MLB Commissioner Bud Selig yesterday named former Rangers President Tom Schieffer as his monitor and trustee of the Dodgers, whose day-to-day and business operations were taken over by the league last week. Schieffer ran the Rangers from '91-99, was the club's General Partner from '94-98 and led the development and '94 opening of what is now Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. A longtime friend and partner of former U.S. President and Rangers Owner George W. Bush, the 63-year-old Schieffer more recently was an ambassador for Bush from '01-09, first in Australia and then in Japan. Schieffer, the younger brother of longtime CBS News journalist Bob Schieffer, represents a surprise choice compared to other names mentioned last week for the Dodgers role, such as MLB Exec VP/Administration and CIO John McHale Jr. and former Nationals President Stan Kasten, who have been closer to the game, particularly in recent years. Schieffer will represent Selig and the commissioner's office as the league seeks to stabilize the debt- and scandal-ridden franchise (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).
READY FOR THE CHALLENGE: In L.A., Shaikin & Gold cite an MLB exec as saying that Schieffer is the "de facto president, responsible for the club's finances and operations." He "must sign off on any check the Dodgers write for more than $5,000." Schieffer has the opportunity to reorganize a fractured front office that has operated without an experienced sports executive at the top" since team Owner Frank McCourt "pushed out president Dennis Mannion last fall." Schieffer, expected to assume his post this week, said, "I love baseball and baseball called." The Dodgers and McCourt declined comment (L.A. TIMES, 4/26). Schieffer said, "The first thing is, I don't want it to affect anything on the field. I want the focus to be on the field. My No. 1 mandate is to take care of the fans and the team" (MLB.com, 4/25). Schieffer accepted the task of running the Dodgers "in a Monday morning telephone call from Selig." Schieffer: "I told him I would stay until the job was done. Hopefully, that won't be too long." He noted that he "had not spoken" to McCourt as of last night, and he "could not yet discuss what role McCourt might play." Sources indicated that Selig "fully intends for Schieffer's appointment to mark the first step in an eventual ownership change." But Schieffer said that he "does not define staying 'until the job was done' solely as facilitating an ownership transition." Schieffer: "I don't think it necessarily means that" (L.A. TIMES, 4/26). Schieffer last night said that he "understands the resistance he might encounter." But he added, "I’ve had some pretty difficult jobs before. Dealing with the North Koreans is generally a pretty tough day" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/26).
RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB: ESPN L.A.'s Tony Jackson wrote the scouting report on Schieffer "portrays a man with strong people skills, a savvy politician with the wherewithal and the influence to get things done, and, perhaps most importantly, a boss who strikes the perfect balance between being hands-on and allowing his people to thrive." Brewers GM Doug Melvin, who worked with Schieffer in the Rangers' front office, said, "He is very big on the structure of an organization and very big on the chain of command" (ESPNLA.com, 4/25). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes, "He is a business guy, having been George W. Bush's wingman when the two guys helped stabilize the Rangers franchise in the community. He is a stadium guy, having led the effort to build the Ballpark in Arlington." Schieffer is "here not to fix the Dodgers' lineup," but to "handcuff Frank McCourt." Plaschke notes it appears Dodgers GM Ned Colletti "will be able to unilaterally make any roster changes within the confines of the current budget, with Schieffer acting as a gatekeeper only for those requests that exceed the budget" (L.A. TIMES, 4/26). Sports industry execs believe that Schieffer is a "good fit for what figures to be a temporary job." SportsCorp President Marc Ganis: "He's an extremely competent caretaker, not somebody that's coming in to shake things up too much or to put his own stamp on the team" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 4/26). SI.com's Jon Heyman reported Schieffer may "hire a couple experienced pros to assist him." Two competing owners believe that Schieffer "is the right guy with the right experience for this daunting task." One owner said, "Schieffer is a good man and a good choice. He's a good 'ol boy (from Texas) who gets along with others and might even get along with Frank" (SI.com, 4/25).
WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN: In Boston, Nick Cafardo wrote fans should not expect McCourt to "go quietly into the night, sell the team for about $900 million-$1 billion, pay off his debts, and then return to Boston or vacation for the rest of his life." MLB sources close to McCourt claim that the Dodgers owner is "flabbergasted by Selig’s actions, and that he has not been able to speak to the commissioner face-to-face to discuss the issues." McCourt is "as lawyered-up as anyone on the face of the earth, and MLB’s pockets are very deep and can withstand any prolonged legal battle" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/24). But the BOSTON HERALD's Michael Silverman wrote, "If I were going to bet, I’d have to say McCourt will eventually find it not worth his time and money to fight the takeover. The less turmoil surrounding the franchise, the better chance McCourt stands of MLB selling the esteemed franchise for a hefty pricetag, one much larger than the $430 million he paid for it" (BOSTON HERALD, 4/24). In N.Y., Bill Madden wrote McCourt "doesn't need to be further draining his resources on a case he can't win," and Selig "has both history and facts on his side in this latest challenge to the commissioner's powers" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/24). However, a sports attorney believes that McCourt "has a case, because this is not how baseball has handled other troubled franchises" (ESPN.com, 4/22).
NOT ALL ON FRANK: In Las Vegas, Ed Graney wrote under the header, "Selig, Owners Share Blame In Dodgers' Demise." It is "difficult to find the negative in Bud Selig seizing control of the Dodgers from the unsavory McCourts, and yet baseball's commissioner and his group of fat-cat owners need also share blame today in what has been the systematic disfigurement of a franchise once held among baseball's most precious jewels" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/24). ESPN L.A.'s Arash Markazi wrote under the header, "Frank McCourt's Legacy Is Mixed." As "embarrassing as the ordeal has been off the field, and as inept as the team has been on the field since 2010," the Dodgers "still enjoyed their best six-year run in 30 years under the McCourt ownership." McCourt has been "far from a perfect owner." In fact, his "financial records suggest he probably should have never been an owner to begin with." But Markazi added, "If the measure of a successful owner in sports is putting a competitive team on the field and contending for championships, it's hard to argue McCourt was a bad one prior to his divorce" (ESPNLA.com, 4/22). In DC, Jason Reid writes, "Credit Selig with an assist for everything McCourt did to tarnish the Dodgers’ iconic brand." Reid, a former Dodgers beat writer, recounts the history of McCourt's ownership and writes, "Selig made the right move in shutting down McCourt. ... But he shouldn’t be called a hero. Labeling him as an accomplice would be more fitting" (WASHINGTON POST, 4/26).
METS DON'T MEASURE UP: SI.com's Heyman wrote it is "true the Mets and Dodgers both have financial issues, but that's about where the similarities seem to end." Like the Dodgers, Selig "worries about the Mets, too, but with 30 years of mostly positive history from the Wilpons' association with Major League Baseball, he's giving them a rope instead of a noose." While both Fred Wilpon's and Frank McCourt's "offspring are on the team payrolls, people around the Dodgers aren't quite sure what the McCourt kids do for their high salaries." Heyman reported in addition to the $30M loan from Fox earlier this month, McCourt also "needed a $25 million loan in September." The timing of the loan from Fox "shocked" some industry officials. One baseball lawyer said, "It's inconceivable he ran out of money in April. Where did all the season-ticket money go? This is the first payment of the year!" (SI.com, 4/25). In L.A., Steve Dilbeck wrote Dodgers fans should "thank Fox for its stupidity, since it essentially gave" Selig an "excuse to take over the Dodgers." Dilbeck: "Fox loves giving to McCourt. It’s like a sickness. They should have their own special rehab facility" (LATIMES.com, 4/25).
WILL WE SEE MORE COMMISSIONER ACTION? In S.F., John Shea writes it appears "legal threats" from Giants Managing General Partner Bill Neukom are "far more convincing" than those from McCourt. That is "one reason we're not seeing Commissioner Bud Selig exercise his 'best interests of baseball' clause to make a unilateral call on the A's ballpark plight as he did with the Dodgers' ownership mess." If Selig were to "independently OK an A's move to San Jose, Neukom would take him to court faster than a Pablo Sandoval eye-high swing even though all owners agree before buying teams not to sue MLB" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/26). In Toronto, Dave Perkins wrote MLB's seizure of the Dodgers "continues a humiliating trend" in sports ownership. The NHL owns the Coyotes, the NBA owns the Hornets and MLB "already has forked over one $25 million loan so the New York Mets could make payroll" (TORONTO STAR, 4/23).
