LA Dodgers: MLB Needs Frank McCourt's Reign of Terror to End Soon

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a black hole in the owner's box since 2004 and its name is Frank McCourt. The once-proud franchise has fallen on hard times with him in charge, and there have been cries to get him out of power for a long time. 

The good news for Dodgers fans, and really all baseball fans, is that the end appears to be near. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, McCourt and Major League Baseball are "close" to a deal on their bankruptcy settlement that would require him to sell the team.

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McCourt would get some control over the sale, people familiar with the negotiations said Monday. The purchase probably would include Dodger Stadium and the surrounding parking lots in a package that could command a record price of $1 billion or more.

The negotiations are fluid, and settlement talks could fall apart at any time, said the people, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the confidential discussions. McCourt has not reached any final decision to sell, another person cautioned.  

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While this is not exactly a cause to start celebrating, it is time to be cautiously optimistic for the first time in years.

The Dodgers are one of the signature teams in all of North American professional sports, and they play in a media market that MLB needs in order to generate revenue and mainstream interest. 

The only attention that they have gotten since McCourt has taken over has been negative. The venom reached a fever pitch earlier this year when Bryan Stow, a fan of the San Francisco Giants, was attacked by fans outside of Dodgers Stadium. 

While McCourt was not directly involved in the attack, the cutback in security all around the stadium was the straw that broke the camel's back. 

There is still a long way to go before the team gets sold, but the fact that McCourt is moving closer to putting them on the market is a relief to Dodgers fans, the city of Los Angeles and Major League Baseball.