Dodger Divorce News... or Not?

I promised about 10 months ago that I would refrain from posting much at all about the McCourts divorce proceedings. There's already a website just for that.

But I found this article tonight posted by Bill Shaikin over at the L.A. Times noting that Commissioner Bud Selig and the league are looking at their options to possibly intervene and ask Frank McCourt to either sell the team, settle with estranged-wife Jamie or bring investors from outside the family into the ownership.

Former Commissioner Fay Vincent says such a move could be an "economic risk" despite the league's concerns over the public displays surrounding the divorce and the potential lasting affects to the league and to the team.

The trial is expected to end on September 30th, but the judge has up to 90 days to rule, and with appeals and other legal actions expected, it could take up to three years before all the dust is settled on the franchise's ownership.

My two cents? Just sell, Frank. Put the team up for sale. There's no place in baseball for this mess you and Jamie have created since day one. You've always preached accountability, so be accountable for this mess you've created and for the good of the city, the fans, and the team, sell.

In Case You Missed It...

Mannywood is over. He was shipped to the South Side of Chicago yesterday in a straight-up waiver claim by the White Sox. They will assume what's left on his contract for the rest of the season.

Good riddance!

Honestly, just a ho-hum move by the Dodgers. The season is more or less a waste at this point, and he was going to walk after the season as a free agent anyway. At his age, he was bound for the AL as a DH in the off-season. His nagging leg injuries just don't allow him to play in the field anymore.

In other news, the battle of the McCourts hit the courtroom yesterday in L.A. At stake? Ownership of the Dodgers. Will it be Frank? Or Jamie? Or someone else? Only time will tell.

Dodger Divorce has the breakdown from the first two days of the trial, and everything else in between.

The "Screaming Meanie" Speaks

Jamie sits and talks with T.J. Simers. Enjoy the banter. That's really all it seems like to me.

McCourt Place

Here's a great read from Jon Weisman over at Dodger Thoughts. It's actually pretty funny because of some of the stuff that was said today by Jamie McCourt's lawyer.

Dodger Thoughts also has all the updates from today's Mc"Court" hearings. The main gist of it all is the court denied Jamie's request to overturn her termination as the CEO of the team.

And don't forget Dodger Divorce for all of the in-depth analysis on this mess.

Dodger Divorce

Kudos to Jon Weisman over at Dodger Thoughts for finding this site. Now I don't have to waste my precious space here with the banter that is McCourt vs. McCourt. Just keep checking back at Dodger Divorce for in-depth updates on the war of the McCourts.

Also, a great column posted today by Bill Shaikin of the Times on what really was the McCourts motives when they bought the team in 2003, and how those motives have affected the organization today, and how it could affect the team going forward. Give it a read. It's worth it.

As the McCourts Turn...

This whole divorce thing has become pretty laughable at this point, and it's only been two weeks since we first learned of Frank and Jamie's separation. I, for one, am not really into all this behind-the-scenes brew-ha-ha and the gossip that comes along with it, but I feel it is my duty to keep what readers I might have informed on what's going on in Dodgertown, USA.

But instead of giving you all the details myself, and sitting here and passing judgment on the whole thing since it's basically 'he said, she said' stuff at this point, I thought the best thing to do would be to provide any available link with all the latest on the soap opera as it happens.

So for your pure enjoyment and entertainment reading, here's today's update. And it's a doozy!

Game 1 Pre-Game Thoughts

Random blurbs...

• Only two changes were made to the roster from the LDS to the LCS. As noted yesterday, Hiroki Kuroda was named the starter for Game 3 in Philly. The domino effect trickled down to Jon Garland, who was bumped off the roster. Chad Billingsley will pitch out of the pen. Jeff Weaver was replaced by left-hander Scott Elbert. Weaver is battling the flu-bug, which has also hit Russell Martin and hitting coach Don Mattingly.
• The War of the Roses, Part II: Dodger owners Frank and Jamie McCourt are separating and apparently headed for a bitter divorce. Once source claims both have 'lawyered up'. If the Padres situation was any indication last year, a divorce could force the McCourts to sell the team.
• Former Dodger Pedro Martinez will get the nod for Philly Friday afternoon at the Ravine against the Blue in Game 2.

Game time for Game 1 is T-minus five hours and seven minutes.

Musings for a Shiny Thursday

Trevor Hoffman has decided to take his "Hells Bells" theme song and 554 career saves to Beer Land, agreeing to a one year deal with the Brew Crew today. I guess he's really a big fan of sausage after all. Laverne and Shirley will be proud.

The Blue inked Yhency Brazoban and 14 others today to minor league contracts, most of whom I've never heard of (which would have been perfect for the team when they took the names off the back of the uniforms for two years), and invited them to spring training. So, for six weeks, these guys get to play in meaningless games with and against other guys whom most people have never heard of. Then, they can return to their day jobs as grocery baggers and parking lot attendents.

Speaking of which, the head honcho of parking lots and the woman who spends his money were named as L.A's power couple by the Los Angeles Business Journal Tuesday because of the team's success in light of their first trip to the NLCS since Ronald Reagan was still in office, and for their work in the community. Frankly (no pun intended), the only person in L.A. who got excited over this was the local Four Letter Network radio guy, Steve Mason, who is still oogling over Hot Legs Jamie to dump the head honcho for him.