Dodger fans seem to be an impatient lot. However, it might be quite fair to say that 27 years without a World Series banner flying in Dodger Stadium has, without a question, earned the Dodger faithful the right to be a bit impatient. After all, this is a big market, storied franchise.

During those 27 years there have been an endless string of highly priced free agents brought on board, eight managers have filled out roster cards and eight general managers have done the wheeling and dealing. Lest we forget there have been four different ownership groups paying the bills during this lengthy stretch of lean years. This has not been a time of stability within the organization.

I too am impatient as I started following the Dodgers as an 11-year-old in 1952. The length of my Dodger fan career is now much longer in the rear view mirror than it is looking through the front windshield. However, my impatience is tempered by the new direction the team has taken with the restructured and remodeled front office.

I have come across numerous posts on various blogs, as well as in media outlet articles, in which the writers have been critical of the still new front office. The criticisms quite often have been because the “brain trust” – a nomenclature that seems to have evolved to characterize the Dodgers executive hierarchy – did not make a big splash at the winter meetings or in the interval that has passed since those meetings in December.

The greatest outcry undoubtedly has been because Cy Young contender Zack Greinke was not re-signed. Right on the heels of that non-signing is the gnashing of teeth because David Price or Johnny Cueto or some other high priced free agents have not been signed. The groaning has also been relative to the signings by division rivals, especially the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants who have reeled in Zack Greinke and Johnny Cueto respectively.

Many Dodger fans equate letting Zack Greinke get away with letting Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez getting away in 1993. (Video capture courtesy of MLB.com)

As already mentioned, my impatience has been assuaged as I have watched the “brain trust” go to work. Out of curiosity I could not help but look back at the Tampa Bay Rays and the Andrew Friedman years to try to get a better handle on his modus operandi and try to determine if it will work with a big market team.

First, it is important to debunk the myth that Friedman’s success in Tampa Bay was all predicated on having very high draft selections each year. While it is true that from 2004 through 2008 he did have a high draft pick, including first overall on two occasions, his success in building a competitive team in a small market changed the nature of his draft selections significantly. From 2009 through 2014 his first round draft picks resembled those of the Dodgers – 2009 (30), 2010 (17), 2011 (24), 2012 (25), 2013 (21), 2014 (20).

The Rays continued to be competitive while making three post season appearances from 2009 through 2014, although they bowed out each time in the ALDS.

I decided to look primarily at how Friedman constructed his pitching staff before his departure to the Dodgers in the fall of 2014. That is, the 2015 starting staff and the staff in place beyond 2016.

Drew Smyly is a 26-year old left-hander. He was a second round selection by the Detroit Tigers in 2010 and was traded to the Rays on July 31, 2014 as part of a three team trade that sent former Rays first round selection David Price to the Tigers. In 2015 he posted a 3.11 ERA and a WHIP of 1.17. Smyly is eligible for free agency in 2019.

Right-hander Chris Archer was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 First Year player Draft by the Cleveland Indians. The 27-year old was first traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2008 and subsequently traded to the Rays in 2011 in a deal that sent Matt Garza to the Cubs. Archer has a 3.23 ERA in 2015 along with a 1.14 WHIP. He is eligible for free agency in 2020.

Jake Odorizzi is a 25-year old right-hander whose name has come up as a possible trade target for the Dodgers. Selected in the first round of the 2008 First Year Player Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers he was traded by Milwaukee to Kansas City in 2010 in the Zack Greinke deal. In 2012 the Rays acquired him from the Royals in a three way trade that sent James Shields to the Royals. Over 28 starts in 2015 Odorizzi had an ERA of 3.35 and a WHIP of 1.15. His earliest free agent year is 2020.

Nathan Karns ,recently traded to the Seattle Mariners , is a 28-year old right-hander. He was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 12th round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft. Karns was traded to the Ray just prior to the 2014 season. During the past season he compiled a 3.67 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He will reach free agency status in 2021.

Right-hander Erasmus Ramirez was signed by the Seattle Mariners as an amateur free agent in 2007. In March of 2015 he was traded to the Rays for reliever Mike Montgomery. The 25-year old Ramirez made 27 starts with the Rays along with five relief appearances. He posted a 3.75 ERA and a WHIP of 1.13. He will become a free agent in 2020.

Alex Colombe was signed by the Rays as an amateur free agent in 2007. He is a 6’ 2” right-hander who started 13 games for the Rays in 2015 and appeared 30 times in relief. The 26-year old recorded a 3.94 ERA and a WHIP of 1.30. Colombe is eligible for free agency in 2021.

Lefty Matt Moore missed most of the 2014 season after having posted 17 wins in 2013. Following his Tommy John surgery he made only 12 starts in 2015 and experienced difficulty in getting his rhythm back. His ERA ballooned to 5.43. The 26-year old was selected by the Rays in the eighth round of the 2007 First Year Player Draft. He will be a free agent in 2018.

Alex Cobb missed the entire season with Tommy John surgery. He was selected by the Rays in the fourth round of the 2006 First Year Player Draft. The right-handed Cobb is 28 years old and will reach free agency in 2018. He has a career ERA of 3.21 and a WHIP of 1.19.

So what was the Friedman plan in Tampa Bay? What can be gleaned from his Rays’ days? How will it translate to LA?

For me the plan is already well underway at Dodger Stadium building on the model developed in Tampa Bay. All may not like the plan but it is a plan and the Dodgers have been without a long term, coherent and sustainable plan for 27 years. Dan Evans was the exception during that time but he quickly became a casualty of the Frank McCourt era.

It certainly is not possible for me to uncover all of the nuances of the Friedman plan but several characteristics stand out that are easily transferable to his current challenges with the Dodgers or with any other franchise.

• Build in depth and flexibility: The team lost both Alex Cobb and Matt Moore at the same time to Tommy John surgery and continued to have a strong starting rotation. Two of their starting pitchers worked both in relief and as starters.
• Stay young: There was definitely an emphasis on youth with only two of the starters as old as 28.
• Maintain team control: Only two of those eight starting pitchers are eligible for free agency by 2018 while five others are under team control at least until 2020.
• Be bold in trades: Some may argue that he traded higher profile pitchers because the team could not afford to keep them. While that may be so, Friedman picked up a former first round selection (Jake Odorizzi), a former second round pick (Drew Smyly) and a potential top of the rotation starter (Chris Archer).
• Play the long game: Build a robust farm system including strong international signings and not just try for the big splash that can and usually does turn out to be a belly flop.
• Engage in multi-team trades: Friedman is a bit of a master with three team deals using players from other teams to strike a better deal to meet what he considers his team’s needs.
• Draft well especially in the later rounds: Matt Moore was an eighth round selection while Alex Cobb was picked in the fourth round.
• Be fiscally responsible: Once again it can be argued that Friedman was forced into being frugal with the Rays because he had no other choice. However, all of team building is about choices and a payroll of $14M for that starting staff in 2015 seems to indicate that some very good choices were made.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman showed his famous out-of-the-box thinking when he signed Japanese superstar right-hander Kenta Maeda earlier this month.
(Photo credit – Kirby Lee)

The whole Friedman plan is one built on due diligence and patience. That is, constantly searching for players that others pass over or underestimate, building in roster depth and flexibility at all levels – especially at the MLB, AAA and AA levels – and allowing time for players to develop.

I for one am willing – and indeed pleased – to wait as the “brain trust” plan unfolds. It is certainly the first time since former Dodger general manager Dan Evans was in charge that there has even been a visible plan to unfold, at least in my opinion.