We're back at Dodgers Stadium with the Dodgers and Key K Hernandez. This is key K time August September and we all know October. Key K, thanks a lot for the time appreciated.
Yeah, I guess I didn't have a choice.
All right, Well, I helped you out with your pregame drills while do you know Ebol was meeting with the media and you're helping me out right now.
Yeah.
Now, I understand why you're a pro prilayer and you don't really love to criticize players, because I can see that you weren't very good at this game.
So I appreciate you helping me out and all and here we are now.
I took it for granted. I was across from a really great defender, maybe the best versatile defensive player in Major League Baseball, and I was going too light on that baseball that you use.
It's okay, this is radio. People can't really see what happened, So let's get to business.
Okay, key K. Dave Roberts said the other day, you're playing your best baseball. Do you feel like you're starting to hit your stride at the right time.
Yeah, I'm definitely feeling better to play.
Uh you know, uh, getting this stretch of games in a row, and uh this has definitely helped to get into a little bit of a rhythm here. You know, of course, our roster is pretty beaten down right now and we're not playing great baseball, so uh, you know, I recognized right away that I was gonna you know, there was not a lot of people to to to cover third base, so I was gonna get a pretty good chance to play. And uh, I realized that it was the right time to rise up to the occasion.
And uh, you know, I'm playing probably.
The best best two three weeks stretch of games that I played this year, and I'm not trying to really think too much about it. I'm just trying to, you know, go out there and keep having fun playing baseball and uh doing my part.
Do you feel like the pitching, I know, we we have fun with that, but you feel like that's part of having fun and just making you play loose and just play the game.
Ah, well, I guess, but not really.
Uh, I just uh, you know, the last two times, the two times I pitched this year, I've been in a little bit of an easier situation than uh, the only time I had pitched before in my career. So U so it's easy to have fun when it's not a tide game and you're on the bump not really knowing what the heck you're doing. But uh but yeah, I know, just it's just trying to you know, trying to enjoy the little things and uh, you know, trying to cherish each each moment. It's been a it's been
a grind of a season for me. Offensively, I feel like defensively, I'd gotten back to to being the player that I've been throughout my career. I feel like last year was a little bit of an outlier, uh, especially because of you know, I don't like to put excuses, but the reality was that I was hurt and I
wasn't really understanding why I was struggling defensively. But uh, you know, at least this year I've been I've been doing you know, what I usually do defensively everywhere, and uh, you know, obviously it was about performing at the plate, and uh, you know, the last two weeks have been have been better. So uh, you know, hopefully we can build off that and uh, you know, keep it going so that I'm locked in when when the real fun starts. Kay.
I love the way you play the game, but I also love what you bring in the clubhouse. And I know everybody talks about you know, your great personality, your joyful personality, But it feels like at this point in time of the season, you bring the edge and urgency this team needs. Do you feel that Do you feel like this team needs a little bit more of that?
I mean, yeah, I believe we need urgency. We need to we need to edge. It's easy, you know, when we look at the our last month or so of baseball, we've been pretty inconsistent. We've been like, you know, as a team, we've been up and down, and and I feel like it's easy for us to, you know, forget who we are as a team and and and forget that we're right right among the top of the best teams in the league. And I think sometimes we forget
to show that on the field. And you know, I think obviously getting close closer to to October and all that bring some some sense of urgency in me as well. But I think the fact that my season has been such a grind and filled with struggles that seeing all the injuries happen. It was kind of a wake up call for me and it was time to get going. Otherwise, you know, opportunities and my career is going to you know, get shortened out. But that's something that's out of their
control and you try not to think about it. But definitely, I it helped me open my eyes and bring some sense of urgency.
On the field and when I playing, so hopefully I can keep it going.
Ten years of service time was accomplished this year. We can remember when you first arrived here at Dodger Stadium. One of your mentors, I guess, for a lack of better term, was Chase Sutley. I haven't asked you this since you came back. How much do you still tap into that and do you feel some sort of responsibility to pay forward what Chase Sutley did for you?
Yeah? I feel like I always, you know, I as long as younger players are willing to receive information and and and and get help, I'm always willing to do that.
I feel like sometimes there's there's guys that.
I don't know why it is, but like they want to it's almost like they want to fail before uh before searching for help and uh but uh, yeah, I mean Chase and I obviously we have very very different, polar opposite personality, so uh, I do my part in the best way I can. But uh, obviously, uh the intensity that Chase brought into the clubhouse is uh, it's not an intensity that I'm gonna bring. It's gonna be
a totally different intensity. Mine is going to be more of a ball of energy intensity than when his is no time to f around you.
Know, Yeah, y K, great to catch up with you. City of Los Angeles embraces you every time you're out there, and they love you. So this is your second home and appreciate the time.
Oh thanks Dave.