Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

A group – Guggenheim Baseball Management LLC — led by former Lakers star and NBA Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson and longtime baseball exec Stan Kasten (among others) agreed Tuesday night to purchase the Dodgers from Frank McCourt (not this one) for a record $2 billion.

This technically isn’t Yankee news, but in a way it is. You have to figure that after shelling out $2 billion the group will do whatever it takes to win. That is good news for the team’s manager, Don Mattingly, who, of course, is a NYY legend. You may remember he was unable to win a World Series with the Yanks as a player, and this new ownership could be just what the Dodgers need to put a winning team on the field. Hopefully he can finally get a ring (unless they have to go through the Yanks, obviously).

I have to believe that every Dodgers fan is ecstatic about the news; no longer do they have an owner who is going through a messy divorce and cutting corners at every turn. Now they can rest easy knowing they have legit owners. Insert generic Mets joke here

A couple of things I thought when I heard the news:

• I had no idea Magic was into baseball. If he ever bought a team, I figured it would have been an NBA franchise. Although it clearly makes sense he would go for an LA-based team.
• Where the hell did he get $2 billion? I understand he’s been successful in business ventures following his playing career, but that’s a lot of dough. I wonder how much each partner chipped into the $2 billion.

If you think I’m going to make an HIV joke, you’re wrong. I’m way too mature for that.

In honor of the sale:

Torre was named executive VP for baseball operations in February and also doled out punishments for on-field discipline, among other duties. He was also made the fall guy (according to Buster Olney) for “Hat Gate” — when MLB wouldn’t let the Mets wear NYPD/FDNY hats for a game on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Well, now he is part of a group — backed by real estate developer Rick Caruso (no word if he’s related to this guy) — that is attempting to buy the one team that is perhaps more sloppily-run than the Mets.

Torre, who managed the Dodgers from 2008-2010:

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Let me preface this by saying I have never met or spoken to Marcus Thames. However, from the outpouring of support for “Tems” and what I have read on the internet it seems like he’s a stand-up guy.

I’m a few days late on this, but I just stumbled upon one of the greatest hatchet jobs in recent memory last night. TJ starts off by poking fun at the pronunciation of Thames. Nice. You really got him good.

He follows that up with an anecdote regarding an interview attempt with Thames, and, in doing so, takes another shot at the Dodgers — the team he covers on a daily basis.

So I thought I might talk to Tims/Tems on Monday. Ordinarily I don’t like to start off a week talking to stiffs, but that leaves so few Dodgers to interview these days.

Classy.

Next, Teej gets into Thames’ sub-par defensive skills. The first words he ever mutters to the left fielder are:

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Instead of boring you with the gory details, I figure I’d show you some of the pics I got. I apologize for the lack of quality, I had to use my phone because my camera broke. Without further ado here they are:

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It’s not up to me. If the Cardinals wanted to trade me, obviously I would go. There’s no question about that. I’m not going to hold back or veto or do anything like that if they’re looking to move me.

St. Louis already lost pitcher Adam Wainwright to an elbow injury that will require Tommy John surgery, so the chances of them moving their No. 1 starter are not good. However, if they start playing like crap and fall out of contention…enter: Brian Cashman, stage right. A guy can dream, can’t he?

My feelings about a Carpenter-to-the-Yanks trade:

In it, Karen Crouse talks about the McCourt’s divorce, the Dodgers’ offseason acquisitions, Mattingly’s ability to manage and his haters, Ronald Belisario’s failure to get a visa, the infamous haircut episode with Stump Merrill and the biography about #23 that comes out in March…which I plan to read the hell out of.

Here are some excerpts:

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Although official terms were not available, reports are that the Phils inked him to a five-year deal worth $50 million less than what the Yanks offered. The Yanks offered six years at $138 million with a player option for a seventh at $16 million. Who turns that down?

You gotta respect a guy that leaves that much money on the proverbial table, but it’s funny that he did it for a franchise that pretty much kicked him to the curb when they didn’t want to give him an extension. Whatevies. I’m glad he saved the Yanks another terrible contract for an aging free agent. I just hope Cashman has a solid Plan B.

If Pettitte returns in 2011 I think the Yanks will be fine. If he retires, however, they might be up shit’s creek without a paddle.

Get used to this Mets fans