Several names deserve blame within the Dodgers’ organization after their wholesale collapse against the Diamondbacks in the 2023 NLDS.
One of the most common people among them is manager Dave Roberts who one analyst believes is the main reason why LA lost in embarrassing fashion.
“I thought Dave Roberts did his worst managing job last night. Worst I’ve seen in years,” MLB Network analyst Brian Kenny said. “There’s a lot of failure to go around, but there are certain things you can control. And when you are eliminated from your postseason without using your best pitchers, that is under your control, that is under your manager’s control.”
via Brian Kenny, MLB Network
Kenny wasn’t the only one to toss blame Roberts’ way as analst Rob Parker also chimed in with his take on the underachieving Dodgers’ skipper.
“Terrible job, I’m sorry. I’m so tired of all the excuses. BK, this is what I’ll ask you. This is what I hear. ‘Oh, well it’s not fair. He doesn’t hit, he doesn’t pitch.’ Well when they win World Series’ a manager gets credit and he didn’t hit or pitch in those situations. You can’t keep winning 100 games and lose the first time you’re in the playoffs. The divisional round, this is now two years in a row where they’ve gotten knocked out. It cannot continue to happen.”
via Rob Parker, MLB Network
Kenny’s take on the loss likely spans from some curious decision making on Roberts’ part in terms of his battered pitching staff.
All three of LA’s starters failed to finish three innings in the series and despite a Herculean job by the bullpen to keep the Dodgers in the latter two games, the offense fell silent all series long.
Reports during Game 3 surfaced that Roberts didn’t want to use Ryan Pepiot in the elimination scenario as he was planning ahead for Games 4 and 5 that never happened.
Such forward thinking is shocking to hear and an approach to what could happen rather than what did occur on the field Wednesday night is alarming to both Kenny and Dodger fans alike.
Parker opted for a wholesale perspective on LA during Roberts’ entire tenure as Dodger manager as gaudy regular season win totals have not equaled adequate postseason success in his eyes.
Four straight full seasons with 100 wins or more have resulted in just one NLCS appearance — let alone a spot in the Fall Classic — despite some of the best talent in the league over the past decade.
How much Roberts is to blame for the front office’s approach to their operation remains to be seen but changes are set to hit the Dodgers this winter one way or another.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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