August 4, 2024 • 4 mins
The Dodgers first base coach talks about his synergy with Dino Ebel and his relationship with Shohei Ohtani.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, we're joined right now and by one of the
Dodger coaches, one of the best, if not the best,
at first base, and that's Clayton McCullough. Clayton, thanks a
lot for the time. Great to see the Beard really
really coming into form here in Oakland.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Oh, David, thank you for having me as always and
the Beard. I'm not so sure about how much long
arem I gonna keep this thing, but I'm glad you
like it.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hey, I love the synergy that you have with Dino EBL.
How much do you guys have to be on the
same page.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's very important.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I mean, Dino's making some you know, really tough in
the moment decisions, you know, as the play is happening.
I'm you know, much more on kind of the front
end of things with passing on information, you know, situational
things to guys, so, you know, knowing what we just
spent a lot of time together and I think it started.
He's helped me so much going back, you know, four
years now with just you know, the game itself and what.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
He's seeing and reading, what he's thinking.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
So I can just kind of look over there at
him and you know, we have some little signs and
he'll give me and just kind of a heads up,
you know where his thought process is. And then you know,
in turn is my job to help prepare the guys
that are there for what potentially might come about.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Baseball has changed in a lot of ways. One of
them is the third base coach is no longer really
the point man for guys to steal from first base.
That's you how much preparation goes into it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah, I mean there's a lot of it's a lot
of work on the front end. Looking at video. You're
trying to pick up maybe some team tendancies or individual
tenancies with the type of pickoffs, their delivery, times of
the play. If there's anything that you might pick up
on a pitcher that's different from his pickoff and delivery,
you throw in there. Certainly the catcher's ability as well.
You know your own our own personnel and you know
(01:35):
where they might fit in the spectrum of like those times.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And and then you you know.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
You got situations of the game that that play a factor.
So there's a lot of times been on the computer,
you know, going into a series, during a series, just
trying to be as well informed and prepared as I
can be to pass along information to guys.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Show, Hey, Otani has stolen more bases this season than
he ever has.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
What do you credit that to. Biggest thing is then
coming in this year. I think Show realized knew he
was gonna be an offensive player only this year, and
I can only imagine how tough it is for him
to try to.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Juggle the pitching the hitting.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And now you know, you have the ability to steal bases,
but your your schedule is you know, as such, where
you're pitching that day, so you're probably not as aggressive
or Hey, I'm pitching tomorrow, or I just pitched yesterday.
And this year, I think he came into spring training
with a you know, pretty intent focus on wanting that
this year to maybe be something that he could push
the envelope a little bit more. And he spent a
ton of time with Travis Smith and our strength and
(02:28):
conditioning guys working on his running mechanics and his acceleration.
And then as we've you know, spent more time together,
we'll just watch video and we'll share things back and forth.
You know, during the game, he might see something out
there or I see something, and so you know, we're
just trying to Again, I'm just trying to as best
prepare him or equip him with the information. And then,
(02:49):
you know, I think he's got a good idea now
of what his you know, range and capabilities are and
how he's you know, how he's feeling, and you know,
he's done a great job.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
It seems like there's trust that needed to be he
built and you guys have built that since day one
of spring training.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I mean we started talking early in spring and at
least at first was just hey, here's here's how I've
gone about it in the past. I would show them
information I had on you know, teams that we've played,
and this is kind of how I you know, will
go about it watching video together. And then also he
watches a ton of video. And there's been many times
this year where he's come to me, you know, and said, hey,
what do you do you see this? Or then I'm like,
(03:23):
you know what, wow, show I didn't really, I was
I was fixated on something else.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
It's nice to have another set of eyes that you know,
is looking at the full picture, and I'm like, hey,
most important thing is what you're seeing. You know, you're
the one that has to go out there and apply
this in the game. So if you see it and
feel good about it, like let's go with it.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Do you believe that Otani has thrived in this competitive
environment that Dodgers have.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I mean, you like to think so.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I mean, I think we fill that with a lot
of players that come you know, over here, and you know,
they realize the expectations and we do as well with
you know, what the ultimate goal is. And you know,
when you go on the road and you play visiting ballparks,
the atmosphere is probably a little bit different than than most.
You know, we we draw well and it's a bit hostile.
And then you know, I think certainly with him coming
(04:09):
here and you know, he wants to get off to
a good start in this you know, first year of
a ten year contract and you know, and do well
and being big part of it. I think just watching
how seamlessly he's transitioning to the group you know, staff
and player alike, and he's a you know, super guy,
and he's you know, very astute, you know, student of
the game, and he's very diligent with Howard prepares.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
So he's fit right in with you know, the culture.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Here Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough is a big
reason in the preparation for Otani to be able to thrive.
Thanks a lot for the time, and we'll catch up
with you when we get back home.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
All right, Thanks a lot for having me, David
Well, we're joined right now and by one of the
Dodger coaches, one of the best, if not the best,
at first base, and that's Clayton McCullough. Clayton, thanks a
lot for the time. Great to see the Beard really
really coming into form here in Oakland.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Oh, David, thank you for having me as always and
the Beard. I'm not so sure about how much long
arem I gonna keep this thing, but I'm glad you
like it.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hey, I love the synergy that you have with Dino EBL.
How much do you guys have to be on the
same page.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
It's very important.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I mean, Dino's making some you know, really tough in
the moment decisions, you know, as the play is happening.
I'm you know, much more on kind of the front
end of things with passing on information, you know, situational
things to guys, so, you know, knowing what we just
spent a lot of time together and I think it started.
He's helped me so much going back, you know, four
years now with just you know, the game itself and what.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
He's seeing and reading, what he's thinking.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
So I can just kind of look over there at
him and you know, we have some little signs and
he'll give me and just kind of a heads up,
you know where his thought process is. And then you know,
in turn is my job to help prepare the guys
that are there for what potentially might come about.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Baseball has changed in a lot of ways. One of
them is the third base coach is no longer really
the point man for guys to steal from first base.
That's you how much preparation goes into it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Yeah, I mean there's a lot of it's a lot
of work on the front end. Looking at video. You're
trying to pick up maybe some team tendancies or individual
tenancies with the type of pickoffs, their delivery, times of
the play. If there's anything that you might pick up
on a pitcher that's different from his pickoff and delivery,
you throw in there. Certainly the catcher's ability as well.
You know your own our own personnel and you know
(01:35):
where they might fit in the spectrum of like those times.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And and then you you know.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
You got situations of the game that that play a factor.
So there's a lot of times been on the computer,
you know, going into a series, during a series, just
trying to be as well informed and prepared as I
can be to pass along information to guys.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Show, Hey, Otani has stolen more bases this season than
he ever has.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
What do you credit that to. Biggest thing is then
coming in this year. I think Show realized knew he
was gonna be an offensive player only this year, and
I can only imagine how tough it is for him
to try to.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Juggle the pitching the hitting.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And now you know, you have the ability to steal bases,
but your your schedule is you know, as such, where
you're pitching that day, so you're probably not as aggressive
or Hey, I'm pitching tomorrow, or I just pitched yesterday.
And this year, I think he came into spring training
with a you know, pretty intent focus on wanting that
this year to maybe be something that he could push
the envelope a little bit more. And he spent a
ton of time with Travis Smith and our strength and
(02:28):
conditioning guys working on his running mechanics and his acceleration.
And then as we've you know, spent more time together,
we'll just watch video and we'll share things back and forth.
You know, during the game, he might see something out
there or I see something, and so you know, we're
just trying to Again, I'm just trying to as best
prepare him or equip him with the information. And then,
(02:49):
you know, I think he's got a good idea now
of what his you know, range and capabilities are and
how he's you know, how he's feeling, and you know,
he's done a great job.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
It seems like there's trust that needed to be he
built and you guys have built that since day one
of spring training.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I mean we started talking early in spring and at
least at first was just hey, here's here's how I've
gone about it in the past. I would show them
information I had on you know, teams that we've played,
and this is kind of how I you know, will
go about it watching video together. And then also he
watches a ton of video. And there's been many times
this year where he's come to me, you know, and said, hey,
what do you do you see this? Or then I'm like,
(03:23):
you know what, wow, show I didn't really, I was
I was fixated on something else.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
It's nice to have another set of eyes that you know,
is looking at the full picture, and I'm like, hey,
most important thing is what you're seeing. You know, you're
the one that has to go out there and apply
this in the game. So if you see it and
feel good about it, like let's go with it.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Do you believe that Otani has thrived in this competitive
environment that Dodgers have.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I mean, you like to think so.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I mean, I think we fill that with a lot
of players that come you know, over here, and you know,
they realize the expectations and we do as well with
you know, what the ultimate goal is. And you know,
when you go on the road and you play visiting ballparks,
the atmosphere is probably a little bit different than than most.
You know, we we draw well and it's a bit hostile.
And then you know, I think certainly with him coming
(04:09):
here and you know, he wants to get off to
a good start in this you know, first year of
a ten year contract and you know, and do well
and being big part of it. I think just watching
how seamlessly he's transitioning to the group you know, staff
and player alike, and he's a you know, super guy,
and he's you know, very astute, you know, student of
the game, and he's very diligent with Howard prepares.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
So he's fit right in with you know, the culture.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Here Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough is a big
reason in the preparation for Otani to be able to thrive.
Thanks a lot for the time, and we'll catch up
with you when we get back home.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
All right, Thanks a lot for having me, David
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