Sunday, October 30, 2005
PR Run Amuck
What to make of Depo's demise at the hands of McCourt and Lasorda? I'm still too bowled over to make heads-or-tails of it. I've read many stories, heard quite a bit of (mostly inane) commentary, and laughed at a few posts, but one quote from an LA Times article keeps sticking in my craw:
A strategic communications firm hired by the Dodgers in spring training became frustrated by DePodesta's seeming indifference to public relations and helped convince McCourt that someone more fan-friendly was necessary.You know ownership has hit rock bottom when it gives a PR firm a voice in baseball decisions. One of the things I have always enjoyed about this and similar sites is they focus on winning baseball games. Argue whether this player, that manager, or some other style of play has the best chance of winning, but it's always about winning. As Dodger Thoughts rightly points out, that is the Dodger way. Maybe it's his wife's counsel, Lasorda's kibitzing, or his precarious financial position, but whatever the reason, it's clear that McCourt has taken his eye off the true goal.
