Dodgers need big reality check

She used charity as her bait, but her desired catch was something much bigger.

She wanted to know, will Dodgers fans judge their off-season performance by connecting the real world to the baseball world?

The answer is, again, no, no, no, no.

The reason fans will not forgive their lack of spending is the reason those fans spend money in the first place.

Sports is not a reality show, it's a fantasy world. The Dodgers are not a business, they're an escape.

Fans don't want to hear millionaire owners complaining about costs, they want to watch baseball players winning games.

Fans are paying big money to believe that the cost doesn't matter. Fans are devoting long hours to believe that success can happen overnight.

If Babe Ruth could thrive in the Great Depression, then the Dodgers can field a championship team in 2009, no economic excuses accepted.

As large as the Dodgers are doing things like charging $90 for a spring-training seat, they will receive not one iota of monetary forgiveness from the fans, nor should they want it.

Judging from the overwhelming negative response from Tuesday's quotes, Jamie McCourt probably knows that now. And, to be fair, the Dodgers' ownership should only be judged on what happens next.

The McCourts have spent loads of money on building this team, and should be judged only on whether they will continue to spend it.

They made the moves to give the Dodgers a playoff series victory for the first time in 20 years, and have earned the benefit of the doubt that they will use this winter to take the next step.

And, yes, they can even wish us all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Just, please, no more turkeys.

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bill.plaschke@latimes.com