WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers are back home, and a lot of shuffling

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<v Speaker 1>chairs here because of different reasons, but young Hunter Fiduccia

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<v Speaker 1>is now on the Dodgers' active roster as the backup

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<v Speaker 1>catcher to Will Smith with Austin Barnes injury, and Hunter

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<v Speaker 1>joins us. Great to see you here at Dodgers Stadium.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I'm excited to be here. Thank you for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that smile is bigger than I ever saw a

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<v Speaker 1>camel back ranch.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I'm excited to be here. Come from Vegas. We're

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<v Speaker 3>just playing in Vegas. So no, it's awesome to be here.

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<v Speaker 1>When did you get the word that you were going

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<v Speaker 1>to come to Los Angeles?

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<v Speaker 2>Yesterday?

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<v Speaker 3>Around noon, so yeah, I got all my stuff together,

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<v Speaker 3>flew out around eight o'clock, and now I'm here.

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<v Speaker 1>You've obviously been in the organization for a while. When

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<v Speaker 1>the World Baseball Classic was going on, you caught a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of spring games. Do you feel like the time

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<v Speaker 1>is now? Your preparation has given you the opportunity.

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<v Speaker 3>Right, Yeah, it's definitely a comforting filling knowing most of

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<v Speaker 3>these guys and spent last over this past spring there

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<v Speaker 3>and getting to know everyone, and yeah, It's definitely a

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<v Speaker 3>comforting feeling. I'm still got some work to do to

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<v Speaker 3>you know, catch all the some new faces too, but no,

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<v Speaker 3>we're moving in the right direction.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm happy to be here.

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<v Speaker 1>Max Munsey just joked when they let you know you

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<v Speaker 1>had to come to LA they wanted him to go

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<v Speaker 1>catch some bullpens.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I haven't.

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<v Speaker 3>I haven't heard a word on that. But that's that's funny.

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<v Speaker 3>That's good, Yeah, Hunter.

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers have called up a lot of the pictures

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<v Speaker 1>that you have caught at Oklahoma City. Gavin Stone is

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<v Speaker 1>on the mountain tonight. How impressed are you with the

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<v Speaker 1>way their growth has come along so quickly?

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<v Speaker 2>Right, No, it's it's very impressive.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I think he was two drafts after me,

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<v Speaker 3>and you know he started off and I think hya

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<v Speaker 3>when I was in double A, so you know, he

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<v Speaker 3>came through, he progressed, you know, learned a new pitch

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<v Speaker 3>and just kind of took off from that. So it's

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<v Speaker 3>it's awesome to see him, you know, throwing well in

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<v Speaker 3>the big leagues, you know, and everything.

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<v Speaker 2>It's it's been called.

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<v Speaker 1>What makes him so special because it seems like this

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<v Speaker 1>spring training he came back a new guy. Did you

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<v Speaker 1>see that as well?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, definitely.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I don't know what he did during the offseason,

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<v Speaker 3>but you know it seemed like his velo staying. He's

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<v Speaker 3>way more confident on the mound. You know, he has

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<v Speaker 3>his change up. I noticed his slider. They might have

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<v Speaker 3>tweaked some few things with his slider. Slider looks a

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<v Speaker 3>lot better this year. And you know he's moving the

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<v Speaker 3>ball now all over the plate. He has the sinker now,

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<v Speaker 3>so he has a few more options in a year

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<v Speaker 3>or two ago.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, he's doing well and proud of him. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Another one of your pitchers was called up a couple

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<v Speaker 1>of days ago, Ben Caspiraus. What can you tell us

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<v Speaker 1>about him? Because out here in LA we're not like

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<v Speaker 1>these bloggers. We're not keeping tabs on every single pitch.

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<v Speaker 3>Right, So I've I think I've caught two of his

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<v Speaker 3>starts so far. Very impressive, has really good stuff. I

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<v Speaker 3>would say is best is probably a spin.

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<v Speaker 2>Uh.

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<v Speaker 3>He's able to spin the ball well, you know, relentless

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<v Speaker 3>in the strike zone and he comes right after you

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<v Speaker 3>with good stuff. So I'm excited to watch him pitch.

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<v Speaker 2>Also, does all.

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<v Speaker 1>This make it a little bit more comfortable for you

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<v Speaker 1>because so many of the same guys that you were

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<v Speaker 1>with in the minors are here already.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, one hundred percent, and you know, seeing them grow

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<v Speaker 3>it's been awesome, you know, and having a better feel

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<v Speaker 3>if I do get in there and have to catch them,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, I'm a little more comfortable. But yeah, it's

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<v Speaker 3>definitely a comforting feeling. And you know, I've got to

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<v Speaker 3>see all these guys in spring too, so just in general, like,

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<v Speaker 3>I feel good. The short time I was up from

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<v Speaker 3>Houston and San Diego, I got to catch a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of bullpens and you know, meet new faces.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, feel good.

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<v Speaker 1>Hunter. When people ask me about you, Hunter Fiducca's our

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<v Speaker 1>guest here before first Pitch. He is now active as

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<v Speaker 1>Austin Barnes goes on the ie. When people ask me,

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<v Speaker 1>what can you tell me about Hunter Fiducca, all I

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<v Speaker 1>refer to is Clayton Krushaw a couple of years ago

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<v Speaker 1>saying he liked throwing to you. That's got to be

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<v Speaker 1>the greatest validation.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think that's where it all started a couple

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<v Speaker 3>of years ago. Getting that validation, that's awesome. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>I've watched him since I was a kid, and you know,

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<v Speaker 3>getting to catch them and work with them is.

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<v Speaker 2>It was awesome. So yeah, that was kind of kickstart

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<v Speaker 2>to the whole thing. Yeah yeah, I.

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<v Speaker 1>Feel like when I say that the conversation ends, they're like, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>he's legit.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent.

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<v Speaker 1>What did you learn that day catching him?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, I mean, it's it's still the same game obviously.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, Hall of Fame pitcher on the Mountain. You're

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, you want to do well, You're not. I'm

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<v Speaker 3>trying not to be so nervous and worked up.

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<v Speaker 2>In the moment. You know, kind of live in the moment.

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<v Speaker 3>I think that would help me, you know when I

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<v Speaker 3>do end up catching one game and you know, just

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<v Speaker 3>live in the moment, take everything in and you know,

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<v Speaker 3>trust my game and the process with everything, and should

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<v Speaker 3>be fun.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, don't forget about Hunter Fiduca's bat. There's a bat there,

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<v Speaker 1>left handed bat. People better not sleep on that Hunter.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>It's been uh, yeah, it's been good. I'm working tweaking

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<v Speaker 3>few things this year, you know, just trying to put

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<v Speaker 3>the ball in play, help.

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<v Speaker 2>The team win. But yeah, awesome.

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<v Speaker 1>You're a humble but hungry young man, great to have

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<v Speaker 1>you out here, and certainly the Dodgers have been watching

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<v Speaker 1>you and you've earned this opportunity. So congratulations and we'll

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<v Speaker 1>see you this week.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, thank you so much. I appreciate it.