MLB Players Have Picked A Favorite Organization, And Fans Won't Like It

A new survey of over 120 Major League Baseball players was released by The Athletic this week, asking them their opinions on a number of questions around the sport.

But one particular question, which organizations have a good reputation within the league, and which organizations have a bad reputation, is going to cause the most controversy. Why? Because the team that fans love to hate, is the team that the players love the most.

The Los Angeles Dodgers. And it isn't even close.

This survey question had 126 respondents, and the Dodgers received 82 votes from players for having a good reputation throughout the league. The next closest team had just 40 votes, meaning the Dodgers more than doubled the number of positive responses compared to even second place. 

Perhaps even more impressive for LA? The Dodgers didn't receive a single vote from a player saying they had a bad reputation across the league. Not one. Plenty of other teams did though.

Mar 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) hits a 3 run home run during the tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dodgers, Yankees, Top List Of Best Organizations In MLB

As far as the other top organizations? Unsurprisingly, it was mostly teams that have tried to win as many games as possible. 

The New York Yankees came in second, the Atlanta Braves third, Chicago Cubs fourth, and Cleveland Guardians fifth. 

At the bottom of the list, with overwhelmingly negative responses? The organizations that have repeatedly demonstrated either incompetence, lack of willingness to win, or both. 

The franchise with the worst reputation was the Oakland/Sacaramento/Las Vegas Athletics, followed closely by the White Sox, Rockies, Marlins and Pirates. They really don't deserve Paul Skenes.

READ: Pittsburgh Pirates Organization Doesn't Deserve Paul Skenes After Another Embarrassing Loss

Why is there such a difference between the organizations in player reputation? Well, in their own words, because some actually care more about winning.

When discussing the Athletics, players said that everyone knows they're "cheap" with players.

"Because they’re cheap," one said.

"They’re going to be playing in Sacramento," another one added.

"I had a buddy who was traded to the A’s as a minor leaguer. … He went to Oakland and said the way they were fed, the places they stayed were just not good."

Same with the Marlins, "I’ve heard specific things about them getting, like, Subway sandwiches on the road sometimes. It’s little stuff like that where it’s like, we’re in the big leagues. Cheap stuff. It’s a billion-dollar industry. Let’s be a little better than that."

The Dodgers were the polar opposite. 

"You win the World Series, and you go out and do what they did to add to it? That’s what professional sports — not just baseball — is supposed to be," one said about LA.

"The Dodgers take care of players and their families, but they also excel on the player development side."

Fans don't like hearing it, because the Dodgers have become baseball's villains, but players want to play for organizations that are actively trying to win. LA has consistently demonstrated, especially this past offseason, that it's their goal to win as many games as possible. After all, that is the point of playing competitive sports, not maximizing the marginal value of a prospect's cheaper salary compared to a better, but more costly veteran.

Cheap organizations are also bad ones, because they serve primarily as profit centers for their owners. And it's why national baseball reporters have said Paul Skenes is almost certain to be traded by the Pirates at some point early in his career. Because Bob Nutting doesn't care about winning. Why should he when many fans don't either?