March 17, 2023 • 11 mins
David Vassegh talks to Clayton Kershaw on Spring Training Dodger Talk.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Festive atmosphere at Sloan Park and Mesa, Arizona. Today, that's where the
Dodgers beat the Cubs nine to seven. They got to see Cody Bellinger in
person in a Cubs uniform. Hehit a two run triple in the sixth
inning. He's got a new jerseynumber, he's now wearing twenty four,
and certainly strange to see guys likeBellinger and Seeger in different uniforms. That's
(00:24):
gonna take some time to get usedto, even though Seeger is starting his
second year with the Rangers. Butthis is a new chapter for the Dodgers
as they say goodbye to some longDodgers in that clubhouse, long lasting Dodgers,
and certainly we'll go down in Dodgeyour history for a long time,
guys like Jack Peterson and Keika Hernandezand Cody Bellinger and Corey Seeger. But
(00:49):
this certainly is a new chapter.And there's good players that is led by
Mookie Bets and Freddie Freeman and ofcourse the future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw
had a chance to catch up withthe future Hall of Famer about a many
different things at this stage of hiscareer and with the Dodgers in spring training.
Clayton, thanks a lot for thetime. Appreciate it anytime, Dave.
(01:12):
Great to share Saint Patrick's Day withyou. Thanks. It's hard to
imagine, but you are the lastactive Dodger to have spring training at Vero
Beach and Dodgertown. That was alittle bit more festive of a Saint Patrick's
Day than out here, right,I don't remember, was it? Yeah?
I don't remember. I feel likebecause of the O'Malley tradition, they
(01:32):
would really make a big deal aboutit. Yeah, I mean, I
believe you, I just don't reallyremember. Can you think back to your
first spring training what it was like. Can you relate to some of these
young guys like Gavin Stone that aregetting their first experience in a big league
clubhouse. Yeah, I remember,you know, two thousand and seven,
I didn't minor league sing training overthere. In two thousand and eight,
(01:52):
I actually got called up halfway ata big league camp, so I kind
of know what it's like to likebe the young guy and you know,
try to make a name for yourselfand obviously try to prove that you could
belong up here. So you know, there's definitely some elements of that with
some of these young guys, butI would say they're way more polished than
I was, you know, Ithink I think it takes a lot more
to get into the big leagues nowthan it did back then. You basically
(02:14):
got to be a finished product now. So all these guys that we have
are you know, flashing three orfour plus pitches and throwing strikes and obviously
have the stuff. So it'll befun to see how how it all shakes
out, you know, between betweenGrove and Pep and Bobby Miller and obviously
Gavin Stone, there's some there's somereally good arms that we've got going through
(02:36):
the system right now. Would yousay that's the biggest advantage for these young
pitchers now, having all that dataat their disposal, You know, the
analytical data is one thing, butultimately it's just the polish and the stuff.
You know, So no matter nomatter what the numbers say, you
still have to be able to throwstrikes. You still have to be able
to throw breaking balls. You stillhave to be able to throw strikes with
your breaking balls behind and counts anddifferent things like that to have success of
(03:00):
this level and all those guys haveshown flashes of it because the stuff is
obviously there for all those guys.So I just think you have to be
a little bit better. I justthink you have to be better now to
be in the big leagues. Ithink everybody keeps evolving, everybody keeps getting
better. And you know where theDodgers are at too. It's not like
they're gonna let a guy come upand struggle. You know, we got
to win the games, so they'rethey're not going to bring a guy up
(03:22):
unless they think they can help themwin the game. So there's a lot
of factors playing and their favorite ofthey have to be good. Do you
feel at this point of your careeryou're still evolving and still trying to keep
up with the way the game ischanging. I'm not sure if evolving is
the right word anymore. I'm justtrying to just trying to stay ahead of
the curve as best I can.But you know, I think at the
(03:44):
end of the day, the goalis just to be good at your job.
So you know, whatever whatever youhave to do to be good at
your job and to continue to goout and be on the field. And
so there's always ways to do that. There's always new ways that people say
might be able to help you.And so I think I've learned just to
have a good filter, you know. I think you have to listen to
guys that are around that might havesome ideas to help you, and then
you know either say Okay, I'llgive it a shot or no, that's
(04:06):
not going to happen. So Ithink you have to be able to have
a good filter. If you haveto be stubborn to know what works for
you personally, and also if it'snot working and it's you're not pitching,
well, be open minded enough totry some new things and some new approaches.
So it's just a balance, man. You just got to figure out.
You gotta figure it all out atthe same time. It's not an
easy thing to do, but it'spart of it. Over the years,
(04:29):
I've heard you say a lot what'simportant to you is being healthy and having
consistency. Over the course of aseason, you're getting closer to some magical
milestone numbers in your career. Isthat Do you value those because it represents
consistency and being out there? Idon't. I don't think so. I
(04:50):
mean, I don't really value individualstatistics. You know, I think I've
been so fortunate to be able tobe on a team that has been successful
and win, and a lot ofthose numbers are a byproduct of that,
you know. So I just atthe end of the day, the reason
that I want to keep playing isjust to win. Is just to win,
(05:11):
be the last team to win agame at the end of the season.
And there's a lot of things thatyou have to do during the season
to be that team, and someof those statistics come as a byproduct to
that. But at the end ofthe day, man, I think that's
the only way to think about itis you're here to win and everything else
will take care of itself. Andthat's what I would tell a lot of
these young guys. It's like,you guys want to make it to the
big leagues. You guys want tomake a lot of money. You guys
(05:33):
want to have all the fame,whatever it is, be in the Hall
of Fame, they're all that stuff. You guys want to do all that
that's great, but you gotta winthe game. Just focus on winning the
game and do what you have todo to win the game, and all
that other stuff will take care ofitself, and it's not easy to trust,
but if you really focus on that, it really will alleviate some of
the pressure that you put on yourselfand think about the team aspects of it
(05:57):
and just trying to win the gameand all those other individual things will take
care of it. So you know, personally, all that stuff doesn't really
matter to me. But I'm justsuper thankful that I've been here as long
as I have and get another chanceto win. Clayton Kershaw is our guest
here on Dodger Talk. Clayton,when you talk about winning, you have
a lot of new faces, andlast night, you know, facing Corey
(06:18):
Seeger, who was You've been teammateswith them since he got called up.
I don't want to call this somethingthat it isn't, but do you feel
like it's a new chapter for thisteam with so many guys that we're part
of the winning culture from fifteen totwenty one now in different uniforms. I
thought you're gonna ask me about soyou're hitting a tank off me last night?
(06:40):
We got through that last night.Okay, we fumbled through that last
night. Yeah, No, Ido I think it's I think it is
a new chapter you know, Ithink you know Se left two years ago,
We've lost Belly and JT. There'snot a lot of guys that have
been through it, you know,other than like CT and bar Z and
(07:00):
months like they're they're that core isnot not the same for sure. That's
not necessarily it's a hard thing becauseyou play with guys and you grow relationships
with them and you have fun withthem and play with them and build that
bond. But it's not necessarily abad thing, you know, Like change
(07:20):
is inevitable as a part of thegame, and we still have a team
that can compete this year. Itlooks different on paper, no doubt.
We have a lot We're putting alot of trust and young guys. LuxI
going down obviously is not great,so we're gonna have Miggie step in and
play great defense and hit some leftiesand just do whatever he can to be
helpful on this team. But you'reright, it looks different. We don't
(07:43):
have a lot of certainty like wehad in years past, But I still
think we have a good chance tomake the playoffs and then anything can happen.
What do you feel like the biggestthing is for this group is it
coming together at some point in timein the season, or is it about
what you talked about, do whatyou have to do to help the team
win. Yeah, I mean Ithink they go hand in hand. You
know. Vargie's a perfect example,Like he's trying to establish himself as a
(08:07):
second baseman, he's trying to makeit as a rookie, he's young.
All these things are probably going throughhis head. But you know, if
we keep harping to Vargie, heyman, just show up today and do
whatever you can to help this teamwin, everything else will take care of
itself. And that's no different forhim, Freddie Mookie myself, Like,
we just have to show up andprepare to win the game. And that's
(08:28):
what builds chemistry, that's what buildsculture, that's what builds all that stuff
is if if we're all on thesame page, if we all have the
same goal as to win the gamethat day, and when people when stuff
starts going south, is when peopleare motivated by different things. And we've
done a good job in this clubhouseover the years of just win the game,
win that day, and then we'llcome and try to do it again
(08:50):
the next day and as long aswe keep that mindset mentality, it's gonna
be it's gonna be a good year. You mentioned Austin Barnes earlier. I'm
sure you knew everything that Patrick Sandovalsaid about him after that win against USA.
He really praised him for in sucha short time knowing the feel of
the game, knowing how to callthe game, prepare the game, and
(09:11):
how to attack those hitters. Yeah, Barnesy's uh, you know, you
talk about whatever you have to doto win, and Barnesy kind of embodies
that, and you know, Ithink that's that's important. You know,
Barnesy, he does whatever he hasto do to win the game. Man,
he is one of the better competitorsI've ever been around, and we
all feed off that, you know, even if he's not playing. Obviously,
(09:33):
Will is a starting catcher and hedoes a good job too and understands
the game and able to compete reallywell, and so I think they feed
off each other. But yeah,we miss Barnesy. We miss Barnesy and
Will in this clubhouse right now.We need to get our guys back.
So I'm kind of rooting for Venezuelaand whoever the Puerto Rico right now,
get these guys back any World BaseballClassic envy since it didn't go your way.
(09:56):
Yes and no, I mean Ido think it looks really fun and
that group of guys I really respectand would love to be a part of.
But at spring break right now,and my family's out here and I've
had a lot more time with themthan I probably would have doing t MUSA,
So there was some silver lining andnot being able to do it.
But yeah, definitely definitely a littleMV not being a part of it.
(10:18):
Speaking of your family, you're agood friend. Brad. Paisley posted a
video of you while you guys runa family vacation, trying to play the
guitar. Can you explain that?No, that's it. I was trying
to play a guitar and he said, you had it the wrong way.
I honestly don't know if I playa right handed or left handed, But
(10:39):
it just goes to show you howlike talented like Brad is, like he
just he can pick up any typeof instrument like that and just play it
like no problem. And that's reallycool. It's such a special gift and
talent to be able to do thatand it's a part of the brain that
I don't have. I don't thinkme either. Yeah, we know,
Dave, Hey, before I letyou go. Speaking of music, Taylor
(11:03):
Swift in town tonight tomorrow night.If memory serves me correct, when she
burst onto the scene, it feltlike you were a Taylor Swift fan.
We will we see the Kerr shot. Maybe you take Callie to see Taylor
Swift tomorrow night. Man, youknow I still am a Taylor Swift fan.
I stand by what I said.Like everybody's a Taylor Swift fan to
some extent. There's nobody that's justlike, oh, I don't like her.
(11:24):
You know they don't. They won'tadmit it. But we're not gonna
make the concert. We're gonna havea nice Saint Patrick's Day at home and
enjoy the weekend before they got togo back to school. But yeah,
I'd be a fun concert to goto for sure. Well thanks for putting
up with me, even as Ifumble through postgame questions on certain nights.
But I try to try for redemptionand try to get better. Way to
(11:48):
go day, That's all we canask of you, Just get better.
Thanks, Happy Saint Batty's Day.
Festive atmosphere at Sloan Park and Mesa, Arizona. Today, that's where the
Dodgers beat the Cubs nine to seven. They got to see Cody Bellinger in
person in a Cubs uniform. Hehit a two run triple in the sixth
inning. He's got a new jerseynumber, he's now wearing twenty four,
and certainly strange to see guys likeBellinger and Seeger in different uniforms. That's
(00:24):
gonna take some time to get usedto, even though Seeger is starting his
second year with the Rangers. Butthis is a new chapter for the Dodgers
as they say goodbye to some longDodgers in that clubhouse, long lasting Dodgers,
and certainly we'll go down in Dodgeyour history for a long time,
guys like Jack Peterson and Keika Hernandezand Cody Bellinger and Corey Seeger. But
(00:49):
this certainly is a new chapter.And there's good players that is led by
Mookie Bets and Freddie Freeman and ofcourse the future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw
had a chance to catch up withthe future Hall of Famer about a many
different things at this stage of hiscareer and with the Dodgers in spring training.
Clayton, thanks a lot for thetime. Appreciate it anytime, Dave.
(01:12):
Great to share Saint Patrick's Day withyou. Thanks. It's hard to
imagine, but you are the lastactive Dodger to have spring training at Vero
Beach and Dodgertown. That was alittle bit more festive of a Saint Patrick's
Day than out here, right,I don't remember, was it? Yeah?
I don't remember. I feel likebecause of the O'Malley tradition, they
(01:32):
would really make a big deal aboutit. Yeah, I mean, I
believe you, I just don't reallyremember. Can you think back to your
first spring training what it was like. Can you relate to some of these
young guys like Gavin Stone that aregetting their first experience in a big league
clubhouse. Yeah, I remember,you know, two thousand and seven,
I didn't minor league sing training overthere. In two thousand and eight,
(01:52):
I actually got called up halfway ata big league camp, so I kind
of know what it's like to likebe the young guy and you know,
try to make a name for yourselfand obviously try to prove that you could
belong up here. So you know, there's definitely some elements of that with
some of these young guys, butI would say they're way more polished than
I was, you know, Ithink I think it takes a lot more
to get into the big leagues nowthan it did back then. You basically
(02:14):
got to be a finished product now. So all these guys that we have
are you know, flashing three orfour plus pitches and throwing strikes and obviously
have the stuff. So it'll befun to see how how it all shakes
out, you know, between betweenGrove and Pep and Bobby Miller and obviously
Gavin Stone, there's some there's somereally good arms that we've got going through
(02:36):
the system right now. Would yousay that's the biggest advantage for these young
pitchers now, having all that dataat their disposal, You know, the
analytical data is one thing, butultimately it's just the polish and the stuff.
You know, So no matter nomatter what the numbers say, you
still have to be able to throwstrikes. You still have to be able
to throw breaking balls. You stillhave to be able to throw strikes with
your breaking balls behind and counts anddifferent things like that to have success of
(03:00):
this level and all those guys haveshown flashes of it because the stuff is
obviously there for all those guys.So I just think you have to be
a little bit better. I justthink you have to be better now to
be in the big leagues. Ithink everybody keeps evolving, everybody keeps getting
better. And you know where theDodgers are at too. It's not like
they're gonna let a guy come upand struggle. You know, we got
to win the games, so they'rethey're not going to bring a guy up
(03:22):
unless they think they can help themwin the game. So there's a lot
of factors playing and their favorite ofthey have to be good. Do you
feel at this point of your careeryou're still evolving and still trying to keep
up with the way the game ischanging. I'm not sure if evolving is
the right word anymore. I'm justtrying to just trying to stay ahead of
the curve as best I can.But you know, I think at the
(03:44):
end of the day, the goalis just to be good at your job.
So you know, whatever whatever youhave to do to be good at
your job and to continue to goout and be on the field. And
so there's always ways to do that. There's always new ways that people say
might be able to help you.And so I think I've learned just to
have a good filter, you know. I think you have to listen to
guys that are around that might havesome ideas to help you, and then
you know either say Okay, I'llgive it a shot or no, that's
(04:06):
not going to happen. So Ithink you have to be able to have
a good filter. If you haveto be stubborn to know what works for
you personally, and also if it'snot working and it's you're not pitching,
well, be open minded enough totry some new things and some new approaches.
So it's just a balance, man. You just got to figure out.
You gotta figure it all out atthe same time. It's not an
easy thing to do, but it'spart of it. Over the years,
(04:29):
I've heard you say a lot what'simportant to you is being healthy and having
consistency. Over the course of aseason, you're getting closer to some magical
milestone numbers in your career. Isthat Do you value those because it represents
consistency and being out there? Idon't. I don't think so. I
(04:50):
mean, I don't really value individualstatistics. You know, I think I've
been so fortunate to be able tobe on a team that has been successful
and win, and a lot ofthose numbers are a byproduct of that,
you know. So I just atthe end of the day, the reason
that I want to keep playing isjust to win. Is just to win,
(05:11):
be the last team to win agame at the end of the season.
And there's a lot of things thatyou have to do during the season
to be that team, and someof those statistics come as a byproduct to
that. But at the end ofthe day, man, I think that's
the only way to think about itis you're here to win and everything else
will take care of itself. Andthat's what I would tell a lot of
these young guys. It's like,you guys want to make it to the
big leagues. You guys want tomake a lot of money. You guys
(05:33):
want to have all the fame,whatever it is, be in the Hall
of Fame, they're all that stuff. You guys want to do all that
that's great, but you gotta winthe game. Just focus on winning the
game and do what you have todo to win the game, and all
that other stuff will take care ofitself, and it's not easy to trust,
but if you really focus on that, it really will alleviate some of
the pressure that you put on yourselfand think about the team aspects of it
(05:57):
and just trying to win the gameand all those other individual things will take
care of it. So you know, personally, all that stuff doesn't really
matter to me. But I'm justsuper thankful that I've been here as long
as I have and get another chanceto win. Clayton Kershaw is our guest
here on Dodger Talk. Clayton,when you talk about winning, you have
a lot of new faces, andlast night, you know, facing Corey
(06:18):
Seeger, who was You've been teammateswith them since he got called up.
I don't want to call this somethingthat it isn't, but do you feel
like it's a new chapter for thisteam with so many guys that we're part
of the winning culture from fifteen totwenty one now in different uniforms. I
thought you're gonna ask me about soyou're hitting a tank off me last night?
(06:40):
We got through that last night.Okay, we fumbled through that last
night. Yeah, No, Ido I think it's I think it is
a new chapter you know, Ithink you know Se left two years ago,
We've lost Belly and JT. There'snot a lot of guys that have
been through it, you know,other than like CT and bar Z and
(07:00):
months like they're they're that core isnot not the same for sure. That's
not necessarily it's a hard thing becauseyou play with guys and you grow relationships
with them and you have fun withthem and play with them and build that
bond. But it's not necessarily abad thing, you know, Like change
(07:20):
is inevitable as a part of thegame, and we still have a team
that can compete this year. Itlooks different on paper, no doubt.
We have a lot We're putting alot of trust and young guys. LuxI
going down obviously is not great,so we're gonna have Miggie step in and
play great defense and hit some leftiesand just do whatever he can to be
helpful on this team. But you'reright, it looks different. We don't
(07:43):
have a lot of certainty like wehad in years past, But I still
think we have a good chance tomake the playoffs and then anything can happen.
What do you feel like the biggestthing is for this group is it
coming together at some point in timein the season, or is it about
what you talked about, do whatyou have to do to help the team
win. Yeah, I mean Ithink they go hand in hand. You
know. Vargie's a perfect example,Like he's trying to establish himself as a
(08:07):
second baseman, he's trying to makeit as a rookie, he's young.
All these things are probably going throughhis head. But you know, if
we keep harping to Vargie, heyman, just show up today and do
whatever you can to help this teamwin, everything else will take care of
itself. And that's no different forhim, Freddie Mookie myself, Like,
we just have to show up andprepare to win the game. And that's
(08:28):
what builds chemistry, that's what buildsculture, that's what builds all that stuff
is if if we're all on thesame page, if we all have the
same goal as to win the gamethat day, and when people when stuff
starts going south, is when peopleare motivated by different things. And we've
done a good job in this clubhouseover the years of just win the game,
win that day, and then we'llcome and try to do it again
(08:50):
the next day and as long aswe keep that mindset mentality, it's gonna
be it's gonna be a good year. You mentioned Austin Barnes earlier. I'm
sure you knew everything that Patrick Sandovalsaid about him after that win against USA.
He really praised him for in sucha short time knowing the feel of
the game, knowing how to callthe game, prepare the game, and
(09:11):
how to attack those hitters. Yeah, Barnesy's uh, you know, you
talk about whatever you have to doto win, and Barnesy kind of embodies
that, and you know, Ithink that's that's important. You know,
Barnesy, he does whatever he hasto do to win the game. Man,
he is one of the better competitorsI've ever been around, and we
all feed off that, you know, even if he's not playing. Obviously,
(09:33):
Will is a starting catcher and hedoes a good job too and understands
the game and able to compete reallywell, and so I think they feed
off each other. But yeah,we miss Barnesy. We miss Barnesy and
Will in this clubhouse right now.We need to get our guys back.
So I'm kind of rooting for Venezuelaand whoever the Puerto Rico right now,
get these guys back any World BaseballClassic envy since it didn't go your way.
(09:56):
Yes and no, I mean Ido think it looks really fun and
that group of guys I really respectand would love to be a part of.
But at spring break right now,and my family's out here and I've
had a lot more time with themthan I probably would have doing t MUSA,
So there was some silver lining andnot being able to do it.
But yeah, definitely definitely a littleMV not being a part of it.
(10:18):
Speaking of your family, you're agood friend. Brad. Paisley posted a
video of you while you guys runa family vacation, trying to play the
guitar. Can you explain that?No, that's it. I was trying
to play a guitar and he said, you had it the wrong way.
I honestly don't know if I playa right handed or left handed, But
(10:39):
it just goes to show you howlike talented like Brad is, like he
just he can pick up any typeof instrument like that and just play it
like no problem. And that's reallycool. It's such a special gift and
talent to be able to do thatand it's a part of the brain that
I don't have. I don't thinkme either. Yeah, we know,
Dave, Hey, before I letyou go. Speaking of music, Taylor
(11:03):
Swift in town tonight tomorrow night.If memory serves me correct, when she
burst onto the scene, it feltlike you were a Taylor Swift fan.
We will we see the Kerr shot. Maybe you take Callie to see Taylor
Swift tomorrow night. Man, youknow I still am a Taylor Swift fan.
I stand by what I said.Like everybody's a Taylor Swift fan to
some extent. There's nobody that's justlike, oh, I don't like her.
(11:24):
You know they don't. They won'tadmit it. But we're not gonna
make the concert. We're gonna havea nice Saint Patrick's Day at home and
enjoy the weekend before they got togo back to school. But yeah,
I'd be a fun concert to goto for sure. Well thanks for putting
up with me, even as Ifumble through postgame questions on certain nights.
But I try to try for redemptionand try to get better. Way to
(11:48):
go day, That's all we canask of you, Just get better.
Thanks, Happy Saint Batty's Day.
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