When legendary former New York Yankees managers speak, their words tend to carry weight—especially when they come from someone who led the team to four World Series titles between 1996 and 2000.
That manager is Joe Torre,a familiar face who brought the Yankees back to glory in the late ’90s. He also managed the Dodgers for a couple of seasons, though he never won a championship with them. This time, however, Torre had high praise for both the Dodgers and their current skipper, Dave Roberts.
Mention Joe Torre, and you’re talking about more than just a good manager—you’re talking about a man who led his teams to the postseason for 14 straight seasons, most of them with the Yankees and two with the Dodgers. It was a dominant era for him.
What did Torre say about the Dodgers and Roberts?
Torre compared the Dodgers to the Yankees in terms of how they’re perceived by fans—either loved or hated depending on the moment. He also praised what Roberts has built in Los Angeles.
“I always looked at the Dodgers as the Yankees of the National League,” Torre told Dodgers Dugout. “Because you either love them or hate them. What Dave Roberts has done has been remarkable.”
Torre acknowledged how difficult it is to bring together a group of big-league players the way Roberts has. “Being able to mash up those players takes a big deal of ability and isn’t easy for a manager,” he said, before adding: “But Dave has done a great job keeping everybody together and keeping them hungry, basically.”