Dodgers sign manager Dave Roberts to four-year deal

In a move that might bring mixed reactions from local fans, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that Dave Roberts has agreed to a four-year contract to manage club through 2022.

Roberts has led the team to the World Series the past two seasons, but has yet to deliver a title.  Although Roberts has been wonderful at managing clubhouse personalities and notably led the team past its slow start last season, his in-game pitching decisions in the postseason have often backfired horrifically.  As such, he has received heavy blame for the team's inability to win a championship.

“Keeping Doc as our leader on the field was a top priority this offseason and now that we’ve accomplished that we are excited to collectively shift all of our focus to doing all we can to bring a World Championship to our passionate fans,” said Dodger President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman.

Roberts, 46, has piloted the Dodgers since 2016, leading the club to three consecutive National League West division titles and back-to-back NL pennants in 2017 and 2018. Following his first season managing the Dodgers in 2016, he was named the National League Manager of the Year and last year became the first Dodger skipper to lead the club to the World Series in consecutive seasons since Tommy Lasorda in 1977 and ’78.

In 2017, the club won 104 games, tying the franchise record for victories in a season. Since joining Los Angeles, Roberts is 287-200 (.589) overall and his 287 wins are tied for the fourth most all-time among skippers in their first three full seasons. He is also the first Los Angeles Dodger manager to lead the club to the Postseason in each of his first three years.

“When I was hired to lead this team three years ago, I said at the time that managing the Dodgers is truly the opportunity of a lifetime and I feel the exact same way today,” said Roberts. “We’ve worked hard to develop a team and culture that will put us in position to win the World Series every season, but we still have yet to achieve our ultimate goal and that is what drives me each day.”

Roberts, who is of African-American and Japanese descent, became the Dodgers’ first-ever minority manager and the 10th manager in L.A. history on Nov. 23, 2015. He is the fourth L.A. Dodger manager to play and manage for the franchise, joining Tommy Lasorda, Bill Russell and Glenn Hoffman. As a player, Roberts was the Dodgers’ starting center fielder from 2002-04, but is best known for his dramatic steal of second base in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS for the Red Sox against the Yankees, which ignited Boston’s historic comeback from a 3-0 series deficit.

Roberts grew up in the San Diego area and graduated from UCLA, where he played baseball from 1991-94 and became the Bruins’ all-time stolen bases leader (109).

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services