As expected, Monday’s season wrap-up press conference with Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Monday afternoon spent quite a bit of time discussing the pending free agency of several key members of the team and whether or not the Dodgers would be re-signing them. Also as expected, their answers didn’t exactly exude confidence among Dodger fans.

The two names generating the most interest (and questions) were, of course, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and closer Kenley Jansen. And although both Friedman and Roberts were very specific about wanting both guys back next season, neither left the gathered media feeling confident that either would happen or what the team would look like next season.

“Obviously it’s a tough question to answer right now. I think there are definitely scenarios in which we look pretty similar, I think there’s scenarios where I think most often you see some changes. What that means? We don’t know yet,” Friedman said. “But we have a lot of talented players that are free agents and I expect that we’ll have on-going dialog essentially with each and every one of them

“There’s just so many different ways that the off-season can play out. It’s so hard to try to corral it at this point and have a great sense for how it’s going to play out,” Friedman added. “We spent some time kind of talking about it this month. Our attention span didn’t allow for us to delve into it too deeply, so we’re playing a little bit of catch-up and working through a bunch of different scenarios and things, and we’ll be prepared depending on which way it goes.”

Although Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman acknowledged that there has been dialog with all of their pending free agents, they declined to get into the details of those discussions – nor did anyone really expect them to. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

When asked specifically about Jansen, Friedman gave an answer that although a bit more comforting, was equally ambiguous.

“Kenley has had a tremendous career as a Dodger that we hope will continue. He has obviously set the Dodgers’ save record this year, he’s been a big part of our past success, we hope he’s a part of our future success,” said Friedman. “The specifics of negotiations with any player we don’t delve into but it’s well documented what he has meant to this organization and we’ll kind of play things out this winter.”

In the event that the Dodgers are unable to re-sign Kenley does Friedman have someone in-house who he feels might be able to step into the closer role?

“I don’t know. The pre-spring training presser you can ask that question. We’ve got a lot more work to do,” Friedman said. “We’ve got a lot of internal guys that we’re excited about that will help us win games next year. Obviously we’ve got work to do augmenting around it and we anticipate it being a busy winter, and we’ve got time to kind of work through it.”

The other hot topic at Monday’s press conference had to do with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw after his rough outing that brought an end to the Dodgers’ World Series hopes; more specifically, his health.

“He feels good,” said Friedman of Kershaw. “Talking to him today, talking to him after (Saturday’s) game and, in fact, spent some time with him today, he feels good. Like all of our guys, we have exit physicals and conversations with trainers and doctors and I’m sure that will take place. I don’t expect it to be anything that is newsworthy, so he ended the year and felt good.”

Asked about comments that both he and Roberts had made earlier in the season regarding the possibility that their 28-year-old ace might need back surgery, Friedman’s answer caused a collective sigh of relief from among the audience.

“I don’t anticipate that being necessary,” said the Dodgers’ top executive.

How about the rest of the team? Are there any other pending off-season surgeries on the table?

“If so we’ll let you know,” said Friedman, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd. “I mean, nothing front of mind, but if so we’ll let you know.”

Friedman’s answer brought one of the lighter moments to the Monday afternoon presser at Dodger Stadium. Asked it there was one thing that he did this year as a first-year manager that he won’t do next year, Roberts drew the biggest laugh of the day.

“I won’t say ‘Clayton Kershaw … I won’t mention the word ‘surgery,'” said the Dodger skipper with a smile. “Surgery in the same sentence with Kershaw, I won’t do that.”

Roberts got a laugh from reporters when he said that he will never again use the words “Kershaw” and “Surgery” in the same sentence. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Speaking of Dave Roberts, earlier in the day it was announced that the first-year manager had been named the National League Manager of the Year by Sporting News. Asked what this prestigious honor means to him, the 44-year-old Naha, Okinawa, Japan native gave the answer that you probably expected.

“Obviously the number one goal is to play in the World Series and we came up short, so to get recognized, it’s a great honor but I think that it’s something that for me is a team award, it really is,” Roberts said “I can’t tell you how much support I had in my first year and obviously the title says ‘Manager of the Year’ but again, it’s a team and organization award for me.”

Aside from the Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw questions, the next hot topic had to do with rookie shortstop sensation (and Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year) Corey Seager; more specifically, if the Dodgers might consider moving him over to third base if they are, in fact, unable to come to terms with third baseman Justin Turner.

“No, I don’t anticipate that,” said Friedman.

“That’s not even on our radar,” added Roberts.

Asked if he expects his full coaching staff to return next season, Roberts was very clear on that one, and with good cause.

“Yes. We don’t see any changes.”

What does Roberts like about his coaching staff?

“There’s a lot of things, I think,” Roberts said. “I think that with the coaches to come together in a first year, a lot of us to be together [for the first time], I think the work ethic, the willingness, eagerness to teach, the energy was consistent all year long. So I think that for the first year, us trying to get to know one another, them to get to know the players and connect with the players – which is the most important thing – we did that. So I’m excited to move onto year two.”

Although hope springs eternal and all that, Roberts summed up the just-concluded 2016 season best and he and his team already have their sights on 2017.

“I think that when you’re in Chicago and you have a goal and we came up two wins short of getting to the World Series, there’s obviously a high level of disappointment, frustration, all the different adjectives,” Roberts said. “But I do think though that, to a man, it was more of something that we felt that we were good enough to get there and make no excuses, we just didn’t accomplish our goal.

“But I think that it’s the look in the eye, the determination and the guys that we’re going to have next year – there’s going to be a large nucleus of guys that come back next season – that know the feeling, that are prepared to take that next step. The process … the foundation is all in place. There is something, you live around those guys, there’s a feeling of confidence, certainly.”

Is it time for Dodger baseball yet?