Throughout the last three Dodgers seasons, amid the constant rearranging of a clubhouse that sometimes feels like a bus station, there has been one constant presence, one unwavering voice, one clear caretaker of the culture.
He’s the one who has convinced even the most hardened veterans to buy into the persistent platooning. He’s the one who has gained the trust of even the most precocious of pitchers as they adjust to playing musical roles.
Roberts has used old-school nurturing to sell a cold analytics blueprint to a team that has responded by following him deep into October, and if you don’t think that’s crazy strong, you try telling Clayton Kershaw he’s not starting the first game of the playoffs.