Villaraigosa asks baseball to pick local owner for Dodgers

In a letter to Major League Baseball’s top official, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told Bud Selig that he strongly believes the next Dodgers owner should be from Los Angeles and should understand how the storied franchise is “deeply woven into the fabric of our great city.” 

“Dodger fans and all Angelenos deserve an owner who loves and believes in this city, who understands that the Dodgers and their historic baseball stadium are not just a team; they are a collective community asset,” he wrote to the commissioner. “I understand that Major League Baseball is a business first and the outcome of any auction and final decisions must be fiscally successful for all.  However, I urge you to weigh heavily the merits of local ownership.”

The current owner, Frank McCourt, and Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that they had reached an agreement to auction the team, which is in bankruptcy court and had become a pawn in McCourt’s high-profile divorce from his wife, Jamie, who claimed half-ownership.

FULL COVERAGE: Dodgers and the McCourts

Some local businessmen have already talked about acquiring the Dodgers, including former owner Peter O’Malley, who said he plans to put together a new ownership group. O’Malley’s father owned the Dodgers and moved them from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.  Ron Burkle, a Southern California supermarket magnate, has also expressed interest in the team.

It's unclear whether Villaraigosa's request will have much sway over Selig and the other team owners who will decide the Dodgers' fate.