MLB Capsules - Teams: Commentary - Take the Dodgers and leave McCourt parking lots
The mess begins in the parking lot, where the guy who made his money in parking lots collects $15 from every car that drives into Dodger Stadium.
At least Frank McCourt understands that business, though he doesn't seem to have a clue why not nearly as many cars are driving in these days. Then again, McCourt seems clueless about a lot of things, like the boxes full of fake dreadlocks he thought he could pawn off on the good folks of Los Angeles.
Mannywood is long gone, though McCourt still owes Manny Ramirez $21 million as part of that ill-fated signing. No big deal, owners make mistakes signing players all the time, as evidenced by the three wins the Dodgers got in return for the $47 million contract given Jason Schmidt even though they knew he had a rotator cuff tear.
Schmidt apparently got his money, but others didn't. There are 13 former or current players — topped by Ramirez — still owed more than $1 million each by the club, which this week filed for bankruptcy.
And then there's the $152,778 due to one Vincent E. Scully. Yes, Vin Scully, the hallowed voice of the Dodgers and the one constant in the fabric of the team from before people even heard of Chavez Ravine.
Come on, Frank. Sure, you've had some difficulties with your marriage, and the people of Los Angeles are down on you for using their treasured team as your own personal piggybank.
They didn't like you buying luxury homes by the handful on the Dodgers dime and got irritated when you spent tens of thousands on a Russian psychic to send good vibes the team's way.
But you couldn't pay Vinny? Couldn't clear the books before filing for bankruptcy with the only person who makes the Dodgers palatable?
I'll say this about Frank and Jamie McCourt, who bought the Dodgers in 2004 with much talk about honoring Dodger tradition and restoring the team to greatness. They may have missed the mark on their original targets, but they seemed to have stumbled on a formula to ruin an historic franchise in record time.
It didn't take a bankruptcy filing to figure out what a disaster the McCourts have been in Los Angeles. One look at the empty seats in Dodger Stadium is enough.
Attendance is down nearly 20 percent from last year, and it's not just because the Dodgers are a collection of wannabes and has-beens who haven't won more than three games in a row all season.
Fans in LA will excuse a bad team. They draw the line at bad owners.
Give Bud Selig some credit on this one. By refusing to allow Frank McCourt to mortgage the future of the team on a television deal that would divert untold millions to him and his ex-wife, Selig effectively declared the McCourt era over in Los Angeles. And over it is, regardless of the bankruptcy filings or any other manipulations by a desperate McCourt to keep the team.
McCourt may have bought himself some time with the bankruptcy filing, but the underlying issues that threaten to take down his once budding empire remain. Those include a divorce settlement with Jamie McCourt that seems certain to unravel in the wake of Selig not allowing the sale of future television rights to Fox Sports, and the $108 million in loans McCourt took on land around Dodger Stadium to pay down mortgages on his homes and finance the couple's lavish lifestyle that are coming due.
Although McCourt won approval from a bankruptcy judge to use $60 million of a hedge fund loan to pay immediate bills, the two sides will return to court July 20 to decide whether he can access the rest of the $150 million or whether the Dodgers should be funded by Major League Baseball. A person familiar with the league's plans, though, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that MLB probably will file a motion to seize the team from McCourt.
Just how that will play out remains to be seen. McCourt has dug in his heels at every turn, resisted any effort — even by his ex-wife — that could threaten his control of the team. The mess could drag on in various courts long after the current season is over, dragging down the price any potential suitor might be willing to pay for the franchise.
Ultimately, though, is that there's no way McCourt keeps the Dodgers. Selig won't allow it, not after already seizing operating control of the team and certainly not after McCourt went to bankruptcy court to try and thwart MLB's plan to find new owners. Baseball will throw every lawyer it has against McCourt.
Maybe Selig should just come up with an offer McCourt can't refuse. Entice him to leave by, say, giving him the parking lots as part of the deal.
At least he knows how to run those.
Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org.
Cardinals release former All-Star closer Franklin
BALTIMORE (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals finally ran out of patience with struggling reliever Ryan Franklin, cutting the former All-Star closer Wednesday after he failed to regain his touch.
Franklin was 1-4 with an 8.46 ERA and one save in 16 games. On Tuesday night against Baltimore, the 38-year-old righty gave up two runs and three hits, including a homer, while getting only one out.
His inability to be effective, even in a mopup role, led to the Cardinals giving him his unconditional release.
"It just came to a tipping point," general manager John Mozeliak said at Camden Yards before the Cardinals faced the Orioles.
"We tried to give him an opportunity to get back on track — multiple opportunities — but unfortunately it just wasn't working out," Mozeliak said. "We felt what was best for him personally and for the organization that we make this decision. Obviously, he was disappointed that it came to this for multiple reasons, but I also think he felt somewhat relieved."
The Cardinals intended to play with a 24-man roster on Wednesday night. They will add another player on Thursday, Mozeliak said.
Franklin had been with the Cardinals since 2007, going 20-15 with a 3.04 ERA. Last season he was 6-2 with a 3.46 ERA and 27 saves. He had 38 saves in 2009 and was on the NL All-Star team.
This year, however, Franklin struggled from the outset. He lost the closer's job in April, then lashed out at St. Louis fans after they booed him for giving up a home run. Franklin later apologized, saying he was "frustrated with myself."
Manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday, "The fans should know that if something didn't work and they are upset, he's more upset than any of us put together."
In his final four appearances with the Cardinals, he yielded nine earned runs and 14 hits — including five homers — over six innings.
"He goes and does it then all of a sudden makes a mistake. It's incredible," La Russa said. "He's suffering more than anybody."
Instead of sending Franklin to the minors, Mozeliak opted to cut ties completely.
"We thought it was better to split with the team altogether," the general manager said.
Franklin broke into the majors with Seattle in 1999 and played with Philadelphia and Cincinnati in 2006 before signing as a free agent with the Cardinals before the 2007 season. He had 83 saves with St. Louis in 264 games through last year and impressed La Russa with his will to win.
"He's not one of those guys that when something happens, says, 'What's the big deal?' He's been a core contributor," La Russa said.
Franklin owns a career mark of 62-76 with a 4.14 ERA with 84 saves in 532 games.
-- David Ginsburg
Fan's strong throw beats Tejada to dugout after HR
CHICAGO (AP) — Among the age-old traditions at Wrigley Field, throwing back home run balls hit by visiting players is right at the top of the list.
San Francisco's Miguel Tejada got quite the surprise after hitting a ninth-inning homer in the opening game of a doubleheader Tuesday.
Tejada hit a pitch from John Grabow into the left-field bleachers and before he could get back to the dugout the ball was waiting for him — compliments of a strong-armed fan.
The Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 13-7 and went on to sweep.
The fan near the front of the seats made a leaping, barehanded catch and fired it back onto the field, the ball bouncing past Tejada as he trotted between second and third base.
"I didn't see the ball," Tejada said. "I was just excited to run the bases. It's been a long time. I don't want to step on the ball because I'm not looking up, I'm looking down."
The shot snapped a streak of 225 at-bats without a homer, the longest drought of his career. Tejada, who has 302 career home runs, last went deep on April 8 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The ball eventually trickled over the first-base line toward the Giants dugout. On-deck hitter Aubrey Huff batted the ball backward to Cody Ross, who picked it up and flipped the souvenir to Tejada, who stuffed it into his back pocket.
"What an arm," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "I figure he'd get signed today, did he? After that, he might be in somebody's bullpen. I didn't know if somebody threw it or somebody shot it. That was quite an arm to reach our dugout."
"You have to be careful, that'll do some damage if the ball hits you in the face, especially with the arm he showed."
A 15-year veteran, Tejada has three career homers at Wrigley and has seen plenty of balls thrown back in his 23 games at the park, but never one quite like that.
"That kid had a good arm," Tejada said, pointing to the ball sitting in his locker before Wednesday night's game against the Cubs.
Diamondbacks to release 3B Mora on Thursday
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks plan to give Melvin Mora his unconditional release on Thursday. Manager Kirk Gibson made the announcement after the team's 6-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.
Mora struck out in a pinch-hit appearance. The 39-year-old third baseman is batting .228 in 127 at-bats. He figured to be the starter when he was signed as a free agent in the offseason, but injured his neck in a car accident during spring training. The job eventually went to Ryan Roberts.
Mora has played in the majors for parts of 12 seasons, mostly with Baltimore.
Gibson said the corresponding move would be made on Friday, when the Diamondbacks open a three-game series at Oakland.
Collins hopeful Niese can face Yankees on Friday
DETROIT (AP) — New York Mets manager Terry Collins is optimistic left-hander Jonathon Niese will be able to make his next start Friday after experiencing a rapid heartbeat while pitching last weekend.
Niese underwent numerous tests, including an EKG and a treadmill stress test, and was given a heart monitor to wear. Collins says he's confident Niese is "going to be fine" and will be able to pitch without extra precautions.
Niese is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series at home against the New York Yankees on Friday night.
Collins also said he talked to third baseman David Wright, out with a stress fracture in his back. Wright has swung in a pool and could be ready for rehab games in about a week.
No structural damage for Marlins ace Johnson
MIAMI (AP) — An MRI exam shows Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson has no structural damage in his ailing right shoulder. Johnson has been out since May 16. His agent, Matt Sosnick, says the right-hander had an MRI on Wednesday and was examined by Dr. James Andrews at his office in Birmingham, Ala.
Johnson received a cortisone shot and won't throw for 10 days. He's expected to rejoin the rotation sometime after the All-Star break.
The star pitcher was 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA before being sidelined. In his absence, the Marlins have gone into a June swoon that sank them to last place in the NL East.
Cubs activated Barney, release Davis
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have released veteran pitcher Doug Davis and activated rookie second baseman Darwin Barney from the 15-day disabled list.
The Cubs made the moves on Wednesday, one day after Davis was charged with 10 runs in 4 1/3 innings against San Francisco. The left-hander signed a minor league contract with Chicago in April and went 1-7 with a 6.50 ERA in nine starts with the Cubs.
Barney sprained his left knee June 13 against the Milwaukee Brewers. He entered Wednesday night's game against the Giants with a .294 batting average, a homer and 25 RBIs.
Mets bring up Martinez, Harris on paternity leave
DETROIT (AP) — The New York Mets have recalled outfielder Fernando Martinez from Triple-A Buffalo and put outfielder Willie Harris on paternity leave. The team announced the move after Wednesday night's 16-9 win over the Detroit Tigers.
The 22-year-old Martinez has played nine games for New York this season, hitting .250 with a homer and two doubles. He spent brief stints in the majors in 2009 and 2010 as well.
Harris is hitting .242 with a homer and 10 RBIs. This is his 11th big league season and first with the Mets.
AL Capsules
Mariners' Bedard to DL with sprained knee
SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners' stellar starting rotation took a hit Wednesday when left-hander Erik Bedard was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left knee.
The Mariners selected catcher Jose Yepez from Triple-A Tacoma to take Bedard's spot. The move is retroactive to June 28 and Bedard may just miss one start before he is eligible to come off the DL, depending on how Seattle uses its off days between now and the All-Star break.
Bedard last threw on Monday night against Atlanta, giving up three runs and four hits in seven innings during a 3-1 loss. Bedard entered that start with the best ERA in baseball over the previous two months and is 4-6 with a 3.00 ERA this season after missing all last year following shoulder surgery.
"We knew he was feeling a little something after his last start and has been working through it since then," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "We put him on the 15-day DL and we hope it is not much more than that."
Wedge said the Mariners are trying to figure out who will start Sunday against San Diego.
The latest injury continues Bedard's string of health problems since being acquired by Seattle before the 2008 season, although all his problems before now were arm related. Bedard went 20 months between major league starts, missing the entire 2010 season. He also missed parts of the 2008 and '09 seasons with arm problems.
Since joining the Mariners, Bedard is 15-13 with a 3.15 ERA in 45 starts.
Pitcher Chaz Roe was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Yepez.
Orioles activate RHP Simon from DL; cut LHP Rapada
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles activated right-hander Alfredo Simon from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and designated left-handed reliever Clay Rapada for assignment.
Simon, who had been sidelined since June 13 with a strained right hamstring, is 1-1 with a 3.14 ERA in five games this season.
Rapada appeared in 22 games with Baltimore, going 0-0 with a 7.30 ERA. He held left-handed batters to a .114 batting average, but right-handers were hitting .692 (9 for 13) against him.
Most of all, however, the Orioles had no room for a situation pitcher in an overworked bullpen that has logged plenty of innings this month. In 23 games in June through Tuesday, only once did a starter go at least seven innings — Jake Arrieta on June 10 against Tampa Bay.
"Obviously, I think a lot of the move was dictated by we need some length in the bullpen," manager Buck Showalter said. "And Clay, he did what he was designed to do statistically with left-handers, but we just weren't able to carry (a specialist), weren't in position with our starters not going as deep as we hoped."
Rapada signed a minor league contract with the Orioles over the winter. He previously pitched for the Cubs, Detroit and Texas. He made Baltimore's 25-man roster out of spring training because the team was short on left-handed relievers, but he became a luxury the Orioles couldn't afford to keep.
"If you are in the right situation, your starters are going deep enough, you are able to carry someone like him," Showalter said. "We are just not in that position right now."
If the 30-year-old Rapada ends up becoming a free agent, there's a chance he could latch onto a team looking for someone to get left-handed batters out in the late innings.
"You can look at the ERA overall, but you look at the numbers in the situation he is designed to do and you can see why he has been a chip for people that are playing late into October," Showalter said. "So it will be interesting to see how it develops."
Simon has the ability to start but will be used initially in long relief.
"If the starter doesn't go a lot of innings, I can go four or five innings to help the team win the game," he said.
Showalter said Simon, who had 17 saves last year, might also be used in the late innings.
"Like all this," the manager said, "it's how deep we can go with the starting pitching."
-- David Ginsburg
Jeter could return to Yankees next week in Cleveland
NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter could be ready to resume his chase for 3,000 hits by early next week. The injured New York Yankees shortstop went through his latest round of rehab work Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., and general manager Brian Cashman said if all goes well over the next couple of days Jeter might begin a minor league rehab assignment Saturday with Double-A Trenton.
He is likely to play at least two rehab games, and Cashman acknowledged it's possible Jeter could rejoin the team for a three-game series in Cleveland starting Monday.
Sidelined by a strained right calf, Jeter is six hits shy of 3,000. A return next week could put him on track to reach the milestone at Yankee Stadium during a four-game series against Tampa Bay from July 7-10. Then comes the All-Star break, and New York opens the second half with an eight-game road trip.
Jeter was eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, but wasn't ready yet. His bid to become the 28th major league player — and first with the Yankees — to get 3,000 hits has been on hold since he got hurt June 13 against the Indians.
New York has done just fine without its captain, going into Wednesday night's game against Milwaukee with a 10-3 record since he went on the DL.
The Yankees began the day with a 1½-game lead in the AL East over Boston.
Jeter, who turned 37 on Sunday, has struggled to find his All-Star form at the plate this season. He is batting .260 with two homers and 20 RBIs. He has 12 extra-base hits in 262 at-bats and a .324 on-base percentage.
Jeter ran the bases for the second consecutive day Wednesday at the team's minor league complex and increased the intensity of his running program. He also continued taking batting practice and fielding grounders.
"He's definitely going in the right direction," manager Joe Girardi said.
-- Mike Fitzpatrick
Yankees RHP Hughes strikes out eight in rehab start
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New York Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes struck out eight and walked two over 6 1-3 innings for the Double-A Trenton Thunder on Wednesday during his third minor league rehab outing.
Hughes threw 88 pitches, 61 for strikes, and allowed one run and three hits against New Hampshire, the Eastern League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. His fastball reached 94 mph.
"It was a good step," Hughes said. "I went out today and did not even think about stuff. I know that's what everybody wants to know about, but my last two outings, and even in the (simulated) games in Florida, my stuff was good. I trusted that it would be there and worried more about command, so that's really what I was most concerned about."
His last time out, Hughes threw 72 pitches in 3 1/3 innings. All eight of his strikeouts Wednesday were swinging.
"On the whole, I would say this was a lot better than my last start," Hughes said. "I just have to make sure I keep improving, getting all my pitches and making sure my location is good. I felt like I was throwing a lot more strikes and that was a good sign. Overall, I was just much more comfortable."
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Hughes looked great and the team will discuss whether he even needs another rehab start before coming off the disabled list.
Hughes had been scheduled to make four appearances in the minors, but Cashman said he showed a lot of improvement Wednesday, consistently maintaining a 92-94 mph fastball throughout his outing.
"It wouldn't hurt for him to get one more," Cashman said at Yankee Stadium. "Stuff-wise, we're very impressed."
Hughes was placed on the disabled list April 15 with a "dead arm," later diagnosed as right shoulder inflammation.
The 25-year-old Hughes was 18-8 last season. He was shut down after three starts in April because he was unable to consistently get his fastball over 90 mph.
Gonzalez to start in right field for Red Sox
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Adrian Gonzalez will make his second career start in right field, allowing David Ortiz to play first base when the Boston Red Sox face the Phillies on Tuesday night.
Gonzalez made his only other appearance in right field with the Texas Rangers on Sept. 30, 2005. Ortiz wasn't in the lineup the last four games because the designated hitter isn't used in NL parks. The Red Sox scored just nine runs in those games without Big Papi and were 1-3.
Gonzalez leads the AL with a .357 average and 71 RBIs. He also has 16 homers. Ortiz is hitting .311 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs.
Seattle manager Eric Wedge ejected
SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners manager Eric Wedge has been ejected for the second time this season, blowing up during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves.
Wedge was tossed by home plate umpire Paul Emmel moments after Jack Cust was called out on strikes on a low pitch. Wedge was in the dugout when he was ejected, but he came out and argued with Emmel for a couple of minutes Wednesday.
The ejection followed Tuesday night's game during which Bruce Dreckman's strike zone drew looks from pitchers and batters. Wedge previously was tossed in May at Minnesota.
Tigers option Schlereth to Triple-A
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers sent left-handed reliever Daniel Schlereth to Triple-A Toledo after Wednesday night's 16-9 loss to the New York Mets and recalled right-hander Brayan Villarreal.
Detroit allowed 30 runs in the first two games of the series, and with a day game on Thursday, manager Jim Leyland said the Tigers needed an extra arm in the bullpen.
Schlereth allowed two grand slams on Tuesday, and is 0-1 with a 4.29 ERA in 29 games. Villarreal went 1-1 with a 6.46 ERA in 14 games with Detroit before being sent to Toledo in May.
