The San Diego Padres didn’t think Dave Roberts was good enough to be their manager. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a godsend for one of their bitter rivals.
Roberts took home his first NL Manager of the Year Award on Tuesday, besting Chicago Cubs skipper Joe Maddon and Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals. He actually took the Dodgers to one fewer win than 2015 but got them to the NLCS and overcame a slew of in-season injuries and disappointments.
MLB shared the news:
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America shared the full voting results:
Ace Clayton Kershaw was limited to 21 starts after spending two months on the disabled list, and the team lost second-in-command Zack Greinke in free agency. Outfielder Yasiel Puig spent time in the minors due to his struggles on and off the field, while the team became jarringly reliant on aging players like Howie Kendrick and Chase Utley.
Despite things seemingly crumbling, Roberts never panicked. He kept the ship afloat amid midseason turmoil, and management helped things along by acquiring outfielder Josh Reddick and pitcher Rich Hill.
Players in the clubhouse credited him with never allowing any potential issues to fester.
“His ability to address things immediately is what sets him apart from most guys,” third baseman Justin Turner said in August, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. “When issues come up, he addresses it right away. He nips it in the bud and doesn’t let it linger. When you do that, it kind of eliminates the small groups and cliques talking about this and that.”
The Dodgers continued to prove hiring Roberts was a smart choice with their play in the postseason, as he helped guide the team to an NLDS comeback win over Washington. The Nationals got out to a 2-1 lead, but Roberts pulled the right strings at the right time.
Making things all the more special: Roberts is the first Dodgers manager to win this award since Tommy Lasorda. The legendary skipper won the NL’s inaugural Manager of the Year trophy in 1983 and added another to his mantle in 1988.
Dodgers nation will have their fingers crossed that Roberts can have a career half as long and successful going forward.
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