Amid another exciting season where your Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting in first place in the NL West, let’s take a look at the organization as a whole. Sure, the Dodgers scout and develop just as well, if not better, than any MLB team, which is not up for debate. You can look through the history of the organization and see just how many great players started their careers and were developed by the Dodgers. These accomplishments and desire to be great from the Dodgers organization on the field are undoubtedly worthy of praise. The off-field achievements are just as spectacular, and we are going to take a closer look at that aspect of our Dodgers.
Everyone knows about Jackie Robinson and being the first African American player to play in the major leagues. What the Brooklyn Dodgers did during this time was unprecedented and changed baseball for the better. Sure the team took a lot of heat and some hatred especially on the road but the man Branch Rickey chose to set the new trend was able to handle all of the pressure and even through dramatic times and what I am sure were emotions that none of use could experience, went out and played baseball hard and was a Dodger through and through. This can never be disputed, not only for his achievements but also for the fact that he would retire instead of playing for the Giants. There’s nothing more Dodger than shunning your rival in that fashion.
Fernando Valenzuela is not the first Mexican-born player to play in the major leagues. Valenzuela’s success in the majors and the rise of Fernandomania, which ran rampant through not only Southern California but throughout the United States, states that he was undoubtedly the most popular Mexican-born player in the Majors during his time and still is considered one of, if not the best, players from Mexico. The Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda would ride his talented left-hander to a World Series title in 1981. El Toro also became the first rookie to start opening day for the Dodgers.
Hideo Nomo came to the Dodgers as a heralded pitcher from Japan, and his talent displayed on the Dodgers helped open the door for Japanese players to come and show their abilities at the Major League level, which is still evident today. The Dodgers have had excellent players come from Japan and Korea, with all-stars and World Series champions through the years. While Nomo was not the first Japanese player to enter the Major Leagues, his impact left a lasting impression, which the Dodgers now have the luxury of having with superstar Shohei Ohtani in Dodger blue. Crazy to think that if it wasn’t for Nomo, there might not be a Shohei Ohtani in the majors, as he may have never gotten a shot to display his talents.
Whether its being a trendsetter with allowing players to play at the significant league level that a player of a certain race or country would not have gotten otherwise or through their tremendous charity donations to different organizations and building baseball fields throughout Southern California the Dodgers have shown us all the right way to not only run a franchise but to leave a lasting impact in the game of baseball on and off the field. When someone asks you who your favorite baseball team is and you say the Dodgers, make sure you say it with passion and pride. There is something special about being a Dodgers fan, and the organization instills a drive in fans always to do what is right. Let’s never forget the history and impact the Dodgers have had on the diamond in our lives. I, for one, cannot wait to see what new trends the organization will set for the betterment of the game we all love, which is called baseball.
