The Best Team Money Can Buy: The Los Angeles Dodgers' Wild Struggle to Build a Baseball Powerhouse
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Adam Wainwright, who convinced him: From Skip Schumaker’s testimony at the Dodgers’ Faith and Family Night on July 27, 2013.
“Believe it or not”: Schumaker told me this before the games versus the Cardinals on May 24, 2013. He could not believe how sore his body was from one inning of pitching.
White was respected as one of the sharpest: On one scouting trip to Mexico in 2012, White signed Yasiel Puig and Julio Urias, a fifteen-year-old pitcher who wound up being a top-five MLB prospect going into the 2015 season. This was perhaps the greatest scouting trip of all time.
White took college athletes:
1st round Chris Anderson RHP JR Jacksonville University
2nd round Tom Windle LHP JR University of Minnesota
3rd round Brandon Dixon 3B JR University of Arizona
an anxious Colletti emailed leadership surveys: From players who received them.
CHAPTER 6: PUIGATORY
White arrived alone in Mexico City: All the information about Puig’s tryout comes from an interview I conducted with White on October 23, 2014.
So he called Kasten: The details of this phone call were first mentioned to me by Stan Kasten in our July 15, 2014, interview. They were confirmed by White on October 23, 2014.
“I thought it’d be funny”: Interview with Mitch Poole on August 13, 2013.
“Papi”: Ibid.
“You don’t give them steak”: Don Mattingly made these remarks on April 6 to a pregame pack of reporters (including me).
“Go to YouTube and type in ‘Puig bat flip’ ”: A Dodger executive told me this on April 2013.
“What happened?”: I was at this game in Anaheim and asked Schumaker what happened after the game.
“Please,” said Kasten. “Do it for me”: Told to me by someone with knowledge of the conversation.
Puig referred to himself as “El Secreto”: Told to me by a source close to Puig.
ran through basic English with him: I was standing near them and witnessed this.
In 2012 he got so sick: From a press conference Scully gave on August 23, 2013, announcing his return for the 2014 season.
social media coordinator, Josh Tucker, not to hype Puig up too much: Conversation with Josh Tucker the day Puig was called up.
sticker still stuck: One of my favorite pictures of Puig is a shot of him about to take the field for the first time. The sticker is visible.
relied on a powerful Mexican drug cartel: Most of the details of Puig’s defection are supplied by the testimony of Yunior Despaigne, a boxer who left Cuba on a boat with Puig. Despaigne is suing Puig in federal court, and he filed his lawsuit under penalty of perjury. Sources around the Dodgers have confirmed the drug cartel’s involvement in Puig landing in America. It has been widely reported, and Puig’s camp has never denied it.
“I don’t really like the press”: Puig said this to USA Today’s Jorge L. Ortiz, as quoted in an article of July 8, 2013, “Puig Explains Himself: ‘I’m a Ballplayer.’ ”
Puig got down on his hands and knees: I witnessed this on June 10, 2013.
“He doesn’t like all the attention”: Luis Cruz said this to a few of us reporters who were standing there before the game on June 10, 2013.
“If you catch too much of the plate you’re basically fucked”: National League West pitcher told me this.
“But I don’t really care because he rakes”: A Dodger pitcher told me this.
“I always try to put on a show for the fans”: Puig said this to a pack of media reporters (including me) on July 12, 2013.
“I don’t think any of us were really thinking”: Interview of Don Mattingly on radio show The Herd with Colin Cowherd on July 3, 2013.
“Oh na naaa”: I witnessed this often.
“That’s like you in San Diego!”: I witnessed this, too. It happened while reporters were in the room.
One veteran infielder said he hoped a blogger: The player who said this to me never did punch a member of the media.
He wore number 74: The number was significant to Kenley Jansen because when he was growing up the family constantly worried about being able to make the mortgage. During his first season in the big leagues he sent all of his paychecks home until it was paid off. From “No Man Is an Island,” a column written by Bill Plaschke for the Los Angeles Times, September 11, 2013.
“I’d never seen a pitcher throw at two different”: Interview with Skip Schumaker after the game on June 12, 2013.
“He plays with a lot of arrogance”: Ian Kennedy said this to Arizona reporters after the club’s game against the Dodgers on July 9, 2013.
There was no doubt in Mattingly’s mind it had come from Gibson: I mean, this was obvious from his actions (running at Gibson and screaming at him). But a source close to Mattingly told me this.
Kershaw was furious: From multiple team sources.
“I don’t think anyone thought he was the problem”: Interview with Stan Kasten on July 15, 2014.
to the ire of the coaching staff: Every coach on that team wanted youth.
CHAPTER 7: THE RUN
in the season’s biggest moments: Greinke was the starting pitcher in the brawl game against San Diego and the brawl game against Arizona.
One popular theory: This rumor wound up not being very far off base, as the Dodgers ultimately hired one of Hunsicker’s old colleagues, Andrew Friedman, away from Tampa to take over baseball operations.
“Winning does a lot”: Kershaw said this in his postgame interview with reporters after the game.
Epstein was thought: Epstein was also the guy some Dodger executives insinuated had tampered with J. D. Drew (encouraging him to opt out of his Dodgers contract by presenting his agent, Scott Boras, with an offer while he was still a Dodger, which is against the rules). According to a New York Times article written by Murray Chass on December 8, 2006, Epstein tried to call an angry Colletti to smooth things over, but Colletti refused to take his calls.
Joe Torre’s godson, Mike Borzello: It had been widely reported that the Dodgers and Cubs were talking about trading Dempster. A team employee told me of Epstein’s frustration later.
“He’s not a bad kid”: Mattingly said this to a group of reporters in the Chase Field dugout, including me.
When Fernando Valenzuela was a rookie: This story was told to me by Ken Gurnick, the prolific Dodger beat writer who has covered the team for decades and was there during Fernandomania.
This became evident when a national television reporter: This story was relayed to me by multiple players and staff members.
Puig’s friends say the incident: From a source close to Puig.
While Bravo was off working with Puig: Bravo’s sons illness had been widely reported.
Puig, who had quietly: Puig’s son, Diego, was born in December 2013. Puig shares pictures of the boy on his social media accounts often.
“I love him . . . But I can’t fucking stand him”: Text from an NL East pitcher sent to a Dodger pitcher, who told me.
if you wore Diamondback red you were his sworn enemy: From a source close to Puig.
Schumaker decided to watch: Interview with Skip Schumaker after the game, July 16, 2013, in Phoenix, Arizona.
“If the ball’s away”: Postgame interview with A. J. Ellis on July 16, 2013.
His mother had wanted to name him Juan Jose: Interview with Hanley Ramirez on March 12, 2014.
“Show me why you’re the best hitter I’ve ever played with”: Postgame interview with A. J. Ellis on July 16, 2013.
Angels for second baseman Howie Kendrick: They would trade for Kendrick a year and a half later.
the pregame festivities turned the dugout into a mess: I witnessed all this.
It was still possible to buy season tickets: At the start of the 2015 season there was a wait list for season tickets. The cheapest season tickets, in the reserve level, cost five dollars a game.
He arrived twenty minutes late for a team meeting: Told to me by multiple people in the room
.
“I’ve seen guys that are in the Hall of Fame”: Interview with Don Mattingly on August 27, 2014.
When the Yankees came to town: I observed Robinson Cano greet Puig’s friend on the field, and Puig’s entourage’s general presence in the dugout every day. Multiple players and employees complained to me about their presence in the locker room.
His cover was blown: Colletti told this story to a pack of reporters (including me) just outside the visiting clubhouse the night the Dodgers were eliminated in St. Louis, October 18, 2013.
whale puke: I asked Wilson what it was. He said whale puke.
“I’ve got something to say”: I heard this from multiple players and staff who thought it was genius.
chicken fight tournament: I walked into the Dodgers’ locker room the day before they clinched and saw players sitting on other players’ shoulders. I asked what was going on. They told me they were planning on staging a chicken fight tournament in the pool. I gave the Dodgers’ team photographer, Jon SooHoo, the heads-up.
thought he heard Kemp bragging: I didn’t hear Kemp say this, but others did. Everyone I spoke with was adamant he was kidding. I tell this story as a way to demonstrate the ridiculous tension between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. Even a senator weighed in on social media.
“I’m a starter”: It was a phrase Kemp repeated often, in private and to reporters. When asked about it later, he explained that it was a no-win situation. If he accepted a platoon role then it would look like he didn’t care enough to fight for his job. But if he bristled about having to share time it would look like he wasn’t a team player. He was right.
CHAPTER 8: THE BEST TEAM MONEY CAN BUY
injury issues all year: The Dodgers were so banged up that head trainer Stan Conte (smartly) sat down with Mattingly to help plan out the lineups after they clinched.
Dodger officials were told: A Dodger exec told me that before the game.
They found the hole in his swing: A Dodger staff member told me that before the game.
“If you don’t play good people don’t remember you”: Interview with Juan Uribe at AT&T Park in San Francisco on September 24, 2013.
Kimbrel wanted in the game: TV cameras caught him cursing in the bullpen. The footage is easily found on the Internet.
all seemed to scream and bounce: I have been to roughly five hundred Dodger home games in my life. This was the loudest I have ever heard that stadium, but I was not present for Gibson’s home run, and sadly I was not old enough to remember watching it on television.
Young was perhaps the most outwardly animated Dodger: I heard this from multiple players on that text chain.
but Ramirez was terrified of needles: Multiple people with the team told me this.
The drug cartel that helped smuggle Puig to the United States was always around: From multiple sources close to Puig.
One of them asked to borrow his Lincoln: From a source close to Puig.
“Two and a half billion dollars and two fucking runs”: A Dodger executive said this to me.
“It’s not over yet, we need you”: I heard Puig had gone missing from multiple players. I confirmed the details with the principal parties involved.
“meep meep”: I observed this.
So Nolasco took the mound in Game 4: They almost started Kershaw but decided against it.
poster comparing Puig to a squirrel: I witnessed this bizarre scene and took a picture that wound up going viral.
Ramirez finally acquiesced to the needle: From two sources close to Ramirez.
“They took turns high-fiving him”: From a person with knowledge of what happened.
“In twenty years we can sit down”: I was the reporter Puig said that to.
CHAPTER 9: NO NEW FRIENDS
Juan Uribe went first: News of Puig’s clubhouse meeting was widely reported. I got multiple players to fill in the blanks for me later.
Puig secretly admired Schumaker and Punto: Told to me by a source close to Puig.
“But five years is the max for me”: Interview with Clayton Kershaw at his home on January 15, 2014.
“Matt Kemp! Why you no talk today?”: I heard Ramirez say this. “Oh. So that’s why he’s do sad,” Ramirez said to me.
“you need to get your ass here on time”: This is what Gonzalez told reporters when he was asked what he said to Puig.
Puig had changed his phone number: From multiple team sources.
they thought he put together tougher at-bats: From a conversation I had with a member of the coaching staff.
“It could be his last chance to prove us right or wrong”: From a conversation I had with a staff member.
“He used to throw maybe ten pitches”: Interview with A. J. Ellis on June 18, 2014, after Kershaw’s no-hitter.
“I just want to get my four at-bats every day”: Hanley Ramirez said this to me in an interview on March 12, 2014.
“When certain guys want to play”: Schumaker made these comments to the Cincinnati Enquirer on June 11, 2014.
“It doesn’t feel that way, though, does it?” Interview with Stan Kasten on July 15, 2014.
“He stated he’s the best outfielder in the league”: From a CBS Sports article written on March 7, 2015, by Jon Heyman.
CHAPTER 10: THE BEST FRONT OFFICE MONEY CAN BUY
Forty-eight hours later: Greinke pitched the next day in Chicago, and looked out of sorts from the start. In the first inning he made his first error in more than four years, throwing the ball away on a failed pickoff attempt. He gave up four earned runs in five innings. I don’t know whether what happened the night before was related to how Greinke pitched that day, but his performance on the mound was bad enough for me to text a team employee and ask if everything was okay with him. The staff member told me he had been in an altercation with Puig over rookie hazing. I asked players and other staff members about it later, and they filled in the details.
Ned Colletti was angry: From two people with knowledge of the incident.
The Padres asked for $18 million more: From a Dodger executive.
Index
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Aaron, Henry, 125
Abraham, Peter, 289n
Adams, Matt:
NLCS and, 230–31, 234
NLDS and, 261, 263–64
Akasaki, Scott, 79, 194, 248
Albuquerque Isotopes, 99, 150
Alonso, Yonder, 111
Amarista, Alexi, 111
American League Championship Series (ALCS), 211
American League Division Series (ALDS), 91
Anaheim Angels, see Los Angeles Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks, 65–66, 195, 219, 272, 290n
brawls of, 170–71, 175, 179, 184, 301n
Dodgers’ celebration and, 202
Puig and, 167, 169, 182–84
during regular season, 118, 131–32, 149, 163, 165–66, 169–70, 175, 179–85, 189–91, 201–2, 240–41, 251–52, 301n
rivalry between Dodgers and, 168–71, 175, 185, 303n
team philosophy of, 168, 184
Atlanta Braves, 163
Kasten and, 28, 46–47
in NLDS, 4, 205–6, 208–12, 263, 282n
during regular season, 126–27, 160, 164
in World Series, 47, 206
Atlanta Hawks, 28–29, 286n
Australia, 195, 240–41, 244, 246, 248
Aviles, Mike, 289n
Baer, Larry, 200
Baltimore Orioles, 51, 117–18, 142, 214
Barber, Red, 153, 155
Barinas, Roman, 227
Bates, James, 282n
Beane, Billy, 41, 269
Beckett, Josh, 271
injuries of, 116, 245, 29
3n
Mattingly and, 117–18
during regular season, 87, 90, 117–18, 245, 293n
trading of, 53–54, 58–59, 89, 119, 186
in World Series, 215
Belisario, Ronald, 88, 293n
NLDS and, 215
during regular season, 43, 104, 196
Belt, Brandon, 177
Beltran, Carlos, 220–23, 228, 234
Benoit, Joaquin, 265–68
Billingsley, Chad, 130
drafting of, 117, 136
injuries of, 87, 116–18
Black, Bud, 110
Blake, Casey, 45, 131
Blanks, Kyle, 157, 161–62
Boehly, Todd, 7, 30–31, 79
Bonds, Barry, 232, 298n
Bonds, Bobby, 232
Boras, Scott, 42, 75, 193, 301n
Kemp and, 124–25
Borzello, Mike, 64–65, 178
Boston Red Sox, 13, 21, 42, 125, 233, 288n–91n
in ALCS, 211
Crawford signed by, 54–57
finances of, 51–52, 54
Henry’s acquisition of, 18, 32
Ramirez and, 271
trading of, 48–54, 57–59, 89, 119, 186, 231, 238, 269, 290n
in World Series, 2, 18–19, 238
Bowa, Larry, 44, 98
Bradley, Milton, 130
Braun, Ryan, 45, 288n
Bravo, Tim, 182–83, 194, 197
Bravo, Zechariah, 182–83
Brooklyn Dodgers, 16, 153
Bumgarner, Madison, 69, 90
Busch Stadium, 99, 218
Buss, Jerry, 15, 31
Butera, Drew, 192
Cabrera, Miguel, 186, 219, 294n
Cain, Matt, 77–78, 249, 292n, 294n
Cano, Robinson, 193, 198, 303n
Capuano, Chris, 87
injuries of, 116
NLDS and, 212
during regular season, 111, 117, 152
Carpenter, David, 216
Carpenter, Matt, 134
NLCS and, 220, 224–26, 233–34, 261
NLDS and, 261–63
CBS, 153, 258
Cespedes, Yoenis, 141
Chase Field, 179–80, 185, 190