WEBVTT - Freddie Freeman (10-3-26) 

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

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<v Speaker 2>We're not superstitious, but it's a good omen whenever we

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<v Speaker 2>talk to Freddie Freeman before every playoff series. It's worked

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<v Speaker 2>out well the last couple of years, and we're joined

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<v Speaker 2>right now by an October hero for the Dodgers, and

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<v Speaker 2>that is the one and only future Hall of Famer,

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<v Speaker 2>Freddie Freeman. Thanks a lot for the time, Freddie. Appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 1>No, thank you, David. Hopefully the superstitions continue on a

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<v Speaker 1>good streak.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, yes. I mean, you've faced your old team a

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<v Speaker 2>few times, but obviously it's another one of these narratives

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<v Speaker 2>to this series. You're facing them for the first time

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<v Speaker 2>in the postseason. Any different feeling?

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<v Speaker 1>I haven't had any different feelings yet. Again, I've faced

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<v Speaker 1>them a lot, been back there in a very emotional

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<v Speaker 1>times five years ago, but Like I just said, it's

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<v Speaker 1>been five years. They're another team. They're a really good team,

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<v Speaker 1>but a team that we got to go through to

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<v Speaker 1>get to the ultimate prize of winning another championship. So

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<v Speaker 1>that's how I look at it.

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<v Speaker 2>When you look at these last five days, were they

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<v Speaker 2>as beneficial as you guys were hoping for?

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<v Speaker 1>I think so. I hit the ball on the barrel

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<v Speaker 1>three times against one of our pitchers on Wednesday. So

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of good things have happened swing-wise. Hopefully it

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<v Speaker 1>translates into the games this weekend. So I'm looking forward

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<v Speaker 1>to it. A lot of good rest. A lot of

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<v Speaker 1>good work has been done. So looking forward to it.

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<v Speaker 2>You have your legs crossed, your right leg over your

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<v Speaker 2>left leg, Freddie. Is the right knee cooperating? Oh, yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>I feel good. I have no problems right now. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>just relaxed right now, David. I feel good. I feel

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<v Speaker 1>ready to go. My work has been good. Everybody's been

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<v Speaker 1>feeling good, looking good. The work's been great for everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>so we're looking forward to it.

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<v Speaker 2>In 24, that's where all this started, where you guys

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<v Speaker 2>decided to come together, eliminate distractions. Does it have the

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<v Speaker 2>same feel as a couple of years ago?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, we did all the same things. We

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<v Speaker 1>had watch parties after our practices and our sim games.

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<v Speaker 1>Two years ago, we were watching the teams that we

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<v Speaker 1>were potentially going to play, but with the Braves and

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<v Speaker 1>Phillies playing at 11 a.m. Pacific time, we weren't really together,

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<v Speaker 1>but we stayed and watched the Padres and the Cubs

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<v Speaker 1>games for a little bit, had dinner together. So it's

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<v Speaker 1>been great. We've been like a normal day, eight, nine

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<v Speaker 1>hours here at the field, spending time afterwards, even though

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of us are like, man, it's been a

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<v Speaker 1>long day and we want to go home, but we

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<v Speaker 1>still stayed and hung out together and, you know, just

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<v Speaker 1>had good conversations. And I think it benefited us the last,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, last time. So hopefully it does it again.

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<v Speaker 2>Game one of the NLDS is right around the corner.

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers and Braves. Freddie Freeman will be at first base.

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<v Speaker 2>Tarek Skubal will be your game one starter. How ready

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<v Speaker 2>do you believe he is for all this?

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<v Speaker 1>I think he's really ready. He wants it. What he's

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<v Speaker 1>done with the Tigers in the postseason last year, back-to-back

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<v Speaker 1>Cy Young, he's just a special, special talent. And for

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<v Speaker 1>us to be able to get him at the deadline

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<v Speaker 1>and do what he's done for us in the second half,

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<v Speaker 1>I know he's built for this and ready for this.

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<v Speaker 1>So we have a lot of guys that could go

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<v Speaker 1>game one. We have four number one. But Tarek, it's awesome.

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<v Speaker 1>We can't wait for it. And hopefully– He's lighting up

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<v Speaker 1>the radar ground like the sun will be lighting us up.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, how do you feel about the temps for a

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<v Speaker 2>1 o'clock game today?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, it's Southern California in October, and it's going

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<v Speaker 1>to be 100 plus degrees. But hopefully we've got our

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<v Speaker 1>swings ready to go and the bulls flying.

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<v Speaker 2>As a hitter, you love this type of conditions, right?

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<v Speaker 1>I certainly do. So hopefully everything's in line and feeling good,

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<v Speaker 1>and we can get some bulls in the air.

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<v Speaker 2>Before I let you go, it seems like everybody wants

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<v Speaker 2>to talk about the reasons why. the Dodgers may not win.

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<v Speaker 2>But does it come down to you guys taking care

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<v Speaker 2>of yourselves and not beating yourself, not giving extra outs?

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<v Speaker 1>For sure. I mean, every team in the playoffs is

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<v Speaker 1>a great team. They all got their strengths, but we

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<v Speaker 1>have a really good team, veteran team, know how to

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<v Speaker 1>do things and play the game the right way. So

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<v Speaker 1>hopefully we can just pitch well, play good defense and

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<v Speaker 1>get timely hits.

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<v Speaker 2>Freddie, thanks a lot for the time. Always great to

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<v Speaker 2>spend A full month of October with you. This is

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<v Speaker 2>just the beginning.

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<v Speaker 1>Looking forward to it, David. Thank you.