Dave Roberts (baseball manager) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dave Roberts
Roberts with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 30
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1972-05-31) May 31, 1972 (age 53) Naha, Okinawa, Japan
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
August 7, 1999, for the Cleveland Indians
Last appearance
September 27, 2008, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
Batting average	.266
Home runs	23
Runs batted in	213
Stolen bases	243
Managerial record	851–507
Winning %	.627
Teams
As player Cleveland Indians (1999–2001) Los Angeles Dodgers (2002–2004) Boston Red Sox (2004) San Diego Padres (2005–2006) San Francisco Giants (2007–2008) As manager San Diego Padres (2015) Los Angeles Dodgers (2016–present) As coach San Diego Padres (2011–2015)
Career highlights and awards
3× World Series champion (2004, 2020, 2024) NL Manager of the Year (2016)
Medals Men's baseball Representing USA Pan American Games Silver 1999 Winnipeg Team competition

David "Dave" Ray Roberts (born May 31, 1972) is a famous Japanese American baseball manager and former player. He is currently the manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Dave Roberts played for five different MLB teams over ten years. After playing, he became a coach for the San Diego Padres. In 2016, he became the manager of the Dodgers.

One of his most famous moments as a player was a key stolen base in the 2004 playoffs. This helped the Boston Red Sox win the 2004 World Series. He bats and throws left-handed.

Roberts is special because he was the first manager of Asian heritage to lead a team to the World Series in 2017. He led the Dodgers to the World Series again in 2018, 2020, and 2024. His teams won the World Series in 2020 and 2024. He is also the second African American manager to win a World Series title.

Dave Roberts' Early Life

David Ray Roberts was born on May 31, 1972, in Naha, Okinawa, Japan. His father, Waymon, was a U.S. Marine stationed in Japan. His mother, Eiko, was from Okinawa. Dave has a younger sister named Melissa.

Because his father was in the military, Dave moved around a lot. He lived in different places like Okinawa, California, North Carolina, and Hawaii. His family finally settled in San Diego, California.

Dave went to Vista High School for his first year. He was the best player on the junior varsity baseball team. Later, he moved to Rancho Buena Vista High School. There, he was a star in football, basketball, and baseball. He was a quarterback in football and helped his team win a championship. He was asked to play football at the Air Force Academy but chose baseball instead.

College Baseball Career

Roberts decided to go to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He joined the UCLA Bruins baseball team as a walk-on outfielder. He impressed the coaches with his speed and energy.

In his second year, he had a .331 batting average and stole 36 bases. In his third year, he hit .296 with 28 stolen bases. The Cleveland Indians picked him in the 47th round of the 1993 MLB draft. He was disappointed to be drafted so late. His coach told him to improve his defense and throwing arm.

He worked hard and became better at getting to the ball quickly. As a senior, he led the Bruins in outfield assists. He also hit .353 and stole 45 bases. When he left UCLA, he was the school's all-time leader in stolen bases. He earned a degree in history in 1995.

Dave Roberts' Professional Playing Career

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Detroit Tigers picked Roberts in the 28th round of the 1994 MLB draft. He started his career with the Jamestown Jammers, a short-season team. He hit .292 and stole 12 bases.

In 1995, he played for the Lakeland Tigers. He hit .303 and stole 30 bases. In 1996, he played for the Visalia Oaks. He was frustrated at first but his father encouraged him to keep playing. He hit .272 with 65 stolen bases, which was the most in all of minor league baseball that year.

He also played a few games for the AA Jacksonville Suns. In 1998, he started with the Suns again. He was hitting .326 with 21 stolen bases and was named an all-star.

Playing for the Cleveland Indians

In June 1998, Roberts was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He played for the Akron Aeros and then the Buffalo Bisons. He helped the Bisons win their first championship in almost 40 years. He said this promotion made him a better player.

Roberts made his major league debut with the Indians on August 7, 1999. He played center field and batted leadoff. In his first game, he had three hits and stole a base. His first MLB hit was a double. He hit his first home run on August 30 and a grand slam on September 24. In 1999, he played 41 games, hitting .238 with two homers and 11 stolen bases.

He spent most of 2000 back in the minors with Buffalo. He hit .292 with 13 homers and 39 steals. He had surgery on his left shoulder after the season. He returned in 2001, playing 62 games with Buffalo and 15 games with the Indians. He is the Buffalo Bisons' all-time leader in stolen bases.

Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Roberts playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 22, 2001, Roberts was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2002 season was his first full year in the major leagues. He was the leadoff hitter and starting center fielder. He finished the season hitting .277 with 45 stolen bases.

In 2003, he played in 107 games due to hamstring problems. Still, he stole 42 bases. He was one of only ten Dodgers players to have two seasons in a row with 40 or more steals. He started 2004 with the Dodgers, hitting .253 with 33 steals before being traded.

The Boston Red Sox and "The Steal"

On July 31, 2004, the Dodgers traded Roberts to the Boston Red Sox. He played 45 games for the Red Sox, hitting .256.

Roberts made a huge impact in the 2004 Red Sox playoffs. This was even though he didn't play in the 2004 World Series. His most famous moment was a stolen base against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series Game 4. The Red Sox were about to lose the series. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with the Red Sox down by one run, Kevin Millar walked. Roberts came in to pinch run.

On the first pitch, Roberts stole second base. He barely made it! After the steal, Bill Mueller hit a single, and Roberts scored. This helped the Red Sox win that game in extra innings. They then won eight games in a row, leading to their first World Series title since 1918. In 2006, this stolen base was recognized as a "Memorable Moment" in Red Sox history.

Playing for the San Diego Padres

The Red Sox traded Roberts to the San Diego Padres on December 20, 2004. He played center field for the Padres in 2005, hitting .275. In 2006, he moved to left field. That season, he had his best year, hitting .293 with 49 steals and 13 triples. The 13 triples tied a team record. In the 2006 playoffs, Roberts hit .438, but the Padres lost.

Time with the San Francisco Giants

Roberts playing for the San Francisco Giants

In December 2006, Roberts signed with the San Francisco Giants. He agreed to a 3-year, $18-million deal. His time with the Giants started slowly due to injuries. He had surgery on his elbow. He finished 2007 hitting .260 with 31 stolen bases. In 2008, he played only 52 games due to more injuries, hitting .224 with five steals.

On March 5, 2009, the Giants released Roberts.

Dave Roberts' Player Style

Roberts was known for his speed and smarts on the bases. He didn't hit many home runs. Instead, he would hit the ball to get on base and then use his speed to turn singles into doubles. Once on base, he was great at creating runs. He would steal bases and move up on ground balls.

When he was healthy, Roberts was one of the best base stealers. From 2002 to 2006, he stole 195 bases with an 81% success rate. This was one of the best rates in baseball. He was also a great outfielder, covering a lot of ground.

Coaching and Managerial Career

Coaching for the San Diego Padres

Roberts as Padres coach

In May 2009, Roberts stopped playing baseball. He worked as a TV analyst for the Red Sox for a year. Then, he joined the Padres in 2010 to help players with defense and base running.

On October 18, 2010, Roberts became the Padres' first base coach. In 2014, he was promoted to bench coach. On June 15, 2015, Roberts was the Padres' manager for one game after the main manager was fired. The Padres lost that game. He then went back to being bench coach.

Managing the Los Angeles Dodgers

Roberts became the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers on November 23, 2015. He was the first minority manager in the team's history. In 2016, his first year, the Dodgers had many injured players. Despite this, they won their division title. They made it to the playoffs but lost to the Chicago Cubs. Roberts was praised for his smart use of pitchers during the playoffs. He was named the National League Manager of the Year.

In 2017, Roberts led the Dodgers back to the playoffs. They won their way to the 2017 World Series. Roberts became the first manager of Asian heritage and the fourth African-American manager to reach the World Series. The Dodgers played the Houston Astros and lost in seven games. Later, it was found that the Astros had cheated by stealing signs that season.

In 2018, the Dodgers started slowly but came back to win their division. Roberts led them to the 2018 World Series again. They played against the Boston Red Sox, managed by his former teammate Alex Cora. The Red Sox won the series.

Dan Evans (left), Dave Roberts and Dr. Lynn Lashbrook at the 2023 Winter Meetings Baseball Career Conference

On December 3, 2018, Roberts signed a new contract with the Dodgers until 2022.

In 2019, Roberts led the Dodgers to a fantastic 106-win season, a team record. However, they were upset in the playoffs by the Washington Nationals, who went on to win the World Series.

In 2020, Roberts again led the Dodgers to the playoffs. They swept their first two playoff series. After falling behind 3-1 in the championship series, they came back to win. The Dodgers then defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games to win the 2020 World Series. Roberts became the first African-American manager to win a World Series since Cito Gaston. He was also the first manager of Asian heritage to win the World Series.

Roberts (far right) with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and the Dodgers at the White House in 2021

On March 25, 2022, Roberts signed another contract extension through the 2025 season. In 2022, the Dodgers won 111 games, one of the most wins in MLB history. However, they lost in the playoffs to the San Diego Padres. This was the fourth time Roberts had a 100-win season. In 2023, they won 100 games again but lost in the playoffs to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In 2024, Roberts led the Dodgers to the National League championship for the fourth time. In the 2024 World Series, the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games. This gave Roberts his second World Series title as a manager.

Managerial Record

Roberts' record as a manager is shown below:

Dave Roberts' Personal Life

Roberts at the Winter Meetings in 2015

Dave Roberts married his high school girlfriend, Tricia, in 1997. They have two children, a son named Cole and a daughter named Emme. Cole played college baseball and is now in the minor leagues.

Roberts also owns a winery called Red Stitch Winery with friends.

In March 2010, Roberts was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Hodgkin's lymphoma. After receiving treatments, he was given a clean bill of health in June 2011.

Roberts is a Christian.

See Also

• List of Major League Baseball All-Star Game managers