1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Bitch time for Dodgeration. 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 2: Good morning, Dodger blue dreamers. It is Friday, October twenty fifth, 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four. The World Series starts in Los Angeles today, 4 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: Dodgers versus Yankees. I am so incredibly excited about this 5 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: and I can't wait to help tell this story. For 6 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 2: those of you who are listening and just to get 7 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: the chips rolling, today, we have something very special. It's 8 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 2: a crossover episode, something that I did especially for my 9 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 2: local public radio station, CACRW. The fine folks at KCRW 10 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 2: asked me to summarize the story of the Dodgers twenty 11 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: twenty four baseball season in seven minutes, and I said, 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: you're crazy, and they said please, and I said, okay, 13 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: I'll do. I love public radio, I love Los Angeles. 14 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: I am honored to be the person to share the 15 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 2: stories from the Dodgers twenty twenty four baseball season on 16 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: the airwaves of my beloved city today. The following piece 17 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 2: is being broadcast a couple times on terrestrial radio today. 18 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: And for you Dodger blue dreamers, y'all roll so deep 19 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 2: with the Dodgers at this point that this might feel 20 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 2: a little bit too basic for you, But I wanted 21 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: to run it here because I have a suggestion. If 22 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: you have somebody in your life who's a baseball nor me, 23 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: somebody who maybe hasn't been paying attention to the story 24 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: the way that you have been by listening to this show, 25 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: may I recommend that you share this piece with them. 26 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: This is a way to easily get caught up on 27 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: the most important storylines from the Dodgers twenty twenty four 28 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: baseball season in under ten minutes. So here it is 29 00:01:55,800 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: a Dodger Blue Dream KCRW crossover, the story of a 30 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 2: baseball season in seven minutes. Take it away me. Most 31 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 2: baseball seasons start in the springtime. This season started way 32 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 2: back in December. At least it felt that way for 33 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: US Dodger fans. Breaking news from Major League Baseball. Where 34 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 2: show Hey Otani is signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers 35 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: seven hundred million dollarslerdlerd what's worth seven hundred million? Well? 36 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 2: From my drive straight away center field, he hits towering 37 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 2: home runs. Oh that is God. He way on Joey 38 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: Otani on top of the patters. Otani's ready and as 39 00:02:55,200 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 2: a pitcher, drout's ready. He's an ACE three to two. 40 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: He's the first player since Babe Ruth to both hit 41 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 2: and pitch simultaneously at the major league level. Within hours 42 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: of his signing, Otani had broken the record for jerseys 43 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: sold by a sports star. The reason that why I 44 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: chose the team, and he and the Dodgers had a 45 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 2: shared goal. 46 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: I knew that they were all about winning, and that's 47 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: exactly how I feel. 48 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,679 Speaker 2: So that's one of the things I stood out the 49 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: World Series. The Dodgers are a perennial first place team. 50 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: They've made the playoffs every year for more than a decade, 51 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: but they've won the World Series only once in that span, 52 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty, and LA didn't get a parade this offseason. 53 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 2: The Dodgers spent one point four billion. With a b 54 00:03:54,240 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 2: dollars ulsterring and already stellar roster of MVPs like Clayton Kershaw, 55 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 2: Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. The new death Star Dodgers 56 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 2: team made twenty twenty four the most highly anticipated season 57 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: in Dodgers' history, But as soon as the season got 58 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: underway in March, a bombshell. 59 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: You're following that baseball player shoe Hey Otani seven hundred 60 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: million dollar contract with La Dodgers. And now there's some 61 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: weird stuff going on with gambling four and a half 62 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: million dollar betting scandal. 63 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: On opening day, a news story broke, linking Otani to 64 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 2: a gambling operation. Under federal investigation, wire transfers sent to 65 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 2: an illegal bookmaker had surfaced, totaling millions of dollars with 66 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:49,799 Speaker 2: Otani's name on them. Otani's then translator, Ibe Mizuhara, confessed 67 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: the truth. He had been draining Otani's bank account for 68 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 2: years to pay for a massive gambling addiction. And that's 69 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 2: how the Dodgers kicked off the twenty twenty four baseball 70 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 2: season with a pr nightmare. The season has not begun 71 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 2: the way, Showy Otani. The Dodgers are Major League Baseball 72 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 2: Anticipation and more complications were waiting on deck. As March 73 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 2: turned to April, Otani had yet to hit his first 74 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: home run as a Dodger. In May, third baseman Max 75 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 2: Munsey was placed on the injured list indefinitely, and then 76 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 2: on Father's Day at Dodger Stadium. 77 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: Oh no, no, no, no no. 78 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: No, Dodgers' MVP Mookie Betts was hit by a pitch 79 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 2: and fell to the ground. He's having trouble moving. He'd 80 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 2: fractured a bone in his left hand. Now he was 81 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 2: out too. The injury bug had arrived in the Dodgers clubhouse. 82 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,799 Speaker 2: By the All Star break in mid July, the Dodgers 83 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 2: had an entire starting rotation's worth of ace pitchers all 84 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 2: on the injured list. Then in eight July, Freddie Freeman, 85 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: another MVP, was scratched from the lineup indefinitely. Freeman's three 86 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 2: year old son was hospitalized with a rare neurological disorder. 87 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 2: He woke up Monday morning with a limp, and by 88 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 2: Monday night he couldn't walk anymore. Another key player and 89 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: another team leader was out indefinitely. And yet throughout it all, 90 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,239 Speaker 2: the team was finding ways to win. Veterans and backup 91 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: players stepped up to fill in the gaps left by 92 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 2: injuries and personal crises. The bullpen became the team's strength, 93 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: picking up the slack for a banged up starting rotation, 94 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: and a handful of trade deadline pickups joined the ranks, 95 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: ready to fight for a title. Freddy. One night in 96 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: early August, Freddie Freeman was announced as a batter in 97 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: the first inning. His son was going to be okay 98 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: Hey and he was back. And a couple weeks after that, 99 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: Mookie Betts returned from his injury and sho hey Otani 100 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 2: was on fire. By mid August, he was nearing a 101 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 2: historic achievement. Only five players in the history of baseball 102 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 2: had ever done it. Forty home runs and forty stolen 103 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: bases in the same season. And one magical night in 104 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: late August at Dodger Stadium series going back, He's at 105 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 2: the Track, He's at the Law. On September nineteenth, show 106 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: Hey went fifty to fifty, fifty home runs and fifty 107 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 2: stolen bases. Nobody had ever done that deal two pitch. 108 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 2: A week later, the Dodgers clinched the divisions, tested and rose, 109 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 2: what's broken and diverson samps again. They finished the regular 110 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: season with the best record in baseball. They beat the 111 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 2: heavily favored Padres in the National League Division Series, they 112 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 2: beat the red hot New York Mets in the National 113 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 2: League Championship Series, and now the stage is set for 114 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 2: a Hollywood ending Dodgers versus Yankees in the World Series. 115 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: Well, Los Angeles Dodgers have guessed done the impossible. 116 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 2: The last time these cross country rivals met in the 117 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 2: Fall Classic was nineteen eighty one. A twenty year old 118 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 2: left handed pitcher from Sonora, Mexico, was on the mound. 119 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: Fernando Valuella Fernando Mania turned Dodger Stadium into a party 120 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 2: in nineteen eighty one and forty three years ago this month, 121 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: the Dodgers beat the Bronx Bomber in six games. Before 122 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 2: the Dodgers take the field tonight to try to beat 123 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: the Yankees in the Fall Classic again, we'll take a 124 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 2: moment to remember Valenzuela, who died earlier this week at 125 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 2: the age of sixty three, and then the boys in 126 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 2: Blue will play ball and try to make history all 127 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 2: over again. For CACRW, I'm Richard Parks, the third. That's 128 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: it pretty cool? Huh? Six months of baseball in seven minutes. 129 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 2: Please share this episode with a friend who might be 130 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 2: interested in it and subscribe to Dodger Blue Dream wherever 131 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: you listen to podcasts. Leave us a rating and a review, 132 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 2: and check out our backcat walk. Thank you for listening.