The Billion-Dollar Question: How the Dodgers are Gaming the System
The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken their financial obligations to new heights, committing over $1 billion in deferred payments to seven players from 2028 to 2046. The latest additions to this staggering total are Blake Snell’s $182 million contract, which includes $66 million in deferred money, and Tommy Edman’s $74 million deal, featuring $25 million payable through July 1, 2044.
A New Era of Financial wizardry
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman brushes off concerns, citing the team’s financial expertise. “You have to fund a lot of it right now, and having that money go to work for you… We’ll plan for it along the way.” However, this approach raises questions about the integrity of the luxury tax system, designed to promote parity among teams.
The Shadow of “Bobby Bonilla Day”
Remember when Bobby Bonilla’s deferred payments were a laughing matter? Now, it’s no joke. The Dodgers are pushing the boundaries, extrapolating payments over decades. Imagine Blake Snell, retired and collecting Social Security, still receiving checks from the Dodgers in 2046.
A Luxury Tax Loophole?
The Dodgers’ creative accounting allows them to discount their luxury tax hit, giving them an unfair advantage. Smaller-market teams like the Rays and Guardians struggle to make ends meet while the Dodgers operate like a financial hedge fund. Meanwhile, MLB turns a blind eye, seemingly more concerned with pitch clocks and banning the shift than addressing this issue.
Rob Manfred’s Blind Spot
Where is the commissioner in all this? Too busy tinkering with the All-Star Game to notice the Dodgers’ financial manipulation? The league’s luxury tax system is meant to promote competition, not enable exploitation.
The Future of Baseball
Deferred payments have become the norm, but when do they cross into absurdity? The Dodgers owe a billion dollars to players who might not even be alive when the checks stop coming. This isn’t just bad for baseball’s financial ecosystem; it’s a mockery of parity. Will anyone hold the Dodgers accountable, or will they continue to game the system unchecked?
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