Dodger Talk is sponsored by La Care Health Plan, providing affordable healthcare insurance to
millions of Angelinos for over twenty five years. And now your voice for Dodger
Talk. Like back David Vasse. Welcome to Dodger Talk. David Vasse with
you until the top of the hour, taking your phone calls at eight six,
six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy after the Phillies beat the
Dodgers for a second straight night out there in the City of Brotherly Love.
The final score tonight four to three in Philadelphia. Uh Christopher Sanchez with the
win, Gavin Stone the loss, and Jeff Hoffman with the safe. Really,
this game comes down to the little things, right. We can look
at the Dodgers being just four for eleven with runners in scoring position, and
in the seventh inning, I felt like that was the game. They had
runners at first and third with one out and they did not score a run.
And then they come back in the eighth inning with a run a double
by Pa Has and then Miguel Rojas drives him in and was tagged out at
second base, and that ended the inning when maybe the Dodgers could have extended
it for a game. Tying base hit or who knows, maybe even a
go ahead home run. But to me, the seventh and eighth innings were
just as key as the fourth and fifth innings tonight in different ways. Miguel
Rojas, I know Rick Monday and Tim never thought that Bryson Stopt Meya pushed
him off the bag a little bit with his glove on the pop up slide.
And look, that may have happened, but from my vantage point,
it just looked like Bryson Stott was doing what infielders have been taught to do
ever since instant replay came into Major League Baseball. And you know, I'm
not a big fan of these calls because I don't believe instant replay was put
into place to try to get runners out on pop up slides. But they're
holding true to that I guess, letter of the law, because I don't
believe it was the spirit of the rule of having instant replay, but it
is what it is, and that's what's happening. They're going to the replay
on pop up slides. When instant replay came into the game, managers,
coaches, we're telling their base runners, you've got to rethink how you slide
into second base. No more pop up slides, because if you do,
you're going to be called out on the instant replay. And that's exactly what
happened to Miguel Rojas. And I like what Jose Mota said as well.
You know what Jose Mota had to say about Rojas not trying to go to
second base. Just stay at first base. You're thirty six years old.
You've said your legs are giving you issues at different points in time this season,
So how about just stay at first base and keep the train moving.
But when you're in that environment, when you're struggling to score runs, when
things aren't going your way, I'm sure Rojas was still kicking himself about allowing
that ball from Trey Turner in the fifth inning get under his glove. I'm
sure he's trying to say, you know what, I'm going to do a
little extra to try to make up for that. He did not need to.
He already drove in two runs. He drove in two of the Dodgers
three runs tonight, So that was a mistake. Another mistake was obviously Andy
pah Haz in center field losing that twilight fly ball by wit Maryfield, and
also a mistake by Miguel Vargas not moving on every pitch, not backing up
Pahes, not being there to back up Pahz Quicker to keep Maryfield from going
to third base. So those two things stood out to me the most,
and it came back to hurt the Dodgers as they fall by one run to
Philadelphia, four to three. And that's the difference between winning and losing a
close game against a really good opponent. And this is the best the Dodgers
we'll see all season long. The Philadelphia Phillies, make no mistake about it,
are one of the two best teams in Major League Baseball and right now
are the class of the National League. And for me, it feels like
any path to the World Series is going to have to go through Philadelphia.
Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Dodgers fall to the Phillies tonight, four to three. Let's go out to
Temecula. Rex, You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing? Rex?
Hey, David, I was telling your screener, I'm here in the tri
team area, which is Angels, Padres Dodgers. I went to all three
of those stadiums this year. At no time did I ever think during the
Angels game that they could win that game. When I was at Petco,
at no time did I think that the Padres could win that game. But
at Dodger Stadium, I know they have the firepower and I know that they
can win any game if they put their mind to it. But David,
I want your comment on this. It was like the opening scene of Rocky
three where Balboa comes out and he thinks this is just going to be some
charity event and he gets punched in the mouth by Hulk Hogan. Every team
wants to take out the Dodgers. Now, every team wants to be the
Hulk Hogan, and that analogy. Every team is going to get up for
the Dodgers. They need to sound battle stations. Every single game is going
to be a war, and we can't have the errors like we have tonight.
I wanted to know what you thought about pulling out of this nose dive
and you know, tightening our shoes, getting to work, getting back to
basics. All right, Well, I appreciate your show so much, my
friend. All right, thank you, Rex, I appreciate it. Losing
three in a row is not a nose dive. But the Dodgers have left
me wanting more the last forty games, and I've let it be known,
and I feel like in this series we want more from the Dodgers, and
I would not consider it three game losing streak a nose die by any means.
And the analogy Rex was using if the Dodgers were playing the Marlins,
it might be applicable, but it's not applicable when you're playing the best team
in the National League in the Phillies. They're not getting up any more for
the Dodgers than they would for any other team. Let's look at the results
the last two years. The Phillies went to the World Series and they went
to the NLCS last year. I wouldn't put this series in that same category.
But some of these younger Dodger players like Andy Pajez, Miguel Vargas,
James Autman, and even to a certain extent, a veteran like ta Oscar
Hernandez, they're getting a taste of what it would be like in the postseason.
And it's not a shock that a player like Austin Barnes, who has
come up bigger than any other Dodger catcher in the postseason in the last ten
years came to play tonight. He got the start. Not only did he
catch a pretty good game tonight, he also extended his hitting streak to six
games and came up with a couple of key base hits to keep the line
moving. So this is the environment that these young guys, if they're going
to be here in the second half of the season, they better get used
to it. And I would say that's the biggest takeaway from this series.
And also it's a sobering reminder the disparity in starting pitching between the Phillies and
Dodgers as currently constituted. You look at the Phillies and who they've thrown out
there and are going to throw out there tomorrow in this series, and who
the Dodgers have had to go to in this series. Bobby Miller, who
was optioned before the game today, Gavin Stone, who is still a rookie
by all considerations. He is eligible for the Rookie of the Year by the
way, and tomorrow Landon Knack, who's only making his sixth or seventh start
of his big league career. Well, the Phillies have thrown out Zach Wheeler.
Night they threw out Christopher Sanchez, who is one of the best left
handers in the National League this year, and tomorrow they're throwing out Aaron Nola.
So to me, that's what this series is, a sobering reminder of
the Phillies starting staff in a best of seven series right now is quite a
bit ahead of what the Dodgers have to throw out at them. They haven't
even seen their best starter, a guy that may start the All Star Game
in Ron hare Suarez. That's what this series is telling me, the disparity
in starting pitching and also the defense. The Dodgers have some guys that are
marginal defenders and it costs them Tonight eight six six nine, eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Ryan, who is
actually in Philadelphia. Ryan, are you a Phillies fan or a Dodger fan?
Now flew out there. No, My grandmother is from Brooklyn. She
had four sons were all Dodgers fans. So we live in Scranton. Drove
down to the game nice. We were in set upset though we were We
were up on the top of the seventh inning when they put in James Outman
per Key k just the bunt. I know it was a righty lessy situation.
There was a guy on second explain to me the thought process between putting
in James Outman. There. I'm actually with you, Ryan. I thought,
if Dave Roberts wanted a sacrifice bunt right there, no doubt I would
take key K a Hernandez over James Outman to lay it down. If there
was a contest in my life was on the line and I said, who
is going to lay down this bunt to advance the runners, I would certainly
choose Keyk Hernandez right handed, left handed. I don't care he's throwing with
his third I Key K a Hernandez would get that bunt down, and you
don't burn out men. You could use outman later in the game. One
more thing I think it was the deciding part in the game is when I
messed that ball in centerfield. We were right out there and left field centerfield,
and I was following the ball. I'll be honest, I lost the
ball. I was looking at him. I was looking at the ball that
cost three runs right there. I mean, I'd say a bit of this
game was a bit unlucky. I don't like a couple of the moves,
but overall, I I don't know that that inning was just a disgrace there
was they had sticks out in that inning. Yeah, I'm with you that
that would have been a one two three inning for Gavin Stone. But an
interesting perspective that a fan in the stands also lost the ball too bad.
Well, you're not really a major league center fielder, so I could give
you a free pass on it. So thanks for calling in and love love
that you have a lineage of Brooklyn Dodgers in your family. Thanks the first
time, long time. Yeah, thanks Ryan. Eight sixty six nine seven
two five seventy is the phone number. By the way, I do have
a copy of Tom Hofar's book Perfect Eloquence and a preppreciation of Vin Scully to
give away to one of our callers tonight at eight six six nine eight seven
two five seventy ish in Riverside. Thanks for holding Sorry, we kind of
get you last night. Hey, no worries. Hey man, I appreciate
you guys getting me on today. Man, But hey, listen, you
know I agree with you regarding the Phillies, you know, in terms of
how they're playing. I think that there was, you know, obviously some
managerial strategy going back and forth. I was curious why, you know,
again Smith wasn't in the line up today. You know, usually he does
the back to back right. So again, the reason I mentioned that is
that you've also got Bryce Harper. It's not in the lineup today. So
again we were losing to them on a day when they don't have Bryce Harper,
you know. And so I mean, I agree with you. I
do think that the road to the series in the National League, of course,
goes through the Phillies. So like on our end, man, are
we are we just going to kind of hobble towards the end the finish line
or I mean, you know, I'm not saying I'm in panic mode,
but I definitely think we, you know, need to use this All Star
break here to do a major not a major reset, but you know,
a real reset as far as like what is the approach for the second half?
All right, Ish, I want a copy of Tom Hofars appreciation of
Vin Scully. I'll send you a copy. Oh my god, man,
Dave, you know I could definitely appreciate that. All right, Matt,
hold on, Thanks for being patient. Eight sixty six nine eight seven two
five seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time out here on
Dodger Talk. We have a full board of calls, so we'll get to
you, hopefully by the top of the hour. And also we'll hear from
ti Oscar Hernandez and Dave Roberts about the decision to send Bobby Miller to Oklahoma
City. Dodger Talk with you until eight o'clock after the Phillies beat the Dodgers
four to three on A five seventy LA Sports on air at AM five seventy,
online at AM five seventy sports dot com, and available by podcast on
the iHeartRadio app. This is Dodger Talk with David bassa Dodgers fall to the
Phillies tonight four to three, Kistopher Sanchez the winning pitcher, Gavin Stone the
losing picture, and Jeff Hoffman with the save. Eight six six nine eighty
seven two five seventy is the phone number. I also wanted to bring up
the disappointment I had in Gavin Lux's at bat in the ninth inning. Jeff
Hoffman is somewhat bothered by something, whether it's physical the mounds. Something's going
on. Even the manager, Rob Thompson was about to bring out the trainer
to check on Hoffman. Doesn't Gavin Luck see that? Doesn't he understand the
situation. The Dodgers are down a run. He's not really lighting the world
on fire. He's not really sho hey Otani or Barry Bonds right now.
He's hitting two oh seven with an ops five point forty one. He's on
base, he's at bat and there's what one out at that point in time,
He's got Will Smith looming behind him, and after that, show Heyotani
coming up in the hole. You would think he would try to do whatever
he could to make a Jeff Hoffman work at the very least or b you
know, try to draw a walk somehow, some way get on base for
Will Smith or show Haotani with lux representing the tying run. Instead, Luck
swings at the first pitch. What was he doing right there? Eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out
to Josh and Sierra Madre. You're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi.
Josh, Hello, David, I appreciate you taking my call. It's a
little frustrating when your father and most of your family are for Philadelphia and they're
giving a team you can't and you can't give it back. So not yet
frustrating. We're a little frustrating right now. But I'm hanging in there,
so you may have the last word, Josh. Right, it's only July.
The Dodgers and Phillies play after the All Star break in LA and more
importantly, may see each other in October. That's right. It's like,
you know, they may have won this battle, but we'll see what happens
going forward anyways, So we'll see what they do with the deadline. I
think it's become very obvious they need at least one starting pitcher, maybe two,
and they could use another bat. I don't know if they're going to
be able to get all three. They may be fortunately get one. It
really doesn't matter what they do, though, if they do not start getting
better at the little things like we've been talking about defense, running the bases,
situational hitting, that this all has to improve. Gavin, I really
hate the earned run stat because, let's be honest, Gavin Stone gave up
one earned run today. That was the Schwarber home run. The rest of
the runs were not his fault. You've got guys playing out of position.
Andy Pop. I like Andy Pies, but anytime a ball is hit to
him in center field, I have to cover my eyes because it's just it's
so hard to watch. He has misplayed so many balls out there, and
that mistake he made in the fifth inning open the floodgates after they came so
hard, you know, the scratching claw on tie the game, and just
to have that happen, it's just so frustrating. So it really doesn't matter
what they do with the deadline if they do not start getting better at the
fundamentals, this team's not going to go anywhere. You can't go anywhere when
you're giving teams extra out and runs. Just doesn't work, all right,
Josh, thanks for the phone call. I disagree. I feel like the
Dodgers desperately need starting pitching because, like I said, the Phillies have four
very healthy starters that have had no questions about their health so far this season,
Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez, and also Ranger Suarez.
So to me, the Dodgers starting pitching is a lot more questionable right now
when you do the tail of the tape between these two teams. Daniels Jewelers,
they are the official sponsor of the trip around the Diamond. Stop by
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the dream. Speaking of starting pitching and concern over the Dodgers starting pitching,
more concern Bobby Miller before today's game, was sent down to Oklahoma City because
he just has not looked like himself all season long, and the Dodgers,
similar to James Outman, instead of trying to figure it out at the major
league level, they believe Bobby needs to take a deep breath and take a
break from the season and go to the minor leagues, work with their coaches
down there, reset a few things, clear his head, look in the
mirror, and maybe even mature a little bit before they call him back up.
And before today's game, Dave Roberts blamed the decision to send Bobby Miller
to the miners. Number one, we got to get him right, So
I think that's the impetus, and what's the best way to get him right
mentally, emotionally and mechanically. Butting up to the All Star break, it's
it made made a lot more sense, and you know, you have a
path to either continue to go as we have been and hope that it turns,
or you know, remove him from the situation, option them and give
him a reset to get out of this hot box of performance. And so
we just felt that this was the best thing for Bobby and for us,
and you know, he's a big part of what we're trying to do this
year, and so we just felt that's the yes thing to do. All
right. There's manager Dave Roberts on the thought process from the Dodgers to option
Bobby Miller, who coming into this season was supposed to be a big part
of their rotation not only in the regular season but in the postseason. I
wouldn't rule that out right now. Obviously it has not gone the way the
Dodgers thought it would or Bobby Miller thought it would. But as Dave Roberts
put it, get him out of the hot box of trying to figure it
out on the fly and in between starts and get him down to the minor
leagues where he can fully concentrate on fixing whatever mechanical issues he's having, and
also to clear his head and stop trying to chase velocity, stop trying to
chase spin rate, stop trying to make the perfect pitch each and every time
out there. Look, you can't do that, and it seems like Bobby
Miller has been chasing all those things. And that's not a way to live
in the major league. So I'm a big believer in Bobby Miller. Every
path is not linear. Every player's path to the major league or their success
in the major leagues is not linear. So this is just a speed bump
to what I believe is going to be a really good career for Bobby Miller.
Eight six, nine, seven, two five seventy is the phone number.
Let's go out to North Hollywood. James, you're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, James? Hey, doing all right? David? Not
Gray? Of course. My dad's busting my chops living in South Jersey about
the Phillies. He's going to the game tomorrow night. So I'm just working
out, trying to get up my aggression here waiting to chat with you.
I think today's game comes down to, you know, rookie outfielders and swinging
outside of the zone. Our guys. You know, I don't think we're
taking the two strike approach that we have when we've been able to move the
lines forward from shoe a Otani even all the way down. Swinging at pitches,
it's just more close and big swings on those pitches, and the Philly
staff is just too good to be doing that, you know. So to
me, that's the tale of this game. But I couldn't agree more.
I mean that it's a David and deliath when you look at the starting pitching
scenario right now. We got to get Bobby Miller, right, We got
to get Bueller healthy and right. We need Kershaw back, and we need
to trade for another big arm because you know, you can't rely on guys
staying healthy, and it's a lot to ask of all of our young guys.
Well, you know you just mentioned Walker Buehler. You know, he's
been in Florida for the last couple of weeks. He actually told me a
couple of weeks ago before he left there he was going to Florida for a
month to work out whatever hip issue he has and whatever pitching mechanics he has.
And thanks for the phone call, James. Look, I have been
trying to reinforce the fact you can't count on Walker Buehler. All of you
have been calling for the last six months saying Walker Bueller will be back,
He'll be ready for the playoffs. Really, Willie, there's not too many
guys that have come back from two Tommy John surgeries. The only guy that
I know that has done it at a high level is Nathan Evaldi. And
I keep trying to reinforce to you that being in front of Nathan Valdi a
couple of weeks ago, he's much bigger physical than Walker Bueler can ever dream
of being, and that kind of helps him be able to withstand putting more
stress on his elbow. And if Nathan Evaldi is available at the trade deadline,
I'm all in. And as far as Clayton Kershaw goes, look,
I am never going to bet against Kershaw, but don't you believe it's a
little unfair to act like he is going to be the Dodgers savior after not
undergoing a minor surgery, undergoing a major shoulder surgery. That's really unfair to
put that all on him, that he has to be the savior for a
team that went out and traded for time Glass now gave him a big extension,
went out to Japan and signed Yoshi Yamamoto to the richest contract any major
league starter has ever gotten. And you're going to put that on Clayton Kershaw
to be the savior. That's a little unfair to me, and I feel
like those expectations are a little unrealistic. Let's go out to Tony, who
is in Philly too. Tony, you're on Dodger Talk. Thanks for calling.
Yeah, thank you. A lifelong Dodger fan became a Dodger fan July
nineteen sixty. I was at game last night and tonight and we looked lesargic.
I mean, it's terrible the way, you know, I kind of
give a little blame to Roberts, the way we're playing the position players and
they don't know where they're playing from one night to the next. We gave
that game to them. They didn't win it last tonight. We gave it
to him. The play on the field was terrible. I just I don't
understand what's going on. I was very disappointed. Of course. I always
wear my colors when I'm at the stadium and everybody breaks my chops. But
I don't care because I'm a lifelong doctor fan. But I just don't get
what's going on. I understand we have ten pictures. Well, hold on,
Tony pump the breaks. Take a breath for a second. Take a
deep breath. Number one. Let's not forget no Mookie Bets, no Max
Munsey, right, that would kind of set this order in the right position.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that there is no Mookie Bets and
there is no Max Muncy. That would change a lot, wouldn't you agree?
I absolutely I agree. So you have a lot of guys playing where
they shouldn't be playing. Keith a Hernandez only started playing third base until Max
Mounsey got hurt. You got Gavin Lux and Miguel Rojas up the middle.
When Mooki comes back, I'm pretty sure it's going to be Mooki and Miguel
Rojas with or without Gavin Lux on this roster. So that's my point.
I know we all get emotional. I know you're living out there in Phillies
Country this series. I don't want to say it means nothing, but this
does not resemble a series that what it may look like in October and what
it may look like after the trade deadline when the Phillies get to Dodger Stadium
in August. So I know, for your own personal reasons, you wanted
the Dodgers to really win these first two games, but the reality is this
is not the Dodger team that you're going to see at Dodger Stadium in two
or three weeks. One hundred percent. Agree, one hundred percent. And
like like I said to the guys that I went with, you know,
anything can happen in October September. We were one hundred and eleven games in
twenty two and we got knocked out the first round. So it's who's hot
at the end. Heay, Tony, Tony, remember nineteen eighty three,
the Dodgers beat the Phillies eleven out of twelve times, and the Phillies beat
them in the NLCS. Absolutely, I remember so, and I remember the
night that Gagney gave up the home run the stats that was Broxton gave it
up the stairs. Broxton. Thanks, Tony, Hey, we'll see you
out there in October. Okay, Tony, all right, thanks Tony,
appreciate it. Hey. Also coming out of this game tonight, the Home
Run Derby participants were announced, and I told you ta Oscar Hernandez I was
the first to report it wanted to be part of the Home Run Derby.
Well, he finally got the invite and broke the news while he was playing
the outfield on ESPN's Baseball broadcast. So are you gonna participate this year?
I'm going so yeah. I just got to confirmed yesterday that I'm gonna be
there participated in the home run there this year. Well that's great. We
haven't here. Yeah, I'm so happy, so happy, so outside it.
Hell, wait, why why does the Home Run Derby have such appeal
to you? I don't know signs I'm being in the big league, so
always wanted to participate it. But for some reason, you know, I
don't like I would. I don't like to do the Home Run Derby if
I'm not going to the All Star Game. So in twenty twenty one I
was there, they didn't buy me, So I don't know how that works?
Is it? So I didn't participate. I think it's gonna be excited
this year. You know the rules. The rules changed a little bit,
but I think it's gonna be good, a good one. Let me ask
you this, are you going to practice maybe tomorrow or soon for the home
run Derby? I'm I was thinking to do it in Detroit the second day.
Only one time. I'm gonna do it just, you know, just
to get used to it and know how, like know the rules work and
everything. Have you already reached out to whoever's gonna pitch to you? Yes,
it's gonna be my Thursday coach Dino. He's very good. Yeah,
he's been in there. He knows how to do it all right. Ta
Oscar Hernandez officially part of the Home Run Derby this year in Texas at Globe
Life Field. Taoscar really wanted to be part of it, and he broke
the news while he was playing right field for the Dodgers in the third inning.
And he could not find a better batting practice pitcher than Dino Ebol.
He has gone with a lot of different guys, Albert Poolholz, Vladimir Guerrero,
Junior, Jock Peterson. So he knows the drill. He's got a
veteran home run Derby pitcher in Dodger third base coach Dino Eble. That'll do
it for us on Dodger Talk tonight. Sorry we couldn't get to everybody.
We'll take your phone calls. After the finale of this Dodgers Philly series,
the Dodgers looking to avoid the sleep, the sweep and the sleep with Landon
Nack on the mound. He's one and two with an ERA of two to
eighty six, going up against veteran Aaron Nola. Nolan this year is ten
and four with an ERA at three forty eight Morongo Casino. Dodgers on Deck
begins at two o'clock with Tim Kates. First pitch with Rick Monday and Tim
Neverett from Philadelphia at three oh five. In case you missed any of the
show, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app. That's also where you
can hear our pregame conversation with James Autman. Thanks to calling you for all
his help here in our Burbank studios. Thanks to you for listening. Fox
Sports Radio is next once again. The final score tonight in Philadelphia, the
Phillies defeat the Dodgers four to three. Have a great rest of your night.
See them, let's just