AP Source: Dodgers lack cash for May 31 to pay

 Major League Baseball believes that the Los Angeles Dodgers do not have enough money to make the end of may payroll, a person familiar with the finances of the team told Associated Press.

The person spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the investigation of MLB to finance the team owner Frank McCourt is underway. The Los Angeles Times for the first time that the Dodgers did not have money to make their payroll May 31.

The person said that if the Dodgers do not have the money, MLB would intervene and make payroll.

"We have been assured that all of their obligations will be met," union Chief Michael Weiner said in a telephone interview with the AP.

Commissioner Bud Selig and the man that he appointed to oversee the Dodgers, Tom Schieffer, were to meet Thursday. A day of dueling statements, McCourt told the AP that he accused the Office of the Commissioner for all financial matters.

"The fact that we had bonds maturing in 2011 has been without surprise us and not surprisingly to the major League Baseball," McCourt said.

McCourt publicly denounced that Selig refused to approve a contract for 17 years with Fox which could be worth more than 3 billion, a deal which would include a payment of attractive entrance fees of approximately $ 300 million. His lawyers sent a letter to MLB putting his complaints in writing, a precursor to a prosecution.

"We developed a plan that eventually became the Fox transaction." We have worked on this plan, in different versions, for the last six months, "said McCourt. "This is an operation which is now completely negotiated, ready to be signed and ready to be closed.". It is the series of delays in allowing us to close this transaction that created the problem here. Otherwise, there would no problem here. "My recent investment in the club was warranted by the delay."

The Office of the Commissioner has effectively taken control of the team on April 20, and Schieffer, former President of the Texas Rangers, was named by Selig the following week. Schieffer must approve any transaction over $ 5,000. MLB is investigation into the finances of the team and entities related since McCourt bought the Dodgers in the division of the Fox of News Corp. Rupert Murdoch in 2004.

Rob Manfred, MLB Executive Vice President for labour relations, said that McCourt and the Dodgers were the cause of all the difficulties. Manfred Schieffer met Wednesday and was to join the session on Thursday with Selig.

"All financial problems faced by the Los Angeles Dodgers are the result of decisions taken by Mr. McCourt and his team of management over a period of years", Manfred said in a statement. "The pace of the investigation by the Commissioner has been negatively affected by default the Dodgers to produce documents in a timely manner and by the complexity of financial structures surrounding the club." The Commissioner intends to complete the investigation quickly but will accept no less than a thorough investigation. ?

The Dodgers said late Wednesday that the documents and the financial information requested by MLB April 20 were placed in a "virtual data room" at Dodger Stadium earlier in the day, and that a financial report today on the team was given to Schieffer and MLB executive vice president John McHale Jr. last week.

Spokesman Pat Courtney MLB replied: "Mr. Schieffer and Mr. McHale categorically deny that they have accepted the use of a virtual data room."