1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,480
Speaker 1: Oh drives one deep center field and it is high

2
00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,560
Speaker 1: off the wall, not a home run. Blocos stopped running.

3
00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:09,760
Speaker 1: Now he's going to speed up and head to third

4
00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,840
Speaker 1: as the ball is relayed from Pollock to a med

5
00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,240
Speaker 1: and then to third and Bloco slides in safely, ultimately

6
00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,279
Speaker 1: with a triple. And he was just convinced that was

7
00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,079
Speaker 1: a home run. And now it is a home run.

8
00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,720
Speaker 1: So let's redo that call. It's gone. Blanco goes deep.

9
00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:25,480
Speaker 1: It's one nothing.

10
00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:26,000
Speaker 2: Giants.

11
00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,200
Speaker 3: He's the Giants fan Fest warm Up Show with Bill

12
00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,800
Speaker 3: Laski on the Home of the Orange and Black.

13
00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,640
Speaker 2: We are the Sports Leader.

14
00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,000
Speaker 3: Welcome back to the KMBR warm Up Show with Bill Laski.

15
00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,360
Speaker 3: The gates are open here at Sutter Health Ballpark. The

16
00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,520
Speaker 3: fans are coming in a great array of Giants here

17
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,919
Speaker 3: to welcome you and welcome the twenty twenty six San

18
00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:56,720
Speaker 3: Francisco Giants Baseball fan Fest. Dusty Baker, Williat Domas, Robbie Ray, Elliott, Ramos,

19
00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:00,200
Speaker 3: Jose Budo, Matt Gage, and of course Luciale are here

20
00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,880
Speaker 3: to greet you and talk about Giants baseball as spring

21
00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,240
Speaker 3: training is right around the corner. February tenth, Pitchers and catchers.

22
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,360
Speaker 3: February fifteenth, The full squad and my next guest knows

23
00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,880
Speaker 3: all about spring training. Ten year veteran and of course

24
00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,479
Speaker 3: he's a forever giant. Two time World Series Champ twenty twelve,

25
00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:24,759
Speaker 3: in twenty fourteen, twenty thirteen, Wilson Defensive Player of the Year.

26
00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,080
Speaker 3: Let's bring in the White Shark, Gregor. Blocker, Gregor, how

27
00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:29,119
Speaker 3: are you today, my friend?

28
00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,640
Speaker 4: Man, that's thank you, thank you for having me. It's

29
00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,200
Speaker 4: a pleasure to be to be in the show, and

30
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,200
Speaker 4: I'm excited excited to talking to you guys and talk

31
00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:42,839
Speaker 4: about baseball.

32
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,600
Speaker 3: Well, Gregor, spring training is upon us. You had ten

33
00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,800
Speaker 3: years in Major league baseball, another probably eight or ten

34
00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,240
Speaker 3: in a minor leagues, depending on how many years you

35
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,200
Speaker 3: ended up playing. What does spring training mean to you

36
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,400
Speaker 3: as a player when you first got in there, a

37
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,080
Speaker 3: veteran player and now retired a little, but spring training

38
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:02,440
Speaker 3: means a lot to all of us.

39
00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,120
Speaker 2: Yes, yes, definitely. It's a time.

40
00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,160
Speaker 4: It's that time that you get like you you feed

41
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:10,120
Speaker 4: you feeed wet again.

42
00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,639
Speaker 2: It's like start overt start over again. And especially the

43
00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:15,880
Speaker 2: first time, the first time.

44
00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:17,880
Speaker 4: You go to spring training, you don't know what to

45
00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,120
Speaker 4: expect like, what's the spectation?

46
00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,399
Speaker 2: Was everybody looking for me? What should I do?

47
00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,519
Speaker 4: But once you start like, uh, doing it like years

48
00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:29,919
Speaker 4: by years, and then you just like, I mean, I

49
00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:31,680
Speaker 4: can wait to see my bodies, I can I can

50
00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,040
Speaker 4: wait to tell my coaches, I can wait to see

51
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,359
Speaker 4: my fans at the stadium. This male like, that's that's

52
00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,320
Speaker 4: really exciting and it's one of the greatest moments in

53
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:42,040
Speaker 4: baseball for sure.

54
00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,920
Speaker 3: Gregor. You grew up in Venezuela. I played in winter

55
00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,720
Speaker 3: ball in Venezuela. So did you winter ball really kind

56
00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:51,440
Speaker 3: of takes a little bit out of you. But as

57
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:53,600
Speaker 3: a Latin player, you want to play in front of

58
00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,160
Speaker 3: your home crowd. How did you do that? How did

59
00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,799
Speaker 3: you maintain that? And then also giving yourself a little

60
00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:00,680
Speaker 3: in the winner?

61
00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:03,040
Speaker 2: Hey, that was.

62
00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,520
Speaker 4: And this is something I feel like not many people

63
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,120
Speaker 4: know about me, and like I did it, and I

64
00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,760
Speaker 4: did it for it. I would say, like nine nine

65
00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,280
Speaker 4: years straight, nineteen years. I did it for like so

66
00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,880
Speaker 4: many years in a role like playing playing manually baseball

67
00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,119
Speaker 4: here and then going to Venezuela play win the ball

68
00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,040
Speaker 4: and then coming back for spring training and do it again.

69
00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,760
Speaker 4: And I did it frustright without without stopping for like

70
00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,400
Speaker 4: eight to the same years in a row. It was crazy,

71
00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,480
Speaker 4: but definitely it's always amazing.

72
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,880
Speaker 2: To play, to play at home, to play to.

73
00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:44,200
Speaker 4: Like in my hometown, and to see my family and

74
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,880
Speaker 4: my friends, and it's one of those moments that I

75
00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,520
Speaker 4: usually I usually take a lot of pride of myself,

76
00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,000
Speaker 4: like going to win the ball and always trying to

77
00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,880
Speaker 4: become better, Like there was stuff that like I needed

78
00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,520
Speaker 4: to work on after my season here in the States

79
00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,360
Speaker 4: and then I'll go to wither Ball and I told myself, you.

80
00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,000
Speaker 2: Got to prepare for that. So that was just preparation

81
00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:06,360
Speaker 2: for me.

82
00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:09,880
Speaker 3: Gregor is a young pitcher myself. When we and I

83
00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,800
Speaker 3: went to Venezuela, that was really the first time through

84
00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,120
Speaker 3: the minor leagues I got to pitch against big leaguers

85
00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,760
Speaker 3: because there was so many great Latin players there, Dave

86
00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:23,120
Speaker 3: Conception on a few other players, just really good quality baseball.

87
00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,960
Speaker 3: And you talk about playing it for so many years

88
00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:31,120
Speaker 3: there and the constant grind, and you had constant playing, constant,

89
00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,120
Speaker 3: you know, being on alert playing good baseball in Venezuela.

90
00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,040
Speaker 3: Then you only had a little time before spring training.

91
00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,360
Speaker 3: How did you cope with that for your body, How

92
00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,479
Speaker 3: did you give yourself a little bit more time in

93
00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,240
Speaker 3: spring training to rest but you still had to compete?

94
00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:47,039
Speaker 2: Do you know what?

95
00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,960
Speaker 4: That's a great question. I don't know how I did it.

96
00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,080
Speaker 4: I got to know how I did it for so

97
00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,880
Speaker 4: many years straight. But one thing that I did good

98
00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,880
Speaker 4: always in my career was like I always have my

99
00:04:59,040 --> 00:04:59,839
Speaker 4: time to sleep.

100
00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,719
Speaker 2: I was like it the best I can. I didn't

101
00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:05,719
Speaker 2: drink alcohol.

102
00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,800
Speaker 4: I was like a really good like ballplayer all around,

103
00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,960
Speaker 4: and I focused on my training in the morning, uh,

104
00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,800
Speaker 4: stretching all that so I can become better. But like

105
00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,760
Speaker 4: doing it for so many years, and now sitting at

106
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,520
Speaker 4: home actually started getting I started feeling it now, like

107
00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,280
Speaker 4: I'm forty two years old and now I'm home.

108
00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,400
Speaker 2: Like, hey, my back hurt, Like why am I? Why

109
00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:26,800
Speaker 2: am I back?

110
00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:29,920
Speaker 4: I started thinking about all the stuff like, well, you

111
00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,520
Speaker 4: you did a lot of like a lot of threats.

112
00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:33,160
Speaker 2: You put a lot of.

113
00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,600
Speaker 4: Threads in your body for so many years, and and

114
00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,400
Speaker 4: like little stuff like that. But like in those moments,

115
00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,359
Speaker 4: to me, it was just about improving myself, like I

116
00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:42,880
Speaker 4: want to I want to get better. I want to

117
00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,920
Speaker 4: get better. I want to get better, and that year. Man,

118
00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,960
Speaker 4: I when when I when I start with the Giants

119
00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,760
Speaker 4: in twenty twelve, I became like that year before. I

120
00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,000
Speaker 4: was like MVP in the league, in the Winter Bow.

121
00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,120
Speaker 4: And that's how I got find out. That's how the

122
00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,160
Speaker 4: Giants find found me. And I was so blead, and

123
00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:01,360
Speaker 4: and everything started.

124
00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,279
Speaker 2: It started started there that voice.

125
00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,800
Speaker 3: You hear on the kb R warm up show, my

126
00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,880
Speaker 3: good friend Gregor Blanco, the two time World Series champ

127
00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,679
Speaker 3: with the San Francisco Giants, And I got to stop

128
00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,039
Speaker 3: you a little bit about Venezuela. That's where you got

129
00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,600
Speaker 3: your nickname the White Shark. I was reading all about that.

130
00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,400
Speaker 3: Tell me a little bit about how that occurred.

131
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,919
Speaker 4: Well, that's that's that's that's not a great, great question.

132
00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,440
Speaker 4: So everything started because I saw so people know I play.

133
00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:27,800
Speaker 2: I play in Winna Ball.

134
00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,920
Speaker 4: In a team in a team that called the Tibia.

135
00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:38,200
Speaker 4: That means uh, it means like that they like white Sharks,

136
00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,680
Speaker 4: and and and I was like a very popular player

137
00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,960
Speaker 4: that like again I win MBPS, win.

138
00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,320
Speaker 2: By the title. It was like it was I was

139
00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,200
Speaker 2: like the guy uh in winnable.

140
00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,839
Speaker 4: So people defense started calling me because my last name

141
00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,239
Speaker 4: is Blanco, they started calling me the tibo roam tibu blanco.

142
00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,680
Speaker 2: That means the white chart in English.

143
00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,800
Speaker 4: So that's how that's how, that's how everything translated. And

144
00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,119
Speaker 4: then I get I get hit twenty twelve, I signed

145
00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:09,080
Speaker 4: as a free a game.

146
00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,200
Speaker 2: I went from m BP year in Venezuela.

147
00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,920
Speaker 4: Pablo Sandoval was on the team and Pablo when when

148
00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,400
Speaker 4: I when I got introduced in when in in spring training,

149
00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,440
Speaker 4: Pablo was like, hey, this is a white chart. He

150
00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,040
Speaker 4: started like he told everybody I was a white child.

151
00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,679
Speaker 4: He told everybody where I'm coming from. So that's how

152
00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,960
Speaker 4: everything started with the with the white chart, which which

153
00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:34,080
Speaker 4: I love it.

154
00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,960
Speaker 3: It was well, I love it too. I think it

155
00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,600
Speaker 3: stuck really well for you too, and all the things

156
00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,480
Speaker 3: you did in Venezuela and winter ball baseball, it just

157
00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,560
Speaker 3: stuck to the right guy, and I think those are

158
00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,320
Speaker 3: the positive things that came about it. Well, Gregor, I

159
00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,560
Speaker 3: want to talk about defense. You were a fantastic outfield er.

160
00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,240
Speaker 3: You played right field, center field, and left field in

161
00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,560
Speaker 3: ten years. Ten years of playing the outfield, you committed

162
00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:03,160
Speaker 3: only seventeen errors a fielding percentage outstanding as an outfielder.

163
00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,840
Speaker 3: And of course real recap that great catch in Mattcain's

164
00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,040
Speaker 3: perfect game in a little bit. But I want to

165
00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,840
Speaker 3: talk about Oracle Park. Back then it was at and

166
00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,320
Speaker 3: T Park with you playing right field, centerfield, and left field.

167
00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,920
Speaker 3: It is different, the sun's different, the wins different, the

168
00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:22,520
Speaker 3: ball carries different. I want to know what's best for

169
00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,360
Speaker 3: these outfielders. How can they improve their defense at that ballpark.

170
00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,320
Speaker 2: That's a great question.

171
00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,920
Speaker 4: Again, Like I think one of the teams that I

172
00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,000
Speaker 4: always I took pride.

173
00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,560
Speaker 2: It was my buying practice, you know, buying practice. It

174
00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,480
Speaker 2: means a lot to me and how I route, how

175
00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,160
Speaker 2: I take, how I take rues to the ball. It

176
00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:43,440
Speaker 2: was it was everything for me.

177
00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,600
Speaker 4: So when the game arrived, I was I was the

178
00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,560
Speaker 4: same guy like kind of knowing, especially in Oracle Park.

179
00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,440
Speaker 4: Like like you're saying, like the wing chief in everybody.

180
00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,280
Speaker 4: So I was always checking my my wing. I was

181
00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:03,080
Speaker 4: always checked, Kam, where my players, where my defensive players are.

182
00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,000
Speaker 4: If a play in the field, I want to make

183
00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,280
Speaker 4: sure where's my my left field, where's my right field?

184
00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,840
Speaker 2: And I always preparing.

185
00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,599
Speaker 4: Myself for for the worst scenario, you know, and I

186
00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,200
Speaker 4: trusting my abilities to Okay, I want to I want

187
00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,160
Speaker 4: the ball be able to be hit to me. I

188
00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,360
Speaker 4: want my pitcher to trust me like I was. I

189
00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:24,880
Speaker 4: took a lot of pride on myself, like making my

190
00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,360
Speaker 4: picture understand like he can make a mistake and I'm

191
00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:28,640
Speaker 4: going to back them up to me.

192
00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:31,760
Speaker 2: That was everything. So, Uh, I think those those those

193
00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:32,599
Speaker 2: those little.

194
00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,880
Speaker 4: Things, and and my my first steps, how I moved

195
00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,520
Speaker 4: My first step was everything against and and not getting

196
00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,800
Speaker 4: lazy with my feet, because that's that's another thing, especially

197
00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,240
Speaker 4: in Ocle Park. If if you get lazy, would your

198
00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:49,679
Speaker 4: feed then a lot a lot of bad things can happen.

199
00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,160
Speaker 3: Well, Gregor, Yesterday, Buster Posey made an announcement where Harrison Vader,

200
00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,280
Speaker 3: who they just signed to a two year contract, will

201
00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:00,360
Speaker 3: be the center fielder and joung Hu Lee will go

202
00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,120
Speaker 3: to right field, and things have to change for him.

203
00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,160
Speaker 3: He's got to learn how to play the ball off

204
00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,560
Speaker 3: the bricks, how do he play the corner. He's got

205
00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,319
Speaker 3: a strong enough arm to play right field. What are

206
00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,079
Speaker 3: some of the complications that you can talk about from

207
00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,200
Speaker 3: moving from center field to right field at Oracle Park.

208
00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,840
Speaker 4: Uh, it is, it is a little different. It is

209
00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,559
Speaker 4: definitely it is a little different. And I think the

210
00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,400
Speaker 4: adjustment on his feet is got to change because now

211
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,080
Speaker 4: the ball is going to move differently.

212
00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:29,280
Speaker 2: So that's that's.

213
00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,160
Speaker 4: One of the things that I that it was tough

214
00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,880
Speaker 4: for me, especially playing right field in that in that

215
00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,960
Speaker 4: ball part is it's difficult because just like you're saying

216
00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,240
Speaker 4: the brick the brick wall and and and it's short,

217
00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,600
Speaker 4: it's short to to to the line and then get

218
00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,240
Speaker 4: get wider, uh.

219
00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:46,080
Speaker 2: To to the gaps.

220
00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,680
Speaker 4: So like that that's a little different and you have

221
00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,480
Speaker 4: to adjust your feed the way the way you see

222
00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,280
Speaker 4: home play. I think to me that was a big

223
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,720
Speaker 4: change thally like I was playing center field and uh

224
00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,120
Speaker 4: and to tell you like people understand like I have

225
00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,280
Speaker 4: to actually joy to you and in live. But like

226
00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,240
Speaker 4: I think the chief thing how you set up looking

227
00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,800
Speaker 4: home play is it helps you.

228
00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,440
Speaker 2: It helps a lot. It helps a lot, especially.

229
00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,720
Speaker 4: Going from sanifielder right field or even going from sanerfielder

230
00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:19,320
Speaker 4: left field.

231
00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:21,480
Speaker 2: Those changes I did and.

232
00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,960
Speaker 4: It helped me and help me like reading reading the

233
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,880
Speaker 4: ball a lot better, especially in the corners that force you.

234
00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,040
Speaker 3: Here on the warm up show is Gregor Blancos. The

235
00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,600
Speaker 3: gates are open now here at Sutter Health Ballpark. Giants

236
00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,360
Speaker 3: fans are coming in. Of course, A great array of players.

237
00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,480
Speaker 3: Dusty Baker is also here, lou Seal is here. So

238
00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,480
Speaker 3: many different things to do out here, some great music

239
00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:47,120
Speaker 3: being played. So come on out. Free admission, free parking

240
00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:50,800
Speaker 3: at Sutter Health Ballpark. Gregor, we talk about right field,

241
00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,240
Speaker 3: and we talk about the bricks, but I want to

242
00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,120
Speaker 3: talk a little bit about right center field, where that

243
00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:58,400
Speaker 3: little edge is where you got to kind of watch

244
00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,640
Speaker 3: where the ball is going to carry. We saw it

245
00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:02,960
Speaker 3: last year with an inside the park home run, whether

246
00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:07,040
Speaker 3: centerfield or didn't follow up. There are so many different creeks,

247
00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:10,079
Speaker 3: and you know cranny is in that right field. And

248
00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,360
Speaker 3: you talk about batting practice, is this something that you

249
00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,240
Speaker 3: did or where you watch a coach kind of hit

250
00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,679
Speaker 3: balls off the brick to see the angles of it,

251
00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:20,400
Speaker 3: and how did you learn about it?

252
00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,640
Speaker 4: No, I put like definitely, I put myself in every

253
00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,520
Speaker 4: scenario there were practice like because just just just like

254
00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,559
Speaker 4: you said, I played a center, right and left, so

255
00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:36,080
Speaker 4: I take practice sometimes in right field. And I moved

256
00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,560
Speaker 4: myself all the way all the way to the warning track,

257
00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:42,760
Speaker 4: so everybody, the guys here, I can play off the wall.

258
00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,120
Speaker 4: I can read it is to see if I can

259
00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,600
Speaker 4: make the play. But one of the things that I

260
00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,840
Speaker 4: always say and and I appreciate you guys that like

261
00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:55,040
Speaker 4: calling me, uh to talk about outfield is because one

262
00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,920
Speaker 4: of the guys that I always say is like you

263
00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,480
Speaker 4: got to be safe playing the outfield, like especially in

264
00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,000
Speaker 4: that bole, or like you you just don't want to

265
00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,000
Speaker 4: run into the wall and smash yourself and be down

266
00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,480
Speaker 4: and be be gone for three months.

267
00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,000
Speaker 2: Like that's that's reckless.

268
00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,560
Speaker 4: So I think learning learning how like how to go

269
00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,040
Speaker 4: to the to the fence, especially in that fence and

270
00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,240
Speaker 4: understand and kind of made them play or should I

271
00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,000
Speaker 4: back it up and wait for the bounce or talk

272
00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,360
Speaker 4: to you right a center field and say like hey,

273
00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,199
Speaker 4: I'm gonna go to I'm gonna go all the way

274
00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,800
Speaker 4: to the fence, and I need you to back me

275
00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:30,320
Speaker 4: up if if the ball.

276
00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:32,240
Speaker 2: Bounce hard, so so so you're there.

277
00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:36,000
Speaker 4: Like little stuff like that, like those those conversations need

278
00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:38,920
Speaker 4: they need to happen. They always need to happen, even

279
00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,319
Speaker 4: like during the game, especially kind of like the guys

280
00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,600
Speaker 4: that you know, because there's some guys that that you

281
00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,800
Speaker 4: know they can hit the ball hard and the guy

282
00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,160
Speaker 4: that that tendency they can put the ball in the

283
00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,400
Speaker 4: wall easily. So those those conversations always need to happen

284
00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,160
Speaker 4: with you all, just like, hey, here we go, this guy,

285
00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,600
Speaker 4: this guy here for a lot of doubles, he have

286
00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,720
Speaker 4: a lot of pup so let's make sure we communicate

287
00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,040
Speaker 4: who's going to go for the wall, who's who's going

288
00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:06,240
Speaker 4: to be the backup guy, and stuff like that.

289
00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,560
Speaker 2: That that that helps a lot communication.

290
00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,640
Speaker 3: That's what you're talking about. And it's so essential playing

291
00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:15,280
Speaker 3: the outfield, especially right field. And then you got to

292
00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:17,920
Speaker 3: look at Triple's alley. That ball squiggles through it, it's

293
00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,760
Speaker 3: all the way in the corner. Being left handed as

294
00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,360
Speaker 3: you were, that is advantage for you. Why do you

295
00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,800
Speaker 3: think more outfielders are playing more the right center field

296
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,359
Speaker 3: giving the hitters the right field line.

297
00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,640
Speaker 4: Now because it's shorter. So I think the damage the more.

298
00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,000
Speaker 4: The most damage you can do is hitting hitting in

299
00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,760
Speaker 4: that in that gap you can take you can trey.

300
00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:40,720
Speaker 2: You can take three.

301
00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,720
Speaker 4: Bases, uh easily, and uh if you hit the ball

302
00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,520
Speaker 4: towards the line, you might take two.

303
00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,280
Speaker 2: You might take too because.

304
00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:50,400
Speaker 4: Like if you hit it hard and off and the

305
00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,400
Speaker 4: ball the ball bounce, that right field can can my

306
00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,520
Speaker 4: case the ball and maybe told you out of second bay,

307
00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,400
Speaker 4: so I have more chance to do left damage and

308
00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:05,800
Speaker 4: prepare for the biggest damage, which he's the in the guy.

309
00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,000
Speaker 3: Gregor Blanco joined me for a few more minutes, of course,

310
00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,000
Speaker 3: A two time World Series champion in twenty twelve, in

311
00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,600
Speaker 3: twenty fourteen with the San Francisco Giants. A nice award

312
00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:20,760
Speaker 3: that you won in twenty thirteen, the Wilson Defensive Player

313
00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,200
Speaker 3: of the Year. But the day that I want to

314
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,960
Speaker 3: talk about is June thirteen, twenty twelve. Matt Kine was

315
00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,520
Speaker 3: on the mound, had a perfect game going. In the

316
00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,920
Speaker 3: top of the seventh inning, a ball was crushed in

317
00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,640
Speaker 3: the right center field. You took off, did a nice dive.

318
00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,520
Speaker 3: I still think it's the greatest catch at at and

319
00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,320
Speaker 3: D Ballpark back then. It's one of the greatest that

320
00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,400
Speaker 3: I ever saw, and it ended up being a perfect game,

321
00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,040
Speaker 3: one of the first and only for the San Francisco

322
00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,880
Speaker 3: Giants with Matt kin Take us through that moment, take

323
00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,000
Speaker 3: us through that thought pattern of you busting your tail

324
00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,880
Speaker 3: because you were after that ball. You were not going

325
00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:56,960
Speaker 3: to let that ball drop.

326
00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:02,640
Speaker 4: Yeah, that only man like it's still like, still feel

327
00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,480
Speaker 4: like it was yesterday. To tell you to still feel

328
00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,520
Speaker 4: like he was like, no, not not.

329
00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:12,440
Speaker 2: Too many long ago, but like it's it's one of.

330
00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,840
Speaker 4: Those things that again before I answer, it's one of

331
00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,000
Speaker 4: the things that I wish we can get back to that,

332
00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:22,360
Speaker 4: like for example, we I feel like we need baseball

333
00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:26,640
Speaker 4: to be back on guys like like reading the bass.

334
00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,520
Speaker 4: You know, like how my pitcher is pitching. You know

335
00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:33,760
Speaker 4: what kind of is he's struggling with with his office

336
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:38,120
Speaker 4: of office speeches, Like he's he's trust trusting more on

337
00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:38,760
Speaker 4: his singer.

338
00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,520
Speaker 2: This is stuff like that. Because that moment, the why

339
00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,040
Speaker 2: I catch the ball, it was because of that. Like McCain,

340
00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,360
Speaker 2: he yes, he was throwing a perfect game. Every pitch

341
00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:49,480
Speaker 2: was working for him.

342
00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,280
Speaker 4: But I knew the batter, so the battery it was

343
00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,440
Speaker 4: Jordan Schaeffer left ender, the left ender swing and he

344
00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,840
Speaker 4: has like he he doesn't he doesn't have a swing on,

345
00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,560
Speaker 4: didn't have a swinging u that it was like like

346
00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,320
Speaker 4: in and out. So he was more like a poor guy.

347
00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,159
Speaker 4: And I know, my cane. His sinker was working. He

348
00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:14,520
Speaker 4: sing see sinker, change up, his singer change up, flighter

349
00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,639
Speaker 4: was working perfectly. But his best pitch that day was

350
00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,760
Speaker 4: the sinker. He he put a singer whatever he wanted

351
00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,159
Speaker 4: to put it on, and all the other pitches that.

352
00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:24,439
Speaker 2: Were like after that.

353
00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:26,399
Speaker 4: So he was three two three two count, and I

354
00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,879
Speaker 4: was like, he might going to throw the sinker away

355
00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,600
Speaker 4: and if he Jordan Check hit the ball good, he's

356
00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:33,600
Speaker 4: going to hit it in.

357
00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,080
Speaker 2: This specific spot.

358
00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,040
Speaker 4: And and uh, right right before him he threw the ball,

359
00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,280
Speaker 4: I started, I started moving myself like towards the gap,

360
00:17:43,960 --> 00:17:47,440
Speaker 4: like literally moving before he threw the ball. Soon soon

361
00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:49,400
Speaker 4: as he hit the back, I just put my head

362
00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,320
Speaker 4: down and I started running. And then I saw the

363
00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,960
Speaker 4: ball and I dive and I made the play. So

364
00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,119
Speaker 4: he was one of those things that instant you know,

365
00:17:58,280 --> 00:17:59,080
Speaker 4: like instincts.

366
00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,159
Speaker 3: I still said, Gregor, I still see you making that catch.

367
00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:03,679
Speaker 4: I mean it is sympathetic.

368
00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,480
Speaker 3: I mean it's right in my head, it's right here right,

369
00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:09,320
Speaker 3: you know, And I think all Giants fans feel the

370
00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,560
Speaker 3: same way. And then when you caught it and you

371
00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,080
Speaker 3: you're landing on the warning track, you put the glove

372
00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,800
Speaker 3: and the ball was in it. It was fantastic. And yeah,

373
00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,639
Speaker 3: you know, Milkie Cabrera made a nice catch too, and

374
00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,680
Speaker 3: left field in that game too, But it always makes

375
00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:26,080
Speaker 3: that one dramatic catch and I'll never forget that, Gregor.

376
00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,399
Speaker 3: But let's finish up. What are you doing now with

377
00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,320
Speaker 3: MLB and what's coming up for the twenty twenty sixth

378
00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:32,000
Speaker 3: season for you?

379
00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,080
Speaker 4: Uh? Well, I'm a I'm a senior director of Baseball

380
00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,560
Speaker 4: Operation for the Commissioner's Office in Meily Baseball and uh

381
00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,080
Speaker 4: and it just helped like everything regards on on the

382
00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:48,080
Speaker 4: baseball field, uh, like rules, like a lot of stuff,

383
00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:52,840
Speaker 4: like understanding how the game moving, uh, improving the game

384
00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,480
Speaker 4: in the world like I've been I went to Chile

385
00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,679
Speaker 4: last year and helping out growing the game over there.

386
00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,760
Speaker 4: Dr like you know, like a lot of a lot

387
00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,560
Speaker 4: of things. And I love what I'm doing right now.

388
00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,040
Speaker 4: I think is it helped me to grow myself. And

389
00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,600
Speaker 4: I always was a player that I want to make

390
00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,240
Speaker 4: my peers better, so I can be better. So in

391
00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,119
Speaker 4: this job I can do. I can do that, you know,

392
00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:21,560
Speaker 4: I can do. I can make my baseball grow around

393
00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:25,120
Speaker 4: the glove and just helping helping myself as well as

394
00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:26,720
Speaker 4: as a bowl player.

395
00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:30,400
Speaker 3: So well, you're a fantastic ambassador of the game and

396
00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,720
Speaker 3: for what you've done in your ten year career with

397
00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:35,840
Speaker 3: the Giants and other teams, and all the friendships that

398
00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,000
Speaker 3: you've made through baseball, and this is something that's perfect

399
00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,359
Speaker 3: for you, and congratulations on continuing to do it. But

400
00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,439
Speaker 3: I just want to thank you for your time today.

401
00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,640
Speaker 3: It was great talking defense and one of the greatest outfielders.

402
00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:52,879
Speaker 3: Seventeen errors in ten years, Gregor, fantastic career, and I

403
00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:54,200
Speaker 3: thank you for your time today.

404
00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,000
Speaker 2: Thank you, thank thank you so much. Guy.

405
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,840
Speaker 4: I appreciate you, and I hope to see you soon.

406
00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,000
Speaker 4: Hope to help to see you soon, hope to see

407
00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,960
Speaker 4: I'll go to the Bay soon and meets my guys. Man,

408
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,320
Speaker 4: I meet you also.

409
00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,320
Speaker 3: We sho are to bed Gregor, thank you so much.

410
00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,840
Speaker 3: That was Gregor Blanco on the K and BR warm

411
00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,800
Speaker 3: up shows. The gates are open now at Cetter Health Ballpark.

412
00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:18,800
Speaker 3: Giants fans are filing through with all their orange and

413
00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:23,320
Speaker 3: black apparel on. It's Giants Baseball twenty twenty six, the

414
00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,600
Speaker 3: third stop for the San Francisco Giants, and we're gonna

415
00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,120
Speaker 3: come up with more. Have much coming up in next

416
00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:32,240
Speaker 3: but come on out to Cetter Health Ballpark. Free admission,

417
00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,199
Speaker 3: free parking. It's a great time out here and the

418
00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,000
Speaker 3: weather is starting to warm up. My name is Bill Lasky,

419
00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:40,359
Speaker 3: We'll be back with more right here on KNBR. The

420
00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:41,720
Speaker 3: Sports Leader a.

421
00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,560
Speaker 2: NBR one oh four or five. It's six s eighty. The

422
00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:45,760
Speaker 2: Sports Leader