"I don't like looking like an idiot" - Dave Roberts re-opens can of worms with new insight into Dodgers vs Padres NLDS controversy
The LA Dodgers-San Diego Padres games are always intense. Much was made about the intense clash between the two in the 2024 NLDS. From Dodgers fans throwing stuff at Jurickson Profar to Manny Machado continuing to run on a wild play, the series had everyone on edge.
On Monday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, on Dodgers Territory, discussed the controversial play from NLDS Game 3 at Petco Park.
In the bottom of the second inning, Dodgers ace Walker Buehler was pitching against Jackson Merril with Machado on first base. Merrill hit a line drive straight to Freddie Freeman who threw towards second base to get Machado out. However, the throw ricocheted off Machado and went into outfield as the Padres star reached third base.
Due to the controversial nature of the play, Dodgers fans were amused why Roberts didn't out there and undo Machado's advance to third base. Roberts issued the clarification and said that the play was legal.
"I think that fans are emotional," Roberts said. "They're fanatical — that’s kind of the short term of fans. And so, first off, Manny's play was legal. I just think that fans feel there's a correlation between a manager getting upset and success on the baseball field. But there's no correlation.
"I would argue that more emotion takes away from the calmness and focus of the players. And so, yeah. I also think that I pick my spots to be emotional. I have a lot of individual discussions, but, at the end of the day, Manny made the right play."
Roberts also dismissed the notion that a manager needs to perform theatrics to inspire a team.
"For me to yell or fire up my team for something he did, then I look like the idiot — and I don’t like looking like an idiot," Roberts added.
Why Padres' Manny Machado was right in running despite the baseball making contact?
On closer look at the play, one could see why the aforementioned play was deemed fair.
According to MLB playing condition rules, the runner can take any route to reach from one base to another unless to avoid a tag.
In this case, Machado was running and didn't make a deliberate attempt to interfere with the pass of the ball. Thus, the Padres player's play was legal, contrary to what many fans believed, including Hall of Famer Chipper Jones.