Why the Dodgers Won the West

The Front Office

Spending a lot of money doesn’t have much of a correlation with success. However, the Dodgers spent their money wisely this off-season and it has nothing to do with the product on the field. Dodgers ownership signed Andrew Friedman to a 5 yr, $35M deal in October last year to the title of President of Baseball Operations, making him the highest paid front office executive in baseball. This was then followed by the hiring of other well respected personnel most notably Farhan Zaidi (GM) and Josh Byrnes (VP of Baseball Operations).

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Three of the most respected minds in the game, the trio got right to work, making moves that people never saw coming. From the dividing Kemp trade, to the Howie Kendrick acquisition and the acquisition of draft picks in return for international signing slots, the front office has been spectacularly creative in their decisions this year. In doing so, they have created a talented, balanced, sustainable core to build on and great depth to compliment it with.

Before anything gets done on the field, it’s the decisions of these individuals that is so pivotal to both the short and long term success of this organisation.

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