Dodger Talk is sponsored by La Care Health Plan, providing affordable healthcare insurance to
millions of Angelinos for over twenty five years. And now your voice for Dodger
Talk. Like back, David Vasse. We are live at Great American Ballpark
in Cincinnati, where the rain has started the fall and the Dodgers and Reds
are in a rain delay, a severe storm watch here in downtown Cincinnati.
As the top of the sixth inning was just about to start. The umpires
obviously saw the radar. They had spoken to the head grounds crew chief here
at Great American Ballpark, so they were well aware of what was coming.
We all were aware that the storm would be passing through around this time here
in downtown Cincinnati. And our understanding is this one is supposed to move through
and it's not the most severe. Here's the catch. The Dodgers have to
board a plane and fly to New York City to take on the Mets on
Memorial Day. And if this gets extended too late with the severe storm heading
into the Cincinnati Kentucky area, the Dodgers plane may be grounded for an extended
period of time or a bumpy ride. As Rick Monday said at Charlie Huff
knuckleball from Cincinnati to New York, so that those are the logistics right now
facing the Dodgers. The Reds play at home tomorrow, so they're not going
anywhere. And right now, the Reds at twenty two and thirty, I'm
sure they would love to escape this game after playing only five innings because they
will need more wins down the road than the Dodgers do, and obviously the
Dodgers need some wins. I'm not going to just brush aside the fact that
the Dodgers are on the verge of losing their fifth in a row. That
hasn't happened since twenty nineteen. The Dodger offense has been a no show since
Friday night, and quite honestly been a no show in the last ten to
fifteen games where the Dodgers are a game under five hundred and today, first
inning, Mookie Betts leadoffs single, they cannot get him home. They've had
multiple opportunities with runners on base, and they have not been able to drive
in those runners. Going back to the last game of the home stand against
the Arizona Diamondbacks. Phone lines are open. We're with you until eleven thirty
on the Pacific coast before we reassess where all this is going. So eight
six six nine eight seven two five seventy. We hope you're enjoying a safe
and wonderful Memorial Day weekend, and hopefully we have more Dodger baseball and a
Dodger comeback for you as the morning and afternoon go along in Los Angeles.
Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number Yoshi Yamamoto.
It seemed like he was cruising up until two outs in the third inning.
That's when the Reds scored all four of their runs. It was reminiscent
of the fifth inning on Friday Night where the Red scored six runs with two
outs against James Paxton and Johann Ramirez and Alex Vessia. Today it was just
Yamamoto and the curveball just wasn't working at that point in time, and a
couple of Reds making contact. How about that? Making contact? Good things
happen. Even if it's not a hard hit, high velocity pitch that you're
hitting or exit velocity that you're hitting, it still counts and the Red scored
four runs doing it that way. India with a ground ball through the right
side of the Dodger infield, and also the Reds getting a flare with two
outs from Martini Nick Martini there. So that's how they scored their four runs
with the bases loaded in two outs. Yoshiyamamoto could not get out of it.
And that's where we stand right now. Four nothing Cincinnati, and basically
it's been Cincinnasty for the Dodgers here in this three game series. The Dodgers
thirty three and twenty one coming into the game tonight, and no longer were
the San Diego Padres in second place. All of a sudden, there is
a pulse in San Francisco. The Giants are a game above five hundred and
they have won four in a row, with the Dodgers losing four in a
row and possibly five. If this game goes the way it's going right now,
the Giants all of a sudden, would be making big ground on the
Dodgers, who are in danger of drop in there fifth in a row.
If this game is called today and look right now for nothing to this Dodger
offense feels like ten nothing. There's no way to sugarcoat it. And the
dugout being right next to it these games here in Cincinnati. Not a lot
of life in that dugout, not a lot to cheer about in that dugout.
But I was near that dugout in twenty nineteen, and I do remember
even when there wasn't scoring, guys were battling in there at bats. Guys
in that Dodger dugout would be on the top step and screaming keep going,
keep going. It was led by Justin Turner, Keith g hernandez Jack Peterson.
They would all be screaming keep going to encourage the hitter. Frankly,
I'm not hearing that in this series. Eight sixty six nine eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. The Dodgers and Reds are in a rain
delay right now in the top of the sixth inning. This game is official,
and we will have to wait the a lot time that Major League Baseball
has set in place forty five minutes before any decision can be made on the
fact that there's a rain delay and the game is being stopped because of rain.
And like I said, the Reds are eight games under five hundred.
If they can escape sweeping the Dodgers by only playing five innings today, they
will take it. That's part of this factor as well. And look,
the Dodgers don't want to concede games, but the fact is they have to
be somewhere tomorrow. They have to continue this six game road trip in New
York, so they don't want to be sticking around here for three or four
hours to play the rest of this game. I would imagine they obviously don't
want to drop their fifth in a row. But all things considered, it
is one hundred and sixty two games. The Dodgers are thirty three and twenty
one and very confident that their talented roster will break out of this offensive slump
that we have seen in the last ten eleven games where the Dodgers are only
averaging three runs per game. Let's go out to the phones. Frank in
Sacramento. You're on Dodger Talk live from Cincinnati. Hi Frank, Hey Dave,
thank you, and happy Sunday and happy Memorrow, Today day, Oh
my Dodger brothers and sisters. And hey, look I'm not too worried right
now. We all go through hiccups. This is a long season. We're
early in the season. Let's get everything out now. So we can proceed
further, all right, Frank, I'll pass the message along when I get
down there. The last time, by the way, the Reds swept the
Dodgers in Cincinnati. It was all the way back in September of twenty thirteen,
so it's been a while since the Reds can say they swept the LA
Dodgers here in Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark. It is Memorial Day weekend,
Frank, and thank you for bringing that up. We want to say thank
you to all of the families and the servicemen that made the ultimate sacrifice.
It isn't lost upon us or lost on Major League Baseball. And I always
remember listening to Vin Scully on Memorial Day. He would always weave in a
story and obviously honor those that have fallen and those that are currently serving.
And here's a little SoundBite from a game broadcast about ten years ago from a
Vin Scully. Hi, everybody, in a very blessed Memorial Day to you
or whatever you may be. It's too serious today, but we will take
our minds off it for a couple of hours as the Dodgers in the Atlanta
Braves play a child's game. But all you have to do for a moment
is shit and think and realize how many men and women gave their lives up
so we could be shitting here and worrying such a thing is will that fly
ball score a run, will that pitcher win his seven game of the year,
etc. So thank you to all of you who have served in the
military. Are bloss in prayers for the gold star parents who lost fathers,
sons and daughters. And of course when we talk about the dead, and
that's what we always do on Memorial Day, remember the wounded. There are
so many wounded who gave up sight or hearing or limbs. So we salute
each and everyone the war a uniform representing the United States, and to each
and every one of us sitting here contentedly at Dodger Stadium worrying about the home
team will beat the visiting team. If you're watching at home, we would
ask you please to see if you would tell your kids the importance of the
day, as the military unmasked five of them throughout the ceremonial. First bitch,
we had representatives from every area of the military here a very touching pregame
ceremony. But again to repeat, don't just let it go by as a
hot Don't let it go by for you know, barbecueing on the grill.
Please take the time and tell your children exactly what Memorial Day means. Nobody
could say it better than Vin Scully on Memorial Day twenty fifteen. So thank
you to all that have sacrificed the ultimate, and thank you, as Vin
Scully said, to the wounded. We cannot forget those that have obviously put
their lives at risk for our freedom. So happy Memorial Day weekend. And
as Vin Scully said, don't just make it about barbecues. Make it about
remembering those that have paid and the families that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. It
is really coming down now here in Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark, so much
so Rick Monday and Tim Nevertt have closed the windows for shelter. So the
Dodgers and Reds in a rain delay here in Cincinnati in the finale of this
three game series, with the red scoring four runs in the third inning,
holding on to a four to nothing lead after five innings, Let's go back
out to the phones. Mark in Long Beach you're on Dodger Talk with David
vasse Hi. Mark. Hey, David, I got a question about Jackie
Robinson. If you can answer now, I end try. Okay, I
understand there's a museum of Jackie Robinson in New York. Yeah, the Dodgers
have a Jackie Robinson museum. And if they do not, why not?
I know they I know you play, I know you play there in New
York. I can get it. Yes, but the Dodgers don't have a
museum, not only for Jackie Robinson or for anybody else. They do a
great job of honoring him with the first ever statue at Dodger Stadium. The
Jackie Robinson statue was the first ever statue at Dodger Stadium. And if you
go around the ballpark, there's a lot of history of Jackie Robinson. So
maybe there's not a dedicated quote museum, but Dodger Stadium at this point in
time, is a museum of history and it's all around if you take a
walk around the concourse. Mark, Okay, well that's that's a good point.
I mean, I just didn't want New York to have a museum,
and you know, the daughters they're not but you're right. Yeah, well,
it's not like the museums at City Field. The museum's at a different
spot in Manhattan, and that's where his widow, Rachel Robinson lives. So
they're a East Coast family and that's the reason why they decided to start it
there. Okay, well, okay, I understand. I mean he grew
up in southern California. Okay, I understand he did, and then as
an adult moved to the East Coast. You know that goes, Mark,
Thanks a lot for the phone call. Eight sixty six nine eighty seven,
two five seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time out here
from Cincinnati. When we come back, you'll hear our conversation with one of
the greatest shortstops of his generation. No mar Garcia Para. He gave a
report card on Mookie Beds and how he may improve as time goes on playing
the same position Nomar played for so many years in the nineties and early two
thousand, So don't go anywhere more. Rain Delay Dodger Talk from Cincinnati rolls
on on the Los Angeles Dodgers Audio Network every game every year on air or
on the app LA Dodgers Baseball lives right here on its exclusive hole. It's
rain Delay Dodger Talk live from Great American Park in Cincinnati, where the Reds
are leading the Dodgers at Great American Ballpark four to nothing. It is an
official game, so if they decide that Wheather is not going to cooperate,
the win would go to the Cincinnati Reds and the Dodgers will have lost their
fifth consecutive game. The Dodger offense continues to struggle today, just two hits
and only one after Mookie Bett's leadoff single to start the game. Show.
Hey o'tani is oh for two, Freddy Freeman is oh for two. And
the Dodger offense continues to go through what most teams go through during the season,
and that is a slump. There's no other way to say it.
It is a slump, and the Dodgers are going to have to find their
way out of it, you know. Dave Roberts has been very candid with
the fact the Dodgers have been chasing pitches down out of the strike zone and
they have not been hitting fastballs in the strike zone. That amounts to a
slump, and they have got to figure that out because it has not worked
for the Dodger offense the last ten twelve games, where they're only averaging just
about three runs per game. The first game of this series, they scored
six runs on eleven hits, but the pitching did not cooperate, and the
Reds beat the Dodgers on Friday night and then yesterday a wolfful offensive performance.
Hunter Green had a lot to say about that, but the Dodgers lost three
to one yesterday and now facing their fifth loss in a row, the first
time since twenty nineteen the Dodgers have lost five in a row. Daniel's Jewelers
they are the official sponsor of the Trip around the Diamond. Stop by any
Daniel's location and say home run for your free team bracelet and fifty dollars gift
card toward any purchase of ninety nine dollars or more. Daniels Jewelers Own the
Dream. We're watching video right now of the reigning National League MVP Ronald Acunya
Junior, who led off with a base hit in the first inning. He
was at second base taking a secondary lead, and he crumbled to the ground.
It appears that he's grabbed his right knee, and it just seems like
it's not ending well for Ronald da Kunya Junior. Actually looks like he's holding
his left leg there where his spikes may have got caught in the dirt dirt
out there at P and C Park. So Ronald d'acunya Junior still down on
the field in Pittsburgh at P and C Park. He was the fifth major
league player last year to be a forty to forty player. Forty home runs
for a Kunya Junior last year and he stole seventy one bases. So show
hey, Otani right now is the only major league player to have at least
ten home runs and ten stolen bases. Otani is on pace himself to be
a forty to forty player. And the reason why I bring that up is
because yesterday we all noticed when Otani was going for third on his triple in
the sixth inning, he was not running at full speed. And after the
game, Dave Roberts told reporters they that he was dealing with a left hamstring
contusion. In fact, he never even said which leg, But we found
out this morning it's his left hamstring that has been bothering him and that he's
been running with a quote governor. So this morning when we went into the
manager's office, we got a little more clarity on what's going on with Otani's
left hamstring. Dave, after last night's game, you mentioned that show has
been running with a governor dealing with a left hamstring issue. How concerned are
you that this can turn into something bigger if he doesn't come out of the
lineup at this point? Not at all. I think that, as I
mentioned yesterday, yesterday was better than two days ago. He felt it's kind
of a right around ninety percent, and so feeling that, you know,
just assuming that it'll keep getting better. I feel confident that he can kind
of play smart and not push it, you know, as a player and
a base runner, if there's a play, maybe you put it into that
extra gear. Any concern about that, not really. I think that I've
talked to him about, you know, not trying to steal a base and
being smart and the value of him being in the lineup is everything, and
so so yeah, obviously things can happen, but I think right now,
my trust in him that he can manage it is pretty high. What'd you
think about him with all that that he was able to get to third base
on a triple down the right field corner. It was very impressive because I
was hoping he would just stop at second base, but he didn't kind of
he didn't intensify the pace and he just kind of kept that, like I
said, the governor on and he cruised in the third base. So pretty
pretty easily. All right, there's Dave Roberts with a little more detailed description
on what is going on with show Hey Otani and his left hamstring. I
did notice after Otani's first at bat he did go into the tunnel and back
to the Dodger clubhouse, followed by one of their trainers. And Dave Roberts
said before the game that the part of the therapy is acupuncture. So I'm
sure being the dh he has the luxury in between at bats to be able
to go down and get treatment before he has to take his next ab As
they say in the business, eight six six nine seven two five seventy is
the phone number. We are in a rain delay here at Great American Ballpark.
After five innings. The Reds lead the Dodgers for nothing. It is
an official game, and right now the rain has led up, but the
fans are still taking shelter down the right field line. But all of a
sudden, now the fans are starting to come back to their seats, so
we may resume this game sooner than later. Let's go out to Larry in
Hollywood. You're on Dodger Talk, Colin. Can you punch up Larry for
me? Please? Hy Larry, you're on Dodger Talk, David da Yes,
yes, David. This is this is Melrose Lowry Green calling. First
of all, David, I love all your reports of the Dodgers. You're
wonderful and I know you know everybody on the team. I'm a mega Dodger
fan, and I need you to tell Dave Roberts that I think that he
is the best manager. And I'm a Yankee fan from the days of Case
of Sengle, the best manager in history. And they need to have you,
David, right in the dugout next to Dave Roberts, and I guarantee
you the Dodgers will be in the world service with the Yankees. All right,
Larry, Well, today I've been in the camera well next to him.
One player which will go on name, told me to get the blank
out of that area because it's for players in a joking way, Larry,
but I don't think I could do well. I only play a manager on
the radio. I have no place near that dugout. But I appreciate the
sentiment, Larry. And there's a very good chance it's Dodgers Yankees. I
unfortunately, Larry and hollywod would predicted Dodgers Orioles a rematch of the nineteen sixty
six Fall classic. I hope you're not offended. No, no, I
remember I was sixteen years old. I remember that year which I think Jim
Palmer was in that World Series. He was, and that was Sandy Kofax's
last World Series. They got swept by the Orioles. So we'll see what
happens there. Thank you for the phone call, Larry, appreciate it.
We just got word from the director of travel for the Dodgers. The Reds
ground crew is looking to restart this game at two forty five Eastern time eleven
forty five Pacific time. And here they are taking the tarp off to loud
cheers here at Great American Ballpark. So just to give you an update,
this game is going to resume. It will be the top of the sixth
inning the Dodgers trailing the Reds four to nothing. It will begin at eleven
forty five Pacific time, two forty five Eastern. When we were We're back
at home and the Dodgers were hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks. So Nomar garcia Paro
was working for Sports at LA and I thought it was a great opportunity to
get his assessment of Mookie Bets the shortstop. And honestly, it dawned on
me, why hasn't Mookie Betts approached Nomar about that position? He has approached
everybody under the sun except the guy that played it at a high level,
and he's in a suit and tie on the field at Dodgers Stadium before every
home game. That makes zero sense to me. And Nomar is not going
to overstep. He's going to just stay in his lane unless somebody approaches him.
And that's the way it should be. If somebody want to ask Rick
Monday how to play center field, he's not going to insert himself. That's
just the respect of the coaches that they have. So it dawned on me
that why wouldn't we talk to Nomar about shortstop? And I'm a little surprised.
Nobody with the Dodgers have I wanted Mooki in no Mar's direction, But
at this point in time, a lot of voices in Mooki's head and they've
kind of consolidated that to Jose Viscaino, who was a really good defensive infielder,
Miguel Rojas's teammate, and Diano Ebel, the Dodgers infield coach. But
if I was mookie I from one former Red Sox to another, I feel
like he would benefit by picking Nomar's brain about the cerebral part of that position.
So here's Nomar on how to play shortstop and what he's seen from Mooki.
Nomar, you have such a great perspective on the position of shortstop.
You played it your entire life. You know how demanding it is. You
played it at the top better than a lot of guys. What are you
seeing so far from Mooki Betts. Listen, Mookie Bets is doing a fine
job over there as shortstop. I know he's so hard of himself. He
has such high expectations of himself. But at the same time, you know,
having those high expectations great because that's what makes you to continue to work
and try to get better rather than then just be complacent. And we know
one thing Mooki is not is complacent, that is for sure. But like
I said, he's getting the job done. He's doing a fine job.
There's things that he may have some miscues, but that's just due to experience.
But it has nothing to do with the talent or nor the ability to
play at that position. It's when you watch him as a former shortstop,
I can't say, you know what, he's not a short stop just trying
to play the position. No, he has he has all the movement,
the mannerisms. You and I have talked before. You've asked me about other
short stops in the past, and I said, no, he you know,
they have that look of a short stuff. I've told you that,
and I've told you some guys that potentially like they're short stuff now. But
I can see those guys moving later or kind of you know, kind of
either grown out of the position or just don't have the movement to last there
very long. Yeah, but Mooki has the movements, the mannerisms and everything
of a shortstop. He's not one that's that. I say, Well,
he's just feeling in right now and doing a fine job. I think with
due time and experience, he'll learn some of the nuances that go along with
it. That's maybe some of those things where he maybe look a little bit
off, or he might have a miscue here and there that comes with more
experience rather than ability. When you look at the way he's been able to
adapt so quickly, spent only two months, and for him to get the
praise or validation from you, what does that say about his athletic ability?
Well, we knew that. We know he's a ridiculous athlete, right And
like I said, the more and more you play with experience, you're no
longer an athlete playing shortstop. You become a shortstop. And that doesn't happen
overnight, you know, And I think that's where the expectation is from.
So he wants to just be a shortstop. He thinks it takes you know,
it takes years, not necessarily just months in order to do that.
You know. I know when I moved over to first base, I knew
I was a short stop playing first base. I was in a first basement
and it took me a while. I don't know if I mean it maybe
towards the end of the year, Rife kind of felt like, yeah,
I'm a first baseman, like you know, it took me that long.
And it goes back to being able to where things work instinctively, where I'm
not overthinking it too much, where I just let the game just kind of
come and it just took time. It wasn't anything. It wasn't for the
lack of effort. It wasn't that I you know what, It could have
happened sooner if I had taken a thousand more ground balls than what I did
to try to get some. It wasn't that. And hearing Mookie Bets talk
about that the other day, he sounds like, you can take all the
ground balls. But it's just the game. The game. It's hard to
duplicate. It's hard to find these little situations that happened over a course of
a game. I know when I was at first, there's so much footwork
watching the throw. You don't work on every single throw that comes at you
because game situation is just so different. With the adrenaline, the movement of
the guys that are throwing over there, there's a lot of things that come
into play, and the same things that short the game speed is different than
what you try to simulate. You do it as best you can, but
just when the game happens, and also the way the adrenaline is in you
also affects. Maybe that first step, maybe that one little read. You
know, it's the hit yere game of inches. It is so much less
than that. And I always said that from a hitting perspective, but also
from a fielding perspective, there are times where that first step you get or
that first read right off the bat is so vital to your rhythm. The
one thing that shortstop compared to other positions is, let's say that first initial
read I don't get if I'm at third base and I'm able to still knock
it down, but I still have time to get it over to first base.
Second base the same thing. I may miss that read or I may
be able to make up for it, and I may be off balance,
but I still have enough time to get the ball to first base to get
the out. Shortstop, it all has to be in sync. Because you
are at shortstop. As you're fielding, you're already preparing yourself for the throw.
That's the one position in the infield where more than anywhere else. You
were already preparing yourself to throw before you even have the ball. So it's
that type of movement at first that that all matters no more. It's interesting
you bring that up because opposing scouts have been here at Dodger Stadium and some
of them have observed that MOOKI is thinking about the throw before he actually gets
the ball in the glove. Have you seen that at times? I don't
know if he's necessarily thinking about the throw. I think it's more about what
position I'm supposed to be in for the throw, right, rather than Okay,
I got to think about that. There are a lot of times you're
thinking of he moved too quickly because he's already trying to throw the ball,
you know, or he didn't get the glove, he lifted his glove up
too soon. I don't see that. I think he's more working on how
do I want to get myself into the position for that throw? For example,
the backcan you know, there's a couple of ways to go from the
backhand. There's some that at a certain angle depends on where it's hit.
Where you actually go through the ball on a backhand, where your hand is
staying down and you're going through. And then there's other times where you're where
you're on your backhand, where the glove is kind of more is soft.
It's where you're just kind of, you know, catching it like an egg.
You know, at an egg, you don't want to really go through
it because you fail, you're gonna break it. But there are times based
on the angle and the way it's hit where you're now your hands are supposed
to be soft and kind of let it give a little bit and then come
up and get ready to throw. Those are really hard to understand based on
you know, that comes with practice, and I think that's where we see
more of his in between is trying to recognize is this one where I'm supposed
to be soft like an egg, or I'm supposed to go through the ball
with my momentum going toward first. No, mar Garciapara is our guest.
He is a wizard. I know he's not Ozzie Smith, but he was
a wizard at shortstop as well. And you just hear the way you talk
about it, Nomar. It's like driving a car or riding a bike for
you, or putting on your shoes. It was second nature. It sounds
like for you to play that position. Ask Mookie talk talk to Mooki about
right field and want you to listen how second nature it is for him right
because you play it for so long. He was an MVP, He's an
All Star out in right field. There's so many nuances that you and I
both know because we didn't have the experience, you know, and now you're
asking him to go do something. So you're right, I did it for
a long time. So I hope that with that experience and you know,
that instinctiveness and that just came out, that I would know it to some
degree. You know. It's like, especially at this level, the guy's
up here to play it at this level, it's really hard to do that
without that knowledge. And like I said, we're asking a lot of Mooki,
But like I said, by no means is he incapable of doing it.
He can do it. Nomar is so humble and he respects the players
and their preparation. But I feel like, Nomar, you're in your tie
suit ready to go for sports at LA tonight. I feel like I just
want to drag you out there right now, and maybe Mookie Bets can get
a tutorial from one of the best. You know what, I'm watching him
take ground balls right now and work and he already has one of the best
out there. Miguel Rojas is phenomenal. He really is special out there,
and I love watching Miguel rohas. I love watching him. I've always liked
watching guys practice, even when I was little and wanted to come to a
background and just watched how professional guys got themselves prepared, how they took their
ground balls. Just watch their footwork, watch what they were doing, and
you know those little things that we were just talking about earlier. From the
shortstop position. Miguel Rojas, he knows all those little nuances. He knows
all maybe the little tricks he sees things. Dino Ebo is another one you
talk to Dino man. I love talking to him about infield and watching him
work with the infielders and what they do, the little, you know,
subtleties that can put your body in the right position that you may not be
recognizing you're doing it. It's like a good hitting coach is supposed to do,
maybe recognizing that your hands are down an inch or you know, the
batpath isn't going right, because you know that could be that front foot that
isn't pointed the right way and it's messing with your hips. These guys are
great, so he actually has some of the two best. They're helping him
out, all right, Nomar, Thanks a lot for the time. When
you played, everybody always asked you about your family, so I got to
give a shout out to your mom and dad. How's mom and dad doing
out there? And Whittier, you're the best, Dave. I appreciate that
they are doing well. I talk to him every day. I talked to
them earlier today, so it's always good to catch up with them, and
you know what they are doing great, you know, running around watching their
grandkids, you know, do all the different activities that they're doing. So
they're having a blast. Love it. Waiting for that invite to Christmas,
Nomar, it might be a wild day. Thanks a lot for the time.
It is truly special to hear you talk about the position. So thank
you. You got it, Dave. Anytime there is no more Garciapara man,
Yeah, I want to be invited to Christmas at the Garcia Para house.
I mean, I want those tamales that they get Nomar is. He
reminds me the way his family is the way our family has a big,
a big part and a lot of food flowing. So always great to catch
up with Nomar. And I thought the biggest thing that he said was,
you know, not just about fielding ground balls. It's more about just having
the head and the field awareness of that position. And I know he was
talking about certain times where you want to reach for the ball quickly in front
of you, sometimes you got a backcandidate closer to you. Those are things
that come with playing that position, not just for a year or two.
But you know, these guys that are the greatest shortstops in Major League Baseball
have been playing since high school and non stop shortstop. Mookie Betts stopped playing
shortstop after high school. And you could say all you want, well,
he came up as a second baseman. Second base is not shortstop in a
lot of different ways. Shortstop, outside of being the catcher, is the
most demanding and most important position on the field, and Mookie Bets continues to
put in the work. And I know the scouts I've spoken to no more
even said it right there that considering he picked up this position just about two
weeks before opening Day. He's better than most guys at that position right now.
And I know the games where he makes an error or he throws wide
or doesn't come up with a infield ground ball that he should have. Everybody
wants to talk about it and ask him about it, but nobody really points
out the games where it's clean because there's no abnormality when he does that,
and more times than not, he's had pretty good games. And the more
he plays there as we get into June, the more comfortable he's going to
be, obviously, And we'll see where this goes at the trade deadline on
July thirtieth, because Andrew Friedman Dave Roberts, they are evaluating whether or not
they can move forward, not just for the rest of the regular season,
but move forward into the postseason with this infield alignment of Mookie Bets at shortstop
and Gavin Lux at second base. Lux is part of this equation because if
you trade for a shortstop, Mookie Bets is going back to second base.
No matter how all of us believe it would probably fit better for him to
go back to right field. He's not going back to right field. He's
made that pretty clear that he loves playing on the infield, and whether that's
the best thing for the team or that's something that the Dodgers even would love
to do right now, they can't go back to do that because right now
he's entrenched on the infield. And I think another layer to all this is
how it's not really talked about how many superstars would actually move positions, not
just from right field to second base, but how about a six time Gold
Glove right fielder at age thirty one moving to shortstop and opening himself up to
criticism and the vulnerability of playing a demanding position at age thirty one. I
don't believe too many other superstars, if any, would do what Mookie Betts
said yes to in spring training when it became apparent that the Dodgers were concerned
about playing Rojas there every day and that Gavin Lux frankly just couldn't play the
position. I'm not sure too many other superstars would do that, and Mooki
has volunteered in a big way to play that position and has poured everything he
can into that position. Even this morning, quick turnaround day game after a
night game, early start twelve ten Eastern time, Mookie Betts was out there
at about eleven am ten thirty eleven am taking round balls with Miguel Rojas.
So he's not, you know, going into this with one foot in.
He's all in. And that's the interesting part. If the Dodgers believe that
the team construction at the trade deadline would be better with Mooki going back to
second base, will he accept that. I would imagine they've had conversations with
him going back to when they asked him to play this position, that if
they can find a shortstop at the trade deadline, they would do it.
And I know there's a lot of buzz about Bob Bishett. He's under team
control not only for the rest of this year, but for the entirety of
next year as well, and the Blue Jays are going nowhere at this point
in time, So the Blue Jays are not going to be able to extend
all these young stars they have Vladimir Guerrera Junior and Bob Basheed and the others.
And considering Bob Bashett has had an underwhelming start to his season and is
due a big payday and arbitration, it kind of feels like, yeah,
the Blue Jays maybe won't trade Bob Baschett, but they will certainly consider Bo
Baschett. And the facts are, yeah, the Dodgers have a surplus of
younger outfielders, but they need somebody that can play this year. And the
blue Jays have a veteran and Kevin Kiermyer that the Dodgers were interested in each
of the last two off seasons. So maybe up the middle can be solved
with the Blue Jays. We'll have to wait and see how that plays out.
We're gonna take one final time out when we continue, we will lead
you up to first pitch before we hand it off back to Rick Monday and
Tim Neverett. The game is going to resume here at two forty five Eastern
time, eleven forty five Pacific, as the Dodgers and Reds will begin the
top of the sixth inning with Austin Barnes at the plate. And the good
news is Nick Martinez probably done for the day, officially done for the day.
Nick Martinez and his change up have given the Dodgers fits not only today,
but even back at Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers are over on there on
Nick Martinez's changeup, so he's out after four and a third scoreless innings,
so that's good news. Also good news when the top of the six begins,
after Austin Barnes leads off the inning, he will be followed by Mookie
Betts and show hey o'tani. So we continue on this raindelay edition of Dodger
Talk, leading you back up to the game resumption at eleven forty five Pacific
time right here on the Los Angeles Dodgers Audio Network, freeloaded and ready to
return to the top LA Dodgers Baseball on its exclusive home David Vasse live at
Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, where the Dodgers and Reds are going to resume
play in the top of the sixth inning in about nine minutes here on the
Los Angeles Dodgers Audio Network. Austin Barnes will lead off against Chris Spire of
the Cincinnati Reds, and the Dodgers are thankful for the range on one front
that Nick Martinez has been sitting to too long and will not be back on
the mound. Martinez has given the Dodgers fits this season in this same role
where he has come in as the long reliever after an opener, and today
Martinez stifled the Dodger offense for four and a third scoreless innings. Tonight,
the Dodgers are over against Martinez's changeup. They have not been able to lay
off that pitch, and he certainly has taken advantage of that. Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's sneak in
Dan, who is here somewhere at Great American Ballpark? Hi? Dan,
where are you at? David Veasse? I'm sitting in Section one eighteen,
about six rows up behind Dodger dugout do it every year. I'm an LA
County kid that's been on the East Coast for fifty years, and I always
find a way to get out of Dodger game. Rooster boys on and have
a great time being on the Dodger Blue. But I just I give a
quick word of Dodger fans that are feeling sorry for themselves right now. Sure,
okay, Hey, this is a team with a long history that,
yeah, we have some ups, we have some downs, we get looting
streak, and there is a tough, battle tested fan base nationwide that sticks
with his team in foreign land and de Fenzi's Dodgers. So we're here in
numbers and we're here always to black the blue, good, bad, ugly,
and I'm here today. Just just let Dodger Nation know, keep the
faith. This is a great team. The one thing I want to ask
you to, Dave that do you think we are missing Max Monty he added
Lin to the lineup. Absolutely, I think we're Absolutely they're missing Max Muntsey.
He is a good fastball hitter. He's a presence in the middle of
that lineup. He breaks up you know, the big three and Will Smith,
Antioscar Hernandez. They they definitely are missing Max Munsey, especially in a
game like this where you have to give Will Smith a day off. You're
without Will Smith and Max Muntsey. That makes this lineup a little less longer.
I'm with you. I'm with you always. He gives a lot of
quality of back, takes a lot, gets a lot of pitches Uh grown
at him, and it just kind of sets the tone to move that lineup
round get with man on base and I just like to see a little bit
more contact out of everybody. It looks like we're still trying to hit the
long ball instead of playing like the Reds got it. You're behind the dugout.
You should be shouting that. Make contact like a little league game.
Just say, hey, put the ball and play kids. I'm with you.
I'm with you to day. Hey, we listened to you out here
on podcasts all the time. I can't say up to one in the morning
to hear you, but I catch you the next day. Keep up the
great ward. Let's go Blue. All right, Dan, thanks a lot
for podcasting the show. Appreciated. You'll be able to find this rain delay
edition of Dodger Talk on the iHeartRadio app as well. We're gonna take a
break here when we return. Rick Monday and Tim Neverett will have the call
as we begin play again top of the sixth inning between the Dodgers and Reds
Cincinnati leading for nothing. Tim Kates will talk to you after the game.
We'll talk to you from New York City. But right around the corner,
we got more baseball, more Dodger baseball. Rick Monday and Tim Neverett right
around the corner as we begin the top of the sixth inning with the Reds
leading for nothing on the Los Angeles Dodgers Audio Network,