June 8, 2025 • 8 mins
Petie talks about growing up a Dodgers fan, his favorite players and mentors, and filling in as 3B coach during a recent homestand.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well on the last home standino Ebol had to be
at his son, Brady's graduation and that meant a dream
coming true for a lifelong Dodger fan growing up in
the San Fernando Valley and a guy that earned that
opportunity coming up coaching through the Dodgers minor league organization
since twenty seventeen.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
He also has a.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Strong connection to one of the all time great Dodgers
and certainly a big part of Dave Roberts' staff in
the video room and also working with Mookie Bets and
the infielders, and that is the one and only Pedro
montero akapd Thanks a.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Lot for the time. Hey, thanks for having me, Dave.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Have your feet hit the ground since the other night
coaching first base?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, I would say so.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
It definitely, you know, dream come true like you said earlier,
and yeah, I'm back to after the as soon as
the game was over, I went right back to what
I had to do after the game.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
What was it like for you to be out there?
How did you slow the game down? Considering that was
a goal of yours.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
You know, I think just my experience and you know,
having been coaching, you know, all these years, and where
I started with the Regismith Baseball Academy at the time
was Reddy Smith Baseball Centers, and I think my experiences,
you know, coaching at the lower levels all the way
through the minor leagues and then coaching winterball and Puerto Rico,
I think helped me. And you know, my preparation and
stuff that I still do to this day, even in
(01:32):
the video room and the things that I help on
that and you know, just kind of prepared me and
helped me when I got out there.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I was really comfortable being out there.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Hey, John Wood and all as used to say, failing
to prepare is preparing to fail.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
That's correct.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
And you know it's something that I've been doing, you know,
my entire life. And then when I came to the
Dodgers in the minor.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
League is the same thing.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
And then you know, being on the major league staff
helping out with you know, multiple parts of the game,
and you know, I just continue to lock it in
and I have a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
To be able to lock it in the video room.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
PDA Montero is our guest. He's one of the Dodgers'
key coaches. He got to coach first base the other night,
filling in for Dino Ebel. You mentioned Reggie Smith. He
obviously has meant a lot to so many that he
has touched. How much does Reggie Smith mean to you?
Speaker 5 (02:21):
I mean, Reggie's a big part of my life, you know,
I I tell this to a lot of people, like
Reggie's like my second father. And you know, he brought
me up in this game and prepared me to be
a coach when I didn't know I was gonna do that,
and you know, spend a lot of time with him
as a you know, younger athlete high school and uh,
you know, going through camp and taking lessons and learning
(02:45):
the game, and then him asking me to come and
coach after I graduated college in two thousand and seven.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
You know, he told me, you know, I really want
you to come help.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
And I was by aside for two years learning and
understanding every part of the game. And you know, I
think to this day that tension of detail because of
the things that he asked me to do, and how
you know, you got to be a well rounded coach
and I just you know, focus on one thing, but
know a little bit about everything has kind of helped
shape me to where I'm at today.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
And you know, I owe him a lot.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
And obviously I've had a lot of other coaches in
my life. You know, my dad helped me, you know,
introduce me to this game, and you know a lot
of other coaches that have impacted me, but he's the
one that, you know, it taught me the details and
all the ins and outs of the game and sharing,
you know, the Dodger Way, and you know, being here
with the Dodgers now my ninth season, it's dream come true.
And you know I learned the Dodger right when I
(03:35):
was a young kid, and you know, to be able
to show that now, it's it's cool. I was talking
to Reggie about it the other day, and you know,
being able to see photos of him when he used
to coach first base and I got a chance to
be out there was pretty special for the both of us.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
When you got that phone call from Reggie Smith, how
proud was he and what did he tell you after?
Speaker 5 (03:52):
I mean, for most people that know Reggie, Reggie is
a real tough guy, and uh, when he said he
had tears in his eye. Is uh, you know, it
was pretty special moment for the both of us, and
he said he was proud of me, and he said,
you got plenty of work to do and just continue
to work on your process and continue to grow and
learn every single day, which is something that I strive
for every single day when I'm at the ballpark. Pete
(04:14):
Montero is our guest, and his work did not just
start when the season started or when spring training started.
You were a key help to Mookie Bets this offseason.
Tell us about the connection you made with Mookie Bets
to help him prepare for shortstop this season. Yeah, you know,
obviously being a kid from the valley and Mookie and
I had talked last season, and you know, he said
(04:37):
he was living in LA and you know, we all,
you know, talk and I said, hey, you know, if
you ever need help, let me know. I'm not too
far from you, about ten minutes from you in Burbank.
And so it just happened. I saw a picture of
a kid that I coach and I know his dad,
that at Crespy and he was at the field and
Moogie and.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I started talking. He was, Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (04:57):
And I was like nothing, he goes you want to
come out? So it's kind of how it started again.
And then you know we went from three days to
five days to six days a week, and uh, you
know that was kind of how it all came came together.
And you know, one thing that I've always learned from
Reggie and you know even some other people in this
game is, uh, you know, you always make yourself available
(05:17):
for players.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
And and be ready whenever they need help.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
So that's you know, trying to do whatever I can
to help this DODG your organization, you know, in any.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Way that I can.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
So you're telling me during the off season, if we
showed up at Crespy, we not only would see Derek Fishsher.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
But we would see Mookie Beds and p D. Montero
working out.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I mean yeah, I mean we were over at Mid
Valley and uh, it's kind of cool just even that.
I mean, I remember playing All Stars at Mid Valley,
so it was I knew exactly where it was when
he's like, hey, we're going here, like I know where
that's at. And yeah, it was a really good uh
work that that he was able to put in and
focus on and you know I had mentioned before, you know,
he didn't have to worry about playing at night. It
(05:57):
was just breaking stuff down and you know that taking
it one step out of time and moving on as
the weeks went on.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Dodger coach P. D. Montero is our guest. All right,
tell us something about yourself. You grew up in the
San Fernando Valley, you grew up a Dodger fan. Who
were your group of players growing up? And where did
you go to high school?
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Uh So, one of my favorite Dodgers growing up was
Josevis Guy.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
You know that's a lie. I know, I'm serious.
Speaker 5 (06:23):
I remember, you know, and you know there was a
couple other guys roll honesty, but I remember, even as
a kid, I to this day, obviously I still wear Oakley's,
but Josevis Guy, you know, was one of the first
guys I saw wearing Oakley's and shin guard and you know,
switch hitters short stop. So it was kind of kind
of something that I came across. And you know, there
was other guys out there with the daughters.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I mean, we talk about you know, Mike Piazza and
e K. Shout out to E k you know, yeah,
it was, it was great. I think.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
You know, as a kid, one of my special moments
with my dad is going to opening Day.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I went to sixteenth straight up many days as a kid.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
And something to this day that I remember, and you
know now being on the field during Opening Day has
been awesome experience only for myself, but for my family.
You know, growing up as a kid, we played so
many sports. Played at Civil played basketball with the Calves,
played at Silmar Park for basketball, played for the San
Fernando Brace for football, and you know there's something that
(07:25):
you know, sports taught me a lot about discipline but
also kept me out of trouble. And you know, growing
up in San Fernando, you know, you just got to
find a way to make something to yourself. And you know,
representing my city and my community is really important to me.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Baseball is discipline.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You also have a fire fighting background as.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Well, Yeah, I do.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
After I graduated college, I went to EMT School and
started to interview process, went to the fire Academy, went
on a lot of firefighter interviews and you know, until
I got hired. And again, I think being a firefighter
has helped me even more to understand indians and outs,
and pay attention to more detail at work, but also
(08:04):
now here on the baseball field.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
All right.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
P D.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Montero, congratulations on living out a dream, not only coaching
first base the other night, but being part of Dave
Robert's staff and being such a big part of it.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
And certainly the future is bright. You're not stopping now. Thanks,
I appreciate it. And yeah, the work's never done.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
And like Reggie always says, when you think you have
it made and you know it, it's probably time to
go home.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And that's a pretty good teacher. Reggie Smith, thanks a
lot for the time.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Thanks Dee, appreciate it.
Now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Well on the last home standino Ebol had to be
at his son, Brady's graduation and that meant a dream
coming true for a lifelong Dodger fan growing up in
the San Fernando Valley and a guy that earned that
opportunity coming up coaching through the Dodgers minor league organization
since twenty seventeen.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
He also has a.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Strong connection to one of the all time great Dodgers
and certainly a big part of Dave Roberts' staff in
the video room and also working with Mookie Bets and
the infielders, and that is the one and only Pedro
montero akapd Thanks a.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Lot for the time. Hey, thanks for having me, Dave.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Have your feet hit the ground since the other night
coaching first base?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, I would say so.
Speaker 5 (00:52):
It definitely, you know, dream come true like you said earlier,
and yeah, I'm back to after the as soon as
the game was over, I went right back to what
I had to do after the game.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
What was it like for you to be out there?
How did you slow the game down? Considering that was
a goal of yours.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
You know, I think just my experience and you know,
having been coaching, you know, all these years, and where
I started with the Regismith Baseball Academy at the time
was Reddy Smith Baseball Centers, and I think my experiences,
you know, coaching at the lower levels all the way
through the minor leagues and then coaching winterball and Puerto Rico,
I think helped me. And you know, my preparation and
stuff that I still do to this day, even in
(01:32):
the video room and the things that I help on
that and you know, just kind of prepared me and
helped me when I got out there.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I was really comfortable being out there.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Hey, John Wood and all as used to say, failing
to prepare is preparing to fail.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
That's correct.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
And you know it's something that I've been doing, you know,
my entire life. And then when I came to the
Dodgers in the minor.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
League is the same thing.
Speaker 5 (01:53):
And then you know, being on the major league staff
helping out with you know, multiple parts of the game,
and you know, I just continue to lock it in
and I have a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
To be able to lock it in the video room.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
PDA Montero is our guest. He's one of the Dodgers'
key coaches. He got to coach first base the other night,
filling in for Dino Ebel. You mentioned Reggie Smith. He
obviously has meant a lot to so many that he
has touched. How much does Reggie Smith mean to you?
Speaker 5 (02:21):
I mean, Reggie's a big part of my life, you know,
I I tell this to a lot of people, like
Reggie's like my second father. And you know, he brought
me up in this game and prepared me to be
a coach when I didn't know I was gonna do that,
and you know, spend a lot of time with him
as a you know, younger athlete high school and uh,
you know, going through camp and taking lessons and learning
(02:45):
the game, and then him asking me to come and
coach after I graduated college in two thousand and seven.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
You know, he told me, you know, I really want
you to come help.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
And I was by aside for two years learning and
understanding every part of the game. And you know, I
think to this day that tension of detail because of
the things that he asked me to do, and how
you know, you got to be a well rounded coach
and I just you know, focus on one thing, but
know a little bit about everything has kind of helped
shape me to where I'm at today.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
And you know, I owe him a lot.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
And obviously I've had a lot of other coaches in
my life. You know, my dad helped me, you know,
introduce me to this game, and you know a lot
of other coaches that have impacted me, but he's the
one that, you know, it taught me the details and
all the ins and outs of the game and sharing,
you know, the Dodger Way, and you know, being here
with the Dodgers now my ninth season, it's dream come true.
And you know I learned the Dodger right when I
(03:35):
was a young kid, and you know, to be able
to show that now, it's it's cool. I was talking
to Reggie about it the other day, and you know,
being able to see photos of him when he used
to coach first base and I got a chance to
be out there was pretty special for the both of us.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
When you got that phone call from Reggie Smith, how
proud was he and what did he tell you after?
Speaker 5 (03:52):
I mean, for most people that know Reggie, Reggie is
a real tough guy, and uh, when he said he
had tears in his eye. Is uh, you know, it
was pretty special moment for the both of us, and
he said he was proud of me, and he said,
you got plenty of work to do and just continue
to work on your process and continue to grow and
learn every single day, which is something that I strive
for every single day when I'm at the ballpark. Pete
(04:14):
Montero is our guest, and his work did not just
start when the season started or when spring training started.
You were a key help to Mookie Bets this offseason.
Tell us about the connection you made with Mookie Bets
to help him prepare for shortstop this season. Yeah, you know,
obviously being a kid from the valley and Mookie and
I had talked last season, and you know, he said
(04:37):
he was living in LA and you know, we all,
you know, talk and I said, hey, you know, if
you ever need help, let me know. I'm not too
far from you, about ten minutes from you in Burbank.
And so it just happened. I saw a picture of
a kid that I coach and I know his dad,
that at Crespy and he was at the field and
Moogie and.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I started talking. He was, Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (04:57):
And I was like nothing, he goes you want to
come out? So it's kind of how it started again.
And then you know we went from three days to
five days to six days a week, and uh, you
know that was kind of how it all came came together.
And you know, one thing that I've always learned from
Reggie and you know even some other people in this
game is, uh, you know, you always make yourself available
(05:17):
for players.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
And and be ready whenever they need help.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
So that's you know, trying to do whatever I can
to help this DODG your organization, you know, in any.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Way that I can.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
So you're telling me during the off season, if we
showed up at Crespy, we not only would see Derek Fishsher.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
But we would see Mookie Beds and p D. Montero
working out.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I mean yeah, I mean we were over at Mid
Valley and uh, it's kind of cool just even that.
I mean, I remember playing All Stars at Mid Valley,
so it was I knew exactly where it was when
he's like, hey, we're going here, like I know where
that's at. And yeah, it was a really good uh
work that that he was able to put in and
focus on and you know I had mentioned before, you know,
he didn't have to worry about playing at night. It
(05:57):
was just breaking stuff down and you know that taking
it one step out of time and moving on as
the weeks went on.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Dodger coach P. D. Montero is our guest. All right,
tell us something about yourself. You grew up in the
San Fernando Valley, you grew up a Dodger fan. Who
were your group of players growing up? And where did
you go to high school?
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Uh So, one of my favorite Dodgers growing up was
Josevis Guy.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
You know that's a lie. I know, I'm serious.
Speaker 5 (06:23):
I remember, you know, and you know there was a
couple other guys roll honesty, but I remember, even as
a kid, I to this day, obviously I still wear Oakley's,
but Josevis Guy, you know, was one of the first
guys I saw wearing Oakley's and shin guard and you know,
switch hitters short stop. So it was kind of kind
of something that I came across. And you know, there
was other guys out there with the daughters.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I mean, we talk about you know, Mike Piazza and
e K. Shout out to E k you know, yeah,
it was, it was great. I think.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
You know, as a kid, one of my special moments
with my dad is going to opening Day.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I went to sixteenth straight up many days as a kid.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
And something to this day that I remember, and you
know now being on the field during Opening Day has
been awesome experience only for myself, but for my family.
You know, growing up as a kid, we played so
many sports. Played at Civil played basketball with the Calves,
played at Silmar Park for basketball, played for the San
Fernando Brace for football, and you know there's something that
(07:25):
you know, sports taught me a lot about discipline but
also kept me out of trouble. And you know, growing
up in San Fernando, you know, you just got to
find a way to make something to yourself. And you know,
representing my city and my community is really important to me.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Baseball is discipline.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You also have a fire fighting background as.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Well, Yeah, I do.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
After I graduated college, I went to EMT School and
started to interview process, went to the fire Academy, went
on a lot of firefighter interviews and you know, until
I got hired. And again, I think being a firefighter
has helped me even more to understand indians and outs,
and pay attention to more detail at work, but also
(08:04):
now here on the baseball field.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
All right.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
P D.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Montero, congratulations on living out a dream, not only coaching
first base the other night, but being part of Dave
Robert's staff and being such a big part of it.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
And certainly the future is bright. You're not stopping now. Thanks,
I appreciate it. And yeah, the work's never done.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
And like Reggie always says, when you think you have
it made and you know it, it's probably time to
go home.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And that's a pretty good teacher. Reggie Smith, thanks a
lot for the time.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Thanks Dee, appreciate it.
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