Cody Bellinger (9-10-24)

We're here with my guy, the one and only twenty seventeen National League Rookie of the Year, the twenty nineteen National League MVP, World Series Champion NLCS MVP, and breaking Dodger hearts here at Dodger Stadium last night, the one and only Cody Bellinger.

Man.

So great to see you, Cody. What an introduction you deserve it. I feel like you get short changed and what you did in your Dodger career.

I mean, you know, when I come back here, I really only have positive memories. And you know, when I'm out last year with centerfield and this year, I'm in right field and I'm having fun with the fans and they only show me love as well. So and they only showed me love droughing the whole process, honestly, and so I'm forever grateful for that.

I know those are new home run seats out there in right field. Are you hearing a lot more from the fans because of those seats against the wall?

Yeah? They would in twenty twenty one.

Yeah, but you were in like no man's land in center funer.

Yeah, you're right, You're right. Right field is a little closer. I enjoy it.

Man, I'm having fun with them, you know, and like I said, they only showed me love, so I you know, I really appreciate them.

When we caught up at Wrigley Field and just talking to you the last couple of days, it feels like, you know, people forget how young you were when you first got called up by the Dodgers, and you know, I have a tear in my eye because it feels like you've gone from a boy to a man here in the last couple of years.

Yeah, definitely. Man.

I was even talking to my third base coach about that yesterday, just you know, the the not immaturity, but you know, just being young and being in the big leagues.

And trying to figure it out.

And you know, now I'm twenty nine and I got two kids, and you know, I'm still loving the game of baseball, and you know, I'm just I'm just blessed.

Do you feel like you know yourself a lot better than you did, maybe even three years ago?

Yeah? Absolutely, I think.

You know, there's there's a learning there's a learning curve for everybody at some point in their career.

You got to figure.

Out, you know, why you're good as opposed to maybe just kind of doing it and you know, I how to really figure it out and what made me special, what made me unique, and you know, just trying to be the best version of myself, knowing that this game is so hard, and you know, not being too negative on yourself and just staying positive and just trying to help the team win.

I heard Kursehat talk about when he became a dad, it gave him better perspective on the game of baseball. Have you felt that now that your dad times too?

Yeah, I mean absolutely, man.

You know, I love the game of baseball and I want to be as successful as I can. And you know, no matter what though it's a cliche of saying, but when you go home and you see your kids and you know they they don't even really at least my girls don't even know what I do yet, you know, they're just excited to see me. So, you know, just honestly, for me, the most important thing is being a good dad, you know, being a good role model for him, but

What's it like being a girl. Dad.

It's the best. You know, it really is the best.

Two you know, beautiful sweet girls, and so you know, love him and you know, I just want to be the best at for him.

He is. He's a great guy. Everybody loves Cody Bellinger whenever you meet him. Last night, when you hit that home run off a Walker Bueller number one, what was it like stepping in the batter's box against him for the first time? And number two, what was it like running the bases after you hit that two run homer?

Yeah, it obviously felt good.

You know, I think stepping in this box specifically for me, it just like you know, it brings back so many memories. You know, it's such a cool it's such a cool feel. It's an amazing stadium, and you know, I love coming back Here's It was a little hot yesterday, but it's beautiful weather, and you know, it was really fun.

When you look back at your teams that you played on, I know, you won the World Series in twenty and that was an amazing team, whether it was going to be sixty games or one sixty two, But would you say that was the best team you played on or would you say the twenty seventeen Dodge was a juggernaut that couldn't be stopped.

Yeah, I mean so many good teams. Man.

Obviously we won in twenty twenty twenty one. We had an amazing team.

I mean we.

Traded, you know, for Sures and Trey Turner, who were you know, one's a Hall of Famer once, you know, could be a Hall of Famer at some point in his career. So, I mean, I was just blessed to play with so many amazing talents, you know, and future Hall of famers. I mean seventeen we had Andre Ethier and I mean I can go down the list, and so I was just super blessed to be able to play with so many amazing baseball players.

I joked with you yesterday, have you brought up the twenty eighteen NLCS with Craig Council this year?

I haven't yet. You brought that up to me yesterday, So.

I feel like you have good AMMO against him.

I do have some good amo CT.

You know all about CT made that catch and left field Game seven. I'll never forget that. I was the center field and what a what a great catch.

CT was your roommate for a period of time.

Right, Yeah, we both got called up and early twenty seventeen and you know, we were living together and he got me hooked on Game of Thrones.

He watched, We watched all Game of Thrones.

And you know that's my guy over there, so I watch him nothing but the best.

Can you described the brotherhood you have with those group of players because you went through so much together at such a young age.

Yeah, man, absolutely, I think. You know, we had such a really cool core group, unique core group. I mean we're i mean still so close, and you know our wives are so close and you know, been blessed to.

Kind of go on some trips with them. We all got kids.

Now, and it's pretty pretty wild man, the ride we went on, and you know, we're all staying in touch.

You know, I loved seeing Corey Seeger when he came out here, and he did admit to me. He doesn't admit too many things, but he did admit it was sweet beating the Astros last year. How much do you keep in touch with Corey Seger because we all still have the back to back Rookies of the Year t shirt they gave away here.

Yeah.

No, me and Sieger really close, you know what an unbelievable player and put another great postseason and you know, I think when the light shine the brightest, you know, he really brings out the best version of himself. And he's done it a few times, and you know, just was you know, a great teammate. And yeah, we still one of the guys. We still you know, keep in touch and was a part of that core group for sure.

Hey, Cody Bellinger's nickname on his team was the Bopper, but really his nickname should be Clutch. His big brother was Andre Ethier. He taught him how to be clutch. Twenty eighteen NLCS MVP. So many big hits, so many big catches. The twenty one nl DS against the Giants. Who won that game for the Dodgers, it was Cody Bellinger.

As a group effort, I just you know, came up with the last hit.

Yeah that was a good hit. It was a good hit. Yeah all right, Yeah, we'll leave.

It right there. Love sharing you with the fans again, Cody. You know, no matter what team you're playing on, you will forever be known as a Dodger and always embraced here in the City of Angels and you never know. Things weirder things have happened, So I'll keep my fingers crossed that one day Cody Bellinger will be wearing a Dodger uniform again. One day.

Yeah, I appreciate it, man.

You know, I love coming back here, and I love seeing all my guys on the other side, and just you know, always good vibes at this stadium.

For sure.

Hey, if Kemp, Keith Kay can come back to the Dodgers, why not Cody Bellinger. Cody, honestly, it's great to see you. And if you ever have a flat tire on Michigan Avenue, I'd be there for you.

I appreciate that. I know that for sure.

He's the best. Cody Bellinger. Love this guy.