In the lobby of a hotel two miles from AT&T Park, Dave Roberts received the only validation he required after the most controversial decision of his brief managerial career. As Roberts walked toward the exit on Saturday morning, he ran into Hayes Stripling. There were tears in the man’s eyes.
The night before, Hayes watched as Roberts removed his son, Ross, when he was five outs away from completing a no-hitter in his major league debut. Hayes did not seek recrimination. He wanted to thank Roberts for protecting his son's surgically repaired right elbow.
“For me, I felt good about it, regardless of that,” Roberts said on Saturday morning.