Aaron Boone, Dave Roberts share evolving relationship before World Series showdown

LOS ANGELES — When Aaron Boone landed in Los Angeles, he sent Dave Roberts a text message.

It was a Yankees emoji.

Roberts responded with a laughing one, although he considered something entirely different.

“There was another emoji I thought about sending him with one finger, but I didn’t,” he said with a laugh.

It was all in good fun.

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The two managers in the World Series go back a ways, back to when they both played college baseball, Boone at USC, Roberts at UCLA.

They were rivals.

Boone was USC’s third baseman from 1992-94, Roberts a UCLA outfielder at the same time.

“Yeah, I can see ‘Doc’ and that little slap swing he had where he hit the ball the other way,” Boone recalled ahead of the Yankees’ 6-3, 10-inning loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series. “He was a good player, somebody that I got to know a little bit at that point, just playing against him because he’s such a great guy. But I remember him well, leadoff hitter, left fielder for the Bruins. Fun times, fun days.”

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The two weren’t necessarily close then, according to Roberts.

“We weren’t friends,” the Dodgers manager said. “I think, at that point in time, I didn’t care too much about him, and I don’t think he cared too much for me. I do recall they got the best of us back in the day, so it probably enhanced my distaste for him and the Trojans. But he was always a heck of a ballplayer.”

They took similar paths, both drafted in 1994, Boone in the third round by the Reds, Roberts in the 28th by the Tigers.

They both had their October moment as a player.

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Boone hit the walk-off home run against the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS that sent the Yankees to the World Series.

The following year, Roberts’ clutch stolen base started the Red Sox comeback from a 3-0 ALCS deficit against the Yankees.

A few years ago, they bonded during a golf outing through a few mutual friends.

Their relationship has grown since then.

Now, they have their teams on the sport’s biggest stage, Boone looking to lead the Yankees to their first title in 15 years and Roberts hoping to win his second crown.

“I do think it’s very cool that we played against each other in college as college rivals and now you can just see this rivalry with the Dodgers and the Yankees,” Roberts said. “It’s pretty special. It goes way back and now we’re doing it again opposing each other. It’s a pretty good story.”

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