NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS DODGERS

October 10, 2023

Dave Roberts

Chase Field

Los Angeles Dodgers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. You were talking a little bit last night about how you didn't like the pitch selection some of your guys had offensively. Is there anything Arizona is doing pitching-wise that's sort of surprised your guys' approach?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't think that Gallen did anything different. I think that there was a lot of pitches that we just didn't take advantage of. He was heavy fastball for me.

I think that you look at the Merrill Kelly start, I think he threw a lot more cut fastballs into the lefties than he had done in the past.

As far as relievers, I don't think there was anything that was different than what we had anticipated. It was just more of really being more selective to a pitch that we can handle, which I just don't think we've done as good of a job as we're capable of.

Q. How do you go about emphasizing that, especially today, going into the rest of the series and trying to obviously stay alive during the series?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think that it's something that our hitting guys are talking to our guys about. We've got our backs against the wall. But I still think that being mindful of just taking one at-bat, one quality at-bat at a time, regardless of how long they run their starter out there tomorrow and go to their bullpen, or regardless of the situation.

And that's been something that we pulled from this year. That's been beneficial. It's easy to kind of get away from that. But the reset part of it is, obviously it's really crucial where we're at.

Q. With Lance, you talked about, especially in September, making sure he's more full throttle early on in starts. Do you feel he's done that he has done a better job of that as of late, and how much does that go into tomorrow knowing he has Ryan behind him?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think he's pitched better with that mindset. And it's not about trying to chase velocity or overthrow or anything like that. It's more the mindset of, you know, we don't know how long you're going to go; you've got a lot of good arms behind you.

And I do think that that mindset is going to be of benefit tomorrow. I don't know how long his start is going to be, but I feel really good about him making that start tomorrow.

Q. I'm just curious, with the offense, when you're in a situation like this to try to get them going, do you consider like any lineup, the order decisions, or maybe getting guys like Chris or Kike, who haven't got a lot of at-bats in the game? Or just trust the guys you've been rolling with all season?

DAVE ROBERTS: You know, I think it's something that I'm going to think about tonight. I've thought about it today. There is that balance of looking at it, it's only two games, but the other part of it is that sense of urgency because this is do or die now.

And so I do love the at-bats Kike's been taking and kind of trying to figure out if changing the lineup a little bit as far as structure makes sense. But it's something I'm certainly contemplating and I'll decide ultimately tomorrow. But that's a great thought. I had thought about it.

Q. To get the offense going, is it as simple as maybe getting Mookie and Freddie going, or do you need some of the other guys to step up? How do you see that -- what do you think is maybe the answer?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think the simple answer is getting Mookie and Freddie going. But there's still other guys in there that potentially that bleed into Freddie and Mookie that could open some things up for them, too, some situational at-bats.

So I think it's still a collective team effort that has to be, for us to be sustainable throughout the rest of the postseason and obviously to win a ball game tomorrow. So I think for me it's everybody. We've all got to be accountable to being better with the team offense.

Q. Why are we doing this over Zoom? Where are you? You guys are working out here.

DAVE ROBERTS: You know what, I was going to stay away. I was going to be there; I was there for the other workout. There was a meeting over at the hotel, so I stuck around here.

Q. A meeting with the front office?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yes, sir.

Q. Okay. And I'm just wondering, as field manager, I know you guys talked about the last two days the cohesion you guys had, everyone showing up to the workout on Sunday. How do you balance not being here with the team, your guys here all working out -- being with the front office?

DAVE ROBERTS: There were a lot of guys that wanted to stay away, too. For me I want guys, for some people they need to be there, they want to be there, and some guys I think it's great they stay away. That's why it's optional.

I think as much time as we spend together, some guys need to be away. And for me, I welcome that. There's no cookie-cutter, one way to do things. And we had a lot of guys -- I think everyone showed up on Sunday.

So today, for me, I feel it's okay for them to be away if they need to.

Q. Getting back to Mookie and Freddie, Mookie really cooled off in September. Freddie was saying last night he hasn't been happy with his swing for a few weeks. How surprised are you to see them start off 1-for-13?

DAVE ROBERTS: I'm surprised. I think that going into this series, I thought Mookie swung the bat well in the week before as far as the simulated games. I thought Freddie was swinging well. But I've talked to Freddie and he doesn't feel like his swing is great.

But I think it's just one of those things where it's two games and I understand that things are more magnified, but one game, one at-bat could change things. And so for me that's what my expectation is.

And I was joking with Freddie, I think it was in '21, where he had two really bad games against us. And he came back in that third game with a base hit to left field and another one. And then he took off.

So for me, it can change with one at-bat. And I expect the same thing with Mookie.

Q. We've talked about the familiarity between these two teams, but how good a job do you think the Diamondbacks have done scouting you and putting together a game plan in these first two games?

DAVE ROBERTS: They've done a great job. I think that as far as their approach to the hitting, I think that they were aggressive versus Clayton. I think with Bobby, same thing.

We have a lot of guys that fill up the strike zone. With that part of it -- I think that the stealing of bases, I think that that's part of who they are. And there's been some bases that they've taken.

So I think that that part of it is something we've just got to continue to be mindful of, try to keep these guys off the base. So I think they've done a really nice job and they've played good baseball.

Q. How about the pitching half of that, the way they've approached your lineup?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't think there's been much difference as far as on the relief side of things. I think it's been more -- Merrill Kelly early, like I said, threw a lot more cut fastballs than he ever has versus the fastball, changeup, breaking ball mix.

And with Gallen I think there were more fastballs than we probably anticipated we had to hit, had a chance to hit and just really couldn't capitalize on. So we'll see tomorrow.

But outside of those two guys, it wasn't much different than we expected on the pitching side.

Q. With the offense and especially when you talk about expanding the zone, chasing a little bit, how much of that is a factor every bat you guys have taken, you've been down by multiple runs in the series. Is there a level of pressing that goes on when you guys are playing from behind like this?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think there's some of that, I think that's fair. The ability to try to minimize that feeling, that anxiety, is important. But it's real, certainly when you're playing an elimination game.

So I think there's a little bit of it when you're down 6-0 or down 3-0 to try get it back on one swing, which we know it can't happen. But just the focus on trying to put together good at-bats as a team and expect good results and create run-scoring situations is the best way to go about it. But, yeah, the reality is there's an extra anxiousness in the batter's box that we have to curtail.

Q. With the bullpen, I know those guys haven't pitched a lot before last night, but you had to push them pretty hard, your back-end guys. Is that something you can do again with these couple of games up if you need to? Having them all go multiple innings last night, does that limit them how much you can use them in these two games? Kind of where are they at right now?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think, yeah, pushing them is a question for each guy differently. I think that what we did with Joe, I wouldn't expect certainly that tomorrow, because also we have to appreciate that we still need to win three games. So how do you thread that needle with all the arms at our disposal is going to be the question.

So when we get there tomorrow, see how our guys feel on game day, and we'll be able to kind of reassess where guys are at.

Q. Going back to what Juan was asking about the lineup changes, the fact that Arizona will probably have a shorter leash with Pfaadt tomorrow, does that factor in at all to how you look at the lineup you throw out there, which guys you keep on the bench for pinch-hitting opportunities later, does that change when you're not facing one of their top two guys?

DAVE ROBERTS: It does. It certainly plays into my decision as far as the lineup construction and who's in the line up, absolutely.