The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 3 – Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Previews the World Series

Date: October 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Colin Cowherd sits down with Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts for a candid, insightful interview ahead of the Dodgers’ World Series matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays. They discuss postseason momentum, bullpen decisions, managing with analytics and gut, clubhouse culture, and the evolving lineups in MLB. Colin emphasizes the likability and culture of these Dodgers, while Roberts gives inside perspective on critical decisions and playoff philosophy. The conversation is optimistic, self-aware, and often light-hearted, culminating in reflection on baseball’s place in contemporary sports culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Postseason Wisdom and Urgency

Timestamps: 02:35–04:42

• Colin starts by recalling the Dodgers’ adversity last postseason and asks Dave Roberts what he takes from previous playoff runs.
• Roberts stresses the importance of "urgency" in October baseball, describing his message to the team:

  "We're in a street fight. And I think that when you have that street fight mentality that lends itself to urgency and every pitch, every play... we're playing with that street fighter mentality versus that kind of seasoned boxing mentality." (03:52)

2. The Art and Gut of Managing Pitchers

Timestamps: 04:42–06:44

• Colin brings up controversial bullpen decisions (Blake Snell, Yoshi) and public scrutiny on managers.
• Roberts explains decision-making is about deep player knowledge, evolving with situations, and occasional gut instinct:

  "It's knowing the player. That's my job, essentially... my process and how I know how to manage guys for the short, the long term is pretty sound... That Blake Snell thing was 50/50." (05:35)

3. Fixing the Bullpen – The Roki Move

Timestamps: 06:44–09:52

• Colin observes no team wins a World Series with a shaky bullpen, highlighting LA’s big pivot with Roki Sasaki.
• Roberts shares the two-part process behind moving Roki to the pen:
  • First, rehabbing confidence and health (noting early-season struggles and emotion—“teary eyed in the pen”).
  • Then, collaborative discussions between management and Roki, giving him bullpen opportunities late in the season and riding his success.

  "I was determined to run him back out there and not run from him so he could kind of keep that confidence... We're going to go with our best arms." (07:38-09:52)

4. Analytics vs. Manalytics – Managing in October

Timestamps: 09:52–11:37

• Colin coins the term "manalytics" for postseason management, noting the shift from numbers to gut under playoff pressure.
• Roberts argues analytics are vital over 162 games but the postseason leans heavily on betting on players and "heartbeat":

  "In the postseason, I'm not saying put analytics aside, but you've got to bet on players, you've got to bet on people, and you've got to bet on heartbeat. ...when you're talking about one moment in time... that's a coin flip. That's heads or tails. And that's what I bet on." (10:40, 11:13)

5. Modern Lineups: Power Hitters Up Top

Timestamps: 11:37–13:56

• Colin notes MLB’s trend of sluggers (Ohtani, Julio Rodriguez) in leadoff/second rather than traditional cleanup spots.
• Roberts embraces the evolution, emphasizing maximizing quality at-bats:

  "You want to get your best hitters as many at bats as possible, that's how you win baseball games... I just don't want to be beholden to one lineup." (12:34, 13:25)

  • Hints at strategic sequencing, such as arranging lefties to challenge opposing pitching matchups.

6. Clubhouse Culture & Selflessness

Timestamps: 14:08–16:44

• Colin plays a humorous Roberts quote about “ruining baseball” and pivots to LA’s positive team culture, lack of "hateability," and players’ egoless buy-in (like Roki’s bullpen acceptance).
• Roberts acknowledges this as his proudest achievement:

  "To get superstars to buy into whatever you ask of them and to be selfless, that's the secret sauce. ...that's something I'm really proud of." (16:17)

7. Scouting the Blue Jays

Timestamps: 16:44–17:59

• Colin closes by asking Roberts what makes the Blue Jays dangerous.
• Roberts gives credit to Toronto’s athleticism, big-game hitters (Springer, Vlad Jr.), and the vibes at Toronto’s Rogers Centre:

  "They're a gritty group. They're very similar to our club and they're tough... Savage, we don't know him, so there's some unfamiliarity there... It's going to be a great series." (17:11)

8. The Narrative of 'Ruining Baseball'

Timestamps: 39:42–40:10 (recap)

• The recurring narrative that the Dodgers are "ruining baseball" is addressed again in the post-interview segment:

  "Baseball viewership is at an all time high. ...The Dodgers are not ruining baseball. It's in a great state." –Dave Roberts (39:42)

• Colin echoes this sentiment, pushing back on critics, both of LA and of modern MLB.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Street Fight Mentality:
  "We're in a street fight. And I think that when you have that street fight mentality that lends itself to urgency..." –Dave Roberts (03:52)

• On Gut and Analytics:
  "You've got to bet on people, and you've got to bet on heartbeat... that's how I manage in the postseason." –Dave Roberts (10:40)

• On the Dodgers' Clubhouse:
  "To get superstars to buy into whatever you ask of them and to be selfless, that's the secret sauce." –Dave Roberts (16:17)

• On Public Narrative:
  "Let's get four more wins and really ruin baseball. Let's go." –Dave Roberts, tongue-in-cheek (14:08)
  "Baseball viewership is at an all time high... So obviously the Dodgers are not ruining baseball." (39:42)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Dave Roberts Interview Start: 02:35
• Urgency of Playoff Mentality: 03:52
• Managing Pitchers & Gut Decisions: 05:35
• Bullpen Pivot & Roki’s Journey: 07:38
• Postseason vs. Regular Season Analytics: 09:52
• Lineup Evolution Discussion: 11:37
• Roberts’ Tongue-in-cheek “Ruining Baseball” Clip: 14:08
• Dodgers Culture & Player Buy-In: 16:17
• Previewing Blue Jays Threats: 17:11
• Recap/Commentary on Dodgers’ Impact on MLB: 39:42

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• Tone: Friendly, insightful, and self-aware. Roberts is candid and humorous, Colin is probing but affable.
• Takeaways:
  • The Dodgers' success is about more than deep pockets—it's process, culture, adaptation, and player buy-in.
  • Managing in October is about trusting players and timely instincts, not just data.
  • The “likability” and selfless culture in LA is their biggest edge.
  • Modern baseball is evolving—lineups, roles, and strategies—while viewership and talent are at all-time highs.

This summary should provide a vivid, thorough recounting of Colin Cowherd’s conversation with Dave Roberts, capturing the nuance, philosophy, and humor that baseball (and great radio) bring to its biggest stage.