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Speaker 1: The Book of Joe Podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.

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Speaker 1: Hey there, welcome back to the latest edition of the

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Speaker 1: Book of Joe Podcast. I am Tom Verducci, and today

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Speaker 1: we are going to be talking about how to win

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Speaker 1: in October.

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Speaker 2: We're at that point of year, folks.

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Speaker 1: We've got less than two weeks left in the season,

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Speaker 1: and playoff spots are still up for grabs. Teams that

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Speaker 1: have them are getting ready for the postseason. And who

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Speaker 1: better than my buddy to talk to, the only man

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Speaker 1: alive who has brought the Chicago Cubs to a World

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Speaker 1: Series championship talk about knowing how to navigate October in

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Speaker 1: the final weeks of the season.

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Speaker 2: Joe Madden, Joe, how you doing today?

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Speaker 3: Good morning, Tom. It's quite an intro right there, but

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Speaker 3: I'll tell you it is the most fun part of

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Speaker 3: the baseball season, Yoda. Spring training. You talk about this

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Speaker 3: all the time. You work all those different months April, May, June, July,

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Speaker 3: August to be in position to have September matter, and

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Speaker 3: then you get to this particular juncture and it's no

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Speaker 3: more fun for me professionally than to be in the

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Speaker 3: playoff hunt race and then eventually getting there. I just

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Speaker 3: texted Brandon Hyde a couple of days ago. So happy

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Speaker 3: for him and the Orioles, but yeah, it's the best.

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Speaker 3: It should bring out the best in you, and I really,

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Speaker 3: on an annual basis, loved it all right.

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Speaker 1: I bring this up because we have to talk about

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Speaker 1: the Atlanta Braves. I think we can all agree that

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Speaker 1: they've been the best team in baseball this year. They

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Speaker 1: are the odds on favorite to win the World Series.

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Speaker 1: But I talked with Alexanthopolis the other day, the general

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Speaker 1: manager president of baseball operations for the Braves, and he

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Speaker 1: talked about how by having such a big lead in

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Speaker 1: the National League East and they've been up by double

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Speaker 1: digits by a couple of months here their better positioned

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Speaker 1: for the postseason than they were last year when they

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Speaker 1: put the pedal to the floor to run down the

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Speaker 1: New York Mets, came from ten games back to win

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Speaker 1: the National League East, and then they show up in

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Speaker 1: the National League Division Series against the Phillies and they

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Speaker 1: get their doors blown off, and according to Alex, their

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Speaker 1: starting pitching was guessed by the time they got to October.

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Speaker 1: He felt like the series penultimate series of the year

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Speaker 1: against the New York Mets was a playoff series, and

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Speaker 1: they spent too much fuel essentially, and didn't have the

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Speaker 1: same kind of stuff we're talking about. Max Freed, Spencer Stryder,

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Speaker 1: Charlie Morton, same top three in their rotation this year.

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Speaker 1: So he feels better about how the Braves are entering

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Speaker 1: October this year, and I've got a message for him.

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Speaker 2: It's not true.

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Speaker 1: I know people love to talk about this, Joe, but

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Speaker 1: there is no preferred path to winning the World Series.

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Speaker 1: It doesn't matter if you're hot, if you're cold, if

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Speaker 1: you're tepid. I think that what matters most is if

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Speaker 1: you're healthy more than anything. For every cold team that

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Speaker 1: had a bad September, I can tell you that, you know,

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Speaker 1: I can find teams that won the World Series. For

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Speaker 1: every team that had put the pedal to the floor

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Speaker 1: in September just barely got in, I can tell you

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Speaker 1: they won the World Series.

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Speaker 2: So listen.

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Speaker 1: I know, as a general manager, you may have a

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Speaker 1: preferred path in your mind, but history tells us it

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Speaker 1: really doesn't matter.

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Speaker 2: It's a complete reset in October. Joe.

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Speaker 1: Feel free to tell me I'm wrong here, but I've

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Speaker 1: seen it work both ways too many times.

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Speaker 3: Well, I've been involved in both ways. Actually, this twenty

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Speaker 3: sixteen Cubs, we clinched well well in advance of the playoffs.

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Speaker 3: And what I did was I treated the last kind

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Speaker 3: of almost two weeks as though was spring training. Went

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Speaker 3: on record said it out loud, meaning that the pitching

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Speaker 3: the bullpen I would utilize specifically, almost as though it

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Speaker 3: was an assigned day for somebody to pitch. And that

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Speaker 3: way they got the regular work in. They did not

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Speaker 3: get abused anyway. And then I thought, we thought that

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Speaker 3: gets getting to the playoffs, to the actual you know,

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Speaker 3: cs whatever, that we were good, we're good shape, and

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Speaker 3: then felt as though you could use them more consistently,

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Speaker 3: more often because we had given them a more recent rest.

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Speaker 3: Is that true or not, I don't know, but that's

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Speaker 3: what we did. And there's other times that we did

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Speaker 3: run out of gas. A perfect example for me was

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Speaker 3: the twenty was it seventeen series against the Nationals. I

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Speaker 3: don't know if you remember that we beat them. One

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Speaker 3: of the big plays and that was when Hobby's backswing

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Speaker 3: hit the catcher his glove and the ball flew out

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Speaker 3: and Jerry Lane didn't notice that and that was not

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Speaker 3: replayable at the time. But that series there, that was

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Speaker 3: hard fought. Man. I'll tell you that's one of the

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Speaker 3: most proud moments I've had as a manager, is that

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Speaker 3: series against the Nationals to beat them. They were very good,

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Speaker 3: they got it, they had everything, and we beat them.

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Speaker 3: And the problem there was we had a fly to

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Speaker 3: la and start playing the NLCS and had to land

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Speaker 3: in Albuquerque with the medical emergency on the plane the

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Speaker 3: next day, get there about noon as opposed to like

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Speaker 3: at night. You had to spend on the tarmac from

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Speaker 3: four am to like ten am the next morning, waiting

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Speaker 3: on new pilots. And they were just we were just

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Speaker 3: we were fatigued. There's no question we're fatigued. On top

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Speaker 3: of that way, Davis pitch two right around two or

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Speaker 3: two plus innings to get us there. So there was

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Speaker 3: a certain level of fatigue there that absolutely was recognizable.

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Speaker 3: So and you could go back to the Rockies when

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Speaker 3: they made that historic run several years ago and they

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Speaker 3: just would not they failed to lose, and then of

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Speaker 3: course the Brewers a couple years ago and then running

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Speaker 3: down as with the Cubs. But I'd prefer having at

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Speaker 3: least a couple of days. Maybe I'd say, if you

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Speaker 3: get clinched with a week just to get your pitching

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Speaker 3: in order, that's that's the perfect situation to be in.

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Speaker 3: That's just that's how I look at it. It's not

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Speaker 3: necessarily running people down whatever, just get it done with

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Speaker 3: the week left that you could set things up, give

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Speaker 3: people the appropriate rest. That's optimal. If you can't, I

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Speaker 3: still think there is a threat to you know, mental

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Speaker 3: and physical fatigue depends on your group, how hard you

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Speaker 3: had a push to get there. You're you always have

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Speaker 3: great examples, and I'm not disputing that just a matter

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Speaker 3: of having lived it. Wildcat teams have gone all the way.

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Speaker 3: The twenty two thousand and two Angels was a wildcard,

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Speaker 3: went all the way to the World Serison won it,

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Speaker 3: and then a division winner with the Cubs, same thing.

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Speaker 3: So again, I think it's unpredictable, like you're saying, I

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Speaker 3: would just say a preferred method clinch with about a

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Speaker 3: week to go, and you could set things up a

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Speaker 3: little bit easier.

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Speaker 1: All right, let me give you some numbers here. You

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Speaker 1: mentioned your sixteen Cubs team. That's one of twelve teams

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Speaker 1: since nineteen ninety nine that won the division by fifteen

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Speaker 1: games or more obviously a huge lead. Right your cruise

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Speaker 1: to the postseason, you win your division by more than

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Speaker 1: fifteen games, and your Cubs are one of those twelve teams.

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Speaker 1: How did those twelve i'll call them super teams do

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Speaker 1: in the postseason? Eight of them got knocked out in

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Speaker 1: the first round. Eight of the twelve teams that won

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Speaker 1: their division since ninety nine by fifteen games or more

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Speaker 1: got knocked out in the first round. So you are

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Speaker 1: one of three teams that went on to win the

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Speaker 1: World Series. Also in that group the twenty two Astros

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Speaker 1: last year and the seventeen Astros. So what was it

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Speaker 1: about your Cubs group, Joe, Because I know you just

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Speaker 1: talked about almost treating it like spring training in terms

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Speaker 1: of workload.

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Speaker 2: Your team still went eighteen and eleven in September when

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Speaker 2: the games essentially were meaningless. You were twenty two and

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Speaker 2: six in August when you had a double digit lead.

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Speaker 2: This team got better and.

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Speaker 1: Kept winning games even when essentially the division wasn't hand.

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Speaker 1: So what was it about that team?

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Speaker 3: Well, I'm going to roll back the tape prior to

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Speaker 3: that is something I've always believed in, and that's to

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Speaker 3: not tire the guys out during the course of the year.

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Speaker 3: Always one of my teams to finish strong, and a

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Speaker 3: big part of that is to give people the appropriate

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Speaker 3: rest before you get to that juncture in the season.

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Speaker 3: I've been involved in a lot of teams that have

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Speaker 3: done well later in the year, and again it's based

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Speaker 3: on that rest. And I know a lot of people

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Speaker 3: don't want to hear that, but what I mean about

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Speaker 3: rest position players every day guys. I've talked about this,

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Speaker 3: taking advantage of a day off and then giving them

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Speaker 3: a day off before or after the day off, to

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Speaker 3: give them two consecutive days off. As an example, starting pitchers,

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Speaker 3: you know there was I don't think we did this

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Speaker 3: at all, but I know with the rays came out

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Speaker 3: of the specific year, but I know we went to

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Speaker 3: six man in six man rotation to two I think

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Speaker 3: to include Alex Cobb one year in order to just

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Speaker 3: give our starters somewhat of a blow at that particular time.

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Speaker 3: Relief pictures, just really paying attention to their workload as

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Speaker 3: you get later in the year, and really trying not

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Speaker 3: to over extend anybody at that particular point. So the

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Speaker 3: word rest, it's all proactive in front of that. I

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Speaker 3: think and then you get to that part of the

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Speaker 3: year and your guys have some freshness about him today's game.

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Speaker 3: There's a lot of choreography going on before the game,

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Speaker 3: where there's a lot of work going on on the field.

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Speaker 3: It's almost like an instructional league, whereas that stuff, to me,

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Speaker 3: should be taking of in the minor league. And if

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Speaker 3: you have to wait longer for a guy to get there, fine,

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Speaker 3: but make sure he has all his major league abilities

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Speaker 3: and methods in place. So there's a lot of that

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Speaker 3: going on now where I was opposed to that. I

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Speaker 3: don't like a lot of pregame, especially latter part of

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Speaker 3: the year. I like guys to report later. I like

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Speaker 3: I like less swings. I like less everything you're in

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Speaker 3: progress in order to keep the guys fresh for the

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Speaker 3: game that night. It's always been a big part of

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Speaker 3: my philosophy. I've seen it. This goes back when I

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Speaker 3: first got to the Angels as a young young coach,

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Speaker 3: and gosh, we'd get to September, we would absolutely be horrible,

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Speaker 3: be gased. We used to hit an hour a day

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Speaker 3: at home and on the road, or not on the road,

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Speaker 3: because you couldn't get the field for an hour but

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Speaker 3: a lot an hour at home and then a lot

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Speaker 3: of extra work, a lot of X treating. There is

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Speaker 3: arm worriiness to be had here, I believe. So I

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Speaker 3: just I like a better method for me and more

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Speaker 3: controlled method choreography. Having guys out there doing groovy drills

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Speaker 3: is one thing, but to really keep your mind, body

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Speaker 3: rested and well is another thing. Right now, I don't

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Speaker 3: even know how this speaks to I'm looking at the

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Speaker 3: records of teams that are in playoff contention, and a

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Speaker 3: lot of these guys are just going to get barely

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Speaker 3: like eighty five wins possibly, which you know, in my

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Speaker 3: minds doesn't even get you close to playoff baseball. And

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Speaker 3: I think to some extent the methods employed have something

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Speaker 3: to do with that. Regarding work and the amount of

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Speaker 3: information presented the players before a game I think is

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Speaker 3: absolutely way too much and they're unable to process all

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Speaker 3: this stuff. Okay, last point, I mean, I just like

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Speaker 3: I'm saying, it's rest it's not changing your methods. It's

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Speaker 3: throwing out nuggets and pamphlets in regards to what it

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Speaker 3: digest before a game. Make sure you guys are rested

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Speaker 3: and well. Change your routine up. Don't make it, don't

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Speaker 3: make it be boring, don't make it be the same

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Speaker 3: thing every day, and then eventually I think you can

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Speaker 3: get to that point where you are fresh in the

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Speaker 3: latter part of the year.

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Speaker 1: Let's talk about these Atlanta Braves, because it's the twenty

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Speaker 1: three version of the sixteen Cubs in that the division

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Speaker 1: has been put away for a while. The difference here

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Speaker 1: is they are not playing well in September. The Braves

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Speaker 1: in September eight and nine with a six point one

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Speaker 1: four era. You can have a bad September and still

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Speaker 1: win the World Series and certainly not ruling them out.

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Speaker 1: The Saint Louis Cardinals went twelve and seventeen and six

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Speaker 1: and they won the World Series. It's the worst September

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Speaker 1: ever for a World Series championship team, so it probably

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Speaker 1: doesn't matter. But they look begin to look a little

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Speaker 1: more beatable to their opponents. And when I look at

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Speaker 1: the Braves, Joe, I think they're going to hit home runs,

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Speaker 1: and nothing changes a game like the home run, and

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Speaker 1: I think the lineup is just too deep. You can't

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Speaker 1: go into a series thinking you're going to keep them

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Speaker 1: in the ballpark. You know, this year they're thirty five

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Speaker 1: and thirty five when they hit one home run or

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Speaker 1: no home runs. So you got a chance. But you

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Speaker 1: just can't count on holding the Braves in the park.

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Speaker 1: They're just too deep. So how do you beat the Braves?

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Speaker 1: I think it's like last year at the Phillies, Joe.

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Speaker 1: I think you beat their starting pitchers. And we're starting

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Speaker 1: to see some attrition in September here, Kyle Wright still

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Speaker 1: working his way back.

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Speaker 2: Charlie Morton has been a little shaky this month.

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Speaker 3: Listen.

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Speaker 2: I think the Brave lineup is so good.

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Speaker 1: They are a little bit vulnerable to high fastballs, and

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Speaker 1: that's why I like the Milwaukee matchup against Atlanta. They're

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Speaker 1: very average against high fastballs. That braves offense. But again,

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Speaker 1: I think it's so good that offense. You're gonna have

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Speaker 1: to outscore Atlanta, and I see the path to anybody

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Speaker 1: taking out the Braves is the one the Phillies carved

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Speaker 1: out last year. Get out ahead against their starting pitchers.

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Speaker 1: What do you see from the Braves.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a great analysis right there, one hundred percent.

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Speaker 3: I mean I've been following their pitching more recently too,

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Speaker 3: and it has been struggling a bit that lineup is

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Speaker 3: solid is not an appropriate word. It's not even close.

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Speaker 3: They're really good and they could run, They create the

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Speaker 3: havoc on the bases, they do a lot of things well. Absolutely,

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Speaker 3: But like you're saying, in the postseason, a hot pitching

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Speaker 3: staff could beat a really good hitting ball club. I believe,

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Speaker 3: and I think again like you're saying with Milwaukee is

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Speaker 3: a perfect example of a team that's capable of doing that.

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Speaker 3: Their record is not going to be close to Atlanta's record. However,

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Speaker 3: that group of pitches that they have can shut down

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Speaker 3: this team in that short series. It's going to be

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Speaker 3: a matter of catching the ball executing. That's playoff baseball.

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Speaker 3: There may have to be a more small ball being played,

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Speaker 3: the ability to do little different things that can contribute

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Speaker 3: to winning. But yeah, you're right on with that whole thing.

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Speaker 3: It's the way to pitch them. The elevated fastball. I'm

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Speaker 3: telling you, breaking ball strike that just gets kilt and

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Speaker 3: you don't really want to go there. These are the things.

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Speaker 3: Is this is to me where a really good analytical

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Speaker 3: group comes into play to identify exactly where to not

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Speaker 3: go in this particular moment, I would be sitting next

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Speaker 3: to Borzello in the dugout with the Cubs and knew

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Speaker 3: specifically what I thought, and that would just reaffirm it

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Speaker 3: with what he thought. Regarding the pitch planning. Sometimes guys

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Speaker 3: go rogue and they think that they know and they

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Speaker 3: don't know, and Catcher as all of a sudden might

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Speaker 3: have a feel, which again I'm not opposed to, but

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Speaker 3: there's some things that are black and white, really specifically

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Speaker 3: when it comes down to how to pitch the certain

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Speaker 3: hitters and if there's a weakness there, stay with it.

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Speaker 3: Don't think that you're going to fool them. Like I

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Speaker 3: used to tell guys, don't ever think that you got

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Speaker 3: Vladimir Guerrero set up for a break of although on

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Speaker 3: everything you do, don't ever think that. If you think that,

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Speaker 3: just throw that thought away immediately. It's not true. So

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Speaker 3: there's certain guys that are like that, where regardless if

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Speaker 3: you think you got them set up for something, if

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Speaker 3: their history tells you that they don't do well against

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Speaker 3: this other thing, don't come off it. Don't come off it, man,

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Speaker 3: because that's the one time they're going to hurt you,

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Speaker 3: and only takes it takes one big blow to turn

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Speaker 3: that whole vibe around with your pitching staff and the

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Speaker 3: whole vibe around for that group of hitters. So I

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Speaker 3: think this is the time when a well deviced plant

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Speaker 3: does matter, and then stay with it and execute.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, great point, Joe. I'm with you on breaking balls

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Speaker 1: on the zone to this Braves team. You're not, You're

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Speaker 1: just knocking to beat them doing that. I did go

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Speaker 1: back and look, there's six teams this year that won

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Speaker 1: the season series against the Braves Blue Jays, Astros, Cubs,

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Speaker 1: White Sox, Red Sox, and A's. In those nineteen games,

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Speaker 1: those teams went fifteen to four against Atlanta. They held

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Speaker 1: the Braves to a one twenty seven batting average on

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Speaker 1: high fastballs. So that's something to keep in mind as

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Speaker 1: we do see that incredible Braves offense. They're going to

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Speaker 1: have the highest lugging percentage of all time. That's how

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Speaker 1: good the Atlanta Braves are. Hey, Joe, we're going to

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Speaker 1: take a quick break here, but we get back. I

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Speaker 1: want to test your memory. I want to dive a

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Speaker 1: little more into what it takes to get your team

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Speaker 1: ready for October. And let's turn the clock back to

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Speaker 1: two thousand and eight with the Rays, A little bit

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Speaker 1: farther two thousand and two with the Angels Back in

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Speaker 1: a minute.

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Speaker 2: Welcome Back to the Book of Joe podcast Joe.

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Speaker 1: The two thousand and eight Rays surprised everybody except you.

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Speaker 1: I guess take me down the stretch with that team

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Speaker 1: because you lost the lead in September. Right, you went

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Speaker 1: for five and a half up down to a half

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Speaker 1: a game lead. You were actually tied with fourteen games

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Speaker 1: left in the season. After taking a five game lead

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Speaker 1: into September. You finished a month thirteen and fourteen. But

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Speaker 1: you want it the right time. Those last fourteen games

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Speaker 1: you went nine to five. So what was the key

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Speaker 1: to that team? Obviously it was still learning how to

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Speaker 1: win quote unquote, what was the key to holding that

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Speaker 1: team together for those last fourteen games.

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Speaker 3: I'm telling you, man, the biggest thing to me and

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Speaker 3: hope that this is going to be kind of a femeral,

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Speaker 3: it's just don't change anything. You don't change anything, You

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Speaker 3: don't show any kind of panic to the group. I

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Speaker 3: don't want more information, actually want lesson. I don't want

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Speaker 3: more work. I want less work. I don't want to

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Speaker 3: whole bunch of people running around the locker room. I

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Speaker 3: want the day to be exactly the same. Don't add

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Speaker 3: on this the last time. This is the last thing

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Speaker 3: you want to do at this time of the year

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Speaker 3: is to add new things and give these guys different

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Speaker 3: things to think about or make them uncomfortable in their environment.

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Speaker 3: I want same or less this time of the year.

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Speaker 3: And that's what we did. And I know specifically having

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Speaker 3: those conversations, and I'll tell you it's born of the angels.

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Speaker 3: In the latter part of the nineteen nineteen nineties, we

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Speaker 3: were close several times who were close, and Mattie Kia

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Speaker 3: was our advanced scout, and all of a sudden, I

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Speaker 3: was in charge of the distribution of information and Maddie

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Speaker 3: would just start piling on, giving me more stuff to do.

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Speaker 3: And I thought at that time, Wow, because we got

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Speaker 3: even more information. I got to make sure that these

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Speaker 3: guys get all of this stuff. And then I finally realized, Man,

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Speaker 3: they can't deal with this. We were not good and

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Speaker 3: the latter part of those seasons and kind of faded

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Speaker 3: away allay and part of it was I thought we

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Speaker 3: changed our methods, changed our game plan, and also try

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Speaker 3: to accelerate the amount of information given. After we've been

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Speaker 3: playing these guys all year. We've had our meetings all year,

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Speaker 3: and at this time of the season, it comes down

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Speaker 3: the players playing really well and better than the other side,

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Speaker 3: other teams. And in order to do that, I want

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Speaker 3: them to be totally at ease with the pace or

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Speaker 3: the beat of the day and don't add anything new

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Speaker 3: to it. So that was it. So two thousand and

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Speaker 3: two with the Angels, I knew that, and I was

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Speaker 3: really big on that. I would say, listen, no more,

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Speaker 3: no more intel, intel, no more info. Let's do the

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Speaker 3: same things we've been doing. Of course, Social was in

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Speaker 3: charge of that, but I was in charge of a

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Speaker 3: lot of distribution of the information at that point. I

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Speaker 3: was the analytical department almost by myself primarily, and then

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Speaker 3: of course the position coaches, whether it was Mickey or

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Speaker 3: Buddy Black, Ron Renicky, spectacular, great mind for the game,

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Speaker 3: et cetera, and primo a fatal for the infielder. So yeah,

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Speaker 3: you keep doing what you're doing, and I think the

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Speaker 3: thread is that you feel like you have to do more.

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Speaker 3: And I think the groups that I feel like you

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Speaker 3: have to do more almost always fall into that trap.

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Speaker 3: You don't you do less, keep them healthy and rested,

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Speaker 3: those are the big things. So when we get to

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Speaker 3: the two thousand and eight Rays, going into that moment,

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Speaker 3: that's all I was thinking about. Don't add on, keep

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Speaker 3: it simple, don't make it any different than what it

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Speaker 3: had been before we got on. You know, we got

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Speaker 3: in this wonderful run. And don't forget too. We had

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Speaker 3: two seven game losing streaks that season, one right before

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Speaker 3: the All Star break. I don't remember exactly when the

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Speaker 3: other one was, and I think the Baltimore Oils is

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Speaker 3: the other team that have won a World Series by

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Speaker 3: having two seven game losing streaks in the same season.

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Speaker 3: So all these things were in play. The point is,

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Speaker 3: don't add on, don't try to do something differently, don't

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Speaker 3: think you have to be smarter. Make sure this sense

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Speaker 3: of humor is still there, make sure the pace of

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Speaker 3: the rhythm of the day is still there. Don't let

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Speaker 3: that be impacted by changing everything up because you think

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Speaker 3: you need to in order to be a winner this situation.

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Speaker 1: Joe, I want to circle back to those two angels

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Speaker 1: in a minute, but I want to follow up on

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Speaker 1: something you mentioned about information and so much of it,

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Speaker 1: and something you once told me about in today's game. Obviously,

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Speaker 1: there's a lot more information to be had and to

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Speaker 1: be available than back when you were doing the information

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Speaker 1: for the Angels. So he once told me about as

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Speaker 1: the games get more important and as teams get better,

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Speaker 1: the intrusion of information begins to increase. So that seems

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Speaker 1: to be counterproductive to what you were talking about about

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Speaker 1: how players win games. Let them play and don't overload

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Speaker 1: them with information. It take us inside sort of that

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Speaker 1: mentality that now these these beefed up front offices have

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Speaker 1: do have so much access to so much more information,

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Speaker 1: they actually get more involved as the games get bigger.

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Speaker 3: Correct And just think about if you hire a bunch

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Speaker 3: of analysts to be analysts, what they do is they analyze.

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Speaker 3: And so you get to that point of the year

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Speaker 3: that everybody thinks that we need more until then the

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Speaker 3: other side in order to win, and that's not true.

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Speaker 3: You need better baseball players to win, You need better

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Speaker 3: rest a baseball players to win. You need better baseball

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Speaker 3: players that are not making mental mistakes. They know how

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Speaker 3: to cope with the intensity of the moment in order

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Speaker 3: to win baseball games that time of the year. So

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Speaker 3: again this is something again that I learned from the

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Speaker 3: Angels before two thousand to the two thousand and two

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Speaker 3: Angels and on forward. But it's just that you have

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Speaker 3: the ability to create so much information, and quite frankly,

434
00:21:34,078 --> 00:21:36,118
Speaker 3: there's so much of it. There's just a dab of

435
00:21:36,158 --> 00:21:40,118
Speaker 3: it that's pertinent to that day. That are nuggets that

436
00:21:40,118 --> 00:21:43,118
Speaker 3: that could be helpful to the players in particular. Now,

437
00:21:43,158 --> 00:21:45,678
Speaker 3: I was never you could give me as much information

438
00:21:45,718 --> 00:21:47,918
Speaker 3: as you want as a manager, as a coach before

439
00:21:48,838 --> 00:21:50,478
Speaker 3: a couple of days before the game. Give it to me,

440
00:21:50,558 --> 00:21:53,638
Speaker 3: go ahead, and then it's up to me us to

441
00:21:53,798 --> 00:21:57,158
Speaker 3: then turn it over to the players again in form

442
00:21:57,198 --> 00:21:59,798
Speaker 3: of nuggets, things that they can digest, things that are

443
00:21:59,918 --> 00:22:01,718
Speaker 3: not going to become overwhelming, things that are not going

444
00:22:01,758 --> 00:22:04,918
Speaker 3: to become intrusive. When it's hot, it's a hot moment

445
00:22:04,958 --> 00:22:07,798
Speaker 3: in a baseball game, or in a football game or

446
00:22:07,878 --> 00:22:13,758
Speaker 3: basketball game, you cannot be thinking of anything other than

447
00:22:14,358 --> 00:22:16,318
Speaker 3: the moment. You have to be involved in the moment.

448
00:22:16,558 --> 00:22:20,038
Speaker 3: You permit your instincts to take over. It's about competition

449
00:22:20,118 --> 00:22:23,598
Speaker 3: and beating the other person. It's not going rifling through

450
00:22:23,638 --> 00:22:28,998
Speaker 3: this mental rolodex of information that you could access in

451
00:22:29,038 --> 00:22:30,558
Speaker 3: the moment and all of a sudden it's going to

452
00:22:30,598 --> 00:22:33,438
Speaker 3: be helpful. That stuff needs to be done before the game,

453
00:22:33,958 --> 00:22:36,918
Speaker 3: and again it needs to be consolidated to the point

454
00:22:36,918 --> 00:22:40,558
Speaker 3: where it's not intrusive and complicated. So that's what I've learned.

455
00:22:40,718 --> 00:22:43,718
Speaker 3: Do simple Better. That's a derivative of that one of

456
00:22:43,758 --> 00:22:45,958
Speaker 3: the shirts I made several years ago, and I do

457
00:22:46,038 --> 00:22:49,838
Speaker 3: believe in that concept. Everybody believes convoluted complex is the

458
00:22:49,958 --> 00:22:54,278
Speaker 3: answer in regards to solving problems or in this situation,

459
00:22:54,358 --> 00:22:57,398
Speaker 3: winning baseball games. I think it's exactly the opposite. I

460
00:22:57,478 --> 00:23:01,118
Speaker 3: think do simple better is the correct concept. Yes, I

461
00:23:01,158 --> 00:23:03,318
Speaker 3: want the info and the intel. I just talked about

462
00:23:03,318 --> 00:23:06,318
Speaker 3: it with the pitching knowing that the Atlanta Braves do

463
00:23:06,398 --> 00:23:10,438
Speaker 3: not hit elevated fastball as well. That's that's a byproduct

464
00:23:10,438 --> 00:23:13,398
Speaker 3: of a good analyst coming up with that. And then

465
00:23:13,478 --> 00:23:16,318
Speaker 3: after that you have to convince your catcher and your

466
00:23:16,318 --> 00:23:19,718
Speaker 3: pitcher that listen. I know you want to throw something else,

467
00:23:19,758 --> 00:23:21,678
Speaker 3: and I know you don't think you could keep throwing

468
00:23:21,718 --> 00:23:24,718
Speaker 3: them fastballs, but I'm telling you right now it's true.

469
00:23:24,758 --> 00:23:26,238
Speaker 3: And if you throw them a breaka, well make sure

470
00:23:26,238 --> 00:23:29,118
Speaker 3: it bounces outside of the zone and the dirt whatever

471
00:23:29,158 --> 00:23:31,158
Speaker 3: where they can't reach it, and get back to what

472
00:23:31,278 --> 00:23:34,278
Speaker 3: works these are This is where analytics is helpful. Just

473
00:23:34,278 --> 00:23:39,998
Speaker 3: a nugget like that. No more complicated than that. Reduce, reduce, reduce, simplify,

474
00:23:40,558 --> 00:23:43,838
Speaker 3: do simple better is your best method this time of

475
00:23:43,838 --> 00:23:44,198
Speaker 3: the year.

476
00:23:44,598 --> 00:23:47,758
Speaker 1: Circling back to where I started, right that, you know

477
00:23:47,838 --> 00:23:50,518
Speaker 1: how you play in September, really you can.

478
00:23:50,958 --> 00:23:52,678
Speaker 2: It doesn't have a direct effect.

479
00:23:52,758 --> 00:23:56,438
Speaker 1: In fact, October to me, Joe is its own season

480
00:23:56,638 --> 00:24:01,198
Speaker 1: and it can change on a dime. Right Especially Listen,

481
00:24:01,238 --> 00:24:03,598
Speaker 1: there's more off days in the postseason, so the rhythm

482
00:24:03,598 --> 00:24:05,838
Speaker 1: of the game, how you use your relief pitchers, it's

483
00:24:05,878 --> 00:24:08,278
Speaker 1: all different from one hundred and sixty two game season.

484
00:24:08,798 --> 00:24:11,478
Speaker 1: So it make comfort fans when their team is playing

485
00:24:11,518 --> 00:24:13,838
Speaker 1: well on September to say, hey, our team is going

486
00:24:13,838 --> 00:24:15,238
Speaker 1: into the postseason the right way.

487
00:24:15,318 --> 00:24:15,838
Speaker 2: We're hot.

488
00:24:16,758 --> 00:24:20,478
Speaker 1: A couple of examples for you on teams that can

489
00:24:20,518 --> 00:24:24,278
Speaker 1: turn it on a dime. Famously, the fifteen Royals, right

490
00:24:24,318 --> 00:24:27,398
Speaker 1: they were fifteen and seventeen in September. They're losing the

491
00:24:27,398 --> 00:24:30,678
Speaker 1: wildcard game to Oakland. Ned Yost is probably going to

492
00:24:30,718 --> 00:24:33,918
Speaker 1: get fired, and they come back on Oakland win that

493
00:24:33,998 --> 00:24:36,238
Speaker 1: game and they can't be stopped. They win the World Series,

494
00:24:36,638 --> 00:24:40,318
Speaker 1: and your to Angels team, Let's go back there again, Joe, okay,

495
00:24:40,878 --> 00:24:44,118
Speaker 1: because that team had a one game lead in the

496
00:24:44,158 --> 00:24:48,558
Speaker 1: division with eleven games to play. The Angels then proceed

497
00:24:48,598 --> 00:24:52,518
Speaker 1: to lose seven of the next nine games and somehow

498
00:24:52,598 --> 00:24:54,678
Speaker 1: get it together to win the last two to sneak

499
00:24:54,678 --> 00:24:57,998
Speaker 1: in as the wildcard. They go to New York for

500
00:24:58,038 --> 00:25:00,158
Speaker 1: the first game of the division series and have a

501
00:25:00,238 --> 00:25:02,598
Speaker 1: five to four lead in the eighth inning, two out,

502
00:25:02,638 --> 00:25:06,718
Speaker 1: space is empty, and then it goes walk walk, single

503
00:25:06,838 --> 00:25:07,518
Speaker 1: Grand Slam.

504
00:25:07,598 --> 00:25:11,398
Speaker 2: Angels lose, and that team went on to win the

505
00:25:11,398 --> 00:25:12,158
Speaker 2: World Series.

506
00:25:12,838 --> 00:25:15,398
Speaker 1: I mean, come on, that's the team that blew a

507
00:25:15,438 --> 00:25:19,918
Speaker 1: division lead, blew an eighth inning lead against the Yankees

508
00:25:20,038 --> 00:25:22,558
Speaker 1: up by three with the bases empty and two outs,

509
00:25:22,598 --> 00:25:26,038
Speaker 1: four outs to go, and still won the World Series. So, Joe,

510
00:25:26,038 --> 00:25:28,678
Speaker 1: you've seen how the thing can change in October on

511
00:25:28,718 --> 00:25:29,198
Speaker 1: a dime.

512
00:25:29,758 --> 00:25:31,958
Speaker 3: That team there, you're talking about, the two thousand and

513
00:25:31,998 --> 00:25:35,198
Speaker 3: two Angels, that's just one of the grittiest groups I've

514
00:25:35,238 --> 00:25:37,398
Speaker 3: ever been around. There were a bunch of tough guys.

515
00:25:37,478 --> 00:25:40,118
Speaker 3: That was a group of tough guys right there, and

516
00:25:40,798 --> 00:25:43,278
Speaker 3: I think Social's leadership had a lot to do with that,

517
00:25:43,838 --> 00:25:47,838
Speaker 3: because Mike in a moment like that, being through what

518
00:25:47,838 --> 00:25:50,678
Speaker 3: he had been through before, would not lose his mind

519
00:25:50,758 --> 00:25:54,358
Speaker 3: or he would not be defeated by that particular situation.

520
00:25:54,958 --> 00:25:56,878
Speaker 3: He had been through the words before, he knows things

521
00:25:56,918 --> 00:25:59,878
Speaker 3: can happen, and he was all about that. So as

522
00:25:59,918 --> 00:26:03,558
Speaker 3: Mickey Hatcher, Mickey was really good about. Mickey gave one

523
00:26:03,558 --> 00:26:06,198
Speaker 3: of the best speak they've ever heard before a playoff

524
00:26:06,238 --> 00:26:10,238
Speaker 3: game when he just implored all of us, the players

525
00:26:10,278 --> 00:26:13,078
Speaker 3: to just run hard. That was all he said. Just

526
00:26:13,198 --> 00:26:14,838
Speaker 3: run hard. The one thing you don't want to do

527
00:26:14,878 --> 00:26:17,678
Speaker 3: is embarrass yourself here. So if you just run hard,

528
00:26:17,758 --> 00:26:20,118
Speaker 3: I promise you things are going to work out well

529
00:26:20,118 --> 00:26:22,638
Speaker 3: for you during this playoff series. That was in the

530
00:26:22,878 --> 00:26:26,758
Speaker 3: little locker room coaches room at Yankee, the old Yankee Stadium.

531
00:26:26,958 --> 00:26:30,358
Speaker 3: So yeah, that group had grit and the ability to

532
00:26:30,398 --> 00:26:32,558
Speaker 3: come back to the point where that fifth game back

533
00:26:32,558 --> 00:26:36,558
Speaker 3: at home there, I just remember seeing their players on

534
00:26:36,598 --> 00:26:39,758
Speaker 3: the field absolutely defeat it at the latter part of

535
00:26:39,758 --> 00:26:42,078
Speaker 3: that game, they came back and then of course the

536
00:26:42,118 --> 00:26:45,838
Speaker 3: rest is history. So you cannot give up. You got to.

537
00:26:46,398 --> 00:26:50,358
Speaker 3: You have to embed this among your groups somehow and

538
00:26:50,438 --> 00:26:52,598
Speaker 3: have them understand things are good. It's one of my

539
00:26:52,598 --> 00:26:55,438
Speaker 3: preach my speeches. Things are going to go bad, I

540
00:26:55,558 --> 00:26:59,718
Speaker 3: promise you during the course of this series, this playoff series, somethings,

541
00:26:59,758 --> 00:27:02,518
Speaker 3: something's going to go really crappy. It's going to go bad,

542
00:27:02,918 --> 00:27:05,838
Speaker 3: and we cannot let that get us down. And we

543
00:27:05,878 --> 00:27:08,598
Speaker 3: cannot let that one moment defeat us. The Angel group

544
00:27:08,678 --> 00:27:11,678
Speaker 3: was really indicative of that. And the last point you

545
00:27:11,718 --> 00:27:14,798
Speaker 3: just mentioned it you talked about October. One of my

546
00:27:14,878 --> 00:27:18,518
Speaker 3: lines always with September provides its own energy, and of

547
00:27:18,558 --> 00:27:21,798
Speaker 3: course so does October. It's about getting there. Everybody talks

548
00:27:21,838 --> 00:27:24,718
Speaker 3: about the dog days of August. You got to get

549
00:27:24,718 --> 00:27:28,278
Speaker 3: through that, and once you do that, next month it's there.

550
00:27:28,318 --> 00:27:31,278
Speaker 3: You just plug into September, plug into October, and there's

551
00:27:31,278 --> 00:27:33,358
Speaker 3: the energy you've been looking for. Man, But you got

552
00:27:33,398 --> 00:27:35,518
Speaker 3: to work really hard to get there. And when you

553
00:27:35,518 --> 00:27:38,398
Speaker 3: get a gritty group like the two thousand and two Angels,

554
00:27:38,678 --> 00:27:39,558
Speaker 3: good stuff happened.

555
00:27:39,798 --> 00:27:41,798
Speaker 1: Well, let's talk about the wild card this year in

556
00:27:41,838 --> 00:27:44,198
Speaker 1: the National League, Joe, because we're down to about a

557
00:27:44,238 --> 00:27:47,478
Speaker 1: dozen games for these teams. We got five teams separated

558
00:27:47,558 --> 00:27:52,358
Speaker 1: by two games, and obviously only three can get into

559
00:27:52,398 --> 00:27:52,998
Speaker 1: the tournament.

560
00:27:53,198 --> 00:27:53,518
Speaker 3: Wow.

561
00:27:53,598 --> 00:27:57,158
Speaker 1: So if you're a manager of one of these teams. Basically,

562
00:27:57,158 --> 00:27:59,918
Speaker 1: you're in playoff mode right now, right absolutely tell me

563
00:27:59,958 --> 00:28:03,038
Speaker 1: about how you prepare your team and how you run

564
00:28:03,078 --> 00:28:06,678
Speaker 1: these games, knowing your season comes down to the last

565
00:28:06,718 --> 00:28:07,398
Speaker 1: dozen games.

566
00:28:07,758 --> 00:28:09,758
Speaker 3: One game winning streaks. Man, we need a bunch of

567
00:28:09,798 --> 00:28:12,078
Speaker 3: one game winning streaks. It starts with that. I really

568
00:28:12,078 --> 00:28:14,958
Speaker 3: try to reduce it to one. That would be a

569
00:28:14,998 --> 00:28:17,678
Speaker 3: mantra that I would carry uh as in walking around

570
00:28:17,718 --> 00:28:20,318
Speaker 3: the locker room, making sure that each coach when they

571
00:28:20,318 --> 00:28:24,438
Speaker 3: have their specific meetings, really emphasize it's just about tonight.

572
00:28:24,478 --> 00:28:26,998
Speaker 3: It's not about yesterday. Ken. We can't control that. We

573
00:28:27,038 --> 00:28:30,478
Speaker 3: cannot control tomorrow. It comes down to tonight, one thing

574
00:28:30,558 --> 00:28:34,438
Speaker 3: at a time. With the again, with the distribution of information,

575
00:28:35,038 --> 00:28:38,118
Speaker 3: nothing's different want. I don't want early report times. I

576
00:28:38,158 --> 00:28:41,638
Speaker 3: don't want anything different that we've been doing all season

577
00:28:41,798 --> 00:28:45,278
Speaker 3: long that has I like even as much as we

578
00:28:45,318 --> 00:28:47,998
Speaker 3: can the same times, like what time do you get there,

579
00:28:48,278 --> 00:28:50,758
Speaker 3: what time are the meetings, how long are the meetings?

580
00:28:50,998 --> 00:28:53,598
Speaker 3: Everything about that day. I want it to be specifically

581
00:28:53,678 --> 00:28:56,758
Speaker 3: exactly how it had been during the course of the year.

582
00:28:57,358 --> 00:28:58,718
Speaker 3: I'll just mention to Sam, I had the luxury of

583
00:28:58,758 --> 00:29:02,158
Speaker 3: having Tim Buss in Chicago Bussy was the strength and

584
00:29:02,198 --> 00:29:04,798
Speaker 3: conditioning guy, but Bussy was also my vice president of

585
00:29:04,838 --> 00:29:08,918
Speaker 3: stuff and hysterical and his humor, his ability to keep

586
00:29:08,958 --> 00:29:13,918
Speaker 3: guys from getting over the top, nervous or over analytical

587
00:29:14,038 --> 00:29:16,118
Speaker 3: is great. You need people like that in your club

588
00:29:16,158 --> 00:29:21,038
Speaker 3: bus that don't need you don't need Albert Einstein down there, man.

589
00:29:21,198 --> 00:29:23,078
Speaker 3: You need you know, you need guys like Tim Bust,

590
00:29:23,158 --> 00:29:26,038
Speaker 3: you need, you need Jason here where, you need Johnny Lester,

591
00:29:26,078 --> 00:29:28,158
Speaker 3: Guys that have been through a little bit before. And

592
00:29:28,238 --> 00:29:31,958
Speaker 3: you need this this calmness about the group. And if

593
00:29:31,958 --> 00:29:35,478
Speaker 3: they if the the entire group senses any kind of

594
00:29:35,678 --> 00:29:38,798
Speaker 3: panic and just for lack of a better word, or

595
00:29:39,398 --> 00:29:42,038
Speaker 3: you feel like you have to apply more in order

596
00:29:42,078 --> 00:29:44,878
Speaker 3: to get this done, it's not gonna work. It doesn't work.

597
00:29:45,558 --> 00:29:50,638
Speaker 3: Do simple better, same, same, same every day, don't change anything,

598
00:29:50,758 --> 00:29:54,918
Speaker 3: maintain your sense of humor and I and that's it.

599
00:29:54,998 --> 00:29:57,078
Speaker 3: If you have good players, you're gonna win. If they

600
00:29:57,118 --> 00:29:59,198
Speaker 3: go out there they can breathe, you're gonna win. And

601
00:29:59,238 --> 00:30:00,158
Speaker 3: if they can't, you're.

602
00:30:00,038 --> 00:30:03,678
Speaker 2: Not vice president of stuff. I love that.

603
00:30:04,358 --> 00:30:07,438
Speaker 1: Hopefully he got himself business cards with that title on it.

604
00:30:08,318 --> 00:30:11,038
Speaker 3: I made T shirts. I mean sweatshirts, hoodies with that

605
00:30:11,238 --> 00:30:14,278
Speaker 3: on it, and also a hat that was dedicated to

606
00:30:14,318 --> 00:30:17,438
Speaker 3: him that every player in the locker room got to

607
00:30:17,478 --> 00:30:19,038
Speaker 3: weark ep of stuff.

608
00:30:19,398 --> 00:30:21,358
Speaker 1: Hey, we're going to take a quick break, talk more

609
00:30:21,398 --> 00:30:26,158
Speaker 1: about the dog days, the Pennant Race. It's nitty gritty

610
00:30:26,198 --> 00:30:28,678
Speaker 1: time right now in the baseball season. We'll talk about

611
00:30:28,718 --> 00:30:41,758
Speaker 1: that a little bit more when we get back. Welcome

612
00:30:41,758 --> 00:30:43,238
Speaker 1: back to the Book of Joe podcast.

613
00:30:43,398 --> 00:30:46,558
Speaker 2: Joe. One time I was talking to Brian Jordan. You

614
00:30:46,558 --> 00:30:48,478
Speaker 2: remember him. He played in the NFL and played for

615
00:30:48,518 --> 00:30:49,238
Speaker 2: the Atlanta Braves.

616
00:30:49,318 --> 00:30:49,998
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, And he.

617
00:30:49,998 --> 00:30:52,318
Speaker 1: Talked about how this time of year was exciting, not

618
00:30:52,478 --> 00:30:54,278
Speaker 1: just because the Braves seemed like they were in the

619
00:30:54,318 --> 00:30:57,278
Speaker 1: postseason every year, but the football player at him would

620
00:30:57,278 --> 00:30:59,558
Speaker 1: come out. He once told me, I feel like hitting

621
00:30:59,598 --> 00:31:01,438
Speaker 1: somebody this time of the year every year. It's like,

622
00:31:01,838 --> 00:31:04,118
Speaker 1: I'm sure you must feel that a little bit. The

623
00:31:04,118 --> 00:31:06,838
Speaker 1: air stars to turn. There's football on TV. Now, it's

624
00:31:07,118 --> 00:31:09,118
Speaker 1: got a different vibe to it. I mean, I know

625
00:31:09,158 --> 00:31:12,878
Speaker 1: it doesn't take you away from, you know, your baseball activities,

626
00:31:12,918 --> 00:31:15,438
Speaker 1: but yeah, there's something about the rhythm to a season,

627
00:31:15,518 --> 00:31:15,878
Speaker 1: isn't there.

628
00:31:16,158 --> 00:31:18,318
Speaker 3: Yeah, Sosh, and I would sit you know Mike. Mike's

629
00:31:18,318 --> 00:31:21,918
Speaker 3: from Chester down by Philadelphia, so we grew up close

630
00:31:21,958 --> 00:31:25,078
Speaker 3: to one another. Actually he's a little bit younger than me,

631
00:31:25,438 --> 00:31:27,838
Speaker 3: but we would giggle behind the batting cage, and one

632
00:31:27,878 --> 00:31:31,838
Speaker 3: day I said to him, this smells like football weather. Yeah,

633
00:31:31,878 --> 00:31:34,358
Speaker 3: and you know, Sosh typically looked at me and says, none,

634
00:31:34,718 --> 00:31:38,438
Speaker 3: it's playoff weather. And I love that. So from that

635
00:31:38,518 --> 00:31:40,518
Speaker 3: moment on, we just dubbed this time of the year

636
00:31:40,518 --> 00:31:43,198
Speaker 3: as playoff weather. But you're right. I mean, there's a

637
00:31:43,198 --> 00:31:45,958
Speaker 3: difference to it. There's the sun's different, the lighting's different,

638
00:31:46,318 --> 00:31:48,678
Speaker 3: the way it's setting, the days are becoming shorter again,

639
00:31:49,078 --> 00:31:52,078
Speaker 3: the coolness starts creeping in, and it does it does

640
00:31:52,158 --> 00:31:53,918
Speaker 3: feel like you're going to hit somebody. It does feel

641
00:31:53,958 --> 00:31:57,878
Speaker 3: like football season, especially up here in northeastern Pennsylvania. Went

642
00:31:57,918 --> 00:32:00,198
Speaker 3: out to dinner the other night. The place was parking

643
00:32:00,198 --> 00:32:02,918
Speaker 3: lot was packed because high school football team was playing.

644
00:32:02,918 --> 00:32:06,358
Speaker 3: It's great stuff, man, it's great stuff. But yeah, you

645
00:32:07,078 --> 00:32:09,238
Speaker 3: part of the interesting or the fun part about it

646
00:32:09,278 --> 00:32:11,318
Speaker 3: is you play, you win on a Sunday and you

647
00:32:11,398 --> 00:32:14,238
Speaker 3: hustle inside. You saw your football team's doing. And guys

648
00:32:14,518 --> 00:32:18,038
Speaker 3: are really involved in fantasy football this time of the year,

649
00:32:18,038 --> 00:32:21,358
Speaker 3: and it's a great diversion. Don't become conflicted with this.

650
00:32:21,758 --> 00:32:25,158
Speaker 3: We need diversions in order to keep our sanity. Fantasy

651
00:32:25,198 --> 00:32:27,358
Speaker 3: football is a great diversion. However, I stopped playing it

652
00:32:27,398 --> 00:32:30,158
Speaker 3: because I started rooting for players that were not on

653
00:32:30,198 --> 00:32:33,678
Speaker 3: my Arizona or Saint Louis Cardinals or Arizona Cardinals. So

654
00:32:33,718 --> 00:32:35,998
Speaker 3: I stopped doing that because I was conflicted and who

655
00:32:36,038 --> 00:32:39,318
Speaker 3: to root for. But it's really a lot of fun,

656
00:32:40,038 --> 00:32:43,998
Speaker 3: and especially when you're doing well. So yeah, it's all.

657
00:32:44,038 --> 00:32:46,278
Speaker 3: It all conspires this time of the year. Man, it's

658
00:32:46,318 --> 00:32:48,798
Speaker 3: a great time of the year, the confluence of football

659
00:32:48,838 --> 00:32:50,038
Speaker 3: and baseball working together.

660
00:32:50,518 --> 00:32:53,158
Speaker 1: Yeah, and we're seeing a lot of young players now

661
00:32:53,238 --> 00:32:56,198
Speaker 1: because the game is turning younger here going through their

662
00:32:56,238 --> 00:32:58,558
Speaker 1: first Pennant races. And Joe, you had such a young

663
00:32:58,598 --> 00:33:01,598
Speaker 1: team in twenty sixteen. You did have the experience of fifteen.

664
00:33:01,638 --> 00:33:01,918
Speaker 3: Though.

665
00:33:02,678 --> 00:33:03,758
Speaker 2: I'm curious as a.

666
00:33:03,638 --> 00:33:06,958
Speaker 1: Man what you try to pick up in terms of

667
00:33:06,998 --> 00:33:10,878
Speaker 1: body language, approaches, the way they carry themselves when young

668
00:33:10,918 --> 00:33:13,918
Speaker 1: players are in September in Pennant races for the first time,

669
00:33:14,718 --> 00:33:17,598
Speaker 1: because it seems to me veteran players you know, they've

670
00:33:17,598 --> 00:33:19,878
Speaker 1: been there, done that, thing does come into play. They

671
00:33:19,918 --> 00:33:23,478
Speaker 1: know how to handle big situations, stick to their routines.

672
00:33:23,518 --> 00:33:25,798
Speaker 1: As you said, they don't change anything. What do you

673
00:33:25,918 --> 00:33:27,718
Speaker 1: look for from young players?

674
00:33:27,998 --> 00:33:32,598
Speaker 3: Their eyeballs. I'm big on eyeballs. You could see when

675
00:33:32,638 --> 00:33:35,718
Speaker 3: a guy starts spinning a little bit, or starts after

676
00:33:35,758 --> 00:33:39,158
Speaker 3: a bad moment, getting so introspective that it's going to

677
00:33:39,158 --> 00:33:42,998
Speaker 3: impact them next play, next at bat, whatever. I just

678
00:33:43,038 --> 00:33:46,798
Speaker 3: try to like mosey up to him in a manner

679
00:33:46,838 --> 00:33:49,398
Speaker 3: that's going to be very aware to him, but just

680
00:33:49,438 --> 00:33:51,998
Speaker 3: to get up there and just try to check in,

681
00:33:52,398 --> 00:33:54,478
Speaker 3: maybe even talk about something else. When he's on decker

682
00:33:54,478 --> 00:33:56,438
Speaker 3: in a hole, just just say something stupid to him,

683
00:33:56,478 --> 00:33:59,878
Speaker 3: just to get his mind off of that grinding moment

684
00:33:59,958 --> 00:34:02,478
Speaker 3: that he's going through. So I would always look in

685
00:34:02,518 --> 00:34:05,398
Speaker 3: their eyeballs and you know where they're at. But quite frankly,

686
00:34:06,158 --> 00:34:09,198
Speaker 3: you just mentioned that group with the Cubs in particular,

687
00:34:09,718 --> 00:34:11,438
Speaker 3: was so balanced. I mean, yeah, we were the youngest,

688
00:34:11,478 --> 00:34:12,878
Speaker 3: I think the youngest team to win the World Series.

689
00:34:12,878 --> 00:34:14,638
Speaker 3: From one end, I think I had heard, but you had,

690
00:34:14,678 --> 00:34:18,478
Speaker 3: you know, KB and Addie and Hobby out there simultaneous,

691
00:34:18,518 --> 00:34:21,358
Speaker 3: and Rizzo is not very old at that point either,

692
00:34:21,438 --> 00:34:23,558
Speaker 3: and Jason Heyward, you know he had Almora play. You

693
00:34:23,598 --> 00:34:25,518
Speaker 3: had a lot of young guys out there, but then

694
00:34:25,558 --> 00:34:29,078
Speaker 3: you have Johnny Lester doing his thing and Johnny. Johnny

695
00:34:29,078 --> 00:34:31,318
Speaker 3: can never you can never underestimate, you know. Johnny wasn't

696
00:34:31,318 --> 00:34:34,078
Speaker 3: really outspoken, but he set a great example. David Ross

697
00:34:34,078 --> 00:34:37,958
Speaker 3: and Mige Matero we had this nice balance. So for me,

698
00:34:38,078 --> 00:34:41,278
Speaker 3: it's about looking at eyeballs and that'll tell you everything.

699
00:34:41,318 --> 00:34:43,838
Speaker 3: You'll tell you. You know, I don't know. Body language could

700
00:34:43,838 --> 00:34:46,118
Speaker 3: be deceptive, but you know, if you're really reading people,

701
00:34:46,158 --> 00:34:48,318
Speaker 3: if you've done it your whole life, you know, you know,

702
00:34:48,438 --> 00:34:49,918
Speaker 3: when so many needs a little bit of a check in,

703
00:34:49,958 --> 00:34:51,998
Speaker 3: you give them a check in. But then if you

704
00:34:51,998 --> 00:34:56,838
Speaker 3: have veteran players like that, they definitely these other dudes

705
00:34:56,878 --> 00:34:59,318
Speaker 3: will look at these guys and these guys could actually

706
00:34:59,358 --> 00:35:02,438
Speaker 3: lead by example at this point. So I love a balance.

707
00:35:02,558 --> 00:35:05,318
Speaker 3: I love I love youth for the energy, but then

708
00:35:05,358 --> 00:35:07,638
Speaker 3: you want the long and the two guys with the

709
00:35:07,678 --> 00:35:14,198
Speaker 3: experience to not get over amped or over negative, over

710
00:35:14,358 --> 00:35:17,238
Speaker 3: the negative when things don't go well. And that's really

711
00:35:17,358 --> 00:35:20,558
Speaker 3: it's such a wise way to do things. And that's

712
00:35:20,558 --> 00:35:22,438
Speaker 3: that's what I loved about the sixteen Cubs.

713
00:35:23,278 --> 00:35:25,158
Speaker 1: Joe, you just remind me of a funny story from

714
00:35:25,278 --> 00:35:29,118
Speaker 1: Dusty Baker. He once was talking to Bo Schambeckler, of course,

715
00:35:29,158 --> 00:35:32,758
Speaker 1: the famous Michigan football coach, and just asked them one day.

716
00:35:32,798 --> 00:35:35,638
Speaker 1: He said, coach, you know, how do you know which

717
00:35:35,678 --> 00:35:37,958
Speaker 1: guy to play at linebacker there? Which is that that

718
00:35:38,038 --> 00:35:40,678
Speaker 1: young kid or the senior who's been there a couple

719
00:35:40,718 --> 00:35:42,278
Speaker 1: of years. But the young kids, how do you know

720
00:35:42,318 --> 00:35:46,118
Speaker 1: which guy to play? And he said, simple, I look

721
00:35:46,198 --> 00:35:49,638
Speaker 1: him in the eye. So there is still something to that.

722
00:35:50,158 --> 00:35:53,118
Speaker 3: It's true, man. I mean, you know, people that have

723
00:35:53,198 --> 00:35:55,958
Speaker 3: never done it will dispute that, and they're gonna want

724
00:35:55,998 --> 00:36:00,438
Speaker 3: to go read, you know, analytically try to figure it out.

725
00:36:00,478 --> 00:36:03,318
Speaker 3: It's a human game. It's about human beings. It's about

726
00:36:03,358 --> 00:36:06,678
Speaker 3: breathing in the moment. It's about slowing things down. It's

727
00:36:06,718 --> 00:36:11,878
Speaker 3: about being able to recreate what you do in batting

728
00:36:11,918 --> 00:36:15,198
Speaker 3: practice or in a very calm situation when everything the

729
00:36:15,318 --> 00:36:18,238
Speaker 3: lights are on, everything's amped up a bit, that you're

730
00:36:18,278 --> 00:36:21,678
Speaker 3: able to recreate all those same body movements. But you

731
00:36:21,798 --> 00:36:24,318
Speaker 3: got a little bit of an adrenaline flow right now, man,

732
00:36:24,318 --> 00:36:27,518
Speaker 3: which really enables you to do things that you had

733
00:36:27,598 --> 00:36:30,238
Speaker 3: not been able to do before. That's what it really

734
00:36:30,278 --> 00:36:33,318
Speaker 3: comes down to. That's not spoken about enough. And that's

735
00:36:33,358 --> 00:36:35,398
Speaker 3: why teams right now you're going to see a group

736
00:36:35,438 --> 00:36:38,758
Speaker 3: that really just takes off. And a lot of it

737
00:36:38,798 --> 00:36:42,118
Speaker 3: has to do with their ability to breathe and slow

738
00:36:42,158 --> 00:36:45,798
Speaker 3: things down and really be able, like I said, replicate,

739
00:36:45,878 --> 00:36:50,478
Speaker 3: recreate what they normally do physically in a non stressful

740
00:36:50,478 --> 00:36:54,158
Speaker 3: moment in a bullpen, in batting practice at four point

741
00:36:54,158 --> 00:36:56,678
Speaker 3: thirty or four let's just say four o'clock early work,

742
00:36:57,038 --> 00:36:59,078
Speaker 3: and then here comes seven oh five or seven ten,

743
00:36:59,118 --> 00:37:00,998
Speaker 3: whatever it might be, and now you got to do

744
00:37:01,038 --> 00:37:03,718
Speaker 3: it in front of everybody. Now it matters and accounts.

745
00:37:04,118 --> 00:37:06,638
Speaker 3: That's really the secret to this whole thing. And how

746
00:37:06,638 --> 00:37:09,638
Speaker 3: do you get your players to process all this to

747
00:37:09,678 --> 00:37:13,518
Speaker 3: the point where they're able to be themselves, be them

748
00:37:13,878 --> 00:37:15,158
Speaker 3: when it really matters most.

749
00:37:15,478 --> 00:37:17,398
Speaker 1: All right, I'm going to put you on the spot now, Joe,

750
00:37:17,438 --> 00:37:19,358
Speaker 1: as it relates to the Chicago Cubs.

751
00:37:19,558 --> 00:37:20,038
Speaker 3: I love it.

752
00:37:20,078 --> 00:37:22,318
Speaker 1: And one of your players, of course, David Ross, is

753
00:37:22,398 --> 00:37:26,358
Speaker 1: running that team. He's got a pretty young team. There's

754
00:37:26,558 --> 00:37:28,998
Speaker 1: a few veterans sprinkled in there, but for the most part,

755
00:37:29,118 --> 00:37:31,278
Speaker 1: especially with his pitching, he's got a lot of pitchers

756
00:37:31,278 --> 00:37:35,238
Speaker 1: who are beyond their professional high and innings or end,

757
00:37:35,358 --> 00:37:37,478
Speaker 1: or are pitching in a pennant race for the first time.

758
00:37:38,078 --> 00:37:41,198
Speaker 1: That team seem to have a lock on a playoff spot,

759
00:37:41,398 --> 00:37:43,918
Speaker 1: and they've frittered that away. They have not played well

760
00:37:43,958 --> 00:37:46,438
Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks. The walls start closing in

761
00:37:46,478 --> 00:37:50,238
Speaker 1: a little bit. They have a lot of tiebreakers that

762
00:37:50,478 --> 00:37:54,398
Speaker 1: work against them, which is not a small thing, because remember, folks,

763
00:37:54,758 --> 00:37:57,238
Speaker 1: if there's a tie for playoff spots, they do not

764
00:37:57,398 --> 00:38:01,398
Speaker 1: play tiebreaker games. It goes to first, your head to

765
00:38:01,438 --> 00:38:03,838
Speaker 1: head record against that team, if it's two way tie,

766
00:38:04,278 --> 00:38:06,598
Speaker 1: or if it's a multiple team tie, or if the

767
00:38:06,638 --> 00:38:08,598
Speaker 1: head to head record is tied, it goes to your

768
00:38:08,638 --> 00:38:11,798
Speaker 1: record within the division, and the Cubs lose a lot

769
00:38:11,838 --> 00:38:14,038
Speaker 1: of those tie breakers, so they have to be free

770
00:38:14,118 --> 00:38:17,038
Speaker 1: and clear if the playoff spot and not tied with

771
00:38:17,118 --> 00:38:20,798
Speaker 1: the team. So, Joe, you know, put yourself in Rossy's

772
00:38:20,798 --> 00:38:23,838
Speaker 1: shoes right now. You've got a team trying to get

773
00:38:23,878 --> 00:38:27,038
Speaker 1: to the finish line, struggling the last couple of weeks.

774
00:38:27,398 --> 00:38:30,038
Speaker 1: They were great the last couple of months before that,

775
00:38:30,078 --> 00:38:32,398
Speaker 1: coming out of the All Star break, how do you

776
00:38:32,438 --> 00:38:35,958
Speaker 1: make sure this team finishes strongly, or you know, at

777
00:38:36,038 --> 00:38:38,118
Speaker 1: least puts the wheels back on and makes a little

778
00:38:38,118 --> 00:38:38,918
Speaker 1: bit of a run.

779
00:38:38,998 --> 00:38:42,318
Speaker 3: Hit that pressure release valve. That could be like a

780
00:38:42,318 --> 00:38:46,238
Speaker 3: little team gathering after a game on the road. It

781
00:38:46,278 --> 00:38:48,678
Speaker 3: could even be if if the schedule is not setting

782
00:38:48,798 --> 00:38:50,558
Speaker 3: up appropriately and we've got to do this at home,

783
00:38:50,598 --> 00:38:52,878
Speaker 3: figure out something at home. But it's got to be

784
00:38:52,998 --> 00:39:01,198
Speaker 3: something that I like, again, a group situation, whether it's dinner,

785
00:39:01,278 --> 00:39:04,518
Speaker 3: whether it's a well we did done that Saint Louis

786
00:39:04,638 --> 00:39:07,838
Speaker 3: a couple of years ago, we just met down by

787
00:39:07,878 --> 00:39:10,638
Speaker 3: the pool at the hotel after a game just to

788
00:39:10,678 --> 00:39:12,918
Speaker 3: hang out, just to hang out, be there, the chance

789
00:39:12,998 --> 00:39:16,478
Speaker 3: to talk, socialize. They see me there and theer those circumstances,

790
00:39:16,478 --> 00:39:19,518
Speaker 3: the coaches will be there, you have a beer to

791
00:39:19,638 --> 00:39:22,638
Speaker 3: whatever it might take to just let the air out

792
00:39:22,678 --> 00:39:25,558
Speaker 3: a little bit. Just that kind of a social situation.

793
00:39:25,878 --> 00:39:28,478
Speaker 3: It could have been. I mean for me. People don't

794
00:39:28,518 --> 00:39:31,278
Speaker 3: realize that. But after we were down three to one

795
00:39:31,318 --> 00:39:34,038
Speaker 3: going to Cleveland, it was Halloween and I wear this

796
00:39:34,158 --> 00:39:37,638
Speaker 3: really got awful suit on the airplane, on the bus

797
00:39:37,678 --> 00:39:42,558
Speaker 3: with this Halloween suit, you know, blood and knives and

798
00:39:42,598 --> 00:39:45,558
Speaker 3: all kinds of stuff on it, just to get into

799
00:39:45,598 --> 00:39:49,558
Speaker 3: the Halloween spirit, but to take yourself seriously, but never

800
00:39:49,598 --> 00:39:51,678
Speaker 3: too seriously. So I would do something like that. Nothing.

801
00:39:51,918 --> 00:39:54,158
Speaker 3: It has nothing to do with more work. Like I'm saying,

802
00:39:54,318 --> 00:39:57,838
Speaker 3: this is not about a time for more information and

803
00:39:57,878 --> 00:40:00,438
Speaker 3: not the time definitely not to start breaking things down.

804
00:40:00,718 --> 00:40:03,678
Speaker 3: It's something again, whatever you could do to hit that

805
00:40:03,998 --> 00:40:07,158
Speaker 3: the pressure valve and will you release it? Go there,

806
00:40:07,518 --> 00:40:09,718
Speaker 3: and that would be up to you in order how

807
00:40:09,718 --> 00:40:11,678
Speaker 3: to get that done for me perfectly, be on the road,

808
00:40:12,238 --> 00:40:15,678
Speaker 3: on the road after a night game, game over, everybody required,

809
00:40:15,838 --> 00:40:19,878
Speaker 3: come down you know, the hotel, bar, whatever, and get

810
00:40:19,878 --> 00:40:22,358
Speaker 3: in there and just let's socialize its talk this thing through,

811
00:40:22,718 --> 00:40:25,118
Speaker 3: get everybody to relax a little bit. That's the way

812
00:40:25,118 --> 00:40:28,318
Speaker 3: to do this. Sorry if anybody disagrees with that, But

813
00:40:28,318 --> 00:40:30,078
Speaker 3: more work's not going to get it done. If you're

814
00:40:30,078 --> 00:40:30,998
Speaker 3: really struggling like that.

815
00:40:31,558 --> 00:40:33,798
Speaker 2: It reminds me of what the Giants did recently.

816
00:40:33,838 --> 00:40:35,598
Speaker 1: They've had a tough couple of weeks like the Cubs,

817
00:40:35,598 --> 00:40:38,358
Speaker 1: and they had a tough series in Colorado, and on

818
00:40:38,398 --> 00:40:40,518
Speaker 1: their way back home from a long road trip from

819
00:40:40,558 --> 00:40:44,078
Speaker 1: Colorado back to San Francisco, actually two Arizona, they were

820
00:40:44,078 --> 00:40:47,198
Speaker 1: going to continue the trip. They had a Barbie movie

821
00:40:47,318 --> 00:40:50,958
Speaker 1: dress up day Perfect and listen, it put a lot

822
00:40:50,958 --> 00:40:53,558
Speaker 1: of smiles on people's faces. They did win the getaway game,

823
00:40:53,598 --> 00:40:56,038
Speaker 1: which is as you know, it's always good, makes for a.

824
00:40:55,958 --> 00:40:56,998
Speaker 2: Happy plane ride.

825
00:40:57,078 --> 00:40:59,518
Speaker 1: But I still I like hearing when things like that happen,

826
00:40:59,598 --> 00:41:01,638
Speaker 1: where guys they still put a smile on their faces

827
00:41:01,678 --> 00:41:05,478
Speaker 1: and don't change their to me based on the one

828
00:41:05,558 --> 00:41:06,638
Speaker 1: lost record.

829
00:41:06,638 --> 00:41:09,318
Speaker 3: You got to shake it up. Man. It's tough. There's

830
00:41:09,438 --> 00:41:14,958
Speaker 3: enough pressure being applied from so many different avenue situations, directions,

831
00:41:15,478 --> 00:41:18,118
Speaker 3: and so your job is to do the exact opposite.

832
00:41:18,398 --> 00:41:20,038
Speaker 3: How do you repel that? How do you get these

833
00:41:20,078 --> 00:41:22,158
Speaker 3: guys back to being themselves? How do you get them

834
00:41:22,158 --> 00:41:25,078
Speaker 3: to go out there and basically kind of say screw it,

835
00:41:25,518 --> 00:41:27,878
Speaker 3: I'm out here to play. Let the ships fall where

836
00:41:27,918 --> 00:41:31,598
Speaker 3: they may. Everybody cares. I mean, don't be ever deceived

837
00:41:31,598 --> 00:41:34,878
Speaker 3: that people don't care. Not believe me, everybody cares. Everybody

838
00:41:34,918 --> 00:41:38,078
Speaker 3: really cares a lot, and sometimes that could be misconstrued.

839
00:41:38,478 --> 00:41:42,398
Speaker 3: They do, they do, but you care so much sometimes

840
00:41:42,478 --> 00:41:44,998
Speaker 3: and you don't know how to channel this that you

841
00:41:44,998 --> 00:41:47,358
Speaker 3: could actually be your own worst enemy. At this particular

842
00:41:47,438 --> 00:41:52,598
Speaker 3: juncture of the year, so again, humanize it. Pressure release five.

843
00:41:52,638 --> 00:41:54,398
Speaker 3: We got to let that steam out of there somehow.

844
00:41:54,838 --> 00:41:57,478
Speaker 3: Use your own imagination. I always relet on my own imagination.

845
00:41:57,598 --> 00:42:01,718
Speaker 3: I tried to read, you know, the cars, what was

846
00:42:01,758 --> 00:42:03,718
Speaker 3: going on, and again I had the benefit of having

847
00:42:03,758 --> 00:42:08,558
Speaker 3: to VP stuff bussy the perfect pressure release foul. These

848
00:42:08,598 --> 00:42:11,318
Speaker 3: things are important for a team to be successful. And

849
00:42:11,318 --> 00:42:14,078
Speaker 3: I promise every major league team that's won World Series

850
00:42:14,158 --> 00:42:16,398
Speaker 3: go back and ask them about the guys that kept

851
00:42:16,438 --> 00:42:20,278
Speaker 3: up loose when it really got tight. Those guys are invaluable. No,

852
00:42:20,318 --> 00:42:20,838
Speaker 3: I love it.

853
00:42:20,918 --> 00:42:23,238
Speaker 1: Hey, Joe, we'll take one more quick break and when

854
00:42:23,238 --> 00:42:26,118
Speaker 1: we get back, we will wrap up our special edition

855
00:42:26,198 --> 00:42:27,598
Speaker 1: on September crunch time.

856
00:42:27,958 --> 00:42:28,518
Speaker 3: Be right back.

857
00:42:39,398 --> 00:42:41,278
Speaker 2: Well, Joe, I mentioned that National.

858
00:42:40,958 --> 00:42:45,358
Speaker 1: League wildcard race, and it's a little bit less crazy

859
00:42:45,398 --> 00:42:47,118
Speaker 1: in the American League, but it's still good.

860
00:42:47,158 --> 00:42:49,438
Speaker 2: I've been waiting for a year like this for a while.

861
00:42:49,638 --> 00:42:52,318
Speaker 1: We have multiple teams taking this thing down to the

862
00:42:52,398 --> 00:42:55,038
Speaker 1: last weekend of the season where it's winner go home.

863
00:42:55,518 --> 00:42:57,678
Speaker 2: As I mentioned, no more tiebreaker games.

864
00:42:57,958 --> 00:43:00,878
Speaker 1: Yes, you mentioned probably eighty five wins to get you

865
00:43:01,038 --> 00:43:04,478
Speaker 1: into the postseason in the National League, which you know,

866
00:43:04,638 --> 00:43:07,678
Speaker 1: let's face it, it's not exactly a juggernaut, not great teams,

867
00:43:07,718 --> 00:43:10,078
Speaker 1: but I do like the fact that we've got some

868
00:43:10,238 --> 00:43:13,118
Speaker 1: real live races down here at the end for teams

869
00:43:13,198 --> 00:43:17,318
Speaker 1: especially hungry for postseason baseball, like the Cubs, like the Diamondbacks,

870
00:43:17,558 --> 00:43:19,198
Speaker 1: like the Reds, like the Marlins.

871
00:43:19,398 --> 00:43:21,118
Speaker 2: I think we're set up for a great finish.

872
00:43:21,198 --> 00:43:23,278
Speaker 1: And like I said, I've been waiting for this ever

873
00:43:23,318 --> 00:43:26,478
Speaker 1: since we went to the expanded playoffs back in ninety five.

874
00:43:26,918 --> 00:43:29,798
Speaker 3: I totally agree with that the key fan bases engage

875
00:43:29,838 --> 00:43:33,598
Speaker 3: involved at this particular juncture. By bike expanding the playoffs,

876
00:43:33,638 --> 00:43:36,278
Speaker 3: I liked all that I do, and furthermore, just among

877
00:43:36,318 --> 00:43:40,038
Speaker 3: the players themselves, baseball players getting opportunities to play later

878
00:43:40,038 --> 00:43:42,838
Speaker 3: in the year and understand what that feels like mine

879
00:43:42,878 --> 00:43:45,358
Speaker 3: one stretched as a difficult time going back to its

880
00:43:45,398 --> 00:43:49,118
Speaker 3: original form. Once you've stretched people, they're going to want this.

881
00:43:49,118 --> 00:43:51,518
Speaker 3: This is the baseball drug on an annual basis. I

882
00:43:51,638 --> 00:43:53,598
Speaker 3: want to be in the playoffs. If I got to

883
00:43:53,638 --> 00:43:55,838
Speaker 3: go home and watch this stuff on TV, I'm not

884
00:43:55,958 --> 00:43:58,238
Speaker 3: a very good guy to be around at that point

885
00:43:58,278 --> 00:43:59,998
Speaker 3: in the year. So I do I agree with you.

886
00:44:00,078 --> 00:44:02,158
Speaker 3: I love all of that. That is one of the

887
00:44:02,198 --> 00:44:06,198
Speaker 3: rule changes I do really dig on it does? It

888
00:44:06,278 --> 00:44:09,638
Speaker 3: keeps everybody engaged longer, and it promotes our game on

889
00:44:10,398 --> 00:44:12,598
Speaker 3: a wider scale. I get it, and I love all

890
00:44:12,638 --> 00:44:15,638
Speaker 3: that part about it. And yes, to see old teams

891
00:44:15,638 --> 00:44:18,198
Speaker 3: that are now new in a sense getting a chance

892
00:44:18,238 --> 00:44:20,918
Speaker 3: to be involved in a playoff wonderful. God I'd love

893
00:44:20,918 --> 00:44:23,078
Speaker 3: to see Cincinnati involved in this somehow. That would be

894
00:44:23,118 --> 00:44:26,518
Speaker 3: so cool. Orioles are already in there. Yeah, I've been

895
00:44:26,518 --> 00:44:28,718
Speaker 3: watching the Cubbies. They got a lot of exciting stuff

896
00:44:28,758 --> 00:44:31,318
Speaker 3: going on there. Yes, love to see that. There's a

897
00:44:31,318 --> 00:44:34,518
Speaker 3: lot of that going on, and it is good for baseball.

898
00:44:34,958 --> 00:44:38,398
Speaker 3: And yes, you're absolutely hundred percent right like all.

899
00:44:38,238 --> 00:44:39,158
Speaker 2: Of this, Joe.

900
00:44:39,198 --> 00:44:41,518
Speaker 1: You know, after listening to you and this stuff has

901
00:44:41,518 --> 00:44:44,878
Speaker 1: been great here, I'm more convinced than ever that this

902
00:44:44,998 --> 00:44:48,878
Speaker 1: time of year, especially managers matter, because what you've been

903
00:44:48,918 --> 00:44:52,838
Speaker 1: talking about here is keeping the right atmosphere in the clubhouse,

904
00:44:53,758 --> 00:44:56,758
Speaker 1: whether it's using people like Tim Bussey, yourself, or whoever

905
00:44:56,758 --> 00:44:59,758
Speaker 1: it may be. But it also means managing games a

906
00:44:59,798 --> 00:45:02,838
Speaker 1: little bit differently. You know, you got yourself, as you mentioned,

907
00:45:02,878 --> 00:45:04,678
Speaker 1: to the point late in the year where guys have

908
00:45:04,838 --> 00:45:08,118
Speaker 1: not been overworked, where maybe now you can push them,

909
00:45:08,158 --> 00:45:10,518
Speaker 1: Maybe ask your closer to get four outs instead of

910
00:45:10,518 --> 00:45:13,558
Speaker 1: three outs, Maybe use a relief pitcher for a third

911
00:45:13,598 --> 00:45:17,158
Speaker 1: straight day. Because it's literally day by day at this point,

912
00:45:17,278 --> 00:45:21,438
Speaker 1: win by win, game by game. So as much as

913
00:45:21,598 --> 00:45:25,358
Speaker 1: managers seem to be a little bit marginalized in terms

914
00:45:25,398 --> 00:45:28,278
Speaker 1: of the power structure of the game, I still believe

915
00:45:28,798 --> 00:45:31,358
Speaker 1: that this time of year, I'm talking about the end

916
00:45:31,358 --> 00:45:34,358
Speaker 1: of the season, and especially in October, that guy in

917
00:45:34,398 --> 00:45:38,038
Speaker 1: the dugout, that guy running the team making the ultimate decisions,

918
00:45:38,718 --> 00:45:41,518
Speaker 1: really does still matter as much as he ever has.

919
00:45:42,358 --> 00:45:48,558
Speaker 3: You're right again, I totally agree with that concept. It's

920
00:45:48,638 --> 00:45:51,838
Speaker 3: just happening so fast, and whether it's the best out

921
00:45:51,878 --> 00:45:54,558
Speaker 3: of five or a best out of seven, when you

922
00:45:54,598 --> 00:45:58,198
Speaker 3: get to those games, from if you're one one, you

923
00:45:58,198 --> 00:46:00,238
Speaker 3: want to get to two and one, or if it's

924
00:46:00,558 --> 00:46:01,838
Speaker 3: three and three and you got to win that game

925
00:46:01,838 --> 00:46:04,278
Speaker 3: because there's no weight game. Man, there's a lot going

926
00:46:04,278 --> 00:46:06,518
Speaker 3: on in your head in that particular point, and you

927
00:46:06,558 --> 00:46:10,438
Speaker 3: can't rely on somebody else informing you. I just know

928
00:46:10,598 --> 00:46:14,478
Speaker 3: from my own experience my mind is so charged up.

929
00:46:14,558 --> 00:46:18,078
Speaker 3: I'm absolutely so far ahead of that particular moment that's

930
00:46:18,118 --> 00:46:20,398
Speaker 3: going on in the field, and that, whether it's the

931
00:46:20,438 --> 00:46:22,718
Speaker 3: bottom of the third, two outs, I'm already in the

932
00:46:22,718 --> 00:46:24,478
Speaker 3: fifth inning. I might be even in the sixth inning

933
00:46:24,518 --> 00:46:26,838
Speaker 3: and you're counting your batting order, who's coming up next?

934
00:46:26,838 --> 00:46:29,238
Speaker 3: And back when it was an actual National league game,

935
00:46:29,518 --> 00:46:31,718
Speaker 3: that even added more layers to And I know people

936
00:46:31,758 --> 00:46:34,278
Speaker 3: pooh that, but I promise you be a National league

937
00:46:34,318 --> 00:46:37,198
Speaker 3: manager in a National league playoff game where nationally a

938
00:46:37,238 --> 00:46:39,318
Speaker 3: World Series game with the National League team was the

939
00:46:39,318 --> 00:46:42,318
Speaker 3: home team. A lot going on there. Folks want to

940
00:46:42,358 --> 00:46:44,198
Speaker 3: pinch hit for your guy, your pitcher, how long you

941
00:46:44,278 --> 00:46:46,798
Speaker 3: leave him in there? The double switch component of it.

942
00:46:46,838 --> 00:46:50,318
Speaker 3: Who goes here, who goes there? Believe me, it is

943
00:46:50,998 --> 00:46:53,878
Speaker 3: a much more difficult game to manage than the game

944
00:46:53,958 --> 00:46:56,838
Speaker 3: right now where it's just the DH only there's not

945
00:46:56,918 --> 00:47:00,678
Speaker 3: as many built ins that you have to be creative with,

946
00:47:00,798 --> 00:47:02,918
Speaker 3: even down to the point where making defensive switch. I

947
00:47:02,958 --> 00:47:06,118
Speaker 3: loved all of that. I was exhausted after those games

948
00:47:06,398 --> 00:47:09,558
Speaker 3: when you have to sit there and really project in

949
00:47:09,638 --> 00:47:12,438
Speaker 3: the dvance what may happen and then which you may

950
00:47:12,478 --> 00:47:15,238
Speaker 3: have to do, and how to use this bullpen, and

951
00:47:15,278 --> 00:47:17,038
Speaker 3: who's going to be the pinch runner, who where's the

952
00:47:17,038 --> 00:47:19,158
Speaker 3: defensive replacement? How are you going to pop them into

953
00:47:19,158 --> 00:47:23,398
Speaker 3: batting order? All this stuff matters. So again, you're right,

954
00:47:24,398 --> 00:47:27,638
Speaker 3: it is. It's more, it's amplified right now, no question

955
00:47:27,958 --> 00:47:31,718
Speaker 3: regarding the importance of the manager. And I kind of

956
00:47:31,758 --> 00:47:34,398
Speaker 3: love all of that, as you know. But believe me, man,

957
00:47:34,398 --> 00:47:36,758
Speaker 3: when you're done managing a playoff game or a World

958
00:47:36,798 --> 00:47:39,998
Speaker 3: series game, you are exhausted. You feel as though you've

959
00:47:39,998 --> 00:47:43,038
Speaker 3: played it, especially when you've won an accelerating game, because

960
00:47:43,038 --> 00:47:45,078
Speaker 3: sometimes when you lose that, you go back to your

961
00:47:45,158 --> 00:47:48,478
Speaker 3: room or your hotel, you beat yourself up unmercifully. You

962
00:47:48,518 --> 00:47:51,398
Speaker 3: will well you win it. You are charged up, just

963
00:47:51,398 --> 00:47:53,158
Speaker 3: as though you got the winning hit or the walk.

964
00:47:52,918 --> 00:47:56,758
Speaker 2: Off homework a mental and physical grind. It is that

965
00:47:56,878 --> 00:47:57,598
Speaker 2: time of year.

966
00:47:57,718 --> 00:48:02,078
Speaker 1: But it's the kind you absolutely love, right It's adrenaline

967
00:48:02,198 --> 00:48:03,158
Speaker 1: is a beautiful thing.

968
00:48:03,478 --> 00:48:05,718
Speaker 3: It is. You need it, man, you need it. You

969
00:48:05,758 --> 00:48:10,238
Speaker 3: need the adrenaline. You need self confidences. You're talking as

970
00:48:10,238 --> 00:48:12,878
Speaker 3: a manager. You need to believe in what you know,

971
00:48:13,518 --> 00:48:15,718
Speaker 3: and you have to believe in your method during the

972
00:48:15,758 --> 00:48:19,118
Speaker 3: course of the game. I'm serious. It's not like you

973
00:48:19,158 --> 00:48:20,918
Speaker 3: wind somebody up, throw them out there, and all of

974
00:48:20,918 --> 00:48:23,518
Speaker 3: a sudden things just happen. It's just stuff that has

975
00:48:23,558 --> 00:48:26,318
Speaker 3: to be thought about well in advance, and you have

976
00:48:26,398 --> 00:48:29,118
Speaker 3: to be prepped for that moment. When that moment occurs,

977
00:48:29,638 --> 00:48:31,398
Speaker 3: you've got to take advantage of that moment. You can't

978
00:48:31,438 --> 00:48:34,118
Speaker 3: let it fly by and then you go, oh my god,

979
00:48:34,158 --> 00:48:37,398
Speaker 3: I wish I had done this. Everything is so the

980
00:48:37,478 --> 00:48:41,558
Speaker 3: timing is so critical to the victory or not. And

981
00:48:41,598 --> 00:48:45,598
Speaker 3: again I just know from my own experience, having done

982
00:48:45,638 --> 00:48:47,798
Speaker 3: it as long as I did was really important to me.

983
00:48:48,358 --> 00:48:52,198
Speaker 3: Having done it so often for many years in the

984
00:48:52,238 --> 00:48:55,158
Speaker 3: minor leagues was so important to me. All these things

985
00:48:56,038 --> 00:48:59,478
Speaker 3: are come rushing to the forefront in that moment when

986
00:48:59,518 --> 00:49:02,798
Speaker 3: you have to make this decision, and you don't worry

987
00:49:02,798 --> 00:49:05,438
Speaker 3: about whether it's going to be wrong or or not.

988
00:49:05,598 --> 00:49:07,998
Speaker 3: That should never be part of your decision making process.

989
00:49:08,318 --> 00:49:09,798
Speaker 3: You do what you think is right in the moment,

990
00:49:10,478 --> 00:49:14,078
Speaker 3: and sometimes it doesn't work, it's true, But you have

991
00:49:14,198 --> 00:49:15,638
Speaker 3: to do what you think is right in the morning,

992
00:49:15,958 --> 00:49:19,318
Speaker 3: in a moment, independent of any potential criticism that may

993
00:49:19,358 --> 00:49:22,398
Speaker 3: come your way. If it doesn't work, that's just the

994
00:49:22,398 --> 00:49:25,878
Speaker 3: way this thing is. So Confidence in your decision making ability,

995
00:49:26,318 --> 00:49:29,398
Speaker 3: knowing what you believe matters. Some people don't even know

996
00:49:29,398 --> 00:49:29,998
Speaker 3: what they believe.

997
00:49:30,638 --> 00:49:34,278
Speaker 1: Baseball is the best game on earth, and it's never

998
00:49:34,358 --> 00:49:35,718
Speaker 1: better than it is right now.

999
00:49:35,838 --> 00:49:38,238
Speaker 2: It is the season of urgency.

1000
00:49:38,838 --> 00:49:41,078
Speaker 1: It is wonderful to see how this is going to

1001
00:49:41,078 --> 00:49:43,118
Speaker 1: play out the next last week and a half of

1002
00:49:43,158 --> 00:49:46,438
Speaker 1: the regular season. Joe, you got something to take us out.

1003
00:49:46,478 --> 00:49:48,998
Speaker 1: Speaking of putting a cap on things.

1004
00:49:48,918 --> 00:49:51,478
Speaker 3: Yeah, I've We've talked about pressure. We've talked about don't

1005
00:49:52,038 --> 00:49:54,398
Speaker 3: permit the pressure to exceed the pleasure. Here's a different

1006
00:49:54,398 --> 00:49:57,198
Speaker 3: taken on it from mister Mark Twain. Do the thing

1007
00:49:57,238 --> 00:50:00,358
Speaker 3: you fear most, and the death of fear is certain.

1008
00:50:01,158 --> 00:50:03,318
Speaker 3: Do the thing you fear most, and the death of

1009
00:50:03,438 --> 00:50:06,878
Speaker 3: fear is certain. I always encourage people to do that,

1010
00:50:06,998 --> 00:50:09,638
Speaker 3: but do it. If there's something I really don't want

1011
00:50:09,678 --> 00:50:11,118
Speaker 3: to do, whether it's because they don't want to do

1012
00:50:11,118 --> 00:50:12,878
Speaker 3: it or because I'm kind of fearful of it, I

1013
00:50:12,878 --> 00:50:16,838
Speaker 3: gotta do it. I make myself do that, and you don't.

1014
00:50:17,358 --> 00:50:19,438
Speaker 3: It wasn't like that from the very beginning. I had

1015
00:50:19,438 --> 00:50:22,478
Speaker 3: to grow into that. You cannot be truly successful, you

1016
00:50:22,518 --> 00:50:25,158
Speaker 3: cannot grab the brass ring, you cannot do any of

1017
00:50:25,198 --> 00:50:28,478
Speaker 3: that if you do not pretty much bury your fears.

1018
00:50:28,878 --> 00:50:30,878
Speaker 3: So when I read that, I thought that was perfect

1019
00:50:30,958 --> 00:50:33,798
Speaker 3: for today. And it's just really dovetails everything we just

1020
00:50:33,838 --> 00:50:34,358
Speaker 3: talked about.

1021
00:50:34,638 --> 00:50:35,198
Speaker 2: I love that.

1022
00:50:35,398 --> 00:50:38,358
Speaker 1: And you can't go wrong with mister Samuel Clemens. He's

1023
00:50:38,358 --> 00:50:43,678
Speaker 1: on the Mount Rushmore of American wisdom and humor. Nice going, Joe, Amen, brother,

1024
00:50:43,758 --> 00:50:52,598
Speaker 1: Thank you, buddy. The Book of Joe podcast is a

1025
00:50:52,638 --> 00:50:56,878
Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the

1026
00:50:57,118 --> 00:51:01,278
Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.