Speaker 1: We are live at Dodgers Stadium with you until eight
Speaker 1: o'clock on the eve of the World Series between your
Speaker 1: Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Welcome the
Speaker 1: Dodger Talk David Vasse. I am going to take your
Speaker 1: phone calls at eight six six nine, eight seven two
Speaker 1: five seventy. It's a big show tonight because it was
Speaker 1: media Day for the World Series out here at Dodgers Stadium.
Speaker 1: Both teams participated in media Day. They set up podiums
Speaker 1: for all the players out there in the centerfield plaza,
Speaker 1: so you will hear from guys like Aaron Judge, Alex Verdugo,
Speaker 1: John Carlos Stanton. We'll get you an update on whether
Speaker 1: or not Alex Vesia is going to be part of
Speaker 1: the World Series roster. Also Chris Taylor, who is one
Speaker 1: of the few Dodgers that are participating in their fourth
Speaker 1: World Series with this team. We will hear from Chris
Speaker 1: Taylor as well, so we'll get to all that. And
Speaker 1: also I had an interview with Brian Cashman, the long
Speaker 1: time Yankees general manager president of Baseball Operations, and there's
Speaker 1: kind of a Dodger connection that I was not aware of.
Speaker 1: Brian Cashman grew up a Dodger fan and also was
Speaker 1: a bat boy during their days at Vero Beach, Florida,
Speaker 1: so we'll share his connection in more ways than one
Speaker 1: with the Dodgers, despite him being identified as the architect
Speaker 1: of the Yankees going back to their five championships in
Speaker 1: the late nineties and two thousand and nine. So you'll
Speaker 1: hear from Brian Cashman as well. Eight six six nine,
Speaker 1: eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. We
Speaker 1: have three lines open. Don't forget tomorrow. Our coverage begins
Speaker 1: with Kate's and Sacks in the morning six to nine
Speaker 1: and then Petro some money. We'll be leading you up
Speaker 1: to Morongo Casino. Dodgers on deck which begins at four
Speaker 1: o'clock with first pitch at five h eight. Garrett Cole
Speaker 1: going up against Jack Flaherty Game one of the World Series.
Speaker 1: Two local kids, two Cali kids on the mound to
Speaker 1: duke it out in the first game of the World Series. Obviously,
Speaker 1: Garrett Cole, an Orange County kid, went to UCLA. Jack Flaherty,
Speaker 1: we know the story with him, Harvard, Westlake, the San
Speaker 1: Fernando Valley. So very cool to have two local kids
Speaker 1: with strong ties to La on the mound facing each
Speaker 1: other for these two storied franchises and really special. Still
Speaker 1: pinching myself that I'm hosting Dodger Talk and the Dodgers
Speaker 1: and Yankees are getting ready for the World Series for
Speaker 1: the first time in forty three years. Cannot wait for
Speaker 1: the game tomorrow night. If you don't have a ticket,
Speaker 1: you don't have to go home, but you can't come here.
Speaker 1: Tickets are crazy, from what I understand on the secondary market.
Speaker 1: It's really the hottest ticket. I've lived in La my
Speaker 1: whole life. I live through Magic Birds, Showtime Lakers. That
Speaker 1: was an incredible ticket that was unattainable for a twelve
Speaker 1: year old in the eighties. But this place holds fifty
Speaker 1: six thousand people and you can't get a ticket. And
Speaker 1: if you do get a ticket, it's going to cost
Speaker 1: you at least one thousand dollars just to get in.
Speaker 1: So just sit back, relax, enjoy. If you can't make it,
Speaker 1: we will bring it all to you. Rick Monday and
Speaker 1: Steven Nelson will be on the call. We'll have Dodger
Speaker 1: Talk for you after each and every one of these
Speaker 1: World Series games. And here's my prediction flat out. Everybody
Speaker 1: asks me, who do you got give us some hope?
Speaker 1: What do you think? I'll give it to you coming
Speaker 1: up in our next segment, But just want to say
Speaker 1: before we get into all that, I feel like I
Speaker 1: have to honor our friend Fernando of Alnezuela because when
Speaker 1: you into Dodger Stadium, he was staring at you. And
Speaker 1: the Dodgers have done such a great job, even on
Speaker 1: a workout day in preparation for the World Series, to
Speaker 1: really commemorate and honor a man that is arguably one
Speaker 1: of the greatest and most influential figures in Dodger franchise history. Yes,
Speaker 1: Jackie Robinson broke the color barriers, He's obviously on a
Speaker 1: different level, but Fernando Vealezuela in Los Angeles meant more
Speaker 1: to this franchise than any other player I can think of. Yes,
Speaker 1: Sandy Kofax was great, He meant a lot to a
Speaker 1: lot of people. He's up there as well. But when
Speaker 1: you think of the generations of Dodger fans that have
Speaker 1: been coming to Dodger Stadium, it all started with Fernando Valenzuela.
Speaker 1: He has taken this franchise to a different level, and
Speaker 1: grandchildren of those fans that we hear in nineteen eighty
Speaker 1: one are still passionate Dodger fans. And when I first
Speaker 1: walked into the Dodger offices, they had an eight x
Speaker 1: ten photo of Fernando in his broadcast booth with flowers
Speaker 1: right next to it. Then you walk downstairs to the
Speaker 1: Dodger Clubhouse where they have all the retired jerseys. What
Speaker 1: do they have? They have a blue bow above his
Speaker 1: number thirty four, which was retired. Then you get off
Speaker 1: the elevator as you walk towards the clubhouse and the
Speaker 1: Dugout Club, and they put a blue bow around the
Speaker 1: nineteen eighty one World Series trophy and around Fernando's awards,
Speaker 1: gold gloves, silver Slugger. They have all that. Then you
Speaker 1: go out to the center field plaza area where they
Speaker 1: honor all the legends of Dodger Baseball. What's out there?
Speaker 1: A bouqueta flowers for Fernando. Yesterday I was here for
Speaker 1: MLB Network and on the board Dodger Vision boards, they
Speaker 1: had the silhouette of Fernando Vealezuela just up there. So
Speaker 1: this franchise hurts, the city hurts, but we also reflect
Speaker 1: on a great career and a guy that meant so
Speaker 1: much to all of us. And I know a Fernando
Speaker 1: that his teammates knew a lot better. I'm not going
Speaker 1: to say I was best friends with Fernando, but I
Speaker 1: would say as work friends, we were pretty tight. And
Speaker 1: before every game, not every game, but the majority of
Speaker 1: games here at Dodger Stadium, we would sit with each
Speaker 1: other while he finished up his dinner and I began
Speaker 1: my dinner. We would watch his Mexican baseball team play
Speaker 1: on his cell phone. He would explain what was going
Speaker 1: on with the team. Sometimes he would be frustrated with
Speaker 1: some of those players going all for nothing, trying to
Speaker 1: swing for the fences. He would educate me on the
Speaker 1: dynamics of all that and then transition to some stories
Speaker 1: about his Dodger teams, which were pinch me moments. And
Speaker 1: anybody that was in the press box that saw Fernando.
Speaker 1: He had this routine with his coffee where he really
Speaker 1: would put on a show. He would take two cups
Speaker 1: and pour the coffee in one cup and then do
Speaker 1: this whole long range poor with the cream and the coffee,
Speaker 1: and it was just his routine and Fernando was great,
Speaker 1: great guy, and I'm definitely going to miss him, and
Speaker 1: I think we all, honestly, those of us that work
Speaker 1: with him, had some inclination that his health wasn't doing well,
Speaker 1: especially when he wasn't here for the last homestand in fact,
Speaker 1: the visiting clubhouse a manager, Troy wanted to get a
Speaker 1: jersey signed by Fernando for a fellow Mexican American, Vinnie Castilla,
Speaker 1: who works for the Rockies, but wasn't here, And when
Speaker 1: he said, Hey, is Fernando here, do you think he
Speaker 1: could help me get this jersey signed for him by
Speaker 1: for Vinnie Castilla, I said, yeah, sure, let's do it.
Speaker 1: And then I found out that Fernando was not going
Speaker 1: to be working that series, and you know, his family
Speaker 1: wanted to keep things private and we all respected that.
Speaker 1: But honestly, we've all been thinking about Fernando for the
Speaker 1: last month because we all know that he wasn't doing well,
Speaker 1: and we were all praying that he would find a
Speaker 1: way to come out of it, and unfortunately he didn't.
Speaker 1: But the Dodgers are doing such a first class thing
Speaker 1: to recognize Fernando's career and what he meant to the
Speaker 1: city of Los Angeles and to Mexicans everywhere, Latinos everywhere,
Speaker 1: and the Dodgers, in case you missed it, when you
Speaker 1: see them on the field tomorrow, they're going to have
Speaker 1: a number thirty four patch on their jersey sleeves for
Speaker 1: the entire World Series. There's going to be a huge
Speaker 1: mural on the left field wall when you walk in
Speaker 1: and you see it from the plaza areas of Fernando.
Speaker 1: And also the Dodgers are going to have a moment
Speaker 1: when the silence before first pitch, They're going to do
Speaker 1: a video montage before first pitch here and we're going
Speaker 1: to celebrate Fernando. And how fitting is it that we
Speaker 1: are celebrating the life of Fernando Valenzuela as the Dodgers
Speaker 1: and Yankees are getting ready for their first World Series
Speaker 1: matchup for the first time since Fernando helped put the
Speaker 1: Dodgers on top forty three years ago. And I am
Speaker 1: you may or may not know this, but Game six
Speaker 1: of this World Series falls on Fernando's birthday. Do with
Speaker 1: that which you will? Alex Verdugo is back at Dodgers Stadium,
Speaker 1: A proud Mexican American played for the Dodgers interacted with
Speaker 1: Fernando Valenzuela was on the Dodgers when we went to Monterey,
Speaker 1: Mexico in twenty eighteen. And here was Alex Radugo earlier
Speaker 1: today at media Day, just remembering Fernando.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, obviously, you know, being have Mexican was
Speaker 2: was a very very impactful player for us and just
Speaker 2: person and coming with the Dodgers, playing with him, you know,
Speaker 2: being him being around coaching and just giving advice and
Speaker 2: same thing with Team Mexico. Him being around was was
Speaker 2: always fun.
Speaker 3: Man.
Speaker 2: You you wouldn't when you met him, you wouldn't expect
Speaker 2: him to be as great of a player as he was,
Speaker 2: just because of how down to earth and humble he was.
Speaker 2: And he gave everybody the uh, the opportunity to talk
Speaker 2: to him and and you know, he didn't matter who
Speaker 2: you were, he would open up and have a really
Speaker 2: good conversation with you. So, you know, I'm very sad
Speaker 2: about that one. And uh, you know that one hurt
Speaker 2: you know, not only the Dodgers community, but you know
Speaker 2: a lot of Mexican households and just you know, in
Speaker 2: baseball in general, so that you know, it weighs heavy
Speaker 2: and you know, we just want to put on a
Speaker 2: good series for him.
Speaker 1: All right, there's Alex Erdugo and UH love his thoughtful
Speaker 1: answer right there. And look, Fernando was not a guy
Speaker 1: that went on the field that much or try to
Speaker 1: impose himself on any of the current players. He was
Speaker 1: very confident of what he accomplished and very happy with
Speaker 1: being up here in the press box. But when a
Speaker 1: player would approach him or got introduced to him, he
Speaker 1: would talk to them as much as they wanted to
Speaker 1: talk to him. So that was the type of guy
Speaker 1: Fernando Vealezuela was post playing career. That's the Fernando Vealezuela
Speaker 1: I knew. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five
Speaker 1: seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time
Speaker 1: out here on Dodger Talk. We had three lines open
Speaker 1: at eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy.
Speaker 1: When we continue, you'll hear from a fellow Notre Dame Knight,
Speaker 1: John Carlos Stanton, who's back home. You'll hear from Alex Vesia.
Speaker 1: He will let you know whether or not he feels
Speaker 1: confident he'll be on the World Series roster, and we'll
Speaker 1: share our conversation with Yankees GM Brian Cashman, a lot
Speaker 1: of Dodger Talk live from Dodger Stadium between now and
Speaker 1: eight o'clock right here on AM five to seventy LA
Speaker 1: Sports Dodger Stadium. I'm on the eve of Game one
Speaker 1: of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and
Speaker 1: the New York Yankees. The players have cleared the field,
Speaker 1: the grounds crew is watering the infield dirt, the grass,
Speaker 1: just getting the last minute preparations for what will be
Speaker 1: a spectacular day at Dodger Stadium. Our guy, Brad Paisley,
Speaker 1: by the way, is going to be performing the national anthem.
Speaker 1: And I'm not saying this because Brad Paisley is a
Speaker 1: close personal friend. He won't admit that publicly, but he is.
Speaker 1: I thought Brad Paisley performed one of the best national
Speaker 1: anthems I have witnessed in person back in twenty twenty one,
Speaker 1: the first day fans were allowed back after the pandemic.
Speaker 1: I thought that was one of the best, and I
Speaker 1: expect nothing but the best from Brad Paisley. Tomorrow. Oral
Speaker 1: Herscheizer and Steve Yeger are going to be throwing out
Speaker 1: the ceremonial first pitches before Game one tomorrow. Oral Herscheizer
Speaker 1: the World Series MVP in nineteen eighty eight, and Steve
Speaker 1: Yeger one of the try MVPs of the nineteen eighty
Speaker 1: one World Series. Ron Say, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Jaeger
Speaker 1: were the try MVPs of that series when the Dodgers
Speaker 1: beat the Yankees in six, and that is my prediction
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four. The Dodgers will win the World
Speaker 1: Series in Game six on Fernando Valezuela's birthday. Take that
Speaker 1: to the bank. And I was picking Dodgers in six
Speaker 1: even before I knew it was Fernando's birthday. But the
Speaker 1: Big Dodger in the sky has this all lined up.
Speaker 1: And I just feel like if the Yankees were not
Speaker 1: wearing the Yankee jerseys and they were the Orioles with
Speaker 1: those same players, I don't think people would be picking
Speaker 1: the Yankees as much as they are. Yes, the Yankees
Speaker 1: have some one thing the Dodgers don't. For legit starting pitchers.
Speaker 1: The Dodgers, as we know, have been a little thin
Speaker 1: in the starting pitching department all postseason long. But here
Speaker 1: they are. Garrett Cole tomorrow. Carlos Rodon in Game two,
Speaker 1: talking to some players around the league. They actually told
Speaker 1: me rodn is pitching better than Garret Cole Right now.
Speaker 1: Tomorrow maybe a high scoring affair with Garret Cole on
Speaker 1: the mound for the Yankees and Jack Flaherty on the
Speaker 1: mound for the Dodgers. But the one thing that the
Speaker 1: Dodgers do better than the Yankees is the little things.
Speaker 1: The Dodgers are a better defensive team, they're a better
Speaker 1: base running team, and those things matter in the playoffs.
Speaker 1: But the Yankees are here, so they must be doing
Speaker 1: something right. But the one thing that maybe the Royals
Speaker 1: and the Guardians didn't do as well as the Dodgers
Speaker 1: will do is have a better sci and report on
Speaker 1: how to pitch Judge John Carlos Stanton, especially Juan Soto,
Speaker 1: a great hitter. We'll see what happens there. But I
Speaker 1: feel very confident that the Dodgers can do all these
Speaker 1: things to edge out the Yankees in a seven game
Speaker 1: series and win the World Series again. Eight six six
Speaker 1: nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Speaker 1: Let's take some phone calls before we get to some
Speaker 1: of the media day festivities. Let's go out to seal beach. Rick,
Speaker 1: You're on Dodger Talk. Hi, Rick, Oh hold on, Rick,
Speaker 1: let me put you on hold.
Speaker 4: Heer.
Speaker 1: I just got to change my settings from the usual
Speaker 1: Dodger Talk settings to where we're at here now, So
Speaker 1: just stand by one second. We will get to you now,
Speaker 1: all right, Rick, here we go. You're on Dodger Talk
Speaker 1: live from Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 5: Hi, Rick, Hey, what's happening?
Speaker 4: Dave?
Speaker 5: Someone there?
Speaker 1: We go?
Speaker 5: Both.
Speaker 3: I'm caller and a lot time listener, and I appreciate
Speaker 3: that I've got a couple, I got one beef, and
Speaker 3: also I'm a firm believer, and like, what what this
Speaker 3: all coming down to? And I feel like now that
Speaker 3: Fernando's passed and God bless him, and he's in a
Speaker 3: really good place now. But he sort of knew that
Speaker 3: as soon as like we were going into like the
Speaker 3: World Series, that was time to let go. And this
Speaker 3: is the push, you know, we've got the edge. It's time.
Speaker 3: And so now with that and all the positives, we
Speaker 3: got a bullpen. They're terrible on the basis everything the
Speaker 3: momentum is on our side.
Speaker 6: So I'm totally no.
Speaker 3: I'm usually like I you know, I'm like dread dreading it,
Speaker 3: but I feel totally positive.
Speaker 7: Okay, here's the second one.
Speaker 3: My beef is that all year, right, I was bummed
Speaker 3: out that Charlie Steiner, you know, he was like injured
Speaker 3: and I was waiting for Charlie and then Tim kid
Speaker 3: and I was like totally anti Tim Negertt and then
Speaker 3: through this season, well hold on, through the season, he
Speaker 3: totally like changed my attitude. He was the most positive
Speaker 3: and totally like prepared guy. He was from the vinn
Speaker 3: school where like a home run would come. He gave
Speaker 3: a time, he let the crowd do its thing, and
Speaker 3: then he'd come. And his reputee with Rick is just
Speaker 3: you know, unmasked. And then as I come to understand
Speaker 3: through unnamed sources that dogs well whatever, we have Nelly
Speaker 3: and Nelly's fine. He sort of came when when Tim
Speaker 3: needed a break and he was on TV too, And
Speaker 3: now Tim's like forgotten. So I'm just going to give
Speaker 3: a shout out to Tim Neverett because he was there
Speaker 3: all year and I really miss him.
Speaker 1: All right, Rick, We love Tim never too, and Steven
Speaker 1: Nelson's doing a great job with Rick Monday. Rick Monday
Speaker 1: is actually the one constant in the booth, and I
Speaker 1: read Bill Plashk's column today and that's the first time
Speaker 1: I was made aware of the extent of what Charlie
Speaker 1: was dealing with. And we're very happy that his cancer
Speaker 1: is in remission and we look forward to having Charlie
Speaker 1: back in the booth hopefully next year. Wow, that was
Speaker 1: a heavy phone call to start things off. All right,
Speaker 1: let's go out to Norwalk. Junior. You're on Dodger Talk.
Speaker 7: How you doing, Junior, Hey, Dave, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 7: First day a condolences to the Valenzuela family and the
Speaker 7: Dodgers family lost the big one, you know, And I
Speaker 7: just want to give a quick story on Valenzuela. Back
Speaker 7: of the days there used to give.
Speaker 1: This story. Did you tell this story on Scam in
Speaker 1: the Morning? Have you called Steve Sax and Tim Kates
Speaker 1: to tell this same story? Junior?
Speaker 7: No, All right, all right, go No, I didn't call no.
Speaker 7: Back back in the day, they used to do the
Speaker 7: Dodger caravan, the autograph signings on if you remember, well,
Speaker 7: I got this autograph. Yeah, but they don't bet they
Speaker 7: don't do those no more.
Speaker 8: And I remember that like one of the last fans
Speaker 8: that they that they had kept the line offs and
Speaker 8: you know, I just yelled out, Fernando, you know, I
Speaker 8: get a quick autograph, and the usher was like holding
Speaker 8: me back, and he just told usha, hey, step aside.
Speaker 7: He let him get let him go. And he was
Speaker 7: a That's the kind of person he was. He was
Speaker 7: there for the fans and always there for the Mexican people,
Speaker 7: for the Latinos, and like I said, the Dodgers, Dodger people.
Speaker 1: He was the people. You know, if somebody stopped him respectfully,
Speaker 1: he would take a picture, he would sign an autograph.
Speaker 1: He he definitely was that guy. And Junior, I appreciate
Speaker 1: you sharing that story with us, and uh, let's go Dodgers,
Speaker 1: all right, thank you for the phone called Junior. Dodgers
Speaker 1: Yankees getting set for Game one of the World Series. Obviously,
Speaker 1: Dodgers fans are very emotional with the passing of Fernando Vealezuela.
Speaker 1: We are going into Game one with a heavy heart.
Speaker 1: But once you know that anthem is over with, Fernando
Speaker 1: would not want it any other way than to compete.
Speaker 1: And the one thing he would want is these starting
Speaker 1: pitchers to go deep into the game. Obviously that doesn't
Speaker 1: happen as much, but Fernando was very prideful of the
Speaker 1: fact that he would go eight to nine innings and
Speaker 1: take control of the game as a starting pitcher and
Speaker 1: never look to the bullpen. That's the one part of
Speaker 1: the game today that Fernando that didn't sit well with Fernando,
Speaker 1: the way the game has gone and how starting pitchers
Speaker 1: were coddled more where they would not stay in the
Speaker 1: game longer. Fernando's shoulder basically fell off on the mound
Speaker 1: in the eighties here at Dodgers Stadium. He gave this
Speaker 1: organization everything, So that's a little inside and how he
Speaker 1: looked at things. John Carloston is back at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1: He grew up a Dodger fan. He went to the
Speaker 1: same high school as I did, Notre Dame High School,
Speaker 1: and had a chance to catch up with John Carlow
Speaker 1: during media day. John Carlow, what does it mean for
Speaker 1: you to be playing in your first World Series in
Speaker 1: your backyard?
Speaker 9: That's incredible. I mean, this is you know where I
Speaker 9: grew up loving the game and came to so many
Speaker 9: games and just understood competition, learned learned the level of
Speaker 9: play here and yeah, it's gonna be a fun time.
Speaker 1: Have you allowed it to sink in or do you
Speaker 1: have to have that separation or as you get closer
Speaker 1: you have to kind of start to lock in and
Speaker 1: allow yourself to enjoy.
Speaker 9: Now that's creeping moments. I mean, you know, it's hard
Speaker 9: not to reminisce around the ballpark coming through of like
Speaker 9: when I was a kid here and over the years
Speaker 9: playing here fifteen or so years and yeah, but I
Speaker 9: mean it's all business. I mean here here, it's a
Speaker 9: practice media day. But yeah, you check in and out
Speaker 9: and enjoy it and understand work to do. But you
Speaker 9: gotta you gotta understand both.
Speaker 1: Did you shut off the phone because of ticket requests?
Speaker 9: A little bit of everything? Focus, you know, out the woodworks,
Speaker 9: just you know, it's it's you need the most focused
Speaker 9: in this time and the least amount of distractions.
Speaker 1: You guys saw Yamamoto back in New York. Do you
Speaker 1: feel like that helps in game two that you got
Speaker 1: to look at him or does that not mean anything?
Speaker 9: Right now, all looks help, whether a year ago, two
Speaker 9: years ago, any look helps. But at the same time,
Speaker 9: this is the time to bring out everything in the
Speaker 9: arsenal and change up the plan a little bit because
Speaker 9: of previous looks, and yeah, it would be all hands
Speaker 9: on deck regardless.
Speaker 1: All right. That was John Carlos Stanton during media day
Speaker 1: earlier today, and he continued his routine with Aaron Judge.
Speaker 1: It was a sight to behold. Both those giants were
Speaker 1: in their Yankee road uniforms after doing their media day
Speaker 1: stuff with Fox Sports and came out here to face
Speaker 1: live pitching from former Dodger Clayton Beeter. Remember him, he
Speaker 1: was part of that Joey gallow trade a couple of
Speaker 1: years ago. So I guess John Carlos Stanton takes batting
Speaker 1: or live pitching from Beet or whoever else from the
Speaker 1: Yankees as his routine because he's caught fire this October
Speaker 1: with that routine. So Judge and Stanton do this before
Speaker 1: every series begins and they continue that tradition here at
Speaker 1: Dodger Stadium. Not tradition, but routine. So that was a
Speaker 1: sight to behold out here. And the Dodger bullpen is
Speaker 1: going to try to hope to contain those two guys
Speaker 1: along with Jazz Chisholm and Juan Soto and a big
Speaker 1: key reliever for the Dodgers that was not on the
Speaker 1: NLCS roster is Alex Vesia. Alex Vesia to me, outside
Speaker 1: of Blake Trining, is the biggest reliever the Dodgers have
Speaker 1: in that bullpen because of Juan Soto. Juan Soto is
Speaker 1: over four against Vessia in his short career of matching
Speaker 1: up against each other, and Vesia to me, for him
Speaker 1: to be healthy in the World Series and beyond this
Speaker 1: roster is huge for the Dodgers. And today we caught
Speaker 1: up with Vessia and I feel very confident because Vesia
Speaker 1: feels very confident that he will be on the roster
Speaker 1: when it's released tomorrow. All Right, Alex, the wave of
Speaker 1: media crush has coming gone and it's just you and
Speaker 1: me right now.
Speaker 4: Hey, the wave that came in from way over there
Speaker 4: to show Hey, I wish I would have got that
Speaker 4: on video would have gone viral.
Speaker 1: That's amazing stuff.
Speaker 4: I wish I got a got on video.
Speaker 10: But how are we doing good?
Speaker 1: Doing good? We want to know how you're doing.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm doing really good. I threw live yesterday. I
Speaker 4: threw roughly fifteen pitches. It went, it went really good.
Speaker 1: So do you feel like you could give the you
Speaker 1: can convince Dave that you're ready to be on this roster.
Speaker 4: I've been trying to convince him for a couple of
Speaker 4: days now, so I think I think yesterday I did
Speaker 4: the trick.
Speaker 1: Nice. Do you feel like you're I mean, you guys
Speaker 1: are as a group, and I don't want to just
Speaker 1: put it on you, but you're kind of the guy
Speaker 1: that could face Soto and you have in years past.
Speaker 1: Do you feel like that's the urgency you have because
Speaker 1: the team needs you for those situations?
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean the I faced him before in the past,
Speaker 4: and you know with their with their lineup, they have
Speaker 4: a couple other lefties as well, and you know, myself
Speaker 4: and and band are gonna, you know, gonna be relied
Speaker 4: on probably more than the last series, right, So it's
Speaker 4: you know, it's definitely I'm up for the challenge, you know,
Speaker 4: and will never back down from the fight. And you know,
Speaker 4: the last six seven days have been really good for
Speaker 4: you know, my mental clarity with with everything, and yeah,
Speaker 4: we're I definitely feel prepared and ready to go.
Speaker 1: I'm trying to find the answer to who started the
Speaker 1: identity for the Relievers to call you guys dogs. When
Speaker 1: did that start to really become your identity.
Speaker 4: Yeah, so we I don't remember a couple of months ago,
Speaker 4: there was a quote that I that I had said
Speaker 4: about the bullpen is a bunch of dogs, but then
Speaker 4: that that wasn't super crazy. But then bazooka so Bruce
Speaker 4: dog gratterol he when we were in the bullpen, I
Speaker 4: don't remember exactly who ran out, but he started barking
Speaker 4: roof right like looked at him like what the heck,
Speaker 4: and then like the next guy came out, and a
Speaker 4: couple other people barked, and then like that was just
Speaker 4: kind of how it started, and we kind of just
Speaker 4: embraced that. So I'm I'm gonna give a lot of
Speaker 4: the credit to to Bazuka. So he, uh, he definitely
Speaker 4: started that and and would would text us in our
Speaker 4: in our group chat and stuff about how we're a
Speaker 4: bunch of dogs. So yeah, he definitely pushed that more
Speaker 4: and more.
Speaker 1: And in the celebration, a bunch of you were wearing
Speaker 1: the Dodger clown masks that they saw in the store.
Speaker 1: What was that about?
Speaker 4: Yeah, So Honeywell had like walked out to me and
Speaker 4: like kind of tossed me the mask and he was like,
Speaker 4: I got a bunch of them for us, and I
Speaker 4: was like, all right, cool. So then it was like
Speaker 4: the seventh inning, I I'd like, brought him over, honey,
Speaker 4: I got something for you, and he was like what
Speaker 4: I was like, when we celebrate, So I'm wearing that mask? Yeah,
Speaker 4: and he goes, all right, sounds good. So we got
Speaker 4: in there and I put the mask on, and Banda
Speaker 4: put it on, Bazuka put it on. Yeah, it was
Speaker 4: just it was fun. The only thing about that mass
Speaker 4: when you sprayed it, it went right into your eyes,
Speaker 4: so like my eyes were done for the evening for sure,
Speaker 4: they were burning. But yeah, those mass were awesome. They
Speaker 4: were a big hit.
Speaker 1: Hopefully we'll see him out again.
Speaker 4: Absolutely, they will be out.
Speaker 1: Thanks Messia, glad you're doing good. Thank you too. There
Speaker 1: he is, Alex Vesia. He looks like he'll be on
Speaker 1: the Dodgers World Series roster, ready for Juan Soto at
Speaker 1: the most critical point of the game, and that is
Speaker 1: huge for the Dodgers. Now, speaking of the Dodgers pitching staff,
Speaker 1: I know there's been a lot of speculation since September
Speaker 1: whether or not Otani would pitch in the playoffs. Obviously
Speaker 1: we have not seen him pitch in the first two rounds,
Speaker 1: but Japanese media members told me they believed if Otani
Speaker 1: was going to pitch, it would be on the biggest stage,
Speaker 1: meaning this the World Series. We haven't seen Otani really
Speaker 1: throw bullpen sessions since the playoffs started. He hasn't thrown
Speaker 1: the hitters, so you know, we just want to put
Speaker 1: it on the table on the record, And during Otani's
Speaker 1: media day session, I was able to squeeze myself through
Speaker 1: the hordes of cameramen and media members to ask him
Speaker 1: whether or not he has tried to convince Dave Roberts
Speaker 1: and Andrew Friedman that he can pitch out of the
Speaker 1: bullpen considering where the Dodger pitching staff is right now.
Speaker 1: And this is what he told me through his interpreter quote,
Speaker 1: I've never said to them that I wanted to pitch
Speaker 1: in the postseason. So there you have it. He has
Speaker 1: not tried to convince anybody, and Dave Roberts said, absolutely not.
Speaker 1: You will not see Otani pitch. So that's where things
Speaker 1: stand with Otani and the possibility of him pitching in
Speaker 1: the World Series. It's not happening, all right, let's go
Speaker 1: out to Julian and Whittier. You're on Dodger Talk. How
Speaker 1: you doing, Julian.
Speaker 11: David. It is such a pleasure to talk to you.
Speaker 11: I've been trying to reach you at different times of
Speaker 11: this past season, and I guess it was just really
Speaker 11: really meant to be tonight. The first thing I've wanted
Speaker 11: to happy. Thank you David. David. First of all, I
Speaker 11: listened to the Dodgers just before Fernando Venezuela came into
Speaker 11: the Dodgers. I listened to Jeff Witcher and I'm sure
Speaker 11: you know that name. I listened to Jerry Doggett. Uh.
Speaker 11: It's really emotional for me because the Dodgers were they
Speaker 11: were such a big part of my life. So what
Speaker 11: happens is is that as you know, and a Chabas
Speaker 11: remaining was real estate. It was homes and apartments for
Speaker 11: many Mexicans and Mexican Americans, and when Fernando Belenzoela came along,
Speaker 11: it was almost like it was a spiritual thing because
Speaker 11: it reunited a community that encompassed Chavez Ravine all around it,
Speaker 11: with the exception of the mountains that are behind there,
Speaker 11: the foothills, but most of.
Speaker 1: The Communalian without a doubt, Without a doubt, Julian, I
Speaker 1: know the history. I understand the connection and how that
Speaker 1: kind of healed some wounds and really brought the Latino
Speaker 1: fan base here in Los Angeles back to Dodgers Stadium
Speaker 1: and healed some wounds. And I understand that's a big
Speaker 1: part of Fernando and the connection he had to Los Angeles,
Speaker 1: no doubt about it.
Speaker 11: Yes, And I just wanted to mention that there was
Speaker 11: a real synchronistic thing that happened at that moment and
Speaker 11: it was really really meant to be. And I know
Speaker 11: the Dodgers won't mention this, but I know that ever
Speaker 11: since then, considering that the Mexican American and the Mexican
Speaker 11: community has come back to the Dodgers, their revenue has
Speaker 11: increased quite a bit. That's without saying though, So I wanted.
Speaker 1: To go back to the.
Speaker 11: Yeah, that's right, uh huh. I also want to they're
Speaker 11: already mentioned, and thank you for everything you've done. It
Speaker 11: was hard to get used to you after being with
Speaker 11: Jeff Witcher. It was the change a lot.
Speaker 1: I don't wear plaid pants like Jeff. Jeff's a great guy,
Speaker 1: great voice. I work with Jeff. When I first broke
Speaker 1: into the business, I would be answering phone calls at
Speaker 1: AM eleven fifty while Jeff Witcher was getting ready for
Speaker 1: Dodger Talk back in nineteen ninety eight. Julian so well
Speaker 1: aware of it, and certainly I understand the responsibility that
Speaker 1: this is Vin Scully's press box and we all have
Speaker 1: to definitely hold that standard. Thanks for the phone call, Julian,
Speaker 1: appreciate it. Six nine eight seven two five seventy is
Speaker 1: the phone number. David Vassey live at Dodgers Stadium with
Speaker 1: you until eight o'clock. When we continue on Dodger Talk.
Speaker 1: You will hear the unique connection Brian Cashman has to
Speaker 1: the Dodgers. Plus you'll hear my questions with Aaron Judge,
Speaker 1: got his temperature on the World Series, on going up
Speaker 1: against Otani in the Fall Classic. And also we'll take
Speaker 1: more of your phone calls between now and eight o'clock.
Speaker 1: As we are on the eve of this epic World
Speaker 1: Series Dodgers Yankees Game one tomorrow night right here at
Speaker 1: Dodgers Stadium, first pitch at five oh eight, right here
Speaker 1: on AM five to seventy LA Sports of the most
Speaker 1: anticipated World Series matchup in fifty years. Dodgers, Yankees, Judge, Otani, Betts, Soto,
Speaker 1: Freddie Freeman, John Carlos Stanton, all the stars will be
Speaker 1: out on the biggest stage for Major League Baseball starting
Speaker 1: tomorrow night, and you will hear it live right here
Speaker 1: on Dodgers Radio AM five to seventy LA Sports. Our
Speaker 1: Morongo Casino Dodgers on Deck begins at four o'clock. Ta
Speaker 1: Oscar Hernandez will be our pregame guest and first pitch
Speaker 1: with Jack Flaherty and Garrett Cole of Game one of
Speaker 1: the World Series at five oh eight eight six, six
Speaker 1: nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Speaker 1: Let's take a couple of more phone calls before we
Speaker 1: hear from Brian Cashman and Aaron Judge. Let's go out
Speaker 1: to AZUSA. Serge, you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Surge, doing.
Speaker 5: Great, great, just over the moon. This is just rare earth,
Speaker 5: rare air here and just enjoying the moment. And I
Speaker 5: wanted to know. I know you pull a lot of
Speaker 5: strings there. I know they're gonna do probably honor to
Speaker 5: Fernando at the World Series, but you know what I
Speaker 5: think would be really amazing. Maybe you could pull your
Speaker 5: back strings there. I'd like to see the crowd serenade
Speaker 5: like you know some of these crowds when they when
Speaker 5: they sing a song, and I think it would bring
Speaker 5: a lot of positive energy towards the game.
Speaker 10: And so what do you think of that?
Speaker 1: Yeah, I would love that surge, but also you know
Speaker 1: that would be great. But I'll say this, if you're
Speaker 1: talking about what you want from the fans, this is
Speaker 1: what I want from the fans. When the first pitch
Speaker 1: is thrown. I want the Dodger fans to make it
Speaker 1: so loud that Garrett Cole cannot hear the pitch, colm
Speaker 1: he cannot hear the signs coming from the catcher. The
Speaker 1: Dodger fans can rattle the Yankees' first two starters and
Speaker 1: Cole and ro Don especially in Game two. If they
Speaker 1: make it so loud while the Dodgers are at the
Speaker 1: plate before any action happens, you could disrupt the rhythm
Speaker 1: of the starting pitcher or the relief pitcher. And don't
Speaker 1: for get, don't make the same mistake that you made
Speaker 1: where Profar when he put his glove over the short wall.
Speaker 1: If you're down the right field line or left field
Speaker 1: line sitting in those field seats on the short wall.
Speaker 1: If any Yankee tries to rob a Dodger home run,
Speaker 1: you gotta slap that guy's glove, hand ball, do whatever
Speaker 1: you can to or I'm sorry. If it's a Yankee
Speaker 1: trying to rob a Dodger or home run, you gotta
Speaker 1: find a way to do that to stop it out
Speaker 1: of their hands. If it's a Dodger trying to rob
Speaker 1: a Yankee home run, stay out of the way. But
Speaker 1: if it's a left fielder or a right fielder for
Speaker 1: the Yankee trying to rob a home run, you've got
Speaker 1: to disrupt it. You gotta knock it out of their gloves.
Speaker 1: So search those are the ground rules.
Speaker 5: Sure, sure, I completely agree. Leave the friend that's gonna
Speaker 5: be looking at their phone at home and have them exactly.
Speaker 1: We don't want to repeat a profar getting a red
Speaker 1: carpet to rob Mookie Bets of a home run again.
Speaker 1: So disrupt the starting pitcher with the loud chance before
Speaker 1: a pitch is thrown, and also understand what's going on
Speaker 1: and what's in play when the player goes into the stands.
Speaker 1: That's fair game. Thanks for the phone call, Surge. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1: Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is
Speaker 1: the phone number. Had a chance to catch up with
Speaker 1: one of the most accomplished gms in baseball history. That's
Speaker 1: Brian Cashman. But he surprised me when he told me
Speaker 1: he grew up a Dodger fan Dodgers Yankees first time
Speaker 1: in forty three years. Is it lost on you how
Speaker 1: significant this is?
Speaker 12: No?
Speaker 10: No, I grew up a Dodger fan.
Speaker 12: Actually, so I know the history of the Dodger franchise
Speaker 12: as well as the Yankee franchise, So I know how
Speaker 12: big and uh and important this is. This is the
Speaker 12: greatest matchup in baseball history and it will always be that.
Speaker 1: How did it come that you were a Dodger fan?
Speaker 1: I never associated that.
Speaker 10: Well. I grew up in Kentucky.
Speaker 12: A dear family friend was Ralph and Branca uh and
Speaker 12: so Ralph I had already become a Dodger fan.
Speaker 10: But because of.
Speaker 12: That, Ralph arranged for me to be bat boy for
Speaker 12: the Dodgers in the spring training for a game in
Speaker 12: Vero Beach at the old Holman Stadium back in the day,
Speaker 12: and tim Onless Sorda was the manager And to you know,
Speaker 12: God rest his soul. But to this day, when Tommy
Speaker 12: was alive, he always took credit for my start in
Speaker 12: the game, you know. And so I have five memories
Speaker 12: of of all those Dodger teams back, you know, with
Speaker 12: it they didn't field to stay together for eight years, Garvey,
Speaker 12: Lopes Russell and say, and then you know, those amazing
Speaker 12: teams to watch all those years, and then you know,
Speaker 12: sorry to see Fernando fran Balanzuela a go. He was
Speaker 12: an amazing uh pitcher and an amazing Dodger And obviously
Speaker 12: I never knew him as a person, but I'm sure
Speaker 12: he's an amazing person too.
Speaker 10: But as a fan, it was a it was a
Speaker 10: great team to root for.
Speaker 1: Did you have a favorite player? Uh?
Speaker 10: Garvey Uh?
Speaker 12: And and Ron say, you know, so those guys were
Speaker 12: my favorite players. You know, I loved, you know, obviously
Speaker 12: watching the pitching staff they had, whether it was Bert
Speaker 12: Houghton or Jerry Royce or you know, Don Sutton, you
Speaker 12: know all those guys, you know, And you know, I
Speaker 12: became good friends with Steve how later in life. I
Speaker 12: was the assistant gym and we signed Steve how To
Speaker 12: Pittsford the Yankees who had been obviously a former Dodger here.
Speaker 12: Steve Sachs played for US in New York as well.
Speaker 12: So anyway, a lot of great, fond memories of the Dodgers.
Speaker 1: Brian, when you talk about being friends with Ralph Branka,
Speaker 1: he obviously is a big part of Dodger history. Were
Speaker 1: there some of the stories that he ever shared with
Speaker 1: you that still resonate today?
Speaker 12: No, I mean, like the same stories he told all
Speaker 12: the time, which is they tutd and you know the
Speaker 12: New York Giants had the signs and then ultimately they
Speaker 12: acknowledge that years gone by.
Speaker 10: But you know.
Speaker 12: What a great man, you know, Ralph Franco was, Ralph
Speaker 12: and Day and his wife, they're just great people.
Speaker 1: A little known fact from what I understand, you were
Speaker 1: this close to becoming the Dodger GM. Have you ever
Speaker 1: thought about how history would have changed.
Speaker 12: Yeah, Frank mccordy has offered me the job. My contract
Speaker 12: had just expire with the Yankees. I was in the
Speaker 12: negotiation at the time with the Yankees, and then Frank
Speaker 12: had offered me a pretty significant contract, much more than
Speaker 12: I wound up staying with the Yankees on But I
Speaker 12: had a conversation with George Steimerner, who made me what
Speaker 12: I am today. I would be nobody without the boss
Speaker 12: promoting me into positions and ultimately become a general manager.
Speaker 12: And and so I would never have an opportunity to
Speaker 12: be offered by my childhood team, the Dodgers. But yeah,
Speaker 12: back then, Frank McCourt was telling me how they were
Speaker 12: going to do a whole pr campaign bat Boy returns
Speaker 12: to the Dodgers.
Speaker 10: To run the team.
Speaker 12: And but I ultimately turned it down and stayed loyal
Speaker 12: to the to the man who got me started, which
Speaker 12: was George Steimerner.
Speaker 1: How close was that to happening?
Speaker 10: I was very close. It was ultimately it was a
Speaker 10: yes or no.
Speaker 12: And and you know, I had, you know, and the
Speaker 12: boss wanted me to stay, and and I couldn't leave.
Speaker 12: I couldn't bite the hand that fed me all those years.
Speaker 12: Like again, he gave me my opportunity as an intern
Speaker 12: all the way through and and when he said I
Speaker 12: want you to stay, I couldn't go.
Speaker 1: Before I let you go. Brian Cashman, Andrew Friedman, your
Speaker 1: teams have competed against each other going back to the
Speaker 1: Al East. Can you describe the level of respect you
Speaker 1: have for each other. And also, you guys are not
Speaker 1: deciding things between the lines, but what is the dynamic
Speaker 1: between you and Andrew in this competitive field.
Speaker 12: I've known Andrew a long time when he first starts
Speaker 12: got started in the game in Tampa Bay. You know,
Speaker 12: I'd reach out in Hyde Park, Tampa and meet Joe
Speaker 12: Madden and Andrew for drinks, you know, during spring training. They'd
Speaker 12: come on over and we'd all sit down and have
Speaker 12: a cocktail or two and just you know, tell baseball
Speaker 12: stories or whatever. That was a long time ago now,
Speaker 12: but I have amazing respect for Andrew. He's obviously on
Speaker 12: a Hall of Fame track. What he's done here with
Speaker 12: the Dodgers is amazing. The culture they've built the teams
Speaker 12: on a year and a year out basis. Obviously, this
Speaker 12: franchise is lucky to have a god like Andrew Freeman.
Speaker 1: Well, two executives that are on their way to Cooperstown.
Speaker 1: Brian Cashman and Andrew Friedman. Thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 1: Really respect everything you've done in your career in the
Speaker 1: way you handle yourself.
Speaker 10: Thank you, my friend. Let's have a great series.
Speaker 1: All right, there's Brian Cashman. Yes, let's have a great Series.
Speaker 1: But let's make it the Dodgers winning it. And you
Speaker 1: know he mentioned Andrew Freeman going to Cooperstown. Isn't it
Speaker 1: funny how before the playoffs started in all season long,
Speaker 1: there were whispers, not only from fans, and I shouldn't
Speaker 1: even say whispers, it was pretty loud talk from fans
Speaker 1: and even from media that if Dave Roberts did not
Speaker 1: get the Dodgers to the World Series, he would not
Speaker 1: be the Dodger manager next year. Well, here we are
Speaker 1: with the Dodgers in the World Series, and now everybody
Speaker 1: has changed the narrative that if he wins, he's a
Speaker 1: Hall of Fame manager. And I completely agree with that,
Speaker 1: But don't you have to include Andrew Friedman in that
Speaker 1: type of conversation. What he did in Tampa Bay, what
Speaker 1: he has done in Los Angeles, he deserves just as
Speaker 1: much credit as anybody else for the Dodgers turning things around. Obviously,
Speaker 1: Ned Coletti left a cabinet full for Andrew Friedman, but
Speaker 1: he's been able to take it and run with it
Speaker 1: and get to what four World Series and win one.
Speaker 1: It would be two for him as well. So the
Speaker 1: combination of Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts certainly is a
Speaker 1: Hall of Fame worthy combination that we really haven't seen
Speaker 1: maybe Cashman and Joe Tory. Outside of that. Can you
Speaker 1: name another GM manager combo in the last thirty five years?
Speaker 1: I really can't. Eight six six nine, eight seven two
Speaker 1: five seventy is the phone number GM manager combo this dominant.
Speaker 1: Let's go out to Ventura, Reggie, You're on Dodger Talk.
Speaker 1: How you doing? Reggie?
Speaker 6: Hey, Dave, Hey, you know what. I've been listening to
Speaker 6: you all year. You know what. It took me a
Speaker 6: while to get used to you, but Marin you you
Speaker 6: really know your stuff, and I really like how you
Speaker 6: can just build up the Dodgers every day. When I
Speaker 6: listen to you, I can be down and you can
Speaker 6: just start talking about the Dodgers and you make me happy.
Speaker 1: But back to this, I'm happy to hear that, Reggie.
Speaker 1: I'm glad I've grown on you. I don't grow on
Speaker 1: too many people.
Speaker 6: Hey, I've been a Dogu fan since the seventies. You know,
Speaker 6: I've seen the World Series and seventy eight when I
Speaker 6: was a kid, you know, eighty one with Fernando And
Speaker 6: it's just I just don't understand that people don't really
Speaker 6: you know, understand, you know the magnitude of what this is,
Speaker 6: this world series is about. You know, this is like
Speaker 6: the world stage for the Dodgers and the Yankees and
Speaker 6: the Asian market of all the Asian baseball players that
Speaker 6: they have.
Speaker 1: Yes, you know, I'm the biggest Reggie, Yes, big stage.
Speaker 1: Who do you got, Dodgers or Yankees?
Speaker 6: I got the out the Dodgers. You I'm a Dodgers fan.
Speaker 1: Yeah, man, all right, we'll see you at the parade. Reggie,
Speaker 1: first Dodger parade since nineteen eighty eight. We'll see you there. Look,
Speaker 1: I wish him all the best, but I'm hoping the
Speaker 1: Dodgers beat the Yankees. I mean, this is if you
Speaker 1: grew up in Los Angeles, the Yankees are right up
Speaker 1: there with sports hatred with the Boston Celtics. So the
Speaker 1: Dodgers Yankees. It brings back a lot of memories of
Speaker 1: what was talked about in my household, the stories we
Speaker 1: heard from the Boys of Summer and the heartache they
Speaker 1: had at the hands of the Yankees. Rick Monday and
Speaker 1: his team losing back to back years and coming back
Speaker 1: with redemption in nineteen eighty one, This is what this
Speaker 1: rivalry is all about, and it kicks off tomorrow night,
Speaker 1: Game one of the World Series Dodgers Yankees first pitch
Speaker 1: at five oh eight. In case you missed any of
Speaker 1: this show previewing the World Series, you can find it
Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app. Want to say thanks to Ronnie
Speaker 1: Fossio back at our Burbank studios, thanks to Dwayne McDonald
Speaker 1: who got us set up here at Dodger Stadium, and
Speaker 1: thanks to you for listening. In case you want more
Speaker 1: Dodger talk, we started all over again tomorrow at six
Speaker 1: am with Steve Sacks and Tim Kats. We will talk
Speaker 1: to you tomorrow from Dodger Stadium, Game one of the
Speaker 1: World Series. Sleep Fast, have a great rest of your night.
Speaker 1: See you