And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.
Right now, we are joined by a man that pitched in Oakland the final year the A's were in Oakland, but he will always be remembered as a Dodger and he just recently announced his retirement on social media because that's how you do things. In twenty twenty five. He made his major league debut with the Dodgers in twenty sixteen. He was drafted by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the twenty twelve draft out of Texas A and M A proud Aggie, the one and only Ross Strippling
Chicken Strip is joining us on Dodger Talk. Ross thanks a lot for calling in.
Appreciate it, Fasse.
What's up, Man, It's It's great to be here. This is like twenty sixteen all over again. Excited to talk with you. Man.
I remember your first spring training in Major League Camp Ross in twenty twelve and just being able to uh to see your career where it started and where it finished. What do you remember or what do you appreciate the most about your major league career?
Gosh, Man right off the bat with a with a hard hitter. You know, it's funny when I announced that retirement, it kind of forced me to reminisce and being nostalgic more than I normally am, just with how people reached out and seeing stuff on social media and and all that stuff, and you really start, you know, kind of thinking about your career and you know, first person and foremost, man, I'm just so lucky to have been drafted and developed by the Dodgers that at I will be adamant about
that forever. Just uh, how good they are at taking in talent and getting the best out of them. You still see that to this day.
And uh.
And then to have Kershaw there to kind of take me under his wing and just learn by osmosis from him, and I'm just you know, no doubt I wouldn't have lasted as long as I did without the Dodgers, you know,
picking me and showing me the way. And then as far as maybe what I remember the most or maybe most proud of, is just the you know, the Swiss army knife, being the key ke Hernandez of the pitching staff and just knowing that a team could ask me to do anything and I'd do it with a smile on my face and usually hopefully do it successfully and
help us win games in any way I could. I just think, you know, that's what kept me around, and then now a few months removed from it, that that's what I remember and I'm most proud of it is just being a guy that a team could always rely on to give him a shot and to do the job. I think that's that's I'm proud of that for sure.
Well, speaking of being a Swiss army knife, we always thought that you were the most well rounded human being in a Dodger clubhouse because you had your sight set on life after baseball. It wasn't going to be baseball and then try to figure out what you could do with your life. How much did that play into your decision to say, you know what, I've had a great career. I'm going to move on to the next chapter of my life.
You know, it definitely did. Now I don't have the next after figured out by any means, you know, kind of what you said of kind of being well rounded is now all of a sudden, I find myself interested in like five different buckets of things, and I can't decide how I want to spend my time, and all the while I have a six week old son or third boy, and you know, so just enjoying the family time.
I'm kind of using that as an excuse right now to punt some stuff down the road where I'm just like, I'm gonna enjoy this this chapter with my family as I start to get restless here a little bit and need to start doing something. But for now, you know, just enjoying that and knowing I got a lifetime to figure that out and to work and to you know, hopefully stay involved with baseball in some way, and then
to find some other things I'm passionate about. But yeah, you know it that makes it, I think a little bit easier to walk away when we know you have loves and passions away from baseball. But you know, all the while, I showed up to spring trying and expecting to make a team this year and it just fell a little short. So like I still had the fire in my belly to compete, and I thought I could get out to the big league level. It just you know,
it didn't quite work out. And you know, now here we are a few weeks removed from it, and it's you know, I'm okay with it. It just it's always weird leading the game behind for sure.
Hey, I thought you were taking over for Warren Buffett. That's the reason why you retired.
Yeah, yeah, I put in my resume. He didn't take me up on it. I guess you had someone else in mind.
That's the voice of Ross Stripling forever a Dodger. He just announced his retirement. And I'm going to ask you another tough question. Ross, you played on a lot of good Dodger teams. You were an All Star in twenty eighteen when you guys went to the World Series for the second straight year. Which Dodger team that you pitched on was the best team that you played on?
Oh my gosh, good question, man. That twenty seventeen team comes to mind. I mean, we we that was an extremely talented team, as are all Dodger teams of the last you know, fifteen years or whatever. But you just, you know, obviously ending against the Astros in the way that it did, that lived an infamy at this point.
But that team as far as like who we got at the trade deadline and how confident we were going in the playoffs, And I don't even want to guess how much we wanted division by, but I guess it is double digits. And I mean that team just felt like we were firing on all cylinders and obviously take it all the way to a Game seven of a World Series against a team that was cheating to have to beat us. I think that goes to show you how good that team was. So I would ride with that twenty seventeen team.
How much does the way that season ended still kind of stick with you and your teammates?
You think twenty years from.
Now, do you, guys, do you believe you'll still be thinking about, you know, if they weren't cheating, how your career and how a lot of careers would have been different.
Well, you know, Bessy, I probably won't go too deep into it, but you know, I think in group chats and small rooms and stuff like that, twenty years from now, we'll certainly still acknowledge that it's probably one of the bigger cheating scandals in sports and certainly in baseball. But
you know, it was what it was. We kind of knew it in real time, and then you know, it comes out in twenty twenty and Bastros go through what they go through from a punishment standpoint, and you just kind of move on, you know, And I wouldn't say it's keeping us up at night or anything like that.
Maybe real legacy guys, if we're talking about Clayton and you know, guys like that that could have used another ring on their resume for historical reasons, we'll think about them more than maybe you think about yourselves and stuff like that. But you know, obviously really thankful the Dodgers got that twenty twenty ring, and you know that probably won't go too much. Seeper down this rabbit hole with.
You fair enough, Ross. This is a good feeling retirement interview. And speaking of the twenty twenty World Series, how much did it mean to you that, even though you weren't there in Texas, that Dave Roberts went out of his way on stage as he's accepting the trophy to name role call you out for what you meant to the Dodgers.
Yeah, that'll always be amazing to me that, I say, I really will that when you are on stage accepting a World Series trophy after a year's work worth of work in COVID and even like multiple years worth of work, and my name went through Dave Roberts's mind at that point, for one, just shows you who he is as a person.
And then you know, that's something I'm really proud of that I left a little bit of legacy on that team where you know, as definitely not the first ten dudes on the call sheet of that team, they still acknowledged me and what I did for those teams to
get that ring that. You know, when I think about my career, I think about, like my debut, I think about pitching the first game back in Toronto in front of an entire country when baseball and been there for a year and a half, and I think of Dave Roberts saying my name on stage when the whole world was watching a World Series because we were shut down, and he says thank you, Ross Stripling, you know, as
his team accepts the World Series. That I instantly called my dad and I was like, did you see that? And he's like yeah, I was like, oh my gosh. You know, so that really means a lot, and I just think it's it's so cool for him to acknowledge me in that situation when he certainly didn't have to. So that will forever mean absolute tounch me.
Well, that just shows how much ross strippling meant to Dave Roberts into the Dodger organization. Another name that you've brought up a few times, and obviously he means everything to the Dodgers is Clayton Kershaw. What was the dynamic between you two like and why do you believe Clayton took you under his wing when you first arrived in Big League camp and with the Dodgers.
Yeah, so I don't want to get ahead of myself. I would say Clayton took me under his wing as best that he knows how because he is so laser focused on his especially at that time. You know, he's now got four kids. I think he's mellowed out a little bit. At that time, he was still you know, hunting Cy Young's on a yearly basis, and so just hell been on what he was going to do that I you know, if you almost I got three kids now, I think about how my second kid follows around my oldest.
That was me. I was the second kid, and you know, my oldest wants nothing to do with my second kid. And Clayton was just you know, going about his business like throwing his bullpens, working out, doing his arm care, scouting the lineup that he's about to face, all that stuff, and I would just watch him, and you know, I knew that we had the Texas thing in common. He was supposed to be an Aggi. He didn't go to
A and m his wife's an Aggie, you know. And I just kind of like played to my strengths as far as what could keep me around him when I was young, and you know, and then you kind of wear him down and he starts opening up to you and helping me out a little bit and all that. But I just, you know, from a mentor standpoint as far as being a Christian man, a father, a husband, and then also you know, maybe the greatest left handed
pitcher that's ever grace a major league mound. I just learned so much from him, and I just, you know, I said it at the top, like I just I don't think I would have made it nine years without being around him and just seeing what it takes to work day in and day out to be ready for a big league season, to stay healthy and to have success. I mean, I just I can't say enough about Clayton when he's up.
There at Cooperstown one day. Ross, do you feel like that's the privilege that you have that so many others don't, is that you got to see what it takes between the starts to be as great as he was.
Yeah, I think that's a good way to put it. Man. You know, most all the fans, you know, they get to see him every fifth day, and obviously you see the passion and how competitive he is. I mean, he's
you know, one of a kind. But we that were lucky enough to see him day to day like you, or to play with him day to day like me, you know, really get to see the behind the scenes stuff, which is where he's just an animal, and you know, you realize what it takes to not only just like be in the big leagues, but for him to like be a superstar, you know, to be one of the greatest ever as far as how dedicated to it you have to be in and just you know, if he gave up two runs, that was a bad start for
like the first ten years of his career. Like that's just so amazing to think about, you know. So he just said to be so laser focused. So not only did he have the stuff to back it up. But he had the mentality that you see from like the Verlanders insuresers of the world, where like if he gets three runs early, he's going for your throat and that game's over. And you know, there's just not that many guys like that, and Clayton was certainly one of them, or is still certainly one of them.
Yeah, still is is that surprising to you that Ross Strippling retired before Kershawn? Maybe you can give us some insight on what's still driving him right now.
I I will not put words in the Clayton Kershaw's mouth. I you know, yes, he was there long before me, and he's gonna be around after me. Still getting guys out in the big leagues, you know, I I honestly don't know. I think that he still has the passion to play and to get out. So I'm sure, you know, not being healthy for one sixty two in the last
couple of years probably just drives him nuts. I'm sure he just wants to like make thirty stars and feel that again and and you know, be a guy that the team can rely on to go out every sit day. I know he holds his you know, has so much pride in that, and then you know, I'm sure his family's in a good spot where they feel good about he's you know, he can still play and be a dad and do all the things that he wants to do.
They got a good routine going, so I think it's like the Dodgers are in this awesome era of being so good, you know, like the mid nineties Braves kind of thing, and he's like, I want to miss out on it. I helped build this and I'm going to
see it through. And I just I think, you know, all encompassing it still works out where he can kind of do it on his terms, and when he's ready to pitch, he'll he'll show up and he'll be cutting Kershaw and I you know, I can't wait to see him in the second half of the season and hopefully make some postseason starts and do great And because you know, no one deserves it more than him.
Ross Strippling is our guest. He announced his retirement last week. Ross, just a couple of more questions for you, because you have such a unique perspective considering where your career started as far as the time that base was being played and the way baseball's being played now and the whole Dodgers trajectory here.
What do you think about this.
Version of the Dodgers compared to where it was in twenty sixteen.
Yeah, I you know, I really love the teams that we had. Those teams probably felt a little more homegrown, right, And the Dodger's still unbelievably elite at drafting and developing talent or taking guys from other teams that have been maybe spit out for various reasons and taking them in and getting the best out on think of like early Justin Turner, early Max Munsey. You know, they're still elite
at that. I'm obviously not saying they've they've lost their touch there, but you know that twenty twenty World Series team, I think the stat is either sixteen or nineteen homegrown players were on that roster, and then you know guys like Munsey and JT that certainly weren't you know, highly
touted from other organizations. So, like, I think those teams are really special because it shows that not only did they have kind of an unlimited bank role, but they also drafted and developed from within and got them to the big leagues and had immense success with those guys. So I just think that is like the ultimate testament
to being a successful organization. But then you know, now it's like, let's bring in the star power, let's totally swallow up the Japanese market, and you know, and really like make Los Angeles baseball a show, I mean to Hollywood, and let's let's let's go all the way into this thing and then in the first year win a World Series.
So I think both are awesome, and I think, you know, ownership going all the way in one way or the other is just a testament to them being like one of the only ones that says like we're here to win baseball games and to make it look good and to be a powerhouse. And you know, obviously, as players would wish other owners would do the same because that leads to more money for players and just better things all the way around, a better show, better product on
the field. So you know, I wish other teams would follow.
Suit, no doubt, perfectly said before I let you go, I want to end it on this, if I'm not mistaken. Back in twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, as far as the relationships that you built with those same homegrown guys. What was it like sharing a house in Los Felis with Alex Wood and Corey Seeger as roommates. Was that one of your fondest seasons being roommates with those guys?
Yeah, I just think, you know, and you even go back to like the minor leagues before that, when we'd pile like six dudes into a two bedroom and you know, I'll sleeping on a twin mattress in the kitchen, and some of those guys were groomsmen in my wedding. You know that those are gonna be the stuff that stick with me, you know, ten years from now, I'm not gonna remember the May outing against the Padres in twenty
eighteen or whatever. You know, I'm gonna remember some of those funky memories from when we piled into houses together. And you know, answer your question that those are two still probably maybe my two best friends from baseball still, you know, are Corey and Alex. So I just think
it that was and our wives are super close. Like that's just you look back at like when like true friendships and stuff were built right there where it was cool because we were having success on the field, but then we were getting dinners and exploring off Angelis and staying up late and talking about life and you know, just like building a real friendship with those guys, and
I hope last forever. So I just think it's like one of those perfect six months where you like will look back and just like man like, my life changed in an awesome way during that time, and I'm so thankful for it.
Hey, Los Angeles is thankful for Chicken strip Ross strippling. You were always a professional, You're always first class ross, and I'm happy to share you with the fans again as you announce your retirement. All you guys from those teams will always have a special place in Dodger fans hearts and mine as well.
So thank you for a great career.
Thank you for being as good of a person as you were on the mound as a pitcher.
So we all appreciate that.
Well, Dave, thank you so much, man, And I'll do the same and say thank you for always making it fun and you know, making it in aiable to talk with you and also making it easy. You know, these questions we you know, kind of joked that they're hard hitting, but you're you're fun to talk to you all the time, man, so keep up the good work and you know I'll come on anytime man, looking forward to doing it again.
We'll do it for sure again.
And uh you never know, Ross Strippling might be on sports Net LA and running Berkshire Hathaway on his weekday. So uh, this is not the last time you'll hear from Ross Strippling. I guarantee that. Thanks Ross, and congratulations on being a great husband and dad. And we'll see you soon at Dodger Stadium.
All right, sounds good, bet say thank you man.