When the Los Angeles Dodgers faced the San Francisco Giants at home for the first time this season, their longtime rival was not far removed from a bit of controversy over bypassing unwritten rules in a comfortable win against the Washington Nationals.
Manager Dave Martinez was critical of Giants skipper Gabe Kapler and his team for attempting to run up the score with a large lead in the ninth inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed an understanding for the Giants’ style of play, even if it is not his preferred approach.
Then when the Giants were back at Dodger Stadium in July, the Dodgers accused first base coach of Antoan Richardson attempting to steal signs off Tyler Anderson. Following the Dodgers’ win, Roberts acknowledged that was within the competitive integrity of the sport and said it was on the team and Anderson to prevent it.
He maintained that stance after more time passed, which is of note as the Dodgers and Giants begin a four-game series at Oracle Park on Monday night.
“Part of the game. If Tyler is going to show the glove to the first base coach, and that’s a competitive advantage, then they should be able to take advantage of it,” Roberts said. “That’s on us, that’s gamesmanship.
“I have no problem with that. But what we can do is try to keep the coach in the box to prevent that. And that’s what we did.”
The Dodgers enter play Monday with a 6-3 record against the Giants this season. Both teams have won every home game from the head-to-head meetings thus far.
Roberts & Dodgers have history of ‘gamesmanship’ with Kapler, Giants
At the start of the 2020 season, Roberts described Kapler’s being slow to name his starting rotation for the Opening Series as “gamesmanship.”
“I don’t know,” Roberts said when at the time asked what was to make of the Giants being slow to announce both their day’s starter and lineup. “I think it’s a little bit of gamesmanship, we’ll call it. To each their own.”
Roberts nevertheless extended managerial courtesy to Kapler and the Giants for Game 5 of the 2021 National League Division Series, when the Dodgers elected to go with an opener rather than Julio Urías.
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