When the Los Angeles Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman as president of baseball operations in October 2014, it marked the beginning of an aggressive shift in the front office. Farhan Zaidi was added as general manager soon after, and so too were several other executives.
Friedman worked to curtail the Dodgers’ spending — the expansive payroll was often referred to as being unsustainable — all the while ensuring the club remained competitive on the field. To date, the largest contract doled out under Friedman is a four-year, $48 million deal Brandon McCarthy signed in December 2014.
As for highest annual salary in a new deal, that goes to Scott Kazmir, who inked a three-year, $48 million contract this past offseason. Kazmir’s contract includes an opt out clause after the 2016 season.
The front office has been criticized by many because of the lack of a marquee addition. Los Angeles hasn’t signed a big-name free agent, nor have they emptied the farm system for the likes of a Cole Hamels or David Price, with the latter being a traded as a rental.
Adding insult to injury, Zack Greinke signed with division rival Arizona Diamondbacks on a six-year, $206.5 million deal. While the Dodgers have placed an emphasis on replenishing their farm system, a popular narrative is Friedman & Co. are more concerned with the future as opposed to the present.
According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez isn’t subscribed to that theory:
While skepticism about the front office has spread to some parts of the clubhouse, the All-Star first baseman remains convinced the team’s decision makers are determined to win now… “I will bet you whatever you want that come July, if we need to make a move, we’ll make a move that everyone in baseball’s going to be like, ‘That set them over the top.'”
On benefit to Friedman’s method(s), is the Dodgers are, generally speaking, successfully absorbing a rash of injuries to their starting rotation and outfield. What’s more, their farm system, rated No. 1 overall by Baseball America, has multiple prospects on the doorstep of contributing in the Majors.
Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten recently defended the club’s approach, pointing to the likelihood of more opportunities to win a World Series by keeping an eye on year-by-year success, rather than going all-in for a single season or two.
