What makes a great team? The easy answer, of course is the players. There's a reason why superteams are so highly touted. However, an underrated component of team-building is hiring the right person to build the team in the first place. That's what the Los Angeles Dodgers had in mind when they hired former Seattle Mariners star Raul Ibanez as their VP for Baseball Development, per Fabian Ardaya.

“The Dodgers have hired former big leaguer Raúl Ibañez as their new VP of Baseball Development and Special Projects.”

Prior to taking the Dodgers job, Ibanez was a senior VP for on-field operations in the MLB.  A one-time All-Star in 2009, Ibanez now takes a more prominent role for one of the most prestigious teams in the league. He will likely be in charge of the development of the team around their new stars.

The Dodgers have made a lot of changes in the last few weeks of the off-season. The biggest change, of course, is the addition of Shohei Ohtani to the team. While Ohtani won't be pitching due to his Tommy John surgery, his bag adds another consistent power hitter to a lineup boasting many elite hitters.

LA is hoping that Shohei's arrival will be the final push they need to win it all again. After clinching the World Series in 2020, the Dodgers have fallen short of the ultimate goal year after year. Perhaps Ibanez' work as a VP for the team helps them build around Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.