WEBVTT - Mile Mikolas joins FT + O's Legend Chris Davis on Birdland Territory 0:00:05.800 --> 0:00:08.639 Here he is, Miles. Michaelis joining us right now. I 0:00:08.640 --> 0:00:11.799 don't even know how to introduce you anymore. RBI machine, 0:00:12.280 --> 0:00:14.960 Miles Michaels. We immediately were like, we need to talk 0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:15.680 to Miles about this. 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:19.040 How you doing, man, I'm doing good. I'm really happy 0:00:19.079 --> 0:00:21.880 to see my man b Rad on the Yeah, oh 0:00:21.960 --> 0:00:23.000 yeah on the mic here. 0:00:24.320 --> 0:00:26.599 First time man, first time, Glad you're coming into that. 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:29.720 Yeah, Brad was there. Brad was there day one for 0:00:29.840 --> 0:00:33.200 me in the big leagues. It's one of my day 0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:33.760 one dudes. 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:36.560 How was he? I miss Miles. 0:00:36.560 --> 0:00:39.720 It's Miles for also, happy ten years of service here. 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:41.800 So this is a big week for you doing You're 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:45.760 standing out this week. So, uh, you're going viral. And 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:47.479 I actually mentioned the other day I was like, I 0:00:47.520 --> 0:00:51.840 remember interviewing Miles at Winter meetings whatever ten to eleven years 0:00:51.840 --> 0:00:54.920 ago when you were signing your first contract back here 0:00:54.960 --> 0:00:57.160 and yes, then joining up with Brad. 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:59.080 So how crazy has the ride been? 0:01:00.560 --> 0:01:05.720 It's been I mean from twenty twelve San Diego, Texas, 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:09.360 all the way to Japan and and back again. It's 0:01:09.400 --> 0:01:12.440 been a it's been a long and winding road, but 0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:13.240 it's been a fun one. 0:01:13.280 --> 0:01:14.080 It's been a good one. 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:20.400 Hey, Miles, they're showing a picture of you that belt bunkle. 0:01:20.800 --> 0:01:23.200 What's the story behind that? Of course you don't want 0:01:23.240 --> 0:01:25.640 to watch you don't want the stuff. The guys usually 0:01:25.720 --> 0:01:27.399 gave what was what's up with the belt buccan? 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:27.640 Again? 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:31.160 I was so so Trevor Williams like as soon as 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.080 like the season started, He's like, okay, like what do 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:34.800 you want? We have a big conversation. He's like, what 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:38.880 do you want? We want? You know, I've got all 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:41.039 the fishing poles and stuff, and I think they have 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.760 like something fishing related that that's kind of on the 0:01:43.760 --> 0:01:44.280 way for me. 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:48.600 You know, I like the Western dress up stuff. 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:51.560 I got a couple of horses down in Jupiter. My 0:01:51.680 --> 0:01:53.680 wife rides and stuff. But I might give it a 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:57.720 shot when I'm when I'm retired. I thought, uh, you know, 0:01:59.240 --> 0:02:02.280 a belt bunk is good thing because, like to have 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:04.240 a real bell buckle, you have to earn it. Like 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:05.920 I was talking to one of the other guys at 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:09.600 the clubhouse, Clayton Veeter from Texas, and they give you like, 0:02:09.639 --> 0:02:12.040 you know, you can go buy a belt buckle from 0:02:12.040 --> 0:02:15.040 a store, but you didn't really earn it, like you 0:02:15.040 --> 0:02:17.600 gotta you gotta get bucked off that Bronco or whatever. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:20.120 So I figured the only thing I could really do 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:22.440 to earn a bell buckle is maybe get get my 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:26.359 ten years. So, uh, that was that was kind of 0:02:26.400 --> 0:02:29.560 my idea. It'll look good, you know, in a case 0:02:29.639 --> 0:02:31.880 in the office. It'll look good on my belt when 0:02:31.880 --> 0:02:34.080 we go to Texas and we have our little you know, 0:02:34.160 --> 0:02:35.120 cowboy dress up. 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:37.880 You know something I'm gonna cherish for a long time. 0:02:39.520 --> 0:02:42.720 I want to dive into you're at bat you had 0:02:42.760 --> 0:02:44.600 the other day. I know we were talking a little 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:48.480 bit about it, but talk to us about that, what happened. 0:02:49.160 --> 0:02:51.600 Give us the whole backstory so all the fans can understand, 0:02:51.639 --> 0:02:54.040 you know, how this developed and what you did it 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:56.120 took you. It's been a long time since you're had 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:58.120 in that bat, So explain when the last time it. 0:02:58.120 --> 0:03:01.960 Was too Yeah, I think it's been a twenty twenty two. 0:03:02.520 --> 0:03:05.440 Whenever we pitchers, whenever we stopped hitting. That was my 0:03:05.520 --> 0:03:08.679 last at Batuh. I remember my last at bat was 0:03:08.720 --> 0:03:11.520 a good hard line drive to shortstop, like one ten 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:14.320 off the bat or something like that, A real missile. 0:03:15.600 --> 0:03:18.240 But I hadn't hit in a while. And the you know, 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:19.880 the coaches coming to me and they're like, hey man, 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:21.560 you got to get your cleats on, Like this is 0:03:21.600 --> 0:03:24.639 not a joke, it's not a drill, like you might 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:27.799 have to do something. Because they started the lefty there 0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:29.720 and then we you know, we had made all our switches, 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:32.840 so we're we're getting thin on the bench and uh, 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:34.520 you know, put your cleats on. 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:35.880 You gotta go take in a bat. 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:38.040 They said, if there's a guy on third base, we're 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:40.920 gonna watch you to squeeze bunt or like safety squeeze. 0:03:41.440 --> 0:03:44.440 And I give the position players endless amounts of. 0:03:46.360 --> 0:03:48.839 Trash talking every time they don't get a bunt down 0:03:49.280 --> 0:03:51.200 because I think I got all my bunts down. 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:52.640 Maybe not all. 0:03:52.440 --> 0:03:54.920 Good bunts, you know, maybe they throw the guy out 0:03:54.960 --> 0:03:57.800 at second base, but I get them all down. So 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:00.080 when the position players don't get the bunts down, I 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:02.440 give him tons of shit. So I knew I had 0:04:02.440 --> 0:04:05.320 to get this butt down. I was a little nervous. 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:08.400 I impressed myself when I took ball one. I took 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:10.920 ball one low. I was like, that's right, I'm seeing it. Well, 0:04:10.960 --> 0:04:13.600 I got this guy and then I bunted the next one. 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:16.200 Found I was a little worried. I was like, oh, 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:17.839 but then he you know, he put it right in 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:21.400 my honey hole for bunting, that middle in pocket right 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:22.320 there for bunting. 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:24.640 Catch it off the label a little bit dead knit. 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:27.400 It was a good bunt, Myles. 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:29.200 You've always been the best athlete on every team. You 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:31.760 let everybody know that too. But I just want to 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:33.839 go back to getting to ten years, like, have you 0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:36.120 had a chance to take a second just kind of 0:04:36.120 --> 0:04:38.359 reflect on everything, like it's been kind of wild journey. 0:04:38.360 --> 0:04:40.719 I don't think people know you were a strict reliever 0:04:41.320 --> 0:04:43.679 along with meeting the Padre system and all of a sudden, 0:04:43.680 --> 0:04:45.960 now you've pitched how many years as a starter. That's 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:48.160 just kind of a crazy talk about the journey through 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:48.520 all of it. 0:04:49.320 --> 0:04:49.599 Yeah. 0:04:49.640 --> 0:04:52.160 I got to give a shout out to Scott Richmond 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:54.840 if he's out there listening. He was one of the 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:57.400 starters in Round Rock when I was in Trip A 0:04:57.520 --> 0:05:01.279 with the Rangers and I had just thrown like two 0:05:01.360 --> 0:05:05.280 or three innings in like a Randolay restart, and they 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:06.960 come up to me in Round Rock and they're like, hey, 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:09.599 rich hurt his back. We need a spot starter. We'll 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:13.120 give you like fifty pitches. So I went out there. 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:15.840 I want to say I threw like fifty pitches. I 0:05:15.920 --> 0:05:18.200 went like four or five innings and they're like, hey, like, 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.120 you know, it was the year everyone was hurting Texas. 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:26.159 They didn't have a lot of depth even in TRIPAA, 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:28.200 and I was on the roster as a reliever, and 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:30.440 they're like, hey, we're gonna let you start if you 0:05:32.120 --> 0:05:33.920 want to, like, we'll build you up. We'll give you 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:38.000 like fifty sixty seventy pitches. And I was like, yeah, absolutely, 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:40.240 you know what reliever doesn't want to be a starter. 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:44.200 So I jumped at the opportunity. And I haven't really 0:05:44.200 --> 0:05:47.599 been back in a bullpen since. It was one of 0:05:47.640 --> 0:05:52.360 those like weird baseball stories where if Scott Richmond doesn't. 0:05:52.120 --> 0:05:55.479 Hurt his back, I don't really know, you know, where 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:57.760 my career goes. I don't know if I go to Japan. 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:03.200 I like to him at It's it's just it's so 0:06:03.320 --> 0:06:05.839 hard to know the way the way life and the 0:06:05.839 --> 0:06:07.360 way baseball is what happens. 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:10.360 But it's it's Uh, it was wild. 0:06:10.480 --> 0:06:12.359 And when I started in Texas, I you know, I 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:14.160 had my ups and downs and I didn't really get 0:06:14.160 --> 0:06:16.880 a chance to really sink my teeth into until I 0:06:16.880 --> 0:06:19.400 went over to Tokyo, which was one of the main 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:23.359 reasons I went there to to get a full chance 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:25.359 at starting, because I knew that that's what they wanted 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:28.159 me to do. So to get a full chance at 0:06:28.200 --> 0:06:30.480 like building up innings and like learning how to pitch 0:06:30.480 --> 0:06:34.680 as the starter again, Uh, was huge. And you know, 0:06:34.920 --> 0:06:38.240 came back to the States and just been grinding it 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:38.919 out ever since. 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:41.360 Yeah, most definitely. 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:43.760 But I have to go back to this, this bunt 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:47.080 Rbi that you got talk to me about the position players? 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:49.919 What what did they say if they said anything to 0:06:50.000 --> 0:06:52.960 you about this? I mean, there's there's got to be 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:54.760 some sort of conversation. 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:59.280 Uh, the position players for us or the position players. 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:00.640 On the on the Philly like when I was on 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:02.880 the basis, because they were all kind of yeah at 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:04.400 me when I was on the basis. 0:07:04.360 --> 0:07:06.800 Yeah, go with the Phillies. And then your guys, why 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:08.120 not tell them let's. 0:07:07.960 --> 0:07:11.280 Yeah, no, Well, I you know, I got on first 0:07:11.280 --> 0:07:12.680 base and I just said, you know, I was talking 0:07:12.680 --> 0:07:14.000 to the first base coach and I was talking to 0:07:14.040 --> 0:07:16.880 Bomb about just like not being on base. And then 0:07:17.280 --> 0:07:20.200 ariahs was laughing at me because I was sweating bullets. 0:07:20.200 --> 0:07:23.120 It was humid, but my heart was beating like out 0:07:23.120 --> 0:07:25.440 of my chest because I hadn't gotten that bat in forever. 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.280 And the guy's throwing like ninety seven, ninety eight or 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:33.640 whatever was relievers throw too hard nowadays. And then I 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:36.880 was talking to I was talking to Turner on shortstop 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:39.440 a little bit, and then I was telling Scott how 0:07:39.440 --> 0:07:41.960 I didn't love being on third base with the rity up. 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:42.720 I'm like, this is the. 0:07:44.360 --> 0:07:47.280 Scariest thing I forgot how much I don't like it's 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:49.680 your you know, you're getting your secondary And I'm like 0:07:49.760 --> 0:07:54.040 fifty sixty feet away from Japaro and he's swinging. 0:07:53.640 --> 0:07:56.600 For the moon, and I'm like, but I'm standing right here. 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:03.200 You know, maybe he shoot something the other way. 0:08:03.360 --> 0:08:06.560 But the position players were just kind of in disbelief. 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:10.040 They're like, they're like, wow, like, you know, good luck. 0:08:11.280 --> 0:08:13.640 They wanted me to swing. Some of the guys wanted 0:08:13.640 --> 0:08:17.360 me to swing. I had, I had the liberty to swing. 0:08:17.400 --> 0:08:21.280 If I got to two strikes, oh, I was gonna 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:24.480 pull back and maybe slash. But because they started to 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:27.200 pull the infield in but uh, you know, you know, 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:30.600 deep down as a competitor. I just wanted to get 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:33.360 that run across. You know, I wanna we're on a skid. 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:38.240 I want to win that ball game. But everybody was pumped. 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:40.640 I used uh, I used one of J wise bats. 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:43.400 I just got like a pair of random batting gloves. 0:08:43.400 --> 0:08:46.760 And I used uh Pickney's helmet before he even got 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:49.400 a chance to use it uh in a game, because 0:08:49.400 --> 0:08:51.160 he was making his debut. He hadn't even gotten that 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:53.000 bat yet, and I had to steal his helmet from him. 0:08:53.920 --> 0:08:56.559 But I left my magic in there because then he 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:58.720 hit a home run. His his first hit was a 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:03.320 home run the next day, just like me, my first 0:09:03.400 --> 0:09:05.280 hit was a home run. So I'm pretty sure that 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:09.120 it was, you know, some of my leftover mojo helping 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:09.640 him do that. 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:12.599 Maybe, but probably not, But I like to think that maybe. 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:14.240 There you go, so you have a you have at 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:16.920 least that piece of history of his career from now on. 0:09:17.080 --> 0:09:20.920 So uh, just knowing the competitor you are. What's been 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:23.800 what's been the biggest struggle this year? And kind of 0:09:23.880 --> 0:09:25.600 is it? Is it just getting tough for getting older 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:28.079 or is it just kind of what's been what's been 0:09:28.280 --> 0:09:29.360 going on so far? 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:30.559 Yeah. 0:09:30.800 --> 0:09:33.680 I mean it's it's uh, you know, it'd be you know, 0:09:33.720 --> 0:09:36.319 it's cliche to say it's a young man's game these days, 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:38.679 but I mean I'm looking up at the scoreboard and 0:09:38.720 --> 0:09:42.280 there's kids in the box that were like still in 0:09:42.400 --> 0:09:44.439 diapers when I was in high school, and I'm kind 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:48.560 of like, oh, man, like, uh, I could technically be 0:09:48.640 --> 0:09:49.560 your dad, but not. 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:55.079 So it's just kind of you know, guys are swinging. 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:58.559 Hard at everything, and you know, it is it is 0:09:58.600 --> 0:10:01.440 tough for getting older. But I'm just, you know, i 0:10:01.480 --> 0:10:05.000 gotta be you know, I'm at that point where I 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:06.960 need to nibble probably a little bit more. 0:10:07.720 --> 0:10:10.200 And I've never been one to like to be a nibbler. 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.640 I'm stelling the duggout, yelling nibbler at the other guy 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:15.880 when he walks somebody, and then I refuse to like 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:18.160 walk people. So then I'm just throwing stuff in the 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:19.800 zone and getting hit around a little bit every now 0:10:19.840 --> 0:10:23.240 and then. So you know, there's there's a lot of 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:26.720 give and take there, and you know, it's it's it's 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:29.439 it's trying to evolve and trying to get better mid season. 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:33.920 But everybody, everybody, the coaching staff, the trainers, the the 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:37.440 strength coaches here in d c Or are great. 0:10:37.679 --> 0:10:39.320 You know, they're helping me every step of the way. 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:41.559 It's been Uh, it's been really fun to be here. 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:43.600 It's been fun to be on such a young team, 0:10:43.960 --> 0:10:46.080 you know, with the young coaches, I feel energized a 0:10:46.080 --> 0:10:46.440 little bit. 0:10:46.480 --> 0:10:48.960 I feel like I'm getting younger every day. 0:10:50.200 --> 0:10:52.640 Yeah, some miles last one here we got. You know, 0:10:52.760 --> 0:10:54.720 trade deadline is kind of the hot topic right now. 0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:57.320 What what what are the Indians getting in Foster Griffin 0:10:57.600 --> 0:11:00.160 with that trade? Do you like, good move for them? 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:02.280 Or you can play GM, you can play media here, 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:03.920 you can play whatever you want. But just what you 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:05.400 got on him moving over to Cleveland. 0:11:05.520 --> 0:11:07.800 No, I mean they're getting They're getting a great pitcher 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:11.280 and a great teammate. He's the decent card player, you know, 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:16.800 you know, solid golfer. But but jokes aside. I mean, 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:22.920 the guys you know, he's he's polished. You know, he's 0:11:22.960 --> 0:11:26.600 got seven pitches. He locates, and I think the thing 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:30.480 that's great about Foster is he knows exactly what he 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:35.040 wants to do before he throws that first pitch. You know, 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:37.800 I sit there in the locker and I I kind 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:40.120 of you know, watch his his pre star meetings. I 0:11:40.200 --> 0:11:42.040 listened a little bit. I'm eaves dropping. I'm dropping a 0:11:42.040 --> 0:11:42.439 little bit. 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:43.000 Of Eves there. 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:46.839 You know, he's got his binder and he goes out 0:11:46.840 --> 0:11:49.599 there and he's calling. I believe he's calling most of 0:11:49.640 --> 0:11:53.320 the game himself with his little pitch com He just 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:55.760 he knows exactly what he wants to do. He knows 0:11:55.880 --> 0:11:59.080 the guys that he's gonna run that cutter in, and 0:11:59.160 --> 0:12:01.280 you know, he knows his sequences, and it's fun to 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:03.360 kind of pitch along with him. Like after watching him 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:05.760 a couple starts, you watch him like, oh, you know, 0:12:06.120 --> 0:12:07.440 cut her in and he. 0:12:07.480 --> 0:12:08.600 Works a big sweeper. 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:11.840 Then he'll go like that big fading change up to 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:15.120 that little small split and then he'll sneak a heater 0:12:15.200 --> 0:12:16.960 by a guy and then he can speed him back 0:12:17.040 --> 0:12:17.840 up with that cutter. 0:12:18.280 --> 0:12:21.440 He just he knows exactly where to throw all his pitches. 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:22.520 He knows how they work. 0:12:22.880 --> 0:12:25.360 And I think that's the reason he's been so successful 0:12:25.400 --> 0:12:29.600 coming back, because not only is he a new look, 0:12:29.679 --> 0:12:32.320 you know, he's essentially a rookie again because he's been 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:36.959 in Japan for three years and teams are getting their 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:40.120 first look at him, but he's all ready to pick 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:43.520 He's he's ready to pick them apart because he knows 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:46.319 exactly what he wants to do. And I think that's 0:12:46.559 --> 0:12:48.679 and I think he rubs off on a lot of 0:12:48.720 --> 0:12:51.440 the other pitchers on the staff because they see that 0:12:51.520 --> 0:12:54.520 preparation and they see how successful it is. So I 0:12:54.559 --> 0:12:57.160 think they're the Indies are getting a great They're getting 0:12:57.200 --> 0:12:59.480 a great pitcher, a great teammate, and maybe he've been 0:12:59.520 --> 0:13:01.319 like a little bit of a roll model for for 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.880 some of their younger guys. If if they're paying attention 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:05.480 to what he's. 0:13:05.360 --> 0:13:09.239 Doing, that that's an elite scouting report right there. Miles, 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:11.600 thanks for joining us. Man, really appreciate the time. We 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:14.120 love doing this. Hope you do too, and have fun, dude, 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:16.600 and congrats Brad's first show. 0:13:16.640 --> 0:13:18.720 You got him. 0:13:18.760 --> 0:13:21.480 Hey, this is his first show, first show on FT, 0:13:21.920 --> 0:13:26.400 he does first f T show, So he's got it. 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:27.760 He's got the chops. 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:30.400 And a while, I've got a chance, while I've got 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:33.480 Fraser's here. One of my favorite all time baseball plays 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:38.680 is the foul ball in the stands the Mets with 0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:43.480 the foam, with the fake baseball. I see that highlight 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:46.199 that's like my my top top five all time baseball 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:50.839 play seven the most like Ruth like this is the best, 0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:53.120 this is the best. I'm watching My god, what a 0:13:53.160 --> 0:13:54.480 what a savvy bet. 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:55.599 Just shows. 0:13:59.720 --> 0:14:02.480 The eve the most heads of play in baseball. 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:04.559 Very fortuitous. 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:08.360 That's how was we got lucky there, lucky and sneaky smooth, 0:14:08.400 --> 0:14:09.120 sneaky smooth. 0:14:09.480 --> 0:14:11.760 So thank you, Miles, good catching up man. 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:14.040 All right, thanks for having me on. I'll talk to 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:14.320 you guys. 0:14:14.360 --> 0:14:26.120 Letter Aos fans welcome in a special edition of Birdland 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:30.520 Territory Steve, tim Brad and Chris Davis today as it's 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:34.080 a big week in Birdland this weekend. Chris, along with 0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:36.760 Storm Davis and the late Scout Jim Russo, going to 0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:40.240 be inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame. The big 0:14:40.360 --> 0:14:43.960 luncheon will be Friday the oriel Advocates and the ceremony 0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:46.520 on field ahead of the Orioles Phillies. 0:14:46.120 --> 0:14:47.080 Game Saturday night. 0:14:47.440 --> 0:14:50.160 Oriols dot com they get tickets for either the luncheon 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.640 or the game or both, and we can't wait to 0:14:53.680 --> 0:14:57.080 see our friend Chris Davis in town this weekend. 0:14:57.160 --> 0:15:01.000 Chris, you know what a career you had in Birdland. 0:15:01.040 --> 0:15:03.960 Man, you were crush Davis for all those years, and 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:05.880 the and the Oil fans couldn't wait to see it 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:08.440 hit one out. We know there were struggles at the end, 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:11.400 went through so much ups and downs. You know, when 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:13.960 you think about this on or now and being back 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:17.920 this weekend, what thoughts come to mind a little bit 0:15:17.920 --> 0:15:18.440 of relief? 0:15:19.440 --> 0:15:22.160 To be honest with you, I was super excited when 0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:25.000 when Bill called me. I was actually on the on 0:15:25.040 --> 0:15:28.440 the field on a softball field watching or coaching my 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:31.840 uh my two youngest and and we all know Bill 0:15:31.880 --> 0:15:34.320 Steck is the Oils alumni guy, but we know him 0:15:34.320 --> 0:15:36.120 as the kind of the Hall of Fame guy too, 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:37.760 So when he called. 0:15:37.560 --> 0:15:41.000 Me, I was like, is it my turn? Is it? Buck? 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:44.680 Who's it gonna be? So, man, I was super excited. 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:47.320 You know, obviously there were struggles at the end, But 0:15:47.680 --> 0:15:49.920 when I really think back to the first you know, 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:52.120 five or six years there and the group of guys 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.600 that we had, and just I think I said it 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:57.720 to Oda yesterday, being a part of such a story 0:15:57.800 --> 0:16:00.400 franchise and being able to bring winning baseball to that 0:16:00.480 --> 0:16:03.880 franchise made a great deal. And to do it with 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:05.760 uh with good dudes with good human beings. 0:16:06.360 --> 0:16:07.680 Man, it just it meant a lot to me. 0:16:09.600 --> 0:16:11.640 Yeah, Chris Man, I think back to you know, coming 0:16:11.640 --> 0:16:14.000 over to Baltimore. I don't think I ever even told 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:16.200 you this, but you were the one that helped really 0:16:16.240 --> 0:16:18.720 make me feel comfortable, just you know, spending times in 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:20.920 the hot tubs and the cold tubs and stuff like that. 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:24.240 When when you came over to Baltimore, was there anybody 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:25.640 that kind of stood out to you that kind of 0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:27.400 helped you feel comfortable. 0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:28.040 Coming to a new organization. 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:30.520 Yeah, I knew Wheedy. 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:33.840 I played with Weeders in the high school All American Game, 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:36.240 so like we we kind of knew each other. And 0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:38.600 by that time, I mean, I had spent parts of 0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:41.280 three years in the Big League, so I knew I 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:43.160 knew of Mark Cakus. 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:44.440 We all know Nikki. 0:16:44.480 --> 0:16:46.680 He doesn't talk a ton and he definitely doesn't talk 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.760 between the lines. But I was familiar with some of 0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:53.800 the guys. I knew JJ a little bit. But but 0:16:54.040 --> 0:16:55.880 one of the things I think that helped me so much, 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:59.320 Brad was having so many guys from the Rangers organization 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:01.360 the next year, so, I mean, getting traded in the 0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:03.440 middle of the season's kind of it's kind of a 0:17:03.480 --> 0:17:05.920 weird deal because you get thrown right into the middle 0:17:05.960 --> 0:17:08.400 of the mix and you kind of have to find 0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:08.840 your way. 0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:10.880 And for me, I was trying to, you. 0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:13.280 Know, establish myself as an everyday player, so that was 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:15.600 kind of at the forefront of my mind. But I 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:18.040 think really the biggest thing that helped me was having 0:17:18.160 --> 0:17:20.840 Oday Tommy and I got traded with tom and two, 0:17:20.960 --> 0:17:23.679 so we kind of both went through that journey together. 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:25.920 But it was just such a good group of guys, 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:28.439 you know, this brad like it was. It was a 0:17:28.440 --> 0:17:29.960 lot of There were a lot of guys on that 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:33.080 team that had been kind of cast excuse me, cast off. 0:17:33.119 --> 0:17:36.120 They had been you know, released, or signed, claimed off 0:17:36.119 --> 0:17:40.080 waivers or traded, and I think that really helped us 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:43.119 kind of form an identity as a team and and 0:17:43.160 --> 0:17:43.720 helped us win. 0:17:43.800 --> 0:17:47.520 To be honest with you, Chris, you mentioned how special 0:17:47.560 --> 0:17:50.080 it was to bring winning back to Baltimore. You got 0:17:50.160 --> 0:17:54.240 traded in twenty eleven and twenty twelve, the team just 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:57.679 had fourteen consecutive losing seasons to get back to the 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:01.880 playoffs and win that first ever wildcard game against the Rangers. 0:18:01.880 --> 0:18:04.919 The Alds it was a madhouse against the Yankees. Just 0:18:05.320 --> 0:18:08.560 how special of a season was twenty twelve for you 0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:09.639 and the organization? 0:18:10.200 --> 0:18:11.159 Yeah, it was huge. 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:13.560 It was huge for me personally because it was the 0:18:13.560 --> 0:18:16.000 first time that I had really kind of come into 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:18.040 my own. I think I led the team in home 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:19.560 runs that year. I hit thirty home runs in the 0:18:19.560 --> 0:18:21.160 big leagues for the first time, which was a big 0:18:21.200 --> 0:18:24.199 deal to me. But I think the coolest thing to 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:27.639