September 28, 2025 • 9 mins
Clayton Kershaw's first pitching coach talks about the Clayton's legendary career, and his relationship with the future Hall of Famer.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talking.
It is Krushaw Day for the final regular season game
of the season, final regular season start for Clayton Kershaw,
and they wouldn't be the same if he didn't have
two of the guys that were beside him from day one.
(00:20):
His old catcher A j Ellis is going to be here,
and of course the guy that was there from day
one to help him turn into this guy, the one
and only Rick honeycut Rick. Great to see you here
in Seattle. I know you felt like you needed to
be here.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, I'm happy to be here obviously.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
It you know, reminiscing all the way back from his
first start, from the first time that I ever met
Clayton in a spring training game against Boston till now.
It's like it just shows how fast time flies. But
so many pleasurable moments with both those guys. But Kersh
(01:02):
was just a specially human being and I'm so happy
that I could be here.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
And I hate that.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I hate in one way that he's retiring, but at
the same time, I'm glad that he's able to go
out the way that he wants to go out because
of the injuries and things that he's had to deal
with the last few years, but this year the show
just shows his resilience of what he's able to do.
I mean, he saved our team during the middle of
the season when he came back and was able to
(01:30):
start putting together starts and going. You know, he saved
us why we had so many injuries with the starting staff.
So but at the same time, what a career, what
a person, what of a great family. Just couldn't be
prouder and happy for him.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
What do you remember the most about when you first
saw him in that game when he buckled Sean Casey
with the curve ball? What do you remember the most
about young kerse shop the most?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
The thing that I remember most because he was, you know,
myerniger and they said he's gonna come over and throw
an in tonight in that night game against Boston there
back in Baro Beach and he comes over and he's
warming up, and you just go, wow, this kid's got
a great arm and impressed with the curveball. And then
(02:18):
he goes out and actually, not one of those guys.
The first guy you faced, actually a triple a guy.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Hit a home run off of him.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
But then he comes back and I think punches out
the next three guys, Big Poppy, Sean Casey, and I
forget who the third person was. But he sat next
to me and just had this huge grint on his
face and just looked at me and says, man, that
was fun, nothing to do. But you know, most I
would have been like, man, I made a mistake to
that guy whatever. That was no part of his thinking.
(02:50):
It was just like, I just like getting over here
to see what it's like to pitch in a big
league game in spring training, and he would just had
the smallest face, and I knew this kid is something special.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Rick.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Baseball is a hard sport. There is joy, but there's
a lot of misery as well. Clayton had success, he
had failure. What do you believe separated him for him
not to allow himself to crumble under those failures.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Well, I think the best they know themselves. And he
never ever ever made excuses, never blamed anybody. He took
full responsibility for anything that happened during the game. And
you just don't find that else. Everybody was like this
(03:39):
or that. You know, he just knew himself, knew the
person that he was. He was brought up right and
just had the heart and soul of a warrior and
a lion when he went out there. But I'm telling
you just the things that he was able to do.
I mean that ten or twelve years stretch was just
(04:01):
flat out just something to behold. And you know the
failure part. I think we all are going to fail
at some point in time. This game's too tough. Nobody's
breezes through. You know, any Hall of Famer they had
situations whatever time it may be. But it's the ones
(04:21):
that make adjustments, battle through it and still come out
on top. And this man, he's showing what he's about.
He's still at his age, still going out and can
compete at a high level.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
But you know, for me, I feel bad.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
You know when people want to talk about, you know,
whatever negatives they want to try to bring up the
postseason or whatever. But a lot of that was on
our organization as ole. We forced him at a young
age to pitching situations.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That he shouldn't be, you know, had to do.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
He was going on three days rest at times, He's
pitching out the bullpen at times.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
I mean, we asked everything and.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
More than what should have been expected from someone. But
like I said, he endured and I think you know
he's at peace.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
This guy knows for it.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
You know, life's about with his family and his faith,
and it's just a pleasure always to be around him.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Rick Honeycutt is our guest. I'm not gonna say former
pitching coach because he's still coaching. I saw him out
here in Seattle. He still has it in his blood.
When you see Kershaw this year, how happy are you
that he finally is enjoying the moments?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Well, I think when you play long enough, you know
it gets to that point. And I think too, the
fact that I know he had probably in his mind
set back because he's last few years. Like I said,
with the injuries, you're wondering, you know, can I continue
in another year?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Another year?
Speaker 3 (05:59):
But I think for him to go out this year
to be able to compete, I mean, what is he
ten and two with a low three or a. I mean,
this is still competing at a high level. And so
for me, for him, the joy for me is that
he was able to get the injuries aside where he
could go out and be closer to the Clayton Kershaw
(06:24):
that he can be and was able to go out
and pitch the way he did this year and be
able to be at peace with his career and be happy.
Just like I said, I can't say enough about the
person and the teammate and the leader that he's shown
because this organization and they he's still working with the
(06:45):
mar leagues. This guy is still the example of this
organization for our pitchers. And he set the example. He
made everybody over the years. I was there everybody that
came in here, whether it was Grenky, were you Buehler,
those guys saw the way that he worked and went
about his business.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
He made him all better pictures.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Before I let you go, you were there from the beginning.
What is your relationship like with him when you guys
were in the heat of the battle. What did it
evolve into after you weren't here every day?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Well, you know, I just want to be a support
I always just want to be a support person. And
I felt like, you know, our trust and and our
time that we got to spend together early on, you know,
kind of the molding time of teaching and learning when
he was coming, you know, starting out in his big
(07:36):
league career, and then just over time.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I try not to bother him. I call him every
once in a while, but a text mainly just telling him,
you know, watch the game and just telling him how
how good he was, how great he was, and just
happy that to see him out there. And it's gonna
be strange. I gotta I gotta tell you, it's gonna
be strange. You're not seeing taking Kershaw, take him out, No.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Doubt the world was right every fifth day when twenty
two is out there for the Dodgers' reck.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Honeycut, Yes he was.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
And you know, hopefully I think it was great, how
good the organization, what they did for him last week
at home and that started in the ovation and everywhere
he goes. But like I said, he deserves it, and
he's just such a humble person and just can't say
(08:30):
enough good things about him.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Thanks a lot for the time. It means a lot,
I think, to him and all of us that grew
up with Kershaw and Rick Honeycut being right by his side.
And I could say this definitively, Rick Honeycut made the
Dodger organization better and.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Still is doing so.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
You were even working with Blake Trinin who values, your opinion,
and I know those young pitchers do, so I'll say
this for everybody. The Dodger organization is better when Rick
Honeycutt came him back. So great to have you here.
And if AJ cries, don't let us know
Speaker 2 (09:06):
He better not cry.
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talking.
It is Krushaw Day for the final regular season game
of the season, final regular season start for Clayton Kershaw,
and they wouldn't be the same if he didn't have
two of the guys that were beside him from day one.
(00:20):
His old catcher A j Ellis is going to be here,
and of course the guy that was there from day
one to help him turn into this guy, the one
and only Rick honeycut Rick. Great to see you here
in Seattle. I know you felt like you needed to
be here.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Well, I'm happy to be here obviously.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
It you know, reminiscing all the way back from his
first start, from the first time that I ever met
Clayton in a spring training game against Boston till now.
It's like it just shows how fast time flies. But
so many pleasurable moments with both those guys. But Kersh
(01:02):
was just a specially human being and I'm so happy
that I could be here.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
And I hate that.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I hate in one way that he's retiring, but at
the same time, I'm glad that he's able to go
out the way that he wants to go out because
of the injuries and things that he's had to deal
with the last few years, but this year the show
just shows his resilience of what he's able to do.
I mean, he saved our team during the middle of
the season when he came back and was able to
(01:30):
start putting together starts and going. You know, he saved
us why we had so many injuries with the starting staff.
So but at the same time, what a career, what
a person, what of a great family. Just couldn't be
prouder and happy for him.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
What do you remember the most about when you first
saw him in that game when he buckled Sean Casey
with the curve ball? What do you remember the most
about young kerse shop the most?
Speaker 3 (01:57):
The thing that I remember most because he was, you know,
myerniger and they said he's gonna come over and throw
an in tonight in that night game against Boston there
back in Baro Beach and he comes over and he's
warming up, and you just go, wow, this kid's got
a great arm and impressed with the curveball. And then
(02:18):
he goes out and actually, not one of those guys.
The first guy you faced, actually a triple a guy.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Hit a home run off of him.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
But then he comes back and I think punches out
the next three guys, Big Poppy, Sean Casey, and I
forget who the third person was. But he sat next
to me and just had this huge grint on his
face and just looked at me and says, man, that
was fun, nothing to do. But you know, most I
would have been like, man, I made a mistake to
that guy whatever. That was no part of his thinking.
(02:50):
It was just like, I just like getting over here
to see what it's like to pitch in a big
league game in spring training, and he would just had
the smallest face, and I knew this kid is something special.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Rick.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Baseball is a hard sport. There is joy, but there's
a lot of misery as well. Clayton had success, he
had failure. What do you believe separated him for him
not to allow himself to crumble under those failures.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Well, I think the best they know themselves. And he
never ever ever made excuses, never blamed anybody. He took
full responsibility for anything that happened during the game. And
you just don't find that else. Everybody was like this
(03:39):
or that. You know, he just knew himself, knew the
person that he was. He was brought up right and
just had the heart and soul of a warrior and
a lion when he went out there. But I'm telling
you just the things that he was able to do.
I mean that ten or twelve years stretch was just
(04:01):
flat out just something to behold. And you know the
failure part. I think we all are going to fail
at some point in time. This game's too tough. Nobody's
breezes through. You know, any Hall of Famer they had
situations whatever time it may be. But it's the ones
(04:21):
that make adjustments, battle through it and still come out
on top. And this man, he's showing what he's about.
He's still at his age, still going out and can
compete at a high level.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
But you know, for me, I feel bad.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
You know when people want to talk about, you know,
whatever negatives they want to try to bring up the
postseason or whatever. But a lot of that was on
our organization as ole. We forced him at a young
age to pitching situations.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
That he shouldn't be, you know, had to do.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
He was going on three days rest at times, He's
pitching out the bullpen at times.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
I mean, we asked everything and.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
More than what should have been expected from someone. But
like I said, he endured and I think you know
he's at peace.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
This guy knows for it.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
You know, life's about with his family and his faith,
and it's just a pleasure always to be around him.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Rick Honeycutt is our guest. I'm not gonna say former
pitching coach because he's still coaching. I saw him out
here in Seattle. He still has it in his blood.
When you see Kershaw this year, how happy are you
that he finally is enjoying the moments?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Well, I think when you play long enough, you know
it gets to that point. And I think too, the
fact that I know he had probably in his mind
set back because he's last few years. Like I said,
with the injuries, you're wondering, you know, can I continue
in another year?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Another year?
Speaker 3 (05:59):
But I think for him to go out this year
to be able to compete, I mean, what is he
ten and two with a low three or a. I mean,
this is still competing at a high level. And so
for me, for him, the joy for me is that
he was able to get the injuries aside where he
could go out and be closer to the Clayton Kershaw
(06:24):
that he can be and was able to go out
and pitch the way he did this year and be
able to be at peace with his career and be happy.
Just like I said, I can't say enough about the
person and the teammate and the leader that he's shown
because this organization and they he's still working with the
(06:45):
mar leagues. This guy is still the example of this
organization for our pitchers. And he set the example. He
made everybody over the years. I was there everybody that
came in here, whether it was Grenky, were you Buehler,
those guys saw the way that he worked and went
about his business.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
He made him all better pictures.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Before I let you go, you were there from the beginning.
What is your relationship like with him when you guys
were in the heat of the battle. What did it
evolve into after you weren't here every day?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Well, you know, I just want to be a support
I always just want to be a support person. And
I felt like, you know, our trust and and our
time that we got to spend together early on, you know,
kind of the molding time of teaching and learning when
he was coming, you know, starting out in his big
(07:36):
league career, and then just over time.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I try not to bother him. I call him every
once in a while, but a text mainly just telling him,
you know, watch the game and just telling him how
how good he was, how great he was, and just
happy that to see him out there. And it's gonna
be strange. I gotta I gotta tell you, it's gonna
be strange. You're not seeing taking Kershaw, take him out, No.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Doubt the world was right every fifth day when twenty
two is out there for the Dodgers' reck.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Honeycut, Yes he was.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
And you know, hopefully I think it was great, how
good the organization, what they did for him last week
at home and that started in the ovation and everywhere
he goes. But like I said, he deserves it, and
he's just such a humble person and just can't say
(08:30):
enough good things about him.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Thanks a lot for the time. It means a lot,
I think, to him and all of us that grew
up with Kershaw and Rick Honeycut being right by his side.
And I could say this definitively, Rick Honeycut made the
Dodger organization better and.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Still is doing so.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
You were even working with Blake Trinin who values, your opinion,
and I know those young pitchers do, so I'll say
this for everybody. The Dodger organization is better when Rick
Honeycutt came him back. So great to have you here.
And if AJ cries, don't let us know
Speaker 2 (09:06):
He better not cry.
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