MLB Roundup: New Dodgers owners want more teams, Valentine may get axe
The new owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers may not be done acquiring sports franchises.
Mark Walter, chairman of the Dodgers and chief executive of Guggenheim Partners, told the LA Times that his company is looking into whether to bid on AEG, which owns the Kings, Lakers and Galaxy.
Guggenheim paid $2.15 billion -- a record price for a sports franchise -- in May to buy the Dodgers from Frank McCourt. AEG officials have said that they expect the company to fetch between $5 billion and $7 billion.
Walter said AEG could make for a good investment because of the possible cross-marketing and sponsorship programs among the teams. But until prospective bidders receive confidential financial statements from AEG, Walter couldn't say whether it made sense for Guggenheim to bid.
"We don't know that it does yet," he told the Times. "We're looking at AEG. We're looking at a lot of companies. We certainly don't buy them all. Even if we thought it was a great company, you've got to look at it to know that."
---The Boston Red Sox intend to dismiss Bobby Valentine after the season, according to a CBSSports.com report.
Valentine could be let go as early as Thursday. Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington declined to comment on the situation, according to CBSSports' Jon Heyman.
Earlier Wednesday, Valentine told reporters that he "had every opportunity to succeed and didn't. He also told Boston sports radio station WEEI that he felt he was undermined at times by some of his coaches.
On the radio show, Valentine answered "No" to a question about whether the coaching staff and the people around him have been loyal. He then answered, "Yes" to a follow-up as to whether he felt undermined by members of his coaching staff.
"I had to work through it all," Valentine told WEEI. "Just another thing that's part and parcel with the job. Work though it and try to make it better. That's my job to make it all better, make it all functional."
Early reports told disconnects between Valentine and his coaches, including pitching coach Bob McClure, who was fired in August, bullpen coach Gary Tuck and bench coach Tim Bogar.
Valentine has one more season on his contract. Team officials have said they will evaluate his performance after this season. The last-place Red Sox will finish with more than 90 losses for the first time since 1966.
