"It's So Difficult To Win In Baseball Today..."
- Paul Semendinger
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
by Paul Semendinger
July 6, 2026
***
One of the final talking points Yankees fans have to justify the team's terrible play of late, their embarrassing play for long stretches year-after-year, and the fact that they haven't won a World Series since 2009, is that is it very very difficult to win in baseball today.
We're told that the game doesn't allow dynasties any longer.
We're told that they playoffs are set up so that luck wins more than talent.
We read a lot of excuses that simply are not true.
***
The Dodgers operate the way the Yankees used to.
The Dodgers build teams to win. The Dodgers don't apologize for trying to be the best. The Dodgers simply go out and do what is necessary to be the best. The Dodgers have sound leadership from the top. The Dodgers make smart baseball moves. When great talent is available, the Dodgers go out and get it.
The Dodgers also have a strong minor league system.
It is clear that the Dodgers have one goal - to win championships.
All of the following is true:
As of this morning, the Dodgers lead all of baseball this season with a .648 winning percentage.
The Dodgers won the World Series last season (2025).
The Dodgers won the World Series in 2024. They also had the most wins in baseball.
The Dodgers won their division in 2023.
The Dodgers won their division in 2022. They had the most wins in baseball.
The Dodgers ended up in second place, by just one game, in 2021.
The Dodgers won the World Series in 2020. They had the most wins in baseball.
Three World Championships in six years. Year-by-year, they often have the most wins in all of baseball.
The Dodgers also won their division in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Imagine that. 14 seasons. First place in 13 of those 14 seasons. The one season they weren't in first place, they finished one game out.
It seems to me that if a team truly wants to focus on winning, and invests in winning, and places winners in leadership positions, that that team can win.
Of course they can.
The Dodgers prove this absolutely.
Now, do the Dodgers always win the World Series? Of course not, but they are the team, every single season with the best chance to win the World Series. And they win more World Series than anyone else.
There was a time, not long ago, when those words defined the Yankees. The Yankees used to be the best team most seasons. The Yankees used to be the team that had the best chance to win the World Series. The Yankees used to win the most World Series.
No longer.
The excuse for the Yankees' failure to win cannot be that it is too difficult to win in baseball today. Not at all.
The Dodgers continue to make that talking point one that is simply not true.
The Dodgers want to win. They play to win. Their organization is focused on winning. And they win.
The same cannot be said for the Yankees. At all.
100% agree. If the Dodgers can do it, so can the Yankees, who won 27 World series, from 1923 to 2009.
I would buy some arguments below if the Yankees, still the most valuable team in all of sports, didnt, year by year, pass on big time players who would have helped to make a difference.
If Bryce Harper, for instance, went to the Dodgers...
Or so many others, I would have to concede that the Yankees can't compete with LA, but when the Yankees dont even try to get generational talented players, the issue is less the benefits the Dodgers get and more the Yankees not building great teams when given the opportunity.
That shows me the Yankees dont wish to be great.
excellent points all, Paul.
but you might have omitted a couple of things which have greatly benefitted the team in building the perfect beast
The only comments I will make is that the Dodgers have had lots of help through MLB, including allowed to officially announce 2 signings but didn't have to put them on their 40 man roster until the Vivas/Sweeney 'trade'. Also because of the deal that was made with the then incoming LAD ownership group, the Dodgers get to keep over $200M a year. Having that account , is it any wonder they can sign anyone they want since this account pays their entire tax bill?
But enough about the team out in Hollyweird (nods to Schmooz), I have written enough comments about what I'd do if i was the Yankees President of Baseball Operations. I don't think there is no…
Dont forget, the Dodgers benefit from that ridiculous and covert Frank McCourt rule. No other team has that.
https://www.startspreadingthenews.blog/post/in-between-the-lines-3