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LOS ANGELES – Dave Roberts spoke to his players for the last time Sunday night, shortly after the Los Angeles Dodgers lost 5-1 at the end of the season against the Boston Red Sox in the fifth game of the season. World Series.
He told them how proud he was and how lucky he was to be their manager. Then he chose Clayton Kershaw to make sure he knew how important he was to the organization, just in case he was not part of it anymore.
"Whatever decision he makes, it's with him and his family," Roberts said. "But for me, to be in his team for three years, I learned a lot from him, and I'm going to continue that way, it hurts him, it hurts us all."
The Dodgers, the first team since the 2010 and 2011 Texas Rangers to lose two world series in a row, face two key questions in the coming days, focused on their manager and their ace.
Winning pennants in consecutive seasons would be boastful for most franchises, but the Dodgers have an uncertain future after losing the world series in consecutive seasons.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was booed when his name was announced before the fifth World Series game on Sunday in the final game at Dodger Stadium in 2018.
After winning 108 games, Boston has vowed to "do some damage" in the playoffs. Thanks to David Price and Steve Pearce in the fifth match, mission accomplished.
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The brass of the Dodgers have never chosen Roberts' option for 2019, which technically means that he has no contract at the moment. Meanwhile, Kershaw has three days to decide if he wants to give up his own contract, a delay that would bring him $ 65 million over two years.
"I have not made the decision yet," said Kershaw after conceding four runs in seven sets. "We have three days to talk, between us and the Dodgers, to see what's going on, and then we'll leave from there."
Roberts, who has just finished his third season with the organization, said, "My plan is to manage the Dodgers."
"I love the city, I like the organization, everything it does," he added. "And I love high expectations, and that's how it should be, I can always get better."
The Dodgers have seven players eligible for free choice, including starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, catcher Yasmani Grandal, second baseman Brian Dozier, pitcher Ryan Madson and, in particular, the short stoppage Manny Machado .
Corey Seager, who has spent most of the year recovering from surgery at Tommy John, will be ready to return to the shortest stop next year, making thus the return of Machado unlikely. The four-time All-Star said he "could not be more grateful" for his three-month stay with the Dodgers, but he was not ready to talk about the persistent free agency.
"We just lost," said Machado. "I can not even think of that."
Chase Utley is about to retire, which he said "look forward to". The Dodgers must also make a decision on their $ 6 million option for cornerback David Freese, a major clubhouse presence that joined the team in October.
Kenley Jansen will soon have an operation in his heart. The Dodgers' relatives spent more than a week out of the team in August to address the recurrence of atrial fibrillation. They then stated that another invasive procedure was essentially a fatality during the off season.
"It will be next month," said Jansen. "Probably at some point, I will not be able to do any more exercise.We will solve this problem.I will really clean my diet to really help me with what I want to accomplish during the season. dead and recover from surgery. "
Kershaw, still looking for his first trophy in the World Series and the claim that he's not a good pitcher in playoffs, was "disappointed" by the result, but "proud" "to be part of a team that has managed to qualify for the final round. two times in a row.
Kershaw is arguably the biggest pitcher of his day, with three Cy Young Awards, an MVP Trophy and a 2.39 ERP in 2 096 1/3 of regular season heats. But he will be 31 years old in March, has spent the last three seasons on the disabled list with a back injury and is now launching a fastball that hangs in the 90s. Circumstances that hurt his market value and could potentially affect his decision not to participate.
"Clayton, it's the Dodgers," said Rich Hill, his fellow starter. "He is the heart and soul of this organization, when you look at a guy like this, who has been putting him on the line for so many years and who has been so successful here as a Dodger. – I just hope they do things right thing. "
Roberts led the Dodgers to 87 regular season wins more than defeats from 2016 to 2018, a three-year period crowned by two pennants of the National League. His unique blend of leadership, sensations and analytical skills have made him one of the most respected managers of the game. But he has not managed to deliver the first championship of the franchise in 30 years.
On Sunday, last game of the season at home, Roberts was booed by Dodger Stadium fans during pre-game introductions, a reaction triggered mainly by his decision to remove Hill too soon from a heartbreaking defeat in the fourth match.
Jansen said the criticism of Roberts in recent days was "unfair".
"Doc has done a remarkable job this year," said Jansen, alluding to all the difficulties the Dodgers have faced during the summer. "He has done a lot of good things this season to bring us here."
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