back nationally televised games on ESPN this week. For a "large market" team, they don't receive as much publicity as the East Coast teams. However, they've made plenty asplash this season with the hiring of Joe Torre, their reluctance to trade rookies, and their botched free agent signings. Frank McCourt, their over-aggressive team owner was an avid Red Sox fan before buying the Dodgers in 2004. Watching the Dodgers on TV is like watching a Red Sox reunion team. I can't believe how many ex-Soxers have worn a Dodgers' jersey since McCourt has taken over control of this team:
- Manny Ramirez, LF
- Derek Lowe, SP
- Nomar Garciaparra, IF
- Shea Hillenbrand, IF
- Grady Little, Mgr.
- David Wells, SP
- Bill Mueller, 3B
- Hideo Nomo, SP
2006, 2005 and earlier
Note: J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo both fled the Dodgers during the 2006-2007 offseason for the Red Sox. McCourt didn't mind.
The Dodgers are a prime case of why teams should only be sold to local ownership. It doesn't augment the situation either that McCourt is a "hands on" owner, constantly meddling in contract negotiations and trades (nixing a proposed deal for CC Sabathia). His dumbfounded move of firing Paul DePodesta (the unheralded star of the book, Moneyball) after his 2-year stint, and subsequently replacing him with the incompentent, former Giants rival, Asst. GM Ned Coletti, ranks as one of the stupidest moves in the 21st century. It's shown its repercussions already in the free agent world -- Andruw Jones, Juan Pierre, Nomar Garciaparra, etc. McCourt, please don't ruin this storied franchise with your meddlesome ways. If you have to, sell the team and become a minority owner of the Red Sox. Word out of Boston is that Larry Lucchino will be departing (to San Diego?) at season's end because he cannot coexist with GM Theo Epstein. The spot vacated could be yours, Frankie.
3 comments:
Who Cares? Seriously, who cares? LA is one of those cities that doesn't really have local ties like other places. And by that I mean its a mecca for folks to move to. Its not a close knit town like a Boston or Chicago (I'm staying with the large market teams here) or even New York. New York is another place where hundreds of thousands of people re-locate to, but its also got a bunch of locals living in the boroughs.
Anyway, he'll never be as bad an owner as your very own Baltimorons owner, at least he cares. He'll learn about meddling at some point. Even Dan Snyder is getting there.
What a carpetbagger.
I concur!
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