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MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS DODGERS

November 1, 2017

Dave Roberts

Los Angeles, California - postgame 7

Houston Astros - 5, Los Angeles Dodgers - 1

Q. What did you tell the guys once you got back in the locker room?
DAVE ROBERTS: Just a little reflection on the season, and just told them there's a lot to be proud of. We fell short. That was a good ballclub over there. But what we accomplished this season and to see these guys come together as men, as a team, really special group of men.

And, again, just not to hang your heads. One team can only win this. That's a great ballclub over there.

Q. Can you reflect on this season? It started for you with personal issues before Spring Training and how tough the whole year has been, piecing everything together. But personally how did you feel about the whole thing?
DAVE ROBERTS: I think for me it was -- yeah, an emotional year. I think that I had a lot of great people of support, personally, professionally, and very positive, very positive season.

And obviously this one hurts. And like I told the guys, when you put everything, every ounce of your being into something and you come up short, it hurts. And it's supposed to hurt.

But I think, yeah, losing my father early and still kind of having dealt with that, I'm sure I'll take some time to go through that. But when you're in the middle of a season it's really hard to kind of -- I guess, you compartmentalize, but it's definitely in my heart, for sure.

Q. Are you saying you still haven't dealt with that issue?
DAVE ROBERTS: I think in times of things like that, I'm sure that you just really don't give it as much of your heart and mind, because you've got to kind of move forward. And that's what my dad wanted me to do, I'm sure.

Q. Two on Darvish: Knowing the talent that he has and the results he has gotten here and elsewhere, how can you explain what you got from him in this series?
DAVE ROBERTS: Just unexpected, even today, the velocity, I thought he was right there. I thought he was going to really throw the baseball well. And I think it was three and a third, maybe, in this series, and just very unfortunate.

I know he wanted the baseball. I know he was prepared. I just can't explain the results. I really can't.

Q. Do you regret allowing him to face Springer the second time when Morrow was hot?
DAVE ROBERTS: No, you look up to that point, there was two balls that were hit hard. There was the first ball off Springer's bat, the double and then Gonzalez -- outside of that we made an error, the stolen base, and then some soft grounders. I think anything but the homer you've got to kind of let the game -- I understand it's Game 7, but I just felt his stuff was good. And I think anything other than a homer would have been considerably better.

Q. There's a strain of thought out there suggesting -- second-guessing you saying, well, maybe you shouldn't have started Darvish. Kershaw comes and gives you four shutout innings. Maybe you should have started him instead. What do you say to that? How do you respond to that?
DAVE ROBERTS: I don't have a response. Yu has been one of our top three starters all year or since we acquired him. And he had a bad one in Houston. But to think that we would start Alex on short rest, something he's never done, you don't know what you're going to get in either one of those two guys, and to think they're going to start the game, I think it's unfair to Yu.

And there's always going to be second-guessing. We felt good with Yu starting the game.

Q. Your offense performed on a high level all season, especially against right-handed pitching. What were Morton and Peacock able to do to all your hitters, and especially your right-hand hitters?
DAVE ROBERTS: We had a couple of chances to get through with Peacock and McCullers. Just couldn't get that big hit. And as far as Morton, Morton just really -- the velocity, the slider, and he was really on point tonight. And they made pitches, and we just couldn't get the hit when we needed to.

Q. Do you think after this, in the season you had going forward in your mind, the players' mind, no matter how much regular season success, the thought will be more looking ahead that it really doesn't count until October?
DAVE ROBERTS: Well, I know that as we regroup and get ready for next year, to get to this point you still have to play well in the regular season. I know our guys and I know that -- there won't be a hangover. They will be more incentivized, and I think they'll be hungrier. And we went a little bit further than we did last year.

It's a tough one. I believe in our guys. I know we had the talent and we just didn't get it done. We've just got to regroup and get to this point next year.

Q. When you think about next year and you look at some of the young talent that you have on this team, the core coming back intact, some of the kids that are coming up, can you forecast the future? Does it look bright to you?
DAVE ROBERTS: It does. It does. The character of the guys, the talent and the nucleus is still intact. Obviously every team, there's going to be changes. But again, I like our guys. I believe in our team. And I expect us to be in the same position next year.

Q. Did you talk to Darvish after the game and if you could share it?
DAVE ROBERTS: You know, I haven't had a chance to talk to Yu. I talked to the team, but individually I haven't talked to Yu. But I'll reach out to him shortly.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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