WEBVTT - Dave Roberts (7-17-26) 

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

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<v Speaker 2>We're back. The Dodgers are back, and the manager's Meeting

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<v Speaker 2>presented by Downy Hyundai is back as well as the

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers get set for the three game series at Yankee Stadium.

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<v Speaker 2>And I'm here with the man that has so many

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<v Speaker 2>good memories being back at this new Yankee Stadium, and

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<v Speaker 2>that's the one and only Dave Roberts. Dave, thanks a

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<v Speaker 2>lot for the time.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh Dave Man.

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<v Speaker 1>I feel refreshed, recharged, and we certainly do have a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of great members here at this new Yankee Stadium.

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<v Speaker 2>Some of your players told me not to get too nostalgic,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's hard not to the last time we were here,

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<v Speaker 2>I remember before Game five talking to you outside of

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<v Speaker 2>the doors of the clubhouse, and who could forget your

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<v Speaker 2>trust and Blake Trinan, your trust in Walker Buehler. Do

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<v Speaker 2>some of those memories start to flood back?

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<v Speaker 3>They do?

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<v Speaker 1>They do, And yeah, you just look back and kind

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<v Speaker 1>of here and the stink stakes certainly aren't as high,

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<v Speaker 1>and kind of going back to what Blake Tryning did,

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<v Speaker 1>what Walker Bueller did, the mindset of closing these guys

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<v Speaker 1>out in Game five of the World Series and how

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<v Speaker 1>Game five started. So many great memories and it's hard

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<v Speaker 1>not to be nostalgic.

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<v Speaker 2>One of the images that go through my mind is

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<v Speaker 2>when you're going out to the mound to get the

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<v Speaker 2>temperature of Blake trying and Freddie Freeman waving you off

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<v Speaker 2>and you just wanted to gauge where everybody was. What

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<v Speaker 2>stood out to you about leaving trining in.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, So I went out there and I just wanted

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<v Speaker 1>to get his pulse, told him he had one more hitter,

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to slow the game down, look into his eyes,

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<v Speaker 1>put my hands on him, and then gets the hit

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<v Speaker 1>her out and then at that point in time, I

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<v Speaker 1>was going to go get him. And then that's when

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<v Speaker 1>Freddie was kind of like waving me off, shoeing me off.

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<v Speaker 1>And I'm happy I listened to him, because you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I said he was going to get one hitter. I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't want to bait and swim. It's Blake. But at

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<v Speaker 1>that point in time, he didn't look at me, because

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<v Speaker 1>if he was going to look at me after he

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<v Speaker 1>got that hitter, I was gonna get him. But and

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<v Speaker 1>I've talked to him and laugh with Blake after the fact,

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<v Speaker 1>said I was gonna make eye contact with you once

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<v Speaker 1>I got that guy out because I wanted the next guy,

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<v Speaker 1>and he ended up getting stanned.

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<v Speaker 2>I've never asked you this before, but Daniel Hudson we

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<v Speaker 2>all know now got hurt warming up in the bullpen

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<v Speaker 2>that night in Game five. If he doesn't get hurt,

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<v Speaker 2>does anything change.

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<v Speaker 3>You know what? No?

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<v Speaker 1>Because to be quite honest, I didn't even know he

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<v Speaker 1>was hurt. And so it's funny is that as it

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<v Speaker 1>played out, I stuck with Blake, didn't know Huddy was hurt.

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<v Speaker 1>Walker was going to have that inning, and then my

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<v Speaker 1>hope was that Huddy would be the guy if we

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<v Speaker 1>didn't win it there, But if it would have prolonged

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<v Speaker 1>the game, I don't know what we would have done,

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<v Speaker 1>to be quite honest, Hey, you.

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<v Speaker 2>Bet on your players, like you talk about, and they

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<v Speaker 2>delivered for you. That was a special time.

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<v Speaker 1>No, they did, and I think you know, we all

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<v Speaker 1>make mistakes and learn from things.

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<v Speaker 3>And so the one thing.

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<v Speaker 1>That I do know is that you know you've got

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<v Speaker 1>to trust your players, bet on your players, certainly in

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<v Speaker 1>those biggest spots.

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<v Speaker 2>Manager Dave Roberts three times World Series winning manager for

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers. Is our guest to head a first pitch

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<v Speaker 2>between the Dodgers and Yankees, presented by Downy Hunday. All right,

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<v Speaker 2>let's fast forward to the here and now. Show heyl

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<v Speaker 2>Tani's in your starting lineup. When do you anticipate him

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<v Speaker 2>pitching again?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, right now, he's slated for Wednesday, and so right

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<v Speaker 1>now it's good that you know he can get here

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<v Speaker 1>from the break, play cash, we can put eyes on them,

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<v Speaker 1>see ice progressing. Expect him to be in the lineup

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<v Speaker 1>all three games, and I should have a bullpen here

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<v Speaker 1>over the weekend. And like I said, as we sit

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<v Speaker 1>here right now, he's going to start on Wednesday.

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<v Speaker 2>Hey, it works out this first Wednesday. You got a

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<v Speaker 2>day off on Thursday.

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<v Speaker 3>No, that's right, that's exactly right.

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<v Speaker 1>So you know for show, Hey, you know potentially it's

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<v Speaker 1>the Wednesday, then you get the off day, so he'll

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<v Speaker 1>be in a good spot.

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<v Speaker 2>When you look at your team. Obviously, it kind of

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<v Speaker 2>feels like a lifetime ago, those last three games at

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<v Speaker 2>home against Arizona. Do you feel like this is a

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<v Speaker 2>new start to the season in some respects And whatever

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<v Speaker 2>took place there was, whatever the feelings we're going into the.

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<v Speaker 1>Break, I do I think then, and I hate to

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<v Speaker 1>admit it, but it just did seem like we were

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<v Speaker 1>sleepwalking a little bit, certainly on the offensive side and

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<v Speaker 1>the defensive side actually going into the break, and so hopefully,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, everyone gets up to play the Dodgers, everyone

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<v Speaker 1>gets up to play the Yankees. We're on their home turf.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we go to city Field, which we go and

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<v Speaker 1>play another good team in the Phillies, and then we

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<v Speaker 1>go to Flushing and play the metsa city field. So

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<v Speaker 1>we got a good run of kind of what fans,

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<v Speaker 1>what media wants. So my expectation is at the floor

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<v Speaker 1>the quality of play is going to be heightened.

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<v Speaker 2>You were such a great ambassador again for Major League Baseball,

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<v Speaker 2>not just the Dodgers during the All Star break in Philadelphia.

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<v Speaker 2>You've been through this a few times, now. What was

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<v Speaker 2>it like this experience?

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<v Speaker 3>It was great.

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<v Speaker 1>I think the game was probably forgettable in the sense

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<v Speaker 1>that there wasn't a whole lot going on. I was

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<v Speaker 1>happy with Robo him being able to go to innings.

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<v Speaker 1>As far as a Dodger fan, the home run derby

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<v Speaker 1>was fantastic, But for me, as always, it was my

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<v Speaker 1>fifth go at this with me and my staff. The

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<v Speaker 1>conversations with the players was fantastic. Spending time with Don

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<v Speaker 1>Mattingley was great. Ali Marmol was great, And so that's

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<v Speaker 1>always kind of the best takeaway.

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<v Speaker 2>I know we always talk about oh being around other

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<v Speaker 2>players and learning and picking from them, but are you

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<v Speaker 2>starting to get the sense now that players from other

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<v Speaker 2>teams are coming to you trying to find out what

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<v Speaker 2>the magic of the Dodgers is?

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<v Speaker 3>I am, I am.

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<v Speaker 1>That is certainly the case where people are courting me

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<v Speaker 1>and trying to get my ear. You know about certain things,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know what makes a Dodter so special. And

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<v Speaker 1>I think in this game people talk, you know, players talk,

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<v Speaker 1>coaches talk, and obviously they see the success that we had.

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<v Speaker 1>So it is fun for me as the opposing or

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<v Speaker 1>the manager of the NL team to I do get

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<v Speaker 1>that opportunity to kind of not vet players but get

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<v Speaker 1>to know them, so when they do become free or

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<v Speaker 1>you make trades and things like that, you have a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit more insight and color. But it is interesting,

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<v Speaker 1>Dave that people always want to know the what's under

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<v Speaker 1>the hood or behind the curtain with the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, One of my favorite moments that I saw was somehow,

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<v Speaker 2>some way Dave Roberts got roped into a photo with

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<v Speaker 2>all the Cuban players or all this Chapman Randia Rose Arena.

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<v Speaker 2>How did you find yourself in that situation?

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<v Speaker 3>That was hilarious.

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<v Speaker 1>So they were taking pictures and then Junior coming. I

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to take a picture with me, So I said okay,

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<v Speaker 1>And then they were talking and I go, hey, said

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<v Speaker 1>he is what they call Cubans said it, and so

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<v Speaker 1>I said, hey, you guys come here, then let's go

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<v Speaker 1>take a photo.

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<v Speaker 3>And so they all got in there. We were all laughing.

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<v Speaker 3>It was hilarious.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I saw I saw the video of that. I

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<v Speaker 2>was like, only Dave Roberts can bring these guys together.

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<v Speaker 3>It was great.

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<v Speaker 1>But the thing is is that we're all a small

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<v Speaker 1>fraternity and we're playing a game we get to do,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's bigger than us.

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<v Speaker 3>The game.

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<v Speaker 1>Like I tell my players all the time, Dave Man,

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<v Speaker 1>the game doesn't need us. It's going to go on

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<v Speaker 1>with or without us, and we just got to hopefully

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<v Speaker 1>make our little contribution.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you've made a big contribution, and you are great

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<v Speaker 2>for the game. You're a great ambassador for the game.

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<v Speaker 2>And here's something that this is a fan question that really,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, turned the light bulb for me. You're one

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<v Speaker 2>of the few managers that still wears his full uniform.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't go with a T shirt, you're not put

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<v Speaker 2>the hoodie over. Where does that come from? And how

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<v Speaker 2>much pride do you have to button up that jersey,

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<v Speaker 2>which we don't really see from managers these days.

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<v Speaker 1>I really appreciate that insight, that that fan noticing that

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<v Speaker 1>it's intentional. I think that it's my ode to the game,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, and old manager from Walt Alston to Tommy

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<v Speaker 1>to the managers well beyond them, and I think it's

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<v Speaker 1>something that I look forward to doing. Joe Tory did it,

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<v Speaker 1>and so something for me is like I just feel

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<v Speaker 1>like if I manage the Los Angeles Dodgers, a certain

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<v Speaker 1>optics and how I carry myself should come with it.

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<v Speaker 1>And so I take a lot of pride and wear

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<v Speaker 1>my uniform every day.

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<v Speaker 2>That's why you're the perfect guy for this job. Before

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<v Speaker 2>I let you go, let's bring a full circle really quick.

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<v Speaker 2>I have to ask you this. So we're in your

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<v Speaker 2>office right now, do you remember the last moments that

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<v Speaker 2>you were in this office after Game five. What do

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<v Speaker 2>you remember the last couple of and the last time

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<v Speaker 2>you walked out of here?

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<v Speaker 1>I remember being drenched in champagne, having goggles on top

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<v Speaker 1>of my head, my son Cole in this office, and

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<v Speaker 1>Andrew Brandon Gomes just in here, just chopping it up,

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<v Speaker 1>having a blast. I got my shower shoes on, kind

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<v Speaker 1>of taking a big X YA going. I just cannot

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<v Speaker 1>believe we just won the World Series. So when I

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<v Speaker 1>walked down those steps today for batting practice, it's going

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<v Speaker 1>to kind of be fresh in my mind. You know

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<v Speaker 1>what transpired, you know, a couple years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks a lot for sharing all those memories with us.

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<v Speaker 2>Great job as always being an ambassador for Major League

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<v Speaker 2>Baseball at the All Star Game, and we look forward

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<v Speaker 2>to doing this again next week. We'll be back in

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<v Speaker 2>New York.

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<v Speaker 3>Look forward to it. Dave, thank you very much