WEBVTT - Dave Roberts (8-13-26) 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:04.720 And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk. 0:00:06.640 --> 0:00:08.000 It's the Dodgers and Brewers. 0:00:08.039 --> 0:00:11.880 Everybody's excited about this, the two best teams in baseball, 0:00:11.920 --> 0:00:15.280 and it's time for our Managers Meeting, presented by Downy Hunday. 0:00:15.280 --> 0:00:18.479 We're in the office of Dave Roberts. It's always strange 0:00:18.560 --> 0:00:21.759 when I walk in. He has a smile that just 0:00:21.880 --> 0:00:24.959 goes away really quick, so I'm not sure whether or 0:00:24.960 --> 0:00:26.479 not he's happy to see me or not. 0:00:26.600 --> 0:00:30.040 But we're back here again, Dave. Yeah, here we are again, Dave. 0:00:30.120 --> 0:00:32.360 And I think you have that effect on people, man. 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:35.040 But no, in all seriousness, I've had a great day. 0:00:35.560 --> 0:00:39.080 Got a chance earlier today to celebrate oral Hollywood Walk 0:00:39.120 --> 0:00:42.040 of Fame. He got his star and obviously with what 0:00:42.080 --> 0:00:44.560 he did with the Dodgers and then now as a broadcaster, 0:00:44.760 --> 0:00:46.279 so it was great to celebrate him. 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:49.040 What was it like again for you to be out 0:00:49.080 --> 0:00:53.360 there this morning on Hollywood and Highland celebrating one of 0:00:53.360 --> 0:00:56.880 the Dodger icons, but you being the great ambassador for 0:00:56.960 --> 0:00:57.720 this team. 0:00:57.920 --> 0:01:01.320 Well it's quite the honor. And there was a great 0:01:01.320 --> 0:01:04.120 turnout and there were a guy from the eighty eight 0:01:04.160 --> 0:01:06.640 team Miggey Rowe was there from a current team, and 0:01:06.680 --> 0:01:11.520 obviously front office. Stan Castle was there and just family friends. 0:01:11.760 --> 0:01:16.120 Bob Costas was a master's ceremonies. Joe Davis spoke, Clayton spoke, 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:20.360 I spoke, Jimi Harden spoke, and it was great. And 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:23.520 I think is what you said, it's Dodger lore. It's 0:01:23.560 --> 0:01:27.040 a legacy, you know what we're a part of every day. 0:01:27.800 --> 0:01:31.280 It runs deep and the late great time of the Sword, 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:33.200 I think was looking down with a smile. 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:33.720 No doubt. 0:01:33.880 --> 0:01:37.200 I was watching a special on you backstage Dodgers, celebrating 0:01:37.520 --> 0:01:40.679 your managerial career with the Dodgers over one thousand wins 0:01:40.720 --> 0:01:44.400 now and at your introductory press conference, you were looking 0:01:44.440 --> 0:01:48.080 at the trophy case at Dodger Stadium. When you took over, 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.320 there was only a couple of trophies in that case. 0:01:51.840 --> 0:01:55.080 Since you took over, there's three more. Does that ever 0:01:55.240 --> 0:01:58.960 hit you that you've added three championships and counting to 0:01:59.000 --> 0:01:59.840 this organization? 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.960 You know, when you present it that way, it certainly does. 0:02:04.120 --> 0:02:06.160 And it's not to be taken for granted, but I 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:09.600 think when you're in it, you're always wanting for more. 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:12.600 But I do remember that press conference and that introductory 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:15.320 press conference, and you know, that's our north Star, that's 0:02:15.360 --> 0:02:18.119 my north Star, that's everyone in this organization. The fan 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:21.520 base is north star to continue to accrue championships. And 0:02:21.639 --> 0:02:26.520 Los Angeles is a city of champions and so you know, 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:29.880 anything less than a championship is unacceptable. And so I 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:32.520 think for me, yeah, you take moments to kind of 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:35.320 celebrate the wins. But you know, as we're here in 0:02:35.360 --> 0:02:38.720 the middle of twenty twenty six in August, we got 0:02:39.120 --> 0:02:42.040 us against the Brewers in a four games series. So honestly, 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:43.880 my focus is game tonight. 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:47.720 You always try to tell me to temper the excitement 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:50.600 over a series like this, but as we get closer 0:02:50.960 --> 0:02:52.760 to the end of the year, there's still a fight 0:02:52.880 --> 0:02:55.280 for the top three seeds in the National League. So 0:02:55.919 --> 0:02:58.920 going up against the Brewers four games series, Am I 0:02:59.040 --> 0:03:02.000 making too much out of the importance or excitement of 0:03:02.000 --> 0:03:02.560 this series? 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:06.920 I think yes, But and I say that with all 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:09.359 due respect in the sense of yes, it's gonna be 0:03:09.360 --> 0:03:10.880 a fun series, it gonna be a great series, but 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:13.160 it's not the end all be all either way, whatever 0:03:13.280 --> 0:03:17.639 result happens. As we've learned throughout the regular season, doesn't 0:03:17.680 --> 0:03:21.160 really have a correlation to the postseason. But yeah, from 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:24.760 a media, fan, player perspective, coaching perspective, this can be 0:03:24.760 --> 0:03:25.720 a fun series. Yeah. 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:29.280 I remember last year the Brewers beat you all seven 0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:31.959 times in the regular season, and you guys swept them 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:36.880 in the postseason. So is that also a tricky mind 0:03:36.920 --> 0:03:40.760 trap for your players to know what happened last year? 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:41.800 And I don't know. 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:45.920 It seems like you guys overcame so much last year. 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:49.960 Does that sometimes work against the urgency you were talking about. 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:53.240 Well, we certainly have urgency again, which I'm happy to see. 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:57.080 And I think that it's one of those things where 0:03:57.160 --> 0:04:00.560 this year is different than last year. The Brewers are 0:04:00.600 --> 0:04:03.520 an even better team, They're a hungrier team, and I 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:06.680 think for me from a leadership standpoint, is to make 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:10.560 guys recognize that this is a different year and it's 0:04:10.720 --> 0:04:13.000 going to be a different way to go about it. 0:04:13.000 --> 0:04:15.960 We still got to play good baseball and you know, 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:21.080 keep our focus keen and heightened and sharp. But like 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:23.080 I said, you still got to go play baseball. And 0:04:23.360 --> 0:04:26.960 I do like the way in this Kansas City Series. 0:04:27.040 --> 0:04:31.919 I think that the fans could see our focus heightened, 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:34.200 a sense of urgency and even the way I manage, 0:04:34.240 --> 0:04:37.560 you know, pinch hitting at times where I normally wouldn't do, 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:41.559 making some pitching change that I probably wouldn't do because 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:44.480 I got to kind of mirror that urgency I'm talking about. 0:04:44.560 --> 0:04:47.160 Yeah, do you feel like you set the tone by 0:04:47.200 --> 0:04:49.080 the way you manage those type of games? 0:04:49.279 --> 0:04:50.920 I think so, you know, because I think that there's 0:04:50.920 --> 0:04:53.200 a point, and I mentioned this a few days ago, 0:04:53.279 --> 0:04:55.400 is that I've seen enough of a sample in the 0:04:55.440 --> 0:04:58.000 players what they can what they can't do. And now 0:04:58.600 --> 0:05:00.920 it's not the playoffs, but I do think that it's 0:05:00.960 --> 0:05:05.120 healthy for us to get of that mind and it 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:06.200 only makes you play better. 0:05:06.360 --> 0:05:08.279 All Right, I got to ask you, since we always 0:05:08.320 --> 0:05:11.440 have this blank canvas every week, we have time to 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:13.719 dive into some topics that are out there, and the 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:17.320 manager's meeting is presented by Downy Hyundai. There's been a 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:19.760 lot of talk about the ABS, and I feel like 0:05:19.839 --> 0:05:23.560 it's been misrepresented. You guys do have a plan. You've 0:05:23.560 --> 0:05:27.160 explained it, Aaron Bates, have explained your strategy. But when 0:05:27.240 --> 0:05:31.200 it comes to a player like Andy Paz who seems 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:34.479 to get a little emotional in those moments, how do 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:37.239 you rain him in. Is there a conversation that says, 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:40.359 you know what, Andy, maybe you're not going to be 0:05:40.440 --> 0:05:41.520 allowed to challenge. 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:44.800 I think that's fair and we all see it, and 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:48.200 it is an emotional decision by Andy in that moment 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:51.560 in and at bat. We've talked, you know, at length 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:54.120 to all of our players about the leverage and when 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:56.640 you should do it when you don't. You know, every 0:05:56.680 --> 0:06:00.120 at bat is important, but there's still a risk and 0:06:00.200 --> 0:06:03.359 a cost for a challenge, and so I think that 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:05.760 right now we're going to kind of put the challenges 0:06:05.800 --> 0:06:09.359 from him on the back burner and do the work 0:06:09.440 --> 0:06:12.839 in the sense of after games go through, what he 0:06:13.040 --> 0:06:15.120 thought could have been a strike could have been a 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:18.280 ball was closed, and so he can kind of recalibrate 0:06:18.400 --> 0:06:20.960 on the strike zone. But and he's had a great 0:06:21.040 --> 0:06:25.360 year offensively, defensively, and he's a young player who's still 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:28.080 getting better each time out. But this is a learning 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:31.520 curve for him that we as the coaches, got to 0:06:31.560 --> 0:06:34.320 do a better job and kind of educating him more. 0:06:34.440 --> 0:06:37.280 How pivotal is the ABS going to be in October? 0:06:37.560 --> 0:06:39.880 It's going to be very pivotal, and you got to 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:42.360 really lock it in because what you don't want is 0:06:42.400 --> 0:06:48.599 something like that, an irresponsible emotional challenge or non challenge 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:51.920 in a leverage spot to cost your game. And so 0:06:52.080 --> 0:06:55.080 I do think that it's great because it's made umpires 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:59.480 better and kind of you know, no one wants to 0:06:59.520 --> 0:07:01.520 be embarrass when you miss a ball by you know, 0:07:01.520 --> 0:07:04.000 a ball strike called by two and a half inches. 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.719 You know everyone sees it. That doesn't feel good for them. 0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:11.160 So I think in general it's made them better and ultimately, players, coaches, 0:07:11.200 --> 0:07:13.240 fans want to get the call right and then it 0:07:13.320 --> 0:07:15.520 kind of goes into the strategy on when you use 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:17.960 those challenges. But you know, this gear is going to 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:21.480 be different than any other year as far as the ABS. 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:25.120 So we just got to be really locked in on 0:07:25.160 --> 0:07:26.920 our process when we get to the postseason. 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:29.600 Can you set the record straight, Is it your preference 0:07:29.720 --> 0:07:33.080 to have both challenges in the last three innings for 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:35.920 your catcher and your pitcher or is it for the 0:07:36.040 --> 0:07:37.760 hitters in pivotal situations? 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:39.760 Yeah, you know what, I just don't think it's hard 0:07:39.800 --> 0:07:41.960 and fast. I think that you know, you can win 0:07:42.040 --> 0:07:43.920 or lose a game in the first inning, you know, 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:47.320 bases loaded three to two and there's a borderline pitch 0:07:47.400 --> 0:07:50.120 that's called and you know, if you're really certain that 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:52.240 it was a ball, but it was called to strike, 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:54.800 I think it's worthy of a challenge. So it's hard 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:58.560 to kind of put players in that corner. But again, 0:07:58.680 --> 0:08:01.440 you really got to make sure that you know the 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:03.120 squeeze is worth it. 0:08:03.520 --> 0:08:05.560 I'm going to put a smile on Dave Robert's face 0:08:05.600 --> 0:08:07.560 because we're going to back out of here pretty soon. 0:08:07.680 --> 0:08:11.720 One final question, you talk about the tone. What's Freddie 0:08:11.720 --> 0:08:14.600 Freeman doing as far as setting the tone playing tonight 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:16.800 after the way he went down those steps. 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:21.520 Well, you know, he is a consummate professional. He loves 0:08:21.560 --> 0:08:24.000 to post. He's a guy that plays every day and 0:08:24.400 --> 0:08:27.760 I just love it. I love him because he understands 0:08:27.800 --> 0:08:30.560 that his job is to be out there every day 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:35.760 for the Dodgers and earn his keep right with his contract. So, yeah, 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:38.520 we dodged a big one yesterday. From my vantash point, 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.440 you see him, then you don't. And so there's a 0:08:41.480 --> 0:08:44.160 lot of things while I was holding my breath running 0:08:44.160 --> 0:08:47.040 across the field that went through my mind, and I 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:49.960 think that we came out of it in the best 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:53.360 possible scenario, in the sense that he has some overall 0:08:53.400 --> 0:08:57.280 body soreness, but nothing further than that, so he'll be 0:08:57.320 --> 0:08:59.400 in there today. Gave me a text today and said 0:08:59.400 --> 0:09:02.920 he's ready to go, but he'll be down tomorrow. But yeah, 0:09:03.120 --> 0:09:05.480 you know a guy like that, he plays hurt all 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:06.320 the time, so. 0:09:06.360 --> 0:09:09.600 He texts you before you could text him. That's right. Yeah, 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:10.880 well a truth be told. 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:12.719 I did say, hey, man, when you wake up and 0:09:12.760 --> 0:09:14.839 you make sure you're in one piece, let me know 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:15.640 if you can go or not. 0:09:16.440 --> 0:09:18.160 All right, Dave, thanks a lot for the time. 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:21.520 I always enjoy spending this time with you every week, 0:09:21.559 --> 0:09:24.400 and it's great to dive into some of these things 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:26.560 that fans need a little clarity on. 0:09:26.920 --> 0:09:27.120 Yeah. 0:09:27.120 --> 0:09:27.800 Absolutely, Dave. 0:09:27.880 --> 0:09:30.560 Always fun catching up with you, and I do love 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:33.880 this chat, this conversation, so it kind of gives, you know, 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:36.640 fans a little peek behind the curtain on some of 0:09:36.679 --> 0:09:37.599 my perspectives. 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:41.280 Hey, the bling behind Dave Roberts is blinding when we 0:09:41.360 --> 0:09:44.480 do these interviews because he's been a winner ever since 0:09:44.520 --> 0:09:46.800 he was playing in center field, and he's carried that 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:48.480 forward as the manager.