NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 8, 2024

Dave Roberts

Petco Park

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. When you look at this match-up tonight, what are you hoping to see from the offense, and just how are you hoping to see them attack Michael King?

DAVE ROBERTS: Tonight, Michael's obviously had a heck of a year. Seen him a lot. I think for us it's just be on the attack. I think he's a guy that tries to attack you. He's a strike-thrower. And then he hunts for the strikeout.

So I think for us, it's just to be ready to fire early when the ball's in the hitting zone.

Q. You have Freddie in the starting lineup. Is that still a go, or is that still going to be a game-time decision?

DAVE ROBERTS: It's a go as of now. So he's in there. He's doing everything he can to post, which I appreciate. I think everyone in the clubhouse respects. And so he's gone through his pregame stuff. Unless I hear otherwise, he'll be in there.

Q. What all did Freddie do yesterday?

DAVE ROBERTS: What did he do yesterday? He got treatment, kind of all the contrast stuff, all the modalities. Nothing on the baseball side.

It was a mental reprieve, break, which he needed. Hopefully caught a good dinner and got some good rest.

Q. The emotional dynamics of this series, how have you seen that factor into, like, the actual games in the first two? And how important do you think that's going to be especially in these two games here?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't think they factored into the first two games. I thought there was emotions in the first game. I thought we did a good job fighting and winning a ball game.

The second game, we got our butts kicked. So I don't think that -- either way, we got our butts kicked.

Yesterday I thought was a good workday. This is going to be a great environment. It's one of the best places to play in all of baseball, which is fantastic.

I'm excited. Our guys are excited. It's going to be a high-energy game tonight.

Q. When you talk about matching the Padres intensity, is there a fine line there between playing with intensity but not kind of getting out of your own game and kind of the even-keel kind of mindset that you guys have during the regular season?

DAVE ROBERTS: Absolutely. I just think that it can't be manufactured. I think that you have to appreciate it and understand the value in it, of getting the fire and making with energy.

I just don't think manufacturing it is sustained. And I do think that the most important thing is playing good baseball. That's the most important thing is pitching well, playing good defense, running the bases well, not giving away outs on the bases and getting timely hits. That's the core of winning baseball games.

Q. Not to beat the emotional stuff into the ground, but how would you describe the emotional personality of your team?

DAVE ROBERTS: I would say a very consistent, mentally tough team, understanding what's most important. Our team is very banded together.

I think emotionally we're in as good a spot as I've seen us. And so I feel very comfortable in saying that.

Q. Recent news, even though it was a while ago, Walker Buehler and his watch getting stolen. Did you hear anything about that? What's your reaction to kind of that news coming out right before he pitches?

DAVE ROBERTS: Well, fortunately it happened a couple of weeks ago. So it's old news for Walker. I'm happy that he's safe. But it just keeps us all on alert that things like this can happen.

Man, what a scary time. But he's safe and you can always replace a watch, but it wasn't a cheap watch. But I don't think that that's kind of in his thought tonight.

Q. Max was talking about how it's part of the Padres' game plan to get under your skin. Can you talk about the guarding yourself and the guys guarding themselves from playing into that and making this more emotional than fundamental?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, like I said, it's about playing good baseball. It is. And their focus on what helps them play their best baseball -- which they should and we need to do the same thing.

So for me, all I'm thinking about is tonight's game. I think Max, if that's his words, I think he nailed it.

Q. Back to Freddie, is he taking a shot or some sort of drugs to help him?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yes.

Q. Did it wear off the other night? Is that one of the things that happened with him?

DAVE ROBERTS: Possibly, possibly. He just couldn't go. If he can't go and the trainer's telling me he shouldn't go, it's an easy one for me.

Q. What's up with Michael Grove?

DAVE ROBERTS: For Michael, those that don't know, he's inactive right now. There's a shoulder thing that he's been dealing with for quite some time. And so the recovery is not good. Inflammation, probably more to that. I'm sure he'll get a scan.

So we understand the cost of the next round, not being available. So Ben Casparius is going to be active. And Michael is extremely disappointed and rightfully so.

Q. What's the most expensive watch you own?

DAVE ROBERTS: This one right here. It's an IWC. My wife bought it for me as a 50th birthday present.

Q. How much of your pitching plan for tomorrow is based off tonight?

DAVE ROBERTS: Based off tonight. Based off tonight. I think everyone's available tonight. And then we'll see how tonight goes to then kind of figure out how it goes tomorrow. I think tonight is obviously the most important variable.

Q. Mike Shildt was in here earlier. He was asked about your comments on Manny. And he said I'm not nor will I ever disparage another player on another team, especially anybody I've managed in the past or do it to a collective team; that's not how I want to operate. Do you have any comment on that?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't. I don't. Those are his words. And I don't.

Q. I want to ask you about Fernando Venezuela and what's on your mind now that he's having a hard time. And what's your message for him?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't know exactly what Fernando's going through health-wise. I know there's some things going on.

All I know is that I consider him a friend, and I pray for his health. So I pray that his family is doing well through this time, but I don't know enough to really comment. And I just pray that the whole Valenzuela family is doing well.

Q. Is there anything that you tell your players before coming into this type of environment to maybe not get caught up into what maybe the fans are saying or anything like that?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, not this year. I think that two years ago, I do think, that coming in here in Game 3, I think it caught us by surprise, the energy here. And I'm sure it's going to be a lot of the same this year.

But I think we're much more equipped to handle it this time around. With that, I just don't feel that there's a reason for me to need to kind of rally the troops. I think that our guys are prepared.