Nightengale: Dodgers president and owner predict a dynasty

More foresight and less Forsythe…as Dodgers president Stan Kasten and CEO Mark Walter open up.

Kasten and Walter can’t believe someone was idiotic enough to let Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax part ways with the organization, and they’ve done everything in their power to make sure he never leaves again.

“I’m not public-relations oriented,” Walter says, “but why would anybody have alienated him? You mean there was a rift between him and the Dodgers? He’s not just a great guy, but a corporate asset.

“So I asked, ‘Well, how do we get him back? You sit down and talk to him. If you’re not a jerk, he likes you. And the fans are so crazy about him.”

Walter hates to lose, and when annoyed, will text Kasten. Kasten really hates to lose, and paces. It makes it almost impossible for them to watch a game together.

“There was a point when the Colorado Rockies were on the verge of having the worst pitching staff in the history of Major League Baseball,” Walter said. “We couldn’t score off them. I was like, ‘Really? So what does that say? They’re the worst pitchers, and we can’t hit them, so that makes us the worst batters?’

“I don’t mind losing, but come on, can’t we get a hit now and then?”’

...Pardon Walter for being a bit confused. He lives and works in Chicago, and is a Cubs season-ticket holder. He had no idea season tickets could possibly be available.

“I’m getting some numbers early on,” Walter says, “and I say, ‘What do you mean these tickets aren’t sold?’ You’ve got to stand in line to get a Cubs season ticket. It’s like, ‘How the hell does that happen? Chicago is just one-third of the size of L.A.’ We’re going to change that.”