MLB's villains or heroes? How Los Angeles Dodgers got here

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The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't just a baseball team these days. They are a symbol. For fans of the other 29 major league clubs, they are a source of either indignation or longing. For rival owners -- and the commissioner who answers to them -- they exemplify a widening payroll disparity that must be addressed. For players, and the union that represents them, they are a beacon, embodying all the traits of successful organizations: astute at player development, invested in behind-the-scenes components that make a difference and, most prominently, eager to pump their outsized revenues back into the roster.

The Dodgers employ seven players on nine-figure contracts, with five…