Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24
MLB Players Rank Rockies Worst Organization, Dodgers Top Poll of 100-Plus Players
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24

MLB Players Rank Rockies Worst Organization, Dodgers Top Poll of 100-Plus Players

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 24

Summary

  • More than 100 players from 23 teams in The Athletic’s anonymous poll gave the Rockies the most worst-organization mentions at 28, ahead of the Pirates, Athletics, White Sox and Angels.
  • Players tied those reputations largely to low spending, weak player development and poor family support, with several saying clubs seen as "cheap" or behind analytically were marked down most heavily.
  • The Dodgers led the positive rankings, drawing mentions from nearly two-thirds of respondents; the Yankees, Cubs, Blue Jays and Braves also rated highly, and all five opened the season with top-eight payrolls.
  • Family treatment emerged as a major separator, with more than one-third of respondents citing it directly; that also helped the Brewers stand out as the best-regarded small-market club.
  • The poll suggests half a season of improved results for clubs like the White Sox, Pirates and A’s has not yet erased long-running views about ownership spending, facilities and organizational competence.

Insights

With a small-market team earning top marks, is a 'player-first' culture more about leadership than a team's payroll?
As owners push for a salary cap, could their amateur draft overhaul permanently damage baseball's future talent pool?