Andrew Friedman (12-12-25)

Off Season Dodger Talk with David Vassegh who talks to Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.
Welcome back to Dodger Talk We are on until eight
o'clock tonight here on a five seventy LA Sports. And
Andrew Friedman has made it back from Orlando today the
introductory press conference with Edwin Diaz and Andrew.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Edwin Abby a work ethic and he really wants to win.
You saw it today, We've seen it over the years
with his willingness to come in in the fourth inning,
fifth inning, sixth inning to try to you know, when
we were beating the Mets last year in the CS,
he would come in early to try to stop the bleeding,
just to give them a chance to come back. And
last weekend of the year this year against the Marlins,

(00:43):
that Sunday game, which was a must win for them,
coming in in the fourth, just the selflessness to win.
And it fits in so well with so many of
our guys. So the talent fits really well. The human
what kind of worker he is, how much he cares
also works fits really well.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Did you believe you had a very good chance of
signing das.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
You know, obviously he was top of our list coming
into the off season, but just thought the chances were
pretty remote, so it didn't spend a ton of time
other than express interest. We have a lot of interests,
so we kind of kept in touch with them, but
all the while just thinking, hey, the likelihood of this
is pretty low. Then when the Mets signed Devin Williams

(01:28):
five minutes later, I called the agent and and there
was more of an opening than I had since before,
which gave us some encouragement, but still felt like it's unlikely,
so putting an offer that night or maybe the next night,
and then don't really hear anything until that Saturday, right

(01:52):
before the Winter meetings, and they give us some feedback,
and so we started talking Sunday into Monday, and still
all along I'm like, I just you know, it's gonna
be hard for him to cut the cord with New York.
Can't see New York letting them go. But through the
conversations Monday night, late Monday night into Tuesday morning, felt

(02:14):
like the chances were actually way better than I was
giving credit for. And then we got into how do
we close this deal mode? And fortunately we're able to
push it across.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
At this point, you've built back to back world series championships.
You're going for a three pete at this point in
your position. When you're signing players and them deciding whether
or not they are going to sign with the Dodgers,
like Diaz, doesn't it say something about the player that
they want in on this And conversely for players that

(02:45):
shy away from it, doesn't it say something about them?

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah, I think there's a real, you know, kind of
selection bias that we get some insights into guys that
we haven't had before as players. Because there's a lot
that comes with it, and you have fifty plus thousand
people every night, you feel that responsibility. There's the highest
of expectations, and so it's not for everybody, and the

(03:12):
people who it's not we'd rather not sign and so
hopefully we're able to kind of sift through that. But
I think a lot of it also is that in
our conversations with guys this winner, it's conveying how hungry
we are to do it again, because I think there
would be some concern of Okay, they've won. No, okay,

(03:32):
they've won twice in a row. Does that mean they're
going to put their feet up and hope for the best.
So it's conveying and making sure to sell that point
of just how committed we are to doing everything we
can to win again in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
What do you believe is next for you this offseason?
Do you want to add more as far as trying
to help your position player group? What do you see
in the near future.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, I think adding a bat would be great, and
it would just take some pressure off some of our
younger guys. That being said, things happen over the course
of the season and getting our younger guys sim at
bats is going to be really important. Things play out
in that way. But I think just building out the
depth more, adding a really interesting kind of position player

(04:24):
that fits into our group really well is very high
on the list.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
How much do you look at some of your guys
that have put so much of their body through it
the last couple of years and are starting to get
to their mid thirties and late thirties. How much is
that on the forefront of your mind to try to
supplement with some younger guys.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, I mean, I think there's looking at it in
a couple different ways. I mean, if you're just focused
on twenty twenty six, I'm not that worried about it.
It's so important to us who we sign a long
term deal with in that we know that we are
going to get everything out of that player. So they're
gonna work really hard over the winner. They're gonna compete

(05:08):
and they're gonna lay it out on the line to
try to win. And we've got a whole clubhouse of
guys that are playing for each other, they're playing for
this city, that are playing for their legacy, that are
playing to create a dynasty. And it is really hard
to win back to back and it takes that mentality

(05:29):
to do it, and that mentality is still really strong.
So for us, it's about adding guys that can add
to that. But the core in the group we have
in place, we feel like is really strong.

Speaker 1 (05:41):
I'm glad you brought that up because Max Munsey, Hey,
you might have a future in this business. Hey, how
how have you celebrated since the end of the World Series.
I haven't seen you since the parade? Has there been
much of a victory lap Brand and Drew Friedman? Did
your wife throw you a party at the house? I mean,

(06:02):
what's going on?

Speaker 2 (06:05):
The celebration? The parade itself was incredible, just both years.
That day is so fulfilling and incredibly impactful, and it
really is, like it sounds cheesy, but it's like fuel
to get back there. It really is. That's how special

(06:26):
that day is. The energy, the joy, you can feel it,
and it's something that really is fuel to do everything
we can to get back to it. But we got
to celebrate by turning around and going to the gm ME,
and you know, no real time for us on our end,
and other teams head start preparing for the winner, you know,

(06:49):
but I can't complain much because our goal is to
have the least amount of time to prepare. So we've
been playing catch up and just trying to make sure
that we're not missing opportunities, and so it's been right
back at it now. I would love to knock out
a few of the things that we'd like to and
have a little break going into spring training, but we'll see.

Speaker 1 (07:09):
We always ask the question about what keeps players hungry.
You've had an incredible career, You've accomplished more things than
some have. After being out of the game for ten
years now, back to back World Series championships, how do
you stay hungry and do you ever feel like I've
done it all. Do I need a new challenge?

Speaker 2 (07:31):
No? I mean, I think for us winning is so
incredibly difficult, it's so fulfilling, and we feel an immense
pressure from our fans. What they pour into us is
unprecedented and clearing four million this year. The passion that
this city has for this team makes us feel a

(07:54):
great sense of responsibility to return it and to be
as good as we can possibly be. And we've talked
about this a lot, but that goal and it's hard
when you're mired in it to have appreciation. But for
us to look back after I get fired, things change whatever,
to look back and say that was a golden era

(08:16):
of Dodgers baseball. And so that is a very real
motivating factor for us, is you know, nineteen eighty eight
to twenty twenty was a long time and to do
everything we can to keep pouring in and keep this
momentum going and hopefully add you know, more and more
up there and have to clear out room for the banners.

(08:40):
But I think just the sense of responsibility we have
is a very real driving factor.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
All right, So that's good news for Dodger fans. Andrew
Friedman's not going anywhere. But if you're a Dodger fan,
you're likely a Laker fan. And there was the news
that you're helping out the Lakers a little bit. So
what's the role, what's the balance for you between these
two incredible franchises.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, I mean I've got a pretty full time job
as is. I think it's more we're all under you know,
Mark Walters TWG umbrella, and it's about helping one another
and as things are coming up and we can be
a resource for one another. It's not often that you're
able to do that and kind of lean on other
teams and other sports. You know, there's sharing of information

(09:27):
of how we do our scouting process or how they do,
or how we've set up certain systems or them. You know,
have spent some real time with you know, Rob and
his team, and you know they've done a great job,
gotten off to a great start. But I think it's
more just us all being a resource for one another
and you know, helping anything that's kind of under that

(09:49):
TWG umbrella to be as good as it can be.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
So the Lakers are basically your side hustle. Hey, thanks
a lot for the time. It's great catching up up
with you and look forward to doing this a few
more times during the off season because you're always you're
always big game hunting, So we'll see you soon.

Speaker 2 (10:09):
You as well, And I'm just glad because I was
concerned that after you landed the Brian Cranston interview that
you wouldn't slum it with me anymore. So I'm just
happy that you're still slumming it.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
Have you heard Cranston's trade ideas like this guy's plugged
into your minor league system all the way in London.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
That's great. I haven't heard it yet, but I did
see a couple of fans point out that his knowledge
of some of our deeper minor league guys was impressive.

Speaker 1 (10:34):
And you heard about Elizabeth Olsen having a little bit
of a crush on me as well.

Speaker 2 (10:38):
I mean, she's only a human, all right.

Speaker 1 (10:42):
I'll take that. Thanks a lot for the time, great
to see you, and happy holidays.

Speaker 2 (10:47):
And to you. Thanks Dave.