WEBVTT - Dodger Talk (8-31-26)

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<v Speaker 1>This is World Champion Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 2>Here we go again. We're getting ready to run it back.

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<v Speaker 1>Hosted by Dodgers insider David Bassett. Dodger Talk is brought

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<v Speaker 1>to you by L.A. County Public Works. Champions Recycled Beverage Containers.

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<v Speaker 1>Make the play. Recycle today. And by Children's Hospital L.A.

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<v Speaker 1>From colds to cancer, we got this. To get in

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<v Speaker 1>on the show, call 866-987-2570. And be sure to follow

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<v Speaker 1>Dodger Talk wherever you get your podcasts.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's your host, David Vasse. David Vasse. Welcome to Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 2>David Vasse with you until 8 o'clock tonight here on

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<v Speaker 2>AM570 LA Sports. Fresh back from a East Coast road trip.

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<v Speaker 2>Got a sinus infection, but here we are until 8

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<v Speaker 2>o'clock right here on 570 LA Sports. The Dodgers start

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<v Speaker 2>a nine-game homestand beginning tomorrow night at Dodger Stadium. Three

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<v Speaker 2>against the Cardinals, three against the Nationals, and three against

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<v Speaker 2>the Reds. Our coverage begins tomorrow at 6 o'clock with

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<v Speaker 2>first pitch at 7-10. Rick Munday and Charlie Steiner will

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<v Speaker 2>be on the call for the Dodgers audio network tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 2>And on Wednesday, it's World Series ring giveaway night. Otani,

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<v Speaker 2>World Series replica ring giveaway night. That should be fun.

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<v Speaker 2>And also, Chris Taylor is going to be back at

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<v Speaker 2>Dodger Stadium. He retired earlier this year, and Chris Taylor

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<v Speaker 2>will be at Dodger Stadium to throw out the ceremonial

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<v Speaker 2>first pitch. I'm sure there'll be some sort of highlight

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<v Speaker 2>montage of his career because when he got traded to

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers in the middle of 2016, that's when his

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<v Speaker 2>career really took off, and he had a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>big playoff moments for the Dodgers. And one of them

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<v Speaker 2>was against the Cardinals, the wildcard game, a walk-off home

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<v Speaker 2>run against St. Louis for Chris Taylor. So that'll be

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<v Speaker 2>fun on Wednesday to see Chris Taylor. And as the

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers embark on the final 25 games of the season,

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<v Speaker 2>they are facing one of the easiest schedules in all

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<v Speaker 2>of baseball down the stretch. But as I reminded you

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<v Speaker 2>a few times on that road trip, I don't care

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<v Speaker 2>if you're the Cardinals. I don't care if you're the Nationals.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't care if you're the Reds. When you play

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers, you usually play your best. So the Dodgers

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<v Speaker 2>will get the best shot of all these teams that

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<v Speaker 2>are pretty much out of the playoff picture. The Nationals

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<v Speaker 2>have a horrible pitching staff. They're without one of the

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<v Speaker 2>best young sluggers in the game, James Wood. He's been

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<v Speaker 2>on the IL for a while with an oblique injury. C.J.

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<v Speaker 2>Abrams just came back and really hasn't gotten on track.

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<v Speaker 2>The Cardinals are very mediocre and the Reds are also

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<v Speaker 2>not a very good pitching team and not a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of thunder in that offense. So the Dodgers will see

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<v Speaker 2>the Reds 10 times in the final 25 games of

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<v Speaker 2>the season. I would love for them to win at

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<v Speaker 2>least nine of those 10 games, three at Dodger Stadium,

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<v Speaker 2>four in Cincinnati on the next road trip. Speaking of

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<v Speaker 2>road trips, I thought it was a great road trip

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<v Speaker 2>in Detroit. Atlanta was not so great, but I had

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<v Speaker 2>a fun day yesterday. Oral Hershiser came in during the

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<v Speaker 2>rain delay. We had fun between him, Rick Monday, Stephen Nelson,

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<v Speaker 2>our producer engineer, Dwayne McDonald. That was some good levity

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<v Speaker 2>as far as some rain delay fun. And Oral always

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<v Speaker 2>brings the fun in the booth before first pitch is thrown.

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<v Speaker 2>So it was great to hang out. with the man

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<v Speaker 2>that has the new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,

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<v Speaker 2>and of course, a legendary Dodger. Also, it was great

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<v Speaker 2>to see Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run home run in

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<v Speaker 2>a game, and we haven't seen that in a while.

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<v Speaker 2>Freddie Freeman matched and passed Ernie Banks as far as

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<v Speaker 2>hits in their careers, and then tied Reggie Jackson as

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<v Speaker 2>far as career hits, and he just keeps going and going.

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<v Speaker 2>579 doubles now. on his way to being 23rd all-time

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<v Speaker 2>to pass Robin Yount with, what, four or five more,

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<v Speaker 2>I think I told him yesterday. And also in Detroit,

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<v Speaker 2>it was great because it wasn't just about Tarek Skubal

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<v Speaker 2>going back to Detroit. Obviously, that was the headliner, and

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<v Speaker 2>it was great to see Skubal really handle all those

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<v Speaker 2>emotions really well and pitch really well that first night

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<v Speaker 2>back in Detroit. but got to hang out with Kenley Jansen,

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<v Speaker 2>the all-time Dodgers saves leader, who's just seven saves away from.

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<v Speaker 2>500 in his Hall of Fame career. And it was

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<v Speaker 2>great to spend some time with Jack Flaherty, who was

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<v Speaker 2>a big part of the Dodgers' second half in 24

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<v Speaker 2>and in the postseason that helped them win the World Series.

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<v Speaker 2>And George Lombard is A.J. Hinch's bench coach, and we

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<v Speaker 2>all know George was Dave Roberts' first coach first base

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<v Speaker 2>coach when he took over in 2016, and now he

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<v Speaker 2>has two kids in Major League Baseball. So all in all,

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<v Speaker 2>winning two out of three in Detroit, I'm not going

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<v Speaker 2>to say took the bad taste out of being swept

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<v Speaker 2>in Atlanta, but certainly it gave the Dodgers something to

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<v Speaker 2>smile about because I know I'm speaking for myself, but

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<v Speaker 2>being around the team, it felt like we were away

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<v Speaker 2>a lot longer just for six games. I was a

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<v Speaker 2>long East Coast road trip, and they got one more,

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<v Speaker 2>Miami and Cincinnati, next week. So that's a good thing.

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<v Speaker 2>But I'm not going to shy away from the fact

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<v Speaker 2>that it wasn't good the Dodgers got swept in Atlanta.

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<v Speaker 2>I know Dave Roberts and Mookie Betts tried to downplay it.

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<v Speaker 2>I know the team tried to downplay it. They went

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<v Speaker 2>into Atlanta four games up. for the number two spot

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<v Speaker 2>and the very important buy. I feel like the Dodgers

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<v Speaker 2>getting the buy this year is more important than it

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<v Speaker 2>was last year. I was a big advocate that the

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<v Speaker 2>wild card game was good for that team last year,

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<v Speaker 2>and it proved to be true. They kept playing, and

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<v Speaker 2>I felt like they needed to do that to be successful.

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<v Speaker 2>But this year, I feel like this team has a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of miles on it. Some days look older than others.

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<v Speaker 2>I wouldn't want to see them have to play The Padres,

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<v Speaker 2>let's say, at Dodgers Stadium, or the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks,

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<v Speaker 2>I would say, really forced the issue against the Dodgers,

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<v Speaker 2>making contact, running the bases. I do think the Dodgers

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<v Speaker 2>would beat them, but the Diamondbacks are the last team

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<v Speaker 2>to beat the Dodgers in the postseason, so you'd never

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<v Speaker 2>want to see an in-division rival in a best-out-of-three series.

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<v Speaker 2>because anything can happen winning two games. I still don't believe,

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<v Speaker 2>and I refuse to believe, any team out there can

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<v Speaker 2>beat the Dodgers four times in a series. That's what

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<v Speaker 2>you have to do to beat the Dodgers. You're going

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<v Speaker 2>to have to beat them four times if they get

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<v Speaker 2>past the wild card or the NLDS. But going back

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<v Speaker 2>to my point about that number two seed, I would

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<v Speaker 2>not want to see the Dodgers have to play that

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<v Speaker 2>wildcard series. I would not want to see the Dodgers

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<v Speaker 2>have to get on a plane and fly to Atlanta

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<v Speaker 2>after a wildcard series, only getting one day off after

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<v Speaker 2>the final regular season game. I just wouldn't want to

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<v Speaker 2>see that. I don't believe that lends itself to the

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers being successful in this year's postseason. So that's why

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<v Speaker 2>You know, with 25 games left, the Dodgers and Braves

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<v Speaker 2>are tied. But essentially, the Braves have a one-game lead

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<v Speaker 2>on the Dodgers because they won the season series by

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<v Speaker 2>sweeping them in Atlanta. They took two out of three

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<v Speaker 2>at Dodger Stadium. They sweep the Dodgers in Atlanta. And

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers just needed to win two out of three.

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<v Speaker 2>Just salvage one, and it's a little bit better. But

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<v Speaker 2>going in there four games ahead, and now you're tied.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know anybody. can say, like, oh, it's no

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<v Speaker 2>big deal. There's still 25 games left. Yeah, well, the

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<v Speaker 2>Braves played the Rockies and now have won seven in

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<v Speaker 2>a row. So I haven't looked at the Braves' schedule,

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<v Speaker 2>but it just wasn't good. I don't know how anybody

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<v Speaker 2>can say anything different. Also, tomorrow, September 1st, rosters can

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<v Speaker 2>expand by one position player and one pitcher. I know

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<v Speaker 2>many of you are foaming at the mouth for JDP,

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<v Speaker 2>Josue DePaula, I have tried to temper your expectations. That

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<v Speaker 2>is not going to happen. I can assure you of

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<v Speaker 2>that tomorrow. And also, I don't believe James Tibbs is

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<v Speaker 2>going to get the call tomorrow. I'm not saying it's

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<v Speaker 2>not going to happen in September, but I don't believe

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers. It's a little bit more complicated to call

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<v Speaker 2>up Tibbs because he's not on the 40-man roster. He's

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<v Speaker 2>not Rule 5 draft eligible this offseason, so with the

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<v Speaker 2>new CBA also coming aboard here, this one expiring, it's

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<v Speaker 2>a lot trickier than what the bloggers on social media

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<v Speaker 2>would want you to believe. And look, James Tibbs strikes

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<v Speaker 2>out a lot at Oklahoma City. You don't strike out

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<v Speaker 2>less when you get to the big leagues, so I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not sure, you know, I've been a proponent of platooning

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<v Speaker 2>in left field because... Teoscar Hernandez just hasn't hit righties

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<v Speaker 2>all year, but the Dodgers can get creative in other

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<v Speaker 2>ways to platoon out there if necessary. And I'm not

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<v Speaker 2>saying Tibbs is not going to be up at any

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<v Speaker 2>point in September. I just don't believe it's happening tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 2>There's other candidates that could be called up tomorrow in

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<v Speaker 2>the near future. Alex Freeland, Haesung Kim. You can kick

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<v Speaker 2>Tommy Edmund out to center and left. to do the

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<v Speaker 2>Kike Tommy Edmund platoon in center field. I've been calling

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<v Speaker 2>for more Kike in center field. You saw the catch

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<v Speaker 2>he made yesterday. And look, Alec Thomas does not have

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<v Speaker 2>a cemented spot on this roster. He's been a nice player,

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<v Speaker 2>a stopgap since Pahez went on the IL. But I

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<v Speaker 2>would love to see an Edmund, Kike, Hernandez, Platoon, and Centerfield.

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<v Speaker 2>I wouldn't mind seeing Tommy Edmund get some time and left.

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<v Speaker 2>Kike gets some time and left until Pahez returns. So

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<v Speaker 2>There's other ways to do it than the obvious of

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<v Speaker 2>calling up James Tibbs, which I don't believe is happening tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 2>The good news is the Dodgers are getting their three-time

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<v Speaker 2>World Series champion catcher and one of the most clutch

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<v Speaker 2>hitters in all of baseball back tomorrow, Will Smith. Will

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<v Speaker 2>Smith will be activated tomorrow. If Will would like to

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<v Speaker 2>call the show tonight, feel free.

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<v Speaker 3>866-987-2570.

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<v Speaker 2>We have not heard from Will Smith since he went

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<v Speaker 2>on the injured list so looking forward to seeing him

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<v Speaker 2>back in the starting lineup and see what version the

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers will get of Will Smith because missing what three

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<v Speaker 2>months it's not easy but he's a calming presence behind

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<v Speaker 2>the plate and the pitchers trust him that's first and

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<v Speaker 2>foremost and we'll see where he's sitting in the order

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<v Speaker 2>tomorrow so that's that's I can guarantee that happening but

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<v Speaker 2>Alec Thomas and Ben Rortvitt to me are definitely on

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<v Speaker 2>the bubble on being on this roster as this homestand

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<v Speaker 2>begins tomorrow. 866-987-2570 is the phone number. We're going to

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<v Speaker 2>take a timeout. When we come back, more of your

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<v Speaker 2>phone calls. We could dive deeper into the September call-ups

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<v Speaker 2>and what we saw on the road trip and what

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers need more of to get to where they

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<v Speaker 2>want to go. And that's a three-peat. And I have

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<v Speaker 2>a few candidates that need to step up.

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<v Speaker 4>866-987-2570.

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<v Speaker 2>Also, We'll get more into Shohei Ohtani and whether or

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<v Speaker 2>not he will or should pitch the rest of this season.

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<v Speaker 2>The Dodgers were supposed to have a meeting today, a

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<v Speaker 2>huddle to talk about what the future may hold for Ohtani.

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<v Speaker 2>So we'll get to that at the bottom of the hour.

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<v Speaker 2>But we have phone lines open at 866-987-2570. Dodger Talk

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<v Speaker 2>until 8 o'clock right here on 570 LA Sports. Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 2>David Vasse with you until 8 o'clock tonight here on

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<v Speaker 2>570 LA Sports. The Dodgers back from their East Coast

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<v Speaker 2>road trip, got swept in Atlanta, took two out of

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<v Speaker 2>three from the Tigers, which was good as they are

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<v Speaker 2>tied now with the Braves for the number two seed

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<v Speaker 2>in the National League. And the reason why that matters,

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers have a large lead in the NL West.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't see that changing. All that matters now is

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers getting a bye in the first round of

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<v Speaker 2>the postseason and give themselves an opportunity to have as

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<v Speaker 2>many home games as possible in October. And remember last year,

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers were one game worse in the wins and

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<v Speaker 2>losses to the Toronto Blue Jays and had to not

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<v Speaker 2>only open up the World Series in Canada, but also

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<v Speaker 2>had to play a game six and seven against on

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<v Speaker 2>the road. Now, they were incredible, obviously, to pull that off,

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<v Speaker 2>but the Rays have the best record in the American

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<v Speaker 2>League and have one game lead on the Dodgers. They

0:13:20.710 --> 0:13:22.750
<v Speaker 2>have a one game lead on the Dodgers, so let's

0:13:22.790 --> 0:13:26.319
<v Speaker 2>say those two teams, which is very likely, could meet

0:13:26.360 --> 0:13:28.880
<v Speaker 2>in the World Series. Right now, the Rays would have

0:13:28.920 --> 0:13:32.429
<v Speaker 2>home field advantage, so These games do matter, these final

0:13:32.429 --> 0:13:34.810
<v Speaker 2>25 games. You want to rack up as many wins

0:13:34.890 --> 0:13:38.750
<v Speaker 2>as possible, especially after what I laid out as far

0:13:38.790 --> 0:13:43.610
<v Speaker 2>as the schedule. 866-987-2570 is the phone number. We have

0:13:43.670 --> 0:13:46.470
<v Speaker 2>two lines open. We're getting to the calls in a moment,

0:13:46.530 --> 0:13:49.290
<v Speaker 2>but I want you to hear from Dave Roberts after

0:13:49.350 --> 0:13:53.910
<v Speaker 2>yesterday's game and him talking about the September call-ups and

0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:58.360
<v Speaker 2>also the role Teoscar Hernandez may have the rest of

0:13:58.380 --> 0:13:58.860
<v Speaker 2>the season.

0:13:59.350 --> 0:14:01.590
<v Speaker 5>I don't know right now. I don't know who we're

0:14:01.630 --> 0:14:04.120
<v Speaker 5>going to call up. My assumption is it'll be a

0:14:04.150 --> 0:14:06.780
<v Speaker 5>left-handed bat. So whether we carry three catchers or we

0:14:06.820 --> 0:14:10.500
<v Speaker 5>bring up a guy from AAA, um, but if there's, uh,

0:14:11.020 --> 0:14:13.200
<v Speaker 5>you know, I'll, I'll talk to, uh, the hitting guys.

0:14:13.240 --> 0:14:16.040
<v Speaker 5>I'll talk to the front office and then I'll ultimately,

0:14:16.240 --> 0:14:19.430
<v Speaker 5>ultimately make a decision on what's the best for, you know,

0:14:19.450 --> 0:14:22.710
<v Speaker 5>our ball club for Tao. And, um, but again, he's

0:14:22.730 --> 0:14:24.270
<v Speaker 5>still a big part of it regardless.

0:14:25.190 --> 0:14:28.560
<v Speaker 2>All right. So there's Dave Roberts, uh, Didn't tell us

0:14:29.080 --> 0:14:32.460
<v Speaker 2>the exact names, but he did say left-handed bats. And

0:14:32.480 --> 0:14:35.420
<v Speaker 2>that's why I believe it's not necessarily going to be

0:14:35.490 --> 0:14:38.950
<v Speaker 2>James Tibbs tomorrow. I think they're going to give Teoscar

0:14:38.990 --> 0:14:42.330
<v Speaker 2>Hernandez more opportunities in right field. I believe they're going

0:14:42.350 --> 0:14:46.430
<v Speaker 2>to mix and match more in center field. And I

0:14:46.490 --> 0:14:49.660
<v Speaker 2>believe you're going to see Alex Freeland or Hyesung Kim

0:14:49.680 --> 0:14:53.380
<v Speaker 2>at Dodger Stadium tomorrow. And like I mentioned in the

0:14:53.420 --> 0:14:56.240
<v Speaker 2>previous segment, I feel like Alec Thomas and Ben Rortvedt

0:14:56.280 --> 0:15:01.580
<v Speaker 2>are definitely on the bubble for this roster. 866-987-2570 is

0:15:01.640 --> 0:15:07.310
<v Speaker 2>the phone number. Let's go out to Georgia. Ray, why Georgia? Why?

0:15:09.210 --> 0:15:09.550
<v Speaker 3>Why?

0:15:09.630 --> 0:15:10.670
<v Speaker 6>Hey, listen, good news.

0:15:10.710 --> 0:15:12.690
<v Speaker 7>The Braves lost to the Giants here today in a

0:15:13.470 --> 0:15:14.630
<v Speaker 7>make-up game.

0:15:14.710 --> 0:15:16.990
<v Speaker 8>So, yeah, so the Braves lost 7-3. I missed that.

0:15:17.030 --> 0:15:22.250
<v Speaker 8>What I want to say is Dave, is that you

0:15:22.270 --> 0:15:23.030
<v Speaker 8>hit it on the nail.

0:15:23.100 --> 0:15:29.520
<v Speaker 7>Getting back our right-handed power hitter and gap hitter. Will

0:15:29.600 --> 0:15:33.620
<v Speaker 7>Smith is going to be a big addition, and that's

0:15:33.660 --> 0:15:34.880
<v Speaker 7>going to help us tremendously.

0:15:34.940 --> 0:15:37.890
<v Speaker 8>And number two is... when you look at our world

0:15:37.910 --> 0:15:40.609
<v Speaker 8>series victory last year and the canes we did, and

0:15:40.990 --> 0:15:41.450
<v Speaker 8>you look.

0:15:41.310 --> 0:15:44.080
<v Speaker 7>At Miguel Rojas and he's hitting two 80 this year,

0:15:44.440 --> 0:15:46.780
<v Speaker 7>and he's had some key hits on this past road trip.

0:15:47.420 --> 0:15:50.340
<v Speaker 8>And, and if I would figure out a way.

0:15:50.420 --> 0:15:55.110
<v Speaker 7>To get Miguel in the lineup and, um, uh, And

0:15:55.150 --> 0:15:58.010
<v Speaker 7>have him play more of a part because sometimes he

0:15:58.050 --> 0:15:59.150
<v Speaker 7>has that magic touch.

0:15:59.430 --> 0:16:01.410
<v Speaker 8>I would say so.

0:16:01.590 --> 0:16:07.530
<v Speaker 7>Yeah, that last year he proved it. And so I'm thinking, Dave,

0:16:08.070 --> 0:16:11.170
<v Speaker 7>that if he can just go ahead and maybe we

0:16:11.220 --> 0:16:14.100
<v Speaker 7>can mix it up a little bit and play rookie

0:16:14.140 --> 0:16:16.340
<v Speaker 7>and right a few games.

0:16:16.360 --> 0:16:19.740
<v Speaker 2>See, you lost me. You were doing really good, but

0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:23.190
<v Speaker 2>you lost me because that's not going to happen. Um,

0:16:23.250 --> 0:16:26.640
<v Speaker 2>Mookie Betts is the shortstop and he's playing pretty good shortstop. Ray,

0:16:27.140 --> 0:16:29.840
<v Speaker 2>if Miguel Rojas gets in there, it's at second base

0:16:29.900 --> 0:16:33.640
<v Speaker 2>and Tommy Edmonds in the outfield somewhere, but I'm with you,

0:16:33.700 --> 0:16:37.580
<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers. This is for all intents and purposes, Miguel

0:16:37.620 --> 0:16:43.270
<v Speaker 2>Rojas is final season. Um, in the major leagues, he's

0:16:43.270 --> 0:16:45.470
<v Speaker 2>37 years old. So I understand why the Dodgers didn't

0:16:45.510 --> 0:16:47.250
<v Speaker 2>want to run them out there every day, but now

0:16:47.310 --> 0:16:51.150
<v Speaker 2>it's a 25 game sprint plus October, uh, So yeah,

0:16:51.270 --> 0:16:53.690
<v Speaker 2>I wouldn't mind seeing him in there more against righties too.

0:16:54.290 --> 0:16:56.320
<v Speaker 2>Got to run, Ray. Thank you for the phone call.

0:16:56.400 --> 0:17:00.580
<v Speaker 2>And part of the magic of Miguel Rojas this season

0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:05.170
<v Speaker 2>is how he has crushed left-handed pitching. He's hitting 314

0:17:05.170 --> 0:17:09.920
<v Speaker 2>against lefties this year. with an 838 OPS. Against righties,

0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:13.560
<v Speaker 2>he's only hitting 210. So he has done a number

0:17:13.619 --> 0:17:17.020
<v Speaker 2>on left-handed pitching this season. Let's go out to Joshua

0:17:17.100 --> 0:17:20.220
<v Speaker 2>in Huntington Beach. You're on Dodger Talk. How are you doing, Joshua?

0:17:21.780 --> 0:17:22.220
<v Speaker 6>Pretty well.

0:17:22.300 --> 0:17:23.380
<v Speaker 9>Thanks for taking my call, Dave.

0:17:24.180 --> 0:17:24.530
<v Speaker 2>My pleasure.

0:17:24.550 --> 0:17:26.330
<v Speaker 9>You know, I've been watching all these close games and

0:17:26.369 --> 0:17:29.430
<v Speaker 9>all these one-run games, and the Dodgers have been getting doubles,

0:17:30.190 --> 0:17:32.810
<v Speaker 9>like on the first hits. And I'm just wondering, why

0:17:32.869 --> 0:17:35.050
<v Speaker 9>aren't they not bunting more? Why are they not playing

0:17:35.070 --> 0:17:35.670
<v Speaker 9>small balls?

0:17:36.869 --> 0:17:40.050
<v Speaker 2>Well, number one, that's not their identity. Number two, I

0:17:40.070 --> 0:17:44.870
<v Speaker 2>would say on this team, Ben Rortvedt, Hunter Fiducia, Miguel Rojas,

0:17:45.609 --> 0:17:47.750
<v Speaker 2>kind of Alex Call. Those would be the guys I

0:17:47.770 --> 0:17:50.899
<v Speaker 2>would say could bunt. So we saw Rortvedt do it.

0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:53.600
<v Speaker 2>What was it? The first game of the series in Detroit,

0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:56.200
<v Speaker 2>and it led to a big run. So it depends

0:17:56.660 --> 0:18:00.740
<v Speaker 2>about the situation, Joshua, and it depends on who's the hitter.

0:18:02.380 --> 0:18:04.689
<v Speaker 9>Do these big leaguers really not know how to bunt anymore?

0:18:05.890 --> 0:18:07.730
<v Speaker 2>I would say they don't practice it as much as

0:18:07.770 --> 0:18:09.990
<v Speaker 2>they used to, and I'll say this, Joshua, with the

0:18:10.010 --> 0:18:12.670
<v Speaker 2>way the ball moves now from pitchers and how hard

0:18:12.710 --> 0:18:14.990
<v Speaker 2>it's being thrown, it's not as easy as you think.

0:18:15.080 --> 0:18:18.320
<v Speaker 2>It's not being at Huntington Beach Little League. It's a

0:18:18.340 --> 0:18:20.060
<v Speaker 2>little bit more challenging these days.

0:18:21.280 --> 0:18:21.760
<v Speaker 10>You know what?

0:18:21.780 --> 0:18:25.540
<v Speaker 9>Well, because I've been watching when they played the Brewers.

0:18:25.580 --> 0:18:28.700
<v Speaker 9>The Brewers play small ball, and they're.

0:18:28.420 --> 0:18:33.160
<v Speaker 2>Able to move people over and manufacture them. Yes, that's

0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:37.170
<v Speaker 2>their identity. What's the Dodgers' identity as an offense, Joshua?

0:18:38.970 --> 0:18:42.010
<v Speaker 9>It's supposed to be power and OPS, but that just

0:18:42.050 --> 0:18:42.890
<v Speaker 9>hasn't been working.

0:18:43.410 --> 0:18:44.690
<v Speaker 2>And that's why they're not scoring.

0:18:47.270 --> 0:18:47.850
<v Speaker 6>All right, cool.

0:18:47.869 --> 0:18:48.250
<v Speaker 1>Thanks, Dave.

0:18:48.310 --> 0:18:51.449
<v Speaker 9>I appreciate it. I would wonder why they can't adapt,

0:18:51.490 --> 0:18:54.530
<v Speaker 9>you know, given that. Hey, Joshua, let me ask you

0:18:54.609 --> 0:18:55.130
<v Speaker 9>a question.

0:18:55.190 --> 0:18:57.870
<v Speaker 2>Let me ask you a question, Joshua. I'm sure you

0:18:57.890 --> 0:19:00.690
<v Speaker 2>watched Game 7 of last year's World Series, right?

0:19:01.510 --> 0:19:02.490
<v Speaker 9>You betcha, yeah.

0:19:03.280 --> 0:19:04.620
<v Speaker 2>The Dodgers beat the Blue Jays.

0:19:04.660 --> 0:19:04.950
<v Speaker 3>What, 4-3?

0:19:05.060 --> 0:19:10.379
<v Speaker 2>Oh, yeah. How did they score their runs?

0:19:11.710 --> 0:19:13.650
<v Speaker 9>I think it was by home run, Dave.

0:19:14.230 --> 0:19:17.149
<v Speaker 2>That's right. All of the runs were generated by home runs.

0:19:19.090 --> 0:19:19.619
<v Speaker 2>So there you go.

0:19:20.770 --> 0:19:23.109
<v Speaker 9>It's regular season, so we're just trying to get these wins,

0:19:23.170 --> 0:19:25.629
<v Speaker 9>you know, so we don't end up with an extra series.

0:19:25.770 --> 0:19:27.530
<v Speaker 9>But yeah, I appreciate your insight, Dave.

0:19:27.570 --> 0:19:28.230
<v Speaker 6>Thanks very much.

0:19:28.630 --> 0:19:31.260
<v Speaker 2>No problem, Joshua. I'd say the Dodgers are doing pretty

0:19:31.300 --> 0:19:33.580
<v Speaker 2>good in racking up the wins. They have over 80

0:19:33.580 --> 0:19:38.359
<v Speaker 2>wins this season. So it's not like, you know, they're

0:19:38.359 --> 0:19:42.070
<v Speaker 2>20 games under 500. August was ugly. No doubt about

0:19:42.109 --> 0:19:46.750
<v Speaker 2>it for the offense. They did not generate barely three

0:19:46.830 --> 0:19:49.890
<v Speaker 2>runs a game in the month of August. You still got...

0:19:49.920 --> 0:19:52.980
<v Speaker 2>nothing from Tucker you got a little something from Mookie

0:19:53.000 --> 0:19:57.650
<v Speaker 2>Betts Teoscar Hernandez the final series of August showed some

0:19:57.710 --> 0:20:01.330
<v Speaker 2>signs of life and they need those three guys especially

0:20:01.410 --> 0:20:03.889
<v Speaker 2>without Pahez being in the lineup the rest of the

0:20:03.950 --> 0:20:06.550
<v Speaker 2>season I know they said four weeks but Come on,

0:20:06.590 --> 0:20:08.410
<v Speaker 2>the final week of the season, you think he's going

0:20:08.430 --> 0:20:11.250
<v Speaker 2>to have enough strength in his hands to be that

0:20:11.270 --> 0:20:14.690
<v Speaker 2>20-80 type of guy? So you need Tucker. You need

0:20:14.710 --> 0:20:18.979
<v Speaker 2>Teoscar Hernandez, and you need Mookie Betts. Now, Mookie has

0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:22.100
<v Speaker 2>started to look a little bit better. He hit about

0:20:22.100 --> 0:20:24.780
<v Speaker 2>260 in the month of August. So let's see what

0:20:24.820 --> 0:20:27.400
<v Speaker 2>happens there. Let's go out to Reseda.

0:20:27.460 --> 0:20:27.780
<v Speaker 11>John.

0:20:28.250 --> 0:20:30.110
<v Speaker 2>You're on Dodger Talk. And oh, by the way, we'll

0:20:30.130 --> 0:20:33.020
<v Speaker 2>get to Otani in our next segment, but they need Otani,

0:20:33.400 --> 0:20:38.540
<v Speaker 2>who is five for his last 42 with no home runs. Hi, John.

0:20:40.080 --> 0:20:40.760
<v Speaker 6>Hey, Dave.

0:20:40.820 --> 0:20:43.510
<v Speaker 3>Thank you for taking my call. I was just noticing,

0:20:43.530 --> 0:20:47.540
<v Speaker 3>I'm sure, one uh the dodger bats um they've been

0:20:47.580 --> 0:20:50.560
<v Speaker 3>fouling off so many pitches they're not really barreling up

0:20:50.600 --> 0:20:52.540
<v Speaker 3>the ball like they used to some of the balls

0:20:52.560 --> 0:20:55.580
<v Speaker 3>they should be hitting should be hits instead they're fouling

0:20:55.600 --> 0:20:57.680
<v Speaker 3>them off and i just didn't want to take on

0:20:57.700 --> 0:21:00.110
<v Speaker 3>that what was your take on that notice how many

0:21:00.130 --> 0:21:02.850
<v Speaker 3>foul balls they're doing and it's just that's why they're

0:21:02.869 --> 0:21:05.409
<v Speaker 3>only scoring a few runs not even a lot because

0:21:05.430 --> 0:21:07.409
<v Speaker 3>they're just not barreling up the they're not hitting the

0:21:07.430 --> 0:21:08.659
<v Speaker 3>ball they're fouling it.

0:21:08.670 --> 0:21:11.900
<v Speaker 2>Off Yeah, I would say that, or they're swinging and missing,

0:21:12.000 --> 0:21:13.840
<v Speaker 2>all of the above. There's a reason why they were

0:21:13.840 --> 0:21:18.060
<v Speaker 2>13 and 14. There's a reason why the offense is

0:21:18.140 --> 0:21:21.280
<v Speaker 2>very aware of the fact they haven't done their job recently.

0:21:21.400 --> 0:21:25.830
<v Speaker 2>But when you see sometimes seven, eight pitch at bats, yes,

0:21:25.890 --> 0:21:29.590
<v Speaker 2>that's great. But sometimes in the middle of those seven

0:21:29.650 --> 0:21:32.669
<v Speaker 2>or eight pitch at bats, pitches that are being fouled

0:21:32.810 --> 0:21:36.530
<v Speaker 2>off should be hit for fair balls. So yeah, I

0:21:36.570 --> 0:21:39.290
<v Speaker 2>think it's a combination of everything. But like I mentioned

0:21:39.310 --> 0:21:42.760
<v Speaker 2>during the road trip, John, the Dodgers get the opposing

0:21:42.820 --> 0:21:46.520
<v Speaker 2>pitchers best stuff. Chris Sale had not done what he

0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:50.100
<v Speaker 2>did against the Dodgers since 2019. He hit 100 miles

0:21:50.140 --> 0:21:54.060
<v Speaker 2>an hour through a complete game shutout. That just hasn't

0:21:54.100 --> 0:21:57.520
<v Speaker 2>happened for him. So Even the best, like Chris Sale,

0:21:58.000 --> 0:22:01.020
<v Speaker 2>reach back and find a little extra extra when they

0:22:01.060 --> 0:22:01.980
<v Speaker 2>face the Dodgers.

0:22:05.100 --> 0:22:06.220
<v Speaker 6>I can see that.

0:22:06.260 --> 0:22:07.980
<v Speaker 9>They still keep fouling off too many.

0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:08.239
<v Speaker 3>Balls, I think.

0:22:08.280 --> 0:22:10.179
<v Speaker 2>All right, yes, yes, we get it. They're just not

0:22:10.200 --> 0:22:10.659
<v Speaker 2>barreling up.

0:22:11.119 --> 0:22:11.350
<v Speaker 6>Yes.

0:22:11.830 --> 0:22:14.050
<v Speaker 2>Let's see what happens this month. All right, all right, Chief,

0:22:14.090 --> 0:22:19.030
<v Speaker 2>thank you. 866-987-2570. Yes, we get it. Yes, they're not hitting.

0:22:19.890 --> 0:22:22.730
<v Speaker 2>But I'll say this. Yesterday, it was good to see

0:22:22.770 --> 0:22:26.870
<v Speaker 2>them jump. on Frambois Valdez it was good to see

0:22:26.920 --> 0:22:30.109
<v Speaker 2>Teoscar Hernandez hit a home run he had started to

0:22:30.170 --> 0:22:32.929
<v Speaker 2>come along in that series against the Tigers he was

0:22:33.010 --> 0:22:36.280
<v Speaker 2>on base three times Friday night he almost won the

0:22:36.320 --> 0:22:39.280
<v Speaker 2>game for the Dodgers if not for a miracle catch

0:22:39.300 --> 0:22:43.840
<v Speaker 2>from Javi Baez on Saturday so you know That's a

0:22:43.859 --> 0:22:48.070
<v Speaker 2>great sign. Great sign for the Dodgers if October Teoscar

0:22:48.109 --> 0:22:51.270
<v Speaker 2>Hernandez can get things going in September. Let's go out

0:22:51.310 --> 0:22:55.030
<v Speaker 2>to L.A. Eric, you're on Off Day Dodger Talk. Yes,

0:22:55.130 --> 0:22:58.690
<v Speaker 2>this is live. This is not a podcast replay. This

0:22:58.890 --> 0:23:01.619
<v Speaker 2>is an actual live show, Eric.

0:23:03.200 --> 0:23:08.969
<v Speaker 10>I will try not to freeze up under the pressure. Uh,

0:23:09.330 --> 0:23:11.929
<v Speaker 10>so what you were saying about the Dodgers and, and,

0:23:12.050 --> 0:23:14.450
<v Speaker 10>and the not hitting and they've got a lot of

0:23:14.790 --> 0:23:19.439
<v Speaker 10>slower bats, you know, the, the, the Hernandez hit a

0:23:19.700 --> 0:23:23.739
<v Speaker 10>change up for his home run. And, and, you know,

0:23:23.780 --> 0:23:26.520
<v Speaker 10>it's the guys with the good fastball who are, who

0:23:26.540 --> 0:23:29.990
<v Speaker 10>are giving them, uh, a little, uh, trouble.

0:23:30.890 --> 0:23:31.710
<v Speaker 2>Um, that's fair.

0:23:31.840 --> 0:23:35.120
<v Speaker 10>And I was wondering, and I was wondering, so, you know,

0:23:35.540 --> 0:23:38.300
<v Speaker 10>Tucker obviously hasn't given us anything and he's got this

0:23:38.520 --> 0:23:42.760
<v Speaker 10>really long swing. What about these torpedo bats that were

0:23:42.800 --> 0:23:45.480
<v Speaker 10>all the rage, uh, you know, a year or two

0:23:45.520 --> 0:23:52.930
<v Speaker 10>ago that shorten the swinging sweet spots, which, you.

0:23:51.850 --> 0:23:53.990
<v Speaker 2>Know, it's funny. I think guys are still using the

0:23:54.030 --> 0:23:57.369
<v Speaker 2>torpedo bat, but nobody's really giving it the shine that,

0:23:57.790 --> 0:24:01.230
<v Speaker 2>because they've moved on so i think i actually asked

0:24:01.290 --> 0:24:03.730
<v Speaker 2>about torpedo bats like hey what happened to those things

0:24:03.850 --> 0:24:06.530
<v Speaker 2>and some guys are still using them just nobody makes

0:24:06.570 --> 0:24:07.550
<v Speaker 2>a big deal about it.

0:24:09.560 --> 0:24:11.760
<v Speaker 10>Do you think it would it would help though i

0:24:11.780 --> 0:24:15.060
<v Speaker 10>mean in terms of shortening swings because that's really the

0:24:15.100 --> 0:24:17.680
<v Speaker 10>problem is that it's not about shortening.

0:24:17.260 --> 0:24:24.540
<v Speaker 2>Their swing it's more of uh Giving them more margin

0:24:24.600 --> 0:24:27.220
<v Speaker 2>for error where if you don't hit it perfectly on

0:24:27.260 --> 0:24:31.100
<v Speaker 2>the barrel, the fat barrel, the weight is distributed throughout

0:24:31.160 --> 0:24:34.220
<v Speaker 2>the bat and yeah, maybe makes them believe that they've

0:24:34.240 --> 0:24:37.360
<v Speaker 2>got a quicker bat. But I believe if I remember

0:24:37.420 --> 0:24:40.310
<v Speaker 2>talking to guys like Kike and Muncie, it's more about

0:24:40.330 --> 0:24:43.070
<v Speaker 2>giving them more margin for error if they're not squaring

0:24:43.130 --> 0:24:43.369
<v Speaker 2>it up.

0:24:45.820 --> 0:24:47.580
<v Speaker 8>Well, that's helpful.

0:24:47.900 --> 0:24:51.110
<v Speaker 10>I think a guy like Tucker could use any help

0:24:51.170 --> 0:24:53.270
<v Speaker 10>he gets. So I was just wondering.

0:24:54.030 --> 0:24:55.910
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you got to be willing to get the help, Eric.

0:24:56.010 --> 0:25:02.520
<v Speaker 2>That's part of the equation as well. 866-987-2570 is the

0:25:02.560 --> 0:25:05.500
<v Speaker 2>phone number. We have two lines open. When we continue,

0:25:05.940 --> 0:25:12.380
<v Speaker 2>more of your phone calls. Scott, Alex, Bob, Ralph, Ben, Isabel. Hi, Izzy.

0:25:13.160 --> 0:25:15.330
<v Speaker 2>I see you. We'll try to get to all of

0:25:15.369 --> 0:25:18.690
<v Speaker 2>you before 8 o'clock. And also, you will hear from

0:25:18.750 --> 0:25:22.970
<v Speaker 2>Dave Roberts and the status of Shohei Otani, not just

0:25:23.070 --> 0:25:26.530
<v Speaker 2>as the pitcher, but as the two-way player. Where is

0:25:26.590 --> 0:25:29.470
<v Speaker 2>it at? We'll get into that when we continue on

0:25:29.570 --> 0:25:34.740
<v Speaker 2>Off Day Dodger Talk, live on 570 LA Sports. We're

0:25:34.780 --> 0:25:38.140
<v Speaker 2>getting closer to see if the Dodgers can achieve something

0:25:38.160 --> 0:25:42.060
<v Speaker 2>that no other National League team has ever achieved in

0:25:42.100 --> 0:25:45.250
<v Speaker 2>the history of baseball before. And that's when three world

0:25:45.290 --> 0:25:48.670
<v Speaker 2>series championships in a row. And, you know, there's a

0:25:48.710 --> 0:25:51.909
<v Speaker 2>good chance. This is the last dance for this core

0:25:51.970 --> 0:25:56.950
<v Speaker 2>group of players. Kike Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, our free agents.

0:25:57.430 --> 0:25:59.850
<v Speaker 2>You don't know how the new CBA is going to

0:25:59.910 --> 0:26:04.170
<v Speaker 2>line up. So there for this core group, I know

0:26:04.250 --> 0:26:07.260
<v Speaker 2>Freddie and Otani and Mookie, they're going to be around,

0:26:07.430 --> 0:26:11.180
<v Speaker 2>but Will Smith, of course, as well, and the pitching staff,

0:26:11.280 --> 0:26:15.000
<v Speaker 2>but of, Two key guys are free agents and who

0:26:15.060 --> 0:26:17.960
<v Speaker 2>knows what the new CBA is going to look like.

0:26:18.040 --> 0:26:22.859
<v Speaker 2>So this is going to be a very dramatic October

0:26:23.200 --> 0:26:25.610
<v Speaker 2>for the Dodgers. 866-987-2570 and the Dodgers need Otani the hitter.

0:26:30.340 --> 0:26:33.480
<v Speaker 2>And I have not been one of those guys back

0:26:33.540 --> 0:26:36.680
<v Speaker 2>in May or June that said they don't need Otani

0:26:36.720 --> 0:26:40.919
<v Speaker 2>the pitcher. They actually did because Glasnow was hurt. Snell

0:26:40.960 --> 0:26:45.610
<v Speaker 2>was hurt. Rokey was iffy. They needed Otani to be

0:26:45.650 --> 0:26:47.989
<v Speaker 2>a pitcher in the first half of the season, but

0:26:48.010 --> 0:26:51.010
<v Speaker 2>they don't need Otani anymore to pitch. He has served

0:26:51.070 --> 0:26:55.090
<v Speaker 2>his purpose. Those 14 starts were huge. for the Dodgers.

0:26:55.130 --> 0:26:58.170
<v Speaker 2>And I know when everybody talks about the MVP race,

0:26:58.210 --> 0:27:03.200
<v Speaker 2>they say, oh, he's not pitching anymore. Really? Everybody has

0:27:03.280 --> 0:27:07.140
<v Speaker 2>such a short memory. He dominated 14 starts this year.

0:27:07.560 --> 0:27:10.400
<v Speaker 2>You can't just say that doesn't matter when it comes

0:27:10.460 --> 0:27:14.360
<v Speaker 2>to the MVP race. But for the Dodgers... The Dodgers

0:27:14.420 --> 0:27:17.770
<v Speaker 2>need Otani to be the hitter that he was the

0:27:17.810 --> 0:27:21.730
<v Speaker 2>previous two years, and it hasn't looked the same this year,

0:27:22.310 --> 0:27:25.790
<v Speaker 2>and it hasn't looked the same especially in his last

0:27:25.790 --> 0:27:29.410
<v Speaker 2>10 games. He's in his worst slump as a Dodger

0:27:29.630 --> 0:27:32.859
<v Speaker 2>in his three years with the Dodgers. He's five for

0:27:32.900 --> 0:27:35.600
<v Speaker 2>his last 40. He does not have a home run.

0:27:36.160 --> 0:27:39.120
<v Speaker 2>He has struck out 15 times, and the at-bats just

0:27:39.180 --> 0:27:43.479
<v Speaker 2>don't look Otani-like. And Dave Roberts actually revealed to us

0:27:43.720 --> 0:27:46.960
<v Speaker 2>a little bit more than we knew before he threw

0:27:47.000 --> 0:27:50.960
<v Speaker 2>that 20-pitch bullpen. And I actually saw video of that

0:27:51.030 --> 0:27:55.350
<v Speaker 2>bullpen session because the Japanese media, even though they're kind

0:27:55.390 --> 0:27:58.030
<v Speaker 2>of shooed away from being right on top of the bullpen,

0:27:58.070 --> 0:28:00.629
<v Speaker 2>they find a way. And some of the throws I

0:28:00.650 --> 0:28:04.210
<v Speaker 2>was seeing, I was like, what is this? This doesn't

0:28:04.300 --> 0:28:08.060
<v Speaker 2>look like Otani the pitcher. And Dave Roberts, when he

0:28:08.119 --> 0:28:11.900
<v Speaker 2>said it's not just the knee, It's the entire body.

0:28:12.540 --> 0:28:16.870
<v Speaker 2>A red flag went into my head that maybe his

0:28:16.970 --> 0:28:20.990
<v Speaker 2>right bicep is giving him more issues than his left

0:28:21.050 --> 0:28:25.250
<v Speaker 2>knee when it comes to not only pitching, but hitting. Remember,

0:28:25.730 --> 0:28:29.710
<v Speaker 2>his right arm, his right bicep is his bottom hand

0:28:29.810 --> 0:28:32.870
<v Speaker 2>when he swings as a left-handed hitter. And he was

0:28:32.910 --> 0:28:35.449
<v Speaker 2>the one that alerted us to the fact that he

0:28:35.490 --> 0:28:38.020
<v Speaker 2>has had discomfort a couple of different times in his

0:28:38.080 --> 0:28:43.670
<v Speaker 2>right bicep when he hits. Now, great players, especially the

0:28:43.730 --> 0:28:48.270
<v Speaker 2>greatest player, arguably of all time, just doesn't go into

0:28:48.290 --> 0:28:51.510
<v Speaker 2>a 5 for 40 slump with no home runs and

0:28:51.510 --> 0:28:56.840
<v Speaker 2>15 strikeouts if something's not feeling right. And I'm sure

0:28:56.900 --> 0:28:59.739
<v Speaker 2>the left knee bothers him more when he pitches, but

0:28:59.780 --> 0:29:02.200
<v Speaker 2>you can't tell me it doesn't affect him when he's

0:29:02.260 --> 0:29:05.700
<v Speaker 2>at the plate. But that right bicep certainly does. And

0:29:05.740 --> 0:29:09.690
<v Speaker 2>there's no exclusivity when it comes to pitching or hitting.

0:29:10.360 --> 0:29:14.560
<v Speaker 2>And when he violently swings and that bottom hand is

0:29:15.240 --> 0:29:20.420
<v Speaker 2>the real power hand, that's concerning. And we'll find out

0:29:20.480 --> 0:29:23.190
<v Speaker 2>more when we get to Dodger Stadium tomorrow. But the

0:29:23.230 --> 0:29:25.790
<v Speaker 2>way Dave Roberts made it sound was the Dodgers were

0:29:25.830 --> 0:29:28.790
<v Speaker 2>going to have a meeting and Otani obviously has a

0:29:28.810 --> 0:29:32.250
<v Speaker 2>big voice in it. But at this time, the Dodgers

0:29:32.270 --> 0:29:36.750
<v Speaker 2>were They have to convince Shohei that, you know, right

0:29:36.810 --> 0:29:39.790
<v Speaker 2>now the pitching is taken away from the hitting. And

0:29:39.810 --> 0:29:42.670
<v Speaker 2>with the way the offense is going, and with Glasnow back,

0:29:43.070 --> 0:29:46.130
<v Speaker 2>with Snell coming back, the way they're dominating, the addition

0:29:46.150 --> 0:29:51.520
<v Speaker 2>of Scooble, the Dodgers don't need Otani, the pitcher, as

0:29:51.580 --> 0:29:55.940
<v Speaker 2>much as they need Otani, the hitter. And 14 starts

0:29:55.980 --> 0:29:58.280
<v Speaker 2>in the first half of the year were huge for

0:29:58.300 --> 0:30:02.110
<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers. But they don't need that now. They don't

0:30:02.150 --> 0:30:07.110
<v Speaker 2>need that now. And if his right bicep is compromised,

0:30:07.150 --> 0:30:11.050
<v Speaker 2>then I don't know how. Maybe even have a discussion

0:30:11.130 --> 0:30:14.380
<v Speaker 2>about him going on the IL for 15 games. So

0:30:14.950 --> 0:30:17.000
<v Speaker 2>he's as ready as he can be to be the

0:30:17.060 --> 0:30:21.280
<v Speaker 2>dominant hitter that we have seen the last or his

0:30:21.340 --> 0:30:24.760
<v Speaker 2>entire career. I mean, that should be on the table.

0:30:26.320 --> 0:30:31.450
<v Speaker 2>866-987-2570 is the phone number. Let's go out to North Hills. Scott,

0:30:31.770 --> 0:30:33.570
<v Speaker 2>you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Scott?

0:30:35.230 --> 0:30:37.850
<v Speaker 4>Real good, Dave. And thank you so much for taking

0:30:37.890 --> 0:30:38.610
<v Speaker 4>the call.

0:30:38.650 --> 0:30:40.700
<v Speaker 8>Before I proceed, would you please.

0:30:40.450 --> 0:30:44.380
<v Speaker 4>Tell me if the Dodgers are a one or two seed,

0:30:45.240 --> 0:30:49.680
<v Speaker 4>is that 11 wins to a World Series title or 12?

0:30:49.680 --> 0:30:52.520
<v Speaker 2>That would be 11 wins and something else about last

0:30:52.560 --> 0:30:55.540
<v Speaker 2>year's team. They won more games on their way to

0:30:55.580 --> 0:30:58.860
<v Speaker 2>a championship than any other team in baseball history because

0:30:59.300 --> 0:31:02.710
<v Speaker 2>they played two extra games in an expanded playoff system.

0:31:02.770 --> 0:31:05.890
<v Speaker 2>So they won 13 last year. That's the most of

0:31:05.990 --> 0:31:07.670
<v Speaker 2>any World Series winning team.

0:31:09.990 --> 0:31:12.650
<v Speaker 4>Okay, well, thank you for that because the theme of

0:31:12.690 --> 0:31:16.350
<v Speaker 4>my call, as I told your screener, I believe the

0:31:16.410 --> 0:31:20.350
<v Speaker 4>Dodgers will be going through the playoffs this year like Pac-Man.

0:31:21.840 --> 0:31:25.360
<v Speaker 4>And you say 11 wins. I'm just going to go

0:31:25.440 --> 0:31:29.270
<v Speaker 4>on record, and you'll remember me, Dave. Eight and three

0:31:30.270 --> 0:31:34.090
<v Speaker 4>to the World Series. Now, you know, it's a long

0:31:34.170 --> 0:31:39.890
<v Speaker 4>baseball season, brother. And all of this concern about all

0:31:39.930 --> 0:31:44.490
<v Speaker 4>of these guys not hitting. You're getting a Smith back.

0:31:45.690 --> 0:31:52.010
<v Speaker 4>You have starting pitching... Without Otani, and what you just said, Dave,

0:31:53.490 --> 0:31:56.130
<v Speaker 4>they need to really listen to what you just said.

0:31:56.250 --> 0:32:00.710
<v Speaker 4>We need his bat. Now, let's get to this rotation.

0:32:00.790 --> 0:32:05.710
<v Speaker 4>If Glasnow is looking like the pitcher he is right now.

0:32:06.540 --> 0:32:09.360
<v Speaker 2>He would be the Dodgers' number four starter right now

0:32:09.600 --> 0:32:14.980
<v Speaker 2>behind Snell, Yamamoto, Skubal, and Glasnow. That would be your

0:32:15.020 --> 0:32:16.140
<v Speaker 2>playoff rotation.

0:32:18.140 --> 0:32:23.960
<v Speaker 4>Thank you. And I'm looking at an all-time great starting rotation.

0:32:24.050 --> 0:32:26.710
<v Speaker 2>Hey, the Braves had that too, Scott. The Braves in

0:32:26.730 --> 0:32:28.850
<v Speaker 2>the 90s had that too, and they only won one

0:32:28.870 --> 0:32:31.990
<v Speaker 2>World Series. You need some offense. You need some luck.

0:32:32.490 --> 0:32:34.790
<v Speaker 2>And I'm with you. I said this in the middle

0:32:34.810 --> 0:32:37.390
<v Speaker 2>of summer. I think this is going to be an

0:32:37.590 --> 0:32:40.610
<v Speaker 2>easier road for the Dodgers than it was a year ago,

0:32:40.650 --> 0:32:43.370
<v Speaker 2>and it would be made a lot easier if they

0:32:43.390 --> 0:32:47.270
<v Speaker 2>had home field advantage and a bye in the first round.

0:32:47.770 --> 0:32:50.050
<v Speaker 2>So that's how I feel too, Scott. Thank you for

0:32:50.070 --> 0:32:52.850
<v Speaker 2>the phone call. That's why I go back to, you know,

0:32:53.030 --> 0:32:55.570
<v Speaker 2>all the doom and gloom. The Dodgers have one of

0:32:55.610 --> 0:32:58.650
<v Speaker 2>the best records in baseball. You tell me what team

0:32:58.690 --> 0:33:04.380
<v Speaker 2>can beat them four times. Like Andrew Friedman has said before,

0:33:04.400 --> 0:33:08.120
<v Speaker 2>that first round best of five series, that wild card series,

0:33:08.580 --> 0:33:13.010
<v Speaker 2>those are the two biggest wild cards because yeah, there's

0:33:13.030 --> 0:33:16.380
<v Speaker 2>a greater chance of the Dodgers getting upset and something

0:33:16.430 --> 0:33:19.560
<v Speaker 2>wacky going wrong in the first game of one of

0:33:19.600 --> 0:33:22.940
<v Speaker 2>those best-of-five series. But once you get past that, you

0:33:22.980 --> 0:33:25.719
<v Speaker 2>tell me what team's going to beat the Dodgers four times.

0:33:26.320 --> 0:33:29.540
<v Speaker 2>Let's go out to Simi Valley. Ben, thanks for being patient.

0:33:29.560 --> 0:33:30.600
<v Speaker 2>You're on Dodger Talk.

0:33:32.480 --> 0:33:35.700
<v Speaker 12>David, thank you for taking my call. Love the show. Listen,

0:33:35.740 --> 0:33:38.930
<v Speaker 12>I just wanted to ask you, I want to know

0:33:38.970 --> 0:33:42.670
<v Speaker 12>your take on the MVP race. You know, PCA, he's

0:33:42.710 --> 0:33:46.220
<v Speaker 12>having a real good season. He kind of reminds me of,

0:33:46.770 --> 0:33:50.030
<v Speaker 12>you know, the big bopper, 2019 Bellinger.

0:33:50.430 --> 0:33:51.600
<v Speaker 4>Yeah. One daughter.

0:33:52.360 --> 0:33:55.620
<v Speaker 12>Yeah. What do you think about the season he's having?

0:33:55.760 --> 0:33:59.440
<v Speaker 12>And also, you mentioned that the Dodgers are going on

0:33:59.480 --> 0:34:03.480
<v Speaker 12>a road trip to Miami next week so I think

0:34:03.540 --> 0:34:06.520
<v Speaker 12>Lone Depot Park might be the perfect place for Otani

0:34:06.560 --> 0:34:09.460
<v Speaker 12>to get back on track offensively well I.

0:34:09.460 --> 0:34:12.509
<v Speaker 2>Hope Dodger Stadium is starting tomorrow night Ben but yeah

0:34:12.530 --> 0:34:14.730
<v Speaker 2>I know what you're saying there the 50 the side

0:34:14.790 --> 0:34:19.870
<v Speaker 2>of him achieving 50 50 and obviously has good memories

0:34:20.030 --> 0:34:24.770
<v Speaker 2>but yeah right now with all the support PCA has

0:34:25.210 --> 0:34:28.219
<v Speaker 2>nationally I feel like right now If there was a

0:34:28.239 --> 0:34:30.320
<v Speaker 2>leader in the clubhouse, it would be him. But I

0:34:30.360 --> 0:34:33.569
<v Speaker 2>still feel like it's a little unfair to discount the

0:34:33.570 --> 0:34:37.330
<v Speaker 2>14 starts that Otani made earlier this year. But he's

0:34:37.370 --> 0:34:39.470
<v Speaker 2>got to get the offense going. And if he carries

0:34:39.530 --> 0:34:43.500
<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers the last 25 games of the regular season,

0:34:43.980 --> 0:34:46.440
<v Speaker 2>I don't see any reason why he shouldn't be the MVP.

0:34:46.920 --> 0:34:48.879
<v Speaker 2>Thanks for the phone call, Ben. And also, you know,

0:34:48.920 --> 0:34:51.739
<v Speaker 2>another layer to this, we had Buster Olney. on our

0:34:51.820 --> 0:34:55.580
<v Speaker 2>last off-day show, I do believe there's some voter fatigue

0:34:55.660 --> 0:34:58.900
<v Speaker 2>on always voting for Otani. I really do. And I

0:34:58.980 --> 0:35:01.000
<v Speaker 2>feel like when you have a season like this from

0:35:01.080 --> 0:35:04.750
<v Speaker 2>Pete Crow Armstrong, you're looking for a reason to vote

0:35:04.790 --> 0:35:08.670
<v Speaker 2>for somebody else. And look, if PCA goes 40-40, I

0:35:08.710 --> 0:35:12.250
<v Speaker 2>was watching MLB Network earlier today, it would be the

0:35:12.469 --> 0:35:16.840
<v Speaker 2>all-time greatest single season in Cubs history ever. And he

0:35:16.880 --> 0:35:19.890
<v Speaker 2>would become the first center fielder in baseball history to

0:35:19.910 --> 0:35:25.529
<v Speaker 2>go 40-40. So both guys have had incredible years. But PCA,

0:35:26.250 --> 0:35:28.290
<v Speaker 2>I got to know him a couple of years ago

0:35:28.750 --> 0:35:31.580
<v Speaker 2>through Justin Turner and him being at his golf tournament.

0:35:31.719 --> 0:35:34.660
<v Speaker 2>I really like PCA. And I love that he backs

0:35:34.760 --> 0:35:36.880
<v Speaker 2>up what he says. He doesn't shy away from it.

0:35:37.280 --> 0:35:43.540
<v Speaker 2>And in being the villain, especially here in L.A., Let's

0:35:43.580 --> 0:35:46.390
<v Speaker 2>go out to Laguna Niguel. Ralph, you're on Dodger Talk.

0:35:46.430 --> 0:35:47.130
<v Speaker 2>How you doing, Ralph?

0:35:48.390 --> 0:35:50.970
<v Speaker 11>Yes, yes, David. Thank you for taking my call. Listen,

0:35:50.989 --> 0:35:53.270
<v Speaker 11>please let me get this out. I know I'm going

0:35:53.290 --> 0:35:55.310
<v Speaker 11>to touch a nerve with you, but please let me

0:35:55.330 --> 0:35:55.890
<v Speaker 11>get this out.

0:35:55.950 --> 0:35:57.690
<v Speaker 2>All right, I'll brace myself.

0:35:58.910 --> 0:36:01.719
<v Speaker 11>Okay, you haven't touched the configuration of the bullpen. The

0:36:01.739 --> 0:36:04.580
<v Speaker 11>last 25 games, you said most of these games really

0:36:04.620 --> 0:36:06.880
<v Speaker 11>have to be competitive to win quite a few of

0:36:06.920 --> 0:36:08.200
<v Speaker 11>them to get home field advantage.

0:36:08.700 --> 0:36:11.480
<v Speaker 2>I would say I would like them not to be competitive.

0:36:11.540 --> 0:36:14.189
<v Speaker 2>I feel like the Dodgers should try to start winning

0:36:14.230 --> 0:36:17.350
<v Speaker 2>some games by four or five runs, which they really

0:36:17.390 --> 0:36:18.010
<v Speaker 2>haven't done.

0:36:19.180 --> 0:36:22.320
<v Speaker 11>But these one-run games, this is my bullpen, please, going forward.

0:36:23.219 --> 0:36:24.220
<v Speaker 9>Let me get this out.

0:36:24.280 --> 0:36:26.540
<v Speaker 2>Yes, but okay. You know what you're going to say?

0:36:26.640 --> 0:36:29.359
<v Speaker 2>The bullpen has lost a lot of games. You don't

0:36:29.400 --> 0:36:33.000
<v Speaker 2>like the Dodger bullpen. But in October, Ralph, the bullpen

0:36:33.060 --> 0:36:35.160
<v Speaker 2>is going to look a little bit different. But go ahead.

0:36:35.239 --> 0:36:38.020
<v Speaker 2>Say what you have to say. Stop prefacing it. Just

0:36:38.060 --> 0:36:38.380
<v Speaker 2>say it.

0:36:39.600 --> 0:36:41.180
<v Speaker 4>All right. Okay.

0:36:42.640 --> 0:36:50.930
<v Speaker 11>Sasaki replaces Dreyer. Wroblewski replaces Vessia. Diaz replaces Kyle Hurt.

0:36:51.610 --> 0:36:54.410
<v Speaker 11>And Treinen replaces Lauer. That's the way it's.

0:36:54.330 --> 0:36:54.790
<v Speaker 6>Got to be.

0:36:54.850 --> 0:36:59.390
<v Speaker 11>Dreyer and Vessia throw junk pitches. They cannot be trusted.

0:36:59.630 --> 0:37:02.550
<v Speaker 2>I disagree with that. I disagree with that for a

0:37:02.610 --> 0:37:05.569
<v Speaker 2>number of reasons. Do you know Roki Sasaki's on the

0:37:05.670 --> 0:37:08.430
<v Speaker 2>IL right now, Ralph? We don't know his status. If

0:37:08.469 --> 0:37:10.670
<v Speaker 2>he's healthy, I would be all in. He would be

0:37:10.770 --> 0:37:13.790
<v Speaker 2>added to it. I'm not taking Alex Vesey off the roster.

0:37:13.810 --> 0:37:16.230
<v Speaker 2>I'm sorry. He's done it too many times, and I'm

0:37:16.250 --> 0:37:20.529
<v Speaker 2>not doing that. And Treinen, I have not heard whether

0:37:20.550 --> 0:37:22.989
<v Speaker 2>or not Blake Treinen looks like Blake Treinen again, Ralph.

0:37:23.140 --> 0:37:26.799
<v Speaker 2>So I'm sorry. You don't have a lot of correct information.

0:37:27.540 --> 0:37:32.380
<v Speaker 2>Thanks for the phone call. I'll let you have your say. 866-987-2570.

0:37:32.420 --> 0:37:34.440
<v Speaker 2>We got a lot of phone calls on this off night.

0:37:34.500 --> 0:37:36.800
<v Speaker 2>I love it. A full board of calls for a

0:37:36.890 --> 0:37:41.080
<v Speaker 2>full hour of off-day Dodger talk. That shows. the passion

0:37:41.420 --> 0:37:46.300
<v Speaker 2>of Los Angeles as a sports city. And for those few,

0:37:46.340 --> 0:37:48.620
<v Speaker 2>you know, wannabes from out of town that want to

0:37:48.660 --> 0:37:52.720
<v Speaker 2>take shots at LA sports fans, you don't know much

0:37:53.060 --> 0:37:56.140
<v Speaker 2>of nothing. Let's go out to Malibu. Bob, you're on

0:37:56.180 --> 0:37:59.880
<v Speaker 2>Dodger Talk. Don't even know college basketball, let alone LA sports.

0:38:00.000 --> 0:38:01.319
<v Speaker 2>How you doing? How you doing, Bob?

0:38:02.489 --> 0:38:03.069
<v Speaker 8>I'm doing good.

0:38:03.110 --> 0:38:05.450
<v Speaker 13>Thanks for having me on, Dave. My point is this,

0:38:05.469 --> 0:38:08.410
<v Speaker 13>to everybody calling in with all these magic ideas and changes,

0:38:09.010 --> 0:38:11.370
<v Speaker 13>The only team that beats the Dodgers is the Dodgers.

0:38:11.530 --> 0:38:15.150
<v Speaker 13>If anything in those one-run games, it's the Dodgers beating themselves.

0:38:15.370 --> 0:38:17.810
<v Speaker 13>Let these boys cook. Let them do what they do.

0:38:18.230 --> 0:38:20.430
<v Speaker 13>They haven't failed us for the past couple seasons, as

0:38:20.450 --> 0:38:23.250
<v Speaker 13>we know. Get some breathing room and let's let them

0:38:23.290 --> 0:38:25.390
<v Speaker 13>do what they do, man. I think that's pretty obvious

0:38:25.410 --> 0:38:27.430
<v Speaker 13>that if they're playing for the name on the front

0:38:27.450 --> 0:38:29.540
<v Speaker 13>of the jersey and not the back... they're going to

0:38:29.580 --> 0:38:32.540
<v Speaker 13>be just fine. So I wish everybody would just lay

0:38:32.620 --> 0:38:35.049
<v Speaker 13>off a little bit. Yes, the team's not hitting like

0:38:35.070 --> 0:38:37.410
<v Speaker 13>they should, but they slug. They don't play small ball.

0:38:37.690 --> 0:38:39.710
<v Speaker 13>Let's get off that train. We've heard that too many

0:38:39.770 --> 0:38:42.830
<v Speaker 13>times on Dodger Talk, man. My other point, Dave, to

0:38:42.870 --> 0:38:46.010
<v Speaker 13>ask you was, you mentioned Alex Freeland. I thought about

0:38:46.070 --> 0:38:48.620
<v Speaker 13>Alex Freeland. It gives Tommy Edmund the chance to play

0:38:48.660 --> 0:38:51.200
<v Speaker 13>more outfield. Do you think that that's a serious contention

0:38:51.219 --> 0:38:52.000
<v Speaker 13>for him to come up?

0:38:52.860 --> 0:38:54.939
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that's part of it. They want a left-handed bat.

0:38:55.980 --> 0:38:59.560
<v Speaker 2>if Edmund goes to the outfield. Because like I mentioned earlier,

0:38:59.620 --> 0:39:03.860
<v Speaker 2>Rojas has been exceptional against lefties, but he's only hitting

0:39:03.860 --> 0:39:09.020
<v Speaker 2>213 or 210 against righties. So that's the thought process

0:39:09.100 --> 0:39:11.680
<v Speaker 2>right there. If you kick Edmund to the outfield, who's

0:39:11.739 --> 0:39:15.140
<v Speaker 2>playing second base? And Alex Freeland might be that guy.

0:39:15.660 --> 0:39:18.200
<v Speaker 2>Thanks for the phone call, Bob. Appreciate it. Let's keep

0:39:18.260 --> 0:39:21.379
<v Speaker 2>moving here. Let's go out to Joseph and Silmar. You're

0:39:21.420 --> 0:39:23.020
<v Speaker 2>on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Joseph?

0:39:24.180 --> 0:39:26.070
<v Speaker 6>Oh, man, I'm excited, bro.

0:39:26.570 --> 0:39:27.089
<v Speaker 11>Thank you.

0:39:27.110 --> 0:39:28.069
<v Speaker 6>Thank you for taking my.

0:39:28.050 --> 0:39:28.549
<v Speaker 3>Call, Dave.

0:39:28.950 --> 0:39:29.969
<v Speaker 4>Hey, Joseph, before.

0:39:30.060 --> 0:39:32.859
<v Speaker 2>You get to your stuff, I can tell you're... Thank you.

0:39:32.940 --> 0:39:35.880
<v Speaker 2>Thank you. I wish you would let Alex Vessia and

0:39:35.960 --> 0:39:38.879
<v Speaker 2>Eric Lauer know what I do because they had no

0:39:39.000 --> 0:39:43.320
<v Speaker 2>idea I host this show after every game. And Vessia

0:39:43.660 --> 0:39:46.629
<v Speaker 2>has been on the Dodgers for six years. He saw

0:39:46.690 --> 0:39:49.750
<v Speaker 2>Dino Ebel come on the show and take phone calls

0:39:49.790 --> 0:39:51.910
<v Speaker 2>in Atlanta. He said, wait, you do a show after

0:39:51.950 --> 0:39:54.750
<v Speaker 2>the game? I was like, yeah, Vessia, that's what I do.

0:39:54.790 --> 0:39:58.109
<v Speaker 2>I'm not just here for your enjoyment. I'm actually here

0:39:58.150 --> 0:39:58.770
<v Speaker 2>to do a job.

0:40:00.969 --> 0:40:03.750
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, that's right, man. And I agree with you. I

0:40:03.810 --> 0:40:06.130
<v Speaker 6>bet you it needs to stay. I don't see him being.

0:40:05.969 --> 0:40:06.870
<v Speaker 11>Switched out at all.

0:40:08.170 --> 0:40:11.790
<v Speaker 6>Also, I do like the fact of possibly getting lower

0:40:11.830 --> 0:40:15.630
<v Speaker 6>in the rotation, you know, in the pen come playoffs.

0:40:16.270 --> 0:40:17.930
<v Speaker 6>You know, he's been good for us, you know.

0:40:18.650 --> 0:40:18.930
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

0:40:20.270 --> 0:40:24.810
<v Speaker 6>And then I'm hoping that last year. question do we

0:40:24.870 --> 0:40:28.629
<v Speaker 6>have uh is there any uh mri in future for

0:40:28.670 --> 0:40:30.750
<v Speaker 6>a tiny for his knee or bicep like you mentioned

0:40:30.770 --> 0:40:31.930
<v Speaker 6>his bicep earlier.

0:40:32.890 --> 0:40:36.219
<v Speaker 2>Yeah you know what joseph um if there was we

0:40:36.260 --> 0:40:38.840
<v Speaker 2>don't know about it right now that would be something

0:40:38.900 --> 0:40:42.700
<v Speaker 2>that the dodgers would have to release but um i

0:40:43.040 --> 0:40:45.680
<v Speaker 2>i wouldn't i wouldn't rule that out i don't know

0:40:45.910 --> 0:40:48.629
<v Speaker 2>for a fact whether or not that's happened but When

0:40:48.690 --> 0:40:52.740
<v Speaker 2>Dave Roberts talks about the entire body not being 100%,

0:40:52.739 --> 0:40:56.900
<v Speaker 2>I thought back to the bicep issue. And that is

0:40:57.080 --> 0:41:01.360
<v Speaker 2>a big functioning part of him being one of, if

0:41:01.440 --> 0:41:05.940
<v Speaker 2>not the most dominant hitter in baseball. So like I've

0:41:05.980 --> 0:41:09.690
<v Speaker 2>said this before, I've been around professional athletes in a

0:41:09.730 --> 0:41:13.630
<v Speaker 2>lot of different sports. Great players don't just all of

0:41:13.690 --> 0:41:18.880
<v Speaker 2>a sudden don't be great. unless there's a personal issue

0:41:19.500 --> 0:41:23.730
<v Speaker 2>or more importantly, and more likely a physical issue. So

0:41:24.030 --> 0:41:27.549
<v Speaker 2>to me, there's gotta be something barking more than just

0:41:27.610 --> 0:41:30.430
<v Speaker 2>the knee. I would imagine the right bicep more than

0:41:30.469 --> 0:41:32.970
<v Speaker 2>the knee. When you talk about hitting and a five

0:41:33.030 --> 0:41:36.040
<v Speaker 2>for 40 slump and no home runs, uh, I would,

0:41:36.340 --> 0:41:39.640
<v Speaker 2>I mean, great players just don't stop being great. Joseph.

0:41:39.680 --> 0:41:40.460
<v Speaker 2>That's what I've learned.

0:41:40.920 --> 0:41:42.600
<v Speaker 8>Oh, I definitely agree.

0:41:42.620 --> 0:41:44.529
<v Speaker 6>And then with that, Dave, I'm going to let you

0:41:44.570 --> 0:41:46.110
<v Speaker 6>go so that way you can get a chance to

0:41:46.130 --> 0:41:47.660
<v Speaker 6>get more calls. I was just happy to talk to you.

0:41:47.670 --> 0:41:48.910
<v Speaker 2>I appreciate that, Joseph.

0:41:50.430 --> 0:41:53.469
<v Speaker 6>And I was just hoping to say hi. You know,

0:41:53.530 --> 0:41:55.640
<v Speaker 6>like I said, it's my first time caller, long time listener.

0:41:55.680 --> 0:41:58.040
<v Speaker 6>I've been listening for years. It's just that I work

0:41:58.480 --> 0:42:00.759
<v Speaker 6>a lot and I'm not allowed to talk on the

0:42:00.800 --> 0:42:02.279
<v Speaker 6>phone while I drive because I have a drive cam

0:42:02.340 --> 0:42:02.560
<v Speaker 6>on me.

0:42:02.640 --> 0:42:05.379
<v Speaker 2>Oh, all right, Joseph. Well, be safe out there.

0:42:07.110 --> 0:42:10.490
<v Speaker 6>Yeah, usually when your show's going, I'm always on the road. So, yeah,

0:42:10.830 --> 0:42:12.509
<v Speaker 6>I got home early. Today was my birthday, so I

0:42:12.530 --> 0:42:14.549
<v Speaker 6>was able to get home early enough, and I just

0:42:14.570 --> 0:42:16.930
<v Speaker 6>wanted to say hi. Thank you for all that you do.

0:42:17.780 --> 0:42:20.680
<v Speaker 2>Hey, happy birthday, Joseph. Thank you for the love. Appreciate it.

0:42:20.680 --> 0:42:24.160
<v Speaker 2>Hope your family makes your birthday a special one. And

0:42:24.200 --> 0:42:26.960
<v Speaker 2>like I said, I've said this before about a lot

0:42:27.020 --> 0:42:29.589
<v Speaker 2>of different Dodger players over the years, and I've been

0:42:29.670 --> 0:42:33.050
<v Speaker 2>proved true most times. A lot of times these guys

0:42:33.090 --> 0:42:35.730
<v Speaker 2>don't want to reveal anything, if there is any injury,

0:42:35.810 --> 0:42:38.930
<v Speaker 2>because that's a competitive advantage in their mind. They're giving

0:42:39.310 --> 0:42:43.270
<v Speaker 2>the opposing team. But when Dave Roberts comes out and says,

0:42:43.350 --> 0:42:46.780
<v Speaker 2>Otani's not pitching on Sunday, he's not going to pitch

0:42:46.840 --> 0:42:49.299
<v Speaker 2>on Tuesday either. And I don't know when he's going

0:42:49.340 --> 0:42:52.040
<v Speaker 2>to pitch again. And it's not just his left knee.

0:42:52.580 --> 0:42:55.540
<v Speaker 2>That's a red flag to me that there's more going

0:42:55.780 --> 0:42:59.759
<v Speaker 2>on that's affecting his play as a DH and being

0:42:59.800 --> 0:43:04.060
<v Speaker 2>that dominant guy. Great players don't just stop being great

0:43:04.180 --> 0:43:10.779
<v Speaker 2>unless there is something physically wrong. 866-987-2570. Now, is it

0:43:10.820 --> 0:43:14.259
<v Speaker 2>to the extent where a day off like today can't

0:43:14.550 --> 0:43:17.549
<v Speaker 2>help him reset? I don't know. I don't know what's

0:43:17.590 --> 0:43:22.350
<v Speaker 2>happening today with Otani. Could it be that the Dodgers

0:43:22.650 --> 0:43:27.189
<v Speaker 2>are contemplating placing Otani on the IL? I wouldn't rule

0:43:27.230 --> 0:43:30.129
<v Speaker 2>that out. After what Dave Roberts said, you would have

0:43:30.170 --> 0:43:32.870
<v Speaker 2>to say, That's in play to a certain extent. I

0:43:32.910 --> 0:43:37.370
<v Speaker 2>know that's not something Otani would want, but if he

0:43:37.489 --> 0:43:42.250
<v Speaker 2>continues to go this way, there's no other reasonable explanation.

0:43:42.710 --> 0:43:46.109
<v Speaker 2>Let's go out to Alex in Corona. You're on Dodger Talk.

0:43:46.150 --> 0:43:46.830
<v Speaker 2>How you doing, Alex?

0:43:48.550 --> 0:43:51.759
<v Speaker 14>What's up, Davey? Good show tonight, man.

0:43:52.060 --> 0:43:54.120
<v Speaker 2>Hey, thank you. Yeah, you guys made it a great show.

0:43:54.140 --> 0:43:56.520
<v Speaker 2>Great Converse baseball talk. I love it.

0:43:59.140 --> 0:44:01.640
<v Speaker 14>I just got kind of a bone to pick with

0:44:01.680 --> 0:44:03.160
<v Speaker 14>a little bit of the TV broadcast.

0:44:03.880 --> 0:44:04.279
<v Speaker 2>Oh, no.

0:44:04.300 --> 0:44:07.219
<v Speaker 14>They keep talking about how these guys are kind of

0:44:07.260 --> 0:44:10.380
<v Speaker 14>in a prolonged slump. Well, this slump's been going on

0:44:10.420 --> 0:44:15.010
<v Speaker 14>for years now. So, I mean, I'm just watching guys.

0:44:15.030 --> 0:44:16.850
<v Speaker 2>They were pretty good the first half of the season.

0:44:18.290 --> 0:44:20.190
<v Speaker 14>They looked pretty good the first half, but you know

0:44:20.530 --> 0:44:23.250
<v Speaker 14>what happens? Because they're a little long in the tooth now, Dave,

0:44:23.290 --> 0:44:23.569
<v Speaker 14>you know?

0:44:23.590 --> 0:44:24.310
<v Speaker 9>Yeah.

0:44:24.330 --> 0:44:27.459
<v Speaker 14>And I think what's happened is I think the bat

0:44:27.480 --> 0:44:31.640
<v Speaker 14>speed is slowing down. And I think for the great hitters,

0:44:32.480 --> 0:44:36.600
<v Speaker 14>they're able to adjust with that. And, you know, I've

0:44:36.640 --> 0:44:40.950
<v Speaker 14>seen like Mookie somewhat make some adjustments, trying to hit

0:44:40.969 --> 0:44:44.950
<v Speaker 14>the ball the other way. But I've noticed that, you know,

0:44:44.989 --> 0:44:48.589
<v Speaker 14>they still have the old philosophy of trying to, you know,

0:44:48.640 --> 0:44:52.339
<v Speaker 14>hit the ball far, hit it out. And I think

0:44:52.380 --> 0:44:54.339
<v Speaker 14>that you need to adjust as you get a little

0:44:54.360 --> 0:44:54.799
<v Speaker 14>bit older.

0:44:56.780 --> 0:44:59.960
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know what, Alex? I've heard that. I've heard

0:45:00.000 --> 0:45:02.180
<v Speaker 2>that from other players. As you get older, you have

0:45:02.200 --> 0:45:06.000
<v Speaker 2>to evolve. Kershaw talked about that a lot. You have

0:45:06.040 --> 0:45:08.839
<v Speaker 2>to know who you are as a hitter. And, you know,

0:45:08.900 --> 0:45:13.160
<v Speaker 2>Mookie's 33. He's been in the league 13 years. So, yeah,

0:45:13.219 --> 0:45:16.200
<v Speaker 2>maybe it's time for him to evolve. But in the

0:45:16.219 --> 0:45:18.359
<v Speaker 2>middle of the season, it's hard to do that. But

0:45:18.460 --> 0:45:21.040
<v Speaker 2>I don't know what you would say about Kyle Tucker.

0:45:21.300 --> 0:45:23.339
<v Speaker 2>He's not that old. They brought him in here for

0:45:23.410 --> 0:45:26.160
<v Speaker 2>some youth. And we just haven't seen it in his

0:45:26.239 --> 0:45:30.760
<v Speaker 2>first year. And everybody keeps telling us from Gary Sheffield to,

0:45:30.880 --> 0:45:34.529
<v Speaker 2>you know, anybody you talk to that watches the game that, oh,

0:45:34.930 --> 0:45:37.270
<v Speaker 2>October is going to be the time that Kyle Tucker

0:45:37.310 --> 0:45:41.430
<v Speaker 2>comes alive. So hopefully they're right because it's a new

0:45:41.489 --> 0:45:45.719
<v Speaker 2>season then. But I think every guy that you're talking about, Alex,

0:45:46.090 --> 0:45:49.100
<v Speaker 2>I think they're in a different category for why they've

0:45:49.140 --> 0:45:50.520
<v Speaker 2>struggled the last six weeks.

0:45:52.790 --> 0:45:54.150
<v Speaker 14>Yeah, I think, you know, I think.

0:45:55.450 --> 0:45:59.040
<v Speaker 2>Like what's Otani? Is Otani too old now, Alex? I

0:45:59.080 --> 0:46:02.560
<v Speaker 2>think he's starting to get a little too old and

0:46:02.580 --> 0:46:05.360
<v Speaker 2>too many miles at 32 to be a two-way player.

0:46:05.920 --> 0:46:08.670
<v Speaker 2>But what do you think about Otani? I don't think

0:46:08.710 --> 0:46:10.050
<v Speaker 2>his bat speed slowed down.

0:46:11.570 --> 0:46:13.950
<v Speaker 14>No, no, no. He's a great player, Dave. He'll figure

0:46:13.969 --> 0:46:15.810
<v Speaker 14>it out, you know, one way or the other.

0:46:15.830 --> 0:46:18.350
<v Speaker 2>How about Freddie Freeman? He keeps his bat in the zone.

0:46:18.930 --> 0:46:20.750
<v Speaker 2>He keeps his bat in the zone a long time.

0:46:20.810 --> 0:46:22.910
<v Speaker 2>He might not be hitting home runs anymore, but he

0:46:22.930 --> 0:46:26.629
<v Speaker 2>hits doubles and drives in runs with singles. I think

0:46:26.650 --> 0:46:30.700
<v Speaker 2>we're talking about three guys, Tucker, Mookie, and Tao. We're

0:46:30.739 --> 0:46:32.280
<v Speaker 2>talking about the same three guys.

0:46:34.640 --> 0:46:37.060
<v Speaker 14>Yeah, I mean, like with Freddie, I mean, you know,

0:46:37.380 --> 0:46:41.450
<v Speaker 14>you've got to look at what– he's unable to run anymore, Dave.

0:46:41.570 --> 0:46:43.390
<v Speaker 14>I mean, he's struggling out there running around the base.

0:46:43.410 --> 0:46:45.489
<v Speaker 2>He went first to third yesterday. He went first to

0:46:45.530 --> 0:46:46.170
<v Speaker 2>third yesterday.

0:46:46.210 --> 0:46:49.049
<v Speaker 14>Yeah, I– Yeah, he's got a piano on his back, bro.

0:46:49.170 --> 0:46:49.950
<v Speaker 14>I've seen that.

0:46:50.210 --> 0:46:52.470
<v Speaker 2>He was never Brett Butler. It's got to be a.

0:46:52.330 --> 0:46:54.009
<v Speaker 14>Big hit for him to be able to do that.

0:46:54.030 --> 0:46:58.169
<v Speaker 2>He's not Chandler Simpson. Never was. Never will be. Hey, Alex,

0:46:58.210 --> 0:47:01.500
<v Speaker 2>I got to run. Call back anytime. Nine-game homestand. Call

0:47:01.520 --> 0:47:02.700
<v Speaker 2>back after a game, okay?

0:47:03.940 --> 0:47:04.420
<v Speaker 14>Okay, cool.

0:47:05.160 --> 0:47:08.660
<v Speaker 2>Thanks, Alex. Before we say goodnight, just to say hello,

0:47:08.700 --> 0:47:11.120
<v Speaker 2>we got to say hi to Isabel. Hi, Izzy. I

0:47:11.140 --> 0:47:14.270
<v Speaker 2>just wanted to say hi, and we'll see you down

0:47:14.310 --> 0:47:15.050
<v Speaker 2>the road, okay?

0:47:16.530 --> 0:47:18.690
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, the Dodgers will be okay, you guys.

0:47:18.710 --> 0:47:20.509
<v Speaker 11>They'll figure it out.

0:47:20.550 --> 0:47:21.710
<v Speaker 7>There we go.

0:47:21.750 --> 0:47:22.490
<v Speaker 11>We'll talk later.

0:47:22.550 --> 0:47:24.230
<v Speaker 8>I'll call you during Dodger Talk.

0:47:24.910 --> 0:47:26.090
<v Speaker 2>This is Dodger Talk.

0:47:27.890 --> 0:47:31.460
<v Speaker 7>I've been trying to call you after the game too, David.

0:47:31.500 --> 0:47:33.580
<v Speaker 8>I know you've been busy, so I'll.

0:47:33.460 --> 0:47:34.420
<v Speaker 9>Call you tomorrow.

0:47:34.440 --> 0:47:36.680
<v Speaker 8>Then we can talk more because we've really got to

0:47:36.700 --> 0:47:38.000
<v Speaker 8>talk about the Dodgers.

0:47:38.940 --> 0:47:41.729
<v Speaker 2>Okay, Izzy. We'll do it tomorrow night. Thank you so much.

0:47:42.130 --> 0:47:47.010
<v Speaker 2>The voice of reason, Isabelle. from Anaheim. Ends the show. Man,

0:47:47.050 --> 0:47:49.649
<v Speaker 2>this was a great hour of baseball talk, great hour

0:47:49.690 --> 0:47:52.550
<v Speaker 2>of Dodger talk. We will be back with you tomorrow

0:47:52.610 --> 0:47:56.509
<v Speaker 2>night from Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium, the beginning of

0:47:56.910 --> 0:48:00.440
<v Speaker 2>a nine-game homestand. We're getting close to the end of

0:48:00.460 --> 0:48:02.840
<v Speaker 2>the regular season, so if you haven't joined us at

0:48:02.860 --> 0:48:06.560
<v Speaker 2>Dodger Stadium, get out there and a nine-game homestand starting

0:48:06.580 --> 0:48:10.060
<v Speaker 2>with three against the Cardinals, three against the Nationals, and

0:48:10.120 --> 0:48:13.840
<v Speaker 2>three against the Cincinnati Reds. Our coverage begins tomorrow at

0:48:13.840 --> 0:48:17.930
<v Speaker 2>6 o'clock. First pitch between the Dodgers and Cardinals at

0:48:17.950 --> 0:48:21.990
<v Speaker 2>7-10 with Rick Munday and Charlie Steiner on the call.

0:48:22.110 --> 0:48:24.649
<v Speaker 2>Thanks to Ronnie Fosio for all his help. In case

0:48:24.670 --> 0:48:27.009
<v Speaker 2>you missed any of the show or any of our

0:48:27.090 --> 0:48:30.830
<v Speaker 2>shows on the last road trip, great pregame conversations with

0:48:30.870 --> 0:48:35.000
<v Speaker 2>Kenley Jansen and Tarek Skubal. and Hunter Fiducia in Detroit.

0:48:35.080 --> 0:48:38.489
<v Speaker 2>So you can find all of that on the iHeartRadio app.

0:48:38.870 --> 0:48:43.299
<v Speaker 2>All right, tomorrow night, Dodgers-Cardinals at the Ravine, a nine-game homestand.

0:48:43.580 --> 0:48:46.160
<v Speaker 2>We'll talk to you then. Fox Sports Radio is next.

0:48:46.420 --> 0:48:46.690
<v Speaker 2>See ya.