The Dodgers, who upset many baseball people with their comments during the NL West race, improved their image considerably by taking out a quarter-page ad in Wednesday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution congratulating the Braves on their championship.

"We congratulate the Atlanta Braves and their fans on a great season," the ad read. "Best of luck in the National League Championship Series! Los Angeles Dodgers."

The Dodgers earlier purchased ads in the Miami Herald and Denver Post congratulating those cities on obtaining National League expansion franchises.

"When something good happens to somebody else in baseball, we like to recognize it," said Fred Claire, Dodger vice president. "In the case of the Braves, we just thought it was the appropriate thing to do."