What do the Dodgers do with Ned Colletti going forward?

MLB Trade Rumors recently ran a story that revealed current Dodgers GM Ned Colletti could be a free agent as early as next year due to an opt out clause in his contract.

Dodgers: Ned Colletti can either activate an out clause in his contract after 2012, or 2012 is actually the last year on his deal. Either way, the general manager will likely be pursued by the club to sign an extension given how competitive the Dodgers were this season in the wake of the ongoing ownership mess. Of course, Colletti could choose to leave given the uncertainty with the McCourts. Chicago native Colletti drew some attention from the Cubs last summer, before the Theo Epstein hiring.

While that’s definitely a possibility, it got me thinking about what happens if new owners take over before the 2012 season starts and what they would do with Ned Colletti before that opt out clause even becomes a factor.

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My questions are multiple:

1) Assuming there are new owners for 2012, do they replace Ned Colletti before the season?

2) Assuming there are new owners for 2012 and that they want to replace Ned Colletti, would there be suitable replacements available so late into the off-season?

3) If Ned Colletti is potentially a gone as early as this year, does the MLB let him make significant deals that affect the future of the franchise?

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All of the questions are pertinent to the future of the Dodgers, but they will all remain as hypothetical situations until late 2011 at the earliest, and that’s the saddest part about this entire situation.