Dodgers and Yankees are good blueprint for Cubs |
The 2024 World Series ended Wednesday night in a stunning victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the Dodgers took care of the Yankees in just five games, the matchup of two juggernauts provided a few classic moments. From Freddie Freeman’s walk-off Grand Slam to cap off Game 1 — to the Dodgers’ five-run comeback to clinch in Game 5 — the World Series once again delivered memories that remind us why October baseball is the best.
But that wasn’t all. The World Series also should have shown the Chicago Cubs how far they are from being a contender—and why that is. In the World Series alone, the Dodgers and Yankees turned to 8 different relievers who did not give up a run. The teams combined to have ten different relievers with an ERA below 3—the Cubs had 26 blown saves in 2024. Beyond the Cubs’ relief woes, the World Series was a glaring reminder that the Cubs lack a superstar. On the biggest stage, the Dodgers and Yankees were flooded with superstars. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman, and Giancarlo Stanton highlighted a World Series ripe with baseball’s best. Five of those six aforementioned players were acquired by their team via free agency or trade. All six of them make at least 27 million dollars per year. Four of the six have contracts over $300 million (not to mention Soto is expected to make at least that in free agency). The Cubs have never issued a contract for more than $200 million. This World Series should come as an eye-opening vessel that shows that spending big-time money for big-time players has its rewards. For the second consecutive season, multiple Sure, an 85-win team like last year’s Diamondbacks can go to a World Series — but there is a lot of luck involved. The Dodgers were one of the league’s unluckiest teams regarding injuries and whatnot, and they still found a way to win it all. Tom Ricketts and Jed Hoyer should not rely on luck to squeak them into the postseason and see what happens — instead, they should take a page out of the Yankees or Dodgers books and acquire players that give them the best chance to not only make the playoffs but to win the World Series. The Diamondbacks of 2023 were not a good blueprint. It should not be about Pythagorean records, variance from averages, and over-performing projections. It should be like the 2024 Dodgers, using their plentiful resources as a big-market ball club to acquire the best players available because you can. It should be about creating an elite organization from top to bottom and using that as a selling point to attract other elite players. Even after winning the World Series, the Dodgers are expected to be in on Juan Soto — who might have one of the richest free-agent contracts ever. That should not be surprising, considering how the Dodgers have operated for the last decade. But the big-name free agents should not just be a bidding war between the Dodgers and Yankees or Mets and Phillies. It’s time the Cubs throw their hat in the ring and manufacture an elite baseball team. This World Series should go a long way to show teams how far they are from being the Dodgers. Understandably, some teams in smaller markets have restrictions and limitations that the Dodgers do not face. However, all teams should look at the Dodgers organization as a blueprint for constructing winning — and signing free agents who are among the best players in the sport goes a long way. Beyond that, this year’s Fall Classic should illustrate the importance of building winning teams. Instead of citing teams like the 2023 Diamondbacks and the 2024 Tigers as examples of the importance of getting into the playoffs — organizations should look to the 2024 Dodgers as an outline for success. If not, the Dodgers might be too good for years to come. From a Cubs perspective, I hope Tom Ricketts and Jed Hoyer recognize one simple thing. The 2023 Diamondbacks are not the blueprint; the 2024 Dodgers are.
