1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,640 Speaker 1: My dream would have been to play for the Detroit Tigers, 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: but my goal was still alive. So once I got 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: to Richmond, which is triple A, I had to get 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: moved up because I got traded for a big leaguer. 5 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: I realized, Wow, Atlanta's not very good and they could 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: use some pitching. Hi. My name is John Smoltz, and 7 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: I am golf. 8 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 2: Hi everybody, and welcome back to a post Super Bowl 9 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 2: edition of Off the Beat. That's right, no more football, 10 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: but it's still me, your host, Brian Baumgartner. Yeah, the 11 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: Super Bowl is over. Football season is officially done, but 12 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 2: after winter comes the spring training. Spring training guys get 13 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: it here to help us ease into that magical transition 14 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 2: from football season to baseball season. My guest today is 15 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 2: none other than well he would call himself a hero 16 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: of mine, John Smoltz. John, of course, a first ballot 17 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 2: Hall of Fame pitcher, eight time All Star, nineteen ninety 18 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: five World Series champion, who spent twenty years on my 19 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 2: hometown team, the Atlanta Braves. How's this for some perspective. 20 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: He joined the Braves when I was in high school 21 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 2: back in Atlanta, and he stayed with the team until 22 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,919 Speaker 2: two thousand and nine, which was quite a long time 23 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: after I graduated from high school. Let's just put it 24 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 2: that way. Nowadays, John is the lead game analyst for 25 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,919 Speaker 2: Fox Sports MLB coverage, including eight years in a row 26 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: analyzing for all of us at home the World Series. 27 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: John is a renowned golfer as well make king appearances 28 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: on the Champions Tour of course, a regular at the 29 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 2: American Century Championship, and he is a two time winner 30 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 2: of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Not to 31 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 2: mention he's a rippin accordion player. I'm gonna stay very 32 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 2: far away from that. So here he is Marmaduke, the 33 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 2: guy I call Smoltzy John, Smoltz. 34 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 3: Bubble and squeak. I love it, Bubble and Squeakna Bubble 35 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 3: and squeaker. Cook get every moleft over from the ninety four? 36 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: What's up, Johnny? Not a hole lot, Not a hole lot, Smoltzy, Marmaduke. 37 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 2: Where did Marmaduke come from? I just saw that. 38 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: Marmaduke came in my first year from Dale. Murphy nicknamed 39 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: me Marmaduke and put a huge bone over my locker, 40 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: and it had Duke on it, and he said I 41 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: reminded him of the cartoon character or caricature of Marmaduke. 42 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: I hadn't heard that one before. 43 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, I like that. 44 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: Everybody calls you yeah multi right, that's the one that's done. 45 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: In the big leagues. If you can add a why 46 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: to anybody's last name, that's usually what happens. You know, 47 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: That's what everybody And to be honest with you, that 48 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: was the biggest habit I had to break when I 49 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: became a broadcaster because I only knew guys by their nicknames. 50 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: I had to look up some guys first names because 51 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: because you only know him by your nicknames and the 52 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: last names, that's uh yeah, I had to do a 53 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: little work on that. 54 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, all right. I want to talk about you as 55 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 2: the lead analyst on Fox MLB eight world series in 56 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 2: a row. You've now called more world series that you 57 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: appeared in, and you appear in a hell a lot. 58 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 2: You grew up in Michigan a big Tigers fan, you were. 59 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. 60 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 2: Your grandfather, father John, he worked for the Tigers for 61 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 2: a long time, Is that right? 62 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: He did. He was on the ground crew for twelve 63 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: thirteen years, and he worked in the press room and 64 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: we went to game after game because he could get 65 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: us in. We would sit in seats till somebody tapped 66 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: us on the shoulder and said that those were their seats, 67 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: So we moved around till somebody didn't show up. And yeah, 68 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: he used to tell everybody when I was twelve, thirteen, 69 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: fourteen years old, go to the games. He goes one day, 70 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: my grandson's going to play in the big leagues, and 71 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: you know, I was like, Grants, hey, you know, stop. 72 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: But he told everybody that came through the press room, 73 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: all the general manager, owners, you know, all the people 74 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: that would come through and lo and behold. You know, 75 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: it ended up happening. 76 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: Who was your favorite Tiger growing up? 77 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: I would say Alan Trammel Lou Whitaker that I had 78 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: number three in high schoo and Alan Trammel war number three. 79 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: You know. I went to the eighty four World Series 80 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: game that they won where Gibson hit the home run 81 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 1: off of Goose Gossage. I was sitting right there. The 82 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: best story of all time is that, you know, here 83 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 1: I am. This is I don't know, you know, if 84 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to get drafted the next year, but there's 85 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: a good chance I get drafted, the Tigers win it. 86 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 1: We're in the stands, my dad, my brother and I 87 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: And for whatever reason, in Detroit when they won the 88 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: World Series, the people went on the field and started 89 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: ripping up the infield and started throwing the sod. So 90 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: me and my brother went and got the sod and 91 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 1: we planted it in our backyard. We have like two 92 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: or three squares of the infield sod, and my dad 93 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: put a tiger statue that overlooked the tiger grass. And 94 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: then the next year I get drafted by the Tigers. 95 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: It didn't get drafted where I wanted to, but end 96 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: up working out. I signed last day. I was going 97 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: to Michigan State on Monday and Sunday, and I signed 98 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: with the Tigers. So I started my quest to be 99 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,039 Speaker 1: with my hometown team. Now, fast forward to the trade, 100 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: which wasn't setting well with everybody in the hometown, you 101 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: know State. I came home that offseason and the tiger 102 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: was gone and the grass had been pulled up. 103 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 2: My band wasn't Yeah because I got because the Tigers 104 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: traded you. 105 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Wow? 106 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: When you when your grandfather was telling owners everybody in 107 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 2: the press box that his grandson was going to play 108 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,359 Speaker 2: for the Tigers. Were you good at that time? I was, 109 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: Were you playing? You were? You were playing and having 110 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 2: some success. It wasn't crazy, No, it wasn't crazy. 111 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: But the crazy part was like, you know, how would 112 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: you know that it's going to be with the Tigers. 113 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 1: You know there's thirty teams. And when draft time came, 114 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: I hadn't signed so early to go to Michigan State. 115 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: I think it hurt my draft stock, and so I 116 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: got drafted in the twenty second round, which in that 117 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: day you just you don't go, you don't sign. You know, 118 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: college is worth more. I had a fan fantastic summer. 119 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: I played in the three top tournaments, Triple ABA, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. 120 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: I played in the Junior Olympics. I unfortunately lost two 121 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: to one in the gold medal game to Cuba. But 122 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: it was a great summer in My stop kept rising, 123 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: so that's what allowed the money to get closer to 124 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: first round money. And I literally did sign at the 125 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: last minute, so it ended up working out in a 126 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: weird way. 127 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I read that you were going to go to 128 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: Michigan State. Was jud like, did he specifically recruit you? 129 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: Judge said that I could play both sports. You know, 130 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 1: I could come out for basketball and then I played 131 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: basketball and baseball. That was one of the things we discussed. 132 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: I had probably better offers basketball wise at smaller schools 133 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: in the mid Michigan area, but I was really intrigued 134 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: with the opportunity to play both sports. It was one 135 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: of the few times that jud Heathcote didn't have a 136 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: true point guard, and I could have helped a lot. 137 00:07:57,960 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: Don't know how much I would have played because of 138 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: the two sports and somewhat of a crossover, but not much. 139 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: And that I kind of always think, well, what, you know, 140 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: what would that have been? Like, basketball is my first love. 141 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: I played. I played all the way till I was 142 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: fifty one, and I think that would have been That 143 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: would have been a tremendous challenge. I would have loved 144 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: to see how I could have done. 145 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 2: Do you think you can shoot the rock better than me? 146 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: It wouldn't be It wouldn't be fair if we joke, 147 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: if we went in the gym and we shot like 148 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: thirty three points. 149 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: Let me let me ask you a question. Yeah, have 150 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 2: you ever free throw line extended fifteen footers? 151 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: Yeah? 152 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: Have you ever made thirteen in a row on national 153 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 2: television because one of us has. 154 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: I have not made thirteen in a row, my but 155 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: my record is sixty six in a row. 156 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 2: Sixty six free throws in a row. Yes, Wow, that 157 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: would be a challenge. That would that would be a change. 158 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 2: The legs might get a little like get a little Bernie. 159 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: Did you take three days? Did you shoot like twenty 160 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 2: two and then the next day shoot twenty two six? 161 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: Yeah? Our coach, our coach had a competition every year, 162 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: in every every day in high school on pre throws, 163 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: and I got to sixty six? Was was the record? 164 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: You know? If I were to go in a gym today, 165 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: people ask me all the time, and I haven't shot much. 166 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: I think I could make eighty eight to ninety out 167 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: of one hundred, just. 168 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 2: Continuous, Okay, all right, we might have to one of 169 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 2: these one of these events. We might have to. We 170 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 2: might find it. Take away, we might find it. We 171 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: might find it. Jim, I like that. I got to 172 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 2: find something I can beat you and John. I do 173 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 2: have to mention you talked about being recruited to sports 174 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 2: Michigan State, which again was your was you're you were 175 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 2: a fan, you were a Michigan State guy growing up, 176 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 2: and then you got drafted. But I got to ask 177 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 2: you because I read this nineteen eighty. It was your 178 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 2: senior season. You played the championship game in high school. 179 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 2: Their heavy favorites. Now I want you to tell me 180 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: the story a little bit. There was some requirements about innings. 181 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 2: You could only pitch a certain number of innings. 182 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: No, there wasn't requirements. We were not a great baseball team. 183 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: I believe I was thirteen and four, twelve and four, 184 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: and we were thirteen and fourteen, Okay. So it was 185 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: an invitational tournament that we got invited to, and it's 186 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: the top teams in the state usually get picked. It's 187 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: a Friday Monday Wednesday tournament. And so I pitched Friday 188 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: against my former high school that I transferred from to 189 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: political reasons. I threw a no hitter and struck out 190 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: sixteen against them. 191 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 2: By the way, that was Lansing Catholic Central School. I 192 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: did my research, go ahead. 193 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 1: Go ahead, and then Monday I pitched and we won. 194 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: When was the championship game, I couldn't pitch, you know, 195 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: it would obviously can't do Friday Monday. I mean, it 196 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: wouldn't be physically smart and so the championship games on Wednesday, 197 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: there's a ton of people there. We get to the 198 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: third inning and there's bases loaded, nobody out, and the 199 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: game is tied now. And I called my coach out, 200 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: who was my basketball coach, and he was filling in 201 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: for the baseball coach vacancy, and I said, let me 202 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: get out of this jam. And he goes, okay, And 203 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 1: then what I said, well, we'll just piece it together, 204 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: but let me get out of the jam. I get 205 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: out of the jam. I pitched the fourth, I pitched 206 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: the fifth. It's now the sixth. I'm gassed. It's now 207 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: seven innings is what we played. I pitched the top 208 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: of the seventh, then an extra innings in the bottom 209 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: of the eighth. I hit a walk off home run 210 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: to win the championship on my last swing in my 211 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: high school career, and to this day still one of 212 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: the greatest moments I've ever had, other than winning the 213 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: World Series for Major League Baseball. I don't like in basketball, 214 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: I never talked, and in baseball, I never talked. But 215 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: when I hit that home run, I was it was immediate. 216 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: I was jumping up and down at home plate, and 217 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: I think at some point the empire goes Okay, now 218 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: you got to run around and I ran around the 219 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: bases that everybody on the other team kind of gave 220 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: me five. And it was It was one of those 221 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: things I wouldn't recommend, like in your senior year, pitching 222 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: all those innings, but it worked out and you know 223 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: we ended up winning it. 224 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 2: Well, I ask you about it because of your future success. 225 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 2: I have I read that you said best on field 226 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 2: baseball achievement. 227 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean the home run at Branded High School. 228 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: But I did pitch Monday and Wednesday. I mean I 229 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: did pitch Friday and Monday, complete games, and I was 230 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: just thinking I could get out of the jam and 231 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: then we'd figure something out. And I just said, I'll 232 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: go one more, and then I'll go one more, and 233 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: I'll go one more, and to hit that home run, 234 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 1: and everybody ran on the field. I think the next 235 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: day they might have pushed back exams and we had 236 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,079 Speaker 1: a big pep rally and it was pretty cool for 237 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: our school. We're not really we're not known for baseball. 238 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 2: That's awesome. You mentioned making the last minute decision to 239 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: go to the hometown Tigers. You were about to report 240 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 2: for classes at Michigan State. Was it the money? Was 241 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 2: it that it was your hometown team? Was it you 242 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 2: were just ready to start your professional career? Like where 243 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 2: it came down to the end? What was what was 244 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:30,600 Speaker 2: the deciding factor? 245 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: So to tell you how many thousands of years ago 246 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: it was one hundred thousand dollars was first round money 247 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:41,640 Speaker 1: back then? Okay, today obviously it's millions and good for them. 248 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: But my high school are my college coach at the time, 249 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,559 Speaker 1: Michigan State, Tom Smith, I don't know of many other 250 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: people that would have done this well. As he sat 251 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 1: in the room and he said, is that is we 252 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: want you to come to Michigan State. If you get 253 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: first round money, you really need to go. You'll be ready. 254 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: And that point it was the perfect scenario. I did 255 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: get first round money. It took all the way to 256 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: the end to get that because you know, twenty second 257 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: rounders don't get that. And I felt like I was 258 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: ready and I told my dad, he was basically doing 259 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: all my negotiations for me. He was a salesman by trade, 260 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: and I told him, Dad, if you can get me 261 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: first round money, I'll go. If not, I'm ready to 262 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: go to Michigan State, and so it was a perfect balance. 263 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: I think back to my college coach at the time, 264 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, he didn't have to do that, but he 265 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: knew what was best for me at the time. If 266 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: that happened and it worked. 267 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 2: Out, you know. I like to look at sort of 268 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: defining moments in your life, it specifically in your career, 269 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 2: like do you ever go back and wonder if that 270 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 2: was the right decision, if you were ready, or do 271 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: you feel like you it was time for you to 272 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: start your career. 273 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: I felt like it was the best track to get 274 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 1: to the big leagues. You know. At that time and 275 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: the way that baseball was being played, there were a 276 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: lot lot of guys that played a long time, right, 277 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: it was more about preparing to play long term than 278 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: just what today's world is about exercising the maximum velocity 279 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: and everything they can do. So it got me into 280 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: the system quicker and it allowed me to navigate, and 281 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: of course the trade helped big time. But I do 282 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: think a lot about what would it have been like 283 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: to go play two sports and to play basketball. But 284 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: ultimately that decision led to some other decisions that ultimately 285 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: gave me the greatest opportunity with the Atlanta brains. 286 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 2: Your dad rips up the turf, he takes down the 287 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 2: tiger because Doyle Brunson comes to Detroit and you head 288 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: across the country to Atlanta. Initially, this is nineteen eighty eight. 289 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 2: Now it's only three years in, by the way, but 290 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 2: it is three years you spent now three years with 291 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 2: the organization. Were you happy, could you see anything or 292 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 2: were you just like, well, shit, I just I was traded. 293 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: I was devastated. I was so My dad was a 294 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 1: jokester and he liked to prank and call me. He was, 295 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 1: you know, always laughing, and I was having a miserable 296 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: double a season. I think I was five and eleven 297 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: and I was sitting in Glenn's Fall's Stadium and I 298 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: got two notes given to me. One was call home immediately, 299 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: or called my dad, and then the next was called 300 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: Detroit Front Office. Well, I thought something's wrong with my dad. 301 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: So again a thousand years ago, I used the payphone 302 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: in the clubhouse and I called my dad and I said, 303 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: is everything okay? And he goes, You've just been traded 304 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: to the Atlanta Braves. I said, Dad, it's not funny. 305 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: I'm not having a good year. I promise you I'm 306 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 1: going to come home and this is not funny. He goes, no, 307 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: I just heard it. And then I looked at the 308 00:16:58,120 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: other note and I went, Dad, i'mna have to call 309 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: you back. I called Detroit front office and again I'm 310 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 1: just like my head spinning, and they said, You've been 311 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: traded for Doyle Alexander to go to Richmond with the 312 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braves. You know, got a report and my manager 313 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 1: was in the office and he said, what is the deal. 314 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,360 Speaker 1: I said, I've just been traded and I was speechless 315 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: and again not thinking that somebody wanted me. I felt 316 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: like my team didn't want me because I was five 317 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: and eleven, I was a top prospect. Well, when I 318 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: made the fourteen hour drive, my dad called and said, 319 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: you want me to come with you. I said no, no, 320 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do this myself. I made the fourteen hour drive, 321 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,159 Speaker 1: and in that drive I realized my goal was to 322 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: make it to the big news. My dream would have 323 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,640 Speaker 1: been to play for the Detroit Tigers, but my goal 324 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: was still alive. So once I got to Richmond, which 325 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: was triple A, I had to get moved up because 326 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: I got traded for a big leaguer. I realized, Wow, 327 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: Atlanta's not very good and they could use some pitching, 328 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: and so it get kicked in right away. It gave 329 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: me unbelieve opportunities and I look back and go, you know, 330 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 1: there's no doubt. I feel like I would have made 331 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,679 Speaker 1: it with Detroit, but there's no doubt that this was 332 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: the best route for me. And you know the rest 333 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: was history. 334 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 2: So enter into the story. Me I am, I'm in 335 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 2: high school. The Braves are terrible. They have been terrible. 336 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 2: You know, I had birthday parties at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. 337 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 2: It was really easy to do. As you said, go 338 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 2: just go sit wherever you want to sit, because the 339 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,479 Speaker 2: likelihood was no one was going to show up. Yeah, 340 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 2: I was a huge Braves fan. You were there and 341 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 2: eventually make the big leads and start what is one 342 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 2: of the greatest runs in baseball history, some would say 343 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 2: the greatest in terms of division titles one. It all 344 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 2: starts with that worst to first year in nineteen ninety one. 345 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 2: I feel like, I remember remember this. When I was 346 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 2: looking over this, this came up which I had totally forgotten, 347 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: and I would have given you shit over the years, 348 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 2: if I had remembered this, the Braves in ninety or 349 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 2: awful ninety one end up making an improbable and historic 350 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 2: World Series run ends up being what I believed to 351 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 2: be is the greatest World Series of all time against 352 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 2: the Minnesota Twins. You started the season two and eleven, 353 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 2: two and eleven, two and eleven. I don't know how 354 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 2: you guys stayed in the in the hunt, and I 355 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 2: remember that was the Dodgers, and it was it did 356 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 2: come down to the very end. But two and eleven 357 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: you saw a sports psychologist. 358 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: Yep, and you. 359 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 2: Finished the season twelve and two. Is this real? I 360 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 2: feel like I remembered this. 361 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 1: But yeah, So I'm coming off of nineteen ninety. I 362 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 1: had a really good year. I won fifteen games, we 363 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 1: lost one hundred or close to it. Yeah, and we 364 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: get a new gentleman manager, John Schuerholtz, and he implements 365 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: a new system. And I'll be honest, I talk about it. 366 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: Sit at my book. I was ticked he renewed my contract, 367 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 1: I got no raise, and I took it personal and 368 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: I changed my philosophy. I was a guy that like, 369 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: I don't mind digging out of a hole I'm a grinder. 370 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: I learned from the mistakes, but I'm always going to 371 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,359 Speaker 1: give you my best. There's no chance, no matter what 372 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: you pay me, I'm not going to give my best. 373 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:29,880 Speaker 1: Well now I'm out to show them and I'm I'm 374 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: gonna win fifty games this Year's like you know what 375 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: I'm saying. And I started out, I had my first child, 376 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: was ready to get born. It was the perfect storm. 377 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: And I start out two and eleven and it's awful, 378 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: but it wasn't the worst two and eleven you've ever seen. 379 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: It was just one bad inning every game. 380 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 2: Okay. 381 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: So I'd be pitching really good and then one bad 382 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: inning and I would get frustrated and I wasn't able 383 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: to control, kind of like the big inning. So John 384 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: at All Star Break asked me, would you mind see him, 385 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: you know, talking to the sport psychologists. So yeah, no problem, 386 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: you know whatever, I mean. I'm close to getting either 387 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: back in the bullpen or in the minors, and so 388 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: I see the sports psychologist. Really easy was nothing. You know. 389 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 1: What really clicked for me was he put together a 390 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,920 Speaker 1: two minute film of all my best pitches. And that's 391 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 1: all I did. I watched it before every start, and 392 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: it was all my pitches, it wasn't somebody else's pitches. 393 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,439 Speaker 1: And I got into a bad funk mentally, and the 394 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: way that I got out of it was I knew 395 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: I could throw all these pitches, and I knew I 396 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: could be who I was, So I just pulled it 397 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: up anytime I needed to, and that was it. Now 398 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: the story gets bigger and bigger and bigger as I 399 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: keep winning, and I don't know what's going on in 400 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 1: the backdrop. I don't know that he's doing interviews and 401 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: that he's wearing a red shirt and that all these 402 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: things are being attributed to like this. Yeah, and so 403 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: I'm a naive to it. But all I know is 404 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: I'm on a roll and I can't lose the last 405 00:21:57,560 --> 00:21:59,640 Speaker 1: three months of the season. I go twelve and two, 406 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: and now here comes the three biggest games I'm ever 407 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 1: going to pitch, right, And so I pitched the game 408 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 1: that gets us into the postseason when we're two and 409 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 1: eleven and nine games behind the Dodgers. It doesn't take 410 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: a math wizard to know that my nine games, you know, 411 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,199 Speaker 1: under five hundred, was a big part of that. So 412 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: here comes Saturday Night. If we win that game. We're 413 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 1: in the playoffs for the first time in forever. And 414 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: that's the nine inning game where you know, Greg comes 415 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: out and jumps in my arms. It wasn't the greatest 416 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: nine inning game I've ever pitched. I think I give 417 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: up five runs. But back then, if you were still 418 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: in command, you know Bobby was going to let you 419 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: finish the game, which is great. So now we go 420 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: to the postseason. By the way, my first postseason game, 421 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: I have to tell this truth. They changed the game 422 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: time so many times. The pitcher's nightmare and every player's 423 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: nightmare is that you're going to miss first pitch or 424 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: you're going to be late for the game. And I 425 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: didn't take very long to get ready. It took me 426 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: twelve to fifteen minutes and warming up, and I'm sitting 427 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: on the training room. I don't even have my baseball 428 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: pants on. I've just got stretched the phone rings and 429 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,880 Speaker 1: my trainer answers it and says, yeah, okay, yeah, he's 430 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: right here, all right, gotcha, hangs it up. He goes, 431 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: that's your manager wanting to know where the heck you are. 432 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: The game starts in fifteen minutes. Now I go in 433 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: dead Pandy. I mean, I'm running, trying to get my 434 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: pants on. I'm trying to get down to the bullpen, 435 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: and I'm telling myself the game's going to start. When 436 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: I say it starts like I'm going to control it somehow. 437 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: Twelve minutes warm up, I've raced to the to the dugout. 438 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:35,959 Speaker 1: I can get ready for first pitch. This is my 439 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: first postseason game. First batter of the game gets I 440 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: give up a home run. I end up winning the game. 441 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: We ended up winning. And now it's Game seven. So 442 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 1: now I've settled my nerves a little bit. I'm in 443 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: Game seven and it's in Pittsburgh, and it was a 444 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: dream come true. I got to pitch nine innings to 445 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 1: shut out. He jumps in my arms again. Now we 446 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: go to Minnesota and we're gonna we're going to pull 447 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,640 Speaker 1: off the trifecta. I get food poisoning. I don't make 448 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: it out of my hotel room for two games, three days. 449 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: I don't even go to the stadium. I come home. 450 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: I pitched Game four, and then of course I pitched 451 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: Game seven, and I agree with you. I think it's 452 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 1: the greatest World Series ever played between two of the 453 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: teams that get I know how the industry works, and 454 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: you do. Now you do as well, and being in 455 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: the industry, CBS had their head in their hands, going, 456 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: this is going to be the worst watched World Series ever. 457 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: Two last place teams. 458 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 2: Atlanta Minnesota, And it turned out it. I asked you, 459 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 2: I was baiting you a little bit. You didn't take 460 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 2: de bait. Jack mos you face? 461 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: Yeah? 462 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 2: Were you a fan? 463 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:04,360 Speaker 1: Yeah? 464 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 2: Because the at this point, you're the young guy. He's 465 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 2: the older guy. Pitched for Detroit for so many years, Like, 466 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 2: were you a big fan of Jack's growing up? 467 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: I watched every game. I knew everything about him. Obviously 468 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: we have a lot of years difference between us, and 469 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: going up against him was obviously a dream. Now. He 470 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: was a little bit older and curmudgeon at that time, 471 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: and when they asked him about, Hey, what is it 472 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: going to be like guy that grew up idolizing you 473 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: pitching against you in Game seven, he goes, I don't 474 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: flip and care about him or what you know. He 475 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 1: wanted to win the game. And we've talked about that game, 476 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: you know, both being getting a chance to go in 477 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: the Hall of Fame. But it was truly everything that 478 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: I did as a kid, as a seven year old 479 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: outside of my brick wall and Lancy, Michigan, a small home. 480 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: I pissed game seven after seven, after seven against this 481 00:25:56,600 --> 00:26:00,240 Speaker 1: brick wall with a strike zone tape, and and I 482 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: tell people all the time, I tell him and every 483 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 1: talk I give, I went ninety nine and one in 484 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: those games as a youngster. In game seven, because who's 485 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,199 Speaker 1: going to believe one hundred and oh, it doesn't sound believable, 486 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: So I threw in a fluke loss. But when I 487 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: got on the mound, it was everything I had dreamed about. 488 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: I wasn't nervous, I was locked in, it was loud, 489 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: it was in a dome, and it was on the road. 490 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: But I didn't think I was going to give up 491 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: a run if I went fourteen innings. And unfortunately I 492 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: didn't have the tenure that Jack did. He told his 493 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 1: manager to get the bleep off the mound, and his 494 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: manager did. I could not say that to my manager 495 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: because it wouldn't have went well. 496 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 2: Really you wanted to go. 497 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely. The scenario was first and third, one out 498 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,200 Speaker 1: after kind of a excuse me, hit and run, and 499 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:53,479 Speaker 1: Kirby Puckett was at the plate. Well, I'd gotten him 500 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: out and I think I struck him up twice, and 501 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,720 Speaker 1: I knew I was going to get him out, even 502 00:26:57,760 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: though he's a great player. I just felt like the 503 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 1: matchup was best for me. And here comes my manager 504 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: and I'm like, there's no way he's taking me out 505 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: against Kirby Puckett. There's a lefty in the bullpen, and 506 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 1: I was mad and I couldn't do anything, and he 507 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: took me out, brought in Mike Stanton, walked Pucket to 508 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: face Herbeck and Herbck and in double play. So it 509 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: ultimately worked, but in my mind, I wasn't That was 510 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: the only jam the entire game. I got in, and 511 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: Jack Morris got after got out of jam. After the gym, 512 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 1: he got out of second and third, nobody out in 513 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: the eighth. I'm going to take a little blame here 514 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: for us not winning, and I'll tell you why we are. 515 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: I'm not superstitious, but I'm not not superstitious, like I'll 516 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: do something if it's working, but I'm a little sious. 517 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: So we hadn't scorn a run. And in the dome 518 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: there's like fifty one steps to the clubhouse. The clubhouse 519 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 1: was above the city above the playing field, so it 520 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: didn't make sense to go up there, but I wanted 521 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,439 Speaker 1: to change the environment. So after I pitched the bottom 522 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 1: of the seventh, I sat in the same seat, saying, 523 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,880 Speaker 1: I'm changing seats. I'm going up and I'm gonna watch 524 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: it in the clubous. Well, we got second and third 525 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: nobody out, and I'm like, yes, it worked. I'm coming 526 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: down and I'm gonna see the guys score and I'm 527 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: gonna give them five and the game's ozer because I 528 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: just need one. And I went down second and third 529 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: nobody out and we didn't score. So I feel like 530 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: if I would have stayed in the clubhouse and we 531 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: scored the runs, you know, and then came down, we 532 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: might have won that game. But so I'll take a 533 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 1: little blame there for changing. You know. 534 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 2: I just last week on the on the podcast here 535 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 2: talk to somebody about this, and I said, with surprise, 536 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 2: you mean if I'm watching my team and I have 537 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 2: to go to the bathroom and they score, I was 538 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 2: talking about football. You mean the next drive, I shouldn't 539 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 2: go back into the bathroom. I shouldn't go back into 540 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 2: the bathroom and watch on when they get the ball. 541 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,479 Speaker 2: Next because of course they'll score again, right, And if 542 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 2: I sit there in front of the TV, They're not 543 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: going to score, right. Listen, I told me I had 544 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 2: no control. 545 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: Listen, I'm I admit I'm a diehard. Like I'm a 546 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: die hard Detroit Lions fan. And you know what happened. Ye, 547 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: I must have been in five different seats and four 548 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: different stances to find the one place that would have 549 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 1: stopped this crazy momentum and that crazy game that we 550 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: had in the bag. And I was going to Super Bowl. 551 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: I made plans and all these things because I'm fifty 552 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: six years old. They've never been in the super Bowl. Yeah, 553 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 1: So as I'm sitting there watching the game, and the 554 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: seats hot, and then I have to find a defensive 555 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: seat because that didn't get so. Yeah, I think there's 556 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: a lot to that that could happen. 557 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 2: You know, back in the day. I don't even know 558 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 2: if you can say this anymore. I don't care. But 559 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 2: I had a pacific tomahawk chop followed by knocking on 560 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:10,440 Speaker 2: real wood that I did that. I feel like affected 561 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 2: and helped you guys win, no doubt of a lot 562 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 2: of games, if I do say so myself. No doubt 563 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 2: ninety five. I mean just incredible world series there. I 564 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 2: mean not just in ninety one, but against the Blue 565 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 2: Jays and Indians in ninety five, you finally break through. 566 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 2: I mean, in terms of star power at that point, 567 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 2: it's you, It's Maddox, it's Glavin by the way, I 568 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 2: look this up, a combined forty seven and sixteen in 569 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 2: the regular season, and you're facing Albert bell Manny Ramirez, 570 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:48,920 Speaker 2: Jim Tome, Kenny Lofton. I mean, you got speed, Eddie Murray, 571 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 2: you got speed and power, an incredible series, and of 572 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 2: course you finally break through and win. Talk to me 573 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 2: just a little bit, Well, tell me what what's your 574 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:01,160 Speaker 2: face memory? 575 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 1: Well, that would be yeah, yeah, because we were facing 576 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: I don't understand in sports sometimes we focus so much 577 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: on what people haven't done. Like we were being talked 578 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: about like the Buffalo Bills at the time. You know, 579 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: Buffalo and gone the Super Bowl those years and that one, 580 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: and this was going to be this is going to 581 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: be another one for us, you know, and so there 582 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 1: was a lot of pressure on us, and we had 583 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 1: to go through the Colorado Rockies that year, which were loaded. 584 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: That was that unbelievable offensive team, Cincinnati Reds had a 585 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: really good offensive team and in Cleveland's the best offensive 586 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: team I think we've ever faced, and to beat them 587 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: was certainly on the to be on the dogpile. To 588 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: finally win was the greatest feeling in the world. And ironically, 589 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: which was kind of like our signature, we won one nothing. 590 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:55,040 Speaker 1: We lost one nothing a bunch, and we won one 591 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 1: nothing a bunch, and it was kind of like we 592 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: didn't get a lot of runs for whatever reason, and 593 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: glad and pitched the game of his life. And I 594 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: was in a tough spot because I was in line 595 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: to pitch another Game seven. And when you're watching a 596 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: game six like that and you're trying to mentally stay 597 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 1: prepared that in case you don't win, you got to 598 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: get ready for this, it was torture. And for that 599 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: game to end and win, it was like we got 600 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:24,480 Speaker 1: to act like five year olds because that would have 601 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: been my fourth Game seven. I relished it, I loved it, 602 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 1: but I wanted so bad for us to win it 603 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,440 Speaker 1: so that you know, you don't have to face another, 604 00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: you know, game seven like that. 605 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 2: It was obviously joy, but it was it also relief. 606 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, big time. We were answering questions that were foolish. 607 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,719 Speaker 1: I mean, there's no doubt if you ask every player, 608 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: especially the ones that were there the longest, we should 609 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 1: have won four World Series, no doubt. Our first eight 610 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: World Series losses were all by one runner. That's a 611 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: play here, a hit there, pitch here, anything could go, 612 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: but you lose. And so when you're in this many 613 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: times we were and winning divisions as many times as 614 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: we did, you would think by numbers alone we had 615 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 1: two or three. But it didn't work out. And in 616 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 1: ninety six was the backbreaker. Ninety six we had the 617 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 1: Yankees beat. 618 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,400 Speaker 2: I was just going to ask, yeah, I mean, and 619 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 2: it's the biggest disappointment. 620 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I thought like ninety three would losing. The 621 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 1: Phillies was probably one of our best teams, and they 622 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: beat us in a strange way, like bases loaded nobody out. 623 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: They were getting out of jams. In ninety six, we 624 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: win the first two games in Yankee Stadium by like 625 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:36,320 Speaker 1: some stupid combined number. I win my game like twelve 626 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: to one against Andy Pettitt. We go home and the 627 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: headlines of our paper was Braves better than twenty seven Yankees? 628 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: Why play this out like what what? And so the 629 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,239 Speaker 1: game just just the whole momentum switch. We had a 630 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: six to nothing lead, we blew it, lost it next innings, 631 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: and then again I lose my game, won to nothing 632 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: to Andy Pettitt on an unearned run, and that, basically, 633 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: you know, was the series, and they went on to 634 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: win four out of five Yankees. Did I believe that 635 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 1: would have been our four out of five? We would 636 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: have been back to back champs. We wouldn't have traded 637 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: David Justice and Marcis Grissom and all those trades that 638 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 1: came afterwards. It changed the course of really ar trajectory. 639 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,319 Speaker 1: And you know, it was basically because we just didn't 640 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: get it done. 641 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 2: You're the only pitcher in Major League history with two 642 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:37,399 Speaker 2: hundred wins and one hundred and fifty saves. In two 643 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 2: thousand and one, because of energy injuries, you moved to 644 00:34:40,160 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 2: the bullpen. Was it difficult transition? 645 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 1: Really hard? I don't want to say it pissed, no, 646 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:54,760 Speaker 1: because at the time yes and no. The no part 647 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:59,359 Speaker 1: was it was my suggestion when I came back as 648 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 1: a starter at Tommy John. It didn't work out. My 649 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:05,360 Speaker 1: obo I got ten and itis and I had to 650 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,359 Speaker 1: miss like a month and a half of time we 651 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,439 Speaker 1: were going to be in the playoffs. So I told 652 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:11,880 Speaker 1: my manager. I said, I'm going to go to the 653 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 1: minor leagues and learn how to pitch out of the 654 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 1: pen so I can help you down the stretch. He goes, no, 655 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 1: I'll wait for you to start. And I'm like, Bobby, 656 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: there's just not enough time. I've missed too much time. 657 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,400 Speaker 1: So I go down. Nobody knows what to expect, and 658 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:27,399 Speaker 1: I mean, I get locked in. I'm throwing ninety eight, 659 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: ninety nine, and I know what I'm able to do, 660 00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: but nobody else says it's it's the minor leagues, you know. 661 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 1: And so I come up. Tell me. I tell him 662 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 1: I'm ready. Bobby goes, I'll get you in as soon 663 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 1: as I can. You know, I'll find a spot for you. 664 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:46,400 Speaker 1: It's like an eight to nine run game. It's an 665 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: insignificant game. I come out of the pen and I 666 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: remember the place going crazy. I strike out the side 667 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 1: or something. I'm throwing ninety eight and everybody's like WHOA. 668 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 1: So I'm pitching the seventh in the eighth because Carson 669 00:36:00,280 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 1: was closer, and eventually the last month I became the closer, 670 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:08,799 Speaker 1: I'm throwing the ball good, nine to eleven happens, so 671 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:12,760 Speaker 1: baseball gets shut down for a while. Our first game 672 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:17,520 Speaker 1: back was against the Mets, and I'm in the bullpen 673 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 1: getting ready to pitch. 674 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 2: In New York. 675 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 1: In New York, when Piazza hits that home run, that 676 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: really just I mean, it's the first time in my 677 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: professional career I was actually happy for the other team 678 00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 1: and not mad that we lost because of the circumstances. 679 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:36,919 Speaker 1: So I finished that year, never really got to pitch 680 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: significant games in the postseason. They didn't get to me much. 681 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,200 Speaker 1: So I think in the offseason, I'm going to go 682 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: back to starting. Well, our general manager had other plans, 683 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: and it kind of shocked me that the plans he 684 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:52,759 Speaker 1: had was if I'm going to come back, because I'm 685 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,920 Speaker 1: a free agent now, if I'm going to come back 686 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 1: to the Atlanta Braids, I'm going to come back as 687 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 1: the closer. And I was like what, And in my 688 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,359 Speaker 1: mind I know what that meant. It's like, well, it's 689 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: a pay cut. He's good, I'm gonna get a pay cut. 690 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:12,240 Speaker 1: And so I desperately wanted to play my whole career 691 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: with Atlanta. I wanted to play for Bobby Cox. So 692 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:18,320 Speaker 1: we worked out a deal. Last minute. I turned down 693 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 1: you know, other deals with other clubs. So I became 694 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,960 Speaker 1: a closer, and I'm going to learn basically on the job, 695 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,760 Speaker 1: because all I did was like a month and change before. 696 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: Long story short, I have three surgeries on my phone. 697 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: They thought they were going to have to take off 698 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: my thumb nail, but I ended up having to learn 699 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: how to hold the baseball completely different. Not a good 700 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 1: plan to become your first time closer. And I only 701 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 1: got six innings in spring training due to the injury. 702 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 1: I was not ready, but I had to fake it 703 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:52,000 Speaker 1: until I was ready. I gave up a bunch of 704 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 1: runs in my first couple of games. People started questioning 705 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:58,760 Speaker 1: whether it was gonna work or not. My general manager 706 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 1: was questioning whether I sho play golf or not. All 707 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 1: these things were going on. Meanwhile, I knew it was 708 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 1: just a matter of time once I got the reps. 709 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:09,560 Speaker 1: Played a ton of golf, by the way, because I 710 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:11,839 Speaker 1: told them it's not going to be a problem. And 711 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:15,680 Speaker 1: that year I got fifty five saves. It was going 712 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,960 Speaker 1: to be that meant you know, now I'm in the closer, 713 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 1: There's no chance of returning back to the starting rotation. 714 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 1: So that's the story that nobody knows. And then what 715 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,959 Speaker 1: happened is I go three years as closer. I mean 716 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:32,440 Speaker 1: I saved a lot of games in a three year period. 717 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:34,720 Speaker 1: They used me a ton. I got two more elbow 718 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 1: injuries out of it, but we never won a postseason series. 719 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,800 Speaker 1: So when it came to the time where the gentle manager, 720 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,240 Speaker 1: same gentle manager says, what do you think makes us better? 721 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:47,800 Speaker 1: I'm now three years removed, I said, me as a starter. 722 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:53,280 Speaker 1: I said, no disrespect to Mariano Rivera, he's the best 723 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:56,600 Speaker 1: we've ever had. But they got to him. They got 724 00:38:56,640 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 1: to him, that's why they won championships. I said, I'm 725 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:02,160 Speaker 1: just not being able to be used at that time 726 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 1: as a starter. At least I can effectively. So that's 727 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,239 Speaker 1: the story. I went back to starting. Everyone said I 728 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: was crazy, dumbest thing I've ever done. I made the 729 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 1: All Star team, led the team in innings, and you know, 730 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 1: in a strange way, that led me to the Hall 731 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:19,040 Speaker 1: of Fame. That wasn't my path. I didn't want to. 732 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:22,239 Speaker 1: I didn't try to do something different to get there. 733 00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:25,160 Speaker 1: I wanted to win a championship. So bad that whatever 734 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:28,319 Speaker 1: it took, I was willing to do it, and it 735 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:30,960 Speaker 1: was the hardest thing. It's not like it's not quite 736 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:33,880 Speaker 1: like playing right handed golfing and turnaround playing left handed, 737 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 1: but it is totally opposite of personalities and physical There's 738 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:42,680 Speaker 1: so much difference between the two. I had to learn. 739 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 1: I had to learn on the job. 740 00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:46,920 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I mean this is from you know, 741 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:51,160 Speaker 2: an ignorance perspective, but I mean it feels to me, 742 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 2: it's always felt to me so impressive because it feels 743 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:58,320 Speaker 2: like being an All star Hall of Fame marathon runner 744 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 2: and then a sprinter. Yeah, like that's what it feels. 745 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 2: That's what it feels like. The difference would be, you know, 746 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:07,880 Speaker 2: it is everything in. 747 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I tell people all the time, like I was 748 00:40:10,120 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: more exhausted the year I got fifty five saves than 749 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:14,800 Speaker 1: when I threw two hundred and fifty six innings in 750 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 1: the regular season, not counting the forty in the postseason. 751 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:22,800 Speaker 1: That's that's the marathon. You're training once every five days 752 00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: to pitch, whereas as a closer, you could be in 753 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:27,359 Speaker 1: four in a row, five in a row, three out 754 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,320 Speaker 1: of four. I liked being able to affect the income 755 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:33,000 Speaker 1: I'll come a little bit more. But I tell people, 756 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:35,439 Speaker 1: if I got in my car and drove to work, 757 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 1: the same were out every single day, that's starting. If 758 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:42,359 Speaker 1: I got in a race car NASCAR and went one 759 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:44,880 Speaker 1: hundred and ninety miles an hour and took different routes 760 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:48,960 Speaker 1: every day, that's closing. To put it in perspective. I 761 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:53,800 Speaker 1: got interviewed thirty six times when I was a starter. 762 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:58,719 Speaker 1: As a closer, I was in seventy eight games, and 763 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:02,959 Speaker 1: I got interviewed four times, and those were the four 764 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:07,160 Speaker 1: games that I blew. They don't interview you when you're successful. 765 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,000 Speaker 1: They interview you when you blow a saying. So that's 766 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:10,600 Speaker 1: the difference. 767 00:41:11,680 --> 00:41:15,200 Speaker 2: You played twenty years twenty one years for the Braves, 768 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:18,000 Speaker 2: do you regret the year you left? 769 00:41:19,960 --> 00:41:22,839 Speaker 1: I do in this regard. It was workable and it 770 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:26,040 Speaker 1: was out of my control. I wanted very bad. There 771 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:29,760 Speaker 1: was a change of guard in the general manager. Looking back, 772 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:32,239 Speaker 1: I understand they didn't really want me to go to 773 00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:34,920 Speaker 1: spring training with Tom Lavin to compete for a spot, 774 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:37,600 Speaker 1: and I'm coming off of major shoulder surgery and I 775 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:40,479 Speaker 1: get all of that, but the way it went down 776 00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:44,120 Speaker 1: was very disappointing to me because there were some inaccuracies 777 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 1: that were being said about why I left, and they 778 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,239 Speaker 1: were not even close to true. And so Boston gave 779 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:54,800 Speaker 1: me an incredible opportunity to pitch, and so they valued 780 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,120 Speaker 1: what I could do in the second half. It worked 781 00:41:57,640 --> 00:42:00,920 Speaker 1: awful for me. If I had one you do in life. 782 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:04,240 Speaker 1: I was very in tune with my body. I worked 783 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,719 Speaker 1: my tail off to rehab at an incredible record rate 784 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:10,480 Speaker 1: to come back from the shoulder surgery. I have nine 785 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:13,400 Speaker 1: anchors in my shoulder, and you just can't really pitch 786 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:18,360 Speaker 1: with nine anchors. But I listened to their protocol versus 787 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:21,960 Speaker 1: my own, and it went really bad. I didn't pitch well. 788 00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:26,040 Speaker 1: That's a great organization. Their fan base is unbelievable. I 789 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 1: wanted so bad to do well for them. I end 790 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:32,080 Speaker 1: up getting released and picked up by the Cardinals. It 791 00:42:32,200 --> 00:42:34,600 Speaker 1: was a great landing for me, a great end of 792 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:38,880 Speaker 1: my career, classy organization, and they gave me an opportunity 793 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:42,520 Speaker 1: to pitch relief, and ironically, I set a franchise record 794 00:42:42,560 --> 00:42:45,040 Speaker 1: the first game I pitched for them, most strikeouts in 795 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,719 Speaker 1: a row ever by a starter, which I don't even 796 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:51,719 Speaker 1: understand how that's possible. With the pitching they've had so 797 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:54,400 Speaker 1: in the end, it was a great end of my 798 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 1: career because I got back on the field. But I 799 00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,840 Speaker 1: wanted so bad to play my entire career for the 800 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braves. I'll always be in Atlanta Breve, but those 801 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:06,200 Speaker 1: other two organizations gave me a chance to get back 802 00:43:06,239 --> 00:43:07,440 Speaker 1: on the field and walk away. 803 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:11,600 Speaker 2: In my own terms, that's awesome. First ballot Hall of 804 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:17,839 Speaker 2: Famer in twenty fifteen. I mean, look, I know how 805 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 2: much that means for you. Do you feel like the 806 00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 2: whole crew that you have there, the fact that you all, Tommy, 807 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:31,600 Speaker 2: Glavin and Maddox have It's weird because pitchers in baseball 808 00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:35,040 Speaker 2: are seen as such singular and the three of you 809 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:39,560 Speaker 2: so tied together through all of that success in Atlanta. 810 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,600 Speaker 2: Obviously Greg coming a little bit later. Does that make 811 00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:45,839 Speaker 2: it more special? Is that irrelevant to you? 812 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 1: No? I think it's special in this regard. We didn't 813 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:52,080 Speaker 1: talk about anything while we were playing, meaning we didn't 814 00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:55,520 Speaker 1: talk about the run we were on, how long all 815 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:56,879 Speaker 1: of us get into the Hall of Fame. We never 816 00:43:56,920 --> 00:43:59,319 Speaker 1: said anything. And the fact that it worked out the 817 00:43:59,320 --> 00:44:02,759 Speaker 1: way it did mine in my own year and those 818 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:06,440 Speaker 1: guys obviously connected, this is the way I viewed it, 819 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:08,480 Speaker 1: they were the two best pitchers I've ever played with, 820 00:44:08,600 --> 00:44:10,880 Speaker 1: of course, and their Hall of famers, and they were 821 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:13,799 Speaker 1: they won three hundred games. I was the guy with 822 00:44:13,840 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 1: all the potential and all the stuff, and I was 823 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:19,080 Speaker 1: supposed to win Cy youngs. I was the guy with 824 00:44:19,160 --> 00:44:21,680 Speaker 1: a lot of the injuries and the surgeries and always, 825 00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:24,880 Speaker 1: you know, my time came in the postseason. But what 826 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:27,759 Speaker 1: makes it pretty cool for us is that, you know, 827 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:30,040 Speaker 1: I just played one more year than they did. You know, 828 00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:32,839 Speaker 1: we didn't talk about, hey, let's all go in together. Yeah, 829 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:35,919 Speaker 1: you know, and the fact that that when we look back, 830 00:44:35,960 --> 00:44:38,840 Speaker 1: we know it'll never be replicated. For a lot of reasons, 831 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:41,880 Speaker 1: we had a blast. And I was fifteen years with 832 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:44,279 Speaker 1: Glad and ten with the three of them, and we 833 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:46,359 Speaker 1: played a ton of golf, and I learned a lot 834 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:48,960 Speaker 1: from each of them. But I was so much different 835 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:51,520 Speaker 1: than those guys. And the fact that we could pick 836 00:44:51,560 --> 00:44:54,280 Speaker 1: each other's brains and we could all have our moments. 837 00:44:54,360 --> 00:44:56,759 Speaker 1: Ninety six, I finally had mine for a Cy Young 838 00:44:57,200 --> 00:45:00,440 Speaker 1: glab one his and of course Greg won four. It 839 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:03,759 Speaker 1: just was it was fun to check your ego when 840 00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:05,959 Speaker 1: you came to the park, because you got a chance 841 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:08,000 Speaker 1: to see a great game and be embarrassed if you 842 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:11,000 Speaker 1: want to be the guy. And you know, indirectly, we 843 00:45:11,120 --> 00:45:13,439 Speaker 1: kind of had this little inner competition that we never 844 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:16,880 Speaker 1: talked about. If Tommy went out and threw nine innings 845 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:19,840 Speaker 1: and gave up two runs and five hits, Greg would 846 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:22,680 Speaker 1: intuitively want to go nine innings to give up one run, 847 00:45:22,719 --> 00:45:23,880 Speaker 1: and then if he did, I don't want to go 848 00:45:23,960 --> 00:45:26,480 Speaker 1: nine and give up zero. And we felt that a 849 00:45:26,520 --> 00:45:29,560 Speaker 1: no hitter would reset the clock. But we never know. 850 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:31,960 Speaker 1: None of us ever threw a no hitter, which is 851 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:34,880 Speaker 1: pretty amazing with all the games that we pitch. And 852 00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:38,120 Speaker 1: I feel like it's gonna sound like solar grapes, but 853 00:45:38,160 --> 00:45:40,399 Speaker 1: I got robbed. There's no doubt about it. You can 854 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:43,920 Speaker 1: check the archives. It was in San Diego, and I'm 855 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:45,759 Speaker 1: going to give you this sat after we're done. But 856 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:47,000 Speaker 1: Tony Gwinn, Tony. 857 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:51,120 Speaker 4: Gwynn gave me Maddox, Glavin, Pedro Martinez fits. Okay, he 858 00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:54,279 Speaker 4: gave everybody fits. It's the eighth inning, two outs and 859 00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:57,520 Speaker 4: there's no hits. I got him in San Diego and 860 00:45:57,600 --> 00:46:00,440 Speaker 4: I'm cruising and I know I got I think like 861 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 4: twelve strikeouts. 862 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:04,399 Speaker 1: I know if I get Tony gwinn out, I'm gonna 863 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:07,640 Speaker 1: get no hitter. He hits a fly ball to left 864 00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:10,600 Speaker 1: field and it's still one of the greatest lines Skip 865 00:46:10,640 --> 00:46:13,719 Speaker 1: Carry's ever said. Ryan Plusko was playing left field at 866 00:46:13,719 --> 00:46:16,040 Speaker 1: the time because he was the first baseman converted over 867 00:46:16,080 --> 00:46:18,759 Speaker 1: the left field. Yeah, and he ran about fifteen to 868 00:46:18,760 --> 00:46:21,839 Speaker 1: twenty feet and got to the track and the ball 869 00:46:22,120 --> 00:46:26,239 Speaker 1: hit the glove and it dropped. Now I know it's 870 00:46:26,280 --> 00:46:29,800 Speaker 1: an air, and everybody probably knows it's an error, except 871 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:33,600 Speaker 1: for the official scorer who gave it a double. As 872 00:46:33,600 --> 00:46:37,880 Speaker 1: a place the fans go crazy, and I inside, I 873 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:41,600 Speaker 1: want to I want to explode, right. So I'm trying 874 00:46:41,600 --> 00:46:44,239 Speaker 1: to convince Bobby Cox let me go up for the night. 875 00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:47,080 Speaker 1: They have to change it. There's no way if I 876 00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:48,480 Speaker 1: don't give up on the hit. They got to change. 877 00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:51,280 Speaker 1: He goes John, I've been doing this a long time. 878 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:54,359 Speaker 1: That man over there, Tony Gwynn, they are not going 879 00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:58,319 Speaker 1: to change it for him. And so I went in 880 00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:04,239 Speaker 1: the clubhouse. I saw these stools that we all have 881 00:47:04,360 --> 00:47:07,880 Speaker 1: in front of our locker, and I went crazy. I 882 00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:11,600 Speaker 1: broke about seven of them. Not proud of it, but 883 00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:13,359 Speaker 1: I felt like they were laughing at me, you know, 884 00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:16,480 Speaker 1: like they were like, ha ha ha, right, and that's 885 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:18,600 Speaker 1: kind of my no hitter, But you'll never find it 886 00:47:18,600 --> 00:47:22,400 Speaker 1: because it's not documented. And Skip Carrey had this line 887 00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:26,480 Speaker 1: because you know here in skip carry goes, Ryan's running 888 00:47:26,480 --> 00:47:28,719 Speaker 1: the right routes, we just can't get the ball to him. 889 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:33,600 Speaker 1: Had Ryan just had a hard time playing left field 890 00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:35,840 Speaker 1: because he really was a first baseman, but we needed 891 00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:38,920 Speaker 1: as bad. And so the stat I'm going to give 892 00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:43,040 Speaker 1: you which blows people's mind, we faced Tony Gwynn three 893 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:45,560 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty three times, the four of us, all 894 00:47:45,600 --> 00:47:48,040 Speaker 1: four of us are in the Hall of Fame. How 895 00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:50,040 Speaker 1: many times do you think we struck him out? 896 00:47:50,920 --> 00:47:51,520 Speaker 2: Thirty four? 897 00:47:52,680 --> 00:47:54,200 Speaker 1: Three times? 898 00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:56,440 Speaker 2: That's impossible. 899 00:47:57,080 --> 00:48:01,640 Speaker 1: I got him once. That's exactly right. That's the difference 900 00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:05,480 Speaker 1: of that time frame. And Tony Gwynn, in his greatness Pedro, 901 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,360 Speaker 1: one of the nastiest of all time starters, did not 902 00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:11,279 Speaker 1: strike him out. Maddox did not strike him out. I 903 00:48:11,320 --> 00:48:13,520 Speaker 1: got him once and Gladn got him twice. He hit 904 00:48:14,239 --> 00:48:17,120 Speaker 1: four forty four off of me lifetime, I think four 905 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:20,160 Speaker 1: point fifty seven or something off of Maddox high off 906 00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:22,920 Speaker 1: of Pedro, and I think Glady was in the three hundreds. 907 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:26,440 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, he was unbelievable. And so when I 908 00:48:26,600 --> 00:48:29,400 Speaker 1: saw him every time at a card show and he 909 00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:32,480 Speaker 1: had this high pitched kind of laugh and chuckle, and 910 00:48:32,520 --> 00:48:36,640 Speaker 1: I'd go, really, Tony three thousand, some hundred minus one hit, 911 00:48:37,239 --> 00:48:39,040 Speaker 1: you think that was a hit? You know, I couldn't 912 00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:41,560 Speaker 1: let it go, and he just would laugh. 913 00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:04,160 Speaker 2: Tiger Woods has gone on record to say that you, 914 00:49:04,760 --> 00:49:09,319 Speaker 2: John Smoltz is the best non PGA golfer that he 915 00:49:09,360 --> 00:49:14,000 Speaker 2: has ever played with. I want for the record to 916 00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:18,440 Speaker 2: state I have never played with Tiger so and. 917 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:22,200 Speaker 1: There's and that's the thing about that statement. One it 918 00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:25,279 Speaker 1: crushes my handicap from that point on, like nobody would 919 00:49:25,320 --> 00:49:28,080 Speaker 1: give me strokes anymore. Like the matter well my handicap. 920 00:49:28,160 --> 00:49:32,280 Speaker 1: But in fairness, I don't know how many NONPGA players 921 00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:35,279 Speaker 1: Tiger ever played with. Okay, he's played with a few. 922 00:49:35,320 --> 00:49:37,320 Speaker 1: He's he didn't play with you, so you can't you 923 00:49:37,400 --> 00:49:39,920 Speaker 1: can't base it on that. But I did get a 924 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:42,760 Speaker 1: chance to have the time of my life for about 925 00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:45,880 Speaker 1: ten years playing over thirty five rounds of golf with 926 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:50,560 Speaker 1: Tiger in his day. And it is still memories that 927 00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:54,160 Speaker 1: I'll never forget shots, I'll never forget moments, I'll never forget, 928 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:57,120 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, he has gears like we all know. 929 00:49:57,360 --> 00:49:59,879 Speaker 1: He had gears that you just know. One I brought 930 00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:02,799 Speaker 1: to play with Tiger could help themselves, but they all 931 00:50:02,840 --> 00:50:06,880 Speaker 1: got sucked into talking trash with him. And you don't 932 00:50:06,880 --> 00:50:09,759 Speaker 1: do that. You don't talk trash to Michael Jordan, and 933 00:50:09,800 --> 00:50:12,560 Speaker 1: you don't talk trash to Tiger Woods. It just puts 934 00:50:12,640 --> 00:50:15,160 Speaker 1: them in another gear. And I would tell him, I say, 935 00:50:15,600 --> 00:50:19,279 Speaker 1: let him be. He might only shoot sixty eight. Let 936 00:50:19,360 --> 00:50:23,040 Speaker 1: him be, don't get him to where he wants to shoot, you. 937 00:50:23,000 --> 00:50:26,120 Speaker 2: Know, sixty two too exactly. 938 00:50:26,680 --> 00:50:29,040 Speaker 1: And we had this one. We had this one match. 939 00:50:29,760 --> 00:50:31,560 Speaker 1: It's the only time I did it, and I didn't 940 00:50:31,600 --> 00:50:35,480 Speaker 1: really do it on purpose. But we're on a par three. 941 00:50:35,640 --> 00:50:38,200 Speaker 1: There's five of us, my buddy who was a twelve, 942 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:41,080 Speaker 1: and then everyone else was a scratch. And my buddy 943 00:50:41,360 --> 00:50:43,799 Speaker 1: got a hold in one on the par three, and 944 00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:49,160 Speaker 1: the scorecard read one, two, three, four five. There's five players, 945 00:50:49,239 --> 00:50:52,000 Speaker 1: five different scores. And so when I picked the ball 946 00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:53,879 Speaker 1: out of the hole, and my buddy's name is Scott, 947 00:50:53,920 --> 00:50:56,359 Speaker 1: I said, Scott, what is more believable when we get 948 00:50:56,400 --> 00:50:58,719 Speaker 1: back home, the fact that you made a hole in 949 00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:01,640 Speaker 1: one or beat Tiger by four on one pump. 950 00:51:02,120 --> 00:51:04,920 Speaker 2: I knew that was coming, so. 951 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:09,799 Speaker 1: He kind of shot me a finger and he went 952 00:51:10,200 --> 00:51:12,920 Speaker 1: in the next twenty two homes because we played twenty 953 00:51:12,920 --> 00:51:16,600 Speaker 1: seven he went twelve under par, and it was the 954 00:51:16,640 --> 00:51:19,920 Speaker 1: greatest display of golf. Like I put up the antennas 955 00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:23,680 Speaker 1: and indirectly I thought it was a brilliant line. And 956 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:28,000 Speaker 1: as he went crazy after that, and I didn't listen 957 00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:28,960 Speaker 1: to my own advice. 958 00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:35,600 Speaker 2: John is well, he's always in contention at any celebrity 959 00:51:35,640 --> 00:51:38,880 Speaker 2: golf event played on the Champions Tour. A couple of 960 00:51:38,920 --> 00:51:44,840 Speaker 2: times come painfully close at the American Century Championship in 961 00:51:44,920 --> 00:51:49,920 Speaker 2: Lake Tahoe, A couple of times two time winner at 962 00:51:49,960 --> 00:51:53,480 Speaker 2: the Tournament of Champions Hilton Grand Vacations. Is that correct? 963 00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:54,360 Speaker 2: Two times? 964 00:51:54,360 --> 00:51:56,600 Speaker 1: Can I can? I? Can I file a small complaint 965 00:51:56,600 --> 00:51:59,840 Speaker 1: on that? Which was the two time winners. I was 966 00:52:00,440 --> 00:52:06,680 Speaker 1: defending champ and they switched horses. I mean, so the 967 00:52:06,719 --> 00:52:08,919 Speaker 1: three peak could not happen. I think it was done 968 00:52:08,960 --> 00:52:11,759 Speaker 1: on purpose. I can't. I can't be for sure, but 969 00:52:11,840 --> 00:52:13,799 Speaker 1: I have not played well since. 970 00:52:15,560 --> 00:52:19,640 Speaker 2: Well well, but I I saw you in the locker 971 00:52:19,719 --> 00:52:22,120 Speaker 2: room on Sunday a couple just a couple of weeks ago. 972 00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:24,160 Speaker 2: You shot sixty nine. Is that right? 973 00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:28,520 Speaker 1: Yes? I did. But but but I played so bad 974 00:52:29,080 --> 00:52:31,680 Speaker 1: the first day, like I didn't even know that. I 975 00:52:31,719 --> 00:52:34,640 Speaker 1: didn't realize that I was a golfer after the first day. 976 00:52:35,120 --> 00:52:37,080 Speaker 2: Did I saw more points you the first day? 977 00:52:37,520 --> 00:52:39,360 Speaker 1: I tell you what. I kept looking at a scoreboard 978 00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:41,400 Speaker 1: and you were darn close, and I said, if I 979 00:52:41,560 --> 00:52:45,160 Speaker 1: don't get one more point than you, I might withdraw. 980 00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:49,399 Speaker 1: Not because one point I ended up being a couple 981 00:52:49,440 --> 00:52:51,520 Speaker 1: of points. But I kept looking and I kept saying, 982 00:52:51,680 --> 00:52:53,640 Speaker 1: oh my goodness. 983 00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:57,839 Speaker 2: I played pretty well. Now first day you did. Let 984 00:52:57,840 --> 00:53:01,160 Speaker 2: me ask you this though, You're a two time champion 985 00:53:01,520 --> 00:53:07,160 Speaker 2: Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament Champions, Orlando, Florida. But I am 986 00:53:07,160 --> 00:53:12,000 Speaker 2: a two time first player chosen for the pro am, 987 00:53:13,239 --> 00:53:17,240 Speaker 2: which makes me believe I'm the people's champion. What's better 988 00:53:17,360 --> 00:53:21,760 Speaker 2: winning the event or being chosen first? It's a good question. 989 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:26,120 Speaker 1: It is a great question, and honestly, because of my 990 00:53:26,239 --> 00:53:29,480 Speaker 1: lack of social media presence, I feel like you have 991 00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:34,800 Speaker 1: an unfair advantage there, and so you are the people's choice. 992 00:53:34,920 --> 00:53:39,160 Speaker 1: There's no doubt. I only get selected because of my 993 00:53:39,960 --> 00:53:44,200 Speaker 1: golfing ability. You get selected because you have the combination 994 00:53:44,440 --> 00:53:47,560 Speaker 1: of so many other things that they'll put up with 995 00:53:47,960 --> 00:53:49,960 Speaker 1: the fact that maybe they're not going to win the 996 00:53:49,960 --> 00:53:52,520 Speaker 1: proram right right. They're looking for a good time. 997 00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:55,560 Speaker 2: They certainly are risingly enough. 998 00:53:56,160 --> 00:53:58,960 Speaker 1: Most people who play with me come away going I 999 00:53:58,960 --> 00:54:02,040 Speaker 1: didn't realize is that funny? Like I'm actually a really 1000 00:54:02,040 --> 00:54:04,279 Speaker 1: funny guy that doesn't get a chance to showcase it 1001 00:54:04,880 --> 00:54:07,239 Speaker 1: on the stage that you do. Although I did you 1002 00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:09,239 Speaker 1: know I do have a role in The Hill. I 1003 00:54:09,280 --> 00:54:10,960 Speaker 1: don't know if you saw it. It's the number one 1004 00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:13,680 Speaker 1: movie on Netflix, and I've got like a thirty five. 1005 00:54:15,040 --> 00:54:17,920 Speaker 2: Le that's very good. I do want to I do 1006 00:54:17,960 --> 00:54:22,040 Speaker 2: want to make a clarification. You do have jokes. I 1007 00:54:22,080 --> 00:54:25,600 Speaker 2: don't don't know if it's funny. I don't know if 1008 00:54:26,320 --> 00:54:28,520 Speaker 2: it was there. Its just a small. 1009 00:54:29,760 --> 00:54:34,160 Speaker 1: My delivery, maybe somebody else's hands. In somebody else's hands, 1010 00:54:34,200 --> 00:54:35,760 Speaker 1: that joke is funny. 1011 00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:39,160 Speaker 2: Hey, listen, you help me with my golf game, I'll 1012 00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:43,719 Speaker 2: help you, uh with the delivery. Uh. Eight years, As 1013 00:54:43,719 --> 00:54:46,960 Speaker 2: I mentioned at the top, being the the number one 1014 00:54:46,960 --> 00:54:51,880 Speaker 2: analyst on Fox Sports for their MLB coverage, calling the 1015 00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:55,640 Speaker 2: World Series that special for you? Do you love that 1016 00:54:56,400 --> 00:54:56,680 Speaker 2: I do? 1017 00:54:56,880 --> 00:55:00,200 Speaker 1: And and and really, when I got into broadcasting, oh, 1018 00:55:00,200 --> 00:55:02,560 Speaker 1: my agent, I said, I'm not just doing this to 1019 00:55:02,640 --> 00:55:04,799 Speaker 1: do it. I'm doing it because I want to get 1020 00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:06,520 Speaker 1: to the highest level. I want to do it at 1021 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:09,919 Speaker 1: the highest level, and so I worked for a long 1022 00:55:10,000 --> 00:55:12,560 Speaker 1: time to get to that point. My opportunity was presented. 1023 00:55:12,600 --> 00:55:14,840 Speaker 1: I work with one of the greatest all time and 1024 00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:17,440 Speaker 1: Joe Buck. I work for a great company, and I 1025 00:55:17,480 --> 00:55:20,120 Speaker 1: get to see baseball that I still love at the 1026 00:55:20,160 --> 00:55:24,080 Speaker 1: best time, and that's in October. I do regular season games, 1027 00:55:24,440 --> 00:55:27,279 Speaker 1: but the all time best is when I get to 1028 00:55:27,280 --> 00:55:30,560 Speaker 1: see players playing the postseason. Everyone who's a fan thinks 1029 00:55:30,600 --> 00:55:33,200 Speaker 1: they know the sport and they're fans of the sport. 1030 00:55:33,719 --> 00:55:36,200 Speaker 1: But when you've kind of been in that and done that, 1031 00:55:36,320 --> 00:55:39,320 Speaker 1: you can give people something that they would never maybe 1032 00:55:39,400 --> 00:55:42,640 Speaker 1: know before. And that's really my only goal when I'm broadcasting, 1033 00:55:43,200 --> 00:55:45,680 Speaker 1: is to bring in some insights that people made that 1034 00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:47,400 Speaker 1: never have gotten a chance to know. 1035 00:55:48,600 --> 00:55:50,560 Speaker 2: I love the game of baseball. You and I have 1036 00:55:50,600 --> 00:55:52,200 Speaker 2: talked about it a lot. I've always loved the game 1037 00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:54,719 Speaker 2: of baseball, and to me, what is so special and 1038 00:55:54,960 --> 00:56:01,440 Speaker 2: so unique about the analysts' role specific in baseball is 1039 00:56:02,120 --> 00:56:07,640 Speaker 2: I mean, what is it. It's got to be you know, 1040 00:56:07,880 --> 00:56:11,880 Speaker 2: five thousand ish games a year, five to six thousand 1041 00:56:11,880 --> 00:56:16,040 Speaker 2: games a year over one hundred years, and I'm telling 1042 00:56:16,080 --> 00:56:19,880 Speaker 2: you the number of games, particularly when the games are meaningful, 1043 00:56:19,920 --> 00:56:23,279 Speaker 2: that something happens that I've never seen before or that 1044 00:56:23,400 --> 00:56:29,600 Speaker 2: anyone has ever seen before, makes it, you know, incredibly special. 1045 00:56:30,400 --> 00:56:33,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's crazy to think, like again, just my I 1046 00:56:33,719 --> 00:56:37,960 Speaker 1: mean this is going on now forty plus years that 1047 00:56:38,160 --> 00:56:40,879 Speaker 1: well I've played longer than that, but in the game 1048 00:56:40,920 --> 00:56:44,719 Speaker 1: of baseball professionally since the age of eighteen to fifty six, 1049 00:56:45,600 --> 00:56:47,640 Speaker 1: you're right. I mean, you think you've seen it, and 1050 00:56:47,680 --> 00:56:50,600 Speaker 1: you think that you know pretty much every rule, and 1051 00:56:50,640 --> 00:56:52,879 Speaker 1: then something stumps you to go, well, I didn't even 1052 00:56:52,960 --> 00:56:56,080 Speaker 1: know that you could do that, or that's somebody. Look, 1053 00:56:56,120 --> 00:56:58,480 Speaker 1: the talent's never been greater. And now we get the 1054 00:56:58,480 --> 00:57:02,120 Speaker 1: game moving again. You know, changes drove everybody crazy thinking 1055 00:57:02,160 --> 00:57:04,960 Speaker 1: that the game was like what's going on? But the 1056 00:57:05,000 --> 00:57:07,560 Speaker 1: game's moving again, and the time of the game is 1057 00:57:07,600 --> 00:57:10,440 Speaker 1: going to be more pallable for people, and the athletes 1058 00:57:10,480 --> 00:57:13,120 Speaker 1: get to adjust and they're going to be fine this year. 1059 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:17,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like it's it's almost an annual text 1060 00:57:17,560 --> 00:57:21,200 Speaker 2: and I guess it. I don't know, Well, you tell 1061 00:57:21,240 --> 00:57:23,840 Speaker 2: me if it's just like annoying or something. But I 1062 00:57:23,840 --> 00:57:25,960 Speaker 2: feel like I text you after the World Series every 1063 00:57:26,040 --> 00:57:28,560 Speaker 2: year and I say, what is what is true that 1064 00:57:28,680 --> 00:57:31,080 Speaker 2: I don't There's not a lot of people that I 1065 00:57:31,120 --> 00:57:33,640 Speaker 2: send this message to, even those that I have the number. 1066 00:57:34,160 --> 00:57:36,320 Speaker 2: I think you do just a hell of a job. 1067 00:57:36,680 --> 00:57:39,560 Speaker 2: I really do, John. I feel like you add so 1068 00:57:39,840 --> 00:57:45,680 Speaker 2: much to the entertainment of sports during those postseason games. 1069 00:57:45,920 --> 00:57:47,920 Speaker 2: I mean it when I text it to you, I 1070 00:57:48,040 --> 00:57:50,240 Speaker 2: only do it once a year, but you know, it's 1071 00:57:50,240 --> 00:57:52,360 Speaker 2: coming off the World Series and just going you know what, 1072 00:57:52,480 --> 00:57:56,000 Speaker 2: like he just made those two and a half to 1073 00:57:56,080 --> 00:58:00,520 Speaker 2: three hours really fun and informative and enjoyable and full 1074 00:58:00,560 --> 00:58:03,560 Speaker 2: of drama. So yeah, I congratulations. 1075 00:58:04,160 --> 00:58:06,760 Speaker 1: I appreciate that I had to learn, Like in this industry, 1076 00:58:06,800 --> 00:58:09,600 Speaker 1: you wouldn't believe. I mean you would believe from the 1077 00:58:09,680 --> 00:58:13,560 Speaker 1: social media standpoints, which I don't have anything to combat 1078 00:58:13,560 --> 00:58:16,560 Speaker 1: people with, but they're so used. People in baseball are 1079 00:58:16,640 --> 00:58:19,840 Speaker 1: used to their home broadcast booth right and listen to them, 1080 00:58:19,840 --> 00:58:22,960 Speaker 1: and then come postseasons like John Smoltz, he's the Rangers. 1081 00:58:23,200 --> 00:58:28,000 Speaker 1: John Smoltz hates the Arizona Diamondbacks, Joe Davis hates the 1082 00:58:28,320 --> 00:58:31,480 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braids. And the best advice Joe Buck gave me 1083 00:58:31,600 --> 00:58:34,200 Speaker 1: is he goes, look, a fifty percent of the fan 1084 00:58:34,320 --> 00:58:36,520 Speaker 1: base think you're rooting for the other team. You're doing 1085 00:58:36,560 --> 00:58:39,800 Speaker 1: a pretty good job, but don't pay attention to that 1086 00:58:39,920 --> 00:58:43,240 Speaker 1: because they don't understand that. When you call a home run, 1087 00:58:43,280 --> 00:58:47,040 Speaker 1: which I don't, they do for the opposite team, the 1088 00:58:47,120 --> 00:58:50,680 Speaker 1: home fans get mad. They're like, why are they so happy? 1089 00:58:51,040 --> 00:58:53,800 Speaker 1: But we're in the national broadcast, coming in to be 1090 00:58:53,920 --> 00:58:58,760 Speaker 1: completely neutral. And I got more flag for calling the 1091 00:58:58,800 --> 00:59:04,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braids World Series against the Houston Astros, and everyone 1092 00:59:04,080 --> 00:59:06,920 Speaker 1: knows I'm in Atlanta Braids And that was the hardest 1093 00:59:07,000 --> 00:59:09,160 Speaker 1: job that I had to do to because I'm going 1094 00:59:09,200 --> 00:59:12,040 Speaker 1: to be neutral and do my job. There were fans 1095 00:59:12,240 --> 00:59:14,720 Speaker 1: of Atlanta said they were mad at me because I 1096 00:59:14,800 --> 00:59:18,320 Speaker 1: wasn't rooting hard enough for the Atlanta Braves to win 1097 00:59:18,360 --> 00:59:21,480 Speaker 1: the World Series. And I finally said on the radio, 1098 00:59:21,520 --> 00:59:25,040 Speaker 1: I said, what most people don't understand is my words 1099 00:59:25,120 --> 00:59:28,800 Speaker 1: I can speak into action. What's going to happen so 1100 00:59:28,840 --> 00:59:32,040 Speaker 1: that they I'm like, people can't beat that. They really 1101 00:59:32,080 --> 00:59:35,160 Speaker 1: can't be that, and so that's just the nature nature 1102 00:59:35,200 --> 00:59:36,560 Speaker 1: of what we do. 1103 00:59:37,280 --> 00:59:42,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I have seen those. Gosh, there was something on 1104 00:59:42,720 --> 00:59:46,000 Speaker 2: the speaking of the social media with Joe Buck the 1105 00:59:46,240 --> 00:59:50,320 Speaker 2: opposing fans talking about how much Joe Buck. You know, 1106 00:59:50,440 --> 00:59:52,880 Speaker 2: Joe Buck loves the Cowboys. Joe Buck hat'ess the Cowboys. 1107 00:59:53,040 --> 00:59:55,840 Speaker 2: Joe Buck loves the Packers. Joe Buck hat's the Packers. 1108 00:59:57,320 --> 00:59:58,240 Speaker 1: It's unbelievable. 1109 00:59:58,760 --> 01:00:01,600 Speaker 2: I'm hoping Joe Davis helps the Dodgers this year, by 1110 01:00:01,640 --> 01:00:05,560 Speaker 2: the way, Yeah, any team compete with the Dodgers this year. 1111 01:00:06,160 --> 01:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Not in the regular season, they really I mean, I 1112 01:00:09,680 --> 01:00:13,920 Speaker 1: think everybody knew. I think baseball people are like, show, hey, 1113 01:00:14,120 --> 01:00:16,560 Speaker 1: Tommy's going to the Dodgers. Okay, just a matter of 1114 01:00:16,760 --> 01:00:20,280 Speaker 1: how long, how much. I think people kind of you know, 1115 01:00:20,320 --> 01:00:22,400 Speaker 1: would have been shocked if that didn't happen. But what 1116 01:00:22,440 --> 01:00:28,200 Speaker 1: they've done aside from that is blowing everybody's mind because now, 1117 01:00:28,920 --> 01:00:31,560 Speaker 1: you know, the Dodgers have been the class of the 1118 01:00:31,640 --> 01:00:34,680 Speaker 1: last ten years, and they've been kind of falling victim 1119 01:00:34,720 --> 01:00:36,240 Speaker 1: to what we did. They should have won a couple 1120 01:00:36,240 --> 01:00:40,240 Speaker 1: of World Series. They didn't. Yeah, some strategy that you 1121 01:00:40,240 --> 01:00:43,120 Speaker 1: know might have got questioned and might have been a reason. 1122 01:00:43,200 --> 01:00:46,240 Speaker 1: But they're loaded. And so what it's always come down to. 1123 01:00:46,400 --> 01:00:49,640 Speaker 1: Last year they were beat up in their rotation and 1124 01:00:49,840 --> 01:00:53,600 Speaker 1: the Diamondbacks shocked the world by sweeping them. And I 1125 01:00:53,640 --> 01:00:55,360 Speaker 1: think it comes down to the same thing. You know, 1126 01:00:55,400 --> 01:00:57,040 Speaker 1: if they're not beat up at the end of the year, 1127 01:00:57,720 --> 01:01:01,040 Speaker 1: there's no doubt they're the favorites. And you know, the 1128 01:01:01,040 --> 01:01:03,000 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braids are going to be right there in the Phillies, 1129 01:01:03,040 --> 01:01:07,160 Speaker 1: some of the same teams. But boy, oh boy, oh boy, 1130 01:01:07,280 --> 01:01:09,840 Speaker 1: did the Dodgers. They got a ton of pressure on them. 1131 01:01:09,840 --> 01:01:12,680 Speaker 1: And I've said this from day one. If you're a player, 1132 01:01:12,800 --> 01:01:16,080 Speaker 1: you want that pressure. You do you just know you're 1133 01:01:16,120 --> 01:01:17,800 Speaker 1: really good and everyone's going to give you your best 1134 01:01:17,800 --> 01:01:20,400 Speaker 1: shot and you're the favorites. Let's go get it and 1135 01:01:20,440 --> 01:01:23,640 Speaker 1: that that's you take it and that and certainly for 1136 01:01:23,800 --> 01:01:30,520 Speaker 1: this contract was not about one championship. This contract's about multiple. 1137 01:01:30,640 --> 01:01:33,640 Speaker 1: I think to validate this contract, a lot of people 1138 01:01:33,640 --> 01:01:37,800 Speaker 1: will say the Dodgers win two World Series. Man, that 1139 01:01:37,840 --> 01:01:40,240 Speaker 1: would be unbelievable. It's hard to win one. They should 1140 01:01:40,320 --> 01:01:43,080 Speaker 1: win one, and they're probably the favorite to win one 1141 01:01:43,120 --> 01:01:46,560 Speaker 1: over the next seven years. But the beauty about baseball 1142 01:01:46,760 --> 01:01:50,120 Speaker 1: is it's a long year and the postseason teams get 1143 01:01:50,160 --> 01:01:52,760 Speaker 1: hot at the right time and you can run into 1144 01:01:52,760 --> 01:01:53,200 Speaker 1: that team. 1145 01:01:53,800 --> 01:01:56,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was thinking about this. I'll close on this 1146 01:01:57,240 --> 01:02:00,480 Speaker 2: because you know, I get a lot of flat I mean, 1147 01:02:00,480 --> 01:02:04,160 Speaker 2: and that's saying it nicely from my friends in Atlanta, 1148 01:02:04,400 --> 01:02:07,880 Speaker 2: many of whom who are still there, who get on 1149 01:02:07,960 --> 01:02:12,360 Speaker 2: my case about being a Dodgers fan. But you know, 1150 01:02:12,360 --> 01:02:15,360 Speaker 2: I've told I've said this many times. It's because I 1151 01:02:15,440 --> 01:02:18,120 Speaker 2: love the game of baseball, and I knew when I 1152 01:02:18,160 --> 01:02:20,720 Speaker 2: came out to Southern California, I wasn't ever going back, 1153 01:02:20,760 --> 01:02:23,320 Speaker 2: and I wanted to be able to watch and the 1154 01:02:23,400 --> 01:02:25,640 Speaker 2: way to do that was to go to Javez Ravine 1155 01:02:25,680 --> 01:02:28,560 Speaker 2: and I bought in. But I was thinking about this 1156 01:02:28,720 --> 01:02:32,640 Speaker 2: talking to you today. John Smoltz did it. John Smoltz 1157 01:02:33,240 --> 01:02:37,000 Speaker 2: was a Tiger and now he's a Brave. So anyone 1158 01:02:37,040 --> 01:02:40,360 Speaker 2: can change, including me. Boom, Well, suck it. 1159 01:02:40,760 --> 01:02:44,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I think you're trying to set it. You're 1160 01:02:44,040 --> 01:02:47,080 Speaker 1: trying to you're trying to ease the paint. It's a 1161 01:02:47,120 --> 01:02:53,160 Speaker 1: little different if you were if you were part of 1162 01:02:53,160 --> 01:02:56,000 Speaker 1: the office and then you went to go be sign 1163 01:02:56,160 --> 01:02:59,280 Speaker 1: felled and then you were like, you know, it's a 1164 01:02:59,280 --> 01:03:01,600 Speaker 1: little different when you're a fan and when you're from 1165 01:03:01,680 --> 01:03:02,160 Speaker 1: the area. 1166 01:03:02,760 --> 01:03:06,040 Speaker 2: Just stop it, John, It's. 1167 01:03:05,400 --> 01:03:07,120 Speaker 1: It's a harder justification. 1168 01:03:07,600 --> 01:03:10,480 Speaker 2: No, it's not. It's because I love the game. The game. 1169 01:03:11,160 --> 01:03:12,840 Speaker 1: Here's what I would say to you. I would say 1170 01:03:12,880 --> 01:03:16,640 Speaker 1: to you, you're justified in this this regard. I become 1171 01:03:16,840 --> 01:03:20,080 Speaker 1: a Falcon fan when my Lions are in it because 1172 01:03:20,120 --> 01:03:23,840 Speaker 1: I live in Atlanta. You are a Dodger fan because 1173 01:03:23,880 --> 01:03:27,360 Speaker 1: you live in it in the in LA. But if 1174 01:03:27,400 --> 01:03:30,880 Speaker 1: they play Atlanta, you're meeting some crossroads there. 1175 01:03:31,440 --> 01:03:34,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I don't anymore. I'm too invested tickets that 1176 01:03:34,880 --> 01:03:38,760 Speaker 2: season tickets. It's like, I can't, John, You're not helping 1177 01:03:38,760 --> 01:03:40,320 Speaker 2: me because I was going to tell them all to 1178 01:03:40,360 --> 01:03:42,320 Speaker 2: listen to this. And now, let me just say this, 1179 01:03:42,800 --> 01:03:47,040 Speaker 2: if you or Tommy or Greg, if you got if 1180 01:03:47,080 --> 01:03:49,640 Speaker 2: any of you strapped it back on, put on the 1181 01:03:49,640 --> 01:03:53,240 Speaker 2: old jockstrap and put in the cup and did you 1182 01:03:53,320 --> 01:03:54,400 Speaker 2: work up by the way. 1183 01:03:54,320 --> 01:03:57,160 Speaker 1: I did, I'm I'm shocked. And a lot of pictures 1184 01:03:57,200 --> 01:04:00,680 Speaker 1: that didn't. There wasn't a game I'm never wore. That's 1185 01:04:00,760 --> 01:04:02,080 Speaker 1: just crazy. Talk. 1186 01:04:02,400 --> 01:04:04,040 Speaker 2: I just was talking to somebody about this. 1187 01:04:04,240 --> 01:04:06,440 Speaker 1: There's a ton of people that they don't wear them. 1188 01:04:06,600 --> 01:04:09,800 Speaker 1: That's crazy. It is beyond crazy. But anyway, so good. 1189 01:04:09,880 --> 01:04:12,080 Speaker 2: Anyway, if you do it, if you strap it on, 1190 01:04:13,440 --> 01:04:16,680 Speaker 2: strap it on and stick it in, John, I would 1191 01:04:16,760 --> 01:04:20,080 Speaker 2: root for you or Tommy or Greg as long as 1192 01:04:20,120 --> 01:04:23,160 Speaker 2: you weren't as long as you as long as you 1193 01:04:23,160 --> 01:04:25,919 Speaker 2: didn't come back as a giant. Otherwise I would root 1194 01:04:25,960 --> 01:04:26,600 Speaker 2: for you. Guys. 1195 01:04:26,840 --> 01:04:29,720 Speaker 1: Okay, now, how long how long have you have you been. 1196 01:04:29,600 --> 01:04:34,200 Speaker 2: In La Well? I mean I like to make people 1197 01:04:34,240 --> 01:04:37,480 Speaker 2: think that I'm still twenty nine, but it's been. It's been. 1198 01:04:38,560 --> 01:04:40,240 Speaker 2: It's been twenty years, you know, so let me put 1199 01:04:40,240 --> 01:04:40,640 Speaker 2: it this way. 1200 01:04:40,680 --> 01:04:41,880 Speaker 1: It longer than Atlanta. 1201 01:04:42,360 --> 01:04:44,880 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, oh wait, I mean there was a there 1202 01:04:44,920 --> 01:04:48,880 Speaker 2: was a period of time there where I was, you know, 1203 01:04:48,880 --> 01:04:50,640 Speaker 2: when I left I left Atlanta, when I left when 1204 01:04:50,680 --> 01:04:54,320 Speaker 2: I graduated from high school, which oddly enough was ninety one, 1205 01:04:54,800 --> 01:04:58,360 Speaker 2: but I was. TBS made me be able to watch 1206 01:04:58,400 --> 01:05:01,680 Speaker 2: every game. I mean, there was that period time before 1207 01:05:01,840 --> 01:05:05,800 Speaker 2: the MLB package and after the Braves started being off TV, 1208 01:05:06,080 --> 01:05:08,000 Speaker 2: Like I couldn't even watch the Braves. 1209 01:05:08,640 --> 01:05:12,240 Speaker 1: No, you're fine, now, you've lived longer you're fine, You're justified. 1210 01:05:12,800 --> 01:05:17,240 Speaker 2: The first couple of years, I actually met Bobby at 1211 01:05:17,800 --> 01:05:21,400 Speaker 2: I'll tell you what your your Your hotel was the 1212 01:05:22,160 --> 01:05:27,480 Speaker 2: Something Huntington, the Ritz Carlton Huntington over there in Pasadena. 1213 01:05:27,520 --> 01:05:32,040 Speaker 2: I met Bobby there and I think Chipper was there 1214 01:05:31,760 --> 01:05:34,680 Speaker 2: who I met out in at the American Century a 1215 01:05:34,680 --> 01:05:38,560 Speaker 2: couple of times. That was tough. That was tough for me. 1216 01:05:39,440 --> 01:05:43,040 Speaker 2: Now that Stan Caston is it's almost it's almost like 1217 01:05:43,600 --> 01:05:46,640 Speaker 2: we're connected, me and Stan over at the Dodgers. 1218 01:05:47,000 --> 01:05:49,560 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, it is going to be a fun year. 1219 01:05:49,640 --> 01:05:51,440 Speaker 1: I will do a lot of Dodgers games, as you 1220 01:05:51,480 --> 01:05:55,600 Speaker 1: can imagine. For Fox, they're going to have eyeballs on 1221 01:05:55,680 --> 01:05:57,760 Speaker 1: them all the time. They're going to have to play 1222 01:05:57,800 --> 01:06:01,160 Speaker 1: a lot of ESPN game that will be Network Fox games. 1223 01:06:01,200 --> 01:06:05,360 Speaker 1: And what I find interesting more than anything because I 1224 01:06:05,400 --> 01:06:07,960 Speaker 1: love shoheo Tommy and I've been rooting for him to 1225 01:06:07,960 --> 01:06:11,160 Speaker 1: be a two way success Starnar forever, but I don't 1226 01:06:11,240 --> 01:06:14,000 Speaker 1: like the fact that is now it's the second Tommy 1227 01:06:14,080 --> 01:06:18,200 Speaker 1: John and I think he's such a tremendous talent, but 1228 01:06:18,320 --> 01:06:21,240 Speaker 1: his velocity and force that he throws the ball, it'll 1229 01:06:21,280 --> 01:06:23,640 Speaker 1: be interesting to see how many years they get out 1230 01:06:23,720 --> 01:06:26,880 Speaker 1: of a two way player. You know, They'm sure they're 1231 01:06:26,920 --> 01:06:29,680 Speaker 1: hoping this contract will live up to and they're going 1232 01:06:29,760 --> 01:06:32,760 Speaker 1: to monetize it and make so much money. I get it, 1233 01:06:32,840 --> 01:06:35,720 Speaker 1: like I get all that. It's the other move they 1234 01:06:35,760 --> 01:06:38,960 Speaker 1: made that were just as good. It's hard to say 1235 01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:41,240 Speaker 1: it could be better than getting the greatest player in 1236 01:06:41,280 --> 01:06:41,560 Speaker 1: the game. 1237 01:06:42,000 --> 01:06:46,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, John, It's always a pleasure. I know. I will 1238 01:06:46,040 --> 01:06:54,520 Speaker 2: see you here. No, you're not. No. I still have 1239 01:06:54,560 --> 01:06:57,480 Speaker 2: to work for a living, so I can't. I can't 1240 01:06:57,600 --> 01:07:00,000 Speaker 2: just play golf, so I will not be in down, 1241 01:07:00,320 --> 01:07:01,560 Speaker 2: which is unfortunate. 1242 01:07:02,040 --> 01:07:05,000 Speaker 1: That is that is that's bummed me out. What's the 1243 01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:09,560 Speaker 1: what's the end game goal for cameos for you? You've 1244 01:07:09,640 --> 01:07:10,680 Speaker 1: got the record, right. 1245 01:07:10,640 --> 01:07:18,120 Speaker 2: Like John, John John John Smoltz. Uh, I'll see you. Uh, 1246 01:07:18,200 --> 01:07:20,760 Speaker 2: I'll see you in the what is it the north, 1247 01:07:21,400 --> 01:07:24,520 Speaker 2: the top of the West. I'll see you out in 1248 01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:29,480 Speaker 2: Lake Tahoe very soon. Day one. Just watch that leaderboard 1249 01:07:29,600 --> 01:07:30,960 Speaker 2: for me. I'm a sprinter. 1250 01:07:31,400 --> 01:07:34,720 Speaker 1: I'm as you are the greatest motivator for me when 1251 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:37,840 Speaker 1: I'm having one of the worst rounds of like you, 1252 01:07:37,840 --> 01:07:40,280 Speaker 1: you don't know what you did for me Seeing that 1253 01:07:40,440 --> 01:07:46,200 Speaker 1: score and going is that? Is that real? We got 1254 01:07:46,200 --> 01:07:46,800 Speaker 1: to get a few. 1255 01:07:46,680 --> 01:07:55,200 Speaker 2: More John Smolts, thank you so much, pictures and catchers reporting. 1256 01:07:56,040 --> 01:07:58,480 Speaker 2: Let's start the baseball season. Go Dodgers. 1257 01:07:58,720 --> 01:07:59,720 Speaker 1: That's right, Thank you. 1258 01:08:11,760 --> 01:08:15,200 Speaker 2: John. Great talking to you today. Thanks so much for 1259 01:08:15,280 --> 01:08:18,040 Speaker 2: being on here. I hope I didn't take you away 1260 01:08:18,080 --> 01:08:21,799 Speaker 2: from the golf course too early today. I am looking 1261 01:08:21,840 --> 01:08:25,120 Speaker 2: forward to seeing and listening to you on television this 1262 01:08:25,240 --> 01:08:28,799 Speaker 2: summer and fall, and of course on the golf course 1263 01:08:29,000 --> 01:08:33,599 Speaker 2: this season. Listeners, thanks for doing what you do listening, namely, 1264 01:08:33,920 --> 01:08:35,920 Speaker 2: thank you for listening. That's what I'm trying to say. 1265 01:08:35,960 --> 01:08:38,480 Speaker 2: I'm going to be back next week with another episode 1266 01:08:38,600 --> 01:08:41,439 Speaker 2: of Off the Beat. Won't you come along? I hope 1267 01:08:41,439 --> 01:08:44,920 Speaker 2: you do. I'll see you here. Until then, everybody, have 1268 01:08:45,000 --> 01:08:54,880 Speaker 2: a great week. Off the Beat is hosted and executive 1269 01:08:54,880 --> 01:08:59,759 Speaker 2: produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Linglee. 1270 01:09:00,040 --> 01:09:04,240 Speaker 2: Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Liz Hayes, 1271 01:09:04,320 --> 01:09:08,240 Speaker 2: Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. Our talent producer is Ryan 1272 01:09:08,600 --> 01:09:12,840 Speaker 2: Papa Zachary, and our intern is Ali Amir Sahed. Our 1273 01:09:12,920 --> 01:09:16,640 Speaker 2: theme song, Bubble and Squeak performed by the one and 1274 01:09:16,680 --> 01:09:18,120 Speaker 2: only Creed Bratton,