1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: I'm about to blow your mind here, Aj. I used 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: to regularly watch you play baseball in Minnesota. I was 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: based in Minnesota. I'm blowing your mind until two thousand 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: and three. I was there. I was doing theater until 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: maybe you came to watch me if you tried to 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: get cultured once or twelve. 7 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 2: Now, the only the only theater I went to is 8 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 2: I went to a pink concert once in a theater there. 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 2: I don't know what theater it was. 10 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: I don't think that's the kind of theater that I 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: was doing. 12 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 2: Hi, I'm Aj Berzinski, and I fucking hate the Georgia Bulldogs. 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: Howdy folks, and welcome to another episode of Off the Beat. 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're here. This is your host, Brian Baumgartner. Now, 15 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: when people say that they've done something thousands of times, 16 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: usually they're exaggerating, right, Well, not my guest today. Baseball 17 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: legend AJ Prazinski. AJ retired from the major leagues back 18 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen with over two thousand games played, all 19 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 1: as a catcher. By the way, the stat he says 20 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:25,919 Speaker 1: he is most proud of he got over two thousand hits. 21 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: So many hits and as a catcher. No less, He's 22 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: a World Series champion, a two time All Star Silver 23 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: Slugger winner, and this is a very special one. He 24 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: was voted most hated by his colleagues in MLB. That's right, 25 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: but he's proud of that as well. Now, he may 26 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: have caused a few stirs in his career, but if 27 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: he asked me, it speaks to his grit, his competitiveness, 28 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,639 Speaker 1: and well just how seriously he takes the game. Yes, 29 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: I watched him, I hated him, but getting to know 30 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: him now I respect him all the more. Plus he's 31 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: got a very good sense of humor about the whole thing, 32 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: at least when he's off the field. We're going to 33 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: talk about that, his bad boy reputation, his very impressive stats, 34 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: and of course his thoughts on the upcoming baseball playoffs. 35 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: Playoff Baseball, there is nothing like it. You also can 36 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: see him doing his thing as a game analyst on 37 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: Fox or on his incredible new show, foul Territory, which 38 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: he hosts every single day of the week. Now for 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: your listening pleasure, everybody here, he is the most hated 40 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: man in the game. My pal aj Persinski, Burble and Squeak. 41 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: I love it burble and squeak, Ana, burble and squeak. 42 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: I cook it every mon lift over from the nine before. 43 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: What's up? Aja? What's up? 44 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 2: Brian? How are you, buddy? 45 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm good. How are you? 46 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,679 Speaker 2: I mean I am just working my rear end off 47 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: and trying to keep up with you. That's about it. 48 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: I was wondering if you were on suicide watch this 49 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: week after your little football game last weekend. 50 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 2: I wiped it right from my memory banks already. See here, 51 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 2: here's the problem. I have like a Gator helmet, and 52 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: I have Gator duct tape, and I have all these 53 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 2: Gator jerseys. But you can't see me, so there's no 54 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 2: reason for me to have all these props hanging around. 55 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: Well, you see my shirt. 56 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: I wore this, Thank god, I cannot see that. 57 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: I wore this for you today. Bulldogs started out okay, yeah, 58 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: so is Florida. They're going to be terrible, right. 59 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: I mean, I hope not. I mean I don't want 60 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 2: them to be terrible, but I would like for him 61 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 2: to be decent. You know, listen, I get it was 62 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 2: a tough way to in Utah and all that, but 63 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 2: I mean, first play of the game two defenders run 64 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 2: into each other and you give up a seventy five 65 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 2: yard bomb, It's usually not a good omen for a 66 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: good season. 67 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: That was a great start. God, that was so good. 68 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: That was so good. Listen. I'm rooting for you guys 69 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: to at least be somewhat respectable so I can I 70 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: can get down there to Jacksonville again. That was That's 71 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: always entertaining. 72 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 2: Are you going to show your face this year at 73 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 2: the game? 74 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: I mean it kind of depends right there, worth be 75 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: traveling across the country to see a fifty two to 76 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: seven drumming? 77 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 2: Those are the best ones? Are you kidding me? I 78 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: remember for years that was the best part about going 79 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 2: to Florida Georgia. Florida fifty two Georgia seven. 80 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: Right, well, listen, good luck the rest of the year. 81 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: I appreciate that. I do want to ask, are you 82 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: not a Tennessee fan? 83 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: I am not a Tennessee fan. They're my second favorite team. 84 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 1: You were recruited to go to Tennessee, as I understand, 85 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 1: and play baseball. You didn't do that, but you have 86 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: no allegiance there because of that. 87 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I have no allegiance other than I mean my 88 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 2: claim to fame for my Tennessee allegiance is that I 89 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: went on a recruiting trip and Peyton Manning was there 90 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 2: the same weekend. I mean, other than that, there's really 91 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 2: nothing to my Tennessee fandom. I mean I got to 92 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 2: meet Peyton Manning when he was in high school. But 93 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 2: other than that, it was. 94 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: Oh, you were there the same weekend being recruited. 95 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, we were there on our official visits the 96 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,040 Speaker 2: same exact weekend. I mean we kind of you know, 97 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 2: this is this is Peyton Manning. I'm like, who the 98 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 2: hell's Peyton Manning? And he's like, who the hell are you. 99 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 2: I'm like, yeah, we're on the same. 100 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: Team, all right. Unbelievable. So let's go back to Little 101 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 1: AJ's early days. So you were born in New York, 102 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 1: which I did not know that, But then you you 103 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: went before high school down to Florida. What why Florida? 104 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: Why did you go down there? 105 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 2: Well, my parents moved when I was two, so I mean, 106 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: I don't know, I don't even remember being in New York. 107 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 2: I consider myself from Orlando. Honestly. We moved because my 108 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 2: dad was a builder, and that was right when Disney 109 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 2: World hit and so it was a big building boom. 110 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 2: So we moved down there and then my parents end 111 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: up being divorced real young and they both still are around. 112 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: They're both still around the Orlando area where I live. 113 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 2: But i mean, yeah, people were like, oh, you were 114 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: born in the Hamptons, you must be rich. I'm like, no, dude. 115 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,119 Speaker 2: My parents were Polish potato farmers that you know, had nothing, 116 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 2: and my dad was a contractor that had to move 117 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 2: to Orlando to make ends meet. My mom worked at 118 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: the phone company. 119 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: Right. Were they into baseball? Were they into sports? 120 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 2: My dad definitely is. My dad played rugby at a 121 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 2: very competitive level. He also played basketball, Like my dad, 122 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 2: you know it, played basketball and did a bunch of 123 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 2: stuff in high school. My mom, you know, was around it. 124 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 2: You know, back then, women's sports were a little different. 125 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: It wasn't as easy, but my dad definitely was involved. 126 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: And yeah, my dad was still. My dad's like seventy 127 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 2: seven years old now and he's still like, is fighting 128 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: to play rugby. I mean he's got two knee replacements 129 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: and all kinds of broken bones, and he's like, I 130 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: want to get out there again. I'm like, Dad, like 131 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: that's time. 132 00:06:57,839 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: It sounds like you actually. 133 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: Well, I don't think. I don't think I want to 134 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:03,599 Speaker 2: play rugby anytime soon. 135 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: But yeah, all right, well fair enough. Did you play 136 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: other sports besides baseball growing up? 137 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,119 Speaker 2: I did. I played basketball till my sophomore year high school. 138 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 2: I never played football, though, which is kind of weird. 139 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 2: I don't know why, but I played. I was on 140 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: like the golf team in middle school, and you know, 141 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: did some other flag football and stuff like that. Never 142 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: tackle football. 143 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: I never did either. It's so funny because I feel like, 144 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: as a kid we played football all the time. But 145 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: I don't know if if organized football wasn't as big 146 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: then or something, I. 147 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 2: Didn't either, So for me, it was more I always 148 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 2: liked baseball and so like when it came to tackle 149 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: football time. I mean, growing up in Florida, you played 150 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: baseball year round, so there was a fall season and 151 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 2: then we went right to basketball in the winter, and 152 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 2: then in the spring it kicked into baseball and you 153 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 2: played that till the end of the summer. So it 154 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: just never was an option. And then when I moved, 155 00:07:57,720 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: I lived in Orlando. Then I moved to a little 156 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 2: small town called Brooksville, which not a lot of people 157 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 2: have heard of and it's outside Tampa. And it was 158 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 2: a very tiny little town, which is great when you're 159 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 2: ten to fifteen years old to grow up in, right, 160 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, everybody, everybody knows you, and so 161 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: it just never was a thing. And then when I 162 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 2: moved back to Orlando my sophomore year high school, I 163 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 2: was like, oh, I'm gonna try out for the basketball team. 164 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 2: And you know, in Brooksville, you know, I was six 165 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 2: foot one and I was like, okay, I'm pretty good. 166 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: And then we got to Orlando and I went to 167 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 2: a school with five thousand kids and they had these 168 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: six foot six dudes jumping over me. I'm like, yep, 169 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 2: time to focus on baseball. 170 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: You know, my family is from Orlando too. My mom 171 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:40,439 Speaker 1: grew I didn't know that. 172 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: Where'd she go to high school? 173 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: She I don't know, I don't, I mean, but like 174 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: Orlando proper, like she was from there and then went 175 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: to Florida State. 176 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 2: Oh so she's like my wife. I'm so sorry. 177 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: Well I don't know if my mom is like your wife, 178 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:58,439 Speaker 1: but well no. 179 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 2: I mean she went to my wife went to Florida State. 180 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: In Florida State. 181 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I'm thinking, like I mean, I'm guessing 182 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,200 Speaker 2: your mom is about my parents' age. My stepdad went 183 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 2: to like Boone High School or Clonal. 184 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: I think that's it. 185 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 2: The Boone Braves probably, I think that's it. That would 186 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 2: probably be like the main one that's been around here forever. 187 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I honestly think that's it. I think she went 188 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: to Boone. 189 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I need to get her name. I'll ask my stepdad. 190 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 2: Maybe they was, you know, they went to prom together 191 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 2: or something back and. 192 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: Then maybe maybe they did. Yeah, I mean, my grandfather 193 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: was one of thirteen kids, you know. I mean he 194 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: was born in Georgia's so a bunch state in Georgia, 195 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: but a bunch actually migrated down with my great grandparents 196 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: to Orlando. Yeah, okay, Yeah. 197 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 2: My stepdad's family was all born in like Moultrie, from 198 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 2: South Georgia, and then they moved down. My stepdad's dad 199 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 2: owned a service station and down area called South Street, 200 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 2: which is like dead downtown now, but back then it 201 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 2: was kind of like the suburbs. 202 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,079 Speaker 1: Right, and they ran a motel, not a hotel, a 203 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: motel okay, and had a restaurant. Right, I'll look this up. 204 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 1: So you decide basketball is not your thing baseball. Now, 205 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: at what point, I like to ask people this. You know, 206 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 1: we all do activities as kids, sports or the arts 207 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: or whatever. At what point for you is there a 208 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 1: transition between like I'm a kid hitting a ball to like, oh, 209 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: this is what I really want to do or did 210 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: you just suddenly realize you were just better than everybody else? 211 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 2: Honestly, it was kind of the fall of my junior year. Okay, 212 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 2: I mean I played JV freshman and sophomore year in 213 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 2: my high school. I say school was gigantic, so you 214 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 2: have to understand how big it was. And I was 215 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 2: on JV and I was there was a good chance 216 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: I was going to be on JV my junior year 217 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 2: again because we had a senior catcher and he ends 218 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 2: up getting hurt. And I also grew like four or 219 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 2: five inches and put on like thirty or forty pounds 220 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:08,319 Speaker 2: between my sophomore and junior seasons. But I also was young, right, 221 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 2: So I didn't turn sixteen until the middle of my 222 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 2: junior year, So I'm December thirtieth. Wow, So I turned 223 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 2: sixteen December of my junior year, so I mean it 224 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 2: was already so I was actually a year ahead of 225 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 2: my parents liked me so much it made me start 226 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: school a year early, right, They couldn't wait to get 227 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 2: me out of the house. So like, I graduated just 228 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 2: having turned seventeen, as opposed to most people are eighteen, 229 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 2: some kids are nineteen now. And so I was a 230 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 2: little bit of a later bloomer. And then I put 231 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: on a bunch of way and grew between my sophomore 232 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 2: and junior year, and then the kid ended up getting 233 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 2: hurt and it was like whoa. When I came back 234 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 2: to school, the coaches were like, wait a minute, are 235 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 2: you the same kid that was here last year? And 236 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: so once I got the strength was when it kind 237 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 2: of started clicking a lot more. And I'll never forget 238 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 2: my junior year. We started playing a tournament and I 239 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 2: don't know, I do okay, Like I get like one 240 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 2: hit in like ten at bats or something, and my 241 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: best friend's dad, I'll never forget this to that day. 242 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: He comes up to me and kid I grew up 243 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 2: with forever and his dad comes up to me. His 244 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 2: son had just graduated from the school, and he comes 245 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 2: up to me and goes, man, you know what you know? 246 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 2: You need to use the phone? And I was like 247 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 2: for one, He's like, you need to call one hunter 248 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 2: get a hit, and I was like, oh okay. It 249 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 2: was like that right, And I've never forgotten this day 250 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 2: and that day. That day we had a game and 251 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 2: I hit my first high school home run and I 252 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,719 Speaker 2: was like okay. I was like basically fuck off now 253 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 2: as I'm running around the bases and you know I now, 254 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: And then from that moment on, I was like, okay, 255 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 2: I can do this, like I can I belong now. 256 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,559 Speaker 2: But it was like one of those things where he didn't. 257 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: I mean, he meant it as a joke, but I 258 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 2: was still like pissed because I was like, who are 259 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 2: you to say this to me? 260 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: You were high school teammates with I did not know 261 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:54,079 Speaker 1: this With Johnny Damon. 262 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, he was way better than me though, like I said, 263 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: he was a senior. I was a sophomore. I was 264 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 2: on JV, he was on he was number one prospect guy, 265 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 2: Johnny Damon and super good. And then you had me 266 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: on JV flailing along. But yes, we were at high 267 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: school the same time. We're still super close. And I 268 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 2: actually saw him yesterday you did, yeah, ran into him randomly, 269 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 2: saw him at sushi. I went in to get sushi 270 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 2: and he was sitting in there with his wife and 271 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: his seventeen kids. 272 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: Seventeen kids, that's right. So at what point do you 273 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: start thinking about playing baseball beyond high school? 274 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 2: Well, it's kind of after that, Like after the summer 275 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 2: after my junior year was when it like really got 276 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,080 Speaker 2: crazy because then all of a sudden, you start hearing 277 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,719 Speaker 2: from these schools. Right, And this was back when you 278 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: had to actually send mail. There was like no emails 279 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 2: and there were like cell phone I'm going to Instagram 280 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 2: you or DM you and Twitter or whatever, so you 281 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 2: had to get you got mail. And my high school 282 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 2: coach was like, hey, there's a lot of schools that 283 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 2: have seen you and they really are interested. What do 284 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 2: you think? And I was like, well, I don't know 285 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 2: anything about it. And I went to this thing that summer. 286 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: There's a company now called Perfect Game is like the 287 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 2: industry leader, I guess you'd say, in like recruiting in 288 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 2: youth baseball. There's a few of them, but Perfect Game 289 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 2: was kind of the first one. They used to be 290 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 2: called Team One, And I went to this thing in Cincinnati, 291 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 2: Ohio called Team One National Showcase, and they brought basically 292 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 2: like the top, like seventy sixty five players in and 293 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 2: we did a workout and then we played games. And 294 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 2: after that, I mean, every school is called, like they're 295 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 2: all like, you know, we want you to come here. 296 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 2: I want you to come here, and like we already 297 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 2: kind of talked about. My school I want to go 298 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 2: to was Florida, Like I mean, I was like, I 299 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 2: grew up a Gator fan. My family went there that 300 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 2: had lived in Florida. And I was like, you know, 301 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 2: I want to go to University of Florida. And the 302 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 2: coach calls me I'll never forget my junior year and 303 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 2: says summer in my junior year, says, hey, I can't 304 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 2: recruit you. And I was like what. He's like, yeah, 305 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 2: three kids in a row from your high school have 306 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 2: signed here and they all signed professional. I'm on the 307 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 2: hot seat. I can't take the chance of you not 308 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 2: coming here. And I was like, listen, there's only one 309 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 2: school that I promise you I will go to. It's 310 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 2: University of Florida, and will I'll give you my word. 311 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 2: He's like, I can't take chance. I've heard that from 312 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 2: Johnny Damon before and then he signed right and I 313 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 2: was like, well, I mean I respected that, but at 314 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 2: the same time, I was kind of pissed about it. 315 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 2: You know, I was like, well, if I can't go 316 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 2: to Florida, I'll go to their biggest rival, which is Tennessee. 317 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 2: And you know if I play them and we could 318 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 2: kick their ass? 319 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: Did you mean it? Do you think? By the way, 320 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: spoiler alert, he signs a letter to go to Tennessee 321 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: and never goes because you get drafted in ninety four. 322 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: But with Florida, you would have gone. 323 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 2: I really believe I would have gone. Yes. I mean 324 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 2: I can't say a million percent, but listen, if there were, 325 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 2: like I said, if there was one school that I 326 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 2: would have said yes to and I would have gone, 327 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 2: it would have been Florida. That was the only one. 328 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: Because once I signed with Tennessee, like my heart was 329 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 2: there kind of, but it wasn't like I'm invested. I 330 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 2: grew up as a fan of this team. I rooted 331 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 2: for this team. I go to football games for this team. Right, 332 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 2: it was like, Okay, I went there once on a 333 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 2: visit and they played University of Georgia and they killed 334 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 2: them by like fifty two points. So I mean I 335 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 2: rooted for him. Once, but other than that, I didn't 336 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: really care about him. 337 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: Talk me through, how aware are you that you're going 338 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: to be drafted professionally? Like do you know this is it? 339 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: Is it a crab shoot? Like like where are you at? 340 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: Because you're you're like, okay, I'm going to Tennessee, but 341 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: you're going to enter the draft. What's that process like? 342 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 2: So the process is you just play right and then 343 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 2: get through. You get through your senior year, and the 344 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: draft was different. It was like at the beginning of 345 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 2: June and you end your high school season in like 346 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 2: early May in Florida, mid May, and so you start 347 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 2: hearing from these teams and they're like, they're saying, we 348 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 2: think you're going to get drafted anywhere from this play 349 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 2: to this spot, and we're going to draft you in 350 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 2: this spot if you fall to us. And you're thinking, 351 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 2: all right, this is a real possibility. So I kind 352 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: of sat down my parents and said, Okay, what's the 353 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 2: number signing bonus wise that will accept And we kind 354 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 2: of remember this was almost thirty years ago now, and 355 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 2: and we kind of got to that number and they're like, well, 356 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 2: you know what about school, And I was like, well, 357 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 2: they pay for school. So they'll tell you, like they'll 358 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 2: give you four years of school that you can go 359 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 2: after you're done playing if you don't make it. Even 360 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,360 Speaker 2: if you do make it, they'll pay for four years 361 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 2: of school. So it gets time to draft time. Back then, 362 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 2: you sat there literally with like a you just sat 363 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 2: at your house. There was no again, there was no internet, 364 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 2: there was no MLB network, there was no draft coverage. 365 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 2: It was just you got a phone call. And so 366 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 2: the draft, you know, the draft starts to like let's 367 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 2: say one PM, and you're sitting there waiting. You're trying 368 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 2: to guess like where they're at in the draft, and 369 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 2: you're thinking, okay, well this team said they're gonna draft me. 370 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 2: Here did they did it? The phone finally rings because 371 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 2: you're like, you know, please nobody call the house from 372 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 2: like one to five pm, right, because god, you call 373 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 2: waiting or the click team calls and I don't it 374 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 2: gets a busy sign, right, are they not gonna draft me? 375 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: Right? 376 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 2: So I get a call and I pick it up 377 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 2: and it's the Minnesota Twins calling the GM and he says, hey, 378 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 2: you know, this is Terry Ryan and the GM of 379 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 2: the Twins. We draft you seventieth. I think it was 380 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 2: overall third round and a Scott will be in touch 381 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 2: and click, oh okay, that's it. I mean that was 382 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 2: literally it. That was the phone call like cool, that's 383 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 2: so amazing. Yeah, we'll be in touch in the next week. Wait, 384 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 2: what what do I do? And then so you know, 385 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 2: a couple of days later, the scout local scout calls me. 386 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 2: He would watch me and convince them to draft me. 387 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 2: He shows up my house and says, you know, I'm 388 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 2: the guy who drafted you, dad, dah, here's our contract offer. 389 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 2: And then you're like, well, okay, it's not exactly what 390 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 2: I wanted, but little negotiation and I think within two 391 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 2: days we had figured out. I mean, I wanted to 392 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 2: go play. At that point, I was like, I don't 393 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 2: want to waste time, you know, arguing over ten thousand dollars, 394 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 2: which is a lot of money. But back then I 395 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:32,640 Speaker 2: was like, you know, I'm seventeen years old. I got 396 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 2: enough money, you know, I thought last I mean, I 397 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 2: got you know, six fakers. I was like, man, I 398 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 2: am rich for the rest of my life, right, you know. 399 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 2: And my parents were good and said, yeah, if you 400 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:43,360 Speaker 2: want to go play, we support you. And they gave 401 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 2: me four years of school. They basically matched tuition at 402 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 2: Tennessee for four years and went away and signed and 403 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 2: went and played. But I tell you what, it was 404 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 2: a hard phone call to like the Tennessee coaches to say, 405 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: you know, I'm signing because they had recruited you. They 406 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 2: put their time and effort into their kind of counting 407 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 2: on you to show up. So that was a hard 408 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 2: phone call. But uh, you know, people always ask me, 409 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 2: do you wish you would have gone to college? The 410 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 2: answer is no. But would I tell other people to 411 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 2: go to college? Almost exclusively, I would say yes, because listen, 412 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 2: you have understayd. I was a lot different than most 413 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 2: kids at that age. I didn't drink, and I didn't 414 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 2: really go out, and I didn't party, and I didn't 415 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 2: do anything. I was just baseball, baseball, baseball. So I 416 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,160 Speaker 2: was just ready to go. And then when you sign, 417 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 2: you go to the minor leagues. You know these guys 418 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 2: are you know you play with twenty kids out of college. 419 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 2: I'm seventeen. These kids are twenty one, twenty two. They're 420 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 2: going out and drinking, and I'm like, I'm not even eighteen. 421 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 2: I can't even vote yet. Like you guys, have you 422 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 2: guys have fun? Uh. 423 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 1: We didn't talk about this before, but I'm curious because god, 424 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: it sucks to me. I you know, I played baseball 425 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: growing up. We've talked a little bit about that. I 426 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 1: played catcher for a very short period of time. I 427 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,360 Speaker 1: don't know, how the hell are you doing? I mean no, 428 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: I mean like it it has to be physiological in 429 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: some way, right, I mean, have you ever talked to 430 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: any other catchers about that? I mean, it has to 431 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: be your thighs, you're growing, it's so difficult. Did you 432 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: just love that? Did you love being in the middle 433 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: of it? What was it about catching that made you 434 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: stay there? Or were you just that good at it? Well? 435 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 2: I mean have you You've obviously met me, so you 436 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 2: know that I love like being in the middle of shit. Yeah, right, 437 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 2: So that's right when I was I think it was 438 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 2: about eight years old, right. Our catcher on our little 439 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 2: league team was hurt. They're like, hey, we need someone 440 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 2: to catch, and I literally was like, I'll do it, 441 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:36,199 Speaker 2: I'll try it. And I fell in love with it 442 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 2: one because here's the thing, Like, as a catcher, you 443 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 2: are involved in every single play and you're the only 444 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 2: position where all the eyes are on you at all times. Right, 445 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,239 Speaker 2: every every fielder is looking at me. I'm like the rooster. Right, 446 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 2: I'm like, let's go right plus plus back. Then you 447 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 2: got all the cool gear. I mean you got a 448 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 2: bigger bag because you had catcher's equipment. Right. Everyone else 449 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 2: had a bat and a glove. I had chest protect 450 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 2: in a mask. Right, I had to wear a cup. 451 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 2: I'm like, man, this is cool. And so I just 452 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 2: it just continued because I was in the middle of 453 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 2: every play. Like before that, I kind of played shortstop 454 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 2: and you know, you get like two balls a game, 455 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 2: but screw that, man, this is every pitch. And then 456 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 2: you know, the physical part of it is that. Honestly, 457 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm very lucky genetically. I guess I need 458 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 2: to thank my parents. But like, I have no problems 459 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:28,719 Speaker 2: like knees hips, anything, back arm I literally have no 460 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 2: problems at all. And people are like, there's no way 461 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 2: you caught two thousand games in the big ones. I'm like, 462 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 2: I promise you, I have no issues at all. Now, 463 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 2: if you ask people that know me, they'll say mentally, 464 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 2: I'm fucked up, but yeah, physically I can. I tell 465 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 2: people all the time, Like I could go catch a 466 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 2: game tomorrow. I mean I'd be sore, obviously, but I 467 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 2: could physically do it. 468 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: No. 469 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:48,199 Speaker 2: Do I want to do it? No, because I know 470 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 2: what it takes to get there. But I mean I 471 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 2: physically could go tomorrow and be like I catch, I 472 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 2: catch nine innings tomorrow. I might not be able to 473 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 2: hit hit a baseball because I haven't done it so long, 474 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 2: but I could. I could catch it. Still. 475 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: You get drafted by the Twins, you decide to go. 476 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: You go to the Gulf Coast League Twins, the Elizabethton Twins, 477 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 1: Fort Wayne Wizards, Fort Myers Miracle, New Britain rock Cats, 478 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: and the Salt Lake Buzz. Tell me a little bit 479 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: about that time. Is it difficult for you or did 480 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: you love it? 481 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 2: The traveling down Listen, I loved it because I was, 482 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,959 Speaker 2: like I said, I was like this baseball, baseball, baseball 483 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 2: all the time. Heck, my life is still like baseball. 484 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 2: It's like, jeez, even my kid plays baseball. My gosh, 485 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 2: can we play something else? But listen, when I signed, 486 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 2: I went to Golf Coast League, and I was, you 487 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 2: get these kids from all over the country, right, I 488 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 2: was from Florida, I went to Fort Myers. They're like 489 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 2: so hot, and I'm like, dude, this is great. I 490 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 2: played three games a day in this I'll play all 491 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,360 Speaker 2: day long, right, and these other kids from up north 492 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 2: are dying. Then I went to Fort I went to 493 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 2: Fort Wayne to start the next year, which is my 494 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 2: first full season ninety five, and I was there for 495 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 2: about a month or and a half and I got mono. Right. 496 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 2: I got Mono in Appleton, Wisconsin. I'll never get it 497 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 2: hit me. We had like a thirteen hour bus ride 498 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 2: and I was like dying. I'm literally like I'm going 499 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 2: to die on this bus right here because I was 500 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 2: in so much pain from like, I guess your spleen 501 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 2: gets messed up. So I was just laying on this 502 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 2: bus and everyone's like, you know, quarantined away from me 503 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 2: because they're like, we don't want anyone else to get this, right. 504 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 2: So I ride thirteen hours on this bus, get back, 505 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 2: and then they're like, all right, well you have to 506 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 2: go home. So I went home for six weeks, right, 507 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 2: lost about forty five pounds because if you've ever had mono, 508 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 2: you can't do it. I couldn't walk to the end 509 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 2: of my driveway and it was a short driveway to 510 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 2: get the garbage cans out and wanting to go back 511 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,000 Speaker 2: to sleep. So I come back after six weeks and 512 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,080 Speaker 2: they send me to Elizabeth In which is in North Carolina, Tennessee. 513 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 2: It was a great old town and I show up 514 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 2: and I'll never forget because Fort Wayne was it was 515 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:05,479 Speaker 2: a ball and we had the brace nice brand new 516 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 2: stadium and all these fans. He show up at elizabeth 517 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 2: and it's like this wreck park, and I never forget. 518 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,199 Speaker 2: I drove out with my mom and I said, welcome 519 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 2: to the show on the on the side of the thing. 520 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 2: And my mom looks at me and goes, man, what 521 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,520 Speaker 2: the hell did you do to deserve this? And I 522 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 2: was like all right? And so I went and played. 523 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 2: And the first day back I had to catch a 524 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 2: doubleheader and I hadn't played in six weeks. And they're like, 525 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:30,239 Speaker 2: are you okay, And I'm like yeah, and I'm like, well, 526 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,160 Speaker 2: the other catcher's flights delayed, so you're the only catcher 527 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 2: we got, so we need you to catch, you know, 528 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 2: both ends of the double And I'm like, man, no, 529 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 2: probably whatever did it? Boom? And the trainer at the time, 530 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 2: a guy named Dave Prumer, who ended up being a 531 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,199 Speaker 2: big league trainer for the Twins. He's like, we need 532 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 2: you to put weight back on, so how are you 533 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 2: going to do it? And I'm like, I don't know. 534 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 2: He's like, I want you to go and eat fast food. 535 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 2: And there's a dairy queen. There was a dairy queen 536 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 2: across street. He's like, you get dairy queen every day 537 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 2: and you eat ice cream until you put the weight 538 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 2: back on. So literally, I come into the ballpark with 539 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 2: dairy Queen, a peanut buster park fane. I was like 540 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 2: shoveling in the cow because I was I mean I 541 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 2: was so skinny. 542 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,439 Speaker 1: Right, Baseball unlike any other sport, right, I mean that life, 543 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: those years leading up to making in the big leagues, 544 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: that's you feel that, right, It's unique to anything else. 545 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 2: It's the best I tell people. Like people are like, oh, 546 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 2: the minor leagues are horrible. Yeah they were at the time, 547 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 2: but you look back on them and like, those guys 548 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,640 Speaker 2: are like your guys. I mean those are still my friends. 549 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 2: I mean, big leag friends are big leag friends. But 550 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 2: once you make it and you kind of got some 551 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 2: money and you got some success, it changes you a 552 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 2: little bit. It haes. It just naturally does. Right. Everyone's like, oh, 553 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 2: I'm the same, but you change, You just naturally do 554 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 2: because you have money and you kind of like, well 555 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 2: I can afford better stuff, and I'm you know, like 556 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 2: this and that, right, But I mean think about this. 557 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,639 Speaker 2: We're you know, you're twenty years old. Okay, I'm in 558 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 2: Fort Myers, twenty years old, making a thousand bucks a 559 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 2: month before taxes. Right, We're trying to find a place 560 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 2: to live. So we stuffed five of us into a 561 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 2: you know, three bedroom apart. One guy's on the couch, 562 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 2: one guy's on the air mattress, three of us get beds, 563 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 2: and you're trying to figure out, all right, well, how 564 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 2: we get seven dollars a day meal money on the road? Well, 565 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 2: what the hell can you? And you got to give 566 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 2: five of it to the clubhouse guys. You're really trying 567 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 2: to live off two dollars a day, which is impossible. 568 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 2: And so you just become tight with those guys because 569 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 2: you're all going through the same things. Everyone's struggling to 570 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: get by on a daily basis. How can we make 571 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 2: this more fun? And then again, now this is before 572 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 2: cell phones and all the stuff that happens. But I mean, 573 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 2: you know, you could go to a bar and you 574 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 2: could have fun and get away with a little bit 575 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 2: more than you can now because of no cell phones. 576 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 2: But you know, we were like, man, where can we 577 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 2: find like cheap drinks and where can we find cheap food? 578 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 2: And we bought an electric grill from like Costco or 579 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,119 Speaker 2: Sam's Club, right, and we would get Omaha steaks at 580 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 2: the beginning of the year, like we would all split it, 581 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 2: like the four of us, five of us, we'd split 582 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,640 Speaker 2: it and we'd get a thing and that would last 583 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 2: us all year. We grill on this little electric grill. 584 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 2: We get like a canopies from publics and that was 585 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 2: like dinner. It was like a canopies or velveta shells 586 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 2: and cheese with tuna fish and a cantatoon am. Like 587 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 2: that was just dinner lunch. I mean, that was just 588 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,400 Speaker 2: how you did it. And it was it wasn't even 589 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 2: like a It was great because we were all eating 590 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 2: the same crap and doing the same crap, and we're 591 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 2: all together and it was all right, we're going to 592 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 2: get through this somehow. And that's the bond you get 593 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 2: in the minor leagues is as special, especially guys you 594 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 2: play with a bunch and kind of come up with 595 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 2: is where it's all about. 596 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've ever heard this, but Aj 597 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:32,199 Speaker 1: and I we play in a few golf events together, 598 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 1: one on the corn Ferry Tour. I was once told 599 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: this that they intentionally pay the corn fairy players less 600 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: because they are trying to make them hungry to work 601 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: as hard as they can to move out of it. 602 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 1: That there is more money that they could siphon to 603 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 1: them based on the financial models, but they want to 604 00:27:57,400 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: keep them hungry. Do you think that there's a similarity 605 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 1: in minor leagues. 606 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 2: It's changed now. It used to be I think like that, 607 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 2: but now MLB bought the minor league some mainztlam baseball, 608 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 2: and now it's a different model. Now it's they treat 609 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 2: them better, they feed them better, they house them better. 610 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 2: I mean we were on our own for housing. I 611 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 2: mean I remember I got to play in the Hawaii 612 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 2: Hawaii for winter ball for three months, so I lived 613 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 2: in Honolulu two thousand dollars a month. Okay in Honolulu. 614 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 2: This is nineteen ninety seven, still twenty five years ago. 615 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 2: But if you've never been to Honolulu. Explain how you're 616 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 2: supposed to. That's before taxes now, so it's really only 617 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:34,199 Speaker 2: one thousand bucks a month. You got to find a 618 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 2: place to live, you gotta find food, you got to everything. Car. 619 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 2: We had to rent a car, so two of five 620 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 2: of us lived in a two bedroom apartment in wan 621 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 2: Waikiki Beach. There was the cheapest department we could find, 622 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 2: and we all rented one car. So we all had 623 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 2: to go to the same places together. And you're like, okay, 624 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 2: well we'll make it work. We had a Jack in 625 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 2: the box like four times a week. 626 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety eight, you finally make the big leagues 627 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: with the twins. What's it like walking on the field 628 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: for the first time. 629 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,240 Speaker 2: So on our show my podcast that I do foul Territory. 630 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 2: The other day, we had Mark McGuire on Okay. In 631 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety eight, a year with all the home run record, 632 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 2: Chase went with him and Sosa. That's right, first day 633 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 2: I get called up from Salt Lake City to Anaheim 634 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 2: or playing the Angels. Okay, So never forget this first 635 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 2: date and the days easy. It was nine eight ninety eight, 636 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 2: so it's super easy to remember. Was the day, Mark 637 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 2: McGuire hit sixty two. So we walk out on the 638 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 2: field for batting practice and we're on the West coast 639 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 2: there in Saint Louis. Everyone stops and on the big 640 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 2: screen on Anaheim and they have the they show the 641 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 2: is it bad? And he hits the home run. The 642 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 2: place goes crazy. I'm like, damn, this Big League is 643 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 2: kind of cool, like they do it every day or 644 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 2: what and it was and Mark McGuire's like, damn, you know, 645 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 2: you know, I'm glad I could be a party in 646 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 2: your memories. And I was like, yeah, I mean, something 647 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 2: you'll never forget as a human being, right, And then 648 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 2: you know, And then I didn't play in that first game, 649 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: but I mean it was just you're taking everything in 650 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 2: and we were just staring at everything and watching everything 651 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 2: and trying to figure everything out. And I got to 652 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 2: actually get in the next day, which was my debut, 653 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 2: and they put me in like the fifth inning and 654 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 2: we were losing like seven nothing. They're like, yeah, don't 655 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: get go catch and I was like, oh shit. You know, 656 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,320 Speaker 2: you're always a little bit nervous. I don't, but you're 657 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 2: just more excited because you're like, oh man, am, I 658 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 2: am I good for this? Right? I can I do 659 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 2: this on this look? And I run out there and 660 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,240 Speaker 2: I remember I throw the ball to second base between 661 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 2: ings and I mean I launched it into center field. 662 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: And Ron Gardenhire was our third base coach and he 663 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 2: was the end up being our manager for the Twins. 664 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 2: After that, he just sicks at me and goes, nice 665 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 2: fucking throw and I was like, are you waiting? Saw that? 666 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 2: And it was kind of like a nice breaking moment. 667 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 2: And I'll and I remember my first at bat and 668 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 2: I walk up to the plate and we're in Anaheim 669 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 2: and I was facing Omar Oliveris and I'm just in 670 00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 2: my head, I'm just like, I just don't want to 671 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 2: strike out. I don't care what I do. I'm just 672 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 2: I'm not striking out my first I'm gonna proved to 673 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 2: myself that I can hit a major league picture. And 674 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 2: I hit a ground balled a second and I was 675 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 2: so happy. I just ran to first ran off and 676 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 2: I was like, Okay, I can hit a major league picture. 677 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 2: And from I was just believed happy. And it's one 678 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 2: of the few times in life where you're making out 679 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 2: and you're you're super excited about it. 680 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: Wow, with Tom Kelly still the manager. 681 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:22,280 Speaker 2: Then he was Yeah, okay, Crotchy the old bastard. 682 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I'm about to blow your mind here, Aja. 683 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:32,120 Speaker 1: I used to regularly watch you play baseball in Minnesota. 684 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 1: I was based in Minnesota. I'm blowing your mind until 685 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: two thousand and three. I was there. I was doing 686 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: theater in town. Maybe you came to watch me if 687 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,240 Speaker 1: you tried to get cultured once or t what now? 688 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:48,280 Speaker 2: The only the only theater I went to is I 689 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 2: went to a pink concert once in a theater there. 690 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 2: I don't know what theater it was. 691 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:54,479 Speaker 1: I don't think that's the kind of theater that I 692 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: I was doing. Yep, I used to. I used to 693 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: go to Twins games, uh as a as a childhood 694 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: fan of the Atlanta Braves. I was not a Twins fan, 695 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: but I remember going. 696 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 2: I was not either, by the way, because I was 697 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 2: a Braves fan. I I mean I growing up in Florida. 698 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 2: I was a Braves fan. Like Dale Murphy was my guy, right, 699 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 2: oh right, that was me. So they beat him in 700 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 2: ninety one, Yeah, and I was. And then I get 701 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 2: drafted by him, like I fucking hate you guys, Like 702 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 2: all the teams like, but yeah, I mean I was 703 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 2: a Braves fan. I mean I listen, I you know, 704 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 2: I got to finish my career with the Braves, so 705 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 2: it was great. But my favorite, you know, we're talking 706 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 2: about Murphy. Murph by the way, if you haven't met him, 707 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 2: he's like the greatest human being in the world. So 708 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 2: the first time I'm in spring training, I have my 709 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 2: son with me, right, and the Braves were notorious for 710 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 2: like not having kids in the clubhouse, not having kids around. 711 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 2: I'm just like, screw this. I'm thirty eight years old. 712 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 2: I'm breaking all the rules. So I had my kid 713 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 2: out there with me, and uh, Murph walks up and 714 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 2: he's he introduced himself to me. He's like, Hi, I'm 715 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 2: Del Murphy. And I'm just like, uh, my son's like 716 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 2: what he looks at me. He's like eight years old 717 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:03,920 Speaker 2: at the time. He's like, dad, what's wrong with you? 718 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 2: And I'm like, dude, like this is my guy. Girl, 719 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 2: Like I don't know what to say to him. He's like, 720 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 2: who is it, you know, because he doesn't know I'm 721 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 2: like Dale Murphy. He's like, who the hell is Dale Murphy? Right, 722 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 2: and he starts talking to him whatever, But like that 723 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 2: was you know, when you grow when you meet the 724 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:18,719 Speaker 2: guy and he's even nicer in person than you've heard, 725 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 2: especially like a guy you grew up rooting for, it 726 00:33:20,840 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 2: makes it really special. 727 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: That's awesome. I love to hear that, and I love 728 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,800 Speaker 1: to hear that there is a person that would do 729 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: that to you. I've never witnessed it, but I liked 730 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: that there's a person that would do it. 731 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 2: He was the one. He's probably the one person I've 732 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 2: ever met where I was like, Okay, this is like 733 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 2: my favorite person of all time. 734 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: Yeah again. 735 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: And I had heard all these stories about what a 736 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 2: nice guy he was, and then when you talk I mean, 737 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 2: when you talk to him, I mean, it blows your 738 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 2: mind with just what a nice fella he is and 739 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 2: just all the great career and he should be in 740 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 2: the Hall of Fame. And I'll die on that hill. 741 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. For me, it was three of the guys that 742 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 1: played with you, Glavin, Smoltz and Maddox understood. 743 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, you're a fairweather. You didn't like 744 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:02,239 Speaker 2: them when they sucked in the eighties, you liked him 745 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 2: in the nineties when they were good. 746 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 1: Oh, Murphy was my guy. Early on. Murphy was my 747 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,880 Speaker 1: guy early on. But yeah, those guys, I loved watching them. 748 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: You leave the Twin, you make the All Star Game 749 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: in two thousand and two, two thousand and three, you 750 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 1: have another solid year, You're traded to the Giants. You happy? 751 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 2: No, No, not at all. Listen, as an athlete, you 752 00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: always think you're going to be part of one organization 753 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 2: team that drafts you, develops, you get you to the 754 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,240 Speaker 2: big leagues. You're there. I was there for almost ten years. 755 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 2: You're like, I'm gonna be this for life. And I 756 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 2: was doing well. It wasn't like I was sucking, right, 757 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 2: So you think, man, I'm gonna be here forever, and 758 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 2: then they trade me, And honestly, I was not happy 759 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 2: at all. And the only thing I was happy about 760 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 2: is that San Francisco at the time was very competitive 761 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:49,840 Speaker 2: and Barry Bonds was the best player in the world. 762 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 2: So and I had known Barry from when I went 763 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 2: over to Japan with him in two thousand and two. Okay, 764 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,719 Speaker 2: so I wasn't going in blind, but man I was. 765 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 2: It just kind of the first I can't really describe 766 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 2: it would I don't know how I can put this 767 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 2: in acting terms. It would be like, all right, you're 768 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 2: on the office and you're like, okay, I'm gonna be 769 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:07,799 Speaker 2: in the office for the twenty years, okay. And then 770 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:09,239 Speaker 2: they call you and like, oh, by the way, no 771 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:12,439 Speaker 2: we treat You're on Seinfeld now right, And you're like, wait, 772 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,439 Speaker 2: what this is weird? And you walk in the first 773 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 2: day and it's not that anything's different other than like 774 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:21,480 Speaker 2: the uniform, but everything is different, like the clubhouse and 775 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,320 Speaker 2: the where you go and what you do. 776 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,640 Speaker 1: And your routine yeah yeah, and the people so. 777 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, so so, but it's still baseball. But you're like, gosh, 778 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 2: this is just weird. And plus, you know, I'm East 779 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:36,359 Speaker 2: coast guy, Florida. You know, San Francisco's about as far 780 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 2: as way as you can get. My parents are like, 781 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 2: we can't watch the games. Then I'll start till ten o'clock. 782 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 2: And so, I mean, it's just little things like that. 783 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:47,360 Speaker 2: And listen, San Francisco was a great city, great fans, 784 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 2: very passionate about the game. And listen, I got to 785 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 2: see the greatest baseball season I've ever seen two thousand 786 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:54,520 Speaker 2: and four. If you haven't seen it, look up Barry 787 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,320 Speaker 2: Bond's numbers that year. I mean, he walked two hundred 788 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,080 Speaker 2: he walked two hundred and seventy times or some I 789 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 2: mean his numbers. You're just and I got to stand 790 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:04,200 Speaker 2: there and have a front row seat to it, so 791 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 2: I would never change anything about it. But yeah, when 792 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:09,399 Speaker 2: you get traded the first time, it hurts and it's hard. 793 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:11,879 Speaker 1: What about your move to the White Sox. 794 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 2: H Well, I was released by the Giants after the year. 795 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:16,400 Speaker 2: I had a good year, but they didn't want to 796 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 2: pay me more money. So I go to the White 797 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:21,839 Speaker 2: Sox and people always question, like why the White Sox. Well, listen, 798 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,360 Speaker 2: I had other offers for more money, but when I 799 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 2: spoke to the White Sox, they were like, we've got 800 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 2: this team and we think it's going to be pretty special. 801 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 2: And I actually signed there for less than I could 802 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,439 Speaker 2: have gotten from other places, and we ended up winning 803 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:35,359 Speaker 2: the World Series that year. But listen, I grew up 804 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 2: a twin, right, I'm a Minnesota twin, and we hated 805 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,319 Speaker 2: the White Sox because they talked trash and we used 806 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 2: to just beat them, and every time we beat them, 807 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 2: they talked more trash. We're like, dude, we've beat yells 808 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 2: asked for three years and now four years we all 809 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 2: shut up and they would just keep talking. And so 810 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,759 Speaker 2: I get I signed over there, and I go to 811 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,120 Speaker 2: socks Fest, which is like their fan fest. And I 812 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 2: pull up in a car from the airport and we 813 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 2: go to this hotel and it's all white Sox people. 814 00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 2: My wife was with me, and I looked at her 815 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 2: and she looks at me, and he's like, this is 816 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 2: really weird for you, isn't it. I'm like, this is 817 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:06,239 Speaker 2: so fucking strange right now. And I walk in and 818 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:07,880 Speaker 2: I'm like, gosh, it's because I mean not you know, 819 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:09,920 Speaker 2: you brought up to take the teams in your division 820 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,320 Speaker 2: and so but I was there and uh, listen, great 821 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:15,879 Speaker 2: group of people there. It's obviously we won the World 822 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:17,759 Speaker 2: Series eight year, so it just was a perfect fit. 823 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: What do you consider yourself now, Wight suck Well? Is 824 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:23,399 Speaker 1: that because you won? 825 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:26,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely? I mean I played at the major league level 826 00:37:26,120 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 2: there the longest, and I think if you ask most 827 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 2: people they would say that there's some some Twins fans 828 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 2: and hang on to some of that. I listen, I 829 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 2: love the people. All the organizations I played in I 830 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 2: played in seven had have special people. But listen, you win, 831 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 2: you win with an organization and especially eighty eight years 832 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 2: and nothing. You know, you win with that organization. You 833 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 2: have special bonds with guys, and there's a lot of 834 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 2: people that I put that I were there when I played. 835 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 2: They're still there, so the bonds are still alive. Right, 836 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 2: Plus they pay me, so you know, I have to 837 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:57,560 Speaker 2: say nice things about them. 838 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 1: But if they weren't, you would say the same thing. 839 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, Like that's kind of home, right, Chicago's home. 840 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 2: I have to go there this weekend. It's it's just 841 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:10,279 Speaker 2: it's just home. 842 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: I gotta ask you about this. You the next year, 843 00:38:30,719 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: after two thousand and five, you win the whole thing. 844 00:38:33,200 --> 00:38:39,600 Speaker 1: You broke the American League record nine hundred and sixty 845 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 1: two errorless consecutive chances. You broke a record that was 846 00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:48,799 Speaker 1: fifty over fifty years old, Yogi bearra Is that the 847 00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:52,040 Speaker 1: stat that you're most proud of or is there something else? No? 848 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:54,959 Speaker 2: I never played another position. That's the one that people 849 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 2: are like, you never played first base or outfield? Nope, 850 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:00,719 Speaker 2: fuck off, I played one. I was a catch. But 851 00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 2: I can tell you what. I still remember the play 852 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 2: where I fucked that streak up, and I'm still pissed 853 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 2: about it. Really, yeah, it was a bunt. It was 854 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:09,719 Speaker 2: a butt down the first baseline. I threw it and 855 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:11,680 Speaker 2: I shorted it, and I was pissed at an Ergo 856 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:13,439 Speaker 2: for not picking it. So I'm still mad at you, Paul. 857 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:15,879 Speaker 2: If you listen to this. It was just a terrible throw, 858 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 2: but it was like a perfect bunt. Jerry Harrison hit it, 859 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:21,319 Speaker 2: bunted it down the first baseline and I was full 860 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:24,400 Speaker 2: sprint and I just shorted it and Paul missed it 861 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:26,479 Speaker 2: and they gave me an air and I was just like, well, 862 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:28,440 Speaker 2: I've been like a whole year without making an air. 863 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 2: I just fucked out one. 864 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 1: Let's see, let's just say people didn't like you playing 865 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:44,760 Speaker 1: against you. Ozzie Geean, your White Sox manager, once said 866 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:47,680 Speaker 1: this quote. I'm sure you've heard it. If you play 867 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:50,839 Speaker 1: against him, you hate him. If you play with him, 868 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:55,800 Speaker 1: you hate him a little less. You love that reputation. 869 00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 2: I love it. You know what it did for me 870 00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,839 Speaker 2: got me into professional wrestling and got me a lot 871 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 2: of opportunities off the field, And I think I think 872 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 2: people that that don't know me off the field, like 873 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:10,040 Speaker 2: it's like this is why, like professional wrestling is the 874 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:13,839 Speaker 2: perfect analogy for this. You have a wrestling character. That's 875 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 2: your character when the camera's on sort of acting. Right, 876 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,040 Speaker 2: you're acting, you're keV from the office, right, but then 877 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:20,719 Speaker 2: when you talk to you, you're not that guy in 878 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:21,360 Speaker 2: real life. 879 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:21,799 Speaker 1: Right. 880 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 2: It's a it's an act, right, So when I played. 881 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:26,719 Speaker 1: You put on an act when you played I. 882 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:28,319 Speaker 2: Don't want to know. I had to hate the other 883 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:31,359 Speaker 2: team to play well, to play well, that was my thing, 884 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:34,320 Speaker 2: and I had to just I had to boil myself 885 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:36,719 Speaker 2: up and I'd fake, I'd make it up, I'd make 886 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:38,360 Speaker 2: shit up. This guy said this when he might not 887 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 2: have said that, but in my mind he said that 888 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:42,880 Speaker 2: I'm coming and and that was just how I had 889 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 2: to do it. And it wasn't at listen, I don't 890 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:47,440 Speaker 2: recommend that to anybody because it's really hard. That's when 891 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:49,200 Speaker 2: I knew I was done. I couldn't do it anymore. 892 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:50,799 Speaker 2: I was like being nice to people, and I'm like, 893 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:52,520 Speaker 2: what the hell's wrong with me? Like, I get me 894 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 2: nice on the I'm like saying I do people on 895 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:55,239 Speaker 2: the field, like, no, this. 896 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:58,880 Speaker 1: Doesn't work, you're the game. 897 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,319 Speaker 2: No. Yeah I never did that. 898 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:08,200 Speaker 1: No, No, like Magic and Isaiah Thomas, but yeah the thing, yeah. 899 00:41:07,960 --> 00:41:10,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, like it was just different. I couldn't I 900 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:11,759 Speaker 2: couldn't get the hate I had to play with like 901 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 2: a hate And it sounds so dumb like to people 902 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,960 Speaker 2: that haven't really played, like we all have a motivation 903 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 2: in our life, right, Well, my motivation was thinking the 904 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:22,600 Speaker 2: other team hated me and I'm gonna show them, Like 905 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:25,000 Speaker 2: That's why if somebody's like, you can't do this, I'm 906 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,280 Speaker 2: like fuck you, like I'll kill myself trying to figure 907 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:30,000 Speaker 2: this out. So that was how I played on the 908 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:31,600 Speaker 2: daily baby, and that's why I also was able to 909 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:33,320 Speaker 2: play every day because I could fake it, like I 910 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:34,919 Speaker 2: mean when I'd mean fake it, like I could fake 911 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:37,920 Speaker 2: the other team's mad at me or hate it. And 912 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:40,120 Speaker 2: then so therefore it drove me to be like, all right, 913 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,040 Speaker 2: we're gonna go and I'm gonna fight every ounce of 914 00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:44,319 Speaker 2: me to try to win this game. And I think 915 00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:46,400 Speaker 2: that's the one thing if you ask, like, yes, you 916 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 2: ask Guzzie, because I've talked to Ozzie all the time still, 917 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:51,680 Speaker 2: like he'll tell you like he loved I mean, I 918 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 2: think I'll say this, but he has interviews like he 919 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:56,239 Speaker 2: loved having me on the team because I would show 920 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:58,279 Speaker 2: up every day and I'd get in people's asses and 921 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:00,840 Speaker 2: I'd be like, let's go. I was ready to go always, 922 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:02,319 Speaker 2: And that's why Ozzie and I got along because he 923 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:04,440 Speaker 2: played me every day and I wanted to play every 924 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 2: day and he was. There was never a question like 925 00:42:06,640 --> 00:42:08,200 Speaker 2: can you play? He knew if I showed up, I 926 00:42:08,239 --> 00:42:08,839 Speaker 2: was ready to go. 927 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:14,759 Speaker 1: Well, let me tell you something. I like truly like you. 928 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:18,240 Speaker 1: I think you're a great guy. You really make me laugh. 929 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:20,719 Speaker 1: As a player, I hated you. 930 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:21,840 Speaker 2: That's funny. 931 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:24,920 Speaker 1: I mean I wanted to get that year with Bonds 932 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:27,560 Speaker 1: that you're taught. I remember. I feel like I watched 933 00:42:27,640 --> 00:42:32,120 Speaker 1: every single pitch and I was like that mother like 934 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:35,279 Speaker 1: oh yeah, like I want. I wanted nothing but for 935 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:35,920 Speaker 1: you to fail. 936 00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:36,800 Speaker 2: So it worked. 937 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:38,320 Speaker 1: Whatever you were doing, it worked. 938 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:41,520 Speaker 2: So it became a running a running theme right of 939 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:45,560 Speaker 2: of my teammates. If we went to a away game 940 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:48,560 Speaker 2: and I didn't get booed, they're like, he's gonna suck. 941 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:50,560 Speaker 2: But if they stood up like it booed the shit 942 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:53,120 Speaker 2: out of me, they're like, oh, he's going deep today. 943 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:55,319 Speaker 2: And I was like, thank you, like because it got 944 00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:57,840 Speaker 2: me going, Like I mean, after the two thousand five playoffs, 945 00:42:57,840 --> 00:42:59,120 Speaker 2: you go to Anna and they bow the shit out 946 00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:01,640 Speaker 2: of me. Right. Teammates are like, oh no, I Reguly. 947 00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 2: We go to Wrigley, They're like ooh, and they're like, oh, 948 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:06,960 Speaker 2: they have no idea what they just did. I'm like, 949 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:11,439 Speaker 2: oh yeah, I mean I live for it, like I live, live, live, 950 00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 2: live for like the emotion. Because there's there's an old thing. 951 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:16,480 Speaker 2: I don't know who said it. You know, they don't 952 00:43:16,520 --> 00:43:18,400 Speaker 2: boo you for no reason. They bow you because you 953 00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:21,359 Speaker 2: broke their heart usually right, and they don't boot nobody's 954 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:22,920 Speaker 2: so to me. In my mind, I was like it 955 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 2: was a badge of honor, like the louder, the better 956 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:25,440 Speaker 2: bring it on. 957 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:29,120 Speaker 1: Is there ever anything that you did to instigate that 958 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:29,800 Speaker 1: you regret. 959 00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:33,239 Speaker 2: There's always things you look back on and say, man, 960 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:35,160 Speaker 2: I wish it wouldn't have done that. You know, I've 961 00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:37,719 Speaker 2: talked a lot of shit. I mean not. It wasn't 962 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:39,839 Speaker 2: a personal thing. It was more to myself, like I 963 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:42,120 Speaker 2: was talking. It would come out loud, but it was 964 00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:48,040 Speaker 2: more to myself, like it was a way I motivated myself. No, 965 00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:50,080 Speaker 2: you didn't have time, like Pete. That's always what people say, 966 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:51,879 Speaker 2: Oh you talked to people. I'm like, dude, there's no way. 967 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:53,960 Speaker 2: I don't have time. There's no time for that to 968 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,040 Speaker 2: be like, oh, you know, like the major league scene, 969 00:43:56,120 --> 00:43:57,640 Speaker 2: or oh I have pictures of your mother or whatever 970 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 2: Bull Durham, like you don't have time for that. Plus 971 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:01,640 Speaker 2: guy has a bat and I'm standing there with no bat, 972 00:44:01,719 --> 00:44:03,480 Speaker 2: like we're gonna I'm not gonna say them to a 973 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:07,960 Speaker 2: dude that can whack me with a bat. But I mean, 974 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:10,279 Speaker 2: like I would pop up and I'd be like you motherfucker, 975 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:12,160 Speaker 2: like you know, or I'd say a bad word and 976 00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:14,000 Speaker 2: throw my bat like that was a minute. The picture 977 00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 2: that was more mad at me, but the only one 978 00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:18,160 Speaker 2: I wish there was a There was a play when 979 00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:20,920 Speaker 2: in Minnesota. I stepped on Justin Moreno's foot. It was 980 00:44:20,960 --> 00:44:23,200 Speaker 2: an accident. It turned into a big deal and I 981 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:26,040 Speaker 2: played with Moren and and he thought, you know, I 982 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:27,800 Speaker 2: was like, look, man, I'm sorry. I apologized him to 983 00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,239 Speaker 2: do it right there, and it turned into a big 984 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:31,640 Speaker 2: to do and I was That's the one thing. I mean, 985 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:33,200 Speaker 2: I did a lot of others. There was one time 986 00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:35,960 Speaker 2: running off the field in San Francisco, fans were booing 987 00:44:35,960 --> 00:44:37,680 Speaker 2: the shit out. I mean, I was a giant at 988 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:39,080 Speaker 2: the time. Two thousand and four and I kind of 989 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:42,799 Speaker 2: gave the old scratch my face bird to a guy 990 00:44:43,239 --> 00:44:44,919 Speaker 2: and they caught it on camera and I got called 991 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:47,200 Speaker 2: into the office the next day and by the GM 992 00:44:47,239 --> 00:44:48,560 Speaker 2: and he's like, did you do this? And I was 993 00:44:48,600 --> 00:44:50,920 Speaker 2: like what, I'm scratching my face and he's like, really, 994 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:53,560 Speaker 2: like I'm smarter than that, and I was like, eh, well, 995 00:44:55,360 --> 00:44:57,400 Speaker 2: I like, you know, it's just all dumb shit do 996 00:44:57,440 --> 00:44:59,960 Speaker 2: you do over the course of my career and us, 997 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:02,839 Speaker 2: So there's not a lot that I would change. I mean, listen, 998 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:04,719 Speaker 2: when you get to a point when you have kids, right, 999 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:06,920 Speaker 2: I have an eighteen year old and a sixteen year old. 1000 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:09,319 Speaker 2: They know how the internet, so everything is out there. 1001 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 2: So there's things where like Dad, did you really do this? 1002 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:15,560 Speaker 2: Or did you do this? And yeah, I know, you know, 1003 00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:17,359 Speaker 2: it's not your proudest moment when your kids see when 1004 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:19,399 Speaker 2: you're in the middle of it, you know, say whatever 1005 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:20,880 Speaker 2: you want about me. But when my kids have to 1006 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:22,240 Speaker 2: read it, that's when it kind of hits home. 1007 00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:27,600 Speaker 1: Right. My favorite was, which I had forgotten about, but 1008 00:45:27,719 --> 00:45:33,920 Speaker 1: looking through the research on you that you successfully. By 1009 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:36,279 Speaker 1: the way, had a campaign in two thousand and six 1010 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:40,640 Speaker 1: to make the All Star Game, and the slogan was 1011 00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:43,719 Speaker 1: punch aj because you used to have to punch the 1012 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:48,560 Speaker 1: ballots and people wanting to punch you. That makes me laugh. 1013 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:51,400 Speaker 1: But the WW, did you ever consider doing more with that? 1014 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:55,279 Speaker 2: I did as much as I could. I mean, listen, 1015 00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:58,600 Speaker 2: I I've been in there. I did. WW was kind 1016 00:45:58,600 --> 00:46:01,120 Speaker 2: of like the Holy The only thing I got to 1017 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:02,440 Speaker 2: do with them is I got to do a couple 1018 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:04,600 Speaker 2: like standings. And then I got to do a thing 1019 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:07,319 Speaker 2: with Bob Barker, God Rest his soul, where they called 1020 00:46:07,360 --> 00:46:08,759 Speaker 2: me out of the crowd and I got to run 1021 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:11,920 Speaker 2: around and do some dumb shit with him, which is great. 1022 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:15,440 Speaker 2: I got to get in the ring, like I mean, listen, 1023 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:18,560 Speaker 2: I hit dudes with chairs, I hit dudes with home plates. 1024 00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:21,440 Speaker 2: I've hit dudes with all kinds of stuff, right, And 1025 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:24,319 Speaker 2: anyone that sells me wrestling's fake is listen. I know 1026 00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:26,400 Speaker 2: how hard I hit those sons of bitches with chairs 1027 00:46:26,440 --> 00:46:29,359 Speaker 2: and stuff. It ain't fake like I'm hitting them now. 1028 00:46:29,880 --> 00:46:33,640 Speaker 2: The endings might be scripted, well, listen, the action and 1029 00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:35,720 Speaker 2: the moves and all the stuff they do that's junk 1030 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:38,000 Speaker 2: is real, man, and I respect the hell out of 1031 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:38,560 Speaker 2: those dudes. 1032 00:46:39,640 --> 00:46:42,640 Speaker 1: The end of your career, you go to the Rangers, 1033 00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:47,759 Speaker 1: you go to the other Socks, the Red Sox, Cardinals, 1034 00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:52,400 Speaker 1: you finish with the Braves, and in twenty fifteen you 1035 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:55,719 Speaker 1: reach over two thousand games played. You mentioned it before, 1036 00:46:56,320 --> 00:47:00,520 Speaker 1: You're clearly proud of that, and had your tooth thousandth 1037 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:03,879 Speaker 1: career hit, something only thirteen other catchers in the history 1038 00:47:03,880 --> 00:47:06,080 Speaker 1: of the game is done. By the way, are you 1039 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:09,040 Speaker 1: aware of that milestone in the moment? Are you? Are you? 1040 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:10,520 Speaker 1: Are you gunning for it? 1041 00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:10,960 Speaker 2: Oh? 1042 00:47:11,040 --> 00:47:11,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. 1043 00:47:11,880 --> 00:47:16,000 Speaker 2: So in twenty six twenty fifteen, I finished like fifteen 1044 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:17,960 Speaker 2: hits short or something, and then so I'm like, well, 1045 00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:20,799 Speaker 2: I'm gonna play one more year to twenty sixteen. So 1046 00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:23,120 Speaker 2: I come out and I get off to an awful start, right, 1047 00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:25,839 Speaker 2: and I get to like thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine, 1048 00:47:26,239 --> 00:47:27,920 Speaker 2: and we have like a two games left in the 1049 00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:29,680 Speaker 2: home stand. My family all flew in and they all 1050 00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:31,360 Speaker 2: wanted to be there, and of course I go like, 1051 00:47:31,719 --> 00:47:34,000 Speaker 2: oh for eight with like seven strikeouts because I am 1052 00:47:34,040 --> 00:47:37,080 Speaker 2: trying my ass off right right to get this hit 1053 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:38,440 Speaker 2: in front of my family. And then we ended up 1054 00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:40,279 Speaker 2: going to Boston and I got it the next day. 1055 00:47:40,320 --> 00:47:42,320 Speaker 2: But it was like, I was kind of anti climactic 1056 00:47:42,360 --> 00:47:44,360 Speaker 2: because I did it, and I didn't do it in Atlanta. 1057 00:47:44,360 --> 00:47:45,800 Speaker 2: I did it in Boston. They didn't really give a 1058 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:47,719 Speaker 2: shit because I just played there and they you know, 1059 00:47:47,800 --> 00:47:49,759 Speaker 2: they didn't even like put it on the scoreboard or anything. 1060 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:50,960 Speaker 2: Would have been cool if they could have at least 1061 00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:55,319 Speaker 2: have been like congratulations, you know, but they didn't do anything. Well, 1062 00:47:55,320 --> 00:47:59,239 Speaker 2: my teammates obviously new but yeah, I was chasing it then. 1063 00:47:59,320 --> 00:48:01,120 Speaker 2: And the one that I'm I'm probably more proud of 1064 00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:03,239 Speaker 2: is that I have four hundred doubles, which is only 1065 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:05,719 Speaker 2: four catchers I think have ever done at the time. 1066 00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:08,279 Speaker 2: And I did that actually at the White Sox and 1067 00:48:08,320 --> 00:48:09,799 Speaker 2: that was so that was kind of cool my last 1068 00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:12,160 Speaker 2: year to do that at the against the White Sox 1069 00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:14,680 Speaker 2: in Chicago. That one was kind of the thing that 1070 00:48:14,719 --> 00:48:16,879 Speaker 2: I was like, Okay, the two thousand hits is great, 1071 00:48:16,920 --> 00:48:18,759 Speaker 2: but the four hundred doubles, And like I said at 1072 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:20,880 Speaker 2: the time, I think I was the fourth catcher to 1073 00:48:20,880 --> 00:48:21,400 Speaker 2: ever do it. 1074 00:48:22,160 --> 00:48:26,600 Speaker 1: That's awesome. You retire in twenty seventeen, What made you 1075 00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:27,520 Speaker 1: know it was time to go? 1076 00:48:28,120 --> 00:48:29,480 Speaker 2: I would we talked to me. I couldn't fake it. 1077 00:48:29,520 --> 00:48:29,920 Speaker 1: Anymore. 1078 00:48:30,560 --> 00:48:33,279 Speaker 2: I couldn't fake the I couldn't fake the hate. And 1079 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:35,680 Speaker 2: my kids, Listen, my kids were old when I retired. 1080 00:48:35,719 --> 00:48:37,680 Speaker 2: I mean I was thirty nine going on forty, right, 1081 00:48:37,680 --> 00:48:39,800 Speaker 2: so I was forty years old to turn forty in 1082 00:48:39,840 --> 00:48:42,400 Speaker 2: the offseason, and I knew I had a I was 1083 00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:45,040 Speaker 2: fortunate enough. I have a still worked for Fox and 1084 00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:46,719 Speaker 2: calling games, and they're kind of were like, hey, if 1085 00:48:46,719 --> 00:48:49,520 Speaker 2: you retire, we'll give you a job. And I was like, Okay, 1086 00:48:49,960 --> 00:48:51,759 Speaker 2: it means more time at home, but it also means 1087 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,719 Speaker 2: more time at home, right, Right, it's a hard thing. 1088 00:48:55,440 --> 00:48:57,560 Speaker 2: And you know, as in your profession of acting, like 1089 00:48:57,600 --> 00:49:00,920 Speaker 2: if somebody came to you with the wife or somebody 1090 00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:03,560 Speaker 2: was like, I need you to retire, and you in 1091 00:49:03,600 --> 00:49:05,920 Speaker 2: your heart you didn't believe that it was time, you 1092 00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:07,960 Speaker 2: would probably regret them for the rest of your life. Right. 1093 00:49:08,000 --> 00:49:09,520 Speaker 2: My wife would always say, I'm never going to tell 1094 00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:11,359 Speaker 2: you when it's time, because if I do that, you'll 1095 00:49:11,400 --> 00:49:13,440 Speaker 2: regret me for the rest of my life, because you 1096 00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:15,479 Speaker 2: would always think, man, you know, I should have kept playing, 1097 00:49:15,520 --> 00:49:17,440 Speaker 2: or I should have done this. And after twenty sixteen, 1098 00:49:18,560 --> 00:49:20,200 Speaker 2: it was just a hard I didn't have very good 1099 00:49:20,360 --> 00:49:22,680 Speaker 2: I had my worst year by far, and I was 1100 00:49:22,719 --> 00:49:25,480 Speaker 2: just I just wasn't in it. Just kind of was like, 1101 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:27,799 Speaker 2: all right, I'm dead. My kids were older, my kids 1102 00:49:27,840 --> 00:49:29,680 Speaker 2: were starting to do a bunch of stuff, like you know, 1103 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:31,799 Speaker 2: getting at the age where they're traveling a lot for 1104 00:49:31,840 --> 00:49:34,680 Speaker 2: their sports, and it was just time, right, And I 1105 00:49:34,719 --> 00:49:36,239 Speaker 2: remember looking at my wife and I was like, you know, 1106 00:49:36,280 --> 00:49:38,640 Speaker 2: it's time, and she's like, you sure is? You know, 1107 00:49:38,680 --> 00:49:40,080 Speaker 2: if you all support you, if you want to go 1108 00:49:40,160 --> 00:49:42,879 Speaker 2: try it again, and I was like, no, it's time. 1109 00:49:43,000 --> 00:49:47,040 Speaker 2: And I've never regretted my decision at all, and it 1110 00:49:47,080 --> 00:49:48,799 Speaker 2: was time. Do I wish I could have played more? 1111 00:49:48,840 --> 00:49:51,880 Speaker 2: Of course, you'll you'll always say, man, I wish I 1112 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:53,640 Speaker 2: could step in the batter's box one more time, or 1113 00:49:53,680 --> 00:49:55,080 Speaker 2: I wish I could do this one more time, But 1114 00:49:55,560 --> 00:49:57,640 Speaker 2: you can't, and so you have to be okay and 1115 00:49:57,680 --> 00:50:00,200 Speaker 2: you have to walk away with a conscious And I 1116 00:50:00,239 --> 00:50:02,120 Speaker 2: was listen my last game. I actually knew when my 1117 00:50:02,200 --> 00:50:03,920 Speaker 2: last game. The Braves came to me and said, hey, 1118 00:50:03,960 --> 00:50:06,800 Speaker 2: it's middle September. We're gonna start you in this game 1119 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:09,200 Speaker 2: and then we're probably either we're gonna put you on 1120 00:50:09,239 --> 00:50:11,080 Speaker 2: the d L or release you. And I was like 1121 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:13,359 Speaker 2: just put me on the DL we'll fake something. And 1122 00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:14,920 Speaker 2: so they said, okay, we're gonna start you in this 1123 00:50:14,960 --> 00:50:16,839 Speaker 2: Saturday game, so make sure all your family and friends 1124 00:50:16,880 --> 00:50:18,319 Speaker 2: are I'm like, okay, it's probably gonna be my last 1125 00:50:18,360 --> 00:50:22,040 Speaker 2: game ninety nine percent, right, So my last game, my 1126 00:50:22,160 --> 00:50:25,719 Speaker 2: last about came an extra innings and on it was 1127 00:50:25,719 --> 00:50:28,400 Speaker 2: a There was a Dansby Swanson was a great player, right, 1128 00:50:28,440 --> 00:50:30,359 Speaker 2: he was on second base, and he's a September call up. 1129 00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:35,920 Speaker 2: Brian Snicker the manager still the manager there, run around second, 1130 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:40,240 Speaker 2: no out, tie, extra innings, tie game, right, but Snicker 1131 00:50:40,239 --> 00:50:42,319 Speaker 2: gives me the bunt. I'm like, you gotta be he 1132 00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:44,799 Speaker 2: knows this is my last game, right, I'm I'm thinking 1133 00:50:44,840 --> 00:50:47,640 Speaker 2: to myself, I'm like, you gotta be fucking kidding or no, sorry, 1134 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:50,120 Speaker 2: Swanson was on first, Like you gotta be fucking kidding me. 1135 00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:52,880 Speaker 2: So I bunt and goes foul by like inches, and 1136 00:50:52,920 --> 00:50:55,279 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my gosh. Right, So next pitch, wild pitch. 1137 00:50:55,320 --> 00:50:58,680 Speaker 2: So now Danzy's on second and I look over and 1138 00:50:58,680 --> 00:51:00,399 Speaker 2: I'm like, there's no way he's gonna have me again, 1139 00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:02,800 Speaker 2: like he knows, and he gives me bunt. Whatever. It 1140 00:51:03,120 --> 00:51:05,480 Speaker 2: gets to three two, and I'm like, all right, now, 1141 00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:07,880 Speaker 2: I'll have the bunt with two strikes to end up 1142 00:51:07,880 --> 00:51:09,719 Speaker 2: get three two. I get a hit right when I 1143 00:51:09,960 --> 00:51:12,680 Speaker 2: get this hit, like kind of left center ish, and 1144 00:51:12,719 --> 00:51:15,920 Speaker 2: Cessmades is in left field and Swanson doesn't score, and 1145 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:17,719 Speaker 2: I'm like running the first, like, dude, this is my 1146 00:51:17,800 --> 00:51:21,120 Speaker 2: Derek Jeter moment. I just my last game nobody because 1147 00:51:21,160 --> 00:51:23,440 Speaker 2: nobody knew was my last game except for my teammates. 1148 00:51:23,840 --> 00:51:25,680 Speaker 2: Nobody else had any idea of the media and nobody, 1149 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:27,600 Speaker 2: And I'm like running the first, like, yeah, man, I 1150 00:51:27,680 --> 00:51:30,160 Speaker 2: just freaking walked him off in my last game. Derek 1151 00:51:30,239 --> 00:51:33,120 Speaker 2: Jeter blah blah blah, Swanson unscore. I'm like, son of 1152 00:51:33,160 --> 00:51:36,600 Speaker 2: a bitch. Then Stick or Pinch runs for me at first, 1153 00:51:36,640 --> 00:51:38,600 Speaker 2: and I'm like, well, if we don't score this winning 1154 00:51:38,680 --> 00:51:40,600 Speaker 2: run with Noel, it's like I'm done and that sound's 1155 00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:43,480 Speaker 2: gonna end like so anyways, we end up scoring the 1156 00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:45,759 Speaker 2: run and whatever, the celebration breaks out, you know, walk 1157 00:51:45,760 --> 00:51:49,160 Speaker 2: off Land and Freddie Freeman dumps me with gatorade and 1158 00:51:49,320 --> 00:51:51,000 Speaker 2: I have my son out on the field with me 1159 00:51:51,120 --> 00:51:53,960 Speaker 2: and he's running around and the whole deal, and I 1160 00:51:54,000 --> 00:51:56,520 Speaker 2: know Dave O'Brien, I'll never get tweeted out. At the time, 1161 00:51:56,680 --> 00:51:58,360 Speaker 2: is still a beat writer for Lanta, and he says, 1162 00:51:58,560 --> 00:52:01,399 Speaker 2: I think Perzinski is retired right now, but nobody knows 1163 00:52:01,440 --> 00:52:04,480 Speaker 2: about it. And he had it and he had it 1164 00:52:04,520 --> 00:52:06,080 Speaker 2: and he had no And then after the game they 1165 00:52:06,080 --> 00:52:08,319 Speaker 2: started asking me all these questions and I was like, 1166 00:52:08,520 --> 00:52:10,600 Speaker 2: I don't know, you know, I don't know what's happening. 1167 00:52:10,600 --> 00:52:13,279 Speaker 2: You know, No, just a big win. We're happy we 1168 00:52:13,360 --> 00:52:16,040 Speaker 2: beat the Mets and they're in the playoff race and yeah. 1169 00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:17,880 Speaker 2: And then the next day my ship was cleared out 1170 00:52:17,880 --> 00:52:19,279 Speaker 2: and I was gone. But it was like one of 1171 00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:22,280 Speaker 2: those just nobody knew except my teammates and my family, 1172 00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:24,200 Speaker 2: and you know, it was it was an emotional day, 1173 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:26,640 Speaker 2: but you know it was it was it was a 1174 00:52:26,680 --> 00:52:29,120 Speaker 2: cool way to go out. And they were like, you know, 1175 00:52:29,160 --> 00:52:30,640 Speaker 2: we can do we can announce this and we can 1176 00:52:30,680 --> 00:52:32,040 Speaker 2: do a big thing. And I said, you know what, 1177 00:52:32,480 --> 00:52:34,239 Speaker 2: I was never like a big pro It was never 1178 00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:36,440 Speaker 2: like a top hundred prospect. I came in kind of 1179 00:52:36,440 --> 00:52:37,840 Speaker 2: with no fanfair. I just kind of want to go 1180 00:52:37,880 --> 00:52:39,880 Speaker 2: out and only have my family know. And that was 1181 00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:41,239 Speaker 2: kind of how they let me go out. And it 1182 00:52:41,280 --> 00:52:42,080 Speaker 2: was it was awesome. 1183 00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:46,160 Speaker 1: Wow, that's awesome. Speaking of your son, I know he 1184 00:52:46,239 --> 00:52:48,920 Speaker 1: plays ball now, I know you've been coaching a little bit. 1185 00:52:49,400 --> 00:52:50,680 Speaker 1: Does he have aspirations? 1186 00:52:51,520 --> 00:52:55,000 Speaker 2: He does? He does? He you know what, he's first 1187 00:52:55,000 --> 00:52:56,560 Speaker 2: of all, first and part, let me say this about 1188 00:52:56,560 --> 00:52:59,719 Speaker 2: both my children. They're amazing kids, which I care about 1189 00:52:59,719 --> 00:53:03,280 Speaker 2: way more than the sports side of it. My daughter, 1190 00:53:03,360 --> 00:53:05,440 Speaker 2: she's a senior. She's going to Mississippi State to play 1191 00:53:05,520 --> 00:53:06,399 Speaker 2: volleyball next year. 1192 00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:07,280 Speaker 1: Awesome. 1193 00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:09,759 Speaker 2: So and then my son is a junior. He's kind 1194 00:53:09,760 --> 00:53:13,040 Speaker 2: of going through the recruiting stuff right now. But listen, 1195 00:53:13,040 --> 00:53:15,720 Speaker 2: their first and foremost, they're good kids, which is way, way, 1196 00:53:15,760 --> 00:53:18,480 Speaker 2: way better if they If my son wants to try 1197 00:53:18,480 --> 00:53:22,640 Speaker 2: to follow in my footsteps or try to make himself 1198 00:53:22,680 --> 00:53:26,440 Speaker 2: a professional baseball player, then I'll support him. I just 1199 00:53:26,640 --> 00:53:28,880 Speaker 2: you know, I always tell them and it's really really hard, 1200 00:53:29,360 --> 00:53:31,960 Speaker 2: and it's a hard life. And it is. Yes, the 1201 00:53:32,080 --> 00:53:34,839 Speaker 2: rewards are fantastic, off the charts, but getting there and 1202 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:36,680 Speaker 2: what you have to go through is really hard. So 1203 00:53:36,840 --> 00:53:39,680 Speaker 2: just know that you better enjoy the grind to get 1204 00:53:39,719 --> 00:53:41,600 Speaker 2: to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 1205 00:53:43,680 --> 00:53:47,439 Speaker 1: Well, I think that's true for for everything. I think 1206 00:53:47,600 --> 00:53:49,800 Speaker 1: you know, you got to you got to really love something, 1207 00:53:50,120 --> 00:53:52,600 Speaker 1: not focus on the end, but be willing to go 1208 00:53:52,680 --> 00:53:54,560 Speaker 1: through what you what you have to to get there. 1209 00:53:54,640 --> 00:53:57,960 Speaker 2: Right, Well, no, I think I tell like I help 1210 00:53:58,000 --> 00:53:59,640 Speaker 2: coach my son's high school team. I'm like, you have 1211 00:53:59,680 --> 00:54:02,520 Speaker 2: to love the grind, and the grind is every day 1212 00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:05,960 Speaker 2: showing up, putting in the work, lifting the weights, running 1213 00:54:05,960 --> 00:54:08,680 Speaker 2: the sprints, hitting off a tee. You have to love 1214 00:54:08,719 --> 00:54:10,880 Speaker 2: that part of it because anyone loves the hits with 1215 00:54:10,920 --> 00:54:13,040 Speaker 2: the fans and the admiration you get for that. But 1216 00:54:13,239 --> 00:54:15,359 Speaker 2: when no one's looking, that's when you're, like, you find 1217 00:54:15,400 --> 00:54:17,960 Speaker 2: out who really loves whatever you do. Like, I'm sure 1218 00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:20,200 Speaker 2: for you. I mean, how many times have you read 1219 00:54:20,239 --> 00:54:22,200 Speaker 2: in the mirror, like the lines right when no one's 1220 00:54:22,200 --> 00:54:25,040 Speaker 2: paying attention, just to get try to get apart right 1221 00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:26,560 Speaker 2: and then all of a sudden, boom you get the 1222 00:54:26,600 --> 00:54:28,719 Speaker 2: part and you're, oh, man, this is all worth it. Right, 1223 00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:31,160 Speaker 2: But let's say that never happens. But you got to 1224 00:54:31,200 --> 00:54:33,359 Speaker 2: figure out a way to keep going after it. Well, 1225 00:54:33,400 --> 00:54:35,160 Speaker 2: that's the way the sports are, right. It's like you 1226 00:54:35,239 --> 00:54:38,040 Speaker 2: have to figure out a way to keep going until 1227 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:40,719 Speaker 2: that moment comes where everything comes together and it works out. 1228 00:54:40,760 --> 00:54:42,200 Speaker 2: It doesn't always work out. 1229 00:54:42,640 --> 00:54:47,560 Speaker 1: Do you think your son would need to self motivate 1230 00:54:47,880 --> 00:54:50,960 Speaker 1: as you do? Do you see yourself and him that way? 1231 00:54:51,239 --> 00:54:53,239 Speaker 2: No? No, oh god, my son is complete. He is 1232 00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:55,320 Speaker 2: like superni kid is like the night. Like he's the 1233 00:54:55,440 --> 00:54:58,399 Speaker 2: kids that when they have new kids at school, they're 1234 00:54:58,400 --> 00:55:00,000 Speaker 2: always like, we're gonna put him with him because he's 1235 00:55:00,120 --> 00:55:02,120 Speaker 2: nice and he'll be nice to him. Oh no, that 1236 00:55:02,200 --> 00:55:04,600 Speaker 2: was not me. Trust me. I don't know him, and 1237 00:55:04,719 --> 00:55:06,719 Speaker 2: we always My wife and I joked that, like my 1238 00:55:06,960 --> 00:55:11,360 Speaker 2: both my kids have all of our personality traits, you know, 1239 00:55:11,680 --> 00:55:14,279 Speaker 2: divided up, and my son got like my daughter is 1240 00:55:14,320 --> 00:55:16,600 Speaker 2: by far and I was called she's not mean at all, 1241 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:19,239 Speaker 2: but she definitely has the meaner traits to her than 1242 00:55:19,280 --> 00:55:23,319 Speaker 2: my fight. Oh definitely. And my son is just very 1243 00:55:23,400 --> 00:55:26,520 Speaker 2: He's very nice, very polite, very respectful. Not not that 1244 00:55:26,560 --> 00:55:30,319 Speaker 2: I wasn't, but he definitely doesn't have like the I'm 1245 00:55:30,320 --> 00:55:32,759 Speaker 2: gonna I'm gonna rip your fucking head off, you know, 1246 00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:34,920 Speaker 2: like I mean, he he has it more. It's quieter, 1247 00:55:35,000 --> 00:55:35,960 Speaker 2: it's not like out there in. 1248 00:55:35,960 --> 00:55:57,720 Speaker 1: The right now. You're working for Fox Sports full time. 1249 00:55:58,480 --> 00:56:01,640 Speaker 1: You started doing postseason back in twenty eleven, when you 1250 00:56:01,640 --> 00:56:04,600 Speaker 1: were still playing. What made you want to do that 1251 00:56:05,160 --> 00:56:06,280 Speaker 1: while you're still playing? 1252 00:56:06,640 --> 00:56:09,200 Speaker 2: It actually started, which is gonna sound funny, in two 1253 00:56:09,239 --> 00:56:12,960 Speaker 2: thousand so there was an old show on Fox called 1254 00:56:13,000 --> 00:56:16,440 Speaker 2: Best Damn Sports Show, Yeah, which with like Tom Arnold, 1255 00:56:16,520 --> 00:56:19,919 Speaker 2: right yeah, and Chris Rose and John Sally. So every 1256 00:56:19,960 --> 00:56:21,759 Speaker 2: time I go to LA they call me and say, hey, 1257 00:56:21,760 --> 00:56:23,200 Speaker 2: will you come on Best Damn Sports Show? And I 1258 00:56:23,239 --> 00:56:24,680 Speaker 2: was like, sure, it's fun. It's an hour, you know, 1259 00:56:24,760 --> 00:56:26,279 Speaker 2: go down there and hang out with those guys. And 1260 00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:29,120 Speaker 2: so we do that when I was still playing. And 1261 00:56:29,160 --> 00:56:31,520 Speaker 2: then in two thousand and four they called me and say, hey, 1262 00:56:31,560 --> 00:56:33,200 Speaker 2: will you do our postseason for us? And I was like, 1263 00:56:33,239 --> 00:56:34,959 Speaker 2: what do you mean. They're like, come here for three 1264 00:56:35,040 --> 00:56:38,160 Speaker 2: weeks and run us from the lcs's all the way 1265 00:56:38,160 --> 00:56:40,359 Speaker 2: to the World Series. I'm like sure, So I did. 1266 00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:42,160 Speaker 2: I was there for three weeks, right. Well, then all 1267 00:56:42,200 --> 00:56:44,319 Speaker 2: the people that worked on that show are now like 1268 00:56:44,400 --> 00:56:47,319 Speaker 2: all the heads of Fox. I mean, they have all 1269 00:56:47,400 --> 00:56:51,799 Speaker 2: like up the ladder, and so through time, you know, 1270 00:56:51,840 --> 00:56:53,719 Speaker 2: I became obviously you know, I don't want to say 1271 00:56:53,760 --> 00:56:55,279 Speaker 2: friends with them, but like we knew each other. And 1272 00:56:55,320 --> 00:56:56,880 Speaker 2: in two thousand and six, they called me and say, hey, 1273 00:56:56,880 --> 00:56:58,640 Speaker 2: will you help us from around in the postseason. So 1274 00:56:58,680 --> 00:57:00,960 Speaker 2: I did it thousand and six we had won the 1275 00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:02,919 Speaker 2: year before, and I do it a round with him. 1276 00:57:03,000 --> 00:57:05,600 Speaker 2: And then in twenty eleven they called me and say, hey, 1277 00:57:05,600 --> 00:57:07,279 Speaker 2: we want you to to do pre and post and 1278 00:57:07,640 --> 00:57:09,480 Speaker 2: run through it. And I was like, yeah, this sounds awesome, 1279 00:57:09,520 --> 00:57:11,320 Speaker 2: Like this'ould be a great opportunity. You get to go 1280 00:57:11,360 --> 00:57:12,600 Speaker 2: to the World Series, you get to go to the 1281 00:57:12,680 --> 00:57:15,440 Speaker 2: you know, the Alcs and do all this fun stuff. 1282 00:57:15,440 --> 00:57:18,240 Speaker 2: And it was Chris Rose who had known for you know, forever, 1283 00:57:18,640 --> 00:57:22,280 Speaker 2: and Eric Carros and and show up this You'll love 1284 00:57:22,320 --> 00:57:25,840 Speaker 2: this your first day, never done this before. Live. We're 1285 00:57:25,880 --> 00:57:30,880 Speaker 2: in Texas. Two hour raind lay. Okay, good two hour raindler. 1286 00:57:30,920 --> 00:57:33,440 Speaker 2: So it's Chris Rose eye and they take Eric Carros, 1287 00:57:33,800 --> 00:57:35,360 Speaker 2: who was our third guy, and they put him in 1288 00:57:35,360 --> 00:57:37,120 Speaker 2: the dugout in case a player walks out so we 1289 00:57:37,120 --> 00:57:40,080 Speaker 2: can get an interview during the rain delay. So Chris 1290 00:57:40,120 --> 00:57:42,520 Speaker 2: Rose and I filled for two hours, just the first 1291 00:57:42,560 --> 00:57:44,760 Speaker 2: day I've ever done this job. And I'm like, man, 1292 00:57:44,760 --> 00:57:46,520 Speaker 2: this is this is how it goes. Every time they 1293 00:57:46,520 --> 00:57:49,320 Speaker 2: were laughing, joking like this isn't always like this, but 1294 00:57:49,880 --> 00:57:52,120 Speaker 2: you know, it was just it was fun and I 1295 00:57:52,240 --> 00:57:54,240 Speaker 2: liked it, and you know people, you know people, when 1296 00:57:54,240 --> 00:57:57,040 Speaker 2: that light comes on, people can either talk or they 1297 00:57:57,080 --> 00:57:59,920 Speaker 2: can't talk. And it was just like I was just 1298 00:58:00,080 --> 00:58:03,080 Speaker 2: acting normal and they they liked it and I did it, 1299 00:58:03,600 --> 00:58:05,280 Speaker 2: but then they can Once I retired, they came in 1300 00:58:05,400 --> 00:58:06,960 Speaker 2: and said, hey, do you want to do this full time? 1301 00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:09,360 Speaker 2: And I was like sure, and listen. The first game 1302 00:58:09,400 --> 00:58:12,160 Speaker 2: I ever did was Yankees or Yankees Raised in Tampa 1303 00:58:12,560 --> 00:58:15,640 Speaker 2: with Kenny Albert and it was awful. Dude. There's no training. 1304 00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:19,760 Speaker 2: I'm sitting there and they're like talk and You're like 1305 00:58:19,800 --> 00:58:23,680 Speaker 2: about what, right, Like what do I talk about? I 1306 00:58:23,720 --> 00:58:26,040 Speaker 2: mean not that I was like, not that I was nervous, 1307 00:58:26,080 --> 00:58:29,080 Speaker 2: but three hours is a long time to fill, right, 1308 00:58:29,280 --> 00:58:31,720 Speaker 2: even with the game in front of you. And because 1309 00:58:32,240 --> 00:58:34,240 Speaker 2: it's not like you do a game. It's not like 1310 00:58:34,240 --> 00:58:36,440 Speaker 2: you practice, not like use a school to go to. 1311 00:58:37,000 --> 00:58:40,280 Speaker 2: It's literally like the light comes on, right talk Okay, 1312 00:58:40,520 --> 00:58:43,360 Speaker 2: but yeah, I mean it's a learning it's still learning process. 1313 00:58:44,160 --> 00:58:49,080 Speaker 1: Your new show is so fun, so such a such 1314 00:58:49,120 --> 00:58:53,080 Speaker 1: a different kind of show than we've uh than really 1315 00:58:53,080 --> 00:58:58,760 Speaker 1: we've seen in baseball before. With Todd Frazier, Adam Jones, 1316 00:58:58,960 --> 00:59:03,320 Speaker 1: Lorenzo Caine, brock Hold, Jason Kipnis, Eric Krat, Scott Braun 1317 00:59:03,880 --> 00:59:07,480 Speaker 1: Foul Territory? Are you having fun doing it? 1318 00:59:08,120 --> 00:59:09,840 Speaker 2: I am. The problem is, man, it's a lot of work. 1319 00:59:09,880 --> 00:59:12,160 Speaker 2: I didn't realize these podcastings are so much work. 1320 00:59:12,600 --> 00:59:13,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know. 1321 00:59:13,680 --> 00:59:15,400 Speaker 2: See, I'm not big time like you, Brian. I can't 1322 00:59:15,440 --> 00:59:17,440 Speaker 2: show up and someone has these notes written down for me. 1323 00:59:17,480 --> 00:59:19,760 Speaker 2: And I just asked the questions right, Like I have 1324 00:59:19,800 --> 00:59:21,880 Speaker 2: to actually have to do research. I mean, we have 1325 00:59:21,920 --> 00:59:23,920 Speaker 2: guests on every day. This is I do it Monday 1326 00:59:23,920 --> 00:59:27,640 Speaker 2: to Thursday and listen. Foul Territories is awesome and I 1327 00:59:28,080 --> 00:59:29,880 Speaker 2: and the thing that we just talked about, like me 1328 00:59:29,960 --> 00:59:32,720 Speaker 2: working for Fox, but this has helped me so much 1329 00:59:32,760 --> 00:59:35,320 Speaker 2: in my broadcast because I am talking to guys every 1330 00:59:35,400 --> 00:59:38,800 Speaker 2: single day about baseball, so I know so much more. 1331 00:59:38,920 --> 00:59:41,920 Speaker 2: Like I always watched baseball, but I didn't dig into 1332 00:59:42,000 --> 00:59:44,040 Speaker 2: like what was happening not only in the game I'm 1333 00:59:44,080 --> 00:59:46,560 Speaker 2: covering that week, but around the league well every day. 1334 00:59:46,560 --> 00:59:48,080 Speaker 2: Now I have to know everything that's happening. 1335 00:59:48,360 --> 00:59:50,320 Speaker 1: That's what I was going to ask you. Yeah, are 1336 00:59:50,360 --> 00:59:52,960 Speaker 1: you watching games? Are you watching highlights? What are you 1337 00:59:53,000 --> 00:59:54,440 Speaker 1: What are you doing to prepare? 1338 00:59:54,640 --> 00:59:56,240 Speaker 2: I mean I have games on right now. I'm watching 1339 00:59:56,280 --> 00:59:58,760 Speaker 2: the afternoon games on the TV in the room i'm in. 1340 00:59:59,440 --> 01:00:01,840 Speaker 2: I watched the games and then after you kind of just, 1341 01:00:02,280 --> 01:00:04,360 Speaker 2: you know, luckily with it with social media, you can 1342 01:00:04,360 --> 01:00:06,400 Speaker 2: go on Twitter and Instagram and kind of see like 1343 01:00:06,440 --> 01:00:08,360 Speaker 2: the cool moments or they're not so cool, or people 1344 01:00:08,440 --> 01:00:10,640 Speaker 2: screw up, and I kind of know, like, Okay, we're 1345 01:00:10,640 --> 01:00:13,040 Speaker 2: gonna hit on this, or but I have to watch 1346 01:00:13,120 --> 01:00:15,640 Speaker 2: games and I love baseball, So for me, it's not 1347 01:00:15,800 --> 01:00:17,800 Speaker 2: it's not really work, but it is work. My wife's say, 1348 01:00:18,120 --> 01:00:19,840 Speaker 2: let's watch a show. I'm like, sorry, how they gotta work, 1349 01:00:19,840 --> 01:00:22,840 Speaker 2: gotta watch a games night. But it's just such a 1350 01:00:22,880 --> 01:00:24,880 Speaker 2: cool thing. And I work with just such great people 1351 01:00:24,920 --> 01:00:27,160 Speaker 2: behind the scenes to do things and get it all 1352 01:00:27,200 --> 01:00:30,200 Speaker 2: together and are so open to talking about whatever and 1353 01:00:30,280 --> 01:00:33,120 Speaker 2: the and it's unscripted. I mean, yes, there's like a 1354 01:00:33,200 --> 01:00:35,720 Speaker 2: rundown that it lists what you're supposed to talk about, 1355 01:00:35,720 --> 01:00:37,920 Speaker 2: but you know, you can talk about it. We can 1356 01:00:37,960 --> 01:00:40,920 Speaker 2: talk about anything and whatever we feel like talking about 1357 01:00:40,920 --> 01:00:43,320 Speaker 2: that day. We can go way off script and talk 1358 01:00:43,320 --> 01:00:46,640 Speaker 2: about this. Today we had Ken rosenthal On and Stanton 1359 01:00:46,720 --> 01:00:48,680 Speaker 2: John Carlos Stanton hit his four hundred homer, and I'm like, 1360 01:00:48,760 --> 01:00:51,680 Speaker 2: is John Carlos stan a Hall of Famer with Ken Rosenthal, 1361 01:00:51,680 --> 01:00:54,720 Speaker 2: who's the best insider in the business, And he's I 1362 01:00:54,720 --> 01:00:56,240 Speaker 2: don't know, you know, if he gets the five hundred 1363 01:00:56,240 --> 01:00:57,640 Speaker 2: is five hundred home runs? Is? 1364 01:00:58,400 --> 01:00:58,600 Speaker 1: You know? 1365 01:00:58,800 --> 01:01:00,400 Speaker 2: It's not. But if you think you know, it's not 1366 01:01:00,440 --> 01:01:02,560 Speaker 2: as easy of a question as you think. You're like, oh, 1367 01:01:02,600 --> 01:01:04,400 Speaker 2: five hundred, it's automatic, But then you look at some 1368 01:01:04,440 --> 01:01:07,440 Speaker 2: other stuff you're like, it is he though, So I 1369 01:01:07,440 --> 01:01:09,320 Speaker 2: don't know. It's just fun to talk about this with 1370 01:01:09,400 --> 01:01:11,240 Speaker 2: other players. And then we get the players on, and 1371 01:01:11,280 --> 01:01:14,520 Speaker 2: we get players on because we played, we're able to 1372 01:01:14,520 --> 01:01:16,280 Speaker 2: get them to open up and give us more than 1373 01:01:16,320 --> 01:01:19,280 Speaker 2: the normal interview. And it's just been so fun getting 1374 01:01:19,280 --> 01:01:21,200 Speaker 2: to know these people and letting fans see these people 1375 01:01:21,240 --> 01:01:22,080 Speaker 2: as human beings. 1376 01:01:23,320 --> 01:01:28,600 Speaker 1: It's perfect. I love it. It's so great. And and 1377 01:01:28,680 --> 01:01:33,080 Speaker 1: going live as you do five days a week has 1378 01:01:33,160 --> 01:01:37,640 Speaker 1: got to help you also, you know, with your broadcasting of. 1379 01:01:37,600 --> 01:01:40,000 Speaker 2: Course, I mean it's just practice. It's like with you 1380 01:01:40,080 --> 01:01:41,800 Speaker 2: in acting, right, the more roles you get, the more 1381 01:01:41,920 --> 01:01:45,840 Speaker 2: chance you get to be a character, the better you become. 1382 01:01:45,880 --> 01:01:46,960 Speaker 1: It that's right. 1383 01:01:47,440 --> 01:01:49,120 Speaker 2: By the way. Are your Dodgers going to win the 1384 01:01:49,120 --> 01:01:50,000 Speaker 2: World Series this year? 1385 01:01:50,280 --> 01:01:52,720 Speaker 1: Well that was my last question for you. What do 1386 01:01:52,760 --> 01:01:53,240 Speaker 1: you think? 1387 01:01:53,480 --> 01:01:55,560 Speaker 2: Well, because you said you're a bravesman, but every time 1388 01:01:55,600 --> 01:01:57,240 Speaker 2: I see you now you have a Dodger's hat on. 1389 01:01:57,320 --> 01:02:00,840 Speaker 2: You're Clayton Kershaw's ping pong tournament. You know you're over 1390 01:02:00,880 --> 01:02:02,400 Speaker 2: there with Magic Johnson Huggin. 1391 01:02:02,480 --> 01:02:02,680 Speaker 1: You know. 1392 01:02:02,760 --> 01:02:04,800 Speaker 2: I mean, are your Braves or your Dodgers? 1393 01:02:04,920 --> 01:02:07,400 Speaker 1: Just like just like you, I changed. Just like you, 1394 01:02:07,520 --> 01:02:12,040 Speaker 1: I changed. You've outed me now on the program. I 1395 01:02:12,120 --> 01:02:14,880 Speaker 1: was a huge Braves fan growing up and still was 1396 01:02:14,920 --> 01:02:17,680 Speaker 1: a Braves fan through my entire time in Minnesota and 1397 01:02:17,720 --> 01:02:20,840 Speaker 1: other places. As I was doing theater around the country, 1398 01:02:21,480 --> 01:02:26,160 Speaker 1: I moved to Los Angeles and I realized very quickly 1399 01:02:27,120 --> 01:02:30,320 Speaker 1: that I'm never leaving Southern California. I became a season 1400 01:02:30,360 --> 01:02:33,920 Speaker 1: ticket holder my first year in LA and remained that 1401 01:02:34,040 --> 01:02:37,840 Speaker 1: for many many years. And so I just changed. I changed. 1402 01:02:38,480 --> 01:02:41,080 Speaker 1: I love baseball and I wanted to be able to 1403 01:02:41,120 --> 01:02:44,880 Speaker 1: go and watch baseball, and so for me, that made 1404 01:02:44,880 --> 01:02:47,880 Speaker 1: me have to go all in. So now I'm all in. 1405 01:02:48,160 --> 01:02:50,160 Speaker 1: I really love the team this year. I love the 1406 01:02:50,200 --> 01:02:53,919 Speaker 1: team chemistry that they have, But I'm more curious what 1407 01:02:54,040 --> 01:02:56,439 Speaker 1: you think, do we have enough pitching to keep it going. 1408 01:02:58,440 --> 01:03:00,480 Speaker 2: Listen, those two teams are probably the best two teams 1409 01:03:00,520 --> 01:03:04,120 Speaker 2: in baseball. I mean that series they played last weekend 1410 01:03:04,280 --> 01:03:06,760 Speaker 2: was sick. It was such a good game. Every game 1411 01:03:06,840 --> 01:03:09,720 Speaker 2: was like great game. Right, the Stars came out to 1412 01:03:09,760 --> 01:03:13,360 Speaker 2: play Mookie Pacuna, Freddy like, the Stars are out right 1413 01:03:13,400 --> 01:03:15,919 Speaker 2: to play in those games. And I listen, I hope 1414 01:03:15,960 --> 01:03:19,280 Speaker 2: they that's the NLCS. I mean, I listen to Braves Dodgers. 1415 01:03:19,280 --> 01:03:21,919 Speaker 2: You could not beat that NLCS. I mean, the travel sucks. 1416 01:03:21,960 --> 01:03:23,760 Speaker 2: But other than that, I mean the two teams, the 1417 01:03:23,800 --> 01:03:27,440 Speaker 2: two best teams playing each other. I think the Braves 1418 01:03:27,440 --> 01:03:30,600 Speaker 2: are better team one through twenty six. But I think 1419 01:03:30,640 --> 01:03:33,480 Speaker 2: that it's man with the Dodgers. It's always like they 1420 01:03:33,480 --> 01:03:35,560 Speaker 2: figure it out right. It's like they figure out the 1421 01:03:35,600 --> 01:03:38,280 Speaker 2: way Mookie's gonna get a hit or Freddie's gonna get 1422 01:03:38,280 --> 01:03:40,960 Speaker 2: a month, he's gonna they got J. D. Martinez coming back. 1423 01:03:41,280 --> 01:03:43,200 Speaker 2: It's like, gosh, you never want to get rid of 1424 01:03:43,240 --> 01:03:46,080 Speaker 2: the that. You listen anytime Kershaw's on the mow Man, 1425 01:03:46,120 --> 01:03:48,160 Speaker 2: you you've got a root hard for that guy, no 1426 01:03:48,200 --> 01:03:50,919 Speaker 2: matter who he's pitching against So I think I think 1427 01:03:50,960 --> 01:03:54,520 Speaker 2: ares the Areus thing is really that that that's a sting. 1428 01:03:55,360 --> 01:03:59,040 Speaker 2: But if they get Bueller back, I mean, listen, Kershaw Bueller, 1429 01:03:59,080 --> 01:04:01,160 Speaker 2: whoever else they can run. It's like the Dodgers always 1430 01:04:01,160 --> 01:04:03,600 Speaker 2: have pitching and young guys, old guys. Whatever it is. 1431 01:04:03,680 --> 01:04:06,400 Speaker 2: Lanceln my boy out there, you know, looking like a 1432 01:04:06,400 --> 01:04:07,920 Speaker 2: cloud in that all white uniform. 1433 01:04:08,120 --> 01:04:12,560 Speaker 1: He looks great. He looks he. 1434 01:04:12,520 --> 01:04:14,320 Speaker 2: Looks like a big fat cloud out there pitching. 1435 01:04:14,840 --> 01:04:18,160 Speaker 1: He looks great. Bueller is he going to be back. 1436 01:04:18,520 --> 01:04:20,040 Speaker 2: He's supposed to be back. I don't know what his 1437 01:04:20,120 --> 01:04:22,800 Speaker 2: role is going to be, but he's supposed to be back. Yeah. Listen, 1438 01:04:22,800 --> 01:04:24,200 Speaker 2: if you can have that guy as a weapon for 1439 01:04:24,200 --> 01:04:27,800 Speaker 2: a couple of innings every other game, that's a monster 1440 01:04:27,880 --> 01:04:28,920 Speaker 2: to half end that bullpen. 1441 01:04:30,280 --> 01:04:31,840 Speaker 1: Who do you like out of the American League? 1442 01:04:32,400 --> 01:04:36,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean Houston always until someone beats him. I 1443 01:04:36,600 --> 01:04:39,800 Speaker 2: love Baltimore as a team. I absolutely love Baltimore. This 1444 01:04:40,000 --> 01:04:43,400 Speaker 2: the youth. If they had Bautista, if they hadn't lost him, 1445 01:04:43,400 --> 01:04:45,560 Speaker 2: I would say I think they they can walk through 1446 01:04:45,560 --> 01:04:47,680 Speaker 2: the American League because the back in their bullpen him. 1447 01:04:47,960 --> 01:04:51,640 Speaker 2: Losing him hurts because their starters aren't great, but their youth, 1448 01:04:51,680 --> 01:04:53,560 Speaker 2: they're the way they play, the energy they play with. 1449 01:04:53,600 --> 01:04:56,400 Speaker 2: I love watching them. And my big prediction is I 1450 01:04:56,400 --> 01:04:58,120 Speaker 2: think the Twins are actually going to win a playoff 1451 01:04:58,160 --> 01:04:59,880 Speaker 2: game for the first time since two thousand and four. 1452 01:05:00,320 --> 01:05:01,800 Speaker 1: Are they going to win a playoff series? 1453 01:05:02,640 --> 01:05:04,840 Speaker 2: I said a playoff game depends on who they play 1454 01:05:04,840 --> 01:05:06,840 Speaker 2: in the series, but I mean, listen, if they got 1455 01:05:06,920 --> 01:05:09,440 Speaker 2: to play Houston or if they got to play Seattle, 1456 01:05:09,480 --> 01:05:11,120 Speaker 2: I mean, nobody wants to play those two teams, and 1457 01:05:11,360 --> 01:05:13,880 Speaker 2: especially in the wild card three game series, that's stuff. Draw. 1458 01:05:14,400 --> 01:05:18,160 Speaker 1: What do you think of my buddy Bruce Bochie's Texas Rangers. 1459 01:05:18,760 --> 01:05:20,800 Speaker 2: Listen, I love Bruce Bochie. He's one of my all 1460 01:05:20,840 --> 01:05:24,200 Speaker 2: time favorite guys I've ever met. And but gosh, it's 1461 01:05:24,200 --> 01:05:26,560 Speaker 2: like they're out of gas and they're just no energy. 1462 01:05:26,600 --> 01:05:30,000 Speaker 2: There's no and listen, it's not because they're not trying. 1463 01:05:30,000 --> 01:05:31,600 Speaker 2: And I don't want people to think, oh, they're not trying, 1464 01:05:31,640 --> 01:05:34,320 Speaker 2: but it's just like they've they've hit a wall and 1465 01:05:34,360 --> 01:05:36,600 Speaker 2: there's how do you get it back? And Boach has 1466 01:05:36,600 --> 01:05:39,840 Speaker 2: tried everything. Just what do you do? I don't know, 1467 01:05:40,320 --> 01:05:42,800 Speaker 2: is sometimes just isn't meant to be and they're ahead 1468 01:05:42,800 --> 01:05:44,240 Speaker 2: of where they thought they were supposed to be too, 1469 01:05:44,280 --> 01:05:45,800 Speaker 2: don't forget like they weren't supposed to be in this 1470 01:05:45,840 --> 01:05:48,840 Speaker 2: situation and right as the free fall. It's just so 1471 01:05:48,920 --> 01:05:51,919 Speaker 2: hard to watch because I love Mike Maddox, our pitching coach, 1472 01:05:52,480 --> 01:05:54,240 Speaker 2: Bruce Bochie, A lot of their guys were there when 1473 01:05:54,240 --> 01:05:56,600 Speaker 2: I played there, and it just feel for him. 1474 01:05:56,840 --> 01:05:58,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it will be great. 1475 01:05:59,160 --> 01:05:59,320 Speaker 2: Uh. 1476 01:05:59,480 --> 01:06:04,360 Speaker 1: Last quest question? Do you agree that there's no adjustment 1477 01:06:05,200 --> 01:06:06,960 Speaker 1: to the pitching clock for the playoffs? 1478 01:06:08,120 --> 01:06:11,840 Speaker 2: Ugh? I love it as a broadcaster because the games 1479 01:06:11,840 --> 01:06:18,200 Speaker 2: are so much faster. I absolutely worry. I don't want 1480 01:06:18,200 --> 01:06:20,120 Speaker 2: to say I don't like it. I worry that the 1481 01:06:20,120 --> 01:06:24,120 Speaker 2: big moments are are going to get ruined because there's 1482 01:06:24,160 --> 01:06:27,400 Speaker 2: no drama build up because you don't have time. I 1483 01:06:27,440 --> 01:06:29,880 Speaker 2: look back one year ago the Bryce Harper home run 1484 01:06:29,960 --> 01:06:33,240 Speaker 2: right in the playoffs, forty five seconds between pitches, he 1485 01:06:33,360 --> 01:06:35,560 Speaker 2: stepped out, he fixed his batting loves, he got to 1486 01:06:35,560 --> 01:06:37,520 Speaker 2: breathe the pitcher gun, and it kind of gave the 1487 01:06:37,560 --> 01:06:40,240 Speaker 2: crowd a chance to from like a low roar to 1488 01:06:40,360 --> 01:06:43,960 Speaker 2: like deafening because it's like the drama's building as he's 1489 01:06:44,000 --> 01:06:46,760 Speaker 2: waiting to get in the box. I worry we're going 1490 01:06:46,800 --> 01:06:50,400 Speaker 2: to miss some of that. But listen, anything that can 1491 01:06:50,440 --> 01:06:52,680 Speaker 2: get the games under three hours. And you know you're 1492 01:06:52,720 --> 01:06:55,160 Speaker 2: on the West coast, right, so it's a little different. 1493 01:06:55,200 --> 01:06:58,000 Speaker 2: The World Series starts at five out there, gets done 1494 01:06:58,040 --> 01:06:59,720 Speaker 2: about eight, right. Well, the East Coast, they were getting 1495 01:06:59,720 --> 01:07:02,080 Speaker 2: done in mid night one am. That's too late. Kids 1496 01:07:02,080 --> 01:07:04,480 Speaker 2: can't stay up and watch that. So I'm all for 1497 01:07:04,600 --> 01:07:06,680 Speaker 2: getting done. You know, they start at eight, they're maybe 1498 01:07:06,720 --> 01:07:09,720 Speaker 2: done by ten forty five. Cool. I think parents can 1499 01:07:09,840 --> 01:07:12,400 Speaker 2: talk themselves into letting kids stay up that late. You know, 1500 01:07:12,400 --> 01:07:16,720 Speaker 2: you get into midnight one am. It's a little tougher. Poll. 1501 01:07:16,800 --> 01:07:21,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, in my opinion, this is solely my opinion. Fox 1502 01:07:21,680 --> 01:07:25,200 Speaker 1: Sports is great. They do football really well. To me, 1503 01:07:26,600 --> 01:07:31,240 Speaker 1: they do nothing better than how they have done postseason 1504 01:07:31,280 --> 01:07:37,040 Speaker 1: baseball the last however many years. And you just I 1505 01:07:37,080 --> 01:07:41,720 Speaker 1: mean it's like their directors are great. But I being 1506 01:07:41,760 --> 01:07:45,800 Speaker 1: someone who sees what they're doing, it's like, I mean, 1507 01:07:45,800 --> 01:07:50,320 Speaker 1: the moments you're talking about, go to Bryce Harper, go 1508 01:07:50,720 --> 01:07:54,360 Speaker 1: to a fan, go to a fan you know, covering 1509 01:07:54,360 --> 01:07:57,800 Speaker 1: her eyes, Go to a fan with his hat on backwards, 1510 01:07:57,880 --> 01:08:01,080 Speaker 1: go to a you know, and that and all of 1511 01:08:01,120 --> 01:08:05,120 Speaker 1: those shots that's all of those shots are building drama. 1512 01:08:05,360 --> 01:08:09,920 Speaker 1: Well it's happening, and there's no time for that. Now 1513 01:08:10,200 --> 01:08:12,120 Speaker 1: those shots aren't can't happen. 1514 01:08:12,360 --> 01:08:14,880 Speaker 2: No, it's got to be quick. Yeah, it'll be quick, 1515 01:08:14,960 --> 01:08:17,719 Speaker 2: it'll be cool. You know what what I learned now 1516 01:08:17,920 --> 01:08:20,320 Speaker 2: doing games right, because I do every games every week, 1517 01:08:20,840 --> 01:08:24,240 Speaker 2: is the innings are short, right, so story's got to 1518 01:08:24,240 --> 01:08:27,000 Speaker 2: be short or whatever your animal rise to be short. 1519 01:08:27,400 --> 01:08:30,400 Speaker 2: And two, there's not a lot of time for replays, 1520 01:08:30,960 --> 01:08:34,639 Speaker 2: so there's unless something like you know, when you're doing 1521 01:08:34,640 --> 01:08:36,920 Speaker 2: a game, you have a headset on and there's people 1522 01:08:36,920 --> 01:08:39,519 Speaker 2: in your ear saying like what we're gonna we're what 1523 01:08:39,560 --> 01:08:41,880 Speaker 2: they're going to show possibly, or you know, do we 1524 01:08:41,880 --> 01:08:43,479 Speaker 2: want to replay? And you can talk back to the 1525 01:08:43,520 --> 01:08:45,599 Speaker 2: producer and the director or you can say, hey, can 1526 01:08:45,640 --> 01:08:47,040 Speaker 2: you give me a shot of this, or can you 1527 01:08:47,080 --> 01:08:49,479 Speaker 2: give me this or whatever, But now they're like, replay 1528 01:08:49,479 --> 01:08:51,920 Speaker 2: if we have time, and you're like, well what you know, 1529 01:08:52,080 --> 01:08:54,400 Speaker 2: Oh crap, it's already two outs and spend two and 1530 01:08:54,400 --> 01:08:56,559 Speaker 2: a half minutes and the inning's over, So there's no 1531 01:08:56,680 --> 01:08:58,960 Speaker 2: time for like saying, a guy hits a ball and 1532 01:08:59,000 --> 01:09:01,040 Speaker 2: it's it's hitting. The guy dies and catches it when 1533 01:09:01,040 --> 01:09:03,639 Speaker 2: it was the second out. Boom, twenty seconds later, it's 1534 01:09:03,640 --> 01:09:05,800 Speaker 2: the next pitch, they can't cut it and get back 1535 01:09:05,800 --> 01:09:06,960 Speaker 2: and it's the third out, and you're like, all right, 1536 01:09:07,000 --> 01:09:08,640 Speaker 2: we'll have to show it next half. And then the 1537 01:09:08,640 --> 01:09:10,639 Speaker 2: moment passes and you're like, well, we can't show it anymore. 1538 01:09:10,680 --> 01:09:13,720 Speaker 2: So that's that is the biggest difference for me at 1539 01:09:13,760 --> 01:09:16,280 Speaker 2: watching games and broadcasting games now is how quick it 1540 01:09:16,320 --> 01:09:17,600 Speaker 2: goes and how much less time you have. 1541 01:09:18,320 --> 01:09:22,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I can't wait. It's always the best time of 1542 01:09:22,200 --> 01:09:26,919 Speaker 1: the year. Football starts, the Georgia Bulldogs beat up on Florida. 1543 01:09:27,200 --> 01:09:30,200 Speaker 1: There's baseball, it's going to be amazing. The NFL is 1544 01:09:30,240 --> 01:09:36,280 Speaker 1: getting going, always a pleasure. Foul Territory continues success with that, 1545 01:09:36,479 --> 01:09:39,920 Speaker 1: And I can't wait to text you while you're broadcasting 1546 01:09:39,960 --> 01:09:42,080 Speaker 1: important Dodgers games coming down the stretch. 1547 01:09:42,479 --> 01:09:44,880 Speaker 2: Well, Fox has al this year, so you're safe. You 1548 01:09:44,880 --> 01:09:46,280 Speaker 2: don't have to bother me. You don't have to bother 1549 01:09:46,360 --> 01:09:51,040 Speaker 2: me like Seattle, Minnesota, you know, Baltimore, Tampa, something like that. 1550 01:09:51,560 --> 01:09:53,439 Speaker 2: Feel free to text me because it's always fun when 1551 01:09:53,439 --> 01:09:55,800 Speaker 2: I hear from you and I'm waiting for the text, 1552 01:09:55,840 --> 01:09:58,080 Speaker 2: like can you say like some random word on the air. 1553 01:09:59,120 --> 01:10:00,920 Speaker 1: I don't ever do that, I'm saying. 1554 01:10:00,960 --> 01:10:03,960 Speaker 2: I know people do, though, can you say like super 1555 01:10:04,000 --> 01:10:11,080 Speaker 2: calus fragilestic? Thanks AJ, Thanks Brian, hopefully I see you 1556 01:10:11,080 --> 01:10:11,800 Speaker 2: in Jacksonville. 1557 01:10:12,240 --> 01:10:27,479 Speaker 1: I'll see you, sin Aj. Thanks so much for coming on. 1558 01:10:27,640 --> 01:10:30,320 Speaker 1: I know that you're a busy man. I appreciate it 1559 01:10:30,439 --> 01:10:33,679 Speaker 1: very much. And uh, I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind. 1560 01:10:34,000 --> 01:10:36,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go ahead and tell everyone that that you're 1561 01:10:36,800 --> 01:10:40,639 Speaker 1: actually a nice guy. I hope that doesn't ruin your reputation. 1562 01:10:42,040 --> 01:10:46,840 Speaker 1: Check AJ out listeners on foul Territory on YouTube or 1563 01:10:47,400 --> 01:10:51,160 Speaker 1: on your on your favorite podcast app. And as long 1564 01:10:51,200 --> 01:10:56,000 Speaker 1: as you're there, well there's there's another podcast. It's called 1565 01:10:56,000 --> 01:10:58,519 Speaker 1: Off the Beat. Leave it a rating, give it a review. 1566 01:10:59,520 --> 01:11:04,040 Speaker 1: I for one would love to hear from you. So 1567 01:11:04,280 --> 01:11:17,800 Speaker 1: until next time, have a great week. Off the Beat 1568 01:11:18,080 --> 01:11:22,360 Speaker 1: is hosted and executive produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside 1569 01:11:22,479 --> 01:11:26,879 Speaker 1: our executive producer, Lang Lee. Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. 1570 01:11:27,080 --> 01:11:30,759 Speaker 1: Our producers are Liz Hayes, Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. 1571 01:11:31,040 --> 01:11:35,000 Speaker 1: Our talent producer is Ryan Papa Zachary, and our intern 1572 01:11:35,160 --> 01:11:39,120 Speaker 1: is Ali Amir sahim Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, 1573 01:11:39,479 --> 01:11:42,479 Speaker 1: performed by the one and only Creed prat