It's the Dodgers and Cubs finishing out the Tokyo Series, and we're joined by a man that was strong last night. It has been strong since last World Series. Do not sleep on, Ben Casparius. Ben, thanks a lot for the time, appreciated, thanks for having me. Hey, what was last night's atmosphere for you? You started game four in the World Series. Obviously it's not that type of game or situation. But what was it like being on the mound last night?
I mean, it was pretty awesome opening day. You know, probably close to fifty thousand people, passionate fans obviously in Japan, and you know, it was special to get the ball in the first game of the year, and it was a lot of fun to get a w.
I asked Tanner Scott what it was like warming up in the bullpen last night. He said, once the phone rings had, adrenaline still kicked in despite you being in some tunnel underground.
For sure, No, it was cool. I haven't experienced a bullpen like that before. It was definitely interesting, but I thought it was pretty fun. We've had a good time down there, and you know, just keep the ball rolling moving forward.
Ben, you were a really good start pitcher in the minor leagues. Have you embraced this role to be able to be part of this team?
Yeah, I love it. I think coming out of the bullpens really helped me just simplify my approach, you know, batter to batter, pitch by pitch. It's been a really solid experience and I'm enjoying it.
What is the mentality? What's so different about being successful as a starter and successful as a reliever.
Yeah, I think I think it both, Like it comes down to navigating the game, obviously reading different situations, but I think at the end of the day, just go out there, attack with your best stuff, and you know, you give your team yourself the best chance to succeed.
It feels like, according to these radar guns around the league that your stuff is ticked up as a relief pitcher. Did the Dodgers put you on some sort of program to be able to gain more velocity, more spin rate, all of those stuff.
Yeah, I think just you know, the plan going into the off season, just kind of tinkering with some mechanical things, cleaning up some movement based stuff in the weight room, and I've seen some really positive things so far.
Who's helped you the most out of all the veterans that you had last year when you made that pseudo start in game four and just in spring training, which veterans have really helped you and get your mind right?
Yeah, I think it's a collection of guys. I mean, we're lucky enough where the culture down in the bullpen
specifically is so awesome. But I want to say guys like Blake Trinan, Michael Kopek, Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, and the list goes on, obviously, but just in terms of like my mental side of things and just preparing myself for to be available every single game is obviously different from starting, So I think that was the biggest shift, and I think those guys have really helped me and kind of honed in on, you know, my my prep routine and you know, different ways of going about getting
ready to compete.
Ben Caspiraus is our guest in front of first pitch of game two of the Tokyo series. All right, let's talk some college hoops. You are from Connecticut, Yukon got bounced in the tournament conference tournament. They snuck in as a two time defending national champion, can you tell us, in all of us that need to fill out our brackets, how much you believe in Yukon.
I love them. I think they're a playoff team. I think over the past couple of years they've you know, kind of trended in the right direction as the season's gone on. So I've got they've got the Huskies winning all.
Winning it all in your bracket, put me in your bracket. You go with your heart instead of your mind.
Going with my heart. I think they're going to get it done, all right.
So, because you're a world champion now all over the country, people have celebrated your teammates in their local areas, especially here or in La Uh. For you, were you invited to a Yukon game? Does Dan Hurley have your cell number? What's the relationship now that you're a world champion star?
He doesn't have my number? I think we should. I think we're gonna have to run it back and maybe maybe we can make that happen next to some so we'll.
See, all right. And now here's another part of the the pop culture for bank Caspirius. Uh, did you have a chance to enjoy Tokyo with your family?
Yeah? It was awesome. My sister and dad are here, checked out some temples, fish market, went to Genza, Shibuoya. It was it was great. It's it's it's been an unbelievable trip and it kind of doesn't seem real, to be honest, and it kind of flew by, but it was. We had a really good time and it's I want to come back for sure.
And you had that special players only dinner with Otani and that big tuna fish. Are you all in on what was served at that private dinner?
Yeah, I think that's probably the best quality food I've ever had, really, at least at least sushi and fish.
It was great.
We had a I mean it was you know, we had a great time, great group of guys obviously, and it was cool and really special for them to put that on for us.
All right, Ben, thanks a lot for the time. Great to see you. You know U. I'm in your corner. You're you're under the radar emerging as a real dude here with the Dodgers. So thank you for the time.
Thanks, Thanks, don't.
Forget the little people.
Ben