Sounds of Dodger Stadium
Dodgers work to replicate some of their home park’s atmosphere during games in Texas.
The surroundings might be unfamiliar. The sights and sounds, however, will be reminiscent of home.
The Dodgers won’t again play at Dodger Stadium this October with the remainder of their playoff games set to be held at a neutralsite bubble in Arlington, Texas. But the club is using in- game stadium production at Globe Life Field to re- create a small slice of their typical home- game experience.
“We’re working with the crew in Arlington to make Globe Life Field feel a little bit like Dodger Stadium,” said Greg Taylor, the executive producer of Dodgers production. “We’re trying as much as we can to have content run in their ballpark.”
In the Dodgers’ National League Division Series opener against the Padres on Tuesday, their their usual batting practice playlist coursed through the stadium. Their pregame hype video will play on the scoreboard. Their walk- up songs were synched up for each at- bat.
Even the national anthem had a recognizable ring: A prerecorded track performed by Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Ruehle.
“It’ll be kind of weird to hear myself,” said Ruehle, who is instead working the American League Division Series being held at Dodger Stadium this week. “Like, ‘ Yup, that’s me.’ ”
Normally, the postseason is when Ruehle, Taylor and the rest of the club’s in- game entertainment team get to pull out all the stops at Chavez Ravine. This year, however, they’re simply trying to cover the basics from almost 1,500 miles away.
Like Ruehle, Taylor’s team is still in Los Angeles as well, coordinating the Oakland A’s and Houston Astros in- park preferences — the A’s, for example, sent over a
Matt Chapman- curated Spotify playlist for their batting practice — while also working with the Globe Life Field crew to integrate some of the trademark features of a Dodgers home game.
“The document I sent out to Texas, an index of all the content, it was four pages long,” Taylor said. “Everything from having two versions of animated headshots. What highlight videos we use per player. All the different music.”
Ruehle’s in- game riffs will be a central feature. After every Walker Buehler strikeout, the “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ” theme music will play in the stadium. When other Dodgers pitchers record a strikeout, a prerecorded rendition
of Ruehle playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony will ring from above.
“Hopefully we hear it a lot,” said Taylor, whose production team will be on a live video call during the game with producers at Globe Life Field.
The Dodgers are the designated home team in the NLDS Games 1, 2 and 5 ( if necessary); the Padres are the home team in Games 3 and 4 ( if necessary). The Dodgers hold the home- f ield advantage all the way through the World Series.
Pederson gets a shot
Joc Pederson made his f irst start of the 2020 postseason Tues
day, serving as the Dodgers’ designated hitter. He made one pinchhit appearance in Game 2 of the wild- card series against the Milwaukee Brewers and grounded into a double play. Pederson has come up big in the postseason during his career, but had his worst season as a major leaguer in 2020. He batted .190 with a .681 OPS in 43 games.
The Dodgers used Edwin Ríos and Will Smith at DH in their two wild- card series games, but there’s a chance neither will appear there this series.
Ríos definitely will not be playing — he isn’t on the roster after suffering an injury during Sunday’s workout, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Smith could start as the DH in Game 2 on Wednesday when Austin Barnes catches for Clayton Kershaw, but the Dodgers decided not to carry a third catcher this round. Without one, they open themselves up to losing the DH spot should Smith need to replace Barnes as catcher.
Secret weapon
Ryan Weathers, who has not pitched above Class A, was a surprise addition to the Padres’ NLDS roster, the promotion giving the 20year- old left- hander a chance to become the fifth player — and third this year — to make his major league debut in the postseason.
The 6- foot- 1, 230- pound Weathers, the son of former big league pitcher David Weathers, was the seventh overall pick in 2018 out of Loretto High School in Tennessee.
Padres manager Jayce Tingler said Weathers, who mixes a fastball that ranges from 94 mph- 97 mph with a slider, will be used in long relief.
Pitching plans
An elbow injury prevented ace Dinelson Lamet, who went 3- 1 with a 2.09 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 12 starts this season, from being activated for the NLDS, but the Padres are hopeful the right- hander can return for the next round if they advance.
Tingler delayed naming a Game 2 starter until after Game 1. Zach Davies, Chris Paddock and Adrian Morejon are among the candidates, but Garrett Richards, the former Angels right- hander who moved from the rotation to the bullpen in mid- September, is not.
“We think he has a chance to be a weapon [ in the bullpen],” Tingler said of Richards.