by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

LOS ANGELES–The Los Angeles Dodgers, the historic franchise that in
1947 that broke the color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson, has
inked their first minority manager.

It is Dave Roberts, in a way a surprise, Roberts was not mentioned as the one that was going to replace Don Mattingly, now the skipper of the Miami Marlins, and many believed Roberts was a long shot for the big profile job.

The Dodgers will introduce Roberts
to the media at a press conference at Dodgers Stadium on
December 1. He has never managed before at any level, his
last job in baseball was as a bench coach for manager Bud
Black in San Diego. Interestingly enough, Don Mattingy the
Dodgers previous manager, is the only one to have won 3
divisional titles in their franchise.

Dave Roberts(43)is the youngest Los Angeles Dodgers
manager since Walter Alston(42)when he was named manager of
the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954. Roberts becomes the 8th
manager in past 17 years for the boys in blue. Born in
Okinawa, Japan, his father was a former US Marine and his
mother a Japanese-American. Dave Roberts played at UCLA, and
lives in Vista, outside of San Diego.

Dave Roberts is currently the third minority manager in
major league baseball; Fredi Gonzalez, born in Cuba(Atlanta
Braves)and recently appointed manager of the Cincinnati Reds,
Dusty Baker, African-American.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV voice for Angels baseball and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com