One day after being part of a three-team / six-player trade, new Dodgers left-handed reliever Scott Alexander was a guest on MLB Network Radio’s Round Trip with show hosts Jeff Joyce and former Dodger Steve Sax. Without wasting any time, the two popular show hosts jumped right in and asked the 28-year-old lefty what his game plan will be with his new team.

“Rely heavily on my sinker, that was kind of what I did last year,” said Alexander. “I just like to attack hitters and get after guys and kind of just trust the defense and just kind of compete and go from there.”

Although this may sound like the company line and a bunch of fluff coming from a guy joining a new team, it actually holds water … a lot of water, in fact. The the 6′-2″ / 190-pound Santa Rosa, California native and Royals 2010 sixth-round draft pick out of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California ranked third among all American League relievers in 2017 in inducing double plays with 13, for a very impressive 22.4 GIDP percentage – a signature trademark of a very good sinkerballer. But Alexander said something else that Dodger fans will like about their team’s newest left-handed reliever – he is hungry to learn from his new teammates and coaches.

“I really enjoy gathering knowledge from different players and different coaches, so I’m just really excited about joining this team,” Alexander said. “They’ve got so many great players and a great coaching staff over there, so just really looking forward to the opportunity and just really excited about it.”

The Dodgers are hoping that Scott Alexander will fill the void in their bullpen created by the departure of Brandon Morrow. (Photo credit – Ed Zurga)

In an ironic twist of fate, the guy whose role that the Dodgers are hoping that Alexander will fill in their bullpen – premiere set-up man Brandon Morrow, who recently signed a lucrative two-year / $21 million free agent contract with the Chicago Cubs to be their closer – also happens to be from Santa Rosa, California; a small community in California’s wine country with a modest population of slightly over 175,000. But while Alexander is undoubtedly well aware of what his fellow Santa Rosan did in his one season with the Dodgers in 2017, he absolutely positively wants to be judged on his own merit.

“Hopefully I can bring my own personality to the team and we can all blend well. So, I’m definitely excited,” Alexander said.

Company line or fluff notwithstanding, you’ve got to love the upbeat and positive attitude that Scott Alexander brings with him to the Dodgers.