Ah, if only every game could be an All-Star game for the Dodgers.

The All-Star game must have been a welcome reprieve for Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Andre Ethier. Or they just like playing for a winning team for a change.

The Dodgers’ three representatives to Tuesday’s All-Star all performed well in Arizona, contributing to the National League’s 5-1 victory over the American League.

Now if the Dodgers can just turn their season around, they can have home-field advantage in the World Series.

Kemp, giving the Dodgers their second consecutive NL starting All-Star center fielder (Ethier started in center last season), walked, singled and scored a run. He even used two hands to catch an Asdrubal Cabrera fly in the fourth.

Kershaw came in to pitch a perfect 1-2-3 fifth inning, getting a defensive assist from first baseman Joey Votto. He struck out one. Like Kemp, it was Kershaw’s first All-Star appearance.

And Ethier pinch-hit in the bottom of the fifth in the designated hitter spot, and singled in a run. He became the first Dodger to drive in a run in an All-Star game since Mike Piazza in 1996.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier hits a run-scoring single for the National League during the fifth inning of the NL's 5-1 victory over the American League in the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday. Credit: Roy Dabner / EPA

Continuing our poll of the greatest Dodgers at each position with first basemen.

Remember to vote for three.

You had to have been the main starter at a position for at least three seasons to be listed on the poll.

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Who are the three greatest catchers in Dodgers history?

--Houston Mitchell

The baseball season is at its halfway point, but the Dodgers have already exhausted the $35 million owed them this season by Fox, according to a bankruptcy court filing Tuesday.

The filing lists the Dodgers' projected income and expenses through the end of the season. The Dodgers are owed $1.277 million per month from KCAL but nothing from Fox, according to the documents. Fox provided Dodgers owner Frank McCourt with a $25-million cash advance last winter. McCourt has said that Commissioner Bud Selig's refusal to approve a proposed new contract with Fox forced him to seek short-term financing and ultimately forced the team into bankruptcy.

The Dodgers pay $1.167 million per month -- or $14 million per year -- to one of the McCourt entities that has not filed for bankruptcy. McCourt's attorneys have said he could retain ownership of Dodger Stadium and the surrounding parking lots even if he loses control of the Dodgers, a position disputed by Major League Baseball.

The Dodgers owe about $10 million in player payroll twice a month, according to the filing.

The Dodgers also have paid $325,000 to retain the law firm representing them in bankruptcy court.

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Dodgers owner Frank McCourt gives vote of confidence to Ned Colletti

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

If you wanted a direct comment from Bud Selig about Frank McCourt, you weren't getting anywhere. But Selig dropped more than enough hints about his disgust over the McCourt saga during a news conference Tuesday in Phoenix, at one point alluding to a Dodgers future under new ownership.

In answering a question about how the Dodgers' bankruptcy might be bad for baseball, Selig recalled hearing last year how terrible the Texas Rangers' bankruptcy would be for baseball. The Rangers were sold in a bankruptcy court auction.

"It didn't turn out terrible," Selig said. "They wound up getting a great price and a wonderful ownership group. We will work our way through all these things. Life doesn't always work out exactly the way you want."

Selig is determined to oust McCourt and has not heard from any other owner concerned enough about the costs and risks of the bankruptcy fight to suggest yielding to McCourt, according to someone who has spoken with him but could not be identified because of the litigation. Selig has no intention of considering any settlement under which McCourt would retain ownership, the person said.

In a meeting with the Baseball Writers Assn. of America, Selig cited the bankruptcy court case in declining to speak directly about McCourt and the Dodgers mess.

"There are a lot of things I'd like to say, but I won't," Selig said.

Michael Weiner, the executive director of the players' union, was asked whether he had an opinion on McCourt.

"Yes," he said.

Rather than share that opinion, Weiner opted for tact.

Sign up now and join us later for a live chat during the All-Star game.

The chat will be moderated by Fabulous Forum editor Houston Mitchell, who will provide running commentary during the game and will answer your questions. The chat starts at 5:15, but you can sign up after the jump!

Jeez, not even a little, "Welcome back, Steve!"

Just -- boom! -- off the boat and a deal is made. One of those yeah-I-guess, why-not? deals.

The Dodgers picked up Juan Rivera from the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday and designated Marcus Thames for assignment. That poor All-Star game, overshadowed by the Dodgers again.

Not exactly the kind of move to turn a season around, since these days Rivera and Thames seem pretty much the same guy, but safe to say the original plan hadn’t worked out so well.

That was Jay Gibbons and Thames, a makeshift platoon in left field when the Dodgers couldn’t stumble into any other solution.

Gibbons struggled with vision problems, never could get it going, was designated for assignment June 6 and ultimately accepted a triple-A gig at Albuquerque, where he remains today (.293, 3 HRs, 17 RBI).

Thames missed time with a quadriceps strain, and though he hit OK against left-handers, never could really get it rolling (.197, 2, 7) for the Dodgers.

Jon Garland (pictured above) underwent season-ending surgery on his right shoulder Monday, the Dodgers announced.

Dr. Neal ElAttrache cleaned up Garland's labrum, bursa and rotator cuff. ElAttrache also reinforced the rotator cuff.

Garland will start physical therapy later this week. His recovery is expected to take six months.

ALSO:

Who are the three greatest catchers in Dodgers history?

Dodgers' Ned Colletti gets vote of confidence from Frank McCourt

-- Dylan Hernandez

Photo credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Well, the season seems to be a lost cause, the team is in bankruptcy and there appears to be no end in sight.

So let's look back at the greatness of the Dodgers with a series of polls choosing the best three players at each position, including the Brooklyn years. You had to have been the main starter at a position for at least three seasons to be listed on the poll.

We will start with catcher. Who are the three greatest catchers in Dodgers history? And remember, vote for three people.

The Dodgers are on pace to post consecutive losing seasons for the first time since Frank McCourt bought the team in 2004, but the embattled owner said Monday that he supports General Manager Ned Colletti.

The All-Star Game was abuzz with rumors that McCourt might soon fire Colletti and replace him with one of the Dodgers' assistant general managers, DeJon Watson or Logan White. However, in a statement, McCourt dismissed those rumors and extended a vote of confidence to Colletti.

"Any rumors about Ned being replaced are inaccurate, false and utterly unfounded," said the statement issued by Steve Sugerman, a spokesman for McCourt. "He has Frank's support."

Colletti is in his sixth season as the Dodgers' general manager. The Dodgers made the playoffs three times in his first five seasons, including back-to-back appearances in the National League Championship Series in 2008-09.

Colletti's contract expires after next season, although the contract could be extended if option years are exercised.

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Dodgers fire Steve Garvey

Dodgers' statement on bankruptcy court ruling

-- Bill Shaikin in Phoenix

Photo: General Manager Ned Colletti. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

How did Matt Kemp find out he would be batting third for the National League All-Stars?

"Somebody tweeted me about it," Kemp said.

It's a new world for Kemp, and not just with regard to technology. In the year after he drove the Dodgers' coaches batty with erratic play that overshadowed his prodigious talents, Kemp just might be the best player in the league.

NL All-Star Manager Bruce Bochy put Kemp in the No. 3 spot, generally reserved for the most dynamic player in the lineup. The likes of Prince Fielder, Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki and Lance Berkman will bat behind Kemp.

"Unfortunately I see too much of him, being in our division," said Bochy, the Giants' manager. "He's a guy with speed, power, a guy that can beat you with a base hit or a long ball. He's what you call a complete player -- tremendous defender, but more so in the 3-hole, he can do so many things for you.

"He's so dangerous. The pitchers don't want to walk him and yet they don't want this guy to beat them with the long ball."

Kemp was a bit, well, starry-eyed about it.

"This is all happening so fast," Kemp said. "I'm really excited. It didn't hit me until this morning, when I was having breakfast with all the guys.

"I'm just in awe right now."

On Sunday, Kemp said, his father sent along a picture of "the first baseball field I played at," the Little League diamond in Midwest City, Okla.

"It just hit me," Kemp said. "It reflected where I was and how far I've come."

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-- Bill Shaikin in Phoenix

Photo: Matt Kemp. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire