One thing about this gene is the invisible and tangibles that they have.
This team is really becoming a family. Let's not play one on Tom Let's wind it.
I love writing me these guys after the show.
So just thank you, give me are your attention, your fire and not a pisson. This is world champion, Dodger world championing for a small soft time. They get up people what they want to.
Die in a row two is special. I'm like, yeah, it's not a headache one of a con. This ball's gone.
You ready to go? Hell time to the sound grab your phone to get in on the show called eight six six nine eighty seven two five seven and go to the show. And now your host of Dodger Talk, David.
Basse, Welcome the Dodger Talk.
David Vasse with you until the top of the hour after the Dodgers defeat the Athletics tonight by a final score of nine to three. Eight six six seven two five seventy is the phone number we will get you updates on Tommy Edmund and ta Oscar Hernandez and also Blake Snell Jose Moto will join us as well, and we will take your phone calls at eight sixty six nine,
eight seven two five seventy. But my favorite moment of the game tonight obviously came in the eighth inning when Mark Ktsee did with a few different managers have done since the beginning of last year, or since the Dodgers decided to hit Otani first and Mooki Beds second the
second half of last season. I believe Ron Washington of the Angels was the first manager to pay for that, and Mooki Bets hit a home run at Angel Stadium last year for after Washington intentionally walked show Hey Otani and Mookie Betts the last two years, after managers have
walked Otani in front of you. Him is three for four with a double that home run in Anaheim and seven RBIs so the two run double tonight drove into in the eighth inning and Mookie Betts let out a primal scream and emotions that we haven't seen at this time of the year in that type of situation in a very long time. I can only think about the home run in Anaheim where he kind of was directing
his emotions towards his own dugout. But I have never seen Mookie Betts scream towards the opposing dugout and basically was given Mark Cosse the Mtumbo finger and a very primal scream.
And I love it. I love it. You know, we.
See Katel Marte do that dumb jump shot between second and third. We saw Lord Deescuriel do that ridiculous celebration in Arizona over an eighth inning home run. That was the type of play that you show emotion. You're one of the best players, not only on your team, you're one of the best players in baseball. And the opposing manager, even though it's Shoeo Tani is saying, you know what, You're not as good as that guy. We're gonna get you out with a guy by the name of Tyler Ferguson.
Tyler Ferguson can get you out. Mookie Betts. I don't care if he's right handed, left handed, he can get you out. And that's the reason why I loved what Mookie Betts did at second base. I thought that was completely in bounds because he proved Kostse wrong. And look, Mooki's been fighting himself a little bit. He admitted that to us after the game tonight. But I think going
back a couple of years when JD. Martinez, his buddy that was teammates with him in Boston and then again for that one season with the Dodgers, told me that a lot of times Mookie Bets has to be reminded how good he is. And I feel like Mookie Bets reminded himself how good he is in that eighth inning.
So good for Mookie.
And I know I was joking that he was humble bragging about what he did.
But that's a real thing.
As incredible as it sounds, Mookie Betts needs to be reminded often how good he is. He's a humble guy and in baseball being humble as great, humble and hungry as Jim Harbaugh likes to say. But you know, in that situation, I'd love seeing that type of emotion. And I believe you know, it sends a message to your team that here we are in the middle of May, May fourteenth against the Athletics, and you're showing that type
of emotion, that sort of competitive drive. You don't see that from Mooki Bets too often, and that's what makes it organic, and that's what makes it authentic. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers hit four home runs tonight, Shoeo Tani, Andy Paez who had a big night three hits. Max Munsey hit a three run home run in that five run eighth inning, And hey Sung Kim. How about Hayes Sung Kim. He
gets the start at second base tonight. He made a great play at second base against Louis Orias in the fourth inning, and he beats out an infield single ground ball to second base in the second inning, and the athletic second baseman Louis Orias could not throw him out, and then for good measure, he hits his first major
league home run in the fifth inning. Now here's the update on Teoscar Hernandez and tom Y Edmond and how it relates to Hayesung Kim and kind of the tough roster decision the Dodgers are going to have to make again. They made one today sending bringing up Dalton Rushing and cutting ties with Austin Barnes, who has been on the team since twenty fifteen, won two World Series championships. And that's Andrew Friedman's guy. That was not an easy decision
for Andrew by no means. But going back to the Kim dilemma, if you want to call it that, it's a high class problem to have if you're the Dodgers. But with ta Oscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman likely coming off the IL next week, obviously James Outman is going to be sent back to Oklahoma City, but after the second player, whether it's probably Tommy Edman, I feel like ta Oskar is gonna come off the IL first from what I've seen observed. But when Tommy Edmund comes back,
what do the Dodgers do with Hay Sun Kim? Have they found something that they can trust for the stretch run?
Yes?
Does he make the Dodgers better right now and more dynamic one?
Yes? But where does he.
Play when Tommy Edmin and Taoscar Hernandez are back. Andy Pajes is going back to center field, Taoscar Hernandez is going to play right field, Michael Confordo's not going anywhere in left field, Mookie Betts is not going anywhere at shortstop, and Tommy Edman is likely going to get the line's share of time at second base like he did before he tweaked his right ankle. So here's the question the Dodgers,
I'm sure are asking themselves. Yes, Kim is a weapon off the bench, but how often is he going to play? How often are you going to give Tommy y Edmond days off? How often are you gonna give Andy po Has days off? I mean, Paes is one of the best hitters on the team, one of the bigger threats on the team. So here's the question the Dodgers are
going to have to ask themselves. Will Kim be benefited more by being sent back to Oklahoma sitting and city and getting every day at bats, or sitting on the bench and play sparingly because he's still a work in progress with his swing. I know it's hard to say that right now, but he is, so you know, there is an argument to be made that it would benefit Kim to go back to Oklahoma City, play every day, and then come back to LA when the Dodgers need him.
And one hundred percent, no doubt in my mind Kim will be back for the stretch run and will be part of the Dodgers postseason roster. I have no doubts about that because he is so dynamic in so many different ways.
He's an elite infielder.
I think we've seen that centerfield is not obviously as good as second base and shortstop. For Kim, he's a dynamic bas runner. You saw what he did tonight in the in the second inning beating out that ground ball. And by the way, his interpreter Joe Lee showed me a highlights of Kim in the KBO.
He was doing that on a.
Regular basis, and he just creates so much havoc with his speed that I mean, that's something that you kind of need in the postseason, that would put a lot of pressure on opposing pitchers and defenses. So you know, I mentioned this last week and I'll say it again. You shouldn't be outraged if the Dodgers send Kim down for the time being and then call him back up when necessary or when a roster spot opens up, because there is not regular at bats for him right now.
But he's a dynamic player and certainly was a weapon in Atlanta as a pinch runner. So there's an argument to me to be made both ways. Eight six six, nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number now to the news of the day, and that is the fact that Austin Barnes was designated for assignment after being part of the Dodgers or organization since twenty fifteen. All Austin Barnes has ever known in the major leagues
as wearing a Dodger uniform. Yeah, he was in the minors with the Marlins when Andrew Freeman acquired him during his first winter meetings in charge of the Dodgers. Remember that was that trade that was wheeling and dealing three way trade Marlins Angels Dodgers where Andrew Freeman acquired Austin Barnes, keyk a Hernandez and Andrew Heeney and flipped Heeney for
Howie Kendrick. And then in the same process that same night, I was there in San Diego until two am, Andrew Freeman was able to pull off a trade to acquire
Yesmani Grandahal for Matt Kemp as well. That was Andrew's first off season in charge of the Dodgers, and I'm sure it was a tough decision for him to cut ties with Austin Barnes, but the reality was in gathering from what Dave Roberts said today is that this is something that really was brought to light even more after that last game that Barnes played in Arizona where he
just couldn't make the throws to second base. And in the last three seasons, Austin Barnes has only thrown out fifteen of one hundred and forty one base dealers.
Now you might say that's awful, how could he not? But here's the thing.
Austin Barnes didn't just stop learning how to throw or all of a sudden lose arm strength. He has never admitted this, and even when I've asked him in the most private times, he would not concede that his right throwing arm was barking, was hurting. He played through it and it just wasn't working. And the Dodgers were forced to make a decision because Dalton Rushing was forcing them to make a decision. How much longer could he be down there, especially with the Dodgers wanting to give Will
Smith more days off. Dalton Rushing's going to start tomorrow, and he's probably gonna start a couple of more times before this homestand is over.
He is that good.
And I love his edge, I love his competitive spirit. I love that he values the pitcher catcher relationships. So as much as you may when something like this happens, make it about what Austin Barnes couldn't do, it was more about what Dalton Rushing is doing, how he fits, and the Dodgers wanting to keep Will Smith as fresh as possible the second half of the season because he has fallen off a cliff offensively each of the last two second halves and Dalton Rushing isn't here just to
you know, be Will Smith's caddie. He wants to compete, he wants to be out there, and yeah, he's a rookie right now and he's gonna have to ease into that, but you are going to see a very competitive young man that wants to fight. He'll be emotional in that batter's box. He's not giving away at bats. So he's a great kid. But still a bittersweet day for the players in that clubhouse because Austin Barnes was a very popular teammate, a guy that was very unselfish with the
pitching staff. He was a servant to that pitching staff since he got called up and really became a catcher full time. And you know, Austin Barnes meant a lot to me, and we'll be friends beyond baseball.
He was that type of guy.
Eight six six nine, eight seven, two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Sasan, who is at Dodger Stadium tonight. Hi, Sasan, You're on Dodger Talk.
Hey, Davis's taking my call. Yeah, I just wanted to talk about a few things. I'll just try to make it quick at first. I just want to be appreciative of Austin Barnes and you know, his career in Dodger Blue and everything that he's done for the pitching staff, and you know, his clutch moments that he's had in the World Series. I appreciate that what he's done today.
You know, I was at the game. You know, it was awesome getting to see Mookie Betts and Max Monsey comes through in the eighth inning and it one an amazing moment for them and I'm super happy. I hope they can keep it up. And the last thing I wanted to talk about was where I was during Game one of the World Series during the Freddie Freeman walk off. I forgot to do that yesterday, but I was in the top deck I was there at Dodger Stadium. I
was surrounded by Yankees fans the whole day. They were trash talking, and when they took to leave in the tent, the trash talk, you know, continued, and you know, when Freddy Freeman came in, the whole crowd was chanting his name. The Yankees fans were saying, we got nasty nesser in, he's gonna strike Freddie out win this game. And then when Freddy, yeah, that's what they said. And when they hit the when he hit the whole.
Yeah, they you know, they walked out of.
The stadium, heads held down in shame, and you know, we were all screaming and high fiving and hugging because he knew we had just witnessed history and something that would be talked about for, you know, generation after generation. Well, thank you, Dave. I appreciate everything you do and I look.
Forward to calling your future the seasons. Take care for that, all.
Right, Thank you for the phone call, Thanks for sharing that moment, and certainly thank you for celebrating Austin Barnes, because he deserves to be celebrated. He was a really great teammate. He is a Dodger he will always be remembered as a Dodger. Eight six six ninety seven two
five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers beat the Athletics tonight nine to three, and tomorrow night, Dalton Rushing is going to make his first major league start in Earlier today, he answered some questions about how he found out that he was getting the call to the big leagues.
Uh, it was. It was a different one, for sure. It was about one am last night. I was almost I was almost a sleep. I was about to put my phone downs at my alarm, and yeah, I got a call from our manager. Manager beat her on the bus for a minute and then he got to the news and basically like, hey, you need to start packing. So yeah, I got got straight to packing. And Uh, it was a quick turnaround.
With how well you played last year and the way you've played to start this season, how much did you have to fight against being impatient for your opportunity.
Yeah, it's I feel like we've talked about this a couple of times, and it's like you just understand who you're with, You understand the situation, You understand not not really who you're competing against. I mean, you get to I get to play with these guys. Now, you know, it's just I guess I understand the situation a little bit and continue to play because I mean, essentially, that's that's what I want to do. I want to come here, I want to play every day. I want to play
as much as I can. If I'm in the minor leagues, I still just want to play. That's the biggest thing. Like we enjoy playing, you know, and it's uh, not as much of where you're playing. Yeah, it helps when you're playing in the middle of Los Angeles, but yeah, I just want to play.
And he wants to play, and he's going to compete for more time behind the plate, no doubt about it.
Whether it's it's Will Smith or anybody else.
He's not backing down and he's not backing down from that picture on the mound, that's for sure. You're going to see that tomorrow night, even in his first major league start. And look, the Dodgers were looking for ways to try to get Dalton Rushing up here in a different position because his bad is that good and has been that good at Triple A. Will find out how good he is at this level. Nobody will know until they give him an opportunity, which he is going to
get starting tomorrow night. But he really relishes being a catcher, and he talked about getting to know the staff. This opportunity is going to really get him able to understand the pitching staff, understand the preparation of being a Dodger catcher, and he definitely is embracing the fact that the Dodgers believe in him to be a catcher at the major league level.
Yeah. Absolutely, It's a boost of confidence for sure, and it shows you that they believe in your skill, and I think that's pretty special from an organization having a guy like Will behind the plate every day. Obviously Will had a starting point and they believed in Will in twenty nineteen. And kind of thinking the same way here
as I've said it in spring training. It's my jobs to show up here and one help the team win, but two just make his job as easy as possible, you know, And like he's gonna make my job easy, but it's also there's a helping hand that I can give to make his job easy as well.
All Right, there's Dalton Rushing.
I've got to know him the last couple of springs and I really enjoy this young man. He's mature beyond his years, has a great head on his shoulders, and that's what you need to be a successful catcher.
And he's competitive. I love that.
Let's go out to see me Valley. Ben, You're on Dodger Talk Live from Dodgers Stadium.
Hi, Ben David, thanks for taking my call. Good victorious victory tonight. I enjoyed that. And listen, I know the Dodgers have looked out for Austin Barnes, you know, picking up his option during this previous offseason. But you've asten talked about like how these big leaguers they strive to get to that ten year mark and that ten Once you hit that ten year mark, you know, they get
all these benefits and whatnot. So I was just wondering if Austin Barnes was able to get to that ten year mark before the Dodgers let him go.
Thank you all right, thank you for the phone call. Ben.
No, he's not at ten years of service time. He's at eight years and change. So he's not done playing. He's going to catch on with another team and certainly try to compete for another couple of years at the big league level, and there's some pitching staffs that certainly could benefit by having a guy like Austin Barnes helped them out. No doubt about it. He's got a lot
of baseball left in him. It was just the circumstances that kind of got him when the Dodgers let him know they were designating him for assignment after last night's game, shocking everybody, the players, Barnes himself all shocked that that was the message when he went into Dave Roberts's office after last night's game. Eight six six seven two five
seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time out here on Dodger Talk when we continue more of your phone calls, and we're also check in with Jose Mota after the Dodgers defeat the A's tonight nine to three on a F five to seventy LA Sports.
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.
First pitch, hammer down the left field side is Tom That's a home run?
Andy Pie?
Has he just ambush?
Holdron on the first pitch home run numbers seven for piz.
It's two to nothing.
Andy Pai has one of four Dodgers to homer tonight to help the Dodgers beat the Athletics nine to three. Otani, Paz, Hayesung Kim, and Max Munsey all went deep for the Dodgers tonight as they win the second game of this series after getting thumped last night. Daniels Jewelers presents the home run forecast go to AM five to seventy. LA Sports dot Com used the keyword home run for your chance to win a fifty dollars Daniels Jeweler's gift card predicting the number of home runs in the next game.
Daniels Jewelers owned the dream. You know, our last caller brought up a great point. Andrew Friedman picked up Austin Barnes' team option three and a half million dollars. The Dodgers could have very well have cut ties with Barnes during the offseason, but obviously he's meant a lot to the organization. He brought a lot that you don't see in the box score, and that's the reason why Andrew Friedman did it. Knowing that there was a possibility that, you know, Austin Barnes may not be on the team
by the end of the year. Look, Austin Barnes is the same player that he was when Andrew Friedman decided to pick up that three and a half million dollar option, So he was well aware of what was going on and what the possibilities were. So you have to give some credit to Andrew Friedman to having loyalty to that extent. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to our friend Jose Moda.
It's time to go around the horn with Jose Mota.
Well, Jose Mota is filling in for Rick Monday.
We should call this segment more Mota mass Moda. Jose, thanks a lot for checking in after calling nine innings tonight.
Well, it was great to have you there making sure that we're doing things right or we're preparing work for this spectacular show that you run every single night. So I'm quite honored to be with you again, David.
Well, Rick Monday told me to keep an eye on you, make sure you don't mess up his side of the booth.
I'll keep it all clean for Rick, So it's fun. I mean, I mean not for somebody that I've known for so long. And Rick Monday, what an honor. I can't believe that I'm sitting in for him right now.
Jose, When you look at the Dodgers tonight after getting beat eleven to one, coming back tonight with a nine to three win, what stood out to you the most?
I go back to they see Corbyn Burns and I go back to Paul Skins those two games where they got Steinny by pitchers. It seems like a little revenge in their minds the next day and they just take it out to the next guy. And today they faced the guy that I think was ideal for them, because you know, Gunner Huggling is a guy that is going to throw a lot of strikes. Show Hey says the tone. By hitting the home run, Dodgers score first and they
have an unbelievable record. And on top of that, for Yamamoto throw that one sixth inning, Dave, that was a huge pickup for himself, for the bullpen, and certainly by staying in there a little bit longer, he's able to go to w all Right, we.
Were talking about Hayesan Kim, who had a big night tonight, defensively used his speed, showed that he could hit a home run at Dodgers Stadium as well. What do the Dodgers do with Kim is he does he benefit by sitting on the bench when Edmund and Taoskar come back, or do you believe that it would be more beneficial for him to play every day in Oklahoma City.
Again, when the decision comes and it comes down to him sitting or play every day, he needs to play every day. He's going to become a better player for the Dodgers in a larger contributor, you know, in the long and short term by playing every day. And of course there's a time when you say, well, this guy's got a lot of experience playing in Korea, it's not
the same playing every day in the big leagues. Playing every day and for Bula is only going to benefit his swing, his instincts, the speed of the game, adaptability to the game, understand how things work, specially within the organization, in the culture. And you know, it's one of those decisions where his job to make it tough, to make it as tough as possible what he is doing right now. When the time comes but certainly we've seen some flashes
of what a big and significant contributary could be. And one of the things that I know is the most was in you know, well two outs in fields single that just rounds up to give show another opportunity because he can run, so speed plays a determining factor with him and certainty for him versustil there is another one. But he showed the Daughties that they did not make a mistake by getting him out of the KBO and getting him a long term deal.
I know he's not a finished product, and I know it's a small sample size, but this reminds me of when the Angels called up a guy that was unknown at the time by the name of Sean Figgins, and he completely changed the dynamics of that team and turned out to be a really good player for Mike. Soosha, do you feel like this as any parallels?
It does, except for Kim has a little bit more drive than this bad But Sean Figgins a great point right there, and O two is called up to pinch. That's it, pinch run for Tim Salmon. You can write it down. Before you know it. He came up as a second basement he'd play some short supper Colorado and he becomes an all star third basement. But what got him to really become a steady big layer is a versatility, able to play third base and able to just play his game, which is go out there and create some
havoc on the basis. If not, ask the Yankees and Derek Jeter and Joel Torria those days that he just did not want to see Sean Fingers get on base. But I think in fact, in terms of step and the quick step and the quickness, I think huss and Kim's probably got him by a couple of seconds.
All right, Jose, Before I let you go, we saw Mookie bedskit emotional and let out a big scream and you could see the veins popping out of the side of his neck when he was screaming towards the A's dugout towards Mark ktsee for intentionally walking Otani and him delivering. You saw the stat He's three for four the last two years with a home run that double seven and RBIs whenever a manager decides to walk Otani in front of him, how many more times are we going to see that?
Moving forward? Do you think we have.
To see it as long as the matter who has the base open in the right hander on the mound and the right hander coming up, and he says, I don't want number seventeen to beat me. That's pretty much what it is. It's not disrespect for his Mooki is just saying, hey, if I want to ask or answer a question after the game, which one do I want to answer the fact that I pitched the show hey with the base opens, the fact that Mooki Bets beat me with the right righty rity matchup that I wanted.
But what it really tells more about Mooki Bets is the fact that he stays with it himself. He is not looking for the home run. But there's a sense of pride and you know, and your ego gets a little hurt when somebody does that. So you're not thinking logically like I am, or you are saying, well, he's got to walk in because first thad he's open. He's thinking, no, no, you're doing this to me. Here's what's coming. So I'm so glad to see Muki do what he did. It's
not a disrespect Fords Marcasse. It's just what the game called for But I'm glad to see that up of emotion because Mooki is a guy that, as you say, he's still one of the top players in meg League baseball.
Hey, I love that competitive spirit. I love that kind of stuff. If you're gonna take it personal and deliver, I love.
It if it makes you better accept the challenge. But he just stays as cleanly as possible within himself and goes right centerfield where it's even more all.
Right, Jose, thanks a lot for checking in.
We'll see tomorrow night as the Dodgers and A's close out this series at Dodgers Stadium. Yes, sir, when us chess Mucho Mota here on Dodgers Radio tonight after the Dodgers defeat the A's nine to three, Jose Mota and Tim Nevertt on the call again tomorrow night. All right, tomorrow show, Hey, O Tani, fifty to fifty bobblehead night. I want to make this extremely clear. Do you not see the words coming out on my lips? Everybody will
get a bobblehead tomorrow night. You don't have to line up right now, you don't have to camp out overnight. The Dodgers don't want to put you through that. Everyone that has a ticket to tomorrow night's game will receive a show Hey, o Tani, fifty to fifty bobblehead. I don't want to show up tomorrow at one thirty and have to move around park traffic on stadium way or through the park. Everybody will get a bobblehead. Marongo Casino Dodgers on Deck. By the way, it's not real gold,
it's just plastic. Marongo Casino Dodgers on Deck begins at six o'clock tomorrow, with first pitch at seven ten. Matt Sour will start for the Dodgers, going up against Asvaldo Bido, who's two and three with an ERA of four to
seventy five. Dalton Rushing will be the starting catcher, his first major league start tomorrow night here at Dodgers Stadium and certainly going to be an exciting night here with Dalton Rushing making his major league debut and starting behind the plate to catch a guy that he's familiar with in Matt Sour. That'll do it for us tonight on Dodger Talk thanks to Colin Yee back at our Burbank Studios. Thanks to Dwayne McDonald out here at Dodgers Stadium, and
thanks to you for listening. In case you missed any of the show, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app once again. The final score tonight from Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers defeat the Athletics nine to three. Have a great rest of your night see them