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Like that, David Vasse, We are live at Dodgers Stadium. After the Phillies bully the Dodgers and beat them nine to four, taking two out of three at Dodger Stadium, and walk out of here with baseball's best record. Welcome to Dodger Talk. David Vasse with you until eleven thirty tonight, live from Dodgers Stadium. We have a full board of calls, as you can imagine, but keep trying at eight six, six, nine,
eight seven, two five seventy. I'll get to the sixth inning and the eighth inning in a moment, But first I think we all have to realize, and those players and coaches have to realize they are in a division race. Nobody cares. They're waiting for Mookie Beds or Macmunsee or Tommy Edman or whoever else you're waiting for the Diamondbacks and the Padres do not care. They are coming strong, and the Diamondbacks to me, are a bigger threat than
the Padres. You remember the Diamondbacks, right, the team that swept the Dodgers out of the postseason unceremoniously last year. Well, they've had their share of injuries, they've had an underperforming Corbin Carol and here they are just three games back of the Dodgers in the NL West. That is the closest the Padres and Diamondbacks have been since the end of April. So you could talk about the schedule, you can talk about injuries. All these teams have had to
play a tough schedule. Every team plays every team this year, so there is no unbalanced schedule. That argument goes out the window when you talk about the schedule because everybody plays each other. So all of that doesn't mean a lot to the Diamondbacks, the Padres, the Rockies, the Phillies, who, by the way, have the Baseball's best record and now three games ahead of the Dodgers in the lost column.
So you know, the Diamondbacks have not had two major starters in their rotation all year long, in Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly. Eduardo Rodriguez came back today and pitched really well, and the Diamondbacks swept the Guardians who are one of the best teams in the American League in
a doubleheader in Cleveland. Shoho Tani certainly is right in there for the MVP race, but right behind him is the Diamondbacks infielder Katel Marte, who is having an MVP caliber season as well, and so is Jock Peterson, who is having an amazing season for the Diamondbacks. So you know, this has become a division race. And it's great to believe that Mookie Betts coming back next week is going to change everything. It may or may not. He hasn't
played in six weeks. But the Dodgers need better pitching. What did them so well early in the season was great starting pitching. They have not gotten that recently or consistently. In the last eleven games, including tonight, we haven't seen starters go very far. They've thrown one hundred and thirty six and a third innings, while the relievers have thrown one hundred and twenty three in a third innings. So you can talk about Mookie Bets and Max Munsey all
you want. The Dodgers need to get better starting pitching moving forward, all right, And before we also get to the sixth inning, tonight. I thought it was interesting that Alex Vesia was warmed up and ready to come in in the fifth inning to face Kyle Schwarber with two on and two out, but Dave Roberts left Gavin Stone out there in that situation to see if he could get through it, which he didn't. Schwarber doubled in two runs and that was the beginning of the Phillies comeback.
It was two on with one out and Vessia was ready to go, so obviously Dave Roberts was thinking about it, and he chose to leave Vessia in the bullpen and Gavin Stone to face Kyle Schwarber now in the sixth inning. That was a horrible call by Hunter Wendelstat but equally disappointing pitching from Joe Kelly. Two walks, a wild pitch and he gives up a three run home run to Kyle Schwarber. Are we all just supposed to ignore that? I mean, bad calls are going to happen right in
the postseason. You can't just allow a bad call to completely unravel your dugout and unravel your team. Joe Kelly's got a pitch better in that situation. And you're out of that inning. I mean, bad calls happen, not as bad as that one. That was a horrible call. But what has really got me fired up in a lot of ways disappointed is the way the Dodgers reacted in the eighth inning, especially after Michael Grove hit Nick Castianos, and Nick Castianos is screaming at him, this is the
big leagues, This is the big Leagues. Uh. Those guys got a lot of dog in them, the Phillies, and I have said this the last month or two that the Dodgers are too nice of a team, and it was on full displaying the eighth inning. Not only did the Phillies come in here and beat the Dodgers, but they took their lunch money as well in that eighth inning. And hopefully somebody has taken inventory of what transpired in
that eighth inning and how they may react differently. Because I've been here since twenty twelve, I've seen Dodger teams in twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, when David Frieze was on this team in eighteen, they would not have been as passive as they were in that eighth inning. And Gavin Lux. I mean, you're just gonna stare at him. You stared at Renel Blanco in Houston and he screamed right back at you. And all you did was walk
up to first base. And then tonight Matt Strom hits you in retaliation for Nick Castianos, and nobody from anywhere from the Dodger's side is doing much of anything. At some point, Gavin Lux has got to stop being the pin cushion for other pitchers. I mean, that's not fair to him, and he's got to take, you know, a little bit more ownership of it as well. Yeah, I would have liked to have seen a bench's clearing brawl tonight. I would have liked to see that. That may have
changed something. But right now, the Phillies not only have beat the Dodgers five out of six times, they bullied them tonight and now they had the mental edge if they see each other in the postseason, you can't be nice. Can't be nice? Eight six, six, nine seven, two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Bobby and Cardiff. You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Bobby?
Well, you know I've been better as a Dodger fan. I'm a long time fan. I grew up listening to Vin Scully and Dodger talk, and I've only called one time was when Vin Scully died, and I want to commend you for the job you did that night, like helping us process that, because it was my childhood, you know, And so all these years, this is the first time I've been compelled to call. And You've done a good job making the point I want to make. But this is hard to say because Andrew Freeman is so good
in some ways, but he's producing high level mediocrity. And I've been concerned about this since twenty seventeen. That's like the most talented Dodger team I've seen, having been a fan since the seventies. And I was like, we got to go all in. We got to get Justin Verlander, and he smarted everybody and got you darbish.
And this at the time that the Dodgers got you darvish. Justin Verlander wasn't pitching that great. He was picked up in August later in the month when there were waiver trade deadlines, and he was pitching better, so they could have traded for both. And when you say a high level mediocrity. Winning one hundred games one hundred plus games four out of the last five or four straight full seasons. To me, that's not mediocrity. Doesn't come into play right there.
That word does not play when you win one hundred games.
I care a little bit more about championships.
You know.
Finally, you can't say it's mediocrity. Mediocrity is when you're middling at eighty wins.
A year or high level mediocrety.
But just words. So what's your point as far as what you saw tonight?
My point is the point you've been making. This team has no kahonas, and it's a reflection of Andrew Friedman and the kinds of players he likes, like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. They're nice guys.
I love them.
They want to win, but they don't need to win. I would trade anybody on this roster besides Clayton Kershawt to get Corey Seeer back. That guy needs to win, yeah.
Because.
He was that type of guy, and he was invested because he came up through the system. He had played with the same teammates for a lot of years. And I love that Corey Seeger broke up a frand Burr Valdez no hitter in the ninth inning. He does not like the Astros and he still carries that with him. From twenty seventeen, he told us, Bobby, I got a full board of calls. I appreciate your contribution, but I got to.
Move on on the hot seat.
What Freedman needs to be on the hot seat? Even it's a roast, callers, you gotta start roasting collars and not be so nicey, okay.
Bobby, thanks for the phone call. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy. I'll try to bring more edge. I don't know how that's going to translate on the field, but man, I just want to see more of it, that's for sure. I did not like what I saw on the eighth inning. I can take losses, but I did not like what I saw on the eighth inning. I thought Michael Grove should have hit Kyle Schwarber leading
off the top of the ninth inning. That would have showed a lot to his teammates, and that would have sent a message to the Phillies. Let's go out to Sarkis, Santa Clarita, you're on Dodger Talk and I would have liked to see Gavin Lux rush the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning. To be quite honest, Sarkis, you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing.
Yeah, I'm good, Dave, so totally correct. I would have loved to see Gavin do execut you that. So we have a team full of if I can use a hockey analogy, we have a team full of Wayne Gretzky's. We need a Marty McSorley on this team. Somebody was an edge, somebody who's not gonna take crap from anybody.
We don't have it.
We need a fiery guy. We need somebody to stir stuff up.
Man.
Come on, We're losing games we should win. And it's the trend now. It's happening over and over and over again. We need somebody to stir it up, mix it up, and get them fired up. That's all I gotta say.
All Right, appreciate it, and I do agree with you. The Dodgers since going into the All Star break that final week, on that road trip to Philly and especially in Detroit, they have lost a lot of games they should have won. And coming out of the All Star Break on this pass road trip in Houston, the Dodgers lost games they should have won. I'm with you, and
all of a sudden, now it's a division race. You can't keep losing games that you're supposed to win and expect to blow by the rest of the division when you have two really good teams in your division. And quite honestly, I feel like the NL West is not getting its due for having three teams with sixty or more wins. You got the Padres and Diamondbacks with sixty
three wins, The Dodgers have sixty six. The NL East just barely got three with sixty So I mean you got to start giving this division the respect it deserves. And going back to the Dodgers blowing a lot of games in the last month they should have won. That's why they only have a three game lead in the division right now. Eight six six, nine seven two five seventy is the phone number. Phillies beat the Dodgers in more ways than one tonight, nine to four. Let's go
out to Downey. Frank, you're on Dodger Talk. A lot of edge and Downey, by the way, I know about Downy the Downy Flash. Johnny Hortiz there's some tough guys out there.
Frank oh Man, I love you call him man a lot of passion. I just got to think today about Dave Roberts, how he got kicked out. I'm more mad at the team or one of our players with the bigger bag. Need to take a bullet and go state something to that umpire. Pump up the crowd, pump up the team, go kick third base or something. You get the big broid away. I don't know what, but wake to team up man week, Well you.
Got You know, everybody complains that Dave Roberts doesn't show enough emotion. Tonight, he went out there and showed a lot of emotion. In fact, him and Miguel Rojas showed the most emotion that I saw from anybody tonight on the field. So all the Dave Roberts critics aren't calling in tonight to say good on day for going out there and getting thrown out to show emotion. Nobody's talking about that.
No, I love what he did. It wouldn't be imperfect and cursed out. Would have gone out there and said something to that umpire man, what you imperfect? And my other thing is Joe Kelly Man I know people love him for what he hit how Tube.
And Berman and Bregman and.
Nearly hit Korea, and people love him for that, you know, But man, he needs to go. Man, he has he pays a round with these batteries. He his most important pitch, or probably it's his fastball, the most the one he hits me the most consistent, and he goes away from it, and he tries to play around with other pitches. And he watched a lot of batters and and Cal Shober was just waiting for some mistake. He got it. It's like point him a cup of water and watching him drink off of it.
With you, man, But Joe loves the data they show him about the spin raid on his off speed stuff and all that other stuff. I'm with you. The fastball is his bread and butter. And you're throwing Kyle Schwarber and off speed pitch up in the zone. Obviously that's not where he wanted to throw it, but that's where it ended up. And then it ended up in the seats. The Dodgers never made w Schwerber uncomfortable tonight. They just let him run Derby tonight.
I would have brought in Michael Kolpak. Look what he did was already used.
They already had used Kopek.
All right, now, well but you see, well they brought Copec game after.
You're right, Frank, You're right they you know, at this point in time, at this point in time, high leverage, it's not Joe Kelly. I would go with Michael Kopek, because You're right. They brought in Kopek after that game got away from the Dodgers in the sixth inning when they scored five runs. And I'm brad, I'm glad you brought up Michael Kopek because he pitched a dominant, scoreless uh sixth inning. And in four games as a Dodger, he has not given up a run. He has six strikeouts,
he has only allot one hit and no walks. And I actually, you know how they do power rankings for teams and in the NFL and Major League Baseball. Well, if I'm ranking power ranking the Dodger bullpen arms right now, Michael Kopek is number one for me. He is a number one highest leverage situation. Michael Kopek is my guy.
And after that it's Anthony Band and then after that it's Alex Vesia, and then Daniel Hudson, and then Avian Phillips, and then Brent Honeywell and Joe Kelly right now in my bullpen power rankings, which can change weekly, daily, but right now, Joe Kelly is the guy that I do not trust as much as I trust those other guys. Eight six six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to Rudy in LA. You're on Dodger Talk.
Hi, Rudy, thank you to co taking McCall. Dave, I mad, mad, I always see Dave Roberts doing the same move. You're right, he had Vaci warmup ready to go. Why not bringing him in? He did the same thing when we were in Detroit. We're winning the game ninety four and we ended up losing eleven or nine. Really, when he's taking the wake up and see it, I agree with you.
Another thing, do they check on the umpires? That was a horrible call that anybody talks to them after the game and say you missed bub I'm.
With you, Rudy. You know they the way the rules have been as far as handling umpires, when a controversial call is made up, they send in one rider, which they call a pool reporter, and that one reporter speaks to the umpire outside of their locker room. A player has a bad game, a manager has a bad game, they all have to stand in front of their lockers or at a podium and explain why Why are umpires
exempt from that? Hunter Wendelstad should have been in the press conference room tonight to take accountability for a horrible call. I'm with you on that. I have always maintained that umpires get off the hook way easier. Everybody else in this game is accountable. If you give up a game winning home run, you got to be in front of the cameras. If you make a mistake as a manager, you got to be at the press conference. Why is Hunter Wendelstadt hiding in the umpire room? All right? Thank
you for the phone call. Eight sixty six nine eighty seven two five seventy. I have felt that way for a long time. And look, umpires nowadays have a tougher job keeping track of so many different things that Major League Baseball has implemented, with the pitch clock and the disengagements and the throwovers and all that stuff. They have a tough job. But in that situation. That was the most egregious miscall or bad call I've seen in a
long time, and it should be reviewable. I can't believe Major League Baseball does not have that obstruction type of play reviewable. You have everything else under the sun reviewable except a play like that, And hopefully between now and October, the people in New York take notice of a play like that and don't wait until next year to make that type of play reviewable. They figure it out between now and the start of the post. Because could you imagine a call like that being made in a playoff
game and it's not reviewable. It would have been put under the microscope so many times in a twenty four to seven news cycle. Eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time out here on Dodger Talk. We have a full board of calls. We will get to you at eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy. We also will hear from Miguil Rojas, who obviously was not
happy with that call either. As the Phillies beat the Dodgers nine to four on a five to seventy LA Sports.
On air at AM five seventy, online at amfive seventy, LA sports dot com, and available my podcast on the iHeartRadio app.
This is Dodger Talk with David vas Sam David Vasse live at Rogers Stadium. After the Phillies bully and beat the Dodgers tonight nine to four, take the final two games of this series, and the Dodgers lose five out of six this season to the Phillies, and there's a very good chance these two teams may see each other in the postseason. But right now, the Dodgers have got to think about winning this division again because they're only
three games ahead of Arizona and San Diego. The Padres came from behind tonight to win, and the Arizona Diamondbacks swept a double header in Cleveland against the AL Central leading Guardians. So the Diamondbacks are for real. They're getting back Merrill Kelly, they got back Eduardo Rodriguez. Today. They called up a young rookie catcher that has been unbelievable.
And also they called up a closer. I don't know his name off the top of my head, but he's thrown one hundred and one miles an hour to close out games for Arizona to tell Marte is right there with shoe Aotani. As far as an MVP candidate, Jack Peterson has a nine to fifty ops and a two to eighty eight batting average. He's having one of his great seasons in Major League Baseball, and they are playing with a lot of edge, and the Dodgers need to
find theirs. Daniels Jewelers is the official sponsor of the trip around the Diamond. Stop by any Daniel's location and say home run for your free team bracelet and fifty dollars gift card toward any purchase of ninety nine dollars or more. Daniels Jewelers own the Dream eight sixty six, nine eighty seven, two, five seventy. We have a full
border calls. We will get to you, but first let's head back downstairs to the Dodger Clubhouse to hear from Miguel Rojas, who is just activated today off the fifteen day il and got the started shortstop and was right at the center of the storm in the sixth inning when Hunter Wendelstack called upstrut action when Rojas clearly allowed a lane for Alec Baum, who was going from second to third and was tagged out by Rojas, and unfortunately
things went against the Dodgers from there and certainly spun out of control. So let's go downstairs to Miguel Rojas on sports Net l A.
Oh yeah.
Even even right after the play, I was upset because I know and I knew that I didn't do anything wrong, you know, to strap the back or anything like that. I was just trying to catch a ball and make a play. And when you're running towards towards the target, trying to catch a ball and trying to get your feet situated to make a call, UH, to make a play,
you don't. You never expect umpires looking for for UH to be the the hero there, you know, and trying to make a call just because we got a ruling place. I thought the rule it was for for people and for players safety, you know, and for for players not blocking the back to to make someone hurt. And in that play, with me not making an attempt to kind of block the back or or be on the way of bone to get to third base, it was disappointed.
And what was a little more disappointed is when I'm trying to get an explanation and the guys started screaming at me that we that we vote just for that play that we never we never did that. So MLB is trying to play, uh put h rules in play for us to be safe and for the games to be playing a different way the way that we always play. And sometimes we don't even have a say on that, Like we wasn't ready for like to make a change
like that right away when it was proposed. But it's always like that, you know, like we we have to always make the adjustment. The players is always the one making the adjustment and trying to play the game the best way that we can with the new rules and
all that. And I think this is the first time that I seen that call against us, and that I think I think that wasn't the right It wasn't the right call, especially coming from a guy like him that you expect a guy that he's been in the lead for for a long time to have a little bit of feel of the game, what kind of play it is. I think this guy is seeing this display a million times and he just won some part of I don't know,
part of a moment in the game. And it's really sad that he changed the whole context of the game for us, especially the way that we're playing right now trying to win games. It's unfortunate that that an umpire can change the then narrative of a game and a series.
All Right, there's Miguel Rojas on sports net LA explaining what took place after the obstruction call was made, and that was a very very interesting relay for Miguel Rojas and how Hunter Wendell Stature said, you know what, you guys voted for it really that's the response and no explanation there, and Dave Roberts never really got one either, So very interesting things that transpired there at third base in the sixth inning tonight and turned into a wild
inning where the Philly scored five runs, capped off on a Kyle Schwarber three run home run. Schwarber very comfortable at the plate tonight, three home runs, four for four with seven RBIs. You gotta at least move his feet. You can't just let a guy that is swinging and hurting you multiple times in the same game just feel comfortable that no pitches are going to come inside. You
gotta move the feet at the very least. And to me in the ninth inning when he steps to the plate and after the antics from Matt Strom hitting Gavin Lux and Nick Castianos screaming at Michael Grove. If I'm Michael Grove, I'm hitting Kyle Schwarber, or at the very least, I'm going to Joe Kelly Route and pitching inside and not caring if I hit him. Eight six six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to PORTWAANIMI, Garrett, you're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Garrett?
Hey, David, you know it could be better, probably not much different than you and everybody else tonight. But there's two points real quick. You know, I've done twenty seven years in the service and in the Navy, and you really really need to look in the mirror a lot of these times, a lot of these players, and I think you put nail on the head with nobody did anything. Lux is the quick kit tin cushion like that was really good, But really you're only as good as your battalion,
the guys. Then next to you your leader, and I just don't see a clear chain of command of who's running the ship right now in the Dugout. I'm not talking about Dave. The players have to manage themselves when they're out there playing, and they didn't do it tonight. And secondly, there's a lot of This might trigger a lot of people, but I see a lot of the Clippers in the Dodgers day like top the.
Ball, Gary, you just hit right there.
Oh.
But I want to stir up some conversation because every year we're in the conversation of is this the year the lineup and the team is built to win. They have a good manager, they have a good organizational leadership, they have them under the stund but something every year bites them in the bus and it's always injuries get us at the wrong time, and then it's just when the lights are brightest, we kind of fade.
And I think you.
Called it going into the series, this is a litmus test, and we failed. We got devote they yanked our chain, they took it, and they walked away. We did nothing about it. And I just hope that this is the catalyst to changing it. By the end of the season, usually everyone goes, Oh, this is the win that's going to change it for us. I think this is the series that we got our butts kicked. That is finally going to wait these tuits up. I'll take your answer
off air. But the Clipper thing, it's just so real right now, it feels terrible.
I love I love your service in the Navy, Garrett, But man, I don't agree with that comparison. But I agree with you. You're only as good as the guy standing next to you. And you know I love all those guys in that clubhouse. I care a lot, but I don't know. People ask me all the time, who's the leader of that team when things are down? If the Dodgers are down two in a series, who are the leaders to really set the tone? And I can't
tell you who that is, Garrett. I can't tell you who those leaders are because I haven't really seen a guy stand out. I can't tell you who the two or three leaders on that team is right now. I really can't. I'm not sure they have that distinctive. I could tell you Kyle Schwarber is the leader of the Phillies. I could tell you that Bryce Harper is right with them. I could tell you J. T. Real Mudo and Nick Castianos. They all share the same vision and they all have
each other's backs. I know the Dodgers have each other's backs, but I can't tell you who the distinctive two or three leaders are on this team.
Yeah, and I think that maybe I should have had with that. Maybe it was like I think, like Paul George is somebody who's like Freddie Freeman, like mister steady, kind of calm, like laughs, but you know, very sentimental guy has feelings like we love that. But what we don't need another Paul George and Kawhi. We need, we need somebody to be run our test. We need that guy. And I think like I was hopeful.
That or how about or how about Shaquille O'Neal or Ron Harper, any of them? Or how about forget about basketball analogies, how about Chase Suttley.
Miss that guy. I hope he's still down the Org, and I hope he goes down there and knock somebody upside the head to wake him up.
How about David Freeze in eighteen, You know those guys were Kershaw was that guy when he was around and starting the season. He's an injured player just coming back obviously has the respect of everybody, but he leads by example. I'm not sure who's the guys that are a little bit more vocal. I still, I mean, and I've been around this team a lot. I'm not sure who that is. Maybe somebody will tell me when I see them on
Friday after hearing this. Thanks for the phone call, Thanks for your SERVI eight six six seven two five seventy is the phone number. Look, I can't tell you who that leader is. I know ta Oscar Hernandez has been a very good teammate. Is that there's a difference though, between a really good teammate and a leader of a team. Like I said, guys that cover Philadelphia, that are around Philadelphia. It's very clear who the leaders are on that team.
And tonight one of them had a big game and Kyle Schwarber three home runs seven RBIs Nick Castianos you know he's He's one of those guys that's very vocal, sets a tone with a lot of edge. I can't tell you who that is. And honestly, Key k Hernandez was on the pregame show a couple of days ago. He's actually a guy that I like because he makes others feel a little uncomfortable because of his edge. He
does it in a different way. He approaches the game much differently, but at times he makes guys uncomfortable and he wants to win and he wants to play. So I know sometimes he could rub people the wrong way. He doesn't rub me the wrong way. Eight six six ninety eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number. And say what you will about Max Muncie. You know he's not taken that from Matt Strom. I can guarantee you that. Let's go out to downtown. Manny. You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Dave.
I'm upset, man, I'm not loving what I'm watching right now. This product that they're.
Putting out there.
It's they're missing a dog. They don't have that dog mentality. Like just like I agreed with so many of the callers tonight, you can't. And I'm a big Roberts like, you know, I'll admit it, I'm one of the biggest Roberts haters out there. But tonight I was so proud to see him just at least bite the bullet and say something has to give and then come to eighth inning or sixth inning.
Whatever it was.
No one stepped up to the plate, Gavin lust nobody is just we need someone out there to get to make people feel uncomfortab.
Loved what Rojas said earlier.
I mean, something's got to give soon, because you know they're getting They got straight up bullied today at Dodger Stadium.
Schorebert was in there.
He looked like Big Mike Tyson. He was just knocking balls out. I'm just concerned about what happens next after a meltdown like this. I know probably this is probably the lowist that I feel that this team has been because they got smacked around at home, and it's just it's just an.
This is the organization of Tommy Lasorda. Do you think Tommy Lasorda would accept that from his players back and down like they did tonight. No way, no chance, No chance, man, no chance.
He's he's grimacing up from Dodger Blue Heaven. And I always tell my brother, and you know what, I'm gonna mention Tommy, since you brought it up, David, I'll end it with this. Tommy turned around game six, looked at David Roberts and said, you haven't won nothing until you win game seven. And I know that's a different conversation. But it's true. This ain't over until it's over. But the Dodgers have to show some dog. So what's something passive game in that clubhouse?
I'm with you, Manny. You could get Max Munsey back, you can get Mookie Beds back. But they got to show a little bit more edge, that's for sure. Eight six six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number I want to get to Ruben and JD. So just to get both of them on at the same time, I'm going to bring on JD from Corona and Rubin in Santa Maria. Uh, say hi to each other. Guys, how you doing, Thanks for calling Dodger Talk.
Hey, Hey, how you doing, buddy? Let's go it on.
Why don't you guys share it? Okay, Rubin and Santa Maria, why don't you share your feelings with JD and Corona right now?
I just wanted to say, David, I love your rant, this your opening rant this evening on the Dodgers.
Ran was a passionate plea.
No, absolutely, And usually you're a little bit passive and you're quiet, But man, I like the fire. I wish the Dodgers could show some fire like that today. And man, my heart was just boiling this evening after that loss. And I'm gonna go back to this one car.
All right, Rubin? All right, hold on for a second. You said enough for a second. Give JD in a Corona a chance. JD, what do you want to say to Rubin?
I'm so frustrated on the verge of tears.
Man.
I love this team so much. I was actually at the game last night, and I have two things, or maybe even three that I want to address really quick. Number one, the starting pitching of this team for the past two months has been abysmal. I know we've had injuries, but we can't keep using that as an excuse to why are the majority of our starters can't even finish
five innings? And then attaches our bullpen and then by the time the bullpen gives up a home run because we don't know who to put in it at the right time or whatever it is, the offense just gives up and it's like Rinson repeat every other game. It's like, do you agree with that?
Ruben?
Do you feel like JD's on point? Do you agree with that?
Yeah? Pretty much? And I and it just just to get off our subject real quick.
But we don't want you to get off subject. We want you to stay on subject. That's how conversation happens. Ruben.
It's pertaining to Roberts because you guys said, I don't know who the leader is.
Who's the lead. It's Roberts, Roberts's.
But do you remember Joe Torre used to talk about how Derek, Jeter, Posada, Andy Pettitt all those guys did a great job for him leading in the clubhouse. You need that as well, Ruben. It just can't be the manager. Didn't you hear a guy from the Baby that said.
That Tommy with Tommy Lasorda go for what the how these Dodgers are playing?
No, he wouldn't.
He would step in, he would get in somebody's face. Dave don't do that. Hey, that's not his.
Style to understand, But it's it falls on the skipper, the skipper, in my opinion, I could.
Be right, all right, Rubin. I appreciate your phone call, JD. I apologize Rubin didn't want to play ball with you, but I feel like you made some good points as well. And Rubin, I appreciate everything you said as well. JD. Just to leave you with this. As far as starting pitching goes, in the last eleven games, starters have basically only pitched one hundred and thirty six innings, while the relievers have almost pitched the same one hundred and twenty three.
So that just tells the story right there to everything you were describing. Yeah, Dwayne wants to go home. I don't know how many one more things I can do.
This is a really uh point. This is a point I just want to point out. And I know that as fans we get really starstruck over the players that we have, like a show Heyo Tani and Will Smith and all that stuff. And the thing that's frustrating me other than the pitching, is just hitting in the clutch, runners in scoring position. Like I have these numbers here show Heyo Tani, right, that's our seven hundred million dollar man. Last night and tonight. There's been situations where he's at
the plate. We got multiple guys on. It could change the entirement of the game with runners in scoring positions. Show he is hitting two forty three this season.
I agree he's loaded.
I agree he's trying to do too much. He's trying to do too much in those situations. JD, thanks a lot for the phone call. It was awesome talking to you. I hope you enjoyed talking to Ruben as well.
Have a good deal.
I mean he wasn't on board. Yeah, but thank you so much for taking my call. Man, love your takes. I honestly loved you grilling into the team thing and needs a dog. Absolutely agree with that this team needs a dog and we just need to change the mentality shift.
All right, JD and Corona Rubin have a great night. Call back anytime. Thanks, good eating, all right, good evening to you guys. Now. Tomorrow the Dodgers have a much needed day off, but yours truly does not. Petros Papadekas has begged me to fill in for Matt money Smith tomorrow, So Petros and I will be doing afternoon drive in Los Angeles together as I fill in for mister charger
Matt money Smith. Petros and I will actually be broadcasting from Dodgers Stadium tomorrow three to six pm from the Dodgers All Access event, So we'll have some of the former Dodgers that are in town for alumni weekend on the show and we'll get into the Dodgers' decision for now to have show a Otani remain as the leadoff hitter despite Mookie Betts having an MVP type of season
as their leadoff hitter. So we'll get into that tomorrow and I'm sure we'll talk more about this about the way the Dodgers were very passive in the eighth inning tonight. So three to six with Petros tomorrow from Dodgers Stadium. Friday, Jack Flaherty is going to make his Dodger Stadium debut wearing Dodger blue. I'm sure that will be a great night for him, his family and friends, obviously from Burbank Harvard Westlake High School. It will be great to see
Jack Flaherty pitching here at Dodgers Stadium. He's eight and five this year to eighty e r. He pitched six scoreless innings in his Dodger debut in Oakland, so he'll be looking to build upon that against the Pirates. The Dodgers need another great start from Flarerty. Hopefully he can do it again. Morongo Casino Dodgers on Deck begins at six o'clock, with first pitch from Dodgers Stadium at seven
ten to kick off Alumni weekend. We're looking forward to celebrating Walter O'Malley, Dusty Baker, and Mag Kemp specifically starting on Friday night. Love all those men, especially Dusty and Matt Kemp. Those guys left it all out on the field for the Dodgers. Thanks to calling me back at our Burbank studios. Thanks to Dwayne McDonald, who does not want last call or one more call he wants to say good night. I would stay here until one am
with you if it wasn't for Dwayne. But I'll be back tomorrow at three o'clock with Petros Papadakis coming up next. Yeah him. Ben Maller on Fox Sports Radio once again. The final score tonight from Dodgers Stadium. The Fighting Phils beat the Dodgers nine to four. Have a great rest of your night see them just chart to play