[PilotMan]

1988 Reflections on this Team


For years LA has been a top notch, title contender and we've not seen a title come here. This year, we lost a lot of power out the door, brought in some older, past their prime players, and took a step back in overall quality. The Farm system is dry and there is not much there to play with either. So how does the team with the #1 payroll and #1 budget do this poorly?


I'll tell you. Money wasted. Players wasted. Talent wasted.


Of the top 10 paid players on the team take a look at how that money was wasted:


#10 Larry Parrish – 34 games, 30 at bats. 161 at bats in 3 years. 0.2 WAR, 3 years
#9 Jim Beattie – LA signed him for a big deal 5 years ago, and we've got 1 year to go. 0.2 WAR 3 Yrs
#8 Mike Schimidt – His deal is vested for another year. 0.2 WAR
#7 John Denny – Got a 6 year deal, with 1 remaining. 15.8 WAR 5 years
#6 Fernando – At the end of a 6yr deal. This dropoff makes him resigning unlikely. 34.5 WAR 6 years
#5 Roy Smalley – At the end of a 6yr deal. Only 1 as starter. 7.3 WAR 6 yrs
#4 Dwayne Murphy – 1 yr remaining on a 6yr deal. Only 1 as starter. 10.2 WAR 5 yrs
#3 Von Hayes – 5 yrs remaining on a 6yr deal. Top player on team in '88. 6.7 WAR 1 yr
#2 Bryn Smith – 2yrs remaining on a 3 yr deal. #2 pitcher in '88. 3.4 WAR 1 yr
#1 Rickey – 3yrs remaining on a 5yr deal. Can opt out this year. 11.0 WAR 2 yrs


Some god awful waste there. I'm scared for how much more waste there will be going forward.


I wonder if next year will be this bad? I don't have high hopes, there's still a lot of waste, but having the deepest pockets in the league does allow us to just buy our way out. Let's just hope there isn't crazy waste again.