November 23rd, 2019 at 10:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka Not that there was ever really any doubt, but it was reported on Friday afternoon that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had finally and officially been given his much-anticipated (and expected) contract extension. And while there are plenty of Dodger fans who are undoubtedly unhappy with this news because of his inability to land the ultimate prize, the 43-year-old Dallas, TX native did construct five (of seven) consecutive National League West Division-winning teams, so there’s that.
As MLB Network’s Jon Heyman notes, the Dodgers have been very hush-hush about the entire process and have not made public neither the term nor the amount of Friedman’s extension. That being said, he is coming off a rather stout 5-year/$35 million contract that expired with the final out of Game-5 of the NLDS against the eventual World Series champion Washington Nationals in front of a somber Dodger Stadium crowd on October 9, and his new deal most certainly figures to top that.
Although the Dodgers hot stove has been ice cold through the first six weeks of the offseason, things are expected to heat up fast at the annual MLB Winter Meetings set for December 8-12 in San Diego. And while rumors have the Dodgers kicking the tires on top free-agent right-hander Gerrit Cole and top free-agent third baseman Anthony Rendon, they are little more than that – rumors.
Among Friedman’s top priorities under his new (and invisible) contract is whether or not to re-sign (now) free-agent left-handers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Rich Hill. Although it’s probably safe to say that the 39-year-old Hill would accept a one-year/incentive-laden deal, the 32-year-old Ryu stands to make an absolute fortune coming off his brilliant 14-5 season with an MLB-best 2.32 ERA. As such, it defies all logic to expect the Incheon, South Korea native to give Friedman and the Dodgers a so-called hometown discount when he is looking for – and will probably get – a potential five-year deal that will more than likely carry an Average Annual Value (AAV) north of $25 million. I mean, would you?
Like Andrew Friedman or not, it’s tough not to respect a guy who has led the Dodgers into postseason play in each of his first five seasons as the Dodgers president of baseball operations … including the World Series twice.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going with like.
Play Ball!
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good call
SO ridiculous that “fans” would be upset that Dodgers extended Friedman.
Have they been paying attention since 1988? Any OTHER Dodgers GM get them Division titles year after year? Not one but TWO pennants/World Series appearances? Right, no other one has.
Has the Dodgers minor league system ever been so packed with prospects since the days of Campanis and maybe Claire?
Just chill the hell out. The Dodgers are seriously competitive year after year after year after year now. Yes, I’m dying for them to win a World Championship – and in my little head they pretty much did in 2017 given what we now know about the Astros. No one person determines that. Not Andrew Friedman and not Dave Roberts either. The players have to execute when called upon and so far haven’t quite gotten it done in the post season. But they will!
I like the way things have been since he’s on the job and I’m happy he’s still with us. More luck to him.
Unless there has been a recent major shakeup of a political or seismic nature I think you will find that Ryu’s hometown of Incheon is still in South Korea. If the Dodger star was in fact from North Korea he wouldn’t be about to sign a contract worth more than that country’s Gross National Product.
Fixed. Pre-coffee article. Thanks.