Dodgers Territory - Stephen Nelson Returns! Getting Right at the Right Time, Greeting GHOSTS in Milwaukee

Episode Date: August 14, 2024

As the Dodgers look to continue their hot streak, DT hosts Alanna Rizzo and Clint Pasillas welcome LA play-by-play man Stephen Nelson back to the show to talk about the latest in Dodger nation.Despite battling injury woes all season long, pieces are coming together at the right time for the boys in blue. Mookie Betts emphatically announced his return to the lineup and to right field. Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone are trending in the right direction. And the team is set to welcome back Walker Buehler, Max Muncy, and deadline addition Tommy Edman.We dive into all of that with Nellie plus talk Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Milwaukee's "ghost hotel" and much more on another edition of Dodgers Territory!Leave a rating/review for this pod to support the channel!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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And that's, you know, it's general manager, head coach manager, and broadcaster. What is up, everybody? Welcome to a special episode of Dodgers Territory on this Wednesday afternoon. We are your host. That is my friend Clint Paseas. I am Alana Rizzo taking you through the next 30 minutes. A lot to talk about. So make sure you like us.

Subscribe. Give us five stars. Let's get our subscribers up. We always appreciate the input. Don't forget to load up the questions in the chat. Clint's very good about seeing that. And the chat will get to as many of them as we can. Let's get right to it.

Let's get to the big ticket. All right, Clint, the Dodgers have won the first two games in the Millet, Wauke, going into the series. We thought that this was going to be a good one. Two division leaders going head to head, very likely, a possibility of seeing this team in the postseason. What stands out to you so far for the first two games? The Dodgers look healthy.

Things look like they're finally coming together. what we expected for this team. Kershaw doing Kershaw things, almost looking, dare I say, vintage. You wonder if it's the Brewers are bad or Kershaw's good. I like to go with the ladder on that one. Gavin Stone putting up his best start in a couple of about a month and a half. You're getting the things you want. You're also getting Marcus Linn Betts back in the lineup,

and that's just a difference maker. It makes that lineup so much longer. More weapons coming down the road next week, but you got to love Mookie Betts back in that lineup. Well, you said Kershaw, getting back to vintage Kershaw. Let's give a little bit of props, too, to Gavin Stone. Stoner, as you like to call him, five innings three hits, no walks, one earned run, six Kays. Also, Landon Nack looking good as well. I tell you what, this starting staff that made me proud over the course of the first two games of this four game series. I mean, you have Clayton Kershaw, getting back to the bread and butter, Clint, that devastating curve ball. We know he used the curve a lot more. He used the slider a lot more. He was tweaking with the change up over the last couple of seasons. but do what got you there. Stick with what got you there. And it's obviously the curve for Kirsch.

The curve, that slide piece looking like it's got a nice bite, good separation from the fastball. Fastball ticking up as the start went on a little bit. I think he opened the start, but like, you know, throw an 89 and then you start to worry a little bit. But as long as he's able to get it up in that 90, 91, the slider plays that much better. And then again, you mentioned Stone. It's been a bit of a struggle for Gavin Stone of recent vintage. to see that and just kind of seem throwing a little bit of everything.

The fastball had some bite to it. The command was there. That was a massive thing. He was painting on that strike zone. But to see him get in there, get out after five, maximize the, you know, having landed knack there because you knew he was going to be the guy to be sent out. For tonight's starter, the return of Walker Bueller, who we'll talk about in a little bit. But Mookie, I want to know.

What did you think about Mookie in his first two games back in the lineup? In the two hole, I love it. I mean, we thought that we knew that Mookie was going to be back in the two hole. He's not going to lead off the game. That's still going to be Shohay Otani's position. But I love it. I mean, talk about what you want to see from a guy that you don't necessarily know how it's going to be in time in terms of rhythm and timing, a guy that broke his hand. It takes a minute to see if he's going to be healthy enough to be able to do what he did. He did. And it's great to see that. And again, having Mookiee bets in the lineup and wherever he's going to play defensively is only going to make your team better. But you know what impressed me just as much as what Mookie Betts did? I'm used to show Hey Otani hitting home runs, like whatever. But how about your boy, my boy, Gavin Lux? Whatever Gavin Lux did with his uncle over the course of the All-Star break when he was back in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin, which is obviously where the Brewers play in Milwaukee,

it worked. Whether it's the confidence in feeling like your knee is okay to do what you need to do with your body and getting a swing adjustment, Gavin looks really good. Yeah, it looks like this is the real deal. We saw it starting a little bit before that All-Star Break, but everything kind of clicked during that All-Star Break and ever since that point. And I'm bought in. I'm bought in all the way.

This is the real deal. And what I like is you're starting to see him sell out a little bit for power. So spring training, 2023, a few days before the knee incident happened, I spoke with him in the clubhouse there at Camelback Ranch. and he talked about how pissed he was at himself for only hitting six home runs the year prior. His great year, you know, it was very nice year in 2022, but he wanted power. He had power coming up through his career. So now if you're starting to see him get a little more launch, a little more lift on that baseball,

he's always stroked the ball hard, which is a phrase I wish I didn't say, but he hits the ball very hard. And if he's able to get a little lift, a little launch, what he told us a couple weeks ago when he was on the show, he said he was tired of grounding out hard to second base. So now you just change that angle a little bit, get the ball up in the air, and you could go big fly for Luxie.

So to have that seventh, eighth, ninth in the lineup, wherever he ends up when everybody's back, that's a massive weapon to have in this lineup. And tells you why the Dodgers were so hesitant to give up on him. Tells you why Alana Rizzo was so hesitant to give up on Gavin Luxe. By the way, welcome back Big Willie style. Will Smith looked great. for four last night. We were wondering what was going on with him, but I also said that I wasn't

worried about him because, again, you go through slumps in this game, but he looked really good offensively. And again, as a catcher, your main priority is getting your pitching staff through the game, but we are blessed to have a catcher that can hit and has some pop too. What did you like about his approach, his at-bats? Well, there's the operative word approach. You're seeing a change. He was chasing a little bit more than he's used to over the last, I mean, weeks, maybe month or longer. He's taking his walks. He's not expanding the zone.

And he's himself. He's selling out for power a little bit. He's getting that bad head behind on pitches a lot. He was behind on the high fastball, the high cheddar a lot. So to see him crank that Homer in his happy zone in his wheelhouse to left field, get another double also down the line, that's something. that is huge for this lineup when you're talking about him even moving down hitting in that six spot or if he ends up moving back up to the four spot until Oscar is in the six spot down the road.

I don't think they mess with that, but still, very good problem to have and have Willback doing will things. I said, even, hey, the Milwaukee broadcast said it, arguably one of the most underrated players, underrated catcher does not get enough flowers in this game. I'm saying that all season long and then we're starting to see that will, that version of Willie Back. Yeah, and the same thing can be said for their catcher. Contreras doesn't get enough credit either.

So two catchers in this game that deserve a lot more flowers. How about we get into behind the seams? Let's do it. And we are pleased to welcome back, Stephen Nelson, who, by the way, has the highest rated Dodgers territory appearance in the history of our podcast. Does that's the Nelson rejoining the program, my friend. I don't even know. I'm surprised I could share the same airspace with you. Okay. All right. That's enough. You took a step too far. Welcome back. Welcome back. Welcome back.

So what has been your impression so far, my friend, of the Dodgers and the first two games of this four game set? Well, first and foremost, I'm glad that my mom just hitting refresh on YouTube that adds to the count. That's the only explanation. It's the only explanation for me having the highest rated show. It's great to be back with you guys first and foremost. My impressions of the Dodgers, these first two games of the series is, hell yeah. Let's go. I mean, because with all due respect to the guys who are trying to hold down the fort, you know, without Mookie, without Muncie, obviously, with Freddie away from the team,

it is something when you plug those two back in there to the five, ten, whatever best players in the world back in the same lineup, what that can do for a team. It's amazing. So it just really, you guys are just sort of hitting on it. I mean, the good problems that this front office and Doc and his staff are going to have over the coming weeks trying to be like, hmm, do we want to bat will here or here? We put Muncie here or here. Do we slot Edmund here or here? I mean, that is really, it's really fun to think about and kind of play within your own head.

And, okay, this is what it looks like versus right. this is what it looks like versus left. So yeah, I think those are those are the first things that come to mind these first couple games. Yeah, so I'm calling it getting the band back together. Kershaw said it after a start on Monday, you know, finally looking like the team they were expecting to have out there. They're already doing well. They're already streaking.

They're already striding here. What do you think two players coming back? Max Muncie and Tommy Edmund are going to bring to that lineup? I mean, just even more length. I mean, it's just, look, I think it's a, this is a great spot for Tommy because on one hand, this is a guy who hasn't played all year. And so if you were to be put in a spot where he's got to be some sort of savior for a club, I think that'd be really unfair. Because, I mean, he dealt with debilitating wrist injury last year that ultimately required surgery.

He was recovering from that and boom, then the ankle happens. So he hasn't been on a big league diamond facing big league pitching and big league stuff in quite some time. And so if you're to slot him in a lineup where he's required to do some any sort of heavy lifting offensively, I think that'd be unfair to him. But the front office has done a good job of giving him runway so one, he can get settled in with a new organization. And two, just kind of exhale after leaving the only baseball home he's ever known in St. Louis. And it's like, hey, just focus on center field. That's where we're going to play you. And that's where you're going to contribute.

And for Max, I mean, I can only imagine how frustrating the last three months have been for him. I mean, to go down with an oblique injury. And initially it's like, oh, minimum stay on the IL. And all of us were like, what oblique injury has ever just been the minimum of day? But we weren't expecting three months. And so the frustrations that he's endured in his rehabilitation process, to come back. I mean, again, it's just, it's, it's length and it's scary.

I mean, now, you know, instead of a club where at the beginning of the year, you're like, this is really top-heavy. And if show or Mook or Freddie, if any of them hit a cold stretch, it's like, who's going to beat you? Well, now you see what Teo is. If Will can get, continue what we've seen, you know, the last few games here in not even get back to where he was at the beginning, you're hitting. 320 or whatever. Just find that happy middle ground. Now there's not as many outs, you know,

Alana, we hear that all the time of the networking analysts that you're always looking at the other lineup and circling the out. There's less circles now. So that's ultimately a beautiful thing to think about for this team's long term and postseason potential. Stephen, we need outs from Walker Bueller. He comes back tonight. I mean, that can be a significant boost to the starting rotation of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that I still question whether there's enough starting pitching going into the postseason. Obviously, I love the addition of Jack Flaherty. Hopefully Yama comes back. We'll talk about that in a bit. But Walker Bueller, it's been an interesting ride since coming off of his second T.J. surgery. You saw him in his first, you know,

eight or nine starts before he hit the shelf again. What do you need to see from an analyst and a play-by-play perspective tonight from him? Well, I think the last time that I was on with you guys, who was on the heels of this starting in Cincinnati, and you're like, here we go, here's Walker. And you guys asked the question, like, how long you can give them? And I said a year because, I mean, this is great, but we don't get too high here. And then it got really low.

I mean, the last time we saw him on a big league mound was in your old home in Colorado, Alana, and that was, I mean, one of the worst starts we've ever seen from Walker Bueller. And so it's been a very unique path to get him back to this point, right? everybody knows that he went to Florida and impressive performance to just sort of deconstruct his delivery and then rebuild it back up and you know his last start in okayc he was really encouraged by that and and we all know how intuitive and um intellectual walker is how much he like he's just a mad scientist of his own craft and so if he's in a good place mentally and he feels like he's in a good place physically.

I'm going to take him at his word for that and then feel really encouraged heading into tonight and he's pitching in a place and against a team in which and against whom he's got a lot of positive memories. I mean, the first thing that came to mind when I was like Walker Bueller starting Milwaukee, I thought about game seven in 2018. Yes, right? He's faced this team three times in the postseason. He's pitched well against them.

And so, you know, he's got McKenzie and. in Finley here. So there's just all positive ingredients adding up to tonight. So for me, for Walker, tonight, what do I want to see? I don't know how much, how much length he's going to give. I don't know how long the leash is. I mean, the pens rested. So I think that the biggest goal is going to be getting him up the tunnel in a good headspace. And if that's five shutout frames, awesome if that's four and two-thirds he gives up a couple that's fine too you're just kind of looking for the stuff in command but um the last thing i'll say on on on walker is like you know he's still in that year's um cushion i was talking about last time with you where he's he's still figuring

out who he's got to be moving forward you know he's not going to be the same walker pump in 98 99 and that's okay he doesn't have to be um he has to be okay with that i don't know that he is yet. So I think that's just sort of this process. But if, like to your point about this team not having enough starting pitching, I think it's a fair, I think it's a totally fair question to ask of them. So if Walker can just be sort of a key cog, a dependable cog down the stretch, I mean, that's huge because you got glass and jack at the top right now. Yeah. I was I wanted to give some more love deluxe, but instead we're talking starting pitching. I got to pivot to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That's another one of the guys we know is coming back.

Big day for him on Friday. What's kind of the internal hope there in where Yamamoto can fit in and hopefully get back. And then all of a sudden we're talking about good problems in the lineup. You've got some really, really good problems in that starting rotation. If you have, you know, those three at the top when you're talking about Flaherty, you mentioned Glasnell. of course, Yamamoto and then Kirshah and then Bueller, if he pieces it all together. What's the, what's the hope? Where are we at with Yamamoto? You know, I see BC's note there at the bottom. Yamamoto is a must for October. You asked the word inside the organization, Clint. You said it twice, hope and hopefully.

I mean, I think the general consensus is shoulders are scarier than elbows these days. So when you see someone go down with a rotator cup strain or a shoulder injury, then your ears really perk up in the wrong way. So the fact that we've gotten nothing but optimism from Yamamoto in his limited meetings with the media and, you know, Doc, whenever he's asked about it and to Freeman in his spots on radio and with the media and what have you, you know, it's just kind of like cautious optimism. but again like he's got to build back up so he's going to see live hitters for the first time in st louis from the dodgers you know fly this uh for the series against the cardinals this weekend and so i mean you know i think people have that yankee stadium start in their minds for what you know their their line amamoto is now like oh that's what he can be that's what we expect but you can't expect that at least not out to shoot But the hope to go back to that word is, is that you have Tyler Glass now, Jack Flaherty, Clayton Kirschoff, Gavin Stone, Walker Bueller, Justin Robleski, you know, Landon Nack, you have all these guys who, you know, knock on wood here, knock on wood, they can give Yoshinobu a runway where he doesn't feel like he has to come back and throw a sick shutout that he can just kind of take

his time, you know, hone in on his mechanics and his delivery, not overextend himself. So he can be good to go a little bit deeper come October. But yeah, the word is hope. It is hope. I have a question for you. I one time tried to manage a game, a video game, was Scott Braun. We were doing just a little role play as far as how would you do this if you were a manager. I was terrible at it. So it's very difficult to ask this next question. Why was Ahmed Rosario, the one that was DFA'd? You think I got that answer? I mean, I don't understand.

I don't know a lot, but I was very confused at that move. What can you tell us as to why that makes sense? I'll add to it. Why did they acquire him for 11 at bat? I mean, again, both fair questions and far smarter people who have forgotten more involved than I'll ever know. We're at the helm of those decisions, right? So I'll preface my answer by saying that.

I do think, like, you know, trying to take ourselves back to the trade deadline. In that time, like, you know, Kike wasn't swinging it the way he is now, right? Like, he was just kind of getting used to the astigmatism diagnosis. And so there were just more question marks, right? like Gavin Lux wasn't rolling the way he is now. Granted, he was playing better by that point, certainly. So I just think that there were more questions. And so you were, again, this is me just speculating,

trying to put myself in the war room ahead of the deadline. Okay, like we have all these potential pieces coming back. We don't know when they're coming back or how effective they're going to be when they do come back. We have some guys who are underperforming, some versatile pieces that are underperforming. So let's give ourselves a safety net. There is no more waiver trade deadline, right, and things of that nature to help you after the non-waiver deadline anymore. So you got to make moves while you can.

And so then you get them in the fold and now Kike's starting to swing it. see it better and you know lux is you know firmly entrenched with some confidence you feel better about where Tommy and Max are in their rehab you know mukies coming back so I that's that again if I were to try and answer that question that's kind of like where my mind would go but ultimately I have no idea yeah we don't want you to get let's say we don't want him to get a text from from anybody that signs his paycheck so we'll We'll back away a little bit on. Yeah, thank you guys.

Or one of those ghosts. Hey, you stand at the Ghost Hotel or you put up in Mookie's Airbnb? What's the situation there? If I had that Beth Bankroll, I might be in an Airbnb. No, I am at the, I am at the Fister. I've been here before. I am a believer in ghosts and spirits. I'll just say that.

So whenever I come into this hotel in Milwaukee and I put my key card to the door and I walk in, I immediately address any and all spirits in here. I'm like, hi. I'm Steven. I just want to introduce myself. I am a guest in your home, in your room. I am not here to cause any problems. I will respect your space. This is not a joke.

I had this conversation two nights ago. We checked into the hotel. And I'm like, I am just here to work a baseball game and then I'll be on my merry way. Please do not terrorize me in my sleep. And to this point, like we've gotten along swimmingly. There haven't been any supernatural events yet. Knock on wood. I did have like my very first time I was working a game for like one of those Facebook games back in the day.

I was like a field reporter trying to be like Alana and failing miserably, sweating profusely. And that night, you know, there was a flickering in the, in the lampshade. So that was after that point, I was like, you know what? I feel like I need to address the elephant in the room. My elephant, I mean ghost. This is the best conversation I've ever had. Yes, that is a very interesting hotel. But it's, you know, it is what it is.

I am with you. Like sometimes I'm like, hello. My name is Alana. I'm just here to say hello. I come in peace. I don't want any problems. I don't want any trouble. Can I ask you one more question before we let you go?

Why do so many people on the internet want Dave Roberts fired? He has the best winning percentage of all active managers. His entire freaking starting rotation has been on the IL. The man has taken this team with the postseason every year that he's been there. And by the way, if it's not Dave Roberts, who's better? Yeah, Alana. So one, I'm with you. Two, that is why I am no longer on the bird app.

I've been off for, I think since the day O'Tani announced he was signing with the Dodgers. I think that was my last tweet or post, whatever it's called now. Because I generally just want to avoid that cesspool. Protect your energy, people. Protect your peace. So thankfully I'm not like swimming in those waters. Look, I heard from our dear friend Maddie v. Pretty early in Miami network tenure.

He's like, look, like, you know, sports fans, like they feel that they could do, I'm paraphrasing here. There's three jobs that they could do better than the people who do it. And that's, you know, it's general manager, head coach manager, and broadcaster. And so the sooner you just kind of make people. with that the better. So, and like Doc's aware of this too, right? He knows like what his position is and what it entails and sort of the the hazards that come with it, especially in the modern game.

You know, he's the one that is facing cameras and microphones twice a day, every day. He is the one speaking on behalf of the organization and the front office. He is the tip of the sword, so to speak, the representatives. So there are a lot of things that he speaks on and speaks to that. perhaps he is not the final word on, if that makes sense, right? So I think that's kind of the first thing. Look, so yeah, I think I'll think I'll leave it at that. Like, I am, there are certainly games where criticism is fair.

But I do, like by and large, like when we're at home and sometimes it's like, oh, the starting lineup is announced by Dave Roberts, and there's a smattering of booze. It just sort of shake my head. It's just a lack of feel. I mean, you know, no, again, it's one of those things where they hear from, you hear from folks more when something doesn't go right. When things do go right, it's kind of expected.

You don't hear from anybody, right? It's like, oh, well, that's what he's supposed to do. He's supposed to take a team in 2023 that was picked by some to finish third in the division to another hunter-win season despite, you know, 52-star. starts from rookies, a rash of injuries, zero starting pitching down the stretch. You know, you're the Dodgers you're supposed to. You've got all the talent in the world. And now, you know, so it doesn't get any easier from that standpoint when you acquire,

you bring in Shohe Otani, you sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto, right? You trade and extend Tyler Glass now. See, wow, look at it. The cupboard is overflowing with stuff. Like, he's doing 150 games a year. when they lose one because he's managing. Like, for example, you know, see this is what happens. You get me started.

Let it eat. Let it eat, Nellie, let it eat. No, the series in Detroit really bothered me, right? Obviously, that series sucked. It sucked. The, you know, the way they lost that series was brutal. But in the last game, like, you know, the way fans were reacting, like, to the way the bullpen was managed. that particular day.

I was like, if you were paying attention, who pitched? Are they guys who are going to be dudes for you in October? Or are they guys who are most likely to be first on the line out when you actually get healthy? Right? So, you know, I got Alex Vessi up with the pen. He was going to pitch, what, five times in six days or four times in five days? No, he was up in case of like emergency emergency. They did not want to use Alex Vescia that day.

But yeah, it's like Dave Roberts is, it's just. it's just a lack of feeling perspective. And I do want to say this. Like I'm not like, you know, like trying to go hard at fans because that's the passion that kind of makes sports go. Whatever team, whatever league you root for, like, that's the passion that keeps the wheels turn into the lights on, point blank period. But like, I just encourage folks to just like take a step back and like take a deep breath

and try to find some perspective. Like look at a situation from 360 degrees before you fire off your takes. as opposed to like, you know, trying to assess a situation, you know, 10 seconds after. Like, that's just not how it works. So just a little bit of feel goes a long way. That's, yeah. Yeah, the manager is basically, you know, the middle reliever of a team. You don't hear from them when things are going right,

but all the reporters are there when things are going wrong. Also, wanted to add, Dave came on the show a couple weeks ago. Same sentiment gave up on social media. We will throw out people on social media miss having you on there, but do not blame you. I do not blame you for bail in while you can. I am on Instagram now because like the algorithm for Instagram, it's just, it's just happiness. I get kid content. I get puppies.

I get dogs. And I get sports. I don't get the world is ending. And you suck. I don't, you know, like that's just tough to. That's a tough way. Hey, I want to share this with you guys because this is what I got yesterday. It says this is from LL Cool Jimmy.

You're a woman. Shut up about baseball. I said, okay. Then I put the Dodger fan base on Jimmy, and Jimmy made his account private. So there you have it. Just a little midweek massage to me from Jimmy. Yeah.

All as well in the world. We appreciate you so much. You got another one. Okay, all right. Super quickie for you. I got all the time on the world, guys. I'm taking the late, late bus today. If the boys can get out with the sweep, you got two more games.

What's it going to take? Can we commit to Stephen Nelson and Bulldog tandem going down the slide to celebrate the sweep? I don't know if I want oral going down that slide. Holy crap. So some some breaking news. Oral is on the I. Today will not be on the broadcast. I yeah so it'll be myself and Rick Monday on the TV side tonight so I but I have been down the

slide before I have I have not allowed Basset to go within 300 feet of it I just I actually don't know if it's like there's a restraining order between him and Bernie Brewer's slide so Vasay is not allowed I am happy to go down because I I'm a functioning adult, Dave. Holy crap. No, DV's an absolute angel, and I love him to death. But, yeah, I would love to. I think I'm probably a little too late.

Maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow before the finale. Okay. You be careful on the slide. Watch your back with the ghosts. Thank you for being here. Appreciate you very much. Best of luck the rest of the way.

My friend will have you on again. I love you guys. Thanks so much. All right. Stephen Nelson. We love Nellie. Great, great dude. All the way around. Just love the kid. All right. Time now for last licks. You heard Nelly say the algorithm on Instagram. He gets puppy and kid content. How about we adopt Pepper Pot?

She is on the right. She's the little black lady right there, black and white senior pup. She's about 11 years old. She's healthy. She has a lot of love and life to give. She's available for adoption. Currently residing at a foster home in Inglewood. If you're interested in adopting Pepper Pot, please reach out.

Gidreysgarden.org or hit me up on social. I can get you more information. She's a wonderful little gal. We got a super chat, by the way. Maybe we can use to help somebody adopt Pepper, but I don't know. But our boy, Richard Flores, my guy, 499 super chat. Thank you very much. Richie says the Padres has feasted on the OKC Dodgers.

Looking forward to seeing them play the fully healthy Dodgers. And they will match up at the end of September. for I think the first legitimate matchup we've seen all while. He also says F the Dodgers Strait. I saw that. Alana, before we get out of here, I think we got to talk a little bit about this NL West. All of a sudden, again, becoming the NL best. You got the Padre surging. You got the Arizona Diamondback surging. Don't sleep on the Giants. How does this whole thing shake out? And is, are they streaking? Are like the Padres and Diamondback streaking too early? Or is this legit? What's the feeling?

Well, I learned last year not to count out the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tori Lavello and what they're able to do. I do love the competition, honestly. I don't want the Dodgers. Of course, I want the Dodgers to win the division. I don't want them to run away with the division. I want them to understand that, you know, there's always a chance that you could lose. And I think that you can't take any game lightly. And I know that they say, you know, you can't win the pennant in April, but you can lose it in April.

And I know it's hard to get up for 162 games. but I do like the competition. I believe the Padres are legitimate. I really do, and I believe Arizona's legitimate. I don't think the Giants are going to be able to do enough to get into the postseason, but I do think that the Dodgers win the division. I do think that the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres are two of the three wildcard teams in the National League.

Yeah, it's good stuff to watching, like you said. I've been saying it for a while. I want to see competition for the Dodgers, and I like where everything is trending right now. you know some guys getting some nice breaks in the middle of the season mooky betts almost got a new season in front of them now so uh things are trending very much in the right direction for our boys in blue but guys thank you for hanging out with us today on the uh the wednesday edition people seem to be hanging out and enjoying wednesday a lot of love

for a good weekend clint i know you're on a boat you're on a boat i guess they want us to get up here but uh you're going to be on a boat i'm going to mexico so we will be on Monday. Have a great weekend. Go Dodgers, beat those Cardinals after, of course, you beat the Milwaukee Brewers for Clint and I. Make sure you subscribe. Make sure you like. Give us five stars. We'll see you guys on Monday. Take care. Bye.