Each week during the offseason, CBS Sports’ MLB experts bring you Batting Around Roundtables, where they break down just about everything. Latest news, historical issues, thoughts on the future of baseball, and more. Last week we discussed the future of Aki Sasaki. This special edition roundtable covers the Dodgers and their offseason (After signing a contract with Sasaki).
Is what the Dodgers are doing bad for baseball?
RJ Anderson: No. Another way of saying this question is: “Is trying too hard to win bad for baseball?” I think a good number of franchise owners believe that because they don’t want to put in a lot of effort this winter. That’s bad for baseball. I think the Athletics, Pirates, Rays, Marlins (etc.) are doing much worse in this game. That’s bad for baseball. Do we always ask this question of the challenging team and not the opposing team? you guessed it. That’s bad for baseball.
Matt Snyder: They’ve won one World Series since 1988. Last season, they won 98 games, not 118 or 128 or whatever. They were one game away from being eliminated in the divisional round. The level of anger here over them signing some good players is just mind-boggling. While dynasties can be found in other sports, Major League Baseball hasn’t had a dynasty in decades. No consecutive champions have been seen since 2000. This argument might make more sense if they signed Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes in addition to their other contracts, but the tipping point would really be a relief pitcher and a very talented pitcher. Is it not possible to obtain it yet? Have you never thrown a pitch in the majors?
Please contact me again when they win their second title. Until then, it’s a completely impossible level of crying.
Dane Perry: I think there are long-term concerns about revenue disparity in the post-regional sports network era, but that’s not relevant here. MLB’s biggest problem is usually teams that get revenue sharing but don’t put in the effort. The Pirates, Rays, Marlins, Reds, and their ilk are a bigger problem than teams like the Dodgers who are striving to improve their on-field production and win baseball games and championships. Internal competitive pressure is a good thing, especially in MLB these days, when too many owners view their teams as portfolio properties rather than civic organizations.
Mike Aksisa: Generally speaking, I don’t think so — fans of the other 29 teams aren’t mad that the Dodgers are ruining baseball, they’re mad that their teams are ruining baseball. I’m angry that it’s not — but I’m inching closer to stopping work with the game’s cost, which I’m concerned about. The Dodgers, and to a lesser extent the Mets and Yankees (and Phillies), are spendthrifts, and MLB and other owners don’t like that. Combined with the changing landscape of regional sports networks, there is the potential for serious infighting at the ownership level when the current collective agreement expires in December 2026. I don’t think what the Dodgers are doing is wrong or bad for the sport. . I actually think it’s a good thing baseball has a clear villain. This is an entertainment business and it’s fun to root for the villain. But I’m afraid this is another step towards a work stoppage that will damage the game, and that’s a very bad thing.
