WEBVTT - Max Muncy (10-11-26) 0:00:00.450 --> 0:00:06.250 And now, an exclusive interview with David Basset for Dodger Talk. 0:00:07.130 --> 0:00:10.620 It's the Dodgers and Brewers getting set for an NLCS rematch, 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:12.620 and I'm joined right now by a man that has 0:00:12.700 --> 0:00:17.560 been involved in six NLCSs with the Dodgers and certainly 0:00:17.600 --> 0:00:21.320 has been a big part of winning three championships, including 0:00:21.380 --> 0:00:23.900 the last two, and that's the one and only Max Muncy. 0:00:23.940 --> 0:00:25.880 Thanks a lot for the time, Max. Appreciate it. 0:00:26.380 --> 0:00:27.740 Sure, you know, I don't have anything else better to 0:00:27.760 --> 0:00:28.110 do right now. 0:00:29.080 --> 0:00:31.060 I feel like this will get your head in the 0:00:31.100 --> 0:00:31.740 right space. 0:00:31.760 --> 0:00:33.040 Yeah, if you say so. 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:38.100 When you think of this team, this matchup, everybody keeps 0:00:38.159 --> 0:00:40.479 saying that the Brewers are a different team. Do you 0:00:40.520 --> 0:00:43.810 believe this is a different type of Brewers team that 0:00:43.850 --> 0:00:44.810 you guys are facing? 0:00:45.870 --> 0:00:48.750 You know, everything changes year to year. You can't ever 0:00:48.790 --> 0:00:53.269 compare something to what it was the year before. So 0:00:53.450 --> 0:00:55.390 to me, yeah, it is a different Brewers team because, 0:00:55.410 --> 0:00:57.790 like I said, every year you take on a new identity. 0:00:57.810 --> 0:00:58.570 I think about us. 0:00:59.560 --> 0:01:01.080 Every single year, even though we have a lot of 0:01:01.100 --> 0:01:03.440 the same guys, each of those teams takes on its 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.100 own identity. You have your own thing going in the clubhouse. 0:01:06.140 --> 0:01:09.470 You have your own mojo that's going on. That changes 0:01:09.560 --> 0:01:14.070 every single year. To me, it's definitely a different team. 0:01:14.110 --> 0:01:16.449 They're playing well. They're believing in themselves, and they're going 0:01:16.470 --> 0:01:16.970 to be a tough matchup. 0:01:17.310 --> 0:01:19.470 Max, you're a football guy, and they always talk about 0:01:19.510 --> 0:01:21.210 a football team's identity. 0:01:21.370 --> 0:01:24.430 In baseball, you don't hear that as much. What would 0:01:24.470 --> 0:01:25.510 you say is this. 0:01:25.390 --> 0:01:28.830 Year's Dodgers identity compared to a year ago at this time? 0:01:30.360 --> 0:01:32.160 A lot of the things are the same, just the 0:01:32.180 --> 0:01:35.940 way we go about our day, our preparation, our work, 0:01:36.860 --> 0:01:40.910 the work ethic that goes into that, just the thought processes. 0:01:40.920 --> 0:01:42.530 A lot of that is the same, but the stuff 0:01:42.550 --> 0:01:44.170 that goes on in the clubhouse, which I'm not going 0:01:44.190 --> 0:01:48.010 to divulge to you, that changes year to year. So 0:01:48.030 --> 0:01:49.650 we have our own thing going on this year, and 0:01:49.710 --> 0:01:52.670 it's been a lot of fun. That last series was 0:01:52.890 --> 0:01:55.110 a tremendous amount of fun, and I thought we did 0:01:55.130 --> 0:01:58.370 pretty well, even though we maybe didn't necessarily play as 0:01:58.390 --> 0:01:59.110 well as we thought we could. 0:01:59.650 --> 0:02:02.390 Max, I remember in 24, there was that moment in 0:02:02.470 --> 0:02:05.270 Atlanta where Dave Roberts held a team meeting. Has there 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:08.660 ever been that type of moment this season without giving 0:02:08.720 --> 0:02:12.179 away details where you guys felt like you needed to regroup? 0:02:13.900 --> 0:02:15.080 No, no, not really. 0:02:15.560 --> 0:02:17.260 I think a lot of us kind of did that 0:02:17.300 --> 0:02:19.809 on our own, and that's one of the things that 0:02:19.850 --> 0:02:22.750 Doc always does so great is he allows us to 0:02:22.790 --> 0:02:25.170 kind of govern ourselves, and he felt like we were 0:02:25.410 --> 0:02:27.690 taking care of things our own way, and he never 0:02:27.730 --> 0:02:29.840 felt like he needed to you know, pressed the button 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:32.609 on us. He knew that we knew there needed to 0:02:32.630 --> 0:02:35.610 be urgency at certain times. And, you know, the closest 0:02:35.630 --> 0:02:39.350 thing that probably happened to that meeting that you're referring 0:02:39.389 --> 0:02:41.730 to was, you know, before game three in Atlanta, he 0:02:41.770 --> 0:02:44.850 kind of met with the offensive, you know, everyone on 0:02:44.870 --> 0:02:46.910 the offense, and he kind of went over some things 0:02:46.960 --> 0:02:48.720 that he thought needed to happen, and we went out 0:02:48.760 --> 0:02:49.450 there and executed it. 0:02:49.900 --> 0:02:51.880 Max Muncy is our guest in front of game one 0:02:51.900 --> 0:02:54.919 of the NLCS. Max, this team has had the best 0:02:55.060 --> 0:02:57.980 record on the road you guys went into atlanta to 0:02:58.020 --> 0:03:01.580 win the nlds why have you guys been so good 0:03:01.760 --> 0:03:02.480 on the road. 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:04.260 I don't know that's a good question you know i 0:03:04.260 --> 0:03:06.670 mean part of it probably goes into how we've changed 0:03:06.690 --> 0:03:08.950 how we travel now and um you know that definitely 0:03:08.970 --> 0:03:11.350 plays a big part part into it where you know 0:03:12.770 --> 0:03:15.489 changing changing a couple of couple of things has really 0:03:15.530 --> 0:03:17.970 helped us out and uh you know getting to cities 0:03:18.169 --> 0:03:20.710 different times and you know traveling on our own and 0:03:20.730 --> 0:03:22.330 you know all this other stuff i definitely feel like 0:03:22.350 --> 0:03:23.810 that's played a big part into how we've played on 0:03:23.830 --> 0:03:27.079 the road and But in terms of why we're so 0:03:27.100 --> 0:03:27.520 much better. 0:03:27.400 --> 0:03:29.560 On the road, I don't know. I don't have that answer. 0:03:29.620 --> 0:03:31.500 Maybe it's just you get. 0:03:31.430 --> 0:03:35.150 The opportunity to attack first, and that kind of puts 0:03:35.170 --> 0:03:37.470 a different mindset in you, and maybe that's all it is. 0:03:37.810 --> 0:03:41.680 Your Game 1 starter, Tarek Skubal, getting used to the environment, 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:44.280 the culture of being part of the Dodgers, what has 0:03:44.300 --> 0:03:46.420 stood out to you the most about him and the 0:03:46.460 --> 0:03:49.000 way he's fit in and the way he's pitched lately? 0:03:49.590 --> 0:03:50.350 Yeah, he's been amazing. 0:03:50.750 --> 0:03:52.210 You know, he's been amazing both on the field and 0:03:52.250 --> 0:03:55.050 in the clubhouse, you know, on the plane, on the bus. 0:03:55.430 --> 0:03:58.960 He's been a great addition. And, you know, we've all 0:03:58.970 --> 0:04:00.630 been loving having him here. He's fit in really well. 0:04:00.690 --> 0:04:02.140 And, you know, that's something that kind of makes a 0:04:02.160 --> 0:04:04.400 lot of us proud to know that a guy of 0:04:04.460 --> 0:04:06.620 his caliber can come in and fit in so seamlessly 0:04:06.780 --> 0:04:08.840 who's only ever been with one organization. 0:04:08.900 --> 0:04:12.420 And, you know, that's kind of something that goes unnoticed 0:04:12.460 --> 0:04:12.880 a little bit. 0:04:12.940 --> 0:04:14.960 But to a lot of, you know, us older guys, 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:17.700 that's something that we take pride in knowing that we 0:04:17.740 --> 0:04:21.400 can make a our team as welcoming as possible, knowing 0:04:21.460 --> 0:04:23.610 that when you come into our clubhouse, it's not always 0:04:23.700 --> 0:04:25.050 easy just when you look at the names that are 0:04:25.060 --> 0:04:25.550 on the lockers. 0:04:26.290 --> 0:04:29.530 Max, your first NLCS was here in Milwaukee. You guys 0:04:29.630 --> 0:04:31.990 beat the Brewers in seven games. That was your first 0:04:32.130 --> 0:04:36.750 full year with the Dodgers. Do you still feel 10-plus 0:04:36.790 --> 0:04:40.789 years later that people still doubt what you're capable of? 0:04:41.010 --> 0:04:43.089 I know you mentioned you kind of hide in the lineup, 0:04:43.110 --> 0:04:45.610 hide on this team, but do you play with that 0:04:45.670 --> 0:04:47.930 type of chip on your shoulder that you did back 0:04:47.990 --> 0:04:49.180 in 2018? 0:04:49.180 --> 0:04:50.930 Yeah, I've always had that. That's never going to go away. 0:04:50.940 --> 0:04:52.750 I've learned how to control it a little bit better, 0:04:52.830 --> 0:04:53.909 you know, now that I've gotten older. 0:04:53.950 --> 0:04:56.490 But, yeah, I've always had that. That's never going to 0:04:56.510 --> 0:04:59.990 go away. That's made me who I am as a player. But, 0:05:00.029 --> 0:05:01.730 you know, it's something that I really enjoy. You know, 0:05:01.810 --> 0:05:03.670 I enjoy being that kind of diamond in the rough 0:05:03.690 --> 0:05:06.280 a little bit. And, you know, I understand it. I 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:06.960 understand my role. 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:08.700 I understand what's expected of me. 0:05:08.740 --> 0:05:12.320 And, you know, I just take joy in fully understanding 0:05:12.520 --> 0:05:14.300 who I am as a player and the role that 0:05:14.320 --> 0:05:14.800 I play on this team. 0:05:15.110 --> 0:05:17.550 Do you feel like you're more appreciated now than you 0:05:17.589 --> 0:05:19.130 were even three years ago? 0:05:19.670 --> 0:05:21.830 I don't know. That's for other people to decide, not me. 0:05:23.089 --> 0:05:25.550 You know, like I said, I just enjoy coming out 0:05:25.570 --> 0:05:27.690 here every single day, being with the guys and doing 0:05:27.710 --> 0:05:28.770 everything I can to help the team win. 0:05:29.180 --> 0:05:30.780 On a day like today, are you excited? 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:33.400 What's the feelings that go through Max Muncy before first 0:05:33.440 --> 0:05:35.040 pitch of a playoff game these days? 0:05:35.580 --> 0:05:35.960 Anxiety. 0:05:36.200 --> 0:05:39.599 A lot of anxiety, you know, and that's never changed. 0:05:39.660 --> 0:05:42.560 You know, nervousness, anxiety, and You know, once the first 0:05:42.580 --> 0:05:44.419 pitch is thrown, you kind of snap out of it. 0:05:44.490 --> 0:05:46.330 But leading up to these games, you know, you still 0:05:46.370 --> 0:05:49.650 get the butterflies. And, you know, like you said, I 0:05:49.690 --> 0:05:50.130 think I. 0:05:50.110 --> 0:05:50.730 Think it's a good thing. 0:05:50.890 --> 0:05:52.890 It still means you're a human being. You're not just 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.060 robotic out there. And, you know, I feel like it 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:58.040 keeps you alert. And, you know, just, you know, for 0:05:58.080 --> 0:06:00.660 me and you've heard me talk about this before. our 0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:03.040 team doesn't play with emotion during the regular season, but 0:06:03.060 --> 0:06:05.140 we definitely play with emotion during the postseason. And so, 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:06.760 you know, part of that is what plays into it 0:06:06.839 --> 0:06:09.610 is you kind of get the nervousness and the anxiety 0:06:09.620 --> 0:06:11.450 before the playoff games that you don't get during the 0:06:11.470 --> 0:06:11.969 regular season. 0:06:12.529 --> 0:06:13.830 Thanks a lot for the time, Max. 0:06:14.870 --> 0:06:18.010 It's really a pleasure to see people outside start to 0:06:18.050 --> 0:06:20.570 appreciate what you mean to this team. You're still a 0:06:20.610 --> 0:06:24.989 connection to the previous chapter of Dodger baseball, and certainly 0:06:25.010 --> 0:06:26.890 I've been a guy that has held the. 0:06:26.890 --> 0:06:28.969 Keys to the culture. So thanks a lot for. 0:06:28.910 --> 0:06:31.289 The time and Can't wait to do this again in 0:06:31.330 --> 0:06:33.770 a more controlled, chaotic atmosphere. 0:06:33.790 --> 0:06:36.450 Sure, sure. Yeah, we'll go with that.