AZZenny
Registered User
We no longer have the most meddlesome owners in the NL West! This could be entertaining for awhile, as Mao has commented elsewhere.
"[DePodesta's dismissal] was not an impulsive process and it's no single thing -- it's just something that happens over time," (McCourt) said. "It's something I've been struggling with for some time. I thought long and hard, and late yesterday came to the decision with finality.
"We all lived through last season. It was agonizing. I, too, was embarrassed. This is all about pulling in the same direction. Clearly, that's not something that occurred."
DePodesta, a Harvard graduate, was an assistant general manager of the Oakland A's and protégé of Oakland executive Billy Beane when McCourt hired him at the age of 31 to replace Dan Evans as general manager after McCourt bought the Dodgers from FOX Corp. before the 2004 season.
DePodesta inherited a team that went on to win the National League West in his first season, but he made major changes in that club as the season unfolded, including the acquisition of outfielder Milton Bradley and the controversial trading away of catcher and team leader Paul Lo Duca.
The roster underwent further radical revamping last offseason, when DePodesta traded away Shawn Green, let Adrian Beltre leave via free agency, re-signed Odalis Perez and acquired free agents Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew and Derek Lowe. The Dodgers, decimated by injuries, went on to finish fourth in the division with a 71-91 record, second worst since the club moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
McCourt was asked if the firing meant that DePodesta's hiring was a mistake.
"Expectations weren't met," he said. "I've learned a tremendous amount over the last couple of years."
Among the club officials attending Saturday's press conference was Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, who has returned to a position of prominence in the organization as special advisor to McCourt. It has been speculated that Lasorda's influence could lead to the hiring of Pat Gillick as general manager and Bobby Valentine as manager. BWAAA-HAAA-HAAA!! Oh, God, stop!! I'm laughing myself sick!
Lasorda, who held the position on an interim basis after Fred Claire was let go in 1998, noted the attributes he would want in a general manager.
"He has to know the game, know how to handle people and communicate with people and depend upon people working for him," he said. "That guy would be successful."
Friday, DePodesta's short list of managerial candidates was trimmed to three -- supposed front-runner Terry Collins, Orel Hershiser and Alan Trammell. It was generally believed that DePodesta favored the hiring of Collins, his farm director, while McCourt was intrigued with tapping into Dodgers tradition and bringing back Hershiser, the former Cy Young Award winner.
"[DePodesta's dismissal] was not an impulsive process and it's no single thing -- it's just something that happens over time," (McCourt) said. "It's something I've been struggling with for some time. I thought long and hard, and late yesterday came to the decision with finality.
"We all lived through last season. It was agonizing. I, too, was embarrassed. This is all about pulling in the same direction. Clearly, that's not something that occurred."
DePodesta, a Harvard graduate, was an assistant general manager of the Oakland A's and protégé of Oakland executive Billy Beane when McCourt hired him at the age of 31 to replace Dan Evans as general manager after McCourt bought the Dodgers from FOX Corp. before the 2004 season.
DePodesta inherited a team that went on to win the National League West in his first season, but he made major changes in that club as the season unfolded, including the acquisition of outfielder Milton Bradley and the controversial trading away of catcher and team leader Paul Lo Duca.
The roster underwent further radical revamping last offseason, when DePodesta traded away Shawn Green, let Adrian Beltre leave via free agency, re-signed Odalis Perez and acquired free agents Jeff Kent, J.D. Drew and Derek Lowe. The Dodgers, decimated by injuries, went on to finish fourth in the division with a 71-91 record, second worst since the club moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
McCourt was asked if the firing meant that DePodesta's hiring was a mistake.
"Expectations weren't met," he said. "I've learned a tremendous amount over the last couple of years."
Among the club officials attending Saturday's press conference was Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, who has returned to a position of prominence in the organization as special advisor to McCourt. It has been speculated that Lasorda's influence could lead to the hiring of Pat Gillick as general manager and Bobby Valentine as manager. BWAAA-HAAA-HAAA!! Oh, God, stop!! I'm laughing myself sick!
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Gillick interviewed for the job before McCourt hired DePodesta. Valentine played for Lasorda in the Minor Leagues and has been a longtime Lasorda protégé. Lasorda, who held the position on an interim basis after Fred Claire was let go in 1998, noted the attributes he would want in a general manager.
"He has to know the game, know how to handle people and communicate with people and depend upon people working for him," he said. "That guy would be successful."
Friday, DePodesta's short list of managerial candidates was trimmed to three -- supposed front-runner Terry Collins, Orel Hershiser and Alan Trammell. It was generally believed that DePodesta favored the hiring of Collins, his farm director, while McCourt was intrigued with tapping into Dodgers tradition and bringing back Hershiser, the former Cy Young Award winner.
