The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted a zoom party last night discussing what they expect for the upcoming season and answering questions from fans.
The event, which was hosted by sportscasters Joe Davis and Alanna Rizzo, featured some of the Dodger’s top players including David Price, Andre Eithier, Austin Barnes, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, Alex Wood, and Clayton Kershaw. Manager Dave Roberts also participated and comedian Jo Koy made a special appearance.
Throughout the 45-minute conference on zoom, some lucky fans were able to ask questions to some of the players. When asked what life has been like during quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wood shared that he “spends a lot of time with my wife and walking the dog.” Wood also shared he watches a lot of shows on Netflix and plays video games, which makes him feel “21 again.”
A young fan asked Barnes how he learned to catch a 100-mph fastball. Barnes humorously said, “I just reach up with the glove and hope to grab it.”
One of the best questions of the night was to Kershaw. A fan asked him what advice he would give to a returning league MVP for the next season.
“Don’t worry about doing what you did last year,” said Kershaw. “Focus on this season the same way you do every year.”
Another young fan asked new Dodger pitcher David Price how it feels to play in a new league where the pitchers step up to the batter's box.
“It has been something I have been concerned about and I’m excited to hit more,” said Price. “I’m excited about going up the plate at least 50 times next season. I wanted to this sooner rather than later.”
Price also said that he is enjoying a long break while being a father to his 3-year-old son Xavier. All the players said that they are ready for baseball to return despite not playing in front of 50,000 fans at Dodger Stadium.
This was the fourth zoom party the Dodgers have hosted since the season got suspended. This leads to a big question: should other teams do the same thing?
As a baseball fan, I would love to hear from the players talking about their lives during the pandemic and what they expect this season. With zoom becoming a popular way to communicate during the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of baseball fans would want to hear from their favorite players.
Some of the teams with the biggest fan bases, like the New York Yankees for example, would be loaded with fans wanting to talk with their favorite players. It would also give the sport more anticipation for starting the season.
At the end of the zoom party, the Dodgers announced this will not be the last one they have. Tune in to Dodgers.com for updates on when the next party is and how to RSVP for it.
preview photo credited to newsbreak.com