LOS ANGELES — The moment the New York Yankees’ plane landed Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone fired off a Yankee emoji to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
Roberts saw it, laughed, and quickly tried to think of a clever response in return.
“You know what, there was another emoji I thought about sending him,’ Roberts said. “With one finger.
“But I didn’t.
“I just gave him a laughing emoji back.’
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Who would blame Roberts – and Boone too – for shooting off a one-fingered message to all of the keyboard warriors and talk-show hosts before Friday’s opening game of the 120th World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers.
These two guys were crushed all season on talk shows and social media.
They weren’t even supposed to be employed by now, run out of town by their overzealous fanbases, looking for the next manager who could lead them to their righteous place as World Series champions.
Well, a funny thing happened on their way to the unemployment line.
Dave Roberts, 52, for the fourth time in the last eight years, has led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series.
Aaron Boone, 51, after missing the postseason last year, has led the New York Yankees to their first World Series since 2009.
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These two former players who each had heroic postseason moments, and once were collegiate rivals, not only survived the season and fended off the speculation they could be fired with early postseason exits, but now are in line for lucrative contract extensions.
Roberts, who is earning $3.5 million and $4 million in 2025, is expected to command a contract extension north of Alex Cora’s three-year, $21.75 million deal with the Boston Red Sox but less than Craig Counsell’s five-year, $40 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Boone, who earns about $4 million with a club option in 2025, certainly should be earning more in his next contract extension this winter.
There’s no reason they shouldn’t be two of the highest-earning managers in baseball for simply combat pay, managing in America’s two largest markets where anything less than a World Series championship is considered a disaster.
This World Series features surreal star power with Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who should unanimously win the MVP awards in November – along with four other MVPs and future Hall of Famers. But without Roberts and Boone, their players will tell you, they wouldn’t be here.
It’s their calming influence, their communication skills – they know not only the players’ families, but their dog’s names – and their willingness to take all the heat.
“In the past 10, 11 years,’ Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman said, “I’ve got to play with Dave Roberts and Brian Snitker [in Atlanta], two people that care about the person almost more than the player. That’s what so special about Doc. He’s intentional in his time with you. He cares about you. I don’t know how many times it’s more about [wife] Chelsea and [kids] Charlie, Brandon and Max that he’s talking to me about. That’s what makes him special.
“It’s the person that makes you want to play even harder for someone that actually cares about you. I’ve been very, very lucky to have him as a manager.’
Mookie Betts, who was supposed to be the Dodgers leadoff hitter and starting shortstop this season, only to be moved to second base, and back to right field, dropped to second in the batting order instead of first, can’t stop raving about Roberts.
“It’s been amazing,’ Betts said. “It’s more than I could even ask for. I love Doc since the day I’ve gotten here. My love for him has gotten anything but stronger and deeper. I think he loves every player that puts on a Dodger uniform, no matter how long they’re here. I don’t have enough good words to say about him.
‘Anyone who thinks they can do better than that …’
It’s still mind-boggling that nine years ago the Dodgers were set to hire Gabe Kapler as their manager to replace Don Mattingly – until veteran players voiced their concerns to the front office and ownership.
And it’s even more stunning that the San Diego Padres didn’t even interview him for their managerial opening when he was already on their coaching staff.
Roberts has the greatest winning percentage (.627, 851-507) of any manager in MLB history, with the sixth-most postseason victories in history, and only Hall of Famers Bobby Cox and Joe McCarthy have compiled more 100-victory seasons.
‘The only ones who question him, I think, are you guys,” Dodgers owner Mark Walter said in the pennant-clinching celebration. “He’s won four pennants in eight years. Anyone who thinks they can do better than that…’
Yet, when you have a massive payroll, a team full of stars, and the greatest player in the game in Ohtani, no one in Los Angeles wants to hear about their 12 pitchers on the injured list. Or that the team played without Betts for two months and Muncy for three months, and has only three healthy starting pitchers in the World Series. Roberts has called this the most challenging season of his managerial career.
“I’ve learned to have thicker skin,’ said Roberts, who produced the most famous stolen base in Red Sox history in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees. “I try to appreciate the fact that there’s always going to be criticism. Maybe more jaded at times. But it is a results business. And I get that. I understand the job.’
If the Dodgers don’t win the World Series, he’ll be blamed. If a reliever he summons from the bullpen fails, he’ll be blamed.
“Everyone wants to always criticize, but I can’t say enough good things about him,’ Muncy said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit. There’s a lot of things that he does great, but one of the things he does best is he takes all of the heat from the fans, even though it’s not warranted on him.
“There’s a lot of times he makes decisions because there’s something going on behind the scenes. Maybe he didn’t bring in this pitcher. Or he didn’t pinch-hit this guy. Or maybe he didn’t start this guy. He’ll never put it out there, and protect us, but because of that, he ends up just wearing the heat, and he has no problem with that.
“That’s what makes him so special is that he’s so in tune with everyone in the clubhouse.’
You want to know why the Dodgers have a fresh bullpen that has dominated the postseason, look no further than Roberts’ decisions throughout the season to keep them fresh.
“I appreciate just how well he took care of the bullpen all year,’ reliever Evan Phillips said. “He always has our health at the forefront, and our futures at the forefront. He had this moment in mind when he took care of us all year, making sure we’re ready for the World Series.’
‘He takes the brunt’
The Yankees, well aware that Boone could have been dismissed if they didn’t reach the playoffs, share the same respect. Boone is a player’s manager. You won’t hear him publicly criticize a player. He doesn’t ridicule decisions made by the front office.
He was a player himself, playing 12 years where he was an All-Star third baseman, and hit one of the most famous home runs in Yankee history with his walk-off in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox.
Yankees players swear you’ll never see him sweat. He instead will be in the clubhouse, cracking jokes, having fun, and talking smack on behalf his alma mater, USC.
When Boone was reminded about the collegiate rivalry – that he and Roberts had when he played for the Trojans and Roberts played for the UCLA Bruins – he cracked at his press conference:
“You’re a Trojan for life, you’re a Bruin for four years. That’s probably the case with Doc. He’s probably like indifferent. I get pissed off when the Trojans lose. They’re like, eh, whatever.’
So, if you think Boone is stressing about managing in his first World Series, sorry, you’ve got the wrong guy.
“He’s always been great,’ Yankee starter Clarke Schmidt said, “but he also seems a lot more calm in these stressful moments. Obviously, these postseason games bring a lot of stress, and might force you to make a decision quicker than you typically may. But he seems to be very calm, and obviously making the right decisions this year.
“That’s fun to have a manager that’s calm. Everything reflects from the top to the bottom. If you have a guy at the helm who’s calm and cool, and someone you can trust to be calm in those big situations, it carries itself in the locker room as well.’
Boone refuses to suffocate anyone’s personality, or force them to conform to Yankee standards. OK, you still can’t have a beard or wear your hair down to your shoulders, but if you want to strut, if you want to bat flip, feel free.
“It’s been great playing for Boone, man,’ said infielder Jazz Chisholm, who was traded to the Yankees in July from the Miami Marlins. “He’s a great manager. He’s here for the players. Everybody trusts him. The No. 1 thing to do is that you’ve got to trust your manager, and that’s how everything starts.
“He loves everything I do.’
Says rookie catcher Austin Wells: “He’s definitely had to stick his neck out for me a few times this year. I appreciate what he does. He’s allowed the personalities what the yneed to be to have success. I know he’s bene a big help to my success.’
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton was never criticized by Boone during his injury-riddled seasons. He was never called out for his slumps. He never brought up his contract.
Boone stuck with him, and there was Stanton becoming the MVP of the ALCS, hitting four homers with seven RBI.
“It’s unreal,’ Stanton said. “He’s the perfect players’ manager. He’s very communicative. You know what’s on his mind. He doesn’t mind having that conversation. And that’s what you want.
“You’re not always going to agree with things here and there, but to be able to have the conversation and understand where both sides are coming from, I think everybody appreciates that.’
Certainly, Stanton has heard his share of boos at Yankee Stadium. Even Aaron Judge has. Really, no Yankee player has been immune.
Yet, only one man has the fanbase calling for his job every time the Yankees lose.
“He takes the brunt of a lot,’ Stanton said, “especially when it’s based on our performance. That’s what makes us all family, and we love him.’
In this next week or so, Boone and Roberts will again hear the biting criticism again every time they lose a game. They’ll have fans calling for their jobs. And whoever loses the World Series will have their fan base screaming at them all winter.
It’s the beauty of managing the two most iconic franchises in baseball, and, of course, the curse of it, too.
“He’s just someone I have a lot of respect for,’ Boone said of Roberts, “and certainly somebody that you relate to what you go through in this job. In a lot of ways, our jobs and our markets are similar.’
Boone won’t win the World Series by himself. Roberts won’t either.
These star-studded rosters will determine the ultimate outcome.
“The game, it’s bigger than all of us,’ Roberts said, “and I don’t hesitate in letting the players know that.’
Win the World Series, and Boone or Roberts will be absolutely adored.
Lose the World Series, get called an idiot.
“It’s the life we chose,’ Roberts said.
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