WEBVTT - Ryan Ward (2-21-26)

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<v Speaker 1>An exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.

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<v Speaker 2>It's the Dodgers and Angels getting set for first pitch

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<v Speaker 2>in Tempe, Arizona, and we're joined right now by a

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<v Speaker 2>man in his first major league or second major league

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<v Speaker 2>camp with the Dodgers. Had an incredible season at Triple A,

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<v Speaker 2>won the PCL Player of the Year, and that's Ryan Ward.

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<v Speaker 2>Did I get all that right, Ryan Ward? Uh?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, pretty close? Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, excited for it.

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<v Speaker 2>What's it like this camp for you after having the

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<v Speaker 2>season that you did and being put on the forty

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<v Speaker 2>man roster and now certainly on everybody's radar.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you know, I'm just coming in and continuing to

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<v Speaker 1>do what I do, get better at little things, work

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<v Speaker 1>hard every day and then and try to take full

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<v Speaker 1>advantage of the opportunities and have fun with it.

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<v Speaker 2>In this area of the Dodger Clubhouse in spring training,

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<v Speaker 2>a little bit different real estate than what you're used to.

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<v Speaker 2>What's it like having two catchers as your lockermates, Stalton

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<v Speaker 2>Rushing and Will Smith.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I know, I got both of them around me,

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<v Speaker 1>so I try to take up his little space as

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<v Speaker 1>I can. You know, they both got a ton of

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<v Speaker 1>gear over here and all that catcher stuff, So try

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<v Speaker 1>to try to just come in when when there's an

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<v Speaker 1>opening and take up a little space. But it's awesome.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, having a good relationship with a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>these guys and building more as we keep going is

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<v Speaker 1>important to me and and just trying.

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<v Speaker 2>To build on that. What's it like for you being

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<v Speaker 2>at Triple A last year, having the season that you

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<v Speaker 2>had last year and the Dodgers recognizing it.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, no, it's cool. You know, I'm really proud of

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<v Speaker 1>of the year I was able to put together. And

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<v Speaker 1>it's honestly it's because of them, the staff here, the

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<v Speaker 1>developmental strength, everybody, you know, putting putting the plans in

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<v Speaker 1>front of me and helping me get to the spot

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<v Speaker 1>that I got to. So, like I said, just kind

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<v Speaker 1>of continuing to build on that and make and grow

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<v Speaker 1>as a player and keep going.

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<v Speaker 2>What was the biggest leap you took last year? What

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<v Speaker 2>was it that made Ryan Ward the PCL Player of

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<v Speaker 2>the Year.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I think it was a lot of approach

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<v Speaker 1>based stuff. I used to be kind of a free

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<v Speaker 1>swinger and really trying to hone in on on certain

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<v Speaker 1>pitches and certain spots as I was going at back

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<v Speaker 1>to a bat, pitcher to pitcher and ended up putting

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<v Speaker 1>myself into better counts chase less and ended up getting

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<v Speaker 1>into more hitter counts where it just put me in

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<v Speaker 1>a better spot to do some damage.

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<v Speaker 2>How did you recognize that, did you go to the

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<v Speaker 2>video more or what was the balance that you you

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<v Speaker 2>changed to be a more discipline hitter.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean I used to kind of go in

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<v Speaker 1>the box. I always made the joke when when I

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<v Speaker 1>get in the batter's box, I'm called a hitter, not

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<v Speaker 1>a walker. So like I would go up there and

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<v Speaker 1>just swing it, swing it everything, and you know, just

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<v Speaker 1>just trying to hone in on one one area, Like

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to dominate this area if you if you

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<v Speaker 1>throw sam looking in that day, if you throw three

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<v Speaker 1>heaters away, like okay, like I gotta tip my cap.

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<v Speaker 1>But like when you if you come in here, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>gonna I'm gonna do some damage on it because that's

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<v Speaker 1>the one spot I'm hunting for. So staying committed to

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<v Speaker 1>that was was something that was very helpful for me

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<v Speaker 1>and led to the year I had.

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<v Speaker 2>Ryan Ward is our guest in front of first pitch

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<v Speaker 2>between the Dodgers and Angels starting the Cactus League schedule. Ryan,

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<v Speaker 2>hitting is so hard these days. I've heard Freddy Freeman

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<v Speaker 2>talk about what it was like when he broke in

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<v Speaker 2>to hit compared to what you guys are facing these days.

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<v Speaker 2>So does it come down to with how nasty guys

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<v Speaker 2>are to really key in on your zone?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah? Absolutely, you know, and I think that that was

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<v Speaker 1>a huge jump for me last year. I mean because

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<v Speaker 1>like you said, everything pictures are getting better and better.

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<v Speaker 1>Stuff's getting better and better, so so really going up

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<v Speaker 1>with a plan and trying to dominate your plan. The

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<v Speaker 1>big thing for me last year was was get out

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<v Speaker 1>the way that I want to get out. I'm not

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<v Speaker 1>gonna get out on the pictures terms, and with the

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<v Speaker 1>better stuff and better stuff that's coming, you really got

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<v Speaker 1>to stay committed to that. You know, if I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 1>get out, I wanted to be on my terms. I

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<v Speaker 1>don't want you to be the one who gets me out.

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<v Speaker 2>Do you feel like this spring you have more confidence

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<v Speaker 2>about yourself and not trying to prove every single swing

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<v Speaker 2>that you belong.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you know, I'm gonna I mean, I'm not gonna

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<v Speaker 1>take it easy. I'm gonna get my a swings off.

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<v Speaker 1>But yeah, I think that this year coming in is

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<v Speaker 1>all more comfortable. Like I said, I have relationships with

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of the guys now over the past couple

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<v Speaker 1>of years, been able to get to know them and

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<v Speaker 1>them get to know me, and just put you in

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<v Speaker 1>a lot more comfortable spot. Starting to know all the

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<v Speaker 1>staff around. Everyone knows who I am, so it's really cool.

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<v Speaker 2>That's great, Ryan, thanks a lot for the time. Congratulations

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<v Speaker 2>on putting in the work and reaping the benefits of that,

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<v Speaker 2>and we look forward to seeing you at Dodger Stadium

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<v Speaker 2>this year.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you. I'm excited for it too,