Vanderbilt Roots and LA Living

• 🎓 Walker Buehler discusses his time at Vanderbilt, initially committing after a camp offer and canceling other plans.
• 🏡 He shares his living situation in Los Angeles, moving from Marina del Rey to the Hollywood Hills for a shorter commute.
• 🚗 Buehler acknowledges the notorious LA traffic, advising to limit daily activities due to travel time.

Pitching Philosophy and Career Development

• ⚾ Buehler believes throwing strikes is key to success in big games, allowing coaches to trust him not to lose games via walks.
• 📈 He reflects on his 2017 debut as a humbling experience that fueled his offseason work, leading to a strong 2018 season.
• 🏆 The 2018 postseason experience, including losing the World Series, changed his perspective and made him appreciate the journey.
• 🎯 He discusses the evolving game, with pitchers throwing more high fastballs due to more uphill swings, though he prefers a traditional low-zone approach.

Dodgers Clubhouse and Teammates

• 🤝 Buehler describes the Dodgers clubhouse as balanced, with leaders like JT and Kershaw, and a mix of shy and outgoing personalities.
• 🌟 He highlights the outfielders (Bellinger, Joc, Pollock) as the most eccentric group, with Mookie Betts adding to the entertainment.
• 🌟 Celebrities like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Hart, and Anthony Davis have visited, with Buehler noting how out of their element even athletes can seem in a locker room.

Routines, Superstitions, and Off-Field Interests

• 🧘 Buehler emphasizes the importance of routines, especially for pitchers, to minimize decision fatigue before games.
• 🤝 He shares a story about playing cards until 5:15 PM before a 6 PM start, and still pitching well, highlighting a deviation from his usual routine.
• 📿 He wears a St. Christopher necklace, given by his grandfather, which he gives to his strength coach before pitching.
• 🐎 Buehler is passionate about horse racing, attending the Breeders' Cup and having connections through his fiancée's sister, a Hall of Fame jockey.
• 🎣 He also enjoys duck hunting and has built a deck on his house during quarantine.

Facing Teammates and Stadiums

• 😄 Buehler finds facing former Vanderbilt teammates like Dansby Swanson fun, though Swanson has historically hit well against him.
• 🏟️ He enjoys pitching in St. Louis and Seattle, attributing his comfort to positive past results rather than the mounds themselves.
• ⛰️ He dislikes pitching in Denver due to the altitude, noting how balls behave differently and giving up 13 hits in one game there.

All-Star Experience and Future Outlook

• ⭐ Buehler recalls his first All-Star Game experience in Cleveland, driving home immediately after his inning to get back for his routine.
• 😴 He humorously notes his fiancée and friends slept most of the drive home, leaving him to manage the long journey alone.
• 🎤 He admits to leaving the Home Run Derby after the first round, though he watched his teammate Joc Pederson compete.
• 🌟 He expresses excitement for the future, believing he will shine even more in the coming years, and jokingly criticizes front office members in fantasy leagues.