1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, please rate and review the show. I put 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: a lot into this project and this is my request. 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: It just takes a moment. Thanks so much, and now 4 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: on with the show. 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 2: Bitch. Time for Dodger Day. 6 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: Now is the time to start paying attention. The dog 7 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: days are here. 8 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, So it's August first, twenty twenty four. 9 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 4: Rent is due, Dodgers, rent Is do, rent Is do? 10 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 4: Time to wake up round in July. I know we're hurting. 11 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 4: I know our guys are going through personal stuff and 12 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 4: so are we. So it's time to put those pieces 13 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 4: in the puzzle and make it work. 14 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: But they always do this. This is yearly, yearly, yearly, 15 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: yearly boo. 16 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: When the Dodgers went into a bit of a slump 17 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: over the last month or so, I knew exactly who 18 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: I wanted to reach out to. 19 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 3: We've got a lot of tough games this year and recently. 20 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: Wesley Avula is a Los Angeles chef with several restaurants, 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: and he's a diehard Dodger fan. I know Wes because 22 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: I co authored a cookbook with him, Gorilla Tacos Recipes 23 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: from the Streets of La One of the things we 24 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: bonded over early on was a love of baseball and 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: of the Dodgers. We're both lifelong fans. But Wes's relationship 26 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: with the Dodgers goes deeper than that. Wes's restaurant, Angry 27 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: Egret Dyne Net, was the recipient of a small business 28 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: grant from the Dodgers, and Wes ended up throwing out 29 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: the first pitch at the World Series in Atlanta in 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. He was also a part of the 31 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: opening ceremonies during the National League Division Series in twenty 32 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: twenty two at Dodger Stadium. Twenty twenty two was really 33 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: hard for me. 34 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was a tough loss. Was that the one 35 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 2: that they swept us? 36 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,279 Speaker 3: We won one game, didn't we. 37 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: We won the game that I threw the first pitch. 38 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: Yet, Wess is one of my favorite people to talk 39 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: Dodgers with or to go catch a game with. But 40 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: we have a slightly different relationship to our fandom, as 41 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: we'll get into in a little bit. Still, we both 42 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: want the same thing. 43 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 4: Well, I mean the World Series, of course, the World 44 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 4: Series win. All you do is want them to win one, 45 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 4: win a Ferald Series. I can shut up about the 46 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 4: Vickey Mouse ring win one and then I'll be all 47 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 4: shut up for a while. 48 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream, a documentary series about the 49 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Dodgers twenty twenty four baseball season, made in 50 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: real time as the season unfolds. I'm Richard Parks, the 51 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: Third I'm a writer, documentarian, and I love baseball. Today's 52 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: episode First Place Problems. This is when baseball really gets interesting. 53 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: The storylines are maturing nicely. Players and teams are either 54 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: rising up to or falling short of the expectations we 55 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: held for them before play started. It would be hard 56 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: to reverse a bad season at this point for a 57 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: player or a team. But at the same time, anything 58 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: is still possible. There's still plenty enough time for hope 59 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: and plenty enough time for things to fall apart disastrously. 60 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: The Dodgers spent more than a billion dollars this offseason. 61 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: Is that historic spend paying off? How are we looking 62 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: in our quest to win a World Series title in 63 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: Los Angeles in twenty twenty five. Let's sum it up 64 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: this way. We have first place problems. I mean, we're 65 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: roughly where we expected to be, sitting at the top 66 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: of the National League West. But if you talk to 67 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: your Dodger fan friends, especially recently, they would have plenty 68 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: that they'd want to complain about. 69 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 2: Hello, and thank. 70 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: You for calling Dodger Blue Dream. And like, here's an 71 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: audio message I got from Wes a couple of weeks ago. 72 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 2: Dodgers can't catch a break. 73 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 4: They slept on Rose Arena and they got swooped on 74 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 4: for Johanramirez by the Cubs. 75 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 2: It's like, what are they even doing now? 76 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 5: Man, Like, we need to make something moves because our 77 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 5: guys are taking foreverity heal, more guys getting injured. We're 78 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 5: calling up the farm to basically play on the billion 79 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 5: dollar team and Stan. 80 00:04:54,800 --> 00:05:00,799 Speaker 1: Baal and we've been on a pretty b ad stretch 81 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: for more than a month now. I mean July was 82 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: particularly awful. We finished at eleven and thirteen for the 83 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: month of July, and that's the worst record for any 84 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: month in Dodgers Baseball since April twenty eighteen. We were 85 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,559 Speaker 1: outscored one hundred and thirty seven runs to one hundred 86 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: and four this July. That billion dollar dream of the 87 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: offseason feels a billion miles away. And maybe you're thinking, 88 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,559 Speaker 1: what is this independent documentarian and his chef friend really 89 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: know about the Dodgers anyway. 90 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 6: You rarely see a team built like this in the sport. 91 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 6: No team's ever spent a billion dollars a long winter before. 92 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: So I reached out to Fabi and Ardaya, the Dodgers 93 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: beat writer for The Athletic, and he confirmed we've got problems, 94 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: first place problems. 95 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 6: I don't know if you could say if you feel 96 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 6: as bullish about this team than maybe you did when 97 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 6: you sort of saw what it looks like on paper. 98 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: We've got injuries, we've underperformed, Like what were your expectations 99 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: for where we would be on August first. 100 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 4: Way more games ahead, maybe at least twelve games ahead. 101 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: And after our series lost to the Phillies this week, 102 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: our lead in the NL West has shrunk to two 103 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: and a half games. But yes, we must admit it's 104 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 1: still a lead, and we're still in first place, and 105 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: things are overall going quite well, and we're definitely going 106 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: to win the division. We've done that ten of the 107 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: last eleven years. And we are definitely going to make 108 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: the postseason as we always do. I mean, we are, 109 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: aren't we. 110 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 4: I think this is like kind of rock bottom. I 111 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 4: talked to tell me about Sulloy, my wife, and she 112 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 4: always says, you always get pissed off in August. They 113 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 4: always kind of tank it in July and August. You 114 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 4: know that they do this and then they go on 115 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 4: a streak and then hopefully they get hot enough and 116 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 4: stay hot enough. That's the thing with baseball, too, is 117 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 4: the momentum matters there. Yeah, I don't like to watch 118 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 4: them moose and you can almost sense it, like there's 119 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 4: times where it's like they're gonna get that just kick bro. 120 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 2: They're playing like. 121 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 3: You and I are very different. 122 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, baseball fans in that when there's a close game, 123 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: you'll turn. 124 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 3: I have to shut it a game off and walk away. 125 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 2: I have to shut it off. 126 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 4: I can't watch it like it's it makes me too angry, 127 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 4: too worked up, and it's like it's too much energy 128 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 4: to be I'm a chill chill and it's like, no, 129 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 4: they're doing it on purpose to hurt They're doing in 130 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 4: purpose to like hurt me, you know. 131 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: Because baseball is suppressing and it's a lot of hard games, 132 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of games and a lot of 133 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: losses and a lot of strikeouts and a lot of disappointment. 134 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: All that disappointment is always built into base Yeah, So 135 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: it's just a part of it. It's a part of 136 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: being a baseball fan is to suffer that way and 137 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: to go through a lot of hard losses. 138 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 4: I know, but I've been through a lot of hard 139 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 4: losses already. So I'm like, dude, I'll just shut it off. 140 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, nope, all right, let's get into it. Let's 141 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: covetch first place problems. 142 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 3: So what are your main concerns for the Dodgers pitching? 143 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 2: Pitching Number one? 144 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: The Dodgers starting rotation collectively had an ERA of five 145 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: twenty four throughout the month of July, and on average, 146 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 1: starters didn't even make it through five innings. And on 147 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: top of that, who were we even talking about when 148 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: we say starters. We had nine different pitchers start a 149 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: game for us in the month of July, and for 150 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: many of them, we had to learn how to pronounce 151 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: the name that was written on the back of their 152 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: jersey because, and this is going to be a theme today, 153 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: our intended starting rotation has been super bang up. Yoshinobu 154 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: Yamamoto has been out for months with a shoulder injury. 155 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: Dustin May is out for the season. Tony Gonsolin is 156 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: nowhere to be found. Walker Bueller remains a huge question mark, 157 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,959 Speaker 1: whose return from his second Tommy John earlier this year 158 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: did not go well, and now he's out again. Our 159 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: one reliable veteran starter this year, Tyler glasnow spent time 160 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: on the IL in July, and he's already pitched more 161 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: innings this season than he has in any other season 162 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: in his career. Bobby Miller's in the minor leagues trying 163 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: to figure it out. Gavin Stone couldn't go five innings 164 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: on Wednesday night, and Kershaw's start in San Diego was 165 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: a replay of the worst postseason Kershaw, complete with the 166 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: head hanging low in the dugout on those increasingly rare 167 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: occasions when we see a quality start from a Dodgers pitcher, 168 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: when it comes to the bullpen. 169 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 2: Like we'll get the feed and then they'll blow it. 170 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 4: It's like it's mostly blown games, Like yeah, blown blown 171 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 4: games where it's like, how are you up by five? 172 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 2: And then you lose. 173 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: When your starters aren't even giving you five innings, your 174 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: bullpen is going to get overtaxed. And our overtaxed bullpen 175 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 1: collectively put up a five forty nine era in July. 176 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: Evan Phillips, who has been such a bright spot the 177 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: past couple seasons, has looked totally lost. His era was 178 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:27,719 Speaker 1: near twelve in July, not to be outdone by Johann Ramirez, 179 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: whose era was almost thirteen before we dfa'd him. Alex 180 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: Vessia was off to a great start but has faltered. 181 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: Joe Kelly, A lot of our guys aren't looking that great, 182 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: and there have been some heartbreaking games. 183 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 2: How are you up by five? I think that he 184 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 2: was pitched down and Bragman drive. 185 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 6: One game. 186 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: There was Alex Bregman's walk off home run in Houston. 187 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 1: We were up six to one in that game, too, 188 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: pitch It's a. 189 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 2: Lot on the line, cast it front there. 190 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 6: The Dodgers had a five nothing Liker pod Ray's walking off. 191 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: Three days later in San Diego, the Padres walked us off. 192 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 3: Into tenth inning. 193 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: We also had a five run leave that game. And 194 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: remember the last game before the All Star break against 195 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: the Tigers. 196 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 3: It gets away. 197 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: The party is two days long. These games have been 198 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: tough to watch, and I've taken it on myself to 199 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: text West updates to filter for him to feel the 200 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 1: pain more deeply. 201 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 4: Our pitch needy gets their head out of there. Man, 202 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,559 Speaker 4: Like our middle over leaf has just been like. 203 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 2: Track. 204 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 1: They're track, track, track, but they're not entirely trash, and 205 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: not all of them have been trash the entire year. 206 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: Let's end our discussion of pitch with a few hopeful notes. 207 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: In terms of the bullpen, Daniel Hudson, who is coming 208 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: back from his second career Tommy John surgery, has far 209 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: exceeded expectations. As Fabian Ardaya reminds me, the. 210 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,559 Speaker 6: Fact that they got Daniel Hudson, who hasn't pitched in 211 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 6: essentially two years, on a minor league deal, and he's 212 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 6: come not only come back, but stayed healthy and been 213 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 6: probably the best reliever overall this season. 214 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: Like do you get that Michael Grove just came back 215 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: from the I L And the Dodgers made a pretty 216 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: exciting acquisition at the trade deadline. 217 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 3: That new guy Kopek, the guy who we saw last night. 218 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: Even Wess agrees that guy looked good. 219 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: He looks throws one hundred. They're talking about him maybe 220 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 1: being a closer. And in terms of the starting rotation, 221 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 1: we got like the best starting pitcher available. Yeah, Jack Flaherty, 222 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: a hometown boy, grew up in Burbank, went to Harvard Westlake. 223 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 6: Jack Flarerty's the name that makes sense just because he's 224 00:12:57,679 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 6: having such a good year and he's got who you 225 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 6: and con see what we see possibly pitching in October, and. 226 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: He had a super solid first start as a Dodger 227 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: in Oakland. Plus everybody thought he looked hot in his 228 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: cutoff T shirt in his postgame interview, So that's great. 229 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,199 Speaker 1: And by the way, as bad as our pitching looked 230 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: this July, it was still by many metrics, slightly better 231 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: overall than our pitching was last July. And we won 232 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: one hundred games in twenty twenty three. And if we 233 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: can start pulling together more quality starts and give the 234 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: bullpen good rest, they were super solid the first three 235 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: months of the season when they collectively posted a three 236 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: point h two er. Maybe Yamamoto comes back strong, maybe 237 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: Glass now still has gas in the tank. Maybe this 238 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: is a storybook year for our Kershaw. But this isn't 239 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: an episode about hope. It's about first place problems. Let's 240 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: move next to offense. This is not the lineup we 241 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: thought we would have in the offseason. 242 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:06,839 Speaker 4: We get all these players that are the shit, and 243 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,559 Speaker 4: things happens. You know, they get injured, to get hurt. 244 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: Oh no, no, no, no, no no, it is your 245 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: best hit on the hand falling to the ground. This 246 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: season's got us singing those banged up blues after getting 247 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: hit on the left hand on Father's Day. Mookie's been 248 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: out for coming up on two months, spending more time 249 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: during games in the broadcast booth than in the batter's box, 250 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: and during that time, the Dodgers' offense has slipped from 251 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: near the top of most MLB leaderboards to a middling plateau. 252 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: Without Mooki in the lineup, the Dodgers are collectively hitting 253 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: two forty six. We're just twenty two and twenty without Muki, 254 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: and our division lead has evaporated. Max Munsey has been 255 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: out for a month longer than Mooki with an oblique strain, 256 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: and we have not replaced his offensive production at third base. 257 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: From third base, the Dodgers are producing well below league 258 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: average and have spent this season beneath the Mendoza line 259 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: down on the interstate. I'm saying the average at third 260 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: base has been less than two hundred this year. 261 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: Capiche. 262 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: Apart from Munsie. Chris Taylor had been our best offensive 263 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: third baseman this year, and CT three was just starting 264 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: to figure it out when in our series against the 265 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: Giants a couple weeks ago, he pulled his groin. Miggy 266 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: Rowe was playing short in Muki's absence, and he was 267 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: getting it going with the bat, which felt really really good, 268 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: but then he got hurt. So many of our guys 269 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: have been down with injuries. 270 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 2: How is that possible that that many guys are injured 271 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 2: all the time? 272 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 3: Played too hard? 273 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 2: You think that it's what it is. 274 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 3: I think that the demands on the human body are 275 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 3: too much. 276 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 2: Obviously like that. 277 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 3: You don't think that other teams got hurt as much as. 278 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 2: We do, not as much. 279 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: When Freddie was out with his son's illness, the MVY 280 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: three was down to the ENVY one, and we've ended 281 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: up with a billion dollar lineup where Gavin Lux is 282 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: hitting third? 283 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 3: Is he really yeah, he's been batting third. It's been 284 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 3: show Hey will Lux because he's a lefty, I guess. 285 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 2: And yeah, or Pies, that's so weird. 286 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: Things sure do get weird when you got those banged 287 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: up Blues, those banged up blue. No, no, no, no, no, no, 288 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: But you know what, Mookie's coming back next week and 289 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: this weekend, Max Munsey's doing a rehab assignment in Triple 290 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: A and he'll be back shortly after Mooki. And we 291 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: already got Freddie back and Miggy Rowe too. And by 292 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: the way, seeing as this was our first losing month 293 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,879 Speaker 1: since twenty eighteen, it seems salient to mention that that 294 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: was a year that we went all the way to 295 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 1: the World Series. 296 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 3: And you know what, you gotta go. 297 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:28,200 Speaker 1: Down to go back up again. We gotta get hot 298 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: at the right time. That's why Mooki coming back could 299 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: be the right timing. No, he has like a month 300 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: to get back into it. 301 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:39,199 Speaker 2: And Freddy Yamamoto, so. 302 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: What remains of our first place problems? 303 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 4: Dodgers are not scrappy at all. I mean, come on, 304 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 4: let's be real, like they're not. They're too nice, like 305 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 4: Freddy's the mayor of first base. Mookie smiles and you 306 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 4: know all that guys are just happy. I mean, we're 307 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 4: they're in La like the sunshine and all that good stuff. 308 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 4: But right now that we're hurting, and it's like you 309 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 4: shouldn't be smiling that much. 310 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: And that's why you want the Dodgers to be a 311 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: little bit dinged up right now because you want them 312 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: to play. 313 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 3: With that fire. 314 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 2: I want them to get hot. 315 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: I mean maybe that's what we want, you know, we want. 316 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: What's missing is just a little bit more attitude in 317 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: the play. I mean, it seems like this is the year. 318 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 2: That's what I feel. What what do you feel? Frustration? 319 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 4: But it's like that every year, you know, you get 320 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 4: the like slow sometimes show haes not showtime. But every 321 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 4: time I've been to the Scenium, he gets one or 322 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 4: two home runs. 323 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 2: So I need to go to more, need to go 324 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 2: to more games. 325 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 4: Like every time we've been we went to three games 326 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 4: and he hit home runs in every single one of 327 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 4: those games, which is pretty incredible. 328 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 3: Those are the only games you've gone to. 329 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 2: Those the only games I've gone to, the only ones 330 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 2: we gotta go. 331 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 3: We gotta go to like every game. 332 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. 333 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: I also looked every time I release a podcast episode, 334 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: they've won every game the date that I release an 335 00:18:58,600 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 1: episode except for one. 336 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 4: There's two things you need to release it. We need 337 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,399 Speaker 4: to go to the game and Miggy rohe needs to 338 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 4: get a hit. He needs to get healthy and get 339 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 4: a hit. In every game because for a while. 340 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 2: He was eight, we were eighteen, and. 341 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 3: Oh, if you got a hit, I know, I thought 342 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 3: it was like twenty something might get that. 343 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 2: Last time I remember it was that. 344 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 4: But that's we still have a pretty great record when 345 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 4: he gets a hit, and we still we're still in 346 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 4: first place. 347 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 2: With all this. 348 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: Thank you Wesley Abula for discussing your first place problems 349 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: with me. Thank you also to Faby and ar Daya 350 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:39,400 Speaker 1: of the Athletic, and thank you to you. Dodger Blue 351 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: Dream is written and produced by me Richard Parks, the third. 352 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 1: This episode was story edited by Caitlin Esh, with original 353 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: music by William Ryan Fritch, Jonathan Snipes, j R. Kaufman, 354 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 1: and by me. Please rate and review Dodger Blue Dream 355 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: however you can. Yes, I'm talking to you. This is 356 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,680 Speaker 1: the one thing I ask in exchange for the show 357 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: that I make and provide free of charge. If you 358 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: can't figure out how to do that, please share the 359 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: show with one friend today. Thank you as always for listening. 360 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 1: See you next time.