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MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS RED SOX

October 22, 2018

Dave Roberts

Boston, Massachusetts - Workout Day

Q. Just two quick ones, what does your pitching look like?
DAVE ROBERTS: Obviously Clayton is going to go Game 1, and Hyun-Jin will go Game 2, and Walker will pitch Game 3.

Q. Cora earlier remarked how famous you are here, and how you've made a lucrative business signing autographs. Just from your perspective, how lucrative has that been?
DAVE ROBERTS: Probably not as lucrative as Alex made it sound. It is great coming back to this great city. I've got nothing but great memories, even flying into Logan and just this time of year, this city, the leaves changing. And then you drive up to Fenway Park and it all just kind of comes back to you, 2004. And the teammates I had, the coaches, and that energy that only Fenway Park has. So to kind of recount that and you take it on the other level of Alex and I were former teammates and very good friends, and competing with each other, against each other, and to kind of see our different paths and where we've come, it's really exceeded all of our dreams.

And this is a dream job for me and I know speaking for him this is his dream job. So for us to play for a world championship, West Coast-East Coast, Dodgers-Red Sox, I just can't see it getting any better.

Q. What you know about Alex, obviously having played with him, what gave you the indication early on perhaps that he would make a great manager?
DAVE ROBERTS: First off, he loves the game of baseball. He has a crazy passion for it. Very detail oriented. Always curious about strategies and the why. His ability to focus as a teammate to just really be able to focus for three hours, he has that ability. And lastly, connected people, was a leader, always a leader.

So he checks a lot of boxes. So to see him in this position, no surprise. I couldn't be more happy for him.

Q. I'm curious, I'm sure over the years you've heard countless stories of where people were when you stole the base, like what it meant to them and things like that, probably while signing all the balls and getting all the money. But I'm curious if any really struck you with how many of these things you've heard. I'm sure there were a million people in the ballpark by now having witnessed that. But what, like the personal part of these stories that you probably hear over and over again, has touched you?
DAVE ROBERTS: Well, they all touch me in different ways. I think the key that I've really grown to appreciate is it's not about me. I understand that it was a big play for me, for the Red Sox and our club in 2004, but understanding that everyone has a moment. That moment is special to them or whoever they're with, and however they identify that play with that particular moment. And for to them to want to share that with me, that's pretty humbling.

So I've really grown to love to hear the different stories. I've heard stories of parents on their deathbed and got to see it, and then finally gave way once they saw us win a championship. And it doesn't get more impactful or heart warming than that.

Q. Yasiel Puig hit a three-run homer last series. He's also had a few mental lapse earlier in the playoffs. How do you balance that risk-reward when inserting him into the lineup? What are your expectations for him this series?
DAVE ROBERTS: Yasiel has had some mental lapses; is that right? Certainly our job as coaches is to continue to teach players. And there is certainly a lot of upside with Yasiel. There's a lot of energy. There's a little bit or maybe a little bit more of -- there's some recklessness. So my job, the coach's job, is to continue to embrace it to some extent but also harness it. So there is a balance. But certainly with Yasiel the net is certainly a positive.

Q. Manny Machado, he's got a lot of attention during this playoff run, and he had a history with this fan base, as well. Wondering how you feel with how he's dealt with being the villain?
DAVE ROBERTS: Well, for us, he's posted. He prepares every game. He's doing whatever he feels necessary to help us win baseball games. I don't think the attention that he's receiving is affecting him. I think he just has a good way to channel that for the positive.

So I've heard a little bit about the history with the Red Sox, but when you're in the World Series I think that each team's goal is to win four baseball games. So I don't think that the history really has any effect on these next games.

Q. With all of the talk about bullpenning and how a lot of the playoff teams had to piece together their pitching, and now we're in the World Series we see two teams that rely largely on starting pitching. How much of a comfort is it for you to be able to know that your starters not only can go deep into games, but also decide some of these games?
DAVE ROBERTS: Every ballclub operates differently depending on their personnel, and last year we had a little bit different than this year. Milwaukee is a little bit different than we are. But for me to have four guys that you're going to run out there that you feel confident that can give you X amount of outs and shorten a game, I think that that's a lot more comforting than to kind of premeditated get six to nine outs and then try to patch things together, especially when you're talking about a seven-game series, the last series of the year, where guys have been used and workloads and things like that. I do think that with us last year there was a little bit of overexposure with our pen with the Astros.

So right now where we're at, we're definitely cognizant of that, too.

Q. With Muncy, when along the way did he become somebody who was effectively replacing/filling in for guys who are injured to becoming the offensive threat, the player that he's become?
DAVE ROBERTS: I don't recall exactly when but I do know that once we recalled him in April, there was a little bit of struggle - his first 20 at-bats, he was swinging at a lot of balls down below. And I think in Arizona he might have hit a homer the other way and just got his confidence. And from that point on just the at-bat quality continued to be consistent, even against a left-hander. And it was just to a point where we couldn't keep him out of the lineup.

And his story of being out of baseball for a quick minute, being a non-roster invitee, college kid out of Baylor, Midwest, so for him to kind of win a job and win at-bats, he kind of typifies a lot of the guys that we have on our club.

Q. You had your magic moment in '04. David Freese had a couple of his own in '11. Can you relate a little bit to sort of how that moment always stays with you in a good way your whole life, and what has David brought to this team in the short time he's been here?
DAVE ROBERTS: I think one part of it is just the preparation. When you can always rely on your preparation, the moment shouldn't get too big for you, and you have a way of calming your nerves to not try to do too much. So that's kind of how I approach the postseason. I think David feels the same way. And he has a calm about him when he's in the batter's box, and the players that do perform on the biggest of stages have that kind of similarity.

David's just brought professionalism, a toughness, experience and a buy-in. And if you can look back at how he's been used since he's been here, it's been a little unorthodox but for him when a player tells you, "You never have to explain why you do what you do, I'm here to support you in any way I possibly can," that's just who David Freese is, and it makes my job a lot easier.

Q. (No microphone).
DAVE ROBERTS: He'll be in there.

Q. While all the data you have and the resultant defensive shifts and pitching changes give you a better chance to win the game, does part of you as a fan wonder whether the increase in strikeouts and the decrease in hits makes the game less appealing for fans, especially maybe the casual fans who only tune in this time of year?
DAVE ROBERTS: There's certainly something to be said for that, because ball in play, double plays, defense, that's always exciting, the hit-and-run. But if you look at -- I know our series there was a lot of strikeouts, but there was the strategy part of it. I think that that's very exciting for a baseball purist that loves to see what managers think and how you can kind of match up against the opposition.

But still the talent that is on the field, that's going to be on the field tomorrow and in this entire postseason is like there's never been. So when you're talking about the strikeout, the reason we can talk about the swings and not the intent to shorten up or use the other side of the field, but the facts are the velocity has increased exponentially, and you have to appreciate that, as well.

So there's not just one side of it. And a lot of credit goes to those big arms. So it's not easy to always just put a ball in play. But I just appreciate how many good players there are in today's game.

Q. I just want to dovetail off of you talking about calming the nerves. You guys have been heavy favorites to get back to this place again now. And this is one of the first times that you guys have really seen as underdogs, especially by Vegas. Do you feel like you're playing with house money? And if you do, do you feel like that's mentally freeing and able to calm your nerves a little bit more as a club?
DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, it's kind of a role reversal for us. It's the high-payroll, high-powered Red Sox. So for us to kind of be in the game, that's a good thing for us.

So I like the underdog role. I do know that everyone in our clubhouse doesn't see it as icing on the cake. It's been our goal since last year to win a World Series. So it's a good club over there but we still like our guys, and it's going to be a good one. They're going to get everything we have.

Q. Two things, who is your DH tomorrow?
DAVE ROBERTS: Matt Kemp.

Q. And you talked about your time with Alex in LA. What did you guys see in each other? Did you talk about possibly managing then, were there other guys on the team you thought might? And other experiences you had there that shape you today?
DAVE ROBERTS: There was a lot of talk of Alex potentially managing. And I think that that's something, even when he was playing, he had visions of doing that or doing this. Me, not so much, but we didn't talk about it a whole lot. But I know that Jim Tracy was our manager, and we talked about a lot of strategies. And being in this game for the long haul and just loving this game of baseball. So however that was going to play out, I was pretty certain that Alex was going to be in this chair at some point.

Q. Do you have any concerns about Ryu pitching Game 2 instead of Game 3, because he was better at Dodger Stadium, and Fenway Park is a new place for him?
DAVE ROBERTS: No, no, with Hyun-Jin he's been very good at Dodger Stadium, but if he's executing pitches and being on the road, we're not concerned. He's had a tremendous year. And pitching in big games, whether it be at home or on the road, his pulse, as we've talked about with a lot of our players, isn't a concern of ours.

Q. Kind of following up on that, what was the thought process that you choose Ryu over Hill for the Game 2? Kind of following up on Bill, you and Alex are the first minority managers to face off in the World Series. I know that's not a topic you like to put out front, but what significance is there for that for you?
DAVE ROBERTS: Well, with the Ryu question, we feel that for him to be able to pitch two games in the series, he's had a short one here in Milwaukee, but the rest he's on turn. And we like Walker behind him. And we like Walker pitching at home. And with Rich getting a little bit of extra time pitching at home, which he pitches well there, too. So we just feel comfortable with that, the way we line things up.

As far as the two minority managers, I guess opposing each other for the first time in World Series history, I don't take a whole lot of time in kind of thinking about it. But when I do, as in right now, it's special. And it's, again, it's not about myself or Alex, and just to see the minorities get opportunities and perform and do well, I think that that gives opportunities for others.

So there's responsibility that I know that Alex shares and I do to do things the right way and to be good leaders. And so up to this point I think we've done a pretty good job. But I hope more minorities get opportunities, certainly.

Q. Just piggybacking off that, are you happy with how baseball has been able to diversify at the managerial level? Do you think there are enough minority managers out there right now?
DAVE ROBERTS: I think there could be more, certainly. But I'm not in tune with every single managerial process. But being on the diversity committee that I am on and trying to get opportunities and hire positions for minorities, men, women, I think that the needle is moving. Maybe not as quickly as most people would like, but I'm always encouraging minorities to get opportunities. But like Alex said, we don't do the hiring, but to look across the field and see a minority in the dugout certainly is exciting.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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