92nd MLB All-Star Game

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Los Angeles, California, USA

Dodger Stadium

Giancarlo Stanton

Press Conference


Q. You came here for so many games as a kid, how special is it?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I can't really explain how special this is. It's hard to put into words that this is reality right now. It's really cool. I mean, I'm soaking it all in.

Q. You were talking a little bit about it on the field and we've talked about it before, what left field means to this stadium for you and how special it is for you and your dad. Can you talk about the significance of the home run going there and you being the MVP here at Dodger Stadium?

GIANCARLO STANTON: All full circle, me playing there, me playing in left as well. You always, always tried to get a ball thrown to me from whoever is playing left field when I was a kid, and you know, just to be out there is so fun, so cool.

Q. For whatever reason the American League has really dominated this event for the last decade. Is that something you're aware of going in and is there pride in maintaining that?

GIANCARLO STANTON: \Dusty mentioned that to us right before the game. So you know, we had to hold it down for him. He said we won eight or something in a row so far, so let's keep it rolling. So it's good we could do it.

Q. Yesterday we just talk about you, how many family members you have here today watching you play. Where would you put this game in your career? Is it your most special day on the baseball field?

GIANCARLO STANTON: It's very special to me, so I think it's right up there with anything personally. I have some goals in terms of winning a championship and going all the way, but yeah, personally for the road I've gone to get to where I am now, this is very special.

Q. When you were growing up coming to games here, was there any particular Dodger player you liked or things you always tried to do when you went to Dodger Stadium?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I loved Mondesi. His arm was crazy. I remember him throwing it from the warning track all the way to third at times. Mike Piazza was always cool to see. Hideo Nomo. But it was the big bops when they came into town, I always tried to make sure I saw McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, even for two at-bats, just try to drive down here, get a ticket off the street and come try to see what they can do in two at-bats.

All of that wraps around in full circle when I'm out there.

Q. How far away did you live from the stadium?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I'm like 30 minutes with no traffic but we all know L.A., that's two hours.

Q. Did you ever get a home run ball out in the bleachers?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Yeah, I have. I would always come early to batting practice and try to catch home run balls, and in the game, I got some foul balls, as well. When I'm up in the third deck, fourth deck.

Q. You hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium years ago with the Marlins, and you definitely got all of this one tonight. How did those compare feeling coming off the bat with that home run out of the ballpark to this one?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I mean, I'm not quite sure the significance in the game of the first one. Definitely a crazy cool feat, this one is in its own league as well, so I would separate them and just they are both special and no need to compare them. I love them both.

Q. Aaron Judge was saying you were joking on the plane on the way out here that you were going to get one; that you were going to hit a home run. How important was that for you to actually go out there and do it?

GIANCARLO STANTON: That's when the lights are brightest that's what you want to do. That's what the fans come to see. That's what we work tireless hours for.

Yeah, it's just cool to be able to put it together.

Q. Historically you've done really, really well here home at Dodger Stadium. Is there something you get up a little extra for coming here and playing here?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Got a lot of people I grew up with here coming to the games. I have all my memories to weed through. So I better show up. It's a little different if you come, and yeah, it's cool to play here. But if you don't show up, I feel like, ah, wish I would have done more. It's another thing to step up.

Q. Aaron Judge was saying that you are built to play in New York. You had a couple frustrating years there with the injuries. Did you ever wonder in your down times if it was the right decision, and now that you've had some injury-free years and accepted by the fans and things are going so well, how satisfying is it to show that you can be a great Yankee?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Yeah, I mean, there's decisions you don't second guess. There's decisions that you have to revamp and make adjustments. Just step up to the challenge. When things get tough, you've got two roads to go: You can go backwards, you can run away or you or stick it through.

I've always worked hard. I've always tried to get better and improve in any way possible. So it's just good to be in this situation now.

Q. You've got a long way to go obviously but Yankees have been the best team in your league; Dodgers have been the best team in their league. Do you ever think about how special it would be if you were -- if you came back here to do what you did tonight but in the World Series?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Do I ever think about it? (Laughter) absolutely.

For sure. On paper, it's lined up that way for a few years, so now both sides need to take care of business and get it done. If that's how it ends up, cool. But you know, you're not coming in here just enjoying playing here if that's the case. We're going to try to win.

Q. There's this famous story that (George) Genovese, the Dodgers scout brought you in here and you were crushing balls all over the place, and he couldn't convince the Dodgers to draft you. They passed for some guys who never played in the major leagues?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Mm-hmm (nodding in agreement).

Q. And you were drafted by the Marlins and the rest is history. But what do you remember about all that?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I had many conversations with him. I know he was working on them. He said he came to watch me hit in the cage, and he brought me out to the workouts and all that. He said he was trying to convince them but it didn't work out, but I know he was rooting for me and hoping that it did.

So always appreciate him for that.

Q. So you could have wound up a Dodger?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

Q. I don't know if you've ever faced Gonsolin before, did you do any tape on him and what pitch did he throw at you?

GIANCARLO STANTON: We were scrambling. There was no tape. It was like, hey, what's he got? These three pitches; go get 'em.

I've seen him on TV. He's obviously had a great year. I've seen his highlights. But that's it. So I had to go from memory of that, and go get 'em.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, very appropriate for an L.A. guy to win the All-Star Game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
122960-1-1046 2022-07-20 04:10:00 GMT

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