9-30-25 - Mo & Tony with David Vassegh

David Vassegh hosts "Dodger Talk" on KLAC in Los Angeles. He joined us to preview the Reds/Dodgers National League Wild Card Series.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Three o'clock.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Moegger and Tony Pike. We
are broadcasting from Twin Peaks in Florence. We're gonna get
back to last night's debacle here in just.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
A few minutes.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
But the Red's playing the postseason tonight, looking to advance
in the playoffs for the first time in thirty years
when they beat the LA Dodgers three straight in the
nineteen ninety five NLDS. I was a freshman in college
when that happened. It's been way too long. Can they
upset the Dodgers winning two of three in La. We'll
find out tonight, nine toh eight, first pitch on seven

(00:31):
hundred WLW. I have followed our next guest's work for
a very long time. He's one of ours KLAC in LA.
Also see him on MLB Network. David Vasse, host of
Dodger Talk, kind enough to join us on what I'm
sure is a busy day for him in southern California.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
David, we appreciate the time. Good afternoon, how are you.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
I'm doing great and I was a freshman in college
as well. And get my classes to go to those
two games at Dodgers Stadium, and I reminded Eric Carros
that his Dodge was the last team to lose to
the Reds in the playoffs. He did not like that.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, I don't like the fact that that is the
last postseason advancement, most recent postseason advancement.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
I remember that well.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
I remember winning Game three, Mark Lewis hitting the home run,
thinking Wow, this is gonna be awesome, and then they
got swept by the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers postseason or
at least wild Card round roster is out. Is there
anything noteworthy to you with what they've done with their
twenty six.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Man Yeah, there are a couple of things. Actually. Michael Conforto,
who the Dodgers signed to a one year, eighteen million
dollar contract, had a disappointing season, but they stuck with him.
He got over five hundred plate appearances. They stuck with
him all the way to the end, and now they
leave him off the postseason roster. And they have two

(01:48):
rookies on their roster that are defensive replacements and are
pinch runners, and Justin Dean and Hayesun Kim. So to me,
that stood out also for the Dodgers to have three
catchers on this wild card roster is a good thing
for them because Will Smith, out of Louisville University, hurt

(02:12):
his hand had a fracture on the top of his
right hand, has not played in the game for the
last three weeks. Took live batting practice last night, felt
good enough to swing the bats. So he's limited to
coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. But he's
one of the most clutch hitters in Major League Baseball currently,
so that's a big weapon for the Dodgers to have

(02:33):
off the bench.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
You get a little bit of a reset going into
the playoffs, but you also know that that the starting
pitching there's so much more stress on just inning to inning,
batter to batter. Bullpen becomes even more important. There's been
struggles out of the Dodgers bullpen for some of the season.
Where's the confidence level now going into the postseason with
how that bullpen is set?

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Well, still the achilles heel of the Dodgers, for sure,
but it's gonna look a little bit different. They're not
going to have to lean on Tanner Scott and Blake
Trining as much as they did in the regular season
because they're moving two of their dominant starters to the
bullpen for this series. Emmittt. Sheehan is in the bullpen,

(03:15):
a right hander that throws ninety five ninety six, got
a great slider. And also Tyler Glass now is going
to be in the Dodger bullpen for this series because
he's not going to be needed to make a start
until probably Game four of the NLBS. If they get
that far so right there, you shorten the game big time.

(03:35):
After Blake Snell and Yamamoto in these first two games.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
We know all the stars in that LA lineup. Freeman Otani,
Bets Mookie had a real weird first half of the season,
offensively performed much better in the second half of the year.
If there's a weakness that the Reds pitching can expose
in the Dodger lineup.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Where is it.

Speaker 3 (03:59):
Yeah, that's a great question. Right now. The Dodger offense
is so much better than where it was even just
the last time the Reds saw them, And that's kind
of about the time the Dodgers flipped the switch. In particular,
Taoscar Hernandez, who did not have a great first half,
came out of the All Star break a little sluggish,

(04:20):
but he seemed to be the guy that is the
face of the Dodgers flipping the switch. So's if there's
one part of this postseason offense for the Dodgers, and
I go back to what teams were telling me last year.
They said they've got to find a way to have
Otani come to the plate with nobody on, meaning the

(04:41):
bottom of the order can't get on for Otani because
it makes it that much harder for the opposing team
to pitch to him. That's the biggest key in this
series too. If the Dodgers eight nine seventy eight nine
hitters get on and turn the lineup over and have
men on base for Otani, it may be short series
for the Reds.

Speaker 4 (05:03):
The view in La of the Reds and what problems
that they might pose to the Dodgers coming into the series,
or what.

Speaker 3 (05:12):
The Reds pitching starting pitching in particular, I mean starting
with tonight's starter, Hunter Green out of Notre Dame High School.
We actually went to the same high school. I had
Hunter and studio right when he signed with the Reds. He's,
as you guys know, mature beyond his years. So if
anybody thinks this stage is going to get to him.
They're mistaken because he's a young man that has a

(05:39):
lot of poise, a lot of self confidence, and he
has he has the capability to shut down the Dodgers
for six or seven innings, and that would be problematic
considering the Dodgers know they got Nick Lodolo Chase Burns
that that is the one concern if you're a Dodger fan,
is that good pitching does shut down offenses. And right

(06:02):
now the the Reds have have one of the best
starters in the game on the mount for Game one.

Speaker 1 (06:10):
It uh, it should be fun. David. I know you
have a lot going on. Enjoyed the series. We appreciate
the time, man, thanks so much.

Speaker 3 (06:17):
When are the Bengals trading Joe Burrow to my ram?
Let me know when that happens.

Speaker 4 (06:21):
If you hear that, it's it's a package deal. It's
Joe and Zach you know, no.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
Thank you? Yeah, yeah, I guess that we would have
to take him back on mcbath's dap, right.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
That's right, yes, you would have to take him back there.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
There are a lot of guys we'll give you, David,
if you want, well, we'll send a lot of guys
to l A after last night.

Speaker 3 (06:39):
If you like, I just want Joe cool. He'd be
great in LA. Let's make it happen one day.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
That would be that'd be good for you. I'm not
so sure about us. David, thanks so much.

Speaker 3 (06:50):
See you guys.

Speaker 1 (06:51):
You got it.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
It's David Vasse, five seventy KLAC and Los Angeles, host
of Dodger Talk.

Speaker 4 (06:56):
You know, Zach was on Sean McVay staff.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
Was he no? Yep? Good rule twenty eight minutes.

Speaker 4 (07:04):
It's on Tougherville staff as well.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
But three o'clock it's the Tony and Mo Football Show.
Let's just do another baseball guest.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
I'm good with that.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
Sam LeCure is gonna join us. Next, we're a Twin
Peaks and Florence. Twenty eight after three. This is ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports station with traffic