WEBVTT - Dodger Talk (3-22-26) 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:03.520 The quest for the free peat has begun. 0:00:03.720 --> 0:00:07.560 Only four teams in Major League Baseball history have won 0:00:07.640 --> 0:00:12.039 three consecutive titles. The Dodgers are the favorites to become 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:13.240 the fifth. 0:00:13.240 --> 0:00:15.680 This is world Champion Dodger Talk. 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:17.720 Here we go again. Rgera running back to. 0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:20.760 Get in on the show called eight six six eighty seven, 0:00:20.880 --> 0:00:23.400 two five seven days and be sure to follow Dodger 0:00:23.480 --> 0:00:28.120 Talk wherever you get short podcasts. Here's your host, David 0:00:28.200 --> 0:00:29.320 Vase Day. 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.760 We are live at Angels Stadium for our first postgame 0:00:34.920 --> 0:00:39.360 Dodger Talk of twenty twenty six, after the Dodgers beat 0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:43.320 the Angels tonight thirteen to five in the first of 0:00:43.479 --> 0:00:48.600 three Exhibition Freeway Series games, before we get set for 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:51.880 Opening Day, which is just around the corner. It's coming 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:56.880 up on Thursday at Dodgers Stadium. Yes, Opening Day is 0:00:57.000 --> 0:01:02.040 this week five thirty. This this Thursday at Dodgers Stadium. 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:06.640 Yama Moto will be the Dodgers Opening Day starter, the 0:01:06.680 --> 0:01:12.080 World Series Hero, the World Series MVP, Yama Moto will 0:01:12.080 --> 0:01:17.240 be making that ceremonial start against the Arizona Diamondbacks and 0:01:17.440 --> 0:01:21.240 Zach Gallon. It's a three game series, so the Dodgers 0:01:21.280 --> 0:01:25.200 will have a rare Sunday day off, and then we'll 0:01:25.200 --> 0:01:29.840 welcome in the Cleveland Guardians in their first opening homestand 0:01:30.000 --> 0:01:31.280 at Dodgers Stadium. 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:33.880 So very excited to be back with you. 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:37.520 We have phone lines open at eight six six nine, 0:01:37.600 --> 0:01:42.200 eight seven, two five seventy And speaking of the Dodgers 0:01:42.319 --> 0:01:47.280 Opening days, starter Dave Roberts told the media after tonight's game, 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:50.760 the way it's gonna lay out as far as the 0:01:50.840 --> 0:01:56.800 starting rotation u Yama, Moto, Tyler Glass Now, Roki Sasaki, 0:01:56.880 --> 0:02:01.720 Emid Sheian and show hey Otani. Justin Robleski will be 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:06.920 in the bullpen as a long reliever. So that's the 0:02:06.920 --> 0:02:09.960 way it lays out, at least for the first three 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:15.399 games of the season, Yamamoto, Glass now and Roki Sasaki 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:21.000 and then Amisian Otani and Robleski excuse me, Emi Sheian 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:25.120 Otani and then Yamamoto against the Guardians. So you'll see 0:02:25.200 --> 0:02:30.760 Yamamoto twice on this opening homestand and Robleski, who was 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:34.119 phenomenal for the Dodgers out of the bullpen last year. 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:38.760 Piggybacking shortened Otani starts or whether it was coming out 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:42.720 of the bullpen in five World Series games. I really 0:02:42.720 --> 0:02:45.799 believe that's his sweet spot, and he. 0:02:45.919 --> 0:02:48.920 Certainly is up for that and wants. 0:02:48.680 --> 0:02:51.400 To be part of this team. So I like the 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:54.560 way things are laying out. Eight six six nine, eight 0:02:54.639 --> 0:02:57.720 seven two five seventy is the phone number, you know? 0:02:57.760 --> 0:03:01.000 I asked Teoscar Hernandez because he seen a lot of 0:03:01.040 --> 0:03:03.440 baseball and he was a big part of that ten 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:07.519 run third inning. Whether or not he's ever seen an 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:12.840 inning like that where a team issues seven walks and 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:17.040 they walk in a run three different times and then 0:03:17.080 --> 0:03:19.720 you pile on with a home run and a two 0:03:19.800 --> 0:03:22.800 run single. And he actually said, yeah, I remember a 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:25.480 game when I was playing for the Blue Jays. We 0:03:25.480 --> 0:03:29.720 were in Baltimore against the Orioles, and something very similar 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:33.120 happened like we saw tonight. So yeah, he said, I 0:03:33.600 --> 0:03:35.240 was part of that when I was with the Blue 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:36.760 Jays and Baltimore. 0:03:36.800 --> 0:03:38.120 But that's not something that. 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:44.920 You always see. It's it's an interesting it's an interesting 0:03:46.200 --> 0:03:52.640 layout from what the Dodgers are are used to sing 0:03:52.680 --> 0:03:56.440 from the Angels here. So that's the way it lays 0:03:56.440 --> 0:04:00.680 out for the Dodgers tonight, as they scored ten runs 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:04.680 and certainly it's going to be interesting. 0:04:05.200 --> 0:04:08.240 The Dodgers are getting ready for opening day. 0:04:08.680 --> 0:04:12.280 Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:16.840 the phone number. The Dodgers are getting ready for opening Day. 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:21.360 And certainly, oh, here we go. We got some corrections 0:04:21.400 --> 0:04:25.520 and retractions from Katie Wu from the Athletic This is 0:04:25.600 --> 0:04:26.480 not in order. 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:29.360 Oh, she kind of jumped the gun here, Katie Wu. 0:04:29.680 --> 0:04:34.520 Katie Wu was saying after tonight's game that Dave Roberts said, 0:04:34.680 --> 0:04:41.000 Yamamoto glass now Sasaki. Well, oh, okay, it's just Yama 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:46.480 Moto starting opening day. Okay, corrections and retractions from Katie Wu. 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:50.120 So jumping the gun a little bit as far as 0:04:50.800 --> 0:04:55.480 what she's going for here. So anyway, let's just wait 0:04:55.560 --> 0:05:01.240 till we hear from Dave Roberts directly. It doesn't seem 0:05:01.279 --> 0:05:05.000 like we have a clarification exactly on how this is 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:08.520 gonna lay out. So I was reading off what Katie 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:13.560 Wu was tweeting from Dave Roberts office, which obviously she 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:18.440 is clarifying now, so scratch all of that. Yamamoto is 0:05:18.440 --> 0:05:21.480 the opening day starter, and we'll see who else falls 0:05:21.480 --> 0:05:24.960 in line. Now, look, there there is a path here 0:05:25.040 --> 0:05:29.360 where the Dodgers would obviously give Glass now an extra 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:32.440 day of rest. They don't necessarily have to rush them 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:35.080 out there for Game two, so it can go either way. 0:05:35.120 --> 0:05:38.520 Glass now Game two, Glass now Game three. But one 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:41.640 thing's for certain Tomorrow night, Roki Sasaki is on the 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:45.760 mound for the Dodgers and show Hey Otani, we'll pitch 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:51.680 the final game of the Freeways series at Dodgers Stadium. 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:56.080 Eight six seven two five seventy is the phone number. 0:05:56.120 --> 0:05:56.360 Now. 0:05:56.480 --> 0:06:03.080 Another big storyline today was over the twenty sixth. 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:05.200 Roster spot on the Dodgers. 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:10.960 Obviously, the only position battle in camp this year was 0:06:11.480 --> 0:06:15.120 for second base and a left handed hitting second baseman, 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:19.919 with Tommy Edmond beginning the year on the injured list 0:06:20.040 --> 0:06:24.760 because he underwent right ankle surgery during the offseason, which 0:06:25.240 --> 0:06:31.279 delayed his start in baseball activities. So Tommy Edmand on 0:06:31.360 --> 0:06:34.080 the IL, and that opened up a spot Key Key 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:38.320 Hernandez likely not going to play until June, opened up 0:06:38.400 --> 0:06:43.479 a spot for either Alex Freeland or Hey Sun Kim, 0:06:44.040 --> 0:06:47.800 and look, Kim's betting average was better, his ops was better, 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:52.400 but Alex Freeland showed a lot more maturity this spring 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:56.719 than what we saw a year ago, and he actually 0:06:56.800 --> 0:07:00.720 showed a lot more plate discipline than what we saw 0:07:00.839 --> 0:07:05.000 in that small sample size a year ago. And there's 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:08.080 a couple of different layers to all this. Let's hear 0:07:08.160 --> 0:07:12.040 from Dave Roberts, who talked about this before the game, 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.640 and then we'll share with what Alex Friedland told us 0:07:15.680 --> 0:07:18.880 before the game about his spring and how people are 0:07:19.840 --> 0:07:24.880 not judging exactly how good his spring training was. 0:07:25.960 --> 0:07:32.040 Probably the toughest decision of the spring. There's no doubt 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:34.040 that Haysong at some point is going to come help 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:37.960 us out. I think the driver, as far as the outset, 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:42.880 was given Haysong an opportunity to play every day, play 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:46.560 all over the diamond. He's gonna play some short, some center, 0:07:46.680 --> 0:07:50.400 some second base there whereas here he just wouldn't have 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:55.680 the runway to do that, to play more frequently. I 0:07:55.720 --> 0:07:58.480 think with Alex it's just what he's done in Triple 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:02.080 A already. He's really played well there. There's really nothing 0:08:02.200 --> 0:08:04.280 left for him to prove there, and so I think 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:07.080 for us to give him a little bit and runway 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:09.520 to see what we got him, give him an opportunity 0:08:10.480 --> 0:08:14.400 to play here. For us, it gets right handed pitching, 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:16.720 and so just kind of see where it goes. But again, 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:18.960 it's really not an in diamond on Haysong at all. 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:21.440 And like I said, we think the world to him 0:08:22.040 --> 0:08:24.120 as a player, as a teammate and expect him to 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:26.560 help us at some point. I think for me with Alex, 0:08:26.600 --> 0:08:29.480 I think I think the bad quality has been fine. 0:08:30.520 --> 0:08:33.400 He just hasn't finished off. He hadn't hasn't finished off 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:37.480 the advats. So I think that for us, I've always 0:08:37.520 --> 0:08:42.520 said I don't evaluate completely through spring with spring training, 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:46.320 but yeah, Haysong, you know it was abbreviated, but he 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:50.400 had a nice spring. But it's a small sample and 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.720 Alex played a lot, didn't have a great spring, but 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:57.040 played great defensively. And I still think that, you know, 0:08:57.080 --> 0:08:59.720 in talking to the front office, we felt that with what 0:08:59.760 --> 0:09:02.760 he's done before in the past at Triple A, giving 0:09:02.800 --> 0:09:05.160 him this opportunity and see where it leaves. 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:05.920 All Right. 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:09.280 That was Dave Roberts explanation on why the Dodgers went 0:09:09.800 --> 0:09:14.120 with Freeland over Kim. And let's hear from Alex Freeland, 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:19.160 because he obviously knows the numbers don't reflect how good 0:09:19.200 --> 0:09:22.720 he believes his plate appearances were. Whatever he was trying 0:09:22.760 --> 0:09:25.240 to accomplish. So here's what Alex Freeland had to say 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:26.080 earlier today. 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:28.960 Yeah, I mean you could definitely look at spring training 0:09:29.000 --> 0:09:31.839 and look at the stats and say, yeah, he had 0:09:31.840 --> 0:09:34.600 a terrible spring training. But in my eyes, I worked 0:09:34.640 --> 0:09:38.080 on certain things and I achieved certain goals. So I 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:41.440 mean I feel comfortable with how spring training went. Obviously 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:44.880 it wasn't my to my standards or anything like that, 0:09:45.000 --> 0:09:47.400 but there's there's good in there. It's not just looking 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:49.439 at a batting average and saying, oh, it is a 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:50.359 terrible screen. 0:09:51.120 --> 0:09:51.560 All right. 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:55.760 So there you have it from Dave Roberts and Alex Freeland. Obviously, 0:09:55.840 --> 0:09:59.280 his son, Kim's got to be disappointed, but he went 0:09:59.320 --> 0:10:02.120 to the World base Small Classic, and he was rolling 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:05.200 in spring training before he decided to go play for 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:09.120 Team Korean the World Baseball Classic. And I remember being 0:10:09.600 --> 0:10:12.520 at the game in Mesa when Kim returned from the 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:16.800 World Baseball Classic, and Dave Roberts said after that game 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:19.880 that his swing looks out of sync, and whatever he 0:10:20.000 --> 0:10:23.360 was doing before he left for the World Baseball Classic 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:27.000 kind of got out of sink and it wasn't the 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:30.000 same mechanical swing that he had been working on with 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:34.120 the Dodgers' hitting coaches during the off season, so nobody 0:10:34.200 --> 0:10:38.520 is saying that that's the reason why he lost this spot. 0:10:38.640 --> 0:10:44.240 But offensively, he wasn't the same guy that he was 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:47.600 before he left for the World Baseball Classic, and the 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:50.599 Dodgers want him to play every day. They want to 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:53.280 give Alex Freeland this opportunity to see what he can 0:10:53.320 --> 0:10:56.760 do at this level because he's accomplished everything a player 0:10:56.760 --> 0:11:00.640 can accomplish at TRIPLEA Oklahoma City as well, and Kim's 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:02.400 gonna get some time in center field. 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:03.680 But also I want to. 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:07.040 Say that, you know, this outrage by certain fans is 0:11:07.080 --> 0:11:11.440 basically a blogger or social media outrage. I mean, you 0:11:11.440 --> 0:11:14.360 look at the Dodgers' roster. I could understand if you're 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:18.640 the Angels, or you're the Pirates, or you're you know whoever, 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:21.920 that's not the Dodgers that are loaded top to bottom. 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:24.839 Are you really going to go up in arms over 0:11:25.280 --> 0:11:29.320 the twenty sixth spot on the roster, Hayesan Kim versus 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:32.959 Alex Freeland. Are you really gonna get that emotional over 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:36.320 that last spot. I'm certainly not going to get that 0:11:36.400 --> 0:11:40.680 emotional over it. So I mean, you could have gone 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:44.360 either way. Both guys bring different dimensions to the team. 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:47.800 Kim obviously brings the speed dimension off the bench, but 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:51.400 Freeland's going to play a lot against right handed pitching. 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:54.240 The Diamondbacks have a lot of right handers. The Guardians 0:11:54.240 --> 0:11:56.680 have a lot of right handers. He's gonna get those 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:59.560 opportunities from the left side of the plate. He's a 0:11:59.600 --> 0:12:03.520 switch but the Dodgers want him against right handed pitching, 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:05.680 and Rojas is going to be part of the mix 0:12:05.720 --> 0:12:10.640 at second base. So there is certainly an opportunity to 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:13.199 seize for Alex Freeland. And I'm not going to say 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:15.280 it's a make it or break it to begin this year, 0:12:15.320 --> 0:12:20.400 but certainly this is an opportunity. Every young player really 0:12:20.480 --> 0:12:24.160 wants is to get this chance to play regularly at 0:12:24.200 --> 0:12:27.160 the big league level as a young player. So this 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:30.520 is going to be a huge kind of fork in 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:34.280 the road of Alex Freeland's career. Eight six six nine, 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:36.959 eight seven two five seventy is the phone number David 0:12:37.040 --> 0:12:41.199 Vassey live at Angels Stadium in Anaheim after the Dodgers 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:45.680 beat the Angels tonight thirteen to five. Now, as far 0:12:45.720 --> 0:12:50.520 as the Dodgers' roster goes. Tommy Edmond, like I mentioned, 0:12:50.559 --> 0:12:53.360 is on the injured list, Alex Freeland on the roster, 0:12:53.559 --> 0:12:58.480 Kim begins the season at TRIPLEA Oklahoma City. But really, 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:02.480 this Dodger offense to me, I know it's the Angels, 0:13:02.480 --> 0:13:04.680 and I know their pitchers couldn't throw strikes tonight, but 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:08.880 it's indicative of what we have seen all spring long, 0:13:08.920 --> 0:13:13.200 where the Dodgers have been so disciplined in their played appearances. 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:17.240 From the guy that's been on the roster for back 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:22.720 to back championships compared to compared to you know, anybody 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:26.840 that is getting a first opportunity like a James Tibbs. 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:32.520 So luckily, the Dodgers have a culture that they have instilled. 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:37.760 They have a player kind of profile that they try 0:13:37.800 --> 0:13:40.160 to bring into the organization, and you're seeing that with 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:44.120 James Tibbs, who had an incredible spring training. He hit 0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:46.880 his fourth home run of the season. But I'm predicting 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:51.120 a big bounce back year for Taoscar Hernandez, who is 0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:53.800 hitting close to five hundred this spring with a thirteen 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:58.600 hundred OPS. So to me, you know, last year, I 0:13:58.640 --> 0:14:02.400 feel like I guilted you in to apologizing to Max Munsey, 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:05.120 I feel like this year, I'm going to guilt you 0:14:05.240 --> 0:14:09.000 in to apologizing to Taoscar Hernandez. 0:14:09.040 --> 0:14:10.160 This guy is healthier. 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:13.079 He's come into camp in the best shape he has 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:16.360 been in as a Dodger. He's close to eighteen pounds 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:18.960 lighter than he was a year ago, to give him 0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:23.320 more agility, to make him more mobile in the outfield, 0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:26.480 and it hasn't taken away his power. We saw that 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:29.560 tonight opposite field over the big wall and right field. 0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:32.760 That certainly was a monster shot. 0:14:33.800 --> 0:14:37.120 And I'm expecting a big year for Taoscar Hernandez, who 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:40.080 hit thirty three home runs in left field for the 0:14:40.120 --> 0:14:44.000 Dodgers in twenty twenty four and drove in ninety nine runs. 0:14:43.760 --> 0:14:45.320 And played pretty good left field. 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:50.480 So last year the Dodger outfield offensive production wasn't great. 0:14:51.000 --> 0:14:55.280 They add Kyle Tucker, Andy pa has is coming off 0:14:55.480 --> 0:14:59.920 a really good rookie season despite you know, his his 0:15:00.160 --> 0:15:03.720 learning curve in the postseason, and Taoscar Hernandez is back 0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:07.240 in left field. So not only are the Dodgers going 0:15:07.280 --> 0:15:10.360 to be better offensively in the outfield, they're going to 0:15:10.400 --> 0:15:15.120 be better defensively, which is going to save their pitchers pitches, 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:20.200 and you know, limit extra outs for the opposing team. 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:24.120 There's no hiding the fact that they got zero offensive 0:15:24.120 --> 0:15:27.600 production out of left field last year and their outfield 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:31.200 defense was shaky at best at times last year. All 0:15:31.240 --> 0:15:34.400 of those things have been corrected by bringing in Kyle Tucker. 0:15:34.960 --> 0:15:37.600 Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is 0:15:37.640 --> 0:15:41.400 the phone number when we continue from Anaheim. Appreciate all 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:45.440 of you listening. Uh And when we continue, Jose Mota 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:47.480 we'll check in. We'll get his thoughts on what he's 0:15:47.520 --> 0:15:50.280 seen from the Dodgers this spring training. As we get 0:15:50.280 --> 0:15:54.200 closer to opening day this Thursday, only one starter has 0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:58.880 been announced. It's Yamamoto Opening Day on Thursday. Don't believe 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:02.160 the tweets. Only believe what you hear right here on 0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:17.680 Dodgers Radio and five to seventy LA Sports. 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:14.040 On air at AM five to seventy, online at AM 0:16:14.160 --> 0:16:18.480 five seventy LA sports dot com, and available by podcast 0:16:18.520 --> 0:16:19.960 on the iHeartRadio app. 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:23.040 This is Dodger Talk with David mass In. 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:26.240 Several years ago, they moved the home run line down 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:31.800 below the halfwaymark of that wall, and the ball hit 0:16:31.880 --> 0:16:33.720 the scoreboard for a home run and it's headed in 0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:34.680 that direction again. 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:37.560 This time it's going to be over the scoreboard and gone. 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:42.080 An opposite field home run tay Oscar Hernandez, and it's 0:16:42.120 --> 0:16:43.040 won the one. 0:16:44.400 --> 0:16:47.160 Fourth home run of the spring. Pey Oscar. 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:54.240 Ti Oscar Hernandez loading up for a big comeback season tonight. 0:16:54.320 --> 0:16:57.160 He had two at bats in the same third inning. 0:16:57.360 --> 0:17:00.400 That one led off the third inning with a solo 0:17:00.440 --> 0:17:02.840 home run, is fourth of the spring, and then he 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:05.880 came up later in the inning and drove in two 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:09.080 more with an RBI single. All in all, the Dodgers 0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:13.639 scored ten runs in that third inning. They drew three 0:17:13.760 --> 0:17:17.399 bases loaded walks, They had seven walks in total in 0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:20.200 the third inning, and they had four hits. And in 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.760 that same third inning, show Heyo tani came up with 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:25.639 the bases loaded and cleared them with a double the 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:29.159 straightaway center over the head of Mike Trout. So that 0:17:29.280 --> 0:17:31.720 was a fun third inning for the Dodgers offense, not 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:36.120 so fun for the Angels pitching staff. Daniels Jewelers presents 0:17:36.119 --> 0:17:38.959 the home run Forecast for your chance to win a 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:42.440 fifty dollars Daniels Jeweler's gift card. Visit am five to 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:47.040 seventy lasports dot Com. Use the keyword home run, enter 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:50.639 your name and you can win. Daniels Jewelers own the Dream. 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:54.000 Eight six six, nine eighty seven two five seventy is 0:17:54.040 --> 0:17:58.600 the phone number. Jose Moda joins us again this season. Jose, 0:17:58.800 --> 0:18:02.160 thanks a lot for checking in, and certainly that third 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:06.040 inning was maybe a preview of things to come for 0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:07.200 this Dodger offense. 0:18:08.560 --> 0:18:11.000 David Assay is so great to hear from you and 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:13.840 my friends, who is so great to be back. Obviously 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:17.320 fun to watch his offense rolling once again a little 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.840 bit deeper. That third inning is just an indication of 0:18:20.960 --> 0:18:24.840 how guys have a prepare plan that's number one, and 0:18:25.480 --> 0:18:28.240 being this deep as they are right now, and hopefully 0:18:28.280 --> 0:18:30.840 they'll be healthy throughout the whole season and into the postseason. 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:33.440 There's some fun things that we should be able to 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:35.639 see because not one guy's going to try to carry 0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:38.199 this club as they have done in the past, the 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:42.280 loaders off of certain guys, and also the maturity and 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:44.640 the hunger that they've shown throughout the first aid Spring 0:18:44.640 --> 0:18:47.080 twenty shows up. I mean the Dollar Show hitting two 0:18:47.080 --> 0:18:49.040 IDEs a team coming out of the Cactus League, but 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:51.080 the most important thing to me is as a team 0:18:51.560 --> 0:18:54.240 three seventy on base percentage day. It's more in vindication 0:18:54.280 --> 0:18:56.120 of what they're trying to do and why a guy 0:18:56.160 --> 0:18:57.919 like Alex Frielan is on the team. 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:01.240 Yeah, what do you make about this whole debate Freeland 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:05.760 versus Kim. It's the twenty sixth spot on the roster, Jose, 0:19:06.480 --> 0:19:09.240 can you see why there's an argument to be made 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:12.080 for both players to make the team on the roster. 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:16.760 Of course, if I'm his on Kim, I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed. 0:19:16.800 --> 0:19:20.720 I mean I don't think the WBC had anything to 0:19:20.760 --> 0:19:22.439 do with him not making the team. I mean, he 0:19:22.480 --> 0:19:25.280 was looking good before that on WBC. I think he 0:19:25.359 --> 0:19:26.919 was one for twelve, but he still has them good 0:19:26.920 --> 0:19:30.280 at bats. I saw it over in Tokyo. But I 0:19:30.280 --> 0:19:32.320 think it really comes down to, as you were saying, 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:35.360 and it was well explained, the Dodgers want to see 0:19:35.640 --> 0:19:38.239 out of somebody the farm system what they have, and 0:19:38.280 --> 0:19:40.080 I think the time has come now for Alex Freeland. 0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:44.600 Alex Freeland helps himself by using all spring and the 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:48.399 opportunities to play his game and not to look for 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:51.840 results results you want. But I think by the Watts 0:19:51.920 --> 0:19:55.000 that he took, the defense that he took, the versatility 0:19:55.080 --> 0:19:57.119 that he took, he put himself in a position now 0:19:57.119 --> 0:19:59.160 with the team senter, Okay, we have this product out 0:19:59.160 --> 0:20:01.480 of our farm system. Let's find out what we have. 0:20:01.640 --> 0:20:04.960 And at the same time, having hiss On Kim more 0:20:05.000 --> 0:20:07.880 prepared as he was last year to play a lot 0:20:07.920 --> 0:20:10.119 and get the reps back. I think it's important. So 0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:14.439 either way, it's good. It's the twenty six guy yet. 0:20:14.560 --> 0:20:15.920 But I think at the same time, if I'm hitting 0:20:15.920 --> 0:20:18.200 four hundred and next time is not, I'm going to 0:20:18.359 --> 0:20:19.639 be saying, well, I think I have the edge, But 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:21.679 I'll think the Dodgers have a plan is worked in 0:20:21.720 --> 0:20:24.080 the past. But I think I'm not taking anything away 0:20:24.080 --> 0:20:26.280 from Alvic Fulma has done because once IgA he should 0:20:26.320 --> 0:20:29.040 why he's a big part when he plays with the 0:20:29.040 --> 0:20:30.280 offense and the versatility. 0:20:31.359 --> 0:20:34.280 No doubt, it's the twenty sixth the man on the rosters. 0:20:34.320 --> 0:20:36.280 So I'm not going to freak out like so many 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:40.080 bloggers and tweeters are freaking out tonight. Here ose you 0:20:40.119 --> 0:20:43.200 saw the Dodgers in spring training. What do you see 0:20:43.240 --> 0:20:46.080 from this team? I mean, how impressed are you by 0:20:46.119 --> 0:20:48.679 the fact that this team is coming off back to 0:20:48.760 --> 0:20:52.440 back championships and they're acting like they haven't won one 0:20:52.840 --> 0:20:55.560 in their entire careers. I mean, these guys came ready 0:20:55.560 --> 0:20:58.080 to play day one of spring training. 0:20:58.920 --> 0:21:01.880 I think it just goes down with the culture and personality, 0:21:01.960 --> 0:21:05.240 the identity of this team they have acquired and what 0:21:05.440 --> 0:21:07.720 they have brought it to the field. It reflects on 0:21:07.880 --> 0:21:11.479 how good they are in communication and they're planning and 0:21:11.560 --> 0:21:13.679 understanding each other, and also coming from the top, the 0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:16.160 communication between Dave Robers and his players. But also they've 0:21:17.000 --> 0:21:20.679 they're having no mention, no mention whatsoever about this club 0:21:21.080 --> 0:21:24.840 about a short offseason at all. Why Because they know 0:21:24.880 --> 0:21:28.080 what's at stake, They know everybody's pointing for them, and 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:30.479 they understand that the quality of players that they have 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:32.399 and tell them they have, it's only gotten better with 0:21:32.400 --> 0:21:35.720 the addition of the obviously and more mature young players 0:21:35.760 --> 0:21:38.080 and a guy like Kyle Tuker. But what I see 0:21:38.160 --> 0:21:42.600 is a resilient team, a focused team. They're not thinking 0:21:42.640 --> 0:21:45.080 about anything else about twenty twenty six, which is the 0:21:45.119 --> 0:21:47.760 same intelli they brought in twenty twenty five, and you've 0:21:47.760 --> 0:21:49.639 got to respect that. And a Mara that just not 0:21:49.760 --> 0:21:51.919 sitting and saying, well, we can do it because we 0:21:51.960 --> 0:21:55.040 all no, it's not. It's like this is a different year. 0:21:55.080 --> 0:21:57.160 Turn the page. This is what we have. And when 0:21:57.200 --> 0:21:59.320 they see that rosters themselves and I'll talk to a 0:21:59.320 --> 0:22:02.000 few players about it's like, you see the roster, you 0:22:02.040 --> 0:22:03.520 feed off of that and you don't want to be 0:22:03.840 --> 0:22:05.880 a weak link in anything of this. And I think 0:22:05.880 --> 0:22:09.119 that drives everybody from the rotation to the outfield to 0:22:09.160 --> 0:22:11.600 the infield. God like to also coming in great shape. 0:22:11.600 --> 0:22:14.320 Max Lom's he coming in great shape, and nobody even 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:16.800 using spring trainers a way to get back in shape. 0:22:16.800 --> 0:22:20.760 Those days don't exist anymore. But being hungary, taking their 0:22:20.800 --> 0:22:23.640 time got like Molkie Betz, just understanding what they need 0:22:23.640 --> 0:22:25.800 to do to get ready and going out there making 0:22:25.800 --> 0:22:29.800 an adjustments on the fly to be better and not changing 0:22:29.800 --> 0:22:32.480 who they are as a team or as a player individually. 0:22:33.240 --> 0:22:35.600 All right, Jose, Last year, we all know it was 0:22:35.640 --> 0:22:38.840 a struggle at times and stretches of the season last 0:22:38.880 --> 0:22:40.280 year for the Dodger bullpen. 0:22:41.359 --> 0:22:42.639 They blew a lot of leads. 0:22:42.720 --> 0:22:42.960 Late. 0:22:43.240 --> 0:22:46.119 They rectified that in some ways by signing one of 0:22:46.119 --> 0:22:50.119 the best closers in baseball and Edwin Dias, no doubt 0:22:50.160 --> 0:22:52.560 he's going to deliver, But how do they get the 0:22:52.600 --> 0:22:56.159 ball to him? Are we convinced that Tanner Scott is 0:22:56.560 --> 0:22:59.240 back to being Tanner Scott from a couple of years ago, 0:22:59.520 --> 0:23:02.600 in that role where he can pitch in the a 0:23:02.880 --> 0:23:05.359