Dodgers Drop Final Game Against Tigers, But It’s Time For Raptors Baseball

For the 6th time this season the Dodgers had a chance to extend a three game winning streak into a four game streak, and for the 6th time they failed to do so. Today it was Ted Lilly who got knocked around, again, giving up three homers and 6 earned runs in just over 4 innings of work, in a 7-to-5 defeat. I know it’s difficult to do, but with off days and such, would it be the worst idea to avoid pitching Lilly at home on day games, when the ball jumps out of Dodger stadium?

Again I know it’s tough to juggle the schedule, but this seems like at least the 3rd time Lilly has pitched at home during a day game and been knocked around. The Dodgers made it interesting, loading the bases with just one out in the 9th. However Casey Blake struck out and Dioner Navarro flew out to end the threat.

The Dodgers now have a day off, their second straight Thursday off, before they host the Angels in the ‘Freeway Series’. The Dodgers sit at 8 games under .500 yet somehow they are still only 7 games behind the N.L. West leading Diamondbacks. The Angels meanwhile are currently three games under .500 and four games behind Texas in the A.L. West. (They do hold a 4-1 lead right now against Florida)

The marquee game of the series will certainly be Sunday when Clayton Kershaw squares off against Jered Weaver, two of the top pitchers in all of baseball. Weaver has 9 wins on the year and an ERA just a shade over 2.00, while Kershaw has 7 wins and is second only to Roy Halladay with 117 K’s on the year.

Unfortunately a Dodger day wouldn’t be possible without a mention of what’s happening on the Frank McCourt front. I have politely removed myself from the debate figuring I’m better off just reporting on what the beat writers for the team are saying, as they provide plenty of material.

In an LA Times article by Bill Shaikin he discusses the potential difficulty in selling the Dodgers, should MLB force them to do so, because McCourt has broken up the Dodgers into so many different entities. According to Shaikin:

"the entities controlling the stadium, the parking lot and a huge chunk of the Dodgers’ ticket revenue were separated from the team itself…If Selig were to strip McCourt of the Dodgers and order the team sold, the deal would not include those related entities. A new owner would owe McCourt about $21 million in annual land use payments and an undisclosed share of ticket revenue."

McCourts attorney Bob Sacks took the matter a step further saying:

"“There is the possibility of some fairly acrimonious and extreme litigation going forward, which Frank is hopeful will not occur. If baseball were to act precipitously against Frank, which has been threatened, then there will be a showdown on that issue.”"

He also said that the commissioner has failed to respond to two letters and a phone call from Frank to discuss the settlement. According to Sacks:

"“He (Bud Selig) has basically been invisible. He has not responded to Frank, Baseball is acting based on misinformation. I don’t think the commissioner really has the information.”"

MLB executive Rob Manfred does not share the same sentiment as Sacks. He says MLB executive have discussed the FOX deal with McCourt representatives several times in the past several months. Manfred also said:

"“It is really outrageous that an outside lawyer who does not know Commissioner Selig and does not know how this office operates would make the assertion the commissioner does not understand this transaction, Commissioner Selig has forgotten more about television transactions than Mr. Sacks will ever know.”"

This is exactly the type of discourse the Dodgers and MLB do NOT need, and once again it will be Dodger fans who suffer as both sides battle to determine the fate of the Dodgers.

One more interesting note, Mark Cuban came out yesterday and said he would be interested in purchasing the Dodgers if the situation was right and if the front office mess doesn’t take 20 years to sort out. I’m not going to summarize the article but I would send you to ESPN where there is an interesting article on the subject.

On to better news I am at the Ogden Raptors home opener, they are the Dodgers rookie affiliate and have started the season 2-and-0 and lead the Pioneer league in runs scored and least runs allowed. Now that’s the kind of Dodger baseball I can dig. Look for in depth profiles of many exciting young Dodger prospects, and as always if there is anything you’d like to know about the Raptors just ask. Here’s a link to their roster and keep and eye on Scott Schebler, he’s homered in both games so far and has 7 RBI.

Man it’s nice to report about positive stuff on the field!

""