Bud Selig confirms appointment of Dodgers trustee, investigation into club finances
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig announced Wednesday that his office will assume control of the Dodgers' operations. Owner Frank McCourt needed a personal loan from Fox in order to meet the Dodgers' payroll last week.
The official statement from Commissioner Bud Selig:
"Pursuant to my authority as Commissioner, I informed Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt today that I will appoint a representative to oversee all aspects of the business and the day-to-day operations of the Club. I have taken this action because of my deep concerns regarding the finances and operations of the Dodgers and to protect the best interests of the Club, its great fans and all of Major League Baseball. My office will continue its thorough investigation into the operations and finances of the Dodgers and related entities during the period of Mr. McCourt's ownership. I will announce the name of my representative in the next several days. The Dodgers have been one of the most prestigious franchises in all of sports, and we owe it to their legion of loyal fans to ensure that this club is being operated properly now and will be guided appropriately in the future."
ALSO:
Selig expected to take over Dodgers' financial operations
Dodgers hire developer Steve Soboroff as vice chairman
If the fans don't come, does that really mean Frank McCourt goes?
-- Bill Shaikin
Photo: Commissioner of major league baseball, Bud Selig. Credit: Chris Morrison / US Presswire
Praise be to the Great Dodger in the sky!
Posted by: SmackSaw | 04/20/2011 at 02:54 PM
Not a moment too soon...the sooner Selig can get McCourt out, and get the Dodgers in the hands of someone with the financial and mental faculties required to run a major league baseball team, the better.
Posted by: Mac | 04/20/2011 at 03:00 PM
Mr. Selig, TEAR DOWN THIS OWNER!!
Posted by: Labeldude | 04/20/2011 at 03:05 PM
It's about time! Go back to Boston McCourt! We want local ownership!
Posted by: Joe | 04/20/2011 at 03:06 PM
Finally we get this Clown Mccourt Out of LA. Now we can have an owner more concerned about winning rather than having a Vanity Asset. Divorce Documents revealed that he planned to reduce payroll since he bought the team, while lying to the fans saying he wont reduce payroll. What a Classless chump...The 2nd largest Market and the Team with the HIGHEST attendance should field a decent payroll!!!! Good Riddance! We now need a LOCAL owner with LA pride!
Posted by: DodgerFAN YJ | 04/20/2011 at 03:07 PM
Until Frank sells and turns over the keys for good....
.
It ain't over 'till it's over!
Posted by: Yogi Berra | 04/20/2011 at 03:12 PM
My fingers are crossed that the McCourt reign is coming to an end. One can only hope!
Posted by: Champs in 63 | 04/20/2011 at 03:13 PM
shock and awe
hope it works out well for us...just one step of many that need to happen.
Posted by: alanw19 | 04/20/2011 at 03:26 PM
Shakespeare said, "See, sons, what things you are,
How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object"
It is a sad day for this once proud franchise. For all the greats who came before, and for those who will now abandon the team, "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their team.
Let all true Dodger fans stand with it in the face of this un-accidental insult.
Posted by: William | 04/20/2011 at 03:27 PM
FINALLY
Posted by: Blake | 04/20/2011 at 03:30 PM
Thank you Mr Selig! I can go back to rooting for my team. Good riddance Frank! Thanks for turning one of mlb's greatest franchises into a penny-pinching, never-pursuing top free agents irrelevant mediocre ball club. Hopefully this puts the Dodgers headed back into the right direction.
Posted by: Robert Craig | 04/20/2011 at 03:30 PM
It's not over yet! We still need to get rid of Mccourt as owner.
The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner
Address: 245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
City: New York, State: NY Zip Code: 10167
Phone: 212-931-7800
Fax: 212-949-5654
Posted by: DG | 04/20/2011 at 03:35 PM
I blame Bud for selling to the McCourts in the first place, we all knew they did not have the money in the first place. Bud should have taken an interest in their finances before approving the sale went through.
Posted by: Michael | 04/20/2011 at 03:38 PM
Steve,
You and your colleagues at the Times are to be commended for your rightful and relentless reportage and criticisms of the McCourt regime. I think you deserve a Pulitzer.
And I use "regime," quite deliberately. The parallels to the agitation in Tunisia, Egypt, and elsewhere seem hyperbolic, but in the fullness of time, all of Major League Baseball's brass, like so many oil sheiks, will tremble.
Despite their power and money, the appearance of invulnerability, and the OPEC-like nature of MLB's stewardship, they must yield to the will of the people, and they ignore fans at their peril.
This is why Selig is finally taking over the Dodgers. Through one dictator's callousness, the entire privileged cabal has been destabilized.
The learning point: Any team can be boycotted, at any time, with radical results, for the better.
Posted by: Striker | 04/20/2011 at 03:39 PM
As a Dodger fan, I think it's tragic that the franchise is victim to the nasy business of a high profile devorce that is showing the Dodgers to be little more than a financial pawn in all of this. My wish is that Tommy Lasorda be brought out and appointed tempory CEO. He is the only exec I trust bleeds Dodger Blue. I think, from the players to the coaches, to management, Tommy has been there and done that. I just feel he can surround himself with the right people capable of making the decisions to resurrect the winning spirit of Dodger Blue. Tommy is long retired, I know. Is it too much if we asked him to step up to mound one more time.
Posted by: hectorjay | 04/20/2011 at 03:43 PM
Thank you Bud! Glad to see someone has the best interests of the Dodgers in mind...it sure isn't the owners!! If you can't get Peter O'Malley to oversee the team, how 'bout Peter Ueberroth!!!
Posted by: jim c | 04/20/2011 at 03:46 PM
Bye bye Frank...go back to Baw-ston!
Posted by: Billy | 04/20/2011 at 03:58 PM
Bud Selig, those kind of decisions make you look much more hansome and younger!!
Posted by: Carlos Martinez | 04/20/2011 at 04:32 PM
THE VERO BEACH CURSE LIVES!!! McCrap is toast...
Posted by: KoufaxFan | 04/20/2011 at 04:49 PM
This is the first time I've wanted to congratulate Bud Selig on anything. Shoot, it's the first time time he's done something right.
Posted by: k | 04/20/2011 at 04:59 PM
Who goofed? I've got to know!
Posted by: JH | 04/20/2011 at 04:59 PM
Imagine if he appoints Joe Torre?
Posted by: OldBrooklynFan | 04/20/2011 at 05:01 PM
Now just come home - to Brooklyn!
Posted by: Duke Snider, Jr. | 04/20/2011 at 05:16 PM
McCourt Shut Up and LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Dodger Steve | 04/20/2011 at 05:17 PM
GREAT news!!!..........maybe the Commish eventually will move "duds" to Montreal (once, lonnnnnnng ago, the club's top minor league/AAA locale),
& rename them the "Expos" (LMAO!)
Posted by: ColderInCanada | 04/20/2011 at 05:29 PM
Hey frank, I hear McDonalds is hiring
Posted by: Paul | 04/20/2011 at 05:41 PM
**Bud Selig announced Wednesday that his office will assume control of the Dodgers' operations.**
Kim Ng is now part of his office... It'll be great to have her back in Dodgers blue.
Posted by: appoint Kim Ng | 04/20/2011 at 07:30 PM
Is there a screenwriter out there following this? This script writes itself! As amusing and fascinating as this train wreck has become, I seriously hope Frank pulls his act together somehow (after selling the team, of course).
Posted by: steve | 04/20/2011 at 07:36 PM
Frank,
Looks like it's time to get back to Baahstan and start paarkin' karrs.
Take the bodyguard boffin' ex w/ ya !
Posted by: msuv | 04/20/2011 at 08:02 PM
Where do I submit my resume to be the representative?
Posted by: Mike Y | 04/21/2011 at 08:57 AM