December 16, 2025 • 50 mins
Off Season Dodger Talk with David Vassegh who talk to 1988 World Series champion Dodgers Mike Scioscia and Mickey Hatcher, Dave also talks with Kike Hernandez.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is off season Dodger Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Get in on the show by calling eight six six
non eight seven two five seventy four hashtag.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Dodger Talk and now your host, David Maasse. Welcome to
Dodger Talk. David Basse with you until eight o'clock tonight
here on AM five to seventy LA Sports. We got
a great hour of Dodger Talk for you. Keicky Hernandez
is going to join us in about forty minutes, but
we are starting off, leading off the show with two
(00:29):
of my favorite players from my favorite Dodger team, and
that was the miracle nineteen eighty eight World champion Dodgers.
Will you talk about these days the Dodgers being perceived
as Goliath, Well, back in nineteen eighty eight, they were, David,
and these two men were drafted a year apart by
(00:50):
the Dodgers in the late seventies. I won't give away
which year for both these guys out of respect to
one of them, but these two guys have been for
a long time in their baseball lives and have a
never dying friendship to this day. They were huge parts
of the Dodgers winning the nineteen eighty eight World Series
(01:11):
and still keep tabs on the team and you can
be up close and personal with them wearing their number
nine and number fourteen, respectively. In January, at the Dodger
Adult Fantasy Camp, there are still a few spots open.
It's almost sold out, but you can be there with
our guests Mike Soosha and Mickey Hatcher if you go
(01:34):
to Dodgers dot com slash Fantasy Camps and they join
us right now. Mike and Mickey, thank you so much
for taking the time out. It's great to have you
guys together.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
All right, David greenor are you going first, Mike or what?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well? Mickey?
Speaker 4 (01:50):
You they called you first, evidently, Mickey, so you go first.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Hey, uh no, you're the manager. Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So guys, maybe you could fill us in here. I
mean this, this friendship did not end in nineteen ninety
or nineteen ninety one or even you know, when you
guys were done being together on the angels. How close
are you to this day? And where does that come from? Mike?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Well, we're yeah, we're close except when he beats my
butt in the golf course and we're not that close.
But you know what, David, it was a great time.
I mean We still keep in touch with guys that
we played with in the minor leagues coming up through
the Dodge organization, and then that eighty eight team was
so special. There's a bond there and you know, whether
it was Oral or Kirk Gibson or or t Bone Shelby, everybody.
(02:40):
I mean, we all keep in touch. And I think
that's the bond that you get from playing on a
championship team. And I've known Mickey, you know, you know,
since nineteen seventy seven when he signed, so you know,
we've been we've been together, Ron Rennicky, all of us.
We're just we're good friends and we enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Do you feel that way about Mike Mickey?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh yeah, I mean we came up. We have many
stories that uh, you know, we developed over the years
and and the bond. But you know what the greatest
thing was not only the players that we had an
opportunity to be part of, It was Peter O'Malley and uh,
you know, that friendship has still been really close from
(03:24):
an owners to his players, and we still keep in
touch a lot and and do lunches together. And I
think that's that's a special part about being a Dodger.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I know Mickey comes out to Dodger Stadium a lot.
His wife, Patty, is a big time Dodger fan. I
think Dodger fans would love to know from two great
champions themselves, what you thought about this year's World Series.
Hatch do you want to start? Since you really follow
it and your wife has a great passion for it.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Still, Oh yeah, definitely and car Mike Sosher remembers probably
every play that happened from Game one to Game seven,
but I can only remember a couple and you know,
the game sometimes are won by inches, and uh, you know,
it was just a great game to watch, going back
and forth and just seeing uh, you know, Roberts just
(04:17):
managed a great job in Game seven, especially with that
defensive move and uh, you know, inches, the guy leading
off one more foot on third base and the World
Series goes to Toronto. So uh, it was an exciting
game going back and forth, especially for the fans. I mean, uh,
you know, uh, to me, I really, I really think
(04:39):
it's going to go down as one of the Dodgers'
best World series.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Mike, when you were watching Game six and uh, it's
the ninth inning, they're they're going to more starters. Tyler
Glass now gets the first out on the first pitch. Uh,
and you see Keith a Hernandez use his own baseball
like you to shade in to be able to pull
off that game endo double play. Just the sequence of
events that took place to end game six in game
(05:04):
seven is that? Have you ever seen World series games
end that way?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Well, you know, David, that was one of the most
exciting series I think I've ever witnessed. When we were
with the Angels, you know too, our seven game series
with the Giants was so back and forth and we
managed to you know, beat him in seven games. But
not only was this the seventh game, the Dodgers going
on the road and winning every game was back and forth,
(05:32):
back and forth. And what I like about it was,
I really feel the Dodgers stepped up and won the game.
Toronto didn't hand them anything. The Dodgers had to make
plays they did, They had to do things in the
offensive end, and they you know, got some some incredible
hits that you know, just just got them back into
the game. And the home runs were exciting. So I
(05:55):
think the way Mickey already talked about Dave Roberts. He
did a terrific job. I think remolding that bullpen with
a lot of the starters in Game seven was the
only way they were could get that done, and they
did it. And masasak or Yama mode I should say,
did his best impersonation of or Horsheiser an Ada come
(06:15):
out of the bullpen and getting you know, and saving
the game. And that was what an exciting series.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Hey, Mike, since you are and known as being a catcher,
caught more games than anybody else in Dodger franchise history.
In game seven, you know, one play where the Dodgers
by an inch could have lost the World Series was
with the infield in and the play at the plate
bases loaded Isaiah Connor falefa just a hair behind the
(06:43):
throw by Miguel Rojas to Will Smith, can you explain
you know, that situation for a catcher and how maybe
his foot could have slipped off?
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Well, you know, Will Smith's incredible. I think as a catcher,
you're told to put your foot right on the middle
of the plate so as you do reach for the ball,
your foot will stay on the plate. And I think
he did, but the timing Rojas had kind of played
in between hop he lost his balance a little bit,
but he showed his great arm strength and threw a
(07:15):
bullet home and Will stretch forward and just barely got,
you know, the runner. And I think Mickey already said it.
They're very passive at third base on their lead because
they don't want they don't want to get you know,
get you'll get a line drive double play. But there's
a left handed hitter up and if that line drive
is hit to the right side of the infield, you
(07:35):
could be aggressive at third base and still get back.
And and I think that's uh, you know, that's the
little things that I think maybe get lost under you know,
they get lost like water under the bridge. But if
he if he had another two foot lead, then Mickey's
right that the series goes to Toronto's favor, and but
Will Will kept the slot of the plate. I think
(07:57):
Rojas made a great play after he lost his balance,
and the Dodgers jumped up and won the game. And
I think that's what they can feel good about.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
That's the voice of Mike's Sooshia and Mickey Hatcher teammates
World champions as the Dodgers, so won it back in
nineteen eighty eight as David slaying Elias, slain the Mighty
Mets and slaying the Oakland A's in five games, beating
the Mets in seven games, and Mickey, you know Miguel
Rojas hitting that home run in Game seven of the
(08:27):
World Series with the Dodgers down to their final two outs.
I'm not going to say it was exactly the same situation,
but did it remind you of a guy in Shay
Stadium keeping your season alive against the Mets and Dwight Gooden.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Oh, definitely. Sosia's home run was just amazing. And I'll
tell you what, Rojas, that pitch was a pretty nasty
pitch for him to pull and hit a home run,
and you know it was just I kind of like
Rojas's day. Man. That play second base was amazing and
that home run and you can see it lifted the Dodgers.
(09:06):
I mean it lifted their bench, It lifted everything for them.
So that was that's going to be one of the
most memorable home runs I think in that series.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Mickey, you understand this. You were the leader of the Stuntman,
a group of bench players in nineteen eighty eight. That
if a guy got hurt all of a sudden, you
had to be ready or coming off the bench to
pinch it. You had an incredible World Series filling in
for Kirk Gibson. You hit three sixty eight. Arguably, you know,
if it wasn't for fifty five, could have been named
the World Series MVP. But can you appreciate how tough
(09:40):
it was for Rojas not to play for the entire
World Series, get in in game six and have such
a huge impact in the last two games. How do
you do that?
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Yeah? I just think you know, it's like, you know,
even when I was in the World Series, we had
a bunch of guys we knew our career was coming
to an end. This was our moment, and you just
stay into the moment and you you take every advantage
you can to that moment. I think the same thing
with Rojas. You know, he knows he's coming to the
(10:11):
end of the end of his career, and you know what,
he wanted to be ready, and he wanted that one
opportunity and he turned into be about a twenty five
year old kid and that those two innings and it
was just a great moment for him. So no matter
how his his life goes on, or whether he's going
to retire or whether he's going to try to keep playing.
(10:34):
This is going to be remembered in his family and
his life, and it's just a great feeling.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Mickey Hatcher, you were on Mike's social's coaching staff with
the two thousand and two Angels that found a way
to come back so many times in that seven game
win over the Giants and O two. Did this World
Series remind you of that seven game World Series win
by the Juice?
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yes, I'm telling you what we just Mike did a
great job with those players and putting them together and
from the start of the season teaching them what it
took to win and and we had to do the
little things just like the Dodgers had to do, uh
to win this game. And uh, you know, it was
just watching those guys go through get out there in
(11:23):
game six. Uh you know when we were down and
even when Dusty Baker went out to the mound to
take the guy. Uh, I remember the pitcher's name out
or te can see our players say we're going to
win this game. We're going to win this game. And
and I think sitting back as a coach and seeing
your players still having that energy to want to win
(11:46):
that game means a lot to you.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Yeah that was Ramon Ortiz, right, Mike, Daddy, he took out.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
And Russ Russ Russe or teeth yeah, Russell t y yeah, yes.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
And do you remember the the feeling that you had
before game seven? Could you as you're as you're watching
game seven start in Toronto, do you have some of
those same feelings that you had maybe managing game seven
in two thousand and two, what Dave Roberts may be
going through.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Well, you know, you're you're you're so busy, and it's
good busy because you're getting uh, you know, you're getting
everything together, you're getting your matchups, you're getting uh you know,
you've already done all your scouting and everything and your
pitcher and catcher should be on the same page. So
you're ready for this game to start. I think that
little anxiety like you're saying, let's get going, let's get going. Uh,
(12:38):
you just want to you just want to get going
and and and get get some momentum built and hopefully
win a game. Uh. But but you know, you're you're
you're still doing so much. David to prepare up until
you know you take the field, and I think it
just keeps you saying so you're not dwelling on things
too much, but we uh, you know, the team. One
of the things I really liked about the Dodger club.
(13:00):
I mean you talked about Key k and being able
to just use his experience. These guys played free, and
I mean they didn't play with with with any burden
or maybe if they if they missed a play or
or if they were going to make a play. They
played aggressively. Of defense, they played aggressively run the bases
and in the batter's box. And that's the same thing,
(13:22):
you know two with our club. Our club was very
aggressive in every aspect of it. They didn't think about
making mistakes. They thought about making plays. And I think
that's when it comes down to crunch time and everyone's
going to point to a lot of the things that
happened in that game. The Dodgers made plays. And I
think what you're alluded to with Kay Hernandez in left field,
(13:43):
he knew when he caught that ball exactly where he
was throwing it. Rowhouse made a great pick, doubled off
the runner, and games over so I think that had
a lot to do with why they you know, why
they played so well.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Mike Soosie and Mickey Hatcher are joining us on Dodger Talk.
I want to go back to when you guys were
on the same staff, Mike the manager, Mickey the hitting coach,
because this year when the Dodgers played the Angels, I
was privy to a conversation of Dino Ebel and Tim
Salmon praising Mike Soosha and Mickey Hatcher just about the
(14:17):
message you guys sent, the tone, especially Mike at the
beginning of the season where you needed team at bats,
whether it was Albert Pooholz, Mike Trout, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Mickey,
do you remember those type of meetings that Mike would
have and did you see some of those team at
bats from guys like Otani and Freeman that reminded you
(14:38):
of the message you guys had.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Well, you know, we had an opportunity to go in
there and see the players that get and have you
know a year under our bell watching these guys play.
And I remember in the offseason, Mike before spring training says,
we got to get these guys together. They don't know
how to win, and and he proceeded with the game
(15:03):
plan of you know, we've got to move runners. The
worst scenario, we got a runner on second base, we
got to get him to third. We got to score them. Uh,
we got to move runners over. You know, we've we've
got to play that type of game. Uh, knowing to
use the big part of the field in those situations
and and not just give away in at bat, Uh
(15:26):
give yourself an attempt to get a hit, but get
the job done. And Uh, in spring training, these guys
started doing it. We said, hey, these bats don't count. Uh.
You know, Mike had the meeting and he said, I
applied it as a hitting coach and said, hey, we're
going in the spring training these have bats don't count.
But this is what we're going and and uh, he's
(15:48):
got to start doing it. And you know, here guys
moving a runner to third base for the other guy
to get an RBI. You see him start giving knuckles
and uh, they got really into it. And it was amazing.
And when we started the season, we probably had the
worst record the starting the season. What was our record, Mike.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
When we were like this season fourteen, Yeah, we were
struggling like, yeah, fourteen. And then the guys they kept
doing it. Yeah, yeah, they kept doing it. You know,
Mickey remember with Troy Glass, it was funny. We're talking
about moving runners, a guy on second and Troy saying.
Troy says, he goes, Mike, I can't hit a ground
ball a second, I said, And Mickey goes, Troy, we're
(16:26):
not asking. We don't want you hit a ground ball
a second. If we're on the other team and hit
her like you hit the ground ball to second with
a guy on second, We're saying, thank you. We want
you knock down the centerfield wall. We want you hit
the ball left center. Centerfield us a big part of
the field. And he exhaled. He goes, oh, thank you, okay,
I can do that. And uh and Tim sabon, Tim
(16:47):
Savon and spring training and the guy was on second
base and uh, and he hit a ball off the
batter's eye in center field. And he came back and
he goes, should I apologize? I said, heck no, you
shouldn't apologize. I said, it is a big part of
the field. If you had it out of the ballpark,
it's a beautiful thing. I said that. You know that
that's what we're talking about. But you know, the big
thing was these guys. These guys, they they understood it,
(17:11):
and they played great baseball, and they really blended with
great base running, situational hitting, and plus when we look
about you talk about the middle of the lineup, and
you had you know, Ga and Tim Salmon and Gloss
and her stat up at hitting second and ex Stein
leading off. These guys fed the whole lineup and and
(17:33):
and it was really a it was really a lineup
that was I think, very underrated. But these guys are
one of the top lineups in baseball for a number
of years, and they showed it in O two.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Do you guys still believe if you were on the
same staff, with the way the game has been played
the last ten something years, do you think players would
still be open to Mike's Oshi and Mickey Hatcher saying, hey,
I need twenty five team at bats the entire year.
I need twenty five team at bats. Do you feel
like that would still be in play today?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Well, you know, there's some different philosophies out like strikeouts
another out which I don't know what Moron came up
with that line. A strikeout is not just another out.
But I think what I think, I think what's important
is you know, like like I say, you talk to
Darren Nurseat, who was a great team player. Anyway, he
would do it anyway he's gonna get he's gonna go
over six hundred plate appearances. And we were talking to
(18:29):
these guys, So you guys are gonna get six hundred
plate appearances if you don't have the twenty five team
at bats that we're talking about to where you get
two strikes, you know, you got to shorten it up
and pull the ball in the ground if you're a
stat or ga to get a guy from from second
to third, you know, and and two strikes, shorten it
up and maybe hit that sack fly instead of and
(18:50):
take the RBI. But you're not trying to hit home run,
then that's on you. And I think as you communicate
with these guys, and I think you know, there's a
there's a lot of baseball players understand that part of it.
There's a lot of guys that are not going to
strike down those situations. And I think that that those
are the guys that stand out and you just know
they're going to help their team win. And as I said,
(19:11):
you're gonna get six hundred plate appearances for most of
the player apparenties. You're free to swing and do whatever
you want, but that team at bat comes and it
presents itself to you.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
We need it.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
And I think I think, guys, you know, I think
ball players now would would rally around that and would
embrace that also.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Do you remember those those talks, Mickey, And do you
believe that in today's game that players would accept that
as well? And did you see it from the Dodgers
in twenty five?
Speaker 2 (19:43):
You start seeing it on more teams now, you really do.
You start seeing a little bit more bunning. You start
seeing it, But you know, it's like Mike says, I mean,
come on, a two strike approach. You know, that's when
you got to like get up there and battle with
that picture. And it's just a swing and misses that
are are just amazing to me, especially on pitches that
(20:06):
are right there with two strikes. And you know that
was Mike's biggest biggest thing was, Hey, come on, guys,
two strikes, you know, maybe come off the knob. We've
we've got to battle up there. We've got to put
that ball in play. And uh, you know, strikeouts, that's
just an easy out for anything you put a ball
(20:28):
in play, they can make an air, they can throw
it away, they can there's a lot of scenarios that
could happen, you know, that can't happen if you're slinging miss.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Dave Roberts is actually one of the managers that are
active today that actually echoes what you guys have said.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
Well, I know Dave, I know he was that type player,
and he understands it. I think you see players, I
mean you see Will Smith choking up and putting the
ball play in some of the situations. You know, Freddie Freeman,
I mean, these guys are professional hitters. Even you know
Show Hey, he he's got such an a great idea
of what to do in a batter's box. MOOKI, you know,
(21:05):
MOOKI bet same way. Mickey and I were contact hitter.
So we had a guy on third base and less
than two outs, and if we struck out, which you
know sometimes it happens, sometimes you just get beat. We
you know, we were we were upset with ourselves. We
were more upset because we knew what was waiting for
us in the dugout from tom of the sword as
we're walking back and you walking back to the dougout
(21:29):
and you can see you can see Tommy turning purple
like like just saying, what's the ball in play? What
are you doing? And you know that was that was
the worst part of you know, the worst part about
striking out in the situation like that.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
All right, before I let you guys go, you're not
answering this question, Mike, this is only for Mickey Hatcher.
Mickey Hatcher. Okay, there was a manager with the Angels
manage one team for nineteen years, had unprecedented success. For
those nineteen he won more games than any other Angels
(22:03):
manager in the history of that franchise, sixteen hundred and
fifty wins, won the only World Series in Angels franchise history.
Don't you believe that guy should be in the Hall
of Fame as a manager, And don't you believe number
fourteen should be retired in Anaheim?
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Mickey, Oh, I do you know one thing that you
and you can hear how Mike speaks, and you know
he can remember a pitch forty years ago, what this
guy did and whatever. But he's always had a passion
for the game and he's always wanted to win. You know,
there's you know, I don't care if you give him
(22:44):
the worst team in baseball. He's going to make him
learn how to win. And I think that that was
his passion as a manager. But the players really respect him.
He has that. You know, he's able to bring him
in the office and have the one on one uh,
you know, like like he's like their father. And that's
(23:04):
why I think you hear like the Salmon's and the
Erstes and all those kind of guys. Uh, just how
much passion they had for Mike as a manager. I mean,
their career was probably one of the differences in that
they've ever had being playing baseball. And they'll tell you that,
and uh, you know, I think it's going to happen
for Mike.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
But I think in baseball, uh, he's well known. You
go to an event and all these players from different
teams or whatever, they want to go and and talk
to Mike and and and listen to his uh philosophies
and stuff like that, and uh, you know, he just
has a passion and uh, and that's going to take
him a long ways.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
And I do, But can I answer that question?
Speaker 3 (23:49):
No, no, because I know it you Mike, just shut up.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
That was my turn.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Let me just say this real quick. I know you
got to cut us off, but real quick, I want
to say this. You know, this game's about playing it.
This game isn't about coaching and managing it. When you're
in the backyard with your brother and you're playing up
just you know, you're just playing baseball with him, and
you're making up situations. You're the one up at bat
with three two bases loaded, and you hit the home
(24:16):
run to win the game like Freddie Freeman did or
Kirk Gibson did, and and you know you're the one
that hits it. You're not the one managing and putting
guys in. So for me and I know Micky the
same way, we loved playing the game, and we love
playing the game for the Dodgers. Uh. And that's a
special feeling of of of of playing the game that
(24:37):
you can take with you now. We like coaching, I
love managing, but it doesn't compare to playing the game.
And that's where our hearts are is really as ballplayers,
and in particular with the Dodgers, we had great experience
and fortunately you know one won some championships there and
that's what we'll we'll take for over with us, and
that means what means the most to me.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
That's why you're special. Okay, if you're if you're a player,
you love the player. I want you in the legends
of Dodger Baseball. I want you wearing a blue coat
one day. And I would love to have as many
stunt men put in as legends of Dodger Baseball as well.
Just the group of the stuntmen and Mike Sosha, how
about that.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
I like the stumpman getting in because those guys, those
guys were huge for us in eighty eight. And all
the pieces fit. And you know, you said one time
that we might have been the you know, David, you
say we might have been the worst World Series team,
Dodger team.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
I did not say that. Bob Costa said it.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
I don't care what Bob Costas does. You repeated it,
and let me tell you what the pieces fit. We
were a great team that had a tremendous pitching staff,
great bullpen, and players like the stunt men that played free,
they played loose, they did whatever whatever the situation was
that Tommy wanted to do. He could do because we
(25:59):
all had the back control to do it. And going
down the whole lineup, we would get bunts down. We
could hit and run. We put the ball in play
with two strikes, and once in a while you hit
the ball good and went out of the park. And
I think that as you talk about the stuntman in
that group with Mickey and and and uh Rick Dempsey
and and Danny Heap and Dave Anderson. I know I'm
(26:20):
leaving missing somebody, Mickey, but you guys, you guys were
so important does not only during the season, but in
the playoffs. And and and uh and and we were.
We were a terrific team in eighty eight. Very underrated
as to the talent on the team and how it
worked and how we played. And I just don't like you, David,
saying we're one of the worst championships dot your teams
on paper. I don't like that.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
I never said that.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
I said, how.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Many wins, Mike, we had ninety how many wins?
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Ninety something wins?
Speaker 3 (26:48):
You were I feel like, yes, ninety four great wins.
You guys were, David. The Mets were Goliath, the A's
were Goliath. Nobody thought you guys could beat them. You know,
I was getting phone calls as a ten year old
by adults just like you know, mocking my Dodgers at
that point in time, and I said, you just wait,
this team can do it. So it wasn't a slight
(27:09):
to call you David. David's a great name, yea, a
great biblical reference.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Yeah, you're trying to worm yourself out of that one.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
As always, that's what I do. I just punch my
way out of the corner. Hey, you know, I might
sign up for this fantasy camp just so I could
be there, maybe to be managed or coached by Mickey
Hatcher and Mike Soosha. How about that.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
I'll tell you what. I can only picture you at
a baseball uniform running around, and I'm about to start
laughing right now.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Maybe I'll wear number nine one day and number fourteen
another day. How about that?
Speaker 4 (27:51):
You're if you're playing defense, you better have shing guards on,
wear a batting helmet out there in the field, and
have a double cup on. Because I don't know what's
going to happen you, David.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
You guys, I will say this, and I don't care
what my wife thinks. Nineteen eighty eight was the greatest
year of my life. To this day, I will say
that flat out. You guys brought baseball to life for
so many of us and made so many of us
young people in Los Angeles in nineteen eighty eight fall
in love with the Dodgers and fall in love with
(28:24):
the game of baseball. And you guys were two huge
parts of the Dodgers, and you guys, as long as
I'm doing this, nobody will forget the eighty eight Dodgers
as great as you were. And nobody will forget Mike's
osha and Mickey Hatcher and the rest of you guys.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
I appreciate that, David. It was a special year for
all of us, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
All right, Mike, can't wait to come over me and Mickey?
What time do you want us over for Christmas? We
look forward to it.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
We celebig Christmas on the twenty six So come on
over there.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Thanks guys, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Thank you, Okay, bye, all right, fue.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
There they go, Mickey Hatcher and Mike's soosha. That was awesome.
That was definitely a bucket list. It's one thing to
interview one of them, but both of them together. Uh,
just spectacular. We're gonna take a break when we come
back your phone calls, and also we'll get to my
conversation with Keike Hernandez coming up from this past Saturday
(29:28):
at the Polo Ralph Lauren store. They treated us great,
trust us great, and I can't wait to share keyk
with you as well. Mike Soosha, Micky Hatcher, Forever, Dodgers
don't go anywhere more Dodger Talk around the corner thanks
again to Mike's Sooshia and Mickey Hatcher taking time out
of the busy holiday season to join us on Dodger Talk.
(29:52):
Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. That
certainly was a bucket list thing for me. I mean,
those guys were larger than life. When I was growing
up in the San Fernando Valley and loving the Dodgers,
that nineteen eighty eight team was so special, and I
love that they still have that competitive spirit where they
(30:14):
don't like being called the weakest team or the most
unexpected team to win the World Series. But I always
feel like those East Coasters give the sixty nine Mets
a little too much shine. The eighty eight Dodgers were
just as much of a Cinderella. Nobody picked them team,
but they did have the MVP and the saw Young
(30:34):
on the same team that year, and that was Kirk
Gibson and Oral Hersheisers, So they did have talent more
than what they were giving credit for. Steve Sachs was
their second basement and leadoff hitter Mike Soosha, who eventually
caught more games than any other Dodger in history, was
part of it. Hersheiser, Tim Leary, Tim Belcher, to name
(30:55):
a few, and Jay Howell closing. Just a great team.
And if you don't know about the eighty eight Dodgers,
sports net LA did a great piece on the eighty
eight Dodgers a few years back. You can fight it,
I'm sure online. And if you listen to this show,
you know how much the eighty eight Dodgers mean to me.
And I just thought it was interesting to hear two
(31:17):
Dodger World Series champions, you know, thirty plus years later,
give their thoughts on what they saw this year in
the Dodgers twenty twenty five World Series Championship. It's great
to get that type of perspective. Eight six six nine,
eight seven two five, seventy is the phone number if
you want to talk about what Mike's oshi Mickey Hatchers
(31:38):
said about the World Series. If you want to get
into the hot stove, we can do that as well.
Really kind of quiet right now. I don't expect any
big splashes from the Dodgers until maybe the new year.
I mean, there's obviously talks going on, but we're getting
closer to Christmas and it feels like the Tigers are
still in limbo about whether or not they want to
(32:01):
trade Trek's Schooble. If they do want to trade Trek
schoobl the Dodgers seem to be the most obvious destination
because the Dodgers have the young pitching and players that
are major league ready to try to get the Tigers
to be competitive in the Al Central even without Schooble.
(32:22):
So that's where things stand. And coming up in about
seven minutes, we'll hear from Keith Hernandez. We had a
great time this past Saturday at the Citadel and Commerce
in front of the Polo Ralph Lauren store. They were
such gracious hosts. They went above and beyond, and Keik
was taking pictures with fans seemingly for two hours, but
(32:45):
they cut it off after an hour. He was like
Santa Claus in front of the polo Ralph Lauren Storre.
So thank you to everybody that took care of us,
especially Christina Choi, who is so cool. Let's go out
to New Jersey, Sam Dodger talk, how you doing? Sam David?
Speaker 5 (33:03):
I cannot believe I was speaking to the legend right now.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Now, I was talking to two legends. You're just talking
to me.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Ha ha.
Speaker 5 (33:11):
So I actually have three questions for you, Bill. Let
me know how many time you could got to. My
first question is a hot though question, which is how
likely do you think it would be for the Dodgers
to sign Boba Shot and move Mookie to the outfield
or let's say Sonia Kyle Tucker.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
I don't believe Mookie Betts is going back to right field.
He's the Dodgers shortstop. They have said that already. If
the Dodgers do, here's the challenge with signing Bob Bashett,
and I am all in on signing Bob Bashett because
I believe he could be the Dodgers' third baseman in
twenty twenty seven and beyond, a guy that could be
versatile to play third and second base this year, But
(33:52):
how does it fit? How will it fit with Max
s Munsey at third base, who is still one of
the best playoff performers that Dodgers have, and we saw
how much the Dodgers missed him when he was out
of the lineup. But Tommy Edmond's hurt, he's not going
to start the season or he's going to be delayed.
Key K Hernandez can't play untill June. You got an
(34:14):
unproven has Song Kim. So I feel like bo Bishett
fits at second base, But what do you do when
Edmund comes back and key K comes back? So I'm
all in with Bishett, and I don't you know, I
would be surprised maximunths he played more than one hundred
and twenty games this year considering some of the injuries
(34:35):
he's had the last few years. So I just think
he fits really well. But how does he fit in
twenty twenty six? That's the tough part.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Got it?
Speaker 5 (34:46):
And my next question for you is being that I
live in New Jersey. I am harassed NonStop. I met Send,
especially now because the Dodgers just signed Edwin Diaz, as
well as Yankee fans who tell me that the Dodgers
are ruining baseball. David watching my response to based as
such a thing, say.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
The Mets are spending a lot of money, but just
not spending it the right way. The Padres, We're spending
a lot of money and their windows seemingly has closed.
I mean they you know, there's other teams that spent
a lot of money that just haven't been able to
take down the Dodgers. So you know, Mets fans, you know,
cannot throw rocks from a glass house.
Speaker 5 (35:24):
And what about the deferments.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
It's part, it's part of the game. It's not it's
not not allowed. They're just they're just five steps ahead
of everybody else.
Speaker 5 (35:36):
Wow, couldn't have said a better myself. And David, the
last question for you is more about the league in general,
which is do you think the Anthony Rendon Angels contract
is the worst contract in baseball history?
Speaker 3 (35:47):
It's right up there, yeah it is. I mean, how
many has he even played? One hundred and sixty two
games for the Angels And you know what, I don't know.
Thank goodness, he didn't want that la lifestyle because the
Dodgers talk to him as well. So very happy he
chose Anaheim right.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
Speaking of spending money in the right places, that's an
example of where you're shutting spend your money.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Yeah, sometimes the best trades you make are the best
signings you make are the ones you don't. And look
that was they dodged the bullet right there, and nobody's
thinking about Anthony Rendon after back to back World Series championships.
Thanks for the phone call, Sam, appreciate it. You can
listen to Dodger Talk like Sam on the iHeartRadio app.
(36:29):
You could follow me on ex at the Real Underscore
DV and somebody sent me a message. Mike Sooshia and
Mickey Hatcher were like Keik a Hernandez and Will Smith.
That's a pretty good comparison. Although Will Smith is a
little bit better of a hitter than Mike Sooshia was
in some ways well he was, but certainly two Dodger
(36:50):
catchers that have had two of the biggest clutch home
runs and Dodger history, obviously Will's go ahead home run
in the eleventh inning of Games seven of this year's
World Series and Mike Sosia's home run off of Dwight
Gooden to tie Game four at Shay Stadium save the
Dodgers from going down three games to one to the
(37:12):
Mets in the NLCS in nineteen eighty eight. They would
eventually beat the Mets in seven games in eighty eight.
So if I had people ask me all the time,
what are your top five Dodger postseason home runs? And
you know, obviously Kirk Gibson and Freddie Freeman's home runs
all right at the top. But Will Smith's home run
(37:33):
this year in the eleventh inning has got to be
right there. Mike Sosiaz in the eighty eight NLCS right there.
Justin Turners walk off home run in Game two of
the seventeen NLCS right up there, Miguel Rojas, I mean,
two outs to go and he hits that game tying
home run. So you know, both Freeman walk off home
(37:56):
runs and those others are are at the top of
my list, a long way with our very own Rick
Monday's home run in Game five of the eighty one
NLCS eight six six, nine, eight, seven, two five seventy
is the phone number. Just to alert you schedule alert
Dodger Talk again tomorrow night at seven o'clock. River Ryan
(38:16):
is going to join us tomorrow night and Petro some
Moneys show on Thursday. In case you missed, it is
only two hours now at the BJ's. What city is
it in, Ronnie, I forgot what city it's in.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
In West Covina.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
That's right, BJ's in West Covina two to four o'clock
on Thursday. Dodger Talk tomorrow night at seven o'clock and
when we continue here on Dodger Talk, Keik Hernandez will
join us. Don't go anywhere. We're with you until eight
o'clock right here on a five seventy LA Sports. Happy
holidays to all of you. I know Hanukah started yesterday.
(38:53):
Happy Honikah to all of you, and Merry Christmas and
happy New Year. Tonight and tomorrow our last two shows
of Dodger Talk before the New Year. We'll be back
with you the second week of January unless there is
breaking Dodger news, and if that's the case, then we
will be back with you. So always on standby no
(39:15):
matter what's going on. You never know what. Andrew Friedman
has up his sleeves, so you know, he may be
lighting the mania right now, he might be opening presents.
But hey, if the phone rings and there's a big
time agent or Scott Harris from the Detroit Tigers on
the other line. You know he's picking that up. So look,
(39:35):
the Dodgers aren't done. They're gonna keep big game hunting
because that's what they do, and then be able to
fill out the bench and the depth of their forty
man roster like they've been known to do over the
course of the last decade or so. Thanks again to
Mickey Hatcher and Mike Sosha. Appreciate them coming on. And
there are a couple of spots left for the Dodgers
(39:57):
Adult Fantasy Camp, which is taking place at camel Back
Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. You get to live like a
big leaguer. Go to Dodgers dot com slash fantasy camps
to sign up, and Mike and Mickey are the life
of the party. From what I understand in our guy
Steve Sachs and Steve Garvey are out there as well
Eric Carros. So you get to rub elbows with some
(40:18):
of the great Dodgers and have your own uniform and
play some games and have some fun. It's a great time.
Key k Hernandez will not be out there. You know,
one day I could see Key k being part of
these fantasy camps and it will be a party, that's
for sure. It was a party on Saturday at the
Polo Ralph Lorenz store in Citadel, at the Citadel in Commerce,
(40:40):
at the Citadel Outlet stores, and had a chance to
talk to Key K for the first time since the parade.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Yeah, something like that.
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Last night was a blast, and I'm hoping that today
is as fun as it was last night.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
But I'm just happy to be here.
Speaker 6 (40:59):
Anytime I gonna be in La with some Doctor fans,
it's always a good time. And like always, thank you guys,
thanks for the love.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
What's it like to be as beloved as you are
in this city? I mean, these people showed out for
you wherever you go. It seems like there's always a
big following, a big group of fans.
Speaker 6 (41:18):
It's overwhelming at times, but it's truly appreciated. It's very
humbling to h to know that I'm supported and loved
as much as I am here in this city so
far away from my home in Puerto Rico. But you
know that love always goes back to them. And it's
been nine years on this team, and it's been the
(41:40):
best nine years of my life.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
Back to back World Series champions. It happens so quickly.
What's it been like for you since the parade? Just
soaking in what you guys were able to accomplish.
Speaker 6 (41:52):
Oh well, I had surgery, so I didn't have much
time to think about it.
Speaker 1 (41:56):
But the only thing that you know it comes to
your minus. Let's do it again, simple.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Three.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Pete has a nice ring to it.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
Uh yeah, I think that's trademark. So we can't do it.
But I like to go back to back to back.
Speaker 3 (42:11):
Have you watched any of the highlights of Game six
or Game seven? The play specifically that you made to
end Game six.
Speaker 6 (42:20):
I watched it a few times, But the one that's
always everywhere is when Pis almost killed me. So I've
watched that one a few times.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
And when you see it from that angle, you were
involved in it. From what I understand, did you believe
the ball fell? And when you watch it, do you
still think the ball is going the drop before the
play is completed?
Speaker 6 (42:43):
Uh No, when I think about it now, when I
look at it as one, I still think I could
have caught it.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
Two. I don't know why he jumped, but I'm just
glad he caught it. That's that's it.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
Is it true that you you thought the ball dropped
and you thought you lost the World Series before he
let you know what happened.
Speaker 6 (43:04):
Yeah, because I mean I was I had my back
towards the field and then I was stopping slowing down
to get you know, I was basically underneath the baseball,
and last thing I thought was gonna.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Happen was somebody who's gonna run me over.
Speaker 6 (43:18):
And as soon as he ran me over, I just
I thought there's no way he was going to catch it.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
You know, I was underneath the ball and he ran
me over. So we lost.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
And as I'm on the ground, I'm just thinking, I
just we just lost the World Series and I'm laying.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
On the ground.
Speaker 6 (43:33):
That's going to be replayed forever, and it's still being
replayed forever.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
But for the other reason.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
No doubt, everybody's very happy Andy pa has was able
to run you over and catch it. When you look
back at what a close teammate of yours, Yoshiyama Mota,
was able to do, we think back to you taking
him out after one of the Padres games in the
DS last year. Whatever you said obviously worked, not only
(43:59):
last October, but the entire season. How proud are you
of Yamamoto and the warrior that he was for you
guys this year?
Speaker 1 (44:08):
Really proud.
Speaker 6 (44:09):
Obviously, if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have won
the World Series. But you know, basically our conversation went,
it was just basically telling him, man, I think you're
the best picture in the world.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Just go out there and show people who you are.
And he's done nothing but that.
Speaker 6 (44:25):
And for him to you know, go two complete games
and a back to back starts and then not only
win Game six, but then take them mount the very
next day on no short rent, no no day's rest,
and not only that, but to throw them the most
outs out of any of our pitchers that night was incredible.
He truly put a Superman cape on and he delivered.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
Is it fair to say going back to last year,
you may have believed he was capable of doing what
he did more than maybe he was before having that conversation.
Speaker 6 (44:59):
Potentially, And that's why I, you know, decided to take
him outside of you know, a team environment, with without
a team translator and all that, and.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I basically just wanted him to believe what I believed
in him, and I'm.
Speaker 6 (45:14):
Sure he's never really lacked confidence, but at times, you know,
being in a different country and and you can I've
been on that mound, even though I'm not a pitcher.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Sometimes it's the loneliest feeling in the world.
Speaker 6 (45:25):
So I just wanted him to know that, you know,
we us your teammates, we believe in you.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
We we think you're the greatest.
Speaker 6 (45:34):
And then you know we're we're right behind you, supporting you.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
And you know, he was able to relax a little bit.
Speaker 6 (45:40):
And deliver that Game five against the Padres, pitched really well.
Game three against the Mets, did the same thing again
in Game two against the Yankees, and then obviously the
rest of his history. He had an unbelievable season, and
like I said, he was super human in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
So is Kei K.
Speaker 3 (45:58):
A Hernandez, who is as club as they come. In
the month of October, the Dodgers yesterday made it official,
signing a fellow Puerto Rican, Edwin Diaz. Everybody's so excited
about Timmy Trumpet. Does anybody have Timmy Trumpet on their phone?
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Yet?
Speaker 3 (46:13):
I know my son's playing it every time he goes
to school. I find it hard to believe that Edwin
Diaz leaving the Mets after all these years. Never called
Keith a Hernandez. He actually said that he tapped into
about how they treat families with the Dodgers. But how
much did you play into recruiting Edwin Diaz?
Speaker 6 (46:34):
I played a little bit of a part, you know.
I called Andrew and I let him know that, you know,
the interest was legit, that the Dodgers were not just leverage,
and you know that we had a real opportunity of
going after this guy and getting this guy, uh, in
my mind, the best closer in baseball right now.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
And you know, once I knew that the negotiations.
Speaker 6 (46:56):
Were getting real, I reached out to Sugar and I
let him know that, you know, you, at the end
of the day, you gotta do what's best for you
and your family. But the one thing that I can
assure you is that if you end up with the Dodgers,
you're not gonna regret it one bit. You're gonna be
just fine. Your wife and kids are going to be
just fine. I told them. The worst thing about the
Dodgers organization is that they're so far away from Puerto Rico,
(47:19):
and if that's if that's the only thing that's bad
about an organization, you know, you're in pretty good hands.
And I just let them know, man like you come here,
you know you're gonna have a chance to win year in,
year out. And I think that this is the peak
of baseball. And as far as an organization, I think this.
You know, we play in the big leagues and the
(47:39):
way that the Dodgers treat their people is the way
that should be everywhere, but unfortunately it's not. And lucky
for us we get to experience that, you know, for
one hundred and sixty two games plus. And I just
let him know anything you need any you know, your
wife can reach out to my wife.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Asks any questions that you need to ask, if.
Speaker 6 (47:56):
You have any doubt, no matter, it doesn't really matter,
it doesn't have to be baseball, gonna be apartments.
Speaker 1 (48:00):
Whatever it is, just reach out. Feel free to reach out.
Speaker 6 (48:03):
And next time I heard from him was after I
congratulate him for signing.
Speaker 3 (48:08):
That's beautiful. Key k Hernandez in the bond of Puerto
Rico is so strong, even though Puerto Rico is so
far away from La Key k Hernandez is locker. I
expect to be very close to Edwin Diaz. Don't we
need Key k Hernandez underneath the Dodgers Christmas tree again?
We need keyk Hernandez back for a three p don't we.
(48:29):
It feels like it's it's not a matter of if,
but just when? Does it feel that way to you?
Speaker 6 (48:36):
I mean, yeah, but of course I just had surgery
and I'm not gonna be ready for opening days, so
there's no rush.
Speaker 1 (48:45):
You know.
Speaker 6 (48:45):
If it ends up working our way and we come
back to La, all that matters is that I'm ready
for the second half and ready to do my thing
in October.
Speaker 3 (48:54):
Love it and the fans want you here in LA
for the full season, not just the second half of
the year. We're here at the Polo Ralph Lauren store
at the Citadel and Commerce. They had fitted Key k
with some new swag myself and me too. So the
last time you saw Keky and I together, he was
talking about my nipples coming through my shirt. What do
(49:16):
you think about this sweater? Does it hide the nipples?
Speaker 1 (49:19):
Still a little hard, but not as hard as they
were that night?
Speaker 3 (49:24):
Okay, yes, that's the way we ended it out there
at the Polo Ralph Lauren store and sit at the
Citadel in Commerce. Don't go there now. That was Saturday.
We had a great time and uh Kei k really
enjoyed being there at the Polo Ralph Lauren store, meeting
all of you, taking photos. A lot of families got
their Christmas card pictures with keik I saw a whole
(49:49):
softball team come out and take a picture with keik So,
one of the more most popular Dodgers on this back
to back World series team and going back to his
time when he first started in twenty fifteen. That'll do
it for us tonight on Dodger Talk. In case you
missed our great conversation with Mike Sooshi and Micky Hatcher,
you can find it on the iHeartRadio app. We'll be
(50:12):
back with you tomorrow night at seven o'clock. River Ryan
is going to join us. I promise he won't leave
his phone at home. Ronnie Fossio, thank you for your
help and thank you for listening. We'll talk to you
tomorrow night at seven Sea
This is off season Dodger Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Get in on the show by calling eight six six
non eight seven two five seventy four hashtag.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Dodger Talk and now your host, David Maasse. Welcome to
Dodger Talk. David Basse with you until eight o'clock tonight
here on AM five to seventy LA Sports. We got
a great hour of Dodger Talk for you. Keicky Hernandez
is going to join us in about forty minutes, but
we are starting off, leading off the show with two
(00:29):
of my favorite players from my favorite Dodger team, and
that was the miracle nineteen eighty eight World champion Dodgers.
Will you talk about these days the Dodgers being perceived
as Goliath, Well, back in nineteen eighty eight, they were, David,
and these two men were drafted a year apart by
(00:50):
the Dodgers in the late seventies. I won't give away
which year for both these guys out of respect to
one of them, but these two guys have been for
a long time in their baseball lives and have a
never dying friendship to this day. They were huge parts
of the Dodgers winning the nineteen eighty eight World Series
(01:11):
and still keep tabs on the team and you can
be up close and personal with them wearing their number
nine and number fourteen, respectively. In January, at the Dodger
Adult Fantasy Camp, there are still a few spots open.
It's almost sold out, but you can be there with
our guests Mike Soosha and Mickey Hatcher if you go
(01:34):
to Dodgers dot com slash Fantasy Camps and they join
us right now. Mike and Mickey, thank you so much
for taking the time out. It's great to have you
guys together.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
All right, David greenor are you going first, Mike or what?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well? Mickey?
Speaker 4 (01:50):
You they called you first, evidently, Mickey, so you go first.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Hey, uh no, you're the manager. Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So guys, maybe you could fill us in here. I
mean this, this friendship did not end in nineteen ninety
or nineteen ninety one or even you know, when you
guys were done being together on the angels. How close
are you to this day? And where does that come from? Mike?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Well, we're yeah, we're close except when he beats my
butt in the golf course and we're not that close.
But you know what, David, it was a great time.
I mean We still keep in touch with guys that
we played with in the minor leagues coming up through
the Dodge organization, and then that eighty eight team was
so special. There's a bond there and you know, whether
it was Oral or Kirk Gibson or or t Bone Shelby, everybody.
(02:40):
I mean, we all keep in touch. And I think
that's the bond that you get from playing on a
championship team. And I've known Mickey, you know, you know,
since nineteen seventy seven when he signed, so you know,
we've been we've been together, Ron Rennicky, all of us.
We're just we're good friends and we enjoy each other's company.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Do you feel that way about Mike Mickey?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Oh yeah, I mean we came up. We have many
stories that uh, you know, we developed over the years
and and the bond. But you know what the greatest
thing was not only the players that we had an
opportunity to be part of, It was Peter O'Malley and uh,
you know, that friendship has still been really close from
(03:24):
an owners to his players, and we still keep in
touch a lot and and do lunches together. And I
think that's that's a special part about being a Dodger.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I know Mickey comes out to Dodger Stadium a lot.
His wife, Patty, is a big time Dodger fan. I
think Dodger fans would love to know from two great
champions themselves, what you thought about this year's World Series.
Hatch do you want to start? Since you really follow
it and your wife has a great passion for it.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Still, Oh yeah, definitely and car Mike Sosher remembers probably
every play that happened from Game one to Game seven,
but I can only remember a couple and you know,
the game sometimes are won by inches, and uh, you know,
it was just a great game to watch, going back
and forth and just seeing uh, you know, Roberts just
(04:17):
managed a great job in Game seven, especially with that
defensive move and uh, you know, inches, the guy leading
off one more foot on third base and the World
Series goes to Toronto. So uh, it was an exciting
game going back and forth, especially for the fans. I mean, uh,
you know, uh, to me, I really, I really think
(04:39):
it's going to go down as one of the Dodgers'
best World series.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Mike, when you were watching Game six and uh, it's
the ninth inning, they're they're going to more starters. Tyler
Glass now gets the first out on the first pitch. Uh,
and you see Keith a Hernandez use his own baseball
like you to shade in to be able to pull
off that game endo double play. Just the sequence of
events that took place to end game six in game
(05:04):
seven is that? Have you ever seen World series games
end that way?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Well, you know, David, that was one of the most
exciting series I think I've ever witnessed. When we were
with the Angels, you know too, our seven game series
with the Giants was so back and forth and we
managed to you know, beat him in seven games. But
not only was this the seventh game, the Dodgers going
on the road and winning every game was back and forth,
(05:32):
back and forth. And what I like about it was,
I really feel the Dodgers stepped up and won the game.
Toronto didn't hand them anything. The Dodgers had to make
plays they did, They had to do things in the
offensive end, and they you know, got some some incredible
hits that you know, just just got them back into
the game. And the home runs were exciting. So I
(05:55):
think the way Mickey already talked about Dave Roberts. He
did a terrific job. I think remolding that bullpen with
a lot of the starters in Game seven was the
only way they were could get that done, and they
did it. And masasak or Yama mode I should say,
did his best impersonation of or Horsheiser an Ada come
(06:15):
out of the bullpen and getting you know, and saving
the game. And that was what an exciting series.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Hey, Mike, since you are and known as being a catcher,
caught more games than anybody else in Dodger franchise history.
In game seven, you know, one play where the Dodgers
by an inch could have lost the World Series was
with the infield in and the play at the plate
bases loaded Isaiah Connor falefa just a hair behind the
(06:43):
throw by Miguel Rojas to Will Smith, can you explain
you know, that situation for a catcher and how maybe
his foot could have slipped off?
Speaker 4 (06:54):
Well, you know, Will Smith's incredible. I think as a catcher,
you're told to put your foot right on the middle
of the plate so as you do reach for the ball,
your foot will stay on the plate. And I think
he did, but the timing Rojas had kind of played
in between hop he lost his balance a little bit,
but he showed his great arm strength and threw a
(07:15):
bullet home and Will stretch forward and just barely got,
you know, the runner. And I think Mickey already said it.
They're very passive at third base on their lead because
they don't want they don't want to get you know,
get you'll get a line drive double play. But there's
a left handed hitter up and if that line drive
is hit to the right side of the infield, you
(07:35):
could be aggressive at third base and still get back.
And and I think that's uh, you know, that's the
little things that I think maybe get lost under you know,
they get lost like water under the bridge. But if
he if he had another two foot lead, then Mickey's
right that the series goes to Toronto's favor, and but
Will Will kept the slot of the plate. I think
(07:57):
Rojas made a great play after he lost his balance,
and the Dodgers jumped up and won the game. And
I think that's what they can feel good about.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
That's the voice of Mike's Sooshia and Mickey Hatcher teammates
World champions as the Dodgers, so won it back in
nineteen eighty eight as David slaying Elias, slain the Mighty
Mets and slaying the Oakland A's in five games, beating
the Mets in seven games, and Mickey, you know Miguel
Rojas hitting that home run in Game seven of the
(08:27):
World Series with the Dodgers down to their final two outs.
I'm not going to say it was exactly the same situation,
but did it remind you of a guy in Shay
Stadium keeping your season alive against the Mets and Dwight Gooden.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Oh, definitely. Sosia's home run was just amazing. And I'll
tell you what, Rojas, that pitch was a pretty nasty
pitch for him to pull and hit a home run,
and you know it was just I kind of like
Rojas's day. Man. That play second base was amazing and
that home run and you can see it lifted the Dodgers.
(09:06):
I mean it lifted their bench, It lifted everything for them.
So that was that's going to be one of the
most memorable home runs I think in that series.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Mickey, you understand this. You were the leader of the Stuntman,
a group of bench players in nineteen eighty eight. That
if a guy got hurt all of a sudden, you
had to be ready or coming off the bench to
pinch it. You had an incredible World Series filling in
for Kirk Gibson. You hit three sixty eight. Arguably, you know,
if it wasn't for fifty five, could have been named
the World Series MVP. But can you appreciate how tough
(09:40):
it was for Rojas not to play for the entire
World Series, get in in game six and have such
a huge impact in the last two games. How do
you do that?
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Yeah? I just think you know, it's like, you know,
even when I was in the World Series, we had
a bunch of guys we knew our career was coming
to an end. This was our moment, and you just
stay into the moment and you you take every advantage
you can to that moment. I think the same thing
with Rojas. You know, he knows he's coming to the
(10:11):
end of the end of his career, and you know what,
he wanted to be ready, and he wanted that one
opportunity and he turned into be about a twenty five
year old kid and that those two innings and it
was just a great moment for him. So no matter
how his his life goes on, or whether he's going
to retire or whether he's going to try to keep playing.
(10:34):
This is going to be remembered in his family and
his life, and it's just a great feeling.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Mickey Hatcher, you were on Mike's social's coaching staff with
the two thousand and two Angels that found a way
to come back so many times in that seven game
win over the Giants and O two. Did this World
Series remind you of that seven game World Series win
by the Juice?
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yes, I'm telling you what we just Mike did a
great job with those players and putting them together and
from the start of the season teaching them what it
took to win and and we had to do the
little things just like the Dodgers had to do, uh
to win this game. And uh, you know, it was
just watching those guys go through get out there in
(11:23):
game six. Uh you know when we were down and
even when Dusty Baker went out to the mound to
take the guy. Uh, I remember the pitcher's name out
or te can see our players say we're going to
win this game. We're going to win this game. And
and I think sitting back as a coach and seeing
your players still having that energy to want to win
(11:46):
that game means a lot to you.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Yeah that was Ramon Ortiz, right, Mike, Daddy, he took out.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
And Russ Russ Russe or teeth yeah, Russell t y yeah, yes.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
And do you remember the the feeling that you had
before game seven? Could you as you're as you're watching
game seven start in Toronto, do you have some of
those same feelings that you had maybe managing game seven
in two thousand and two, what Dave Roberts may be
going through.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Well, you know, you're you're you're so busy, and it's
good busy because you're getting uh, you know, you're getting
everything together, you're getting your matchups, you're getting uh you know,
you've already done all your scouting and everything and your
pitcher and catcher should be on the same page. So
you're ready for this game to start. I think that
little anxiety like you're saying, let's get going, let's get going. Uh,
(12:38):
you just want to you just want to get going
and and and get get some momentum built and hopefully
win a game. Uh. But but you know, you're you're
you're still doing so much. David to prepare up until
you know you take the field, and I think it
just keeps you saying so you're not dwelling on things
too much, but we uh, you know, the team. One
of the things I really liked about the Dodger club.
(13:00):
I mean you talked about Key k and being able
to just use his experience. These guys played free, and
I mean they didn't play with with with any burden
or maybe if they if they missed a play or
or if they were going to make a play. They
played aggressively. Of defense, they played aggressively run the bases
and in the batter's box. And that's the same thing,
(13:22):
you know two with our club. Our club was very
aggressive in every aspect of it. They didn't think about
making mistakes. They thought about making plays. And I think
that's when it comes down to crunch time and everyone's
going to point to a lot of the things that
happened in that game. The Dodgers made plays. And I
think what you're alluded to with Kay Hernandez in left field,
(13:43):
he knew when he caught that ball exactly where he
was throwing it. Rowhouse made a great pick, doubled off
the runner, and games over so I think that had
a lot to do with why they you know, why
they played so well.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Mike Soosie and Mickey Hatcher are joining us on Dodger Talk.
I want to go back to when you guys were
on the same staff, Mike the manager, Mickey the hitting coach,
because this year when the Dodgers played the Angels, I
was privy to a conversation of Dino Ebel and Tim
Salmon praising Mike Soosha and Mickey Hatcher just about the
(14:17):
message you guys sent, the tone, especially Mike at the
beginning of the season where you needed team at bats,
whether it was Albert Pooholz, Mike Trout, Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Mickey,
do you remember those type of meetings that Mike would
have and did you see some of those team at
bats from guys like Otani and Freeman that reminded you
(14:38):
of the message you guys had.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Well, you know, we had an opportunity to go in
there and see the players that get and have you
know a year under our bell watching these guys play.
And I remember in the offseason, Mike before spring training says,
we got to get these guys together. They don't know
how to win, and and he proceeded with the game
(15:03):
plan of you know, we've got to move runners. The
worst scenario, we got a runner on second base, we
got to get him to third. We got to score them. Uh,
we got to move runners over. You know, we've we've
got to play that type of game. Uh, knowing to
use the big part of the field in those situations
and and not just give away in at bat, Uh
(15:26):
give yourself an attempt to get a hit, but get
the job done. And Uh, in spring training, these guys
started doing it. We said, hey, these bats don't count. Uh.
You know, Mike had the meeting and he said, I
applied it as a hitting coach and said, hey, we're
going in the spring training these have bats don't count.
But this is what we're going and and uh, he's
(15:48):
got to start doing it. And you know, here guys
moving a runner to third base for the other guy
to get an RBI. You see him start giving knuckles
and uh, they got really into it. And it was amazing.
And when we started the season, we probably had the
worst record the starting the season. What was our record, Mike.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
When we were like this season fourteen, Yeah, we were
struggling like, yeah, fourteen. And then the guys they kept
doing it. Yeah, yeah, they kept doing it. You know,
Mickey remember with Troy Glass, it was funny. We're talking
about moving runners, a guy on second and Troy saying.
Troy says, he goes, Mike, I can't hit a ground
ball a second, I said, And Mickey goes, Troy, we're
(16:26):
not asking. We don't want you hit a ground ball
a second. If we're on the other team and hit
her like you hit the ground ball to second with
a guy on second, We're saying, thank you. We want
you knock down the centerfield wall. We want you hit
the ball left center. Centerfield us a big part of
the field. And he exhaled. He goes, oh, thank you, okay,
I can do that. And uh and Tim sabon, Tim
(16:47):
Savon and spring training and the guy was on second
base and uh, and he hit a ball off the
batter's eye in center field. And he came back and
he goes, should I apologize? I said, heck no, you
shouldn't apologize. I said, it is a big part of
the field. If you had it out of the ballpark,
it's a beautiful thing. I said that. You know that
that's what we're talking about. But you know, the big
thing was these guys. These guys, they they understood it,
(17:11):
and they played great baseball, and they really blended with
great base running, situational hitting, and plus when we look
about you talk about the middle of the lineup, and
you had you know, Ga and Tim Salmon and Gloss
and her stat up at hitting second and ex Stein
leading off. These guys fed the whole lineup and and
(17:33):
and it was really a it was really a lineup
that was I think, very underrated. But these guys are
one of the top lineups in baseball for a number
of years, and they showed it in O two.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Do you guys still believe if you were on the
same staff, with the way the game has been played
the last ten something years, do you think players would
still be open to Mike's Oshi and Mickey Hatcher saying, hey,
I need twenty five team at bats the entire year.
I need twenty five team at bats. Do you feel
like that would still be in play today?
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Well, you know, there's some different philosophies out like strikeouts
another out which I don't know what Moron came up
with that line. A strikeout is not just another out.
But I think what I think, I think what's important
is you know, like like I say, you talk to
Darren Nurseat, who was a great team player. Anyway, he
would do it anyway he's gonna get he's gonna go
over six hundred plate appearances. And we were talking to
(18:29):
these guys, So you guys are gonna get six hundred
plate appearances if you don't have the twenty five team
at bats that we're talking about to where you get
two strikes, you know, you got to shorten it up
and pull the ball in the ground if you're a
stat or ga to get a guy from from second
to third, you know, and and two strikes, shorten it
up and maybe hit that sack fly instead of and
(18:50):
take the RBI. But you're not trying to hit home run,
then that's on you. And I think as you communicate
with these guys, and I think you know, there's a
there's a lot of baseball players understand that part of it.
There's a lot of guys that are not going to
strike down those situations. And I think that that those
are the guys that stand out and you just know
they're going to help their team win. And as I said,
(19:11):
you're gonna get six hundred plate appearances for most of
the player apparenties. You're free to swing and do whatever
you want, but that team at bat comes and it
presents itself to you.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
We need it.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
And I think I think, guys, you know, I think
ball players now would would rally around that and would
embrace that also.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Do you remember those those talks, Mickey, And do you
believe that in today's game that players would accept that
as well? And did you see it from the Dodgers
in twenty five?
Speaker 2 (19:43):
You start seeing it on more teams now, you really do.
You start seeing a little bit more bunning. You start
seeing it, But you know, it's like Mike says, I mean,
come on, a two strike approach. You know, that's when
you got to like get up there and battle with
that picture. And it's just a swing and misses that
are are just amazing to me, especially on pitches that
(20:06):
are right there with two strikes. And you know that
was Mike's biggest biggest thing was, Hey, come on, guys,
two strikes, you know, maybe come off the knob. We've
we've got to battle up there. We've got to put
that ball in play. And uh, you know, strikeouts, that's
just an easy out for anything you put a ball
(20:28):
in play, they can make an air, they can throw
it away, they can there's a lot of scenarios that
could happen, you know, that can't happen if you're slinging miss.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Dave Roberts is actually one of the managers that are
active today that actually echoes what you guys have said.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
Well, I know Dave, I know he was that type player,
and he understands it. I think you see players, I
mean you see Will Smith choking up and putting the
ball play in some of the situations. You know, Freddie Freeman,
I mean, these guys are professional hitters. Even you know
Show Hey, he he's got such an a great idea
of what to do in a batter's box. MOOKI, you know,
(21:05):
MOOKI bet same way. Mickey and I were contact hitter.
So we had a guy on third base and less
than two outs, and if we struck out, which you
know sometimes it happens, sometimes you just get beat. We
you know, we were we were upset with ourselves. We
were more upset because we knew what was waiting for
us in the dugout from tom of the sword as
we're walking back and you walking back to the dougout
(21:29):
and you can see you can see Tommy turning purple
like like just saying, what's the ball in play? What
are you doing? And you know that was that was
the worst part of you know, the worst part about
striking out in the situation like that.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
All right, before I let you guys go, you're not
answering this question, Mike, this is only for Mickey Hatcher.
Mickey Hatcher. Okay, there was a manager with the Angels
manage one team for nineteen years, had unprecedented success. For
those nineteen he won more games than any other Angels
(22:03):
manager in the history of that franchise, sixteen hundred and
fifty wins, won the only World Series in Angels franchise history.
Don't you believe that guy should be in the Hall
of Fame as a manager, And don't you believe number
fourteen should be retired in Anaheim?
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Mickey, Oh, I do you know one thing that you
and you can hear how Mike speaks, and you know
he can remember a pitch forty years ago, what this
guy did and whatever. But he's always had a passion
for the game and he's always wanted to win. You know,
there's you know, I don't care if you give him
(22:44):
the worst team in baseball. He's going to make him
learn how to win. And I think that that was
his passion as a manager. But the players really respect him.
He has that. You know, he's able to bring him
in the office and have the one on one uh,
you know, like like he's like their father. And that's
(23:04):
why I think you hear like the Salmon's and the
Erstes and all those kind of guys. Uh, just how
much passion they had for Mike as a manager. I mean,
their career was probably one of the differences in that
they've ever had being playing baseball. And they'll tell you that,
and uh, you know, I think it's going to happen
for Mike.
Speaker 5 (23:24):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
But I think in baseball, uh, he's well known. You
go to an event and all these players from different
teams or whatever, they want to go and and talk
to Mike and and and listen to his uh philosophies
and stuff like that, and uh, you know, he just
has a passion and uh, and that's going to take
him a long ways.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
And I do, But can I answer that question?
Speaker 3 (23:49):
No, no, because I know it you Mike, just shut up.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
That was my turn.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Let me just say this real quick. I know you
got to cut us off, but real quick, I want
to say this. You know, this game's about playing it.
This game isn't about coaching and managing it. When you're
in the backyard with your brother and you're playing up
just you know, you're just playing baseball with him, and
you're making up situations. You're the one up at bat
with three two bases loaded, and you hit the home
(24:16):
run to win the game like Freddie Freeman did or
Kirk Gibson did, and and you know you're the one
that hits it. You're not the one managing and putting
guys in. So for me and I know Micky the
same way, we loved playing the game, and we love
playing the game for the Dodgers. Uh. And that's a
special feeling of of of of playing the game that
(24:37):
you can take with you now. We like coaching, I
love managing, but it doesn't compare to playing the game.
And that's where our hearts are is really as ballplayers,
and in particular with the Dodgers, we had great experience
and fortunately you know one won some championships there and
that's what we'll we'll take for over with us, and
that means what means the most to me.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
That's why you're special. Okay, if you're if you're a player,
you love the player. I want you in the legends
of Dodger Baseball. I want you wearing a blue coat
one day. And I would love to have as many
stunt men put in as legends of Dodger Baseball as well.
Just the group of the stuntmen and Mike Sosha, how
about that.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
I like the stumpman getting in because those guys, those
guys were huge for us in eighty eight. And all
the pieces fit. And you know, you said one time
that we might have been the you know, David, you
say we might have been the worst World Series team,
Dodger team.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
I did not say that. Bob Costa said it.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
I don't care what Bob Costas does. You repeated it,
and let me tell you what the pieces fit. We
were a great team that had a tremendous pitching staff,
great bullpen, and players like the stunt men that played free,
they played loose, they did whatever whatever the situation was
that Tommy wanted to do. He could do because we
(25:59):
all had the back control to do it. And going
down the whole lineup, we would get bunts down. We
could hit and run. We put the ball in play
with two strikes, and once in a while you hit
the ball good and went out of the park. And
I think that as you talk about the stuntman in
that group with Mickey and and and uh Rick Dempsey
and and Danny Heap and Dave Anderson. I know I'm
(26:20):
leaving missing somebody, Mickey, but you guys, you guys were
so important does not only during the season, but in
the playoffs. And and and uh and and we were.
We were a terrific team in eighty eight. Very underrated
as to the talent on the team and how it
worked and how we played. And I just don't like you, David,
saying we're one of the worst championships dot your teams
on paper. I don't like that.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
I never said that.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
I said, how.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
Many wins, Mike, we had ninety how many wins?
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Ninety something wins?
Speaker 3 (26:48):
You were I feel like, yes, ninety four great wins.
You guys were, David. The Mets were Goliath, the A's
were Goliath. Nobody thought you guys could beat them. You know,
I was getting phone calls as a ten year old
by adults just like you know, mocking my Dodgers at
that point in time, and I said, you just wait,
this team can do it. So it wasn't a slight
(27:09):
to call you David. David's a great name, yea, a
great biblical reference.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Yeah, you're trying to worm yourself out of that one.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
As always, that's what I do. I just punch my
way out of the corner. Hey, you know, I might
sign up for this fantasy camp just so I could
be there, maybe to be managed or coached by Mickey
Hatcher and Mike Soosha. How about that.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
I'll tell you what. I can only picture you at
a baseball uniform running around, and I'm about to start
laughing right now.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
Maybe I'll wear number nine one day and number fourteen
another day. How about that?
Speaker 4 (27:51):
You're if you're playing defense, you better have shing guards on,
wear a batting helmet out there in the field, and
have a double cup on. Because I don't know what's
going to happen you, David.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
You guys, I will say this, and I don't care
what my wife thinks. Nineteen eighty eight was the greatest
year of my life. To this day, I will say
that flat out. You guys brought baseball to life for
so many of us and made so many of us
young people in Los Angeles in nineteen eighty eight fall
in love with the Dodgers and fall in love with
(28:24):
the game of baseball. And you guys were two huge
parts of the Dodgers, and you guys, as long as
I'm doing this, nobody will forget the eighty eight Dodgers
as great as you were. And nobody will forget Mike's
osha and Mickey Hatcher and the rest of you guys.
Speaker 4 (28:42):
I appreciate that, David. It was a special year for
all of us, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
All right, Mike, can't wait to come over me and Mickey?
What time do you want us over for Christmas? We
look forward to it.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
We celebig Christmas on the twenty six So come on
over there.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Thanks guys, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Thank you, Okay, bye, all right, fue.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
There they go, Mickey Hatcher and Mike's soosha. That was awesome.
That was definitely a bucket list. It's one thing to
interview one of them, but both of them together. Uh,
just spectacular. We're gonna take a break when we come
back your phone calls, and also we'll get to my
conversation with Keike Hernandez coming up from this past Saturday
(29:28):
at the Polo Ralph Lauren store. They treated us great,
trust us great, and I can't wait to share keyk
with you as well. Mike Soosha, Micky Hatcher, Forever, Dodgers
don't go anywhere more Dodger Talk around the corner thanks
again to Mike's Sooshia and Mickey Hatcher taking time out
of the busy holiday season to join us on Dodger Talk.
(29:52):
Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. That
certainly was a bucket list thing for me. I mean,
those guys were larger than life. When I was growing
up in the San Fernando Valley and loving the Dodgers,
that nineteen eighty eight team was so special, and I
love that they still have that competitive spirit where they
(30:14):
don't like being called the weakest team or the most
unexpected team to win the World Series. But I always
feel like those East Coasters give the sixty nine Mets
a little too much shine. The eighty eight Dodgers were
just as much of a Cinderella. Nobody picked them team,
but they did have the MVP and the saw Young
(30:34):
on the same team that year, and that was Kirk
Gibson and Oral Hersheisers, So they did have talent more
than what they were giving credit for. Steve Sachs was
their second basement and leadoff hitter Mike Soosha, who eventually
caught more games than any other Dodger in history, was
part of it. Hersheiser, Tim Leary, Tim Belcher, to name
(30:55):
a few, and Jay Howell closing. Just a great team.
And if you don't know about the eighty eight Dodgers,
sports net LA did a great piece on the eighty
eight Dodgers a few years back. You can fight it,
I'm sure online. And if you listen to this show,
you know how much the eighty eight Dodgers mean to me.
And I just thought it was interesting to hear two
(31:17):
Dodger World Series champions, you know, thirty plus years later,
give their thoughts on what they saw this year in
the Dodgers twenty twenty five World Series Championship. It's great
to get that type of perspective. Eight six six nine,
eight seven two five, seventy is the phone number if
you want to talk about what Mike's oshi Mickey Hatchers
(31:38):
said about the World Series. If you want to get
into the hot stove, we can do that as well.
Really kind of quiet right now. I don't expect any
big splashes from the Dodgers until maybe the new year.
I mean, there's obviously talks going on, but we're getting
closer to Christmas and it feels like the Tigers are
still in limbo about whether or not they want to
(32:01):
trade Trek's Schooble. If they do want to trade Trek
schoobl the Dodgers seem to be the most obvious destination
because the Dodgers have the young pitching and players that
are major league ready to try to get the Tigers
to be competitive in the Al Central even without Schooble.
(32:22):
So that's where things stand. And coming up in about
seven minutes, we'll hear from Keith Hernandez. We had a
great time this past Saturday at the Citadel and Commerce
in front of the Polo Ralph Lauren store. They were
such gracious hosts. They went above and beyond, and Keik
was taking pictures with fans seemingly for two hours, but
(32:45):
they cut it off after an hour. He was like
Santa Claus in front of the polo Ralph Lauren Storre.
So thank you to everybody that took care of us,
especially Christina Choi, who is so cool. Let's go out
to New Jersey, Sam Dodger talk, how you doing? Sam David?
Speaker 5 (33:03):
I cannot believe I was speaking to the legend right now.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
Now, I was talking to two legends. You're just talking
to me.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Ha ha.
Speaker 5 (33:11):
So I actually have three questions for you, Bill. Let
me know how many time you could got to. My
first question is a hot though question, which is how
likely do you think it would be for the Dodgers
to sign Boba Shot and move Mookie to the outfield
or let's say Sonia Kyle Tucker.
Speaker 3 (33:28):
I don't believe Mookie Betts is going back to right field.
He's the Dodgers shortstop. They have said that already. If
the Dodgers do, here's the challenge with signing Bob Bashett,
and I am all in on signing Bob Bashett because
I believe he could be the Dodgers' third baseman in
twenty twenty seven and beyond, a guy that could be
versatile to play third and second base this year, But
(33:52):
how does it fit? How will it fit with Max
s Munsey at third base, who is still one of
the best playoff performers that Dodgers have, and we saw
how much the Dodgers missed him when he was out
of the lineup. But Tommy Edmond's hurt, he's not going
to start the season or he's going to be delayed.
Key K Hernandez can't play untill June. You got an
(34:14):
unproven has Song Kim. So I feel like bo Bishett
fits at second base, But what do you do when
Edmund comes back and key K comes back? So I'm
all in with Bishett, and I don't you know, I
would be surprised maximunths he played more than one hundred
and twenty games this year considering some of the injuries
(34:35):
he's had the last few years. So I just think
he fits really well. But how does he fit in
twenty twenty six? That's the tough part.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Got it?
Speaker 5 (34:46):
And my next question for you is being that I
live in New Jersey. I am harassed NonStop. I met Send,
especially now because the Dodgers just signed Edwin Diaz, as
well as Yankee fans who tell me that the Dodgers
are ruining baseball. David watching my response to based as
such a thing, say.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
The Mets are spending a lot of money, but just
not spending it the right way. The Padres, We're spending
a lot of money and their windows seemingly has closed.
I mean they you know, there's other teams that spent
a lot of money that just haven't been able to
take down the Dodgers. So you know, Mets fans, you know,
cannot throw rocks from a glass house.
Speaker 5 (35:24):
And what about the deferments.
Speaker 3 (35:26):
It's part, it's part of the game. It's not it's
not not allowed. They're just they're just five steps ahead
of everybody else.
Speaker 5 (35:36):
Wow, couldn't have said a better myself. And David, the
last question for you is more about the league in general,
which is do you think the Anthony Rendon Angels contract
is the worst contract in baseball history?
Speaker 3 (35:47):
It's right up there, yeah it is. I mean, how
many has he even played? One hundred and sixty two
games for the Angels And you know what, I don't know.
Thank goodness, he didn't want that la lifestyle because the
Dodgers talk to him as well. So very happy he
chose Anaheim right.
Speaker 5 (36:04):
Speaking of spending money in the right places, that's an
example of where you're shutting spend your money.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Yeah, sometimes the best trades you make are the best
signings you make are the ones you don't. And look
that was they dodged the bullet right there, and nobody's
thinking about Anthony Rendon after back to back World Series championships.
Thanks for the phone call, Sam, appreciate it. You can
listen to Dodger Talk like Sam on the iHeartRadio app.
(36:29):
You could follow me on ex at the Real Underscore
DV and somebody sent me a message. Mike Sooshia and
Mickey Hatcher were like Keik a Hernandez and Will Smith.
That's a pretty good comparison. Although Will Smith is a
little bit better of a hitter than Mike Sooshia was
in some ways well he was, but certainly two Dodger
(36:50):
catchers that have had two of the biggest clutch home
runs and Dodger history, obviously Will's go ahead home run
in the eleventh inning of Games seven of this year's
World Series and Mike Sosia's home run off of Dwight
Gooden to tie Game four at Shay Stadium save the
Dodgers from going down three games to one to the
(37:12):
Mets in the NLCS in nineteen eighty eight. They would
eventually beat the Mets in seven games in eighty eight.
So if I had people ask me all the time,
what are your top five Dodger postseason home runs? And
you know, obviously Kirk Gibson and Freddie Freeman's home runs
all right at the top. But Will Smith's home run
(37:33):
this year in the eleventh inning has got to be
right there. Mike Sosiaz in the eighty eight NLCS right there.
Justin Turners walk off home run in Game two of
the seventeen NLCS right up there, Miguel Rojas, I mean,
two outs to go and he hits that game tying
home run. So you know, both Freeman walk off home
(37:56):
runs and those others are are at the top of
my list, a long way with our very own Rick
Monday's home run in Game five of the eighty one
NLCS eight six six, nine, eight, seven, two five seventy
is the phone number. Just to alert you schedule alert
Dodger Talk again tomorrow night at seven o'clock. River Ryan
(38:16):
is going to join us tomorrow night and Petro some
Moneys show on Thursday. In case you missed, it is
only two hours now at the BJ's. What city is
it in, Ronnie, I forgot what city it's in.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
In West Covina.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
That's right, BJ's in West Covina two to four o'clock
on Thursday. Dodger Talk tomorrow night at seven o'clock and
when we continue here on Dodger Talk, Keik Hernandez will
join us. Don't go anywhere. We're with you until eight
o'clock right here on a five seventy LA Sports. Happy
holidays to all of you. I know Hanukah started yesterday.
(38:53):
Happy Honikah to all of you, and Merry Christmas and
happy New Year. Tonight and tomorrow our last two shows
of Dodger Talk before the New Year. We'll be back
with you the second week of January unless there is
breaking Dodger news, and if that's the case, then we
will be back with you. So always on standby no
(39:15):
matter what's going on. You never know what. Andrew Friedman
has up his sleeves, so you know, he may be
lighting the mania right now, he might be opening presents.
But hey, if the phone rings and there's a big
time agent or Scott Harris from the Detroit Tigers on
the other line. You know he's picking that up. So look,
(39:35):
the Dodgers aren't done. They're gonna keep big game hunting
because that's what they do, and then be able to
fill out the bench and the depth of their forty
man roster like they've been known to do over the
course of the last decade or so. Thanks again to
Mickey Hatcher and Mike Sosha. Appreciate them coming on. And
there are a couple of spots left for the Dodgers
(39:57):
Adult Fantasy Camp, which is taking place at camel Back
Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. You get to live like a
big leaguer. Go to Dodgers dot com slash fantasy camps
to sign up, and Mike and Mickey are the life
of the party. From what I understand in our guy
Steve Sachs and Steve Garvey are out there as well
Eric Carros. So you get to rub elbows with some
(40:18):
of the great Dodgers and have your own uniform and
play some games and have some fun. It's a great time.
Key k Hernandez will not be out there. You know,
one day I could see Key k being part of
these fantasy camps and it will be a party, that's
for sure. It was a party on Saturday at the
Polo Ralph Lorenz store in Citadel, at the Citadel in Commerce,
(40:40):
at the Citadel Outlet stores, and had a chance to
talk to Key K for the first time since the parade.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Yeah, something like that.
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Last night was a blast, and I'm hoping that today
is as fun as it was last night.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
But I'm just happy to be here.
Speaker 6 (40:59):
Anytime I gonna be in La with some Doctor fans,
it's always a good time. And like always, thank you guys,
thanks for the love.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
What's it like to be as beloved as you are
in this city? I mean, these people showed out for
you wherever you go. It seems like there's always a
big following, a big group of fans.
Speaker 6 (41:18):
It's overwhelming at times, but it's truly appreciated. It's very
humbling to h to know that I'm supported and loved
as much as I am here in this city so
far away from my home in Puerto Rico. But you
know that love always goes back to them. And it's
been nine years on this team, and it's been the
(41:40):
best nine years of my life.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
Back to back World Series champions. It happens so quickly.
What's it been like for you since the parade? Just
soaking in what you guys were able to accomplish.
Speaker 6 (41:52):
Oh well, I had surgery, so I didn't have much
time to think about it.
Speaker 1 (41:56):
But the only thing that you know it comes to
your minus. Let's do it again, simple.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Three.
Speaker 3 (42:05):
Pete has a nice ring to it.
Speaker 6 (42:07):
Uh yeah, I think that's trademark. So we can't do it.
But I like to go back to back to back.
Speaker 3 (42:11):
Have you watched any of the highlights of Game six
or Game seven? The play specifically that you made to
end Game six.
Speaker 6 (42:20):
I watched it a few times, But the one that's
always everywhere is when Pis almost killed me. So I've
watched that one a few times.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
And when you see it from that angle, you were
involved in it. From what I understand, did you believe
the ball fell? And when you watch it, do you
still think the ball is going the drop before the
play is completed?
Speaker 6 (42:43):
Uh No, when I think about it now, when I
look at it as one, I still think I could
have caught it.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
Two. I don't know why he jumped, but I'm just
glad he caught it. That's that's it.
Speaker 3 (42:57):
Is it true that you you thought the ball dropped
and you thought you lost the World Series before he
let you know what happened.
Speaker 6 (43:04):
Yeah, because I mean I was I had my back
towards the field and then I was stopping slowing down
to get you know, I was basically underneath the baseball,
and last thing I thought was gonna.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Happen was somebody who's gonna run me over.
Speaker 6 (43:18):
And as soon as he ran me over, I just
I thought there's no way he was going to catch it.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
You know, I was underneath the ball and he ran
me over. So we lost.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
And as I'm on the ground, I'm just thinking, I
just we just lost the World Series and I'm laying.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
On the ground.
Speaker 6 (43:33):
That's going to be replayed forever, and it's still being
replayed forever.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
But for the other reason.
Speaker 3 (43:38):
No doubt, everybody's very happy Andy pa has was able
to run you over and catch it. When you look
back at what a close teammate of yours, Yoshiyama Mota,
was able to do, we think back to you taking
him out after one of the Padres games in the
DS last year. Whatever you said obviously worked, not only
(43:59):
last October, but the entire season. How proud are you
of Yamamoto and the warrior that he was for you
guys this year?
Speaker 1 (44:08):
Really proud.
Speaker 6 (44:09):
Obviously, if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have won
the World Series. But you know, basically our conversation went,
it was just basically telling him, man, I think you're
the best picture in the world.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Just go out there and show people who you are.
And he's done nothing but that.
Speaker 6 (44:25):
And for him to you know, go two complete games
and a back to back starts and then not only
win Game six, but then take them mount the very
next day on no short rent, no no day's rest,
and not only that, but to throw them the most
outs out of any of our pitchers that night was incredible.
He truly put a Superman cape on and he delivered.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
Is it fair to say going back to last year,
you may have believed he was capable of doing what
he did more than maybe he was before having that conversation.
Speaker 6 (44:59):
Potentially, And that's why I, you know, decided to take
him outside of you know, a team environment, with without
a team translator and all that, and.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I basically just wanted him to believe what I believed
in him, and I'm.
Speaker 6 (45:14):
Sure he's never really lacked confidence, but at times, you know,
being in a different country and and you can I've
been on that mound, even though I'm not a pitcher.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Sometimes it's the loneliest feeling in the world.
Speaker 6 (45:25):
So I just wanted him to know that, you know,
we us your teammates, we believe in you.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
We we think you're the greatest.
Speaker 6 (45:34):
And then you know we're we're right behind you, supporting you.
Speaker 1 (45:37):
And you know, he was able to relax a little bit.
Speaker 6 (45:40):
And deliver that Game five against the Padres, pitched really well.
Game three against the Mets, did the same thing again
in Game two against the Yankees, and then obviously the
rest of his history. He had an unbelievable season, and
like I said, he was super human in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
So is Kei K.
Speaker 3 (45:58):
A Hernandez, who is as club as they come. In
the month of October, the Dodgers yesterday made it official,
signing a fellow Puerto Rican, Edwin Diaz. Everybody's so excited
about Timmy Trumpet. Does anybody have Timmy Trumpet on their phone?
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Yet?
Speaker 3 (46:13):
I know my son's playing it every time he goes
to school. I find it hard to believe that Edwin
Diaz leaving the Mets after all these years. Never called
Keith a Hernandez. He actually said that he tapped into
about how they treat families with the Dodgers. But how
much did you play into recruiting Edwin Diaz?
Speaker 6 (46:34):
I played a little bit of a part, you know.
I called Andrew and I let him know that, you know,
the interest was legit, that the Dodgers were not just leverage,
and you know that we had a real opportunity of
going after this guy and getting this guy, uh, in
my mind, the best closer in baseball right now.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
And you know, once I knew that the negotiations.
Speaker 6 (46:56):
Were getting real, I reached out to Sugar and I
let him know that, you know, you, at the end
of the day, you gotta do what's best for you
and your family. But the one thing that I can
assure you is that if you end up with the Dodgers,
you're not gonna regret it one bit. You're gonna be
just fine. Your wife and kids are going to be
just fine. I told them. The worst thing about the
Dodgers organization is that they're so far away from Puerto Rico,
(47:19):
and if that's if that's the only thing that's bad
about an organization, you know, you're in pretty good hands.
And I just let them know, man like you come here,
you know you're gonna have a chance to win year in,
year out. And I think that this is the peak
of baseball. And as far as an organization, I think this.
You know, we play in the big leagues and the
(47:39):
way that the Dodgers treat their people is the way
that should be everywhere, but unfortunately it's not. And lucky
for us we get to experience that, you know, for
one hundred and sixty two games plus. And I just
let him know anything you need any you know, your
wife can reach out to my wife.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Asks any questions that you need to ask, if.
Speaker 6 (47:56):
You have any doubt, no matter, it doesn't really matter,
it doesn't have to be baseball, gonna be apartments.
Speaker 1 (48:00):
Whatever it is, just reach out. Feel free to reach out.
Speaker 6 (48:03):
And next time I heard from him was after I
congratulate him for signing.
Speaker 3 (48:08):
That's beautiful. Key k Hernandez in the bond of Puerto
Rico is so strong, even though Puerto Rico is so
far away from La Key k Hernandez is locker. I
expect to be very close to Edwin Diaz. Don't we
need Key k Hernandez underneath the Dodgers Christmas tree again?
We need keyk Hernandez back for a three p don't we.
(48:29):
It feels like it's it's not a matter of if,
but just when? Does it feel that way to you?
Speaker 6 (48:36):
I mean, yeah, but of course I just had surgery
and I'm not gonna be ready for opening days, so
there's no rush.
Speaker 1 (48:45):
You know.
Speaker 6 (48:45):
If it ends up working our way and we come
back to La, all that matters is that I'm ready
for the second half and ready to do my thing
in October.
Speaker 3 (48:54):
Love it and the fans want you here in LA
for the full season, not just the second half of
the year. We're here at the Polo Ralph Lauren store
at the Citadel and Commerce. They had fitted Key k
with some new swag myself and me too. So the
last time you saw Keky and I together, he was
talking about my nipples coming through my shirt. What do
(49:16):
you think about this sweater? Does it hide the nipples?
Speaker 1 (49:19):
Still a little hard, but not as hard as they
were that night?
Speaker 3 (49:24):
Okay, yes, that's the way we ended it out there
at the Polo Ralph Lauren store and sit at the
Citadel in Commerce. Don't go there now. That was Saturday.
We had a great time and uh Kei k really
enjoyed being there at the Polo Ralph Lauren store, meeting
all of you, taking photos. A lot of families got
their Christmas card pictures with keik I saw a whole
(49:49):
softball team come out and take a picture with keik So,
one of the more most popular Dodgers on this back
to back World series team and going back to his
time when he first started in twenty fifteen. That'll do
it for us tonight on Dodger Talk. In case you
missed our great conversation with Mike Sooshi and Micky Hatcher,
you can find it on the iHeartRadio app. We'll be
(50:12):
back with you tomorrow night at seven o'clock. River Ryan
is going to join us. I promise he won't leave
his phone at home. Ronnie Fossio, thank you for your
help and thank you for listening. We'll talk to you
tomorrow night at seven Sea
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