Dodgers News: Chris Woodward Returns to Organization in New Role
The Dodgers are brining back an old friend. Chris Woodward, who worked as LA’s third-base coach from 2016-2018, is coming back to the organization, this time as a special assistant in the front office. Jack Harris of the LA Times reported on the agreement.
Woodward left the Dodgers after the 2018 season, as he was hired by the Texas Rangers to be their new manager. In his three-plus seasons in Texas, Woodward went 211-287, with a win percentage of just .424. And after spending big last offseason — including signing SS Corey Seager to a massive 10-year, $325 million deal — the Rangers struggled, and Woodward was let go.
One of the reasons Seager reportedly wanted to sign with Texas in the first place is that he wanted to reunite with Woodward. Seager credited Woodward for helping him a lot in his three years in Los Angeles, and was excited to get to play for him again. However, Woodward was fired after 114 games, and is now back in Los Angeles. Funny how things work out.
Woodward will be doing a lot of different things in the Dodgers’ organization, according to Harris. He should move around quite a bit, as he provides assistance all over the organization.
Welcome back to the Dodgers, Chris!
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I used to bemoan Dave Roberts as manager of the Dodgers and how he pulled boneheaded moves, but I believe I was wrong in assigning blame. I believe the only way he became manager was if he agreed to manage the way Freidman told him to manage. And the way anybody has a chance to get the on field managerial job will be if, and only if, they agree to manage how Freidman wants them to manage. Freidman is the off field manager as well as the defacto on field manager, through his avatar in the dugout. Unfortunately, it’s from his head, but without a sense of things in the moment, and the ability to follow an impulse with full reactivity, you can lose the ballgame. Freidman doesn’t seem to contain both, which could be helped by bringing back Woodward into the fold, but given the description of his new duties and Freidman’s lack of wanting to change his methods, I sadly doubt it.
This is why I always chuckle when people report Kershaw might join Rangers because He is familiar with Woodward. Managers and coaches come and go and players know that