Frank McCourt (executive)
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This article is about the real estate developer and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. For the Author of Angela's Ashes, see Frank McCourt (author).
Frank McCourt is the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2004, he purchased a controlling interest of the Dodgers from Fox Entertainment Group, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Prior to purchasing the professional sports team, McCourt was a real estate developer, whose family resided in Brookline, Massachusetts.
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[edit] Coming Into Contact With The L.A. Dodgers
McCourt bought the Los Angeles Dodgers for $371,000,000.57 from NewsCorp, Rupert Murdoch's flagship enterprise.
In 2004, McCourt's first year as owner, the team won the National League West, but were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, 3 games to 1.
[edit] The Hiring and Firing of DePodesta
When McCourt took control of the team he hired Paul DePodesta as General Manager. DePodesta made a blockbuster trade in the middle of the 2004 season: the Dodgers sent fan favorite Paul LoDuca, Guillermo Mota, and Juan Encarnacion to Florida for the high on-base percentage first baseman Hee-Seop Choi and power pitcher Brad Penny. Penny disappointed toward the end of the 2004 campaign, but returned strong and started the 2006 All-Star Game for the National League.
In 2004 the Dodgers won the NL West, but lost in four games to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Divisional Series of the playoffs. In the offseason the Dodgers decided not to re-sign Adrian Beltre due to his high contract demands (Beltre finished second in the NL MVP voting and would later signed with Seattle for 5/$64 million; [1]). DePodesta signed outfielder J.D. Drew for 5 years at $55 million ([2]), sinkerball pitcher Derek Lowe for 4 years ($36 million; [3]), and All-Star second baseman Jeff Kent.
However, the 2005 season was the Dodgers second-worst record since moving to Los Angeles, due in part to players' injuries. That off-season, manager, Jim Tracy, resigned disagreeing with DePodesta's baseball philosophy. Soon after Tracy resigned, McCourt fired DePodesta and about a month later hired Ned Colletti to replace him.
[edit] Renovations to the Dodgers, and their home
After the 2005 season, McCourt announced a multi-year plan to restore the aging but still beautiful Dodger Stadium. The first stage of restoration consisted of filling cement cracks and replacing all the seats in each level, resulting in a return of the ballpark to its original 1962 appearance (only with many more billboards) as well as a picnic area outside the loge level entrance. The team has been upgraded as well, adding young but established talent such as Rafael Furcal as well as verterans Nomar Garciaparra and Luis Gonzales. This following the acquisitions the year before of players such as Jeff Kent and solid piching from the likes of Derek Lowe and Brad Penny led the 2006 Dodgers to the N.L. Wild Card title, with a 88-74 record. Unfortunately, the Dodgers would get swept by the New York Mets in the Division Series in 3 straight games.
[edit] External links
- [4] MSNBC
| Business positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rupert Murdoch |
President of the Los Angeles Dodgers 2004-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
