1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: If you like Dodger Blue Dream, please leave us a 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: rating and a review however you can, and if that's 3 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: not possible, please share the show with one friend today. 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Thank you for your support and thank you for listening. 5 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: Let's get onto this one. The postseason is here. The 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: Dodgers are playing the Padres this week in the National 7 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: League Division Series, a best of five series which kicks 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: off at Dodger Stadium on Saturday at five thirty eight pm, 9 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: very specifically Pacific time. Game two is on Sunday at 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: five oh three pm Pacific, and Game three is on 11 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: Tuesday in San Diego at six h eight pm. The 12 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: first team to three wins wins and advances to the 13 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: Championship Series. The other team loses and goes home. Everything 14 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: is on the line, including the mental stability of every 15 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: Dodger fan. 16 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: You know. 17 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: It should be a fun and rocking showdown of these 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: two nl West rivals, and we are here to tell 19 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: you all about it. Welcome to Dodger Blue Dream Daily, 20 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: the NLDS preview to get you set for the NLDS. 21 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: We're going to talk through the rivalry between the Dodgers 22 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: and the San Diego Padres. We're going to revisit the 23 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: last time these teams faced off in the playoffs in 24 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, and we're gonna look ahead and tell 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: you what you need to know before Game one tomorrow night. 26 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: It is October fourth, twenty twenty four. The Dodgers have 27 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: home field advantage in the NLDS, which starts tomorrow. I'm 28 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:55,639 Speaker 1: Richard Parks third. The Padres want us bad, so bad 29 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: that during the wild card series against Atlanta they were 30 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: chanting beat La. During their games against the Braves, and 31 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: the moment they swept there, it was again beat La 32 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: chance breaking through Petia, they had it up on the 33 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: Jumbo Trump. This is an organization and a fan base 34 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: with a massive chip on their shoulder that will do 35 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: everything they can to conjure and capture and harness that 36 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: elusive postseason juju known as momentum in an effort to 37 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: slay the goliath that is the Los Angeles Dodgers. This 38 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: matchup is poetic, it's biblical, and for our little siblings 39 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: to the South, there could be no better bookend to 40 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four season than to beat La jeames 41 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 1: that started this season off beat Soul, South Korea. But 42 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: we'll see themselves again here in October. It looks like 43 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: the Padres are doing everything that they can to make 44 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: sure that the best fans in the world of the 45 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: Dodgers cannot take over Game three and a potential Game 46 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: four in San Diego. If your credit card is associated 47 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: with the Los Angeles County zip code, you cannot buy 48 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: tickets to go see the Dodgers play the Padres at 49 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: Pepco Park. They don't want their ballpark to turn into 50 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,639 Speaker 1: Dodgers Stadium South in October. Last night in San Diego, 51 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: I was there. 52 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 3: It truly is one of the most electric playoff atmospheres 53 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 3: I've ever seen. 54 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:29,839 Speaker 1: Like I said, they want us fast. For extra context 55 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: on the rivalry between these two teams, check out our 56 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: episodes from last week, the Dodger Blue Dream Daily episodes 57 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: on September twenty fifth, twenty sixth, and the one on 58 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: our NL West clinching game. Now, let's talk about the 59 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: last time these two teams faced off in the playoffs 60 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two night, Josh Hayder looking for his 61 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: third save in four days. The Dodgers were heavily favored, 62 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: having won one hundred and eleven games during the regular season, 63 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: the Padres had only won eighty nine games two years. 64 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: You said, ups, and we lost to the Padres. 65 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: You know, as a manager, you never want to say 66 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: that somebody wants it more than you, but I will 67 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: say that. You know, you look at that dugout versus 68 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 2: our dugout. There was more intensity. 69 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: There After the Padres NLDS win. In twenty twenty two, 70 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts applauded the team's intensity, and this 71 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: picks up on a couple threads. First, there is the 72 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: perceived complacency of the Dodgers, a franchise that has made 73 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: the playoffs twelve straight years and finished in first place 74 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,280 Speaker 1: in the division a less of those years. And then relatedly, 75 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: there is the so called bye week. With the new 76 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: postseason format, the teams that finish in first place in 77 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,679 Speaker 1: their division have about a week off before they start 78 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: the division series against whoever wins the wildcard series, but 79 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: all the wild card teams play during that week, an 80 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: intense three game series that determines who moves on. This 81 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: is the series that the Padres just took over the 82 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,359 Speaker 1: Braves in a decisive two game sweep. And there's this 83 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,559 Speaker 1: idea that if you aren't playing competitive baseball for even 84 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 1: most of a week, you lose your edge that after 85 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: six months of grinding day in and day out. This 86 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 1: brief temporal lacuna puts our players in the mindset of 87 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 1: the offseason, and maybe they get soft, maybe a little 88 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: less hungry, too much time with the family. And the Padres, 89 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: on the other hand, are fighting for their lives and 90 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: ripping their jerseys off after tense, hard won victories, having 91 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: the extra champagne shower, bonding with teammates, smoking cigars, soaking 92 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: up the postseason atmosphere. 93 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 3: And I hate that there's so many teams in the 94 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 3: playoffs because it makes it like kind of a joke. 95 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: DBD correspondent, lifelong Dodger fan and voice of the People 96 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: chef Wes Avila. 97 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 3: I'd rather see number one against number two, you know 98 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 3: in the American League, number one against number two in 99 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 3: the National and then those two teams for each other, 100 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 3: Like I just it's just more interesting. 101 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: This postseason format is only a few years old. It 102 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: actually started in twenty twenty two, the year that the 103 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: Padres beat the Dodgers in the NLDS. After the Dodgers 104 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: had a bye week and the Padres did not, which 105 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: is the same thing that's happening this year the bye week. 106 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: That is, we're not going to lose. I'm not putting 107 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,119 Speaker 1: that out there, but we do have the bye week 108 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: because the Dodgers won the division again this year. If 109 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: the Dodgers lose, it would mean that we've been eliminated 110 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: in the first round in each of the last three seasons, 111 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: aka all of the bye week seasons. But this year 112 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: the organization is approaching the bye week differently. Instead of 113 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: hanging out with their families, the players got together to 114 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: watch the Wildcard Series as a team, and instead of 115 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: playing full scrimmages throughout the week, the Dodgers are doing 116 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: more of a quote gradual build up, according to general 117 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: manager Brian Gomes, attempting to ramp up into the competition 118 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: of Game one on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. But have 119 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: you noticed a different sense mentality amongst the players? Manager 120 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: Dave Roberts has said that he has seen more intensity. 121 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: I do. I see some more hunger, I see some 122 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: more edge. 123 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: The other possibly more important difference this year the Dodgers 124 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 1: and the Padres were way more closely matched throughout the 125 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: regular season The Dodgers won one hundred and eleven games 126 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two and the Padres won eighty nine. 127 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: This year, the Dodgers won ninety eight games and the 128 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: Padres won ninety three, and they won the season series, 129 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: meaning they beat us more times than we beat them 130 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: in our head to head matchups. The Padres won eight 131 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: of those games, the Dodgers won just five. But we 132 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: won the last series, the most contested, most important series 133 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: of all the series where we clinched the division in 134 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: that third game, and a series that is arguably the 135 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: closest thing we'll have to a precursor to this week's 136 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: series in terms of the intensity, narrative, and being able 137 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,479 Speaker 1: to execute and win when everything is on the line. 138 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: And this is the first time in a while that 139 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: we've seen the Dodgers play meaningful baseball games this late 140 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: in the season. So if you're a Dodger fan, that 141 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: bodes well. 142 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 2: But there's a different level of intensity. 143 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: Although in general I feel weird about the bye week, 144 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: one thing I'll say in its defense is that it 145 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: helps us rest our bullpen, and we are going to 146 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: need our bullpen rested to win this series. As you 147 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: know from listening to this show. Our starting pitching has 148 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: been our biggest weakness all season long, and nothing has changed. Okay, 149 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: with all that context in mind, let's look ahead to 150 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: tomorrow night's game. The Padres are coming in hot. They 151 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: look very very good. Not only did they just sweep 152 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: Atlanta in the wild Card series, this Padres team has 153 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: the best record in baseball since the All Star Break. 154 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: And get this, of twenty seven experts polled by ESPN, 155 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: twenty two of them picked the Padres to win. Only 156 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: five said that the Dodgers would win. Pitching wise, we 157 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: are starting Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game one. Check out our 158 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: recent episode yo Yo Yamamoto for more about the story 159 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: of this player and his season. But to sum it up, 160 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: he's been injured for a lot of this season and 161 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: he's actually still just building up after a long stint 162 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: on the injured list. We shouldn't expect him to get 163 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: super deep into this game. Thanks to the bye week, 164 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: the bullpen is rested and ready to pick up the slack. 165 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: The Padres will be countering with Dylan Cease, a very 166 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: good starter formerly of the White Sox who has faced 167 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: the Dodgers four times. Since twenty twenty two. In those 168 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: four starts, he has a combined two sixty one ERA 169 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: twenty innings pitched, and he's given up six runs. He 170 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: hasn't gotten deeper than five and two thirds against the 171 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: Dodgers in those four starts, and in his most recent start, 172 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: Game two of our September series against the Padres. We 173 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: ended up winning that game four to three. Cease gave 174 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: up three of those runs in just five innings. Game two, 175 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: we're starting Jack Flaherty against you Darvish, two very good pitchers. 176 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,319 Speaker 1: For Game three, it's either Walker, Bueller or Landon Knack 177 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: for us. The Padres will all be starting Michael King 178 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: at some point, but not Joe Musgrove. He came out 179 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: of Game two of the wild Card series and it 180 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: was just reported today that he'll need Tommy John surgery. 181 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: Anything beyond Game three should there be more games, is tbd. 182 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: The Padres have a very very good bullpen, and thankfully 183 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: so do we. Offense wise, will be looking for Mookie 184 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: and Freddy to show up. They've both had not great 185 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: performances in the postseason in recent years, and we really 186 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: need these two MVPs to help us win Freddie's still 187 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: recovering from his sprained ankle. Max Munsey's been taking reps 188 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 1: at first base justin case, and of course, this will 189 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: be Shohey's first postseason game in his major league career. 190 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: Padres have some great hitters. Luis Arris won the batting title, 191 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: and Fernando Tatis Junior and Manny Machado. They can mash 192 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: Jackson Merrill is having an incredible rookie year in center field. 193 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: I could go on, but we will be back soon 194 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: doing these daily episodes throughout the postseason, So watch this 195 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: space and I'll end this way. There is an intangible 196 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:12,719 Speaker 1: in baseball that becomes all important during the postseason. It's 197 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: usually referred to as momentum. These games and series have 198 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: a peculiar quality of going topsy turvy when you least 199 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: expect it, scoring runs early, holding on to leads and 200 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: avoiding seesaw games, and shutting down potentially big moments. Those 201 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: are the arenas where momentum is fought for and one 202 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: and of course, whoever wins the first game, their chances 203 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: of winning the series goes up exponentially. So let's all 204 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: watch for momentum and story and pray that things go 205 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 1: the Dodger's Way. Dodger Blue Dream is written and produced 206 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: by Me Rit Parks. Original music in this episode by 207 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: Jonathan Snipes and by Me. This episode was story edited 208 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: by Caitlin Esh with production assistance from Tyler Hill. Special 209 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: thanks to Jordan Bass and Elizabeth Parks Kibbi. If you 210 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: like the show, please check out our back catalog and 211 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: share the show with a friend. Thank you for listening.