Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers. (Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts may have given fuel to the San Diego Padres’ fire.
After Friday night’s road victory over the NL West rival San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts may have unintentionally disrespected the San Diego Padres in the process.
Roberts’ Dodgers defeated the Giants at Oracle Park 2-1 on Friday night in Trevor Bauer’s gem. While his comments may have been more about praising how much better the Giants are this season, they could be construed as a massive dig at the other high-quality team in the NL West in San Diego. All three clubs will be battling for divisional supremacy throughout the entire summer.
Should the Padres really feel that slighted by what Roberts said at the podium on Friday night?
Dave Roberts provided the San Diego Padres with bulletin board material
Frankly, it does not matter if Roberts’ comments were only about the Giants being a better team. It would serve the Padres to view these comments as shade to propel them to victory. After being down for a decade and change, the Padres emerged last season as a viable threat in the National League. They have all the talent in the world to win the division and contend for a World Series.
Though the Dodgers and the Padres do not have anywhere close to the historic rivalry of that between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Friars and the Boys in Blue are not exactly chummy these days. What has been great this season out west is the division has given us three of the best teams in baseball. This has to be the most compelling divisional race in the league right now.
Look for the Padres to use Roberts’ quote from Friday as motivation ahead of their next meeting.