Finally, you get some answers from Los Angeles Dodgers’ ownership. Indeed – in the wake of missing out on the marquee move this winter – many have been waiting to hear what is on the mind of the Dodgers’ brass.
Now, Stan Kasten talks with Bill Plaschke about a variety of subjects. To narrow on one of those important subjects is the negotiations with star pitcher Gerrit Cole. Remember – Cole is represented by agent Scott Boras – and various reports said the Dodgers were not given the opportunity to match the New York Yankees’ monstrous contract offer.
Stan Kasten debates the #Dodgers' ownership philosophy with @BillPlaschke. Kasten does not hold back on his adjectives–wrong, silly, childish, superficial, ludicrous–but does not shy away from pointed questions. https://t.co/2GxwVEbtuY
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) January 5, 2020
First off, Kasten says that Cole never really wanted to be anywhere but the Bronx. Equally important, the owner says the Dodgers were simply a pawn used in the game to get the number Boras wanted for Cole. Finally, Kasten is fine with how super agent Boras treated the Dodgers.
“It is clear now, I think it was clear to us in the middle of the process, he wanted to be a Yankee, he just did,” Kasten said. “In retrospect, I think we were just the stalking horse to get a number he finally could get from a team he wanted to go to. I don’t have any quibble with his approach or with Scott’s approach, it was all very fair, but he wants to be somewhere, he got a lot of money to be where he wanted to be.”
While that sounds fine and well, it just seems off. Perhaps Boras never allowed the Dodgers a chance to match the Yankees’ offer as some have speculated. Still, why would an agent like Boras known for pushing the envelope not do just that? Remember at one point, Cole had to clarify that he didn’t prefer a West Coast team. Initial reports were significant that he wanted to be in California.
Finally, taking Kasten at his opinion here is to believe the Dodgers never had a chance at Gerrit Cole. Whether or not that is true we will never know, but Dodgers’ ownership has accepted the loss in this small battle for MLB supremacy and moved forward.
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