David Vassegh (Transcript)
Robby Incmikoski (00:00):
Beautiful. All right, here we go. We are recording, Dave. So, a couple of things I want to ask you about for this book, and I appreciate you doing this. First of all, you’ve been traveling with the Dodgers for thirteen years now. It’s almost like your bus is on the road—or like public transportation, as Tim Neverett describes it. How do you describe the experience? What is it like traveling with a team like the LA Dodgers, who are as star-studded as they are—and have been over the decades?
David Vassegh (00:36):
Yeah, it’s really incredible. Specifically, this past year, Robby, it’s like traveling with the Beatles—you know, the attention Ohtani brought to the team. It really is like traveling with the Beatles when he’s there. And not only him, but Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman—he’s not the only superstar. So it is very unique.
I’ve had the perspective of traveling with the Dodgers since 2012. When I first started, the traveling party was not as big as it is now, and the personalities on the team weren’t as big either. I had an opportunity to travel with the Dodgers when this Guggenheim ownership group really took over and flexed their muscle, starting with the Adrian Gonzalez trade. He was a personality—he was the centerpiece of the team at that time, along with Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Then they traded for Hanley Ramirez after the deadline, halfway through the 2012 season. He was a huge alpha ego as well.
And then in ’13, you start to incorporate guys like Yasiel Puig. That was an adventure in itself—Puig and Juan Uribe and those guys. It was a very lively flight. But fast-forward over the years: Baseball front offices and coaching staffs have expanded, so the traveling party has expanded. I’d say it’s safe to say the Dodgers bring in good-character players, so nothing crazy is going on during those flights. They’re all professionals, they all enjoy being around each other. It’s a very subdued flight, cross-country or wherever we’re going. They’ve all got families. I know people think it’s like the Bulls of the ’90s or the ’86 Mets—it couldn’t be further from the ’86 Mets. These guys should be in a convent compared to those guys, really.
Robby Incmikoski (02:49):
Yeah, that’s interesting you say that, because what I always wonder—and look, I’ve traveled sixteen years with teams myself, so I have an idea—people think it’s some big circus act. Really, sometimes they just want to chill, eat, maybe play some cards. It’s nothing that crazy on these flights. I mean, guys drink a few beers, whatever, but it’s not like a big party. At least on none of the teams I’ve been part of.
David Vassegh (03:16):
Yeah, in those early years, when they had some lively personalities, you could hear music from the back of the plane—but nothing out of bounds.
Robby Incmikoski (03:26):
Right. Shohei Ohtani—what is it like walking in and out of hotels with him? What is it like walking in and out of buses with him? What do you see?
David Vassegh (03:40):
Yeah. Well, my first experience traveling with Shohei Ohtani was when we landed in South Korea to start the year. I was on the team flight with Ohtani. Once we landed in Seoul and got through customs, fans were behind barriers waiting at the airport as the entire Dodgers team walked through—including Ohtani. Talk about traveling with the Beatles—that was the epitome of it.
At the team hotel in Seoul, fans knew where the Dodgers were staying. There were barriers in the hotel lobby, because the hotel couldn’t stop fans from being there—they just had to stay out of the way. They had barriers between the elevators and the public. Riding with Ohtani on one of the buses to the stadium—it was incredible, Robby. People were fainting. They were going crazy. It’s like what you see with Taylor Swift walking through a football stadium—that’s what it’s like.
Every city we went to—it wasn’t to that degree—but all eyes were on him. All the cameras were on him. Even on the field, there were 50 to 100 Japanese reporters and photographers just waiting for him to come out and play catch. All attention was on him. It was more media than I’ve ever seen cover a Dodger team in the last thirteen years.
Robby Incmikoski (05:45):
That’s unbelievable—it really is. So, as a member of the media . . . like, I had that in Pittsburgh with Andrew McCutchen. Obviously, to 20 percent of what Ohtani is, but that was still a lot—especially when he came back for his second stint with the Pirates. I mean, everybody wanted a piece of Cutch because he’s so beloved in Pittsburgh. With Shohei—when he comes up to bat—what is that like every time? It’s almost like a can’t-miss moment, but it’s every time he steps up to bat. Would that be kind of accurate?
David Vassegh (06:23):
One hundred percent. Being in Los Angeles, going to Laker games—cell phones weren’t what they are now when Shaq and Kobe played. But go to a Laker game now, when LeBron has the ball—it’s the same thing. Everybody has their phone up, videotaping. In fact, I’m not trying to humble-brag, Robby, but my brother-in-law somehow went halves or quarters on Laker tickets—like six rows behind the bench—and invited me. And it wasn’t enjoyable, because nobody’s watching the game. They’re just there to videotape, get selfies, you know?
That’s what it’s like at Dodger Stadium now when Shohei comes to the plate—especially for fans sitting behind home plate. You can see it on TV: everyone’s got their cell phone up, videotaping his at-bat. Because something special could happen. He hit a walk-off grand slam last year, and if you look at the replay, everyone behind home plate has their cell phone up—maybe not even watching it with their own eyes.
Robby Incmikoski (07:52):
Have you ever seen anything like this in your whole career—this kind of attention?
David Vassegh (07:57):
Never. The closest I’ve seen is Puig, because Puig was such a personality. But not to this extent. It’s unprecedented. Dodger games—whether it’s in LA or Pittsburgh—it’s no longer a game, Robby. It’s an event.
Robby Incmikoski (08:19):
It honestly is incredible. And you were at his 50–50 game in Miami, right?
David Vassegh (08:23):
I was, and I interviewed him after the game. There’s a photo of me interviewing Ohtani with about a hundred photographers snapping photos during the interview.
Robby Incmikoski (08:35):
Do you have a photo of that?
David Vassegh (08:38):
I do. Want me to send it to you right now?
Robby Incmikoski (08:42):
Whenever you get a chance. That would be incredible. I’m trying to see if I can . . . let’s see . . . Miami . . . images . . . I don’t see it on a basic Google search—at least not of you interviewing him in Miami—but I’d love to use something like that.
Robby Incmikoski:
All right, that’s cool. So I wanted to ask about that. Let’s talk about Milwaukee on a lighter note. One of the funnier things I’ve ever seen happened—and the guys bust your chops all the time. Oh, here we go. Oh my God.
David Vassegh:
That’s what I’m talking about.
Robby Incmikoski:
Oh my God. Kyle, this is incredible when you see this. Look at this, Kyle. See if you can see it.
David Vassegh:
That’s me interviewing him for the radio, Robby, for the radio postgame show.
Robby Incmikoski:
I’ve never done an interview with that many cameras around me for TV with anybody. Can we put this on the website?
David Vassegh:
Yeah, I just don’t know who to credit. I’ll try to get—
Robby Incmikoski:
We’re months away from that. I’ll come to you when it’s close.
David Vassegh:
Okay.
Robby Incmikoski:
That day—last thing on Shohei, by the way. Because we’ve talked to Neverett, we’ve talked to a few other people—Jamie Bane was a scout, was there that day. On the day he hit that 50–50, in thirteen years of doing games—162 a year—where would that game rank in your career?
David Vassegh (10:24):
Oh, it’s the greatest regular-season game I’ve ever seen.
Robby Incmikoski:
That’s what I mean. In terms of regular season, yep.
David Vassegh:
Greatest regular-season game I’ve ever covered, without a doubt. Hands down. No other game comes close. The only other game I could mention is Kershaw’s no-hitter, which was one Hanley Ramirez throwing error away from a perfect game. Those are the two greatest regular-season games I’ve ever covered.
Robby Incmikoski:
Really?
David Vassegh:
Without a doubt.
Robby Incmikoski (10:51):
What about—well, I know the obvious, but what makes you say that specifically?
David Vassegh (10:56):
Because of everything involved, right? The guy’s going for 50–50—he needs two or three stolen bases, maybe one home run or whatever. And he’s a triple shy of the cycle, too—I’m not sure people realize that. And in the process, he breaks Shawn Green’s Dodgers all-time single-season home run record. So 50 wasn’t just 50–50—there were all these things. He made history on so many different fronts, and he did it in one game. Three home runs, ten RBIs—I know players have done that before, but not with all the attention. You saw the photo. Not with everybody following him around.
He also told me during that interview after the game that he noticed the umpire switching out baseballs when he came to the plate because they were specially marked. So, come on. He was very candid—it was at the forefront of his mind that he was on the verge of making history. So all of that. The stolen bases—you could see that happening, but he had to get on base first. And he did. Seventeen total bases, and he was a triple shy of the cycle.
Robby Incmikoski (12:14):
It’s, it’s, it might be . . .
David Vassegh:
It’s not just three home runs or ten RBIs. It’s not just him hitting fifty home runs. It’s all of that. It’s everything put together.
Robby Incmikoski (12:24):
It might be the greatest regular-season baseball game ever played. In the history of baseball. Ever.
David Vassegh:
For sure. For sure. I mean, it’s right up there—I’m not going to say it is. Nomar Garciaparra reminded me he had three home runs and ten RBIs in a game, but Nomar, it’s not for 50–50.
Robby Incmikoski (12:41):
Right. Which is still—three homers and ten RBIs is incredible.
David Vassegh:
Incredible.
Robby Incmikoski:
And Nomar is incredible.
David Vassegh:
Yeah. Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski:
It’s unbelievable. Let’s talk a little about Milwaukee.
David Vassegh:
Why?
Robby Incmikoski:
How did that come to be? I know you have to get permission to go on Bernie Brewer’s slide. I’ve never attempted it in all my trips to Milwaukee—I’ve probably been there thirty-five times—and I’ve never done it because I never thought it was something I should do. But I know many people who have done it, so it’s not like you’re the only one. But you ended up with a broken wrist, if I remember correctly. Is that right?
David Vassegh (13:34):
And six ribs.
Robby Incmikoski (13:34):
Six ribs too?
David Vassegh:
Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski:
Tell me—how did this come about? Not the injury. I know that part. But you’re a radio guy, and you’re doing some TV.
David Vassegh (13:46):
Yeah, I do about twenty games on TV. It seems like every sideline reporter takes Milwaukee off, and I’m always doing TV in Milwaukee. So leading up to that, everybody gets excited—the players, Rick Monday (radio legend)—they all get excited for me. “You’ve got to go down the slide.” The players say it, Rick Monday says it, the television producer says it. “Yeah, we’ll set it up, you’ll go down—it’ll be awesome.” So I said, “Yeah, let’s do it. I’m game.”
Steve Ethier—he did the same job at Dodger Stadium and now does it at Miller Park, so we had a connection. That made it easy to set up. So myself, a couple of the TV production people, and the Dodgers’ player-relations rep Yvonne Dorado—we all go up. They all want to do it too. So I go up, I do it, and I don’t get hurt.
But the cameraman is filming from the top, and he says, “Hey, we’d love to get a shot.” The director’s there too. “Hey, can you get a shot of him coming down? Do it again.”
And that’s where things went sideways. I was trying to “Shaq the Fool,” right? Shaquille O’Neal is my guy—I’m trying to put on a show. I’m not just going down the slide. I like to say I didn’t respect the slide. But it was going pretty fast, Robby—faster than the first time, for whatever reason. I was on one of those potato sacks, in my suit and tie. So I don’t know what happened, but I was going fast and was concerned that if I tried to put the brakes on with my ankles, I might tear my knee or meniscus or something.
In the moment, I was trying to do a little bit of everything—showmanship. But it was going too fast for that. The wall’s not far from the end of the slide, and it doesn’t have much give. I tried to get my arm underneath to protect myself in a roll, but my right arm got caught behind me—that’s when I broke my wrist. Then, as I tried to protect myself from hitting the wall, my right elbow was pressed against my ribs. That’s how I got six fractured ribs.
Robby Incmikoski (16:18):
Holy hell. How long did it take to recover from?
David Vassegh (16:23):
Well, the cameraman takes me to—well, first, I go to the Dodger clubhouse. That’s where the trainers looked at me. I’m like, “Please tell me it’s not broken.” They’re like, “Ah, we gotta send you to the hospital. They’re gonna take images.” But basically, they already knew it was broken.
While I’m waiting for the cameraman to get the truck and get ready to drive me—his name is Mick Larson—Justin Turner comes out, Cody Bellinger comes out, Austin Barnes comes out. They’re like, “What the hell happened to you?” They bring me into the clubhouse, they feed me, give me a sandwich, give me some water.
You know in Milwaukee how there’s that waiting room between the tunnel and the clubhouse? I’m respectful. I’m not going into the clubhouse. So I’m just sitting in a chair there, and they’re like, “What are you doing out here? Get in here.” And they took care of me.
Then I go to the hospital—Mookie Betts FaceTimes me, Orel Hershiser calls me while I’m in the examining room.
I go back—it’s the fifth inning. They tape me up; they can’t give me a soft cast until I get back to LA. And I couldn’t just go back to the hotel and lie in the fetal position, so I go back to Miller Park. I have the cameraman drive me back to the ballpark after I’m all taken care of for now, and I go back in the camera well and finish out the game.
Robby Incmikoski (18:03):
I have a similar story. Remember, a Howie Kendrick foul ball caught me in the ribs. I ended up sharing an X-ray room with Justin Turner. 2016. It would’ve been Vin’s last year, and Tony Watson was pitching to him. That foul ball caught me in the chest. I got sent to the Dodger Stadium X-ray room.
David Vassegh (18:23):
And Justin Turner was there?
Robby Incmikoski (18:26):
Yeah, he was walking out as I was walking in, which is crazy. That was at Dodger Stadium, not Miller Park, but yeah—somewhat similar. I wish Vin would’ve said my name on the air, but unfortunately, he did not.
David Vassegh (18:41):
It was Joe and Nomar in the booth, and it’s famous now—“Hi, guys,” and I show them the cast and all that. I remember them laughing.
Robby Incmikoski (18:50):
That’s unbelievable. How absurd a life story is that to tell?
David Vassegh (18:58):
I didn’t want this attention. I didn’t want Robby to be calling me for a book about it. I thought I was going down the slide, and I thought I was going to joke around—pretend like I got hurt—but I didn’t ex~~—~~📝expect to actually get hurt.
My wife was not happy. She was actually in Milwaukee because her mom’s from there, and she has family there. Her grandmother had just passed away, and she was in the hotel room with my kids when I got injured. She was not happy. The talk of the funeral was not her grandmother—it was me. She wasn’t happy.
Robby Incmikoski (19:40):
This is one of the funniest stories I’ve ever heard. It’s unbelievable. I’ve gone down the slide in San Francisco, on the Coke bottle—the Coke-bottle slide. I’ve done that before. That one’s way less risky than Bernie Brewer’s.
David Vassegh:
I’ll try it.
Robby Incmikoski:
This is one of the funnier stories we will tell in the whole book. That’s incredible, Dave. What a hell of a story, man.