While many fans of the Dodgers knew it was inevitable, the team has renewed the contract of President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, at least according to some reports.
Jon Heyman of the MLB Network revealed the news by tweet on Friday evening despite the specific details of the pact not being known.
There has been no official press release from the team.
Friedman’s previous contract was five years in length and paid $35 million over its life. At the time of his signing with the Dodgers in October of 2014, he became the highest paid executive in baseball.
During his first tour of duty with the Dodgers, the 43-year-old Texas native guided his team to five straight NL West division titles and two NL pennants. For years, his popularity has seemingly been split among the fan base, as his critics frequently place blame on his management philosophies for the team’s inability to secure their first World Championship in more than 30 years.
Friedman grew up in Houston and attended Episcopal High School, eventually earning a baseball scholarship to play outfield at Tulane University, although his studies in business management and finance were his primary priorities. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Kenneth, who also played baseball for the Green Wave.
Friedman was part of the 1996 Tulane team which won the inaugural Conference USA Championship. Before injuries to his wrist and shoulder ended his playing career, he played under head coach Rick Jones, who led the Green Wave to 12 NCAA tournament appearances over his 21 year tenure.
Friedman went on to become an analyst with Bear Stearns from 1999–2002, and subsequently became an associate at MidMark Capital from 2002-04. He met Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg later in 2004, and after discovering they had many similar ideas about both business and baseball, they immediately began working together.
Friedman began his Rays career as the Director of Baseball Development. He was promoted to the position of Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager after the 2005 season, and at the age of 28, replaced the club’s first general manager, Chuck LaMar, who was fired following the club’s eighth losing season in its eight years of existence.
Friedman became Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for Tampa Bay following the 2005 season, staying in the same position all the way until the end of the 2014 season. During the entire time, he worked with just one manager—Joe Maddon. There was always an overwhelming amount of secrecy behind the Rays’ success, as Friedman would not divulge the names numerous people who were working under him, some of whom were likely statistical analysts. Under Friedman, the Rays were the pioneers of diversity, trying a number of unusual things over the years, such as unorthodox line-up choices and defensive shifts.
In his first season with the Dodgers, Friedman worked with skipper Don Mattingly before hiring current manager Dave Roberts later that winter.
Friedman and his wife, Robin, live in Pasadena with their daughter and two sons.
I don’t know where you and Andy come up with your photos of Friedman Dennis but if you look carefully at his new contract, you’ll see it specifically states that you have to use shots that make him look distinguished and that would strike fear into the hearts of the other GM’s.
Andy and I don’t make much cash from this endeavor. It amounts to nothing more than a little bit of pocket change. Because we earn so little, I think it gives us the freedom to be somewhat creative with the images we select. If Mr. Friedman would like to be better represented in this space, there’s nothing stopping him from sending Andy and I an envelope in the mail once per month. 🙂
Now that Friedman’s attorney is finished negotiating his contract, he’ll have time to work with you and Andy. I don’t know that you’ll get 5 years but I would think 3 years would be do-able. As part of your contract, you’ll each get an envelope in the mail once a month (unfortunately it will be empty), and will each have a beautiful photo portrait hung at Dodger Stadium (done by a different photog than the one who took the above photo of Andrew).
I was about to ask what good an envelope would do you, but Jefe beat me to it.
You know what they say…… tight jaw tight assyemetrical palotopharyngeal arch.
Ok, nobody says that. I made it up. But Andy often looks like he’s straining to let one go.
Wow Scoop, I bet you really threw your English teacher for a loop when she said “use palotopharyngeal in a sentence” and you actually did.
Speaking of throwing lots of letters together in an unpronounceable fashion, we just signed a kid pitcher whose first name is Yhonkervix. His folks loved to play Scrabble.
No rings as long as Andy is calling the shots. I wish it was not that way, but it is that way. Andy builds teams and rosters with interchangeable parts, not necessarily enough good to great parts to win in the postseason. If Andy had a number of great parts, the platoon wouldn’t be necessary, sadly the platoon is necessary if they are going to win in the regular season. IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER what Andy says his desires or plans are, he will not be acquiring the necessary pieces to bring a championship. Andy needs to go!
I’ve heard this before. The first time was the voices in my head after a few of his initial signings and trades. But we continued to win. I don’t know now but I do hope you’re wrong.
I wonder how well Darvish might have done if the Houston hitters didn’t know what was coming? Maybe all the pitchers who lost to them in post season should get together and sue the living s*** out of them.
Well it was no surprise and no terms or length of the deal have been announced. Most either love the guy or despise him.
AF’s teams have won their division 5 years in a row, been to two World Series, we now find out they were probably cheated out of winning one of them, don’t you think you might be a little bit harsh on AF “ it just doesn’t matter” ? Under your premise 29 presidents, and 29 GMs should be fired every year.
We all know the dodgers will be very competitive next season , probably win the division again, It should be a fun season to watch. Not that many teams fans can say the same thing. I’ll take take AF, and no World Series YET over the FOX years any day.
Since 1966, the year I graduated from high school, the Dodgers have lost in the post season 19 times, including 7 in a row. We’ve won twice. 2-19 record in the playoffs. That kinda sucks.
I understand Doesn’t Matter’s frustration. I feel it, and I’m not sold on Friedman either. He’s good, but he was handed a franchise with tremendous potential. The team he took over won 94 the year before he got here, was coming off two straight divisional titles and had a top farm system. 5 years later he hasn’t closed the deal yet.
I think he’ll eventually get one. But this does look a lot like Kasten’s Atlanta run.
If you are happy with winning division titles instead of WS rings, knock yourself out. Being good is okay, I guess, but winning championships is where it’s at, I know. Good really isn’t just good enough. And no, my premise has nothing to do with 29 other presidents or GMs being fired, where the hell did you come up with that straw man argument?
Apparently it does matter.
Friedman inherited a very good team and a rebuilt farm system. He traded guys he felt were cancer’s in the club house and signed an abundance of retread players. He searched the waiver wire incessantly and made so many roster moves that first year that it was almost impossible to keep track. He traded 2 of the more popular players on the team, Kemp and Gordon. He got back a bunch of players, and some made impacts. When they had a chance to pick up an A-list pitcher, he did not make that deal, and Hamels was dealt to the Rangers. Everyone surmised that it would take including Seager in the trade in order to get him. But no names were ever really discussed because it never got that far. He traded for Darvish and he got 3 regular season wins out of the guy. 2 in the playoffs, and none in the series. Machado came over and his production plummeted. Winning division titles gets you into the playoffs. You have to get there first. But getting to the series and losing leaves a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. Keith, the Astros may have been stealing signs, but they could not do it at Dodger Stadium.
Solid post Bear.
Why couldn’t they steal signs in Dodger Stadium?
They did not have the camera set up in CF to see the catchers signals like they did in Houston. They won 2 of the 4 games in LA. The Darvish game 7, and game 2 when they came from behind. If they were stealing signals in LA they were doing it the old fashioned way.
All fields have a center field camera. If they were using it at home, they could sure figure a way to use it on the road. And if they didn’t, that would mean they still beat the Dodgers fair and square 2 out of 4 in LA AND they lost 1 at home.
We’ve all seen the center field shot and can easily see the catcher’s signs. Anyone watching the feed in the clubhouse could send a signal once they have the signs figured out. It sure looked to me that they knew what was coming with Darvish on the mound.
With today’s technology and hackers of that technology, it seems quite reasonable that Astros could have hacked into the CF cameras in any stadium, how could they resist if the cheating was successful in Houston. My fear is that cheating of all sorts is going on thru out MLB, so will Manfred really deal out severe punishments if he understands the widespread corruption in baseball quite possibly exists.
I may have jumped to conclusions, doesn’t matter, but what I was reading was you thought AF should be replaced because his team hasn’t won a WS during his tenure. The point I’m trying to make is, I don’t think not winning a WS can all be laid at his door step. Ownership has given him the mandate to stay under the cap, while staying as competitive as possible. If Andrew didn’t get that big bullpen arm we all wanted it probably had more to do with ownership not giving him the ok to exceed the cap. Doc isn’t exactly batting a thousand, he has made a few questionable calls in regards to pitching during the playoffs, not to mention a few of our players Going stone cold during the post season, and lastly sometimes it just takes a little luck, look at the nats for example.
If AF had an open checkbook, I would be there with you, but I don’t think the owners will let him spend the money we want him to spend. No offense intended, I think he does a good job most of the time, I was just trying to give him some props.
Sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier, doesnt matter, I was driving back from NorCal, seeing my grandson. Grand kids are the best.