Sawt Falasteen - Dodgers chasing repeat as baseball readies for Opening Day

The Dodgers are aiming to become the first team to successfully defend their MLB title since 2000, when the New York Yankees won the last of a hat-trick of Fall Classics following championships in 1998 and 1999.

Already one of the most lavishly talented teams in baseball, with a fearsome batting line-up led by Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers face the Detroit Tigers in Thursday's home opener looking even more formidable.

After defeating the Yankees 4-1 in last October's heavyweight World Series showdown, the Dodgers wasted no time in bolstering their pitching resources during the offseason with the acquisition of several elite arms.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was brought in on a five-year $182 million contract, while the Dodgers also snagged the services of Roki Sasaki, the Japanese prodigy who will now link up with compatriots Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Add in the arrival of relievers Tanner Scott and two-time All-Star Kirby Yates, and it is easy to see why the Dodgers have been installed as early favorites to defend their crown.

Yet the Dodgers' recruitment has not come without controversy. Several rival teams and commentators have complained that the deep-pocketed Californian giants are "ruining baseball".

Those criticisms prompted Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball's commissioner, to come to the Dodgers' defense last month.

"No," Manfred said, when asked if the Dodgers were hurting the sport. "I don't agree with that. The Dodgers are a really well-run, successful organization. Everything that they do and have done is consistent with our rules. They're trying to give their fans the best possible product.

"There are fans in other markets who are concerned about their teams' ability to compete, and we always have to be concerned when our fans are concerned about something. But pinning it on the Dodgers -- not in that camp."

- 'Haters going to hate' -

The Dodgers themselves meanwhile appear to be indifferent about the criticism.

"I don't think anybody in the clubhouse cares -- haters are going to hate, right?" new pitching recruit Yates said.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman -- the MVP of last year's World Series victory -- said the team was simply reaping the rewards of its success on and off the field.

"I've been told about the 'ruining baseball' and all this," Freeman said recently.

"Like I've told you before, to be part of an organization that puts a contending team on the field year in and year out, and what I mean by that is fans are pouring their hard-earned money into us when they come to Dodger Stadium, and to see an organization put it back into the team, I think that's why everyone is so happy.

"There's a buzz around here. There was a buzz last year when we got Shohei, and there is a major buzz here now. That's a testament to our organization, our fans, our front office. Players want to come here."

The Dodgers' regular season campaign is already up and running, following two opening victories over the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Series earlier this month.

Elsewhere, the Dodgers will be looking over their shoulder at the threat posed by the New York Mets, who they defeated in the National League Championship Series last season to reach the Fall Classic.

The Mets strengthened their batting line-up in the offseason by signing Juan Soto from the New York Yankees on a mammoth 15-year $765 million deal -- a bold statement from team ownership that they do not plan on remaining in the Dodgers' shadow.

The Yankees meanwhile head into the season under a cloud of uncertainty.

While the arrival of Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt may offset the offensive firepower that left with Soto's departure to the Mets, the Yankees received a crushing blow earlier this month when ace pitcher Gerrit Cole was ruled out for the season due to Tommy John elbow surgery.

R.Halabi--SF-PST