1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk. 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: The Dodgers are back in California, first out of the 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: Exhibition Freeway Series here in Anaheim, and were joined by 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: a man that came to camp with a minor league 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: contract and performed and earned his way onto the Dodgers 6 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: opening day roster, and that's former All Star Santiago Espinal. Santiago, 7 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: thanks for the time and congratulations. 8 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you guys for the opportunity. Thank God 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 2: first and you know, excited to be here. 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: Obviously you knew you were good enough to make this roster, 11 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: but now that it's official, now that it's here, when 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: you look back on your spring, how did you do it? 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 2: I mean just being prepared, you know, being prepared mentally ready. 14 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 2: And also you know that's why I work in the 15 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: off season as well. You know, I came to a 16 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: winning organization who back to back championship. But you know, 17 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: my questions that I ask myself every day is how 18 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: can I add to the championship team? You know, and 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 2: That's what I've been doing. How can I do it offensively? Defensively? 20 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: You know, I play multiple position. I can do a 21 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 2: lot of things with the bat two as well. So 22 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 2: that's what we're here for. 23 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: That's another part of this equation. It's not like you're 24 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: joining a team that finished fourth place. You're joining the 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: team that's went back to back championships. Obviously they believe 26 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: you're a championship player too. 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, and I appreciate that too as well. 28 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: You know, But you know, job is not done. You know, 29 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: Spring training just in the past. You know. Now, I 30 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: just gotta keep doing my thing, being consistent everything that 31 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 2: I do, you know, defensively and offensively. So we're ready 32 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 2: for it. 33 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: You obviously are aware of the situation. You're not going 34 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: to play every day. How do you stay ready now 35 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: to be able to contribute? 36 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: You know, I've been five almost six years in the 37 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: big leagues. You know, I've been doing it for a 38 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: long time, I feel, and you know, all I can 39 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 2: do is control whatever I can control. Make sure that 40 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: I'm prepared whenever my name is called, make sure my 41 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: name is called when my name is called. Being prepared, 42 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 2: and that's all it is. Just be prepared. 43 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: The big guy just ran by show hal Tani. What's 44 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: it been like to get to experience being on the 45 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 1: same side as him. 46 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 2: It's been cool. You know, I face him, my love, 47 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: I play against him a last so you know, being 48 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 2: on the same team, I'll be able to watch the Homers, 49 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 2: you know, all the loud noises and stuff like that. 50 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 2: So it's been cool. 51 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: Is it something different to see what his personality's like 52 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: because he has a good sense of humor. 53 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, I mean it's different. Also, it's different 54 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: the way he prepares. He barely have time for himself, 55 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 2: you know, so there's something something that you can pick up. So, 56 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 2: you know, from one of the best players in the game, 57 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: maybe the best players in the game. You know, he's 58 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 2: the best player in the game. So what I see 59 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: his routine, the way he prepared, he doesn't even have time, 60 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 2: you know. So as you can see, he was just 61 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: out there throwing. Now he's going inside. He probably gonna 62 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: go ahead, and then by the time he's done, he 63 00:02:58,440 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 2: probably gotta hear a little and then ready for the 64 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 2: you know. So that's his daily you know. And I 65 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,800 Speaker 2: and I and I thought myself and I was asking myself, 66 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 2: I'm like, how did he do it? You know, how 67 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 2: did he do it? But he does it every day 68 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 2: and it's it's crazy. 69 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: Santiago Espinal is our guest before I let you go. 70 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: You're a proud Dominican. Did you see the big future 71 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer in the clubhouse today? 72 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: I saw him, but I didn't want to bother him too. 73 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 2: So it was a cool moment though that I met 74 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 2: him when I was a rookie. I think it was 75 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 2: back in twenty twenty twenty one. That's when I met him, 76 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 2: and when he was with the Cardinals again, and you know, 77 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 2: being seeing him in the locker room to us where 78 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: it was pretty cool. 79 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, that's the one and only Albert Poolholes. 80 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: So people still can't believe that I gave Teo Albert 81 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: a hug because he was giving all the Dodgers' hugs 82 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: that year, so I said, hey, big home run, I 83 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: think I'm going to give him a hug too on TV, 84 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: And to this day, I get the to Albert hug 85 00:03:57,240 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: every time we see each other. 86 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: That's cool, man, that's good, especially from a legend like 87 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: that Hall of Fame and then, uh, you know, great 88 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 2: guy and uh you know, those hulks probably have a 89 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: lot of hits and a lot of homers on it, 90 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 2: so it's cool. 91 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: All right, well, thank you for the time, and I 92 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: can't wait to see the Tioscar Hernandez sunflower seeds coming 93 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: your way all year long. 94 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, let's do it. Thank you.