November 7, 2025 • 37 mins
Jack Harris hops on to talk about what direction(s) the Dodgers will go in this offseason as they look for the 3-peat. Its Lit features an Anthony Davis update, a new starting kicker for the Rams and the Clippers off to a slow start. Lebron James will be re-evaluated in 1 to 2 weeks as the Lakers continue to roll.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Okay, we'll continue on on this Friday, Fred Rogan, Rodney Pete,
I am five to seventy LA Sports Letter. On this hour,
Kevin is gonna jump on a lot has happened during
the last two plus hours, and he will get us
caught up on everything with it slip.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
But now, Spotlight on Blue is presented by Spotlight twenty
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Speaker 1 (00:48):
All right, and to join us on the program. Now
the Spotlight on Blow. It's our friend Jack Harris, Jack,
good afternoon.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Happy off season. Guys. How we doing all right?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Have you recovered from everything yet? Let's try that.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
I slept for about twelve hours and on Sunday night
when I got home last week, And yeah, it's been
a slightly slower week this one than it was a
week ago during the World Series. So yes, we're all
good here.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Slightly slower, Yes, Jack, are you are you feeling you
can admit it to me, Jack, are you feeling a
little a bit of withdrawals from this postseason and this
season of the Dodgers, Like we all are over here.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
You know, the baseball season is quite long. There is
a lot of baseball. So I've been happy to not
have games in my life every night for a little
while here. But you know, I mean, honestly, it's it
has been just kind of full of the last couple
of days to keep thinking of moments from the series
and from Game seven that I hadn't thought about or
(01:53):
I'd forgotten about. There were so many little things that
happened that in the moment felt so big that it's
kind of taken a few days to really you know,
even just as I've been sitting around, like go back
over them in my mind and think about, you know,
all the different twists and turns that that title run took.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, you know, it's funny. Jack. Afterwards, a lot of
the folks in Toronto said, well, yeah, the Blue Jays
are the better team. The Dodgers got lucky. I think
the Blue Jays made some mistakes along the way that
helped the Dodgers out, Is that fair?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Yeah? I Mean the way I've looked at this is
the Blue Jays left the door open for the Dodgers
with some of the little things they did wrong in
Game six and seven, and the Dodgers had enough from
a talent perspective and from a you know, a gritty
perseverance culture or whatever cliche you want to use perspective
to take advantage of it. And that's one of the
(02:44):
the cool things about baseball is that the playing field
does get kind of flattened sometimes. And while the Blue
Jays probably didn't have as much sheer talent as the Dodgers, Yeah,
I think it's easy to argue that on the whole,
they probably played better for a larger portion of that series,
but in too many of the critical pivotal moments the
(03:04):
Dodgers executed when the Blue Jays did them all.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Right, Jack, you know how sports works nowadays.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
You don't have much time to kind of relax, rest vacation.
Everything is starting to happen already. We're we're seeing Justin
Dean and Tony Gonsolin. I mean, there's moves being being
made already. How do you see this team and how
closely will twenty twenty six resemble twenty five When it
(03:33):
comes to the players and the roster on this.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
Team, yeah, I mean generally it's going to be pretty close.
They didn't have that many free agents off of this
year's team, especially of guys who are major contributors. The
two big ones will be Keith ca Hernandez and Miguel Rojas,
who are both free agents and are who you know,
are both in kid of this boat of players who
(03:56):
on the whole over one hundred and sixty two games,
you probably don't know exactly how much production you're gonna get.
They're both on the backsides of their career, but over
the last two postseasons have both been really integral, both
on the field and the contributions they've made and off
the field and some of the again like veteran leadership,
(04:18):
culture building stuff that has also been really important to
this team's success. So those are kind of the big
questions about how similar does the team look? I think
it's more like how similar is the construction of the
clubhouse and the chemistry there. I think for the rest
of the roster, you know, the Dodgers have some options
ahead of them this offseason. They do have a not
(04:39):
insignificant amount of money coming off the books between Michael
Conflorido and Clayton Kershawn Kirby Yates. I mean, you're gonna
have a lot of money to play with if you can,
you know, if you're looking at relative to this year's
payroll number. But they also don't have overly glaring needs.
I think obviously the outfield is a place that you're
probably gonna want to to address. The back end of
(05:01):
the bullpen is going to be a place where you're
probably going to be trying to make a move. But
the versatility of the Dodgers roster, the fact that they
have so much pitching depth, not just from the guys
that played big roles in this postseason, but also a
lot of young pitchers are going to be coming back
from injuries. You know, I think they're gonna have some
options ahead of them, so they could try for a
bigger move like a Kyle Tucker. You know, you could
(05:24):
make a Boba Schet fit if you play Tommy emon
Moore in the outfield. You know, on the closer side,
Devin Williams or Pete Fairbanks, you know, there's established names
there they can go after, but they could also operate
in the trade market because they're gonna have a lot
of young pieces that they could try to move there.
They could also just make more marginal moves and maybe
try to get into next season, get to the deadline,
(05:46):
and then see where they're at. So this is where
they want to be, having some money to spend, having
some flexibility in the way the roster is constructed, and
not maybe having to feel like they have to do
one major thing or get in one major bidding war
for a player and then kind of let the offseason
come to them a little bit and see what makes
the most sense.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yeah, they do have that money. Is Kyle Tucker in
your mind a ten year guy?
Speaker 5 (06:11):
I mean, he could definitely get that kind of contract
this year. You know, he's he's the most between age
and production and just probably the potentially you're going to
get long term from him, Like he's the premier offensive
player on the market this year. And I think for
a team like the Dodgers or raises an interesting question,
which is, Okay, you have a lot of money to
(06:34):
spend in terms of you know, next year's payroll compared
to this one, But how comfortable are you, you know,
maybe giving out another super long contract when you start
to think about the way this team's going to start
looking even a couple of years down the road, once
Mookie Bets is older, and Freddie Freeman's older, and even
Joey Oconni's older. So those are kind of the questions
I think the team has to answer. And I think
(06:55):
that's where it gets back to not, you know, them
kind of letting the offseason come to them a little bit.
They can kind of wait and see how col Tucker's
market develops, and if he's going to get a ten year,
five hundred million dollar deal that they think might be
a little too much, especially when they look at their
long term plans, then they don't have to do that
and they can find another option and still be a
(07:17):
good team next year. So those are kind of the
calculations I have to make, and I think he's the
most interesting guy because he does fit on paper. You know,
their biggest need for next year, which is bolstering the outfield,
but also longer term, you know, they can't keep adding
those kinds of contracts forever. And I think, you know,
it's it's just another kind of example of how they
(07:39):
balance the financial resources they do have with also trying
to keep themselves in the place they want to be
roster wise over the long term as well.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, from a pitching standpoint, it feels like a least,
it feels like they're pretty solid and they played it
right the way they kept guys out and made sure
guys were healthy for octim Do you see any major
moves from from an arm standpoint, including the bullpen or
(08:11):
they're gonna run it back and hopefully the bullpen is
not the disaster that it was for most of the season.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
I think you'll definitely see some additions in the bullpen,
you know, just between the guys that they're losing, some
of the health questions that guys are going to be
facing going into next year, whether it's v Philt's coming
off to Tommy John and Bruce dargraderol coming off this
year that he missed. You know, if everything goes right, Yeah,
the bullpen could be okay, but I don't think that
they're I think they'll be at least somewhat aggressive to
(08:41):
try to add to that group. And then again the
question becomes how aggressive are they going to give out
another four year, seventy or eighty million dollars deal like
they did in Vanner Scott. This passed offseason, we'll see.
I think the preference would probably be not something that lucrative,
just because of the volatility of relief, you know. I
think they're going to be hoping that somebody like Tanner
(09:03):
Scott's better next year, that somebody like Lake Trinan is
a little bit more consistent next year. So I think
you'll see some ads there. It was obviously a weakness
during the season, but yes, on the whole, when you
look at the rotation, when you look at the young
arms that they have that can maybe also help in
that group, they're they're starting from a spot of strength
as they try to round out what that unit looks like.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Yeah, I can't see him doing that. To be honest
with you, I cannot see him committing that kind of
money again to a reliever, you know, pull me want
shame on you. The question about Tanner Scott. So everybody
hopes he comes back to be the Tanner Scott they signed.
What if he doesn't, is he a DFA can't if
they if they find they can't put him in the game.
(09:46):
Will they sit there and continue to pay him just
to sit on the bench and take up a roster spot.
It won't happen overnight. I got that, Jack, But are
they're gonna sit with a guy who may have lost it?
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Man? This is an impressive question under him, you know.
I mean, I think they're gonna give him. They're gonna
give him plenty of opportunities. As the way I put
it to figure stuff out. I think as we talked
about this year, like they still thought his stuff was good,
it was just the way he was executing it that
was not at all at the level they needed. But
(10:19):
he still throws hard, he's still got a tough slider,
he's still just a tough presence on the mound when
he's locating and sequencing the way he needs to. So
I wouldn't be shocked if you see someone of a
bounce back season from Tanner Scott next year just because
of that, because he's gonna get a clean slate to
work from, you know, eventually. Yeah, I mean, if if
(10:40):
you keep getting performances like like he did this year,
then then maybe there's there's something they have to do.
But I don't think that's something they're thinking about at all.
I think they're hoping that he can at least be
a more serviceable unit or part of that unit as
they go into next year.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Uh stand with pitching Jack, what do you what do
you think happens with Sazaki? Does he go back into
the rotation or are they looking at the man we
got a new Christmas present of him coming out of
the bullpen, or is he just too young for them
to decide, Hey, he's our bullpen guy, he's our closer.
Let's let's keep him there. Or do you see him
(11:16):
going back being a starter.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Yeah, he's going to go back to the rotation. That
is how they sold him on going to the bullpen
for this postseason anyway, was with the promise of we
still see you as a starter. You're still going to
get a chance to start next year. We just think
that for right now, if you want to contribute in October,
a relief role is going to be the easiest path.
I think they still you know, when you look at
(11:39):
his stuff, you know he's still somebody who, with a
little bit more refinement, could probably be a pretty good,
if not really good to great, starting pitcher in Major
League Baseball. Now you know, he's going to have to
probably find a third pitch that works for him. We're
going to need to see the flashes he showed this
October a larger sample size. But when they signed him,
(12:02):
you know, they weren't expecting him to come in and
be a sion candidate right away. They knew there was
gonna be some growing pains with him. I think they
were a little more severe this year than they were expecting.
But the way the season ended, the fact that he
was able to get his velocity back are all reasons
that I think as you go into next year, you're
you're still high on his prospects as a potential impact
(12:25):
member of the rotation long term. And also, you know,
given how hard they had to ride some of their
other starting pitchers this October, you're gonna need that rotation depth,
you know, like odds are between Yamamoto and Smell and Glass. Now,
like all those guys pitched from short rest at various
points of the playoffs, all of them came out of
(12:46):
the bullpen at various points. I mean, shohe O, Konnie
in that group too. Chances are you're not getting thirty
starts out of all of them next year, and you
might be lucky to get thirty starts out of any
of them when you look at just recent history and
what happens to rotations that get used really hard in
a postseason and how they perform the following year. So
for all those reasons, you're going to see him back
in the rotation. You know, if long term things don't
(13:10):
work out as a starter, then at least you have
some you know, sample size, and hey, this guy could
be a dominant reliever, but you're still getting the most
value out of him long term as a starter. That's
still what he wants to do. And that's also the
deal that he and the team made before he went
to the bullpen in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Jack does hasag Knny to play more next year or
at least play.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Yeah, that's one of the interesting questions to me is,
you know, look at this team. One thing they've talked about,
Andrew Friedman on down in the front office over their
whole time with the Dodgers is trying to make sure
that they don't fall off the cliff at some point.
And one of the ways you do that is by
integrating in younger talent. Even when you have veteran teams
(13:55):
and a lot of established players, and when you look
internally with this team next year, the only guys who
really fit that bill as younger talent you're trying to
continue to see elevating the majors as Andy Paez and
is basically Hey Song Kim. And you know, I think
that there were there were moments this year, obviously when
he first came up and you know, hit four hundred
for a couple of weeks and and was was a
(14:18):
huge thread on the bass pass that you felt like, man,
they might have found something in this guy. And then
the way the season ended, you know obviously they didn't.
They didn't trust as bad enough to take only I
don't think he took a single at that in the playoffs,
or maybe there was one at the end of the
blowout game. So uh, he is an interesting guy to me,
and I think the decision is more do you trust
(14:38):
him to continue developing enough to give him runway to
play next year, because you know, the Dodgers could could
make more minimal moves this winner with the idea of hey,
someone like Haysung Kim can't step into more playing time.
But if you're going to do that you need to
trust that it's going to go well. So I I
(15:00):
think we're going to find out this winner based on
the moves they make and the kind of role that
they lead to him, how ready they think he is
to step into more of a regular playing time kind
of role. I think that there is definitely a lot
of work still to do at the end of this season.
But again, this is another guy that when they signed
they knew was going to be a bit of a
work in progress, just with how his swing looked and
(15:22):
kind of what he did in Korea. Ver's what he
was going to need to do in the majors. He
still brings a lot of value with his speed and
his glove defensively, and he's going to have some sort
of role next year. But I am curious to see
kind of how they factor him into their plans and
what that means for the rest of their offseason. Maneuvers.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
More broadly, Derek Scouble.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Do they make a run at him?
Speaker 5 (15:46):
I think if Terrek Scouble is genuinely available, you're going
to see all twenty nine other teams or most of
the other twenty nine teams make a run. I mean,
it's just guys of that talent and age do not
become available very often. But at the same time, a
you know, it still seems at least unlikely that he
(16:08):
would actually get moved right now. And then, you know,
it seems likely that even if he did, there will
be teams that could be more desperate than the Dodgers
to go get them. You know, the Dodgers do have
a solid starting rotation right now. And if you're gonna
go and get a guy for a year or two
when you already have this much starting pitching and you're
gonna have to give up an absolute haul to get him,
(16:28):
I don't think it's just a slam dunk that the
Dodgers would do whatever they had to to go get them.
But yeah, if he's available, I mean, this is this
is the Dodgers hole ethos is a front office is
they want to preserve their options. They want to keep
prospects as long as they can, so that in those
moments when when players do become available that you don't expect,
(16:49):
like a Perk Scooble, you're in position to try to
make a play for him. I wouldn't to, I wouldn't
start buying at park Schooble Dodger Jerseys yet or anything
like that. But it'll be interesting to see if if
that becomes an option, like how aggressively they go after him,
because again, that is another thing that they will have
the flexibility and capability to do if they want Jack.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
If Detroit doesn't move them, they lose them pretty simple, right, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
I mean most likely I would say that, you know,
this kind of gets to the broader issue I think
baseball's facing when it comes to the competitive and balanced thing.
I mean, there's a you would like to think ideally
that it wasn't that black and white for a team
like the Tigers, which is, you know, a pretty historic
franchise that's not in a teeny tiny market to think
(17:38):
that when they get a talent as specialist Arret Schouble,
that they could sign him long term. But you know,
the recent history says that guys like that do usually
end up leaving and moving. So, you know, Detroit's in
a slightly different position because like they are a good team.
You know, if they had a couple of things break differently,
they could have been in the Alcs or the World Series.
(18:00):
So I think from that standpoint, he just becomes a
little less likely to move because of that, because if
you get rid of tear of school, you're not a
contender anymore. And the Tigers who have a chance to
try to make a contention run at least this next year.
But yeah, I mean it is interesting in situations like
his and the foreboding thread of losing players to the
Dodgers like that is, you know, all kind of feeds
(18:23):
into this narrative of you know, the Dodgers being bad
for baseball or whatnot, when really, you know, I think
if you're a Tigers fan, you'd kind of wish that,
you know, it wasn't such a fade accomplide that he's
just going to leave in free agency.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
All right, Jack, thank you, thank you for doing a
great job this year. We love having you on and
you're just the best cover in the club, So thank
you for everything.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
No, well, thank you, guys. It was it was quite
a year, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Coming up in three, relive the memories of the World
Series Game seven. Listen to the game on A five
seventy LA Sports and on the iHeartRadio Happen the Galpa
Motors Broadcast Booth, presented by Yamava Revort Report Yamaha Resort
and Casino. It's San Manuel.
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Speaker 1 (19:20):
Nine Coachella Valley's Best Bet. Did I call it?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
What?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Did I call it?
Speaker 6 (19:26):
What?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Kevin? What did I say?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Well?
Speaker 6 (19:32):
First, you say a report instead of resort? Right, you
call it that that you called Yamava Yamaha.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Shamaha Yamaha.
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Not that we don't have well for Yamaha, but more
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I think we all know Yamava Resort and Casino is
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and we know the Yamahas too. All right, when we
come back, we'll get you caught up on everything that's
happened with its lip.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Hey, Dodger fans, we are fa want to relive winning
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Three d app Smith, what's it fun? Hello? Rogan and
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Speaker 3 (20:35):
All right, all right, we keep it moving on a fantastic,
fantastic we don't care Friday. A lot of things happening,
a lot of things going on this past week and
this weekend. Okay, what do you think, Fred? Can we
check out and see what's happening, what's firing up? What's
(20:57):
going on?
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Yeah, lot's going on.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
Well, guys, we talked about it earlier this week. The
Rams having some kicking issues with Joshua Carty. Missed a
couple of extra points, missed some field goals, cost him
some games. Earlier this year, they signed a kicker, Harrison
MeVis is his name, to the practice squad earlier this week,
and then this morning Sean McVay announced that he indeed
will be called up to the big club and will
be the starting kicker in place of Joshua Carty.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
What do you guys think?
Speaker 1 (21:31):
What's his name? Kevin? This isn't the guy that's thicker.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
Thicker kicker, the thicker kicker.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yes, with sticky kicky, right, bring up the thicker kicker.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
He's like something, Yes, they spot on, Yes, exactly, Yeah,
a little bit smaller.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Obviously they see something in him, you know, in this
this critical game with the forty nine ers. You know
obviously he's a big deal. But but to see a
kicker midweek and and then decide that he is going
to now is he gonna be with the big club
or is he actually going to do take over the
(22:13):
kicking duties or he's he just there if if if
oh boy misses one one kick or kicks the ball
out of bounds on the kickoff, then he's out.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Or is he going to take over the duties?
Speaker 6 (22:26):
It sounds as if he is taking over the duties
this week, But McVeigh did say that Josh McCarty is
still on the team, so they're gonna have two kickers apparently.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Interesting. What's you know what? What's the deal with kickers? Honestly, Rodney,
since you play, you know, you understand this better than anybody.
At any moment, somebody could be gone at any moment,
somebody could be out. They make changes in the middle
of the season. Wait a minute, we'll go out and
get another guy. And I would think kicker is a
(22:55):
very important role on the team. And I know if
you're a player, you probably think, yeah, these guys go
over there and kick the ball all day. But they
can be the difference between winning and losing, and it
oftentimes clubs go through them like water.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, they do the winning, losing, winning championships and losing championships.
You know, winning games, it becomes you never know when
that critical moment happens for a kicker. We had a
kicker kick the ball out of bounds in the Super
Bowl that gave Tom Brady the ball at the forty
yard line and they ended up winning it on a
(23:27):
minitary kick because they only had to go twenty yards
to get in field goal range. So kickers, they matter.
And the thing about it is that they're in abundance.
And kickers is like golf, right, when you get on
a roll or you get the yips, then you don't
know what can get you out of that, and how
(23:49):
do you overcome that? And sometimes it's just you just
overcome it. But when kickers getting a funk, boy, it's
not a good thing because it's all between the ears,
it's all mental, and it's uh. Once you lose that
confidence as a kicker, it's it's tough to get it back.
So uh, I don't know. I don't know what this
(24:09):
means for is it Carti right?
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Cardi?
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Yea? If he's gonna start and kick, uh and and
and be there. But man, if he's sitting on the sidelines,
if I'm him and they're gonna dress both of them,
I don't know if you you I think you let
the other guy go, the new guy. I think you
let him start the game and kick and if he
(24:33):
if he performs, well, because you've seen what Cardi can
do and you've seen him struggle. So if if if
the new guy, Picky Kickie, if he comes in and
starts making the kicks, then you got to see what
you got. Why bring him up? If you're not gonna
use use him, they have to use him, Not you're
gonna sit there.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah. Well, how much money do kickers make?
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Well, there's a minimum now in the league, Fred, So
kickers are there. They're making.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
You know, they're making good mid six figures. All right,
I'm gonna look that up real quick, how much money
do NFL kickers make?
Speaker 6 (25:10):
Or maybe just look up the highest paid kicker in
the NFL, friend, and see what that see what that
figure might be. And while you're looking that one up,
I will briefly move on to our next topic because
I find it interesting.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
It's not funny.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I've got the answer.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Boh, okay, go ahead, what do you go?
Speaker 1 (25:24):
That was fasting Harrison butker the Chiefs. Yes, four years,
twenty five point six million dollar deal. It averages six
six point four million a year and includes seventeen point
seventy five million in guarantees. There it is, he is
The average salary is about six million a year.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
No, that's not the average, said the average of kickers.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
That's not the average kicker salery. He's the high eight kicker.
Jake Elliott makes six million. Yeah, you're right, Cameron Dicker
makes five point five. There's a lot of five million guys,
five four million guys. I'd say the average is about
three million. Now that's what it is.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Still pretty good scratch.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
And the Saints kicker makes two hundred and thirty four
thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
Yeah, a real pauper over there. Yeah, good jeez.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
So Obviously, the Lakers are off to a hot start life.
We talked about the last couple of days the Mavericks
or not. There are two and six to start the season.
Anthony Davis again out with injury, now out with the
calf strain. Christian Clark covers the Mavericks for The Athletic
and did a piece today talking about Anthony Davis and
so of all the reports why they traded Luca Danci
because he was out of shape and didn't seem motivated
(26:38):
to get back healthy.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Apparently Anthony Davis.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Came to camp at two hundred and sixty eight pounds,
fifteen pounds heavier than they wanted him to be.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
Now, he they asked him about this this year, this
is this year?
Speaker 6 (26:49):
This year Now, he explained it away because he says
he loses about ten to twelve pounds pretty quickly once
the season starts, so he came on carrying a little
bit extra weight. Executive says, even though his number haven't
really been affected too much, he definitely definitely has looked
a lot slower and a little more sluggish, as putting
on extra weight will do for you. But obviously people
are kind of connecting Dacia feeling because if this may
(27:11):
have contributed to his calf injury, we really don't know
that one way or the other. And maybe it's just
irony more than anything else, that they traded Luka Doncic
a way because he was out of shape, and they
bring in Anthony Davis, who puts on extra weight to
ends up getting hurt. And as we know all the time,
Anthony Davis, I don't want to call it a ticking
time bond, but he's not going to play eighty two games.
He ends up getting hurt every single year. It's just
(27:31):
a matter of the severity in how many games he's
gonna end up missing.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Well, it's not that odd. He just put on the
weight that Luka donc just lost.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
Oh so that was a trade between the two of them,
is what you're saying, Fred.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Right, the players were traded, then the players traded weights.
That's what happened here. Look, Anthony Davis, there was a
period of time when he was with the Lakers that
he didn't show up in shape, and if you remember,
Magic had to have a conversation about it and indicate, yeah,
you gotta get together here, you gotta get it together.
So it doesn't surprise me at all. It's kind of like,
(28:07):
you know what you got, you know what I mean,
that's who he is.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Well, you know, the funny thing is, though, with that
fret they did ask Nico when he made the trade,
you realize what you're trading for, right, say what you
want about Luka Doncic and you know being overweight. But
Anthony Davis has been injured throughout his entire career. He's
a great player when he plays, but he almost never does.
And Nico just doubled down with the same answer he's
been given. We got to win on the defensive end.
I know the kind of player Anthony Davis is and
this is where we're hitching our wagon too.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
But when you do that, this is what you get.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah, yeah, what you get.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
And especially as you get older, you can't do that.
It's one thing to come in when you're twenty two
to twenty three years old, to come in out of
shape or overweight, to get it off in training camp
and in the first couple of weeks of the season.
But to do that in your mid thirties, it's it's
a recipe for injuries happening, happening, and happening often it's
not a good sign for the MAVs.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Now.
Speaker 6 (28:59):
As excited as we are for Luca and as well
as he's playing and the Lakers getting off to hot start,
the Clippers are not off to a great start. They're
three and five, zero and three on the road, got
blown out against Phoenix last night. They were really giving
it to Bradley Beal last night, who did not play well.
What was he two or fourteen from the field or
something like that. So, I guess if we're gonna be
excited about the way the Lakers have started the season,
(29:21):
are we concerned at all by the way the Clippers
have started the season or is it still Hey, within
within the first ten eleven games of the year, they'll
figure it out.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Nothing to be worried about.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I'll look at it like this. It's great the Lakers
are playing the way they are. To me, with the Clippers,
it doesn't matter much at this point. Now you're figuring
it out. You know, you're more excited if the team
is playing really well. The Clippers are good. The Clippers
will be fine. So let them figure it out. And
it takes time, you know, just like major League base
(29:49):
They aren't as many games in basketball as they were
in baseball. But it does take time, and you can't
overreact to these early games. I mean, if the Clippers
go two to thirty, you had a problem. But I
wouldn't overreact to this at all. Rodney, Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
To me, it's not a good sign. And again, if
he's twenty four twenty five years old, I'd say, Okay,
he'll be able to work himself back into shape and
he'll be all right. But at his age now, in
his history, it's concerning. It is concerning to me. And
this is the guy that they hung their hat on
(30:29):
to come on and really take the pressure off of
all those that were involved in the trade. And here
you go, he's not only overweight, but also injured. So
this is a concern Fred.
Speaker 6 (30:46):
And we talked about this yesterday. I believe the home
run king, and I don't want to butcher his name.
Mutataka Murakami. Yes, posted earlier today in Major League Baseball.
Don't ask me to say that one more time. That's
it one for one and I'm out.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
But big time power hitting third basement coming out of
Japan was posted earlier today, Available for all of Major
League Baseball to sign. Think, the obvious question is gonna
be the Dodgers have to take a run with this guy, right,
especially considering that Max Munsey's in the last year of
his deal.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
No, no, no, that's not the obvious question. Okay, the
obvious question is can the guy play right field? That's
the obvious question. What else can he play?
Speaker 6 (31:24):
Well, I'll tell you, Frey, where else can you play?
At this moment in time?
Speaker 4 (31:26):
His first base, that's the only other position he's played.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Okay, well, how how agreeable is he to play a
new position? Is he a real Dodger? My whole life,
I played first and third. You're the right fielder, now
get out there. I mean, if he can do that,
I'm sure the Dodgers will take a look. But where
are they gonna put him? That would mean they could
sign him and trade Muncie, which would be crushing and
(31:51):
heartbreaking for fans, but moreover for Mounsie, who's meant so
much to the franchise. So I mean, if he can
play another position, yeah, but otherwise, how can they sign him?
They have nowhere to put him right now?
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Yeah, it's gonna be very very tough. Now, if mounts
he you know, was thirty nine years old and this
is it, then yeah, you make a run. But given
the fact that I think we all believe that, you know, Mounsy,
although you know, getting older, he still got a couple
(32:27):
or a few more years left. So yeah, for the
amount of money he's gonna I guess require that that
would be tough.
Speaker 6 (32:39):
And you're right, you guys, for all the reasons you gave,
that's probably not gonna happen. But if you remember what
Max Muntsey said last offseason when Nolan Aronado's name came up,
Max said, I just want to be here. I don't
care what role that is. I'll play anywhere, I'll do anything.
I don't know if he actually really would be now
if the rubber hits the road, he wants to come
off the bench and be a bench player for the
Dodgers as a pinch hitter or something. I don't think
(33:00):
that's something that he necessarily want to do. But he
did say on the record last year, I just want
to be a Dodger, regardless of what a position, uh,
what role that is for me.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
So he did actually say that on the record.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
I remember that. But then that leads to this what
is that position?
Speaker 6 (33:15):
Right, that's the problem. He's very limited defensively regardless of
where you put him. Anyway, Murakami is also a left
handed bat, so there's not it's not like a platoon
situation you can do with the two of them there either.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
No, they wouldn't do that. I mean, good money, you
can't put Monsie in the outfield. They need an outfielder.
Whoever can play outfield wins and who wins, right, I
mean if Kami can play outfield, that'd be a great signing.
Everybody thinks he can really hit the ball. Here's the thing.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
But Otani in the outfield, Oh that.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Gonna happen, that he's gonna pitch play the outfield.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Yes, he did it for the Angels.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
Yeah. Well, okay, a year older, a year wiser. Let's
just take our time here.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
That's what's lighting up the headlines.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
You can relive the memories of the World Series Game
seven today at three right here Am five seventy l
A Sports the iHeartRadio at presented in part by Strauss
from the Ballfield to the job site Strauss dot com.
All Lebron's been cleared to practice for the Lakers. That's good. News. Okay,
be reevaluated in one to two weeks. Got to tell
you something. I don't think you could ever say this
(34:30):
about about the Lakers since Lebron has been here in
the past. No rush, Just be ready when you need
to be No rush this year. Just be ready. You
need to be ready. It's a Dodger philosophy. We don't
need you in November. Yeah, we actually don't need you
in March and April. Right, you gotta be ready a
(34:53):
little before that. I mean you got to play a
little bit. But uh, be honest with you. Well, we'll
see it Christmas. Yeah, why don't you start Christmas.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Some are saying, Lebron, you know, he he's seen the
headlines and this team is winning. He can't be out
very long and he's gonna be forgot, forgotten about. You're
gonna gonna get Wally pipped. I don't think Lebron will
ever got Wally pipped. That will never happen. That's never
gonna happen to Lebron. I assure you of that.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
But uh, yeah, there's no rush. You'll be back. When
you're back. They're fine without your Right now, there will
be a point where you won't be fine.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Well, yeah, and you're older, you know the team is
doing well. I think you know now, I know he
want to play. I know everybody has wants to take
their shots at him and all that kind of stuff.
But as you do, as you do age, you know,
sometimes rest is the worst thing, is it?
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Really?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Yeah, because you know, you're you want your body to
be conditioned, to be in condition. You want your body
to move and to run on a regular basis. And
when you're in and out of the lineup, or you're
you know, you're in for a week and then you're
you know, you're down for two weeks, and then you're
(36:11):
in for you know, a week and a half, and
then something else nags you and you're you're you're down
for another two weeks. That that takes more of a
toll on your body as you age than than just
being out or playing every other night.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
It really does.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
And so I know for him in his stake, at
his age, he's like, I need to be I need
to be playing just to keep my just keep my
body in shape so I don't have to get back
into shape.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Yeah, but then that makes sense, Yeah, it does make sense.
But what I'm saying is once he starts, he has
to play. That mean he has to start right away.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Yeah, yeah, that's the other option, right, So to hold
him out so he doesn't get started, and once he
gets started, then you try to make sure you that's
when you start limiting it his minutes and time and
and just slowly working back in.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Because what you don't want.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Is him to start and stop and start and stop
and start and stop and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
All right, well, he's about one to two weeks away
from really getting into it, Rodnie. Thank you for a
great week, Kevin, appreciate it very much, Rodney, have a
very good weekend, and we are back Monday, Yes, sir,
Okay, we'll continue on on this Friday, Fred Rogan, Rodney Pete,
I am five to seventy LA Sports Letter. On this hour,
Kevin is gonna jump on a lot has happened during
the last two plus hours, and he will get us
caught up on everything with it slip.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
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Speaker 3 (00:24):
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Speaker 1 (00:48):
All right, and to join us on the program. Now
the Spotlight on Blow. It's our friend Jack Harris, Jack,
good afternoon.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
Happy off season. Guys. How we doing all right?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Have you recovered from everything yet? Let's try that.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
I slept for about twelve hours and on Sunday night
when I got home last week, And yeah, it's been
a slightly slower week this one than it was a
week ago during the World Series. So yes, we're all
good here.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Slightly slower, Yes, Jack, are you are you feeling you
can admit it to me, Jack, are you feeling a
little a bit of withdrawals from this postseason and this
season of the Dodgers, Like we all are over here.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
You know, the baseball season is quite long. There is
a lot of baseball. So I've been happy to not
have games in my life every night for a little
while here. But you know, I mean, honestly, it's it
has been just kind of full of the last couple
of days to keep thinking of moments from the series
and from Game seven that I hadn't thought about or
(01:53):
I'd forgotten about. There were so many little things that
happened that in the moment felt so big that it's
kind of taken a few days to really you know,
even just as I've been sitting around, like go back
over them in my mind and think about, you know,
all the different twists and turns that that title run took.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, you know, it's funny. Jack. Afterwards, a lot of
the folks in Toronto said, well, yeah, the Blue Jays
are the better team. The Dodgers got lucky. I think
the Blue Jays made some mistakes along the way that
helped the Dodgers out, Is that fair?
Speaker 5 (02:23):
Yeah? I Mean the way I've looked at this is
the Blue Jays left the door open for the Dodgers
with some of the little things they did wrong in
Game six and seven, and the Dodgers had enough from
a talent perspective and from a you know, a gritty
perseverance culture or whatever cliche you want to use perspective
to take advantage of it. And that's one of the
(02:44):
the cool things about baseball is that the playing field
does get kind of flattened sometimes. And while the Blue
Jays probably didn't have as much sheer talent as the Dodgers, Yeah,
I think it's easy to argue that on the whole,
they probably played better for a larger portion of that series,
but in too many of the critical pivotal moments the
(03:04):
Dodgers executed when the Blue Jays did them all.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Right, Jack, you know how sports works nowadays.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
You don't have much time to kind of relax, rest vacation.
Everything is starting to happen already. We're we're seeing Justin
Dean and Tony Gonsolin. I mean, there's moves being being
made already. How do you see this team and how
closely will twenty twenty six resemble twenty five When it
(03:33):
comes to the players and the roster on this.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
Team, yeah, I mean generally it's going to be pretty close.
They didn't have that many free agents off of this
year's team, especially of guys who are major contributors. The
two big ones will be Keith ca Hernandez and Miguel Rojas,
who are both free agents and are who you know,
are both in kid of this boat of players who
(03:56):
on the whole over one hundred and sixty two games,
you probably don't know exactly how much production you're gonna get.
They're both on the backsides of their career, but over
the last two postseasons have both been really integral, both
on the field and the contributions they've made and off
the field and some of the again like veteran leadership,
(04:18):
culture building stuff that has also been really important to
this team's success. So those are kind of the big
questions about how similar does the team look? I think
it's more like how similar is the construction of the
clubhouse and the chemistry there. I think for the rest
of the roster, you know, the Dodgers have some options
ahead of them this offseason. They do have a not
(04:39):
insignificant amount of money coming off the books between Michael
Conflorido and Clayton Kershawn Kirby Yates. I mean, you're gonna
have a lot of money to play with if you can,
you know, if you're looking at relative to this year's
payroll number. But they also don't have overly glaring needs.
I think obviously the outfield is a place that you're
probably gonna want to to address. The back end of
(05:01):
the bullpen is going to be a place where you're
probably going to be trying to make a move. But
the versatility of the Dodgers roster, the fact that they
have so much pitching depth, not just from the guys
that played big roles in this postseason, but also a
lot of young pitchers are going to be coming back
from injuries. You know, I think they're gonna have some
options ahead of them, so they could try for a
bigger move like a Kyle Tucker. You know, you could
(05:24):
make a Boba Schet fit if you play Tommy emon
Moore in the outfield. You know, on the closer side,
Devin Williams or Pete Fairbanks, you know, there's established names
there they can go after, but they could also operate
in the trade market because they're gonna have a lot
of young pieces that they could try to move there.
They could also just make more marginal moves and maybe
try to get into next season, get to the deadline,
(05:46):
and then see where they're at. So this is where
they want to be, having some money to spend, having
some flexibility in the way the roster is constructed, and
not maybe having to feel like they have to do
one major thing or get in one major bidding war
for a player and then kind of let the offseason
come to them a little bit and see what makes
the most sense.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yeah, they do have that money. Is Kyle Tucker in
your mind a ten year guy?
Speaker 5 (06:11):
I mean, he could definitely get that kind of contract
this year. You know, he's he's the most between age
and production and just probably the potentially you're going to
get long term from him, Like he's the premier offensive
player on the market this year. And I think for
a team like the Dodgers or raises an interesting question,
which is, Okay, you have a lot of money to
(06:34):
spend in terms of you know, next year's payroll compared
to this one, But how comfortable are you, you know,
maybe giving out another super long contract when you start
to think about the way this team's going to start
looking even a couple of years down the road, once
Mookie Bets is older, and Freddie Freeman's older, and even
Joey Oconni's older. So those are kind of the questions
I think the team has to answer. And I think
(06:55):
that's where it gets back to not, you know, them
kind of letting the offseason come to them a little bit.
They can kind of wait and see how col Tucker's
market develops, and if he's going to get a ten year,
five hundred million dollar deal that they think might be
a little too much, especially when they look at their
long term plans, then they don't have to do that
and they can find another option and still be a
(07:17):
good team next year. So those are kind of the
calculations I have to make, and I think he's the
most interesting guy because he does fit on paper. You know,
their biggest need for next year, which is bolstering the outfield,
but also longer term, you know, they can't keep adding
those kinds of contracts forever. And I think, you know,
it's it's just another kind of example of how they
(07:39):
balance the financial resources they do have with also trying
to keep themselves in the place they want to be
roster wise over the long term as well.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, from a pitching standpoint, it feels like a least,
it feels like they're pretty solid and they played it
right the way they kept guys out and made sure
guys were healthy for octim Do you see any major
moves from from an arm standpoint, including the bullpen or
(08:11):
they're gonna run it back and hopefully the bullpen is
not the disaster that it was for most of the season.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
I think you'll definitely see some additions in the bullpen,
you know, just between the guys that they're losing, some
of the health questions that guys are going to be
facing going into next year, whether it's v Philt's coming
off to Tommy John and Bruce dargraderol coming off this
year that he missed. You know, if everything goes right, Yeah,
the bullpen could be okay, but I don't think that
they're I think they'll be at least somewhat aggressive to
(08:41):
try to add to that group. And then again the
question becomes how aggressive are they going to give out
another four year, seventy or eighty million dollars deal like
they did in Vanner Scott. This passed offseason, we'll see.
I think the preference would probably be not something that lucrative,
just because of the volatility of relief, you know. I
think they're going to be hoping that somebody like Tanner
(09:03):
Scott's better next year, that somebody like Lake Trinan is
a little bit more consistent next year. So I think
you'll see some ads there. It was obviously a weakness
during the season, but yes, on the whole, when you
look at the rotation, when you look at the young
arms that they have that can maybe also help in
that group, they're they're starting from a spot of strength
as they try to round out what that unit looks like.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Yeah, I can't see him doing that. To be honest
with you, I cannot see him committing that kind of
money again to a reliever, you know, pull me want
shame on you. The question about Tanner Scott. So everybody
hopes he comes back to be the Tanner Scott they signed.
What if he doesn't, is he a DFA can't if
they if they find they can't put him in the game.
(09:46):
Will they sit there and continue to pay him just
to sit on the bench and take up a roster spot.
It won't happen overnight. I got that, Jack, But are
they're gonna sit with a guy who may have lost it?
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Man? This is an impressive question under him, you know.
I mean, I think they're gonna give him. They're gonna
give him plenty of opportunities. As the way I put
it to figure stuff out. I think as we talked
about this year, like they still thought his stuff was good,
it was just the way he was executing it that
was not at all at the level they needed. But
(10:19):
he still throws hard, he's still got a tough slider,
he's still just a tough presence on the mound when
he's locating and sequencing the way he needs to. So
I wouldn't be shocked if you see someone of a
bounce back season from Tanner Scott next year just because
of that, because he's gonna get a clean slate to
work from, you know, eventually. Yeah, I mean, if if
(10:40):
you keep getting performances like like he did this year,
then then maybe there's there's something they have to do.
But I don't think that's something they're thinking about at all.
I think they're hoping that he can at least be
a more serviceable unit or part of that unit as
they go into next year.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Uh stand with pitching Jack, what do you what do
you think happens with Sazaki? Does he go back into
the rotation or are they looking at the man we
got a new Christmas present of him coming out of
the bullpen, or is he just too young for them
to decide, Hey, he's our bullpen guy, he's our closer.
Let's let's keep him there. Or do you see him
(11:16):
going back being a starter.
Speaker 5 (11:18):
Yeah, he's going to go back to the rotation. That
is how they sold him on going to the bullpen
for this postseason anyway, was with the promise of we
still see you as a starter. You're still going to
get a chance to start next year. We just think
that for right now, if you want to contribute in October,
a relief role is going to be the easiest path.
I think they still you know, when you look at
(11:39):
his stuff, you know he's still somebody who, with a
little bit more refinement, could probably be a pretty good,
if not really good to great, starting pitcher in Major
League Baseball. Now you know, he's going to have to
probably find a third pitch that works for him. We're
going to need to see the flashes he showed this
October a larger sample size. But when they signed him,
(12:02):
you know, they weren't expecting him to come in and
be a sion candidate right away. They knew there was
gonna be some growing pains with him. I think they
were a little more severe this year than they were expecting.
But the way the season ended, the fact that he
was able to get his velocity back are all reasons
that I think as you go into next year, you're
you're still high on his prospects as a potential impact
(12:25):
member of the rotation long term. And also, you know,
given how hard they had to ride some of their
other starting pitchers this October, you're gonna need that rotation depth,
you know, like odds are between Yamamoto and Smell and Glass. Now,
like all those guys pitched from short rest at various
points of the playoffs, all of them came out of
(12:46):
the bullpen at various points. I mean, shohe O, Konnie
in that group too. Chances are you're not getting thirty
starts out of all of them next year, and you
might be lucky to get thirty starts out of any
of them when you look at just recent history and
what happens to rotations that get used really hard in
a postseason and how they perform the following year. So
for all those reasons, you're going to see him back
in the rotation. You know, if long term things don't
(13:10):
work out as a starter, then at least you have
some you know, sample size, and hey, this guy could
be a dominant reliever, but you're still getting the most
value out of him long term as a starter. That's
still what he wants to do. And that's also the
deal that he and the team made before he went
to the bullpen in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Jack does hasag Knny to play more next year or
at least play.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Yeah, that's one of the interesting questions to me is,
you know, look at this team. One thing they've talked about,
Andrew Friedman on down in the front office over their
whole time with the Dodgers is trying to make sure
that they don't fall off the cliff at some point.
And one of the ways you do that is by
integrating in younger talent. Even when you have veteran teams
(13:55):
and a lot of established players, and when you look
internally with this team next year, the only guys who
really fit that bill as younger talent you're trying to
continue to see elevating the majors as Andy Paez and
is basically Hey Song Kim. And you know, I think
that there were there were moments this year, obviously when
he first came up and you know, hit four hundred
for a couple of weeks and and was was a
(14:18):
huge thread on the bass pass that you felt like, man,
they might have found something in this guy. And then
the way the season ended, you know obviously they didn't.
They didn't trust as bad enough to take only I
don't think he took a single at that in the playoffs,
or maybe there was one at the end of the
blowout game. So uh, he is an interesting guy to me,
and I think the decision is more do you trust
(14:38):
him to continue developing enough to give him runway to
play next year, because you know, the Dodgers could could
make more minimal moves this winner with the idea of hey,
someone like Haysung Kim can't step into more playing time.
But if you're going to do that you need to
trust that it's going to go well. So I I
(15:00):
think we're going to find out this winner based on
the moves they make and the kind of role that
they lead to him, how ready they think he is
to step into more of a regular playing time kind
of role. I think that there is definitely a lot
of work still to do at the end of this season.
But again, this is another guy that when they signed
they knew was going to be a bit of a
work in progress, just with how his swing looked and
(15:22):
kind of what he did in Korea. Ver's what he
was going to need to do in the majors. He
still brings a lot of value with his speed and
his glove defensively, and he's going to have some sort
of role next year. But I am curious to see
kind of how they factor him into their plans and
what that means for the rest of their offseason. Maneuvers.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
More broadly, Derek Scouble.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Do they make a run at him?
Speaker 5 (15:46):
I think if Terrek Scouble is genuinely available, you're going
to see all twenty nine other teams or most of
the other twenty nine teams make a run. I mean,
it's just guys of that talent and age do not
become available very often. But at the same time, a
you know, it still seems at least unlikely that he
(16:08):
would actually get moved right now. And then, you know,
it seems likely that even if he did, there will
be teams that could be more desperate than the Dodgers
to go get them. You know, the Dodgers do have
a solid starting rotation right now. And if you're gonna
go and get a guy for a year or two
when you already have this much starting pitching and you're
gonna have to give up an absolute haul to get him,
(16:28):
I don't think it's just a slam dunk that the
Dodgers would do whatever they had to to go get them.
But yeah, if he's available, I mean, this is this
is the Dodgers hole ethos is a front office is
they want to preserve their options. They want to keep
prospects as long as they can, so that in those
moments when when players do become available that you don't expect,
(16:49):
like a Perk Scooble, you're in position to try to
make a play for him. I wouldn't to, I wouldn't
start buying at park Schooble Dodger Jerseys yet or anything
like that. But it'll be interesting to see if if
that becomes an option, like how aggressively they go after him,
because again, that is another thing that they will have
the flexibility and capability to do if they want Jack.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
If Detroit doesn't move them, they lose them pretty simple, right, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
I mean most likely I would say that, you know,
this kind of gets to the broader issue I think
baseball's facing when it comes to the competitive and balanced thing.
I mean, there's a you would like to think ideally
that it wasn't that black and white for a team
like the Tigers, which is, you know, a pretty historic
franchise that's not in a teeny tiny market to think
(17:38):
that when they get a talent as specialist Arret Schouble,
that they could sign him long term. But you know,
the recent history says that guys like that do usually
end up leaving and moving. So, you know, Detroit's in
a slightly different position because like they are a good team.
You know, if they had a couple of things break differently,
they could have been in the Alcs or the World Series.
(18:00):
So I think from that standpoint, he just becomes a
little less likely to move because of that, because if
you get rid of tear of school, you're not a
contender anymore. And the Tigers who have a chance to
try to make a contention run at least this next year.
But yeah, I mean it is interesting in situations like
his and the foreboding thread of losing players to the
Dodgers like that is, you know, all kind of feeds
(18:23):
into this narrative of you know, the Dodgers being bad
for baseball or whatnot, when really, you know, I think
if you're a Tigers fan, you'd kind of wish that,
you know, it wasn't such a fade accomplide that he's
just going to leave in free agency.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
All right, Jack, thank you, thank you for doing a
great job this year. We love having you on and
you're just the best cover in the club, So thank
you for everything.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
No, well, thank you, guys. It was it was quite
a year, all right.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Coming up in three, relive the memories of the World
Series Game seven. Listen to the game on A five
seventy LA Sports and on the iHeartRadio Happen the Galpa
Motors Broadcast Booth, presented by Yamava Revort Report Yamaha Resort
and Casino. It's San Manuel.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Spot presented by Spotlight twenty nine. Casino It's my favorite spot.
Check out Spotlight twenty nine dot com for upcoming shows
from world class entertainers spot like twenty.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
Nine Coachella Valley's Best Bet. Did I call it?
Speaker 2 (19:25):
What?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Did I call it?
Speaker 6 (19:26):
What?
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Kevin? What did I say?
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Well?
Speaker 6 (19:32):
First, you say a report instead of resort? Right, you
call it that that you called Yamava Yamaha.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Shamaha Yamaha.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Not that we don't have well for Yamaha, but more
for Yamava in this particular situation there, Fred.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I think we all know Yamava Resort and Casino is
San Manuel. I think we all know about that Yamaha
and we know the Yamahas too. All right, when we
come back, we'll get you caught up on everything that's
happened with its lip.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Hey, Dodger fans, we are fa want to relive winning
the World Series again? Roger Center in Stunned Silent Jet Today?
Three d app Smith, what's it fun? Hello? Rogan and
Rodney listener, did you know? Am? Five? Seventy. LA Sports
(20:17):
has a wide range of LA Sports podcasts, shows.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Like Petros in money.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
We are streaming Man Dodger Talk with David Vasse.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
The Dodger Podcast of Record.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Clipper Talk with Adam Moss, follow us all and many more.
Just go to Am five to seventy LA Sports on
the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
All right, all right, we keep it moving on a fantastic,
fantastic we don't care Friday. A lot of things happening,
a lot of things going on this past week and
this weekend. Okay, what do you think, Fred? Can we
check out and see what's happening, what's firing up? What's
(20:57):
going on?
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Yeah, lot's going on.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
Well, guys, we talked about it earlier this week. The
Rams having some kicking issues with Joshua Carty. Missed a
couple of extra points, missed some field goals, cost him
some games. Earlier this year, they signed a kicker, Harrison
MeVis is his name, to the practice squad earlier this week,
and then this morning Sean McVay announced that he indeed
will be called up to the big club and will
be the starting kicker in place of Joshua Carty.
Speaker 4 (21:28):
What do you guys think?
Speaker 1 (21:31):
What's his name? Kevin? This isn't the guy that's thicker.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
Thicker kicker, the thicker kicker.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yes, with sticky kicky, right, bring up the thicker kicker.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
He's like something, Yes, they spot on, Yes, exactly, Yeah,
a little bit smaller.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Obviously they see something in him, you know, in this
this critical game with the forty nine ers. You know
obviously he's a big deal. But but to see a
kicker midweek and and then decide that he is going
to now is he gonna be with the big club
or is he actually going to do take over the
(22:13):
kicking duties or he's he just there if if if
oh boy misses one one kick or kicks the ball
out of bounds on the kickoff, then he's out.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Or is he going to take over the duties?
Speaker 6 (22:26):
It sounds as if he is taking over the duties
this week, But McVeigh did say that Josh McCarty is
still on the team, so they're gonna have two kickers apparently.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Interesting. What's you know what? What's the deal with kickers? Honestly, Rodney,
since you play, you know, you understand this better than anybody.
At any moment, somebody could be gone at any moment,
somebody could be out. They make changes in the middle
of the season. Wait a minute, we'll go out and
get another guy. And I would think kicker is a
(22:55):
very important role on the team. And I know if
you're a player, you probably think, yeah, these guys go
over there and kick the ball all day. But they
can be the difference between winning and losing, and it
oftentimes clubs go through them like water.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, they do the winning, losing, winning championships and losing championships.
You know, winning games, it becomes you never know when
that critical moment happens for a kicker. We had a
kicker kick the ball out of bounds in the Super
Bowl that gave Tom Brady the ball at the forty
yard line and they ended up winning it on a
(23:27):
minitary kick because they only had to go twenty yards
to get in field goal range. So kickers, they matter.
And the thing about it is that they're in abundance.
And kickers is like golf, right, when you get on
a roll or you get the yips, then you don't
know what can get you out of that, and how
(23:49):
do you overcome that? And sometimes it's just you just
overcome it. But when kickers getting a funk, boy, it's
not a good thing because it's all between the ears,
it's all mental, and it's uh. Once you lose that
confidence as a kicker, it's it's tough to get it back.
So uh, I don't know. I don't know what this
(24:09):
means for is it Carti right?
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Cardi?
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Yea? If he's gonna start and kick, uh and and
and be there. But man, if he's sitting on the sidelines,
if I'm him and they're gonna dress both of them,
I don't know if you you I think you let
the other guy go, the new guy. I think you
let him start the game and kick and if he
(24:33):
if he performs, well, because you've seen what Cardi can
do and you've seen him struggle. So if if if
the new guy, Picky Kickie, if he comes in and
starts making the kicks, then you got to see what
you got. Why bring him up? If you're not gonna
use use him, they have to use him, Not you're
gonna sit there.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah. Well, how much money do kickers make?
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Well, there's a minimum now in the league, Fred, So
kickers are there. They're making.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
You know, they're making good mid six figures. All right,
I'm gonna look that up real quick, how much money
do NFL kickers make?
Speaker 6 (25:10):
Or maybe just look up the highest paid kicker in
the NFL, friend, and see what that see what that
figure might be. And while you're looking that one up,
I will briefly move on to our next topic because
I find it interesting.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
It's not funny.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I've got the answer.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Boh, okay, go ahead, what do you go?
Speaker 1 (25:24):
That was fasting Harrison butker the Chiefs. Yes, four years,
twenty five point six million dollar deal. It averages six
six point four million a year and includes seventeen point
seventy five million in guarantees. There it is, he is
The average salary is about six million a year.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
No, that's not the average, said the average of kickers.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
That's not the average kicker salery. He's the high eight kicker.
Jake Elliott makes six million. Yeah, you're right, Cameron Dicker
makes five point five. There's a lot of five million guys,
five four million guys. I'd say the average is about
three million. Now that's what it is.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Still pretty good scratch.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
And the Saints kicker makes two hundred and thirty four
thousand dollars.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
Yeah, a real pauper over there. Yeah, good jeez.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
So Obviously, the Lakers are off to a hot start life.
We talked about the last couple of days the Mavericks
or not. There are two and six to start the season.
Anthony Davis again out with injury, now out with the
calf strain. Christian Clark covers the Mavericks for The Athletic
and did a piece today talking about Anthony Davis and
so of all the reports why they traded Luca Danci
because he was out of shape and didn't seem motivated
(26:38):
to get back healthy.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
Apparently Anthony Davis.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Came to camp at two hundred and sixty eight pounds,
fifteen pounds heavier than they wanted him to be.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
Now, he they asked him about this this year, this
is this year?
Speaker 6 (26:49):
This year Now, he explained it away because he says
he loses about ten to twelve pounds pretty quickly once
the season starts, so he came on carrying a little
bit extra weight. Executive says, even though his number haven't
really been affected too much, he definitely definitely has looked
a lot slower and a little more sluggish, as putting
on extra weight will do for you. But obviously people
are kind of connecting Dacia feeling because if this may
(27:11):
have contributed to his calf injury, we really don't know
that one way or the other. And maybe it's just
irony more than anything else, that they traded Luka Doncic
a way because he was out of shape, and they
bring in Anthony Davis, who puts on extra weight to
ends up getting hurt. And as we know all the time,
Anthony Davis, I don't want to call it a ticking
time bond, but he's not going to play eighty two games.
He ends up getting hurt every single year. It's just
(27:31):
a matter of the severity in how many games he's
gonna end up missing.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Well, it's not that odd. He just put on the
weight that Luka donc just lost.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
Oh so that was a trade between the two of them,
is what you're saying, Fred.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Right, the players were traded, then the players traded weights.
That's what happened here. Look, Anthony Davis, there was a
period of time when he was with the Lakers that
he didn't show up in shape, and if you remember,
Magic had to have a conversation about it and indicate, yeah,
you gotta get together here, you gotta get it together.
So it doesn't surprise me at all. It's kind of like,
(28:07):
you know what you got, you know what I mean,
that's who he is.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Well, you know, the funny thing is, though, with that
fret they did ask Nico when he made the trade,
you realize what you're trading for, right, say what you
want about Luka Doncic and you know being overweight. But
Anthony Davis has been injured throughout his entire career. He's
a great player when he plays, but he almost never does.
And Nico just doubled down with the same answer he's
been given. We got to win on the defensive end.
I know the kind of player Anthony Davis is and
this is where we're hitching our wagon too.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
But when you do that, this is what you get.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah, yeah, what you get.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
And especially as you get older, you can't do that.
It's one thing to come in when you're twenty two
to twenty three years old, to come in out of
shape or overweight, to get it off in training camp
and in the first couple of weeks of the season.
But to do that in your mid thirties, it's it's
a recipe for injuries happening, happening, and happening often it's
not a good sign for the MAVs.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Now.
Speaker 6 (28:59):
As excited as we are for Luca and as well
as he's playing and the Lakers getting off to hot start,
the Clippers are not off to a great start. They're
three and five, zero and three on the road, got
blown out against Phoenix last night. They were really giving
it to Bradley Beal last night, who did not play well.
What was he two or fourteen from the field or
something like that. So, I guess if we're gonna be
excited about the way the Lakers have started the season,
(29:21):
are we concerned at all by the way the Clippers
have started the season or is it still Hey, within
within the first ten eleven games of the year, they'll
figure it out.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
Nothing to be worried about.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I'll look at it like this. It's great the Lakers
are playing the way they are. To me, with the Clippers,
it doesn't matter much at this point. Now you're figuring
it out. You know, you're more excited if the team
is playing really well. The Clippers are good. The Clippers
will be fine. So let them figure it out. And
it takes time, you know, just like major League base
(29:49):
They aren't as many games in basketball as they were
in baseball. But it does take time, and you can't
overreact to these early games. I mean, if the Clippers
go two to thirty, you had a problem. But I
wouldn't overreact to this at all. Rodney, Yeah, I don't know.
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
To me, it's not a good sign. And again, if
he's twenty four twenty five years old, I'd say, Okay,
he'll be able to work himself back into shape and
he'll be all right. But at his age now, in
his history, it's concerning. It is concerning to me. And
this is the guy that they hung their hat on
(30:29):
to come on and really take the pressure off of
all those that were involved in the trade. And here
you go, he's not only overweight, but also injured. So
this is a concern Fred.
Speaker 6 (30:46):
And we talked about this yesterday. I believe the home
run king, and I don't want to butcher his name.
Mutataka Murakami. Yes, posted earlier today in Major League Baseball.
Don't ask me to say that one more time. That's
it one for one and I'm out.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (31:02):
But big time power hitting third basement coming out of
Japan was posted earlier today, Available for all of Major
League Baseball to sign. Think, the obvious question is gonna
be the Dodgers have to take a run with this guy, right,
especially considering that Max Munsey's in the last year of
his deal.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
No, no, no, that's not the obvious question. Okay, the
obvious question is can the guy play right field? That's
the obvious question. What else can he play?
Speaker 6 (31:24):
Well, I'll tell you, Frey, where else can you play?
At this moment in time?
Speaker 4 (31:26):
His first base, that's the only other position he's played.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Okay, well, how how agreeable is he to play a
new position? Is he a real Dodger? My whole life,
I played first and third. You're the right fielder, now
get out there. I mean, if he can do that,
I'm sure the Dodgers will take a look. But where
are they gonna put him? That would mean they could
sign him and trade Muncie, which would be crushing and
(31:51):
heartbreaking for fans, but moreover for Mounsie, who's meant so
much to the franchise. So I mean, if he can
play another position, yeah, but otherwise, how can they sign him?
They have nowhere to put him right now?
Speaker 3 (32:05):
Yeah, it's gonna be very very tough. Now, if mounts
he you know, was thirty nine years old and this
is it, then yeah, you make a run. But given
the fact that I think we all believe that, you know, Mounsy,
although you know, getting older, he still got a couple
(32:27):
or a few more years left. So yeah, for the
amount of money he's gonna I guess require that that
would be tough.
Speaker 6 (32:39):
And you're right, you guys, for all the reasons you gave,
that's probably not gonna happen. But if you remember what
Max Muntsey said last offseason when Nolan Aronado's name came up,
Max said, I just want to be here. I don't
care what role that is. I'll play anywhere, I'll do anything.
I don't know if he actually really would be now
if the rubber hits the road, he wants to come
off the bench and be a bench player for the
Dodgers as a pinch hitter or something. I don't think
(33:00):
that's something that he necessarily want to do. But he
did say on the record last year, I just want
to be a Dodger, regardless of what a position, uh,
what role that is for me.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
So he did actually say that on the record.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
I remember that. But then that leads to this what
is that position?
Speaker 6 (33:15):
Right, that's the problem. He's very limited defensively regardless of
where you put him. Anyway, Murakami is also a left
handed bat, so there's not it's not like a platoon
situation you can do with the two of them there either.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
No, they wouldn't do that. I mean, good money, you
can't put Monsie in the outfield. They need an outfielder.
Whoever can play outfield wins and who wins, right, I
mean if Kami can play outfield, that'd be a great signing.
Everybody thinks he can really hit the ball. Here's the thing.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
But Otani in the outfield, Oh that.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Gonna happen, that he's gonna pitch play the outfield.
Speaker 4 (33:51):
Yes, he did it for the Angels.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
Yeah. Well, okay, a year older, a year wiser. Let's
just take our time here.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
That's what's lighting up the headlines.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
You can relive the memories of the World Series Game
seven today at three right here Am five seventy l
A Sports the iHeartRadio at presented in part by Strauss
from the Ballfield to the job site Strauss dot com.
All Lebron's been cleared to practice for the Lakers. That's good. News. Okay,
be reevaluated in one to two weeks. Got to tell
you something. I don't think you could ever say this
(34:30):
about about the Lakers since Lebron has been here in
the past. No rush, Just be ready when you need
to be No rush this year. Just be ready. You
need to be ready. It's a Dodger philosophy. We don't
need you in November. Yeah, we actually don't need you
in March and April. Right, you gotta be ready a
(34:53):
little before that. I mean you got to play a
little bit. But uh, be honest with you. Well, we'll
see it Christmas. Yeah, why don't you start Christmas.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
Some are saying, Lebron, you know, he he's seen the
headlines and this team is winning. He can't be out
very long and he's gonna be forgot, forgotten about. You're
gonna gonna get Wally pipped. I don't think Lebron will
ever got Wally pipped. That will never happen. That's never
gonna happen to Lebron. I assure you of that.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
But uh, yeah, there's no rush. You'll be back. When
you're back. They're fine without your Right now, there will
be a point where you won't be fine.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Well, yeah, and you're older, you know the team is
doing well. I think you know now, I know he
want to play. I know everybody has wants to take
their shots at him and all that kind of stuff.
But as you do, as you do age, you know,
sometimes rest is the worst thing, is it?
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Really?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Yeah, because you know, you're you want your body to
be conditioned, to be in condition. You want your body
to move and to run on a regular basis. And
when you're in and out of the lineup, or you're
you know, you're in for a week and then you're
you know, you're down for two weeks, and then you're
(36:11):
in for you know, a week and a half, and
then something else nags you and you're you're you're down
for another two weeks. That that takes more of a
toll on your body as you age than than just
being out or playing every other night.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
It really does.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
And so I know for him in his stake, at
his age, he's like, I need to be I need
to be playing just to keep my just keep my
body in shape so I don't have to get back
into shape.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Yeah, but then that makes sense, Yeah, it does make sense.
But what I'm saying is once he starts, he has
to play. That mean he has to start right away.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Yeah, yeah, that's the other option, right, So to hold
him out so he doesn't get started, and once he
gets started, then you try to make sure you that's
when you start limiting it his minutes and time and
and just slowly working back in.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Because what you don't want.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
Is him to start and stop and start and stop
and start and stop and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
All right, well, he's about one to two weeks away
from really getting into it, Rodnie. Thank you for a
great week, Kevin, appreciate it very much, Rodney, have a
very good weekend, and we are back Monday, Yes, sir,
Roggin And Rodney News
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Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com