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Different Dugouts-Same Leaders-Different Results”

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Covering baseball the way I do, you spend alot of time around these guys, the mangers.

I spent an hour alternating between the Dodgers and Padres dugouts last night, talking baseball and baseball philosophy with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, then Padres boss Andy Green.

Two baseball lifers I have come to know, like and respect. Green staggering thru his first year in San Diego, with his GM having been suspended, and all his big money players traded away. Roberts, his team having clinched the National League West pennant on Sunday, now making plans for postseason games.

LA has won the NL West four years in a row. The Padres have a streak too, ten straight seasons without a post season game.

Roberts has gotten to the top despite losing virtually his entire starting rotations this year with injuries, including Clayton Kershaw. He also survived the summer long soap opera of Yasiel Puig.

Green’s summer has been spent dealing with losing streaks, injured players, contract dumping, and petrie dish experiments with career minor leaguers and guys off the waiver wife.

The Dodgers bench boss spent his time with me talking about the excitement of postseason, setting up his rotation, and how hot his team is. The Padres first year manager talked in sentences involving expectation, rookies, future prospects and hope.

Dodgers ownership has lots of s of money. Padres ownership has wasted lots of money, and is now reinvesrting in the future in the minor leagues.

LA’s clubhouse was fullof stars, talking about the lst round of the playoffs with Washington. The Padres clubhouse was filled with guys just playing out the string, half of them likely to be gone in the offseason to make room for more rookies.

It was strange. The Dodgers (90-66) looking forward, the Padres (66-90) with just misery behind.

Roberts and Green, quality leaders. Everything else about these franchises totally opposite.

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