All right, the Dodgers are getting set for the final game here in Miami, and how could we be in Miami and not talk to a man that made his name in Miami high school baseball? And that is the legend himself, nineteen year veteran for Major League Baseball and now part of the Dodgers front office staff, the great Raoula banya Is. Raoul, thanks a lot for the time, appreciate it, Thank.
You so much. Pleasure always a pleasure of saying hi to you. Thanks for the warm intro.
Hey man, I thought Miguel Rojas was popular in Miami, Raoula Banyas has his roots here in Miami.
Thank you. Miguel Rojas is definitely popular Miami, as he should be, and he's had a tremendous year for us. This year brings so much value as a winner in every aspect and every facet of the game and every aspect of the word. So really, yeah, I don't want to be in the compared to the legendary Miguel Rojas, but I did grow up here and I do love being here.
What was it like playing high school baseball here in this city?
Friday night lights is what it feels. It still feels that way. Now it's Friday Night Lights. It's baseball is the main sport here in Miami. People have soccer football it's Friday Night Lights as well. But yeah, it's highly competitive. I mean, at age eight and nine, you have parents yelling at at kids on the field of the opposing team, and you just kind of get hard into the environment. So it's very passionate community that loves baseball.
You also played college baseball here in Miami. Was that part of your vision when you were in high school? Did you ever think you were leaving Florida?
Yeah. All I wanted to do was get an opportunity to play professional baseball. That was my entire goal. I wanted to be a big leaguer, but I knew that the first step was to get the professional baseball So I was fortunate that the legendary, late great Coach Green decided to take a shot on me at Miami Dade College, and he taught us more about not just how to be professionals, but also how to be men.
I know you obviously have a lot going on in that baseball head of yours. Do you see the game the same way you saw it? As a player, or do you feel like you have a better perspective on it now time.
You always gain a little bit better perspective when you're in it and you're in the trenches daily. You just have to focus on what you need to do that day to get better, to you know, try to master your craft every day, getting a one percent better, maybe it's point zero zero one percent better, And however, you can impact the game for your team and try to help your team win. As you get older, you hopefully
get wiser. I've been fortunate and a blessed to be around, you know, guys like Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes and Josh Burns and Dave Roberts and all of these guys who are not just mentors but just brilliant baseball minds. So I think you gain a little bit better perspective when you can step outside of yourself and see how actions on the field or actions that you take off the field could impact the greater good and the future of your franchise.
Raoul Labanyaz is our guest here in Miami. I know we always talk about your knowledge or a coaches knowledge helping a player, but how rewarding is it for you to teach the teachers in this capacity.
Yeah, it's actually just I view it more as a part partnership. You know, we're all in it together. We all want to help our players become the best version of themselves, which ultimately will help the Los Angeles Dodgers win multiple World Series titles, which is what we're all here for. And so I view it as a as a very as a partnership that we're all in this together. It's a collaborative effort. Andrew is big on collaboration and
everybody pulling together, pulling their resources together. And if I'm week in one area, then I will ask for help and vice versa hopefully, So I view everything as a collaborative effort and everybody working together towards a common goal.
What do you see with this Dodger team as we get closer to the end of the regular season in preparation for the postseason.
I see a resilience and a perseverance. I know that that that's maybe not synonymous with the roster that's as talented as ours, or people may not view it that way, but you know, we've had to overcome a lot of adversity and we will continue to do so. It certainly helps when you have this type of talent on the roster and and you know, in the lineup and also on the coaching staff obviously the front office as well.
But what I see as a resilient team that really can compete at a high level, and not only that, that's a team that's focused on winning. These guys every day are preparing themselves. You have guys that are on a quest for mastery self, mastery, masters of their craft, but also guys who care about the scoreboard and are hitting and playing for the scoreboard and ultimately to win baseball games.
Were you a big believer when you played and still now that obviously you have yourself and what you do as a hitter can help the team win. But at a certain point in time, at this juncture of the season, do you have to start thinking more about team at bats?
I think you always have to think about team at bats and being able to recognize it. I just think it's part of the overall not just the development of the young hitter, but also part of being a cog in the wheel of the again for the greater good of winning baseball games. I think you build habits of excellence from day one, and building habits of excellence is building and creating a habit of excellence in your thinking that ultimately, your entire objective is to help this team
win baseball games. And maybe if you're an outfield you cut a ball off, you threw the ball to second base instead of throwing at the third base. You kept the double player, the force out in order. And you may not be a productive player that day in the batter's box, but you made an impact on your team's
ability to win that game. And I think you always have to view the game through that lens in your preparation and ultimately and how you think about the game and how you and not only how you prepare, but also again creating the habit of excellence and execution.
That's refreshing, Raoul, because all you hear about is guys talking about hitting and pitching. But there's a lot more to winning baseball.
A lot more to winning baseball. And nobody gets this better than Andrew Friedman, Brandon Gomes, and again Josh Burns. Our organization, it's about you have to be able to impact both sides of the ball. As you see our roster, you have a bunch of players who not only are versatile, you know, there's always positional versatility, but at the same time guys who are really above average and exceptional at fielding their positions as well. Dave Roberts also emphasizes, you know,
the impact of base running. Clayton McCullough does a tremendous job with base stealing base running. So all of these details of the game actually matter. It's gonna be hard to outslug number you know, one and two starters and back end of the bullpen guys in the postseason. And so this team is committed to excellence not just in the batter's box, but also in every aspect of the game.
Before I let you go, speaking of all that, nobody seems to talk enough about the acquisitions Andrew Freeman made at the trade deadline, specifically Tommy Edmond. How does he work into everything you just described.
Yeah, you have an elite defender. Hits from both sides of the play can impact impact the game, as he already has in the batter's box, but he plays elite defense in multiple spots, and not just multiple spots, premium positions at shortstop and center field. He's a gritty player. He knows how to compete in the batters box, and he's actually been incredibly impactful. And you know, you know, kudos to Andrew and Brandon for a job extraordinarily well done.
Rale, Well, you're so humble, but we love talking baseball with you. You have so much to offer this game and the Dodgers are lucky to have you back in the organization. So thank you for the time. I know you got a lot on your plate. Appreciate it.
Thank you. I'm humbled and on here by your statements and the opportunity, So thank you.
He is the best and also has some good Miami recommendations for food.