Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - 144 | David Dahl Needs a Better Rating in The Show

Episode Date: May 15, 2020

Rockies all-star David Dahl took a break from working out at Luis Gonzalez's house to join the program. The outfielder broke down how to play at Coors, his approach against lefties, and shared how his mistakes have made him better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's going on, everyone. Welcome to Talking Baseball. We hope you're doing well. We got a nice fun conversation with David Dahl coming your way. What's going on, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of Talking Baseball. My name is Jimmy. I've got Trevor with me.

I've got Jake with me, producer BBD in the home plate. And we are excited to bring you another conversation with an M&B player. This time we got All-Star David Dahl. and I think something I'm not embarrassed to say is I didn't know much about Dahl when beforehand and then we started doing our research and I was like damn this guy whenever he plays has great numbers baseball is such a hard sport right now to get become a household name like he was an all-star and in parts of three seasons there's some injuries and short and seasons but like his numbers are great but Jake how much you're a Rockies guy how much

of the doll fanhood were you before this interview? Yeah, man. I mean, again, you know, I kind of get into some of the prospect stuff and he was a big prospect and like he talked about a little bit. I mean, he was the dude. Like he was his, he gets drafted and then he's the short season MVP and he got a fun story about his minor league career coming through that. But man, he really is a dude you should know. And it also kind of turns into kind of the NBA effect that I talk about with baseball a little bit, how like, if an NBA team comes to town, you know they're one or two guys normally. The Rockies kind of already have that, though.

Like, you know Aeronado, you know Story, you know Charlie Blackman. He's got the big beard. He's, you know, they play the song when he comes up. David Dahl is going to be a part of that, man. And that's where I get excited about my Rockies, because, man, when that lineup's right, like people need to know about doll and they have this good lefty righty balance that I mean that lineup will wear you out and he's uh I mean he's he's a really good young baseball player that you're right more people need to know Trev I mean I knew who he was um and getting to Totsu him is pretty cool like he's a very laid back dude and you can tell he takes baseball very seriously and he'll tell you a story of kind of how he maybe got on that path

which I thought was funny. So good dude. I think, you know, as we're doing more and more of these interviews, I think it's kind of like the general gist of all of these players. It's like they're just, they're just good guys who happen to be blessed in a certain sport and have worked their ass off. And it's really cool just to hear everyone's individual story.

Yeah. All right. Let's just throw it straight to the little chat we had. A little warning. The internet got incredibly. bad at the tail end of this. We tried to do some figuring out or whatever. But hopefully we can edit around it as much as we can.

But if you do hear some awkward silences or some bad internet, you've been warned. We are joined by father of rookie the golden retriever and all-star outfielder for your Colorado Rockies. David Dahl, David, how you doing, man? I'm doing well. How are you guys doing? Doing great. time, man.

Good enough. Crazy. We say it of time, like, stuck in this apartment. I went outside today already, so that's a win. But we're in New York City, and it's just... Yeah, it's bad there. Yeah. Just, you know, there's no lawns.

There's no nothing. So it's boring. You guys have a huge thing called Central Park. Is that closed? Like, they rope that off or what? Well, they put a hospital in the middle of it. So, like, at some point, it was kind of scary. It was like, that's where they're sending a city.

like avoid to park but Jake lives close to there I don't live close to central park yeah I walk I I have a golden doodle David enough about us but yeah I bring I bring him there that's usually my once a day if it's nice weather what uh what are you doing outside daily you're getting your workouts outside are you are you got other Rockies you're doing stuff with or what have you been up to it's kind of just me solo right now um but I'm down I'm getting outside I'm working out hitting every once in a while whatever I can in a cage with the guy I hit with just you know me and him socially distancing have a place to work out Luis Gonzalez his house he's letting me use his weight room so I go in I go in kind of by myself at a certain time do my workout clean everything

off wipe everything down and you know then I leave I don't really see anyone but yeah able to get my work in it's getting really hot out here though so try to try to get it all in kind of earlier in morning because you know it's been like 105 out here right now. Are you just doing tea work or are you, I mean, is there a, you have a pitching machine as well or how are you how are you getting the working by yourself? Yeah, I got a hitting guy where um, his name's Trent Otis. He made him go hit and we do we do some stuff off the tea and then he flips to me and throws. Okay. Then he goes to the back of the cage lately and we've been trying to kind of make it more game like where he goes to the back of the cage and just lets it, you know, fat fall per ball, change up like throws everything without telling me just to at

least try to stay somewhat sharp and, you know, make sure whenever we do start back, I'm ready to go. How's this stuff? You ever give them like a nice swing and a miss on the curve and say, good, good. Actually, there are times where I'm like, okay, I might need to go get my foot guard here, because I'm about a thousand curves off my foot. He throws some good stuff. That's awesome.

Are you talking 50 yabo's Luis Gonzalez? You're using his facility? That's pretty. Are you, like, getting magic off the walls and stuff for what? He let me, so I actually, his son, Jacob, I hit with this offseason a lot with Trent, and we used his place. So I became pretty close with them, and they just, you know, they let me kind of use their little weight room outside. They have like a warehouse in the back with a weight room in the cage. Like it's really nice.

But I'm thankful they're allowing me to use it. And got to be smart, though. And I'm literally after I work out, I'm wiping everything down with, you. You know, I got to make sure we're being safe and healthy. What are the non-baseball activities during quarantine for you? Netflix or reading or video games. I've been playing MLB the show. I did the Players League, which I was terrible a lot.

So now I'm doing a road to the show. I got it on the easiest you can have it. So I created Dave Adolte Jr. And he's just tearing the league up right now. There you go. And then I'm just hanging out of, I got a pool outside. So I'm just a lot of time at the pool. Gotta have the pool.

Pool is so key right now. Yeah, especially in Arizona. Yeah, 105. You need a release from that. For sure. Who got you in the Players League? I think it was more. So my wife, I started playing, you know, nothing to do.

So I just started playing MLBee the show. And I played it in the past, but nothing like, not competitive or anything. I usually just, you know, it's usually when I'm hurt. then I'll just play my season out online. I get your fix. Yeah. So I was just playing it and my wife kept posting stuff and me playing it. And I think they just, I guess, did their research and saw that I played it or something

and wanted me to represent the Rockies, which, you know, I'm not like a huge gamer or anything. So I was kind of surprised. And I know John Gray is a big gamer. So I felt like he probably had been a little better than me. But yeah, I went like six and 23 or something in the players. It was bad. That's all right. That's all right.

It was definitely fun. It was fun to, you know, live stream, Twitch. It's my first time doing all that. So, interact with fans. It was fun. I would do it again, though. You know what, though? Like, you might have went 6 and 23, but you're, like, an actual real all-star.

So you can always just like, in real life, I'm really good. Yeah, for sure. But it's pretty accurate because everyone tells me, like, stop swinging at everything on the game. You know, there was telling me, I was like, have you watched me play? I swing in everything. It actually was kind of a real life right there. Does your wife push you? Did she push you into the league? Because I know she does marketing stuff. She's with some pretty connected people. Has she been like, put yourself out there. Is that why you're here?

She definitely posted about it. And then she kind of convinced me to do it because at first I was like, I don't know. And she's like, oh, that'd be good for you. So I decided to do it. But she definitely, was a reason why I did it and and uh definitely definitely helped my I guess my brand and stuff I got I got a little more following after that I love that it's what MLB needs like I'm sure the MLB the show people were like finally we've been trying to get you to do this for so long it is cool to see the players actually like interact like you know the snail was all over it because he won and it's interesting he played me and he killed me and I started just throwing it all those guys I just started I can't beat him, so I'm just going to dream.

Yeah, you know if you, like, are facing a guy and he's got, like, a super cool chair and, like, really good headphones and, like, a background, you're probably screwed. Like, those guys. Like, I'm playing in the living room. I'm sitting on my couch. The TV's, like, 15 feet away from the big screen. And then I'm playing Snell. He's in, like, a little office on a little computer, headphones.

Like, it's just gaming room. I'm like, all right, yeah. This is a game going to go away. for me. I'm so unfamiliar with MLB to show. I'm not a video game guy, but when the Madden scores come out, football players have responded like, oh, what, I'm only an 80 speed or whatever that? Is that exist in the baseball world? Like, Trev, and when you guys are playing, like, do you guys look at your own ratings? I never really looked at it until I started playing this, and I was pretty upset with where they had my speed, to be honest. They had me on a 65 speed,

which felt like I should be higher than that, but maybe I just need to go out and steal more bags to get it up. Yeah, you got to pay off the right people. I mean, I'm looking at it. It was four stolen bases last year and four caught stealing. So I think they... That's not your fault, though. That doesn't mean you're slow.

It just means that that's the game now. Nobody steals bases. All I'm trying to steal on JT real muto, and he just always... Don't do that. Oh, I got this. I'm sliding in the balls right there. But I think, too, when you're hitting in front of Nolan and you got Charlie coming up, you don't want to just run into outs, really, I feel like.

That's the game now, too. Yeah. You got like three other All-Stars hidden behind me. So it's, you got to be smart out there. I wanted to ask you about that because I actually, I lived in Denver for the past three years or so. Rockies are, I won't say my sleeper team, but I was there. I was in it.

I am a Yankees fan. I'm sorry. but I love the Rocky Stadium. I hype that lineup all the time because people don't know how good that lineup is. Do you feel like or do you have a preferred spot in that lineup? Do you want those guys behind you so you know pitchers are going to give you something a hit? Or do you want to drive in runs?

Like what? Do you have a mindset or just put me in the- Honestly, it's kind of whatever they need me to do. I think this year they were talking about meeting, you know, I might have been leading off this year. So that's still a possibility to, I think they want it like me and then Story, maybe Charlie Nolan or something like that. And then in the past, I've hit third, I've hit second.

So it really doesn't matter. I like being at the top, obviously, like kind of up there in the order because you're sandwiched in between those really good hitters. So I felt like, especially when I'm hitting, when I was hitting like two or three, and I have, you know, I was getting pitches to hit. They're not going to let Story Charlie or Nolan beat them. They're going to come after the guys. in the middle. So I was, I feel like I get a lot of pitches to hit that way. And it definitely

helps me and it elevates my game. When you came up, I mean, you talked about, you know, your guy likes a swing. When you came up, you get a hit in your first game and then you go on a 17 game hitting streak, which, plo if you said ties the record. Yeah, it's how was was that like that feeling did did you feel like, oh, this is easy or were you kind of perplexed or how did that like the two weeks feel. That's insane. That's insane. Never was easy.

This game's hard. I just, I came up at a time where I was feeling really good. I went from double A and then I got promoted to AAA and something just clicked to where I was, I've never been locked in like that. And I think I was in AAA for like 17, 18 games or something. They called me up. So it was like the hottest I've ever been.

And when I was going through that, it was pretty surreal. Like, you know, facing, you know, I was facing Bartolo. Cologne, de Grom, Cindergarde, Matt's, like really good pitchers. And, you know, I was able to compete, get some hits off of them. And then I really was, I was never thinking about the hitting streak. Like, I never really thought about it until the game where I could have broke the record in the Phillies. And I think it was camera up or I forgot, I think it was him catching. And I come up to the plate and, you know, it's my first at bat and the guy, he's talking to me. And he's telling the umpire oh this guy's going for the record today like no i struck out i think three

times i was swinging at balls that were bouncing in the dirt like trying to get this hit and you know the one game i started to think about it was the game that i lost it so but it was it was a fun time it was cool to look back on that's incredible dude like thinking about coming up and 17 straight games just getting that knock like talk about like feeling settled right away like a lot of guys i know Stephen Vote was like, oh for 30. Yeah. You know. It gave me a lot of confidence to think that, okay, I can stick up here.

I can compete. You know, I feel like I belong up here. And that definitely gave me a lot of confidence. And, you know, our coach at the time, Walt, I thank him a lot. He gave me the opportunity. He played me. It was awesome. When I was just looking, I was going through your game log in the minor league

to see if the street continued, if it was like longer if you combine them. But anyway, I saw the game before you got called up. You had four hits. Did you walk into the office and like, all right, guys, come on. Or did you know, did you have any sense? No, it was actually, we were in Fresno. And after that game, the next day was a day game.

So I'm preparing to get ready. And we actually had a Forbes coming to town. It was a front office in the front office. He was there, which I thought it was kind of weird that he was in Fresno for some reason. And he was there the night before where I got four hits. But the next day, I come in, I get ready to play the day game. I literally walk out to the field, get ready to stretch. And Glenn Allen Hill was our manager.

Love him. He was the best. And he was on the phone. And I thought that was kind of weird. And he said, hey, and he stopped. He actually stops me. He's like, hey, he's right here. And he hung up.

And they called me in the office and called me and told me about it. But he was messing with me. And it was like, I think you got trade. like just messing around with me and probably in the office he was like you know you're getting the call up and it was it was very cool something you remember the rest of your life yeah and then I mean your third game you're in the two-hole so you like playing at the top of the order I think like 10 games in you're leading off you got there pretty quick yeah I still remember my first game in the big leagues against guy guy Ardo um he was throwing like up shoot cutters kind of like just

hide and I remember I think my first two of bats I struck out both times on like six pitches or something I'm like oh my goodness I'm about to go back to triple a and then the next bat my third about I get the two strikes again and I'm like the hat trick my first game this is it going to be good I think that I got a knock and was able to to move past all that yeah do you see guyard Otrev oh yeah yeah he's him a lot he was with the brewers and then or Baltimore. Yeah, he's a guy. I mean, he does.

He has that fastball that kind of rides up and he's a spot guy and he's got to get change. I mean, he's a good pitcher. He's a really good career. He's in the book. If that's what you're asking, Jake, he's in the book. A couple times, all right, dude. That's all I was asking.

So it's a big book. It's like the only thing I did well. Slightly bigger than mine. David, I want to ask you this And this might be a guy you're familiar with Mike Talkman, who's on the Yankees now. He has amazing splits first lefties. And so do you. And we actually talked to him down at spring training, and he broke it down again.

I don't know if you know him. He can get pretty intense, but he kind of gave his whole approach. Do you have a certain approach for lefties? Or have you always been kind of split-proof your whole life? Or how does that work for you? Yeah. Yeah, I know Talkman really well. He played with the Rockies, obviously.

in AAA and the big league's with us. So I've known him for a while. He's always been a great hit or he doesn't chase anything. He doesn't swing bad pitches. So he's always had a really good eye at the play. Always been really good. For me, I think I've always, even righties and lefties, my approach is pretty similar.

I'm always thinking opo, like left center gap, like drive something that way. The guy's throwing a little harder. I might shift a little more over the center. But for lefties, though, like it really doesn't matter who's on the mound. I'm trying to go left center. like line drive over short really just so I could stay in there and not not fly open because you know that's what they're usually trying to do the guys that are tough are the ones that can run

sinkers in those are the tough really tough lefties but uh yeah my approach has always just been opo gap left center stay inside the ball and then if something's in just try to react to it and not not panic and fly open when you look at splits for rocky's guys always there's always the course field stuff and we talked to a bunch of what's the name of the guys in californiae that are we're friendly with uh they're dnvr now i i forget what they used to be like BS and some weird acronym we asked them what it meant and they said it's just random letters so it's hard to remember but anyway they they told Jake and i like actually there's the the reverse course field effect like when guys go on the road it's actually harder to hit because there's just constantly the

changing. Is that something that's actively on your mind? Like when you come up, do you guys, do hitters talk about that? Is there any, is there any thing that you do like differently or know about? Yeah, it's definitely, it's real. Like, it's hard when you spend a whole week or 10 days at home and you're seeing, you know, you're in altitude, the ball, the ball just doesn't break as much. You know, you're facing, you're seeing curve balls and they're not a sharp or the ball's not running as much. So you swing at some pitches where you can still get to and you can still get a knock because the outfield's so big. And then you go on the road, say to, like, San Fran or something,

and you swing at a breaking ball, and it's bouncing in the dirt. And you're like, whoa, like, I just, you know, because in Denver, you were still able to get it because it hung up just a little bit. So the ball just moves a lot more when you're on the road. So the way we've been kind of towards the end of last year, I think it was more, it was like in D.C. or New York, we started talking, like really just trying to talk about it. And Charlie Blackman actually came up, had a great idea about,

now we simulate the pitcher we're facing that night in the cage or on the field pregame or something and we put the machine on and we simulate his fastball or his breaking ball, his slider. So we're getting pretty much like competitive bats in before we're even in the game. So it's helping us kind of adjust quicker. And I think when we started doing that, a lot of guys really bought into it and their road numbers definitely went up a lot more because it's, I mean, it's tough. It's something we have to deal with. And, you know, it's part of it.

But we're doing whatever we can to figure out ways to accelerate that process and try not to, you know, where it takes three days, three games to get right. You can, the machines can simulate, like, certain pitchers stuff. Yeah, we'll get, like, their spin rate and we'll simulate it. Like, all the, they know how to do all that. I don't know how to do it. That's fucking crazy. You like, you simulate curse straws.

curveball and then you guys were just like ah fuck that like less simulated a sherser slider in the cage before he faced him and I went in there and I got swung and missed like almost everyone on them like maybe I just shouldn't swing at that pitch yeah that's a good idea dude there is if you if you do that and you like crank these machines up and you try you're trying to simulate these guys pitches the machine is nastier than the actual pitch like something about like the timing being like timing and stuff yeah like you guy putting the ball in the machine or like the red yellow green light like you just can't synchronize your timing yet for it like i was i think that is a really good drill to do but it will beat you down mentally like you have to like say okay i'm probably not going to hit these well but i just need to see it yeah what i do is i usually you know i'll track like in my regular stance and i do a lot of work from i call it like your launch position like the position you want to get to kind of and i just sit there on a machine, I'll usually just kind of sit there, be relaxed, and just try to be quick

from there. Okay. It takes away my leg lift and everything, so I don't really have to time it up. I can just work on being quick and I can still see the ball. So I usually do a lot of like machine work just from like the launch position instead of, you know, trying to like. Yeah. It takes that time.

Once you get dominated a lot by the machine, you're like, because then you start thinking like, man, is this making me better or worse or start getting your head? head a little bit. But we've kind of accepted that. Like, I'd rather get dominated in the cage and go out and get dominated for three straight games on the road. Yeah. I'm thinking about guys whose stuff isn't, like, nasty.

Like, if you have a Lance Lynn who throws three different fastballs, you simulate that in the cage and just, like, have the day, then go out on the field. Like, wait, how is he actually making this work, though? Yeah. Like Tanaka's another one of those guys where, you know, he's just so good at the placement. That's funny. I never even think that was a thing. The dealer, you know, guys with the spin rate heaters will simulate that too just to see how much, like, it's taken off.

Because, you know, Bueller's a guy that's, he's tough to hit, especially in L.A. Hey, you're not talking about, there's, like, not a machine that you can actually input spin rate into. You're just kind of trying to meter it. I think we have, like, analytic guys and stuff that have all the, I don't think they type it into the machine, but I think they have, like, the spin radar, like, all that kind of stuff that they can set up. I guess that's, that's right. Yeah, some cameras or something. have it set up before we really even get there but you know it was something charlie really like he

was tired of us just him us we're just getting beat down on the road so we this is something like i think of our whole or our whole team buys in and really starts to do it i think our numbers would be a lot better on the road yeah that's awesome cool we i got i got i get okay go ahead you get a try well i always you're there you're there i don't know if i If you want to answer this, but as we're doing research for this interview, we're looking up, you know, some stuff. And on your Wikipedia page, it talks about a pretty sad day for you, I'd imagine. In the lower level minor leagues, you missed a flight. Yeah.

You talk about that or is that you don't want to go into that? I mean, it's in the past. It's something that happened. I can talk about it. Yeah, it was more just, I was stupid. I had my birthday in the spring. I went out with a bunch of the guys, and I'd never really, you know, done any of that. And then I ended up just, I couldn't wake up for my flight.

And I, the next day or later that day, I actually bought my own ticket to get to Asheville. So I read-eyed it out there, made it to practice and everything and played the first game. And I'm like, all right, I'm good. And then after the first game, I go O for four, three punchies. He called in the office, and they're like, hey, you know, we know, we know why, missed your flight this and that and they sent me back to extended for like three weeks oh my gosh that seems harsh dude that flight back was oh it was embarrassing i was i've never been so embarrassed about uh you know something like that especially because it's all in the media why like i remember it was

on the bottom it was on ESPN the ticker on the bottom damn what yeah it was crazy it's a learning experience i mean you got to unfortunately it happened to me but i learned a lot from it Dude, I feel like everybody has a similar story. I mean, that just happens. You're in the minor leagues, especially those flights. I mean, what time was the bus to the airport? Probably like three in the morning, four in the morning or something? Yeah, so everyone was kind of just like, we'll just go out and hang out and not sleep.

And then I've never been a guy that does that. I wasn't even, I was only 19. That's a big reason why. Trevor, you mentioned, everyone has a story like that. I mean, we have a guest on our show. Could you make him feel a little better with maybe a story of your own? Trevor's already, Travis already told us that he loved when he got cut from spring training because then he could go to the wet t-shirt contest. It has a booty shaking contest. Same thing. No, no, look, everybody does. I've missed buses before and then, yeah, you just got to figure out a way

to get there. I actually didn't play in the leagues really where you flew a lot. So I can understand, like dude those buses are very early and if you do decide hey like it's always a dumb decision to say that like let's just stay up all night that's never a good plan so i mean i've missed buses i know a lot of people who have missed plane rides and and bus rides it's it's a common thing so i don't want you to feel bad about it obviously it's in the past but i just that's a lonely feeling dude when you wake up what time was it when you woke up uh it wasn't two part like my friends were trying to get me up. I just couldn't get up. Yeah, and then so actually, so I'm in the extended for like three weeks and I finally get to go back to

Asheville and nine games back. I'd tear my hamstring. And I'm, I used to be a guy that would eat horrible. Like, so when I was, I got drafted. I went to the Pioneer League and rookie ball and I ended up like playing really well, like killing it. I think I was the MVP of the league or short season. So I'm in my head, I'm like, okay, this is, you know, I'm an 18-year-old. I'm an idiot. I'm like, I'm going to be in the baby next year. You're the best. And then that was a very humbling, like, you know, eye-opening experience.

You know, I get demoted for disciplinary reasons. And then I come back and I was eating bad and I actually had a bag of like sweet tarts in my back pocket. I tear my head straight. Oh, my God. Like, no one really knows about this. But, yeah, I was an idiot back then. And I had to grow up and I learned a lot of it, hard way and I missed the whole year that year in 13 so I only played like 10 games but you know that's

one of the reason why I am who I am today yeah you turn a negative into a positive and again I'll keep saying like a lot of guys you have to have those makeup calls especially for a young guy you were drafted at a high school you come in you ball out your MVP of the Pioneer league like you said you're like nothing's going to phase me sometimes you need something like that you know to kind of get your mind back on track or now look. I had to get humbled for sure. So it humbled me and, and yeah. That's awesome.

Kind of crazy stories. No one really knows about the hamstring with the sweet tarts in the back. Like I thought I was a genius because I was like, I'm being in the outfield, just eating sweet tarts hang up. And then I tried to leg out an infield single and there went my hamstring. Oof. That's funny, man. That's really funny.

And then, but then last year you find yourself in the All-Star game. So, you know, journey gets you there. What was that like? What was like when you found out you were going and then walking into the clubhouse? Yeah. I had a feeling that I had a chance. I thought I had a chance to make the All-Star team, but I wasn't sure just because I knew, you know, Trevor and Nolan and Charlie were going to make it.

So I didn't know if they were going to take like four guys on one team, especially position players. But we get there. I think we were playing the Dodgers that day. And it was a day game. and I'm rolling out in the weight room, like stretching, getting ready, and so is Charlie, and Bud walks in, and he has a conversation with Charlie over there, and I'm like, all right, he definitely just told him he made the walk start.

Come on, come on. And I thought he was, he turned, and he like started walking out. I was like, hmm, this sucks. And then knock over, he's like, David, come with me. I was like, oh, okay. And then I was so nervous, I was like, you know, he takes me into the office. And on the TV behind me was the All-Star game Red Carpet it was talking about. And Bud goes, have you ever watched the Red Carpet?

You know, for the All-Star game? I was like, yeah, I watched it. It's pretty cool. He goes, well, you're going to be in it this year. He made the All-Star team. And I was like, I didn't know. I didn't know what to say. I was speechless.

You know, he gave me a hug, told me, you know, I worked really hard for it. I'd serve it. Hey, sorry, rookie shoe in the back of the chair right now. I was, I was speechless. And then they announced it during the game and, you know, the place. It was really cool. And being at the All-Star game, I think it was when it really hit me when I was like, wow, I'm here right now.

This is pretty cool. It was when Dave Roberts called like a team meeting. And he's like, you know, just look around and, you know, you guys deserve this. You guys made it. I'm just looking around. And it's all like the best players, you know, in the end. and and then across the way was all the AL players. And I was just like, wow, this is, this is something.

And it makes you want to, it makes you want to be in it every single year once you experience it. Like, you want to keep working hard. And that's what Nolan told me. He's like, isn't this awesome, man? You want to be in this every year. I'm like, yeah, this is, this is surreal. Yeah, you got some.

Who was the one guy that you're like, holy crap? Hello? Seeing trial. Yeah. You know, mother, you know, he's best player. And just honestly, everyone, you know, Christian Yello, he's a great, he's a great player. I love watching him play, Acuna, all those guys, man. It was hard to choose just one.

It was to be in a room with those guys, specials. It's true. When you step in the box, is it kind of, hey, I'm here, this is going to be fun? Or were you nervous in that moment as well? You did get a hit. The National League only got five hits, and you got one of them. I really wasn't nervous because I faced Brad Hand, and I had faced him a lot when he was with San Diego. So at least I had a good idea of what he had.

And it was something, you know, I was pretty relaxed, actually. I felt like I missed some pitches. I should have crushed. But eventually, I snuck in a little bit there, which was really cool. I'm about a thousand. That's awesome. That's the way to do it, man. that's the way to do it have you uh have you been able to like start thinking about this potential

upcoming season yet i know Trevor ploof was trying to break break break the news airwaves this week um and there's a lot of different rumors but um i mean have you thought about like a condensed season at all or are you there yet or are you just waiting for information and you're going to go from there yeah i'm just waiting for the information kind of getting the updates obviously i want to play. Like I'm, I miss it. I'm, you know, I think all of us, you know, we want to play. We want to get out there and compete. I think that's the biggest. I miss competing against the best. And, yeah, just trying to take it really day by day and make sure I am staying ready for whatever the time comes. That's kind of all I'm really thinking about. I got, I got one for you. So you grew up in

Alabama, correct? Birmingham? Yeah, Birmingham. Born in Montgomery, but, you know, grew up in Birmingham. So why Auburn? Why not the Crimson? Like, is it just a family thing? Or is it, like, how do that happen? Yeah, I grew up, I grew up an Auburn fan, my family, Auburn fans, and I just, that's the school I just really wanted to go to.

But Bama actually offered me first, and I used that as leverage to get Auburn to offer me. But, yeah, that's where I wanted to go. That's awesome. Yeah, that's, I just grew up in Auburn. fan. I was a big Auburn fan, so that's the main reason. We actually had a good class coming in. You spent a lot of time in Connecticut. Jake's a Connecticut lifer. We lived in, we all knew Britain for a little bit, I think. And you were also with the yard goats. Did you have a

favorite spot in Hartford or West Hartford when you were playing over there? Actually, so when I played for the yard goats, we were on the road the whole year. I was, you know, I was there for like the first half of the season, but we, our home stadium was ready. So we actually played on the road the whole time and got to experience plans of being without fans. We had to play some home games in New Hampshire and the gates weren't open for any fans or anything. So it was literally like, you know, playing scrimmage games.

Well, you were saying that you spent that year in the minors on the road with no fans. I mean, you're going to have to be doing that probably coming up soon. Is that hard? Because Trevor was saying if it was him playing, he would need at least. the fake crowd noise like pump that in do the fake cheering the fake like charge noises did they do that for you the miners and if not do you think that you need that in the majors yeah i think it's it's definitely it was tough um but i think at this point i think we're down to do anything right now so i think we'd still be the biggest thing is just getting getting the adrenaline and stuff going when

you're playing with no fans uh because you know the fans really really fire you up with the crowd and everything. So I think finding, find a ways to get that adrenaline going, which I think, you know, maybe playing, you know, fake fan noise or something could help. But yeah, in the minor leagues, they didn't do any of that. So it was, it was definitely tough. But I do think with baseball, we've been missing baseball so long, guys want to get out there. I think the juices will be going, even if there's no fans. When that first report leaks out about the Scottsdale bubble plan or the Arizona bubble, and people, It's talking about players getting isolated from their families and stuff.

Do you have a moment where you look at your wife and it's like, hey, might have to see you later? Or is it like, we got to have a discussion or how does that even go down? That's crazy. I hope it doesn't come to that. That would be tough, man, not seeing your wife or kids or family for, you know, what, four and a half months. That won't be easy. So I hope it doesn't come to that. But, yeah, when it first was announced, I was like, oh,

man, I don't know. That's, that's, that's going to be tough. But I think really, I want to play. So, I kind of will do anything, I guess, hopefully. But like I said, I just hope it doesn't have to come to that. I think we're good. Travis, you got the scouting, you got the scoop, home ballparks in Denver, no fans. That's what I'm hearing. It's going to be majority home ballparks. But, you know, things could change really quickly, especially in today's climate. So I don't know. I just don't see how they would do that.

And I think a lot of guys, yeah, they're like, yeah, we would do it because what other choice do we have? But I think obviously the general preference would be like, let's just, you know, get to our home cities and so we can be with our families. That's a big deal, man. You need that support.

Baseball's a lonely game. You guys, I think, you know, someone like, I think Mike Trout's about to have his first, first kids. So that's something you don't want to be separated from that. You want to be able to be there for the birth of your first child and see your family during all that. So, yeah, that's a lot of stuff that could happen. And hopefully, I like the idea of the, you know, playing at home ballparks. You know, I think that's something I'd love to do.

Jake sent me a clip. Especially hitting in Denver. You want to hit in Denver. Yeah, for sure. Jake sent me a clip on Twitter where a fan responded to something like show us all your bloopers or whatever. and then you responded with the blooper video. So I love it. Obviously, I think that's the way you went over everyone. But did you like text a video guy? Or did you just like edit that together your own little blooper?

I just went up and I had a lot of videos and stuff on my phone. So I literally just went on and put it together myself. I thought it was, you know, I think the guys tweeted me before too about making air. So I was like, all right, I'll show like five really bad plays here and make phone myself.

It's already happened. It was, I was embarrassed at the time, but like you said, you learned from all that stuff. But also, I mean, that's just like great engagement. The most embarrassing was the wild card. The wild card game? Yeah, the wild card game was definitely the most embarrassing one because obviously everyone was watching that one. And I whiffed it.

I went, I thought I was going to make a really cool play. I'm running. I'm like, that ball's in the stands. I'm going to take it out of the stands. And the wind blew it back and wasn't ready for that. So I was thankfully, Freeling got the double play next pitch. next hitter, so it didn't matter. Oh, that had to be such a huge sigh of relief when that double play gets turned?

I was like, oh, man, but it kind of like, I actually let that play affect the rest of my bats and stuff, which is bad. I went up there, like, trying to make up for it and doing too much. And I had a lot of opportunities where I could have, you know, help the team win. And I would swing it like the first pitch and roll it over when it was a ball, you know. So I let that kind of get to me a little bit, which, you know it's like you said you learn from it it's playoffs it's different atmosphere yeah there's no better feeling or worse feeling if you make an air and then the pitcher picks you up or one of your

teammates picks you up you were just like thank you so much but a lot of times it doesn't happen and you'd make that air and all of a sudden there's a double and a homer and it's just that's a lonely lonely feeling man yeah for sure um once i think riso hit into the double play after um within free and I went up to him again. I was like, thank you so much. Like you just helped me because it was a club. I was like a one run ball game or I think it was tied or something. So and I'm yeah I'm just getting the fans are just wearing me out out there. And I'm like, can we just be? I'm like the nearest exit. Like how do I get out of here? That's great, man. So you added it together because your wife tweeted out that you were you were

searching for someone to teach you editing skills. Are you still on the hunt? Have you, have you dove into any program? Yeah. No, I haven't. It was more, I just get bored. I really just watch a lot of my swings. So I've been just putting all my swings on like, you know, one video where it shows a lot and then just kind of, I haven't really looked into it too much. It's something. I just like making videos of swings because I'll watch it swings. If you need any help, I'm here. It's been my, been the only thing I do for like 10 years. So it's like one thing I can offer you. We'll get Premiere out. We'll go over it. I guess my final question is, yeah, final question for me is, how do you like Denver, man?

Like I said, I live there for three years. I live right by the ballpark for a little bit. I live by the country club. And I mean, man, I love that damn city. Do you have any, any restaurants or any bars you want to shout out? Maybe they'll throw you a couple drinks or something. Yeah. I love STK there. That's a good, good spot. Um, really I don't, I eat more at the at the field though. I don't eat too much, but I love the city itself. Like it's, it's beautiful. It reminds me when you're walking, you know, through downtown and stuff. It reminds me like a movie set because it's so, it's so like clean and just like it's a beautiful city. And I, I love being there. Awesome. Well, we appreciate you coming on and hanging out with us, man.

This is awesome. Thank you guys for having me. Hopefully, uh, hopefully it's not to, you know, the video and stuff. It's a little, my wife, I was kind of bad today. No, we got it, man. We got editors. Hey, and if you love watching videos, I don't know if you heard, I got a show that we watch videos on. We can go over the swings and do all that. I'd love to have you on.

Oh, you had Christian Yelich on the other day, right? I did, yeah. I was planning on listening to that. He's pretty good. He actually talked to Christian about his, yeah, I've talked to Christian about, like, you know, what he changed or, because I remember when he, he made that when he stood a little taller and more narrow, he was coming off an all-star game. And then the second half, you know, his MVP year, he just changed in the second half to a little more narrow.

I talked to him about it a little bit like, hey, you already were having success coming off an all-star game. What made you change? Were you a little hesitant to make any adjustments? And, you know, I picked his brain a lot, and especially when at the All-Star game and texting him a little bit. So it's something I'm going to go watch that for sure. Yeah, it's really good. I won't give it away because everyone will go watch sequence, but Yelich says that he went into that All-Star game feeling like

he wasn't having a good season, which only, I think, a very remote, small amount of baseball players can go into an All-Star game not happy with their season. That's crazy. But, yeah. Yeah, he goes into detail with it and it was awesome. But yeah, if you're a guy that loves to pour over your video, I'd love to have you on, man.

so we'll have to link up. Definitely just let me know. I'll get all. Cool. Awesome. All right. Thank you, man. We appreciate it.

We'll catch up with you down the road somewhere. Thanks, brother. And there you have it. Big thank you to Dahl for joining us and sharing part of the story and all that. Like the 17 game hitting streak is hilarious that he didn't really think about it until the catcher said it. What a. What a job by that catcher. Just that's in his head.

Yeah. It's fine. Unreal. It worked. It broke up the street. He didn't get the record. He said, he did say in there that he thought it was Cameron Rupp.

It was Cameron Rup. I can confirm that. Confirmed. I have a Cameron Rup reference. Okay. When I asked for my release in a Texas organization, Cameron Rupp took over my apartment for me. So thank you, Cameron Rup.

That was nice of you. I was very kind. Do you think you redecorated? Do you think you hated your feng shui? Oh, no, I had like that like rent of furniture. That's the worst. So like I'm sure you just kept that. No, like you have to get these places furnished.

And it's like the worst furniture. It's like, I don't know, man. Anyways, it's a big help to me. So thanks, Cam. Cool. Yeah. All right. I think that's everything we got here for you today.

hopefully we get some more fun news. I don't know. This is delayed from the time we're recording it, so there could be crazy news. Anyway, we're out. Thank you guys very much. We will see you next episode. I think this is a Friday episode,

so we'll see you Monday. Have a great weekend. Maybe.