And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talking. I'm out here with Rookie of the Year, National League MVP, World champion. Never forget him in LA because they still love him. That is the one and only. Cody Bellinger, Cody Man. So great to have you back here at Dodger Stadium. Always is great.
Yeah.
I love coming back here. The weather, the fans, you know, the atmosphere. It all feels so good. So I always enjoy it. I always enjoy coming back.
It was weird seeing you in left field. You're too good for left field.
Hey, wherever they need me, wherever they need me to play.
Now, I've been playing all three positions and left, center, right, you know, wherever, wherever they need me. And it's been it's been. It's been good. I having really fun this year.
What's it like playing in LA and New York. What's the biggest differences being a Dodger and a Yankee.
I was actually talking with Doc about this and the guys that just came out. There's a lot of similarities of so many similarities. Uh, you know, the expectation, uh, the expectation to win, the you know, the want and the desire to win.
Uh.
In my like the the development aspect of the minor leagues is very similar. And you know, the young guys they call up, they ready to roll, and it's very there's very there's very there's a lot of similarities. So back in an environment, you know, like this, it's been really fun.
It's funny you mentioned Dave Roberts, your manager, Aaron Boone. He seems to be more intense during the games. Is he as intense as he appears?
No, he's uh, he's very smart man. He you know, he played the game just like Doc. You know, both these guys play the game, so you know they understand the game the inside and outs, you know, the the grind and the difficultness of what we do. So I've really enjoyed playing for for both of them. And you know, it's been it's been you know, where what quarter or a third of the way through the season, So you know, we're having fun doing it.
Hey, Cody, what's it like being a Yankee stadium no matter if you're at first base, center field, what's it like to get the Yankee stadium roll call?
It's very cool. I was actually really nervous for it at first, I didn't.
I didn't know what I was gonna do.
I was like, i'matching to tip my cap, Like what am I gonna do? And so I actually change it for like the first week I didn't know. I just and so now what I do is just kind of coming natural. But that was pretty cool weekend in the Bronx. You know, pack stadium crowds, yelling, and the roll call is a pretty cool tradition that Yankee players get to experience.
I'm sure they've reminded you a million times about the fact that you and your dad both playing for the Yankees. Does it feel like it was meant to be eventually for you one day to play for the Yankees.
Yeah, it's funny. You know.
During the whole process of this offseason, I was like, Okay, I'm probably gonna get traded.
I hopefully it's somewhere good, you know.
And when I saw I was gonna trade the Yankees, I was obviously very excited.
I'm just a great organization.
My dad, you know, had ten years in the minors before he broke out to make his big league debut with the Yankees and kind of gave him his opportunity. So you know, it means a lot of the family, and yeah, I'm definitely enjoying it.
I having a great time being here.
The great Cody Bellinger is joining us here. He left his mark in Dodger franchise history. Players even named Otani haven't done what Cody Bellinger did when he was here, winning that MVP in twenty nineteen, Rookie of the year, most home runs hit ever in twenty seventeen by a rookie.
When you look back at your time and where you started, how much you learned, and where you're at now, what's the biggest difference looking back or what's the one piece of advice you would give that Cody Bellinger who really didn't need it. Maybe not to give Kik a shoulder shiver. Maybe that's it.
Yeah, I was just honestly, like, looking back, I was just grateful to come up through the uh Dodgers organization. You know, I think like it's just such a solid organization and the development aspect that I was able to.
You know, I've drafted.
At seventeen and my last year I think I was twenty six, so that was nine or ten years being with the Dodgers, and you know, you kind of grow to this little high school kid too, ended up being a dad with kids. So it was just I was just grateful to come through the Dodgers' org.
Just the way they treated.
The minor league players, and there's just a well rounded organization. I have nothing but positive things to say about it all.
It's incredible how you were a Gold Glove first baseman but they treated you as the athlete as you are. You maybe don't have the opportunities you have now.
Absolutely, it's funny. I think it was twenty six fifteen or sixteen. They wanted to put me in a center field. I was like, no, I'm a first base then, and they're like, no, you're gonna play outfield because you're really good, and I was like, I want to play first. I was a little stuborn at first, but ultimately man obviously extremely grateful that I'm able to because play the outfield and you know I do it, you know, at a
good level. So that's something I take pride in and you know, I'm I'm glad.
Yeah.
I moved officially to right field in nineteen, so that was my first four year in the outfield and big so which was cool.
You remind judge that you're an MVP two.
Oh yeah, here we yeah, we remind each other. He's the two time, though, I'm the one time. He's got one more on me.
What's it like being teammates with him?
Oh?
Man, it's so special. You know, just what he can do on a baseball field is tremendous, you know what I mean, like very similar to probably show. I've yet to see it with my own eyes, but just what they can do on the baseball field, honestly, like majority of the nig you're just like wow, it's just like this is amazing.
So four hundred, it's incredible that he's flirting with four hundred.
I think everyone sees like the power and everything.
It's the baseball player.
He's a good base runner, it's a great defensive player. He has a great arm, it's accurate, like he just everything well and.
He hits for power.
So, like I said, I mean, he does some things on the baseball field that is just truly amazing.
You do too, I'll never forget the thrills you gave us all here in Los Angeles. Cody. You keep going. I know you're real dad. Now you're all growing up, I know, that's special for you too.
I'm loving it.
Yeah, you know I love being a dad and you know they keep me inspired.
So it's been fun.
Thanks a lot, Cody, and you know how much we love you. You were a special player here in LA and obviously we wish you would have stayed here your entire career. But whenever you come back to LA, I still don't believe you should have to pay for a meal.
I know I appreciate that.
No, I mean seriously, whenever I come back, people treat me so good. And I was always treated treated good here by the fans. And you know I love the fans here, I love the stadium, I love it all.
So it's it's it's always fun to be back.
Whyt I just walk you over to the Dodger side right now, Cody, I don't think I want this to end.
What I'm rocking right here.
I can't see.
I can't see, Cody, come on now.
Thanks a lot for the time I always appreciated, and we'll see you soon, Farst.
Thank you.