O’Malley Offers His Services

Former Dodger owner Peter O’Malley said Thursday he has offered to help Frank McCourt as the Boston real estate magnate takes control of the franchise from News Corp., and O’Malley did not rule out returning to Chavez Ravine in an official capacity.

O’Malley has had discussions with McCourt and his wife, Jamie, trying to assist them as they move forward with purchasing the club the O’Malley family had presided over for almost 50 years.

And although O’Malley stressed he has offered his assistance only out of friendship to the McCourts, it appears the door is ajar for him to join the club’s prospective owners.

“I’ve told the McCourts that I would help them as much as possible, as a friend, as much as they would like,” O’Malley said. “I want to help them as a friend because I want them to succeed, and all of us want the franchise to succeed. That’s very important to me, and I know how important it is to Frank and Jamie.

“As far as anything that concerns me, I’ve got to decline comment on that right now. I really do.... I just want to do whatever I can, any time I can, to help Frank and Jamie get off to a good start here. That’s the most important thing now.”

O’Malley, who sold the Dodgers to News Corp. for a then-record $311 million in 1998, has remained in Los Angeles since leaving the organization on Dec. 31, 1998.

He recently introduced a Web site dedicated to his late father, Walter, who bought a majority interest in the then-Brooklyn Dodgers in 1950 and moved the club to L.A. in 1958.

O’Malley declined to reveal how long he has advised McCourt, but baseball executives said McCourt sought O’Malley’s counsel before he reached an agreement in principle to purchase the Dodgers from News Corp. for a listed price of $430 million. Sources said the actual dollar value for the club and its property holdings is between $325 million and $340 million once discounts and credits are factored into the accounting.

As part of the purchase agreement, McCourt has already initiated transition plans in meetings that began this week at Dodger Stadium. McCourt advisor Corey Busch is handling the first phase of transition talks, and McCourt expected to attend meetings at Chavez Ravine next week.

O’Malley said he is not involved in the process, which cannot be finalized until approved in a vote of owners. Commissioner Bud Selig is expected to schedule a vote in mid-November.

“Having MLB approve the sale as soon as possible would be the best thing for Frank and Jamie,” O’Malley said. “That would enable them to become involved with the fans and the community as soon as possible.”

Having O’Malley aboard in any role could benefit the Bostonians as they adjust to life running a storied Southland institution.

O’Malley, who briefly served as Dodger chairman of the board after News. Corp. purchased the club, still has strong ties in the L.A. business community. Moreover, bringing in O’Malley could help the McCourts establish credibility with fans because of the stability of the franchise under his guidance.

Although O’Malley wasn’t considered the innovator his father was, his 28-year reign as team president was marked by success on and off the field.

The Dodgers won World Series championships in 1981 and ‘88, and also won National League pennants in 1974, ’77 and ’78. And O’Malley was at the forefront of promoting baseball internationally.

“Stability is probably the most important characteristic of when we were there,” said O’Malley, referring to his family’s stewardship. “That’s certainly a key thing, and Frank and Jamie have to get there.

“But the good thing is that Frank and Jamie are in this long term. They wouldn’t be making this type of commitment if they weren’t.”