Dodgers wise to continue to show faith in Dave Roberts
By Cody Rivera
Despite consecutive defeats in the World Series, the Dodgers are looking to extend Dave Roberts as their manager.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been pretty successful during the tenure of Dave Roberts as manager. In three seasons with Roberts at the helm, the Dodgers have done a whole lot of winning. They’ve gone 287-200 in that span, and they have now reached the World Series in the last two years.
There is just one problem: they haven’t actually won one.
I am convinced Roberts has built a winning atmosphere in that locker room but National League pennants are only going to go so far. Sooner or later, the fans are going to get tired of the “close but no cigar” routine (my guess is they’ve already reached that point). Eventually, second place is going to get very old.
But the Dodgers believe Roberts is going to get them over that hump. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Roberts and the Dodgers are getting close to reaching an agreement on a contract extension.
#Dodgers getting close on extension with manager Dave Roberts, sources tell The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 6, 2018
Despite reaching the World Series in back-to-back years, Roberts has garnered quite a bit of criticism for his handling of the bullpen, and has taken on a reputation of an “over-manager.” This has caused plenty of Dodgers enthusiasts to question if Roberts is really the manager who can get them that coveted World Series championship, something the Dodgers haven’t had in 30 years.
It’s not like Roberts hasn’t gotten them awfully close. In 2017, the Dodgers were one win away from it. They battled the Houston Astros in a series for the ages, with it culminating in a Game 7 at Dodger Stadium. The Astros won that game 5-1 to win their first championship in franchise history.
The next year, Roberts had the Dodgers right back in the World Series but they simply ran out of gas against the 108-win Boston Red Sox and lost in five games.
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Back-to-back defeats in the Fall Classic isn’t even the slightest bit ideal, and Roberts will have to deal with any criticism he receives for twice failing to get the job done. It’s hard to argue with the success he’s had since taking control of this team.
The Dodgers organization clearly has faith Roberts will eventually solve the problem, and for now, at least, the fans should as well.