The 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers Love L.A. Community Tour continued Thursday morning with manager Dave Roberts and Eric Karros joining women from the Alexandria House at California Pizza Kitchen in Manhattan Beach for a cooking class with Chef Paul.
Along with the Dodgers striving to connect with the local community this week, the event was planned to help provide the women with skills and tips to support educational and enrichment opportunities.
“It was fun,” Roberts said. I had a chance to hang out with chef Paul and Eric Karros. I made a sausage, pepperoni, a little bit of pineapple, a little bit of arugula. It was good to get out here, spend some time with women from the women’s shelter. It was a special day.
“I think it’s important for not only myself but the entire organization because we get so caught up in our jobs, but really appreciating the fans and it gives us an opportunity to connect with them and the community. This is a big part of my job as well because we wouldn’t have Dodger baseball or baseball if it wasn’t for the fans. To be able to spend this week to caravan, be out there in the community, it’s special for everyone.”
Karros also put pepperoni, sausage and pineapple on his pizza, while he and Roberts both stayed away from cut-up Dodger Dogs that were available as a topping as well.
“It was outstanding,” Karros said of his creation. “Is there any such thing as a bad pizza?”
Does pineapple belong on pizza is a hot-button question, but Roberts has been swayed and believes to each their own.
“I don’t mind the pineapple,” he said. “It’s not my go-to order, but I went with a little bit of the spice with pepperoni and sausage, and then the pineapple added a little bit of sweetness.
“I think the way that things have gone in our world, it’s kind of what you like. There’s no hard-and-fast rules. I spent three and a half years in Hawaii, so I’m a little biased to the Hawaiian pizza.”
Roberts excited by Dodgers prospects
The Dodgers roster has undergone plenty of change this offseason, with the likes of Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner and Trea Turner among those to depart in free agency. That’s been due in large part to the next wave of Dodgers prospects being expected to take on key roles.
“It’s exciting,” Roberts said.
“I think to lose guys like Justin Turner, who was a stalwart and an extension of me and the coaches, to lose a veteran player like Trea Turner, obviously we’re going to miss those guys.
“But Gavin Lux has been around. He’s just going to get more of an opportunity at shortstop, which is great. Miguel Vargas has been in the system, he’s a Dodgers farmhand, baseball is in his blood. I can’t wait to see him get an opportunity to perform. We saw a little bit of James Outman last year.
“Outside of the great hair that he’s got, he’s got a great swing and can really dominate center field. So he’s going to get an opportunity. Dustin May, he’s a guy that Dodger fans have heard for the last four or five years. He’s still a young player, but he’s seasoned and he’s healthy.
“I think the ‘youth movement’ might be a little aggressive. We’ve still got our anchors in Mookie, Freddie, Max Muncy, Will Smith, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urías. The goal is still to win a championship.”
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