Late into today's news cycle — at 9:15 p.m., to be exact — the Los Angeles Dodgers' media team sent out an eerie, three-lined statement from a rebellious Frank McCourt, the owner of the apparently financially challenged baseball team.

With only the headline “Statement from Dodger Owner Frank McCourt,” and with absolutely no other information — not even the usual phone number for the press office — the note reads:

“Major League Baseball sets strict financial guidelines which all 30 teams must follow. The Dodgers are in compliance with these guidelines. On this basis, it is hard to understand the Commissioner's action today.”

The press release, quite frankly, comes off kind of spooky. Just a lot of white space, no Dodger logo, and only those three lines from a man who must be going through some heavy emotions right now.

Major League Baseball, as many of you know, took control of the day-to-day operations of the Dodgers today, with baseball commissioner Bud Selig saying:

“I have taken this action because of my deep concerns regarding the finances and operations of the Dodgers and to protect the best interests of the Club, its great fans and all of Major League Baseball.”

McCourt, it is believed, is in serious financial trouble, as Jack Humphreville at CityWatch points out.

By the way, we'd like to suggest right now that MLB think twice about putting the Dodgers in the hands of Steve Soboroff if that becomes a scenario. The Los Angeles political insider and wealthy developer was very recently brought into the Dodger organization to supposedly improve the “fan experience.”

Yesterday, Soboroff made the statement that “Frank McCourt is financially fine.”

Is taking a personal loan of $30 million from the FOX Broadcasting Company to cover the Dodgers' payroll some kind of weird proof that McCourt is “fine”?

Doesn't smell right to us.

Either Soboroff was totally misinformed when he made that statement or he's hiding something or both. Either way, Soboroff doesn't comes across as the kind of capable hands the Dodgers need right now to steer the ship.

And the saga at Chavez Ravine will no doubt continue to unfold…

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

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