The Dodgers just won their third National League West title in as many years under Dave Roberts, though the manager’s future beyond this season still isn’t known yet. The deal Roberts signed when he took the helm in November 2015 includes an option for next season, which the club hasn’t exercised. The Dodgers could instead ink Roberts to a new pact if they’re interested in keeping him for the long haul, and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that the two sides have indeed begun contract talks. There’s mutual respect between Roberts and Dodgers management, Shaikin relays, and the 46-year-old has the confidence of chairman Mark Walter. Asked if the Dodgers would give Roberts long-term security, Walter said, “I don’t see any reason why not.” The results under Roberts are hard to argue with – in addition to their three division titles on his watch, the Dodgers have won an NL pennant (in 2017) and combined for a 287-200 regular-season record.
Now the latest from the NL East…
- There are anywhere from 10 to 12 “serious candidates” for the Mets’ general manager opening, Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets, adding that Kim Ng may be among the names. If the Mets hire Ng, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for baseball operations, she’d become the first woman to hold a GM job in professional sports. Ng comes with plenty of front office experience and has drawn GM interest in the past, most recently from the Diamondbacks in 2016.
- It “appears highly questionable” the Marlins will tender a contract to Derek Dietrich in the offseason, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Seeing Dietrich hit free agency early would be a surprise, considering he’s fresh off his third straight solid offensive season, capable of playing multiple positions and arbitration eligible for another two years (he’s set to earn a raise over his current salary of $2.9MM in 2019). The 29-year-old hit .265/.330/.421 (109 wRC+) with 16 home runs in 551 plate appearances this season, all while racking up significant time in left field and at first base. Dietrich has also garnered a fair amount of experience at second and third base since he debuted in 2013.
- Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com provides a primer on Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper’s upcoming trip to free agency, listing several teams that could pursue the soon-to-be 26-year-old if he leaves the Nats. However, there’s real affection between the Nationals and Harper, notes Zuckerman, which could lead to a re-signing. Zuckerman wonders if Washington would be better off using the money it would allocate to Harper on multiple other areas of the roster, though, pointing out that the club would likely boast a quality outfield even without the six-time All-Star. Should Harper depart, the Nats wouldn’t receive much in the way of compensation, as Zuckerman writes. Assuming it stayed under the $197MM competitive-balance tax this year, Washington would get a compensatory pick before the third round of the 2019 draft. Otherwise, the team would land a selection after the fourth round.
From what I’ve seen he doesn’t deal with his pitchers too well but there’s no doubt that he’s connected with the clubhouse and created a good environment.
He deals with his pitchers exactly how the FO wants him to deal with them.
The teflon manager.
The company guy. It’s the front office that’s nonstick.
What evidence do you have of that?
Also, let’s go ahead and assume that Dave DOES collaborate with the FO on lineup decisions.
Let’s just assume that’s true.
The Dodgers finished 2018 with a wRC+ of 111. That’s best in the NL and tied for tops in MLB (Yankees). So yeah, wouldn’t this just prove that field manager/FO collaboration is beneficial?
So that question was for me? Okay, the answer isn’t complicated, and requires no analysis:
(1) He was hired by one of, if not the most, statistically-driven FOs in baseball.
(2) He still has his job.
And just to be clear, I am not offering up a judgement as to whether a manager being so tied to analytics is a good thing, a bad thing, or an indifferent thing. It is merely the observation of the fact that this is the way it is today, for most teams, and especially for the Dodgers.
Every manager gets scrutinized for pitching moves. Not going to get rid of someone and the culture they created because he occasionally makes a wrong pitching change
Honestly roberts is a terrible coach. He simply is a yes man who has no thought of his own. I hope he goes if they dont win with this team.
He is not a terrible coach. That is ridiculous. He does have some issues with managing his pitching staff. Hopefully, over time, he will improve. Three division championships, one pennant and a seventh game screwup is not a bad coach.
F. O. Puppet.
His record strongly indicates he is anything but terrible. It suggests he is pretty good actually
Wouldn’t you wish to have a FO puppet out there in AZ?
Tell me where I stated where they were going to get rid of him. From what I’ve seen personally, examples like the 2017 World Series and several mistakes early on in the season, his pitching handling in my opinion hasn’t been great.
Willie Randolph needs a manager job.
Yes.
The Nationals have a Soto, Robles & Eaton that they could use in the outfield. If Harper departs, they could use the money to sign a catcher & a starter. They can also try use some of the money to lock up Rendon long-term.
Or you could sign Harper and use Robles to acquire the catcher and or pitcher.
Robles straight up isn’t gonna get you a starting catcher at this point.
The Marlins asked for Robles or Soto for Realmuto.
Not just.
Yes just. I believe it was straight up for Soto. Robles they wanted a pitcher as well. But right now 100 percent you could do Soto straight up for JT
Robles will get you a starting catcher no problem
What catcher or starter though? It’s a good free agent class but also a lot of financially hungry teams ready to spend…signing Harper and trading talent might be the best way to go…but of course st what price do you make that decision with Harper
Nats outfield is loaded. They would be much better off allocating those funds on multiple areas of need than giving 30+MM a year to an inconsistent Harper.
Kim Ng is not qualified to be a GM. Her performance in the international area has been a disaster. Scouts run over her and do whatever they want. She lets them break the rules at Will and does not have the talent of a leader who is in charge.
Yes. It is all her fault. I definitely feel like you are somebody in the know. Not qualified at all. Just a long career in baseball. Hopefully she is barred from MLB front offices forever /s
Ng is that you???
The Mets front office is old, and conformist so they are not going to hire Kim Ng unless, of course, it somehow makes them money.
So— what you’re saying is “she’s a perfect fit for the Mets”.
How do you have such personal experience to know what kind of leader Kim is? Do you work with her? How do you know that “scouts run over her and do whatever they want? It’s one thing to scrutinize the results of an executive but you make such specific claims that I can’t imagine someone outside of the organization would be able to make
Yet on the other hand if these allegations are true then she would make a perfect candidate for the Mets dysfunctional organization.
Careful with these bleeding hearts mike.
No worries. Laughing at the doubters. Kim may have been qualified in the day however she has been out of the loop and what she learned about the Yankees (when she did a good job) no longer apply.
Brian Cashman has flipped the page in the chapter and I wait for the naysayers as I hear in the television, “we want Boston”.
Mets fans have already had another lost season.
Red Sox after a “magical season” have everything to lose. Get ready. Better wear helmets in the monster seats-yankee right hand hitters are going to be dangerous this weekend.
You want the Assistant GM that has a background in building championships to be your GM. If the Mets want her, fine. Lot’s of experience will little hardware in the 21st century.
What proof do you have that Ng is so bad
Non-tendering Dietrich makes no sense for the Marlins… at the very least, he’s a solid veteran player who swings an average bat…. Prado is the one who needs to be released.
Let him go. He is not worth it!
The Dodgers’ three best pitchers (Kershaw, Darvish, Jansen) combined for a 5.86 ERA (normally I wouldn’t cite this stat but it’s such a small sample) in the WS.
So yeah, blame Roberts for his handling of the pitching staff. lol
There’s a number of Dodgers that will be free agents ($70M+) after this season then Matt Kemp, Rich Hill and others ($45M+) after next. If the Dodgers are careful this Winter, they are in a great place financially Winter 2019-2020.
The smart move… Bryce Harper will not be a Washington National in 2019. The Nats pay two pitchers $80M+ (Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer). In addition, Ryan Zimmerman gets $18M and Anthony Rendon is up for arbitration. With Adam Eaton, Victor Robles, Juan Soto and Michael Taylor; OF is not the Nats’ biggest need.
Plus they need a catcher, and at least one (maybe two) starting pitchers (one of which needs to be a lefty), not to mention some arms in the pen.
Meanwhile, their farm system is almost devoid of pitching talent, making it very difficult to pull of many trades.
Bottom line, they need to be early spenders in Free Agency this winter, just not on Harper.
IMHO!!