Baseball Watching This Sale Closely

The sale of the Dodgers, which might be completed this season, must occur smoothly for the good of baseball, the major leagues’ second-highest-ranking official said Tuesday.

Bob DuPuy, chief operating officer, spoke of the importance of a seamless process in a meeting with reporters covering the club, acknowledging the marquee franchise has played a key role in the marketing of baseball.

News Corp. is getting out of the baseball-ownership business, and the commissioner’s office hopes for a departure quieter than its entrance.

“We have tried to make all the ownership changes as smooth as possible ... but that’s particularly true of a highly visible team as the Dodgers,” said DuPuy, among the architects of the current labor agreement. “Anaheim was a wonderful story [last season], the whole deal. But outside Southern California, to a fan in Montana, the Anaheim Angels just doesn’t connect.

“I’m not saying that the Diamondbacks shouldn’t win [the World Series], Colorado shouldn’t win, San Diego shouldn’t win or the Giants shouldn’t win. I hope they all have a chance. But from a marketing standpoint, it would be great to have the Dodgers be one of our preeminent teams. Casual baseball fans could name more old Dodgers, I think, than any other team probably than the Yankees or the Red Sox.”

Under News Corp., the Dodgers were known more for off-field chaos than their storied history. No one need remind DuPuy of the media conglomerate’s mistakes.

“I’m sure they’re very disappointed that they didn’t do better on the field,” said DuPuy, who also lauded baseball’s national-broadcast-rights holder for its innovative TV coverage. “I’m sure some of the personnel decisions, they’re disappointed in, but in terms of being a baseball citizen, they were very positive.

“Fox has been a very good partner. Fox’s involvement in the game has been good. I would have been happy to have Fox continue in the game. No question. No one wanted Fox to get out of the game. No one was pushing Fox to get out of the game.”

Malcolm Glazer, owner of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and radio entrepreneur Jeffrey Smulyan, the former owner of the Seattle Mariners, are considered the leading bidders for the club. Familiarity with the professional sports business is an advantage, DuPuy said.

“Obviously, [with] knowledge of the sports industry, how teams operate and how leagues operate, it would make the transition easier for somebody,” he said, not referring specifically to Glazer and Smulyan. “The cleaner it is, and the more people know about a person [makes it easier].”

And in an encouraging note for potential new owners, DuPuy said Commissioner Bud Selig is strongly considering the request of the team’s current management to have another All-Star game awarded to the club.

“L.A.,” he said, “would be a great host for the game.”

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Left-hander Odalis Perez threw 116 pitches in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Mets after throwing a career-high 132 pitches in his last outing.

“My arm feels good, I don’t feel any tightness,” said Perez, who gave up nine hits and three runs in six innings. “My rhythm wasn’t there.”

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Daryle Ward, who had two infected wisdom teeth removed Monday, rejoined the team Tuesday and flied out to end the game while pinch-hitting.... Darren Dreifort, whose next start has been pushed back to Saturday because of knee soreness, hopes to have a bullpen session Thursday. Long reliever Andy Ashby pitched for the first time since April 19, working 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Perez. If Dreifort’s knee does not improve, Ashby might start Saturday at Montreal.