reSee.it Podcast Summary
Walker Buehler sits with Theo Von to discuss the Dodgers, the revamped MLB season, and life as a pitcher in a pandemic era. He explains spring training 2.0, the uncertainty before players returned, and how the players union, with him as a team rep, navigated the process through group texts and calls. Housing for the season became complicated; he settled into a long lease in LA, then had to pivot when the schedule changed, illustrating the unusual logistics of this year.
What will be different this season? Dugouts will be restricted; non-playing players may sit in the stands; some players may be allowed to go home between games. The bullpen layout will shift, and pitchers may no longer bat in the National League, while the extra-innings rule adds a runner on second base. Spitting is banned, with a moisture workaround in the back pocket. Crowd atmosphere could come from pumped-in noise or cardboard cutouts; he even jokes about the oddity of empty parks. The league’s drama extends to international experiences he’s had, from Cuba to Japan, where routines and tempo differ and where fans and players interact differently.
On injuries and rehab, he shares his Tommy John surgery: a torn elbow ligament replaced with a graft, a visible scar, and about a year of rehab. He notes the surgery made him throw harder and helped him reach the big leagues quickly. Drafted 24th after three years at Vanderbilt, he explains he did not graduate and moved on to pro ball. The arbitration process follows three seasons, with six seasons required for free agency; a platform year can shape a potential salary, depending on performances.
The pitcher-catcher relationship is collaborative: catchers offer pitch suggestions, and pregame meetings review hitters. Balk rules and the code of conduct around sign-stealing are discussed, with references to the Houston scandal. He mentions Charlie Blackmon as a tough at-bat and notes division rivals like the Rockies and Giants; altitude at Coors Field makes pitching tricky.
Off the field, he shares his Kentucky roots, his parents’ professions—father in banking, mother an attorney—his dogs Nala and Barrel Bueller, and his charity work such as Field of Jeans. He ends with gratitude for teammates and optimism that fans will return to the ballpark and that baseball will rebound in this unusual season.