Outgoing Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt yesterday "apologized to Dodgers fans for the ownership struggle of the last two years and said he was 'at peace' with the result" of his court battles, according to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. TIMES. In his first public comments since reaching an agreement with MLB, McCourt said that he has "no regrets about the decision to sell" the team. He said, "It got to a point where it became very, very clear to me that it was the right decision. I'm at peace with the decision. It wasn't my first choice." McCourt also said Dodgers fans "have been phenomenal to me and my family since the day we arrived in L.A. I know the last couple years were very, very difficult. I'm very, very sorry about that. We're going to move forward and handle the situation now in as professional a way as possible and make sure the baton is passed here in a classy way." McCourt "declined to comment" on MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, saying only, "I've taken the high road throughout here, whether it's been the commissioner or my former wife. I'm going to continue to do that" (L.A. TIMES, 11/15). ESPN L.A.'s Ramona Shelburne noted McCourt spoke yesterday at the "dedication of a Dodgers Dream Field in Compton." McCourt "had vowed to refurbish 50 baseball fields" around L.A., and yesterday's dedication marked the "16th project he was able to complete." He said that by the end of the year, the Dodgers "will have finished 20 fields" (ESPNLA.com, 11/14).
LOOKING FOR A SUCCESSOR: McCourt was asked yesterday what he will look for in a buyer, and he said, "It’s somebody who is a huge baseball fan, who loves this community and is willing to commit to this community and put everything they have into it and bring a world championship to L.A." (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/14). Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban has been mentioned as a possible bidder, and he said his involvement “comes down to price.” Cuban: “From all the people I've talked to, the organization needs to be rebuilt, you’ve got issues with the stadium there, so it’s going to take a lot of money. If you pay too much to the … current owners, then you’re not going to have enough to invest going forward. The last position you want to be in is right where they are today” ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 11/14).
PARTING GIFT: In L.A., Bill Plaschke notes the Dodgers are "putting the finishing touches" on CF Matt Kemp's "new eight-year contract that will be the richest and perhaps most important in Dodgers history." Plaschke writes Kemp's contract represents "the first sign that the Dodgers can become the Dodgers again." McCourt "seemingly figured the retaining of Kemp would be a nice goodbye gift to fans." But Plaschke notes McCourt is "signing Kemp with somebody else's money," and he is "signing him because the Dodgers will be a more valuable property with Kemp in the house" (L.A. TIMES, 11/15). In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes under bankruptcy law, the Dodgers "can sign Kemp without the approval of the court or MLB." Dodgers bankruptcy lawyer Bruce Bennett said, "Dodgers transactions with its players are in the ordinary course of business" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/15). SI's Jon Heyman said, “The only thing important right now, as far as Frank McCourt is concerned, is the impact of the price on the sale of the team. This team is probably going to go for an excess of $1 billion, maybe even $1.2 billion, and this is not going to negatively impact anything in any way. This is one of the best players in the game, no one is going to come in here and say, ‘Wow, I wish we didn’t do this deal, I don’t want Matt Kemp locked up'" (“Hot Stove,” MLB Network, 11/14).
