GLENDALE, Ariz. — As he drove to Arizona for the start of spring training, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts listened to a book on tape – “No Time for Spectators” by Martin Dempsey, a former U.S. Army general and past chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The book is built around the lessons Dempsey says he learned throughout his long military career, particularly those dealing with leadership. It’s a topic about which Roberts frequently reads – and it was an appropriate topic for this year’s Dodgers.
For the first time since Roberts became manager in 2016, there is no clear team leader in the Dodgers’ clubhouse. Justin Turner left for Boston in free agency this winter and the group that reported to Camelback Ranch this spring has a different dynamic with its highest-paid players (Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman) having been raised in other organizations, the longest-tenured position player (Austin Barnes) a backup catcher, and young players sprinkled throughout.
“When you don’t see No. 10 walking through, it’s a little weird for these guys. I can only imagine,” Freeman said of Turner’s departure.
“I love JT. He was definitely a voice for a lot of people. He was approachable and stuff like that,” Barnes agreed. “Yeah, it’ll be hard, but we’ll figure it out. We’ll adapt and figure out who we are as a team.”
Before they can figure out who the leaders are, they might have to identify what they need from a leader.
“Is a team leader the person who is going to be the voice for the media after every game? So the perception is he’s leading the club?” Roberts said. “Or is the team leader going to be the person who is going to hold a meeting when a meeting might need to be called? Or is a team leader a person who does everything the right way so people follow him?”
Clayton Kershaw says it’s “a good question” what a team leader needs to be.
“I think for me it’s just by example,” he said. “That’s how you do…
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