All right, joining us on episode twelve of the Extra Innings podcast. Is
one of my favorite people and I miss him every single day at Dodgers Stadium
and have ever since he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies by the Dodgers.
He has been definitely one of the has gone from being a work friend to
a real friend. And that is former Dodger catcher aj Ellis Hi. Aj
Yeah, And that is amazing to hear Dave that I've passed over the rubicon
from professional friend to personal friend. I am, I am, I'm shaking
right now. I'm so excited to hear that we've we've crossed over in that
relationship. And I don't know, do we get like matching T shirts now,
or do we get like hats or like, what's the next step for
us? I think we should. We should get a T shirt pointing at
you and one pointing at me. Best friends. Let's let's do it.
I feel like I know that's how I feel. I'm not sure if that's
how you feel. No, I mean, I do I really do miss
our time. I miss being out in l A. I miss I missed
coming to Dodger Stadium. Like I said, I said the day I was
created. It's it is the greatest home office in the world. And uh,
you know I did. I did enjoying my time there, I mentally,
and uh it was not just people on the field or people in the
in the stands or teammates that I had. It was people, you know,
doing a variety of jobs. And uh that doesn't include the media at
all, who had just an important role in uh providing a great lens for
our fans into the game, and yourself included. And uh, now as
we joke about it, but you know, you have been an amazing advocate
and amazing voice, uh for the Dodgers, and you're not afraid to tell
it as it is and you give the Dodger fans a great perspective of what
it's like on a daily basis for the team. So uh, congratulations to
you. Gradulations to this podcast, another great avenue for you to connect with
fans, and uh fans are out in LA and and Dodger fans around the
world are fortunate to be able to have access to a little bit even more
of a behind the scene look to the ball club. Well, thank you
so much for that. And I know everybody kept asking me after the Dodgers
won the World Series whether or not I got a ring or not, and
honestly, the ring meant nothing to me. After I got two texts from
guys that I really respect and have accomplished so much in their careers. One
was from you and the other was from David Freese that really sent a nice
note and honestly to me, that meant more than any material thing that they
could have given me. So your thoughtfulness really meant a lot to me.
And full disclosure. AJ. Last week on the podcast, I did share
one of my favorite memories being in Pittsburgh. I may have been overserved one
night before a game and I walk into the clubhouse and you out of nowhere
throw a caterade bottle at me and say, hey, drink, this'll help.
So that's one of my PNC Park memories. Yeah, I do remember
that, remember that you were Hey, it's it's lessons we learned on the
road. It says to hydrate and uh, you know, if we got
to make sure that you're you're you're able to perform at at your peak level.
So it's my job there at two o'clock in the afternoon to uh,
you know, maybe put a little life back into the body, put a
little color back into the flush space that you had, and give you the
ability to uh to work a good game that night. Unfortunately, unfortunately that's
maybe from too much experience on my own end of understanding how to do bounce
back after that, and especially in Pittsburgh when there's some good places to go
and uh, some places to hang out with the boys after a game.
Hey, speaking about the boys, how are my favorite people that you know,
not your family, but your Kentucky friends. Oh? Nice, Yeah,
they're doing it awesome. Yeah, it was fun. We actually all
turned forty this year and all of us have gotten together. Well, we
got together once we went down to Kentucky and support and surprise a couple of
the guys and got to hang out with them, which is an awesome weekend.
And then later in this in this fall, the four of us are
going to get together and experienced the Ryder Cup up here in Wisconsin. I
Wisconsin out but in Milwaukee suburb there and the Ryder Cup is coming to Whistling
Straights. And we decided for a fortieth birthday celebration for us to kind of
commemorate our relationship. Our friendship and turning forty, we're going to spend some
time at the Ryder Cup, so looking forward to that for sure. That
is awesome. Maybe you'll spend a night at the Iron Horse, you know,
with the friends. I'll open up, I'll open up the mansion.
Who man not the manson I shouldn't say. I'll leave that to Andre.
Andre is the one with the multiple mansions all over the place. He actually
claims that he owns my autia in Milwaukee before. But yeah, that's a
funny story. At Me and Dre were on the bench one day and I
was watching and one of our hitters stepped up, who was notorious for swinging
at the very first pitch of the bat wildly, didn't matter where the pitch
was, And I said, I will bet my house that he swings at
the first pitch right here, and of course, as you would have it,
he doesn't swing at the pitch, and Dre goes you in your house,
Now that's my house, and never since ever since that point, he's
always referred to me as being the caretaker for his Wisconsin home. Since I
bet and lost my home that day on the bench in Dodger Stadium that is
awesome. You've had some very interesting conversations. Zach Granky said he would trade
you, and now Andre Ethier told you that he owns your house. Oh
my gosh. Yeah, it's uh, you know, I've been on the
receiving end of some some fun relationships and some some serious, uh, some
serious characters in our sport, and uh, it just made it maybe the
years even that much more enjoyable when you're around some some fun people and guys
who can keep you on your toes at all time. Hey, you know,
I know the Dodgers finally won the World Series, but you were with
the Dodgers when they were at their lowest point, and you were there for
the renaissance and the first year of this string of division championships. It's got
to be a lot more rewarding to be at the bottom and find your way
to the top the way you did and some of the other guys on the
team did. Yeah, I mean it was an interesting stretch for sure.
You know. Two thousand and eight, two thousand and nine, you know,
that's when I got called up to the Major League for the first time,
and as a as a a role player at third catcher. But those
were. Those are some fun teams that I got to experience, some some
deep playoff funds both times losing in the NLCS to the Phillies, and with
Joe Joe Torrey as our manager and some amazing superstar talent, the players that
I was able to know call teammates like many Ramirez and Greg Maddox and Jeff
Kent, no more Garciapara and uh, you know, the list can go
on and on with the guys that I got to play with there in those
those couple of seasons. But as you mentioned, you know, the team
went through the bankruptcy and you know, the unfortunate divorce of mister and missus
McCourt and uh, you know, the team was kind of in in in
transition for a couple of years. You know, Donnie came in and took
over the team, but we didn't really know what was going to happen in
the coming years. But you know, you got to give credit where credits
due, and net Colletti kind of kept the team together and found a way
to bring some players back in the fold. And obviously the big the biggest
change was was a you know, the Googenheim group coming in and investing so
much into the club, and not just into the team, but into the
stadium, into the experience. I'll never forget being in the clubhouse the very
first day that they bought the club, and they came into the locker room
and they said, Hey, the very first thing we're gonna do is you
guys are going on a road trip and we're going to invest a bunch of
money and redoing the wives in the family room upstairs, because we understand that
happy families make happy ballplayers, and that was something that was long overdue.
Our wives and families needed an upgrade up there. And we sure enough,
we came back from that road trip and they just created a brand new,
beautiful space that we knew that this was going to be a different environment and
that that was going to be all about everything they could do to make give
the players the best opportunity to perform on the field. I remember that,
and you guys were so excited over it. And at that time I did
not have any kids, and I couldn't understand why you guys were so excited
over it. And now you understand clearly what yes I do, happy wife,
happy life. Amen. Hey, aj I called you because June eighteenth
is the anniversary of Clayton Kershaw's one and only career no hitter. It's the
seven year anniversary of you catching that no hitter. And I know when I
text you you didn't even know it was the anniversary of it. But where
do you rank that being on the field, being there with Kershaw and being
the catcher the night that he threw that no hitter in your career? Oh,
I mean, it's without a doubt a top three, top five moment
of my professional career, you know, especially I look at regular season events
and regular season you know games that I got to play in, and if
that's the case, it's definitely probably number one. Yeah. I felt like
I still feel like one of the greatest privileges of my career was being able
to work sixty feet away from the future Hall of Famer that Clayton is and
got to see his his his work ethic, and his determination and his character
up close for I don't know, eight or nine years when the count count.
Some of the minor league time we got to spend together as well,
and for our professional relationship to transcend into the close personal friendship that we have
now. You know, He's still a guy that I in regular contact with.
Our families are in close contact with each other, and you know,
to be there and be able to share that day with him, you know,
it's crazy. I think it's been seven years now and just you know,
it was just a special, special time. I think if I look
think back over the course of my career, you know, outside of some
of those fun clinching games, I think it maybe the people asking me a
lot, that's your favorite game you ever played in. There was a we
clinched in twenty fifteen in San Francisco, which was which is really special to
clinch up there against the Giants and Clayton through a complete game one hitter.
He was almost there a complete game one and struck out thirteen or fourteen guys
and then be able to celebrate there in San fran when we went clubhouse and
then afterwards at the hotel. That probably is probably my favorite regular season moment,
But after that would definitely be Clayton's, you know, his no hitter
and did that game against the Rockies. I went back to watch that entire
game last night. I wanted to point out a couple of different at bats,
but before we do I know, Clayton's all on that five day schedule,
good or bad. The next day he's on to the next start.
But do you remember what it was like the day after the no hitter when
he walked into the clubhouse. Did you guys drive to the ballpark together that
day? What was it like if you remember now? Yeah, No,
I think it was. I think it was a little bit of business as
usual for him, But also I think he was out was really still in
that reflection mode of just how special the previous night was. It wasn't just
a no hitter. I mean it was it was it was him, you
know, on the national stage, you know, really putting a stamp on
you know, who he was a was the dominant pitcher. I think everyone
at that point knew, you know, he had kind of, you know,
transcended into being the best picture on the planet for that stretch of time
that he was, that he was out there competing. But for him to
do it in the way that he did it, it wasn't just a no
hitter. It was completely utter dominance and it was a talk of baseball for
the week to follow it. And I think that was in the midst of
him not mistaken like a thirty eight or thirty nine Indian scoreless streak he had
going as well. So he was he was at the at as our friend
John Pratt Pratt like to say, he was at the peak of his powers,
and he was. He was. He was absolutely dominant over that over
the course of over the course of that month. And yeah, so I
think coming in the next day, you know, obviously there's the next name
media rush that comes as the national media now wants to be a part of
it, and there's interviews and you know, people will famil Be network want
to connecting radio interviews, and so there was definitely a flurry of people who
really wanted to get a little bit farther behind the curtain of what that game
was all about. June eighteenth, twenty fourteen, the one and only no
hitter that Kershaw's pitched so far, and in that game, which was basically
a perfect game, despite it not being that in the box score, there
was only one three ball count a j and that was in the second inning.
To Josh Rutledge, does that ring a bell? I mean the other
a goodlier. I think he threw to get a ground out. If I'm
not mistaken, but yeah, it was a day where, uh it was
it was one of those days where Clayton would get strike one in a simple
pattern or his his his standard pattern, and how we pitched at the time
of you know, just an aggressive, fast inside. I think they were
loaded up with all writing and hitters on that day, aggressive line up at
Dickerson led off with the lefty. But but then he it was one of
those those handful of times I can remember where he had his A plus slider
and his A plus curveball working on the exact same day. So really behind
the plate, it was honestly just pretty simple for myself of just putting down
a pitch, getting strike one and then kind of just mixing and matching between
the two breaking balls that we needed to use. I mean, he was
he was efficiently putting guys away and you know, to strike out fourteen guys
I believe it was that fifteen so few. Yeah, that's right, fifteen
guys and so and so few pitches. This speaks to how just you know,
dominant and efficient he was in that game. Hey, the seventh inning
was very eventful. Miguel Rojas made a great play on Tulowitzki and Adrian had
a nice scoop. But also in that seventh inning was Hanley's throw that Adrian
may or may not have should have been able to get. And Brandon Barnes
was the next batter after the Hanley error in the seventh inning. Were you
a little concerned that that may frustrate Clayton and things could unravel there in that
inning? No, actually I wasn't. I think my only concern at that
point was that, you know, he had pitched, you know, six
clean innings in a row, so this is his first time being in the
stretch the entire day. So you know, this guy, he just pitched
them from the lineup for six trade innings, like maybe trying to find his
rhythm, find his timing from the stretch, but it's pretty evident that he
was. He was in a good spot right there. But really tough play
for Hanley. I know he came and got that on the run. And
I love a lot cheam back the highlights and watching you know, Hanley's hat
go flying off, and if you go back and watch, you see Clayton
bend over and pick up his pick up Hanley's hat handed to him and say,
hey, nice try uh, the handling just like no frustration, no
no retision, and Clayton probably you know, probably never even looked at the
school board. It was onto the next hitter, and it was onto the
next guy, and uh, you have to get to strike out of barns
and then you know, two of whisky. Just a you know, always
a tough battle in those n last years that we had, and he and
Clayton had had many epic showdowns over the years. And ground ball down the
line they go Rojas who uh, you know, it's really made a name
for himself, you know, and I think back then he was kind of
an up and down utility infielder, can kind of plug and you know,
more for his glove than his bat. And you know, as an aside,
really proud of Miguel in the career he's been able to carve out,
carve out and the leader he's become for that marveling team. But they's just
a fantastic play down the line and just to get rid of the ball and
a and a grace scoop by a goal glover over the at first base.
So just a good all around play and then to go and out you have
through your mind uplieve his willing. Rosario was next, if that's not mistake,
If I'm yeah that he was through it, through it, through and
through a nasty curveball there to freeze them. And at that moment, chatting
off, trotting off the field, it's almost like, hey, that's that's
the bullet we dodged, you know, let's let's push through the finish line
right here. Yeah, And in that eighth inning, it was very easy
for you guys to get through that inning. And I noticed when both of
you were coming off the field, but especially Clayton, he had a sense.
You could tell he had that smirk on his face coming back to the
dugout. He had a sense he was going to get to the finish line.
Did you feel that way too? After coming off the field in the
eighth inning? It felt good about it, for sure, And you're exactly
right. It was. It was very, very evident that the Rockies had
figured out, do not let this guy get too strikes because he's got a
nasty strike out of stuff. And I toe like their desire to swing at
first pitches and be a bat and just try to get the first pitch they
saw in play was definitely what their game plan became from that point. But
there's a great moment there for the eighth inning. Uh you know it was
uh uh We're sitting over the bench and uh Rick, Honey, Kit and
myself are over there, and obviously it's a no hitter and it really want
a matter for to know it or not. Clayton's gonna sit by himself and
no one's gonna talk to him, and he's gonna let him say his his
tunnel vision and uh, you know, Rick and I are trying to figure
out who they're gonna pinch it. I can't remember who all they had I
doing the pitch. It end up being Charlie Colberson, who became a Dodger
hero with the big home run in his career, but Charlie was with the
Rockies as the bench player. But Rick and I are trying to figure out
who they're gonna who they're gonna pinch it, and when you what our game
plan is going to be against him, and him and I are kind of
Rick and Ire kind of standing there talking and looking. Also we feel this
presence come behind us and it's Clayton right there and he was like this he
says, Hey, who do you think they're gonna pinch hit? Boy?
You don't want to jinx and no hitter, and no one wants to talk
to the pitcher. So Rick and I were just staring at each other like,
uh, like, I'm not gonna go first, and uh and Rick,
and then Clayton just says that I think it's gonna be Culverson. I'm
just gonna pitch my strengths. And I'm like and I was kind of now
in my head like yeah, pitch his strengths. And he went back and
sat back Rick, Rick, Rick and I always chuckle and we tell that
story just thinking about nobody wanted to be the one to talk to Clayton,
and Clayton came over and I wanted to talk about who the pinch hitter was
going to be. And yeah, I mean, there wasn't gonna be some
detailed game play. Hey, Charlie Colberson, we got to go curb ball
first pitch and you were you were so locked He was so locked in on
that day that pitched the strengths, you know, And for ninety nine percent
of Clayton's career, especially in that that era that he was the pitch the
strengths was usually a pretty easy game plan for him to go out and and
be be who he was. Yeah, and Colberson swung at the first pitch
for the second out. It is he had. He had a nice pop
up the yachtiel out there in right field, which is probably the only time
that yachtiel caught the ball with two hands out there in right field. To
go back and watch that highlight, but uh, yeah, he secured the
catch and then set up the final bat with Colberson. I'm sorry with Dickerson,
which is also has a great fun moment where Clayton Corey flips the foul
ballma into the left field or we had to dugout bleachers and I go running
full steam and I end up in Magic Johnson's lap over there in the owner's
box, and I'm trying to catch a foul ball. It's probably about twenty
five rows deep, but at that point I'm trying to catch everything I can.
You had to know I was going to bring that up, so you
jumped me. No, I didn't know. That's it usually comes up.
It's one of the it's one of those funny I ran full steam into that
thing like an idiot. You know, it's it's it's it's just trying to
make it play, trying to get there, and the adrenal and took over.
But uh yeah, I go running in. Clayton's like laughing at me.
If I remember Riley, It's like kind of like smile at me,
like what are you doing? You're you're you're an idiot. Yeah, and
so yeah, but he went back and uh, you know I was able
to you know, uh call a call of pitch. Yeah, he threw
a slider and got the punch up. Did you did Magic say anything to
you? No? I don't think so. I didn't end up magic.
I just know I was like right by. I just know I was right
by the owner's box and it was right there. And yeah and then uh
yeah, next pitch a slider that they got got to the glove and yeah.
I don't know if you're going to you're going to bring this one up
or not either, But it's funny if you watch the highlights back and watch
the game three weeks earlier, roughly in Philadelphia. I wasn't going to bring
this up. I was not going to bring this up. Josh Beckett threw
a no hitter and Drew Butterra. I love Drew. Drew's a great friend,
a great another great, great character in our game. Drew is a
starting catcher, and Drew enough to celebrate, as he said, and he's
out there and the dog pile bounce around his mask. Catcher's mask goes flying
into the pile. Well, here comes the athletic Midwest thirty thirty five year
old, you know, lumbering catcher into the dog pile. Jumps up into
the pile to celebrate with my teammates, and I land with my right foot
right on top of the Drews catcher's mask and pretty severely sprained my ankle.
And they put me on the DL for eighteen days. And I always give
Drew a hard time about it. And like I said, hey, if
I ever catch no hitter, I'm not taking my mask with me. I'm
not going to put my teammates in harm way. I'm a better teammate than
you. Like I care about people and just giving them a hard time.
But I did the uh he got to strike out, and if you watch
back, I leave my mask at home plate and I ran out there.
Guys, Like I told you, I care about my teammates more than he
does. Yeah, yeah, I remember. I remember the day the next
day after we got back from Philadelphia, I walk into the clubhouse and your
ankle is all taped up and you're like so bummed out that happened. Oh
And I was like, and I was like talking. I think I was
talking to you. I think I was talking to Alana Rizzo at the time.
I'm like, please, like get video footage of the story. Like,
the last thing I want is like when people like to not believe me,
I think that I like was you know, like you like, as
you said earlier, over served in Philadelphia on Saturday and like stumbled and stumbled
over a curb or or trip somewhere. But like, please let people know
this was actually like an idiotic, idiotic, non athletic uh finn athletic move,
but actually did happen on the baseball field. Hey, speaking of the
celebration, there's that iconic photo of you and Hershaw embracing on the mound.
How big of that photo is hanging in your living room right now? Is
it sixteen twenty or larger it is? You know what I think? Uh?
Well, which one we got one? We got one on each floor
of the house. Uh you know there, I'll be first one to be
uh you know, self deprecated. And there are people out there who will
say that I am sitting right now in the house that Kershaw built. I'm
not. I'm not. Like there's part of it that can't deny that our
relationship was special. And I will be the first admit that my career was
probably extended and probably a little bit overinflated because of our relationship and my ability
to work with him. But no, I do have a nice I haven't
had, you know, honestly, Dave, I have him planting up.
I do haven't been full of no hitter. The memorability from that game was
a scorecard and baseball from that game, and a couple of other items were
definitely those photos. And we've talked about doing something and putting putting up,
putting up maybe a plaque. But at the same time, like it's similar
to what you said earlier, it's like, not about like the items,
like you mentioned the ring, It's about the relationships. It's about the memories.
And like I I love the memories I have from that day, and
even just talking right now, I'm smiling right now, just thinking back just
so much that happened on that day and and just just just the moments of
that day. And you're talking about celebrating, and you know, there's a
great moment there on the field, and you know Ellen, she comes down
and and they get to share it together. But we go into clubhouse and
you know, obviously, uh, I don't know if you know as fans
know this or not, but there's a Major League rule, and it's a
very wise rule that there's not there's not on the alcohol served in the home
clubhouse because people have to drive home back to the game. But we we
had other items of uh, you know, different types of milk and soap
and you know anything you're getting a shaving crave. And Clayton got to go.
Clayton got to go get in the shower, and we all got to
kind of do our best to kind of dirty him up a little bit.
But not after his showers did his media. You were sitting there by the
locker, and you know, one of the traditions I had when I was
in l A and in my career was if the Dodgers of the team I
played with one, my son Luke got to come and spend time in the
clubhouse afterwards, because at the clubhouse was was fun and boisterous and you know,
it's a good, good place for kids, and you know, he
got to come in and have a chocolate milk and just have to have a
good time. But he, uh, there's a I have a great picture
of him and Clayton and they're both kind of holding up a zero sign with
their fingers and Luke has no idea what he's doing. He's you know,
he's five years old at the time and I'm sorry, four years old at
time, and he doesn't even know what he's doing. But he's there with
Clayton. They're both holding up a zero. And it's like memories like that
or what a really much more special than uh, you know, any any
framed photo or uh you know, nostalgic plaque or anything like that. It's
the memories. It's the people. It's conversations like this just you know,
we get to share. Yeah. I like to call it the a j
Ellis no hitter. Now there you go there please, let's let's let's let's
get that going. Yes, do the kids do the Ellis kids call Clayton
Uncle Clayton or do you just keep it at mister Kershaw or Clayton? What
what's the appropriate addressing for your kids? Well, you know what's funny is
uh you know, I got to spend some time with him when they played
the Brewers and we gonna hang out together. And my kids aren't the only
one. I've been around other people and for some reason, like it always
rolls together. It's like Clayton Kershaw. Even like my kids will like my
kids will be addressing them and like like Luke would be like, hey,
Clayton Kershall, Like what's your favorite stadium you ever played in. I'm like,
I'm like Luke, Luke, just call them Clayton or call them cursed,
or call them or call him like all that. But you know,
but uh no, it's uh yeah, it's it's funny how and then again,
like my kids are not the only one. You'll be out and people
be like, hey, Clayton Kershaw. If it's just one of those names
that just it rolls, it rolls hand in hand, you know, I
don't I don't hear too many a j elisis. I'm sure you don't hear
too many day best age don't. We probably can't repeat the words that we're
heard when we're see by my fans or by crowd. But uh, you
know, it's uh, it's a. It's definitely h Clayton Kershaw. You
hear that one a lot. Well, this was awesome, a J.
I wish I could just how about this. You tell the family you're occupied
the rest of the day. I won't go to the game tonight, and
we'll just keep talking and then I love, I love connecting with you.
Dave loves telling old, old stories and just reflecting and just remembering. And
I think we talked about it last time, you know, you know,
I chatted. Is it's really important for me, like it's really important for
all of us just to take a time to you know, as Dodger fans,
it's as as people who've had the fortunate time to be in that Dodger
organization, just as I, you know, have be grateful and uh,
you know, just show a lot of gratitude towards just the experience that we
had and you know, things for yourself are currently having. There's no voice
like it. It's it's a. It's a like I said, it's a.
It's a. It's a great home office to get the call and go
to and you know, I'm I'm excited to hear that the fans are getting
back into a full capacity and it's gonna be a fun, a fun summer
and looking forward to watching you know, n OL West Baseball, which is
as it's a really good division and it'll be fun to watch the rest of
the year. Yes, it will. And I look forward to seeing you
when Andre Ethier and I come visit in his summer home in Milwaukee one day.
So I appreciate that, right, we'll see you out there. You're
I'm I'm the caretaker. I'll be the guy out you know, moaning the
grass and pulling the weeds. And I'm just glad to Andre allows me.
It's just a little me and the family, a little a little nook in
the in the base stay in all right, man, this is great.
We'll do this again soon. I hope to see you in person very soon.
So thank you so much for taking the time out to share these great
stories with us. Awesome Dave. Good to connect with you and enjoy enjoyed
the time out there. And uh, you know, tell the boys,
I said, hey, when you get in the club offs next