Schieffer is Los Angeles Dodgers new sheriff

There's a new sheriff in town for the Los Angeles Dodgers as commissioner Bud Selig has appointed ex-Texas Rangers front-office man Tom Schieffer to take charge at Chavez Ravine.

Lance Cormier, left, AJ Ellis and their teammates have not let front office issues affect them.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, and their Brooklyn Dodgers antecedents, are accustomed to being trendsetters.

In 1947, they became the first baseball team to integrate, signing Jackie Robinson as the first African-American player and setting the stage for the civil rights movement over the next two decades.

A decade later, they led baseball's migration to the Pacific coast, moving from Brooklyn to California. Within a dozen years, five other teams joined them on the Left Coast.

A week ago, however, the Dodgers achieved another first which was not so glorious, becoming the first franchise in modern baseball to be taken over by the commissioner's office.

Bud Selig essentially stripped owner Frank McCourt of any real power and, days later, installed an executive of his choice, Tom Schieffer, to run the franchise, presumably until it can he sold.

Schieffer, 63, is a veteran baseball man and public servant, and Dodgers fans hope he can bring some stability to the franchise. An oil and gas investor in his home state of Texas, Schieffer also was ambassador to both Australia and Japan.

He was an investor in the group led by future president George W Bush that bought the Texas Rangers in 1989. Schieffer served as president of the club from 1991 until 1999, and was general partner of the club when they won their first three AL West titles, in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

"I love baseball and baseball called," Schieffer said. "I am looking forward to helping … the Dodgers through this difficult period."

Don Mattingly, the Dodgers manager, said the appointment wouldn't affect his team's approach.

"It has nothing to do with us. It doesn't change anything about what we do or how we get ready, making pitches, making plays, being in the right spot, playing baseball," Mattingly said.

"We talked all spring about being a club that's ready to play and our responsibility to the fans and the game of baseball, playing hard every day, being ready to play and giving it everything you've got without making any excuses about any situation."

Casey Blake, the Dodgers' veteran third baseman, said he and his teammates would keep their attention focused on the games, and that "I think everyone is of the mind that we really aren't going to react to it. Just show up here and prepare ourselves like we do every day to do what we do, and that's play baseball and win games, and things will take care of themselves."

Ned Colletti, the general manager, also said a change at the top of the organisation would not keep him from seeking to make mover to improve the team.

Perhaps that is true, and perhaps, in time, baseball will find a suitable owner. For now, the Dodgers are making history they would rather forget.

This week in the MLB

Players of the week

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox. After what was arguably the worst start of his US career (nine runs in two innings against Tampa Bay), the Japanese right-hander won back-to-back starts, pitching 15 scoreless innings and allowing only two hits.

Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers. Yes, LA is a mess, but Ethier is off to one of the best starts in baseball history. He has hit safely in all 23 games to date, setting a major-league record for the first month of the season. Last week alone he went 11-for-27 with six RBI and six runs.

Dud of the week

Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies. CarGo, as he is known, is one of the most talented players in the game, but you would not have known it from watching him last week, when he went hitless in 21 at-bats, striking out seven times.

PREVIEW
Series of the week

Texas at Oakland, Friday-Sunday.The Rangers are the defending division champs in the AL West, but the A’s might just have the pitching – and an improved offense – to make a run at them. The games are in Oakland, a pitcher’s ballpark, favouring the home team.

Florida at Cincinnati, Friday-Sunday.A study in contrasts: the Reds had the best offense in the NL a year ago, while the Marlins boast a starting rotation that has been every bit as good as the more publicized rotations in Philadelphia and San Francisco.