Latest / Kenny Wallace Media / Oli Marmol Says He Needs To Be Better

Transcript

Oli Marmol Says He Needs To Be Better · Kenny Wallace Media

0:00
They are hungry. They're motivated.
0:03
This is a group that, quite honestly, they're not looking at
0:07
the path. They they really do have their
0:08
eye on what's possible moving forward and they've done a
0:12
really good, good job and invested a lot of time and
0:14
energy and making sure that next year looks different.
0:19
The conversations that are taking place from a culture
0:22
standpoint and expectations has been a lot of fun to be a part
0:28
of. It's real.
0:30
I think it's sustainable. So yeah, I've been highly
0:35
encouraged by by the offseason, yeah.
0:39
When we talked to Sunny today, talked about this conversation
0:42
as well in the offseason and some of the.
0:44
The support. Structures for pictures that he
0:46
asked about that he was talking to developer.
0:48
Can you sort of speak to how that's changed over the winter
0:50
and maybe what what what role that Dean and DC and those guys
0:54
are going to have in? That.
0:55
Yeah, they're going to have important roles and those are
0:59
positions that we were eyeing towards the end of the year.
1:01
If you think back to, I think Derek mentioned it during the
1:05
year when we brought Dean with us on the road and and he was
1:09
with us for an extended period of time towards the end of the
1:11
year. It was a good time to be around
1:13
him and understand how he thinks and the value that he would
1:16
bring to a club at the big league level and just
1:19
understanding more of his skill set.
1:21
So I'm, I'm, I'm really excited that he's joining us DC on the
1:26
tech side, same thing. This is a guy that just finds
1:30
solutions for things and the the combination of those two guys
1:34
are going to be important not only for the pitching side or
1:37
Dean, but I mean you're using so many different technologies on
1:41
the hitting side, pitching side and having someone like DC and
1:44
his experience is important as well, Palante was.
1:46
Saying he had Dean and I guess in.
1:48
The Fall League and he. Had him throughout the system.
1:49
As well. And one of the things he
1:51
mentioned was that he was really good at like why React Watch,
1:54
React gets you immediately during the game.
1:56
Is that an area where you all felt like last year whether with
1:59
your staffing or? Whatever else that that was.
2:00
The place where you wanted. To focus some of that.
2:03
Build up this year. Well, the reality is you have so
2:06
much more information available to you.
2:08
You have a lot more waste advanced opposition, you have a
2:12
lot more technology to help make adjustments when it comes to
2:16
mechanics on the pitching side, on the hitting side.
2:18
So increasing the number of staff only makes sense.
2:23
You only have so many hours in the day.
2:25
Then you want to make sure that certain positions are really
2:29
intentional about being relational with the player being
2:33
available to the player. So the more that you're head
2:36
down and some of the tech stuff and and the numbers and
2:39
advancing the less one-on-one time you have the players.
2:43
So increasing the staff allows for us to do both.
2:45
Hollywood, there are a lot of players.
2:48
Feedback in that regard and just terms of maybe the staff being
2:51
struggled than last year because they've been pretty candid about
2:54
how they enjoy working with the staff, just maybe not enough
2:58
back to. Last year.
2:59
It's a good way to put it. They they enjoy it, but there
3:01
wasn't enough of us to go around.
3:03
But it's something prior to the feedback, it's something that we
3:07
were looking at just good conversations with Mel and our
3:13
staff and understanding, hey, here's what we think is mood and
3:17
then identifying those that we felt like could do the job well.
3:22
Another pitching or another staff change?
3:24
Excuse me with. This bench code.
3:25
But kind. Of waiting and thinking of.
3:27
The search and the identification.
3:29
Of things so. I love Daniel Descalzo.
3:31
Everything he brings to the table, from his personality to
3:36
his accountability to his experience in the game, he's a
3:40
winner. He does a really good job of
3:43
being direct with players, so he does it in a way where he's just
3:49
continuously earning their trust.
3:51
So this is a guy that man I've had a lot of respect for.
3:54
We came through the organization and the minor leagues together,
3:58
so we we we have a relationship and I've I've wanted him here
4:02
for for a couple years. So it's good to to bring him in
4:05
kind of get your eye on him. I did, and I I'm really looking
4:13
forward to having Daniel be part of the staff.
4:15
He's going to have a huge impact.
4:17
Not only, I mean the relationship with our young
4:20
guys, he's super relatable, but he has good relationship with
4:23
our veteran group, with our catcher, with Wilson, with
4:28
Nolan, with Goldie. So I think it's the perfect fit
4:32
and the right time. Although you look at the hires
4:35
that you've made or tried to make with that position with
4:37
their holiday discalso skip, they're all guys that are seen
4:41
as rising managerial candidates. Yeah.
4:43
What is it that you view with that position that you're trying
4:46
to get on? I think for me that position I I
4:51
want to hire somebody that can replace me.
4:53
You want to surround yourself with people that that can
4:59
challenge you that could I mean if you think about those those
5:03
names those are guys that can manage and I scousales going to
5:06
manage at some point. So I'm I'm constantly looking at
5:09
that position as one that and that they have the qualities to
5:13
to be a manager and Skip's done a nice job.
5:17
I think that at some point will jump in and do a really good
5:23
job, and Scalzo is no different. Ollie that that phrasing you
5:28
use, I wonder for you, what is it that allows you to be
5:32
comfortable, you know, having somebody like you said, who you
5:36
feel like could replace you and not worrying about?
5:41
The possibility No, that's that's fine.
5:43
It's a high stake environment. If you're insecure then the
5:46
seats not for you. As simple as that.
5:50
You want the best people around you at all times and that means
5:54
you're hiring people that can also one day do your job.
5:57
I think that's the best way to do it.
5:58
So this isn't a matter of kind of skating around, man.
6:03
Maybe one that that doesn't matter to me, it really doesn't.
6:07
I want the best people in that clubhouse in that dugout on our
6:12
staff and I'll continue to do that.
6:15
Much has been made in here in the last couple days about these
6:18
new pictures and then bringing leadership into that clubhouse.
6:22
Can you, can you speak to that and not even from a on the mound
6:26
standpoint, but just these guys in the clubhouse and and maybe
6:29
what that what what they're doing that wasn't going on as
6:32
much last year? Yeah, it's a good question.
6:38
Every move that has been made has been with with a with a
6:42
purpose. These guys are going to add to
6:46
the one column, no doubt about that.
6:48
That's why they're here. But they're also going to do a
6:51
really good job of speaking life into that clubhouse.
6:53
And when when you look at Sonny Gray, this guy, I mean, can't
6:58
say it enough. He's just a competitor.
7:00
He, I mean he wakes up and he wants to kill.
7:02
I love the way he thinks about the game.
7:05
He's a student of the game, but he he loves bringing people
7:09
alongside with them. And Lance Lynn and Gibson are no
7:13
different. These are guys that are hungry
7:16
to win, but also love and know what it takes to bring a club
7:19
together and that and when you talk about a sustainable
7:24
culture, that's that's extremely important.
7:27
So conversations with those guys this offseason have been
7:30
tremendous. I mean.
7:32
I I. Couldn't be happier with how
7:35
that's gone, both on the the pitching side, the position
7:38
player side. There's a lot of time invested
7:41
in making sure that we get this right.
7:44
And bottom line is this, can you create a culture where we truly
7:53
trust each other in that clubhouse?
7:56
You do that and you'll be fine. And these guys have invested a
7:59
decent amount of time to make sure that happens well.
8:02
He moves and talking to Lance Lim that he's motivated by what
8:05
happened last season. He shouldn't be giving up 44
8:07
home runs and he thinks there's things will help.
8:11
Your coaching staff can help him.
8:12
What What have you learned about him that talks with?
8:14
Lance that It's great when you you have a veteran that's
8:20
constantly looking to get better.
8:23
Yes I do think the ballpark will help but he's not relying on
8:25
just the ballpark to help him not give up homers right now.
8:28
This is a guy that has identified a couple things that
8:33
will help and we won't get into exactly what those are but he's
8:40
working hard to make sure that last year behind him and he
8:45
bounces back highly motivated. I'm.
8:47
Going to go back to surrounding yourself with people that had
8:51
COVID. So a lot of the best, probably
8:53
wanting the best people around you.
8:54
More than that, how did that factor into the organizations to
8:59
bring Yadi in and what did you do with your coach instead?
9:02
I I mean, I had numerous conversations with Yadi at all
9:07
times of the day over the last couple months leading into him
9:12
accepting the position to to join us.
9:14
And at the end of the day, I wanted him around as much as
9:17
possible. I have a good relationship with
9:19
Yadi, respecting the ton. We worked well together and
9:24
yeah, we went back and forth. My hope was to have him in our
9:28
dugout often. Time is not right for that just
9:33
yet, so but having anybody Yachty is, is definitely a good
9:38
thing. Do you see him doing?
9:41
When he is here for things with your catchings or with your.
9:45
Gun catchers, That's our hope. Yeah, our our hope is that, and
9:50
there's already conversations with with him and Wilson, but
9:53
that he continues to to pour into Herrera and our younger
9:56
catchers that aren't here yet. He's passionate about that, but
9:59
he's also passionate about learning what it looks like to
10:02
be on this side of it. He's managed a couple different
10:07
teams in in Puerto Rico and in the winter, but he's hungry to
10:11
understand the insurance and outs of what it looks like to be
10:17
a a coach at the big league level.
10:19
His mind for the game is incredible and that's that's a
10:22
given. We know that we we saw it for a
10:24
couple decades here, but he's still hungry to understand what
10:28
this looks like. So he's going to be around and
10:33
my hope is more than more often than not.
10:37
Pauline I'm curious when it comes.
10:39
To the. The new group of starting
10:40
pitchers that we talked. About and how?
10:42
Innings is such a priority those guys to fill innings take.
10:46
The ball they. They have those characteristics.
10:47
And qualities do you feel that with?
10:50
This group of starters that you have maybe compared to last year
10:53
it will provide. Or cause some shift.
10:56
For you in terms of the way you. View Pulling a starter.
11:00
And and when? You would look to.
11:02
Do that in terms of the guys that you have?
11:04
Their value could be going. 6-7 and maybe working through some
11:07
stuff. Yeah, that's our hope.
11:09
That's our hope is that there's less innings out of the pen.
11:14
Pull a picture when you no longer think they could do the
11:16
job. But these are guys that have
11:19
been tested, that understand the insurance and outs of competing
11:23
at this level. They're not wide eyed.
11:24
They've they've been around, they've, they've had success.
11:27
They've also taken their beatings and they they don't
11:30
ride the emotional roller coaster that a rookie would
11:33
ride. So that that earns trust.
11:38
So I look forward to that. No doubt we'll.
11:40
Talk about leadership in the clubhouse.
11:43
One of the names has come up a lot this weekend has spread it
11:45
down. Can you speak to like what his
11:47
leadership role is on this? Club.
11:50
It's not so much leadership role as as much as guys being
11:54
invested and having skin in the game and caring and it's not a
11:59
hey, these are my 3 leaders on the position player side.
12:02
Here are my 3 leaders on. It's getting that amount of
12:06
buying from everybody. Do you really care about the
12:10
Saint Louis Cardinals and this team or or do you care about
12:14
yourself? And I think it's pretty obvious
12:17
when you see Donovan sit up here and you have a 5 minute
12:20
conversation with him, what he cares about, he cares about
12:22
winning. I mean, this guy is a Cardinal
12:27
every conversation, and I've had plenty of them this offseason
12:30
with Donovan, revolves around how we get guys to buy into one
12:34
common vision and one common language.
12:37
And that's trusting each other. And he's invested well in
12:41
himself to grow in those areas, but he's also challenging others
12:45
to do the same. And the more guys you have doing
12:48
that, talent aside, that's that's what you want.
12:54
Big picture wise, is that kind of what this season is about for
12:56
you is not so much stats in getting this rotation of work
13:01
and the whole bit, but more getting everybody to be team
13:03
first. That's it.
13:06
If I can narrow it down to one thing, you get those guys to
13:08
truly trust, trust each other, and everything else falls into
13:12
place. So yes.
13:15
Is spring training going to be different for you this year in
13:18
terms of maybe trying to do some things different?
13:21
Last year was a weird world baseball class that.
13:23
Are you changing some things in spring training?
13:25
That. That you wouldn't have done
13:27
before to try to get some results you want to see.
13:31
Quite honestly, it's just it'll be nice to just have the entire
13:34
team there the whole time, right?
13:36
I I look back at our spring training in 2022 and I was very
13:40
happy with it last year. It was difficult to gain any
13:46
momentum. Even when you're covering
13:48
fundamentals, right, You don't have your your infield and
13:51
you're covering buck plays and 1st and thirds and rundowns and
13:55
all types of things and you're doing it with the guys that
13:59
aren't on your club. So just having everybody there
14:02
together from day one allows for that to take place easier.
14:08
You're having meaningful meetings every day before the
14:13
day starts and your actual club that's coming to Saint Louis is,
14:16
is there to start to invest in those meetings and speak into
14:20
them and then take ownership over them.
14:22
So yeah, I look forward to that from a change standpoint, not
14:26
not entirely. I mean, our attention to detail
14:29
is going to be going to be there.
14:32
Our emphasis on doing small things well, it's going to be
14:35
there. So yeah.
14:40
When you think about Wilson and Yadi, he talked about sort of
14:43
having him there. How do you feel like that
14:46
dynamic will play out? I mean, I think.
14:49
Part of. The early rough pack for Wilson
14:52
was the fact that he was replacing the Audi and everybody
14:54
had been used to him for so long.
14:57
How do you feel like now having Yadi around that dynamic will
15:00
play out? Yeah, there's there's a good
15:03
relationship there. I'm not worried about that at
15:05
all. There's there's no ego.
15:08
Wilson, at the end of the day just wants to get better, and he
15:11
wants to get better every day and he sees Yadi as someone that
15:14
could do that. So there there's not an ego here
15:18
of I'm replacing him. And there's it's simply this is
15:22
a guy that did it well for a very long time and there's a lot
15:26
of things I can learn from him. So when he's around, I'm going
15:30
to do exactly that. You're going to think he'll
15:32
still be able. To put his own sort of
15:34
standpoint, I guess that's what I meant.
15:36
Like. With Yadi still around, yes.
15:39
His personality, he, I mean, he sat here in his initial press
15:43
conference and said, I'm not trying to be Yadi, I'm going to
15:46
be Wilson Contreras and he just wants to be a better version of
15:52
Wilson Contreras. So yeah, I don't see that as an
15:53
issue. According to your third year,
15:57
obviously. You've changed as a manager for.
15:59
The first time we talked. To unzing, we got hired.
16:01
Until last offseason, how do you take?
16:03
Those first two years. Molding you into the manager.
16:06
Who? Will be in oh man, you you you
16:09
learn a lot. You have a positive season in
16:11
22. You have a season in 23.
16:14
That wasn't so positive. It was a difficult year and you
16:16
learn a lot about yourself last year.
16:19
And I said this last night at the the the dinner, it it it
16:23
tested my character. It really did it.
16:25
It it makes you sit back and really think through what went
16:31
well what didn't and what I would do different and the
16:34
reality is I need to be I needed to be better.
16:38
Last year wasn't good enough and our staff needs to be better but
16:42
that starts with me. So I've said it plenty we're
16:48
we're looking ahead but last year was unacceptable from what
16:54
it looked like standpoint and so you learn a lot from that you
16:59
you really do. Ben asked about the spring
17:02
training last year. If there was a word that was
17:04
kicked around a lot of spring training was opportunity.
17:07
You had spots in the bullpen for young guys.
17:09
Yeah, spot on the rotation for a young guy to.
17:11
Win. Right field was there for
17:12
someone to win, as you said today.
17:14
You could write out your line, all eight positions, DH.
17:18
You could also write out your your rotation probably write out
17:22
your. Bullpen, yeah.
17:23
What does that change about spring training?
17:26
The idea of creating competition, the opportunities
17:28
of some young guys have also maybe how you can.
17:31
Maybe focus on the. Edges a little bit of a roster.
17:34
Yes, I think that's an important part to the what Ben was saying
17:39
when it comes to there, there is some certainty going into the
17:42
season as to what guys roles are going to look like.
17:47
Competition is a good thing. I love competition it it drives
17:49
you to be better. So there's still, there's still
17:52
going to be competition, but it's also nice for guys to know
17:56
coming in where they stand and what this is going to look like
17:58
because it allows you to focus on becoming A-Team and running
18:05
in the same direction and focusing on some of the things
18:07
that I was speaking to before. So I'm excited about that part
18:12
of it. I really am with a quick.
18:14
Just got a second from. Roster and my team.
18:17
For whatever you've been able to worry.
18:18
About and. Just what you've done over the
18:21
past three confident kid, which is you need it to play at this
18:24
level. I had an opportunity to kind of
18:28
spend a little bit of time with him yesterday and meet his
18:30
family and I look forward to seeing him on the field.
18:33
I haven't been around him a ton during the previous springs, so
18:37
I hear a lot of good things about him.
18:39
He's maturing as a hitter, His defense is unreal and he could
18:42
obviously steal base. So he's an exciting player.
18:46
We have several of them coming up that are exciting players.
18:49
I look forward to seeing him for sure.
18:51
Along the lines with stolen bases, can you describe
18:54
philosophy kind of heading into this year?
18:56
We saw the Diamondbacks, of course maximize that, stealing
18:59
bases. And now with Mason on the team
19:01
and the whole thing, can you, I guess, Yeah, can you describe
19:04
how stolen bases can enhance your team and how you hope to
19:06
utilize? It yeah.
19:08
Prior to the rule changes, we were pretty aggressive in how we
19:10
thought about stealing bases and taking every opportunity to do
19:14
so. That doesn't change.
19:17
We have some guys in Mason and and Scott coming up that we can
19:23
do that at a high rate, but it doesn't change how we think
19:26
about stealing bases if there's an opportunity there.
19:29
If there's a tell where we think the success rate is going to be
19:33
high, then we've been pretty aggressive about about taking
19:36
that. So our our strategy there
19:39
doesn't change one bit. Can I ask what impressed you
19:41
about the Diamondbacks, just in general, about utilizing that at
19:44
such a high level going to the World Series?
19:47
They had guys that could do it, yeah, that speed.
19:50
So it makes it it, it helps a little bit, yeah.
19:54
Well, you guys didn't mess with your offense your your position
19:57
players. You had a top ten offense last
19:58
year, but how much do you go in saying there's more there with
20:02
new there's more there with Walker that's coming, when can
20:05
be better? Gorman, if you can keep him
20:08
healthy, he may be a 40 home run guy, but there's more there.
20:11
And that's what you're counting on is another year of
20:14
experience. Newbar understands himself even
20:17
more now. Gorman understands his himself
20:19
and he's made adjustments. You look at you're going to have
20:22
a healthy Donovan, a healthy Eddie.
20:26
I mean you look at that line up and you you can get excited
20:30
about it because yes, they were a top ten offense and I think
20:34
they're going to be a top five offense.
20:35
I mean this is a group that is hungry, but you're you're
20:40
layering in another year of them understanding what this leagues
20:44
all about. So that's how.
20:47
Newton yesterday, he said, motivated Nolan as a scary
20:51
Nolan. What's your conversations been
20:53
like? Yeah, he's he's motivated and
20:57
I'll keep this one short. I'm really looking forward to
20:59
seeing him this year. Yeah, were.
21:01
You motivated? At all by your own.
21:03
Contract status for. This year, that's not a
21:08
motivator for me. I think if you look at it that
21:11
way, then the hell were you doing previous two years?
21:13
If you're motivated now, you know.
21:15
So I I don't think of that in that sense, No.
21:21
For 18 years I've woken up and wanted to make Saint Louis
21:24
Cardinals better. So this is no different, Yeah.
21:28
So much focus on the the pitching addition you guys have
21:31
made, you know, the rotation. What's your confidence logo with
21:34
the guys coming back having bounced back performances?
21:37
Miles Stephen Mads. Like just they're penciled into
21:41
your rotation. The years they've had.
21:43
Seems like their improvement is going to be a big factor.
21:47
When you talk about motivated, Miles is motivated.
21:50
He, he's not happy with what took place last year, personally
21:55
and team wise, obviously, but there's some adjustments being
21:59
made there with how he uses this stuff that I think could be
22:02
helpful. When Matt came back from the
22:06
bullpen into the rotation, those are the strongest six weeks of
22:09
his career. We were seeing a really good
22:11
version of them and I don't think it was flute.
22:15
This is something that I think we can see moving forward.
22:17
So keeping him healthy is important, but I think we will
22:20
see a better version of him. Probably with the way that you
22:23
guys have described. Kind of your ideal defensive
22:25
alignment with Tommy being. In center and Mason at short.
22:29
Mason, obviously, is a really. Key cog, him being able to kind
22:32
of take. That next step to.
22:34
Allowing that to play out, what's your?
22:35
Confidence in a guy at his age that kind of just got his feet
22:40
with, but that you guys are kind of basing your best version of
22:43
yourself. Around.
22:45
It it involves him. Yeah, and that's not added
22:48
pressure. It's just the reality.
22:50
This is a really good defender that can solidify the the
22:53
shortstop position which allows us to have, in my opinion, a
22:57
Golden Glove centre fielder and he's eyeing that as an
23:03
opportunity to run with it. What I love about him, and he
23:08
doesn't scare and that's a good trait to have, he embraces
23:12
competition, he loves it. So our hope is that he can come
23:16
in and and take hold of it because if he does, we're better
23:21
in in other areas as well with. The last two years we've talked
23:23
a lot about swinging this stuff and what you can get out of the
23:26
bowl, and it's offseason. It seems like you guys have
23:28
added a lot of that to that specific area.
23:31
What do those guys allow you to do that you've added when it
23:34
comes flexibility? Yeah, it does give you the
23:39
ability to to mix and match a little bit.
23:42
There are some guys that that we've brought in that will miss
23:45
more Bats. That's important.
23:48
You're smiling because you know I love that.
23:50
But yeah, when you look at Helsley and JoJo and you go down
23:55
that list now, now you do have some firepower in addition to
24:00
what was brought in that allows you to look at that bullpen and
24:04
and shorten some games. So it'll be good to see them in
24:07
person and and see their stuff live.
24:09
So I look forward to that, Cambridge.
24:11
Specifically, I think MO said yesterday, the other day that
24:15
he's pitched in every inning years ago.
24:18
When you have a guy that's willing to accept all of those
24:21
different roles, regardless of when he's inserted into the
24:23
game, what does that do? For a manager that that's
24:25
helpful not being high maintenance and just being able
24:28
to say hey pitch me to 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, like just hand me the
24:32
ball when you whenever you think it's my time to help then that's
24:38
a that's good to have But and he's been tested he he's been on
24:42
those high leverage innings and he understands what that looks
24:44
like and he can handle the pressure of those situations
24:46
which is helpful. But to not have an ego and just
24:50
say hand me the ball whenever needed, I love that.
24:54
When you look at your pitching staff specifically like bullpen
24:57
of the rotation, rotation, very seasoned, a lot of them know
25:00
what they do well and what they need to do to.
25:03
Perform the bullpen. Is that maybe where the overlap
25:06
of what Jeff was asking about about the sports staff that
25:09
there's some pitchers out? There some guys you acquired.
25:13
To coach stuff, who could like if they?
25:15
What you see in their. Pitches or what you see in their
25:19
uses. There's an element there.
25:21
To double down on certain pitch, eliminate a pitch, being able to
25:24
change the shape of something. Yeah, and that's the part that I
25:27
met with. You want certain coaches readily
25:30
available to do that and where that's their their focus and
25:34
their attention and they can start to invest time to to gain
25:39
the trust. So that when you say hey we need
25:40
to do this or we need to eliminate this, that that
25:43
there's a a relationship there that they trust.
25:47
If you're head down in a computer all day, it's tough to
25:52
you miss certain opportunities and we want to make sure that
25:56
we're not missing anything, so the extra staff allows for for
26:00
that. Is that the game now in the
26:02
bullpen? I'm like, is that like the
26:03
modern baseball game? In the bullpen?
26:07
Find this group. Find that pitch.
26:11
Maximize. Find a way to maximize both.
26:13
It used to be like a match up game.
26:14
Now it's almost like down the Grayler pitch.
26:17
Can't find the pitch? Yeah, but it also has to match
26:20
your just use the word courage. Like yes, you have to be able
26:27
to. It's one thing to have a pitch.
26:29
It's another thing when you're called upon to use it in a big
26:32
situation to be able to stomach it.
26:34
And you're you're trying to develop both sides of the the
26:40
the technical, mechanical side of of performing well and then
26:43
the the mental and emotional side of of being able to handle
26:48
the big leagues. And there's a lot that goes into
26:50
that. So with more information there's
26:54
more staff to be able to do both of those.
26:56
Well, your. Conversations with Jordan Walker
27:00
ramping up to his second full season.
27:04
My conversations with him, yeah, those conversations started
27:08
early on. I called Jose Oquendo and I
27:11
asked, hey, can you be at the field often in Jupiter?
27:16
And he never shines away from that.
27:18
He loves it. So his his special project was
27:22
Jordan's going to come down there for a while.
27:24
He wants to make Jupiter where he spends a big part of his
27:27
offseason and can you wear him out?
27:31
Just go through the most detailed progression possible to
27:36
make sure that when we all report to spring and will, he
27:40
gets a hold of him that that we're headed in the right
27:43
direction. And he committed to that.
27:45
He was excited about it, what kind of was, and Jordan was
27:49
excited about it. He's hungry to improve.
27:52
He he really is. So it's a great combination.
27:54
I trust you a ton, so I'm glad that worked out.
27:58
Back to the full time flexibility, sure.
28:02
Would it be fair to say that that's a trait to this
28:04
organization targeted in offseason additions there?
28:07
Because you have guys like Gio Romero, John King that can do
28:11
that. But was it a goal of this team
28:13
to kind of structure an entire bullpen with that trait?
28:16
Correct. That's why I said every every
28:18
single person brought in. It was very strategic.
28:21
There's a purpose behind all of them and the puzzle pieces are
28:25
are coming together really well. So yes, to answer your question.
28:29
To to Derek and and Liz about your ability to sort of pencil
28:33
things in right now, How excited are you to see Sonny Grey ching
28:38
on the challenge of the Dodgers on Opening Day at Dodgers
28:41
Fading? That's right.
28:46
The interpretation. You want the entire rotation.
28:49
They want to usually wait till spring.
28:53
Yeah, but he would. He would.
28:57
That's why I liked him. We talked the other day with
29:04
Alex. Burleson and he.
29:05
Mentioned how you guys? Did he tell you you lost weight?
29:07
Needs faster and. He said it was because of
29:10
conversations that he had with you guys, and he said that he
29:13
appreciated that it was candid and that you guys told him
29:15
specifically what he needed to. Work on.
29:18
You mentioned going into the offseason that there were going
29:21
to be a lot of those candid conversations from where you
29:24
were at that point in the offseason to where you are
29:26
today. How do you feel like the
29:28
progress has been from those? Conversations.
29:30
It's been awesome. It's something we're we're proud
29:32
about. I'll try to keep this short.
29:37
At the end of the day, when you go on certain runs, 162 games is
29:42
a long season and you're going to have some UPS, you're going
29:47
to have some downs. And it's how well can you take
29:51
the the downs, the the the downside of of the season.
29:54
You go on certain stretches that just quite simply suck.
29:59
And if you're in that clubhouse and you have a group that truly
30:03
trust each other, and what I mean, like love the grind
30:07
together, like they truly trust. Trust each other.
30:10
They're not, hey, I hope this guy doesn't do well.
30:13
So I get my opportunity to know they're in it for one reason and
30:15
it has nothing to do with what's on their back.
30:17
Like, they truly trust coming together as a club, grinding
30:21
through it. They know about each other.
30:22
They know about each other's families, they they're grinding
30:24
in One Direction. When you can do that, good
30:29
things happen and you have a sustainable culture for a very
30:32
long time. So that's the aim.
30:38
That's all I care about right now.
30:39
You. Mean some trust a number of.
30:42
Times you're going to hear it a whole lot.
30:44
How do? You build that because it's.
30:46
Easy to lose and hard to gain is what they say.
30:48
How do you build that in? An offseason, it starts with
30:53
being honest, and that's both ways.
30:57
That's not just having candid conversations and let you know
30:59
what I think about you. You get the opportunity to do
31:01
the same and you guys have heard that word enough.
31:07
But that's how it starts is you sit down with guys and you say
31:11
here's here's what I think it's possible for you, here's how I
31:14
think you're going to get there. And then you point out whatever
31:19
they're doing that's either leading in that direction or
31:21
not. And you start to build that that
31:24
relationship. And and then knowing that the
31:28
reason I'm telling you this is because I think you can actually
31:30
achieve it. So let's let's get there
31:34
together. But that's a that's a process.
31:36
It's not one conversation, It's a daily thing that keeps guys on
31:41
the track. And what they've been good about
31:44
is, is giving us permission as a staff to hold them accountable
31:47
for those things. Some guys don't want to be held
31:49
accountable. That doesn't fit here.
31:54
Oh, these are principles that have always been.
31:56
Important to you, but what has been kind?
31:58
Of a process. Or I guess the realization of
32:00
maybe the. Way you all want to hone in more
32:02
on. That.
32:03
Following last. Year in the midst of last year
32:05
now moving toward. What what you want to?
32:07
Be a better tomorrow. Yeah.
32:09
And and this is where I I don't want to get into last year as
32:13
much as I want to talk about no, no, but it's a fair question.
32:18
I don't feel like that was our strong suit last year and teams
32:22
that are good have that. But it's on me to to kind of
32:29
develop that and grow that. So it's it's on nobody else
32:34
other than me when it comes to that being good or not being
32:37
good. Last year wasn't good.
32:39
That's on me. Yeah, we've.
32:41
Debated that importance or overrated definition of quality
32:46
starts before with what you guys experienced last season with
32:50
what you've added this offseason.
32:52
I mean, with what you want to do in the bullpen, doesn't that
32:54
isn't a lot of this boiled down to you got to get regular charts
32:58
that get you to the bullpen of the way you want to use it, Yes.
33:00
Often. Yes.
33:01
Is that kind of like the most important?
33:03
I don't. The staff can be debated, but
33:05
isn't that the most, whatever you want to call it a a quality
33:08
start? Maybe not, By the definition,
33:10
seems to be like it's going to be the kind of the most
33:12
important thing to the season. And the guys we brought in have
33:15
pride in doing that, so that was intentional as well.
33:20
If they do their jobs, we can go to the pen and use them the way
33:23
they need to be used should lead to more success.
33:29
Good time for. One morning I got to get Ally
33:31
over to Ballpark Village and any last question.
33:33
Thanks, Brian. You.
33:35
Haven't really talked much about defense.
33:37
It's good to have versatile guys, but it's also.
33:39
Good to have a stable line up. How do you weigh those two?
33:45
That's actually well put. I I I like the flexibility of
33:48
having the Donovan that can play anywhere and Eddie the next play
33:50
anywhere. But it is nice for guys to show
33:52
up every day and know exactly where they're going to play.
33:55
And that doesn't mean that you can't give a guy a day off and
33:59
throw Donnie over a third and mix guys around.
34:02
But it is nice to be able to come in knowing I'm playing
34:06
short and I'll play short tomorrow and the next day and
34:10
the next day and when I need a day off, that's fine.
34:11
But I'm the shortstop, I'm a play center field every day.
34:15
So it it it is nice mentally for these guys to to know and have
34:20
some continuity where they're going to be every day.
34:23
So that's something that I'm also looking forward to.