June 30, 2025 • 47 mins
Off-day Dodger Talk with David Vassegh as the Dodgers begin a series with the Chicago White Sox.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dodger Talk is sponsored by LA Care Health Plan, providing
affordable healthcare insurance to millions of Angelinos for over twenty
five years. I survive Kansas City. We're back in LA.
Happy to be back home, Happy to be with you
on this off day, Dodger Talk until eight o'clock tonight.
Phone lines are open at eight six six nine eight
(00:22):
seven two five seventy. We are going to take a
look at the scoreboard tonight keep you updated on what
is happening with the Giants and the Padres. I can
already tell you the Dodgers have gained a half a
game on the Padres tonight because the Phillies shut out
the Padres fod to nothing, and the Giants are in
Phoenix tonight taking on the Diamondbacks. It is scoreless in
(00:46):
the bottom of the second inning. So we'll keep you
updated on that. And the reason why I bring that
up is because the panic that was in the streets
just over three weeks ago, all of a sudden and
looking like an overreaction. Because as we stand right now,
it's seven oh one on Monday night, January or June thirtieth,
(01:10):
the Dodgers are seven and a half games ahead of
the Padres and seven and a half games ahead of
the Giants. In case you don't know this, the Dodgers
start a three game series against the White Sox tomorrow night.
So for all intentsive purposes, by the end of this
homestand the Dodgers could be ten games ahead of the
(01:34):
rest of the division. And when you look at the
Giants making that trade when they were at Dodgers Stadium
minutes before first pitch, the Giants are four and eight
since acquiring Rafael Devers and the Red Sox are also
four and eight since trading Rafael Devers, so the trade
for Devers hasn't paid off. And the Dodgers are coming
(01:57):
off a very successful road trip, winning five out of six,
including sweeping the Rockies and taking two out of three
in Kansas City. The highlights for me was Otani pitching
two scoreless innings and the offense not being there still
for him consistently when he pitches. Freddie Freeman breaking out
(02:19):
of a slump on Saturday, getting on base all five
times and hitting his first home run since May eleventh.
He was three for three, so Freddie was happy about that.
That was good news, and Max Munsey continues to stay hot.
He had an incredible road trip where he hit another
Grand Slam. He drove in ten runs on the six
(02:42):
game road trip, and he had an RBI double yesterday.
Max Munsey is the hottest Dodger hitter in the lineup
right now, and that includes Andy Pahez, who is extremely hot.
Will Smith is still very consistent. And you look at
the All Star voting. We're on to the final phase
of voting for this year's All Star Game, and all
(03:04):
of a sudden, Max Munsey making a big push since
May twelfth. I think that's why Max Mounsey is going
up against Many Machado. That's right, it's Max Munsey versus
Many Machado right now to be the starting third baseman
for the National League at this year's All Star Game.
You can vote for Monsey at Dodgers dot com slash vote.
(03:29):
And in Monsey's last forty games since he got the glasses,
he's hitting three twenty with an ops of one thousand.
He has twelve home runs and forty six RBIs. I'll
say that again. Monsey's last forty games, he is hitting
three twenty with an ops of one thousand, twelve home runs,
(03:54):
and forty six RBIs, and that's the reason why he
is in the conversation to be as starting third baseman
in the All Star Game. Now do I see it happening?
I don't know many. Michado's having one of his best
seasons of his career, and he's been great from day one.
Here's something for you. There's one guy at third base
(04:16):
that has more errors than Max Munsey this year. It's
Manny Machado. So if you're gonna talk about defense and errors,
I haven't seen the airs that Machado has made, but
nonetheless he has more errors than Max Munsey, and Max
Munsey has been vital to the Dodger offense scoring run
still because the big three of Otani, Mooki Bets, and
(04:40):
Freddie Freeman have not hit at the same time this year.
Freddy was on another planet up until the last fifteen games.
Mookie Betts has been just average all season long two
fifty five hitter ops of seven hundred, and since June ninth,
Mookie Betts has not homer. He hit his ninth home
(05:01):
run on June eighth, and has gone nineteen games and
eighty two played appearances without hitting a homer. Now, and
Otani's been streaky. He's been good lately, but he's been
a little streaky. So you know, he's still the best
hitter on the team and certainly the most impactful hitter.
(05:22):
But if it wasn't for Will Smith, Andy pa Has
and Max Munsey, this line would not be happening here.
The Dodger pitching has gotten better too recently. But my
point is the Dodgers may be ten games ahead of
the Giants and Padres by the end of this upcoming weekend,
(05:43):
and they still don't have Blake Snell. They still don't
have Tyler Glass now, they still don't have Blake Trining.
They've been without Evan Phillips all year long, and their offense,
statistically speaking, every category is the best, and it still
hasn't reached its potential. It's still not hitting on all cylinders.
(06:07):
That is scary for the rest of the league. And
you look at the Royals and we get so upset
over one game or one game doesn't go the Dodgers' way.
Every win means something to the Royals, every win and
loss means something to the Giants and Padres. The Dodgers
are tied for the best record in baseball. They have
(06:28):
the most talent, they have the highest payroll, they have
the best infrastructure. They have two airplanes to make their
players as comfortable as can be. They are not one
step ahead of everybody else, They're three or four steps
ahead of everybody else and have mastered the regular season.
And as we saw last year, you need things to
(06:51):
go your way. Who would have thought the Dodgers with
two and a half starters would have won the World Series?
You didn't. You thought the Dogs were in real big
they were in big trouble. And after they were down
two games to one to the Padres, people were talking
about firing Dave Roberts, and here he is with an extension,
(07:13):
making eight and a half million dollars a year. The
Dodgers are the world champions. So there are different ways
to win in October, and the Dodgers proved it again
last year. So yes, things are going great. I fully
expect them to be in the NLCS. But there are
some teams that if they were to face them in
a short series, would give them a challenge, including the
(07:36):
Giants who have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. I mean,
any given night, those good starting pitchers can shut down
an offense, and all of a sudden you're down oh
two and it's a winner, go home in Game three
or Game four. So right now the Dodgers are in
great position to make another run. But there is a
lot of season left. But my point is, the Dodgers
(08:01):
get a ten game lead here, they all of a sudden,
now you have even more luxury. Not to rush Otani,
to be a pitcher, not to rush back Blake Trining,
not to rush back Blake Snell. That's my point in
all this. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five
seventy is the phone number Tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium,
(08:22):
the first of a three game series between the Dodgers
and White Sox. Miguel Vargas we'll be back at Dodgers
Stadium as a White Sock and he'll be facing Yamamoto
tomorrow night. Yamamoto seven and six with an ERA of
two sixty one, going up against Shane Smith, the right
hander in fifteen starts this year's three and five with
(08:43):
an ERA at three thirty eight Tomorrow night. Our coverage
begins at six o'clock with Morongo Casino Dodgers on deck.
Tim Kates will get you ready for the game and
first pitch with Rick Monday and Tim Nevertt at seven
to ten from Dodgers Stadium. And then on Wednesday Night,
that's the big night, That's the big night of the
homestand Clayton Kershaw taking the mound just three strikeouts away
(09:07):
from three thousand in his career. You know, you hear
about these lists about the greatest player for the Dodgers
at every position in the last quarter century. Forget about that.
Clayton Kershaw is the greatest Dodger in the last quarter
century period. There's nobody better in the last twenty five years.
(09:31):
Name me a better Dodger, Name me a more impactful
Dodger in the last twenty five years. And instead of
going through every position, how about tonight we talk about
the Mount Rushmore of Dodgers in the last quarter century.
That means four. You can only have four in the
last twenty five years. Kershaw obviously number one. I got
(09:53):
Justin Turner on that Mount Rushmore nine years of the
last twenty five And here's the kicker, Mookie Bets I
got him. Is it Otani After just one and a
half seasons of incredible Dodger baseball winning a World Series
and going fifty to fifty last year as a DH.
(10:13):
Or are you putting Seeger Bellinger who's won an MVP
and a Rookie of the Year, or you putting Matt Kemp?
You know those those six guys. I think you have
two spots for Mookie Bets one year of Otani, Seger
Bellinger and Matt Kemp. Who is that? Eight six six
nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number
(10:36):
when we continue your phone calls. And also it is
Kershaw Appreciation Night, as we are on the eve basically
of Kershaw reaching something that we may not see reached
again in our lifetime, a pitcher reaching the milestone of
three thousand strikeouts. Keik, Hernandez will celebrate Kershaw in our
(10:57):
next segment as well. Six nine seven two five seventy
is the phone number. David vass with you until eight
o'clock right here on a five to seventy LA Sports.
I was listening to some yacht rock on the way
from Kansas City, actually from Denver to Kansas City. I
was listening to some yacht rock in Denver, a lot
(11:19):
of yacht rock. When I was getting ready to go
to the ballpark. I was playing a lot of yacht
rock anyway. David Vass back in La very happy to
be here. And the Dodgers are feeling good after winning
five out of six on their last road trip. And look,
the Dodgers got through the toughest part of their schedule
in the first half of the season, a twenty nine
(11:42):
game stretch where they played the Mets seven times, they
saw the Yankees three times, they saw the Padres seven times,
they saw the Giants for the first time this year.
And they came out seventeen and twelve on the other
side of that twenty nine game stretch and have a
seven and a half game lead over both the Padres
(12:03):
and Giants heading into a three game series against the
White Sox. And look, this is a big deal this
homestand the day after tomorrow, Clayton Kershaw takes the mound
just three strikeouts away from three thousand. If you don't
have tickets, it's summertime right now. And I know it's
the White Sox. I think it's Yamamoto Bobblehead Night. In fact,
(12:26):
it is Yamamoto Bobblehead Night. I mean, come for Kershaw
and get the bobblehead. That's all I'm looking at on Wednesday,
and you know, find a way to capture the moment.
And I fully expect him to get three strikeouts on
Wednesday night. I know he's expecting himself to get three
(12:46):
strikeouts on Wednesday night. The White Sox are one of
the worst teams in baseball. I haven't really done a
deep dive on how many times they have struck out,
but the Rockies were had the highest strikeout percentage of
any team in baseball. And he got five strikeouts at Corsefield,
And if he was allowed to keep going, I believe
(13:08):
he would have got it in Coursefield. But come on,
we all wanted Kershaw to achieve this all time career
milestone here at Dodger Stadium. Is he on your Mount Rushmore?
Of course he is. Of course He's the greatest Dodger
in the last quarter century. Who is the last two
on your Mount Rushmore? I got Kershawn justin Turner. I'm
(13:32):
kind of torn between Mookie Seeger Bellinger, one year of
Otani and let's not forget about Matt Kemp who almost
won the MVP and having a forty forty year as well.
Let's go out to Chuck in Torrance. You're on Dodger
Talk with David vasse Hi. Chuck.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Hey, hey, David, how you doing today? Thanks for taking
a call. Hey, pleasure real quick, David, I am a yeah,
just real quick. I have a couple of balls, all right.
I realize how out field is in that. You know,
they're not fast flooring. Even though I get Padres, he's
okay at center field, but the other two ends, you know,
left and right field, I'm kind of worried about that.
(14:10):
And then again, we have a goal and glove short
stop there. It's not really hitting too much right now.
I was wondering who we could put him back, maybe
starting after the All Star Game, putting back to right field,
let West s up or whatever and come back to
hitting three hundred and you know, one hundred RBIs and
what thirty home runs right now?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Do you think that would do it?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Chuck?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I think that it's just my opinion. You know, we
don't have too many weeks spots statement, but I just
think that that's one but the but the pitching to
me is, you know, I feel confident about the pitching
because everybody's gonna get healthy. What do you write, Chuck, David.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
You're not the worst person to ask me about that, Chuck.
And look, there's no denying Mookie Bets is the greatest
right fielder we have seen, no doubt about it, And
many that saw Willie Mays say Mookie Betts was the
second best outfielder they have seen play that I have
spoken to. But here's the issue. If you move Mookie
(15:10):
Bets to right field and you move ta Oscar Hernandez
to left field, are you just saying, Michael CONFORDO, You're
on the bench for the rest of the year. And
are you comfortable, Chuck playing a thirty six year old
Miguel Rojas and moving tom Y Edmond to shortstop this
early in the year Rojas Edmund Kim combination at shortstop.
(15:34):
You know, I don't think it's crazy, Chuck. I don't
think it's crazy. But right now, I just don't see
that move being made because Mookie Betts has played really
good shortstop. It's not like he hasn't played good shortstop.
He has played good shortstop.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Then basically it was a little weak, you know, and
like his home run production is really you know what
I'm saying. But eventually, eventually, he'll come around, you know,
that's all it is.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
I'm actually hoping Chuck that he doesn't make the All
Star team. I hope Francisco Lindor beats him out because
I really believe Ki Bets he needs to catch his
breath at the All Star break. He really does, because
going back to Tokyo, you know, maybe he's never really
had his legs underneath him. Maybe this gives him a
(16:22):
chance to regroup, maybe just give his mind a rest.
I would love Mooki just to stay in the house,
go swimming with the kids in the house, don't go anywhere.
Just rejuvenate yourself because you've played great shortstop and I
feel like mentally you never get to take a playoff
at shortstop like you do in right field. And I
(16:45):
just feel like, if Mooki takes the All Star break off,
just shut everything off and just rejuvenate your mind, your body.
I think he's gonna be ready for a big second half. So,
you know, as much as I would love to see
in the game, would love to have Mookie Beds at
the All Star Game this year, the Dodgers are going
to have enough representation. I just think it would be
(17:08):
best for Mooki and the Dodgers a blessing in disguise
if for some reason Francisco Lindor beats him out in
the fan vote and hopefully the coaches don't vote them
to the reserves. Let's go out to see me Valley, Alex,
you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing Alex?
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Hey, David, how you doing here?
Speaker 4 (17:28):
You okay?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I can.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Okay?
Speaker 5 (17:31):
Hey, yeah, Joe. I was just gonna say, I think
I think Max Monkey deserves some consideration there.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Definitely, Hey for Mount Rushmore since twenty eighteen, and then.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Maybe maybe Seeger or soon o Tawny, But I think
Max Monty definitely deserves some consideration there.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
See this is hilarious because two months ago many callers
one in Max Munsey off the Dodgers. Were you one
of those people, Alex? Are you trying to just go
overboard in your maxim see love? Now?
Speaker 5 (18:02):
No, I wasn't one of those. I was patient with him.
I appreciate that the Dodgers are also patient with their
players when they struggle. I think a lot of fans
tend to jump ship too soon on guys. But we've
seen many times before where the players just need a
little bit more time to work through their struggles. But
Max has been a consistent producer for us his entire career,
so I was willing to bear with it and give
(18:24):
him more time. And I'm glad that that Roberts and
the GMS did as well.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Smart Man, Alex. A resume means something, no doubt about it.
It's not like this is Max Munsey's first year with
the Dodgers. He has a lot of credit with this
fan base, and that's why I thought it was ridiculous
that fans were jumping off the Muncie bandwagon, and look,
he needed to make an adjustment. He did. He went
(18:49):
to get his eyes checked, and ever since then he
hasn't looked back. In the last forty games, twelve home runs,
forty six RBIs. In the last ten days, he said,
two Grand Slams. Let's go out to Torrance. Anthony, You're
on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi. Anthony, Hey, David,
how's it going great?
Speaker 6 (19:10):
I was just calling in to talk about the Dodgers,
Mount Rushmore the last.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Twenty five years. The last twenty five years, Yes.
Speaker 6 (19:20):
So I totally agree with you about Justin Turner and
I also want to add I would say Matt Camp
is because I mean, obviously that twenty eleven year was
pretty special and he's always been a fan for you,
So I would say Matt Camp and also Corey Seeger
because of how well he played for us during the
twenty twenty peason, even though you know he was injured
sometimes that post season really really helped us out win
(19:43):
that championship World Series. Yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
You you only have four spots. You got Kershaw, you
got j T, you got Seeger, and you got Matt Camp.
That's it.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
Yeah, those are the main four that I would put honestly.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
All right, Anthony, thanks for the phone call. Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
We have three lines open. We will get to your
phone calls. But since we are celebrating Clayton Kershawn, who
knows this may be his final season in Major League
baseball Because there are a lot of variables and there's
(20:25):
not one certain thing that will dictate whether or not
Kershaw comes back. He's gonna see a how he feels
physically at the end of the year, and that's number
one and number two. You know, there are other variables
that he's gonna have to take into account. So don't
take for granted any one of these starts this season,
especially Wednesday night when he's just three strikeouts away from
(20:48):
three thousand and A guy that has been his teammate
longer than anybody on this current roster is keike A Hernandez,
who got called up to the Dodgers in twenty fifteen
after he acquired that off season. We had a chance
to catch up with Key k before Kershaw's last start.
Thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 7 (21:08):
Yeah, you're welcome. I didn't really get a choice, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
You know you want to spend more quality time with me.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
No, I'm doing this for Kurse, not for you, but yes,
whatever you need.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Okay, thank you, and it's great to have you in
the starting lineup behind Kershaw. You obviously are aware that
he's only eight strikeouts away from three thousand. What does
he meant to you as a teammate.
Speaker 7 (21:32):
I think Kurts has been an inspiration.
Speaker 8 (21:35):
You know, I got here a lot of strikeouts ago,
and when I got here, he was in the midst
of one of the greatest runs that pitcher has ever
put together.
Speaker 7 (21:45):
And if he didn't know who.
Speaker 8 (21:48):
If you didn't know the name, if you weren't aware
of who he was, what he had done in the game,
and you just observed the way that he handled his
business and the way that he worked and his routine
and all that, you would think that he'd be a
guy that wasn't even establishing the big leagues, you know,
guy that was hungry, guy doing whatever it.
Speaker 7 (22:04):
Took to stay at the big league level.
Speaker 8 (22:08):
He worked harder than anybody in the in that locker room.
You never just and you never saw him just sitting
in this locker He was always doing something. And you know,
for him to do that, you know, coming off an
MVP season and he's third, so young, and he was
I would say the best way to if I had
to describe in one word, it was a perfectionist.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
How would you describe the way your friendship, your relationship
with him has grown since twenty fifteen, It's grown a lot.
Speaker 8 (22:36):
I mean, I he with my personality. It's not easy
to be around pictures that you can't necessarily talk to
on start day. So we we we.
Speaker 7 (22:48):
We butt heads a few times.
Speaker 8 (22:49):
The first couple of years, but but no, man, you know,
he's we can't be any We can't be more different,
but we were very similar at the same time when
it comes to baseball and all this, all these things.
So you know, I see Curse as a great example
for for for a lot of things, you know, leading
the pitching staff, leading by example in the locker room.
(23:10):
A great family man, great great dad. You know, Curse
is one of those guys that is if you have
to teach show your kids how to handle themselves, you
you you show Curse.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
When you look at him, even though you're a position player.
Do you feel like he sets the tone for everybody
else to raise their level of work ethic.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
Yeah, that's that's exactly what we're trying to get at
the first question. You know, Uh, guy that has done
that much and he's still working that hard, and it
just it pushes you. It inspires you to work harder
and and and keep trying to improve your game. And
of course he's a he's uh, he's a very much,
very very different picture than when when I first got
to this team.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
But if it wasn't for his work.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
Ethic and and and his dedication and and it is
desired to be better each and every day. Uh, the
evolution of Clayton, not just as a as a guy,
but as a pitcher has been incredible.
Speaker 7 (23:57):
And you know, to still be out there.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
And and his stuff is a lot different. You'd say
that then ten years ago. Uh he's got new pitches,
but uh, you know, and he still goes out there
and then and manage manages the manages to keep him
off off the off the board scoring runs.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
Uh. You know, it's it's really impressive.
Speaker 8 (24:20):
And you know, uh, every time I hear that song
at Dodger Stadium, it puts me in a better mood.
And it's just maybe it's a coincidence, but some of
my better games as a Dodger have been behind Clinton.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Is that for everybody? Does it? Does it raise the
level of focus and intensity when you play behind him? Uh?
Speaker 8 (24:39):
Yeah, I mean whenever you have those guys on the mound,
you just you want to be great for them behind them,
and especially guys that found the strikes on the way
that he does. He gets a lot of early contact.
Guys are trying to trying to get out of the
batter's box as soon as they can so that they
don't strike out there. You know, they he has the curve.
Boy as a slider. He has the fastball, so.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
Guys don't want to get to two strikes with.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
So a lot of guys swing early, and he manufactures
a lot of weak contact because he throws a lot
of pitches off the strike zone that looks like strikes,
and guys are are, you know, being too aggressive because
they don't want to get to two strikes And he
gets a lot.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Of early contacts.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
So he keeps you, he keeps you active on the
defensive side. He's not He never puts you on your
heels by you know, just walking the house or anything
like that. And of course he's Clayton kershell, So you
just want to make the place for him. And I've
been fortunate enough to play behind him a lot and
make a lot of really nice.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Place for him. Kay.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
He said that Freddy Freeman has made him aware as
he gets closer to three thousand strikeouts? How aware and
how much do you think he's aware going into today
and fighting against trying to chase those strikeouts?
Speaker 8 (25:40):
He knows, he's he's very aware, you know, Clayton, he's
a he's a very self aware person. He always knows
what he needs to do. He's a he's I know
for a fact he's aware because we had a conversation
about him potentially flying some of his former catchers for
the day that he could get the three thousand strikeout
(26:03):
in a perfect world.
Speaker 7 (26:04):
He he he does it at home.
Speaker 8 (26:07):
But yeah, he's aware, and he's he's joked around like
he's like, what if I'm sitting atween nine, nine hundred
ninety nine and I want to get that last strikeout
on a heater and I try to overthrow it and
you never get that strike out. But he's gonna get
that strikeout and it doesn't really matter what pitch he uses,
because you know, the only pitch that would that would
not be an iconic strikeout would be the split just
(26:28):
because he hasn't had that. Of his three thousand, not
many of them have been on a split, But either way,
three thousand strikeout is allowed to strikeouts and.
Speaker 7 (26:36):
That's why not many pitchers have done it.
Speaker 8 (26:38):
And you know, it's it's it's always special when you
get to be part of a small part of history.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah, it's awesome that you're here for it. It's awesome
that you're in the starting lineup playing behind Kershaw and
hopefully whenever he gets that three thousand strikeout. You'll be
there behind him as well. Thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 8 (26:54):
Amazing if I'm behind the play or behind the behind
him on the field and you're doing television like that's wow, unbelievable.
Speaker 7 (27:01):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Another great moment in Denver.
Speaker 7 (27:03):
Another great moment in Denver. Thanks a lot, Thank you
so much.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
There he is, Key k Hernandez. There was a lot
of kik on this road trip, a lot of lefties.
The Dodgers finally got to face and keyk started to
heat up, especially yesterday he hit a home run and
he just missed the second one, and man, that was
an amazing insight to Clayton Kershaw and a great tribute
(27:28):
from Key k Hernandez, who has emerged as a leader
on this team going back to last October. You could
hear how much Kerushaw means to him and has meant
to the Dodgers since he got here in twenty fifteen.
We all know that, and certainly Wednesday night is going
to be special. Eight six six nine eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. We are going to
(27:51):
take a time out our last of the night, and
we are going to take your phone calls at eight
six sixne eight seven two five seventy. I want to
know who's on your Mount Dodger Rushmore. You're Mount Rushmore
of Dodgers the last quarter century. I've got two. I'm
looking for the other two. Maybe you could be the tiebreaker.
(28:11):
And also, if we have time, I'll share my conversation
with the president of the Negro League Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick.
Got a lot of good response about that yesterday, so
maybe we'll share that as well. A lot to get
to between now at eight o'clock right here on a
five to seventy LA Sports your home for Clayton Kershaws
three thousand strikeouts, Dodgers back in action at Dodgers Stadium
(28:36):
beginning Tomorrow night Dodgers White Sox at seven to ten
Hawaiian Sure giveaway night. That's why are Ronnie Fossio showing
up Tomorrow night? The Big Night Wednesday Night, Clayton Kershaw
just three strikeouts away from three thousand. Ronnie Fossio will
be there. Hope you join us as well at Dodgers
(28:58):
Stadium to witness history with Kershaw just three strikeouts away
eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number. Let's go out to Downey. David. You're
on Dodger Talk. How you doing, David?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Good David, how are you.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
I'm so happy to be back home. David went to
golf and stuff with the kids in Ventura today. You know,
life is good again.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
That's great. Hey. First of all, I want to thank
you for this program because you know you are. You
know your format, whether we're happy the Dodgers win or
we get a little bumm because they lose, you know,
you listen to us callers, and me personally, I really
really appreciate what you do.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Hey, thank you. I was I was a caller to
Dodger Talk when I was a kid. I listened to
this show my whole life. So you know it's important
to have and your opinion matters. David.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Okay, so here's my mount rushmore. I I agree with
you with the first three with Clayton Kershaw, Jason, Justin
Turner excuse me, and Lookie Betts. Now my fourth one,
I'm kind of a toss up, but I'm gonna go
with my my gut instinct and I would put Fernando Vealezuela.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Well, now here's the catch, David, it's the last quarter century.
He is not eligible last.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Okay, how about Eric Ganie.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Eric Ganne, you would put him above guys like Mookie
bats Show, Heo, Tany, Cory Seeger, Cody Bellinger. And I
think I wouldn't put.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Him on there because of the saves, because you know,
he broke the record for the saves.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Okay, so you're you're telling me the mount Rushmore in
the last twenty five years would be Kershaw, Justin Turner,
Eric Ganye and who else.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
No, I would agree with like with Mookie Bade the
first three, I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
All right, So and Eric Dane. Yes, all right, David,
thanks for the phone call.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Ready.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
That's an interesting Uh, that's an interesting one right there.
I mean I wouldn't include Eric Ganie because I mean
he's a closer number one, number two.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I mean.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
One inning. I mean they were great innings. They were
great innings, no doubt about it. But uh, you know,
he was a three time All Star, three time All
Star and incredible three years, no doubt about it. But
that's a little bit of a reach for me. Let's
go out to a joy in Alpine.
Speaker 9 (31:29):
Hi, a Joy, Hey, what's up?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
David.
Speaker 9 (31:33):
Good to have you back, man.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 9 (31:38):
It sounds like you're good man. So just have a
couple of quick questions I had for you. Number one
in regards to Max Munty and where he's been batting.
I noticed that Ek kind of touched based on that
during the broadcast during the weekend. Is that more some
a situational thing with them trying to kind of still
put him a little back when it's a lefty or
is that kind of like what he said where he's
(31:59):
kind of you know, double, you know, clean up there,
kind of trying to turn over the bottom.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
I think it's a little bit of both. He hasn't
been very good against lefties this year until recently. I
mean he's been correct an one hundred hitter against lefties
this year, and all of a sudden, like everything else
that he touches, it's turned to gold recently. So I
think it was a little bit of both.
Speaker 9 (32:23):
Nice and then I'm not a big list guy, but
just get to give it a whirl here. So obviously Kershaw,
I have Matt Kim because I think that was a
taint hit and lost the MVP he had in a
twenty eleven. I have Cody Bellinger, because I mean, the
kid was great man when he was with us. You know,
if it wasn't for the injury, who knows, and then
I have Mookie and then that would be that would
(32:47):
be it right there. I think, yeah, that's yeah, you
got there. I'm pretty comfortable with that. Yes, sir, all right,
all right, solid taking my call.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Have a good night, brother, all right, a joy, thank you,
thanks for calling. All right, let's go out to Carson, Manny,
you're on Dodger Talk. You doing, Manny?
Speaker 10 (33:02):
What's going on DV? Welcome back to La man. We
missed you out here, but we should get straight to it.
My Mount Rushmore. You gotta have ck number twenty two
playing Kershaw obviously, yep, I do a great I do
agree with MOOKI. He had a great, great, great impact
on the team, especially in twenty twenty for that World
Series run. I have to add a Freddy Freeman in there.
(33:26):
And I know he's only been on the team for
the last four seasons or so, but he's missed Game seven.
You know, he practically named himself last year game one.
So I'm gonna put Freddy up there as my three
and for four, my favorite dog of them all and
I miss him terribly, Corey Seeger.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
I love that, Manny, and I can't believe I forgot
about Freddy Freeman. But you're right that one swing in
Game one of the World Series and him just being
a great player certainly makes him a viable candidate. And
I wouldn't argue with that, Manny. So that's a great
call by you. Thanks a lot. Yeah, Freddy Freeman having
(34:07):
the World Series that he had last year automatically put
some as a candidate for the Mount Rushmore in the
last twenty five years without a doubt. And he's been
really good since he became a Dodger in twenty twenty two,
I believe, yeah, twenty two. So yeah, hard to argue
right there. And that's why it's so tough in the
(34:29):
last twenty five years. I mean, there's been so many
great players, especially in the last fourteen to fifteen years,
including Freddy Freeman. Yeah, I would. I would tend to
agree with you. I might have to bump somebody off
my Mount Rushmore to have Freddy Freeman on mine as well.
Let's go out to San Diego. Ed, You're on Dodger Talk.
(34:50):
How you doing, Ed, what's going on?
Speaker 3 (34:53):
How you doing?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
I'm I'm down with the three guys, but to me
include Mike.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
When did Mike Piazza play at it's the last twenty
five years.
Speaker 9 (35:06):
He was done in ninety eight, that's right, twelve All
Stars with the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Yeah, Mike Piazza was great, but he didn't play in
the last twenty five years with the Dodgers. No, he's out,
he's out. Thank you for the phone call. You're out too.
Let's go out to George and Eastvale. You're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, George?
Speaker 9 (35:30):
Great?
Speaker 10 (35:31):
Great? Thank you, David.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
And since he.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Brought up Piazza, Hey, George. Just to make it clear
for the record, I don't have Eric Carros on my
Mount Rushmore because he was a nineties player. He only
played three more years with the Dodgers from two thousand
to two thousand and three, and his prime was in
the nineties. So that's the reason why Caros isn't on
(35:55):
mine either. I don't want him to be offended. He's
easily offended, George, trust me, No.
Speaker 7 (36:03):
I get it.
Speaker 11 (36:04):
I I'll go with Kenny Jason Hey.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Ken Jackson, an all time SAFS leader in the last
twenty five years he became I like that, George, I
like that.
Speaker 11 (36:15):
Yeah, Freddie Freeman, Okay, you can't beat Frederie Freeman, you know,
with with this big big Homer last year and Mookie Betts.
You can't beat Mookie Betts, you know. Then there's the
grinder and the last one. I don't know if you agree,
but he is mister clutch Man kick Hernandez baby, mister
(36:39):
clutch Well.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
I will say this, George. Even Key K would tell
you you're ridiculous for having him on Mount Rushmore and
not Clayton Kershaw. I'll speak for KEYK here.
Speaker 11 (36:51):
I agree as as No, No, you're right, you're right,
but you know kick A has a little soft spot
in my own so no, Clayton Kersher, You're absolutely right.
I agree with you one hundred percent. But what do
you think about my picks?
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I love your picks. I love the Kennley Jansen angle.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I love.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
That's way more legit than Eric Ganne all time saves
leader in Dodgy history, and he did it from twenty
eleven on.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
So I'm with you, George, and can getting that honorable mention.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Okay, he's the mountain right next to Mount Rushmore. Thank
you for the phone call, George, appreciate it. Eight sixty
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
That was fun and I loved hearing all of your
different Mount rushmorees. He had some good ones and made
me reconsider mine, So I appreciate all the calls. We
had a chance to catch up with a man that
(37:46):
knows a lot about Mount rushmorees in the Negro Leagues.
And there is one man that tells the best stories
about the Negro Leagues and we are so very lucky
to still have him and still sharing the stories of
the Negro Leagues to the next generation. And he is
the president of the Negro League Museum in Kansas City,
(38:06):
and that is the one and only Bob Kendrick. We
had a chance to catch up with mister Kendrick before
yesterday's game in Kansas City, which was honoring the Negro Leagues.
During the Dodgers Royals game, the Royals were wearing the
Monarchs hats and the Dodgers were wearing the Brooklyn b
hats in honor of the Negro Leagues. And of course
the great Jackie Robinson. Thanks a lot for joining us.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
Oh, Dave, it's great to see you man. Thanks so
much for having me on the show.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Well, the franchise of Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcomb,
just to name a few. I mean, it is special
to come to Kansas City and see the museum.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
Well, and there's a bridge between the two cities. Because
a lot of people don't know, Dave, Dad, Jackie Robinson's
illustrious professional baseball career began right here in Kansas City
with the great Kansas City Monarchs in nineteen forty five
in the negro Leagues. Now, he was only here for
five months, but as I tell people, the five months
he's spend in Kansas City, he fell in love with
(39:02):
everything that Kansas City is famous for, barbecue and jazz.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I love that. Yeah, Jackie was a big man of
jazz and baseball and all that. And Roy Campanella three
time MVP. He was a big player in the negro
Leagues as well.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Well.
Speaker 4 (39:17):
Noah and the Dodgers had a litany of great stars
that came out of the negro Leagues camp. He joined
the team in the negro Leagues called the Baltimore Elite Giants.
Now it's spelled elite, but it's pronounced elite because you
make those Negro leaguers mad if you call him the
elite giants. Well, Campy joins the elites as a fifteen
(39:37):
year old catcher.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Can you believe a fifteen.
Speaker 4 (39:40):
Year old kid catching professionally in the Negro leagues? But
as I tell my guests, he was not your typical
fifteen year old. He was a fifteen year old man style,
but he was fifteen. Nevertheless, and the great Raleigh biss
MACKI took him under his wing and taught him the
art of catching. And I don't have to tell Dodger fans.
(40:00):
Roy Campanella will become a three time MVP with the
Brooklyn Dodgers before a tragic car accident left them paralyzed
and cut short what was still a Hall of Fame career.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
When we come to the Negro League Museum and you
tell the stories of the Negro leagues, are you mesmerized
as much as we are? Even though you've told the
stories many times? Oh man, this never gets old for me.
It doesn't.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
And every time I did a young athlete of any
sports discipline, but particularly my young Major league baseball players,
it just fills me with great joy to walk them
through that museum, to share the stories, many of these
stories that the late great Buck O'Neil and other legendary
Negro leaguers shared with me, and in doing so, I
feel like I'm keeping them alive in my mind and
(40:44):
in my heart. But the thing that I share that
the threat that they have with those who played in
the Negro Leagues is real simple love of the game.
You play this game because you love it. And I
know sometimes as fans we can get a little fickle
because we equate everything to money, and so these guys
are afforded an opportunity to make a great living.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
But it's still about the love of the game.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
They are still playing a game that they played for free,
and if they had to play it for free, they
would still play it for free. But as I remind them,
you will never see a greater example of love of
the game than you do when you walk through the
Negro League's Baseball Museum. They had to love it in
order to endure the things that they had to endure.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
What's the lasting legacy of Jackie Robinson with the Negro
Leagues and just how special is it for him? To
be not only the face of American sports history, but
American history period. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (41:40):
Well, you know, we take great pride that Kansas City
and the Negro leagues gave America arguably its greatest hero
in Jackie Robinson. And for those who subscribe to the
belief that one individual cannot invoke change, well you need
to look no further than Jackie Roosevelt Robinson because when
(42:00):
he walked out on that field as a member of
the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was called everything but my mother
would say, but a child of God when he walked
out there, and he handled himself with such grace, class,
and dignity. But the other side of the ledger is
that he was also shouldering the weight of twenty one
million black folks who were counting on him to succeed. Yeah,
(42:22):
and that's an enormous amount of pressure for any one
individual to have to bear, and he did it with
tremendous grace, class, and dignity. We should never forget Jackie Robinson,
and Baseball has made it such. The Dodger organization has
made it such that baseball fans likely won't ever forget
Jackie Robinson. And certainly as long as that museum is
(42:43):
there operating here in Kansas City. His story will always
be at the forefront, but so will those other trail blazers,
those who built the bridge that allowed Jackie to cross
over and for others to then follow right behind him.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Before I let you go, show hand Tani one of
the greatest players we've ever seen in Major League Baseball.
Was there anybody like Otani in the negro leagues?
Speaker 4 (43:07):
Well, the thing that I love about this phenom by
the name of shoe Hey Atani is that it has
opened up the opportunity for me to talk about the
great two way stars of the Negro leagues. And so
when Shoe Hay first gets here to play in the
major leagues, everyone was saying, Babe Ruth. But in my opinion,
Babe Ruth is a royal comparison. The real comparison is
to a guy named Wilber Bullet Rogan who was a
(43:29):
star pitcher for the Kansas City Monarchs. He is in
the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But when Bullet Rogan
wasn't pitching and he was a dominant pitcher, he played
the outfield and hit cleanup for the Kansas City Monarchs.
Now let me tell you you don't just hit clean
up for the Kasity monarch.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
You've got to be able to rake.
Speaker 4 (43:48):
And in the words of the immortal Leroy Satchel Page,
in the beautiful vernacular of Leroy Satchel Page, who said
that Bullet Rogan is the onliest ball player I ever
heard of. I've ever seen that pitch and hit in
the cleaned up position. That was Robert Bullet Joe Rogan.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
All right, we got a parallel to show. Hey, O, Tommy,
I knew you would have the answer to that. No,
But you know, I, like the rest of us, I'm
a baseball fan. We marvel at what sho he has done.
Speaker 4 (44:19):
And it also gives me an opportunity to talk about
that connection between the Negro Leagues and Japan because the
Negro Leagues go to Japan in nineteen twenty seven. Man,
that's seven years before Babe Ruth and as all Americans go,
and they've been commonly credited with having taken our brand
of professional baseball to the Japanese.
Speaker 1 (44:38):
But it's not true.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
If it was a team called the Philadelphia Royal Giants,
they go over to Japan in nineteen twenty seven, they
play a twenty four game exhibition series. They go twenty
three to h to one on that tour, and if
you were to talk to the older Japanese baseball historian,
they will tell you that it was that tour and
a subsequent tour by that same Philadelphia Royal Giant that
was the spot that lit the flame that is now
(45:01):
the fire for professional baseball in Japan, and it's certainly
played a role in why we were able to get
stars such as Hideo Nomo, my diffriend, Ichiro Suzuki, who's
about to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame,
and of course this phenom by the name of Shohei Antani.
The negro Leagues play a pivotal role. They helped make
(45:22):
our game the global game that it is today. They
just never were given credit for it.
Speaker 1 (45:27):
That's why the negro Leagues can never be forgotten and
it never will be forgotten because Bob Kendrick has continued
to tell the story of the great negro Leagues, and
the Negro League Museum Hall of Fame is one place
that you have to come to and see our good
friend Bob Kendrick when you come to Kansas City. Thanks
a lot for the time and man the best stressed
guy in Kansas City.
Speaker 4 (45:48):
Thank you, No, it is my pleasure. I want to
thank all those Dodger fans who filled up the museum
over this weekend series. Thank you guys for coming by
and seeing us, Thank you for your support, and thank
you for the opportunity to be on the show.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
Hey, we love Bob Kendrick. Thanks a lot for the time, Bob. Hey,
we do love Bob Kendrick and really appreciate him coming
on the show before yesterday's game right here on a
five to seventy LA sports and Sports Net LA best
dressed man in the stadium yesterday and Dodger fans always
ask me where should we go see the Dodgers? Which
(46:22):
stadium should we go? Visit? Kansas City? Would be worth
it just to go to the Negro League Baseball Museum.
It's that good.
Speaker 4 (46:32):
I know.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Cooperstown obviously is a big deal for baseball fans, but
you've got to put it on your bucket list to
go see the Dodgers playing Kansas City, get that great
Kansas City barbecue, and go see and visit the Negro
League Museum and see Bob Kendrick and get a tour
from Bob and you will learn a lot. It's really special.
(46:55):
My favorite part of the museum is they have a
miniature baseball diamond and they have statues of every great
Negro League player at that position. That's my favorite part.
So make it to Kansas City, make it to the
Negro League Baseball Museum. That'll do it for us. Tonight
on Dodger Talk, thanks to Ronnie Fossio for all his help.
(47:17):
Thanks to you for listening. In case you missed any
of the show, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app.
The Dodgers back in action tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium,
opening up a six game homestand beginning with a three
game series against the White Sox. Yamamoto on the mound
for the Dodgers tomorrow Kershaw on Wednesday, three strikeouts away
(47:39):
from three thousand. Hope to see you out there. Tickets
are available. Fox Sports Radio is next. We'll talk to
you tomorrow from Dodgers Stadium. See them
Dodger Talk is sponsored by LA Care Health Plan, providing
affordable healthcare insurance to millions of Angelinos for over twenty
five years. I survive Kansas City. We're back in LA.
Happy to be back home, Happy to be with you
on this off day, Dodger Talk until eight o'clock tonight.
Phone lines are open at eight six six nine eight
(00:22):
seven two five seventy. We are going to take a
look at the scoreboard tonight keep you updated on what
is happening with the Giants and the Padres. I can
already tell you the Dodgers have gained a half a
game on the Padres tonight because the Phillies shut out
the Padres fod to nothing, and the Giants are in
Phoenix tonight taking on the Diamondbacks. It is scoreless in
(00:46):
the bottom of the second inning. So we'll keep you
updated on that. And the reason why I bring that
up is because the panic that was in the streets
just over three weeks ago, all of a sudden and
looking like an overreaction. Because as we stand right now,
it's seven oh one on Monday night, January or June thirtieth,
(01:10):
the Dodgers are seven and a half games ahead of
the Padres and seven and a half games ahead of
the Giants. In case you don't know this, the Dodgers
start a three game series against the White Sox tomorrow night.
So for all intentsive purposes, by the end of this
homestand the Dodgers could be ten games ahead of the
(01:34):
rest of the division. And when you look at the
Giants making that trade when they were at Dodgers Stadium
minutes before first pitch, the Giants are four and eight
since acquiring Rafael Devers and the Red Sox are also
four and eight since trading Rafael Devers, so the trade
for Devers hasn't paid off. And the Dodgers are coming
(01:57):
off a very successful road trip, winning five out of six,
including sweeping the Rockies and taking two out of three
in Kansas City. The highlights for me was Otani pitching
two scoreless innings and the offense not being there still
for him consistently when he pitches. Freddie Freeman breaking out
(02:19):
of a slump on Saturday, getting on base all five
times and hitting his first home run since May eleventh.
He was three for three, so Freddie was happy about that.
That was good news, and Max Munsey continues to stay hot.
He had an incredible road trip where he hit another
Grand Slam. He drove in ten runs on the six
(02:42):
game road trip, and he had an RBI double yesterday.
Max Munsey is the hottest Dodger hitter in the lineup
right now, and that includes Andy Pahez, who is extremely hot.
Will Smith is still very consistent. And you look at
the All Star voting. We're on to the final phase
of voting for this year's All Star Game, and all
(03:04):
of a sudden, Max Munsey making a big push since
May twelfth. I think that's why Max Mounsey is going
up against Many Machado. That's right, it's Max Munsey versus
Many Machado right now to be the starting third baseman
for the National League at this year's All Star Game.
You can vote for Monsey at Dodgers dot com slash vote.
(03:29):
And in Monsey's last forty games since he got the glasses,
he's hitting three twenty with an ops of one thousand.
He has twelve home runs and forty six RBIs. I'll
say that again. Monsey's last forty games, he is hitting
three twenty with an ops of one thousand, twelve home runs,
(03:54):
and forty six RBIs, and that's the reason why he
is in the conversation to be as starting third baseman
in the All Star Game. Now do I see it happening?
I don't know many. Michado's having one of his best
seasons of his career, and he's been great from day one.
Here's something for you. There's one guy at third base
(04:16):
that has more errors than Max Munsey this year. It's
Manny Machado. So if you're gonna talk about defense and errors,
I haven't seen the airs that Machado has made, but
nonetheless he has more errors than Max Munsey, and Max
Munsey has been vital to the Dodger offense scoring run
still because the big three of Otani, Mooki Bets, and
(04:40):
Freddie Freeman have not hit at the same time this year.
Freddy was on another planet up until the last fifteen games.
Mookie Betts has been just average all season long two
fifty five hitter ops of seven hundred, and since June ninth,
Mookie Betts has not homer. He hit his ninth home
(05:01):
run on June eighth, and has gone nineteen games and
eighty two played appearances without hitting a homer. Now, and
Otani's been streaky. He's been good lately, but he's been
a little streaky. So you know, he's still the best
hitter on the team and certainly the most impactful hitter.
(05:22):
But if it wasn't for Will Smith, Andy pa Has
and Max Munsey, this line would not be happening here.
The Dodger pitching has gotten better too recently. But my
point is the Dodgers may be ten games ahead of
the Giants and Padres by the end of this upcoming weekend,
(05:43):
and they still don't have Blake Snell. They still don't
have Tyler Glass now, they still don't have Blake Trining.
They've been without Evan Phillips all year long, and their offense,
statistically speaking, every category is the best, and it still
hasn't reached its potential. It's still not hitting on all cylinders.
(06:07):
That is scary for the rest of the league. And
you look at the Royals and we get so upset
over one game or one game doesn't go the Dodgers' way.
Every win means something to the Royals, every win and
loss means something to the Giants and Padres. The Dodgers
are tied for the best record in baseball. They have
(06:28):
the most talent, they have the highest payroll, they have
the best infrastructure. They have two airplanes to make their
players as comfortable as can be. They are not one
step ahead of everybody else, They're three or four steps
ahead of everybody else and have mastered the regular season.
And as we saw last year, you need things to
(06:51):
go your way. Who would have thought the Dodgers with
two and a half starters would have won the World Series?
You didn't. You thought the Dogs were in real big
they were in big trouble. And after they were down
two games to one to the Padres, people were talking
about firing Dave Roberts, and here he is with an extension,
(07:13):
making eight and a half million dollars a year. The
Dodgers are the world champions. So there are different ways
to win in October, and the Dodgers proved it again
last year. So yes, things are going great. I fully
expect them to be in the NLCS. But there are
some teams that if they were to face them in
a short series, would give them a challenge, including the
(07:36):
Giants who have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. I mean,
any given night, those good starting pitchers can shut down
an offense, and all of a sudden you're down oh
two and it's a winner, go home in Game three
or Game four. So right now the Dodgers are in
great position to make another run. But there is a
lot of season left. But my point is, the Dodgers
(08:01):
get a ten game lead here, they all of a sudden,
now you have even more luxury. Not to rush Otani,
to be a pitcher, not to rush back Blake Trining,
not to rush back Blake Snell. That's my point in
all this. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five
seventy is the phone number Tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium,
(08:22):
the first of a three game series between the Dodgers
and White Sox. Miguel Vargas we'll be back at Dodgers
Stadium as a White Sock and he'll be facing Yamamoto
tomorrow night. Yamamoto seven and six with an ERA of
two sixty one, going up against Shane Smith, the right
hander in fifteen starts this year's three and five with
(08:43):
an ERA at three thirty eight Tomorrow night. Our coverage
begins at six o'clock with Morongo Casino Dodgers on deck.
Tim Kates will get you ready for the game and
first pitch with Rick Monday and Tim Nevertt at seven
to ten from Dodgers Stadium. And then on Wednesday Night,
that's the big night, That's the big night of the
homestand Clayton Kershaw taking the mound just three strikeouts away
(09:07):
from three thousand in his career. You know, you hear
about these lists about the greatest player for the Dodgers
at every position in the last quarter century. Forget about that.
Clayton Kershaw is the greatest Dodger in the last quarter
century period. There's nobody better in the last twenty five years.
(09:31):
Name me a better Dodger, Name me a more impactful
Dodger in the last twenty five years. And instead of
going through every position, how about tonight we talk about
the Mount Rushmore of Dodgers in the last quarter century.
That means four. You can only have four in the
last twenty five years. Kershaw obviously number one. I got
(09:53):
Justin Turner on that Mount Rushmore nine years of the
last twenty five And here's the kicker, Mookie Bets I
got him. Is it Otani After just one and a
half seasons of incredible Dodger baseball winning a World Series
and going fifty to fifty last year as a DH.
(10:13):
Or are you putting Seeger Bellinger who's won an MVP
and a Rookie of the Year, or you putting Matt Kemp?
You know those those six guys. I think you have
two spots for Mookie Bets one year of Otani, Seger
Bellinger and Matt Kemp. Who is that? Eight six six
nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number
(10:36):
when we continue your phone calls. And also it is
Kershaw Appreciation Night, as we are on the eve basically
of Kershaw reaching something that we may not see reached
again in our lifetime, a pitcher reaching the milestone of
three thousand strikeouts. Keik, Hernandez will celebrate Kershaw in our
(10:57):
next segment as well. Six nine seven two five seventy
is the phone number. David vass with you until eight
o'clock right here on a five to seventy LA Sports.
I was listening to some yacht rock on the way
from Kansas City, actually from Denver to Kansas City. I
was listening to some yacht rock in Denver, a lot
(11:19):
of yacht rock. When I was getting ready to go
to the ballpark. I was playing a lot of yacht
rock anyway. David Vass back in La very happy to
be here. And the Dodgers are feeling good after winning
five out of six on their last road trip. And look,
the Dodgers got through the toughest part of their schedule
in the first half of the season, a twenty nine
(11:42):
game stretch where they played the Mets seven times, they
saw the Yankees three times, they saw the Padres seven times,
they saw the Giants for the first time this year.
And they came out seventeen and twelve on the other
side of that twenty nine game stretch and have a
seven and a half game lead over both the Padres
(12:03):
and Giants heading into a three game series against the
White Sox. And look, this is a big deal this
homestand the day after tomorrow, Clayton Kershaw takes the mound
just three strikeouts away from three thousand. If you don't
have tickets, it's summertime right now. And I know it's
the White Sox. I think it's Yamamoto Bobblehead Night. In fact,
(12:26):
it is Yamamoto Bobblehead Night. I mean, come for Kershaw
and get the bobblehead. That's all I'm looking at on Wednesday,
and you know, find a way to capture the moment.
And I fully expect him to get three strikeouts on
Wednesday night. I know he's expecting himself to get three
(12:46):
strikeouts on Wednesday night. The White Sox are one of
the worst teams in baseball. I haven't really done a
deep dive on how many times they have struck out,
but the Rockies were had the highest strikeout percentage of
any team in baseball. And he got five strikeouts at Corsefield,
And if he was allowed to keep going, I believe
(13:08):
he would have got it in Coursefield. But come on,
we all wanted Kershaw to achieve this all time career
milestone here at Dodger Stadium. Is he on your Mount Rushmore?
Of course he is. Of course He's the greatest Dodger
in the last quarter century. Who is the last two
on your Mount Rushmore? I got Kershawn justin Turner. I'm
(13:32):
kind of torn between Mookie Seeger Bellinger, one year of
Otani and let's not forget about Matt Kemp who almost
won the MVP and having a forty forty year as well.
Let's go out to Chuck in Torrance. You're on Dodger
Talk with David vasse Hi. Chuck.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Hey, hey, David, how you doing today? Thanks for taking
a call. Hey, pleasure real quick, David, I am a yeah,
just real quick. I have a couple of balls, all right.
I realize how out field is in that. You know,
they're not fast flooring. Even though I get Padres, he's
okay at center field, but the other two ends, you know,
left and right field, I'm kind of worried about that.
(14:10):
And then again, we have a goal and glove short
stop there. It's not really hitting too much right now.
I was wondering who we could put him back, maybe
starting after the All Star Game, putting back to right field,
let West s up or whatever and come back to
hitting three hundred and you know, one hundred RBIs and
what thirty home runs right now?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Do you think that would do it?
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Chuck?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I think that it's just my opinion. You know, we
don't have too many weeks spots statement, but I just
think that that's one but the but the pitching to
me is, you know, I feel confident about the pitching
because everybody's gonna get healthy. What do you write, Chuck, David.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
You're not the worst person to ask me about that, Chuck.
And look, there's no denying Mookie Bets is the greatest
right fielder we have seen, no doubt about it, And
many that saw Willie Mays say Mookie Betts was the
second best outfielder they have seen play that I have
spoken to. But here's the issue. If you move Mookie
(15:10):
Bets to right field and you move ta Oscar Hernandez
to left field, are you just saying, Michael CONFORDO, You're
on the bench for the rest of the year. And
are you comfortable, Chuck playing a thirty six year old
Miguel Rojas and moving tom Y Edmond to shortstop this
early in the year Rojas Edmund Kim combination at shortstop.
(15:34):
You know, I don't think it's crazy, Chuck. I don't
think it's crazy. But right now, I just don't see
that move being made because Mookie Betts has played really
good shortstop. It's not like he hasn't played good shortstop.
He has played good shortstop.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Then basically it was a little weak, you know, and
like his home run production is really you know what
I'm saying. But eventually, eventually, he'll come around, you know,
that's all it is.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
I'm actually hoping Chuck that he doesn't make the All
Star team. I hope Francisco Lindor beats him out because
I really believe Ki Bets he needs to catch his
breath at the All Star break. He really does, because
going back to Tokyo, you know, maybe he's never really
had his legs underneath him. Maybe this gives him a
(16:22):
chance to regroup, maybe just give his mind a rest.
I would love Mooki just to stay in the house,
go swimming with the kids in the house, don't go anywhere.
Just rejuvenate yourself because you've played great shortstop and I
feel like mentally you never get to take a playoff
at shortstop like you do in right field. And I
(16:45):
just feel like, if Mooki takes the All Star break off,
just shut everything off and just rejuvenate your mind, your body.
I think he's gonna be ready for a big second half. So,
you know, as much as I would love to see
in the game, would love to have Mookie Beds at
the All Star Game this year, the Dodgers are going
to have enough representation. I just think it would be
(17:08):
best for Mooki and the Dodgers a blessing in disguise
if for some reason Francisco Lindor beats him out in
the fan vote and hopefully the coaches don't vote them
to the reserves. Let's go out to see me Valley, Alex,
you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing Alex?
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Hey, David, how you doing here?
Speaker 4 (17:28):
You okay?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I can.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Okay?
Speaker 5 (17:31):
Hey, yeah, Joe. I was just gonna say, I think
I think Max Monkey deserves some consideration there.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Definitely, Hey for Mount Rushmore since twenty eighteen, and then.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Maybe maybe Seeger or soon o Tawny, But I think
Max Monty definitely deserves some consideration there.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
See this is hilarious because two months ago many callers
one in Max Munsey off the Dodgers. Were you one
of those people, Alex? Are you trying to just go
overboard in your maxim see love? Now?
Speaker 5 (18:02):
No, I wasn't one of those. I was patient with him.
I appreciate that the Dodgers are also patient with their
players when they struggle. I think a lot of fans
tend to jump ship too soon on guys. But we've
seen many times before where the players just need a
little bit more time to work through their struggles. But
Max has been a consistent producer for us his entire career,
so I was willing to bear with it and give
(18:24):
him more time. And I'm glad that that Roberts and
the GMS did as well.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Smart Man, Alex. A resume means something, no doubt about it.
It's not like this is Max Munsey's first year with
the Dodgers. He has a lot of credit with this
fan base, and that's why I thought it was ridiculous
that fans were jumping off the Muncie bandwagon, and look,
he needed to make an adjustment. He did. He went
(18:49):
to get his eyes checked, and ever since then he
hasn't looked back. In the last forty games, twelve home runs,
forty six RBIs. In the last ten days, he said,
two Grand Slams. Let's go out to Torrance. Anthony, You're
on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi. Anthony, Hey, David,
how's it going great?
Speaker 6 (19:10):
I was just calling in to talk about the Dodgers,
Mount Rushmore the last.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Twenty five years. The last twenty five years, Yes.
Speaker 6 (19:20):
So I totally agree with you about Justin Turner and
I also want to add I would say Matt Camp
is because I mean, obviously that twenty eleven year was
pretty special and he's always been a fan for you,
So I would say Matt Camp and also Corey Seeger
because of how well he played for us during the
twenty twenty peason, even though you know he was injured
sometimes that post season really really helped us out win
(19:43):
that championship World Series. Yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
You you only have four spots. You got Kershaw, you
got j T, you got Seeger, and you got Matt Camp.
That's it.
Speaker 6 (20:00):
Yeah, those are the main four that I would put honestly.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
All right, Anthony, thanks for the phone call. Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
We have three lines open. We will get to your
phone calls. But since we are celebrating Clayton Kershawn, who
knows this may be his final season in Major League
baseball Because there are a lot of variables and there's
(20:25):
not one certain thing that will dictate whether or not
Kershaw comes back. He's gonna see a how he feels
physically at the end of the year, and that's number
one and number two. You know, there are other variables
that he's gonna have to take into account. So don't
take for granted any one of these starts this season,
especially Wednesday night when he's just three strikeouts away from
(20:48):
three thousand and A guy that has been his teammate
longer than anybody on this current roster is keike A Hernandez,
who got called up to the Dodgers in twenty fifteen
after he acquired that off season. We had a chance
to catch up with Key k before Kershaw's last start.
Thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 7 (21:08):
Yeah, you're welcome. I didn't really get a choice, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
You know you want to spend more quality time with me.
Speaker 7 (21:16):
No, I'm doing this for Kurse, not for you, but yes,
whatever you need.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Okay, thank you, and it's great to have you in
the starting lineup behind Kershaw. You obviously are aware that
he's only eight strikeouts away from three thousand. What does
he meant to you as a teammate.
Speaker 7 (21:32):
I think Kurts has been an inspiration.
Speaker 8 (21:35):
You know, I got here a lot of strikeouts ago,
and when I got here, he was in the midst
of one of the greatest runs that pitcher has ever
put together.
Speaker 7 (21:45):
And if he didn't know who.
Speaker 8 (21:48):
If you didn't know the name, if you weren't aware
of who he was, what he had done in the game,
and you just observed the way that he handled his
business and the way that he worked and his routine
and all that, you would think that he'd be a
guy that wasn't even establishing the big leagues, you know,
guy that was hungry, guy doing whatever it.
Speaker 7 (22:04):
Took to stay at the big league level.
Speaker 8 (22:08):
He worked harder than anybody in the in that locker room.
You never just and you never saw him just sitting
in this locker He was always doing something. And you know,
for him to do that, you know, coming off an
MVP season and he's third, so young, and he was
I would say the best way to if I had
to describe in one word, it was a perfectionist.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
How would you describe the way your friendship, your relationship
with him has grown since twenty fifteen, It's grown a lot.
Speaker 8 (22:36):
I mean, I he with my personality. It's not easy
to be around pictures that you can't necessarily talk to
on start day. So we we we.
Speaker 7 (22:48):
We butt heads a few times.
Speaker 8 (22:49):
The first couple of years, but but no, man, you know,
he's we can't be any We can't be more different,
but we were very similar at the same time when
it comes to baseball and all this, all these things.
So you know, I see Curse as a great example
for for for a lot of things, you know, leading
the pitching staff, leading by example in the locker room.
(23:10):
A great family man, great great dad. You know, Curse
is one of those guys that is if you have
to teach show your kids how to handle themselves, you
you you show Curse.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
When you look at him, even though you're a position player.
Do you feel like he sets the tone for everybody
else to raise their level of work ethic.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
Yeah, that's that's exactly what we're trying to get at
the first question. You know, Uh, guy that has done
that much and he's still working that hard, and it
just it pushes you. It inspires you to work harder
and and and keep trying to improve your game. And
of course he's a he's uh, he's a very much,
very very different picture than when when I first got
to this team.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
But if it wasn't for his work.
Speaker 8 (23:47):
Ethic and and and his dedication and and it is
desired to be better each and every day. Uh, the
evolution of Clayton, not just as a as a guy,
but as a pitcher has been incredible.
Speaker 7 (23:57):
And you know, to still be out there.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
And and his stuff is a lot different. You'd say
that then ten years ago. Uh he's got new pitches,
but uh, you know, and he still goes out there
and then and manage manages the manages to keep him
off off the off the board scoring runs.
Speaker 7 (24:17):
Uh. You know, it's it's really impressive.
Speaker 8 (24:20):
And you know, uh, every time I hear that song
at Dodger Stadium, it puts me in a better mood.
And it's just maybe it's a coincidence, but some of
my better games as a Dodger have been behind Clinton.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Is that for everybody? Does it? Does it raise the
level of focus and intensity when you play behind him? Uh?
Speaker 8 (24:39):
Yeah, I mean whenever you have those guys on the mound,
you just you want to be great for them behind them,
and especially guys that found the strikes on the way
that he does. He gets a lot of early contact.
Guys are trying to trying to get out of the
batter's box as soon as they can so that they
don't strike out there. You know, they he has the curve.
Boy as a slider. He has the fastball, so.
Speaker 7 (24:58):
Guys don't want to get to two strikes with.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
So a lot of guys swing early, and he manufactures
a lot of weak contact because he throws a lot
of pitches off the strike zone that looks like strikes,
and guys are are, you know, being too aggressive because
they don't want to get to two strikes And he
gets a lot.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
Of early contacts.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
So he keeps you, he keeps you active on the
defensive side. He's not He never puts you on your
heels by you know, just walking the house or anything
like that. And of course he's Clayton kershell, So you
just want to make the place for him. And I've
been fortunate enough to play behind him a lot and
make a lot of really nice.
Speaker 7 (25:27):
Place for him. Kay.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
He said that Freddy Freeman has made him aware as
he gets closer to three thousand strikeouts? How aware and
how much do you think he's aware going into today
and fighting against trying to chase those strikeouts?
Speaker 8 (25:40):
He knows, he's he's very aware, you know, Clayton, he's
a he's a very self aware person. He always knows
what he needs to do. He's a he's I know
for a fact he's aware because we had a conversation
about him potentially flying some of his former catchers for
the day that he could get the three thousand strikeout
(26:03):
in a perfect world.
Speaker 7 (26:04):
He he he does it at home.
Speaker 8 (26:07):
But yeah, he's aware, and he's he's joked around like
he's like, what if I'm sitting atween nine, nine hundred
ninety nine and I want to get that last strikeout
on a heater and I try to overthrow it and
you never get that strike out. But he's gonna get
that strikeout and it doesn't really matter what pitch he uses,
because you know, the only pitch that would that would
not be an iconic strikeout would be the split just
(26:28):
because he hasn't had that. Of his three thousand, not
many of them have been on a split, But either way,
three thousand strikeout is allowed to strikeouts and.
Speaker 7 (26:36):
That's why not many pitchers have done it.
Speaker 8 (26:38):
And you know, it's it's it's always special when you
get to be part of a small part of history.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
Yeah, it's awesome that you're here for it. It's awesome
that you're in the starting lineup playing behind Kershaw and
hopefully whenever he gets that three thousand strikeout. You'll be
there behind him as well. Thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 8 (26:54):
Amazing if I'm behind the play or behind the behind
him on the field and you're doing television like that's wow, unbelievable.
Speaker 7 (27:01):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Another great moment in Denver.
Speaker 7 (27:03):
Another great moment in Denver. Thanks a lot, Thank you
so much.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
There he is, Key k Hernandez. There was a lot
of kik on this road trip, a lot of lefties.
The Dodgers finally got to face and keyk started to
heat up, especially yesterday he hit a home run and
he just missed the second one, and man, that was
an amazing insight to Clayton Kershaw and a great tribute
(27:28):
from Key k Hernandez, who has emerged as a leader
on this team going back to last October. You could
hear how much Kerushaw means to him and has meant
to the Dodgers since he got here in twenty fifteen.
We all know that, and certainly Wednesday night is going
to be special. Eight six six nine eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. We are going to
(27:51):
take a time out our last of the night, and
we are going to take your phone calls at eight
six sixne eight seven two five seventy. I want to
know who's on your Mount Dodger Rushmore. You're Mount Rushmore
of Dodgers the last quarter century. I've got two. I'm
looking for the other two. Maybe you could be the tiebreaker.
(28:11):
And also, if we have time, I'll share my conversation
with the president of the Negro League Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick.
Got a lot of good response about that yesterday, so
maybe we'll share that as well. A lot to get
to between now at eight o'clock right here on a
five to seventy LA Sports your home for Clayton Kershaws
three thousand strikeouts, Dodgers back in action at Dodgers Stadium
(28:36):
beginning Tomorrow night Dodgers White Sox at seven to ten
Hawaiian Sure giveaway night. That's why are Ronnie Fossio showing
up Tomorrow night? The Big Night Wednesday Night, Clayton Kershaw
just three strikeouts away from three thousand. Ronnie Fossio will
be there. Hope you join us as well at Dodgers
(28:58):
Stadium to witness history with Kershaw just three strikeouts away
eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number. Let's go out to Downey. David. You're
on Dodger Talk. How you doing, David?
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Good David, how are you.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
I'm so happy to be back home. David went to
golf and stuff with the kids in Ventura today. You know,
life is good again.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
That's great. Hey. First of all, I want to thank
you for this program because you know you are. You
know your format, whether we're happy the Dodgers win or
we get a little bumm because they lose, you know,
you listen to us callers, and me personally, I really
really appreciate what you do.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Hey, thank you. I was I was a caller to
Dodger Talk when I was a kid. I listened to
this show my whole life. So you know it's important
to have and your opinion matters. David.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Okay, so here's my mount rushmore. I I agree with
you with the first three with Clayton Kershaw, Jason, Justin
Turner excuse me, and Lookie Betts. Now my fourth one,
I'm kind of a toss up, but I'm gonna go
with my my gut instinct and I would put Fernando Vealezuela.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
Well, now here's the catch, David, it's the last quarter century.
He is not eligible last.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Okay, how about Eric Ganie.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Eric Ganne, you would put him above guys like Mookie
bats Show, Heo, Tany, Cory Seeger, Cody Bellinger. And I
think I wouldn't put.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Him on there because of the saves, because you know,
he broke the record for the saves.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Okay, so you're you're telling me the mount Rushmore in
the last twenty five years would be Kershaw, Justin Turner,
Eric Ganye and who else.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
No, I would agree with like with Mookie Bade the
first three, I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
All right, So and Eric Dane. Yes, all right, David,
thanks for the phone call.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Ready.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
That's an interesting Uh, that's an interesting one right there.
I mean I wouldn't include Eric Ganie because I mean
he's a closer number one, number two.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I mean.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
One inning. I mean they were great innings. They were
great innings, no doubt about it. But uh, you know,
he was a three time All Star, three time All
Star and incredible three years, no doubt about it. But
that's a little bit of a reach for me. Let's
go out to a joy in Alpine.
Speaker 9 (31:29):
Hi, a Joy, Hey, what's up?
Speaker 2 (31:32):
David.
Speaker 9 (31:33):
Good to have you back, man.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 9 (31:38):
It sounds like you're good man. So just have a
couple of quick questions I had for you. Number one
in regards to Max Munty and where he's been batting.
I noticed that Ek kind of touched based on that
during the broadcast during the weekend. Is that more some
a situational thing with them trying to kind of still
put him a little back when it's a lefty or
is that kind of like what he said where he's
(31:59):
kind of you know, double, you know, clean up there,
kind of trying to turn over the bottom.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
I think it's a little bit of both. He hasn't
been very good against lefties this year until recently. I
mean he's been correct an one hundred hitter against lefties
this year, and all of a sudden, like everything else
that he touches, it's turned to gold recently. So I
think it was a little bit of both.
Speaker 9 (32:23):
Nice and then I'm not a big list guy, but
just get to give it a whirl here. So obviously Kershaw,
I have Matt Kim because I think that was a
taint hit and lost the MVP he had in a
twenty eleven. I have Cody Bellinger, because I mean, the
kid was great man when he was with us. You know,
if it wasn't for the injury, who knows, and then
I have Mookie and then that would be that would
(32:47):
be it right there. I think, yeah, that's yeah, you
got there. I'm pretty comfortable with that. Yes, sir, all right,
all right, solid taking my call.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Have a good night, brother, all right, a joy, thank you,
thanks for calling. All right, let's go out to Carson, Manny,
you're on Dodger Talk. You doing, Manny?
Speaker 10 (33:02):
What's going on DV? Welcome back to La man. We
missed you out here, but we should get straight to it.
My Mount Rushmore. You gotta have ck number twenty two
playing Kershaw obviously, yep, I do a great I do
agree with MOOKI. He had a great, great, great impact
on the team, especially in twenty twenty for that World
Series run. I have to add a Freddy Freeman in there.
(33:26):
And I know he's only been on the team for
the last four seasons or so, but he's missed Game seven.
You know, he practically named himself last year game one.
So I'm gonna put Freddy up there as my three
and for four, my favorite dog of them all and
I miss him terribly, Corey Seeger.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
I love that, Manny, and I can't believe I forgot
about Freddy Freeman. But you're right that one swing in
Game one of the World Series and him just being
a great player certainly makes him a viable candidate. And
I wouldn't argue with that, Manny. So that's a great
call by you. Thanks a lot. Yeah, Freddy Freeman having
(34:07):
the World Series that he had last year automatically put
some as a candidate for the Mount Rushmore in the
last twenty five years without a doubt. And he's been
really good since he became a Dodger in twenty twenty two,
I believe, yeah, twenty two. So yeah, hard to argue
right there. And that's why it's so tough in the
(34:29):
last twenty five years. I mean, there's been so many
great players, especially in the last fourteen to fifteen years,
including Freddy Freeman. Yeah, I would. I would tend to
agree with you. I might have to bump somebody off
my Mount Rushmore to have Freddy Freeman on mine as well.
Let's go out to San Diego. Ed, You're on Dodger Talk.
(34:50):
How you doing, Ed, what's going on?
Speaker 3 (34:53):
How you doing?
Speaker 2 (34:54):
I'm I'm down with the three guys, but to me
include Mike.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
When did Mike Piazza play at it's the last twenty
five years.
Speaker 9 (35:06):
He was done in ninety eight, that's right, twelve All
Stars with the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Yeah, Mike Piazza was great, but he didn't play in
the last twenty five years with the Dodgers. No, he's out,
he's out. Thank you for the phone call. You're out too.
Let's go out to George and Eastvale. You're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, George?
Speaker 9 (35:30):
Great?
Speaker 10 (35:31):
Great? Thank you, David.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
And since he.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Brought up Piazza, Hey, George. Just to make it clear
for the record, I don't have Eric Carros on my
Mount Rushmore because he was a nineties player. He only
played three more years with the Dodgers from two thousand
to two thousand and three, and his prime was in
the nineties. So that's the reason why Caros isn't on
(35:55):
mine either. I don't want him to be offended. He's
easily offended, George, trust me, No.
Speaker 7 (36:03):
I get it.
Speaker 11 (36:04):
I I'll go with Kenny Jason Hey.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Ken Jackson, an all time SAFS leader in the last
twenty five years he became I like that, George, I
like that.
Speaker 11 (36:15):
Yeah, Freddie Freeman, Okay, you can't beat Frederie Freeman, you know,
with with this big big Homer last year and Mookie Betts.
You can't beat Mookie Betts, you know. Then there's the
grinder and the last one. I don't know if you agree,
but he is mister clutch Man kick Hernandez baby, mister
(36:39):
clutch Well.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
I will say this, George. Even Key K would tell
you you're ridiculous for having him on Mount Rushmore and
not Clayton Kershaw. I'll speak for KEYK here.
Speaker 11 (36:51):
I agree as as No, No, you're right, you're right,
but you know kick A has a little soft spot
in my own so no, Clayton Kersher, You're absolutely right.
I agree with you one hundred percent. But what do
you think about my picks?
Speaker 1 (37:07):
I love your picks. I love the Kennley Jansen angle.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I love.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
That's way more legit than Eric Ganne all time saves
leader in Dodgy history, and he did it from twenty
eleven on.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
So I'm with you, George, and can getting that honorable mention.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Okay, he's the mountain right next to Mount Rushmore. Thank
you for the phone call, George, appreciate it. Eight sixty
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
That was fun and I loved hearing all of your
different Mount rushmorees. He had some good ones and made
me reconsider mine, So I appreciate all the calls. We
had a chance to catch up with a man that
(37:46):
knows a lot about Mount rushmorees in the Negro Leagues.
And there is one man that tells the best stories
about the Negro Leagues and we are so very lucky
to still have him and still sharing the stories of
the Negro Leagues to the next generation. And he is
the president of the Negro League Museum in Kansas City,
(38:06):
and that is the one and only Bob Kendrick. We
had a chance to catch up with mister Kendrick before
yesterday's game in Kansas City, which was honoring the Negro Leagues.
During the Dodgers Royals game, the Royals were wearing the
Monarchs hats and the Dodgers were wearing the Brooklyn b
hats in honor of the Negro Leagues. And of course
the great Jackie Robinson. Thanks a lot for joining us.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
Oh, Dave, it's great to see you man. Thanks so
much for having me on the show.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Well, the franchise of Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcomb,
just to name a few. I mean, it is special
to come to Kansas City and see the museum.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
Well, and there's a bridge between the two cities. Because
a lot of people don't know, Dave, Dad, Jackie Robinson's
illustrious professional baseball career began right here in Kansas City
with the great Kansas City Monarchs in nineteen forty five
in the negro Leagues. Now, he was only here for
five months, but as I tell people, the five months
he's spend in Kansas City, he fell in love with
(39:02):
everything that Kansas City is famous for, barbecue and jazz.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I love that. Yeah, Jackie was a big man of
jazz and baseball and all that. And Roy Campanella three
time MVP. He was a big player in the negro
Leagues as well.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Well.
Speaker 4 (39:17):
Noah and the Dodgers had a litany of great stars
that came out of the negro Leagues camp. He joined
the team in the negro Leagues called the Baltimore Elite Giants.
Now it's spelled elite, but it's pronounced elite because you
make those Negro leaguers mad if you call him the
elite giants. Well, Campy joins the elites as a fifteen
(39:37):
year old catcher.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Can you believe a fifteen.
Speaker 4 (39:40):
Year old kid catching professionally in the Negro leagues? But
as I tell my guests, he was not your typical
fifteen year old. He was a fifteen year old man style,
but he was fifteen. Nevertheless, and the great Raleigh biss
MACKI took him under his wing and taught him the
art of catching. And I don't have to tell Dodger fans.
(40:00):
Roy Campanella will become a three time MVP with the
Brooklyn Dodgers before a tragic car accident left them paralyzed
and cut short what was still a Hall of Fame career.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
When we come to the Negro League Museum and you
tell the stories of the Negro leagues, are you mesmerized
as much as we are? Even though you've told the
stories many times? Oh man, this never gets old for me.
It doesn't.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
And every time I did a young athlete of any
sports discipline, but particularly my young Major league baseball players,
it just fills me with great joy to walk them
through that museum, to share the stories, many of these
stories that the late great Buck O'Neil and other legendary
Negro leaguers shared with me, and in doing so, I
feel like I'm keeping them alive in my mind and
(40:44):
in my heart. But the thing that I share that
the threat that they have with those who played in
the Negro Leagues is real simple love of the game.
You play this game because you love it. And I
know sometimes as fans we can get a little fickle
because we equate everything to money, and so these guys
are afforded an opportunity to make a great living.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
But it's still about the love of the game.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
They are still playing a game that they played for free,
and if they had to play it for free, they
would still play it for free. But as I remind them,
you will never see a greater example of love of
the game than you do when you walk through the
Negro League's Baseball Museum. They had to love it in
order to endure the things that they had to endure.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
What's the lasting legacy of Jackie Robinson with the Negro
Leagues and just how special is it for him? To
be not only the face of American sports history, but
American history period. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (41:40):
Well, you know, we take great pride that Kansas City
and the Negro leagues gave America arguably its greatest hero
in Jackie Robinson. And for those who subscribe to the
belief that one individual cannot invoke change, well you need
to look no further than Jackie Roosevelt Robinson because when
(42:00):
he walked out on that field as a member of
the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was called everything but my mother
would say, but a child of God when he walked
out there, and he handled himself with such grace, class,
and dignity. But the other side of the ledger is
that he was also shouldering the weight of twenty one
million black folks who were counting on him to succeed. Yeah,
(42:22):
and that's an enormous amount of pressure for any one
individual to have to bear, and he did it with
tremendous grace, class, and dignity. We should never forget Jackie Robinson,
and Baseball has made it such. The Dodger organization has
made it such that baseball fans likely won't ever forget
Jackie Robinson. And certainly as long as that museum is
(42:43):
there operating here in Kansas City. His story will always
be at the forefront, but so will those other trail blazers,
those who built the bridge that allowed Jackie to cross
over and for others to then follow right behind him.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Before I let you go, show hand Tani one of
the greatest players we've ever seen in Major League Baseball.
Was there anybody like Otani in the negro leagues?
Speaker 4 (43:07):
Well, the thing that I love about this phenom by
the name of shoe Hey Atani is that it has
opened up the opportunity for me to talk about the
great two way stars of the Negro leagues. And so
when Shoe Hay first gets here to play in the
major leagues, everyone was saying, Babe Ruth. But in my opinion,
Babe Ruth is a royal comparison. The real comparison is
to a guy named Wilber Bullet Rogan who was a
(43:29):
star pitcher for the Kansas City Monarchs. He is in
the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But when Bullet Rogan
wasn't pitching and he was a dominant pitcher, he played
the outfield and hit cleanup for the Kansas City Monarchs.
Now let me tell you you don't just hit clean
up for the Kasity monarch.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
You've got to be able to rake.
Speaker 4 (43:48):
And in the words of the immortal Leroy Satchel Page,
in the beautiful vernacular of Leroy Satchel Page, who said
that Bullet Rogan is the onliest ball player I ever
heard of. I've ever seen that pitch and hit in
the cleaned up position. That was Robert Bullet Joe Rogan.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
All right, we got a parallel to show. Hey, O, Tommy,
I knew you would have the answer to that. No,
But you know, I, like the rest of us, I'm
a baseball fan. We marvel at what sho he has done.
Speaker 4 (44:19):
And it also gives me an opportunity to talk about
that connection between the Negro Leagues and Japan because the
Negro Leagues go to Japan in nineteen twenty seven. Man,
that's seven years before Babe Ruth and as all Americans go,
and they've been commonly credited with having taken our brand
of professional baseball to the Japanese.
Speaker 1 (44:38):
But it's not true.
Speaker 4 (44:39):
If it was a team called the Philadelphia Royal Giants,
they go over to Japan in nineteen twenty seven, they
play a twenty four game exhibition series. They go twenty
three to h to one on that tour, and if
you were to talk to the older Japanese baseball historian,
they will tell you that it was that tour and
a subsequent tour by that same Philadelphia Royal Giant that
was the spot that lit the flame that is now
(45:01):
the fire for professional baseball in Japan, and it's certainly
played a role in why we were able to get
stars such as Hideo Nomo, my diffriend, Ichiro Suzuki, who's
about to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame,
and of course this phenom by the name of Shohei Antani.
The negro Leagues play a pivotal role. They helped make
(45:22):
our game the global game that it is today. They
just never were given credit for it.
Speaker 1 (45:27):
That's why the negro Leagues can never be forgotten and
it never will be forgotten because Bob Kendrick has continued
to tell the story of the great negro Leagues, and
the Negro League Museum Hall of Fame is one place
that you have to come to and see our good
friend Bob Kendrick when you come to Kansas City. Thanks
a lot for the time and man the best stressed
guy in Kansas City.
Speaker 4 (45:48):
Thank you, No, it is my pleasure. I want to
thank all those Dodger fans who filled up the museum
over this weekend series. Thank you guys for coming by
and seeing us, Thank you for your support, and thank
you for the opportunity to be on the show.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
Hey, we love Bob Kendrick. Thanks a lot for the time, Bob. Hey,
we do love Bob Kendrick and really appreciate him coming
on the show before yesterday's game right here on a
five to seventy LA sports and Sports Net LA best
dressed man in the stadium yesterday and Dodger fans always
ask me where should we go see the Dodgers? Which
(46:22):
stadium should we go? Visit? Kansas City? Would be worth
it just to go to the Negro League Baseball Museum.
It's that good.
Speaker 4 (46:32):
I know.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Cooperstown obviously is a big deal for baseball fans, but
you've got to put it on your bucket list to
go see the Dodgers playing Kansas City, get that great
Kansas City barbecue, and go see and visit the Negro
League Museum and see Bob Kendrick and get a tour
from Bob and you will learn a lot. It's really special.
(46:55):
My favorite part of the museum is they have a
miniature baseball diamond and they have statues of every great
Negro League player at that position. That's my favorite part.
So make it to Kansas City, make it to the
Negro League Baseball Museum. That'll do it for us. Tonight
on Dodger Talk, thanks to Ronnie Fossio for all his help.
(47:17):
Thanks to you for listening. In case you missed any
of the show, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app.
The Dodgers back in action tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium,
opening up a six game homestand beginning with a three
game series against the White Sox. Yamamoto on the mound
for the Dodgers tomorrow Kershaw on Wednesday, three strikeouts away
(47:39):
from three thousand. Hope to see you out there. Tickets
are available. Fox Sports Radio is next. We'll talk to
you tomorrow from Dodgers Stadium. See them
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