Phillies reliever David Robertson on signing VERY late, loving Philly

00:00:02
Speaker 1: David training us right now? Where are you at?

00:00:06
Speaker 2: I mean my mini van in the parking lot right now? Because I didn't realize this was a FaceTime call in thing. A little frustrated about the seventh link up, tried to get in here on.

00:00:16
Speaker 3: On, well now you look great, so it worked, we got its. Yeah, he looked great. Hey, and look look great in the Phillies uniform. So easy layup. First question, because we haven't had John since you signed. How's life now compared to two months ago? What are you doing two months ago?

00:00:32
Speaker 2: Around this time, I was getting my butt kicked on the tennis courts, is what I was doing, and figuring out my golf games stinks.

00:00:38
Speaker 4: That's what I was doing two months ago.

00:00:41
Speaker 2: The gym and train just like and then finally I was like, I need to go back and play baseball. At least I can win it something.

00:00:47
Speaker 1: So what sparked it? Like? Were you talking to teams the whole season?

00:00:51
Speaker 4: I was.

00:00:52
Speaker 2: I was talking to teams all fall or you know, through the winner, through the off season, and just you know, came close a couple of times, but just didn't really could couldn't get something put together.

00:01:01
Speaker 4: That was to my liking. So I just got to that point.

00:01:04
Speaker 2: Where I figured I'd just hang on and you know, try to jump in halfway wait till right around the All Star breaker, just after it, to let teams know that I was I was interested in coming back and that i'd be ready to go.

00:01:15
Speaker 5: Do you remember what the offers were in the sense of like was it because we had Lance Lynn on and he kind of went through the same thing. He ultimately never signed, but they were telling him, hey, it'll be cool, we'd love to have you. It'll be neat if you would make the team, but they're not going to put any money where their mouth is.

00:01:32
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I was looking for a very strong offer.

00:01:34
Speaker 2: I you know, like I at this point in my life and my career, I'm not looking to come back unless it's something that I think I'm worth. It's it's it's a hard game to play, and it's a tough position to be a you know, high end leverage reliever. So you know, I you know, there's guys that make more than me and there's guys that make less to me.

00:01:51
Speaker 4: But I feel like I was slotted somewhere in between there and I wasn't willing to budget on it this offseason.

00:01:56
Speaker 6: I just want to know this would a new minivan have got it done? Because you're driving a mini because I would expect someone from Alabama to drive like a jacked up truck, not a minivan. So surprising when you said you were in a minivan.

00:02:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I have a truck, but this one's a lot easier to park in the city. You don't have to worry about the kids like ramming into somebody else's car next to you.

00:02:17
Speaker 5: Nice.

00:02:17
Speaker 1: Smart, that's smart thing you had the automatic?

00:02:19
Speaker 6: Are you like the crazy dad Like sometimes you get in ubers and in their minivans and like.

00:02:24
Speaker 1: Don't touch the handles, they're automatic. I will open the door for you kids.

00:02:28
Speaker 2: Yes, I'm like, I've got it's right here. It's the button boop, So that's it, right open?

00:02:34
Speaker 4: Okay?

00:02:34
Speaker 3: Is that?

00:02:34
Speaker 1: Why?

00:02:35
Speaker 6: Is that why you sign with Philly? Because first of all, Philly is pretty good. You got a chance to win. You fit right into their bullpen, and they accept minivans and their players because a lot of the guys are older and have children. So like you're going to a young team where they're all hanging out. You know, there are a lot of those people have children, so they understand the minivan thing.

00:02:51
Speaker 2: I feel like, yeah, everyone understands the necessary thing of a van, like you gotta be able to get all the car seats in and be able to get all the crap that you bring that you never used into the car. And this thing is load to the ground. It's good on gas knowledge, It's great. I can't beat it.

00:03:08
Speaker 5: Gas smileage, gas smileage. D Rob, Come on, kid, come on? Was there was there a more? Was there a more tricked out minivan? Because it looks like you got a glass top that you didn't get because you should have gotten You should have gotten the most tricked out minivan there is, based on what I'm looking at, from what you've earned in your career.

00:03:27
Speaker 4: I mean this is this was the top of the top of the line. I mean there might be a better one. But she's pretty nice now, you know.

00:03:32
Speaker 2: Get the TV's in the head wrist, you know, gon hear Pete from the back seats when we're rolling down the highway.

00:03:37
Speaker 5: Okay, that's good. I'm glad everybody's happy at home. How About in the clubhouse there? How about in the stadium. You played in the nine World Series in Philly. This is your if I'm not mistaken, as your third time back with the Phillies. You tried to go to Philly. You tried to go to Philly because the only reason you signed there was because you won it in that bat And then you went back and you got traded back and you wore your blue shoes and you guys went to the World Series. Now you're back again. Is our Phillies fans As bad as people say when you're on the other side, and as good as they say when you're on the good side.

00:04:19
Speaker 4: It is definitely a tough environment.

00:04:21
Speaker 2: I got to come back here with the Marlins and get my butt kicked in the Wildcard Series in twenty three and it was tough. But man, when you're on the when when you're on the Philly side and you're rolling in the bank right here, it is there's nothing better. I mean, this place erupts. It's it's the best place to play in the playoffs. I mean, I can remember in the World Series just just how how loud it was and how ruthless the fans were, and it was just the toughest atmosphere.

00:04:44
Speaker 4: I was like, you know what, I could play here.

00:04:46
Speaker 1: I like this.

00:04:47
Speaker 4: It's fun.

00:04:47
Speaker 2: You know, they'll let you know when you suck, but hey, and when you're doing good, there's nothing better.

00:04:54
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00:05:15
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00:05:23
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00:05:24
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00:05:53
Speaker 6: L Hey, David, we were talking about Duran and his new entrance that they have the Durantelo with the spider. So is that the coolest entrance you've seen? I know you played with Mo and mohatt Erson man, but there wasn't the graphics. There wasn't all the cool light show. But if you were now the closer, and I say only closers should have an entrance, what would your entrance be?

00:06:15
Speaker 2: Oh god, it definitely couldn't be that hard, because I'm gonna can't. You know, you can't come in there throwing ninety two and everybody back.

00:06:21
Speaker 4: That was the difference. You know, he's throwing.

00:06:24
Speaker 2: Eighty poo in here and it's like, we can't do that. I haven't actually got to see it in person, so I'm ready to see it. I've been I joined the team on the road, so I'm ready for him to close down a game here and get to see the see the whole thing.

00:06:38
Speaker 5: No way they're gonna have an entrance like that for a dude driving a minivan. I'm sorry, b Roberts. Even even with your calves like there is there is nothing. There is nothing that you I mean, you just totally lost all your street cred. But I disagree with AJ. You've been you've been a closer, You've been a setup guy in huge situations. Should everybody have some type of entrance because like walk out music, every hitter gets walk up music. Now, I get it, they hit more often. But in my opinion, David Robertson is just as important in the sixth or seventh inning facing the top spots in the lineup as Johan Duran is in the ninth inning facing the top spots in the lineup.

00:07:26
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:07:26
Speaker 2: I mean, there are big outs in the game. Believe me, that's made a living doing it if they're you know, everyone loves that ninth inning when the game is closing down. Those last three outs are sometimes the hardest to get. I don't know if if everyone needs the intro like Duran, but you know, it's nice to hear your.

00:07:42
Speaker 4: Song when you come in. It feels good.

00:07:44
Speaker 2: You know all minute and a half you have to warm up and get ready.

00:07:48
Speaker 4: I don't give it.

00:07:49
Speaker 6: Better make sure they que it properly, otherwise you're in trouble.

00:07:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, I was gonna use it as my tune up game, but no, no, I was not. I was not slated to play the old timers game. But that's good heat, right, there heat.

00:08:03
Speaker 1: Did you like did you see what happened to Mariano? And if they asked you, would you play?

00:08:08
Speaker 2: I don't know if I play or not. I think I got to wait a few years. I still feel like I'm you know, I'm still on the real field.

00:08:14
Speaker 1: Play.

00:08:15
Speaker 2: I got to give it a few years before I come back. You know, let the hair really get gray. It's starting to hitch in there. I gotta get it cut.

00:08:20
Speaker 4: But you know, maybe I don't know what to see. Let's get the invite.

00:08:25
Speaker 5: They're going to ask you. You gotta ring with the Yankees. They're definitely gonna ask you. Just just be careful. Make sure you stretch out them calves because those caves are going to be cool on your achilles tendon.

00:08:35
Speaker 1: I'm just saying I don't.

00:08:36
Speaker 2: Want to pop it like I did in twenty two trying to give a high five in the bullpen.

00:08:40
Speaker 4: That was brutal.

00:08:42
Speaker 5: That was Now you're you're all healed up, all right, so I'm good to go.

00:08:46
Speaker 4: Now you're you're.

00:08:48
Speaker 5: Sitting there in the off season that Phillies called, Were they the only team that called? Or did you go because you're your own agent? I don't we didn't bring this up this time. Last time you're on, we talked about it. You do all this stuff. The Phillies made their offer. Were you able to shop that offer to anybody else and say, hey, you know what is that? Or does is that not how it works? Because we only have to ask agents this stuff. I don't know how stuff works.

00:09:12
Speaker 4: No, I'm I'm first and foremost.

00:09:13
Speaker 2: I am not an agent, so I don't I don't do the whole shopping. I don't have time sometimes to talk to other teams. There's a lot of people I didn't speak to after I threw. The Phillies just came with a strong offer, and it was a place I wanted to play in, an environment I wanted to be in, and you know, they're in first place and there was a good, good spot for me to fit in after the bullpen, so I had to take it.

00:09:32
Speaker 4: Join. I mean, this was this was definitely in the tops of the places I wanted to come.

00:09:37
Speaker 1: Cool, Okay, awesome, Well, David, we appreciate it.

00:09:41
Speaker 6: For that Yankees Old Timers game. That was the other offer you had on the table. So I guess this is Phillies or Yankees Old Timers game.

00:09:47
Speaker 1: I don't know. If you get you don't get paid. They don't get paid the same amount.

00:09:50
Speaker 6: But they could have maybe thrown in them Mini Man.

00:09:53
Speaker 4: Yeah, you never know.

00:09:55
Speaker 2: To the MVP of that, maybe that would be the prize for all the for the old timers.

00:09:59
Speaker 7: Would have then with the cutters and curveballs. Cutters and curveballs. You figured it out. Cutters and curveball, hitch forever. If you can throw cutters and curveballs here.

00:10:10
Speaker 5: I'll be at the game tonight. I'll be at the game tonight. So you hear somebody hackingly from the bullpen. From the top of the bullpen there.

00:10:20
Speaker 4: Just look for the extremely jack guys standing up there.

00:10:24
Speaker 5: And I'll be and I'll be ball, and I'll be ball.

00:10:29
Speaker 4: Perfect.

00:10:31
Speaker 1: Well, d Rob, thanks for stopping by.

00:10:33
Speaker 6: Man.

00:10:33
Speaker 3: Cool to see you back up with with obviously a team that's going to be in the running here, so we're excited about it.

00:10:39
Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Man, good catching up.

00:10:41
Speaker 4: Yeah, thanks for having on guys, Sorry to be so long to get on.

00:10:44
Speaker 1: No, you're good. You're good.

00:10:45
Speaker 3: Good connection was primed the Wi Fi and the Mini Man is perfect, so it's good stuff.

00:10:52
Speaker 1: Thanks Man. We'll see you suit, see you guys,