As Dodger fans rang in the New Year and new decade early Wednesday morning, they had to come to grips with the harsh realization that it also brought the beginning of the fourth decade since their beloved team’s last world championship.

Oh sure, you can argue that it’s only been 32 years which, of course, is technicality eight years shy of four decades, but still…

But with the new year and new decade, Dodger fans have also had to come to grips with the fact that with pitchers and catchers scheduled to report for Spring Training 2020 in less than 40 days, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has done very little to change the face of the 106-win 2019 Dodgers which, depending on your point of view, may or may not be a good thing.

Although I always try to avoid I/me-type articles, this isn’t always possible. This is one such case. Like many Dodgers fans, I am very much in the ‘Let the kids play’ camp. In addition to having been blessed to have covered the Dodgers for over a decade now, I have also been blessed to cover their minor league affiliates, especially their Advance Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. As such, I have had the pleasure – and it has been every bit that – to have personally witnessed guys named Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Alex Verdugo, Gavin Lux, Dustin May, Matt Beaty, and Will Smith (to name only a few) make their way from the clubhouse at LoanMart Field to the clubhouse at Dodger Stadium. And while there are some – perhaps many – who insist that the only way that the Dodgers will again hoist that World Series trophy is to trade away some of these young future superstars and the dozens more ‘down on the farm,’ I absolutely positively disagree with this strategy.

With Pitchers and catchers due to report in a little over a month, Friedman has acquired exactly one new player this off-season, 31-year-old free-agent right-handed reliever Blake Treinen, who he signed to a one-year/$10 million contract on December 10, 2019. That’s it. And though there is still an exceptionally good chance that Friedman will do something else between now and Opening Day on March 23, he is incredibly fortunate to already have a team that will, in all likelihood, win their eighth consecutive National League West title and (in my opinion) their first World Series title in (almost) four decades.

Yes, Mari, the fourth time is a charm.

Play Ball!

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