6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

The Dodgers are, incontrovertably, in the hands of the most neurotic idiots to ever run a franchise since Marge Schott. We have proof of this in the form of the Los Angeles Times article indicating that Paul DePodesta is on his way out.

On the heels of a fourth-place finish and in the midst of a managerial search, the Dodgers are expected to fire General Manager Paul DePodesta, perhaps as early as this weekend, highly placed sources in the organization said Friday.

Barring a change of heart by Frank McCourt, all that is left is for the Dodger owner to meet with DePodesta and make an announcement. DePodesta did not speak with McCourt as of late Friday, although the owner and his wife, team President Jamie McCourt, were in their offices into the early evening.

If anything is likely to make me change my mind about the McCourts, it's this. After a year and a half or so of new ownership, I had softened a bit on them, but it seems they've lost their minds. Tinkering around the edges by firing front office communication personnel like Lon Rosen is one thing; having a revolving door at the GM's chair is quite another. The franchise enters an offseason of great tumult around baseball in that position, with Theo Epstein renegotiating his contract amid public disagreements with ownership, Brian Cashman using his potential exit from the Yankees to emphasize a point about who's boss, John Hart resigning from the Rangers, the Phillies fired Ed Wade, and the Devil Rays gave Chuck LaMar the boot. (Am I missing someone?) Finding a proven GM will be difficult.

A GM search now will also complicate the managerial search. They'll have somebody to fill out the lineup card next year, somebody to blame for whatever troubles the team has, but it won't matter much. They'll also have a GM who's likely to start making some furious trades. I didn't see much coming out of the Dodger farm system before 2007; with this change and the pressure behind it, it's all too plausible to see the likes of Andy LaRoche traded for some magic beans and a handful of aging, marquee veterans, a la the early 90's Dodgers.

Finally, to fire DePodesta after only a year in that position marks McCourt as someone who can't tolerate media carping. If the likes of the Plaschkes and Simers of the press keep Frank McCourt awake at night, if the Doug Krikorians give him indigestion, then the kinds of idiotic, reactionary moves that punctuated Kevin Malone's tenure as GM will almost assuredly ensue. That is, the Dodgers will be run like the Mets or the Phillies: a second-class organization without a clue that swings heedlessly to whatever sentiment inflames the fans this month.

This is profoundly saddening. I'll say this: it makes me appreciate Arte that much more. And I wish Jon were around; for sure, he'd have something sharp to say. I don't have the time, and the Toaster appears to be unplugged right now. If you want, the (limited) BTF thread is here.

Post-Wedding (not mine) update: More on this from Jon, Rich, and Matt.

It appears the firing is official, according to ESPN.

"I met with Paul DePodesta this morning and let him know that the Los Angeles Dodgers were moving on," McCourt said at the afternoon news conference at Dodger Stadium. "I thanked him for his contributions."

Of course, the ones who should be fired are the McCourts.

Lasorda, whose influence seems to have increased steadily with McCourt, said he would sit in on interviews with candidates for the openings.

"He [McCourt] asks me questions and I give him answers," Lasorda said. "He doesn't listen to me all the time."

Which is a good thing, but his increasing influence is not. Lasorda, by the way, was responsible, wholly or partially, for two of the worst post-Walter-O'Malley incidents in Dodger history. First, the catastrophic trade of Pedro Martinez; and second, trading Paul Konerko for Jeff Shaw, forgetting that Shaw had the right to ask for a trade. He did not, but the lopsidedness of the deal clearly showed Lasorda's incompetance at the front office role; the very thought of him sending "advice" of any kind to McCourt simply staggers the imagination, and beggars the lexicon.

Arte, in case I haven't sent you a valentine, consider this it.

Update 2: LA Observed chimes in; the blogosphere sentiment is pretty uniformly negative.

Update 3: and David Pinto. Also, Peter Gammons, from behind the tollbooth, issues a prediction that pretty much agrees with Rich: Orel Hershiser will be the Dodgers' new GM, and Bobby Valentine the new manager.

But after meeting with Orel Hershiser and Tom Lasorda, McCourt, ever sensitive to the Los Angeles media, changed direction. Friday, DePodesta was ordered to meet with ownership at 10 p.m. PT, and was subsequently dismissed. Now, what could be better PR to sell the Dodger tradition than hiring Hershiser as GM and bringing Dodger blueblood -- and Lasorda favorite -- Bobby Valentine back as manager from his historic triumph in Japan.

"Don't bet against it," said one person acquainted with the scene. "Tommy really wants Bobby back with the Dodgers."

...

What most frustrated DePodesta was that -- with arguably baseball's best farm system about to give the Dodgers a potential dynasty by 2007 -- he was not given the opportunity to implement what he saw as his viable plan.

"There is talent here to build a Dodger dynasty for a long period of time," said DePodesta.

"I told Paul he is better off being out of that situation," said another general manager. "It is crazy."

Update 4: Jerry Crasnick, behind the $$$ wall:

"The McCourts can't deal with the media pressure," said a person close to the Dodgers situation. "So every time they start getting hammered, they try and figure out who they can get rid of that's not helping them alleviate the pressure or is hurting them.

"It's all ego-driven with the McCourts. That's the sad part. They think if they sell themselves, the Dodgers will rise up as an organization. But it's really the other way around."

...

Two years ago, before Frank and Jamie hired DePodesta, Lasorda pushed for Pat Gillick to get the job. And while DePodesta wanted Terry Collins or Giants coach Ron Wotus to succeed Tracy as manager, Lasorda lobbied passionately for Orel Hershiser or Bobby Valentine.

Lasorda's argument: The best way for the Dodgers to repair the damage is by evoking feel-good images from the past.

If only it were that easy. Dodger Blue once had great meaning to lots of people because of the organization's reputation for loyalty, integrity and class. The version making the rounds these days is nothing more than a pale imitation.

One thing seems to be rapidly clearing up, and that is that never in the history of the organization, save when he was GM, has Tommy Lasorda had such influence upon the future of the Dodgers. What a sad turn of affairs.