July 28, 2025 • 7 mins
Alex talks about warming up in the bullpen during the summer, mentoring Jack Dryer, and being a leader in the bullpen.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
All right, we're in Cincinnati with one of my favorite people.
Enjoin the cool bench in the dugout something you won't
feel in the Dodger bullpen, and that is World Series
champion Alex Vesia. Thanks a lot for the time, Bessie.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
You chose a very good place to sit after I
just got done playing catch.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
This is this is incredible.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, I feel like we could do a twenty thirty
minute interview with the conditions on this bench.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I'd be completely content. It's yeah, this is great, so
all good. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hey, just another example how there is first class amenities
in a major league dugout when there are bare bones
in a major league bullpen.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We do what we can out there, you know, from
time to time.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
But thankfully we got three night games. The day games
would be pretty brutal.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
We were joking in Boston that it only takes three
pitches in this type of hot, humid weather to get warm.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Are you being serious?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
It takes you less time to warm up by far?
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yeah, by far?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Ye're you know, just sitting out there, your sweating so
you don't really need to get the juices phone.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
As much as if it's super cold. But yeah, the
the humidity, you know, being able.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
To kind of just feel a little bit more relaxed
and loose when when at least for me, when I'm
when I'm cold, it's it takes a little bit longer
to warm up. So yeah, Boston, then here in Cincinnati,
then we go to Tampa. Tampa's gonna be outrageous, especially
the two day the two day games.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, I forgot their day games. Vessia, thanks a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, Saturday, and yeah, we were dreading those, so we
need to stay hydrated for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Hey, we were talking in the clubhouse with young Jack Dryer,
who's been phenomenal for the Dodgers. You guys are catch
partners now. Is that part of a mentorship?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Uh? Yeah, I mean we we kind of found that
in spring training and you know, I met him last
year during the Stay Hot camp, got to know him
a little bit, and then for then you know this year. Yeah,
I've kind of taken him under under my wing. It's
been a lot of fun. We we have a lot
of similarities. Obviously, his mind, he's that dude is a
(02:10):
super smart kid. So yeah, he's he's been having some
great success this year. I'm super proud of him. But yeah,
we play catch every day. We hold each other to
a pretty high standard, and yeah, it's a it's a
good relationship.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
When you say you're similar in a lot of ways,
what is it other than being left handed?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So it's like, the list is the list is quite long,
but to name a few, like.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
The the other day when we were in San Diego,
we ordered Casey is chicken case it he is, So
that was like and he was like, you like those
those are my favorite He's like, those are my favorites.
So like, small stuff like that kind of the way
we go about.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Our business and our workouts and routines.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And just like that type of stuff is very similar. Obviously,
he's super into you know, the Ruby's Cube and stuff
like that, so that's not.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Really my thing. But you know, he's super into music,
which which is really cool. I feel like I have
a pretty good music taste.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So yeah, there's there's some other other things and we're
not that I'm gonna I'm gonna blank on right now,
but yeah, the the funniest one was the chicken.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Case that was great.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
So so I love chicken to they're They're a staple
in my eating regimen, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Have you ever heard Tommy Edmund say faid does he
says it's so San Diego when he said, yeah, I
have some fa does no.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I mean Tommy's got that in him, So I get it.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I get it for me. I mean I'll butcher it,
but yeah, all good.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
How similar is Jack Dryer's fastball the way it plays
up in the zone and spins the way Alex Vesias does?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, yeah, very very similar.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
We have this pretty similar characteristics, so you know, talking
to him in spring training and going over where to
throw it, how to throw it has definitely been you know,
we do bounce ideas off of each other, and I
think that that, you know, looking back on, my crowd
would have loved I have had someone that had similar pits, mixes, characteristics,
(04:12):
stuff like that. We also, you know, that means the
scout reports are are kind of similar as well. So
you know, if anything, if he's uneasy about something, you know,
he always I feel like he always comes to me
for that, And.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, it's been It's been a lot of fun watching
him do his thing.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
This year all grown up, Alex VESSI a World Series champion,
part of the Dodgers' bullpen dogs, and it just feels
like you are that guy now. There was Daniel Hudson,
there was Joe Kelly, you got Blake trenin back. But
it feels like you're in that category now of being
one of the leaders of the bullpen.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yeah, I would, I would say so.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I think over the years it's kind of gone from
you know, ken Lee, he was big, you know, and
and it's just there's as the years go on, you know,
it's I felt very comfortable when I Scott here right,
I was able to talk to the guys pick their brains,
and so I want that when when guys come up
(05:07):
to me, I want that as well.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I want to be open. I want to be honest
with them.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
They can come to me for anything, you know, because
the game's hard, you know, and to have guys that
are rooting for you and have your back is is huge.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
When you look at the team right now, you obviously
are aware of the ups and downs of the season,
but how do you get out of this part of
it and understand that there is still two more months
to play?
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
I think looking back, we've never gone one sixty two,
and yeah, we'll never do that.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
There, there's gonna be losses. There's gonna be tough losses.
There's gonna be terrible losses. There's gonna be losses that
you never want to speak about ever again. Right, But
throughout the season you learn it's you adapt, you overcome adversity.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
You know, the struggles, the highs and lows, right.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
That we all understand that I'll have each other's backs
and to take it one game at a time where
where it.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Is one out, one pitch, one inning. Right.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I've said that for probably multiple multiple interviews over the years,
but that's at least how I view it, you know,
and you know as I watch the games, and you know,
for myself, I have a very small contribution to the
team coming in sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Inning whenever they need me.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Right, Like when I have the ball in my hand,
I can only control one pitch at a time. Once
it leaves my hand, it's out of my control. So
you know, with highs and lows, we always have you know,
there's another game, right, and as that gets going in
these next two months, start to start to come up it.
(06:47):
You know, it's it's go time. We you know, we
know what the goal is at the end of the year.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Alex, It's really been a pleasure to watch you start
your Dodger career and where it's at right now. You've
got so much more career to go, but really as
been a pleasure of mind to just see you grow
into the guy that you are right now and appreciate
the time. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Absolutely, it's been. It's been a super fun career so far.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I kind of have the chip on my shoulder that it's.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I got nothing to lose, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I I my background and coming from a Division two school,
this is this has always been the dream, so I
don't ever take it for granted.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
That's awesome. That's as emotional as I'll get with you.
I'm a I'm a guy that loves to really put
what you guys have accomplished in context because we're witnessing
really a special time and you've been such a big
part of it. So that's it, Vessia. From here on out,
high energy. We'll keep it loose.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Oh yeah, we got a game to win a night.
Maybe I'll be ready. I'll have my two red bulls
in Me, Ready to go,
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
All right, we're in Cincinnati with one of my favorite people.
Enjoin the cool bench in the dugout something you won't
feel in the Dodger bullpen, and that is World Series
champion Alex Vesia. Thanks a lot for the time, Bessie.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
You chose a very good place to sit after I
just got done playing catch.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
This is this is incredible.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, I feel like we could do a twenty thirty
minute interview with the conditions on this bench.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I'd be completely content. It's yeah, this is great, so
all good. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Hey, just another example how there is first class amenities
in a major league dugout when there are bare bones
in a major league bullpen.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
We do what we can out there, you know, from
time to time.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
But thankfully we got three night games. The day games
would be pretty brutal.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
We were joking in Boston that it only takes three
pitches in this type of hot, humid weather to get warm.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Are you being serious?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
It takes you less time to warm up by far?
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Yeah, by far?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Ye're you know, just sitting out there, your sweating so
you don't really need to get the juices phone.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
As much as if it's super cold. But yeah, the
the humidity, you know, being able.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
To kind of just feel a little bit more relaxed
and loose when when at least for me, when I'm
when I'm cold, it's it takes a little bit longer
to warm up. So yeah, Boston, then here in Cincinnati,
then we go to Tampa. Tampa's gonna be outrageous, especially
the two day the two day games.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, I forgot their day games. Vessia, thanks a lot.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, Saturday, and yeah, we were dreading those, so we
need to stay hydrated for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Hey, we were talking in the clubhouse with young Jack Dryer,
who's been phenomenal for the Dodgers. You guys are catch
partners now. Is that part of a mentorship?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Uh? Yeah, I mean we we kind of found that
in spring training and you know, I met him last
year during the Stay Hot camp, got to know him
a little bit, and then for then you know this year. Yeah,
I've kind of taken him under under my wing. It's
been a lot of fun. We we have a lot
of similarities. Obviously, his mind, he's that dude is a
(02:10):
super smart kid. So yeah, he's he's been having some
great success this year. I'm super proud of him. But yeah,
we play catch every day. We hold each other to
a pretty high standard, and yeah, it's a it's a
good relationship.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
When you say you're similar in a lot of ways,
what is it other than being left handed?
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So it's like, the list is the list is quite long,
but to name a few, like.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
The the other day when we were in San Diego,
we ordered Casey is chicken case it he is, So
that was like and he was like, you like those
those are my favorite He's like, those are my favorites.
So like, small stuff like that kind of the way
we go about.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Our business and our workouts and routines.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And just like that type of stuff is very similar. Obviously,
he's super into you know, the Ruby's Cube and stuff
like that, so that's not.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Really my thing. But you know, he's super into music,
which which is really cool. I feel like I have
a pretty good music taste.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So yeah, there's there's some other other things and we're
not that I'm gonna I'm gonna blank on right now,
but yeah, the the funniest one was the chicken.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Case that was great.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
So so I love chicken to they're They're a staple
in my eating regimen, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Have you ever heard Tommy Edmund say faid does he
says it's so San Diego when he said, yeah, I
have some fa does no.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I mean Tommy's got that in him, So I get it.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I get it for me. I mean I'll butcher it,
but yeah, all good.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
How similar is Jack Dryer's fastball the way it plays
up in the zone and spins the way Alex Vesias does?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah, yeah, very very similar.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
We have this pretty similar characteristics, so you know, talking
to him in spring training and going over where to
throw it, how to throw it has definitely been you know,
we do bounce ideas off of each other, and I
think that that, you know, looking back on, my crowd
would have loved I have had someone that had similar pits, mixes, characteristics,
(04:12):
stuff like that. We also, you know, that means the
scout reports are are kind of similar as well. So
you know, if anything, if he's uneasy about something, you know,
he always I feel like he always comes to me
for that, And.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, it's been It's been a lot of fun watching
him do his thing.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
This year all grown up, Alex VESSI a World Series champion,
part of the Dodgers' bullpen dogs, and it just feels
like you are that guy now. There was Daniel Hudson,
there was Joe Kelly, you got Blake trenin back. But
it feels like you're in that category now of being
one of the leaders of the bullpen.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yeah, I would, I would say so.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I think over the years it's kind of gone from
you know, ken Lee, he was big, you know, and
and it's just there's as the years go on, you know,
it's I felt very comfortable when I Scott here right,
I was able to talk to the guys pick their brains,
and so I want that when when guys come up
(05:07):
to me, I want that as well.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I want to be open. I want to be honest
with them.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
They can come to me for anything, you know, because
the game's hard, you know, and to have guys that
are rooting for you and have your back is is huge.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
When you look at the team right now, you obviously
are aware of the ups and downs of the season,
but how do you get out of this part of
it and understand that there is still two more months
to play?
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
I think looking back, we've never gone one sixty two,
and yeah, we'll never do that.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
There, there's gonna be losses. There's gonna be tough losses.
There's gonna be terrible losses. There's gonna be losses that
you never want to speak about ever again. Right, But
throughout the season you learn it's you adapt, you overcome adversity.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
You know, the struggles, the highs and lows, right.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
That we all understand that I'll have each other's backs
and to take it one game at a time where
where it.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Is one out, one pitch, one inning. Right.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I've said that for probably multiple multiple interviews over the years,
but that's at least how I view it, you know,
and you know as I watch the games, and you know,
for myself, I have a very small contribution to the
team coming in sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Inning whenever they need me.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Right, Like when I have the ball in my hand,
I can only control one pitch at a time. Once
it leaves my hand, it's out of my control. So
you know, with highs and lows, we always have you know,
there's another game, right, and as that gets going in
these next two months, start to start to come up it.
(06:47):
You know, it's it's go time. We you know, we
know what the goal is at the end of the year.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Alex, It's really been a pleasure to watch you start
your Dodger career and where it's at right now. You've
got so much more career to go, but really as
been a pleasure of mind to just see you grow
into the guy that you are right now and appreciate
the time. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Absolutely, it's been. It's been a super fun career so far.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I kind of have the chip on my shoulder that it's.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I got nothing to lose, you know.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I I my background and coming from a Division two school,
this is this has always been the dream, so I
don't ever take it for granted.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
That's awesome. That's as emotional as I'll get with you.
I'm a I'm a guy that loves to really put
what you guys have accomplished in context because we're witnessing
really a special time and you've been such a big
part of it. So that's it, Vessia. From here on out,
high energy. We'll keep it loose.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Oh yeah, we got a game to win a night.
Maybe I'll be ready. I'll have my two red bulls
in Me, Ready to go,
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