Once again, Bruce Bochy demonstrated why he is a genius. Bochy’s strategy was this: After his starter gave up five runs in 4.2 IP, he told the bullpen not to give up any runs the rest of the way. No one else on the planet would have thought of something so ingenious. Then, in the 11th inning, he whispered into Adolis Garcia’s ear. “If you hit a Home Run, that will win the game.” Well, the bullpen shut down the D-Backs and Garcia hit the walk-off home run! What a genius! Dave Roberts would have never thought of that. That proves that Bochy is the greatest. I know that some of you will believe that, so I have to have a “Sarcasm Disclaimer.”
By the way, Adolis Garcia was a “Dollar Store Pickup” like many of you want Andrew Friedman to stay away from. So was Mitch Garver, Jonah Heim, Austin Hedges, Robbie Grossman, Travis Jankowski, Brad Miller, Josh Sborz, Ian Kennedy, and even Aroldis Chapman who was supposed to be closer but lost the job back to Jose LeClerc as he put up a 3.92 ERA and blw 3 out of 7 saves. These kinds of guys are important to a team and you have to have them.
More on 2023
- Andrew Friedman said that 2023 would be a transition year before the season even started.
- The injuries to the starters (maybe Gonsolin was) were not predictable. To lose May, Kershaw, Buehler, Urias, and Gonsolin was devastating).
- The above would have killed any team in MLB – yet the Dodgers won 100 games – that was amazing!
- The idiocy that caused the Ace of the Staff to go into exile was random and not foreseen.
- Rebuilding the rotation would have meant the farm would take a big gutting, and why do that in a year of transition? Your best years are ahead.
- We know that ownership wanted to reset the Luxury Tax, but were unable to do so because (in part) of the late resolution to the Trevor Bauer Debacle.
- Owners expect a disbursement each year. The Dodgers have quite a few owners, including Guggenheim Baseball Management, Mark Walter, Stan Kasten, Peter Guber, Bobby Patton, Todd Boehly, Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Alan Smolinsky and Robert Plummer.
- Every business (except non-profits) exists for the purpose of making money. Financial metrics like earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or EBITDA, help investors determine a company’s valuation and investment potential.
- The Dodgers owners expect a disbursement each year based upon the EBITDA. They have to get their dividends to justify the investment. With Guggenheim Baseball Management, they have a fiduciary responsibility to their investers to return a minimum amount each year.
- The Dodgers had an operating income of 14 million U.S. dollars in 2022. By contrast, the team had an operating loss of 7.9 million U.S. dollars in the previous year. Now, I know that this is all on paper, but it also affects how dividends or disbursements are made to the shareholders.
- Andrew Friedman is given a budget each year (and I believe that in 2024 it will be substantially higher than last year) with which to work. The longer the Dodgers stay above the Luxury Tax, the higher the Tax becomes (do see where I am going with this?).
- Last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers were hit with a $32 million luxury tax for the second straight season. It will be higher this year. Corporations have to answer to their shareholders. Shareholders say: “That $32 Million could have been paid to us in dividends… WTF?“
- This is the reality of the situation. The Dodgers would love to reset the Tax this year, but definitely by 2025. Why?
This is from Wikipedia:
“Major League Baseball has a luxury tax called the “Competitive Balance Tax” (CBT). In place of a salary cap, the competitive balance tax regulates the total sum of money a given team can spend on their roster. Salary caps are common across professional sports leagues in the United States. Without these measures, teams would not be restricted on the amount of money spent on players’ salaries. Therefore, teams with greater funding or revenue would possess a competitive advantage in their ability to attract top talent via higher salaries.
MLB implemented the competitive balance tax in 1997 to reduce anti-competitive behavior in the league. The Commissioner’s Office sets the competitive balance tax threshold each year. Unlike other professional sports leagues, MLB allows teams to go over the threshold, however, doing so results in the team being charged a tax on all overages. Per MLB’s 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the overage premium for exceeding the competitive balance tax is tiered as follows:
| Consecutive seasons over threshold | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20% |
| 2 | 30% |
| 3 or more | 50% |
The luxury tax increases are based on the number of consecutive seasons above the CBT threshold. If a club “dips below the luxury tax threshold for a season, the penalty level is reset.”[1] In addition to the luxury tax, “clubs that exceed the threshold by $20 million to $40 million are also subject to a 12 percent surtax. Meanwhile, those who exceed it by more than $40 million are taxed at a 42.5 percent rate the first time and a 45 percent rate if they exceed it by more than $40 million again the following year(s).”
The primary goal of the CBT is to encourage a competitive balance amongst teams while allowing big spending on players. The CBT threshold/tax rates have undergone several changes since 1997.”
So, it’s generally felony stupid to hit that 50% threshold, which the Dodgers will do if they go over the threshold, and this makes shareholders very upset… so there is that! Here is just a little context of why Andrew Friedman can’t always do what you think!
Discussion (12)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Meanwhile….
Dodgers: Damon Keith, OF (Unranked), Glendale Desert Dogs
Keith put on a show at the plate on Friday night. He went 4-for-4 while picking up a double and a solo homer along the way. The 23-year-old outfielder’s stellar performance gave him the team lead in OPS. Keith hit just his second home run of the season but has been a consistent force at the plate, with a .298/.377/.533 slash line.
So maybe Damon Keith can be “a guy.” I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure he’s the guy that Dave Roberts discovered watching a small college game.
Another underdog to root for.
Scherzer will get the start on Monday in Arizona. Max is 8-0 against Arizona in his career. He has pitched 259 games at Chase Field. Almost forgot he was with Arizona his first two years in the majors. On the Dodgers web site, Juan Toribio says there are five pressing questions for the Dodgers this offseason. 1. Can the improve their starting pitching. 2. Will Kershaw be back. 3. Do they improve the position player side. 4. Will they pick up Muncy’s option? 5. Do they go after Ohtani. A. They have to improve the starting pitching. They are not going to even get to the playoffs unless they upgrade significantly. Only Miller and Buehler are lock’s and they do not really know what they will get from Walker. B. It is entirely up to Kershaw as to whether he returns, retires, or goes home to Texas to play. C. They need to upgrade in the outfield, and they need a better defensive third baseman. I believe they will use the trade route to fill one of those holes. D. Picking up Muncy’s option considering it is only for 14 million dollars is pretty much a no brainer. If they do not sign Ohtani, then he will DH a lot. If they do, he can fill in at 2nd, 3rd and give Freddie a day off. E. They will kick the tires on Ohtani and most likely make him some sort of offer, Getting our first snow of the year tonight.
If there’s any rhyme and reason possible is that whether win eighty something games or a hundred or more the regular season doesn’t count for much other than making the playoffs where everything gets ratcheted up, fans are their most excited and pumped up on edge of seat some even standing in their homes unable to sit. Jumping for joy after a victory. It’s all about the playoffs man. Hot stove, spring training are all fun especially regular season but it doesn’t compare to postseason. I might be the only one on here that’s really bummed bout last couple years but also know there’s countless others. Friedman, Roberts, the players they all stunk it up
* Good game last night. I can hear my dad’s voice in my ear saying “walks will kill ya”.
Sewald just can’t walk Tavaras to lead off the 9th to set up Seager’s game tying HR. Baseball Sin
The Garcia kid come through again.
* A 4 hour baseball game again. No speed up rules can make up for the 3 minute commercial and pitching change breaks.
* I’m actually listening to the ESPN Radio broadcast and sync it up with my TV, because John Smoltz drives my crazy. On the radio, I didn’t hear one prediction of what pitch was coming or second guessing of said pitch. NO Garrulous, non-stop verbal diarrhea. But I was forced to watch all 3 minutes of ads.
Look out, it’s Alfonso Marquez behind the dish tonight. How does he get a WS game?
Mark you sure have a low bar if one ring in Friedman’s tenure as well as past 35 years, plus getting embarrassed last two years when it really counts you call sustaining success and for those who call fans spoiled for wanting to win every year. Of course want to win every year but doubt there’s many who expect to win every year. How bout just one without the mask wearing. Can defend Friedman and Roberts til the moon turns blue and blame it on anything out there but it’s them and their players getting way outplayed when it matters most. For those out there that are content with good regular seasons Im happy for you but at least try to understand for some of us fans it’s not good enough. That’s it I’m done being upset with all the excuses, bring on 24
X, the former Twitter, is blowing up with uninformed Dodger fans lamenting the departure two years ago of Corey Seager. Damn, get over it people. It is over and done with. Sheesh.
Manfred loves the playoff system as it stands. He likes the unpredictability. Tony Clark, the President of the MLBPA is not as convinced. He thinks they can do better. I would gather that most fans, especially those of teams who won 100 or more games and got unceremoniously dumped in the Division series would agree. Things will undoubtedly change when and if they expand.
Interesting view of the Dodgers finances. While in Forbes they show a profit of only $14 million in 2022, the Dodgers are second in MLB with total Revenues of $581 million. After deducting the high payroll of $269 million, the Dodgers still have net revenues of $312 million!!
Somehow, the Dodgers have another $298 million in expenses to reduce operating profit to only $14 million.
Maybe the front office is actually making more money than the players? …Sarcasm.
Most likely, the true profitability in 2022 was well in excess of $14 million. And per Forbes, the franchise value of the Dodgers has increased from $2 billion when bought in 2012 to $4.8 billion in 2022.
I am not too worried about Guggenheim and the other owners disbursements.
The Dodgers were pretty close to resetting the luxury tax in 2023 and have a decent shot to reset it in 2024. I agree that they should reset it in the next two years, even though the team has incredible cash flow either way.
Too late to worry about them not signing Seager. That was two years ago, and it is old history. Yes, Corey is doing well in Texas. He obviously loves hitting in that ballpark. I would love to know the reasons behind passing on this player, or that one, but we don’t and probably never will unless AF writes a tell-all after he retires. By that time, I will be long gone. I am still trying to understand why they sold Duke Snider. I remember during the Phillies take down of the Braves how some here were raving about Nick Castellanos and how the Dodgers really whiffed not picking him up. Castellanos totally disappeared after his first at bat against the Diamondbacks, a homer. He struck out 10 times in his next 21 at bats and did not get a hit. There is a story on MLBTR that the Phillies are seriously considering moving him this winter. And the reason is his defense. The Cubs are expected to go very hard after Juan Soto. Seems they have little interest in pursuing Bellinger since they believe his price tag is going to be well north of 200 million. Soto won’t come cheap either once he becomes a free agent after 24.
Honestly, the Dodgers are a bit of a contradiction. You hear lots about payroll and getting under the luxury tax, right. Then the Dodgers are on verge of signing Justin Verlander last winter until the Mets rushed in and gave him more. Even Kershaw said he thought it was a done deal.
None of this, of course, makes any sense. The Verlander deal was reportedly $40 million.
So I pretty much don’t pay any attention to the luxury tax or the payroll.
There were stories last winter about the Dodgers being limited by the tax threshold. Then Friedman said there are no limitations and Kasten said for the right deal the Dodgers would not be handicapped.
Uh, okay.
Why is anybody talking about Bruce Bochy?
The discussion point here should be why didn’t the Dodgers hang onto Corey Seager?
He rejected their $260 million plus deal. Okay, but how do the freaking Texas Rangers outbid the LA Dodgers?
Somebody will toss in the California tax nonsense, but if I recall correctly, players pay taxes where they play the games that day. So if the Rangers play in California or Washington they pay the taxes of those states.
Plus LA teams are full of superstars who make big money. Still, they choose to play in LA.
Injury history? Length of contract? Money? All three. Maybe those were factors.
But hey, Seager is a clutch hitter, always has been. Who will ever forget the homerun to tie the game in Vinny’s last game at Dodger Stadium. Why did the Rangers think he was worth that contract and the Dodgers didn’t.
Coming into 2024, the Dodgers will start the season with a new shortstop, again. Four years in a row.
Hey, I liked Trea Turner, fun to watch, and he wasn’t worth $300. million. But that’s what he got.
Okay, I get it. We won a hundred games, but we let the 2020 MVP of NL championship and World Series walk. A player we drafted and developed.
Was it just a philosophical call. This is what we do and we don’t need to change. Everything is a coin toss. Eventually the coin will bounce our way and we’ll be back in the World Series.
Friedman could be right. But they need to be back next year.
I miss Seager. Would he have made a difference this year. No, not a chance. The pitching wasn’t there.
Would Bochy have made a difference? Not a chance.
So why are people talking about Bochy. Managers today manage personalities, cultural differences and expectations
Last time I checked, Bochy doesn’t pitch or hit. But the Rangers went all out to put together a championship team, apparently spending the money they needed to get the job done. Not everything worked, of course. There is Jacob DeGrom.
Will the Dodgers go all out this winter? If not this winter, when?
Here’s my one thought on 2024: Muncy fits in perfectly as a DH or 3b/2b insurance for Busch/Vargas.
You forget if Dave Roberts was manager of Texas, Corey Seager would NOT have hit that home run.