WEBVTT - Spring Training Dodger Talk (2-24-26) 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:03.680 The quest for the three peat has begun. Only four 0:00:03.720 --> 0:00:08.520 teams in Major League Baseball history have won three consecutive titles. 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:12.560 The Dodgers are the favorites to become the fifth. 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:14.800 A Spring training Dodger. 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:15.840 Talk, here we go again. 0:00:15.880 --> 0:00:19.759 We're going to Running Back, hosted by Dodgers insider David Basset. 0:00:19.880 --> 0:00:22.440 Are in the mex to get in on the show 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:25.600 called eight sixty six not eighty seven, two five seven, 0:00:25.760 --> 0:00:28.440 and be sure to follow Dodger Talk wherever you catch 0:00:28.480 --> 0:00:32.040 your podcasts. Here's your host, David Basse. 0:00:33.400 --> 0:00:39.400 All right, another Dodger Talk live from Camelback Ranching, Glendale, Arizona. 0:00:39.800 --> 0:00:42.720 We are with you until eight o'clock tonight here on 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:45.919 AM five to seventy LA Sports. Coming up at the 0:00:45.960 --> 0:00:49.920 bottom of the hour, you'll hear my conversation with former 0:00:50.040 --> 0:00:52.720 Dodger and now part of the Dodgers front office again 0:00:53.120 --> 0:00:57.920 after spending three years across the pond in London, England, 0:00:58.080 --> 0:01:01.440 Chase Utley. Will join us at the bottom of the hour, 0:01:01.560 --> 0:01:05.160 looking forward to sharing that conversation with you. Coming up 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:08.440 in our next segment, we'll get into exactly what the 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:12.480 Dodgers are chasing this season as they look for a 0:01:12.600 --> 0:01:15.360 three pet and I feel like we all should not 0:01:15.480 --> 0:01:19.280 take for granted what is in front of the Dodgers 0:01:19.360 --> 0:01:22.400 and what it could mean as far as their place 0:01:22.560 --> 0:01:26.760 in history in Major League Baseball. Eight six six nine, 0:01:26.840 --> 0:01:30.000 eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. We 0:01:30.080 --> 0:01:32.360 have phone lines open right now if you want to 0:01:32.400 --> 0:01:36.600 get in talk some Dodger baseball. After they won another 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:42.640 spring training game today, shut out the the Cleveland Guardians today. 0:01:43.280 --> 0:01:45.759 Not they didn't shut them out, they basically beat them 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:48.720 up eleven to three. I was looking at the four 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:51.760 and oh record that the Dodgers have this spring. The 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:55.360 Dodgers beat Cleveland today at Camelback Ranch eleven to three 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:59.360 to improve their Cactus League record to four and oh. 0:02:00.200 --> 0:02:03.560 And what's more impressive than being four and zero in 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:07.440 spring training is just how the Dodgers are doing it. 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:11.359 They have outscored their opponents in the first four games 0:02:11.840 --> 0:02:16.520 thirty four to six, and have put up double digits 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:19.079 in two of the four games that they have played 0:02:19.120 --> 0:02:23.960 so far. Also, what's impressive about it is the fact 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:27.560 that today was the first game of the four that 0:02:27.800 --> 0:02:31.720 Dave Roberts had the majority of his regulars in the 0:02:31.800 --> 0:02:36.680 lineup today, including Freddie Freeman, who made his first start 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:39.920 at first base for the Dodgers today, had an RBI 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:43.960 opposite field double to run double down the left field line, 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:46.680 So that was great to see. And we'll hear from 0:02:46.760 --> 0:02:50.520 Freddy a little bit later because he and Will Smith 0:02:50.560 --> 0:02:56.160 in today's game did challenge pitches and they both lost 0:02:56.240 --> 0:03:00.000 their challenge. So you'll hear from Dodger All Star catch 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:04.000 Will Smith on the strategy that he has to balance 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:07.600 between hitting and catching, and also the strategy as a 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:12.079 whole from both Will Smith and Freddie Freeman. Another impressive 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:14.760 part of all this. And Dave Roberts told me after 0:03:14.800 --> 0:03:18.400 the game, the Dodgers are not just giving away at bats. 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:21.960 They're coming to play with the purpose. Early in spring training, 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:26.919 everybody from Andy pa Has to Taoscar Hernandez to you know, 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:30.520 guys like Zayir Hope, guys that are in the minor 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.400 leagues that are hoping to leave an impression. None of 0:03:33.440 --> 0:03:36.720 these batters are really chasing too many pitches outside the 0:03:36.760 --> 0:03:41.480 strike zone. And like I mentioned yesterday, what is apparent 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:45.920 is the lack of depth of other teams compared to 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:48.800 the Dodgers. Like I said, today was the first day 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:53.600 the Dodgers had Rojas, ta Oscar Pajz, Tucker Smith Freeman 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:58.200 in the same lineup in the same game. Mostly so 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:01.720 far in the first three games, it's been Rojas Pajez, 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:05.720 ta Oscar Hernandez and a lot of guys that are 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:09.720 trying to make the team. But also the pitching. The 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:15.600 pitching has been so much better than the opposition, especially 0:04:16.200 --> 0:04:19.480 after your starter comes out after one or two innings. 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:24.039 It's just apparent how much talent the Dodgers have in 0:04:24.080 --> 0:04:28.920 this organization and the lack of talent that other teams 0:04:29.600 --> 0:04:34.520 have in their organization. That really has shown itself early 0:04:34.600 --> 0:04:38.120 on in spring training. But the story of today's game 0:04:38.200 --> 0:04:41.279 was not only Freddie Freeman making his first start, but 0:04:41.400 --> 0:04:45.440 also the fact that Gavin Stone returned to a Major 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:48.599 League mound, albeit in a spring training game, for the 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:54.840 first time since August thirty first of twenty twenty four. Remember, Stone, 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:58.640 who made twenty five starts that year, had to undergo 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:05.560 shoulders and shoulder surgeries are a lot less predictable than 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:09.279 elbow surgeries. They have perfected to a certain extent that 0:05:09.360 --> 0:05:16.000 Tommy John's surgery. Shoulder surgeries are a lot more complicated 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:20.239 and there are a lot less guarantees, but here's Gavin Stone, 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:23.640 who made a team high twenty five starts in twenty 0:05:23.720 --> 0:05:27.080 twenty four, coming back to the mound and looking like 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:30.160 Gavin Stone holding your breath to see how you wake 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:32.480 up tomorrow. It's that a bigger test than how you 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:33.200 feel right now. 0:05:33.279 --> 0:05:33.920 Oh yeah. 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:37.000 The recovering part of it has been the hardest, especially 0:05:37.000 --> 0:05:40.920 going through spring training. The days that I've throw lives bullpens. 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:44.279 Today felt great, but the recovery part is still a grind. 0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:47.480 So I will be sore for sure, but I think 0:05:47.520 --> 0:05:48.520 it'll be a good sort. 0:05:48.320 --> 0:05:50.320 Of How important has it been to get kind of 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:51.680 the feel for the change up back? 0:05:51.720 --> 0:05:53.599 And was that like difficult at all as you're going 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:56.200 through the rehab just kind of relearn how to throw 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:56.840 at the shoulder. 0:05:57.560 --> 0:05:59.159 That's one bread and butter, So I don't have that. 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:00.280 I'm scream but. 0:06:02.080 --> 0:06:04.240 It was the easiest pitch on my shoulder to throw 0:06:04.440 --> 0:06:07.479 last year. It never really hurt, so I got to 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:10.640 practice of a lot and just getting feel back for it, 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:15.400 and you know, seeing the results today is very uplifting. 0:06:17.279 --> 0:06:20.320 The biggest thing for Gavin Stone is not the fastball 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:22.800 or the change up, because the way you release a 0:06:22.920 --> 0:06:25.279 change up is basically the same way you're going to 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:28.919 release a fastball, just comes out a little slower. But 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:33.240 as far as the third pitch, the slider, that's the 0:06:33.279 --> 0:06:36.200 tricky one and maybe the one that maybe put a 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:38.960 lot of stress on his shoulder, because if you remember, 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:41.960 he was trying to figure out that third pitch after 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:44.320 you know, his first couple of starts in the big 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.400 leagues didn't go so well because he only had two pitches. 0:06:47.480 --> 0:06:50.560 So I'm not sure how many sliders he tried to 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:54.680 throw today, maybe none in that first inning since August 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:57.960 thirty first of twenty twenty four. But let's see how 0:06:58.040 --> 0:07:02.040 things go for Gavin Stone after he throws the slider 0:07:02.480 --> 0:07:05.560 in spring training games. The one thing that we will 0:07:05.600 --> 0:07:10.560 not doubt is Gavin Stone's toughness. He is a throwback, 0:07:10.800 --> 0:07:14.360 even Dave Roberts said earlier today when he was discussing 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:18.360 the outlook for Gavin Stone, who is very much in 0:07:18.440 --> 0:07:21.840 the mix for a starting rotation spot with Blake Snell 0:07:22.400 --> 0:07:26.160 severely behind everybody else in spring training. Here's what Dave 0:07:26.240 --> 0:07:29.120 Roberts had to say about just what Gavin Stone did 0:07:29.160 --> 0:07:32.160 in twenty four and how he believes he's one of 0:07:32.160 --> 0:07:36.560 those throwback pitchers that you know, is not into load management, 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:38.320 will take the ball whenever asked. 0:07:39.040 --> 0:07:42.280 He is a throwback, and I think that, you know, 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:47.679 when you look at guys that have big stuff, physical guys, 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:52.320 Gavin is not, you know, one of those physical, imposing guys, 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:55.160 and so his value is to be able to post 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:58.800 and he never wants the ball taking out of his hand. 0:07:59.600 --> 0:08:03.240 And and he's healthy now. So that's why for me, 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:06.720 I just have a hard time putting, you know, restrictions 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:10.320 on him for twenty twenty six because this guy's gonna 0:08:10.400 --> 0:08:14.280 overachieve and you know, over deliver. 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:17.840 But he's a throwback, no doubt. 0:08:17.960 --> 0:08:20.640 And if he's healthy coming out of spring training, I 0:08:20.760 --> 0:08:24.240 certainly see him being the guy that's part of the 0:08:24.280 --> 0:08:28.320 Dodgers five or six man rotation and River Ryan getting 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:31.080 more time to come back and maybe be a weapon 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:33.959 for the Dodgers in the second half of the season 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:37.040 because he is coming off Tommy John surgery. So River 0:08:37.160 --> 0:08:40.120 Ryan and Gavin Stone are very much going to be 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:43.520 key parts of the Dodgers' pitching staff, whether it be 0:08:43.880 --> 0:08:46.760 in the beginning, in the middle, or in the end. 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:50.640 Because as you know, something always comes up when it 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:54.280 comes to pitchers in twenty twenty six, and we have 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:57.960 seen that before. So the old saying goes, you never 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:01.400 have enough pitching. I think that's something the Dodgers can 0:09:01.440 --> 0:09:04.959 attest to, even as it's looking really good right now 0:09:05.040 --> 0:09:07.960 in spring training. So when you look at the Dodger 0:09:08.040 --> 0:09:11.920 rotation and there are a few off days early on 0:09:12.160 --> 0:09:16.160 in the season, that means the Dodgers don't need to 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:22.000 bring so many starting pitchers or give them that extra 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:25.199 day's rest By starting a sixth pitcher, you can maneuver 0:09:25.360 --> 0:09:28.120 that off day. But certainly the Dodgers are going to 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:30.760 manage the workload of these guys early on in the 0:09:30.800 --> 0:09:33.440 season because they have the big picture in mind. So 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:38.760 I'm looking at a rotation of Yamamoto, Glass, now Otani, 0:09:40.040 --> 0:09:45.800 Roki Sasaki, Emmitt Shean, and Gavin Stone. That's what I'm 0:09:45.840 --> 0:09:48.600 looking at to start the year. Because Blake Snell is 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:52.040 barely throwing off flackground. He hasn't even thrown a bullpen session. 0:09:52.720 --> 0:09:55.640 That's not going to lend itself to being ready for 0:09:55.920 --> 0:09:59.360 the time the first time through the rotation happens. My 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:04.480 overrun on Blake'snell and this is just my opinion. I'm 0:10:04.520 --> 0:10:07.080 going over under. He pitches sink of DeMaio. I think 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:10.199 that's a very fair day to guess whether it's going 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:13.040 to happen before or if it's going to happen after. 0:10:13.559 --> 0:10:16.320 Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:19.600 the phone number. We have two lines open. And before 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:22.240 we go to the phone calls, I just want to 0:10:22.280 --> 0:10:25.120 bring your attention to the Dodger roster. You may think 0:10:25.160 --> 0:10:28.280 there are no competitions in camp, but there really is. 0:10:28.720 --> 0:10:32.480 There's three players for two spots on the Dodgers opening 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.880 day roster with the injury to Tommy Edmond. Not the injury, 0:10:35.920 --> 0:10:38.280 but Edmund not going to be on the opening day 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:42.439 roster because of the Dodgers slow playing him after right 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:45.880 ankle surgery. A guy that is going to join us 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:49.720 on the pregame show tomorrow at eleven thirty. Remember his name, 0:10:49.840 --> 0:10:54.480 Santiago Espinal, right handed hitting third baseman. He played with 0:10:54.520 --> 0:10:58.360 Taoscar Hernandez in Toronto. I was shocked. Frek Rogan knew that, 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:03.080 but he played with Oscar Hernandez in Toronto. His defense 0:11:03.120 --> 0:11:06.440 in Toronto was much better than what it was last year. 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:10.920 And the Dodgers are hoping being in this culture, being 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:15.560 with the infield coaching staff that they have with Chris Woodward, 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:19.840 Bob garn Dino Ebel, Pedro Montero, that they can bring 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:24.520 that defense back. And if they see that his defense 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:28.000 is back at third base, he definitely is a good 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:32.040 backup option for Max Munsey at third base, especially against 0:11:33.200 --> 0:11:36.880 tough lefties. You could have Espinal have a spot start 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:40.040 in place of Muncy or even maybe a pinch hit 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:42.920 later in a game. So that's a name to look for. 0:11:43.200 --> 0:11:46.280 If he can make the roster, that leaves only one 0:11:46.360 --> 0:11:50.080 spot left for a left handed hitting infielder, and that's 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:55.600 gonna be either Hayesan cam or Alex Friedland. Hayesan Kim's 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:58.720 going to South Korea. Dave Roberts has seen some signs 0:11:58.760 --> 0:12:02.000 that his offense is better than what it was a 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:05.760 year ago at this time, but I don't know how 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:08.880 the Dodgers are going to evaluate Kim if he's going 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:11.920 off to the World Baseball Classic in South Korea. So 0:12:12.040 --> 0:12:15.440 that may give Alex Friedland some sort of edge, But 0:12:15.559 --> 0:12:19.000 the speed factor for Kim having that on the bench 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:22.920 and having him, you know, be able to start against 0:12:23.040 --> 0:12:27.040 right handed pitchers at second base until Edmund comes back 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:31.000 certainly is attractive option for the Dodgers. So that's how 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:34.600 the team is looking right now. When we continue live 0:12:34.640 --> 0:12:38.200 from Camel Back Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, we'll hear from 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:42.800 Will Smith and Freddie Freeman on the automated strike zone 0:12:42.880 --> 0:12:45.680 now and how they're going to challenge it, and also 0:12:45.920 --> 0:12:49.040 your phone calls. I see you guys eight six, six, nine, 0:12:49.120 --> 0:12:53.040 eight seven two five seventy. David vasse with you until 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:56.640 eight o'clock right here on AM five to seventy LA Sports. 0:12:57.520 --> 0:13:00.559 Thanks for being with us until eight o'clock right here 0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.440 on A five to seventy LA Sports. Chase Sutley is 0:13:04.480 --> 0:13:07.000 coming up at the bottom of the hour. We do 0:13:07.160 --> 0:13:12.160 have the broadcast tomorrow Dodgers at Talking Sticks Salt Rivers 0:13:12.240 --> 0:13:17.199 Field out there near Scottsdale, Arizona. The Dodgers will tangle 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:22.000 with the Snakes tomorrow afternoon. Our coverage begins at eleven thirty. 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:27.520 First pitch at twelve ten between the Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.920 Rochi Sasaki will be making his first start of the 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:35.080 Cactus League tomorrow, going up against Zach Gallen, who did 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:39.040 receive a qualifying offer by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He turned 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:42.760 it down, chose free agency, and nobody wanted to give 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:45.600 up a draft pick that you have no idea what 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:48.240 it's going to turn out to be for a proven, 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.080 top tier major league starter. So he decided just to 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:56.040 go back to Arizona. And if the Diamondbacks get Corbin 0:13:56.080 --> 0:13:59.160 Burns back at some point in time this season, they 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:03.000 may have the making of a solid starting staff if 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:07.040 nobody gets hurt, but Merril Kelly already got hurt, So 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:12.520 Corbyn Burns, Zach Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez make up a Brandon 0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:15.480 Fott make up a very thin rotation. And that's the 0:14:15.559 --> 0:14:19.480 difference between the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks and the Padres 0:14:19.560 --> 0:14:22.440 and the Giants. If somebody goes down or needs a 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:26.200 breather for fifteen days, the Dodgers can turn to a 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:29.440 Gavin Stone or a River Ryan or a Landon Nack 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:33.560 to make a spot start or two. These other teams don't. 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:37.720 And that's something that people fail to realize when they just, 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:41.880 you know, blatantly or flippantly talk about the Dodgers and 0:14:42.320 --> 0:14:46.400 just their payroll. It's not so much about the Kyle 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:50.000 Tuckers of the world, although obviously that's a big difference. 0:14:50.080 --> 0:14:53.480 But it's the depth that the player development has built 0:14:53.520 --> 0:14:57.760 over the years that allows the Dodgers to navigate and 0:14:57.880 --> 0:15:01.600 to add to an already very good pitching staff. Eight 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:04.200 six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:07.800 phone number. We have two lines open right now. We'll 0:15:07.880 --> 0:15:10.240 hear from Freddie Freeman and Will Smith in a moment. 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:12.280 But I want to give a shout out to two 0:15:12.360 --> 0:15:15.240 members of the Dodger family. For a very long time, 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:19.240 Lynn and Steve Brenner. We're out here for a long time, 0:15:19.520 --> 0:15:23.320 long term stay hotels, you get tired of eating out, 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:27.960 and Lynn and Steve Brenner have a hosted a cookout 0:15:28.000 --> 0:15:32.200 going back to twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen at one of 0:15:32.240 --> 0:15:36.320 the outdoor meeting areas at their hotel. They have the 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:40.000 barbecues available here and they invited me tonight and it 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:44.240 was such a great time. They grilled steaks, corn, they 0:15:44.280 --> 0:15:46.840 had salad. All of this had a long term stay 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:50.760 outdoor barbecue. Steve Brenner, in case you don't know him, 0:15:50.880 --> 0:15:54.880 one of the longtime famous media relations people in LA 0:15:55.280 --> 0:15:58.440 He was the PR director when Tommy Lasorda was the 0:15:58.480 --> 0:16:02.120 manager and has stayed with the Dodgers on and off 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:06.760 since nineteen eighty or since the seventies. Left to build 0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:11.080 his own empire in nineteen eighty seven and has come 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:15.080 back as part of the Dodger family. So Travis Barbery, 0:16:15.240 --> 0:16:18.200 the OKC manager from a couple of years ago, still 0:16:18.240 --> 0:16:21.760 in the organization, was part of it. Charlie Huff was there. 0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:27.120 Joe Crawley, who's the everything at Dodger Stadium to make 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:30.440 the facilities and the stadium run smoothly. So it was 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:33.320 a great dinner had by all. And my day consists 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:36.520 of getting here at seven am, leaving after the game, 0:16:36.560 --> 0:16:39.560 and then having some intermission for dinner before I come 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:42.800 back to camel Back Ranch for Dodger Talk. And tonight 0:16:42.840 --> 0:16:45.120 they invited me to be part of their dinner, so 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:48.520 thank you Lynn and Steve Brenner. All right, let's go 0:16:48.560 --> 0:16:51.720 out to the phones. Lou, who's out here in Phoenix 0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:55.160 listening on the iHeartRadio app. Hi, Lou, You're on Dodger Talk. 0:16:56.760 --> 0:16:59.520 Hey DV, great to chat with you again. Thanks for 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:02.680 taking a look. And uh look, don't eat too much barbecue. 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:04.080 You know you got to you got to push up 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:06.560 challenge coming that we're all rooting for you, Okay, so 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:08.760 just be careful with that barbecue, all right. 0:17:08.680 --> 0:17:10.479 All right, thank you, thank you for the warning. 0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:14.239 So Hey, I've been out there a few times and 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:18.399 I've really been impressed with Miggy Rowe. Perhaps it's his 0:17:18.520 --> 0:17:21.240 last frame training and I don't know, he's just been 0:17:21.320 --> 0:17:25.359 raking the ball. He's really impressed me. And you know, 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:29.200 every year you give the listeners a guy to watch for. 0:17:29.359 --> 0:17:31.280 I remember a couple of years ago you said Freeland 0:17:31.280 --> 0:17:35.560 watches Alex Freelay Freeland guy. So who's who should we 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:38.359 be watching, you know, maybe to crack the roster this 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:41.080 year or maybe in the next year or so. Because 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:43.520 you're always really insightful and appreciate all you do for us. 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:46.440 Dave, thank you, Hey, thank you, Lou Well. As far 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:50.240 as prospects go, host Suade Depaula was three for three 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:52.800 today with an RBI and two run scored. He just 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:56.120 has to get the defense better in the outfield. And 0:17:56.280 --> 0:17:58.520 the guy that I'm telling you to look for is 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:02.359 a veteran that the Dodgers into camp to possibly be 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:05.640 part of their bench to start the year. Santiago Espinal. 0:18:05.960 --> 0:18:08.840 You'll hear from him on the pregame show tomorrow at 0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:12.680 eleven thirty. Let's go out to the City of Brotherly Love, 0:18:12.880 --> 0:18:15.800 Henry and Philly. Henry, how are you doing with that 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:16.800 weather back there? 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:23.560 Hey man, it's very cold DV. First time caller, longtime listener, 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:28.520 huge fan of you. I actually just got home braved 0:18:28.680 --> 0:18:33.920 the Icy Road from the Homecoming movie that you had 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:36.040 the director on a couple of weeks ago, and it 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:39.280 was really special. It was cool to see with my 0:18:39.400 --> 0:18:43.240 girlfriend who works in sports media and hear her commentary 0:18:43.359 --> 0:18:46.879 on it. And thanks for highlighting that because it was 0:18:46.920 --> 0:18:48.160 a really cool experience. 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:52.280 Hey, my pleasure. I meant it. I went to the premiere. 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:54.439 I saw it. It wasn't what I expected, but it 0:18:54.520 --> 0:18:58.480 gave anybody that watches it a better understanding of how 0:18:58.560 --> 0:19:02.440 much baseball means the culture in the country of Japan. Hey, 0:19:02.480 --> 0:19:05.919 I got a question for you, Henry. What's the buzz 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:10.520 back in Philly about or Ryan Keickering, the relief pitcher 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:13.280 that threw the ball away to allow the Dodgers to 0:19:13.880 --> 0:19:18.080 win the NLDS over the Phillies. Are Philly fans all 0:19:18.119 --> 0:19:21.640 over or Ryan Kickering? Or they have they softened up? 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:26.159 You know? I think some of the less knowledgeable ones, 0:19:26.280 --> 0:19:29.199 more kind of emotional one are still kind of like 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:32.920 crew that guy. But I was happy to be listening 0:19:32.920 --> 0:19:36.360 to local radio here the other day and hear someone 0:19:36.440 --> 0:19:38.840 call in and just say that they were excited to 0:19:38.840 --> 0:19:41.800 see how he would refond this year. You know, a 0:19:41.800 --> 0:19:44.640 guy like that, I'm sure needing support. It was obviously 0:19:44.680 --> 0:19:48.200 a huge moment for us, but a horrible moment for him. 0:19:48.720 --> 0:19:50.680 Were you in Philly when that all went down? 0:19:51.880 --> 0:19:54.479 I was in Philly, and I have a few funny 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:57.720 stories about all that, and so I was a little 0:19:57.720 --> 0:20:00.520 bit ahead of my neighbors, who I knew were watching 0:20:00.520 --> 0:20:03.960 the game because I saw it through their window that happened. 0:20:04.280 --> 0:20:07.440 And then I walk outside to go see my girlfriend 0:20:07.480 --> 0:20:10.720 who's down the street at a bar, and I see 0:20:10.760 --> 0:20:13.680 their reaction to their window, and then I just hear, 0:20:14.080 --> 0:20:18.119 I hear things I can't yell. On five seventy. I 0:20:18.119 --> 0:20:21.480 got the love their reaction, which was which was pretty cool. 0:20:21.640 --> 0:20:24.000 And then you know, the year before, I had been 0:20:24.040 --> 0:20:29.280 working a late night for Freddie's for during Game one 0:20:29.359 --> 0:20:32.120 of the twenty twenty four World Series, and I got 0:20:32.160 --> 0:20:34.520 out just in time towards the end of the game, 0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:37.120 and I ran to the bar down the street from 0:20:37.119 --> 0:20:40.520 my job, and he hit the home run. And as 0:20:40.560 --> 0:20:43.040 I'm walking in and he hid his walk off homer 0:20:43.119 --> 0:20:43.960 and I'm I. 0:20:44.000 --> 0:20:44.480 Kid you not. 0:20:44.640 --> 0:20:48.640 DV chair were flying back. Even in Philly. People were 0:20:48.720 --> 0:20:51.800 high fiving and couldn't believe it. Just such a special moment. 0:20:52.560 --> 0:20:55.119 I love it, Henry, thanks a lot for giving us 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:57.080 the pulse out there in Philly. And I'm glad you 0:20:57.240 --> 0:21:01.280 enjoyed homecoming. I hopefully if you didn't get to see 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:03.560 it in the theaters, people get to see it if 0:21:03.600 --> 0:21:06.359 it's if it's streams. So thanks, Henry, We'll talk to 0:21:06.359 --> 0:21:10.240 you soon. Yep, there he goes, Henry in Philadelphia listening 0:21:10.240 --> 0:21:13.200 on the iHeartRadio app. A Dodger fan out there, and hey, 0:21:13.560 --> 0:21:16.760 the Dodgers have a lot of Philly ties. Tommy Lasorda 0:21:16.800 --> 0:21:20.159 from the Philly area, Mike Piazza from the Philly area. 0:21:20.320 --> 0:21:23.919 So there's a lot of great baseball. Mark Goubazzaw is 0:21:23.960 --> 0:21:27.000 from Philly. Even though he did not pitch in a 0:21:27.040 --> 0:21:30.240 major League game for the Dodgers, his last invite to 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:33.560 spring training before he retired was with the Dodgers and 0:21:33.600 --> 0:21:36.840 Mike Siani, who is here in camp with the Dodgers, 0:21:36.920 --> 0:21:41.160 is a Philly guy and actually was awarded the Mark 0:21:41.240 --> 0:21:45.320 Gubezaw Scholarship so he could go to high school that 0:21:45.400 --> 0:21:48.399 Gubazaw went to out there in Philly. So there's the 0:21:48.400 --> 0:21:51.480 connection of Philly right there. Eight six six nine eight 0:21:51.600 --> 0:21:54.959 seven two five seventy is the phone number coming up. 0:21:55.000 --> 0:21:57.359 At the bottom of the hour, you'll hear our conversation 0:21:57.440 --> 0:22:01.320 with another Philly guy, Chase. But before we get to 0:22:01.359 --> 0:22:03.760 all that, I do want to share with you that 0:22:04.000 --> 0:22:07.720 earlier today and today's game, we saw for the first 0:22:07.760 --> 0:22:13.160 time Dodgers hitters challenge balls and strikes. You know, there 0:22:13.200 --> 0:22:16.240 is going to be an automated strike zone where teams 0:22:16.280 --> 0:22:19.600 have two challenges in the first nine innings. If you 0:22:19.680 --> 0:22:23.960 get it wrong, you lose it. If you lose both, sorry, 0:22:24.800 --> 0:22:27.200 if it's the ninth inning and you use your challenges, 0:22:28.040 --> 0:22:32.359 it's not it's your fault. But if you're right, you 0:22:32.400 --> 0:22:35.720 get to retain the challenges. Well, today Will Smith and 0:22:35.760 --> 0:22:38.800 Freddie Freeman were both wrong. And I'm just curious now 0:22:38.800 --> 0:22:41.320 that games are starting to happen and we saw that 0:22:41.720 --> 0:22:46.680 occur today. What the Dodgers strategy is first, here's what 0:22:46.720 --> 0:22:47.679 Will Smith told me. 0:22:48.359 --> 0:22:49.679 You know, I think there's times. 0:22:49.400 --> 0:22:49.760 To use it. 0:22:49.800 --> 0:22:51.440 I think there's. 0:22:50.800 --> 0:22:54.600 Something egregious you use it, you know, like I use it. 0:22:54.640 --> 0:22:58.320 There's a man on third full count, Like I didn't 0:22:58.320 --> 0:23:01.800 think it was terrible time. Uh you know, I think 0:23:01.800 --> 0:23:05.119 if you truly think it's a ball, muse it. You 0:23:05.160 --> 0:23:07.480 can't if you're thinking about like the odds that being 0:23:07.520 --> 0:23:10.040 a striker ball, like rolling the dice. I feel like 0:23:10.080 --> 0:23:13.960 it's not really it. But I saw it down I knew, 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:16.159 you know, it's kind of a bigger pitch for that 0:23:16.280 --> 0:23:18.880 ending because it could have been you know, bases load 0:23:18.960 --> 0:23:20.920 or whatever, or it could have been a strike out. 0:23:21.160 --> 0:23:23.600 Uh So I didn't like feel horrible taking it there. 0:23:25.000 --> 0:23:27.080 At the same time, like if I thought that was 0:23:27.080 --> 0:23:28.280 a striker, I wouldn't challenge it. 0:23:28.359 --> 0:23:31.639