Tune in tonight…

Our stars are on display tonight at the All-Star Game on FOX so hopefully you guys will all be watching.

And of course, our hearts go out to the Yankee family today with the passing of George Steinbrenner. It’s obviously been a tough week for them, with Bob Sheppard also passing away. Though his legacy will live on tonight at the All-Star Game when his voice announces Derek Jeter in Anaheim.

Here are some of the comments made from Dodger personnel regarding The Boss:

“George was a friend who I admired very much.  He was a giant in our game and he built an empire.  All he was was a winner.  He wanted to give the fans a winner, and that’s exactly what he did.”     – Dodger Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda

“I will always remember George Steinbrenner as a passionate man, a tough boss, a true visionary, a great humanitarian and a dear friend.  I will be forever grateful that he trusted me with his Yankees for 12 years. My heart goes out to his entire family. He will be deeply missed in New York, Tampa and throughout the world of baseball. It’s only fitting that he went out as a world champ.”   – Dodger Manager Joe Torre

“I am deeply saddened to hear the news of George Steinbrenner’s passing.  His vision, passion and commitment to winning, recharged the New York Yankees and revolutionized the game. 

I remember a man driven to succeed.   He was the owner, “The Boss” and number one fan of the Yankees.  Our relationship was built on mutual respect.  I will never forget and always be grateful for how he treated me and my family both during my playing days and after I retired.

I will miss him very much and extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Joan, and all the members of the Steinbrenner family.”    – Dodger Hitting Coach Don Mattingly

“George Steinbrenner was the first owner to convey to me his congratulations when I purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers.  From that day forward we built a strong and meaningful friendship.  He was a larger than life owner who cared deeply about winning.  George helped shape the game of baseball during his incredible stewardship of the Yankees.  My deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Joan and his four children, Hal, Hank, Jennifer and Jessica and the entire Steinbrenner family.”  – Dodger Owner Frank McCourt

102 comments

  1. oldbrooklynfan

    A very sad week for the Yankees, first losing “the Voice of God”, Bob Sheppard, the Vin Scully of the Yankees, I called him. He was there since the early 50s
    The sound of his voice seemed to be always there, it was a very familiar part of Yankee Stadium.
    Now today, the great owner George Steinbenner, the man who just wanted to win at any cost. Yes the big words are “at any cost”. He made the Yankees and their fans the envy of baseball, if not the envy of sports fans that had chosen not to root for them. Now his sons Hal and Hank carry on in the same tradition.
    My condolences to the Sheppards and the Steinbenners and may they rest in peace.

    Reply
  2. knouffbrock@frontiernet.net

    I thought this was the all star game.
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    Maybe George will come back as our next owner.

    Reply
  10. truebluewill

    Oh No Kuo!
    I hope the NL ties the game. I don’t want Kuo to be responsible for an NL loss on a walk and a throwing error.

    Reply
  14. northstateblues

    He left Dre in for 7 innings, only to pull him out with runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out?!!! And to put Christina Young in to pop up to 1st? What the hell was he thinking?!!!

    Then again, this is the same guy who remembers Dre playing CF “all the time”, so shows how much he knows. It’s a wonder his team has gone to two World Series’ in a row in spite of him.

    Reply
  20. oldbrooklynfan

    Those two girls behind home plate can be rather distracting. No? Especially the one with the red dress.

    Reply
  30. nellyjune

    What does Johnny say?
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    Fu Q ya’ll American League!!!!!!!!!!!!! The NL got it back!!!

    Reply
  36. nellyjune

    The game was definitely for the pitchers. I was a little miffed when they brought Chris Young in for Andre at an opportunity he could have shown off his clutch hitting capabilities, but it’s the All-Star Game so I will just go with it. Even though Kuo got himself into a bit of a jam, the damage was minimal. Furcal did a fantastic job receiving that relay from Marlon Byrd. That was the defensive turning point of the game followed by Broxton’s save. Outside of the Dodgers, Brian McCann saved the day, and I believe Adam Wainwright’s pitching in the 7th was crucial………..getting out Torii in his home ball park. Overall, it turned out to be a good game in the end with obvious good results with the NL reclaiming home field advantage for the World Series. Let’s hope it’s the Dodgers who will be the beneficiaries.

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  37. Dodger4life

    Great Big Win for the taking…..Now let’s claim it ours Boy’s!!!
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    Dodger Pride was displayed well tonight…..Thank you Furcal, Ethier, Kuo and the big man Brox.
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    GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  39. nedajerk

    It was going to happen Ethier should’ve been out of there in the 6th but if he’s going to leave him in for the 7th should had batting and take him out.

    Reply
  40. nellyjune

    Well, if Giants fans were paying attention to their rotation, they would know if Tim had pitched, his start would have been pushed back to Saturday. It would have been to our advantage because he wouldn’t have pitched to us the following week.

    Reply
  41. trublu4ever

    Hey Frank and Ned, everybody is picking the Rockies to win our division….if you want to squash this….PLEASE GET US SOME HELP!!!!!

    Reply
  42. nellyjune

    Listening to Giants radio, and the fans aren’t too happy with Timmy. I guess he decided to snub the Red Carpet Parade yesterday.

    Andre’s video on the home page when he was wired was pretty cool. He really seemed to take everything in and truly enjoy it.

    Also, it was good to see Brox smile and have some fun with his interview after his save.

    Reply
  44. lbirken@aol.com

    I did not see much of the All Star game but from I did see and read, it looks like a good time was had by all. Good to see the Dodger representatives involved in the game and thanks to McCann and Byrd for bailing out Kuo and Broxton. It seems to be that the All Star game has morphed into an event that has enough to satisfy most fans while still enough that upsets others. Clearly, expanding the rosters makes it difficult for the manager as he tries to juggle the lineups throughout the game while still trying to make moves to win the game. No matter how many players on the roster, someone is not getting into the game.

    The good thing about this game it seems to mean something to the players without the home field advantage prize, which really will end up not benefiting most of the players in this game. The players seem to enjoy playing and they always give their best. This is what makes this All Star game so much better than the others. I also think the players know this game is for the fans.

    The interview Eric Karros did with Broxton and Byrd after the game was priceless. This is the first time I recall seing Broxton interviewed after a game and certainly the first time I have seen him smile. Karros jumped all over him (kiddingly) and it was good to see Broxton that way.

    Reply
  45. knouffbrock@frontiernet.net

    Plaschke made an interesting point this morning.If the owners put forth as much effort with their wallet as Brox put into the game last night, we should be around at the finish. Come on, Frank, ante up!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  46. dodger 32

    Too bad Steinbrenner didn’t own the Dodgers! He was a great owner one that truly cared about winning not just making money to buy houses like some other lying owner that will remain nameless. Finally Sherrill is going!

    Reply
  47. kpookiemon

    Sherrill didn’t get this bad, this quick, because he’s done. If he clears waivers and does a stint at Albuquerque, then fine. But if he’s claimed, he’s going to help someone and the Dodgers will have netted ZILCH. If the Dodgers are really bent on fielding the best team, veteran or no, then what’s the wait on Anderson (vs. Xavier Paul)? Manny will be activated for tomorrow’s game and someone has to say “adieu.”

    Reply
  48. enchantedbeaver

    Don’t get your hopes up too much of acquiring anyone of value, I’ve read that they’ve suspended the renovations and upgrades to the stadium, so if that doesn’t say NO MONEY in capital letters, I don’t know what does.

    Reply
  49. kpookiemon

    “The Dodgers could be ordered sold if Frank and Jamie McCourt do not resolve their bickering over payments such as property taxes and attorney fees, the judge presiding over their divorce warned Wednesday.”

    “With each of the McCourts claiming to be low on cash, and with bills piling up, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon threatened to resolve both issues at once by putting the Dodgers on the block.”

    Man, we can dream, can’t we? Here’s the entire article:
    http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0715-dodgers-mccourt-20100715,0,713981.story

    Reply
  51. jhallwally

    Hello gang!! Thanks Kahli!!! Nice post and thanks for the link. The McCourt facade needs to end. We need a legitimate owner!!! They wanted to try and become psuedo Blue Bloods by buying the Dodgers!!! Jamie put the fork in that when she took the Limo ride. They could have made some progress if they had stayed united and spent their lifestyle money on the team. Steinbrenner did it!!! Took a CBS cast-off and made it the most valuable franchise in sports. He didn’t do it by putting his lifestyle above the team.

    Reply
  52. sparkleplenty_1

    It’s what we’ve known for a very long time – there’s owners and there’s wannabees like the McKooks.

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  53. jhallwally

    I have no empathy for the McCourts!! They have used every loophole and not paid any income tax for the last 2 or 3 years. Yet, they continue to live the high life with multiple homes in great places. Now claiming you can’t afford to get the freaking carpet cleaned!!! What’s wrong with this picture!!!!

    Reply
  54. jhallwally

    Hi’Ya Sparky!!! LOL!!! They may be McKooks, but they are making MLB, the fans, and the Federal government look even kookier!!!!

    Reply
  55. trublu4ever

    I like that too, Sparkleplenty. McKook sure does fit. I’m sure Bear would have another name for them…something like McCrap, perhaps 🙂

    Reply
  58. jhallwally

    Just an aside, but, we can’t really afford to keep putting our faith in Sherrill to help our bullpen JoJo…. The guy sucks.

    Reply
  66. enchantedbeaver

    Hey Sparks, Wally and TruMom!

    Then you’ve got Selig telling everyone what good hands the franchise is in.

    Time to dump Manny too. A $20 million singles hitter ain’t cuttin it, and they’ve already proved they can win without him. How too can you decide he’s ready to face Carpenter and Wainwright when his rehab at single A was 0 for 9 with 5 Ks?

    Reply
  70. enchantedbeaver

    Doing well brother Wally – how’s yourself?

    Fraid we’re stuck with Manny. I doubt we could even get a low prospect for what Frank owes him. No one would even claim him off waivers if they just let him go. Looking at last season and this, I’d say $45 million vs. his production puts him in the JP catagory for money wasted. (No one can approach The Cow and The Schidt for money wasted.)

    Reply
  71. jhallwally

    Doing well Beav, thanks!!! Yep, you pretty much summed it up. Makes me wonder, why does Ned still have a job?!!!! Sh*t, we could have out sourced Neds job to India for $1 an hour and probably come out with a better result!!!!

    Reply
  72. enchantedbeaver

    Which brings me to the point – HEY FRANK! WHAT’S AMATTA WITH YA?? You’ve got a GM that’s so totally inept at judging talent that he wasted $173 million of your borrowed and leveraged hard[ly] earned money. I’d let him go if I were you. Maybe even sue him for GM malpractice.

    Reply
  74. jhallwally

    Hello, this is Ack-Ned, may I help you? Yes mister Boras, we are accessing your account now. Press 1 if you want English, press 2 if you want Frank, press 69 if you want Jamie!!!!

    Reply
  78. enchantedbeaver

    Honestly, out of the $44 million (the $45 Manny signed for less the $1 million kickback to Frank’s charity), how much extra income this past year and a half do you honestly think Manny brought in to help offset it? I mean, they’re drawing roughly the same attendance that they always do so he’s not adding a tremendous amount there, especially when he had a 50 game vacation last year, and two trips to the DL this year. That would mean that they’d better be selling a helluva lot of dreadlock wigs.

    Reply
  84. jhallwally

    Well, obviously, Manny is not carrying his weight. However, we are stuck with him for the rest of this year. Kind of sucks!!! We can only hope he hits a hot streak as he is playing now for his DH job next year!!!!

    Reply
  86. enchantedbeaver

    Actually Wally, if Frank had been doing his husbandly duties, they’d still be buying houses in France and Cabo and Malibu every year, and we’d still get crappy players. Maybe this way they’ll eventually be forced to sell.

    Yes, Frank’s shame may be our salvation.

    Reply
  91. jhallwally

    Yep Beav, that is sad. Ownership and management have to be capable of abstract thought!!! You’ve got to spend money to make money!!!! Steinbrenner epitomizes that!!

    Reply
  95. kpookiemon

    Manny is just fine…all the stats say the team wins more games when he’s in the line-up. Bear with him for three more months and you’ll never have to deal with him again…unless he buys the Dodgers!!!! As for the McKooks, embarrassment is the word that comes to mind. Guess we’re really helping to get that ITD tour rolling, huh? We’re such a nice, supportive bunch!

    Reply
  97. enchantedbeaver

    Terrific article North.

    In retrospect given the population demographics, wouldn’t it have been more appropriate if Arte Moreno bought the Dodgers and McCourt the Angels? Bud can’t even get something that simple right.

    BTW, does anyone think that gaining the TV/Cable rights in 2013 is going to change anything if McCourt is still the owner?

    Reply
  98. enchantedbeaver

    Hadn’t thought of that bear, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he HAS already borrowed against TV rights he doesn’t have yet. With the cash cow that’s the Dodgers, its pretty sad too that Fox had to foreclose on the parking lot Frank put up as collateral to get paid what he owed them.

    The deeper you go the worse it gets. It ought to be real interesting here in a couple months when they start the trial. I’m hoping that the judge is a die-hard Dodger fan and will force a sale.

    Reply
  99. northstateblues

    For those of us who might not have time to read a lengthy article (and get it while it’s hot, ’cause I bet this gets new-threaded before gametime, possibly noon), here are the particulars in detail that the article I posted last night alleges:

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    – Jamie can’t remember where she was when she opened the e-mail from Frank that fired her as CEO (because they had so many houses, more on that in a bit).

    – Jamie was fired for “insubordination, a failure to follow procedure and inappropriate behavior with regard to a direct subordinate”

    – Vladimir Shpunt became aquainted with the McCourts after he helped heal Jamie’s right eye from “a bacterial infection contracted while swimming”

    – The reason Jamie needed a driver in the first place was that due to the after-effects of the infection, she could no longer drive at night.

    – Frank pulled the trigger on the firing and divorce during the playoffs because he didn’t want to risk being unable to fire her should she file for divorce after the season had ended (after making a handshake agreement with Jamie shortly before that they’d wait ’til after the season to go to war with the divorce).

    – According to a “former high-ranking Dodgers official”, “They hated each other from the moment they set foot in Los Angeles… there was never any question it was gonna go lethal”.

    – Frank showed up late to their wedding, without a ring.

    – The “Parking Lot” that Frank used as collateral to buy the Dodgers (and tried to buy the Sox and Angels with) started out as an abandoned railyard that Frank acquired 2 years before their marraige, that he hoped to turn into a “retail and residential complex meant to ensure the family’s fortunes for generations”… but ended up spending 17 years in litigation trying to get the area zoned for his vision (which never happened, hence the parking lot).

    – Jamie lent Frank $1,000 to start the McCourt Group.

    – the deal that bought the Dodgers in ’04: $421 million in loans, $200 million of it lent by News Corp (FOX), with the $125 million parking lot as collateral. When Frank couldn’t pay back the FOX loan, they auctioned off the parking lot for $203.7 million.

    – The houses that were acquired by the McCourts:
    ……..- A $20 million 15,000 sq. ft., 4 bedroom, 10 bathroom home formerly owned by Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds in Beverly Hills, across the street from the Playboy Mansion.

    ……..- The $6.5 million house next door to the Babyface house

    ……..- A $27 million Malibu home previously owned by Courtney Cox and David Arquette “designed by architect John Lautner, a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple”.

    ……..- The $19 million house next door to the Courtney Cox house, so Jamie could have her pool.

    – During the mess last fall, Frank stayed at a Beverly Hills hotel for $30,000 a month, because Jamie owned all the houses according to the signed agreement Frank says gives him sole ownership of the Dodgers.

    – The McCourts paid $180,000 to move the kitchen from the Brookline, MA home they sold to John Henry, when they found out Henry was going to demolish the house.

    – Cost of the divorce: $19 million, paying lawyers as much as $1,100 an hour for what could be the most expensive divorce in CA history.

    – Frank and Jamie’s lawyers are 1-1 against each other, and are working together on the “class-action suit on behalf of commercial fishermen in the Gulf.”

    – Jamie’s lawyers allege that Frank pulled a switcheroo on the document giving him full ownership of the Dodgers, saying the paper Jamie signed had no mention of the Dodgers.

    – Jamie has a MBA from MIT.

    —————————-

    …
    And that’s just about half of the article, there’s plenty more vomit-inducing stuff in there.

    I still think the team on the field can do well this year. This might even be the year we win it all, because what does anybody have to lose? Well… perhaps I should’ve phrased that differently.

    I will say this, though. Last night, reading that article, I lost the millimeter of respect I had left for those two carpetbagging opportunists, especially reading about how … no, I gotta get the facts on this before I’m done…

    ———————————

    – Frank McCourt borrowed $390 million against the Dodgers, based on future ticket sales, “which he used to live the high life, complete with a private jet ($2 million a year) and a hairstylist who came to the house five days a week ($150,000 a year)” aside from the 6 figures they paid Shpunt for his “V Energy”.

    – According to another former high-ranking Dodgers official, “It was Frank’s plan all along to run a team with a payroll of about $80 million. His thinking since he bought the team was: ‘This isn’t the AL East. Why would I spend $150 million to win 98 games when I can spend half that to win 90, if that’s all it takes to make the playoffs in our division?'”

    ————————————–

    And there’s this chestnut:

    ———————————-

    – “The criticism dates to Day 1 in LA, when McCourt showed up to his first press conference at Dodger Stadium, face full of makeup, and stammered through prepared remarks that he handed out to reporters. “It looked like he was running for president of the Dodgers, not announcing he just bought the team,” says a former employee who attended the ceremony.”

    ————————————-

    Some of this stuff I knew. Most of it, I had no idea. I feel insulted that Frank planned to double ticket prices while keeping our payroll under $80 million, borrowing against the stupidity of Dodger fans to go like lemmings to support an owner who, by the time his plan came to fruition, wouldn’t have paid to ensure the team is World Championship caliber, just making sure the team can compete with the NL West instead.

    Sickened, yes. Surprised? Truthfully… I didn’t think I could be surprised anymore, and after reading that article, I don’t think anything could surprise me about those two anymore.

    Hopefully the judge forces McCourt to sell. Hopefully, after this article comes out in print, Bud will make that point moot.

    Yeah, the poor McCourts don’t have money… neither do the Rangers, and they’ve opened up a massive lead in the AL West.

    Might as well finally get that ring, Frank. Better late than never.

    Reply
  100. northstateblues

    Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts interviews the reporter who wrote the article, Molly Knight, in this post [ http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/dodger-thoughts/post/_/id/6728/behind-the-scenes-with-the-mccourts ]

    I thought this gem stood out:

    ———————

    Jon: What was her biggest impact on the organization?

    Molly: I still have no idea. Oh, maybe the hiring of Ned Colletti. I’ve heard stories that she became close friends with Jeff Kent after he volunteered to help domestic violence victims as part of her WIN Initiative. Both she and Frank respected Kent’s willingness to serve the community. Jeff mentioned Ned Colletti to Jamie because he knew they were looking for a GM. Jamie suggested it to Frank. Ned killed in his interview because he didn’t ask how much money he’d have to play with. A few former execs told me all this, so take it with a grain of salt. But it starts to make sense that Kent was responsible for Colletti when you see the contract extension he was rewarded with after Colletti got there.

    ————————

    ??? ? ????????

    Translation: Go to hell, Giants!

    Reply

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