Tarik Skubal: ‘I don't sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers'
Tarik Skubal talks about leaving Detroit and joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Tarik Skubal: 'I don't sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Video Transcript
Yeah, I mean, initial reaction, you know, there's a lot of emotion, right?
You know, I spent eight years with the Detroit Tigers and, that space, you know, that place will always be special to me no matter what.
But in the same breath, you know, I'm excited to be here.
You know, I'm excited to, to compete with these guys and, you know, when you watch 'em from across the way or just see 'em, you know, do their thing on, on TV, you just have a lot of respect 'cause they play the game the right way.
And, you know, the, the entire focus of this organization is on winning championships and, and that's my entire focus of playing baseball.
So, we're very much aligned and, you know, I'm, I'm ready to go out there and compete and, and give this organization and city everything that I've got.
Yeah, I mean, I'm I was just, I was just excited.
You know, I mean, you, you go through the, kinda the rollercoaster, right?
You know, getting traded from a team where you spent a lot of time and then, you know, getting traded to the Dodgers who have won, you know, the last two World Series and are ready to win a third one, you know?
So I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and say I'm the big piece.
They've been a pretty good baseball team without me, so I'm just gonna try and show up and, and kinda be a chameleon in a sense and fit right into these guys and, and just, you know, gel with them.
You know, I'm just excited to, to take it all in, you know, the day-to-day routine stuff.
I'll be, you know, watching a lot of guys and people probably think I'm a little weird staring at guys- but it's just 'cause I'm trying to learn and get better, you know, and, and watch these guys throw bullpens and prepare to play catch every day and, and how they go about their business.
You know, I'm excited about all that stuff, so it's extremely motivating for me.
Every team could trade for me.
You know, every team could make that acquisition.
Yeah, I don't really, sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers for, for anything they've done.
You know, they've developed a really good organization.
They draft well.
They acquire talent really well.
They retain talent.
It's a winning organization.
Now, the complaints seem to be because they've won the last two World Series.
You know, I, I don't think it was like that three years ago, so I don't really sympathize with people that are complaining 'cause the Dodgers, you know, do all the right things.
It's, it's something that I'm excited and, you know, I, I don't wanna shy away from it.
I wanna embrace it, you know?
And, and it's, it's part of what makes me who I am and part of what, you know, gets you through some days where you might be a little tired or, you know, not motivated.
It, it's just wholesome, right?
You know, off-season stuff, if you wanna be the best in the game, you gotta earn it, you know?
And then, and that's how you prepare every, each and every single day, so that's, that's kind of, what holds me accountable.
You know, the, what the, what You know, and my teammates, when we take the field, we're gonna fully expect to win on, on days that I go and, and I don't take that for granted at all.
You know?
And I, and I, and I love it.
You know, I, I want, I want the same feeling.
So, yeah, I think that all that stuff's kind of a privilege to be able to play this game and perform on the hi- at the highest level and, and on the biggest stages, you know?
It's what you dream of as a 12-year-old, right?
You know, everyone's, everyone's dreamt of hitting a walk-off home run.
You know, I don't know if anyone's dreamt At, at least I wasn't dreaming of pitching as a 12-year-old.
Mm-hmm.
I was dreaming of hitting the home run.
I think home runs are cooler than pitching, but, you know, it's an honor, right?
It's, it's an honor and, and you dream of it every single day and, and, you know, hopefully that becomes a reality and I get to go out and perform on, on big stages.
