WEBVTT - Mike Sirota (7-9-26)

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<v Speaker 1>Two Dodger outfield prospects have been selected to participate in

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<v Speaker 1>the game on Sunday. Hosts Way, Depaula, and our guest

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<v Speaker 1>right now from Double A Tulsa, the Tulsa Drillers, Mike Saroda. Mike,

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<v Speaker 1>thanks a lot for the time. Appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, thank you for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>So, Mike, this is a great honor of recognition of

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<v Speaker 1>your season. I know it's not the All Star Game,

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<v Speaker 1>but it's essentially the All Star Game for minor league players.

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<v Speaker 1>What was your reaction when you found out they wanted

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<v Speaker 1>you to play.

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<v Speaker 3>I was just extremely grateful for the opportunity. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>not very many minor leaguers get to do this, So

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<v Speaker 3>when I first heard the news, I was ecstatic. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>obviously it's a huge opportunity and I'm just grateful for it.

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<v Speaker 1>Who broke the news to you? How do you find

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<v Speaker 1>out you're playing in the Futures Game?

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<v Speaker 3>I actually went in my manager, Coach Wedge. I went

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<v Speaker 3>in there and he broke the news to me and

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<v Speaker 3>host Way.

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<v Speaker 1>Eric Wedge is still your manager at Tulsa.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he is.

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<v Speaker 1>And what kind of manager is he? I mean, he's

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<v Speaker 1>been through it, he's managed some real good teams in

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<v Speaker 1>the major league. So what's he like as a minor

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<v Speaker 1>league manager?

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<v Speaker 3>You know, he's just the best. I mean, his baseball

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<v Speaker 3>knowledge is just off the charts. I learned new things

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<v Speaker 3>from him every day, just whether it's about on the base,

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<v Speaker 3>pats with in the batter's box. You know, it's just

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<v Speaker 3>great to have a guy like that teaching you about

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<v Speaker 3>the game and whatnot.

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<v Speaker 1>Does it make a difference to your ears kind of

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<v Speaker 1>focus a little bit more when you have a manager

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<v Speaker 1>that managed some of the best players in the big

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<v Speaker 1>leagues and has the experience of what it takes to

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<v Speaker 1>not only get there, but to stay there.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, definitely.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, having someone like that sort of mentor me

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<v Speaker 3>this year, it's just awesome to have.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike Saroda is our guest. He is having a phenomenal

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<v Speaker 1>season at Tulsa. Mike, you got to know this about me.

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<v Speaker 1>I know the rules. I'm not bringing up any stats

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<v Speaker 1>or anything like that, so you're safe right here.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, all right, sounds good, But I know you're.

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<v Speaker 1>Having a great year and it's your first full season

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<v Speaker 1>and the Dodger organization after being acquired from Reds and

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<v Speaker 1>that Gavin lux Trade. What's it been like to be

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<v Speaker 1>part of this organization and how have they brought the

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<v Speaker 1>best out of you?

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<v Speaker 2>This organization is just next level.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean the resources that you have to talk to,

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<v Speaker 3>whether it's the staff at the affiliates or spring training,

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<v Speaker 3>it's just next level. And the amount of information that

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<v Speaker 3>you get and the knowledge that that these these people have,

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<v Speaker 3>it's just next level and it's great to have.

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<v Speaker 1>What are some of the tools that you're talking about.

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<v Speaker 1>Is it the stuff that we hear about in spring

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<v Speaker 1>training and in at Dodger Stadium as far as VR

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<v Speaker 1>and just the information? What is it about the minor

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<v Speaker 1>league system that helps guys develop?

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's more so the kind of like approach

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<v Speaker 3>based things that our hitting coaches have and the information

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<v Speaker 3>that's relayed to us about just breaking down our approach

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<v Speaker 3>and what we're thinking in the box and kind of

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<v Speaker 3>like critical thinking about what we're doing up there, and

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<v Speaker 3>that's kind of the key to I think what's helped

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<v Speaker 3>me the most with the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 1>You're a great guy to ask this question, too, because

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<v Speaker 1>you hear some of the old school players say that

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<v Speaker 1>guys are striking out way too much. There's an over

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<v Speaker 1>emphasis on slugging, not just putting the ball in play.

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<v Speaker 1>What is being taught in the organization and what's your

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<v Speaker 1>philosophy on all that.

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<v Speaker 3>When I'm in the batter's box, I'm really just trying

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<v Speaker 3>to find a good pitch to hit and I'm okay

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<v Speaker 3>with taking a strike. That's kind of my philosophy. But

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, it varies throughout the organization with each player.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, the Dodgers are special because each player is

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<v Speaker 3>very different, and not very many organizations are like that.

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<v Speaker 3>A lot of organizations is kind of like the same

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<v Speaker 3>archetype of player, I feel like, so it's pretty unique

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<v Speaker 3>to have an organization that it just varies between the players.

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<v Speaker 3>But for me, I'm just looking for my pitch to

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<v Speaker 3>hit and I'm going to do my best amount.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike Serota is our guest right now. He's in Double

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<v Speaker 1>A Tulsa. On Sunday, he'll be playing in the Futures

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<v Speaker 1>Game in Philadelphia. Mike, I heard that from James Tibbs

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<v Speaker 1>in spring training. Obviously, he's been with a couple of

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<v Speaker 1>different organizations and he has a great perspective on what

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<v Speaker 1>separates the Dodgers. But the one thing that really stood

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<v Speaker 1>out to me is something that you just mentioned. How

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<v Speaker 1>they allow you guys to be yourselves and they don't

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<v Speaker 1>try to put you into this cookie cutter formula that

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't fit everybody.

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<v Speaker 3>They do a really good job with that. I mean, obviously,

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<v Speaker 3>like there are things that some of our developmental like

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<v Speaker 3>coaches will tell us, but for the most part, they

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<v Speaker 3>kind of they kind of let you be your own coach.

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<v Speaker 1>If that makes sense, Yes, that's the best way to go, right.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you feel like you're I know you're young and

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<v Speaker 1>you're still developing into a big league player, but do

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<v Speaker 1>you feel at this stage of your career you're starting

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<v Speaker 1>to become your best hitting coach? Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's definitely true.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, no one really knows your body, no one

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<v Speaker 3>knows your mind like you do, so it's kind of

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<v Speaker 3>up to you.

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<v Speaker 2>At the end of the day to sort of figure

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<v Speaker 2>that stuff out.

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<v Speaker 1>Mike, We've heard about so many of the great outfielders

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<v Speaker 1>the Dodgers, Saba double A at Triple A. What is

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<v Speaker 1>the relationship between you and Depaula Zay your hope. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>there's so many great young outfielders that you guys are

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<v Speaker 1>playing together, but in some ways competing against each other.

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<v Speaker 1>What's the dynamic there?

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<v Speaker 3>I don't think we don't really view it much of

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<v Speaker 3>a competition as much as we try and learn from

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<v Speaker 3>each other.

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<v Speaker 2>I think we all do different.

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<v Speaker 3>Things really well, and we're always asking each other questions,

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<v Speaker 3>whether it's in the outfield or in the batter's box.

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<v Speaker 3>And it's just great to be surrounded by people like

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<v Speaker 3>that that you can learn from, whether it's off the

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<v Speaker 3>field stuff, on the field stuff, So it's just great.

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<v Speaker 1>Is Zay your hope still bench pressing like five hundred

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<v Speaker 1>pounds every day?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? Probably probably a little more than that.

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<v Speaker 1>Who do you roommate with?

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<v Speaker 2>Tulsa Gutierrez? He's a pitcher from Mexico.

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<v Speaker 1>And how's that going? Is he a good roommate?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he's great. He's awesome. A bit of a language barrier,

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<v Speaker 2>but we're getting we're getting used to it.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you starting to learn some Spanish?

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<v Speaker 2>At least pretty good?

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<v Speaker 1>Your Spanish is pretty good?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, not not amazing, but it's it's pretty good.

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<v Speaker 1>That's great to hear. I know people don't realize. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>even in this day and age, you guys really have

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<v Speaker 1>to scratch and claw to try to figure out the

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<v Speaker 1>living situation in these minor league cities.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, especially when you're moving up levels, you're kind of

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<v Speaker 3>getting different guys and you're getting acclimated to him, So

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<v Speaker 3>it's it's pretty cool.

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<v Speaker 1>I can I ask you about host Wave Depaula. You

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<v Speaker 1>guys are going to be in Philly together. We've heard

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<v Speaker 1>so much about him as well. What's he like as

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<v Speaker 1>a teammate.

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<v Speaker 3>He's very relaxed, very focused, very funny. He's a He's

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<v Speaker 3>a funny guy on the field. He's kind of the

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<v Speaker 3>same guy on the field as he is off the field.

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<v Speaker 3>Just very relaxed, focused guy, you know, knows what he

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<v Speaker 3>needs to do, hard worker, just all the he checks

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<v Speaker 3>all the boxes.

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<v Speaker 1>He's very much into yoga. Have you gotten into hot

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<v Speaker 1>yoga with him?

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<v Speaker 2>I have not.

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<v Speaker 3>He invited me and I declined. Maybe next off season though.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay sounds good. Okay, Before I let you go, Mike

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<v Speaker 1>Sarota is our guest. He's going to be in the

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<v Speaker 1>Futures Game in Philadelphia on Sunday. How much are you

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<v Speaker 1>going to allow yourself to take it all in, Mike,

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<v Speaker 1>because you're going to be there before the All Stars arrive,

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<v Speaker 1>but you're going to feel the atmosphere there in Philly.

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<v Speaker 1>When do you get to Philly? And how long are

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<v Speaker 1>you allowed to stay in Philly? Are they kicking you

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<v Speaker 1>out when guys like Freddie Freeman show up?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think they're kicking us out, honestly, but no,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm kidding. But we leave Saturday and then the game

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<v Speaker 3>I believe is Sunday, right, and I think they have

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<v Speaker 3>the hotel booked until Monday. So but in terms of

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<v Speaker 3>the atmosphere, I really don't know what to expect from it.

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<v Speaker 3>I've never done anything like this before, so I don't

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<v Speaker 3>know what to prepare for. But it's definitely going to

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<v Speaker 3>be an experience and I'm excited for it.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not a big leaguer, Mike, but I've been traveling

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<v Speaker 1>with the Dodgers for the last fifteen years and the

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<v Speaker 1>Philly cheese steaks in the visiting clubhouse is legendary. I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know if the chef is going to be serving

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<v Speaker 1>them up for the Futures game, but if he is,

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<v Speaker 1>you have to try one of those Philly cheese steaks

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<v Speaker 1>in the visiting clubhouse.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I'm going to try for sure. It's one of

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<v Speaker 3>my favorite foods. So just broke the news to me.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, there you go, you and de Paula. One

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<v Speaker 1>time I was challenged to eat one of them in

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<v Speaker 1>less than a minute, and I wasn't able to accomplish

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<v Speaker 1>that feat. But maybe you can try to challenge one

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<v Speaker 1>of your teammates.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean, I'll try that. Maybe Depot will get

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<v Speaker 2>it to Paula.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, let's do it. I could see him being able

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<v Speaker 1>to take it down.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he's a big guy, so I've seen to meet

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<v Speaker 2>a little bit in the clubhouse.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, my congratulations on a great start to the year. Congratulations.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm being selected to the Futures Game and can't wait

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<v Speaker 1>to see you at Dodger Stadium very soon. And you

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<v Speaker 1>know I did see you hit a home run on

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<v Speaker 1>the backfields this spring training in one of the Double

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<v Speaker 1>A Games. But we never met. We've never met. This

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<v Speaker 1>is our first introduction. So great to have you on

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<v Speaker 1>the show and look forward to meeting you in person

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<v Speaker 1>one day.

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<v Speaker 2>Forward to meeting you too. Thank you for having me