Step into Dodgers' team store, turn right and you will see Shohei Ohtani.
Not personally, of course. But among all those jerseys, caps and T-shirts, there's a commercial playing in which Ohtani runs his fingers through his hair and winks, showing off the product he's promoting: a best-selling item. skin serum in Japan.
“Take care of your skin,” says the narrator. “Live life to the fullest.”
Life is good in Dodger Stadium. At the store at the top of the park, you can buy a bottle of skin serum, which retails for $118, or World Series gear, including T-shirts and caps for $54 and up, hoodies for $110 and up, and cool jackets for up to $382.
If you root for any team other than the Dodgers, you probably despise all the money they spend on players. Friday after Dodgers introduced their latest All-Star closer Edwin DiazI asked the general manager Brandon Gomez if they could actually buy any player they wanted.
“Our ownership group has been incredibly supportive, so if we feel like it has a significant impact on our World Series chances, we've always had that support,” he said. “We’re lucky to be in this position.”
Dodgers owners spend money to make money, and they hired wisely Andrew Friedman ten years ago to tell them where to spend their money. It sounds simple, but some owners spend money unwisely, and some owners don't spend money, period.
And sometimes you do both, and nothing works.
The Dodgers have made the playoffs every year for the last decade. Guess what other Los Angeles pro team made the most playoffs in the last decade?
This is the Clippers – eight playoff appearances, no championships, and now a disaster.
The Dodgers have won three championships in the last decade. You may not remember that Dodgers owners were ridiculed in the industry for spending $2 billion to purchase the team in 2012.
Then I asked co-owner Todd Boehly how he would define successful ownership of the Dodgers.
“That’s not what you’re asking me, is it?” he said then. “The more World Series we win, the more valuable this franchise will be, right?”
Last year, Sportico valued the Dodgers at $8 billion.
They signed Diaz for three years and $69 million. I asked Gomes what he considered the biggest winter contract in his five years with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, left, and Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomez greet star Edwin Diaz during his introductory news conference Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
According to him, in 2014 Rays sign Grant Balfour: Two years and $12 million – after the Baltimore Orioles terminated their two-year, $15 million contract following a physical.
It's not just the Rays or even smaller markets. The New York Mets' spending rivaled that of the Dodgers last season, but the Mets missed the playoffs and lost free agents Diaz, Pete Alonso and Tyler Rogers just this week. The New York Yankees are oddly supportive of the salary cap. The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs talk like big-market teams, but they don't spend like them.
At the Angels' team store Friday morning, five shoppers toured the team store, where all jerseys were on sale at 50 percent off. Attraction in the store on Saturday: photos with Santa.
Angels have hasn't appeared in the postseason since 2014and their acquisitions this offseason: A previously touted infield prospect was once traded for Chris Sale, a talented young pitcher who missed last season with an injury, and another pitcher who finished third in Cy Young voting in 2022 but hasn't pitched in the majors in more than 18 months. They will likely pay these three players less than $4 million combined.
In March, Anaheim Mayor Ashley Aitken invited Angels owner Moreno Art join her in “an open and honest conversation about the future of baseball in Anaheim.”
This week, as the future of Angel Stadium came up during an Anaheim City Council meeting, Aitken considered asking city residents “how much of a priority is it to have the land associated with a baseball franchise?” This was reported by “Voice OK”. (Angels stadium lease extended until 2032and the Angels have the right to extend it until 2038.)
So consider this a timely reminder for Dodgers fans to celebrate to thank this ownership group, as what the Dodgers are doing now is exceptional and extremely rare.
It would be nice if the Dodgers made more of a commitment. family availability – and also if the Dodgers hadn't been indicted $102.25 for “iconic photo shoot” with the 2024 and 2025 World Series trophies” – but their attendance nonetheless reached 4 million for the first time.
This is Dodger town, and the team is the pride of the town. The Dodgers are currently the biggest winners in American professional sports.
The owners are winners too. On Thursday, Boeli's company held holiday partyand musicians included Eddie Vedder, Bruno Mars, Anthony Kiedis, Brandi Carlile and Slash. Truly live life to the fullest.
