McCourt break-up leaves Dodgers on tenterhooks

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Just two days after the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series bid ended, the team warily prepared for fresh aftershocks following the separation between franchise owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie.

The couple, who married in 1979, announced last week they were splitting up. On Thursday, Dodgertown was rocked by the widespread news that Frank McCourt had sacked his wife from her position as the team's chief executive.

What was always likely to pan out as a messy divorce case is now further complicated, according to the Los Angeles Times, by moves being made by Jamie to line up investors to buy out her husband and gain control of the club.

Jamie McCourt's attorney Dennis Wasser told Friday's edition of the Times: "Jamie is disappointed and saddened by her termination. As co-owner of the Dodgers, she will address this and all other issues in the courtroom."

While Frank McCourt has continued this week to control the team's business affairs, the Dodgers were not prepared to confirm his wife had indeed been fired.

"It is not Dodgers' policy to comment on personnel matters," Josh Rawitch, vice president of communications for the Dodgers, told Reuters on Friday.

HIGHEST OFFICE

As listed owner and chairman of the Dodgers, Frank McCourt holds the highest office in the organization. Until this week, he was followed by his estranged wife Jamie as chief executive.

A tense legal battle now appears to be on the cards with both McCourts, via their respective attorneys, having claimed ownership of the Dodgers.

Moments after the Dodgers's post-season ended Wednesday with a 10-4 loss away to the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series, Frank McCourt said the team's future would not be affected by ownership uncertainty.

"This group is all very solid, very tight," he added. "We're well aligned and we'll do what we've done every year. We'll start tomorrow on next season and figure out how to get better and get over the top.

"Our organization is on a mission to win and we're going to do it. We're really getting the culture established where our expectation is to win. Everybody is learning what it takes. It takes a huge commitment."

The Dodgers, beaten 4-1 by the defending champion Phillies in their best-of-seven NLCS series, have reached the post-season three times in the last four seasons.

They ended the 2009 regular season (95-67) with the National League's best record for the first time since 1983 and swept the NL Division Series for the second consecutive year.

(Editing by Ken Ferris and John O'Brien)