The Dodgers are getting ready for a Cactus League playing. We're joined right now by the man that is the longest active tenured position player on the Dodgers' roster. He's still in the same humble corner locker space than he was in twenty fifteen, and that is the one and only Austin Barnes.
Austin, thanks a lot for.
The time, Thanks David for having me on your fabulous show today.
And yeah, it's getting ready for the game.
Would you like to say hello to your uncles and your father and the entire Barnes family listening right now?
No, No, I think only my uncle listens to you, and you know, you know, he just supports the Dodgers.
Hey, what is it like coming back here and being in the same space, a lot of familiar faces and being able to have some sort of confidence that you've been here for a while and people look to you.
Uh yeah, you know, obviously been here for a long time. It's a great organization. Uh, you know, every year is a little different, but there's some you know, the same there's every year kind of changes over a little bit, and you know, obviously this is the same goal every year. We're trying to get to a World Series, win a World Series. You know, we did it last year, and we did it in twenty twenty and you know, we're building something great here.
You know what, you have the unique perspective of seeing the evolution of great Dodger teams. You did it differently in twenty twenty four than what you did in twenty and I'm sure obviously a lot differently in sixteen and seventeen. What's it like to see different faces, different type of ways to win, but still have that same goal.
Yeah, I think just teams have changed, you know, the team team's construction in baseball, it's a lot different than it used to be.
In you know, I think we're no different.
I think we set the tone with that and obviously we required a lot of great talent.
Every year.
There's really great players in this in the locker room, and this year's no different.
You've been around now for a while. How has the game changed from the first year in the major leagues to where we're at right now With the state of the game, you know.
It's a lot different, you know, just the way people pitched. You know, one year it was you know, the high heaters were a thing. You know, then you know, now it's becoming kind of uh, cut the fastball. It was for a while, cut the fastball, seek the fastball, like kind of different types of fastball. That was more like when the sticky was more alive. And then uh, now
you know, it's just you gotta adapt. You know, the game's ever changing, and uh, you know, I think the I think the way that we play though is conducive to any any type of you know, the way the league is is changing in that in that sense.
What about the sweeper? Is it still the sweeper?
Is that still the way to go or is it now evolving into a change up buzzuh split fingered fastball type of pitching staff.
I think the splittys are just more conducive to like, you know that a lot of the Asian the Japanese pitchers have the split fingers and uh yeah, I remember when they used to call it the slider instead of a sleeper, and now it's it comes on, it comes as a sleeper. But no, I think you know, a sleepers still have it's it's a place here, you know, they just they run away a lot and it can be tough on Righty's and you know, tough on lefty
and lefty and stuff like that. But yeah, it's interesting to see the evolution just a pitching of just the way the game is going.
Is there really a difference between the sweeper and the slider or is it just naming it something different?
Yeah, I mean some of them just some have more horizontal than you know, up down traditional sliders, And uh, yeah, it's interesting. I you see guys who you know, like traditional sliders know more. I courage she's not really his slider is different. But and guys who sweep the sweep the slider lights. Uh, you know, just I think it depends on your mitch mix as a pitcher and what works best for you.
Austin Barnes is our guest Dodger catcher, and you obviously have a few new faces on the pitching staff. But the one guy from last year that really took a step forward, Yoshi Yamamoto. Have you seen more confidence from him just this spring?
Definitely definitely see more confidence from I think it just even in his bullpens.
I think he's more sure of himself.
I think he comes in uh this year with the with the different mindset and kind of a plan. Even when I see in his bullpens, he's you know, he's trying to elevate the heater more, trying to run it in a and uh, you know, playing with this cutter more up and in the lefties.
I think he's in a really good spot.
And uh, like I said, I think it was just one of the best pitchers in the world. I think he Uh, I think his ability to he's just a really polished pitcher just with this command plus his stuff.
Did you see that evolve last year because told me that he would take him out for coffee during the playoffs to try to get his confidence up to to really because of how much you guys needed him.
Yeah, I mean, Yoshanobu's pitching big games all over the world. You know, he's pitching the WBC, He's pitching championship games in Japan, and he you know, he's pitching the biggest games in.
The world with.
You know, with what he did last year, and he answered the bell every time. So Oshanobu's is such solid as a rock.
He's one of the he's fun to catch.
Like I said, his command is you know, pretty pretty special plus his stuff. So there's a lot of weapons with them, and he's one of the he's the fun guy to be out there with.
Before I let you go, what about my guy snell Zilla?
Yeah, he's good. Uh, you know, you really don't.
It's funny when you face a guy and then you catch him. You know, it's what you see and stuff is a little different. And uh, but his he's just really fluid.
Me.
He's a little real fluid pitcher, really easy fastball, jumps at you, and he's got you know, change.
Us really good. His curveball's good.
And I'm sure I've seen this slider be really good. He hasn't really thrown too many of them this year this spring, but got a lot of weapons, man, And he's one of the best pictures in the game also, And you know, I'm glad to have him on our team.
All right, Austin, thanks a lot for the time. You got your catcher's mitt on your hand. How long have you had that mit for? Is this the twenty twenty mint?
Yeah?
The other ones kind of get beat up a little bit, so you got to figure it out.
Yeah, you try to keep him as long as possible. Sometimes it's this is not in the cards, man.
I knew you when you were a second baseman. That's how far we go.
We go way back that so I remember you too. I remember saying, who is this guy in the clubhouse? How do they allow him in the clubhous?
But you did not like me at first, but the vast a charm wore you down.
Man, I understand how you got a wife. Yeah, it's gonna just kid that.
Thanks a lot for the time, Austin, and it's awesome to have you back. It wouldn't be the same without you, without Kik among the others.
Thanks for saying