KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the baseball version of Trading Places, Andrew Friedman went from slum dog to millionaire. Fittingly, he ended up in Hollywood as he left the Rays’ rags to the Dodgers’ riches.
The biggest financial gorilla lured the brains behind the best guerilla operation in sports. That promises not just seismic changes for Tampa and Los Angeles, but across MLB’s landscape as Friedman now gets a crack at unraveling the Dodgers’ outfield glut, trying to harness Yasiel Puig and using assets he never enjoyed before to address issues in the pen, back of the rotation and at shortstop.
Friedman loved his working situation in Tampa, had so much trust in the process he worked without a contract. Franchise after franchise tried to lure him away. But in offering to take him from a shoestring to the glass slipper, L.A. made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. He ultimately had to see what his philosophies would look like with finances behind them, where he could go to any price rather than have to trade David Price.
The Rays’ payroll this year was $78 million. In true Tampa Bay fashion, it was a) its largest ever, b) still 28th in the majors and c) going down substantially for 2015. The Dodgers were at $235 million. The gap between the payrolls could have paid the Angels’ players with a few million to spare.
As one of Friedman’s friends said, “How does he turn it down? It is the biggest market, a great place to live, a playoff team, a team with better upper-level minor league talent than is available in Tampa, and I would bet a contract for him that cannot be duplicated in Tampa.”
But nothing is headache and hurdle free.
As the Rays general manager, Friedman maneuvered with little red tape or interference. The power trio was Friedman, owner Stu Sternberg and team president Matt Silverman. They all came from financial backgrounds. They spoke the same language. They had unbreakable trust. There was no meddling from elsewhere. If those three agreed, the Rays did it. That enabled Tampa to operate with limited dysfunction and disruption. Part of their success was based on richer clubs having more complex processes that slowed them down, caused dissension and created hard feelings.
The Dodgers have been full of dysfunction — in the clubhouse and front office. Getting that under control is Job 1 for Friedman — and quite a tough job.
He is, by title, president of baseball operations. He will hire a general manager — it is possible Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler could be in play. Friedman, though, will operate as the general manager. But with what level of interference?
He is replacing Ned Colletti. But Colletti isn’t leaving. He is becoming a senior advisor to powerful team president Stan Kasten, Magic Johnson is a high-profile part of management, and Mark Walter is the lead owner from a group that paid $2.3 billion — with a “b” — for the Dodgers and expects championships in return. In fact, the Dodgers were talking to Friedman for weeks — even before their disappointing ouster from the Division Series.
The drama, star power and tension are all very much Hollywood.
Does Don Mattingly stay or go as manager? The initial expectation is stay. Ownership is said to like him. But Joe Maddon has one year left on his Tampa contract, so stay tuned?
Colletti created and never solved the outfield overflow that caused so much uneasiness. Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford and Matt Kemp all have odorous contracts. The first two will be very difficult to move.
It might just be in Friedman’s wheelhouse to deal Kemp after the talented outfielder rebuilt value in the second half. And it is not beyond Friedman to even deal Puig. Remember, he has muscle memory in trading players such as Price, James Shields, Matt Garza and Scott Kazmir. If Friedman determines Puig is too big of a clubhouse detriment than think about how much more interesting the Hot Stove could get.
In Tampa, Silverman will take over as head of baseball operations. The Rays, despite the defection of Friedman and the lowering of an already low payroll, have a rotation to build around even after trading Price in July for financial reasons. Alex Cobb, Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Drew Smyly and Matt Moore (when he returns from his Tommy John surgery) arguably comprise the AL East’s best starting five.
But with Friedman gone and others gaining power to help Silverman and Sternberg will Tampa continue to have that seamless decision-making process and excellence in assembling contending clubs?
Look out for A-Rod milestones
How could Ichiro Suzuki be second among all active players in hits throughout the 2014 season, have the only player in front of him (Derek Jeter) retire and remain second among active players in hits?
Isn’t the answer to all confusing questions always Alex Rodriguez? A-Rod was not technically an active player in 2014 because he served his Biogenesis-related suspension. But once the World Series is over, he will be reinstated. He has 2,939 hits. Jeter retired with 3,465. Ichiro has 2,844.
It will be fascinating if A-Rod can play and is good enough to get the six homers he needs to tie Willie Mays on the all-time list and the 61 hits for 3,000 how that is covered and received. If those milestones are reached on the road, would Rodriguez get even polite applause? If at home, will he get much more than polite applause?
Bullpen playoff lesson learned
A top executive for a team not in the playoffs said watching this postseason has provided him a lesson he will apply should his club eventually play in October.
“I have watched the bullpen management, and far too often I am blown away by the poor choices made,” the executive said.
“If we get in, I am going to sit down with my manager before the first game of a series and say to him, ‘Who are our three best relievers?’ When he tells me that I am going to tell him ‘Use those guys a lot.’ Then I am going to ask ‘Who in our pen scares you?’ When he tells me who those are, I am going to say, ‘Try not to use those guys much, it at all.’
“I don’t know why the managers so often don’t get the bullpen management at this time of year, but maybe it falls to us to have this conversation to make sure we are all on the same page.”