Phew! That was lucky.

Frank McCourt nearly bought the Sox. And if he had done so, he would have moved us to a piece of the waterfront in South Boston (which he owned of course) and Fenway would be a memory.

Having lost out to Henry, Werner and Lucchino, Frank McCourt and his estranged wife Jamie went after the LA Dodgers, and got it. The LA Dodgers is the franchise that was the Brooklyn Dodgers, the organization which we all love, not least because of Jackie Robinson: number 42. But then in 1958, they migrated to the West Coast, to a purpose-built stadium in Chavaz Ravine and were subsequently bought by the McCourts.

They are now $400 million in debt. And that's long-term debt. The divorcing McCourts used the Dodgers to finance their extravagant lifestyles. And a great organization is in danger of going down as rich people squabble.

"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport."

Here in the UK, we know only too well about loading a club with debt. Ask Man United fans. And those of us who support Coventry City.

But what's different here, and what distinguishes MLB from the football bosses, is that Commissioner Bud Selig has done something about the problem. He has taken control of "all business and day-to-day operations" at the Dodgers.

The Dodgers organization has already walked out on one set of fans in New York. They were in danger of doing the same again, for very different reasons, in LA.

I'm not a huge fan of Commissioner Selig, but his actions in LA are laudable. And they should be an example for the commissars of English football. (The titles have the same root, but different meanings.)

What Selig seems to have realized, and the UK commissars haven't, is that these clubs are not merely franchises: they are the heart of their communities.

Financial ownership only bestows temporary rights of custody. Real ownership is with the fans.

Go Sox. It could have been us.

Today's listening; Ry Cooder, Chavaz Ravine. Where did you live? Third base, Dodger Stadium.

Back from Boston on Friday morning to find that nothing has changed.

The so-called royal wedding is still the lead headline with only the very slightest of justification. And the AV versus FPTP debate continues unabated - with, now, Ed Miliband taking to the stage with Vince Cable and Ant Cameron sharing a platform with John Reid. If the devil could cast a net.

But where, you may ask, is Dec Clegg? About whom this is not a referendum, don't forget.

Well, it turns out that he is out there flogging face-to-face meetings for £25k a time. Yeh, really!

Jeez. I can't find my knees.

But, since you ask, Boston was great, thanks. I saw history in the making.

History in the sense that the Sox opened the season with the equal worst record since forever.

My worst record, too.

However, I did see the first win of the season. And I did see the first series win of the season.(Both against the Yankees, which makes them doubly satisfying.)

I also saw some good people. Each visit confirms my belief that Boston is one of the friendliest cities on the planet.

So thanks especially to Rick, whose presence behind the bar (and knowledge of baseball, music and literature) is more than sufficient compensation for schlepping back from Fenway in the cold, after a defeat. And also to a new chum, Tom, who I met up in Kenmore and who was embarking on a wine trip to Europe the day after we met. I hope he is enjoying it as much as I would. (The highlight was two days with Olivier Leflaive in Chassagne-Montrachet!)

So that's Boston and the Bostonians for another year, unless we make the play-offs. Thanks, guys.

Meantime, go Sox!

Today's listening: The Standells, Dirty Water. Now and at 7pm-ish this evening UK time.