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Alex Rodriguez explains why the Dodgers are good for baseball<\/p>\n
USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa chats with MLB legend Alex Rodriguez about the dominant nature of the Dodgers roster.<\/p>\n
Sports Seriously<\/p>\n
LAS VEGAS – They will gather this week at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Hotel playing cards, throwing dice, talking shop and trying to con their buddies.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the annual Major League Baseball<\/a> General Manager Meetings in Las Vegas where they will stage the ultimate game.<\/p>\n They will have you believing their ownership has no money, only to fork over $400 million for free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker or sign starters Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease.<\/p>\n MLB FREE AGENT RANKINGS: <\/strong>Top 79 players available this winter<\/a><\/p>\n They\u2019ll convince you that Munetaka Murakami<\/a> is nothing more than an overhyped strikeout machine out of Japan, but quietly slip in as one of the top bidders for the power-hitting infielder. They\u2019ll publicly deny that Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and others stars are on the trade market, only to tell 29 other GMs to make their best offer, but to keep it quiet.<\/p>\n They\u2019ll bemoan trying to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a>, only to boldly tell their ownership that one shrewd move will make them the team to finally topple the two-time defending World Series champions.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone lies at these things,” one veteran GM said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we do. You never know what to believe. Everyone says they don\u2019t have money when they do. The truth comes out in spring training and you find out who lied the least.”<\/p>\n MLB has privately told owners that teams lost $1.8 billion last year, led by the New York Mets<\/a> with about $350 million in losses but, of course, that\u2019s paper money. It doesn\u2019t reveal the financial growth in franchise value, record revenues, or that their owner is worth $21 billion.<\/p>\n Whether the losses will have any effect, or simply be shrugged off, it will be a constant theme heard from the dealers to the slots to the sports bookies.<\/p>\n Here are the top 10 questions heading into the GM Meetings, and by the time things conclude Thursday, maybe then, will we at least have some hints to answers.<\/p>\n 1. Will teams spend like usual or stash away money for a lockout fund?<\/p>\n No one knows for sure, but there wasn\u2019t a single GM interviewed by USA TODAY Sports who was told by their ownership that they will spend less because of a potential lockout.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had the same thing going into the 2021 season and it didn\u2019t stop teams from spending,” one NL GM said. \u201cI don\u2019t see it having any effect, Now, a year from now, may be a completely different story. But not now. I haven\u2019t heard that from any team.”<\/p>\n 2. Which teams are expected to be the most aggressive in free agency?<\/p>\n \u2013 Los Angeles Dodgers<\/strong>: Just freed up $87 million, with Clayton Kershaw, Michael Conforto, Chris Taylor and Kirby Yates off the books. They\u2019ll still be aggressive as anyone and will come away at the least with a high-priced closer.<\/p>\n \u2013 New York Mets<\/strong>: They embarrassed themselves by having the biggest payroll and failed to make the playoffs. And owner Steve Cohen hates to be embarrassed. They\u2019ll come up with one, if not two front-line starters<\/p>\n \u2013 Baltimore Orioles<\/strong>: They can\u2019t afford to miss the postseason again or GM Mike Elias\u2019 job is on the line. They have to bring in a front-line starter<\/p>\n \u2013 New York Yankees<\/strong>: They must spend just to keep up with the rest of the powerful AL East and will either bring back Cody Bellinger or sign Kyle Tucker.<\/p>\n \u2013 Atlanta<\/strong>: President Terry McGuirk recently told shareholders they plan to be a top-five payroll team, which means adding about $50 million to their player budget.<\/p>\n \u2013 Toronto Blue Jays<\/a><\/strong>: They just earned an extra $50 million or so in revenue from their World Series run. They\u2019ll put it right back into the team and could be the favorite for Kyle Tucker.<\/p>\n 3. What team could be the hot stove’s biggest sleeper?<\/p>\n The Chicago Cubs<\/a><\/strong> know that finishing second to the Milwaukee Brewers<\/a> in the NL Central every year is inexcusable, and with Tucker expected to depart for greater riches, they\u2019ll have plenty of money to burn. They want another corner outfielder, and will be shopping in the expensive aisle for starting pitching, with fellow GMs predicting they could land Framber Valdez and\/or Dylan Cease.<\/p>\n 4. Where will Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman land?<\/p>\n Tucker, a native of Tampa, will sign with the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays or Los Dodgers, GMs predict. The San Francisco Giants are a darkhorse, but considering they still owe Rafael Devers $250 million, are in the second year of a seven-year, $182 million contract with Willy Adames and the second of a six-year, $151 million extension with Matt Chapman, there\u2019s only so many nine-figure contracts the Giants can seemingly afford. They are paying $137 million alone to their top six players next year: Devers, Chapman, Adames, Robbie Ray, Logan Webb and Jung Hoo Lee. And don\u2019t forget they are paying a record $10.5 million in salaries for a manager in 2026 \u2013 $4 million to fired Bob Melvin, $3.5 million to new manager Tony Vitello<\/a> and $3 million to Tennessee for Vitello\u2019s buyout.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be surprised if the Blue Jays are the perfect fit.<\/p>\n Bichette, who was expected to depart Toronto a year ago and whose name surfaced a year ago in trade talks now is expected to stay put to complete their goodwill tour.<\/p>\n Bregman won\u2019t get $40 million a year from the Red Sox after walking away from $80 million over two years, but the Red Sox still make the most sense, particularly with the Tigers proving they can win without him and the Cubs finding a third baseman with rookie Matt Shaw.<\/p>\n 5. Does Pete Alonso finally find a permanent home with the Mets?<\/p>\n Nope. David Stearns, Mets president of baseball operations, was ready to let Alonso walk last year. Alonso had a monster year but they still missed the playoffs, making it easier to walk away now. They are preaching defense or in the words of Stearns, \u201crun prevention,” and are expected to let him depart unless he signs a deal they can\u2019t turn down. GMs are predicting the perfect landing spot for Alonso must may be the Red Sox.<\/p>\n 6. Will Tarik Skubal or Paul Skenes get traded?<\/p>\n No. And no.<\/p>\n The Pirates won\u2019t even listen to trade proposals for Skenes, so don\u2019t bother calling.<\/p>\n The Tigers will at least listen on Skubal, but would have to be completely overwhelmed. Considering that teams know that he won\u2019t sign an extension and plans to hit free agency in a year commanding the biggest deal or a pitcher in history, no one will dare up give up more than two top-10 prospects. The Tigers are expected to hang onto him until at least the July 2026 trade deadline.<\/p>\n