WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.200 Now boarding flight five seventy to Arizona. 2 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:07.679 Welcome to a springs Raining edition of Dodger Talk on 3 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:11.080 a home bringing you all the latest on the blue 4 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:16.079 and taking your calls, hosted by Dodgers insider David Vassi. 5 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:18.399 LA favorite son David Firsa. 6 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:21.800 To catch anything you missed, subscribe to Dodger Talk on 7 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:26.199 your podcasting platform of choice. Welcome back, Oh the Boy back, 8 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:30.000 and now your host, David vas say. 9 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:35.799 We are live in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, not with just 10 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:39.520 our partners, but with our family of a five seventy 11 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:40.560 LA Sports. 12 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:43.759 We have a very special edition of Dodger Talk for 13 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:46.920 you tonight. Our very own Rick Monday, who has been 14 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:51.399 in the Dodgers radio booth since nineteen ninety three, has 15 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:53.679 showed up and is going to join us. Coming up 16 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:57.960 in our next segment. Andre Ethier, also a proud Arizona 17 00:00:58.039 --> 00:01:00.920 State Sun Devil, is expect to join us at some 18 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:03.240 point in time, and a lot of insults will be 19 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:05.040 thrown at me between Rick and Andre. 20 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:07.200 So that'll be the entertainment tonight. 21 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:09.560 But before we go forward, I just want to say 22 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:12.400 thank you to our partners and our family of AM 23 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:14.040 five seventy LA Sports. 24 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:16.760 If we can all raise a drink to. 25 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:20.719 Each other here in downtown Phoenix and to the world 26 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:28.599 champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Thank you to the California Community Colleges. 27 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:32.000 Thank you to CCHLA. You guys do such a great job. 28 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:37.879 Thank you to zenc Shooe Sushi Bonzai's NC Shushie Bonzai, 29 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:47.760 Engelbert Strass Alignment, Health Intuitive Agency, Chumash Casino. We all love, 30 00:01:47.879 --> 00:01:54.359 We all love Chumash, Marongo, our good friend Marogo, Scott Cooper, Coop, 31 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.439 good times, good times, Coop. 32 00:01:58.000 --> 00:01:59.480 I'll be there. I'll be there. 33 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:04.159 Don't worry, Jay Pritchard and Daniels Jewelers. Diamond dreams do 34 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:07.359 come true, don't they. Rick, You're having one right now. 35 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:10.319 This is a dream. This is a dream. So thank 36 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:13.080 you for joining us tonight. And it's not a coincidence. 37 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:16.400 You have seen the two best games of spring training 38 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.680 since you got here last night. These people here in 39 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:24.000 this room at the Arrogant Butcher Witness Show. Hey Otani's 40 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:28.680 first game of spring witnessed O'tani's first at bat and 41 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:31.520 of course a home run. Who else can do that? 42 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:35.879 Nobody can do that. Otani can do that. And then 43 00:02:35.919 --> 00:02:41.000 today you witness two things. Freddie Freeman's first home run 44 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:44.479 of the spring, and some would say a bigger miracle. 45 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:46.960 Hey Son Kim got a hit and it was a 46 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:52.199 home run, three runs scored. Dodgers beat the Giants six 47 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.599 to five. Last night you saw Dalton Rushing walk the 48 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.960 Dodgers off with a win. And we all love beating 49 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:01.360 the Giants right six to five today, that's always special. 50 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:04.319 How about what Rick Monday pointed out? And Rick's gonna 51 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:06.560 join us in just a moment, but I love that. 52 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:12.280 Rick Monday again pointed out an Arizona State Sun devil's accomplishments, 53 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:16.800 Austin Barnes, who, by the way, is the longest active 54 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:21.719 Dodger position player on this roster. Nobody else has been 55 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:26.319 on this team longer than Austin Barnes, except Clayton Kershaw, 56 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.000 who was here for the first three days but then 57 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.319 went home to be a dad. But he'll be back. 58 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.159 He's not starting the season. But Austin Barnes, with this 59 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:40.560 new automated strike zone where catchers, pitchers, hitters can challenge 60 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:46.159 the balls or strikes, Austin Barnes today may have set 61 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:49.439 the home plate umpire on tilt, back to back pitches 62 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.120 and he got him right. And he is five for 63 00:03:52.400 --> 00:03:59.319 five this spring for appealing balls and strikes. Yeah, Barnesy, 64 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:04.280 that guy is uh, he's special. He brings something to 65 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:06.719 the team that doesn't show up in the box score. 66 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:09.599 So I had to give Austin Barnes some kudos. And 67 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.520 you know, the biggest question for the Dodgers this spring, 68 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.960 and even Rick touched on it a little bit, is 69 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:20.199 second base and center field. That's the biggest question. There's 70 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:23.519 two spots for four guys. Can you name the four 71 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:26.959 guys that are competing for two spots? One of them 72 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:31.319 is Hey Song Kim Whu Homer today. The other is 73 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:34.199 Andy Paez, who could play center field in the corner. 74 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:38.360 The other is James Outman, who had a rough sophomore season. 75 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:40.759 And the fourth, if you want to put him in 76 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:44.800 the mix, is Chris Taylor. Oh, come on, I mean, 77 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:48.639 I mean, really, Chris, don't we don't we have some 78 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:52.399 credit with Chris Taylor. Come on, Chris Taylor's built some 79 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:55.720 credit in this room, hasn't he He's built some credit 80 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:58.199 in this city. But those are the four guys that 81 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.879 are competing for a spot. And for me personally, I 82 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:05.160 feel like, you know, Kim is learning a new swing. 83 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:09.399 I don't know, maybe I think he's on he's on 84 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:11.639 the uh on the bubble to make the team. I 85 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:15.519 would pick Pahz right now. And it feels like ct 86 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:18.120 is going to be on this team at least to 87 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:21.319 start the year. So those are You know, in spring training, 88 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.600 you come and you get competitions for jobs. There's not 89 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:29.000 too many competitions for jobs on this Dodger team this spring. 90 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:32.720 I mean, who's gonna take Freddie Freeman's job, Who's taking 91 00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:35.120 shoey Otani's job, Who's taking Will Smith's job? 92 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:39.439 Nobody? So that's the way it looks right now, and 93 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:40.600 I feel like. 94 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:43.439 We all should just take it in because of all 95 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.240 the heartbreak over the last thirteen years. 96 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:47.279 The Dodgers. 97 00:05:47.319 --> 00:05:50.079 If you don't know the history of their name, and 98 00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:53.279 here's a fun fact. Back in Brooklyn, they were the 99 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:57.879 bridesmaids to start out with, right they were they were 100 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:02.439 they were always coming up second the Yankees in Brooklyn 101 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:06.759 and la But we've had that in recent history as well, 102 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.959 and that's why it means so much for them to 103 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:11.319 win the twenty twenty four World Series so I think 104 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:14.439 we all should appreciate that you saw the parade. It's 105 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:16.600 a special time to be a Dodger fan. This is 106 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:20.800 the golden age of Dodger baseball, especially in Los Angeles. 107 00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:23.240 All right, we're gonna take a time out when we 108 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:27.600 come back. The one and only Rick Monday, who is 109 00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:30.000 seated next to me, who is giving me a lot 110 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.439 of judgment looks in that first segment. I am being judged. 111 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:37.720 I'm always being judged. He keeps me honest. Rick Monday 112 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:39.759 will join us. Well, he's sitting right next to me, 113 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:40.839 but he'll put the headset on. 114 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:41.319 I think. 115 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:45.759 Dodger Talk live from the Arrogant Butcher in downtown Phoenix 116 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.680 with our family having a great time in spring training 117 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:51.959 right here on your home for the world champion Dodgers 118 00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:59.399 and five seventy LA Sports. 119 00:06:57.079 --> 00:06:59.879 We return to more of this edition of Spring Train 120 00:07:00.199 --> 00:07:04.560 Dodger Talk, your host and Dodger insiders, David Vasse. 121 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:09.120 We are live in downtown Phoenix as we are hosting 122 00:07:09.160 --> 00:07:14.120 a very special Dodger Talk on this beautiful Saturday night 123 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:17.920 in the desert in the shadow of Chase Field, and 124 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:20.560 we are having a great time with our partners here 125 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:23.519 in Phoenix. They got to see two of the best 126 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:27.439 spring training games this spring so far. I want to 127 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:30.480 say thank you to our hosts, Jeff Thomas, Julie Martski, 128 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:33.160 Joel Kelly, and Dave Waste. But we are joined right 129 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:37.319 now by a man that is the star of Dodgers Radio, 130 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:41.240 the anchor of the Dodgers broadcast on AM five seventy 131 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:45.079 LA Sports. A man that joined the broadcast team in 132 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:48.439 nineteen ninety three, a man that made his name in 133 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.800 Major League Baseball for nineteen great seasons, hit one of 134 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:55.680 the biggest home runs in Dodger playoff history in nineteen 135 00:07:55.800 --> 00:07:59.839 eighty one, the first overall draft pick ever in night 136 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:03.680 teen sixty five. And that is our very own treasure, 137 00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:08.839 Rick Monday. Please get Rick Monday from love. Thank you, 138 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:11.079 Thank you for coming by. Rick and I met Oh no. 139 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:12.399 No you didn't. 140 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.439 But I do want to commend you on the fact 141 00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:19.560 that you read it exactly as I wrote it. But 142 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:22.600 that worked out well. By the way, David, you obviously 143 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:25.360 have not paid attention. There is a sign over there 144 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:30.120 that says no loitering, and management wants to talk to 145 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:33.279 you about it. So I mean this is great. I 146 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:38.639 mean the world championship means a lot. I wear this 147 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:40.919 ring for eighty one for a lot of reasons. It 148 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:44.960 reminds me of twenty four teammates, it reminds me of 149 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:47.080 a coaching staff, reminds me of a front office. It 150 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:49.679 reminds me of everyone in the Dodge organization, the people 151 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:52.639 that supported the game itself, and everyone in this room 152 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:53.679 you've had a. 153 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:54.279 Part in it. 154 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:57.639 So a celebration of a world championship, it does not 155 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.720 happen that often, and when it comes around, it is very, 156 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.519 very special. And the biggest thing is is you saw 157 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:07.679 in the video Briefly, it's a good excuse for adults 158 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:09.440 to act like six year olds after you win a 159 00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:13.240 World championship, and that's exactly what happens, and it's a 160 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:17.480 wonderful feeling. The oddity is, after you win a World Series, 161 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.240 it kind of sings in a couple of days later, 162 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:22.840 and the clock gets to that area in the afternoon 163 00:09:22.840 --> 00:09:24.759 where you normally leave your house and you go to 164 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.039 the to the ballpark. The clock gets that area that 165 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:30.600 normally you're taking batting practice. And then the clock gets 166 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:33.399 that area that said, well, normally, it's the anthem in 167 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:37.840 the first pitch there was a song many many years 168 00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:41.279 ago about is that all there is? And after you 169 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:43.639 win the World Championship, if things kind of calmed down, 170 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:48.639 it's the silence is deafening because you're used to fifty 171 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:51.720 thousand people. And for the Dodgers and the Yankees, I mean, 172 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:56.080 it was a World Series that everyone watched. I've always 173 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.320 said the Dodgers and Yankees could play any tiddlewinks contest 174 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:02.080 and you would have a big, big crowd, and that's 175 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:04.039 exactly what happened. And then the Doctors went it in 176 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:09.039 five games. So this is special. Embrace it, taste it 177 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:11.240 because it does not go around that often. 178 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:16.559 Rick Monday's Dodgers, Yes, indeed, Rick Monday's Dodgers played the 179 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:19.879 Yankees three times in the World Series, lost back to 180 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:23.240 back years in seventy seven and seventy eight, but there 181 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:25.320 was redemption in nineteen ninety on. 182 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:27.440 A setting on the edge of my seat because to me, 183 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:29.799 you know, I grew up in Santa Monica, so I'm 184 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:31.480 a West Coast guy to begin with. I live in 185 00:10:31.480 --> 00:10:35.320 Florida now, but yeah, I did not care for the Yankees. 186 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:39.559 And then three World Series and it came down Finally, 187 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:43.320 there were some things that we thought could have happened 188 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:46.559 in a couple of those games, like Reggie Jackson throwing 189 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:48.399 his hip out on a throw that Bill Russell was 190 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:50.600 making an attempt to make a double play. Frank Pully 191 00:10:50.639 --> 00:10:54.039 is a second base umpire. I don't remember much about it. 192 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.759 Sounds like you haven't gotten over it, right. 193 00:10:55.879 --> 00:11:00.200 No, no, no, No. Hardack lasts for a long long time, 194 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:05.159 but through the twenty twenty four Dodgers there was an 195 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.399 extra special thing for me to kind of live vicariously 196 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.799 through their accomplishments because they were able to do so much. 197 00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:14.799 I mean Freddy Freeman, it's amazing that, first of all, 198 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:18.080 he was able to play, especially in the World Series, 199 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:21.159 and then he hits that Grand Slam in Game one. 200 00:11:21.399 --> 00:11:24.720 He could barely walk. We're still seeing the after effects 201 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:27.360 after having the surgery during offseason. It was a very 202 00:11:27.399 --> 00:11:30.720 special year and a lot of different reasons that came 203 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:32.600 into it, including the fact if you look at the 204 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:35.559 bullpen for the Dodgers during that World Series, even in 205 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:39.240 postseason play, they were so lights out remarkable. It was 206 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:42.799 amazing because he had injuries into starting rotation, but this 207 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:45.759 is a ball club that has the resiliency I said 208 00:11:45.879 --> 00:11:50.000 last year in Game one of Spring Trending, and I 209 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.600 reiterated it again in Game one this year. Last year, 210 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:56.559 I said the Dodgers were perceived as the Goliath of 211 00:11:56.600 --> 00:12:01.399 baseball and everyone wanted to be David and slay Goliath. Well, 212 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:05.279 David didn't show up last year. Well, my personal opinion 213 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:10.440 is David has gotten bigger, stronger, and better during the offseason. 214 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.279 But you can't wait it on paper. You still have 215 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:14.480 to go out and play the best baseball one hundred 216 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:17.320 and sixty two games in order to get to the playoffs, 217 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:19.519 and then one team is going to win eleven games 218 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.039 and be crowned as the world champions. 219 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:24.440 What have you seen from the Dodgers so far in 220 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:26.799 spring training. I know it's hard to assess, but it 221 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:28.519 feels like there's still. 222 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:32.799 Still difficult I said, really coming in is that there's 223 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:38.039 two question marks. The decisions can be difficult, and that's 224 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:41.159 the nice thing. But centerfield and second base, as you 225 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:43.960 were talking about earlier, no one has really stood up 226 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:48.879 and said, hey, I'm the guy. So limited number of 227 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.679 only twelve more days here because the Dodgers will leave 228 00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:54.639 early and go to Tokyo. They'll have a couple of 229 00:12:54.679 --> 00:12:56.360 days there to work out. Then they played the two 230 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:59.759 exhibition games against two different teams from Japan, and then 231 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:03.240 they open up against against the Cubs. So you know, 232 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:07.039 there's there's a time a time span in here that 233 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:09.919 someone is going to have to raise their hand by 234 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.960 how they perform on the field in order to win 235 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.759 one of those two positions. And it may be it 236 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:17.600 may be a combination of different people. 237 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:20.639 It might be just one position, right because Tommy Edmund 238 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.279 can play second and center and shortstop. 239 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:26.000 He has a high baseball and I think if you look. 240 00:13:25.960 --> 00:13:29.759 David, we've seen it. The Dodgers have had versatility. And 241 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:32.039 it's not just guys say, hey, go out and play 242 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:34.559 second base and we hope nobody hits the ball to you. 243 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:36.600 Go out and play left field, we hope nobody hits 244 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:40.240 the ball to you. The Dodgers have had the depth 245 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:42.279 in different positions where the guys go out and they 246 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.279 play the positions very well. You know, you look at 247 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:47.399 Chris Taylor, you look at k K. Her Nanaz, you 248 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.799 look at Tommy Edmonds. You bring up on top of it, 249 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:53.960 and now Michael Conforto come in primarily to play left field. 250 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:56.720 He's still trying to get the swing going and get 251 00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:00.600 back into the pattern. Because I remember Conforto years ago 252 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:02.799 at Shaye Stadium when he made his major league debut 253 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:05.360 and it was against the Dodgers in New York, and 254 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:09.039 he was very highly touted, and it comes over. I 255 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:12.480 think you're talking to Andrew Friedman, the president of Baseball Operations. 256 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.840 He said that he believes very strongly that the eye 257 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:22.919 of Conforto really presents itself better with Dodgers Stadium than 258 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:26.799 it did with that real big right center field fence 259 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:29.799 and configuration that they had in San Francisco. But you know, 260 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:31.399 there's a lot of water that has to go into 261 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.000 the bridge. But what a bridge it is. The Dodgers 262 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:37.919 have been able to build because in my estimation I 263 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:39.960 look at it, this is a better team on paper. 264 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:42.679 Now how they perform could be a different story. I 265 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:46.159 don't think so. But I expect the Dodgers full well 266 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.759 to be in postseason again. But again, once they get 267 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:52.559 to that point, you have to win eleven games. 268 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:56.480 Rick Monday calls more games than any other Dodger broadcaster 269 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.679 and was with the Dodgers all the way through last year, 270 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:04.240 and certainly is I don't want to demean your broadcasting skills. 271 00:15:04.279 --> 00:15:07.519 But you are the Austin Barnes of the Dodger broadcast 272 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:12.200 team because you are the longest active tenured Dodger broadcaster 273 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:15.919 going back to nineteen ninety three, and you have you 274 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:20.159 have the rare perspective, the rare perspective to kind of 275 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:24.320 relate to Freddie Freeman. I remember one of the first 276 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:26.320 couple of years working with you, Rick, we were in 277 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:30.279 the Dodger Coaches Clubhouse and your former teammate Davey Lopes 278 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:32.200 was down there and I put you on the spot. 279 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:36.159 I said, what's your biggest baseball highlight? Of course saving 280 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:39.240 the flag? But Davey Lopes and I agreed, your home 281 00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:42.480 run in nineteen eighty one was just as big in 282 00:15:42.519 --> 00:15:46.480 the baseball world. Can you relate to what Freddie Freeman 283 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:48.600 was feeling in Game one of the World Series? 284 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:50.879 I guarantella he did not feel a bad ankle going 285 00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:53.960 around the bass, because really, I mean, you feel like 286 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:57.039 you're on a cloud because there's so much emotion that happens. 287 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:00.759 Freddy's was different because it ended the game. With the 288 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:05.480 Grand Slam games over from our standpoint, you go back, 289 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:08.480 you know, decades and decades we took the lead, but 290 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:12.159 in my estimation Montre Lexpos were a better team than 291 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:14.480 the New York Yankees. They had more firepower, they had 292 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:16.519 more things that could beat you. They had speed, they 293 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:18.759 had all kinds of power to go with it. They 294 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:22.320 have very good defense, and I felt, okay, we took 295 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:24.720 the two to one lead at that particular time, but 296 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:27.519 we still had three huge outs and the Expos in 297 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:29.639 the bottom of the ninth inning had the tying and 298 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:33.320 winning runs on base. And there were two planes at 299 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:36.399 the airport. The Dodger plane was one of them, and 300 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:38.600 the Expos had another plane. One of them was going 301 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:42.000 to leave that night because the World Series was going 302 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:45.519 to begin the next evening in New York. Fortunately it 303 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:46.720 was the Dodger plane that left. 304 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:51.799 Thanks to Rick Monday. They call it Blue Monday in Montreal. 305 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:52.279 Still get hate mail. 306 00:16:55.320 --> 00:16:58.360 The Dodgers would not have had that opportunity for redemption 307 00:16:58.440 --> 00:16:59.399 in nineteen eighty one. 308 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:01.440 It wasn't for Rick Monday, but I. 309 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:04.160 Had to hit it David quite frankly, because Sunday's game 310 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:07.559 that was going to be Game five was rain slash snow. 311 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:10.160 Doubt I say snow because from something California to see 312 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:13.079 his snow floorry. Oh no, no, it's snow. So we 313 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:17.920 played on Monday, and quite frankly, I asked Fernando Venezuela, 314 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.480 who we missed nearly. I asked Fernando before the game, 315 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:24.599 I said, have you ever seen snow? And he looked 316 00:17:24.599 --> 00:17:26.799 at them and he laughed. He goes, yeah, less Mendonia's 317 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:30.039 up in the mountains. But he pitched like he was 318 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:32.359 a Frosty the snowman. But I had to hit the 319 00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:34.640 whole run because, quite frankly, I was freezing right. 320 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.759 And how is the plane ride to New York short? 321 00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:41.400 I've never been you know, you talk about short flights 322 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:44.720 with turbulence. Oh, there was created turbulence on that one. 323 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.440 And we had to play the next night. 324 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:48.240 Yeah. 325 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:50.599 Game one of the World Series was the day after 326 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:54.160 Game five of the NLCS against the Montreal Expos. 327 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:55.759 Steve Rodgers the pitcher. 328 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.880 Yeah you remember him, Yes, I do. And he took 329 00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:00.400 a lot of heat and he should not have because 330 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:02.279 he shut us out what three days prior to that, 331 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:07.559 and it came down to it. That's why, that's why 332 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:11.240 postseason gets our attention, whether you're a fan, whether you're 333 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:13.880 a player. Obviously gets your attention of your player. But 334 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:16.319 there's something special about it because you work so hard 335 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.960 to get there and you follow a team and it 336 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:23.519 is truly it is a special moment in someone's life 337 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:26.000 if you follow it. And that's why I say he 338 00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:27.920 look everybody in here, you had a part, You had 339 00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:32.759 a part in it, whatever that involvement was. There's something 340 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:37.279 special about the moniker of World Champion. It makes the 341 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:40.079 broadcast better right from the open because we don't say 342 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:45.680 it's the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio and outlet. It's the 343 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.119 World Champions And only one team can make that claim 344 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:50.000 no doubt. 345 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:52.720 And Rick Monday brought a World championship to the city 346 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.519 of Los Angeles in nineteen eighty one, and they're looking 347 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:58.480 to make it back to back championships to Major League 348 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:02.279 Baseball for the first time in twenty five years. Rick 349 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.880 Monday is truly a treasure to the city of Los Angeles. 350 00:19:05.880 --> 00:19:08.319 Listen to the Dodge organization, keep trying to bury it 351 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:12.839 every day. Thanks Rick, Thanks for showing up tonight, even 352 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:13.400 I was going. 353 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:13.720 To be there. 354 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:16.839 Well, no, I did not know you're Dave. I told 355 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:21.359 Dave Weis, who's the cameraman. Very talented I told Joe 356 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:23.440 Edward that had I known you would have been here, 357 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:27.799 I'd be back at my condo. Uh, you know, yeah, 358 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:30.160 right now. But but I didn't know that because some 359 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:32.880 of the faces here I know over the years, and 360 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:36.400 there's a special relationship when you when you get involved 361 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:40.240 and uh, you know, we see we see only the 362 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:43.519 booth and there are there's so many different pieces of 363 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:45.519 the puzzle that have to go together in order for 364 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:48.079 us to even have the opportunity to have a broadcast. 365 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:50.880 And everyone in here with the companies, you have, the 366 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:54.319 relationships that you have, you're part of that. Uh, it's 367 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:57.640 like a spider web. It's not just one little strand 368 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:01.920 that works. You need everybody else to be there. And 369 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:03.920 whether it be with the radio station, whether it be 370 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.240 of the sponsorship, whether it be with the broadcast or 371 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:09.000 anything else. There's so many different moving parts each and 372 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:11.960 every day. It's phenomenal. We have a good time on 373 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.200 a pregame show that we do, at least that's our 374 00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:16.680 stance on it. We have a good time. Don't know 375 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:18.599 if anybody likes it or not, but we have five 376 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:21.519 minutes of a pregame show where we kind of put 377 00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:24.400 our feet on the ground and be honest about it 378 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:26.519 and go back because you have the greatest relationship. And 379 00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:30.440 I mean this sincerely, David Vassay has the greatest relationship 380 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:34.079 with the players and the coaches and really his finger 381 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:36.039 on the pulse of the ball club each and every day. 382 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:39.319 There's nobody else in the entire game of baseball that 383 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:41.920 has the relationship that David Vassa has. And he has 384 00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:43.960 it because he has a a great sense of humor 385 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:46.839 and he spends the time and the energy and spends 386 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.079 hours and hours with all of these guys and it 387 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:53.599 makes it enjoyable for us because he's Johnny on the spot. 388 00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:56.720 And from time to time, including today, we go to 389 00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:59.759 the David before a broadcast. Today he said, hey, anything 390 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:02.519 and down there that it might be out of the 391 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:05.200 ordinary that we don't see because you make it a 392 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:05.640 lot of fun. 393 00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:07.440 Thank you, Rick, you make it fun too. 394 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.119 They want to be the same coming to the ballpark 395 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:12.319 without seeing you the first person. 396 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:14.440 Thank you to Rick Monday for showing up. 397 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:18.599 And another Arizona State Sun devil, Andre Ethier is going 398 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.720 to join us and we'll pick this up when he 399 00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:24.480 shows up and the insults will be flying for sure. 400 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:27.279 Thanks Rick, and you are first class, no doubt about it. 401 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:29.359