Now boarding flight five seventy to Arizona.
Welcome to a springs Raining edition of Dodger Talk on a home bringing you all the latest on the blue and taking your calls, hosted by Dodgers insider David Vassi.
LA favorite son David Firsa.
To catch anything you missed, subscribe to Dodger Talk on your podcasting platform of choice. Welcome back, Oh the Boy back, and now your host, David vas say.
We are live in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, not with just our partners, but with our family of a five seventy LA Sports.
We have a very special edition of Dodger Talk for you tonight. Our very own Rick Monday, who has been in the Dodgers radio booth since nineteen ninety three, has showed up and is going to join us. Coming up in our next segment. Andre Ethier, also a proud Arizona State Sun Devil, is expect to join us at some point in time, and a lot of insults will be thrown at me between Rick and Andre.
So that'll be the entertainment tonight.
But before we go forward, I just want to say thank you to our partners and our family of AM five seventy LA Sports.
If we can all raise a drink to.
Each other here in downtown Phoenix and to the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Thank you to the California Community Colleges. Thank you to CCHLA. You guys do such a great job. Thank you to zenc Shooe Sushi Bonzai's NC Shushie Bonzai, Engelbert Strass Alignment, Health Intuitive Agency, Chumash Casino. We all love, We all love Chumash, Marongo, our good friend Marogo, Scott Cooper, Coop, good times, good times, Coop.
I'll be there. I'll be there.
Don't worry, Jay Pritchard and Daniels Jewelers. Diamond dreams do come true, don't they. Rick, You're having one right now. This is a dream. This is a dream. So thank you for joining us tonight. And it's not a coincidence. You have seen the two best games of spring training since you got here last night. These people here in this room at the Arrogant Butcher Witness Show. Hey Otani's first game of spring witnessed O'tani's first at bat and of course a home run. Who else can do that?
Nobody can do that. Otani can do that. And then today you witness two things. Freddie Freeman's first home run of the spring, and some would say a bigger miracle. Hey Son Kim got a hit and it was a home run, three runs scored. Dodgers beat the Giants six to five. Last night you saw Dalton Rushing walk the Dodgers off with a win. And we all love beating the Giants right six to five today, that's always special.
How about what Rick Monday pointed out? And Rick's gonna join us in just a moment, but I love that. Rick Monday again pointed out an Arizona State Sun devil's accomplishments, Austin Barnes, who, by the way, is the longest active Dodger position player on this roster. Nobody else has been on this team longer than Austin Barnes, except Clayton Kershaw, who was here for the first three days but then went home to be a dad. But he'll be back.
He's not starting the season. But Austin Barnes, with this new automated strike zone where catchers, pitchers, hitters can challenge the balls or strikes, Austin Barnes today may have set the home plate umpire on tilt, back to back pitches and he got him right. And he is five for five this spring for appealing balls and strikes. Yeah, Barnesy, that guy is uh, he's special. He brings something to the team that doesn't show up in the box score.
So I had to give Austin Barnes some kudos. And you know, the biggest question for the Dodgers this spring, and even Rick touched on it a little bit, is second base and center field. That's the biggest question. There's two spots for four guys. Can you name the four guys that are competing for two spots? One of them is Hey Song Kim Whu Homer today. The other is Andy Paez, who could play center field in the corner. The other is James Outman, who had a rough sophomore season.
And the fourth, if you want to put him in the mix, is Chris Taylor. Oh, come on, I mean, I mean, really, Chris, don't we don't we have some credit with Chris Taylor. Come on, Chris Taylor's built some credit in this room, hasn't he He's built some credit in this city. But those are the four guys that are competing for a spot. And for me personally, I feel like, you know, Kim is learning a new swing. I don't know, maybe I think he's on he's on the uh on the bubble to make the team. I
would pick Pahz right now. And it feels like ct is going to be on this team at least to start the year. So those are You know, in spring training, you come and you get competitions for jobs. There's not too many competitions for jobs on this Dodger team this spring. I mean, who's gonna take Freddie Freeman's job, Who's taking shoey Otani's job, Who's taking Will Smith's job?
Nobody? So that's the way it looks right now, and I feel like.
We all should just take it in because of all the heartbreak over the last thirteen years.
The Dodgers.
If you don't know the history of their name, and here's a fun fact. Back in Brooklyn, they were the bridesmaids to start out with, right they were they were they were always coming up second the Yankees in Brooklyn and la But we've had that in recent history as well, and that's why it means so much for them to win the twenty twenty four World Series so I think we all should appreciate that you saw the parade. It's
a special time to be a Dodger fan. This is the golden age of Dodger baseball, especially in Los Angeles. All right, we're gonna take a time out when we come back. The one and only Rick Monday, who is seated next to me, who is giving me a lot of judgment looks in that first segment. I am being judged. I'm always being judged. He keeps me honest. Rick Monday will join us. Well, he's sitting right next to me, but he'll put the headset on.
I think.
Dodger Talk live from the Arrogant Butcher in downtown Phoenix with our family having a great time in spring training right here on your home for the world champion Dodgers and five seventy LA Sports.
We return to more of this edition of Spring Train Dodger Talk, your host and Dodger insiders, David Vasse.
We are live in downtown Phoenix as we are hosting a very special Dodger Talk on this beautiful Saturday night in the desert in the shadow of Chase Field, and we are having a great time with our partners here in Phoenix. They got to see two of the best spring training games this spring so far. I want to say thank you to our hosts, Jeff Thomas, Julie Martski,
Joel Kelly, and Dave Waste. But we are joined right now by a man that is the star of Dodgers Radio, the anchor of the Dodgers broadcast on AM five seventy LA Sports. A man that joined the broadcast team in nineteen ninety three, a man that made his name in Major League Baseball for nineteen great seasons, hit one of the biggest home runs in Dodger playoff history in nineteen eighty one, the first overall draft pick ever in night teen sixty five. And that is our very own treasure,
Rick Monday. Please get Rick Monday from love. Thank you, Thank you for coming by. Rick and I met Oh no.
No you didn't.
But I do want to commend you on the fact that you read it exactly as I wrote it. But that worked out well. By the way, David, you obviously have not paid attention. There is a sign over there that says no loitering, and management wants to talk to you about it. So I mean this is great. I mean the world championship means a lot. I wear this ring for eighty one for a lot of reasons. It reminds me of twenty four teammates, it reminds me of
a coaching staff, reminds me of a front office. It reminds me of everyone in the Dodge organization, the people that supported the game itself, and everyone in this room you've had a.
Part in it.
So a celebration of a world championship, it does not happen that often, and when it comes around, it is very, very special. And the biggest thing is is you saw in the video Briefly, it's a good excuse for adults to act like six year olds after you win a World championship, and that's exactly what happens, and it's a
wonderful feeling. The oddity is, after you win a World Series, it kind of sings in a couple of days later, and the clock gets to that area in the afternoon where you normally leave your house and you go to the to the ballpark. The clock gets that area that normally you're taking batting practice. And then the clock gets that area that said, well, normally, it's the anthem in the first pitch there was a song many many years
ago about is that all there is? And after you win the World Championship, if things kind of calmed down, it's the silence is deafening because you're used to fifty thousand people. And for the Dodgers and the Yankees, I mean, it was a World Series that everyone watched. I've always said the Dodgers and Yankees could play any tiddlewinks contest and you would have a big, big crowd, and that's exactly what happened. And then the Doctors went it in
five games. So this is special. Embrace it, taste it because it does not go around that often.
Rick Monday's Dodgers, Yes, indeed, Rick Monday's Dodgers played the Yankees three times in the World Series, lost back to back years in seventy seven and seventy eight, but there was redemption in nineteen ninety on.
A setting on the edge of my seat because to me, you know, I grew up in Santa Monica, so I'm a West Coast guy to begin with. I live in Florida now, but yeah, I did not care for the Yankees. And then three World Series and it came down Finally, there were some things that we thought could have happened in a couple of those games, like Reggie Jackson throwing his hip out on a throw that Bill Russell was making an attempt to make a double play. Frank Pully
is a second base umpire. I don't remember much about it.
Sounds like you haven't gotten over it, right.
No, no, no, No. Hardack lasts for a long long time, but through the twenty twenty four Dodgers there was an extra special thing for me to kind of live vicariously through their accomplishments because they were able to do so much. I mean Freddy Freeman, it's amazing that, first of all, he was able to play, especially in the World Series, and then he hits that Grand Slam in Game one. He could barely walk. We're still seeing the after effects
after having the surgery during offseason. It was a very special year and a lot of different reasons that came into it, including the fact if you look at the bullpen for the Dodgers during that World Series, even in postseason play, they were so lights out remarkable. It was amazing because he had injuries into starting rotation, but this is a ball club that has the resiliency I said last year in Game one of Spring Trending, and I
reiterated it again in Game one this year. Last year, I said the Dodgers were perceived as the Goliath of baseball and everyone wanted to be David and slay Goliath. Well, David didn't show up last year. Well, my personal opinion is David has gotten bigger, stronger, and better during the offseason.
But you can't wait it on paper. You still have to go out and play the best baseball one hundred and sixty two games in order to get to the playoffs, and then one team is going to win eleven games and be crowned as the world champions.
What have you seen from the Dodgers so far in spring training. I know it's hard to assess, but it feels like there's still.
Still difficult I said, really coming in is that there's two question marks. The decisions can be difficult, and that's the nice thing. But centerfield and second base, as you were talking about earlier, no one has really stood up and said, hey, I'm the guy. So limited number of only twelve more days here because the Dodgers will leave early and go to Tokyo. They'll have a couple of days there to work out. Then they played the two exhibition games against two different teams from Japan, and then
they open up against against the Cubs. So you know, there's there's a time a time span in here that someone is going to have to raise their hand by how they perform on the field in order to win one of those two positions. And it may be it may be a combination of different people.
It might be just one position, right because Tommy Edmund can play second and center and shortstop.
He has a high baseball and I think if you look.
David, we've seen it. The Dodgers have had versatility. And it's not just guys say, hey, go out and play second base and we hope nobody hits the ball to you. Go out and play left field, we hope nobody hits the ball to you. The Dodgers have had the depth in different positions where the guys go out and they play the positions very well. You know, you look at Chris Taylor, you look at k K. Her Nanaz, you
look at Tommy Edmonds. You bring up on top of it, and now Michael Conforto come in primarily to play left field. He's still trying to get the swing going and get back into the pattern. Because I remember Conforto years ago at Shaye Stadium when he made his major league debut and it was against the Dodgers in New York, and he was very highly touted, and it comes over. I think you're talking to Andrew Friedman, the president of Baseball Operations.
He said that he believes very strongly that the eye of Conforto really presents itself better with Dodgers Stadium than it did with that real big right center field fence and configuration that they had in San Francisco. But you know, there's a lot of water that has to go into the bridge. But what a bridge it is. The Dodgers have been able to build because in my estimation I look at it, this is a better team on paper. Now how they perform could be a different story. I
don't think so. But I expect the Dodgers full well to be in postseason again. But again, once they get to that point, you have to win eleven games.
Rick Monday calls more games than any other Dodger broadcaster and was with the Dodgers all the way through last year, and certainly is I don't want to demean your broadcasting skills. But you are the Austin Barnes of the Dodger broadcast team because you are the longest active tenured Dodger broadcaster going back to nineteen ninety three, and you have you have the rare perspective, the rare perspective to kind of
relate to Freddie Freeman. I remember one of the first couple of years working with you, Rick, we were in the Dodger Coaches Clubhouse and your former teammate Davey Lopes was down there and I put you on the spot. I said, what's your biggest baseball highlight? Of course saving the flag? But Davey Lopes and I agreed, your home run in nineteen eighty one was just as big in the baseball world. Can you relate to what Freddie Freeman was feeling in Game one of the World Series?
I guarantella he did not feel a bad ankle going around the bass, because really, I mean, you feel like you're on a cloud because there's so much emotion that happens. Freddy's was different because it ended the game. With the Grand Slam games over from our standpoint, you go back, you know, decades and decades we took the lead, but in my estimation Montre Lexpos were a better team than the New York Yankees. They had more firepower, they had more things that could beat you. They had speed, they
had all kinds of power to go with it. They have very good defense, and I felt, okay, we took the two to one lead at that particular time, but we still had three huge outs and the Expos in the bottom of the ninth inning had the tying and winning runs on base. And there were two planes at the airport. The Dodger plane was one of them, and the Expos had another plane. One of them was going to leave that night because the World Series was going
to begin the next evening in New York. Fortunately it was the Dodger plane that left.
Thanks to Rick Monday. They call it Blue Monday in Montreal.
Still get hate mail.
The Dodgers would not have had that opportunity for redemption in nineteen eighty one.
It wasn't for Rick Monday, but I.
Had to hit it David quite frankly, because Sunday's game that was going to be Game five was rain slash snow. Doubt I say snow because from something California to see his snow floorry. Oh no, no, it's snow. So we played on Monday, and quite frankly, I asked Fernando Venezuela, who we missed nearly. I asked Fernando before the game, I said, have you ever seen snow? And he looked at them and he laughed. He goes, yeah, less Mendonia's up in the mountains. But he pitched like he was
a Frosty the snowman. But I had to hit the whole run because, quite frankly, I was freezing right.
And how is the plane ride to New York short?
I've never been you know, you talk about short flights with turbulence. Oh, there was created turbulence on that one. And we had to play the next night.
Yeah.
Game one of the World Series was the day after Game five of the NLCS against the Montreal Expos.
Steve Rodgers the pitcher.
Yeah you remember him, Yes, I do. And he took a lot of heat and he should not have because he shut us out what three days prior to that, and it came down to it. That's why, that's why postseason gets our attention, whether you're a fan, whether you're a player. Obviously gets your attention of your player. But there's something special about it because you work so hard to get there and you follow a team and it is truly it is a special moment in someone's life
if you follow it. And that's why I say he look everybody in here, you had a part, You had a part in it, whatever that involvement was. There's something special about the moniker of World Champion. It makes the broadcast better right from the open because we don't say it's the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio and outlet. It's the World Champions And only one team can make that claim no doubt.
And Rick Monday brought a World championship to the city of Los Angeles in nineteen eighty one, and they're looking to make it back to back championships to Major League Baseball for the first time in twenty five years. Rick Monday is truly a treasure to the city of Los Angeles. Listen to the Dodge organization, keep trying to bury it every day. Thanks Rick, Thanks for showing up tonight, even I was going.
To be there.
Well, no, I did not know you're Dave. I told Dave Weis, who's the cameraman. Very talented I told Joe Edward that had I known you would have been here, I'd be back at my condo. Uh, you know, yeah,
right now. But but I didn't know that because some of the faces here I know over the years, and there's a special relationship when you when you get involved and uh, you know, we see we see only the booth and there are there's so many different pieces of the puzzle that have to go together in order for us to even have the opportunity to have a broadcast. And everyone in here with the companies, you have, the relationships that you have, you're part of that. Uh, it's
like a spider web. It's not just one little strand that works. You need everybody else to be there. And whether it be with the radio station, whether it be of the sponsorship, whether it be with the broadcast or anything else. There's so many different moving parts each and every day. It's phenomenal. We have a good time on a pregame show that we do, at least that's our
stance on it. We have a good time. Don't know if anybody likes it or not, but we have five minutes of a pregame show where we kind of put our feet on the ground and be honest about it and go back because you have the greatest relationship. And I mean this sincerely, David Vassay has the greatest relationship with the players and the coaches and really his finger on the pulse of the ball club each and every day. There's nobody else in the entire game of baseball that
has the relationship that David Vassa has. And he has it because he has a a great sense of humor and he spends the time and the energy and spends hours and hours with all of these guys and it makes it enjoyable for us because he's Johnny on the spot. And from time to time, including today, we go to the David before a broadcast. Today he said, hey, anything and down there that it might be out of the ordinary that we don't see because you make it a lot of fun.
Thank you, Rick, you make it fun too.
They want to be the same coming to the ballpark without seeing you the first person.
Thank you to Rick Monday for showing up.
And another Arizona State Sun devil, Andre Ethier is going to join us and we'll pick this up when he shows up and the insults will be flying for sure.
Thanks Rick, and you are first class, no doubt about it.
Yeah, well, it's one of those things I had trouble to find it.
I parked.
I parked just like you, like, two doors down, and I wound up coming out of the parking structure a block and a half away. I'm gonna police.
Wasn't waiting for you outside?
No, I told you. If I don't, if I'm not there tomorrow for opening pitch, I'm still looking for my car.
We need you, Rick. I hope you find it.
Thanks to Rick Monday for stopping by, and we will continue with Dodger Talk from the Arrogant Butcher in downtown Phoenix as we get set for the Dodgers to defend their World Series championship on the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers Audio Network.
Don't miss a moment of spring training Dodger Talk. Subscribe, follow our podcast on whatever platform you prefer. And now here's David Vase.
We are live in downtown Phoenix at the Arrogant Butcher, a very special Saturday night edition of Dodger Talk. Thank you to our good friend Rick Monday, your friend kind of mine. He won't admit it publicly, but thank you to Rick Monday, and thank you to all of you that have joined us. You could tip the bartender Miranda. She is really slinging these drinks over here. All of you are enjoying it all. And thank you so much for being with us this week. And it's been a
great weekend of spring training. And look, it's gonna be a great year. The Dodgers are starting the season in Tokyo, Japan. Yoshi Yamamoto is going to start Game one against fellow countryman Shota Imanaga. And I'll be there live in Tokyo. Rick will be packing his bags in El Segundo, but we'll connect via the magic of radio on the Dodgers Morongo Casino Dodgers on Deck Show. Yeah, Coop, there we go.
Good times anyway, It's gonna be a fun time. It's crazy, really my first trip, my second season with the Dodgers. They started the year in Sydney, Australia. Rick Monday was there. He got to go on the team cruise while I got kicked out of a few bars in Sydney, Australia for no apparent reason. And the travels with the Dodgers have taken me to a few different continents last year with the Dodgers in Soul, Korea, it was it was
an experience. I did not get kicked out of any bars just for you know, a little darker shade of skin. You were in El Segundo for that too. It's interesting because so many fans came there and it was the Otani show there, and that's what why all the players and everybody around the team is so excited about starting the season in Japan.
It's not just.
Because they're going to Japan, one of the great countries in the world, but the fact they're going with the Taylor Swift of Major League Baseball and sports entertainment show, Hey Otani. And when we went through the airport last year and sold Korea, there were fans, there was media as we got through customs. My understanding is they're trying to limit that in Tokyo, Japan in the airport because
it will be overwhelming. So it is going to be like traveling with the Beatles, Rick Monday, it's like traveling with Taylor Swift. Julie Martsky, just trying to put it in different contexts of generations. The Dodgers beat the Giants six to five today. Freddie Freeman hit his first home run a spring. Hayesan Kim, who will be joining the Dodgers in Tokyo, Japan, also homer today he had to
reconstruct his whole swim. The biggest news of today though, was that my guy Blake Snell snell Zilla, the newest Dodger two time, two times cy Young Award winner, through a bullpen session. It was electric, Rick, It was an electric bullpen session.
Today.
He's gonna pitch on Monday, a day off for the Dodgers, because he's getting lined up, probably not to start in Japan, and there's still some question whether or not Roki Sazaki will start Game two of that Japan series. I know the Dodgers had mentioned he's going to pitch there, but there's still a little question mark about who is going to be the Game two starter. I could see somebody named Tony Gonsolin possibly starting that game, or a Tyler
Glass now starting that game. And I could see snell Zilla starting the home opener against the Detroit Tigers against the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Trek Scoobel. How about that, And just to line up the schedule in case you're trying to line up your lives here.
It is.
The home opener against the Tigers is not going to be the ring ceremony. Game two is going to be the ring ceremony where the players get their rings. And keik A Hernandez shared with us on the Morongo Casino Dodgers on Deck show a couple of days ago that he had a lot of fomo, a lot of fomo the last time the Dodgers won the World Series because he signed with the Boston Red Sox so he was not there with the rest of the team to get his ring.
So he will be there this time.
And I saw key A Hernandez showed himself in full living color in October. But even more to me this morning in the clubhouse, I'll just leave it right there. Tmi, tmi.
That's it.
You know, That's what I that's you know, that's what happens in the clubhouse, right I know, I know. Anyway, that's the kind of good times we have, good times like at Morongo Casino. Yeah, we had some good times this morning, Coop. I'll tell you about it later, Rick, I won't. I will tell you, but we're having a great time here. It's an exciting time to be a Dodger fan. And I hear a guy that is very much in demand in this city. It's his city these days.
Andre Ethier is going to be joining us. I heard he had a hard time there he is. Wow, surprise guest. Two sun devils right there, Two sun Devils right there, Andre Ethier, who played all twelve Major League seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and as a great ambassador man. Two lefties, two Arizona State sun Devils, and two number sixteen's right here sitting at the same table. There's a lot in common here. Thank you for joining us, Ethier.
Please sit down. I'm sorry the valet wasn't ready for you when you when you showed up.
Oh that's all right, but I'm glad one of us dressed up at least today.
Yeah, I mean, what do you mean? This is your type of shirt right here? The wolf?
What do you think you put some wolfs and snakes on it? And you're an Arizona A lot of edge, yeah, a lot of edge?
Right? Hey Rick Rinday Monday, guys, what an honor.
A quick story to share with you, real quick. Vass kind of mentioned it, but a little full circle for me and Rick Arizona State, Arizona State. I got my number sixteen given to me by the clubhouse staff my first game in Dodger Stadium, not by my choice.
I didn't choose sixteen.
It was given to me because Rick war sixteen and played at Arizona State. Paul Laduca played at Arizona State in war number sixteen, and I was the third sun Devil to come along and from Arizona State. So a little full circle there that Arizona State and Dodgers wearing sixteen is a is a pretty cool thing.
And uh, maybe you guys could chip in some nil money since you're all mister Arizona State.
Wow, I mean to talk about money yet like this, come on too, proud Arizona State guys, spend.
Some money on your outfit.
Wow, geez, what's it like for you?
Andre Ethier actually was a coach. Coach Ethier in camp this spring he put on the uniform and he had the edge out there. What was it like being around the team as a as a guest instructor.
It's fun, Uh, getting getting to come back and uh not have the pressure of making the team and getting put on the uniform is there any is there anything better than that? But uh, I mean I'm in awe, I'm in ob seeing uh you know those guys out there and the quality of players this team has, and the way this organization just keeps figuring out a way to get better. You think it isn't possible, but they keep figuring out a way to make this team better.
With everything out there, and you know that new uh batting cage facility.
Did you get to go inside this very secretive batting lab.
Yeah, the batting lab. I don't know if anyone's seen this batting lab, but it's a.
Big structure now where just outdoor cages used to be when Andre Ethier showed up a camel back ranch.
Yes, and now it's fully endorsed, so no one knows what's going on in there. But yeah, it's it's a pretty impressive, you know facility with all the bells and whistles that you could want from the pitching hitting side, tons of cameras and analytics type information going on in there. Guys can get in there really dial in their swing in pictures the same way. That's where all the catchers are doing a lot of their work early on or
after workout. They go in there and they have some camera motion stuff so the catchers can analyze, you know, they're framing some of their footwork stuff they're doing. So yeah, there's a lot of high level and then I guess the brains of the organization from the analytics movement side. Everything is has offices in that in that building also, so they're in there dissecting, coming up with a game plan and figure out to make this team better.
Everybody wants to know what's it like to be up close and personal with shoe hey Otani. I mean we get close to him on the backfields there as close as fans can ever get to Otani to see just how big and how much of our presence physically he is. For a guy like you that played the game, what's it like to see a specimen like him.
I think that was the most surprising thing when I first met him, was how big he is. You know, he's a he's a he's a very big guy and uh, you know, and thick thicker than you think too, and uh it makes sense why the ball goes so far when he hits it. Yeah, yeah, he's a big guy, and uh, I think that the thing that first impressed me. Not only about that, was just also how humble he is.
You know, a guy who's achieved so much and is breaking records NonStop in this game, and you see the historic season he had last year, and he is still just like a little kid out there running around and enjoying the game, having fun. And I think he loves being a Dodger, you can tell it. And I think that's that's the best thing for me, is to see someone who has now found his hopefully forever baseball home, which is the good side of la uh, which that
isn't even l A. I said to Anaheim. Yeah, we don't talk about that, but we're the real la.
Yeah we are. You know.
I'm glad he's a part of our team and organization and he's gonna be a Dodger forever.
Andre Ethier, the Mexican Prince of the Desert, is joining us here at the Arrogant Butcher.
What do you get that, Nicolo about nicol little ultra? Is that what you're drinking now? You're looking for your figure?
You should wow.
Hey, I'm like Shack. I get into shape when the season starts.
Yeah, sometimes you don't ever get in shape.
I guess, oh, man, look at this.
Wow, Wow, this is a big wig at iHeartRadio, and she just got you a beer from behind the bar. That's Julian Markski and that's Miranda. Please tip the bartender. Ethier, you know what that's all about, doing a great job. Yeah, I like, wow, Wow, I got that shade right there. Hey, I'm gonna ask a lot of fans during the season. Hey, salute to Andre Ethier. Huh, salute to Andre.
Everyone enjoys.
Everyone's been out to spring training before, right, mostly everyone here.
Some some are repeat visitors, some are first timers. How did you treat spring training? Did you love mingling with the fans when spring training started? Because I knew how locked in and serious and focused you were when the season started.
Yeah.
I think this is the funnest time of the year, not only for the fan but also for the player, especially this team, you know, Dodgers team. The last fifteen years, there's not been a lot of spots.
Being earned or yeah right, yeah, you.
Coming to camp. Everyone knows their spot. Everyone knows their their place. You kind of see it. I know it's not always the fans' favorite thing, but you know, you get two or three at bats, you're done for the day. Your kids, family're waiting for you in the backfields. You're at home by four four thirty, having dinner with the family, talking to fans, fans you've gotten to know over the years.
You know new ones you're meeting.
You know, it's fun, it's it's it's relaxed. The seriousness of the game hasn't started yet. You're not out there, you know, really competing. You're just trying to get yourself ready for the season.
And you know it's fun.
It's uh being in the role that you're in as an ambassador and being a guy that puts on the coaches uniform, the hoodie and the hat and all that. You were so locked in as a player, and that's part of the reason why you were as successful as you were. But at this stage of your life and career, when you're open to fans coming up to you, are you shocked how much you meant to a lot of fans into La and Dodger fans?
Did you? Were you aware of that?
You hear cheer for you in the stadium and you know they're they're pretty loud, but yes, you don't realize.
Uh.
And someone said it great. I think Dave said this great in a meeting one of the days I was in camp was you know, we're all out here trying to be successful baseball players, and you don't realize that this name across your jersey, you know this Dodgers, this is Los Angeles.
Which we used to wear on the road.
The Los Angeles name on the road means more than any individual gets to put on this uniform every day, right, And so, uh, this team represents the city, represents community, represents generations of uh, you know, Dodger.
Fans and LA people.
And when you realize that, you know you're playing for something bigger than just yourself.
Andreth year is in downtown Phoenix. When was the last time you were in downtown Phoenix, Andre Ethier, I know you were. You were a Sun season ticket holder, but being here for two weeks, it feels like the sky is falling. The Sun has been eclipsed by the great Lakers Lebron and Luca and Austin Reeves.
Have you given up your season seats in Phoenix?
I still have season tickets.
Only for Laker games, Lakers Suns.
Yes, I will go to the Lakers Sun's game.
I know you got a lot of brag about with h oh Luca Luca dot.
Yeah, you know, I'm just saying Andre is a big Laker fan, but obviously born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.
He has a lot of local pride.
His favorite player was Tom Chambers and Dan Marley. But I mean, what's it like now that's my dinner for tonight?
Meet loaf?
Yeah, you look like a meatloafs guy. He looks like a meat loaf.
Right, Like they didn't have nachos?
Was everyone disappointed when they got to see you for the first time?
A little bit? All right, A little bit, A little bit.
I saw too much a key k today, I'll tell you that anyway. Andre Ethier is our guest here a Dodger Talk live at the Eric and Butcher in downtown Phoenix. I'm going to ask fans all season long because I'll never get tired of hearing first hand experiences of where you were when Freddie Freeman hit his walk off grand slamming Game one of the World Series.
I have not asked.
Andre Ethier this, where were you when Freddie ended Game one?
I was I I'm trying to think I wasn't in la yet because I came from game two.
Huh were you at one of your kids games?
Probably I was coaching a flag football game like four hours ago, were you really? I had a seven year old playoff flag football game that I was out there at.
So yeah, so I was doing that.
Actually, I believe I was at home and we were all watching the game because I was I knew I was coming out the next day to come throw the first pitch with our guy Matt Kemp.
The for the second World Series game.
So I was just sitting at home here in Phoenix watching the game, and I could tell you I still I was. We were going to get that job done in that game. Like I didn't have any feeling of like, oh, shoot, this isn't gonna work out.
I was like, this is we got this.
We got this started that inning and yeah, as soon as Freddie connected, it was yeah, yeah, you know it was over, and I think our whole house was screaming, jumping up and down.
Yeah. I was just excited as ever to see.
That Rick beat the Yankees. In nineteen eighty one.
He talked about just how much pride he had as a Dodger that the Dodgers were able to not only win the World Series but to beat the Yankees. How much pride did you have because you showed up in the bubble in twenty twenty to text? I saw Etherier. We went to a driving range. He said, Hey, what do you want to do? I was like, you want to call me to the driving range. So he was
in the bubble in Texas. He saw the Dodgers win the World Series in twenty and he gets to see the Dodgers win again in twenty four.
So how much.
Pride do you have playing your entire major league career with the Dodgers even though you weren't on the field that they want it.
I was super excited.
I think I had a little more, I guess, like angst in me and like wanting to beat the Yankees. I was in all the games in New York for the Mets series, and I think the Mets fans and or the Yankees fans were wanting the Dodgers in that and they were already talking smack everywhere. You know, you walk in with my la stuff and all the Yankees fans would yell at me, We're gonna get you guys next series.
You know, all that stuff. Right everywhere you went.
And I remember showing back up to the same hotel, you know, a week later, and all the bellman, all the everyone is talking smack to me, and yeah, it was exciting to be a part of it, and I guess reminded me of all those highlights.
I saw Rick in that team in eighty one playing the Yankees.
And you know, Dodgers back in the day, and it was nice just to have that matchup and of course, you know, take it to them the way we did.
Yeah, are you gonna come to the home opener, the ring ceremony? Where are you gonna be? I know you still you have such a connection to this organization.
Still, I don't know if I'm going to open to yet.
I'm I'm hopefully my bag will be unpacked by then, but I am making a trip to Tokyo, So I'm right. I'm heading out to Tokyo on the fourteenth for that trip out there, and we have a few things going out on out there.
For Are you making appearances on the streets of Tokyo, Japan?
I am.
I was just getting recommendations of the best ramen spot, you know, don spot. Is there any secret YAKATORI, I have to visit in the middle of the night, you know, stuff.
Like that, So yes, one, I must one.
I don't want to.
Tell you where I'm going because I know you follow me.
Jeez.
He he showed me the good life the last couple of years. If him playing, he found all the good foodie spots, so I'll be trailing you. Actually started to google Eaters top thirty eight restaurants in Japan.
I found one that Obama visited.
I tapped into the Japanese media and they have led me down the right path.
So I'm gonna make sure to look up that that same Eaters, and I will avoid all thirty eight of those match funs.
Wow, thanks a lot.
I can't wait to see you in a Japanese garden somewhere. I'll be in the middle of meditating and I'll just wait.
And we'll have a Machia tea ceremony.
Yeah, it sounds good. Sounds good.
Me and you back together.
Oh man, what a team. Don't worry, snell Zilla won be part of the equation.
That's all I hear about. You followed him around.
Don't worry, it's you and me home team right here. Everybody was anticipating you. Two great sun devils have joined us here on Dodger Talk. Dre thanks a lot for the time, and I'll see you in Tokyo.
Yeah, see in Tokyo.
Appreciate Andre Ethier, a great Dodger and a champion of the people.
Thank you to all of you for being here.
In case you want to listen to this again or missed any of it, or you want to relive it on the way home, you can find it all on the iHeartRadio app. You can listen to all the Dodger talks on the iHeartRadio app after you miss it after the game in case you're asleep at night by the time we're driving home. But all the Dodger talks, all the interviews, you can find him on the iHeartRadio app.
And we're looking forward to another great season. Our next Dodgers Radio broadcast is coming up on Tuesday, and we'll we'll have all the action with the Dodgers and Angels this week and as we lead you towards Tokyo, a great thing we are doing at an five seventy LA Sports. First pitch in Tokyo is three am Pacific time. But don't worry. We will replay it at six am, including Morongo Casino, Dodgers on deck, good times.
Thank you for being here, thank you for listening. We love you all. We'll talk to you on Monday. Sea