An apology of sorts
by bhsportsguy on Nov 6, 2009 3:15 PM PST
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PrintI was never a McCourt apologist (or a Colletti collaborator) but I often found myself trying to put myself in their place with respect to how the Dodgers operated their team. I believe the first moment I went one way and most everyone else went somewhere else was the Pierre signing. Not that I agreed with the price and the years but generally my point was that I understood why they made that deal.
I believe for Frank McCourt, the Jason Schmidt and in particular, the Andruw Jones deals were something that changed his tune about the future operations of the ball club. With Schmidt rehabbing (in the second year of a three year/$48M deal) and Jones becoming person non grata with his two year/$40M deal (and full disclosure, I liked both of those deals), Frank McCourt decided to go on the cheap. Which to a certain extent, at that time, I could see why, more than thirty percent of your payroll (along with others like Nomar and Kent being in and out), not playing and worst yet, one player is so unpopular, people appear to boo him no matter what he does. However, I think McCourt let it get personal and that was wrong.
Now as we move towards the off-season and all that mess, I say to all my friends here, I'm sorry that I tried to logically figure out what the Dodgers were doing because as we begin to see behind the curtains, it as if are worst fears may be true.
And while, I certainly believe every person deserves their day in court, I think it was poorly chosen forum to basically take their private lives and shove it in front of the millions of fans who one, don't want to get involved in a family matter but more importantly, don't want that family matter to harm their team.
Last week, I had the pleasure of going to Opening Night for the Clippers with Phil, and we spent a fair amount of time talking about this and in the end, I said that for the fans, it will probably be best if the team is declared community property since that would probably force an outside buyer. However if the analysis of Josh at DodgerDivorce.com is accurate, I would guess that MLB will require the next owner of the Dodgers have to come up with a great deal of the purchase price in cash, if the McCourts owe more than $500M on the notes, they could very well lose whatever equity they have or at least may only split $100M or so, which is not bad but they would also no longer own those nice pieces of property in Boston anymore.
Again, how this affects the team on the field, I don't know, there really isn't much I think they were going to do anyway. But my eyes are wide open and I reading everything with interest. Just remember folks, litigation is not about justice and the truth, its about winning.
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After my discussion with BH
I’ve come to the conclusion that it would be best if the Dodgers are declared community property and the McCourts have to sell the team even though I think Jamie is a hack.
Lately we just found out that Frank fired six integral members of the Dodgers, several who have been very helpful to TBLA during the past summer. Their crime? Being hired by Charles Steinberg who was solidly in Jamie’s corner and was already on his way out.
Per the LA 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
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Frank
is appearing to be not only a little man in stature but a little man period. The Dodgers don’t have a lot of employee’s, giving six the heave ho is an interesting way of going about “baseball as usual”. It could be they are simply cutting back everything that Steinberg did those employee’s seem to run across the gamut of Dodger services, not one particular department.
.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Don't These Purges of Executives, Department Heads...
…happen all the time in companies? Compared to behind-the-scenes people in the TV business in L.A., people who work at Dodger Stadium probably don’t have it so bad.
Tell that to Drew when he tries to get another job in baseball and has to move to Texas. In the entertainment industry you can just move from one company to another and stay within the realm of the industry. Not really a choice if you wanted to work in baseball and just got fired from the only game in town.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Drew, the "Vice-President of Creative Services"
Since you call him by his first name I am assuming you have met the guy. And isn’t that what it comes down to? “Drew” loses his job and you feel really bad for the guy, because you have made a human connection with him. Fine, I am not expecting you to not feel bad for the guy. But anybody who buys the Dodgers from the McCourts is going to fire people too.
The McCourts
were the bandleaders in firing employee’s when they purchased the team so we totally understand them firing employee’s they did not hire.
No, I’ve never met anyone on the list. I have no personal connection to anyone. I don’t like people being fired for non performance but for who hired them. It may be the norm in many an industry but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Drew Merle and Mark Rogoff were at “blogger night” in May and introduced themselves. Although you may have been in a different part of the suite at the time (though I thought they were there a decent amount of time)
Oh, I've seen them
but I’ve never talked to them. Shaking hands in an intro doesn’t mean anything to me unless I follow that up with a conversation.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Any reason
given for the firing of the 6 individuals not named Jamie? I know what Jamie was accused of (insubordination, inproper workplace relationship). It’s hard for me to have an opinion or place blame on Frank for his other firings, having no knowledge of what actually happened. I hope he fired them for a better reason other than “they were Jamie’s people”. If they also had insubordination issues that would be a different matter. But I am not privy to that information. Is anybody else here privy to it?
vr, Xei
They were probably planning a coup
and Frank got em first.
Really Xei – all of the sudden six people had insubordination issues?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Sure people get let go
But it does appear that there is a situation where anyone related to things that Jamie McCourt was identified with is being phased out quickly.
Also, its pretty petty.
I told Eric Stephen the other day that Jamie McCourt has a rough road ahead in the Court of Public Opinion since unless something new comes out, right now the worst thing she can label Frank with is being an asshole. But most outsiders already think that so its not going to matter much to them.
I would say a coup is insubordination, but that’s your description not mine. I could easily see insubordination from six individuals, or what Frank defined insubordination to be. All six could’ve easily swore allegiance to Jamie and would not listen to Frank. I could easily see it happening. This is not your normal workplace environment let me remind you. But like I said earlier, I am not privy to what actually happened. Are you?
vr, Xei
The "Coup"
was about as sarcastic as I could get. I didn’t make the leap, the LA Times made the leap. I wouldn’t have a clue who hired who.
This could all easily be a plan in place to cut expenses, but it just seems petty that the six who were let go were hired by Steinberg. Maybe they just coincidentally all sucked at their jobs compared to their peers who kept their jobs. I’m not a big believer in coincidence.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
it’s obviously not a coincidence, but I guess my point is… just because it is not a coincidence does not mean they did not deserve to all be fired. We just don’t know the facts.
vr, Xei
Group Activity Involving the misses?
Let’s just say that it is extremely IMPROBABLE that six guys all hired by the same guy just happened to grossly neglect their duties and fail to comply with the integrity of the Dodgers at the same time.
I don’t believe the reason for firing was given, so it is a leap to assume insubordination. But it is unique that all six were hired by “Jamie’s guy” Steinberg.
That could still be around, provided the club doesn’t go Pravda and not want “outsiders” to get in given all the turmoil.
However, I like to think we made a positive impression in 2009 and that will help going forward. Plus, in all the games I covered none of the turmoil was apparent in the press box or clubhouse. What went on behind closed doors was outside of my coverage realm anyway.
I'm a little disappointed
that we were so clueless. You’d think we’d at least heard some gossip in the eating area. Next year I’m going to get one of those Chevy Chase hearing devices.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I am quite interested to see where Boras
can get Holliday the contract they think he deserves. I’m so glad we are not players.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Maybe Frank will go crazy and sign Holliday
with the intention of moving him to first base and then trading Loney, Gordon and Withrow for Roy Halladay.
by Michael White on Nov 6, 2009 4:26 PM PST up reply actions
Your to good
to be coming up with crazy ass scenarios like that. Other then Marketing who would want the Holliday & Halliday show?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
My intention was sarcastic. Sorry….
I think the market for Holliday will be surpressed considering the stinker he laid in Oakland. The thinking GM shouldn’t ignore that point and Ned certainly shouldn’t look into bring Holliday into the pitchers park in the Ravine.
I’m still sweating the idea of a horrible trade landing the Dodgers Halladay though.
by Michael White on Nov 6, 2009 4:38 PM PST up reply actions
If he was going to opt out it would have been during the world series to get his free advertising
This was a given now its the off season.
He's not A-Rod
I doubt people would have cared if he did it during the World Series.
There isn’t a big market for him.
by Michael White on Nov 6, 2009 5:01 PM PST up reply actions
Frank and Jaime suck
Reading more and more of this crap just puts me down. Nobody likes the “you’re fired because you weren’t on my side” card. Shame on Frank. Those people helped the Dodgers to where they are now, to its highest value ever. Why keep killing your organization? I’m all for the Dodgers to be sold, I’m over this offseason anyway…
Major litigation is underway
Purge all possible allies of the person who is suing us.Otherwise it might cost us in court.
by 68elcamino427 on Nov 7, 2009 5:01 PM PST up reply actions
Actually
This no-tender thing is going to be fascinating, if I were Josh Wall or Russell Mitchell, even Travis Schliting, I might be paying close attention, you could be on your way to another team for a second baseman, bench player or pitcher.
Are they that tight on space?
It seems like they will have 33 or 34 guys on the 40-man on November 20. I don’t think that many people are getting signed:
1) 2B
2) SP
3) backup C
4) bench guy
5) bench guy
I don't see any chance
of Wall or Mitchell being put on the 40 man.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Yeah
I believe my hypothetical 33-34 man roster included adding DeJesus, Van Slyke, Guerra, Trayvon, and Bastardo, and that’s it. I’ll have to check it later.
Which is to bad
I’d hoped he’d develop so we could chant BAS TAR DO BAS TAR DO BAS TAR DO
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Francisco Felix
After the year he just had as a reliever in Double and Triple A, I would be stunned if Francisco Felix is not added to the 40-man roster. DeJesus, Robinson, Van Slyke, Guerra and Felix are the guys I expect to make the 40-man.
This is funny
The McCourts are melting down in a way most unpredictable, yet loathsome. I always figured they would end up in bankruptcy court, but this is almost as fascinating.
Witty .sig goes here.
This apology of sorts is fine and good, but the real question is:
Do you still think Mary Landrieu is hot?
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