Dodgers Want to End Koufax Talk

Seeking closure on the Sandy Koufax situation, the Dodgers said Saturday they would no longer comment on the Hall of Fame pitcher, who severed ties with them in protest of an item that appeared in the New York Post.

The newspaper apologized to the Dodger icon in Saturday’s editions after intimating in a two-sentence gossip item published Dec. 19 that he is homosexual, completing a tumultuous news cycle for the media conglomerate after Koufax’s position was revealed in reports published Friday. Both the Dodgers and the Post are owned by News Corp.

The unexpected turn stirred speculation that the intensely private Koufax, who has declined comment through friends, might reconsider, fueling an unsettling story for the Dodgers while casting a shadow over spring training at Dodgertown. Although news of the Post’s reversal was met with enthusiasm at Dodgertown, many who know Koufax well believe he still won’t return until News Corp. sells the Dodgers, which it is trying to do.

The Dodgers are determined to return the focus to the field, hoping to shift a spotlight illuminating another major mess under News Corp.

“It’s not fair to Sandy or the organization to continue focusing or commenting on the situation,” said Derrick Hall, a senior vice president and a friend of Koufax. “We need to keep the focus on the field with [Manager] Jim Tracy and the players.”

Tracy and members of his staff followed Hall’s lead at Dodgertown, declining to revisit the matter as workouts continued. The Dodgers are protective of Koufax, whose brilliance on the mound captivated fans in the 1960s and defined the Dodgers’ greatest era in Los Angeles, and are fearful of further inflaming a matter that was dealt with at the highest levels of the company controlled by mogul Rupert Murdoch.

“The best thing for everyone is to just let it kind of die down right now,” All-Star right fielder Shawn Green said. “Everyone feels bad that this happened to Sandy and we all support him, but we’ve got to stay focused on getting ready for the season.

“Sandy is a great man who has very strong convictions, and I really respect him for that. We’d love to have him here and hope everything can be worked out eventually, but you just have to give it time and see what happens.”

Koufax still remains close with many team officials, including Tracy, pitching coach Jim Colborn and Dave Wallace, senior vice president.