And I'm really excited to be joined by a player I wanted the Dodgers to sign three years ago. But he is finally here and Dodger blue, wearing number twenty three. He's gonna play left field for the Dodgers. A well established Major leaguer and a proud Italian American, the one and only Michael CONFORDO. Welcome the Dodger Fest. I'm sure this is a very unique experience that you haven't found in other places.
You've been absolutely, I mean just trying to get in this place. Yeah, was was was madness. You know, I tried three different gates and then you know, as soon as I said I was a player, they just waved me all the way through. So, you know, I was feeling the love with the uh, with the parking attendance and and uh you know, some of the fans recognized me on the way in as well.
So it feels good, especially with all.
This talent we have here on this team, to be recognized by you know, some just baseball fans. Man.
I mean, you know, I.
Have been around for a while, but you know, not not for not for long on this side of the of the country.
So it's good to be It's good to be here.
I've been getting my butt kicked by the Dodgers for too long, so I'm I'm excited to be on this On this.
Side, obviously, teams have to step up financially for you to want to sign there. But how much have you heard about the culture of the Dodgers that really excited you to sign here.
I've heard a lot.
I mean I've you know, there's there's what you see, you know, the product on the field that's easy to see from the from the fan base and just from you know, everybody watches the Dodgers, but there's things you hear from from guys who have played for the Dodgers, a bunch of guys that I've played with, just saying that it's a first class organization. There's nothing that you
don't get that you need. Uh. On the players side, the family side, you know, with my wife, my my young son, you know, they do everything you need to make sure that you're just focused on playing baseball and and you don't have to worry about their you know,
needs being being taken care of. And and then obviously you know I want to play with guys like show, Hey, Mookie, Freddie will Smith, Chris Taylor, guys that I've played against for so long, And like I said before, I mean, you know, there's there's been a lot of sad nights on the visiting side, you know, but it's always an experience to come here to Dodger Stadium as a visiting player. You feel that energy in the ballpark when you drive up to the stadium. It's like you know you're coming
to the coliseum or something. It's just so historic, the speakers in center field. I mean, there's just so many reasons to want to come play here, and let alone coming off of a World Series championship. I mean, to be able to try to be a part of running it back for back to back championships is is going to be really cool.
The Dodgers have been so good at home over the course of the time that you've been playing against them. The way you said it, a lot of sad nights here. Isn't the same feeling going into Dodger Stadium as it may be going to Finway or Wrigley Field or even Yankee Stadium.
Yeah, it's similar.
There's really nothing like coming to Dodger Stadium, though, I mean, just the way that it's all set up, the massive parking lot, you know, the way that the ballpark is set you know, you're kind of sunking down. The stadium is just up around, you know, on top of you. It's one of the bigger stadiums as far as capacity to so, if not the biggest, I don't know if
it's the biggest or not, but it is. I just remember in twenty fifteen, playing as a rookie here in the playoffs, I lost the ball in the lights actually, and it was justin Turner. He hit a game tying double and when I hit the ground, I dove for it, couldn't see it. When I hit the ground, the ground was shaking because it was a it was a game time, playoff hit, and I just wanted to dig a hole and.
Get away. But we ended up actually winning that game. So and the.
Series we know Daniel where we know Conforido. Yeah, yeah, I actually feel like that was one of the best pitch games Kershaw ever pitched in the playoffs to force a Game five at City Field that night.
I was not in the lineup for that one as a rookie left hander. Yeah, I don't you know, when Kershaw's on like that. It doesn't matter righty, lefty. You know, he's getting everybody out. But but yeah, that was that was a really cool experience for me as a young young player.
Michael Confordo is our guest at Dodger Fest. You always hear pictures like even Blake's now was saying he wants to help out the young pitchers on the staff. What's the dynamic between hitters? Obviously you've seen a lot, you faced a lot of guys. Are you looking forward to trying to pick the brains of Freddy Freeman, maximun See And what's the dynamic between hitters because you always hear pitchers talk about that, but you don't hear hitters talk about that as much.
Yeah, I mean I definitely.
I mean I when I was a young player, I was, you know, talking to guys like Jay Bruce, Curtis Granderson, Murdy, So like I I would like to be that guy for for some young guys. I mean, I've I've been in Arizona working out with with Outman Love the kid. He's he's awesome. We have some like we have some connections baseball wise. He grew up in in norc call, and I went to Oregon State.
A lot of NorCal guys state.
Yeah, but yeah, I mean, you know, I'm I'm looking forward to I mean, I'm still looking to learn stuff from Freddie. You know, I love watching him hit. I played against him in the same division for for a long time, see him at first base all the time, and so now to be in the same lineup as him, you know, I'm definitely gonna pick his brain. I'd love to be a guy that you know, is easy for the for the young guys to come and and and ask questions too.
I've been in their shoes, you know. I've been the first rounder.
I've been the the prospect come up and have a good start to my career, and then I've had some struggles along the way. So I've been in a lot of different different situations that I think I have some some insight for.
When you would get to first base, Was it awkward when Freddy would be so talkative and friendly when you got.
There when I was when I was a young guy, Yeah, when I was just my head spinning at first base, I don't even know what happened at the plate, and Freddie's just you know, talking, you know, chatting me up. But over the years, of course, you know, I get to know him a little bit more, and he's just got a great sense of humor. And you know, sometimes he'd be sitting there, like you know, the picture, slow to the plate, and he's looking at me. He's like, Michael,
what are you still doing here? Why are you not stealing that?
Yeah?
Yeah, And I'm trying to figure out if he's trying to get me to steal so they can stealing out, or if I really should be on second base. You know, he's like playing mind games with me. But you know, it's it's all. It's always been a pleasure to watch him play. And you know, again, I'm just I'm just excited to be on the same team.
Man.
You made a really good World Championship team that much better with you in the lineup, and so many great left handed hitters to compliment so many great right handed hitters. It doesn't feel like there's any place one through nine that a pitcher's going to be able to exhale.
It doesn't, man, I mean, the the whole roster seems air tight.
Yeah, I mean, I know, the pitching st it's it's crazy.
I mean just my buddies who aren't you know, affiliated with the team. I'm still getting to know all the guys, but you know, they're they're texting me about rookie signing. Then we get Tanner Scott, then we get Kurbyer. You know, it's like all right, the pitching.
Set, you know, and you're gonna get Kershaw.
Yeah, we got Kershaw coming back.
I mean we have we have guys still coming and it's just, uh, it's just a really.
Cool, really really cool, uh team to be a part of. There's no doubt. Awesome.
That heartbeat, that slow heartbeat. The man that understands there's not a linear path to any finish line. Michael Confordo in a Dodger blue jersey left field is gonna give him. I'm a lot of love as they are already right now. Thanks a lot for stopping by and soak it all in and we'll see you out in Arizona.
I appreciate it, man, I can't wait. I'm excited.
That's my one fan, whatever you hear right now. You see that right there, that's one fan right there.