As Major League Baseball prepares for the start of spring training, commissioner Rob Manfred does not believe his sport has a problem with a lack of competitiveness. Critics and fans have pointed out the huge difference between the haves and have-nots in the sport, and it seems that the Los Angeles Dodgers and only a few other teams have a legitimate chance to win the World Series because of the differences in revenue and spending.
The Dodgers have hit it big in free agency in recent years with the signings of Shohei Ohtani last year and Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki this year. Los Angeles appears to have a major advantage over most teams. The Dodgers have a massive local TV contract and that allows them to make substantial offers to top players.
The Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays are the most frequent suitors for expensive free agents. Perhaps teams like the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs have a chance on some of the superstars. However, few other teams have the wherewithal to make realistic bids on the game's best players.
Manfred addresses ‘fairness' issue
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Manfred does not believe the Dodgers have an unfair advantage over the competition. He said the Dodgers are not “ruining” baseball. “I don’t agree with that,” Manfred said. “The Dodgers are a really well-run, successful organization. Everything that they do and have done is consistent with our rules. They’re trying to give their fans the best possible product. Those are all positives.”
The commissioner did admit that fans have been reaching out to him. Many see the spending difference as a problem that is impacting the national pastime. There have been a number of complaints that only the richest teams — led by the Dodgers — have a legitimate chance to compete for the World Series title.
The Dodgers have the highest payroll in the game at $353 million, and the commissioner admits that's a figure MLB must observe. “We need to be vigilant on this issue,” Manfred said. “Major League Baseball needs to pay attention to it. We need to determine whether there are things that can be done to allay those kinds of concerns. We have to make sure we have a competitive and healthy game going forward.”
Manfred says that he and other MLB executives are concerned about teams being able to hold on to superstars that fans tend to identify with. When those players leave their teams to sign with competitors, it hurts that team's ability to both win games and retain fans.
