Dodgers News: Dave Roberts is Under More Pressure Than Andrew Friedman, Says National Reporter
When it comes to the hot seat this season, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is sitting atop a throne made of ice.
It honestly doesn’t matter what the Los Angeles Dodgers do this season. Because superstar Shohei Ohtani’s contract has an opt-out clause if either Friedman or controlling owner Mark Walter leaves the team, Friedman isn’t going anywhere.
That said, ESPN’s national baseball reporter Buster Olney believes manager Dave Roberts should be watching the flames beneath his chair. If the season is deemed a failure, Roberts could be the one out of a job — it surely won’t be Friedman.
“There is enormous pressure on Brian Cashman right now, their (Yankees) general manager,” Olney told Doug McKain. “There’s enormous pressure on (Yankees manager) Aaron Boone. Is there enormous pressure on Andrew Friedman at this moment? No. They don’t win the World Series, I don’t think he has pressure.
“However, I do think there’s a lot of pressure on Dave Roberts,” Olney continued. “I do think, probably because as a manager who’s not making as much money as Andrew, it’s a lot easier to change the manager than any other spot. So I think that pressure point is on that manager spot for the Dodgers this year.”
The Dodgers enter the second half with a comfortable seven-game lead in the National League West. However, they currently have six starting pitchers on the injured list along with All-Star shortstop Mookie Betts and third baseman Max Muncy.
Los Angeles should be getting Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow back shortly after the break along with outfielder Jason Heyward. Betts, Muncy, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto likely will be back in August. That’ i’s why it isn’t time to hit the panic button yet.
Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
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Roberts is looking forward to opening the’25 season in Japan with all the hype. Huh, he will not be adjust around to see it. He has no excuse with all the talent money can buy and the resources the Dodgers have given him. Injuries are part of the game and it’s not an excuse…every team have them too where a smart manager still knows how to adjust and win. If he doesn’t win the WS this year, fans are already frustrated and will be asking for a change.
They do need a change. Not sure if that is Roberts. The change shoud be unloading the dead weight. Lux, Taylor, Kike, Outman, and Biggio. Trade Lux and Outman.
Time for Roberts to go…he can’t manage himself out of a wet paper bag. My goodness your pitcher walks 3 guys in the eight inning…gives up to two hits…why is the pitcher still in the game? Six runs and more are coming in…it’s bad enough to have to compete against the other team but when you manager does not know how to make decisions time to pull all my hair out. I can no longer watch tthe Dodgers. No leadershop on that club!!!!!
Why won’t Dave sacrifice bunt in extra innings? The “percentage play” is to bunt the runner to 3rd, so he can score on a fly ball, wild pitch, bad hop grounder, etc. He did it one game earlier this year and the Dodgers won. Didn’t do it last night and we lost. Also, his pitcher changes/selections mystify me. Especially when a reliver struggles and gives up a lead or blows a game. Dave’s answer typically is to put that pitcher “right back in there” the next game, which typically results in that pitcher struggling in back-to-back games and the Dodgers blowing back-to-back games.
Would you guys quit telling the Truth about DRRRRRR.. Last time we all wanted him gone this site banned us. Gestapo like….
Btw, has anyone noticed Will Smith’s batting average lately? It has dropped significantly in the last eight weeks.