WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:05.280
Dodger Talk is sponsored by LA Care
Health Plan, providing affordable healthcare insurance to

2
00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:10.679
millions of Angelinos for over twenty five
years. And now your voice for Dodger

3
00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:18.199
Talk by back David Vasse. I
like to have bunmacollin Ye back there a

4
00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:22.519
big show. Heyo Tani fan and
Otani tonight. Two for four tonight he

5
00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:27.039
is hitting three h nine with an
ops of nine fifty six. Welcome to

6
00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:32.560
Dodger Talk. David Vasse with you
until ten thirty. Jose Mota, another

7
00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.479
big fan of show. Heyo Tani
will join us in fifteen minutes. And

8
00:00:37.240 --> 00:00:42.560
uh, I don't know if the
phones are working or not because we only

9
00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:51.520
have one call tonight after an hour
of full board of calls. Just ripping

10
00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:58.119
into Mookie Beds show. Heyo Tani
and Freddie Freeman last night because they could

11
00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:03.359
not deliver in the eighth inning against
David Robertson Well Tonight, in the eighth

12
00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:07.760
inning, two of the three of
those guys delivered Mookie Betts with a one

13
00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:12.599
out single, set up Freddie Freeman
delivering the go ahead base hit in the

14
00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:19.519
bottom of the eighth inning in a
huge clutch moment two outs against his former

15
00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:26.159
teammate Will Smith. Maybe the phones
aren't working either, because I don't see

16
00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:32.560
any Chris Taylor haters tonight. It's
weird. Chris Taylor tied the game up

17
00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:37.959
in the bottom of the fifth inning
clutch as well two outs against Cole Reagan's

18
00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:44.799
and I don't know are the phones
working tonight. I don't see anybody tonight.

19
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:51.439
That's why I try to tell you
don't overreact to one game in the

20
00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:57.439
middle of June, especially when you're
talking about talented players like Mookie Bets,

21
00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:02.879
Sho Hao Tani and Freddie Fah.
Those guys, more games than not are

22
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:09.240
going to deliver and impact the game
in some shape or form. Does it

23
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:13.960
work out every night, of course
not. Are they all going to go

24
00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:19.000
into slumps, of course they are, but you will hope that they minimize

25
00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:23.319
those slumps. Otani for the last
twenty four games coming into tonight, was

26
00:02:23.400 --> 00:02:29.560
hitting just two hundred and before the
game tonight. No mar Garciapara, who

27
00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:32.360
was listening to the show last night, defined what a slump is to a

28
00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:37.800
hitter. You don't want to get
beat by the fastball, and you're starting

29
00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:43.520
your swing early to not get beat
by the fastball and instead you're making yourself

30
00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:47.520
look silly and not seeing the baseball
well. And every hitter goes through it,

31
00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:52.280
but the great ones find a way
to minimize it. And hopefully tonight

32
00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:55.719
was the beginning of Otani coming out
of his slump, because the Dodgers came

33
00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:00.599
up big tonight in a couple of
different ways. The bottom third of the

34
00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.560
order, Miguel Rojas, who got
the started second base tonight, came up

35
00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:08.199
big defensively as always, and also
came up with a big hit with one

36
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:13.319
out in the fifth inning, a
two run home run to cut the Royals

37
00:03:13.400 --> 00:03:17.439
lead to one run, and then
Chris Taylor with the two out home run

38
00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:22.639
to tie the game was huge,
and Freddie, of course doing what Freddy

39
00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:24.479
does, not trying to hit a
home run, but just trying to get

40
00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:29.560
that run in because that's all the
Dodgers needed, and that's what they got.

41
00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:31.960
A base hit up the middle,
Mookie Bets scores from second base,

42
00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:37.599
and the Dodgers complete the comeback against
the Royals. Eight six six nine eight

43
00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:40.479
seven two five seventy is the phone
number? Ah, there you guys are

44
00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:46.319
I guess the phones are working again. I can't say enough about Gavin Stone.

45
00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:50.800
He was my pick to be one
of the leading vote getters for the

46
00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:54.759
National League Rookie of the Year in
spring training. And after last night's bullpen

47
00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:00.639
game where the Dodgers used Blake trenin
back to back nights, they used Evan

48
00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:05.159
Phillips. Even though they were losing
last night, they used six different pitchers

49
00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:10.759
last night. They needed a big
start from Gavin Stone, and even with

50
00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:14.879
the three run home run he gave
up to Salvador Perez, he hung in

51
00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:18.360
there for seven innings and shortened the
game. And from there it was Daniel

52
00:04:18.439 --> 00:04:24.120
Hudson and then Alex Vesias. So
to me, Gavin Stone just as big

53
00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:29.399
as anybody tonight. Let's head downstairs
to the Dodger clubhouse to hear from tonight's

54
00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:32.319
starter, Gavin Stone. Yeah,
especially when you have bollpen game the day

55
00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:38.079
before. But we dropped to the
Rangers. So getting a win today was

56
00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:42.399
I mean pretty big. Navigate through
their through their lineup so efficiently. Yeah,

57
00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:46.800
just mix it in now. Two
seam was good today, change up

58
00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:49.519
was good today. Just left one
over the plate to Salvi and I mean

59
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:53.680
he's a good hitter. He crushed
it. But yeah, just makeing two

60
00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:58.959
seam change up for Simway pretty much
responsibility of pride. Do you take this

61
00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:03.480
is the fourth time gone seven last
nine starts. Yeah, I mean I

62
00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:06.040
feel like that's my job, more
or less is to go deep in games,

63
00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:11.480
give her a bullpen, you know, some lenked and let them come

64
00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:14.079
in and do their job in the
later inning zone. But yeah, I

65
00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:16.600
mean that's a huge I feel like
that's any starter's job really though. But

66
00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:21.279
one mistake the first pitch slider for
us? You want that one back?

67
00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:26.399
Yeah? Yeah, for sure.
Are you better at letting those go now

68
00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:30.000
than maybe you were last year?
Yeah? I mean, once it's over,

69
00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:31.199
you can't really do anything about it. You can only focus on the

70
00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:35.279
next hitter, And so just having
that approach helps a lot. All Right.

71
00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:40.399
There's Gavin Stone who came up big
for the Dodgers tonight, pitching seven

72
00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:45.240
innings and from there the Dodger offense
found a way to score enough runs to

73
00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:49.560
come back against a very good pitcher
in Cole Reagan's. He was actually acquired

74
00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:55.680
by the Royals last year when they
traded e Raaldus Chapman to the Rangers.

75
00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:59.800
I would say the Royals are happy
with that Trade. Eight six six seven

76
00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:04.160
is the phone number. We now
have a full border calls. Let's start

77
00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:08.720
in Lake Elsin or Andy. You're
on Dodger Talk. How you doing,

78
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:13.240
Andy? Hey, Dave, I
just want to talk a little bit about

79
00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:16.560
Yeah, Gavin Stone, he's badass, and you know what, he's surprising

80
00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:19.920
me this year. I love his
pitching, But I want to talk about

81
00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:26.439
really, you know, from twenty
seventeen to twenty twenty, when we won

82
00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.319
that World Series, we had a
a corra of Dodgers that you know,

83
00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:36.800
it was pasted the baton and they
did even better with a two strikes you

84
00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:41.040
know, they were able to get
hit or home runs whatever, they were

85
00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:45.199
able to do start rallies. But
this year, year and a half,

86
00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:49.399
I don't recognize anyone from any one
of those teams. And honestly, I

87
00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:54.160
think they're every one of them has
that pressure and when they get those two

88
00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:59.000
strikes, I don't really see them
trying to pass the baton or shorten their

89
00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:01.959
stream. I think they're time to
hit home runs regardless. So I don't

90
00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:04.399
know, can you talk about that? Yeah? I agree with you,

91
00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:09.879
Andy, I don't feel like this
Dodger team has that same identity. Just

92
00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:13.160
yet. You will hope that they
get it by the time the end of

93
00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:16.160
the season comes. But we're just
ten games shy at the midway point of

94
00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:20.879
the season. But I feel like
some guys do it better than others Andy.

95
00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:26.480
But yes, you would like to
see more of the way those Dodgers

96
00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:30.480
did it from even twenty fifteen all
the way through twenty twenty, that's for

97
00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:35.439
sure, Andy, I agree with
you, and certainly different personnel, but

98
00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:40.160
you will hope that they find a
way to do that. Those were special

99
00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:45.000
teams and special group of players,
for sure. Andy, Thanks for the

100
00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:48.240
phone call. Eight six six ninety
seven two five seventy is the phone number.

101
00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:53.839
Look, when you talk about passing
the baton, that means grinding out

102
00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:58.120
at bats, making the pitcher work, and taking your walk if that's what

103
00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.560
it is, and trusting guy behind
you is going to be able to deliver.

104
00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:07.160
That was the identity of those Dodgers, and you would hope that some

105
00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:11.839
of these guys start to feel that
mindset. A lot of these guys are

106
00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:16.560
just getting here or are just arriving
from the minor league, so it takes

107
00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:22.639
some time to develop that type of
identity, and those teams were really special

108
00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:26.120
in that department. Let's go out
to Redondo Beach. Steve, you're on

109
00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:30.000
Dodger talk Yep, here we go, Steve, stand by, stand by

110
00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.679
Steve. All right now you're on
Holy Crab, Dave. You can bang

111
00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.960
that phone on the desk a little
harder, man. Yeah, where are

112
00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:43.320
you at? I I'm on the
I'm on the one oh one North right

113
00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:46.480
now in the valley. I was
just in La here in the fireworks from

114
00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:50.960
the stadium though. Nice? Nice? So what where do you fall?

115
00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:54.000
Were you the guy that overreacted last
night? Are you a Chris Taylor hater?

116
00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:58.080
Where do you fall in all this? Hey, I'm not gonna lie,

117
00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.320
man. I was. I was, you know, I was,

118
00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:05.840
you know, I was flip popping
from Chris Taylor to Key k Hernandez and

119
00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.559
then listening to you. You made
a good point. You know we're missing

120
00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:15.320
Max Munty. But I remember calling
into you, Dave too, like two

121
00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:18.360
seasons ago or last season, when
they were talking about Nolan Aeronauto and I

122
00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:22.200
I got Max Munty's back and I
asked him how you felt about him?

123
00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.679
Defensively right? And then no one
grinds out and at that or takes pitches

124
00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.799
and sees the strike zone better than
Max Muncy, right left handed bat knows

125
00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:37.480
the strike zone, takes pitches.
So you know, I just but no

126
00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:41.279
one, uh no one talks with
conviction and and says it better than you,

127
00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:43.559
Dave. So I want to give
you the respect. And I also

128
00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:48.519
just wanted to touch on this guy, Anthony Bonda. His stuff looks really

129
00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:54.639
good man. And and then when
you brought up Gavin Stone, I would

130
00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:58.279
love to bring another Rookie of the
Year back home to Dodger Stadium, and

131
00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:01.440
that would just you know, that
rainer Rookie of the Year that we had.

132
00:10:01.799 --> 00:10:05.120
That would really be sweet. And
obviously, you know, a World

133
00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:09.919
Series championship. But I just appreciate
what you do for us here on the

134
00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.759
Daily Dave. Thanks Steve, I
appreciate it. Thanks for calling in and

135
00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:18.720
thanks for listening. Call back any
time. And look, I feel like

136
00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:24.159
we all underappreciate Max Mounsey, but
maybe not after this. I think we

137
00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:28.600
understand now that it's not just about
Max Monsey. It's about how Max Monsey

138
00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:33.360
fits in this lineup. I talked
about it last night. It's about one

139
00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:39.399
through nine. It's not just about
nine Island hitters. You gotta be able

140
00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:43.639
to be a cohesive lineup, and
I think we all have a better understanding

141
00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:50.639
on why the Dodgers decided to bring
back Max Mounsey because he does fit perfectly

142
00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:54.840
in the middle of this order,
and he was having a much better season

143
00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:58.200
than he had last year. So
I think we all when Max Munsey comes

144
00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:03.000
back, we'll appreciate his value a
little bit more to this lineup. Eight

145
00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:07.159
six six ninety seven two five p
seventy is the phone number. Dodgers come

146
00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:11.639
from behind tonight, beating the Royals
four to three. It was an exciting

147
00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:16.440
night for the Dodgers, for sure, but it was even more exciting to

148
00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:20.799
see Bobby Wood Junior. And I
guess I shouldn't say even more exciting,

149
00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:26.279
it was just as exciting to see
Bobby Wood Junior play for the first time

150
00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:30.919
tonight in his career at Dodgers Stadium. Remember, the Royals have not been

151
00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.080
to Dodgers Stadium since August of twenty
seventeen, so this was the first time

152
00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:41.039
we have had a chance to lay
eyes on Bobby Wood Junior here in LA

153
00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:46.039
and he did not disappoint. Despite
going zero for four tonight, he made

154
00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:50.759
the play of the season defensively in
Major League Baseball when he was able to

155
00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:58.120
go out to shallow left field,
catch a flare by Andy Paez and then

156
00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:03.440
had the presence of mind to be
able to throw it to the cutoff man

157
00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:07.679
Nick Lofton is second baseman, instead
of trying to make the throw all the

158
00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:13.919
way himself from shallow left field on
the grass. He has the presence of

159
00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:20.000
mind as a shortstop who's in shallow
left field to throw it to the cutoff

160
00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.159
man. In some sorts, Lofton
to double off Taioscar Hernandez. So that

161
00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:30.080
was spectacular And I'm sure you've already
seen it on your social media. Let's

162
00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:33.120
go out to burbank, Zoe.
You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing,

163
00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:37.559
Zoe? Hey, Dave, how
are you? My question? And

164
00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:41.960
I didn't watch the postgame or anything. I wasn't sure if Roberts had an

165
00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:46.960
explanation, but I was curious with
Rojas's starting why they didn't put him in

166
00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:52.320
short and move Mooki to second,
just to kind of get him off his

167
00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.720
legs a little bit and give him
a break from playing short. Yeah,

168
00:12:54.759 --> 00:13:00.600
they've said this earlier in the season. Zo If they're going to commit to

169
00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:05.080
Mookie Bets. They're going to let
Mookie Bets play shortstop even when Rojas is

170
00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:09.559
in the starting lineup. So that's
the reason why, even when you know

171
00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:13.120
for the last two months, when
Rojas plays, it's either third base or

172
00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:18.960
second base if Mookie's playing shortstop,
because they're committed to Mookie Betts until the

173
00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:24.720
trade deadline at the very least to
let him play there. Okay, Okay,

174
00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:28.399
yeah, I mean I'd love for
Rojas to play a little bit more

175
00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.039
too, because he's been playing really
well when he gets his opportunity to see.

176
00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:35.399
Yeah, not only is he playing
great defensively, but he's having a

177
00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:39.519
great offensive season. That was his
third home run tonight and he's hitting two

178
00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:43.320
to eighty. But Zoe, I
will say this, if the Dodgers do

179
00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:48.120
not pull off a trade for a
short stop at the trade deadline, I

180
00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:54.759
wouldn't be surprised to see Miguel Rojas
in September, mid September, or even

181
00:13:54.840 --> 00:14:00.960
going into the postseason be the Dodgers
shortstop and Mooki Bets be the Dodgers second

182
00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:05.200
baseman through October. I could be
wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised to

183
00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:11.120
see that. Okay, yeah,
all right, so thanks for the phone

184
00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:13.919
call. We lost you sell hell
there for a second. But look,

185
00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:18.039
the reason why the Dodgers are not
going to play Miguel Rojas as much as

186
00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:24.440
they played him last year is because
he's dealt with lake soreness on and off

187
00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:28.559
since spring training in New York.
He was dealing with some soreness in his

188
00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:33.639
left hamstring that affected him running a
little bit. But obviously he's well enough

189
00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:37.120
to play and to hit a two
run home run in the fifth inning.

190
00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:43.720
But if they want Miguel Rojas to
be ready and upright for October, they

191
00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:46.120
don't feel like they can play him
every day, and he's on board with

192
00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.879
whatever they're asking him to do.
Let's go to Gilbert, who was at

193
00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:54.320
Dodgers Stadium tonight. Hi, Gilbert, you're on Dodger Talk. How you

194
00:14:54.360 --> 00:15:00.639
doing it? David? From you? Greaty to hear from you. Yeah,

195
00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:03.840
yeah, thank you, thank you. We're just leaving the stadium right

196
00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:07.000
now, and you know what,
everybody likes to blowout, but to night,

197
00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:11.799
I think the Dodgers look complete and
the Devin Stone pitched it a done

198
00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:15.159
good game. They only do one
bet pitch all night. But like you

199
00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:18.679
said, he shortened the game.
The bullpen took it from dere vasia.

200
00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:22.919
Looked great, dosn't look great.
I think got key hits from the bottom

201
00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:26.639
of the lineup, and and uh, I think. I think it's just

202
00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:30.080
a matter of time. We're gonna
get going. We just gotta get get

203
00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:33.360
healthy and just keep just get plugging
away. We look good though, you

204
00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:35.559
look really good. All right,
Gilbert, thank you for the phone call.

205
00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:39.320
I will say, for the most
part, the Dodgers are healthy.

206
00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:43.679
They're just missing a key part of
their offense in Max Muncy. And obviously

207
00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:48.799
Bobby Miller is going to come back
next week and Clayton Kershaw sometime in July.

208
00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:52.240
So for the most part, the
Dodgers are healthy. And speaking of

209
00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:56.679
guys coming back, Joe Kelly through
a twenty five pitch bullpen. It's the

210
00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:00.399
second bullpen session he's thrown in the
last three days. And when I asked

211
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:03.639
him, are you coming back before
the All Star break? He looked at

212
00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:07.000
me like I was a dumb idiot, which I am, But that tells

213
00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:11.039
me that he is going to come
back before the All Star break, which

214
00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:15.519
will be a huge boost to this
Dodger bullpen, So keep your eye out

215
00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:21.639
for Mariachi. Joe Kelly eight six
six nine eight seven two five seventy is

216
00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:25.879
the phone number. Freddie Freeman with
what turned out to be the game winning

217
00:16:25.960 --> 00:16:29.919
hit in the bottom of the eighth
inning with two outs, gave the Dodgers

218
00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:33.879
the four to three lead, But
it would not have been It would not

219
00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:37.440
have happened if not for Chris Taylor
tying the game up in the bottom of

220
00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:41.399
the fifth inning with two outs,
Taylor's first home run of the season,

221
00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:48.360
Taylor's first home run in the major
leagues since last September. Let's head downstairs

222
00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:52.759
to the Dodger Clubhouse to hear from
Chris Taylor on Sports net LA. Yeah,

223
00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:56.879
been a while, you know,
I think it was more relief than

224
00:16:56.919 --> 00:17:00.159
anything. Wasn't sure I'm gonna I
was gonna get to ever do an so,

225
00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:03.400
uh, yeah, I feel good. Has there been a focus for

226
00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:06.920
you as ofly, just with working
on with your swing that's kind of led

227
00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:11.480
to this result. Yeah, you
know, it's been every day. It's

228
00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:17.440
kind of weird, you know,
not meeting in there that often. You

229
00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.960
know, some days you feel good
and you don't get to play and then

230
00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:22.960
some days you're not feeling good and
you know, it's just kind of the

231
00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:27.200
way it goes, and you're just
trying to be consistent with my work and

232
00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:34.839
just be ready when the opportunity comes
and you're kind of stick, like,

233
00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:42.279
how have you going to get?
Do? I try to just take it

234
00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:47.200
day by day, you know.
I I've definitely had my moments of frustration,

235
00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:53.000
and you know, just uh trying
to embrace the process and trust that

236
00:17:53.079 --> 00:18:00.880
my work's gonna, you know,
eventually come through for me. And you

237
00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:04.119
know, I know I'm what I'm
capable of, and uh just not losing

238
00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:08.599
sight of that, and you know, continuing to grind through. How much

239
00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:14.640
of a way do you feel came
off you just with that swing? Yeah?

240
00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:17.599
For sure. You know it had
been like I said, it had

241
00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:22.000
been a while, so uh it
felt good and, like I said,

242
00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:27.319
a more relief than anything. Do
you stay? Do you go home and

243
00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:33.119
kick the garbage? Can? No? My family definitely helps with that,

244
00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:36.720
you know. I say all the
time, I don't know what I would

245
00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:41.559
have how I would have handled this, you know, And earlier in my

246
00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:45.200
career, you know, I think
I took things home with me a lot

247
00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:51.400
more and you know now that I
have my wife and a kid at home,

248
00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:56.440
and you know, it's a good
escape from all this, and you

249
00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:00.640
know, I'm very thankful that I
have them. All Right, there's Chris

250
00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:03.920
Taylor on sports and at LA.
Chris Taylor, a great guy, has

251
00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:08.359
come up with a lot of big
hits for the Dodgers since his breakout season

252
00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:14.119
in twenty seventeen, and we're all
hoping this is the start of his season

253
00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:18.119
because coming into that at bat in
the fifth inning, he was just nine

254
00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:22.920
for his last ninety one. By
the way, Taylor's last home run exactly

255
00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:27.359
September seventh last year against the Marlins
in Miami. We're gonna take a time

256
00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:30.759
out here on Dodger Talk. When
we come back more of your phone calls,

257
00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:36.319
and also we'll check in with Jose
Mota after the Dodgers come from behind

258
00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:45.279
and beat the Royals four to three
on a five to seventy LA Sports on

259
00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:49.160
air at AM five to seventy,
online at amfive seventy LA sports dot com,

260
00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:55.920
and available by podcast on the iHeartRadio
app. This is Dodger Talk with

261
00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:00.599
David Bassam to one pitch, Taylor
hits a drive to left field, in

262
00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:04.960
deep. This ball heading back to
the wall. It's gone, the first

263
00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:10.400
home run of the season for Chris
Taylor, and it ties the game at

264
00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:17.599
three. Two home runs of the
inning for the Dodgers. It's a three

265
00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:23.480
to three ball game. Chris Taylor
and Miguel Rojas go deep in the fifth

266
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:29.799
inning off left hander Cole Reagan's to
tie the game, and then Freddie Freeman

267
00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:33.240
a clutch two out base hit in
the eighth inning to score Mookie Betts gave

268
00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:38.519
the Dodgers the lead and the win
four to three. Daniels Jewelers is the

269
00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:44.839
official sponsor of the Trip around the
Diamond. Stop by any Daniel's location and

270
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:49.000
say home run for your free team
bracelet and fifty dollars gift card toward any

271
00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:55.559
purchase of ninety nine dollars or more. Daniels Jewelers own the Dream. The

272
00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:59.920
home run that Taylor hit an eighty
five change up up in the zone,

273
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.079
just enough up for it to be
in Taylor's swing path and he did not

274
00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:08.319
miss it. His first home run
since last September seventh against the Marlins.

275
00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:15.720
It's tough to go around the horn
with Jose Mota, all right, Jose

276
00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:19.640
Mota what a difference twenty four hours
make. Everybody was freaking out last night

277
00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:26.400
over the Dodgers' MVPs not delivering in
the eighth inning, but tonight in the

278
00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:30.400
eighth inning, Mookie Betts and Freddie
Freeman teamed up to deliver a win.

279
00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:34.200
It was nice to see that,
you know, the top of the order

280
00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:37.319
compliment the bottom of the old this
time. And we're always talking about the

281
00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:41.880
other the other way around. But
here's a couple thing for you, Dave.

282
00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:47.160
You know, the Dodgers games like
today, it's what you know,

283
00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:48.519
teams in the clubhouse will go,
that's a feel good win. You know,

284
00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:52.079
it's like feel good about how this
happened because you want to forget about

285
00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:56.279
last night and the strikeouts and all
that night before whatever. Okay, but

286
00:21:56.920 --> 00:22:00.640
then the feel good story is affected
guys that you don't expect who contributed the

287
00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:03.440
way they did, went out there
and got it done. And I'm on

288
00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:07.559
the offensive side. ROAs from the
wall, so well, he's earning every

289
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:11.119
single inning, every single at that
defensive side, and where we getting from

290
00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:15.440
him? But man Chris Taylor,
with the relief everybody felt of that,

291
00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:18.000
I mean, he was seem not
Doug like a hero. And I just

292
00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:22.319
that's like, you know, taking
so many pounds off of your shoulders and

293
00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:25.599
again to feel good. One with
a lot of boxes were checked today that

294
00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:29.880
needed to be checked in the vals. Needed to also learn how to win

295
00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:33.480
games like this later in games without
using the long ball from the big guys.

296
00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:37.599
I think we heard it in Chris
Taylor's voice when he said that he

297
00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:41.119
wasn't sure if he was ever going
to hit another home run in the big

298
00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:45.720
leagues. Man, that really hits
hard when you hear him say that.

299
00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:48.920
I mean, you're still talking with
you decide, and I know there's not

300
00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:52.680
hided. Everybody's talking like, yeah, but he's making so much money.

301
00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:56.559
Guys care. Money takes a secondary
part here when you care about what you're

302
00:22:56.599 --> 00:23:02.400
doing and the pride that you take
and doing it right and earning that money

303
00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:04.440
right. And the same time it's
like, yeah, I don't have that

304
00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:07.519
guaranteed in security, but I want
to fit with this ball club. I

305
00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:11.960
mean, there's something about this team
that players tell you time and time again

306
00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:15.039
that they love gett a part of
it. The camaraderie, the culture,

307
00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:18.559
the fact that they put a lot
of pressure on themselves just to be good

308
00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:22.599
and execute, and certainly you want
to be a part of them. For

309
00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:25.359
Chris, as you mentioned with his
voice, man, it's really for a

310
00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.599
lot of people, you know,
including obviously a lot of us, to

311
00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:32.519
see him work card every single time. Every time there's a guy from a

312
00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:37.839
similar to the game gifts who's hitting
Chris Taylor, you know, obviously he's

313
00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:40.960
assigned to go out there and hit
it, but he doesn't because he wants

314
00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.279
to get better. And I'm so
glad that he got the results here tonight,

315
00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:48.000
Jose Mota is joining us after the
Dodgers defeat the Royals tonight four to

316
00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:51.799
three, but going back to the
eighth inning tonight, Jose. The last

317
00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:56.000
two nights the MVPs did not deliver
with the game on the line and Freddie

318
00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:00.680
Freeman going up against his former teammate
Will Smith, who seemed a little off

319
00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:04.440
because he threw the ball away at
first base trying to pick off Mookie Betts.

320
00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:08.440
So already he's reeling and he has
to face one of the best hitters

321
00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:12.400
in the game. Be right,
I mean, you know, when you're

322
00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.960
familiar with somebody like Will Smith who
does not throw hard, as I'm going

323
00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:18.480
to be based in everything off of
fastballs, he's going to try to fool

324
00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:22.279
you. He tend to comfort level
know that he's not gonna beat you upstairs

325
00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:26.599
with the fastball. And from rookie
bets selection of pitches. He went out

326
00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:29.079
there looking for an idea as to
how he's going to be started. Early

327
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:32.039
in the bat, took a nice
and easy swing, got the base hit

328
00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:36.920
and for Freddy also paid attention on
Smith and how he approached show hate.

329
00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:40.279
But Freddy is his own man here. I mean Freddie has seen Will Smith

330
00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:44.160
have success on the mound from a
different view of first base as a teammate.

331
00:24:44.440 --> 00:24:48.319
And also he understands how he has
success against lefties. And I mean,

332
00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:52.519
you know so many times you and
I are talking here and we just

333
00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:56.240
say, you know, forget the
mechanics, just how about you know,

334
00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:59.599
gray matter, how about your brain? What your trailer brain to have success

335
00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:02.160
here? And Freddy to say,
I'm trying to push the ball to the

336
00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:04.240
short stop. That's getting away from
everything that we might be talking about,

337
00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:07.759
examining things, an overallizing things,
saying I just need to be a little

338
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:10.839
bit late. That's pretty much what
he's saying. I need to stay in

339
00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:15.079
a fastball if you, oh,
Will, but I need to really protect

340
00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:17.960
against the breaking ball. And that's
why guys like Freddy, you know,

341
00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:21.880
orthodox or not or orthodox are not
the way he goes about things. It's

342
00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:25.400
paid off and it does it again
here today. Yeah, Freddie Freeman delivers

343
00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:29.119
more times than not, that's for
sure. And even in a short Dodger

344
00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:33.359
career, he has done that quite
a few times. Will Smith certainly knows

345
00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:37.920
all about that. Jose Mota is
joining us on Dodger Talk after the Dodgers

346
00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.400
beat the Royals four to three.
Jose, you played the infield. You've

347
00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:47.480
seen a lot of great infielders in
your career. Bobby Wood juniors play in

348
00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:51.039
the seventh inning. Have you ever
seen a shortstop make a play like that?

349
00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:53.720
I mean that goes back Azzi's messed. I can't say that I had

350
00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:57.279
never seen it because I saw Ozzie
play a lot, and every time every

351
00:25:57.400 --> 00:26:00.599
night you saw something that you do, what the heck was that all about?

352
00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:03.359
Pot to see the way he went
after that ball, and he's he

353
00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:07.039
mentioned so well, it's almost like
you have another outfielder out there and then

354
00:26:07.160 --> 00:26:10.359
have the presence of mind to just
say, I'm not going to be the

355
00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:11.920
hero here. By myself. I
got to get first of all, get

356
00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:15.519
rid of the baseball and see what
happens. That's what he did, that's

357
00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:18.680
what he knows the game well,
Daddy Bobby taught him, well, give

358
00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:21.279
her to the ball, give it
to your guy who becomes a middle guy,

359
00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:23.160
a cutoff man, and let the
rest take care. But he went

360
00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:26.519
out there with a termination. They're
just going to make that play no matter

361
00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.000
what. And I'll tell you something
quick about Bobby Witt Jr. Coming to

362
00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:34.519
the spring training, he became very
aware that he was not considered a very

363
00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:38.920
good fielding short in terms of defensive
run safe. He took up by himself

364
00:26:40.599 --> 00:26:47.680
offseason erdie spring training to bring one
of his coaches, teammates and somebody from

365
00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:49.000
the outside and go, I need
to get better at this. I don't

366
00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:52.559
want to be on that list.
I want to be one of the best.

367
00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:56.480
The time is there put in pay
off is here. We see the

368
00:26:56.480 --> 00:27:00.759
athleticism, the effort. More than
anything. The kid is the etiquette ball

369
00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:06.359
player who understands the inside of the
game and what hard work pays off.

370
00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:11.119
In certainly the fourteen year contract he
is earning every single Penny. Yeah,

371
00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:15.559
no doubt about it. He certainly
is one of the best all around shortstops

372
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:21.279
in Major League Baseball. That was
an unbelievable play and I'll always remember it

373
00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:26.039
and obviously on social media buzzing around
right now, Jose, thanks for coming

374
00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:29.880
on. I know you're a big
star. When the Royals come to town,

375
00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:33.759
Rex Huddler was in a frantic hysteria
to try to find you, and

376
00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:37.920
then you saw all the Royals broadcasters
giving you hugs from behind. You are

377
00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:41.960
big in Kansas City. Hey man, those twet bats came out big for

378
00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:48.000
me in nineteen ninety five, didn't
it. The King You're right up there

379
00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:52.880
with George Brennan Kansas City. Oh
sure, rubbing it. Sure, it

380
00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:55.759
was fun to watch everybody. Rex
just wanted to talk about hot yoga.

381
00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:00.559
I don't blame it. That's our
thing. Yeah, his life. So

382
00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:03.960
you your next, buddy, You're
next. Okay. Uh, well,

383
00:28:03.319 --> 00:28:07.599
let's not put it in pen or
stone. Let's put it in pencil.

384
00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:10.880
No, we go easy. We're
pretty much damasta, so we take it

385
00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.279
easy. Just whatever you want is
joint in your bodies, right, your

386
00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:17.359
soul's ready. You're more than welcome. Okay, thanks a lot, Jose,

387
00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:22.880
not mistake all right. There it
goes Jose Mota, the king of

388
00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:30.400
hot Yoga and Kansas City. The
Dodgers tomorrow will have Yoshi Yamamoto on the

389
00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:34.480
mound. He's six and two with
an ERA of three even going up against

390
00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:40.640
right hander Seth Lugo. The former
padre has delivered for the Royals nine and

391
00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:45.920
two with an ERA of two thirty
six Morongo Casino. Dodgers on Deck begins

392
00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:51.079
at five o'clock tomorrow with first pitch
at six ten. That'll do it for

393
00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:55.839
us on Dodger Talk tonight. Thanks
to Colin Ye back at our Burbanks Studios,

394
00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:59.599
Thanks to Dwayne McDonald out here at
Dodgers Stadium, and thanks to you

395
00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:02.519
for listen. In case you missed
any of the show, you can find

396
00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:07.400
it on the iHeartRadio app. And
that's also where you can hear our pregame

397
00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:14.839
conversation with Dodger Bullpenn veteran Daniel Hudson
once again. The final score tonight from

398
00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:18.519
Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers defeat the
Royals four to three. Have a great

399
00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:21.000
rest of your night, Seal