GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 21: Garrett Crochet #45 of the Chicago White Sox poses for a portrait during Photo Day at Camelback Ranch on February 21, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Column: Dodgers are on track to make playoffs again. So why hasn’t Dave Roberts been given a new contract?
Everyone knows how this will play out — the way it plays out every year.
As the postseason approaches, the whispers will increase in volume. Eventually, they will become the story and all anyone will talk about is how Dave Roberts will be fired if the Dodgers don’t win the World Series.
The intensity of this speculation varies from season to season, depending on how much time Roberts has left on his contract.
In this case, Roberts has one year after this season. The conversations about his future will be louder than usual.
Which is a load of nonsense.
The Dodgers know what they have in Roberts, who now has a nine-season track record of nearly unprecedented success. Even if they falter in October again and upper management wants to deflect blame, there would be no upside in attempting to make him a scapegoat. Just like in the last couple of postseasons, the Dodgers’ likeliest playoff pitfalls will be the obvious holes on the roster, which the majority of fans are smart enough to recognize.
So why haven’t the Dodgers approached Roberts about a new contract? Why would they allow Roberts to be subjected to the kind of scrutiny that weakens him in the eyes of his players? Why would they give oxygen to theories that could only be a distraction for the team?
Just extend his deal already.
Asked if the Dodgers have considered doing that, Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, replied in a text message, “Doc is a big part of what we have accomplished in the past and we look forward to him being a big part of what we will accomplish in the future. Right now, all of our focus and attention are on doing everything we can to win a Championship this season.”
Again, why haven’t the Dodgers approached Roberts about a new contract?
Apart from four Negro League managers, no manager in baseball history has as high of a winning percentage as Roberts, and none of the four won as many games as Roberts.
