Mark Walter still showing his smarts by taking long approach

Between them, Dodgers President Stan Kasten and General Manager Ned Colletti have been major-league baseball executives for almost 60 years. They are known entities, veterans who have weathered most every kind of baseball storm.

Then there is Mark Walter, team chairman and baseball newbie.

Walter is the great unknown -- the Dodgers’ controlling partner with almost zero track record. He’s new to all this baseball business, to high expectations and great struggles.

So how he’s personally reacting to the Dodgers’ poor start has been something of a mystery. But on Tuesday, Walter said he is staying out of the baseball decisions and letting Kasten and Colletti operate.

“These guys are in charge,” he said. “Nobody wants me running this team. If they do, that’s a huge mistake. I’m not qualified to run a baseball team. I hope people know that.

“They do the work. I just come here for the emotional roller coaster of the games.”

Walter was asked, while standing next to Kasten, at what point he would become involved in a baseball decision.

“I guess if I have to fire Stan,” he said, laughing.

“You know I was joking. You must say I was joking.”

Walter said he could not envision a situation in which he would instruct Kasten and Colletti to fire the manager.

“Not really,” he said. “Maybe if I’ve been doing this for 20-some years. Maybe not 20-some days.”

Walter talked like he was willing to be patient with the Dodgers, conscious of the long season still to come.

“If you’ve been a baseball fan anywhere, you know it’s long and it’s hard,” he said.

“If you’re really trying to ask me why we’re struggling, I can’t tell you. I just don’t think it’s a big enough sample.”