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Speaker 1: The quest for the three peat has begun.
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Speaker 2: Only four teams in Major League Baseball history have won three consecutive titles. The Dodgers are the favorites to become the fifth.
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Speaker 1: This is World Champion Dodger Talk.
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Speaker 3: Here we go again. We're gay running back.
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Speaker 1: To get in on the show called eight six six not eighty seven, two five seventy, and be sure to follow Dodger Talk wherever you catch your podcasts. Here's your host, David Vasse.
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Speaker 2: Last we are live at Uniclo Field at Dodgers Stadium after the Dodgers defeat the Seattle Mariners four to two.
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Speaker 3: Welcome to Dodger Talk.
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Speaker 2: David Vasse with you until eleven thirty tonight at eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy. We will continue to take your calls and questions regarding the trade deadline and all the trade rumors that you're hearing. I can clear up what is true, what is false, and what may be not really clear, So we'll get to all the mind numbing trade talk. And also you'll hear from Andrew Friedman because instead of being picked off by seven different writers during batting practice, he just decided, let's just do this in a press conference format.
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Speaker 3: I'm not going to.
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Speaker 2: Tell you what I'm going to do or whether or not we're trading for Trek Scooble or anybody else. But hey, let's let's go through this exercise. And I feel like he really wanted to clarify things on where show hey Otani's health is, because he said that the bicep is not the reason why O'tani is not pitching.
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Speaker 3: It's more of the left knee.
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Speaker 2: And I personally would love to do a press conference with Andrew Friedman after the trade deadline because whatever cards he's holding, he's not tipping his hand. And you know, being around Andrew his entire time with the Dogs, if there are guys that may or may not be coming back, or whether or not they're going to pitch in the second half of the season, he doesn't want that out there because he believes that can hurt his leverage and any trade discussions.
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Speaker 3: But we'll get to what.
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Speaker 2: He had to say as far as the trade deadline and what he may be cooking up and where his head's at.
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Speaker 3: But the one thing that.
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Speaker 2: Came to mind today when we talk about the trade deadline, and Andrew Friedman He's not a rookie. He's not Mike Breslo from the Red Sox. He's a guy that has been around in his position with the Rais and Dodgers now getting closer to thirty years than ten. Okay, you talk about a veteran player like a Freddie Freeman that has the experience of seeing a lot in the game. The big advantage for Andrew Friedman obviously is the financial where and also the prospect capital. But let's not forget about the experience he has in navigating trades at the trade deadline and understanding the dynamics better than anybody else out there in Major League Baseball about how to navigate a trade deadline for the big fish like Manny Machado or You Darvish, or pulling off a three way trade with the White Sox and Cardinals for Michael Kopek and Tommy Edmond.
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Speaker 3: He's he's seen.
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Speaker 2: A lot, and the experience he has is certainly going to lend itself to be a huge advantage for the Dodgers. Eight six, six, nine, seven, two five seventy is the phone number. The Dodgers remain unbeaten on nights that Eric Lawer pitches. He has made eight starts for the Dodgers now, after pitching six shutout innings tonight. He had an opener in Minneso, a couple of road trips ago, and all he did was pitch what six no hit innings, maybe six perfect innings coming in after the opener.
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Speaker 3: Nobody saw this coming.
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Speaker 2: But again, the Dodgers, Andrew Friedman, is pitching staff, Mark Pryor, Connor McGinnis, they saw something in Lower. They knew they can maybe bring the best out of him, and they have exceeded.
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Speaker 3: All those expectations.
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Speaker 2: If you told Mark Pryor and Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts and said we're going to trade for Eric Lower and we're going to win each and every one of his starts, would they have said, Yes, that's absolutely the plan. We want Lower to go five and oh with an elra at three and be undefeated nine to oher every time he takes the mount for the Dodgers.
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Speaker 3: That's just not what anybody drew up.
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Speaker 2: But I'm sure the other teams in baseball that right now are scrambling for starting pitching are kicking themselves, pulling their hair out that they could have had Eric Lawer for cash considerations like the Dodgers did, and they passed on him. But the Dodgers, who are very rich in pitching, felt like they needed an extra arm to support their six man rotation, especially since River Ryan has been a no show this season and Eric Lower has stepped in and then some And you know, I keep on asking Lawer, what is it, what is it that the Dodgers have done to make a click? And in Philly he gave me some answer that was about the mental skills, coach all that, and after the cameras went off, I looked at him and I don't usually do this.
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Speaker 3: But I said to him, that was the biggest.
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Speaker 2: Bunch of bs I have ever heard. It's fine, you don't want to tell us what they have taught you. It's fine, I understand, but don't give me that. But the mental part of the game is a huge part of it. But you could have your head on straight, but not the ability or know what you're doing out there. And you know, obviously the Dodgers have done something to help Eric Lower click. And look, Lwer's very candid with his answers, except when you ask him, what have the Dodgers done to help you.
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Speaker 3: But after the game tonight.
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Speaker 2: Look, there's no secret the athletic put it out there a couple of weeks ago that the
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Dodgers, and it makes sense, may flip lour before Monday's trade deadline with the return of Blake Snell. And we'll get to the night snail Zilla hat in Ontario and the return of Tyler Glass.
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Speaker 3: Now you'll hear from Glass now a little bit later.
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Speaker 2: But the Dodgers are getting back two big time arms, and Lower's expendable.
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Speaker 3: As hard as that is.
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Speaker 2: To say, a guy that has won all five of his starts and the Dodgers being nine to zero when he pitches, but the reality is that was the plan for the Dodgers when they acquired Lower, that this was a temporary situation.
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Speaker 3: I started to look around at canvas.
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Speaker 2: What team may be a match for the Dodgers if indeed they are thinking about trading Laer to help bolster their minor league depth, whether it be in the pitching department, middle infield department, or catching department. Because the reality is, the Dodgers don't draft high, they don't have a lot of international money because they're two times over the luxury tax threshold. And when you start to hear about the Chicago White Sox, who are a surprise team, a Cinderella team. They have a really good, young, energetic team, but they are in need of pitching. Not just one pitcher, we need like two or three pitchers, starting pitchers. And then you start to hear reports out of Chicago that they don't want to give up any one of their top fifteen prospects to land a Kevin Gossman or a Trek Schouble or Clay Holmes, and it clicked Eric Lower.
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Speaker 3: Eric Lower fits.
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Speaker 2: If they don't want to give up one of their top fifteen prospects, the Dodgers would try to find a way to make a deal with the White Sox. Eric Lower goes to Chicago, and the Dodgers find a minor league top thirty somewhere between twenty and thirty prospect that would fit where they're lacking or thin in the minor league.
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Speaker 3: So I'm calling my shot.
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Speaker 2: If the Dodgers trade Eric Lower, I believe it's going to be to the Chicago White Sox.
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Speaker 3: That's just my educated guess.
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Speaker 2: Let's go out to the phones until we hear from Lower, Ryan who is at the ballgame tonight.
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Speaker 3: Hi, Ryan, you're on Dodger Talk.
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Speaker 4: What's going on DV?
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Speaker 5: How you doing?
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Speaker 3: Everything's great?
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Speaker 6: Awesome?
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Speaker 7: Well, you know, I'm here with my buddy Jr.
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Speaker 4: Two.
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Speaker 5: We were at the game and we were sitting behind home plate and we had a little bit of a hot take.
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Speaker 6: We wanted to run by you.
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Speaker 8: You know how Munsey and keik A went to the same optometrists.
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Speaker 3: Does Tanner Scott need to go to Roki's glove manufacturer and get one of those monster Mitch? Do you believe he was tipping tonight?
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Speaker 9: I don't know.
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Speaker 4: He looked pretty
good in the beginning, but he was getting smoked there.
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Speaker 2: Hey, that ball that Mitch Garver hit, it seemed like he was aiming that pitch instead of pitching that pitch. He didn't let he didn't grip it and rip it. And how about Taoscar Hernandez. Ryan, wasn't I just saying this last night? Do not give up on Tioscar Hernandez. He's a winning player. You can't spell October without tail. And there you go. He made the best catch he has made with the Dodgers to night.
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Speaker 8: Yeah, everyone was going nuts when he made that catch.
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Speaker 6: That was insane.
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Speaker 3: Yeah, it was incredible. It was incredible.
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Speaker 2: Eight six, six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy is the phone number. How about the ball in the ninth inning that was hit to right field. I thought that was a very catchable ball that Kyle Tucker should have caught. And I, you know, every it just kills me that everybody focuses on Tioscar Hernandez. Why why is everybody focusing on Taioscar Hernandez. This guy in the last two octobers has had bigger moments than a lot of guys on this team. Mookie Beds is having an all time worst season. Nobody wants to acknowledge that his on base percentage is in the two eighties.
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Speaker 3: Now.
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Speaker 2: Kyle Tucker, one hundred plus games in, has not even come close to being Kyle Tucker, let alone a sixty million dollar player. But everybody finds a way to, you know, use ta Oscar Hernandez as escapegoat. It's beyond me and trust me. Just like he has come through the last two octobers, he will do it again. And tonight he showed the focus and determination on defense on a night where he was just one for four eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number.
00:11:21
Speaker 3: All right?
00:11:22
Speaker 2: We got Eric Lauer talking about the trade rumors and acknowledging the fact this may have been his final start as a Dodger.
00:11:31
Speaker 6: Given how you're thriving here, what's the How has it been to deal with hearing your name floating around out of the deadline? Oh?
00:11:38
Speaker 7: My wife hates it.
00:11:42
Speaker 10: No, it's I mean, it's something that I was aware of, you know, coming over here, that it might be like a rental thing. There's some big guys that have injuries that you know there was just a need so see, a need fill a need kind of thing. But I mean, I love it here. I think I'm thriving here as far as as I can tell. And you know, I would love I would love to be part of this team.
00:12:07
Speaker 2: Heay, we would love for Eric Lawerd to stay part of this team. He's a great guy. He has fit in so nicely, and he has pitched so well the Dodgers, and he has reminded Dave Roberts about this when he pitches. The Dodgers are nine to zero, including tonight beating the Mariners four to two. Tonight's game brought to you by Modello Modello the mark of a fighter. Another left handed pitcher possibly could have made his last start in front of his home fans, and that is Trek Scooble.
00:12:37
Speaker 3: Trek Scouble pitched today.
00:12:39
Speaker 2: The Tigers had a seven nothing lead and they blew it to the Baltimore Orioles.
00:12:44
Speaker 3: They lost.
00:12:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, on a day that school Bol recorded his one thousandth career strikeout. Pitched strong into the seventh inning, the Tigers blew a seven nothing lead on what could have been Tarek Scoobele's final start in a tiger'sform. I feel like the way things transpire today in Detroit, that was the final nail in the coffin. Schooble most definitely will be traded. Jeff Passing is reporting that the Tigers have not called teams to say officially, yes, we're going to trade them, but he expects that to happen in the next twenty four to forty eight hours. And obviously the running's on the wall after a game like today, and after the game today, Trek Scouble fielded a lot of questions about the fact that this very well may have been his last start in a Tiger's uniform.
00:13:36
Speaker 11: I don't even really want to speculate. To be honest, I try to live where I'm at right now, you know, and right now I'm going to try Tiger. I don't really want to speculate a ton on what's happening or what the future holds, because I don't know, you know. So yeah, I mean I understand the questions. I understand, you know, what could happen or what could change a week from now, But like, I don't really like thinking like that. You know, it's a tough place to be.
00:14:02
Speaker 2: Look, that sounds like a guy that knows this was the last time he's making a start.
00:14:08
Speaker 7: Now.
00:14:08
Speaker 2: The only question is where is Schoolbol going to be traded? Like I mentioned to you last night, I have people telling me in the league that they expect the Tampa Bay Rays to be very aggressive, not only for school Bol but also for some offense. They feel like this is a golden opportunity with Junior Caminero having an MVP caliber season.
00:14:32
Speaker 3: To ride this all the way through October.
00:14:35
Speaker 2: They've got an incredible pitching staff starting staff already, and they want to add Scoobale to it as well. So just from what I've gathered I feel like handicapping this. It's going to be the Rays, the Braves, the Dodgers, and the Brewers. I know everybody keeps on saying the Brewers. And if you were listening to Dodger Talk, get the receipts on the podcast. That Saturday game in Milwaukee, Ken Rosenthal during the broadcast with Aj Prazinski and Joe Davis and Adam Wainwright, was the first one to say that he had heard the Brewers are considering trading for schoolbol and going for it. The way they went for it was CC Sabathia back in two thousand and eight. It obviously did not get them to the World Series, but it was an incredible electric run with Sebastia pitching on three days rest, just to get the Brewers to the postseason. So if they team Scooble up with Misowski and Kyle Harrison, that is going to be
tough for any team to beat in a short series. But like I said, it's unclear whether or not the Brewers will actually pull the trigger on that and go all in. But my understanding is the Rays are very much prepared to do that and go for it. And yes, the Dodgers are in the mix. Do you want to know about another pitcher that I feel like the Dodgers are very much involved in. Nobody's even this up. Clay Holmes of the New York Mets. It has been reported by multiple people out there that multiple reports out there that the Dodgers were among seven or eight teams that had scouts watching homes rehabs start yesterday. You don't send scouts out just to go through the motions to deek other teams into believing that you're going to be in on a pitcher. The reason why Clay Holmes makes a lot of sense for the Dodgers is because he throws hard, he gets a lot of swing and miss, and he's a guy that has been proven that he can excel at the back end of a bullpen, and he has shown that he can make the transition as a starter. And what did the Dodgers talk about each of the last two years. They didn't talk about starters and relievers. They talked about the twelve thirteen best pitchers that they were going to deploy during the postseason. In twenty four it was majority relievers. Last year it was majority starters. Clay Holmes fits that bill perfectly because he has done both at a very high level. And the Mets, no doubt are sellers. And I don't believe Clay Holmes would take as much as it would take to get Trek Skouble. It'll take something. He's kind of a rental too, because he does hold a player option.
00:17:30
Speaker 3: But you get Clay.
00:17:32
Speaker 2: Holmes in the mix here, and he's a client of Joel Wolfs, who's the same agent for Key k Hernandez and Edwin Diaz and Yamamoto. You may have Clay Holmes for next year as well. So Clay Holmes to me, makes a lot of sense for the Dodgers. Eight sixty six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Pallas Verdis Eddie, you're on Dodger Talk with David vasse Hi.
00:17:57
Speaker 5: Eddie. I uh, I love the way you do the Dodger Talk. I love all the statistics you go through. And do you know the Dodgers like the back of your hand.
00:18:11
Speaker 6: Uh I know.
00:18:12
Speaker 3: The Dodgers better than I know my family.
00:18:14
Speaker 2: I'll just put it that way.
00:18:18
Speaker 5: Probably, So, I mean, you come up with so many you know, ins and outs about the Dodgers. That's it's unbelievable. But the thing about, uh, what I'm calling about is, uh, I don't see how they're gonna get let this guy go uh wower Lower. Yes, yes, the guy's done everything he has to do as a Dodger ever since they've signed him. And uh, plus he wants to stay with the Dodgers, and uh, you get a guy like that that once, that's that's all in. And the thing you don't want to happen is to him to go to another team like the Blue and then him you.
00:19:02
Speaker 3: Know, he's not going to the Brewers. He's not going to the Brewers.
00:19:06
Speaker 2: It would likely be a team like the White Sox who is desperate for starting pitching. And look, his stock is at an all time high. If they can flip Eric Lower and get Blake Snell back, I feel like Andrew Friedman is winning and everybody's going to be very upset that he's able to flip a pitcher like Eric Lower for a pretty good return to help, you know, refuel some of the farm system that is a little thin.
00:19:35
Speaker 5: Well you know that's that's my take. And another thing too, sound you.
00:19:41
Speaker 2: Sound Eddie, You sound very emotionally attached to Eric Lower, and that's not a good thing when you're trying to make the organization better. In Andrew Friedman's seat.
00:19:52
Speaker 5: Oh okay, well, I'm just telling you what I think about.
00:19:56
Speaker 3: I I love Lower, I love Lower.
00:20:00
Speaker 2: I wish there was a spot for him, but I just don't see him being effective coming out of the bullpen. I think he has served a purpose. And just think about this, Eddie. Not only have the Dodgers won all nine starts or nine games that Lower has pitched eight starts one opener game, but if they're able to flip him for some pretty good prospects from the White Sox, just think how much he has done for the Dodgers in what six to eight weeks. I would say Lower definitely had earned his World Series ring if they pull it off.
00:20:33
Speaker 3: Thanks for the phone call, Eddie, appreciate it. Yeah, think about that.
00:20:37
Speaker 2: Not only do the Dodgers go nine to zero when Lower was on the mound, but if they do trade him to a team like the White Sox and they do replenish, maybe get two I'm thinking two really good minor league players, because the Dodgers got two really good minor league players. From the Red Sox for five starts of Dustin May and Eric Lower has had a better, you know, period of time with the Dodgers this year than Dustin May had with the Dodgers last year. And Dustin May, by the way, he's had a solid year with the Cardinals as well. But I think that's what I'm looking at, and I would say nine and zero with Lower, and then he gets you two really good prospects from the White Sox, a Man Lower Andrew Friedman will be sending you Flowers. I feel like you have a lifetime pass at Dodgers Stadium if that comes to fruition. Let's go out to Carson, who is at the game tonight. Hi, Carson, you're on Dodger Talk.
00:21:35
Speaker 8: Hey David, thanks for taking my call. So you brought up Kyle Tucker's defense. We saw it tonight and we've seen it this season. He is in the.
00:21:45
Speaker 6: Fifth percentile in range on Baseball Savant. My question for you.
00:21:50
Speaker 3: Is what does that mean? Explain that to dumb people like me.
00:21:55
Speaker 6: It's it's out's above average, basically measuring his potential range defensively against other corner outfielders.
00:22:06
Speaker 2: There you go, Carson, you got to explain how and why, because there's a lot of fans that
don't get inside nerdy baseball like that.
00:22:17
Speaker 6: Well, thank you for having me explain, David. Yeah, job, his range is limited, and there we go.
00:22:25
Speaker 2: Now that now you're talking everybody's language. His range is limited, He's I was wondering, Carson, do you do we really are we starting to question whether or not the Dodgers are that much better defensively and right field with Kyle Tucker. I'm not so sure it's been that big of an upgrade from Tail last year.
00:22:46
Speaker 6: That's my question exactly, especially when you have young outfielders knocking on the door in the minors.
00:22:53
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you're not going to throw those guys into the fire at this point in time in the season. But keiy K a Hernandez is back and he plays the outfield really well. So uh And Alex Call I know he's been part of trade rumors as well, similar situation as lower. You know, you could trade him to a team like the Rangers possibly or the Twins and get some good minor leaguers back. But if it's a playoff game and Alex call is on this roster, I'm putting Alex Call in right field for defensive purposes with the Dodgers ahead in a game, and I'm putting Key k Hernandez in left field in a game where the Dodgers are.
00:23:33
Speaker 3: Ahead as well.
00:23:34
Speaker 2: Uh, if those two guys are on the roster in a playoff series and you're ahead four to two like the Dodgers were tonight, Calls going to right field, Key k is going to left field.
00:23:46
Speaker 8: And I'm wondering if you could even put Edmond in center and Paz in right field.
00:23:50
Speaker 3: Oh, why would you do? Well?
00:23:52
Speaker 2: You know, Pa has has been a goal glove caliber center fielder this year.
00:23:57
Speaker 3: I would not do that, right, I.
00:23:59
Speaker 6: Think I think they should explore some options though.
00:24:04
Speaker 2: Okay, Carson, thank you for the phone call. That was a good call. Appreciate it. Eight sixty six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number. Yeah, I honestly I have given Kyle Tucker a very long lead. She was our pregame guest yesterday. We connect. He's a great guy. But it's not May. We're almost into August. This may be just who Kyle Tucker is this season. Hopefully he comes up big in the postseason. Hopefully he can do positive things to help the Dodgers win, even if it means not hitting a home run.
00:24:41
Speaker 3: But we're in August. Now.
00:24:43
Speaker 2: It's hard to turn around a season in August. But the Dodgers are hopeful that will happen. But sometimes seasons like this happen. Think about this for Kyle Tucker as well. He's been on three teams in three years. He thought he was going to be an astro for a long time. He was very comfortable there. They blindside him, trade him to the Cubs. He's with the Cubs as a rental for one year, he gets hurt and then signs a major contract with the Dodgers. I'm sorry, you have sixty million dollars next to your name. You're not under the radar. You're very much on the radar. And now it's your third team in three years. He and his wife welcomed in their first child within the last year. That's a lot of life changes for a guy. So you got to give him some grace. I'm not saying this is going to be Kyle Tucker next year, but this may be Kyle Tucker this year. And I think you all have to come to grips with that. Eight six six nine eight seven two, five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers beat the Mariners tonight by a final score of four to two. When we continue on Dodger Talk, more of your phone calls. You always say you can't get in. Now's a good time to get in if you want to do some trade talk, trade talk, my numbing trade talk. I will let you know which former Dodger could be headed to the Big Apple. I am hearing a lot about it. I'll let you know who that is when we continue on Dodger Talk. Right here on a five to seventy LA Sports.
00:26:26
Speaker 1: On air at AM five seventy, online at AM five seventy LA sports dot com, and available by podcast on the iHeartRadio app.
00:26:35
Speaker 3: This is Dodger Talk.
00:26:37
Speaker 12: With David bass In another one two pitch, Piz pulls it in the air left field, hooking towards the short wall. This boy is got a home run, Andy Paz behind an the count one and two puts the Dodgers up one nothing in the first.
00:26:58
Speaker 2: There was an Andy Paz side at Dodgers Stadium tonight. Andy Piz with his best offensive game in a while. He had three hits tonight, including that one out solo home run in the first inning to put the Dodgers on the board. Piz that was his first home run since July tenth, and only his fifth home run since the beginning of June. So that was a much needed game by Andy Piz for him to have three hits and hitting a home run in his first at bat. The first three hitters tonight, by the Way and the Dodgers four to two win over the Mariners were seven to four eleven. Pi Haz with three hits and by the Way, Otani, Piz and Freeman drove.
00:27:41
Speaker 3: In all four runs for the Dodgers Tonight.
00:27:45
Speaker 2: Otani had two hits, he had an RBI double Freddy Freeman with two more hits tonight and Freddie Freeman.
00:27:51
Speaker 3: I am not going to allow this to be taken for granted.
00:27:54
Speaker 2: Freddy Freeman tonight with two more hits is hitting three to two on the season. He was two for for tonite with an RBI. His ops is at eight sixty seven thirty six year old Freddie Freeman uh certainly aging like fine Wine. A lot of people were so quick to say his career was over, his season was over after the first couple of months, but he has shown that it's a long season and there is no panic.
00:28:24
Speaker 3: He's mister consistent.
00:28:26
Speaker 2: At the end of the year, you're going to see a three in front of his betting average, because that's his career batting average. And it's great to see Freddie smiling as much as we're seeing him smile these days. Daniels Jewelers, they present the home run Forecast
for your chance to win a fifty dollars Daniels Jewelers gift card. Visit a five to seventy lasports dot Com used the keyword home run and to your name you could win.
00:28:53
Speaker 3: Daniels Jewelers Own the Dream.
00:28:55
Speaker 2: Eight sixty six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone?
00:29:00
Speaker 3: All right?
00:29:01
Speaker 2: I told you I know about a former Dodger that could be headed to the Big Apple at the trade deadline.
00:29:09
Speaker 3: Who is that former Dodger? Is it Kenley Janssen?
00:29:13
Speaker 2: Is it Justin Turner leaving the Tijuano Toros for Yankee Stadium in the pinstripes, No, to both, It's former Rookie of the Year Corey Seger.
00:29:26
Speaker 3: That's right.
00:29:26
Speaker 2: The Rangers are looking to get out from underneath the remaining years and dollars from Corey Seeger's contract, and since the beginning of the season, the Yankees and the Red Sox have been pestering the Rangers about Seeger, who's just about to come off the ten day il again. He's had two or three different stints, But the Yankees are looking for a short stop upgrade, the Red Sox are looking for a short stop upgrade, and the Rangers are kind of rolling without Seegers, so they kind of feel like they made do this without Seeger and maybe do one of those trades where you get something in return that can help you this year as well as help you out in the future. The Rangers lost tonight and are fifty five and fifty three, a game ahead of the Astros in the alst What a different Skip Schumacher has made as the manager for the Rangers. No doubt about that, or there ever was a doubt because he's one of the best young managers in baseball. He did it with the Marlins and he's doing it now with the Rangers. But yeah, can you believe it? The Rangers want to trade the World Series MVP from their only championship, Corey Seger and the Yankees and Red Sox are very interested. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Jose Mota is going to join us in ten minutes. We'll also hear from Andrew Friedman. But let's go out to the phones again. Ken, who is at the ballpark?
00:31:00
Speaker 3: RK tonight?
00:31:00
Speaker 7: Hi?
00:31:00
Speaker 3: Ken, you're on Dodger Talk.
00:31:03
Speaker 4: Absolutely, I was not. I'm driving up from the OC David heading home to Tarzana.
00:31:10
Speaker 3: All right, I love it. I love it.
00:31:14
Speaker 4: And you're making the drive go real smooth. It's nice.
00:31:17
Speaker 6: I appreciate it.
00:31:18
Speaker 4: So, first of all, Seeger, Uh, that's very interesting. The Doctor's gave him a very fair offer and they sit for him. And yeah, he went to the Rangers and one at m VP. But as far as Kyle Tucker is concerned, I talked to you probably three weeks ago. I want to talk beyond the numbers. I want to talk about and I heard he's a very good color about his lack of range, how about his lack of hustle, Like if the ball goes by him, he's very nonchalant in trying to retrieve that ball. And it seems as though guys have taken extra bass on him. He is not Tommy I've been. He's new your colleague. I hope he's on in the postseason. Steve Shack, the guy doesn't hustle.
00:32:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like he plays it a little too careful out there in right field. And when you're not doing well at the plates, sometimes you're thinking about your offense when you're out there playing defense and standing out there and right field can but yeah, you know, Dave Roberts challenge Tucker, and I know Andrew Friedman did as well when they were in the process of signing Tucker to be a better right fielder, get back to the guy that was really good in Houston four or five years ago, and to jump on those balls down the line in the corner. And we just haven't seen that consistently. So that's why tonight I question whether or not or how much better the Dodgers are defensively in right field, because again, everybody loves to point out Taoscar Hernandez. All the guy does is hit big home runs and make big plays in the postseason. But everybody likes to single out what Taoscar Hernandez can't do. I got news for you. Without Oscar Hernandez. They don't beat the Padres because he and key A Hernandez hit two solo home runs in that game. The Dodgers don't tie the game. In Game five in the twenty four World Series against the Yankees, the Dodgers don't beat the Phillies without Taoscar Hernandez is big home running Game one of the NLDS.
00:33:19
Speaker 3: So I just I can't.
00:33:21
Speaker 2: Wrap my head around why it always comes back to Taoscar Hernandez. He has had bigger moments in the postseason the last two years than Mookie Bets has the more than you know, outside of Game four of the NLCS, more than Otani, I mean Taoscar Hernandez. I don't know why everybody wants to poke holes in his game. To me, he's done just as much, if not more than other players to help the Dodgers have big moments.
00:33:49
Speaker 4: Whose everybody, David, I think, I think you're overstaking the case. I think there's a lot of games.
00:33:54
Speaker 2: I hear a lot of lot I hear a lot of tai Oscar detractors out there.
00:34:00
Speaker 4: I got another question for just telling you, Abo Tucker, I missed it last night. Did he have an explanation as to why he stopped. He didn't get a good read off the base hit, and then he stopped. He did not follow denal Ebel's sign. What did he say about that?
00:34:17
Speaker 2: Well, nobody talked to him. Everybody was freaking out over what o'tani was saying. But my understanding is that Kyle Tucker, you know, was thinking too much on the basis, just watch your third base coach, whatever you think is happening. If Dino Ebel is sending you you go.
00:34:36
Speaker 13: Uh.
00:34:36
Speaker 2: That is something I have not seen where I've seen Dino give up the stop sign and the runner runs through it because they can believe they could score. But I have never seen Dino Ebel wave a runner home and they stop on their own.
00:34:52
Speaker 3: That.
00:34:52
Speaker 2: That's just not something I've ever seen since he's been with the Dodgers.
00:34:57
Speaker 4: Yep, all right, one last thing, arise leading the league again. It'll be his fourteen leading the bat title. Amazing.
00:35:06
Speaker 3: All right, Ken, thank you for the phone call.
00:35:08
Speaker 2: Hey, we're last minute, Luisa RAI shout out eight six six nine two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Bill who was at the ballpark tonight. Did you get your sugar das babblehead tonight.
00:35:20
Speaker 3: Bill.
00:35:21
Speaker 14: Yes, we did, me and my daughter Sidney, who got two of them, and I left mine under my chair, so someone's gonna get it.
00:35:28
Speaker 6: I'm pretty bummed out.
00:35:29
Speaker 4: Oh, I know, but I got need.
00:35:34
Speaker 14: I need to give me a take on what you think. We've been talking about trades and we have to address our catcher.
00:35:41
Speaker 3: We know.
00:35:41
Speaker 14: I know there's good news with Will Smith not feeling pain, but basically we have Rushing and that's it, and that position is too critical. I think we should go pretty hard and try to get somebody. I heard a hoppy from the Angels just got traded, so it's pretty thin out there.
00:35:56
Speaker 8: What do you think?
00:35:58
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm with you the Dodgers.
00:36:00
Speaker 2: If Dalton Rushing got hurt tomorrow, who's catching is it Fonsie the rest of the way until Will Smith gets back. That's what makes me nervous as well.
00:36:09
Speaker 3: Bill.
00:36:09
Speaker 2: And that's why you know, if you're gonna go out and get an experienced veteran catcher, I think you look at the Angels again and look at a local kid like Travis Darnaut. I would be very much in for the Dodgers to trade for Darnau because he's a world champion.
00:36:25
Speaker 3: He was part of the Braves run in twenty one. He was a big part of it.
00:36:29
Speaker 2: He's a really good veteran, calming presence behind the plate. And look, if you trade Alex Call, there's room to have three catchers on the roster. I don't want to see Alex Call traded because, like I said to me, he's a valuable defensive replacement in the outfield in a postseason game. But if you feel like you're getting into a roster crunch, then you know, if the Dodgers do decide to trade Call, it opens up a roster spot for a third catcher. But I'll let you hear what Andrew Freeman had to say in a moment about Will Smith. But yeah, I'm with you, Bill, I don't think that would be a bad IDEA. Eight sixty six nine seven two five seventy is the phone number, all right. Andrew Freeman did speak to the media today. I was in the room for it, and I asked him about Will Smith and whether or not he has clarity on Will Smith's status as he gets closer to Monday's trade deadline.
00:37:27
Speaker 6: I do.
00:37:30
Speaker 9: When we were feeling our way through it. You know a few of the different doctors that we consulted. Everyone agreed on the diagnosis part of it. There was just disagreement on the timeline of how long it would take for him to feel good. And when he turned a corner and started to feel way better lined up perfectly with one of the doctors and what they said. It's obviously a difficult thing to know exactly and different guys differently, but it lines up with it. And he has continued to stack good day on good day and progressing And actually just saw him on my way here and he's doing really well.
00:38:13
Speaker 3: All right.
00:38:14
Speaker 2: Well, that's Andrew Friedman telling us before the trade deadline that all is well with will Smith, and my understanding is he is trending in the right direction. And Andrew actually confirmed what the actual injury was. It's an inflamed disc in his neck. So do you like how he said he does have clarity on the timetable for will Smith, but didn't share that timetable with us. So you're just hopeful that Will Smith is able to come back some point by September. Remember, in last year's playoffs, he had a broken wrist after exposing his throwing hand while catching and didn't come back until what the nlds uh. So he's shown that he can hit the ground running even missing a long period of time, and you know, having will Smith and Dalton rushing as close to healthy as possible going into the postseason would be phenomenal. Another guy that's getting close to being healthy is Tyler glass Now. Glass Now threw to hitters again today and is itching to get out on a rehab assignment so he can rejoin the Dodgers soon and get ready for the postseason.
00:39:26
Speaker 3: Here's what glass Now had to say earlier.
00:39:28
Speaker 2: Today about the back issues that's been plaguing him.
00:39:32
Speaker 13: It was just like, I don't know, it's hard to explain, like you're gonna throw your back at it anything in deflection or like any weird move in it feels like it's super tight. It's just like hard to move and I just think it was hard to get over that hump. It was like no matter what I did, any quick movement, I would feel it, or if I threw, would get like a little worse and then it would get better, and then I would kind of come back, try a little too hard. But I think it got to the point where I took enough time off got back to throwing where I was like zero symptoms and it's fine, all right.
00:40:03
Speaker 2: So that's like a trade deadline acquisition glass now and Blake Snell and my guy, snell Zilla, he was challenged to get twelve outs tonight. You heard my challenge last night, and snell Zilla responded with flying colors. Four shutout innings, allowed one hit, and yes, had nine strikeouts tonight. And that was what was required from Snell tonight if he wanted to have that door open for him to possibly return to the Dodger rotation the next turn around. Yeah, not necessarily making one final rehab start to get to five innings. That might happen on the major league level depending on what the Dodgers do or don't do as far as their
rotation on Monday's trade deadline. So he got what Mark Pryor and the rest of the Dodgers' staff wanted him to do, and he threw sixty pitches and got twelve outs. Four innings equals twelve outs. I can do that math. I was put on the spot yesterday. Twelve outs from snell Zilla in Ontario. I'm tired of seeing snell Zilla in Oka see jerseys, Ontario Jerseys.
00:41:16
Speaker 3: I want to see him in Dodger jerseys.
00:41:18
Speaker 2: He's got to come in and he's got to dominate because he needs to regain the credibility with you the fan base on what he can do as far as dominating all the.
00:41:29
Speaker 3: Way through October.
00:41:31
Speaker 2: And speaking of the trade deadline before we check in with Jose Mota, one final thing from Andrew Friedman earlier today when he was asked about roundabout way pursuing superstar players at the trade deadline like Derek Scouble.
00:41:46
Speaker 9: Yeah, man, I think our mindset is always and we've talked about this, there just aren't that many star level players in the game, and anytime one is available, we're always going to, you know, participate in those conversations. We've shown to be very aggressive in the past, and I think again we're able to have those conversations. We've traded a lot of really talented young players. But we're able to be in that those conversations because of the incredible work by our scouts and our front offs and our player development group that has our farm system in such a strong spot to be able to talk to any team basically about any player.
00:42:32
Speaker 3: Yeah, it really is something.
00:42:34
Speaker 2: The Dodgers have the largest or one of the largest payrolls in baseball, yet they're still able to be in conversations for players like Clay Holmes and Trek Skouble because of the rich farm system they have, and that's what separates them. And that was the vision that the Dodgers had when the Guggenheim Group took over. Stan Kasten said that very clearly. They're going to be immediately, but the goal is to develop a strong farm system to support all that. And that puts the Dodgers in position to be able to strike if they want to strike on players like Manny Machado in twenty eighteen. You Darvish in twenty seventeen to pull off a three way trade for edmund in Kopek and now be in the mix for a.
00:43:22
Speaker 3: Guy like Trek Scouble.
00:43:24
Speaker 2: And look, the Dodgers and Tigers have had this dance since the Winter meetings. It never really got anywhere, but there's no doubt about it. The Dodgers have interest in Schoolble. It just may not line up perfectly. And you know, Clay Holmes to me, certainly fits what the Dodgers do and I think he would be a phenomenal land if they're able to land him from the Mets. Eight six six seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's check in with Jose Moda.
00:43:55
Speaker 1: It's time to go around the horn with Jose Motach.
00:44:00
Speaker 3: What was a mona? Eric Lower?
00:44:02
Speaker 2: Dodger fans are starting to get emotionally attached to Lower after what he has done in nine games for them.
00:44:10
Speaker 3: Did anybody see this coming?
00:44:13
Speaker 7: No? Absolutely not, but we knew was going to happen. Is you also detail here is a change of mentality and also the communication aspect of it. I was stalking to Eric Lawer back in Chicago getting the White Sox when we're there, and he said, you know what all I needed to hear from the Toronto Blue Jays coming out of spring training was when I was going to pitch, whether open or not, but just be consistent in the communication aspect of things. And that's what something that Dave Roberts even shared with me when he came over. He's like, we know, whinderstand what happened there? What really led to the unhappiness was that he didn't mind the role. But Dave, no matter what, this guy has understood what it takes to utilize and how to utilize that cut fastball, and yes, we can talk about, yeah, the cut fastball is the key, but as he meant, the changeup is one thing that opens up home play. So a lot of times he talked to Peters about guys that can make home play much bigger. Well, you know what'll be on the seventeen inches. You can actually make home play bigger by not even throwing that hard, even though today he amms up to ninety four, which is remarkable, but he understands how to expand on the outer half of that change up to the cut fastball when it's effective to not being even afraid David to pitch upstairs, because that is one thing Cornor McGinnis and my prior praise and talk about if you have the ability to change eye level at ninety one in eighty one or eighty two, is going to be very effective according to your pitch sequence and execution, and also reading swings, which he's gotten very good at doing, as he did well Cayl Rally in the first inning today.
00:45:48
Speaker 3: All right, let's fast forward to the end of the game.
00:45:50
Speaker 2: Edwin Diaz activated earlier today on his bobblehead Night comes in and has a save opportunity right away. What did you see from as in his first outing in a few months.
00:46:03
Speaker 7: I was I saw rust and I actually were surprised when Dave Roberts announced before the game that he comes right into the closers role. I'm like, Okay, maybe they're going to just go out there and introduce them, reintroduce them slowly they get to that point. But obviously Edwin said I'm ready to take on the challenge. What I really hope doesn't happen is is it doesn't affect Tanner Scott, okay, and we just don't want this to be a case of Tanner Scott being so good for this long to take a step back, and I hope that doesn't happen. I don't think it's going to happen, but those are things you got to keep in mind when you remove a guy, and after somebody was out for that long. We did a very good job for you, But for Diaz, it's going to come down to just get the rust off. Command is going to be an issue for now Davies. You look at exit velocities, he got hit
pretty good. Some of the else rolls all we hit really well, but expecting when he come back like that after you know the absence that he had. Velassi was fined ninety nine. Some ninety seven slider was I think a little inconsistent, but hopefully you'll find it soon because he knows what he's doing with that baseball.
00:47:03
Speaker 2: All right, Speaking of the hard hit balls in the ninth inning, I'll ask you a question that I raised earlier in the show, and a really good caller called in as far as the metrics with Kyle Tucker and right field, how much better are the Dodgers defensively with Tucker and right field compared to Taoscar Hernandez last season, who was playing with a bad.
00:47:24
Speaker 7: Groin, and every metric, they're not that much better, truly. I mean, beyond the first series against the Diamondbacks, I just haven't seen that range or that urgency or the accuracy and throws. The Dodgers are minus two and defensivet Russy's coming into today, And for Tucker, it's quite interesting because if you think about the athle that he is, the arm that he does possess, the experience that he has, but even that ball tonight, I think that ball should have been caught. It was an easier ball to catch in Tasco than the one he made, my opinion, And we know that there's way more in that attack with Tucker. There's more in terms of effort. There's more in terms of preparation, there's more in terms of reading balls off the bat and batting practice. It doesn't happen anymore outfielders in baseball, but nonetheless the numbers will lie. And you know, we talk about following the path of what's happening and the runs you're saving. It's not happening right now, but there's more. And I hope that at some point he does get to the point where he can be better at anticipating. On one aspect he's better than Tascar, which is Tascar in moving in and covering the short ball to right field, which was an issue for Tascar. But there's way more for him to do defensively, and the numbers will tell you that they don't lie.
00:48:41
Speaker 2: Hey, you saw Tucker when he was at his best defensively and offenimavely with the Astros. What's the noticeable difference.
00:48:50
Speaker 7: He was a guy he just couldn't hit the ball near in especially in that short porch and short wall in Houston. It's like he was on everything every single time, playing it out, the first step, the gliding into the baseball. Sometimes he's caught flat footed to get the best of jumps. And to me, David, that's been the biggest difference, just that urgency to want to catch every single thing when he came up. I just I'm not seeing it right now.
00:49:16
Speaker 2: Yeah, we're not seeing a lot of things from Tucker. I mean, offense is just one part of it, but you can't let it bleed into base running and defense. And that's something the Dodgers just don't accept.
00:49:28
Speaker 6: No.
00:49:28
Speaker 7: And you know one thing that I saw today too, which was quite interesting, Dave. When you are a pitcher and they tell you work ahead, there's a reason hitters get more defensive. Right as a hitter, they tell you, hey, get ahead, you want you want to know two and oh. But Tucker when he's ahead and counts one ninety six average, which is something you don't see around guys have been around that long. Which just takes you to say when you want to know two and one, you know three and one and you're hitting under two hundred. That says a whole lot about what pitches you swinging out to not allow yourself to get the results you need.
00:50:03
Speaker 2: All right, Jose, We'll see if Tucker can turn things around to a certain degree the rest of the year. The Dodgers are looking to win the series again tomorrow against the Mariners, and we'll see which rokie we get tomorrow night.
00:50:17
Speaker 3: Do you know which rokie we're getting.
00:50:19
Speaker 7: He's gonna be the same rookie we seen the last two starts. Count on it, all right, all right, your friend, all right?
00:50:30
Speaker 2: Bona note, Jose, bona note. There he goes, Jose Mota, part of the Dodgers Spanish radio broadcast. One thing we know, Rookie will have that oversized uh you know, highlighter color glove tomorrow and we'll see how it plays out. I'm not I can't tell you that Roki's gonna do what he's done in his last two starts. He's got to prove it to me every time. And that's just the reality of it as far as the Dodgers go. Just one last thing when it comes to the trade deadline. Jason Hayward was our guest before the game. Jason Hayward joined the Dodgers before the season started as a special assistant to Andrew Friedman, and he has been all in. He's been scouting with Dave Finley, one of the Dodgers amateur scouts, at college baseball tournaments. He's been shadowing Chris Archer, who I joke is his supervisor because Archer has been around the Dodgers since the offseason of twenty four in a similar role. Jason Hayward is all in. He wants to be in the front office. He wants to be a GM and he's proving that he's not taking any shortcuts. So this will be his first experience of a trade deadline in the front office, not as a player, but in the front office. And I asked him what he's observed or what it's like watching Andrew Freeman and Brandon Gomes go to work.
00:51:54
Speaker 15: There's no wrong question to ask. If you have a question, if you have something you studied, if you have something that an observation that you want to bring up as a point, they welcome it that they want to hear what everyone has to offer. But again it's you know, how many ways can we get better today? How many how many opportunities can we take advantage of and widen our margins, you know, make our margins greater than they already are. As far as we know, It's been put into this team starting in the offseason. Financially, you know, the expectation is to win a ring each year, not about a back to back. But at the end of the day, it's you have a farm system, you have players.
Sometimes you have more of one thing than another. Sometimes you might you might you don't need to fill a void or or want to take advantage of filling a void. And I think this is just like the long way of saying, like just be ready for whatever. You know, they don't leave any stone or turn.
00:52:50
Speaker 3: Are you going to be in there with him?
00:52:51
Speaker 2: Are you going to shadow him all through Monday's deadline?
00:52:54
Speaker 15: I'll be as round as much as possible. That's it's but it's been cool because like these are the things. Is that Andrew Brandon Gomes doc. You know, a lot of our scouts, you know, everyone has said, hey, collectively, be in the room for these you know, just just just listen. You Obviously there's gonna be times where there's a lot of things happening at once and you you're not gonna hear every conversation. But I think that's what's cool about it, you know, sitting in the draft room, seeing the amount of attention to detail that goes into there and like the pouring of out output of like information that each individual has. But then those like main combos so to speak, you know, will be very cool to hear what's on the table, what's not on the table, what's what sounds like it's off the wall, and then like, hey, no, that that actually sounds realistic for where we are right now. But I think another thing that is cool is from this side of things. You know, as a former player, there are opportunities when you're an organization like this one to maybe make a move that's going to help a player, meaning if again, if you have a lot of one thing, or there's an opportunity to create a window for them somewhere else and you can still get better as an org. Like that's also a conversation. You know, it doesn't mean it works out that way, but it's just nice to know that they are considering human beings. They are considering in the Dodgers' organization, just doing the best you can to support their individual and like give them a great career.
00:54:19
Speaker 3: Hey, that was Jason Hayward, who's a great guy.
00:54:22
Speaker 2: To hear the full conversation with Jay hay you can find it on the iHeartRadio app. And it sounded like he was describing guys like Eric Lower and Alex Call with Kei a Hernandez Back and the way that Taioscar Hernandez, Andy pot Has and Kyle Tucker are entrenched in the outfield. When is Alex Call going to play? I just don't know, And I don't know. It sounded like that's who he was describing, because the Dodgers are not going to have a guy just sit on the bench and never play. That's not beneficial to Alex Call. That's not beneficial to Eric Lower to put him in the bullpen after what he's done for the Dodgers this year. And I think that's what Jason Hayward. Jason Hayward was getting at as far as you know, not only helping the organization, but also helping players get into a better situation where they're going to play more. And if the Twins and Dodgers do line up on an Alex Call trade, that would be great for Alex Call. He would play more, and he went to high school an hour away from Target Field. He would be going home. So I would love to see that. For Alex Call, I would hate to see him go.
00:55:36
Speaker 3: He's a great.
00:55:36
Speaker 2: Guy and he cares a lot. And Eric Lower, I mean, what can you say. The Dodgers are nine to zero when Lower pitches, and I'm calling my shot Lower to the White Sox, Alex call to the Twins because if he's going to get traded, that would be a great place for him to get traded. Anyway, We'll do more trade talk, trade talk, my numbing trade all the way through Monday. So we got a lot for you, and I got more for you tomorrow. I didn't empty the tank tonight. I got more stuff that people are sharing with me around the league when it pertains to not only the Dodgers, but other players, other teams that are selling and buying. So we'll share that with you as well. There's another left handed starter out there that nobody is talking about that could be a huge difference maker for a contender. I don't believe the Dodgers are going to land him, but another team might and it may help them get into the NLCS or even just make the postseason, so we'll share that with you tomorrow night. Also tomorrow, the Dodgers are looking for the series win with Roki Sasaki on the mound, going up against Brian wu. Our coverage begins at six o'clock with first pitch at seven to ten with Rick Monday and Steven Nelson. And by the way, the Dodgers with an eleven and a half game lead over the Diamondbacks. If the Dodgers went five hundred the rest of the way twenty seven in twenty seven, they'll finish with ninety five wins. The Diamondbacks would have to go thirty nine and fourteen to pass the Dodgers.
00:57:08
Speaker 3: I'll just leave it right there.
00:57:10
Speaker 2: Thanks to dwainn McDonald out here at Dodgers Stadium, thanks to calling you back at our Burbank studios, and thanks to you for listening. In case you missed any of the show or our pregame conversation with Kyle Tucker yesterday or Jason Hayward today. The iHeartRadio app make Dodger Talker preset stream us Live and all the Dodger games live on the iHeartRadio app.
00:57:32
Speaker 3: Once again.
00:57:33
Speaker 2: The final score tonight the Dodgers defeat the Mariners four to two.
00:57:37
Speaker 3: Have a great rest of your night. Seal send it away.