Frank McCourt Comments

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt spoke at a Town Hall Los Angeles luncheon yesterday, and Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times was in attendance for the quotes.

• McCourt expects to sell fewer season tickets and more single game tickets this year due to the economy.  However, Shaikin learned from Dodgers chief operating officer Dennis Mannion that the Dodgers will at least be close to last year's season ticket sales.
• McCourt wants to "once again have the best player development system in all of baseball."  In his recent minor league organizational rankings, Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein dropped the Dodgers down to 21st.
• McCourt acknowledged the team's poor free agent signings in recent years, saying, ""We can't do this just by bringing in free agents.  I could put up a slide of some of my big, big mistakes with free agents. You're just not sure."
• McCourt suggested the team made its offers to Manny Ramirez public to gauge fan feedback.  Fan-influenced GM decisions – good idea?