The Dodgers wrapping up their series deep in the heart of Texas here in Houston, and I'm joined right now by Dodger first baseman these days, Calvin Bigio. Thanks a lot for the time, first time on the show.
Yeah, thank you for having me excited about it.
I'm trying to make a good first impression. I'm all tongue tied, all nervous with you.
I do no reason to be nervous, no reason.
Hey, this is a place, minute made, park you grew up in. Literally, what's it like to come back and wearing a Dodger uniform?
Whenever I come back here to Houston, it's always special, you know, takeout playing in this ballpark that I spent so much time in and my dad played here for twenty years. It's always nice to see friends and family, and it's always a good environment playing here, you know, wearing Dodgers Dodger uniform now I know there's a lot of history between the two clubs, just makes it that much more exciting.
You've seen a lot of games played in this stadium. I've heard hitters maybe get a little over zealous with the Crawford boxes and short porch down the right field line. What is the key as far as hitting here and how to be successful here?
Yeah, I think it's it's no different than any other ballpark. Just not trying to do too much. Number one. They have a lot of good arms here, So with that being said, just uh, you know, stick with your approach and they make a mistake, you know, hammer and be on it. It can get loud here too, yes it can. It's it's always always exciting to play here. They've you know, I think Houston has really good fans in all sports.
I'm a Texan and Rockets fan as well, so so yeah, I always felt like Houston always had a good fan base for all sports.
You could bring out your Texans jersey these days because they're good again.
Yeah right, finally Yeah, CJ. Stroud got a lot of weapons there, and uh you got a good head coach there as well. So I'm excited for this year. See what they bring.
You know, you just tipped your hands for your teammates. If you're playing fantasy football with them, we all know you're gonna go the Texans route.
Uh, No, fantasy football strictly business, you know. Playing in the league with with the Blue Jays past two years I led the league in scoring, so plan on doing that again. CJ. Stroud was my quarterback last year. Picked him up off the waivers actually, so he's probably gonna be a first rounder this year. So we'll see.
Do you have a sleeper pick for us to share with everybody as we get closer?
University of Texas wide receiver just signed with the Chiefs. Okay, so I'm thinking little Tyreek Hill type player, Xavier Worthy, that's his name. Fastest guy in the draft, really good receiver, so should be fun to watch him pair up with Ma Home. So maybe a sleeper or we might go early early in the draft.
So we'll see, all right, Kevin Bishio giving you some fantasy football tips as we talk baseball here before the final game of the series here in Houston, and there's Blake Trenton who's making sure the mic works. Kevin, first base. You've obviously been a versable player your entire career. This is extenuating circumstances. Obviously, what's it like to play first base? It seems like people take that position for granted.
Absolutely. I started playing for space in the minor leagues, and the first thing that I noticed it's as easy as you want it to be. You know, if you don't work at it and you don't try to be a good first basement, then it's gonna be really hard and things are going to speed up on you, and balls are gonna run and you're not gonna be in the right position. So I think it's just overall not
trying to do too much. Your job is to catch the ball, but also, you know, being prepared and being familiar of you know, catch and throws I think is the biggest thing, and staying through picks and whatnot. So I think it's just being prepared and just not allowing the game to speed up on either.
That's the greatest synopsis of playing that position. It's as easy as you want it to be. It feels like people think playing that position is really easy, but it's a lot more challenging than what Freddy Freeman and Cavin Bigeo make it look. Yeah.
I mean, I played, you know, infield my whole whole life, second base, short third, and you can really notice the difference when you have a good first basement over there. It gives you a lot more confidence still on the ball across the endfield knowing that He's gonna give you the best chance to make that out there even so your throws don't have to be too perfect, so it takes pressure off the other guys at the infield and
you know, going over there. And when I was playing first base, I made sure to remind myself that all the time. Just you know, pick up these guys on bad throws as much as you can. And that's just that's the biggest tell of being a good first basement is the confidence that your other infielders have on you just to catch the ball.
I love talking baseball with you because you see it in such a broad sense. You're not just consumed with yourself. It feels like you see the field in a different way.
Yeah, when you play a lot of positions, you learn how to see the game from different perspectives and and kind of find different ways to be efficient at that position or whatnot. Don't try and be, you know, the best possible first basemen ever, the best outfielder ever, best therapy. Just just be who you are, put in the work and just you know, catch the ball and throw it, and that's just kind of the biggest thing.
Awesome, Thanks Kevin, Thanks a lot for the time. Thanks for not big timing me here in Houston, your hometown.
Yeah the other video does that here not mean okay,