Before we go back out to the phones tonight, Monday night. What better way to start the week than from hearing from the longest tenured Dodger or longest active I should
say asterisk active Dodger, Austin Barnes. We are joined right now by my main man, the longest tenured active position player, and in fact, technically right now, because Clayton Kershaw has not re signed officially, he is the longest tenured Dodger period a two time, two time World Series champion, a man the Dodgers could not do any of these things without his steadying force. The way he holds his teammates accountable is necessary during a long season, and that is
Dodger Catcher, the pride to riverside, Austin Barnes. How you doing, Barnes, that's a great introduction.
You're gonna get a this.
Only for the guys.
I like I like that. Yeah, I like that.
I I hope it's not going to be awkward between us now that Blake Snell is a Dodger. I was mocked, humiliated by people like you to have a relationship with Snell Zilla, and here he is on the same team. We're in the same uniform as Austin Barnes.
Yeah, you know, every time we try to find you, you'd be another in the other team's dugout, hanging out with with the snell and waiting for him to come out. But no, it's great that he's on our team. Obviously a great pitcher med him in Arizona. Oh yeah, No, he's a you know, a great, a great guy. You know, everybody's a good guy. It's a good group over there right now, got out. You got Pie's, you got Kim.
I like Kim.
Yeah, Kim's funny. And then uh, he's he's he has got a translator with him all time.
But he's, uh, he's good.
It seems like he's making an effort to learn English and communicate in that way.
No, he's he's great. He's there so early.
Man, that's awesome.
Yeah, he's Uh, he's a good dude. I like him a lot.
Do you remember play for the Korean team when you guys were there last year. Did you remember this guy that was really fast? No, he had a rocket off Bobby Miller.
Yeah, he hit a rocket off Bobby. He got Bobby. I see him in the Cajo. It makes sense.
He first time off the fastball, but Shane all off season, he's just whacking him, like jeez, this guy's ready right now.
How do you feel after a long season last year? I mean, it seems like nothing phases you. You were kind of the guy the Dodgers have needed in seventeen and eighteen and twenty and obviously played a big role during this stretch of success. Does it feel different coming to spring training this year?
No, I mean you can.
Playing with the Dodgers, all our off seasons are kind of short. You know, we always you know, most of the time we played deep into October. You know that's obviously the goal and stuff, and no, it was it was a great season, you know, just you know, everything that we've been through.
The playoffs is a battle.
You know, it's uh, it wears and everybody and you know, just is get to have a nice little reset, you know, especially after winning.
Yeah, it's nice though.
You know, I'm becoming a two time World serious champion and that's awesome, and you know, obviously the fans, the fans deserve it. You know, the Dodgers' front office did a great job this offseason and it's exciting.
Let's not get into whether or not. The debate is if twenty twenty counts or not. We all know that it does. But coming in twenty one just spring training compared to coming to spring training in twenty five, is there a different feeling just because the world is feeling different again.
Yeah, I mean that's probably more of the thing. You know, It was just it was a weird time in the world. Going to the grocery store was a weird thing, you know. Not No, I remember driving back in twenty twenty spring training when we all got you know, said go home, and I was like, what is going on?
Going to the grocery store? That batting gloves on?
And I'm like, am I supposed to touch anything? I didn't know what was happening. It was a weird time. But yeah, you know, you know, I think what the Dodgers are building here. You know, it's a special thing to be a.
Part of, you know, being able to come here and you know you have a chance to play a porn games.
So that's that's something that's uh, you know, everybody everybody wants, wants and thrives for, so you know, always there's always possibilities here.
How many times have you talked to Walker Bueller this offseason. Obviously he's moved on to Boston, but I know you guys had a tight relationship ever since he got called up, and obviously his legacy as a Dodger will live on forever. Uh what would have been the conversations with you and him after the parade and everything else.
Walk is my guy.
He you know he FACETI me right before he signed with the Red Sox and then uh, I talked to him yesterday. Actually had he had a he had a horse in San Anito that was racing. Uh he he told me the betted heavy. Yeah right, no, but it was good. It came in third. You know, obviously he's in that horse racing. I've been to the been to the races with him, and I think that's something he grew up with. But obviously gonna miss him. Great competitor,
big part of the Dodgers. Well he did last uh last year in the playoffs, you know, special and a little live on you know, just getting the last out. It's hard to get those last outs, man, and he took that walk and you know those those those last three outs are always the hardest and uh, you know he went out there and he did it.
Hey, you were in the dugout when he decided to go on his own to the bullpen during Game five? Were you aware that that was the possibility?
No, I was aware that we were running out of pictures, that's for sure, especially I know Blake. You know, what Blake did was probably one of the greatest things in
that whole playoff run. Well, you know, I think he threw like what forty five fifty pitchers, you know, and especially a guy who you know, all the issues he's had, uh staying healthy and just going out there and and competing and just knowing how important it is and all, you know, all hands are on deck, and he went out there and what he did was so special man. And then, uh, you know, I I assumed I just kind of assume, you know, like that they're gonna go
out there. You know, Curse has done it over and over again throughout the you know, his playoff run since I've been here.
And then, uh, yeah, it doesn't. It didn't surprise me. I knew. I thought it was an option. Obviously when Walker went out there.
And when he walked out from the bullpen, it felt like there was no I know, he said since he had the butterflies and maybe a little self doubt because he never done that before, but it felt like he had the Walker Bueller's swag coming in from the bullpen before he threw his first pitch.
Yeah, Walk likes that walk. You know, that's a you know everybody.
You know, he feels everybody's eyes on and when you walking out there, get that the feeling.
He likes that.
You know, the atmosphere in the in the whatever they call it, the aura of it all.
I guess is that what people are saying, yeah, yeah, or about the aura yeah, or of you know, it's the games. It's game.
Give a chance to close out a World series game, especially to win it all. So you know, that's something that everybody dreams of and that's something that he made a reality.
That's awesome. Austin Barnes, thanks a lot for a stopping by. I heard you had a fancy trip to Maui with my guy Andre Ethier. I heard he had to keep you in line on the island.
Yeah, old man Andre was there. I thought I lost him a couple of times just undering around. I think you forgot where he was. He's getting old, uh to mention might be starting to kick in and uh, but no, he was fun. It was a good time. I've never been to Hawaiian. It was a it's a beautiful place.
That's a long ways away from Riverside.
I mean it's yeah, it's half it's in the ocean somewhere, you know. It's it's halfway there between Japan and uh and uh California.
So it was a fun trip though, awesome.
Don't let people forget you're the longest tenured Dodger.
Yeah, Kurt is letting me have that for a second. High Yeah, yeah, he'll be obviously he'll be with us and stuff.
But can we let key k No, like stop messing around at hockey games in Utah and just re sign already?
Yeah? I tell him that about once a week.
I said, you're gonna sign already or uh? And he obviously being he's a great teammate've been a good teammate with him forever, and uh, you know, he's such a big part of those playoff runs. And hopefully he'll uh, he'll he'll he'll figure it out and we'll and he'll be with us.
Hey, even if you see me and Snell every day talking to each other. You're still my guy. Don't ever forget that.
It's discussed. Yeah, I like that sale.
Zilla, You're my number. He's like number five. He's going to work his way out.
He's just he's barely been a dodger, exactly, exactly. Don't worry.
I'll keep him in line, all right. He always great to talk to you. I say, what a pleasure you are a media mogul.
Thank you. Can you just admit radio is alive and well with.
Me right here?
You're keeping it alive, man, somehow you're doing it. The newspapers died and then know it's the radio is still surviving.
Huh.
Biggest ratings during the World series run on this station since nineteen eighty one, Barns.
Yeah, you tell me all the time, the seven million downloads and.
Baby now you're part of it. Thanks Barnes. Alright, there is Austin Barnes. Radio is alive and well Austin Barnes. And yes, that interview also can be podcasted after eight o'clock tonight. Always great to talk to him.