Dodgers News: Does the front office set the starting lineup?

Does the Dodgers front office have input on the lineups manager Dave Roberts decides to use each day?

Since Billy Beane revolutionized the game of baseball with sabermetrics and “moneyball” thinking, the role of managers in making day-to-day decisions about lineups and pitching selections has changed.

We have seen analytically-minded teams, such as the Yankees, fire one manager, Joe Girardi, in order to hire another, Aaron Boone, in order to create a more direct line from the the front office to the dugout in how to deploy team personnel.

Since the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman as president of baseball operations, bringing his small market model to a big market franchise, fans have often wondered if his influence in using analytics to make decisions extends to the Dodgers clubhouse.

Who makes the lineup decisions for the Dodgers on a day-to-day basis? Is it manager Dave Roberts, like the good ol’ days, all on his own? Is it the front office sending a directive on who shall play? Is it a joint effort?

On the latest Off Air podcast with Orel Hershiser and broadcaster Joe Davis, Dave Roberts talked about the relationship he has with the Dodgers front office in making decisions.

So does the front office make the lineup?

“They do not. They don’t make the lineup,” Roberts answered. “And it’s funny, it became kind of funny early, but then, ya know, four years removed, or past my first year, and we still have that come up, which is crazy. But, ya know, it’s information as far as, ‘Hey, this guy plays six in a row and there has been tendencies where he gets fatigued and his body doesn’t act right, now we’re trying to get him to prevent injuries.'”

“I can’t possibly know all this information, that this is stuff that’s suggested to me, and ultimately, I have to make the decision,” Roberts continued. “So as far as does the front office make the lineup? Absolutely not. But do I take recommendations? Absolutely.”

What does this mean?

I was really impressed with Roberts answer. He talked earlier in the podcast about everyone in the organization’s “interests being aligned” from Stan Kasten to Andrew Friedman to himself. That is how a modern baseball team is supposed to run, and contributes to the great success we have seen from the Dodgers organization since the new ownership group took over.

Is it possible that the front office has more input than Roberts is letting on? I think so. It wouldn’t make sense for the manager to admit publicly that he is not always the final line in the decision chain, as that would reduce his credibility in the clubhouse. That said, it sounds like the majority of lineup decisions are left to him, while he is expected to consider the information the front office presents to him.

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So next time you complain about the Dodgers lineup decisions, you know where to point the finger (sort of).