Speaker 1: What a way to end the week. We got Dodger
Speaker 1: Talk book end this week. Hello David Vasse, with you
Speaker 1: until eight o'clock tonight here on a five to seventy
Speaker 1: LA Sports and we have a great show for you tonight.
Speaker 1: We have two guests that really made their name in October.
Speaker 1: For Tommy Edmund, the NLCSMVP in his first year, not
Speaker 1: even full season with the Dodgers, he made such a
Speaker 1: huge impact when he returned from his ankle injury to
Speaker 1: go on to help the Dodgers win the World Series,
Speaker 1: become the NLCSMVP and earn an extension to remain with
Speaker 1: the Dodgers for the next five years. Also joining us
Speaker 1: tonight Alex Vesia. Alex Vesia may be the most underrated
Speaker 1: relief pitcher in the Dodger bullpen, and maybe even the
Speaker 1: most underrated relief pitcher in all of Major League Baseball.
Speaker 1: See Unlike some other baseball media people out there, I
Speaker 1: do put a lot of weight into what you do
Speaker 1: in the postseason, especially when you're wearing a Dodger uniform.
Speaker 1: And after the Dodgers traded Dylan Floro after the twenty
Speaker 1: World Series, alex Vesia had some growing pains. He had
Speaker 1: great stuff, but he needed to mature. And he's only
Speaker 1: twenty eight years old. And I'm not sure many people
Speaker 1: realize that Alex Vesia has appeared in nineteen playoff games
Speaker 1: for the Dodgers since twenty twenty one, and his elra
Speaker 1: is one twenty three. This guy is an october pitcher.
Speaker 1: I know, we think about the Shillings, the Hersheisers, the
Speaker 1: Walker Buelers, we think of them as october pitchers. But
Speaker 1: in this new day and age, especially with the way
Speaker 1: the Dodgers leaned on their bullpen last year, we have
Speaker 1: to start thinking about relief pitchers in that way. And
Speaker 1: Alex Vesia, to me is in October pitcher. Eight six
Speaker 1: six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Speaker 1: So we had those two guests coming on. Also coming
Speaker 1: up in about fifteen minutes, you'll hear from Dave Roberts,
Speaker 1: who was on the Buster Only Baseball Tonight podcast today
Speaker 1: and he actually talked about his extension for the first
Speaker 1: time publicly. We'll let you hear what he told Buster.
Speaker 1: Also in just a minute, we'll get after those Yankee
Speaker 1: scumbag fans that basically assaulted Mookie Betts at Yankee Stadium.
Speaker 1: So before we get to all that, just get some
Speaker 1: housekeeping in order, because that's what matters to you if
Speaker 1: you're going out to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, first
Speaker 1: and foremost, because the Dodgers are opening the season in Tokyo, Japan.
Speaker 1: And we'll get to how that already has changed my
Speaker 1: life in the last twenty four hours. Pitchers and catchers
Speaker 1: report on Monday to Camelback Ranch. Officially now, guys like
Speaker 1: Bobby Miller, Blake Snell, among others have been out at
Speaker 1: Camelback Ranch for the last two weeks plus, but officially
Speaker 1: that's the first reporting day. And the Dodgers first Cactus
Speaker 1: League game is February twentieth against the same team they're
Speaker 1: going to open up the season against in Tokyo, Japan,
Speaker 1: those Chicago Cubs. So you'll hear that game right here
Speaker 1: on Dodgers Radio and five seventy LA Sports. And don't
Speaker 1: forget the first two games in Tokyo, Japan, March eighteenth
Speaker 1: and nineteenth, you will hear it live right here on
Speaker 1: an five seventy LA Sports and we have the phone
Speaker 1: lines open eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy. Now,
Speaker 1: speaking of Tokyo Japan, I mentioned this with Petros and Money, who,
Speaker 1: by the way, may have had their best back to
Speaker 1: back show since Pau Gasol was playing for the Lakers.
Speaker 1: That's how enthusiastic these guys are about Luca. And I
Speaker 1: know they went through the whole giveaway schedule yesterday, and
Speaker 1: I hate to agree with Matt money Smith, but I
Speaker 1: have to agree with him in this case. Petros's breakdown
Speaker 1: yesterday the giveaway schedule was Steve Hartman esque going through
Speaker 1: the Laker schedule when it was released, I mean, blow
Speaker 1: by blow, the way he described even hiding his prep
Speaker 1: work that Tim Kakes did for him, that was very
Speaker 1: Steve Hartman esque. I mean, on the day Hartman had
Speaker 1: some gold, he would have his peachy folder underneath his armpit.
Speaker 1: The folder would be sweaty. I can only imagine Petros's
Speaker 1: sweat on those papers. Maybe that's the reason why he
Speaker 1: dropped a few and repeated himself a couple of times.
Speaker 1: But man, the way they broke down that giveaway schedule
Speaker 1: should make the Dodgers proud. I mean, nobody gave their
Speaker 1: giveaway schedule as much flair and celebration than Petros Papadacus yesterday,
Speaker 1: and I know Matt's all in favor of a plastic
Speaker 1: Dodger batting helmet. Yeah that's great, but have you ever
Speaker 1: wore one of those? It puts a hole at the
Speaker 1: top of your head. So I'm all good with the bibbleheads.
Speaker 1: I love all the babbleheads they're given away, and I
Speaker 1: love the creativity that the Dodgers have come up with
Speaker 1: and will come up with during the season. So yes,
Speaker 1: I agree very Steve Hartman NFL schedule, Lakers schedule esque
Speaker 1: with the giveaway blow by blow yesterday. Anyway, I'm sure
Speaker 1: you heard them talk about my I guess announcement even
Speaker 1: though there is no announcement. I was just on the
Speaker 1: phone with Petros yesterday and I just told him, yeah,
Speaker 1: I'm going to Japan. And then he tried to force
Speaker 1: his younger brother, who is way more likable than Petros,
Speaker 1: Dmitri Papadacus, on me. And he said that Dmitri lived
Speaker 1: in Japan for three years. His wife is Japanese. And
Speaker 1: I said, oh, did he did he go there to
Speaker 1: find a wife and he said, of course not. He
Speaker 1: met her at UCLA. I said, oh, I'm sorry, you
Speaker 1: just said she's Japanese. And he went to Japan for
Speaker 1: three years. Usually it's a sabbatical, and maybe his dad
Speaker 1: sent him away to get a wife.
Speaker 2: I don't know.
Speaker 1: Anyway, he tried to force his brother on me to
Speaker 1: give me ja Japaned tourist advice or just cultural advice.
Speaker 1: And then out of the blue, he goes on the
Speaker 1: air and talks about that I'm going to Japan and
Speaker 1: I appreciate that they give me a lot of love.
Speaker 1: But then that sounded the alarm bells at the Wittier
Speaker 1: dojo of Victor Brigg Jacobs, and it was so random.
Speaker 1: I had my kids doing their homework, my wife's making
Speaker 1: white people food that I'm not going to eat, and
Speaker 1: Vic calls me on speaker phone and tells me. First
Speaker 1: of all, I didn't recognize his voice because he kind
Speaker 1: of disguised it. I said, who is this a five
Speaker 1: six to two number. Oh, it's me, Victor Brick And
Speaker 1: then he goes into or so I hear you go
Speaker 1: to Japan. I said, this is really strange, and I
Speaker 1: had no idea that the guys were talking about it
Speaker 1: on their show yesterday, but it made complete sense. That's
Speaker 1: the reason why Vic called me and then had you know.
Speaker 1: I love Vic, I love his wife, Yukosakamoto, and I
Speaker 1: do appreciate them giving me an introductory course on some
Speaker 1: Japanese words and etiquette. I do appreciate that. But I've
Speaker 1: had now three or four people try to force their
Speaker 1: ways into my life because they are the experts in
Speaker 1: Japan and Japanese culture who no exactly I don't need
Speaker 1: any of them. You know why I have Otani. I'm
Speaker 1: traveling with the Dodgers. Otani and Yamamoto already have given
Speaker 1: me great advice. Roki Sazaki will be there. I will
Speaker 1: talk to you Darvish in spring training. And here's my.
Speaker 2: ACE card in my back pocket.
Speaker 1: Because contrary to popular belief, I won't be hanging out
Speaker 1: with Shohio Tani in Tokyo, Japan. I'm gonna have to
Speaker 1: slum it with the La Times. Dylan Hernandez, that's who
Speaker 1: I'm going to have to hang out with, whose mother
Speaker 1: was actually born in Japan. And Dylan does speak Japan
Speaker 1: and he feels like he is the authority in all
Speaker 1: Japanese baseball related things. So a guy like that who
Speaker 1: feels like he is the authority in everything Japan that
Speaker 1: is going to be on the trip as a media member.
Speaker 1: More than likely I'm going to stick close to him now.
Speaker 1: I did have to kind of, you know, caretake for
Speaker 1: him in South Korea a couple of different times, but
Speaker 1: in Japan, I am putting my life in Dylan's hands.
Speaker 1: We spent a lot of time together in Sydney, Australia
Speaker 1: that obviously, when sideways, I'm hoping for a better trip
Speaker 1: than Sydney's Australia and South Korea Soul Korea that I've
Speaker 1: had with Dylan in the past. I've always been responsible,
Speaker 1: but I feel like I am the parent in the group.
Speaker 1: But I am giving Dylan Hernandez full autonomy if I
Speaker 1: am hanging out with him. But I do appreciate the
Speaker 1: multiple baseball scouts that have called me to give me
Speaker 1: advice in Tokyo, Japan. I do appreciate Petros trying to
Speaker 1: force his Greek American brother on me to give me
Speaker 1: all the advice in the world. And of course I
Speaker 1: treasure any phone call from Victor Brick eight six six
Speaker 1: nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number
Speaker 1: when we continue here on Dodger talk you will hear
Speaker 1: from Dave Roberts. I guess every three weeks we have
Speaker 1: to go through Nolan Aernato to the Dodger rumors. I'll
Speaker 1: just shoot it down right now. It's not happening. It's
Speaker 1: the Cardinals trying to drum up a market for Nolan Aernado.
Speaker 1: And I will say this, Whoever gets Nolan Arenado is
Speaker 1: going to get a very motivated player, a player with
Speaker 1: a chip on his shoulder that has heard everybody basically
Speaker 1: say he's washed. Whoever gets him is going to get
Speaker 1: that player, so Red Sox, whoever it is. You know,
Speaker 1: unless something drastically has changed in the mind of the Dodgers,
Speaker 1: I just don't see it happening. So Nolan's going to
Speaker 1: have a great year. I just doubt it's going to
Speaker 1: be in a Dodger uniform, all right, A lot to
Speaker 1: get to two lines open eight six six nine, eight seven,
Speaker 1: two five seventy. I'm not sure if you heard about
Speaker 1: this scumbag Yankee fan that almost pulled Mooki's wrists out
Speaker 1: of his socket now trying to get sympathy, and why
Speaker 1: is any media outlet giving them that platform. We'll get
Speaker 1: to that next right here on Dodger Talk on a
Speaker 1: f five to seventy LA Sports. David Bassey closing out
Speaker 1: the week. It's been a great week of sports talk
Speaker 1: on Petros and Money Show. Petros has been fired up
Speaker 1: going after my guy Rodney Pete like that. Shame on him.
Speaker 1: You don't go after the great Rodney Pete like that. Petros,
Speaker 1: know your place and stop trying to force everything on me.
Speaker 1: You need to reel it back in. You're starting to
Speaker 1: go to Hartman on us. Oh Man love Petros and
Speaker 1: Money the Legacy Show nineteen years Who.
Speaker 2: Would have thought that?
Speaker 1: Right, they're the old krusty radio veterans now in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1: David Vasse with you until eight o'clock tonight here on
Speaker 1: a five to seventy LA Sports. Coming up, in five minutes,
Speaker 1: you'll hear from Tommy Edmund. In about fifteen minutes, you'll
Speaker 1: hear from one of the most underrated relief pitchers in
Speaker 1: all of Major League Baseball, Alex Vesia. And our next show,
Speaker 1: by the way, is going to be on Monday night
Speaker 1: at seven o'clock.
Speaker 3: I will be.
Speaker 1: Hosting from the Sport's net LA studios because I'll be
Speaker 1: on the Access Sportsnet LA show at six o'clock with
Speaker 1: John Hartunk and the other guy, Jerry Harriston Junior, So
Speaker 1: double Dippin' Dodger talk on the television and on the radio.
Speaker 1: Hopefully they bring up this Yankee scumbag that almost yanked
Speaker 1: Mooki Bets's wrists out of his sockets in Game four
Speaker 1: of the World Series. I mean the guy that is
Speaker 1: Rob Gronkowski's swarmer frat brother at Arizona. Yeah, remember that.
Speaker 1: Remember how this guy was so proud of the fact
Speaker 1: that he almost not only yanked the ball out of
Speaker 1: Mooki's glove, not only yanked the glove off of Mooky's hand,
Speaker 1: but almost yanked Mooky's arms out of his sockets. And then, incredibly,
Speaker 1: ESPN gives these clowns a platform, and then my good
Speaker 1: buddy Andy McCullough's app The Athletic Yesterday tracks this loser
Speaker 1: down and tries to make him a sympathetic figure. And
Speaker 1: I'm not even going to say this guy's name, because
Speaker 1: he should not have been given any sort of platform,
Speaker 1: because it gives other idiots ideas that they want their
Speaker 1: five minutes of fame. Now, I'm not endorsing anybody setting
Speaker 1: feces to anybody's house. I'm not but to try to
Speaker 1: make this guy a sympathetic figure who doesn't want the attention,
Speaker 1: Are you kidding? This guy was begging for the attention.
Speaker 1: He's so freaking obnoxious in just the he you could
Speaker 1: see he was so freaking obnoxious, even attempting to do
Speaker 1: what he did to Mookie, bats him and his buddy,
Speaker 1: and then after that talks to ESPN, goes on barstool
Speaker 1: Sports and takes a victory lap.
Speaker 4: But either way, we talked about it. If it was
Speaker 4: before on the field, we're digging up our fans from
Speaker 4: being stupid and causing interference from us getting it out.
Speaker 4: And in that situation, ideally we would have hit the
Speaker 4: ball while it was in the air. We're not reaching
Speaker 4: into the field of play, you know, like we may
Speaker 4: have if it came down to that. But that bowl
Speaker 4: was on the wall.
Speaker 2: In front of my euth. It was in my mouth, like.
Speaker 4: I mean basically, and I go, I can't not do
Speaker 4: something right now, especially the fact that saw my boy
Speaker 4: next to me. We went it just was like, uh,
Speaker 4: you know, its repetition. It was just all right, ball's mind.
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's his ball's mind practice in our backyards one hundred.
Speaker 4: May not be secured yet, you know, like, let's try
Speaker 4: to see him. You know what, it was pretty secure.
Speaker 4: Its pretty sure. I once you put your hand in
Speaker 4: the glove, I mean when I'm gonna poot it no
Speaker 4: matter what.
Speaker 2: So I might as well out.
Speaker 1: That doesn't sound like a guy that doesn't want attention
Speaker 1: or is remorseful after doing what he did. And that
Speaker 1: was after the fact. So don't try to say now
Speaker 1: on the eve of spring training, all of a sudden,
Speaker 1: you know you don't want the attention. I can't believe
Speaker 1: people are sending stuff to my house, and uh, you know,
Speaker 1: I just want to be under the radar. They already
Speaker 1: took my seats. Oh really, really, I mean, come on,
Speaker 1: this guy is ridiculous. Maybe A, you shouldn't have tried
Speaker 1: to rip Mookie's arms off his socket, and B you
Speaker 1: shouldn't have tried to do a media tour after and see.
Speaker 1: You know, I'm not one of those guys that endorses
Speaker 1: athletes saying it's all the media's fault. But in this case,
Speaker 1: it is the media's fault. Where are they giving this
Speaker 1: guy a platform? Eights sixty six nine eighty seven two
Speaker 1: five seventy is the phone number. Just ridiculous, and certainly,
Speaker 1: you know, had to be addressed, because Yankee fans are
Speaker 1: just really I mean, they're in a dark place these days.
Speaker 1: I was picking up my son from school and some Yankee, obnoxious,
Speaker 1: loud talking fan interrupted a conversation with a very civilized
Speaker 1: Yankee fan I was having and started going after me.
Speaker 1: And I said, hey, number one, I've seen you around.
Speaker 1: You seem like an okay guy, but right now you're overstepping.
Speaker 1: And I told him it was really sad. He was
Speaker 1: a Yankee fan, so you know it is. Then I
Speaker 1: saw some other guy in Woodland Hills at the old
Speaker 1: New York Deli wearing a Yankee hat. I looked at
Speaker 1: him in the eyes, and he there was some shame
Speaker 1: in his eyes, a lot of shame and all this.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 1: John Bertie, I don't know if you heard this on
Speaker 1: one of these baseball podcasts, saying he's never heard a
Speaker 1: World Series winning team taking a victory lap the way
Speaker 1: the Dodgers had. Really, I don't remember any Dodger player
Speaker 1: saying anything disparaging about any Yankee player. I just heard
Speaker 1: the Dodgers clown fat Joe's embarrassing performance, which it was,
Speaker 1: had nothing to do with the Yankee team except for
Speaker 1: the reality that when they did have the field to
Speaker 1: themselves before games, the only two guys I ever saw
Speaker 1: were Aaron Judge and John Carlos Stanton taking batting practice.
Speaker 1: There was never any infield or outfield work, and that
Speaker 1: was a glaring weakness by the Yankees. So if John
Speaker 1: Birdie has any issues, he should talk to his manager,
Speaker 1: Aaron Boone or the coaching staff for failing to shore
Speaker 1: up their defense. And they're trying to do that now
Speaker 1: with Paul Goldschmid and Cody Bellinger, but that was the issue.
Speaker 3: Now.
Speaker 1: I do have an issue with guys like Joe Kelly
Speaker 1: and Miguel Rojas being the ones, you know, talking trash
Speaker 1: and kind of rubbing some salt in the wound to
Speaker 1: a certain extent, because they weren't even on the World
Speaker 1: Series roster, right, Joe wasn't. I can't remember if Gail
Speaker 1: Rojas was, but if he was, he didn't play that much.
Speaker 1: So you don't hear Freddy Freeman or Mookie Betts or
Speaker 1: Will Smith saying any of those things. So, you know,
Speaker 1: I just think it's a bunch of guys that really
Speaker 1: didn't play a significant role, going back and forth. All right,
Speaker 1: a guy that played a significant role was Tommy Edmund.
Speaker 1: NLCSMVP played great shortstop for the Dodgers from the moment
Speaker 1: they inserted keik A Hernandez into the starting lineup in
Speaker 1: the NLDS until the game clinching World Series clinching Game five.
Speaker 1: And here was Tommy Edmund at Dodger Fest. Well, the
Speaker 1: last time I saw the NLCSMVP was deep in the
Speaker 1: San Fernando Valley at Sports Cards Legends, where he was
Speaker 1: signing autographs, kissing babies. And here he is at his
Speaker 1: first ever Dodger Fest, the one and only world champion,
Speaker 1: Tommy Edmund. Tommy, thanks a lot for stop and buy,
Speaker 1: and man, what an experience for you.
Speaker 5: Yeah, of course, I say, it's always always a pleasure
Speaker 5: to get to hang out with you for a few minutes.
Speaker 5: But yeah, no, I'm excited to be here. Looks like
Speaker 5: an amazing turnout out there, just kind of navigating through
Speaker 5: the parking lot, and you know, I'm excited to see
Speaker 5: all the fans again, especially after having a good off
Speaker 5: season to you know, rest and reflect. But looking forward
Speaker 5: to to seeing everybody again.
Speaker 1: Was this off season more satisfying than any others that
Speaker 1: you've had after winning the World Series championship and being
Speaker 1: such a big part of it.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 5: You know, there's only one team in baseball that gets
Speaker 5: to get to spend the world or the off season
Speaker 5: as World Series champs, So this is being the first
Speaker 5: one first off season I've had a chance to do that. Definitely,
Speaker 5: was you know nice, kind of had a sense of
Speaker 5: peace throughout, but also, you know, I felt that drive to,
Speaker 5: you know, get back to the World Series. Now that
Speaker 5: we've won one, I really want to win at least
Speaker 5: a few more.
Speaker 2: What's the hunger there? Right?
Speaker 1: I guess the winning is addicting, but how do you
Speaker 1: not rest on the laurels of what you guys did
Speaker 1: last year?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 5: You know, I mean kind of just getting right back
Speaker 5: to work. You know, I took a couple of weeks
Speaker 5: off and then kind of just got right back into
Speaker 5: the weight room, training room, making sure I'm getting the
Speaker 5: body ready for this year, and got some good swings in.
Speaker 5: You know, I had a lot of stuff I wanted
Speaker 5: to work on this offseason, so, you know, kind of
Speaker 5: just getting back into that normal off season routine where
Speaker 5: I'm working hard getting the body prepped for you know,
Speaker 5: one hundred and sixty two games and including playoffs.
Speaker 1: Every season is unique to itself. Last year you were
Speaker 1: dealing with, you know, the ankle injury, and how do
Speaker 1: you what did you do this spring or this off season?
Speaker 1: I should say to get better because from our vantage point,
Speaker 1: you were pretty damn good last year. I don't know
Speaker 1: what you could do to be better.
Speaker 5: Yeah, And I mean I think if you ask any
Speaker 5: baseball players, always room to get better. Yeah, So you know,
Speaker 5: I think for me, a big part of it, you know,
Speaker 5: just making sure my body's getting to the best spot
Speaker 5: I can possibly be at going into the spring. So
Speaker 5: the first part, you know, there's a little bit of
Speaker 5: rehab kind of stuff, making sure, you know, the ankle
Speaker 5: risks are back to the baseline and you know, getting
Speaker 5: the getting the swing back. I can kind of focus
Speaker 5: on things when I don't have to worry about hitting
Speaker 5: you know, one hundred mile an hour fastballs. I can
Speaker 5: just get in the cage and really dial in those mechanics. So,
Speaker 5: you know, just a little things like that. That's kind
Speaker 5: of how I typically spend an off season anyways, and
Speaker 5: you know it was good to have that good to
Speaker 5: have that time again and have a healthy off season
Speaker 5: because last year I was pretty much injured the whole time.
Speaker 1: No doubt, must be feeling good that you could move
Speaker 1: around and play with your kids and do what you
Speaker 1: gotta do to be ready for a season.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 5: Absolutely. That was another good part too. You know, I
Speaker 5: got to spend a lot of time with Eli, and yeah,
Speaker 5: you know, we're teaching him some things. We're teaching him
Speaker 5: how to throw. He's really good at at throwing everything,
Speaker 5: and I always got to teach him what he should
Speaker 5: be throwing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you could run into that.
Speaker 1: That's that's a phase, as they say, Yeah, hopefully he
Speaker 1: grows out of that phase.
Speaker 3: Right, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 5: Well, hopefully he doesn't grow out of throwing things, but
Speaker 5: hopefully figures out what he's.
Speaker 2: Supposed to do. Nothing breakable, nothing breakable exactly.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Hey, Tommy, before I let you go with MOOKI move
Speaker 1: into shortstop. Where do you see this evolving for you?
Speaker 1: You obviously were incredible at shortstop and center field. Do
Speaker 1: you feel like the Dodgers have given you some blueprint
Speaker 1: at least to start the year.
Speaker 5: Yeah, No, I mean every offseason I kind of just
Speaker 5: make sure I get prepared at for both infield and outfield,
Speaker 5: so you know what that's center field, second base, shortstop.
Speaker 5: You know, I just try to make sure I'm prepared
Speaker 5: regardless of where I'm needed, because you know, it's a
Speaker 5: long season, a lot of things can come up. But
Speaker 5: you know, I'm just I always try to try to
Speaker 5: make sure I'm prepared for whatever, you know, wherever I'm needed.
Speaker 1: Damn, Tommy, I looked at the replay of a play
Speaker 1: I forgot which game it was actually in the World Series.
Speaker 1: You know, you made so many great plays, but I
Speaker 1: felt like the most underrated play of the World Series
Speaker 1: where you had to really use all of your reach
Speaker 1: at second base to get the force out. Do you
Speaker 1: remember that play? And I mean, I'm not going to
Speaker 1: say you're a short guy, but you're not six ' six,
Speaker 1: But it felt like on that play you had the
Speaker 1: wingspan of a seven footer.
Speaker 5: Yeah, short for a professional athlete for sure, but yeah,
Speaker 5: I remember I got that very very fingertips of the glove,
Speaker 5: and you know, I think that was a pretty big
Speaker 5: spot of the game. So yeah, you know, it a
Speaker 5: lot kind of allowed the inning to come to a
Speaker 5: close quicker and not let it spin out.
Speaker 3: So that was a big play for sure.
Speaker 2: Did you know you had that reach in you?
Speaker 5: I don't know. I actually wasn't sure. I stayed on
Speaker 5: until I saw the replay.
Speaker 1: Well, you're a world champion NLCS MVP and obviously very
Speaker 1: happy to get to know you and loved watching you
Speaker 1: play and can't wait for it to start all over again.
Speaker 3: Tommy, thank you.
Speaker 5: I can't wait either.
Speaker 1: I'm excited first spring training at camel Back Ranch for
Speaker 1: Tommy Edmund this year.
Speaker 3: Yeah, let's go.
Speaker 2: If you need a tour, let.
Speaker 3: Me know, all right, we'll do.
Speaker 2: I know where to look. Thanks Tommy, of course, thank you.
Speaker 2: There he is good.
Speaker 1: Guy NLCS MVP Tommy Edman, and really a baseball rat
Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. That guy knows how to
Speaker 1: play the game. He's got a high baseball IQ. And
Speaker 1: if you remember last year when the Dodgers acquired Tommy
Speaker 1: Edman in that three way trade with the Cardinals, in
Speaker 1: White Sox, Andrew Friedman admitted to us that he had
Speaker 1: two guys on his board during the offseason last year.
Speaker 1: One was show Hey Otani and the other was Tommy
Speaker 1: Edman and he got both and Tommy Edman now we
Speaker 1: know why Andrew Friedman regarded him as highly as he did.
Speaker 1: Plays great defense in center field, He's a gold Glover
Speaker 1: at second base, and he played great shortstop for the
Speaker 1: Dodgers all the way through the World Series. And I
Speaker 1: gotta love a guy that's a switch hitter. If you
Speaker 1: know nothing else about Tommy Edmund, this is a great
Speaker 1: indication that he he's a smart baseball player because there
Speaker 1: were certain right handed pitchers that were hard on lefties,
Speaker 1: and he wouldn't have the ego to insist on a
Speaker 1: bit batting from the left side. He would go to
Speaker 1: the right side and have a better look at that picture.
Speaker 1: So to me, those are instances that stand out that
Speaker 1: really show the high IQ of a player like Tommy Edmund.
Speaker 1: And look, I know a lot of people out there think, hey,
Speaker 1: Sun Kim is going to get the second base job automatically.
Speaker 1: I don't think so. The indications I'm getting is the
Speaker 1: Dodgers want to see what they have with him. If
Speaker 1: he can make the adjustment that quickly, that would be
Speaker 1: a huge plus. But if he can't, you got Tommy
Speaker 1: Edmond and Chris Taylor to split time at second base
Speaker 1: and in center field with a guy like Andy Pajez
Speaker 1: or Keith k a Hernandez. Yes, Key k is still
Speaker 1: a free agent. The Pirates just signed Tommy fam I
Speaker 1: don't see that. I'm signing Key a Hernandez as well. So,
Speaker 1: like I said, and maintain all this time, keyk Hernandez
Speaker 1: will find his way back to the Dodgers. We're gonna
Speaker 1: take a time out, our final time out of the show.
Speaker 1: We're taking you to eight o'clock. You will hear from
Speaker 1: Alex Vesia and coming up next, Dave Roberts talks about
Speaker 1: an extension. Yeah, right now, twenty twenty five is the
Speaker 1: final year of his current deal, and the Dodgers and
Speaker 1: Dave Roberts are working to make that a longer situation
Speaker 1: than it currently is. He's not going anywhere. Come on,
Speaker 1: Dodger talk with you until eight o'clock. Right here on
Speaker 1: a five to seventy LA Sports. We are getting closer
Speaker 1: to your world champion. Dodgers reporting to spring training officially.
Speaker 1: Pitchers and catchers report on Monday officially to Camelback Ranch,
Speaker 1: and the first Cactus League game is coming up on
Speaker 1: February twenty against the Chicago Cubs, the same team the
Speaker 1: Dodgers will open up against and open up the major
Speaker 1: League season in Tokyo, Japan. Can you imagine that sho
Speaker 1: Hey Otani going back to the Tokyo Dome in a
Speaker 1: Dodger uniform. And I don't know what the future immediate
Speaker 1: future holds for Roki Sazaki, but how special would it
Speaker 1: be for Yamamoto and Sazaki to start those first two
Speaker 1: games in Tokyo Japan and Otani doing Otani things as
Speaker 1: the Dodgers dh And don't forget the Cubs have two
Speaker 1: Japanese players on their team, Shota Imanaga. I would imagine
Speaker 1: he is going to start one of those two games.
Speaker 1: He had a great first year in Major League Baseball
Speaker 1: last year with the Cubs. And Saya Suzuki, the right
Speaker 1: fielder for the Cubs who was not very happy with
Speaker 1: Craig Council for taking him out of right field last
Speaker 1: year and making him a D eight. So a little
Speaker 1: drama there in Wrigleyville. And we'll see whether or not
Speaker 1: Alex Bregman is wearing a Cubs uniform in Tokyo, because
Speaker 1: the Cubs are definitely involved in trying to send that
Speaker 1: dirty astro Alex Bregman one of the Dirty twenty seventeen astros,
Speaker 1: but nonetheless, Alex Bregman is still a free agent. Pete
Speaker 1: Alonso signed with the Mets. Kennley Jansen is still a
Speaker 1: free agent. We'll see where he signs. And look, there's
Speaker 1: a lot of good players still available on the open market,
Speaker 1: including Keith Hernandez, and I expect him to be back
Speaker 1: with the Dodgers, and I expect Clayton Kershaw to be
Speaker 1: back once the Dodgers can start putting players on.
Speaker 2: The sixty day.
Speaker 1: I l Dave Roberts, who did, in my opinion, his
Speaker 1: best managing job last year. His signature moment as a
Speaker 1: player was stealing that base in Game four for the
Speaker 1: Red Sox. His signature moment as a manager was going
Speaker 1: out in Game five and trusting Blake Trining and trusting
Speaker 1: Walker Buehler. Dave Roberts is starting to really get into
Speaker 1: his groove as a manager, not only last year, but
Speaker 1: I thought the year before. Dave Roberts did an excellent
Speaker 1: job and is really starting to come into his own right.
Speaker 1: Never had managing experience before the Dodgers gave him the
Speaker 1: job in twenty sixteen, but he seems to just grow
Speaker 1: into it every year and now he's one of the
Speaker 1: senior most managers out there, which is hard to believe.
Speaker 1: And he's not going anywhere after winning the World Series
Speaker 1: and doing the job and just having that synergy and
Speaker 1: being on the same page with Andrew Friedman. But his
Speaker 1: contract is up technically at the end of this year,
Speaker 1: and the Dodgers have to take care of that. And
Speaker 1: Dave Roberts joined Buster Only on his podcast Baseball Tonight
Speaker 1: and talked about it for the first time for the
Speaker 1: first time publicly about where things stand with his content
Speaker 1: track extension talks with the Dodgers.
Speaker 3: You're nearing the end of your contract.
Speaker 2: How are you going to handle that?
Speaker 6: You know, I think that we have just started talking,
Speaker 6: and so I think for me is I'm hopeful, but
Speaker 6: I you know, I'm going to focus on winning games.
Speaker 6: I'm going to focus on, you know, getting better as
Speaker 6: a manager, getting our guys prepared for the for opening Day,
Speaker 6: for this great season, to win another championship, and hopefully
Speaker 6: everything tastes care of itself. But it's it's about value
Speaker 6: and I just love this organization. But yeah, you will
Speaker 6: you want to feel your value. Absolutely.
Speaker 1: Oh, there's Dave Roberts talking about it publicly for the
Speaker 1: first time. And look, he's not going anywhere. The Dodgers
Speaker 1: had a lot of player roster moves to make and
Speaker 1: they're going to take care of Dave Roberts, no doubt
Speaker 1: about it. Albe at Spring Training a week from Sunday.
Speaker 1: I would expect things to be, you know, further down
Speaker 1: the road with Dave Roberts, so looking forward to him
Speaker 1: being the manager for a few more years where you know,
Speaker 1: as long as this ride goes, because when you talk
Speaker 1: about really great gms and manager tandems, Dave Roberts and
Speaker 1: Andrew Friedman, the record speaks for itself. Scoreboard, as they
Speaker 1: used to say in the nineties. You know, that's when
Speaker 1: Petros was really living his best life in the nineties.
Speaker 1: You know, Scoreboard, that's what they used to say out there.
Speaker 1: And Palace Verdi's estates. All right, Alex Vesia, one of
Speaker 1: the most underrated relief pitchers in all of baseball. He
Speaker 1: joined us at Dodger Fest and deserved to be celebrated.
Speaker 1: We're here with I'm not even going to isolate him
Speaker 1: because it's an insult now to call him one of
Speaker 1: the best lefty relievers in Major League Baseball. He is
Speaker 1: one of the best relievers whether it's left handed right handed,
Speaker 1: and the Dodgers certainly are very fortunate to have Alex
Speaker 1: Vesia on their team in their bullpen. A man now
Speaker 1: that is playoff tested, one of the best pitching resumes
Speaker 1: in the postseason in October after nineteen appearances in the postseason.
Speaker 1: The Dodgers would not have won the World Series without
Speaker 1: this man being part of the dogs of that Dodger
Speaker 1: bullpen for the twenty twenty World Championship. And here he is.
Speaker 1: He has not changed, he has not Big League. The
Speaker 1: little people, the one and only Alex Vesia is with
Speaker 1: us in the Vasse lounge at Dodger Fest.
Speaker 3: Dave, Dave, that was a heck of a introduction. Man, Wow, thank.
Speaker 2: You you are worthy of it, my friend.
Speaker 3: This is great. Great to be back, man. This is
Speaker 3: off season has been quick, but this is this is great, Alex.
Speaker 1: When you look at your body of work and what
Speaker 1: you've accomplished with the Dodgers, You're only twenty eight years old.
Speaker 1: They talk about guys that are October performers like Walker,
Speaker 1: Bueller and keyk Hernandez. Honestly, if you look at what
Speaker 1: Alex Vesia has done and how big you came up
Speaker 1: for the Dodgers in the NLDS in the World Series, do.
Speaker 2: You feel like you are that guy?
Speaker 1: You are him when it comes to being an October performer.
Speaker 3: I mean, I just try to take it one game
Speaker 3: at a time, man.
Speaker 2: I think that's that's what October guys say.
Speaker 3: Well, I mean, throughout a whole season in the bullpen,
Speaker 3: through ups and downs. You know, I've had failure, I've
Speaker 3: had success, but my routine and how I go about
Speaker 3: my business stays the same. I think that kind of
Speaker 3: keeps me that even keel and you know, I always
Speaker 3: want the ball and I think that that's what keeps
Speaker 3: me hungry. And I also I love pitching it in
Speaker 3: front of Dodger fans.
Speaker 1: Alex, when you look back at that run and you
Speaker 1: look back at that season, are you able to take
Speaker 1: it in now? Because I know when you're in the moment,
Speaker 1: you gotta still be looking for the next opportunity. But
Speaker 1: during this ofseason, during the parade, did you have an
Speaker 1: opportunity to reflect on not only what the team did,
Speaker 1: how big you were to the success of the team.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. I mean starting at the parade was where
Speaker 3: I felt like I was able to reflect kind of
Speaker 3: the most, and just because there was so much love
Speaker 3: when we you know, went through and it was so loud,
Speaker 3: and that was one of the probably the only times
Speaker 3: where when it's super loud, I wasn't fully locked in, right,
Speaker 3: like when you're in the bullpen and you know, you
Speaker 3: don't really know if you're going to go in or
Speaker 3: not in that inning and you do have to stay
Speaker 3: locked in, so you kind of block everything else out. Well,
Speaker 3: with the parade, we were taking it all in, you know,
Speaker 3: and we were having a great time. And yeah, I
Speaker 3: mean this this off season, I've done a bunch of
Speaker 3: different meet and greets. I've been out in the in
Speaker 3: the community in certain events and definitely felt the love
Speaker 3: and been able to reflect and kind of take it
Speaker 3: all in. But at the same time, we are now
Speaker 3: our main goal is this now twenty twenty five season,
Speaker 3: and you know, yes, the past is great, but we
Speaker 3: have to be in the present. And you know, starting
Speaker 3: in spring training, I know, I know Doc's gonna set
Speaker 3: that tone during spring training, you know, and we've acquired
Speaker 3: many great talents and looking forward to meeting everybody and
Speaker 3: you know, becoming a family again right this upcoming season.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned setting the tone and spring training with
Speaker 1: that meeting, don't you feel like Andrew Friedman and Mark
Speaker 1: Walter have already set the tone that they are not
Speaker 1: resting on the laurels of last year by spending a
Speaker 1: half a billion dollars on players?
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely. I mean each each day it's been,
Speaker 3: it's been more motivating, right to make sure my body
Speaker 3: is prepared and ready to go. My throwing program, I'm
Speaker 3: on schedule, and everything's been you know, we're checking boxes
Speaker 3: and we're getting really close to spring training, and once
Speaker 3: those first couple of bullpens start, you know, we'll be
Speaker 3: ready to go. So that's the definitely the goal. And yeah, man,
Speaker 3: the front office many they're going, so we have to too.
Speaker 1: That's got to be inspiring that you win the World
Speaker 1: Series and your team and your front office have been
Speaker 1: the most aggressive of the off season.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, And that's pretty much all I've known since
Speaker 3: being traded over. Right in twenty twenty one, I got
Speaker 3: traded over and that was the first words out of
Speaker 3: Doc's mouth, was like, we're going forward again. After. They
Speaker 3: just want it in twenty twenty. So I'm pretty used
Speaker 3: to that, right, That's the expectation that we set every
Speaker 3: single year. Coaching staff has that expectation, front office has
Speaker 3: that expectation, players have that expectation. We're all on the
Speaker 3: same page. And I think that's a really big recipe
Speaker 3: for success.
Speaker 1: What you were part of last year as far as
Speaker 1: that group of relievers, it's unprecedented to be able to
Speaker 1: pull off the number of innings that you guys pitched
Speaker 1: as a group, and you took on.
Speaker 2: That identity of the dogs.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, do you feel like that's going to be
Speaker 1: if you're coming in, if you're Tanner Scott, if your kirbyates,
Speaker 1: you better be ready to be part of this group.
Speaker 3: And I think that they've already shown that right with
Speaker 3: their resumes. Right, we've had to face Tanner and Curby
Speaker 3: both multiple times, so we know that they have it
Speaker 3: in them. Now they're just going to be able to
Speaker 3: embrace that their dogs and we'll be good to go.
Speaker 3: So definitely looking forward to welcoming them, you know, making
Speaker 3: sure it's a it's a warm welcome, and you know,
Speaker 3: we we we need them, you know, that's just more
Speaker 3: AMMO for us coming coming out of the bullpen, and
Speaker 3: uh yeah, dogs are going to be hungry.
Speaker 1: One of the leaders of the Dogs, Alex Vessia, is
Speaker 1: our guest. When you look at what you guys, what
Speaker 1: you did. You were pushed to the limits physically, emotionally.
Speaker 1: How have you been able to get your body ready?
Speaker 1: I mean, obviously you're still in that process, but you've
Speaker 1: never pitched that deep into a season before and now
Speaker 1: you've got a quick turnaround.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Yeah. So my wife and I we went on our honeymoon.
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, so we Uh where'd you go? We went
Speaker 3: to can Kun. Oh yeah, six seven days I think
Speaker 3: in uh in Cancun. Got to relax and kind of reset,
Speaker 3: also enjoy basically being married.
Speaker 2: So because we had senior frogs still in Cancun.
Speaker 3: We didn't make it down there.
Speaker 2: I'll tell you that.
Speaker 1: We didn't go outside speed right there, So we didn't.
Speaker 3: Go outside of our of our you know, hotel too much.
Speaker 3: But it was nice for the reset and then right
Speaker 3: you know, right when we got back, that was when
Speaker 3: I started my throwing program and that that build up,
Speaker 3: you know, and luckily it wasn't I didn't take too
Speaker 3: much time off, so it was pretty easy getting into
Speaker 3: my throwing program. My working out schedule was was pretty
Speaker 3: much the you know the same as the years passed,
Speaker 3: and uh, you know, feeling really good and you know,
Speaker 3: definitely we want to just build up smart because you
Speaker 3: are correct that, like, you know, this is the deepest
Speaker 3: that some of us has ever gone. And plus with
Speaker 3: spring training being a little bit closer, we've got we
Speaker 3: have Japan coming up, right, There's all these different things
Speaker 3: that you know, we we do take into account and uh,
Speaker 3: you know, I feel great right now and every day,
Speaker 3: like I said, we'll just keep checking boxes.
Speaker 1: Before I let you go. Have you heard about the
Speaker 1: phenomenon in Los Angeles the hysteria over your bullpen made
Speaker 1: Anthony Banda. I mean, the city has gone crazy ever
Speaker 1: since that parade. Yes, you're a married man, you can't
Speaker 1: take your shirt off on a bus, but Banda can.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 3: It's actually it's funny. Kay gets a lot of comments
Speaker 3: on TikTok about Banda and his tattoos, and you know
Speaker 3: he doesn't He's not a big social media guy, so
Speaker 3: the comments are always like, can you make can you
Speaker 3: let him know? We really want him to have an
Speaker 3: Instagram like, so he he's the best. And you know,
Speaker 3: I've asked him a couple of times. I'm like, no, no, Instagram, no,
Speaker 3: Twitter's like no, man, Like, that's just not me. I'm
Speaker 3: not I'm not a social media guy. So but yes,
Speaker 3: he they had like an event for him right where
Speaker 3: like there was like people in with tattoos that look
Speaker 3: similar to Banda. I think there were. I saw it
Speaker 3: on Instagram a couple of times. So very very hot
Speaker 3: commodity for for Anthony Vanda. So we keep him humble right,
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, and I and he's the most humble guy ever.
Speaker 3: He'll You'll be talking to him here probably a little bit.
Speaker 3: So I'd love to hear what he has to say
Speaker 3: about that one.
Speaker 1: Man, Alex, I am so honestly honored to be able
Speaker 1: to see where you started with the Dodgers and where
Speaker 1: you are now establishing yourself. Like I said, I feel
Speaker 1: like putting you in that left handed bucket not doing
Speaker 1: you justice. I'm here to remind people you're one of
Speaker 1: the best. They talk about the rising fastball being one
Speaker 1: of the hardest pitches to hit, and like I said,
Speaker 1: people need to start recognizing what you've done, not only
Speaker 1: this past October, but nineteen postseason appearances and you haven't
Speaker 1: blinked an eye. And man, the humility that comes from
Speaker 1: you is just basically the personality of this Dodger team
Speaker 1: and why you guys have been so successful.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely, I appreciate it, you know. And it's the
Speaker 3: I'm gonna keep trying to do my job day in
Speaker 3: and day out, you know, through through highs and lows,
Speaker 3: and you know, I'll bring the energy and oh yeah,
Speaker 3: and you know.
Speaker 1: I've been watching the playoff games again, man, with you
Speaker 1: took down the Padres, he mowed them down, and then
Speaker 1: you went into that Yankee series and it's just amazing
Speaker 1: how you emptied the tank and then are able to
Speaker 1: be able to reload.
Speaker 3: All good, All good. The that's the best best part
Speaker 3: about it, man, It's the best part is being able
Speaker 3: to go out perform that night and then you know,
Speaker 3: my my always my goal is to be hot the
Speaker 3: next night. Right, make sure Doc knows I want the ball.
Speaker 3: So that's it. It's all good.
Speaker 1: Thanks a lot for stopping by. Great to see you
Speaker 1: and look forward to seeing you in spring training.
Speaker 3: Appreciate it. Appreciate it. Seeing you in uh about week
Speaker 3: and a half.
Speaker 2: Ooh, I don't come. When you guys start up playing,
Speaker 2: you'll be there.
Speaker 3: You'll be there, I know you will. You'll make your
Speaker 3: way around for you. I will for you.
Speaker 2: I will.
Speaker 1: Snil Zilla thinks I'm gonna be there for him. I'm
Speaker 1: coming for the guys that were wearing that ring. He
Speaker 1: wants that ring, so he better get in line. You
Speaker 1: better game in line and earn it. There's my guy,
Speaker 1: Alex VESSI put some respect.
Speaker 2: On his name.
Speaker 1: Cool, thanks, Yeah, that's right, put some respect on Alex
Speaker 1: Vessi's name. This guy's in nineteen October playoff games none
Speaker 1: bigger than the games he pitched against the Padres, putting
Speaker 1: out fires, coming in in uh in what Game two
Speaker 1: of the World Series where Blake trying to just didn't
Speaker 1: have the feel and Vessia needed to come in and
Speaker 1: close the door for one out. I mean, I mean,
Speaker 1: this guy has come in in big moments and delivered.
Speaker 1: And he was huge in the NLDS against the Padres,
Speaker 1: coming in against the heart of that lineup, the best
Speaker 1: hitters in that lineup, getting lefties out, getting right He's out.
Speaker 1: This guy in nineteen postseason games. I can't say it
Speaker 1: enough has given up two earned runs. He has an
Speaker 1: ELRA of one twenty in nineteen appearances as a relief pitcher,
Speaker 1: a high leverage relief pitcher. And that's where we have
Speaker 1: to just look at guys a little bit deeper and
Speaker 1: look at teams a little bit deeper these days, with
Speaker 1: the way teams are dipping into their bullpen more than ever.
Speaker 1: And the Dodgers again are gonna go into the season
Speaker 1: where they don't have a designated closer. They're gonna share
Speaker 1: things between Tanner, Scott, Alex Vesia, Michael Kopek when he's healthy.
Speaker 1: You're gonna get these guys Kirby Yates, Blake Trinin, alex Vesia.
Speaker 1: So when you start doing that, nobody can just identify
Speaker 1: one guy's being the reason why the Dodgers are successful.
Speaker 1: And I know players like Key Y Hernandez for example,
Speaker 1: or I used the analogy earlier in the show, Kurt
Speaker 1: Shilling or Herscheizer, Pedro Martinez, those type of guys Jack
Speaker 1: Morris are known as october pitchers, Well Madison Bumgardner more
Speaker 1: recently with the Giants, Well, Alex Vesia is basically the
Speaker 1: Key k A Hernandez of the Dodgers pitching staff. A
Speaker 1: guy that's not Mookie Betz or Freddie Freeman. A guy
Speaker 1: that's not Blake Trinan or Kenley Jansen or even Tanner Scott,
Speaker 1: but a guy that comes up big in the big
Speaker 1: moments to keep the lead or slam the door on
Speaker 1: another team. That's Alex Vesia. Nineteen October playoff appearances with
Speaker 1: the Dodgers, and he's only twenty eight years old. That's
Speaker 1: Alex Vesia. He deserves to be celebrated. All right, that'll
Speaker 1: do it for us on Dodger Talk tonight. We will
Speaker 1: be back with you at seven o'clock on Monday night
Speaker 1: right here on Dodgers Radio and five to seventy LA Sports.
Speaker 1: Thanks to Ronnie Fossio for all his help. Thanks to
Speaker 1: Tommy Edman and Alex Vesia for their time. And look,
Speaker 1: I'm going with the Chiefs to three pete. Don't forget
Speaker 1: Andy Reid used to be in sell Dodger Dogs or
Speaker 1: it was an usher at Dodger Stadium back in the day.
Speaker 1: I'm going with Andy Reid and the Chiefs to three
Speaker 1: pete on Super Bowl Sunday. All the haters can hate
Speaker 1: all they want. I'm in on Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 1: We'll see how it goes. Have a great Super Bowl Sunday.
Speaker 1: We'll talk to you Monday.
Speaker 2: See y'am.