Dodgers Team News

Former Dodgers Coach Brings Into Question The Team’s Chemistry

Chris Woodward was named manager of the Texas Rangers at the beginning of November. At that time – there was a lot to like about the gentleman. Woodward said some glowing things about the culture of the Dodgers and advanced analytics.

Now, the discussion has moved to a much different direction. Furthermore, Woodward is comparing the chemistry of the Texas Rangers to that of the Los Angeles Dodgers. To be honest, it’s sort of a weird story that we will try to address here. Pedro Moura framed the tweet well for us with the big quote.



As always, the money quote is below.

Two years in a row we had a World Series-caliber team and this team is tighter than that team,” Woodward said shortly after addressing the pitchers and catchers in time for the first time as manager. “It’s not really even close. The actual care-for-one another here is way better than it was [in Los Angeles]. And that’s not to say it was bad there; it was great. I’m just speaking of the impact these guys have on each other.

First of all, it’s tough to tell how a team may ‘gel’ over the course of a few weeks. Woodward had a much better look at the Dodgers up close, through adversity, in the trenches. What have the Rangers gone through since he was hired in November that instills care for one another? While I am not inside clubhouse walls, this is the truth I wonder about.

Equally important – Woodward is bringing to task a team coming out of back-to-back World Series appearances. Personally, that’s not a hill I would want to die on. From someone who played on a lot of teams – ‘chemistry’ is overrated. You want to know when you have good chemistry? When you look at the scoreboard at the end of the night and you have more runs then the other team.

All the other stuff; is just stuff. How much guys like one another, go out together; none of that stuff really matters. A team’s final scroll reads how they perform between the white lines as one. The Dodgers have high marks in that area. Time will tell if the Rangers have that type of chemistry losing 90 or so ballgames.

Woodward should clarify his remarks about his former team.

Jim Bowden Thinks Dodgers Are Missing A Bat

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

22 Comments

  1. First week of spring training and Woodward has already determined that the Rangers’ clubhouse is tighter than the Dodgers! BS!

  2. There’s no story here. He had praise for the Dodgers chemistry and he’s saying good things about his new team.

      1. Clint,I am not saying Woodward is right on, but whether anyone admits it or not, the way Roberts and the FO handled things, daily lineup changes, sitting hot bats on the bench because of the handedness of the opposing pitcher, the excessive platooning, players not knowing from one day to the next where they are playing or if they are playing and also not knowing their spot in the lineup. an I can see where all these things mentioned could have an impact on the chemistry comparisons. But as SoCal pointed out, we have just barely begun ST in 2019.

        1. Hi Paul!…….Speaking of the platoons, not Woodward…….What we should be talking about is this………..Cody Bellinger does not want to platoon anymore with the Los Angeles Dodgers according to the Athletic website…….they actually wrote that………this is what he said (below)

          “I should be in the lineup every single day,” Bellinger told The Athletic. “I don’t think there’s a question about that. Even when I’m not good, I’m still really good.”

          “It’s very promising because of how sh**** I felt,” Bellinger added. “If that’s my lowest it’s gonna go, well, f***.”

          1. In the second quote I think he is referring to the year he had numbers wise……

  3. Nothing but ‘ I have a new team/job and need to be positive and do it by saying something about my old team.’ Everybody does it no matter the career or level of status when moving on. It isn’t even news worthy or as discussion.

      1. Concur, on that one, Clint. Woodward did not have to come out and put some’knock’ on his former team IMHO. he should maybe temper his thoughts until he sees where is new team is in the standings after a month or 2 of play.

  4. He certainly should win something with that underachieving Ranger’s team before he starts comparing. At least he doesn’t have Friedman controlling the purse strings and acting like the Dodgers are dirt poor.

  5. This happens too many times. People are not always 100% honest about everything, in this case from one team to another. you display your loyalty when you need to. In one hand yo u glorify one team then say the other is better. Of coarse you need to make yourself look good. look at the former manager of the angels, he praised being with the Dodgers and getting some training as manager as a Dodger. Then blasts the Dodgers, bad talking about them once he became the angels manager. I liked this guy since day 1 when I heard about him and saw him first play. Not anymore. This has happened before, Dodgers help out the best and worst of people only to get stabbed in the back. People forget this is a business not a day care center. Don’t go crying when things don’t go your way.

  6. Spring training has just begun and Woodward is pontificating about the closeness of his team. Lets see what happens when they begin to lose a few games!!!!! Or, when he has to take a pitcher out of a tight game. As a human being, Roberts seems to have a nice, solid relationship with his players, and that is fine. When it gets down to platooning, that relationship strains, because players with pride wish to play every day. Roberts knows this; Woodward will learn it shortly. Go Blue!!!

    1. BLUE LOU, we also know what Freidman and Roberts have basically done to the majority of position players on this team—they turned them into marginal inconsistent ones via the IN & out of the lineups on a daily basis. Maybe the real problem is both Andy and Dave frequent IN & Out Burger too often! LOL

      1. LOL!!!!!! Its only 5AM here in New Jersey, and I could go for a Double Double right now. I bet PD Jr. would love one with us. Go Dodger Blue!!!

  7. My big mega Dodgers theory is that the Dodgers network is a big financial turkey. They thought that why, Cable is the coming technology, let’s do like the yankees and have all their games broadcast. Only cable’s not so hot, actually. A large percentage of people aren’t going to pay $100+ for stupid cable. AND they overpriced it, so the other companies aren’t going to fill in parts of LA. Here’s my plan: Is it worth $100 plus or minus to get every Dodgers games on MLB.app? To me, yes. But it’s not live. So make it live like all the others. So you get around evil cable, everybody with a cellphone can see what the channel gives us. Bet you the game attendance will go through– well, it will go up, not down. You’re making Dodgers fanatics, many many of them who don’t have this now.

    How much does that lame Spectrum only channel make? Is it a net cost? Or does it reach enough people to sell more tickets?

  8. Wait till the team hits tough times then we c how close they are..how long has he had the whole team 2gether..way to early

  9. I’m quite surprised, and disappointed that Woodward would say this, knowing it would be on the record. He, himself, experienced his own sense of chemistry with every one of the guys on the team, esp. as they rounded 3B. He was part of that positive Dodger chemistry (even though I was not behind the scenes 24/7/365). One thing I have always noted, is what I call the Sportsmanship that exists among the Dodger team members. For every outstanding play by any player, in any game, 100% of the team shares in the excitement and is not short to express their praises. They respect and encourage each other. They are in essence, a cheerleading squad for one another. This does wonders for building a healthy Team morale. Woodward knows this.

    There is a player or two (that shall remain nameless here) that I have oft said is under-appreciated, and at times is treated as just a temporary, borrowed fixture, and not really “one of the team,” deep at heart. But when good things happen, the cheerleading squad jumps those dugout fences, and still showers the praise, appreciation, and shares in the glory, regardless of who the contributor is that makes whatever that great play might be. They share those moments in the utmost spirit of Sportsmanship. Woodward knows this.

    I suspect Woodward will be transferring the packaged chemistry formula of the Dodgers to his newly acquired Rangers. I suspect something similar to be done in Cincinnati, by Coach Turner Ward. They know what they had was a masterpiece, even with an occasional polishing needed around the edges.

  10. No real story here – in my view. Woodward actually said that there was nothing bad about the Dodgers…just that he felt the chemistry in his new team is better. He did not knock the Dodgers…what would one expect him to say about his new team???

    Maybe when play begins, there will be meaningful discussions…

  11. Odd that Woodward can tell that his new team has better chemistry after one day….Former NFL Coach John Madden put all that in the best perspective when he said that when it comes to what goes on in a clubhouse, “Winning is the best deodorant.”

  12. OH My Gosh what the heck is wrong with you people. I’m a Dodgers fan from way back and Coach Woodward has not said anything bad about the Dodgers or anything negative for that matter and doesn’t need to explain or adjust anything he’s said. He is a coach trying to give a team (his team) something they didn’t have. He’s trying to give them hope in something off the field because on the field they had little to hope for and you don’t want ro start the season in spring training feeling like you’re already out of it.
    We as Dodgers fans know exactly the environment he’s just come from and how it’s so entirely different than the one he’s in now. We’re the first to understand that and should be the first to understand his comments although they’re not one bit confusing especially if you’re a person whom likes to see, wants and routes for the success of those you know. This speaks to the type of person you are not Coach Woodward and is a huge problem in our society not just professional sports.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button