Speaker 1: Well, the Dodgers need reinforcements, and I'm with one of
Speaker 1: them today and that's Dodger top pitching prospect or one
Speaker 1: of their top pitching prospects, Ben Casparius. Ben, thanks a
Speaker 1: lot for the time and great to introduce you to
Speaker 1: Dodger fans.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, thanks for having me. It's good to be here.
Speaker 1: Obviously, last night went sideways on the Dodgers with Kershaw
Speaker 1: coming out of the game and having you use seven
Speaker 1: different relievers. When did you get the call, hey, we
Speaker 1: kind of need some reinforcements today.
Speaker 3: Yep.
Speaker 2: I got the call late last night.
Speaker 3: I was notified a little bit earlier in the clubhouse
Speaker 3: after our game. It ended just to you know, be
Speaker 3: understand by, have my phone on me and just wait
Speaker 3: and kind of hear what was going on.
Speaker 1: Where was Oklahoma City? Where did bank Casperius come in from?
Speaker 2: Yep?
Speaker 3: So we were in Round Rock, Texas playing the Rangers,
Speaker 3: Triple A affiliate for the week.
Speaker 1: So I hope at the very least you got Group
Speaker 1: A on Southwest.
Speaker 3: I did.
Speaker 2: I did, so I can't complain about that.
Speaker 1: So, yeah, how anxious are you to get into a
Speaker 1: game because the Dodgers called you up? In a similar situation,
Speaker 1: they did not use you. But how anxious are you
Speaker 1: now that you're here to be used in a game?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think I give a little bit
Speaker 3: of relief to the bullpen in kind of an extended
Speaker 3: bullpen role. So I mean, whenever that time comes to
Speaker 3: and I hear my name call, that's going to be
Speaker 3: a really exciting time.
Speaker 1: Obviously, the Dodgers have tapped into their young pitching talent
Speaker 1: the last couple of years. What's it like to be
Speaker 1: that guy at this moment to be called upon?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I think it's, you know, one of
Speaker 3: the biggest compliments in the world, especially doing it with
Speaker 3: the Dodgers, and you know how much how much star
Speaker 3: power they have, the way that they're able to develop
Speaker 3: pitchers throughout the minor league.
Speaker 2: So it means a lot to me, and it's it's
Speaker 2: great to be here.
Speaker 1: Ben Casparius is our guest as the Dodgers and Diamondbacks
Speaker 1: are getting set for Game two of this four game series.
Speaker 1: The last couple of years, I mentioned some of the
Speaker 1: young pitching that the Dodgers have called up for their
Speaker 1: major league debuts. Emma she and Gavin Stone are a
Speaker 1: couple of names that come to mine as well as
Speaker 1: Landed Nack that not only have started, but also I've
Speaker 1: been very good at being coming out of the bullpen.
Speaker 1: Are you one of those guys too that can do
Speaker 1: any one of these type of rules?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I think so.
Speaker 3: I think that's a big reason why I'm standing here today,
Speaker 3: is just being able to be versatile, give a different look,
Speaker 3: whether it's later in a game, whether it's you know,
Speaker 3: second or third inning, or starting a game.
Speaker 2: I think I'm able to.
Speaker 3: You know, just be able to handle those different roles
Speaker 3: coming out of the pen or starting a game.
Speaker 1: Is that the new norm bend where guys have to
Speaker 1: be able to be more versatile than say twenty years ago,
Speaker 1: where you are just a starter and cannot change your routine.
Speaker 3: I think with the amount of injuries across the league
Speaker 3: wide and just kind of being able to manipulate the
Speaker 3: roster of the way teams are now, I think it
Speaker 3: gives guys a better chance to crack the big leagues
Speaker 3: and just show that you can, you know, handle a
Speaker 3: different workload if it's thrown at you and kind of
Speaker 3: just go about your day the same way, whether it's
Speaker 3: a the start or if it's in the bullpen.
Speaker 1: How many times have you done this where you started?
Speaker 1: Obviously you're a starting pitcher, but how many times have
Speaker 1: you come out of the bullpen in a situation that
Speaker 1: you may be used tonight?
Speaker 2: Yep? Well this year once.
Speaker 3: Okay, I was lucky enough to be in there wason
Speaker 3: A Fall League last year where I solely did that,
Speaker 3: So I think part of the reason was to manage workload,
Speaker 3: but I think a big part of it too was
Speaker 3: just to pitch late into the year, into November, come
Speaker 3: out of the bullpen in a new role and get
Speaker 3: used to that. And then I did it a little
Speaker 3: bit last year in Double A also when I got
Speaker 3: it initially promoted.
Speaker 1: You've had a great season, and obviously I've earned this opportunity.
Speaker 1: How would you describe this season and you coming of age?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think for me it was always just trusting
Speaker 3: my stuff, staying in the zone with my fastball, expect
Speaker 3: swings every pitch, and really just the biggest part of
Speaker 3: it is just keeping myself healthy and staying on a
Speaker 3: good routine for the entirety of the year.
Speaker 1: Is that the biggest thing for pitchers? Maybe we're getting
Speaker 1: back to that where you have to establish your fastball command.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I believe so.
Speaker 3: I think I think there's only really a few guys
Speaker 3: who are you know, ninety or eighty percent breaking ball.
Speaker 3: So I think fastball command, for at least for me,
Speaker 3: is key.
Speaker 2: And you know, I think I'm gonna miss more bats
Speaker 2: the more my fastballs in this one.
Speaker 1: I'm not sure if you do this or whether or
Speaker 1: not it's emphasized in the minor leagues, but I've heard
Speaker 1: great catchers and great pitchers talk about establishing the down
Speaker 1: and away fastball to right handed hitters. Is that something
Speaker 1: that is emphasized or in your bullpen sessions? Is that
Speaker 1: something that you focus on?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think for me, it's, you know, covering the
Speaker 3: up quadrant with my fastball with when I'm ahead and
Speaker 3: account if I want to steal a strike, it's down
Speaker 3: in a way, And I think my slider will play
Speaker 3: better off fastballs that are kind of executed down in
Speaker 3: a way to righties and down in the way to lefties.
Speaker 1: Bank Aspirius is our guest. He's here in Arizona. He
Speaker 1: will be available tonight coming out of the bullpen. Gavin
Speaker 1: Stone starting for the Dodgers. He's been obviously a revelation
Speaker 1: this season. I'm not sure sure where the Dodgers would
Speaker 1: be without Gavin Stone. How well do you know him
Speaker 1: and how much have you been following his season?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 3: I've known Gav probably for two years now. It was
Speaker 3: kind of funny every time he got promoted, I felt
Speaker 3: like I was.
Speaker 2: Just missing him by a team.
Speaker 3: So okay, I mean I've followed him for two years.
Speaker 3: He's a great due and he's an unbelievable pitcher, and
Speaker 3: he's done special things this year.
Speaker 1: Is there anything that you have in common with guys
Speaker 1: like Gavin Stone, Landon Nag, Justin Robleski even though he's
Speaker 1: from the left side. But is there something that all
Speaker 1: of you guys have in common to be able to
Speaker 1: be under the same umbrella of an organization like the Dodgers.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I think it really comes down to just trusting our stuff,
Speaker 3: going out there, competing and you know, giving our team
Speaker 3: the best chance to win. And I think it all
Speaker 3: starts with the basketball, and I think all four of
Speaker 3: us have pretty good fastballs.
Speaker 1: Before I let you go, how will you get ready
Speaker 1: for whatever is called upon tonight?
Speaker 3: I think just sticking to my routine. It's just another game.
Speaker 3: It's another day. I think convincing myself that it's going
Speaker 3: to kind of like ease my nerves a little bit
Speaker 3: and just you know, go out there and have fun
Speaker 3: because you only get to debut once, so.
Speaker 1: No doubt, we're looking forward to it.
Speaker 2: Ben.
Speaker 1: Whenever that phone rings, we're looking forward to seeing Bank Aspirius.
Speaker 1: Thanks a lot for the time, appreciate it.
Speaker 2: Thank you,