WEBVTT - Santigo Espinal (3-22-26) 

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<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers are back in California, first out of the

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<v Speaker 1>Exhibition Freeway Series here in Anaheim, and were joined by

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<v Speaker 1>a man that came to camp with a minor league

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<v Speaker 1>contract and performed and earned his way onto the Dodgers

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<v Speaker 1>opening day roster, and that's former All Star Santiago Espinal. Santiago,

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<v Speaker 1>thanks for the time and congratulations.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you, Thank you guys for the opportunity. Thank God

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<v Speaker 2>first and you know, excited to be here.

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<v Speaker 1>Obviously you knew you were good enough to make this roster,

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<v Speaker 1>but now that it's official, now that it's here, when

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<v Speaker 1>you look back on your spring, how did you do it?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean just being prepared, you know, being prepared mentally ready.

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<v Speaker 2>And also you know that's why I work in the

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<v Speaker 2>off season as well. You know, I came to a

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<v Speaker 2>winning organization who back to back championship. But you know,

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<v Speaker 2>my questions that I ask myself every day is how

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<v Speaker 2>can I add to the championship team? You know, and

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<v Speaker 2>That's what I've been doing. How can I do it offensively? Defensively?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I play multiple position. I can do a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of things with the bat two as well. So

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<v Speaker 2>that's what we're here for.

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<v Speaker 1>That's another part of this equation. It's not like you're

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<v Speaker 1>joining a team that finished fourth place. You're joining the

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<v Speaker 1>team that's went back to back championships. Obviously they believe

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<v Speaker 1>you're a championship player too.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know, and I appreciate that too as well.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, But you know, job is not done. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>Spring training just in the past. You know. Now, I

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<v Speaker 2>just gotta keep doing my thing, being consistent everything that

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<v Speaker 2>I do, you know, defensively and offensively. So we're ready

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<v Speaker 2>for it.

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<v Speaker 1>You obviously are aware of the situation. You're not going

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<v Speaker 1>to play every day. How do you stay ready now

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to contribute?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I've been five almost six years in the

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<v Speaker 2>big leagues. You know, I've been doing it for a

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<v Speaker 2>long time, I feel, and you know, all I can

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<v Speaker 2>do is control whatever I can control. Make sure that

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<v Speaker 2>I'm prepared whenever my name is called, make sure my

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<v Speaker 2>name is called when my name is called. Being prepared,

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<v Speaker 2>and that's all it is. Just be prepared.

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<v Speaker 1>The big guy just ran by show hal Tani. What's

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<v Speaker 1>it been like to get to experience being on the

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<v Speaker 1>same side as him.

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<v Speaker 2>It's been cool. You know, I face him, my love,

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<v Speaker 2>I play against him a last so you know, being

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<v Speaker 2>on the same team, I'll be able to watch the Homers,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, all the loud noises and stuff like that.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's been cool.

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<v Speaker 1>Is it something different to see what his personality's like

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<v Speaker 1>because he has a good sense of humor.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, yeah, I mean it's different. Also, it's different

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<v Speaker 2>the way he prepares. He barely have time for himself,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, so there's something something that you can pick up. So,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, from one of the best players in the game,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe the best players in the game. You know, he's

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<v Speaker 2>the best player in the game. So what I see

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<v Speaker 2>his routine, the way he prepared, he doesn't even have time,

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<v Speaker 2>you know. So as you can see, he was just

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<v Speaker 2>out there throwing. Now he's going inside. He probably gonna

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<v Speaker 2>go ahead, and then by the time he's done, he

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<v Speaker 2>probably gotta hear a little and then ready for the

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<v Speaker 2>you know. So that's his daily you know. And I

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<v Speaker 2>and I and I thought myself and I was asking myself,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm like, how did he do it? You know, how

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<v Speaker 2>did he do it? But he does it every day

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<v Speaker 2>and it's it's crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>Santiago Espinal is our guest before I let you go.

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<v Speaker 1>You're a proud Dominican. Did you see the big future

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<v Speaker 1>Hall of Famer in the clubhouse today?

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<v Speaker 2>I saw him, but I didn't want to bother him too.

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<v Speaker 2>So it was a cool moment though that I met

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<v Speaker 2>him when I was a rookie. I think it was

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<v Speaker 2>back in twenty twenty twenty one. That's when I met him,

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<v Speaker 2>and when he was with the Cardinals again, and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>being seeing him in the locker room to us where

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<v Speaker 2>it was pretty cool.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, yeah, that's the one and only Albert Poolholes.

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<v Speaker 1>So people still can't believe that I gave Teo Albert

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<v Speaker 1>a hug because he was giving all the Dodgers' hugs

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<v Speaker 1>that year, so I said, hey, big home run, I

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<v Speaker 1>think I'm going to give him a hug too on TV,

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<v Speaker 1>And to this day, I get the to Albert hug

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<v Speaker 1>every time we see each other.

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<v Speaker 2>That's cool, man, that's good, especially from a legend like

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<v Speaker 2>that Hall of Fame and then, uh, you know, great

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<v Speaker 2>guy and uh you know, those hulks probably have a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of hits and a lot of homers on it,

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<v Speaker 2>so it's cool.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, well, thank you for the time, and I

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<v Speaker 1>can't wait to see the Tioscar Hernandez sunflower seeds coming

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<v Speaker 1>your way all year long.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, let's do it. Thank you.