As a follow-up, here's the email I sent McCourt Saturday morning:

Mr. McCourt,

In July, you and I had a great telephone conversation about the direction the Dodgers were headed. I stated to you my enthusiasm for this vision and my full support of it. At that time, injuries had hit the Dodgers hard (and continued to do so) and we both agreed that this was a major factor contributing to the problems the team was facing. I also shared that I felt you were getting a bad rap in the local media and stated that I hoped you would ignore them and stay the course.

I read this morning that you are reportedly set to fire Paul Depodesta. This news filled me with anger, frustration and disappointment. When we spoke, you made the analogy that much like Branch Rickey was a visionary in bringing in Jackie Robinson, Depodesta was a visionary in how teams are put together. Imagine if Branch Rickey had caved to all the outside pressure that was put on him and sent Robinson back to the Negro Leagues two seasons after being in the Dodger farm system. This is what you are doing to Depodesta.

When you gave him a three year contract, you made a committment to him and his vision. Rescinding this deal twent months in would be a colossal mistake and an injustice. The perception is that you are doing this to placate the local media and certain antiquated elements within your organization who just don't get it. Those people will never be happy or are only happy when they are miserable and have something to complain about. Throwing your general manager under the bus doesn't gain you any real good will with them. It just gives them another reason to point at you and assert that you do not know what you are doing.

As a Dodger fan of 31 years, this is the most disappointing moment I've ever experienced. Paul Depodesta deserves the extended period of time to complete the creation of the vision that you so enthusiastically endorsed to me in July. Playing to the whims of the fans and the press gets you what is tantamount to a sugar high. It's a great feeling short-term, but then you end up feeling the same, if not worse, afterward.

If this firing does indeed happen, count me among those who will stay away from Dodger Stadium for the time being. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

And now Dodger fans are getting excited because of this news:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=2209599

I'd caution against getting hopes up because Epstein is basically what the Dodgers already had in so far as approach to how player personnel is evaluated and apparently, this goes against the grain of Dodger tradition. Plus, if you're Epstein and a friend of Depodesta's, why would you want this job? Things are a lot calmer in Boston from a management standpoint and if he thinks Larry Lucchino was a pain in his ass, wait until he sees the wrath of Tommy.

But, Dodger fans will clamor for him because they'd rather have a "computer nerd" with a World Championship than they would a "computer nerd" who doesn't have one.

A thanks to Rob over at 6-4-2 for giving this page a plug on his site.