An exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker, the Dodgers and Rockies getting set for first pitch, and our guest Michael CONFORDO, how to take batting practice in the rain? How did that go? Uh?
There's a little bit of slippage in the Uh, in the cage on the mat. It's a little wet out there. But I don't I mean, I don't think the grounds crew is concerned.
They're not.
They're not pulling the tarp for anything. So I think we're in good shape for the game, at least.
Over your career coming here, it just always seems like it's an adventure at Corsefield.
Yeah, you never know what the weather. I think the rain was supposed to come at like four keeps pushing back. You know, obviously that lot can happen on the field. Ball flies here. There's a lot of grass, hopefully, hopefully a good situation.
For our hitters.
I was giving Dalton Rushing a skyning report on Corse Field. I actually pointed out that left field is one of the bigger left fields in baseball.
Yeah, it's I mean, just the outfield. When you go out there and stand in the outfield, it's by far the biggest, the most space to cover. The thing is like the ball kind of hangs up in the air a little bit longer here, so it gives you a little more time, like if you're playing defense, to get under it, and then like line drives will stay up a little bit longer. So you definitely have to go out there and just kind of see how the balls flying kind of on the day, you know, just to get a feel for it.
So you have to played a little bit more safe out there because there is so much real estate.
I've heard so over my career I've played really deep here, trying to keep everything in front. I've had teams want me to play shallow and actually take away the cheaper hits and let this, you know, the balls that are slugged, you know, get to the fence and you hopefully hold them on second. I've heard multiple different strategies of how to how to play defense here, but I think I think we're gonna be on the.
Deeper side today.
And then you just just be an athlete and and you know, go out and make the play.
Hey, that's what Michael Confordo does. Be athlete out there. We all know that it's been a little bit of a struggle for you to start the year. How have you been able to handle it and stay positive?
Just you know, a lot of help for my family, a lot of help for my teammates.
Yeah, it's been it.
You know, it's been a heck of a grind of a year, you know, really not not swinging the bat that the way that I you know, wanted to start the season. Obviously started pretty well, and then and then just kind of, you know, fell out of my routine a little bit, and you know, so we're just we're kind of we're on our way.
You know, we're hitting the ball hard.
We're just looking for consistency and and uh, you know every day I'm just showing up ready to work and and uh, you know, I'm never gonna quit. So, you know, I think we're on our way and and a lot of good things are coming.
Do you feel like you're starting to get closer to yourself because we have seen you hit the ball hard in the last week, and we've seen glimpses of it.
Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm it's it's there. It's there for sure. It's just a matter of you know, doing it time after time, day after day, you know, going up there with a with a consistent approach and a consistent swing, you know, and you know there's there's a lot of baseball to be played. You know, we're a little bit over halfway through, but yeah, you know, I think I think the best the best days are ahead for sure.
What's it been like to be part of this lineup? Obviously to understanding that, uh, they're not sinking or swimming with any one player.
I mean, it's been a aside from my own struggles, has been a really fun lineup to be a part of, you know, just to see a different guy every day. You know, it seems like every every day, every series, there's somebody, somebody different that's that's carrying the team.
You know, it's a relentless lineup.
Guys get on base, Guys don't chase, and guys come through in big situations. And you know that's why we're putting up so many runs. You know, it's really the situational stuff and just constant traffic on the basis and it's a good recipe for for a really good offense.
And it feels like everybody supports each other.
Yeah, absolutely, I mean I'm I can tell you firsthand.
Guys you know, pick each other up.
You know, everybody is always telling me, you know, we know you can hit, just keep going. You know, they always have my back and and you know, it helps. It really helps to have your teammates have your back like that and just constantly remind you that they know who you are and you know they've.
Seen you do it for a long time.
So that's another great thing about having a veteran group of guys is guys who've been around, we played against each other for a long time. We all, you know, kind of know what what everyone's capable of. So that's you know, that's that's a plus as well.
I've heard guys when they're going through good and bad times, they stay with something superstitious. Have you questioned what you're eating in the morning? Have you questioned what you're wearing?
Uh?
Does it go that far?
I've questioned everything, absolutely everything. Yeah, I'm I'm going through all those things, and uh, you know, we're gonna keep finding finding little things to to try to break you know, whatever, you know, whatever's going on the ball, not finding the grass. You know, we'll get it figured out and we'll write the ship by the end the season.
I got good news for you. A couple of years ago.
JD.
Martinez one year deal with the Dodgers, got off to a slow start, did this exact same pregame interview and went on a heater and drove in one hundred runs that season. So I feel like maybe we need to recreate the JD. Martinez magic. You got to give me a dead fish handschick because because of the broke and.
Rist Okay, yeah, absolutely mean, I'm up for absolutely everything.
Yeah, we got the dead fish handshake going on right now.
All right, there we go, Michael Conforto, the magic has happened. Thanks a lot for the time, and you're an easy guy to root for and we look forward to seeing you crossing home plate a few times tonight.
I appreciate it. Thank you very much.