My New Hero: Dave Roberts

Until this week, Dave Roberts was best known as the light-hitting outfielder whose stolen base in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees ignited the Red Sox' unprecedented comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit.

In his entire career, the former UCLA Bruin swiped more bases (243) than runs he drove in (213). He also walked enough to boost his OBP percentage 86 points above his batting average and make himself an asset during a 10-year career.

Which is the long way of saying Roberts was a smart player. And now that he's managing the Dodgers, he's demonstrated the thinking box is ticking.

On Friday, at the end of his first week skippering Vin Scully's team, Roberts did the unthinkable -- he yanked a pitcher at the precipice of history with one out in the eighth.

Rookie hurler Ross Stripling, five outs from a no-hitter in his debut, surrendered his fourth walk on his 100th pitch.

Roberts went to the pen citing the high pitch count and Stripling's history of arm ailments, including TJ surgery.

How did it work out? Reliever Chris Hatcher coughed up the tying homer to the first batter he faced and the Giants went on to a 3-2 win over their arch-rivals. It could not have looked worse for Roberts.

Not only was it the right move, Roberts expressed satisfaction in the decision, if not the outcome. He has a much longer time horizon than one game, and a shorter one than immortality.

Even Stripling, a stockbroker in the off-season, endorsed the decision.

All of which bodes well for the NL West favorites. It sounds as if they have a cerebral and decisive helmsman and a beneficial culture in the clubhouse. That and Clayton Kershaw can take them a long way this year.