Mark Cuban is now free to buy Dodgers

Mark Cuban’s failure to land the Texas Rangers might be good news for Dodgers fans, leaving the Dallas Mavericks’ owner free to bid if Frank and Jamie McCourt are forced to sell.…

Cuban has plenty of money and a feverish desire to win.…

For the Rangers, Nolan Ryan & Co. probably fit better.…

If the Dodgers are out of the race, nobody told Vicente Padilla, who has made himself at home in Dodger Stadium.…

Long live the soap bubble.…

Maybe next time — hopefully before next season — Russell Martin will slide instead.…

Given that the newcomer to the Dodgers’ rotation has pitched for six teams in 12 seasons, reader Doug Thomson of West Los Angeles e-mails to ask, “Could we say that it’s been a ‘rough ride’ for Theodore Roosevelt ‘Ted’ Lilly?” …

Torii Hunter knows better than to sabotage a rally.…

Vladimir Guerrero, unceremoniously dumped by the Angels, recently moved into 40th place on the all-time home run list ahead of Mike Piazza, unceremoniously dumped by the Dodgers.…

The Houston Astros on Thursday signed first-round draft pick Delino DeShields Jr. and, we’re guessing, immediately phoned the Dodgers to see if they’d be interested in a trade — perhaps for a future Cy Young Award winner.…

On Aug. 4, 1985, Rod Carew collected his 3,000th hit and Tom Seaver his 300th victory.…

On Aug. 4 this year, Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th home run.…

Coach Rex Ryan of the New York Jets, noting that he was “blown away” by Mark Sanchez’s off-season work ethic, said this week, “He’s going to improve by leaps and bounds.” …

Shaquille O’Neal: Green Monster? …

With O’Neal joining the Boston Celtics, it’s perhaps worth noting that Don Nelson played on five NBA championship teams with the Celtics after leaving the Lakers, while Rick Fox won three titles with the Lakers after leaving the Celtics.…

Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro, born and bred in Springfield, Mass., was once described by Sports Illustrated as “your basic non-Hall of Famer from the Hall of Fame city.” …

Sounds like the Clippers.…

Utah, joining the Pacific 10 Conference next year, has not played USC in a regular-season football game since 1948.…

Since the start of last season, Mark Reynolds of the Arizona Diamondbacks has struck out more often than Joe DiMaggio did in his entire career.…

Every Cy Young Award winner from 1962 to 1966 called Dodger Stadium home: Don Drysdale in ‘62, Sandy Koufax in ‘63, ’65 and ’66 and Dean Chance of the Angels in ’64.…

Since 1988, only one has — Eric Gagne in 2003.…

Speaking of Cy Young, he notched the first of his record 511 major league victories 110 years ago Friday.…

The top two winners among active pitchers, Jamie Moyer and Andy Pettitte, haven’t won that many between them.…

Tarvaris Jackson, Brett Favre’s backup with the Minnesota Vikings last season, is 10-10 as an NFL starter.…

“Considering the plight of the McCourts,” reader George Sands of Torrance e-mails to ask, “Isn’t Dodger Stadium a perfect site for the ‘X’ Games?” …

Rajai Davis of the Oakland Athletics has been caught stealing this season by all three Molina brothers: Bengie, Jose and Yadier. …

Unbeaten Zenyatta, bidding Saturday for her third consecutive victory in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, won the race by a length in 2008 and by a head last year.…

Lisa Leslie and former USC teammate Tina Thompson, on the verge of replacing Leslie as the WNBA’s all-time scoring leader, both played at Morningside High in Inglewood.…

Byron Scott did too.…

Noting that Lance Armstrong is officially retired, Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald writes, “He said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his lawyers.” …

Apparently having learned little from Abby Sunderland of Thousand Oaks, who in June had to be rescued from a remote location in the Indian Ocean during a similar attempt, 14-year-old Dutch sailor Laura Dekker hopes to become the youngest person to make a solo voyage around the world.…

Sammy Baugh, once asked to compare himself to Johnny Unitas: “Can’t do that. I never saw me.”

jerome.crowe@latimes.com