August 13th, 2018 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka You hear it every time a team struggles, especially at this time of year – “Fire (insert MLB manager’s name here)!”
We heard it with Bill Russell. We heard it with Glenn Hoffman. We heard it with Davey Johnson. We heard it with Jim Tracy. We heard it with Grady Little (a lot). Heck, we even heard it with New York Yankee greats Joe Torre and Don Mattingly.
If you noticed, that’s every Dodgers manager since Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda retired on July 29, 1996 one month after suffering a heart attack. It seems that no one would dare call for a manager who led his team to two World Series championships and too many National League pennants to count in his 20 seasons at the helm to be fired. (Funny how that works).
Well guess what the latest buzz on social media is?
Yep, “Fire Dave Roberts!” – especially after losing three of the four to the division-rival Colorado Rockies at unfriendly Coors Field this past weekend, two in walk-off fashion.
Not much went right for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ team this past weekend in Colorado. Then again, he wasn’t the one swinging the bat or making the pitches. (Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA)
As a result, social media exploded with claims that Roberts did not put his best line-up out there; did not allow his starters to go long enough or left them out there too long; brought in the wrong relievers in the wrong situations; pulled his relievers too soon or too late; and whatever other reasons fans believed was the cause for the NL West third place Rockies to move to within a half game of the second place Dodgers, who themselves have dropped to a full game behind the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks.
In the simplest of terms and much to the disappointment of those screaming “Fire Dave Roberts!”, it ain’t gonna happen; not now, not at the end of the 2018 season, and in all probability, not during or after the 2019 season.
Why, you ask?
First the facts.
Even though the 46-year-old Naha, Japan native and former UCLA Bruin is in the final year of his 3-year contract with the Dodgers, they hold a club option for the 2019 season, and there is no reason – absolutely none whatsoever – to believe that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Farhan Zaidi, or any one of the Guggenheim Baseball Management Group are even remotely unhappy with Dave Roberts, and will jump all over that club option. Why on earth wouldn’t they?
(Courtesy of baseballprospectus.com)
And now the logic.
In his first two seasons as the Dodgers manager, Roberts led his team to a combined 195-129 record. He reached the National League Championship Series in his first season at the helm, earning the 2016 National League Manager of the Year title along the way. He then reached the World Series in his second season and came (uggh) one game shy from winning it all. And with only 43 regular season games remaining this season, Roberts has his team at 64-55 (.538) and in excellent position to win their sixth consecutive National League West title.
Simply put, you just don’t fire a manager with a résumé like that – period. In fact, it would be a complete shock if the Dodgers do not offer Doc a multi-year contract extension this off-season well before his 2019 club option begins.
Make no mistake about it, Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman think the world of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, as does Dodgers ownership.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)
During spring training 2018, LA Times sports columnist Dylan Hernandez asked Zaidi if the Dodgers were planning to extent Roberts’ contract before it expires at the conclusion of the 2018 season, club option notwithstanding. As you might expect, Zaidi answered Hernandez’s question without really answering it.
“We’re not going to talk about every nook and cranny of our internal discussions on that issue publicly,” Zaidi said. “But needless to say, Doc’s done a great job. We have a great working relationship with him and we’re hoping to be together for a long time. He’s technically under contract for this season, with an option for the next, but we’re certainly hoping things extend beyond that.”
As for Roberts himself, he also gave Hernandez a classic Dave Roberts non-answer.
“We’re focused on winning,” Roberts said. “We’re focused on the ball club this year, so my contract is something that I’m not really putting much thought into. I know that myself, the organization, we’re synced up and know that we will discuss it at the proper time.”
But what if the unbelievable were to happen? What if the Dodgers actually do exercise their club option on Roberts and choose not to bring him back?
Enter Angels manager Mike Scioscia.
Last week it was being widely reported that the 59-year-old extremely popular former Dodgers catcher and 20-year Angels manager was planning to retire following the 2018 season; a report that Scioscia adamantly denied, calling it “poppycock.”
“Nothing has changed since we talked last October,” Scioscia told reporters prior to the Angels game against the Cleveland Indians on August 5. “There’s always chatter out there, but the only word I have for it is ‘poppycock.’ That’s all I’m gonna say about it.”
But national media types being what they are simply couldn’t – and wouldn’t – let it go. During that game, USA Today claimed that three persons “directly involved with his decision,” reported that Scioscia, baseball’s longest-tenured manager, had already made up his mind before spring training that 2018 would be his final season as the Halos manager.
“This is insanity,” Scioscia said curtly after the game. “That’s it.”
Scioscia’s “last October” reference was about a meeting he had with Angels general manager Billy Eppler immediately following the 2017 season. At that time, the pair agreed to table any further discussions about Scioscia’s future until after the 2018 season, so they could focus on the season. (Sound familiar?).
“I have not made a decision,” Scioscia insisted last week. “Nothing has changed since last October.”
Hearing that you are retiring from the national media is, as Mike Scioscia calls it, “poppycock.”
(Getty Images)
So how, then, did Ken Rosenthal, USA Today, and a flood of other national media outlets get wind of, or concoct such a serious rumor? Could it be that someone within Arte Moreno’s organization fed this rumor to Rosenthal (etc.) as a not-so-subtle ploy to let Scioscia know that the Angels have no intention of bringing him back after this season, when his very expensive 10-year / $50 million contract expires? If this is indeed the case, as several (local) Angels beat writers believe, this is “horse fertilizer,” as the great Vin Scully might say.
But what if the unbelievable were to happen? What if the stars aligned in just a certain way and the Dodgers do not bring Roberts back in 2019 (very unlikely), and the Angels do not bring back Scioscia in 2019 (very likely)? Might the Dodgers entertain the idea of bringing the once beloved Tommy Lasorda-era former Dodgers catcher back into the fold to manage the Dodgers in 2019?
Allow me to burst your bubble. In a word – No.
For as much as veteran (old) Dodger fans would embrace such a move, Mike Scioscia is as old-school as they come. In direct contrast – on every level – Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi are as new-school analytics and sabermetrics driven as they come. As such, a merger of old-school and new would be a head-on collision of epic proportions. It simply would not work.
With all of this said, and with the hopes and dreams of Dodger fans shattered (at least for those calling for Roberts to be fired), there is certainly every possibility that Scioscia will land a managerial job with an MLB team at some point in the relatively near future. It just won’t be with the Dodgers.
Then again…
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Roberts needs to go the team is to good for his poor destinations bring in soscia he plays the as chess match not by avg this crap with right pitcher and the left taticks that is bs play ball small the squeeze the still make something happen challenge risks shifts bring in the defense back yard ball Agresice not this crap the league does play like that any more bad enough already with that crap at home plate what is fair or out of content that was ball
Dave Roberts is clueless!!! IW’s 2 guys in 9th to leave Floro with no margin for error!!! Ryan McMahon is who he fears,lol! Hindsight is 20-20, but he very rarely makes the right move!!! Replacing him with Scios, would be a great move, but I really doubt it will happen!!! I think we will win, despite Roberts and Baez!!!
Roberts year lost of are 2017 championship out the back door you had Kershaw are best pitcher what he was going to use him game 8 Darvish a American pitcher to American league team really you had wood look at rough start this year how about the game when kike as pitcher his destinations on pitchers counts is bs to play that long and lose the game like why even stress the team out if your going to through the game with this bs I can go on with more wrong moves with this cat.
IMHO, Dave Roberts should be the heir apparent to Tommy Lasorda as the Dodger’s executive ambassador to the MLB community. I wish for that change to happen after this season with a nice contract extension for Roberts. Basically kick Roberts upstairs and into a position that fits his communication, motivation, and PR competencies. I believe this is Honeycutt’s last season in the dugout and will not be surprised to see Geren and Woodward move on — a perfect time to change managers and let the new guy help to pick his own staff. I don’t see Scioscia as a replacement candidate for Roberts, but there are a number of internal candidates and even more external candidates to lead the Dodgers.
Roberts is a good manager I just think at times he over manages and I also think the dodgers are a little to much on this everybody needs to play all the time I would like to see a more set lineup on most nights I also think we do NOT have the pitching to win it all in closing on another matter
Can we please get an announcer if you have to listen to the games it is very hard at times to follow because at times you have no idea what steiner is talking about multiple times each game sounds like his time has come and gone as a play by play guy sorry Charlie
Yes, Roberts is a good manager, but he too often, while seeing a pitcher struggling will take him out AFTER he gives up 2 to 6 runs, while at the same time will pull a pitcher that is pitching well for percentage, and of course he gets creamed. He definitely needs a set lineup. He has a superior lineup and an inferior one that he uses. I hope he knows that. All the switching players does not allow anyone to get into a rhythm.
“Dave Roberts is a good manager, but…” — therein lies the problem; BUT! IMO he continues to make some really poor decisions about lineups, which relievers to use in what situations, when a SP should come out, etc., etc. Roberts seems like a great guy, BUT after almost 3 seasons we write “Dave Roberts is a good maker, but…
Thank you!! Exactly my thoughts on our lineup this year stop changing it and for the love of God put Manny in three hole please
You want to replace Roberts with a coach who hasn’t won a playoff game with the best player in baseball… but at the same time claim he is more suited than Roberts… sure Socia won a world series, but come on guys that was 2001, baseball has evolved since than… you’re the same people who will be calling for his job 1 month in
Exactly. Roberts does need to put his best lineup out there and stop platooning so much. The players cannot get any rhythm, plus, how can players really focus, or have their mind focused on the game not knowing if they are even playing on the way to the ballpark. I might play today, I might not play today. That’s crazy! Players need a day off, yes, but come on! Pick a starling lineup for crying out loud.
You’re crazy if you think the players don’t know if they’re playing on a particular day or not until they get to the stadium. For one the players aren’t stupid and know if they generally play against a lefty or righty pitcher. And secondly the coaching staff maps out the weeks schedule and let’s the players know which days they should plan on being in the lineup so guys can mentally prepare and plan their workouts. The only time that a player is going to surprised by being in the lineup is when an injury pops up right before the game.
Roberts has mismanaged his lousy bullpen all year, but Friedman and Zahidi deserve blame for not trading for bullpen help.
Scioscia should not be the Dodgers manager ever because when Fox took over years ago and it is not all Dave Roberts fault had tons of injuries and Dodgers just need to start hitting in bunches and give the starters a lot of runs support especially Clayton Kershaw
Roberts is a good manager because, in his first two seasons as the Dodgers manager, he has led the team to a combined 195-129 record, and has won two division titles. He reached the National League Championship Series in his first season and the seventh game of the WS last year.
If we take a good look at the NL West division the last two years the Dodgers were so much better than the rest of the teams I think they won in spite of Roberts, not because of him. His managing in the WS might have cost the Dodgers the title. I think Roberts is a poor game day manager and I see no change in his managing now than in day one. His lineups ( if they are his ) are puzzling and seem to lack common sense at times. Bench players are not as good as the regulars but in Roberts managing style they play almost as much as the so-called regulars. He manages the bullpen poorly and gives poor performing players much more playing time then they deserve. Roberts understands exactly what FAZ want and that is the way he will manage, by the analytics and sabermetrics that is fed to him by FAZ. Roberts is a good middle management employee and will not be fired. The game has changed, it is big business and the corporation style of management has taken over completely, at least for the LA Dodgers.
Top notch assessment. The team of Jackie Robinson will not fire Dave Roberts, the only option is to promote him into the FO.
I fully agree with baseball 1439‘s analysis. Roberts is an incompetent game manager, apparently cannot learn from his mistakes and his line-ups are often mindboggling. And yes, it‘s true that the Dodgers have been winning pennants because of the overall quality of the team, not because of Roberts managerial skills. I have said it many times and will say it again, the Dodgers will never win a WS with him at the helm. If the penny-pinching management does not see the need to fire him then, for the good of the Dodgers, he should have the guts to resign.