Free Republic

Matt Kemp is the face of the Dodgers' franchise, which makes it easy for Giants fans to dislike the All-Star outfielder. Those fans may not want to watch a feel-good video of Kemp taken this past weekend when his Dodgers were swept by the Giants. Good luck harboring any ill feelings toward Kemp after watching the special treatment he gave a disabled fan at AT&T Park. "Matt Kemp is such a great person. He came over after the game and made one of my best friends night :) he's fighting a tough battle and this was such a great gift...

Voice of the Dodgers reminds writer of his deceased dad, and that's part of the reason he loves to talk to the 85-year-old icon. I lost my dad decades ago. But then this guy comes along who likes to sing as he walks, a jolly Irishman who laughs and cracks wise with a hint of the devil in him and I remember that guy ... "I would be frightened if I retired," he says when asked about the prospect. "I don't know what I would do." ...

Piazza did himself no favors on that score in his new book, "Long Shot." In the book, he blames iconic Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully for turning fans against him during the contract stalemate that preceded his trade to the Florida Marlins in 1998.

He's not everyone's favorite baseball broadcaster, but not everyone has the best taste. Vin Scully, the voice and face of the Dodgers since 1950, celebrates his 85th birthday Thursday.

San Francisco is seeking $1.2 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers in federal Bankruptcy Court to recoup unpaid medical costs for Bryan Stow, a Giants fan who was severely beaten by rival fans in the Dodger Stadium parking lot. The city's effort - spelled out in recent court filings - follows the Stow family's lawsuit against the Dodgers in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming that lax security and other problems contributed to the March 2011 attack after an Opening Day game. San Francisco has identified the Dodgers as potentially liable for Stow's bills, and is setting itself up as...

Mark McGwire is the new Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coach, general manager Ned Colletti announced Wednesday... In McGwire's three seasons in St. Louis, the Cardinals have led the NL in batting average (.269) and on-base percentage (.337) and ranked second in runs (2,263) and fourth in slugging percentage (.416)...

After more than six decades in the broadcast booth for the Dodgers, Vin Scully tells CBS SUNDAY MORNING’s Lee Cowan he still gets goosebumps doing the job... Cowan’s interview with Scully will air Sunday, Sept. 16 on CBS SUNDAY MORNING (9-10:30 AM, ET) on the CBS Television Network...

How old is too old? I'll give you a hint: 85 is too old to be broadcasting play-by-play baseball on TV. Vin Scully is old enough to be pitcher Clayton Kershaw's great grandfather. He's been with the Los Angeles Dodgers for 63 seasons, and he should have retired about 15 years ago.

Hall of Famer Vin Scully is coming back to the broadcast booth for an unprecedented 64th season, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Sunday.

BOSTON -- The Red Sox are talking with the Dodgers about a deal that would send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles, according to a source. Their season spiraling downward at a rapid pace of late, the Red Sox could be on the verge of a blockbuster trade that would give them significant financial flexibility going forward. ESPNBoston.com first reported the trade discussions between the two teams. Earlier on Friday, MLB.com confirmed that the Dodgers were awarded a waiver claim on star first baseman Gonzalez. Later in the day, CSNNE.com reported that the Dodgers...

SEATTLE - Kevin Millwood and five Seattle relievers combined on a no-hitter, the third in franchise history, and the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 on Friday night. The no-hitter was the fourth in the majors this season, joining gems pitched by the Angels' Jered Weaver, the Mets' Johan Santana and White Sox right-hander Philip Humber, who threw a perfect... *** It's believed to be 10th combined no-hitter in MLB history.

Vin Scully’s memories of sales of the Dodgers date to 1950, when the team was still in Brooklyn, and now include the recently completed $2.15 billion acquisition by a group that includes Magic Johnson.

Today, Bryce Harper will be in a Major League uniform for the Washington Nationals as they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. This day is a culmination of three years of hype surrounding him. After being the number one overall pick in 2010, he seemed to languish in the minor leagues. Most experts figured he would be called up late in the season to bolster the Nationals who would inevitably be out of contention and it would give him some low pressure big league at bats. That was not the case.

We opened our email this morning and were somewhat surprised at who we found in first place. (No, not our Beloved Dodgers. They are leading the league, as they should be.) But Mitt Romney. Go figure...

NEW YORK -- Fox is objecting to the proposed sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers, saying the incoming ownership group that includes Magic Johnson has not disclosed whether Time Warner Cable is involved in the purchase. Fox's Prime Ticket subsidiary filed the objection Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. It asked for written assurance that Time Warner wasn't contributing funds being used for Guggenheim Baseball Management's purchase of the team from Frank McCourt and the incoming owners don't have any formal or informal agreements for the team's broadcast rights starting in 2014. Fox asked that it be given parts...

This guy is only 23? At a news conference at Dodger Stadium this morning, somebody asked why Clayton Kershaw has made repeated trips to Africa with his wife Ellen, to help orphans there. The Cy Young Award winner replied, in full earnest, ‘Ellen always asked me, “What do you want your legacy to be when you’re done playing baseball?”’ There are always going to be people better than you, he said, who will break your records, “So you want to be remembered for doing something other than baseball.” The two work through the Dallas-based non-profit Arise Africa, and are building...

LOS ANGELES -- Vin Scully, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Hall of Fame broadcaster, will miss calling the team's home opener on Tuesday for just the second time in his 63 years at the microphone. Scully, who the team said was suffering from a severe cold, skipped the game on orders from his doctor, a source said. The illness isn't thought to be serious. Dodgers star Matt Kemp sent best wishes to Scully on Twitter. "Get well soon Mr. Vin Scully!!" he wrote on the social media site. Scully began experiencing cold symptoms last weekend while the team was in San...

Magic Johnson Wins Auction for Dodgers Basketball legend Magic Johnson led a group that won an auction for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, marking the final chapter of in a soap-opera style saga for the legendary franchise.

As the remaining 11 bidders revise their offers for the Dodgers, issues such as stadium renovations, control of the parking lots and TV rights will be major factors in the eventual sale price.

Link only per agreement with Gannett

Today is Vin Scully’s birthday and the greatest announcer in baseball history turns 84 years old. And come April he’ll begin his 63rd season as voice of the Dodgers.

Frank McCourt agreed Tuesday to sell the Dodgers, abruptly surrendering the team after fighting to retain it over two years and in two courts. McCourt and Major League Baseball have agreed to seek approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for an auction of the Dodgers. The sale is expected to include the team, Dodger Stadium and the surrounding parking lots, a package bought by McCourt for $421 million in 2004 and likely to sell for two to three times as much now. The league hopes a new Dodgers owner can be in place by opening day. The new owner would...

For the first time, Major League Baseball put a specific number on the amount it alleges Dodgers owner Frank McCourt took out of the team -- $189.16 million -- and described the distributions as "looting." However, amid the legal and financial fine points of the Dodgers' bankruptcy, Bryan Stow could emerge as a pivotal face in the case at a critical hearing next week. Stow won't be there, of course. But, with his representatives sitting on the official committee of creditors, attorneys for the Dodgers and the league are expected to cite Stow in their arguments in a Delaware courtroom....

Los Angeles (CNN) -- The couple who bought the Los Angeles Dodgers seven years ago announced Monday they've agreed that the husband, Frank McCourt, will get the baseball team in their pending divorce. With the marital spat settled, McCourt still must persuade a judge to let him keep the team, which he placed into bankruptcy after Major League Baseball blocked him from signing a television deal to provide it with the cash needed to meet its payroll.

For five memorable seasons, Sandy Koufax dominated baseball as no other major league pitcher ever had before. From 1962 to 1966, Koufax led the National League in earned run average, the only pitcher ever to do that. At the same time, he compiled a record of 111-34, a winning percentage of .766, that has never been equaled. Koufax led the National League in wins, ERA, and strikeouts for three consecutive seasons. He pitched 4 no-hitters, including a perfect game. In 1963, he threw 11 shutouts, more than any other pitcher has since in one season. In 1965, he went 26-8...

Major League Baseball on Friday asked a federal bankruptcy judge to order the sale of the Dodgers, arguing in court papers that Frank McCourt's plan to retain ownership of the team is "dead on arrival." MLB does not intend to approve any sale of television rights that would help McCourt maintain ownership of the Dodgers, according to the filing, and the league could enforce its ability to strip McCourt of the team once it emerged from bankruptcy protection. "Mr. McCourt cannot hide the Dodgers in bankruptcy forever," the MLB filing read.

Breakthrough for Bryan Stow - he's speaking (09-22) 11:48 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- In a breakthrough in his recovery from being beaten nearly to death in March, Giants fan Bryan Stow was able to speak several words this week for the first time and carry on a conversation, according to his family's website. The website, "Support4BryanStow.com," said Wednesday that Stow was able to say the names of his daughter and son. Soon afterward, he was able to say his birth date and tell his sister he loved her. And when he was shown pictures of his children, Tyler and Tabitha,...

In what would be the biggest ever sale price for a Major League Baseball team, Chinese investors have put in a $1.2 billion bid for Frank McCourt’s Los Angeles Dodgers, according to the Los Angeles Times. The bid is headed by Los Angeles Marathon founder Bill Burke and funded in part by unidentified Chinese state-owned investment institutions and others.

LOS ANGELES -- Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully announced he'll be returning next year for his 63rd season behind the mic at Dodgers games. Scully made the announcement after he came back from a commercial break in the top of the sixth inning of Friday's game between the Rockies and Dodgers. The Hall of Fame announcer began his career in 1950 announcing Brooklyn Dodgers games. His 62 (and counting) years of service are the longest of any sports broadcaster. "I don't want to make a big deal out of it, you and I have been friends for a long time,"...

A key witness in the beating case of Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium died suddenly, apparently of an allergic food reaction. According to law enforcement sources familiar with the case, Matthew Lee died Sunday after eating a salad that apparently contained nuts, which caused the allergic reaction. The coroner has not determined a cause of death, however.

The arraignment for two men suspected of attacking San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium was delayed Monday. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, have been in custody since Thursday in lieu of $500,000 bail. Arraignments for the day began at 8:30 a.m. About 9:45 a.m., Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Shelly Torrealba said not all attorneys were present, so the court proceeded with other arraignments on the calendar. Shortly before noon, the judge announced the arraignment would be delayed until Aug. 10. A bail hearing for Sanchez was scheduled for Aug. 1....

Los Angeles Dodgers’ owner Frank McCourt will be forced to accept a loan from Major League Baseball after a bankruptcy judge rejected a potential loan from a hedge fund on Friday. McCourt had been seeking to get an outside loan that would enable him to pay off creditors without involving the league, which has made its displeasure with McCourt quite clear. Instead, the judge rejected the loan McCourt wanted and pushed him in the direction of MLB. Bruce Bennett, McCourt’s lawyer, issued a statement suggesting that MLB did not have the right to intervene in matters of ownership.

The family of beaten San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow says he took a “step forward” Friday when he mouthed his last name and maybe even tried to give a thumbs-up to medical staff. Stow’s family said in a blog post that the father of two was “very alert” Friday morning, when a nurse, nurse practitioner and neurosurgeon witnessed the gestures. The news comes less than a week after Stow had a 30-second seizure and underwent emergency surgery for fluid buildup in his head. Stow, a Santa Clara County paramedic, suffered serious brain injuries after he was attacked in March...

LOS ANGELES - Two men and a woman arrested in connection with the beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow outside Dodger Stadium on opening day were identified today, although police still refused to confirm the arrests or provide an update on the investigation. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, were each being held in lieu of $500,000 bail following their arrests on suspicion of committing mayhem; while 31-year-old Dorene Sanchez -- believed to be Louie's sister and the wife or girlfriend of Norwood -- posted bail after after her arrest on suspicion of being an accessory after...

...Vin Scully has broadcast baseball games since 1950 when he joined Red Barber in the Brooklyn Dodgers' broadcast booth. He is the antithesis of most of today's broadcasters. For Vin Scully, the game is the attraction...

World English Dictionary hara-kiri or hari-kari (ˌhærəˈkɪrɪ, ˌhærɪˈkɑ�rɪ) — n Also called: seppuku (formerly, in Japan) ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword when disgraced or under sentence of death [C19: from Japanese taboo slang, from hara belly + kiri cutting] hari-kari or hari-kari — n [C19: from Japanese taboo slang, from hara belly + kiri cutting] hari-kari (ˌhærɪˈkɑ�rɪ) — n a non-Japanese variant of hara-kiri

LA Dodgers file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy headline only so far - CNBC says it's in a Delaware court...

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has declined a request to intervene on behalf of Dodgers owner Frank McCourt in his showdown with Major League Baseball, Rep. Charles Gonzalez said Friday. Gonzalez (D-San Antonio), the chairman of the CHC, met Friday with MLB lobbyists. He said he had requested a meeting with Commissioner Bud Selig to discuss issues of concern to the Latino community but said the CHC would not stand with McCourt in his battle against Selig. We can't take sides in a business dispute," Gonzalez said. "We do want to express our appreciation for what Mr. McCourt has meant to...

Well, if you had Frank McCourt backing down from Bud Selig and slinking away from Dodger Stadium, you don’t know Frank. Given the news Monday that a $3 billion bailout wasn’t on its way, McCourt – through his lawyers – on Tuesday threatened lawsuits challenging Selig’s authority, Selig’s behavior and Selig’s game.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig on Monday rejected a proposed television contract between the Dodgers and Fox Sports, invalidating a divorce settlement between Frank and Jamie McCourt and all but challenging Frank McCourt to surrender the team or sue. Selig rejected the contract on the first business day after the McCourts announced a settlement contingent upon approval of that contract. What does it mean for the Dodgers? Selig did not strip Frank McCourt of ownership of the Dodgers. However, McCourt has said for months that approval of the Fox contract was critical for the Dodgers' financial health. It was...

Yahoo!’s Tim Brown reports that Major League Baseball has notified Frank McCourt that it will not approve the Dodgers’ 17-year television deal with Fox. This will (a) put the kibosh on the McCourt’s divorce settlement, which hinged on the deal’s approval; and (b) all but ensure that the Dodgers won’t make their end of the month payroll. When that happens, baseball will likely seize and sell the Dodgers. The biggest question here: does Frank wait until that happens to sue, or does he sue now, claiming that Major League Baseball interfered with his ability to run his baseball team? My...

The settlement between Frank and Jamie McCourt announced Friday was contingent on Commissioner Bud Selig's approval of a new Dodgers TV contract. A provision in that proposed contract that would have funneled $173.5 million to the estranged couple immediately was apparently unacceptable to Selig, leaving the team's future in limbo.

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A very public and drawn-out divorce battle between Frank and Jamie McCourt may not only force the estranged couple to sell the Dodgers, but also underscores the lavish lifestyle choices of perhaps the city’s most infamous couple. As the McCourts continue to dispute the ownership of the team in court, a judge’s decision to divide their assets may leave the future of the L.A. Marathon in doubt after it was acquired by Frank nearly three years ago. In addition to their business holdings, the couple also owns seven homes, a fact that Frank recently bemoaned publicly....

Lawyers representing Giovanni Ramirez, the man authorities insist is the "prime suspect" in the Bryan Stow beating case, are offering more reasons why their client is not connected to this crime. One issue is that of his hair, or the suspect's lack thereof, according to NBC Los Angeles, as well as a few more as-yet unproved claims. According to his legal team, Ramirez "did not have a shaved head -- as the suspects are described -- at the time of the Dodger Stadium opening day assault on a Giants fan." Ramirez's attorneys explain that his client had grown his hair...

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck says he is confident his department has arrested the right man in the beating of Giants fan Bryan Stow. Chief Beck held a news conference Thursday, but released few details of the results of a police lineup held Wednesday evening in the case. 31-year-old Giovanni Ramirez was arrested Sunday, but has not yet been formally charged in the March 31 attack at Dodger Stadium that left Bryan Stow in a coma for over 7 weeks. Chief Beck told reporters "the lineup went well", but refused to release any other details....

KFI NEWS has obtained a photograph of Giovanni Ramirez, the man arrested by LAPD officers on suspicion of beating paramedic Bryan Stow on opening day at Dodger Stadium. The photo -- provided by a law enforcement agency -- bears a striking resemblance to the sketch of one of two men who attacked Stow in a parking lot.

A lineup has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday -- when witnesses to the March 31 attack on paramedic Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium will try to identify one of the attackers. Immediately afterwards -- police and prosecutors plan to give reporters an update on the investigation. 31-year-old ex-con Giovanni Ramirez remains locked up on a parole hold while prosecutors consider whether or not to file criminal charges in the Stow assault. A key factor in that decision will be the results of the lineup, authorities say. Ramirez's family and attorneys insist he's innocent -- they say he's offered to...

The family of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, who was brutally beaten in the parking lot at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day, filed a civil suit against the Dodgers in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday morning. The suit seeks unspecified damages to cover Stow's future medical care and as compensation for the economic damages to Stow and his two children. "It's fairly simple," said Thomas Girardi, the attorney representing the family. "The Dodgers have shown a total disregard for public safety. They've gotten rid of security people. They've had all these incidents at their games, more than other teams....

Following a morning raid and several hours of questioning, LAPD detectives on Sunday afternoon formally arrested a man on suspicion of being one of the two assailants in the brutal beating of Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium. [Update, 5:46 p.m.: LAPD officials publicly identified the suspect as 31-year-old Giovanni Ramirez. Ramirez was booked for assault with a deadly weapon and is being held on $1 million bail.]

They just announced breaking news on KFI in Los Angeles that there has been an arrest made in this case. More when they know more. The station has done the most coverage of this heinous crime, and some of the hosts have been very close to the Stow family throughout. This is very exciting that finally some progress has been made. Poor Bryan Stow was beaten by gang-appearing thugs in the parking Lot of dodgers stadium after the opening night game, only because he was wearing a Giants jersey. He was an EMT worker with two children. He has extensive...