Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Thinks it's Sad Donald Trump Weighed in on 'Bad' World Series Decision

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts took a lot of flack for how he handled Game 4 of the World Series last year. His starter, Rich Hill, was cruising. He had allowed only one hit into the seventh inning, and the Red Sox looked hapless, but Roberts opted for the bullpen when Hill put a runner on.

You likely know the rest. The bullpen got shellacked, coughing up eight runs in less than three innings of work, even allowing a five spot in the ninth inning of a 4-4 tie. The Dodgers lost 9-6 and fell to a 3-1 series deficit.

Roberts bore the blame. But when he learned that Donald Trump had weighed on what he labeled a "big mistake," he shrugged it off. Even now, he still recognizes how absurd the situation was.

“So, I guess it’s one of those ‘consider the source’-type things," he said while reflecting on the drama. "Which is sad, because that’s the leader of our country. That I have to say, ‘Consider the source.’ It’s sad.”

It's sad indeed. It's sad that Trump went out of his way to criticize Roberts, one of the best managers in the league, for a move that had plenty of justification but just didn't work out.

It's sad that Roberts had to field questions about being called out by the President in a postgame press conference following a crushing defeat in the World Series.

And it's sad that he has to continue tussling with this issue months after the loss.

Roberts is no slouch. He's been around the game of baseball as long as anybody and has both played and managed in the biggest moments.

Questioning him at times is natural. It's natural to question any manager. But openly criticizing him as the President isn't acceptable. In a word, it's just plain sad.