WEBVTT - Biggest Dodgers Concerns Heading into Second Half, Huge Injury News! 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.000 The biggest thing is obviously making sure guys are healthy 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:05.320 at the right time of year, and as Katie just 0:00:05.400 --> 0:00:08.200 went through, we're getting some really key pieces back at 0:00:08.200 --> 0:00:22.919 the right time. Hello everybody, and welcome to a brand 0:00:22.920 --> 0:00:27.680 new live episode of Dodgers Territory. I am live from Philadelphia, 0:00:27.800 --> 0:00:31.200 Katie Wu is live from Philadelphia, and Clint is live 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:34.159 in California doing all the things that he always does, 0:00:34.240 --> 0:00:36.520 putting this great show together. It is All Star break. 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:38.239 That is why Katie and I are here. Happy that 0:00:38.280 --> 0:00:40.280 you guys are with us. Get your thoughts in the 0:00:40.400 --> 0:00:44.160 chat and we appreciate your conversations and your stuff. 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:48.400 All Right, first half of the season, it's a wrap, kids. 0:00:48.479 --> 0:00:51.239 Katie, what is your I guess your assessment of the 0:00:51.240 --> 0:00:53.400 first half of the Dodgers season as we head into 0:00:53.440 --> 0:00:54.520 this All Star break. 0:00:55.360 --> 0:00:58.760 We just forget about the last week. Great and that's 0:00:58.760 --> 0:01:01.160 gonna happen, right, that's gonna have. But every team has 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:04.200 highs and lows. We know all the cliches. But I 0:01:04.240 --> 0:01:06.240 think for the Dodgers, I mean they finished with the 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:08.800 best record in baseball. They did so with out essentially 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:11.160 an entire first half of Blake Snell, Tyler Glassnow and 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:13.920 Edwin Diaz. They got a chance to test out their depth. 0:01:13.959 --> 0:01:16.560 Turns out that's pretty good too. Yeah, they had about 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:18.920 a couple of clunkers to end out the season. He'd ever, 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:20.760 you know, more step for the first time by the 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:23.319 d Backs to close out the first half. But all 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:27.319 in all, it's not what we expected, right, Yeah, this is. 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:29.600 This is what you expect that of the Dodgers, you know, 0:01:29.840 --> 0:01:32.600 and this is now three years running where they kind 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:34.480 of limp into the All Star Game, into the All 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:37.640 Star break, they play like crap, I don't know where 0:01:37.680 --> 0:01:40.760 I'm sitting. That means that that bodes well for October 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:44.520 and for you know, hoisting a trophy. But listen, nobody 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:46.600 wants to talk about how this this the you know, 0:01:46.920 --> 0:01:49.240 first half of the season ended. There a lota We 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:51.920 want to talk about the good stuff. I think our 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:55.000 powers made Justin Robleski an All Star because that has 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:58.480 happened between our shows ALTA. When you think about Robo 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:00.760 the Shark, friend of the Show being added to the 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:02.160 All Star Rust, I'm excited. 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:03.920 I'm excited for him and it was well earned. I 0:02:03.960 --> 0:02:05.840 hate that it was kind of like via the back door, 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:08.400 if you will, and obviously if you talked to Zach Wheeler, 0:02:08.880 --> 0:02:10.560 he's a little irritated. 0:02:10.440 --> 0:02:13.079 About being named to the All Star Game. 0:02:13.120 --> 0:02:14.960 But you know, a couple of things had to happen 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:16.960 for Justin Rableski to be added. But you know what, 0:02:17.160 --> 0:02:20.000 all's well, that ends well. Robo is an All Star 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:22.080 this season. What he's been able to do for this team. 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:25.400 I also think it helps that Dave Roberts is the 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:27.840 manager of the National League and knows what that guy 0:02:27.880 --> 0:02:29.639 can do. He sees him go out there every fifth, 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:32.520 sixth days. So I'm happy for him, I'm proud of him. 0:02:32.880 --> 0:02:35.160 Is well earned, and the thing I want for Robo 0:02:36.000 --> 0:02:37.919 is to just kind of soak it all in, right. 0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:40.640 I mean, this is a guy that nobody even gave 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:43.440 any sort of credit or credence to coming into the season. 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:45.480 You know, it doesn't strike guys out, blah blah blah. 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:47.760 We discussed it at length when he was on the show. 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:50.720 We were like, is he a bullpen guy? Is he 0:02:50.800 --> 0:02:52.320 a starter? Or what is this guy going to do 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:54.640 for this club? And he's been one of the most 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:58.120 consistent starters. You see the numbers there, guys ten and 0:02:58.160 --> 0:03:00.799 two on the year, A two, six nine ERA and 0:03:00.960 --> 0:03:02.960 over one hundred inks pitch and that's what I love 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:04.760 so much about him. He just goes out there and 0:03:04.760 --> 0:03:07.000 he shoves. He gives the team length, He gives him 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:10.080 an opportunity to win, and I hope that he enjoys 0:03:10.080 --> 0:03:13.080 this opportunity and kind of picks the brains of everybody 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:15.680 in the National League that he wants to learn from. 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:16.720 And it's awesome. 0:03:16.760 --> 0:03:19.320 And also Kudo's and a hat tip as well to 0:03:20.080 --> 0:03:22.840 Christopher Sanchez who gets the start for the National League. 0:03:22.880 --> 0:03:25.800 Dave Roberts given him that call certainly well deserved too. 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:27.160 But yeah, Robo, he's an All Star. 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:30.840 Hey, now you're an All Star, Katie thought. I mean 0:03:30.840 --> 0:03:32.960 you were there, you were around him as he got 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:35.360 the nod. I guess technically not he was on the 0:03:35.400 --> 0:03:38.920 golf courses he got the phone call, but yeah, how 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:41.640 was he, you know, in terms of his excitement and 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:43.240 you know, the honor for him. 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:46.400 Yeah, I think he actually missed that first call because 0:03:46.440 --> 0:03:47.720 he was on the golf course. 0:03:48.240 --> 0:03:51.360 So we know it was very you know, I get it. Priorities. 0:03:51.960 --> 0:03:54.839 I think Robo did all the right things when the 0:03:54.920 --> 0:03:58.080 rosters were first released and then the initial subs were 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:00.280 the replacements were named, where he said, hey, you know, 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.520 like this would have been great, you know, would have been 0:04:02.520 --> 0:04:03.560 an honor, but I'm okay. 0:04:03.840 --> 0:04:05.120 And then we talked to him on Saturday. 0:04:05.160 --> 0:04:06.920 He goes, yeah, I was upset, and we were like, 0:04:06.960 --> 0:04:09.040 you know what, yeah, we know, we know you were upset. 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:10.160 You deserve to be an All Star. 0:04:10.280 --> 0:04:11.720 I mean, we saw the status up there with a 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:14.040 lota just now up in the top ten in multiple 0:04:14.040 --> 0:04:17.159 categories for the National League, and it's well deserved, because 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:20.200 sometimes I think the Dodgers get a little Dodger fatigued, 0:04:20.360 --> 0:04:23.919 right when you look at all thirty teams. I understand 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:27.599 other fan bases might be like more Dodgers, seriously, but 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:29.839 I don't think like Justin Rabuski should be punished for 0:04:29.880 --> 0:04:33.200 that because he put together an all Star caliber first half. 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:35.800 As we've seen, we think about his importance to the 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:38.120 Dodgers club in the first half, you can argue, outside 0:04:38.160 --> 0:04:40.800 of the big stars that we talk about every day, 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:44.280 he's one of the more underrated and important guys on 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:46.800 this roster, just based on what he's done for this rotation. 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:49.839 So to see him get rewarded not just in that clubhouse, 0:04:49.839 --> 0:04:51.960 but from a national scale. He'd been here in Philadelphia 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:53.600 with the rest of the guys taking it all in. 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.880 It's well well deserved for Justin Rabuski, who's having a 0:04:56.880 --> 0:05:00.000 breakout season and continues to show why he's so importan, 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:01.920 and not just for the future of the Dodgers, but 0:05:02.000 --> 0:05:02.640 right now too. 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:06.040 You know another thing too, Katie mentioning the fan base 0:05:06.040 --> 0:05:08.279 that there might be some Dodgers fatigue. I tell you what, 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:10.600 the fan base, every fan base wanted to see sho 0:05:10.680 --> 0:05:13.080 hey Otani, and that really bums me out that he's 0:05:13.080 --> 0:05:15.760 not here, and he's not here because he was supposed 0:05:15.760 --> 0:05:17.720 to get his knee drained on Sunday. Of course, he's 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:20.480 still dealing with some inflammation in the knee. We knew 0:05:20.480 --> 0:05:23.040 he wasn't going to pitch, but he was going to 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:25.080 serve as a dh for the National League. 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:29.000 And he is so well beloved around the world that. 0:05:29.640 --> 0:05:33.320 I kind of feel like that's a reason that Murataki Murakama, 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:35.960 I can't even say that name correctly. I apologize got 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:38.440 added so quickly to the home run derby right because 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:43.160 the Japanese contingent is so big observedly so, but Shohy 0:05:43.279 --> 0:05:45.279 was like leading the pack in terms of that, So 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:47.320 he's not going to be here. He's not participating, which 0:05:47.360 --> 0:05:50.320 is a bummer obviously, But I guess more of the 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:52.960 question is Katie, is he going to be good to go? 0:05:53.040 --> 0:05:54.800 I mean, is this going to be enough of arrest 0:05:54.839 --> 0:05:57.400 for him to be ready for the second half of 0:05:57.400 --> 0:05:59.159 the season when this All Star break is over? 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:02.760 They think so, he thinks so. So when now we 0:06:02.839 --> 0:06:04.680 just wait and see. He was supposed to get his 0:06:04.760 --> 0:06:07.520 knee drained after Sunday's game, a couple of days of 0:06:07.560 --> 0:06:10.880 rest and recovery, possibly an injection that we haven't confirmed that, 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:14.960 and we'll just see. Because technically, the Dodgers can restructure 0:06:14.960 --> 0:06:18.040 the rotation with four days off where show Hay can 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:20.239 pitch at the end, right, he can be that sixth 0:06:20.360 --> 0:06:22.040 guy to go if he's going to be in the rotation. 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:25.160 We have a couple of off days too, in that 0:06:25.279 --> 0:06:28.159 ten day, nine games, ten day section that we have 0:06:28.200 --> 0:06:30.400 coming out of the break, So the Dodgers can be 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:32.640 strategic with how they use Otani as a pitcher. If 0:06:32.640 --> 0:06:34.240 they want to buy him more days again, they can 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:35.560 pitch him later in the series. 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:37.120 They can move him back if they need to. 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:40.680 But I think the big thing for show Hay is 0:06:40.680 --> 0:06:43.080 figuring out how to make sure this doesn't keep happening. 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:45.800 And when we talked to him Saturday after the game, 0:06:45.880 --> 0:06:47.920 he said, you know, I feel the knee pain more 0:06:47.960 --> 0:06:50.320 when I pitch rather than I hit. And I asked him, 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.159 is it because of how you're planting, how you're finishing pitches? 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:55.560 And he said, it's hard to tell, but that might 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:55.920 be it. 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:58.160 Probably, So he's going to have to make some mechanical 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:00.880 changes to ensure that the impact on that knee is 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:02.720 no longer going to be to the extent that it is. 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:04.680 We talk about this all year long. Guys. 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:08.720 It's true the Dodgers need show Hey Otani in October. 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:10.920 So if that means he's resting in July, as much 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:12.640 as we want to see him in the All Star Game, 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:13.840 it sucks. 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:14.520 I get it. 0:07:14.560 --> 0:07:17.120 He's obviously the biggest space that you're gonna see and 0:07:17.120 --> 0:07:18.400 you're gonna want in events like this. 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:20.560 But the Dodgers need him for October, so this is 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:21.160 the smart play. 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:23.480 Yeah, you need him for October. I don't need to 0:07:23.480 --> 0:07:28.000 see him try to pursue a Cy Young Award finish 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:30.240 or whatever I mean at this point we're not going 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:33.520 to get there. That's that's a ship that has sailed 0:07:33.520 --> 0:07:35.440 with how good Misowski has been and all that kind 0:07:35.440 --> 0:07:38.280 of stuff. But yeah, bubble wrap the dude. I don't 0:07:38.320 --> 0:07:40.280 care if you miss a couple of starts. Obviously he 0:07:40.320 --> 0:07:41.600 remains in the lineup. 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:41.800 As a hitter. 0:07:41.880 --> 0:07:43.720 You need to have that slug in the lineup. But 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:47.080 protect show Hey at all costs and have him ready 0:07:47.120 --> 0:07:49.840 to be one of the first three dudes to pick 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:52.880 up a baseball in a starting capacity for the Dodgers 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:55.840 in October. You got to have him around. More good 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:59.200 news on the injury front. We had some good Blake 0:07:59.280 --> 0:08:03.800 Snell progress. We had some great Edwin Diaz progress who 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:07.800 went out there and pitched a game for the Ontario 0:08:07.920 --> 0:08:11.880 Tower Buzzers down the road for me. Keyky Hernandez said, hey, boys, 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:15.200 I'm gonna be back like after you guys are finished 0:08:15.200 --> 0:08:18.160 with your East Coast run. Katie tell us a little 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:22.000 bit more about the Blake Snell situation. It seems all 0:08:22.040 --> 0:08:22.720 signs are great. 0:08:23.720 --> 0:08:25.360 Yeah, let's just do an injury rundown. 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:29.240 We'll start with Blake Snell, who will schedule to start 0:08:29.280 --> 0:08:32.760 a rehab assignment around this time next week. Which is 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:35.880 all things considered a huge deal, especially because we just 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:38.720 didn't know what that recovery was going to look like. Yes, 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:41.760 he had the same surgery by definitions T school, but 0:08:42.240 --> 0:08:43.760 we've said this, I think Schooble said it. 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:44.920 Blake has said it as well. 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:49.880 It's you can't compare the two surgeries because two different people, 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:50.920 two different recoveries. 0:08:50.960 --> 0:08:52.240 So we knew he was going to. 0:08:52.240 --> 0:08:54.760 Come back as early as Google did. However, with Blake, 0:08:54.840 --> 0:08:58.360 I think this is such a benefit because when he 0:08:58.480 --> 0:09:00.960 first went down with this injury, like, is this gonna 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:02.120 be Is he gonna be back by September? 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:03.559 We just don't know. It's already May. 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:05.760 What's the recovery process look like if you're gonna lose 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:07.960 his season? But now the Dodgers look like they're gonna 0:09:07.960 --> 0:09:11.000 get him back right around August, which lines up right 0:09:11.040 --> 0:09:13.679 with everyone's favorite phrase, just like making a trade at 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:14.400 the deadline. 0:09:14.559 --> 0:09:17.080 It's not. But this is a huge first step. 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:19.920 So Bake Snell scheduled to start a rehab shortly after 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:24.120 the All Star break. Edwin Diaz made his first rehabit appearance, 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:28.240 as you said, Clint, with Class A Ontario eleven pitches 0:09:28.320 --> 0:09:31.280 eight for strikes two punches perfect, so he'll make a 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:33.880 couple more. Again, we talked about this because he's a closer, 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:36.520 he doesn't need to make multiple innings, so it's all 0:09:36.559 --> 0:09:38.040 about one inning stance. 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:40.040 Can he pitch well? Can he recover? 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:42.760 That's the key thing, and hopefully the Dodgers get him 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:45.559 back shortly after the All Star break. Tyler glassnow threw 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:49.000 a bullpen on Friday at Dodgers Stadium. Was around maybe 0:09:49.000 --> 0:09:52.680 fifteen pitches fastballs only, but an important first step. That's 0:09:52.679 --> 0:09:55.360 the one to me where the Dodgers can't afford another 0:09:55.440 --> 0:09:58.240 setback with him, because if he's shut down again, we 0:09:58.320 --> 0:10:00.720 look at the calendar, it's already midgell. That ramp up 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.199 period can take six weeks or so, so then you 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:05.600 run out a runway. So for Tyler Glass now, it's 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:08.959 important that he is just working consistently, not trying to 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:11.439 rush back. So he might he's going to be a 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:15.080 little longer, maybe mid August, and then Keigy Hernandez got 0:10:15.080 --> 0:10:17.800 to be back for the homestand so four key players 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:21.599 making the returns for the Dodgers huge. 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:22.960 Right after his bobblehead day. 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:24.720 It was so funny too, because I was looking at 0:10:24.800 --> 0:10:27.760 Keyk's bobblehead day with his family and obviously Penelope throwing 0:10:27.800 --> 0:10:30.000 out the first pitch, and then I saw the baby. 0:10:30.040 --> 0:10:33.079 I saw Santi sitting on the ground next to that bobblehead. 0:10:33.120 --> 0:10:36.160 I'm like, why is Santi the size of the b 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:38.200 I was so confused. I was like, is this a 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:42.120 perspective thing? And then I realized the bobblehead was like gigantic, 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:43.760 So anyway, it'll be good. 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:45.040 It'll be good to get those guys back. 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:47.760 Obviously, Kik is such a huge just a jolt of 0:10:47.840 --> 0:10:51.440 lightning into the offense, and obviously, as the calendar turns 0:10:51.440 --> 0:10:54.840 closer to October, it's important to get him back as well. 0:10:54.840 --> 0:10:56.520 All right, guys, much more to come on this brand 0:10:56.559 --> 0:10:59.559 new episode of Dodgers' Territory, the All Star Game Break. 0:11:00.559 --> 0:11:02.600 But first, a word from our friends at Foul. 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:06.040 Many people have this problem. I want to eat healthy. 0:11:06.240 --> 0:11:09.240 I have the willpower, I don't have the time and 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:11.280 the organization. I need help. What do you do? 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:14.440 I mean you go to factor. 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It helps 0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:38.680 us out. It helps everything out moving on. We have 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:41.880 played well, they've already played the first half of the season, 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:43.840 because eighty one games is a long time ago. But 0:12:43.880 --> 0:12:47.839 now the unofficial official first half of the season is over. 0:12:48.240 --> 0:12:50.960 The Dodgers out the best record in baseball. Dodgers have 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:52.760 scored a bunch of runs. I think they've allowed the 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:55.120 fewest runs in baseball. They got eleven a half game 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:59.960 lead in the NL West. Alana, what are your blankets 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:02.960 thoughts on the first half of the season. Doesn't need 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:05.040 to be grandiose, something simple. 0:13:05.640 --> 0:13:08.000 Yeah, I think the blanket thought is they're doing exactly 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:10.120 what they need to do. I mean, they're doing exactly 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:12.440 what the Dodgers need to do. At this point, you're 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:15.160 checking off the boxes. Right. It's already leading the division 0:13:15.200 --> 0:13:16.880 by a wide margin. I mean, you could just be 0:13:16.960 --> 0:13:19.559 leading the division by one game. That's all you want 0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:21.280 to do is win at the end of the season, 0:13:21.320 --> 0:13:24.920 and they're doing that with a pretty pretty hefty lead 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:25.840 in the NL West. 0:13:25.840 --> 0:13:27.080 So that's you know, that's a check. 0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:30.600 The biggest thing is obviously making sure guys are healthy 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:33.640 and at the right time of year, and as Katie 0:13:33.679 --> 0:13:36.360 just went through, we're getting some really key pieces back 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:39.160 at the right time obviously to continue to push this forward. 0:13:39.280 --> 0:13:41.400 And the next goal is obviously to get a buye 0:13:41.480 --> 0:13:43.560 right to not have to go in as a wildcard, 0:13:43.720 --> 0:13:45.959 and they'll do that in home field advantage and all 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:47.400 of the things throughout the postseason. 0:13:47.520 --> 0:13:49.680 So my blanket statement is good job. 0:13:49.720 --> 0:13:51.840 I mean, you're doing exactly what you're expected to do 0:13:51.920 --> 0:13:54.360 with the roster that you have and the experience that 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:56.959 you have coming into this season to try to make 0:13:56.960 --> 0:13:59.680 it a three p And you know, my only concern 0:13:59.800 --> 0:14:01.040 is where are we going to be And we can 0:14:01.080 --> 0:14:03.400 talk about that going into the second half in a 0:14:03.440 --> 0:14:06.960 little bit. But yeah, he a minus just because I mean, 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:09.880 we can't give them you know, it can't be a plus. 0:14:09.920 --> 0:14:12.840 That would just be too unrealistic and not objective at all. 0:14:13.600 --> 0:14:16.640 Yeah, you survived the first half. I wouldn't say survived 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:19.360 it exceptionally healthy. But as we talked about, as you 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:22.480 just mentioned and as Katie mentioned before, like trending in 0:14:22.520 --> 0:14:25.280 the right direction with everybody on health, you'd probably like 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:27.640 to see some better updates on the Will Smith factor. 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:31.200 But we will hopefully eventually get there as the calendar 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:34.680 gets into August. Katie what about your thoughts first half 0:14:34.840 --> 0:14:38.640 of a season covering this team? You know what's the good, 0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:41.440 what's the bad in your opinion from the first half. 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:44.720 So when I took this job, I was told to 0:14:44.760 --> 0:14:46.440 be prepared to be bored, and I was like, what 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:46.840 do you mean. 0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:48.560 This is like a team flu superstars. I'm not going 0:14:48.600 --> 0:14:49.120 to be bored. 0:14:49.320 --> 0:14:51.440 And I get what people are saying because they win 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:54.040 so often, and then whether you have what seems like 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:57.360 a dire injury or a big something that could be 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:00.480 potentially disastrous for the season, they just have next man 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:03.600 up mentality and someone steps up and everything is fine. 0:15:03.640 --> 0:15:04.440 They continue to win. 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:07.440 So yes, it's boring in a great way if you're 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:11.560 covering the Dodgers, because any time there's potentially a big story, 0:15:11.800 --> 0:15:13.720 they fix it. And that, to me is the key 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:15.720 to their first half was just your ear as good 0:15:15.720 --> 0:15:18.360 as your death is right, and the Dodgers unfortunately had 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:20.080 to rely on their depth a lot, especially on the 0:15:20.080 --> 0:15:22.480 pitching side, but it gave us a breakout star like 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:27.120 Justin Rabuski Edgardo Enriquez might be my underrated pick for 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:29.680 the bullpen of the first half. That stuff has always 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:32.600 been nasty, but the command is there. He's become a 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:35.080 true weapon on the right side for Dave Roberts and 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:37.080 his staff. You look at guys and that was something 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:39.080 that was important yet to step up with Edwin Diaz 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.360 being injured so early in the season. Same with Tanner Scott. 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:44.480 We're seeing the Tanner Scott that the Dodgers ideally would 0:15:44.520 --> 0:15:47.240 have had last year. So when there were key injuries 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:48.840 to guys that the Dodgers thought they were really going 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.120 to need to rely on, their depth stepped up. I 0:15:51.160 --> 0:15:54.360 know Dalton Rushing has been a lot to talk about, 0:15:54.440 --> 0:15:57.080 but if you're looking just at his play and what 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:58.960 he's been able to do as a backup catcher, Yeah, 0:15:59.000 --> 0:16:01.280 that the offense is tapered off a little bit, but overall, 0:16:01.280 --> 0:16:03.760 he's finishing the first half with ten homers and ops 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:06.320 over eight hundred, and he's learning to navigate and pitch 0:16:06.400 --> 0:16:09.880 call one of the most accomplished staffs in baseball. That's 0:16:09.920 --> 0:16:11.960 a lot to handle for someone in his first full 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:13.800 year getting starting reps. 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:15.160 I think he's done a nice job with that. 0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:18.320 So that's my spin on the first half is how 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:21.480 good was the depth and we see it right now 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:24.720 over eleven game leading the Division, best record in baseball, 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:27.040 like you said, Clint, and they did this without several 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:31.320 key players. So yeah, things again remain good in Dodger Wand. 0:16:32.120 --> 0:16:34.560 Yeah, absolutely a lot of great things in there. And 0:16:34.840 --> 0:16:37.000 you mentioned you're kind of an under the radar guy. 0:16:37.240 --> 0:16:41.720 I appreciated the narrative here of your column that you dropped. 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:44.920 I believe yesterday you mentioned some of those names in 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:47.960 there at Gardo Henriquez. I figured we could have a 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:50.520 little bit of fun, each picking our own under the 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.800 radar guy. I'll all go first, because I mean I 0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:56.920 was leaning Henriquez, and I don't know that an All 0:16:56.960 --> 0:16:59.120 Star can be an under the radar guy. But I'm 0:16:59.120 --> 0:17:02.920 gonna go Max months because we keep talking about Munsi 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:05.840 and every offseason, I am somebody who's very guilty of 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:09.040 always looking at grass being greener on the other side, 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:12.800 and wondering if at some point the Dodgers need to 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:15.159 look to get younger or look to the future at 0:17:15.200 --> 0:17:16.919 third base, How can they do that? How can they 0:17:16.920 --> 0:17:19.600 address third base? But Munsey has gone out there and 0:17:20.320 --> 0:17:23.760 honestly quietly put together an all star first half, and 0:17:23.800 --> 0:17:26.479 we can forget about the last week. Defensively, you know, 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:30.720 things have been a little wonky for months, but he's 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:34.200 got the power. What seventeen homer second on the team, 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:39.920 he found the clutch with runners in scoring position. The 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:44.760 ops is solid around eight point fifty. And he has been, 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.040 as you know we've seen over the last couple of years, 0:17:48.240 --> 0:17:52.879 he has been the most vocal leader, at least media side, 0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:56.560 public facing, the most vocal leader in that clubhouse, navigating 0:17:56.800 --> 0:18:02.399 a team through interesting, sticky situation. I'll also add, for fun, 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:05.960 as Katie kind of noted there, I'm giving the award 0:18:05.960 --> 0:18:08.359 to Dalton Rushing for the most on the radar guy 0:18:08.920 --> 0:18:12.800 this year, our viral sensation. But hey, Dalton, for all 0:18:12.800 --> 0:18:15.120 the reasons you said, wou like he has done great 0:18:15.680 --> 0:18:18.120