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Dodgers hire Dave Roberts as manager
Interim manager Dave Roberts #8 of the San Diego Padres looks on before a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics at Petco Park June 15, 2015 in San Diego, California.
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Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese right-hander Hideo Nomo looks at Dave Roberts walk in the dugout Friday, May 28, 2004, prior to their game agaisnt the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles. Nomo was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 20, on Friday with a split fingernail on his right index finger. The Dodgers also activated left fielder Dave Roberts from the DL. He had been sidelined by a strained right hamstring since May 5. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
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KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/AP
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Colorado Rockies shortstop Royce Clayton picks up the ball as Los Angeles Dodgers Dave Roberts calls for a time out after Roberts safely stole second base during the second inning on Friday, April 9, 2004 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Urso)
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CHRIS URSO/AP
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Dave Roberts will succeed Don Mattingly as the new manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team announced plans to introduce him on December 1, according to AP.
The 43-year-old former major leaguer is no stranger to the team. He served as manager for one game this season after Bud Black was fired. But long before that, Roberts began his career with the organization as a player.
After being traded to the Dodgers in 2001, he became the team's primary center fielder. In his first season, Roberts had a .353 on-base percentage and stole 45 bases in 55 attempts.
According to MLB's Dodgers Insider blog, Roberts would go on to steal 118 bases in 2 1/2 years, putting him into the top 20 in Dodger history.
In 2004 Roberts was traded to the Boston Red Sox, where he became a legend during the team's championship post-season.
After a drought that dates back to 1918, the Red Sox finally had a shot at the World Series. In the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 4 of the ALCS, the Sox were down 4 runs to 3 and facing elimination after losing three games. Roberts came in as a pinch runner and barely beat a throw by Yankee catcher Jorge Posada to steal second base. It was a turning point for the team, which would go on to win the game — and the World Series.
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Despite that crucial steal, Roberts was traded the following year to the San Diego Padres. He played with them for a year before again being traded, this time to the San Francisco Giants. Roberts was plagued by injuries and in 2009, two days after being released by the Giants, he retired.
For the last two seasons, Roberts has served as bench coach for San Diego. Before that, he was a special assistant for the Padres' front office in 2010 and their first base coach from 2011-13.
A native of Okinawa, Japan and a graduate of UCLA, Roberts is the team's 10th manager in Los Angeles and its first minority manager.
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