Fox News: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admits using Manny Machado drama as a 'diversion' for his team

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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admits using Manny Machado drama as a 'diversion' for his team

A day after the Dodgers' 10-2 loss to the Padres, Dave Roberts called out Manny Machado for throwing a ball at him "with something behind it." It was all part of a plan.......                    ...                        ...Early in their NLDS, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login manager Dave Roberts accused Manny Machado of throwing a baseball "directed at me with something behind it." ......Apparently, it was all gamesmanship.......Roberts first discussed the incident Monday, about 24 hours after the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login had smacked around the Dodgers in their own ballpark for a 10-2 win in Game 2 of the series.......The incident occurred during that game, and tempers had flared between Machado and Jack Flaherty during the game. Dodgers fans even threw debris at Jurickson Profar and Fernando Tatis Jr., causing a delay.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......Roberts, though, never made mention of Machado's throw when the game ended. So, the manager was asked if his late reaction was all part of a plan......."It was. It was," Roberts admitted after the Dodgers beat San Diego in Game 5 to move on to the NLCS.......Roberts said it was a way to get the team to find something to rally around, rather than deal with more pressure.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"As a manager, you never want to make it about you. But I just felt in that situation, if we could take it off our guys a little bit," Roberts said......."Manny and I have a really good relationship. I would take him any day. But I don't think that diversion was a bad thing for our guys. And they responded by having my back."......Perhaps Roberts played the long game because San Diego did take a 2-1 series lead after winning Game 3. But the Dodgers won Game 4 on the road, 8-0, and then took the series by winning Game 5, 2-0. The Padres did not score a run in their final 24 innings.......Los Angeles will face the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login in the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers host Game 1 Sunday night, with the first pitch at 8:15 p.m. ET.......Follow Fox News Digital's You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, and subscribe to You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login....

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