The Los Angeles Dodgers have faced adversity for much of the 2018 season, whether it being in the form of injuries to key contributors or poor on-field performance that amounted to multiple losing stretches — particularly in April and May.
The club now finds itself in the midst of another rough period, having lost eight of their last 11 games while falling to third place in the National League West. They enter Thursday’s off day 4.5 games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Facing mounting pressure to start showing more emotion in the midst of trying times, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained that he won’t change his approach, via Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times:
“I just think that it goes back to how I have to be true to who I am,” Roberts said. “Am I aware that fans would like me to yell and scream like Tommy Lasorda? Yeah. But that’s not who I am. If I do choose to react that way and it’s not authentic, it’s all for naught with the players, and that’s who most has to be affected by my actions or reactions.”
As Roberts notes, his personality differs greatly when compared to Tommy Lasorda’s hard-nosed demeanor as Dodgers skipper for parts of three decades in the 1970s through 1990s.
Roberts is often lauded as a player’s manager, which has earned him the same respect that Lasorda garnered from the Dodgers clubhouse, albeit in a very different way.
Roberts very rarely calls for team meetings and prefers not to go on angry rants when the going gets tough. The latest losing skid won’t change his philosophy, as he doesn’t see the need to organize a full-team get-together despite the rough stretch.
