WEBVTT - Doc Roberts joins Dodgers Territory 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:02.480 So pleased to be joined by Dave Roberts, the manager 0:00:02.560 --> 0:00:05.760 of the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Dave, I 0:00:05.840 --> 0:00:08.680 tell you, it's an interesting thing, this great game of ours, 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:11.160 because you get swept by the Angels and then you 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:16.440 sweep the Padres. Baseball is a conundrum. Make it make sense? Skip? 0:00:18.400 --> 0:00:18.840 You know what? 0:00:19.440 --> 0:00:22.159 If I had the answer to that one, guys, I 0:00:22.200 --> 0:00:25.960 would have slept a lot better these last ten days. 0:00:27.080 --> 0:00:28.200 I don't get it, you know. 0:00:28.600 --> 0:00:31.000 I think the only thing I can, I guess wrap 0:00:31.120 --> 0:00:34.040 my head around is it's one hundred and sixty two games. 0:00:34.080 --> 0:00:36.600 It's a long season, and I. 0:00:36.479 --> 0:00:42.000 Know fans, media, us in the clubhouse don't understand why 0:00:42.040 --> 0:00:44.520 we can't be consistent with our play or any team 0:00:44.600 --> 0:00:47.640 for that matter. But it is crazy that, you know, 0:00:47.680 --> 0:00:49.760 we haven't won a game against the Brewers all year, 0:00:50.200 --> 0:00:52.879 can't beat the Angels, and then we you know, have 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:55.120 our way with the San Diego Padres up to this 0:00:55.160 --> 0:00:57.680 point during the season. So, yeah, baseball is one of 0:00:57.720 --> 0:00:59.360 those things that you just won't I don't think we'll 0:00:59.400 --> 0:01:00.440 ever figure out out. 0:01:01.800 --> 0:01:04.720 Yeah, I mean, it's it's a very very weird game. 0:01:05.959 --> 0:01:08.560 Saw a lot better brand of baseball out of your 0:01:08.560 --> 0:01:09.600 ball club this weekend. 0:01:10.520 --> 0:01:12.039 What can you say that you learned? 0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:15.720 Did the Dodgers learn anything about themselves from the series 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:16.759 of the Padres this weekend? 0:01:18.200 --> 0:01:18.840 You know what? 0:01:18.840 --> 0:01:22.400 What what I can say is, uh, you know, we 0:01:22.760 --> 0:01:27.399 talked about urgency, and I've kind of said this the 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:31.200 last you know, a few days or during that series 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:34.920 where it's a it's a heightened focus. And I do 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:37.520 think that when I kind of do step away and 0:01:37.520 --> 0:01:43.080 you see guys like Freddie Freeman, those guys guys like 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:47.560 him who just don't ever give away and at bat 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:52.840 or take a playoff, that's something that's hard to accomplish. 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:55.880 But I think as a group this past weekend we 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:59.840 did that. So I think that's so Quinn. I think, 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:03.400 sorry Clinton, So I think that the lesson is is 0:02:03.520 --> 0:02:09.120 really try to get us individually to raise our sort 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:13.600 of intensity or focus, you know, from here on out. 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:15.600 Sorry Alana, Now that's okay. 0:02:15.760 --> 0:02:19.840 Let's give some love to alex Vessius because alex Vestia 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:24.040 Dave has been put in situations that perhaps he's not 0:02:24.200 --> 0:02:26.880 meant for at the moment, but he's risen to the occasion, 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:28.919 I mean, a big moment for him. 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:31.920 Yesterday kind of like that big dog moment. Where have 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:34.520 you seen him in terms of growth and development at 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:35.640 the back end of your pen. 0:02:37.520 --> 0:02:40.880 Man, Alex is probably you know, I've had him for 0:02:41.639 --> 0:02:45.200 I think what seven years, maybe something like that. 0:02:45.280 --> 0:02:48.680 Six years. He's really really grown. 0:02:50.200 --> 0:02:52.760 I think he's gotten a lot more comfortable in his 0:02:52.800 --> 0:02:58.320 own skin. He's a quirky guy like most relievers are, 0:02:58.760 --> 0:03:03.440 but I just really he's as hard a work a worker, 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:08.200 intentional workers I've ever been around. And his confidence has 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:11.720 grown tremendously, and you know, I think it was one 0:03:11.720 --> 0:03:16.120 of those seasonal defining moments in the sense that you know, 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:20.600 his last four he scuffled, and he's never run from it, 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:25.799 and he's always taken the baseball. And then so right there, 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:28.680 I feel that he's one of the guys that one 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:32.240 of the core guys that we're gonna need throughout the postseason. 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:36.120 So I've got to instill confidence in him. And so 0:03:36.320 --> 0:03:38.360 going to him in that spot, I felt good about 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:42.600 him in that spot. And then also he came to me, 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:46.560 to be quite honest, and said, if it's a safe situation, 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:50.120 if we score a run, I want the ninth. And 0:03:50.200 --> 0:03:52.720 then so for me is when a player has skin 0:03:52.800 --> 0:03:55.880 in the game and is that convicted and has earned 0:03:55.880 --> 0:03:56.440 that right. 0:03:56.760 --> 0:03:57.920 I'll bet on him. 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:00.280 Yeah, I mean I want to follow on that because 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:02.880 we saw that, we heard about the conversation after the fact, 0:04:03.160 --> 0:04:07.120 and you know, the bullpen obviously it's had its ups 0:04:07.120 --> 0:04:09.160 and downs, probably a little bit more downs than anybody 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:13.400 was expecting this year. Alex said, you know, the dog 0:04:13.520 --> 0:04:15.520 is still there, but maybe the dog was asleep in 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:16.080 the bullpen. 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:17.760 That felt like a dog moment. 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:20.240 How important was that to the guys in that clubhouse 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:22.680 to see Vesia kind of step up and take a 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:25.799 little bit of ownership in in a kind of leader 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:28.599 role where I mean, guys have been missing again throughout 0:04:28.600 --> 0:04:30.760 the course of the season in that bullpen. It felt 0:04:30.839 --> 0:04:33.279 like that is something to me, that's something big for 0:04:33.320 --> 0:04:35.000 the rest of the dudes in that bullpen, where you're like, 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:37.400 f yeah, I can get behind this guy and now 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:40.160 we kind of get that momentum going in the bullpen again. 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:41.400 Am I reading. 0:04:41.120 --> 0:04:43.000 Too much into this or how do you feel this 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:44.480 helps the rest of the boys in that pen. 0:04:45.600 --> 0:04:46.280 You nailed it. 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:49.599 You nailed at Clint, and it's funny as a coach 0:04:49.640 --> 0:04:53.400 where you can see guys evolve from the little puppy 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:56.400 to the big dog in a certain role, right, and 0:04:56.839 --> 0:05:00.200 we've seen that from Alex, and he is a star 0:05:00.400 --> 0:05:02.320 the pen. He's one of the leaders in the pen, 0:05:03.560 --> 0:05:07.640 obviously losing Blake and getting Blake back, and you know 0:05:07.920 --> 0:05:11.200 he's accrued some service time. He's won two championships and 0:05:11.279 --> 0:05:14.680 so it's like, he's a guy, he's a real guy. 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:19.240 And I do think that him adding a little light 0:05:19.360 --> 0:05:23.800 to the sleeping dog kind of message, not taking it 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:26.480 too seriously, but really taking it seriously. On the other 0:05:26.600 --> 0:05:29.200 end of it is a message to the guys, because 0:05:29.240 --> 0:05:31.480 I will say, in the pen, it's one of those 0:05:31.520 --> 0:05:35.280 things that you know, you get gunshot, you get scared, 0:05:36.080 --> 0:05:38.120 then it really kind of shows up. But for him 0:05:38.120 --> 0:05:40.840 to bounce back the way he did definitely absolutely sends 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:42.320 a message to his guys. 0:05:44.000 --> 0:05:48.240 Dave, you talked about making sure Alex had the knowledge 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:51.560 that you had confidence in him. Let's speak to that 0:05:51.680 --> 0:05:54.599 when it comes to Mooky Betts. How is a manager 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:58.480 do you tell MOOKI that you still have the confidence 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:01.760 in him a guy that seemingly lost confidence in himself. 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:06.560 I think it was one of those where Number one, 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:10.159 I didn't move him down, and he even at times 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:12.400 felt it might be better if he moved down in 0:06:12.440 --> 0:06:16.560 the order, and actually I moved him up to hopefully 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:19.680 just change his you know way he looks at his 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:23.320 role with the club offensively to maybe be a table 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:28.560 setter that was short lived. And then basically I put 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:30.760 him in the two hole and I even said it publicly, 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:35.240 and I'm not going to give him any outs, and 0:06:35.320 --> 0:06:38.200 He's going to be our two hole hitter indefinitely. We 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:41.159 don't have a better option in my opinion, when he's 0:06:41.160 --> 0:06:44.160 in the lineup. And so I felt right there saying, 0:06:44.200 --> 0:06:47.760 hey man, you're our two hole hitter indefinitely. So figured 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:50.640 out and he took it and ran with it. So 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.120 I think for me, that's the ultimate sign of confidence. 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:58.240 Yeah, it's good having Marcus lend Batts back in that lineup. 0:06:58.279 --> 0:06:59.760 You know, it's a dude, we were hoping for the 0:06:59.800 --> 0:07:02.320 t deadline. It's like, if this happens. If this happens, 0:07:02.480 --> 0:07:04.640 no other team is able to add Mookie back to 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.440 the lineup. You guys got him going again. It's it's 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:09.400 really good to see him. Other pieces added back to 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.000 the active roster. You're getting Snell, you got Snell back, 0:07:12.320 --> 0:07:16.320 Glass now back finally seeing that starting rotation that pissed 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:17.840 everybody off in the offseason. 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:19.560 You know, they bring baseball. 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:23.560 How has that been to see this unit of five 0:07:23.640 --> 0:07:26.160 or six dudes come together, don't sleep on Clayton Kershaw 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:28.480 by the way, how has that been for you to see? 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:31.160 And can we say this is the best starting rotation 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:31.800 in baseball? 0:07:33.520 --> 0:07:33.720 Yeah? 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:37.560 Yeah, I can say, you know, one through one through six, 0:07:37.960 --> 0:07:40.880 it's certainly the best rotation in baseball one through five. 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:44.880 I still love what Emmitt's doing and it is nice. 0:07:44.960 --> 0:07:48.720 You know, each night we can I write the lineup 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:50.680 and I see that starting pitch and I go, man, 0:07:51.000 --> 0:07:54.960 I like our guy better than their guy. And that's 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:57.760 a good feeling. And you know, even Yama coming off 0:07:57.800 --> 0:08:01.440 a bad one, I think he's to be certainly motivated 0:08:02.160 --> 0:08:02.880 here tonight. 0:08:03.520 --> 0:08:05.600 And then we got show. Hey, who I know. 0:08:06.320 --> 0:08:08.760 When he pitched on Wednesday, We're going to see a show. Hey, 0:08:08.800 --> 0:08:11.400 that's going to dominate for five innings and so and 0:08:11.440 --> 0:08:13.480 the same thing with Emmett. So I just think we're 0:08:13.480 --> 0:08:16.760 going to keep this train moving and it feels good. 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:19.000 And I just think that, you know, if we can 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:21.960 continue to keep these guys healthy and perform the way 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:26.320 that they're capable of. Everything sort of feeds off of 0:08:26.400 --> 0:08:29.920 starting pitching for our club this year. And I think 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:33.439 last year we did it with with a lineup and 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:38.440 a crazy bullpen management situation. But for us to win 0:08:38.480 --> 0:08:40.200 the last game in October, it's gonna have to be 0:08:40.200 --> 0:08:40.960 our starting. 0:08:40.640 --> 0:08:41.320 Pitching this year. 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:45.560 And Dave is that is rookie Sasak on that starting train. 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:48.360 What's the latest with him and is he willing or 0:08:48.400 --> 0:08:51.520 do you guys see a world in which Sasaki because 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:53.199 of where he's at and the season could come out 0:08:53.200 --> 0:08:53.880 of the pen for you. 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:58.760 So you know Roki right now, he's going to pitch 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:01.760 later this week. I don't know if it's Wednesday, Thursday, 0:09:01.840 --> 0:09:05.840 or Friday, it's later this week. For that OKAC team, 0:09:05.920 --> 0:09:08.760 we got to build him up number one a little 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:12.520 bit more. We got to get that velocity up Alana, 0:09:13.240 --> 0:09:17.520 and once we get to like three and four outings, 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:21.400 we need to start to see performance. And so I 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:26.880 think for Rokie, he's a young ballplayer. I know he cares, 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:29.880 I know he'll do anything that we ask him. And 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:31.520 at the end of the day, we're going to go 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:35.520 with our thirteen best pitchers, and you know his talent 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:38.440 is there, certainly, but he's also got to be got 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:41.040 to perform too. 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:40.800 FT fan. 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:44.080 When you're playing games, you kind of have some stress 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:47.360 anxiety teammates need somebody something to help. 0:09:47.679 --> 0:09:49.400 Now it's at your fingertip with RULA. 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:50.160 That's right. 0:09:50.480 --> 0:09:53.160 Telehealth has been a huge help for millions of people, 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:55.680 but it can be time consuming and expensive to find 0:09:55.679 --> 0:09:57.760 the right therapist. RULA is on a mission to make 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:00.360 this process smoother, and make sure you go to ruleer 0:10:00.360 --> 0:10:03.080 dot com slash file for more details. They take most 0:10:03.080 --> 0:10:06.000 major insurance plans, and the average copay is only about 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:10.480 fifteen dollars per session. Every provider on RULA is carefully 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:14.480 vetted and chosen for their expertise. Thousands have already trusted 0:10:14.559 --> 0:10:17.240 Ruler to support them on their journey toward improved mental 0:10:17.280 --> 0:10:20.319 health and overall well being. Head on over to rulea 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:22.760 dot com slash foul to get started today. After you 0:10:22.800 --> 0:10:24.719 sign up, they ask you where you heard about them. 0:10:24.760 --> 0:10:28.080 Please say that ft sent you there to support the show, 0:10:28.280 --> 0:10:31.199 but also worry about yourself here at rule dot com, 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:34.800 r u la dot com slash fo u l and 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:37.600 take the first step towards better mental health today. You 0:10:37.720 --> 0:10:39.880 deserve quality care from someone who cares. 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:45.760 Doc Teams had injuries, unexpected slumps, just about everything in between. 0:10:45.880 --> 0:10:48.079 For you. What has been the biggest challenge so far 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:48.680 this season? 0:10:52.559 --> 0:10:56.600 Yeah, you can start a laundering list if you need. 0:10:57.280 --> 0:10:59.560 Yeah, you know, Oh my god, as I put my 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:05.880 head down, and I think the biggest challenge, the biggest 0:11:05.920 --> 0:11:09.480 challenge is here's the thing is when you're starting pitching, 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:15.320 wasn't healthy and then your bullpen was banged up. So 0:11:15.400 --> 0:11:19.280 this is a run prevention thing, certainly in the sense 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:22.960 that you're trying to figure out how far you can 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:26.400 push guys that aren't really ready to face call it 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:31.600 twenty three twenty four hitters, and then also have guys 0:11:31.720 --> 0:11:37.079 like Alex Vesia, you know Tanner, Scott kirbyates early that 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:40.360 you can kind of put in different roles to kind 0:11:40.360 --> 0:11:43.560 of kick the game down the road to save the 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:47.199 game potentially earlier than you'd like. But if you look 0:11:47.200 --> 0:11:48.800 at a lot of Major League games, a lot of 0:11:48.880 --> 0:11:51.320 games are won and loss in the fifth and sixth inning, 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:56.640 and so it was hard to push starting pitchers early 0:11:56.760 --> 0:12:01.960 because that's when injuries typically happen than not redline relievers, 0:12:01.960 --> 0:12:05.800 so kind of balancing threading that needle. Clint was probably 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:10.040 the toughest part. Fortunately, knock on wood, we've had positional 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:14.439 player health outside of obviously a few guys, but that 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:18.439 part of the pitching was probably the most like mind 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:20.600 numbing thing for me. 0:12:21.520 --> 0:12:23.800 Sometimes I feel like I just want to give you 0:12:23.920 --> 0:12:30.600 a hug. Yeah, let's think of the positive right now. 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:33.840 Will Smith, my goodness, he set the world on fire 0:12:33.920 --> 0:12:37.600 on Saturday. Don't run on Willie Dill's. This is a 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:42.079 guy that has been so instrumental behind the plate managing 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:44.440 your pitching staff obviously, but to have a guy that 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:47.000 can hit like that and do so many things has 0:12:47.000 --> 0:12:48.920 got to be pretty special. What do you take away 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:50.840 from him? 0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:56.000 I think he's Freddie Freeman two point zero. I think 0:12:56.040 --> 0:13:00.400 that he has really become a much better ballplayer because 0:13:00.400 --> 0:13:06.440 of Freddie Freeman. And Will doesn't speak a lot, but 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:10.760 he watches, and I think that he's really learned from 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:15.600 Freddie as far as how to take it bats and 0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:18.600 behind the plate. He just has a great relationship with 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:22.120 our pitchers. Uh, the arm really plays. And I think 0:13:22.240 --> 0:13:26.079 last year I read that he led major league catchers 0:13:26.080 --> 0:13:29.480 and caught stealing. So I said it the other day. 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:32.199 I think he's the best catcher in all of baseball 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.520 and we're lucky to have him. 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:38.520 I want to touch on some of the you know, 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:40.640 the bats of the dudes in the that that line 0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:44.800 up there Taoskar and and has loved the dude, A 0:13:44.840 --> 0:13:46.960 great guy in that clubhouse. We know that hasn't been 0:13:47.040 --> 0:13:49.400 quite the same season. We're seeing some good some bad 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:52.319 here and there where you think, what are you seeing 0:13:52.360 --> 0:13:55.040 in Tayo right now and over the course of the season, 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:57.880 and you know, can we expect that that full uh 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:00.640 you know, postseason version of ta Oskar back when we 0:14:00.760 --> 0:14:02.640 need him most, you know, in October? 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:06.480 You know, I think I yes, is the answer. 0:14:07.840 --> 0:14:12.560 I think with Tayo, there was an injury earlier, wasn't 0:14:12.640 --> 0:14:17.760 hasn't been the same since. Uh, he's healthy now. But 0:14:17.880 --> 0:14:21.120 I do think that he is one of those guys 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:28.320 that when the big moment presents itself, he's there. You know, 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:31.200 certain people, you know that's what they have. You know, 0:14:31.320 --> 0:14:34.280 Keyk is one of those guys as well. And I 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:37.920 just had a good feeling that once we played the Padres, 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:40.520 it was gonna light a fire under him. 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:42.360 And you can just see. 0:14:42.480 --> 0:14:45.120 Uh, there was just a little bit more hide and 0:14:45.200 --> 0:14:47.520 focus there was, And you know. 0:14:48.560 --> 0:14:51.640 Tayo himself can deny it, but I see it. 0:14:51.800 --> 0:14:57.480 I watched every bet, every play, and you know, in 0:14:57.640 --> 0:15:01.800 big games in the postseason, the best of tail comes out. 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:04.080 Now the key is for us to get the best 0:15:04.080 --> 0:15:06.240 of him, you know, for the rest of the season, 0:15:06.240 --> 0:15:07.480 because all these games matter. 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:10.520 Dave, there was a time early on in the season, 0:15:10.520 --> 0:15:13.720 I'll admit it that I wanted to send Andy Pajes 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:16.400 to the moon, and I'm so glad that I didn't 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:18.520 send him to the moon because he has been so 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:20.920 good in so many different ways for this club, and 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:22.600 I wasn't patient enough with him. 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:23.000 But you were. 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:26.480 Can you speak to the growth of what you've seen 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:27.240 from pa Has. 0:15:29.520 --> 0:15:31.560 First of all, I want to give you props for 0:15:31.640 --> 0:15:34.120 even saying that I didn't know that was your thought earlier. 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:37.640 But I love that you held yourself accountable. Thank you 0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:41.080 for that. I just think for me, Ilana, it's one 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:44.880 of those things that I see behind the curtain. I 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:49.880 see a kid from Cuba who has gotten considerably better, 0:15:50.520 --> 0:15:54.520 who works as good as any young player I've seen, 0:15:54.560 --> 0:15:58.040 and he's grown big time with that he's not scared 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:01.440 of moments, and when you play for Thes, you are 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:02.000 you're going. 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:03.520 To play in a lot of big moments. 0:16:04.560 --> 0:16:08.280 He's not your prototypical center fielder, but his jumps have 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:12.400 gotten better, his arm strength is an eighty and accuracy 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:17.160 baked in as we saw yesterday, and I just felt that, 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:21.760 you know, hitting sixth or seventh in the order, he 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:25.240 can drive in a run. I just felt that he 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:27.880 cleaned up the fastball at the top of the zone 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:31.760 with his swing. He's got different swings different clubs. I 0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:36.120 talk about at times he now has a swing within 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:38.800 a swing, and we saw that yesterday where he's got 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.560 a swing, but then he gets a slider and he's 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:43.560 got another swing within that to be able to ride 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:46.400 that ball out for a homer. So those are the 0:16:46.400 --> 0:16:49.640 things that I started to see and was willing to 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:51.720 bet on. And you can see, guys that there's certain 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:55.160 players that I certainly have patients, more patients probably than 0:16:55.200 --> 0:16:58.800 most people would like. But I just it's it's partly 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:01.360 my job to believe in people on our club. 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:04.280 Yeah, that's a that's a perfect segue, because I think 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:06.800 our fans would be upset with me with us if 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:10.120 we didn't have to ask you about Michael Conforto. Obviously 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:12.320 not at all the season he was expecting You guys 0:17:12.359 --> 0:17:16.760 are expecting love the hat tip of you never giving 0:17:16.840 --> 0:17:19.360 up on your dudes, and that's what makes you so 0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:23.160 so damn good at this job. At some point, obviously 0:17:23.200 --> 0:17:25.800 you really want to see the reward for that patience. 0:17:25.840 --> 0:17:29.439 What are you kind of seeing with Confordo? And you know, 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:31.760 I guess we could be blunt as I keep playing 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:33.919 bad cop and our good cup bad cop interview with 0:17:33.960 --> 0:17:36.600 you here is he gonna be kind of the dude 0:17:36.640 --> 0:17:37.760 for you in the postseason? 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:44.080 That that is a fair, fair question that remains to 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:47.160 be seen. That is up to Michael to be quite 0:17:47.160 --> 0:17:51.280 honest with you. I think a lot of what I 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:56.359 look at, you know, there's a track record, there's obviously 0:17:56.880 --> 0:18:00.600 there's a recency, and also the other part of is 0:18:01.119 --> 0:18:02.280 what's the other alternative? 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:02.520 Right? 0:18:02.560 --> 0:18:05.280 And I think that you know, when you look at 0:18:05.280 --> 0:18:09.360 things like that, the on basi is completely fine. And 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:14.760 I felt that he I feel that there's not a 0:18:14.760 --> 0:18:19.320 better option verse right. I've given him some opportunities versus left, 0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:21.440 which he did the other day, versus Montsilli got a 0:18:21.480 --> 0:18:27.399 base at the left. I feel that he's he's making 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:31.720 some strides this past series, so we're going to see 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:35.720 but it's not an extended leash. But again you also 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:38.240 have to look at who's a better alternative verse right 0:18:38.440 --> 0:18:42.560 So right now my money's on Michael And to your question, 0:18:43.119 --> 0:18:46.080 I hope he is the guy in October because I 0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:49.440 do think that if we have a hymn and Keith 0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:54.840 Gay are a call situation, that's our highest ceiling for 0:18:55.240 --> 0:18:57.080 left field for the postseason. 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:01.720 Dave, six games with the Padres with a ten day window. Obviously, 0:19:01.720 --> 0:19:05.080 you just swept San Diego recently, a series with Colorado. 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:07.680 Now you're in Denver as we speak, and then San 0:19:07.720 --> 0:19:11.000 Diego again. Does the division get decided this month? 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:17.520 Probably not. 0:19:19.480 --> 0:19:21.800 No, and I and I guess I can say that 0:19:21.920 --> 0:19:27.240 pretty easily because the way we gave away five or 0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:29.040 six games so quickly, so. 0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:33.720 I guess we've lived it. That probably probably not. 0:19:36.119 --> 0:19:38.320 Baseball. Again, we just talked about baseball. 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:42.199 That is, So that's why you should just stick to golf. 0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:44.639 Where are you hitting the links? Are you hitting the links? 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:44.879 That all? 0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:45.240 Today? 0:19:45.240 --> 0:19:47.320 In Denver? The ball flies there, Dave. 0:19:48.080 --> 0:19:51.920 Yeah, I play the meters Alta in Denver with the 0:19:52.080 --> 0:19:55.880 with the golf yardage, and I'm playing with my son actually, 0:19:55.880 --> 0:19:58.240 so we're gonna go play Cherry Hills a little bit later. 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:00.359 The ladies are gonna go off early. Then I'm just 0:20:00.400 --> 0:20:03.639 going to play nine and then head the core. So yeah, 0:20:03.680 --> 0:20:06.240 So I got my golf a tire on, and honestly, 0:20:06.240 --> 0:20:08.439 I think that's been good for me because it's just 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:11.560 a little something for myself and can hit the ball 0:20:11.560 --> 0:20:13.480 with my son a little bit and then kind of 0:20:13.480 --> 0:20:16.879 locking on baseball. So it's been a good kind of 0:20:16.960 --> 0:20:17.800 yin and yang for me. 0:20:19.560 --> 0:20:23.159 Where is he at in the whole baseball development with 0:20:23.200 --> 0:20:24.880 where is how's he doing? 0:20:25.680 --> 0:20:28.919 He's not playing actively right now, and he's kind of 0:20:28.920 --> 0:20:30.920 trying to figure out if he wants to keep doing 0:20:30.960 --> 0:20:35.440 this grind or or figure something else out. But he's 0:20:35.480 --> 0:20:39.640 with me, He's somewhere around. But for me selfishly as 0:20:39.640 --> 0:20:41.760 a dad, I get my son for a couple extra months, 0:20:41.800 --> 0:20:42.440 which is great. 0:20:43.119 --> 0:20:43.719 That's awesome. 0:20:43.760 --> 0:20:47.080 Well, Dave, we appreciate your time man. As always, it's 0:20:47.119 --> 0:20:49.520 a blast talk in baseball with you. Appreciate you letting 0:20:49.560 --> 0:20:52.040 me grill you a little bit. Not that you get 0:20:52.160 --> 0:20:54.800 enough of that. Day to day with the regular beat writers. 0:20:54.840 --> 0:20:56.960 But hey, go give him hell in Colorado. 0:20:57.000 --> 0:20:57.200 Man. 0:20:58.080 --> 0:21:00.959 No, we will no letdowns, And honestly, I think it's 0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:03.840 honestly refreshing just to talk to baseball. So I think, 0:21:04.400 --> 0:21:06.320 you know, this gives me an opportunity to kind of 0:21:06.320 --> 0:21:09.520 give everyone a look behind the curtain and be honest 0:21:09.520 --> 0:21:11.720 and transparent because a lot of times, you know, people 0:21:11.720 --> 0:21:12.600 don't know everything I know. 0:21:12.720 --> 0:21:15.280 But this is good. I appreciate you, guys, Dave. 0:21:15.359 --> 0:21:17.399