I Know Many Do Not Like It, But Doc Just Keeps Winning

I know some of you are saying, “Please not another Dave Roberts post” I understand. But if you have ideas, write a post and get it to Mark and he will gladly post it. I was going to respond yesterday to Mark’s reference to Bill Shaiken’s article and some of the comments, but then as I usually do, I got long winded and decided to make it blog article.  I am not trying to change anyone’s mind. If you do not like Doc, nothing I can say is going to change it. I am simply writing to state why I think Dave Roberts is the perfect manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, at this time.

Okay, maybe Bill Shaiken was a bit hyperbolic.  To say Dave Roberts is the best manager in MLB history in only his 6^th season is a little absurd.  But just as absurd are the number of arrows Doc finds in his back.  Doc makes mistakes just like all managers who have ever managed.  Or just like everyone of us in our lives (professional and personal).  We are fortunate to not have our lives and decisions on the news/twitter/blog 24/7.  Just think about the number of commenters just on this one blog who are upset because of what someone said about their opinion.  Do you think they can stand up to the constant ridicule Doc gets? 

Doc’s job is to win and not embarrass the organization.  And he has done that.  He may not have won as many WS as we fans would like, but in his nearly six years, he has won enough games to have the Dodgers in the playoffs every year.  What other manager can say that? He has managed the team to the World Series three times winning two (only one counted), and this year yet to be determined.  In his six years, no team has a better winning record than LAD.  Good players?  Yes.  But only one MVP (Belli) and two Relievers of the Year (both KJ).  No CY. The best pitcher of his generation last won a CY in 2014.  CK has had extended stretches on the IL every year Doc has been the manager. 

When it is said that Doc is a great communicator, that does not mean to the fans.  He is not the LAD Public Relations Director.  If you think you need more information on the Dodgers and their players, contact the Public Relations department: Joe Jareck (Director), Jon Chapper (Assistant Director), Juan Dorado (Manger). Tell them how dissatisfied you are with the information coming to the fans.  Doc is the LAD manager, and he communicates very well with his team and up the organizational ladder.  The team loves him. No, he does not have the personality of Tommy or of Smokey.  He is Doc, and he is best suited to manage a team in a sport that is now seemingly run by computer geeks and algorithms. 

Doc has made mistakes at very inopportune times in playoff situations. All extremely visible. We all know them.  They have been commented on ad nauseum.  But how he handled Julio Urias and the rest of the bullpen in the playoffs last year was exceptional.  Urias was instrumental in multi-inning closes in Championship clinching Game 7 NLCS against Atlanta and again in WS Game 6 against,  TB.  He also was exceptional in the clinching Game 3 of the NLDS against SD.  He inherited 3 runners in the 2^nd inning, stranding all three, while striking out Tatis Jr. on 4 pitches.  He pitched a total of 5.0 innings, allowing 1 unearned run in that game.  It was a blowout, but not until the 3^rd inning AFTER Urias came into the game.  The game could have turned with a big hit in that situation. Yes Julio pitched and deserves almost ALL of the credit, but Doc left him in to finish Game 7 and Game 6.  So if he deserves blame for leaving CK in Game 5 of 2019 NLDS (and he does), then he deserves credit for leaving Urias in (and he does).

He has done a fantastic job in the first 150 games this year.  He managed a team with two starting pitchers for an entire month, and only three for an additional month.  He has been without his MVP CF for most of the year.  Belli does play and it has not gone unnoticed by the fans.  But Doc has not given up on him, and he is not making LAD lose while in the lineup.  What if he finds himself before the playoffs? What would a healthy Cody Bellinger do for the lineup? If his struggles continue at playoff time and still plays, you have a legit gripe.  Doc was without Seager for 67 games with a broken hand.  Betts has been on the IL for lot of season, and has not been himself for most of the time he has been in the lineup. 

The Dodgers have used 39 pitchers and 19 different starting pitchers.  I acknowledge that many of those were 1.0 IP openers, but nonetheless they were starting because Doc had no one else.  The bullpen to start the season was:

Scott Alexander (18 games)

Tony Gonsolin (13 games – 11 starts)

Victor Gonzalez (44 games)

KJ (63 games)

Corey Knebel (23 games)

Jimmy Nelson (28 games)

David Price (35 games – 11 starts)

Blake Treinen (67 games)

Only KJ, Treinen, and Price have remained injury free (knock on wood) this season.  Alexander and Nelson are done for the year.  Gonzalez will probably not make the playoff roster.  And while willing, Price has never really caught on as a reliever.  But he is on the roster, so he has to pitch.  Is Doc supposed to ignore him?  Brusdar Graterol (28 games) is probably not going to make the roster either.  Roberts now has help in the form of:

Phil Bickford (51 games)

Joe Kelly (42 games)

Alex Vesia ( 37 games)

Justin Bruihl (15 games)

He has also had to mix and match with Dennis Santana, Andre Jackson, Garrett Cleavenger, Shane Greene, Mitch White, Darrien Nunez, Jake Reed, Evan Phillips, James Sherfy, Neftali Feliz, Yefry Ramirez, Connor Greene, Andrew Vasquez, and Kevin Quackenbush.

Many want to excoriate KJ for the five game stretch (July 18-22) when he blew 3 games, and Doc for putting him in.  But since then, KJ has been almost unhittable.  24 games (19 finished) 13 saves and no blown saves, 24.1 IP, 10 hits 4 ER, 8 BB, 32 K, 1.48 ERA.  The HR he allowed on Sunday was the first he surrendered since August 4.  Yes KJ deserves almost ALL of the credit, but Doc stayed with him, believing he would be needed in October.  That is who Doc is.  He believes in his players.  To a fault? Maybe, but he keeps winning with them.

Last week Mark made a note of the fact that Gabe Kapler used all of his position players and was forced to use Gausman as PH.  It was in reference to multiple complaints that Doc has used all of his bench players.  But what he has never done, he has not used 26 players in the game.  I am still waiting for my fact checker. Hawkeye. to verify. This year, Kapler used all 26 players in a game by the 10^th inning.  How many here would have ripped Roberts if he had done that.  But some of those same people are saying that Kapler is a better manager.  Gabe has grown a lot since managing in Philly.  He lost the respect and confidence of his team and front office and was fired.  He has done a good job with his on the job maturity since being hired by SF, but he too makes mistakes.  Nothing was expected of Kapler with the Giants, so he was not managing with a ton of pressure. The team has performed exceptionally well. Doc has never lost the respect and confidence of his team or front office.  I am sorry, but fickle fans do not count.  He is not responsible for managing your feelings.

If you are looking for perfection, you need to find another sport.  Mistakes are made on the field, in the dugout, and in the executive offices. 

One more thing, even with Yasiel Puig, Manny Machado, and Trevor Bauer, Doc has never lost the clubhouse.  I cannot remember a time the Dodger dugout ever looked like what happened last weekend in SD.  You want to see a manager seemingly in over his head?  Look at Jayce Tingler.  As much of a pain as Puig and Manny were, the Dodgers still got to WS with them.  As gifted as Machado is, in his 10 years, he has been to a Championship Series one time and to WS one time, both with the Dodgers and Dave Roberts.  It will never be proven, but if Roberts was the SD Manager, IMO that dugout scene would never have happened.  Tingler has lost the clubhouse, and his job is in jeopardy.  Doc has never lost the clubhouse, he keeps winning, the players have confidence in his leadership, he keeps winning, he will continue to make mistakes, but even so, he keeps winning.