Dodger Talk is sponsored by LA Care Health Plan, providing affordable healthcare insurance to millions of Angelinos for over twenty five years, and now your voice for Dodger Talking like back, David Vasse.
We are live at Dodgers Stadium after the Dodgers defeat the Pirates tonight by a final score of nine to five. Welcome the Dodger Talk David Vase with you until eleven thirty tonight here on a five to seventy LA Sports Phone lines are open at eight six, six, nine eighty seven two five seventy.
Jose Moto will check in at eleven ten.
We also will share part of our conversation with Dusty Baker, who joined us on the pregame show before he was inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball and a very special pregame ceremony. And I love that the Dodgers decided to give the members that are inducted into this leg Legends of Dodger Baseball a blue coat that had the Dodgers' LA logo on the coat as well. That makes it a little bit more ceremonial and a little bit
more special, especially when you bring these guys back. It's somewhat reminiscent of what the Reds do when they induct their players into their Hall of Fame.
So that was really cool to see.
And cannot say good enough things about Dusty Baker, who, even though I've known him for a shorter amount of time than many in Los Angeles and around baseball, he just makes you feel like you're part of his family and that he's known you forever. So that's what makes him special. And we'll hear from Dusty a little bit later, but first we want to get to this game. The Dodgers needed to win it, right, and we will get to Mookie Betts and what's going on with him in
just a moment. But the Dodgers needed to win this game because the Padres and Diamondbacks are right on their heels. This is a division race right now in the NLS. The Padres and Diamondbacks are playing much better. The Padres got better at the trade deadline. The Diamondbacks are getting healthy with Eduardo Rodriguez and also Merrill Kelly on the horizons, and they are three and a half games back of
the Dodgers. The Padres now are in second place two and a half games back of the Dodgers San Diego one tonight in ten innings against the Marlins six to two, while the Diamondbacks used a walk off home run by Adrian dale Castillo to beat the Phillies in the Desert. So that's where the standings are right now. Dodgers lead Arizona two and a half games and also lead the Padres by three and a half games in the nlst Jack Flaherty a special night for him to come back
to Dodgers Stadium and pitch well. One mistake pitch to Joey Bart and his line would have looked a lot different. Instead, he's charged with four earned runs instead of one in five and two's innings. He threw one hundred and ten pitches and it must have been really emotional for him and his mom after the game because she was sitting behind home played as Jack was pitching tonight at Dodger Stadium in a Dodger uniform for the first time, and
that's pretty special. Let's head downstairs right now to the Dodger Clubhouse to hear from tonight's winning pitcher, Jack Flaherty on sports and at LA.
Yeah, I don't really know if there's like words for it. I was a little bit sped up there in the in the first and in first hit her. It doesn't usually happen, you know at this point, like but you know, things are moving a little fast. Just excited, a lot of emotions, a lot of things going just going through my head, going and warm it up and everything. It was trying to take it all in. Yeah, just uh, just a lot of fun. And then these guys came out swung the bats tonight, getting a lead like that.
You know, for me, it's just you know, you just continue to go out and attack.
But you know, Jay it was great defensively, everybody was, but you know, he made a couple of plays that were huge, and you know, guys came out and swung it, you know, Freddie getting up there and going what nuts in and then from there guy they just added on never stopped.
So it was it was a lot of fun.
Yeah, what was it like in that standing ovation there a kind of at the end of the At the start.
I think I was still pissed that I gave up the hit and it wasn't I didn't finish the inning. So it was it was awesome. It's it's a it's a special special feeling just being from here and and getting that and having that uh that moment there.
Yeah, just all around special.
And I kind of mentioned that that you you've battled against Freddy and and guys could show hey for a long time and now they what's it like having them on your side and seeing them their thing you on the mount?
Well, I'm asking Show. I had to show me something for a couple of days.
So it was nice to just just it's nice of him to hit a home right today. But going against a bunch of guys in here with Freddy and Show and Jay Haig, you could go up and down the lineup even you know, Will and and uh tay Oscar tough outs, tough guys to get out, you really got to execute your stuff and you really got to go out and do you think.
So it's nice to, you know, to be out there side Soger came over here just two and zero and your two stars. I think Gil, it's gone through your slip bow. It's been good. There's there's some things to clean up.
Wanting to get through that six to be a little bit more efficient, you know, to do that. The fourth and fifth got to be a little bit better, just you know, made some some tough pitches, just uh, you know, leaving that slider over the middle of the play to Bart.
He did he didn't supposed to do with it.
So there's still some things to clean up and try to get deeper into the game and and uh, you know, continue to help this team out.
All right.
There's Jack Flaherty, who won the game tonight at Dodgers Stadium nine to five. Jack Flaherty is one his first
two starts with the Dodgers. Mitch Keller is the losing pitcher tonight, and I love that Jack Flaherty tipped his cap to Jason Hayward and Miguel Rojas because early in this game, Miguel Ross saved a run making a great play at short stop, and Jason Hayward played great right field tonight, making a few great catches to limit the number of pitches in certain innings for Jack Flaherty, including the diving catch he made in the second inning to rob Brian de la Cruz that was a great catch,
and also the one he made on Key Brian Hayes in the sixth inning eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy is the phone number. Dodgers beat the Pirates tonight nine to five behind Jack Flaherty's ten strikeouts, and all in all, with Jack Flaherty's ten strikeouts and the relievers coming in to strike out six batters, the Dodgers struck out a season high sixteen hitters tonight that ties a season high. They also struck out sixteen Giants
on July twenty fifth. So good to see Jack Flaherty out there here at Dodgers Stadium, and also great to see Anthony Bonda continue to pitch well. It's now nine consecutives scoreless appearing and sis for Anthony Bonda, who came in to get the final out of the sixth inning and then came back to retire the Pirates in order in the seventh inning, followed by Evan Phillips getting back
on track. Is perfect eighth inning against the bottom of the Pirates order, Dave Roberts trying to get Evan's confidence back up, putting him in a great position to succeed in that situation, and Daniel Hudson, the veteran getting the final three outs tonight here at Dodgers Stadium, eight six six ninety seven two five seventy is the phone number.
Nine to five the final score tonight as the Dodgers beat the Pirates and maintain a two and a half game lead over the second place Padres and a three and a half game lead over the third place Arizona Diamondbacks.
All right.
Earlier today, the Dodgers made the announcement that Mookie Betts will return on Monday, as the Dodgers set out on a seven game road trip for in Milwaukee and three in Saint Louis. Mookie will return Monday, but he will not be playing shortstop. When he comes back, he will be going to right field. And Dave Roberts, I'll say it again, Mookie Betts is going back to right field.
And when we arrived today, Mookie Bets and Chris Taylor were participating in a live batting practice situation and in between at bat simulating innings, Mookie Betts went out to play defense, not at shortstop, but he was out there in right field taking fly balls from first base and outfield coach Clayton McCullough and Dino Ebel was in there assisting as well, and that raised a lot of eyebrows from me at least because I know Dave Roberts said a few days ago that maybe Mookie would transition to
right field in September. But when he's going after it at right field the way he was this afternoon, you kind of had a feeling it was going to be a more immediate position change than just gradually easing into it. And look, going back to May, I said, people were missing the biggest question that nobody was asking, and that was why isn't Mookie Betts playing right field with Miguel
Rojas on this roster? And the Dodgers have decided that with just less than two months to go in the season and a division lead that is down to two and a half games, they need to find some urgency and not just kind of figure things out. The time to figure things out was in the first half of the season, and maybe if you had a ten game lead, they could have had the luxury to let Mookie go back to shortstop and see whether or not Jason Hayward and Andy pa Has can get back on track.
They don't have that luxury. We're in the middle of August.
Now, it's not May, it's not June, it's August, and your division lead is down to two and a half games. The pieces to this puzzle fit better with Mookie Bets in right field and Miguel Rojas at shortstop. And you know who kind of changed the whole complexion of this and really forced the conversation to be had was Gavin Lux and the way he's been swinging the bat since
the All Star break. If he was swinging the bat the same way he was the first half of the season, there's no doubt in my mind Mookie Bets would have just slid over to second base. But with Lux swinging the bat the way he is and playing a solid second base, there is no question in my mind or the Dodger's mind that right field was the best place
for Mookie Betts. The reality of the matter is that the Dodgers need more production from their right fielder, because if you look at the way things have gone uh without, you know, Taoscar Hernandez has moved to right field a few times right this year. With Tioscar Hernandez in right field, he's hitting two ninety five with thirteen home runs. Everybody else that has played right field this year is hitting
a combined two oh eight with seven home runs. The Dodgers needed Mooki Bets in right field to give their outfield more production. So Taoscar Hernandez and left, Mookie Bets and right, and when Tommy Edmund returns, he will be in center field. What does that mean for Andy Paz and Jason Hayward.
I'm not sure.
Maybe Hayward plays a little bit of center field, but for the most part, it's going to be Mooki Bets in right field. And if for some reason Gavin Lux starts to slow down or go into a slump, I could see a similar situation to what we saw last year, where Mooki moves into the dirt at second base and Hayward's out there in right field against against right handed pitching. But for now, Mooki Betts is the right fielder, and I'm very happy to see that Mooki Bets. I mean,
what can you say about this guy? How many superstars would be bounced around to three different positions from the starter spring training?
Not too many.
But Mooki Betts obviously has the financial security of a long term contract. He has a team that is trying to win the World Series. He's not oblivious to this Dave Roberts said that he called Mooki. They had a great conversation, and he asked, Mooky, where are you most confident defensively, and he said it's right field.
So that's the reason why Mooki's going to right field.
Eight six six nine, eight seven two five seventy is the phone number part of the reason why Mookie's going to right field. And we can get into the Dodgers' batting order. Let's not forget when Mookie Betts got hit by a pitch on his left hand.
He was on his way to winning.
The National League MVP as the Dodgers shortstop and as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter. All this talk about how Shoe ha Otani is a more productive lead off hitter than Mookie Bets, A lot of people have short memories because Mookie Bets this year, before he broke his left hand on a pitch, was hitting three or four. His on base percentage, which is important as a leadoff hitter, was four or five. His OPS which combines is on base and slugging percentage, was eight ninety two. He has more
leadoff home runs than any Dodger in franchise history. A guy that has hit more leadoff home runs than virtually everybody else in Major League Baseball that's playing right now. I don't have the numbers off the top of my head, but let's not forget Mookie Betts was the National League MVP or on his way to that before he broke his left hand. And I'm a big believer when you have a power hitter like show Hey Otani, you want to let him eat. Mike Sosha said this a few
different times. That's why he loved having Otani hitting third or fourth, because he wanted more men on base. And if you're hitting third, what is that compared to leading off? As far as the difference in number of at bats in a season, is it fifty maybe at the most, But you want guys on base. And when you got Freddy Freeman and Muki Bets hitting ahead of you, you're going to eat. You're going to hit three run home runs.
I'm fine with Otani hitting second, and I personally believe this lineup right now will eventually go back to what we saw to start the season. It's a lot to ask Mooki Betts to miss six weeks and then come back and have the burden of being a leadoff hitter again. I personally believe this is kind of the Dodgers easing Mookie back into it, and once he gets a rhythm at the plate, I feel like Mooki Bets eventually will go back to being the leadoff hitter for the Dodgers.
Here's what Dave Roberts had to say before the game today regarding what Muki Bets said to a few different beat writers, essentially saying Otani wanted to lead off and we all just fall in line after that.
Here was Dave's response to that question.
Show Hey would hit anywhere. So I know that Muki said that, but Shohy has done the same thing that Muki Hit said the same thing Mukia said. Wherever you want me to hit, I'll hit. I think for me, the game is telling us who we have on our roster as far as show Hey and Freddie. It's telling me that show Hey should lead off and to split those lefties up. So I didn't honestly have to have a conversation with show Hey.
All right, there's Dave Roberts, and here was Mookie's direct quote two days ago to Jack Harris Juantribio and Bill Plunkett quote, there's nothing really you can say. Whatever show Hey says, goes and after that we kind of all fall in line. So that's what he said, and that was the response by Dave Roberts. Look, these are three MVPs. You hit him anywhere, especially Freddie like tonight, double home run, stolen base. He could fall out of bed and hit.
He can miss nine games and hit no matter where it is. Second, third, Mookie Bets. Going back to twenty twenty when the Dodgers started the season with Max Muncie as their leadoff hitter and not Mookie Bets, he said, and he had a meeting with Dave Roberts and Andrew Freeman during that season, that COVID season and said, look, I want to lead off.
That's my spot. And Mooki has.
Told me on the record many times that he feels more control of the game leading off. And he used the analogy, it's like a point guard in the NBA. You have the ball, you're the guy, You're the point guy. That's how he feels as a leadoff hitter. And who's to argue he's one of the best leadoff hitters in the history of baseball. But he has missed six weeks, and I feel like once he comes back and gets a rhythm and feels confident about where he's at, and I feel like Mookie Betts will go back to the
leadoff spot. Eight six six seven two five seventy is the phone number. We're gonna take a time out here on Dodgery Talk when we come back. We have two lines open at eight sixty six nine eighty seven two five seventy.
We'll take your phone calls.
We'll check in with Jose Mota, and we'll share part of our conversation with the great Dusty Baker, who is honored before tonight's game as the Dodgers behind Jack Flaherty, Freddy Freeman, Shoho Tani and the rest beat the Pirates nine to five on a five to seventy LA Sports.
On air at AM five to seventy, online at AM five seventy LA sports dot com, and available by podcast on the iHeartRadio app.
This is Dodger Talk with David Bassi. Strenth will be running with this Spif there he goes and the bitch Holner kick Kenny belts it deep to left back toward the wall.
It is off the glove Brian Reynolds and into the crowd for a home run Kick.
K Hernandez with a two run shot. It is nine to four.
Big home run by Keith k Hernandez. That was the eleventh pitch of that at bat against Domingo Herman. As Key K a Hernandez hit It's a two run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to really get the momentum back on the Dodgers side after Joey Bart hit a three run home run off of Jack Flaherty to make this somewhat of a game, and then KEYK got the momentum back for the Dodgers as they go on to beat the Pirates tonight nine to five.
In Jack Flaherty's Dodgers Stadium debut as a Dodger. Flarity went five and two thirds innings tonight with ten strikeouts to pick up his second win in Dodger Blue. Daniel's 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. We have lines open at eight six, six, nine,
eighty seven, two, five seventy. Before we get to the phone calls, I just want to say something more about that Key K home run, like I mentioned during the Dodger Clubhouse show. And maybe it's because it's Alumni weekend. I get a little nostalgic when you see all these great Dodger players that have meant so much to this organization. And you don't always have to go back to the fifties, the sixties, the seventies, or eighties. You can go back
to just twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen. Those teams were great, winning back to back National League Championship titles, and their mantra in that dugout was always to be on the top step, encouraging the guy at the play to say keep going, keep going, keep going. And Keith a was part of those teams, and that at bat reminded me of the toughness of those teams, not just and when
I say toughness, mental toughness to keep going. And that's what the Dodgers need to do as the division race is as tight as it's been all season long.
With the San Diego Padres only.
Two and a half games back in the NL West and the Diamondbacks three and a half game back of the Dodgers. Eight six six nine seven two five seventy is the phone number. Let's go out to El Segundo. Aaron, you're on Dodger Talk with David maasse hi erin.
Hey, what's up, Dave.
Nice to talk to you again.
Hey, you did a great job with Petros yesterday at the stadium. That was great. Yeah, that was kind of that was nice. So the Robas thing, he we know, he wasn't built to do the whole year, and uh and Mookie did a lot of work at shortstop. So now that it's getting towards the pressure time, if they did in the season and he's fresh and a little hot, that's not a bad move to put Mookie back in the right field, you know.
Well, and I'll say this, Aaron, it's not about the whole season anymore. This is a sprint. There's only forty six games left in the year, so this is a sprint. And I have full confidence Miguel Rojas can hand playing forty six games or you know, they will give them days off. So somewhere between thirty five and forty games. I'm pretty confident he can handle that.
Yeah, because I remember earlier in the season and you're like, Ross cannot do one sixty two.
Well, no, it's not sixty perfect.
Yeah, it's a supriated now working out perfect.
All right, Eron, thanks a lot for the phone call, appreciate it. Yeah, this is no longer a marathon. This is a.
Sprint to the finish line.
Forty six games to go, and the Dodgers have a two and a half game lead in the NL West. The urgency has got to be there. Let's go out to Redondo Beach. Steve, you're at Dodger Talk. How you doing, Steve.
Good Dave love your show a lot, And I was at the game tonight. It was a lot of fun. And just as the pieces are falling back together for the players coming back to the lineup, I just wonder where Max Monsy fits in and when he does come back with that oblique injury, how much which does that effect his ability to come back and impact the game as a batter and his power hitting, And then do you think he'll slide right back to third base and what kind of timetable that might be all.
Right, Steve.
Well, Max Munsey has gone out to Oklahoma City to start a week at least of rehab games, and when he does return, he will be the dodgers starting third baseman. But he hasn't played a major league games since May fifteenth, and he's not Freddie Freeman, so I have a feeling there's going to be a period of time where he has to knock off the rust. But one thing Max Munsey does, even if he's not hitting home runs or you know, extra base hits, he's making the opposing pitcher
work and throw a lot of pitches. So he serves a greater purpose in this lineup. So as he is working through that, he still will be a net positive by making the opposing pitcher throw a lot more pitches than he would to say, you know, a first.
Pitch type of hitter.
All right, thank you, all.
Right, Steve, thank you for the phone call.
Yeah, Tommy Edmund and Max Munsey are headed out for at least a week worth of rehab games in Oklahoma City, and hopefully they'll be back when the Dodgers return home after this seven game road trip to Milwaukee and Saint Louis. Let's go out to my hometown, Canoga Park.
Ben. You're on Dodger Talk. How you doing, Ben?
Hey, David, thanks for taking my call. Man, I'm doing pretty well.
I used to live on Ponce Avenue in Canoga Park.
Ben.
That's where I fell in love with baseball, thanks to Dusty Baker.
Oh that's that's awesome to hear. Yeah, you told me that one time I've called in before. Uh.
Well, I just reminded you didn't go.
To Canoga Park High School?
Did you?
Home of the Hunters.
No? I was not a Canoga Park High School Hunter. No, I was not. I went to great school.
I went to our Lady of the Valley on Topenga Canyon and Sherman Way right there.
Oh gotcha. Okay, Well listen, I just want to I hope you're right, you know about Mookie BET's going to go back into that leadoff spot after he gets acclimated, you know, after this injury. Because if I'm Mookie Betts, we got to keep him happy, you know, like he's the first superstar that we've had when we were building this team. And I don't have a short memory when it comes to Mookie Bets. Hitting leadoff, And Hey, I always thought you don't lose your game.
I always thought you don't lose your job or spot to an injury.
Uh.
You could split up the lefties on opening Day, but the Dodgers decided to go with Mooki, Otani and Freeman.
To me, nothing's changed.
And honestly, uh, Mookie betts numbers as a leadoff hitter are much better than Otani's. I know he's a thirty player and has taken advantage of, you know, stealing bases, but he can do that hitting second. So we'll see what happens. Ben, I feel like this is just Mookie Bets missing six weeks. Let's ease him in and let's not rock what's working, which is Otani leading off.
Thanks for the phone call, all right, Ben, Thanks for the phone call. I gotta run.
We'll talk to you soon, okay, all right, all right, Hey, speaking of Dusty Baker, he joined us on the pregame show.
Later in the show.
We'll let you hear his speech as he was honored before tonight's game. But you know, Rick Monday sometimes gets overlooked for his importance in Dodger history. He hit the home run to send the Dodgers to the World Series in nineteen eighty one in Montreal, and he Dusty Baker and Reggie Smith were not homegrown Dodgers. They were acquired at different points in time from nineteen seventy six during the end of the season in Dusty's case, or Rix
and Reggie Smith being acquired during the offseason. And without those three guys, the legendary infield doesn't win a World Series title or go to three World Series with those guys. Without those guys, and I thought it was cool to catch up with Dusty, who was the Dodger that made me fall in love with baseball as the games would be on in my house, radio, TV, my entire family, my parents, they loved Dodger baseball and they loved Dusty Baker.
So he became my favorite player, my first ever favorite player who made me fall in love with the game. And I've gotten to know him over the last twenty years, and it's always special. It's always a pinch me moment when I'm in his presence. And in case you missed the full interview, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app. But here's what Dusty Baker had to say about his former teammate Rick Monday.
Mojo.
Yeah, he said, playing with Mojo, why did you love playing with them?
Well, because you know something I I never.
Saw him loaf Yeah, I mean, you know, he would make you elevate your game because no matter if the ball was a pop up to the infield, pop up to the catcher, he ran hard all the time.
He hit a ground ball, he ran.
Hard all the time. And and and Mojo, uh, you know played the game right. And uh, you know the other player that I had in San Francisco. Nice of telling her here, mind me of Rick Munday's world, Clark.
Yeah. Yeah, they never loafed.
And you know, like I enjoyed playing and and and he'd.
Always goes bag Baker. You know, he could call my name like no other. Dusty's the best man.
Rick Monday, Dusty Baker, Reggie Smith all in the house tonight. A great start to alumni weekend. And everybody loves Dusty Baker. Have you ever heard anybody say a negative thing about Dusty? Obviously, Uh, you know, second guessing, managing decisions is one thing, but nobody has ever said anything negative out the man Dusty Baker. All right, let's head out to a guy that knows Dusty really well, our very own Jose Mota.
It's tough to go around the horn with Jose Mota.
Jose Mota was just a little kid running around the Dodger Clubhouse when Dusty Baker was in his prime with the Dodgers. What are some of your fondest memories being around Dusty back then?
Oh my god, where do I start? I could write a whole book on Dusty alone, because remember when the doll Lockers used to author and get dressed numerically right, So my dad and Dusty eleven twelve, right, so we're always next to Dusty. Somehow he was Uncle Dusty, he was Papa Dusty, and he was really a mentor to
us in that clubhouse. And for Johnny b to see him with a blue blazer, to see him in Dodger blue after his you know, historic runners a manager as a player, and you know his his great mentor hand care and means the world to me. So I mean, I have three things today I want to share with you, David.
That was number one that made my day. Sky Dusty being inducted coming by and saying Helenda Booth was watching his former Tea Fernando Baldezuela, who obviously said Dussey was a huge part also with him as he came up as a young player to kind of be that that referee, you know, between the veteran player and the new guy. And they got the spokespansh and and Fernando. I appreciate it. You know, Dusty's speaking Spanish to him and reach it out to connect with the rest of the veteran ployers.
So so nice to see Johnny Bean I'm the Wizard Hall of Fame also here is a big part of the Dodgers. And what were the others Charley Steiner back in the air, Oh my god, that was one and number three Wookie Bess working at in right field. Man, that was music to my ears. When I saw that today, I was like, oh my god, finally there it is where he needs to be and we've been talking about it for the last two months. There it is.
Yeah, I mean, that was great news and it was a sight for sore eyes to see Mooki out there in right field. I'm not sure if he's as excited as we are, but he understands the situation and as Dave Roberts said, Jose, he read the room and understood that's what the Dodgers need.
I mean, you know, we've hammered it. I talked about it yesterday with Brogan and Pede. Who's your best shortstop right now? And what is Molki Bes's best position right now? Is not shortstop. There's no doubt he became an all star shortstop, which I applaud him for. He took them both. Pounder said, you need me to move again, I'll do it. But also, you know, Dave, I spoke with a with a star ball player who was a friend of Luki BET's,
and I'll never forget these words. About three weeks ago, he goes, Jose, when I watched Molki Besz play shortstop, I feel the stress. And he's a good friend of mine. He goes, but I just see that there's way too much stress on him. And I'm not seeing that smile. You know that, you know, go look the fun guy. It doesn't mean he wasn't having fun, but he could tell. He goes in his face his stress was on it. But I'm glad that you know, as you say, he right the room. But I think overall up and for
physical reasons. I was against that move and for emotional reasons too, but now he is much better off going out to fill that position because the Dogaries have more than capable of short starts and go out there and handle it.
Well.
Let's not forget as well that he's not just an adequate right fielder. He's a six time goal glove right fielder, and many consider him one of the best outfielders ever in the game of baseball.
And he works at it just as hard as he works the short time he works at us all today. I mean those rats that he runs. He knows where to throw the baseball, he knows exactly how to peel off on a ball in the gap, he knows what to do in charge it, he knows how to thiddle the baseball, and Mooki is just a complete player in so many fastest as a leadoff guy. Whever he's gonna hit to begin with, he's gonna end up being a leadoff time because that's where he does his best and
he serves his dollaris the best. So it's great that again unselfishly, he's going to do what's best for the Wall Club.
Jose Mote is joining us after the Pirates fall to the Dodgers tonight nine to five. Jack Flaherty ten strikeouts tonight and five and two thirds innings in his first game at Dodger Stadium wearing that Dodger blue.
What did you think about Jack? Tonight?
Jack was on his game and so for with on one pitch and one thing I like and listen to your show driving home, is you know he's got a little curse of him where he got a little fire saying, okay, it's not just about getting there. There's some things I got to clean up. So it was a welcome dot your stadium. I have grade. We got to win. He got some us to work with. Think that he knows he needs to work on those a couple of that mixture of sliders that he threw today that he knows
he's got to sharpen up. I'm glad that things kind of slow down to not let the emotionals get on it. But what I love the most day, I'll tell you what. Brian de la Cruz called time a little bit too late and he got to stare from Jack Flaherty, And you know you want to see that from guys with an egg Okay and say you know what, you don't even do that to me? Did his home play. We're competing, I have the ball, I am ready, and he got
the stare down. Just a great thing. Send a message out there because I guarantee he won't do it again, and people are in the league taking notes about that. So he pictures on an edge, urgency, throw stripes, he pounds his own and he's gonna give up perhaps so you know a lot of people run for their money when it comes down to who's going to be the top dog in that rotation? Not heading him too, this final stretcher.
Well, that's what I love from Jack Flaherty.
He set the tone right away in San Diego when he joined us on the pregame show. He said he was going to bring edge to the Dodgers, and I've made notes secret about it. I feel like the Dodgers need more edge and doing something like he did tonight to Brian day La Cruz is what the Dodgers need more of.
They need to hold their ground.
That message goes and it turns forms sometimes just the mood of a game and the duget You see that, Yeah, I just saw that. Guess what maybe I need to do that a little bit more too, But overall there is the fact that he competes with every pitch. It seems like every pitch he throws, there's commission and there's a person's behind it. And if he misses here with Petter it again will say here's why I threw that pitch, and we go out and then again. So obviously he's
not over. He's got a lot to go and handle for the Dodgers, and I'm glad that he's after this turn and today he got some runs to work with.
All right, Jose, thanks a lot for checking in. We'll see you out here at the ballpark tomorrow. Alumni Weekend continues, and your dad, Manny Mota, a big part of Dodger history. So great to have him and his teammates and so many other great Dodgers here at Dodgers Stadium.
Great moments coming up again too, Thanks so much.
All Right, there he.
Goes, Jose Mota part of the Dodgers Spanish radio broadcast with Pepe and Ingez and Fernando Valenzuela, and we saw the Hall of Famer Jimi Hanreen in attendance tonight, so that was cool. And Sandy Kofax was at the game tonight. He'll be back tomorrow. So really special. And when you say Dodgers, yeah, it's we know it's a great organization.
But what makes it great are the players that.
Have left it all on the line on the field wearing that uniform, going back to the fifty five Dodgers, the Boys of Summer, that's where it all started, and from there they have paid it forward. And I love that the Dodgers still embrace their former players and their history. And hopefully these current Dodgers take the opportunity to tap into their experience their knowledge, because you are missing a
great opportunity if you don't. Eight six six nine eight seven two five seventy is the phone number we played part of our conversation with Dusty Baker on the pregame show. Here was Dusty addressing forty eight thousand plus before first pitch tonight as he was honored with the Legends of Dodger Baseball induction.
Well, first, let me say thank you to all the fans and TOLLSA not because they they may call equality parte in Los paisis and you know, I just want to say thank you to my teammates because I'm hoping that I helped make them better because they definitely helped me be a better ballplayer and a better person. You know, I came over from the Braves as a young player. I couldn't wait to get to LA because I know the La Dodgers were about winning and that was right
up my alley to try to win. And we had a lot of help.
Uh.
You know the guys that really helped us. When I think about it, we're Sandy Copax, Jim Gilliam, Roy Campanella, Louke Johnson. I mean, you can name it on and on with the guys that that helped us.
And you know, they.
Gave us the Dodger trad and the will to win and succeed on a daily basis. And I have to thank Tomasorda for believing in me because when I was with the Braves, Tomasorda told me, he goes that's the he's third base coach. He says, man, you need to be on the Dodgers. I said really why? He says, well, because you got that Dodger body. The Dodgers are always the best looking.
Guys on the field.
So I'm like, wow, Wow, maybe maybe I'm one of them, and so they came and got me a year later. You know, that was the turning point in my life and the turning point in my career. And uh, you know, I really got to thank the fans here. As a kid growing up in Riverside, what are the chances of me playing for the Dodgers. At that time, it was called Chavez ravine And I used to listen to Vince Scully on my transistor radio every day and pretend that
I was Tommy Davis wearing number twelve. And there are some kids out there that I know have done the same thing. Grow up wanted to be Reggie Smith, Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes. And now you got new heroes to emulate and to be like. And we're all witnesses that if you really want it and you have the desire to win, that you can achieve that goal. That every one of you out there have a chance to be whatever you want to be in life. And I just want to say thank you very much.
I love you.
I mean, I don't feel like a legend. These guys made.
Me a legend.
Whatever that is, okay, Well, thank you.
You are a legend.
Dusty Baker, you meant a lot to so many people here in Los Angeles and all over, not just the country, the world. I mean Dusty, I mean he It feels weird. You feel like you're calling Dusty Baker. You're texting Dusty Baker. And you got you know, the President of the United States texting him. You got some of the great musicians around the world texting him. So he's one of a kind and a guy that makes you feel, like I said, what makes him special. And Magic Johnson had this quality.
Kobe Bryant had.
This quality as well.
You meet them for the first time, but they make you feel like they've known you for fifty years and that you're their best friend. That's the quality that Dusty Baker has, and certainly we're all blessed to have known him, and I'm glad he's enjoying retirement. One of the few men in professional sports to say they won a World Series or any sort of championship as a player and as a coach or manager. The Dodgers actually have two
of those type of guys. Dave Roberts can say that, so can Mike Soosha, who won two World Series rings. With the Dodgers and led the Angels to the two championship as well. So certainly a special group of people that can say that, all right, that'll do it for us on Dodger Talk tonight. Coming up tomorrow, a big game here at Dodgers Stadium, one of those headliner games because Paul Skeens is going to be on the mound for the first time at Dodger Stadium. Paul Skeens versus
Show Hey Otani Round two in fourteen Stars. Skiens is six and one with an ERA of one to ninety nine one hundred and seven strikeouts this season for the Rookie Sensation out of LSU, going up against River Ryan, who is one to zero with an ERA of one
seventy two. Morongo Casino. Dodgers on Deck begins at five o'clock tomorrow, with first pitch at six ' ten, and you want to get to the ballpark a little earlier because there's going to be a great pregame ceremony surrounding the former Dodgers that are here for Alumni weekend and also the honoring of the late great owner of the Dodgers, Walter O'm thanks to Colin ee 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 or our full conversation with the great Dusty Baker, you can find it on the iHeartRadio app once again. The final score tonight from Dodgers Stadium. The Dodgers defeat the Pirates nine to five. Have a great rest of your Friday night, see y'am.