Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Dave Roberts Not Concerned with Trea Turner’s Learning Curve at Second Base

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knows that the good typically outweighs the bad when it comes to newly acquired infielder Trea Turner. 

It’s exactly why he brushed off the speedster’s throwing error that decided the game in extras against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. 



Roberts said confidently that he believes Turner will redeem himself following his shortcoming in game one against San Francisco. 

“I’m not because I know how he will respond,” Roberts said when asked if he was curious how Turner would respond from the error. “He’s going to respond ready to help us win a ballgame.” 

Of course, Turner responded with a leadoff home run and a flawless game on defense in LA’s 6-1 win over the Giants. Notably, it was only Trea’s 24th game at his new position this season. And the results have been mixed at times. The Dodger manager said he was fully aware of the task he was asking of Turner by shifting him to second base abruptly. 

“I knew the ramifications or the risk or what potentially might happen when you put a player who’s never played a position over there at second base or hasn’t in a long time,” Roberts said. “There’s going to be some bumps in the road.”

Roberts commended Turner for the time that he’s committed to improving at the position each day for the betterment of the team.

“He’s getting better each day, he’s getting more comfortable,” Roberts said. “And again, I’ve said it so many times. The way that he’s accountable to being there, working to get better each day, we’re better that he’s there (second base).” 

Roberts further expressed his gratitude for his leadoff hitter and said he expects him to continue contributing in a big way for the club. 

Turner is currently slashing .322/.368/.516 between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles.

NEXT: Roberts Wants Cody Bellinger to Focus on September Production, Not Season Struggles

16 Comments

  1. How many games will the Dodgers lose because of players playing out-of-position/”haven’t played that position since little-league?” See Trea Turner(2nd), Will Smith(1st), Bellinger(1st)

    1. Smith was a one time thing because of extra innings. Bellinger is a gold glove caliber 1st basemen. Turner is the only out of position for later and that is the front office’s work.

  2. What about Roberts learning curve as a manager keeping Beaty off the roster because apparently he dislikes him? Beaty would have solved that entire problem.a 270 hitter who can play multiple positions and a contact hitter who rarely strikes out. Instead he would rather play Smith with Zero experience, and it costs the team the game in the middle of a divisonal race against the leader of the division. He would rather play Mckinnley NON contact/strikeout machine play in front of him. Who cares if Mckinnley has NO options, he is worthless!!! The biggest mystery of this season is why Roberts would weaken the team keeping his best bench player off the roster, its amazing how people can’t see the hatred for the player..

    1. Kirk….

      Great overview…. the McKinney thing has had me baffled since day 1. Same with Beaty, had the same thoughts, whereas Roberts just doesn’t like him for whatever reason.

      If MLB had a category for ‘errors by managers’, Roberts would be far and away in first place.

      1. THE BEATY MOVE LEFT ME SPEECHLESS. HE HAS DONE EVERYTHING ASKED OF HIM AND MORE. HE’D START ON ANY OTHER BALL CLUB. HE DESERVES AN HONEST SHOT.

        1. AJ officially goes on the DL today….. Dodgers replace him with Beaty?

          Nope Mitch White…..

          Wow

          1. I know I’m at odds with Roberts having to have 16 pitchers and 12 position players making Roberts willing to keep Bellinger in the lineup more often than he deserves to be.

      2. A big error here is having another pitcher on the roster which means 16 pitchers and only 12 position players. Getting at least Beaty up here would mean there’s an option to keep Bellinger riding the pine instead of being an automatic out batting 8th. Now i must ask what happens when Dodgers face the 2 LHP the Cards will throw at Dodgers in 2 of this week’s games in St. Louis?

    2. Makes you wonder how good this team would really be were they to drop McKinstry and McKinney (“I don”t know. I just like him”) and have a seasoned manager at the helm. I’m surprised my TV is still working, I’ve thrown so many things at it. When Roberts had his two catchers in the game at the same time, with Smith at a position foreign to him, and the last pitcher on the roster on the mound in what was then the most important game of the season, I knew how this would end up. Why in the world is Beaty still in minor league purgatory?? Look for Trea Turner to bolt after next season if he isn’t at shortstop next year.

  3. I agree that Roberts is a complete idiot. Playing Bellinger at all is idiotic. Smelly Belli can’t even see the Mendoza line with binoculars. He would hit better with one arm tied behind his back and on his knees.

    Realistically the Dodgers are playing shorthanded when he’s in the lineup. Automatic out, strikeout or popup
    Urias should pinch hit for him at the first opportunity to advance a runner. He can bunt and has a much higher average than the deaf, dumb, and blindan who listens to nobody and is the anchor weighing the lineup down, killing rallies and infecting the other hitters. Good hitting is contagious, but so is awful hitting. Bellinger is ground zero for awful hitting and needs to be removed. DFA’d immediately. Sayonara, adios good to know ya…. now get lost. Buh bye.

    1. Totally agree. He seems to be unmanageable and unable to take instruction. Last year he reported to spring training with what he called a new swing, to the astonishment of all and after he had been MVP the previous year. He’s only good as a late inning defensive substitute who would come in on a switch that would keep him away from hitting. Is there anyone who can stop him from using that vertical swing that leaves him totally unbalanced and on his knees? Best to try to trade him in the off-season and eat his salary if needed. Maybe he will be jolted into reality if Roberts put Scherzer in to pinch hit for him. Just kidding, but Urias is a viable pinch hitter for him if runners needed to be moved up.

      1. David Price can hit better than Belli. As a matter of fact….so can everyone else on the team aside from McDufus, who is such a great fielder! My oh my, can that guy play right or what?

  4. Talking learning curve with Dave Roberts? Could someone explain what the 2 have to do with each other?

    1. They don’t have anything to do with each other as far as Roberts and any learning curve. It’s nonexistent. A perfect example is how Roberts has still not learned about Bellinger being totally lost at the dish and actually looks like it too. Roberts hasn’t learned that Bellinger needs to be removed from the starting lineups for the most part and even without Pollock around, Bellinger still shout against all LHP at the very least.

  5. Bottom line is without Beaty on the roster this team is NOT a world series team. I know you’ve said this a lot Paul that Roberts struggles without the DH and it’s obvious he uses up everyone early then isn’t prepared for late. The biggest mistake mngt made this offseason was letting Kike’ and Joc Walk. They honestly felt Mckinstry was going to fill the bench spot for Joc, and they felt Lux would take over 2nd base. So to add “Insult to Injury” the weakest spot on the team is further weakened by keeping Beaty Off of the roster. They did well in getting Pujols, to strengthen the bench, but then once again took a step backwards by playing Mckinnley, Mckinstry and Bellinger as all 3 have been impotent. It’s a simple fix but the pride of the Dodgers brass is in play here, looks to me as if they’re trying to fit a square peg through a round hole, and the Block needed is sitting in OKC. Pride and admitting failure is tough for all of us I suppose.

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