WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.440
All right, joining us on episode
twelve of the Extra Innings podcast. Is

2
00:00:04.519 --> 00:00:09.320
one of my favorite people and I
miss him every single day at Dodgers Stadium

3
00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:14.119
and have ever since he was traded
to the Philadelphia Phillies by the Dodgers.

4
00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:19.839
He has been definitely one of the
has gone from being a work friend to

5
00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:25.519
a real friend. And that is
former Dodger catcher aj Ellis Hi. Aj

6
00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:30.399
Yeah, And that is amazing to
hear Dave that I've passed over the rubicon

7
00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:36.640
from professional friend to personal friend.
I am, I am, I'm shaking

8
00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:39.479
right now. I'm so excited to
hear that we've we've crossed over in that

9
00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.320
relationship. And I don't know,
do we get like matching T shirts now,

10
00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:44.759
or do we get like hats or
like, what's the next step for

11
00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:47.439
us? I think we should.
We should get a T shirt pointing at

12
00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:51.679
you and one pointing at me.
Best friends. Let's let's do it.

13
00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:55.079
I feel like I know that's how
I feel. I'm not sure if that's

14
00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.320
how you feel. No, I
mean, I do I really do miss

15
00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.640
our time. I miss being out
in l A. I miss I missed

16
00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:06.400
coming to Dodger Stadium. Like I
said, I said the day I was

17
00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:10.799
created. It's it is the greatest
home office in the world. And uh,

18
00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:12.879
you know I did. I did
enjoying my time there, I mentally,

19
00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:17.599
and uh it was not just people
on the field or people in the

20
00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:21.640
in the stands or teammates that I
had. It was people, you know,

21
00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:25.359
doing a variety of jobs. And
uh that doesn't include the media at

22
00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:29.760
all, who had just an important
role in uh providing a great lens for

23
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.280
our fans into the game, and
yourself included. And uh, now as

24
00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:37.079
we joke about it, but you
know, you have been an amazing advocate

25
00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:40.200
and amazing voice, uh for the
Dodgers, and you're not afraid to tell

26
00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:44.319
it as it is and you give
the Dodger fans a great perspective of what

27
00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:47.840
it's like on a daily basis for
the team. So uh, congratulations to

28
00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:51.439
you. Gradulations to this podcast,
another great avenue for you to connect with

29
00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:55.239
fans, and uh fans are out
in LA and and Dodger fans around the

30
00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:57.920
world are fortunate to be able to
have access to a little bit even more

31
00:01:57.959 --> 00:02:00.879
of a behind the scene look to
the ball club. Well, thank you

32
00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:05.680
so much for that. And I
know everybody kept asking me after the Dodgers

33
00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:08.120
won the World Series whether or not
I got a ring or not, and

34
00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:14.479
honestly, the ring meant nothing to
me. After I got two texts from

35
00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:19.479
guys that I really respect and have
accomplished so much in their careers. One

36
00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:23.479
was from you and the other was
from David Freese that really sent a nice

37
00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:29.719
note and honestly to me, that
meant more than any material thing that they

38
00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:34.319
could have given me. So your
thoughtfulness really meant a lot to me.

39
00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:38.800
And full disclosure. AJ. Last
week on the podcast, I did share

40
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:45.000
one of my favorite memories being in
Pittsburgh. I may have been overserved one

41
00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:50.000
night before a game and I walk
into the clubhouse and you out of nowhere

42
00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:53.520
throw a caterade bottle at me and
say, hey, drink, this'll help.

43
00:02:54.439 --> 00:02:59.599
So that's one of my PNC Park
memories. Yeah, I do remember

44
00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:02.319
that, remember that you were Hey, it's it's lessons we learned on the

45
00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:07.080
road. It says to hydrate and
uh, you know, if we got

46
00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:10.120
to make sure that you're you're you're
able to perform at at your peak level.

47
00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:13.840
So it's my job there at two
o'clock in the afternoon to uh,

48
00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:15.479
you know, maybe put a little
life back into the body, put a

49
00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:19.919
little color back into the flush space
that you had, and give you the

50
00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:23.759
ability to uh to work a good
game that night. Unfortunately, unfortunately that's

51
00:03:23.800 --> 00:03:28.199
maybe from too much experience on my
own end of understanding how to do bounce

52
00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:32.159
back after that, and especially in
Pittsburgh when there's some good places to go

53
00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:36.080
and uh, some places to hang
out with the boys after a game.

54
00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:38.479
Hey, speaking about the boys,
how are my favorite people that you know,

55
00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:43.919
not your family, but your Kentucky
friends. Oh? Nice, Yeah,

56
00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:46.919
they're doing it awesome. Yeah,
it was fun. We actually all

57
00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:51.520
turned forty this year and all of
us have gotten together. Well, we

58
00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:53.360
got together once we went down to
Kentucky and support and surprise a couple of

59
00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:57.120
the guys and got to hang out
with them, which is an awesome weekend.

60
00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.560
And then later in this in this
fall, the four of us are

61
00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:02.840
going to get together and experienced the
Ryder Cup up here in Wisconsin. I

62
00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:09.039
Wisconsin out but in Milwaukee suburb there
and the Ryder Cup is coming to Whistling

63
00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:13.840
Straights. And we decided for a
fortieth birthday celebration for us to kind of

64
00:04:13.879 --> 00:04:17.319
commemorate our relationship. Our friendship and
turning forty, we're going to spend some

65
00:04:17.319 --> 00:04:20.000
time at the Ryder Cup, so
looking forward to that for sure. That

66
00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:24.360
is awesome. Maybe you'll spend a
night at the Iron Horse, you know,

67
00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:30.759
with the friends. I'll open up, I'll open up the mansion.

68
00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:33.439
Who man not the manson I shouldn't
say. I'll leave that to Andre.

69
00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:36.360
Andre is the one with the multiple
mansions all over the place. He actually

70
00:04:36.360 --> 00:04:41.680
claims that he owns my autia in
Milwaukee before. But yeah, that's a

71
00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:44.600
funny story. At Me and Dre
were on the bench one day and I

72
00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:47.360
was watching and one of our hitters
stepped up, who was notorious for swinging

73
00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:50.879
at the very first pitch of the
bat wildly, didn't matter where the pitch

74
00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.680
was, And I said, I
will bet my house that he swings at

75
00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.959
the first pitch right here, and
of course, as you would have it,

76
00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.480
he doesn't swing at the pitch,
and Dre goes you in your house,

77
00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.920
Now that's my house, and never
since ever since that point, he's

78
00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:09.000
always referred to me as being the
caretaker for his Wisconsin home. Since I

79
00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:13.600
bet and lost my home that day
on the bench in Dodger Stadium that is

80
00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:17.920
awesome. You've had some very interesting
conversations. Zach Granky said he would trade

81
00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:23.639
you, and now Andre Ethier told
you that he owns your house. Oh

82
00:05:23.720 --> 00:05:26.240
my gosh. Yeah, it's uh, you know, I've been on the

83
00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:30.079
receiving end of some some fun relationships
and some some serious, uh, some

84
00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:34.199
serious characters in our sport, and
uh, it just made it maybe the

85
00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:39.319
years even that much more enjoyable when
you're around some some fun people and guys

86
00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:41.480
who can keep you on your toes
at all time. Hey, you know,

87
00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:44.439
I know the Dodgers finally won the
World Series, but you were with

88
00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:48.240
the Dodgers when they were at their
lowest point, and you were there for

89
00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:55.360
the renaissance and the first year of
this string of division championships. It's got

90
00:05:55.399 --> 00:05:59.199
to be a lot more rewarding to
be at the bottom and find your way

91
00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:00.920
to the top the way you did
and some of the other guys on the

92
00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:04.560
team did. Yeah, I mean
it was an interesting stretch for sure.

93
00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:09.079
You know. Two thousand and eight, two thousand and nine, you know,

94
00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:11.319
that's when I got called up to
the Major League for the first time,

95
00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:14.319
and as a as a a role
player at third catcher. But those

96
00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:17.040
were. Those are some fun teams
that I got to experience, some some

97
00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.439
deep playoff funds both times losing in
the NLCS to the Phillies, and with

98
00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:25.439
Joe Joe Torrey as our manager and
some amazing superstar talent, the players that

99
00:06:25.480 --> 00:06:29.439
I was able to know call teammates
like many Ramirez and Greg Maddox and Jeff

100
00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:31.480
Kent, no more Garciapara and uh, you know, the list can go

101
00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:34.079
on and on with the guys that
I got to play with there in those

102
00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:36.639
those couple of seasons. But as
you mentioned, you know, the team

103
00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:41.439
went through the bankruptcy and you know, the unfortunate divorce of mister and missus

104
00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:44.199
McCourt and uh, you know,
the team was kind of in in in

105
00:06:44.600 --> 00:06:46.920
transition for a couple of years.
You know, Donnie came in and took

106
00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.920
over the team, but we didn't
really know what was going to happen in

107
00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:53.480
the coming years. But you know, you got to give credit where credits

108
00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:56.519
due, and net Colletti kind of
kept the team together and found a way

109
00:06:56.560 --> 00:06:59.519
to bring some players back in the
fold. And obviously the big the biggest

110
00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:02.959
change was was a you know,
the Googenheim group coming in and investing so

111
00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:05.240
much into the club, and not
just into the team, but into the

112
00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:10.040
stadium, into the experience. I'll
never forget being in the clubhouse the very

113
00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:13.480
first day that they bought the club, and they came into the locker room

114
00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:14.920
and they said, Hey, the
very first thing we're gonna do is you

115
00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:17.120
guys are going on a road trip
and we're going to invest a bunch of

116
00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:21.959
money and redoing the wives in the
family room upstairs, because we understand that

117
00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:26.800
happy families make happy ballplayers, and
that was something that was long overdue.

118
00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:30.720
Our wives and families needed an upgrade
up there. And we sure enough,

119
00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:32.439
we came back from that road trip
and they just created a brand new,

120
00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.160
beautiful space that we knew that this
was going to be a different environment and

121
00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:40.120
that that was going to be all
about everything they could do to make give

122
00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:43.519
the players the best opportunity to perform
on the field. I remember that,

123
00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:46.279
and you guys were so excited over
it. And at that time I did

124
00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.079
not have any kids, and I
couldn't understand why you guys were so excited

125
00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:56.000
over it. And now you understand
clearly what yes I do, happy wife,

126
00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:03.160
happy life. Amen. Hey,
aj I called you because June eighteenth

127
00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:09.680
is the anniversary of Clayton Kershaw's one
and only career no hitter. It's the

128
00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:15.360
seven year anniversary of you catching that
no hitter. And I know when I

129
00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:18.199
text you you didn't even know it
was the anniversary of it. But where

130
00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:22.040
do you rank that being on the
field, being there with Kershaw and being

131
00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:26.279
the catcher the night that he threw
that no hitter in your career? Oh,

132
00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:31.559
I mean, it's without a doubt
a top three, top five moment

133
00:08:31.679 --> 00:08:37.080
of my professional career, you know, especially I look at regular season events

134
00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:39.799
and regular season you know games that
I got to play in, and if

135
00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:43.960
that's the case, it's definitely probably
number one. Yeah. I felt like

136
00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:46.440
I still feel like one of the
greatest privileges of my career was being able

137
00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:50.960
to work sixty feet away from the
future Hall of Famer that Clayton is and

138
00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:56.720
got to see his his his work
ethic, and his determination and his character

139
00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:01.080
up close for I don't know,
eight or nine years when the count count.

140
00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.039
Some of the minor league time we
got to spend together as well,

141
00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:07.759
and for our professional relationship to transcend
into the close personal friendship that we have

142
00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.840
now. You know, He's still
a guy that I in regular contact with.

143
00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.720
Our families are in close contact with
each other, and you know,

144
00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:16.879
to be there and be able to
share that day with him, you know,

145
00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:20.759
it's crazy. I think it's been
seven years now and just you know,

146
00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:26.559
it was just a special, special
time. I think if I look

147
00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.440
think back over the course of my
career, you know, outside of some

148
00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.600
of those fun clinching games, I
think it maybe the people asking me a

149
00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:37.200
lot, that's your favorite game you
ever played in. There was a we

150
00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.360
clinched in twenty fifteen in San Francisco, which was which is really special to

151
00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.240
clinch up there against the Giants and
Clayton through a complete game one hitter.

152
00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:48.799
He was almost there a complete game
one and struck out thirteen or fourteen guys

153
00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:52.039
and then be able to celebrate there
in San fran when we went clubhouse and

154
00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:56.279
then afterwards at the hotel. That
probably is probably my favorite regular season moment,

155
00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.840
But after that would definitely be Clayton's, you know, his no hitter

156
00:09:58.840 --> 00:10:03.639
and did that game against the Rockies. I went back to watch that entire

157
00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:07.320
game last night. I wanted to
point out a couple of different at bats,

158
00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:11.799
but before we do I know,
Clayton's all on that five day schedule,

159
00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:13.519
good or bad. The next day
he's on to the next start.

160
00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:18.080
But do you remember what it was
like the day after the no hitter when

161
00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.679
he walked into the clubhouse. Did
you guys drive to the ballpark together that

162
00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:26.120
day? What was it like if
you remember now? Yeah, No,

163
00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:28.559
I think it was. I think
it was a little bit of business as

164
00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:33.080
usual for him, But also I
think he was out was really still in

165
00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:35.000
that reflection mode of just how special
the previous night was. It wasn't just

166
00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:39.440
a no hitter. I mean it
was it was it was him, you

167
00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:41.559
know, on the national stage,
you know, really putting a stamp on

168
00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.360
you know, who he was a
was the dominant pitcher. I think everyone

169
00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:46.440
at that point knew, you know, he had kind of, you know,

170
00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:50.240
transcended into being the best picture on
the planet for that stretch of time

171
00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:54.240
that he was, that he was
out there competing. But for him to

172
00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:56.000
do it in the way that he
did it, it wasn't just a no

173
00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:00.159
hitter. It was completely utter dominance
and it was a talk of baseball for

174
00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:01.519
the week to follow it. And
I think that was in the midst of

175
00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:05.919
him not mistaken like a thirty eight
or thirty nine Indian scoreless streak he had

176
00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:09.480
going as well. So he was
he was at the at as our friend

177
00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:11.039
John Pratt Pratt like to say,
he was at the peak of his powers,

178
00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:16.639
and he was. He was.
He was absolutely dominant over that over

179
00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:20.519
the course of over the course of
that month. And yeah, so I

180
00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:22.399
think coming in the next day,
you know, obviously there's the next name

181
00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:26.200
media rush that comes as the national
media now wants to be a part of

182
00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:30.159
it, and there's interviews and you
know, people will famil Be network want

183
00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:33.240
to connecting radio interviews, and so
there was definitely a flurry of people who

184
00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:37.440
really wanted to get a little bit
farther behind the curtain of what that game

185
00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:41.840
was all about. June eighteenth,
twenty fourteen, the one and only no

186
00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:46.200
hitter that Kershaw's pitched so far,
and in that game, which was basically

187
00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:50.519
a perfect game, despite it not
being that in the box score, there

188
00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:54.600
was only one three ball count a
j and that was in the second inning.

189
00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:58.679
To Josh Rutledge, does that ring
a bell? I mean the other

190
00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:01.960
a goodlier. I think he threw
to get a ground out. If I'm

191
00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:09.840
not mistaken, but yeah, it
was a day where, uh it was

192
00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:13.759
it was one of those days where
Clayton would get strike one in a simple

193
00:12:13.799 --> 00:12:16.840
pattern or his his his standard pattern, and how we pitched at the time

194
00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:18.799
of you know, just an aggressive, fast inside. I think they were

195
00:12:18.840 --> 00:12:22.759
loaded up with all writing and hitters
on that day, aggressive line up at

196
00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.639
Dickerson led off with the lefty.
But but then he it was one of

197
00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:31.679
those those handful of times I can
remember where he had his A plus slider

198
00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:35.200
and his A plus curveball working on
the exact same day. So really behind

199
00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:39.360
the plate, it was honestly just
pretty simple for myself of just putting down

200
00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:43.799
a pitch, getting strike one and
then kind of just mixing and matching between

201
00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:46.799
the two breaking balls that we needed
to use. I mean, he was

202
00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:50.759
he was efficiently putting guys away and
you know, to strike out fourteen guys

203
00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:56.399
I believe it was that fifteen so
few. Yeah, that's right, fifteen

204
00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:01.159
guys and so and so few pitches. This speaks to how just you know,

205
00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:05.840
dominant and efficient he was in that
game. Hey, the seventh inning

206
00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:11.960
was very eventful. Miguel Rojas made
a great play on Tulowitzki and Adrian had

207
00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:18.080
a nice scoop. But also in
that seventh inning was Hanley's throw that Adrian

208
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.320
may or may not have should have
been able to get. And Brandon Barnes

209
00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:26.320
was the next batter after the Hanley
error in the seventh inning. Were you

210
00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:33.519
a little concerned that that may frustrate
Clayton and things could unravel there in that

211
00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:37.600
inning? No, actually I wasn't. I think my only concern at that

212
00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.639
point was that, you know,
he had pitched, you know, six

213
00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:43.399
clean innings in a row, so
this is his first time being in the

214
00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.840
stretch the entire day. So you
know, this guy, he just pitched

215
00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:50.600
them from the lineup for six trade
innings, like maybe trying to find his

216
00:13:50.679 --> 00:13:52.879
rhythm, find his timing from the
stretch, but it's pretty evident that he

217
00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:56.799
was. He was in a good
spot right there. But really tough play

218
00:13:56.840 --> 00:13:58.240
for Hanley. I know he came
and got that on the run. And

219
00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:03.720
I love a lot cheam back the
highlights and watching you know, Hanley's hat

220
00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:05.240
go flying off, and if you
go back and watch, you see Clayton

221
00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:09.039
bend over and pick up his pick
up Hanley's hat handed to him and say,

222
00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:11.960
hey, nice try uh, the
handling just like no frustration, no

223
00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:16.480
no retision, and Clayton probably you
know, probably never even looked at the

224
00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:18.039
school board. It was onto the
next hitter, and it was onto the

225
00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:20.759
next guy, and uh, you
have to get to strike out of barns

226
00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:24.440
and then you know, two of
whisky. Just a you know, always

227
00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.799
a tough battle in those n last
years that we had, and he and

228
00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:31.279
Clayton had had many epic showdowns over
the years. And ground ball down the

229
00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:35.360
line they go Rojas who uh,
you know, it's really made a name

230
00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:37.519
for himself, you know, and
I think back then he was kind of

231
00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:41.480
an up and down utility infielder,
can kind of plug and you know,

232
00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:45.080
more for his glove than his bat. And you know, as an aside,

233
00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:46.399
really proud of Miguel in the career
he's been able to carve out,

234
00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.279
carve out and the leader he's become
for that marveling team. But they's just

235
00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:52.600
a fantastic play down the line and
just to get rid of the ball and

236
00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:56.320
a and a grace scoop by a
goal glover over the at first base.

237
00:14:56.360 --> 00:15:00.440
So just a good all around play
and then to go and out you have

238
00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:03.159
through your mind uplieve his willing.
Rosario was next, if that's not mistake,

239
00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:05.240
If I'm yeah that he was through
it, through it, through and

240
00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:09.519
through a nasty curveball there to freeze
them. And at that moment, chatting

241
00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:13.080
off, trotting off the field,
it's almost like, hey, that's that's

242
00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:16.879
the bullet we dodged, you know, let's let's push through the finish line

243
00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:20.200
right here. Yeah, And in
that eighth inning, it was very easy

244
00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:24.919
for you guys to get through that
inning. And I noticed when both of

245
00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:28.960
you were coming off the field,
but especially Clayton, he had a sense.

246
00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.840
You could tell he had that smirk
on his face coming back to the

247
00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:35.320
dugout. He had a sense he
was going to get to the finish line.

248
00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.320
Did you feel that way too?
After coming off the field in the

249
00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:41.879
eighth inning? It felt good about
it, for sure, And you're exactly

250
00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:45.480
right. It was. It was
very, very evident that the Rockies had

251
00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:48.519
figured out, do not let this
guy get too strikes because he's got a

252
00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:50.960
nasty strike out of stuff. And
I toe like their desire to swing at

253
00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:54.200
first pitches and be a bat and
just try to get the first pitch they

254
00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:58.000
saw in play was definitely what their
game plan became from that point. But

255
00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:02.600
there's a great moment there for the
eighth inning. Uh you know it was

256
00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:06.279
uh uh We're sitting over the bench
and uh Rick, Honey, Kit and

257
00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:08.320
myself are over there, and obviously
it's a no hitter and it really want

258
00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:11.480
a matter for to know it or
not. Clayton's gonna sit by himself and

259
00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.759
no one's gonna talk to him,
and he's gonna let him say his his

260
00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:15.799
tunnel vision and uh, you know, Rick and I are trying to figure

261
00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:18.360
out who they're gonna pinch it.
I can't remember who all they had I

262
00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:22.279
doing the pitch. It end up
being Charlie Colberson, who became a Dodger

263
00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:25.879
hero with the big home run in
his career, but Charlie was with the

264
00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:27.440
Rockies as the bench player. But
Rick and I are trying to figure out

265
00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:30.360
who they're gonna who they're gonna pinch
it, and when you what our game

266
00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:33.320
plan is going to be against him, and him and I are kind of

267
00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.840
Rick and Ire kind of standing there
talking and looking. Also we feel this

268
00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.919
presence come behind us and it's Clayton
right there and he was like this he

269
00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:42.279
says, Hey, who do you
think they're gonna pinch hit? Boy?

270
00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.000
You don't want to jinx and no
hitter, and no one wants to talk

271
00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:45.840
to the pitcher. So Rick and
I were just staring at each other like,

272
00:16:45.960 --> 00:16:52.440
uh, like, I'm not gonna
go first, and uh and Rick,

273
00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:53.639
and then Clayton just says that I
think it's gonna be Culverson. I'm

274
00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:56.200
just gonna pitch my strengths. And
I'm like and I was kind of now

275
00:16:56.200 --> 00:16:59.080
in my head like yeah, pitch
his strengths. And he went back and

276
00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:03.519
sat back Rick, Rick, Rick
and I always chuckle and we tell that

277
00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:06.079
story just thinking about nobody wanted to
be the one to talk to Clayton,

278
00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:08.519
and Clayton came over and I wanted
to talk about who the pinch hitter was

279
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:11.119
going to be. And yeah,
I mean, there wasn't gonna be some

280
00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:14.759
detailed game play. Hey, Charlie
Colberson, we got to go curb ball

281
00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:18.799
first pitch and you were you were
so locked He was so locked in on

282
00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:22.359
that day that pitched the strengths,
you know, And for ninety nine percent

283
00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:23.920
of Clayton's career, especially in that
that era that he was the pitch the

284
00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.240
strengths was usually a pretty easy game
plan for him to go out and and

285
00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:30.599
be be who he was. Yeah, and Colberson swung at the first pitch

286
00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:34.440
for the second out. It is
he had. He had a nice pop

287
00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:37.920
up the yachtiel out there in right
field, which is probably the only time

288
00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:41.720
that yachtiel caught the ball with two
hands out there in right field. To

289
00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:44.799
go back and watch that highlight,
but uh, yeah, he secured the

290
00:17:44.839 --> 00:17:48.599
catch and then set up the final
bat with Colberson. I'm sorry with Dickerson,

291
00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:55.200
which is also has a great fun
moment where Clayton Corey flips the foul

292
00:17:55.240 --> 00:18:00.400
ballma into the left field or we
had to dugout bleachers and I go running

293
00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:03.400
full steam and I end up in
Magic Johnson's lap over there in the owner's

294
00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.079
box, and I'm trying to catch
a foul ball. It's probably about twenty

295
00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:07.640
five rows deep, but at that
point I'm trying to catch everything I can.

296
00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.480
You had to know I was going
to bring that up, so you

297
00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:15.160
jumped me. No, I didn't
know. That's it usually comes up.

298
00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.319
It's one of the it's one of
those funny I ran full steam into that

299
00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:22.559
thing like an idiot. You know, it's it's it's it's just trying to

300
00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:25.559
make it play, trying to get
there, and the adrenal and took over.

301
00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:29.640
But uh yeah, I go running
in. Clayton's like laughing at me.

302
00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:32.000
If I remember Riley, It's like
kind of like smile at me,

303
00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:34.000
like what are you doing? You're
you're you're an idiot. Yeah, and

304
00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:37.720
so yeah, but he went back
and uh, you know I was able

305
00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:44.440
to you know, uh call a
call of pitch. Yeah, he threw

306
00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:47.279
a slider and got the punch up. Did you did Magic say anything to

307
00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.079
you? No? I don't think
so. I didn't end up magic.

308
00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:52.160
I just know I was like right
by. I just know I was right

309
00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:56.640
by the owner's box and it was
right there. And yeah and then uh

310
00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:03.759
yeah, next pitch a slider that
they got got to the glove and yeah.

311
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.920
I don't know if you're going to
you're going to bring this one up

312
00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:10.160
or not either, But it's funny
if you watch the highlights back and watch

313
00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:15.680
the game three weeks earlier, roughly
in Philadelphia. I wasn't going to bring

314
00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:21.279
this up. I was not going
to bring this up. Josh Beckett threw

315
00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:25.640
a no hitter and Drew Butterra.
I love Drew. Drew's a great friend,

316
00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:29.240
a great another great, great character
in our game. Drew is a

317
00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.079
starting catcher, and Drew enough to
celebrate, as he said, and he's

318
00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:34.960
out there and the dog pile bounce
around his mask. Catcher's mask goes flying

319
00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:41.880
into the pile. Well, here
comes the athletic Midwest thirty thirty five year

320
00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:44.680
old, you know, lumbering catcher
into the dog pile. Jumps up into

321
00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:47.880
the pile to celebrate with my teammates, and I land with my right foot

322
00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:52.079
right on top of the Drews catcher's
mask and pretty severely sprained my ankle.

323
00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.759
And they put me on the DL
for eighteen days. And I always give

324
00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:56.640
Drew a hard time about it.
And like I said, hey, if

325
00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:59.359
I ever catch no hitter, I'm
not taking my mask with me. I'm

326
00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:00.839
not going to put my teammates in
harm way. I'm a better teammate than

327
00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:03.440
you. Like I care about people
and just giving them a hard time.

328
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:07.799
But I did the uh he got
to strike out, and if you watch

329
00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:11.519
back, I leave my mask at
home plate and I ran out there.

330
00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.880
Guys, Like I told you,
I care about my teammates more than he

331
00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:19.759
does. Yeah, yeah, I
remember. I remember the day the next

332
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:25.480
day after we got back from Philadelphia, I walk into the clubhouse and your

333
00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:30.039
ankle is all taped up and you're
like so bummed out that happened. Oh

334
00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:30.799
And I was like, and I
was like talking. I think I was

335
00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:33.279
talking to you. I think I
was talking to Alana Rizzo at the time.

336
00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:37.440
I'm like, please, like get
video footage of the story. Like,

337
00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.799
the last thing I want is like
when people like to not believe me,

338
00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:41.400
I think that I like was you
know, like you like, as

339
00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.039
you said earlier, over served in
Philadelphia on Saturday and like stumbled and stumbled

340
00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:48.799
over a curb or or trip somewhere. But like, please let people know

341
00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:53.079
this was actually like an idiotic,
idiotic, non athletic uh finn athletic move,

342
00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:56.920
but actually did happen on the baseball
field. Hey, speaking of the

343
00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:02.079
celebration, there's that iconic photo of
you and Hershaw embracing on the mound.

344
00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:06.960
How big of that photo is hanging
in your living room right now? Is

345
00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:11.200
it sixteen twenty or larger it is? You know what I think? Uh?

346
00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:14.440
Well, which one we got one? We got one on each floor

347
00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:18.240
of the house. Uh you know
there, I'll be first one to be

348
00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:21.920
uh you know, self deprecated.
And there are people out there who will

349
00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:25.559
say that I am sitting right now
in the house that Kershaw built. I'm

350
00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:29.599
not. I'm not. Like there's
part of it that can't deny that our

351
00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:33.440
relationship was special. And I will
be the first admit that my career was

352
00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:37.920
probably extended and probably a little bit
overinflated because of our relationship and my ability

353
00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.920
to work with him. But no, I do have a nice I haven't

354
00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:44.039
had, you know, honestly,
Dave, I have him planting up.

355
00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:48.759
I do haven't been full of no
hitter. The memorability from that game was

356
00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:52.799
a scorecard and baseball from that game, and a couple of other items were

357
00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:56.160
definitely those photos. And we've talked
about doing something and putting putting up,

358
00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.720
putting up maybe a plaque. But
at the same time, like it's similar

359
00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:03.960
to what you said earlier, it's
like, not about like the items,

360
00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:08.079
like you mentioned the ring, It's
about the relationships. It's about the memories.

361
00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:11.759
And like I I love the memories
I have from that day, and

362
00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:15.359
even just talking right now, I'm
smiling right now, just thinking back just

363
00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.880
so much that happened on that day
and and just just just the moments of

364
00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:22.680
that day. And you're talking about
celebrating, and you know, there's a

365
00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:26.079
great moment there on the field,
and you know Ellen, she comes down

366
00:22:26.119 --> 00:22:27.839
and and they get to share it
together. But we go into clubhouse and

367
00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:33.039
you know, obviously, uh,
I don't know if you know as fans

368
00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:34.279
know this or not, but there's
a Major League rule, and it's a

369
00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:37.480
very wise rule that there's not there's
not on the alcohol served in the home

370
00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:41.160
clubhouse because people have to drive home
back to the game. But we we

371
00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:47.000
had other items of uh, you
know, different types of milk and soap

372
00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:49.400
and you know anything you're getting a
shaving crave. And Clayton got to go.

373
00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.440
Clayton got to go get in the
shower, and we all got to

374
00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:53.720
kind of do our best to kind
of dirty him up a little bit.

375
00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:56.759
But not after his showers did his
media. You were sitting there by the

376
00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:00.240
locker, and you know, one
of the traditions I had when I was

377
00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:03.839
in l A and in my career
was if the Dodgers of the team I

378
00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:07.240
played with one, my son Luke
got to come and spend time in the

379
00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:11.160
clubhouse afterwards, because at the clubhouse
was was fun and boisterous and you know,

380
00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:11.799
it's a good, good place for
kids, and you know, he

381
00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:15.680
got to come in and have a
chocolate milk and just have to have a

382
00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:18.559
good time. But he, uh, there's a I have a great picture

383
00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.279
of him and Clayton and they're both
kind of holding up a zero sign with

384
00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.599
their fingers and Luke has no idea
what he's doing. He's you know,

385
00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:26.519
he's five years old at the time
and I'm sorry, four years old at

386
00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:29.559
time, and he doesn't even know
what he's doing. But he's there with

387
00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:32.839
Clayton. They're both holding up a
zero. And it's like memories like that

388
00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:36.559
or what a really much more special
than uh, you know, any any

389
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:41.519
framed photo or uh you know,
nostalgic plaque or anything like that. It's

390
00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:45.400
the memories. It's the people.
It's conversations like this just you know,

391
00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:48.799
we get to share. Yeah.
I like to call it the a j

392
00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:53.559
Ellis no hitter. Now there you
go there please, let's let's let's let's

393
00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:57.680
get that going. Yes, do
the kids do the Ellis kids call Clayton

394
00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:02.759
Uncle Clayton or do you just keep
it at mister Kershaw or Clayton? What

395
00:24:02.759 --> 00:24:07.519
what's the appropriate addressing for your kids? Well, you know what's funny is

396
00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:08.839
uh you know, I got to
spend some time with him when they played

397
00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:12.440
the Brewers and we gonna hang out
together. And my kids aren't the only

398
00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:17.039
one. I've been around other people
and for some reason, like it always

399
00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:19.920
rolls together. It's like Clayton Kershaw. Even like my kids will like my

400
00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:22.319
kids will be addressing them and like
like Luke would be like, hey,

401
00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:26.000
Clayton Kershall, Like what's your favorite
stadium you ever played in. I'm like,

402
00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:29.000
I'm like Luke, Luke, just
call them Clayton or call them cursed,

403
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.720
or call them or call him like
all that. But you know,

404
00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:36.599
but uh no, it's uh yeah, it's it's funny how and then again,

405
00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:37.480
like my kids are not the only
one. You'll be out and people

406
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:41.400
be like, hey, Clayton Kershaw. If it's just one of those names

407
00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:44.119
that just it rolls, it rolls
hand in hand, you know, I

408
00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.920
don't I don't hear too many a
j elisis. I'm sure you don't hear

409
00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:48.519
too many day best age don't.
We probably can't repeat the words that we're

410
00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:52.599
heard when we're see by my fans
or by crowd. But uh, you

411
00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:56.960
know, it's uh, it's a. It's definitely h Clayton Kershaw. You

412
00:24:56.960 --> 00:24:59.519
hear that one a lot. Well, this was awesome, a J.

413
00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.279
I wish I could just how about
this. You tell the family you're occupied

414
00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:07.240
the rest of the day. I
won't go to the game tonight, and

415
00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:11.720
we'll just keep talking and then I
love, I love connecting with you.

416
00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:15.440
Dave loves telling old, old stories
and just reflecting and just remembering. And

417
00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:18.279
I think we talked about it last
time, you know, you know,

418
00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:22.599
I chatted. Is it's really important
for me, like it's really important for

419
00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:25.799
all of us just to take a
time to you know, as Dodger fans,

420
00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:29.920
it's as as people who've had the
fortunate time to be in that Dodger

421
00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:33.680
organization, just as I, you
know, have be grateful and uh,

422
00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:37.720
you know, just show a lot
of gratitude towards just the experience that we

423
00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:41.519
had and you know, things for
yourself are currently having. There's no voice

424
00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:45.640
like it. It's it's a.
It's a like I said, it's a.

425
00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.599
It's a. It's a great home
office to get the call and go

426
00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:51.039
to and you know, I'm I'm
excited to hear that the fans are getting

427
00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:55.279
back into a full capacity and it's
gonna be a fun, a fun summer

428
00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:59.799
and looking forward to watching you know, n OL West Baseball, which is

429
00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:03.640
as it's a really good division and
it'll be fun to watch the rest of

430
00:26:03.640 --> 00:26:07.119
the year. Yes, it will. And I look forward to seeing you

431
00:26:07.160 --> 00:26:11.960
when Andre Ethier and I come visit
in his summer home in Milwaukee one day.

432
00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:15.359
So I appreciate that, right,
we'll see you out there. You're

433
00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:19.640
I'm I'm the caretaker. I'll be
the guy out you know, moaning the

434
00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:25.000
grass and pulling the weeds. And
I'm just glad to Andre allows me.

435
00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:27.160
It's just a little me and the
family, a little a little nook in

436
00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:33.079
the in the base stay in all
right, man, this is great.

437
00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:36.599
We'll do this again soon. I
hope to see you in person very soon.

438
00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:40.759
So thank you so much for taking
the time out to share these great

439
00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:45.039
stories with us. Awesome Dave.
Good to connect with you and enjoy enjoyed

440
00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:47.480
the time out there. And uh, you know, tell the boys,

441
00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:48.000
I said, hey, when you
get in the club offs next

