Dodgers News: MLB Analysts Think Dave Roberts is at Fault for NLDS Loss
Several names deserve blame within the Dodgers’ organization after their wholesale collapse against the Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLDS.
One of the most common people among them is manager Dave Roberts who one analyst believes is the main reason why LA lost in embarrassing fashion.
“I thought Dave Roberts did his worst managing job last night. Worst I’ve seen in years,” MLB Network analyst Brian Kenny said. “There’s a lot of failure to go around, but there are certain things you can control. And when you are eliminated from your postseason without using your best pitchers, that is under your control, that is under your manager’s control.”
via Brian Kenny, MLB Network
Kenny wasn’t the only one to toss blame Roberts’ way as analst Rob Parker also chimed in with his take on the underachieving Dodgers’ skipper.
“Terrible job, I’m sorry. I’m so tired of all the excuses. BK, this is what I’ll ask you. This is what I hear. ‘Oh, well it’s not fair. He doesn’t hit, he doesn’t pitch.’ Well when they win World Series’ a manager gets credit and he didn’t hit or pitch in those situations. You can’t keep winning 100 games and lose the first time you’re in the playoffs. The divisional round, this is now two years in a row where they’ve gotten knocked out. It cannot continue to happen.”
via Rob Parker, MLB Network
Kenny’s take on the loss likely spans from some curious decision making on Roberts’ part in terms of his battered pitching staff.
All three of LA’s starters failed to finish three innings in the series and despite a Herculean job by the bullpen to keep the Dodgers in the latter two games, the offense fell silent all series long.
Reports during Game 3 surfaced that Roberts didn’t want to use Ryan Pepiot in the elimination scenario as he was planning ahead for Games 4 and 5 that never happened.
Such forward thinking is shocking to hear and an approach to what could happen rather than what did occur on the field Wednesday night is alarming to both Kenny and Dodger fans alike.
Parker opted for a wholesale perspective on LA during Roberts’ entire tenure as Dodger manager as gaudy regular season win totals have not equaled adequate postseason success in his eyes.
Four straight full seasons with 100 wins or more have resulted in just one NLCS appearance — let alone a spot in the Fall Classic — despite some of the best talent in the league over the past decade.
How much Roberts is to blame for the front office’s approach to their operation remains to be seen but changes are set to hit the Dodgers this winter one way or another.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Fragile ,wimpy,gutless,soulless baseball.This is what Dodger fans get to see in the post season.Let’s start by firing Roberts and if Friedman has anything to do with any genius analytical managerial decisions,make a change.Give them the job opportunity to improve those non edible hot dogs! Try not to fail!
About time someone placed blame where it belongs.. I have said for years Roberts is a horrible manger… and I don’t care if he hAS A 100 WINS FOR 4 years.. he can’t manage in a short series.. never has look at his record..
Good observation, Ken. Of course, his supporters will say “look at his record, look at his winning percentage”. Well, that’s great if they give you the World Series trophy for ‘best record’. However, any MLB manager would have his record and winning percentage with the talent this team has year in and year out. Saying that’s not so is a straw man argument. And don’t forget, the only reason they won it all in 2020 is because the Tampa coach pulled Blake Snell, whom the Dodgers had NO answer for. Roberts must go, or we will be left to cheer until game 162, then stop watching…
The biggest criticism I have is Roberts using Kershaw as the game 1 starter. The other starters he used in games 2 and 3 were because they had adequate rest.
As for the position players, one view that does hold some water is that the layoff hurt their timing a bit. My view is that this may have been part of the reason for the poor hitting performance by Betts and Freeman and others—but overall, I think the hitters stressed because the pressure on them ramped up each game where the opposing team scored early—once again pointing to the use of Kershaw game 1.
I have 2 questions about the LA Dodger personnel. Are they Professional Baseball players and how much do they get played? The 2nd question needs NO answer. We ALL know they get paid a lot of money. With all that money comes an obligation on their part hence the first question. I will agree Dave Roberts needs change his managerial ‘style. To manage a 162 game season is NOT the same when you’re in a play-off mode especially when it’s a best of 5 series. The one thing that has always made me crazy is Kershaw. Compare his seasonal record to his play-off record. His record during the play-offs (ALL OF THEM) is 13 wins & 13 loses with a 4.95 IRA. That’s not even mediocre. It appears he chokes. BUT he’s just one of 25 players so you can’t put it all on him. What happened to those 4 100 RBI hitters. THat’s WHY they get paid the big bucks too. Each player needs to take a DEEP look inside themselves for next season.
Roberts is the Les Miles of MLB he is provided the most talent and cannot win i the postseason. This team should have at least 3 championships in his tenure. It is time to get Iron Mike Scioscia in here and get them excited like Lasorda was able to. Time to change or stay the same!
I spoke to Mike Scioscia in July, at a baseball camp in Vero Beach, Fl, formerly Dodgertown. I told him he needs to take over the team. His response was “the Dodgers are in good hands. They will be fine”. Very non-controversial response.
Just wait for covid-20, WS BABY
I was soooo pi$$ed when Doc left Darvish in for a second inning back in 2 game 7 of ’17. This is just more of the same. He doesn’t seem to get it that the playoffs are all or nothing. You have to use everything in your cabinet to get to the next game so his excuse for not pitching Pepiot is just that, an excuse. I honestly think it is time for a change. New energy might be just what they need. But, of course, Doc will still be here next year and the next and on and on cause he is a front office darling. Something has to change…
Roberts’ managerial style is perfectly suited for the long haul regular season: a low key approach with patience and attention paid to each player’s needs and development. This is why the Dodgers have had so many 100 plus wins seasons and won the divisional championship numerous times.
However he lacks the high energy, intense, inspired, cut throat style needed to go all out in the postseason and win. The opposing teams are NOT going to play at the level they did in the regular season. Roberts needs to get the Dodgers to forget the laid back attitude (think Betts, Freeman, Bellinger) in the postseason and go for broke as though the world depended on it.
Until that happens expect more losing postseason performance.
Analytics? I’d rather lose without analytics then lose with analytics.The Dodgers look stupid!
Roberts has to go. You can’t run this back again next season.
I’m still mad and embarrassed to wear my Dodger hat…It’s time for Roberts to start selling those horrific Dodger dogs!Extra unions to kill the taste please!
Robert’s is the Dodgers worst enemy. Last year when he pulled Anderson the people that thought it was a good move was the Padres. The man had a 2 hitter shutout going and had retired 11 straight batters. His pitch count was in the low 80’s. It was a win or go home game and he pulled him, there’s not a manager in the world that would have pulled him except for maybe the Padres. Oh and using Barnes as a pinch hitter, give me a break. The decision to bench Outman and then not even use him when there was a crucial pinch hit opportunity that was genius also. I am so glad that finally somebody has come forward to tell the truth. The Dodgers regular season success was done despite having a manager that seems to be against them. Over the last several years Robert’s has made so mad and so frustrated that I almost couldn’t watch the Dodgers anymore, but I am true blue and that will never change. Do you remember how he treated Bellinger last year. That was unbelievable from batting him 8 & 9 too pinch hitting for him with who else but Barnes. Robert’s is why we don’t have belli anymore. Look what belli is doing now. Back to MVP form. He didn’t deserve to be treated the way Robert’s treated him. The man was hurt. Shoulder surgery for christ sake, duh!!! The only thing good that could possibly come out of this season would be Robert’s getting fired and Scioscia hired.
spot-on
I’ve been a Dodger fan an awfully long time – long enough to remember Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese, Tommy and Willie Davis, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, Maury Wills and many others. The Dogers seemingly found ways to greatness or the opposite. Many a year they’ve broken my heart. Dave Roberts is a great manager and I believe we should shut up criticizing him to much. We’ve had a great run several years now. Let’s hang up our cletes and get ready to play ball this coming spring. GO ( BUMS) I LOVE MY DODGERS!!!
I’ve been a Dodger fan an awfully long time – long enough to remember Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese, Tommy and Willie Davis, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, Maury Wills and many others. The Dogers seemingly found ways to greatness or the opposite. Many a year they’ve broken my heart. Dave Roberts is a great manager and I believe we should shut up criticizing him to much. We’ve had a great run several years now. Let’s hang up our cletes and get ready to play ball this coming spring. GO ( BUMS) I LOVE MY DODGERS!!!
Why isn’t anyone blaming the Braves manager for his team losing? No National League Baseball team has been in the playoffs more times than the Braves over the past three decades. They have won just two world championships in that span of time, the same number of times as the Dodgers. This season they had the best record in baseball, the presumptive MVP in Acuna, the home run leader in Matt Olson, a leading candidate for the Cy Young Award in Strider and home field advantage throughout the postseason. Who are these myopic critics looking at Dave Roberts through blinders? It’s obvious they’re just upset and looking for someone to blame. The truth is, the best players didn’t come through. And the Dodgers depleted pitching rotation was the primary reason they lost. With just one starter (Kershaw) still pitching, they did well in not entirely collapsing .
I agree with everyone here.. we need a change.. sure the Dodgers win 100 games year in and year out, but like someone mentioned any manager can do the same with the talent the Dodgers have. Every year I take four of my Grandkids too 10 to 12 games.. and just this week one of them said he didn’t want to go next year.. he said it’s sad that we win 100 games and can’t even make it to the second round of the playoffs.. this is why I agree 100 percent that we need a change. we cannot keep going like this.. it’s very sad when even our Grandkids see what’s happening with our Dodgers..
Hard to fool children. Even they know what a boob Davey is
Dave Roberts doesn’t understand how to manage in the post – season. As at least one of the previous posters noted, Roberts “laid back” philosophy, is fine in the regular season. In a short series, pitching decisions, have to fit that particular game ( not the long run). Roberts has consistently pulled starting pitchers early ( when pitching lights out), this is over his tenure as the Dodgers manager.
Allowing Lynn to give up 4 solo homers in an elimination game ( especially when the Dodgers weren’t scoring runs), alone should get Roberts fired. It won’t, and “history will repeat itself”, for as long as Roberts remains the Dodgers manager. Roberts isn’t astute enough to even see the errors of commission, and ommission, that he makes over and over. To expect different results, is …….. insanity!!
there are 2 independent aspects of games: pitching and hitting. the pitching is what Roberts can control the most, and I feel he leaves pitchers in way too long when most of us can see they are done. managing the pitching for the long haul does not work in a playoff series. each game is terribly important. the bullpen was great, and Doc should have gone to them a lot sooner in each case.
as for hitting, an entirely different story. for the past 2 years MLB has gone to a new, extended WC playoff — which has severely hurt the top seeds with the byes, including the Dodgers. the Braves have also been beaten early the past 2 years. this 5-day layoff kills the hitters — like coming back after the all-star break. it takes several games for hitters to get their timing and hand-eye back. MLB needs to fix this.