Los Angeles Dodgers News: Pro Sports Daily

February 4

ESPN.com

"In a development that essentially removes any suspense heading into spring training where their bullpen is concerned, The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with free-agent reliever Todd Coffey on a one-year, $1.3 million contract with a club option for 2013. The deal essentially removes any suspense surrounding the Dodgers' bullpen heading into spring training. Coffey, a right-hander who has seven big league seasons with three clubs, will get $1 million this year with an option year at $2.5 million and a $300,000 buyout, a source said."

Dodgers want Bryan Stow claim thrown out of bankruptcy court

February 4

Los Angeles Times

"The Los Angeles Dodgers asked a federal bankruptcy judge Friday to reject claims for damages filed by the San Francisco Giants fan who was beaten in a Dodger Stadium parking lot on opening day of the 2011 season. In a 44-page motion to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross in Delaware, attorneys for the Dodgers argued that neither the team nor other entities in the baseball club's corporate structure have any liability for the March 31 assault that left Bryan Stow in a coma for months. Stow and his two children sued Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and 13 other Dodger-related companies in May, alleging negligence and poor security arrangements at the ballpark. Two men, Louis Sanchez and Marvin"

Steven Cohen, Dodgers bidder, may buy a piece of the Mets

February 2

Los Angeles Times

"Steven Cohen, the billionaire investor trying to buy the Dodgers, is on the verge of becoming a minority owner in his hometown New York Mets. The deal would not preclude Cohen from pursuing the Dodgers, according to two people familiar with the transaction but not authorized to discuss it. Cohen has cleared a Major League Baseball investigation, the people said, which could bode well for his chances in the Dodgers sweepstakes. The league is more stringent in investigating majority owners than minority owners, but for now MLB has not found any grounds to disqualify Cohen from ownership."

Dodgers Star James Loney Off the Hook in Crazy DUI Case

February 2

TMZ.com

"L.A. Dodgers 1st baseman James Loney has dodged a MAJOR bullet ... because prosecutors have rejected the DUI case against him ... even though he allegedly acted like a complete maniac on the night he crashed his Maserati. TMZ broke the story ... Loney was popped in L.A. back in November after colliding with a Toyota around 6 PM and then careening into 2 other vehicles. According to the police report, the officer on the scene claims Loney's behavior was incredibly bizarre ... noting the athlete "exhibited eyelid tremors and his shirt was soiled and moist from perspiration, from his armpits down to his waistline.""

Sources: Playoff expansion has issues

February 1

ESPN.com

"Baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to talk confidently about expanding the baseball playoff field in 2012. But sources tell ESPN.com efforts to make that happen remain bogged down, all because of one thorny little complication: the details. Wednesday was supposed to be the day the commissioner's office finished a proposed schedule for the 2012 postseason and shipped it to the players' association for consideration. But sources told ESPN.com that deadline wasn't going to be met -- not because talks have broken down, but because fitting two extra wild-card pieces into the postseason puzzle has proven to be more involved than the commissioner has been willing to acknowledge. The new"

If Stan Kroenke gets the Dodgers, doesn't L.A. get the Rams?

February 1

Los Angeles Times

columnist T.J. Simers

"I had dinner with Georgia Frontiere, where the Rams' owner chose to tell me about each of her seven husbands — four too many for me to make a newspaper deadline and still explain to the people of Los Angeles how she had just won approval to move her team to St. Louis. I hopped into a waiting limo in Oakland, expecting to find Al Davis, but got a pair of Raiderettes instead. So I never did get around to meeting with Davis to discuss the possibility of the Raiders returning to L.A. Former super-agent Michael Ovitz sent a martini to my hotel room and had Tom Cruise and Jerry West call to talk football and the prospect of bringing the NFL back to town. Ovitz also asked me not to park my Ford"

Kroenke in the running to buy Dodgers

January 31

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The local sports owner who is named after two Cardinals Hall of Famers is taking a swing at buying one of baseball's venerable clubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and reportedly has moved beyond the initial bidding process. Enos Stanley "Stan" Kroenke, the Rams' owner, made one of the bids for the Dodgers that survived Friday's cutdown and is among at least eight interested parties who advanced beyond the first round of bidding, according to The Los Angeles Times. The other potential buyers include a group headlined by former Dodgers manager Joe Torre and another led by former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley. A league source confirmed to the Post-Dispatch on Monday that Kroenke had indeed made a"

Peter O'Malley teams with South Korea investor in bid for Dodgers

January 31

Los Angeles Times

"Peter O'Malley's bid to buy back the Dodgers is supported by financing from the South Korean conglomerate E-Land, two people familiar with the Dodgers' sale process said Monday. If the O'Malley bid is successful, E-Land Chairman Song Soo Park will become a major investor in the Dodgers, one of the people said. The ownership group also would have investors from Los Angeles. O'Malley has had discussions with Tony Ressler, a minority owner of the Milwaukee Brewers and co-founder of Los Angeles-based Ares Capital, according to a person familiar with the talks."

Tom Barrack, Leo Hindery are latest players in Dodgers bidding

January 30

Los Angeles Times

"Tom Barrack has partnered with Leo Hindery on a bid for the Dodgers, bringing together a prominent Los Angeles billionaire with the founder of the New York Yankees' cable channel. The alliance was disclosed Sunday by a person familiar with the Dodgers sale process but not authorized to discuss it. Hindery and fellow New York financier Marc Utay lead one of at least eight groups that survived Friday's first cut among the bidders. That group had been one of the two prospective buyers known to remain in the bidding without a significant tie to Los Angeles. The other, St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke, has a residence in Malibu and could move the Rams back to Los Angeles as soon as 2015,"

Tom Barrack, Leo Hindery are latest players in Dodgers bidding

January 30

Los Angeles Times

"Tom Barrack has partnered with Leo Hindery on a bid for the Dodgers, bringing together a prominent Los Angeles billionaire with the founder of the New York Yankees' cable channel. The alliance was disclosed Sunday by a person familiar with the Dodgers sale process but not authorized to discuss it. Hindery and fellow New York financier Marc Utay lead one of at least eight groups that survived Friday's first cut among the bidders. That group had been one of the two prospective buyers known to remain in the bidding without a significant tie to Los Angeles."

Ron Burkle might still have a role in future of Dodgers

January 29

Los Angeles Times

"On the day after Frank McCourt agreed to sell the Dodgers, billionaire Ron Burkle issued a statement that indicated he would consider buying the team. "It is one of the best brands in all of sports," Burkle said. "And, like many people, I'd be very proud to be a part of its future." Burkle did not bid on the Dodgers, but he might still play a part in the future of the team. With the opening round of bidding concluded, Burkle might consider backing groups led by Rick Caruso or Stanley Gold, according to a person familiar with the sale process but not authorized to discuss it. McCourt and his bankers cut the list of prospective owners Friday. Caruso and former Dodgers manager Joe Torre head"

A new Dodgers owner? Be careful what you wish for

January 29

Los Angeles Times

columnist T.J. Simers

"Anyone is better than Frank McCourt. Listen to me — I'm starting to sound like the Screaming Meanie. But in truth, we don't know. The new owner of the Dodgers will not be selected because he considers the team a local treasure. It will not matter if he's a good guy, makes himself available to the fans like Arte Moreno or treats the Dodgers like just another investment in his portfolio. There's no way of knowing whether he will be from New York and have the Dodgers wearing their Brooklyn duds more, spend like the Red Sox or replace Nancy Bea Hefley with a mascot. He could be the guy who owns the Rams, and how good were they this season? Right now, we just don't know because the only thing"

Mark Cuban, Dennis Gilbert eliminated from Dodgers' bidding race

January 28

Los Angeles Times

"The owner of the reigning NBA champions will not be the next owner of the Dodgers. Mark Cuban was eliminated from the Dodgers' ownership sweepstakes Friday, along with baseball executive and former agent Dennis Gilbert, according to two people familiar with the process but not authorized to discuss it. At least eight bidders advanced to the second round Friday, including a group led by Magic Johnson and veteran baseball executive Stan Kasten and another headed by local developer Rick Caruso and former Dodgers manager Joe Torre. East Coast hedge fund giant Steven Cohen, former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley and St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke also are believed to have advanced, as well as a"

Selig expects two one-game playoffs for this fall

January 28

Chicago Tribune

"Baseball appears ready for an extra round of wild-card playoffs by this fall, according to commissioner Bud Selig. "I really believe we'll have the (extra) wild card for this year," Selig said Friday at SoxFest. "Clubs really want it. I don't think I've ever seen an issue that the clubs want more than to have the extra wild card." The extra round would be one-game elimination in both the National and American Leagues to the teams who would have missed the playoffs as they are set up now. Some have argued for a best-of-three, but that appears impossible with the scheduled all but set for 2012."

Dodgers made late push to sign Prince Fielder

January 27

Los Angeles Times

"Prince Fielder's landing in Detroit was a big surprise, but it turns out the Tigers were not the most unexpected entrant in the sweepstakes. The Dodgers were secretly in at the end too, losing out only when the Tigers upped the ante after learning last week that Victor Martinez had severely injured a knee and probably will sit out the upcoming season. Needing a middle-of-the-lineup bat to protect Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers ponied up a nine-year, $214-million contract and on Thursday introduced Fielder as their newest member."

Dodgers secretly bid big for Prince

January 26

CBSSports.com

"Although they managed to stay under the radar all the while, the Los Angeles Dodgers pushed hard for weeks to try to sign Prince Fielder and thought for a while they might have a legitimate shot at their own secret signing. The Dodgers were a surprise entrant in the sweepstakes, making a major push to sign the star slugger with an offer that guaranteed him seven years but provided a sweet four-year opt-out. And for a couple weeks, they looked like a real possibility for Prince. The Dodgers surely gave a spirited effort to secure Fielder, even flying to meet with him at an undisclosed neutral location a few weeks ago, but somehow managed to keep the entire undertaking under wraps, save for"

Richest man in L.A. might join a bid for the Dodgers

January 26

Los Angeles Times

"The richest man in Los Angeles has not bid for the Dodgers. However, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong could join the Dodgers sweepstakes soon — not by bidding on his own, but by joining one of the groups already in the running to buy the team. Soon-Shiong has met with several prospective bidders, and he had dinner recently with outgoing Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. Soon-Shiong purchased Magic Johnson's ownership stake in the Lakers in 2010. Johnson, who has teamed with longtime baseball executive Stan Kasten to try to buy the Dodgers, also has paid his respects to McCourt."

Dodgers should sign Clayton Kershaw, long term

January 25

Los Angeles Times

columnist Bill Plaschke

"Prince Fielder was fool's gold, and Dodgers fans shouldn't waste one moment of regret that the big lug will spend the next nine years clogging the payroll, the basepaths and eventually the training room for the Detroit Tigers. The Dodgers' biggest concern right now is not a Prince, but a king. What are they going to do with Clayton Kershaw? The easy answer is, nothing. For the next three years, they don't have to do anything with the 2011 Cy Young Award winner other than hand him a contract and watch him sign it."

Bob Daly says selling Dodgers to Frank McCourt was 'horrible mistake'

January 25

Los Angeles Times

"Eight years ago this week Bob Daly, you know, the Movie Guy, joined Fox in selling the Dodgers to Frank McCourt. "We made a horrible mistake," says Daly. "We didn't realize what a bad guy he was." Daly had been a success at CBS for almost 25 years, another 20 as head of Warner Bros. before buying an interest in the Dodgers. He became managing partner after Fox initially floundered in running the operation. Under Daly's four-year watch, the team finished 50 games above .500. "When we were going through the process of selling the team, McCourt seemed like an OK guy. I sat down with him and told him people here were under contract, but they've been like a family and so if he wanted to make"

Kroenke interested in buying the Dodgers?

January 25

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Perhaps Stan Kroenke isn't going to stop buying sports franchise until he has one of each – a franchise in each major spectator sport, that is. The Los Angeles Times reports the Dodgers have received more than 10 opening bids to buy the Major League Baseball club, and that Kroenke has explored whether to bid for the team. A baseball official told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday that he heard Kroenke had expressed interest, and that Kroenke had inquired about the process. But the official said he was unaware if Kroenke had followed through and actually made a bid. Kroenke could not be reached for comment. But NFL sources said any interest Kroenke may or may not have in purchasing the Dodgers"

MLB allows retired Tony La Russa to manage in All-Star game against Ron Washington

January 25

Dallas Morning News

"Tony La Russa will come out of retirement to manage the National League team for the July 10 All-Star Game at Kansas City. La Russa will go against Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington, who will handle the American League team for the second consecutive season. La Russa retired shortly after St. Louis defeated the Rangers in the seven-game World Series."

Dodgers receive more than 10 opening bids for the team

January 24

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers received "more than 10" opening bids for the team by Monday's deadline, according to a person familiar with the sale but not authorized to discuss it. As the bankers handling the sale evaluate the bids, prospective buyers can evaluate whether to join forces. In addition, because the bankers can waive the deadline at their discretion, new bidders could emerge. St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke has explored whether to bid for the Dodgers, two people familiar with the sale process said Monday. It is uncertain whether Kroenke has submitted an offer. Rams spokesman Ted Crews did not return messages Monday night."

Dodgers Q&A: Bidding for team could be sale of the new century

January 23

Los Angeles Times

"By the time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw throws the first pitch of the Dodgers' season April 5, the cloud of uncertainty that has lingered over the team for more than two years should finally have passed. Frank McCourt, no longer fighting to retain control of the Dodgers, has agreed to select his successor as the team's owner by the first week in April. The Dodgers are expected to command a record price for a major league club, and the sale process begins in earnest Monday."

Want to boost the value of the Dodgers? Sign Prince Fielder

January 22

Los Angeles Times

columnist T.J. Simers

"Frank McCourt's disregard for Dodgers fans continues. The bidding process for the Dodgers officially begins Monday, 97 days to go with the Parking Lot Attendant, but he's not leaving without taking the team down another notch. He has a chance to offer Dodgers fans some hope, about the only thing baseball fans ask for as a new season begins. But right now the 2012 Dodgers look about the same as the also-ran 2011 Dodgers. The best General Manager Ned Colletti can do is talk up Mark Ellis at second base, while just as quickly apologizing for Ellis' inability to hit. And yet Prince Fielder sits unsigned. McCourt allowed Vladimir Guerrero to slip away when buying the team, and now as he's about"

Dodgers' debt is $573 million, according to court filing

January 21

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers told the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Friday exactly how much they owe: $573 million. The team included the figure in filing its reorganization plan, the formal document that explains how a company intends to get out of bankruptcy. For the Dodgers, that means a sale of the team, a process that appears to be getting more competitive by the day. Larry Ellison, the founder and chief executive of software giant Oracle, has considered pursuing the Dodgers, two people familiar with the matter said Friday. Each person said he did not know whether Ellison would participate in bidding for the team. Oracle spokeswoman Deborah Hellinger declined to comment. Ellison is the richest man in"

Frank McCourt might keep Dodger Stadium parking lots

January 19

Los Angeles Times

"Jobs for Orange County. Taxes for the city of Anaheim. Profits for the Los Angeles Rams. The 1978 deal that lured the Rams to Anaheim Stadium appeared to be a win-win-win proposition, centered on the Rams' ability to put up money-making office buildings in the stadium parking lot. The Angels, the original tenants of Anaheim Stadium, filed suit. The ensuing legal war still raged in 1995, when the Rams fled Anaheim for St. Louis."

Angels, Dodgers see Yu Darvish slip away

January 19

Los Angeles Times

"Clay Daniel remembers the first time he saw Yu Darvish in person. It was at a 2002 tryout on an island off the coast of Japan, when the lanky right-hander, who signed a six-year, $60-million deal with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, was only 16. "He was a fungo bat, about 6 feet 4 and 160 pounds, and he was only throwing 85-88 mph," said Daniel, then the Angels' international scouting director. "He was still a baby, but you could tell he had a chance to be something special.""

Dodgers sign Ethier and Loney but are not close on Kershaw

January 18

Los Angeles Times

"Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers appear far apart on a contract for the coming season, with the National League Cy Young Award winner asking for $10 million and the team offering $6.5 million. The Dodgers avoided salary arbitration with two other players Tuesday, signing outfielder Andre Ethier for $10.95 million and first baseman James Loney for $6.375 million. The Angels also avoided arbitration with shortstop Erick Aybar, signing him for $5.075 million. General Manager Jerry Dipoto said he would continue to discuss a long-term contract with Aybar. Ethier, Loney and Aybar all are eligible for free agency after the coming season."

Clayton Kershaw asks Dodgers for $10 million

January 17

Los Angeles Times

"National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw asked the Dodgers for a $10-million salary on Tuesday, with the Dodgers countering at $6.5 million. The exchange of proposed salaries was mandated by the arbitration process. The Dodgers avoided arbitration with Andre Ethier and James Loney earlier in the day, agreeing to pay Ethier $10.95 million and Loney $6.375 million. Kershaw earned $500,000 last season, the final one in which the Dodgers could pay him whatever they liked. This is the first season in which he is eligible for salary arbitration."

Dodgers sign Andre Ethier for $10.95 million

January 17

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers and outfielder Andre Ethier agreed today on a one-year contract for $10.95 million plus incentive bonuses, according to CAA Sports, the agency that represents Ethier. Ethier, an all-star in each of the last two seasons, made $9.3 million in 2011. He will turn 30 in April, and he is eligible for free agency after the coming season."

Dodgers sign James Loney for $6.375 million

January 17

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers and first baseman James Loney agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract for $6.375 million plus incentive bonuses, according to CAA Sports, the agency that represents Loney. Loney made $4.875 million last year, when he hit .288 with 12 home runs and 65 RBIs. Loney, 27, is eligible for free agency after the coming season."

The billion-dollar question ... where were these people eight years ago?

January 14

L.A. Daily News

columnist Jill Painter

"McCourt bought the team in 2004 when Fox couldn't give the team away. Fox had the team on the selling block for what seemed to be an eternity, which is partly why Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig hastily approved McCourt's purchase. It was a highly leveraged deal that came back to haunt MLB, the Dodgers, the McCourts and mostly fans. If all of these star players were in the mix eight years ago, there was no way McCourt - a non-baseball businessman who owned parking lots in Boston - would have been approved. There are so many good options this time around - assuming MLB is able to verify the potential new owners have got the money to back up these proposed bid - and the team is"

Alan Casden in market for Dodgers — again

January 12

Los Angeles Times

"In 2003, Beverly Hills developer Alan Casden tried to buy the Dodgers from Fox. The company ultimately sold the team to Frank McCourt. Casden now would like to buy the team from McCourt. And, with its legal hostilities against the Dodgers ceased, Fox would like to buy back part of the team. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross on Wednesday approved the Dodgers' settlements with Fox and Major League Baseball, clearing the most significant legal obstacles from the pending sale of the team."

Dodgers and Fox Sports settle dispute

January 11

Los Angeles Times

"The Dodgers and Fox Sports ended their legal hostilities Tuesday night, with the team agreeing to abandon its proposed sale of television rights and Fox agreeing to withdraw its objection to the settlement between Major League Baseball and outgoing owner Frank McCourt. The settlement means that McCourt has reached agreement with his two primary adversaries in U.S. Bankruptcy Court — MLB and Fox — and can proceed to meet an April 30 deadline for the sale of the Dodgers. The settlement, once approved by the court, "will enable the [Dodgers] ... to focus their complete attention on the sale process," attorneys for the Dodgers said in a court filing Tuesday night."

Dodgers' Dee Gordon has lofty goals

January 10

Los Angeles Times

"From the seat in front of his locker, Dee Gordon looked up at the television set in the middle of the Dodgers clubhouse. Barry Larkin, whose election into the baseball Hall of Fame was announced Monday, was being interviewed. "One day," Gordon said, "I want to feel like he's feeling." All winter, Larkin has offered Gordon advice on how to get there. Larkin, a former Cincinnati Reds shortstop, lives in Orlando, Fla. Gordon's father, former major league pitcher Tom Gordon, lives down the street."

Rangers expressing interest in free agent Hiroki Kuroda?

January 8

Hardball Talk

"Take this one with a grain of salt, as Japanese news services have been wrong many times before about the goings-on in MLB. But here's the report… According to Sponichi, via the invaluable Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker, the Rangers are expressing free-agent interest in Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda has drawn attention from several teams this offseason, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Rockies, but he's not budging from an asking price that is thought to be in the range of $12-$13 million annually. The Rangers might not have that kind of room in their budget, and they already have six viable starters on their 40-man roster in Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison,"

Disney family to bid for Dodgers, sources say

January 8

Los Angeles Times

"The Disney name graced the last World Series champion in Southern California. The Disney name could grace the next World Series champion in town too, if Stanley Gold succeeds in his bid to buy the Dodgers. The family of the late Roy Disney has partnered with Gold, entrusting the man who runs the family investment firm to lead the charge for the Dodgers and try to restore prominent local ownership to the team. The partnership was disclosed Saturday by a person familiar with the bid but not authorized to discuss it. Neither Gold nor any member of Roy Disney's family would comment Saturday, spokesman Terry Fahn said. With a star-studded and deep-pocketed roster of bidders that could feature"

Tony Ressler, Stanley Gold join list of prospective Dodgers owners

January 7

Los Angeles Times

"Tony Ressler, co-founder of a Los Angeles investment firm that controls more than $40 billion in assets, has expressed interest in pursuing the Dodgers, according to two people briefed on the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. The roster of prospective owners also now includes Stanley Gold, longtime chief of Burbank-based Shamrock Holdings, according to a person who required anonymity but is familiar with his discussions about the Dodgers. Gold is perhaps best known for joining with his Shamrock partner, Roy Disney, in a public push for the ouster of Michael Eisner as chief executive of the Walt Disney Co. Ressler and Gold join a list of suitors that includes"

Sources: Groups get tour of Dodgers

January 7

ESPN.com

"The New York investment group handling the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers has begun scheduling tours of Dodger Stadium with prospective ownership groups, multiple sources close to the process, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told ESPNLosAngeles.com. "It's just to allow investors in the groups to walk the Stadium, get a feel for it, and ask questions," one source said. However, that opportunity is only being offered to groups that the Blackstone Group considers serious at this point. One group that may become more serious includes Tony Ressler, co-founder of a Los Angeles investment firm controlling over $40 billion in assets, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing anonymous sources."

Joe Torre is the right man to own part of Dodgers

January 6

Washington Times

columnist Dick Heller

"Even if you're a Giants fan, it should be possible to root a bit for the archrival Dodgers if nice-guy Joe Torre becomes part of the club's ownership group. Torre quit as MLB's head of on-field discipline and umpiring Wednesday to join a gang of millionaires seeking to buy the bankrupt Dodgers from the battling McCourts, Frank and Jamie, whose acrimonious divorce left one of baseball's best properties in limbo. If Torre and his pals succeed, with Joe becoming chief of baseball operations, it could be the best news for Dodgers fans since Sandy Koufax learned how to throw strikes."

Torre joins bid to buy Dodgers

January 5

L.A. Daily News

"Billionaire developer Rick Caruso and former Dodgers manager Joe Torre confirmed Wednesday they will join the bidding to buy the Dodgers from embattled owner Frank McCourt. The pair will likely make a formidable entry into what has become a crowded field of suitors eyeing the bankrupt team. Other potential buyers include a range of businessmen and former athletes such as Orel Hershiser and Steve Garvey, Magic Johnson, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and even talk show host Larry King. Torre, who is stepping down from his post as a vice president with Major League Baseball to pursue the bid, was Dodgers manager in 2008-10, leading the team to two National League Championship Series"

Joe Torre to bid on Dodgers

January 5

Los Angeles Times

"Joe Torre entered the Dodgers sweepstakes on Wednesday, joining forces with developer Rick Caruso in a bid to buy the city's beloved baseball team. The Dodgers ownership derby is fast becoming the most intriguing reality show in Los Angeles, with athletic legends, civic icons and assorted billionaires jockeying for control of a team mired in bankruptcy proceedings. Magic Johnson is in. Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, is in. Steven Cohen, a billionaire eight times over, is in. Dennis Gilbert, the onetime agent for Barry Bonds and champion of amateur baseball in Southern California, is in."

Torre resigns, to explore bid to buy Dodgers

January 4

MLB.com

"Major League Baseball announced today that Joe Torre has resigned from his position as Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, effective immediately, to explore opportunities with a group that will pursue ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Torre was appointed MLB's Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations in February, overseeing areas that include Major League Operations, On-Field Operations, On-Field Discipline and Umpiring. Torre has been the Office of the Commissioner's primary liaison to the general managers and field managers of the 30 Major League Clubs regarding all baseball and on-field matters. With Torre's departure, the Baseball Operations functions of the"

Boras: It takes more than 3 to get Fielder

December 28

ESPN.com

"A report that Prince Fielder may take a three-year deal at $26 million per season was shot down by his agent Scott Boras. "Not only is that inaccurate and delusional, but it seems that some people have gotten into their New Year's Eve stash just a little bit early this year," Boras told ESPNChicago.com on Tuesday. Apparently there are still upwards of six teams still interested in Fielder. Teams such as the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers would certainly be part of the bidding, although it's unclear how many years they would be willing to offer. Boas told ESPNChicago in November that bidding would start at seven years for Fielder, who is the highest profile free agent left on the"

Hedge-fund executive Steven Cohen is bidding for the Dodgers

December 28

Los Angeles Times

"Steven Cohen, a billionaire eight times over, is bidding for the Dodgers in a process tilted toward the high bidder. However, the East Coast hedge-fund executive is not content to let his wealth speak for itself. He has engaged one of America's notable sports architecture firms to propose renovations to Dodger Stadium, allied himself with one of baseball's power brokers, secured the support of at least two prominent Angelenos and met with several major league owners. He was joined in those meetings by Arn Tellem, an influential sports agent who could run the Dodgers if Cohen were to buy the team. The developments were confirmed by several people familiar with the Dodgers sale process, each"

Frank McCourt's spinning Dodgers wheels got to go 'round

December 24

Los Angeles Times

"Yeah, so? What was all that about? Were heart palpitations really supposed to be in jeopardy over whether the Dodgers were able to sell their post-2013 TV rights along with the team? In a sale that was completely non-binding to the new owner? That offered absolutely no motivation to Fox to seriously participate in a new bidding? Apparently it was significant enough to Frank McCourt to spend more costly court dollars he doesn't really have, but Friday's U.S. District Court ruling placed a stay on his selling the media rights and is likely to end all the curious hubbub. The McCourt theory was supposedly that he could receive a higher amount for the auction of his team if the bidders knew how"

Dodgers are forbidden to sell TV rights for now

December 24

Los Angeles Times

"In a ruling that could limit the field of potential bidders for the Dodgers, a judge ruled Friday that the team must halt the sale of its television rights for now. U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark ruled that he was "likely to conclude" that a prior court decision permitting the sale was "based on one or more clearly erroneous findings of fact." Stark put the sale on hold pending a Jan. 12 hearing. If he follows through on Friday's ruling, the Dodgers would be prevented from selling their television rights along with the team, a step the Dodgers and their creditors had argued would maximize the sale price for the team."

Blake agrees to one-year deal with Rockies

December 21

MLB.com

"Veteran third baseman and utility man Casey Blake has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Rockies, general manager Dan O'Dowd announced Tuesday during outfielder Michael Cuddyer's introductory news conference at Coors Field. Blake, 38, appeared in just 63 games for the Dodgers last season (.252, four homers, 26 RBIs) because of injuries -- a back problem, an elbow infection and a neck nerve issue that led to surgery. O'Dowd said Blake checked out medically, but the contract will not become official until Blake passes a physical. The physical is not likely to occur until after the holidays."

Ronald Belisario suspended for 25 games

December 21

Los Angeles Times

"Reliever Ronald Belisario has received a visa valid for the next five years and is expected to be in Arizona for the start of spring training, but he won't be on the Dodgers' opening-day roster. Belisario must serve a 25-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke under the condition of anonymity."