Now we know why the Los Angeles Dodgers won a division title in Joe Torre‘s first season: positive energy coming from Boston.
Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt paid Vladimir Shpunt, a 71-year-old Russian healer who lives in Boston, a large sum of money — reportedly in the high six figures, at least — to send positive thoughts to the Dodgers.
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Shpunt “worked” for the Dodgers for five seasons and he must have done something right. They won three division titles during this time. Clearly there is no other explanation, right?
But Shpunt’s tenure ended with Los Angeles after the 2008 season. Dodger beat reporters had fun with this, asking Torre if he felt the division title won that season was tainted because they received outside help. Later, one writer mentioned that Shpunt might have had a bigger impact than Torre.
To which Torre reportedly smiled and told a Los Angeles Times reporter, “I’m against domestic violence, but you’re not a member of my family.”
