In a move sure to cement Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle's name alongside other mayoral hall-of-famers like C. Ray Nagin and Marion Barry, the city of Anaheim will appeal their court loss to the Angels. The city has argued that the team violated their contract when they changed the name of the team from Anaheim Angels to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim but a jury disagreed.

In a move that surprised no one, the team then decided to pursue a counter-claim against the city of Anaheim to recover all or a portion of the $7 million in legal fees they suffered in defending themselves. This is the chief reason the city has decided to file the appeal. In gambling this is known as "throwing good money after bad" since the city is destined to lose the appeal and then subsequently either pay the Angels' legal fees (which now will also continue to mount) or face more time in the court against the team. While there is always a chance the city could prevail, the odds remain extremely low. The one voice of reason in the Anaheim City Council seems to be Harry Sidhu who was the lone dissenter when the council voted 4-1 to pursue the appeal. Sidhu was quoted in the LA Times saying "most appeals are unsuccessful and an appellate loss could subject taxpayers to added liability in a case in which "we have lost every inning."

But Pringle's pursuit of an appeal is likely more a bargaining chip than anything else. According to the Times article the city has already accrued legal bills of $3.8 million and capped an appeal at $150,000. How far will $150k take the city? Maybe they are switching to a 'bargain' law firm for the appeal. Jacoby & Meyers perhaps? Maybe appeals are just far less costly since most of the work has been done. Whatever the case, both sides are awaiting Judge Peter Polos' decision as to whether or not the Angels are entitled to any reimbursement. But the way Pringle has blasted Polos in the press, I would not expect anything favorable for the city. Pringle has decried Polos' "numerous errors" in rulings made during the trial to the media which I am sure sits well with the Superior Court Judge.

All and all another fine quagmire Pringle is directing the city in to.