WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to Dodger Talk. David Vase with you until

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<v Speaker 1>eight o'clock tonight here on a five to seventy LA Sports.

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers are back in action tomorrow night against the

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<v Speaker 1>Baltimore Orioles. The last time the Dodgers and Orioles ever

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<v Speaker 1>met in the World Series was back in nineteen sixty six,

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<v Speaker 1>the last season Sandy Kofax ever pitched in Major League

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<v Speaker 1>Baseball before retiring and joining us right now is a

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<v Speaker 1>man that learned quite a bit in his catching career

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<v Speaker 1>from the great Sandy Kofax while he was in the

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<v Speaker 1>Dodger organization. A two time World Series champion as a

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<v Speaker 1>player with the Dodgers in nineteen eighty one in nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>eighty eight, he holds the distinction for catching more games

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<v Speaker 1>than any other Dodger in franchise history. He also holds

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<v Speaker 1>the distinction of being the only manager to lead an

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<v Speaker 1>Angels team to the World Series. And now he has

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<v Speaker 1>taken his talents global with Team USA. He is back

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<v Speaker 1>managing for Team USA in the premiere twelve and that

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<v Speaker 1>is the one and only Mike Sooshia. Mike, thanks a

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<v Speaker 1>lot for coming on. Appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>David great to be with you, and boy did I

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<v Speaker 2>learn a lot from Sandy. You're right about that. It

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<v Speaker 2>was just a great experience to be around a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of those great Dodgers, and Sandy was at the top

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<v Speaker 2>of the list.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike, Is it true. I've heard stories from past reporters

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<v Speaker 1>that told me Sandy Kofax would throw BP to you

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<v Speaker 1>guys in Vero Beach. Is that true?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, he would, and he still got us out. He

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<v Speaker 2>was THROWBP last time I remember was nineteen eighty five.

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<v Speaker 2>I remember hitting off of him on the lower fields

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<v Speaker 2>and he still had that curve ball. You could hear.

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<v Speaker 2>It was unbelievable, and he really enjoyed it. He loved it.

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<v Speaker 2>And then I think he finally his shoulder gave out,

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<v Speaker 2>but he loved it. You know, anything he could do

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<v Speaker 2>to make us a little better, he put his time

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<v Speaker 2>in and just a tremendous man.

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<v Speaker 1>You feel like, who makes you this manager? Now? That

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<v Speaker 1>team USA once was was kind of built as a

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<v Speaker 1>catcher as a young catcher in the Dodger organization with

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<v Speaker 1>all these guys being around like Sandy.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, there's no way, I mean, excuse me, there's no

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<v Speaker 2>doubt that. Uh, you know, the way that I took

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<v Speaker 2>through the Dodger organization was uh special. And to get

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<v Speaker 2>so many great baseball minds around you at such a

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<v Speaker 2>young age and just being smart enough to shut up

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<v Speaker 2>and listen was really important to to my development. Is

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<v Speaker 2>not only a player, but getting opportunity to manage and

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<v Speaker 2>uh you know the great the great guys like Roy Campanella,

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<v Speaker 2>Sandy Kofax, Del Krandall playing for Timeless Order for all

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<v Speaker 2>those years Joel Malfatano Monty basketballin had a whole list,

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<v Speaker 2>uh you know of of of coaches that I had,

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<v Speaker 2>and uh that that just that just had a huge

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<v Speaker 2>impact on me.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, So all these years of managing and playing

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<v Speaker 1>and all the knowledge and experience you've gained has brought

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<v Speaker 1>you to Team USA. You managed in the Olympics and

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<v Speaker 1>now here you are back again managing this Premiere twelve team.

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<v Speaker 1>Can you explain the type of players that you'll be

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<v Speaker 1>managing and is this a qualifier necessary to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to have Team USA here in LA in twenty twenty eight.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, since we're the home country, we will get an

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<v Speaker 2>automatic bid into the twenty eight Olympics. But this is

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<v Speaker 2>important tournament. David it's really for world seeding and world ranking.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to be playing really tough teams. There's twelve

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<v Speaker 2>teams around the you know globe that are really that

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<v Speaker 2>just excel in baseball. You know teams, teams from you know,

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<v Speaker 2>Mexico and Venezuela and Cuba and Japan, Korea, these these

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<v Speaker 2>It's gonna be a tough tournament. So we'll play a

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<v Speaker 2>series of Mexico to get going, hopefully get through that

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<v Speaker 2>and then head to Tokyo. And the quality of players

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<v Speaker 2>in the caliber players is going to be very high.

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<v Speaker 2>We can't use forty man roster guys, but we can

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<v Speaker 2>use a lot of guys that have major league experience

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<v Speaker 2>that aren't attached to a team when we play. And

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<v Speaker 2>then some of the young guys coming up that are

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<v Speaker 2>in Double A and Triple A that haven't hit forty

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<v Speaker 2>man rosters yet. So we're excited about the group. We're

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<v Speaker 2>putting the rosters together as we speak, through these last

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<v Speaker 2>this last month and moving forward getting ready for the tournament,

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<v Speaker 2>so we'll be ready to go.

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<v Speaker 1>We hear about when these players want to play in

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<v Speaker 1>the World Baseball Classic that are on the forty man roster.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike obviously the team has a lot of say and

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<v Speaker 1>how many innings the pitchers can pitch, and just the

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<v Speaker 1>restrictions on them. Will you have the same type of

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<v Speaker 1>challenges managing this Premiere twelve tournament.

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<v Speaker 2>If a player is with an affiliated team in an organization,

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<v Speaker 2>most likely yes, if there's but there's a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>guys that are are pitching an independent ball, a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of guys that are pitching you overseas right now that

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<v Speaker 2>aren't really affiliated with an organization, so they'll be able

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<v Speaker 2>to you know, we'll be able to use them probably,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, a little in some of the roles we want,

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<v Speaker 2>but certainly every organization wants to protect their players, and

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<v Speaker 2>we'll be looking at the guys that are in the

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<v Speaker 2>Fall League. They'll be hopefully ramped up or ready to go,

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<v Speaker 2>and if they can come, we'll we'll live with whatever

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<v Speaker 2>restrictions the organization gives us.

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<v Speaker 1>I was talking to Dino Ebel, who is going to

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<v Speaker 1>join your staff for this Premiere twelve, and I let

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<v Speaker 1>him know that Team USA put out there with you,

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<v Speaker 1>Ron Rennicky, Dino Ebel, Dave Wallace, among the others on

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<v Speaker 1>your coaching staff. There is eighty four years of coaching

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<v Speaker 1>experience on this staff, and Dino said, you got eighty

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<v Speaker 1>of them.

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<v Speaker 2>I would expect, you know, to say that, but yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm excited about our staff. I think we've got guys

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<v Speaker 2>that are going to set an environment. And it's one

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<v Speaker 2>of the things I learned from Tommy is just how

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<v Speaker 2>important that environment is. The player's got to come in

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<v Speaker 2>feeling he's going to achieve, you're going to win, and

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<v Speaker 2>we'll certainly do our best to such to set that environment.

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<v Speaker 2>I think the players will feed off of that. This

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<v Speaker 2>is a tough tournament. I mean in the past, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you had Shohe playing for Team Japan in twenty fifteen,

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<v Speaker 2>Break came over here in this tournament. You know, guys

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<v Speaker 2>like you know, croner Worth played here, Bond with the

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<v Speaker 2>guy with Phillies and with Philly, and Rooker with the

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<v Speaker 2>A's dollback with Boston. These guys all played in this tournament.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's going to be a high level tournament and

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<v Speaker 2>we'll be ready to go.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike Soosha is our guest. He is Team USA's manager

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<v Speaker 1>in the Premiere twelve tournament coming up this November. And

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<v Speaker 1>as you know, Mike, we just mentioned it the Olympics

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<v Speaker 1>are coming back to Los Angeles and Dodgers Stadium for

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<v Speaker 1>the first time since nineteen eighty four, and there's been

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<v Speaker 1>some major league players that are trying to encourage Rob

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<v Speaker 1>Manfred to find a way to have major leaguers participate

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<v Speaker 1>in the Olympics. How do you feel about that during

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<v Speaker 1>the summer of twenty eight.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, obviously would be welcome, I think, you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>really think the best base on the world has played

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<v Speaker 2>here in the United States, although Japan has really done

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<v Speaker 2>well in the international level over the past five or

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<v Speaker 2>six years. But it would be great. You know, it'll

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<v Speaker 2>be welcomed these players if they want to play. I

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<v Speaker 2>just don't know about the logistics. I don't see how

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<v Speaker 2>baseball is going to shut down for the two to

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<v Speaker 2>three weeks it would have to to get this, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>to get these Olympics finished, and and then you know,

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<v Speaker 2>rampant back up. So there's so many hurdles that are

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<v Speaker 2>going to come into play, and it might be a

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<v Speaker 2>little bit difficult.

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<v Speaker 1>You still would I mean, if major leaguers can't do it,

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<v Speaker 1>I would be open to having maybe the top prospects

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<v Speaker 1>in the minor leagues or even the top college baseball players, Mike,

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<v Speaker 1>that's how they did it in eighty four, and they

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<v Speaker 1>turned out to be Will Clark and Mark McGuire.

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<v Speaker 2>They did well. They were all collegiate players back in

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<v Speaker 2>eighty four, and you're right, they had They had a

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<v Speaker 2>really good team. And you know a lot of these

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<v Speaker 2>guys were just you know, cutting their teeth into that

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<v Speaker 2>hadn't even played in pro pro ball. Yet we're going

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<v Speaker 2>to have a good team. I would like to the

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<v Speaker 2>Olympics at least to open it up to forty man

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<v Speaker 2>roster guys, maybe some guys that are in a minor

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<v Speaker 2>in major leagues, but are forty man guys, and that

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<v Speaker 2>would give you a deeper talent pool and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>a team that you know, you could really go out

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<v Speaker 2>there and contend.

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<v Speaker 1>I know it's a few years away, but since you

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<v Speaker 1>are very much involved in USA Baseball, what are the

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<v Speaker 1>chances that you're managing Team USA in the twenty eight Olympics.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, let's get by this tournament first. A lot happening,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, a lot can happen in four years. I

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<v Speaker 2>just you know, I just know how much what a

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<v Speaker 2>great experience it was in Tokyo, And even though with COVID.

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<v Speaker 2>It was still a great experience, and I think that,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, whoever gets an opportunity to manage in the

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<v Speaker 2>UH the twenty eight Olympics here in southern California, it's

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<v Speaker 2>going to be the same incredible experience.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike, do you remember your Dodger season in eighty four

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<v Speaker 1>where you guys had to be away for an extended

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<v Speaker 1>period of time. What was that summer like for you

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<v Speaker 1>guys in eighty four while the Olympics were going on

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<v Speaker 1>at Dodger Stadium.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I want to think it was like a thirteen

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<v Speaker 2>day road trip. I might be mistaken, but you know,

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<v Speaker 2>when you're young and you go out and you're you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you're always you're always somewhere playing baseball. So we didn't

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<v Speaker 2>put too much stock into it. You know, eighty four

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<v Speaker 2>was a little bit of a of a you know,

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<v Speaker 2>a little bit of a mediocre year for us. We'll

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<v Speaker 2>be bounced back in eighty five. But I honestly, I

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<v Speaker 2>don't I couldn't tell you a lot about it other

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<v Speaker 2>than you know, it was a long road trips for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike's Sooshia is our guest, one of the best catchers

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<v Speaker 1>of his generation. And I've had some hitters these days,

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<v Speaker 1>Mike tell me the saying, if you reach, I'll teach,

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<v Speaker 1>Meaning catchers these days are reaching for pitches a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit too early, and there's a lot more catchers interference

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<v Speaker 1>these days then I can ever remember what is that

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<v Speaker 1>all about? With so much catchers interference these.

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<v Speaker 2>Days, Well, there's no doubt that the catching business position

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<v Speaker 2>is changing. You know, I'm not going to say it's

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<v Speaker 2>for the better, but it's changing into and it's evolving

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<v Speaker 2>into really trying to steal a strike, steal a low strike.

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<v Speaker 2>You're moving your glove a lot. You're trying to catch

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<v Speaker 2>the ball out in front to keep it keep that

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<v Speaker 2>low pitch looking like it's a strike. And at times

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<v Speaker 2>your glove's going to get out there a little bit

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<v Speaker 2>early and you're going to get some interference calls, that's

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<v Speaker 2>for sure. It's just really the it's the philosophy of

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<v Speaker 2>you know, a lot of analytically driven teams to say, look,

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to do everything we can to steal that

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<v Speaker 2>low pitch, and here's the way you have to do it.

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<v Speaker 2>So there's a lot of glove movement. The glove is

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<v Speaker 2>out in front and you know, My position on this

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<v Speaker 2>whole thing is you always want to represent a good

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<v Speaker 2>target for the pitcher. And we were taught to get

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<v Speaker 2>low strikes back in nineteen seventy six instructure in the league.

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<v Speaker 2>I remember being taught how to get a low pitch

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<v Speaker 2>from guys like Johnny Roseboro and Del Crandall and Roy Campanella.

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<v Speaker 2>And you were in a conventional stance, and you learned

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<v Speaker 2>how to get up underneath that low pitch and frame

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<v Speaker 2>it and make it look good. And they've taken it

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<v Speaker 2>to the nth degree, so you're going to see a

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<v Speaker 2>little lot more movement. You know, there's certainly a one

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<v Speaker 2>knee aspect to catching right now, to try to get

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<v Speaker 2>low that is, that is making some of the other things,

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<v Speaker 2>not that it's impossible, but some of the other things

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<v Speaker 2>you catcher has to do a little more difficult. So

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<v Speaker 2>you know, just like you're talking about catchers, interferences is

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<v Speaker 2>up for this simple reason. These you know, catchers are

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<v Speaker 2>reaching a little bit to try to keep that low

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<v Speaker 2>pitch looking like a strike.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember growing up they would always talk about a

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<v Speaker 1>good catcher is quiet behind the plate. That doesn't sound

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<v Speaker 1>very quiet when you're moving as much as these guys are.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you're certainly not quiet, and before even before you

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<v Speaker 2>receiving the ball, I think it's important to give and

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<v Speaker 2>give that pitcher a definitive target. That's part of the

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<v Speaker 2>pitcher catcher communication that are so important. I think pitchers

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<v Speaker 2>need to have that target. They need to understand what

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<v Speaker 2>their focus is. Uh. There's an old adage in almost

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<v Speaker 2>every sport. I know it's in golf and baseball. We

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<v Speaker 2>talk about it am small miss small. So if these

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<v Speaker 2>pitchers can get a good target and really zero in

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<v Speaker 2>on what part of your glove, there's a better chance

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<v Speaker 2>they're going to execute a pitch. So you know, that's

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<v Speaker 2>where I think you looked at Bob Boone. What a

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<v Speaker 2>tremendous receiver he was, How quiet he was, Johnny Bench,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, all the all the great receivers that were

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<v Speaker 2>you know a little before me. But those guys were

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<v Speaker 2>the class of their own and the league of their own.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think it has a lot of merit on

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<v Speaker 2>the way they received the ball and they they got

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<v Speaker 2>more strikes called then, uh, you know, than anyone else

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<v Speaker 2>on borderline pitches.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you guys were pretty good back in the day

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<v Speaker 1>without trying to do all these different things things. Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess you used to present the strike. That's the

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<v Speaker 1>term that you used to talk about, right, Mike, present

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<v Speaker 1>the strike to the umpire and not try to yank it.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh you want to you want to hold that ball

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<v Speaker 2>there and and and you're right, give the umpire a

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<v Speaker 2>good look at where you held that ball. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>you worked on getting strong hands and being able to

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<v Speaker 2>control the ball. That was that was all part of

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<v Speaker 2>the training you went through as a young catcher. And

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sure it's the same now as far as how

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<v Speaker 2>important you know, the priory they put on having strong

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<v Speaker 2>hands and controlling the ball. It's just there's a there's

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<v Speaker 2>a huge there's a huge gap in the guys that

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<v Speaker 2>put the ball on the plate, put put the glove

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<v Speaker 2>on the plate, and they come up to catch a

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<v Speaker 2>pitch and then they keep going. You know, it almost

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<v Speaker 2>ends up high higher or you know, or waist high

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<v Speaker 2>on a pitch that was maybe four inches low. So

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<v Speaker 2>there's a lot of glove movement. I think you're you're

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<v Speaker 2>you're going to see, uh, some issues and guys on

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<v Speaker 2>if a guy's running and some of the transfers that

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<v Speaker 2>go on. It's just a different philosophy that's really in

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<v Speaker 2>play right now, David.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, Mike, Well, we can't solve the world's problems today,

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<v Speaker 1>but hopefully with you teaching at these youth academies, you

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<v Speaker 1>could teach the next generation how to do it the

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<v Speaker 1>right way.

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<v Speaker 2>All right. Well, I appreciate that, and there's a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of talented catchers out there. It's fun to watch. I

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<v Speaker 2>just the philosophy is totally different, that's for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>Look forward to keeping tabs on Mike, Soosha, Dinu Ebel, Ron,

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<v Speaker 1>Rennicky and the rest of the Team USA team in

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<v Speaker 1>the Premiere twelve tournament coming up in November. Mike, thanks

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<v Speaker 1>a lot for your time. We always learn a lot

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<v Speaker 1>from you, and despite me hosting the show, I appreciate

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<v Speaker 1>you doing.

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<v Speaker 2>This all right, all right, David, thanks a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks Mike.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll see you as