June 4, 2025 • 6 mins
DV catches up with last night's hero before the Dodgers face the Mets. Freddie talks about finding his swing, being ok with failure, and the All-Star Game in Atlanta.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talking.
We're joined right now by a man that's a hero
to the people of Los Angeles, a hero to the
people from Coast to Coast World Series MVP, and last
night's hero at Dodger Stadium, the one and only Freddie Freeman. Freddie,
thanks a lot for the time. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Thank you, David. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I told the story on the show last night that
you were joking you didn't want to hit the ball
on the ground anymore.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, and I still didn't once. No. I just like
I've been throwing hits out there, but it hasn't been
the hits that you know, get me going. I've hit
a lot of balls on the ground to the right side,
a lot of swing and mists, and a lot of
fly balls left field. So that's what I call the
cut swing. Yeah, That's what I've battled my whole life.
But the double in the first thing, that was good.
(00:46):
You know, two strikes. You just want to get something,
you know, not strike out for the ball and play,
and so that was that was okay. With that hook
job down there, I feel line. But the one obviously
on the walk off. I've been searching for that swing
that's a backspin ball center to left center, and I
was able to do that. So hopefully I can carry
that and put together some good games with some batsman balls.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
We had to tap into Nomar to get the translation
to cut swings. He just said, you're not a cut
swing means you're not fully extending, fully getting through the ball.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah. For me, it's when I start my swing, my
hands start pulling across my body. I know it's hard
to understand, but for me, it's just my barrel of
my bat is not in the zone going through the middle.
It's coming across the zone. It's almost like it for
a left handed hitter. It's like my hands are at
third base and they're coming to first base. So that's
what it's doing my swinging. So to be able to
(01:36):
hit balls in the air, it's only going to be
like a down and in pitch to a left EU
or something in like a slider in where I can
I'm cutting right through it. But I have to be
perfectly on time to get hit. So I've been able
to throw hits out there, but it's I'm trying to
get the how I always think it's like the imaginary
line the box, like the batter's box, the line going
(02:00):
from the back of the box to the pitchers found
that straight line, so if I can have my hands
going on that line, then everything will work through up
to the middle. And right now they're cutting across that line.
So but last night's swing on the walk off that
it was the swing I've been looking for probably for
about two weeks now, two and a half weeks. So
hopefully I could repeat that in the.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Cage after this interview, Freddy, obviously your career is on
its way to Cooper's Town. But when did you have
this nag to understand yourself so well?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
You know, it took a lot of time, I think
as I've gotten older, like I understand so like it's
like I struck out in the eight thing with guys
on second and third instead of being down the dumps,
and like I'm not happy I got out, obviously, but
to understand that I'm going to get another opportunity. Did
I know it was gonna happen so fast again in
that game? Though I was expecting it to be today
or the next day. It's it's always being okay to fail,
(02:52):
Like if you're if you're okay with failing, especially in
this game, then it helps helps you be okay, you know,
like cause this game is such a roller coaster swimming
up and downs. But it took years. I mean you
can talk to Chelse. I used to punish myself all
the time when I was a younger baseball player, like
if I go, oh for four, I wouldn't feed myself
and you know, like crazy stuff like that. But now
(03:15):
it's just like, oh wait, no, there's a game tomorrow.
It's it will always work itself out. And so I
think it probably I think kids, you know, when I
had kids, I think that's when things kind of you know,
it doesn't matter if you go for four four four
that they're gonna act the same to you. So I
think probably about you know, nine nine, ten years ago,
(03:38):
things started to change for me for the better.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Speaking of kids, I saw your kids and Chelsea out
here after a Sunday night's game. Dwayne Wade was out here,
and I was thinking, where's Freddy right now? How much
treatment is see receiving right now?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I was actually getting treatment. And then I went to
the car and I waited for him. They were trying
to get me to come down, and I was like,
I've already made it upstairs. I'm not coming back downstairs.
But I got the FaceTime call from Charlie saying, can
we play a little bit more? So you can play
all you want. I'm not taking the fun with you.
I'll be you upstairs waiting for you. But I found
that late. They were downstairs. But if I had known,
(04:11):
I would have came out. I saw a picture of
them jumping up in the air. I don't know if
I would have been able to do that. But no,
it's been fun. We've been They've been coming to every
game so far this home stand, so it's it's been
pretty cool to have all the boys out here.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Well, the boys now are old enough to go online
and vote for their dad for the All Star Game.
This year, the All Star Game is in your old ballpark, Atlanta.
How special would it be to be the starting first
baseman in Atlanta for the Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah, I mean that sounds pretty cool. It does, and
I didn't know. You just told me that it starts today,
So go out and vote for all of us. That'd
be pretty cool to go there and represent the Dodgers.
In the All Star Game, especially with our coaching staff
being you know, the coaching staff for the All Star Game.
I think that's pretty special. So if we can get
as many guys there as possible, that'd be pretty cool.
(04:59):
And obviously in the park that I saw be built
and you know, spent a lot of time there, that
would definitely be pretty cool. So we'll see what happened
to the next month.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
The park that you saw be built, that's the park
Freddie Freeman built in Atlanta, and you belong in that
All Star Game.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Oh, I appreciate it so far. You know, baseball's a
crazy sport. You never know what's gonna happen. Be humble day.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Now, you be humble, and I'll take care of the
other stuff. I'll be your mean gene Okerland and your
wrestling promoter moving forward.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
I appreciate you got a month to do it all
R right, sounds good.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Dodgers dot Com slash vote right now for the Dodgers
and Freddie Freeman. Maybe even send Tanner Scott as well.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I would like that.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, he just gave me the peace sign right there.
Thanks a lot for the time, Freddy, and you enjoy
a Javier's Hoaviers has a new location in downtown. Freddie
will get a gift card.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I thank you, dude. I love all these plugs right.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Now the number one plug automatic Freddie Freeman to the
All Star Game, starting first Baseman. My vision is Freddie
versus Max Freed and the house Freddie built Atlanta. Thanks
a lot and I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Thank you, David
And an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talking.
We're joined right now by a man that's a hero
to the people of Los Angeles, a hero to the
people from Coast to Coast World Series MVP, and last
night's hero at Dodger Stadium, the one and only Freddie Freeman. Freddie,
thanks a lot for the time. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Thank you, David. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I told the story on the show last night that
you were joking you didn't want to hit the ball
on the ground anymore.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, and I still didn't once. No. I just like
I've been throwing hits out there, but it hasn't been
the hits that you know, get me going. I've hit
a lot of balls on the ground to the right side,
a lot of swing and mists, and a lot of
fly balls left field. So that's what I call the
cut swing. Yeah, That's what I've battled my whole life.
But the double in the first thing, that was good.
(00:46):
You know, two strikes. You just want to get something,
you know, not strike out for the ball and play,
and so that was that was okay. With that hook
job down there, I feel line. But the one obviously
on the walk off. I've been searching for that swing
that's a backspin ball center to left center, and I
was able to do that. So hopefully I can carry
that and put together some good games with some batsman balls.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
We had to tap into Nomar to get the translation
to cut swings. He just said, you're not a cut
swing means you're not fully extending, fully getting through the ball.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah. For me, it's when I start my swing, my
hands start pulling across my body. I know it's hard
to understand, but for me, it's just my barrel of
my bat is not in the zone going through the middle.
It's coming across the zone. It's almost like it for
a left handed hitter. It's like my hands are at
third base and they're coming to first base. So that's
what it's doing my swinging. So to be able to
(01:36):
hit balls in the air, it's only going to be
like a down and in pitch to a left EU
or something in like a slider in where I can
I'm cutting right through it. But I have to be
perfectly on time to get hit. So I've been able
to throw hits out there, but it's I'm trying to
get the how I always think it's like the imaginary
line the box, like the batter's box, the line going
(02:00):
from the back of the box to the pitchers found
that straight line, so if I can have my hands
going on that line, then everything will work through up
to the middle. And right now they're cutting across that line.
So but last night's swing on the walk off that
it was the swing I've been looking for probably for
about two weeks now, two and a half weeks. So
hopefully I could repeat that in the.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Cage after this interview, Freddy, obviously your career is on
its way to Cooper's Town. But when did you have
this nag to understand yourself so well?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
You know, it took a lot of time, I think
as I've gotten older, like I understand so like it's
like I struck out in the eight thing with guys
on second and third instead of being down the dumps,
and like I'm not happy I got out, obviously, but
to understand that I'm going to get another opportunity. Did
I know it was gonna happen so fast again in
that game? Though I was expecting it to be today
or the next day. It's it's always being okay to fail,
(02:52):
Like if you're if you're okay with failing, especially in
this game, then it helps helps you be okay, you know,
like cause this game is such a roller coaster swimming
up and downs. But it took years. I mean you
can talk to Chelse. I used to punish myself all
the time when I was a younger baseball player, like
if I go, oh for four, I wouldn't feed myself
and you know, like crazy stuff like that. But now
(03:15):
it's just like, oh wait, no, there's a game tomorrow.
It's it will always work itself out. And so I
think it probably I think kids, you know, when I
had kids, I think that's when things kind of you know,
it doesn't matter if you go for four four four
that they're gonna act the same to you. So I
think probably about you know, nine nine, ten years ago,
(03:38):
things started to change for me for the better.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Speaking of kids, I saw your kids and Chelsea out
here after a Sunday night's game. Dwayne Wade was out here,
and I was thinking, where's Freddy right now? How much
treatment is see receiving right now?
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I was actually getting treatment. And then I went to
the car and I waited for him. They were trying
to get me to come down, and I was like,
I've already made it upstairs. I'm not coming back downstairs.
But I got the FaceTime call from Charlie saying, can
we play a little bit more? So you can play
all you want. I'm not taking the fun with you.
I'll be you upstairs waiting for you. But I found
that late. They were downstairs. But if I had known,
(04:11):
I would have came out. I saw a picture of
them jumping up in the air. I don't know if
I would have been able to do that. But no,
it's been fun. We've been They've been coming to every
game so far this home stand, so it's it's been
pretty cool to have all the boys out here.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Well, the boys now are old enough to go online
and vote for their dad for the All Star Game.
This year, the All Star Game is in your old ballpark, Atlanta.
How special would it be to be the starting first
baseman in Atlanta for the Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah, I mean that sounds pretty cool. It does, and
I didn't know. You just told me that it starts today,
So go out and vote for all of us. That'd
be pretty cool to go there and represent the Dodgers.
In the All Star Game, especially with our coaching staff
being you know, the coaching staff for the All Star Game.
I think that's pretty special. So if we can get
as many guys there as possible, that'd be pretty cool.
(04:59):
And obviously in the park that I saw be built
and you know, spent a lot of time there, that
would definitely be pretty cool. So we'll see what happened
to the next month.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
The park that you saw be built, that's the park
Freddie Freeman built in Atlanta, and you belong in that
All Star Game.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Oh, I appreciate it so far. You know, baseball's a
crazy sport. You never know what's gonna happen. Be humble day.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Now, you be humble, and I'll take care of the
other stuff. I'll be your mean gene Okerland and your
wrestling promoter moving forward.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
I appreciate you got a month to do it all
R right, sounds good.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Dodgers dot Com slash vote right now for the Dodgers
and Freddie Freeman. Maybe even send Tanner Scott as well.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
I would like that.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, he just gave me the peace sign right there.
Thanks a lot for the time, Freddy, and you enjoy
a Javier's Hoaviers has a new location in downtown. Freddie
will get a gift card.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I thank you, dude. I love all these plugs right.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Now the number one plug automatic Freddie Freeman to the
All Star Game, starting first Baseman. My vision is Freddie
versus Max Freed and the house Freddie built Atlanta. Thanks
a lot and I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Thank you, David
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