WEBVTT - Alex Freeland (4-11-26) 

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

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<v Speaker 1>All Right, this is his first time on the show

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<v Speaker 1>this season. He's starting again at second base. He's been

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<v Speaker 1>in there virtually every night for the Dodgers. That's the

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<v Speaker 1>one and only Alex Freeland and I appreciate you clearing

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<v Speaker 1>the throat getting ready for this interview.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks for having me on, man.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, how's it been to get this opportunity? Everybody needs

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<v Speaker 1>an opportunity. I just needed an opportunity with you. The

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<v Speaker 1>Dodgers have given you an opportunity to play.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm grateful for it. I mean.

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<v Speaker 3>I really wasn't expecting it but to break with the team.

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<v Speaker 3>But They've given me an opportunity, and I'm trying to

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<v Speaker 3>make the most of it, so all I can be

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<v Speaker 3>as grateful for.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you feel like you belonged more than you did

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<v Speaker 1>when you first got called up?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? Definitely.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean just having that little taste of it from

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<v Speaker 3>last year like gave me or put my mind at ease,

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<v Speaker 3>like it's nothing that I haven't done.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I'm definitely more comfortable.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's talk about last night's game as a baseball fan,

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<v Speaker 1>that was a really entertaining game to watch, especially when

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<v Speaker 1>Max Munsey's hitting three home runs.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no, that was a really good game. Shout out

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<v Speaker 2>months he was on one last night.

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<v Speaker 1>Can you feel that type of game? It felt like

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<v Speaker 1>the Rangers are not being intimidated by you, They're not

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<v Speaker 1>conceding anything. That makes the game a little bit more fun.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, I don't think any team's over there just

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<v Speaker 3>conceding to us. I mean everybody's trying to beat us

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<v Speaker 3>and play hard. So those are the games that I

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<v Speaker 3>enjoy the most. When it's higher energy, good baseball, Like

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<v Speaker 3>I really enjoy that. So last night's game was fun

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<v Speaker 3>to play and fun to watch.

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<v Speaker 1>When Rojas is in there at shortstop with you, what

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<v Speaker 1>are some of the nuances and communication he shares with you, just.

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<v Speaker 3>Like positioning, and we just communicate throughout the game, like

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<v Speaker 3>what we want to do if balls hitting this in

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<v Speaker 3>this scenario. So it's just communicating about the game.

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<v Speaker 1>Does he have a better scouting report on some players

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<v Speaker 1>or little tips on how to get a read off

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<v Speaker 1>one hitter?

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<v Speaker 2>Uh?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I would say I would say that, so just

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<v Speaker 3>because Maggie's played with a lot of these guys and

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<v Speaker 3>against them, so He's always got something on whether it's

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<v Speaker 3>small or big, He's always got something.

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<v Speaker 1>So does he make you see the game differently? Does

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<v Speaker 1>it open your eyes when you're playing second base, even

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<v Speaker 1>when Kim like tonight, is starting at shortstop.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah? No, I mean I always really enjoy playing up

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<v Speaker 3>the middle with both of the guys. But Miggy Rose

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<v Speaker 3>just like that veteran player, so like he's seen almost everything.

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<v Speaker 3>So it's like, I really enjoy playing up the middle

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<v Speaker 3>with Meggie.

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<v Speaker 1>Alex Freeland is our guest. I'm not going to pretend

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<v Speaker 1>that I'm some baseball expert, but I have noticed when

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<v Speaker 1>you're hitting from the left side, your hands are elevated

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<v Speaker 1>and they're a little bit farther away from your body

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<v Speaker 1>than I saw last year. Is that an accurate observation.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's pretty accurate.

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<v Speaker 3>It's just to free up my hands, give me space

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<v Speaker 3>to rotate.

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<v Speaker 1>Does it help you eliminate even just like maybe a

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<v Speaker 1>second to try to get your bat into the strike

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<v Speaker 1>zoner to keep it in the strike zone longer?

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<v Speaker 3>I would say so, yeah, But just like the main

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<v Speaker 3>purpose of it to have my hands away from my

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<v Speaker 3>body is to create space.

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<v Speaker 1>How did you find that Robert. Oh, wow, he actually

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<v Speaker 1>does something.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he does.

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<v Speaker 3>But it was when we were playing in the Freeway Series.

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<v Speaker 3>It's like the like, yeah, I didn't. I didn't make

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<v Speaker 3>that adjustment until the Freeway Series and I had like

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<v Speaker 3>one game so like a few at bats with it,

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<v Speaker 3>and I was like, all right, like Bush's run with it,

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<v Speaker 3>and here we are.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not joking. When you guys came back to Dodger

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<v Speaker 1>Stadium during the Freeway Series and watching you take batting practice,

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<v Speaker 1>that's the first time that it really stood out to me.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 3>No, Like I said, we made that adjustment like the

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<v Speaker 3>second second game of the Freeway Series. So it feels

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<v Speaker 3>good and I'm gonna run with it.

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<v Speaker 1>I know you take and being a switch hitter, but

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<v Speaker 1>you're being run out there mostly against righties. Have you

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<v Speaker 1>found some sort of rhythm doing that from one side

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<v Speaker 1>of the plate?

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, yeah, most of my focus is on the

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<v Speaker 3>on the left side right now, but I mean there

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<v Speaker 3>are times, like when we were in Toronto, I did

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<v Speaker 3>get a few at bats right handed, so not trying

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<v Speaker 3>to just push the right handed something to the side

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<v Speaker 3>and still get my work in even though like the

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<v Speaker 3>majority of the time I'm not gonna hit right handed

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<v Speaker 3>versus the lefties, which which I'm fine with. Like that is,

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<v Speaker 3>that is okay. Whatever they need me to do, I'll do.

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<v Speaker 1>Having fun very baseball stadiums. Sorry, you're it feels like

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<v Speaker 1>coming to the ballpark for you is your refuge. You

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<v Speaker 1>can get away from everything and and have a good time.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, definitely. This is where. This is where I would

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<v Speaker 2>call home. This is where my mind's at. He's love it.

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<v Speaker 1>Hope you find a place to stay in La soon.

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<v Speaker 2>Shoot, I do too.

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<v Speaker 3>If you know anybody that's renting out their home, let

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<v Speaker 3>me know.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, hey sometimes they might Thanks a lot for the time.

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<v Speaker 1>Great to see a smile. And I love how you

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<v Speaker 1>keep the swamp mullet away from the stadium this year.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah you like that. Yeah, maybe I'll grow it out

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<v Speaker 2>just for you.