The loneliest job in the world this side of the Maytag repairman used to be that of Dodger human resources director. With only three general managers, two managers, and one Vin Scully employed during a four-decade stretch under O’Malley team ownership, Rip Van Winkle could have applied for a position and had a full nap waiting to hear the news.
Even after the dawn of free agency, even after years of the Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield gave way to more frequent change, stability remained the Dodgers’ calling card well into the 1990s. And even when names did change, there was continuity.
“There was a process, a system in place that didn’t have to be reinvented every year or two years and yet was enhanced with improvement year by year,” former Dodger GM Fred Claire said in an interview.
“For example, if you take the critical role of pitching coach, at the time that I was fired, Glenn Gregson had been our pitching coach—not a name well known,” Claire recalled. “He had started with us in Bakersfield in 1990. He replaced Dave Wallace, who came out of our system. Dave Wallace replaced Ron Perranoski, who came out of our system. Ron Perranoski replaced Red Adams, who came out of our system.... And if you look at all of this depth, that’s not a rarity. That was the system. You can look at hitting coaches, you can look at field coordinator.
“And this applies not only to the major league level, but to the minor league level and to the scouting. This system had gone back literally to [Branch] Rickey days.”
The flip side of stability and continuity, of course, is becoming so stuck in a rut, so addicted to formula, that you miss bolder chances for improvement and innovation. Surely, that happened to the Dodgers at times. But it wasn’t as if changes never took place. In the meantime, the team’s solid foundation worked as a security blanket, allowing the Dodgers to take a long-term view and, for the most part, avoid desperate, self-destructive decisions.
When Dodgers fans look back at life under the O’Malleys, they rarely lament the moves that weren’t made, but rather those that were: namely, letting beloved team figures go. Stability wasn’t a panacea for the Dodgers, but as a fail-safe, it was effective. Continuity with the humility to consider change seems like a pretty good model.
Foundation
As the 2008 regular season drew to a close, the Dodgers held their annual ceremony at Dodger Stadium honoring longtime employees. More than 50 had worked for at least a quarter-century at the ballpark. Some are well-known, such as Vin Scully, Tommy Lasorda, or Jamie Jarrín, but many more toil behind the scenes in anonymity: ushers, grounds crew, accountants, vendors, ticket takers, batting practice pitchers, and administrative assistants. It’s worth taking a moment to appreciate those who work, often from morning until well after the game ends, year after year.