Dodger Talk (2-7-25)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What a way to end the week. We got Dodger
Talk book end this week. Hello David Vasse, with you
until eight o'clock tonight here on a five to seventy
LA Sports and we have a great show for you tonight.
We have two guests that really made their name in October.
For Tommy Edmund, the NLCSMVP in his first year, not

(00:23):
even full season with the Dodgers, he made such a
huge impact when he returned from his ankle injury to
go on to help the Dodgers win the World Series,
become the NLCSMVP and earn an extension to remain with
the Dodgers for the next five years. Also joining us
tonight Alex Vesia. Alex Vesia may be the most underrated

(00:48):
relief pitcher in the Dodger bullpen, and maybe even the
most underrated relief pitcher in all of Major League Baseball.
See Unlike some other baseball media people out there, I
do put a lot of weight into what you do
in the postseason, especially when you're wearing a Dodger uniform.

(01:09):
And after the Dodgers traded Dylan Floro after the twenty
World Series, alex Vesia had some growing pains. He had
great stuff, but he needed to mature. And he's only
twenty eight years old. And I'm not sure many people
realize that Alex Vesia has appeared in nineteen playoff games
for the Dodgers since twenty twenty one, and his elra

(01:31):
is one twenty three. This guy is an october pitcher.
I know, we think about the Shillings, the Hersheisers, the
Walker Buelers, we think of them as october pitchers. But
in this new day and age, especially with the way
the Dodgers leaned on their bullpen last year, we have

(01:52):
to start thinking about relief pitchers in that way. And
Alex Vesia, to me is in October pitcher. Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
So we had those two guests coming on. Also coming
up in about fifteen minutes, you'll hear from Dave Roberts,
who was on the Buster Only Baseball Tonight podcast today

(02:14):
and he actually talked about his extension for the first
time publicly. We'll let you hear what he told Buster.
Also in just a minute, we'll get after those Yankee
scumbag fans that basically assaulted Mookie Betts at Yankee Stadium.
So before we get to all that, just get some
housekeeping in order, because that's what matters to you if

(02:37):
you're going out to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, first
and foremost, because the Dodgers are opening the season in Tokyo, Japan.
And we'll get to how that already has changed my
life in the last twenty four hours. Pitchers and catchers
report on Monday to Camelback Ranch. Officially now, guys like

(02:58):
Bobby Miller, Blake Snell, among others have been out at
Camelback Ranch for the last two weeks plus, but officially
that's the first reporting day. And the Dodgers first Cactus
League game is February twentieth against the same team they're
going to open up the season against in Tokyo, Japan,
those Chicago Cubs. So you'll hear that game right here

(03:22):
on Dodgers Radio and five seventy LA Sports. And don't
forget the first two games in Tokyo, Japan, March eighteenth
and nineteenth, you will hear it live right here on
an five seventy LA Sports and we have the phone
lines open eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy. Now,
speaking of Tokyo Japan, I mentioned this with Petros and Money, who,

(03:45):
by the way, may have had their best back to
back show since Pau Gasol was playing for the Lakers.
That's how enthusiastic these guys are about Luca. And I
know they went through the whole giveaway schedule yesterday, and
I hate to agree with Matt money Smith, but I
have to agree with him in this case. Petros's breakdown

(04:08):
yesterday the giveaway schedule was Steve Hartman esque going through
the Laker schedule when it was released, I mean, blow
by blow, the way he described even hiding his prep
work that Tim Kakes did for him, that was very
Steve Hartman esque. I mean, on the day Hartman had

(04:30):
some gold, he would have his peachy folder underneath his armpit.
The folder would be sweaty. I can only imagine Petros's
sweat on those papers. Maybe that's the reason why he
dropped a few and repeated himself a couple of times.
But man, the way they broke down that giveaway schedule
should make the Dodgers proud. I mean, nobody gave their

(04:52):
giveaway schedule as much flair and celebration than Petros Papadacus yesterday,
and I know Matt's all in favor of a plastic
Dodger batting helmet. Yeah that's great, but have you ever
wore one of those? It puts a hole at the
top of your head. So I'm all good with the bibbleheads.
I love all the babbleheads they're given away, and I

(05:14):
love the creativity that the Dodgers have come up with
and will come up with during the season. So yes,
I agree very Steve Hartman NFL schedule, Lakers schedule esque
with the giveaway blow by blow yesterday. Anyway, I'm sure
you heard them talk about my I guess announcement even

(05:35):
though there is no announcement. I was just on the
phone with Petros yesterday and I just told him, yeah,
I'm going to Japan. And then he tried to force
his younger brother, who is way more likable than Petros,
Dmitri Papadacus, on me. And he said that Dmitri lived
in Japan for three years. His wife is Japanese. And
I said, oh, did he did he go there to

(05:57):
find a wife and he said, of course not. He
met her at UCLA. I said, oh, I'm sorry, you
just said she's Japanese. And he went to Japan for
three years. Usually it's a sabbatical, and maybe his dad
sent him away to get a wife.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
Anyway, he tried to force his brother on me to
give me ja Japaned tourist advice or just cultural advice.
And then out of the blue, he goes on the
air and talks about that I'm going to Japan and
I appreciate that they give me a lot of love.
But then that sounded the alarm bells at the Wittier

(06:33):
dojo of Victor Brigg Jacobs, and it was so random.
I had my kids doing their homework, my wife's making
white people food that I'm not going to eat, and
Vic calls me on speaker phone and tells me. First
of all, I didn't recognize his voice because he kind
of disguised it. I said, who is this a five

(06:54):
six to two number. Oh, it's me, Victor Brick And
then he goes into or so I hear you go
to Japan. I said, this is really strange, and I
had no idea that the guys were talking about it
on their show yesterday, but it made complete sense. That's
the reason why Vic called me and then had you know.

(07:14):
I love Vic, I love his wife, Yukosakamoto, and I
do appreciate them giving me an introductory course on some
Japanese words and etiquette. I do appreciate that. But I've
had now three or four people try to force their
ways into my life because they are the experts in
Japan and Japanese culture who no exactly I don't need

(07:40):
any of them. You know why I have Otani. I'm
traveling with the Dodgers. Otani and Yamamoto already have given
me great advice. Roki Sazaki will be there. I will
talk to you Darvish in spring training. And here's my.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
ACE card in my back pocket.

Speaker 1 (07:59):
Because contrary to popular belief, I won't be hanging out
with Shohio Tani in Tokyo, Japan. I'm gonna have to
slum it with the La Times. Dylan Hernandez, that's who
I'm going to have to hang out with, whose mother
was actually born in Japan. And Dylan does speak Japan

(08:19):
and he feels like he is the authority in all
Japanese baseball related things. So a guy like that who
feels like he is the authority in everything Japan that
is going to be on the trip as a media member.
More than likely I'm going to stick close to him now.
I did have to kind of, you know, caretake for

(08:41):
him in South Korea a couple of different times, but
in Japan, I am putting my life in Dylan's hands.
We spent a lot of time together in Sydney, Australia
that obviously, when sideways, I'm hoping for a better trip
than Sydney's Australia and South Korea Soul Korea that I've

(09:03):
had with Dylan in the past. I've always been responsible,
but I feel like I am the parent in the group.
But I am giving Dylan Hernandez full autonomy if I
am hanging out with him. But I do appreciate the
multiple baseball scouts that have called me to give me

(09:24):
advice in Tokyo, Japan. I do appreciate Petros trying to
force his Greek American brother on me to give me
all the advice in the world. And of course I
treasure any phone call from Victor Brick eight six six
nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number
when we continue here on Dodger talk you will hear

(09:45):
from Dave Roberts. I guess every three weeks we have
to go through Nolan Aernato to the Dodger rumors. I'll
just shoot it down right now. It's not happening. It's
the Cardinals trying to drum up a market for Nolan Aernado.
And I will say this, Whoever gets Nolan Arenado is
going to get a very motivated player, a player with

(10:08):
a chip on his shoulder that has heard everybody basically
say he's washed. Whoever gets him is going to get
that player, so Red Sox, whoever it is. You know,
unless something drastically has changed in the mind of the Dodgers,
I just don't see it happening. So Nolan's going to
have a great year. I just doubt it's going to

(10:30):
be in a Dodger uniform, all right, A lot to
get to two lines open eight six six nine, eight seven,
two five seventy. I'm not sure if you heard about
this scumbag Yankee fan that almost pulled Mooki's wrists out
of his socket now trying to get sympathy, and why
is any media outlet giving them that platform. We'll get

(10:51):
to that next right here on Dodger Talk on a
f five to seventy LA Sports. David Bassey closing out
the week. It's been a great week of sports talk
on Petros and Money Show. Petros has been fired up
going after my guy Rodney Pete like that. Shame on him.

(11:11):
You don't go after the great Rodney Pete like that. Petros,
know your place and stop trying to force everything on me.
You need to reel it back in. You're starting to
go to Hartman on us. Oh Man love Petros and
Money the Legacy Show nineteen years Who.

Speaker 2 (11:31):
Would have thought that?

Speaker 1 (11:32):
Right, they're the old krusty radio veterans now in Los Angeles.
David Vasse with you until eight o'clock tonight here on
a five to seventy LA Sports. Coming up, in five minutes,
you'll hear from Tommy Edmund. In about fifteen minutes, you'll
hear from one of the most underrated relief pitchers in
all of Major League Baseball, Alex Vesia. And our next show,

(11:54):
by the way, is going to be on Monday night
at seven o'clock.

Speaker 3 (11:57):
I will be.

Speaker 1 (11:58):
Hosting from the Sport's net LA studios because I'll be
on the Access Sportsnet LA show at six o'clock with
John Hartunk and the other guy, Jerry Harriston Junior, So
double Dippin' Dodger talk on the television and on the radio.
Hopefully they bring up this Yankee scumbag that almost yanked

(12:21):
Mooki Bets's wrists out of his sockets in Game four
of the World Series. I mean the guy that is
Rob Gronkowski's swarmer frat brother at Arizona. Yeah, remember that.
Remember how this guy was so proud of the fact
that he almost not only yanked the ball out of

(12:42):
Mooki's glove, not only yanked the glove off of Mooky's hand,
but almost yanked Mooky's arms out of his sockets. And then, incredibly,
ESPN gives these clowns a platform, and then my good
buddy Andy McCullough's app The Athletic Yesterday tracks this loser

(13:08):
down and tries to make him a sympathetic figure. And
I'm not even going to say this guy's name, because
he should not have been given any sort of platform,
because it gives other idiots ideas that they want their
five minutes of fame. Now, I'm not endorsing anybody setting
feces to anybody's house. I'm not but to try to

(13:32):
make this guy a sympathetic figure who doesn't want the attention,
Are you kidding? This guy was begging for the attention.
He's so freaking obnoxious in just the he you could
see he was so freaking obnoxious, even attempting to do
what he did to Mookie, bats him and his buddy,
and then after that talks to ESPN, goes on barstool

(13:56):
Sports and takes a victory lap.

Speaker 4 (14:00):
But either way, we talked about it. If it was
before on the field, we're digging up our fans from
being stupid and causing interference from us getting it out.
And in that situation, ideally we would have hit the
ball while it was in the air. We're not reaching
into the field of play, you know, like we may

(14:20):
have if it came down to that. But that bowl
was on the wall.

Speaker 2 (14:23):
In front of my euth. It was in my mouth, like.

Speaker 4 (14:26):
I mean basically, and I go, I can't not do
something right now, especially the fact that saw my boy
next to me. We went it just was like, uh,
you know, its repetition. It was just all right, ball's mind.

Speaker 5 (14:38):
Yeah, that's his ball's mind practice in our backyards one hundred.

Speaker 4 (14:44):
May not be secured yet, you know, like, let's try
to see him. You know what, it was pretty secure.
Its pretty sure. I once you put your hand in
the glove, I mean when I'm gonna poot it no
matter what.

Speaker 2 (14:54):
So I might as well out.

Speaker 1 (14:58):
That doesn't sound like a guy that doesn't want attention
or is remorseful after doing what he did. And that
was after the fact. So don't try to say now
on the eve of spring training, all of a sudden,
you know you don't want the attention. I can't believe
people are sending stuff to my house, and uh, you know,
I just want to be under the radar. They already

(15:20):
took my seats. Oh really, really, I mean, come on,
this guy is ridiculous. Maybe A, you shouldn't have tried
to rip Mookie's arms off his socket, and B you
shouldn't have tried to do a media tour after and see.

(15:40):
You know, I'm not one of those guys that endorses
athletes saying it's all the media's fault. But in this case,
it is the media's fault. Where are they giving this
guy a platform? Eights sixty six nine eighty seven two
five seventy is the phone number. Just ridiculous, and certainly,
you know, had to be addressed, because Yankee fans are

(16:05):
just really I mean, they're in a dark place these days.
I was picking up my son from school and some Yankee, obnoxious,
loud talking fan interrupted a conversation with a very civilized
Yankee fan I was having and started going after me.
And I said, hey, number one, I've seen you around.
You seem like an okay guy, but right now you're overstepping.

(16:27):
And I told him it was really sad. He was
a Yankee fan, so you know it is. Then I
saw some other guy in Woodland Hills at the old
New York Deli wearing a Yankee hat. I looked at
him in the eyes, and he there was some shame
in his eyes, a lot of shame and all this.

Speaker 2 (16:43):
You know.

Speaker 1 (16:44):
John Bertie, I don't know if you heard this on
one of these baseball podcasts, saying he's never heard a
World Series winning team taking a victory lap the way
the Dodgers had. Really, I don't remember any Dodger player
saying anything disparaging about any Yankee player. I just heard
the Dodgers clown fat Joe's embarrassing performance, which it was,

(17:08):
had nothing to do with the Yankee team except for
the reality that when they did have the field to
themselves before games, the only two guys I ever saw
were Aaron Judge and John Carlos Stanton taking batting practice.
There was never any infield or outfield work, and that
was a glaring weakness by the Yankees. So if John

(17:30):
Birdie has any issues, he should talk to his manager,
Aaron Boone or the coaching staff for failing to shore
up their defense. And they're trying to do that now
with Paul Goldschmid and Cody Bellinger, but that was the issue.

Speaker 3 (17:44):
Now.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
I do have an issue with guys like Joe Kelly
and Miguel Rojas being the ones, you know, talking trash
and kind of rubbing some salt in the wound to
a certain extent, because they weren't even on the World
Series roster, right, Joe wasn't. I can't remember if Gail
Rojas was, but if he was, he didn't play that much.
So you don't hear Freddy Freeman or Mookie Betts or

(18:06):
Will Smith saying any of those things. So, you know,
I just think it's a bunch of guys that really
didn't play a significant role, going back and forth. All right,
a guy that played a significant role was Tommy Edmund.
NLCSMVP played great shortstop for the Dodgers from the moment

(18:27):
they inserted keik A Hernandez into the starting lineup in
the NLDS until the game clinching World Series clinching Game five.
And here was Tommy Edmund at Dodger Fest. Well, the
last time I saw the NLCSMVP was deep in the
San Fernando Valley at Sports Cards Legends, where he was

(18:49):
signing autographs, kissing babies. And here he is at his
first ever Dodger Fest, the one and only world champion,
Tommy Edmund. Tommy, thanks a lot for stop and buy,
and man, what an experience for you.

Speaker 5 (19:03):
Yeah, of course, I say, it's always always a pleasure
to get to hang out with you for a few minutes.
But yeah, no, I'm excited to be here. Looks like
an amazing turnout out there, just kind of navigating through
the parking lot, and you know, I'm excited to see
all the fans again, especially after having a good off
season to you know, rest and reflect. But looking forward
to to seeing everybody again.

Speaker 1 (19:23):
Was this off season more satisfying than any others that
you've had after winning the World Series championship and being
such a big part of it.

Speaker 3 (19:31):
Yeah. Absolutely.

Speaker 5 (19:32):
You know, there's only one team in baseball that gets
to get to spend the world or the off season
as World Series champs, So this is being the first
one first off season I've had a chance to do that. Definitely,
was you know nice, kind of had a sense of
peace throughout, but also, you know, I felt that drive to,
you know, get back to the World Series. Now that
we've won one, I really want to win at least

(19:53):
a few more.

Speaker 2 (19:54):
What's the hunger there? Right?

Speaker 1 (19:56):
I guess the winning is addicting, but how do you
not rest on the laurels of what you guys did
last year?

Speaker 3 (20:03):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (20:03):
You know, I mean kind of just getting right back
to work. You know, I took a couple of weeks
off and then kind of just got right back into
the weight room, training room, making sure I'm getting the
body ready for this year, and got some good swings in.
You know, I had a lot of stuff I wanted
to work on this offseason, so, you know, kind of
just getting back into that normal off season routine where

(20:24):
I'm working hard getting the body prepped for you know,
one hundred and sixty two games and including playoffs.

Speaker 1 (20:29):
Every season is unique to itself. Last year you were
dealing with, you know, the ankle injury, and how do
you what did you do this spring or this off season?
I should say to get better because from our vantage point,
you were pretty damn good last year. I don't know
what you could do to be better.

Speaker 5 (20:45):
Yeah, And I mean I think if you ask any
baseball players, always room to get better. Yeah, So you know,
I think for me, a big part of it, you know,
just making sure my body's getting to the best spot
I can possibly be at going into the spring. So
the first part, you know, there's a little bit of
rehab kind of stuff, making sure, you know, the ankle
risks are back to the baseline and you know, getting

(21:08):
the getting the swing back. I can kind of focus
on things when I don't have to worry about hitting
you know, one hundred mile an hour fastballs. I can
just get in the cage and really dial in those mechanics. So,
you know, just a little things like that. That's kind
of how I typically spend an off season anyways, and
you know it was good to have that good to
have that time again and have a healthy off season

(21:29):
because last year I was pretty much injured the whole time.

Speaker 1 (21:31):
No doubt, must be feeling good that you could move
around and play with your kids and do what you
gotta do to be ready for a season.

Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (21:39):
Absolutely. That was another good part too. You know, I
got to spend a lot of time with Eli, and yeah,
you know, we're teaching him some things. We're teaching him
how to throw. He's really good at at throwing everything,
and I always got to teach him what he should
be throwing.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
Yeah, you could run into that.

Speaker 1 (21:53):
That's that's a phase, as they say, Yeah, hopefully he
grows out of that phase.

Speaker 3 (21:57):
Right, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 5 (21:58):
Well, hopefully he doesn't grow out of throwing things, but
hopefully figures out what he's.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
Supposed to do. Nothing breakable, nothing breakable exactly.

Speaker 3 (22:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (22:03):
Hey, Tommy, before I let you go with MOOKI move
into shortstop. Where do you see this evolving for you?
You obviously were incredible at shortstop and center field. Do
you feel like the Dodgers have given you some blueprint
at least to start the year.

Speaker 5 (22:19):
Yeah, No, I mean every offseason I kind of just
make sure I get prepared at for both infield and outfield,
so you know what that's center field, second base, shortstop.
You know, I just try to make sure I'm prepared
regardless of where I'm needed, because you know, it's a
long season, a lot of things can come up. But
you know, I'm just I always try to try to
make sure I'm prepared for whatever, you know, wherever I'm needed.

Speaker 1 (22:42):
Damn, Tommy, I looked at the replay of a play
I forgot which game it was actually in the World Series.
You know, you made so many great plays, but I
felt like the most underrated play of the World Series
where you had to really use all of your reach
at second base to get the force out. Do you
remember that play? And I mean, I'm not going to

(23:03):
say you're a short guy, but you're not six ' six,
But it felt like on that play you had the
wingspan of a seven footer.

Speaker 5 (23:10):
Yeah, short for a professional athlete for sure, but yeah,
I remember I got that very very fingertips of the glove,
and you know, I think that was a pretty big
spot of the game. So yeah, you know, it a
lot kind of allowed the inning to come to a
close quicker and not let it spin out.

Speaker 3 (23:25):
So that was a big play for sure.

Speaker 2 (23:27):
Did you know you had that reach in you?

Speaker 5 (23:30):
I don't know. I actually wasn't sure. I stayed on
until I saw the replay.

Speaker 1 (23:34):
Well, you're a world champion NLCS MVP and obviously very
happy to get to know you and loved watching you
play and can't wait for it to start all over again.

Speaker 3 (23:43):
Tommy, thank you.

Speaker 5 (23:44):
I can't wait either.

Speaker 1 (23:45):
I'm excited first spring training at camel Back Ranch for
Tommy Edmund this year.

Speaker 3 (23:49):
Yeah, let's go.

Speaker 2 (23:50):
If you need a tour, let.

Speaker 3 (23:51):
Me know, all right, we'll do.

Speaker 2 (23:52):
I know where to look. Thanks Tommy, of course, thank you.
There he is good.

Speaker 1 (23:57):
Guy NLCS MVP Tommy Edman, and really a baseball rat
in a lot of ways. That guy knows how to
play the game. He's got a high baseball IQ. And
if you remember last year when the Dodgers acquired Tommy
Edman in that three way trade with the Cardinals, in
White Sox, Andrew Friedman admitted to us that he had

(24:21):
two guys on his board during the offseason last year.
One was show Hey Otani and the other was Tommy
Edman and he got both and Tommy Edman now we
know why Andrew Friedman regarded him as highly as he did.
Plays great defense in center field, He's a gold Glover

(24:43):
at second base, and he played great shortstop for the
Dodgers all the way through the World Series. And I
gotta love a guy that's a switch hitter. If you
know nothing else about Tommy Edmund, this is a great
indication that he he's a smart baseball player because there

(25:03):
were certain right handed pitchers that were hard on lefties,
and he wouldn't have the ego to insist on a
bit batting from the left side. He would go to
the right side and have a better look at that picture.
So to me, those are instances that stand out that
really show the high IQ of a player like Tommy Edmund.

(25:24):
And look, I know a lot of people out there think, hey,
Sun Kim is going to get the second base job automatically.
I don't think so. The indications I'm getting is the
Dodgers want to see what they have with him. If
he can make the adjustment that quickly, that would be
a huge plus. But if he can't, you got Tommy

(25:44):
Edmond and Chris Taylor to split time at second base
and in center field with a guy like Andy Pajez
or Keith k a Hernandez. Yes, Key k is still
a free agent. The Pirates just signed Tommy fam I
don't see that. I'm signing Key a Hernandez as well. So,
like I said, and maintain all this time, keyk Hernandez

(26:07):
will find his way back to the Dodgers. We're gonna
take a time out, our final time out of the show.
We're taking you to eight o'clock. You will hear from
Alex Vesia and coming up next, Dave Roberts talks about
an extension. Yeah, right now, twenty twenty five is the
final year of his current deal, and the Dodgers and

(26:28):
Dave Roberts are working to make that a longer situation
than it currently is. He's not going anywhere. Come on,
Dodger talk with you until eight o'clock. Right here on
a five to seventy LA Sports. We are getting closer
to your world champion. Dodgers reporting to spring training officially.

(26:50):
Pitchers and catchers report on Monday officially to Camelback Ranch,
and the first Cactus League game is coming up on
February twenty against the Chicago Cubs, the same team the
Dodgers will open up against and open up the major
League season in Tokyo, Japan. Can you imagine that sho

(27:11):
Hey Otani going back to the Tokyo Dome in a
Dodger uniform. And I don't know what the future immediate
future holds for Roki Sazaki, but how special would it
be for Yamamoto and Sazaki to start those first two
games in Tokyo Japan and Otani doing Otani things as

(27:34):
the Dodgers dh And don't forget the Cubs have two
Japanese players on their team, Shota Imanaga. I would imagine
he is going to start one of those two games.
He had a great first year in Major League Baseball
last year with the Cubs. And Saya Suzuki, the right
fielder for the Cubs who was not very happy with

(27:54):
Craig Council for taking him out of right field last
year and making him a D eight. So a little
drama there in Wrigleyville. And we'll see whether or not
Alex Bregman is wearing a Cubs uniform in Tokyo, because
the Cubs are definitely involved in trying to send that
dirty astro Alex Bregman one of the Dirty twenty seventeen astros,

(28:18):
but nonetheless, Alex Bregman is still a free agent. Pete
Alonso signed with the Mets. Kennley Jansen is still a
free agent. We'll see where he signs. And look, there's
a lot of good players still available on the open market,
including Keith Hernandez, and I expect him to be back
with the Dodgers, and I expect Clayton Kershaw to be

(28:39):
back once the Dodgers can start putting players on.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
The sixty day.

Speaker 1 (28:44):
I l Dave Roberts, who did, in my opinion, his
best managing job last year. His signature moment as a
player was stealing that base in Game four for the
Red Sox. His signature moment as a manager was going
out in Game five and trusting Blake Trining and trusting
Walker Buehler. Dave Roberts is starting to really get into

(29:08):
his groove as a manager, not only last year, but
I thought the year before. Dave Roberts did an excellent
job and is really starting to come into his own right.
Never had managing experience before the Dodgers gave him the
job in twenty sixteen, but he seems to just grow
into it every year and now he's one of the

(29:29):
senior most managers out there, which is hard to believe.
And he's not going anywhere after winning the World Series
and doing the job and just having that synergy and
being on the same page with Andrew Friedman. But his
contract is up technically at the end of this year,
and the Dodgers have to take care of that. And
Dave Roberts joined Buster Only on his podcast Baseball Tonight

(29:53):
and talked about it for the first time for the
first time publicly about where things stand with his content
track extension talks with the Dodgers.

Speaker 3 (30:02):
You're nearing the end of your contract.

Speaker 2 (30:04):
How are you going to handle that?

Speaker 6 (30:06):
You know, I think that we have just started talking,
and so I think for me is I'm hopeful, but
I you know, I'm going to focus on winning games.
I'm going to focus on, you know, getting better as
a manager, getting our guys prepared for the for opening Day,

(30:30):
for this great season, to win another championship, and hopefully
everything tastes care of itself. But it's it's about value
and I just love this organization. But yeah, you will
you want to feel your value. Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (30:43):
Oh, there's Dave Roberts talking about it publicly for the
first time. And look, he's not going anywhere. The Dodgers
had a lot of player roster moves to make and
they're going to take care of Dave Roberts, no doubt
about it. Albe at Spring Training a week from Sunday.
I would expect things to be, you know, further down
the road with Dave Roberts, so looking forward to him

(31:05):
being the manager for a few more years where you know,
as long as this ride goes, because when you talk
about really great gms and manager tandems, Dave Roberts and
Andrew Friedman, the record speaks for itself. Scoreboard, as they
used to say in the nineties. You know, that's when
Petros was really living his best life in the nineties.
You know, Scoreboard, that's what they used to say out there.

(31:27):
And Palace Verdi's estates. All right, Alex Vesia, one of
the most underrated relief pitchers in all of baseball. He
joined us at Dodger Fest and deserved to be celebrated.
We're here with I'm not even going to isolate him
because it's an insult now to call him one of
the best lefty relievers in Major League Baseball. He is

(31:49):
one of the best relievers whether it's left handed right handed,
and the Dodgers certainly are very fortunate to have Alex
Vesia on their team in their bullpen. A man now
that is playoff tested, one of the best pitching resumes
in the postseason in October after nineteen appearances in the postseason.

(32:12):
The Dodgers would not have won the World Series without
this man being part of the dogs of that Dodger
bullpen for the twenty twenty World Championship. And here he is.
He has not changed, he has not Big League. The
little people, the one and only Alex Vesia is with
us in the Vasse lounge at Dodger Fest.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
Dave, Dave, that was a heck of a introduction. Man, Wow, thank.

Speaker 2 (32:35):
You you are worthy of it, my friend.

Speaker 3 (32:37):
This is great. Great to be back, man. This is
off season has been quick, but this is this is great, Alex.

Speaker 1 (32:45):
When you look at your body of work and what
you've accomplished with the Dodgers, You're only twenty eight years old.
They talk about guys that are October performers like Walker,
Bueller and keyk Hernandez. Honestly, if you look at what
Alex Vesia has done and how big you came up
for the Dodgers in the NLDS in the World Series, do.

Speaker 2 (33:06):
You feel like you are that guy?

Speaker 1 (33:09):
You are him when it comes to being an October performer.

Speaker 3 (33:14):
I mean, I just try to take it one game
at a time, man.

Speaker 2 (33:17):
I think that's that's what October guys say.

Speaker 3 (33:19):
Well, I mean, throughout a whole season in the bullpen,
through ups and downs. You know, I've had failure, I've
had success, but my routine and how I go about
my business stays the same. I think that kind of
keeps me that even keel and you know, I always
want the ball and I think that that's what keeps
me hungry. And I also I love pitching it in

(33:40):
front of Dodger fans.

Speaker 1 (33:41):
Alex, when you look back at that run and you
look back at that season, are you able to take
it in now? Because I know when you're in the moment,
you gotta still be looking for the next opportunity. But
during this ofseason, during the parade, did you have an
opportunity to reflect on not only what the team did,
how big you were to the success of the team.

Speaker 3 (34:03):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean starting at the parade was where
I felt like I was able to reflect kind of
the most, and just because there was so much love
when we you know, went through and it was so loud,
and that was one of the probably the only times
where when it's super loud, I wasn't fully locked in, right,
like when you're in the bullpen and you know, you
don't really know if you're going to go in or

(34:24):
not in that inning and you do have to stay
locked in, so you kind of block everything else out. Well,
with the parade, we were taking it all in, you know,
and we were having a great time. And yeah, I
mean this this off season, I've done a bunch of
different meet and greets. I've been out in the in
the community in certain events and definitely felt the love
and been able to reflect and kind of take it

(34:46):
all in. But at the same time, we are now
our main goal is this now twenty twenty five season,
and you know, yes, the past is great, but we
have to be in the present. And you know, starting
in spring training, I know, I know Doc's gonna set
that tone during spring training, you know, and we've acquired
many great talents and looking forward to meeting everybody and

(35:07):
you know, becoming a family again right this upcoming season.

Speaker 1 (35:11):
Yeah, you mentioned setting the tone and spring training with
that meeting, don't you feel like Andrew Friedman and Mark
Walter have already set the tone that they are not
resting on the laurels of last year by spending a
half a billion dollars on players?

Speaker 3 (35:25):
Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean each each day it's been,
it's been more motivating, right to make sure my body
is prepared and ready to go. My throwing program, I'm
on schedule, and everything's been you know, we're checking boxes
and we're getting really close to spring training, and once
those first couple of bullpens start, you know, we'll be
ready to go. So that's the definitely the goal. And yeah, man,

(35:47):
the front office many they're going, so we have to too.

Speaker 1 (35:51):
That's got to be inspiring that you win the World
Series and your team and your front office have been
the most aggressive of the off season.

Speaker 3 (35:59):
Yeah. Yeah, And that's pretty much all I've known since
being traded over. Right in twenty twenty one, I got
traded over and that was the first words out of
Doc's mouth, was like, we're going forward again. After. They
just want it in twenty twenty. So I'm pretty used
to that, right, That's the expectation that we set every
single year. Coaching staff has that expectation, front office has

(36:20):
that expectation, players have that expectation. We're all on the
same page. And I think that's a really big recipe
for success.

Speaker 1 (36:26):
What you were part of last year as far as
that group of relievers, it's unprecedented to be able to
pull off the number of innings that you guys pitched
as a group, and you took on.

Speaker 2 (36:39):
That identity of the dogs.

Speaker 1 (36:41):
Oh yeah, do you feel like that's going to be
if you're coming in, if you're Tanner Scott, if your kirbyates,
you better be ready to be part of this group.

Speaker 3 (36:49):
And I think that they've already shown that right with
their resumes. Right, we've had to face Tanner and Curby
both multiple times, so we know that they have it
in them. Now they're just going to be able to
embrace that their dogs and we'll be good to go.
So definitely looking forward to welcoming them, you know, making
sure it's a it's a warm welcome, and you know,
we we we need them, you know, that's just more

(37:10):
AMMO for us coming coming out of the bullpen, and
uh yeah, dogs are going to be hungry.

Speaker 1 (37:15):
One of the leaders of the Dogs, Alex Vessia, is
our guest. When you look at what you guys, what
you did. You were pushed to the limits physically, emotionally.
How have you been able to get your body ready?
I mean, obviously you're still in that process, but you've
never pitched that deep into a season before and now

(37:36):
you've got a quick turnaround.

Speaker 2 (37:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (37:38):
Yeah. So my wife and I we went on our honeymoon.
Yeah yeah, so we Uh where'd you go? We went
to can Kun. Oh yeah, six seven days I think
in uh in Cancun. Got to relax and kind of reset,
also enjoy basically being married.

Speaker 2 (37:53):
So because we had senior frogs still in Cancun.

Speaker 3 (37:56):
We didn't make it down there.

Speaker 2 (37:57):
I'll tell you that.

Speaker 1 (37:58):
We didn't go outside speed right there, So we didn't.

Speaker 3 (38:02):
Go outside of our of our you know, hotel too much.
But it was nice for the reset and then right
you know, right when we got back, that was when
I started my throwing program and that that build up,
you know, and luckily it wasn't I didn't take too
much time off, so it was pretty easy getting into
my throwing program. My working out schedule was was pretty
much the you know the same as the years passed,

(38:24):
and uh, you know, feeling really good and you know,
definitely we want to just build up smart because you
are correct that, like, you know, this is the deepest
that some of us has ever gone. And plus with
spring training being a little bit closer, we've got we
have Japan coming up, right, There's all these different things
that you know, we we do take into account and uh,
you know, I feel great right now and every day,

(38:45):
like I said, we'll just keep checking boxes.

Speaker 1 (38:46):
Before I let you go. Have you heard about the
phenomenon in Los Angeles the hysteria over your bullpen made
Anthony Banda. I mean, the city has gone crazy ever
since that parade. Yes, you're a married man, you can't
take your shirt off on a bus, but Banda can.

Speaker 5 (39:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (39:03):
It's actually it's funny. Kay gets a lot of comments
on TikTok about Banda and his tattoos, and you know
he doesn't He's not a big social media guy, so
the comments are always like, can you make can you
let him know? We really want him to have an
Instagram like, so he he's the best. And you know,
I've asked him a couple of times. I'm like, no, no, Instagram, no,
Twitter's like no, man, Like, that's just not me. I'm

(39:25):
not I'm not a social media guy. So but yes,
he they had like an event for him right where
like there was like people in with tattoos that look
similar to Banda. I think there were. I saw it
on Instagram a couple of times. So very very hot
commodity for for Anthony Vanda. So we keep him humble right,
Oh yeah, and I and he's the most humble guy ever.
He'll You'll be talking to him here probably a little bit.

(39:46):
So I'd love to hear what he has to say
about that one.

Speaker 1 (39:49):
Man, Alex, I am so honestly honored to be able
to see where you started with the Dodgers and where
you are now establishing yourself. Like I said, I feel
like putting you in that left handed bucket not doing
you justice. I'm here to remind people you're one of
the best. They talk about the rising fastball being one

(40:10):
of the hardest pitches to hit, and like I said,
people need to start recognizing what you've done, not only
this past October, but nineteen postseason appearances and you haven't
blinked an eye. And man, the humility that comes from
you is just basically the personality of this Dodger team
and why you guys have been so successful.

Speaker 3 (40:30):
Yeah. Absolutely, I appreciate it, you know. And it's the
I'm gonna keep trying to do my job day in
and day out, you know, through through highs and lows,
and you know, I'll bring the energy and oh yeah,
and you know.

Speaker 1 (40:42):
I've been watching the playoff games again, man, with you
took down the Padres, he mowed them down, and then
you went into that Yankee series and it's just amazing
how you emptied the tank and then are able to
be able to reload.

Speaker 3 (40:54):
All good, All good. The that's the best best part
about it, man, It's the best part is being able
to go out perform that night and then you know,
my my always my goal is to be hot the
next night. Right, make sure Doc knows I want the ball.
So that's it. It's all good.

Speaker 1 (41:08):
Thanks a lot for stopping by. Great to see you
and look forward to seeing you in spring training.

Speaker 3 (41:12):
Appreciate it. Appreciate it. Seeing you in uh about week
and a half.

Speaker 2 (41:15):
Ooh, I don't come. When you guys start up playing,
you'll be there.

Speaker 3 (41:19):
You'll be there, I know you will. You'll make your
way around for you. I will for you.

Speaker 2 (41:22):
I will.

Speaker 1 (41:23):
Snil Zilla thinks I'm gonna be there for him. I'm
coming for the guys that were wearing that ring. He
wants that ring, so he better get in line. You
better game in line and earn it. There's my guy,
Alex VESSI put some respect.

Speaker 2 (41:35):
On his name.

Speaker 1 (41:36):
Cool, thanks, Yeah, that's right, put some respect on Alex
Vessi's name. This guy's in nineteen October playoff games none
bigger than the games he pitched against the Padres, putting
out fires, coming in in uh in what Game two
of the World Series where Blake trying to just didn't
have the feel and Vessia needed to come in and

(41:58):
close the door for one out. I mean, I mean,
this guy has come in in big moments and delivered.
And he was huge in the NLDS against the Padres,
coming in against the heart of that lineup, the best
hitters in that lineup, getting lefties out, getting right He's out.
This guy in nineteen postseason games. I can't say it

(42:18):
enough has given up two earned runs. He has an
ELRA of one twenty in nineteen appearances as a relief pitcher,
a high leverage relief pitcher. And that's where we have
to just look at guys a little bit deeper and
look at teams a little bit deeper these days, with
the way teams are dipping into their bullpen more than ever.

(42:40):
And the Dodgers again are gonna go into the season
where they don't have a designated closer. They're gonna share
things between Tanner, Scott, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopek when he's healthy.
You're gonna get these guys Kirby Yates, Blake Trinin, alex Vesia.
So when you start doing that, nobody can just identify

(43:02):
one guy's being the reason why the Dodgers are successful.
And I know players like Key Y Hernandez for example,
or I used the analogy earlier in the show, Kurt
Shilling or Herscheizer, Pedro Martinez, those type of guys Jack
Morris are known as october pitchers, Well Madison Bumgardner more

(43:25):
recently with the Giants, Well, Alex Vesia is basically the
Key k A Hernandez of the Dodgers pitching staff. A
guy that's not Mookie Betz or Freddie Freeman. A guy
that's not Blake Trinan or Kenley Jansen or even Tanner Scott,
but a guy that comes up big in the big

(43:46):
moments to keep the lead or slam the door on
another team. That's Alex Vesia. Nineteen October playoff appearances with
the Dodgers, and he's only twenty eight years old. That's
Alex Vesia. He deserves to be celebrated. All right, that'll

(44:08):
do it for us on Dodger Talk tonight. We will
be back with you at seven o'clock on Monday night
right here on Dodgers Radio and five to seventy LA Sports.
Thanks to Ronnie Fossio for all his help. Thanks to
Tommy Edman and Alex Vesia for their time. And look,
I'm going with the Chiefs to three pete. Don't forget

(44:29):
Andy Reid used to be in sell Dodger Dogs or
it was an usher at Dodger Stadium back in the day.
I'm going with Andy Reid and the Chiefs to three
pete on Super Bowl Sunday. All the haters can hate
all they want. I'm in on Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
We'll see how it goes. Have a great Super Bowl Sunday.

(44:49):
We'll talk to you Monday.

Speaker 2 (44:51):
See y'am.