Baseball Mourns the Passing of Umpiring Pioneer Harry Wendelstedt

A work assignment has me in Salt Lake City, Utah for the past several days and I must say, I barely have time to log in to the internet.  Checking out Dodger news has been nearly impossible.  As work has ramped up the number of tasks that I have, this has forced me to cancel my trip to Camelback Ranch next week, something that I really looked forward to.  I did get a chance this afternoon to drive up to Ogden and checked out the minor league digs of the Ogden Raptors.  I must say, that ball park may be in the most beautiful setting I have ever seen for a baseball field.  You can nearly touch the snow capped mountains.  I’ll post pictures tomorrow when I return home.  Unfortunately, I failed to bring cables with me that allows me to download the photos onto my laptop.

1969 photo of Harry Wendelstedt

I was saddened to read of the death of former umpire, Harry Wendelstedt, at age 73 today.  Harry, an umpire from 1966-98, was the umpire that extended Drysdale’s scoreless streak by ordering Giant batter Dick Dietz to return to the plate after failing to attempt to avoid a pitch.  That call took some guts, some say.  Others claim it was a “home field” call and that Dietz really didn’t have time to get out of the way.  I can’t say whether he got the call right or not because I never saw it in real time.    Former major leaguer Ron Hunt, the previous all-time leader in being hit by pitched balls said in a 2005 interview that he believed that Harry made the right call.  If anyone should know, he was the guy.   I will say this though, I have never seen that call made, ever.  How many guys lean their shoulder into slow curve balls these days to get on base?  And they get away with it. 

Jay Howell's ejection.  I'll never forget the video of this and what Lasorda said next, "I can't f$%#ing believe it!"

I’ll always remember Wendelstedt for ejecting Jay Howell from game three of the 1988 NLCS against the Mets.  Davey Johnson waited for the right moment and asked for the glove to be checked.  That seemed to be a moment when the Dodgers were doomed in that series.  I’ll never forget how Harry took the glove with pine tar over to the stands where then NL President Bart Giamatti took a look at it during the game.

Harry’s son, Hunter Wendelstedt, has said that his father was diagnosed with brain cancer ten years ago.  Surviving that dreaded disease for ten years is a testament to his strength, stamina and drive.  I must say that the news of his death is a great loss to baseball.  He was a guy that took control of the game.  He was fair, and a gentleman.  He probably deserves a Hall of Fame induction and it’s too bad that he didn’t live to see that recognition.

Wendelstedt, the founder of an umpiring school that bares his name in Ormand Beach, Florida, has influenced baseball officiating in a way that no other person has in the history of the game.  The Wendelstedt umpire school has produced more major league umpires than all other umpire schools combined.  If you graduate in the top levels from the Wendelstedt School of Umpiring, minor league jobs await.

Harry Wendelstesdt was a true baseball man. Hunter had this to say about his dad: “There’s been no one ever who loved the game of baseball and respected it more than him.  He lived for baseball.  He lived for umpiring.  When we were getting him into the ambulance he had the MLB TV on.  That’s all he would watch.”

Don Drysdale and Rosie are now playing games with Wendelstedt calling balls and strikes behind the plate.

Early Spring Scouting Wars

This morning the San Francisco Giants gave the “old heave ho” to Angels advance scout, Jeff Schugel.  Schugel, who was present at the Giants spring training facility in Scottsdale watching the action, was advised by a security guard that Bruce Bochy wanted him to leave.  The disbelieving scout remained along the first base line before he was asked a second time to leave.  The 10 a.m. workout was something routine that Schugel watches, as the Angels advance scout assigned to watch the Giants, Rockies, Astros and Royals.

Bruce Bochy, Gamesmanship? Or was he just being a jerk?

Schugel was surprised at the ejection but harbored no hard feelings towards the Giants.  “Maybe he (Bochy) was having a bad day,” he said.  Angel General Manager Jerry Dipoto said that the Anaheim club has no policy against scouts from other teams watching their practice.    Neither does anybody else as far as I know.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Bochy noticed the lone scout in an empty stadium and immediately wanted him out.  Within 3 hours of the event, the Giant administration is doing damage control, calling the entire episode a mis-understanding and saying that scouts are permitted to watch activities provided that they don’t go down on the field.

Gotta love the Gnats.  I have to believe that Bochy must have some personal axe to grind against this particular scout to insist he be ejected from the ball park. It's not like this is football where watching an opposing team run plays would give you a distinct advantage.  The Angels and Giants play each other in June.  I guess this brings some intrigue to that inter-league series.

Links: LA Times and SF Chronicle

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In other news along the Giants front, Tim Lincecum gave up 5 runs in two innings, facing 13 hitters, the Giants ace gave up five singles, a triple and a homer. 

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Work had me running around in some hard core physical training yesterday that I am definitely too old for these days.  The result was I returned home late,  tired, sore and beat.  I turned on the tube and watched as much of the game that I recorded on my DVR.  Fell asleep by the 4th inning out of exhaustion.  I must say though, win or lose...it sure is nice to see Dodger baseball again.

How Will These Guys Get Playing Time?

Dodger prospect Scott Van Slyke

Jerry Sands, Scott Van Slyke, Ivan DeJesus Jr., Nathan Eovaldi, and Justin Sellers have all one thing in common besides being in the Dodger organization.  They have veteran players on the downsides of their careers that are in front of them on the depth chart for the next two years that keep them from getting significant playing time at the major league level.

De Jesus has fallen out of favor with the organization.  There has to be an unknown reason why because he has performed well.  Ivan won major league roster spot out of last year’s spring training.  After being sent back to Albuquerque following Rafael Furcal’s return from the disabled list, he never returned.  De Jesus didn’t even sniff a September call up after his Albuquerque season had ended (where he batted .310, with a .389 OBP).  He tore up the Puerto Rican Winter League.  Check out his numbers: 125 AB, 13R, 41H, 8 2B, 4 3B, 0HR, 13 RBI, .388 OBP, .328 AVG, .844 OPS.  How is it possible that he has fallen so deep in the depth chart that Uribe, Kennedy, Hairston, Mark Ellis and Sellers would all have to go down with injuries for him to get a call up?

Scott Van Slyke, a late bloomer in his player development, has come into his own and is a legitimate prospect that should be sniffing the big league roster.  As the Minor League Offensive player of the year last year he put up impressive numbers in AA Chattanooga.: .348 AVG, .427 OBP, .595 SLG, 1.022 OPS, all over 529 plate appearances in the pitching friendly Southern League.  He was amongst the league leaders in nearly all important offensive categories.  Frankly I believe we should be excited about Van Slyke as a potential Dodger this year as we are about Jerry Sands, but those two need to supplant Juan Rivera, Jerry Hairston, Tony Gwynn and James Loney to gain a roster spot and playing time.

Needless to say, other outfielders such as Trent Oeltjen, Jamie Hoffman haven’t got a prayer and Oeltjen is out of options, so the 28 year old outfielder will be out of the organization after Spring Training most likely.

On the pitching front, I must admit that I agree with the tactic that Colletti has taken.  The two year deals to Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano have created a stop-gap that will keep the likes of Eovaldi, De La Rosa (when he returns from injury), John Ely, Chris Withrow, Allen Webster, Michael Antonini and perhaps even Zach Lee and Chris Reed from getting to the show before 2014.  I’m not as concerned about the stop gaps created in the pitching department, simply because some of these young guys haven’t put up the innings that a full 200+ inning major league season requires.  

Nathan Eovaldi

On June 29th last season, I predicted that De La Rosa would possibly face injury if the Dodgers didn’t cut his workload back.  LINKED HERE   I was pleased to see them cut back Eovaldi’s workload in September.  It is probably best to pull back on the reins on some of those young arms and allow them to build up their strength before tossing them into a major league rotation.  A pitcher like Chris Reed will need to put innings on his arm to see if he can convert to a starting pitcher role and endure the rigors of a 200 inning season.  De La Rosa will need a full year or more to return to his former self.  Zach Lee needs to develop stamina and arm strength.  Doing it on the Major League level isn't that wise.

So as Spring Training games get under way, I’ve got a mixed opinion on the major league vets that are in place keeping the kids at bay.  A thumbs up for the pitching deals and a thumbs down for the acquisition of vets to fill in spots in the infield and outfield.  Spring Training, as a result, is rather anticlimactic.  Even if Van Slyke tears the cover off the ball (as he did today), and puts up amazing ST numbers, he’s still destined for Albuquerque to start the year.

Dodger Stadium, What New Ownership Can Do to Really Win Over the Fans

As other blogs update the world about Spring Training, I must admit that I don’t have much to add to the excellent on the spot eye witness coverage provided by so many.  I read them with interest and as many of you, I’m eager for the games to start and for the club to get through Spring Training unscathed in the injury reports.  March always brings optimism and this season that is especially true with a new ownership group on the horizon. 

Dodger Stadium at Dusk, the beautiful backdrop that must remain.

As I ponder the possibility of a Steve Cohen ownership group or a Magic Johnson ownership group, I can’t help but wonder about the future of our crown jewel, Dodger Stadium.  We have seen the 50 year old structure age and take on some improvements under the McCourt ownership, something I’m willing to give him credit for.  But in recent years, I am concerned about the field being torn up each off-season in search of new revenue streams for such spectacles as Moto-Cross and Monster Truck events.  Dodger Stadium always had too much class for something like that.  We took pride in it’s “baseball only” configuration and  the pristine field condition was always something that was expected.

The Oakland Coliseum before it was enclosed.

I look at other older facilities and see how they were ruined over the years by “upgrades."  Take Oakland, for example.  A ballpark that had a picturesque backdrop was destroyed when Oakland City officials agreed to acquiesce to the Raiders and build more seats for a football configuration  They took away the beauty of the stadium in the process, turning into a giant circle of concrete.  The A’s will be leaving, and had the stadium remained the same, I’m fairly certain they could have remained.

Oakland Coliseum today, the backdrop and view of the Oakland hills is gone.

Frank McCourt wanted to do a similar thing in Dodger Stadium, and it had me greatly concerned.  The area behind the outfield pavilions was to house gigantic parking structures that would partially obscure the current backdrop, especially for those in the lower levels of the stadium.  It was a big mistake and would have destroyed the picturesque views of the sunset designed colors beyond the outfield walls. 

Artist rendering of Dodger Stadium with the McCourt 2008 parking structure plan, beyond the pavilions.

I love Dodger Stadium.  It’s a beautiful ball park, but it’s not perfect.  When Emil Praeger designed Dodger Stadium under the concepts that Walter O’Malley envisioned, the car was king.  By the early 60’s, Los Angeles had ridded itself of most public transit.  The red car trolley line was gone and freeways were being built en masse.  The construction of the Stadium into the terraced Chavez Ravine hillside was a brilliant concept and a novel idea, it just never really worked the way it was supposed to.   Creating a ballpark where that you parked on the level you would sit at was a great idea.  Unfortunately, it never did quite work as traffic snarled in the Dodger Stadium lots that made fans find their own Chavez Ravine escape routes a game of skill.

How many of you have had discussions with other fans regarding the quickest way in and out of Dodger Stadium?  Academy Road and parking up the hill?  The Sunset Gate?  The Pasadena Fwy entrance? The 5th (Billy Preston) gate?  Everyone has their special parking spots and ideas on how to get in and out.  As a kid, we’d park in the softball field lot near the police academy (that is now gone). I know many that walk substantial lengths in order to avoid traffic exit problems and gridlock.  Most wouldn’t think of parking near their Stadium entrance for that reason alone.  

What has resulted is a Stadium with no main entrance, no central meeting place and a mass of entrances and exits that are convenient, but fail to create a feel of fan kinship.

With the absence of tail gating and a central meeting location.  Dodger fans miss out on something unique that fans if other teams experience.  Let me give you some examples.

If I’m in San Francisco and I’m meeting up with some friends before game time.  All I have to say is meet me at the Willie Mays Statue at the main concourse and I know that there will be a large number of fans enjoying the location.  It has artwork, a restaurant, a gift shop around the corner, ticket windows and team history displayed in windows that are almost a mini museum.

Where do the Dodgers have memorabilia on display?  You have to pay mega bucks to be on the club level to see it in an area that is severely restricted to ticket holders in that area.

Is there a central entry point where fans could see the statue of Sandy Koufax that Howard Cole has pushed for so many years?  Not really, but perhaps it isn’t a big deal that Dodger cultural artwork is on one key central spot.  The Giants have artwork of Mays, Marichal, and Cepeda at each corner of the of the Ballpark and of McCovey at a t-ball Field on the opposite side of the cove that carries his name.

Take a look at the Ebbets Field Rotunda and the crowd exiting.  There is no such central focal point at Dodger Stadium

Ebbets Field had that central rotunda entrance that so many New Yorkers revered.  They loved it so much that the Mets built a copy of it with their new CitiField entrance.

Does Dodger Stadium have anything similar?  No, but the top of the park with the gift shop is unique and a special place.  Go up there and enter the Stadium from the top and the view five levels up is breathtaking to me.  Too bad that it’s too high up for my taste to watch a game, but there are others that swear that those seats are the best in the house.

I always thought the Yankee Stadium’s Monument park beyond the outfield fence was a wonderful tradition.  Something that the Dodgers could possibly do, but we all know the area isn’t fan accessible.

Creation of a central gathering place isn't feasible at Dodger Stadium, but place historic statues at various entry points and the history can be brought to the fans.  Perhaps a Kirk Gibson statue near the entry to the right field Pavilion to commemorate his historic homer deposited there.  A Maury Wills statue on the third base loge level, a Garvey statue on the opposite side down the first base line.  Big "D" near the Left Field Pavilion towards the bullpen.  And most importantly a Koufax Statue at the top of the park entrance overlooking the scenic view of the Stadium from up top.  I can't think of a better and more scenic spot, especially at sundown.  If tastefully done, such a piece could be the most breathtaking spot in the Stadium.

New ownership could really gain points with the fan base by immediately getting to work on such a project.  There is too much history of this franchise that is being ignored, and Sandy is 76 years old now.  It's time to get this done.  A bobblehead doll simply isn't enough.

New Playoff Format Coming This Year...Why I Don't Like It

One of the appeals of Major League Baseball has always been that the post season play wasn’t made up of a watered down group of teams that trudged into the playoffs, i.e. the NBA, NHL and NFL.  We could usually count on the absolute cream of the crop to represent in the exiting knock out rounds.  I really don’t believe we can say that anymore.

With a pending announcement later today, MLB will lay out the new playoff format.  If media reports are accurate it will be 5 representatives in each league, with three division winners and 2 wild cards.  The wild card winners will play each other in a one-game playoff.  Due to the current alignment of teams in each division and league, by 2013, there will be 15 teams in each league, forcing there to be an inter-league series going on all of the time during the regular season.  The end result is that 1/3 of the teams in each league will make it to post season play.

The rush into this new format was undoubtedly influenced by the exciting pennant race last year when in game number 162 the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays battled for the wild card spot and the Tigers and Twins competed for the division title.  MLB believes that by having one game playoffs in each league, they have created an extremely exiting day of knock-out baseball.  I’ll give them that, but they have essentially created an awkward scenario too.  Please allow me to explain.

I  never liked the playoff format.  It’s blatantly unfair that teams in weak divisions qualify over teams with better records in stronger divisions.  I know that the Wild Card is created to alleviate that scenario, but it doesn't always eliminate the unjust scenarios that play out when the dust settles after 162 games.  It makes no sense that a Dodgers team that finished 92-70 in second place in the division, has to play in a Wild Card knock out game while a New York Met team that wins its division with a 84-78 record sits and rests because they won their weak division.  I know the scenario I gave seems unlikely, based on the strength of the Eastern Division with Philadelphia, Atlanta and Florida in it, but throw out which team it is or switch the Mets and Dodgers around, the concept is the same.  The argument could be made about any division.

1995, the Angels were eliminated in a one game playoff at Seattle.

There is no perfect scenario, I’m aware of that.   But diluting the playoffs with more teams is the answer?  I know to MLB management it is because of the extra revenue the post season games bring to the table.  However, what MLB should focus on is properly rewarding those that  won over the 162 game season.   The true test of a teams worth is how they battled over the 162 game marathon and the clubs with the best records should be rewarded in a justifiable fashion.  My answer isn’t perfect, but this is what I propose.

First: Throw out the division format.  It rewards weak winning teams from inferior divisions and punishes clubs that battle it out season after season in a tough division like the AL East.  If it were up to me, the playoffs would be scaled back to four teams in each league.  The best record would play the fourth best record in a best of 7 format, and the second and third best records would also play in a seven game series.  

Second: Balance the schedule in a way that makes it equitable for all.  How can you accurately gauge a teams performance against another when one team has to play a tougher schedule than the other?   This means that inter-league play is eliminated, but that’s for the better.  It will bring the mystique of the World Series back.  Is it really fair that the Dodgers have to play six games against the Angels each season while the Padres take on the Mariners for six, (or that the Mets play the Yankees while the Phillies get the Orioles).  Teams aren’t playing the same schedule and they easily can.  This isn’t the NFL with a limited amount of games.

Third: In order to balance the schedule, expansion to two more markets will be needed.  The ideal situation would be contraction, to make the league more competitive, but we know that will never happen.  Two 16 team leagues with 4 playoff teams representing the top 25% tier.  That seems fair.

The '69 Mets win the World Series, during the day.

Fourth: Remove days off between games in the playoffs with the exception of travel days.  This will reward teams that win a series quickly (with rest), and it keeps the baseball ryhthm in tact, much like the regular season.  Additionally, some day playoff games  and World Series games should be mandatory to bring back the old nostalgia and allow kids to determine accurately who the cool teachers are at their schools.

Fifth:  In order to avoid November baseball.  Bring back 3 doubleheaders for each team per season.  Start the season on April 1st each year.  Do not allow a TV partner like Fox to dictate the post season schedules to accommodate prime time television for each and every game.

And Now They Are Seven

Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times always seems to have the scoops about the ownership situation. Here are his tweets from this morning at 9:55 and then at 10:50 AM.

Bidders advancing in #Dodgers sale: Cohen, Magic/Kasten, Hindery/Barrack, Kushner ... and at least two more.

7 #Dodgers bidders still in running: Magic/Kasten, Cohen, Hindery/Barrack, Kushner, Kroenke, Disney/Gold, Casden.

Seven remain and I have my favorite.  The criteria I use to select them is quite different from most.  Perhaps I’m too picky, but the ideal Dodger owner for me must be a person/s that has tons of money and be a Dodger fan.  Someone that loves the franchise.  A baseball man that knows who Ron Perranoski, John Roseboro, Wally Moon, Manny Mota, and Jim Brewer is.  He should be able to name off all the Dodger Rookies of the year and when asked where the Dodgers finished in 1971, should be able to say they finished 2nd in the West that year one year behind the Giants.  Ideally, our owner should understand Dodger history and want to build upon it.  He should be someone that hates the Giants, be livid about the Mike Piazza deal and passionate about the club keeping its tradition alive.  He should be willing to upgrade Dodger Stadium, strengthen the farm system, rebuild the international scouting departments and ready to spend big money to be competitive year after year.  He should be passionate about returning a World Series Championship to Los Angeles.  He should also familiar with Los Angeles, having SoCal roots and be understanding of the Los Angeles sports landscape.

As I see the remaining bidders, none seem to fall within the parameters that I mentioned above.  Perhaps that’s why I was so keen on a wild card like Josh Macciello.   One of the remaining bidders however, meet parts of my criteria, and I can live with that.

Let me start off and say that Cohen and Kushner are out and out carpetbaggers in my opinion.  I’d have to be convinced otherwise, but they bring to ownership New York ties and loyalties to other franchises.  They aren’t SoCal bred and neither has SoCal roots.  How could they possibly be passionate about the team with the exception of the financial gains that could potentially strengthen their financial clout in the world?

Steven Cohen has partnered with Agent Arn Tellem.  He has the backing of L.A. institutions Eli Broad and David Geffen.  That puts his bid for me a tick above the Kuschner group that I see as a Trump family intrusion into the process. 

Tom Barrack of Colonial Capital in Santa Monica and Leo Hindery (the founder of the Yankees cable channel) have teamed up.  Barrak’s firm has experience in enhancing professional sports teams values overseas.  His firm was able to develop shopping centers and hotels around the ballpark of the Japan Fukuoka team.  We all know what the YES network has done for the Yankees value.  Perhaps this partnership still being in the running is good news.  I prefer them over the two previously mentioned, due to Barrack’s involvement.  But honestly, what do we know about them?

The Disney/Gold group has L.A. roots, but what do they know about Dodger baseball and running a sports franchise.  Early on, O’Malley was rumored to be a part of them, but it appears that is not so now.  There aren’t a lot of facts known about them either that I can find.

Kroenke’s group scares me the most I believe because it appears he is willing to get into bed with McCourt and allow him to retain the lots for a potential NFL team move.  Years ago,that seemed like a great idea, but alternative plans have since been made for the NFL in Los Angeles.  Anything with McCourt’s stamp on it has to be looked at with a jaundiced eye.

One thing is guaranteed.  If you enter in to an agreement with McCourt to continue a business relationship with him, it is only a matter of time before he goes litigious on you.  It’s a given, you will be sued sooner or later.  Any owner doing their due diligence in preparing for this purchase must know that they need to steer clear of that man and his entities once the sale is complete.

Local developer Alan Casden remains.  Reports are that his group doesn’t have the financial muscle as the New York groups.  He also has a history in a previous attempt to land the team of saying that Dodger Stadium needs to be razed.   I am actually open to that option only because of McCourt’s insistence to holding on to the parking lots.  It has been reported by Shaikin in the past that the new owner is required to sign a lease through 2030 to McCourt for use of the parking lots.  So there is uncertainty as to where this issue stands with regard to the remaining bidders.  I am in agreement with Bob Daly who said last month that anybody purchasing the team without the parking lots would be absolutely crazy.  Has Casden changed his tune and decided to continue to bid for the club and pay McCourt’s BlueLandCo entity $14 million per season?

So who does that leave remaining?  My personal favorite: Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten.  I believe that Magic has handled the situation in the wisest fashion.  He has said nothing but positives about McCourt, knowing full well that Frank is the man that will be picking the new owner.  He has remained tight lipped about everything.  His silence has been deafening.  He did his homework and has surrounded himself with a sound baseball man and the Guggenheim group that is loaded with money.  He’s a L.A. institution and he is excited to develop a winner and save the Dodgers.  Magic has a history of turning troubled entities into profitable and growing businesses.  Johnson understands the meaning of the Dodgers to the Los Angles landscape.

Frankly, I believe that we all need to get behind the Magic Johnson bid.  MLB should be thrilled with the potential of an African American businessman, with Los Angeles ties, as the Dodgers owner.  Viva Magic!  I’m on board.

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Cool to see Dee Gordon hanging out with Maury Wills and Davey Lopes.  Hopefully he soaks in as much information as possible.  Prediction: This trio will have accumulated 2,000 stolen bags by the end of Gordon's career.

Andre with an Attitude

In the few personal encounters I have had with Andre Ethier, he has been polite and friendly.  He has been nothing but kind to me when talking with him and I like him, but I must say that the story out of Camelback Ranch of his arrival to camp today is disturbing. 

(Link to Tony Jackson's story at ESPN Los Angeles)

What is Andre thinking?  The press corp. in Los Angeles is rather tame when compared to some other Major League cities who would have run him out of town for his subpar seasons the last two years.  He arrived at Spring Training with an unfriendly demeanor and total attitude.  All they did was simply ask him routine questions.  Real tough questions.  Controversial stuff like, “How was your winter?” and “How is the knee doing?” 

I don’t understand this guy sometimes.  He whined last year and took his attitude to the press when he claimed the Dodgers were forcing him to play hurt.  Then he got upset when they do their job, which was to simply report the story.  Nobody was out to screw him over.  They just told   Coming in to Spring Training with an attitude isn’t the greatest way to start off the year.  I would say that perhaps Ethier just had a bad day, but he has a history of being an unpredictable and ornery guy.

It’ll be interesting when the eventual inevitable comes and he signs with Boston, Philadelphia or New York.  Dealing with the demanding writers back there will definitely  be a wake up call for Ethier.  Imagine how he’ll be treated by the Red Sox faithful when he continues to hit .220 off of left handers with a .258 OBP while drawing a salary of $12 or $13 million per year.  They will crucify him.  Some guys don’t realize how nice they have things until they depart.

I would suggest that someone have a chat with Ethier, but he’s no kid anymore.  He’s a veteran and a seasoned all-star.  He should know better and he should have learned from his past mistakes.  How dare the writers say “good morning” to him?

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 If Frank  McCourt keeps the parking lots, and the parking lots are not under bankruptcy protection, can’t Bryan Stow and his lawyers go after that McCourt entity?  The crime occurred in the lots, where there was insufficient security and lighting.  Perhaps Stow’s attorneys should simply sue BlueLandCo. and abandon a suit against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  BlueLand Co was the only McCourt entity that apparently is in the black and is profiting.