How Do You Like Me Now?

In October of 2014, the ownership of the Dodgers decided to go in a new direction and named Andrew Friedman President of Baseball Operations. GM Ned Colletti was moved to another position in the organization and Friedman brought in Farhan Zaidi as the new GM.

At the time, the only thing I knew about Friedman was that he had been running the Tampa Bay Rays. I knew they had gotten to the World Series and lost to the Phillies, but really nothing else about him. I did know that when his stars got close to free agency the Rays usually traded them rather than spend a ton of money to keep them.

As for Colletti, I thought he did a decent job. He signed a couple of free agents who absolutely bombed…Jason Schmidt and Andruw Jones. But considering who he was working for and how close McCourt came to ruining the entire franchise, Ned did an admirable job.

The farm system was starting to produce some good players and the future of the franchise because of new ownership was looking a lot better. But ownership is entitled to have their own guy at the helm and they chose Friedman.

Things began to happen almost immediately. I do not think in my entire time as a Dodger fan that I have seen as much movement. Most of it was centered around not re-signing some of their guys and getting some fringe players you knew they would never play a game in LA.

In December, well, the other shoe dropped. Kemp and Gordon were traded and neither trade was well received by most of the fan base. I was one of those and I was livid simply because Kemp had looked better than he had since the injury, and well, Gordon was one of the more exciting players on the team.

But that was just the beginning. Over the next few seasons, AF as I will call him here, made move after move that to some of us fans were head scratchers. Giving McCarthy a 4 year deal? Wow.

But the team kept winning the West and creeped closer to the World Series. Many of us disliked Roberts. His decisions were constantly dissected. And I was guilty of that a lot.

Then came 17 and all the events that unfolded during the series that we did not find out about until later. Then we lost to a very superior Red Sox team in 18 only to find out they had been cheating some too.

19 was the biggest disappointment of all to me. They were the best team in the majors period, and knocked out in the first round because their pitching failed them and the Nats arms were outstanding. The pain of that was not eased one bit by the fact that DC won the series over the Astros.

Now 2020 comes along, we have Price and Mookie, and things are looking up. Then boom. Pandemic time. A truncated season, more drama. No moves at the deadline other than to unload Stripling and everyone knows the starting pitching is suspect. And AF is under intense scrutiny again.

Then being down 3-1 in the NLCS. Coming back from the brink and finally winning it all for the first time in 32 years and it felt like the weight of the world was off our shoulders.

The celebration, Mark Walter long winded speech and then AF stepped up and one of the first things he said was ” sorry it took so long”. Well, I guess I am an old softie anymore, because that to me was classy.

Look, I never really at any time liked the way he did things. He had been called a baseball genius, but I never saw that. Einstein was a genius. AF, not so much. But he did things in a way that you did not see what the end game was.

The team stayed competitive and at times dominating. Some of the flaws in the team remain evident, but they still won. Now they are basking in the victory knowing they have little time to prepare for the defense of that title.

As for AF, how do I like him now? Well, I understand his way of doing things a little better. He does not give up his prospects willy nilly. Every move is measured by what he is giving up and what he is receiving in return.

He has kept his core pretty solid and works on the fringes mostly until he sees a need and then he moves to fix that part of the machine that is not running as smooth.

I have often read how he does not know how to construct a bullpen. But every year he is replacing parts in the pen. Look at this season, McGee, Treinen and a few others who never made it to the big club.

Every year he signs a ton of relievers. He might not sign many to big contracts, Kelly and Treinen would be the exceptions, but he has gotten guys on the cheap who have performed. Sadler in 19 was a real surprise and I was even more surprised when they traded him.

AF has not totally won me over. But I am a little more comfortable in his leadership. And remember, he did it this year without a GM in place. Oh, he has plenty of former GM’s on the staff, but no one has the title.

So, I want everyone’s opinion. How do you like him now?