Dodgers: President Andrew Freidman ‘Can’t Live’ With World Series or Bust Tag
After winning 111 games in the regular season, the Dodgers had one of the most disappointing postseason performances in baseball history, dropping three straight games to the Padres to lose the NLDS, 3-1, and head home much earlier than anticipated for a long offseason.
For a lot of fans (and some players), the 111-win season is meaningless, ending as it did in such a spectacular failure.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman doesn’t see if that way, though, as Bill Plunkett reports in the Orange County Register.
“I can’t live life, I can’t do what I do on a daily basis with there being one success each year and 29 failures. I just can’t live that way,” he said. “It doesn’t change the burning desire to win a World Series every year. But I think it’s important for those of us who pour ourselves into it to be able to compartmentalize, appreciate certain successes, learn from certain failures and figure out how to get back and put us in the best position to win a World Series the next year.”
Friedman’s comments are sure to ruffle some feathers, as such a pragmatic approach might not sit well with those who think the team showed a lack of heart and passion in the NLDS loss. But realistically, from a front-office standpoint, the pragmatic approach is the best one. When Friedman talks about “learn(ing) from certain failures,” one of those things they’ll look at is the failure to hit with runners in scoring position in the postseason, and they’ll do their best to address that issue (if it can be addressed).
In the end, you want your front office to be run pragmatically. Bad data leads to bad conclusions, and letting emotion cloud your data gathering is a recipe for bad data. It’s probably good for Friedman to feel the way he does, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong for fans to feel differently.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
Could’ve fooled me
He is right in perspective especially one the one winner 29 losers comment. That said, considering the effort, talent, stats and entire organization especially coaching (like hitters and pitching), the big let down was getting wiped out in first series LAD played this year.
That said, it’s another year next year. I’m now cheering for the Padres, Phillies and Guardians … anyone but Astros and Yankees.
Looking forward to a great season next year and hopefully winning the 2023 World Series championship too. Go LAD
Heart and Passion takes dominion over data in the heat of the moment.
Friedman and his team have had plenty of time to figure this out, as it seems to be the same outcome every year. Horrible in game managing when it counts and it now seems that some of that blame belongs to Friedman and not only Robert’s. I have been calling for a major shake up of this roster for years. Everyone seems too comfortable. We need a Gibson type attitude or someone with some good swag.
What is needed on this Dodger lineup are some 1988 junk yard dogs.
Then what’s the point? Go to a city where championships aren’t the ultimate goal. You know like 45 miles south in Anaheim
Its really nice having your team in first place all season long, and winning so often, that when they evenually lose a game here and there, it’s like so what, they can’t win them all. Yes, sometimes you lose a series to a team like the Rockies, which reminds you that any team can beat you in a series, and you still are a better team. At the post season you know a team that sucks can get a wild card and end up with a ring.
Well, what you expect when your manager promises a World Series and then the team get complacent and lay an egg to the no-class Padres. Roberts and the team were good only during the regular season which was easy, but when the going gets tough they choke because they don’t know how to respond to pressure. No adjustments were made when Plan A didn’t work out by the computer nerds, players looked like robots w/ no emotion, and managers took the look of lost in space. Get rid of underperformers, has-beens, and any ball player that does not play hungry. Team needs more athletic ball players w/ high energy and enthusiasm to win instead of just going through the motions and cashing in their checks.
correct
Yes, it’s important to, “appreciate certain successes”. However, it’s the same pitching mismanagement every year. The problem is Dodger leadership does not “learn from certain failures”.
Yes, you would think they would have learned something when the Rays pulled Snell when he was dominating and then we went on to win. Pull Anderson why?
The only thing they can do is apply regular season statistics to playoff games. They run the team the way businesses work. Nobody seems to be held accountable because they make decisions with statistics and principles. But there is a difference here. Players are not just numbers, their conditions change and affect the game. Barnes was the only one to hit two hard hits in Game 3 but he had no more chances, instead the lethargic JT still got a chance and made the game go bad. This is how Friedman and the front office intervene in the game. This is wrong
I’m not expecting anymore for next season until they replace Roberts. It’s always the same thing. So next year they’ll have another great season to choke in the postseason again? Not fair. Dodgers need a new leadership in the clubhouse. And I’m not talking about Hanser Alberto, I mean a new Manager.
Yep, next season, same results. But that can change with new people in the system. Pres., manager, sub .200 hitters, trainers that can’t keep pitchers off IL are open for replacement. Start NOW!
players have to take responsibility for not performing,quit making excuses and perform when the lights are brightest
…and when the crowd is at its loudest!
Maybe MLB should just cancel the World Series and give all 30 teams a participation trophy so Freidman can feel better about himself.
Time to retool. Thought this would be the year and certain players would revert back to form but that didn’t happen…again. With a ton of money coming off the books, sign Trea, Judge and Arenado, Max can DH. Pitching looks to be in place bringing back Anderson and well as Hudson coming back and a healthy Treinen.
Fans don’t care about regular season wins. Give me 85 wins and a parade.
Must be nice, endless resources and cool with losing in the playoffs.
How would you care if your team has the highest attendance in baseball and rakes in the most money for outrageously priced tickets, $20 beers and Hot Dogs, Churros, and Ice Cream… yet fails year after year to get the WS trophy? For the owners and Friedman it’s a business, right? For fans, especially long-time fans, not getting the recognition and pride of a WS Championship team really hurts, and they will never understand that as owners, much like the current White House Administration doesn’t care about you either.