I'm in uncharted territory here, but with a familiar face. He's wearing blue, it's Cubs blue, but he still got the ginger beard, and that is forever Dodger. Justin Turner JT.
Great to see you, Good to see it to U's good to be back in southern California.
Hey, we got this kick started the right way with the selfie you and a drink. Gonzalez made that famous in La.
Yeah, we didn't do it on an iPhone though, we did it on AH.
What are those called disposable camera?
Disposable camera? While you're old enough to know what those are, so are you?
Oh man, it's great to see that big smile on your face. Let's go back to that. Actually, the selfies you and a drink Gonzalez and the culture you guys created here. How proud are you that it's still living on to this day.
Yeah, I think it's You know, obviously, I've been fortunate enough to play with a lot of great baseball players and a lot of guys who are very accomplished on the field, very accomplished off the field.
But on top of that, you know, there are great people and kind of taught me.
How to be a great person, be a great teammate, be good to guys.
In the clubhouse.
And you know, Adrian was one of those guys that was exceptional with getting guys together and team dinners and appreciating the little things that happened in the game, the moments in this game that happened. And you know, the selfie thing, I think caught on pretty quick and was pretty cool. And I still to this day have people come up to me and say, hey, can we get a selfie like you and Gonzo?
So that's pretty cool. And I think just you know, over the years, watching.
The culture in that room over there change and watching.
The shift in.
Comfort for young guys coming up, comfort for new guys getting traded over seeing how they can seamlessly kind of just fit in right away from day one and jump right in and be impactful. And there it really like, you know, kind of minimize the not so much to the learning curve. I think everyone has a learning curve when they get to this level or when they get
to a new team trying to figure everything out. But the comfort level of being accepted knowing that hey, I just got to go out here and do what I do best and and that's all these guys want from me and to see that. Uh, you know, as far as I know, it's still being carried carried over over there.
And you see new guys.
Come into that clubhouse and jump in and have an impact right away.
It's pretty cool.
So from this side looking in, now you've seen this Dodger ownership do a lot of different things. Half a billion dollars was spent this offseason. There's spent a lot of talk about it. From your perspective, what do you think about this version of the Dodgers the last couple of years.
Hey, is a commitment to winning. You know there there's rules, the same rules are in play.
For everyone, and I don't I think it's great.
I think it's great for the game to have owners that you know, are all in and and want to go out and make their team as good as they can possibly make it. And it doesn't matter how many top tier free agents are out there, they they want to bring them all in. And and obviously, with you know the success the Dodgers have had over the years, you know a lot of guys you don't want to come and be a part of it.
So you know, it's good to see you.
Kind of hope that more teams will you know, fall in line to you know, competing in the free agent market and trying to make their team as competitive as possible as well. But you never know what's going to happen. I've heard all kinds of stuff and all kinds of takes and angles on it. But you know, the rules are the rules, and they're playing by the rules. So you know, if you don't like it, you know, maybe follow their footsteps.
Yeah.
Bryce Sarper said that in Philadelphia, whoever complains about it has to loser mentality.
Yeah. I don't disagree with Bryce.
I think, you know, the goal should be if you if you in this game at any capacity, the goal should be every year, no matter who you are, no matter what city you're in, no matter what uniform you're wearing. Uh, every offseason, the goal should be to win a world championship. And uh, you know, I guess on paper it appears that some teams are you know, more hungry for that than others.
Yeah. Well, put as always Justin Turner is our guest. I saw you out there for early batting practice with the young Bucks, pe Crow Armstrong and Michael Bush. Bush has a Justin Turner like beard growing. Is that something that you've encouraged Bush?
He's a hockey guy, so that's that's a hockey beard.
It's almost playoff time for the hockey season, so that's.
What's going on.
And he's uh, he's been shown his hockeiness lately, getting getting dotted with pitches left and right and staying in the game.
So he's a he's a tough guy.
He's a tough guy who's tough for him or happy Gilmour.
Ah, Yeah, I'm gonna say, Bushy, I'm gonna say.
Bushy, what's it like for you your cup life? You're really a guy that wants to pass and pay forward the game? Have you been able to do that? Our guys receptive.
It's been fantastic over here.
It's such a talented group, first and foremost, a lot of really good baseball players in here.
But I think the best part about.
It is no one in here thinks they have anything figured out. And they're all hungry, they're all curious. They all want to get better every day. They all want to talk baseball, they all want to have conversations.
And you know, for me, you know, I've never feel like I have all the answers.
I feel like I've gone through a lot of things, and I have a lot of experience, and I have a lot of suggestions. And when you have a group of guys that are open and willing and wanting to hear new ideas and new thoughts, you know that just it makes it so much more enjoyable for me, because the conversations are just amazing to have and talk and talk about you know, oh well, you know one time I tried this, like maybe it'll work for you, And it's actually been really really cool.
And I'm so happy with this group of guys.
And obviously it's a long season and we're just kind of getting into it, but I could be more proud of the way the brand of baseball we're playing right now.
You still have so much to offer the game. So don't take this the wrong way. Everybody wants to know when is the last dance? We all want you back in LA in some capacity, But what is your mentality as you go year by year?
Now?
Yeah, I don't know. I think.
You twisted your neck when I asked you that. I'm not pushing you out of the game.
No, no, I don't think you are. And I want to play as long as I can.
But I don't know if oh, here comes JMO and you're in the seat, so I'll get up, I can stand up.
I don't.
I don't know if I want or I've never been one to want, like a spotlight shined on me or the accolades. I don't love talking about myself or hearing it. So I'm gonna play this game as long as I can. I don't know if I want to announce a retirement tour and go through all that.
I don't know if I deserve that.
I've see guys, you know, like Miguel Caber and Albert Poohols and you know, just absolute.
Icons of the game. They're the ones that deserve that. I don't necessarily.
Know if that's something for me, but it's definitely something I don't want even if it were the case. So I'm just gonna keep going day by day and playing as long as I can, and whenever the time comes, you know, then I'll make that announcement.
Hey, the Dodger mantra with you and rich Hill used to be be where your feet are, Stay in the moment. Sounds like you're living the words of the great Rich Hill.
That is so true. And I love Dick Mountain. He's the man, and I.
Think he'd be a great co host for you on Dodger Talk if you're looking for somebody.
I don't know how much Dre's doing.
It anymore, but maybe a rounder you me and Rich Hill, Oh man, that.
Would be You will get some great content on now and oh Hello.
Thanks a lot for the time, and today's a great Friday. You receive a gift card to Travis Matthew for being our pregame guest.
You know how many interviews I've done with you that you've told me I'm getting stuff and I don't think I ever get it.
It's in the mail. Yeah right, you don't even have my ad. I would never give you my address.
It's great to see you, and I'm sure there'll be another celebration these three games because you left an indelible mark here in Los Angeles. But enjoy your time in the Windy City. I'll see you next week too.
Oh man. Thanks Dave.
It's always a pleasure talking to you. But please don't come over to the homeblow
House next week.