Dave Roberts Put Together His Best Season Yet as a Manager, Says Dodgers Analyst
It’s hard to look at the 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers and say it was a successful season. The standard is the standard in Los Angeles, and for the Dodgers, it’s winning World Series titles. When that doesn’t happen, it’s fair to say it was a failure of a season.
You could point out many things that went wrong with the Dodgers this past season, and you could be right, but one thing you cannot do is point the finger at the skipper Dave Roberts. Now, before you go into the comments and type “Fire Roberts,” hear me out.
Roberts was not responsible for allowing six runs in the first inning of game one in the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks; he was not responsible for the offense going cold, including LA’s top two guys, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. In fact, he put them in the best position possible to compete and win in the NLDS.
Be it as it may, they still lost in convincing fashion to the Diamondbacks. But still, it takes the players to step up, and that didn’t happen. All that aside, Roberts coached to the best of his capabilities and exceeded expectations, but don’t take my word for it; take former Dodger and current analyst for the team from SportsNet LA, Jerry Hairston Jr.
J. Hair joined Dodgers Nation TV’s Doug McKain recently and went so far as to say that Robert’s coached the best he has this past season.
“What he did throughout the regular season. I said it, this was his best managerial performance to date. I think he will even continue to get better. With a doubt, Dave Roberts is the man for this job.”
(per Jerry Hairston Jr. via Dodgers Nation TV)
This version of the Dodgers was supposed to have a down year, considering they didn’t go all out for last year’s free agents, lost some key pieces in free agency, and others in their league improved mightily.
Still, LA dominated the regular season as they always did. Rookie after rookie made their debut for the Boys in Blue, and some stuck around longer than usual to help LA capture their tenth division title in 11 years.
The goal is a championship, I know; I’m on that boat as well. However, when you consider all the facts, LA overachieved, and a large part has to do with the eight-year skipper.
Love it or hate it, Dave is here to stay for as long as the front office wants to keep it.
Dave Roberts Contract Status
The Dodgers and Dave Roberts agreed to a three-year contract extension ahead of the 2022 season which will keep him in Los Angeles through 2025. He’ll be 53 at the end of that contract and barring something unforeseen, figures to remain with the Dodgers for years to come.
Before his most recent extension, Roberts and the Dodgers came together on a four-year extension spanning the 2019-2022 seasons. His originally hired by the Dodgers in November 2015, signing a three year contract after Don Mattingly exited the organization.
The the Dodgers have had the best and the most paid roster in the last eight years and we only won one title. That’s a shame. Need to get rid of. Roberts makes horrible decisions. We can name multiple ridiculous decisions. He made. I don’t see how front office does not see that Fire Roberts.
There was no script handed down from the front office, no dictums from analysts. General manager Chris Young, who had played for Bochy, told him when he was hired that Young would let him manage, and that’s what Bochy did all summer, and through the postseason. Watch. React. Manage.
As long as roberts is manager, the Dodgers will continue to fail to win a World Series Championship! The fans don’t want excuses, they want solutions. A skipper that continues to run a ship aground needs to GO!!
ANY major league manager would have the same winning percentage as Roberts with the talent this team has year in and year out. But, if you can’t win in the post-season, then how much is really on the team, or the manager? Which is why there’s only one trophy in the case the last eight years. And it’s only because the Tampa coach removed Snell early. That trophy was given to the Dodgers. Roberts cannot coach the post-season. His record proves that. So, blow all the smoke up our assess you want Ricardo. But, the post-season record is what really matters. Roberts sucks after September 30….
2 problem with your analysis.
1) NO Dogers Fan would have given the first game to a certified bona-fide game 1 loser pitcher.
2) He waits forever to remove a struggling pitcher than replaces a great pitcher because he wants to play statistics.
Both those are manager decisions. The other comment is correct, a mediocre manager can have the same success with that same team roster.
Roberts is terrible. Any other manager would have won 5 World Series already with the talent he has had ovee the years since he was named manager of the Dodgers.
He needs to go!