The 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 Go with 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 iHeartRadio 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 Sacks.
It's Game Day.
Dodgers padres Game three of the NLDS from San Diego's Coming Up to Night Walker Rueler Michael Caine. The pitching matchup Dodgers on Decats started at five pm. First pitch from Petco Park. He's at six oh eight. We got wall to wall coverage here in your home of the Dodgers, AM five seventy LA Sports between then and now Roganer, Rodney Petros some money flex back starting at two o'clock
All the way up until five pm. Tim Kates, Steve Saxon, You here on this Tuesday morning with this series tied at a game of piece Walker Bueller, he needs to be Walker Bueller of twenty twenty one. Tonight on the mound for this Dodgers team. Stephen Nelson will join us. Coming up at the bottom of the hour. We'll get into this Dodger series with a voice of the Dodgers here on the a n FI seventy LA Sports. We got into it early on this morning, Manny Machado Dave Roberts.
The back and forth between the two really escalated on Sunday night. In the sixth the eight in which Manny Machado threw a ball at the Dodgers dugout through it hard enough they got the attention to Dodger players. Jack Flaherty was chirping at Manny Machado. You saw Teoscar Hernandez and the video a gesture towards Manny Machado. Dave Roberts last night called it unsettling, in disrespectful Saxy. You saw the video, What did you make of it?
Yeah, there's no question he threw it. I saw it this morning. He threw it with intent, like Dave said, and there's no doubt about it. Guys, get that that'll rile the team up, no doubt.
No doubt about it. The man who asked a question to Dave Roberts last night at his media session is our own David Vassa, our Dodger insider, and he joins us now from San Diego.
Dave, good morning, Hey, good morning guys. I had no idea it would blow up in this way, but obviously h it. It was part of what took place in Game two and certainly part of the emotions that spilled out.
We were talking about this earlier, David. Is this something Dave Roberts could use? Is maybe some fuel or bulletin board material to fire up these guys to rally the troops, so to speak, to go into Petgo Park as a team with that crowd and this team and the momentum, the Padres may have to have some fuel in their fire.
I don't think so, Tim, Like the reason why I asked the question was because nobody did after Game two, and the reason why is we didn't know the full story, but Jack Clerty really filled the sin. So I kind of feel like it needed to be asked. The reason why, and I told Dave this after the press conference, was, you know, when we hear a ball being thrown into the dugout, Manny Machado's not going to throw it to the far.
End of the dugout.
He's gonna throw it to the near end. And that's where Dave Roberts sits. So that's why I asked that question.
Yeah, how you doing, David, good to be with you this morning. I didn't see the video, Dave, until this morning actually when we were on the air, and I.
Didn't see the video until after I asked the question.
No, I saw the video, and I'm like, that was intent. I mean, and you can you can roll it over there. That's what usually what we did. We'd roll it over there. You know, lobb it that ball. He threw it pretty hard, ricocheted up, and it was hard enough for me to see that it would rile up a team and kind of get there, you know, get the nerve going. That's that's from my viewpoint.
Steve, you know better than any of us that it's one thing to ray you up. But I go back to what I said after the game. You didn't like it right, You didn't like tattoos or profar doing what they were doing, do something about it. Beat this team, no doubt, as you do something about it, you don't. You don't do something by getting upset about it, complaining about it, screaming at them. That's that's not going to
accomplish anything. And it feels like having a day off yesterday really helped the Dodgers to, you know, maybe stem the tide of the momentum the Padres had. And look, the first inning is going to be huge tonight. Yeah, the Dodgers need to score first, They need to put up a zero first and I feel like the first inning is going to decide a lot tonight.
For Walker Bueller, that first inning has been his nemesis, David. He has given up runs early in games in his starts, and.
He even, oh, geez, thanks a lot, Tim.
Well, that's not a secret to anybody. But he even talked about it, David, when you guys spoke to him yesterday. He even admitted the first inning is going to be really important for him to get over that hurdle because he feels good the rest of the way.
After that, without a doubt, and it would be great for the Dodgers to score in the top of the first inning. Look, they've played from behind each of the first two games. Not one to nothing, but three to nothing, four to nothing. That's not a way to live. And everybody on the Dodgers believe they have to score first to give themselves a real chance to win tonight.
Yeah, David, looking at these two pitchers tonight, Michael King to me is kind of like going under the radar a little bit. This guy is tough, thirteen to nine with a two ninety five. He struck struck out over two hundred batters. What I like about him is he might fit into the Dodgers though the way their lineup is structured, especially if you get sho Heyo Tani on first base. This guy throws from a big crossfire like a right handed Chris Saale. His pop time is not
going to be great to home plate. This is a great time for the Dodgers to create havoc on the base pass led by Shoeo Tani.
Man, I didn't realize that, Steve, but something to look for tonight, for sure. You know, everybody talks about Michael King, and yes, he's had a great year, but Dack like he's John Smoltz. He's Michael King, you know. I mean, I know everybody loves him down here in San Diego, and he's had a great year, but he's not invincible. He's not unhittable. Last week at Dodgers Stadium, he pitched
five scoreless but they got him out of the game. So, you know, talking to players that have played in this division, they said the Dodgers have to a at least score five or six runs b be able to turn this into a dogfight and really make it like a bullpen game. And if the Dodgers can get King out of there by the fourth or fifth inning, I feel like that's in their favor.
David, you were at pet Pill Park yesterday for the workouts and media availability. Mookie Bett spent a lot of time reportedly around that cage yesterday talking to hitting coaches and getting a lot of swings in yesterday.
Right.
Yeah, My understanding was he was in the batting cage inside for at least three or four hours, just taking swing after swing try to, you know, figure things out. And honestly, Steve, you know this, that's I don't believe that's going to accomplish what MOOKI wants to accomplish. He's going to find a way to block everybody out. Yeah, yeah, I don't even think you should have spoke to the media yesterday. Quite honestly, he should just block everything out
and not be aware of what people are saying. And three or four hours in the batting cage. I hope he found something, but he's got to be less aware of what people are saying about him.
Yeah, absolutely, no question, David. Uh And going more about this matchup against against Mike against King, Uh, you know, I look at the situation with Freddy Freeman being the left handed hitter. They're they're really guy that I think that stirs the drink in that lineup. You can talk about everybody else, including show Ay, but my guy, I
gotta have Freddy Freeman in there. He's going against a guy that's uh, that's not as tough on left handers, and I think Freddie Freeman is the guy that's going to got to be in that lineup to kind of thwart what Michael King brings to the table.
That would be great. I'm not sure if that's going to happen or not. It sounds like Freddy's trying to do everything he can to be in there tonight. I never saw him yesterday. He was gaining treatment the entire time. But even if he's nodded there, I still feel like the Dodgers are comfortable with Key k Hernandez getting for our bats, and you know, that's the reason why they signed Key k Hernandez, That's the reason why they kept Chris Taylor for October, and hopefully they get there at bats.
Dave.
Final thing for me, I want to go back to Walker Bueller and the way he's pitched down the stretch. Two of his three starts against the Padres was one of them in his final outing. Pitched well before that as well going into that start. Is this maybe the momentum he needed coming into the postseason. I know he talked about how this is.
What he wants. He wants the moment.
He wants to pitch on the big stage, certainly, but the up and down season he had. Can he take away some positives maybe from the way he finished.
Definitely, his last start was really good and he's been building towards getting on track for this moment. And the one thing that we can all say is that Walker Bueller is not to be scared tonight. He's not going to be intimidated, and that's the reason why the Dodgers line up their rotation to have him on the mount tonight, knowing that he would be pitching in this type of environment and he's proven it in the past that he could do this.
Well. David, I guess I got another one for you as well. I want to talk real quickly about the top of the lineup for this San Diego team. You know, Luisa rise as great as he's been throughout the course of the year. I mean, it's almost like you knock that guy down and you get him off his game, whatever whatever it takes to make sure that you get that first out. He's a tough guy to do that because you know, last three years he's won batting titles
with three different teams. How is it that Walker Bueller can approach.
This guy well. Number one, I've heard Luisa Rias has had a huge impact not only as the batting champion, but also in the Padres clubhouse. He's really challenged guys like Ben Machado not to give away at bats. And number two, he is the epitome of what the Padres are the Padres do not swing and miss, and the Dodgers defense has got to be ready for you know, anything, really,
and Walker Bueler is not a strikeout pitcher anymore. So it's going to be an interesting matchup starting with the rise and seeing how Buehler can get these outs.
Dave, we appreciate you being on with us this morning. It's gonna be a busy day for you, long day out at the park, and I'm sure we'll hear from you a couple more times before for pitch. Thanks Dave.
All right, guys, thank you.
David.
All right, there is our Dodger insider, David Vese in San Diego with the latest on this Dodger Padres Game three matchup. Stephen Nelson will join us coming up at the bottom of the holes. Get us some phone calls here, Saxon, Let's go to Terry and Ventura on sax and Kates and the Am on this Tuesday morning as we lead you into Game three. Terry, how you feeling this morning?
Nervous because I think this is the game of all games. I've been a Dodger fan, I guess since seventy six, seventy seven, seventy eight when I moved to La As I'm a retired physician.
Now, I was at the.
Game Sunday night, and you know, I think the key and even on one leg, Freddy was hitting line drives, and I think it's absolutely crucial that he play because Mookie. I love Moki as a person, I love his interviews and everything, but he's just in a prolonged slump and I can't count on him. I think, I think, you know, oh, Tiny's going to be good, but and you know, Smith's been so so I think Freddy's the key to our offense. And I think Deeler is going to pitch a really
good game. I think we can get the King. I'm just really concerned so that that's number one. And my brother lives in San Diego. He's so nervous he could have been watched the game. I have to text him to tell what's going on now. Number two and this will be the most unpopular take you'll ever hear. I wish they hear me out. I wish they would invent
nothing medically. I'm retire physician, where you could put some kind of a patch as they sell alcohol after the fourth inning on a fan, and if the blood alcohol's point oh eight, they don't get anymore. Because the reason that whole thing happened is because of people come to a game, they have a beer, than another, than another, then another. I've been sitting at these games and that's the way the fans are, and these fans have left the overall guests up on alcohol. And I realized the
concessions are more than Dodger dogs. It's really alcohol. They used to sell my tickets run the loads. They used to sell Wessel's prestels. Now it's all alcohol, big cans of alcohol. And it's just the way it is. And I understand I'm not a teetotaler. I'm just saying every baseball state and people go there have the beer, and when it's playoffs and this and that, these fans get riled up on alcohol. And I wish there was a way somehow the decrease alcohol input. I know that's an
unpopular thought. I just thought i'd share it.
I appreciate it, Terry.
If you can invent it, I'd invest in it because I think that'd be kind of cool to have something like that. But yeah, certainly, just to touch on what he said too, on Sunday night. You have to believe by the seventh inning alcohol did factor into the escalation of that, without a doubt it. It didn't happen in the first two inning exactly exactly happened at the seventh inning for a reason. Everything kind of snowballed. It was the perfect storm, including alcohol, and it was just unfortunate
that it did happen. Eight six six nine seven two five seven. Let'sueeze another call before we take a break. Eric in Hollywood joins us here on Saxon Kate's and ams. Eric, how you feeling before game three.
To night God jerky sho Yo got the coffee. I'm fired up about this game. For me, it's zero zero, so we went to it. We go on, Yo, Steve. I gotta ask you, man, I think it's hard to drop Mooki out of the two hole. Bro. Just tear me out a little bit, drop him out of the two hole, let him get his berries direct and we can move somebody in. I'm thinking lucks and the two hole. By help out and just get up going man. Just look, man, he's getting a lot of money and and he's he's
probably trying to work through and he's s ginddy. All the coaches are talking to him, but he's trying to feel it out, but it's not happening. You gotta maybe you gotta give up a little.
Uh.
You know, Hey, you're gonna be in the five hole today and he'll be like what, I'm a two hole hitter, you know, then he might work his way in. That's my thoughts on that. And you know what that bueler thing, man? I heard it was a bunch of padre pass that robbed him at Sannadina. What do you guys know about that?
Ben don't know anything about that, Eric, But I'm gonna completely disagree with you about moving Mookie Best out of the life. The last thing you want to do is have Mooky you show up at the stadium today and say, hey, Mooke, you're hitting fifth, you're hitting six. I know you've hit one or two the entire season, and that's been our game plan since spring training. But we're gonna panic here and because of that, we're gonna put you lower in the line. Sactually, that's not gonna happen.
That's not good.
Imagine if Tam tell me the stort that came into you and said, you're not batting lead off anymore. Hey, we're gonna switch the order up here in the postseason after everything we've gone through in the course of the regular season.
Then I'd say, well then I'm not playing.
No.
Look, uh, all with all due respect to uh to Eric, not gonna happen. No, you're gonna win, win or die with it. Uh And uh No, I'm not moving Mookie. I'm keeping him right up there. That's my man. And uh, if we're gonna win it, he's gonna be hitting second.
So we keep going back to Freddie Freeman and his availability tonight, and it sounds to me like David Vassi doesn't sound too confident that Freddie Freeman's gonna play now. Certainly, I hope that is not the case and the treatment works and he's able to play. It's an ankle sprain. I know, it's those are tough, you know, it's in an athlete. It's it's hard to come back from that.
They linger.
I understand that sexy, But if there's one position that you can probably get away with with a bum ankle, it's first base. Yeah, because the lack of running and coverage over at that position. I mean I know it's easy to say it from the outside looking in, but it's like sprained ankle.
And he stole second. Remember he stole second during the game. So look, I I think that if Freddy can walk, if Freddy can crawl, he's gonna play. There's this is there's no bigger tomorrow, there's no bigger than today. There's He's He's gonna be in there and he'll play. I have no doubt about it. So but I know what you mean. It's it's an ankle, right, I mean, hey, look, not to minimize it, but it's like it's not a lot happens, though you got to realize that a lot
happens with that lower half. You're footing, your your stability when you're hitting is everything. And if you can't push off that front side, you know you can be able to drive the ball, and you know you have a chance to roll that thing over when you're hitting, because you put a lot of pressure on your feet when you're when you're making contact with the ball. So you know what, But Dodger's got a good training staff. They're they're excellent, and I think they're gonna have him ready.
I would splint that sucker if I had to, Hey, shoot it up, splint it whatever you have to do. But you know, if I can crawl, I'm gonna be able to walk. If I can walk, I'm playing.
That's I'm on Amazon right now. I think I can Amazon prime him an ankle brace?
Would you do that?
Four three pm?
Today?
I think you do it as a pet cap. If it meant he played tonight, I would drive it down at the nine o'clock this morning. Yeah, I'd get it down there. I'd send one to Vassie or i'd have it, you know for pick up at Dick Sporting Goods or something for him, for vass A to go take it to him.
Yeah, I mean.
Yes, splint it up, put a brace on it, little numbing cream, little numbing cream around that thing. Ever.
That stuff they used to do they spray on there. Yes, that did. That didn't even work. It looked good. It kind of looked good as a topical.
He doesn't there. You watch soccer games. Look at soccer games. The guy falls on the ground.
Screaming like like he broke his leg, and then two minutes later he's.
O game Right, they spray that stuff on him all of a sudden. He's fine, Well, spray that thing up and spray it up between the ease exactly.
Whatever it takes.
He is Steve Sachs, I have Tim Kaines. He is absolutely right. Whatever it takes, you gotta win Tonight it's a must win. Game three in this best of five series is all tied up at a game and piece coming up. Stephen Nelson will join his voice of the Dodgers. Get his thoughts on this rivalry, this series. Mookie Betts was Manny Machado throwing at Dave Roberts. Well, a lot of fire utter This Dodgers team, well, they'd be like Rocky, get knocked down, but get back up. Game three Tonight,
it's Sax and kateson AM. If you lead you up, walla Wall coverage, Dodgers Padres on your Homer Show, Hey and the Dodgers an Fhi seventy ice Sports. Mookie Betts walk up song. Dodgers need Mookie to be Mookie tonight. Dodgers need Mookie Betts to be Mookie Betts of the regular season. Dodgers need Mookie best to get out of his own head.
Is that the words to the song.
I'm not even literally listening to be honest with you.
I like your words. Tim put it on the floor, and.
Again, I think that's what the name of the song is. You know, I'll be honest with you, Saxy. This is not in my rotation of songs. No, no, this is not in between Morgan Wallen and uh mm hmm my other songs I'm listening to. Unfortunately, Okay, but hey, it gets Mookie Hypes. Just walk up a song out of Dodger Stadium, Dodgers on the road in San Diego tonight, which is gonna be rocking, Saxy. Petco Park is gonna be on fire and early on as if I say
alluded to it, You've talked about it. It's no secret the Dodgers need to get off to a good start in that first inning. If they go one, two, three, and Michael King throws seven pitches in that first inning and the Dodgers are chasing, they're making bad swings or getting themselves out, that place is not gonna get quiet all of a sudden. No, that place is gonna stay rocking for the rest of the inning.
Yeah. Aggressive in the zone, aggressive for good pitches to hit. That's the key. Yeah, try it. Not to chase. Of course, nobody wants to chase. But I don't agree with, you know, extending a sequence of pitches just to get a lot of pitches, that's to me. I know that's a popular thing today, and frankly, I think it sucks. I think it's a terrible way to approach hitting. I've talked to many a good hitter, and all of them don't agree
that that's a prolific way to go to it. In other words, you take two pitches down the center of the plate that you could smack and hit out of the ballpark just because you want to go deep in the count, and then you wind up hitting a three two slider on the black of the plate at the knees. Oh, that's a good sequence that I want to go through.
That's a pitch I want to hit. No. No, if look, if it goes deep in the count because you don't get a pitch to hit and you have to foul off a couple until you live for another pitch and get a good pitch to hit, then that's okay. I'd go three to two deepen the count every single time. But I'm not going to give up two cookies because I want to hit on three and two. That's crazy. Nobody would tell you to do that.
And there's there's a difference, you know, ambushing a guy swinging early first pitch because he's got a tendency to throw a certain type of pitch early in the count, right, and as supposed to just swinging just to go out there and swing.
No, And that's that's another word ambush. What is ambush means that the pitcher screwed up. He threw you a pitch right down the middle. And that's not an ambush. That's that's a smart thing to do. I mean, look at these major league pitchers are so good that you might get one pitch to hit. If you get two pitches to hit internet bat, consider yourself lucky that you missed the first one. You better not miss the second one. Ted Williams, I mean, it doesn't get any better than him.
One time in spring training he told me, I'm gonna give you some advice that will take you through your career. And I'm like, yes, my years got real big, Yes, Ted Williams, Yes, Ted Williams, do whatever you say. And he said the most important thing in hitting is to get a good pitch to hit, and you know what, we've heard that our whole lives.
But that's pretty simple.
When Ted Williams says it, I'm perking up a little bit. So the idea is that if you get a good pitch to hit, go get it and don't miss it because you might not get another one. I mean, why should you sacrifice two good pitches to hit and say just to go to a three to two count because I'm gonna work the pitcher. You know what, He'll work himself enough if he's not throwing strikes.
Well.
The philosophy nowadays is let's get these starting pitchers out of there as fast as possible by getting their pitch count as high as possible quickly.
Okay, then be selective and get a pitch in your area that you can drive. And if you get it, drive it, and you know what, you can get him out of the game quicker that way, by depositing a couple of balls over the fence. That'll get him out of the game quick, no doubt about it.
Joining us now, Voice of the Dodgers. You see him on sports in at LA. You hear him right here on a five seventy LA Sports on the call for this NLDS. You heard his call in game one, in Game two, they'll be back on it in Game three tonight from PA go Park. He is Stephen Nelson and he joins us here on Saxon Kates in the am on a FI seventy LA Sports Nelly, Good.
Morning, Good morning guys.
How we living doing pretty good?
Getting fired up for Game three tonight, must win game for the Dodgers and this is now best of three series for the Blue This series, though, the rivalry you keep hearing about, how this thing is escalated into a feverish rivalry between the Dodgers and Padres, a heated rivalry, certainly after what happened in Game two. Do you think this is living up to what has now become a rivalry between these two franchises.
Yeah, I think this is what I think from a sport in a league perspective, this is what you want, This is exactly what you want. You want the drama, you want, the spice. Personally, me personally, I can't wait for six a week because I'm tired of hearing about all the stuff we've been listening to the last day. To be honest, like I just want to play baseball
and watch a baseball game. That's just me. But at like, like you, if I are to step back and take a big picture view, I think this is exactly what you want and exactly what you if you're Major League Baseball. Like, the series have already done their job, like the base between the line stuff. First time ever that all four division series are tied one to one. But so now it's like which one do you want to watch? Well, you're gonna tend to drift toward the one with more
drama and more magnetism and more star power. And that's of course Los Angeles and San Diego. So yeah, I think I think Major League Baseball is ecstatic that they're seeing what they're seeing and hearing since Sunday.
Yeah, Steven to Steven, good, good to be with you, Steven.
Hey, it's with you, Steve.
And I like the way you spell your name. I was looking at that same year.
Hey, lease spell it right.
Yes, I'm looking at this. I'm looking at this matchup tonight, Michael King me give him his due. The guys had a really great year this year, but I think we need to be uber aggressive on this guy. I'm not saying to go out and try to wave it, pitches out of the zone and whatnot. But this guy brings a little bit of a different flare. He's got that big crossfire delivery. I think there's chances to exploit them,
especially from the left side. I think on the base path you can need to be uber aggressive because his pop time to home play cannot be good. With as big as he is long delivery and the fact that he's at crossfire, I think you need to go out and take the game to this guy.
I'm with you, Steve, I really am like and the and the Dodgers, look, they've seen him a few times now, I mean three starts and other appearance obviously the appearance out of the pend in Korea. That's those are the memories that the Dodgers would prefer the channel because the other three starts that he made, the Padres won all those three games. So, but but I'm with you, like and and Mookie Batt's like, that's that's a big, big
focus right for the Dodgers. Off offensively, he only's got a couple of hits against King and ten a B's that both hits their home runs, and so I mean, so there's there. There's there's something there to what you're saying there to see. Absolutely when it comes to Michael King.
And granted he he's coming off a really excellent start, I mean, seventh scroll, twelve twelve punchies like you know, so he's it's easier said than done, let's say, against Michael King, but it's there in front of the Dodgers to take it to him, and I really do think that they have to take it to him. Well. Going into Game one, uh Mo and I talked about this is the only thing that I care about is a scoreless first inning. It didn't happen, and either in either
of those games dominate the first inning. That's all I cared about, and it didn't happen. So you know what kind of atmosphere you're walking into tonight in Petco Park and you have show hey, O, Tommy and Mookie bets bang bang against Michael King in the top of the first the Dodgers have the same opportunity that the Padres did in Games one and Games two to set the tone and suck the life out of the building.
To follow that up, Walker Buehler, as you mentioned, another guy that needs to put up a zero because the Dodger starters just haven't been able to do that in this first inning. And Walker talked about it last night at his media availability. He knows, he knows what this means for him. He knows he needs to go out there and put up a zero to keep his team in this game early and not put him in a deficit. I just hope we see the Walker Buehler Stephen that we saw in the last two or three starts at
the end of the regular season. Maybe can build on that momentum here in October.
One hundred percent. I think, like you said, must win, Kate, and I agree wholeheartedly. I mean because the numbers bear that out. When the best of five series, when it's tied one to one, the winner of Game three goes on to win the series seventy three percent of the time. Take back home field and win tonight. You have to win tonight because Walker Buehler has that postseason big game, gotta have it pedigree. With respect to land and Neck,
he does not yet. I'm not saying he won't deliver or can't deliver and won't turn into that guy or can't turn into that guy. But if you're picking on paper, you'd rather have Walker Buhler, and they do tonight now, Walker Buehler said yesterday's media availability. This is in the same padres that the Dodgers beat up on over the years. It's not and this is not the same Walker Buhler
that we've seen on big stages over the years. So it's I mean, that's something's got to give there, right, Well, you know who which Walker Buler are.
Going to get?
And is he going to dominate the padres again like like he used to Dodgers certainly, hope so the last time out, Like it wasn't perfect when he helped when he started the NLS clincher against San Diego Dodgers Stadium, but it was gutty. I mean, he didn't have didn't get a lot of swing and miss put the ball on the ground, but he put out the ground on the ground at defenders. So you know, I think I factual would probably agree to you. I don't care so
much about the punch outs. I care about the outs. Yeah, So uh so let's let's let's see that same Walker Bueler again. He doesn't need to blow it by for Anando tatist junior who's got numbers against them. He doesn't need to blow it by Many Machado. The Dodgers fans would love to see Many Machadda go down swinging. Uh, just just get him out and if that means getting the ball on the ground, I'm okay with that too.
But the fact that Walker has been here before and done this before, it does at least give you some sort of confidence or comfort knowing that he's the one start in Game three.
Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more, Steven and and you know what. You know what else you give the Dodger fans some comfort is it's not look all the all the focuses on of course show Hey o Tani and Mookie Betts and and all that. But look, there's been some good things about this Dodger, the Dodger lineup. I mean, heck, they won ninety eight games this year. I see Tommy Edmund laying bunch down. Munsey's still hitting the ball with some authority. Ta Oscar Hernandez is one
of the most dangerous hitters in the league. He's still swinging the bad good. Gavin Luck seems to be coming a lot. Look, there's reasons for the Dodgers to look at this series and say, it's not just about show Hey and Mookie, but they've got a great supporting cast. I did. I didn't even I didn't even mention, you know, the rest of the team that's been doing pretty well throughout this season. This team has the ability to explode on you. This was a best offense in the National League.
Yeah, it's actually in. It has to be more than show Hey and Mookie. I know that that's kind of the narrative that's building up as Mookie's postseason slump has continued. The Dodgers can't win unless Mookie hits. Well if they showed down the stretch. Actually, they can win when Mooki doesn't hit because he wasn't hitting down the stretch. And so it has to be one through nine, just not one and two or one two three or one two and four. So I agree like Will Will Smith had
a big hit in the clincher. Need more hits. He's got four walks in the series, but no hits. I think that, you know, there weren't a lot of positives, or hardly any positives out a Game two, but I think Max Munsey seeing the ball leave the yard and having that feel of a good swing at the end of the game. That's something that could generate some momentum for him personally heading into tonight in Game number three.
Are going loving the passes from Gavin Lux the last two weeks now PEO's tail and so.
Yeah it.
I'm with you. I'm with you completely that it has to be more than one and two for the Dodgers, and their resume and their talent says that it can be. So hopefully that comes to fruition tonight.
Steven, I'm sure you've seen it heard about this ball that was thrown by Machado in between the six hands on Sunday night, and Dave Roberts last night called it unsettling and disrespectful for him to throw it towards him in the dugout there on the third base side. We were talking about this earlier. You know, this is a Padres team that loves to fuel the fire. They love to ride the momentum of something that happens, and that's why they kind of antagonize on the flip side. We're
talking about this. Maybe Dave Roberts can use this to kind of feel the belly of the Dodgers. Hey, guys, they were throwing a ball at me. Let's rally around together. Wrong the road, We're in somebody else's hostel, Hiles house, there a Techo park. Let's come together and you know, let's let's go out and get this thing and put a little fire their belly.
I mean, look, whatever it takes, whatever it takes, like exactly, I don't know. And and King TC. I don't know how you guys felt about the all this this the ball throwing drama. Uh uh. This is just me personally. I'm not inside the Dodger clubhouse. Obviously, I'm not a huge fan of how it's playing out. I just I do think that it's playing into the padres hands and feeding and fueling their fire more than it is generated. Again, just from the outside, that's how I would perceive it.
I would much rather them act as if this the Padres or those actions aren't relevant, because look the way this Dodger Padre relationship has been over the years, right, it is what big brother little brothers and I thought like the like. For example, if PA Ponder fans are going to complain about Joe Davis on the broadcast, Jeff Passing clap back, right said, if you want to stop being a little brother, stop acting like a little brother. Well now I think, I think, I think what we're seeing.
What we're seeing now is that little brother is now a teenage little brother, and so the teenage little brother is starting to do some things that really irks and annoys the big brother, right like and okay, like this is so stupid and silly and immature, but it's eating at me as the big brother. The little brother thinks it's great because now he's getting a rise at a little brother. That's how I perceive all this to happen. All this that's happening in front of us. So that's
why I don't necessarily love it. But but if inside those four walls TC, if that is starting to add an extra log on the fire to taoscar and Ands who was their top step next to Doc and he was upset when the ball got there, If that ex add an extra log to the fire, to the rest of the boys, then then be bad as it may, or let that be what it is. That that's fine, I will take it. But that's that's my fear a little bit with all this, is that it's playing into
that hand. I would much rather you say nothing and do something between the lines. Yeah, that's that. That that's how you shut them up.
Yeah, that's you got that, Steven. Hey, Stephen, this will be my last one. Is I want to just point this out too. I want to face Machado. I want to face uh, you know, I want to I want to face guys like that. When there's two outs, that's the best, that's the best time to go out and really challenge these guys. If they have the solo home run, let it be that. I can't have a rise in boguards getting on that base and really compounding the situation.
I want to face guys that they're the big hitters for this team when there's two outs, I don't want to face them with guys on the base.
No.
Yeah, And that's that's why I strike one out one that's so important. But unfortunately, like that's been a of all season Saxty, right, like we've seen it, the first to strike percentage, or getting the lead off first inning, first innings, like gosh, we're talking about that every single for every single starter. We just need him to get off to a good start because e r A in the first inning is nine, and then d r A
after the first inning is two. It's like, but but then the first innings always seem seemed to buy them. So yeah, have both fingers both to all the toes crossed that you just that when Walker knows this right, It's just you can't work from behind. It's hard to work from behind, especially well, it's hard to work from ahead against the Rise. He's the best two strike hitter in the game. But but but but he'll he'll put it, put the ball in play and make contact. So h, I'm with you.
It's just.
You can't walk guys, especially at the bottom of the order. Uh, And you can't get into hitters counts in front of these dangerous dogs. Especially the way Tatis is playing right now. My god, he's just yeah, he just he's on a different he's on a different level right now. The ball looks like a beach ball to him, especially for him, you know in postseason play, like his numbers in the first innings or are stupid. Just the way he's getting on base. So us, that's a huge part of this game,
no question. And you just spat on bringing that up. It's got to be an area focus for the Dodgers staff.
He is Steven Nelson to be on the call tonight right here on AM five seventy l A Sports him and Rick Monday. We'll have Dodgers on deck starting at five pm first pitch, with Nelly coming up at six six o eight. Steven, appreciate you joining us this morning. Hopefully the Dodgers will get this game three win tonight.
Thanks Steven, Zaxy Zaxy TC. Have a good night. Hopefully we're celebrating the game three when we talked to them.
Absolutely appreciate it.
There he goes.
Steven Nelson joins us here on Saxon Kates and A. When we come back, we'll get Steve's keys to a game three win. It's Saxon Kate's in the AM Game three to night of the n LTS right here on FI seven Sports. It's Game three of the nld AS tonight in San Diego, Dodgers A deck get started at five pm first pitch. Dodgers padres at six oh a. Power by Zenchi Sushi, Fast, fresh and easy available at local rouse supermarkets right there next to the deli counter.
Steve Sacks Tim Kats wrapping things up here on this Tuesday morning to lead you out to first pitch tonight right here on your home of the Dodgers am FHI seventy LA Sports. Thanks to Stephen Nelson for coming on just the last seven. David Vasse, our Dodger Insider, joined us earlier this hour. All Right, Saxy game three tonight. This thing is tied up at a game of piece. What are Steve's keys to a Game three win tonight?
Okay, well, you know what I'm gonna say. It'll almost sound cliche, but I'm gonna go with it anyway. Hey, the first inning is huge for Walker Buehler. It's going to gain confidence for him. It's gonna set him on a path with momentum and he can maybe go through. And I need seven innings. I need six or seven from Walker. One or two runs will be fine, but I need almost like a blowout pitching performance from Walker Buehler tonight. And listen, these times call for that. You
got to have it. And you know what'd be nice, It'd be nice to kind of turn the tables immediately and have like a ten to two Dodger victory for a chance. So I need a blowout on both sides. I need Walker to come out, give me six, keep it under two or two innings or one or two runs. I'm sorry. And then I need the offense to kill it too. In a blowout session. Double digit and runs for the Dodgers tonight, I think that's called for and they can do it.
You think Freddy Freeman plays tonight with I.
Think I think he plays. I think if Freddie Freeman had to pull a Ronnie Lot and cut it off and peg leg it with a wooden leg and put a shoe on the end of it and go out there and just bury that front side so he can at least hit and then crawl the first base after he hits it, I think he plays. Yes, I think south of that he's gonna play.
I think tonight we're gonna see Mooky Becks breakout. I don't know if it's his first of bat. I don't know winning the game it is, but I expect at some point tonight Mookie Bets will deliver with a big hit for this Dodgers team. Whether it sparks a rally, continues a rally, whether it's a home run, I don't know what it is, but I got this feeling tonight is the night this over is last twenty two in the postseason comes to an end tonight for bets.
See. That's why I said blowout, and of course Mooki is included in that, but I didn't want to put the spotlight on him. I want to kind of take the little pressure off him and just say a team blowout, offensive attack tonight. Mooki will be part of that. But man, I gotta see Walker in that first inning. I want to see him go out a rise and don't let him, don't walk in, go at him and make him earn it. I think if he gets those three outs, he's gonna be on his way.
The emotions of this game, the fans are gonna be crazy. We know that their first The more the better to be in it. Yeah, how important is it to take this crowd out of the game.
It's huge. I mean bring it. I mean the more the better. You want to face the Padres at their best. You want everybody on their team at their best. You want the fans to be as loud as they can possibly possibly be and then start doing some shoving. That's what I gotta say.
I think Walker Bueler is absolutely the key. It is imperative. He comes out there in the first inning and puts up a zero. Whether the Dodgers put up a four spot, they don't score a run, they score one run in the top half of the first thing, and they go down in seven pitches, doesn't matter. Whatever the Dodgers do or don't do in the top half of the first inning. The bottom of the first inning is the key to this game. You mentioned it.
It is.
The most important thing is to put up a zero. So the Dodgers, I think, offensively, don't have to start chasing and they'll have to look at the scorebarning and say, gosh, darn it again.
You gotta stop them in the first inning. But listen, I need a Dodger offensive absolute blowout tonight. This is this is a time to do it, and boy they can bring it. Saxy will do it again tomorrow six am. Let's do it, gotcha see tomorrow, buddy. All right, there he is Steve Sax. Thanks to Michelle. Thanks for all you Dodger fans for being a part of the show today.
Coming up next, it's Colin Calherd coming up in noon, Rogan and Rodney two at clock, a flex alert, Petro some money show leading you all up to Dodgers Baseball. Dodgers Padres Morongo Casino, Dodgers on deck. We'll get it started at five pm. First pitch from Petco is at six oh eight.
Dodgers Padres must win game tonight. No other place has it except you're home of the Dodgers. A f I seventy LA Sports