Welcome the Dodger Talk the off night addition David Vase with you until eight o'clock
tonight right here on AM five to seventy LA Sports. We have a special
guest coming up at seven fifteen. Brad Paisley, the decorated country music star
and big time Dodger fan, will join us at seven fifteen. He was
actually at Yankee Stadium for the middle game of that big three game series in
the Bronx that saw the Dodgers take two out of three, So we will
hear from Brad Paisley get his take on what was going on at Yankee Stadium
from a fans perspective. And he also, you know, he has a
little pool these days, so he went into the manager's office after the game,
so we'll get his thoughts on how Dave Roberts reacted after that big win
by the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, after coming off an extra innings
win against the Yankee Keys, the Dodgers take two out of three and go
five hundred on this six game road trip. After losing two out of three
to the Pirates, the Dodgers got up for the most anticipated regular season series
and taking the first two games against the New York Yankees. Out there in
the Bronx eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
If you were out there in New York with us, I would love
to hear your experiences because it was electric at Yankee Stadium for all three games.
The first night, it was the highest paid attendance at Yankee Stadium this
year forty eight thousand plus and then on Saturday night, also topping the highest
paid attendance at Yankee Stadium top in the night before. Forty eight thousand,
three hundred and something were at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night. It was truly
a playoff atmosphere. And the Dodgers landed at Lax this morning at three am,
and I thought, you know what, it would be a good night
to have an off day Dodger talk to recap that Yankee series and earlier this
morning, after the Dodgers landed at three am, Major League Baseball announced who
was the American and National League Players of the week, and not shocking,
Aaron Judge was the American League Player of the Week, but our own Taoscar
Hernandez was the National League Player of the League. Player of the Week,
hitting four home runs, driving in ten runs. He had three doubles,
two walks, six runs scored, and even a stolen base to add to
it. And when you play the way ta Oscar Hernandez did in that Yankee
series, you are going to open up a lot of eyes. And I'm
sure that certainly garnered a lot of attention for him to win the National League
Player of the Week. He led Major League base Ball in home runs,
extra base hits, total bass is so well deserved for Teoscar Hernandez. And
honestly, when you talk about these three games, it was, like I
said, playoff type games, and you wonder how some of these new players
are going to react in this type of atmosphere, because it did feel like
the playoffs, and it is a possible World Series preview. And the first
night, I felt like we learned something more about Yoshi Yamamoto on that type
of stage. You know, a lot of people were ready to bury him
after one start in Korea. That's not the case. He has pitched great
ever since. And he really did show me something on Friday night by pitching
seven scoreless innings and striking out seven Yankees in the first game of that series.
And I know the Yankees were without Juan Soto in all three games,
and by all accounts, they are a very different team without Soto in the
lineup, but nonetheless it is still a very good lineup that is one of
the best teams in the American League, one of the best offenses in the
American League. They did have Aaron Judge for all three games, so you
have to give Yamamoto credit for stepping up to the challenge and pitching the way
he did, and especially the first game of the series. Usually in these
type of series playoff like Atmosphere series in the regular season, the first one
is always the one with the most energy, and Yamamoto was the first starting
pitcher for the Dodgers, and he answered the bell in a big way,
pitching seven scoreless that night. So we showed all of us that he is
not going to shy away from the moment. In fact, he's going to
take it up a notch. Because his fastball velocity was clocked at ninety eight
miles an hour, something we they have not seen all season long. So
Yamamoto showed us something, and so did Taoscar Hernandez, who for the first
time in his career was on a huge stage like that wearing a Dodger uniform.
Look, you could say whatever you want about the Mariners and the Blue
Jays and the blue Jays being Canada's team, there's nothing like being a Dodger
playing at Yankee Stadium. And there's nothing like being a Dodger this season with
all the expectations, and Taoscar Hernandez also showed us he can perform and embrace
the big stage. Taoscar Hernandez in the three games at Yankee Stadium was six
for twelve with three home runs and nine RBIs, including that career night on
Saturday, two home runs with a Grand Slam totaling six RBIs. So Taoscar
Hernandez and Yoshi Yamamoto, to me, answered the best that they can perform
on this big stage. Eight six, six nine to eight seven, two
five seventy is the phone number. I'll give it up to Tyler Glass now
as well. Yesterday going six innings, striking out twelve, he did make
a huge mistake to Trent Grisham. I'm sure he would want that pitch back.
He had a pitch behind the count to Grisham, Grisham was hitting below
a buck coming into the series and hits his third home run of the year,
a huge three run shot off of glass Now, which was the difference
on Sunday Night Baseball. But I'll say this, glass Now, who has
been on a regular Chris Rose podcast, said pitching for the Dodgers and being
in that type of environment is nothing different than pitching for the Rays. He
did concede, Yes, bigger crowds, more media, but when he's on
the mound, it doesn't feel any different than it did with the Rays.
So that's encouraging because his postseason record does not reflect that and he's looking to
change that this October with the Dodgers. But ta Oscar Hernandez and Yoshiyamamoto showed
me the most in this three game series. You know, at Yankee Stadium,
they were selling these T shirts, baseballs, bobbleheads specializing in this series,
and I loved it. I love that they were playing up to the
anticipation and the excitement of the fans by having T shirts and baseballs custom made
to sell for this series because they knew it was not just going to be
Yankee fans in the Bronx. It was going to be Dodger fans and Otani
fans that showed up, and they played right up to that, selling those
T shirts, bobbleheads, baseballs, and my understanding is by the end of
the first game, they were sold out of T shirts, They were basically
sold out of the baseballs. They were almost sold out of the bobbleheads that
had Judge and Otani on it, selling for one hundred and forty nine dollars
and ninety nine cents. But to me, Aaron Judge continued to prove that
he is the best hitter in all of Major League Baseball seven four eleven with
three home runs and five RBIs In this series, Otani a disappointing series for
him as he continues to struggle. He was just two for thirteen in the
three games in the Bronx, and Eduardo Perez's interview with Otani before the game
set it. All Otani marveled at the fact that no matter the situation or
the opponent, he all Judge, Aaron Judge always has the same swing,
and that's something I'm looking for from Otani because he takes some wild swings in
u at bats that really don't necessitate him taking those type of big swings,
and he needs to find a way to recalibrate because his balance is off and
it's reflective in the last twenty twenty five games where he's only hitting two hundred
eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. We're
gonna take a time out when we come back. We have two lines open.
We'll get to your phone calls. And also Brad Peasley will join us.
Coming up next on Off Night Dodger Talk with David Vassa on AM five
seventy LA Sports. This is Off Night Dodger Talk David vass with you until
eight o'clock tonight here on AM five to seventy LA Sports. The Dodgers will
be back in action tomorrow night to host the Texas Rangers, possibly without Corey
Seger because he heard his hamstring over the weekend in San Francisco. So Corey
Sieger may not be playing in this three game series against the Dodgers. And
don't forget the Rangers are the defending World Series champions and Cory Seger is the
reigning World Series MVP, so hopefully he's able to play, and I would
love to see Dodgers Stadium give Corey Seeger the due respect because he was one
of the best players the Dodgers have ever produced from their farm system. He
was the Minor League Player the Year back in twenty thirteen twenty fourteen, and
then burst onto the scene in September of twenty fifteen and was one of the
best shortstops and still is an all a Major League Baseball, two time champion,
two time World Series MVP, and hopefully the umpires if Seeger is able
to play this series, hopefully the umpires shut down that dang pitchclock and allow
Dodgers Stadium to give Seger the rightful standing ovation he deserves, Unlike when Cody
Bellinger came back last year and he wanted to acknowledge the fans, but the
pitch clock was running and they did not make an exception. So hopefully Baseball
has learned from their mistakes last year to allow these moments to happen, because
that's what makes it special for everybody involved. Eight sixty six nine eight seven
two five seventy is the phone number we will get to your phone calls in
a moment. If you were at Yankee Stadium, I would love to hear
from you, But we have a Dodger fan that is one of the most
decorated musicians, and a man that is a huge Dodger fan and a great
person away from the stage. He was at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night for
the Dodgers' big win, for ti Oscar Hernandez's big night, and the man
that brought GMS together during the winter for the Dodgers to pull off the trade
for Tyler Glass. Now that's the one and only Brad Paisley. Brad,
thanks a lot for call and appreciate it. Nanks for that intro. I
don't know how much that I deserve. Thank you, You deserve all of
it. And I was it was great to see you at Yankee Stadium.
I couldn't believe how good your seats were. I mean, you flew in
for that game, and I feel like you got your money's worth. Are
you kidding? I mean, I don't think it's That was one of those
games where it's great to be the fan of the winning team because it was
the perfect game. It's like tie, well, you know, we're up
one, tied up one again, go up too, and then it's all
hell breaks loose. Thanks to ta Oscar, and it's like it was just
a blast, and the experience of being there when these two Titans collide is
just it's really it was really something I've been to, you know, our
World Series games before, and this was every bit is exciting. It's it's
crazy. I hope you weren't getting a hot dog when ta Oscar Hernandez hit
his Grand Slam. No, I was. I was sitting there and I
mean just as shocked, and I mean it was just great. It was
it was literally the moment the Yankees fans started to leave. Yeah, exactly
after that Grand Slam. You saw everybody had for the exits that were wearing
Yankee jerseys. They totally did. It was by the end. One thing
that Dodger fans need to know is, you know, we always travel well,
but I didn't know if we would have that kind of presence at Yankee
Stadium. Because if there's a if there's a fan base that sort of could
rival us or compete for sort of the most international and worldwide sort of like
recognize it might be the Yankees. So it's like this thing where I went
there and when I was going into the stadium, I went in this entrance,
and I'm telling you there were no I mean, there was none of
the pantone was it two ninety four. Yeah, It's like there was none
a vac color it was. It was all the dark blue with the pin
stripes going in there, Judge jerseys. And I mean I thought when I
was going in the gate, I thought, oh man, we are going
to be outnumbered tonight. Because I also felt like having won the night before,
I thought they were really out for blood. They really wanted that game,
and and when I got in the stadium, I couldn't believe it.
We I don't know, what do you what do you say? I think
we had thirty to forty percent of that stadium, no doubt. I feel
for at least Saturday and Sunday, the Dodger fans were definitely out in force,
and they were on your side of the stadium. It felt like,
I don't know how Dodger fans do this, but the Dodger fans were seated
on all three levels at Yankee Stadium on the Dodger dugout side. And when
I was looking at the stadium when ta Oskar hit that Grand Slam, and
all the Dodger fans were on that side of the stadium. I know,
I don't think they thought that through you watched, they'll they'll close that loophole
in the ticketing, But it was really I couldn't believe by the end of
the game, it was let's go Dodger chance going through the stadium. I
mean, I'm not saying the Yankees weren't they Their fans weren't fired up.
They were, and they for the first part of that game thought they were
gonna win it. Thought they had a chance. It's the home team and
we I mean, when ta Oscar hit that, we were gonna win it
anyway, I think. But when he hit that Grand Slam, it was
just like they knew they were losing the series. I feel like you could
kind of feel the momentum putting on a Dodger jersey mister momentum, as Stu
Lance likes to say. After Kinley walked Freddie Freeman and it brought up ta
Oscar Hernandez, he kind of felt like, with the bases loaded there,
Taoskar was going to deliver. Wasn't that Will Smith, Will Smith before him?
Yeah, that's right, Will Smith before him, But not you know,
I wasn't expecting a Grand Slam, but you kind of felt like Taoscar
was going to drive in at least one run there. Yeah, yeah,
I knew he was going to do that, but the fact that he hit
that change up out it was crazy and we knew, like you knew when
he hit that it was like it was going And you know, you think
that to yourself too. You see him go up to the plate. He's
been red hot the whole time, and you think, no, not again,
like not another you know, It's like to some degree, it's like
as you play the odds in your mind, you're thinking, oh, no,
this is the wrong guy to have up because he's not due anymore.
But he was so incredible, you know what I'm saying, Like the odds
are against him hitting another home run, especially the odds are against him against
anybody pitching to him. Hey, That's why I wanted to have you on.
Brad Paisley is one of you. He has the same roller coaster emotions
as any other Dodger fan out there, and you know, I just I
want to gauge your temperature now after being immersed in the excitement of that game
Saturday night, are you lead. Did you leave New York more optimistic about
the Dodgers' chances not just the rest of the regular season, but in a
playoffs series moving ahead? Are are you back on board all the way that
this is their year? Yeah? I was never off of that. I
just think there's a lot that still has to be done as a team,
and some of that who knows what the team completely looks like by October.
But more than that, we've done all this in the last like we have
held our own in the last couple of weeks with the Big three not necessarily
going. And this is going to be really scary when when it's Beth,
Otanni Freeman being who they are, who they really are, you know,
and yeah, yeah, I mean they haven't all clicked at the same time.
It's been Mooki and Otani at times. But Freddie, I think that's
the most scary part for the rest of the league. Freddie has not gotten
super hot yet. He's so dependable, and you know, dependable isn't what
he's going for, No, at least not. He wants to be scary
and he will be. But I think the thing I like about where we're
at is we only need to win the Division. We really do. That's
it because the other trick is going to be Okay, we're going to put
it all together in October, so it doesn't really matter. Honestly, if
we win one hundred games or ninety five games or one hundred and ten games,
it doesn't matter. We have to be rocking in October. And that's
I know that. I'm sure that's what this front office is thinking, like,
how do we become the well oiled machine that wins the World Series?
And it's not about winning the you know, the first half. Hey,
and Brad Paisley is super optimistic about the Dodgers being in the Fall Classic.
As I know, you have scheduled your tour to work around a potential World
Series schedule a little bit. I definitely am. I've made sure because what
happened last year, I had some tour dates that when when the World Series
came down, we obviously weren't going to it, but we didn't know that.
But I remember looking at the schedule and thinking, well, we're definitely
going to it because I have a game on what would be Game wand or
right, not a game. I have a gig on what would be Game
one I think, and I remember thinking, are you kidding me? You
know of all the time to not be able to and you can't. You
can't, can't You wouldn't. I wouldn't ansle that. So now it's like
a matter of like I've given them warning. I'm like about the time when
when you know, we when the dust settled and we had all the we
had, you know, Otani Almamoto and Glass Glass. Now I was like,
well, you make sure I don't have any gigs during the World Series
this year. Yeah, we need you at Dodger Stadium to sing the national
anthem for Game one of the World Series. You you got if they ask,
I'm there, you know it will ask. It'd be such a great,
great reason to not have dates, wouldn't it. No, And you're
a true Dodger fan, true blue. Brad Paisley is our guest. And
I got to ask you this. Can you set the scene for Dodger fans?
Are you in the part of your property in Nashville where you brought Eric
Neander and Andrew Freeman together for Tyler Glass? Now you miss Glass? Now,
I feel like both times you've seen the Dodgers this year, you've missed
Glass. Now pitching by one game. You still have not seen Glass Now
pitch for the Dodgers, but you you brought them together. Well that's I
mean, that's really that's a kind thing to say. I don't know it
would have happened without me, but I like to I'll definitely pretend to take
the credit, but it's really it was a really amazing night. We have
I have this bar. We broadcast from there. You can go back and
see it on your I guess your Instagram. Right on the iHeartRadio app,
you can find that Dodger talk. We had about forty executives and baseball people
here between the two teams, mostly Dodgers. But it was a really amazing
experience to see the way that this sport is just like it's always been.
I don't know whether the NFL or basketball or how or soccer or how they
they operate in terms of like the way deals get done, but for these
it was it felt like in the days of the you know, Babe,
Ruth and Yeah, and you know what I mean, Garrik and these guys,
like the things were going on where these guys would need it, you
know, Rudy's Bar in New York and just hash out like, well,
I mean, I don't know if we need him this year, do you
want them? Yeah, I guess I'll you know that kind of thing.
It felt like that was it was that kind of thing, like basically,
the Dodgers really wanted Glass now and the Tampa Bay Rays knew they couldn't really
keep him and they wanted to see what they could get. And over the
course of sitting at the bar and having drinks, you know, it became
really clear that these are guys that really want to build the best teams they
can, and they like each other and everybody had alcohol. And then the
fun part was like reminiscing was sitting there and talking to Eric about the World
Series against the Race, and then you know, watching as we kind of
teased him about something that happened in that and then the same with like what
happened in years prior and just memories and it's just baseball is the best it
really is, and you only get so many summers, right, Brad,
and the Dodgers need to go for it this summer, and we need you
at Dodger Stadium. I don't care what game it is, but it would
be perfect if you sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium for the World Series
game that Tyler glassnow will start at Dodger Stadium. That's how we bring this
full circle. Okay, you got a deal whatever whatever they I mean,
I'll heck, i'll, I'll carry the towels for the team. I don't
get I know you would. Thanks a lot for the time, Brad.
And if you want to support Brad and his great wife Kim, you can
do so by going to the store dot org. They've had this free grocery
store that helps underprivileged families have the dignity to shop for groceries themselves and it's
all free thanks to Brad and Kim Paisley thestore dot org. Brad, you're
the best. Great seeing you on Saturday. It was great to see you
too, And in fact, I barely got to see you, and that
was just exactly the right amount of time. Thanks a lot. You're welcome.
I love you, buddy, Love you to see you soon. Okay,
there he goes the man. Brad Paisley, one of the biggest Dodger
fans out there, the only celeb Dodger fan at Yankee Stadium for these three
games. You had Bill O'Reilly out there, you had Spike Lee out there,
you had CC Sabathia out there. Even the impartial quote impartial pregame hosts
for Fox are Yankees. Two out of three of them are Yankees and the
others are Red Sox. So Brad Paisley was representing for the Dodgers in the
crowd, and I know many of you were as well. If you were
at Yankee Stadium, I would love to hear from you. Eight sixty six,
nine eighty seven, two five seventy. We will take your phone calls.
Coming up next. Also, we will give you an update on James
Outman in Oklahoma City, and when will Bobby Miller be back. I'll let
you know when we continue on off day Dodger Talk right here on AM five
to seventy LA Sports. Thanks again to Brad Paisley for calling in from the
bar in Nashville where Eric Neander, Andrew Freeman, Dave Roberts and the rest
of the Rays and Dodgers front office staff were hanging out during the winter meetings
and found a way to make a trade that brought Tyler Glass Now to the
Dodgers, and Ryan Peppio and Johnny de Luca to Tampa Bay. Eight sixty
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. The Dodgers Yankee
series was epic. I am still on a high. The Dodgers landed at
three am this morning, but I said, you know what, an off
day Dodger talk is exactly what we need to do coming off a big series.
And obviously everybody in LA and around the country that's a Dodger fan is
feeling a little bit better than those that were wearing pinstripes for those three games
in the Bronx A little disappointing. Juan Soto was not able to play,
but tonight was in the starting lineup for the Yankees against the Royals as a
DH So we would have loved to have seen these two teams with Juan Soto
in the lineup going up against the Dodgers. But the Dodgers will take it.
And outside of the excitement and the playoff like atmosphere for the Dodgers and
Yankee series, at the end of the day, after the way the Dodgers
played in Pittsburgh, they needed to play better in New York and get out
of three from the Yankees. After losing two out of three to Jared Jones,
Paul Skeins and the rest of the Pirates. And even when the Dodgers
won that last game in Pittsburgh eleven to seven, they committed two or three
errs. Mookie Betts wasn't happy, Walker Bueler wasn't happy, Dave Roberts certainly
wasn't happy, and they needed to come back and play better. So hopefully
they can take this into their home stand against the Rangers and Royals. In
case you don't realize it, the Royals are a better team right now than
the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are three games under five hundred coming into this
series against the Dodgers beginning Tomorrow night. All three games against the Rangers are
at seven to ten Tomorrow night. Is Joe Kelly number ninety nine home Jersey
giveaway on Friday or excuse me, Thursday night, Yoshimu Yamamoto ball ahead night,
and then the Royals come into town. They are one of the better
teams in the American League, but the Dodgers. They are catching the Rangers
at a very good time. Because the Rangers maybe without Corey Seeger for this
series, another one of their players Raal adalas Garcia. He's only four for
his last forty something. So the Dodgers are catching the Rangers at a good
time. They are thirty one and thirty four, while the Dodgers now forty
one and twenty six in the NL West. All right, let's go back
out to the phones. Yellow feather in al Monte? Did I get that
right? Yellow feather? Do I just call you yellow or feather? Or
yellow? Yellow? Yeah? Yellow? That's fine, all right? Yellow?
What's up right on the whole thing about Otani? Otani seems to be
seems to be swinging way out there. He's way out he's getting those He
can't he can't catch up to that fighter. And they know it. They
know he also doesn't the fastballs inside. You saw that when he was but
once, yeah, but once he connects with that fastball, inside is gone
and when he gets to the inside, it is out of here. You
know, another thing with Glass now, you know, look at Mookie Bets.
How many errors he's made. You know he's made though so many airs.
When Glass now is pitching, you know, he drops balls, he
can't get the ball, he throws the pread. He all screwed up.
You know, and glass Now is pitching. You know, glass that's a
little unfair. I feel like the mistakes stand out with all of us.
But I thought Mookie Betts a Yankee Stadium, for the most part, played
really good shortstop. He dropped two he made two airs. He did not
I know the one you're talking about going up the middle, and he the
ball slipped out of his hand. I know which one you're talking That's an
air. That's an air. That is an air. And then then it
seems like it always happens when glass Now is on board. Next time lest
the Dodgers scored runs for glass Now, that was the first time since May
fourth they scored while he was on the mound exactly, I wouldn't. I
wouldn't feel very good either if they had my number one team in the West,
wasn't wasn't you know, as much firepower as the Dodgers. I've been
I've been a Dodger van since nineteen seventy and it just they got so much
power here they're not utilizing it. For a while, it looked like they
were jealous of Showy because because of the gigantic contract that he got. You
know, it just seemed like they were just hating on him, and uh
so they were again, Yeah, no, I'm sorry, that's not accurate.
That's uh that's perception by you Yellow. That ain't right. And last
night Mookie Betts did not have any errors last night, so uh that's fake
news as well. He dropped the ball, he dropped the ball, dropped
it. He did not drop you know, he did not make the play.
It would have been a spectacular play for him to make. And how
come I want you to call me on a night that Mookie Bets does not
make an air or makes all the plays you expect him to Yellow, because
he had done He has done that a lot more nights than the ones that
you are remembering. And I feel like that's the unfair thing to Mookie because
we all will point out when he makes mistakes like he did in Pittsburgh that
last game, but nobody talks about the first two games against the Yankees,
and for the most part last night at Yankee Stadium, nobody ever calls in
and says, Mookie Bets did his job all right, right, all right,
thanks for the phone call. I appreciate it. Look, Mookie's not
perfect, but I will defend him in this number one. No other super
star would say yes to moving to such a demanding position after never having played
it at the professional level. You can talk about high school all you want,
but give Mookie Betts credit for saying yes and doing everything he can to
be as good as he possibly can at that position. Is it ideal?
No? But is that on him. No. He's trying to do whatever
he can to make the team be able to win this season, even if
it means playing shortstop. And no player, no superstar A would do this,
B would do what Mookie Betts has done. And let's go from right
field to second base and now to shortstop at age thirty one. Guys move
off shortstop at age thirty one. So that's something else we have never seen
before. And see, like I just told Yellow, whenever Mookie Bets has
a good game or makes a really above average play, none of you call
Dodger Talk and say, hey, Mookie Bets was really good tonight at shortstop.
I only get phone calls when Mookie Bets isn't very good at shortstop,
and for the most part he has been pretty good. Eight six six nine,
eight seven two five seventy is the phone number will Mookie Bets be playing
shortstop in October? I'm not sure about that either, because the Dodgers will
be looking for upgrades at in their middle infield somehow, some way. If
they're able to find a very good shortstop to make a trade for, yeah,
then Mookie Bets will go to second base. And who knows what will
happen with Gavin Lux. Maybe Gavin Lux is part of a trade at the
July thirtieth deadline, But who's out there? What shortstops are out there?
Besides what Bo Bischett, that would probably be the only shortstop that is going
to be available that would be a difference maker to move Mooki off that position.
And right now, publicly the Blue Jays are saying they're not training Bo
Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Junior. Now that could be you know, them playing
the poker face publicly. And Bo Bischett may have expressed already that he has
no intention to remaining in Toronto at the end of next season when he's a
free agent. So if that's the case, I'm not saying it is,
but it's possible. Don't the Blue Jays have to act now to get the
most for Bo Bichett eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the
phone number. Also, as we get closer to the trade deadline, I
could see the Dodgers looking for an upgrade offensively in their outfield because ta Oscar
Hernandez has been the most productive outfielder the Dodgers have had all season long.
By far. James Outman, who the Dodgers thought was going to build off
a very solid rookie season, did not play well. And in fact,
James Outman did not look good since the start of spring training, and the
Dodgers were forced to send him down. And now Andy Pohez has taken his
job in center field, and to me, Andy pie Haz looks a lot
better in center field and at the plate than James Outman has since the start
of spring training. Outman in Oklahoma City, by the way, eighteen games
have been played, He's sitting three seventeen with a one thousand OPS. He
has four home runs and thirteen RBIs. Look. I like James Outman.
I wish him the best, and I want him to be great, and
I would love to see him get another opportunity at this level, But there
are no guarantees to that, although I am hearing more around the Dodgers that
he is playing his way into getting another opportunity. But I will say this
triple A is a lot different than the big leagues. I think we all
understand that. So if he does get another opportunity between now and the trade
deadline, he better make the most of it or he's not going to be
in a Dodger uniform much longer. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five
seventy is the phone number. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy.
Let's go out to Don in the City of Industry, who has one
of the great voices of any sports talk caller out there. If I remember,
Oh DV God love you, Thank you so much. Hey, Don,
haven't heard from you in a long time. How are you? God
been okay? I was in a witness protection but now I'm out, So
everything's okay? Okay? Are you saying to show Yeah, I'm good.
I got a good cover story. I'm just uh, I was going to
tag onto kind of what you said, you know, like I never dreamed
we'd be fortunate enough to get it, get a player like Mookie Batts,
and I mean, I can't say he's my favorite. I have so many
favorites, they're all they're all my favorites. But uh, to be such
a team player and just take on what they asked him to do, I
don't guy. Not too many guys do that. Yeah, I mean,
the guy just loves the game so much and he wants to do what the
team wants him to do. And to put yourself into it, put yourself
in that position. And as you say, he's doing pretty darn well.
And then tell me makes a little mistake. Some people like, why pick
at that? I just do not get it. You know, some people
are just you know, I think they spend their life in a in a
cold bathtub. You know that is miserable. They're missing thropes, missing tropes,
Pantanentially he was was in a hot eye cold bathtub there, don hy
Yes, when he opened his veins, uh witness something else? Yes,
yes, yes, he didn't make it. He was the imaginary drove Alazzi.
I think, Hey, don great to hear your voice. I'm glad
you're doing well. Call back anytime. Okay, alright, glad talking to
you, Dave. I'm looking forward to it, all right, be well,
eight six six, nine, eighty seven two five seventy. I would
say that's a first having somebody call in that just got out of witness protection.
And Don in Industry is a long time sports talk caller. So I'm
glad he's out. I'm glad he's doing well. Eight six six nine eight
seven two five seventy is the phone number I promised a Bobby Miller update.
He did pitch on Friday. He threw eighty five pitches and four innings.
Every time I talked to Bobby Miller the last couple of weeks, he says
he's ready to go, and by all intensive purposes, he will be ready
to go after this last rehab start. The question is when the Dodgers begin
a stretch of thirteen games in a row starting tomorrow when they host the Texas
Rangers. So you would imagine at one point in time here during this thirteen
games in a row stretch, Bobby Miller would be dropped in to give the
rest of the rotation extra day's rest, and then from there it's conceivable the
Dodgers go with a six man rotation until the All Star Break. Let's go
out to Utah, Heather you're on Dodger Talk with David vasse hi Ether.
Hey Davis, been so long? How are you? You haven't been in
witness protection, have you? No? I definitely haven't. And that was
the first time I've ever heard that either. So it's an exciting night already.
All Right, that's a big victory, Yeah, Dave. That Yankees
Dodgers series was so epic I had to call in. It felt like a
playoff atmosphere. I'm sure it felt that way for all of you that were
able lucky enough to be there. There's nothing like a Dodger Yankees game.
My husband has taken my kids to the games because they used to only happen
every few years. It's just epic. And I just wanted to call him
because I love taoscar Hernandez. We saw him at spring training in Arizona Weekly
Down, and I said, this guy is going to be really special for
this team. Saw him again at Dodger Stadium in April, and he just
has these amazing, big hit moments that just capture everybody. And then his
smile and his energy when he hit that Grand Slam and just pumped his fists
and gave that energy that is exactly what this team needs right now and today.
I'm pretty sure you saw this, But just a few hours ago,
he had an interview with MLB dot Com and they said that they asked him
about his impending free agency and he says, I want to stay. I
don't want to keep bouncing around the league. I feel good here. How
crucial do you think he is? You know, a mid to all of
the signings of Otani and Yoshinobo. I think ka Oscar is kind of that
dark horse that we really need right now. Oh, without a doubt,
I one hundred percent agree that Taoscar Hernandez is the best free agent signing nobody
is talking about until now. And I know everybody wants him to re sign
with the Dodgers. He's going to command a lot of money if he keeps
doing what he's doing. He's on pace for forty home runs, Heather,
and he's doing it on a big stage. And I love that he said
after the last two games that he embraces this big stage and thrives in this
big stage. That's what you want to hear from your best players, but
also guys like ta Oscar Hernandez. So that was really good. Moving forward,
because you know, in the postseason, you got a guy that's not
going to be scared. Absolutely, we need guys that are not afraid,
that really shot up to the moment. And you know this if anything with
a good you know, pre pre showing to what could potentially be a world
series for these playoff type atmospheres, it was that this weekend. And he
I mean that man carried the entire team on his back. And I really
think the Yank Keeth need to send him a Father's Sake card because he their
dad. Right now, all right, Heather, thanks for the phone call.
Let's take one more call before we say goodnight, Michael and Bellflower.
What do you got from me? Michael, Hey, David, I just
wanted to mention that you are correct, Mookie Bets is doing a pretty good
job out there at shortstop. But I did want to point out that Bryce
Harper has moved from right field into first base, and we all know that
that's not the easiest position to play. We saw my former favorite player,
Josh Peterson go there, and yeah, a little bit. I love Bryce
Harper. You know how much I love Bryce Harper, and I think he
is one of the best Ambassadors that is currently playing right now. But you
can't compare playing first base to shortstop and Bryce had with all of last and
Bryce moved there out of necessity because of Tommy John last year, right,
Michael, And he had all of last year when he was still on the
IL and all of last year to practice first base. Mookie Betts had to
play shortstop with a week to go before opening day. That's not the same.
Yeah, I totally agreed that it was out of necessity here in LA
as well. I mean, yeah, but Bryce Harper had all of last
year to practice before every game to play first base. Mookie Betts did not
have that luxury and was thrust into it a week before opening day. You
can't compare that. No, I agree with you, Dave. That's what
I'm saying, that Mookie Betts is doing a bang up job out there short
and he kind of was, I mean right here in spring training out of
necessity. The fact that Les Luck has had a long runway to try to
get it done. Yeah, I just thought you were trying to say what
Bryce Harper is doing is comparable to what Mookie Betts is doing, and you
know it is not an easy position. Everybody thinks first base is an easy
position. It's not. But Bryce had all of last year to practice before
games. I saw him at Dodgers Stadium the first day he started doing that,
and Mookie Betts did not have that luxury. And shortstop is outside of
catcher, the most demanding position on the field. So I thought you were
trying to say it's comparable, which it's not. I was just pointing out
that he did come in, that he's a superstar player, and that he
did change positions later in his career. That's about the comparable. Yeah,
that's fair, and that's why the outfield in the National League stinks. Jerkson
Profar and ti Oscar Hernandez are the two most productive outfielders in the National League,
partly because Mookie Bets and Bryce Harper have moved to the infield. All
right, thank you for the phone call, Michael. Love it Matt in
West Covina. I'm sorry I couldn't you get to you. I'm sorry Isabelle
and Anaheim that I couldn't get to you. Call back after the game tomorrow
night, Dodgers versus Rangers. Hopefully Corey Seeger plays in one of these three
games. If not all of them. He's dealing with. I'm not sure
which hamstring, but a hamstring injury. So hopefully he's back. I would
love to see him get the ovation he deserves. And if he's not playing,
I hope he's here in LA and in the dugout where the Dodgers can
do something for him, for the fans to react and give him his salute
that he deserves. Tomorrow, Morongo Casino Dodgers on Deck begins at six o'clock
with Tim Kats first pitch from Dodgers Stadium, Dodgers and the World Series champion
Rangers at seven to ten. Thanks to Ronnie Foscio for all his help,
and thanks to you for listening, and thanks to Brad Paisley for calling in.
In case you missed the show, you can find it on the iHeartRadio
app. Fox Sports Radio is next. See you