And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker. We are joined right now by the best third base coach in all of Major League Baseball, and the Dodgers are very fortunate to have him return for another year.
That is the great Dino Ebol. Dino, thanks a lot for the time.
Thanks David for having me on. Love always talking baseball with you.
Do you know it seems like whenever there's introductions at Dodger Stadium, you get loud ovations. Coaches usually don't get those type of ovations from the home team. How much does that make you feel that the fans appreciate what you're able to do?
Well, you just said it.
I appreciate the fans you know that are on my side. I think just sharing my knowledge and you know, it helps when you're you're live on you know, the spectrum channel with playing the Angels and just giving them, you know, your thoughts and views of the game while the while the game is going on. But yeah, I've always felt, you know, the fans, you know, you always treat the fans with because they come to the games, they cheer us on, and there's gonna be days where they boom me.
Which is part of my job is a guy gets thrown out, it's.
The process is there. But yeah, I respect our.
Fans are loyal baseball fans. And uh, it means a lot. When you know the name is called and I hear the applause.
You sound a lot like Tommy Lasorda.
Tommy, Yeah, that's back in the old day, Tommy.
Uh.
Yeah, he was always uh, you know, as a minor league player, minor league coach manager.
He would come in and you know, he always always told us respect.
The fans, and the fans will be there for you, thick and thin and uh. And I've always remembered that, and Tommy's the best at it. So, yes, Tommy Lasorda.
Were you ever in Chicago with Tommy Lasorta. He is famous for the Italian restaurants and meals he would have here.
No, I was in the minor leagues, but I heard all the stories when he came to the minor leagues, and uh, he is a true legend here. The fans here in Chicago love him. I think the fans love him in every city he goes to, except for San Francisco.
Deep down, they love him because he's a Dodger blue.
But yeah, Tommy is the best at it, and what a man I respect and truly miss.
Denuebol Dodgers third base coach is our guest. All right, do you know after last night's game, there was a lot of chatter about the baskets that line the outfield walls here at Wrigley Field. Tommy Edmund not a fan of it. Tanner Scott obviously not a fan of it because that's.
Where the game tying home run landed.
What's your thoughts coming here so many years about those baskets?
Well, from day one, you know, back to my angel days coming here to Wrigley I always enjoy coming here. But that was one of the first things I noticed being a third base coach. I got to go out there and walk the field and see all the different, you know, stuff that can happen if the ball hits the wall.
And that's the first thing I noticed. And I don't know why. I guess it's tradition that they keep it there, But they.
Can easily fix that, take that gate down and put a yellow line up there, and anything over the yellow line would be a homer. But yeah, definitely it's a hitter's advance, And like you said with Tommy last night, you know, the ball looks like it's going to hit that gate and it.
Doesn't and comes off the wall.
And I'm sure it's happened to the Cubs, but it's fair game for both sides.
But yeah, if I.
Had it my way, I would absolutely get that thing off the wall.
When you look at that basket, if you are tom Y Edmund or any other outfielder, how do you play a ball like last night?
That's a tough one because he went back.
He thinks he's going to catch this ball, and all of a sudden it looks like it's going to hit the basket, as you said, and then you missed the ball. So and then if you don't play the basket and you turn around and the ball hits halfway up the wall, everybody's going to say you should have caught the ball.
So you know he did the right thing. He got to the wall.
Now he puts his glove up, and you think, if the ball is going to hit that basket, you know it hits it, and if it doesn't, you try to catch it.
But if unfortunately it didn't work on our favor.
I love whenever Tomy Edmond's brought up, good or bad, but a lot of good is always connected to him. Is he a better player coaching him now seeing him every day than you even thought?
Absolutely? This guy.
And I'm not afraid to tell everybody on the other side too. Last night I mentioned to some of those players on the Cub side that this is probably one of the purest baseball players that I've been around. He does everything well to plus average. If you ask him to bunce, if you ask him to put the ball in play, he puts it in play.
You ask him to play short, he does it.
Just everything that you try to fundamentally teach a baseball player growing up from little league to high school, to the minor leagues, college into.
The big leagues.
This guy knows how to play the game, and he studies a game.
His process is really above average.
And I'm glad he's on our side because he is truly a baseball player.
I'm glad Dino Ebel is on the Dodgers side. Don't ever retire, do you know we need you?
Yeah, I'm getting there, fifty nine years old into sixty.
But I love what I do.
I still have the passion, the energy and get in that.
Third base box. The heartbeat is.
Beaten and so I don't know how much longer I have, but being a Dodger, it's going to be hard to me off this uniform.
Love it, Dino, thanks a lot for the time. Great catching up with you and say hi to the boys.
I sure will. David, thanks for having me on