Dave Roberts Named Dodgers Manager
November 23, 2015 | Baseball
Former UCLA outfielder and 10-year MLB veteran Dave Roberts has been named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the club announced today.
Roberts, who graduated from UCLA in 1995 with a BA in history, becomes the first minority manager in Dodgers history and joins Ron Roenicke as the second former UCLA player to be named manager at the MLB level.
"It's hard for me to put into words what it means to be named manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers," Roberts said in a statement. "This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime. The Dodgers are the ground-breaking franchise of Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, Maury Wills, Fernando Valenzuela and Hideo Nomo. When I put on this uniform as a player, I understood the special responsibility to honor those that played before me as well as the amazing bond between the Dodgers and their fans. I feel that I have now come full circle in my career and there is plenty of unfinished business left in L.A."
Stealing a total of 109 bases, Roberts is UCLA's all-time leader in career steals. The most prolific base stealer in school history, Roberts set the UCLA single season record with 45 steals in 1994. Earning All-Pac-10 acclaim twice, Roberts finished his four-year career with a .325 batting average, 82 RBI and 177 runs. In 1994, the Vista, Calif. native was selected in the 28th round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers.
Roberts went on to have a successful professional career, playing for five organizations over a 10-year career. In 2004, Roberts was pivotal in the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series title, stealing second and coming around to score in game four of the ALCS to avoid elimination. Roberts spent three seasons with the Dodgers as a player from 2002 to 2004 and eventually retired from the game in 2008.
Roberts has been a member of the Padres organization since 2010, including most recently serving as bench coach under Bud Black last season. This will be Roberts' first opportunity as manager.
Roberts, 43, becomes the youngest Dodgers manager since 42-year-old Walt Alston was hired in 1954.
