August 7, 2025 • 46 mins
Off-day Dodger Talk with David Vassegh who talk to President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and takes your phone calls.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
One thing about this gene is the invisible and tangibles
that they have.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This team is really becoming a family.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Let's not play went on, Tom, Let's wind it. I
love letting me guys show.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Thank you are your attention, your fire.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
This is world champion, Dodger world champions. For a small salt.
Time to get a people what they want to die too.
Speaker 5 (00:22):
In a row two is special.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I'm like, yeah, it's not a headache, your host, last time.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
One of a con This ball's gone. You ready to.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Go grab your phone to get in on the show
called eight six six nine eighty seven two five seven.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Come to the show and now your host of Dodger Talk,
David Vasse.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Welcome to Dodger Talk. David vass with you until eight
o'clock tonight here on AM five to seventy LA Sports.
We have phone lines open at eight six six nine
eight seven two five seventy Andrew Friedman. You will hear
from the President Baseball Operations and our conversation that we
had before yesterday's tough loss for the Dodgers. So just
(01:08):
keep that in mind when you're listening to Andrew. It
was before a really bad loss for the Dodgers as
they lose the series to the Cardinals, and they lose
a game yesterday they should have won five to three
to Saint Louis. We'll get to that in a second.
But also coming up in the show, you will have
a chance to win Bill Plunkett's book on show Hey
(01:31):
Otani and the twenty twenty four Dodgers. I have a
couple of copies to give away courtesy of Bill Plunkett
himself on the show at some point tonight eight sixty
six nine eight seven two five seventy. Also, I have
first hand updates from Tanner Scott and Michael Kopek. We
will share that with you at the bottom of the
hour as well. And we all know the Dodgers and
(01:55):
Blue Jays start tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium a headline
haul of fame starting pitching marquee matchup in Clayton Kershaw
against Max Scherzer. We'll get to that as well tomorrow
tomorrow as far as that game goes, and we'll get
to that game a little bit later in the show.
(02:15):
And Blake Snell we'll be making his second start since
coming off the IL on Saturday against the Blue Jays
who are red hot coming into Dodgers Stadium. Not only
are they the hottest team in the American League, they
are the leaders in the Al East, looking to get
more distance between themselves Red Sox and Yankees. Right now,
(02:38):
the Blue Jays sixty eight and forty eight, the best
record in the American League, a four game lead over
the Red Sox, a six and a half game lead
over the Yankees. They are a really good team at
home thirty eight and nineteen. They just came off a
three game sweep at the Rockies at Course Field. They
(02:58):
are one game above five one hundred on the road.
And in case you don't know this, another Dodger connection
with the Blue Jays, Don Mattingley is the assistant manager
bench coach for the Blue Jays. So Don Mattingley will
be back at Dodger Stadium, this time wearing a Blue
Jays uniform UH and being part of the hottest team
(03:20):
in the American League and arguably this side of Milwaukee
UH in Major League Baseball. Eight six six eight seven
two five seventy is the phone number. Let's get to
yesterday's loss. Since I was working sports in at LA,
tim Cats got the show yesterday I haven't had a
chance to really talk about it, dive into it. I
(03:40):
know people were talking about why wasn't Max Mounsey starting yesterday. Well,
when I first walked into the Dodger clubhouse before the
game yesterday, I joked at MUNSEYE and I said, hey,
day off already after two games, And he said, hey,
I played six in a row to my first two
games back, and also four in Oklahoma City. So a
(04:03):
day game after a night game, six in a row
makes sense why Max Munsey was not in the starting lineup.
But how much have the Dodgers missed Max Munsey? That
was evident the first two games that he was back.
Obviously the second game was a little bit more in
your face two home runs for RBIs, but he just
makes this Dodger lineup so much better. And look, speaking
(04:26):
of show Heyo Tani, you can't lose sight of what
took place yesterday. That was one of the greatest played
games that I have ever seen. I mean, it ranks
up there with the Kershaw Opening Day in twenty thirteen,
but this is on another level. I mean, an extraordinary
performance from an extraordinary player. Check this out. This was
(04:49):
a stat that I came across since the RBI stat
became official in nineteen twenty. Sho Heotani is the only
player in baseball hit history to hit a home run,
strike out eight or more batters, drive in more runs
than he allowed, and draw more walks than he allowed,
(05:11):
and the Dodgers still lost. And I'm telling you I
I being part of the broadcast with Joe and orl
is always great. And they were saying it up in
the booth that it felt like the Dodgers were up
by a lot more than three to two going into
you know, the sixth inning, seventh inning, eighth innings, I
mean three to one going into that sixth inning. But yeah,
(05:34):
I agree with them. It felt like the Dodgers were
up by five or six runs, and that was a
game that you can't lose. If you're the Dodgers, that's
a game you cannot lose. And talking to Alex Vesia
during the last road trip, I feel like this falls
into that category that he was describing. Over the course
of one hundred and sixty two games, there's some that
(05:55):
you never want to see the tape again. You want
to flush it and never think about it again. Yesterday
had to be one of those. And quite honestly, Vesia
didn't have the swing and miss in the eighth inning,
but the Dodger defense let them down so badly yesterday
in the middle of the infield really hurt them yesterday.
(06:16):
And I'm not just talking about Miguel Rojas losing the
ball in the sun for the first run against Otani
and the Dodgers, but in that sixth inning with Lars
Newbar at first base, ground ball to Mookie Bets, he's
got to go to second base. Rojas. Yes, he was
playing wide from second base on the shift, but he's
(06:38):
going to be there. If you watch the replay, he
was coming for it. And those are the instincts of
playing that position and having the field awareness. But Mooki
hasn't played there ever up until last year and went
back to right field the second half of last season.
So those are the other nuances of the position that
(07:03):
people don't realize until it happens. And also the sunball,
Rojas couldn't find it. That's where Mookie needs to take
charge a different angle. He probably saw it better than
Miguel Rojas, but he's conceding too much to Rojas right there. Again,
the shortstop position is the captain's position. I don't care
(07:24):
who you are, you've got to take charge out there.
It's not just about fielding ground balls. Mookie and the
Dodgers' defense has done a great job of doing that
and positioning him so he doesn't have to have a
lot of range. But those are the little things yesterday
that can really cost you a playoff game if they
(07:45):
pop up a game in August, obviously not great, but
the microscope will be much wider, much more intense in
a postseason game if those type of things things happen.
And look, is Mookie Bets going back to right field? No?
(08:06):
I don't believe he's going back there this year. Is
there a chance he can move to second base? I
would say there's a greater chance of that than him
going to right field. But here was Miguel Rojas after
the game yesterday talking about those plays, talking about the
inexperience of Alex Freeland, a rookie at third base, trying
to do too much in the eighth inning, which caused
(08:27):
the go ahead run to score. Here was Miguel Rojas
being a stand up guy and basically falling on the
sword for everybody.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
For us as a defensive club today was kind of poorly.
We we could have we could have as acute better
a couple a couple of balls. Uh, MOOKI bowl a
short I should have. I should have told him to
to throw to media second base so we can get
the lee out. And I feel like that was a
game right there. So they scored. They scored the run
after the guy's supposed to be a first base instead
(08:56):
of a second I'm not talking about getting a double
play in that ball, but I wish to get the
lead out and that runs score and he hurt us.
So I feel like right there, and it's gonna be
a really hard to swallow for me today because I
was involved without having the ball. I feel like I
could have done a better job, like communicating with Mookie
maybe to tell him that the song was in my
(09:18):
eyes in the first scening and then in that play
right there, to tell him that I was going to
be able to get to second base knowing the I mean,
making those mistakes sometimes make you make you better because
you're gonna learn from it and move forward. But unfortunately
cost Us again is.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
The more experienced shortstop able to know that you're going
to be there at second base.
Speaker 6 (09:39):
No, No, not really. I feel like it's a it's
more of a thing thing, you know, Like I mean,
he knows that I'm away from the back because I'm
playing like wearing the hole against a left hand the
hitter like at the moment was snoodbar. I was a
hole twenty, which is like really really far from the hole,
but I was going to be able to get there
because it's Bordling's on running. Sometimes you gotta communicate a
(10:00):
little bit better, and I feel like that's the part
of the game that I can I can get better
with Mukie ashore and or at their basement or whatever.
It let them know beforehand, and I feel like from
that mistake, even though maybe it doesn't it doesn't seem
like it was a mistake, I know it was a
It was a big part of the game.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Right. That's Miguel Rojas not throwing a teammate under the
under the bus and just taking the responsibility himself. I
mean that is that is stand up right there by
Miguel Rojas. And don't forget, Miguel Rojas is going to
be at Superior Grocer's with myself this Saturday at ten am.
We'll have a Dodger talk at ten am. You could
(10:40):
take photos with Miguel Rojas. He's jumping on the show.
So uh man, I gained a lot more respect for
Miguel Rojas after that answer right there. And look, I
know all of you have answers for Mookie Bets. Everybody
is a hitting coach for Mookie Bets. It's not shortstop
that is causing him to hit the he's hitting right now.
(11:01):
And look, maybe it is time as we get closer
to September, if the Dodgers are in a race with
the Padres, to consider if this continues with Mookie Bets
as far as hitting two thirty and hitting into double
plays and not just being a productive two hitter, for
the Dodgers to put feelings aside and say this is
(11:21):
what's best for the team. And I know Dave Roberts
said there are no better alternatives. I have a few
alternatives for Dave Roberts to hit in the two spot. Obviously,
Will Smith when he's in the lineup, I got him
hitting second, and I got Mookie Bets hitting seventh. Right now,
when Will Smith those one or two games a week
(11:44):
that he takes off is not in the starting lineup.
I got Mookie Bets hitting seventh still, and I got
Andy pai Has hitting second, So we could get into
what alternatives the Dodger lineup could look like. I would
have my first three as Otani, Smith, Freeman, then you
go with the right hander Taoscar Hernandez in the cleanup spot,
(12:05):
and then you have Max Munsey hitting behind Taoscar Hernandez
with Pajz Mooki, Conforto and Rojas as it stands right now,
as you're one through nine, and if you want to
get into what it looks like without Will Smith, we
could do that as well. But what is your Dodger lineup?
Everybody has the answers for Mookie Bets, but let's face
(12:27):
the facts. Maybe you know, when push comes to shove,
if Mookie Bets is still struggling, are the Dodgers really
going to hit him second in the lineup when it
counts the most? Eight six six nine, eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. Let's take a quick
phone call before we get to Before we get to
Andrew Friedman, Ed and Whittier, You're on Dodger Talk with
(12:49):
David vasse Hi Ed David Vesse.
Speaker 7 (12:52):
Hope you're having a great day. Thank you for taking
my call. I hope I can take a picture with
you on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Let's do it. Let's do it. He will be there.
Speaker 7 (13:02):
Sounds good. What do you think that would do to
Mookie Psyche dropping him down the seventh do you think
he would start producing some more? And then second part
of that question, Otani, what do you expect from him
come postseason time? After you know they go through everything
with San Diego? I mean, is he going to be
in the bullpen? Do you expect him to be in
(13:23):
the rotation? Just what are your thoughts about that?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Who do you Otani in the bullpen? No? I Ed.
We'll get to this on another off day show as
we get closer to the postseason. Otani's my game one starter, ED.
He is lights out. He's the most dominant starter the
Dodgers have. And then maybe you bring Kershaw in after Otani,
or you bring in somebody else after Otani's four five innings,
(13:48):
and then you have Otani available later in any series
to pitch the ninth inning and close out a series.
Otani's my game one starter.
Speaker 7 (14:01):
Awesome, love it Tom here, David, thank you all.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Right ed. Thank you for the phone call. We have
two lines open at eight six six nine, eight seven
two five seventy. We will get to your phone calls
after our conversation with Andrew Friedman. Had a chance to
catch up with him before yesterday's game, so we'll share
that with you when we continue live on Dodger Talk
until eight o'clock. Right here on a five to seventy
(14:24):
LA Sports Welcome back to Dodger Talk. David veasse with
you until eight o'clock and we are joined right now
by the President of Baseball Operations. He has taken the
Dodgers to two World Series championships and the Dodgers looking
to become the first team to win back to back
World Series since the two thousand Yankees. And that's the
one and only Andrew Friedman. Andrew, great to see you
(14:47):
get some vitamin D, get out of the room that
you were hunkered down in during the trade deadline, and
see what your team can do.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Yeah, July is a tough month for vitamin D between
the draft and the trade deadline. And spent a lot
of time inside, a lot of time on the phone,
a lot of time watching video and meetings. So I
always look forward to August and get back out and
you know, start to really assess things down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
You were pretty open this past offseason where you try
to address as many needs so you wouldn't have to
be a buyer at the deadline. How did you feel
as you got closer to three o'clock Pacific time?
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Yeah, I mean, look, I think whenever an impact caliber
player hits the market, we're always going to be involved.
You know, I think a lot of mistakes are made
on the guys that are just below that impact level
that people treat like impact players. So whenever impact players
are out there, we're going to look at it. Obviously,
(15:51):
not many move this deadline, but you know, my dream
is in July to be first place by enough and
have enough depth that we can actually be sellers. That's
my dream. And you know, this year, obviously with some
(16:11):
of the injuries and just unevenness, you know, we went
out and got Alex call who helped backfill our James
Alman trade, and then got one of the better relievers
out there.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
We really like.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Brock thinks he think he fits our pin really really well.
And then that couple with the guys we're getting back.
We feel like we have every chance of going into
this October with the most talented team we've ever had.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
How long had you been eyeing brock.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Stewart since twenty three when he came up with the
Twins and his stuff was just elevated. It was another level,
and so we spent some time trying to get him
at different points, and obviously the season he's putting together
has been incredibly impressive. We know the which really helps
(17:02):
you know, trust the head and the stuff is in
such a good place, and just feel like he has
a chance to really impact us and help shorten a
game in October.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Alex Call seems to be the type of hitter that
Andrew Friedman wants on his team because of how in
Tuney is with the next level preparation.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Yeah, I mean, I think obviously we like impacting the
box and homers, but more importantly, we value decision making
and you know, getting a good pitch to hit, grinding
the pitcher. I think that's the DNA of this offense
and what we've been over the years. And obviously since
late June, our offense hasn't performed at a level that
(17:45):
you know, we expected, and I think some of that
is we're striking out more, we're not working the same
quality at bats. There are things that a trade deadline
wasn't going to help us address. As you know, obviously,
there's all these kind of moment and time stuff. You know,
baseball's funny and that it's a series of daily narratives.
(18:07):
So we win a game the night before based on
how we win it, people are happy saying, I don't
know if we're gonna lose again. We lose a game,
it's like, oh my god, I don't know if we're
ever're gonna win again, you know, because of this hole
or this issue. We have to try to sift through
all of that. And for us going into the trade deadline,
we felt like, not only is our pitching in a
(18:31):
place where we felt comfortable moving a picture of the
caliber of dustin May, but that we feel like there's
a real chance we go into October with the best
thirteen man pitching staff we've ever had, and so we
feel really good about that. The thing that was an
impossibility for me is that we would go any six
week stretch ranked last in offense. I thought that was
(18:54):
literally an impossibility. And so on one hand, it happened.
And on the other though, we still believe in these guys.
So now it's about how we get each guy back
to you know, their respected best, and it's different for
each guy, but I feel confident that we'll be able
(19:15):
to get there. But until we do, there's an uneasiness.
But I believe in the guys on the offensive side
and what they're capable of and feel like it should
be way more of a strength than a weakness for
us as we head down the stretch here. But we
got to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
What do you need from Mookie Beds and ti Oscar
Hernandez to get where you want to go?
Speaker 8 (19:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (19:39):
I mean, look, I think there's a number of guys
we can point to for six weeks to rank last
and a lot of offensive categories. It goes far beyond
just two guys. But obviously those guys aren't performing at
levels that they would say they expected themselves. Now, any
six week chunk doesn't tell a whole story, but I
(20:02):
think the biggest thing is for them to flush what
has happened to this point. It's irrelevant and all that
matters is a getting to October and be us winning
And if that happens. No one's going to care about
this six week stretch or eight week stretch. So it's
about looking forward and what we can do. The thing
(20:22):
is Mooki and Teo cares so much that it can
actually hurt them at times because it makes them press
and feel it more intensely. Those guys that are narcissists
and you know, they don't feel that. They're like, I'm
the best and I'll get it tomorrow. The guys they're like,
(20:43):
oh man, I let the team down. I gotta work harder,
and I think that can create some bad habits. I think.
So for us, it's about let's flush what has happened.
Let's focus on what will happen, because that's all that
matters right now. And I think it's about getting those
guys in a good position down the show stretch as
we possibly can, to have them clicking as we head
(21:04):
into October, and if that happens, look out.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Andrew Friedman is our guest off day, Doctor Talk until
eight o'clock tonight. Andrew, you've got a glimpse into what
your starting rotation could look like. As you were mentioning
having the best thirteen man pitching staff going into October.
How excited are you for the possibility of having this
group together helping at the same time.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
Yeah. You know, obviously last year ended exactly the way
we wanted to, but from a quality of life standpoint,
it was challenging. It's challenging to get through each game,
each series, and so we don't enjoy that. We would
much rather be easier and put our feet up and
just enjoy watching, you know, great starting pitchers go to
(21:51):
work and hand it over to a really talented pen
and last year we didn't have that benefit with the injuries,
and you know, hopeful this year we have more of
a semblance of that and that, coupled with our pen,
I feel like, you know, again, could make it a
real strength. And I'm not even sure if it's arguable
(22:14):
that it would be the most talented thirteen man staff
we've ever had.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
I know you always say this, the bullpen is the
most volatile part of any team. How do you feel
about the way the bullpen is right now? And do
you feel like it's going to get settled here in
the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yeah, I think we've seen a lot of settling in
the last ten to fourteen days. You know, our pennis
pitch really well for the most part. You know, I
think getting Copek, Scott and Yates back and not just back,
but getting them right with some clear paths and things
that you know had just gotten off kilter. Part of
(22:52):
this all gets back to return to play. Kirby was
excellent before the hamstring injury. He came back and struggled
so and Tommy couldn't get out, and then they went
on the io and came back and you know, they
struggled since that. So it's just being even more thoughtful
about the return to play for these guys and making
(23:13):
sure they're dialed and I think there's a real clear
path to that. And then with our existing guys and
you know where they're at with Brock and Vests and Blake,
I think it's going to be a real weapon for us.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Hey, they were called the dogs last year in the bullpen.
Two of your dogs were barking at me the other
day that they want in, and that's Tanner, Scott and
Michael Kopek. They want in.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
They're coming, They're coming. I actually watched both of them
though bullpen today and they look great and there's clear
things they're kind of locking in on and feel really
good about where they are and getting them back in
that you know, rehab process and adding them back into
the mix. I think we'll be a huge boostse group.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Hey, just like the Dodgers, the lettuce is starting to
hit its sweet spot right when it matters the most.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Yes, I don't know what that means, but I totally agree.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Thanks a lot for the time. Really appreciate it you
as well. Andrew Friedman great insight right there on where
he feels this team is at. And obviously he knows
the offense has not performed well the last six weeks,
including yesterday, But the Dodgers have their guys, and I
agree with what Andrews said. A trade deadline wasn't going
(24:35):
to cure everything that is ailing the Dodger offense right now.
They need the guys that they paid and are counting
on to deliver. They need Sho Heo Tani, they need
Mookie Bets, they need taoscar Hernandez. They need Tommy Edmond
to come back and perform well. His OPS was below
seven hundred, and you wonder if the right ankle was
(24:57):
bothering him and causing that as well. They need those guys.
Without those guys, it wasn't going to happen. There was
no Kyle Tucker available at the trade deadline. And from
what I was told about two hours ago, teams knew
the morning of July thirty first that the Guardians were
(25:20):
not serious about trading Stephen Kwan. Just from the feelings
they got from those conversations with the Guardians. You know
whether or not a team is going to go in
and really engage in trade talks the day of the
trade deadline. We've heard Ken Rosenthal deconstruct the trade for
(25:40):
Mason Miller. If you read that story, it was obvious
the A's were motivated to trade Mason Miller, were willing
to trade him. Teams did not get that sense from
Stephen Kwan. And quite honestly, you know, Kwan would have
been great. But I mean, even with Stephen Kwan, if
Mookie Bets it's two thirty and open, he says six forty,
(26:02):
the Dodgers are not going where they need to go.
They need ta Oscar Hernandez and Mooki Bets to really
get it going. In Max Munsey to be the Max
Mounsey that we saw the last forty two games and
Freddy Freeman kudos to him getting himself out of a
career worse slump. I mean, Mookie Bets. He talked about
leaning on Freddy Freeman, he should he If Freddy has
(26:24):
led by example and showed Mooki bets you can get
yourself out of one of the worst slumps of your career.
Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number I gave you my ideas if the
Dodgers want to change the lineup around and move Mooki
down in the order. What's yours? Eight six six nine
(26:45):
eight seven two five seventy. Also your reaction to what
the boss had to say? Andrew Friedman. Where the Dodgers
are at right now as they're on the eve of
a big three game series against the best team in
the American League right now the Toronto Blue Jays Tomorrow
night at Dodgers Stadium. It's Kershaw versus Schurezer. If you
(27:06):
don't have your tickets, you should get some Kobe Bryant
bobblehead night as well. David Vasse with you until eight
o'clock right here on a five to seventy LA Sports.
Thanks again to Andrew Friedman for his time, great to
sit down with him and the Dodger dugout before yesterday's game. Unfortunately,
it did not go the way the Dodgers or Andrew
(27:29):
Friedman envisioned it. They lose the series to the Cardinals,
and it doesn't get easier tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium,
as the Dodgers will host the hottest team in the
American League and one of the hottest teams in Major
League Baseball in the form of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays come to town with a red hot
(27:49):
Bo Bichett, red hot Vladimir Guerrera Junior, and it's a
it's a marquee pitching matchup that you don't get anymore.
Two guys had faced off against the each other as rookies,
will face off tomorrow night as two veterans on their
way to the Hall of Fame, both in the three
thousand strikeout record, both recording their three thousand strikeout at
(28:14):
Dodger Stadium. That's right, Mac Schuzer in twenty twenty one
was a Dodger when he recorded his three thousand strikeout,
and of course, Clayton Kershaw earlier this year, becoming the
twentieth pitcher in baseball history to have three thousand strikeouts
in his career. So Tomorrow night, Kobe Bryant Bobblehead Night,
(28:35):
plus a great pitching matchup that you don't get to
see very often against two guys that had seen each
other quite a bit in their careers and were teammates
for a short period of time as well. And look,
I've been pretty outspoken about the way Max Schuzer's Dodger
career ended, and you know, I'm just reflecting what a
(28:56):
lot of players from that team felt. They felt disappoint
they felt abandoned by Max Schurzer, him tapping out at
the last second, I shouldn't say tapping out, but him.
On the day the Dodgers were traveling back to Atlanta
for Game six of the NLCS in twenty twenty one,
while he was playing catch with Walker Bueller, Surezer said,
(29:18):
I think he's the guy tomorrow. I'm just not feeling right.
So I know a lot of guys on that team
still feel like Shures are abandoned them during that playoff run. Hey,
by the way, this Saturday, it's only a few days
from now. You can take your picture with World champion
Miguel Rojas from eleven to noon at Ria Money Transfer
in side of Superior Grocers in Huntington Park, the address
(29:42):
sixty ten Pacific Boulevard. If you show up early, you'll
get to see me host Dodger Talk, a special Saturday
morning edition from ten to noon. Miguel Rojas will join
us at ten thirty before you start taking the photos
with Mickey Rojas, a world champion with the Dodgers, and
we we also got some prizes to give away, Dodger tickets,
(30:03):
Superior Grocer gift cards, and a few other things. So
you want to show up, We're right by the real
money Transfer located inside the Superior Grocers in Huntington Park.
Money where you need it This Saturday. Eight six six nine,
eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's
go out to Matt in Phoenix where it was a
(30:24):
record setting day one hundred and eighteen degrees. Matt, I
can't believe you're calling in after a day like that.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
You know, Unfortunately, after living out here for almost twenty years,
you just kind of get used to it.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Dave, Ah, not that I would never get used to that, Matt,
but I'm glad you're you're hunkered down and you're able to.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Call in from the air conditions flaw. Yeah amen, So
thanks for thanks to the time. Just wanted to make
a couple of observations then, and then, if you'd like,
I'd like to give you my funnest play in baseball
that is not a triple and it is hot. They
walk off hit.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Oh you know about my debate with Chris Taylor. Okay, Yeah,
what do you got, Matt? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Well, first, I just wanted to say that yesterday it
was really good to see Tayo hit a home run.
And I'm sorry not yesterday. What I'm getting my dasting
case too. They hit a home run and cut the
ball off in right field. Yeah, tells me that his
legs are finally underneath them again because the power is
back and so and he said a couple of gaffers
too that I really like to see. I know that
(31:32):
he was hurt for a while and I applaud him
for trying to play through it. But that's good to see. Second,
I believe I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I
think the Dodgers have the same records this year as
they did through this money games last year.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yeah, they're right around there.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
They caught up.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
People get caught up in the in the micro and
the skuy is following a lot and he got a
lot of passionate fans. But you know, I didn't call
last year, and I should have about this time because
I was gonna say then. I'll say the same thing now.
It is not a bad thing for this team to
play competitive, meaningful baseball games in August and September. I
(32:08):
think that the reason that they didn't have success in
the prior years in the playoffs mostly was because after
the trade deadline and the Dodgers coasted and they didn't
have to play any meaningful baseball at all. And I
think it showed the playoffs last year.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Yeah, I'm with you, Matt. I think this is a
good thing that the Dodgers are going to be pushed
into September because just like last year, the Padres are
not going anywhere. Padres are off today as well, so
as the Dodgers start their game against the Blue Jays,
there'll be two games ahead of San Diego. All right,
tell me what your most exciting playing baseball is, Matt.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
I will and real quick perspective. I think Dodgers have
the same record as the Rockies doing the last twenty
five games, and the Dodgers are still in first place.
So anyway, thank you for that uplifting stat. The only
good part about it is that they're still on first
place after that. So my favorite play in baseball is
(33:06):
when there's a runner on first and the runner scores
on a double. To me, that is peak baseball, and
that really hasn't happened much until about twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen,
when I know some of the shifting has something to
do with it, but you really have some really talented,
really fast athletes out there now. And I don't know,
but I can't even imagine being fast enough to score
(33:29):
on a double hit down the line from first base.
I always feel like when somebody's passes on first base,
the Dodgers had someone's small position right there, and so
I just wanted to challenge you a little bit on that.
I'm not trying to argue with you that a triple
or a home run is it more exciting, But that's
my thought. So thanks all right.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Matt, thank you for the phone call. Yeah, I think
we can all agree that action is exciting. In baseball,
having runners in motion on plays that aren't home runs
are exciting, and squeezes suicide safety squeeze exciting, triples, a
guy running the basis, outfielder trying to get him out
(34:08):
at third base exciting. So I think that's what all
of the rules that Major League Baseball has put in
place the last couple of years is trying to generate.
I'm not sure it has worked to the degree that
they're thinking, but obviously they're trying to do as much
as they can to force the action. Mookie Betts is
trying to force the action. He's got to get on
(34:30):
base to do that. Vanessa and garden Grove, you want
to talk MOOKI, how you doing? Vanessa?
Speaker 9 (34:36):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Yes, I do. Hi Dave a big fan of the show.
Speaker 7 (34:40):
I going back.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
To you, like talking about like.
Speaker 9 (34:46):
Moving him down in the order. A couple of weeks
ago you said that if you move him down, then
you lose him.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
Do you still think that's the case.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
I think that it's a possibility, maybe not to the
degree that I thought it was, Vanessa, But like I said,
when it comes push comes to shove, feelings have got
to go out the window. And when I say push
comes to shove. I'm talking about the postseason. The Dodgers
obviously can get away with this for the rest of August.
(35:19):
But if they're still in a race on September first,
or there's still just a game or two, if there's
just a game or two spread, and Mooki's struggling, I
think at some point you gotta throw feelings out the
window and say, you know what, no matter what your
name is, no matter what you've accomplished or how much
we believe in you, right now, this is not best
(35:43):
for the team.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
All righty, I like that answer, Thank.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
You, Yeah, no problem, Vanessa. And by the way, Dylan
Hernandez spoke to Mookie Betts. He wrote a column in
the La Times. But the way Dylan writes it, it's
like ever since move he got hit in the hand,
he's not been the same guy. If you look at
the numbers, that's not entirely true. The first thirty three
games back from that hand injury, which broke his hand
(36:11):
and derailed what could have been an MVP season, Mooki
bets at two eighty six with an eight eighty ops
And you know that if that you put that together
for one sixty two. That's a really good season. And
you know, in his first fifteen games after missing Tokyo,
Mooky has said this himself, he came back and hit
(36:32):
three h four, had an ops of nine to fifty four.
But since the first fifteen games this year in North America,
Mooki Betts in his last ninety games is hitting two
twenty five and is getting on base at a two
ninety two clip. And John Hayman from the New York Post, somehow,
some way is reporting that Mooky Betts met up with
(36:54):
his former teammate JD. Martinez when the team was in
Florida to work on hitting. Look, it's a true story,
but I don't know who leaked that to John Hayman,
And I could tell you at least one of those
people involved is not really happy it went public because
that was a private session and nobody wanted that to
(37:18):
get out at this point in time. So I could
just tell you it's a true story. Mookie Bets and JD.
Martinez hooked up in Florida the day before the last
game of the series against the Race to work on hitting.
But I could tell you this it was a private thing.
I never reported that because I respected the privacy of
Mookie bets, JD. Martinez and everybody else involved. So at
(37:41):
some point you got to respect those guys. And I
could just tell you, and I bet both guys are
not too happy that got out there publicly. Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Let's go out to Carlsbad. Mark, You're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, Mark?
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Hey, David, thanks for taking my call. I guess we
can skip the mookie down on the lineup, butness to
just asked you about that. My question is what do
you think going forward with Freeland and Dalton Rushing and
what their roles are going to be going forward?
Speaker 1 (38:17):
How about that? You know that? Are you talking about
what Dalton Rushing and Will Smith or Dalton Rushing and
Freddie Freeman. I don't know how they're connected. No, Freeland, Oh,
Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland. Well, Freeland probably is going
to be set back.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
What do you think that going going forward to October baseball?
What do you think their roles are going to be?
Speaker 1 (38:40):
Yeah, well, Dalton Rushing is the backup catcher. I don't
see that changing right now, although he hasn't really flourished
in this role first time in his life or in
his professional life, college life, that he's playing just two
days a week. It just hasn't happened for him. And
(39:01):
at times you wonder if the hitting is starting to
bleed into his game calling or his defense, because he
has not hit a home run off a pitcher. His
home run was off a position player. He has thirty
nine strikeouts in eighty six at bats. It's not as
easy as people think it was.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
His growth.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
I just don't think this role is for him. I
think it's a huge adjustment for him to learn how
to play two games a week. That's really tough for
a guy that believes he's the man, and right now
he hasn't showed it growth. I don't think so. I
don't think so. I think he needs to take more
responsibility about how to adjust to this role. I think
(39:46):
it was now or never for Dalton Rushing. Okay, all right, Mark,
thanks for the phone call. Eight sixty six nine eight
seven two five seventy. Is the phone number look stunning?
His growth? I don't think so, because how is he
gonna grow even more at Triple A? He dominated Triple
A But here's the tough part for the Dodgers. He's
(40:09):
done everything he could do in Triple A. You needed
a catcher in their mind that could actually control the
running game, because if there was one hole in Austin
Barnes's game, it was that he couldn't throw out runners.
His arm strength wasn't there for whatever reason. I believe
it's an injury that he never talked about, never dealt with.
(40:29):
You don't just all of a sudden stop being able
to throw. So the Dodgers felt they had to do that.
But I wouldn't say Dalton Rushing has been better defensively
than Austin Barnes. He hasn't been better at framing, he
hasn't been better at pitch calling. And he's playing twice
a week and he's hitting less than Austin Barnes. In
(40:51):
thirty one games, he's hitting one eighty six. Austin Barnes
wasn't hitting one eighty six. Nobody brings that up. Eight
six six, nine eighty seven. Seventy is the phone number.
Let's go out to Mission Hills. Edward, you're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, Edward?
Speaker 9 (41:07):
I'm doing a little DV.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
How are you doing.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
I'm doing great. Hey before I forget? Do you want
to copy it Bill Plunkett's book on Otani and the
Dodgers in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Sure, why not?
Speaker 9 (41:19):
I'm I always like a good read.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
All right, perfect? Wait on, hold, after you're done, What
do you have for us?
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Yeah? Just two things.
Speaker 9 (41:28):
One a question, the other one I want to talk
about where I was for Game one?
Speaker 3 (41:33):
Number one? Sorry, number one.
Speaker 9 (41:35):
I still last year our bullpen was our biggest strength,
and this year I don't it's quite the opposite. My
thing is, do you think the starter should be stretched
out a little bit like for at least one or
inning to save the bulleten by least September.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
I think by the time the Dodgers get to October,
their bullpen is going to be more settled. And how
many times Edward has the Dodger closer going back to
twenty twenty, maybe even twenty nineteen, close out playoff series,
playoff games, maybe playoff games. I mean Walker Bueller in
(42:16):
game five last year, Julio in twenty twenty. You know
you go back to mex Scherzer in the NLDS in
twenty twenty one, he closed out the Giants. He was
the closer. So I'm a firm believer. I have this
vision in my head that if it's an NLCS game
and the Dodgers have a chance to win it three
(42:38):
outs or less or four, I would say six out
or less, six outs or less, you're gonna see show
he Botani close out a playoff series.
Speaker 9 (42:49):
That would be amazing, like the World Baseball Club exactly.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
That's my vision. That is my vision. Hold on, Edward,
We'll get you that copy of Bill play It's book,
which is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon all that.
It's the Otani Dodgers book. It's a it's a great read,
and certainly Bill put a lot of time into it
because he was there like all of us on the
(43:15):
beat La Story show a Otani, the Los Angeles Dodgers
and a season for the Ages. Before we say good night,
I gotta celebrate Petro some money for having Anthony Bonda,
one of those bullpen dogs from a year ago, in
studio today courtesy of Verizon. Here was Anthony Bonda assessing
(43:35):
where the Dodger bullpen is right now.
Speaker 5 (43:38):
Anytime that phone rings, it's like you, I personally assume
it's always me, right, I always assume that, Hey, I
don't want to get cut off card, I don't want
to you know, be shocked or anything like, I always
assume it's me.
Speaker 8 (43:49):
Is an instant panic, Uh yeah, yeah, I'd be lying
if it wasn't like you know it is it is
like oh you know, and then it's like all right,
And he said when the phone rings and they point
to him, he said, instant panic.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (44:03):
Yeah, Well, it's just like it's like almost it's when
it is me. It's like okay, like I think about, okay,
this guy just hit right, you know, it's a riety,
and I'm like, okay, I know the lineup and I'm
like okay, there's two lefties coming up, so like okay,
I'm gonna probably get ready. And then as I'm walking
to the to the to the mound, he'll tell me
(44:24):
the lane that I'm I'm ready for, and I was
like okay, and then I'll get ready and then you know,
and we going off with you. Yeah, but there's not
much thought that goes into it. It's like my name's
called all right, jackets off, let's row Like that's kind
of it. Like really, you know, like sure, you're gonna
(44:45):
have feelings, you're gonna have the fight or flight mode
and that spike of adrenaline and everything else like that.
It's just like, well, uh, it happens, like you can't
do anything to stop it, so like you just kind
of gotta roll with it, and and that's it.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
All right. There was Anthony Bonda with Petro Some Money
in studio earlier today, courtesy of Verizon. You can find
that on the iHeart Radio app. That's also where you
can find our conversation with Andrew Friedman in case you
missed it. Dodger Talk pre set it, make it one
of your favorites. On the iHeart Radio app, you can
live stream Dodger games. You could podcast all the shows,
(45:23):
all the interviews, and Petro Some Money also available on
the iHeartRadio app. That'll do it for us Tonight on
Dodger Talk. We'll be back with you tomorrow from Dodgers Stadium.
Tim Kates will be in studio with Morongo Casino. Dodgers
on deck at six o'clock. First pitch with Clayton Kershaw
facing off against Max Scherzer, two of the three active
(45:45):
pitchers with three thousand strikeouts in their career. It's Kobe
Bryant Bobblehead Night at Dodgers Stadium tomorrow, so get there
early eight eight twenty five. Kobe Bobblehead Night with two
legends on the mound and Kershaw Ensurezer first pitch at
seventy ten. Right here on your home for the Dodgers
AM five to seventy LA Sports. Thanks to Ronnie Fossio
(46:09):
for all his help. Thanks to you for listening. Fox
Sports Radio is next. Have a great rest of your Thursday.
Cia
One thing about this gene is the invisible and tangibles
that they have.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This team is really becoming a family.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Let's not play went on, Tom, Let's wind it. I
love letting me guys show.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
Thank you are your attention, your fire.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
This is world champion, Dodger world champions. For a small salt.
Time to get a people what they want to die too.
Speaker 5 (00:22):
In a row two is special.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I'm like, yeah, it's not a headache, your host, last time.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
One of a con This ball's gone. You ready to.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Go grab your phone to get in on the show
called eight six six nine eighty seven two five seven.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Come to the show and now your host of Dodger Talk,
David Vasse.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Welcome to Dodger Talk. David vass with you until eight
o'clock tonight here on AM five to seventy LA Sports.
We have phone lines open at eight six six nine
eight seven two five seventy Andrew Friedman. You will hear
from the President Baseball Operations and our conversation that we
had before yesterday's tough loss for the Dodgers. So just
(01:08):
keep that in mind when you're listening to Andrew. It
was before a really bad loss for the Dodgers as
they lose the series to the Cardinals, and they lose
a game yesterday they should have won five to three
to Saint Louis. We'll get to that in a second.
But also coming up in the show, you will have
a chance to win Bill Plunkett's book on show Hey
(01:31):
Otani and the twenty twenty four Dodgers. I have a
couple of copies to give away courtesy of Bill Plunkett
himself on the show at some point tonight eight sixty
six nine eight seven two five seventy. Also, I have
first hand updates from Tanner Scott and Michael Kopek. We
will share that with you at the bottom of the
hour as well. And we all know the Dodgers and
(01:55):
Blue Jays start tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium a headline
haul of fame starting pitching marquee matchup in Clayton Kershaw
against Max Scherzer. We'll get to that as well tomorrow
tomorrow as far as that game goes, and we'll get
to that game a little bit later in the show.
(02:15):
And Blake Snell we'll be making his second start since
coming off the IL on Saturday against the Blue Jays
who are red hot coming into Dodgers Stadium. Not only
are they the hottest team in the American League, they
are the leaders in the Al East, looking to get
more distance between themselves Red Sox and Yankees. Right now,
(02:38):
the Blue Jays sixty eight and forty eight, the best
record in the American League, a four game lead over
the Red Sox, a six and a half game lead
over the Yankees. They are a really good team at
home thirty eight and nineteen. They just came off a
three game sweep at the Rockies at Course Field. They
(02:58):
are one game above five one hundred on the road.
And in case you don't know this, another Dodger connection
with the Blue Jays, Don Mattingley is the assistant manager
bench coach for the Blue Jays. So Don Mattingley will
be back at Dodger Stadium, this time wearing a Blue
Jays uniform UH and being part of the hottest team
(03:20):
in the American League and arguably this side of Milwaukee
UH in Major League Baseball. Eight six six eight seven
two five seventy is the phone number. Let's get to
yesterday's loss. Since I was working sports in at LA,
tim Cats got the show yesterday I haven't had a
chance to really talk about it, dive into it. I
(03:40):
know people were talking about why wasn't Max Mounsey starting yesterday. Well,
when I first walked into the Dodger clubhouse before the
game yesterday, I joked at MUNSEYE and I said, hey,
day off already after two games, And he said, hey,
I played six in a row to my first two
games back, and also four in Oklahoma City. So a
(04:03):
day game after a night game, six in a row
makes sense why Max Munsey was not in the starting lineup.
But how much have the Dodgers missed Max Munsey? That
was evident the first two games that he was back.
Obviously the second game was a little bit more in
your face two home runs for RBIs, but he just
makes this Dodger lineup so much better. And look, speaking
(04:26):
of show Heyo Tani, you can't lose sight of what
took place yesterday. That was one of the greatest played
games that I have ever seen. I mean, it ranks
up there with the Kershaw Opening Day in twenty thirteen,
but this is on another level. I mean, an extraordinary
performance from an extraordinary player. Check this out. This was
(04:49):
a stat that I came across since the RBI stat
became official in nineteen twenty. Sho Heotani is the only
player in baseball hit history to hit a home run,
strike out eight or more batters, drive in more runs
than he allowed, and draw more walks than he allowed,
(05:11):
and the Dodgers still lost. And I'm telling you I
I being part of the broadcast with Joe and orl
is always great. And they were saying it up in
the booth that it felt like the Dodgers were up
by a lot more than three to two going into
you know, the sixth inning, seventh inning, eighth innings, I
mean three to one going into that sixth inning. But yeah,
(05:34):
I agree with them. It felt like the Dodgers were
up by five or six runs, and that was a
game that you can't lose. If you're the Dodgers, that's
a game you cannot lose. And talking to Alex Vesia
during the last road trip, I feel like this falls
into that category that he was describing. Over the course
of one hundred and sixty two games, there's some that
(05:55):
you never want to see the tape again. You want
to flush it and never think about it again. Yesterday
had to be one of those. And quite honestly, Vesia
didn't have the swing and miss in the eighth inning,
but the Dodger defense let them down so badly yesterday
in the middle of the infield really hurt them yesterday.
(06:16):
And I'm not just talking about Miguel Rojas losing the
ball in the sun for the first run against Otani
and the Dodgers, but in that sixth inning with Lars
Newbar at first base, ground ball to Mookie Bets, he's
got to go to second base. Rojas. Yes, he was
playing wide from second base on the shift, but he's
(06:38):
going to be there. If you watch the replay, he
was coming for it. And those are the instincts of
playing that position and having the field awareness. But Mooki
hasn't played there ever up until last year and went
back to right field the second half of last season.
So those are the other nuances of the position that
(07:03):
people don't realize until it happens. And also the sunball,
Rojas couldn't find it. That's where Mookie needs to take
charge a different angle. He probably saw it better than
Miguel Rojas, but he's conceding too much to Rojas right there. Again,
the shortstop position is the captain's position. I don't care
(07:24):
who you are, you've got to take charge out there.
It's not just about fielding ground balls. Mookie and the
Dodgers' defense has done a great job of doing that
and positioning him so he doesn't have to have a
lot of range. But those are the little things yesterday
that can really cost you a playoff game if they
(07:45):
pop up a game in August, obviously not great, but
the microscope will be much wider, much more intense in
a postseason game if those type of things things happen.
And look, is Mookie Bets going back to right field? No?
(08:06):
I don't believe he's going back there this year. Is
there a chance he can move to second base? I
would say there's a greater chance of that than him
going to right field. But here was Miguel Rojas after
the game yesterday talking about those plays, talking about the
inexperience of Alex Freeland, a rookie at third base, trying
to do too much in the eighth inning, which caused
(08:27):
the go ahead run to score. Here was Miguel Rojas
being a stand up guy and basically falling on the
sword for everybody.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
For us as a defensive club today was kind of poorly.
We we could have we could have as acute better
a couple a couple of balls. Uh, MOOKI bowl a
short I should have. I should have told him to
to throw to media second base so we can get
the lee out. And I feel like that was a
game right there. So they scored. They scored the run
after the guy's supposed to be a first base instead
(08:56):
of a second I'm not talking about getting a double
play in that ball, but I wish to get the
lead out and that runs score and he hurt us.
So I feel like right there, and it's gonna be
a really hard to swallow for me today because I
was involved without having the ball. I feel like I
could have done a better job, like communicating with Mookie
maybe to tell him that the song was in my
(09:18):
eyes in the first scening and then in that play
right there, to tell him that I was going to
be able to get to second base knowing the I mean,
making those mistakes sometimes make you make you better because
you're gonna learn from it and move forward. But unfortunately
cost Us again is.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
The more experienced shortstop able to know that you're going
to be there at second base.
Speaker 6 (09:39):
No, No, not really. I feel like it's a it's
more of a thing thing, you know, Like I mean,
he knows that I'm away from the back because I'm
playing like wearing the hole against a left hand the
hitter like at the moment was snoodbar. I was a
hole twenty, which is like really really far from the hole,
but I was going to be able to get there
because it's Bordling's on running. Sometimes you gotta communicate a
(10:00):
little bit better, and I feel like that's the part
of the game that I can I can get better
with Mukie ashore and or at their basement or whatever.
It let them know beforehand, and I feel like from
that mistake, even though maybe it doesn't it doesn't seem
like it was a mistake, I know it was a
It was a big part of the game.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Right. That's Miguel Rojas not throwing a teammate under the
under the bus and just taking the responsibility himself. I
mean that is that is stand up right there by
Miguel Rojas. And don't forget, Miguel Rojas is going to
be at Superior Grocer's with myself this Saturday at ten am.
We'll have a Dodger talk at ten am. You could
(10:40):
take photos with Miguel Rojas. He's jumping on the show.
So uh man, I gained a lot more respect for
Miguel Rojas after that answer right there. And look, I
know all of you have answers for Mookie Bets. Everybody
is a hitting coach for Mookie Bets. It's not shortstop
that is causing him to hit the he's hitting right now.
(11:01):
And look, maybe it is time as we get closer
to September, if the Dodgers are in a race with
the Padres, to consider if this continues with Mookie Bets
as far as hitting two thirty and hitting into double
plays and not just being a productive two hitter, for
the Dodgers to put feelings aside and say this is
(11:21):
what's best for the team. And I know Dave Roberts
said there are no better alternatives. I have a few
alternatives for Dave Roberts to hit in the two spot. Obviously,
Will Smith when he's in the lineup, I got him
hitting second, and I got Mookie Bets hitting seventh. Right now,
when Will Smith those one or two games a week
(11:44):
that he takes off is not in the starting lineup.
I got Mookie Bets hitting seventh still, and I got
Andy pai Has hitting second, So we could get into
what alternatives the Dodger lineup could look like. I would
have my first three as Otani, Smith, Freeman, then you
go with the right hander Taoscar Hernandez in the cleanup spot,
(12:05):
and then you have Max Munsey hitting behind Taoscar Hernandez
with Pajz Mooki, Conforto and Rojas as it stands right now,
as you're one through nine, and if you want to
get into what it looks like without Will Smith, we
could do that as well. But what is your Dodger lineup?
Everybody has the answers for Mookie Bets, but let's face
(12:27):
the facts. Maybe you know, when push comes to shove,
if Mookie Bets is still struggling, are the Dodgers really
going to hit him second in the lineup when it
counts the most? Eight six six nine, eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. Let's take a quick
phone call before we get to Before we get to
Andrew Friedman, Ed and Whittier, You're on Dodger Talk with
(12:49):
David vasse Hi Ed David Vesse.
Speaker 7 (12:52):
Hope you're having a great day. Thank you for taking
my call. I hope I can take a picture with
you on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Let's do it. Let's do it. He will be there.
Speaker 7 (13:02):
Sounds good. What do you think that would do to
Mookie Psyche dropping him down the seventh do you think
he would start producing some more? And then second part
of that question, Otani, what do you expect from him
come postseason time? After you know they go through everything
with San Diego? I mean, is he going to be
in the bullpen? Do you expect him to be in
(13:23):
the rotation? Just what are your thoughts about that?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Who do you Otani in the bullpen? No? I Ed.
We'll get to this on another off day show as
we get closer to the postseason. Otani's my game one starter, ED.
He is lights out. He's the most dominant starter the
Dodgers have. And then maybe you bring Kershaw in after Otani,
or you bring in somebody else after Otani's four five innings,
(13:48):
and then you have Otani available later in any series
to pitch the ninth inning and close out a series.
Otani's my game one starter.
Speaker 7 (14:01):
Awesome, love it Tom here, David, thank you all.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Right ed. Thank you for the phone call. We have
two lines open at eight six six nine, eight seven
two five seventy. We will get to your phone calls
after our conversation with Andrew Friedman. Had a chance to
catch up with him before yesterday's game, so we'll share
that with you when we continue live on Dodger Talk
until eight o'clock. Right here on a five to seventy
(14:24):
LA Sports Welcome back to Dodger Talk. David veasse with
you until eight o'clock and we are joined right now
by the President of Baseball Operations. He has taken the
Dodgers to two World Series championships and the Dodgers looking
to become the first team to win back to back
World Series since the two thousand Yankees. And that's the
one and only Andrew Friedman. Andrew, great to see you
(14:47):
get some vitamin D, get out of the room that
you were hunkered down in during the trade deadline, and
see what your team can do.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Yeah, July is a tough month for vitamin D between
the draft and the trade deadline. And spent a lot
of time inside, a lot of time on the phone,
a lot of time watching video and meetings. So I
always look forward to August and get back out and
you know, start to really assess things down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
You were pretty open this past offseason where you try
to address as many needs so you wouldn't have to
be a buyer at the deadline. How did you feel
as you got closer to three o'clock Pacific time?
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Yeah, I mean, look, I think whenever an impact caliber
player hits the market, we're always going to be involved.
You know, I think a lot of mistakes are made
on the guys that are just below that impact level
that people treat like impact players. So whenever impact players
are out there, we're going to look at it. Obviously,
(15:51):
not many move this deadline, but you know, my dream
is in July to be first place by enough and
have enough depth that we can actually be sellers. That's
my dream. And you know, this year, obviously with some
(16:11):
of the injuries and just unevenness, you know, we went
out and got Alex call who helped backfill our James
Alman trade, and then got one of the better relievers
out there.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
We really like.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Brock thinks he think he fits our pin really really well.
And then that couple with the guys we're getting back.
We feel like we have every chance of going into
this October with the most talented team we've ever had.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
How long had you been eyeing brock.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Stewart since twenty three when he came up with the
Twins and his stuff was just elevated. It was another level,
and so we spent some time trying to get him
at different points, and obviously the season he's putting together
has been incredibly impressive. We know the which really helps
(17:02):
you know, trust the head and the stuff is in
such a good place, and just feel like he has
a chance to really impact us and help shorten a
game in October.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Alex Call seems to be the type of hitter that
Andrew Friedman wants on his team because of how in
Tuney is with the next level preparation.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Yeah, I mean, I think obviously we like impacting the
box and homers, but more importantly, we value decision making
and you know, getting a good pitch to hit, grinding
the pitcher. I think that's the DNA of this offense
and what we've been over the years. And obviously since
late June, our offense hasn't performed at a level that
(17:45):
you know, we expected, and I think some of that
is we're striking out more, we're not working the same
quality at bats. There are things that a trade deadline
wasn't going to help us address. As you know, obviously,
there's all these kind of moment and time stuff. You know,
baseball's funny and that it's a series of daily narratives.
(18:07):
So we win a game the night before based on
how we win it, people are happy saying, I don't
know if we're gonna lose again. We lose a game,
it's like, oh my god, I don't know if we're
ever're gonna win again, you know, because of this hole
or this issue. We have to try to sift through
all of that. And for us going into the trade deadline,
we felt like, not only is our pitching in a
(18:31):
place where we felt comfortable moving a picture of the
caliber of dustin May, but that we feel like there's
a real chance we go into October with the best
thirteen man pitching staff we've ever had, and so we
feel really good about that. The thing that was an
impossibility for me is that we would go any six
week stretch ranked last in offense. I thought that was
(18:54):
literally an impossibility. And so on one hand, it happened.
And on the other though, we still believe in these guys.
So now it's about how we get each guy back
to you know, their respected best, and it's different for
each guy, but I feel confident that we'll be able
(19:15):
to get there. But until we do, there's an uneasiness.
But I believe in the guys on the offensive side
and what they're capable of and feel like it should
be way more of a strength than a weakness for
us as we head down the stretch here. But we
got to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
What do you need from Mookie Beds and ti Oscar
Hernandez to get where you want to go?
Speaker 8 (19:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (19:39):
I mean, look, I think there's a number of guys
we can point to for six weeks to rank last
and a lot of offensive categories. It goes far beyond
just two guys. But obviously those guys aren't performing at
levels that they would say they expected themselves. Now, any
six week chunk doesn't tell a whole story, but I
(20:02):
think the biggest thing is for them to flush what
has happened to this point. It's irrelevant and all that
matters is a getting to October and be us winning
And if that happens. No one's going to care about
this six week stretch or eight week stretch. So it's
about looking forward and what we can do. The thing
(20:22):
is Mooki and Teo cares so much that it can
actually hurt them at times because it makes them press
and feel it more intensely. Those guys that are narcissists
and you know, they don't feel that. They're like, I'm
the best and I'll get it tomorrow. The guys they're like,
(20:43):
oh man, I let the team down. I gotta work harder,
and I think that can create some bad habits. I think.
So for us, it's about let's flush what has happened.
Let's focus on what will happen, because that's all that
matters right now. And I think it's about getting those
guys in a good position down the show stretch as
we possibly can, to have them clicking as we head
(21:04):
into October, and if that happens, look out.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Andrew Friedman is our guest off day, Doctor Talk until
eight o'clock tonight. Andrew, you've got a glimpse into what
your starting rotation could look like. As you were mentioning
having the best thirteen man pitching staff going into October.
How excited are you for the possibility of having this
group together helping at the same time.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
Yeah. You know, obviously last year ended exactly the way
we wanted to, but from a quality of life standpoint,
it was challenging. It's challenging to get through each game,
each series, and so we don't enjoy that. We would
much rather be easier and put our feet up and
just enjoy watching, you know, great starting pitchers go to
(21:51):
work and hand it over to a really talented pen
and last year we didn't have that benefit with the injuries,
and you know, hopeful this year we have more of
a semblance of that and that, coupled with our pen,
I feel like, you know, again, could make it a
real strength. And I'm not even sure if it's arguable
(22:14):
that it would be the most talented thirteen man staff
we've ever had.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
I know you always say this, the bullpen is the
most volatile part of any team. How do you feel
about the way the bullpen is right now? And do
you feel like it's going to get settled here in
the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yeah, I think we've seen a lot of settling in
the last ten to fourteen days. You know, our pennis
pitch really well for the most part. You know, I
think getting Copek, Scott and Yates back and not just back,
but getting them right with some clear paths and things
that you know had just gotten off kilter. Part of
(22:52):
this all gets back to return to play. Kirby was
excellent before the hamstring injury. He came back and struggled
so and Tommy couldn't get out, and then they went
on the io and came back and you know, they
struggled since that. So it's just being even more thoughtful
about the return to play for these guys and making
(23:13):
sure they're dialed and I think there's a real clear
path to that. And then with our existing guys and
you know where they're at with Brock and Vests and Blake,
I think it's going to be a real weapon for us.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Hey, they were called the dogs last year in the bullpen.
Two of your dogs were barking at me the other
day that they want in, and that's Tanner, Scott and
Michael Kopek. They want in.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
They're coming, They're coming. I actually watched both of them
though bullpen today and they look great and there's clear
things they're kind of locking in on and feel really
good about where they are and getting them back in
that you know, rehab process and adding them back into
the mix. I think we'll be a huge boostse group.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Hey, just like the Dodgers, the lettuce is starting to
hit its sweet spot right when it matters the most.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Yes, I don't know what that means, but I totally agree.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Thanks a lot for the time. Really appreciate it you
as well. Andrew Friedman great insight right there on where
he feels this team is at. And obviously he knows
the offense has not performed well the last six weeks,
including yesterday, But the Dodgers have their guys, and I
agree with what Andrews said. A trade deadline wasn't going
(24:35):
to cure everything that is ailing the Dodger offense right now.
They need the guys that they paid and are counting
on to deliver. They need Sho Heo Tani, they need
Mookie Bets, they need taoscar Hernandez. They need Tommy Edmond
to come back and perform well. His OPS was below
seven hundred, and you wonder if the right ankle was
(24:57):
bothering him and causing that as well. They need those guys.
Without those guys, it wasn't going to happen. There was
no Kyle Tucker available at the trade deadline. And from
what I was told about two hours ago, teams knew
the morning of July thirty first that the Guardians were
(25:20):
not serious about trading Stephen Kwan. Just from the feelings
they got from those conversations with the Guardians. You know
whether or not a team is going to go in
and really engage in trade talks the day of the
trade deadline. We've heard Ken Rosenthal deconstruct the trade for
(25:40):
Mason Miller. If you read that story, it was obvious
the A's were motivated to trade Mason Miller, were willing
to trade him. Teams did not get that sense from
Stephen Kwan. And quite honestly, you know, Kwan would have
been great. But I mean, even with Stephen Kwan, if
Mookie Bets it's two thirty and open, he says six forty,
(26:02):
the Dodgers are not going where they need to go.
They need ta Oscar Hernandez and Mooki Bets to really
get it going. In Max Munsey to be the Max
Mounsey that we saw the last forty two games and
Freddy Freeman kudos to him getting himself out of a
career worse slump. I mean, Mookie Bets. He talked about
leaning on Freddy Freeman, he should he If Freddy has
(26:24):
led by example and showed Mooki bets you can get
yourself out of one of the worst slumps of your career.
Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is
the phone number I gave you my ideas if the
Dodgers want to change the lineup around and move Mooki
down in the order. What's yours? Eight six six nine
(26:45):
eight seven two five seventy. Also your reaction to what
the boss had to say? Andrew Friedman. Where the Dodgers
are at right now as they're on the eve of
a big three game series against the best team in
the American League right now the Toronto Blue Jays Tomorrow
night at Dodgers Stadium. It's Kershaw versus Schurezer. If you
(27:06):
don't have your tickets, you should get some Kobe Bryant
bobblehead night as well. David Vasse with you until eight
o'clock right here on a five to seventy LA Sports.
Thanks again to Andrew Friedman for his time, great to
sit down with him and the Dodger dugout before yesterday's game. Unfortunately,
it did not go the way the Dodgers or Andrew
(27:29):
Friedman envisioned it. They lose the series to the Cardinals,
and it doesn't get easier tomorrow night at Dodgers Stadium,
as the Dodgers will host the hottest team in the
American League and one of the hottest teams in Major
League Baseball in the form of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays come to town with a red hot
(27:49):
Bo Bichett, red hot Vladimir Guerrera Junior, and it's a
it's a marquee pitching matchup that you don't get anymore.
Two guys had faced off against the each other as rookies,
will face off tomorrow night as two veterans on their
way to the Hall of Fame, both in the three
thousand strikeout record, both recording their three thousand strikeout at
(28:14):
Dodger Stadium. That's right, Mac Schuzer in twenty twenty one
was a Dodger when he recorded his three thousand strikeout,
and of course, Clayton Kershaw earlier this year, becoming the
twentieth pitcher in baseball history to have three thousand strikeouts
in his career. So Tomorrow night, Kobe Bryant Bobblehead Night,
(28:35):
plus a great pitching matchup that you don't get to
see very often against two guys that had seen each
other quite a bit in their careers and were teammates
for a short period of time as well. And look,
I've been pretty outspoken about the way Max Schuzer's Dodger
career ended, and you know, I'm just reflecting what a
(28:56):
lot of players from that team felt. They felt disappoint
they felt abandoned by Max Schurzer, him tapping out at
the last second, I shouldn't say tapping out, but him.
On the day the Dodgers were traveling back to Atlanta
for Game six of the NLCS in twenty twenty one,
while he was playing catch with Walker Bueller, Surezer said,
(29:18):
I think he's the guy tomorrow. I'm just not feeling right.
So I know a lot of guys on that team
still feel like Shures are abandoned them during that playoff run. Hey,
by the way, this Saturday, it's only a few days
from now. You can take your picture with World champion
Miguel Rojas from eleven to noon at Ria Money Transfer
in side of Superior Grocers in Huntington Park, the address
(29:42):
sixty ten Pacific Boulevard. If you show up early, you'll
get to see me host Dodger Talk, a special Saturday
morning edition from ten to noon. Miguel Rojas will join
us at ten thirty before you start taking the photos
with Mickey Rojas, a world champion with the Dodgers, and
we we also got some prizes to give away, Dodger tickets,
(30:03):
Superior Grocer gift cards, and a few other things. So
you want to show up, We're right by the real
money Transfer located inside the Superior Grocers in Huntington Park.
Money where you need it This Saturday. Eight six six nine,
eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's
go out to Matt in Phoenix where it was a
(30:24):
record setting day one hundred and eighteen degrees. Matt, I
can't believe you're calling in after a day like that.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
You know, Unfortunately, after living out here for almost twenty years,
you just kind of get used to it.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Dave, Ah, not that I would never get used to that, Matt,
but I'm glad you're you're hunkered down and you're able to.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Call in from the air conditions flaw. Yeah amen, So
thanks for thanks to the time. Just wanted to make
a couple of observations then, and then, if you'd like,
I'd like to give you my funnest play in baseball
that is not a triple and it is hot. They
walk off hit.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Oh you know about my debate with Chris Taylor. Okay, Yeah,
what do you got, Matt? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Well, first, I just wanted to say that yesterday it
was really good to see Tayo hit a home run.
And I'm sorry not yesterday. What I'm getting my dasting
case too. They hit a home run and cut the
ball off in right field. Yeah, tells me that his
legs are finally underneath them again because the power is
back and so and he said a couple of gaffers
too that I really like to see. I know that
(31:32):
he was hurt for a while and I applaud him
for trying to play through it. But that's good to see. Second,
I believe I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I
think the Dodgers have the same records this year as
they did through this money games last year.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yeah, they're right around there.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
They caught up.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
People get caught up in the in the micro and
the skuy is following a lot and he got a
lot of passionate fans. But you know, I didn't call
last year, and I should have about this time because
I was gonna say then. I'll say the same thing now.
It is not a bad thing for this team to
play competitive, meaningful baseball games in August and September. I
(32:08):
think that the reason that they didn't have success in
the prior years in the playoffs mostly was because after
the trade deadline and the Dodgers coasted and they didn't
have to play any meaningful baseball at all. And I
think it showed the playoffs last year.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Yeah, I'm with you, Matt. I think this is a
good thing that the Dodgers are going to be pushed
into September because just like last year, the Padres are
not going anywhere. Padres are off today as well, so
as the Dodgers start their game against the Blue Jays,
there'll be two games ahead of San Diego. All right,
tell me what your most exciting playing baseball is, Matt.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
I will and real quick perspective. I think Dodgers have
the same record as the Rockies doing the last twenty
five games, and the Dodgers are still in first place.
So anyway, thank you for that uplifting stat. The only
good part about it is that they're still on first
place after that. So my favorite play in baseball is
(33:06):
when there's a runner on first and the runner scores
on a double. To me, that is peak baseball, and
that really hasn't happened much until about twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen,
when I know some of the shifting has something to
do with it, but you really have some really talented,
really fast athletes out there now. And I don't know,
but I can't even imagine being fast enough to score
(33:29):
on a double hit down the line from first base.
I always feel like when somebody's passes on first base,
the Dodgers had someone's small position right there, and so
I just wanted to challenge you a little bit on that.
I'm not trying to argue with you that a triple
or a home run is it more exciting, But that's
my thought. So thanks all right.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Matt, thank you for the phone call. Yeah, I think
we can all agree that action is exciting. In baseball,
having runners in motion on plays that aren't home runs
are exciting, and squeezes suicide safety squeeze exciting, triples, a
guy running the basis, outfielder trying to get him out
(34:08):
at third base exciting. So I think that's what all
of the rules that Major League Baseball has put in
place the last couple of years is trying to generate.
I'm not sure it has worked to the degree that
they're thinking, but obviously they're trying to do as much
as they can to force the action. Mookie Betts is
trying to force the action. He's got to get on
(34:30):
base to do that. Vanessa and garden Grove, you want
to talk MOOKI, how you doing? Vanessa?
Speaker 9 (34:36):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Yes, I do. Hi Dave a big fan of the show.
Speaker 7 (34:40):
I going back.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
To you, like talking about like.
Speaker 9 (34:46):
Moving him down in the order. A couple of weeks
ago you said that if you move him down, then
you lose him.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
Do you still think that's the case.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
I think that it's a possibility, maybe not to the
degree that I thought it was, Vanessa, But like I said,
when it comes push comes to shove, feelings have got
to go out the window. And when I say push
comes to shove. I'm talking about the postseason. The Dodgers
obviously can get away with this for the rest of August.
(35:19):
But if they're still in a race on September first,
or there's still just a game or two, if there's
just a game or two spread, and Mooki's struggling, I
think at some point you gotta throw feelings out the
window and say, you know what, no matter what your
name is, no matter what you've accomplished or how much
we believe in you, right now, this is not best
(35:43):
for the team.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
All righty, I like that answer, Thank.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
You, Yeah, no problem, Vanessa. And by the way, Dylan
Hernandez spoke to Mookie Betts. He wrote a column in
the La Times. But the way Dylan writes it, it's
like ever since move he got hit in the hand,
he's not been the same guy. If you look at
the numbers, that's not entirely true. The first thirty three
games back from that hand injury, which broke his hand
(36:11):
and derailed what could have been an MVP season, Mooki
bets at two eighty six with an eight eighty ops
And you know that if that you put that together
for one sixty two. That's a really good season. And
you know, in his first fifteen games after missing Tokyo,
Mooky has said this himself, he came back and hit
(36:32):
three h four, had an ops of nine to fifty four.
But since the first fifteen games this year in North America,
Mooki Betts in his last ninety games is hitting two
twenty five and is getting on base at a two
ninety two clip. And John Hayman from the New York Post, somehow,
some way is reporting that Mooky Betts met up with
(36:54):
his former teammate JD. Martinez when the team was in
Florida to work on hitting. Look, it's a true story,
but I don't know who leaked that to John Hayman,
And I could tell you at least one of those
people involved is not really happy it went public because
that was a private session and nobody wanted that to
(37:18):
get out at this point in time. So I could
just tell you it's a true story. Mookie Bets and JD.
Martinez hooked up in Florida the day before the last
game of the series against the Race to work on hitting.
But I could tell you this it was a private thing.
I never reported that because I respected the privacy of
Mookie bets, JD. Martinez and everybody else involved. So at
(37:41):
some point you got to respect those guys. And I
could just tell you, and I bet both guys are
not too happy that got out there publicly. Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Let's go out to Carlsbad. Mark, You're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, Mark?
Speaker 2 (37:59):
Hey, David, thanks for taking my call. I guess we
can skip the mookie down on the lineup, butness to
just asked you about that. My question is what do
you think going forward with Freeland and Dalton Rushing and
what their roles are going to be going forward?
Speaker 1 (38:17):
How about that? You know that? Are you talking about
what Dalton Rushing and Will Smith or Dalton Rushing and
Freddie Freeman. I don't know how they're connected. No, Freeland, Oh,
Dalton Rushing and Alex Freeland. Well, Freeland probably is going
to be set back.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
What do you think that going going forward to October baseball?
What do you think their roles are going to be?
Speaker 1 (38:40):
Yeah, well, Dalton Rushing is the backup catcher. I don't
see that changing right now, although he hasn't really flourished
in this role first time in his life or in
his professional life, college life, that he's playing just two
days a week. It just hasn't happened for him. And
(39:01):
at times you wonder if the hitting is starting to
bleed into his game calling or his defense, because he
has not hit a home run off a pitcher. His
home run was off a position player. He has thirty
nine strikeouts in eighty six at bats. It's not as
easy as people think it was.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
His growth.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
I just don't think this role is for him. I
think it's a huge adjustment for him to learn how
to play two games a week. That's really tough for
a guy that believes he's the man, and right now
he hasn't showed it growth. I don't think so. I
don't think so. I think he needs to take more
responsibility about how to adjust to this role. I think
(39:46):
it was now or never for Dalton Rushing. Okay, all right, Mark,
thanks for the phone call. Eight sixty six nine eight
seven two five seventy. Is the phone number look stunning?
His growth? I don't think so, because how is he
gonna grow even more at Triple A? He dominated Triple
A But here's the tough part for the Dodgers. He's
(40:09):
done everything he could do in Triple A. You needed
a catcher in their mind that could actually control the
running game, because if there was one hole in Austin
Barnes's game, it was that he couldn't throw out runners.
His arm strength wasn't there for whatever reason. I believe
it's an injury that he never talked about, never dealt with.
(40:29):
You don't just all of a sudden stop being able
to throw. So the Dodgers felt they had to do that.
But I wouldn't say Dalton Rushing has been better defensively
than Austin Barnes. He hasn't been better at framing, he
hasn't been better at pitch calling. And he's playing twice
a week and he's hitting less than Austin Barnes. In
(40:51):
thirty one games, he's hitting one eighty six. Austin Barnes
wasn't hitting one eighty six. Nobody brings that up. Eight
six six, nine eighty seven. Seventy is the phone number.
Let's go out to Mission Hills. Edward, you're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, Edward?
Speaker 9 (41:07):
I'm doing a little DV.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
How are you doing.
Speaker 1 (41:09):
I'm doing great. Hey before I forget? Do you want
to copy it Bill Plunkett's book on Otani and the
Dodgers in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Sure, why not?
Speaker 9 (41:19):
I'm I always like a good read.
Speaker 1 (41:21):
All right, perfect? Wait on, hold, after you're done, What
do you have for us?
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Yeah? Just two things.
Speaker 9 (41:28):
One a question, the other one I want to talk
about where I was for Game one?
Speaker 3 (41:33):
Number one? Sorry, number one.
Speaker 9 (41:35):
I still last year our bullpen was our biggest strength,
and this year I don't it's quite the opposite. My
thing is, do you think the starter should be stretched
out a little bit like for at least one or
inning to save the bulleten by least September.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
I think by the time the Dodgers get to October,
their bullpen is going to be more settled. And how
many times Edward has the Dodger closer going back to
twenty twenty, maybe even twenty nineteen, close out playoff series,
playoff games, maybe playoff games. I mean Walker Bueller in
(42:16):
game five last year, Julio in twenty twenty. You know
you go back to mex Scherzer in the NLDS in
twenty twenty one, he closed out the Giants. He was
the closer. So I'm a firm believer. I have this
vision in my head that if it's an NLCS game
and the Dodgers have a chance to win it three
(42:38):
outs or less or four, I would say six out
or less, six outs or less, you're gonna see show
he Botani close out a playoff series.
Speaker 9 (42:49):
That would be amazing, like the World Baseball Club exactly.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
That's my vision. That is my vision. Hold on, Edward,
We'll get you that copy of Bill play It's book,
which is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon all that.
It's the Otani Dodgers book. It's a it's a great read,
and certainly Bill put a lot of time into it
because he was there like all of us on the
(43:15):
beat La Story show a Otani, the Los Angeles Dodgers
and a season for the Ages. Before we say good night,
I gotta celebrate Petro some money for having Anthony Bonda,
one of those bullpen dogs from a year ago, in
studio today courtesy of Verizon. Here was Anthony Bonda assessing
(43:35):
where the Dodger bullpen is right now.
Speaker 5 (43:38):
Anytime that phone rings, it's like you, I personally assume
it's always me, right, I always assume that, Hey, I
don't want to get cut off card, I don't want
to you know, be shocked or anything like, I always
assume it's me.
Speaker 8 (43:49):
Is an instant panic, Uh yeah, yeah, I'd be lying
if it wasn't like you know it is it is
like oh you know, and then it's like all right,
And he said when the phone rings and they point
to him, he said, instant panic.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (44:03):
Yeah, Well, it's just like it's like almost it's when
it is me. It's like okay, like I think about, okay,
this guy just hit right, you know, it's a riety,
and I'm like, okay, I know the lineup and I'm
like okay, there's two lefties coming up, so like okay,
I'm gonna probably get ready. And then as I'm walking
to the to the to the mound, he'll tell me
(44:24):
the lane that I'm I'm ready for, and I was
like okay, and then I'll get ready and then you know,
and we going off with you. Yeah, but there's not
much thought that goes into it. It's like my name's
called all right, jackets off, let's row Like that's kind
of it. Like really, you know, like sure, you're gonna
(44:45):
have feelings, you're gonna have the fight or flight mode
and that spike of adrenaline and everything else like that.
It's just like, well, uh, it happens, like you can't
do anything to stop it, so like you just kind
of gotta roll with it, and and that's it.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
All right. There was Anthony Bonda with Petro Some Money
in studio earlier today, courtesy of Verizon. You can find
that on the iHeart Radio app. That's also where you
can find our conversation with Andrew Friedman in case you
missed it. Dodger Talk pre set it, make it one
of your favorites. On the iHeart Radio app, you can
live stream Dodger games. You could podcast all the shows,
(45:23):
all the interviews, and Petro Some Money also available on
the iHeartRadio app. That'll do it for us Tonight on
Dodger Talk. We'll be back with you tomorrow from Dodgers Stadium.
Tim Kates will be in studio with Morongo Casino. Dodgers
on deck at six o'clock. First pitch with Clayton Kershaw
facing off against Max Scherzer, two of the three active
(45:45):
pitchers with three thousand strikeouts in their career. It's Kobe
Bryant Bobblehead Night at Dodgers Stadium tomorrow, so get there
early eight eight twenty five. Kobe Bobblehead Night with two
legends on the mound and Kershaw Ensurezer first pitch at
seventy ten. Right here on your home for the Dodgers
AM five to seventy LA Sports. Thanks to Ronnie Fossio
(46:09):
for all his help. Thanks to you for listening. Fox
Sports Radio is next. Have a great rest of your Thursday.
Cia
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