On May 26th, the fifth Dodgers Zoom party was kicked off with Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Ruehle appropriately playing “Safety Dance” during the count down, which was followed up by a famous Dodgers Charge!

Guests on the Zoom call included Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, outfielders AJ Pollock and Joc Pederson, right-handers Walker Buehler and Ross Stripling, current second baseman Gavin Lux, and former second baseman (and two-time World Series champion) Steve Sax. SportsNet LA’s Alanna Rizzo led the Zoom call on her own but did an amazing job at keeping the conversations rolling flawlessly.

The Zoom call began with proud new papa AJ Pollock (who was actually in his car during the broadcast) talking about the birth of he and wife Kate’s beautiful baby girl Madi Mae, who was born at only 24 weeks (weighing only one pound, six ounces) and had to spend 68 days in the hospital. The good news is she and mom are happy and healthy. Of similar note, Pederson and wife Kelsey are expecting their second child sometime in September.

The upcoming June First-Year Player Draft was brought up during the call, which was very interesting considering that it will be done virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Friedman explained that it is going to be tough due to having less information on players because of shortened college and high school seasons. This led to Stripling reflecting on ‘scouting’ Buehler, who was throwing 100-MPH only seven months removed from Tommy John surgery, causing Friedman to chuckle and acknowledging that the 25-year-old Lexington, KY native and Dodgers first-round pick in 2015 out of Vanderbilt “couldn’t throttle back.” Sax followed with what it was like being drafted in the ninth round in 1978 out of Marshall High School in West Sacramento, CA.

“I had to call the local newspaper to find out if I had been drafted,” Sax told viewers.

The conversation then shifted to memory lane, with Sax sharing a ‘G-rated’ story about Tommy Lasorda sneaking a pig’s head into his bed after a long night out.

“There’s nothing like feeling a greasy, triangle-shaped thing in your bed at 6 am,” said Sax. Attached to the pig’s head was a note that read “Play better or else,” signed by “Godfather.” Alanna joked that a special Zoom for Tommy would be fun.

After the seventh-inning stretch, with Dieter playing ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game,’ everyone was refocused and ready to talk about golf, although Lux admitted that he wouldn’t even bother playing a golf video game if it was an option. That said, he acknowledged that if he could pick one person to golf with, it would definitely be Tiger Woods. Sax said that his choice would be the CaddyShack version of Bill Murray.

After talking golf, it was time to wrap things up on a more serious note – What does everyone miss the most with baseball on hold? Stripling quickly replied that he misses his teammates, Joc misses taking Buehler’s money playing cards, and AJ misses hearing everyone’s walk-up music. Sax said that no matter where life takes you, you will always miss your teammates and they will always be your brothers.

The next Dodgers Zoom Party will take place on June 1, 2020, at 6 PM, and reservations are being accepted right now on Twitter. The Zoom party will feature members from the 1988 World Series Dodgers team, including Sax, series hero Kirk Gibson, and the ever-popular Mickey Hatcher.

Go Dodgers!

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