Speaker 1: It's opening day, this time in Tokyo, Japan. Last year
Speaker 1: was in Seoul, Korea. And we're joined right now by
Speaker 1: a man that has meant so much to the city,
Speaker 1: the World Series MVP, and just a guy that has
Speaker 1: led this Dodger team in so many ways, and that's
Speaker 1: the great Freddie Freeman. Freddy, thank you for the time.
Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you for having me, David, that's all I
Speaker 2: got so far.
Speaker 1: Same here, same here. But I mean you've been all
Speaker 1: over the world literally with the Dodgers, and here we
Speaker 1: are in Tokyo, Japan.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's pretty special. I mean back to back years
Speaker 2: starting overseas in Asia. It's pretty crazy. Really. It's we
Speaker 2: were doing practice the other day and show he came
Speaker 2: out and the fans were just going all crazy for him.
Speaker 2: We're hitting home runs and they're clapping for us. After everything.
Speaker 2: It makes you want to hit more in back practice.
Speaker 2: But it's it's cool. I'm glad we're over here, you know,
Speaker 2: kind of growing the game and letting the fans of
Speaker 2: Japan CEUs play.
Speaker 1: What do you believe the vibe is from not only
Speaker 1: Shohy but Yamamoto Sasaki.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's pretty special. You can feel the buzz. I
Speaker 2: mean they got showed out and say over there too.
Speaker 2: So five really really great Japanese players being able to
Speaker 2: come over here and complete compete and come back home
Speaker 2: for them and play in front of the fans that
Speaker 2: they grew up playing in front of, and for us
Speaker 2: to come over and experience it with them. I mean,
Speaker 2: it's special. These are once in a lifetime moments that
Speaker 2: you get that experience and you try and take it
Speaker 2: all in but hopefully get the win tonight and tomorrow.
Speaker 1: Freddy, you've had a few days to practice on this
Speaker 1: playing surface, does it remind you of Tropic Canna Field's.
Speaker 2: Not like that. It's actually a little different because not
Speaker 2: used to like only a little small parts of it
Speaker 2: being dirt, you know, and there's a lot of pebbles
Speaker 2: popping up, so it's a little different. The lights are lower,
Speaker 2: so there's a lot of things that you just kind
Speaker 2: of get used to. And that's what you've got to
Speaker 2: get here and practice and do all that and try
Speaker 2: and figure it all out and do the best you
Speaker 2: can out there.
Speaker 1: It seems dark in this Tokyo Dome. Is that a
Speaker 1: good thing to pick up the baseball?
Speaker 2: I mean, I guess we're gonna find out. We'll see.
Speaker 2: I mean throughout the practices. It's the lights were a
Speaker 2: little bit lower, so maybe a little pop ups. You
Speaker 2: can lose them really easy, but then you can pick
Speaker 2: them back up. So you just got to really stay
Speaker 2: focused on every single pitch. Nothing like we normally do,
Speaker 2: but just a little bit extra more because it's just
Speaker 2: a different planning environment that we're used to.
Speaker 1: You know, I'm thinking about your right ankle when I
Speaker 1: think of this type of artificial turf surface.
Speaker 2: How has it felt. It's okay so far. The metal
Speaker 2: spikes on this turf is a little different. We're doing
Speaker 2: the best we can to combat it. A lot of treatment,
Speaker 2: a lot of treatment after the game, so we're gonna
Speaker 2: hopefully get through these two games and be okay.
Speaker 1: Freddy, the Freddie Freeman doctor plan really paid off in Arizona.
Speaker 1: You laid out how you saw this happening and it
Speaker 1: came to fruition.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it did. I'm glad because there's you never know
Speaker 2: if an ankle or lower body injury, if there's gonna
Speaker 2: be a little sit back or anything like that. But
Speaker 2: thankfully we got through it. Things. I was able to
Speaker 2: get enough of bats where I felt pretty comfortable up there,
Speaker 2: So hopefully that leads to some good things here in
Speaker 2: these two games against the Cubs.
Speaker 1: Freddie Freeman is our guest just in front of first
Speaker 1: pitch between the Dodgers and Cubs here in the Tokyo series,
Speaker 1: and Freddie, we talked to you at Dodger Fest. It's
Speaker 1: hard not to continually be reminded about what the team
Speaker 1: did in October last year and what you did in
Speaker 1: October last year. How much have you had time to reflect?
Speaker 1: And is tonight the night that you officially turned the page?
Speaker 2: I mean I've still reflected. I mean all the spring training,
Speaker 2: all the fans, it's every single day they were out
Speaker 2: there letting us know how appreciative they were of what
Speaker 2: we did for last year and getting a championship. I
Speaker 2: don't know if you can officially turn the page until
Speaker 2: we get back home and do that for I mean,
Speaker 2: we got to experience it with the Dodger fans back
Speaker 2: at home and get our rings and put the banner up.
Speaker 2: We could still focus on today and the Cubs and
Speaker 2: still be appreciative of what we accomplished, and I know
Speaker 2: our fans are excited for us. To get home and
Speaker 2: play against the Tigers and get the in the banners.
Speaker 2: So we can still focus on today, but look forward
Speaker 2: to getting those that opening weekend at home.
Speaker 1: Hey, I got breaking news for you. You signed a
Speaker 1: fans calf I believe at Dodger Fest.
Speaker 2: Yes, I did.
Speaker 1: The fan has been dming me on Instagram the tattoo
Speaker 1: that complimented the signature. So I got to show that
Speaker 1: to you.
Speaker 2: If you have not already seen it, I have not
Speaker 2: seen it. I will show it to you after this.
Speaker 2: I can't wait to see it. That is crazy, the
Speaker 2: first time ever. I think this is the first time
Speaker 2: it's been I've seen about four tattoos now of me
Speaker 2: on people. It's pretty cool, you know, just to put
Speaker 2: me on them forever. Hopefully hopefully they when they're a
Speaker 2: little bit older they still like me.
Speaker 1: That will live forever, Freddy, No doubt, I hope. So
Speaker 1: all right, Well, thanks a lot for the time, Freddy.
Speaker 1: Great to spend time with you here in the tunnel
Speaker 1: of the Tokyo Domes.
Speaker 2: This is awesome, Thanks David, I appreciate it.