Dodgers Pregame interview Max Muncy on Tio Albert reaching the 700 home run milestone 9/19/22

Max, this is an unusual series. You're going to see the Diamondbacks five times with a double header. This schedule with the lockout is starting to catch up to everybody. Yeah, it's it's very unusual. You know, after this, we have the Rockies done the year with six games. So it's it's not something you usually see. You know, you normally don't see the entire rotation for the other team, but that's just how the schedules worked out. And what what everyone's got to work around, both us and them. Max, after the Diamondbacks leave town, the Cardinals and Teal Albert come to Dodger Stadium with him on the verge of hitting 700 home runs. You were extremely close to Albert last year. Would you like to see him do it? Look, no one likes to see home runs get hit against their team, but I think we would all be OK with the exception of this one. You know, I think all of us in here are kind of rooting that he gets 700 at Dodger Stadium. That'd be pretty sweet and pretty special. I know for him, it'd be special with his family around. You know, I think they're still in California. So it's just, you know, I think even some of our pitchers would be OK with giving up that home run. Like I said, no one wants to give up the home run and no one wants a home run hit on their team. But I think we're all kind of hoping it does happen here at Dodger Stadium. That'd be pretty special. How much have you been keeping tabs on his home run chase? We've all been keeping tabs on it. You know, anytime he anytime he's in the batter's box, we got it on the TV somewhere. And it's you know, it's just really fun to watch. He's such a good guy. We're all so happy for him. And, you know, I think the coolest part about it is he's contributing to a team that's in a playoff hunt. And it's you know, it's not just like a feel good story. It's not, you know, hey, let's go around here some at bats. He's actually he's been one of the better hitters and he's contributing. And it's fun to see for a guy like Albert, who's had the career that he's had and, you know, for him to go out there and be competing at the level he's competing at, it's it's it's really fun to watch. What's the lasting impact he'll have on Max Muncy? Just be a good guy. You know, he's the way he went about things and, you know, the way he interacted with people, with fans, with coaches, with other teams, it's just, you know, it's it's there's a lot of I see a lot of that in Freddie. And that's just it's it's a special it's a special characteristic that they have. And, you know, to me, I think that'll be the most lasting impact is enjoy your time out here, enjoy the game. You only get to play for so long. And, you know, not all of us are going to get to play it for 40 years like Albert has. But, you know, it's it's it's you know, it'll be it'll be really special to see him again, for sure. Max, you guys are very talented. A lot of really good hitters on this team. But you mentioned Freddie Freeman. What's the impact he's had in those hitter meetings that have spilled out onto the field? Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just go out there and compete every single day. You know, when when Doc goes around and tells guys that they got days off, you know, I think one of Freddie's biggest impacts is, hey, no, I want to fight to be in that lineup. I need to be in that lineup. I can't help the team if I'm sitting on the bench. And when you have a whole clubhouse fighting to get in that lineup, you know, it's it's it's pretty fun. And on top of that, you know, guys understand you're not going to be in the line every day unless you're Freddie or Trey. But, you know, it's when you have a whole team fighting to be in the lineup, but also not complaining about it, you know, understanding the role. And it's it's created the chemistry that we have. And it's created the team that we have. Is that why you and the others are not concerned about the balance of rest and staying sharp as you get closer to the end of the season? You got to be playing. You can't you can't take time off when the season's over. We're at five days in between, you know, the last game in that division series. That's more than the time for guys to get their rest in. So we need to go out there and prepare every single day like it's, you know, like we're fighting for something. And, you know, we do a great, great job of doing that. We focus on the game at hand, the pitcher at hand. You know, everyone's out there trying to win that pitch for that day. And when when that's what you're focused on, it's traded. You know, it's it's why we've been so good this year is we haven't looked. We haven't looked too far ahead. We're not looking behind. We're just focusing on what we can focus on. That's that's the pitch at hand. And that's winning the day. When you have that type of identity, does that make the 162 marathon easier? Yeah. You know, it's a very long season. And 162 games is a lot of games. But you're not you're not trying to win 162 games. You're trying to win one game. You know, you're trying to win one game. And that's the day you show up for. And when that's what you're focused on, you're trying to win that game at the at that time, then, you know, it kind of makes the year a little bit more reasonable. You know, it's just it's just one of those things where you can only you can only control what you can control and you can't worry about other things. And what we can control is how we prepare for each game and how we go out there and play each game. And that's what we're going to do. You've done that all season long, good and bad. How have you been able to start to feel like Max Muncy again? Well, it just it doesn't matter about you. It's the team that matters. And, you know, every single day you have a chance to do something to help the team win. And sometimes it's the you know, it's the not not, you know, well known things. If you strike out, maybe go up there and you see eight, nine pitches and you're striking out. That's a positive because the pitcher is tired. He's throwing more pitches. We get to the bullpen. And then, you know, three, four game series, that guy has to throw more pitches. And that means that the bullpen has to throw more. And so then they can't just use certain guys for only one or two times. They have to go out there and pitch every single day. And it's tough on those guys. So there's a lot of things you can do to help the team win. That's not, you know, not hitting a home run and not, you know, there's there's so many ways you can help the team win. And that's that's what you have to focus on. Thanks a lot for the time. Congratulations on a great season. I know the numbers may not reflect it, but you've come out on the other side at the right time. Like I said, it doesn't matter about me. What matters is the team is doing great. And if I can do any little thing to help the team win, then I feel like I've had a great year. And so that's that's all that's that's all I'm going to worry about. And, you know, every day, like I said, you show up, you have a chance to help the team win. That's all that matters. There he is. The Papa Max Muncy had some daddy daycare and now he's ready for a baseball game. Thanks, Max. Thanks.