October 6, 2025 • 41 mins
Steve Sax and Tim Cates get you ready for Game 2 of the NLDS. Hear from Dodgers starter Blake Snell. Dodgers broadcast Rick Monday checks-in from Philadelphia. Hitting breakdown from Steve Sax and Steve's Keys to a Game 2 win
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
They say, the hardest thing in sports isn't winning a title.
It's hard to repeat seasons. It's winning it again.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
This year is not trying to win a championship, They're
trying to repeat.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
It's October baseball for your world champion in LA Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
The twenty twenty five Dodgers are the National League's Western
Division champions.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
And you know what that means.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Saxon Kates and AM is back.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
This is Saxon Kates in the Morning with Tim Kates
and former world champion Dodger Steve Sacks.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Reacting taking your phone calls talking Dodgers playoff baseball.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Saxon Kates in the Morning is presented by Daniels Jewlers,
official sponsor of every trip around the Diamond own the
Dream all postseason long. Now Here they are on AM
five to seventy LA Sports and the iHeartRadio app. Steve Sacks,
Tim Kates, Tim Kates and world champion Dodger Steve Sacks.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
It's l Zilla Day here on a F five seventy
LA Sports, Tim Kats, Steve Sason, you live and local
on your home of the Dodgers, AM FI seventy LA Sports.
Thanks for being with us on this Monday morning, October
sixth as you make your way to work, sitting in traffic,
taking the kids to school, whatever you're going, whatever you're doing,
(01:20):
we appreciate you taking us with you as you make
your way around southern California. As we lead you up
to Game two in the National League Divisional Series Dodgers
in Philadelphia. Blake Snell, Hey suss Lozardo, pair of left
handers will go at it in Game two, coming up
at threeh eight right here on am FI seventy LA Sports.
The Dodgers get a Game one win the thanks to
(01:42):
Taoscar Hernandez three run home run and six solid innings
from Show Hey Otani. Now Show Hey Otani will become
the dh the rest of this series. If there's a
Game five, of course he'll be back.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Bud.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Let's hope the Dodgers can take care of business before
that Game two. With Snell on the mound coming up
at three eight, we'll have Rick Monday joining us in
about twenty minutes. We'll get Steve's keys to a game
two way. But I'm starting to get fired up about
Blake Snell being on the mound. This is why they
got him for October Steve Sacks. He battled through injuries.
(02:17):
He missed multiple months because of his shoulder inflammation. He
has worked his way back and at just the right
time they got him for October. He's been there before.
The Dodgers saw him in the World Series in twenty
twenty when he was pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays.
And there's no doubt when Blake Snell turns into snake Zilla,
just like Michael J. Fox turned into the Wolf and
(02:37):
teen Wolf, he has a different pitcher.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
On the mound. Yeah, and you know he's one of
a quartet. If you look at the Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow
and Otani, you're talking about four guys that can just
shut you down right out of the gate. All four
guys have wicked stuff. I wouldn't want to be the
opposition facing those starters alone. Forget about what the offense
(03:02):
and the defense can do.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
These starting pitchers right here are for the best. They're
completely professional. I mean, these guys have been tested before.
It's not like you're you got some great talent and
you're gonna go out there and see what he can do.
These guys have already proved it. And these guys got
some wicked stuff out there. I wouldn't want to be
facing them.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Plake Snell already want to know with a two fifty
seven era in this postseason, of course, he got the
start against Cincinnati in the Game one opener of the
Wildcard Round within the seven Indians, a lot of two
runs on four hits while striking out nine along the way.
There was question of what he'd be the Game one starter,
or would it be Yoshinoba Yamamoto. He got the start
(03:44):
in Game one of the Wildcard Round, and here he
is getting the start in Game two against the Philadelphia Phillies,
the team he saw just a couple of weeks ago
at Dodger Stadium, where he threw seven shutout innings, scattered
two hits, struck out twelve over those seven Indians. Let's
hear from Blake SNeW the game to starter coming up
tonight right here on a seventy.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
I like, I've always had like a knack for just
the feel of the game at a young age, but
as I've gotten older and advanced and you know, face
adversity and failure, and it's just those are the things
that I've picked up on that you know, kind of helped.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Me build confidence and gain trust throughout the years to
just become better and to be consistent longer. I like
how much he's confident when he comes out of the
pen the close games. He's throwing strikes, he's attacking, he's fearless.
It's a it's a different rookie. The starter rookie was
more cautious and a little nervous from what I could see,
(04:45):
and you know, he has such good stuff, but he
was just nervous of what the hitter could do. And
now he's going out there, he's more confident in what
he can do, and that's so much fun to watch.
And the team's really behind him and pushing and he's
coming out just extremely confident and it's.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
So much fun to watch him pitch that way. No,
I mean, this place is special.
Speaker 6 (05:09):
The fans show up, they're passionate, they have energy, and no,
I can't wait to pitch here tomorrow. So getting ready,
I mean, there's not really anything you can do to
prepare for it, just as it's happening. Just you know, focused,
pretty and enjoyed the moment.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
All right, there's Blake Snell and one thing. Blake Snell
has done for this Dodgers team since coming back off
the injured list, where he spent four months. By the
way he went on the injured list April second, came
back on August second, is he has given him length,
and he has given him a lot of pitches. He's
gone over one hundred pitches twice in the month of September.
He's gone no less than ninety pitches in all four
(05:50):
starts in the month of September. During the regular season,
he threw ninety one pitches over seven innings against the
Cincinnati Reds. The one thing about Blake Snell, he sometimes
has some control issues and not necessarily walking four, five,
six guys and he'll walk back, there's no doubt. But
he'll go deep into counts Steve, he'll go to two,
(06:13):
three to two in account before finishing off a hitter,
and next thing you know, you look up and he's,
you know, twenty two pitches in the inning. But he
didn't give up a run. He give up maybe a hit,
maybe a walk, but it's twenty two pitches that he
had to grind through, and the pitch count starts to
get high. He'll go deep into a game. But tonight
I don't want to see the Blake Snell going deep
(06:34):
into counts, maybe walking the guy, maybe giving up a
hit on a three to two pitch. Because you start
doing this with this Phillies team tonight back in my mind,
I started wondering, they're gonna get to him, and they
have a chance to start ambushing him. I'd like to
see the Blake Snell go out and attack, attack and
attack some more.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Yeah, okay, so that's a perfect remedy to beat this team.
As you saw with Otani, these guys take a lot
of pitches. They believe in they believe in that that
that old adage, you know, if you take a lot
of pitches. I remember one time they were talking about
I forgot I would hit or it was it might
have been Ellis with the Dodgers, the Dodger catcher, and
(07:14):
they were talking about how great it was that he
he you know, he saw more pitches than any other
player in the league. And I'm like, why is that
a good thing? I mean, really, how many pitches did
you take? When what did he hit? He you know
to twenty two thirty? Well, you know, why is an
advantage to take so many pitches? To me?
Speaker 5 (07:33):
That.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
What you're saying is you've taken a lot of pitches
down the middle that you could have crushed, you know.
I mean, there's no listen if the pitcher is going
to run the count deep and not give you something
to hit. I'm all for taking pitches, go three to
two on every count, foul off twenty pitches. I'm all
for that one hundred percent. What I'm not for is
to go deep in the count just and take two
(07:56):
fastballs right down the middle, just to go deep in
the count. I think that's completely wrong. I don't know
anybody that walked himself into the Hall of Fame. Guys
are up there to barrel it up and to do
some damage on somebody. And if they happen to go
deep in the count, oh well, but if you don't
go deep in the count, that's fine too. I wouldn't
be up there, you know, just looking forward to go forward,
(08:19):
to go deep in the count. So Blake Snell attack
these guys. They take a lot of pitches, and it's
look at the splits, tim When a pitcher is oh
one or two on a hitter, it's drastically different. Then
if it's the other way, If it's two zero or
you know, two to one on a hitter, it's way
in the hitter's advantage. So get ahead of these guys,
challenge them. They want to take pictures on you. Let
(08:40):
them do it.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
The team that Snell faced last week the Cincinnati Reads
Young Team, Swing happy team, Swing early in the count team,
and he got early outs one pitch out, two pitch out,
one pitch out, and that worked great against Cincinnati. The
problem is, as you mentioned, this is a Phillies team
that likes to take pitch So getting ahead is huge
(09:03):
for Blake Snell to get strike one early in the count.
As the game went along against the Reds, then they
started taking more pitches that first time around did Cincinnati,
and he fell behind two to zero in account. He
fell behind two to one in account again. Blake Snell
dominant pitcher when he's on, He's got the nasty, swinging
miss stuff that we know he has. I just want
(09:23):
to make sure Blake Snell tonight isn't isn't expecting swinging
missus on his pitches out of the zone. And I
know he knows that, but in my mind, I'm thinking
this is a different team. This is a different approach.
This isn't the Reds that are going to swing at
a pitch that bounces in the dirt. And when he
walked off the field, him and Ben Rart if that
were laughing about how he fooled to want to pitch
that was, you know, fifty eight feet instead of sixty
(09:45):
feet six inches. This is a different Phillies team.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Here's another thing I may say on the on the
next kind of level of this is that Blake Snell
stuff is so good. Look, he could still hit the plate.
He could, i mean hit strike zones, hit even meaty
parts of the strike zone and still be very successful.
His curveball, He's gonna change the angle that hitter. He's
gonna throw that curveball up around their head and the
(10:09):
thing's going to break down, you know, around waste level
because it breaks so much those types of things. He'll
get those strikes, especially early in the count when guys
are looking to hunt the fastball and you throw even
to get me over curveball. Many many times, the hitter's
not going to swing at it because he's gonna get
fooled and he's gonna take it just such a split
second that he's gonna take it and it's going to
(10:30):
be a strike. It's a great way to get strike
one and be ahead on the count. So you know
we're not saying don't. Hey, Look, he's got to fill
up the strike zone. His stuff is so good that
he can fill up that strike zone with regularity and
he's still gonna get guys to swing and miss. Show
Hey did it with Schwarber incessantly up there, pitch after pitch.
Those were strikes that he was swinging out and he
(10:51):
still couldn't hit him.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Eight six six nine eight seven two five seven us
go out to the phones. Thanks for being patient. Gotta
line open if you want to jump on board. Eight
six six nine eight seven seventy. How you feeling about
snell Zilla going into Game two tonight, Hey, this is
why they picked him up, This is why they signed
him in the off season. This is why they wanted
him to be at the top of that rotation first
start like this, Avier all Hambro, thanks for being patient.
(11:15):
Thanks for joining us here on a FI seventy. How
you doing, good morning, gentlemen, that you've taken my Call's
snell Villa day. It is it is.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
I think I think a big thing watching this Dodgers
team with the front office and Dave Roberts at the helm,
is any of our pitchers, any of our arms, to
be acist for any other team.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
But they've all made the choice.
Speaker 7 (11:38):
To trust the decision of the front office and Dave Roberts,
which is not always right, and he can't be right
all the time, but they know that they're going to
make the best decision for them, whether it be coming
out of the pin and throwing on your day off
right to get your little sideboard game in in a beginning,
or just making a short and having somebody come and
(12:01):
pick up the flack for you on the back end.
I think that's a big thing that separates this team
from all these other teams, is the trust in the
coaching and the front office staff that these pitchers have
is just you just don't see it on a lot
of other teams. Yeah, no doubt, that's all sad, all right,
all right, Ivey.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
You appreciated. It's called buy in. If you can get
a player to buy in to what the front office
or the manager or the pitching coach want them to do,
that's big. Now you get a player like Clayton Kershaw,
Steve to buy in, everybody else will follow, and they
have to follow because a Hall of Famer is saying,
(12:44):
put my ego aside. I know where I'm at, I
know what my role is. I'm a reliever. And if
it makes the team better by me coming out of
the bullpen, if it makes the collective group better by
me doing this, then I'm in. So if he buys in,
you sure is hell gonna have time?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Now?
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Buy in? You're sure is that gonna have everybody else
that's a starter and now needs to be a reliever
or somebody who is a reliever that may not see
the bigger role this October than they had during the
regular season, but yet still be ready to go like
an Anthony Bonda. You better buy in. If number twenty
two Clayton Kershaw's.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Buying in, yeah, that's that's my point of having him
down there in the bullpen. It's gonna pay dividends for
this team. The other thing when you call buy in,
another name for that is called culture. And when people
when the guys on the team are buying in on
the culture, Yeah, you've got one strong unit going for it,
(13:39):
going for it together, and that makes a huge difference.
Now add on top of that the talent factor and
the discrepancy of talent between this team and the other
teams is big. And when that all goes in one direction,
watch out, man. And this is a good thing. Is
you got to be clicking at the right time. You know,
it's nice to be clicking like this, and you know
May twenty fifth and going along. But when you're clicking
(14:01):
in postseason, and it is really a culmination of all
those things that you've experienced during the season, the good
times at bad times. You've had to deal with injuries,
you'd have to deal with all those things coming and
now it's coming together. You've done all that and now
you've filtered all that out and now we're here at
this one moment where this all means what the season
was okay, And now you're seeing that come together with
(14:24):
a team that's clicking on all all facets of the game.
And this is an extremely dangerous team. My problem, here's
what I've been wanting to say for a second. I'll
make this fast him. I know you want to get
to the next subject is that you know what can
be detrimental to the Dodgers is possibly that they go
ahead and sweep these guys. They just go right through
the phillies and then they're sitting there twidling their thumbs
(14:45):
and they have to wait a while, and you know
time is going to go on. Is that good? I'm
not saying that's a bad thing, but is that good
necessarily or is that bad for a team that's really
on momentum right now?
Speaker 3 (14:59):
I think it's huge because they're riding the momentum and
they're riding this schedule which has favored them, and the
schedule being the like an off day yesterday, allowing Otani
to rest and get ready as a dh for Game two,
a schedule that allows this team to stretch out the
rotation and still keep that once a week outing like
they've been doing the second half of the season. The
(15:20):
schedule has been very beneficial for them, especially the last
week of the season with the series in Arizona and
then going to San Francisco and of course Seattle that
final weekend when they swept the Mariners. It has been
a blessing this final month of the season, the schedule
and everything that it's laid out, But health has also
been a big benefactor for that. If they're not healthy.
(15:40):
This schedule could get blown up. It could be a
detriment to them. But the fact that they've got so
many arms ready to go and healthy is the second factor,
because yeah, they.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Go right through these guys, boom boom. Okay, then they
got all this time to wait for the next round, right,
I mean, is that they can still play that into
a positive? You're saying, I.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Think so, but I don't want to be too long.
Let's hope that the other series could be quick as well.
Thankfully it's a five game series and it's not a
seven game series. We're sitting around having to wait for three,
four or five days. Now, keep in mind the schedule
that Major League Baseball set up. They're not going to
push startup times of series. They've already said, we're not
moving up a World Series. We're not changing things. What's
(16:21):
in place now is the way it's gonna stay. So
you're right, if they end this series early, which we
all hope.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
They do, yeah, there take it.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah, absolutely, But there's gonna be some time off for
this Dodger team before the NLCS. And then again, they're
not moving up the World Series. The first pitch in
Game one, no matter if the NLCS or ALCS in early.
So it's definitely something to keep in mind. But if
you're the Dodgers, you just want to keep that momentum
going right. You don't want to You don't care if
you end this thing early, if you end it in three,
(16:49):
in it in four, if it has to go five,
so be it. But I think the faster you can
get rid of this Phillies team and squash any momentum,
I mean, especially this Phillies offense, the more you keep
them tamed, the more you keep Schwarber out of it,
the more you can limit the damage done by the
Big three, the Big four there with Trey Turner, the
better this series can be, the quicker it could be over.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Yeah, I agree with you. I mean, you know, all
things considered, if it was going to be that way, hey,
you can go ahead and take these guys out in
the next two games. Absolutely, you do it, and you
deal with whatever you know, time off you have to
deal with.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
He is Steve Sacks. I am Tim Katse Your phone
calls coming up. Steve's keys to Game two coming up
in about a half an hour. Also, Rick Monday will
join us when we come back Dodger broadcaster, All Star
World Series champ, and of course you hear him every
single game right here on five seventy e LA Sports.
He'll join us live from Philadelphia. Get his thoughts on
this NLDS eight sixty six nine eighty seven two five seventy.
(17:47):
Game two of the National League Divisional Series is this afternoon,
Dodgers sending Blake Snell to the mound in hopes of
coming back home with a two to zero series lead.
We'll get it all started with the Moroco Casino Dodgers
on deck first at three to oh eight. That's this afternoon,
Rick Monday. Next right here on scam Sex and Kate's
and am on NFI seventy LA Sports, Dodgers in Phillies
(18:16):
Game two the NLDS coming up at three to eight
right here on am FI seventy LA Sports. Thanks for
being with us on this Monday morning, wherever you may
be driving around, Thanks for taking us with you. As
a Dodgers a one oh series lead after a victory
on Saturday, looking to come back home with a two
to oh series lead in this best of five National
League Divisionals Series coming up, will get Steve's keys to
(18:38):
a game to win. Blake Snell. Heyesus Lozardo the pitching
matchup tonight from Citizens Bank Park, and a man who
will be on the call as he is every single game,
one of the best of the best, former Dodger great,
former Santa Monica High School standout, Arizona State standout, All
Star World Series champ. He is the one and only
Rick Monday and he joins us here on Am with
(19:00):
Saxon Kates in a Rick good morning.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
How you doing, Good morning?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
You left out the one really great thing I was
a teammate of Steve Sachs. Thank you, Good morning, guys,
good morning.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Thanks for coming on here. We are Game two the NLDS.
Game one on Saturday, Teoscar Hernandez delivers the big three
run home run, and of course what we saw for
six innings from show hey o Tani battling back despite
the three runs he gave up on the second. What
did you make of that game one win? And how
the Dodgers battled well?
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Obviously huge, especially on the road and especially two on
the road against the ball club guys. As we know
if we look at the Phillies, you know at home
they were fifty five wins and only twenty six losses.
And I got to tell you, is it when ti
Oskar her Nan has hit that home run of the
seventh inning, Steve, if you understand how vigilant and loud
(19:53):
Philly fans are, especially here in this town. I mean,
it's actually fun to watch and listen. But it went
from tumultuous sound to sound that you would hear going
into a library. So all of his sudden, the sound
machine got turned off. And for ti Oscar Hernandez had
troubled difficulty in the outfield on a playout there, but
(20:15):
he made up for it and he goes look things
that happened in the past, he puts it in the
past when he comes to home plate. And if we
look so far at the three games in postseason, t
Oscar Hernanus got five or fourteen three home runs, He's
knocked in nine. This was a huge game that they won,
and obviously this one is even bigger because the Phillies
(20:36):
understand full well if they go down zero to two
and then have to go to Dodgers Stadium. You know,
let's look at the plight of the Phillies right now.
If we're being realistic, numbers are numbers the computer says
played the game. But the Phillies no coming at night.
They have to win three out of four to advance
the next round.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Absolutely, Rick, good to be with you today. And I
look at the Phillies and the way they're structured. You know,
if this team is going to be there taking pitches
like they did with Showhy and got themselves in the
ditch early, I think Snell is the kind of guy
that can wipe these guys out. I think if he
fills up the strike zone and they're going to take
(21:15):
that approach to him, that's all plus for the Dodgers.
I was wanted to get your take as a hitter
on how this could be advantageous for.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Blake Twell, Yeah, I think, Steve, that's a great that's
a great point to bring up. But I would go
back to what Dave Roberts is talking about when asked
about the Philadelphia Phillies. He's not giving up, you know,
insign information, but he said, hey, look if you look
at the Phillies overall, they are a very aggressive hitting team.
That's the way that they go. They like to swing
(21:45):
the bat early in the count if they can. And
this is a matchup guys that we looked at two
weeks ago at Naga Stadium on September seventeenth, it was
Snelled against Loizardo Lizard to pitch well, not well enough.
He went seven four runs, gave up a home run
to Freddie Freeman and also to show hey Okanni. But
(22:07):
the Dodgers up until that point really kind of struggled.
And for Blake Snell, she's been outstanding the last two
starts in that matchup again against Lozardo two weeks ago
when seven innings did not allow a single run and
came up on two hits and that struck out twelve
and he struck out the twelve because the Phillies kept
chasing the change up Rick.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Looking at this Dodgers' bullpen, it looks completely different than
it did two weeks ago. Certainly when you got guys
like Tyler Glass now and now available in Clayton Kershaw there,
it looks different because you've got different arms down there.
But the guys that are back there, back into the
road to the bullpen, like Blake Trin and Alex Vessia
and now Rokie Sasaki. What do you make of Sasaki?
(22:49):
The one you saw back at the start of the
season in Japan looking up at the radar gun after
every single pitch on the scoreboard to the Sasaki you
see now closing out games.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Yeah, it seems like you went from Japan all of
a sudden, too an outing before getting to Philadelphia, and
the rest is kind of where the heck did he go? Well,
he had a shoulder, got that taken care of. He
has now become a breath of fresh air. And I
think maybe a motivation for the rest of the guys
in the bullpen. If we look at the bullpen against
(23:21):
the Phillies come into the series, the starting pitching this
year against Philadelphia had done an excellent job. The bullpen
not so great. But that's kind of turned around. I
really look at this Dodger ball club right now, guys,
as a team that is kind of playing up to
its capabilities. We didn't see that for a period of time.
(23:41):
We wonder where this good ball club went. Now they're
playing their best baseball and they have to because there's
only what eight teams left. Only one of the eight
is going to be the World champions. Dodgers would like
to make it back to back years.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Yeah, Hey, Rick, looking at the state of this team
right now, and it's pitching staff compared to last year.
I mean, this is a night and day difference trying
to piece together that pitching staff, the starters, and this
year they have an abundance of guys that are clicking
on all cylinders. You take that and the fact that
Clayton Kershaw is going to have his presence down there
(24:15):
in the bullpen, which a little bit shaky lately, but
making their way back. I think Clayton makes a big
difference down there in the bullpen just being there and
the starters being what they are. I think the Dodgers
in a great situation right now.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
I agree, and it's a wonderful it's a wonderful problem
for the Dodger ball club right now. The way the
starting pitching has really to say, it's risen to the
surface is crazy because they're just going lights out. Yeah,
I think that can be a trickle down effect. And
especially when he got Kershaw kind of a even if
he doesn't throw in the ballgame tonight, he's such a
settling influence because the guys are looking at him as
(24:51):
this Philip. Here's a guy that's done everything in his career.
He's going to go into Cooperstown, the Hall of Fame,
and yet he's a giving of it himself being the
bullpen in a hostile environment in Philadelphia. I think that's
kind of leading the way and making a huge statement
that the rest of the guys in the bullpen look
up and respect him, and that can motivate them. In
my mind, Rick, what do.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
You do at ketcher tonight? If you're Dave Roberts, does
Will Smith get a return back behind the planeer? Do
you stick with Ben Roardvett, who's done a really good
job defensively with Will Smith.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Out Kim, good question. I think the biggest question is
how did Will Smith feel after coming to the ballgames
intension or staying in the game as a catcher in
game one of the series that was on Saturday. The
doctors did work out yesterday. The encouraging thing that I've
noticed with Will Smith and Steve you can understand this too.
(25:45):
You've got a fractured right hand is getting better. Will Smith.
When I've watched him, he has not had his hand
taped up. To me, That's a very good sign because
it shows that either either the discomfort is tolerable or
the discomfort has for the most part even gone away.
Because if you're hurting, Steve you understand as well. Tim
(26:06):
you too when you were playing, if you're hurting, you're
going to tape it up for a little added protection.
That's not something we've seen so far. I've not seen
the lineup yet, that's not been sent to us. But
the big question is how does Will Smith feel? And
I think if he's feeling okay, he might be back
in there quick, very quickly. About Rug that he has
(26:27):
done an amazing job in coming in and filling in
for Will Smith, and the way that he has also
kind of guided the pitching staff in a short period
of time has been remarkable.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Yeah, he absolutely right. Recy he has been all over
that in just that defensive posture that he's given this team.
It's been amazing. Rick. Last one for me, I wanted
to ask you. You know, show Hey had a tough
day at the plate. You know what, I look at
this as big deal Sanchez. I mean, he really pitched
his tail off against show Hey. We kind of saw
(27:01):
this in the first game with Max Munsey. You know,
he didn't have a good game either, But this team
is built where you know, you don't even notice it,
you know, show he didn't have a good game yesterday.
Months he didn't have a good game the first day.
So what I mean, we have other guys on this
team that can carry the mail, and that's what it's
all about. Not everybody's gonna shine on every day, but boy,
(27:22):
these guys can come back with a vengeance. And months
he had a much better game the second day.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, I think with Oughtani, Tis Steves, we're going to
find out. With Lozardo who has a very good change
up off speed pitch and that's what they threw to Otani.
With Sanchez in game, won a lot of change ups
to begin with, we're going to find out. I don't
know if you guys saw this this line or not.
With Thetani pitching and the designated hitter, first time that's
(27:47):
happened in postseason played Major League Baseball history. But I
thought Bill Plunkett the Orange County Register had had really
the line coming in knowing that Otani was going to
pitch NB the DH, he said it's time for Superman
to put on his cape. Well, Superman put on the cape.
From a pitching standpoint, every time Otonic comes to the
home plate or steps on the field. Nobody takes their
(28:10):
eyes off of him, guys, because we're seeing history every
time potentially he gets to home plate.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Well, we'll find out if the Dodgers come back home
with a two to oher series lead later on this afternoon.
Rick will be on the call with Stephen Nelson while
Marago Casino Dodgers on deck in. It all started at
two o'clock Pacific. First pitch at three Toho eight Blake
Snell and Heyesussi Lezardo the pitching matchup. Well, really appreciate
you coming on this morning, and let's hopefully it's a
happy flight home for the Dodgers tonight after this game too.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Yeah, it's going to be a later rival. Dodgers could
care less if it is a happy flight. Hey, stay well, guys,
thanks correct, All right.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
There he goes the great rig Monday, who will be
on the call later on this afternoon, as the Dodgers
will head it back home middle of the night, day
off tomorrow and then Game three on Wednesday, and we'll
see if it's a potential closeout game for the Dodgers
as they look to go up two games to nothing
in this best of five series. Yeah, I have to
imagine zero for four, three strikeouts not gonna happen again
(29:06):
for show Aotani. Not to say that he's gonna go
off and have a Monster Knight to play, but certainly
we're gonna see a better production and a better at bats.
I would assume now that he's just the designate editor tonight.
But you know what's funny, Steve, People keep thinking about
that nobody's ever hit and pitched in the same game before,
not certainly the level that Showeyotani is doing it, But
(29:27):
didn't the nationally pitchers used to hit for themselves up
until just a few years ago, and that all.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Changed absolutely, Tim, you nailed it. Yeah, yeah, they did
it all the time. I mean, now now it's a
it's a different story. But I guess you could say
they were relevant hitters not very long. Some guys could hit,
you know, there were a few guys can hit, you know.
The main thing they had to do effectively was to bunt.
(29:52):
They could be effective that way. But it's different now,
especially with Shoeyotani is you know, the best hitter and
he's you know, the best pitcher. So you got all
that wrapped up in one guy. I think you're gonna
see a different hitter at the plate tonight. I think
he's gonna forget all that stuff about guessing and whatnot.
He's gonna be on time with the number one and
he'll change to everything else. That's that's his approach, and
(30:14):
I think he'll be on it tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
We'll take a break, we'll come back, we'll wrap things
up with Steve's keys for a game to win. Hand
things off to Colin Coward. Don't forget the early start
means early Rogan and Rodney. Yes, they'll start at eleven
o'clock this morning and then hand things off to Petro
some money. He will be flexed back from two or
noon until two leading up to Morongo Casino. Dodgers on
deck and early start. Dodger fans buckle up three Toho
(30:39):
eight first pitch as the Dodgers look to get after
hayesus Lozardo and this Phillies bullpen as Lozardo making his
third start against the Dodgers, this time this season. He's
gone seven innings and both his previous two sparts starts
in April and just a few weeks ago at Dodgers
Stadium Dodgers have had the Phillies top three hitters one
(31:00):
for eleven, six strikeouts in Game one. Can that continue?
We'll find out with first pitch of three eight Steve's
keys next right here on ANTI seventy EL Sports. Ah,
you hear the walk up songs from Freddie Freeman. Hopefully
the Dodger first baseman could get it going big tonight
(31:22):
for the Dodgers. He had a home run against het
Suis Lzzardo last time the Dodgers faced the left hander
at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
Game two.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
The Nlts coming up right here on NFI seventy LA
Sports had three to eight this afternoon. Tim Kates, along
with two time World Series champs Steve Sacks, Sax and
Kate's and the am as the Dodgers a one to
zero series lead. You know, I love the MLB Network
and what they do all day and night, whether it's
the uh, the the company. Oh, it's it's so good.
(31:54):
It's so good. And Mark de Rosa has really become
one of the best studio analysts out there. I know
he managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in
twenty twenty three, and I think he's set to do
it again next time around. He does these breakdowns on
this giant monitor behind him, and it is impressive to
see the breakdown. As a hitter, he was just spotlighting
(32:17):
sho hey Otani and the difference in lawnchangle. But when
he's above thirty five degrees and below thirty five degrees
as far as the percentage and in the launch angle,
it's it's amazing that baseball it's a numbers game. And
to see how it's broken down so minute now, Steve is,
it's pretty unbelievable. Good and bad. I get it. There's
(32:39):
there's good you can take away from all this minute
information and there's bad you can take about you know
from it too much. You know, oversight and thinking is
one thing. But I just I love the job he does,
and it's this is my favorite time of the year,
Steve sec Not only I get to talk with you,
but it's baseball all day a lot.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Mark does a great, great job on MLB Network Radio.
He does he's got it all figured out, and that
that backdrop they have right there really suits well and
it gives it gives the viewership a chance to really
see it and you know they can understand it and
that's the thing. I think you've got to get passed
through all the numbers and whatnot and crunching this, and
(33:18):
that is being able to just take it and understand
what it is. And now I think he does a
great job with that.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
I love what Oral Herscheizer is on sports in at
LA describing the spray pattern as he calls it him. Yeah,
maybe that is a picture lingo, but it's spray charts.
Speaker 4 (33:34):
Yeah, it's been around for a while.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Yeah, it's a term new to me. But I love
how he uses that that spray patter, spray charts for pitchers,
and to see it on TV when they break down
a picture and what a change up looks like from
a hitter's perspective, A fastball, a split finger, a slider,
all the different pitches and they show it coming out
of the pitchers and and that graphic that shows the
(33:55):
different angles and speeds and what a fastball and change
will look like and how different, you know, ten miles
an hour on changeup is to the eyesight of a hitter.
I don't think I don't think people realize how hard
hitting is.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
It made hitting look hitting is the hardest thing to
do in any sport. You can only teach so much
of it, you know, depth, perception, eyesight, timing, athleticism, you know,
all that stuff matters. Quickness, strength of your hands, all
that stuff matters. And if any of that's not in there,
you won't be a hitter, you know. And that's why
there's so few people that can do it, uh is
(34:31):
because all those things have to come come together. And
the thing about I think I like about that graph
when it when it shows it coming out of that
window where the picture is throwing it, it's it's critical
for the picture to have it come out of that
same spot, so you can't decipher for the most part
what's coming out of there. You know, if if he
throws his curveball a lot higher arc than what he
(34:53):
throws his fastball, you can be able to pick it up.
Or if his slider's you know, down low so you
can get more more tilt on it, you're gonna be
able to tell that as well. So he's got to
have that come out of that same window every time,
which which is something that's not altogether that easy for
a pitcher. You know, you got to make sure that
you can have that deception there because that's one of
the keys to four components of pitching. Deception is one
(35:14):
of those.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Before we get to the keys of the game. You
brought a great thing I wanted you to talk about,
is that as a hitter, where are your eyes as
the pitcher is in the lineup or coming out of
the stretch and he's making the delivery home? Where are
your eyes? Are your eyes at his where the arm
slot is? Are you are you looking at his cap
and then moving over to his arm? Are you watching
(35:36):
the ball because you think, oh, ball comes out of
his hand, you recognizing what kind of pitch it is.
But where are your eyes as he's about to deliver?
And then when he does deliver the.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Pitch, I'm looking right in his eyes. I'm looking right
at him. I'm looking right in his eyes. Because you
can tell a lot what a guy might be thinking.
You can tell if a guy struggling, you can tell
the guy's fighting himself. So the emotional part of it
first is I'm looking right in his eyes, Okay, And
then and then when he goes to warm up, I'm
shifting right to where that window is what they call it,
(36:09):
that slot. If you will right with the ball right
where his arms is going to right where the ball
is going to come out of that hand, and that
is critical seeing that ball come out of his hand.
Sometimes like like you have the great big curveball like
on a rolled as Chapman or you know, like in
a glass. Now somebody that has a big hump in
that pitch. That that's something you got to pick up
(36:29):
right away because that curveball will just you know, wipe
you out. The fastball, you got to be able to
tell the difference between a fastball and a cutter, or
a fastball and a slider. The slider of the cutter
has a little dimple in it when it when the
seams create what looks like a dimple in the baseball,
and you got to be able to pick that up
right out of his hand. You know, sometimes he will
(36:50):
speed up or slow down a little bit just so
so minute difference when it's coming out of his hand,
and you can pick that up as well. So all
these little things, these little tendencies, you have to figure
it out. And you know, it's it's almost like it's
a it's an any experience. It's it's almost almost something
you really can't teach. And Frank Howard, one of my
(37:11):
hitting coaches with the Yankees. He was the best, and
he used to say, Hey, you know what, if you
can sing, you can sing, and if you can hit,
you can hit. And it's really hard to teach either
one of them.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
What's what's the difference as a hitter. I'm curious because
we keep hearing about Lozardo's change up and Christopher Sanchez
reinvented himself because of his change up and that made
his fastball even more electric. What are you seeing the
difference as a hitter? And I think Dodger fans love
hearing this is a Dodger, the hitter that you were, Steve.
What's the difference between the fastball and the change up
(37:42):
coming out of the arm. What do you see?
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Well, it's sometimes the guys have what's called a circle
change where they hold the ball with their their their
forefinger and their thumb together or thumb together, and the
ball comes off the pinky okay, they're your pinky finger
and it almost when it comes off and it almost
creates what's called the a screwball like Fernando used to throw.
So from our left handed thrower like Lizardo tonight, that
(38:05):
ball is gonna come in to a guy like show
hal tiny, it's not gonna go away from him. That
change up's gonna go into him slightly, and it's gonna fall.
It's gonna kind of like gradually fall off the table.
But what you're looking at sometimes you can see that
pinky sticking up a little bit, and if I see that,
I know it's going to be a change up, so
I can wait a little bit. But the difference between
a change up of ninety five and eighty five can
(38:28):
be like four or five feet, And that's a massive
difference when you're talking about being able to hit the
label or being able to hit the sweet spot of
the bat, you know, and and you know, the ball's
round the bats around until you hit it square, and
you've got to be able to square that up. So
when you explain it to somebody like this, it's even
it even seems harder, right, But doing it in real
(38:49):
time you just got a lot of its reactionary And
you here's another thing I'll say, without getting too long winded,
tim here is that as a hitter, the longer you wait,
the fat faster you are. And that's what do you mean,
You're just reaction. You're just reactionary. If you see a
pitch and you know where it is and you try
to muscle up on it, your swing gets a little
(39:10):
bit long, your back gets a little bit tighter. In
the hands, remember, your bat has to be so loose
in your hands that somebody can come up and pull
the bat out of your hands. That's how loose you
have to hold the bat. Because it's not how hard
you swing the bat, it's how fast you swing it.
And it's almost like a person holding a hammer. You know,
when you hold a hammer and you're slamming down a
nail like that, that's the kind of action you want
(39:30):
on a baseball bat. You don't want to swing it hard,
you want to swing it fast, and there's a difference
between the two.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
I hope you're appreciating this, Dodger fans, because you're not
getting this anywhere else. The inside of a hitter in
the postseason. What they're thinking seeing a fastball Aspian pitches.
What is light to see it come out of the
hand of a major league pitcher?
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Nobody?
Speaker 4 (39:50):
And one more thing I'll say is one thing I
learned earlier on in my career, and it really helped
me when I was in the big leagues. I used
to say this little limerick, if you will, this little riddle.
And my scout, Ronnie King, was almost like a surrogate
father to us when my father passed away. He was
a guy that really stuck with us and worked us
out a lot. And one thing he told me really
(40:10):
made sense. When I was in the minor leagues. He
would say, when you're getting ready hit the ball, you're
supposed to cock and glide, you know, get yourself ready,
cock and glide and see the ball before you stride.
So I would always remember that I gotta see the ball.
That's the most critical thing, because you can't hit what
you can't see. You got to see the ball. And
(40:32):
then after you see the ball, now it's up to me.
He's let the ball go. It's not in his hands anymore,
no pun intended. But it's up to me now. So
see that ball before you stride is a key thing
in hitting.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
All right, in our final minute here, what are your
key to a Dodger wins sexy?
Speaker 4 (40:47):
The key is kind of multifaceted. I'll be quick with it.
Speaker 5 (40:50):
Though.
Speaker 4 (40:50):
Snell, of course, got to pitch his game this team
can be dangerous. I think the two offensive threats on
this team are going to hold true, especially if Will
Smith plays. He's got a factor into it. But it's
still Tayo Hernandez in the middle of that lineup.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Love it, Saxy Gray stuff. We'll talk tomorrow morning.
Speaker 4 (41:06):
You bet you buddy?
Speaker 3 (41:07):
All right there, he goes Steve Sax. Thanks to Michelle
for all her help this morning. Thanks for all you
Dodger fans for being a part of the show. Coming
up next, it's Colin Calhart. Don't forget early start. It
means early shows. Rogan and Rodney at eleven am, Petros
some money start at noon. They flex back and go
till two and I'll be back with Morongo because you know.
Dodgers on deck beginning at two pm. First Bitch from
the Bank in Philadelphia. Three A Dodgers, Phillies, Blake Snell, Hey,
(41:31):
sus Lozardo, enjoy it. Dodgers hopefully coming home with a
two zero series lead. Either way, We talk about it tomorrow,
bright and early with Sax and Kate's and Am begin
it at six am.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Solo.
Speaker 3 (41:43):
Everybody
They say, the hardest thing in sports isn't winning a title.
It's hard to repeat seasons. It's winning it again.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
This year is not trying to win a championship, They're
trying to repeat.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
It's October baseball for your world champion in LA Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
The twenty twenty five Dodgers are the National League's Western
Division champions.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
And you know what that means.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Saxon Kates and AM is back.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
This is Saxon Kates in the Morning with Tim Kates
and former world champion Dodger Steve Sacks.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Reacting taking your phone calls talking Dodgers playoff baseball.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Saxon Kates in the Morning is presented by Daniels Jewlers,
official sponsor of every trip around the Diamond own the
Dream all postseason long. Now Here they are on AM
five to seventy LA Sports and the iHeartRadio app. Steve Sacks,
Tim Kates, Tim Kates and world champion Dodger Steve Sacks.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
It's l Zilla Day here on a F five seventy
LA Sports, Tim Kats, Steve Sason, you live and local
on your home of the Dodgers, AM FI seventy LA Sports.
Thanks for being with us on this Monday morning, October
sixth as you make your way to work, sitting in traffic,
taking the kids to school, whatever you're going, whatever you're doing,
(01:20):
we appreciate you taking us with you as you make
your way around southern California. As we lead you up
to Game two in the National League Divisional Series Dodgers
in Philadelphia. Blake Snell, Hey suss Lozardo, pair of left
handers will go at it in Game two, coming up
at threeh eight right here on am FI seventy LA Sports.
The Dodgers get a Game one win the thanks to
(01:42):
Taoscar Hernandez three run home run and six solid innings
from Show Hey Otani. Now Show Hey Otani will become
the dh the rest of this series. If there's a
Game five, of course he'll be back.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Bud.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Let's hope the Dodgers can take care of business before
that Game two. With Snell on the mound coming up
at three eight, we'll have Rick Monday joining us in
about twenty minutes. We'll get Steve's keys to a game
two way. But I'm starting to get fired up about
Blake Snell being on the mound. This is why they
got him for October Steve Sacks. He battled through injuries.
(02:17):
He missed multiple months because of his shoulder inflammation. He
has worked his way back and at just the right
time they got him for October. He's been there before.
The Dodgers saw him in the World Series in twenty
twenty when he was pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays.
And there's no doubt when Blake Snell turns into snake Zilla,
just like Michael J. Fox turned into the Wolf and
(02:37):
teen Wolf, he has a different pitcher.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
On the mound. Yeah, and you know he's one of
a quartet. If you look at the Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow
and Otani, you're talking about four guys that can just
shut you down right out of the gate. All four
guys have wicked stuff. I wouldn't want to be the
opposition facing those starters alone. Forget about what the offense
(03:02):
and the defense can do.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
These starting pitchers right here are for the best. They're
completely professional. I mean, these guys have been tested before.
It's not like you're you got some great talent and
you're gonna go out there and see what he can do.
These guys have already proved it. And these guys got
some wicked stuff out there. I wouldn't want to be
facing them.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Plake Snell already want to know with a two fifty
seven era in this postseason, of course, he got the
start against Cincinnati in the Game one opener of the
Wildcard Round within the seven Indians, a lot of two
runs on four hits while striking out nine along the way.
There was question of what he'd be the Game one starter,
or would it be Yoshinoba Yamamoto. He got the start
(03:44):
in Game one of the Wildcard Round, and here he
is getting the start in Game two against the Philadelphia Phillies,
the team he saw just a couple of weeks ago
at Dodger Stadium, where he threw seven shutout innings, scattered
two hits, struck out twelve over those seven Indians. Let's
hear from Blake SNeW the game to starter coming up
tonight right here on a seventy.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
I like, I've always had like a knack for just
the feel of the game at a young age, but
as I've gotten older and advanced and you know, face
adversity and failure, and it's just those are the things
that I've picked up on that you know, kind of helped.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Me build confidence and gain trust throughout the years to
just become better and to be consistent longer. I like
how much he's confident when he comes out of the
pen the close games. He's throwing strikes, he's attacking, he's fearless.
It's a it's a different rookie. The starter rookie was
more cautious and a little nervous from what I could see,
(04:45):
and you know, he has such good stuff, but he
was just nervous of what the hitter could do. And
now he's going out there, he's more confident in what
he can do, and that's so much fun to watch.
And the team's really behind him and pushing and he's
coming out just extremely confident and it's.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
So much fun to watch him pitch that way. No,
I mean, this place is special.
Speaker 6 (05:09):
The fans show up, they're passionate, they have energy, and no,
I can't wait to pitch here tomorrow. So getting ready,
I mean, there's not really anything you can do to
prepare for it, just as it's happening. Just you know, focused,
pretty and enjoyed the moment.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
All right, there's Blake Snell and one thing. Blake Snell
has done for this Dodgers team since coming back off
the injured list, where he spent four months. By the
way he went on the injured list April second, came
back on August second, is he has given him length,
and he has given him a lot of pitches. He's
gone over one hundred pitches twice in the month of September.
He's gone no less than ninety pitches in all four
(05:50):
starts in the month of September. During the regular season,
he threw ninety one pitches over seven innings against the
Cincinnati Reds. The one thing about Blake Snell, he sometimes
has some control issues and not necessarily walking four, five,
six guys and he'll walk back, there's no doubt. But
he'll go deep into counts Steve, he'll go to two,
(06:13):
three to two in account before finishing off a hitter,
and next thing you know, you look up and he's,
you know, twenty two pitches in the inning. But he
didn't give up a run. He give up maybe a hit,
maybe a walk, but it's twenty two pitches that he
had to grind through, and the pitch count starts to
get high. He'll go deep into a game. But tonight
I don't want to see the Blake Snell going deep
(06:34):
into counts, maybe walking the guy, maybe giving up a
hit on a three to two pitch. Because you start
doing this with this Phillies team tonight back in my mind,
I started wondering, they're gonna get to him, and they
have a chance to start ambushing him. I'd like to
see the Blake Snell go out and attack, attack and
attack some more.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Yeah, okay, so that's a perfect remedy to beat this team.
As you saw with Otani, these guys take a lot
of pitches. They believe in they believe in that that
that old adage, you know, if you take a lot
of pitches. I remember one time they were talking about
I forgot I would hit or it was it might
have been Ellis with the Dodgers, the Dodger catcher, and
(07:14):
they were talking about how great it was that he
he you know, he saw more pitches than any other
player in the league. And I'm like, why is that
a good thing? I mean, really, how many pitches did
you take? When what did he hit? He you know
to twenty two thirty? Well, you know, why is an
advantage to take so many pitches? To me?
Speaker 5 (07:33):
That.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
What you're saying is you've taken a lot of pitches
down the middle that you could have crushed, you know.
I mean, there's no listen if the pitcher is going
to run the count deep and not give you something
to hit. I'm all for taking pitches, go three to
two on every count, foul off twenty pitches. I'm all
for that one hundred percent. What I'm not for is
to go deep in the count just and take two
(07:56):
fastballs right down the middle, just to go deep in
the count. I think that's completely wrong. I don't know
anybody that walked himself into the Hall of Fame. Guys
are up there to barrel it up and to do
some damage on somebody. And if they happen to go
deep in the count, oh well, but if you don't
go deep in the count, that's fine too. I wouldn't
be up there, you know, just looking forward to go forward,
(08:19):
to go deep in the count. So Blake Snell attack
these guys. They take a lot of pitches, and it's
look at the splits, tim When a pitcher is oh
one or two on a hitter, it's drastically different. Then
if it's the other way, If it's two zero or
you know, two to one on a hitter, it's way
in the hitter's advantage. So get ahead of these guys,
challenge them. They want to take pictures on you. Let
(08:40):
them do it.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
The team that Snell faced last week the Cincinnati Reads
Young Team, Swing happy team, Swing early in the count team,
and he got early outs one pitch out, two pitch out,
one pitch out, and that worked great against Cincinnati. The
problem is, as you mentioned, this is a Phillies team
that likes to take pitch So getting ahead is huge
(09:03):
for Blake Snell to get strike one early in the count.
As the game went along against the Reds, then they
started taking more pitches that first time around did Cincinnati,
and he fell behind two to zero in account. He
fell behind two to one in account again. Blake Snell
dominant pitcher when he's on, He's got the nasty, swinging
miss stuff that we know he has. I just want
(09:23):
to make sure Blake Snell tonight isn't isn't expecting swinging
missus on his pitches out of the zone. And I
know he knows that, but in my mind, I'm thinking
this is a different team. This is a different approach.
This isn't the Reds that are going to swing at
a pitch that bounces in the dirt. And when he
walked off the field, him and Ben Rart if that
were laughing about how he fooled to want to pitch
that was, you know, fifty eight feet instead of sixty
(09:45):
feet six inches. This is a different Phillies team.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Here's another thing I may say on the on the
next kind of level of this is that Blake Snell
stuff is so good. Look, he could still hit the plate.
He could, i mean hit strike zones, hit even meaty
parts of the strike zone and still be very successful.
His curveball, He's gonna change the angle that hitter. He's
gonna throw that curveball up around their head and the
(10:09):
thing's going to break down, you know, around waste level
because it breaks so much those types of things. He'll
get those strikes, especially early in the count when guys
are looking to hunt the fastball and you throw even
to get me over curveball. Many many times, the hitter's
not going to swing at it because he's gonna get
fooled and he's gonna take it just such a split
second that he's gonna take it and it's going to
(10:30):
be a strike. It's a great way to get strike
one and be ahead on the count. So you know
we're not saying don't. Hey, Look, he's got to fill
up the strike zone. His stuff is so good that
he can fill up that strike zone with regularity and
he's still gonna get guys to swing and miss. Show
Hey did it with Schwarber incessantly up there, pitch after pitch.
Those were strikes that he was swinging out and he
(10:51):
still couldn't hit him.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Eight six six nine eight seven two five seven us
go out to the phones. Thanks for being patient. Gotta
line open if you want to jump on board. Eight
six six nine eight seven seventy. How you feeling about
snell Zilla going into Game two tonight, Hey, this is
why they picked him up, This is why they signed
him in the off season. This is why they wanted
him to be at the top of that rotation first
start like this, Avier all Hambro, thanks for being patient.
(11:15):
Thanks for joining us here on a FI seventy. How
you doing, good morning, gentlemen, that you've taken my Call's
snell Villa day. It is it is.
Speaker 7 (11:23):
I think I think a big thing watching this Dodgers
team with the front office and Dave Roberts at the helm,
is any of our pitchers, any of our arms, to
be acist for any other team.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
But they've all made the choice.
Speaker 7 (11:38):
To trust the decision of the front office and Dave Roberts,
which is not always right, and he can't be right
all the time, but they know that they're going to
make the best decision for them, whether it be coming
out of the pin and throwing on your day off
right to get your little sideboard game in in a beginning,
or just making a short and having somebody come and
(12:01):
pick up the flack for you on the back end.
I think that's a big thing that separates this team
from all these other teams, is the trust in the
coaching and the front office staff that these pitchers have
is just you just don't see it on a lot
of other teams. Yeah, no doubt, that's all sad, all right,
all right, Ivey.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
You appreciated. It's called buy in. If you can get
a player to buy in to what the front office
or the manager or the pitching coach want them to do,
that's big. Now you get a player like Clayton Kershaw,
Steve to buy in, everybody else will follow, and they
have to follow because a Hall of Famer is saying,
(12:44):
put my ego aside. I know where I'm at, I
know what my role is. I'm a reliever. And if
it makes the team better by me coming out of
the bullpen, if it makes the collective group better by
me doing this, then I'm in. So if he buys in,
you sure is hell gonna have time?
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Now?
Speaker 3 (13:00):
Buy in? You're sure is that gonna have everybody else
that's a starter and now needs to be a reliever
or somebody who is a reliever that may not see
the bigger role this October than they had during the
regular season, but yet still be ready to go like
an Anthony Bonda. You better buy in. If number twenty
two Clayton Kershaw's.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Buying in, yeah, that's that's my point of having him
down there in the bullpen. It's gonna pay dividends for
this team. The other thing when you call buy in,
another name for that is called culture. And when people
when the guys on the team are buying in on
the culture, Yeah, you've got one strong unit going for it,
(13:39):
going for it together, and that makes a huge difference.
Now add on top of that the talent factor and
the discrepancy of talent between this team and the other
teams is big. And when that all goes in one direction,
watch out, man. And this is a good thing. Is
you got to be clicking at the right time. You know,
it's nice to be clicking like this, and you know
May twenty fifth and going along. But when you're clicking
(14:01):
in postseason, and it is really a culmination of all
those things that you've experienced during the season, the good
times at bad times. You've had to deal with injuries,
you'd have to deal with all those things coming and
now it's coming together. You've done all that and now
you've filtered all that out and now we're here at
this one moment where this all means what the season
was okay, And now you're seeing that come together with
(14:24):
a team that's clicking on all all facets of the game.
And this is an extremely dangerous team. My problem, here's
what I've been wanting to say for a second. I'll
make this fast him. I know you want to get
to the next subject is that you know what can
be detrimental to the Dodgers is possibly that they go
ahead and sweep these guys. They just go right through
the phillies and then they're sitting there twidling their thumbs
(14:45):
and they have to wait a while, and you know
time is going to go on. Is that good? I'm
not saying that's a bad thing, but is that good
necessarily or is that bad for a team that's really
on momentum right now?
Speaker 3 (14:59):
I think it's huge because they're riding the momentum and
they're riding this schedule which has favored them, and the
schedule being the like an off day yesterday, allowing Otani
to rest and get ready as a dh for Game two,
a schedule that allows this team to stretch out the
rotation and still keep that once a week outing like
they've been doing the second half of the season. The
(15:20):
schedule has been very beneficial for them, especially the last
week of the season with the series in Arizona and
then going to San Francisco and of course Seattle that
final weekend when they swept the Mariners. It has been
a blessing this final month of the season, the schedule
and everything that it's laid out, But health has also
been a big benefactor for that. If they're not healthy.
(15:40):
This schedule could get blown up. It could be a
detriment to them. But the fact that they've got so
many arms ready to go and healthy is the second factor,
because yeah, they.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Go right through these guys, boom boom. Okay, then they
got all this time to wait for the next round, right,
I mean, is that they can still play that into
a positive? You're saying, I.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Think so, but I don't want to be too long.
Let's hope that the other series could be quick as well.
Thankfully it's a five game series and it's not a
seven game series. We're sitting around having to wait for three,
four or five days. Now, keep in mind the schedule
that Major League Baseball set up. They're not going to
push startup times of series. They've already said, we're not
moving up a World Series. We're not changing things. What's
(16:21):
in place now is the way it's gonna stay. So
you're right, if they end this series early, which we
all hope.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
They do, yeah, there take it.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah, absolutely, But there's gonna be some time off for
this Dodger team before the NLCS. And then again, they're
not moving up the World Series. The first pitch in
Game one, no matter if the NLCS or ALCS in early.
So it's definitely something to keep in mind. But if
you're the Dodgers, you just want to keep that momentum
going right. You don't want to You don't care if
you end this thing early, if you end it in three,
(16:49):
in it in four, if it has to go five,
so be it. But I think the faster you can
get rid of this Phillies team and squash any momentum,
I mean, especially this Phillies offense, the more you keep
them tamed, the more you keep Schwarber out of it,
the more you can limit the damage done by the
Big three, the Big four there with Trey Turner, the
better this series can be, the quicker it could be over.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Yeah, I agree with you. I mean, you know, all
things considered, if it was going to be that way, hey,
you can go ahead and take these guys out in
the next two games. Absolutely, you do it, and you
deal with whatever you know, time off you have to
deal with.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
He is Steve Sacks. I am Tim Katse Your phone
calls coming up. Steve's keys to Game two coming up
in about a half an hour. Also, Rick Monday will
join us when we come back Dodger broadcaster, All Star
World Series champ, and of course you hear him every
single game right here on five seventy e LA Sports.
He'll join us live from Philadelphia. Get his thoughts on
this NLDS eight sixty six nine eighty seven two five seventy.
(17:47):
Game two of the National League Divisional Series is this afternoon,
Dodgers sending Blake Snell to the mound in hopes of
coming back home with a two to zero series lead.
We'll get it all started with the Moroco Casino Dodgers
on deck first at three to oh eight. That's this afternoon,
Rick Monday. Next right here on scam Sex and Kate's
and am on NFI seventy LA Sports, Dodgers in Phillies
(18:16):
Game two the NLDS coming up at three to eight
right here on am FI seventy LA Sports. Thanks for
being with us on this Monday morning, wherever you may
be driving around, Thanks for taking us with you. As
a Dodgers a one oh series lead after a victory
on Saturday, looking to come back home with a two
to oh series lead in this best of five National
League Divisionals Series coming up, will get Steve's keys to
(18:38):
a game to win. Blake Snell. Heyesus Lozardo the pitching
matchup tonight from Citizens Bank Park, and a man who
will be on the call as he is every single game,
one of the best of the best, former Dodger great,
former Santa Monica High School standout, Arizona State standout, All
Star World Series champ. He is the one and only
Rick Monday and he joins us here on Am with
(19:00):
Saxon Kates in a Rick good morning.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
How you doing, Good morning?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
You left out the one really great thing I was
a teammate of Steve Sachs. Thank you, Good morning, guys,
good morning.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Thanks for coming on here. We are Game two the NLDS.
Game one on Saturday, Teoscar Hernandez delivers the big three
run home run, and of course what we saw for
six innings from show hey o Tani battling back despite
the three runs he gave up on the second. What
did you make of that game one win? And how
the Dodgers battled well?
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Obviously huge, especially on the road and especially two on
the road against the ball club guys. As we know
if we look at the Phillies, you know at home
they were fifty five wins and only twenty six losses.
And I got to tell you, is it when ti
Oskar her Nan has hit that home run of the
seventh inning, Steve, if you understand how vigilant and loud
(19:53):
Philly fans are, especially here in this town. I mean,
it's actually fun to watch and listen. But it went
from tumultuous sound to sound that you would hear going
into a library. So all of his sudden, the sound
machine got turned off. And for ti Oscar Hernandez had
troubled difficulty in the outfield on a playout there, but
(20:15):
he made up for it and he goes look things
that happened in the past, he puts it in the
past when he comes to home plate. And if we
look so far at the three games in postseason, t
Oscar Hernanus got five or fourteen three home runs, He's
knocked in nine. This was a huge game that they won,
and obviously this one is even bigger because the Phillies
(20:36):
understand full well if they go down zero to two
and then have to go to Dodgers Stadium. You know,
let's look at the plight of the Phillies right now.
If we're being realistic, numbers are numbers the computer says
played the game. But the Phillies no coming at night.
They have to win three out of four to advance
the next round.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Absolutely, Rick, good to be with you today. And I
look at the Phillies and the way they're structured. You know,
if this team is going to be there taking pitches
like they did with Showhy and got themselves in the
ditch early, I think Snell is the kind of guy
that can wipe these guys out. I think if he
fills up the strike zone and they're going to take
(21:15):
that approach to him, that's all plus for the Dodgers.
I was wanted to get your take as a hitter
on how this could be advantageous for.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Blake Twell, Yeah, I think, Steve, that's a great that's
a great point to bring up. But I would go
back to what Dave Roberts is talking about when asked
about the Philadelphia Phillies. He's not giving up, you know,
insign information, but he said, hey, look if you look
at the Phillies overall, they are a very aggressive hitting team.
That's the way that they go. They like to swing
(21:45):
the bat early in the count if they can. And
this is a matchup guys that we looked at two
weeks ago at Naga Stadium on September seventeenth, it was
Snelled against Loizardo Lizard to pitch well, not well enough.
He went seven four runs, gave up a home run
to Freddie Freeman and also to show hey Okanni. But
(22:07):
the Dodgers up until that point really kind of struggled.
And for Blake Snell, she's been outstanding the last two
starts in that matchup again against Lozardo two weeks ago
when seven innings did not allow a single run and
came up on two hits and that struck out twelve
and he struck out the twelve because the Phillies kept
chasing the change up Rick.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
Looking at this Dodgers' bullpen, it looks completely different than
it did two weeks ago. Certainly when you got guys
like Tyler Glass now and now available in Clayton Kershaw there,
it looks different because you've got different arms down there.
But the guys that are back there, back into the
road to the bullpen, like Blake Trin and Alex Vessia
and now Rokie Sasaki. What do you make of Sasaki?
(22:49):
The one you saw back at the start of the
season in Japan looking up at the radar gun after
every single pitch on the scoreboard to the Sasaki you
see now closing out games.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Yeah, it seems like you went from Japan all of
a sudden, too an outing before getting to Philadelphia, and
the rest is kind of where the heck did he go? Well,
he had a shoulder, got that taken care of. He
has now become a breath of fresh air. And I
think maybe a motivation for the rest of the guys
in the bullpen. If we look at the bullpen against
(23:21):
the Phillies come into the series, the starting pitching this
year against Philadelphia had done an excellent job. The bullpen
not so great. But that's kind of turned around. I
really look at this Dodger ball club right now, guys,
as a team that is kind of playing up to
its capabilities. We didn't see that for a period of time.
(23:41):
We wonder where this good ball club went. Now they're
playing their best baseball and they have to because there's
only what eight teams left. Only one of the eight
is going to be the World champions. Dodgers would like
to make it back to back years.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Yeah, Hey, Rick, looking at the state of this team
right now, and it's pitching staff compared to last year.
I mean, this is a night and day difference trying
to piece together that pitching staff, the starters, and this
year they have an abundance of guys that are clicking
on all cylinders. You take that and the fact that
Clayton Kershaw is going to have his presence down there
(24:15):
in the bullpen, which a little bit shaky lately, but
making their way back. I think Clayton makes a big
difference down there in the bullpen just being there and
the starters being what they are. I think the Dodgers
in a great situation right now.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
I agree, and it's a wonderful it's a wonderful problem
for the Dodger ball club right now. The way the
starting pitching has really to say, it's risen to the
surface is crazy because they're just going lights out. Yeah,
I think that can be a trickle down effect. And
especially when he got Kershaw kind of a even if
he doesn't throw in the ballgame tonight, he's such a
settling influence because the guys are looking at him as
(24:51):
this Philip. Here's a guy that's done everything in his career.
He's going to go into Cooperstown, the Hall of Fame,
and yet he's a giving of it himself being the
bullpen in a hostile environment in Philadelphia. I think that's
kind of leading the way and making a huge statement
that the rest of the guys in the bullpen look
up and respect him, and that can motivate them. In
my mind, Rick, what do.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
You do at ketcher tonight? If you're Dave Roberts, does
Will Smith get a return back behind the planeer? Do
you stick with Ben Roardvett, who's done a really good
job defensively with Will Smith.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Out Kim, good question. I think the biggest question is
how did Will Smith feel after coming to the ballgames
intension or staying in the game as a catcher in
game one of the series that was on Saturday. The
doctors did work out yesterday. The encouraging thing that I've
noticed with Will Smith and Steve you can understand this too.
(25:45):
You've got a fractured right hand is getting better. Will Smith.
When I've watched him, he has not had his hand
taped up. To me, That's a very good sign because
it shows that either either the discomfort is tolerable or
the discomfort has for the most part even gone away.
Because if you're hurting, Steve you understand as well. Tim
(26:06):
you too when you were playing, if you're hurting, you're
going to tape it up for a little added protection.
That's not something we've seen so far. I've not seen
the lineup yet, that's not been sent to us. But
the big question is how does Will Smith feel? And
I think if he's feeling okay, he might be back
in there quick, very quickly. About Rug that he has
(26:27):
done an amazing job in coming in and filling in
for Will Smith, and the way that he has also
kind of guided the pitching staff in a short period
of time has been remarkable.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Yeah, he absolutely right. Recy he has been all over
that in just that defensive posture that he's given this team.
It's been amazing. Rick. Last one for me, I wanted
to ask you. You know, show Hey had a tough
day at the plate. You know what, I look at
this as big deal Sanchez. I mean, he really pitched
his tail off against show Hey. We kind of saw
(27:01):
this in the first game with Max Munsey. You know,
he didn't have a good game either, But this team
is built where you know, you don't even notice it,
you know, show he didn't have a good game yesterday.
Months he didn't have a good game the first day.
So what I mean, we have other guys on this
team that can carry the mail, and that's what it's
all about. Not everybody's gonna shine on every day, but boy,
(27:22):
these guys can come back with a vengeance. And months
he had a much better game the second day.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, I think with Oughtani, Tis Steves, we're going to
find out. With Lozardo who has a very good change
up off speed pitch and that's what they threw to Otani.
With Sanchez in game, won a lot of change ups
to begin with, we're going to find out. I don't
know if you guys saw this this line or not.
With Thetani pitching and the designated hitter, first time that's
(27:47):
happened in postseason played Major League Baseball history. But I
thought Bill Plunkett the Orange County Register had had really
the line coming in knowing that Otani was going to
pitch NB the DH, he said it's time for Superman
to put on his cape. Well, Superman put on the cape.
From a pitching standpoint, every time Otonic comes to the
home plate or steps on the field. Nobody takes their
(28:10):
eyes off of him, guys, because we're seeing history every
time potentially he gets to home plate.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Well, we'll find out if the Dodgers come back home
with a two to oher series lead later on this afternoon.
Rick will be on the call with Stephen Nelson while
Marago Casino Dodgers on deck in. It all started at
two o'clock Pacific. First pitch at three Toho eight Blake
Snell and Heyesussi Lezardo the pitching matchup. Well, really appreciate
you coming on this morning, and let's hopefully it's a
happy flight home for the Dodgers tonight after this game too.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
Yeah, it's going to be a later rival. Dodgers could
care less if it is a happy flight. Hey, stay well, guys,
thanks correct, All right.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
There he goes the great rig Monday, who will be
on the call later on this afternoon, as the Dodgers
will head it back home middle of the night, day
off tomorrow and then Game three on Wednesday, and we'll
see if it's a potential closeout game for the Dodgers
as they look to go up two games to nothing
in this best of five series. Yeah, I have to
imagine zero for four, three strikeouts not gonna happen again
(29:06):
for show Aotani. Not to say that he's gonna go
off and have a Monster Knight to play, but certainly
we're gonna see a better production and a better at bats.
I would assume now that he's just the designate editor tonight.
But you know what's funny, Steve, People keep thinking about
that nobody's ever hit and pitched in the same game before,
not certainly the level that Showeyotani is doing it, But
(29:27):
didn't the nationally pitchers used to hit for themselves up
until just a few years ago, and that all.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Changed absolutely, Tim, you nailed it. Yeah, yeah, they did
it all the time. I mean, now now it's a
it's a different story. But I guess you could say
they were relevant hitters not very long. Some guys could hit,
you know, there were a few guys can hit, you know.
The main thing they had to do effectively was to bunt.
(29:52):
They could be effective that way. But it's different now,
especially with Shoeyotani is you know, the best hitter and
he's you know, the best pitcher. So you got all
that wrapped up in one guy. I think you're gonna
see a different hitter at the plate tonight. I think
he's gonna forget all that stuff about guessing and whatnot.
He's gonna be on time with the number one and
he'll change to everything else. That's that's his approach, and
(30:14):
I think he'll be on it tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
We'll take a break, we'll come back, we'll wrap things
up with Steve's keys for a game to win. Hand
things off to Colin Coward. Don't forget the early start
means early Rogan and Rodney. Yes, they'll start at eleven
o'clock this morning and then hand things off to Petro
some money. He will be flexed back from two or
noon until two leading up to Morongo Casino. Dodgers on
deck and early start. Dodger fans buckle up three Toho
(30:39):
eight first pitch as the Dodgers look to get after
hayesus Lozardo and this Phillies bullpen as Lozardo making his
third start against the Dodgers, this time this season. He's
gone seven innings and both his previous two sparts starts
in April and just a few weeks ago at Dodgers
Stadium Dodgers have had the Phillies top three hitters one
(31:00):
for eleven, six strikeouts in Game one. Can that continue?
We'll find out with first pitch of three eight Steve's
keys next right here on ANTI seventy EL Sports. Ah,
you hear the walk up songs from Freddie Freeman. Hopefully
the Dodger first baseman could get it going big tonight
(31:22):
for the Dodgers. He had a home run against het
Suis Lzzardo last time the Dodgers faced the left hander
at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
Game two.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
The Nlts coming up right here on NFI seventy LA
Sports had three to eight this afternoon. Tim Kates, along
with two time World Series champs Steve Sacks, Sax and
Kate's and the am as the Dodgers a one to
zero series lead. You know, I love the MLB Network
and what they do all day and night, whether it's
the uh, the the company. Oh, it's it's so good.
(31:54):
It's so good. And Mark de Rosa has really become
one of the best studio analysts out there. I know
he managed Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in
twenty twenty three, and I think he's set to do
it again next time around. He does these breakdowns on
this giant monitor behind him, and it is impressive to
see the breakdown. As a hitter, he was just spotlighting
(32:17):
sho hey Otani and the difference in lawnchangle. But when
he's above thirty five degrees and below thirty five degrees
as far as the percentage and in the launch angle,
it's it's amazing that baseball it's a numbers game. And
to see how it's broken down so minute now, Steve is,
it's pretty unbelievable. Good and bad. I get it. There's
(32:39):
there's good you can take away from all this minute
information and there's bad you can take about you know
from it too much. You know, oversight and thinking is
one thing. But I just I love the job he does,
and it's this is my favorite time of the year,
Steve sec Not only I get to talk with you,
but it's baseball all day a lot.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Mark does a great, great job on MLB Network Radio.
He does he's got it all figured out, and that
that backdrop they have right there really suits well and
it gives it gives the viewership a chance to really
see it and you know they can understand it and
that's the thing. I think you've got to get passed
through all the numbers and whatnot and crunching this, and
(33:18):
that is being able to just take it and understand
what it is. And now I think he does a
great job with that.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
I love what Oral Herscheizer is on sports in at
LA describing the spray pattern as he calls it him. Yeah,
maybe that is a picture lingo, but it's spray charts.
Speaker 4 (33:34):
Yeah, it's been around for a while.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Yeah, it's a term new to me. But I love
how he uses that that spray patter, spray charts for pitchers,
and to see it on TV when they break down
a picture and what a change up looks like from
a hitter's perspective, A fastball, a split finger, a slider,
all the different pitches and they show it coming out
of the pitchers and and that graphic that shows the
(33:55):
different angles and speeds and what a fastball and change
will look like and how different, you know, ten miles
an hour on changeup is to the eyesight of a hitter.
I don't think I don't think people realize how hard
hitting is.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
It made hitting look hitting is the hardest thing to
do in any sport. You can only teach so much
of it, you know, depth, perception, eyesight, timing, athleticism, you know,
all that stuff matters. Quickness, strength of your hands, all
that stuff matters. And if any of that's not in there,
you won't be a hitter, you know. And that's why
there's so few people that can do it, uh is
(34:31):
because all those things have to come come together. And
the thing about I think I like about that graph
when it when it shows it coming out of that
window where the picture is throwing it, it's it's critical
for the picture to have it come out of that
same spot, so you can't decipher for the most part
what's coming out of there. You know, if if he
throws his curveball a lot higher arc than what he
(34:53):
throws his fastball, you can be able to pick it up.
Or if his slider's you know, down low so you
can get more more tilt on it, you're gonna be
able to tell that as well. So he's got to
have that come out of that same window every time,
which which is something that's not altogether that easy for
a pitcher. You know, you got to make sure that
you can have that deception there because that's one of
the keys to four components of pitching. Deception is one
(35:14):
of those.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Before we get to the keys of the game. You
brought a great thing I wanted you to talk about,
is that as a hitter, where are your eyes as
the pitcher is in the lineup or coming out of
the stretch and he's making the delivery home? Where are
your eyes? Are your eyes at his where the arm
slot is? Are you are you looking at his cap
and then moving over to his arm? Are you watching
(35:36):
the ball because you think, oh, ball comes out of
his hand, you recognizing what kind of pitch it is.
But where are your eyes as he's about to deliver?
And then when he does deliver the.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Pitch, I'm looking right in his eyes. I'm looking right
at him. I'm looking right in his eyes. Because you
can tell a lot what a guy might be thinking.
You can tell if a guy struggling, you can tell
the guy's fighting himself. So the emotional part of it
first is I'm looking right in his eyes, Okay, And
then and then when he goes to warm up, I'm
shifting right to where that window is what they call it,
(36:09):
that slot. If you will right with the ball right
where his arms is going to right where the ball
is going to come out of that hand, and that
is critical seeing that ball come out of his hand.
Sometimes like like you have the great big curveball like
on a rolled as Chapman or you know, like in
a glass. Now somebody that has a big hump in
that pitch. That that's something you got to pick up
(36:29):
right away because that curveball will just you know, wipe
you out. The fastball, you got to be able to
tell the difference between a fastball and a cutter, or
a fastball and a slider. The slider of the cutter
has a little dimple in it when it when the
seams create what looks like a dimple in the baseball,
and you got to be able to pick that up
right out of his hand. You know, sometimes he will
(36:50):
speed up or slow down a little bit just so
so minute difference when it's coming out of his hand,
and you can pick that up as well. So all
these little things, these little tendencies, you have to figure
it out. And you know, it's it's almost like it's
a it's an any experience. It's it's almost almost something
you really can't teach. And Frank Howard, one of my
(37:11):
hitting coaches with the Yankees. He was the best, and
he used to say, Hey, you know what, if you
can sing, you can sing, and if you can hit,
you can hit. And it's really hard to teach either
one of them.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
What's what's the difference as a hitter. I'm curious because
we keep hearing about Lozardo's change up and Christopher Sanchez
reinvented himself because of his change up and that made
his fastball even more electric. What are you seeing the
difference as a hitter? And I think Dodger fans love
hearing this is a Dodger, the hitter that you were, Steve.
What's the difference between the fastball and the change up
(37:42):
coming out of the arm. What do you see?
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Well, it's sometimes the guys have what's called a circle
change where they hold the ball with their their their
forefinger and their thumb together or thumb together, and the
ball comes off the pinky okay, they're your pinky finger
and it almost when it comes off and it almost
creates what's called the a screwball like Fernando used to throw.
So from our left handed thrower like Lizardo tonight, that
(38:05):
ball is gonna come in to a guy like show
hal tiny, it's not gonna go away from him. That
change up's gonna go into him slightly, and it's gonna fall.
It's gonna kind of like gradually fall off the table.
But what you're looking at sometimes you can see that
pinky sticking up a little bit, and if I see that,
I know it's going to be a change up, so
I can wait a little bit. But the difference between
a change up of ninety five and eighty five can
(38:28):
be like four or five feet, And that's a massive
difference when you're talking about being able to hit the
label or being able to hit the sweet spot of
the bat, you know, and and you know, the ball's
round the bats around until you hit it square, and
you've got to be able to square that up. So
when you explain it to somebody like this, it's even
it even seems harder, right, But doing it in real
(38:49):
time you just got a lot of its reactionary And
you here's another thing I'll say, without getting too long winded,
tim here is that as a hitter, the longer you wait,
the fat faster you are. And that's what do you mean,
You're just reaction. You're just reactionary. If you see a
pitch and you know where it is and you try
to muscle up on it, your swing gets a little
(39:10):
bit long, your back gets a little bit tighter. In
the hands, remember, your bat has to be so loose
in your hands that somebody can come up and pull
the bat out of your hands. That's how loose you
have to hold the bat. Because it's not how hard
you swing the bat, it's how fast you swing it.
And it's almost like a person holding a hammer. You know,
when you hold a hammer and you're slamming down a
nail like that, that's the kind of action you want
(39:30):
on a baseball bat. You don't want to swing it hard,
you want to swing it fast, and there's a difference
between the two.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
I hope you're appreciating this, Dodger fans, because you're not
getting this anywhere else. The inside of a hitter in
the postseason. What they're thinking seeing a fastball Aspian pitches.
What is light to see it come out of the
hand of a major league pitcher?
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Nobody?
Speaker 4 (39:50):
And one more thing I'll say is one thing I
learned earlier on in my career, and it really helped
me when I was in the big leagues. I used
to say this little limerick, if you will, this little riddle.
And my scout, Ronnie King, was almost like a surrogate
father to us when my father passed away. He was
a guy that really stuck with us and worked us
out a lot. And one thing he told me really
(40:10):
made sense. When I was in the minor leagues. He
would say, when you're getting ready hit the ball, you're
supposed to cock and glide, you know, get yourself ready,
cock and glide and see the ball before you stride.
So I would always remember that I gotta see the ball.
That's the most critical thing, because you can't hit what
you can't see. You got to see the ball. And
(40:32):
then after you see the ball, now it's up to me.
He's let the ball go. It's not in his hands anymore,
no pun intended. But it's up to me now. So
see that ball before you stride is a key thing
in hitting.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
All right, in our final minute here, what are your
key to a Dodger wins sexy?
Speaker 4 (40:47):
The key is kind of multifaceted. I'll be quick with it.
Speaker 5 (40:50):
Though.
Speaker 4 (40:50):
Snell, of course, got to pitch his game this team
can be dangerous. I think the two offensive threats on
this team are going to hold true, especially if Will
Smith plays. He's got a factor into it. But it's
still Tayo Hernandez in the middle of that lineup.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Love it, Saxy Gray stuff. We'll talk tomorrow morning.
Speaker 4 (41:06):
You bet you buddy?
Speaker 3 (41:07):
All right there, he goes Steve Sax. Thanks to Michelle
for all her help this morning. Thanks for all you
Dodger fans for being a part of the show. Coming
up next, it's Colin Calhart. Don't forget early start. It
means early shows. Rogan and Rodney at eleven am, Petros
some money start at noon. They flex back and go
till two and I'll be back with Morongo because you know.
Dodgers on deck beginning at two pm. First Bitch from
the Bank in Philadelphia. Three A Dodgers, Phillies, Blake Snell, Hey,
(41:31):
sus Lozardo, enjoy it. Dodgers hopefully coming home with a
two zero series lead. Either way, We talk about it tomorrow,
bright and early with Sax and Kate's and Am begin
it at six am.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Solo.
Speaker 3 (41:43):
Everybody
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