We are live at Dodgers Stadium with you until eight o'clock on the eve of the World Series between your Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees. Welcome the Dodger Talk David Vasse. I am going to take your phone calls at eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy. It's a big show tonight because it was media Day for the World Series out here at Dodgers Stadium.
Both teams participated in media Day. They set up podiums for all the players out there in the centerfield plaza, so you will hear from guys like Aaron Judge, Alex Verdugo, John Carlos Stanton. We'll get you an update on whether or not Alex Vesia is going to be part of the World Series roster. Also Chris Taylor, who is one of the few Dodgers that are participating in their fourth World Series with this team. We will hear from Chris
Taylor as well, so we'll get to all that. And also I had an interview with Brian Cashman, the long time Yankees general manager president of Baseball Operations, and there's kind of a Dodger connection that I was not aware of. Brian Cashman grew up a Dodger fan and also was a bat boy during their days at Vero Beach, Florida, so we'll share his connection in more ways than one with the Dodgers, despite him being identified as the architect of the Yankees going back to their five championships in
the late nineties and two thousand and nine. So you'll hear from Brian Cashman as well. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. We have three lines open. Don't forget tomorrow. Our coverage begins with Kate's and Sacks in the morning six to nine and then Petro some money. We'll be leading you up to Morongo Casino. Dodgers on deck which begins at four o'clock with first pitch at five h eight. Garrett Cole going up against Jack Flaherty Game one of the World Series.
Two local kids, two Cali kids on the mound to duke it out in the first game of the World Series. Obviously, Garrett Cole, an Orange County kid, went to UCLA. Jack Flaherty, we know the story with him, Harvard, Westlake, the San Fernando Valley. So very cool to have two local kids with strong ties to La on the mound facing each
other for these two storied franchises and really special. Still pinching myself that I'm hosting Dodger Talk and the Dodgers and Yankees are getting ready for the World Series for the first time in forty three years. Cannot wait for the game tomorrow night. If you don't have a ticket, you don't have to go home, but you can't come here. Tickets are crazy, from what I understand on the secondary market. It's really the hottest ticket. I've lived in La my
whole life. I live through Magic Birds, Showtime Lakers. That was an incredible ticket that was unattainable for a twelve year old in the eighties. But this place holds fifty six thousand people and you can't get a ticket. And if you do get a ticket, it's going to cost you at least one thousand dollars just to get in. So just sit back, relax, enjoy. If you can't make it, we will bring it all to you. Rick Monday and
Steven Nelson will be on the call. We'll have Dodger Talk for you after each and every one of these World Series games. And here's my prediction flat out. Everybody asks me, who do you got give us some hope? What do you think? I'll give it to you coming up in our next segment, But just want to say before we get into all that, I feel like I have to honor our friend Fernando of Alnezuela because when
you into Dodger Stadium, he was staring at you. And the Dodgers have done such a great job, even on a workout day in preparation for the World Series, to really commemorate and honor a man that is arguably one of the greatest and most influential figures in Dodger franchise history. Yes, Jackie Robinson broke the color barriers, He's obviously on a different level, but Fernando Vealezuela in Los Angeles meant more
to this franchise than any other player I can think of. Yes, Sandy Kofax was great, He meant a lot to a lot of people. He's up there as well. But when you think of the generations of Dodger fans that have been coming to Dodger Stadium, it all started with Fernando Valenzuela. He has taken this franchise to a different level, and grandchildren of those fans that we hear in nineteen eighty
one are still passionate Dodger fans. And when I first walked into the Dodger offices, they had an eight x ten photo of Fernando in his broadcast booth with flowers right next to it. Then you walk downstairs to the Dodger Clubhouse where they have all the retired jerseys. What do they have? They have a blue bow above his
number thirty four, which was retired. Then you get off the elevator as you walk towards the clubhouse and the Dugout Club, and they put a blue bow around the nineteen eighty one World Series trophy and around Fernando's awards, gold gloves, silver Slugger. They have all that. Then you go out to the center field plaza area where they honor all the legends of Dodger Baseball. What's out there?
A bouqueta flowers for Fernando. Yesterday I was here for MLB Network and on the board Dodger Vision boards, they had the silhouette of Fernando Vealezuela just up there. So this franchise hurts, the city hurts, but we also reflect on a great career and a guy that meant so much to all of us. And I know a Fernando that his teammates knew a lot better. I'm not going to say I was best friends with Fernando, but I
would say as work friends, we were pretty tight. And before every game, not every game, but the majority of games here at Dodger Stadium, we would sit with each other while he finished up his dinner and I began my dinner. We would watch his Mexican baseball team play on his cell phone. He would explain what was going on with the team. Sometimes he would be frustrated with some of those players going all for nothing, trying to
swing for the fences. He would educate me on the dynamics of all that and then transition to some stories about his Dodger teams, which were pinch me moments. And anybody that was in the press box that saw Fernando. He had this routine with his coffee where he really
would put on a show. He would take two cups and pour the coffee in one cup and then do this whole long range poor with the cream and the coffee, and it was just his routine and Fernando was great, great guy, and I'm definitely going to miss him, and I think we all, honestly, those of us that work with him, had some inclination that his health wasn't doing well, especially when he wasn't here for the last homestand in fact, the visiting clubhouse a manager, Troy wanted to get a
jersey signed by Fernando for a fellow Mexican American, Vinnie Castilla, who works for the Rockies, but wasn't here, And when he said, Hey, is Fernando here, do you think he could help me get this jersey signed for him by for Vinnie Castilla, I said, yeah, sure, let's do it. And then I found out that Fernando was not going to be working that series, and you know, his family wanted to keep things private and we all respected that.
But honestly, we've all been thinking about Fernando for the last month because we all know that he wasn't doing well, and we were all praying that he would find a way to come out of it, and unfortunately he didn't.
But the Dodgers are doing such a first class thing to recognize Fernando's career and what he meant to the city of Los Angeles and to Mexicans everywhere, Latinos everywhere, and the Dodgers, in case you missed it, when you see them on the field tomorrow, they're going to have a number thirty four patch on their jersey sleeves for the entire World Series. There's going to be a huge mural on the left field wall when you walk in and you see it from the plaza areas of Fernando.
And also the Dodgers are going to have a moment when the silence before first pitch, They're going to do a video montage before first pitch here and we're going to celebrate Fernando. And how fitting is it that we are celebrating the life of Fernando Valenzuela as the Dodgers and Yankees are getting ready for their first World Series matchup for the first time since Fernando helped put the Dodgers on top forty three years ago. And I am you may or may not know this, but Game six
of this World Series falls on Fernando's birthday. Do with that which you will? Alex Verdugo is back at Dodgers Stadium, A proud Mexican American played for the Dodgers interacted with Fernando Valenzuela was on the Dodgers when we went to Monterey, Mexico in twenty eighteen. And here was Alex Radugo earlier today at media Day, just remembering Fernando.
Yeah, you know, obviously, you know, being have Mexican was was a very very impactful player for us and just person and coming with the Dodgers, playing with him, you know, being him being around coaching and just giving advice and same thing with Team Mexico. Him being around was was always fun.
Man.
You you wouldn't when you met him, you wouldn't expect him to be as great of a player as he was, just because of how down to earth and humble he was. And he gave everybody the uh, the opportunity to talk to him and and you know, he didn't matter who you were, he would open up and have a really good conversation with you. So, you know, I'm very sad
about that one. And uh, you know that one hurt you know, not only the Dodgers community, but you know a lot of Mexican households and just you know, in baseball in general, so that you know, it weighs heavy and you know, we just want to put on a good series for him.
All right, there's Alex Erdugo and UH love his thoughtful answer right there. And look, Fernando was not a guy that went on the field that much or try to impose himself on any of the current players. He was very confident of what he accomplished and very happy with being up here in the press box. But when a player would approach him or got introduced to him, he would talk to them as much as they wanted to talk to him. So that was the type of guy
Fernando Vealezuela was post playing career. That's the Fernando Vealezuela I knew. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time out here on Dodger Talk. We had three lines open at eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy. When we continue, you'll hear from a fellow Notre Dame Knight, John Carlos Stanton, who's back home. You'll hear from Alex Vesia.
He will let you know whether or not he feels confident he'll be on the World Series roster, and we'll share our conversation with Yankees GM Brian Cashman, a lot of Dodger Talk live from Dodger Stadium between now and eight o'clock right here on AM five to seventy LA Sports Dodger Stadium. I'm on the eve of Game one of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and
the New York Yankees. The players have cleared the field, the grounds crew is watering the infield dirt, the grass, just getting the last minute preparations for what will be a spectacular day at Dodger Stadium. Our guy, Brad Paisley, by the way, is going to be performing the national anthem. And I'm not saying this because Brad Paisley is a close personal friend. He won't admit that publicly, but he is.
I thought Brad Paisley performed one of the best national anthems I have witnessed in person back in twenty twenty one, the first day fans were allowed back after the pandemic. I thought that was one of the best, and I expect nothing but the best from Brad Paisley. Tomorrow. Oral Herscheizer and Steve Yeger are going to be throwing out
the ceremonial first pitches before Game one tomorrow. Oral Herscheizer the World Series MVP in nineteen eighty eight, and Steve Yeger one of the try MVPs of the nineteen eighty one World Series. Ron Say, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Jaeger were the try MVPs of that series when the Dodgers beat the Yankees in six, and that is my prediction in twenty twenty four. The Dodgers will win the World Series in Game six on Fernando Valezuela's birthday. Take that to the bank. And I was picking Dodgers in six
even before I knew it was Fernando's birthday. But the Big Dodger in the sky has this all lined up. And I just feel like if the Yankees were not wearing the Yankee jerseys and they were the Orioles with those same players, I don't think people would be picking the Yankees as much as they are. Yes, the Yankees have some one thing the Dodgers don't. For legit starting pitchers. The Dodgers, as we know, have been a little thin in the starting pitching department all postseason long. But here
they are. Garrett Cole tomorrow. Carlos Rodon in Game two, talking to some players around the league. They actually told me rodn is pitching better than Garret Cole Right now. Tomorrow maybe a high scoring affair with Garret Cole on the mound for the Yankees and Jack Flaherty on the mound for the Dodgers. But the one thing that the Dodgers do better than the Yankees is the little things.
The Dodgers are a better defensive team, they're a better base running team, and those things matter in the playoffs. But the Yankees are here, so they must be doing something right. But the one thing that maybe the Royals and the Guardians didn't do as well as the Dodgers will do is have a better sci and report on how to pitch Judge John Carlos Stanton, especially Juan Soto,
a great hitter. We'll see what happens there. But I feel very confident that the Dodgers can do all these things to edge out the Yankees in a seven game series and win the World Series again. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's take some phone calls before we get to some of the media day festivities. Let's go out to seal beach. Rick, You're on Dodger Talk. Hi, Rick, Oh hold on, Rick, let me put you on hold.
Heer.
I just got to change my settings from the usual Dodger Talk settings to where we're at here now, So just stand by one second. We will get to you now, all right, Rick, here we go. You're on Dodger Talk live from Dodger Stadium.
Hi, Rick, Hey, what's happening?
Dave?
Someone there?
We go?
Both.
I'm caller and a lot time listener, and I appreciate that I've got a couple, I got one beef, and also I'm a firm believer, and like, what what this all coming down to? And I feel like now that Fernando's passed and God bless him, and he's in a really good place now. But he sort of knew that as soon as like we were going into like the World Series, that was time to let go. And this is the push, you know, we've got the edge. It's time. And so now with that and all the positives, we
got a bullpen. They're terrible on the basis everything the momentum is on our side.
So I'm totally no.
I'm usually like I you know, I'm like dread dreading it, but I feel totally positive.
Okay, here's the second one.
My beef is that all year, right, I was bummed out that Charlie Steiner, you know, he was like injured and I was waiting for Charlie and then Tim kid and I was like totally anti Tim Negertt and then through this season, well hold on, through the season, he totally like changed my attitude. He was the most positive and totally like prepared guy. He was from the vinn school where like a home run would come. He gave a time, he let the crowd do its thing, and
then he'd come. And his reputee with Rick is just you know, unmasked. And then as I come to understand through unnamed sources that dogs well whatever, we have Nelly and Nelly's fine. He sort of came when when Tim needed a break and he was on TV too, And now Tim's like forgotten. So I'm just going to give a shout out to Tim Neverett because he was there all year and I really miss him.
All right, Rick, We love Tim never too, and Steven Nelson's doing a great job with Rick Monday. Rick Monday is actually the one constant in the booth, and I read Bill Plashk's column today and that's the first time I was made aware of the extent of what Charlie was dealing with. And we're very happy that his cancer is in remission and we look forward to having Charlie back in the booth hopefully next year. Wow, that was a heavy phone call to start things off. All right,
let's go out to Norwalk. Junior. You're on Dodger Talk.
How you doing, Junior, Hey, Dave, thanks for taking my call. First day a condolences to the Valenzuela family and the Dodgers family lost the big one, you know, And I just want to give a quick story on Valenzuela. Back of the days there used to give.
This story. Did you tell this story on Scam in the Morning? Have you called Steve Sax and Tim Kates to tell this same story? Junior?
No, All right, all right, go No, I didn't call no. Back back in the day, they used to do the Dodger caravan, the autograph signings on if you remember, well, I got this autograph. Yeah, but they don't bet they don't do those no more.
And I remember that like one of the last fans that they that they had kept the line offs and you know, I just yelled out, Fernando, you know, I get a quick autograph, and the usher was like holding me back, and he just told usha, hey, step aside.
He let him get let him go. And he was a That's the kind of person he was. He was there for the fans and always there for the Mexican people, for the Latinos, and like I said, the Dodgers, Dodger people.
He was the people. You know, if somebody stopped him respectfully, he would take a picture, he would sign an autograph. He he definitely was that guy. And Junior, I appreciate you sharing that story with us, and uh, let's go Dodgers, all right, thank you for the phone called Junior. Dodgers Yankees getting set for Game one of the World Series. Obviously, Dodgers fans are very emotional with the passing of Fernando Vealezuela. We are going into Game one with a heavy heart.
But once you know that anthem is over with, Fernando would not want it any other way than to compete. And the one thing he would want is these starting pitchers to go deep into the game. Obviously that doesn't happen as much, but Fernando was very prideful of the fact that he would go eight to nine innings and take control of the game as a starting pitcher and
never look to the bullpen. That's the one part of the game today that Fernando that didn't sit well with Fernando, the way the game has gone and how starting pitchers were coddled more where they would not stay in the game longer. Fernando's shoulder basically fell off on the mound in the eighties here at Dodgers Stadium. He gave this organization everything, So that's a little inside and how he looked at things. John Carloston is back at Dodger Stadium.
He grew up a Dodger fan. He went to the same high school as I did, Notre Dame High School, and had a chance to catch up with John Carlow during media day. John Carlow, what does it mean for you to be playing in your first World Series in your backyard?
That's incredible. I mean, this is you know where I grew up loving the game and came to so many games and just understood competition, learned learned the level of play here and yeah, it's gonna be a fun time.
Have you allowed it to sink in or do you have to have that separation or as you get closer you have to kind of start to lock in and allow yourself to enjoy.
Now that's creeping moments. I mean, you know, it's hard not to reminisce around the ballpark coming through of like when I was a kid here and over the years playing here fifteen or so years and yeah, but I mean it's all business. I mean here here, it's a practice media day. But yeah, you check in and out and enjoy it and understand work to do. But you gotta you gotta understand both.
Did you shut off the phone because of ticket requests?
A little bit of everything? Focus, you know, out the woodworks, just you know, it's it's you need the most focused in this time and the least amount of distractions.
You guys saw Yamamoto back in New York. Do you feel like that helps in game two that you got to look at him or does that not mean anything?
Right now, all looks help, whether a year ago, two years ago, any look helps. But at the same time, this is the time to bring out everything in the arsenal and change up the plan a little bit because of previous looks, and yeah, it would be all hands on deck regardless.
All right. That was John Carlos Stanton during media day earlier today, and he continued his routine with Aaron Judge. It was a sight to behold. Both those giants were in their Yankee road uniforms after doing their media day stuff with Fox Sports and came out here to face live pitching from former Dodger Clayton Beeter. Remember him, he was part of that Joey gallow trade a couple of
years ago. So I guess John Carlos Stanton takes batting or live pitching from Beet or whoever else from the Yankees as his routine because he's caught fire this October with that routine. So Judge and Stanton do this before every series begins and they continue that tradition here at Dodger Stadium. Not tradition, but routine. So that was a
sight to behold out here. And the Dodger bullpen is going to try to hope to contain those two guys along with Jazz Chisholm and Juan Soto and a big key reliever for the Dodgers that was not on the NLCS roster is Alex Vesia. Alex Vesia to me, outside of Blake Trining, is the biggest reliever the Dodgers have
in that bullpen because of Juan Soto. Juan Soto is over four against Vessia in his short career of matching up against each other, and Vesia to me, for him to be healthy in the World Series and beyond this roster is huge for the Dodgers. And today we caught up with Vessia and I feel very confident because Vesia feels very confident that he will be on the roster when it's released tomorrow. All Right, Alex, the wave of media crush has coming gone and it's just you and me right now.
Hey, the wave that came in from way over there to show Hey, I wish I would have got that on video would have gone viral.
That's amazing stuff.
I wish I got a got on video.
But how are we doing good?
Doing good? We want to know how you're doing.
Yeah, I'm doing really good. I threw live yesterday. I threw roughly fifteen pitches. It went, it went really good.
So do you feel like you could give the you can convince Dave that you're ready to be on this roster.
I've been trying to convince him for a couple of days now, so I think I think yesterday I did the trick.
Nice. Do you feel like you're I mean, you guys are as a group, and I don't want to just put it on you, but you're kind of the guy that could face Soto and you have in years past. Do you feel like that's the urgency you have because the team needs you for those situations?
Yeah, I mean the I faced him before in the past, and you know with their with their lineup, they have a couple other lefties as well, and you know, myself and and band are gonna, you know, gonna be relied on probably more than the last series, right, So it's you know, it's definitely I'm up for the challenge, you know,
and will never back down from the fight. And you know, the last six seven days have been really good for you know, my mental clarity with with everything, and yeah, we're I definitely feel prepared and ready to go.
I'm trying to find the answer to who started the identity for the Relievers to call you guys dogs. When did that start to really become your identity.
Yeah, so we I don't remember a couple of months ago, there was a quote that I that I had said about the bullpen is a bunch of dogs, but then that that wasn't super crazy. But then bazooka so Bruce dog gratterol he when we were in the bullpen, I don't remember exactly who ran out, but he started barking roof right like looked at him like what the heck, and then like the next guy came out, and a couple other people barked, and then like that was just kind of how it started, and we kind of just
embraced that. So I'm I'm gonna give a lot of the credit to to Bazuka. So he, uh, he definitely started that and and would would text us in our in our group chat and stuff about how we're a bunch of dogs. So yeah, he definitely pushed that more and more.
And in the celebration, a bunch of you were wearing the Dodger clown masks that they saw in the store. What was that about?
Yeah, So Honeywell had like walked out to me and like kind of tossed me the mask and he was like, I got a bunch of them for us, and I was like, all right, cool. So then it was like the seventh inning, I I'd like, brought him over, honey, I got something for you, and he was like what I was like, when we celebrate, So I'm wearing that mask? Yeah, and he goes, all right, sounds good. So we got in there and I put the mask on, and Banda put it on, Bazuka put it on. Yeah, it was
just it was fun. The only thing about that mass when you sprayed it, it went right into your eyes, so like my eyes were done for the evening for sure, they were burning. But yeah, those mass were awesome. They were a big hit.
Hopefully we'll see him out again.
Absolutely, they will be out.
Thanks Messia, glad you're doing good. Thank you too. There he is, Alex Vesia. He looks like he'll be on the Dodgers World Series roster, ready for Juan Soto at the most critical point of the game, and that is huge for the Dodgers. Now, speaking of the Dodgers pitching staff, I know there's been a lot of speculation since September
whether or not Otani would pitch in the playoffs. Obviously we have not seen him pitch in the first two rounds, but Japanese media members told me they believed if Otani was going to pitch, it would be on the biggest stage, meaning this the World Series. We haven't seen Otani really
throw bullpen sessions since the playoffs started. He hasn't thrown the hitters, so you know, we just want to put it on the table on the record, And during Otani's media day session, I was able to squeeze myself through the hordes of cameramen and media members to ask him whether or not he has tried to convince Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman that he can pitch out of the bullpen considering where the Dodger pitching staff is right now.
And this is what he told me through his interpreter quote, I've never said to them that I wanted to pitch in the postseason. So there you have it. He has not tried to convince anybody, and Dave Roberts said, absolutely not. You will not see Otani pitch. So that's where things stand with Otani and the possibility of him pitching in the World Series. It's not happening, all right, let's go out to Julian and Whittier. You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Julian.
David. It is such a pleasure to talk to you. I've been trying to reach you at different times of this past season, and I guess it was just really really meant to be tonight. The first thing I've wanted to happy. Thank you David. David. First of all, I listened to the Dodgers just before Fernando Venezuela came into the Dodgers. I listened to Jeff Witcher and I'm sure you know that name. I listened to Jerry Doggett. Uh. It's really emotional for me because the Dodgers were they
were such a big part of my life. So what happens is is that as you know, and a Chabas remaining was real estate. It was homes and apartments for many Mexicans and Mexican Americans, and when Fernando Belenzoela came along, it was almost like it was a spiritual thing because it reunited a community that encompassed Chavez Ravine all around it, with the exception of the mountains that are behind there, the foothills, but most of.
The Communalian without a doubt, Without a doubt, Julian, I know the history. I understand the connection and how that kind of healed some wounds and really brought the Latino fan base here in Los Angeles back to Dodgers Stadium and healed some wounds. And I understand that's a big part of Fernando and the connection he had to Los Angeles, no doubt about it.
Yes, And I just wanted to mention that there was a real synchronistic thing that happened at that moment and it was really really meant to be. And I know the Dodgers won't mention this, but I know that ever since then, considering that the Mexican American and the Mexican community has come back to the Dodgers, their revenue has increased quite a bit. That's without saying though, So I wanted.
To go back to the.
Yeah, that's right, uh huh. I also want to they're already mentioned, and thank you for everything you've done. It was hard to get used to you after being with Jeff Witcher. It was the change a lot.
I don't wear plaid pants like Jeff. Jeff's a great guy, great voice. I work with Jeff. When I first broke into the business, I would be answering phone calls at AM eleven fifty while Jeff Witcher was getting ready for Dodger Talk back in nineteen ninety eight. Julian so well aware of it, and certainly I understand the responsibility that this is Vin Scully's press box and we all have to definitely hold that standard. Thanks for the phone call, Julian,
appreciate it. Six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. David Vassey live at Dodgers Stadium with you until eight o'clock. When we continue on Dodger Talk. You will hear the unique connection Brian Cashman has to the Dodgers. Plus you'll hear my questions with Aaron Judge, got his temperature on the World Series, on going up against Otani in the Fall Classic. And also we'll take more of your phone calls between now and eight o'clock.
As we are on the eve of this epic World Series Dodgers Yankees Game one tomorrow night right here at Dodgers Stadium, first pitch at five oh eight, right here on AM five to seventy LA Sports of the most anticipated World Series matchup in fifty years. Dodgers, Yankees, Judge, Otani, Betts, Soto, Freddie Freeman, John Carlos Stanton, all the stars will be out on the biggest stage for Major League Baseball starting tomorrow night, and you will hear it live right here
on Dodgers Radio AM five to seventy LA Sports. Our Morongo Casino Dodgers on Deck begins at four o'clock. Ta Oscar Hernandez will be our pregame guest and first pitch with Jack Flaherty and Garrett Cole of Game one of the World Series at five oh eight eight six, six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's take a couple of more phone calls before we hear from Brian Cashman and Aaron Judge. Let's go out to AZUSA. Serge, you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Surge, doing.
Great, great, just over the moon. This is just rare earth, rare air here and just enjoying the moment. And I wanted to know. I know you pull a lot of strings there. I know they're gonna do probably honor to Fernando at the World Series, but you know what I think would be really amazing. Maybe you could pull your
back strings there. I'd like to see the crowd serenade like you know some of these crowds when they when they sing a song, and I think it would bring a lot of positive energy towards the game.
And so what do you think of that?
Yeah, I would love that surge, but also you know that would be great. But I'll say this, if you're talking about what you want from the fans, this is what I want from the fans. When the first pitch is thrown. I want the Dodger fans to make it so loud that Garrett Cole cannot hear the pitch, colm he cannot hear the signs coming from the catcher. The Dodger fans can rattle the Yankees' first two starters and
Cole and ro Don especially in Game two. If they make it so loud while the Dodgers are at the plate before any action happens, you could disrupt the rhythm of the starting pitcher or the relief pitcher. And don't for get, don't make the same mistake that you made where Profar when he put his glove over the short wall. If you're down the right field line or left field line sitting in those field seats on the short wall.
If any Yankee tries to rob a Dodger home run, you gotta slap that guy's glove, hand ball, do whatever you can to or I'm sorry. If it's a Yankee trying to rob a Dodger or home run, you gotta find a way to do that to stop it out of their hands. If it's a Dodger trying to rob a Yankee home run, stay out of the way. But if it's a left fielder or a right fielder for the Yankee trying to rob a home run, you've got to disrupt it. You gotta knock it out of their gloves.
So search those are the ground rules.
Sure, sure, I completely agree. Leave the friend that's gonna be looking at their phone at home and have them exactly.
We don't want to repeat a profar getting a red carpet to rob Mookie Bets of a home run again. So disrupt the starting pitcher with the loud chance before a pitch is thrown, and also understand what's going on and what's in play when the player goes into the stands. That's fair game. Thanks for the phone call, Surge. Appreciate it. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Had a chance to catch up with one of the most accomplished gms in baseball history. That's
Brian Cashman. But he surprised me when he told me he grew up a Dodger fan Dodgers Yankees first time in forty three years. Is it lost on you how significant this is?
No?
No, I grew up a Dodger fan.
Actually, so I know the history of the Dodger franchise as well as the Yankee franchise, So I know how big and uh and important this is. This is the greatest matchup in baseball history and it will always be that.
How did it come that you were a Dodger fan? I never associated that.
Well. I grew up in Kentucky.
A dear family friend was Ralph and Branca uh and so Ralph I had already become a Dodger fan.
But because of.
That, Ralph arranged for me to be bat boy for the Dodgers in the spring training for a game in Vero Beach at the old Holman Stadium back in the day, and tim Onless Sorda was the manager And to you know, God rest his soul. But to this day, when Tommy was alive, he always took credit for my start in
the game, you know. And so I have five memories of of all those Dodger teams back, you know, with it they didn't field to stay together for eight years, Garvey, Lopes Russell and say, and then you know, those amazing teams to watch all those years, and then you know, sorry to see Fernando fran Balanzuela a go. He was an amazing uh pitcher and an amazing Dodger And obviously I never knew him as a person, but I'm sure he's an amazing person too.
But as a fan, it was a it was a great team to root for.
Did you have a favorite player? Uh?
Garvey Uh?
And and Ron say, you know, so those guys were my favorite players. You know, I loved, you know, obviously watching the pitching staff they had, whether it was Bert Houghton or Jerry Royce or you know, Don Sutton, you know all those guys, you know, And you know, I became good friends with Steve how later in life. I was the assistant gym and we signed Steve how To Pittsford the Yankees who had been obviously a former Dodger here. Steve Sachs played for US in New York as well.
So anyway, a lot of great, fond memories of the Dodgers.
Brian, when you talk about being friends with Ralph Branka, he obviously is a big part of Dodger history. Were there some of the stories that he ever shared with you that still resonate today?
No, I mean, like the same stories he told all the time, which is they tutd and you know the New York Giants had the signs and then ultimately they acknowledge that years gone by.
But you know.
What a great man, you know, Ralph Franco was, Ralph and Day and his wife, they're just great people.
A little known fact from what I understand, you were this close to becoming the Dodger GM. Have you ever thought about how history would have changed.
Yeah, Frank mccordy has offered me the job. My contract had just expire with the Yankees. I was in the negotiation at the time with the Yankees, and then Frank had offered me a pretty significant contract, much more than I wound up staying with the Yankees on But I had a conversation with George Steimerner, who made me what I am today. I would be nobody without the boss promoting me into positions and ultimately become a general manager. And and so I would never have an opportunity to
be offered by my childhood team, the Dodgers. But yeah, back then, Frank McCourt was telling me how they were going to do a whole pr campaign bat Boy returns to the Dodgers.
To run the team.
And but I ultimately turned it down and stayed loyal to the to the man who got me started, which was George Steimerner.
How close was that to happening?
I was very close. It was ultimately it was a yes or no.
And and you know, I had, you know, and the boss wanted me to stay, and and I couldn't leave. I couldn't bite the hand that fed me all those years. Like again, he gave me my opportunity as an intern all the way through and and when he said I want you to stay, I couldn't go.
Before I let you go. Brian Cashman, Andrew Friedman, your teams have competed against each other going back to the Al East. Can you describe the level of respect you have for each other. And also, you guys are not deciding things between the lines, but what is the dynamic between you and Andrew in this competitive field.
I've known Andrew a long time when he first starts got started in the game in Tampa Bay. You know, I'd reach out in Hyde Park, Tampa and meet Joe Madden and Andrew for drinks, you know, during spring training. They'd come on over and we'd all sit down and have a cocktail or two and just you know, tell baseball stories or whatever. That was a long time ago now, but I have amazing respect for Andrew. He's obviously on a Hall of Fame track. What he's done here with
the Dodgers is amazing. The culture they've built the teams on a year and a year out basis. Obviously, this franchise is lucky to have a god like Andrew Freeman.
Well, two executives that are on their way to Cooperstown. Brian Cashman and Andrew Friedman. Thanks a lot for the time. Really respect everything you've done in your career in the way you handle yourself.
Thank you, my friend. Let's have a great series.
All right, there's Brian Cashman. Yes, let's have a great Series. But let's make it the Dodgers winning it. And you know he mentioned Andrew Freeman going to Cooperstown. Isn't it funny how before the playoffs started in all season long, there were whispers, not only from fans, and I shouldn't even say whispers, it was pretty loud talk from fans and even from media that if Dave Roberts did not get the Dodgers to the World Series, he would not
be the Dodger manager next year. Well, here we are with the Dodgers in the World Series, and now everybody has changed the narrative that if he wins, he's a Hall of Fame manager. And I completely agree with that, But don't you have to include Andrew Friedman in that type of conversation. What he did in Tampa Bay, what he has done in Los Angeles, he deserves just as
much credit as anybody else for the Dodgers turning things around. Obviously, Ned Coletti left a cabinet full for Andrew Friedman, but he's been able to take it and run with it and get to what four World Series and win one. It would be two for him as well. So the combination of Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts certainly is a Hall of Fame worthy combination that we really haven't seen maybe Cashman and Joe Tory. Outside of that. Can you name another GM manager combo in the last thirty five years?
I really can't. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number GM manager combo this dominant. Let's go out to Ventura, Reggie, You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing? Reggie?
Hey, Dave, Hey, you know what. I've been listening to you all year. You know what. It took me a while to get used to you, but Marin you you really know your stuff, and I really like how you can just build up the Dodgers every day. When I listen to you, I can be down and you can just start talking about the Dodgers and you make me happy.
But back to this, I'm happy to hear that, Reggie. I'm glad I've grown on you. I don't grow on too many people.
Hey, I've been a Dogu fan since the seventies. You know, I've seen the World Series and seventy eight when I was a kid, you know, eighty one with Fernando And it's just I just don't understand that people don't really you know, understand, you know the magnitude of what this is, this world series is about. You know, this is like the world stage for the Dodgers and the Yankees and the Asian market of all the Asian baseball players that they have.
Yes, you know, I'm the biggest Reggie, Yes, big stage. Who do you got, Dodgers or Yankees?
I got the out the Dodgers. You I'm a Dodgers fan.
Yeah, man, all right, we'll see you at the parade. Reggie, first Dodger parade since nineteen eighty eight. We'll see you there. Look, I wish him all the best, but I'm hoping the Dodgers beat the Yankees. I mean, this is if you grew up in Los Angeles, the Yankees are right up there with sports hatred with the Boston Celtics. So the Dodgers Yankees. It brings back a lot of memories of what was talked about in my household, the stories we heard from the Boys of Summer and the heartache they
had at the hands of the Yankees. Rick Monday and his team losing back to back years and coming back with redemption in nineteen eighty one, This is what this rivalry is all about, and it kicks off tomorrow night, Game one of the World Series Dodgers Yankees first pitch at five oh eight. In case you missed any of this show previewing the World Series, you can find it
on the iHeartRadio app. Want to say thanks to Ronnie Fossio back at our Burbank studios, thanks to Dwayne McDonald who got us set up here at Dodger Stadium, and thanks to you for listening. In case you want more Dodger talk, we started all over again tomorrow at six am with Steve Sacks and Tim Kats. We will talk to you tomorrow from Dodger Stadium, Game one of the World Series. Sleep Fast, have a great rest of your night. See you