Chris Taylor (1-18-24)

DV catches up with Chris Taylor. CT3 talks about his first annual Polar Plunge supporting the Friendship Foundation. He also shares his reaction to the Shohei Ohtani signing.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome back to Dodger Talk. DavidVase with you until eight o'clock. We'll
get back to your phone calls injust a moment. But we're joined right
now by one of the longest activetenured Dodgers currently on the roster, which
is hard to believe. He's cominginto his ninth season with the Dodgers and
continuing to help in the community.Him and his wife Mary have really made

(00:24):
a difference with kids with kids withcancer, and on February third, Chris
and Mary Taylor are going to hosttheir first annual CT three Polar Plunge in
the Manhattan Beach Pacific Ocean. ChrisTaylor joins us on Dodger Talk CT.
Thanks a lot for the time,appreciate it, of course. Yeah,

(00:46):
thanks for having me, David.So let's just get into this or dive
into this polar plunge, which hastaking place on February fourth near the Manhattan
Beach Pier. So are you expectingmyself and others to come out there for
a great cause and to just jumpin the Pacific freezing ocean? Or can

(01:08):
we wear a wet suit? Canwe wear clothes? I mean, what
are the rules here to support thischarity there to know what suits, that's
about the only rule. But yeah, basically I think the water tempts like
fifty eight degrees right now, whichis not too bad, you know California.
Yeah, and hoping for a nice, nice morning in Manhattan Beach and

(01:34):
yeah, you know, so far, it seems like we're getting a good
turnout. A lot of my teammatesare going to do it. Everyone I've
heard back from this down, soI think it's gonna be a lot of
fun. So when you have aChris Taylor polar plunge for a great cause,
it's supporting the Friendship Foundation, doyou want those that donate and are

(01:55):
part of this to just jump inthe water and come right out or do
they have to stay in the waterfor a certain amount of time to get
the donations up. No, youcan be in as long as you want.
I imagine most people are just gonnago, maybe get their head wet,
and then come right back out dryoff. As soon as they come
out, we're gonna have you know, tense with we'll we'll have a coffee

(02:20):
or hot chocolate and food that uh, somebody will be there to hindu a
towel to dry off up changing stations, so you know, and then after
that, you know you're free to, uh, you know, have a
few beverages and you know, justcelebrate. I love that. I love
that. And you can sign upfor this great event which is supporting a

(02:40):
great cause by very easily going toChris Taylor's Instagram and just clink click the
link in the bio to get yourtickets and to donate the first annual Chris
Taylor Polar Plunge. And the reasonwhy it's fitting is because Chris Taylor is
a big time surfer, so thisis your environment, right, Yeah,

(03:02):
you know, last year we didthe Top Golf and I saw like I
had a bad showing there. Youknow, I was getting beat by all
the little kids coming out and they'reout driving me. So this will be
hopefully less embarrassing. And yeah,it's in my happy place. I love
going to the beach. I lovethe way I feel mentally when I get

(03:23):
out of the water. The restof the day, I think. You
know, cold plunging is kind ofa trending thing that a lot of a
lot of guys are doing, includingmany of my teammates. And yeah,
so you know, I'm looking forwardto it. Seemed like a perfect way
to to a event to have inthe winner, and hopefully this is something

(03:44):
we can continue to do for manyyears. I love it. Ten am,
February fourth at the Manhattan Beach Pier. You want to be there at
noon and you could sign up bygoing to Chris Taylor's instagram see Taylor Underscore
three and click the link in hisbio and you can sign up and donate
to a great cause, Friendship Foundation. Now. I know you and Mary

(04:06):
welcomed in your first baby, Sohow much surfing have you been able to
do since the birth of your child? Not enough? I think that the
last time I surfed was actually afew days before theo was born. So
the mornings are tough to get outthere. But yeah, you know I

(04:29):
I have more important things to doat home, you know, helping out
the wife. So hey, soyou're juggling newborn, you're trying to get
ready yourself for the upcoming season.How were you able to get all the
Otani news that was true and fakebefore he signed with the Dodgers? Oh,

(04:50):
the same way everybody else got,you know, I was falling on
the Instagram and seeing the updates ontrade rumors or whatever it was. And
you know that's a funny thing iswe don't have any inside information as player.
You know, we find out thesame way everybody else does. Where
were you when you found out Otanichose the Dodgers by posting on his Instagram?

(05:12):
I think that was I don't rememberwhat time it was, so I
think it was at home and battered. Was it late at night? It
was in the middle of the dayon a Saturday, then, I don't
know. Maybe I found out later. Maybe you were taking a nap,
being up all night with the newborn. No, that wasn't it? Not

(05:32):
in the middle of the day.Chris Taylor is our guest. You want
to be part of the first annualPolar Plunge coming up in the first weekend
of February. February fourth, tenam the Manhattan Beach Pier and you can
talk to Chris Taylor. You canplunge in the Pacific Ocean with Chris Taylor
and Chris It's hard to imagine thatyou're entering your ninth year with the Dodgers.

(05:57):
You've seen a lot of different versionsof really good teams, teams going
into spring training this year. Howdo you feel about this one compared to
others? Probably the most height ofany Dodger team. You have to say,
you know, we're really We've broughtin, you know, some really
talented, big name guys and addedthat to the foundation we already have from

(06:19):
last year, and it feels like, uh, you know, we're really
just going all in from on bothsides of the ball. And it got
to be the most talented team you'vehad. So I think, you know,
everyone's excited to get going and getout to Arizona. It feels like
for the guys that were here lastyear there might be extra motivation with the

(06:42):
way things have ended the last twoyears. Am I reading too much into
that? That's the story every year, I think, other than twenty twenty
one, if you don't win theWorld Series, it's always their extra motivation
this year based on how things endedlast year. So yeah, I really,
every year's new, every year's anew team. I think everyone can

(07:05):
say that except for the Rangers,that there's extra motivation to win this year.
But yeah, I mean, youdefinitely use it anyway you want to.
You know, I think we're all, uh, we're all excited and
hungry, and you know, that'snot really any different than last offseason or

(07:27):
off season before that. You know, I think if you don't have that
edge, then you're doing something wrong. Chris Taylor, I'm a big believer
that there are October players. Youare one of them. The Dodgers have
had Keith a Hernandez Jock Peterson.I think of as an October player.
What is it about players like yourselfthat seem to rise to the occasion in

(07:49):
the biggest moments on the biggest stage. That's hard, you know. I
think I've wondered the same thing.You know. Some guys are so good
in October and kind of up theirgame to the next level. And I
don't really have a clear answer,you know. I think you in my
experience, of the guys that performthe best in October, they do have

(08:13):
a little bit of an edge anda chip on their shoulder. And uh,
but yeah, everyone's different. Idon't I don't have the answer to
that, you know. And thenso much of it is timing as well,
based on you know, for me, I've had October's where everything synced
up at the perfect time and Iwas feeling great. Twenty twenty one.

(08:37):
You know, I went through oneof the biggest slumps in my career the
back half of the season, andthen I just kind of clicked right and
going into the postseason, I foundsomething mechanically, so it was timed out
perfectly. And then, you know, other offseasons been the opposite where I
felt really good and then the break, you know, things changed and I

(09:00):
was just a little off in October. So yeah, a lot of it
is luck. And then, yeah, I wish I had an answer for
you. That's that's the best Ican say it. I feel like part
of the reason why is your personality. You're not affected by a lot in
life or on the field. Youjust keep going. Yeah, I think

(09:22):
there's a skill to making the momentsmaller than it is, not getting too
caught up or try to do morethan you're capable of, you know,
just understanding that it's the same gameand trying to do the bare minimum,

(09:43):
and that's usually when bigger things happen. Chris Taylor is our guest. He's
hosting a great and fun charity eventon February fourth at the Manhattan Beach Pier.
It's the first annual CT three PolarPlunge. You can get more information
at Set three Foundation or click thelink in his Instagram bio to sign up.

(10:03):
It's a great event supporting Friendship Foundation. Hey, before I let you
go, I know your own personalfamily has grown, and I know a
lot of your current and former teammatespersonal families have grown. But every off
season I continue to see a lotof your former teammates that are on different
teams now get together for a wedding, a birthday party. Can you describe

(10:28):
the bond that the Dodgers from Iguess twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen to about
twenty twenty still have. Even thoughyou won one World Series, It just
seems like that was such a specialtime and you guys went through so much
together. Can you just describe thebond you guys still have to this day.

(10:50):
Yeah, I think. You know, we had that core group together
for a few years, so youknow, we all grew very close,
and you know, those are someof my best friends, and I think
we all pull for each other.You know that continues beyond playing together.
You know, I keep up withthese guys and you know, wherever they

(11:13):
go, I'm wishing them the bestand in the off seasons an opportunity for
us, so all, you know, meet up and you know, just
just like old times, you know, have fun catch up. A lot
of our wives are very close aswell, so whether it's at a wedding

(11:35):
or you know, just going fora weekend get away or whatever it is.
Did you hear about Ross Stripling callingthe Dodgers full villain mode this offseason?
I saw that popped up on myInstagram. I didn't hear it.
I don't know if he's still doinga podcast and that's where I said it,
or what. Do you think he'strying to get clicks? I don't

(11:58):
know. Yeah, it feels likeeverybody's just jealous of you guys. I
mean, we're always the bad guythough, right, you know. I
think I think everybody is always alittle more excited to play off, and
you know that that's maybe heightened alittle bit more this year with the signing

(12:22):
tooth head of though Tani and Yamamoto. But yeah, I don't think it's
much different than previous years where youknow, I think teams you either love
us or hate us, right exactly, and everybody in Los Angeles loves the
Dodgers and it should be a funseason and it's great to still have players

(12:45):
like yourself, Austin Barnes and hopefullyClayton Kershaw on this team moving into twenty
twenty four. Yeah, yeah,absolutely. You know, I think Kersh
is in a position where if hewants to, he can, you can
come back, and we're all hopingthat, you know, a little different,
because he has some time and Idon't know if he's going to use

(13:07):
that time or if you can tomake his decision earlier. But you know,
obviously we all hope to see himin Dodger Blue at the end of
next season. Hey, Cet,I see Sketchers is one of your sponsors
for your polar plunge. We needto get Kursh out to this event.
And my my vision is Kurshaw emergingout of the Pacific Ocean wearing a Dodger

(13:28):
jersey. Yeah, that's not abad idea. Maybe I can really sell
the Sketchers thing to him. Yeah, the polar plunge would be good for
the shoulder and the recovery. Youknow, you want to get it iced
up in the in the ocean.Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, we have
the we have the cold Plunge inour hydro recovery room. So I love

(13:54):
it. I love it. I'lltry to make it out there. I'm
on the fence, but at thevery least I'll be there with a towel
for you. Cet on February fourth. All right, I'll keep an eye
out for you. I'll hold youto that. Love it. Chris Taylor
his great wife Mary, putting ona fun event at the Manhattan Beach Pier
February fourth, ten am, thefirst annual CT three Polar Plunge. You

(14:16):
want to be there. He'll bethere, his teammates will be there,
and it's for a great cause,Friendship Foundation. Thanks Chris. We'll see
you at Dodger Fest and we'll seeyou on February fourth. Sound kod David. Thank you