WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.759
<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers remain on the East coast here in Washington,

2
00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:05.120
<v Speaker 1>d C. And I'm joined right now by one of

3
00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:09.160
<v Speaker 1>my favorites because he's Italian. I'm Italian, and we need

4
00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:11.480
<v Speaker 1>more Italians on the Dodgers, and that is the one

5
00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:14.519
<v Speaker 1>and only Michael CONFORDO. Michael, thanks a lot for the time.

6
00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:18.000
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, should I agree, we need more Italians on the team,

7
00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:18.839
<v Speaker 2>for sure.

8
00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.719
<v Speaker 1>No doubt, no doubt. Hey, how Italian are you though,

9
00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:22.719
<v Speaker 1>That's what I want to know.

10
00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:27.879
<v Speaker 2>Uh So, my dad's one hundred percent, which makes me fifty.

11
00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:33.840
<v Speaker 2>You know, my most of my family is back in Pennsylvania,

12
00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:38.159
<v Speaker 2>so I had some family out there in Philly, and

13
00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:42.640
<v Speaker 2>uh so, my dad grew up in Altuona. My grandma

14
00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:47.679
<v Speaker 2>has six sisters, so I have like sixty cousins out there,

15
00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:51.719
<v Speaker 2>and they're all pretty much still around Altuna, and uh

16
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.920
<v Speaker 2>you know, we go back every every so often, but

17
00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:58.159
<v Speaker 2>it's it's one big Italian celebration, you know, for family

18
00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:01.039
<v Speaker 2>reunions and weddings and and all that kind of stuff.

19
00:01:01.079 --> 00:01:05.879
<v Speaker 2>So we ended up in Seattle, away from most of

20
00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:11.159
<v Speaker 2>most of the family. So you know, I'd probably be

21
00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:13.159
<v Speaker 2>a little bit more Italian if I stayed in Altuna.

22
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:17.400
<v Speaker 1>But hey, you got sixty cousins. That's legit right there.

23
00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:18.680
<v Speaker 1>That's when I know you're Italian.

24
00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:20.920
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, exactly, a big, big family.

25
00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:24.840
<v Speaker 3>It's always good to go back there and see family.

26
00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:28.439
<v Speaker 1>Michael Conforto is our guest in front of first pitch. Now,

27
00:01:28.519 --> 00:01:31.319
<v Speaker 1>I gotta ask you, all that Italian blood in you

28
00:01:31.400 --> 00:01:33.599
<v Speaker 1>and all that family, what do you love the most

29
00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:35.319
<v Speaker 1>about the food of Italy?

30
00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:40.439
<v Speaker 2>Honestly, there's there's not really any kind of Italian food

31
00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:44.599
<v Speaker 2>that I don't like. It's definitely my favorite food. My

32
00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:49.599
<v Speaker 2>grandma always did, you know, big Sunday gravy. You know,

33
00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:52.519
<v Speaker 2>she wouldn't call it gravy, but you know, like a

34
00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.560
<v Speaker 2>Sunday red sauce with you know, she'd like the meatballs,

35
00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:57.879
<v Speaker 2>the sausage, pepperoni.

36
00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:00.760
<v Speaker 3>Let it all cook, you know, in the.

37
00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:06.719
<v Speaker 2>On the stove multiple times, you know, so the sauce

38
00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:08.520
<v Speaker 2>kind of soaks up all that flavor, and the meat

39
00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:12.120
<v Speaker 2>soaks up all the flavor of the sauce. You know

40
00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:15.439
<v Speaker 2>that that's our that's our Christmas celebration, our Easter celebration.

41
00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:17.960
<v Speaker 2>It's been a while since I've been able to have

42
00:02:18.039 --> 00:02:21.680
<v Speaker 2>it from her, but I've learned to make it. I

43
00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.840
<v Speaker 2>try my best to make it and it's never like hers,

44
00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:27.080
<v Speaker 2>but it's, uh, it just reminds me of home.

45
00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.360
<v Speaker 1>Hey, good for you for trying that. Michael Conforto is

46
00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:33.439
<v Speaker 1>our guest. I know it's only eleven games into the season,

47
00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:37.319
<v Speaker 1>but it feels like as a group, as an offensive unit,

48
00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:40.599
<v Speaker 1>it feels like you guys are starting to find that chemistry.

49
00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:43.919
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think so, you know, I think it.

50
00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:46.800
<v Speaker 2>You know, we just have a lot of really good players,

51
00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.240
<v Speaker 2>guys who know who they are, and uh, you know,

52
00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:52.879
<v Speaker 2>it's it's it's uh, it's just a matter of all

53
00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:55.240
<v Speaker 2>of us kind of getting our timing and and uh

54
00:02:55.479 --> 00:02:58.000
<v Speaker 2>and you know, just starting to just kind of feel

55
00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:01.439
<v Speaker 2>free up there. I think it's kind of one of

56
00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:03.080
<v Speaker 2>those things that cream is always going to rise to

57
00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:05.759
<v Speaker 2>the top. You know, when you've got guys like Mookie

58
00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:09.319
<v Speaker 2>and Freddie and Will Smith and show Hey and Tay

59
00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:11.280
<v Speaker 2>Oscar and you know, you can just go on and

60
00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:14.879
<v Speaker 2>on down the lineup. You know, we're gonna score some runs.

61
00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:17.080
<v Speaker 2>We just have to, you know, I think just some

62
00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:19.319
<v Speaker 2>of the little things we just have to make sure

63
00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.719
<v Speaker 2>we don't lose sight of, and we'll be pretty hard

64
00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:22.080
<v Speaker 2>to beat.

65
00:03:22.439 --> 00:03:24.719
<v Speaker 1>I remember in spring training you were in the cage

66
00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:27.599
<v Speaker 1>and Dave Roberts was behind you and he was shouting

67
00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.840
<v Speaker 1>out situations that you might see in a game. Is

68
00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.159
<v Speaker 1>that kind of what the identity of this offense needs

69
00:03:34.199 --> 00:03:37.000
<v Speaker 1>to be to reach its potential, to be able in

70
00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:41.960
<v Speaker 1>situations that aren't ideal, to come through two strikes, two outs,

71
00:03:42.039 --> 00:03:43.120
<v Speaker 1>and you've done it so far.

72
00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:44.319
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

73
00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.319
<v Speaker 2>I mean I think, you know, take taking that next

74
00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:49.520
<v Speaker 2>step is kind of in the margins where you know,

75
00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:51.919
<v Speaker 2>the odds aren't in your favor. You know, with two

76
00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.159
<v Speaker 2>strikes it's hard to hit, but to be able to

77
00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:59.599
<v Speaker 2>come through in those situations is big, and so you know,

78
00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:01.360
<v Speaker 2>I think that's why Doc likes to do that.

79
00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.400
<v Speaker 3>He you know, he wants it to be hard.

80
00:04:03.400 --> 00:04:05.680
<v Speaker 2>He wants you to be uncomfortable, and you know, we

81
00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:09.080
<v Speaker 2>train those things, so you know, we really want to,

82
00:04:09.800 --> 00:04:12.240
<v Speaker 2>you know, take advantage of every advantage, you know, every

83
00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:14.879
<v Speaker 2>every little thing that we can and and just try

84
00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:16.040
<v Speaker 2>to keep getting better every day.

85
00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:19.199
<v Speaker 1>Is that one of the biggest ways to succeed. Have

86
00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:19.680
<v Speaker 1>a plan?

87
00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:20.839
<v Speaker 3>Yeah? Absolutely.

88
00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:24.439
<v Speaker 2>I think understanding the situation, you know, what you're walking into,

89
00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:27.240
<v Speaker 2>you know, is it a guy on second base?

90
00:04:27.319 --> 00:04:29.439
<v Speaker 3>With with less than two outs.

91
00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:32.759
<v Speaker 2>You know, or or with nobody out that you you know,

92
00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:37.600
<v Speaker 2>the biggest priorities to get him over, you know. Or

93
00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.600
<v Speaker 2>are you in a situation where you're able to swing

94
00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:43.519
<v Speaker 2>free and try to slug you know, when you you know,

95
00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:46.360
<v Speaker 2>maybe in you're at bat the plan changes, You're you're

96
00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:48.839
<v Speaker 2>looking to slug, and then later in the at bat

97
00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:51.759
<v Speaker 2>you're looking to, you know, do a job and move

98
00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:54.360
<v Speaker 2>a guy over, or be a tough out, try to

99
00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:56.199
<v Speaker 2>drive the pitch count up. You know, There's a lot

100
00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:59.199
<v Speaker 2>of things. I think you just have to understand the situation.

101
00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.600
<v Speaker 2>I think our our hitting coaches do a great job

102
00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:03.680
<v Speaker 2>of just making sure that we're aware of, you know,

103
00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:05.439
<v Speaker 2>what the plan is and what we want to do

104
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:06.839
<v Speaker 2>in each situation.

105
00:05:07.160 --> 00:05:09.560
<v Speaker 1>Are you a big believer in the guy hitting in

106
00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:12.199
<v Speaker 1>front of you and you hitting in front of the

107
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.720
<v Speaker 1>person behind you that affects the pictures that you may

108
00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:18.480
<v Speaker 1>see and also who may be on base. Are you

109
00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:21.399
<v Speaker 1>believer that even in this day and age of baseball,

110
00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:22.839
<v Speaker 1>that remains true.

111
00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:28.079
<v Speaker 2>I think there's definitely situations that that that comes up.

112
00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:30.120
<v Speaker 2>I don't know if it's every you know, every single

113
00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:32.800
<v Speaker 2>time you go through the lineup, but I think, you know,

114
00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:38.240
<v Speaker 2>on a high leverage spot where you know, they see

115
00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:40.920
<v Speaker 2>show Hayes up fourth and they really don't want him

116
00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.120
<v Speaker 2>to come to play with somebody on base, you know,

117
00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:47.959
<v Speaker 2>it may change the way that they're going to attack

118
00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:50.879
<v Speaker 2>the hitters, maybe a little bit more aggressive, you know,

119
00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:54.720
<v Speaker 2>not wanting to walk anybody, you know, and just attacking

120
00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:57.399
<v Speaker 2>the zone. But you know, that's just one example of

121
00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:58.519
<v Speaker 2>how things can change.

122
00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:00.160
<v Speaker 3>And I think.

123
00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:02.279
<v Speaker 2>There are a lot of just like you know, they

124
00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:05.959
<v Speaker 2>the pictures and our pictures, they have a plan for

125
00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.480
<v Speaker 2>each guy. You know, they know, you know, the catchers

126
00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.160
<v Speaker 2>and the pictures are going to try to exploit, you know,

127
00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:15.199
<v Speaker 2>whatever weakness that you have. So there's that, and then

128
00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:17.720
<v Speaker 2>there's also you know, the game within the game of

129
00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:20.040
<v Speaker 2>you know, they see who's coming up down the line

130
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:23.439
<v Speaker 2>and who they feel like is a better matchup, you know,

131
00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:26.600
<v Speaker 2>in each situation. So I think it's there's just a

132
00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.279
<v Speaker 2>lot of things at play. I think that still holds true,

133
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:30.600
<v Speaker 2>but not always.

134
00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:35.319
<v Speaker 1>You know, Yeah, you mentioned Otani, you've heard about him,

135
00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:37.720
<v Speaker 1>you know about him, but now your teammates with him.

136
00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:41.240
<v Speaker 1>Is there anything that surprises you or is now that

137
00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:44.120
<v Speaker 1>you're behind the curtain on the same side, what have

138
00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:46.519
<v Speaker 1>you learned about how he's able to be as great

139
00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:47.040
<v Speaker 1>as he is.

140
00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:50.959
<v Speaker 2>I never got to see how he worked. He works

141
00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:56.160
<v Speaker 2>his ass off. He you know, when he trains, he

142
00:06:56.279 --> 00:07:02.120
<v Speaker 2>trains to swing hard, trains speed at speed. Obviously there's

143
00:07:02.199 --> 00:07:04.800
<v Speaker 2>technique in there, but like when he's in the cage,

144
00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:08.680
<v Speaker 2>it's it's loud, and it's impressive how hard the ball

145
00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:14.240
<v Speaker 2>comes off, and it's every day. So that that was

146
00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.120
<v Speaker 2>awesome to see, not that I wasn't expecting it, it's

147
00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:22.360
<v Speaker 2>just impressive to see in person. And you sometimes you

148
00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:24.279
<v Speaker 2>like to sit down and watch. You don't like to

149
00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:26.879
<v Speaker 2>necessarily get in the cage after him after he puts

150
00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:31.040
<v Speaker 2>on that show. But aside from that, he's just he's

151
00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:32.959
<v Speaker 2>a normal guy. He's he's got a great sense of

152
00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:37.199
<v Speaker 2>humor and he's goofy, likes to mess around, and you know,

153
00:07:37.240 --> 00:07:40.519
<v Speaker 2>I think that's why. You see how his teammates react

154
00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.920
<v Speaker 2>to him doing things, and you know, he always seems

155
00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:46.000
<v Speaker 2>to come through in a big moment.

156
00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:47.079
<v Speaker 3>So that's great.

157
00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:50.480
<v Speaker 1>Hey, Michael Conforto is fun to watch too, sit to hit.

158
00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:53.240
<v Speaker 1>That's what I think about when I see Confordo in

159
00:07:53.319 --> 00:07:56.120
<v Speaker 1>that batter's box. From the last left side. Thanks a

160
00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.279
<v Speaker 1>lot for the time. Always great catching up with you

161
00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:01.040
<v Speaker 1>and man LA's love and Michael Conforto.

162
00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:02.839
<v Speaker 3>I love the sound of that.

163
00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:05.399
<v Speaker 2>That's great. I hope they I hope they enjoy. This

164
00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.079
<v Speaker 2>is gonna be a fun team to watch for sure,