With respect to Doc and his creds for HOF, some have down played his success because of the team he has. I guess we can say the same with Casey Stengel and Joe McCarthy who are tied for the most WS wins as a manager with 7.
Casey was the manager of the Dodgers from 1934-1936 and his team never did better than 5th place. He was the manager of the Boston Braves from 1938-1943 and never did better than 5th place. He then managed the Yankees from 1949-1960 and won 7 WS titles with that team. HOF players on those teams include Yogi Berra (all 7 years), Phil Rizzuto (5 years), Joe DiMaggio (3 years), Mickey Mantle (5 years), Whitey Ford (4 years), Johnny Mize (1 year).
Stengel finished his managerial career with NYM (1962-1965) and did not finish other than 10th at any time. They lost more than 100 games in all 4 years.
The other manager with 7 WS titles is Joe McCarthy, all 7 with NYY with Babe Ruth (1 year), Lou Gehrig (4 years), Bill Dickey (all 7 years), Lazzeri (3 years), Red Ruffing (6 years), Lefty Gomez (6 years), Joe Gordon (4 years). Joe Sewell, Earl Coombs, and Phil Rizzuto each played on one WS Championship under McCarthy. In all, 11 NYY HOF players played on McCarthy teams.
McCarthy won one NL pennant with the Cubs in 5 years, and did not finish better than 2nd in three years with the Red Sox.
With all the HOF stars on the McCarthy and Stengel teams, should their managerial records be questioned? Even considering they could not win with any other team? With that bevy of HOF players, there were 8 teams in each league, and there were no other playoffs other than World Series. It is a lot easier winning one 7 game series than it is to win a 3 game Wild Card series, 5 game NLDS, 7 game NLCS, and 7 game WS.
In his 26 year career as the Atlanta Braves manager, Bobby Cox won 5 pennants but just 1 World Series title. In addition, he had 4 years at the helm of the Toronto Blue Jays, without a pennant. His Braves teams had HOF players, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Fred McGriff, and Ted Simmons. Plus multiple other quality players who did not reach HOF standards (i.e. Dale Murphy, Javy Lopez, and David Justice). Cox had a .556 career winning percentage.
I guess that shows that not every manager can win with HOF players.
Dave Roberts has had Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman as probable HOF players, in his years as Dodgers manager. He has been in the World Series in 5 of his 10 years winning 3 (should have been 4).
Roberts currently has 944 MLB wins, and with the best managerial record of any manager with 750 wins, .621%. Roberts will reach 1000 wins some time this year, and could climb as high as 60th on the all-time MLB wins list.
Doc has 1 less World Series title than Walter Alston, and Alston has a .558 winning percentage. Smokey only had to traverse through a 7 game WS to win his 4 (1955, 1959, 1963, and 1965. Although his 1974 LAD team did beat Pittsburgh in the NLCS to reach the WS where they lost to Oakland.
Doc has 1 more World Series title than Tommy Lasorda, while Tommy has a winning percentage of .526. In 22 years, Tommy won 4 pennants and 2 WS (1981 and 1988).
Alston won 7 pennants in 23 years. Lasorda won 4 pennants in 22 years. Cox won 5 pennants in 30 years. Doc has 5 in 10. Alston, Lasorda and Cox are HOF managers. Doc has already bettered the playoff record of Lasorda and Cox, and is closing in on Alston.
Roberts can only manage the team given to him. Last year he navigated through a weak starting rotation, waiting for the injured starters to return, and weak offense in mid-season. In the 2024 playoff run, his starting pitching was questionable and yet he weaved through bullpen games to win it all. In the 2025 playoff run, his bullpen was close to non-existent, and yet he put his starters into relief roles to win it all.
During his reign as LAD manager (2016-2025), 16 different managers have won the Manager of the Year Award. I do not think I have ever come across any criteria for the BBWAA to vote for Manager of the Year. Pat Murphy (Milwaukee) and Steven Vogt (Cleveland) have won the award the last two years in their respective leagues. I like Murphy, but can his style win with the Dodgers? Same with Steven Vogt. Terry Francona and Kevin Cash also won twice in those years. Francona could win with this group, but not Cash. Francona has managed huge personalities, principally in Boston, Cash?
I do not believe that Doc’s bona fides as HOF manager need be questioned.
HOF. For sure! Over the years there’s been some technical issues, but his player management skills are off the charts great! Players love him and still respond to his leadership.
He’s a lock ala Shohei and Kersh.
I think during these spring games, I’ve felt that Erhard may be a better player than Thibbs. Anyone else see this, or am I clueless as usual
I’d take Ehrhard
They are very close. Tibbs hitting .333 with 2 homers and 5 driven in Erhard is hitting .345. He has no homers and 4 RBIs. He does have 6 extra base hits to Tibbs 4. 5 doubles and a triple. Tibbs has also played 1st base. Tibbs has more Ks, 11-7. Erhard has stolen 2 bags. Defensively they both have played well. Tucker returns to the lineup today as the DH after the birth of his child.
Tibbs III will always hit for more power, and Ehrhard will always make more contact. I have liked Ehrhard ever since coming to the Dodgers. Ehrhard trained with Kevin Kiermaier as an OF. He hustles non-stop, a Chase Utley throwback. They will both play MLB.
They are both 23, same baseball age as Mike Sirota. Cannot keep all 3. Especially with De Paula, Hope, and Quintero right behind.
Good takes
If Tibbs can cut down on.his K’s, I like him better. But for sure I like the two of them better than Dustin May, tho I wish the young man all the best. He’s been through a lot!
It is always the players who win. Managers put players in a position where they can have success. One pitch can change an entire series. You think Charlie Dressen did not second guess himself after Thompson homered for the second time in the playoffs against Branca? Doc manages by being one of the best communicators in the game. His players always know why he either leaves them in the game or takes them out. His decision to leave Treinen in game five of the 24 World Series to finish the 8th inning was huge. Had that backfired, Buehler would never have been able to come in and pitch the 9th and a game six back in LA would have had to have been played.
He also almost PH for Miggy Ro before his Game 7 WS HR, but his gut said to keep him in. He benched Pages offensively, but put him in defensively at the right moment in Game 7. He has made bonehead decisions (haven’t they all), especially early on. But he has also made some fantastic decisions.
Right, if you’re going to rake him over the coals for mistakes, give credit too.
(I still can’t believe he benched Keekay the game after hitting 3 playoff HRs. Cubs 2016 NLCS I think.)
You’ve made an excellent argument, Jeff, one that few people could dispute.
I hope that Doc somehow gets ahold of today’s post because I know he probably feels underappreciated in some circles and this would certainly bring a smile to his face.
I would vote for him but still say he has annoyed the hell out of me at times as well.
My feelings exactly. The Dodgers will keep winning and by the time Doc is done his record will match the best in the game. He’ll get in.
Here are some more HOF managers. Other than Joe Torre, Doc has tied or beat all other managers in pennants and WS.
Whitey Herzog – 19 years, 3 pennants, 1 WS, 1281 wins, .521 %
Dick Williams – 22 years, 4 pennants, 2 WS, 1571 wins, .520 %
Earl Weaver – 17+ years, 4 pennants, 1 WS, 1480 wins, .583 %
Al Lopez – 17 years, 2 pennants, 0 WS, 1480 wins, .584%
Leo Durocher – 24 years, 3 pennants, 1 WS, 2008 wins, .540 %
Sparky Anderson – 26 years, 5 pennants, 3 WS, 1834 wins, .545 %
Tony LaRussa – 35 years, 6 pennants, 3 WS, 2884 wins, .536 %
Joe Torre – 29 years, 6 pennants, 4 WS, 2326 wins, .538 %
Jim Leyland – 22 years, 3 pennants, 1 WS, 1769 wins, .506 %
There is a good possibility that Doc ties Torre this year.
Dusty Baker?? 2,169-1,858, .538%. 26 years, 1 WS, 3 pennants.
Hopefully Dusty will be added to the HOF list soon.
Dusty is more than legit as HOF manager.
Dusty, Francona, and Roberts are locks.
I still love the look on Doc’s face when he put his hands on his head after Rojas home run in Game 7.
I’m sure we all had that same look (along with 190/150 bp readings)
Yeah that’s G7’s bobblehead–that and Kershaw running in the bullpen
Dave Roberts is already unquestionably a Hall of Fame Manager. It is very obvious that Dave is being held to a different standard because the Dodgers organization is strong throughout and he AND THE ENTIRE TEAM benefit from it. He should have already been namedManager of the year multiple times.
Most of us have had criticism for Doc for various decisions that didn’t go our way. That’s what makes us “fanatics”. As I have previously jested; everybody thinks they can do 3 things better than folks who actually do them; write a book, run a bar and manage a baseball team.
Doc has gotten better. He has made his share of questionable decisions but he has been masterful the last 2 seasons working through different kinds of adversity.
His strengths are obvious. He’s a player’s manager and a good communicator. He oversees a very tight, veteran clubhouse and his players appear to like him.
I have heard some old coaches report that they don’t care if players like them as long as they respect them. I’ve always wondered why you can’t do both.
But like all level-headed Skippers, Doc would be quick to tell you that Managers are only as good as their players.
Doc is HOF caliber and will continue to be as long as the parts include a great GM and an organization committed to winning.
Im sitting here watching Ward hitting a double, and knocking in a couple of runs think how much it sucks that the poor guy’s only chance to make the team is some kind of injury. I’m starting to get on Jeff’s bandwagon hoping he gets traded for some younger talent/prospect. There has to be some team out there that would love to have Ward.
I agree Keith. Rick Monday mentioned the other day that some of our guys are playing for 29 other teams right now.
That’s why Spring Training is meaningful for Ward and others trying to get a Big League job.
PS you can make the same case for Senzel he’s had a good spring, and I think he could contribute to an MLB team, just not the Dodgers, unless there is an injury between now and opening day.
I don’t think having a great Spring means much in landing a roster spot on this team. It definitely means a lot to each individual players, the NRIs looking to find work anywhere and the young guys trying to make an impression with management.
I still believe the Dodgers know exactly who they want where and the question is which two utility players will temporarily replace the two utility players out with injuries. Personally I’d go with our guys, Freeland and Ehrhard/Davalan, giving them experience in the bigs for a few weeks and motivation to get back. But that’s me. I won’t be surprised if the Dodgers go with experience.
There is a possible difference with Senzel. He may have an opt out if he is not added to the 26-man to break camp. Ward has 3 options. He is going nowhere unless traded.
Agree, and then eventually Espinol as well, haha
I guess we can see why the Dodgers had no chance to get Mason Miller. Leo De Vries is legit. He could make his debut this year with the A’s.
Cant fault Oakland/Las Vegas whatsoever for making that trade
Well, Wrobs looked good. 
Yes he did, he went through the third inning so fast I had to rewind and watch it again.
The Dodgers optioned OF Ryan Ward and LHP Ronan Kopp to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and sent pitchers Carlos Duran, Carson Hobbs, Garrett McDaniels, Jackson Ferris, Wyatt Mills, Jordan Weems and Lucas Wepf, catcher Griffin Lockwood-Powell, and OFs Josue De Paula and Kendall George to minor league camp.
Tough business
De Vries looks like a total stud! A’s have some good young talent. Need more pitching
Haven’t see him. A’s could nab wild card. West Sac represent