Dodgers fans already know what the most annoying 2025 NLCS talking point will be

The NLCS is upon us, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are prepared to face off against the same tired, old storyline that just won't go away. While it's the Milwaukee Brewers who have home-field advantage on the strength of their major league-leading 97 wins, the matchup is being billed as a David and Goliath-type showdown with LA once again donning the role of the big bad villain.

Yes, that's right, the payroll arguments are out again in full force. The Dodgers, as we all know, have the largest payroll in the sport at $350 million, while the Brewers are coming in at a paltry $122 million, ranking 22nd.

The payroll debate is getting really old and annoying for Dodgers fans

The baseball world lost its mind several times this past offseason when it comes to the Dodgers. Oddly enough, one of the biggest outcries coming from the Dodgers signing Kirby Yates to a one-year, $13 million deal of all things.

The ironic thing was that the deal came at the end of January, as Yates hung out on the free agent market much longer than expected following a 1.17 ERA as the Texas Rangers' closer in 2024. Anyone who wanted to sign Yates could have, but no one stepped up to the plate to get a deal done. Yates has been terrible for most of the season anyway, so it's not like any other team truly lost out.

Another flashpoint was when Roki Sasaki chose the Dodgers over his other suitors. The ironic thing was that, by virtue of being considered an international amateur free agent which has strict spending limits, LA's economic might played no role in his decision (at least not directly). Instead, it was the culture that the Dodgers have built that proved to be the difference maker.

The Dodgers' ownership group has some deep pockets for sure, but it's not like they're the only billionaires in the field. They just have an ownership group that has both deep pockets and a willingness to reach into them. If doing so wasn't profitable, the Dodgers just simply wouldn't spend like that. It's also important to remember that the club was not always so blessed financially.

Fifteen years ago, the Dodgers were buried in debt thanks to the mismanagement of former owner Frank McCourt. Despite the large media market they call home, they were unable to compete at the top of the free agent market with the other big market teams like the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

However, turning the page and getting an ownership group that actually wanted to invest in the product on the field made all the difference. That's an option available to all MLB clubs, just ask the New York Mets.

Furthermore, while splashy free agent signings have dominated the headlines, the Dodgers have also quietly built up a strong farm system and player development apparatus. Take Max Muncy as an example. The two-time All-Star was cut loose by the Athletics back in 2017 as an underachieving 26-year-old. After landing in Los Angeles, he was molded into a star.

The bottom line is this: the Dodgers play by the same rules everyone else does, and any team is welcome to mimic what they do if it is willing to funnel money into its organization. However, most teams/owners choose profits over pennants and rings, meaning that they can't be mad when the Dodgers find themselves alone at the top of the mountain once the music finally stops.