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<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 2>Right now, we are joined by a man that pitched

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<v Speaker 2>in Oakland the final year the A's were in Oakland,

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<v Speaker 2>but he will always be remembered as a Dodger and

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<v Speaker 2>he just recently announced his retirement on social media because

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<v Speaker 2>that's how you do things. In twenty twenty five. He

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<v Speaker 2>made his major league debut with the Dodgers in twenty sixteen.

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<v Speaker 2>He was drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round

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<v Speaker 2>of the twenty twelve draft out of Texas A and

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<v Speaker 2>M A proud Aggie, the one and only Ross Strippling

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<v Speaker 2>Chicken Strip is joining us on Dodger Talk. Ross thanks

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<v Speaker 2>a lot for calling in.

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<v Speaker 3>Appreciate it, Fasse.

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<v Speaker 1>What's up, Man, It's It's great to be here. This

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<v Speaker 1>is like twenty sixteen all over again. Excited to talk

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<v Speaker 1>with you. Man.

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<v Speaker 2>I remember your first spring training in Major League Camp

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<v Speaker 2>Ross in twenty twelve and just being able to uh

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<v Speaker 2>to see your career where it started and where it finished.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you remember or what do you appreciate the

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<v Speaker 2>most about your major league career?

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<v Speaker 1>Gosh, Man right off the bat with a with a

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<v Speaker 1>hard hitter. You know, it's funny when I announced that retirement,

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<v Speaker 1>it kind of forced me to reminisce and being nostalgic

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<v Speaker 1>more than I normally am, just with how people reached

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<v Speaker 1>out and seeing stuff on social media and and all

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<v Speaker 1>that stuff, and you really start, you know, kind of

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<v Speaker 1>thinking about your career and you know, first person and foremost, man,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm just so lucky to have been drafted and developed

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<v Speaker 1>by the Dodgers that at I will be adamant about

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<v Speaker 1>that forever. Just uh, how good they are at taking

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<v Speaker 1>in talent and getting the best out of them. You

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<v Speaker 1>still see that to this day.

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<v Speaker 3>And uh.

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<v Speaker 1>And then to have Kershaw there to kind of take

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<v Speaker 1>me under his wing and just learn by osmosis from him,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'm just you know, no doubt I wouldn't have

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<v Speaker 1>lasted as long as I did without the Dodgers, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>picking me and showing me the way. And then as

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<v Speaker 1>far as maybe what I remember the most or maybe

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<v Speaker 1>most proud of, is just the you know, the Swiss

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<v Speaker 1>army knife, being the key ke Hernandez of the pitching

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<v Speaker 1>staff and just knowing that a team could ask me

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<v Speaker 1>to do anything and I'd do it with a smile

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<v Speaker 1>on my face and usually hopefully do it successfully and

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<v Speaker 1>help us win games in any way I could. I

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<v Speaker 1>just think, you know, that's what kept me around, and

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<v Speaker 1>then now a few months removed from it, that that's

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<v Speaker 1>what I remember and I'm most proud of it is

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<v Speaker 1>just being a guy that a team could always rely

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<v Speaker 1>on to give him a shot and to do the job.

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<v Speaker 1>I think that's that's I'm proud of that for sure.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, speaking of being a Swiss army knife, we always

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<v Speaker 2>thought that you were the most well rounded human being

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<v Speaker 2>in a Dodger clubhouse because you had your sight set

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<v Speaker 2>on life after baseball. It wasn't going to be baseball

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<v Speaker 2>and then try to figure out what you could do

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<v Speaker 2>with your life. How much did that play into your

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<v Speaker 2>decision to say, you know what, I've had a great career.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to move on to the next chapter of

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<v Speaker 2>my life.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it definitely did. Now I don't have the

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<v Speaker 1>next after figured out by any means, you know, kind

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<v Speaker 1>of what you said of kind of being well rounded

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<v Speaker 1>is now all of a sudden, I find myself interested

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<v Speaker 1>in like five different buckets of things, and I can't

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<v Speaker 1>decide how I want to spend my time, and all

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<v Speaker 1>the while I have a six week old son or

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<v Speaker 1>third boy, and you know, so just enjoying the family time.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm kind of using that as an excuse right now

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<v Speaker 1>to punt some stuff down the road where I'm just like,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna enjoy this this chapter with my family as

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<v Speaker 1>I start to get restless here a little bit and

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<v Speaker 1>need to start doing something. But for now, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just enjoying that and knowing I got a lifetime to

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<v Speaker 1>figure that out and to work and to you know,

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<v Speaker 1>hopefully stay involved with baseball in some way, and then

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<v Speaker 1>to find some other things I'm passionate about. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>you know it that makes it, I think a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit easier to walk away when we know you have

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<v Speaker 1>loves and passions away from baseball. But you know, all

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<v Speaker 1>the while, I showed up to spring trying and expecting

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<v Speaker 1>to make a team this year and it just fell

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<v Speaker 1>a little short. So like I still had the fire

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<v Speaker 1>in my belly to compete, and I thought I could

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<v Speaker 1>get out to the big league level. It just you know,

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<v Speaker 1>it didn't quite work out. And you know, now here

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<v Speaker 1>we are a few weeks removed from it, and it's

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I'm okay with it. It just it's always

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<v Speaker 1>weird leading the game behind for sure.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey, I thought you were taking over for Warren Buffett.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the reason why you retired.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, I put in my resume. He didn't take

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<v Speaker 1>me up on it. I guess you had someone else

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<v Speaker 1>in mind.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the voice of Ross Stripling forever a Dodger. He

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<v Speaker 2>just announced his retirement. And I'm going to ask you

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<v Speaker 2>another tough question. Ross, you played on a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>good Dodger teams. You were an All Star in twenty

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<v Speaker 2>eighteen when you guys went to the World Series for

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<v Speaker 2>the second straight year. Which Dodger team that you pitched

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<v Speaker 2>on was the best team that you played on?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my gosh, good question, man. That twenty seventeen team

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<v Speaker 1>comes to mind. I mean, we we that was an

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<v Speaker 1>extremely talented team, as are all Dodger teams of the

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<v Speaker 1>last you know, fifteen years or whatever. But you just,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, obviously ending against the Astros in the way

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<v Speaker 1>that it did, that lived an infamy at this point.

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<v Speaker 1>But that team as far as like who we got

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<v Speaker 1>at the trade deadline and how confident we were going

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<v Speaker 1>in the playoffs, And I don't even want to guess

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<v Speaker 1>how much we wanted division by, but I guess it

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<v Speaker 1>is double digits. And I mean that team just felt

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<v Speaker 1>like we were firing on all cylinders and obviously take

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<v Speaker 1>it all the way to a Game seven of a

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<v Speaker 1>World Series against a team that was cheating to have

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<v Speaker 1>to beat us. I think that goes to show you

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<v Speaker 1>how good that team was. So I would ride with

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<v Speaker 1>that twenty seventeen team.

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<v Speaker 2>How much does the way that season ended still kind

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<v Speaker 2>of stick with you and your teammates?

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<v Speaker 3>You think twenty years from.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, do you, guys, do you believe you'll still be

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<v Speaker 2>thinking about, you know, if they weren't cheating, how your

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<v Speaker 2>career and how a lot of careers would have been different.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, you know, Bessy, I probably won't go too deep

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<v Speaker 1>into it, but you know, I think in group chats

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<v Speaker 1>and small rooms and stuff like that, twenty years from now,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll certainly still acknowledge that it's probably one of the

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<v Speaker 1>bigger cheating scandals in sports and certainly in baseball. But

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<v Speaker 1>you know, it was what it was. We kind of

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<v Speaker 1>knew it in real time, and then you know, it

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<v Speaker 1>comes out in twenty twenty and Bastros go through what

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<v Speaker 1>they go through from a punishment standpoint, and you just

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<v Speaker 1>kind of move on, you know, And I wouldn't say

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<v Speaker 1>it's keeping us up at night or anything like that.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe real legacy guys, if we're talking about Clayton and

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<v Speaker 1>you know, guys like that that could have used another

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<v Speaker 1>ring on their resume for historical reasons, we'll think about

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<v Speaker 1>them more than maybe you think about yourselves and stuff

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<v Speaker 1>like that. But you know, obviously really thankful the Dodgers

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<v Speaker 1>got that twenty twenty ring, and you know that probably

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<v Speaker 1>won't go too much. Seeper down this rabbit hole with.

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<v Speaker 2>You fair enough, Ross. This is a good feeling retirement interview.

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<v Speaker 2>And speaking of the twenty twenty World Series, how much

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<v Speaker 2>did it mean to you that, even though you weren't

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<v Speaker 2>there in Texas, that Dave Roberts went out of his

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<v Speaker 2>way on stage as he's accepting the trophy to name

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<v Speaker 2>role call you out for what you meant to the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that'll always be amazing to me that, I say,

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<v Speaker 1>I really will that when you are on stage accepting

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<v Speaker 1>a World Series trophy after a year's work worth of

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<v Speaker 1>work in COVID and even like multiple years worth of work,

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<v Speaker 1>and my name went through Dave Roberts's mind at that point,

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<v Speaker 1>for one, just shows you who he is as a person.

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<v Speaker 1>And then you know, that's something I'm really proud of

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<v Speaker 1>that I left a little bit of legacy on that

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<v Speaker 1>team where you know, as definitely not the first ten

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<v Speaker 1>dudes on the call sheet of that team, they still

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<v Speaker 1>acknowledged me and what I did for those teams to

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<v Speaker 1>get that ring that. You know, when I think about

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<v Speaker 1>my career, I think about, like my debut, I think

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<v Speaker 1>about pitching the first game back in Toronto in front

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<v Speaker 1>of an entire country when baseball and been there for

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<v Speaker 1>a year and a half, and I think of Dave

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<v Speaker 1>Roberts saying my name on stage when the whole world

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<v Speaker 1>was watching a World Series because we were shut down,

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<v Speaker 1>and he says thank you, Ross Stripling, you know, as

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<v Speaker 1>his team accepts the World Series. That I instantly called

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<v Speaker 1>my dad and I was like, did you see that?

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<v Speaker 1>And he's like yeah, I was like, oh my gosh.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, so that really means a lot, and I

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<v Speaker 1>just think it's it's so cool for him to acknowledge

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<v Speaker 1>me in that situation when he certainly didn't have to.

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<v Speaker 1>So that will forever mean absolute tounch me.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, that just shows how much ross strippling meant to

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<v Speaker 2>Dave Roberts into the Dodger organization. Another name that you've

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<v Speaker 2>brought up a few times, and obviously he means everything

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<v Speaker 2>to the Dodgers is Clayton Kershaw. What was the dynamic

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<v Speaker 2>between you two like and why do you believe Clayton

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<v Speaker 2>took you under his wing when you first arrived in

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<v Speaker 2>Big League camp and with the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, so I don't want to get ahead of myself.

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<v Speaker 1>I would say Clayton took me under his wing as

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<v Speaker 1>best that he knows how because he is so laser

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<v Speaker 1>focused on his especially at that time. You know, he's

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<v Speaker 1>now got four kids. I think he's mellowed out a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit. At that time, he was still you know,

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<v Speaker 1>hunting Cy Young's on a yearly basis, and so just

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<v Speaker 1>hell been on what he was going to do that

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<v Speaker 1>I you know, if you almost I got three kids now,

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<v Speaker 1>I think about how my second kid follows around my oldest.

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<v Speaker 1>That was me. I was the second kid, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>my oldest wants nothing to do with my second kid.

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<v Speaker 1>And Clayton was just you know, going about his business

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<v Speaker 1>like throwing his bullpens, working out, doing his arm care,

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<v Speaker 1>scouting the lineup that he's about to face, all that stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>and I would just watch him, and you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>knew that we had the Texas thing in common. He

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<v Speaker 1>was supposed to be an Aggi. He didn't go to

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<v Speaker 1>A and m his wife's an Aggie, you know. And

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<v Speaker 1>I just kind of like played to my strengths as

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<v Speaker 1>far as what could keep me around him when I

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<v Speaker 1>was young, and you know, and then you kind of

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<v Speaker 1>wear him down and he starts opening up to you

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<v Speaker 1>and helping me out a little bit and all that.

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<v Speaker 1>But I just, you know, from a mentor standpoint as

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<v Speaker 1>far as being a Christian man, a father, a husband,

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<v Speaker 1>and then also you know, maybe the greatest left handed

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<v Speaker 1>pitcher that's ever grace a major league mound. I just

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<v Speaker 1>learned so much from him, and I just, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I said it at the top, like I just I

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<v Speaker 1>don't think I would have made it nine years without

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<v Speaker 1>being around him and just seeing what it takes to

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<v Speaker 1>work day in and day out to be ready for

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<v Speaker 1>a big league season, to stay healthy and to have success.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I just I can't say enough about Clayton

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<v Speaker 1>when he's up.

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<v Speaker 2>There at Cooperstown one day. Ross, do you feel like

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<v Speaker 2>that's the privilege that you have that so many others don't,

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<v Speaker 2>is that you got to see what it takes between

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<v Speaker 2>the starts to be as great as he was.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I think that's a good way to put it. Man.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, most all the fans, you know, they get

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<v Speaker 1>to see him every fifth day, and obviously you see

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<v Speaker 1>the passion and how competitive he is. I mean, he's

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<v Speaker 1>you know, one of a kind. But we that were

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<v Speaker 1>lucky enough to see him day to day like you,

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<v Speaker 1>or to play with him day to day like me,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, really get to see the behind the scenes stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>which is where he's just an animal, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>you realize what it takes to not only just like

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<v Speaker 1>be in the big leagues, but for him to like

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<v Speaker 1>be a superstar, you know, to be one of the

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<v Speaker 1>greatest ever as far as how dedicated to it you

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<v Speaker 1>have to be in and just you know, if he

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<v Speaker 1>gave up two runs, that was a bad start for

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<v Speaker 1>like the first ten years of his career. Like that's

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<v Speaker 1>just so amazing to think about, you know. So he

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<v Speaker 1>just said to be so laser focused. So not only

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<v Speaker 1>did he have the stuff to back it up. But

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<v Speaker 1>he had the mentality that you see from like the

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<v Speaker 1>Verlanders insuresers of the world, where like if he gets

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<v Speaker 1>three runs early, he's going for your throat and that

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<v Speaker 1>game's over. And you know, there's just not that many

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<v Speaker 1>guys like that, and Clayton was certainly one of them,

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<v Speaker 1>or is still certainly one of them.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, still is is that surprising to you that Ross

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<v Speaker 2>Strippling retired before Kershawn? Maybe you can give us some

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<v Speaker 2>insight on what's still driving him right now.

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<v Speaker 1>I I will not put words in the Clayton Kershaw's mouth.

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<v Speaker 1>I you know, yes, he was there long before me,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's gonna be around after me. Still getting guys

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<v Speaker 1>out in the big leagues, you know, I I honestly

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<v Speaker 1>don't know. I think that he still has the passion

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<v Speaker 1>to play and to get out. So I'm sure, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>not being healthy for one sixty two in the last

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<v Speaker 1>couple of years probably just drives him nuts. I'm sure

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<v Speaker 1>he just wants to like make thirty stars and feel

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<v Speaker 1>that again and and you know, be a guy that

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<v Speaker 1>the team can rely on to go out every sit day.

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<v Speaker 1>I know he holds his you know, has so much

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<v Speaker 1>pride in that, and then you know, I'm sure his

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<v Speaker 1>family's in a good spot where they feel good about

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<v Speaker 1>he's you know, he can still play and be a

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<v Speaker 1>dad and do all the things that he wants to do.

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<v Speaker 1>They got a good routine going, so I think it's

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<v Speaker 1>like the Dodgers are in this awesome era of being

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<v Speaker 1>so good, you know, like the mid nineties Braves kind

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<v Speaker 1>of thing, and he's like, I want to miss out

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<v Speaker 1>on it. I helped build this and I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>see it through. And I just I think, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>all encompassing it still works out where he can kind

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<v Speaker 1>of do it on his terms, and when he's ready

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<v Speaker 1>to pitch, he'll he'll show up and he'll be cutting

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<v Speaker 1>Kershaw and I you know, I can't wait to see

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<v Speaker 1>him in the second half of the season and hopefully

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<v Speaker 1>make some postseason starts and do great And because you know,

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<v Speaker 1>no one deserves it more than him.

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<v Speaker 2>Ross Strippling is our guest. He announced his retirement last week. Ross,

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<v Speaker 2>just a couple of more questions for you, because you

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<v Speaker 2>have such a unique perspective considering where your career started

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<v Speaker 2>as far as the time that base was being played

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<v Speaker 2>and the way baseball's being played now and the whole

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers trajectory here.

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<v Speaker 3>What do you think about this.

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<v Speaker 2>Version of the Dodgers compared to where it was in

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<v Speaker 2>twenty sixteen.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I you know, I really love the teams that

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<v Speaker 1>we had. Those teams probably felt a little more homegrown, right,

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<v Speaker 1>And the Dodger's still unbelievably elite at drafting and developing

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<v Speaker 1>talent or taking guys from other teams that have been

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<v Speaker 1>maybe spit out for various reasons and taking them in

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<v Speaker 1>and getting the best out on think of like early

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<v Speaker 1>Justin Turner, early Max Munsey. You know, they're still elite

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<v Speaker 1>at that. I'm obviously not saying they've they've lost their

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<v Speaker 1>touch there, but you know that twenty twenty World Series team,

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<v Speaker 1>I think the stat is either sixteen or nineteen homegrown

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<v Speaker 1>players were on that roster, and then you know guys

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<v Speaker 1>like Munsey and JT that certainly weren't you know, highly

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<v Speaker 1>touted from other organizations. So, like, I think those teams

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<v Speaker 1>are really special because it shows that not only did

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<v Speaker 1>they have kind of an unlimited bank role, but they

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<v Speaker 1>also drafted and developed from within and got them to

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<v Speaker 1>the big leagues and had immense success with those guys.

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<v Speaker 1>So I just think that is like the ultimate testament

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<v Speaker 1>to being a successful organization. But then you know, now

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<v Speaker 1>it's like, let's bring in the star power, let's totally

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<v Speaker 1>swallow up the Japanese market, and you know, and really

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<v Speaker 1>like make Los Angeles baseball a show, I mean to Hollywood,

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<v Speaker 1>and let's let's let's go all the way into this

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<v Speaker 1>thing and then in the first year win a World Series.

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<v Speaker 1>So I think both are awesome, and I think, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>ownership going all the way in one way or the

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<v Speaker 1>other is just a testament to them being like one

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<v Speaker 1>of the only ones that says like we're here to

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<v Speaker 1>win baseball games and to make it look good and

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<v Speaker 1>to be a powerhouse. And you know, obviously, as players

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<v Speaker 1>would wish other owners would do the same because that

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<v Speaker 1>leads to more money for players and just better things

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<v Speaker 1>all the way around, a better show, better product on

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<v Speaker 1>the field. So you know, I wish other teams would follow.

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<v Speaker 2>Suit, no doubt, perfectly said before I let you go,

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<v Speaker 2>I want to end it on this, if I'm not mistaken.

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<v Speaker 2>Back in twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, as far as the

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<v Speaker 2>relationships that you built with those same homegrown guys. What

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<v Speaker 2>was it like sharing a house in Los Felis with

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<v Speaker 2>Alex Wood and Corey Seeger as roommates. Was that one

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<v Speaker 2>of your fondest seasons being roommates with those guys?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I just think, you know, and you even go

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<v Speaker 1>back to like the minor leagues before that, when we'd

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<v Speaker 1>pile like six dudes into a two bedroom and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll sleeping on a twin mattress in the kitchen, and

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<v Speaker 1>some of those guys were groomsmen in my wedding. You

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<v Speaker 1>know that those are gonna be the stuff that stick

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<v Speaker 1>with me, you know, ten years from now, I'm not

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<v Speaker 1>gonna remember the May outing against the Padres in twenty

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<v Speaker 1>eighteen or whatever. You know, I'm gonna remember some of

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<v Speaker 1>those funky memories from when we piled into houses together.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know, answer your question that those are two

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<v Speaker 1>still probably maybe my two best friends from baseball still,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, are Corey and Alex. So I just think

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<v Speaker 1>it that was and our wives are super close. Like

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<v Speaker 1>that's just you look back at like when like true

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<v Speaker 1>friendships and stuff were built right there where it was

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<v Speaker 1>cool because we were having success on the field, but

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<v Speaker 1>then we were getting dinners and exploring off Angelis and

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<v Speaker 1>staying up late and talking about life and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just like building a real friendship with those guys, and

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<v Speaker 1>I hope last forever. So I just think it's like

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<v Speaker 1>one of those perfect six months where you like will

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<v Speaker 1>look back and just like man like, my life changed

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<v Speaker 1>in an awesome way during that time, and I'm so

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<v Speaker 1>thankful for it.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey, Los Angeles is thankful for Chicken strip Ross strippling.

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<v Speaker 2>You were always a professional, You're always first class ross,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'm happy to share you with the fans again

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<v Speaker 2>as you announce your retirement. All you guys from those

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<v Speaker 2>teams will always have a special place in Dodger fans

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<v Speaker 2>hearts and mine as well.

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<v Speaker 3>So thank you for a great career.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for being as good of a person as

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<v Speaker 2>you were on the mound as a pitcher.

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<v Speaker 3>So we all appreciate that.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, Dave, thank you so much, man, And I'll do

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<v Speaker 1>the same and say thank you for always making it

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<v Speaker 1>fun and you know, making it in aiable to talk

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<v Speaker 1>with you and also making it easy. You know, these

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<v Speaker 1>questions we you know, kind of joked that they're hard hitting,

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<v Speaker 1>but you're you're fun to talk to you all the time, man,

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<v Speaker 1>so keep up the good work and you know I'll

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<v Speaker 1>come on anytime man, looking forward to doing it again.

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<v Speaker 3>We'll do it for sure again.

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<v Speaker 2>And uh you never know, Ross Strippling might be on

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<v Speaker 2>sports Net LA and running Berkshire Hathaway on his weekday.

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<v Speaker 2>So uh, this is not the last time you'll hear

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<v Speaker 2>from Ross Strippling. I guarantee that. Thanks Ross, and congratulations

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<v Speaker 2>on being a great husband and dad. And we'll see

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<v Speaker 2>you soon at Dodger Stadium.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, sounds good, bet say thank you man.