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The Best Team Money Can Buy: The Los Angeles Dodgers' Wild Struggle to Build a Baseball Powerhouse
News-making, inside revelations about the tumultuous years when the Los Angeles Dodgers were remade from top to bottom—from the ownership of the team to management to the players on the field—becoming the most talked-about and most colorful team in baseball.
In 2012 the Los Angeles Dodgers were bought out of bankruptcy in the most expensive sale in sports history. Los Angeles icon Magic Johnson and his partners hoped to put together a team worthy of Hollywood: consistently entertaining. By most accounts they have succeeded, if not always in the way they might have imagined.
Now Molly Knight tells the story of the Dodgers’ 2013 and 2014 seasons with detailed, previously unreported revelations. She shares a behind-the-scenes account of the astonishing sale of the Dodgers, and why the team was not overpriced, as well as what the Dodgers actually knew in advance about rookie phenom and Cuban defector Yasiel Puig and how they and teammates handled him during his first two roller-coaster seasons. We learn how close manager Don Mattingly was to losing his job during the 2013 season—and how the team turned around the season in the most remarkable fifty-game stretch (42-8) of any team since World War II, before losing in the NLCS. Knight also provides a rare glimpse into the infighting and mistrust that derailed the team in 2014, and resulted in ridding the roster of difficult personalities and the hiring of a new front office.
Knight also reveals new facts behind the blockbuster trade with the Red Sox. She paints an intimate portrait of star pitcher Clayton Kershaw, probably the best pitcher in the game today, including details about the record contract offer he turned down before accepting the richest contract any pitcher ever signed.
Exciting, surprising, and filled with juicy details, Molly Knight’s account is a must-read for baseball fans and anyone who wants the inside story of today’s Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 2012 the Los Angeles Dodgers were bought out of bankruptcy in the most expensive sale in sports history. Los Angeles icon Magic Johnson and his partners hoped to put together a team worthy of Hollywood: consistently entertaining. By most accounts they have succeeded, if not always in the way they might have imagined.
Now Molly Knight tells the story of the Dodgers’ 2013 and 2014 seasons with detailed, previously unreported revelations. She shares a behind-the-scenes account of the astonishing sale of the Dodgers, and why the team was not overpriced, as well as what the Dodgers actually knew in advance about rookie phenom and Cuban defector Yasiel Puig and how they and teammates handled him during his first two roller-coaster seasons. We learn how close manager Don Mattingly was to losing his job during the 2013 season—and how the team turned around the season in the most remarkable fifty-game stretch (42-8) of any team since World War II, before losing in the NLCS. Knight also provides a rare glimpse into the infighting and mistrust that derailed the team in 2014, and resulted in ridding the roster of difficult personalities and the hiring of a new front office.
Knight also reveals new facts behind the blockbuster trade with the Red Sox. She paints an intimate portrait of star pitcher Clayton Kershaw, probably the best pitcher in the game today, including details about the record contract offer he turned down before accepting the richest contract any pitcher ever signed.
Exciting, surprising, and filled with juicy details, Molly Knight’s account is a must-read for baseball fans and anyone who wants the inside story of today’s Los Angeles Dodgers.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2015
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March 17, 2017
The Best Team Money Can Buy by Molly Knight is the March 2017 group read in the baseball book club. Knight is a veteran writer of ESPN the Magazine for eight years and has covered her beloved Los Angeles teams during that time. In her dedication, Knight cites female reporters who preceded her in locker rooms, allowing this book to be possible. As a woman who has loved baseball for her entire life, I appreciate Knight's sentiments, making The Best Team Money Can Buy an appropriate selection for women's history month.
In 2009 two events occurred for the Los Angeles Dodgers to set up the events in this book. During the season, the team called up phenom teen prospect Clayton Kershaw, altering the course of their pitching staff. In the off season, the team was sold to billionaires Frank and Jamie McCourt, who then proceeded to run the Kershaw lead Dodgers into the ground. Knight centers her book on the 2013 post-McCourt, Kershaw- lead version of the team by chronicling their season in a series of player and game anecdotes. Detailing the ups and downs of the Dodgers drive to the playoffs, Knight provides an intimate look at what goes on in the lives of a contemporary baseball team both on and off of the field.
Owned by the Guggenheim Group and Los Angeles icon Magic Johnson, the 2013 Dodgers' payroll reached $240 million and was billed as the Yankees' west. With aging superstars and veterans at every position, the Dodgers were more a collection of personalities in the clubhouse than a collective team striving for a championship. Knight focuses on their team leader Kershaw and his counterpart Zack Greinke, manager Don Mattingly, often vilified yet charismatic Yasiel Puig, and the other personalities in the locker room. She provides background information for each of the starting pitchers and position players and the circumstances that lead to the current management group to sign each of them. Knight allowed for me, a fan of a rival playoff team, to start caring for the Dodgers, and feeling sympathy toward their ace who has yet to get to the World Series.
Most current baseball books are either history or about the economical aspect of the game. Molly Knight follows a current team for an entire season and merges storytelling with the monetary side of the game. In the end, the best team $270 million could buy lost out to the analytics and sabermetrician gurus who are the current rage in the baseball. Even though on paper the Dodgers have a collection of better players, their rival Giants have been more successful by basing their team on pitching, defense, and new age statistics. As a result, the Dodgers were forced to undergo a major overhaul in order to field a more competitive team.
Knight bridges the gap to the current statistician lead Dodgers in her final chapter. The reader is left hanging if the new Dodgers ever win a title, and will have to watch baseball games to find out. The Best Team Money Can Buy left me excited for the upcoming baseball season. A solid 3.75 stars, I look forward to reading more of Molly Knight's work in future magazines and baseball journals.
In 2009 two events occurred for the Los Angeles Dodgers to set up the events in this book. During the season, the team called up phenom teen prospect Clayton Kershaw, altering the course of their pitching staff. In the off season, the team was sold to billionaires Frank and Jamie McCourt, who then proceeded to run the Kershaw lead Dodgers into the ground. Knight centers her book on the 2013 post-McCourt, Kershaw- lead version of the team by chronicling their season in a series of player and game anecdotes. Detailing the ups and downs of the Dodgers drive to the playoffs, Knight provides an intimate look at what goes on in the lives of a contemporary baseball team both on and off of the field.
Owned by the Guggenheim Group and Los Angeles icon Magic Johnson, the 2013 Dodgers' payroll reached $240 million and was billed as the Yankees' west. With aging superstars and veterans at every position, the Dodgers were more a collection of personalities in the clubhouse than a collective team striving for a championship. Knight focuses on their team leader Kershaw and his counterpart Zack Greinke, manager Don Mattingly, often vilified yet charismatic Yasiel Puig, and the other personalities in the locker room. She provides background information for each of the starting pitchers and position players and the circumstances that lead to the current management group to sign each of them. Knight allowed for me, a fan of a rival playoff team, to start caring for the Dodgers, and feeling sympathy toward their ace who has yet to get to the World Series.
Most current baseball books are either history or about the economical aspect of the game. Molly Knight follows a current team for an entire season and merges storytelling with the monetary side of the game. In the end, the best team $270 million could buy lost out to the analytics and sabermetrician gurus who are the current rage in the baseball. Even though on paper the Dodgers have a collection of better players, their rival Giants have been more successful by basing their team on pitching, defense, and new age statistics. As a result, the Dodgers were forced to undergo a major overhaul in order to field a more competitive team.
Knight bridges the gap to the current statistician lead Dodgers in her final chapter. The reader is left hanging if the new Dodgers ever win a title, and will have to watch baseball games to find out. The Best Team Money Can Buy left me excited for the upcoming baseball season. A solid 3.75 stars, I look forward to reading more of Molly Knight's work in future magazines and baseball journals.
July 18, 2015
The only thing I didn't like about this book was having to re-live the last two Dodgers' playoff series.
August 21, 2017
The saving grace of The Best Team Money Can Buy is Molly Knight's ability to seamlessly weave from anecdote to anecdote within the context of a larger piece. This keeps the book moving at a quick, easy, and mostly enjoyable pace. There are a few interesting anecdotes in this book, such as Ned Coletti's "Burn the Ships" speech gaffe and the moment Kershaw received word that he finalized his mega contract extension. However, these are too few and far between.
Overall, this book doesn't really have a point. It reads more like a long recap of several seasons than a reporter really digging in to tell a larger story. There is no meat to this book, no big revelations or insights, but simply, yet skillfully, rehashing game logs and well known facts about the 2012-2014 seasons for the Dodgers. Knight doesn't really develop any real characters either. Kershaw is exactly what you expect him to be, and he is interesting to read about probably because Knight spent much time with him. Juan Uribe comes off as amusing. Kemp is painted as an overpaid diva. Puig is exactly how he has been portrayed in the media, but Knight softens him slightly with some sympathetic stories and reasons for his actions, probably because she needs to toe the line and not offend him knowing that she will have many more interactions with him in the future. And every other page it seems like she says something to the effect of, "And that day was the day Mattingly could have been fired, but it wasn't."
Knight is definitely a talented writer and story teller, but she clearly didn't have much to work with here at all. There was no story to tell other than the Dodgers were bought, they have a lot of money, and they want to win...but they haven't.
Overall, this book doesn't really have a point. It reads more like a long recap of several seasons than a reporter really digging in to tell a larger story. There is no meat to this book, no big revelations or insights, but simply, yet skillfully, rehashing game logs and well known facts about the 2012-2014 seasons for the Dodgers. Knight doesn't really develop any real characters either. Kershaw is exactly what you expect him to be, and he is interesting to read about probably because Knight spent much time with him. Juan Uribe comes off as amusing. Kemp is painted as an overpaid diva. Puig is exactly how he has been portrayed in the media, but Knight softens him slightly with some sympathetic stories and reasons for his actions, probably because she needs to toe the line and not offend him knowing that she will have many more interactions with him in the future. And every other page it seems like she says something to the effect of, "And that day was the day Mattingly could have been fired, but it wasn't."
Knight is definitely a talented writer and story teller, but she clearly didn't have much to work with here at all. There was no story to tell other than the Dodgers were bought, they have a lot of money, and they want to win...but they haven't.
March 28, 2017
"The Best Team Money Can Buy" by Molly Knight, is a revealing story of how big time money bought the best players available to rebuild the LA Dodgers. In 2011, the Dodgers were bankrupt due to mismanagement by the owner, and attendance was way down. Magic Johnson believed that LA deserved a baseball team that could draw fans like the Lakers and the Kings and began a search for investors. Magic found the right owner and backers under The Guggenheim group who bought the team and infused the franchise with cash. When the team was put together, their payroll was a mind boggling $230M, give or take a million. The author is a long time writer for "ESPN the Magazine" and a lifetime LA Dodgers fan. It showed. She did a beautiful job telling the story by taking each player, front office personnel and owners and giving insightful backgrounds of each. She told where they came from, their strengths and weaknesses. Knight talked about team chemistry, who the hot dogs were and player attitudes. She seemed to be able to read the players like a book. No other team in baseball, except for the Yankees paid salaries like they did, and they filled the stands. The question she answered is can a team of millionaires, literally thrown together, be a team to win games, playoffs and championships. Read the book and get the answer. I loved this book and gave it 5 stars. Ms. Knight is awesome!
August 5, 2015
Worth reading for the Greinke anecdotes alone.
August 4, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for several reasons-not the least of which was the easy style of her writing. It is smooth, clear, and without pretense. It is written so that even the most casual fan can understand and appreciate the history of the Dodgers in recent years.The book follows the evolution of a large market Dodgers team with a relatively small budget to the biggest spender in all of MLB. You get to know the major figures in the transformation of ownership with the goal to end the 25 year drought of the team as a World Champion. That hasn't happened yet, and it's a shame that Ms. Knight didn't wait until the end of the 2015 season. I'd love to know the behind the scenes machinations that went on with the most recent Latos and Wood deals.
But you will enjoy the stories of what happened behind closed doors in the clubhouse and in management board rooms. I loved hearing about the various personalities and the immense difficulty a guy like Mattingly has with a team of several prima donnas and downright bling seekers. Still, it's refreshing to see that guys like Kershaw, Gonzo, and A.J. Ellis put the team first. Puig's behavior is outlandish and I don't care how young and relatively cheap he is, he is another Hanley Ramirez or Matt Kemp. If Andrew Friedman truly wants a team with chemistry, Puig must be dealt. But I digress. This is a wonderfully written insight into an MLB's locker room and the choices and risks that management can take in this day of ownership by the Guggenheim group. There are some funny anecdotes as well. In one team meeting during a the pennant chase in September Zach Greinke makes an hilarious statement(unintentional) that loosened up the club at a crucial time. I won't give it away because it's priceless. Very nice job Molly Knight. I enjoyed your book a great deal.
But you will enjoy the stories of what happened behind closed doors in the clubhouse and in management board rooms. I loved hearing about the various personalities and the immense difficulty a guy like Mattingly has with a team of several prima donnas and downright bling seekers. Still, it's refreshing to see that guys like Kershaw, Gonzo, and A.J. Ellis put the team first. Puig's behavior is outlandish and I don't care how young and relatively cheap he is, he is another Hanley Ramirez or Matt Kemp. If Andrew Friedman truly wants a team with chemistry, Puig must be dealt. But I digress. This is a wonderfully written insight into an MLB's locker room and the choices and risks that management can take in this day of ownership by the Guggenheim group. There are some funny anecdotes as well. In one team meeting during a the pennant chase in September Zach Greinke makes an hilarious statement(unintentional) that loosened up the club at a crucial time. I won't give it away because it's priceless. Very nice job Molly Knight. I enjoyed your book a great deal.
September 12, 2016
A serviceable and intermittently memorable entry in the "follow a team for a year" genre.
The bulk of the book follows the lead up to the 2013 Dodgers season and the season itself. There's a lot of interesting background on the players themselves. The author runs through the season itself at a brisk pace, occasionally dwelling on specific games but mostly dwelling in the injuries and personal challenges that define each player's experience.
And then the season ends. But look, there's still a quarter of the book left. Curiously, the author chooses to give an abbreviated overview of the team's almost equally successful 2014 season. It all just feels rushed though, like an overextended epilogue.
But then there *is* an epilogue, overviewing the maneuvers up to opening day of 2015. The information is fine, but it feels like a separate story. The book would've been stronger with more detail on 2013, then treating 2014-2015 as a true epilogue. It's fine and pleasant, but not too memorable.
The bulk of the book follows the lead up to the 2013 Dodgers season and the season itself. There's a lot of interesting background on the players themselves. The author runs through the season itself at a brisk pace, occasionally dwelling on specific games but mostly dwelling in the injuries and personal challenges that define each player's experience.
And then the season ends. But look, there's still a quarter of the book left. Curiously, the author chooses to give an abbreviated overview of the team's almost equally successful 2014 season. It all just feels rushed though, like an overextended epilogue.
But then there *is* an epilogue, overviewing the maneuvers up to opening day of 2015. The information is fine, but it feels like a separate story. The book would've been stronger with more detail on 2013, then treating 2014-2015 as a true epilogue. It's fine and pleasant, but not too memorable.
July 1, 2020
My favorite baseball books in recent years have been ones that focus on a sabermetric angle: Moneyball, The Extra 2%, and Big Data Baseball are probably the best known of these, and I’ve listed them in order of my favorites.
The Best Team Money Can Buy does not focus on sabermetrics at all, but it nonetheless ranks among my much enjoyed baseball books. Molly Knight is a good writer, and she has weaved a compelling narrative of the Dodgers 2012 - 2014 seasons, with the bulk of the content covering 2013. The players who receive the most coverage are Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, and Yasiel Puig, but Hanley Ramirez, Andre Ethier, Zack Greinke and others make significant appearances as well.
Though I didn’t commit to it the first time I picked it up, the second time I found my attention grasped once I was 20 or 30 pages in. If I have one complaint it is that it ends too soon -- not that it’s too short but that the arc of the Dodgers franchise continues to build after Opening Day in 2015, where Knight’s narrative concludes. Had it continued, it would tell the story of a third consecutive whiff on a World Series appearance, and then a fourth, and finally two consecutive World Series appearances, both of them disappointing losses. But it would also include the hiring of a new manager and the debuts of some exciting young players.
I must confess, however, that Knight’s timeline makes perfect sense, and the title is fittingly chosen. She traces the team from its transition to a big-spending owner from a penny-pinching, bankrupt one, to the eventual turnover of the inherited GM, which is a perfect capsule of the Dodgers’ return to annual relevancy.
The Best Team Money Can Buy does not focus on sabermetrics at all, but it nonetheless ranks among my much enjoyed baseball books. Molly Knight is a good writer, and she has weaved a compelling narrative of the Dodgers 2012 - 2014 seasons, with the bulk of the content covering 2013. The players who receive the most coverage are Clayton Kershaw, Matt Kemp, and Yasiel Puig, but Hanley Ramirez, Andre Ethier, Zack Greinke and others make significant appearances as well.
Though I didn’t commit to it the first time I picked it up, the second time I found my attention grasped once I was 20 or 30 pages in. If I have one complaint it is that it ends too soon -- not that it’s too short but that the arc of the Dodgers franchise continues to build after Opening Day in 2015, where Knight’s narrative concludes. Had it continued, it would tell the story of a third consecutive whiff on a World Series appearance, and then a fourth, and finally two consecutive World Series appearances, both of them disappointing losses. But it would also include the hiring of a new manager and the debuts of some exciting young players.
I must confess, however, that Knight’s timeline makes perfect sense, and the title is fittingly chosen. She traces the team from its transition to a big-spending owner from a penny-pinching, bankrupt one, to the eventual turnover of the inherited GM, which is a perfect capsule of the Dodgers’ return to annual relevancy.
March 9, 2016
"I’ve got something to say,” he said. The room was quiet.
"Some of you guys have been doing the number two and not washing your hands. It’s not good. I noticed it even happening earlier today. So if you guys could just be better about it, that would be great."
Greinke sat down. The team wasn’t sure if he was serious. When they realized he was, they laughed.
--That's a quote from Zack Greinke in a team meeting before a big game against the Arizona Diamondbacks toward the end of the 2013 season. It appears in The Best Team Money Can Buy; is hilarious and representative of the depth of Molly Knight's work in this book. She plumbs the Dodgers between 2012-2014 for the best insights, anecdotes, gossip and inside baseball. She makes sometimes complex matters of gameplay and contracts understandable to the longtime baseball fan and newbie alike. This is the best book I've read so far this year and I can't give it high enough marks.
"Some of you guys have been doing the number two and not washing your hands. It’s not good. I noticed it even happening earlier today. So if you guys could just be better about it, that would be great."
Greinke sat down. The team wasn’t sure if he was serious. When they realized he was, they laughed.
--That's a quote from Zack Greinke in a team meeting before a big game against the Arizona Diamondbacks toward the end of the 2013 season. It appears in The Best Team Money Can Buy; is hilarious and representative of the depth of Molly Knight's work in this book. She plumbs the Dodgers between 2012-2014 for the best insights, anecdotes, gossip and inside baseball. She makes sometimes complex matters of gameplay and contracts understandable to the longtime baseball fan and newbie alike. This is the best book I've read so far this year and I can't give it high enough marks.
September 17, 2015
I am a Giants fan so naturally I hate the Dodgers, so it came as a surprise to me how much I liked this book. The story here is pretty compelling, the Dodgers went from bankruptcy to the most expensive sale in sports history. The cast of characters Molly Knight introduces us to, the glimpses of the culture of the team, and the sheer drama of rebuilding a team will keep anyone who enjoy sport for the narrative up nights tearing through this book. If you're a Dodgers fan (why?) you need to read this, if you love sport this is a really good read too.
January 31, 2022
I would give, The Best Team Money Can Buy by Molly Night, a five-star rating. I was gifted this book by my seventh-grade science teacher when I was in her class and finally decided to read it. It is filled with real stories about different Dodger players, the managers, and the whole team in general. The author talked to people individually to get valid information and it was cool seeing all of the insight. I would have read this book instantly if I knew how much I would enjoy this book when I originally received it. The most interesting thing I learned from The Best Team Money Can Buy by Molly Night was the story of Yasiel Puig making it to the MLB. Every single part of this book was very enjoyable to read because they were real-life stories that I remember learning partly about because I would learn about them as they happened. What I really liked about it was that I learned a lot more about the stories I heard growing up watching the Dodgers as a kid. I would recommend this book to any baseball fan because of the amount of interesting things it talks about in the Dodger’s organization.
November 27, 2017
The behind the curtain look at The Dodgers from the mid 2000's to 2017. A must read for any Dodger fan.
March 22, 2017
I found this a wonderful audiobook revolving around the 2013 season for the LA Dodgers. I am used to reading books about teams and players of the more distant past, where the anecdotes have had a few decades to simmer and, likely, expand. I’m sure the anecdote aging process helps to weed out the weakest anecdotes and helps “leaven” the ones left. I was surprised to find this book covering just a few seasons back had the same kind of anecdotal feel of some recent books covering, say, seasons in the 60s. The anecdotes seemed to have that age and the dint of familiarity. That made it entertaining, similar to those other books covering more classic teams and times.
The book had extended stories about various players, coaches, and other baseball characters. As I listened to the section about Vin Scully, I noted the author was doing the same thing she says Scully does. It seems like the author took the Vin Scully approach, to always have a story about a player - all of them. I found that to be a good strategy here. I had never realized there were so many "characters" on the Dodgers. This is one of those books that make you kick yourself because it seems you missed something special when it was happening. How did I miss knowing about Kershaw and Greinke and Puig? (I have been a single-minded fan of the Cubs, which I always took as being a fan of history.)
Most of the recent baseball books I’ve read have been about the business guys and the owners. This book didn’t specialize. I appreciated the author not focusing on players or the business side, but including both. There certainly are stories all over the place. My favorite business story was of the former Dodger owner desperately trying to hold onto the team through a messy divorce in order to capitalize on a new lucrative media contract.
And I enjoyed the female narration of this audiobook written by a woman author. I found it easy to listen to. I remember listening to Jane Leavy’s “The Last Boy” where she narrated a few chapters and made the audiobook better with her voice. She writes herself into her books, and it can get awkward hearing a male narrator talking about the dress he is wearing. If I recall, something like that happened in the audiobook of Leavy’s “Sandy Kofax”. Here, the narrator felt like a reporter who understood both the game and the beyond-the-9-innings parts of the story, but who also wasn’t buddies with the guys. In so many baseball books covering the recent past written in a journalistic voice the author is or is trying to become a buddy to the players. Not here. I appreciated the distinct voice in both narrator and author.
The book had extended stories about various players, coaches, and other baseball characters. As I listened to the section about Vin Scully, I noted the author was doing the same thing she says Scully does. It seems like the author took the Vin Scully approach, to always have a story about a player - all of them. I found that to be a good strategy here. I had never realized there were so many "characters" on the Dodgers. This is one of those books that make you kick yourself because it seems you missed something special when it was happening. How did I miss knowing about Kershaw and Greinke and Puig? (I have been a single-minded fan of the Cubs, which I always took as being a fan of history.)
Most of the recent baseball books I’ve read have been about the business guys and the owners. This book didn’t specialize. I appreciated the author not focusing on players or the business side, but including both. There certainly are stories all over the place. My favorite business story was of the former Dodger owner desperately trying to hold onto the team through a messy divorce in order to capitalize on a new lucrative media contract.
And I enjoyed the female narration of this audiobook written by a woman author. I found it easy to listen to. I remember listening to Jane Leavy’s “The Last Boy” where she narrated a few chapters and made the audiobook better with her voice. She writes herself into her books, and it can get awkward hearing a male narrator talking about the dress he is wearing. If I recall, something like that happened in the audiobook of Leavy’s “Sandy Kofax”. Here, the narrator felt like a reporter who understood both the game and the beyond-the-9-innings parts of the story, but who also wasn’t buddies with the guys. In so many baseball books covering the recent past written in a journalistic voice the author is or is trying to become a buddy to the players. Not here. I appreciated the distinct voice in both narrator and author.
October 2, 2015
Quite good timing as the baseball playoffs are ready to begin, and the Dodgers, who are featured in the book, are among the participants. This is a fun and informative read on the inner-workings of the baseball operations at the major league level. The Dodgers were reeling under the disastrous ownership of Frank McCourt and had to be rescued from bankruptcy by the Guggenheim group. Once the new ownership was installed, they spared no expense in restoring the Dodgers to a competitive level, in fact, they leapfrogged the Yankees as the biggest spenders in the game.
How they made the decisions on personnel and the perils of stockpiling free agents at the expense of developing the farm system is a central theme of the book. In some cases, players were rushed to the big league roster to fill holes, such as the controversial Yasiel Puig. Skill-wise he was ready to compete at the at level and paid dividends on the field but was grossly ill-prepared to conduct himself as a high profile professional. There is a great deal of commentary on the tribulations of manager Don Mattingly as he tries to get high salary players to commit to a team concept. It makes for a strong dose of tantrums and clashes in philosophy while also jeopardizing Mattingly's job.
There is plenty of good pitch-by-pitch action including extensive coverage of ace Clayton Kershaw and his salary negotiations and his game preparation. A good analysis and commentary on the modern game where a team may consist of twenty-five players who are essentially twenty-five mini-corporations.
How they made the decisions on personnel and the perils of stockpiling free agents at the expense of developing the farm system is a central theme of the book. In some cases, players were rushed to the big league roster to fill holes, such as the controversial Yasiel Puig. Skill-wise he was ready to compete at the at level and paid dividends on the field but was grossly ill-prepared to conduct himself as a high profile professional. There is a great deal of commentary on the tribulations of manager Don Mattingly as he tries to get high salary players to commit to a team concept. It makes for a strong dose of tantrums and clashes in philosophy while also jeopardizing Mattingly's job.
There is plenty of good pitch-by-pitch action including extensive coverage of ace Clayton Kershaw and his salary negotiations and his game preparation. A good analysis and commentary on the modern game where a team may consist of twenty-five players who are essentially twenty-five mini-corporations.
July 26, 2015
I think one of the best compliments one can pay to a writer is how much their writing inspires you to do the same thing and that's what Molly's book did: made me want to right now do my baseball book idea, no matter how hard it might be to accomplish.
It's a smart, deep look at a historic franchise at an absolutely remarkable time in the franchise's life. What helps is that Molly's tone walks a very fine line so well: an objective viewpoint on a franchise that only hints at an affection that gives the book resonance as opposed to undermining it. Knight's fandom of the team only makes her analysis seem that much more knowledgable as opposed to reading like homerism (I doubt I could do the same for the Cubs because ANGER OVER THE HENDRY ERA).
Also manages to propel the reader forward despite having the knowledge of how the last two seasons finished.
It also made me care about the Dodgers, a team I have historically found fascinating but disliked greatly going back to 1988 World Series.
The only way this book could have been better is if they had Vin Scully do the audiobook format.
It's a smart, deep look at a historic franchise at an absolutely remarkable time in the franchise's life. What helps is that Molly's tone walks a very fine line so well: an objective viewpoint on a franchise that only hints at an affection that gives the book resonance as opposed to undermining it. Knight's fandom of the team only makes her analysis seem that much more knowledgable as opposed to reading like homerism (I doubt I could do the same for the Cubs because ANGER OVER THE HENDRY ERA).
Also manages to propel the reader forward despite having the knowledge of how the last two seasons finished.
It also made me care about the Dodgers, a team I have historically found fascinating but disliked greatly going back to 1988 World Series.
The only way this book could have been better is if they had Vin Scully do the audiobook format.
November 19, 2016
I'm a die-hard Dodger fan and absolutely LOVE a window into the inner-workings and dynamics of my team, the coaches, and the front office. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the Dodgers -- a deep look into their 2012-2015 seasons. It contained some locker-room surprises, some new insights about the front office, and confirmation about what I already suspected about several strained locker-room personal situations. If you're a fan of the Dodgers and MLB, and are the kind of person who reads almost every word written about your team, then you will enjoy this book. Unlike other baseball books, such as Money Ball, however, I don't think it will resonate with a wider, non-Dodger-fan audience.
And, for the record, I hope that EVENTUALLY Knight will need to add an epilogue that reports on the Dodgers' World Series Championship. Maybe 2017? #ThinkBlue
And, for the record, I hope that EVENTUALLY Knight will need to add an epilogue that reports on the Dodgers' World Series Championship. Maybe 2017? #ThinkBlue
February 20, 2022
The only way I can start this review is what a great book! There was not one story being told that was un-interesting. Molly Knight does a phenomenal job of showing that you can be a fan of a team and still cover the team with integrity.
The story about Zack Greinke getting up during a club house meeting and urging people to wash their hands after going to the bathroom is one of the genuine times I have laughed out loud while reading.
The only complaint I have is that the chapters sometimes jump around the narrative to a previous topic but who am I to criticize when I don't know how I would solve it?
I would recommend this book to everyone who is even slightly interested in baseball, sports, and an insider view of the inner workings of an organization.
The story about Zack Greinke getting up during a club house meeting and urging people to wash their hands after going to the bathroom is one of the genuine times I have laughed out loud while reading.
The only complaint I have is that the chapters sometimes jump around the narrative to a previous topic but who am I to criticize when I don't know how I would solve it?
I would recommend this book to everyone who is even slightly interested in baseball, sports, and an insider view of the inner workings of an organization.
September 7, 2018
Molly tells a really interesting story. But her style is choppy. In fact, her sentences trip across the page like machine-gun fire. She occasionally reaches for a lovely turn of phrase that works. But in general her style is frustrating.
If the style of the previous few sentences annoyed you, so will Molly Knight’s book. It’s not that the writing is /bad/ exactly, it’s that it’s very suited to a specific place, and that place is not narrative nonfiction. Her insight into the Dodgers is terrific - it was a tremendous look at a team that almost went bankrupt then spent millions the way us plebes spend pennies. It’s definitely worth a read if you love baseball (or the Dodgers in particular), but be prepared for a book that’s good because of the subject, not because of the writing.
If the style of the previous few sentences annoyed you, so will Molly Knight’s book. It’s not that the writing is /bad/ exactly, it’s that it’s very suited to a specific place, and that place is not narrative nonfiction. Her insight into the Dodgers is terrific - it was a tremendous look at a team that almost went bankrupt then spent millions the way us plebes spend pennies. It’s definitely worth a read if you love baseball (or the Dodgers in particular), but be prepared for a book that’s good because of the subject, not because of the writing.
October 29, 2015
tons of team access led to a surprisingly gripping and well-research account of a slice of baseball history that doesn't really matter that much: the end of the mccourt and then the ned colletti era in los angeles. an interesting companion to big data baseball, one that focuses on the new-look dodgers eating salaries and flailing about before hiring tampa bay's andrew friedman and beginning a full-scale movement toward cutting-edge baseball analytics. not exactly a gripping tale, and so much of it is dominated by yaisel puig (who may enjoy a cespedes-esque revival elsewhere next year), but i'm glad it was written and i'm certain that dodgers fans will enjoy it.
July 18, 2015
A very insightful inside look at the inner workings of the Dodgers, from the front office assembling the team to the players themselves trying to balance personal and team success. It reminds me a lot of similar books I've read about the Showtime and Shaq-Kobe Lakers, The Jordan Rules, and Moneyball. I came away with a better understanding and appreciation of what it takes to build a championship-level team.
December 26, 2015
I am by no means a close follower of baseball anymore and really only watch at playoff time but found this an entertaining look at the Los Angles Dodgers organization during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. My favorite part was the beginning and the details of the sale of the Dodgers but the in season parts were well written enough that I never became lost in the details.
July 26, 2015
Nice page-turner. You usually read stories like this for a championship team. Not a fan of the Dodgers but enjoyed the personalities on the team. Makes me think that a "year in the life of" of bad team might be more interesting than a good team. Whaddya say Molly?
July 30, 2015
Timely and informative -- a must for present-day Dodgers fans.
January 11, 2021
When a hockey team was in the midst of all sorts of turmoil several years ago, a member of that squad said that it all reminded him of a soap opera that he watched to kill time during the afternoons before games.
That player would have loved the Los Angeles Dodgers of the first part of the decade.
The Dodgers' story involved front office and ownership drama, big money contracts, stars and lesser lights. Plus, few happy endings. Shakespeare would be proud.
It's a natural story for a book, and Molly Knight writes it all down in "The Best Team Money Can Buy," the head-shaking story of the Dodgers' unfulfilled attempt at glory.
Knight wisely starts off the story with former owner Frank McCourt. He had taken one of the flagship teams in baseball and run it into the ground. There were enough odd details in his personal story to keep everyone from the Los Angeles Times to TMZ entertained. Eventually, the team was put up for sale and snapped up early in 2012 for a mere $2.15 billion.
If that price didn't show that the Dodgers meant business, a trade later in that first year was an even bigger signal. Los Angeles completed a huge trade with Boston - picking up Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford for a few relatively minor players. The key point was that the Dodgers were willing to pay the contracts of these high priced players. Suddenly, money was no object.
The Dodgers were determined to do better the next year, and were willing to spend their way to do so. Zack Greinke was added to the roster as a free agent, giving the Dodgers a powerful combination with Clayton Kershaw at the top of the rotation. One of their biggest additions was Yasiel Puig, a Cuban defector who had immense talent but who was rough around the edges. Very rough. After a slow start, the Dodges found an extra gear and had an amazing run to take charge of the National League West. They came within two games of making it to the World Series.
It was more of the same in 2014. The Dodgers kept spending money, and enjoyed another division-winning year. But playoff losses aren't particularly accepted well when the payroll is above $200 million.
Knight found out plenty of interesting stories along the way here. Puig is a centerpiece, a young man whose behavior often was excused because of his talent. His numbers have gone down since a sensational rookie year, and we'll see how he reacts to that in the near future. Hanley Ramirez comes off as something of enigma. His immense talent at hitting a baseball is still present, but a series of injuries have hampered his ability to field one. Kershaw comes off as one of the good guys, dedicated to his craft and to the idea that his career won't be complete without a World Series championship.
What's striking about reading this book is that the Dodgers never seemed to fit together as a team particularly well. For example, for most of the years described, Los Angeles had one too many starting outfielders (four players with big contracts) and not enough help in the bullpen. It's no wonder that the Dodgers in 2015 went out and signed Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to run their baseball operations. After years of pinching pennies with the Rays and creating nickels and dimes, we'll see how he does with dollars to throw around. (Update: He did pretty well in 2020.)
It's tough to say whether interest in this Dodgers' era is large enough to captivate fans without a rooting interest in the team. "The Best Team Money Can Buy" isn't overly sensational, but it's certainly well done and a good review of the era.
That player would have loved the Los Angeles Dodgers of the first part of the decade.
The Dodgers' story involved front office and ownership drama, big money contracts, stars and lesser lights. Plus, few happy endings. Shakespeare would be proud.
It's a natural story for a book, and Molly Knight writes it all down in "The Best Team Money Can Buy," the head-shaking story of the Dodgers' unfulfilled attempt at glory.
Knight wisely starts off the story with former owner Frank McCourt. He had taken one of the flagship teams in baseball and run it into the ground. There were enough odd details in his personal story to keep everyone from the Los Angeles Times to TMZ entertained. Eventually, the team was put up for sale and snapped up early in 2012 for a mere $2.15 billion.
If that price didn't show that the Dodgers meant business, a trade later in that first year was an even bigger signal. Los Angeles completed a huge trade with Boston - picking up Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford for a few relatively minor players. The key point was that the Dodgers were willing to pay the contracts of these high priced players. Suddenly, money was no object.
The Dodgers were determined to do better the next year, and were willing to spend their way to do so. Zack Greinke was added to the roster as a free agent, giving the Dodgers a powerful combination with Clayton Kershaw at the top of the rotation. One of their biggest additions was Yasiel Puig, a Cuban defector who had immense talent but who was rough around the edges. Very rough. After a slow start, the Dodges found an extra gear and had an amazing run to take charge of the National League West. They came within two games of making it to the World Series.
It was more of the same in 2014. The Dodgers kept spending money, and enjoyed another division-winning year. But playoff losses aren't particularly accepted well when the payroll is above $200 million.
Knight found out plenty of interesting stories along the way here. Puig is a centerpiece, a young man whose behavior often was excused because of his talent. His numbers have gone down since a sensational rookie year, and we'll see how he reacts to that in the near future. Hanley Ramirez comes off as something of enigma. His immense talent at hitting a baseball is still present, but a series of injuries have hampered his ability to field one. Kershaw comes off as one of the good guys, dedicated to his craft and to the idea that his career won't be complete without a World Series championship.
What's striking about reading this book is that the Dodgers never seemed to fit together as a team particularly well. For example, for most of the years described, Los Angeles had one too many starting outfielders (four players with big contracts) and not enough help in the bullpen. It's no wonder that the Dodgers in 2015 went out and signed Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to run their baseball operations. After years of pinching pennies with the Rays and creating nickels and dimes, we'll see how he does with dollars to throw around. (Update: He did pretty well in 2020.)
It's tough to say whether interest in this Dodgers' era is large enough to captivate fans without a rooting interest in the team. "The Best Team Money Can Buy" isn't overly sensational, but it's certainly well done and a good review of the era.
April 14, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “THE COLOR OF MONEY IS BLUE… BUT WE’RE STILL GRASPING FOR THAT CHAMPIONSHIP!”
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As a born and raised from Brooklyn… Dodger fan… I read anything and everything about my beloved “Bums”. Most books are pure historical… but this one… the history (excuse my definition)… is so recent it’s current. To know how the Dodgers got to the position they’re in right now… the fact that they have done so much to reshape the entire franchise… from top (owners)… to bottom… players… managers… coaches… in such an explosively short period of time… is both mind blowing and exciting.
The author fills in all the missing pieces… and behind the scenes drama… that doesn’t appear in the papers or TV. Or at the very least… she puts it all in one tantalizing place. She combines not only the “soap opera” goings on… between mega-millionaire ballplayers with egos mostly large… intellects… high… and low… along with mini-biographies… that are extremely concise and interesting. The portions dedicated to the best one-two pitching combo in baseball… of Kershaw and Greinke… are particularly illuminating. It’s comforting knowing what a good person Kershaw is off the field… and reassuring knowing what an ultra-competitive guy he is on the field. He is certainly one ballplayer whose drive will not be diminished due to a large contract.
As far as Greinke… I knew he had some “issues” with depression type problems earlier in his career… but the background information provided puts it all into a new more crystallized light. It makes me want to root even harder (if possible) for Greinke. I was happily amazed at just how much Zack loves baseball… and all its intricacies’… and his dedication. As an old-school Brooklyn-Los Angeles fan… his acquisition reminds me of when the Dodgers got Preacher Roe whose record with the “Bums” from 1948-1954 was **93 wins – 37 losses**… and that’s the path that Zack is on… “If” he re-signs with the Dodgers after this season. (Please do Zack!). Additionally it’s pretty entertaining some of Greinke’s “Cosmo Kramer” type no- holds- barred comments.
The real power of this book… is that even with the tons and tons of knowledge I have of the Dodgers… I’m so thankful… to how much I learned… that I didn’t know. I didn’t realize how much power was taken away from Ned Colletti… before his title was changed. How little he really had to do with the blockbuster Red Sox deal that brought over Adrian Gonzalez and all the others. And also how the whole deal was really about Gonzalez!
The mindset of the new owners… is so refreshing… and outsiders don’t realize that it isn’t just a matter of spending giant dollars. It’s truly looking at the big long term picture… such as huuuggggeeee… I mean huge… TV contracts… and spreading the investment out over future years… and future income. This book is a “true-blue-revelation”… and the only minor blemish is the overuse of metaphors such as “quacking” body parts… but that’s akin to saying you didn’t like the fingertip in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling.
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As a born and raised from Brooklyn… Dodger fan… I read anything and everything about my beloved “Bums”. Most books are pure historical… but this one… the history (excuse my definition)… is so recent it’s current. To know how the Dodgers got to the position they’re in right now… the fact that they have done so much to reshape the entire franchise… from top (owners)… to bottom… players… managers… coaches… in such an explosively short period of time… is both mind blowing and exciting.
The author fills in all the missing pieces… and behind the scenes drama… that doesn’t appear in the papers or TV. Or at the very least… she puts it all in one tantalizing place. She combines not only the “soap opera” goings on… between mega-millionaire ballplayers with egos mostly large… intellects… high… and low… along with mini-biographies… that are extremely concise and interesting. The portions dedicated to the best one-two pitching combo in baseball… of Kershaw and Greinke… are particularly illuminating. It’s comforting knowing what a good person Kershaw is off the field… and reassuring knowing what an ultra-competitive guy he is on the field. He is certainly one ballplayer whose drive will not be diminished due to a large contract.
As far as Greinke… I knew he had some “issues” with depression type problems earlier in his career… but the background information provided puts it all into a new more crystallized light. It makes me want to root even harder (if possible) for Greinke. I was happily amazed at just how much Zack loves baseball… and all its intricacies’… and his dedication. As an old-school Brooklyn-Los Angeles fan… his acquisition reminds me of when the Dodgers got Preacher Roe whose record with the “Bums” from 1948-1954 was **93 wins – 37 losses**… and that’s the path that Zack is on… “If” he re-signs with the Dodgers after this season. (Please do Zack!). Additionally it’s pretty entertaining some of Greinke’s “Cosmo Kramer” type no- holds- barred comments.
The real power of this book… is that even with the tons and tons of knowledge I have of the Dodgers… I’m so thankful… to how much I learned… that I didn’t know. I didn’t realize how much power was taken away from Ned Colletti… before his title was changed. How little he really had to do with the blockbuster Red Sox deal that brought over Adrian Gonzalez and all the others. And also how the whole deal was really about Gonzalez!
The mindset of the new owners… is so refreshing… and outsiders don’t realize that it isn’t just a matter of spending giant dollars. It’s truly looking at the big long term picture… such as huuuggggeeee… I mean huge… TV contracts… and spreading the investment out over future years… and future income. This book is a “true-blue-revelation”… and the only minor blemish is the overuse of metaphors such as “quacking” body parts… but that’s akin to saying you didn’t like the fingertip in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling.
February 28, 2017
Over the past 5-6 years, the Los Angeles Dodgers have had quite the rollercoaster existence, from essentially bankruptcy to the highest payroll in all of major league baseball. In "The Best Team Money Can Buy", Molly Knight chronicles this crazy period with some of the best, most insightful sportswriting one will ever read.
The books starts off by examining the fiasco of the McCourt pair, whose marital split put the Dodgers in limbo during the early part of the 2010s. Once that mess is sorted out, it mainly focuses on the 2013 season, where the Dodgers went on an incredible run to make the playoffs. The 2014 season is covered as well, albeit in a bit less detail. Of the players/figures discussed within the book, these Dodgers get the most "runtime": Mattingly, Kershaw, Puig, H. Ramirez, and Kemp.
I picked this book up because my brother has recently moved to Los Angeles and I will be visiting him (and thus Dodgers Stadium!) in a very short time. Not being a huge Dodgers fan (but a huge baseball fan in general), I didn't quite know what to expect. Let me put to rest right now, however, any notion that this book is "only for Dodgers fans"...it just isn't so! From the opening pages, I could tell that this was going to be a compelling and interesting read due to Knight's engaging writing style. One could almost consider this a work of narrative non-fiction, as Knight seamlessly weaves the story of the 2012-2014 Dodgers in and out through the owners, managers/coaches, and players who made it all happen. It has been quite some time since I've read a baseball history book that has so sucked me in to its events.
By no means is this just a glossy "opinion piece", either. It is easy to see that Knight has put in the time and effort to create a well-researched narrative as well as a compelling one. It is hard to say anything is "definitive" when dealing with topics like this (at least until 30 years from now when they are all old men and retired), but I doubt another book would (or could) chronicle this period of Dodgers baseball any better.
So, don't worry if you don't bleed Dodger blue...pick this book up anyway! If you are even marginally interested in baseball or know of the principal players the book covers, you will easily be sucked into the craziness of how it all unfolded. I know I will be much better armed with Dodger talking points now for my trip to their turf this summer, that is for sure!
The books starts off by examining the fiasco of the McCourt pair, whose marital split put the Dodgers in limbo during the early part of the 2010s. Once that mess is sorted out, it mainly focuses on the 2013 season, where the Dodgers went on an incredible run to make the playoffs. The 2014 season is covered as well, albeit in a bit less detail. Of the players/figures discussed within the book, these Dodgers get the most "runtime": Mattingly, Kershaw, Puig, H. Ramirez, and Kemp.
I picked this book up because my brother has recently moved to Los Angeles and I will be visiting him (and thus Dodgers Stadium!) in a very short time. Not being a huge Dodgers fan (but a huge baseball fan in general), I didn't quite know what to expect. Let me put to rest right now, however, any notion that this book is "only for Dodgers fans"...it just isn't so! From the opening pages, I could tell that this was going to be a compelling and interesting read due to Knight's engaging writing style. One could almost consider this a work of narrative non-fiction, as Knight seamlessly weaves the story of the 2012-2014 Dodgers in and out through the owners, managers/coaches, and players who made it all happen. It has been quite some time since I've read a baseball history book that has so sucked me in to its events.
By no means is this just a glossy "opinion piece", either. It is easy to see that Knight has put in the time and effort to create a well-researched narrative as well as a compelling one. It is hard to say anything is "definitive" when dealing with topics like this (at least until 30 years from now when they are all old men and retired), but I doubt another book would (or could) chronicle this period of Dodgers baseball any better.
So, don't worry if you don't bleed Dodger blue...pick this book up anyway! If you are even marginally interested in baseball or know of the principal players the book covers, you will easily be sucked into the craziness of how it all unfolded. I know I will be much better armed with Dodger talking points now for my trip to their turf this summer, that is for sure!
February 19, 2018
My reading process with this book was unusual. I was a big fan of Molly Knight's reporting on the Dodgers during the fraught Frank McCourt era and bought this book as soon as it came out. I started reading immediately but it soon became apparent that the Los Angeles Dodgers teams of 2009-2014 were still too fresh in my mind (and my heart). I decided, rightly, that distance via time would benefit my reading experience, so I put it on hold for a few years.
The Dodgers reached the World Series for the first time in my life last fall. They didn't win, but it was still a culmination of my nearly three decades following the club. I've grown a lot in the past several years and especially away from much of the silliness of fandom. I understand now what I didn't in my early 20's: My happiness need not be dependant on the performance of 25 random jocks dressed in blue and white pajamas.
It's with this mindset that I approached this read. I enjoyed the nostalgia factor of reacquainting with players like A.J. Ellis, Matt Kemp, Zack Greinke, and the young Yasiel Puig. I liked getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the interpersonal tension brewing beneath the surface. I felt I could relive the many disappointing defeats without channeling past feelings of unhappiness and sorrow. I'm a more analytical, clinical reader.
The stories and the characters in this book are fascinating to me as a Dodgers fan. Whether they and the Dodgers' plight would be of considerable interest to others, I'm not so sure. But I appreciate Knight's insightful, caring approach as she gives everyone (or at least everyone who deserves it) a fair shake. Ultimately, what makes this a cherished piece of sports literature is the personal connection and the ways in which baseball and the Dodgers have long served as a vehicle for recreation, reflection, and distraction.
The Dodgers reached the World Series for the first time in my life last fall. They didn't win, but it was still a culmination of my nearly three decades following the club. I've grown a lot in the past several years and especially away from much of the silliness of fandom. I understand now what I didn't in my early 20's: My happiness need not be dependant on the performance of 25 random jocks dressed in blue and white pajamas.
It's with this mindset that I approached this read. I enjoyed the nostalgia factor of reacquainting with players like A.J. Ellis, Matt Kemp, Zack Greinke, and the young Yasiel Puig. I liked getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the interpersonal tension brewing beneath the surface. I felt I could relive the many disappointing defeats without channeling past feelings of unhappiness and sorrow. I'm a more analytical, clinical reader.
The stories and the characters in this book are fascinating to me as a Dodgers fan. Whether they and the Dodgers' plight would be of considerable interest to others, I'm not so sure. But I appreciate Knight's insightful, caring approach as she gives everyone (or at least everyone who deserves it) a fair shake. Ultimately, what makes this a cherished piece of sports literature is the personal connection and the ways in which baseball and the Dodgers have long served as a vehicle for recreation, reflection, and distraction.
January 19, 2020
Knight offers a rare glimpse behind clubhouse doors into the Los Angeles Dodgers' baseball operation. She covers the twilight years of the McCourt Ownership and its transition to the amenable Guggenheim group. Knight writes like a baseball color commentator, seamlessly weaving between player anecdotes with an overabundance of metaphors and baseball colloquialisms.
Although Knight's intended readership is baseball fans with an appreciation an insight to America's pastime, she displays with a relaxedness and simplicity that is accessible to outsiders of the sport.
My main problem with "The Best Team Money Can Buy" is the lack of an underlying direction or purpose. Live sports is exciting. Sports history is not. The uncertainty of a game of ball-and-stick that hinges between euphoric fulfillment and devastating heartbreak has enthralled audiences for decades. Week-old sports results, however, is as unappealing as an expired cake.
Most sports books compensate this deficiency with either an injection of strong authorial voice or a post-mortem examination (what can we learn from the past to inform our future?). "The Best Team" does neither. The clinical retrospective offers little to no new insight beyond the box scores.
In the end, what is the point of looking back at these results again when there are actual undetermined games being played out there, right now, for us to obsess?
Although Knight's intended readership is baseball fans with an appreciation an insight to America's pastime, she displays with a relaxedness and simplicity that is accessible to outsiders of the sport.
My main problem with "The Best Team Money Can Buy" is the lack of an underlying direction or purpose. Live sports is exciting. Sports history is not. The uncertainty of a game of ball-and-stick that hinges between euphoric fulfillment and devastating heartbreak has enthralled audiences for decades. Week-old sports results, however, is as unappealing as an expired cake.
Most sports books compensate this deficiency with either an injection of strong authorial voice or a post-mortem examination (what can we learn from the past to inform our future?). "The Best Team" does neither. The clinical retrospective offers little to no new insight beyond the box scores.
In the end, what is the point of looking back at these results again when there are actual undetermined games being played out there, right now, for us to obsess?
May 18, 2020
As an avid baseball fan and current employee in the sports world, I loved this book. I wouldn’t be mad if Knight wrote a “behind the curtain” type book for the other 29 teams!
Knight details the rise, fall and upswing of the Dodgers organization, explaining the difference in style each front office had and how that affected the success of the team. She truly lets us take a look into what the Dodgers endured with McCourt as their owner and how the team essentially fell apart at his realm. Then, we saw all that change once Guggenheim’s Baseball Management took over. We witnessed two different teams within a matter of seasons.
Whether you’re native to LA, an NL West fan, or just baseball fan in general, you’re aware of how the Dodgers claim a winning record year after year, typically at the top of their division. But somehow when October rolls around, they look as if it’s only a few weeks into the season. Although the Dodgers seem to spend the most money year after year, injuries, bad luck and off the field drama tends to overtake their regular season success.
Maybe one day their big bucks will get win them a championship, until then, we’ll keep waiting.
If you’re currently missing baseball during quarantine, you should read this! Or if you’re a huge Dodger fan, this is for you. If you hate the Dodgers, you may want to read it just to relive their postseason struggles.
Knight details the rise, fall and upswing of the Dodgers organization, explaining the difference in style each front office had and how that affected the success of the team. She truly lets us take a look into what the Dodgers endured with McCourt as their owner and how the team essentially fell apart at his realm. Then, we saw all that change once Guggenheim’s Baseball Management took over. We witnessed two different teams within a matter of seasons.
Whether you’re native to LA, an NL West fan, or just baseball fan in general, you’re aware of how the Dodgers claim a winning record year after year, typically at the top of their division. But somehow when October rolls around, they look as if it’s only a few weeks into the season. Although the Dodgers seem to spend the most money year after year, injuries, bad luck and off the field drama tends to overtake their regular season success.
Maybe one day their big bucks will get win them a championship, until then, we’ll keep waiting.
If you’re currently missing baseball during quarantine, you should read this! Or if you’re a huge Dodger fan, this is for you. If you hate the Dodgers, you may want to read it just to relive their postseason struggles.
June 4, 2017
As I thought about needing to do this review I pondered how the book must have come to be. I suppose the concept is "bought" and the project begun with the ownership change of the Los Angeles Dodgers (or shortly thereafter), rather than (as other similar baseball books seem) as a retrospective after a great or monumental season.
The seasons covered in this book, 2013 and 2014, were not World Series Championship seasons for the Dodgers. In fact the Dodgers have not played in the World Series since they won in 1998.
What is interesting and informative in this book are the insights into ownership, management, and front office/scouting that sometimes doesn't make it into other books (Moneyball being the prime example of one that does.)
Knight does a great job of balancing the range of personalities, while getting to know key players, covering the season drama, and yet showing how things work throughout a baseball organization. Primarily focused on players like Clayton Kershaw, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, one also gets to know about Don Mattingly and Nick Colletti and both old and new owners (including Magic Johnson).
In retrospect there is a tremendous amount of information included in the compelling narrative. Knight did a great job, and this is a good book for any baseball fan to read.
The seasons covered in this book, 2013 and 2014, were not World Series Championship seasons for the Dodgers. In fact the Dodgers have not played in the World Series since they won in 1998.
What is interesting and informative in this book are the insights into ownership, management, and front office/scouting that sometimes doesn't make it into other books (Moneyball being the prime example of one that does.)
Knight does a great job of balancing the range of personalities, while getting to know key players, covering the season drama, and yet showing how things work throughout a baseball organization. Primarily focused on players like Clayton Kershaw, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, one also gets to know about Don Mattingly and Nick Colletti and both old and new owners (including Magic Johnson).
In retrospect there is a tremendous amount of information included in the compelling narrative. Knight did a great job, and this is a good book for any baseball fan to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews