Dodgers' Malone Out As GM

Dodgers' Malone 'Forced Out' as GM

Altercation with fan the last straw of rocky tenure

"Anyone who knows me knows I'm a passionate guy, I care about our players,
and I'm going to defend them.... and I was professional the whole time"
Kevin Malone (Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles, April 20, 2001 -- Los Angeles Dodger General Manager Kevin Malone stepped down from his post saying that he "refused to allow myself to become a distraction." Malone's resignation has come as a result of an altercation with a fan in the stands, yet seems to be the result of a three year pattern of poor decisions, both on and off the field.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the fight was the last straw. The decision to force Malone out was made after "Malone acknowledged he challenged" San Diego Padres season-ticket holder Jim Esterbrooks to a fight during a Dodgers-Padres game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego because Esterbrooks "heckled" Dodgers Left Fielder Gary Sheffield.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News Esterbrooks said, "I paid my money and Gary Sheffield is a worthy target (of heckling). If (Malone) is going to fight someone every time they say something about Sheffield, he's going to have fights on 162 nights." The Los Angeles Times reported that Steve Billings, who was seated in the same row as Esterbrooks, said: "I was surprised by Malone's ultrasensitive thin skin. I remember saying, 'Geez, what is it with this guy?' I had four people in my party and not one of them could understand why anybody in that position --as GM of the Dodgers -- would say anything to anybody. It was totally inappropriate"

During his three year tenure, it was usually Malone's mouth that got him into the most trouble. Some examples, accorded to the Associated Press included the following): public feuds with former manager Davey Johnson and Padres GM Kevin Towers, and comments that embarrassed the Dodgers, including describing himself as "a new sheriff in town" after he was hired in September 1998. CBS SportsLine's cited sources as saying this altercation angered Dodger officials "more than any of Malone's myriad of other incidents over the past three seasons" and it "proved to be the final straw."

Malone's response to the altercation was that "anyone who knows me ,nows I'm a passionate guy, I care about our players, and I'm going to defend them." Malone also said that he did not "understand all this (interest) because the matter was dealt with in the first inning.and I was professional the whole time."

Malone was in the third year of a contract that paid him $500,000 per year.

Sources

Los Angeles Times April 18, 19, 2001
CBS Sposrtsline, April 18, 2001)
Los Angeles Daily News April 19, 2001
Associated Press April 19, 2001

Matthew Roberts