And now your host of Dodger Talk, David Vasse.
We are live at Dodger Stadium after the Dodgers defeat the Angels seven to one in the first game of this exhibition freeways series. Dodger Talk with you until nine thirty tonight right here on a five to seventy LA Sports and on the iHeartRadio app. Coming up later in the show, you'll hear from Jose Mota and Dodger All Star catcher Will Smith. Plus you'll hear from the Dodgers
home opener starter, the one and only snel Zilla. But really the story tonight was the fact that Mookie Betts was in the starting lineup and then he wasn't again. Mookie Betts a late scratch in the starting lineup tonight. He said during a pregame warmups he started to feel nauseous and had to vomit again. And he said that's been a daily routine. Every time he tries to eat
solid food food, he can't hold it down. He can hold down smoothies, but he can't hold down solid food and that's an issue, and it's an issue so much now that him playing on Thursday is very much in doubt.
The good news.
Freddie Freeman, He's another part of tonight's story. For me, there were three things I was looking for tonight. How Mooky Bets looked and played, how Freddie Freeman looked and played, and also Jackson Ferris. Jackson Ferris was outstanding tonight. He has such a promising future. What a trade by the Dodgers. You know, all these teams and all these fan bases complain about the Dodgers and all the great players they have. Here's a memo to all the other teams. Stop trading
them Mookie Betts, stop saying goodbye to Freddie Freeman. Stop trading them young promising left handers like Jackson Ferris for Michael b Almonte. How about that? How about that? And maybe you might have a chance. But Jackson Ferris has a bright future. And everybody I speak to around the game believe that Ferris is the most promising pitching prospect in the Dodger farm system. And he certainly proved that tonight.
Three and two thirds innings against a real Angel starting lineup that included Mike Trout, Ferris three and two thirds allowed just one earned run. It was a home run. Four strikeouts and two Walks. This young man certainly has the poise, the mound presence and continues to be coachable in the minor leagues to get better. He has it, and the Cubs gave him away. Michael Busch paid off immediate devidends.
He had a great year.
For the Cubs. But where was Michael Bush going to play on the Dodgers? Freddie Freeman's at first base. He wasn't a second baseman, he wasn't a third baseman. So all you can say is thank you very much Cubs for Jackson Ferris and Zayir Hope, who has shown glimpses of what the Dodgers saw when they wanted him included
in the trade. So those were the three things I was looking for tonight, and unfortunately, Mookie Betts did not pass what we all wanted him to pass, and that was to be in the starting lineup and actually play and show that he was strong enough to start in the home opener. That doesn't seem to be likely. And here's what Mookie Betts had to say when we were able to talk to him during the game tonight.
I don't think anybody really knows. I mean, it's just.
You know, you go.
You weigh yourself, and you weigh one hundred and fifty pounds, I mean before I left Spring on one seventy five.
And so.
You know, it's a balance because I guess my stomach is really aggravated, and so it's hard to just not eat, you know, especially come you can't come to work and just not eat and have you know, you know how I am. I'm practicing all day and uh, and then my body's just kind of eating itself, and so it's hard to not fuel it. And so every time, literally every time I fuel my body, I throw it up. And there's that I don't know, and I don't know what to do about it.
When was the last time you were able to have a meal and keep it down? And are you taking IVS to kind of supplement.
That I've only gotten IVY in Tokyo. I got a two leaders of IVY in Tokyo. But to answer your question.
I don't.
I don't know.
Every time I've eaten, I've thrown up. So it's it's hopefully I can hold something down, you know. Tomorrow tonight to mar Island. I'm scared to eat. So I don't really know what to do.
The doctors diagnosed it.
No, I mean, there's my vidols. Everything is come back clean to you know, blood tests. Everything's come back really really clean healthy. So I guess it's just something with my stomach being really aggravated. And so I'm just started in some new medicine now to try and calm my stomach down.
Mookie, if you wouldn't have been if you did not vomit today, would you have felt strong enough to play? How strong do you feel to even try to play a major league game?
Oh?
I mean yeah, I'll you know, even though I'm light. I mean I would still play, you know, if.
I didn't throw it a throw up. They absolutely I was in there.
I mean I had a great day yesterday, but I didn't eat literally all day yesterday, and so I figured, you know, give myself a day of not eating and then to come in and play a major league game and not eat, it's kind of hard to fathom. And so I eat breakfast this morning and threw it up. So kind of is what it is.
Scared to eat? When was the last time you heard anybody say they were scared to eat? Certainly not myself. I'm never scared to eat. But Mooki Bets told us that he came into spring training at one hundred and seventy five pounds. He is now at one hundred and fifty seven pounds. Initially Mookie said he was down to one fifty and then clarified I guess to the reporters that it was one hundred and fifty seven pounds. But still, I mean, give or take seven pounds, that's neither here
or there. When you're down to close to one hundred and fifty pounds, So down fifteen seventeen pounds, that's scary, especially when now he's trying to move in from right field to play a very demanding shortstop. As he was saying, it's an uphill climb right now to start the season.
Whenever that is for him.
It's not an ideal situation for Mooki Bets or the Dodgers to have a thirty one year old moved to a very demanding position and now have this very severe stomach virus that has caused him to lose close to twenty five pounds. It's Mookie's an incredible athlete, he's an incredible performer. I'm sure when he's in there and he gets back in there, and the Dodgers feel like he's strong enough to be in there.
He'll perform.
But this is not going to be as seamless as it was looking just two weeks ago. Mooki said he started to feel ill two days before the Dodgers left for Tokyo. You know, I saw Muki when we were in the hotel lobby after we landed in Tokyo, and I just, you know, casually, said hey, how you doing. He's like, oh, not so good. I guess I feel a little better now. It's like, oh, what's going on? Maybe a little you know, sea sickness from the flight,
or he didn't sleep well. I had no idea it was this severe, And when the Dodgers sent him home, he said that was a rough flight as well as you can imagine having a stomach virus where you're feeling very very you feel like you have nausea. Twenty fours seven is not I'm trying to put this in in not potty talk, as I tell my kids at home. You know, I don't think we need to get into graphic description of what what's going on with Mookie bets
how he's lost close to twenty five pounds. But as I mentioned earlier, Mookie's home opener on Thursday is very much in doubt. And here's what he had to say when he was asked point blank, really play on Thursday.
That's a that's a tough question, just because you go out there and you go play four innings and then kind of put your team at a deficit. At that point, you don't really want to do that. And then you put yourself at a deficit. You're already playing uphill or weigh one hundred and fifty one hundred and fifty seven pounds, and that's you know, way underweight, and so I don't,
you know, playing uphill. I'm not saying I don't want to do it, it's just game one of the season is do I want to really give myself that much of an uphill battle? I mean, sure if if that's what it takes. But does it logically make sense? And that's the question that we really need to answer.
Yeah, And it doesn't sound like the Dodgers are going to give it a yes answer on Thursday unless this new medication that he was taking allows him to hold down solid food and he feels great when he wakes up on Thursday. The Dodgers and Tigers are going to play at four to ten on Thursday for the Dodgers' home opener, and then on Friday we're back to a night game and the pregame ceremonies will include the Dodger players receiving their World Championship rings. Eight six six nine
seven two five seventy is the phone number. The good news for the Dodgers is that Freddie Freeman was back in the starting lineup, and yes he was zero for two. Yes he grounded into a double play, but he was swinging freely and did not have any ill effects of whatever was bothering his left side when he was not playing in Tokyo. So that's great news for the Dodgers and Freddie Freeman to have him back and ready to go Thursday's home opener. Eight six six seven two five
seventy is the phone number. We have two lines open. We're gonna take a time out here on Dodger Talk. When we come back, we'll get to the home opener. It is a classic Mark Marquee pitching matchup, and you will hear from Blake Snell when we continue live from Dodger Stadium until nine thirty right here on AM five to seventy LA Sports, your home for the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dodger Talk is available on AM five seventy LA sports dot com, hand on the iHeartRadio app. Back to more Dodger Talk with Dodger insider David Basse.
The Angels on a Taylor Ward home run have a one to nothing lead, and Monthly with a shot to write and the Dodgers have a one to one time the four five rows back behind me out of town scoreboard. Once he hits it out, Dodgers and Angels are tied at one.
Max Monthsey swinging the silver hammer. Great to have Charlie Steanner in the booth of us again. The Dodgers defeat the Angels seven to one, and Monthsey uh in the Tokyo series was one for seven with a double and got the netting in the way. And then Rodney Pete had the most celebrated foul ball catch in the history of baseball. Who was celebrating him, Rodney Pete. Daniels Jewelers
presents the home run forecast. Go to AM five to seventy LA sports dot Com and use the home use the keyword home run for your chance to win a fifty dollars Daniels Jewelers gift card predicting the number of home runs in the next game.
Daniels Jewelers own the dream.
Eight six, six, nine, eight, seven, two five seventy is the phone number. By the way, Just to set the record straight, Max Month was not upset with Rodney Pete in that second game where the foul ball went over the netting and Rodney with man outstanding tickets. How did Rodney Pete get those tickets? Must have been Holly that hooked him up. No chance Rodney gets those tickets. It
was Holly all the way. But anyway Number one. The way Rodney and Holly explained it, they were handing out gloves and helmets in their section right by the third base dugout number two. There was a netting that Munsey was trying to pull down to be able to make the catch.
And if he's able to do that cleanly.
Rodney Pete is not taking the longest victory lap of any fan catching a foul ball in the history of Major League Baseball. So Munsey wasn't upset with Rodney. He did not do a Bartman. I heard Jim romsay it was like Bartman, No, it wasn't. It was Game two in Tokyo, and it wasn't the NLCS at Wrigley Field. It did not cost the Dodgers a chance to go to the World Series.
It had.
It wasn't even close to Steve Bartman. Rodney did not reach over into fair territory to rob it from Max Munsey for a chance to go to the World Series. I'm sorry. It was not that dramatic anyway. Tokyo was outstanding. I had a great time. The players, more importantly, had a great time. They did not just sit in their hotel rooms and play video games. They actually got out and saw the sites, engaged with the people on the
streets of Tokyo, which was great to see. From young to old, from Blake Snell to Ben Caspirius, they were all out there. Clayton Kershaw took the trip with his wife and kids. They actually got to take the bullet train to Kyoto. I joined a handful of Dodgers the first day or the first morning. We were out there to go see a sumo wrestling exhibition, and Kershaw tried to move a sumo wrestler. He said that when the
sumo wrestler tried, he could not move him. I could attest to that because the sumo wrestler was not trying when I tried to push him and he went nowhere. In fact, I was mocked and humiliated by Blake Trynin and Tanner Scott for slapping at the sumo wrestler and not actually pushing him. That was my experience in Tokyo, and no, I did not go down any slides out there. Also a point of interest if you ever go to Tokyo,
there's two points of interest that are very famous. Shibuya Crossing, the most populated intersection in Japan and I have to fact check this top in the world anyway, a site to behold, and the Fish Market. The Old Fish Market is a great tourist spot. I actually ran into the frossos there. Nick Frosso and his parents were out there and it was great, great experience. And Blake's new was out there with Dodger social media. I guess they roped
them into it. Any social media content Blake Snell is not passing on, including posting that he is going to be the Dodgers home opener starter on Thursday against Trek Schoolbol and the Detroit Tigers. When was the last time you saw a marquee pitching matchup like this and a
Dodger home opener. I know it's not exactly the same, but this is as close as you can come to Clayton Kershaw versus Madison Bumgardner on opening Day in twenty thirteen, twenty fourteen, when both those guys were at the heights of their power. We got three Cy Young Awards on the mound at Dodger Stadium on Thursday evening here, two from Snell, one in the American League, one in the
National League with the Rays and Padres, respectively. And you have arguably the best pitcher in Major League Baseball and the reigning Cy Young Award winner in the American League and Trek Scooball. I'm looking at some of these other opening day pitching matchups, and yeah, Nathan Valdi against Garrett Crochet is nice. Yeah, Hunter Green against Logan web is nice. Yeah,
Sandy Alcntra and Paul Skens is nice. But there is no pitching matchup in Major League Baseball that is as marquee as what you're going to have at Dodger Stadium on Thursday with Blake Snell going up against Trek's Scooble.
And here was Blake earlier today when I asked him how he's going to control the pomp and circumstance and everything that's going to come with his first start as a Dodger in the home opener for the defending World Series champions against the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Trek Scuble.
I don't know. I could say one thing, but it's gonna be different when I walk out there. I don't I can tell you be thinking about scooball at all or going against him. My only goal would be just dominate the zone, get us in the dugout so we could hit.
That's my only goal. But I don't know.
I would imagine I'll be excited a little nervous, and then once I get out there, it's just like, Yeah, I love goes, I love pitching, and I can't wait to pitch and compete.
After the first starting spring, you were happy with your fastball velocity, the command. Have you started to get the fuel for the secondary pitches in that sim game as well?
Yeah, everything kind of came together in the sim game, I finally felt like the curve ball is looks like a fastball. I can locate it way better the movement. I really like the change ups better than where it was in the start in Tokyo, which I'm very I knew it was gonna be, but just to see it I was really excited about. But everything's a lot sharper coming out better, which I expect it, So I'm very excited about that.
All right, there's Blake Snell aka snell Zilla. It is snell Zilla Day on Thursday, the home opener for your world champion Dodgers. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number, by the way, In case you don't know a lot about Snell's repertoire, I could tell you the Dodgers are a believer in Blake Snell, not only because his fastball still has a lot of life at age thirty thirty one, but they're a big believer in his change up.
And Blake's a big believer in his change up.
In fact, he would argue that maybe his second best pitch, and the pitch that plays off his fastball when he's going right, is his change up. Now here's something for hitters to think about as well. His slider is nasty, his curveball's nasty, and he was throwing ninety seven miles an hour with his fastball and his first spring training that's that's a lot harder than what he was throwing at that point last year with the Giants. In fact, he wasn't throwing at that point last year with the Giants.
A lot of people forget that Blake Snell did not sign in spring training until halfway through spring training. He was a late starter, and the Giants were in desperate need of a starter and.
Probably rushed him when he needed more time.
And then he went on the il and needed his time to get everything right physically, and when he was right physically, he threw a no hitter before the All Star break, and then after the All Star break he had a stretch of ten starts to end the season that is, if you look at it historically, ten of the best starts we have seen by a major league pitcher in quite some time. So I'm really excited about Blake Snell. The Dodgers are really excited about Blake Snell.
And he's not just about Blake Snell He's about the team. He's a guy that is a big believer in getting the team to pull together. He's been coaching up and giving his input and talking pitching with a lot of different guys, including Roki Sazaki and Yamamoto and Kershaw and Bobby Miller and all these guys. So he's a student of the game. A lot of people have this perception
of Blake that isn't reality. You know, talking to him the last two years, he's the guy that says some of the same things that some of the great pitchers say, namely looking and reading swings when they're in the moment. I remember two years ago when he was still pitching for the Padres, we were watching the Dodgers.
Take live BP.
I forgot which pitcher was trying to come back from injury and throwing to hitters like Mookie Betts and those type of guys, And he was telling me the entire game plan how to attack each and every one of these Dodger hitters while he was watching live BP. So he's a guy that you know, understands the game. Is he going to be perfect every time out there? Obviously not.
I really believe Blake Snell for him to take the next step consistently is what he's done the last two years, and not try to make the perfect pitch or try to chase a certain metric the best metric he needs to chase outs and stay in the game until the six to seventh inning. He's that good to be able to go that deep into the game, and when he stops trying to chase the perfect pitch, he'll stop walking guys and stay in the game longer. Consistently. He started
to do that the last two years. And by the way, this is not Blake Snell's first rodeo when it comes to opening day starts. He opened up the twenty nineteen season for the Rays and also the twenty twenty three season for the Padres. Obviously, this is not opening Day for the Dodgers. That was in Tokyo, but for all intensive purposes, this is opening Day for the Dodgers on Thursday. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. We're going to take our final time out.
When we continue, Jose Moto will check in. We'll get his thoughts on what he thinks is ailing Mookie Beds and when he may come back. Also, we will hear from Dodger All Star catcher Will Smith, who is in conjunction with the Dodger Foundation and the Bueller Family Foundation auctioning off the final out baseball from last year's World Series, the strikeout delivered by Walker Bueller. So you'll hear from Will Smith before we close things out at nine point thirty.
David Vasse live from Dodger Stadium. This is Dodger Talk on AM five to seventy LA Sports, your home for the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
On air at AM five to seventy, online at AM five seventy LA sports dot com, and available my podcast on the iHeartRadio app.
This is Dodger Talk with David vas Sam.
David Vassey live at Dodgers Stadium, our first Dodger Talk of the season from Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers beat the Angels tonight seven to one in game one of the final three exhibition games on their schedule. They call it the Freeways Series still, but we all know the Dodgers and Angels playing the regular season now ever since interleague play started, but it's always great to have the Freeway
Series back at Dodgers stadium. I know when I was a kid, that was always exciting your first look at the stadium for the first time that year. I'll never forget. I was so excited in nineteen ninety one, Darryl Strawberry Brett Butler were on the Dodgers and also Carls Junior was in the stadium, so I could eat a Western bacon cheeseburger at Dodger Stadium.
So those type of things.
I'm I'm sure there's a lot of great food options on the concourse that you are excited to taste and see what's new about the stadium. In case you didn't notice, you shouldn't have, because it looks identical down the third and first base lines of the dugouts because the renovation that took all off season long was completed and the new Dodger Clubhouse is spectacular courtesy of the vision of Janet,
Marie Smith, Stankasten and Lon Rosan. Just an awesome job, and it kind of feels like a nightclub in the Dodger Clubhouse. I mean, that's the kind of vibe I got. So we'll see whether or not the lighting changes. You could always change lighting, you never know, but it was a great look at the new clubhouse the Dodgers have, so just another tool to recruit players to play for the Dodgers. It's three levels down. As you know, Dodgers Stadium is built into the mountain, so you can't expand outwards.
Janet Marie Smith got creative of when they did the first renovation back in twenty thirteen and understood, if you can't, if you can't expand, how about dig down into the mountain. And that's what they did the first time, and this time they dug down three levels. There's three floors to the Dodger Clubhouse and my understanding it goes all the
way down the left field foul pole. That's where if you see that left field foul pole, just think if you're sitting in those field seats, underneath you is the Dodger weight room and batting cages. So that's how far down this renovation goes. Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Mookie BET's a late scratch and the home opener in doubt for him.
Freddie Freeman did play tonight. He was zero for two, so that's good news for the Dodgers coming up In ten minutes you'll hear from Dodger All Star catcher Will Smith.
But first it's time to go around the horn with Jose Moda.
Jose Mota back at stadium with his new friends Pepe and Ninguez and Luis Cochito Cruz and the Dodger Spanish Radio booth. Jose, I'm sure you were excited to be back here for a game.
Excited to be back for a game around the fans and the wonderful people that always welcome us with open arms. Charlie back in the booth, which is terrific to see you, and certainly to see you practice your Japanese was pretty refreshing today, Dave.
Oh yeah, I love Japan, I love the people. I can understand why you fell in love going over there, Jose.
It was spectacular.
And how many players Jose can have all eyes of a country on him and deliver the way Shoho Tani did in those Tokyo series games.
Not everybody, and I'm talking about Hall of Fame players that Tomes couldn't handle. You know, things like that in a different atmosphere and you know, situation, but I don't show it. Was so excited to get back he was thrilled to be there as a Dodger, no doubt that. You know, we had the experience to go to work and then on vacation, and just a love from the fans that the Vayard received. Everything that you heard pretty much, David, and more than I did actually about painting Japan blue.
You saw it right in front of you. I mean, the respect from the fans, the talent coming out of the country. Know, one thing that I'm finding out too, Dave, is there's a Japanese change in mind now where they don't mind that their young star players started looking into coming to the United States at an earlier age. That used to be a no no, by the way, And in fact, Rookie Sasaki took some flag for that too earlier when he mentioned that three years ago. But overall, the Mentellia San.
We know why.
They know why because obviously at the best baseball they're thriving.
Yeah, Rob Manfred told The Athletic there's still a fine line to thread right there, Jose. You don't want to disrespect the most respectful country out there by just plot plucking players before their time up in Japan.
Right That is very true. And you understand why. I mean, they go through the high school process, which is absolutely unmatched anywhere in the world, on their tournaments and how to develop players, the success they've had nationally in winning the World Baseball classicain being on final with pretty much almost every single year, and because they are sole disciplined
what they do and how they do it. Certainly it's good for those players to play at home, but at the same time, they're getting a better taste as to why more players want to come in this direction. The
quality of baseball that play is terrific too. I mean, we saw what happened because the Tigers black of both teams, but it's just a nice global atmosphere that's been created throughout baseball, thanks in part to the vision of people like Walter O'Malley way back then, and also you know the Dodgers implementing international programs everywhere in the world, and now players aiming more to come to the States because they know that the love for them in Japan is never going to be lost, no doubt.
The O'Malley's started that and had the vision, and Hideo Nomo was the first Dodger Japanese player, So it goes back to the nineties and even before then with those good will trips. Jose Mota is joining us on Dodger Talk. After the Dodgers beat the Angels seven to one, we heard from Mooki Betts. We know his situation Freddie Freeman, though, Hosea, I'm curious to know what you thought from his swings. Did you believe he was holding anything back tonight?
I did not see that happened. In fact, I talked to Freddie before the game and he said, let's see what happens tonight about I feel pretty good. And you know, Freddy was so good all throughout the spring and where he wanted to have his body aligned to hit, his hands were flowing through his own had a good conversation with him in mid spring about that, and today I didn't see anything that just let me know that he was holding back, because Freddy is not really a full
body type of swing guy or wild swing. He's more like, get to the ball, finish your swing, but make sure you stay straight through, have good direction, and finish with your hands. And tonight to me was a good indication the fact that the up the middle hard and the double play and that's pretty much where Freddy is stay through the middle the other way and let things happen. And in fact, he also moved very well when we talk about also about his ankles.
All right, so am I going to have to hold my breath? Are we going to have to hold our breath for a long period of time here? Because one swing could it reinjure whatever he aggravated in Japan, Jose, it can.
But if he's playing tonight, it's a good indication to me that there should not be that much of a concern going forward. Now with Mooki Bets's a different story, David. Is he addressed and you did a very good job with your interview. He's very honest about it. Think about Mooki and what he weighs is isn't the way two hundred and twenty five pounds? And they you talk about playing shortstuff, they need to talk about the fact that anytime you deal with with issue dehydration in your body,
then that affects soft tissue. And there's so many things that go along with Bookie that I think they have to be even more careful with Muki Bets than they would have to be with Freddie Freeman.
Hey, how about Jackson, Ferris Tonight Jose. We heard so much about him when the Dodgers acquired him. He was the Dodgers' minor league pitcher of the Year last season. I mean, this young man really showed a lot of poise for the first time pitching in a major league stadium.
I love that, loved the mechanics when I saw in the spring training throwing a bullpen, the ball flies out of his hand as hot as ninety six ninety seven. And also a couple things really popped out to me is the fact that this guy made twenty seven Stars last year, which is unheard of even the big leagues. Yeah, even though he didn't average up to five innings, they were controlling his innings. But that just tells you in terms of a routine and getting ready between stars, this guy's
got it. And then on top of that, the ability to pitch inside. We saw three times of it, including the first one against Mike trot right in on his hands a couple of times when he shook off Will Smith it was to come back with fastballs in. And the ability also a day that I saw forget to throws that hard to be in the zone that much with some good zipp him on that fastball. Get to break the ball over early in counts to steal some strikes.
Knows what he's doing on the montain with a very young and another as you mentioned, great acquisition by the Dodgers from the Cubs.
Okay, so you saw what you saw tonight. We've heard what we've heard about him. He was the minor league pitcher of the year last year. How quickly will he climb up and make his major league debut? Do you believe like twenty twenty six is out of the question.
Twenty twenty five to me is not out of the question.
Wow, all right, Hey, we saw it with mshi in a couple of years ago. Who was Mchian, Who was bencas Paris last year at this point and there you have the Dodgers always found a way to make sure guys are ready.
They have the innings under them. Now the new implementation of some different things on their pitching development side, in terms of health life, I think this guy is on the on the fast track to get up here.
All right, Jose Motive Before I let you go, speaking of old school throwbacks, we have an old school throwback pitching matchup for the home opener Trek school Ball against Blake'snew I mean, this is something that baseball fans have been wanting for a long time that you don't get very often, let alone for a home opener opening day up.
Of that, two lefties that throw gas and have outstanding changeups have one so young Snells gotten Brooke by one. But it's just great for Basils to see these matchups come alive and know that these are not veteran old pitchers. These are guys that are pretty much under prime showing baseball they can do. And I just cannot wait to see that now. Well, matchups like this too is Mike Sosh used to say it was good old country ball.
Make sure that to beat good pitching, you have to pitch well, because it's one of those baggins where you gotta go out there and expect to win by a margin of the minimal.
Yeah, looking forward to it, Jose. But between now and then, we got two more exhibition games. We'll see you at the Big A tomorrow night.
Okay, yes, I want to sigh.
I mean, got the Jose Mota there he goes.
Jose Mota part of the Dodgers Spanish radio broadcast and also joins us after every game on Dodger Talk and certainly a fun time in Tokyo. And it's great to come back and see Rick and Charlie and Tim Neverett and also Dwayne McDonald who's back from paternity leave and him and his wife welcome in a brand new baby girl, Vanessa.
So he's got two girls. God bless him.
Great great guy and now it's man to man defense in the McDonald house with two beautiful little girls. All right, had a chance to catch up with all star Dodger catcher earlier, Will Smith, him and his wife Kara, along with the Bueller Family Foundation and the Dodger Foundation are auctioning off the Last Out baseball, the strikeout from Walker Bueller to help the fire relief fund.
And I'm looking at the photo of the baseball.
Right now on tmnauctions dot com. And here was our conversation with Will Smith and everything that's gone into the fire relief and the auction regarding this baseball.
Yeah, thanks for having me on. It's is, you know, good opportunity.
Yes, it is a great opportunity to share what you and your wife Kara are doing with the baseball. You caught on the strikeout from Walker Bueller to end the World Series. You are using it in a way that really symbolizes how much the World Series championship met for the city and what that baseball means to you, the Dodgers and the city. By having an auction and donating those proceeds to the Fire Relief Fund.
Yeah, exactly.
We're taking the final out actually in partnership with the Bueller Family Foundation and the Los Angeles Dodgers, so all three of us are are going in on this. Yeah, so it's gonna be auctioned off, and yeah, it's just about you know, giving back to the LA community. You know, the LA fans are so supportive and meaning so much to us. I mean you could see it in the in the parade celebrating the World Series and millions of people there was. It was amazing and never no, I'll
never forget that. So, yeah, being able to auction this off and one hundred percent of the proceeds you're going to fire Leaf. Whether that's the LA FD or school districts or food kitchens, we don't really know exactly yet, but one hundred percent of is going to Fireleaf and help rebuilding the city and you know, we're really excited to you know, partner with Buelers and the Dodgers and get this done.
It's beautiful. It's a beautiful thing. The World Series was a beautiful thing. And you know, obviously with tragedy, everybody needs some hope. And Will Smith and his wives Foundation Kara Catching Hope, along with Walker Bueller and the Dodgers Foundation are really doing something that will make a difference. And to be able to get in on having the opportunity to be able to be in the bidding for this baseball, go to Catching Slash Hope dot org or
go to Tmnauctions dot com. And I guess I got to ask you, Will, how did you come up with this idea with the baseball in your possession?
Yeah, it was it was one of those things, you know.
Uh, right after the World Series, spoke with Walker. I know I was gonna give it to him, and we kind of just decided to kind of we hadn't really decided we're gonna keep it for each other together. We hadn't really decided that, and then you know, the fires happened, so we thought, you know, why not, this is a good a good thing. And we decided to do this. You know, there's an idea brought up to us and it was a great, great way to.
Get something done to help out LA.
And you know, the Dodgers are very gracious to allow this to happen as well and bring it, bring them in, but to us, you know, just it shows, you know, the resilience of last year.
It shows the fight.
Of of LA really and you know, a place that's home for me now. Uh so that last out ball is exciting and you know, gonna be available for for people to bid on and and take home and and again it's also.
The sharitable piece to give back to LA.
The bidding closes on April fifth, which is the bidding for this final strikeout out of the World Series. And you know, a baseball's a baseball, will You're not really a materialistic type of guy, but it feels like this baseball symbolizes more. And obviously with what you and the Buelers and the Dodgers have teamed up to do, it really is going to symbolize a lot more of hope for a lot of people that don't have a lot right now.
Yeah, I think I think unfortunately it is since the fires happened. You know, we're hoping, you know that that World Series run against the Yankees and young other historic franchise probably the two biggest franchise in baseball going up ahead head to head.
But yeah, the ball.
Just showing the resilience of of LA and the strength of the people and the strength of community and everybody coming together to help each other out and you know when we're most in need. So that's what we're kinda going with and you know, hoping that he guess people fired up for the season as well, and you know, but the most important thing is, you know, getting back to the like community for us.
And you could do that.
You could participate in this big auction that will go to help fire relief at Catching dash Hope dot org or tmnauctions dot com. If I could take you back, and I haven't spoken to you about that inning or that sequence of events where Walker Buehler came out of the bullpen. You're very much in the game trying to help Lake, trying and get through his remarkable innings of work.
When you see Walker Buehler come out of that bullpen at Yankee Stadium for the ninth inning, what are you thinking about and what was that like?
Yeah, I mean there's a lot obviously, Blake. You know, I had huge outs in that game with with men on a Walker coming in. You know, I've known Walker for forever. You know, the moment's not too big for him. Yeah, but I'm just trying to figure out really fast, what's what's working. You know, he hasn't come out of the bullpen and probably since his rookie year.
Yeah, and he didn't like it.
No, but he was ready for that situation.
But yeah, I'm just trying to figure out what was working, and his curve ball was working. So we just we just kept ripping curveballs and they kept swinging at it, and you know, we got a couple punches and saw contact and yeah, I got that final strikeout.
We're able to celebrate.
When you see the curveball come out of his hand. Are your eyes lighting up and saying, oh yeah, we got to go to this one?
Yeah? And warm up?
So he was kind of spraying his heaters, so you're just I mean, for me, it was, you know, his curveball's gonna get these guys out.
It's pretty good pitch to them. In general.
We just got to figure out a way to keep it open. So we kind of sprayed some heaters around that. I wasn't too worried about being left middle, and yeah, I distrust the curve ball, and he he executed.
We always talk about pictures having butterflies on the mound in those type of moments. But as a catcher, he got two strikes. You're one strikeout, one strike away from winning the World Series. You're a cool, calm, collected guy. But what were you feeling with two strikes?
Honestly, nothing changed for me that whole that whole inning, that whole seventh, eighth, ninth inning, whatever, it was all. You know, we're trying to win a baseball game. But yeah, I mean at that point, I know a kerboll's coming, I'm just if it's in the dirt, I'm blocking this thing, and it's it's not getting by me. That's all I'm kind of thinking. And you know, I'm not thinking about
the celebration or what I'm gonna do. I'm just be in the moment, you know, finish it out, do what I need to do, do my job, and you know, fortunate for us it ended right there.
How about when you get the strike out and you're running out to the mound. What are you thinking about this baseball that's going to be auctioned off? Austin Barnes put it in his back pocket in twenty What are you thinking.
Yeah, I tried to put in my back pocket really quick, and I kind of like started to fumble it. I just so I just kept a good grip in my bare hand and was not letting go when we were, you know, jumping around celebrating dogpile, and eventually I put.
In my pocket. But yeah, I was holding on to that one special ball.
Yes it is, and it's going to be special for Los Angeles. In case you missed the news, Will Smith Walker Bueller the Dodgers have announced that they are going to auction off that final strikeout ball from the twenty twenty four World Series. The bidding is ending on Saturday, April fifth. All proceeds will go to the Smiths Catching Hope Foundation to provide help for fire relief, and all net proceeds from the TMN buyers premium will be donated
to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. So it's kind of like a seat license. You got to get a license to be able to bid on this baseball. They got to vet you out and make sure you're legit, and you go to Catching Dash Hope dot Org to bid on that game Clitching strikeout baseball that Will Smith received from Walker Buehler and Will.
Thank you for the time.
Thank you to you and Kara and Walker and his family and the Dodger Foundation for making this happen and you know, really sacrificing something that means so much to all of you guys for the better of a lot of people that need it these days.
Yeah, thank you.
We're we're excited to get this done, get this auctioned off, and uh, you know, really help the other community rebuild. You know, a lot of people are affected, obviously a lot of our fans, you know, people in our organizations. So you know, this is all it's all going to fire relief and we're excited about that, and you know, just being a little part of rebuilding LF.
Will and Kara champions of the people. He's here for a long time. Thanks a lot.
Will appreciate it, Thank you.
Thanks to Will Smith. Really appreciate his time. And this is a great cause. The auctioning of the Last Out baseball from Last year's phenomenal World Series. It is the Dodger Foundation, Will and Kara Smith's Foundation Catching Hope, and also the Walker Bueller Family Foundation that have come together for this auction. You can bid on it until April. You can go to tmnauctions dot com. Right now the bidding is at almost two hundred thousand dollars twelve days to go.
You can do a lot better for a.
Historic baseball that usually you can never get your hands on. So thank you to Will Smith, thank you to Dwayne McDonald, thank you to Colin Yee for his help back at our Burbank studios, and thank you for listening. Tomorrow night, we'll be with you from Angel Stadium where Tyler Glass NOOW will have his final tune up of the exhibition series. He has three starts already under his belt, and in those three starts he has ten strikeouts on only one
walk in six innings of work. In case you missed the news, it will be Blake Snell in the home opener, followed by Yamamoto and Sazaki in the Tigers series, and then Tyler Glass now will face off in the following series.
So this will be his.
Last tune up before his regular season debut. All right, we will talk to you tomorrow night from the Big A again. The final score from Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers breeze through the exhibition against the Angels, seven to one. We'll talk to you tomorrow.
See them, don't you just playing him?