Dodgers fire DePodesta

[BoSox84]

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt fired general manager Paul DePodesta on Saturday.

 

The team scheduled a 5 p.m. news conference to announce the move, first reported by Los Angeles newspapers and also confirmed by ESPN.

 

Earlier in the week, Orel Hershiser, one of the key members of the 1988 World Series championship team, became the sixth candidate to interview for the vacant manager's job. In a sign of pending trouble, Hershiser met with McCourt and adviser Tommy Lasorda, but not DePodesta, The Los Angeles Times reported.

 

McCourt hired DePodesta, then 31, after buying the team in January 2004. The Dodgers won the NL West title in his first season, but DePodesta riled fans by trading popular catcher Paul Lo Duca and two other players at midseason.

 

 

 

DePodesta had three years left on his contract.

 

 

 

The Dodgers went 71-91 this season, the team's worst record since 1992 and second worst since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, after DePodesta made many offseason changes.

 

 

 

The team has been without a manager since Oct. 3, when the Dodgers and Jim Tracy agreed to cut ties. Tracy was hired shortly after to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

 

 

The Dodgers began the 2005 season 12-2, but losses and injuries soon mounted. The team was without Adrian Beltre, Alex Cora, Shawn Green, and Steve Finley, key players from its 2004 NL West title run.

 

 

DePodesta

 

 

Jeff Kent was brought in to play second base and had a solid year, but other newcomers didn't perform well, such as J.D. Drew, Jose Valentin and Derek Lowe, along with holdover Odalis Perez, who was signed to a three-year contract.

 

 

 

Eric Gagne, baseball's best closer the previous three seasons, had season-ending elbow surgery in June and injury ended outfielder Milton Bradley's season in August.

 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2207524

[Manny Goes Boom]

I wonder what Moose thinks about this...

[mosox]

Can anyone imagine what a car wreck the Sox would be today if McCourt had bought the Sox three years ago?

[Moose]

Now I'd like to see Orel Hershiser as the GM and Bobby Valentine as the skipper.

[Soxfan1]

Moose is happy.

[ORS]

He got the shaft. Injuries killed the Dodgers this year. He had some hype surrounding him as a Beane protege out of Oakland, so he should find work. If the Phils or Rays don't snatch him up as a GM, I think Theo, once his contract is settled, should offer him the assistant position vacated by Byrnes. He's a moneyball guy, so he'd fit right in.

[riverside sluggers]

the whole Kent/Bradley debacle this past season didnt help matters either

[Soxfan1]

If I were them i would ship bradley to someone like the D-rays.

[riverside sluggers]

If I were them i would ship bradley to someone like the D-rays.

 

number of articles i have read about the options for the yankee center field would to be trade for Milton Bradley, jeez him in center and Sheff in right. what a controversial outfield combo that would be, huh?

[Soxfan1]

number of articles i have read about the options for the yankee center field would to be trade for Milton Bradley, jeez him in center and Sheff in right. what a controversial outfield combo that would be, huh?

 

 

I think that is very possible as almost every NY paper wants him out.

[26 to 6]

He got the shaft. Injuries killed the Dodgers this year.

Agreed...though trading LoDuca didnt help his case.

 

If I were them i would ship bradley to someone like the D-rays.

 

The Rays already have a mega-surplux of outfielders. They need no more, especially one who could potentially affect (negatively) the development of some of those young guys.

 

number of articles i have read about the options for the yankee center field would to be trade for Milton Bradley, jeez him in center and Sheff in right. what a controversial outfield combo that would be, huh?

I dont even want to think about it.

 

I think that is very possible as almost every NY paper wants him out.

NY papers want who out??

[eZ_d0eS_iT]

its like i woke up and its christmas day!!! aside from how bad this makes management look by firing him 3 weeks into looking for another manager, i'd still take it as better late than never. depo was in WAY over his head and his moneyball philosophy just wasnt going to mesh here in LA. The only reason Mccrook hired him was because he thought he might save more $$$ and get the same production on the field...which obviously wasnt there this season.

[eZ_d0eS_iT]

i'd be shocked if hershiser wasnt with the organization in some capacity next season. Not enough experience for GM (though I'm sure he really prefers that over managing) or managing for that matter. That said, if they can lure Hart to LA to groom Hershiser (as asst. gm) to take over, i'd be cool with that. Not impressed with Bobby V. (though Lasorda loves him).

[Soxfan1]

Agreed...though trading LoDuca didnt help his case.

 

 

 

The Rays already have a mega-surplux of outfielders. They need no more, especially one who could potentially affect (negatively) the development of some of those young guys.

 

 

I dont even want to think about it.

 

 

NY papers want who out??

They want sheffield out. In their top 10 trades the yanks should do they had him going in 7/10.

[riverside sluggers]

i dont want depodesta to come here as GM, bring on Kevin Towers please Sox. Its looking like he is the best option out there

[ksushi]

Towers isn't bad, my friend was talking about that today.

 

Depodesta isn't bad either but hes a risk taker, he is a guy who will take a lot of risks and he will trade prospects and do things unconventionally. No thank you, not now.

[riverside sluggers]

dont forget he had the bright idea of putting Kent and Bradley on the same team. which kinda started this public war in the dodgers clubhouse between the two. Something about theo which was golden about him, he knew how to pick players that have good clubhouse personalities and develop teamwork almost instantly

[ksushi]

I agree, forming chemistry is important, but many people can do that, theo was good at it no doubt but thats not a talent that only theo has, others can do it too. Theo was a monster, and im gonna say he'll be sorely missed, but we'll be ok. Depodesta probably isn't a good fit here though. I like towers, and who is the guy who was with Tampa? He did a better job then most people realise, i'd like to see him get a shot, with any payroll at all he might be able to do some things.