With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire after this season, the players and the owners are drawing their lines in the sand when it comes to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ current business model.
This is nothing new, as this has been an ongoing conversation for the past couple of seasons. Some of MLB’s biggest stars, like Bryce Harper, have made their support of player-friendly practices very clear.
While not every organization will be able to spend as much as the Dodgers, there is a baseline they could all reach on the baseball operations side of things.
Harper believes the league could benefit from more teams investing in their scouting and player development departments, and shared the that he thinks the Dodgers are the model: according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN:
“I love what the Dodgers do, obviously,” Phillies star Bryce Harper told reporters in Florida. “I mean, they pay the money, they spend the money. I mean, they’re a great team. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way.
“… Each team in baseball has an opportunity to do the same thing. Maybe not at the upper echelon of money, but they can draft, they can develop, they can trade. I think a lot of teams can do that in baseball, and they should.”
This is not the first time that Harper has voiced his support for the Dodgers and their success. Last season, he made it clear he doesn’t agree with complaints and called out those who were pleading for a salary cap.
Harper is part of a Philadelphia Phillies team that has spent aggressively in free agency, including on his 13-year, $330 million contract in March 2019.
Outside of re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies have not made any other big splashes in free agency. Bringing in outfielder Adolis García and reliever Brad Keller on modest deals has been the extent of their additions from outside the organization.
They were considered to be the favorite to sign Bo Bichette at one point prior to him signing with the New York Mets.
Padres stars praise Dodgers’ aggressive approach in free agency
Other players have come out in support of the Dodgers’ strategy, notably Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. Despite the Dodgers being their biggest obstacle to winning a World Series in recent years, the pair still believe it’s what is best for the game.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
