In a filing Wednesday, the committee said there’s no guarantee that a sale of the team without the TV rights will result in Dodgers creditors being paid in full.

The committee noted that the Dodgers face several unreconciled claims, including a lawsuit filed on behalf of a San Francisco Giants fan who is represented on the creditors committee and was critically injured in an assault outside Dodger Stadium on opening day.

Fox is challenging the proposed media rights sale, saying it violates the company’s rights under an existing contract with the Dodgers.

AUTHOR HONORED

Author W.P. Kinsella has won the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Jack Graney Award for his 1982 novel “Shoeless Joe.”

It was one of a dozen baseball-themed books written by the 76-year-old Edmonton, Alberta, native. “Shoeless Joe” was later adapted into the 1989 film “Field of Dreams,” starring Kevin Costner.

The Jack Graney Award is given for significant contribution to baseball in Canada through a life’s work or a singular outstanding achievement.

Kinsella, who will be honored next year at the Hall in St. Mary’s, Ontario, said in a statement he was proud to know that people are still reading his books.

JOHNSON, CUBS CLOSE

A person familiar with the situation said the Chicago Cubs and outfielder Reed Johnson are closing in on a one-year contract.

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed reports by several media outlets that Johnson will be signed pending a physical.

Johnson batted .309 in 111 games for the Cubs last season. He was with them in 2008 and 2009 after playing his first five seasons in Toronto and spent 2010 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Johnson can play all three spots in the outfield and figures to fill a reserve role.

SHORT HOPS

The Rangers acquired catcher Luis Martinez from the Padres for minor league pitcher Ryan Kelly and added him to their 40-man roster. … The Brewers signed 11-year veteran infielder Cesar Izturis and left-hander Juan Perez to minor-league contracts with invitations to spring training. … The Royals signed left-handed reliever Jose Mijares to a 1-year contract. … The Indians agreed to a minor league deal with versatile free-agent infielder Andy LaRoche and invited him to spring training.

DOVER, Del. — Creditors of the Los Angeles Dodgers are joining the team in urging a federal district judge not to halt implementation of a bankruptcy court order authorizing the Dodgers to begin a process for selling television rights to future games.

In a filing Wednesday, the committee said there’s no guarantee that a sale of the team without the TV rights will result in Dodgers creditors being paid in full.

The committee noted that the Dodgers face several unreconciled claims, including a lawsuit filed on behalf of a San Francisco Giants fan who is represented on the creditors committee and was critically injured in an assault outside Dodger Stadium on opening day.

Fox is challenging the proposed media rights sale, saying it violates the company’s rights under an existing contract with the Dodgers.

DOVER, Del. (AP) Creditors of the Los Angeles Dodgers are joining the team in urging a federal district judge not to halt implementation of a bankruptcy court order authorizing the Dodgers to begin a process for selling television rights to future games.

In a filing Wednesday, the committee said there’s no guarantee that a sale of the team without the TV rights will result in Dodgers creditors being paid in full.

The committee noted that the Dodgers face several unreconciled claims, including a lawsuit filed on behalf of a San Francisco Giants fan who is represented on the creditors committee and was critically injured in an assault outside Dodger Stadium on opening day.

Fox is challenging the proposed media rights sale, saying it violates the company’s rights under an existing contract with the Dodgers.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

I think things are starting to look up for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger fans too. Off the field, the sale of the team, with the approval of owner Frank McCourt and MLB is moving forward. A recent court ruling in the Dodgers’ favor regarding the sale of broadcast rights means things do look good for a sale by this spring. The bidding process is expected to open January 13 and go until April 1, with a sale by April 30.

Los Angels Dodgers.
Released for public domain

After some big signings of players like Matt Kemp and Mark Ellis, Dodgers’ GM Ned Colletti is making some moves behind the scenes. I think the team struggled this year and I was disappointed to see Colletti just moving people around instead of bringing in new blood. I’m ready for a new owner to come in and I hope he fires Colletti and brings back Kim Ng.

I still think the team has not recovered from the departure of former assistant GM Kim Ng, who is now working with Joe Torre in the MLB commissioner’s office. She should have been named GM instead of Colletti and I would have left the mess that was the Dodgers too. She’s now the senior vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office and her name is always mentioned as the best candidate to become the first female general manager in professional baseball. This possibility is endorsed by the great Joe Torre himself, who said “I think she’s ready,” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

As far as front office changes, Vance Lovelace, who may have the greatest name in Dodgers’ front office history, is now the director of professional personnel. He was a special assistant to the GM and director of player scouting. Lovelace was a Dodger pitcher, coming to the team from the Chicago Cubs in the 1983 Ron Cey trade.

Rick Ragazzo is now the director of pro scouting, so I hope he’s out there scouting for the next big deal the team can make to further booster its 2012 roster. He was formerly a special assistant to the GM. He’s been with the Dodgers for four years, after 17 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, where he worked with Colletti. The team will retain special assistants Bill Mueller, Aaron Sele, Mark Sweeney, Juan Castro and Jose Vizcaino, who are all also former players.

Freddy Sherman grew up in Philadelphia, which didn’t make being a Los Angeles Dodgers fan easy. He has lived in Los Angeles for twenty years, now able to follow the Dodgers openly and attends games frequently. You can follow him on Twitter -@thefredsherman.

More from this contributor:

Barry Bonds Sentence is a Joke: Fan’s Opinion

Dodgers’ Matt Kemp Wins Top Player GIBBY: Fan’s View

Dodgers Vs. Fox Update: Fan’s View

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Fox Sports Net West 2 LLC filed an
appeal seeking to block the sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers
baseball team’s television-broadcasting rights.

The News Corp. (NWSA) unit’s so-called notice of appeal is the
first step in its attempt to persuade a federal district court
to overturn a decision by the bankruptcy judge overseeing the
Dodgers’ case to allow the team to solicit bids for the rights.

The filing didn’t include any legal arguments or details
about why Fox believes the Dec. 8 decision by U.S. Bankruptcy
Judge Kevin Gross in Wilmington, Delaware, should be overturned.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is selling the team, which
filed for bankruptcy in June. To increase the value of the team,
the Dodgers are soliciting separate offers for the rights to
televise future games, which Fox holds through next year.

Gross gave the team permission to begin trying to sell the
rights months before the Dodgers’ current contract with Fox
allows. Fox argued in court that it will be harmed by
accelerating negotiations.

The case is In re Los Angeles Dodgers LLC, 11-12010, U.S.
Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).

To contact the reporter on this story:
Steven Church in Wilmington at
schurch3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
John Pickering at
jpickering@bloomberg.net