Managing – Page 2 – Dodger Thoughts

For Dave Roberts, lefty-righty not quite almighty

On April 27, 2016

Left-handed hitters Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and Carl Crawford

By Jon Weisman

When is a platoon not a platoon? According to Dave Roberts, when it isn’t quite a platoon.

Though the Dodgers have leaned heavily on lefty-righty matchups in constructing their offense this season, Roberts explained today some of the distinctions that he sees.

“Certain guys, their out pitch is a changeup,” Roberts said. “Certain lefties, it’s a breaking ball. So when typically, it’s a breaking ball is their best secondary, then it’s harder for the left-on-left — the visual. Guys that have a changeup as an out pitch, typically the left-handers can handle them more. There are other components to it as well.”

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Don Mattingly and returning to the scene of the climb

By Jon Weisman

On April 26, 2016

In Managing, Thinking out loud

By Jon Weisman

It’s not that you can’t go home again — it’s just so strange to do it.

Dodgers’ outrageous Opening Day offensive onslaught

By Jon Weisman

On April 4, 2016

In History, Hitting, Managing, Opening Day, Postgame

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

A historic day for the Dodgers began with something between a hunch and an observation by new manager Dave Roberts.

Chase Utley isn’t the Dodgers’ permanent leadoff hitter. He was simply the kind of hitter, based on his long history in the game, whom Roberts thought might do well batting first against Tyson Ross on Opening Day.

Coming up to start the 2016 season, Utley fell behind 1-2, worked the count to 3-2, and then stroked a simple, solid, sinking drive to left-center at which Jon Jay dove fruitlessly, good for a double.

No. 2 hitter Corey Seager, with almost none of Utley’s past but potentially all of his future and more, then boomed a double off the left-field wall on the fly, and it was on.

How on, we had no idea.

Their 15-0 victory (recapped by MLB.com) was the largest Opening Day shutout by any team in Major League history, according to Elias, breaking a 105-year-old record set by the Pirates at Cincinnati on April 12, 1911, 14-0.

“That first inning really set the tone for us,” Roberts said after the game. “After that, guys kept having good at-bats.”

The dominant performance created this cavalcade of conquest …

In case you missed it: Lighting up the scoreboard

By Jon Weisman

On March 9, 2016

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Managing, Spring Training

[mlbvideo id=”549723983″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

By Jon Weisman

Today, when Dave Roberts had to make his first mid-inning visit to the mound as Dodger manager, to relieve starter Scott Kazmir with two out in the second inning against the Angels, maybe it seemed like a big deal.

It wasn’t.

Time of the nine-inning game was 3:44. Total plate appearances: 96. Total baserunners: 44.

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) March 10, 2016

Kazmir’s five runs allowed were matched by Jeff Weaver of the Angels, only the start of what became a 13-13 tie in Tempe — recapped at MLB.com.

“I honestly think I’m on the right path,” Kazmir said. “If you look at the game and not the box score, it tells a different story.”

But really, this was a day for the offense.

Joc Pederson, Austin Barnes (who had three hits) and Scott Van Slyke homered for the 4-1-2 Dodgers, who have increased their Spring Training OPS to a rather ridiculous .916.

The player who made the biggest impression today was 20-year-old first baseman Cody Bellinger, the theoretical heir to Adrian Gonzalez — if he can wait that long. Bellinger, who is also capable of playing outfield, went 3 for 3 and is impressing Roberts.

“The game doesn’t speed up on him,” Roberts told Ken Gurnick in this feature for MLB.com. “He looks comfortable out there. The more you see, the more you like.”

What else?

Encouraging news on the injury front from Gurnick: Howie Kendrick and Alex Guerrero participated in fielding and hitting drills, Hyun-Jin Ryu threw for the third consecutive day, Justin Turner again played in a minor-league game and Julio Urias had a light bullpen session ahead of his anticipated Cactus League debut Friday.
Brett Anderson spoke at length to Gurnick about beginning his latest rehab from surgery to repair a bulging disc.
Bill Plunkett of the Register looks at the different ways Roberts tries to connect with his players.
Kenta Maeda, who pitches Thursday for the Dodgers, talked to Doug Padilla of ESPN.com about what it would mean if he were able to face off against the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka when the Dodgers go to the Bronx in September.
Skip Schumaker, who had twin .332 on-base and slugging percentages for the Dodgers in 2014, has retired at age 36, ending an 11-year MLB career.

Dodgers Love L.A.: A special day connecting the dots between Jackie Robinson and Dave Roberts

By Jon Weisman

On January 26, 2016

In Community, Fans, History, Managing

Jorge Jarrin, Dave Roberts and Mark Langill address students at Muir High School.

By Jon Weisman

It’s no exaggeration to say that Jackie Robinson is the pride of Muir High School, just as he is the pride of the Dodgers and, for that matter, the United States.

A tribute to Jackie Robinson in the Muir High School museum (click to enlarge)

So it was a special day for everyone today when this week’s Dodgers Love L.A. community tour (presented by Bank of America) made a stop at Muir, with a screening of portions of Ken Burns’ upcoming “Jackie Robinson” documentary, followed by a Q&A featuring manager Dave Roberts and team historian Mark Langill, moderated by broadcaster Jorge Jarrin.

Many of the four score students in attendance today will graduate from Muir exactly 80 years after Robinson did. But not to worry — his story still resonates.

“I loved the documentary,” said Bryan Barrios, senior captain of the Muir baseball team. “It was very inspiring (and) emotional. I walk around this campus just thinking about Jackie Robinson all the time. Sometimes I can’t believe he came here.”

Dave Roberts talks bullpen management, state of the staff

By Jon Weisman

On December 17, 2015

In Coaching, Managing

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt visits Carlos Frias at the mound during a May 24 game. (Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

As a rookie manager who neither pitched nor caught in his big-league career, Dave Roberts will be scrutinized for every move he makes with the Dodger pitching staff. (I know — I could have just begun, “As a manager.”)

Today, Roberts spoke about his approach will be, and how he will use pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and bench coach Bob Geren as resources.

Dave Roberts discusses Kershaw, Greinke

By Jon Weisman

On December 7, 2015

In Front office, Managing

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Dallas is a pretty convenient stop on the way from Los Angeles to Nashville, and Clayton Kershaw’s house is a pretty nice place for a layover.

So on his way to baseball’s annual Winter Meetings, new Dodger manager Dave Roberts spent several hours meeting with Kershaw, to discuss next year’s team in general and the departure of Zack Greinke in particular.

Live-blog: Dave Roberts introductory press conference

By Jon Weisman

On December 1, 2015

In Front office, Managers, Managing

Hey, Skip! pic.twitter.com/qNyR3l8vgB

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) December 1, 2015

By Jon Weisman

Dave Roberts is being introduced at Dodger Stadium shortly after 11 a.m. as the Dodgers’ manager. We’ll highlight some of the key quotes as they come here …

(Also, note that Roberts will be holding a live Q&A on Twitter this afternoon – check the hashtag #AskDave.)

Introducing Roberts is Dodger president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman: “We are highly confident that he is going to play a significant role in us shaping a culture of sustained success here. Magic Johnson then presents Roberts with his Dodger jersey, wearing No. 30.

Roberts begins with some introductory remarks:

“For me, this is obviously a huge day for me, speaking personally and on behalf of my family. … I think for me to have an opportunity to put the Dodger uniform on again, it’s come full circle.”
“People have asked me in passing about this opportunity. I look at it as a responsibility.”
“I see Don Newcombe. I see Maury Wills. I see Tommy Lasorda. I see Adrian Gonzalez. These are people, when they wear that Dodger uniform, they wear it the right way — they wear it with pride.”

https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/671771309529939968/photo/1

Next, the Q&A begins:

Dave Roberts and the Newlywed Game

By Jon Weisman

On November 29, 2015

In Managing

Dave Roberts at a Dodger Stadium computer in 2004. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Welcome to Dave Roberts’ honeymoon with Dodger fans and the media.

The new Dodger manager hasn’t been asked a question, hasn’t made a move. His rose is in full bloom.

But it takes two to be happy in a marriage, and let’s just say that Roberts’ collective new spouse — after 27 years of frustration — can be a bit challenging to keep satisfied.

Deconstructing the departure of Don Mattingly

By Jon Weisman

On October 22, 2015

In Front office, Managers, Managing

Andrew Friedman at the televised press conference discussing Don Mattingly’s exit.

Don Mattingly and Andrew Friedman chat at an October 7 workout. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

This would have been a good day to own stock in the word “mutual.”

Dodger president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi — along with outgoing manager Don Mattingly — fought an uphill battle before a skeptical press corps this afternoon to emphasize that the decision for Mattingly to leave the Dodgers was a shared one.

“If there was a reason that this happened, we would share it,” Friedman said during a 45-minute session for him and Zaidi at Dodger Stadium. “There’s not. It was a collection of a lot of different conversations over many days that got us to this point. So it’s not so black and white here. There is a huge middle, and it’s gray, and that’s how everything played out.”

Hatcher emerges as primary set-up man to Jansen

By Jon Weisman

On October 15, 2015

In Bullpen, Managing, Postseason

Since he came off the disabled list in August, opponents are hitting .163/.239/.313/.551 against Chris Hatcher. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

No longer is there any doubt about who is the Dodgers’ primary eighth-inning reliever in the bullpen.

How a manager battles the odds

By Jon Weisman

On October 8, 2015

In Bullpen, Managing

Don Mattingly visits Clayton Kershaw at the mound before leaving him in to finish the Dodgers’ September 2 victory over the Giants. (Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

The other day on Twitter, I proposed a hypothetical that I think you could call a nice problem to have.

Zaidi: Clubhouse key for managers

By Jon Weisman

On October 6, 2015

In Managing

Work day. #LALovesOctober (via @JonSooHooPics) pic.twitter.com/yC4El1wvmK

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 6, 2015

Dodger general manager Farhan Zaidi, speaking today on what’s most important for a manager today.

“I think the longer I’ve been in baseball, the more it’s tilted toward managing the clubhouse and the personalities and the egos,” Zaidi said. “I think from the outside, the average person watching the game just sees the Xs and Os, and whether you took a reliever out or left him in, but again, in my view, a lot of those are 52-48, 55-45 decisions. You get judged by the outcome rather than the process. But kind of being behind the scenes, (you realize) how important it is to manage personalities, get guys to buy into their roles, maintain the peace in the clubhouse.

“You know, it’s funny: The position is called ‘the manager,’ and in every other industry, being a manager means managing people. And in baseball, we think it’s just Xs and Os, but the reality is, this job is being a manager like it is being a manager of a business, except you also are making X and O moves out there in public. I think they’re both important, but I think from when I first got into baseball 10 years ago to now, I realize that managing down there in the clubhouse is more important than I realized.”

— Jon Weisman

Why Monday’s game took so long

By Jon Weisman

On September 8, 2015

In Managing, MLB

By Jon Weisman

Monday was Labor Day, and the Dodgers and Angels did their best to honor the working man through strife instead of taking a holiday.

The two teams spent three hours and 52 minutes playing their nine innings, and quickly, good men fair and true were quick to blame September roster expansion.

THIS!!! https://t.co/MVbWbAUfSl

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 8, 2015

September baseball…when there are too many people available to play and timely games go to die.

— Brett Anderson (@BAnderson3737) September 8, 2015

If only shortening the game were as simple as keeping September roster limits at 25 players instead of 40.

Quotebook: Yimi Garcia targeted for ‘toughest part of the order’

By Jon Weisman

On April 28, 2015

In Bullpen, Managing

Yimi Garcia pitched the eighth "to give him the toughest part of the order," Mattingly says (Pagan, Posey and Maxwell).

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) April 28, 2015

Source: Baseball-Reference.com

Hitters faced by Yimi Garcia in the eighth inning Monday (with their spot in the batting order and the result): Angel Pagan (3, strikeout), Buster Posey (4, single), Justin Maxwell (5, strikeout), Andrew Susac (6, flyout)

– Jon Weisman

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Category: Managing (Page 2 of 3)

For Dave Roberts, lefty-righty not quite almighty

Don Mattingly and returning to the scene of the climb

Dodgers’ outrageous Opening Day offensive onslaught

In case you missed it: Lighting up the scoreboard

Dodgers Love L.A.: A special day connecting the dots between Jackie Robinson and Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts talks bullpen management, state of the staff

Dave Roberts discusses Kershaw, Greinke

Live-blog: Dave Roberts introductory press conference

Dave Roberts and the Newlywed Game

Deconstructing the departure of Don Mattingly

Hatcher emerges as primary set-up man to Jansen

How a manager battles the odds

Zaidi: Clubhouse key for managers

Why Monday’s game took so long

Quotebook: Yimi Garcia targeted for ‘toughest part of the order’

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