After watching Doc play for the Giants, the Dodgers prospect feels honored to have him as a coach.
Before he was a Dodgers manager back in 2016, Dave Roberts ended his major league career playing for the Giants in 2007 and 2008.
He played for five different MLB teams over a ten-year career as a major league outfielder.
James Outman, who was around 10 and 11 at the time of Doc’s short-lived era up North, looked up to him before ever thinking he could one day play for him.
The Nor Cal native hopped on a zoom call with Dodger Nation’s Doug McKain for an interview and shared what it’s been like to play for Doc:
“Awesome. When I was growing up, going to Giants games and stuff, when he was on the Giants playing center field, he was one of my favorite players on the team. So it was cool cause I was like a fan of him first and now he’s, now he’s my coach. But, he’s awesome, like super positive, very straightforward, and honest with guys, which I appreciate. And he makes you feel good the second you meet him and he’s a good listener, like a good communicator and I just feel like I wanna be around him more just because he’s doing such a good job with, you know, making me feel confident, making me feel good and ready and you know, he’s a great dude.”
Playing for one of your childhood favorite players is one of the things kids dream about and to be a part of the Dodgers’ success and legacy is another one.
But James Outman knows better than anyone what it feels like to have dreams come true, especially after the major league debut he made last summer.
In 13 at-bats, he reached home 6 times in 6 hits including a homer for his first-ever major league at-bat.
Dave Roberts has expressed his excitement for the youth movement and James Outman is expected to lead the next generation of Dodgers.
