Dodgers Front Office Named Second-Best in Sports by Anonymous Executives
The Athletic recently organized a study among the four major sports leagues (NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB) with 40 anonymous front office executives and coaches to see how they honestly view their competition.
The team that earned the title of the “best front office” among the four major leagues was the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. They tallied 29 first-place votes compared to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 19 first-place votes in the poll.
A similar poll conducted by The Athletic which was solely among MLB franchises crowned Los Angeles as the best front office in baseball. The 40 anonymous executives and coaches voted the Dodgers as the top front office in MLB with the second place Tampa Bay Rays receiving 12 first-place votes.
More news: Teoscar Hernández Reveals Why It Took So Long to Sign With Dodgers
Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations for the Dodgers, is responsible for many of the key moves this franchise has made since he took over in 2014, including four World Series appearances and two victories in the last five years.
An anonymous MLB general manager explained his first-place vote for the Dodgers front office as “self-explanatory” adding “they are elite at everything.”
Another unnamed executive applauded Friedman’s ability to not just attract big-name free agents, but ensuring the right choice is made to complement both sides. “One of the things he does so well is knowing which stars to sign,” the executive said to The Athletic.
Friedman is responsible for acquiring the current Dodgers core of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. Even stars no longer with the team such as Trea Turner, Max Scherzer, and Manny Machado were trade-deadline acquisitions that immediately made an impact.
As Friedman heads into his 11th year with the franchise, he has shown no signs of slowing down. He orchestrated the blockbuster move of landing Blake Snell in November, and brought back postseason hero Teoscar Hernández last week.
Friedman spent 10 years in Tampa Bay as the Rays director of baseball development from 2004-05, and the executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager from 2005-14. The Rays made a World Series appearance and three ALDS appearances during his time in Florida.
What the Dodgers have done so far under Friedman’s reign is already impressive enough, but the way they have positioned themselves for success over the next half-decade is rarely seen in the world of sports.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and more!
