Speaker 1: And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.
Speaker 1: So yesterday, this guy Alex Call gets two hits off
Speaker 1: of Jacob Mazerowski and then this morning he rolls into
Speaker 1: the clubhouse playing his alto sacks. You're feeling good on
Speaker 1: this Sunday, Hunt Call.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was the last minute decision to bring the
Speaker 2: saxophone on the road. I needed a new mouthpiece for it,
Speaker 2: so I had to make sure it works. And you know,
Speaker 2: you were fortunate enough to see it.
Speaker 1: You're you're a man of many hidden talents, Alex Call.
Speaker 1: How did we not know about you knowing how to
Speaker 1: play the alto sax?
Speaker 2: Well, I mean unless you see it for your eyes,
Speaker 2: you know, you gotta believe in a scene sometimes. So
Speaker 2: I've always enjoyed the sound I played since seventh grade,
Speaker 2: you know, and just really enjoyed it. So just kind
Speaker 2: of a thing for me to do in some free time.
Speaker 1: You seem like, uh, definitely an alto sax type of guy.
Speaker 1: But any chance you went to the tenor.
Speaker 2: I don't think I would go to the tenor. If anything,
Speaker 2: I would go to the soprano. You know. I like
Speaker 2: listening to you know, like Kenny G's old stuff and
Speaker 2: you know, just a little bit different sound, but the
Speaker 2: alto is you know, you can do everything on it,
Speaker 2: So I like that sound.
Speaker 1: Well you're a little younger, but this is transcendent. Clarence Clemens,
Speaker 1: the big man from the East three Band. Ever heard
Speaker 1: of him? Did he inspire you as well?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, I I didn't listen to a ton but
Speaker 2: I definitely know Clarence, and you know, it's it's one
Speaker 2: of those things that, yeah, I love the sound. So
Speaker 2: whoever's playing it, if you're playing at a high level,
Speaker 2: it's it's good stuff.
Speaker 1: So when Alex Call brings the saxophone on the road,
Speaker 1: does that mean you're playing the sax on the today
Speaker 1: or does that mean you're playing the sax in the
Speaker 1: clubhouse to get the guys going. Is this like a
Speaker 1: rally saxophone? What are we thinking here?
Speaker 2: I don't think it's a rally saxophone. Maybe it'll come
Speaker 2: out on the plane, depends on what activities are going
Speaker 2: on the plane, you know, just kind of but mostly
Speaker 2: it's in the room and when you have a little
Speaker 2: bit of time, just kind of get your own little
Speaker 2: sax vibe going on.
Speaker 1: All right, let's talk baseball now, Alex Call. Yesterday obviously
Speaker 1: a tough day to start against Jacob Mazerowski, but you
Speaker 1: handled yourself. What was the key to have success against him?
Speaker 1: And obviously it's always tough no matter who you're facing,
Speaker 1: but him especially.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you know, when I got the you know,
Speaker 2: the call that I'm playing or whatever, Yeah, the call, Yeah,
Speaker 2: I was excited because it's like, you know, I just
Speaker 2: I one love to play, but too just I feel
Speaker 2: like I I like the more difficult situations because it's
Speaker 2: just like I'm gonna embrace it. I'm gonna say, hey,
Speaker 2: you know, this guy's pitching really well right now. He's
Speaker 2: one of the best in the game. He's got really
Speaker 2: good stuff. But I know my assignment, I know my job,
Speaker 2: and I know how I'm gonna go out there, prepare
Speaker 2: and have a plan to execute and then grind it
Speaker 2: out in the game. And you know, obviously infield hit
Speaker 2: and then a nice line drive, you know, gives you
Speaker 2: some good results. But all you can do is prepare
Speaker 2: and then and then trust that the results are gonna
Speaker 2: make God's hands, and just grateful for the opportunity to
Speaker 2: go out there, compete and help the team.
Speaker 1: That's one thing about Alex Call that you could use
Speaker 1: to describe him prepared and he's always a competitor. Is
Speaker 1: that how you've been able to stay ready, whether it's
Speaker 1: off the bench or in spots starts this year?
Speaker 2: Yeah, stay ready and stay valuable, stay just like you know,
Speaker 2: stay around, you know, whatever it is. I mean, I
Speaker 2: I love to play this game. I'm extremely grateful to
Speaker 2: be to do it, especially on the Dodgers. And every
Speaker 2: time you're called upon, it doesn't matter whether you've played
Speaker 2: every day or whether you've played once a week or
Speaker 2: whatever it is. Like when you get out there, you
Speaker 2: have to show that you're a major league player. And
Speaker 2: you know, above average major league player is what I
Speaker 2: always say. And that's my goal, that's my focus every
Speaker 2: time I go out there, so that when the next
Speaker 2: opportunity comes, there's confidence that Alex Call is going to
Speaker 2: go out there. And you know, when you're prepared and
Speaker 2: when you work hard and when you're ready, like people
Speaker 2: like to give you more chances, you know, and so yes,
Speaker 2: obviously you want to get results as well, but when
Speaker 2: everybody knows that you're prepared and ready to go, and
Speaker 2: you know you're you're focused on what your job is, well,
Speaker 2: then it's easier to give that guy I feel like,
Speaker 2: another opportunity. And so that's always been my mindset, and
Speaker 2: especially in this role. It's like, Hey, I want to
Speaker 2: make it as hard for you know, Doc to not
Speaker 2: write my name in on the lineup as it is
Speaker 2: you know, anybody else. So that's that's my goal. That's
Speaker 2: how I think about it.
Speaker 1: I would imagine that slows the game down for you
Speaker 1: when you're that prepared.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean Doc said it in spring training. It's
Speaker 2: like there's no fear and there's no nervousness when you're prepared.
Speaker 2: And for me, the only nervousness is just the excitement butterflies.
Speaker 2: If playing in the game and playing it in front
Speaker 2: at Dodger Stadium at the major league level, you know,
Speaker 2: you always have those kind of an eight butterflies. But
Speaker 2: when you you know what to expect and you've practiced
Speaker 2: against it, it doesn't make it any easier, but it
Speaker 2: gives you confidence knowing that hey, I'm ready, I've done
Speaker 2: my work. I'm gonna step in this box and you
Speaker 2: know you've got to bring your best because I'm bringing mine.
Speaker 2: And you know, then whatever happens happens.
Speaker 1: All right, Alex, thanks a lot for the time. I'm
Speaker 1: not gonna make some weird saxophone joke on the way out, like, hey,
Speaker 1: hit that note today, man, let's call. I'm not gonna
Speaker 1: do that, all right, So have a great Sunday, and
Speaker 1: it's a great day to get a win. That's right,
Speaker 1: let's go do it.