1 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: What is up, Dodger Blue Dreamers. It's Tuesday, October seventh, 2 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,559 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. It's the Dodgers' day off slash travel 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: day in the middle of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: Dodgers up two games to none, coming back to LA. 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: I like it, and you'll be hearing a whole bunch 6 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: more about it on Friday's episode. But in the meantime, 7 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: we wanted to bring you this bonus rebroadcast of an 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: episode that we published last summer called Mooki's Best Our 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: deep dive profile on Mookie Bets. Mooki's twenty twenty five 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: season fulfilled something that was started at the beginning of 11 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four baseball season, when at the last 12 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: minute it was announced that Muki would be playing everyday 13 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: shortstop instead of his then normal right field, which is 14 00:00:55,520 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: an unprecedented move, especially so late in one's career, which 15 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: is the focus of this episode. But you might remember 16 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: that last year, due to the typical but very specific 17 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: complications of the twenty twenty four Dodgers team, Muki didn't 18 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: end up playing the whole year at shortstop, but this 19 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: year he did for the first time. That in and 20 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: of itself is a huge accomplishment. But you might not know, 21 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: and this isn't really being talked about enough. Mooki not 22 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: only made that transition and played a full year at 23 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: shortstop in twenty twenty five, he excelled at it beyond 24 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: any expectations. Mooki finished the year leading all Major League 25 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: Baseball shortstops with seventeen defensive runs saved, which is a 26 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: metric that basically sums up a players defensive value, and that, 27 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: in addition to his many offensive contributions, Muki is in 28 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: line to possibly win the Gold Glove at shortstop his 29 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: first season playing shortstop in the big leagues. That is 30 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: insane and to understand why, simply listen to the rest 31 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: of this episode. We'll be back on Friday with a 32 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: brand new episode of Dodger Blue Dream. In the meantime, 33 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 1: please enjoy this DBD classic, Mookie's best. It's time for 34 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: Dodger base All right? Are we ready? Alright? 35 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: Three? 36 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 3: Two one? 37 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream, a documentary podcast about the 38 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Dodgers twenty twenty four baseball season, made in 39 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:06,119 Speaker 1: real time as the season unfolds. I'm Richard Parks. I'm 40 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: a writer, podcaster, and die hard Dodger fan, born and 41 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: raised in Los Angeles, and I was drafted number two 42 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: overall in My Little League. Today on the show, the 43 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: first installment in a three part series about this so 44 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: called MV three, the three Most Valuable Player Award winners 45 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: batting at the top of the Dodgers lineup. What's that Zen? 46 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: How you doing good to see y'all? 47 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 4: It's ready? 48 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: Hi, Johy, Mookie, Mookie Betts, sho Hey Otani and Freddie Freeman. 49 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: Together they are a historic baseball triumvirate. 50 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 4: Who leads at home runs this year. 51 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: To have even one of these superstars on your team 52 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: would be a boon for any franchise. 53 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 4: Who leads an average who hits the highest this year. 54 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: The Dodgers have all three with the three of you 55 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: in the lineup. Do you guys understand the impact as 56 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: a fan? Rarely in baseball history have we seen anything 57 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: even remotely like this. And to understand where this season 58 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: is headed, you have to pay close attention to these 59 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: three men. Now that the season is sufficiently underway, it's 60 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: a good time to take stock of their individual storylines 61 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: as they relate to the Dodgers quest to win the 62 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four World Series title. So what about the order? 63 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 4: What do you think is best? 64 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 3: We don't care. 65 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: Okay, then we start at the beginning with our leadoff hitter, 66 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: Mooky Bets. It is what it is today's episode, Mooki's 67 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: est look at this stage of your career. What motivates you, 68 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: what fuels you? 69 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 5: Just a drive within myself just to be great. 70 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 4: I want to be a legend in the game. 71 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 2: Free winer, high fly ball, Duke Club, center field. 72 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 5: Here it is gone, Mooky Bets, Ooky Bets, key Bet 73 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 5: in every every game is going to be the other 74 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 5: team's World Series. 75 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 4: I mean, it is what it is. 76 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: Mookie Bets, the dodgers dapper and diminutive leadoff man, is 77 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: a two time World Series champion. He's won six Silver 78 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: Slugger Awards, six Gold Gloves, and the coveted Most Valuable 79 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: Player Award. He has made six All Star Game appearances. 80 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: He is in the thirty thirty club, and his twelve year, 81 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: three hundred and sixty five million dollar contract is one 82 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:58,359 Speaker 1: of the most lucrative deals in baseball history. Mookie is 83 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: well on his way to the Hall of fame. He's 84 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: already done just about everything you can do in baseball. 85 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: But that's not all. They say that he is good 86 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: at everything, like his first love bowling. 87 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 6: By his count, he's bold at least thirty perfect games. 88 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: Bromoki is good at everything. 89 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 7: This guy was MVP and then goes and bowls like 90 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 7: a perfect score hat. 91 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: He wins Clayton Kershaw's annual ping pong tournament and at 92 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: five feet nine inches he can dunk. 93 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 8: There's nothing this guy can't do well. 94 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: He's your hit of talent. That's a great question. 95 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 9: I would say, probably doing a rubiksc. 96 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 6: So why went in the picky miss blue outvin a lot? 97 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: He is known for his fashion sense. 98 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 5: It's like a lot, but you know the podora always 99 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 5: has a coming to play. 100 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: Shout out to my peep with that help. Thank you, guys. 101 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: And he recently started a production company releasing a documentary 102 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: about Jackie Robin and he hosts his own podcast, all. 103 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 5: Right, guys, welcome back to season two of On Base. 104 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: On Base with Mooki Betts, which is very good and 105 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: this year earned him an Emmy nomination. Congratulations Mooki from 106 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: a fellow podcaster Game recognize game. I want to be great, 107 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: Mooki told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic before the season started. 108 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: I want to be a legend in the game. And 109 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: now Moki is putting himself to the test like never before. 110 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: He's leaving the comfortable confines of his regular position of 111 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: right field, a position Mooki has ruled at for a 112 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: full decade in the major leagues to play shortstop for 113 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: the first time ever at the professional level. Shortstop the 114 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: most important and difficult position on the baseball diamond. Sharp 115 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: growl ball Bets gets there from shadow center field, dugout 116 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: by Freeman. This is a story about Mooky's pursuit of excellence, 117 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: Mooki's quest to reach beyond the implausible and achieve the impossible. 118 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: That's a Vin Scully reference. We don't care hair hair. 119 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: Mookis switch to shortstop poses one of the most fundamental 120 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: and important questions for the Los Angeles Dodgers twenty twenty 121 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:44,239 Speaker 1: four baseball season. What is Mooki's best Even a completely 122 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:49,479 Speaker 1: average season at shortstop would be a historic accomplishment. 123 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 10: Let's talk Bookie Bets and do some digging it. And 124 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 10: let's start with this. This is crazy. This is not 125 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 10: done in the history of baseball. Mookie Betts, a superior 126 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 10: fielding outfielder, is going into his age thirty one season 127 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 10: as he moves to the second most difficult defensive position 128 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 10: on the field behind catcher. 129 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: Here, Moki is at the peak of his powers, but 130 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: nearing the end of his peak, swimming against the stream. 131 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 10: Hall of Fame shortstop Robin Yet moved from shortstop to 132 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 10: the outfield when he was twenty nine. Hall of Fame 133 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 10: shortstop Ernie Banks moved from shortstop to first base when 134 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 10: he was thirty one. You don't move to shortstop as 135 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 10: you get older, you move away from it. 136 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: Another player with the accolades Muki has, with the contract 137 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: he has, would never dream of making a position change 138 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: at this point in his career. Muki is risking injury, 139 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: He's risking embarrassment, He's risking his Hall of Fame career. 140 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 1: The danger with the move, Rosenthal wrote, is that bets 141 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: his defense at short will be mediocre. Mediocrity is not 142 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: the stuff of legend. And during a year when the 143 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 1: expectations for the Los Angeles Dodgers are at an all 144 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: time high, I. 145 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 4: Mean it is what it is. 146 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: Pride goes before the fall, and Mooki's infielder's glove may 147 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: be like the wings of Icarus. 148 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 10: And I think the Dodgers will regret this. 149 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: I played shortstop in little league and I was drafted 150 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: number two overall. I say it in the show open 151 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: because it's a chance to say it, but now I 152 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 1: have a reason to underline it, because it illustrates something 153 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: that is important to this story. If you are a 154 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 1: talented baseball player, when you're a kid, you play shortstop. 155 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 1: It's where they put all of the best little kid 156 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: players because it's the hardest and most important position. Sharp 157 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: grown ball, you get more balls hit to you quicker, 158 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: they do more different things unpredictably. They come to you 159 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 1: more often than they come to anyone else. And you 160 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: have to contort your body around at the crack of 161 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 1: a bat and respond within a second to make a 162 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: play that's good stiff there, and then you have to 163 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: throw to first so shadow center field accurately while doing 164 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: whatever acromatic contortion your body just did in order to 165 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: get the ball in the first place. Doug out by 166 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: Freeman Mann. You back up other positions, You take relays, 167 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: you turn double plays with other guys, sliding into your 168 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: feet as you receive a ball and turn on a 169 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: pin to throw to first. And so all the best 170 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: baseball players in all of the little leagues in the 171 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: entire world played shortstop. And if you're good enough at this, 172 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 1: I wasn't by the way, you keep doing it. And 173 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: then a tiny handful of those continue to other levels 174 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: like high school and travel ball. A tiny amount of 175 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: those started playing professionally. A tiny amount of those got 176 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: drafted to a major league team. A tiny amount of 177 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: those went on to the miners and rose all the 178 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: way up through rookie ball to single A to double 179 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: A to triple A. People spend lifetimes in the minor 180 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: leagues and they got to the major leagues and they 181 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: made the team. And of all of those people, a 182 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,959 Speaker 1: tiny handful of them are good enough to play starting 183 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: shortstop every day for one of the thirty major league teams. 184 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,599 Speaker 1: Mookie Betsen is a tremendous play. 185 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 7: The stabb emotion with the glove, the spin and then 186 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 7: the throw. 187 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: And because it's such a hard defensive position, you're not 188 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: necessarily expected to also be a great offensive player. The 189 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 1: shortstop position is just that important. This is why the 190 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: shortstop is the captain of the infield, a player that 191 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: commands a lot of respect from his teammates. Think Derek Jeter, 192 00:12:52,280 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: Cal Ripken, Junior, Honus Wagner, and maybe just maybe Mookie Betts. 193 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: But Mookie is not a shortstop. He is a right fielder. 194 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,959 Speaker 1: He just decided at the very beginning of this season 195 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: that he's going to play shortstop this year. That's his 196 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: path to greatness. That's the stuff of legend. And just 197 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: where did he get a crazy idea like that? Let's 198 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: trace it back all the way from the very beginning. 199 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 8: Is it a nickname or is it his actual name? 200 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 6: His actual name is Marcus Marcus Okay. 201 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: This is Muki's mother, Diana Benedict. The night she gave 202 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,199 Speaker 1: birth to Mookie, she had been bowling. There's a basketball 203 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: game on at the hospital. The Atlanta Hawks were playing. 204 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: October seventh, nineteen ninety two. 205 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 6: Mookie Blaylock played basketball for Atlanta. I was looking for 206 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 6: the initials. 207 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: MLB, MLB, like Major League Baseball. 208 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 6: You know, Like I was having a phenomenal game, and 209 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 6: I thought that's different than name. You know, you don't 210 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 6: hear that often. Yeah, my middle name is Lynn and 211 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 6: last name Betts. Okay, MLB baseball. I just tied it together. Yeah, MLB. 212 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 6: My child's gonna be an MLB player, And I try 213 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 6: to instill that in him. And you know, from the 214 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 6: time that he could talk, everything was ball. Anything was 215 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 6: ball ball ball. 216 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: Wow, everything was a game. 217 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 6: One of the things that we did, we had we'd 218 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 6: take the trash cans and water paper and we'd throw 219 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 6: it in the paper in the in the trash can, 220 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 6: just you know, to see. 221 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 4: If we could make the goals whatever. 222 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 6: Made up games. You know. You know, we didn't have 223 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 6: a lot of money when we were little, so just 224 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 6: it doesn't take a lot of money for kids to 225 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 6: have fun and to spend time with them. Yeah, and 226 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 6: so that's that's what we did. We would just make 227 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 6: up games. 228 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: And he always played to win. Was he naturally competitive? 229 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 4: Oh? 230 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 6: Absolutely, he got that from me. And so you know 231 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 6: why I play it. If you can't win, we play marbles. 232 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 6: I'm trying to win. Yeah, you know, whatever we play, 233 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 6: we were trying to win. Very competitive. 234 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 8: Oh my goodness, my whole fa Yeah, you kind of 235 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 8: grew up like that. 236 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 10: Tell me a little bit more about how you grew up. 237 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 5: You grew up Kentucky on a farm. 238 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 6: Right, we play marbles. I'm trying to win ball, ball, ball, ball, 239 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 6: much house canna be an MLB player. 240 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: Look at a photo of Mooki and his mom when 241 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: he was a kid. They've got the exact same smile. 242 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: Bets was just a tiny kid growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, 243 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: wanting to play every sport possible, according to an article 244 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: on MLB dot com, especially baseball because of his size. However, 245 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: every little league team in his area turned down Bets. 246 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: Some said it was because they were holding roster spots 247 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: for other kids. Others just outright told his mother that 248 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: Bets was too small to play baseball. I first learned 249 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: about this during the Dodgers broadcast on Sunday, May fourteenth, 250 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three, Mother's Day. Muki was at the plate 251 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: and his mom was just behind him in the stands, 252 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: cheering him on. Here's Joe Davis with the call. 253 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 8: When Mooki first wanted to play baseball, he couldn't find 254 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 8: a team because all the other coaches thought that he 255 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 8: was too little. 256 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: Lifts has got a center field Gresham. 257 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 11: On the move, and the little man's got big Pop's 258 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 11: run home. 259 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: Ony Diana. Boy on Mother's Day makes it too nothing. Hey, 260 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: and she's here today, So Mom Diana and coach Diana. 261 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 8: Because when no teams would take go to Mookie, she said, 262 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 8: you know what, to heck with them. 263 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: Nobody's stopping my boy. By the time Moki was in 264 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: high school, he was a four sport athlete. He could 265 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: throw ninety six, bowl a perfect game, and dunk basketballs 266 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: before he grew to his full height of five foot nine. 267 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,479 Speaker 1: He beat me in ping pong. While talking on the 268 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: phone with his girlfriend, one of Muki's basketball coaches said, 269 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: the boy is good at everything. Would you like to 270 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: guess what position Muki played when he was playing baseball? 271 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: Ding ding ding shortstop. He also pitched when needed. That's 272 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: how we know he threw ninety six, but he was 273 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,439 Speaker 1: a shortstop, you know, the best player. During his senior 274 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 1: year season he hit five oh nine. But bowling was 275 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: his first love and he wanted to play basketball. He 276 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: committed to the University of Tennessee, who said they wanted 277 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 1: him to play both baseball and basketball. But then Marcus 278 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: Betts selected at one seventy two by Boston Red Sox. 279 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: Read the headline and overthemonster dot Com. He was their 280 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: fifth round pick. You never know with players selected in 281 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: the draft, especially after the first two rounds. According to 282 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: the blog post, but this seems like a solid bet 283 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: on a quality athlete who may turn into a baseball player. 284 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: His signing bonus was seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars 285 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 1: fresh out of high school eighteen years old. Obviously the 286 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: organization believed in his talent, but did they believe that 287 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: he would be a shortstop. I'm not sure. It's quite 288 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: common for an organization to move a player from whatever 289 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: position he was drafted at to something different in the 290 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: minor leagues, and this was the case with Mookie, who, 291 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: by the time he made his major league debut, had 292 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: been turned into a right fielder, and a great one. 293 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: That's the other way. It's with your things out. BET's 294 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: charge to here's the throne of the plate. The tag 295 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: he got Bets leaves, it makes the cash. That's a 296 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: broken bat. 297 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 2: Flare down, belind to right. 298 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: And Pookie stroll right on the money. Ha ha, Mookie. 299 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 1: BET's going back in front of the monstering leaves makes 300 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: the cash. Six gold gloves an amazing throwing arm, momentum 301 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 1: shifting plays in the outfield during the World Series for 302 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: both the Red Sox and the Dodgers, and of course 303 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: prodigious offensive output all the while. 304 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 8: How good was Pooky last year for this jeam? He 305 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:24,479 Speaker 8: led him in Holmer's RBI's walks, slugging opsops plus bets 306 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 8: that one is into left field, out and flying around. 307 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 8: Here's the throw from a Soilk card not in time, 308 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 8: RBI Mookie. 309 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: Bets Bets, Mooki owned right field all the way straight 310 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: up until just before the start of this season, the 311 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: most anticipated season in Dodgers' history, when it was announced 312 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:51,439 Speaker 1: that Mookie Bets would be moving positions, but not to 313 00:19:51,680 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: shortstop to second base. What yeah, I know. Mookie Betts 314 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: says that he'd really like to play second a lot 315 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: more than he did. 316 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 4: Is he your starting second basement or is Mooki You're 317 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 4: starting right fielder. 318 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: Back in December, at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, the 319 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: gathering of all thirty MLB teams and agents looking to 320 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:24,360 Speaker 1: make deals, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts appeared on MLB Network 321 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: to announce Mookie would be changing positions. 322 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 11: I think that it's pretty safe to say that number 323 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,640 Speaker 11: fifty Mookie Bets is going to be our everyday second basement. 324 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: In the splashy announcement Dave Roberts at a Nashville hotel, 325 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: appearing on live television, the organization was underlining this change. 326 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: It came with a prepackaged explanation. 327 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 11: When you're talking about putting together roster and someone who 328 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 11: can be so offensive at second base, you can get 329 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 11: more games out of him if he is playing second base. 330 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 11: And obviously, with the signing of Jason Hayward to put 331 00:20:57,960 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 11: him out there in right. 332 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 1: Field, Jason Hayward would play right field against right handed 333 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: starters and Muki was going to play second. 334 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 11: It just makes our club better. So now when you 335 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 11: get a happy Mookie bats, a guy that can post 336 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 11: and play one hundred and sixty games, it makes the 337 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 11: Dodgers much better. So it's pretty much a no brainer brainer. 338 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: And there's a narrative about Muki that's a little bit 339 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: insidious that you should know about, which is that Muki 340 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: is so good at so many things, and he's done 341 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 1: so much in baseball and won every award multiple times 342 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: that at this point in his career it's always a 343 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: game of how do you keep Muky engaged, and the 344 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: announcement that Muki was moving to second for the twenty 345 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: twenty four season fit that narrative. Muky even half jokingly 346 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 1: was talking about the move already saying that he preferred 347 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 1: the shorter run back to the dugout from the position, 348 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: and also second base was familiar to Muki because he 349 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: had played it in the minor leagues back when he 350 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: was still a teenager just after he was drafted by 351 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:03,199 Speaker 1: the Red Side, when it was discovered that Mookie Betts 352 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: couldn't quite hack it at shortstop at the professional level. Yeah, 353 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: I know, at least that's what the research kind of indicates. 354 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: Let's take a brief sojourn back in time to just 355 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:29,919 Speaker 1: after Mooki was drafted. On August twenty sixth, twenty eleven, 356 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,880 Speaker 1: Mooki made his professional debut in Rookie Bowl. He went 357 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: two for four at the plate that day and stole 358 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: a base, but at shortstop, he had six total chances 359 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:44,679 Speaker 1: and made just one put out, and he was credited 360 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: with three errors in a single game. This was the 361 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: beginning of the end of young Muki playing shortstop. In 362 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 1: Fall instructional League that year, Moki, who was still just eighteen, 363 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: started working at second base, a much easier position to field. 364 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: The balls come at you less often, the throws are shorter, 365 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,479 Speaker 1: and traditionally, second base is reserved for a player with 366 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 1: greater offensive abilities. The following year, in twenty twelve, in 367 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: low A Ball, Mooki started just twelve games at shortstop 368 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: and fifty eight games at second. He committed six errors 369 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: while playing shortstop, including three in his final game at 370 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: the position before he was transitioned to second For good. 371 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 1: Mooki was a second baseman, but the Red Sox had 372 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: just signed Dustin Pedroia to a big contract extension. That's 373 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 1: why they moved Mooki to right field, to give him 374 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: a path to the major league team, Which brings us 375 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: back to this offseason. 376 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 11: A happy Mookie bet. 377 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: A happy Mookie bets. Mooki wanted to play second base 378 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: this year. What are your personal goals for this season? 379 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 5: The only thing I really care about is really trying 380 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 5: to win a goal glove at second base. 381 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: So what happened that between the announcement that he would 382 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: be moving to second and the start of the season, 383 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: Mooki ended up moving to shortstop. Today is Gavin LUs 384 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: Kenoshaistos number nine. Gavin Luxvin. Growing up in Wisconsin, Gavin 385 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: Lux was like a lot of us, a shortstop in 386 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: his little league who dreamed of one day playing in 387 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: the Show. His uncle had played in the minor leagues, 388 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: and young Gavin was very good. 389 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 7: Lux has the advanced instincts in all phases of the game. 390 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 7: He has worked to eliminate a hitch in his left 391 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 7: handed stroke, which has enough batspeed and leverage to produce 392 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 7: fifteen homers per year. 393 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 1: By the time he was finishing high school, it was 394 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: becoming clear that he would be drafted. 395 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 7: After previously seeming destined for second base, Lucks now should 396 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 7: be able to remain at shortstop. 397 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: Gavin Lux was the Dodgers' number one draft pick in 398 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, and here in LA we've been hearing about 399 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: him ever since. His signing bonus was two point three 400 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:10,640 Speaker 1: one million dollars. Unlike Mooki, Lux was not moved off 401 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: of shortstop when he went pro. In fact, he was 402 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,200 Speaker 1: groomed to play the position for years in the Dodgers system. 403 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: He was intended as the organization's homegrown heir to Corey Seeger. 404 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: A shortstop and a left handed hitter who could swing 405 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: the bat, but with Seger still under team control, and 406 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 1: then a trade that sent Trey Turner to the Dodgers 407 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 1: for a bit. Lux's opportunity to play everyday shortstop on 408 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: the major league club was delayed longer than anticipated, but 409 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: it was always something that was meant to happen one 410 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: day for this young player. The organization believed in him 411 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 1: that much. Finally, in twenty twenty three, after seven years 412 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 1: with the Dodgers' organization, this long delayed dream was to 413 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: become a reality. Gavin Lux was going to play shortstop 414 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,919 Speaker 1: every day for the Dodgers at long last. 415 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 6: But specifically with the shift in playing shortstop, how does 416 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,120 Speaker 6: that work specifically for your position? 417 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 9: The biggest thing is just you got to be able 418 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 9: to get off the ball. Now, like the second basement 419 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 9: is not going to be on the shortstop side of 420 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 9: second base, so you got more ground to cover, So 421 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 9: you got to make sure you're getting off the ball. 422 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: And I think the Dodgers hyped Lux's long awaited debut 423 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,640 Speaker 1: with a slate of preseason press and I personally can 424 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: remember being super excited about this. We'd been waiting for 425 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:35,680 Speaker 1: this to happen for seven years and now finally we 426 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: were going to get to see Gavin Lux play everyday 427 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 1: shortstop in the major leagues. And it's hard not to 428 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 1: root for Gavin Lux, the big eyed Midwestern kid who'd 429 00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 1: just been waiting for his shot. And then he showed 430 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 1: up to spring training looking great, super cut, more muscular 431 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: than a few months before. And the left hander Lopez 432 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 1: deals ground ball down to third. But then during a 433 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: spring training game in February twenty twenty three, and the. 434 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 8: Double player lucks, he's grabbing his right knee, a horrible injury. 435 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:17,679 Speaker 1: He's still in some discomfort that is concerning his knee buckle, 436 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 1: his leg moving almost in two directions simultaneously. They're bringing 437 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: a card in to get him. 438 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:27,399 Speaker 10: Yeah, he's not able to put any weight on the 439 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 10: right leg at all. 440 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 1: Torn ACL that means surgery, and he's out for at 441 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: least a season. 442 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 11: Yeah, I think it's like an eight month recovery. Gavin 443 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 11: is obviously crushed. 444 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: The following day, Lux gave an emotional interview from the Dodgers' 445 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: spring training clubhouse. 446 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 3: I think every baseball player's dream is to play shortstop 447 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 3: for the Los Angeles, don't Los Angeles Dodgers. 448 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 2: So yeah, I think that's one of the hardest parts. 449 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 1: Luckily, the Dodgers had just signed Miguel Rojas, a premier 450 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,879 Speaker 1: defensive shortstop who excels at the most difficult position on 451 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 1: the field, but is a career below average hitter. The 452 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: plan was for Rojas to play backup, but he stepped 453 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: in to play everyday shortstop for the twenty twenty three season. 454 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: The team provided regular updates on Lux's rehab progress as 455 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 1: a full year passes, which brings us back to this 456 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 1: past offseason. Mookie had been announced as the everyday second 457 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 1: basement and Lux was finally again about to get his 458 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 1: shot at playing everyday shortstop for the La Dodgers. Then, 459 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: as spring training got under way earlier this year in Arizona. 460 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 9: He hits it to Lux and Lux bobbles it and 461 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 9: it goes as it airs. 462 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: That's a rude team play for a big league shortstop. 463 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 1: Lux was having trouble with this throwing arm, was able 464 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: to make the throw. People thought he had the yips. 465 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: There's reports surfacing that Dodgers source up Gavin Lux may 466 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: have the yips as he's struggling to make throws across 467 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 1: the Diamonds fring training. The sports phenomenon known as the 468 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 1: YIPS is basically a sudden and inexplicable loss of the 469 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: ability to perform fundamental tasks. There can be neurological reasons 470 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 1: for this, and more often than not, psychological reasons. But 471 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: the team believed in Lux's bat, and they wanted to 472 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,120 Speaker 1: make good on a promise and an investment they'd made 473 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: so many years before. And the throws from second are 474 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: much shorter and easier to make, and the season is 475 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: about to start. The team was to board a plane 476 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: for South Korea in just a little over a week, 477 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: and so the organization's top officials, Dodgers President of Baseball 478 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 1: Operations Andrew Friedman and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, among them, 479 00:29:56,120 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: devised a plan they called meeting with their superstar leadoff hitter. 480 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 11: It's something that the entire organization feels is the right 481 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 11: thing to do to give us the best chance to 482 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 11: prevent runs and to win baseball games. 483 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: Something unheard of, something that had never been done before 484 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: in the history of baseball. It had never even been attempted. 485 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: My question is for the Dodgers, what are you doing? 486 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 1: Could Mookie make the switch from second to shortstop the 487 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: one thing in a long life of athletic excellence that 488 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,800 Speaker 1: he has not excelled at. It would take work, hours 489 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 1: of work each day, and it was risky. 490 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 7: Lauren, I think this is a big ask. Yeah, so 491 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 7: if anyone in the game can do it, it's hell 492 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 7: for the good of the team. 493 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: I think shortstops are born, not made. It barely made 494 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 1: an sense, But isn't that the stuff legends are made of. 495 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: I think so what. 496 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 5: I was named the shortstop that was super special to me, 497 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 5: Like I hadn't played shortstop and knowing that I was 498 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 5: going to play shortstop every day since I was eighteen. 499 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 1: This is Mooki talking on an episode of his podcast 500 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: On Base with Mookie Betts. He recorded this episode during 501 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: spring training this year, just after it was announced that 502 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: he would be the Dodgers every day starting shortstop. 503 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 5: And you know, I'm thirty one. That's a long that's 504 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 5: a long time to not play everyday shortstopper. 505 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 4: So I'm you know, this is a dream come true. 506 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 4: That was actually that was probably one of the coolest 507 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 4: moments of my life knowing that, man, I get to 508 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 4: do it again, you know, I get I get to 509 00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 4: do what I did back when I was eighteen years old. 510 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 1: In this episode, Mookie is talking to dan's By Swanson, 511 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: the everyday shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, one of the 512 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: best shortstops in Major League Baseball. 513 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 9: I mean, like being a shortstop. It's just like the position. Yeah, 514 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 9: you know what I'm saying, Like it is the position, 515 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,440 Speaker 9: and there's so much pride associated with that. And there's 516 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:15,640 Speaker 9: so much like great history surrounding shortstops throughout the history 517 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 9: of our game. A Rod in Seattle obviously, Derek in 518 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 9: New York, and Nomar in Boston. Okay, like Ernie Banks, 519 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 9: Hanat Swagner, Louis Parricio. Like you start naming all the 520 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 9: dudes that played, you start understanding like the pride that 521 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 9: is associated with playing shortstop. 522 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 4: To your point, it is. 523 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 5: Is the the position, right, and you know a lot 524 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 5: of pressure is on you. You're the shortstop, like you're 525 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 5: really the best if and you're out here you like 526 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 5: the center of the you're. 527 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: The sel Yeah. 528 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 9: Great, movie's gonna take a freaking all start. 529 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 5: No, no, no, no, I would like to be either. 530 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: I just thought about that. 531 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 9: I'm gonna get off the show. 532 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: I know. 533 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 4: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, nobody vote for 534 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 4: him this year. 535 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: Okay, he's a utility guy, all right. So that's how 536 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: we ended up with Mooki Betts playing shortstop this year. 537 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 1: And now a couple months into the season, how's it 538 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: been going. Well. Muki's offensive start to this season was 539 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 1: nothing short of historic. At the end of April, Muki's 540 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: slash line was three sixty eight four seventy seven six 541 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: point twenty four. He had six home runs, eight stolen bases, 542 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 1: and his ops was one dot, one zero one. With 543 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: shohe and Freddie off to relatively slow starts, I mean, 544 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: for them, Mooki was carrying the team's offense and helping 545 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: the team get off to a first place start. Mooki 546 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 1: reached base seventy two times before May one, and that 547 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: was more than any other player ever in the history 548 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: of Major League Baseball. And in terms of the other 549 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: side of the ball, he was playing a good shortstop, 550 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 1: which makes those offensive stats all the more mind boggling, 551 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:11,359 Speaker 1: and the whole experiment seemed to be working out. You'd 552 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 1: see Lux and Mooky turning double plays. Lux was getting 553 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: his at bats, if not setting the world on fire himself, 554 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: and some of Muki's throws to first were a bit 555 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:24,240 Speaker 1: up the line, and he didn't pull off every single 556 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:28,439 Speaker 1: play flawlessly, but he was doing the job playing shortstop 557 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: and certainly not embarrassing himself or hurting the team in 558 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: any measurable way that I could discern. And he was 559 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: working very hard. Pretty much every day. On the radio 560 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:42,480 Speaker 1: or TV broadcast, you'll hear about Mooki going out early 561 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:43,280 Speaker 1: to the ballpark. 562 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 5: I'm out here hours and hours, I mean, taking two hundred, 563 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 5: three hundred ground balls a. 564 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: Day, working for three or four hours with third base 565 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 1: coach Dino Ebel, and under the tutelage of Miguel Rojas, 566 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: who is an incredible defensive shortstop and is a huge 567 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: piece of how this whole thing is working out as 568 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: well as it is. Miggey Row would sometimes be a 569 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: late in the game defensive replacement for Mooki, or he 570 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,200 Speaker 1: would play third or even second if needed. So Mooki 571 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 1: was helping the team, and the team was helping Mooki. 572 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: He was deservedly named the National League's Player of the 573 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:19,880 Speaker 1: Month for April. 574 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:22,440 Speaker 2: Hey Richard, how's it going. 575 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:25,399 Speaker 1: Hi, Ben? It's good. Thank you for taking the time. 576 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 1: I appreciate it very much. In mid May, I reached 577 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: out to Ben Lindberg, a writer for The Ringer and 578 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:34,719 Speaker 1: the host of the podcast Effectively Wild, to help me 579 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:39,279 Speaker 1: assess more specifically how Mooky was doing at shortstop. 580 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 2: Based on every metric you could consult, he is either 581 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 2: above average or one of the best shortstops in baseball 582 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 2: thus far. If you go by defensive run saved, he's 583 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 2: close to the top of the leaderboard. If you go 584 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 2: by the stat cast based out's above average. He's above average. 585 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 2: If you go by baseball perspective, this is defensive runs prevented. 586 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 2: He's also toward the top of the shortstop leaderboard. So 587 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:12,120 Speaker 2: all systems go seemingly and I think the numbers are 588 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 2: backed up by the way that the Dodgers are handling 589 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 2: him now, where they've given him votes of confidence, and 590 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 2: Dave Roberts has said that he's been surprised by how 591 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 2: good Mookie has been, that he's exceeded his expectations. Andrew 592 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 2: Friedman said that he expects him to remain the long 593 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 2: term shortstop, that he thinks he will be in above 594 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:35,360 Speaker 2: average shortstop, and they've started handling him differently where I 595 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 2: don't think he's played an inning anywhere other than shortstop 596 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:42,520 Speaker 2: since late April, so he was bouncing back and forth 597 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 2: a bit, Miguel Rojas was getting some starts at short 598 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:48,759 Speaker 2: and sometimes Rojas was coming in as a defensive replacement 599 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 2: in the late innings. And now it seems like the 600 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 2: Dodgers have completely handed the position over to Mookie. So 601 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 2: it seems that they are quite confident that he is 602 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 2: their guy and that he's doing a good job over there. 603 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 2: Has Muki been perfect at shortstop? Far from it, And 604 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:09,640 Speaker 2: Mooki's made four errors. I think as we speak all 605 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 2: throwing errors, it doesn't seem like he's. 606 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:14,920 Speaker 1: The throws have been a little yeah, like the throws 607 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:17,719 Speaker 1: are yeah, Freddy's working over there. 608 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,000 Speaker 2: Right, Roberts said as much. I mean, that's just, you know, 609 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:23,759 Speaker 2: he's not used to making the throw from that angle, so, 610 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 2: especially given that he was moving back and forth between 611 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,680 Speaker 2: short and second for a while, that could have screwed 612 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 2: him up. But again, it seems like just the more 613 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:38,080 Speaker 2: reps he gets, it seems like he's improved already from 614 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 2: his initial trial at the position last year. So give 615 00:37:42,160 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 2: him more time and one would think that he will 616 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 2: only get better he'll get those movements and that muscle 617 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:52,719 Speaker 2: memory down. So it's impressive. I think that he has 618 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:56,560 Speaker 2: really learned on the job the way that he has. 619 00:37:56,680 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 2: And the Dodgers have championship aspiration, realistic ones, and yet 620 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:06,399 Speaker 2: they see him quite confident going forwards with Mooki as 621 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:06,879 Speaker 2: their guy. 622 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: So has this furthered Mooki's quest to become a legend 623 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 1: in the game. 624 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:15,239 Speaker 2: I think he could retire today and be inducted into 625 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 2: the Hall of Fame. I don't doubt that he would be, 626 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 2: But of course he wants to climb the ranks and 627 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 2: be an inner Circle Hall of Famer and one of 628 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:25,279 Speaker 2: the all time greats. Very few precedents for this sort 629 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:25,759 Speaker 2: of move. 630 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,680 Speaker 1: You could go with the analogy like not even in baseball, 631 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 1: like in a different industry maybe, like is there something analogous. 632 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. There's certainly multi talented 633 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 2: entertainers and performers. He's kind of like it's like a 634 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 2: baseball e goot, what he's doing. 635 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:46,759 Speaker 1: Right In the last month or so since this conversation, 636 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:52,400 Speaker 1: Mooki's defense seemed to have plateaued, but he started slumping 637 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:55,239 Speaker 1: at the plate, and as I write these words. On 638 00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:59,240 Speaker 1: June eleventh, The La Times is publishing a piece taking 639 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 1: a hard look at Mooki's playing shortstop this year? Is 640 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:07,719 Speaker 1: Mookie bets at shortstop? A sustainable solution for the Dodgers? 641 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:12,360 Speaker 1: Reads the headline. The piece by La Times staffer Jack Harris, 642 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:17,240 Speaker 1: cites learning curves and growing pains quote including a team 643 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:22,399 Speaker 1: high nine errors and poor nine fifty seven fielding percentage, 644 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 1: third worst among twenty four qualified MLB shortstops. And it 645 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:32,080 Speaker 1: picks up on an emerging narrative. We've been hearing more 646 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 1: and more about all the work that's going into shortstop, 647 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 1: the physical and mental toll. Is it detracting from Mooki's game? Maybe? 648 00:39:41,719 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 1: But every season has its ups and downs. Even the 649 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:51,160 Speaker 1: best players always struggle. The greatest test of all may 650 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:54,799 Speaker 1: come at the trade deadline. Will the Dodgers trade for 651 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:59,319 Speaker 1: another shortstop? Will this experiment come to an end? Or 652 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 1: will Mooki hold on at the position and make good 653 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:05,719 Speaker 1: on a promise that surely would solidify him as a 654 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:08,160 Speaker 1: baseball legend. So you don't think they'll trade for a 655 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:09,520 Speaker 1: short stop at the deadline. 656 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:16,080 Speaker 2: I don't unless they decide that it would be I 657 00:40:16,120 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 2: don't think they would trade for a shortstop because they're 658 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:23,040 Speaker 2: displeased with Mookie Betts's performance at shortstop. It's possible that 659 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:27,279 Speaker 2: the best solution to improve the team overall might end 660 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,800 Speaker 2: up being a short stop. Maybe a short stop is 661 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 2: available and they could go get a good shortstop. 662 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:34,560 Speaker 1: But the rumor mill is churning. 663 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 3: You guys mentioned two names in this segment that the 664 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:38,680 Speaker 3: Dodgers probably would like to have. 665 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:40,600 Speaker 2: Willie to Doomas threw a shortstop. 666 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:42,680 Speaker 1: Boba Shit the Blue Jays shortstop. 667 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:44,919 Speaker 10: You get in a shortstop, you move Mooki the second, 668 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,560 Speaker 10: and then Gavin looks is out of the equation because 669 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 10: he hasn't hit at all this season. 670 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 1: And we'll see what happens as the season goes on. 671 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 11: They could end up with Miguel Rojas at short and 672 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:56,520 Speaker 11: Mookie at second. 673 00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,840 Speaker 10: They could end up with Mooki at short and Sty'll 674 00:40:58,880 --> 00:40:59,800 Speaker 10: play Gavin lucks. 675 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:05,520 Speaker 1: But that is where they're like, So, what is Mookie's 676 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 1: best Maybe we've already gotten to see it. Maybe the 677 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,759 Speaker 1: mere fact that he's attempted this should be enough. 678 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:24,920 Speaker 2: Everyone has a ceiling, and even the best players, at 679 00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:28,759 Speaker 2: some point, whether it's age or injury, they eventually meet 680 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 2: their match. But I have always been fascinated by players 681 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,200 Speaker 2: who reach the highest level, the pinnacle of their ultra 682 00:41:35,239 --> 00:41:38,280 Speaker 2: competitive propression, and then show that they have a higher 683 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:39,879 Speaker 2: gear even than that. 684 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:43,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, very few of us are as capable as Mookie Pets, 685 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:46,319 Speaker 3: but it does give you some hope that, hey, if 686 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,400 Speaker 3: Mookie can discover a new skill or master a new skill, 687 00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:50,960 Speaker 3: maybe we can too. 688 00:41:51,560 --> 00:42:03,760 Speaker 1: That's exactly Yeah, it's inspiring. Dodger Blue Dream is written 689 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:08,400 Speaker 1: and produced by Me Richard Parks. This episode was story 690 00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:12,239 Speaker 1: edited by Caitlin Esh. Original music in this episode by 691 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:17,560 Speaker 1: me and by William Ryan Fritch and The Blasting Company 692 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:22,600 Speaker 1: and Tiny Star. Thank you Will Fritch and Joshua Kaufman 693 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:28,400 Speaker 1: for your contributions. Please check out these musicians. Special thanks 694 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:32,000 Speaker 1: to Ben Lindbergh for his time. I highly recommend Ben's 695 00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: podcast Effectively Wild. It's charming, nerdy, savvy culture vulture, but 696 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:43,399 Speaker 1: in a baseball way and fun. I'm gonna plug our 697 00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:47,799 Speaker 1: new phone number one more time three two three eight 698 00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:52,400 Speaker 1: one three six six three four. I really hope to 699 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: hear from you there. This could be a great way 700 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:58,040 Speaker 1: for me to figure out what you all are interested 701 00:42:58,080 --> 00:43:01,879 Speaker 1: in hearing on this show. If voicemail is not your thing. 702 00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:05,320 Speaker 1: Maybe leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or however 703 00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:08,400 Speaker 1: you can, or share something about the show on social media. 704 00:43:09,239 --> 00:43:12,359 Speaker 1: I'd appreciate your spreading the word. This is a one 705 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:18,280 Speaker 1: hundred percent independent DIY labor of love. With your help, 706 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:20,960 Speaker 1: maybe it will find its way in this crazy world. 707 00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:24,759 Speaker 1: In the second part of our three part series on 708 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:29,040 Speaker 1: the MV three, we'll be focusing on show Hey o Tani. 709 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:31,640 Speaker 1: You've heard plenty about Show Hey on this show in 710 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:34,200 Speaker 1: the first three episodes, but that was all off the 711 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:36,880 Speaker 1: field stuff. I'd like to take a look at this 712 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:40,160 Speaker 1: guy as a baseball player next and probably throw in 713 00:43:40,239 --> 00:43:43,919 Speaker 1: some stuff about, you know, his new haircut, things like that. 714 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:47,279 Speaker 1: The third part will be about Freddie Freeman. If you 715 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:50,560 Speaker 1: have questions or ideas about these two men, call up 716 00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:54,279 Speaker 1: the hotline leave me a message. Okay, that's it. That's 717 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:59,200 Speaker 1: all there is. Adios, Blue Dreamers, See you next time. 718 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:01,440 Speaker 11: B