September 24, 2025 • 33 mins
Bob Nightengale from USA Today joins us to talk about the Dodgers' bullpen struggles, the tight NL playoff race and more. Fred has an interesting idea of how the Dodgers should handle their bullpen in the postseason and Rodney isnt fully on board.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, we continue on Fred Rogan Rodney Pete on
a five seventy LA Sports just a two hour program
for us today. So let's continue on here quickly, and
welcome from USA today, our good friend Bob Nightingale and Bob,
how are you.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah doing? Good friends? Are you ready?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hey? Bob? Bob? I got to start with this, Bob,
because Fred ended the last hour with their rant. And
as you know, you know, most Dodger fans are done
with the Dodger bullpen. Especially I think Tanner Scott and
Kirby Yates has not panned out the way everybody thought
(00:39):
they would. They paid Tanner Scott a lot of money
in the offseason to be their closer. He's not had
a well to say he's not had a good year
is really being kind and being generous and now, and
that's the guy that I am. I'm kind and generous, Bob.
But Fred suggested that you scrap the bullpen. Now wait
(01:01):
a minute, wait, wait one second, one second, then you finish. Okay,
all right. My point, Bob is the bullpen is a
dumpster fire. Let's start with that. My point is the
Tanner Scott at this point, maybe next year it'll be
different at this point, cannot be trusted. Okay, Now keep
(01:24):
those two things in mind. Go ahead, Rodney. Okay. So
he's suggesting in the where is now where the Dodgers
are going to play in that three game wild Card
series that you say you start with Snell, Yamamoto, and
Otani plays, you know, pitches the third game if if
need be, after those guys that you have immit Chian
(01:49):
and Clayton Kershaw ready to go in the bullpen to
finish it out, and you scrap what you've been doing
all year long with the bullpen and allow those two
guys because Immachian has been really good, Kershaw has been
fantastic this year. And you allow those guys to come
in after you've allowed Snell to go seven whatever he goes,
(02:13):
or Yamamoto goes seven to eight, whatever he goes, and
and then and then Otani at the end of the day,
whereever he goes, you bring in Kershaw, you bring in
uh Immachian to close it out. After that, there's no
closer now, no closer. Yeah, guys, finish it up. Those guys.
Guys when they come in, however long they have to go,
they go, what do you think of that plan. Is
(02:37):
that your plan or Romney's, but I have to that's
my plan.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Okay, I agree with that. I think that's gonna happen.
I think it's see Kershaw pitch tonight. Sheehan definitely going
to pitch in the bullfender in the playoffs. And you're right,
who can you trust in late innings? You know, Kershaw's
not afraid. And that was in Dave Roberts last night.
That's about as upset out seen him after a regular
season game. And he says, Hey, you know Kershaw is
(03:04):
not going me scared? Why not try him as a closer?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Hey, Bob, you know, saying that, who's staying on that? Bob?
And I'm I know fred Fredi smiling in her ear
to hear you agreed with him. So I'm gonna let him.
I'm gonna let him get in on that. But just
those comments from those comments from Dave Roberts at the
end of the game saying, you know, certain guys who
are afraid, they're afraid to go in the moment, are
(03:30):
afraid to compete. That that spoke volumes to me of
him saying that after a game.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Like that, Oh, absolutely, you usually don't see comments that's
strong from Dave or any manager. That's a little bit
old school. They could say back, you know, ten fifteen
years ago. But I think that's how what stt he
was for him to say, hey, you know, either you're
scared or you're pitching too careful. But in the bottom line,
(04:00):
it was just inexcusable to blow a four a zero late.
Everything that Otani did, you know, went to waste.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
See here's how I look at it. Desperate times require
desperate measures. And it's funny if we think back to
last year, Bob, it was a bullpen that saved them.
There were no starters. It was the bullpen that actually
won them the World Series. All right. Now this year
it's different. Now you have starters, but it's the bullpen
that is questionable at best. And I would rather roll
(04:29):
the dice. If Snell goes five innings, Emitchien goes to
final four, If Yamamoto goes six innings, Kershaw goes to
final three. I know it sounds strange, but if a
starter goes in, you assume the starter can pitch three
(04:50):
or four innings. They're starters. You don't have to gamble
with the bullpen. And maybe it's an idea that would
blow up, but I'll tell you, I think it's a
better idea than what they're doing now.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah, I mean you can still have guys like Jack
Dryer and Vessia eat up some innings. But uh, yeah,
the only question is, you know she hands the starter.
Obviously you can't use them back to back days. You
know that's a concern. You sort of can't use Kershaw
back to back days. Sure got to mix in some
other guys, But yeah, Fred, I think that I think
(05:25):
that's gonna be the game plan. I really do. You can't.
They don't know who to trust in the back end.
I mean, you know Tanner Scott, Tim Blown Saves. Uh,
you know you can't count on Tanner Scott in the
playoffs at this juncture. You know, Kirby Gates. I'm not
sure if it's gonna be played on the injury list
or not. Uh, there's no one to rely on. But
you know that, you know, nobody's got more guts than Kershaw.
(05:46):
Why not?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
So okay, So that being said, Bob, because the starters
have been so good, is it a thought process with
the Dodgers that hell, let's let's let let's let let's
let our starters go. Let's go back to the nineties.
Let's go back to the eighties where our starters. Let
them do a complete game, let them go to the ninth,
(06:10):
let them go all the way as deep as they
can go in the playoffs, because you've you've got a
strong starting staff that you know, guy's not gonna pitch
on two days three days rest. You've got enough guys
that why not let Blake Snell go a complete game
if he's rolling.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
No, I agree with that. Yeah, let's let them write
him as long as you can. I think that's why
they had oton and go six sentnings. I think that's
why Dave Roberts. Let Snell pitch out the seventhe or day.
Give those guys confidence and so that they can do it.
I agree, you know, and then you're gonna, you know,
some other guys spin in like last Now, I mean,
he can startly pitch you know, three four innings too. Uh,
(06:55):
But yeah, I think they're gonna have to go that
way in the Washington Nashvills when the rules is in
twenty nineteen. Yeah, having their starters pitch in the bullpen
on the throwing day sessions, Like right now, this is
the only day you can use Kershaw on the bullpen
because he's supposed to start on Sunday. But yeah, you
can certainly do that a lot or the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Bob, when we look at everything now as we as
we get down to the wire, Uh, do you agree
with this? I think whoever wins the World Series will
come out of the National League. Is that an overstatement?
Speaker 2 (07:32):
I agree with that. I me he's still wondering about
the Yankees, and of course Seattle's got the great pitching.
But no, I think the National legueam will be favorite
for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, and Bob, at this point, you know, Dodgers losing,
Padres are in a dog fight. Now now they're playing Milwaukee,
so we'll see what happens with that. Does it matter
at this point Dodgers Padres, who wins the division, they're
gonna have to either one of them is gonna play
that three game series and they're gonna have it's gonna
be an uphill battle. You know, whoever they play, they
(08:01):
don't have an easy road anyway, So it doesn't really matter,
or does it.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
No, The only advantage is like if you can host
that three game series right now. You know the Diggers
would host it. Uh. The Potteries are also fighting the
Cubs for that top wild card spot. They look for
those three games via Peto instead of Brigley Field. And
if you can help it, you'd love to be another bracket.
(08:29):
You don't, you really don't want to face the Phillies
and division series, you know, going to playoffs. The Phillies
are fothering going me a slight favorite, it'd be a
heavy favorite. They don't ask Dack Wheeler.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You don't want to face the Phillies, or you don't
want to face the Brules.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
The Phillies just if that rotation is so strong, Remember
the Brewers just lost Brandon Woodruff, their number two starter,
you know, terrible injury. Their closer McGill is still then out. Uh,
you really don't want to face the Phillies. Uh, that's
a great rotation. It would have been, you know, lights
out of Zach Wheeler is still there. So if you're
the Dodgers and you you know, whoever you played in
(09:09):
the wildcard game, whether it's the Matt's Diamondbacks or Reds,
you know, then you go on to Philly from there.
And I think that that Dodger. If it's a Dodger
Philly series, I think that's a true NLCS. I think
those were the two best teams in National League.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Yeah, and if you're the Dodgers, you definitely want to
win a division, so you get all those three games
at home.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yeah if you way, uh you know, or even if
you're the number four seeds, so they should get off
three at home. Uh, that's what the Potters are fighting for,
even they don't win the division, so at least send
to you win the division, then you get the home
field advantage in the division series too, So you get
three of those five games at Dodger Stadium, and of
course all three at Dodger Stadium in the first wildkai rounds.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Our guest is Bob Nightingale USA today. So, Bob, uh,
as we look at the battle down the stretch here
as we go down the home straight, whose chances do
you like the best? Now? You said the Phillies. Okay,
who's going to be that final wild card?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I'll still go to Cincinnati. I just think, you know,
the Mets have choked so bad. We'll see what they
do here. They've got five games, uh, five games left,
They've got three on Miami. Miami's you know, led by
uh playing McCollough, the former Dodger bench coach. He's done
a magnificent job and they played well. So I don't
think the Mets are just gonna go in there suite
(10:40):
and they're not sweeping anybody. Cincinnati has the tiebreaker over
both both teams. You know, here and here's the Diamondbacks.
And they gave up with the trade deadline. There's the
reasons shadow he just won the division of I give
him Josh Steeler and Givannio Suarez. You know, trade away Merrill, Kelly,
trade away five guys in the front office, completely away
the flag, and here they are still standing.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Is my violin I didn't know it is that they
traded away those guys that the trade deadline, and yet
they're still in the hunt for a wild card. Just
imagine if they still had those guys. Hey, hey, Bob,
not to switch too much gears here, but who's your
(11:22):
American League MVP?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yell a little bit on this, uh in September right now?
You know, I got to go cal Raleigh over Aaron Judge.
I know Judge has got you know, better numbers and stuff.
But Raleigh is a catcher. But the fact that Paron
about to win the first Division title into you know,
since two thousand and one, they don't do that without
(11:48):
Cal Raleigh. I think it goes to Raleigh. And if
people want to point out stats, but it's not the
best players, the most valuable, you know, you remember, you know,
it's going back a while, but nineteen eighty eight, Kurt Gibson,
he led the Dodgers in the World Series. Daryl Strawberry's
numbers were night and date better than Gibson, but Gibson
(12:09):
was just so valuable to the Dodgers that got him there.
And the you know, the Mets were a star started team.
So I think to the same thing here, like you
don't have to have the best numbers, but you know,
you're still talking about a guy who should see if
Gate home runs as the catcher you know most ever, uh,
I think I would give it to Roley right now?
Speaker 1 (12:28):
How about the nationale go TONI.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, he should be unanimous. Uh, I don't even think that,
you know, if there's two votes for every Cydy, I
don't even think either voter or in Philadelphia will give
you know, Schwarmer the vote. So no, I think I
think he went to the game unanimous.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
All right, well, we appreciate you coming on, Bob, and
thanks for thinking my idea was good, because that's really
all after that, it was all gravy for me.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Oh yeah, I think you're gonna say it. I mean,
I think we're gonna see uh if they had the lead.
I think we're seeing curshat tonight. Be pretty cool to
see him on the mound last year closing games out
for the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Let's go. I'm Nightingale. I'm with you. Thanks for coming on, Bob.
We appreciate it. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
My pleasure. Take it, guys, my pleasure. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
All right, score big with flooring from Hernande's Wholesale Flooring
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So when we come back, Rodney, because we are magnanimous people,
I will give you an opportunity when we come back,
(13:37):
just briefly, okay, to explain why the idea will not work.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Make AM five to seventy la sports a preset before
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Speaker 1 (13:56):
That's right. Many thanks to our man Bob Nightingale for
joining us and giving assus insights and including the grain
with Fred, which is rather unusual. But it's all good
short show for us at two hours today for us.
So we're on and off all right. Uh. I gave
the idea I will give you if you choose not to,
(14:18):
that's fine. If you choose not to, understood, but do
you want to now? And you did a bit earlier
present the counterpoint too, We're could just use Emmachan and
Clayton Kershaw and if they comment in the fifth inning
or sixth, they're going the distance. That's the idea. So
no matter when they come in, they're going to distance, right,
(14:42):
that's it. They're starters. They can pitch six innings, they
can pitch six so if it but but you're assuming
that it absolutely goes well for those guys. iMac And
has had his moments, and he's been great, Don't get
me wrong, he's been great. He's been one of the
most consistent starters for the Dodgers outside of their you know,
first five that they've had and Clayton. Kershaw's had an
(15:06):
unbelievable year in his final season. But if say Yamamotos,
you know, goes five and his pitch count is way
up there, and he's laboring through five, and you bring
in Kershaw in the sixth, and Kershaw goes sixth and
the seventh. In the eighth, he's rolling and dealing, and
(15:28):
then and then in the eighth he starts to kind
of struggle a little bit. Who are you bringing in?
Are you still gonna let him go?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Are you?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Are you You got to go to the bullpen at
some point, don't you? Yeah, if need be. What I'm
saying is you can't just need blindly let him go.
You got to have somebody ready to go with a bullpen, right, Okay,
then we'll it'll be Alex Vesia. Okay, I don't know. Well,
there'll be somebody ready. But the theory is, because we're
(15:56):
struggling a bit here trusting people, you're gonna let some
out of the situation. You're gonna let them work out
or whatever they're in. M h. Well, it's better than
what's going on. No, true, I agree, That's all I'm saying. Look, yeah,
it sounds insane and desperate. I agree on one hundred
(16:17):
thousand percent, so better than this. Yeah, So we're in
a serious So we've got right now, we've got what
We've got five legitimate, real big time starters, right yep,
if you know, if you if you really think about it, Blake, Snell, Yamamoto,
(16:38):
Tyler glass now, shoe A, Otani and Clayton has been
great and and and so we're moving. We're thinking in
the playoffs, you're gonna need what four, right, you need
four good starters that you can start and and yeah,
(17:00):
in the postseason you need four starters. Right, well, let's
do this. Let's do this. Okay, you're right, but let's
just start with this right now, we need three Okay,
let's start with that. Okay, Okay, So we decided and
I don't know, maybe Otani pitches the first game, I
don't know, but it's gonna be Otani, Yamamoto, and Snell
Fair those are gonna be the three in the wildcard.
(17:25):
I think Otani of late has really overtaken Tyler glass
even though Tyler glassau has been great the last half
of the season. He's been great. But I think if
you got you got three games to win, and if
it comes down to a third game where it's tied,
you're pitching Otani instead of Glass. Now, okay, done. So
it's gonna be those three, whatever order you picked them,
(17:48):
it's gonna be snell Yamamoto, Otani, mix them up, whatever
those three. So now we have Kershaw, Glass now and Amasian.
We only got three games and wholefull you only have two?
All right? Got two? Okay, all right? So uh we're
gonna start snell Yep, he goes five good innings. No,
(18:12):
that's smells Zilla. We're talking about my guy. How long?
How long were we going? Eight? He going eight? Smell
Zilla is going eight, and he's shaking Dave Roberts off
if he comes to get him in the seventh. Snell
Zilla's going eight. Why you putting your head down? Snell
Zilla's going In fact, snell Zilla might go a complete
(18:36):
game to start this bad boy off. That's what I'm
talking about. You give me a three game still agree
a three game series, and we started off, and I
don't care who we play. Smell Zilla on the hill,
he going he going at least eight. He may go
complete game. Okay, and that's a possibility. No, man, it
ain't no possibility to reality. Okay, so right, that's a reality.
(19:01):
That's your reality in some places. But if it's not
a reality. Talking about giving the bullpen, Fred, which we're
talking about right now, I know, given the bullpen? Are
you letting smell Zilla go? Or are you pulling him
into seventh? They're not. He's not doing one hundred and
forty pitches, Rodney, care what it is? It's the playoffs,
(19:21):
get all off season and recover. Okay, that's fair. That's
the first round of the playoffs. I might okay, these
first three games. Okay, all right, So let's say, for
an argument's sake, he goes six seven, let's bets meet
in the middle. Okay, fine, he goes six and a third. Okay,
(19:45):
let's just say that, Rodney, please, okay, go ahead. Now,
Now we have to get the end of six, seven,
eight and nine. So we got three and two thirds innings.
We've got to fill three and two thirds innings. We
have Kershaw class now.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
And she in.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Okay, who's going to be that three and two thirds
inning guy? Tonight? One of them go get in there
and if they get in trouble, oh well, then you're screwed.
But you also do have what you are. So then
(20:31):
then you have Jack Dryer emergency bailout man, you have Vessia.
That's who you have. Who you have, what's you're gonna
put in? Seriously? And Rique, we can throw one hundred
(20:51):
and fifty miles an hour. Everybody got hit last night.
I guess you roll the dice on him. Maybe I
heard the other day says he could be the X factor.
Fred Sazaki will be there tonight. Okay, let's put it.
He should be in the game tonight. He should pitch
tonight at some point. Let's see. Because we don't have
(21:13):
a lot of time to figure this out anymore. We
gotta And now that's brilliant. This is good news. Help
has arrived. This is great. Brock Stewart, what happened? This
is the guy we want. This is the guy that's
gonna make a difference in the bullpen. He's done. He
(21:37):
just got here, he got hurt, he's out. It's like
he didn't trade for anybody. Where is he? You get pitched?
So so now what we're gonna do. Now, what we're
gonna do is somebody goes six and change boom If
(21:59):
Sazaki can do what he's in. I can't even believe
I'm saying that he's in he finishes. Okay, wait, wait,
does Suzaki finish? Yes? Or do you bring Sasaki in
right away to see if he's got it and if
he doesn't have it, then you can go to Kershaw,
Tyler Glass, now somebody else. Well, what you do is
(22:19):
you figure it out, like tonight or tomorrow. But you
figure it out and you don't If you look like
you're confident, you're you're confident in the two starters or
three starters, including she Hen. So if you're going she
Hand Glass now and Kershaw in the bullpen, you feel
confident that those guys are gonna because they've been pretty
consistent for you all year long. They can handle it.
(22:42):
The wild card is Suzaki. You know, Bessie has been
pretty good when he you know, it was great before
he got hurt, and he got hurt and then he
struggled a little bit and he's kind of been now.
I think he's coming back. But do you do you
at six and a third, bring in Suzaki and let
(23:03):
him go as long as he can go, and then
bring in one of the guys that you trust or
do you bring in glass now and glass now is
great for two innings and then you got to pull
them in the ninth, and then you go to Suzaki,
which you don't know about because he hadn't pitched. What
you do is, whoever comes in your plan at any point,
(23:25):
is you're it? Okay? But the rest of the right
what if they're not it you? That's the issue. No,
I understand. I mean it's not like you can pitch Kershaw,
Sazaki and class now in relief from the same game. No,
that doesn't work. No, no, no, No, you're pitching one
of those guys, one of those starters is pitching a game.
(23:46):
So you're not using Kershaw glass Now in the same game.
You're not using Kershaw and and and uh she and
in the same game. You using one of those guys
in one particular game. Right, So it's it's Kershaw coupled
with Sazaki or Vessia whoever else is coming in the
back end. So you're saying Sazaki is gonna come in
(24:09):
and close. No, I'm asking you, do you do you
bring Suzaki in after after Yamamoto goes six and a
third of lights out, do you bring Suzaki in first
to see if he can handle it, and then bring
Kershaw or Glass now and are she and Inn or
do you bring Kershaw Glass now? Are She and Inn
(24:31):
to see if they can close it out? And if
they can't and they get in trouble in the ninth,
then you're going to Sazaki. Well, this is what we
have to decide. No, we don't even know Sazaki. You
can't bring Sazaki in the ninth in a high leverage
situation and he's never done it. We don't know what
he can do. Yet. They've got to get him up here. Man,
hit you can't get you and you won't know in
(24:55):
three games. Okay, Well, here's the thing. All right, those
are very good point. Here's the thing. My plan is
this that when the starter comes out, the backup starter
goes in and goes as long as they can, and
then they go to the existing the way they've handled
(25:16):
the bullpen. Then you have to go to Vessia. You
gotta go to Vessia. That's who we have to go to.
Or Banda or a Banda. Right, you have to go
to one of the guys that you believe can do it.
You have to eliminate the bullpen. You just have to
have guys go. Tanner Scott is just on the shelf. Yeah,
Tanner Scott's not going back in unless they've got a
(25:39):
five run lead. I don't even know if he makes
the roster. He's not going back in a five run lead.
You better have a fifty five run lead. Why would
you put him in? No lead is safe? And I
know it sounds harsh and cruel, but it's a statement
of fact. Nightingale, ten blown saves. If the Dodgers lose
(26:04):
the division by one game, there you go ten, Kevin.
If the Dodgers had won ten more games right now,
ten more games, would they be ahead of the Phillies.
I'm looking up real fast. I'm gonna tell you right now,
noutely absolutely would be. Yes, yeah, all right. If they
(26:27):
had won six more games, would they be ahead of
the Phillies, they would It's a four game differential. And
now if they had won five more games, they would
be ahead of the Phillies, Which means Tanner Scott, if
he had just not blown ten games, just five, they
(26:50):
wouldn't even be in the wild Card. Is that fair
to say? Because I think it is, And if you
look at it like that, you cannot send him back
out there. You can't. And again, it doesn't mean we
don't like him and he's not a good guy and
a great family. All of that is probably very true,
(27:11):
but right now he doesn't have it. When the manager
says after the game, I need guys with confidence. You're
the defending World Series champs, this is what your manager
is saying. I gotta have guys with confidence. Confidence. You're
just won. You should all be confident. And these pitching
guys are pitching scared. You can't have guys in the
(27:33):
back end pitching scared. How can you be scared if
you are the defending champs, if everybody wants you, you've
got what everybody wants. Scared. If anything, you should be
cocky scared. Yeah, no, you should be too cocky. You
should lose. If you're gonna lose, lose because you're too cocky,
(27:55):
not because you're scared. When you're the defending champs. I'm
telling you he cannot pitch anymore. You cannot put him
back out there. I'm sorry. Yeah, this is desperate. You've
got to do something different in the and they I
will say yeah, and the best team. The best thing
(28:16):
that the Dodgers have going for him going forward because
the Padres are right on their heels, is that the uh,
the Mariners I think can close today in the Al West,
which they may not have much to play for when
the Dodgers play him at the end of the year.
(28:41):
Well right after that, We'll come back and wrap it up.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Hello Rogan and Rodney. Listener, Did you know A M
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(29:05):
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Speaker 1 (29:09):
Yes you can podcasting on the iHeart radio app. Hey Rodney, Pete,
Fred Rogan wrapping it up on a Wednesday, A hump day,
an all good day. Come on, Fred. All right, So
we pretty much laid it out. You laid it out,
You laid it out. Some of it was good, you know,
(29:33):
I'm not going to deny some of it was innovative
and and really I think given where the Dodgies are,
it's a good strategy, Fred, Yeah, but you also thought
some of it was completely Some of it is a
little bit, a little bit irrational because you still have
to plan for a bullpen because if Kershaw goes in
there in the seventh and we've seen this, you know,
(29:55):
no disrespect to my man Clayton, but he is he's
not all. He's been fantastic in the relief effort, and
if he goes in there and struggles a little bit,
you gotta be ready for that. No, I get it,
and you said it, just let him go. It's just two.
It's a two pitchered assignment. No, I got double starter.
It's a double starter deal. Yamo moto versus en Kershaw.
(30:17):
Finish it out. Yeah, I'm just saying. I just read
twenty six floone saves for the bullpen this year. Twenty
six flo saves twenty six Is that a record? I
know one thing. You get those twenty six back, you
got the best record in baseball. You get half of
them back, you get the best record. Mm hmm. So
something has to happen, something has to be done, and
(30:40):
uh maybe tonight we'll start to see that. Are you surprised?
Like imagine like they won the World Series based on
the backs of the bullpen last year. Correct, it's completely flipped.
This year, it's unbelievable. It's completely flipped. But again, Breustar
Gradol can't pitch, Evan Phillip, Scott hurt, Colepek hasn't been
the same. Try it hadn't been the same. Trying has
(31:02):
not been the same. Can you trust Blake right now?
I don't think so. No, I don't think you can.
So the three guys you thought would close games for
you are Blake trying right now. You cannot trust him. Yep,
Kirby Ates you cannot trust him, and Tanner Scott you
cannot trust him. And Kopek is all over the place
(31:22):
right now. Kopek is all over the place, and Evan
Phillips is hurt. And there you go. So what are
you supposed to do? Last year they came up with
this incredible plan and it worked. Bullpen games, starters, I mean,
all kinds of stuff. It worked. So this year maybe
it has to be different. Maybe this year, given the situation,
(31:43):
you have to have a different kind of plan. Starter's
got to go deep. They got to go eight. At
least they got to at least get seven in for me,
and if they can complete the game, and I don't care.
If they're at one hundred and five pitches and they're
coming out in the eighth with one hundred and five pitches,
I let them go one hundred and five pitches me too.
Nobody's going one hundred and forty pitches, Rodney, No, nobody's
(32:05):
going on. But if they're at one hundred and five
going into the eighth inning, I'm letting them go. If
they're over one hundred and barely over one hundred, and
it's the eighth and they've been dealing, and it's Blake Snell,
the Yamamoto Otani, whomever it is, I'm letting them. Other
than Kershaw, I wouldn't let Koshall go over one hundred
too much, But the other guys, I'm letting them go.
(32:30):
I am letting them go. You're deep and starting pitching,
you're deep. You got six deep starting pitching wise, so
you know the fact that you got to turn around
a guy that goes one hundred and twenty pitches in
two days three days is not the case. You're deep.
Let them go, all right, Ronnie, Thank you, great job today,
(32:54):
Kevin appreciate it. Terrific work. Rodney Dodger Day game tomorrow
will off, so we'll get together GN on Friday. Yes, sir,
All right, we continue on Fred Rogan Rodney Pete on
a five seventy LA Sports just a two hour program
for us today. So let's continue on here quickly, and
welcome from USA today, our good friend Bob Nightingale and Bob,
how are you.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah doing? Good friends? Are you ready?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hey? Bob? Bob? I got to start with this, Bob,
because Fred ended the last hour with their rant. And
as you know, you know, most Dodger fans are done
with the Dodger bullpen. Especially I think Tanner Scott and
Kirby Yates has not panned out the way everybody thought
(00:39):
they would. They paid Tanner Scott a lot of money
in the offseason to be their closer. He's not had
a well to say he's not had a good year
is really being kind and being generous and now, and
that's the guy that I am. I'm kind and generous, Bob.
But Fred suggested that you scrap the bullpen. Now wait
(01:01):
a minute, wait, wait one second, one second, then you finish. Okay,
all right. My point, Bob is the bullpen is a
dumpster fire. Let's start with that. My point is the
Tanner Scott at this point, maybe next year it'll be
different at this point, cannot be trusted. Okay, Now keep
(01:24):
those two things in mind. Go ahead, Rodney. Okay. So
he's suggesting in the where is now where the Dodgers
are going to play in that three game wild Card
series that you say you start with Snell, Yamamoto, and
Otani plays, you know, pitches the third game if if
need be, after those guys that you have immit Chian
(01:49):
and Clayton Kershaw ready to go in the bullpen to
finish it out, and you scrap what you've been doing
all year long with the bullpen and allow those two
guys because Immachian has been really good, Kershaw has been
fantastic this year. And you allow those guys to come
in after you've allowed Snell to go seven whatever he goes,
(02:13):
or Yamamoto goes seven to eight, whatever he goes, and
and then and then Otani at the end of the day,
whereever he goes, you bring in Kershaw, you bring in
uh Immachian to close it out. After that, there's no
closer now, no closer. Yeah, guys, finish it up. Those guys.
Guys when they come in, however long they have to go,
they go, what do you think of that plan. Is
(02:37):
that your plan or Romney's, but I have to that's
my plan.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Okay, I agree with that. I think that's gonna happen.
I think it's see Kershaw pitch tonight. Sheehan definitely going
to pitch in the bullfender in the playoffs. And you're right,
who can you trust in late innings? You know, Kershaw's
not afraid. And that was in Dave Roberts last night.
That's about as upset out seen him after a regular
season game. And he says, Hey, you know Kershaw is
(03:04):
not going me scared? Why not try him as a closer?
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Hey, Bob, you know, saying that, who's staying on that? Bob?
And I'm I know fred Fredi smiling in her ear
to hear you agreed with him. So I'm gonna let him.
I'm gonna let him get in on that. But just
those comments from those comments from Dave Roberts at the
end of the game saying, you know, certain guys who
are afraid, they're afraid to go in the moment, are
(03:30):
afraid to compete. That that spoke volumes to me of
him saying that after a game.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Like that, Oh, absolutely, you usually don't see comments that's
strong from Dave or any manager. That's a little bit
old school. They could say back, you know, ten fifteen
years ago. But I think that's how what stt he
was for him to say, hey, you know, either you're
scared or you're pitching too careful. But in the bottom line,
(04:00):
it was just inexcusable to blow a four a zero late.
Everything that Otani did, you know, went to waste.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
See here's how I look at it. Desperate times require
desperate measures. And it's funny if we think back to
last year, Bob, it was a bullpen that saved them.
There were no starters. It was the bullpen that actually
won them the World Series. All right. Now this year
it's different. Now you have starters, but it's the bullpen
that is questionable at best. And I would rather roll
(04:29):
the dice. If Snell goes five innings, Emitchien goes to
final four, If Yamamoto goes six innings, Kershaw goes to
final three. I know it sounds strange, but if a
starter goes in, you assume the starter can pitch three
(04:50):
or four innings. They're starters. You don't have to gamble
with the bullpen. And maybe it's an idea that would
blow up, but I'll tell you, I think it's a
better idea than what they're doing now.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Yeah, I mean you can still have guys like Jack
Dryer and Vessia eat up some innings. But uh, yeah,
the only question is, you know she hands the starter.
Obviously you can't use them back to back days. You
know that's a concern. You sort of can't use Kershaw
back to back days. Sure got to mix in some
other guys, But yeah, Fred, I think that I think
(05:25):
that's gonna be the game plan. I really do. You can't.
They don't know who to trust in the back end.
I mean, you know Tanner Scott, Tim Blown Saves. Uh,
you know you can't count on Tanner Scott in the
playoffs at this juncture. You know, Kirby Gates. I'm not
sure if it's gonna be played on the injury list
or not. Uh, there's no one to rely on. But
you know that, you know, nobody's got more guts than Kershaw.
(05:46):
Why not?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
So okay, So that being said, Bob, because the starters
have been so good, is it a thought process with
the Dodgers that hell, let's let's let let's let let's
let our starters go. Let's go back to the nineties.
Let's go back to the eighties where our starters. Let
them do a complete game, let them go to the ninth,
(06:10):
let them go all the way as deep as they
can go in the playoffs, because you've you've got a
strong starting staff that you know, guy's not gonna pitch
on two days three days rest. You've got enough guys
that why not let Blake Snell go a complete game
if he's rolling.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
No, I agree with that. Yeah, let's let them write
him as long as you can. I think that's why
they had oton and go six sentnings. I think that's
why Dave Roberts. Let Snell pitch out the seventhe or day.
Give those guys confidence and so that they can do it.
I agree, you know, and then you're gonna, you know,
some other guys spin in like last Now, I mean,
he can startly pitch you know, three four innings too. Uh,
(06:55):
But yeah, I think they're gonna have to go that
way in the Washington Nashvills when the rules is in
twenty nineteen. Yeah, having their starters pitch in the bullpen
on the throwing day sessions, Like right now, this is
the only day you can use Kershaw on the bullpen
because he's supposed to start on Sunday. But yeah, you
can certainly do that a lot or the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Bob, when we look at everything now as we as
we get down to the wire, Uh, do you agree
with this? I think whoever wins the World Series will
come out of the National League. Is that an overstatement?
Speaker 2 (07:32):
I agree with that. I me he's still wondering about
the Yankees, and of course Seattle's got the great pitching.
But no, I think the National legueam will be favorite
for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, and Bob, at this point, you know, Dodgers losing,
Padres are in a dog fight. Now now they're playing Milwaukee,
so we'll see what happens with that. Does it matter
at this point Dodgers Padres, who wins the division, they're
gonna have to either one of them is gonna play
that three game series and they're gonna have it's gonna
be an uphill battle. You know, whoever they play, they
(08:01):
don't have an easy road anyway, So it doesn't really matter,
or does it.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
No, The only advantage is like if you can host
that three game series right now. You know the Diggers
would host it. Uh. The Potteries are also fighting the
Cubs for that top wild card spot. They look for
those three games via Peto instead of Brigley Field. And
if you can help it, you'd love to be another bracket.
(08:29):
You don't, you really don't want to face the Phillies
and division series, you know, going to playoffs. The Phillies
are fothering going me a slight favorite, it'd be a
heavy favorite. They don't ask Dack Wheeler.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You don't want to face the Phillies, or you don't
want to face the Brules.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
The Phillies just if that rotation is so strong, Remember
the Brewers just lost Brandon Woodruff, their number two starter,
you know, terrible injury. Their closer McGill is still then out. Uh,
you really don't want to face the Phillies. Uh, that's
a great rotation. It would have been, you know, lights
out of Zach Wheeler is still there. So if you're
the Dodgers and you you know, whoever you played in
(09:09):
the wildcard game, whether it's the Matt's Diamondbacks or Reds,
you know, then you go on to Philly from there.
And I think that that Dodger. If it's a Dodger
Philly series, I think that's a true NLCS. I think
those were the two best teams in National League.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Yeah, and if you're the Dodgers, you definitely want to
win a division, so you get all those three games
at home.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yeah if you way, uh you know, or even if
you're the number four seeds, so they should get off
three at home. Uh, that's what the Potters are fighting for,
even they don't win the division, so at least send
to you win the division, then you get the home
field advantage in the division series too, So you get
three of those five games at Dodger Stadium, and of
course all three at Dodger Stadium in the first wildkai rounds.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Our guest is Bob Nightingale USA today. So, Bob, uh,
as we look at the battle down the stretch here
as we go down the home straight, whose chances do
you like the best? Now? You said the Phillies. Okay,
who's going to be that final wild card?
Speaker 2 (10:18):
I'll still go to Cincinnati. I just think, you know,
the Mets have choked so bad. We'll see what they
do here. They've got five games, uh, five games left,
They've got three on Miami. Miami's you know, led by
uh playing McCollough, the former Dodger bench coach. He's done
a magnificent job and they played well. So I don't
think the Mets are just gonna go in there suite
(10:40):
and they're not sweeping anybody. Cincinnati has the tiebreaker over
both both teams. You know, here and here's the Diamondbacks.
And they gave up with the trade deadline. There's the
reasons shadow he just won the division of I give
him Josh Steeler and Givannio Suarez. You know, trade away Merrill, Kelly,
trade away five guys in the front office, completely away
the flag, and here they are still standing.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Is my violin I didn't know it is that they
traded away those guys that the trade deadline, and yet
they're still in the hunt for a wild card. Just
imagine if they still had those guys. Hey, hey, Bob,
not to switch too much gears here, but who's your
(11:22):
American League MVP?
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yell a little bit on this, uh in September right now?
You know, I got to go cal Raleigh over Aaron Judge.
I know Judge has got you know, better numbers and stuff.
But Raleigh is a catcher. But the fact that Paron
about to win the first Division title into you know,
since two thousand and one, they don't do that without
(11:48):
Cal Raleigh. I think it goes to Raleigh. And if
people want to point out stats, but it's not the
best players, the most valuable, you know, you remember, you know,
it's going back a while, but nineteen eighty eight, Kurt Gibson,
he led the Dodgers in the World Series. Daryl Strawberry's
numbers were night and date better than Gibson, but Gibson
(12:09):
was just so valuable to the Dodgers that got him there.
And the you know, the Mets were a star started team.
So I think to the same thing here, like you
don't have to have the best numbers, but you know,
you're still talking about a guy who should see if
Gate home runs as the catcher you know most ever, uh,
I think I would give it to Roley right now?
Speaker 1 (12:28):
How about the nationale go TONI.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Yeah, he should be unanimous. Uh, I don't even think that,
you know, if there's two votes for every Cydy, I
don't even think either voter or in Philadelphia will give
you know, Schwarmer the vote. So no, I think I
think he went to the game unanimous.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
All right, well, we appreciate you coming on, Bob, and
thanks for thinking my idea was good, because that's really
all after that, it was all gravy for me.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Oh yeah, I think you're gonna say it. I mean,
I think we're gonna see uh if they had the lead.
I think we're seeing curshat tonight. Be pretty cool to
see him on the mound last year closing games out
for the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Let's go. I'm Nightingale. I'm with you. Thanks for coming on, Bob.
We appreciate it. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
My pleasure. Take it, guys, my pleasure. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
All right, score big with flooring from Hernande's Wholesale Flooring
Shot Hernanda's Wholesale Flooring dot net No sale beat Wholesale.
So when we come back, Rodney, because we are magnanimous people,
I will give you an opportunity when we come back,
(13:37):
just briefly, okay, to explain why the idea will not work.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Make AM five to seventy la sports a preset before
you plug in your poone presets in the iHeartRadio app,
now available with Apple CarPlay and Android autom just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
That's right. Many thanks to our man Bob Nightingale for
joining us and giving assus insights and including the grain
with Fred, which is rather unusual. But it's all good
short show for us at two hours today for us.
So we're on and off all right. Uh. I gave
the idea I will give you if you choose not to,
(14:18):
that's fine. If you choose not to, understood, but do
you want to now? And you did a bit earlier
present the counterpoint too, We're could just use Emmachan and
Clayton Kershaw and if they comment in the fifth inning
or sixth, they're going the distance. That's the idea. So
no matter when they come in, they're going to distance, right,
(14:42):
that's it. They're starters. They can pitch six innings, they
can pitch six so if it but but you're assuming
that it absolutely goes well for those guys. iMac And
has had his moments, and he's been great, Don't get
me wrong, he's been great. He's been one of the
most consistent starters for the Dodgers outside of their you know,
first five that they've had and Clayton. Kershaw's had an
(15:06):
unbelievable year in his final season. But if say Yamamotos,
you know, goes five and his pitch count is way
up there, and he's laboring through five, and you bring
in Kershaw in the sixth, and Kershaw goes sixth and
the seventh. In the eighth, he's rolling and dealing, and
(15:28):
then and then in the eighth he starts to kind
of struggle a little bit. Who are you bringing in?
Are you still gonna let him go?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Are you?
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Are you You got to go to the bullpen at
some point, don't you? Yeah, if need be. What I'm
saying is you can't just need blindly let him go.
You got to have somebody ready to go with a bullpen, right, Okay,
then we'll it'll be Alex Vesia. Okay, I don't know. Well,
there'll be somebody ready. But the theory is, because we're
(15:56):
struggling a bit here trusting people, you're gonna let some
out of the situation. You're gonna let them work out
or whatever they're in. M h. Well, it's better than
what's going on. No, true, I agree, That's all I'm saying. Look, yeah,
it sounds insane and desperate. I agree on one hundred
(16:17):
thousand percent, so better than this. Yeah, So we're in
a serious So we've got right now, we've got what
We've got five legitimate, real big time starters, right yep,
if you know, if you if you really think about it, Blake, Snell, Yamamoto,
(16:38):
Tyler glass now, shoe A, Otani and Clayton has been
great and and and so we're moving. We're thinking in
the playoffs, you're gonna need what four, right, you need
four good starters that you can start and and yeah,
(17:00):
in the postseason you need four starters. Right, well, let's
do this. Let's do this. Okay, you're right, but let's
just start with this right now, we need three Okay,
let's start with that. Okay, Okay, So we decided and
I don't know, maybe Otani pitches the first game, I
don't know, but it's gonna be Otani, Yamamoto, and Snell
Fair those are gonna be the three in the wildcard.
(17:25):
I think Otani of late has really overtaken Tyler glass
even though Tyler glassau has been great the last half
of the season. He's been great. But I think if
you got you got three games to win, and if
it comes down to a third game where it's tied,
you're pitching Otani instead of Glass. Now, okay, done. So
it's gonna be those three, whatever order you picked them,
(17:48):
it's gonna be snell Yamamoto, Otani, mix them up, whatever
those three. So now we have Kershaw, Glass now and Amasian.
We only got three games and wholefull you only have two?
All right? Got two? Okay, all right? So uh we're
gonna start snell Yep, he goes five good innings. No,
(18:12):
that's smells Zilla. We're talking about my guy. How long?
How long were we going? Eight? He going eight? Smell
Zilla is going eight, and he's shaking Dave Roberts off
if he comes to get him in the seventh. Snell
Zilla's going eight. Why you putting your head down? Snell
Zilla's going In fact, snell Zilla might go a complete
(18:36):
game to start this bad boy off. That's what I'm
talking about. You give me a three game still agree
a three game series, and we started off, and I
don't care who we play. Smell Zilla on the hill,
he going he going at least eight. He may go
complete game. Okay, and that's a possibility. No, man, it
ain't no possibility to reality. Okay, so right, that's a reality.
(19:01):
That's your reality in some places. But if it's not
a reality. Talking about giving the bullpen, Fred, which we're
talking about right now, I know, given the bullpen? Are
you letting smell Zilla go? Or are you pulling him
into seventh? They're not. He's not doing one hundred and
forty pitches, Rodney, care what it is? It's the playoffs,
(19:21):
get all off season and recover. Okay, that's fair. That's
the first round of the playoffs. I might okay, these
first three games. Okay, all right, So let's say, for
an argument's sake, he goes six seven, let's bets meet
in the middle. Okay, fine, he goes six and a third. Okay,
(19:45):
let's just say that, Rodney, please, okay, go ahead. Now,
Now we have to get the end of six, seven,
eight and nine. So we got three and two thirds innings.
We've got to fill three and two thirds innings. We
have Kershaw class now.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
And she in.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Okay, who's going to be that three and two thirds
inning guy? Tonight? One of them go get in there
and if they get in trouble, oh well, then you're screwed.
But you also do have what you are. So then
(20:31):
then you have Jack Dryer emergency bailout man, you have Vessia.
That's who you have. Who you have, what's you're gonna
put in? Seriously? And Rique, we can throw one hundred
(20:51):
and fifty miles an hour. Everybody got hit last night.
I guess you roll the dice on him. Maybe I
heard the other day says he could be the X factor.
Fred Sazaki will be there tonight. Okay, let's put it.
He should be in the game tonight. He should pitch
tonight at some point. Let's see. Because we don't have
(21:13):
a lot of time to figure this out anymore. We
gotta And now that's brilliant. This is good news. Help
has arrived. This is great. Brock Stewart, what happened? This
is the guy we want. This is the guy that's
gonna make a difference in the bullpen. He's done. He
(21:37):
just got here, he got hurt, he's out. It's like
he didn't trade for anybody. Where is he? You get pitched?
So so now what we're gonna do. Now, what we're
gonna do is somebody goes six and change boom If
(21:59):
Sazaki can do what he's in. I can't even believe
I'm saying that he's in he finishes. Okay, wait, wait,
does Suzaki finish? Yes? Or do you bring Sasaki in
right away to see if he's got it and if
he doesn't have it, then you can go to Kershaw,
Tyler Glass, now somebody else. Well, what you do is
(22:19):
you figure it out, like tonight or tomorrow. But you
figure it out and you don't If you look like
you're confident, you're you're confident in the two starters or
three starters, including she Hen. So if you're going she
Hand Glass now and Kershaw in the bullpen, you feel
confident that those guys are gonna because they've been pretty
consistent for you all year long. They can handle it.
(22:42):
The wild card is Suzaki. You know, Bessie has been
pretty good when he you know, it was great before
he got hurt, and he got hurt and then he
struggled a little bit and he's kind of been now.
I think he's coming back. But do you do you
at six and a third, bring in Suzaki and let
(23:03):
him go as long as he can go, and then
bring in one of the guys that you trust or
do you bring in glass now and glass now is
great for two innings and then you got to pull
them in the ninth, and then you go to Suzaki,
which you don't know about because he hadn't pitched. What
you do is, whoever comes in your plan at any point,
(23:25):
is you're it? Okay? But the rest of the right
what if they're not it you? That's the issue. No,
I understand. I mean it's not like you can pitch Kershaw,
Sazaki and class now in relief from the same game. No,
that doesn't work. No, no, no, No, you're pitching one
of those guys, one of those starters is pitching a game.
(23:46):
So you're not using Kershaw glass Now in the same game.
You're not using Kershaw and and and uh she and
in the same game. You using one of those guys
in one particular game. Right, So it's it's Kershaw coupled
with Sazaki or Vessia whoever else is coming in the
back end. So you're saying Sazaki is gonna come in
(24:09):
and close. No, I'm asking you, do you do you
bring Suzaki in after after Yamamoto goes six and a
third of lights out, do you bring Suzaki in first
to see if he can handle it, and then bring
Kershaw or Glass now and are she and Inn or
do you bring Kershaw Glass now? Are She and Inn
(24:31):
to see if they can close it out? And if
they can't and they get in trouble in the ninth,
then you're going to Sazaki. Well, this is what we
have to decide. No, we don't even know Sazaki. You
can't bring Sazaki in the ninth in a high leverage
situation and he's never done it. We don't know what
he can do. Yet. They've got to get him up here. Man,
hit you can't get you and you won't know in
(24:55):
three games. Okay, Well, here's the thing. All right, those
are very good point. Here's the thing. My plan is
this that when the starter comes out, the backup starter
goes in and goes as long as they can, and
then they go to the existing the way they've handled
(25:16):
the bullpen. Then you have to go to Vessia. You
gotta go to Vessia. That's who we have to go to.
Or Banda or a Banda. Right, you have to go
to one of the guys that you believe can do it.
You have to eliminate the bullpen. You just have to
have guys go. Tanner Scott is just on the shelf. Yeah,
Tanner Scott's not going back in unless they've got a
(25:39):
five run lead. I don't even know if he makes
the roster. He's not going back in a five run lead.
You better have a fifty five run lead. Why would
you put him in? No lead is safe? And I
know it sounds harsh and cruel, but it's a statement
of fact. Nightingale, ten blown saves. If the Dodgers lose
(26:04):
the division by one game, there you go ten, Kevin.
If the Dodgers had won ten more games right now,
ten more games, would they be ahead of the Phillies.
I'm looking up real fast. I'm gonna tell you right now,
noutely absolutely would be. Yes, yeah, all right. If they
(26:27):
had won six more games, would they be ahead of
the Phillies, they would It's a four game differential. And
now if they had won five more games, they would
be ahead of the Phillies, Which means Tanner Scott, if
he had just not blown ten games, just five, they
(26:50):
wouldn't even be in the wild Card. Is that fair
to say? Because I think it is, And if you
look at it like that, you cannot send him back
out there. You can't. And again, it doesn't mean we
don't like him and he's not a good guy and
a great family. All of that is probably very true,
(27:11):
but right now he doesn't have it. When the manager
says after the game, I need guys with confidence. You're
the defending World Series champs, this is what your manager
is saying. I gotta have guys with confidence. Confidence. You're
just won. You should all be confident. And these pitching
guys are pitching scared. You can't have guys in the
(27:33):
back end pitching scared. How can you be scared if
you are the defending champs, if everybody wants you, you've
got what everybody wants. Scared. If anything, you should be
cocky scared. Yeah, no, you should be too cocky. You
should lose. If you're gonna lose, lose because you're too cocky,
(27:55):
not because you're scared. When you're the defending champs. I'm
telling you he cannot pitch anymore. You cannot put him
back out there. I'm sorry. Yeah, this is desperate. You've
got to do something different in the and they I
will say yeah, and the best team. The best thing
(28:16):
that the Dodgers have going for him going forward because
the Padres are right on their heels, is that the uh,
the Mariners I think can close today in the Al West,
which they may not have much to play for when
the Dodgers play him at the end of the year.
(28:41):
Well right after that, We'll come back and wrap it up.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Hello Rogan and Rodney. Listener, Did you know A M
five seventy LA Sports has a wide range of LA
Sports podcasts. Shows like petros in Money We are streaming
Man Dodger Talk with David Vasse, the Dodger Podcast of Record,
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Just go to A five seventy LA Sports on the
(29:05):
iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Yes you can podcasting on the iHeart radio app. Hey Rodney, Pete,
Fred Rogan wrapping it up on a Wednesday, A hump day,
an all good day. Come on, Fred. All right, So
we pretty much laid it out. You laid it out,
You laid it out. Some of it was good, you know,
(29:33):
I'm not going to deny some of it was innovative
and and really I think given where the Dodgies are,
it's a good strategy, Fred, Yeah, but you also thought
some of it was completely Some of it is a
little bit, a little bit irrational because you still have
to plan for a bullpen because if Kershaw goes in
there in the seventh and we've seen this, you know,
(29:55):
no disrespect to my man Clayton, but he is he's
not all. He's been fantastic in the relief effort, and
if he goes in there and struggles a little bit,
you gotta be ready for that. No, I get it,
and you said it, just let him go. It's just two.
It's a two pitchered assignment. No, I got double starter.
It's a double starter deal. Yamo moto versus en Kershaw.
(30:17):
Finish it out. Yeah, I'm just saying. I just read
twenty six floone saves for the bullpen this year. Twenty
six flo saves twenty six Is that a record? I
know one thing. You get those twenty six back, you
got the best record in baseball. You get half of
them back, you get the best record. Mm hmm. So
something has to happen, something has to be done, and
(30:40):
uh maybe tonight we'll start to see that. Are you surprised?
Like imagine like they won the World Series based on
the backs of the bullpen last year. Correct, it's completely flipped.
This year, it's unbelievable. It's completely flipped. But again, Breustar
Gradol can't pitch, Evan Phillip, Scott hurt, Colepek hasn't been
the same. Try it hadn't been the same. Trying has
(31:02):
not been the same. Can you trust Blake right now?
I don't think so. No, I don't think you can.
So the three guys you thought would close games for
you are Blake trying right now. You cannot trust him. Yep,
Kirby Ates you cannot trust him, and Tanner Scott you
cannot trust him. And Kopek is all over the place
(31:22):
right now. Kopek is all over the place, and Evan
Phillips is hurt. And there you go. So what are
you supposed to do? Last year they came up with
this incredible plan and it worked. Bullpen games, starters, I mean,
all kinds of stuff. It worked. So this year maybe
it has to be different. Maybe this year, given the situation,
(31:43):
you have to have a different kind of plan. Starter's
got to go deep. They got to go eight. At
least they got to at least get seven in for me,
and if they can complete the game, and I don't care.
If they're at one hundred and five pitches and they're
coming out in the eighth with one hundred and five pitches,
I let them go one hundred and five pitches me too.
Nobody's going one hundred and forty pitches, Rodney, No, nobody's
(32:05):
going on. But if they're at one hundred and five
going into the eighth inning, I'm letting them go. If
they're over one hundred and barely over one hundred, and
it's the eighth and they've been dealing, and it's Blake Snell,
the Yamamoto Otani, whomever it is, I'm letting them. Other
than Kershaw, I wouldn't let Koshall go over one hundred
too much, But the other guys, I'm letting them go.
(32:30):
I am letting them go. You're deep and starting pitching,
you're deep. You got six deep starting pitching wise, so
you know the fact that you got to turn around
a guy that goes one hundred and twenty pitches in
two days three days is not the case. You're deep.
Let them go, all right, Ronnie, Thank you, great job today,
(32:54):
Kevin appreciate it. Terrific work. Rodney Dodger Day game tomorrow
will off, so we'll get together GN on Friday. Yes, sir,
Roggin And Rodney News
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