Right fart.
Dodgers playoff Baseball is back and with it an annual postseason tradition scam is back.
Baby.
This is Sax and Cakes in the A app.
Goward Broway, Dodger legend Steve Sacks is joined by your favorite Dodger pregame host, Tim Kates. If you want to talk Dodgers, get in on the show on eighty six six nine, eighty seven two five seven now while the Dan Patrick Show streams on the Ihearts radio app. We've been banished to the Internet until this Dodgers playoff run concludes. Here they are broadcasting live on AM five to seven e LA Sports. It's Tim Kates and Steve Sachs.
Dodgers have forced a Game five in this NLDS after an eight nothing shutout win over the San Diego Padres last night at pet Goo Park. Eight different relievers and what was a bullpen game, A brilliant plan from Dave Roberts and this coaching staff. Nine shutout innings from eight
different relievers as the plan worked out. As the Dodgers now get ready for Game five, all hands on deck with Yoshi Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty and everybody should be good to go and ready to contribute for Game five tomorrow night. He is Steve Sacks. I'm Tim Kate. Thanks for being with us here as we are live in local on M five seventy LAS Sports. You can listen to the Dan Patrick Show course on AM five to seventy through the iHeartRadio app. Coming up in a little bit later
on this hour, we'll hear from Freddie Freeman. Will he be good for Game five tomorrow night. Jose Mota will join us in the final hour as well. We talked about Tommy Edmund last hour. Saxon. We're gonna get to
their phone calls in just a second. But Key K Hernandez, I want to make sure we give key K the love he deserves, Saxy, because last night he goes two for or batting in the eighth spot, gets the start in center field when the initial lineup was announced, or smike it third, Yeah, center field, and then he's at third base and Chris Taylor gets moved to center field, and Key K a Hernandez not only plays a really
good third base, he's a tremendous outfielder as well. Has developed into that he can play second blaze second base, can play shortstop. He is a Swiss Army knife for this Dodgers team. And if you look at the box score from last night, key Ky Hernandez starts at third blaze third base, goes to center field, and then comes back to third base. They flip flopped him and Chris Taylor at one point during the game defensively for defensive purposes and strategy, and then move the guys back to
their positions, which you can do. You're not switching them in the lineup as far as the batting order, but they moved him around defensively a couple of times. Because how versatile there is. Key k a Hernandez should have been in this series a long time ago instead of Game four. We can all agree on that what he does in October, He's almost a three hundred hitter in the month of October over the years. Part of the seventeen, eighteen, nineteen,
and twenty Dodgers team that run in the Bubble. In twenty in which they won a championship, he was huge. His three home runs to beat the Cubs in advance to the World Series I think it was in twenty seventeen was awesome. This is a guy who means so much to this Dodgers team. And I'm so glad Saxy that he was in the lineup last night, and he better be in the lineup for Game five.
Yeah, well, I would guess that he would be.
And you know, he's a great mix of a guy that's a really good athlete and he can play all these different positions. And that's what we see now in Major League Baseball. People come to spring training with three different gloves. You know, they got an outfield glove, they got one maybe at first base, and they got it, you know, one for the middle infield, and that's you know, besides pitcher or catcher. You could be anywhere. And you know,
my nephew's like that. My nephew's in the in the Red Sox organization.
He's playing.
He's a lot like Key k plays all different positions, and you know, it's it's gonna really help his career. And for a guy like Kik that never really nailed down one position, it's probably been better for him because he's valuable and he's always gonna be a guy that can come off the bench. He's he stamped the label on that as far as his career goes. And going forward, there's always teams that can use guys that are you know, you can play different positions.
It's it's huge, no doubt, and Kei ky Hernandez understands the postseason. He can struggle during the regular season maybe, but during October you could always count on Kik. Last night, he comes up in his first set bat in the second ending lines a ball to center field for a base hit. Kiky Hernandez delivers with another hit later in
the game. Kiky Hernandez, as we mentioned, plays third base last night, then grabs a different glove and goes out to center field, and then Rei grabs his infield glove and goes back to third base for the Dodgers last night. This is a guy who is truly versatile and means so much to this Dodgers team. Let's hear a little bit from Key ky Hernandez after the Dodgers ate nothing win last night.
MOOKI, I think we talked about earlier how important it was for us to to get a lead early. Uh, Moki did that just that Brazier's first inning one, two three was huge.
Uh felt like the moment.
And was sustained on our side.
Uh.
Second inning. Uh, you know, being able to rally against against season getting him out of the game early was incredibly huge. Uh being able to add on two more runs in the second inning and get a three run lead pretty much what they did both games at our place, Uh,
was was huge. In the bullpen again another shot down inning in the second inning, and then the third inning we were able to add two more and then another shot down inning and from there on it kind of felt like the bullpen took took over, and uh, you know, we were able to keep adding adding on some runs, especially late in the game, and uh, you know, we had a we had a very complete game as an offense, uh, anywhere from you know, rallying, going station to station, walking,
slugging and even you know, even bunting and fighting a run in.
Uh.
That was that was huge.
But uh, all the credit tonight, all the credits should go to our bullpen because they changed the game.
We would about you guys that are just sort of had that sort of spouting elimination game, especially with Freddie Spacecraps in the lineup late.
Just be able to pull this off.
I mean, I don't know what it says.
Honestly, did we. I mean, we were very injured all year and somehow we had the best recommend the league, and you know, we we I feel like tonight was just like an example of what this team is capable of doing.
Uh.
The fact that we did it without Freddy and Meg was was just a bonus. But I feel like we have a very deep team overall, and tonight has showed.
Yeah, You're a big reason why, Keith Aaron is this team has done what they've done this year. Your your versatility, your ability to perform in the postseason should not be downplayed. And remember David Vess talked about this yesterday for those who forgot Keiky Aernandez was a free agent. They acquired him at the deadline last year from Boston, which she was struggling. I mean he was straw, yeah, defensively and offensively, so much so the Red Sox couldn't wait to get
rid of him. The Dodgers brought him back. He was part of their run in twenty three free agent this past offseason, Saxy He waited and waited and waited, had multiple offers, but waited because Andrew Freeman and the Dodgers said, hey, just give us some time. We're trying to free up some spots on the forty man, we're trying to get some salaries.
To move around.
He waited as spring training's going on in Arizona and Florida. He waited because he wanted to be on this Dodgers team that much. He didn't take another offer, even though he had multiple ones, and he waited till the time was right, and the Dodgers said, okay, we're good, we got a spot now, and he signed a deal with them.
Yeah.
Smart, and you know, he's comfortable here. And and the fact that you know he's been here before before he went to Boston, you know, was probably figured into his his thought process. Even though he probably, like you said, passed up some offers, and once you get into spring training, you know, these those things are few and far between. But I think he had confidence that you know, is worth the risk for him to come back here to
Los Angeles. And let's remember, you know, keyk put in twelve bombs this year, you know, unlimited time that he was playing. He did get into one hundred and twenty six games, but still those twelve home runs are big and be able to play different positions.
Bingo let's go.
Back out to the phones. Armando in West Hills has been waiting patiently. Armando, you're on Saxon Kate today. How you doing?
Good?
Morning, good, How are you guys?
Good?
Good, good? Just just a quick question.
So, I mean, I'm going back to Game three when you know what, Miggey Road came out, you know, with his injury, and then first guy off the bench is Andy Poks, Like, why not Key K in that situation. I know Doc Roberts received a lot of criticism for that, but then you come to Game four, you entered Kek into the lineup, and I mean, he just does such a great job. He's he's so consistent, especially in October.
And not to mention the Dodger hitters, they were just first swing pitching all night, which is great, and I think it just put him in a good spot to win last night.
Yeah, that's the million dollar question, Armando, and appreciate it is why they went to Andy Pajuz in Game three. It was a six to five game, no team was scoring. Miguel Rojas comes out of the game with that groin injury that flared up again, and they go to Andy Pajas and PAJZ has had it up and down season, they send him back to Triple A. He comes back, he's still good in a really good prospect for them,
and gonna be good in the future. But in that situation we've talked about it, Yeah, it still doesn't quite compute with me. Is probably you wouldn't go to a guy in Kei ky Hernandez who can play center field, checks the box there for you. And also it's gonna get two hit bats in that game. Moving forward because he was due up two more times. Andy pay has
got those of bats, not Keiky Hernandez. I would rather have a guy proven in the postseason, not afraid of the moment a one run game, who knows he comes up, gets a base hit, goes station to station, does something to get on base, cause a little havoc, and next thing you know, you tied this game up all because ke Ay Hernandez is doing something to make that happen. Instead he doesn't even get the opportunity. So that's that
to me. Yeah, if whatever happens in this series happens Friday night, I think that will be one of the moments we kind of all remember, is why didn't kick a Hernandez get a chance in Game three.
Yeah, I mean I understand that. And you're not gonna make every call. Every call is not gonna come out, you know the way that you think maybe had a hunch maybe, uh, you know, just the it's just the way goes sometimes. But look, he's there now, and the Dodgers are coming back, and they've got Game five in front of their home home, a crowd, and this is this is good news for them, and it's gonna be a great game. I don't think there's gonna be any
issues because it's getting darker a lot earlier. Now, what do you think at five o'clock start bad time for the hitters or not?
Tim, I think the first inning or two you're gonna see those shadows there. I'm just trying to think about five o'clock. Its son's going down about what's six thirty now. So it may play a factor, certainly, Dodgers having a hard time seeing you Darvish in the postseason the last couple of years. They struggled in Game two on Sunday, which was a little later of a start. I hope it's not a factor, but it might early on with those shadows at Dodgers done.
Darvish has been he's been nails, especially since he came back. He's you know, he won six, six or seven in a row and uh, and he's on his game. But look, we know how things twist and turn and all of a sudden, you know they're in they're not where they were the last time they pitched, and and that might be where they're facing what they may be facing that with you, Darvis, who knows, you can't count on it. All you can control is when he releases a ball.
Now you've got the authority to do what you can with it. And so they've got to take it to him. They've got to do it early too. Don't don't let that guy get on a roll because he gets dangerous in it's.
Gonna Michelle in San Diego, the six ' one nine joins us yere on am FI seventy LA Sports.
Hi, Michelle, Hey, I just wanted to know. I live in San Diego Territory, but I have a Dodger car, I have everything Dodgers, and I'm a big Dodger fan down here, and I have not lost to faith and our team. I decorate every season for October in my House and a keik Oh my word, I cannot find his Dodger jersey anywhere online. And I have Rookie, I have Otani, but he's like he is one of the good players, best player on the team, and I can find Boston. I don't want his Boston one.
No, he's a fan favorite, no doubt about it. Michelle, we appreciate it. If you're looking for a jersey, may I suggest the Universal City Walk Dodger Clubhouse Store, which features official and custom jerseys from your favorite Dodger players, along with hats, t shirts, and more. If they don't got a jersey for Keiky Hernandez, they will make a
jersey for Keiki her Nandez for you. So gear up at the Dodger Clubhouse Store, the official team store of FI seventy la Sports, and again tomorrow on Scam Sacks and Kates and Am We're gonna have a two hundred and fifty dollars gift card for one lucky Dodger fan to the Dodgers Clubhouse Store at Universal City Walk. Let's keep the party going, Brian and see me. Valley is next up here on a FI seventy la Sports. Hi, Brian.
Hey, good morning. What's happening on Give a shout out to Stacks. He I'm an old buddy at Saberhig and we played ball together and cool it up around the sport, you know, and mentally I wanted to get in to get a ask you guys a serious question. We know golf is a mental game. We know baseball is a
mental game. Once the tide starts shifting, I really want to give a shot out to Roberts because this coach, this skipper, has gotten his you know what, kicked from all the fans saying he's done, he's gonna do it again, and then to do what he's been doing with the pressure that's on him, I wanted to give a shot out to the skip man.
Oh, you're right, Brian, appreciate it. I think he has done a great job and keeping this team focused because things could have unraveled very quickly, Sexy. Sure, that's what we've seen in years past across baseball and other sports. Something doesn't work, and expectations aren't met, and the goals that you thought you were gonna be and the team you thought you're going to be don't live up to that, things could start going south. Really quickly. Fingerpoint could happen.
Guys can start feeling down. You can see slumping shoulders, whatever. And Todave Roberts' credit, that's one of the things he's really good at. I know Dodger fans love to hate him, but keeping a group together, keeping communication going, keeping that locker room and clubhouse an open area where guys are able to communicate and there's not finger point, and there's never a chance to have finger point.
Yeah, that's right. It's common respect. And I don't just Dave Roberts is great. I'm a big Dave Roberts fan, always have been. And if you think about what a manager does, I mean, you know, all these guys are pretty good at the x's and o's. It's the other stuff, the interpersonal relationships that they have on the team, keeping that locker room a place where it conversations can be had and like you said, nobody's pointing fingers. And Dave
Roberts is great at that. I mean, if anybody that knows him knows that, if you don't like Dave Roberts's probably something wrong with.
You, no doubt about it. He's a good guy.
He is.
It's hard to root against him. That's the thing he's He says what he says, and Dodger fans just want to criticize him, nitpick everything he does, all the moves that are made when they don't work out. Heck, last night, if things would have gone south with this bullpen game and maybe that link in the third to fourth inning doesn't work out and Alex Vessier gets into trouble and next thing you know, the plan doesn't work and Evan Phillips has giving up and run instead. Evan Phillips aid
ending in the third shutout, pitching gets the win. But let's say it went south and things fell apart and all of a sudden, the Dodgers are trailing, the Dodgers lose the game. We'd be sitting here this morning talking about, well, why do they go with the bullpen game? Why didn't they go with a yamamdo? Why didn't they go we go ending there? Why are we going with the bullpen and get instead? It worked?
We're great, but.
Nobody wants to give Dave Roberts the credit. It's all those eight different relievers who would have That's.
The thing about being a manager. I mean, you're you know it's uh. I always felt like, you know, a manager is good for several games a year, not not the whole season. He's I mean, it's all about the players. The players are the ones are gonna you know, run, hit, throw, do all that stuff. The manager is good for maybe five d eight games a year, which could be the difference in the pennant. I mean, so it is important, it's critical, but but it's and Dave would tell you
the same thing if he was here. It's it's about the players, you know. It's it's kind of like a situation where you know you can only mess the thing up. I mean, there's really no nothing that's great about being a manager as far as uh, as far as the upside, it's always the downside they take, and that's tough.
Yeah, you're hit it on the head. There's no upside to being a manager. You're supposed to do that. Well, I would have called that. There's all these you know, Monday morning quarterbacks. But you know, when it when it goes great, you know, not a lot a lot of times people aren't calling in, like you know, one of our last callers was great, but they don't call it as eight. It's all because of Dave Robert. No, no, no, you know, on the other side of it too, the
positive part. It's you know, it's about Kik, It's about Mookie Betts and Otani and that those guys hitting the ball out of the ballpark and playing great defense.
That's where it is.
It's amazing. It's seven nineteen in the morning time check and we've barely talked about sho hey Otani and what he did last night. We focused a lot on Mookie Betts, this bullpen, certainly, and what Kiki Hernandez has done. But Shoeotani last night one for three on base three times, just very quietly getting on base, you know, taking advantage of a ball and tagging up from first his second. It didn't give doesn't get lost because you can't, you know,
lose what Shoeotani means to a team. But it is interesting, Sex you were an hour and twenty minutes into this show this morning and ain't nothing. Dodgers win and we've barely touched upon what the MVP of baseball, mister fifty to fifty has done.
And isn't it great? What does that tell you that there's other elements of this team that can do it, and that are very important as well. So the fact that we're not talking about show Hey is is a great is a great thing, even though he was productive, you know what, I think it's great too. He's so unaffected show Hey o Tani. I see him at bat. You know, he doesn't bat, and I he's not nervous. Somebody once asked, are you are? Are you nervous for this point?
Nope?
I mean just very very calm and easy.
And when he's at bat, he steps out of the bot batter's box, calls time out, really kind of looks at the.
Barrel of his bat and think, oh, is there a little something on there?
He kind of swishes it off his bat with his finger like like like that's gonna make the difference, you know what I mean. It's not like a golfer where he's gonna putt. There's a giant leaf in front of the hole and you want to get that out of the way.
Show Hey.
Seems like a little i don't know, like a little piece of dirt on his bat and he's brushing that off with his finger before he has to go in there and head. I thought it was great. I think it's a great thing. How TV captures those little moments.
Like that, It is a beautiful thing. We're gonna continue here on Saxon Kate's and AM got a line open if you want to jump on board as we talk about Game four and get ready for Game five. A lot of you doubted the Dodgers could get into this point to set up for a decisive Game five. A lot of you thought there's no way they leave Petco Park last night with a victory and a winner go home game five tomorrow night. A lot of you didn't think they could go down and get a win to
knot it up at two games apiece. A lot of you Dodger fans didn't believe. How are you feeling now? Momentum has swung back towards the Dodgers as they come back home for Game five tomorrow night. Where you're a home of the Dodgers, live and local in the am, Steve Sacks, Tim Katon, you coming up. We'll hear from Tommy Edmund, Freddie Freeman, who's a moti will join us next hour, and your phone calls eight sixty six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy it's a five seventy la sports. Uh,
sax he cannot wait for Friday night. In the first inning and we hear this song at Dodger's name that means show, hey, Otani is coming to bad Sax and Kate's and them am here on a f I seventy la sports. I felt a lot better, Saxey, yesterday. I really was in a bad spot. Did not sleep.
You sounded better last night though?
Yeah?
Oh like not like I was a house guest, but we were talking on the on the phone.
Oh no, it was. I was firing up because every positive thing that happened early in this game, we're on the phone top. Did you see that? You see that? I was like, this is great.
This is my brother and I do all throughout Sunday when we're watching the Niner game, we do the same thing.
Did you see that? Stupid playing god? What are they thinking? We do the same thing?
You lost me at nine or zo?
I know I did. That's up? Different sport, right, different sports.
Dodger, Just get the eight that the win over the San Diego Padres. A bullpen game that was put together masterfully by Dave Roberts, Mark Pryor Connor McGinnis, and this Dodger coaching staff. It worked out to a tee with Ryan Brazier and inning in a third to start it all off. Anthony Bond of Michael Kopek. A lot of people wondering why is Michael Kopek coming into the game in the third inning. Well, the time call for him to be there. It was a matchup situation for all
twenty seven outs. It was mapped out and it worked out perfectly. Alex Vessi, Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson, Blake trying to pitch the eighth inning, give up a couple of hits, but got out of it with the strikeout. Landon Neck pitched a ninth inning as well. Good to see him get an opportunity to pitch in the postseason and get that experience in The Dodgers offense banged out twelve hits
last night, including three home runs. Mookie Betts goes deep, Will Smith went deep with the longest home run hit so far in this series, and then Gavin Lux with a home run as well. Eight sixty six, nine eighty seven, two five seventy. Tommy Edmond, what an addition he has meant for this Dodgers team. He again, another Swiss Army Knife, the San Diego product. His dad is the high school baseball coach down there. Tommy Edmond is a stud. He can play center field, he can play his natural position
of shortstop, he can play second and bays. He could do it all. And he can bat anywhere in this line. And he's been banged up. He had a surgery, he had an ankle issue, coming back and rehabbing the Saint Louis Miners when he was coming back this summer, and the Dodgers still acquired him. Sexy and you hear from
Andrew Freeman at the time. He was so excited about picking up Tommy Edman and he said, this is a guy I've been trying to acquire for a few years because of his versatility and what he means as like a player that can put a button down, he can hit to the other side, he can hit for power. And we've seen him do that in a Dodger uniform in a few months that he's been here. And we saw it last night with that safety squeeze that he put down and was beautifully put down to help out
this Dodgers team. And oh yeah, he plays a pretty darn good shortstop. He has meant a lot to this time. He has.
I mean there's the importance of these guys that aren't going to jump off the pages when you see him. Maybe you know it's all the stars that do that, but he's a star in his own right. I mean, I mean, you look across the league, and the baseball has kind of shifted, if you will, from the everyday guy, you know, the guy that can do the little things too. You know, it's all or nothing, But you get a guy like Tommy Edmond and you be able to have like the sav on the team, the band aid, if
you will, and put him out there. He makes everything just a little bit better. He's almost like the great elixir on the team. I mean, he cures things and he can do it in a very good fashion. This guy's very versatile. He can run, he can play defense. He's got a little bit of pop in his game. Ye doesn't look like a troublemaker on the team.
Everybody loves him. I mean more than Merrier. We need guys like this.
Hundred and ninety five pounds soaking wet in his uniform. Maybe Tommy Edmond is a guy that has done a lot last night.
I'm guessing I'm guessing not one ninety five, No way, I'm guessing one eight.
Maybe, yeah, maybe if he may drenching wet in that that uniform. They listen to his five to ten one ninety five, But yeah, I don't think he gets to one hundred and ninety five in that category to fight if he was out there fighting. But let's hear from Tommy Edmond post game last night after his safety squeeze for the Dodgers and his great defense.
Yeah, I mean kind of worked out exactly how I'm sure the coaching staff had planned. You know, Bullpen did an unbelievable job. It's done a great job this whole series. And you know, like credit to them. You know, they came in in roles where they might not necessarily do otherwise, but they stayed ready and just did a great job.
Today.
You take us into just the sweet playing going hitting the bunch and then seeing the run come in.
Yeah, no, I mean that was pretty much executed exactly the way I.
Was trying to.
You know, Max on third base got a good jump off the base and was able to get away from the picture, and I thought I was saving it first, but you know, close call, but it was nice that Lexi hit that at home or together the other runs in Africana.
Is that a play that was called into you or just something that from your safe Yeah?
No, I was kind of thinking about it going up to the play. I was like, Okay, here's here's a good shot to get another run in. So I was looking down for it for sure, and then sure enough set design.
So that's interesting about you guys that you're able to put together that offensive performance in an elimination game with Freddie Games Scratch No Madeo, Rojas slitted to be able to slip it together that.
Kind off and throut it.
Yeah, just the resilience of our team. You know, we got a really deep lineup.
A lot of guys came through in big situations today and obviously Mookie with the huge homer, Will had a big homer Lucks with a huge homer to give us some insurance. And you know, we obviously we missed Freddie and Niggi, but obviously today we showed how good our.
Lineup can be even without them, and it will just be that much better when they get back. I would just describe the mindset now going into another you know, must win game, but this time to get a chance to call.
Yeah, we're fighting, you know, you know, not everything's gone our way this season especially, but you know, showed some grits today and we're excited to go back home and obviously it's gonna be another dog fight for game five and looking forward to getting back to Tell.
Me what about talk about the resilience.
What about the flexibility of this line up both defensively, you being able to go from center to short and key KMCT swishing depending on which pitcher's coming out left righting matchups, different looks, Guys who can throw one hundred, guys who can throw sliders, sweepers, just everything they guys can do.
Yeah, I mean that's huge, especially during playoffs. So many different situations that come up over the course of the game. And I actually had no idea that uh CT and Keith Harret gonna be switching back and forth and I like, to my right and I'll send cts over there. I was like, oh, I know you're coming into third, but but yeah, you know, it's it's important, especially in these games. You know that there's a little plays, you know, it
can make a huge difference. And can make the difference in a win.
So you know, I think it's a very valuable thing to have on our team.
All right, there's Tommy Imman. Last night played short staff for the Dodgers a safety squeeze late in the game. He talked about how he was going up to the plate saxy looking at Muntsy, thinking this is a perfect opportunity to tack on another run. I love the MinC s. He's not worried about Hey, this is my time to shine. I'm gonna get a home run. I'm gonna drive the ball to the wall and I'm gonna do that weird celebration when we all tourk towards the bullpen and we
want to tug out. I'm gonna do that, and that's my time to be on TV. Safety squeeze. Nothing sexy about that. But you're driving a run and then you just get scored up on with the hol on right after that. I love it.
Look, here's the thing. People that know baseball know that that is a star that you know doing what he does. He doesn't have to hit the ball to the wall. He does these other things that you're sorely missing in the game today.
It's a smart guy. Man. You know, he graduated from Stanford. He gets it.
He went to Country Day here right in San Diego. I mean, this guy, this guy's been around baseball. He's an educated man. He knows what's going on.
Hey.
And by the way, here's something that kind of gets lost in the shuffle. If you will, Tommy Edmund, you talk about the different positions he plays. Still, he was that good at all the different positions that he was playing throughout his career. In twenty twenty one with the Cardinals, he wins the Gold Glove.
Not bad, that's right. And would a surprise you if I told you he was the son of a baseball coach.
Not at all. No, Well, you can tell he's fundamentally sound. He gets it. He stays in his lane.
He's not trying it home runs, although he does have some pop in the bat. Yeah, he's hit thirteen home runs a few times, so he's been in double digits and home runs. He's not a chump up there. He can't just kind of lay it in there. But he can also move the runner over and play great defense, and you need that.
He Let's go to Rudy in la Is next. Up with Saxon, Kate's and AM on this Thursday morning as the Dodgers force a decisive game five tomorrow. Hi, Rudy, Rudy you there, Rudy going once, Ruddy going twice. We go to Justin in West Covina. You're next up with Saxon Kate's and Am. Hi, Justin, how you guys doing today, fantastics.
I just want to say once again, I know earlier we gave a big shot out to key K, but I want to give a big shot.
At to key K Monkey and Will.
Will and Monkey were in a bit of a slump.
But to see them to get out of it and actually see the pitchers, see the balls and be able to put some runs up, it was amazing.
No doubt about it. Will Smith had a huge home run last night, Saxony, But I'm still.
A freaking Howitzer. Gee many Christmas. That ball was just and that's that's dead center, Bro, That's not like a pooled baseball. That's right down the middle and that was just launched. I mean, look, we could have a guy like this breakout. It may not be Mookie Bets again, all the way through. You might have Will Smith carry you for three get You don't know. That's the kind of firepower they got and it's completely possible.
Oh yes, His one and only hit is that home run last night so far in the NLDS and the third inning, a monster four hundred and thirty two foot shot to center field off the batter's eye wall there in center field to give the Dodgers a five to nothing lead. Need a little bit more out of them. One hit is great, one hit is great. I've gotta start with one. Absolutely need more out of Max Munsey as well. It's a good start. It's a good collective effort.
The Dodgers. Eight of the nine starters had base hits last night. They had twelve allo overall, they had three home runs. I like it, but I need a little bit more out of Munsey and too. I'm not begging, but I need a little bit I got.
I gotta say something though. One thing you don't hear, one thing you don't see is this team lagging and not hustling. You can never be in a hustling slump. It should never ever happen. And you don't see that with the Dodgers. I see Munsey just tearing it up on the bass pass getting over to the third base, and you know, he's not a prolific runner, but he's certainly getting the most out of himself, right, he's hustling. Listen, you don't have to be fast to be a really
good base runner. When I was with the when I was coaching with the d Backs, we actually profiled a guy running the bases on great routes and how to run. You know who that person was, who, believe it or not early in his career now, not later, it was. It was it was poolholes. Yeah, yeah, guy's a really good base runner. He's not fast, he's not gonna, you know, steal off fifty bases a year, but a great route runner and we used him as an example.
I'm watching something that popped up on my Twitter feed just now from the MLB Network because talk about mental health and pro sports and certainly a serious topic out there, and the MLB Networks has former players talk about mental health and times in their career, and it just popped up. There's a video U Saxy base hit off Ron Darling in Game seven of the nineteen eighty eight NLCS.
I fastball up.
I remember that I'm looking at the close caption. As I watched the video, and Darling's talking about a month after being eliminated by you guys in eighty eight and the mental recharge that he had to put his body and mind through. That's what it's focusing on. But then the highlight they showed Zaxy the highlight. I bring it up because it's you, and it's a great shot at you just banging a base hit up the middle, off
Ron Darling. Listen, Toby fired up watching, I was, and I thought, you know what a broken clock is, even right twice a day. So I thought, I can give me a little carrot right there.
I'll take it.
Let's go to Melody in Valley, Glenn here in the eight one eight melody, How you doing? Good morning?
I am doing great.
Good morning guys.
Hey, I just wanted to say, I.
Know, can you hear me?
Yeah?
We got you go ahead?
Oh good good.
I just wanted to say, I know.
You guys were talking about loyal fans. I have been a loyal fan since I was seven years old and went to my first game, and I am turning sixty in March, so it's like I'm.
Win or lose.
I am a die hard Dodger fan.
But I do know that when they are in a clutch, they are at their best.
And I have no doubt. I have all the faith that they're going to take the win.
Love it your lips of God's ears, Melany, I hope, so, I hope you're right, and that's right. Yeah. I got a good feeling about tomorrow, as long as they can just keep riding this momentum saying it is and.
See how fast that can change.
I mean, they were doing the dances and all this stuff in San Diego.
Whoa, whoa, whoa hit a home run.
And they're like, I'm I'm surprised at the self astonishment that I see a little bit with some of the patre players. I mean, it fits with the vibe of the team, but man, can you can you kiss yourself enough?
You know?
Did you hit a home run? And they just oh, they're just so marveling the wall.
I mean, come on, really, they're their biggest fans that they just ask.
Them and now and now you see how this has turned around. That's that's why talking trash and doing all that. BS man, there's a day of reckoning coming where it's not going to be that way, you.
Know, hopefully it's the baseball gods making sure they're good people win and come out of this on the right side. By the way, did you see the story that after Game three that the Padre players did not want to speak with Ken Rosenthal from Fox Sports in any postgame interviews, and they didn't want to talk to him in the clubhouse as well, because he wrote a column he also writes for The Athletic as well as working on TV
for Fox Sports. He wrote a column that wasn't very nice about the Padres and talking about their swag and references about Profar and Machado and Setise, and they didn't like that. They they can dish it out, certainly, and they can strut their stuff and be very cocky, but as soon as somebody kind of writes about it and kind of calls him out on it, they get all
upset and they won't talk to him. And there was this whole team thing of we're not talking to Ken roseenhal no in dugout conversations with a player because they didn't want to talk to Ken Rosenthal. So I think the powers that be above in baseball and then the TV networks probably put a squash to that. But for at least Game three, the Padre players were I didn't rote we're sort of protesting Ken Rosenthal because of what
he wrote about them. Wow, which bothers me. Because you can dish it out, you can talk about your swag and about how you guys like to be the ones who are at cockey players.
And that's okay, Yeah, it's okay. Certainly it works for a team. They've got a great team. I mean it's it works for him.
Yeah, you could dish it out, but you can't take it when a national guy writes about it. All of a sudden, you're gonna say, oh, yeah.
You know, I thought that there's probably more important things to put your energy into, right than to worry about Ken Rosenthal. You know what I mean. Love Kenny, he's you know, he's a great journalist. But why you're worried about him?
Yeah, maybe that's the distraction that Dodgers needed. These guys worried about Ken Low Rosenthal, and all of a sudden, the Dodgers come in and put an eight spot on the scoreboard last night. We'll take a break, we'll come back. We're gonna hear from Freddy Eamon coming up, Who's emotive is gonna join us? Busy final hour and twenty minutes left of this show. It's been a fun morning show
so far. Here on seventy LA Sports. Could have been a day to bury the Dodgers and talk about what went wrong, but instead they fight to play another game. Game five winner, go home tomorrow night, and we'll have it for you right here on an FI seventy la Sports. It's Sax and Kate to the am uh get well. Freddie Freeman made that ankle heal quickly? Where's father Gary from Burbank to put his hands on the ankle of Freddie Freeman and let it heal for Game five of
the NLDS that is tomorrow night. Yeah, the Dodgers force a decisive winner, go home Game five in the National League Divisional Series with an eight to nothing to shut out win or with the Padres last night, No Miguel Rojas, no Freddie Freeman. Freeman was scheduled in the lineup when it was first announced four hours before first pitch. He was scratched about an hour and a half before first pitch, and that caused a change in the Dodgers lineup. Chris
Taylor was inserted. Tommy fred had been played shortstop. Kek Hernandez was already in the lineup, moved from third base out into the center field. It was old Switcheroo for the Dodgers because of Freddie Freeman's ankle and hopefully sacks. He's good to go for Game five because man, they need all hands on deck, and that includes one of the best hitters in baseball.
Yeah, when do you think they're gonna make this this decision? Because I'm looking on the internet right now. He looks like he's in the lineup. I hope, So, I mean he's a difference maker, and I hope he's uh, he's better. But you know, I know you can't look too far ahead. But this game is critical, obviously.
It is huge. In fact, let's hear from Freddy Freeman, who talked to the media post game last night about his ankle in a Game.
Five there about Friday or you got a complete Yeah, every day, like I said, is day to day. So just happy we got a game five and get a chance. I had a full day's rest today, didn't even try to run on it. So tomorrow, will you know, get to the fieldy treatment and see how we go.
Let's see you guys, the abilities we stave up, eliminations were beating the sore spot again, going to get.
The guys came out, you know, Mookie, me and Mookie bets.
It was huge, and then just up and down the lineup, great at bats, attacking on runs. You know, it's bullpen was absolutely incredible.
So looking forward to it to Friday, we see a different version of Mooki. Ever, especially after you actually getting the home runs. We're getting that bringing that right hitless stretch.
I think we all knew Muki was gonna be Mooki.
I mean, I know everyone wants to harp on certain things, but it's it's Mookie best for a reason.
It's pretty coming down the bag on the double play.
Yesterday's aggravated, your ankle aggravated before the game.
Every day is the same. That's we'll try again on Friday.
All right, there's Freddy Freeman, the sprain riding, going to give it a go hopefully tomorrow for Game five. You said it yesterday, there's no way he's not in that lineup. And he wasn't in the lineup, man, I'd have to imagine though, for Game five. He's got to be in the lineup, right.
Yeah.
Well, I mean there's nobody wants to be there more than him, I guarantee you that. And uh but what, Yeah, I don't know what kind of sprain is this? Is this like a I mean, I thought his foot's gonna fall off. I mean, because I know what Freddy Freeman's like. If he can crawl, he's gonna play. So this must be, like you said yesterday, We're gonna find out, Oh there's you know, ligament damage or whatever. He's gonna have to take the two months off or have a little surgery
or something. I don't know, but this is like the worst sprain I've ever seen in my life. This is a bad one, I think. I think it's a lot worse than Freddy's. And Freddy's masking it because he wants to be out there so bad. But I gotta think if you're if you're gonna keep him off the diamond, it's got to be really bad. You know, maybe a break would be better.
He suffered it two weeks ago to that ankle sprain in the final game against the Padres on that Thursday, in which they clenched the series against them in their final home game, and they clenched the division that night and celebrated. He was in a walking boot, did not make the trip to Colorado. They had a week off before the start of the NLDS. He gave it a go for the first couple of games, came out in game three. He didn't play in game four, And here
we are now two weeks after the sprained ankle. You would hope it's gotten better, and you would hope that he's not going backwards, which is kind of appears that he is in his recovery. But now that he didn't play yesterday and he just heard him say he was not on his foot for a lot of the day today, gets some treatment. You got all day tomorrow until first
pitch at five. Oh wait, so that's two and a half really two almost three full days that he can get right and get ready and I don't know, put a little icy hot or something on that ankle.
Hey, you wouldn't believe what they have in the locker. They have this one can I if I can tell you this one second, I've seen it.
They have this.
It's like a giant boot and it's plastic and it has frozen. The water's almost frozen runs through this boot and it swells up, so it puts a lot of compression on the area, and it's like it's like from you know, you wear it like a shoe, but it's all the way up to your knee and it swells up and then the air comes out of it, and then it swells up again and the air comes out of it, so it's squeezed out some of that swollen part and at the same time it freezes it. So
this is like, where do they get these contraptions? I mean, they hadn't even even close to this when I was playing, but nowadays they've got so many gadgets to get it ready. So that's why I gotta think it's probably a little bit more severe than what we're thinking, because those dudes have everything down there to get him ready.
Yeah, no doubt. Let's just call fingers crossed again, Father Gary from Burbank who called earlier. Maybe some time, divine intervention, we can get Freddie Freeman ready to go for Game five. Mark and the OC is next up here on Saxon Kates and Am on this Thursday morning.
Hi Mark, Hey, good morning, gentlemen.
How are you guys Hey, Mark great.
See.
I want to say, especially hide Ee, if you're a Dodger fan, you know you are one of the greatest Dodgers ever to wear a Dodger uniforms.
I just want to let you know that.
Oh, thank you very much, appreciate.
My question is and it's not a question basically, it's a statement. You know, after Game three with a Dodgers loss, it was it was tough on all of us to think what's going to happen the next day. But when I saw the lineup online yesterday, when you had Kiki playing and you had Chris Taylor playing, I knew we were gonna win. Those two guys are gamers. To see him sitting on the bench, I know their role, they know their roles, but those guys want to play, and
when they're in the lineup, things are gonna happen. What do you guys think about that?
Well, certainly, Keiky Hernandez is known for his all round production. We've seen what Chris Taylor's done in the past offensively and defensively, and has been a mister October for this Dodgers team in the postseason. Oh for four last night
with four punch outs for Chris Taylor. Didn't quite get it done at the plate, but certainly his defensive availability and what he can provide as far as the versatility playing center last night, going back to third, going back to center, that brings a lot to this Dodgers team. So appreciate the funk. CALLI seven squeeze another one in herey for the top of the hour. Jonas in La. He's been waiting patiently. Thank you, Jonas.
How you doing this morning, Good morning, gentlemen, doing fine?
Thank you, Steve.
This is the question for you.
I know that you know the Padres have Darvish lined up to pitch Game five. Now, the Dodgers has faced him in Game two and he was definitely dealing. To what extent do the Dodgers now have an advantage they've seen him at least in the playoffs, Tim, I don't know if they saw him during the regular season, but I think the Dodgers actually have an advantage because they just saw him in Game two. That you know, they know a lot of his tricks and they're going to be looking for it. Your thoughts.
Appreciate it. I mean, they've seen you, Darvish over the years. Not just this season, already this postseason. But they've seen you, Darvish. They certainly know what he's about. They've had trouble either at Petco Park or at Dodgers Stadium facing this guy. For whatever reason. The thirty eight year old can struggle against other team saxy, but you Darvish just seems to have the Dodgers' number.
Yeah, I get it, But remember you Darvish has got, you know, a myriad of pitches that he can throw at you. He can alter them, he can you know, make him morph into something else. A fastball is kind of a fastball, but it's not really And then he's got all the ability to do all that. He's like a magician with the ball. But remember, he can go on streaks. He's a very streaky pitcher. He's been on a really high note as of late. But we also know that he can go in streaks on the downside too.
Maybe it's time that we see a little bit of shift there because we know what's going to He's not going to continue on this unbelievable run forever. You know, we've seen it in the past where he can also you know, blank the bed, right, Yeah, and so maybe it's time for that.
And I would say that at some point we're gonna see a little bit of a regression in some of his some of his pitching.
He's face the Dodgers total of fifteen different starts in his career. He's five and five with a two twenty seven ero in ninety one and a third innings against him in his career. It's good long career. Yeah, absolutely this season. The Dodgers not only seen him already in this NLDS the seven innings, one run, three hits, but the Dodgers have seen him three other times in the regular season back in May, seven shutout innings, seven punchouts, back in April five innings, three runs, four hits in
a no decision. And then they saw him in Soeul, South Korea, in the first game of the year against the Dodgers, where he went three and two third innings. So this will be the fifth time this year, and you know we'll see him.
You know what they're saying in the in the clubhouse right now, Tim.
Bring it.
We're gonna bring you one more hour right here.
Bring it on.
AF five to seventy LA Sports. He's Steve Sacks I'm Tim Kates. He got a line open if you want to jump on board at eight six six nine eighty seven two five seventy. Feeling a lot better today. I bet Dodgers force a Game five. We'll happen for you right here in your home with the Dodgers Amphire seventy lif Sports