Los Angeles Dodgers Midseason Report Card: NL’s best record, baseball’s biggest payroll and room for improvement

When grading the Dodgers' first half of the season, money matters. This is the most expensive team in baseball history with an opening-day payroll north of $235 million, according to the Associated Press. It has to sting to see the small-market Oakland A's (opening-day payroll: $83.4 million, per AP) with the major leagues' best record at 59-36.