Dodgers Wednesday Lineup Was Incredible Testament to Team's Player Development

In today's professional sports, building a superstar-centric roster is the trendy way to enter championship contention. However, not every team is required to break the bank in order to add some talent. While the Dodgers in the past have been some of baseball's biggest offseason spenders, those moves haven't always panned out.

It seems the team has changed its method, as their lineup Wednesday was largely homegrown. Most of the players in the lineup were developed within the Dodgers' system, and the club is reaping the benefits of utilizing patience with their young players.

While the San Diego Padres signed former Dodger Manny Machado to a ten-year, $300 million contract, and the Philadelphia Phillies are on the hook to pay Bryce Harper $30 million per year for the next 13 years as he hits below .250, the Dodgers are consistently winning with the players they've had all along.

Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers best player this season, has yet to enter arbitration and is making just $605,000 this season, despite being an MVP candidate.

Corey Seager, the club's first round pick from the 2012 draft, is making just $4 million this year, while Alex Verdugo, Wednesday night's walk-off hero, is earning $560,000 and is still in pre-arbitration, so the team can tender an offer to him this offseason.

Justin Turner joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal in 2014, making it back to the big leagues that spring and becoming one of the most productive players on the roster. The team had a similar method of acquiring Max Muncy, who was let go by the A's, and he has been a consistent source of power for the team.

And Wednesday's starting pitcher Walker Bueler was a playing college baseball just four years ago, and has a 5-1 record that is costing the club just $520,000 this year.

While the Dodgers do have superstar talent, and are paying guys as such, it's been the glue guys who are putting this team over the top, and they're doing it for a minimal cost. The Dodgers' knocked it out of the park with their player development in recent years, and they have a plethora of team-friendly contracts on the books, with players helping them inch closer to achieving the World Series title that has avoided them for the past few years.