Category — Frank McCourt

Maybe Prince Fielder’s buddy Matt Kemp is a better recruiter than we know.
ESPN LA

The Angels win the Albert Pujols sweepstakes, inking the best hitter in baseball to a 10-year deal worth more than $250 million. They also land pitcher C.J. Wilson.
MLB.com

With the Dodgers locking up Matt Kemp with a new deal, maybe they’ll consider Prince Fielder with another 1. It’s not like Frank McCourt will be on the hook for all that cash.
Fox Sports

Thanks for coming. It’s been unreal.

Why not? Bet she wouldn’t have traded Mike Napoli.
L.A. Times

The truth as I know it. I’ve sat in Bill Burke’s office for an hour or 2 and listened to his bullshit back in the day. The fact that he gave me a couple of hours should tell you he’s not qualified to own a Major League Baseball club, particularly the Dodgers. And these guys refused to allow Mark Cuban in their clubhouse? Oh doctor.
Burke’s wife is former L.A. Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, a former member of the House. I bring that up because as much as she achieved historically, she began to go the Leonard Tose route in her later years. Still, 1 of my favorites quotes came from 1 of the janitors at the L.A. Times. “She thank she big shit.” I couldn’t resist. “And you don’t?” “Hell nah!!!”
Burke is best known for starting the L.A. Marathon, but since my cousin Mo is a serious marathon runner and hasn’t run in this 1, at least to my knowledge, probably tells you all you need to know.
Frank McCourt throwing MLB a curve ball here. Or what are we missing here?
L.A. Times

Where’s Bill Cizek when you need him.
The Dodgers fired hitting coach Jeff Pentland after last night’s loss to the Giants. How about canning GM Ned Colletti? He’s the 1 who signed leftovers such as Juan Uribe, Tony Gwynn Jr., Marcus Thames and Dioner Navarro. Colletti, with an assist from the wonderful baseball writers at the former world champion, also was the 1 blaming Matt Kemp for last season’s woes.
How about taking some responsibility for your own shabby work?
Granted, the Dodgers don’t have much to work with since Frank McCourt has no money, but blaming the hitting coach before he can finish his 1st season is just bush league.
ESPN LA

Giants 5, Dodgers 0.
Another night of hitting hell for the Dodgers.
MLB.com

D-Back 3, Dodgers 2.
There’s Matt Kemp and then there’s the Dodgers. 2 different planes. And there’s Major League Baseball running the Dodgers. So does Bud Selig give the Dodgers a boost like he did the Rangers, going on a trade-happy run before the deadline? Or is it a fire sale to put the Padres to shame and drop the value when Frank McCourt is forced to sell?
ESPN LA

If ever there were a group that needed a fresh start it is the Dodgers. For them, the All-Star Break is already too late.
Their season is flushed down 1 toilet while the franchise itself circles yet another. A once proud organization is now left in the rubble of an ugly divorce, a joke of an ownership and a horrible product on the field.
We have played just over half the season and it is difficult to generate any positive reviews out of the Dodger camp. The Angels? Where do we start? As expected, they are in a race with the Rangers.
For the Dodgers though, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, who is having an MVP-type season, have hit well and Clayton Kershaw has delivered on the mound, but that’s it.
The Boys of Summer are now the Boys of Blunder.
While the Dodgers are the worst story so far, the Pirates are the best.
The Pirates, a joke since a thinner Barry Bonds left and doubled his hat size in San Francisco, have been a blast. They are in a playoff race—only 1 game back of the Cardinals and Brewers in the NL Central—and 2 games above .500. This is unheard of in almost 2 decades.
Behind new manager Clint Hurdle, the Pirates have taken their low-budget brand of baseball to new heights. While they may not win a championship, or even a division, at least they are entertaining for all the right reasons, unlike the Dodgers.
Pittsburgh is young, fun and exciting. It will squeeze in a winning run 1 day and jack a game-winning 3-run shot on the next day. And they are doing it with a group of relatively no-names and even fewer big contracts.
Arizona is another feel-good story. The Diamondbacks are just 1 decade removed from greatness, but have now have a young and exciting team, giving the Giants a run in the NL West.
Where once they used big-name, high-priced veterans to win a title, this group of desert dogs is doing it much cheaper.
Both teams are showing us how to be creative and win games.
Sure, the Yankees and Red Sox are among the best in baseball with their huge budgets and the ability to pay players more than anyone, but that no longer is a guaranteed formula for winning.
The punk-ass Cubs spend big money. And what have they won? The White Sox added big contracts and still can’t beat the Twins or practically anyone else in their division. Look at Cleveland. The Indians are another great story, making a run for the AL Central title as well.
The Mets? Well at least they are playing better, but they will fade in the 2nd half. Heck, even the Nationals are looking good and the future is bright for them. Just what the game needs.
For the 1st half, baseball gave us all hope. Maybe the little guys do have a fighting chance.
There will always be the big boys winning more than their share. The Yanks, BoSox and Phillies frequently shop for big deals and primo talent and attempt to buy a title every season, but hope comes from the Pittsburgh’s, Arizona’s and 1 day maybe the Royals. OK, at least we can hope.
And let’s hope for an even better 2nd half.