Dodgers to Show Restrain This Offseason Just Like the Yankees?

The New York Yankees are turning the page, reportedly anyway, on the era of George Steinbrenner as the entire organization begins to shift in an entirely new direction. No longer are the Yankees, again reportedly, going to spend heavily on the free agent market for 30-somethings buying out the last season of their primes and a few seasons of their decline. The new plan in New York is to build the farm system, work the trade market and actually show some financial restraint. We all know the Yankees spent in excess of $500 million before the 2014 season and we all know it was management driven decisions that ultimately led to those signings. It seems like Cashman is back in control in the never-ending struggle for power and austerity is on the way once again for New York. Austerity is contagious apparently because it looks like it may be coming to a Los Angeles Dodgers run household near you this offseason.

The two richest franchises in Major League Baseball and the two biggest spenders annually are going to cut back this offseason if you believe everything you read on the internet, because it must be true. Between the two teams in 2015 a little over $500 million was spent including over $300 million by the Dodgers alone including the luxury tax, both teams may finally be seeing the error of their ways. Hal Steinbrenner has expressed a desire and willingness to get the team under the $189 million luxury tax threshold, or whatever it increases to after the 2016 collective bargaining agreement is reached, at least for one season and now the Dodgers co-owner Toddy Boehly is also expressing a desire to cut payroll, Boehly wants to cut payroll by $100 million to be exact.

This is awfully convenient timing for both clubs as this year’s free agent class marks one of the deepest classes in many, many years. The idea of winning a World Series without outspending the rest of the league combined makes sense, the Kansas City Royals won a World Series in 2015 with just $116.6 million in Opening Day payroll this season, but the most important fact that these owners leave out is the fact that it took 30 years to accomplish that. 30 years of building, tearing it down and rebuilding. 30 years of drafting high only to tank the next season and draft high again. It’s not apples to apples, it is apples to oranges.

I hate austerity but I think I dislike $200 million mediocre teams and Scott Boras a little bit more… so you convinced me. I’m a patient man, build from within.