WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:04.719
<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.

2
00:00:07.080 --> 00:00:11.160
<v Speaker 1>Taoscar Hernandez is the most in demand Dodger in Atlanta.

3
00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:13.240
<v Speaker 2>Who knows he is worldwide?

4
00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.920
<v Speaker 1>Like Pitbull said, the one and only Tail joins us man,

5
00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:21.120
<v Speaker 1>everybody loves you La to Atlanta to Miami, everybody loves

6
00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:21.679
<v Speaker 1>that smile.

7
00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:25.160
<v Speaker 2>Well, I appreciate everybody love. You know. I'm trying to

8
00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:28.399
<v Speaker 2>be nice to every baddy, trying to make everybody feels

9
00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:31.440
<v Speaker 2>good and just you know, have a great time.

10
00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.719
<v Speaker 1>All right, So the Dodgers are here in Atlanta, first

11
00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:37.399
<v Speaker 1>of ten games on this ten day road trip. What's

12
00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.359
<v Speaker 1>the routine of Taoscar Hernandez. Are you eating as well

13
00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:42.759
<v Speaker 1>as you would in La? Are you looking forward to

14
00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:46.000
<v Speaker 1>Miami getting some real Dominican food? How are you living?

15
00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:49.159
<v Speaker 2>I mean, I always tried to find the Latin food

16
00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:51.880
<v Speaker 2>and it doesn't have to be Dominican. But you know,

17
00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:54.719
<v Speaker 2>trying to enjoy every city there I go, I guess

18
00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:56.399
<v Speaker 2>some rest and be ready for the game.

19
00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:58.560
<v Speaker 1>Are you a guy that likes to go out to

20
00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:00.799
<v Speaker 1>eat or are you like the younger guys that want

21
00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:03.079
<v Speaker 1>to just get delivered to the hotel room.

22
00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:07.840
<v Speaker 2>It depends depends how my body is feeling. If I'm

23
00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:10.799
<v Speaker 2>really tired, I might stay at the hotel, order some

24
00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.959
<v Speaker 2>food and have a great time in there. If not,

25
00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:16.760
<v Speaker 2>just col Paes and Garcia and then more of the

26
00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:19.079
<v Speaker 2>guys and just go out and have a great time.

27
00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:21.519
<v Speaker 1>When I was in the clubhouse at home, I heard

28
00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:24.480
<v Speaker 1>you a few times invite Andy pa has to come

29
00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:27.799
<v Speaker 1>to dinner with you. Have you opened his horizons as

30
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.359
<v Speaker 1>far as showing him the good life?

31
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.359
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, a little bit. I'm trying to you know, used

32
00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:37.879
<v Speaker 2>to be to play good the very spot and just

33
00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.319
<v Speaker 2>you know, trying to take him out, making make him

34
00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:46.000
<v Speaker 2>put his mind in something else. You know, this is

35
00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:51.359
<v Speaker 2>is a hard game. Sometimes it can get you in

36
00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:52.959
<v Speaker 2>a place that you don't want to be in there.

37
00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:56.439
<v Speaker 2>But trying to make everything easier for him and for

38
00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:57.280
<v Speaker 2>the rest of the guys.

39
00:01:57.519 --> 00:01:59.840
<v Speaker 1>He gives you a lot of credit for turning his season.

40
00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:04.040
<v Speaker 1>Do you believe that was part of him playing better?

41
00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:08.240
<v Speaker 2>I think so. I mean everybody needs somebody that is

42
00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.800
<v Speaker 2>there every time you're going through that moment or to

43
00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.759
<v Speaker 2>a good moment, giving you the support that you need

44
00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:19.400
<v Speaker 2>to get out of the struggles and to keep doing

45
00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:23.879
<v Speaker 2>the things that you are doing great, so he knows

46
00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:28.560
<v Speaker 2>I'm almost going to be there for him, make him

47
00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:33.120
<v Speaker 2>trying to make him feel better and have the better

48
00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:35.680
<v Speaker 2>mindset to go into the game and just have tossess.

49
00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:37.960
<v Speaker 1>We see who you are now at this stage of

50
00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:42.120
<v Speaker 1>your career. A great teammate and inclusive teammate. Who was

51
00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:44.759
<v Speaker 1>the veteran that showed you the way when you were

52
00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.240
<v Speaker 1>coming up to help you lead now in your career.

53
00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:52.960
<v Speaker 2>Well, that's the thing, and I didn't have anybody playing

54
00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:55.919
<v Speaker 2>that role in my career. I had it for a

55
00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:59.840
<v Speaker 2>little bit with Kendrick's morales when I was in Toronto,

56
00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:03.080
<v Speaker 2>but I think that was it. I didn't have anybody

57
00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:08.000
<v Speaker 2>else take me into his winds and just show me

58
00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:11.439
<v Speaker 2>the way. I learned that on my own, and I'm

59
00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:13.719
<v Speaker 2>trying to make a difference, just trying to be different

60
00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:14.520
<v Speaker 2>for the other guys.

61
00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:17.240
<v Speaker 1>That tells me you have a great family and that

62
00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:19.960
<v Speaker 1>was a great upbringing by you to have this type

63
00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:20.479
<v Speaker 1>of spirit.

64
00:03:20.840 --> 00:03:25.560
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean I always trying to be a nice guy,

65
00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:30.280
<v Speaker 2>a family guy, a great teammate, great person, And yes,

66
00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:34.000
<v Speaker 2>I learned that from my family. My wife played a

67
00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:38.919
<v Speaker 2>good role into that too. She's the one that always

68
00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:42.240
<v Speaker 2>is there when the good ones and the moments are

69
00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:45.759
<v Speaker 2>obviously my family, my parents, my brother, everybody, but my

70
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:47.680
<v Speaker 2>wife is the one that I was in there.

71
00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:50.199
<v Speaker 1>When the Dodgers go to Miami, how many family and

72
00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:51.240
<v Speaker 1>friends will you have there?

73
00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:53.599
<v Speaker 2>Not many? Not many. I don't have a lot of

74
00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:57.360
<v Speaker 2>family in Miami. It's more up North New York and

75
00:03:57.400 --> 00:04:01.439
<v Speaker 2>all the area over there, not in Miami.

76
00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:03.599
<v Speaker 1>But during the off season, that's where you put in

77
00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:05.879
<v Speaker 1>a lot of your preparation right in Miami.

78
00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:09.560
<v Speaker 2>Tampa. Yeah, I live in Tampa. That's where I train,

79
00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:13.319
<v Speaker 2>between Tomba and Theminican Republic. That's where I can get

80
00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:14.240
<v Speaker 2>ready for the season.

81
00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:17.519
<v Speaker 1>Okay, I never knew that Florida's a big state. Tail

82
00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:18.519
<v Speaker 1>I don't know where you are.

83
00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.160
<v Speaker 2>It is big, it is big, yeah, but I'm in Tamba.

84
00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:22.519
<v Speaker 1>How long have you had the beard for.

85
00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:26.560
<v Speaker 2>It's been a couple of years now, maybe ten.

86
00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:27.680
<v Speaker 1>That's the magic beard.

87
00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:30.160
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's the power. There is the power.

88
00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:33.120
<v Speaker 1>So hey, Tayo, before I let you go, there's always

89
00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:35.800
<v Speaker 1>that debate. You know, the game that's being played on

90
00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:38.399
<v Speaker 1>the field. You have a heartbeat as a human being.

91
00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:42.240
<v Speaker 1>What's it like to be at the plate taking an

92
00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:44.879
<v Speaker 1>at bat with a runner at second base or third

93
00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:48.319
<v Speaker 1>base compared to nobody on base, Does it change things

94
00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:49.160
<v Speaker 1>for you as a hitter.

95
00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:53.879
<v Speaker 2>It's obviously different. They're not going to pitch you the same.

96
00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:59.319
<v Speaker 2>But what I do is just go there thinking there's

97
00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:03.360
<v Speaker 2>nobody on and just a regular bad I don't think

98
00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:09.439
<v Speaker 2>about driving the runner or move the runner to third base,

99
00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:13.360
<v Speaker 2>just just just being normal. Uh, just go through your

100
00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:16.879
<v Speaker 2>plan and then take your regular swings, not over swinging,

101
00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:22.079
<v Speaker 2>not trying to do too much. And that's that's the

102
00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:23.360
<v Speaker 2>way I approach it.

103
00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:26.560
<v Speaker 1>It feels like you have situational hitting inside of you.

104
00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:29.519
<v Speaker 1>You're not trying to do the home run derby every

105
00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:31.839
<v Speaker 1>at that you know you go the other way with

106
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.519
<v Speaker 1>two outs. Is that something you've learned recently or was

107
00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:36.519
<v Speaker 1>that always in you?

108
00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:40.920
<v Speaker 2>No? I learned that in my career. Obviously, in my

109
00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:43.879
<v Speaker 2>last three years, I was trying to get better with

110
00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:49.759
<v Speaker 2>two strikes, so implementing my two strike approach. They play

111
00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:53.600
<v Speaker 2>me pool, so it's a big space between first and second,

112
00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:57.079
<v Speaker 2>and I know if I ship the ball over there

113
00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:59.519
<v Speaker 2>with the power that I had, I had a better

114
00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:00.879
<v Speaker 2>chance to get a head over there.

115
00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.519
<v Speaker 1>All right, Tayo, thanks a lot for the time. Always

116
00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.160
<v Speaker 1>love catching up with you. Hopefully we have more ice

117
00:06:06.199 --> 00:06:07.319
<v Speaker 1>buckets throughout the year.

118
00:06:07.720 --> 00:06:09.879
<v Speaker 2>It's a pleasure. Oh, it's a pleasure to talk. So USA,

119
00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:10.759
<v Speaker 2>so thank you.

120
00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:13.399
<v Speaker 1>This guy is one of the best people you'll ever meet.

121
00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:16.319
<v Speaker 1>If you see him in La, don't be intimidated. He'll

122
00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:19.040
<v Speaker 1>give you a big hug and maybe maybe even let

123
00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:24.759
<v Speaker 1>you touch that beautiful beard of his. Maybe maybe, Oh

124
00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:26.839
<v Speaker 1>there he is the man, te Oscar Hernandez