WEBVTT - Tarik Skubal (8-5-26) 

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

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<v Speaker 1>We're in the Friendly Confines a Wrigley Field, a place

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<v Speaker 1>where Terrece Spooble had never pitched before before last night,

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<v Speaker 1>making his Dodger debut, and we're joined right now by

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<v Speaker 1>the Dodgers left hander. Thanks a lot for the time,

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<v Speaker 1>appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, of course, thanks for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>What's it been like last night? I know, opening day,

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<v Speaker 1>your major league debut. Were there any butterflies when you

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<v Speaker 1>took the mound last night?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean even just going to bed the night before

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<v Speaker 3>and you know, waking up, you know, super excited to

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<v Speaker 3>kind of start this journey, you know, a different chapter

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<v Speaker 3>in my story. So, you know, excited to be a

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<v Speaker 3>Dodger and you know, give everything that I have to

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<v Speaker 3>the city, end of this team, and you know, try

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<v Speaker 3>to win as many baseball games as I can.

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<v Speaker 1>It's so strange you haven't been on the Dodgers more

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<v Speaker 1>than a couple of days, but it seems like you

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<v Speaker 1>have connections and relationships with so many guys through your

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<v Speaker 1>time with the All Star Games and the World Baseball Classic.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, no, I mean I try to get to know

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<v Speaker 3>everybody throughout the league. You know, it's kind of this fraternity,

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<v Speaker 3>right all these guys throughout the league, and there becomes

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of familiar faces and playing guys. Uh, just

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<v Speaker 3>you know, and I got a lot of respect for

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<v Speaker 3>everybody in this league. You know, it's it's really hard

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<v Speaker 3>to be a big leaguer, and then you know, when

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<v Speaker 3>you get to establish some time here, it's really cool

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<v Speaker 3>to know some guys and get to know guys, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>not just on the field, but off the field a

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<v Speaker 3>little bit. So you know, I try to, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>get to know everybody. You know, everyone's unique in their

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<v Speaker 3>own way, and you know, I really enjoy that part

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<v Speaker 3>of the game.

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<v Speaker 1>Clayton Kershaw reeved about you after the World Baseball Classic experience.

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<v Speaker 1>How much did you pick his brain? How much did

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<v Speaker 1>you get to connect with him?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 3>Quite a bit, you know, quite a bit. We talked,

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<v Speaker 3>spoke about everything you know about his career. Obviously you don't,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, just go to Baseball Reference and you'll understand

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<v Speaker 3>that he's probably, you know, the best left hander to

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<v Speaker 3>ever do it. So to be around him and just

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<v Speaker 3>you know, and embrace greatness obviously, at a different point

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<v Speaker 3>in his career, right, But it was a ton of

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<v Speaker 3>fun just to talk to him about baseball, pitching, about

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<v Speaker 3>how he goes about his business, any advice you know

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<v Speaker 3>that he would have told his younger self, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>all that stuff, you know, I think, And he's an

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<v Speaker 3>open book. Credit to him, you know, he doesn't have

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<v Speaker 3>to be. And then he's an open book. And when

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<v Speaker 3>I was traded over here, he texted me and you know,

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<v Speaker 3>kind of gave me the lay of the land, the

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<v Speaker 3>people here, you know that he works with, and everything

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<v Speaker 3>like that, and where to live, all that good stuff,

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<v Speaker 3>you know.

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<v Speaker 2>So I I really appreciate that, you know, appreciate that

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<v Speaker 2>from Kursh.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you remember what he told what he would have

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<v Speaker 1>told his younger self.

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<v Speaker 2>I'll keep those between me and him. You know.

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<v Speaker 3>I think there's some conversations that should probably stay a

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<v Speaker 3>little private, and that's probably one of them.

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<v Speaker 2>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>One thing that he's very public about is his change

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<v Speaker 1>up envy. Never could get the feel for the change up.

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<v Speaker 1>So did he share with you how much change up

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<v Speaker 1>envy he had?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think he didn't need a change up.

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<v Speaker 3>First off, I don't think he ever needed a change up,

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<v Speaker 3>So I don't know if there should be any envy there.

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<v Speaker 3>He had the best curveball in the history of the game,

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<v Speaker 3>and his execution with his force m and slider were great,

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<v Speaker 3>so you know, he didn't need a change up, so

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<v Speaker 3>I think that the env probably shouldn't be there. But yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, if I could swap some pitches out with him,

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<v Speaker 3>I would. I would take his slider and curveball and

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<v Speaker 3>a heartbeat.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that curveball, even at this stage of the career

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<v Speaker 1>that you saw, how impressed were you with how he's

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<v Speaker 1>able to still get over that front leg and be

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<v Speaker 1>able to snap it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>No, I mean his his curveball, everything about it, execution,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, for him, it's kind of like a change

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<v Speaker 3>up because it's so much slower than his heater. So

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<v Speaker 3>that's kind of how he. I feel like he regulated

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<v Speaker 3>lineups and regulated guys swings, you know, when they want

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<v Speaker 3>to get aggressive and swing at the first pitch.

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<v Speaker 2>You can go right after.

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<v Speaker 3>A you know, a curveball, and you're either gonna be

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<v Speaker 3>way out in front or it's going to be a

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<v Speaker 3>lazy fly ball.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think he used that to his advantage.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, just watching from Afar, So yeah, I mean

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<v Speaker 3>it's really impressive to watch him do what he does.

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<v Speaker 1>Terry Scooble is our guest to head a first pitch

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<v Speaker 1>between the Dodgers and Cubs. Just looking at your season, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I've noticed that you're getting speaking of Chase more Chase

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<v Speaker 1>this year than you ever have before in your career.

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<v Speaker 1>Is there a reason why are you just evolving as

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<v Speaker 1>time goes on as well?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I haven't really

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<v Speaker 2>thought about it much. You know.

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<v Speaker 3>I I kind of try to stay in the zone

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<v Speaker 3>and beat guys in the zone. You know, That's kind

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<v Speaker 3>of my mentality. I'm very confident in my stuff, so

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<v Speaker 3>I want to go right after guys and get in leverage.

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<v Speaker 3>And you know, I think when you're in leverage consistently,

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<v Speaker 3>that's when Chase starts to happen because they're you know,

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<v Speaker 3>they think every pitch is going to be a strike,

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<v Speaker 3>so you use that to your advantage. So yeah, I

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<v Speaker 3>mean I haven't really looked at any of that stuff,

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<v Speaker 3>you know. I'm just I go out there and I

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<v Speaker 3>try to put my team in a position to win

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<v Speaker 3>a baseball game. And if I do that, good day.

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<v Speaker 2>You know. That's how I think about it.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you believe too, Not every start you're gonna have

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<v Speaker 1>your best.

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<v Speaker 2>Stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>Which separates winning and losing and getting deep into game

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<v Speaker 1>is competing, right, You've got to find a way to compete.

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<v Speaker 2>No doubt.

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<v Speaker 3>I think the best in the game are the best

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<v Speaker 3>competitors in the game. Obviously the stuff is going to

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<v Speaker 3>be really good, But I think the best hitters, best pitchers,

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<v Speaker 3>doesn't matter, best relievers, they're the best competitors in the game.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, they go after everybody. It doesn't matter if

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<v Speaker 3>you feel good or if you you know, you got

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<v Speaker 3>in at five am the night before or whatever. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>you just go out there and give it everything you

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<v Speaker 3>got every fifth or sixth day, and that's all you

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<v Speaker 3>can ask for yourself, you know, and then slay it

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<v Speaker 3>all out on the line and then you know, results,

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, they matter, but they don't really matter. I

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<v Speaker 3>think how you compete and how you go about your

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<v Speaker 3>business and keep you know, be relentlessly attacking hitters is

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<v Speaker 3>what really matters.

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<v Speaker 1>So just to let you know, I got I covered

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<v Speaker 1>Kershaw for the last fifteen years of his career, and

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<v Speaker 1>I do have like boundaries when it comes to starting

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<v Speaker 1>pictures the day of their start. He has traumatized me.

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<v Speaker 1>I look directly into the ground now to any picture

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<v Speaker 1>that I come close to on start day. But Max

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<v Speaker 1>Munsey told me yesterday as you were getting ready, you

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<v Speaker 1>are so far from a Kurse Shaw type of start day.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you a guy that doesn't want anybody to talk

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<v Speaker 1>to you? Am I allowed to make eye contact with you?

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<v Speaker 1>Can you just set the ground rules? Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>No, I'm very approachable. Obviously.

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<v Speaker 3>I don't really want to talk a lot to the

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<v Speaker 3>media in general on the day I'm going.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh, trust me, I would never even come close.

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<v Speaker 3>Good mo, how's it going? You know, good, Good to

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<v Speaker 3>see you. You know those are all good to go. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>I just you know, as the game gets closer to

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<v Speaker 3>game time, I tend to kind of start to lock

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<v Speaker 3>it in. But you know, five six hours before the

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<v Speaker 3>game or four hours for the game. It's just like

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<v Speaker 3>I used to do that early in my career, and

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<v Speaker 3>I found myself very mentally exhausted before the game started.

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<v Speaker 3>So I just want to be myself. You know, I

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<v Speaker 3>think you know who I am is. You know I'm

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<v Speaker 3>I'm not outgoing, but I'm not an introvert. By any

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<v Speaker 3>means I want to talk to everybody and have fun.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, we get to play baseball for a living.

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<v Speaker 3>How awesome is that?

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<v Speaker 2>You know.

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<v Speaker 3>There's not that many people that have been able to

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<v Speaker 3>say that. So I want to enjoy every minute of it.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, you never know, how you know, when my

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<v Speaker 3>career is going to be done. I want to look

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<v Speaker 3>back and say I had fun and enjoyed every single

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<v Speaker 3>minute of it and and worked my ass off to

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<v Speaker 3>be the best player I can be. So that's kind

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<v Speaker 3>of how I approach the game, not saying that anything

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<v Speaker 3>is wrong. You know, each guy is different in each

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<v Speaker 3>of their own you know, and it works. Obviously it

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<v Speaker 3>worked really well for Kersh, but.

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<v Speaker 2>It didn't work for me.

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<v Speaker 3>So I kind of just went back and resorted to

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<v Speaker 3>just being who I am, and that's who I am.

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<v Speaker 1>So the next start day, when I see you laying

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<v Speaker 1>on the ground doing your yoga, should I just give

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<v Speaker 1>you a shooter? McGavin point, you can do whatever you want.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm probably not going to do it back, but I'll

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<v Speaker 3>acknowledge you for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>All Right, good, we got the ground rules. Here's another

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<v Speaker 1>question for you. I heard you don't prefer being called

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<v Speaker 1>by your first name. You rather me call you Scoops?

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<v Speaker 1>Is that true?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? I think only my wife calls me by.

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<v Speaker 1>My first name when she when you're in trouble or.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, then I'll get my middle name too.

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<v Speaker 3>It's kind of like my mother when she says my

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<v Speaker 3>first and middle name or first and last right back

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<v Speaker 3>to back. I know I've done something wrong, which I'm

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<v Speaker 3>not oblivious too. I probably knew I did something wrong

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<v Speaker 3>to try to get away with it, but.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm always in the doghouse too.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think everyone, everyone on the basement in the

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<v Speaker 3>baseball wroll just calls me Scoob or Scooby or Scoob

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<v Speaker 3>something like that. And okay, that's just what I respond

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<v Speaker 3>to I, you know, as when you're in season. I

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<v Speaker 3>honestly I forget my first name a little bit because

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<v Speaker 3>they don't really, you know, no teammate really has.

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<v Speaker 2>Ever called me Terrek.

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<v Speaker 3>It's kind of it's not a it's not an easy

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<v Speaker 3>word to pronounce and kind of get off the time.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, all right, last one for you. Since you're in

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<v Speaker 1>La it's a great food town. What does Scoobs like

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<v Speaker 1>to eat? Are you Italian? Have you had in and

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<v Speaker 1>out before?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my god. I'm a West Coast guy. I love

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<v Speaker 2>in and out.

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<v Speaker 1>You're an az guy, that's right.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean, I don't know. People say Waterburger. I

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<v Speaker 3>don't even think it holds.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not even the same level, and it ou'ts so good,

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<v Speaker 2>you know.

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<v Speaker 3>But for food like Taco's, Italian steak sushi, I'm into

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<v Speaker 3>every type of food, you know. I love eating good food,

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<v Speaker 3>good quality food, and I'm sure LA has plenty of it,

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<v Speaker 3>and I look forward to exploring that.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, Thanks Scoops. Thanks for the time. Great to

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<v Speaker 1>share you with Dodger fans. Obviously you're a human being.

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<v Speaker 1>You're not just an ultimate picture in baseball right now.

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<v Speaker 1>So I love showing fans what you're all about. And

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<v Speaker 1>since you love good food, you'll receive a gift card

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<v Speaker 1>to Hobbyers Newport Beach, Pasadena. Your agent, Scott Boris, lives

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<v Speaker 1>at the one in Newport Beach, so enjoy hobby Aers

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<v Speaker 1>when you're in LA.

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<v Speaker 2>I appreciate it. Thank you,