April 18, 2025 • 34 mins
Dan Woike hops on as the Lakers get set to begin their series against the T-Wolves tomorrow. Should the Dodgers move Ohtani out of the leadoff spot? Eddie Rosario is mysteriosly in the Dodger Clubhouse.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Elligntin you on a two hour show today with the
Dodgers in Texas taking on the Rangers. Fred Rogan Rodney
Peete at AM five seventy l A Sports. All right,
so here's your weekend situation. Lakers at home against Minnesota,
Clippers take on Denver Monday, Kings take on Edmonton. But
(00:23):
let's get started with the NBA and we welcome in
our dear friend who is now getting ready for the
playoff push, Dan Whitki, Dan, Good afternoon to you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
How are the Kings going to contain Wayne Gretzky and Messia?
I have no idea. I really like the Oilers in
this one, okay, who will slow down Ernest Gibbons and
Warren Moon exactly?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
And then you know McDavid because you're going off for
different eras and generations, So yeah, McDavid's in there too,
with all the young kids, all those great in sports.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Hi guys, Hello, Dan, Okay, here we go. You wrote
about Lucas' successes in the playoffs, and I asked Rodney earlier,
do you think when Nico Harrison or the MAVs were
considering this move they even entered that into the equation.
That he's pretty good in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
I mean, yeah, I mean, I think it's pretty clear
they just thought it wasn't worth it, you know, for
whatever reason, right, and whether it was not trusting his body,
not trusting his work ethic, the defensive limitations whatever, right,
Like they thought it wasn't worth it. I think, you know,
(01:38):
the Lakers are about to find out a bunch of
the reasons why it is worth it, you know. And
it's that's not to say that in six years or
seven years, the Lakers won't be aggrieved in similar ways
or annoyed in similar ways. Like, we don't know, you know, honestly,
we don't know. I think it's foolish to think that
Nico Harrison had no reasons in doing this, right, Like,
(02:00):
I'm sure he had his reasons. It is just like
it is just such a weapon to have, and the
Lakers have a bunch of them. And it's not just
Luca right, It's Lebron James, it's Austin Revieves. You have
these guys that are big game, big moment players, and
that is all that's left for the Lakers, who've been,
by the way, a pretty good big game team this season.
(02:24):
They've got three of those guys, and they're not going
to play many series between now and whenever the season
ends against teams that have three of them. They got
to do it. They got to show up, They got
to perform the other guys, like like, it all matters
the guys in the Beatoy's gonna be hard time, I believe,
like everything matters in this stuff. But they've got it.
(02:44):
It's a pretty strong out of the blocks when you've
got Luca Dochs and Lebron James in particular, and you're
getting Luca I think at a time right now where
he's played, you know, over the last five games or so,
really since that Dallas game, or really since Oucal City
game I'm sorry two games before that, he's played his
best basketball of the year.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah. You know, when this happened, a lot of people
were like, oh, it came up with every reason why
this happened, why they made it, made the trade, why
Nico didn't taking the beer out of the hand, all
those kinds of things. How much do you actually believe
that they were reluctant to pay him the Supermax and
(03:25):
the money that's be part of it.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Do you think that was yeah, so Bratt Townsend, one
of my colleagues at the Dallas Morning News kind of
in the aftermath of the bizarre Nico Harrison press conference
where the media was only allowed to sketch drawings of
the participants instead of film it. The after that kind
of meeting, you know, he had he had a report
(03:48):
that you know, Dallas, I think he said was on
track to lose one hundred million dollars this year before
the docgas trade even right, well it's not Dan.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Dan is a franchise as an organization and a franchise, Okay,
all right, I hadn't heard that go.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Ahead, Yeah, you know, and so they had had not
like not to get too far in the weeds on this,
they had had kind of they were one of the
crestfallen I would say, in the local TV kind of
collapse that happened. Like they lost a bunch of RSN money.
They had to kind of fund their own you know,
obviously they were losing money in other front they I mean, look,
(04:24):
Mark Cuban sold the team right, like, you know, this
is a guy who literally literally has made it doing
business deals on television, you know what I mean, saw
this and decided it was time to be out. And
you know, I just think like there were, Yeah, there
were a bunch of reasons. It's not as simple as
defense wins championships. That may be the core basketball reason,
(04:49):
you know that that it was a belief and that
I mean, like Nico Harrison very close with Kobe Bryant.
I think outwardly, certainly you look at the way that
the with Dottich approaches basketball and you look at the
way Kobe Bryant approaches basketball. There's a difference in that,
and maybe that's what it was. But I look, I think,
(05:10):
especially with great players, you have to let people be
themselves to a degree, right, and at least at least
as the starting point, and then you can kind of
work in the other stuff. And you know, I think,
you know, Luca feels this way like Dallas gave up
on him, particularly Nico Harrison.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Gave up on him.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I'm sorry, not the city, Nico Harrison gave up on him,
the organization gave up on him. He's gonna be as
motivated as ever to prove them wrong. In addition to
having the even bigger goal of winning his first championship.
And guys, the crazy thing to me about all of
this is when that deal was made. These were conversations
we were supposed to be having twelve months from now, right,
(05:49):
but it was going to take some time to build
out the right roster and make sure everything fit. It fits.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
It fits.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It's not perfect, but it fits. It fits well. And
that's what I think Laker fans should be excited about.
It's what I'm running out tomorrow. The most important people
inside their locker room, the most experienced person in that
locker room. He thinks they're good enough.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
He believes it.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
They got to go do it. Talk about it doesn't matter,
but it starts with belief, and there's a real belief
that this team can win sixteen more games this season.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I want to go back to the thing you said,
which if that is true, that explains everything, and it
kind of got lost in translation. If Nico Harrison said,
you know, we're going to be in the hole here
one hundred million dollars, we're gonna come up showing a
hundred million in baseball. When that starts happening and somebody
says we're in trouble, boom, big name people go.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Immediately you start playing baseball in the Sacramento. You start
playing kids in reminder, the work in the Sacramento is
what happens.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah right, it happens all the time. And if that's
the case, then there you go.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, I don't think fred it's like the sole reason.
And by the way, like not that I pretend to
know anything about high finance, Like you know, when your
net worth is in the ten and fifteen billion dollar range,
like a loss here or there is like you can
do a little creative account come tax time. You can
figure it out, you know. But I think it was
like certainly like if we don't trust the player, we
(07:21):
don't trust the body. We're going to give him the
richest contact contract in NBA history, and we're losing money
right now and we don't know when the faucets is
going to get turned back on. And you know, Nico
Harrison is, you know, talking about this this championship point
oo with Kyrie Irving, and we know he loves Anthony
Davis and we know he wants to play more defensive
style basketball. You start to kind of pieced all together,
(07:41):
and it's like that's how you tuck yourself into doing
something that on the face at least seems pretty dumb.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yeah, you start to get those business guys in your
ear instead of the basketball guys marketing guys.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I think it was both. I mean, like just to
be clear, Yeah, I think it was both.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
I think it was both guys are in your year.
But I'm saying you start listening. Wait a minute. Uh,
you know the bean countercat is. I'm having lunch with
him a little bit more than I would flip it.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I think the money part is the reason why they
might not have stopped it, because it doesn't seem like,
at least what I've heard out of Dallas, this is
not but like, this isn't a Mark Cuban cell ownership
or Terry Jones cell ownership where you're like in the like,
hey you know who we should trade type of meetings,
like what what. The way it's been sort of explained
to me over the last few months is that you
(08:32):
know that this was a Nico Harrison decision and like
like usually like in these cases, right when you do
something like this, like that's when like the GM can't
just trade Lucadatu's right, just like like Rob Plinkett, despite
his extension, couldn't just trade Lebron James like that has
to go all the way to the top of the organization,
you know, to make those types of decisions. Now, why
(08:55):
why would Patrick do not you know, not stop it?
And that's it. That's a question that I think, you know,
that's where the money comes in. That's where the fact
that you know, he's not a Texan, he's not like,
you know, hasn't been around the organization in the same way.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That's why you hear people like asking, like, why didn't
you ask Dirk Noviski what this meant to the city,
you know, and like, honestly, like I thought those two
sounding kind of like outsiders.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Which does not work in sports, by the way, No, no, no,
it doesn't.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
No.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Okay, So back to Luca, I mean, given his his
playoff history, damn uh. Now, when you look at the Lakers,
and we'll start with Minnesota, and you look at what
Luca has done, and you look at what Lebron should do. Uh,
does Minnesota win a game? No, theyn't win a game.
But could the Lakers win this thing in five?
Speaker 2 (09:49):
The Lakers could win this thing in five? Minnesota could
win the series though, Guys like it could happen and
not like it could like let's throw a punch and
see if it lands type of way. You know, this
was a team that was one win worse than the
Lakers this season. This was a team that, you know,
I think was like sixteen and four over its final
twenty one of the few teams in the league to
(10:09):
be in the top ten and offense and defensive rating,
which is sort of like the short end if you
want to figure out who the title contenders are, generally speaking,
you look to see which teams are in the top
ten of both. The Lakers aren't Minnesota is you know,
they've got they've got the kind of they've got the
star they've got. You know, everything that we said about
Luca to a degree is true about Anthony Edwards, Like
(10:31):
we're kind of waiting for them. I mean, he was
awesome in the playoffs last year. Awesome, got a little
banged up, ran out of team. Luca was a little
bit better, and that's how Dallas was able to close
them out in five. I think it's going to be
a very I think it's going to be a very
tight series. I expect the Lakers to win the series,
you know, and if they won it in five, I
wouldn't be shocked. I think I would be shocked if
(10:52):
they want it in five easily, if that makes sense,
Like they may they may win, they may have to
win three one possession games to do it. I think
it's really going to be that type of a series.
The exciting thing I think for Lakers fans and for
you know, what's in the with'sin the Lakers building is
like one, they understand that this isn't going to be
a lack of respect from them for the Minnesota Timberwolves,
(11:15):
and and and I think two is like, like we
really haven't seen them still play their best basketball. We
were getting a little bit of it, then Lebron James
got hurt. We're getting a little bit of it. And
then they clinch up their seating. You know, we we've
seen what they look like when they can go to
that gear. I'm really interested to see how that matches
(11:36):
up with the timber Wolves when when Minnesota tries to
get there too.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
I think it's yeah, and and and to me, I
don't know, I mean, I guess maybe it's obvious, but
the pressure, all the pressure is on the Lakers, and
if the Lakers, if they lose you know, one of
these first two games here, that becomes even more pressure,
you know, on the on the lakes.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Yeah, this stuff compounds, right, like you work really hard
from board of managing, and they may lose. They may
lose one of the first two games, certainly, right. I
think they've been a very good team at home this season.
They may lose one of the first two games. I think,
you know, I would, I would expect them to win
one of the two in Minnesota. But you know, they
didn't win there this year. They played two of their
(12:22):
worst games this season. We're in Minnesota. It's a really
hard place to play. They don't want to have lukad
in neither of those games. They didn't have Lebron James
in one of those games. They didn't have Austin Reeves
in one of those games. They really like I would,
I made a joke in the press from earlier today
about how, you know, I don't normally break down old film,
but you know I watched that game, the first game
that they played Minnesota. In my big my big takeaway
(12:44):
was Howard the Tumble was going to slow down Arnell
Trey Ore because he played in that game. Yeah, you know,
and and they wore the they wore the Cursed Lake
Show jerseys, like a lot has changed. Those jerseys have
been rich, realistically burned, and you know, the roster's totally
turned over. So we don't really know how these teams
(13:06):
match up. But I think, I think, yeah, I mean,
it's there's there's no sort of there's no sort.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Of dan even game one. If the Timberwolves steal Game one,
sure that's a whole different dynamic than for for the
Lakers and for the narrative and for the pressure that automatically,
all of a sudden it changes and it falls on
the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
The thing, though, is is that you would you would hope,
you would hope that this team would be fairly unaffected
by pressure as much as you can be. Right, Like,
you've got Lebron James who has seen and done everything right.
You have Luka Dantic who has gone deep in the
playoffs too. Of the last three years, Rustern Commerce Finals,
(13:53):
NBA Finals, last year. You have you know, Austin Reeves
has been to the conference finals already. It's not like
he has not played in big games.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
He has.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
And you know, sure you have a rookie head coach
and jj Redick. But there's a guy who's played in
the NBA finals, who's made deep playoff runs with the
teams you know who played in the Final four. You know,
like he's played.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Like.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
They've been tested in their own ways over the years.
It's not a young team. I wouldn't expect it to
be pressure like. If Minnesota beats them, it's not because
the pressure got to them. It's gonna be like, and
this is reductionary. It's gonna because they play better, like
and they're capable, and they're capable of playing.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I'm saying they win the first game all of a sudden. Sure,
you know that's all. That's all everybody's talking about.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, for sure, can't go into it, right, But if
you go into if you go into and then you
go one and two, and then you go too on two,
it's it's it's I think I think they understand that
that it's a race to four. Right now. You do
bring up a little bit of an interesting player around me,
and I think that's different about this team and say
last year's team is like, I just I really just
(15:02):
think that Lebron believes more in this team. Yeah, I
just think there's more beliefs, and that's not a shot
at Anthony Davis, not necessarily a shot at Darwinhem. I
just think I just think that, like, you know, you
go down oh one to Denver, you know, in the
last second shot and it's like, oh, beleef, here we
go again, you know. And I just think that. I
(15:23):
just think that they think they've got more room from
margin because because of the like because probably because of
Luca Dan.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
I just think the Lakers and I Rodney really disagrees
with this, probably everybody disagrees. I think the Lakers are
playing with house money. I think, uh, lucas here, they
have kilt far better than anybody expected them to and quicker.
I think the excitement win or lose for the future
is going to be really high. So I think they're
(15:53):
playing with house money. Luca just got here, look where
they're at. Everybody go out there and do your best.
Let's see if we can win one. But if not,
it doesn't temper the enthusiasm that'll be around for next year,
and I know the pressure.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I agree with that. I agree with that. I just
I think, you know, we talked to Lebron today that
practice and one of the things that I asked him
about was sort of like, you know, or I forget
somebody somebody might have been curtandable or somebody asked him
about kind of like you know, the playoffs and like
(16:26):
where you need to be at to like to get
it done, you know, and he's like, you know, first
you got to be healthy, right, Like he's forty years old,
that he's been doing for for twenty two seasons. Relatively speaking,
he's healthy right now, you know, Like the last time
we saw him, Yeah, he limped off the court. I
asked him if he was good. He said he was available.
(16:47):
That's very much not saying I'm good, but you know
he's available. I think the uh, I think that's like
you know what I mean, where you want to take
advantage of the opportunities when they're here. I don't think
the Lakers are viewing this as house money. I think,
particularly guys after the game in Dallas, there was a
(17:07):
sense within the locker room that this team had come together,
and it come together in a way that was meaningful
enough that it was more than just sort of a well,
maybe if everything goes right, we can be in the
NBA Finals. I like, I think there are This is
not a team that thinks it's going to be in
the playoffs for two weeks now. It doesn't matter if
(17:29):
you think it, you like again, you gotta go do it.
But I think there's a real belief. That's the word
I'm gonna use a lot. It's belief that this is
the ingredients are there for a for a sustained run
and if they don't make it, they will feel like
they lost more than house money.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Yeah, I agree with that. I agree that they felt
after that Dallas and the and the excitement and all
of that that went along with it, that they feel
like they got a shot to make a real run.
And if they don't, if they don't make a real run,
not saying that, you know, all his laws for next
year and they're gonna be down and it's rebuilt, but
(18:08):
they feel like they this is, this is their moment.
I I do believe that that this is a moment
that they could capture this year and if they and
if they don't, then it it's gonna be a it's
gonna be a disappointment because they feel like they can
they can do it this year. Now we talked about this, Dan,
who's got more pressure on them to go deep. Is
(18:32):
it Luca in this town or is it James Harden
where the Clippers are right now and what he's done
down the stretch and his legacy going forward, Who's got
more pressure to perform?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
I mean I think like certainly, like locally, people want
to see Luca and want to see like what he's
got in this situation. In terms of like overall like
overarching narratives, I mean, yeah, like this is it's been
a while since James Harden has had a chance is
good to put together a deep run. It's been a while,
(19:03):
and this is a player who is who has struggled
in the postseason, especially as the runs have gotten deeper. Uh.
He has played a style this year where I think
he has done a much better job of sharing some
of that burden with guys like Norman Powell. Particularly our
last swinging is like Kawhi Leonard. But like if you
t Zubats, like, you know, they've they've had They've had
(19:26):
multiple guys that have been eating. It hasn't just been Harden.
Harden's had an All NBA year. We don't vote for
wards of the LA times. I would vote for James Harden.
On an All NBA team this year pretty pretty easily. Actually,
he's been terrific and I think, yeah, I mean, like again,
you don't know how many christs you ever get at
this stuff. Kawhi Leonard is healthy today. You know, like
(19:49):
you maximize that, Like you have to feel like you
have to maximize that. And that's what's great about the
playoffs right now, guys, this is like if we're talking
big pusher narrative stuff, there's another thing that's kind of
looming in all of this that like it sort of
goes unspoken around the NBA, but it's like definitely a
real thing. There is like a seven foot ten dude
waiting for everybody in San Antonio right that that will come,
(20:12):
that will come to wreck worlds. Like there is a
sense that like this is going to happen eventually where
he may just be unstoppable. So win them now, if
you if you if you're if you want to win them,
win them now, because like once, like the Spurs figured
it all out around Victor woman Yama, it might just
(20:35):
be curtains for everybody else for a little while.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
All right, Well, Dan, thank you for joining the show
on this good product.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Can I tell can I tell you if what that?
What the real highlight was for me? Hearing Rodney say
here and Rodney say, Dan, I think you're right. It's
good to be bad Rodney.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Hey, I can confirm that doesn't happen very often.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah, come on, feels great?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
All right, have a good weekend, Dan, All right, guys,
enjoy the game. Dodger take on the Texas Rangers tonight
with the first pitch at five oh five. Listen to
every Dodger game on AM five seventy LA Sports and
stream all the games and HD and the iHeartRadio app
The Keyword and five seventy LA Sports. Hoffey hot Dogs
two packages for just five bucks at your local Albertson's
and bond today only on hofy thirteen point five. Ouncers
(21:25):
Hafey the best.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Always the best. Damn right they are? All right? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Uh, Dodgers in Texas. Should they make a lineup change?
Let's talk about it?
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Yes, you are Rogan and Rodney on a Friday short show. Today.
Dodgers are in Texas and Arlington and Globe Life Field,
and there might be some interesting things happen at Globe
Life right like what well, there's rumors fred there's rumors
(22:05):
out there that they, uh, you know, Eddie Rosario, is
that globally be called up. There might be some guys
gotta you know, get an opportunity to play at Globe
Life against the Rangers this weekend.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Well, he is there, you're right, David Vesse saw him. Yeah,
they haven't announced a roster move yet, but he's in
the clubhouse. So if they're announcing a roster move, what
do you think that roster move could be, Rodney, honestly,
you any idea.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
I have no idea what that roster move could be.
But you know, here we are still in early in
the season. I know they're gonna they're going to you know,
play with different rosters and bring up guys. Guys are
you know, little dinged up. They're not gonna mess with
them to make a you know, to make a long
term situation or a short term situation worse by playing
(22:54):
a guy who may be a little nicked, and they
want to, you know, this is the time to experiment
and see, you know what they got. If a guy
is a little injured, then let's sit him down. Let's
bring somebody up and let him play. If not, let's
see what we're doing. This is the the April and
May is experimentation time. Figure out who's who, what's what,
(23:21):
and then when we get to June, you get a
pretty good idea of what the roster in that day
to day lineup is going to pretty much beat.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Yeah, okay, well, I'm not sure who's dinged up, but
I guess we're gonna find out if somebody is because
he's in the clubhouse. And you remember he did a
number on the Dodgers a couple of years back in
the NLCS, so he's there. He had a good spring.
It's not a minor league deal. He's a big leaguer
(23:51):
and uh okay.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
And I will say too, not necessarily versatile where you
can plug him anywhere. He's strictly an outfielder. Yeah, so,
not a guy that can play a little at third
and a little at.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
First, Taylor, any of those guys. He is an outfielder
through and through, So.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
That might give you a hint test to where there
might be a potential J.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Correct me if I'm wrong. He's a corner outfielder.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Too, mostly corner.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
I loved looking at his his stats throughout his career
and where he's played. He's mostly in the corners. Yes,
so he can play a little bit of center if
he need be, but mostly a corner outfielder.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
So anyway he is there. Here's a question, are you
really getting your money's worth out a show? Hao Tony
leaguing off right now? Here's why bottom half of the
order is struggling. Oh, Tani is a guy that can
drive in runs. So you know, it's a bonus. You've
got an incredible hitter leading off. Somebody can drive in run,
somebody with great speed. But right now he's not getting
(24:44):
the opportunities because nobody gets on bass. Is that a
wasted opportunity having him lead off Rodney if the bottom
half of the order can't get on.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Base, No, no, it is not. It is not they
tweak the bottom half. Don't tweak the t half. I
think we tweaked it enough last year, you know, listen,
and we don't talk about it enough. How unselfish it
was for Muki to give up the leadoff spot last year.
(25:15):
You know, he got hurt. Before he got hurt, people
forget this. Before Mooki got injured, Muki was on. He
was the leading candidate for MVP of the National League,
and of course Otani caught fire and it was fifty
to fifty club and all that kind of stuff in
a once in a lifetime season and won the MVP.
(25:36):
But if you go back a year ago, Mookie Betts
was on a tear and the front runner to win MVP.
He got hurt. They moved to Tani to the leadoff spot,
and then there was a big debate of whether when
Mooki comes back, does he take over the leadoff spot
or do they move into the second second spot and
(25:58):
then let Otani continue to be the leadoff guy. And
they decided to let Otani be the leadoff guy. Not
only that, they Muki was willing to move back to
right field because he had missed so much time. So
there was a lot of unselfishness on the part of
Muki Betts. So, no, this is not a time to
(26:20):
start moving around Otani. He had the most incredible seasons
as anyone can have leading off. Do not move him
in that lineup.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, and here's the thing, I don't think you should
move him either. But honestly, at this point, and I
understand Muki made an adjustment hitting second, I think to
maximize Otani and obviously this is not going to continue
the whole year where guys in the bottom of the
order aren't going to hit or get on base. But
it makes you think, okay, just theoretically, if they're not
(26:52):
doing that, are you really maximizing Otani? If you have
Muki leadoff, for example, Muki gets on Otani in, I
guess you can turn around and say, yeah, but if
Otani gets on Mooki knocks him exactly exactly, I guess
you could say that. But if the bottom throwt of
the order doesn't come around, and it will, We're three
(27:13):
weeks in.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
It will.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
It's not a problem. But if it didn't, I don't know,
maybe then maybe then you would look at this and go,
it's something we should consider because you've got to maximize everybody.
And now I'm really concerned about who Rosario was here for.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
You don't concern You don't change up. First of all,
you don't change up the top three. It was magical
for you last year. I don't think you changed that
up at all. And and what you just said, it
doesn't matter if Otani gets on Mookie hits him in.
If Moki hits on, Otani hits him in and then
you got Freddy right behind that. So that top three,
(27:51):
I think it's solidified. I think Freddy is got comfortable
in the third spot. Muki's got comfortable in the second spot.
I think Mooki likes that spot too now because more
often than not he's gonna have O tany on base
to drive him in or to move him around. So
you don't mess with that. If anything, you start tweaking
(28:13):
the bottom half of the lineup. If you got to
put Tommy Edmond, which he did a lot last year,
where Tommy Edmund hit eighth or ninth, and uh, you
know Gavin Lux who got hot, was down at the
bottom of the bottom of the order. You tweaked that
as opposed to messing with the top of the lineup.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Yeah, well, if it continues, obviously there will be some
sort of tweak. All right, And our two hour show,
we're back to put about one things. Oh Ronnie, come on, Ronnie,
(28:59):
you did not hit me with the lady cab driver
on a Friday.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
It's time to roll. Come on, Prince Rodney, Pete Fred
Rogan short show today, two hours. We end up out
of here in a few minutes. Wrap it up. Freddy,
wrap it up for us, tell me what you know?
All right?
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Well, athlete performance of the week goes to Patrick Corbin,
the pitcher. He beat the angels well all right, and
he used to pitch for the angels, but he beat
the angels, you know, all right? Why is he the
athlete of the week. He did it despite suffering from
a painful, venomous bite from an unknown creature. Something bit him, something,
(29:36):
It was inflamed. He that hurts, and he went out
there and he pitched and he did it. He beat
him after getting hit with a venomous bite from an
unknown creature. You gotta give that guy credit.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Is that where you're leaving it?
Speaker 1 (29:55):
That's why I'm leaving it.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
You know what that is? Wait? Wait, an unknown creature.
I don't like that. I don't like that at all.
I'm I'm I'm just and Holly hates me for this
because I can't stand certain things. The animals, certain like
rodents drove me crazy, right, I can't stand rats. I
(30:17):
see a rat. I just I turned into a little, tiny,
thirteen year old scary boy. I don't like rats. I
don't like rodents, I don't like possums are my number
one though. I can't bad possums. You know you've had
the encounter with possums, right, you can speak to it.
(30:37):
I don't like possums at all. But yeah, the rodent thing.
But but then the unknown, the unknown bite. You don't
know where it came from, he said.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
He talked to the doctors. He said, well, they said
something bit me, but they don't know what it was,
and neither do I.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
It's super weird. But if that was in your sleep,
you don't know. Something bit you while you were sleeping
in your bed. Bed bug not a bed bug because
it's not usually venomous, but there's a there's a creature
that is biting you while you're sleeping. I think.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
I want to highly doubt that. Fresh no go on
a lemon, say, I don't think it was.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
A Yeah, thank God. About the rattlesnakes, you can hear
them coming, you know, because quote hence the rattle that
they have on their tails. He is a love. You know,
growing up in Arizona, you know rattlesnakes. You can hear
them a mile away, and you know some were pets.
And I was actually friendly with some rattlesnakes. I'm okay,
with the rattlesnakes. But it's the other things, the little
(31:39):
What do.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
You mean you're friendly with rattlesnakes.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Yes, I'm friendly with the rattlesnakes. They you know, we
used to have, you know, outside you know you live
in Arizona. You live in a desert. Like behind your
gate is a desert, and before everything got built up there,
you know, your backyard was basically desert. So rattlesnakes would
come up from time to time and rattle snakes. You know,
(32:05):
my brother who was crazy, you still love to feed
the rattlesnakes from time to time. What do you mean
I didn't like it? Yeah, he get right up there
and they take it out of his hand. Not out
of his hand, but you know he would put you know,
he would build. He would build like a little box
and and he would store like rodents. He would find
(32:28):
a squirrel or rat or whatever and throw it in
the box, and the rattlesnakes would come and and have
a feast.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Was there a specific time every day, like dinner?
Speaker 3 (32:38):
Was it five? No, it wasn't. He didn't know. He
didn't he didn't ring the bell and go. But you know,
he definitely would find anything he could find, and he
was he was an animal cat that would grab, you know,
a guy that would grab little animals, and I stayed
(33:00):
away from all those things. He would have. You know,
he'd have a little net where he would you know,
catch a eat, catch a mouse or rat or whatever.
He would catch a lizard, he would catch little things,
you know, and and just put him in a big
box and then hopefully some creature would come eat them.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Okay, your brother needed therapy, much much therapy.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Lout of therapy outside the gate. Though it was always
outside the gate because my mom would have killed him
if if that was inside our fence. That he had
this little box. But he had a little box outside
the fence that he would just throw little creatures in there,
and sometimes you know, they'd eat them, eat each other.
And then he would wait for the rattlesnake. If he
(33:46):
got a rattle snake, he was it was like the
best day of his life.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
He'd stay out there and wait for the rattlesnake to
eat the creatures.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
He would check it out. Yeah see, you see if
the rattlesnake came and ate the creature, because he would
trap them in there.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Well again again, you know what, you love your brother
and better he is yours and mine.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
I'll tell you that. Yeah, I didn't like it at all,
fred I didn't like it. I don't like it to
this day.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
All right, Ronnie, thank you, great job, great job, stay
away from Rodney's brother Kevin, have a terrific weekend, Good
Friday to you, and Rodney will do it again on Monday, Yes, sir,
Elligntin you on a two hour show today with the
Dodgers in Texas taking on the Rangers. Fred Rogan Rodney
Peete at AM five seventy l A Sports. All right,
so here's your weekend situation. Lakers at home against Minnesota,
Clippers take on Denver Monday, Kings take on Edmonton. But
(00:23):
let's get started with the NBA and we welcome in
our dear friend who is now getting ready for the
playoff push, Dan Whitki, Dan, Good afternoon to you guys.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
How are the Kings going to contain Wayne Gretzky and Messia?
I have no idea. I really like the Oilers in
this one, okay, who will slow down Ernest Gibbons and
Warren Moon exactly?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
And then you know McDavid because you're going off for
different eras and generations, So yeah, McDavid's in there too,
with all the young kids, all those great in sports.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Hi guys, Hello, Dan, Okay, here we go. You wrote
about Lucas' successes in the playoffs, and I asked Rodney earlier,
do you think when Nico Harrison or the MAVs were
considering this move they even entered that into the equation.
That he's pretty good in the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
I mean, yeah, I mean, I think it's pretty clear
they just thought it wasn't worth it, you know, for
whatever reason, right, and whether it was not trusting his body,
not trusting his work ethic, the defensive limitations whatever, right,
Like they thought it wasn't worth it. I think, you know,
(01:38):
the Lakers are about to find out a bunch of
the reasons why it is worth it, you know. And
it's that's not to say that in six years or
seven years, the Lakers won't be aggrieved in similar ways
or annoyed in similar ways. Like, we don't know, you know, honestly,
we don't know. I think it's foolish to think that
Nico Harrison had no reasons in doing this, right, Like,
(02:00):
I'm sure he had his reasons. It is just like
it is just such a weapon to have, and the
Lakers have a bunch of them. And it's not just
Luca right, It's Lebron James, it's Austin Revieves. You have
these guys that are big game, big moment players, and
that is all that's left for the Lakers, who've been,
by the way, a pretty good big game team this season.
(02:24):
They've got three of those guys, and they're not going
to play many series between now and whenever the season
ends against teams that have three of them. They got
to do it. They got to show up, They got
to perform the other guys, like like, it all matters
the guys in the Beatoy's gonna be hard time, I believe,
like everything matters in this stuff. But they've got it.
(02:44):
It's a pretty strong out of the blocks when you've
got Luca Dochs and Lebron James in particular, and you're
getting Luca I think at a time right now where
he's played, you know, over the last five games or so,
really since that Dallas game, or really since Oucal City
game I'm sorry two games before that, he's played his
best basketball of the year.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah. You know, when this happened, a lot of people
were like, oh, it came up with every reason why
this happened, why they made it, made the trade, why
Nico didn't taking the beer out of the hand, all
those kinds of things. How much do you actually believe
that they were reluctant to pay him the Supermax and
(03:25):
the money that's be part of it.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Do you think that was yeah, so Bratt Townsend, one
of my colleagues at the Dallas Morning News kind of
in the aftermath of the bizarre Nico Harrison press conference
where the media was only allowed to sketch drawings of
the participants instead of film it. The after that kind
of meeting, you know, he had he had a report
(03:48):
that you know, Dallas, I think he said was on
track to lose one hundred million dollars this year before
the docgas trade even right, well it's not Dan.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Dan is a franchise as an organization and a franchise, Okay,
all right, I hadn't heard that go.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Ahead, Yeah, you know, and so they had had not
like not to get too far in the weeds on this,
they had had kind of they were one of the
crestfallen I would say, in the local TV kind of
collapse that happened. Like they lost a bunch of RSN money.
They had to kind of fund their own you know,
obviously they were losing money in other front they I mean, look,
(04:24):
Mark Cuban sold the team right, like, you know, this
is a guy who literally literally has made it doing
business deals on television, you know what I mean, saw
this and decided it was time to be out. And
you know, I just think like there were, Yeah, there
were a bunch of reasons. It's not as simple as
defense wins championships. That may be the core basketball reason,
(04:49):
you know that that it was a belief and that
I mean, like Nico Harrison very close with Kobe Bryant.
I think outwardly, certainly you look at the way that
the with Dottich approaches basketball and you look at the
way Kobe Bryant approaches basketball. There's a difference in that,
and maybe that's what it was. But I look, I think,
(05:10):
especially with great players, you have to let people be
themselves to a degree, right, and at least at least
as the starting point, and then you can kind of
work in the other stuff. And you know, I think,
you know, Luca feels this way like Dallas gave up
on him, particularly Nico Harrison.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Gave up on him.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
I'm sorry, not the city, Nico Harrison gave up on him,
the organization gave up on him. He's gonna be as
motivated as ever to prove them wrong. In addition to
having the even bigger goal of winning his first championship.
And guys, the crazy thing to me about all of
this is when that deal was made. These were conversations
we were supposed to be having twelve months from now, right,
(05:49):
but it was going to take some time to build
out the right roster and make sure everything fit. It fits.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
It fits.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
It's not perfect, but it fits. It fits well. And
that's what I think Laker fans should be excited about.
It's what I'm running out tomorrow. The most important people
inside their locker room, the most experienced person in that
locker room. He thinks they're good enough.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
He believes it.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
They got to go do it. Talk about it doesn't matter,
but it starts with belief, and there's a real belief
that this team can win sixteen more games this season.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I want to go back to the thing you said,
which if that is true, that explains everything, and it
kind of got lost in translation. If Nico Harrison said,
you know, we're going to be in the hole here
one hundred million dollars, we're gonna come up showing a
hundred million in baseball. When that starts happening and somebody
says we're in trouble, boom, big name people go.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Immediately you start playing baseball in the Sacramento. You start
playing kids in reminder, the work in the Sacramento is
what happens.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah right, it happens all the time. And if that's
the case, then there you go.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah, I don't think fred it's like the sole reason.
And by the way, like not that I pretend to
know anything about high finance, Like you know, when your
net worth is in the ten and fifteen billion dollar range,
like a loss here or there is like you can
do a little creative account come tax time. You can
figure it out, you know. But I think it was
like certainly like if we don't trust the player, we
(07:21):
don't trust the body. We're going to give him the
richest contact contract in NBA history, and we're losing money
right now and we don't know when the faucets is
going to get turned back on. And you know, Nico
Harrison is, you know, talking about this this championship point
oo with Kyrie Irving, and we know he loves Anthony
Davis and we know he wants to play more defensive
style basketball. You start to kind of pieced all together,
(07:41):
and it's like that's how you tuck yourself into doing
something that on the face at least seems pretty dumb.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yeah, you start to get those business guys in your
ear instead of the basketball guys marketing guys.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I think it was both. I mean, like just to
be clear, Yeah, I think it was both.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
I think it was both guys are in your year.
But I'm saying you start listening. Wait a minute. Uh,
you know the bean countercat is. I'm having lunch with
him a little bit more than I would flip it.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I think the money part is the reason why they
might not have stopped it, because it doesn't seem like,
at least what I've heard out of Dallas, this is
not but like, this isn't a Mark Cuban cell ownership
or Terry Jones cell ownership where you're like in the like,
hey you know who we should trade type of meetings,
like what what. The way it's been sort of explained
to me over the last few months is that you
(08:32):
know that this was a Nico Harrison decision and like
like usually like in these cases, right when you do
something like this, like that's when like the GM can't
just trade Lucadatu's right, just like like Rob Plinkett, despite
his extension, couldn't just trade Lebron James like that has
to go all the way to the top of the organization,
you know, to make those types of decisions. Now, why
(08:55):
why would Patrick do not you know, not stop it?
And that's it. That's a question that I think, you know,
that's where the money comes in. That's where the fact
that you know, he's not a Texan, he's not like,
you know, hasn't been around the organization in the same way.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That's why you hear people like asking, like, why didn't
you ask Dirk Noviski what this meant to the city,
you know, and like, honestly, like I thought those two
sounding kind of like outsiders.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Which does not work in sports, by the way, No, no, no,
it doesn't.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
No.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Okay, So back to Luca, I mean, given his his
playoff history, damn uh. Now, when you look at the Lakers,
and we'll start with Minnesota, and you look at what
Luca has done, and you look at what Lebron should do. Uh,
does Minnesota win a game? No, theyn't win a game.
But could the Lakers win this thing in five?
Speaker 2 (09:49):
The Lakers could win this thing in five? Minnesota could
win the series though, Guys like it could happen and
not like it could like let's throw a punch and
see if it lands type of way. You know, this
was a team that was one win worse than the
Lakers this season. This was a team that, you know,
I think was like sixteen and four over its final
twenty one of the few teams in the league to
(10:09):
be in the top ten and offense and defensive rating,
which is sort of like the short end if you
want to figure out who the title contenders are, generally speaking,
you look to see which teams are in the top
ten of both. The Lakers aren't Minnesota is you know,
they've got they've got the kind of they've got the
star they've got. You know, everything that we said about
Luca to a degree is true about Anthony Edwards, Like
(10:31):
we're kind of waiting for them. I mean, he was
awesome in the playoffs last year. Awesome, got a little
banged up, ran out of team. Luca was a little
bit better, and that's how Dallas was able to close
them out in five. I think it's going to be
a very I think it's going to be a very
tight series. I expect the Lakers to win the series,
you know, and if they won it in five, I
wouldn't be shocked. I think I would be shocked if
(10:52):
they want it in five easily, if that makes sense,
Like they may they may win, they may have to
win three one possession games to do it. I think
it's really going to be that type of a series.
The exciting thing I think for Lakers fans and for
you know, what's in the with'sin the Lakers building is
like one, they understand that this isn't going to be
a lack of respect from them for the Minnesota Timberwolves,
(11:15):
and and and I think two is like, like we
really haven't seen them still play their best basketball. We
were getting a little bit of it, then Lebron James
got hurt. We're getting a little bit of it. And
then they clinch up their seating. You know, we we've
seen what they look like when they can go to
that gear. I'm really interested to see how that matches
(11:36):
up with the timber Wolves when when Minnesota tries to
get there too.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
I think it's yeah, and and and to me, I
don't know, I mean, I guess maybe it's obvious, but
the pressure, all the pressure is on the Lakers, and
if the Lakers, if they lose you know, one of
these first two games here, that becomes even more pressure,
you know, on the on the lakes.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Yeah, this stuff compounds, right, like you work really hard
from board of managing, and they may lose. They may
lose one of the first two games, certainly, right. I
think they've been a very good team at home this season.
They may lose one of the first two games. I think,
you know, I would, I would expect them to win
one of the two in Minnesota. But you know, they
didn't win there this year. They played two of their
(12:22):
worst games this season. We're in Minnesota. It's a really
hard place to play. They don't want to have lukad
in neither of those games. They didn't have Lebron James
in one of those games. They didn't have Austin Reeves
in one of those games. They really like I would,
I made a joke in the press from earlier today
about how, you know, I don't normally break down old film,
but you know I watched that game, the first game
that they played Minnesota. In my big my big takeaway
(12:44):
was Howard the Tumble was going to slow down Arnell
Trey Ore because he played in that game. Yeah, you know,
and and they wore the they wore the Cursed Lake
Show jerseys, like a lot has changed. Those jerseys have
been rich, realistically burned, and you know, the roster's totally
turned over. So we don't really know how these teams
(13:06):
match up. But I think, I think, yeah, I mean,
it's there's there's no sort of there's no sort.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Of dan even game one. If the Timberwolves steal Game one,
sure that's a whole different dynamic than for for the
Lakers and for the narrative and for the pressure that automatically,
all of a sudden it changes and it falls on
the Lakers.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
The thing, though, is is that you would you would hope,
you would hope that this team would be fairly unaffected
by pressure as much as you can be. Right, Like,
you've got Lebron James who has seen and done everything right.
You have Luka Dantic who has gone deep in the
playoffs too. Of the last three years, Rustern Commerce Finals,
(13:53):
NBA Finals, last year. You have you know, Austin Reeves
has been to the conference finals already. It's not like
he has not played in big games.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
He has.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
And you know, sure you have a rookie head coach
and jj Redick. But there's a guy who's played in
the NBA finals, who's made deep playoff runs with the
teams you know who played in the Final four. You know,
like he's played.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Like.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
They've been tested in their own ways over the years.
It's not a young team. I wouldn't expect it to
be pressure like. If Minnesota beats them, it's not because
the pressure got to them. It's gonna be like, and
this is reductionary. It's gonna because they play better, like
and they're capable, and they're capable of playing.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
I'm saying they win the first game all of a sudden. Sure,
you know that's all. That's all everybody's talking about.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Yeah, for sure, can't go into it, right, But if
you go into if you go into and then you
go one and two, and then you go too on two,
it's it's it's I think I think they understand that
that it's a race to four. Right now. You do
bring up a little bit of an interesting player around me,
and I think that's different about this team and say
last year's team is like, I just I really just
(15:02):
think that Lebron believes more in this team. Yeah, I
just think there's more beliefs, and that's not a shot
at Anthony Davis, not necessarily a shot at Darwinhem. I
just think I just think that, like, you know, you
go down oh one to Denver, you know, in the
last second shot and it's like, oh, beleef, here we
go again, you know. And I just think that. I
(15:23):
just think that they think they've got more room from
margin because because of the like because probably because of
Luca Dan.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
I just think the Lakers and I Rodney really disagrees
with this, probably everybody disagrees. I think the Lakers are
playing with house money. I think, uh, lucas here, they
have kilt far better than anybody expected them to and quicker.
I think the excitement win or lose for the future
is going to be really high. So I think they're
(15:53):
playing with house money. Luca just got here, look where
they're at. Everybody go out there and do your best.
Let's see if we can win one. But if not,
it doesn't temper the enthusiasm that'll be around for next year,
and I know the pressure.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I agree with that. I agree with that. I just
I think, you know, we talked to Lebron today that
practice and one of the things that I asked him
about was sort of like, you know, or I forget
somebody somebody might have been curtandable or somebody asked him
about kind of like you know, the playoffs and like
(16:26):
where you need to be at to like to get
it done, you know, and he's like, you know, first
you got to be healthy, right, Like he's forty years old,
that he's been doing for for twenty two seasons. Relatively speaking,
he's healthy right now, you know, Like the last time
we saw him, Yeah, he limped off the court. I
asked him if he was good. He said he was available.
(16:47):
That's very much not saying I'm good, but you know
he's available. I think the uh, I think that's like
you know what I mean, where you want to take
advantage of the opportunities when they're here. I don't think
the Lakers are viewing this as house money. I think,
particularly guys after the game in Dallas, there was a
(17:07):
sense within the locker room that this team had come together,
and it come together in a way that was meaningful
enough that it was more than just sort of a well,
maybe if everything goes right, we can be in the
NBA Finals. I like, I think there are This is
not a team that thinks it's going to be in
the playoffs for two weeks now. It doesn't matter if
(17:29):
you think it, you like again, you gotta go do it.
But I think there's a real belief. That's the word
I'm gonna use a lot. It's belief that this is
the ingredients are there for a for a sustained run
and if they don't make it, they will feel like
they lost more than house money.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Yeah, I agree with that. I agree that they felt
after that Dallas and the and the excitement and all
of that that went along with it, that they feel
like they got a shot to make a real run.
And if they don't, if they don't make a real run,
not saying that, you know, all his laws for next
year and they're gonna be down and it's rebuilt, but
(18:08):
they feel like they this is, this is their moment.
I I do believe that that this is a moment
that they could capture this year and if they and
if they don't, then it it's gonna be a it's
gonna be a disappointment because they feel like they can
they can do it this year. Now we talked about this, Dan,
who's got more pressure on them to go deep. Is
(18:32):
it Luca in this town or is it James Harden
where the Clippers are right now and what he's done
down the stretch and his legacy going forward, Who's got
more pressure to perform?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
I mean I think like certainly, like locally, people want
to see Luca and want to see like what he's
got in this situation. In terms of like overall like
overarching narratives, I mean, yeah, like this is it's been
a while since James Harden has had a chance is
good to put together a deep run. It's been a while,
(19:03):
and this is a player who is who has struggled
in the postseason, especially as the runs have gotten deeper. Uh.
He has played a style this year where I think
he has done a much better job of sharing some
of that burden with guys like Norman Powell. Particularly our
last swinging is like Kawhi Leonard. But like if you
t Zubats, like, you know, they've they've had They've had
(19:26):
multiple guys that have been eating. It hasn't just been Harden.
Harden's had an All NBA year. We don't vote for
wards of the LA times. I would vote for James Harden.
On an All NBA team this year pretty pretty easily. Actually,
he's been terrific and I think, yeah, I mean, like again,
you don't know how many christs you ever get at
this stuff. Kawhi Leonard is healthy today. You know, like
(19:49):
you maximize that, Like you have to feel like you
have to maximize that. And that's what's great about the
playoffs right now, guys, this is like if we're talking
big pusher narrative stuff, there's another thing that's kind of
looming in all of this that like it sort of
goes unspoken around the NBA, but it's like definitely a
real thing. There is like a seven foot ten dude
waiting for everybody in San Antonio right that that will come,
(20:12):
that will come to wreck worlds. Like there is a
sense that like this is going to happen eventually where
he may just be unstoppable. So win them now, if
you if you if you're if you want to win them,
win them now, because like once, like the Spurs figured
it all out around Victor woman Yama, it might just
(20:35):
be curtains for everybody else for a little while.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
All right, Well, Dan, thank you for joining the show
on this good product.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Can I tell can I tell you if what that?
What the real highlight was for me? Hearing Rodney say
here and Rodney say, Dan, I think you're right. It's
good to be bad Rodney.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
Hey, I can confirm that doesn't happen very often.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah, come on, feels great?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
All right, have a good weekend, Dan, All right, guys,
enjoy the game. Dodger take on the Texas Rangers tonight
with the first pitch at five oh five. Listen to
every Dodger game on AM five seventy LA Sports and
stream all the games and HD and the iHeartRadio app
The Keyword and five seventy LA Sports. Hoffey hot Dogs
two packages for just five bucks at your local Albertson's
and bond today only on hofy thirteen point five. Ouncers
(21:25):
Hafey the best.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Always the best. Damn right they are? All right? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Uh, Dodgers in Texas. Should they make a lineup change?
Let's talk about it?
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Yes, you are Rogan and Rodney on a Friday short show. Today.
Dodgers are in Texas and Arlington and Globe Life Field,
and there might be some interesting things happen at Globe
Life right like what well, there's rumors fred there's rumors
(22:05):
out there that they, uh, you know, Eddie Rosario, is
that globally be called up. There might be some guys
gotta you know, get an opportunity to play at Globe
Life against the Rangers this weekend.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Well, he is there, you're right, David Vesse saw him. Yeah,
they haven't announced a roster move yet, but he's in
the clubhouse. So if they're announcing a roster move, what
do you think that roster move could be, Rodney, honestly,
you any idea.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
I have no idea what that roster move could be.
But you know, here we are still in early in
the season. I know they're gonna they're going to you know,
play with different rosters and bring up guys. Guys are
you know, little dinged up. They're not gonna mess with
them to make a you know, to make a long
term situation or a short term situation worse by playing
(22:54):
a guy who may be a little nicked, and they
want to, you know, this is the time to experiment
and see, you know what they got. If a guy
is a little injured, then let's sit him down. Let's
bring somebody up and let him play. If not, let's
see what we're doing. This is the the April and
May is experimentation time. Figure out who's who, what's what,
(23:21):
and then when we get to June, you get a
pretty good idea of what the roster in that day
to day lineup is going to pretty much beat.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Yeah, okay, well, I'm not sure who's dinged up, but
I guess we're gonna find out if somebody is because
he's in the clubhouse. And you remember he did a
number on the Dodgers a couple of years back in
the NLCS, so he's there. He had a good spring.
It's not a minor league deal. He's a big leaguer
(23:51):
and uh okay.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
And I will say too, not necessarily versatile where you
can plug him anywhere. He's strictly an outfielder. Yeah, so,
not a guy that can play a little at third
and a little at.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
First, Taylor, any of those guys. He is an outfielder
through and through, So.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
That might give you a hint test to where there
might be a potential J.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Correct me if I'm wrong. He's a corner outfielder.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Too, mostly corner.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
I loved looking at his his stats throughout his career
and where he's played. He's mostly in the corners. Yes,
so he can play a little bit of center if
he need be, but mostly a corner outfielder.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
So anyway he is there. Here's a question, are you
really getting your money's worth out a show? Hao Tony
leaguing off right now? Here's why bottom half of the
order is struggling. Oh, Tani is a guy that can
drive in runs. So you know, it's a bonus. You've
got an incredible hitter leading off. Somebody can drive in run,
somebody with great speed. But right now he's not getting
(24:44):
the opportunities because nobody gets on bass. Is that a
wasted opportunity having him lead off Rodney if the bottom
half of the order can't get on.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Base, No, no, it is not. It is not they
tweak the bottom half. Don't tweak the t half. I
think we tweaked it enough last year, you know, listen,
and we don't talk about it enough. How unselfish it
was for Muki to give up the leadoff spot last year.
(25:15):
You know, he got hurt. Before he got hurt, people
forget this. Before Mooki got injured, Muki was on. He
was the leading candidate for MVP of the National League,
and of course Otani caught fire and it was fifty
to fifty club and all that kind of stuff in
a once in a lifetime season and won the MVP.
(25:36):
But if you go back a year ago, Mookie Betts
was on a tear and the front runner to win MVP.
He got hurt. They moved to Tani to the leadoff spot,
and then there was a big debate of whether when
Mooki comes back, does he take over the leadoff spot
or do they move into the second second spot and
(25:58):
then let Otani continue to be the leadoff guy. And
they decided to let Otani be the leadoff guy. Not
only that, they Muki was willing to move back to
right field because he had missed so much time. So
there was a lot of unselfishness on the part of
Muki Betts. So, no, this is not a time to
(26:20):
start moving around Otani. He had the most incredible seasons
as anyone can have leading off. Do not move him
in that lineup.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, and here's the thing, I don't think you should
move him either. But honestly, at this point, and I
understand Muki made an adjustment hitting second, I think to
maximize Otani and obviously this is not going to continue
the whole year where guys in the bottom of the
order aren't going to hit or get on base. But
it makes you think, okay, just theoretically, if they're not
(26:52):
doing that, are you really maximizing Otani? If you have
Muki leadoff, for example, Muki gets on Otani in, I
guess you can turn around and say, yeah, but if
Otani gets on Mooki knocks him exactly exactly, I guess
you could say that. But if the bottom throwt of
the order doesn't come around, and it will, We're three
(27:13):
weeks in.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
It will.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
It's not a problem. But if it didn't, I don't know,
maybe then maybe then you would look at this and go,
it's something we should consider because you've got to maximize everybody.
And now I'm really concerned about who Rosario was here for.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
You don't concern You don't change up. First of all,
you don't change up the top three. It was magical
for you last year. I don't think you changed that
up at all. And and what you just said, it
doesn't matter if Otani gets on Mookie hits him in.
If Moki hits on, Otani hits him in and then
you got Freddy right behind that. So that top three,
(27:51):
I think it's solidified. I think Freddy is got comfortable
in the third spot. Muki's got comfortable in the second spot.
I think Mooki likes that spot too now because more
often than not he's gonna have O tany on base
to drive him in or to move him around. So
you don't mess with that. If anything, you start tweaking
(28:13):
the bottom half of the lineup. If you got to
put Tommy Edmond, which he did a lot last year,
where Tommy Edmund hit eighth or ninth, and uh, you
know Gavin Lux who got hot, was down at the
bottom of the bottom of the order. You tweaked that
as opposed to messing with the top of the lineup.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Yeah, well, if it continues, obviously there will be some
sort of tweak. All right, And our two hour show,
we're back to put about one things. Oh Ronnie, come on, Ronnie,
(28:59):
you did not hit me with the lady cab driver
on a Friday.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
It's time to roll. Come on, Prince Rodney, Pete Fred
Rogan short show today, two hours. We end up out
of here in a few minutes. Wrap it up. Freddy,
wrap it up for us, tell me what you know?
All right?
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Well, athlete performance of the week goes to Patrick Corbin,
the pitcher. He beat the angels well all right, and
he used to pitch for the angels, but he beat
the angels, you know, all right? Why is he the
athlete of the week. He did it despite suffering from
a painful, venomous bite from an unknown creature. Something bit him, something,
(29:36):
It was inflamed. He that hurts, and he went out
there and he pitched and he did it. He beat
him after getting hit with a venomous bite from an
unknown creature. You gotta give that guy credit.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Is that where you're leaving it?
Speaker 1 (29:55):
That's why I'm leaving it.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
You know what that is? Wait? Wait, an unknown creature.
I don't like that. I don't like that at all.
I'm I'm I'm just and Holly hates me for this
because I can't stand certain things. The animals, certain like
rodents drove me crazy, right, I can't stand rats. I
(30:17):
see a rat. I just I turned into a little, tiny,
thirteen year old scary boy. I don't like rats. I
don't like rodents, I don't like possums are my number
one though. I can't bad possums. You know you've had
the encounter with possums, right, you can speak to it.
(30:37):
I don't like possums at all. But yeah, the rodent thing.
But but then the unknown, the unknown bite. You don't
know where it came from, he said.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
He talked to the doctors. He said, well, they said
something bit me, but they don't know what it was,
and neither do I.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
It's super weird. But if that was in your sleep,
you don't know. Something bit you while you were sleeping
in your bed. Bed bug not a bed bug because
it's not usually venomous, but there's a there's a creature
that is biting you while you're sleeping. I think.
Speaker 4 (31:14):
I want to highly doubt that. Fresh no go on
a lemon, say, I don't think it was.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
A Yeah, thank God. About the rattlesnakes, you can hear
them coming, you know, because quote hence the rattle that
they have on their tails. He is a love. You know,
growing up in Arizona, you know rattlesnakes. You can hear
them a mile away, and you know some were pets.
And I was actually friendly with some rattlesnakes. I'm okay,
with the rattlesnakes. But it's the other things, the little
(31:39):
What do.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
You mean you're friendly with rattlesnakes.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Yes, I'm friendly with the rattlesnakes. They you know, we
used to have, you know, outside you know you live
in Arizona. You live in a desert. Like behind your
gate is a desert, and before everything got built up there,
you know, your backyard was basically desert. So rattlesnakes would
come up from time to time and rattle snakes. You know,
(32:05):
my brother who was crazy, you still love to feed
the rattlesnakes from time to time. What do you mean
I didn't like it? Yeah, he get right up there
and they take it out of his hand. Not out
of his hand, but you know he would put you know,
he would build. He would build like a little box
and and he would store like rodents. He would find
(32:28):
a squirrel or rat or whatever and throw it in
the box, and the rattlesnakes would come and and have
a feast.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Was there a specific time every day, like dinner?
Speaker 3 (32:38):
Was it five? No, it wasn't. He didn't know. He
didn't he didn't ring the bell and go. But you know,
he definitely would find anything he could find, and he
was he was an animal cat that would grab, you know,
a guy that would grab little animals, and I stayed
(33:00):
away from all those things. He would have. You know,
he'd have a little net where he would you know,
catch a eat, catch a mouse or rat or whatever.
He would catch a lizard, he would catch little things,
you know, and and just put him in a big
box and then hopefully some creature would come eat them.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Okay, your brother needed therapy, much much therapy.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Lout of therapy outside the gate. Though it was always
outside the gate because my mom would have killed him
if if that was inside our fence. That he had
this little box. But he had a little box outside
the fence that he would just throw little creatures in there,
and sometimes you know, they'd eat them, eat each other.
And then he would wait for the rattlesnake. If he
(33:46):
got a rattle snake, he was it was like the
best day of his life.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
He'd stay out there and wait for the rattlesnake to
eat the creatures.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
He would check it out. Yeah see, you see if
the rattlesnake came and ate the creature, because he would
trap them in there.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Well again again, you know what, you love your brother
and better he is yours and mine.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
I'll tell you that. Yeah, I didn't like it at all,
fred I didn't like it. I don't like it to
this day.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
All right, Ronnie, thank you, great job, great job, stay
away from Rodney's brother Kevin, have a terrific weekend, Good
Friday to you, and Rodney will do it again on Monday, Yes, sir,
Roggin And Rodney News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
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
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!