Former Dodgers Reporter Alanna Rizzo Discusses Another Early Postseason Exit for LA
The fallout of the Dodgers’ shocking exit from the 2023 postseason still emanates around the league. The big question of what went wrong again for a 100-win team is on the minds of fans and pundits. As part of a greater conversation about the team and the playoffs and the future of the organization, MLB Network analyst and former Dodgers reporter Alanna Rizzo spoke with our Doug McKain in a deep dive conversation about everything surrounding the the team.
One key thread from the chat focuses on Dave Roberts and the tough position he was in. Yes, the offense was non-existent in the quick NLDS sweep. But, was Roberts set up for failure from the jump with the weak rotation he was stuck with?
Rizzo’s assessment of the 2023 season for Roberts was that it might be his best managerial job ever considering the constant state of turmoil the pitching staff was in.
The Dodgers and Andrew Friedman attempted to add some big time arms at the trade deadline but was unwilling to pay a premium for the guys like Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander. Eduardo Rodriguez rejected a trade to LA and the club was forced to pivot to home run happy Lance Lynn who ultimately was all they were left with as a last line of defense as it were in the postseason.
Offensively, Rizzo chose to look in the rearview mirror at some key sluggers no longer wearing Dodger blue with Justin Turner and Corey Seager who signed elsewhere after the 2022 and 2021 seasons respectively.
Overall, it’s an interesting and at times enlightening conversation between and Alanna and Doug and can be found on our YouTube channel here, or in the video player at the top of this article. Share your thoughts in the comments here or on YouTube.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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I get people blaming Dave Roberts for another early exit, I do, but I still think that’s incredibly short sighted and I think Alanna is right. He could have had 2001 Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling start Games 1 & 2 and 2014 Madison Bumgarner start Game 3 and the Dodgers still would have been swept. You can’t win games if you can’t score. And it’s now 9 out of 11 Postseasons that the Dodgers have flat out not hit. At some point you have to start blaming the people who are actually playing the game and not doing their jobs year after year. This years early exit is 90% on the offense, 9% on the starting pitching and 1% on Dave Roberts in my opinion.
And I also understand people clamoring for Seager and Justin Turner but come on. Outside of 2020 go look at Seager’s Dodgers Postseason stats, they’re not good. He was pretty bad before 2020 and he was pretty bad in 2021. He’s really only been good at Globe Life Field in the Postseason. And in 2021/22 Justin Turner’s age caught up with him and he could not hit anything over 97 mph to save his life.
But then I look at what Trea’s doing this Postseason and I just have to laugh. The guy was atrocious for us over two Postseason runs (cost us the series last year IMO) and then he leaves and all of a sudden turns into a Postseason legend. Freddie was great for the Braves in 2021 then comes here and completely disappears over 7 Postseason games. Mookie wasn’t great for the Sox in the Postseason but he’s been pretty much unplayable for us since the 2020 run. Maybe it’s the players feeling pressure when they put on the Dodger uniform knowing all the past failures that have occurred but it’s absolutely wild to me how superstar players come to LA and forget how to hit in October. I’m truly excited for Shohei’s $500 million contract and for him to put up 50 homers and 120 RBI in the regular season and then have a .120 avg with 0 homers and 0 RBI in the Postseason ????
Will the Dodgers ever NOT make us miserable after a 162 game season in October? I’m starting to doubt it…
Well put, and I’m starting to doubt we’ll see a great postseason performance anytime soon.
Yes, the hitters are definitely choking in all of these postseasons, but they are not the same players over time. How does this happen to the same team but with various superstars over the years? You mentioned Trea Turner turning it on this year but being atrocious for us last year. That’s a great example of how things have been over the past decade. How do you explain that? It’s more than just the hitters choking at the wrong time. Something’s up with the strategy management comes up with in their approach to the playoffs. Something or someone’s gotta give.
Not sure why Dodger nation feels the Dodgers fell short. This is who they are! Clayton Kershaw is their best pitcher, and his post season record speaks for itself.
The regular season and post season are two different things. Some people rise up to the pressure and some choke. Stop expecting a leopard to change its spots. This is who they are!
Clayton Kershaw is my favorite Dodger ever, but i don’t expect him to come through in the playoffs. He is just not up to the task, he becomes mediocre in the post season. As do his team mates.
Here we are in the NL/AL Championship series with 3 Wild Card teams and one division winner. This is no good. Go back to 1 Wild Card winner, which would be the highest winning percentage winner after the Division winners and go to a best of 7 game Division series. The best teams are gone; Atlanta with 103 wins; Baltimore with 101; Dodgers with 100; Tampa Bay with 99. We are left with teams of 84-90 wins and could have a Wild Card WS. You can do better. Sincerely, Jeffrey McMeans
Dodger fan whose team lost out to teams with 84 wins two years in a row and who were cheated by Houston Astros in 2017 with no repercussions worth speaking of…
Agreed that Roberts did what he could with what he had. However, why are multi-million dollar players unable to come through in the clutch? Look at the teams in the playoffs today and what one sees, in my opinion, is heart. Why are some great players eager to leave the Dodgers? Why are some reluctant to sign here? Change has to start at the TOP and that means Friedman and Roberts. Where did the excitement come from this year? The young, hungry players. Dodgers ownership admitted what everyone in MLB knows: people will fill those seats no matter what and so there is no great pressure to win. (And, by the way, a damaged Ohtani isn’t the answer!)
Maybe if we surround Freeman and Betts with young, hungry players, it will light a fire. (I have contended for the last two seasons that Betts’ body breaks down in the last third of the season. He probably needs to be rested more although that’s not exactly what we thought we were paying for…maybe a little less bowling!)
For all you who want to dump Dave Roberts, here are some facts regarding our past beloved managers:
1. Walt Alston, 23 seasons, 7 pennants, 4 World Series
2. Tommy Lasorda, 20 seasons, 4 pennants, 2 World Series
3. Dave Roberts, 11 seasons, 10 division titles, 3 pennants, 1 World Series.
Let’s give the guy a break! I remember all those calling for Tommy Lasorda’s fireing over the years. Let it go!!!
I don’t have the stats for division titles for the first two, but I’m sure they were good. And I know Roberts has not had a losing season, and these guys did.
I am sorry for these losses, but as I have stated before, these players had more to lose, and hurt more than we, the fans.
Let’s just put this year behind and look to another exciting year of great baseball!