WEBVTT - Dodger Talk (3-23-26) 0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:03.120 The quest for the three peat has begne. 0:00:03.240 --> 0:00:07.280 Only four teams in Major League Baseball history have won 0:00:07.360 --> 0:00:12.039 three consecutive titles. The Dodgers are the favorites to become 0:00:12.360 --> 0:00:13.160 the fifth. 0:00:13.240 --> 0:00:15.840 This is World Champion Dodger Talk. 0:00:15.920 --> 0:00:16.720 Here we go again. 0:00:16.760 --> 0:00:20.800 We're here running back, hosted by dodgersin signer David Bassi. 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:23.360 A Yeah three pat in the mix to get. 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:26.360 In on the show called eight six six eighty seven 0:00:26.400 --> 0:00:29.080 two five seven days and be sure to follow Dodger 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:34.479 Talk wherever you catch your podcasts. Here's your host, David Vase. 0:00:36.159 --> 0:00:39.320 It's great to be back at Dodgers Stadium. I'm another 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:44.840 postgame Dodger Talk for you. After the Exhibition Freeway series 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:49.520 shifts here to Los Angeles and the Dodgers and Angels 0:00:49.880 --> 0:00:54.000 finish in a seven seventh time. Welcome the Dodger Talk. 0:00:54.120 --> 0:00:58.080 David Vase with you until eleven o'clock right here on 0:00:58.120 --> 0:01:02.920 AM five to seventy LA Sports and the iHeartRadio app. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:06.240 Jose Mota will join us in twenty minutes. We have 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:09.440 phone lines open at eight six six nine, eight seven 0:01:09.560 --> 0:01:13.440 two five seventy Coming up in fifteen minutes, you'll get 0:01:13.480 --> 0:01:17.440 an update on Tommy Edmond and Blake Snell. But obviously 0:01:17.480 --> 0:01:21.800 the story of the night is Roki Sasaki and his 0:01:21.920 --> 0:01:27.720 struggles continuing tonight from Arizona. As far as his spring 0:01:27.800 --> 0:01:31.759 training went, it wasn't it wasn't pretty for Roki Sasaki, 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:34.880 and he said as much tonight that it just wasn't 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:40.720 good and it wasn't really good. Did not really pass 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:45.120 the eye test to say, Roki Sasaki definitely earned a 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:46.800 spot in this rotation. 0:01:47.400 --> 0:01:49.240 I feel part of this is. 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:53.880 A bigger plan as always by Andrew Friedman, to navigate 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:58.360 one hundred and sixty two games this season. Part of 0:01:58.400 --> 0:02:01.520 this is that Blake's now is going to start the 0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:05.000 year on the injured list. Part of this is that 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:09.200 River Ryan is coming off Tommy John surgery, has not 0:02:09.360 --> 0:02:12.520 pitched in a game in nearly eighteen months. 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:14.519 Is somewhat raw. 0:02:14.360 --> 0:02:17.799 And new to pitching because when the Dodgers acquired him 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:21.000 a few years ago for Matt Batty, he was still 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:23.120 trying to do the two way thing. He was a 0:02:23.160 --> 0:02:26.600 shortstop and a pitcher until he got traded to the 0:02:26.680 --> 0:02:30.160 Dodgers and that's when they said, hey, your future is 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:34.720 in pitching, and that's where he really has just become 0:02:35.680 --> 0:02:39.160 somewhat of a sensation overnight sensation when it comes to that, 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:43.640 but still needs to learn how to pitch and pitching games. 0:02:44.120 --> 0:02:47.000 And he had an impressive spring training, no doubt about it. 0:02:47.040 --> 0:02:47.840 But I kind of. 0:02:47.880 --> 0:02:52.240 Believe that the River Ryan plan is similar to the 0:02:52.280 --> 0:02:56.200 Image Shean plan from a year ago. So all those 0:02:56.320 --> 0:03:02.720 things are working into Roki Sasaki still being part of 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:08.440 this rotation despite having not a convincing spring training, and 0:03:09.040 --> 0:03:11.680 really I'm not going to say that Roki Sasaki can't 0:03:11.680 --> 0:03:15.239 be a starting pitcher. And the dynamics of all this 0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:20.359 goes back to the Dodgers signing Roki Sasaki and Andrew 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:23.799 Friedman saying at that point in time that it is 0:03:23.840 --> 0:03:28.360 a developmental process. They're not expecting Roki Sasaki to be 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:32.600 an overnight sensation. They knew they had something raw on 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:35.200 their hands and it wasn't going to be something that 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:39.760 looked like Yamamoto day one. So there's that, there's the 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:43.400 learning curve, right, and then there is a guy that 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:50.600 looks appears during spring training and especially tonight, putting way 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:56.000 too much pressure on himself to be a starting pitcher. 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:02.040 This is not the same guy that we saw last year. 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:05.800 When he came out in a new role, throwing one 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:09.720 hundred plus out of the bullpen, commanding his fastball and 0:04:09.760 --> 0:04:13.760 then working in that split, fork ball, knuckleball, whatever you 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:14.520 want to call it. 0:04:15.920 --> 0:04:16.880 Not the same guy. 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:20.320 And going back to Dodger Fest, he kept on talking 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:24.040 about how he's trying to develop a third and fourth pitch. Well, 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:27.000 it doesn't seem like he has a lot of confidence 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:31.159 in those pitches right now, and it's really hard to 0:04:31.240 --> 0:04:34.960 develop those pitches against major league hitters on the mound 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:38.760 wearing that Dodger uniform where the lights are brighter than 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:43.880 anywhere else. And the Dodgers promised Roki Sasaki that was 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:46.040 part of the agreement when they signed him, that they 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:49.840 would give him every opportunity to be a starting pitcher. 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:53.000 Even last year when they had the conversation with him 0:04:53.080 --> 0:04:55.320 that we need you to come out of the bullpen, 0:04:55.400 --> 0:04:57.320 we need a closer, we need that guy. 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:00.480 We hope you are that guy he was. 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:06.520 They said, will allow you an opportunity to earn your 0:05:06.560 --> 0:05:10.159 way back into a starting role this year, and they 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:13.479 have been true to their word. Now it's in Roki 0:05:13.560 --> 0:05:17.720 Sasaki's hands. He's got to seize the moment. Similar to 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:22.359 Alex Frieland. He's getting the opportunity starting opening Day to 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:26.280 be in the lineup nearly every day until Tommy Edmond returns. 0:05:26.960 --> 0:05:30.960 Roki Sasaki is getting an opportunity to be a starting 0:05:30.960 --> 0:05:36.760 pitcher again this season. It's in his hands now. And look, 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:42.359 I personally believe if this doesn't work and this being 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:46.680 him being a starter this year, I firmly believe he 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:51.159 can be a valuable piece to the Dodgers in the bullpen. 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:54.640 From what we saw last year, we saw a guy 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:59.080 that had the kind of the aggressiveness and the compete 0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:02.680 that Dave Roberts was looking for before the game. And 0:06:02.720 --> 0:06:06.640 in this spring training he's got ninety eight plus. He's 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:12.600 got that split fingered, forkball ish pitch that hitters were chasing, 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:16.320 especially when he had command of his fastball. And the 0:06:16.400 --> 0:06:20.400 Dodgers kind of need a right handed, high leverage reliever 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:24.160 right now. Nobody has stood up and raised their hands 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:27.480 and said I could be that guy. Of course I 0:06:27.520 --> 0:06:32.320 know about Edwin Diaz, But who's getting Jose Ramirez out 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:36.520 next week in the sixth or seventh inning. I hope 0:06:36.520 --> 0:06:40.360 it's Blake Trinin. You know, Alex Vesia can't get every 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:42.919 hitter out from the sixth inning to the eighth inning. 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:49.159 That's not realistic. So they need somebody. But that's going 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:52.080 to be down the road as far as it concerns 0:06:52.120 --> 0:06:55.279 a decision with Roki Sasaki, because he is in the 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:57.880 starting rotation, and I believe that he's going to be 0:06:57.920 --> 0:07:01.880 in the rotation until we get closer to the end 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:05.280 of May, and that's when Blake Snell is expected to return. 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:10.000 Dave Roberts said that before the game, So I feel 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:14.480 like this is the window of opportunity for Roki Sasaki 0:07:14.520 --> 0:07:17.680 to stick for the time being in the major leagues, 0:07:17.800 --> 0:07:22.320 and his performance will dictate whether or not he sticks 0:07:22.480 --> 0:07:27.000 in the rotation for the summertime, or does he need 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:30.080 to go to the minor leagues to develop that third 0:07:30.120 --> 0:07:33.680 and fourth pitch, or do the Dodgers need him in 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:37.080 the bullpen to be that right handed, high leverage reliever. 0:07:38.000 --> 0:07:41.120 All those questions are going to be answered. But I'm 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:44.400 not gonna sit here tonight and jump all over Roki 0:07:44.440 --> 0:07:47.560 Sasaki and say he stinks he doesn't have a chance. 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:51.480 This is not going to work. Let's see we can 0:07:51.560 --> 0:07:56.440 have that discussion next to next Monday, when he starts 0:07:56.440 --> 0:08:00.160 against the Guardians, we can have that discussion. We're not 0:08:00.200 --> 0:08:03.280 gonna have that discussion tonight. I'm just laying out what 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:07.040 the options are and how he could be a valuable 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:11.280 piece even if he's not a starting pitcher for the 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:15.600 Dodgers this year. Eight six six seven two five seventy 0:08:15.840 --> 0:08:19.200 is the phone number the Dodgers did lay out they're 0:08:19.360 --> 0:08:24.120 opening rotation to begin the season. Obviously, we know Yamamoto 0:08:25.240 --> 0:08:29.920 on Thursday against the Diamondbacks. Emasian will pitch Game two, 0:08:30.120 --> 0:08:34.120 and Tyler glass Now will pitch Game three against the Diamondbacks. 0:08:34.400 --> 0:08:38.200 Roki Sasaki will pitch the opener against the Guardians. Show 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:42.400 Hey Otani will pitch Tuesday against the Guardians. So you 0:08:42.400 --> 0:08:44.720 want to get your tickets now if you have not. 0:08:44.880 --> 0:08:48.040 There are so many games on this homestand that are 0:08:48.160 --> 0:08:50.880 so appealing if you had to pick one, could be 0:08:50.960 --> 0:08:54.240 Opening Day, could be the ring ceremony night, could be 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:58.240 the night that show. Heo Tani starts next Tuesday against 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:02.120 the Guardian. Saying, going back to twenty twenty four, I 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:07.240 kind of said this, Dodger games are no longer just games. 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:11.920 They are events, And Charlie Steiner had said that from 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:14.080 the beginning of twenty twenty four as well, and I 0:09:14.240 --> 0:09:17.360 echo all of that. That made so much sense, and 0:09:17.400 --> 0:09:20.960 I think we're living that now. Dodger games are not 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:26.120 Dodger games, they are events. They're high demand too. Eight 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:29.480 six six seven two five seventy is the phone number. 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:33.440 Let's go out to Aggie in Oxnard. You're on Dodger 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:37.400 Talk live from Dodger Stadium High AUGI, Hey. 0:09:37.320 --> 0:09:39.880 Dave, this is Augi from Oxnart. I met you at 0:09:39.880 --> 0:09:41.080 spring training this year. 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:42.520 How could I forget? 0:09:42.720 --> 0:09:46.280 So we've established it's OGGI from Oxnar three times. 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:51.320 Now, Yeah, all right, here we go, Hey Oxnart now 0:09:51.440 --> 0:09:52.400 Ventura Oxnar. 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:56.360 Yes, sir, what do you got on? Yeah, I want 0:09:56.360 --> 0:09:57.360 to talk about I don't know. 0:09:57.400 --> 0:09:58.360 I noticed right away. 0:09:58.760 --> 0:09:59.840 I have a rookie. 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:03.560 When he's pitching, he's almost at first he's almost between 0:10:03.600 --> 0:10:05.199 the pitcher's mound and first base. 0:10:05.320 --> 0:10:09.559 On his release. You think he's falling off. He's falling off. 0:10:09.600 --> 0:10:14.240 He's not directional, christ not going straight towards home plate. 0:10:15.320 --> 0:10:16.920 And I don't know if all those guys are having 0:10:16.960 --> 0:10:19.559 the dugout aren't picking that up. 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:22.959 I'm sure they are, but at some point Aggie. 0:10:23.200 --> 0:10:26.240 I remember Tom Glavin saying this at some point as 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:29.280 a pitcher, you've got to be your best pitching coach. 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:32.080 And Roki Sasaki seems. 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:35.520 To be very mechanical, overthinking things, and I'm sure he's 0:10:35.559 --> 0:10:37.959 aware of that too. And that goes back to my 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:41.120 point where he's putting too much pressure on himself and 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:42.800 not just going out there and competing. 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:47.520 Yeah, it looks like he's afraid, you know, he's not 0:10:47.600 --> 0:10:48.160 having fun. 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:51.040 He's like, I wouldn't say he's afraid. I just think 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:53.440 he's putting too much pressure on himself. And yeah, he's 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:56.040 not having fun and going out there and just being 0:10:56.080 --> 0:11:01.400 a guy and letting it rip. This is there's no 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:04.640 way any pitcher is scared in an exhibition game, Augie. 0:11:04.640 --> 0:11:08.320 After Rokie pitching in the playoffs, I wouldn't use the 0:11:08.320 --> 0:11:09.479 word scared. 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:13.960 Right, Maybe timid? So timid? 0:11:14.520 --> 0:11:17.080 Yeah, Yeah, I think he's putting too much pressure on himself. 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:19.920 Thanks for the phone call, Augie, appreciate it. Eight six 0:11:20.040 --> 0:11:23.760 six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number. 0:11:23.960 --> 0:11:26.960 Let's hear from Dave Roberts again, because he was asked 0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:31.200 in his entire press conference about Roki Sasaki and just 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:35.400 what the future holds for him after not very convincing 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:36.360 spring training. 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:38.400 You know, once a season starts, then you got it. 0:11:38.559 --> 0:11:42.520 It's about production. But I don't think that you can 0:11:42.600 --> 0:11:46.920 completely just bank on or evaluate spring training or an 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:50.560 exhibition game. But yeah, it hasn't been great, It really hasn't. 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:53.000 And we know that the standard needs to be better. 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:56.000 He knows that. We know that, and then now it's 0:11:56.320 --> 0:11:59.719 kind of go time and see what you know, how 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:01.680 he can perform, you know, when the lights come on? 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:04.840 All right, that was Dave Roberts. 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:07.280 I mean that's pretty straightforward right there, and we're all 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:10.760 gonna find out together with Roki Sasaki on the mound 0:12:10.800 --> 0:12:14.880 and probably guys like Justin Robleski are gonna be on 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:18.560 high alert on those type of nights, and it just 0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:21.920 it puts your bullpen in a tough spot, even if 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:25.079 if you have to use a Robleski or somebody else. 0:12:25.600 --> 0:12:28.040 When a pitcher goes out and can only pitch three 0:12:28.120 --> 0:12:30.680 or four innings like we saw Sasaki at the beginning 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:33.679 of last year, it's not just about that night. It's 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:36.480 about how Dave Roberts has to manage the night before 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:39.720 because he's a little concerned about whether or not he 0:12:39.760 --> 0:12:43.040 could trust that Roki's gonna go deep into the game. 0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:46.320 And you know, like we saw last year, you go 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:50.320 to your bullpen early to cover what seven eight innings, 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:52.800 it takes a toll by the end of the season 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:56.720 and in the very immediate future, takes a. 0:12:56.640 --> 0:12:59.280 Toll not only on that one game. 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:02.040 But also the ubsequent two or three games to get 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:06.240 your bullpen back in order. So, uh, those are things 0:13:06.280 --> 0:13:10.320 that are not just about Roki Sasaki. It's about the team, 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.839 and that's something that everybody's going to be evaluating start 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:17.920 to start. Eight six six, seven two five seventy is 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:21.880 the phone number. Freddie Freeman tonight was hitting fifth in 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:25.319 the Dodger lineup against the lefty Reed dept Meers, And 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:28.520 that's something that Freddy told me before the game. You're 0:13:28.520 --> 0:13:31.320 going to see, at least to begin the season, Freddie 0:13:31.320 --> 0:13:35.520 Freeman will be hitting cleanup against right handed starters and 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:40.600 we'll be hitting fifth against left handed starters. And you know, basically, 0:13:40.760 --> 0:13:43.600 Dave Roberts had to have that conversation with a guy 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:47.960 that has accomplished as much as Freddie Freeman has, and 0:13:48.360 --> 0:13:51.720 Freddy is all about the team. And he looks around 0:13:51.720 --> 0:13:54.640 and he understands the talent. Top to bottom. There's a 0:13:54.720 --> 0:13:58.120 lot of talent. And he told me point blank, nearly 0:13:58.200 --> 0:14:00.959 every guy in this lineup could be an umber three hitters. 0:14:01.000 --> 0:14:04.800 So he can handle hitting fifth to begin the season 0:14:04.960 --> 0:14:08.439 against lefties. We'll see how it plays out between now 0:14:08.480 --> 0:14:10.000 and the end of the year. I mean, this is 0:14:10.200 --> 0:14:13.000 just to start the season. We'll see how it plays 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:15.280 out the rest of the year. But I mean I 0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:19.760 want Freddy Freeman up there in RBI situations. Everybody's always 0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:23.360 talking about, Hey, put these guys in RBI situations, have 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:26.280 them hit down in the order. Well, hitting fourth and 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.640 fifth is going to give a guy that smells RBIs 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:33.840 great opportunities to drive in a lot of runs hitting 0:14:34.120 --> 0:14:39.320 behind Otani Tucker Betts when he's hitting cleanup, and when 0:14:39.320 --> 0:14:42.320 Will Smith is hitting clean up, he'll have another guy 0:14:42.400 --> 0:14:45.360 that obviously is one of the best hitters in baseball 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:47.840 in front of him. So that's the reason why Freddie 0:14:47.840 --> 0:14:50.360 Freeman was hitting fifth tonight. 0:14:51.040 --> 0:14:52.120 I mentioned the Blake. 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:55.000 Steal update that Dave Roberts said he expects him back 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:58.120 by the end of May. I had a Tommy Edmonds 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.760 siding today at Dodgers Stadium. He was taking batting practice 0:15:02.160 --> 0:15:06.160 earlier today, and he's coming back from off season right 0:15:06.240 --> 0:15:10.680 ankle surgery. Dave Roberts also said he expects Tommy Edmond 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:13.640 to return at the end of May. So, like I 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:19.560 said earlier, it's similar situations with Roki Sasaki and Alex Friedland. 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:23.520 They have opportunities because of injuries. They're going to get, 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:26.960 as they like to say, a runway here to show 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:29.760 what they can do. Now, they just got to relax 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:33.280 and go out there and be themselves and the rest 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:36.000 will take care of itself. But right now we're seeing 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:40.560 a Roki Sasaki that's putting way too much pressure on himself. Also, 0:15:40.600 --> 0:15:43.200 I want to give a shout out to Chris Compos, 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:45.760 the young twenty five year old right hander for the 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:48.600 Dodgers that pitched the final two innings of tonight's game. 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:53.480 He's a local kid and certainly wanted to give him 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.360 his kudos. And Chris Compos may be a guy that 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:59.800 you may see during the regular season if the Dodgers 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:04.040 had some innings from the bullpen. He started games at 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:08.080 Double A Tulsa last year, but certainly could be a 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.360 right handed reliever here in the big leagues this season 0:16:11.440 --> 0:16:14.600 for the Dodgers. So Chris compos congratulations. A kid that 0:16:14.720 --> 0:16:18.000 was born in Montebello, went to Saint Mary's College, was 0:16:18.080 --> 0:16:21.720 drafted by the Dodgers in the twenty two draft, seventh round. 0:16:22.680 --> 0:16:25.680 I'm sure his family was excited that he was pitching tonight. 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:28.800 So I can't wait to talk to Chris tomorrow. And 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:32.080 also a kid that came up that did not have 0:16:32.120 --> 0:16:34.080 a name on the back of his jersey, but I 0:16:34.120 --> 0:16:37.000 have heard about him going back to last year. He's 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:40.120 in the lower levels of the Dodgers' minor league system, 0:16:40.160 --> 0:16:41.480 at least he was last year. 0:16:41.720 --> 0:16:43.280 I'm sure he's moving up this year. 0:16:43.840 --> 0:16:47.240 But and Meo Morales, who had a nice solid hit 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:50.760 tonight in the eighth inning. He's a name to remember 0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:54.560 because he is another one of those young Dodgers. He's 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:58.400 a shortstop. He's done pretty well. He was zero for 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:01.000 to tonight, but he hit the ball Hall. He's only 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:04.760 nineteen years old. But in Miil Morales, I've heard a 0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:08.600 lot from people within the organization that believe he's got 0:17:08.600 --> 0:17:12.480 that It factor so pretty cool that it says a 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:14.879 lot that he's even here at Dodgers Stadium. That's what 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:18.240 the Dodgers think of him. And also another one of 0:17:18.280 --> 0:17:21.920 these young Dodgers without a name on their back, Eduardo Cantero. 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:26.600 He's only twenty years old. Many people around the league 0:17:26.680 --> 0:17:30.040 believe that he may be the top outfield prospect the 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:33.120 Dodgers have in their minor league systems. So you got 0:17:33.160 --> 0:17:37.119 to see two very young kids that are just getting 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:40.520 their first taste of playing at Dodger Stadium. When we 0:17:40.600 --> 0:17:44.200 continue live from Dodgers Stadium, we'll check in with Jose Moto. 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:46.520 We'll get his thoughts on what he was seeing from 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:50.200 Roki Sasaki tonight and how long the Dodgers are going 0:17:50.240 --> 0:17:53.480 to give Sasaki to prove that, hey, it was just 0:17:53.560 --> 0:17:57.480 spring training. Dodgers and Angels finishing a tie tonight seven 0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:01.160 to seven on a five to seventy lasts. 0:18:05.720 --> 0:18:09.240 On air at AM five seventy, online at AM five seventy, 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:13.280 LA sports dot com, and available by podcast on the 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:17.560 iHeartRadio app. This is Dodger Talk with David Bassen. 0:18:18.359 --> 0:18:21.720 One old pitch, this one driven high and dape to lap. 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:25.639 It is headed back to the pavilion and car home 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:30.359 on Tayoscar Hernandez with his fifth home run of the 0:18:30.480 --> 0:18:32.760 spring and the Dodgers get on the board. 0:18:32.800 --> 0:18:35.040 It is six to one. 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:42.480 Tay Oscar Hernandez, continuing his hot spring, hits his fifth 0:18:42.520 --> 0:18:46.399 home run of the exhibition season, and it's all Zero's 0:18:46.840 --> 0:18:50.199 beginning on Thursday, as the Dodgers will open up the 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:55.080 season right here at Dodgers Stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks. 0:18:55.160 --> 0:18:59.480 Yoshi Yamamoto the opening day starter against Zach Gallon. It 0:18:59.520 --> 0:19:02.080 should be a exciting and certainly a lot to be 0:19:02.160 --> 0:19:05.639 excited about for this Dodger season as they try to 0:19:05.680 --> 0:19:08.879 do something that the last team to do it was 0:19:08.920 --> 0:19:11.560 twenty six years ago, and that's the New York Yankees 0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:15.159 to three peat in Major League Baseball. That's not something 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:18.120 that happens often, and many of you were not even 0:19:18.160 --> 0:19:21.520 alive when that took place. So it's gonna be a 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:25.440 great season and it starts on Thursday. All right, let's 0:19:25.440 --> 0:19:27.880 head out and check in with Jose Moda. 0:19:28.680 --> 0:19:32.520 It's time to go around the horn with Jose Mota. 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:34.800 All right, Jose Mota. 0:19:35.000 --> 0:19:38.680 Tonight's story Roki Sasaki and him being in the Dodgers 0:19:38.720 --> 0:19:41.960 starting rotation. What are you seeing and what have you 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:43.560 seen from Roki this spring. 0:19:45.000 --> 0:19:46.960 I think I've seen what everybody has seen, but me 0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:52.760 particularly is an inconsistent release point. As number one. Watching 0:19:52.800 --> 0:19:55.080 a Bollprien very closely in spring training, I know there's 0:19:55.080 --> 0:19:57.679 a couple of deliveries in variances. I would you say 0:19:57.680 --> 0:20:00.280 a delivery, but a little concerning to me from what 0:20:00.359 --> 0:20:02.440 I watch in terms of repeating the arm ash and 0:20:02.680 --> 0:20:06.280 the arm angle that just are not there. And Dave, 0:20:06.359 --> 0:20:08.639 I think the confidence, it's a big level here. It 0:20:08.720 --> 0:20:12.000 plays at a big point here because you can see 0:20:12.040 --> 0:20:13.720 that he's not throwing the ball with conviction for a 0:20:13.800 --> 0:20:16.920 guy that has as good as fast as the ath. 0:20:16.920 --> 0:20:18.879 I'm not going to say stuff because I think it's stuff. 0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:21.639 It needs to get better to be a competitor at 0:20:21.640 --> 0:20:24.639 the big leagues at the starter, but he needs to 0:20:24.720 --> 0:20:26.840 throw the ball to conviction and think about all the 0:20:26.920 --> 0:20:29.120 things that I mean from the get go he hits 0:20:29.119 --> 0:20:31.520 about it three or no that that is not even 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:33.639 coming close to his own I mean, you know, the 0:20:33.760 --> 0:20:37.760 zones not moving, the consistency of your release is not there. 0:20:38.600 --> 0:20:40.320 One thing that I think, and I learned this back 0:20:40.359 --> 0:20:42.359 in your pan. I was actually some of this former 0:20:42.440 --> 0:20:45.160 coaches in Japan about the thing that they have seen 0:20:45.720 --> 0:20:48.400 and one thing, Davis, he needs less information. I'm telling 0:20:48.440 --> 0:20:51.960 you that sometimes like throwing a bullpen with not knowing 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:56.560 what spin rates are, what you're afexation on any of 0:20:56.600 --> 0:20:58.320 that stuff. It doesn't matter. Just go out there and 0:20:58.480 --> 0:21:01.280 just gave me some good life fastball because he has 0:21:01.520 --> 0:21:05.159 enough on his fastball and the four seamer his sinker 0:21:05.640 --> 0:21:07.560 to get guys out if he's down in the zone. 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:10.160 But we're not seeing it right now, and it's concerning, 0:21:10.200 --> 0:21:11.440 There's no doubt it is concerning. 0:21:12.600 --> 0:21:14.440 Well, how does it go from the guy that we 0:21:14.640 --> 0:21:18.040 saw last year pitching in the biggest of games in 0:21:18.119 --> 0:21:21.600 his young career coming out of the bullpen to a 0:21:21.720 --> 0:21:24.480 guy that doesn't have confidence in spring training. 0:21:25.880 --> 0:21:28.000 It's hard to put a finger on it, but it 0:21:28.080 --> 0:21:31.639 does happen. I think that overall, making the transition now 0:21:31.720 --> 0:21:35.280 normally you have to navigate a lineup, it's a different 0:21:35.359 --> 0:21:39.000 mentality in the mindset. Perhaps some overthinking is happening with him. 0:21:40.080 --> 0:21:42.119 There's a lot of guys that could pitch well with 0:21:42.240 --> 0:21:44.760 his stuff, and I believe he can do it. But 0:21:44.840 --> 0:21:46.200 I think there's a time in which he has to 0:21:46.320 --> 0:21:48.000 just go out and see the glove and hit the 0:21:48.040 --> 0:21:51.080 glove and do you forget about everything else? Everything else 0:21:51.080 --> 0:21:54.399 will come. The simplicity of the information for him, I 0:21:54.440 --> 0:21:57.119 think is crucial that the Dodgers have a balance of 0:21:57.200 --> 0:22:00.159 guys that can go very deep into information gave to 0:22:00.200 --> 0:22:03.000 you and also just pull back, like Conor McGinnis says 0:22:03.040 --> 0:22:06.200 sometimes is hey, put your finger here on this grip 0:22:06.640 --> 0:22:08.320 and let it rip and see what happens. I mean, 0:22:08.359 --> 0:22:11.600 they have every type of resource and recourse available for 0:22:11.680 --> 0:22:13.800 him to simplify things. But David, I think on the 0:22:13.840 --> 0:22:18.119 mental side is mainly where the issues are because stuff wise, 0:22:18.160 --> 0:22:20.159 I mean, he's right there as a big league just 0:22:20.240 --> 0:22:24.600 these consistency and conviction and obviously results to get confidence. 0:22:25.480 --> 0:22:28.040 So fast forward to next week. 0:22:28.240 --> 0:22:31.840 Does it all all of a sudden snap into a 0:22:31.960 --> 0:22:35.160 guy that can go five innings and has confidence? How 0:22:36.040 --> 0:22:39.560 what takes place between now and then to get him 0:22:39.640 --> 0:22:43.040 on track to not compromise the bullpen early in the season. 0:22:43.800 --> 0:22:46.119 Put everything behind this happened now and know that you 0:22:46.240 --> 0:22:48.720 have a lot to work for. But give me strike one, 0:22:49.680 --> 0:22:52.320 Give me strike one. Work with your cashiers. If there's 0:22:52.359 --> 0:22:55.760 a target that you want, you can call that shot. Okay, 0:22:57.000 --> 0:23:00.240 I believe and understand too that his success and hand 0:23:00.359 --> 0:23:02.639 was not based only on the fastball. Obviously he had 0:23:02.680 --> 0:23:04.560 to splitter, but he can go out there and work 0:23:04.640 --> 0:23:07.439 both sides of the plate and sometimes we know very 0:23:07.480 --> 0:23:10.840 well at this level to navigate through a lineup one, 0:23:10.960 --> 0:23:13.080