L.A. leaders stunned by Dodgers takeover
Los Angeles leaders said they were stunned by Major League Baseball's decision to take over the finances of the Dodgers.
“It’s not a good day for the Dodgers, and that means it’s not a good day for L.A.” said county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “It’s rather extraordinary.... I don’t know if it’s deserved, particularly in the way that it’s happened.”
“In terms of the civic health of our region and many of the communities of which the Dodgers have been a part, it’s most unfortunate. This is a brand that is practically inseparable from Los Angeles’ identity,” he added.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has been an occasional presence in the McCourt box during games, declined to comment. But City Controller Wendy Greuel voiced surprise at the day’s events, saying she spoke to the Dodgers’ newly hired vice chairman, Steve Soboroff, earlier in the day and was given no hint that Major League Baseball was about to take action.
“I’m disappointed that the situation has come to this,” Greuel said. “As a lifelong Angeleno and a Dodgers fan, I would hope there would be stability so the Dodgers can focus on winning the World Series.”
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced Wednesday that his office would assume control of the financial operations of the Dodgers. The move comes after Dodgers owner McCourt needed a personal loan from Fox to meet the team's payroll.
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-- David Zahniser
Photo: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left, talks with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt before opening day at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
good, lets move forward. they would have never been able to put a dime in to the team
Posted by: gary | April 20, 2011 at 04:27 PM
So how many mansions did they sell to make the payroll? Why could they buy one of the oldest best managed teams in the world with no money? What happened to the money? Looks like the McCourts are typical pseudo rich nobodies playing with other peoples dreams and money. Sue the bastards.
Posted by: Jeff Chop | April 20, 2011 at 04:48 PM
yes there is a GOD THANK YOU
Posted by: JEREMIAH LOPEZ | April 20, 2011 at 04:49 PM
Target Mark Ridley-Thomas for defeat. Is he the only man in America defending Frank McCourt? Let me be blunt: not only is this a great day for the Dodgers - its a great day for Los Angeles.
Posted by: Hollywood Mark | April 20, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Anyone who is disappointed by this is so out of touch with Angelinos and Dodger fans they might as well be wearing Giants' black and orange.
Posted by: DonnieK | April 20, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Sub-prime Parking Lot Attendant attended by sub-par politicos.
Posted by: thealaskan | April 20, 2011 at 05:03 PM
“It’s not a good day for the Dodgers, and that means it’s not a good day for L.A.” said county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.....
psssh obviously someone who's a friend of the McCourt and not a friend of Dodger fans.
Posted by: super_asimo | April 20, 2011 at 05:04 PM
This is not a good day for LA, it's a GREAT day for LA!!! Wahoo! Send this
con man back to bean town and get the Dodger organization back to its
legendary status in MLB.
Posted by: Paul | April 20, 2011 at 05:04 PM
“It’s not a good day for the Dodgers, and that means it’s not a good day for L.A.” said county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “It’s rather extraordinary.... I don’t know if it’s deserved, particularly in the way that it’s happened.”
-----This dude is clearly high...or was getting massive perks from McCourt.....this is a GREAT day for LA....get this douche out of town and let someone who cares buy the Dodgers.
Posted by: mj | April 20, 2011 at 05:09 PM
This is absolutely a great day! This is like Eisenhower storming Normandy! We are free of the McCourts! As for the local politicians being shocked and stunned, this is typical. The McCourts have been awful from the beginning. Mark Ridley Thomas must be getting money from the McCourts. Anyone who doesnt think this is good is either a relative of the McCourts, on the payroll or ignorant
Posted by: Damien Valdespino | April 20, 2011 at 05:11 PM
stunned really ??? talk about out of touch with constituents...
Posted by: logan street | April 20, 2011 at 05:15 PM
boy. violence in the stadium, fans in comas and now this. And LA wants a football team? haha! I don't think they can handle it. No, on 2nd thought, bring back the Raiders! And you can invite the stupid rioting Lakers fans to the games.
Posted by: the Flying Dutchman | April 20, 2011 at 05:17 PM
The only one stunned is Tony V. as he won't get the freebies anymore.
Maybe someone from the 18st can run the team, eh Tony??
Posted by: sammy | April 20, 2011 at 05:20 PM
Of course the Mayor and Council would be surprised...they use many of the same accounting gimmicks to paper over the deficits!
Posted by: Karl in Burbank | April 20, 2011 at 05:21 PM
GOOD RIDDANCE!
Where will Jamie do her laundry?
Posted by: EmBee | April 20, 2011 at 05:22 PM
this is an absolutely outstanding day for both los angeles and the dodgers. anyone who would say otherwise clearly knows nothing about baseball and more importantly, the dodgers. the mccourts have mismanaged the team and absolutely tortured the city and the fans.
Posted by: John in Cupertino | April 20, 2011 at 05:23 PM
Happy Day! Dumb politicians...
Posted by: elab | April 20, 2011 at 05:26 PM
The thing that is most stunning are the comments by Mark Ridley-Thomas. Living proof that you can fool some of the people all of the time.
Posted by: skyharbor | April 20, 2011 at 05:27 PM
Can you say RECALL: county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. He clearly has no understanding of what has been happening to the Dodgers or this city. it is time for someone to audit him! Let's see him try to clarify his comments tommorrow. um err I didnt really mean that.
Posted by: Bob Anderson | April 20, 2011 at 05:28 PM
These idiots quoted in this story are not Dodger fans, or if they are they do not know what's going on: The team is being taken away by the lords of baseball (the other owners) because the carpetbagger McCourt, who Villragoisa is vacuously clueless about, has used the team as a personal ATM and they've drained the club dry! He had to borrow $30 million just to meet payroll---for an $800 million property.
The McCourts thought they'd won the lottery when Bud Selig awarded them the Dodgers, moved Granny in from Beantown, bringing her in sitting on the rocker up top the Hupmobile, painted the nude statues' pubic hair blond to match Jamie's bleached head, and generally acted like the louts they are. Sure enough, the Dodger well ran dry, Jamie ran off with the chauffeur and the divorce Revealed All. And now MLB has swooped in, like the cavalry to the rescue, to make sure the Dodgers meets its financial obligations. This is the clean-up crew, not the apocalypse! They'll man the storefront until a responsible owner can be awarded custody of the jewel.
This is all good, not gloom and doom. Help is on the way. Stop crying, Mr Mayor. And to the City Controller, who really ought to know better, under McCourt they could never have won the World Series, as the McCourts stole from the club the proceeds that then couldn't go to quality players. The stiffs McCourt has assembled this year couldn't win a beer league.
NOW we can keep our best players and dive into the free agent market next winter, under new, improved managment. We hope.
Posted by: Native Angeleno | April 20, 2011 at 05:30 PM
Yeah, I really don't understand why this is a bad day for the Dodgers. Is it a bad day for a cancer patient when the treatment starts - would they be better off without it? Grownups are finally taking responsibility for the team and baseball fans should be thankful.
Posted by: truther | April 20, 2011 at 05:31 PM
lets hope that NOW they move the team OUT of los angeles!!!! we dont need a baseball team like this....
Posted by: Borchy | April 20, 2011 at 05:39 PM
What planet is Mark Ridley-Thomas on?
Posted by: awareness | April 20, 2011 at 05:40 PM
the fact that mark ridley-thomas actually made a comment makes me want to puke...he's the reason the mccourts ever landed in l.a.
he was part of the group that was so in love with the coliseum to bring the nfl back that he told the o'malley family to stop considering building a football stadium adjacent to dodger stadium
it wasn't too long after that that o'malley put the dodgers up for sale & sold to fox who later sold to mccourt
just think mark, had you shut up we could have had the o'malleys, the dodgers and the nfl
Posted by: frank | April 20, 2011 at 05:44 PM
I disagree with Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. Removing McCourt's financial control of the Dodgers is a very good day for Los Angeles. Mc Court sees the Dodgers as a means of financial leverage, and we see the Dodgers as a team we're proud to have in Los Angeles
Posted by: yausser | April 20, 2011 at 05:44 PM