Speaker 1: Is this a great game or what with the Hall
Speaker 1: of Famer Tim Kirkshin. I'm his son, Jeff Kirkchhen and Dad.
Speaker 1: You just got back to your house after a great
Speaker 1: All Star week in Atlanta.
Speaker 2: Welcome home. It was great, Jeff. It was a great
Speaker 2: home run derby. It was a tremendous All Star Game
Speaker 2: just because of the unique way that it finished. It
Speaker 2: was just a marvelous week in hot Atlanta. And I
Speaker 2: mean that quite literally because it was steaming hot. But
Speaker 2: the games were great, the camaraderie was great. Baseball was
Speaker 2: the big winner this week for sure.
Speaker 1: And you know, I was watching all your great coverage
Speaker 1: on ESPN, whether it's Sports Center Baseball Tonight. You did
Speaker 1: an incredible job, and I popped on the TV and boom,
Speaker 1: there's pop up with our guest from yesterday's episode, Chipper Jones,
Speaker 1: just hanging out on Baseball Tonight.
Speaker 2: That was cool. Chipper was all over the place, Jeff. See,
Speaker 2: when you're like a local star like Chipper is. I
Speaker 2: think he's one of the four greatest Braves of all time.
Speaker 2: You're like the host for the All Star Game, when
Speaker 2: you're the Hall of Famer and everything goes through you.
Speaker 2: So he told me that he was in a restaurant
Speaker 2: on Monday night and Derek Jeter came by and he said,
Speaker 2: he got me in a headlock, and he said, are
Speaker 2: you exhausted yet? Because Derek Jeter knows what it's like
Speaker 2: to kind of be the host of something like this.
Speaker 2: So I asked, Derek Jeter, did you get Chipper in
Speaker 2: an actual headlock? And he goes, he's exaggerating that I
Speaker 2: didn't hurt it, my promise. So great little back and
Speaker 2: forth between Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter and Chipper was
Speaker 2: all over the place. And Jeff, just like he was
Speaker 2: so insightful and hilarious on our podcast, he was the
Speaker 2: same on Baseball tonight. He's just got a great, great
Speaker 2: way about him as he explained the All Star Game
Speaker 2: what it meant to him, but especially to the Braves
Speaker 2: and to the city of Atlanta.
Speaker 1: So if you are listening right now and you didn't
Speaker 1: have a chance to listen to Chipper Jones's interview, it's
Speaker 1: just the previous episode here on the feed, So just
Speaker 1: cycle back one either after this episode or do it
Speaker 1: right now and make sure to subscribe wherever you're listening.
Speaker 1: Rate the show all that good stuff to help continue
Speaker 1: us growing.
Speaker 3: Is this a great game or what with you?
Speaker 1: So, Dad, I want to hear all the All Star
Speaker 1: Game stuff. I mean, this is a unique episode because
Speaker 1: usually we have games to talk about, but the only
Speaker 1: game that has been played since we lasted a podcast
Speaker 1: was the All Star Game. So do you want to
Speaker 1: start with the Derby or do you want to start
Speaker 1: with the All Star Game?
Speaker 2: How do you want to go about this? We're gonna
Speaker 2: start with the All Star Game because the All Star
Speaker 2: Game was a quirk gin. There is no there are
Speaker 2: no quartions this week because the All Star Game was
Speaker 2: the quirk gin. Jeff. It was so interesting and we
Speaker 2: never even considered there was to be a tie game
Speaker 2: in the All Star Game because the National League had
Speaker 2: a six to nothing lead and there was zero chance
Speaker 2: the American League was coming back. But to their credit,
Speaker 2: and I tell you all the time, Jeff, you know,
Speaker 2: teams they really don't care who wins the All Star Game.
Speaker 2: They just want to have a great time, try their hardest,
Speaker 2: and if they win, great, But the American League really
Speaker 2: fought their way back. And I was the dugout reporter
Speaker 2: on radio, so I was in the American League dugout
Speaker 2: for all of this, and it was really cool to
Speaker 2: see how the momentum started to gain. Down six to nothing,
Speaker 2: they come back to tie the game six to six
Speaker 2: after nine, which of course led us to the first
Speaker 2: well yeah, the first home run derby, the first swing
Speaker 2: off to win an All Star Game. Ever, so the
Speaker 2: people who either weren't watching or don't know the rules,
Speaker 2: you get to pick three guys per team, American leaguers
Speaker 2: three National leaguers. Now, part of the rules, and the
Speaker 2: rules were a little sketchy, is that you had to
Speaker 2: take a guy who had played in the second half
Speaker 2: of the game, okay, as opposed to getting a guy
Speaker 2: who maybe played two innings, has been sitting for three hours,
Speaker 2: and now you ask him to come out and get
Speaker 2: three pitches and hit three homers. So, in other words,
Speaker 2: Aaron Judge show, Hey Otani. They came out of the
Speaker 2: game early, and they were gone by the time the
Speaker 2: home run derby came, so you know when everyone arrived, Jeff,
Speaker 2: This is important to note they were all told on Monday, Look,
Speaker 2: we might have a home run derby after the All
Speaker 2: Star Game. If there's a tie. Who is willing to
Speaker 2: do it. So Kyle Schwarber, who ended up, of course
Speaker 2: being the hero. They asked him and he said, well,
Speaker 2: of course I'll do it. Well, as it turned out,
Speaker 2: they really needed him. Every player was allowed to say no,
Speaker 2: I'm not interested in participating. I'm not sure that was
Speaker 2: the case, but like Big Dumper, cal Rally was never
Speaker 2: even considered for this because he came out of the
Speaker 2: game after in the fifth inning, so you had to
Speaker 2: choose from there on out. And that's what made it
Speaker 2: so so interesting.
Speaker 1: It was a fascinating finish to an All Star game.
Speaker 1: And you know, I've seen on Twitter, I've seen on
Speaker 1: social media mixed reactions, Dad, people saying, oh, you can't
Speaker 1: end a baseball game like that?
Speaker 2: What the heck?
Speaker 1: And other people saying the game doesn't matter anymore, so
Speaker 1: let's let's finish it in such a crazy way.
Speaker 2: Why not?
Speaker 3: And that's that's the boat I'm in, Listen.
Speaker 1: Will never end another baseball game like that, so why
Speaker 1: not do it? Why not add a little spice? It
Speaker 1: took me back to Little League, Dad. I feel like
Speaker 1: that that that is something that you would do in
Speaker 1: at the Coopertown Dreams Park as a fun activity between
Speaker 1: games that was fun, right, was legendary.
Speaker 2: What made it interesting also, Jeff, is that the fans
Speaker 2: at the ballpark, and trust me, I was there, weren't
Speaker 2: They weren't sure what was going on when it's six
Speaker 2: six after nine and then they bring out the l
Speaker 2: screen and put it right in front of the pitcher's mound, like,
Speaker 2: what is going on here? But again, I was with
Speaker 2: the American League, so I'm standing right in the middle
Speaker 2: of these guys. The level of energy was remarkable as
Speaker 2: they started to get ready for this. And then when
Speaker 2: Brent Rooker, who hit a three run homer in the
Speaker 2: All Star Game, now he comes up as the first
Speaker 2: batter for the American League and hits two homers. Jeff,
Speaker 2: you should have seen those guys leaping up and down.
Speaker 2: It's like they were in junior high school and the
Speaker 2: fans were into it. So you're right, this is a
Speaker 2: meaningless game. It's an exhibition game. No one is suggesting
Speaker 2: we should start to do this for a regular season
Speaker 2: game that will count in the standings. But what a
Speaker 2: perfect way to end this in an All Star game.
Speaker 2: It was just great. So Kyle Schwarber comes up, and
Speaker 2: Kyle Schwarber is your boy, Jeff, because he is so
Speaker 2: built for something like this. So he comes up and
Speaker 2: of course you're allowed three swings. He hits three home
Speaker 2: runs on three swings and gives the National League a
Speaker 2: commanding lead. So he's the first player ever to hit
Speaker 2: three home runs in an All Star Game, even though
Speaker 2: that doesn't really count. We know that. But he won
Speaker 2: the MVP for that performance because then Jonathan Randa came up,
Speaker 2: and he's the last hitter for the American League, and
Speaker 2: if he doesn't hit at least one homer, it's over.
Speaker 2: And Pete Alonso, who was on his way to becoming
Speaker 2: the MVP of the All Star Game, didn't even get
Speaker 2: a chance to bat because Jonathan Randa missed by about
Speaker 2: five feet hitting a home run that would have tied it.
Speaker 2: I mean, would have got it in shooting here and
Speaker 2: given Pete Alonso a chance to hit a home run.
Speaker 2: It was so so good. But Jeff, this is the point.
Speaker 2: I'm watching this and Aaron Boone looks at me and
Speaker 2: he goes, this is great. This is like whiffle ball
Speaker 2: in the backyard. I sat next to Brad Austma's former
Speaker 2: major league player, bench coach for the Yankees. He just
Speaker 2: looks at me and goes, this is so much fun.
Speaker 2: And when it was all over, I go to Corbyn Carroll.
Speaker 2: I'm doing the show on the radio, so I'm interviewing
Speaker 2: guys on the radio. I say to Corbyn CARROLLLL of
Speaker 2: the Diamondbacks, I said, what was that? And he goes,
Speaker 2: that was madness And that's exactly what it was. But Jeff,
Speaker 2: it was a really good madness that the fans loved it,
Speaker 2: but more important, the players loved it and nobody got hurt.
Speaker 2: The bottom line is, you were at the game in
Speaker 2: Milwaukee for the tie game, right. Do you remember what
Speaker 2: happened when they decided that that was a tie game?
Speaker 2: What happened, Jeff? It was chaos, right, people were what
Speaker 2: they were booing.
Speaker 3: They were so mad.
Speaker 1: And that's not the way an All Star game, even
Speaker 1: twenty three years ago, needs to be finished. I mean,
Speaker 1: I have such a core memory of the fans. I
Speaker 1: was young too, but we were up for the whole game,
Speaker 1: and it was not the way to end.
Speaker 3: The Midsummer Class, you know what I mean. It's just
Speaker 3: such a negative feeling, right.
Speaker 2: I felt sorry for Bud Sealing that day. The commissioner.
Speaker 2: He just kind of shrugged his shoulders, like, what can
Speaker 2: we do here? Well, they couldn't do anything for that game,
Speaker 2: but they could do something for this game, and as
Speaker 2: it turned out, it was absolutely tremendous. So look, I
Speaker 2: understand we should have had Judge at O'tani and the
Speaker 2: sixth best home run hitters. I don't think so. Jeff
Speaker 2: Brent Rooker, who was great in this home run Derby,
Speaker 2: great in the All Star Game, and great in the
Speaker 2: second home run Derby, has the third most home runs
Speaker 2: in the American League the last three years, behind Big
Speaker 2: Dumper Cal Raley and Aaron Judge. So don't tell me
Speaker 2: that he didn't belong in the home run Derby to
Speaker 2: decide the All Star Game. I thought it was great.
Speaker 2: I thought the whole thing was great, and the level
Speaker 2: of energy and excitement and enthusiasm for the fans and
Speaker 2: the players absolutely sold it for me.
Speaker 1: You know, Dad, I know you were obviously doing the
Speaker 1: game for radio. So on the television broadcast last night,
Speaker 1: a highlight for me had to be Clayton Kershaw miked
Speaker 1: up during the two batters he faced, and he was hysterical.
Speaker 2: Dad.
Speaker 1: He was taking us through his process. I kind of
Speaker 1: want to throw a slider. Now, maybe I'll hit him
Speaker 1: with a fastball.
Speaker 3: Oh, that one's a little short.
Speaker 2: Uh oh.
Speaker 1: And then Dad, he threw a strike like right down
Speaker 1: the middle, and he goes, whoa down the middle.
Speaker 3: Thank goodness, he didn't swing.
Speaker 2: But Jeff, it's wonderful we can mike up a pitch.
Speaker 2: We're also micing up the best picture of this generation,
Speaker 2: one of the greatest pictures of all time. And for
Speaker 2: him to be so playful in an All Star Game
Speaker 2: and entertain us so greatly when who knows this could
Speaker 2: be his last year, who knows this could be his
Speaker 2: last All Star game. He was a legend pick for
Speaker 2: this and the legend really came through because he faced
Speaker 2: two batters including cal Raley. How great is that? And
Speaker 2: he struck out the second batter that he faced, which
Speaker 2: was really really cool and it was absolutely tremendous. But
Speaker 2: the home run derby after the game really saved it. Jeff.
Speaker 2: So I interviewed Kyle Schwarber after the game and I said, Kyle, look,
Speaker 2: I know you just played in the game, but how
Speaker 2: did you get ready to go up there and hit,
Speaker 2: you know, swing at three straight pitches? And he said, well,
Speaker 2: Chapman broke my bat with one hundred and two mile
Speaker 2: an hour sinkers. So he said, I had to go
Speaker 2: get a new bat because he broke it in the game.
Speaker 2: I had to go get a new bat, and I
Speaker 2: was ready. And when I asked Corbyn Carrol like, what
Speaker 2: about Kyle Schwarber just going up there taking three swings
Speaker 2: and hitting three homers. And he looked at me and
Speaker 2: he goes, well, we're kind of used to Kyle Schwarber
Speaker 2: doing things like that, so nobody was surprised. If I
Speaker 2: could have picked anyone on both of those teams to
Speaker 2: go up there and do what Kyle Schwarber did, I
Speaker 2: would have picked Kyle Schwarber. I think he was perfect
Speaker 2: for that event.
Speaker 1: Now Kyle Schwarber can add another home run in his
Speaker 1: cap because he is the only player and I'm going
Speaker 1: to make sure I get this right. He's the only
Speaker 1: player to home run in the AL and the NL,
Speaker 1: in the CSDS and wild Card Rounds, World Series, World
Speaker 1: Baseball Classic Home Run Derby, and now swing off to
Speaker 1: end an All Star Game. So he has added another
Speaker 1: feather to his cap as one of the only players
Speaker 1: to do all of those things.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it will only player to do all those right.
Speaker 2: It was just priceless. We walked home from the game,
Speaker 2: we walked back to our hotel after the game, and
Speaker 2: we just it was just it was marvelous, just how
Speaker 2: different it was. And it has to be said one
Speaker 2: more time, Jef, it's an exhibition game. We're allowed to
Speaker 2: do things like this. The alternative was a tie, and
Speaker 2: that is not a good alternative.
Speaker 1: No, And I think what's fair is fair. I think
Speaker 1: we move on from there. Anybody who's upset about it, listen,
Speaker 1: it doesn't even matter at the end of the day.
Speaker 1: And if you want to throw an asterisk, sure go ahead.
Speaker 1: But it was fun for all of us watching, I'll
Speaker 1: tell you that much.
Speaker 2: And the only thing that I mean it was more
Speaker 2: fun than the home run Derby Jet. But the home
Speaker 2: run Derby was tremendous. So cal Rally, who was a
Speaker 2: has been a folk hero in Seattle for three years
Speaker 2: now at least, he is now a folk hero all
Speaker 2: across the country. He is a folk hero all the
Speaker 2: way through the Major League. What he did with his
Speaker 2: family in the home run derby was incredible. As you know, Jeff,
Speaker 2: he advanced past Brent Rooker in one of the rounds
Speaker 2: by less than an inch in the combined home run totals.
Speaker 2: I mean, what are the chances of that happening? But
Speaker 2: that's how he advanced. And then he went on to
Speaker 2: win the home run derby, hitting right handed and left handed,
Speaker 2: which is just remarkable. But I don't want to be
Speaker 2: corny about this, Jeff. What stole the show for me
Speaker 2: is that his dad, Todd, was the pitcher and his
Speaker 2: little brother Tea they call him, was the catcher. He
Speaker 2: just turned fifteen years old. I interviewed his dad like
Speaker 2: in between rounds, and he said, like, there could be
Speaker 2: no other great day for a dad than this, because
Speaker 2: I'm thrown to my son in the home run derby
Speaker 2: and my other son is catching in the home run derby.
Speaker 2: He said it was just incredible, and Dad told me
Speaker 2: and he threw really really well. Jeff. He's by the way,
Speaker 2: he's a coach. He coached at Western Carolina and Tennessee.
Speaker 2: He played, he caught at Western Carolina. I tell people
Speaker 2: this all the time, and no one listens, Jeff. One
Speaker 2: reason that cal Raley is such a great all round
Speaker 2: player with a baseball iq off the charts is because
Speaker 2: of his father. He's a coach. He taught him how
Speaker 2: to play, he taught him how to conduct himself in
Speaker 2: every single way. So after it was all over, I
Speaker 2: said to cal Raley, I said, like on the radio,
Speaker 2: how are you going to celebrate with your dad the
Speaker 2: pitcher and with your brother the catcher? And he goes, well,
Speaker 2: my brother's only fifteen years old. He can't drink, So
Speaker 2: we're gonna go out and have a beer in his
Speaker 2: honor tonight, me and my dad. So I just thought
Speaker 2: the whole thing was priceless. And you must have also
Speaker 2: as a viewer from home with the energy and ball
Speaker 2: balls flying all over the place, but the personal story
Speaker 2: brought there by the Raleigh family just stole the night
Speaker 2: from me. Yeah.
Speaker 1: And I think a big testament to how great the
Speaker 1: coverage of it was was my wife Emily, who we've
Speaker 1: established did not grow up like this huge, big baseball
Speaker 1: fan like I grew up, but she's grown to love
Speaker 1: the game. But she loved the coverage of the home
Speaker 1: run derby because of finding out about his dad pitching
Speaker 1: and the kids that are out in the infield or
Speaker 1: the kids catching the balls in the outfield, like how
Speaker 1: special that event is. And if you ever have a
Speaker 1: chance to go to an All Star Game, don't pass
Speaker 1: up going to the home Run Derby. That place was packed,
Speaker 1: the energy was magnetic. I'm sure it was hot as
Speaker 1: all get out. But Dad, next year, not to get
Speaker 1: ahead of myself, it's in Philadelphia, And I told my
Speaker 1: wife Emily, we are absolutely not missing East the home
Speaker 1: run Derby, but most definitely the home run Derby and
Speaker 1: the All Star Game.
Speaker 2: Right. And what you don't know, Jeff, is next year
Speaker 2: there is a media home run Derby. Okay, and I
Speaker 2: will be throwing to you. Okay. I'm the media member,
Speaker 2: so I'll be This is a joke, Jeff. Don't worry.
Speaker 2: You don't have to go to the cage anytime soon.
Speaker 1: Dad, I didn't ever hit a little league home run
Speaker 1: in mit. And I'm not talking about I'm talking about
Speaker 1: a little league home run where ball goes under the
Speaker 1: left fielder's feet and then it gets thrown over the
Speaker 1: second baseman's head and it gets thrown over the third
Speaker 1: baseman's head and you get a home run. That's what
Speaker 1: we call a little I didn't even have one of
Speaker 1: those in my career, never.
Speaker 2: Mind Jeff, you're a good athlete. Stop being so hard
Speaker 2: on yourself. As for the home run derby, other than
Speaker 2: cal Raley, O'Neil Cruz hit a ball five hundred and
Speaker 2: thirteen feet, So I interviewed him on the field and
Speaker 2: he needed an interpreter, and I asked the interpreter, how
Speaker 2: is it possible for a human being to hit a
Speaker 2: ball five hundred and thirteen feet and O'Neil crewe who said, well,
Speaker 2: God gave me that, and it's the truth. Jeff, he's
Speaker 2: six seven, okay. I was also struck that James Wood
Speaker 2: is six seven and those guys competed in the home
Speaker 2: run derby with Byron Buxton, who's one of the great
Speaker 2: athletes ever to play in the Major leagues. Great high
Speaker 2: school basketball player, obviously an all star baseball player, and
Speaker 2: in high school he was a tremendous football player who
Speaker 2: once told the coach, I'm going to go to one
Speaker 2: end line of the football field and I'm going to
Speaker 2: see how far I can throw football. He wasn't a quarterback,
Speaker 2: and he threw a football eighty two yards in the air.
Speaker 2: Eighty two yards. So my thinking is, Jeff, we could
Speaker 2: There were so many athletes at the All Star Game
Speaker 2: in baseball, which is kind of the idea now baseball
Speaker 2: is trying to show everyone, Look how athletic our guys are.
Speaker 2: I've been telling you for years. It's unbelievable how big,
Speaker 2: strong and fast these guys are. So in the derby
Speaker 2: we had James Wood, O'Neil Cruz, and Byron Buxton. I
Speaker 2: think we should have had a slam dunk contest after
Speaker 2: the home run derby on Monday night. We could have
Speaker 2: gotten Aaron Judge six seven in it, and we could
Speaker 2: have gotten Elie d la Cruz, the amazing shortstop six'
Speaker 2: four who could jump out of the. Building imagine that
Speaker 2: dunk contest between those five. Guys, now with all due
Speaker 2: respect TO nba, Players, jeff imagine if we had a
Speaker 2: home run hitting contest among guys in the dunk contest
Speaker 2: in THE. Nba how do you think that would? Go
Speaker 2: maybe not so.
Speaker 3: Good, no it would not Go it would not go
Speaker 3: good at. All that it would be.
Speaker 2: Embarrassing, well maybe. Not i'm just trying to make a
Speaker 2: point AS i defend baseball players every single day of my.
Speaker 2: Life they are amazing, athletes AND i promise You James
Speaker 2: wood could dunk it with his eyes closed in any
Speaker 2: way that you. Want And i'm sure O'deal cruz, Can
Speaker 2: i'm Sure Aaron, Judge AND i just think it would
Speaker 2: have been a really cool thing to show the athleticism
Speaker 2: of our baseball.
Speaker 1: Players coming up next here on is this a great?
Speaker 1: Game or what we've got on this date in baseball?
Speaker 1: History we've also got From ozzie To oral the best
Speaker 1: of All tim which in celebration of The All Star.
Speaker 1: GAME i think you know what team we're going to,
Speaker 1: pick and then a Team tim on the lines of
Speaker 1: the home Run. Derby it's all coming up. Next welcome
Speaker 1: back to is this a great? Game or what? That
Speaker 1: on this date in baseball? History july the, seventeenth.
Speaker 2: Right nineteen forty, One Joe DiMaggio's fifty six game hitting
Speaker 2: streak ended against The Cleveland. Indians Ken, keltner the third
Speaker 2: basement for The, indians famously made two really good defensive
Speaker 2: plays to stop the. Streak right, There, Jeff i'm sixty
Speaker 2: eight years. OLD i HOPE i live a lot, longer
Speaker 2: BUT i will not be alive for anybody hitting in
Speaker 2: fifty six straight. Games that's how amazing it. Was What demaggio.
Speaker 2: Did And i've told you this, Before, jeff during the
Speaker 2: fifty six game hitting, streak he struck out five, times no,
Speaker 2: time no times in the final thirty two games of
Speaker 2: the hitting. Streak think about that for a second. Again
Speaker 2: strikeout rate, today out of, control pitching, today out of.
Speaker 2: Control zero strikeouts final thirty two. Games five strikeouts in
Speaker 2: fifty six, games incredib, unbelievable. Unbelievable nineteen seventy. FOUR i love, This,
Speaker 2: Jeff Bob gibson struck out batter number three thousand in
Speaker 2: his career to Join Walter. Johnson ever tell YOU i
Speaker 2: went To Walter Johnson High. School, hey as the only
Speaker 2: three thousand strikeout guys in, history and to get to three,
Speaker 2: thousand he struck Out Sesar, geronimo number three. Thousand we
Speaker 2: joke about. Him he was a great defensive center. Fielder
Speaker 2: six years, Later Jeff Nolan ryan struck out batter numberumber three,
Speaker 2: thousand and you know who he struck. Out don't say, it,
Speaker 2: Yes Seesar. Geronimo how about?
Speaker 3: That that's.
Speaker 1: UNBELIEVABLE i, mean imagine that they stopped the game for
Speaker 1: both of THOSE i would, assume, Right and There's Seysar
Speaker 1: geronimo walking back to his dugout, thinking oh, crap now
Speaker 1: they got to stop the whole, game right because of?
Speaker 2: This? Right AND i always Quote Steve, russian who was
Speaker 2: one of our great guests last, year to get this.
Speaker 2: Year he wrote it as one of his. Books he,
Speaker 2: Said i've always wondered What Sasar geronimo yelled when he
Speaker 2: jumped out of an. Airplane love that so? Much, okay
Speaker 2: a couple other. Things on this, date in nineteen sixty,
Speaker 2: One Ty cobb, died one of the great players of all.
Speaker 2: Time i'm in the vast minority, Here, jeff BUT i
Speaker 2: think if we gave him six months to figure out
Speaker 2: how to Play Major League baseball, today he would be
Speaker 2: a star in today's. Game and it came his birthday
Speaker 2: comes the day after there was no tie in The
Speaker 2: All Star. Game But Ty cop died on this date
Speaker 2: in nineteen sixty. One And Don, kessinger jeff great shortstop
Speaker 2: for The Chicago, cubs was born on this date in
Speaker 2: nineteen forty. Two AND i just love, This. Jeff his
Speaker 2: grandson Is Gray, kessinger who's played for The astros several
Speaker 2: times up and down the minor leagues And Grey kessinger
Speaker 2: is a great defensive, player and he has a unique
Speaker 2: understanding of the. Game and he told me he and
Speaker 2: his grandfather would drive all sorts of places together and
Speaker 2: they had two rules when they, drove no cell, phones no,
Speaker 2: radio and all those two did grandfather and grandson was
Speaker 2: talk about baseball on their, drives and he said. That
Speaker 2: gray told, me you, know like my grandfather would tell, Me,
Speaker 2: okay here we, go first and, third eighth, inning one run,
Speaker 2: game and ball's hit to your. Left you're playing, shortstop fast,
Speaker 2: guy first faster runner at the. Plate what are you
Speaker 2: doing with the? Ball and these are the little things
Speaker 2: that made Great kessinger such a great defensive player is
Speaker 2: he got this kind of tutelage from his, grandfather who
Speaker 2: was a Terrific major league. Shortstop love that, stuff.
Speaker 1: You, Know, dad that reminds me so. Much we used
Speaker 1: to talk about things like. That but also people always
Speaker 1: ask me what was it like growing up with you
Speaker 1: as a?
Speaker 3: Dad AND i remember so.
Speaker 1: Distinctly we would go see like A disney, movie this
Speaker 1: is really. Young we'd go in the movie theaters and
Speaker 1: at the end you would ask, me, so what was
Speaker 1: that movie all? About and it was my goal to
Speaker 1: tell you what that movie was about in like less
Speaker 1: than ten, seconds not, rushing but to be able to
Speaker 1: speak succinctly and quickly in order to tell a. Story
Speaker 1: AND i remember you, saying, oh, well you could tighten
Speaker 1: that one, up you, Know And i'd be, like, So
Speaker 1: simba's dad passed, away it's all going to him and
Speaker 1: he needs to learn to be a. Man and you,
Speaker 1: know AND i just remember those car rides so vividly
Speaker 1: because of the time we.
Speaker 2: Spent, again, Well, JEFF i was just trying to prepare
Speaker 2: you for what you were going to do with your,
Speaker 2: life and that is be out in front and be
Speaker 2: able to get to the crux of the, problem the,
Speaker 2: issue whatever it. Is SO i remember you were like
Speaker 2: five And kelly was maybe, eight and we Saw October
Speaker 2: sky you know this, Story AND i, said a great
Speaker 2: movie makes me cry out loud all the. Time SO i, Said,
Speaker 2: jeff what was that movie? About you And kelly are
Speaker 2: in the, car and you, said, well it was about a.
Speaker 2: Rocket what? Else So kelly gave it a great deal of,
Speaker 2: thought a great deal of. Thought and FINALLY i, Said,
Speaker 2: kelly what was that movie? About and she, Said, dad
Speaker 2: that was about a father and a, son and it
Speaker 2: Was it just made, Me it just makes me tear
Speaker 2: up even to think That kelly could figure that. Out
Speaker 2: and that was a great movie and a tear jerger
Speaker 2: on the highest. Order ain't that the?
Speaker 3: Truth All?
Speaker 1: Right, dad let's go From ozzie To. Oral you're gonna
Speaker 1: give us the best player to wear each number in
Speaker 1: the history Of Major League.
Speaker 3: Baseball And, Dad i'll tell you right.
Speaker 1: Now on social media you cause quite a, stir but
Speaker 1: you always, say this is your, list not the, list,
Speaker 1: Right And i'm just, Saying, dad some, guys you, know
Speaker 1: they just they just go in and they support their, guy,
Speaker 1: right and this is your. List last week we did
Speaker 1: twenty seven and twenty. Eight now we're on number twenty.
Speaker 1: Nine who is the best player to wear that?
Speaker 2: Night? WELL i strongly Considered John smoltz in part because
Speaker 2: the green Room jeff In atlanta for The All Star
Speaker 2: game was called The Small. Troom so the green room
Speaker 2: that we operated out of was called the Smolt. Troom
Speaker 2: it was right next to The Maddox room and The
Speaker 2: Glavin room and The Chipper Jones. Room So John smoltz
Speaker 2: was right across the hall and he walked into our
Speaker 2: room and, Said i've never been in the smolt room.
Speaker 2: Before and he looked, around he, laughed and he, Said
Speaker 2: i've done the square. Footage it is bigger than The chipper,
Speaker 2: room The glavin, room for The maddox. Room SO i
Speaker 2: Asked chipper. THIS i told him this on the. AIR i,
Speaker 2: SAID i said the observation made By John. Smoltz and
Speaker 2: of Course chipper laughed out loud and he, said of,
Speaker 2: course Only smoltzy would think that. Way and he, Said
Speaker 2: i'm pretty sure he actually did the square footage to
Speaker 2: make sure that his room was. Bigger that's how, Competitive
Speaker 2: that's how Competitive John smoltz. Was so number twenty nine
Speaker 2: is Not John, smoltz even though he's a very close.
Speaker 2: SECOND i have to go With Rod, carew of, course
Speaker 2: first Ballot hall Of, famer one of the great hitters
Speaker 2: That i've ever, seen AND i grew up watching him
Speaker 2: play three twenty eight lifetime, average Eighteen All star, games
Speaker 2: seven batting. Titles nineteen seventy, seven he won THE mvp that,
Speaker 2: year he at three eighty eight with an ops of
Speaker 2: one point zero one. Nine he was. Amazing And jeff
Speaker 2: that year he got two hundred and thirty nine, hits
Speaker 2: stole and scored one hundred and twenty eight. Runs But,
Speaker 2: jeff when people ask me all these bizarre, questions he's
Speaker 2: the best bunter That i've ever. Seen Wan pierre was,
Speaker 2: Good Brett butler was. Good Rod carew was the best
Speaker 2: Bunter i've ever. Seen AND i was talking to somebody
Speaker 2: the other day and he said That Rod carew, occasionally
Speaker 2: more than, occasionally would draw a circle on the field
Speaker 2: during early batting, practice and he would bunt one hundred
Speaker 2: straight balls and make sure they all ended up in the.
Speaker 2: Circle that's how skilled he. Was wow at pushing a
Speaker 2: bunt down the third base line or dragging a bunt
Speaker 2: down the first base. Line he could, Bunt he, said
Speaker 2: he could bunt like one hundred straight balls into a.
Speaker 2: Circle bunting his lost, art not On rod Crew that's
Speaker 2: one reason why for, me for me, only he's the
Speaker 2: great number twenty. Nine, ever that sounds like something a
Speaker 2: golfer would. Do, yeah that kind of, exercise, Right. Jeff
Speaker 2: there's so many similarities between golf and. Baseball it's. Incredible
Speaker 2: by the, WAY i Asked Chipper, jones who's been a
Speaker 2: lot big part of yesterday and today's. PODCAST i, say
Speaker 2: how much golf do you? Play he, GOES i played
Speaker 2: twenty seven holes Every tuesday and Every thursday without. Fail
Speaker 2: so he, SAYS i tell everyone THAT i know my
Speaker 2: agent who needs me for stuff. Whatever i'm not available
Speaker 2: On tuesday And. Thursday if you need me to do,
Speaker 2: Anything i'm Available, Monday, wednesday And. Friday But tuesday And
Speaker 2: THURSDAY i play fifty four holes each. DAY i love.
Speaker 1: It, YEAH i mean the TIME i spend editing and
Speaker 1: putting together this podcast is the same amount of time
Speaker 1: he spends weekly playing.
Speaker 2: Golf.
Speaker 1: Yeah when my friends, asked do you ever get out?
Speaker 1: THERE i said not with three episodes a week. On
Speaker 1: is this a great game or What?
Speaker 2: Jef, Jeff we're gonna get you some. Help we just
Speaker 2: have to make some. Money we don't make any money
Speaker 2: do the. Show we're doing this by. Ourselves we're just
Speaker 2: doing that's.
Speaker 3: A great it's a great time to.
Speaker 1: Say if anybody is looking to be involved with endorsing or,
Speaker 1: sponsoring is this a great? Game or? What reach Out
Speaker 1: jeff at great? Game or what dot com rate start
Speaker 1: at just one?
Speaker 2: Dollar? All, right here we.
Speaker 3: Go are we gonna move on to. Thirty are you
Speaker 3: doing two?
Speaker 2: Today, No we're gonna do thirty next. Week thirty is,
Speaker 2: difficult And i'm Gonna i'm gonna just try one at
Speaker 2: a time, Here, okay.
Speaker 1: All, right so number thirty will be next, Week, Dad
Speaker 1: just out of, curiosity have you timed this out because
Speaker 1: it's ouzzy to oral one to fifty? Five are you
Speaker 1: timing this out to try to get us to basically
Speaker 1: the playoffs by fifty?
Speaker 2: Five we'll get to fifty, five trust, ME i.
Speaker 1: Know OH I i'm saying we're we're ahead of. Pace
Speaker 1: we're at The All star break and we're already at.
Speaker 2: Thirty so we're gonna we're gonna slow, down say when
Speaker 2: we get to number forty, four because number forty four
Speaker 2: Is Hank. Aaron and we will talk greatly About Hank,
Speaker 2: aaron as we will today Because, jeff he is our
Speaker 2: best of all tim we have picked the best player
Speaker 2: from each. Franchise we're up to number, eighteen And Hank
Speaker 2: aaron obviously is the Greatest brave. Ever and at The
Speaker 2: All Star, Game, jeff they did a tribute To Hank.
Speaker 2: Aaron did you see? It did you see?
Speaker 3: It it Was, Dad it was so.
Speaker 1: Incredible the internet was just in awe about it, all
Speaker 1: AND i, mean it was so. Beautiful on seven, Fifteen july,
Speaker 1: fifteenth honoring home run seven, fifteen we Had Tom house
Speaker 1: on the podcast earlier this year on the anniversary of
Speaker 1: the day that seven fifteen was, hit and he was
Speaker 1: the one who caught the.
Speaker 3: Ball if you listen to the.
Speaker 1: Episode if you, didn't you got to go back and
Speaker 1: listen to, it because he ran the ball Into, hank his. Teammate, Anyway,
Speaker 1: dad it was so spectacular and so. Beautiful what was
Speaker 1: it like in? Person is it equally as?
Speaker 2: Cool it was so, powerful it was so beautifully. Done
Speaker 2: whoever put that together deserves An emmy or An oscar
Speaker 2: or something because that was. Beautiful and you, know we
Speaker 2: were talking about the biggest home runs in baseball, History,
Speaker 2: JEFF i think that has the distinction of the most
Speaker 2: important home run in baseball. History does that make? Sense
Speaker 2: different than, Say mazarowski's which won the nineteen Sixty World.
Speaker 2: SERIES i think you can make that the biggest home
Speaker 2: run In Major league, history but the most important one
Speaker 2: was When Hank aaron Passed Babe ruth on the all time.
Speaker 2: List does that make?
Speaker 3: SENSE i think it makes.
Speaker 1: Sense dad And Tom house went into this on the,
Speaker 1: episode but it bears repeating also to think about what
Speaker 1: the country was going through at that time and how so,
Speaker 1: many so many did not like the thought of a
Speaker 1: black man being the home run leader of all, time
Speaker 1: and how culturally that was difficult for the country for
Speaker 1: people who didn't see that as something that could happen
Speaker 1: when it was breaking down barriers as it. SHOULD i,
Speaker 1: mean it's similar to that in a different way To
Speaker 1: Jackie robinson breaking the color. Barrier, Right, dad this is
Speaker 1: the important monumental things that happened in our.
Speaker 2: Game. Right it was. Amazing And i've told you this story, Before,
Speaker 2: Jeff but here's how Revered Hank aaron was from everyone
Speaker 2: in the. Game Aaron, boone who grew up in, baseball
Speaker 2: grew up on a baseball, field was at the ballpark
Speaker 2: with his dad when he was three years, old And
Speaker 2: boonie can talk to anybody about. Anything twenty Fourteen All Star.
Speaker 2: Game we're In. Minneapolis he's working FOR. Espn he gets
Speaker 2: off the elevator and he sees me and his face
Speaker 2: is like ASHEN i, said he, said guess WHO i
Speaker 2: just saw in the. ELEVATOR i, said Who he, Said Hank.
Speaker 2: AARON i, said, wow what did you say to? Him he,
Speaker 2: SAID i didn't know what to. SAY i was. SPEECHLESS
Speaker 2: i couldn't even. SPEAK i, said, what you could talk
Speaker 2: to anyone he, Goes but that Was Hank. Aaron that's
Speaker 2: how Revered Hank aaron was In Aaron boone's. Mind And
Speaker 2: i've told you my, Story, jeff but the highlight of
Speaker 2: my career was Interviewing Hank aaron for four innings during
Speaker 2: a baseball, game you, know seven or eight years, ago
Speaker 2: ten years, ago whatever it was With Dave fleming And Eduardo.
Speaker 2: Perez SO i sat next To Hank aaron for four,
Speaker 2: innings an hour and a, half next to one of
Speaker 2: the greatest players of all time and one of the
Speaker 2: greatest people we'll ever. See he was so, funny he
Speaker 2: was so. Charming his recall was. Unbelievable, JEFF i stopped
Speaker 2: keeping score of a major league game BECAUSE i was
Speaker 2: mesmerized by the man sitting to my. Left so after
Speaker 2: the game was, over, OKAY i looked At. Twitter never
Speaker 2: a good idea to look At twitter after you've called
Speaker 2: a major league, game trust. Me some guy wrote in
Speaker 2: and he, said if anyone ever looks at you the
Speaker 2: way That Tim kirkchen looked At Hank aaron, tonight you
Speaker 2: should marry that. Person that's how magical it was being
Speaker 2: in the booth that night With Eduardo perez And Dave,
Speaker 2: fleming and they say the same thing that that was
Speaker 2: one of the highlights of their entire career was getting
Speaker 2: to sit next To Hank aaron and have him tell
Speaker 2: us stories of his. Life it was absolutely. Tremendous so
Speaker 2: that is the best of all tim perfect time to do,
Speaker 2: it Because Hank aaron was all Over atlanta during The
Speaker 2: All Star, game as he should have, been the Greatest
Speaker 2: brave of all.
Speaker 1: Time, dad you mentioned keeping score during the. Game that's
Speaker 1: something that you taught me to. Do and do you
Speaker 1: know my two favorite keeping score during the game stories
Speaker 1: was WHEN i was a. KID i tried to take
Speaker 1: score during the two thousand and Two All Star, game
Speaker 1: my first Ever All star, game trying to keep score
Speaker 1: during WHICH i do not recommend for a nine year
Speaker 1: old at that.
Speaker 3: Time even if.
Speaker 1: The game isn't in extra innings and doesn't even end
Speaker 1: up finishing with a final, score the amount of substitutions.
Speaker 3: You're gonna run out of room on your.
Speaker 2: Scorecard it was so.
Speaker 1: Difficult and then my other favorite keeping score story is
Speaker 1: you REMEMBER i took my high school girlfriend to A
Speaker 1: nationals game and AS i was getting ready to, LEAVE
Speaker 1: i was getting my scorebook to take with, me and
Speaker 1: you looked at me with such, disappointment THINKING i have
Speaker 1: raised an equally nerdy.
Speaker 2: Kid.
Speaker 3: Jeff you can't go keep.
Speaker 1: Score when you bring a girl to a baseball, game
Speaker 1: you have to pay.
Speaker 2: Attention to, Her. Jeff and NORMALLY i would do that from,
Speaker 2: experience BUT i don't THINK i ever took a girl
Speaker 2: to it, all to a baseball, game BECAUSE i don't
Speaker 2: THINK i took a girl anywhere UNTIL i met your.
Speaker 2: MOTHER i, mean it's just it's. Terrible, yes you should.
Speaker 2: Not you should not if you don't know what you're,
Speaker 2: doing and that the girl's not that, interested maybe you
Speaker 2: shouldn't bring your score.
Speaker 1: Book so all, Right, dad for today's wrapping up today's,
Speaker 1: episode you have a special team ten AND i think
Speaker 1: this is probably one of the most creative you've ever
Speaker 1: come up. With AND i would like to introduce it
Speaker 1: because my little quirk gin of the, day which of
Speaker 1: course everybody knows at this point is Cal rally is
Speaker 1: the first catcher ever to win The Home Run, Derby
Speaker 1: and THEN i realized he's the last position to win.
Speaker 1: It so, like now we have a player at every
Speaker 1: position who has won The Home Run, derby and the
Speaker 1: catcher was the last one we were waiting for, obviously
Speaker 1: besides pitcher.
Speaker 2: Technically right, Right SO i told Cal raley that after
Speaker 2: the game on the, RADIO i, said you're the first
Speaker 2: catcher ever to win The Home Run, derby And jeff
Speaker 2: his eyes lit up like he needs something else to
Speaker 2: be excited. About he, goes, WOW i had no idea about,
Speaker 2: that so he was. Thrilled, Yes so Cal raley obviously
Speaker 2: is the, catcher and you can go a million different
Speaker 2: ways at all these, positions But i'm going With Pete
Speaker 2: alonzo at first base because he won it twice in
Speaker 2: twenty nineteen and twenty twenty, one and he loved the
Speaker 2: home Run. Derby he loved competing in as much as
Speaker 2: Anyone i've ever. Seen Ryan sandberg, Won he's our second.
Speaker 2: Basement he won The Home Run derby in nineteen ninety
Speaker 2: in his home ballpark At Wrigley. Field that made it,
Speaker 2: cool of, course that made it even. Better our third
Speaker 2: basement Is Todd, fraser of, course who won in twenty
Speaker 2: fifteen in his home ballpark And jeff that was the
Speaker 2: first year that they used the clock in the home
Speaker 2: run derby and his brother was pitching to. HIM i, repeat.
Speaker 2: Relationship home run derbys are the, best and he because
Speaker 2: the clock was. Sticking i'll never Forget Todd fraser was
Speaker 2: screaming at his. Brother throw it, faster throw it, faster
Speaker 2: beating not, harder just throw it more often because more
Speaker 2: constantly out of. TIME i still because the clock saved
Speaker 2: the home run, DERBY i think that was the best
Speaker 2: One i've ever seen in one, way Because Todd frazier did,
Speaker 2: it he did it at home and his brother was
Speaker 2: pitching to. HIM i just loved. It. Spectacular Cal ripkin
Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety, one one of his TWO mvp, seasons
Speaker 2: he won the home Run derby In toronto that. Night
Speaker 2: that was pretty. Cool Ken Griffy junior is one of
Speaker 2: the outfielders because he's the only one to win it
Speaker 2: three times nineteen ninety, four nineteen ninety eight and nineteen ninety.
Speaker 2: Nine Key Griffy junior just barged onto the set Of
Speaker 2: baseball tonight the other. Night he wasn't even, invited but
Speaker 2: he was just standing. There So Kevin cotters had to,
Speaker 2: say you want to come, On so we Brought Ken
Speaker 2: Griffy junior into the. Show it was just. Priceless it
Speaker 2: was so so good. Outfielder i'm also Going Josh, hamilton
Speaker 2: even though he never won a home run, derby the
Speaker 2: show that he put on that day at the Old
Speaker 2: Yankee stadium was like nothing anyone had ever. Seen it
Speaker 2: might be the greatest round of home runs that anyone
Speaker 2: has ever. Seen Josh hamilton was an amazing athlete with incredible.
Speaker 2: Power they used to, Say jeff The Sound office, bat
Speaker 2: you could hear it three fields a. Way in spring,
Speaker 2: training people would go like, this, Oh josh has TAKEN
Speaker 2: bp over, there like three hundred feet. Away you could hear.
Speaker 2: It that's how Great Josh hamilton. Was and of Course
Speaker 2: Bryce harper in twenty eighteen won the home run derby
Speaker 2: against his father was the, pitcher and he did it
Speaker 2: in his home ballpark In. Washington you went to, that, Right,
Speaker 2: yeah that was.
Speaker 1: INCREDIBLE i love the home ballpark. Stories it makes it
Speaker 1: all the, better, Right.
Speaker 2: The only thing better than him winning The Home Run
Speaker 2: derby was me playing in The Celebrity Softball game With
Speaker 2: Jamie fox And Jamie fox And Bill, nye the science
Speaker 2: guy WHO i, repeat got the biggest ovation of anyone
Speaker 2: at The Celebrity Softball game in twenty. Eighteen, So, jeff
Speaker 2: we don't have a, pitcher but we're gonna use a
Speaker 2: pitcher for the home Run, derby and we're gonna use
Speaker 2: Rich donnelly because in one of the earliest home run
Speaker 2: derbys before we really polished it to make it, better
Speaker 2: Rich donelly was the batting practice pitcher for everyone in the.
Speaker 2: Derby so he threw to, everyone you didn't bring your own,
Speaker 2: guy Rich donelly was your. Guy and you See jeff
Speaker 2: with the l screen how everyone throws from the front
Speaker 2: of the. Mound now they're like they're like in front
Speaker 2: of the. Dirt they could throw really hard from there
Speaker 2: and throw. Strikes Rich donaldley threw from the top of the,
Speaker 2: mound right on top of the rubber like a real
Speaker 2: pitcher would for the entire home RUN wi, derby and
Speaker 2: he pitched to, everyone isn't that?
Speaker 1: Incredible so HE i, mean no pitch count, There you're
Speaker 1: not pulling them after ninety nine, Pix.
Speaker 2: Jeff and this is the, point just like Cal raley's
Speaker 2: Dad todd told me that he. Throws he's in his mid.
Speaker 2: Fifties he throws batting practice eleven months out of the.
Speaker 2: Year and you can train your arm to do that
Speaker 2: if you just keep. Throwing and that's what Rich donelly
Speaker 2: did for his entire career as a coach and an
Speaker 2: instructor in the major. Leagues and Rich ono's told, me
Speaker 2: by the, way a couple of years, ago he threw
Speaker 2: a twelve minute batting practice session and at the end
Speaker 2: of the twelve minutes there wasn't one ball left in the. Cage, That,
Speaker 2: jeff what does that tell? You twelve, minutes no balls
Speaker 2: left in the? Cage what does that tell? You first,
Speaker 2: off no one's taking any pitches right because they are
Speaker 2: all perfect strike. Rides that's the goal of a batting
Speaker 2: practice pitcher is to throw. Strikes and because he throws
Speaker 2: such good, strikes everyone hit it out of the, cage
Speaker 2: meaning no one popped it up into the cage and it.
Speaker 2: Landed twelve, minutes no balls in the. Cage that has
Speaker 2: to be a.
Speaker 1: Record, Well, dad this is a great transition to tease
Speaker 1: who we have joining the show next week because next
Speaker 1: weekend will Be hall Of fame induction weekend In, cooperstown
Speaker 1: a very exciting, time And Billy, wagner who is set
Speaker 1: to be inducted into The hall Of fame in the
Speaker 1: class of twenty twenty, five will join as our. Guest
Speaker 1: dad and you bringing Up Todd Todd rally made me
Speaker 1: think About Billy wagner throwing because he's a coach now
Speaker 1: he is a and he throws left and right handed
Speaker 1: batting practice because he can do that.
Speaker 2: Right please tune in and listen To Billy wagner tell the.
Speaker 2: Story we're not going to give it away this time
Speaker 2: LIKE i always. Do we're not the time That Kenny,
Speaker 2: rogers a fellow left handed pitcher and a really good
Speaker 2: one in the major, leagues Challenge Billy wagner to an
Speaker 2: event during batting. Practice just tune in to listen to.
Speaker 2: That that's another story THAT i had never heard. BEFORE
Speaker 2: i THOUGHT i knew all The Billy wagner. Stories i'd
Speaker 2: never heard, that and it may be you AND i
Speaker 2: laugh out.
Speaker 3: Loud make sure to tune in for.
Speaker 1: That that'll be this Coming wednesday here on Is it's
Speaker 1: a great game or.
Speaker 3: What thank you so much for watching on YouTube or.
Speaker 1: Listening wherever you, listen make sure to, follow, subscribe share
Speaker 1: it with. Somebody spread the love of baseball with somebody
Speaker 1: who loves this game as much as we. Do thank
Speaker 1: you so much for, listening and as, always thanks for
Speaker 1: being a part of our.
Speaker 2: Family