WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:08.880 The right fist. Dodgers Playoff Baseball is back, and with 2 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.720 it an annual postseason tradition. 3 00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:13.960 Scam is back. Baby. 4 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:17.800 This is Sax and Cakes in the A app Go 5 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:22.359 with Broway. Dodger legend Steve Sacks is joined by your 6 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:26.679 favorite Dodger pregame host, Tim Kates. If you want to 7 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:29.239 talk Dodgers, get in on the show on eighty six 8 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:32.159 six nine, eighty seven two five seven now while the 9 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.759 Dan Patrick Show streams on the Ihearts Radio app, We've 10 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:39.640 been banished to the Internet until this Dodgers playoff run concludes. 11 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:43.159 Here they are broadcasting live on AM five to seven 12 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:47.240 e LA Sports. It's Tim Kates and Steve Sacks. 13 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:53.479 On March twentieth in Seoul, South Korea, the Dodgers and 14 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:58.640 Padres kicked off the twenty twenty four MLB season and 15 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:03.840 now six months later, a collision course has a meeting 16 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:08.879 in the NLDS. Hi everybody, and welcome to Sax and 17 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:12.760 Kates in the AM otherwise known as Scam here on 18 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:15.920 AM five seventy LA Sports. Thanks for being with us. 19 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.319 If you're looking for the Dan Patrick Show, you can 20 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:23.079 listen on the iHeartRadio app with scamback. That means it's 21 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:26.400 the start of the Dodger postseason. I am Tim Kates, 22 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:29.319 Dodger pre and postgame host, joined by two time World 23 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:32.359 Series champ, former National League Rookie of the Year, and 24 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:34.920 one hell of a guy. He is Steve Sack. 25 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:37.920 Saxy. How you doing, buddy, Tim Kates. Good to be 26 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:39.799 with you. Tim. Here we are again. 27 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:43.840 Here we are again, year number seven. It feels like 28 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.359 yesterday the Dodgers were in Chicago twenty seventeen. They finally 29 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:51.319 got past the Chicago Cubs to make their way to 30 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:53.640 the World Series, and I reached out to you and said, 31 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:56.239 let's go, Saxy. We're gonna go live in local in 32 00:01:56.239 --> 00:01:59.120 the morning in Los Angeles on AM five seventy LA Sports. 33 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:01.519 Give the Dodger fans what they want. And we've done 34 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:06.599 it every single postseason, including this year, and we're often running. 35 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.960 Gosh darn. It's great to hear your voice. 36 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:11.680 Hey, breaking it down, Tim, Maybe you could tell our 37 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:15.199 listeners how we kind of got to know each other. 38 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:19.599 Early on in your life in Burbank, you were interviewed 39 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:21.039 and why don't you kind of go in that you 40 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:24.080 were little Timmy Kates from Burbank. Remember that I. 41 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:27.360 Was little Timmy Kates from Burbank, grew up a baseball fan, 42 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:31.479 grew up rooting for a Steve Sachs at second base 43 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:36.080 for the Dodgers. We're in number three and later in life, 44 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.759 get to move ahead and here I am co hosting 45 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:41.400 a morning talk show with you now for seven straight 46 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:46.240 postseasons talking Dodgers baseball. We have a World Series championship 47 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:48.479 in twenty twenty that we got to help break down 48 00:02:48.520 --> 00:02:52.960 a couple World Series appearances for the Dodgers along the way, 49 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.560 and hopefully this postseason saxy another deep run in October, 50 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:00.639 because quite frankly, the last two years has happened to 51 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:03.840 them bouncing out in the NLDS to the Padres and 52 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:06.159 last year the Diamondbacks. Is unacceptable. 53 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.759 Yeah it is. And you know, especially the bar is 54 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:12.000 so high for the Dodgers because it's deservingly so. This 55 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.639 team is absolutely stacked, and you know, the record always 56 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:18.199 is is put there. Eleven of the last twelve years, 57 00:03:18.199 --> 00:03:22.280 can you imagine represented the Western Division of you know, 58 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:24.439 of the National League. So this is a team that 59 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:27.560 you know, people expect big things. And of course in 60 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.199 twenty twenty they went it and maybe tainted a little 61 00:03:30.199 --> 00:03:32.520 bit in some people's minds by saying, well, it wasn't 62 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:34.479 a full season. I don't agree with that. I think, 63 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:36.680 you know, the rules were saying for everybody, and the 64 00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:39.280 Dodgers were the world champions and that's and that's that. 65 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:41.719 But we want to see a full season victory now, 66 00:03:41.719 --> 00:03:43.560 and I think they're they're well suited this year to 67 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:43.879 do that. 68 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:46.039 You're a part of a lot of great teams, Zaxi 69 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:50.479 teams that went to the postseason. Can you imagine being 70 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:53.879 on a Dodger team that has gone to the postseason 71 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:58.159 twelve straight years but won the division eleven in the 72 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:02.039 last twelve years, and every year is either favored or 73 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:04.680 one of the teams people are picking to win it 74 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:07.240 at all. It's a run we've never seen before here now. 75 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.439 It's absolutely incredible. 76 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.639 It's kind of reminiscent of what the historians look back 77 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:14.840 and see what the Yankees had done in those early 78 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:17.240 days where they were always in the World Series, it seemed. 79 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:20.000 And the Dodgers are kind of, you know there now 80 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:22.720 with with the talent that they have. Then I really 81 00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:24.720 got to, you know, tip you gotta tip my your 82 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:27.360 cap to the Dodgers front office for going out and 83 00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:30.040 getting what they need. Look, they did here with Flaherty. 84 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:31.839 They needed that big shot in the arm and they 85 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:35.120 certainly got it with him to you know, to set 86 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.879 this team further down the road. And I think he's 87 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:40.560 a big reason why. You know, the Dodgers are you know, 88 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:43.759 that good this year and probably a lot of teams 89 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:45.759 are looking at them as the way to do it. 90 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:48.279 You know, we know that they've got resources and they're 91 00:04:48.279 --> 00:04:49.240 not afraid to use them. 92 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:51.560 We're gonna get to your calls between now at nine 93 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:53.839 o'clock this morning in eight six six nine eighty seven 94 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:56.439 two five seventy. You know the number eight six six 95 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:59.319 nine eighty seven two five seventy between now and nine 96 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.560 o'clock this morning. We got a pair of tickets yet 97 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:05.079 for Game one of the NLDS, which is tomorrow night 98 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:07.480 out of Dodgers Stadium. First pitch here on a five 99 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:11.439 to seventy is at five thirty eight pm. Yoshinobo Yamamoto 100 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:13.399 on the mound for the Dodgers and what is going 101 00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:16.720 to be a great game one of this Dodgers padres 102 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:19.720 NLDS also coming up this morning. In our second hour 103 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:22.839 David Vasse, our Dodgers insider, will join us get the 104 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.720 very latest. Also in the third hour, Tony Gwinn Junior, 105 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.399 who is now part of the Padres broadcast team on 106 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:31.040 TV and radio, does a show in San Diego in 107 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:33.759 the afternoons as well. Tony Gwenn Junior will join us 108 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:35.360 in the eight o'clock hour, But a lot of time 109 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:37.560 for your phone calls at eight six, six, nine eighty seven, 110 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:40.639 two five seventy. We're also going to hear from the manager, 111 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.480 Dave Roberts. We'll hear from hopefully a guy that's gonna 112 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.519 turn his season around here in October, and that is 113 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:48.959 Chris Taylor. We'll hear from him coming up next hour 114 00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:51.319 as well. I don't know if you saw the Brewers 115 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:55.319 Mets game last night, Saxy, but a wild finish. We'll 116 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:57.199 get into that in that series and kind of look 117 00:05:57.240 --> 00:05:59.680 around baseball in general as the other series are going 118 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.920 to get underway here the divisional round. But this Dodgers 119 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.959 team this year, Saxy. Going into this year, it was 120 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.800 all about the disappointments of the last two years and 121 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:12.399 getting bounced by the Padres, surprisingly by a lot of 122 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.319 folks two years ago. Last year they ran into a 123 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:19.360 red hot Arizona Diamondbacks team, and after the last two postseasons, 124 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:22.160 there was a lot of processing here in Southern California, 125 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:25.120 a lot of reflecting by the Dodgers' front office. That 126 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:28.680 was something that the Dodger management of Brandon Gomes, the 127 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:32.439 general manager, Andrew Freeman, the vice president of Baseball Operations, 128 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:34.680 talked about in their exit meeting last year was we're 129 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.279 going to really reflect and look inward and see what 130 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.519 went wrong and how we can change the results of 131 00:06:40.519 --> 00:06:43.160 the last two years. And one of the big thing 132 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:47.959 was the team camaraderie and getting into the postseason and 133 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:50.439 just continue to play the same way they did over 134 00:06:50.439 --> 00:06:53.680 the course of one sixty two into October, and you've 135 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:55.879 got to kind of flip a switch, whether it's a 136 00:06:55.959 --> 00:06:59.920 switch mentally, emotionally, physically, as a team whatever. It's interesting 137 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:04.120 here here Brandon Gomes, Dodgers general manager, talk about this 138 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:07.519 and how the Dodgers team this October got a little 139 00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:09.040 different mindset this year here. 140 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:11.759 A lot of stuff has been player driven up really 141 00:07:11.800 --> 00:07:14.879 focusing on team unity and bonding and wanting to make 142 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:19.480 sure they're together doing things. So from that standpoint, it's 143 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:22.519 a different look from what our schedule looks like. And 144 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:26.639 then also with the guys really focused on doing things together. 145 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:29.519 Over this time, Saxy. That's something we found out over 146 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:33.240 the last two postseason demises for the Dodgers is things 147 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:36.759 were different. They weren't tight, they weren't together. You know, 148 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:39.199 going to San Diego two years ago in the NLDS, 149 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:42.519 you know, twenty five different cars, twenty five different places. 150 00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:46.720 It was different. And now Mookie Betts has taken leadership 151 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:49.360 of this team. They're gonna ride together down to San Diego. 152 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:51.519 They're gonna have a team dinner in San Diego when 153 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:53.199 they made the trip down there for the second half 154 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:55.279 of this series and the NLDS, and they had a 155 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.240 team viewing party to watch the wild card round. This 156 00:07:58.279 --> 00:07:59.959 is a different team. 157 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.040 Absolutely, and I love the idea that Mookie has really 158 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:06.279 stepped up there because he is kind of the statesman, 159 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:09.240 you know, for this ball club. But having that team 160 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:12.600 unity is everything. Tim. Sometimes you can look at the 161 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:14.759 fact that social media kind of interrupts that, and you 162 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:17.160 see a lot of lonely people out there in the 163 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:19.879 world today because they're just so enveloped in their phones 164 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:23.160 and the messages and whatnot. And I just think that 165 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:26.480 one to one, you know, encounters with everybody really makes 166 00:08:26.519 --> 00:08:28.560 a difference. And you know, you can look back and 167 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:30.920 see what people did before I was playing. I know 168 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:33.720 what was was really important was the team kind of 169 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:36.600 hung together. They went out to dinner together, the families 170 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:39.080 knew each other, and we tried to take that tradition 171 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:42.000 on when I was playing as well. I like going out, 172 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:44.559 you know, having dinner with my teammates and hanging out 173 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:46.919 in their hotel room and whatnot and kind of passing 174 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:49.080 that time. That's a that's a very important thing. I 175 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:51.759 can only imagine what it's like today with social media, 176 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:55.000 and that's that's kind of like a separator, if you will, 177 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:57.240 for me. When you see guys taking twenty five different 178 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:00.120 you know cars down down to the ballgame. Hey, the 179 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:02.639 game doesn't start just when you get to the ballpark. 180 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:04.879 It starts in the conversation in the locker rooms and 181 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:05.759 before you get there. 182 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.080 That's player lead, right. That can't be something that Dave 183 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:13.080 Roberts or you know your day Tommy Lesorda or you know, 184 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:15.120 the front office saying hey, you guys need to do this, 185 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:16.919 you guys need to be together you guys need to 186 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:18.600 go eat. That's player lead, right. 187 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:20.759 Yes, it sure is, and you know it can be. 188 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:23.679 You can take that as far as you want with 189 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:26.080 the players, you know, like I said, sometimes in the 190 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.000 off season they're hanging out together, they go hunting together 191 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:30.360 and fishing. I think it's a great thing. I also think, 192 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:32.440 you know, when you see some of the standards set 193 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:34.879 with the team, Like you know, when we were playing, 194 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:36.679 we had to wear a suit on the road. When 195 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:38.879 you traveled, you had to have a certain tie and 196 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:41.679 a suit to represent your team, and it kind of 197 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.440 sets you apart, you know, not that you're better than 198 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:47.159 anybody else, certainly like that, but it means that you're 199 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:50.799 holding a certain amount of dignity as a unit when 200 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.840 you travel and what you're representing with your organization. I 201 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:57.320 like that stuff. I think it makes you feel like 202 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:00.600 you're showing a great example for everybody else, and that 203 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:02.559 makes you stick together, and that's a good thing. 204 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:06.440 It's interesting because we're talking about this this year because 205 00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:10.759 of the failures of the last two Octobers for the Dodgers, 206 00:10:11.080 --> 00:10:15.120 and really it's the struggles of the superstars the last 207 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.840 two octobers. Freddie Freeman Mookie Bets. Once the calendar flipped 208 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:22.000 to October. It's like these guys turned into pumpkins and 209 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:25.679 they couldn't carry the Dodgers and the NLDS against the Padres, 210 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:28.279 and they certainly couldn't do anything against the red hot 211 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.879 Diamondbacks pitching a year ago in the NLDS, and both 212 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.480 those guys realized that, you know, they need to help 213 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:36.960 carry this team. And now Shoe Aotani needs to help 214 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:39.120 carry this team. Other guys need to rise to the 215 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.399 occasion as well. But the one for the postseason last 216 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:46.240 year between Freeman and Mookie Bets is something that Mookie sacks. 217 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.600 He still talks to this day about how it just 218 00:10:48.679 --> 00:10:49.240 eats him. 219 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:51.159 You know, you know what I love about that, tim 220 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:54.600 is is Mookie steps up and owns it. He knows 221 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:57.159 that he's expected on a higher level from most most 222 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.799 other players because he's that good and he is that 223 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:03.360 guy that they looked to to kind of lead the charge. 224 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:05.799 Freddie Freeman the same way. What I liked about it 225 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:09.000 when they didn't have their their their best outings, they 226 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:10.919 sat there and they and they owned it. They took 227 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.360 the questions after the games. They didn't run from anybody. 228 00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:16.039 They weren't ducking out anywhere, so the press couldn't find them. 229 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:18.440 They stood right there. They took it, they owned it. 230 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:22.000 And that's real leadership guys that you know, hang in 231 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:23.799 there and say, look, this is this is part of 232 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:26.480 the process, and we're gonna come back and we're gonna 233 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:29.639 be better next time. And Mookie certainly has taken that 234 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:31.879 with them all throughout the season. I think he's just 235 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:33.720 chomping at the bit to get out there and kind 236 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:35.440 of change that whole narrative from last year. 237 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:37.559 Yeah, and he even took it. You know, ten days 238 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:40.559 ago he went on with Jimmy Kimmel on a late 239 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:43.720 night show and was talking baseball and other things. And 240 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:47.600 you know then he had doing a podcast with Fernando 241 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:50.720 Tatise a week ago when the Padres were in town 242 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:53.519 and the Dodgers lose on that triple play weird play 243 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:56.000 in the series opener to the Padres at Dodger Stadium, 244 00:11:56.039 --> 00:11:59.879 and the perception was from fans like, hey, Mookie's too, 245 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:01.919 he's too busy doing other stuff. 246 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:02.879 Mooki's doing this. 247 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:06.399 Wait, Mookie's won for this, Mookie's zero for three. Why 248 00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:09.960 is it? Mookie bets paying attention. Why is he working hard? 249 00:12:10.200 --> 00:12:13.440 And it's interesting Saxy. He made the point two days 250 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:15.360 later to say, Hey, I've been in the cage. I've 251 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:17.960 been taking four hundred you know, hacks in the cage, 252 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:20.679 off the machine and off a tee and extra batting practice. 253 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:24.279 I'm in here working, you know, because the perception is 254 00:12:25.399 --> 00:12:28.320 not just him. Maybe some of these guys are just preoccupied. 255 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.879 Yeah, well, look, with the flow of information in social 256 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.279 media today, it's gonna seem like, you know, they don't 257 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.279 do anything and they're just hanging out and doing whatever. 258 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:40.399 That I can guarantee you is not the case. There 259 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:43.879 is nobody ready and more and more position right now 260 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:46.879 for this for this playoff run than Mookie Bets. He 261 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:50.320 is a workhorse. He loves what he's doing, and there 262 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:52.720 is no question in my mind that he's not one 263 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:55.960 hundred percent ready. Look for him to be a big 264 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:57.960 reason why the Dodgers move on to the next level, 265 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:00.480 because this guy's like a tiger, just ready to get. 266 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:03.559 Out from the outside looking in. And David Vassi can 267 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.440 give us a better perspective when he joins us next 268 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:08.200 hour our Dodger insider, since he travels with the team 269 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.360 and it knows these guys so well. But from the 270 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:14.120 outside looking in, Mookie Bets never really seems like a 271 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:17.080 vocal leader or even that guy that maybe has the 272 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:20.000 command of the clubhouse. He's more of a lead by 273 00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:22.440 example on the field, like Freddie Freeman is. And that's 274 00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:25.440 certainly the way they lead, and it's been successful individually 275 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:29.519 and collectively. Justin Turner was the glue of this Dodgers team, 276 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:31.240 the guy who stood in front of the cameras the 277 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:33.960 win or lose, the guy who would take the heats, 278 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:36.960 would reap the praises, but also would keep the guys 279 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.840 in line and together in that Dodgers' clubhouse. So to 280 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.919 hear Mookie say this the last ten days, it kind 281 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:47.440 of feels like he's he's now at least publicly having 282 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:49.720 to emerge and say, this is my team. I'm the leader. 283 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:53.720 Okay Otani's a superstar, but there's a language barrier. Freddie Freeman's, 284 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:57.000 you know, the silent assassin, so to speak at the plate, 285 00:13:57.080 --> 00:13:59.360 and mister consistent. But all right, I'll find I'll be 286 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:00.960 the vocal lead everybody wants. 287 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:02.720 Me to be, and that's good. I mean, the vocal 288 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:04.440 leaders that you know the guy that wants to step 289 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:06.480 up and do that, that's a great thing. I can 290 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:08.679 tell you one thing, though, the guys that do it 291 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:11.440 by example. That is a guy that's yelling in the 292 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:15.840 locker room without saying anything, that means everything. Guys follow those, 293 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:18.759 Those those guys that put that on display. They play 294 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.279 when they're hurt, they don't complain, they take the heat 295 00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:23.440 when they don't step up and get it done. Those 296 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:25.799 are the leaders. And I was fortunate to play with 297 00:14:25.879 --> 00:14:29.240 some guys like that and absolutely loved it and wanted 298 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.320 to follow those guys that did it by example. Those 299 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:34.200 are the real leaders on the team in eighty eight. 300 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:36.960 Whether you guys were, you know, losing five of six 301 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.080 or on a hot streak or getting ready for a 302 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:43.960 postseason run, who was that emotional person in the in 303 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:45.799 the club or did you need to have a player 304 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:47.320 be it because Tommy was so vocal. 305 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:49.200 Look, here's the way, here's why I look at it 306 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:51.080 in general, and then I'll break that for you. Break 307 00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:53.840 that down for you is you're you're a major league 308 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:57.080 baseball player. You're a grown man, right and you're you're 309 00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:59.240 in a position out to do something that you've dreamed 310 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:02.200 about since you were a little boy. If you need 311 00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:05.440 another grown man to kick you in the pants and 312 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:08.279 get you to get going, bro, there's something wrong with you. 313 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:08.799 Really. 314 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:12.679 I never thought I needed another player or manager or 315 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:14.799 coach to say, hey, get ready for the game. I 316 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:18.200 just wanted to keep BP and and some ground balls 317 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:20.080 and get the hell out of my way. That's all 318 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:21.960 I wanted. Okay, I couldn't wait to get out there 319 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:24.679 and get her done. If there's somebody out there that 320 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:26.399 needs to be pushed a little bit, you need some 321 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:28.639 more coffee. I mean, is there something more important that 322 00:15:28.679 --> 00:15:31.559 you're doing today than playing in the playoff game, you know, 323 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:34.759 against these guys. Really, I mean I never thought that 324 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:37.799 I needed somebody to do that. Now that being said, uh, 325 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:39.879 the guys that we that I was playing with that 326 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:41.639 were kind of like those leaders on it. We had 327 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:43.799 we had it stacked. I mean, you had Gibbie on 328 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:47.279 one side that was like the assassin, as you say. 329 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:49.559 You had Mickey Hatcher that was on the other side 330 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:50.879 of me in the locker room that I thought was 331 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:53.720 like a clown, a court jester that would come and 332 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.960 tell a joke, which is good. You need the balance. Sure, 333 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:58.360 you had guys like Mike Soosha, who was a former 334 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:01.279 great you know, the future great manager. You had Tommy 335 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:04.320 Lasorda at the helm. You had lots of guys on 336 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:06.480 our team that that it was kind of like an 337 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:10.000 eclectic group that gave you different perspectives, but it kept 338 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:12.919 the team loose, It kept the team ready, and you know, 339 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:15.720 we did things that were you know, immeasurable really when 340 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:17.480 you consider the amount of talent that we had, which 341 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:19.399 wasn't you know, the top of the line. 342 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:22.440 We well, yeah, you got me going here. Because I'm 343 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:24.759 thinking about team bonding and I'm thinking about this Dodgers 344 00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:29.080 team is absolutely and it's something that this team in 345 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:31.799 the postseason kind of you know, it's been known they 346 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:33.399 didn't have it the last two years, and that with 347 00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:36.039 that being said, now there's this emphasis about how they're 348 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:38.759 going to be traveling together on the team bus together, 349 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:41.279 and they're going to eat together down in San Diego, 350 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:43.200 and they've done that on road trips, you know, try 351 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:45.679 to have a team dinner at least once when they're 352 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.679 on a big, long road trip back east. Is that 353 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.679 is that something you remember in the postseason runs in particular, 354 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:55.000 seasons are long and you got dinners all the time 355 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:57.679 on the road, but come postseason time, Saxe in eighty 356 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:00.799 eight and the other years before and after. Uh, were 357 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:04.119 those those those team dinners and and those important for 358 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:04.599 you guys? 359 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.200 Oh yes, yes they were, And there's nothing else more 360 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:10.559 important at that time. I mean even the wives are 361 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:13.000 hanging out together every it's like a it's like a 362 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:15.720 group effort, which is a phenomenal thing. And and the 363 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:18.400 fact that the Dodgers are doing that, you know, it's 364 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:20.799 not that surprised at all. They understand the importance of 365 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:24.519 team unity and and bonding, like you say, and you know, 366 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:26.200 it can take you a long way. You can have 367 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:29.200 you do things that maybe you never thought that you 368 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:31.480 could do. At least that was my experience in playing. 369 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:34.279 But this team is expected with that bar so high 370 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:37.119 and the talent that they have. Uh, sometimes it's it 371 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:39.279 can be a little bit tougher. I mean, in Dave 372 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:42.240 Dave Roberts position, I think it's tougher for a guy 373 00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:45.200 to manage a team like this as opposed to a 374 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:47.079 team that's going to be in the cellar. There's no 375 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:50.640 expectations there. Certainly with this team, they're expected to win 376 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:53.039 the World series or bust. I mean, that's how much 377 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:53.640 talent they have. 378 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:56.079 Who's picking up the bill when it's all said and done, 379 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:57.119 and you guys are looking, oh. 380 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.720 You always do the guy that just signed the big 381 00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:00.680 deal they of course. 382 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.240 And everybody knows that, of course, and he knows that certainly, right, 383 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:05.920 you know, the guy who's got the most zeros in 384 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:06.720 the in the check. 385 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.519 Yeah, well, you know the one thing you don't want 386 00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:10.799 to do. You got to kind of draw a fine 387 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:13.440 line between it, because not necessarily do you want to 388 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.279 pick up that tab for twelve hundred bucks That sometimes 389 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:18.319 it gets into. But what you don't want to do 390 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:20.559 is go to the bathroom right when the bill comes, 391 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:24.640 or develop the pterodactyl or I'm sorry, the velociraptor arms. 392 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:26.759 You know, I get my dinosaurs mixed up. You don't 393 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:29.559 want to develop the velociraptor arms where they you know, 394 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:31.559 kind of won't don't want to reach for it that much. 395 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:33.279 Just kind of look at the guy with all the 396 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:35.720 zeros in the newest paycheck and you say, there's your 397 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:38.799 leader right there, and that was always you saxy No, no, 398 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.680 not always no, no, no, uh uh no, I don't 399 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:43.400 think so. I wish Tim, I'd be glad to pick 400 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:45.160 up that check all the time, no doubt about it. 401 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:47.599