Dodgers paying $87.5 million to players no longer with the team

Money makes the world go around. It's also what makes the Los Angeles Dodgers the most dangerous and complex team in baseball.

Since the club's new ownership spear-headed by Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and Magic Johnson took over in 2012, the Dodgers have not been afraid to spend money to get what they want or make their mistakes go away. And there's no greater evidence of that mindset than the absurd amount of money the team currently owes to players who are no longer in the organization.

According to Molly Knight — the author of The Best Team Money Can Buy, The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Wild Struggle to Build a Baseball Powerhouse — via the Dodgers blog True Blue LA, the Dodgers currently owe $87.5 million to players who have been traded, released and otherwise removed from the roster.

For some perspective, that's more than the Marlins, Astros, Rays, A's and Indians had committed to their opening rosters, and nearly as much as the Pirates.

To put it mildly, that's a lot of dead money. But the free-spending Dodgers really aren't impacted in the slightest. The biggest concern for new president Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi is building the best possible 25-man roster they can today, money be damned. If that means swallowing the $10 million still owed to Brian Wilson, so be it. It that means chipping in $10 million to trade Dan Haren, that's what they'll do. It's like running amok with your credit card, but also not caring because you're satisfied today and your funds are essentially unlimited.

Unfortunately, the majority of us will never operate under those financial conditions in our daily lives, but it's the way every fan wishes their favorite team would operate. Of course, the reality is that's not possible for the majority of sports franchises either, but the Dodgers can and they've obviously taken it to extreme lengths.

The biggest example of the Dodgers willingness to spend now and ask questions later is the first player on that list. When the Dodgers signed Hector Olivera to a six-year, $62.5 million deal with a $28 million signing bonus in March, many wondered where the 30-year-old infielder would fit. Obviously, the Dodgers weren't too worried about it. If he fit, he fit. If he didn't, they'd do exactly what they did, eat some money and turn him into someone who does fit.

On July 30, Olivera was included in that wild three-team, 13-player trade with the Marlins and Braves, which helped Los Angeles fill out its starting rotation. In doing so, they ate the $1,267,760 remaining on his deal this season and the entire $28 million bonus, all for a guy who never reached their major league club.

It's almost mind-boggling when you think about it, but that's the Dodgers current way. And that's not the only example. The folks at True Blue LA have a complete breakdown of the Dodgers payroll — which now exceeds $300 million — including the details or who's owed what and why.

You'll also find the Dodgers have another $26 million invested in pitchers who aren't likely to see the field this season. Among those is Bronson Arroyo, who was also acquired in the 13-player trade.

One other point worth noting: The Dodgers free-spending ways has yet to lead to a World Series appearance, let alone a championship. That could change this season, or we could be reminded again that money can only buy so much success. The rest has to be earned.