WEBVTT - Alex Call (8-16-26) 

0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:04.840
<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.

0:00:06.760 --> 0:00:10.160
<v Speaker 1>So yesterday, this guy Alex Call gets two hits off

0:00:10.160 --> 0:00:13.520
<v Speaker 1>of Jacob Mazerowski and then this morning he rolls into

0:00:13.600 --> 0:00:17.680
<v Speaker 1>the clubhouse playing his alto sacks. You're feeling good on

0:00:17.720 --> 0:00:18.759
<v Speaker 1>this Sunday, Hunt Call.

0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:21.880
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it was the last minute decision to bring the

0:00:21.880 --> 0:00:25.320
<v Speaker 2>saxophone on the road. I needed a new mouthpiece for it,

0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:29.560
<v Speaker 2>so I had to make sure it works. And you know,

0:00:29.640 --> 0:00:30.920
<v Speaker 2>you were fortunate enough to see it.

0:00:31.240 --> 0:00:34.200
<v Speaker 1>You're you're a man of many hidden talents, Alex Call.

0:00:34.640 --> 0:00:37.280
<v Speaker 1>How did we not know about you knowing how to

0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:38.600
<v Speaker 1>play the alto sax?

0:00:39.240 --> 0:00:42.280
<v Speaker 2>Well, I mean unless you see it for your eyes,

0:00:42.440 --> 0:00:46.280
<v Speaker 2>you know, you gotta believe in a scene sometimes. So

0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:52.120
<v Speaker 2>I've always enjoyed the sound I played since seventh grade,

0:00:52.880 --> 0:00:56.319
<v Speaker 2>you know, and just really enjoyed it. So just kind

0:00:56.360 --> 0:01:00.000
<v Speaker 2>of a thing for me to do in some free time.

0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:04.040
<v Speaker 1>You seem like, uh, definitely an alto sax type of guy.

0:01:04.120 --> 0:01:06.959
<v Speaker 1>But any chance you went to the tenor.

0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:09.720
<v Speaker 2>I don't think I would go to the tenor. If anything,

0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:12.039
<v Speaker 2>I would go to the soprano. You know. I like

0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:15.080
<v Speaker 2>listening to you know, like Kenny G's old stuff and

0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:21.399
<v Speaker 2>you know, just a little bit different sound, but the

0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:23.959
<v Speaker 2>alto is you know, you can do everything on it,

0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:25.800
<v Speaker 2>So I like that sound.

0:01:26.240 --> 0:01:30.640
<v Speaker 1>Well you're a little younger, but this is transcendent. Clarence Clemens,

0:01:30.680 --> 0:01:33.319
<v Speaker 1>the big man from the East three Band. Ever heard

0:01:33.360 --> 0:01:35.160
<v Speaker 1>of him? Did he inspire you as well?

0:01:35.600 --> 0:01:42.240
<v Speaker 2>Yeah? Yeah, I I didn't listen to a ton but

0:01:42.520 --> 0:01:48.040
<v Speaker 2>I definitely know Clarence, and you know, it's it's one

0:01:48.080 --> 0:01:50.760
<v Speaker 2>of those things that, yeah, I love the sound. So

0:01:50.840 --> 0:01:52.800
<v Speaker 2>whoever's playing it, if you're playing at a high level,

0:01:52.840 --> 0:01:53.760
<v Speaker 2>it's it's good stuff.

0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:57.320
<v Speaker 1>So when Alex Call brings the saxophone on the road,

0:01:57.720 --> 0:02:00.720
<v Speaker 1>does that mean you're playing the sax on the today

0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:03.440
<v Speaker 1>or does that mean you're playing the sax in the

0:02:03.440 --> 0:02:06.240
<v Speaker 1>clubhouse to get the guys going. Is this like a

0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:08.440
<v Speaker 1>rally saxophone? What are we thinking here?

0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:11.720
<v Speaker 2>I don't think it's a rally saxophone. Maybe it'll come

0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:13.880
<v Speaker 2>out on the plane, depends on what activities are going

0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:18.200
<v Speaker 2>on the plane, you know, just kind of but mostly

0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:20.359
<v Speaker 2>it's in the room and when you have a little

0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:24.120
<v Speaker 2>bit of time, just kind of get your own little

0:02:24.120 --> 0:02:25.040
<v Speaker 2>sax vibe going on.

0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:29.079
<v Speaker 1>All right, let's talk baseball now, Alex Call. Yesterday obviously

0:02:29.120 --> 0:02:31.880
<v Speaker 1>a tough day to start against Jacob Mazerowski, but you

0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:36.000
<v Speaker 1>handled yourself. What was the key to have success against him?

0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:40.080
<v Speaker 1>And obviously it's always tough no matter who you're facing,

0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:41.600
<v Speaker 1>but him especially.

0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:45.480
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think you know, when I got the you know,

0:02:45.520 --> 0:02:50.040
<v Speaker 2>the call that I'm playing or whatever, Yeah, the call, Yeah,

0:02:50.160 --> 0:02:52.360
<v Speaker 2>I was excited because it's like, you know, I just

0:02:52.720 --> 0:02:56.280
<v Speaker 2>I one love to play, but too just I feel

0:02:56.320 --> 0:03:00.679
<v Speaker 2>like I I like the more difficult situations because it's

0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:03.760
<v Speaker 2>just like I'm gonna embrace it. I'm gonna say, hey,

0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:05.720
<v Speaker 2>you know, this guy's pitching really well right now. He's

0:03:05.720 --> 0:03:07.239
<v Speaker 2>one of the best in the game. He's got really

0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:10.120
<v Speaker 2>good stuff. But I know my assignment, I know my job,

0:03:10.400 --> 0:03:13.720
<v Speaker 2>and I know how I'm gonna go out there, prepare

0:03:14.200 --> 0:03:17.799
<v Speaker 2>and have a plan to execute and then grind it

0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:21.079
<v Speaker 2>out in the game. And you know, obviously infield hit

0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:24.360
<v Speaker 2>and then a nice line drive, you know, gives you

0:03:24.440 --> 0:03:27.880
<v Speaker 2>some good results. But all you can do is prepare

0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:29.640
<v Speaker 2>and then and then trust that the results are gonna

0:03:29.639 --> 0:03:31.760
<v Speaker 2>make God's hands, and just grateful for the opportunity to

0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:33.760
<v Speaker 2>go out there, compete and help the team.

0:03:34.200 --> 0:03:36.640
<v Speaker 1>That's one thing about Alex Call that you could use

0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:41.000
<v Speaker 1>to describe him prepared and he's always a competitor. Is

0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:43.720
<v Speaker 1>that how you've been able to stay ready, whether it's

0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:45.880
<v Speaker 1>off the bench or in spots starts this year?

0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:52.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, stay ready and stay valuable, stay just like you know,

0:03:53.320 --> 0:03:57.320
<v Speaker 2>stay around, you know, whatever it is. I mean, I

0:03:57.320 --> 0:03:59.760
<v Speaker 2>I love to play this game. I'm extremely grateful to

0:03:59.800 --> 0:04:04.960
<v Speaker 2>be to do it, especially on the Dodgers. And every

0:04:04.960 --> 0:04:07.240
<v Speaker 2>time you're called upon, it doesn't matter whether you've played

0:04:07.280 --> 0:04:09.400
<v Speaker 2>every day or whether you've played once a week or

0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.280
<v Speaker 2>whatever it is. Like when you get out there, you

0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:14.800
<v Speaker 2>have to show that you're a major league player. And

0:04:15.200 --> 0:04:16.960
<v Speaker 2>you know, above average major league player is what I

0:04:16.960 --> 0:04:21.760
<v Speaker 2>always say. And that's my goal, that's my focus every

0:04:21.760 --> 0:04:24.920
<v Speaker 2>time I go out there, so that when the next

0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:28.240
<v Speaker 2>opportunity comes, there's confidence that Alex Call is going to

0:04:28.279 --> 0:04:30.680
<v Speaker 2>go out there. And you know, when you're prepared and

0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:34.240
<v Speaker 2>when you work hard and when you're ready, like people

0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:37.679
<v Speaker 2>like to give you more chances, you know, and so yes,

0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:40.280
<v Speaker 2>obviously you want to get results as well, but when

0:04:40.279 --> 0:04:43.000
<v Speaker 2>everybody knows that you're prepared and ready to go, and

0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:47.320
<v Speaker 2>you know you're you're focused on what your job is, well,

0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:50.440
<v Speaker 2>then it's easier to give that guy I feel like,

0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:53.680
<v Speaker 2>another opportunity. And so that's always been my mindset, and

0:04:53.800 --> 0:04:56.000
<v Speaker 2>especially in this role. It's like, Hey, I want to

0:04:56.000 --> 0:04:58.240
<v Speaker 2>make it as hard for you know, Doc to not

0:04:58.400 --> 0:05:00.640
<v Speaker 2>write my name in on the lineup as it is

0:05:00.760 --> 0:05:04.400
<v Speaker 2>you know, anybody else. So that's that's my goal. That's

0:05:04.440 --> 0:05:05.120
<v Speaker 2>how I think about it.

0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:07.240
<v Speaker 1>I would imagine that slows the game down for you

0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:08.320
<v Speaker 1>when you're that prepared.

0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:10.839
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean Doc said it in spring training. It's

0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:15.560
<v Speaker 2>like there's no fear and there's no nervousness when you're prepared.

0:05:15.800 --> 0:05:20.039
<v Speaker 2>And for me, the only nervousness is just the excitement butterflies.

0:05:20.080 --> 0:05:22.360
<v Speaker 2>If playing in the game and playing it in front

0:05:22.400 --> 0:05:25.280
<v Speaker 2>at Dodger Stadium at the major league level, you know,

0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:29.919
<v Speaker 2>you always have those kind of an eight butterflies. But

0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:33.240
<v Speaker 2>when you you know what to expect and you've practiced

0:05:33.240 --> 0:05:36.040
<v Speaker 2>against it, it doesn't make it any easier, but it

0:05:36.080 --> 0:05:39.040
<v Speaker 2>gives you confidence knowing that hey, I'm ready, I've done

0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:41.880
<v Speaker 2>my work. I'm gonna step in this box and you

0:05:41.920 --> 0:05:44.160
<v Speaker 2>know you've got to bring your best because I'm bringing mine.

0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:48.120
<v Speaker 2>And you know, then whatever happens happens.

0:05:47.760 --> 0:05:49.880
<v Speaker 1>All right, Alex, thanks a lot for the time. I'm

0:05:49.880 --> 0:05:53.680
<v Speaker 1>not gonna make some weird saxophone joke on the way out, like, hey,

0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:56.599
<v Speaker 1>hit that note today, man, let's call. I'm not gonna

0:05:56.600 --> 0:05:59.280
<v Speaker 1>do that, all right, So have a great Sunday, and

0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:01.280
<v Speaker 1>it's a great day to get a win. That's right,

0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:01.960
<v Speaker 1>let's go do it.