Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman joins DT

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, Andrew Friedman, President of Basketball Operations, joining us now. And Andrew is a man of his word because he told me that he would come on in January, and here he is on January twenty ninth, just at the nick of time. Andrew, good to be with you, My goodness. I tell you what, going into the off season, I thought, you know, and all of my expert knowledge, that we needed an outfielder and we needed a closer. Not only did you check the box, Andrew, you checked it with a big, big check mark. Congratulations on the off season. Were those your two biggest targets as well? Getting an unbelievable closer, the best available and getting the best available outfielder.

00:00:41
Speaker 2: Yeah, first of all, thanks for having me on, and like I said, it would be in January. So like to kick the can as much as I can, but obviously a man of my word, So thank you guys for having me on. As far as as Sugar and Tucker, Tucker, you know, for us, as we're sitting around, our goal is to have a shorter off season than everyone else. So as much as we are complaining about it in the moment, and you know, doing the best we can to get caught up on the off season. You know, we sit down and talk to our existing roster and look at you know, potential needs and line up the free agent market and the trade market, and for us, Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz were at the top of that list. You don't know how things are going to play out. In fact, in my head, Edwin was going to go back to the Mets, and so we were more focused on other you know, kind of more realistic targets.

00:01:40
Speaker 3: But you know, near the end.

00:01:41
Speaker 2: Before we close the deal, we started to sense that opening that we had a real chance and we struck. And you know, we talked about Tucker more recently, but obviously for us, it was about maintaining a shorter term deal, and anytime you're doing that, you're introducing risk being able to get that done. So I wouldn't say we were confident about it, but you know, five seven days before we were, before we signed him, we started to get some sense that we had a real chance.

00:02:13
Speaker 4: Yeah, exceptional additions, obviously, I think the real question we should have opened with, the thing that's on everybody's mind, how are the Golden Globes?

00:02:20
Speaker 3: Andrew?

00:02:22
Speaker 2: They were good, they were good I'm sure it's on everyone's mind. You know, Todd Bowleyer ownership group is very involved with Dick Clark productions, and so it was a cool experience. You know, you're so marred and the day to day and the stress of the off season of the season, so to step back from it and watch other people be stressed was fun.

00:02:43
Speaker 4: And also being a part of another you got a viral clip. You're in the background of Leo's shot, whatever he's got going on there. That's a lot of fun. As somebody who covers his team watches his team. The off season was a lot more fun for me. You know, it's funny to me that it feels like the Edwin Diaz signing happened and we've just kind of glossed over that kind of everybody's already moving on. Is like, what else do you and Brandon have cooking? Uh, you guys were cooking. Obviously a little bit of a slow off season for what we're used to, but still very good. Bringing back Miggie row you got, you got, you mentioned what we got?

00:03:17
Speaker 3: What is it?

00:03:17
Speaker 4: Sugar and and uh the Sugar and Tucker LLC. Is what Alana said in our chat. Andy Ebanie is added to the mix. What can you say more about adding Edwin Diaz? Here's the point, adding Edwin Diaz that bullpen that we thought would be a massive strength for this club last year, and then obviously you had to scramble a little bit.

00:03:37
Speaker 5: Uh.

00:03:37
Speaker 4: What does adding a closer to the back end of that bullpen really do to help solidify things and makes mcdoc's life a little bit easier.

00:03:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we talked about this a lot. I think bullpen is the hardest thing to pin down. And it's funny because it almost feels like there's an inverse relationship between the better I feel about it in spring training and the worse it does versus some more were.

00:04:01
Speaker 3: Worried consumed I am by it the better.

00:04:04
Speaker 2: Obviously that's not actually correct, but it's how it feels. It is definitely the toughest part of roster building and just comes with the most volatility. So obviously last year was not the strength we expected it to be, but even going into this offseason, we expect it to be a strength in twenty twenty six. Just looking at the names, you know, different looks, right hand, left handed, different arsenal mixes, just.

00:04:34
Speaker 3: Felt like it was going to be a strength.

00:04:36
Speaker 2: Now that being said, and what that put us in position to do, it's just shoot at the very top. We weren't looking to lengthen it and add depth. We have a lot of depth. We have a lot of really talented arms, and so for us, if we could put someone at the top of that and beyond what Edwin does on the mound, just the type of teammate he is, like we saw it in the NLCS in twenty four his willingness to come into a game in the third inning, fourth inning, fifth whatever, all he wants to do is win, and just the way that can permeate clubhouse and an organization beyond the obvious kind of talent points.

00:05:18
Speaker 3: Uh, definitely were a factor as well.

00:05:22
Speaker 5: Andrew High, Hello, nice to see you, coming to you live from an airport, so that's super fun. So with any of her sounds right in the background, my question for you. We had some some topics about the WBC come Up Team Japan released their roster. Yamamotos on there we knew show he was going to play no Roki. What were the obviously you guys do play a decision here, the kind of talking points you went through, and then what are the pitching plans for Yamamoto and Otani.

00:05:52
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, from our standpoint, it's easy to be supportive of the WBC as a fan of baseball, someone who loves the game and it's looking for it to continue to grow and get better.

00:06:04
Speaker 3: It's easy to love the WBC.

00:06:06
Speaker 2: Now in my specific role, it's a little bit harder, but have to kind of set that aside, and so our conversations we understand the immense pride that these guys feel for representing their country and that competition. And you know that Otani trout that just Japan US game was one of the more fun you know, because obviously when the Dodgers are playing, I would not describe my experience as fun. Ever, so watching that game was like I felt like a fan, Like there was a real level of enjoyment.

00:06:44
Speaker 3: So I get it.

00:06:45
Speaker 2: And the reason it is so enjoyable is because of how much pride these guys have and how badly they want to win for their country, and you could feel it.

00:06:56
Speaker 3: It's palpable.

00:06:57
Speaker 2: So talking to these guys, it's just about partner up with them and understanding where they're at, what their thoughts are you know how we do it in the best way. We have designs of playing through October, so what does that look like in February March, and.

00:07:11
Speaker 3: Just how to balance all of it.

00:07:14
Speaker 2: But really good conversations with all those guys, and you know, at the end of the day, we are supportive.

00:07:20
Speaker 1: And Roki Saslaki Andrew of course a big part of the Dodgers future moving forward. And this is a kid that obviously has a tremendous amount of talent, but he is still young. A third pitch I think would be helpful. Brandon Gomes said that you guys see him as a starter at least in the onset. Would you be willing to have him perhaps start the season in triple A to continue to work on that third pitch or what do you see his role in the immediate future?

00:07:43
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think last year all in all, was a really good experience for him. You know, he was able to dominate in the MPB with those two pitches, and frankly, I think he could hear as well with being able to execute his pitches at a higher level. Last year, just delivery was out of whack, velocity was down a little bit, ability to execute was off a little bit, So it's either you know, adding that third pitch or elevating the pitch making ability. And we've seen that from him in the past. Uh, you know, we talked about this last year. We see this a lot with guys who have some kind of soft tissue injury, whether it's a hamstring, and the way that affects how they get off the mound, which has downstream effects through their delivery, or an oblique where you're looking to rotate and create it in a different way because subconsciously you're protecting that oblique.

00:08:41
Speaker 3: We see it all the time, and.

00:08:44
Speaker 2: Obviously that happened with Roki when he was in Japan and then his last year in Japan. You know, we don't necessarily have the same insights that we have when a guy's our player or playing in the major leagues, and so that coupled with it, it takes time to build trust and we weren't looking to try to force that. We're playing the long game with Rokie, but I feel like we got to a place of a lot more trust and that comes from, you know, building a relationship, and so we couldn't be more bullish on what he's capable of. He is an extremely talented pitching prospect, and you know, sometimes takes those guys a little bit of time to put things together. But I will bet on him having a really long and really good major league career.

00:09:33
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's been my argument for sure, telling people who were like, well, they just put Roki in the bullpen. Obviously you won a World Series with him in the bullpen, but you don't bail on somebody with the upside of a starting pitcher. And there was a reason everybody wanted Roki Sasaki last winter. Of course, you guys were lucky enough to be the one to land him. Got a pretty good landing spot there. Seeing some of the questions in the chat, I'll find a way to make it a little less direct about a player name, but any other moves in the hopper for you guys before you report to camp in a couple weeks. Maybe a fan favorite, maybe somebody with some postseason and World Series experience, Maybe somebody with a Tober named after them.

00:10:10
Speaker 3: Something in the works.

00:10:12
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, we're still having conversations on a few different fronts, and you know, for us, it's about putting the best team we can together, not just as we break in April, but what it could potentially look like in October, and from our standpoint, we talked about it a lot last year, we want to do everything we can to stay out of the buyside market in July. You know, prices are one hundred and fifty two hundred and fifty percent more at that time. So just trying to get in front of it as much as we can.

00:10:50
Speaker 3: And so we are.

00:10:52
Speaker 2: Viewing moves through that lens and continuing to have conversations about bringing back guys that can help us win a championship in twenty twenty.

00:11:01
Speaker 3: We'll accept that. I'll accept that answer.

00:11:05
Speaker 5: Yeah, spoken like a true front office executive, so very well rehearsed, Andrew, you want to focus a little bit on another fan favorite. We talked in the winter meetings that Tommy Edmon is likely going to be delayed to start spring. Let's start with a little prognosis update on him, if you have an idea on what his spring will look like. And then while yes, you could make another couple of editions to this roster, what a second base look like for you right now? Andy Evania is coming in. You can give him a longer run, but if Tommy misses extended time, how are you looking to fill that?

00:11:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, Tommy, the arrows pointing up just went and got evaluated again for that checkup, and everything is pointed in a good direction. Exactly what that means, we don't know yet until we really start ramping up baseball activity, getting him in spikes and doing it day after day after day. How the body responds well, dictate a lot of it. And so we're not going to be foolish and try to cut corners. But that being said, we're also not going to artificially.

00:12:07
Speaker 3: Hold him back.

00:12:08
Speaker 2: And so we'll have a much better feel as we get into February, and you know, kind of by late February, we'll have an idea whether we have the runway to safely build him up and be ready or if we don't.

00:12:21
Speaker 3: And if we don't, we feel.

00:12:23
Speaker 2: Really good about, you know, Alex Freeland, Hessan kim A Bonyez, Miggie Rowe. We just have a combination of guys that we feel like, you know, can help hold down that spot for us and do it at a pretty high level.

00:12:39
Speaker 1: Miggie Rowe is obviously solidified in terms of what he can do for this club. How much more of a runway Andrew? If more would you like to give Hessan Kim in terms of being able to see what he can do with or I know a lot of it is dependent upon Tommy Edmund and the health, but would you like to see him out there more? What's the plan?

00:12:57
Speaker 3: Yeah?

00:12:58
Speaker 2: I mean I feel the same way about Freeland. So you know, we've got, you know, kind of one spot short of injury, and you know, let those guys kind of duke it out some. Both are really talented young players. They kind of get to their value in slightly different ways, but both great workers, great makeup and real ability, and so you know, we have to figure out and you never want someone to get hurt, but obviously things will happen and guys will get some runway, and we need to be able to provide that runway for our young players to get a better sense and a better read. And for us, it's about integrating those guys onto our roster over the next two, three, four or five years. So when we can get those runways and opportunities, we're going to be aggressive to do.

00:13:45
Speaker 3: So.

00:13:47
Speaker 4: One thing that really excites me, and if Mark Pryor recalls being on our show a couple of times. He knows I love talking pitching, particularly starting pitching.

00:13:56
Speaker 3: I love this.

00:13:56
Speaker 4: Era that we are in, of this rotation that you guys have assembled. You know, I'm gonna throw it on the screen because it is an electric collection of arms. We hope everybody can stay happy and healthy and provide some innings for the team of the course, with the regand season into the postseason, YadA, YadA. Is this Andrew the best starting rotation in the history of baseball?

00:14:21
Speaker 3: That's a tough question.

00:14:22
Speaker 2: It's definitely the best sort of rotation I've ever been around, and the deepest.

00:14:27
Speaker 3: Is the deepest and best collection of arms I've ever been around.

00:14:31
Speaker 2: As we got into the off season and kind of assessing where we're at, what we're looking for, it really kind of solidified and set in of just how special this group of arms are and shouldn't take it for granted. It's not a common, easy thing to reproduce. So while mired it, really enjoying it and savoring it and doing everything we can to help further it and continue it well.

00:15:03
Speaker 5: Going off of that, we just saw the arms pitching depth is, as you know, one of the most pivotal important things an organization can have, regardless of what you're spending on the major league roster. If you don't have triple A depth and ready to go arms, you don't really have much of anything. As we get to pitchers and catchers in just two weeks, what excites you about the back end of the rotation. I know we've talked about potentially doing a hybrid six man to start the year. A lot of these things will answer themselves as spring goes on, but as you're coming to camp, what names are you looking at to kind of fill out the back end of your rotation?

00:15:35
Speaker 3: I mean, for us, I think.

00:15:38
Speaker 2: There's so many talented arms that it's hard to say, you know this guy that guy, But I think two guys I'm really excited to see her Gavin Stone and River Ryan, both obviously really talented young pitchers. You know, Stony was in the middle of an incredibly impressive season. River came up and had that you know, five start run where he showed off his potential. Both are coming off surgery, both are doing well, but seeing them in camp and watching how they rebound and how they're holding their stuff are all things that I'm really interested and excited to see this.

00:16:15
Speaker 1: Spring Andrew, how strange will it be to go to Camelback Ranch, be its spring training, start games, all the things without number twenty two in that clubhouse?

00:16:26
Speaker 3: It is definitely going to be.

00:16:29
Speaker 2: You know, hopefully we're fortunate enough to get him to work with us, but it won't be the same not having him around on a daily basis. And you know signed him last year to help provide depth and obviously anytime Clayton Kershaw wants to go at it, you want that competitor on your side. But for him to finish second and innings on our team, you know, based on the conversations in March and how much time he was going to miss to start the year, just isn't surprising with that, guys. So beyond what he means, uh, you know, over the over his career and the impact he's had on this city, the impact he has in our clubhouse, he was also still really good and so you know, missing out on all of those things are a very real point. But hopefully we've got the depth and the talent around and then some of his influence around that to help bring it up even more.

00:17:25
Speaker 4: What I what I love is you're so.

00:17:29
Speaker 2: Good, shameless plug curse in case you're listening.

00:17:31
Speaker 1: Come work for us.

00:17:34
Speaker 4: Well, we hear he's getting this this with us. We hear he's getting this NBC deal. Maybe he's gonna be a broadcaster, which, by the way, I love, love to plug him into the end of the booth with Joe and Ral because my god, the report between those three is great. But curse, it's just as he's gotten on in years he has. He's just phenomenal at everything he does. Going to miss that dude in the clubhouse going from Glazing twenty two to to Clayze and Andrew Friedman here. So good at your your job.

00:18:01
Speaker 3: You're so good at everything you'rezing. I know, I know.

00:18:05
Speaker 4: That's why I make sure we've got a nice intimate two shot here so everybody can see you. You're so good the things you do. You got yourself another gig this off season, of course, helping out Mark Walter with with the Lakers. A lot of people are like, oh, this is why they were slow in the off season early because he's so busy with that Lakers job. Help help kind of clear the air for people who aren't really in the know with what you're doing there, like in that advisory role with Rob p Lincoln and just what you're doing with you know, the Purple and Gold on the other side of not the other side of town, I guess, just down the road on the one ten there.

00:18:39
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean on far on A spending a lot of time helping you know, Mark and all of his different interests.

00:18:46
Speaker 3: I've got a pretty full time gig here.

00:18:49
Speaker 2: That being said, you know, we're all kind of under this TWG umbrella and it's about providing resources to one another and whatever benefit we can get, you know, kind of collaborating and you know that's kind of how we see it and anything that's kind of under Mark's umbrella. It's kind of on all of us to be able to work together and achieve the best outcomes for for TWG. So, you know, still a full time job here. Definitely not taking my eye off the ball, but just having really good conversations with Rob Polenka. You know, Farhan has jumped in there some and you know Rob came out to our town hall Dodger Organization town hall and did a Q and A with with Gohmer and myself and just all kind of leaning in together. To work together and try to figure out the best ways to bring as many championships to Los Angeles as we can.

00:19:48
Speaker 3: Love.

00:19:49
Speaker 5: That got it right, all right, Andrew, Let's let's stick to the championship talk, because unfortunately my prior stop I didn't really get a lot of postseason games. You, on the other hand, have your very fair share. And I was wondering, as you're watching the World Series go on, whether it was Game three, whether it was Game six or Game seven, is there any moment that stood out during that World Series? But I think we can all say one of the best ball classics of all time that stood out too, like this isn't normal, or this is really cool, just as a baseball mind that you were witnessing.

00:20:23
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean there was a very intense series. Everyone keeps talking about how great it was, and I'm sure it was for for.

00:20:33
Speaker 3: A lot of people.

00:20:34
Speaker 2: There were times where I had to like step back and remember to breathe, like to take breasts, something.

00:20:42
Speaker 3: I'm not very proud of.

00:20:43
Speaker 2: I may or may not have spiked a barstool in that Game three, and it's because of the.

00:20:51
Speaker 3: Range of emotions.

00:20:52
Speaker 2: Will Smith hits a ball to center that in my mind is definitely a hoper and bar show goes back and catches it, and so I'm like the excitement of the homer to the catch next inning, and I might have accidentally let the barstool slip. But you know, Game seven, I've always said that the way I am wired, I cannot handle extra innings of Game seven of the World Series. I don't know how people do it. I could not handle it, and it turns out you just do it. Definitely wasn't mentally prepared for it. You're just in it. And it's a surreal feeling. And just the amount of times I have said that and then to be in it, it was pretty surreal.

00:21:38
Speaker 3: At least you.

00:21:38
Speaker 1: Didn't throw the barstool over the wall at the bar and land on some police officers in Nashville. I mean, you got that going for you waiting.

00:21:47
Speaker 4: I was waiting for the Morgan walland by the way, I was waiting for that.

00:21:49
Speaker 1: Real people listen. By the way, Andrew, if you ever meet him, your girl Alana loves him, Let's get that together. Let's talk about the stuff behind you. I love, love love the picture sure of Bran Tricky obviously with Jackie Robinson. So special, so important, A sport changing move, a franchise changing move. So everybody knows about that. But what about over your right shoulder?

00:22:15
Speaker 3: The lineup?

00:22:16
Speaker 2: What his lineup card from the twenty twenty World Series Game six?

00:22:23
Speaker 3: And a picture of my family I can't tell little Yeah, his are so little. That's so sweet.

00:22:35
Speaker 1: Before I let you go, and I know Katie has to get on a plane per usual. Rocco ball Dully a new addition to the Dodgers coaching staff, or at least the staff there. I mean, this is most of your coaching staff hasn't has gone unchanged for obvious reasons. Incredibly successful. I know you know Rocco from the Tampa Bay days. What does he bring to the club. What do you expect his role to be?

00:22:56
Speaker 3: Yeah?

00:22:56
Speaker 2: I had Rocco as a player and then hired. He did a lot of scouting, He was involved in a lot of our trade discussions and just really part of our inner circle. Went on to coach the Rays after I left, and then obviously was managed the Twins for a while. And he is as good of a person as there is in this game.

00:23:18
Speaker 3: The way he's able to connect.

00:23:19
Speaker 2: With guys, just the thoughtfulness and we have a lot of really talented minor league outfielders. We have really talented minor league outfield coaches as well, but Roco to be able to help add value there.

00:23:35
Speaker 3: Will be significant.

00:23:38
Speaker 2: Roco's scouting eye is great, Roco's ability to ask questions and just you know, for him to come in and connect with the people we have in place and get to know them, be around in spring training. You know, we intentionally left it a little bit vague and we'll kind of see where things take us. But he's capable of doing anything in this game and just an incredible teammate. And I'm excited for the guys here to all have a chance to work with them.

00:24:04
Speaker 4: Andrews, we let you go here. There's a line in Ghostbusters, the original Ghostbusters. He got the tools, he got the talent.

00:24:12
Speaker 3: What ghost was afraid of? No ghosts.

00:24:17
Speaker 4: There's another great Bill Murray line too, which is true what they say this man has no dick, But we don't need to get into that line as well. Great movie, great, very quotable movie. What went wrong if the Los Angeles Dodgers aren't repeating this year? Putting you on the spot man?

00:24:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, obviously injuries always play a prominent role. But you know, twenty four and twenty five was the first time a team had won back to back in over twenty years. The nature of the playoff system in baseball sets up for there to be more randomness than in other sports. It's a fact, and so you have to have some good fortune and obviously have a lot of talent. So hopefully we're bringing a lot of talent to the table. You know, first, we obviously have to qualify for October, and then if we're fortunate enough to do so, you need some good fortune. But we feel like we'll be bringing a really talented roster to the party. And for me, I'd rather focus on the things that can go right and you know all the different outs we could have of how to be as good as we could be.

00:25:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, you've earned that right. Congratulations, back to back World Series champions, going for the three. Pete, Andrew Friedman, Tel Robin and the kids. Hello, thank you so much for taking the time. We will see you at spring training in a couple of weeks, and just thanks for putting such a good product on the field and giving us some to talk about. It's a pleasure. Thanks so much.

00:25:48
Speaker 3: Thank you guys.

00:25:48
Speaker 2: Thanks for having me on Safe Travels, Katie,