WEBVTT - Dave Roberts (8-19-26) 

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

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers are wrapping up thirteen straight games in a row,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's time now for the Managers Meeting taking place today,

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<v Speaker 1>presented by Downy Hunday with the one and only Dave Roberts. Dave,

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<v Speaker 1>thanks a lot for the time.

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<v Speaker 2>Appreciate it, Dave, good to sit with you and chat.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, coming off a couple of wins here in Denver,

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<v Speaker 2>so in a good place right now. Offense is kind

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<v Speaker 2>of rebounded, pitching has been good, so you know, want

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<v Speaker 2>to close these guys out.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, just to get the pulse of you and the

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<v Speaker 1>team after a couple of games here in Denver, what

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<v Speaker 1>are the vibes? Are you convinced things are going in

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<v Speaker 1>the right direction?

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<v Speaker 2>I am, you know, I'm not totally still appreciating results matter,

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<v Speaker 2>just kind of how we've gone about things the last

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<v Speaker 2>couple of days. You know, I think the team at

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<v Speaker 2>bats and what I mean by that is, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>swinging at strikes, taking balls. Our swing percentage is lower,

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<v Speaker 2>our chase rate is low, and then the production's gone

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<v Speaker 2>up and I can see that from everyone in the lineup.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's something to bet on going forward. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I think that we stacked a couple days together and

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<v Speaker 2>just kind of the vibe right now. Guys are feeling good,

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<v Speaker 2>they're looking forward to that off day coming up tomorrow,

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<v Speaker 2>and then we've got another one on Monday, so you know,

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<v Speaker 2>guys are in a good spot.

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<v Speaker 1>Dave, You've taught us a lot over the years, But

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<v Speaker 1>the one thing that stands out to me is how

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<v Speaker 1>you've talked about earning good counts, which in turn has

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<v Speaker 1>good results. Where does that come from individually and collectively?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I think first it is collectively in the sense

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<v Speaker 2>of really understanding that that philosophy and buying into it,

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<v Speaker 2>and then individually just understanding that, yeah, you get four

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<v Speaker 2>balls for a walk, three balls for a strikeout, but

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<v Speaker 2>they're all valuable, right, and so that dictates what a

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<v Speaker 2>pitcher is going to do, what he can do, what

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<v Speaker 2>he can't do, and so you know, you take that

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<v Speaker 2>first pitch slider off, you want to know you've earned

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<v Speaker 2>a better opportunity where if they want to be too

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<v Speaker 2>fine again and nibble, then you could be two to zero.

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<v Speaker 3>And so those are.

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<v Speaker 2>Things that I think that you continue to earn good

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<v Speaker 2>counts and then you look at the body of work,

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<v Speaker 2>then you look at you're in good counts, and then

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<v Speaker 2>you have more production.

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<v Speaker 1>Since you took over. I remember being next to your

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<v Speaker 1>dugout and those group of players and yourself would always

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<v Speaker 1>be screaming at the hitter at the plate, keep going,

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<v Speaker 1>keep going. Do you feel like that's the identity you

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<v Speaker 1>have to rediscover?

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<v Speaker 2>I do, you know, and we have it as part

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<v Speaker 2>of our DNA, But I think sometimes in a one

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<v Speaker 2>sixty two marathon, you know, it's a grind, and every

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<v Speaker 2>hitter will say that, then it gets kind of lost

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<v Speaker 2>a little bit, and you got to kind of bring

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<v Speaker 2>that to the forefront.

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<v Speaker 3>And yeah, you.

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<v Speaker 2>Could be O too, and you know, you win a

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<v Speaker 2>pitch right there, you get back to one, two, and

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<v Speaker 2>you just keep going and you you you know, in

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<v Speaker 2>Max months he did it a couple a couple of

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<v Speaker 2>nights ago where he was O two and one. A

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<v Speaker 2>couple pitches, got back to two to two, spoiled to

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<v Speaker 2>two inside heater, and then got to three and the

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<v Speaker 2>next pitch was a homer.

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<v Speaker 3>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>So those are things that you keep fighting, you keep

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<v Speaker 2>going and not just just wave the white flag.

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<v Speaker 1>Dave your best player show, Hey, Otani told me last night, yes,

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<v Speaker 1>it was nice to hit his thirtieth home run of

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<v Speaker 1>the year, but he was lamenting the fact that his

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<v Speaker 1>other ad bats he wasn't able to drive in runs

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<v Speaker 1>in those situations. Is that a good feeling, a good

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<v Speaker 1>tone setter from the best player?

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<v Speaker 3>It is?

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<v Speaker 2>It is, And I think that everyone praises the homer

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<v Speaker 2>and the things that you can kind of see, but

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<v Speaker 2>you know, not getting a guy in from third base,

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<v Speaker 2>not getting a guy over second base, those are things

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<v Speaker 2>when you have great players that lament, as you said,

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<v Speaker 2>you know value those things, and you know that's when

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<v Speaker 2>you have a championship culture, and you know, to hear

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<v Speaker 2>show Hey say that, that kind of that gives me goosebumps.

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<v Speaker 3>I love it.

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<v Speaker 1>Dave Roberts with goosebumps here. I got another question for

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<v Speaker 1>Otani in last night. I asked him whether or not

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<v Speaker 1>he's paying attention to what PCA is doing in Chicago.

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<v Speaker 1>He would not concede that he is, But how much

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<v Speaker 1>do you believe the MVP and the way PCA is

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<v Speaker 1>pushing him this year is a factor going down the stretch.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Showhey is always going to want to be

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<v Speaker 2>his best version, right and realize whatever expectation he has

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<v Speaker 2>for himself. But obviously, I think he's a very smart

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<v Speaker 2>in tune player that it's hard not to ignore that.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, you only get so many chances to

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<v Speaker 2>be an MVP, and obviously he's done it, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>many times over. But you know, you got another guy

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<v Speaker 2>making some noise. So I'm certain he's aware of it.

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<v Speaker 2>But it certainly doesn't play into is every at that

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<v Speaker 2>kind of mindset? But I'm glad it's funny that he

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<v Speaker 2>played Little koy.

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<v Speaker 1>What about the pitching side of it? Everybody keeps debating

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<v Speaker 1>PCA's defense and Otani's fourteen starts this year. Where are

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<v Speaker 1>we with the possibility of Otani returning.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, he's had two good bullpen sessions right around thirty

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<v Speaker 2>five pitches, and he's either gonna you know, another bullpen

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<v Speaker 2>here at home over the weekend, or do a live

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<v Speaker 2>session at some point soon, a one inning session to

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<v Speaker 2>build off of that. But I could see early September him,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, coming back and you know, building up from

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<v Speaker 2>an inning to two innings and going forward.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you comfortable with all that? Doing what you did

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<v Speaker 1>last year with the rehab starts being at the major

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<v Speaker 1>league level.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think we all are.

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<v Speaker 2>We're all aligned from show Hey to the front office,

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<v Speaker 2>to the training staff, coaching staff, and he's one of

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<v Speaker 2>our best pitchers. So any inning we can get from

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<v Speaker 2>him is certainly valuable and additive.

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<v Speaker 3>So yeah, we're good with it.

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<v Speaker 1>The manager's meeting is presented by Downey Hyundai. We're in

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<v Speaker 1>the manager's office with the great Dave Roberts. You obviously

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<v Speaker 1>had to put Edwin Diaz back on the il. Whatever's

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<v Speaker 1>happening with the neck and him getting back on track.

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<v Speaker 1>Does he have enough time to show whether or not

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<v Speaker 1>he can be a weapon for you in the postseason

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<v Speaker 1>or is he running out of time?

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<v Speaker 3>He certainly has enough time.

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<v Speaker 2>What we came back from the doctors with the MRI nothing,

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<v Speaker 2>there was no founding, so that was good and so

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<v Speaker 2>now it's just kind of, you know, get back to

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<v Speaker 2>feeling good, feeling like yourself. There's some things that we

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<v Speaker 2>can do to loosen up the neck, but for me,

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<v Speaker 2>he's one of our best pictures.

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<v Speaker 3>He will be, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll give him every opportunity, obviously to be on the

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<v Speaker 2>postseason roster, and I don't know what role he'll have

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<v Speaker 2>when he comes back, and I know he wants to

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<v Speaker 2>earn that opportunity, that right to be at the back end.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, get him back to health, get him back

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<v Speaker 2>on the roster, and then we'll see where we go

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<v Speaker 2>from there.

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<v Speaker 1>You guys are still trying to win games, still trying

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<v Speaker 1>to position yourselves in the top two seeds. Does the

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<v Speaker 1>best thirteen pitchers start to enter your mind? Or are

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<v Speaker 1>we a little bit too early for that?

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<v Speaker 2>I think right now it's a little premature, But I

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<v Speaker 2>think that when we get into the middle of September

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<v Speaker 2>then it starts to we kind of hone in on

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<v Speaker 2>that a little bit more.

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<v Speaker 1>I know you talked about this a couple of times

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<v Speaker 1>as well, but I'd be remiss if I didn't ask

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<v Speaker 1>you about the conversations you've had with Kyle Tucker, how

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<v Speaker 1>you're trying to manage him. And I guess the biggest

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<v Speaker 1>thing that everybody's asking, does he have somebody to lean on?

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<v Speaker 3>Or are you that guy? You know what, I hope

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<v Speaker 3>I'm that guy.

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<v Speaker 2>I think that I'm proactively intentionally building a relationship with him,

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, he's a hard guy to get to

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<v Speaker 2>know and build trust with, and but you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>think that We've made a lot of end roads and

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<v Speaker 2>I feel really good with our relationship and just kind

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<v Speaker 2>of making sure he's not alone in this. And he's

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<v Speaker 2>got teammates and staff that are supporting him. But I

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<v Speaker 2>definitely want to be a person that, you know, for

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<v Speaker 2>counsel and support. I mean, that's part of my job.

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<v Speaker 2>So I thought last night was a good sign. I

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<v Speaker 2>thought defensively he was much more active. Defensively, I thought

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<v Speaker 2>they had that that he had the double was great

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<v Speaker 2>and the intent, So let's just keep stacking it and

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<v Speaker 2>kind of make sure that he restores his confidence.

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<v Speaker 1>Fair Enough, you got to win the day, and Dave

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<v Speaker 1>Roberts is going to win today, tomorrow, and on Saturday,

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<v Speaker 1>Dave Roberts is going to be at one of my

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<v Speaker 1>favorite places, Cardboard Legends, starting at ten thirty out there

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<v Speaker 1>in Van Eyes, and Dave's going to be out there

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<v Speaker 1>kissing babies, sunning autographs, having a great time in my

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<v Speaker 1>neck of the woods. Have you ever been to Van Eyes, Dave?

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<v Speaker 1>Do you know what Van Eyes is all about?

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<v Speaker 3>I have been into the valley.

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<v Speaker 2>I do love Van Eyes, and I don't do these

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<v Speaker 2>things very often, but this is going to be funny

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<v Speaker 2>it's a chance for me to get with the fans,

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<v Speaker 2>be personal, shake hands, as you said, kiss babies, and

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<v Speaker 2>take photos and do some signing. So this is funny.

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<v Speaker 3>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>I'll be out there for a couple hours and then

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<v Speaker 2>get ready to manage a ball game. But I really

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<v Speaker 2>enjoyed thanks for bringing that up.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, I got goosebumps. You're going to be in the

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<v Speaker 1>Great one eight.

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<v Speaker 2>That's right, that's right. Absolutely, I love that. I love

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<v Speaker 2>your hood, Dave. Thanks a lot for the time, Dave.

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<v Speaker 2>Enjoy your day off.

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<v Speaker 1>And obviously the Dodgers are doing pretty well these days,

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<v Speaker 1>with seventy six wins in counting. Thanks a lot for

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<v Speaker 1>the time.

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<v Speaker 3>All right, Dave, we'll catch up next week.