Roberts is better than Mattingly, but c’mon now WHY CAN’T THERE BE AN ANIMATED DODGER MANAGER LIKE LASORTA WHO RAISES HELL ON THE FIELD ONCE IN A WHILE????? I’m tired of seeing these half-asleep team managers.
I’m a lifelong Phillies fan, but I love Tommy Lasorda, who turns 90 tomorrow. My best memory is from a game with the Phils, probably 1994. The Phils had 2 on when Lasorda walked to the mound to talk to the pitcher. He signaled for a righthander to come in to pitch to Charlie Hayes. Jim Fregosi races out of the Phillies dugout to point out that a pitching change had to be signalled before the manager crossed the foul line. Lasorda and Fregosi get into a heated argument. The ump tells Lasorda that Fregosi’s right. Lasorda storms back to the dugout. Hayes hits the next pitch into the left field seats. The camera immediately cuts to Lasorda, who looked like he was ready to kill someone.
That is true. There aren’t any Lasordas or Earl Weavers or Billy Martins, who as soon as they walk out of the dugout stand a good chance of getting tossed.