GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers are spending $399 million on player payroll nearly as perfectly as possible, and for their money possess quite likely the best collection of baseball talent since the draft started to equalize things 50-plus years ago — and maybe ever.
Of course, they are not only the greatest assemblage of ability but also by far the biggest story, which may turn out to be their only real hurdle. The clubhouse is regularly wall-to-wall media waiting for a sound bite or snippet from one of the megastars whose real trick now is not to be distracted by all that’s happening here in this beautiful baseball circus. It’s a lot, and it’s every day.
The news-a-day Dodgers just signed to a record salary their Hall of Fame manager, Dave Roberts. It’s his charge to keep a half dozen or so Hall of Fame players (plus a seemingly endless coterie of complementary talents) focused enough to not only repeat as World Series champions, but even to live up to expectations — which may be impossible.
The Beatles of baseball were packing Tuesday for their trip to Tokyo, and their real challenge now is not to win another MVP (there are four here, with six trophies) or Cy Young (there are two of those, with five trophies) but to maintain enough focus.
