The Los Angeles Dodgers, losers of four straight games entering play on Friday, held a closed-door meeting prior to their series opener against the San Diego Padres.
“It was just something where we had to get back to the fundamentals,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the meeting. “Just try to play clean, crisp baseball and play every pitch, so I think that there’s signs of that but it’s just kind of sending the message that we’re fine.”
Since a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Coors Field on Sunday, made possible by a five-run rally in the ninth inning, Los Angeles has hit the skids at home. They were unable to recapture the success they had against the Padres earlier this season, and lost a fifth consecutive game on Friday night.
The five-game losing streak is the Dodgers’ first since last August. While the pitching staff has worn the brunt of the blame over the losing stretch, Los Angeles has three times scored two runs or less in the five games.
They suffered their first shutout loss of the season on Wednesday. Coinciding with the rough skid is the Miami Marlins completing their first four-game sweep of the Dodgers. Of course, some of the shine was taken off that with Major League Baseball suspending Dee Gordon 80 games for performance-enhancing drugs.
Roberts, who was hired in part due to his upbeat and infectious personality, wanted to remind his club of the necessary process. “I think that it is just kind of letting guys know that when we’re winning games or not winning games, I still think that there’s a process that needs to be in place,” he said.
“And you know, you just don’t want things to get away from you. So right now, it’s just kind of hit the reset button.” Roberts was recently critical of his players’ approach at the plate, but said he isn’t disappointed by their overall play.
“I think the guys took the message well, and we’re in a good place right now,” Roberts said.
