Dodgers: Dave Roberts Talks About What it Means to Finally Deliver Title to LA

32 years is a long time. Eight straight postseason berths without a ring is a lot. Zero-for-two in World Series appearances is painful. But the Dodgers finally got there. And the man at the helm for the club has gone through more than enough trials and tribulations during his tenure. 

Yes, Dave Roberts finally delivered that elusive title to Los Angeles. This week, he chatted with the great Rich Eisen about what it means to him to bring a trophy home to title town, USA. Especially with all the pressure that has been mounting.

Two words that resonated with me, Rich… ‘finally’ and ‘pressure.’ You know I think that in my position, in my DNA, I don’t really let that bleed into my job because I feel like it’ll be compromised day to day. I’m always kinda looking out, looking to the next day. But after that final out was made, I think the finality of it, the pressure that seeped in ultimately showed itself. And I feel a lot more relieved than I do overjoyed — which I don’t know if it’s a bad thing or good thing.

There has been a strangeness to this championship. Perhaps that lends itself to the drama surrounding Justin Turner after game 6 or even the weird 60 game season. But another possibility could be that this team being so built to win for at least the last four or five seasons has made some of us feel that sense of relief more than the joy of victory.

For Doc, however, he’s on his way to feeling more of that happiness associated with winning.

I think the joy will kind of show itself even more, but I guess I just didn’t appreciate the pressure that I was under, that I put on myself — whatever it might be — but I’m just so excited for the organization, for the fans to win a championship.

Notably, even with the relief overtaking the joy in the early going, make no mistake that there is that reason to be happy. To celebrate. And much of it is owed to Dave Roberts, World Series champion manager.

NEXT: Dave Roberts Thrilled for Clayton Kershaw to Finally Change the Narrative