Housecleaning of those with ties to Jamie McCourt continues

A merit firing, if you will, isn't something to be upset about. But when half a dozen Dodger employees are fired apparently because the person who hired them fell out of favor ... well, it's not like I know any other details that might have been factors, but one starts to wonder.

From The Times:

Six front-office employees who were hired by former Dodgers vice president Charles Steinberg were fired. They were public relations officers Mark Rogoff and Drew Merle, vice president of creative services Tom Catlin, graphics manager Courtney Cowsill, fan services and hospitality director Jahaan Blake and supervisor of the Ambassadors program Alyssa Shuman.

Steinberg, who was hired by Jamie McCourt, was essentially fired by the team last month by her estranged husband, owner Frank McCourt.

I got to meet Steinberg, Rogoff and Merle, and wish them the best.

In other news, Ronnie Belliard, Orlando Hudson, Doug Mientkiewicz, Randy Wolf, Jon Garland and Eric Milton filed for free agency, as expected.

Comments

[DL]

The Dodgers' front office is absolutely radioactive right now. What a circus.

[Jon Weisman]

Also another new post above this one.

[Craig88USC]

Andruw Jones, Jason Schmidt, and Juan Pierre? :)

Posted by: nsxtasy | November 06, 2009 at 06:34 AM

Good? :)

Posted by: Craig88USC | November 06, 2009 at 06:41 AM

Actually 1 out of 3, NSX:

Pierre + Good 2009 = .308 (.365 OBP) while leading the team with 8
triples and 2nd to Kemp with 30 stolen bases - while playing part time
mostly. Juan also commited 1 error in the outfield - so that was bad. ;)

Schmidt = injured (lesson learned, I hope)

Jones = lazy (numbers had been trending lower, again lesson learned, hopefully)

Bottom line, the Dodgers made fewer bad judgement calls than most teams; hence our success.
(See my top-10 list: "McCourt's Defense" in the last thread) :)

[Bob93065]

This is just going to be an ugly winter... fasten those seatbelts.

[Craig88USC]

They just need to heed Tammy Wynette's wishes

(or replace Journey's Don't Stop Believin' with it) -

"I love you both and it will be pure H.E double L for me
Oh, I wish that we could stop this D.I.V.O.R.C.E."

[Rob McMillin]

Man, I can't believe I haven't updated this list in four years:

http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/2005/11/doomsday-list.html

It was pretty damned long at the time. I really should clean it up.

[Briano]

Jon, or anyone one else who has the answers, why was Steinberg fired? This guy was terrific. I talked to him back in August and he "got it". He understood that the Dodgers have arguably the most storied past in all of baseball. He wanted the Hall of Fame out in Centerfield, He and his people (he told me) were doing what they could possibly to bring Mike Piazza back into the organization in some capacity. There was an overall reverence for the Dodger mystique by Dr. Steinberg. He will be missed. But I would love to hear what happened.

[Jon Weisman]

Deleted scene from last night's Office.

http://www.officetally.com/double-date-deleted-scenes

[Jon Weisman]

He was fired because he was a Jamie hire.

[Linkmeister]

We live in an enlightened age. In mid-20th century, such a purge would have involved putting these employees on trains to a gulag; now they're simply cut loose to fend for themselves.

Sheesh. This is a mess.

[Tom J.]

The firings make perfect sense in the overall context of things, which is why this divorce has the potential to be very bad for the team.

The divorce is ugly and going to get uglier, and Mr. McC needs to put a large boundary between the Dodger organization and Mrs. McC. The last thing he needs is someone on the inside passing info in or out of the organization.

I hope that Mr. McC was fair about severance pay and continued benefits.

[ANONYMOUS1]

The people mentioned got hired for the same reason they got fired. They came over from Boston with Dr. Steinberg, they were given elaborate titles, they were promoted over other worthy candidates for no better reason than they were "Dr. Charles' people". Once Dr. Charles left the building, everyone knew who was next.

Fact is the Boston contingent that came over with Dr. Steinberg caused a rift in the Dodger front office. The aura of superiority they had, didn't appeal to many of the Dodger staffers that have been there and had put in their time. Many refused to assimilate with Dodger staffers and instead formed cliques.

A lot of good people left the organization when this group came in prior to the 2008 season. I am sure most will land on their feet wherever Dr. Steinberg lands, as they are often referred to as his entourage.

Bottom line is most of these "Boston" staffers failed to pull their weight.

Problem with Dr. Steinberg is that he tried to make the Dodgers into the Boston Dodgers. He was full of hot gas and empty promises, and he absolutely killed anything resembling a budget.

There are a couple of good people in that group, and they will be missed. However, can't say the same for all of them.

Good Luck to them.

[Genre]

This really blows. Just when it seemed the Dodgers were gaining a semblance of stability, this embarassing mess.

Here's hoping a deep-pocketed civic leader (e.g. Eli Broad) gets a chance to save our team from these parasites.

[George Mitrovich]

I know everyone of the individuals fired by the Dodgers – and I know them well.

They are talented baseball people and terrific human beings. They were fired for one reason; they followed Charles Steinberg from Boston to Los Angeles, from the Red Sox to the Dodgers – and for no other reason!

Their firings reveal that Frank McCourt is a malevolent man, unworthy of the ownership of one of the storied franchises in America’s game.

It’s true, of course, that most baseball fans have little interest in what happens in the front office, but in this instance they should because what’s transpiring at Dodger Stadium is a precursor of even uglier days ahead – and the on-field product will be affected.

Finally, as it relates to the posting of “ANONYMOUS1”, let that person know, whoever he or she is, that there is no regard for anyone who make such comments and then hides behind them by being anonymous.

But the greater blames lies with The Times. Such drivel should not printed without attribution.

[Leona]

I stand firmly behind George Mitrovich and vehemently disagree with ANONYMOUS1. The people who were fired where extraordinarily dedicated and competent executives. They gave their hearts and souls to the Dodger organization. The tragedy of what happened Thursday will never be fully understood by most, given their lack of proximity to the situation. The Charles Steinberg team brought a care factor for the Dodger fan base that the Dodgers haven't seen since the O'Malley's owned them. They didn't just care, they delivered in a big way and their absences WILL be felt.

[Don Perkins]

Frank's definitely is in control of the Dodgers however the judge will have the last say about the community property and how it is split. So where is the monies coming from to settle the 50/50 property settlement. Mark Cuban just hang around you may windup with the Dodgers after all.

[ANONYMOUS1]

Go ahead and dismiss it as "drivel".

Just because you knew most of these individuals personally, it has clearly clouded your judgment.

Is it fair how they got fired? No. Is it fair how they got their position in the first place? No.

They got their jobs when Dr. Steinberg came on board, as stated previously, and when Dr. Steinberg was let go it was no surprise that these individuals followed him out the door much like they followed him in the door.

A couple of individuals WILL be missed, however, the same can't be said for everyone.

"The tragedy that occurred Thursday...." I hope you are referring to what happened in Ft. Hood. That is a tragedy. Put it in perspective.

The executives that were let go and the employees that were passed up when this group came in was also extraordinary and dedicated.

It is just the way the ball bounces.

I have no doubt that the executives currently in place will right the ship.

Take that for what it's worth.

[Leona]

Anonymous1:

Seriously, you've invested way too much with your two 11 paragraph bitterness-charged posts to try and lecture others on perspective. People with bills to pay and mouths to feed losing their jobs for reasons you've admitted were unfair during economic times such as these is very much tragic in deed. We can agree to disagree on semantics , big deal. Your bitter words do very little to counteract the fact that these people clearly proved themselves exceptional enough to be brought over by Dr. Steinberg in the first place. No rational person would assign any magnitude to your ongoing lamentation about their "crime" of stepping on YOUR toes.

And don't get me started on your gall to accuse anyone else of lacking objectivity. You clearly have something personal at stake and that hasn't escaped our notice.

[ANONYMOUS1]

Poor Leona,

Unfortunately I understand the nature of the beast. I know how the industry that I chose to work in....actually works. It is competitive, cold hearted, unfair and often unrewarding.

Bitter, please. It happens every off season, last season almost the entire sales staff got let go. It is almost expected. I'm just giving some insight into what brought about the dismissals.

It isn't as unfair or as "tragic" as some are making it to be.

They did prove to be exceptional to Dr. Steinberg, and he did bring them over. I'm also sure he will take them wherever he lands (Rumor says Washington).

I'm surprised that TJ Simers is the only writer to point out the revolving door that is the Dodgers head of Communications. From Derrick Hall to Camille Johnston to Dr. Steinberg. All exceptional in their own right but for some reason or another not the right fit.

Step on my toe's. It's hard to step on toe's that are not physically there. I'm no longer a part of the front office. Moved on to greener pastures.

I have failed to convey that what I said is not entirely what I believe, but of what others have said. Also, I respect Jon and I am a longtime reader of Dodger Thoughts and enjoy the blog, but to say that Dr. Steinberg was fired solely because he was a "Jamie hire" was incorrect. Many things led to his undoing.

If you want to put the "bitter" label on it go ahead, it is the truth, and it is painfully obvious that some people cannot handle the truth. Sorry for sounding like Jack.