Right now, we are joined by a man that was one of the best
pitchers of his generation, and certainly a man that was known for his competitive
spirit during his career that saw him win two World Series titles, one with
the Giants, the other with the Boston Red Sox. He pitched eleven years
in the nl West with the Padres and San Francisco Giants. He's a cy
Young Award winner, He's a triple Crown winner. He's a three time All
Star and now part of MLB Network's coverage during the All Star break. He
is a champion of the people, the one and only Jake Peevey. Jake,
thanks a lot for the time. Appreciate it. What an introduction.
It's an an honor to be here. I know Dodger fans may have mixed
feelings. We have Dave Roberts in common. Dave Roberts tied and put this
bad blood together. And that's the beautiful thing about post career. You don't
have to hate or be enemies with anybody. You can appreciate it all.
You're such a nice guy. I don't think anybody could hate you like they
hated Madison Bumgardner. Well, I'll tell you what Madison gave the Dodger nation
a lot to hate. He was one hell of a teammate, I'll tell
you that. And I don't get to carry around one of those titles of
champion if it's not for number forty. Him and Yasielpwi come to mind when
you talk about Dodgers giants in general, no doubt about it. And I
guess before we move on Jake and get into all that you mentioned Dave Roberts.
You were teammates with him with the Padres. Did you ever envision him
being not only a manager, but this successful of a manager doesn't surprise me
one bit because a manager, he's just got to know the game of baseball,
but he's got to be able to communicate and put it all together.
And that's what the best that I played for were able to do. They
were incredible communicators. They could rally the truth. The truth would rally around
that person. That's who Dave is. And we've seen that come to fruition.
You know, Look, we can get deep into it. And I
think the guy should have another world title too, if another team's not cheating,
and you know, so, look, I think if he does have
that other world title, he's viewed even differently than he is. Dave Roberts
is a great manager and to no surprise of anybody who's been a friend,
teammateer around him. It's interesting you brought that up twenty seventeen. If the
Dodgers win that World Series championship, Jake, the narrative surrounding two men,
Dave Roberts and Clayton Kershaw are completely different. Well, that's why I brought
that up, David, is because it needs to be in the peripheral when
you're having that discussion, because there's a huge asterisk by that, and it's
the first thing that comes to my mind when Dodger fans want to talk about
who Dave Roberts is as a leader as a manager, who the front office
is? Look this front office since I kind of when the changeover, when
Andrew Freeman kind of came in, there's been nobody front office wise, down
through the on field product to the off field marketing of the players that do
it better than the Dodgers. And that's just the truth in my opinions.
Jake Peve is our guest, former Major League pitcher now a great analyst on
MLB Network. This will be Jake Peeve's first All Star game, covering it
for MLB Network during this All Star break, and you'll see him on MLB
Tonight and their coverage not only during the All Star break but also in the
second half of the season. Are you seeing the game a little bit differently,
Jake, being in the studio than you did maybe in the dugout on
the days you didn't pitch well so much as went into it because of how
much the game's changed, and you can't be stubborn. I think it's kind
of labeled on me that I'm a non analytic guy, or I'm the opposite
in the studio of Brian Kenney, but that's not true. I've continued to
try to stay evolved, evolving with the game and to stay current and now
having so many friends still within systems. Mike Napolis a first Bay coach and
been with David Ross, but he's still there now. He's under Craig Council
learning wanting to be a manager. Craig Breslow Chris Young two former teammates that
are now successful general managers. Craig Breslo in his first year doing Wonders in
Boston See why and Boach and those guys having the belt. So these guys
were very close friends. Andrew Bailey, you know, who's now went over
to join Breslow. You know, the guys who I still have out there
in the game are helping me stay relevant and understand, you know, the
new lingo. But the game is the game. Winning baseball is winning baseball.
You don't have to have anybody or analytics tell you that. The when
you watch the Dodgers play, you understand if we're doing things the right way
or the wrong way. And the leaders that we're talking about in Dave Roberts,
you know, still pushing the right buttons awfully, you know good.
Did you ever encounter the analytics towards the end of your career, Jake,
of course, yeah. No. By twenty sixteen, they were, you
know, coming on full board and we were getting ready to take off with
them in San Francisco. You know, it was kind of you know,
and I think one of the things where analytics went wrong is they pushed a
lot of the experience and the older guys and even the coaching staff managers Bochie
out of San Francisco, I'm saying, And that was there was many more.
That was I think where the analytics went wrong. It just didn't it
valued a young and upcoming star with somebody who had years of experience and maybe
didn't metric out as well, but had those invaluable and intangibles that that add
so much to a ball club. And I you know, it was a
tough mix because those guys wanted to hold on and listen to the guys who
had had taught them the game, and then guys were you know, in
suits telling them, no, this is how you got to look at it,
and there wasn't really a marriage to that. It was kind of a
hostile takeover. Yeah, that's one way to put it, for sure.
Jake Tevee is our guest, and look, I side with you, Jake.
I feel like analytics certainly has a place in the game, but a
three year sample size is not going to help any manager win tonight. And
maybe the macro of a one sixty two marathon doesn't really reflect how you deviate
or how you manage a game in the postseason. I think the play a
big part in it. David. I think you're you're all over and what
you just said, and the Dodgers get this right, just said, I
don't want to weave in front of all of sudden better. They are heavily
analytically driven, and I think over the macro that stuff can really play out
in place of your advantage. We talk about winning championships. That's a whole
different story now winning baseball, and you can throw some of the analytics out
the window, and they need to take a little bit of a back seat
to game management and field and I'm talking to maybe like decisions and I I
hate to bring this up because I'm not throwing shade at anybody, but I'm
just going back and playing Monday morning. Quarterback Tyler Anderson coming out of that
game in San Diego was an analytical decision. It seemingly. Hilary Loretta was
sitting next to me, not watching the game at all, and just said
to me, I'm so glad they took that left hander out of the game.
We had no chance for him. They didn't care that graderral was you
know what I'm saying, Just a normal casual fan who was watching the game
had the feel of it of gosh, we have a better chance versus anybody
but that guy. And so I think when you get to the playoffs,
you have to match that feel because you're riding a hot hand. Bruce Bochi's,
you know, playing his hot hand that given night might go against what
the matchup says, but in the playoffs, I believe that stuff wins championships.
Two time World Series champion Jake Peevey knows all about it. He is
our guest. He's on MLB tonight's coverage of the All Star Game and certainly
their coverage during the entire baseball season. And Jake, that brings me to
the question twenty twenty four, how do you view this Dodger team and their
chances to get through the National League. Well, look, I still view
him as the class of the league. We have some big issues. I'll
start with the two teams behind you. I think Arizona's in real trouble,
potentially missing the dance. San Diego certainly has issues, but they're coming.
The Giants certainly have issues, but they're coming if they get some healthy pieces
back, and that leads us to the Dodgers. You have a seven and
a half game lead. We've got some When Mooki and Max Munty are back
in this lineup, it gives it the length and look, especially with ta
Oscar providing the way he is. When you put those two bodies back in
this Dodger lineup, it becomes a lineup like kind of the Phillies are on
the opposition tonight. They're a complete lineup. You saw last night, seven
through nine of that Philly team beat you seven nine. They were in the
game last night. That's incredible. When you're getting that kind of production and
you're winning games like they did last night. That Bryce Harper in the middle
other than Trey Turner goes over. So the Dodgers to me, when you
get Mookie and Max back, you're fine. I will tell you this,
when I just mentioned Tray Turner, I wish we wered have signed Trey Turner
and that short stopposition would have been his because since he he's been himself in
August and he got used to Philly, he's been the best player in the
National League. And I think that contract is gonna be the best one out
of that winner signed over the length of it. The way he plays the
game and gets older, smarter and looks as good as ever. But the
Dodgers also on the same side. We're just beat up in a pitching way.
Of my gosh, if you look at since Yamamoto went on now Glass
now and on and on with the names, we've just you got a seven
and a half game lead that you're gonna be able to hold that lead throughout
the second half. We've just got to get healthy and poised and really respond
onto being punched in the mouth the last few years in the postseason. Just
get there with an edge. And I believe your leadership not only with Dave
Roberts, but on the team. Freddie Freeman wants another title. He's a
world champion. Muki Betts wants another one. Will Smith stud all Star,
Tay Oskar's riding that way show Hey's the best player on the planet. It
can happen. You just got to get in the playoffs healthy with those guys
motivated. I can't talk to Jake Peevee without asking him about future Hall of
Famer Clayton Kershaw. You've competed against him, you obviously respect him. Do
you believe that he'll be able to come back and look like himself after a
major shoulder surgery? Jake, it scares me. A major shoulder surgery is
not anything guaranteed, and anybody who knows about it. Will tell you that,
and that's just the facts of it. What I will tell you is
Clayton Kershaw's as good as anybody to maybe ever do it. He's in the
question of as good as anybody to ever do it. And greatness comes with
long and Clayton has just been the model of all of that. Greatness and
longevity is all encompassing. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodger fans should be lucky to
have him, and none of the negativity should be allowed to see finn it
does when we get older in our career and don't produce and we're not healthy.
But I'm just very glad that we have a chance for him to come
back. I think Clayton is as mentally strong as anybody I've ever met.
You can't do what he's done without it. The mind's a powerful thing in
the body. You know, Clayton's gonna work and do all of his rehab,
and I know he's doing that. I'll have a lot more feel maybe
talking to some guys today. As I told you, I'm on the way
of the ballpark. But Clayton Kershaw, this is all you need to know.
He's as good as maybe anybody ever do it? Are you kidding me?
The Dodgers have Sandy Kofax and Clayton Kershaw, the two best left handers
of all time to hang their hat on. Possibly, I hope to see
him one more time doing what we've seen him do for so long. Man,
Jake Peebe, you got me fired up. Throw that suit. You
got to take the mound for the Dodgers. They need to forget about training
for somebody. How about just signing Jake Peevey. I tell you what what
you've got coming off the IL and what you've got in that minor league system.
The arms, you've got plenty coming. Mark Pryor is another friend,
former teammate. You guys are going to be just by well. You brought
up Mark Pryor. You and Mark Pryor had the best bent caps in baseball
history. When you used to bend your bill like prior, Yo, you
knew game was on PV me and Prior matched up in the minor leagues in
Double A and then got to do it all through the big leagues. And
gosh, what a shame that he couldn't stay healthy because he would have been
in that conversation of the best to ever do it. The stuff out of
this world, IQ betch Ability all there, man. I love Jake Pevy.
That's why it was. I knew it was going to be a tough
day when you saw him on the mound at Dodger Stadium. Two time World
Series Champion, triple Crown winner. I mean, people don't give you the
love because you're so humble. You had one of the great careers in recent
memory, Jake, and it's an honor to have you on the show,
and I hope to meet you one day in beautiful Santiago. I look forward
to the same, my friend. Thanks for having me all