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MLB wants to prevent Fox Sports from deposing Bud Selig

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Fox Sports should not be permitted to take the deposition of Commissioner Bud Selig or obtain documents from Major League Baseball, attorneys for MLB argued in a court filing Tuesday.

While Fox might still be contesting the Dodgers in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the league argued that it has resolved its differences with the team and should be excused from further substantive involvement in the case.

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‘Fox should not be permitted to drag Major League Baseball back into the very litigative morass from which it extracted itself through the settlement,’ the filing read.

The settlement agreement between MLB and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has not been filed with the court. Fox has objected to the lack of disclosure. In its filing, MLB called the settlement ‘highly confidential in part’ and not relevant to the pending issue of whether the court would permit the Dodgers to sell their television rights earlier than allowed under their contract with Fox.

The league argued Fox had no need and no right to depose Selig and executive vice president Rob Manfred on the issue, calling the bid to depose Selig ‘particularly inappropriate’ because of his status as a ‘singularly unique, public figure who should not be subject to unwarranted harassment and discovery abuses.’

MLB also said it should not have to produce information on valuation of the Dodgers’ assets and on prospective buyers for the Dodgers.

‘It appears Fox is misusing the process to identify potential bidders so that Fox can contact them and interfere with the sales process,’ the MLB filing read.

A hearing on the issue is set Wednesday.

-- Bill Shaikin

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