Over the last decade, the Dodgers have been known as one of the model organizations in baseball. They draft and develop players as well as anyone, make intelligent trades, and sign premier free agents to team-friendly contracts — much to the chagrin of those outside Los Angeles.
Underneath all that, and still important, is the clubhouse culture the players and staff have cultivated. Led by manager Dave Roberts, many players praise the winning mentality and focus present each day, and the selflessness that comes with it. It has been years since reports about clubhouse drama or disputes between teammates have surfaced around the Dodgers.
Sometimes, teams have to make the difficult decision to part with talented players who do not mesh with the clubhouse culture. That’s no secret among fans, although it usually is left unspoken by players. The public was treated to a rare exception during an appearance by Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy on the Foul Territory podcast.
While he praised the clubhouse and its culture, Muncy noted that chemistry came at the expense of some former teammates:
People aren’t focused on their numbers … we’ve had some guys that kind of cared about themselves a little bit and they’ve been shipped out.
Max Muncy on Foul Territory
As expected, social media speculation ran wild about who Muncy was referring to in this quote. It certainly does make for some lively water cooler conversation.
However, this quote says volumes about what the ownership group, Roberts, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, and the rest of the staff’s values and emphasis on culture.
Winning is everything to the Dodgers. During his introductory press conference, Shohei Ohtani commented that the organization viewed the last decade as a failure despite the 2020 World Series win. They dedicate themselves to winning and want players who exemplify that mentality.
It’s foolish to think that arguments or disagreements don’t occur in the locker room. These are professional athletes with egos who want to win. At the same time, they also have to look out for their needs and their families’ needs.
Roberts absorbs the manager’s typical share of criticism for his in-game decisions, but he has a superpower when it comes to managing egos. He seems to do an incredible job keeping a tight, harmonious clubhouse that plays for each other.
Roberts certainly has his work cut out for him in 2024. The Dodgers’ roster has some of the biggest stars in all of baseball, and it should make for an exciting season.
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