WEBVTT - Dave Roberts (6-9-26) 

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

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers kicking off a six game road trip, and

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<v Speaker 1>we're joined right now by the manager. Our Managers meeting

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<v Speaker 1>brought to you by Downy Hunday, and that's the one

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<v Speaker 1>and only Dave Roberts.

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<v Speaker 2>Dave, thanks again for the time. It's good being with you, Dave.

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<v Speaker 2>We've got a family trip here. So we've got Pittsburgh,

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<v Speaker 2>we've got Chicago, the South Side, the White Sox, so

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<v Speaker 2>it's gonna be a good road trip. It's gonna be

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of fun. And yeah, we're playing good baseball.

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<v Speaker 1>You are the guy that sets the tone for the

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<v Speaker 1>family of the Dodgers, and you're gonna be really trying

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<v Speaker 1>to focus on family and your job because you're flying

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<v Speaker 1>back to be part of your daughter's graduation this weekend.

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<v Speaker 2>I am, I am. So I've got three games here

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<v Speaker 2>and then I'll get the first two in Chicago, and

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<v Speaker 2>then I'll fly back to my daughter's graduation on Saturday night,

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<v Speaker 2>which is on Sunday, and she's graduate waiting from Stanford.

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<v Speaker 2>So I'm really proud. And it is weird though, because

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<v Speaker 2>you never want to miss a game but I think

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<v Speaker 2>that this is a good reason.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, the Rangers manager Skip Schumacher left the team for

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<v Speaker 1>a day to be at his son's high school graduation.

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<v Speaker 1>What's the balance for you, because obviously you have a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of responsibility, but also your family comes first.

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<v Speaker 2>You know. I think the one thing for me is

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<v Speaker 2>that the world has evolved, and many can argue not

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<v Speaker 2>in a good way, in some ways good, some ways bad.

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<v Speaker 2>But I do think in a lot of ways from

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<v Speaker 2>the workplace sense of things, it's more open to kind

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<v Speaker 2>of people spending time with their families and knowing that

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<v Speaker 2>those moments are important. They're fleeting and so you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the job is going to get done with it without you,

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<v Speaker 2>And so for me, I encourage my coaches to enjoy,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, graduations, things like that. One of our coaches

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<v Speaker 2>had to leave for a surgery for their daughter, and

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<v Speaker 2>I certainly welcome that because there's nothing more important than family.

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<v Speaker 2>And it also I think when you get to do

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<v Speaker 2>moments with your family and other things that are really important,

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<v Speaker 2>I think you do your job better and then you

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<v Speaker 2>feel better about the people you work with.

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<v Speaker 1>And for you've done this before with your son, Cole,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm curious when you're at your daughter's graduation, will you

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<v Speaker 1>be looking at your phone a lot? How are you

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<v Speaker 1>able to be present in the moment?

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<v Speaker 2>That's a great question. So I don't know what I

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<v Speaker 2>did for Cole's graduation, but Emmy, it is going to

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<v Speaker 2>be a day game, and I think they are going

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<v Speaker 2>to overlap, so I think I might just try to

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<v Speaker 2>put my phone down be completely present.

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<v Speaker 1>Dave Roberts is our guest in Pittsburgh. The Dodgers will

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<v Speaker 1>have shoey Otani on the mound again. He's coming off

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<v Speaker 1>a really good start in Arizona, but obviously we started

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<v Speaker 1>to see the blister that he'd been dealing with. Where's

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<v Speaker 1>that at, David? Is there any concern?

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<v Speaker 2>Possum? Our trainer does a good job with the blisters,

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<v Speaker 2>and he's been with the Dodgers since I played for

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<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers, and he is a clubhouse favorite, and he

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<v Speaker 2>says that the blister is totally manageable, totally fine. Uh,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, not a big deal at all. So I

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<v Speaker 2>expect Showhy to be good on Wednesday.

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<v Speaker 1>I have random thoughts and with the All Star Game

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<v Speaker 1>and the voting going on right now, Showho Tani most

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<v Speaker 1>certainly will be voted in and maybe the top vote getter.

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<v Speaker 1>But since he is pitching again, I'm curious, with the

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<v Speaker 1>game being in Philadelphia, Sanchez having such a great year,

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<v Speaker 1>would you rule out completely Otani possibly being the starting

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<v Speaker 1>pitcher for the National League Or since you're the guy

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<v Speaker 1>and the Dodgers have greater aspirations, that's not something you

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<v Speaker 1>would you would venture into.

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<v Speaker 2>You know. Yeah, I don't know how. You know, obviously

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<v Speaker 2>you're looking at Sanchez, You're looking at Miz, you're looking

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<v Speaker 2>at Showey. Who's my guy. I don't know the schedule

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<v Speaker 2>for all the guys, but obviously I think that I

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<v Speaker 2>know show He's done it before. You know, Sanchez at home,

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<v Speaker 2>I think matters. You know. So I haven't made that

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<v Speaker 2>decision yet, but as we get closer, you know, things

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<v Speaker 2>can change. But as we get closer, I'll put more

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<v Speaker 2>thought into it.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's the fun side of baseball. And you have

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<v Speaker 1>a few players that maybe aren't number one as far

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<v Speaker 1>as the popularity contest. But how much do you believe

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<v Speaker 1>that Max mounth Sy and Andy paj has have earned

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<v Speaker 1>to start at their respective positions.

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<v Speaker 2>I think they've both earned it, and still we have

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of baseball left for the first half. But

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<v Speaker 2>as we kind of get kick off the fan voting

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<v Speaker 2>for the All Star Game, I really hope that, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>Los Angeles Dodger fans and fans all over the country

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<v Speaker 2>pitch in and support Max and Andy, specifically because Andy

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<v Speaker 2>lost out last year. Max has been I think a

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<v Speaker 2>few years since he's been an All Star, but they're

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<v Speaker 2>both having tremendous seasons, and you know, we draw more

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<v Speaker 2>than anyone. We have the best fan base than anyone,

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<v Speaker 2>so hopefully that can be reflected in the voting for

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<v Speaker 2>our guys.

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<v Speaker 1>As far as the pitchers go, do you believe that

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<v Speaker 1>it's out of the question or not out of the

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<v Speaker 1>question that Justin Robleski could earn a spot?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I think that you' should certainly and will certainly

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<v Speaker 2>be in the conversation. And I think Robo you can't

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<v Speaker 2>argue the numbers and the performance, So if he continues

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<v Speaker 2>to do what he's doing, I hope that he certainly

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<v Speaker 2>gets some consideration.

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<v Speaker 1>Dave Roberts is our guest before first pitch between the

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<v Speaker 1>Dodgers and Pirates the Manager's Meeting, presented by Downy Hunday.

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<v Speaker 1>All Right, Kyle Tucker. You've been asked a lot about him.

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<v Speaker 1>I thought it was interesting that Michael Conforto admitted last

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<v Speaker 1>week that he was trying to keep up with the

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<v Speaker 1>big boys on your team. That was a real candid answer.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you feel in some ways that Tucker may have

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<v Speaker 1>fallen into that same trap?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I don't know. I think that it's certainly

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<v Speaker 2>it's a big room. There's a lot of star power

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<v Speaker 2>in our room, and regardless of who you are, to

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<v Speaker 2>come into this is certainly daunting, can be daunting. It's

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<v Speaker 2>a very open, friendly clubhouse. But I certainly think as

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<v Speaker 2>peers and you kind of try to play the comparison game,

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<v Speaker 2>which is pretty tough. And yeah, Michael, I guess admitted

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<v Speaker 2>that a couple of weeks ago, and we had a

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<v Speaker 2>good heart to heart, you know, probably a little later

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<v Speaker 2>than it should have been, but you know, I was

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<v Speaker 2>always a big fan, and it wasn't for lack of

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<v Speaker 2>trying and preparation and just sort of talk to him

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<v Speaker 2>about getting back to himself and not comparing and trying

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<v Speaker 2>to you know, you know, be the athlete and fight

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<v Speaker 2>for everything you've got, because that's how we got to

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<v Speaker 2>the big leagues and I think it resonated with him,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, we didn't get to kind of see

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<v Speaker 2>the fruits of that in the postseason, but he is

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<v Speaker 2>obviously having a great year this year, and I do

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<v Speaker 2>think that, you know, Kyle might be in that similar boat.

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<v Speaker 2>I haven't had that conversation with him yet, but I'm

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<v Speaker 2>still trying to learn him. And as a manager, you

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<v Speaker 2>don't want to push too much too soon and sort

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<v Speaker 2>of push players away. But I'm gaining more information every

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<v Speaker 2>day with Kyle. But I will say the last couple

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<v Speaker 2>of games he's been better. We gave him a day

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<v Speaker 2>off in that Philly series. I think that was a

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<v Speaker 2>better fit. And then so we'll get two out of three.

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<v Speaker 2>He had two out of the three days off with

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<v Speaker 2>the off day to come in come in fresh with

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<v Speaker 2>this series. So we'll see. But I'm keeping a watchful

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<v Speaker 2>eye on him.

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<v Speaker 1>Dave, you don't get enough credit for having to be

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<v Speaker 1>a counselor and understand every player is different. How big

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<v Speaker 1>of the job is that, especially with some of the

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<v Speaker 1>bigger names that you have in your clubhouse.

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<v Speaker 2>I would say it's it's the biggest part of the job.

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<v Speaker 2>If you have a pie chart, I would say that

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<v Speaker 2>the kind of the mental counseling, mentoring side of the

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<v Speaker 2>job is I would say probably you know, thirty five

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<v Speaker 2>forty percent. And I think that the end game, which

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<v Speaker 2>gets a lot of the scrutiny and the criticism, is

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<v Speaker 2>probably you know, thirty percent. So there's a lot of different,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, slices to the pie of my job, but

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<v Speaker 2>I will say that it's the biggest part, and it's

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<v Speaker 2>the most satisfying part, you know, of my job.

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of people would, you know, guess that because

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<v Speaker 1>you have so many accomplished players, you wouldn't have to

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<v Speaker 1>be that positive reinforcement for a lot of these guys.

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<v Speaker 1>But it seems like you may have to do that

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<v Speaker 1>more than what people on the outside believe happens.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, absolutely, you know, just you know, I had a

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<v Speaker 2>couple of conversations this past homestand when we're playing the

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<v Speaker 2>Angels in the series, sat a couple of players down

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<v Speaker 2>and just kind of wanted to see where they were

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<v Speaker 2>at because they've been going through it and and I

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<v Speaker 2>think that we got to a good place and try

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<v Speaker 2>to give them some perspective on expectations and what they

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<v Speaker 2>are doing well and try to free them up and

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<v Speaker 2>so yeah, it's not talked about a lot because obviously

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<v Speaker 2>I have to, you know, mind the privacy and respect

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<v Speaker 2>the privacy of the clubhouse and the players. But these conversations,

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<v Speaker 2>Dave were happening all the time with guys in the bullpen,

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<v Speaker 2>the pitchers, you know, me and miggi Row, which we've

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<v Speaker 2>talked about a lot. Last year had a lot of conversations,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, when he was looking at being done with

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<v Speaker 2>the game because he was so frustrated and trying to

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<v Speaker 2>talk him off the ledge and keep him positive and

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and it's obviously we know he had his

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<v Speaker 2>moment in the World Series. So these are these are

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<v Speaker 2>good things and these are more life lesson conversations.

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<v Speaker 1>Some of my favorite scenes over the years with you

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<v Speaker 1>being the manager is how you have those conversations with

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<v Speaker 1>players as the game is going on, You'll call somebody

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<v Speaker 1>down and have a conversation with them.

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<v Speaker 2>I do. I like that because it just I want

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<v Speaker 2>to there's certain moments, there's certain things that are happening

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<v Speaker 2>there as certain players that are performing that I want

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<v Speaker 2>that I feel that it resonates with them and their

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<v Speaker 2>game and I want them to not miss that moment

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<v Speaker 2>and so you know, whether it's Robo, it's Roki, it's

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<v Speaker 2>Max Munsey when he was younger, it's it doesn't matter,

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<v Speaker 2>it's Dalton rushing. There's certain guys, Emma Shehan, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>you know certain guys that are doing certain things. I

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<v Speaker 2>want these guys not to you know. I like them

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<v Speaker 2>talking to each other, you know, a little banter around

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<v Speaker 2>the end of the bench, and that's all, and they

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<v Speaker 2>are watching the game. But I think as a manager

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<v Speaker 2>it's important for me it also pick them out, single

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<v Speaker 2>them out and take a little bit of time with

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<v Speaker 2>them to kind of point something out to them. Love it.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for the insight. It's always great catching up

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<v Speaker 1>with you, and again another great week with you. And

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<v Speaker 1>congratulations to you, your wife and your daughter for accomplishing

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<v Speaker 1>something big graduating from Stanford. So congratulations to a great dad,

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<v Speaker 1>a proud papa.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks Dave, I appreciate you. And let's win a ball

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<v Speaker 2>game tonight.