1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,559 Speaker 1: Before we get started, please rate and review our show 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: that helps people find us. On this episode of Sports 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly, s I staffer Emma Bachelory joins me for 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: a delightful baseball related doubleheader. Later on in the show, 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna discuss how and why Dodger Dogs became the 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: most iconic concession food in all of sports, and whether 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: they're as good as advertised or gasped overhyped. But first, 8 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: if you're a Major league relief pitchers sitting out in 9 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: the bullpen, there tends to be a lot of downtime, 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: a lot of hurry up and wait, except on those 11 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 1: rare occasions when the bench is clear and there's a brawl, 12 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden, you have a long, long 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: way to go to get in on the action. Emma 14 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: talked to several relief pitchers about the long distances they 15 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: have to cover when a fight breaks out and the 16 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: comedy of errors that usually ensues as a result. I'm 17 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: your host, John Gonzalez from Sports Illustrated and I Heart Radio. 18 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: This is Sports Illustrated Weekly. I'm a Bachelory. Welcome back 19 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: to Sports Illustrator Weekly. Thank you for having me. All right, 20 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: so I love a good baseball brawl. I'm a sucker 21 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: for a good fight at a baseball game. One aspect 22 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: of it, though, that I hadn't really considered, was the 23 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: focus of your latest piece. Kudas to you again for 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: thinking outside the box. Broad Strokes. Tell us about how 25 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: and why you started thinking about relievers sprinting in from 26 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: the bullpen when the bench is clear. So this has 27 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: been something I've been thinking about since I was a 28 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: little kid. Every time you see a fight, whether it's 29 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: on TV, and they eventually pan out, and you realize, like, 30 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: while these guys have been scuffling or posturing or actually 31 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: fighting around home plate, the relievers have been making this 32 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: very long jog out from the bullpen and they're just 33 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: gonna have to turn around when they get there. And 34 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: the same if you're watching it in person. That's always 35 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: the few time they've been at a ballpark where I 36 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: actually get to to witness it lives. It's like, just 37 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: look at them and it looks so silly, like this 38 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: idea of them just making this run out of obligation 39 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: when they know they can't do anything. And finally decided 40 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: it was time to to ask some relievers if they 41 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: felt the same way I did. I love that you. 42 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: I've been thinking about this since you were a kid. 43 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: Now it's in Sports illustrated. I would imagine that the 44 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: biggest impediment on this thing, aside from the fact that 45 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: it is sort of perfunctory that they have to run 46 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: out there and by the time they get out there 47 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: they have to turn around and go back. But if 48 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: they are going to run out there with any sort 49 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: of intent, the biggest impediment would have to be fitness. No, 50 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: they expend a lot of oxygen, right, you know, you're 51 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,239 Speaker 1: talking about a d fifty yards give or take depending 52 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: on where the bullpen is. It's a pretty long way 53 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: to go if you're trying to to really sprint it 54 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: and not jog it. So by the time you're there, 55 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: you know, you'll probably be kind of out of breath, 56 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: especially considering like you've probably been and just sitting around 57 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: before you were called out there. You're going from just 58 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: sitting to flat out sprint. Uh. Yeah, really limits your 59 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 1: chances of effectiveness, even if if time and distance we're 60 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,959 Speaker 1: on your side to begin with, which they're not. Yeah, 61 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: So it is a long way to go and Pirates 62 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: reliever David Bedner told you, by the time they get there, 63 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: it's usually broken up anyway, right, So it's just sort 64 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: of like this exercise pun intended in futility, get there 65 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: and it's already all either it's still going and it's 66 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: really bad. But usually if I tell you you have there, 67 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: it's all broken up, then he was gonna you have 68 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: walk back and talking about it. Everybody's out of breath 69 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: and every man anything. Yeah, it's really I think if 70 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: you want to get deep about it, like something about 71 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: like performative aspects of you know, what it means to 72 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: be a good teammate that like everyone knows this is 73 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: kind of a force that it's not going to work, 74 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: but you still have to do it. Like if you 75 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: don't go out and do it, it's going to be like, well, 76 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: you know, you don't have his back, you're not coming in. 77 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: What's the deal here? You've got to do it, but 78 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: everyone knows it's all for not. Also, baseball players are 79 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: not always in the best shape. So are there guys 80 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: who don't run in, or don't want to run in, 81 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: or only kind of slow jogging. I think there are 82 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: some No one wanted to really talk about it. Everyone 83 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: was like, Oh, of course I sprint out, but yeah, 84 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: I can see why you would not want to. It's 85 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: I'm sure there there are some, even if I couldn't 86 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: get any on the record. Your investigation of this was 87 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: just delightful. There were some very funny exchanges that you 88 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,799 Speaker 1: had with some of these relievers, including Blue Jay's reliever 89 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: Jordan Romano, who told you that there are other issues here. 90 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 1: The only thing is it's like you've been sitting a 91 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: while and then you've got a full sprint, so like 92 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: you're just worried about like your handies, like hopefully one 93 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: doesn't glow. If you're going from just sitting to sprinting, 94 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: it's a real concern and stretch. You gotta stretch it 95 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: out first, exactly. I heard a story from multiple people 96 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: about one reliever who wears glasses who had taken his 97 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: bosses off to apply some sunscreen when a fight broke 98 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: out and ran out there without his glasses on because 99 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: he was in such a hurry and then couldn't see anything. 100 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: So in addition to the are you stretching question, it's 101 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: do you have your glasses on? Is another one for 102 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: some people. If you don't have your glasses on. You 103 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: might not run to the right spot for the brawl. 104 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: You might hit the wrong guy if you throw a punch. 105 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: That's no good, right, It's real, real factors to worry 106 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: about here. Yeah, these are all things you have to 107 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 1: think about other potential problems. You talk to White Sox 108 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: reliever Liam Hendrix, he mentioned some concerns about jumping over 109 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 1: a fence. Yes, apparently he's done this, they said at 110 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: least three or four times. We had one in Minnesota. 111 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: I just jumped the fence in the bullpens then, and 112 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 1: it was a lot bow down than I thought, and 113 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: he has gotten in trouble for it. I'm not supposed 114 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: to jump to fence, No, I don't think it's what 115 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 1: a trainer would want. I like that he was. He's 116 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: just trying to cut down the travel time hopping over 117 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: the fence instead of going around it. I would imagine also, Emma, 118 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: that there are some guys who are faster than others. 119 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: So do you know, have you identified who the best 120 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: sprinter is out of the bullpen? Won a fight happens? 121 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: Maybe that's the next step is watching some film to 122 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 1: see if I can figure out who the who the 123 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 1: fastest guy is the one that didn't make it in here. 124 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: But who I did talk to you was Devin Williams 125 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: the Brewers, who was pretty proud of his speed and 126 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: felt like he usually made a pretty good impression on 127 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: how fast he got out there. But I didn't go 128 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: back and watch enough to really compare myself, so I'll 129 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: often fact check anecdotally. Who would you guess, aside from Devon, 130 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: if you say, you know what, I would guess, he's 131 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: pretty fed, he's pretty fast. That's a good question. I 132 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: feel like not so much on fitness, but on passion 133 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: and energy. Joe Kelly is standing out to me in 134 00:06:55,040 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: my head right now. This is what use would just 135 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: looking out and Kelly's looking at Kelly says, okay, come on, 136 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:09,559 Speaker 1: so he can Kelly's sides wipe them, got a little 137 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: punch in, Benny got back up, and he got taken down. 138 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: There have been a few that he's been right in 139 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: the middle of I feel like he has the the 140 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: adrenaline and the drive, even if it's not like the 141 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: best natural fitness, to make sure that he's out there 142 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: pretty quickly. Adrenaline and drive is good, especially when applied 143 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: to relievers because they tend to be a little quirky. 144 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: So if you got to get some of those guys 145 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: who are a little bit more keyed up and worked 146 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: up and see them running out there, it is a 147 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: code you do have to go out there. But some 148 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: of them are going through the motions of running out 149 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: there and pretending like they're actually gonna get into this fight. 150 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: Who's not a fighter? Because Hendrick says he can't fight 151 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: at all, and he's just out there for moral support, right, yes, 152 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: which I appreciated that, you know, it needs to own 153 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: up to it into another one. I was Jorge Lopez 154 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 1: of the Orioles. The tail just gave him a work there. 155 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: I don't know what he said, if he said something. 156 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: Now he's staring him down and they're still yelling from 157 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: the Baltimore bench. The bullpens are spilling out as well, 158 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: saying that he always likes to think he's going out 159 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: there to help break it up, that he's like his 160 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: mission is not you know, like how can I get 161 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: in there? But how can I make it stop? The peacemaker? 162 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: Yeah exactly, And he still doesn't get there in time. 163 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: So what about are there guys who can actually scrap 164 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: This is you know, I'm dating myself here, but back 165 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 1: in the day, you know, Rob Dibble was a guy 166 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: who liked to get into a baseball brawl. John Rocker, 167 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: I would guess when he's not like busy cheering on 168 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: the January six insurrection would be a guy who would 169 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: like to get into a scrap. Other guys now of 170 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: the current era where you go, yeah, that's somebody who 171 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 1: would like to get into one, and somebody maybe you 172 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 1: wouldn't want to mess with. No one really wanted to 173 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: call anyone else out for it, I think, both because 174 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: you know, like it's probably not gonna happen for you, 175 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: and also it just a true brawls are so few 176 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 1: and far between nowadays. I don't know if that's a 177 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,599 Speaker 1: higher emotional intelligence that we have going on here or 178 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: just like a recognition of the risks that were being 179 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: pretty silly in so many cases. But yeah, like no 180 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: one really had any examples of like, oh yeah, and 181 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: I was in the bullpen with this guy who wanted 182 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 1: it um Instead, just a lot of ruminations on the 183 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: run itself because they didn't have much to say about 184 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: what would happen if you actually got there. The run 185 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: itself You've been thinking about this since you were nine 186 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: years old. You finally reported it. It is an excellent piece, 187 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,199 Speaker 1: very funny reader story on relievers who rumble on SI 188 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: dot com. She's one of the first people we'd want 189 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: running out of the bullpen to have our back. I'm 190 00:09:50,400 --> 00:10:00,679 Speaker 1: a Bachelori. Thank you for this. After the break, Emma 191 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: and I get into all things Dodger dogs, including whether 192 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: they live up to the hype. I'm a Bachelari. Welcome 193 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: back to Sports Illustrative Weekly. Thank you for having me. 194 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: Always excited to have you on the show. You you 195 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 1: write about generally some peculiar topics. Uh, this one near 196 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: and dear to my heart. You wrote recently about baseball 197 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: and hot dogs, which have this symbiotic relationship. But you 198 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,840 Speaker 1: didn't just write about any hot dogs. You wrote about 199 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: Dodger dogs. The story builds it as not just an 200 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: optional add on to the Dodger Stadium experience. It is 201 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: the experience. This feels personal for you. Tell us about 202 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: how and why you wanted to write about the Dodger dog. Well, 203 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 1: this was you know, we were coming to Dodger Stadium 204 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: for the All Star Game. Obviously, lots of different iconic 205 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: pieces of the history there and the team, and I 206 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: was just really blown away by how popular the Dodger 207 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: dog is compared to every other hot dog in baseball 208 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: that you know, you think of hot dogs as being 209 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: a big seller at every stadium, and they are, but 210 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: it just the Dodger dog just blows the rest away. 211 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: Like when you look at the numbers, I mean, it's 212 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 1: selling more than twice as many as the next most 213 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: popular hot dog, which is a Yankee stadium. So I 214 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: felt like there was something to dig into their So 215 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: the Dodger dog, as you mentioned, they sell a ton 216 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: of them. It became iconic, even though hot dogs at 217 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: games have always been a big deal. So take us 218 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: through the history of it. When did the phenomenon start? 219 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: The hot dog in baseball kind of grew together in 220 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 1: general through the late eighteen hundreds, early and eighteen hundreds 221 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: as baseball was growing. Why don't you try a do 222 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: thy good hot dog? Lick it? The hot dog is, 223 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: I mean the perfect food for it. It's portable, it 224 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: has its own bread carrying case. Remarkably weird way to 225 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: describe a bun, but you know it's so you've had 226 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: this increase in popularity for the two of them together 227 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: over a long time. But then the Dodger dog, you know, 228 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,479 Speaker 1: didn't come about into even though there were hot dogs 229 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: at epots Field when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn, the 230 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: Dodger dog as a branded phenomenon didn't come until they 231 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 1: moved west and gone to Los Angeles. And basically what 232 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: it was was early sixties. They were looking for a 233 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 1: way to brand their hot dog there and the concessions 234 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: manager had thought about billing it as a foot long 235 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: because it was close to that, it was about ten inches, 236 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: and realized, you know, for selling a tendant chot dog 237 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: as you know, longer than the standard six inches, but 238 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: we're billing it as a foot long, like someone's going 239 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: to measure it, and someone's going to call us out, 240 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: Like we can't advertise a tenant shot dog as a 241 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:37,719 Speaker 1: foot long, but you can't also really call it like 242 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: a ten inch or like that just sounds weird. So 243 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: they needed a name, and they settled on Doddery Dog. 244 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: And for oversized appetites, these extra long winers dub dodge 245 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: your dogs at the stadium and that was enough to 246 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: kind of really make it as give it a name, 247 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: a branded presence. It helped that the supplier also made 248 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: versions you could buy in the supermarket and we get home, 249 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: and really all of that together helped to just take off. 250 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: So they avoid the fraud of calling it a foot long. 251 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: They get the alliteration in there, which is always good 252 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,199 Speaker 1: for marketing. But was there a tipping point where Dodger 253 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: dogs as we know them as locals love them here 254 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles? I'm in Los Angeles. People talk about 255 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: them all the time. Was there a tipping point when 256 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: they really exploded into popularity where people want, yeah, it's 257 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: not just a hot dog, it's a Dodger dog. It 258 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: seems like it's kind of a self reinforcing thing, if 259 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: that makes sense, and that like you know, popular through 260 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: the sixties, seventies, early eighties as any hot dog is 261 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 1: at a baseball game, but really it's like the nineties 262 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: early two thousand's when it it has gotten to the 263 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: point where it has a bit of history to it 264 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: and the legacy to it that like it's something you 265 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: can make the pilgrimage to get that it's has built 266 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,920 Speaker 1: up this like decades long reputation as a hot dog 267 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: that just as it became more popular that only helped 268 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: increase the idea that something that people should seek out. 269 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 1: And you know, after it had already become baseball's most 270 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: popular hot dog, it really just kept increasing the gap 271 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: between it and everything behind it. You mentioned that that 272 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: the Dodgers some more hot dogs than any other team. 273 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 1: That's an interesting record to have. I guess how many 274 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: more are we talking about? Like as it by an exponent, 275 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: it's pretty significant. They're on track for about three million 276 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: this year. Um, and if you're looking at the second 277 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: place team, that would be the Key's with one point 278 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: two million. Yeah, so significantly more hot dogs sold in 279 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: l A Than in New York. Okay, my question here 280 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: is how much is quality and how much is hype? 281 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: Because our Dodger dogs really as good as they're made 282 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: out to be, or they just doing a really good 283 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: job with marketing. I mean, I don't want to besmirch 284 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: the Dodger dog. Please feel free to besmirch. I mean, 285 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: we're reporters. I want you to do the honest accounting 286 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: of what this product is like. There are some things 287 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: that make it different. The fact that you can do 288 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: it grilled that the classic version is a work rather 289 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: than a hundred percent beef. Like, there are some things 290 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: that do set it apart, but for the most part, 291 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: it's a hot dog um And so I think what 292 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: you have is the power of marketing, of hype, and 293 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: then also the fact that Dodger Stadium is the biggest 294 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: stadium in baseball and they sell it out regularly. That 295 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: also helps that you just have more people there. And 296 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: then finally, also if you're looking at the other food 297 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: options available at Dodger Stadium versus especially some newer stadiums 298 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: that have tons of different gourmet options, not an area 299 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: that Dodger Stadium has really gotten into as much. When 300 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: you're looking at a few of other teams in the 301 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: way that they've leaned into luxury concessions and just getting 302 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: a real variety of things available at the ballpark. Yeah, 303 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: I think all of those come together fine hot dog, 304 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: but it's not necessarily anything truly special other than the 305 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: fact that you know that the classic grilled work option 306 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: is not what you see every were all the time. 307 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: But then you have just the number of people who 308 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: are there to get it, the other options that's competing 309 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 1: with not as much. And then just the kind of 310 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: runaway train effect of the hype and popularity. I mean 311 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: long before I moved to Los Angeles. I had been 312 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 1: out to cover the Dodgers in various series before, and 313 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: I had heard all the hype around the Dodger Dog. 314 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: And I can never really figure out why it was 315 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: fetishized so much out here, as opposed to say, the 316 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: Yankee Dog or the Philly Frank. Your story kind of 317 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: hints at this about how it's a massive component of 318 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: the experience of going to a Dodger game. And I 319 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: think sometimes Dodger fans l A sports fans in general 320 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: get dinged for not really being into the sports so 321 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: much as the experience. Is this another indictment of l 322 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: A fans that they're more about the Dodger Dogs than 323 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: Dodgers Baseball. I'm not sure you'd call it an indictment. 324 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: I think it's it's nice that they have something that 325 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: they've really like, blatched onto and made a part of 326 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: the experience. Do you still want that one of the 327 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: kind dog your stadium experience? Well, all you need is 328 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 1: Farmer John Dodger Dogs. It feels very much of a 329 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 1: piece of all those stereotypes. I think, yeah, I mean, 330 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 1: we can dunk on l A. I'm cool. I want 331 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,120 Speaker 1: to I want to confess something to you. So again, 332 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: I'm from Philly, but I live in l A. And 333 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: I have been to Dodger Stadium many many times, in 334 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: both the personal and professional capacity. I've eaten my share 335 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,640 Speaker 1: of Dodger dogs. And then they're fine. Yeah, like they're 336 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: they're okay that I think. I feel like they're overhyped 337 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,239 Speaker 1: in the same way that in an out burger is 338 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: overhyped out here, which I know, like Angelina has put 339 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 1: your ear muffs on because you're gonna get piste off 340 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 1: about this because I'm criticizing in an out burger, I'm not. Really. 341 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 1: It's a fine burger, but it's not like as good 342 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: as I think Californians make it out to me. So 343 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: I'm wondering, Emma, you came out here to do the 344 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: story on the Dodger dog. What does Emma think about 345 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: the Dodger dog. I I am with you on team fine. 346 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: It's a fine hot dog, but yes, I seem fine. 347 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: I've had them in the past. But while I was 348 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: working on this story, I actually I had helmet nachos 349 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: one day, and I had a helmet soft serve. The next. 350 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,400 Speaker 1: I did not seek out an additional Dodger dog. She's 351 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 1: a professional reporter and went to college specifically for this. 352 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: So how many Dodger dogs did you end up eating? Though? 353 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: I had one and I was like, just one for 354 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: the story. And they changed suppliers this year. There's a 355 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: big change up in the Dodgers line up that taint. 356 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: The team has now dropped the company that's made Dodgers 357 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 1: dogs for decades. I was trying to mentally compare it 358 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 1: to it had been a few years since I had one, 359 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: and I couldn't can't say I could remember the specific 360 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: taste of the last supplier. That one also was categorized 361 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: is justified hot dog in my head, all the hot 362 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: dogs one together. But yeah, it is a perfectly fine 363 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: hot dog. Fine hot dog. I guess that's the best 364 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: thing that we could say about it in this sentstance. 365 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 1: I got one more for you. This is the most 366 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: important question I'm going to ask you before we let 367 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: you go. What did you put on your Dodger dog? 368 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: Straight up mustard, no relish, nothing else. Class. This is 369 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: why we send her to do the important stories. Gang 370 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: read her piece about Dodger dogs on SI Dot com. 371 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 1: As far as we're concerned here at SI Weekly, she's 372 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: the top dog. I'm a bachelory. Thank you for this, 373 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening everybody, and a reminder to please rate 374 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: and review the show. It helps people find us. Sports 375 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 1: Illustrated Weekly is a production of Sports Illustrated and I 376 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit 377 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 378 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: get your favorite shows. And for more of Sports Illustrated, 379 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: its best stories and podcasts, visit SI dot com. This 380 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly was produced by Jordan Rozsieri, 381 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: Jessica your Mooski, and Isaac Lee, who is also our 382 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: sound engineer. Our senior producers are Dan Bloom and Harry 383 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: swart Out. Our executive producer is our Scott Brody and 384 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: me John Gonzalez. Our theme song is by Nolan Schneider 385 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: and if you stuck around this song, we leave you 386 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: with this. I thought for sure the last question is 387 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: going to be is it a sandwich? You know what 388 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: I have? I have no pun intended dog in this fight. 389 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: I don't care about that it's a sandwich. It's not 390 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: a sandwich. I like to eat them. That's like the 391 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 1: extent of my caring about hot dogs component.