Sunday, April 03, 2005

Why I Hate the Dodgers

It’s too much a business to be a sport and too much a sport to be a business.
Walter O’Malley, former Dodger owner

New Dodger owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, represent everything odious about greed to me. They immediately raised prices of everything. They fired Ross Porter, an outstanding broadcaster without warning. They fired the graphic artist who created the Eric Gagne logo, they fired the PR guys basically shooting the messengers. They have removed the players' names from the back of the uniforms in order to sell more programs. They fired the third-base coach with apathy by not notifying him his contract was renewed.

Los Angeles is earthquake country and Dodger Stadium sits atop the San Andreas Fault, so what did Frank McCourt do? He stopped seismic improvement to Dodger Stadium that began under Fox News Corp. To complete the costs and protect the fans and the stadium would have been the price of a cheap player, $16 million, which he could have paid over several years just as players are paid.

The Dodgers are a despicable, greedy organization. I will take Daughter to a baseball this year, but it will be to see the Los Angeles Angels.

No comments: