Why Dodgers’ Dave Roberts deserves to be MLB’s highest-paid manager

Dave Roberts has always been an unconditionally positive leader, but after years of playoff criticism, his finest work at the helm also demonstrated his evolution as a manager.

On May 26 last season, Yohan Ramirez was struggling to find the zone in the eighth inning when something happened that the journeyman reliever had never experienced in his five years in the big leagues. 

Two days after hitting two batters and walking another in his first game of the series in Cincinnati. Ramirez looked erratic again. He plunked two batters to load the bases, prompting Dave Roberts out of the dugout. 

Only, the Dodgers manager did not take the ball from Ramirez. 

Instead, Roberts wrapped his arms around the 29-year-old and pulled the pitcher's face close to his ear. He told Ramirez how much he believed in him, then he left him in the game. One pitch later, Ramirez extinguished the threat. Ramirez had been with the team for less than a week, yet he was already describing Roberts as more of a father figure than a coach. 

Other Dodgers have issued similar refrains when describing what sets Roberts apart. 

Two of his most distinctive traits are his ability to connect with players and his consistent positivity, both of which are vital when leading a club teeming with superstar talent. He has managed games, he has managed egos, and he has managed off-field turmoil, all the while keeping the train on the tracks, piling up both 100-win seasons and respect. 

"It's just the confidence that he gives to the players," Teoscar Hernandez said after his first season with the club ended in a World Series championship. "He lets you have fun. His communication with his players … is one of the best that I had in my career. And I think that's why he's