Dodgers seek delay in push for team sale

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Dodgers asked Tuesday that a bankruptcy court postpone a hearing on Major League Baseball's request to expedite the sale of the team.

The hearing is set for Oct. 12 but the Los Angeles Times reported the Dodgers want it delayed until at least Dec. 12. MLB executives contend allowing the Dodgers to be sold would clear the way for settlement of the club's financial predicament.

MLB also contends Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has acted against the interests of the league and his team by using the Dodgers' bankruptcy case to improve his personal financial situation.

The Times said the team called MLB's proposed sale order a "heavy-handed response" to the team's effort to sell TV rights to the Dodgers' games.

MLB opposed McCourt's attempt to sell the broadcast rights to Fox Sports. The Dodgers have been mired in bankruptcy since June.

The Dodgers' filing argued that extensive discovery -- mostly pertaining to MLB's view that a sale is necessary -- is merited, the Times reported. Such discovery would be time-consuming, if granted.

Another reason for requesting a delay, the report said, is MLB's request to disqualify Dodgers attorneys for allegedly representing McCourt's interests rather than the team's. The report said the Dodgers argued it would be unreasonable to expect a ruling on that matter to occur on the same day as the sale hearing.