Since the Red Sox are coming to Los Angeles Friday night, I thought it
would be fitting to bring on Boston's favorite son, but a man that had
his best years of his life in Los Angeles pitching for the Dodgers, that
is the one and only America's pitcher, Rich Hill. Rich thanks a lot
for coming on the show. Thanks for having me, Dave Well, what
introduction? Jeez you well, thank you. You deserve it. I appreciate
it. I have everything going, it's going great. I mentioned to the
fans and I reminded them about your genius plan to spend time with your family
the first half of the season and then be able to decide which team you
wanted to pitch for that is not able to land pitching at the trade deadline.
Have you seen your vision start to come to fruition. Yeah, you
know, everything that I can controls as a player and getting ready for that
moment when it comes around. And certainly I've been taking care of with working
out and throwing and you know, getting after it in bullpens, so you
know, the next step is really facing some hitters here and the next actually
next week, and then having that advance into the next three weeks, So
that would be really almost like the three weeks of spring training, you know,
as as probably a little bit more expedited just facing hitters and getting ready.
But everything's been, you know, basically on track, and I've felt
really good about where I'm at right now. So you have been throwing bullpen
sessions. How extensive are these bullpen sessions? This week through a sixty five
pitch bullpen. Yeah, it's been, you know, and then tomorrow another
one. I'm going to go back to back just to continue to keep building
up and really some obviously fashion of what spring training would consist of as well.
But yeah, these are these are bullpens that are you know, pretty
intense, you know, full effort bullpens. It's not uh, you know,
just a white bullpen or just trying to get my feet under me.
So you know, the work that's being done has been pretty aggressive. Rich
Hill is joining us here on Dodger Talk. All right, Richie, you
said you're gonna start facing hitters. Where will you go to find those hitters?
Will you go to the Cape League, Will you go to M.
I. T. Havid? Where will you go to find those hitters?
Well? Well, well we'll see you know next week. There's been been
a couple couple opportunities. We're you know talking to some some some former teammates
that are actually coaching right now teams here and there in the Northeast. So,
uh when that, like I said, you know, I think it's
going to be a few days beforehand when this this kind of decision is made
where I'm going to go and throw these these both ends of space hitters or
you know, live vps. I guess if you want to call it now,
as far as the extent of you know, going in and pitching somewhere,
I think that the idea would probably kind of be, you know,
to get some more uh numbers and analytics and kind of break down of pitches
for teams to be able to see and you know, I guess figure out
what their what their needs are and and and if what I'm bringing to the
table is something that fits there, uh fits their their wants as well.
Are you gonna have one of these showcase uh uh outings where we hear about
pitchers throwing in front of like five or six teams. Yeah, it could
be something like that. I mean, also, you know it's gonna be
a it's gonna be a good fit for uh, you know myself as well.
This isn't just you know, something that's kind of you know, whatever
comes across the desk, you know, you take it's it's really something that's
gonna you know, a team that's that's focused and concentrated and looking forward to
winning a championship and and you know, having that focus every single day when
they come in the clubhouse. Uh, bringing that mentality and that and that
mindset no matter you know, where they are in the in the standings.
Obviously, I'm assuming it would be a team that is in the hunt,
which many teams are in the National League as we look at the wild card
at this point in the year. Uh, you know, within four games
going into the second half of the year, that's a that's you know,
it's a very tight race. So it's a lot of buyers out there.
And uh, you know, I think that's that's puts myself in a good
position. But again, you know, really uh, having that having that
team that is committed through the roster every single day, showing up and putting
in the work no matter what the outcome was the day before, is going
to be important as well. Sounds like you're describing the Dodgers reach. Yeah,
I mean that would be that would be incredible. It'ld be a great
reunion. You know, I obviously love the city, love wearing Dodger blue.
You know, in my opinion, if not the best, one of
the best places to pitch in baseball. So that would be you know,
that would be incredible. Knowing many of the guys in the locker room and
understanding that you know, that mindset and that effort that they bring every single
day is consistent upon you know, with everything that we were just describing,
is that that winning mentality, uh, you know, and staying in that
pitch and that swing, in that moment and that play, and understanding that
whatever happened you know before, that is gone and we have to focus and
on on the here and now, on the task at him. So yeah,
that would be. That would be great. You know, I think,
uh, we'll see when that time comes and and see what the uh
and and the other side of it too. With you know, the way
the season has gone, and you've seen it throughout baseball and with l a
uh Dodgers in particular, that it's it's very fluid, uh, you know,
injuries are happening, unfortunately at a higher rate, and uh, you
know needs of teams are changing daily. So that's something that you know,
again, I don't want to say we'll play a factor, but I think
it like within the last couple of days of being able to uh make the
decision. You know, things can change quickly. Rich Hill is our guest,
America's pitcher. You can always come home again, and Rich Hill can
always come home to Los Angeles. Uh, You've had enough family time,
Rich, I'll just be honest with you. You've had enough family time out
out there. It's time to come back to sunny California. We we miss
California, man, Uh we you know, but uh, we've had a
great Little League season. We're still on a really good run right now.
Going to uh this Williamsport team, which has been a heck of a lot
of fun. You know, seeing these kids play and you know, keeping
keeping them motivated and focused and seeing their joy and the love for the game
that they have is uh, I don't know, it's just it's been it's
been a it's been a lot of fun to watch. So, you know,
seeing getting to watch more of our son play too, has been something
that trying to really soak in. So it's been it's been, uh been
a joy to watch him. Have you been throwing any gatorade? Uh?
Tubs around if things don't go Bryce's way? I mean, what is rich
Hild the coach the dad? Like at those little league games? I actually
the kids will come in every now and then, you know, kind of
like a there sometimes there's an nil deal with kleenex I think going around that
way, but uh, you know that's part of it. And you know,
a few bats tossed here and there, but immediately, uh, coach
Hill is there to uh implement the uh you know, go and pick up
your bats. Thank you, come over here, let's talk about it,
and uh you know, we move on. That's that's part of uh part
of baseball. That's part of growing up, right and uh you know I
haven't done that yet, but eventually I will, uh in the house,
yeah exactly, But yeah, that's part of it, I you know,
with the with them and going through the ups and downs and seeing it and
understanding, uh hey, baseball is a frustrating game. It's not about being
perfect, but it is about being perfect with your effort. So you know,
as long as the effort is perfect, that's that's that's to me,
that's that's all that matters, and the intent and you know, oceans come
out as they will and you know, as they should. But you know,
we're going to move on to the next play. That's the biggest thing.
I can't carry on that at bat out into the field. You can't
carry that at bat into the mound or you know whatever, that pitch into
the next pitch. So that's where the teaching moments are and that's what that's
what's been a lot of fun. That sounds great, Rich, But you
haven't lost your edge, have you. I mean, it's time. It's
time yet. No, no, no, it's the mountain time now.
Yeah. If I should have videoed the entirety of the bullpen today, yeah,
we could have put that out there. Let people know that you have
not gone completely suburban. You're ready to get back in the trenches. Yeah,
yeah, ready to get back after it. I missed the competition.
There's nothing like it. There's nothing like uh, you know, facing the
best in the world. So that's something that uh, you know, I
always have enjoyed and I'm looking forward to it again. Rich Hill is our
guest here on Dodge. You talk rich when you look at the season and
how it's gone for a lot of teams, and you mentioned the pitching injuries
this year. Do you feel like the injuries have occurred because not the pitch
clock, but there's a theory that these newer, younger pitchers are trying to
throw maximum effort in their bullpen sessions and checking these iPads. Do you feel
like that's part of this equation of why there's so many pitcher injuries. Yeah,
I think there's there's a yes, I do. I think that is
part of it. I also think, you know, the volume side of
everything, because now we're going from bullpens and you know, you're you're doing
a heavy workload in the bullpens and trying to chase numbers and chase velocity and
max effort, you know, everything that's coming out, which I think is
unbelievable. Right when we look at some of these numbers that are coming out
and guys are throwing harder and you know, spinning the ball faster, and
but again to what, uh is the the the risk reward? Where is
where is the risk and where's the reward on it? Obviously there's a high
upside, but there's also a tremendous downside to it, and I think that
that's something that is is one of the factors in it. Guys are obviously
for for a good reason, are bigger, faster, stronger than they've ever
been. But I also think just not losing the fact of the art of
pitching and understanding how to change speeds and you know, as fast as we
can pitch it, you know you can also you know, there's there's something
to be said for being able to be creative out there on the mound and
and change speeds. So you know, it comes in obviously different packages pitching
does, but it's still pitching. It's not throwing. And you know,
the thing about velocity. The good thing about velocity is that it affords you
the ability to make more mistakes. But if if you know, you can't
command those mistake or you can't command the ball over the plate, you know,
we've seen it go the other way as well. So as I enjoy,
you know, this increase in ability and skill, you know, to
what you were saying is that, yeah, there is there is a detrimental
downside which is unfortunate, and the bane of the athlete, which is the
injury. Rich Hill is our guest. Before I let you go, Rich
I know you got a lot of honeydew lists. Still, I mean,
there's still a lot to do out there in Milton, Massachusetts. I wanted
to I wanted to ask you how many of your trim the bushes? Yesterd
You were wondering the plants when I called to you the other day. I
did the rosemary, had to take care of the rosemary. Still haven't used
it. See, I need Frank the take back. I need Frank to
take back. Let's sit and tell once we get between those lines up and
changes. All right, all right, I want I want to see that.
I want to see the uh, the intensity. I want to see
the eye of the tiger again. Richie, don't forget. There is no
tomorrow. There isn't. That's right, there isn't. Do you tell you
you can win today? Do you tell your kid that when he goes out
for Little League? Do you tell him? So? We got it?
We gotta, we gotta. We got a big district game coming up tonight.
We got district finals going into States. Okay, it'll be a little
new Rockney out there. All right, maybe a little little nick saban are
you are you giving a speech tonight. We'll see how it goes. We'll
see how the energy and what the flow is and everything like that. We
had a big win last night. We had a big win last night.
We beat Hangam seven to one. They had a nice team, very good
team, very good team. Was Peter Gammons out there watching, yep,
had Peter, Joe was out there, dig Bradford, all the guys.
Everybody was there. Baby. Oh yeah, your your special Boston family out
there. Nobody beats you. David. Yeah, don't forget it. Richie
l A is your home. Boston's just renting. Yeah. Yeah, but
I yeah, I've been doing a lot of a lot of h a lot
of yacht work. See, this is not something I want to put out
there. I want the GM's a baseball to know that you still have the
edge. You're not just you know the guy that waters the lawn or just
barbecues or you know, picks up the whiffle balls. We need we need
rich Hill. Yeah. Well, like I said, don't worry about that.
That part is, uh, that part is the batteries are charging ready
to go? Do you need me to Uh, do you need me to
stand in when you face those hoved hit us? Yeah? You want to
fly over here, pick one in your ear? I bet, I bet
you would love to do that. Ah No, I wouldn't do that.
Maybe. All right, all right, we'll leave it right there, Richie.
I feel like, uh, I don't want to push your buttons too
much and send you over the edge. I know you got to keep your
your composure for this game tonight. Yeah, it's a big one. I
don't want to get tossed myself. I got to make sure that, you
know, keep the keep the lips sealed, and let the umpires do their
job, all right. Yeah? Have you by the way, have you
gone after the umpires in these little league games so far? Oh? Of
course not. They're doing their best, all right. All right, there
was an interference call they did miss. Not exactly happy about that, all
right, they missed that the other night. Well take your word for it.
Rich It's great to share you with Dodger fans again. I know they're
loving hearing your voice. And like I said, Rich Hill at forty four
years young, ready for his twentieth season in Major League baseball, when the
dust settles after July thirtieth, and certainly there's a lot of teams out there
that need rich Hill in some capacity. So hopefully you know I'm biased.
I want you back here, but we'll see where it goes. No,
I hear you, and I miss we miss l A. I miss l
A. L A was obviously good to myself and uh, you know,
good to my family, which is most important. So you know, we'll
see where where everything falls and and uh you know, ready for ready for
the next, the next challenge. Love it. Thanks Richie for the time
and awesome again to share you with everybody. No, thank you for having
me on. David