Speaker 1: Welcome to the Dodger Talk. David Vase with you fresh
Speaker 1: off a Dodger Fest this past weekend. We had a
Speaker 1: great time out there. Thank you to all the players.
Speaker 1: Thank you to Wanderrado from the player relations staff bringing
Speaker 1: them by, setting them all up to come by in
Speaker 1: a very special thank you to Colin Yee. I forgot
Speaker 1: to thank Colin at the end of our broadcast, so
Speaker 1: here I am at the beginning of this one thanking
Speaker 1: Colin Yee for coming in on a Saturday. He does
Speaker 1: a great job producing our broadcast in the studio during
Speaker 1: the season, and we appreciate Colin and everything he does.
Speaker 1: We have a great show for you tonight. Kirby Yates
Speaker 1: is going to join us at seven point fifteen. At
Speaker 1: the bottom of the hour, you'll hear my conversation with
Speaker 1: Austin Barnes. We did not have a chance to get
Speaker 1: to him on Dodger Fest on Saturday, so you'll hear
Speaker 1: that conversation with the longest active tenured Dodger right now,
Speaker 1: there is no player on the Dodger roster that has
Speaker 1: been a Dodger longer than Austin Barnes. And I know
Speaker 1: what you're thinking, what about Clayton Kershaw. Well, Kershaw will
Speaker 1: be back, I would say in the next couple of
Speaker 1: weeks if I was a betting man, But for now
Speaker 1: it's Austin Barnes. He holds that distinction. And coming up
Speaker 1: also at the bottom of the hour, we'll give you
Speaker 1: an update on Freddie Freeman. But man, you know, I
Speaker 1: feel a lot of pressure to be positive on this show,
Speaker 1: and usually that's not an issue for me. I'm very
Speaker 1: positive the Dodger's coming off a World Series championship. You know,
Speaker 1: I was mocked for ball washing Blake Snell and everybody
Speaker 1: else on Petros and Money Show, But I have to
Speaker 1: give those guys some props because that must have been
Speaker 1: the most positive Petros and Money I have heard since
Speaker 1: probably the Parade in two thousand and nine. I mean,
Speaker 1: since Paul Gasol was on the Lakers. That's gotta be
Speaker 1: the most positive pro Laker Petros and Money Show I
Speaker 1: have heard since two thousand and nine. I mean, they
Speaker 1: are all in on Luca. It's funny though, how money
Speaker 1: is all in on Luca. But an NBA source gave
Speaker 1: me a great comparison. On top of telling me that
Speaker 1: Luca was beloved by his teammates. There was nobody on
Speaker 1: the team that didn't like Luca, but they brought up
Speaker 1: and brought to my attention that Luca is the point
Speaker 1: guard version of the two three four Shaquille O'Neal, where
Speaker 1: everybody complained that he wasn't in shape in December, but
Speaker 1: by the time playoffs rolled around, Luca and Shaq are
Speaker 1: always in shape for the playoffs. So I give it
Speaker 1: around this time next year where they're making fat jokes
Speaker 1: about Luca and they're soured on Luca right now, I
Speaker 1: mean they're all in on Luca now. I give it
Speaker 1: around this time next year where they're starting to poke
Speaker 1: holes and getting upset and ripping Luca. It may even
Speaker 1: happen tomorrow, but props to Petro some money. Always cynical,
Speaker 1: always cantankerous, a little condescending, but very positive today on
Speaker 1: their show. And I did enjoy them going after Bill Ryder.
Speaker 1: He was very difficult to work with and was not
Speaker 1: a great guy in the hallways. Anyway, let's get to
Speaker 1: the Dodgers. Andrew Friedman joined us during Dodger Fest, and
Speaker 1: I know there's been some reports out there or a
Speaker 1: report out there that the door is shut on Keith
Speaker 1: k Hernandez returning, as you know, listening to me here
Speaker 1: or watching on Sports net LA, I have maintained the
Speaker 1: Dodgers and Key k a Hernandez have a very clear
Speaker 1: path for a reunion, and I do not believe that
Speaker 1: the door is closed. You'll hear from Andrew Friedman on
Speaker 1: that topic. But also everybody wants to know when is
Speaker 1: hey Otani going to pitch? And before we get to
Speaker 1: when he might pitch in the regular season, I want
Speaker 1: to know whether or not we're going to see him
Speaker 1: pitch in Arizona, even on the backfields. What should be
Speaker 1: our expectations of what we see him do on the
Speaker 1: mound during the time at Camel Back Ranch.
Speaker 2: I don't know yet. You know, he's playing long toss
Speaker 2: and he will start progressing and advancing. I don't know
Speaker 2: yet as far as win he'll start facing hitters. We
Speaker 2: haven't figured that out. We want to get around him,
Speaker 2: be a part of a stowing program with our pitching guys,
Speaker 2: and you know, each and every day he's with our
Speaker 2: trainers right now, and you know he's kind of moving
Speaker 2: out of rehab phase and to go compete mode, and
Speaker 2: so exactly how that progresses we haven't figured out yet, but.
Speaker 1: There is a possibility a fan might be there on
Speaker 1: a Tuesday afternoon and see him maybe just pitch to somebody.
Speaker 2: Yeah, maybe left handed or underhanded or something. Sure, Yeah,
Speaker 2: I don't I don't know when he's going to face
Speaker 2: hitters yet, but I do know he is going to
Speaker 2: pitch for us this year and be a big part
Speaker 2: of what we do on both sides of the ball.
Speaker 1: And that's a huge bonus to this pitching staff. I
Speaker 1: feel like we have undersold the fact the Dodgers are
Speaker 1: getting back one of the top pitchers in all a
Speaker 1: Major League Baseball as hard that as hard as that
Speaker 1: is to comprehend and wrap your head around. We're talking
Speaker 1: about one of the best hitters in baseball, as evident
Speaker 1: by the way he played last year, a fifty to
Speaker 1: fifty player first time in baseball history, MVP, and now
Speaker 1: they're going to get him back as a pitcher. And
Speaker 1: the beauty and the biggest advantage to having show Hey Otani,
Speaker 1: besides the obvious, is the fact that with the roster
Speaker 1: restrictions put in place by Major League Baseball as far
Speaker 1: as how many pitchers you can have on your roster.
Speaker 1: I believe it's thirteen shoey. Otani does not go into
Speaker 1: that bucket, so you essentially have an extra pitchure on
Speaker 1: your roster that no other team has. That's another caveat
Speaker 1: to all this. He does not count as one of
Speaker 1: the quote pitchers on your roster, and he's coming off
Speaker 1: to Tommy John surgeries. He's coming off left shoulder surgery.
Speaker 1: It's his back shoulder when he hits, so obviously the
Speaker 1: finish will not be as effective as it was for
Speaker 1: let's say Matt Kemp, a right handed hitter, or a
Speaker 1: Hanley Ramirez a right handed hitter. So that's a good
Speaker 1: positive right there. But the reality is, going back to
Speaker 1: Andrew Friedman's time in charge of the Dodgers, he does
Speaker 1: not emphasize April and May and even June as much
Speaker 1: as he is emphasizing July, August, and more importantly October
Speaker 1: for pitchers that you have to be slow played. Otani
Speaker 1: falls in that bucket. I would not anticipate seeing him
Speaker 1: be redline or push to the limit the first half
Speaker 1: of the season, even if he's on the mound in May.
Speaker 1: As Dave Roberts said after Andrews spoke to us, But look,
Speaker 1: the Dodgers want Otani when he counts the most. We
Speaker 1: saw what he did in the World Baseball Classic, not
Speaker 1: just striking out Mike Trout, but really leading Team Japan
Speaker 1: as a hitter and as a pitcher. So that's what
Speaker 1: the Dodgers have their sights on. They have well, they
Speaker 1: have more than enough starting pitching to get through the
Speaker 1: first half of the season. I feel like the most
Speaker 1: forgotten pitcher on this roster is Bobby Miller. Bobby Miller.
Speaker 1: I know I'm maybe a little partial.
Speaker 3: But.
Speaker 1: I believe in this guy. Still. I'm not giving up
Speaker 1: on Bobby Miller. And if you look at it, what
Speaker 1: are the guarantees that a guy like Tyler Glass now
Speaker 1: is going to start the season. Is he going to
Speaker 1: be behind? That still remains to be seen. Roki Sazaki, Again,
Speaker 1: the Dodgers are not going to rush Sazaki. They want
Speaker 1: to see what they got with him in spring training.
Speaker 1: And this is a six year development. It's not just
Speaker 1: about twenty twenty five. It's about making him and growing
Speaker 1: him from this point on and not being the guy
Speaker 1: that is counted upon to really lead this staff. I
Speaker 1: see Sazaki's role growing as the season goes along, but
Speaker 1: not necessarily. In March or April, Yamamoto missed several months
Speaker 1: with a shoulder injury. What's his status? How careful are
Speaker 1: the Dodgers going to be with him? So that's why
Speaker 1: the importance of Bobby Miller is greater than what anybody's talksity.
Speaker 1: He's a guy that you can count on. He's a
Speaker 1: guy that already has been working with the Dodgers in
Speaker 1: Arizona for two weeks. He's taken Bobby Miller under his
Speaker 1: wing as well. So, uh, I'm a big believer that
Speaker 1: the Dodgers need all these pitchers there. I don't really
Speaker 1: see that they have too much pitching to start the year,
Speaker 1: not to mention a guy like Tony Gonsolin, who is
Speaker 1: going to be probably a full go after the way
Speaker 1: he was able to come back towards the end of
Speaker 1: last year. So they have they have a lot of
Speaker 1: starting pitching, and they need a lot of starting pitching
Speaker 1: considering the question marks surrounding their three Japanese pitchers, Otani,
Speaker 1: Yamamoto and Sazaki eight six six nine eight seven two
Speaker 1: five seventy is the phone number? All right? Here's Andrew
Speaker 1: Friedman about Keith a Hernandez. And when I asked him
Speaker 1: this question, I wanted it on the record, and he
Speaker 1: delivered and realized what I've been telling you, that the
Speaker 1: door is wide open for Keith a Hernandez to walk
Speaker 1: through those camelback ranch doors.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: I mean, I don't think the door's ever closed on Kik.
Speaker 2: That being said, it doesn't mean that it will necessarily
Speaker 2: work out. But we've acquired him a lot of different
Speaker 2: times and through trades and free agency, you know, twice
Speaker 2: through trade, and you know, I don't know how it'll
Speaker 2: play out. We'll never close the door on him, but
Speaker 2: you know, if he does sign somewhere else and hopefully
Speaker 2: we'll have a chance to trade for him or whatever.
Speaker 2: But the most important thing is for he and his family.
Speaker 2: We want them to make the best decision for them
Speaker 2: and whatever that means. And obviously we're biased and we
Speaker 2: hope it means us, but we'll see how that plays out.
Speaker 1: It was encouraging to see him at a Utah hockey game.
Speaker 1: It feels like he's just drifting, waiting for the time
Speaker 1: to drift back to la. I mean, Keik had a
Speaker 1: Utah hockey game, Andrew, I never thought i'd see that.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I didn't either.
Speaker 2: He's good friends with the gm oh and I talked
Speaker 2: to him about it during the season, But when I
Speaker 2: first saw it, I was like, wait.
Speaker 1: A minute, what Yeah, and then I remembered that connection.
Speaker 1: All right, there you have it. The door is not
Speaker 1: closed on Key k Hernandez. And I know all of
Speaker 1: you think the automatic move to make room for Key
Speaker 1: k Hernandez is finding a way to jettison Chris Taylor.
Speaker 1: That's not happening. There are ways for keyk to be
Speaker 1: on this twenty six man roster on opening day. There
Speaker 1: are no guarantees that it's going to be an immediate,
Speaker 1: smooth transition for Heyesan kim right, he's a great guy.
Speaker 1: He's got a lot of speed. They see him being
Speaker 1: a big part of this roster at some point this season,
Speaker 1: but doesn't mean right away. Uh. They can have him
Speaker 1: start in the minor leagues. And as much as we
Speaker 1: saw the growth of Andy pa has and how much
Speaker 1: I believe it would be great for him to get
Speaker 1: an opportunity, he has options. He could start the year
Speaker 1: in the minor leagues if the Dodgers bring back Key
Speaker 1: k Hernandez. So there's two other ways to get him
Speaker 1: on this opening day roster without just the you know,
Speaker 1: knee jerk reaction of get rid of Chris Taylor. They're
Speaker 1: not getting rid of Chris Taylor. And if you heard
Speaker 1: Chris Taylor at Dodger Fest, he said he still has
Speaker 1: an edge, and he said that he wants to be
Speaker 1: around for a long time. He knows what's at stake.
Speaker 1: He knows he has underperformed the last couple of years.
Speaker 1: So on the last year of his deal, I think
Speaker 1: he wants to try to, you know, find a way
Speaker 1: to earn a spot for at least another year on
Speaker 1: this team. So we'll see how it plays out. But
Speaker 1: there are numerous ways that the Dodgers can have key
Speaker 1: A Hernandez and Chris Taylor on this roster. We're gonna
Speaker 1: take a time out. We'll take your phone calls as
Speaker 1: we move towards eight o'clock eight six, six, nine, eighty seven,
Speaker 1: two five seventy. Coming up next, you'll hear from the
Speaker 1: newest shiny toy reliever, Kirby Ates, thirty eight years young,
Speaker 1: joining the Dodgers after an All Star season with the
Speaker 1: Texas Rangers. David Vasse Dodger Talk on a five seventy
Speaker 1: LA Sports on your home for the world champion Dodgers.
Speaker 1: Don't forget it. We are just one week away from
Speaker 1: pitchers and catchers reporting officially to Camelback Ranch a week
Speaker 1: from today, and today's almost over. We are that close
Speaker 1: to your world champion Dodgers getting ready to defend their
Speaker 1: World championship. And it should be a great season. As
Speaker 1: great as last year was, this one should be just
Speaker 1: as exciting, just as fulfilling in a lot of ways.
Speaker 1: And obviously that's up to the guys. And look, you know,
Speaker 1: I saw Miguel Rojas was on some podcast or set
Speaker 1: it at Dodgerfest that the expectation is to eclipse the
Speaker 1: Seattle Mariners all time wins record in the regular season
Speaker 1: that was one hundred and sixteen back in two thousand
Speaker 1: and one. That has never been the expectation of Andrew Friedman,
Speaker 1: Dave Roberts, or any of the other veteran leaders on
Speaker 1: this team. You look at it, this past year, for
Speaker 1: the first time in a while in a full regular season,
Speaker 1: the Dodgers did not win one hundred games and won
Speaker 1: the World Series. The Dodgers won ninety nine games this season.
Speaker 1: The goal is never to have the most regular season wins.
Speaker 1: It's to win the World Series championship. And I know
Speaker 1: Miguel was in Miami for an eight year stretch, but
Speaker 1: he's been around this team enough to know that the
Speaker 1: Dodgers have proven they can win the regular season. But
Speaker 1: last year was about the World Series, and every player
Speaker 1: on this team outside of Miguel Rojas, to date, has
Speaker 1: never mentioned eclipsing the Mariners all time regular season win total.
Speaker 1: They've talked about winning back to back championships for the
Speaker 1: first time in twenty five years. That's the goal. It's
Speaker 1: not beating the Mariners record of one hundred and sixteen wins.
Speaker 1: And I don't know if it was taken out of context,
Speaker 1: but I don't know how you take that out of context.
Speaker 1: I just think Miguel Rojas needs to recalibrate what the
Speaker 1: expectations are. Nobody in La is talking about winning one
Speaker 1: hundred and seventeen regular season games. They're still talking about,
Speaker 1: let's see if we can win back to back championships
Speaker 1: for the first time since the Jeter team Jeter Pasada,
Speaker 1: Pettit Yankees. That's what it's about this year. It's not
Speaker 1: about the Mariners record. Now, I understand what he's saying.
Speaker 1: They have the talent to be able to pull that
Speaker 1: off if it all goes well. But the Dodgers were
Speaker 1: on pace two years ago, three years ago, and they
Speaker 1: chose not to chase it on purpose. So I think
Speaker 1: we're on the same page. It's not about the Mariners
Speaker 1: one hundred and sixteen win record. It's about winning back
Speaker 1: to back championships. That's all I've heard Mookie Bets, Freddie
Speaker 1: Freeman and the others talk about until I saw this today,
Speaker 1: So that's that's certainly not what the goal is of
Speaker 1: this year. And I like Miguel Rojas's confidence and that's
Speaker 1: his expectation. But the Dodgers have a big enough bullseye
Speaker 1: on the back of their chests, on the back of
Speaker 1: their jerseys. They don't need any more. Eight six six
Speaker 1: nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Speaker 1: I love what Jim Harbaugh says. His mantra ever since
Speaker 1: he's been a head coach is be humble and be hungry.
Speaker 1: You don't need to start saying that the expectation is
Speaker 1: to win one hundred and seventeen games. That's that's not humble.
Speaker 3: And hungry.
Speaker 1: Eight six six eight seven in two five seventy is
Speaker 1: the phone number. I had a chance to catch up
Speaker 1: with Kirby Yates after he was officially announced a Dodger
Speaker 1: and here was our conversation at Dodger Stadium. Thanks a
Speaker 1: lot for the time. And does it feel real putting
Speaker 1: on this jersey?
Speaker 3: Now?
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a little I would say surreal probably a
Speaker 4: better word, but yeah, it's this cool.
Speaker 5: You know, this is going to be exciting and this
Speaker 5: is gonna be awesome.
Speaker 1: When you look at what the Dodgers have done this offseason,
Speaker 1: during this entire process, if all things were equal, was
Speaker 1: this an easy choice?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 4: I mean, look, I kind of scoured the market. I
Speaker 4: don't think I made it exactly easy for them, but
Speaker 4: look all in all, you know, to come here and
Speaker 4: uh so one, you know, they were pretty persistent in
Speaker 4: wanting to sign me all off season, which I appreciate
Speaker 4: and too to just for them to target me, and
Speaker 4: how active they've been all off season with you know,
Speaker 4: the people that they've brought in and me being one
Speaker 4: of them, I mean, you know, yeah, how.
Speaker 1: Could you not say you've been part of bullpens where
Speaker 1: you're the guy and everybody's leaning on you for high
Speaker 1: leverage outs. When you look at this bullpen the way
Speaker 1: it's constructed, do you feel like the sum is greater
Speaker 1: than the parts.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, saman it doesn't matter. They can still
Speaker 5: lean on me.
Speaker 4: If they want, you know, but this is you know,
Speaker 4: a very very talented group and there's you know, kind
Speaker 4: of endless options on what you can do. You know
Speaker 4: in certain times that games are going to be really
Speaker 4: short for the other team, and you know in other times,
Speaker 4: you know, we have pretty good starting rotation also, so
Speaker 4: you know, I think the combination of both is just
Speaker 4: going to really work out well.
Speaker 1: When Kirbyate's was watching the postseason, I would imagine.
Speaker 5: You were watch some of it some of it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but you realize that Dodgers only had two and
Speaker 1: a half starting pitchers, went to bullpen games multiple times
Speaker 1: in multiple series. You're going to be teammates with those guys.
Speaker 1: They were known as the dogs. Are you ready to
Speaker 1: be inducted into a bullpen that identifies as that type
Speaker 1: of ferocious competitor?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 4: Absolutely, It's gotta be fun to take part in that. Yeah,
Speaker 4: they were some of those guys are really impressive. But
Speaker 4: trying very very impressive. I mean he's always been impressive.
Speaker 4: I think it's just you know, he'd kind of put
Speaker 4: it on full display in the World Series and the
Speaker 4: playoffs and all the other guys. I think, you know,
Speaker 4: Evan Phillips is kind of forgotten guy right now, and
Speaker 4: he's been pretty good at the past and you know,
Speaker 4: so like I said, I mean it's as deep as
Speaker 4: you could probably have really a bullpen in the league,
Speaker 4: and so you know, be.
Speaker 5: A part of that. It's very exciting.
Speaker 1: You mentioned Blake Tryning. You're both in the same demographic,
Speaker 1: so maybe you have a guy down there, just one
Speaker 1: guy and Blake Tryning that can relate to your TV shows,
Speaker 1: your movies, and maybe your music. I'm not sure about
Speaker 1: his music taste.
Speaker 5: Dad jokes.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean like he's been around for a while,
Speaker 4: he's been nasty for a while, so yeah, it you know,
Speaker 4: I had my partner last year that was Diira.
Speaker 5: We were the old guys.
Speaker 4: So I tend to lightly use that word just because
Speaker 4: you know, I know I'm getting older.
Speaker 5: I just don't want to believe it. It's going to
Speaker 5: be hard to believe that.
Speaker 4: I'm probably I think I am the oldest one on
Speaker 4: the team now, so finally made it.
Speaker 5: But yeah, it's gonna most experienced Kirby. There you go,
Speaker 5: there you go. It's gonna be a lot of fun.
Speaker 5: You know.
Speaker 4: I've heard nothing but good things about the guys as
Speaker 4: humans too, so I think that's the biggest thing. And
Speaker 4: you know, pitching aside, we have to hang out with
Speaker 4: each other all the time, so that's one of the
Speaker 4: things that I'm kind of looking forward to.
Speaker 1: Before I let you go. I've always been a big
Speaker 1: fan of Kirby Yates split fingered fastball when I was
Speaker 1: growing up in the eighties. Roger Craig, the manager of
Speaker 1: the Giants, former Dodger pitcher, he was the godfather of
Speaker 1: the split fingered fastball. It seemed like to go out
Speaker 1: of vogue, but you've kept it alive. Do you feel
Speaker 1: like the split fingered fastball might have a comeback? Since
Speaker 1: Kirby Yates is continuing to persevere and.
Speaker 4: I revived my career kind of changes the path of
Speaker 4: my career. So and you kind of look around in
Speaker 4: the league. There's a lot more guys that are throwing
Speaker 4: them now, so I think that pitch is Seriously, I
Speaker 4: don't think it's going anywhere.
Speaker 5: Guys are learning it and it's uh, you know.
Speaker 4: Usually when I about five six years ago, when I
Speaker 4: started throwing it, you know, there was only a few
Speaker 4: that threw that pitch. And now you look around, there's
Speaker 4: a lot of guys that throw it.
Speaker 1: Before I let you go as well. You got some
Speaker 1: muscle over here. I mean two suits that are monitoring
Speaker 1: everything that I say, who do you got with you?
Speaker 5: It's my bodyguards. That's my agents.
Speaker 1: Oh agents slash bodyguards, very intimidating agents. No wonder the
Speaker 1: Dodgers signed you. They got a good deal. I bet
Speaker 1: they pounded the desk a few times.
Speaker 5: He got it done. I don't know what he did.
Speaker 5: I won't tell anybody though, but he got it done.
Speaker 1: Beverly Hills Sports Council, don't let the city name fool you.
Speaker 1: They're tough.
Speaker 5: That's a model for you. Gotta use that right on.
Speaker 5: Thank you.
Speaker 1: All right there he is Kirby Yates. We're having a
Speaker 1: good time and everybody's in a great mood right now.
Speaker 1: Right nobody's throwing a pitch at spring training. And look
Speaker 1: the Dodgers going into the World after winning the World
Speaker 1: Series as champions, they played longer than any other team
Speaker 1: last year, not just because they were the last team standing,
Speaker 1: but the fact is they started the season before anybody
Speaker 1: else with the Padres in South Korea, and they played
Speaker 1: the last game of the season, So they played the
Speaker 1: first game earlier than everybody else and they played the
Speaker 1: very last game. So I think we all have to
Speaker 1: take that into account. And Kirby Yates, Tanner, Scott Blake Snell,
Speaker 1: guys like that are going to be fresh arms. Tony
Speaker 1: Gonsolin who missed all of last year, Bobby Miller who
Speaker 1: was kind of back and forth. The Dodgers need those guys.
Speaker 1: Tyler Glass now who did not pitch the second half
Speaker 1: of the year. They need those guys because some of
Speaker 1: the guys like Yamamoto who missed a few months as well.
Speaker 1: They need some of these fresh arms. But the guys
Speaker 1: that were not on the championship team, bringing them in
Speaker 1: and creating that hunger and really pushing the guys that
Speaker 1: were here last year, I think it's going to be invaluable.
Speaker 1: And the one thing that I'll say from Dodger Fest
Speaker 1: is I'm not sure how much pushing some of these
Speaker 1: current world champions are going to need because they all
Speaker 1: have started working sooner than most, and they all seem
Speaker 1: to say that last year was last year. I turned
Speaker 1: the page already. Eight six six nine eight seven two
Speaker 1: five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Whittier. Mike,
Speaker 1: You're on Dodger Talk.
Speaker 6: Hi, Mike, Hey, Dad, thank you for having me on.
Speaker 6: I have an unpopular opinion that I don't think a
Speaker 6: lot of people are gonna like. And it's about how
Speaker 6: did Dodgers want to put Show in the pigeon rotation.
Speaker 6: I think that having a Show come back and pitch
Speaker 6: is not the best choice for us with all the
Speaker 6: pitching that we've acquired and all the arms that we got.
Speaker 6: I know it might not seem like it's enough, but
Speaker 6: I feel like Show hey doesn't need to do that.
Speaker 6: Maybe convert him to like a right fielder or something
Speaker 6: like that. Having him on the field is more valuable
Speaker 6: than having him on the bench.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I've thought about that too. I heard what Barry
Speaker 1: Bonds had to say that he should just stick to hitting.
Speaker 1: But that's what makes Show Hao Tani Show Hao Tani.
Speaker 1: He wants to be a pitcher and a hitter. He's
Speaker 1: a really good pitcher. And like I said, he doesn't
Speaker 1: count against the Dodger roster of thirteen pitchers, so it's
Speaker 1: so unique and such a huge advantage. You know, he
Speaker 1: can get hurt swinging the bat. I just don't see
Speaker 1: how you can live life and fear that way if
Speaker 1: you're show Heyo Tani. This guy's a different type of creature.
Speaker 1: And look, is he going to pitch the rest of
Speaker 1: his major league career? Absolutely not, But right now, in
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, it's not that bad of idea, especially
Speaker 1: when you're the Dodgers and you have well then more enough,
Speaker 1: you have more than enough pitching to cover him.
Speaker 6: Yes, sir, that's that's what I believe. That's what I believe.
Speaker 1: So sit back in, relax, and enjoy the ride.
Speaker 6: Mike, Thank you, sir, appreciate it.
Speaker 1: Okay, Mike, thanks for the phone call. And look, already,
Speaker 1: last year Dodger games were not just games anymore. They
Speaker 1: were events. When Otani makes his Dodger Stadium debut, wearing
Speaker 1: a Dodger uniform, taking the mound that way as a
Speaker 1: Dodger pitcher, it's going to be more than even an event.
Speaker 1: It's going to be a spectacle, a sporting spectacle when
Speaker 1: number seventeen starts his first game for the Dodgers on
Speaker 1: that mound. I can't wait. I feel like that's the
Speaker 1: only reason why I care about his timetable. I want
Speaker 1: to I can't wait for that day in May or June,
Speaker 1: whenever it is. And could you imagine show Heyotani taking
Speaker 1: the mound in a playoff start. I mean, that's way
Speaker 1: ahead of us right now. But what a weapon to
Speaker 1: have going into this year. And like I said, the
Speaker 1: Dodgers are going to be extremely careful with him, so
Speaker 1: he is ready for a postseason start and hopefully a
Speaker 1: long run into October. Eight six, six nine, eight seven
Speaker 1: two five seventy is the phone number. When we continue
Speaker 1: here on Dodger Talk, you'll hear my conversation with Austin Barnes.
Speaker 1: We'll let you know what Freddy Freeman had to say
Speaker 1: about his right ankle, and also another world champion Dodger
Speaker 1: has signed with another team. We'll get into all the
Speaker 1: rest of the hot stove because there are still very
Speaker 1: good players available on the free agent market. Dodger Talk
Speaker 1: until eight o'clock right here on your home for the
Speaker 1: world champion Dodgers. A five to seventy LA Sports. We
Speaker 1: are just one week away from pitchers and catchers reporting
Speaker 1: to ranch in Glendale, Arizona.
Speaker 3: We will be there, well.
Speaker 1: Not right when pitchers and catchers report, even though my
Speaker 1: guy Snelzilla is already in Arizona. Our first game broadcast
Speaker 1: is going to be the Cactus League opener on Thursday,
Speaker 1: February twentieth against the Cubs. That's the same team the
Speaker 1: Dodgers are going to open up against in Tokyo, Japan,
Speaker 1: so we have all of that. We will have the
Speaker 1: Tokyo Japan games live as they happen at three am
Speaker 1: in the morning, and I would imagine we'll do the
Speaker 1: same thing we did last year, replaying those games at
Speaker 1: the conclusion so you hear them during the middle of
Speaker 1: the day. So we got Dodger baseball coming up in
Speaker 1: just over two weeks. Dodgers Cubs open up the Cactus
Speaker 1: League schedule, and then from there we're off. The Dodgers
Speaker 1: are on their way to preparing for defending their World
Speaker 1: Series championship. Coming up in a moment, you'll hear from
Speaker 1: Dodger catcher Austin Barnes. But first let's go back out
Speaker 1: to the phones. Maxwell in Austin, Texas. How sad are
Speaker 1: they in Austin over Luca being traded? Maxwell oh Man,
Speaker 1: I was very happy for that.
Speaker 6: And my birthday wish is coming up on February twenty.
Speaker 6: If my birthday wish is to resign Kik Hernandez.
Speaker 1: I love it. Yes, that's very possible. You heard what
Speaker 1: Andrew Freeman had to say.
Speaker 5: Yeah, that was amazing.
Speaker 1: I was what part was amazing? Me talking to Friedman?
Speaker 6: Yeah, of you talking to Friedman?
Speaker 1: Hey, I know right, who would have thought that? Who
Speaker 1: would have ever thought he would have spoke to me? Yeah?
Speaker 5: That would be cool.
Speaker 1: Career highlight for me too many. Thanks a lot for
Speaker 1: the phone call. Eight six six eight seven two five
Speaker 1: seventy is the phone number. Maxwell. We love that you
Speaker 1: listen out there on the iHeartRadio app. That's where you
Speaker 1: can find all our interviews from Dodger Fest, including the
Speaker 1: one with Andrew Friedman on the iHeartRadio app, and that's
Speaker 1: where you can listen to the show live for free,
Speaker 1: podcast the shows for free, and our next show this
Speaker 1: week is going to be on Friday, So we bookend
Speaker 1: the week with Dodger Talk and on Friday we're going
Speaker 1: to be joined by Alex Vesia and Tommy Edmund. That'll
Speaker 1: be at seven o'clock this Friday night. But before we
Speaker 1: go back out to the phones tonight Monday night. What
Speaker 1: better way to start the week than from hearing from
Speaker 1: the longest tenured Dodger, the our longest active I should
Speaker 1: say asterisk active Dodger, Austin Barnes. We are joined right
Speaker 1: now by my main man, the longest tenured active position player,
Speaker 1: and in fact, technically right now because Clayton Kershaw has
Speaker 1: not re signed officially, he is the longest tenured Dodger
Speaker 1: period a two times two time World Series champion, a
Speaker 1: man the Dodgers could not do any of these things
Speaker 1: without his steadying force. The way he holds his teammates
Speaker 1: accountable is necessary during a long season, and that is
Speaker 1: Dodger Catcher, the pride of Riverside, Austin Barnes. How you doing, Barnes,
Speaker 1: that's a great introduction.
Speaker 3: You're getna get a.
Speaker 1: This only for the guys. I like I like that.
Speaker 3: I like that.
Speaker 1: I hope it's not going to be awkward between us
Speaker 1: now that Blake Snell is a Dodger. I was mocked
Speaker 1: humiliated by people like you to have a relationship with
Speaker 1: Snell Zilla and here he is on the same team.
Speaker 1: We're in the same uniform as Austin Barnes.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 7: I mean every time we try to find you, you'd
Speaker 7: be in the other teams out hanging out with uh
Speaker 7: with us now and waiting for him to come out.
Speaker 7: But no, it's great that he's on our team. Obviously
Speaker 7: a great pitcher. Met him in Arizona. Uh oh yeah, No,
Speaker 7: he's you know.
Speaker 3: A great, a great guy.
Speaker 7: You know, everybody's a good guy. It's a good group
Speaker 7: over there right now. Got out, he got PA's You
Speaker 7: got Kim like Kim? Yeah, Kim's funny.
Speaker 1: And then uh, he's he's he has got his translator
Speaker 1: with him all the time.
Speaker 3: But he's uh, he's good.
Speaker 1: It seems like he's making an effort to learn English
Speaker 1: and communicate in that way.
Speaker 3: No, he's he's great.
Speaker 7: He's there so early, man, that's awesome. Yeah, he's Uh,
Speaker 7: he's a good dude.
Speaker 3: I like him a lot.
Speaker 1: Do you remember seeing him play for the Korean team
Speaker 1: when you guys were there last year. Did you remember
Speaker 1: this guy that was really fast?
Speaker 3: Uh?
Speaker 1: No, he had a rocket off Bobby Miller.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he hit a rocket off Bobby. He got he
Speaker 3: got Bobby. I see him in the cajo. It makes sense.
Speaker 7: He first time off the fast ball was Shane all
Speaker 7: off season. He's just whacking him, like jeez, this guy's
Speaker 7: ready right now.
Speaker 1: How do you feel they're a long season? Last year?
Speaker 1: I mean it seems like nothing phases you. You were kind
Speaker 1: of the guy the Dodgers have needed in seventeen and
Speaker 1: eighteen and twenty and obviously played a big role during
Speaker 1: this stretch of success. Does it feel different coming to
Speaker 1: spring training this year?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 7: I mean you can play with the Dodgers all our
Speaker 7: off seasons are kind of short. You know, we always
Speaker 7: you know, most of the time we played deep into October.
Speaker 7: You know that's obviously the goal and stuff. And no,
Speaker 7: it was it was a great season, you know, just
Speaker 7: you know, everything that we've been through.
Speaker 3: The playoffs is a battle.
Speaker 7: You know, it's uh, it wears and everybody, and you know,
Speaker 7: just to have a nice little reset, you know, especially
Speaker 7: after winning. Yeah, it's it's nice though, you know, becoming
Speaker 7: a two time World Series lyamy and that's awesome, and
Speaker 7: you know, obviously the fans, the fans deserve it, you know,
Speaker 7: the Dodgers front office did a great job this offseason
Speaker 7: and it's exciting.
Speaker 1: Let's not get into whether or not the debate is
Speaker 1: if twenty twenty counts or not. We all know that
Speaker 1: it does. But coming in twenty one just spring training
Speaker 1: compared to coming to spring training in twenty five, is
Speaker 1: there a different feeling just because the world is feeling
Speaker 1: different again.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean that's probably more of the thing. You know.
Speaker 7: It was just it was a weird time in the world.
Speaker 7: Going to the grocery store was a weird thing, you know.
Speaker 7: Uh not, No, I remember driving back in twenty twenty,
Speaker 7: uh spring training when we all got you know, said
Speaker 7: go home, and I was like, what is going on
Speaker 7: going to the grocery store?
Speaker 3: That batting glows on?
Speaker 7: And I'm like, am I supposed to touch anything? I
Speaker 7: didn't know it was what was happening. It was a
Speaker 7: weird time. But yeah, you know, uh, you know, I
Speaker 7: think what the Dodgers are building here, you know, it's
Speaker 7: a special thing to be a part of.
Speaker 3: You know, being able to come here and you know
Speaker 3: you have a chance to play important games.
Speaker 7: So that's that's something that's uh, you know, everybody, everybody wants,
Speaker 7: wants and thrives for so you know, always there's always
Speaker 7: possibilities here.
Speaker 1: How many times have you talked to Walker Buehler this offseason?
Speaker 1: Obviously he's moved on to Boston, but I know you
Speaker 1: guys had a tight relationship ever since he got called up,
Speaker 1: and obviously his legacy as a Dodger will live on forever. Uh,
Speaker 1: what would have been the conversations with you and him
Speaker 1: after the parade and everything else?
Speaker 3: Walks my guy?
Speaker 7: He you know, he facetiged me right before he signed
Speaker 7: with the Red Sox and then Uh, I talked.
Speaker 3: To him yesterday.
Speaker 7: Actually had he had a he had a horse in
Speaker 7: San Anita that was racing. Uh he he told me
Speaker 7: the betted heavy, but yeah, right, no, but it was good.
Speaker 3: It came in third.
Speaker 7: You know, obviously he's in that horse racing. I've been
Speaker 7: to the been to the races with him, and I
Speaker 7: think that's something he grew up with. But obviously gonna
Speaker 7: miss him. Great competitor, big part of the Dodgers. Well
Speaker 7: he did last uh last year in the playoffs, you know,
Speaker 7: a special and a little live on you know, just
Speaker 7: getting the last out.
Speaker 1: It's hard to get those last outs, man, and.
Speaker 7: He took that walk, and you know those those those
Speaker 7: last three outs are always the hardest.
Speaker 3: And uh, you know, he went out there and he
Speaker 3: did it.
Speaker 1: Hey, you were in the dugout when he decided to
Speaker 1: go on his own to the bullpen during Game five?
Speaker 1: Were you aware that that was the possible?
Speaker 3: No?
Speaker 7: I was aware that we were running out of pitchers,
Speaker 7: that's for sure, especially I know Blake. You know, what
Speaker 7: Blake did was probably one of the greatest things in
Speaker 7: that whole playoff run. Well, you know, I think he
Speaker 7: threw like what forty five fifty pitchers, you know, and
Speaker 7: especially a guy who you know, all the issues he's had,
Speaker 7: uh staying healthy and just going out there and competing
Speaker 7: and just knowing how important it is and all you know,
Speaker 7: all hands are on deck, and he went out there
Speaker 7: and what he did was so special man. And then, uh,
Speaker 7: you know, I I assume I just kind of assume,
Speaker 7: you know, like that they're gonna go out there. You know,
Speaker 7: Curse has done it over and over again throughout the
Speaker 7: you know, his playoff run since I've been here. And then, uh, yeah,
Speaker 7: it doesn't It didn't surprise me. I knew I thought
Speaker 7: it was an option obviously. When Walker went out there.
Speaker 1: And when he walked out from the bullpen, it felt
Speaker 1: like there was no I know, he said, since he
Speaker 1: had the butterflies and maybe a little self doubt because
Speaker 1: he'd never done that before, but it felt like he
Speaker 1: had the Walker Bueller's swag coming in from the bullpen
Speaker 1: before he threw his first pitch.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Walk likes that walk. You know, that's that's you
Speaker 3: know everybody.
Speaker 7: You know, he feels everybody's eyes on and when you
Speaker 7: walking out there, get that the feeling. He likes that,
Speaker 7: you know, the atmosphere in the in the whatever they
Speaker 7: call it, the aura of it all. I guess is
Speaker 7: that what people are saying, yeah, yeah, or the aura yeah,
Speaker 7: or of you know, it's the games.
Speaker 3: It's game.
Speaker 7: Give a chance to close out a World Series game,
Speaker 7: especially to win it. Also, you know, that's something that
Speaker 7: everybody dreams of and that's something that he made a reality.
Speaker 1: That's awesome. Austin Barnes, thanks a lot for a stopping by.
Speaker 1: I heard you had a fancy trip to Maui with
Speaker 1: my guy Andre e Fier. I heard he had to
Speaker 1: keep you in line on the island.
Speaker 7: Yeah, old man, Andre was there. I thought I lost
Speaker 7: him a couple of times just wandering around. I think
Speaker 7: he forgot where he was. He's getting old, dementia might
Speaker 7: be starting to kick in, and but no, he was fun.
Speaker 7: It was a good time we had. I've never been
Speaker 7: to Hawaiian and it was It's a beautiful place.
Speaker 1: That's a long ways away from Riverside.
Speaker 7: I mean it's yeah, it's half it's in the ocean somewhere,
Speaker 7: you know, it's it's halfway there between Japan and uh
Speaker 7: and California.
Speaker 3: So it was a fun trip though, awesome.
Speaker 1: Don't let people forget you're the longest tenured Dodger.
Speaker 7: Yeah, Kurt is letting me have that for a second.
Speaker 7: High Yeah, yeah, he'll be obviously he'll be with us
Speaker 7: and stuff.
Speaker 1: But can we let key k No, like stop messing
Speaker 1: around at hockey games in Utah and just re sign already?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 7: I tell him that about once a week. I said,
Speaker 7: you're gonna sign already or uh? And he obviously, being
Speaker 7: he's a great teammate, been a teammate with him forever
Speaker 7: and uh, you know, he's such a big part of
Speaker 7: those playoff runs and hopefully you'll, uh, he'll you'll'll figure
Speaker 7: it out and well, and he'll be with us.
Speaker 1: Hey, even if you see me and Snell every day
Speaker 1: talking to each other, you're still my guy. Don't ever
Speaker 1: forget that discuss.
Speaker 3: I like that Zilla, You're my number.
Speaker 1: He's like number five. He's gonna work his way out.
Speaker 1: He's just he's barely been a dodger, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 3: Don't worry.
Speaker 1: I'll keep him in line, all right.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 7: He always great to talk to you. I say, what
Speaker 7: a pleasure you are a media mogul.
Speaker 1: Thank you. And can you just admit radio is alive
Speaker 1: and well with me right here.
Speaker 7: You're keeping it alive, man, somehow you're doing it. The
Speaker 7: newspaper died and know it's the radio is still surviving.
Speaker 3: Huh.
Speaker 1: Biggest ratings during the World Series run on this station
Speaker 1: since nineteen eighty one, Barns.
Speaker 7: Yeah, you tell me all the time, the seven million
Speaker 7: downloads and baby, now you're.
Speaker 1: Part of it. Thanks Mart. There is Austin Barnes. Radio
Speaker 1: is alive and well Austin Barnes. And yes, that interview
Speaker 1: also can be podcasted after eight o'clock tonight. Always great
Speaker 1: to talk to him, and he's one of those players
Speaker 1: he did not play in one postseason game or get
Speaker 1: a start in one postseason game last year. But he's
Speaker 1: a guy that can help a player a pitching staff
Speaker 1: even without playing or catching one single pitch because he's
Speaker 1: keeping an eye on things. Guys respect him. They understand
Speaker 1: that he can contribute to the game plan in a
Speaker 1: game and a repertoire of a game. So I just
Speaker 1: feel like what he brings. Obviously he's not going to
Speaker 1: show up in a box score, but if you look
Speaker 1: at his season last year offensively, he had one of
Speaker 1: his better offensive seasons with the Dodgers in his major
Speaker 1: league career. He hit two sixty four. I mean that
Speaker 1: it's not that easy to play behind Will Smith and
Speaker 1: play once every six seven days and come out and rake.
Speaker 1: I'm not sure you guys understand how difficult that is.
Speaker 1: We always talk about pinch hitters and how tough it
Speaker 1: is to come off the bench, But if you look
Speaker 1: at what Austin Barnes does, he only got what one
Speaker 1: hundred and fifty six plate appearances. I mean, that's far
Speaker 1: and few between, and this guy contributed offensively whenever he
Speaker 1: had a chance, And quite honestly, you know, you look
Speaker 1: at Will Smith. The last two years he's been an
Speaker 1: All Star, but that's because of the first half. The
Speaker 1: second half of his seasons the last two years have
Speaker 1: not been have not been all a worthy and I'm
Speaker 1: curious to see what adjustments Will Smith made during the
Speaker 1: offseason to be able to not only be one of
Speaker 1: the best hitting catchers the first half of seasons, but
Speaker 1: also the second half. And I wouldn't be opposed to
Speaker 1: seeing more Austin Barnes catch games just to keep will
Speaker 1: fresh instead of just once a week, especially as we
Speaker 1: get into the second half of the season, and hopefully
Speaker 1: keep will you close to that peak level that we
Speaker 1: have seen in the first half of the year each
Speaker 1: of the last two seasons. So I just think that
Speaker 1: you know, Austin Barnes and what he brings, especially last
Speaker 1: year was very underrated. All right, we all know what
Speaker 1: Freddie Freeman brings, right. I mentioned this on Petro Some Money,
Speaker 1: and we'll replay what Freddy had to say about his
Speaker 1: right ankle. And it was really special to see the
Speaker 1: World Series MVP for the first time since the parade,
Speaker 1: and he explained thoroughly what has gone on with his
Speaker 1: right ankle since the end of the World Series, and
Speaker 1: it hasn't been great.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 1: He was trying to, you know, manage it. After the
Speaker 1: World Series was over. He expected it to just get
Speaker 1: better without playing baseball, and the swelling did not go down,
Speaker 1: and he finally had to have surgery. And right now
Speaker 1: he is just basically starting what usually happens in November December.
Speaker 3: He just started.
Speaker 1: Hitting in the batting cage last week. So don't expect
Speaker 1: to see Freddie Freeman play in that first spring training game.
Speaker 1: And quite honestly, after hearing that, I wouldn't be surprised
Speaker 1: if the Dodgers are trying to tell Freddy Freeman, there's
Speaker 1: no need to rush this. There's no need for you
Speaker 1: to be ready for Tokyo Japan, even though he told
Speaker 1: us he wants to be ready for Tokyo Japan. But
Speaker 1: this was a very serious injury. He's not twenty five,
Speaker 1: so a lower extremity weight bearing part of his body.
Speaker 1: You know, I'm not so sure it's not the worst
Speaker 1: idea for Freddie Freeman to maybe not play the first
Speaker 1: couple of weeks of the regular season. I know he
Speaker 1: does not want to hear that. He's intent on trying
Speaker 1: to make it happen for Opening Day. We all know
Speaker 1: the responsibility Freddie feels to his teammates to be out
Speaker 1: there for one hundred and sixty two or close to
Speaker 1: one hundred and sixty two games. But as we saw
Speaker 1: last year, it's more important for Freddie Freeman to be
Speaker 1: on the field when it counts the most. Nobody's going
Speaker 1: to remember that he didn't play the first two weeks
Speaker 1: or three weeks of this season. If all goes well
Speaker 1: in October, that's you know. I was listening to what
Speaker 1: Freddy had to say, and you know, he was saying
Speaker 1: it with a smile. And I'm sure he's going to
Speaker 1: try to convince the Dodgers that he can be ready.
Speaker 1: But what's the point if he wants to go to
Speaker 1: Tokyo and being an ambassador for the Dodgers as a
Speaker 1: guy that hit one of the most iconic walk off
Speaker 1: home runs in Baseball World Series history, the only guy
Speaker 1: to hit a walk off Grand Slam in a World
Speaker 1: Series game, by all means, I think he should come,
Speaker 1: I really do, But for him to play, I'm not sure.
Speaker 1: And also I guess Devil's advocate to even fly there,
Speaker 1: I mean, the ankle could blow up. And get swollen
Speaker 1: on the flight there. But that's neither here or there.
Speaker 1: I'll have to see when I get to spring training
Speaker 1: how it's looking for Freddy, because he just started hitting
Speaker 1: the right ankle obviously was severely compromised all of last October,
Speaker 1: and he found a way to play through it and
Speaker 1: found a way to be the World Series MVP and
Speaker 1: set World Series records with six consecutive games with a
Speaker 1: home run, drove in more runs in a World Series
Speaker 1: than any other player in baseball history. So I mean,
Speaker 1: I love Freddy, and I think we all have what's
Speaker 1: best for the Dodgers in mind, as does Freddie, and
Speaker 1: he's going to try to push it to see whether
Speaker 1: or not he could be ready for Opening Day. But look,
Speaker 1: there's nothing to be ashamed of to not be in
Speaker 1: the opening days starting lineup and being the starting lineup
Speaker 1: for Game one of the NLDS. If you're Freddie Freeman,
Speaker 1: all right, that'll do it for us on Dodger Talk tonight,
Speaker 1: Thanks a lot for hanging out with us on this
Speaker 1: Monday night. We'll be back with you on Friday at
Speaker 1: seven o'clock. Tommy Edmund and Alex Vesia will join us.
Speaker 1: Want to say thanks to Ronnie Fossio for his help,
Speaker 1: thanks to Kirby Yates and Austin Barnes for their time.
Speaker 1: You can listen to both of those interviews if you
Speaker 1: missed it on the ihe Art Radio app. Coming up
Speaker 1: next Jason Smith on Fox Sports Radio. Have a great
Speaker 1: rest of your night, See you