WEBVTT - Dodgers checkup w/Bill Plunkett

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<v Speaker 1>Bill Blankett covers the Dodgers for the Orange County Register

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<v Speaker 1>and joins us right now on Foul Territory.

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<v Speaker 2>Bell.

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<v Speaker 1>Great to have you on the show. Thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>joining us. I like to do this anytime we bring

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<v Speaker 1>someone on and a team is going through a mini rut.

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<v Speaker 1>They've lost about four or five. They had a tough

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<v Speaker 1>series against Pittsburgh. Are the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, it's not a mini rut. They're twenty two and

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<v Speaker 2>twenty nine since the fourth of July, and I think

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<v Speaker 2>that's about eleventh or twelfth best in the National League

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<v Speaker 2>during that time. It's not a mini rut. They've been

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<v Speaker 2>fairly mediocre for a good two month stretch.

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<v Speaker 3>No matter what's wrong, Bill, Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>It's mostly the offense. You know, you don't like to

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<v Speaker 2>point fingers, but it's mostly the offense. The starting pitching

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<v Speaker 2>has been pretty good, in fact, it's probably their strength

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<v Speaker 2>right now. The bullpen has been up and down, hasn't

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<v Speaker 2>been great, but the offense has just thoroughly underperformed. Based

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<v Speaker 2>on the names in you know that they put out

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<v Speaker 2>there every day. You could go down the lineup and

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<v Speaker 2>really the only guys who are living up to the

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<v Speaker 2>back of their baseball card are Freddie Freeman, Will Smith,

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<v Speaker 2>Shoheo Tani and even he is down from last year's

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<v Speaker 2>ridiculous performance.

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<v Speaker 3>Does it change? Does it change without them getting Max

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<v Speaker 3>Munsey back, because I've always said Max Munsey's at bats

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<v Speaker 3>really change how this lineup is approached by other teams.

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<v Speaker 3>They at bats just are not the same. They don't

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<v Speaker 3>put together a grinded at back.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely right. The effect that Max has on the lineup

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<v Speaker 2>is outsized. You can't can't explain it that that easily.

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<v Speaker 2>I actually asked him last week. I told him I

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<v Speaker 2>was going to start calling it the Max Months the effect,

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<v Speaker 2>and I wanted him to explain it, and he said,

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<v Speaker 2>just what you said. He he has the kind of

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<v Speaker 2>it bats that wear out pitchers, that allow other guys

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<v Speaker 2>in the lineup to be themselves. They don't have to

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<v Speaker 2>try and you know be the guy who does that.

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<v Speaker 2>Will Smith is the only other guy who sees a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of pitches. So when you take Max out of there,

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<v Speaker 2>we've seen a lot of nine to ten pitch one, two,

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<v Speaker 2>three innings. It's it's no coincidence last year when he

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<v Speaker 2>went out for three months with rib injury. They never

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<v Speaker 2>really replaced him, and the offense dragged a little bit

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<v Speaker 2>this year. He's been out for all but eight games

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<v Speaker 2>since that early July, and it's not a coincidence that

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<v Speaker 2>the offense has suffered.

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<v Speaker 1>He's going to back and so that'll help the offense.

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<v Speaker 1>So my question might be lazy, but I'm gonna ask

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<v Speaker 1>it anyway. Isn't this what the Dodgers wanted? And get

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<v Speaker 1>yourself off to a nice start, cruise, prepare for October.

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<v Speaker 1>Someone's out, someone needs a little blow, il take extra time.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's just make sure our October roster is stacked and

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<v Speaker 1>try and solve the ultimate problem in Major League Baseball

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<v Speaker 1>in the two thousands, winning back to back championships.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you're right. You've defined the arrogance that is the

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<v Speaker 2>Los Angeles Dodgers. That is exactly how they operate the

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<v Speaker 2>regular season is not do or die. Other teams when

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<v Speaker 2>they play the Dodgers, it's the most important games on

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<v Speaker 2>their calendar. That is not the case for the Dodgers.

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<v Speaker 2>They don't match that intensity or urgency. The problem is,

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<v Speaker 2>and I've been saying this since the trade deadline, I

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<v Speaker 2>don't think they're as good as they think they are.

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<v Speaker 2>They didn't make any big moves at the deadline because

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<v Speaker 2>of what you're saying. They thought, you know, we'll be fine,

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<v Speaker 2>we'll be stacked when everybody comes back healthy. Well maybe

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<v Speaker 2>they you know, these guys come back healthy, maybe they

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<v Speaker 2>don't come back to the same level. You know. A

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<v Speaker 2>good example, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates both came back

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<v Speaker 2>from a short stint on the IL and haven't looked good.

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<v Speaker 2>They didn't look great when they went on the aisle.

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<v Speaker 2>They don't look great now. And there's just too many

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<v Speaker 2>guys having down years. I mean, ta Oscar Hernandez is

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<v Speaker 2>not the same hitter he was last year. Mookie Betts

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<v Speaker 2>is having the worst season offensively of his career. The

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<v Speaker 2>bottom of the lineup is pretty thin right now with

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<v Speaker 2>Max Muncy out of there. So yeah, they're gonna make

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<v Speaker 2>it to October. They're gonna have a pretty good roster

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<v Speaker 2>when they get into October. Over in like we like

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<v Speaker 2>we've seen for twenty five, twenty six years, it's a

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<v Speaker 2>crap shoot once you get there, all right.

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<v Speaker 3>I have two questions for you.

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<v Speaker 4>One, Will Smith is doing this again where he hasn't

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<v Speaker 4>unbelievable first half and then he kind of falls off.

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<v Speaker 3>Is it wear and tear on him? Is it?

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<v Speaker 4>I mean, I know it happens to a lot of catchers.

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<v Speaker 4>Happened to him, I had, it happened to me a lot.

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<v Speaker 4>You just kind of get worn down mentally.

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<v Speaker 5>But what can they do?

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<v Speaker 4>Because they brought up rushing, they've tried to use him more,

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<v Speaker 4>but it hasn't seemed to help that much.

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<v Speaker 2>With Will, the drop off isn't as bad this year

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<v Speaker 2>as it has been the last couple. There were physical

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<v Speaker 2>issues that played into it. The last couple of years.

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<v Speaker 2>He had a rib injury one year, I think it

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<v Speaker 2>was a concussion, another year that kind of lingered for

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<v Speaker 2>a little while, and he hurt his ankle on a slide.

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<v Speaker 2>It just little things that you look back and you

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<v Speaker 2>can kind of point to them. But you're right, they've

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<v Speaker 2>done everything they can to keep the workload down and

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<v Speaker 2>it's still happening. I asked Dave Roberts about that the

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<v Speaker 2>other day and he said, no, it's not the same thing.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not the same thing. There's a little mechanical issue

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<v Speaker 2>that he's working on. Well. Then the next day he

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<v Speaker 2>hit a pinch at home run to win a game.

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<v Speaker 2>He had a three hit game Tuesday here in Pittsburgh,

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<v Speaker 2>and then last night foul ball off his hand. Won't

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<v Speaker 2>be in the lineup for a couple of days, so

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<v Speaker 2>you know you played the position. It's hard. There's a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of banging and wear and tear. And that's the

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<v Speaker 2>problem with counting on a catcher to be a key

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<v Speaker 2>offensive piece in your lineup. It just demands so much.

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<v Speaker 3>This is probably a story that's about a week and

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<v Speaker 3>a half old. But is there a chance that we

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<v Speaker 3>see Mooki going back to right now field?

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<v Speaker 5>No? Zero, Chick's just stop just nope, no, Well, so

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<v Speaker 5>then on a.

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<v Speaker 3>Tao can move to left and they upbraid somehow and

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<v Speaker 3>right okay.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I can see that. Honestly, the best right fielder

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<v Speaker 2>they have defensively right now is Andy pie Has and

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<v Speaker 2>he's playing center field. So when Tommy Edmund comes back

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<v Speaker 2>from his injury, his ankle injury, and that'd probably be

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<v Speaker 2>next week, they plan on playing Tommy in center field. Well,

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<v Speaker 2>what does that mean for Andy paie Has. Does he

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<v Speaker 2>go to left field and bump Conforto out of the

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<v Speaker 2>lineup or does he go to right field where he

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<v Speaker 2>would you know, he belongs where his defensive skill set

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<v Speaker 2>would be best. And Tao moves to left where I

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<v Speaker 2>think he does less damage defensively. He's not a good

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<v Speaker 2>left fielder either, but he does less damage over there.

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<v Speaker 2>The problem is Tao isn't hitting very well regardless of

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<v Speaker 2>where you play him. But the outfield does doesn't need

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<v Speaker 2>Mooky Betts. They can they have other ways of doing this.

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<v Speaker 2>Mooki is a good shortstop. I'm sorry people don't seem

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<v Speaker 2>to be getting this. You can look at the numbers

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<v Speaker 2>and it reflects it. He's a good shortstop. Remarkable that

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<v Speaker 2>he's made that adjustment. But he's not hitting. He's not hitting,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, does going to right field free up

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<v Speaker 2>the offense a little bit, then it'd be worth it.

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<v Speaker 2>But I the Dodgers don't believe that's the case. He's

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<v Speaker 2>not moving not this year.

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<v Speaker 4>He's not. That's for sure. If you're right, he's not,

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<v Speaker 4>he's not this year. Two things. One, you know you talk,

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<v Speaker 4>you mentioned Colforida. Dodger fans are clamoring for Canforida to

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<v Speaker 4>to not be on this team. So what what I

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<v Speaker 4>mean where he's been a good player his whole career,

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<v Speaker 4>what's going on this year with him?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he has not been a good player this year.

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<v Speaker 2>That's for sure, it's his numbers since his shoulder surgery

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<v Speaker 2>a couple of years ago have not quite rebounded, is it.

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<v Speaker 2>Bats this year have just been terrible. He seems to

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<v Speaker 2>step out of the dugout and be owen too. They

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<v Speaker 2>gave him plenty of time to find his way out

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<v Speaker 2>of it. He tried some changes mechanically, he tried a

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<v Speaker 2>different bat style. It's not working. He's you know, even

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<v Speaker 2>his little hot streaks have lasted, you know, two three games.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's a bust. They signed it from one year.

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<v Speaker 2>They just got to cut their losses now. And you know,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe some of those other outfield configurations work. But boy,

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<v Speaker 2>you right about the fans. There are what we would

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<v Speaker 2>call one issue voters out there who want to blame

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<v Speaker 2>him for everything.

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<v Speaker 4>True, true, All right, So I want to know can

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<v Speaker 4>the Dodgers turn it on and win the World Series?

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<v Speaker 4>That's kind of what you said at the beginning. They

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<v Speaker 4>just kind of float through the regular season and oh,

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<v Speaker 4>here it is the postseason.

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<v Speaker 3>Can they turn it on?

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<v Speaker 4>And when the world's with the way the team is

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<v Speaker 4>constructed and when you know, obviously they're getting everybody back,

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<v Speaker 4>But can they win the World Series with this team?

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<v Speaker 4>The way it's constructed.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely. I mean, is there a powerhouse out there in

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<v Speaker 2>either league this year that you say, you know, they're

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<v Speaker 2>clearly the World Series favorite. I don't think there is. Ironically,

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<v Speaker 2>after the way they had the teams they had in

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<v Speaker 2>the playoffs the last two years, they've got great starting

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<v Speaker 2>pitching this year and that can carry you a little

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<v Speaker 2>bit in the postseason. They also, when you get their attention,

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<v Speaker 2>they're still a good team. You saw that with the

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<v Speaker 2>Padres when the Padres closed on them and tied the division,

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<v Speaker 2>took the lead, Dodgers swept the Padres at home. That

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<v Speaker 2>that was the one time where they kind of got

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<v Speaker 2>their attention, got some urgency. So if that's the team

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<v Speaker 2>you get in October, absolutely they can win it again.

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<v Speaker 3>Do they need to get to buy They're two games

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<v Speaker 3>behind the Phillies right now. Phillies aren't playing the best baseball.

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<v Speaker 3>Do they need the buy for a team that has

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<v Speaker 3>battled injury or like the team is just kind of

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<v Speaker 3>sheltered guys and made sure everybody's healthy to get back

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<v Speaker 3>and not rushing back.

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<v Speaker 5>Do they need those off days they want them? I

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<v Speaker 5>don't know if they need them. The last few years

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<v Speaker 5>when they had the five days off. They've had some

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<v Speaker 5>trouble with how to handle it.

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<v Speaker 2>Last year they managed, but you know, two years before

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<v Speaker 2>that they were out in the first round. I don't

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<v Speaker 2>think a first round wild card is that bad a

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<v Speaker 2>thing because as it would play out, they would probably

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<v Speaker 2>have it at home, and they're a very good team

0:12:45.440 --> 0:12:49.120
<v Speaker 2>at home, so the danger of losing two out of

0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:54.120
<v Speaker 2>three is less. But yeah, I think they would much

0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:57.000
<v Speaker 2>rather have the five days off, line up their pitching

0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.160
<v Speaker 2>for whoever and take it from there.

0:13:00.440 --> 0:13:04.320
<v Speaker 3>But that is exactly my point. Yamamoto is not going

0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:08.160
<v Speaker 3>to pitch on five days. To me, there's nobody that

0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:13.560
<v Speaker 3>needs more time off than the Dodgers, because if Yamamoto throws,

0:13:13.800 --> 0:13:18.400
<v Speaker 3>you might not see him until Game four of the NLDS.

0:13:20.040 --> 0:13:21.880
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, the way it lines up, I think what you

0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:24.600
<v Speaker 2>get is Blake Snell in the first game of the

0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:28.360
<v Speaker 2>best of five and then Yamamoto in Game two, which

0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.240
<v Speaker 2>sets him up for the Game one start in the

0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:35.680
<v Speaker 2>next round if you move on. I think the interesting

0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:38.679
<v Speaker 2>thing is going to be how they use Otani as

0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:42.520
<v Speaker 2>a pitcher in the postseason. You know, the last couple

0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:46.520
<v Speaker 2>of times out the way he's pitched, he's not exactly

0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:52.199
<v Speaker 2>one of their four best. You got Snell, Yamamoto, Glassnow's

0:13:52.200 --> 0:13:56.000
<v Speaker 2>pitched well since he came back, and Kershaw? Where does

0:13:56.040 --> 0:13:58.920
<v Speaker 2>Otani fit in there? The other part of that is

0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.520
<v Speaker 2>the two way player rule. A lot of people are saying,

0:14:01.559 --> 0:14:03.920
<v Speaker 2>pitch Otani out of the bullpen. Well, if you do that,

0:14:04.200 --> 0:14:08.000
<v Speaker 2>it's problematic because he has to finish the game as

0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:10.839
<v Speaker 2>the pitcher or you lose lose him as the DH.

0:14:11.240 --> 0:14:13.400
<v Speaker 2>The other way you do it, if he starts, he can,

0:14:13.600 --> 0:14:15.720
<v Speaker 2>he can pitch for a while and then go to DH.

0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:19.280
<v Speaker 2>So do we see him piggybacking with somebody? Do we

0:14:19.360 --> 0:14:22.920
<v Speaker 2>see I've been throwing out this scenario for a while.

0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:27.480
<v Speaker 2>Do we see Otani starting a game and Kershaw coming

0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:30.800
<v Speaker 2>in in the fourth inning or the fifth inning? Uh?

0:14:30.840 --> 0:14:33.680
<v Speaker 2>And and they kind of uh, you know, that's a

0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:38.400
<v Speaker 2>heck of a contrast in styles for the opposing opposing team.

0:14:38.560 --> 0:14:41.640
<v Speaker 2>So how they use Otani as a pitcher I think

0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:45.320
<v Speaker 2>is going to be a fascinating part of the postseason.

0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:49.920
<v Speaker 3>Right now September fourth. Is Showani a better option to

0:14:50.040 --> 0:14:51.800
<v Speaker 3>start than Clayton Kershaw?

0:14:54.640 --> 0:14:58.360
<v Speaker 2>He I can't say he is. Uh, you gotta show

0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:03.920
<v Speaker 2>me some con consistently good starts. He was terrific when

0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.800
<v Speaker 2>he was going two or three innings. Since he's stretched

0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:11.560
<v Speaker 2>out four and five, there's been more trouble. He's you know,

0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:14.360
<v Speaker 2>he's extending his pitch mix a little bit and doesn't

0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:20.280
<v Speaker 2>have quite the same effectiveness. So you know, right now,

0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:24.440
<v Speaker 2>I think there'd be a lot of examination of the

0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:28.600
<v Speaker 2>matchups with whoever they draw. Let's put it this way,

0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:32.680
<v Speaker 2>the Dodgers have a good history, a solid history of

0:15:32.840 --> 0:15:37.440
<v Speaker 2>overthinking their pitching decisions in the postseason. I'm looking back

0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:42.000
<v Speaker 2>at when they used an opener for Julio Urias, when

0:15:42.040 --> 0:15:45.680
<v Speaker 2>they moved, used Max Scherzer to close out a game

0:15:46.520 --> 0:15:49.520
<v Speaker 2>in the NLDS in twenty one, and then he was

0:15:49.920 --> 0:15:53.600
<v Speaker 2>useless in the NLCS. They just have a way of

0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:58.720
<v Speaker 2>overthinking these things, and I think the Otani situation gives

0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:02.240
<v Speaker 2>them ample oppertunities to overthink things once again.

0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:08.000
<v Speaker 1>Hey Bill, last one from us, which team do you

0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:12.080
<v Speaker 1>think is the biggest threat to take down the Dodgers.

0:16:14.280 --> 0:16:17.880
<v Speaker 2>Well, I think I would have said the Padres until

0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:21.440
<v Speaker 2>this run of injuries that they've had. The Padres were

0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:26.400
<v Speaker 2>clearly the best team they've faced in the postseason. Last year,

0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:31.640
<v Speaker 2>and the rivalry. The intensity of that matchup is terrific.

0:16:31.680 --> 0:16:35.280
<v Speaker 2>It's something that the Dodgers don't always handle well, but

0:16:35.320 --> 0:16:38.000
<v Speaker 2>their injuries have kind of taken the edge off of them.

0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:41.560
<v Speaker 2>You know, Philly sticks in my mind a little bit

0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:44.000
<v Speaker 2>because the Dodgers just don't have a history of playing

0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:48.160
<v Speaker 2>well in Philly for whatever reason. So if they have

0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.680
<v Speaker 2>their pitching in order, if they can get a little

0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:55.720
<v Speaker 2>bit healthy on that side, I could see the Dodgers

0:16:55.720 --> 0:16:59.720
<v Speaker 2>in Philly being the showdown series in the postseason.

0:17:00.880 --> 0:17:01.360
<v Speaker 4>I love it.

0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:04.520
<v Speaker 1>Sign me up for that one. I'm pumped for the

0:17:04.560 --> 0:17:07.600
<v Speaker 1>playoffs bill. This was great. Thank you for catching us

0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:09.560
<v Speaker 1>up on where the Dodgers are at right now. And

0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:12.520
<v Speaker 1>you're right right from the jump, it's been anytime.

0:17:14.200 --> 0:17:16.600
<v Speaker 2>I want to see AJ in the Arizona Fall League.

0:17:16.600 --> 0:17:19.320
<v Speaker 2>I'm looking forward to that right now.

0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:21.080
<v Speaker 4>You know what, you know what, I found the perfect

0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:24.199
<v Speaker 4>thing for me. Banana Ball All Stars play against a

0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:25.240
<v Speaker 4>college team.

0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:27.440
<v Speaker 3>I mean, how can I not be on that game?

0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:33.720
<v Speaker 5>You're a natural, That's what do you mean?

0:17:34.200 --> 0:17:37.880
<v Speaker 4>I wasn't an All Star and I played banana Ball.

0:17:37.920 --> 0:17:40.240
<v Speaker 3>Doesn't that make me an All Star? I thought you

0:17:40.240 --> 0:17:42.119
<v Speaker 3>were a Banana Ball All star like you had to

0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:43.840
<v Speaker 3>play good for the banana ball.

0:17:44.400 --> 0:17:47.240
<v Speaker 4>I've caught great. No one stole, no run scored. I

0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:49.840
<v Speaker 4>caught great Peter Peter.

0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:53.000
<v Speaker 1>Thank you, Belle, Appreciate you.

0:17:53.000 --> 0:17:54.080
<v Speaker 2>You got it, guys,