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Selig Among MLB Execs Scheduled To Be Deposed In Dodgers Bankruptcy Case

A series of senior MLB execs, including Commissioner Bud Selig, are scheduled later this month to be deposed under oath by attorneys for Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt in the ongoing bankruptcy case, according to a filing in Delaware bankruptcy court late Thursday. Selig will be deposed July 15, while MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations & HR Rob Manfred and Exec VP & CFO Jonathan Mariner will be deposed July 11. MLB Exec VP/Administration & CIO John McHale Jr. and Senior Advisor for Public Affairs Charles Steinberg will be deposed July 12. Selig-appointed Dodgers monitor Tom Schieffer will be questioned July 13 and former MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy July 14. The dates are subject to change, and it is not yet known whether MLB will challenge the depositions, particularly given that some conflict with All-Star Game events scheduled for July 8-12 in Phoenix. Each of the sessions are slated to be held at the N.Y. offices of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP. In the depositions, McCourt attorneys will likely attempt to get to the heart of the league's ongoing investigation of the club's finances and installation of Schieffer as monitor, both efforts McCourt and his representatives believe are premeditated attempts to oust McCourt from ownership of the club. The court filing on three occasions misspells Selig's given first name, Allan. The case could extend into early next year, according to reserved hearing dates outlined in a filing Thursday. The court has scheduled 10 omnibus hearings on the case for the following dates: July 20, Aug. 16, Sept. 26, Oct. 12, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, Nov. 30, Dec. 27, and Jan. 11 and Jan. 25 of '12. The case, of course, could be settled and the team could exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy before then. But should the case extend into the fall and winter, the court could have significant influence on the Dodgers' offseason spending. The July 20 hearing will focus on interim financing plans for the club (Fisher & Kaplan, SportsBusiness Journal). 

MONEY ISSUES: A Dodgers spokesperson said that the paychecks of "some part-time game-day staffers bounced," but added that "it wasn't because the team didn't have enough money to cover them." The spokesperson "attributed the issue to the freezing of the Dodgers' accounts for 48 hours after the team filed for bankruptcy in Delaware on Monday." It is "unclear how many Dodgers employees were affected, but some security guards and ushers found their paychecks had bounced." The Dodgers "reissued checks Wednesday to those who were affected and are reimbursing any bank fees incurred by the bouncing of the checks" (ESPNLA.com, 6/30). Meanwhile, the WALL STREET JOURNAL's Matthew Futterman reports the Dodgers "had to pay a previously undisclosed fee of about $5 million to secure the financing package that will allow the team to continue operating through bankruptcy." Robert Siegfried, a spokesperson for McCourt, said that the payment was a "customary commitment fee for securing financing." He "declined to confirm the size of the fee, but two other people involved with the Dodgers bankruptcy case said it was about $5 million" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/1). Former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent said of the Dodgers' situation, "I don't think this is a serious problem for baseball. It's awkward, it can be embarrassing, but I don't think it's really serious" ("Outside The Lines," ESPN, 6/30).

COMING TO THE RESCUE? In California, Marcia Smith notes former Dodgers Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser about 18 months ago "assembled an investment group" to explore buying an MLB team, and Garvey feels that the group "can save" the Dodgers. Garvey: "We're very strong in all the categories from understanding baseball to the administration of the game to being futuristic in our thinking, and I think our business plan will go over well with major league baseball." He added, "This whole thing is such a mess now with the bankruptcy. We're just sitting back and continuing to build our group, waiting and watching, and if it (the Dodgers) does became available and go on the market, I think we will be very viable and very competitive" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 7/1).

IMPACTING THE ON-FIELD PRODUCT: ESPN’s Buster Olney reported there is a "lot of speculation about whether or not the Dodgers ... would trade Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier," as both players' contracts expire after the '12 season. MLB "will not let the Dodgers simply dump these two players, and internally their baseball ops people really want to keep them." However, the team is "kind of in limbo right now." Olney: "They’re not in a position where they’re allowed to sign them to long-term deals. (If) the baseball ops people have their way, they’re going to hang on to both Kemp and Ethier and invest in them" (“Baseball Tonight,” ESPN, 6/30).

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