Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts celebrated his 52nd birthday on Friday, and although the team lost to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium, he still received some good gifts.
“I got a cool jacket, I got a nice photo and I had a nice little breakfast. I didn’t get a birthday win, but that’s alright,” Roberts said.
Roberts, who is a wine connoisseur, bought himself a bottle of Chateau Pontet Canet from 2000. “I gave myself a birthday wine. A bordeaux. It was a Chateau Pontet, a 2000, so it had some age on it. It was good,” he said.
When asked if he received a Porsche from Shohei Ohtani, Roberts revealed he did receive a gift from the superstar and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka. “No Porsche. I don’t know if it’s en route,” Roberts joked.
“Actually, you know what, Shohei gave me a great gift. Shohei and Mamiko got me a bottle of Japanese whiskey with a red velvet cap on the top, and an amazing box of chocolates. I think there was like a dozen chocolates, and they were square but really thin.”
Roberts also revealed that it was Tanaka’s planning, and Ohtani let him know to not take all the credit for the gift.
The Porsche is a reference to Ohtani gifting Joe Kelly’s wife, Ashley, the car after the right-hander agreed to give up his No. 17 when he joined the Dodgers.
Ohtani did gift Roberts a toy Porsche earlier this season when he passed him for most home runs by a Japanese-born player in Dodgers franchise history.
Dave Roberts on Dodgers’ unusual schedule: ‘It is what it is’
After hosting the Rockies for three games, the Dodgers are now heading back to the East Coast for series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees. “We haven’t,” Roberts answered when asked if he experienced such a quick turnaround before.
“I’m sure there’s some reasoning behind it, but I think with the balanced schedule now, there’s some things that are different for everyone.
“Some teams are playing 16 in a row, some teams have got to play six on the East Coast and fly back to the West Coast for three and then go back to the East Coast. It is what it is. We’re not going to overthink it.”
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