Will He Pave Paradise, Put Up a Parking Lot?

Welcome to Los Angeles, Mr. McCourt. As a passionate Dodger fan, I look forward to the next three years when:

1. You surprise everyone and lead us back to our rightful place among baseball’s greatest franchises, or;

2. You surprise no one and lose your shirt trying to bulldoze Dodger Stadium before getting run out of town.

Either scenario will be fine with me.

Jim Patton

Redondo Beach

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It’s official. Frank McCourt, borrowing heavily and going into debt, is the new owner of the Dodgers.

In a related story, Dodger Dogs will cost $87.50 this season.

Richard Turnage

Burbank

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I have had season tickets to Dodger Stadium for 28 years. They have a beautiful view of the mountains behind center field. Do you think Frank and Jamie McCourt will give me first option on the condo that ends up with that view?

Doug Dunlap

Valencia

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My family has been in real estate 60 years and everybody’s chuckling about the obvious: Frankie McCourt, hey, he’s one of us! And here’s what the clever guy’s play is: Buy a property for nothing, brutally slash costs (Vero Beach, etc.) and use all the property’s revenue to retire the debt. Textbook. Not a penny of his own.

Basically, then, the property/Dodgers pays for itself. And because Fox is bankrolling the transaction and made the repayment schedule, they certainly won’t allow significant new debt (free agent salaries) to impede swift recoupment. And Frankie doesn’t want that either. No way. See, once the property pays for itself, Frankie spins the ball team off from the real estate and either sells it or, most probably, forms a new partnership with a consortium who builds a new stadium downtown. Frankie pledges no cash, just the ballclub (which he got free), while his new partner builds the stadium with real money.

Meanwhile, most important, Frankie gets Chavez Ravine free too, what he wanted all along. Now all he has to do is lie low for maybe five years, and not care that the team stinks (guaranteed) and he’s reviled.

But, hey, it’ll work, because Frankie has the perfect role model: Donald Sterling. Another real estate guy.

Bye-bye, Blue.

Robert Collector

Santa Barbara

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Does anyone remember what happened the last time an L.A. team ended up with the wife of the owner in a similar capacity now being held by Jaime McCourt? Does the name “Georgia” ring a bell?

Allan Kandel

Los Angeles

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On behalf of millions of Dodger fans, I would like to send out a heartfelt Bronx jeer to Bud Selig for sticking us with one bozo owner (McCourt) after another (Fox).

Everybody knows McCourt couldn’t care less about the team, yet covets Chavez Ravine for its development possibilities. Hey, Bud, if you wanted this guy as a business partner so bad, why didn’t you lend him the money to buy your little rathole team?

William Winkler

Sunland

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I heard that Frank McCourt was planning to sell naming rights to help pay for his purchase of the Dodgers. I can’t wait to take the kids to Farmer John Stadium to see the Dodger Dogs play.

Jack Dietz

Los Angeles

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So what really bothers us about this sale of the Dodgers?

The answer is different for everyone, but the sensation of Dodger history trickling through our fingers is the same. For me, the Dodgers are balmy night games with my dad when his hair was darker than mine. The Dodgers are “Vin Scully coming to you from Vero Beach” after a chalky winter. The Dodgers are tradition -- the same manager for 20-plus years, the same infield for eight. Players who save flags and become broadcasters, players who break shutout inning records and then are there to broadcast their unbreakable records being broken. The Dodgers are the team that broke the color barrier, and the team that broke hearts when they moved from Brooklyn.

Since Fox bought the team, little tradition has remained. So what’s next? Does McCourt have what it takes to return this club to greatness? Does he understand what it means to bleed Dodger Blue?

Cary Grenrock

Mission Viejo

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Here is a positive PR move for Jamie and Frank McCourt to break the ice with Dodger Nation. Take some of that Fox loan money and bring back Mike Piazza. It’s better late than never. Besides, the Dodgers need a first baseman and protection for Shawn Green.

Stuart Weiss

Los Angeles

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Re: “A New Blueprint” (Jan. 29):

Glaring omission: How are the Cubs doing under Tribune Co. ownership? Team for sale? Team making money hand over fist for the holding company? Synergism evident?

Stu Watson

Redondo Beach

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Ross Newhan’s Jan. 26 article regarding the impending sale of the Dodgers was right on. However, his apparent backing of Jim Tracy for another year is ridiculous.

He mentioned only a couple of poor moves last year that cost the Dodgers games. I can give you 10 more examples off the top of my head. Tracy never tried to manufacture runs, always waiting for the three-run homer. Now we’re going to let him manage this team? His run is over, get someone in there who can actually manage a game, not observe!

Steve Owen

Solana Beach

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So now that McCourt is in charge, when is the recall?

Travis Burns

Tucson