Los Angeles Dodgers: Joe Davis’s best calls with the Dodgers
By Jason Reed
4. “Will Smith, I.. Am.. Legend!”
Will Smith fascinated Dodger fans in 2019. The rookie catcher was never supposed to make as big of an impact as he did on the team in 2019 and instead was viewed as a September call-up candidate at the beginning of the year.
However, injuries and Austin Barnes‘ struggles gave Smith several chances to prove his worth with the big-league club and he absolutely did that. By the time October rolled around, Smith was the Dodgers’ starting catcher in the postseason.
Smith had a red-hot start reminiscent of Yasiel Puig in 2013. It was Smith’s second stint with the big-league club where he won over Dodger fans. In his first five games back from the minor leagues, Smith was 8-17 with four doubles, three home runs and 13 RBIs.
The final home run in that five-game stint was a grand slam against the San Diego Padres to give the Dodgers a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Everyone was already making the ‘Fresh Prince’ references with Smith, and Davis went a different route.
Davis made the perfect reference to a Will Smith movie that encapsulated how all Dodger fans were feeling: this Will Smith guy is a living legend.
Again, taking the circumstances and creating poetry. It is his specialty.