Dodgers Interview: Yama rejects “legend” label (even if it fits)
CAMELBACK RANCH, AZ — The Dodgers are only a few days into spring life at Camelback Ranch, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto has hit the ground running When reporters caught up with him on Saturday, they got him to reflect on his epic October, but also look forward to the challenge of the WBC less than a month away.
Asked about looking back on what he accomplished on the game’s biggest stage, Yamamoto admitted he’s already gone back and watched it himself. “Since the World Series ended, I’ve watched the video from those games a few times,” he said. “I go back and look at it.”
When one waggish reporter asked him point blank, “Do you feel like a Dodger legend?” Yamamoto didn’t take the bait. He just sheepishly smiled and shook his head. Spoiler alert: Yama is ABSOLUTELY a Dodger legend, and I don’t know who could possibly disagree with that statement. So, even if he won’t say it, that doesn’t make it any less true.
That was part of a wider reflection on how the winter felt after a long postseason run. Yamamoto said it didn’t feel like a slow, roomy offseason, even if the work still got done. “More than the length of time, it felt like the offseason ended in a flash,” he said. “But I was able to take the time to practice, and at the same time focus on recovery. I also did a lot of training so I can get even stronger. So I was able to prepare with plenty of time.”
He also hinted that the timing of his rest and ramp-up felt better than some other years, even with everything running later than usual. “Compared to other years, it wasn’t like, ‘I had to rest and then start all over again,’” he said. “When I rested in November and then started moving again, the feeling in my body was better than other years. I was able to get off to a good start.”
With the World Baseball Classic sitting out there on the calendar, the obvious question followed: does trying to win the WBC feel different than trying to win the World Series? “A little bit,” he replied. “They’re different. I think they’re kind of separate things.”
As far as whether the WBC changed his routine heading into camp, Yamamoto kept it simple. “I started my live BP a little earlier than usual,” he said. “Other than that, it’s the same as always.”
When the scrum turned back to last October, Yamamoto’s answer sounded like a fan remembering a great series as much as a pitcher remembering his own outings. “The moment we won at the end is what stands out the most,” he said. “But when you go back and watch the video, there were so many unbelievable plays. Honestly, there were too many to even count.”
And the more he rewatched, the more he appreciated the stuff that didn’t always get the biggest spotlight in the moment. “When you look back, even the plays that maybe weren’t talked about much were incredible,” he said. “It really made me think again what an amazing series it was.”
And with any luck, it will be the second win of many for the Dodgers’ newly-minted “legend.”
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