Dave Roberts Shares Perspective Watching Dodgers While Managed by Danny Lehmann
It’s not often an MLB manager gets to watch their team play from home. An early ejection could cause them to watch from the clubhouse, but aside from that, it would take a special circumstance to force a manager to be away from the team.
On Saturday, in the Dodgers second game of a three-game set against the division rival Padres, Dave Roberts got that experience.
Roberts was with his family, celebrating his son’s graduation back in Los Angeles. After the graduation, Roberts was able to catch his team play — and win — live on his iPad. He was asked how it was to watch a game like that, with no control over in-game decisions (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).
“More nervous,” Roberts said. “With the vantage point of watching the game, you can see … more balls and strikes. Then I’m more emotional, because from the side you can only see (pitch) height, or if a guy gets a hit, or hangs a breaking ball, or whatever. I can show my emotions more than being in the dugout. So I was more emotional.”
The Dodgers ended up getting the victory in bench coach Danny Lehmann’s managerial debut. The bullpen almost blew it out, but RHP Brusdar Graterol was able to get out of an 8th inning jam, and RHP Evan Phillips closed the door in the 9th.
Roberts was back with the team on Sunday, as the Dodgers came from behind for a 5-2 extra-inning victory.
Roberts pushed all the right buttons in the bullpen, with Yency Almonte, Victor Gonzalez, Caleb Ferguson and Evan Phillips combining to pitch 4.1 shutout innings and ultimately getting the victory. Those four allowed just one hit and zero walks while striking out six. It was pure dominance from the Dodgers’ pen.
The Dodgers are now in Milwaukee for a three-game series with the Brewers. Roberts is going to be with the team all series, so he’ll have to keep his emotions in check over in the dugout.
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