A post that mentions Frank McCourt - the hornets nest of Dodger Thoughts ... I'm going to duck now.

There's an interesting article on the Dodgers' public relations problems and attempted solutions under McCourt by Bill Shaikin in Tuesday's editions of the Times.

The problem began, as Shaikin writes, with this: "McCourt's ownership of the Dodgers started not with a clean slate but with a tarnished one. Upon the advice of major league officials, McCourt remained silent during the four months needed to scrutinize the complex financing of his purchase."

I said as much as early as November 2003:

If you intend to bring glory back to the Dodger franchise, Frank, then Step 1 is for you to come to Los Angeles and tell the people so.

If you intend to have a generous approach to payroll, then come to Los Angeles and tell the people so. If you intend to have a conservative approach to payroll, then come to Los Angeles and tell the people so.

If you intend to preserve Dodger Stadium, a high-functioning city treasure, rather than embark on a real-estate swap that will make Mayor Jim Hahn's crackpot scheme for LAX look like genius, then come to Los Angeles and tell the people so.

In the absence of such a visit, in the absence of any statements on these issues, I can only assume the worst about your intentions, Frank.

Shaikin himself told me in January 2004 that his research found that "there is no rule preventing McCourt from commenting (on the Dodgers before the deal is finalized), just a recommendation." Bad recommendation.

As I said when Dodger execs Gary Miereanu and Lon Rosen were fired in April, there seemed to be more scapegoating than responsibility-taking from McCourt for his public relations problem. But there's no doubt, as Shaikin's article indicates, that hiring the PR firm of Sitrick and Co. shows that McCourt is investing in a solution.