Dodger Talk (7-14-25)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Dodger Talk. David vasse with you until eight
o'clock tonight here on a five to seventy LA Sports,
and we have a great show for you. On this
Monday night, the first day of the All Star Break.
The home run Derby has happened, and we'll get into
the participants of the home run Derby, not only this year,
but in recent home run derbys. But nonetheless, we have

(00:24):
a great show for you tomorrow night the All Star
Game in Atlanta. John Smoltz will be on the call
with our very own Joe Davis will join us at
the bottom of the hour. He is part of the
three thousand strikeout club three thousand and eighty four strikeouts
in his career. And also we will reshare our conversation
with Clayton Kershaw. I had a chance to catch up

(00:47):
with him in the Dodger dugout just two days after
recording that big milestone strikeout against the White Sox in
the sixth inning. So the last segment of the show
is going to be the three thousand bike out segment
of the show with Kershaw and John Smoltz coming up
in fifteen minutes. You'll hear from one of my favorite

(01:07):
Dodgers and one of your favorite Dodgers, Adrian Gonzalez, who
is now on Sports Net LA, will join us and
also is a part owner of a new pizza spot
that is opening up on the corner of Olympic and
saw Tel this week Olympic in Sawtel Slice Sirea. Adrian

(01:28):
Gonzalez is an owner and it's kind of a place
that we talked about, I don't know a few weeks
ago when it was a raindelay Dodger talk show and
the Dodgers were in arraindelay against the Mets at City Field.
We were talking about the best pizzas in La and
the one thing we all agreed upon is that we
don't have a place where you can just go get

(01:50):
a slice. There's not enough places like that in La
and Sliria Pizza is that type of place, and Adrian
Gonzalez knows what we need in the city. He is
delivering for the people of the city with Slicerea, which
is opening up on the corner of Olympic in Satl
the end of this week. So Adrian Gonzalez going to
join us at the in fifteen minutes eight six six nine,

(02:14):
eight seven, two five seventy is the phone number. Not
sure how many calls will be able to get to tonight,
but it's always worth throwing it out there. And tomorrow
night the All Star Game in Atlanta. And you know,
I have been anticipating this All Star Game more than
any other in recent memory since the All Star Game
was at Dodger Stadium, because I am so looking forward

(02:38):
to Freddie Freeman being introduced at Truest Park in Atlanta,
wearing a Dodger uniform as the starting first baseman for
the National League. It will just remind everybody in Atlanta
what they are missing. And I have said this many
times before. Freddie Freeman is one of those players you

(03:00):
take for granted because he is like a metronome. He
is so consistent and consistent. Players don't get the love
that Ronald o'cunya Junior would, or a Pete Alonzo for
those mammoth home runs and having this fancy nickname like
the Polar Bear.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
No.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
Freddie Freeman is one of the greatest hitters in the
game of baseball and is one of the best, if
not the best, hitter of this generation of baseball, especially
since he is in the middle of playing with all
this launch Agle and guys looking for slug rather than
looking for hits. Freddie Freeman is still looking for hits.

(03:38):
So that's part of the reason why I am so
excited about Tomorrow's All Star Game. I think the one
part of the game that I'm going to watch the
most is the starting lineup introductions, just to hear the
fans shower Freddie with the love that he deserves in Atlanta,
coming back as the reigning World Series MVP, wearing that

(04:00):
Dodger jersey. And another guy I'm looking forward to hearing
introduced is Max Freed. Yeah, the Braves thought, you know what,
we don't need Max Freed. We don't need Freddie Freeman. Really,
here they are in your ballpark, wearing different uniforms as
All Stars and big time All Stars. There's an argument

(04:20):
to be made that Max Freed has been just as good,
if not a little bit better in a different way
than Trek Scoobel of the Tigers. That's how good Max
Freed has been for the Yankees this year. And I
am looking forward to Encino Zone, a Reggie Smith disciple,
to be introduced at Truest Park tomorrow night in Atlanta.

(04:41):
Just to remind Alexanthopolis what you let get away. I mean,
it wasn't that long ago, only four years ago, that
the Braves were the World Series champions. But slowly, but surely,
Alexanthopolis has dismantled that World Series team, letting Freddie Freeman,
letting Dansby Swanson walk, letting Max Freed walk. And look

(05:04):
at the Braves now. You know, you think the Dodgers
had issues going into the All Star break, not as
bad as the freaking Atlanta Braves. You look at the
Atlanta Braves at the All Star break. They're thirteen games
out of first place in the NL East. They have
a worse record than the Marlins. They only have about

(05:26):
they have fifty something losses. Now they're behind the Marlins
in the standings, and a lot of people around baseball
believe Anthopolis is not going to allow his ego to
sell off at the trade deadline, but he may not
have any other choice considering how bad the Braves are.
And sorry, I know he probably has visions of trading

(05:48):
for Jack Peterson and Jore Solaire and changing the Braves
season in twenty one. It's not happening this year, Alex.
I'm sorry, Yasu, my friend eight six six, nine eighty
seven two five seventy is the phone number? All right?
The home run derby happened tonight and yes, ronald' kunya
Junior's nice. Yes, Brent Rookers nice Junior. Camonaro is one

(06:11):
of my favorite young players in the game. James Wood,
same thing. But it feels like we're starting to trend
towards the NBA Dunk Contest, where the established stars do
not want to participate. Only the young guys that really
want to make a statement participate. A fun guy like
Ronald d'acunya Junior, who obviously loves the spotlight. It's it

(06:34):
was in his home ballpark in truest Park great. I
love it. I love Ronald duacunya Junior in that type
of setting. But we need to get guys like Aaron Judge,
Shoho Tani especially to be enticed to participate in the
home run derby. The guys don't want to participate because

(06:56):
the rules are really backwards right now. It's exhausting. Why
would Otani, who is going to pitch more in the
second half, want to compromise his body to kind of
go through rapid fire home run derby. Why would Aaron
Judge want to do that as well when they're on
winning teams that are trying to get back to the

(07:16):
World Series. Look, I don't hate this format, but it's
not conducive to establish veterans who are thirty something years old.
If you want to continue to have the rookies and
the rising stars of the game participate in the home
run derby, go right ahead and keep these rules. But
these rules are not conducive to getting the veterans to

(07:39):
want to play, to getting Otani in it, to getting
Judge in it. Go back to the way it was
with Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffy Junior. Let these
guys ease into the home run derby and not put
their bodies through the ringer and not let their bodies
be worn down where they're concerned about injury and fatigue

(08:01):
does lead to injury. You can't you can't keep the
rules the same way if you want Otani and Schwarber
and out Aaron Judge in the home run derby at
this stage of their careers. Bryce Harper, that would be
special to have him in the home run derby. Manny Machado,
that would be special, George Springer, that would be sweet.

(08:23):
Rafael Devers, maybe Bobby Wood Junior, get him in there
with these guys, your Don Alvarez, who knows, maybe even
Mike Trott would have something left in the tank to
participate in the home run Derby. But the format the
way it is right now, it's not gonna get these
guys to wanna participate. Sure, you're gonna get a Ronald

(08:43):
Acuna Junior in Atlanta. Sure when the home run Derby's
in John Carlos Stanton's hometown of La Dodger Stadium, you're
gonna get the stars or have a better chance. If
you couldn't get Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper and Otani
to participate in the home run Derby in La at
Dodgers Stadium. Do you really believe you're gonna get them

(09:05):
to participate with these rules in Atlanta or Milwaukee or
wherever else, It's going to be no. I mean, so
if you want these guys, you better rethink the format.
Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number when we continue here on Dodger Talk
on the All Star Break edition, you're gonna hear from

(09:26):
Adrian Gonzalez. You'll hear from Clayton Kershaw and John Smoltz.
We are loaded, as as Petros likes to say, we
are loaded. That's right. We are on AM five to
seventy LA Sports. Welcome back to Dodger Talk. David Vase
with you until eight o'clock tonight here on AM five
to seventy LA Sports. The All Star Game coming up

(09:48):
in a couple of days, so we got time to
really stretch out and enjoy our friends that we have
met and connected with throughout the baseball world. And of course,
this guy has such an not only to the Dodgers,
but also to the city of Los Angeles. When he
burst onto the scene as a number one pick of
the Miami Marlins, the draft was just yesterday. Everybody was

(10:13):
pumped up that this kid from Chula Vista was going
to make his major league debuts sooner rather than later.
But Dodger fans were excited back in twenty twelve when
Josh Beckett, Nick Punto, and Adrian Gonzalez took a private
jet to LA and the rest is history. Adrian Gonzalez
joins us from Parts unknown. Gonzo, thanks a lot for

(10:35):
calling in appreciate it. Oh, thank you.

Speaker 3 (10:38):
Sorry about the noise. I am sitting in the hallway
in the hotel here, and you know there's some noise
around me, but talking to you, and yeah, the draft being,
you know, held yesterday. I remember when I was when
it was when I was in the draft. It was
in June, so a month later these days. But it's
always good to reminisce and think about the draft and

(10:59):
where it all started for me.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
Okay, so it's a lot different now than it was.
Even when you got drafted. Were you just at home
with your parents and got a phone call?

Speaker 3 (11:10):
Now, when I got drafted, they had we had said
down with the Marlins a week prior and they had
told me I was going to be the first overall pick,
and so they actually flew me to Miami from San
Diego to Miami two days prior to the draft, and
we went to dinner the night before, and then I
was in the offices at Pro Players Stadium at the time,

(11:32):
you know, for the draft, and I was there when
they announced the pick alongside them, and then we had
the press conference right after it.

Speaker 1 (11:39):
Okay, so that's a little bit more involved. When you're
the number one pick, you get that first class treatment.

Speaker 3 (11:45):
Yeah, I mean, you know, they they let me know
a week ahead, and you know, we took our of
business before the draft, and you know, we're able to
arrange everything so it can be a memorable one. I
took batting practice that day on the field, you know,
with the big league team, and it was a lot
of fun.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
When you look back at your career, Adrian, I know,
obviously fan bases in San Diego and La believe those
were the only teams you played for. But man, what
an experience as far as the journey goes. You saw
a lot from the moment that you were drafted.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
He did.

Speaker 3 (12:16):
You know, we always talk about the lives, and you know,
experience as you go through in the minor leagues is
unique to any sport, I believe. I think baseball is
the only sport that has that path that most kids take,
and you learn a lot from it, you grow a
lot from it. And yeah, I mean you have to
you have to persevere, even even as a first overall pick.

(12:38):
You know, I had to persevere to when I got
to the big leagues. It was, hey, I don't want
to go back, and I need to work harder and harder.
And harder, and it teaches.

Speaker 1 (12:47):
You that Adrian Gonzalez is our guest. Adrian nobody knew
themselves better than you do as a as a hitter,
Freddie Freeman reminds me a lot of you because he
knows himself really well and he values RBIs in those
situations as a hitter when you were in it, do
you feel like you stay true to yourself for the

(13:10):
most part, because so many people nowadays want to, you know,
adjust and tinker and all that. How did you stay
true to yourself?

Speaker 4 (13:18):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (13:18):
You know, I think the thing that for me, and
I feel Freddy's the same way. Like you said, obviously,
I think Freddy's a you know, a level above what
I was. You know, he's he's an incredible player. But
the thing about those situations and when you come up
to the plate in a situation where there's a runner
in third less than two outs, or a runner and
second with two outs, it just makes you simplify things

(13:41):
because your job is very simple.

Speaker 4 (13:43):
It is.

Speaker 3 (13:44):
It's in front of you. You know, when you come
up to the bat leading off an inning, there's so
many possibilities of what could happen. You could try to
hit and try to get a double. You could try
to walk, you can try all these different things. But
when you get to the plane there's a runner in
second with two outs, there's one thing in mind. Get
that single up the middle, driving the right. You're not
trying to hit a home run at that point, you're
not trying to hit a ball down the line. You're

(14:04):
just trying to stay up the middle, simplify and drive them.
When there's a runner and third with one hour or
zero out, you just try and hit that side fly
to deep left center field or deep right center field
and get that run hand. So when you're in those situations,
for me, it was always easier because I knew my
job was simple. It was one thing, just get it done,
and it just made me a better just compact. I'm

(14:26):
not trying to do too much, and I feel like
the really good RBI hitters are able to understand and
do that and just kind of simplifying those situations because
the job's in front of you. Just get it done.

Speaker 1 (14:37):
You hit forty home runs and more in your career
in a season, but I never viewed you as a
power hitter. Do you feel like nowadays too many guys
that are not power hitters are trying for that a
little bit too much, and it's taking them out as
a whole of doing what you described.

Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yeah, you know, you know, I think I think the
analytical world and this whole launch angle era and these
academies or these facilities that are you know, so focused
on exit velo. There was a couple of years back,
I was working in the front office, you know, and
I was traveling to the minor league minor league affiliates,
and so many of the kids kept talking about exit

(15:18):
velo in batting practice, and they kept asking like, Hey,
what was my exi velo? And I'm thinking I'm looking
at them like, in batting practice, if you're worried about
your extive velo and batting practice, if you're worried about
your exit velo in the cage, that means you're over swinging.
That means you're not practicing the right technique. That means
you're your path is not You're not worried about, you know,
the trajectory of the ball coming off the bat. You're

(15:40):
worried about all the wrong thing and you're just you're
just searching for maximum velocity or the or the certain
angle or the certain launch angle off the ball. But
hitting the baseball in the game is so reactive. You
can't put the ball on the tea, you can't get
in the perfect flip to pay pitching coaches and throw it,

(16:01):
you know, throwing it down the middle. In the game,
they're trying to get you out. And so hitting is
about reacting. It's about being in the right hitting position,
putting your foot down in time, and letting your hands
take the right paths and the ball so you can
make the right contact. And when you're doing those things,
you're going to be a good hitter. But when you're
focused on exavilo, you forget that the pitcher is trying

(16:21):
to pitch against your your they're pitching to your weakness,
and so it's just it just complicates things so much more.
And I feel like that's why the batting averages and like,
like you said, the hitters that shouldn't be focused on
home runs are focused on the wrong things and they
should be focused on the right you know, mechanics, swing
path timing, all the things that matter when it comes

(16:42):
to hitting.

Speaker 1 (16:43):
Do you feel like hitters nowadays, with everything that you
just said, it feels like they're a lab creation. Do
you think we've lost the compete and forgetting the fact that,
like you said, when you're in that batter's box, you
got to compete.

Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, you know, they're the way I
see it, I see a lot of hitters are able
to hit mistakes because a mistake, a hanging breaking pitch,
a fastball to leak back over the plate, that the
pitches are doing it more often than they used to
because they're they're they're actually trying to throw the ball
harder and and and trying to get more spain and

(17:20):
better breaks out of their pitches. And yeah, when they
execute it right, they're making extremely great pitches. But because
they're over you know, pushing themselves, they're making a lot
more mistakes. And what I see is that the hitters
are able to hit mistakes because when when you take
one path to one zone, to one area and and

(17:40):
the balls and and that and that and that swing path,
you're able to hit it, and you're able to hit
it harder, but you're not able to hit it as often.
And I just I just feel like, like you said,
the compete, the hey, let me let me hit a
line drive up the middle. Let me hit a drive,
you know, let me pull it the right way, let
me hit it the other way the right way, you know.
And I see a lot of hitters get lost in

(18:01):
trying to reach for certain things that they shouldn't be
They should just be focusing on and like I said,
the proper hitting mechanics.

Speaker 1 (18:09):
Hey, Jam, I'm always curious whether or not current players
are guys that you know from where you're from, ever
tap into you? Because Nomar is at Dodger Stadium before
every game working with you on sports net LA. You
guys are out there, Does anybody ever tap into you?
Because you guys have so much knowledge to impart on

(18:29):
these guys.

Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, you know, the hardest thing as a player, for
both Nomar and myself, we talk about it all the time,
is that we are not the team's hitting coach and
we cannot go into a cage or we cannot go
and have a conversation with a hitter and tell them
one thing, because unless you're able to follow through what
you're trying to say and get into cage and work

(18:52):
and give it the right time, one tidbit from me
might be counterproductive to the hitter. So I personally stay
away from saying anything to the hitters because I'm not
going to. I don't want to. That's not my job.
The Dodgers have some great hitting coaches to do their job,
and you know, and so that's who is supposed to

(19:13):
be there to do that for them or any other player.
They have their team sitting coaches. And so for me
to go in and say, hey, you're you know, you're
pulling off the ball, let's just say right that, that
means nothing like I need to go in there and
be like, hey, I feel like you're pulling off the
ball because I see this, this, this, and this is
work on it, and now you need time, you need days,
you need weeks to work on it. And you know,

(19:35):
we're not going to go down that tunnel there. So
it's really hard for a player like me to go
to one player and try to tell them what to
do or what they're doing wrong or what I see,
you know, unless it's the off season and they're like, hey,
let's work a couple of weeks together and then you
can do that. But until then, it's almost kind of
productive for me to even say anything.

Speaker 1 (19:55):
That makes a lot of sense. Adrian Gonzalez, who taught
me a lot about baseball when he was playing for
the Dodgers is our guest, and now he is a
pizza man. Adrian has a lot of different interests and
uh certainly this is really cool because La is missing
a spot where you can just get a slice. And
Adrian is a part owner of Slight Syria, which is

(20:17):
opening up by the end of this week in uh in,
La on eleven three oh one West Olympic Boulevard. Slice Area.
Where did this come from? Adrian?

Speaker 3 (20:28):
Yeah, so you know, I'm I'm a restaurant tour in
a way. I own some Jersey Mike stores down in
San Diego, and I'm a big fan of the fast
casual business and and I'm just you know, I love business.
And we we started this path to open up a
actually a Mexican restaurant that's competition to Chipoldle and that

(20:49):
is opening up soon as well, which which will open
up soon right next source to Slice Area. It's called
but Sly Syria. It's a it's a dual concept and
so we have and we have Slice Area next door.
It's on the corner of Olympic and Sautel and Slice
Area will open first. It will open next week, and
you know we'll be open to the like it's a

(21:09):
you know, grab a pizza by the slie. You can
buy the whole pie if you like, but just a
good slice of pizza. And uh and soon after that
says we'll open right right next door to it. So yeah,
stel and Olympic, you know, go get your slice.

Speaker 1 (21:24):
Oh yeah, it's deep in l A. And we need
a place like that, Adrian. We don't have like New
York where you could just go get a slice, y'all.
You could buy a pie there obviously, but this place,
slice area is what we need.

Speaker 3 (21:35):
A slice, yeah, exactly. Now yeah, uh, you know we'll
be we'll be we'll be making a lot of great,
great pizzas.

Speaker 4 (21:44):
Along the way.

Speaker 3 (21:44):
And uh and and you know, anybody that wants a
good a good meal two slices in a sota, you know,
go get it.

Speaker 1 (21:50):
And you never know, Adrian Gonzalez might be there when
you go get your slice.

Speaker 3 (21:55):
I will be there often. I probably see that I
will be there often.

Speaker 1 (21:59):
Is that how you've channeled your competitive juices opening up
these restaurants? How have you been able to channel that
type of personality into this venture?

Speaker 3 (22:12):
Yeah, you know, just opening up good you know, good
businesses that resemble who I am as a person. You know,
everything I do has to do with with being me
authentically and I feel like, you know, being in the
service business, you know, in the food industry. You know,
obviously everybody knows I love to eat. I'm not the
six sided guy out there, but you know I love

(22:34):
to Actually, I love to eat, I love to exercise,
I love to hang out with people and have a
good time. So anything that that resembles that lifestyle is
what I love to do. And I feel like if
you're passionate about something and if that's what you really enjoy,
you're going to do it well. And so you know,
those are those are the interests I have. And this
is a core concept that we're opening.

Speaker 1 (22:52):
Can't wait to be there Slice area on the corner
of Olympic and Sawtel opening up at the end of
the week. Adrian, thanks a lot for the time, A
great excuse to talk to you, because you meant a
lot to me, and it was awesome watching you do
your thing when you played and everything that you sound
like now and we see you that's who you always were,
so that you were always authentic, So thank.

Speaker 3 (23:14):
You, Thank you guys, and I really I always appreciate
you as well, and it's always it was always good
hanging out. And you know right now we're not joking
back and forth at but we love those exchanges as well.

Speaker 1 (23:27):
So yeah, this was an EMO, this was an EMO interview.

Speaker 3 (23:31):
It was.

Speaker 1 (23:33):
Thanks Scott, so I love it all right, thank you.
There he goes. Adrian Gonzalez is our guest. You got
to check out Slice Area Olympic and sawtel opening up
at the end of the week. A great place and
what I mean you could follow them on Instagram. I
looked at it. I'm I haven't tasted the pizza, but
it looks amazing. So that's why I'm all in, even

(23:54):
though I haven't been there yet. And obviously whatever Adrian does,
it's gonna be really good. He's not going halfway. So
thank you to Adrian Gonzalez for joining us. And when
we continue here on Dodger Talk during this All Star
Break special, we will catch up with John Smoltz, Hall
of Famer and part of the three thousand Strikeout Club.
And also I'll share my conversation with Clayton Kershaw after

(24:18):
he recorded his three thousand strikeouts. So the next segment
a lot of strikeouts. John Smoltz and Clayton Kershaw, don't
go anywhere more Dodger Talk during the All Star break.
Right around the corner right here on a five to
seventy LA Sports. Thanks again to Adrian Gonzalez for joining us.
This is Dodger Talk. David Vasse with you during the

(24:39):
All Star break as we get ready for the second
half of Dodger Baseball. Eight six six nine eight seven
two five seventy is the phone number. Not sure if
we're going to be able to get to phone calls tonight,
considering we do have a loaded show. Adrian Gonzalez joined us.
In case you missed any of that interview, you can
find it on the iHeartRadio and coming up in about

(25:01):
ten minutes you'll hear from Hall of Famer John Smoltz
and this is the three thousand strikeouts segment, right Clayton Kershaw.
One of the highlights not only for the Dodgers this season,
but also in Major League Baseball was the fact that
Clayton Kershaw reached a milestone that we may not see
reached in our lifetime again. Hopefully we will, but that's

(25:24):
the way, A lot of people are talking this might
be the last time we see a pitcher record three
thousand strikeouts. And look, it's an exclusive club. More guys
have hit five hundred home runs in their careers than
pitchers have struck out three thousand batters in their careers.
Clayton Kershaw became just the twentieth pitcher in baseball history

(25:46):
to record three thousand strikeouts. He became just the fourth
left handed pitcher in baseball history to record three thousand strikeouts.
Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, C. C. Sabathia, and now Clayton Kersh.

Speaker 4 (26:00):
Ya.

Speaker 1 (26:00):
And that happened on July second at Dodger Stadium against
the White Sox, Kershaw just three strikeouts away. We all
know it wasn't maybe the perfect night for Kershaw as
far as stuff goes, but he said he was chasing
strikeouts and that definitely affected him. But here was the
call right here on Dodgers Radio on that night at

(26:20):
Dodger Stadium, July second, against the White Sox with two
outs in the sixth inning.

Speaker 5 (26:26):
One ball, two strikes, two capra betherre than fifty thousand
on their feet at Dodger Stadium, one two pitch, strike.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
Three cold there it is.

Speaker 6 (26:41):
Hey got over with a slider, strike out number three
thousand for Clayton Kershaw history at Dodger Stadium. They will
stop the game, Kurshaw doffing his cap to the crowd.
There's adoring crowd.

Speaker 7 (26:59):
Here at Roger Stadium as Clayton Kershaw enters the three
thousand club, just the twentieth member and only the fourth left.

Speaker 1 (27:11):
Hand or the history of the game. That was Tim
Neverett on the call for that big night, and certainly
it was an emotional night at Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw
looking for his wife Ellen and their four kids as
soon as he was able to record that strikeout. And
we talked about it that night where he never really
has allowed himself to enjoy the moments of his career,

(27:35):
but at this stage of his career, eighteen years in
and possibly his last in Major League baseball, it seemed
like Clayton allowed himself to enjoy the moment. And here
was Clayton Kershaw just two days later on the fourth
of July with us in the Dodger dugout.

Speaker 2 (27:51):
Yeah, I'm a Rams guy now.

Speaker 8 (27:53):
So ever since Matthew got there, you know, they won
a Super Bowl, so it looks like Vandwagon. But yeah,
ever since Matthew got there, I'm a ram fan.

Speaker 1 (28:00):
I've never heard the connection between you and Stafford before.

Speaker 2 (28:02):
Oh you want that story?

Speaker 1 (28:05):
Hey two days later, Now you've been celebrated so much
around baseball in LA. How does it feel after you've
been able to get through all that?

Speaker 2 (28:14):
Oh, it's so special.

Speaker 8 (28:15):
I mean I think that night, you know, obviously I'd
like to have given up a few less runs and
strike out the guy a little sooner. But you know,
looking back on the whole night and everything that happened,
it was so special, such a great night for my family,
for me, and you know, obviously the fans reaction that
whole night and just how they you know, you kind
of just felt the tension that they had for me

(28:36):
to figure this thing out and forget a strikeout finally,
So just wouldn't have changed it for the world, just
to blast so grateful for the night. And you know,
I think you're slowly starting to move on, get past
it and try to look forward to facing the Brewers
and get that three thousand and first one.

Speaker 1 (28:52):
You don't really show any sort of self importance were
you surprised by how much the fans cared about you
reaching that milestone?

Speaker 2 (29:01):
Yeah? I think so.

Speaker 8 (29:02):
I mean I think, you know, from even just the
warm ups before the game to you know, running back
out for the sixth inning.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
There it was. It was definitely more than I expected.
It was.

Speaker 8 (29:13):
It was a very unique experience. It was awesome, awesome.

Speaker 1 (29:17):
I was doing Dodger talk upstairs while you came out
after the game and the grounds crew started to dig
up the pitching rubber. Was that on your request or
did they do that as a gift to you?

Speaker 8 (29:28):
No, I didn't know they were doing that, So yeah,
really nice of Jordan and all the guys to dig
that up for me and thinks heavy man, it's it's
it's no small feet to get that thing outsid. It
took them five hours the next day to put the
next one down, So labor of love, for sure, but
thankful to have it.

Speaker 2 (29:45):
That's pretty awesome.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
What do you do with the pitching rubber? Where were
you put that in the trophy case?

Speaker 8 (29:50):
Great question. I'm not sure yet. I don't know, but
it's a great story, so I'll keep it somewhere.

Speaker 1 (29:55):
Yeah, Clayton Kershew is our guest on fourth of July.
You know, Clayton, when you look at this team, you
guys have the best record again by two games over
the Tigers. Do you feel like there's a lot more
room to go as far as playing your best baseball?

Speaker 8 (30:10):
You know, I think it's probably twofold. I think we
are playing good baseball right now, I really do. You know,
we're winning games we're supposed to. We're getting great comebacks,
playing like clean baseball. You know, starters are getting some
length into the games and so it kind of sets
up the bullpen to do their role as well, and
guys are getting big hits. But to your point, I mean,
I think when we get some more guys back, you know,

(30:30):
obviously months going down for you know, the six weeks
or whatever is a tough blow. But you know, when
when Snell's back, when glasses back, when trying's back, and
get that pitching staff to one hundred percent or close
to it, it's, uh, we should be able to keep
winning games. And that's, uh, that's an exciting thing to
think about.

Speaker 1 (30:49):
The bullpen has already pitched those innings. Is there any
way to compensate in the second half for the load
they have shouldered the first half.

Speaker 8 (30:58):
Yes, and no, I mean I think, you know, I
think with the opener situation, the bullpen innings get skewed
a little bit, right because the bullpen, you know, the
bulk guys are getting five or six six innings.

Speaker 2 (31:07):
That looks like it's the bullpen innings.

Speaker 8 (31:09):
But you know, the guys that have been healthy for
the whole year, like Tanner, vest some of these guys,
Jack and Benny, some of the guys that have had
big workloads. I think, I think there's ways to manage it.
And but no, I mean, at the end of the day,
they're going to throw in big situations because those are
our guys. It's just a matter of you know, getting
a little more consistency in the starting rotation. And I

(31:30):
think you're starting to see that too. I think guys
are going, you know, six seven innings recently, which has
been nice. And that's the biggest way to reset the pen.
It's just for the guys to get a little bit
deeper in the games.

Speaker 1 (31:39):
How much do we take for granted this offense best
in baseball, but it still feels like there might be
a little bit more, which is kind of scary.

Speaker 8 (31:47):
Yeah, best I think you said it the right way.
I think there's a there's room for let me say
this way. Our offense is doing well and everybody swung
the bat well at times, but I don't know if
everybody swung the bat well at the same time. So
once that happens, that's a scary thing. And that's hard
to do throughout the rhythms of a season to have
everybody swinging the bats well at the same time. But

(32:10):
you know, once, once everybody gets going, which you know
they will, it's it's a scary thing to think about.

Speaker 1 (32:16):
You've taken a lot of pride out of being consistent
in your career. How much do we take for granted
how consistent Freddie Freeman has been for the Dodgers, not
only this year, but in his career. Does he get
lost in the shuffle because he's so consistent?

Speaker 2 (32:31):
Yeah? Maybe so.

Speaker 8 (32:32):
I mean I think you know, at the beginning of
the season, you know, you pencil Freddy in at first
base every day and say, oh, he's going to hit
three hundred, his ops is going to be nine hundred,
he's going to do all this play every day, and
you just kind of pencil that in and expect it
like you don't realize that that elite level of play
is not easy to do every day. So yeah, I

(32:52):
mean I think I think you expected out of Freddy
And that's why the expectations make it seem that, like, hey,
this is just kind of home home what he does.
But for him to continue to do it at the
level that he is is it's an elite thing. It's
a special thing that very few people can do in
the game, and so it's nice to have for sure.

Speaker 1 (33:11):
Since he was counting down to three thousand for you,
can I be your sirraho here to help you count
down as far as doubles go, because he's climbed a
lot of Hall of Famers this year and he's just
four away from passing Lou Garrick for the forty second
most doubles in baseball history. Should I feed you the
doubles stats as we go through the season.

Speaker 8 (33:32):
And if we start playing that game with hits and
doubles with Freddie, we might be doing that every day
with something. So it's just a testament to him. But
that's a big name, Lou Garriy, that's special.

Speaker 1 (33:42):
Clayton Kershaw is our guest before I let you go.
I wanted to ask you, were you surprised by any
text you got from one person congratulating you.

Speaker 8 (33:52):
So many people reached out, which I was so thankful for,
you know, obviously getting the guys from the current three
thousand club, you know, Sures and JV, both three reached
out to say congrats, which I thought was was super cool.
You know, obviously we've kind of I wouldn't say grow
up together, but we've been in the big leagues kind
of the same times, and so you know, us three,
I finally get to join their club with the three

(34:13):
thousand strikeouts was awesome. So those guys a lot of
friends and family, but it was everybody that reached out.
It was just it was really cool to see everybody
so happy for me. I was very thankful for all
of it.

Speaker 1 (34:24):
Do you remember how how big the number was on
the phone of text after the game.

Speaker 8 (34:30):
I don't know, it sounds I don't know, it sounds weird,
but there was a lot.

Speaker 2 (34:33):
It was.

Speaker 1 (34:34):
It was over five hundred, no, no, over three thousand, no, no,
no no, but it was awesome.

Speaker 2 (34:40):
Awesome.

Speaker 1 (34:41):
Hey, Clayton, it's been a pleasure to be with you
for fourteen fourth of July's and just see how much
work you put in. I feel like that's the reason
why everybody was so happy for you, because you respect
the game. You put in so much work, and you
treat everybody really well. So you even treat slubs like
me pretty well on the radio. So thank you.

Speaker 2 (34:59):
Well, you forced to this one today, so I had
no choice.

Speaker 1 (35:01):
Well, you know, it just happened to have this one
hundred and fifty dollars gift card at Travis Matthew. Clayton
Kershaw visit Travis Matthew dot com and received twenty percent
off your first order when you sign up for email.
We'll do that later. I'll sign you up, all right,
Happy for Dave. There he was Clayton Kershaw mister three thousand,
just two days after an emotional night at Dodger Stadium

(35:23):
for him and his family. It was cool to see
John Suho be ready to go, had the thick black
sharpie and rode out three thousand on a baseball so
Kershaw could take a photo similar to Sandy Kofax pointing
to the scoreboard after his perfect game, and Clayton and
his wife and their kids took photos on the pitchers

(35:44):
mound after the game. We were hosting Dodger Talk and
saw that all unfold on the field after the game.
And you can thank Freddy Freeman for the good feelings,
because don't forget Freddie Freeman hit that walk off double.
And that's kind of full circle, right because as you
heard clay And say, it was Freddie Freeman that was
counting down had the three thousand strikeout counter for Clayton,

(36:05):
and it wouldn't have been the same feelings for Kershaw
if the Dodgers lost that game. Trust me, there wouldn't
have been a photo shoot on the mount after all that.
Freddie saving the day, the Dodgers' offense saving the day
in the ninth inning certainly allowed Kershaw to enjoy the moment,
enjoy three thousand strikeouts more than he would have if

(36:28):
the Dodgers lost that game. And Jordan Lorenz, the Dodgers'
ground crew chief and the rest of his crew dug
up the pitching rubber after the game, with Kershaw and
his family watching to present it with him, and I
said this after the game. I hadn't seen that since
twenty fifteen when Jake Arietta no hit the Dodgers on

(36:49):
Sunday Night Baseball. The Dodgers, very gracious in defeat, actually
acquiesced to Arietta's request to have the pitching rubber dug up,
and they did it. So that's the only other time
I've ever seen something like that happen. Not sure if
that happened for John Smoltz when he recorded his three
thousand strikeout, but John was at Dodger Stadium right before

(37:11):
the All Star break, and I had a chance to
catch up with another member of the three thousand strikeout club.

Speaker 4 (37:17):
My pleasure always good to be here in La Oh.

Speaker 1 (37:20):
I know, I know you loved it here, John, You're
like Christian Walker of pitchers. You love Dodger Stadium.

Speaker 9 (37:26):
Well, you knew you were getting great weather, it's a
great mound, You're gonna get a sold out stadium, and
it was facing a good team, So all the elements
for wanting to be here.

Speaker 1 (37:34):
Were you watching the other night when Clayton Kershaw joined
you in the three thousand strikeout club.

Speaker 4 (37:39):
I was.

Speaker 9 (37:40):
I stayed up late in the East Coast watching anticipate
and he needed three and it was a similar situation
than I had at home. I knew I was gonna
not pitch much more that year because of his shoulder.
But I needed two strikeouts, he needed three, and I
got goosebumps when he got his third one.

Speaker 1 (37:57):
How about the way the crowd reacted to him.

Speaker 9 (37:59):
Well, thing, that's so difficult. So knowing what he went through,
you don't pitch a game. He'll never pitch another game
in the rest of his life.

Speaker 4 (38:06):
Where with two strikes a crowd goes crazy.

Speaker 9 (38:09):
You don't start a game thinking you're going to strike
out a certain amount, But when you go into a
game knowing you need a certain amount for an elite number,
and the crowd knows that, the pressure and the anxiety
kind of meets the highest level you're ever going to have.
And I know it's relief when you get it done.
I know for me, I didn't get the strikeouts early,
and then once I got him, I got on a

(38:30):
roll and started pitching again. For him, he got to
enjoy it because it was the last out. I unfortunately
had to keep pitching. I end up losing that game.
I gave up one run and loss. But it is
a memory that you'll never forget because everybody in the
stands is anticipating it.

Speaker 1 (38:45):
I asked Kershaw this before the start, and he said
it wasn't similar. But I was wondering if he was
guarding against maybe chasing strikeouts like a hitter would chase
five hundred home runs.

Speaker 9 (38:56):
Well, you go into it thinking you won't, but like I,
just the fact that the crowd stands up you can't
help it. And every time I got the two strikes
and didn't get the strikeout, I felt like I was letting.
I knew what was at stake. I was going to
get too unless I got knocked out of the game somehow.
But it's the weirdest feeling knowing you've got to strike

(39:19):
that person out, because getting them out would be just
as fine if it was a regular game. But this
is not a regular game.

Speaker 1 (39:26):
When you're going to three thousand, I've heard you and
other Hall of Famers talk about what it's like to
go to Cooperstown and be part of that fraternity when
you were still playing and you joined a rare club
of three thousand strikeouts pitchers. What was that feeling like
for you.

Speaker 9 (39:41):
Well, for me, it was a little bit different than Clayton.
Clayton is an automatic first time first ballot Hall of Famer.
I was still in the midst of figuring out how
I was going to keep pitching with a bad shoulder.

Speaker 4 (39:52):
Now, unfortunately I didn't.

Speaker 9 (39:53):
I ended up having surgery I think a game or
two after I got my three thousand strikeouts. So I
knew going into that game I was going in with
such a how am I going to get through the game?
It was not how am I going to get two strikeouts?
Is how am I going to get through the game?
Because I was dealing with a shoulder that inevitably would
just give out. Where Clayton's on the end of his

(40:14):
career and he's got more work to be done, I
actually got lucky enough to come back and finish my
career the way I wanted to, kind of what Clayton's
been able to do.

Speaker 4 (40:25):
And so it's similar in that sense, And.

Speaker 9 (40:31):
I probably would have treated the start a lot different
if I was healthier.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
How would you have treated it differently?

Speaker 9 (40:37):
It would have been known fact that I just got
to get the two strikeouts, because being at home, you
want your home crowd to experience it, and you know
his next start was going to be on the road.
I think my next start might have been on the road,
So it was really important to me to get it
at home. My family was there. It was a lot
of similarities when I was watching. That's why I texted
him after the game, said, Man, I got goosebumps for you.

(40:59):
I just a doubt. It wasn't in doubt like he
was gonna get it this year, right, It wasn't like
he wasn't gonna get it. It's just you like to
do it at home, and what better place, what better
situation than to have the final batter you're probably gonna
face on a three to two count and then get
a chance to enjoy it for really the moment that
he did after that.

Speaker 1 (41:19):
John Smoltz is our guest. You mentioned how you had
this shoulder injury that you were pitching through and you
came back because you didn't want to go out on
injuries terms instead of your own. Can you appreciate Clayton
not only having a shoulder surgery, but then having left
knee and foot surgery.

Speaker 9 (41:36):
Yeah, you know, for most of his career he was
very fortunate stayed away from the injury bug. The latter
part of the years have been more rough, and I
can appreciate the determination of wanting to stick to it.
Stay with the organization. This year was going to be
an interesting year with the dynamics of pitchers they added.
But lo and Behold, all those injuries allowed him to
come back and pitch on a regular basis, which allowed

(41:57):
him to reach this number. And I think for his
career it speaks for itself.

Speaker 4 (42:02):
What he's done.

Speaker 9 (42:04):
He did three thousand strikeouts and a lot less innings
and he's been a model of the left handed best
pitcher you know, along with Sandy Kofax in this organization.
So the future is bright for Clayton Kershaw in the
next five years or whenever he decides. This is if
this is his last year and five years he'll be
going to Cooperstown.

Speaker 1 (42:23):
It seems like he's allowing himself to enjoy the moment
more than he ever has before in his career. When
you were at that stage of your career as well,
were you did you allow yourself to enjoy the moments?

Speaker 4 (42:36):
Not as much as I would have liked to.

Speaker 9 (42:39):
I was in the midst of a long career, you know,
twenty one years, pitched in and out of a lot
of injuries, had a lot of different journeys from starter
to closer to starter, for Clayton Kershaw, he's established such
a high level, such a high expectancy of being dominant
all the time.

Speaker 4 (42:57):
That's nowhere near where I was.

Speaker 9 (42:59):
I was the guy that was supposed to be, that
was always in other eyes, not winning enough champion, you know,
not winning enough Cy Young's or not doing what other
people thought I could do. But I was dealing with
my own issues. And I never forget my grandmother when
she was alive, she says, you're not You don't look
like you enjoy what you're doing.

Speaker 4 (43:16):
And that moment changed it for me.

Speaker 9 (43:18):
Every time I pitched a game, I got a time
and a place to enjoy.

Speaker 4 (43:22):
What I was doing. But for the most part of my.

Speaker 9 (43:24):
Career, I didn't. I didn't utilize that the way I
should have. And maybe the same for Kershaw. Now he
can look back, reflect and see what a journey and
enjoy the ride a little bit more than having to
be the guy winning Cy Young's one point five era
all those things that come with greatness.

Speaker 1 (43:41):
Kershaw, it feels like people try to take shots at
him because of his postseason record, but as you know,
each game is its own unique self. In a postseason game,
it is and there's some flucish games in there. I've
covered some of them, you know, and they don't make sense.
But I can tell you this that over the course
of his career, everything he stands for, everything he's done,

(44:02):
every time he put on a uniform, he one hundred
represented not only his family as faith in the organization.
He's been a model to look after. We're never going
to see it again.

Speaker 9 (44:12):
I'm afraid we're never going to see it again, and that,
to me is a sad day when these kind of
pitchers wind up their career and we don't get a
chance to ever see this kind of longevity or greatness again.

Speaker 1 (44:24):
Yeah, you're right, John, You've talked about this before, just
how starting pitchers need to come back because the tax
is being taken out on the bullpen. The marquee matchups
just aren't there. Do you believe this is the last
one we've seen or do you feel like the conversation
is bringing that back to the forefront.

Speaker 9 (44:42):
I hope over time, rule changes and other things and
philosophies cause teams to.

Speaker 4 (44:46):
Look differently at this.

Speaker 9 (44:47):
But I'm not going to say he'll be the last
three thousand, but he very well could be there's a
couple of guys on the forefront that you know, Garrett Cole,
and there's two guys close. We're still going to need
to stay healthy to finish the deal. But I don't
think we're ever gonna see I would I feel safe
as saying twenty two or twenty three will be the.

Speaker 4 (45:08):
Max ever of three thousand strikeouts.

Speaker 9 (45:11):
And you know, it's an elite club, but it's not
a club that should be this shortened this quickly.

Speaker 4 (45:16):
And it looks like that's going to be the case.

Speaker 1 (45:19):
Yeah, I guess it's not because there isn't the talent
to do it. They're just not allowed to do it.

Speaker 9 (45:23):
They're not allowed to do it. The injuries aren't keeping
them in the league long enough. You're talking about shortened
dominance and no longevity behind it. I mean, nobody that
I can think of right now, with maybe the exception
of Kershaw has avoided a Tommy John surgery. The great
pitchers that we think of that we think, well, that
guy's not we're gonna get one.

Speaker 4 (45:44):
He gets one.

Speaker 9 (45:45):
So I hope that conversation changes, but it sure doesn't
look like it's going to.

Speaker 1 (45:50):
Before I let you go, you got that twinkle in
your eye, not just because of the All Star Game,
but also you got Lake Tahoe on the horizon. Do
you dominate that celebrity program out there.

Speaker 4 (46:02):
No, that's the problem.

Speaker 9 (46:03):
I've yet to win that one, and I'm going to
be the oldest winner at some point. I just hope
it's this year. It's a great event. I'm glad I'm
here in La. It's a short trip over to Tahoe.
I love playing golf. I love competing, and that's the
only competition I have left, so I better get it done.
It's the expectation that's followed my careers now followed my golf.
I better to get it done soon because the old

(46:24):
time clock's running.

Speaker 1 (46:26):
Have you come close?

Speaker 9 (46:27):
I finished second a couple times, but I've not done
the thing that I need to do, and that's hosts
the trophy and say hey, I'm the oldest guy to
ever win this tournament.

Speaker 1 (46:36):
John. It's legendary about you, Maddison Glaven leaving spring training
early after getting your work done to go golf. Out
of the three of you, who was the best golfer?

Speaker 4 (46:45):
Well, I was the best golfer. I set it up.

Speaker 9 (46:47):
I was a golf concierge and I would play their
two best balls, so you know their best scorer. Against
the two of them, they won about three out of
every five times because it's tougher to beat two. But
we had a blast and I love the challenge.

Speaker 1 (47:01):
When's the last time you guys played together.

Speaker 9 (47:03):
Man, it's been a while. We've played together in Tahoe
before about two years ago. We've played together in Florida
and another tournament, but it's been a while since we've
actually just gotten together to play golf that isn't in
a tournament.

Speaker 1 (47:16):
John, thanks a lot for the time and continue to
be the voice of reason when it comes to Major
League Baseball.

Speaker 4 (47:21):
I appreciate it. Thanks there.

Speaker 1 (47:23):
He is another member of the three thousand strikeout Club,
John Smoltz. You'll hear him on the call with our
very own Joe Davis for the All Star Game a
couple of days from now, and it should be spectacular
in Atlanta. John Smoltz there calling the game. Freddie Freeman
the starting first basement for the National League wearing a
Dodger uniform. Max Freed, an All Star for the Yankees,

(47:46):
going back to Atlanta as an All Star. So I
really do believe this All Star Game is going to
be special, even though Major League Baseball is inserting themselves
and not really being quiet about it. They're just like
forced seeing themselves on everybody with this automated strike zone
in the All Star Game. But that's neither here or there.
It's gonna be a great night in Atlanta. Thanks to

(48:08):
John Smoltz from Fox Sports for taking time out for us.
And by the way, when you look at John Smoltz
is nineteenth on that list, Kershaw is twenty and Smoltz
has three thousand and eighty four strikeouts. We'll see whether
or not Kershaw with his three thousand and three strikeouts
can catch him before the end of the season. All right,

(48:29):
that'll do it for us on Dodger Talk tonight. Hope
you enjoyed the show. In case you missed any of
the interviews with Kershaw, John Smoltz or Adrian Gonzalez, you
can find it on the iHeartRadio app. And also that's
where you can find our shows, all our first half interviews.
Can find it on the iHeartRadio app. And also gotta
say thank you to Ronnie Fossio. Fox Sports Radio is next.

(48:52):
Have a great rest of your night seea