With more than one-quarter of the regular season in the books, the Los Angeles Dodgers are currently sporting a 21-27 record — good for third place in the National League West. They additionally find themselves closer to the rebuilding San Diego Padres than top of the division.
The Dodgers’ struggles stem from a variety of factors, including a multitude of injuries that has hindered the club’s depth and star power. Most notably, Justin Turner was sidelined for the first six weeks of the season and has only recently returned from a fractured left wrist.
Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw remains on the disabled list with left biceps tendinitis. So too does Rich Hill because of more trouble with a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand.
Regression for key players can also be attributed to the Dodgers’ subpar play thus far, while some may point to a World Series hangover for the club’s disappointing start. Granted, the Dodgers has won five of their last six games.
In the midst of challenging times for much of this year, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has attempted to encourage his players with continued individual, albeit informal, meetings. He revealed that he prefers that method over team-wide gatherings, via Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times:
“I think a team meeting is either punitive, or for encouragement. There is no punitive for the entire group. Encouragement, I’ve done that individually with guys, and in small sidebar groups. To get everyone together, I haven’t done that. I think it’s more powerful to do it individually. I’ve always done it like that. You can ask players, and you can ask coaches, what they think of team meetings. They don’t land. They really don’t. Because, for the most part, they don’t apply to everyone. So, just to have that adult conversation individually, I think, is more powerful. I can motivate.”
Since taking the helm as Dodgers manager, Roberts has often connected with his players from a personal standpoint, rather than doing so publicly in a team meeting.
Roberts believes there is a stronger impact with individual get-togethers, and added that he’s able to successfully motivate a specific player in these forms of engagements.
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