1 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to Is this great game or what? 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 2: And our guest this week is Hall of Fame third 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 2: baseman Chipper Jones, one of the greatest third basemen ever, 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 2: one of the great switch hitters of all time, a 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 2: world champion. 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: Chipper, this is my son, Jeff. He has the same 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 1: terrible voice that I do. 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 3: It nice to meet you, Jeff. Glad to be on 9 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 3: with you. Guys, man, I was you gotta thank your 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 3: dad for the for the introduction like that when he 11 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 3: cuts your knees out from under you right from the Digo. 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: Listen. 13 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 4: I am just as self deprecating as my father. 14 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: I got his. 15 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 4: Voice, and we're gonna talk about your boys too. I'm 16 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 4: sure they have your athletic ability. Thanks for Dad passing 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 4: me the voice as opposed to a Chipper Jones quality athlete. 18 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: Chipper, I gave him no height and a lot of 19 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: body hair also, which is also not a great idea. 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 3: Man, the kid never had a chance now, So, Chipper. 21 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 4: We had last year your longtime teammate Jeff Francor on 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 4: the show, and at the end of the season, my 23 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 4: dad and I was our very first year doing a 24 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 4: podcast together, we put together our top ten favorite moments 25 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 4: of the show, and Frenchie earned the number one spot. 26 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: Now, Chipper, have you heard the story where Bobby Cox, 27 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 2: your beloved manager, told Frenchie to fake an injury so 28 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 2: he in a spring training game so he could go 29 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 2: play golf with Tiger Wood. 30 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: You know that story, right? 31 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 3: It is? It is very true. I know because I was, 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 3: I believe, the fifth in that group. I was not 33 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 3: going to miss being able to play golf with Tiger 34 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 3: Woods and Anica Sorenstam in the same that day. Now, 35 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 3: I could just bow out anytime I wanted to from 36 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 3: a spring training game. But young mister fretschi yeah, we 37 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 3: had to. We had to have some kind of excuse. 38 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 3: So I don't think he had a tight back er, 39 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: a little tweak in his handy, uh, but he was 40 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 3: certainly out there hitting the golf ball around, having a 41 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 3: good time with Chipper. 42 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: You know what he actually did. 43 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 2: He ran through first base and then started to limp 44 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 2: because that's. 45 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: What Bobby told him to do. 46 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 2: And then his wife called him at four thirty on 47 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: the golf course and said, it just crossed the wire. 48 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: You have a high ankle spring day to day. 49 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 3: But that's that's that's just how cool Bobby was, like 50 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 3: he knew that spring training is not only for getting 51 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 3: yourself in shape, but it's you gotta stay mentally sharp 52 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 3: as well. And being on the golf course for those 53 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 3: pitchers and sometimes those position players was that release that 54 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 3: we needed. And he was so great most of the time. 55 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 3: You know, when we weren't playing games, we were out 56 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 3: of there by eleven o'clock in the morning. Heck, we 57 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 3: were teeing off by eleven thirty. But he trusted us 58 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: to get ourselves ready come the end of March and 59 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 3: the beginning of the season. 60 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 2: At first Shipper, what was it like for you to 61 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 2: play with Tiger and an Akastorian? 62 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 3: Stand? 63 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: What was that day like? 64 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 3: It was the greatest golf day of my life. I 65 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 3: think we played maybe forty five holes that day out 66 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 3: at Reunion Golf Course where Anaka now has her her school. 67 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 3: So that was kind of the first introduction between Reunion 68 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 3: and Onnica for that great school that she has down 69 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 3: there in Kasumi, Florida. But yeah, I wasn't gonna miss 70 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: that being able to soak up as much knowledge as 71 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 3: you could from at that time, both number one players 72 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 3: in the world. I had a great time with Anka. 73 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 3: We rode together and she was like a sponge as well, 74 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 3: like wanting to know what workout regiments were, like what 75 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 3: you know the schedule and how grueling it was and whatnot. 76 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 3: Tiger was you know, Tiger, he was cocky. Him and 77 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 3: Smolty were going at it. I'll never forget the first 78 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 3: eighteen Tiger shot the most boring sixty six that I've 79 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 3: ever seen in my life. He hit every part five 80 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 3: into and two put it for four birdies. And then 81 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 3: we were on number six, I think on the Palmer 82 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 3: Course smost. He's over there digging around in the bushes 83 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 3: for his ball. Tiger has ninety one yards into this 84 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 3: part four and I walked behind him, uh, and I said, 85 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 3: I go, just just make it, and he goes, ninety 86 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 3: one is my yardage and he won hot dunked it 87 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 3: in the hole for an eagle now and it was smolest. 88 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 3: He's into bushes and he and he hears us, you know, scream, 89 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 3: and he like raises up still looking for his ball, 90 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 3: and he looks at me and he goes, did he 91 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,799 Speaker 3: make it? I go, he made it? And so yeah, 92 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 3: he got He got waxed by Tiger that. 93 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 2: Day, right, Smulty as far as his competitive nature goes 94 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 2: to for you're all the same, all you big leaguers, 95 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 2: but but he's on another level when it comes to 96 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: I have to win it whatever it is. 97 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: I'm correct about. 98 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 3: That, right, Yeah, the most competitive guy that I've ever 99 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 3: played with. This is probably why he's you know, the 100 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 3: I think if we had any of the big three 101 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 3: that we were going to run out there when the 102 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 3: lights were the brightest, it would probably be Smolsy. He 103 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 3: will not stop playing golf until he is actually up 104 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: on you. He will play until well after dark. You know. 105 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 3: It doesn't matter what it is though. It could be cards, 106 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 3: it could be backgammon, it could be tiddley wins, you know, 107 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,040 Speaker 3: it just it really does not matter with him, and 108 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 3: he will not stop. He's the energizer bunny on steroids. 109 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 2: You know. And and Frank Core also told us the 110 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 2: story of the time he had small t beat He 111 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 2: was five up going into the to eighteen and lost 112 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:13,799 Speaker 2: by five. 113 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: Are you aware of that story too? 114 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 3: I was also there for that one. I mean French, 115 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 3: she was so jacked up. This is going to be 116 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 3: the first time that he was ever going to beat 117 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 3: him straight up yes, he had a I believe a 118 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 3: two or three shot league going to eighteen, but eighteen 119 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 3: was a par five water all the way down the 120 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: left side. And french she made a fourteen on eighteen 121 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 3: to lose by quite a few and Tim, I can't 122 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 3: tell you, guys the amount. It was like we had 123 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 3: just lost game seven of the way. He was so dejected, 124 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 3: he was literally on the verge of tears that day, 125 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 3: and Smolcy and I were just horse laughing like crazy 126 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 3: because Smolsey on the tea box said, now, Frenchy, don't 127 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 3: get nervous. This is a big deal for you, I know. 128 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: So he started psyching him out right there, and I 129 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 3: mean the first one, the first drive, I mean, it 130 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 3: didn't come within hell's half acre of dry land. It 131 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 3: was wig on. And then it started getting in his 132 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 3: head and he was toasted after that. 133 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: And we were told by Smoltz that the next day 134 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 2: when it got back to the to the clubhouse, that 135 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: anytime that Frank or talked to anybody, the answer to 136 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: the question was fourteen. 137 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: Because that's what it. 138 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 2: So, it's like, how many pitches does this guy throw 139 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 2: in his last appearance? 140 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: Fourteen? Like how was he the whole team was in 141 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: on it. 142 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 3: We have a sort of way of reminding teammates so 143 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 3: very embarrassing, very very you know, precarious moments where they 144 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 3: don't want to be reminded of it, Chipper. So that's 145 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 3: what a major league club boss is all about. 146 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 4: Sure, this podcast is called is this a great game 147 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 4: or what? And I think sometimes we have to remember 148 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 4: that it's a baseball podcast because we talked just as 149 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 4: much about golf, because there's so many great stories, especially 150 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 4: from you guys and those great Braves teams. 151 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: Now, Chipper, I want to take it back a little bit. 152 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 4: The Braves are hosting the All Star Game this year, 153 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 4: which is awesome, but taking it back to your very 154 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 4: first All Star Game because our guest from a couple 155 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 4: of weeks ago. I don't know if you're familiar with 156 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 4: fellow Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Junior, but we just 157 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 4: had him on. 158 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: The show and your rookie year. Did he give you 159 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: a gift? Do I have this right? 160 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 3: Yeah? We see, Cal was my guy growing up. I 161 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 3: had a couple of guys, you know, I grew up 162 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 3: a shortstop, so I used to love watching Cal and 163 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 3: obviously Ozzie Smith, the Wizard and Barry Larkin, and I 164 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 3: tried to to take a little bit from each of 165 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 3: those guys. But Cal was my guy, you know. I 166 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 3: mean I think I was eight or nine years old 167 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 3: when he was a Rookie of the Year m v P. H. 168 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 3: Orioles won won a World Championship right in that span 169 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 3: as well, So to say that he was my guy 170 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 3: was an understatement. But he threw out the first pitch, 171 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 3: I believe, in Game one of the World Series that year, 172 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 3: you know, in and around him breaking the record UH 173 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 3: for consecutive games played. And everybody knew my love for 174 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:41,479 Speaker 3: Cal Ripkins. So the meeting before the game was inevitable 175 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 3: and he signed one of his Cal Ripkin UH number 176 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 3: eight logo balls. You know that they'll do that for 177 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 3: special occasions throughout the years, and it said you're off 178 00:09:55,600 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 3: to a great start. Now the hard part starts staying here. 179 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 3: You know. It's something to that effect, and it just 180 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 3: it really hung with me forever, because you can get 181 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: off to those good starts as rookies, and we've all 182 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 3: seen the sophomore slumps and the confidence problems come once 183 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 3: the league makes its adjustments to you. So that was 184 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 3: a message to me from one of the all time 185 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 3: greats that Hey, just because you're off to a good start, 186 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 3: the hard part is still in front of you, staying 187 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 3: here and being elite for a long time. That's the 188 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 3: hard part. 189 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 2: And Tripper, that ball still sits on your desk at home, 190 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 2: does it not? 191 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 3: It's not on the desk we've we've since moved since 192 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 3: I think the last time I talked to you. It's 193 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 3: downstairs in my basement. I've got a wonderful man cave 194 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 3: down there with all my prize possessions, and that's where 195 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 3: that's where she lays. 196 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 4: So I got to ask, then, if you have your 197 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 4: prized possessions, is there anything else in there? You know 198 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 4: that you're like, oh, if the house is going down, 199 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 4: I gotta grab what? Like, what's something else you're really 200 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:05,079 Speaker 4: proud of in addition to that ball? 201 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 3: Okay, So you guys know, we go to these card 202 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 3: shows all the time, and whenever we have some downtime, 203 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 3: maybe just walk around and see some of the cool 204 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 3: memorabilia that's around at these card shows. And I've gotten 205 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 3: so much cool stuff, you know, just meandering through, and 206 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 3: all it really costs me is a picture with a 207 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 3: guy or a couple of autographs here and there. I 208 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 3: have a case that has eleven balls in it, and 209 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,719 Speaker 3: it's eleven of the first thirteen five hundred home run 210 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 3: hitters and they're all in one case, and it's sitting 211 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 3: right underneath my TV, front and center down at my 212 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 3: man cave. And I think you know more so than 213 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 3: you know the two World Series rings, one as a player, 214 00:11:56,559 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 3: one as a coach, an MVP trophy. I would probably 215 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: go after that case because I mean, there's some dudes 216 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 3: in there. I think the only two that I'm missing 217 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 3: maybe Ruth and maybe maybe Garret or I can't I 218 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 3: can't remember. I haven't been down there in quite some time. 219 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 3: But eleven of the first thirteen, so I mean, I 220 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 3: know there's been a lot more since then, but those 221 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 3: those first original thirteen were were gospel. 222 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: If you will, are you freaking out? Dad? That is 223 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: like like I could see the chills on your body, 224 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: so Chipper to that end. 225 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 2: You must have met Ted Williams along the way, right, 226 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 2: never met Ted? 227 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 3: How about this? So I win the nineteen ninety nine 228 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 3: NL MVP. Where was the All Star Game that year? 229 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 3: It was in Boston with all you know Fenway Park 230 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 3: with everybody given tribute to Ted Williams, and I did 231 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 3: not make starts in nineteen ninety nine. So unfortunately, and 232 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 3: Bruce Boch and I we have a laugh about this 233 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 3: every time we see each other, because he actually called 234 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 3: me before the All Star Game. That was the year 235 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 3: that Jason Kendall rounded first and had that freak injury. 236 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 3: He was obviously going to the All Star Game and 237 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 3: I probably would have would have made it. He probably 238 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 3: would have picked me, but their next best player and 239 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 3: they had to have a representative was Ed Spray, who 240 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 3: was a third basicist. So I got, you know, kind 241 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 3: of pushed out of the All Star Game there in 242 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety nine. And what a game it would have 243 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 3: been to be a part of honoring Ted Williams with 244 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 3: all the greats in our game at that point. It was. 245 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 3: It was one really that I missed. I really did 246 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 3: miss making that one. 247 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 2: Well, I didn't miss that one, and I did the 248 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 2: post game sidebar that from that game. Chipper on the 249 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 2: pregame show where everyone got to meet Ted Williams, Tony 250 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 2: Gwynn and Cal Ripkin brought the all the players over 251 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 2: to meet Ted Williams and they were absolutely in awe 252 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 2: of who Ted Williams was. And sorry you missed that, 253 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 2: but it was only in baseball, Chipper. Can you have 254 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 2: that kind of reverence the people I meet, the players 255 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 2: who meet like Willie Mays or Hank Aaron for the 256 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 2: first time, they're like speechless because it's Hank Aaron and 257 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 2: Willie Mays. 258 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: You must have had an experience like. 259 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: That I did with with a few people throughout my career. 260 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 3: Going back to that Boston game, you could tell that 261 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 3: Ted Williams was out there talking hitting with Tony Gwinn 262 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 3: or taking I mean, that's all he could really talk about. 263 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 3: He was the splendid splinter. Really missed that one. Fortunately 264 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: I did. I did get to miss those first six 265 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 3: strikeouts of the game by Page Martinez, which we would 266 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 3: have I would have been one of him probably as well. 267 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 3: But yeah, through the years, you know, my dad was 268 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 3: a huge Mickey Mantle fan, and I got a chance 269 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 3: to do a card show sitting right next to him. 270 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 3: In nineteen ninety two, I was in Double A with 271 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 3: the Greenville Braids, that great Greenville Brais team that we had, 272 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 3: and I just remember I holding this man in such 273 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: high reverence because of the fact. That's all my dad 274 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 3: could talk about. And whenever we went in the backyard 275 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 3: and and we simulated lineups, hit you know, like Socia 276 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 3: comes up, got to hit left handed, you know, That's 277 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 3: that's just how we learned. So I find myself in 278 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 3: the mirror the night before here I am, let's see nineteen, 279 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 3: I was twenty years old. So I'm practicing how to 280 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 3: meet Mickey Mantle, you know, and I can just remember 281 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 3: walking up and nothing came out. I was like a 282 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 3: little schoolgirl, you know, talking to him. But he was great. 283 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 3: We had some laughs. He did have some libations hidden 284 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 3: underneath the table, you know, at eleven o'clock in the morning. 285 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 3: So it was quite the quite the introduction. 286 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 2: Right now, your dad, Larry, of course is is your 287 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 2: hero and is your batting coach and everything else. But 288 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 2: tell Jeff the story that you told me thirty years ago, 289 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: how your dad took you out of your public school 290 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 2: and moved you ninety miles up the road to the 291 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 2: Bowls school. Tell us why he did that. I'm fascinated 292 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 2: by this story. 293 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 3: So I'm obviously from a little blue collar town, very 294 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 3: small school. We didn't play very good competition. I was 295 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 3: making a's and b's and not bringing a book home, 296 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 3: not really being challenged enough academically. And we had had 297 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 3: a ton of interaction with the Bulls school throughout the 298 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 3: years because they were in our region. We were We 299 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 3: had a pretty good baseball team, pretty good football team, 300 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 3: and it always seemed like Bulls knocked us out of 301 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 3: the playoffs. My dad coach Ariano at Jacksonville Bulls, got 302 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 3: to become really good friends. And Coach Ariano joked throughout 303 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 3: the years because I would be out there practicing with 304 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 3: the with the varsity guys when I was in this 305 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 3: sixth grade, he goes, man, that kid would look good 306 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 3: in orange and blue. You know, So Dad always kept 307 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 3: out in the back of his mind. Once I got 308 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 3: to ninth grade, it became a parent that I was 309 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 3: going to either sign, you know, with a big Division 310 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 3: I school, or I was going to get drafted. And 311 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 3: I needed a new challenge. And you know, the hardest 312 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 3: thing for two parents with one child is to make 313 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 3: the decision to send them two hours north where there's 314 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 3: no coming home during the week. I'm living in a 315 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 3: in a dorm room. From Todd fifteen sixteen seventeen, eighteen 316 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 3: years old, managing my own time, doing all those things, 317 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 3: maybe coming home on the weekends. But I'm going to Jacksonville. 318 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 3: I'm going to play unbelievable competition at both the baseball 319 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 3: and football, and I'm going to be challenged academically. Now, 320 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 3: I struggled for the first little bit, but I really 321 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 3: believe that that move was to Jacksonville was probably one 322 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 3: of the most important moves in my career because it 323 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:36,959 Speaker 3: challenged me. It challenged me to grow up really fast, 324 00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 3: because at eighteen, I was definitely going to be on 325 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 3: my own after signing, you know, with the Atlanta Breis 326 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 3: and going to a boarding school really prepared me for 327 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 3: all those things. It was a hard move for them, 328 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:49,479 Speaker 3: but the right one. 329 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 4: Well, listen, Chipper, I think I mean it speaks volumes. 330 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 4: I'm a recent dad of almost two year old, but 331 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 4: I remember my dad always saying when I would play 332 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 4: basketball or baseball, it's like, don't shy away from the 333 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 4: best player on the court. Don't get afraid of the 334 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 4: best picture, because if you can hit him, that's way 335 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 4: better for you than if you're hitting the guy who's 336 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 4: just throwing, you know, meatballs across the plate. 337 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 3: Right. 338 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: It's so much better for your growth as a player. 339 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 4: So you kind of credit that in those years at 340 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 4: that school for really making you into Chipper Jones, Right. 341 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,959 Speaker 3: That's such a great mentality for parents to instill in kids, 342 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 3: And to be honest with you, it wasn't my dad 343 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: who instilled that in me. It was my mom. My 344 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 3: mom being a professional equestrian. She was unbelievable with what 345 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,640 Speaker 3: she did with the horses and whatnot. But she would 346 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 3: always say whenever I was going through a rough patch, 347 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 3: she was like, I don't care who's on the mount, 348 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,959 Speaker 3: I don't care what name is on the back of 349 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 3: that jersey. If he throws it over that plate, you're 350 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 3: gonna whack it, you know. And that's just the mentality 351 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 3: she said. Whenever you walk out on that field, you 352 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 3: may not be the best player on the field, but 353 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 3: up here you think you are, and you let that 354 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 3: guy know when you're walking to the plate that hey, buddy, 355 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 3: you're in for a rough ab right here. 356 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 2: Chipper. I've ridden one horse in my life. 357 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: It was a complete disaster. 358 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 2: Trust me. 359 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: Do you have you ridden a million horses in your life? 360 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 3: Oh? No, no, no, no. I learned my lesson quite 361 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:26,920 Speaker 3: a few times. Early on, probably before the age of ten. 362 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 3: I can remember one time I had this pony, we 363 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 3: called him Cruiser, and we had a ten acre farm 364 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 3: there and we would take I would take him up 365 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 3: to the top of the hill on the back of 366 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,719 Speaker 3: the property and I would put the spurs to that 367 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 3: little pony and he's down that hill. We go just 368 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 3: as fast as we could. One day, Cruiser got a 369 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 3: belly bay full of having Chipper on his back, and 370 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 3: when we got to the bottom of the hill, man 371 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 3: he slammed on the brakes, saddle, chipper, bridle, everything right 372 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 3: down his neck, face planet, right in my backyard. And 373 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 3: oh I was I was so fit. So I come in. 374 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 3: I'm stomping up the stairs and I slammed my door 375 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 3: and my parents are like, the heck's wrong with him? 376 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 3: Well they look out back Cruisers sitting out there grazing 377 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 3: with the saddle around this leg. There you go. Ah, 378 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 3: Now I see what happened. So that was kind of 379 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 3: that was kind of my last, my last experience with 380 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 3: having something between my legs that I couldn't really control 381 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 3: it my water, you know what I mean. 382 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 2: Well, you talk about the bulls pitcher for senior year, 383 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:52,719 Speaker 2: you get there's a pre draft meeting at your house 384 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 2: with the Braves to determine if you're going to be 385 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 2: the number one overall pick. 386 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: Tell us the story about that. 387 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 2: Meeting, how you got to the meeting, and then how 388 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: that meeting ended up. 389 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 3: Well, I was at prom. I was at prom with 390 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 3: my girlfriend and we didn't have cell phones back then, 391 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 3: so it took a series of phone calls from my dad, 392 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 3: to my coach, to friends to eventually get to me 393 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:23,199 Speaker 3: and say you've got to get home right now. And 394 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:26,640 Speaker 3: they were right. I mean, this is this is probably 395 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 3: the most important time of my life because you know, 396 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 3: at that point I was I was not by any 397 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 3: means the best player in the draft. I don't think 398 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 3: todd Man Poppol was the was the gem of the draft. 399 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 3: But todd Man Poppole didn't want to sign with the 400 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 3: Atlanta Braves. And you know, myself, Tim Costo's shortstop out 401 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 3: of Iowa. We were in the running for, you know, 402 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 3: a top couple of players. And I knew that. I 403 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 3: knew that Tony the Tigers wanted Tony Clark, he was 404 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 3: going number I knew that Philadelphia wanted Mike Liberthal. I 405 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 3: knew that the White Sox wanted Alex Fernandez, so it 406 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 3: was either Atlanta or then Pittsburgh, who had showed a 407 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 3: lot of interest at five. But I knew I wasn't 408 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 3: going past six because George Zarah from the Mariners, the 409 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 3: longtime scout, was in love with me, and he told me, 410 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 3: you're not going past six. So I never really had 411 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 3: any interaction with the Braves until about two nights before 412 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 3: the draft, and that's when we had from Dad, say 413 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 3: get your re rent home. We met with the Braves 414 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 3: at an olive garden in Daytona Beach, Florida, and you know, 415 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 3: it was a signability study, you know, I mean, and 416 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 3: I looked at him and I go, hey, if somebody 417 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 3: else doesn't want to be your plan A, I'll be 418 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 3: your plan B. You draft me, I'm sire. And we 419 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 3: basically had a view on place before they left that night, 420 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 3: you know, so it was pretty cut and dry. But man, 421 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 3: to think of the possibilities. If Van Poppo signs with 422 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 3: the Braves, I'm probably in that Pittsburgh Seattle type of 423 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 3: situation where I don't play nineteen years in the same place. 424 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 3: You know, I'm probably going, you know, from here to 425 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,160 Speaker 3: there all over the place to to try and find 426 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 3: a home, and it's not going to be Pittsburgh and Seattle. 427 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 4: Most important follow up from that story super salad at 428 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 4: Olive Garden when you go unlimited. 429 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 3: Oh salad, salad. 430 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 4: You got to go to salad of course with the 431 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 4: unlimited breast stakes, right sure. 432 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 2: So, Chipper, the story you told me was that you 433 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 2: agree to this contract with the Braves. 434 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: Your dad said, you know, Chipper, you. 435 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 2: Can get way more than this, and you said, I'm 436 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 2: sure I can. But I want to be the number 437 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 2: one overall pick. I want to play right now. And 438 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 2: most important, you told me this. You said, Dad, I'm 439 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 2: going to make so much money in this game. I 440 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 2: don't need to make it all in the first contract. 441 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 2: That's the discussion you had with your father. 442 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:20,359 Speaker 3: Correct, it was, and it was more. It was more 443 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 3: me not wanting to make waves, me not wanting to 444 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 3: hold out, me wanting to be accepted by my new 445 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 3: teammates and my new organization. There's no bs here, you know. 446 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 3: I think going out and asking for maybe a little 447 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 3: more than what Ben McDonald got the year before, I 448 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 3: don't think that's unreasonable. You know, I ended up. I 449 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 3: think I believe signing for exactly the same thing as 450 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 3: Ben McDonald. Did you know Van Poppo kind of blew 451 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 3: everything out of the water at fourteen with the A's. 452 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 3: I think he was over a million. But I wanted 453 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 3: to go play, Okay, I wanted to when I got 454 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 3: the cast off my hand. I got in a fight 455 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 3: two weeks before the draft and broke my hand. But 456 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 3: when that cast came off, I wanted to be in 457 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,679 Speaker 3: camp with my guys, signed, sealed and delivered, ready to 458 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 3: play when that cast came off. And that's just that's 459 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,439 Speaker 3: the way mom and Dad made me. 460 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: Was it a baseball fight in which you broke your hand. 461 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a day before the state championship game 462 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 3: my senior year, which I was slated to pitch in. 463 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 3: I still pitched even with the broken hand, but didn't 464 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 3: have the stuff. Yeah, it's just stuff that happens between 465 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 3: seventeen eighteen year old kids. Every day we were down 466 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 3: in Lakeland. We played our state championship games at Boardwalking Baseball, 467 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 3: where the Kansas City Royals used to train. We were 468 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 3: practicing at a local high school and my coach comes 469 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 3: up to him and he goes, hey, get your right 470 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 3: handed swings in take another round or two after everybody's 471 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 3: done left hand, just to you know, show show the 472 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 3: scouts that you can that you got this in your 473 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 3: tool belt. And some of the guys are one of 474 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,479 Speaker 3: the guys on the team, he was a backup catcher. 475 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 3: Junior didn't really like the fact that he had to 476 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 3: stay out there a little longer so that I could 477 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,239 Speaker 3: I could take some extra hacks. And he, you know, 478 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 3: he said something to me and I popped him, and yeah, 479 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 3: so he got he got seven stitches kind of in 480 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 3: the temple, and uh, yeah, I broke my hand. My 481 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 3: coach comes up to me, he goes, are you okay. 482 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 3: I was like, no, no, it's I think I broke 483 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 3: my hand. 484 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 5: So the defending state chance had a guy out there 485 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 5: on the mouth with a broken hand the next day, 486 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 5: and we ended up losing three to two in the 487 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 5: bottom of the last inning, which was kind of. 488 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:58,119 Speaker 3: A you know, it was a heartbreaker, but it was 489 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 3: a lesson for me early on in my career. Hey, 490 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 3: maybe maybe swallow hard and walk away you know the 491 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 3: next time, as opposed to popping some dude. In Faith and. 492 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,439 Speaker 4: Chipper, we've talked a lot about the beginning of your career, 493 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,159 Speaker 4: the early years, but obviously Hall of Fame Baseball career. 494 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 4: You became the veteran in your clubhouse. And I've heard 495 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 4: rumors of stories and things around you quite literally saving 496 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:30,439 Speaker 4: Freddie Freeman's life in a bizarre snow situation. 497 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 3: Can you tell the story Snowmageddon? Yes, I want to 498 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 3: say twenty fourteen. Maybe let me tell you something. You 499 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 3: know what I mean? People around here, I mean, it 500 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 3: gets below sixty, the turtlenecks come out, you know what 501 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 3: I mean. So they freak out when they freak out 502 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 3: whenever the weather turns bad. And obviously we've had a 503 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 3: bad storm black ice everywhere, you know, and they let 504 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 3: everybody out on this day. They let everybody out of school, 505 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 3: out of work. You know. The guys are down at 506 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 3: the stadium forty five minutes from from where Freddie and 507 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 3: I live. Freddie and I lived maybe a quarter of 508 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 3: a mile from each other. Chelsea and Taylor, my wife, 509 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 3: are best buddies, so we spent a lot of time 510 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 3: at each other's houses. And so Freddie, they sent everybody 511 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 3: home from the stadium because they were like, the weather's 512 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 3: turning really, really bad, and it took him eleven hours 513 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 3: to get from Turner Field to just off the interstate 514 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 3: where you know, that was our exit. And he had 515 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 3: no battery left on his phone, and he had he 516 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 3: was out of gas, and I was like, he's going 517 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 3: to freeze the death if he stays in his car. 518 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 3: But I didn't want to drive either. The good thing 519 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,120 Speaker 3: about having a redneck for a friend is the fact 520 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 3: that we have these ATVs, these four wheelers, you know, 521 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:03,080 Speaker 3: you know, we go through anything. So I told Taylor 522 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 3: and Chelsea that I was going to get on my 523 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 3: four wheeler and man, I had all the hunting gear 524 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 3: on the scars, the goggles from skiing and whatnot. And 525 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 3: here I go, you know. And it took me about 526 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 3: fifteen minutes to get to him, and a couple of 527 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 3: close calls with some vehicles along the way. But I 528 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 3: can just remember I have to make an entrance when 529 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 3: I get there. So of course he's in his truck 530 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 3: and I see his car and I floor it right 531 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 3: and right when I get to his car, I let 532 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 3: off and slam on the brakes and I just go 533 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 3: around right in front of him. He gets out, he goes, yes, 534 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 3: that was awesome, you know. So then he gets on 535 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 3: the back. I've got a backpack full of clothes for 536 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 3: him because it's it's it's cold now. And so we 537 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 3: take off from my house and when we get to 538 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 3: my house, we pull into my garage and my wife 539 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 3: snaps the infamous picture of me and Freddie on this 540 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 3: four wheeler and everybody compares that to the dumb and 541 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 3: dumber you know, Lloyd Christmas, Hey, we're going up for 542 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 3: We're going to ast. 543 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: You know that Denver is full of you know what? 544 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, And they actually made a bobblehead out of it, 545 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 3: and it is probably one of the highest selling bibbleheads 546 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 3: in Atlanta history. 547 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 2: That that is. 548 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 4: So that is the best story. That might be the 549 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 4: number one story of this year's podcast. French he got 550 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 4: it last year. I think Chipper's gonna. 551 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 3: Get it this year. 552 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 2: That's amazing. And you helped Freddy in so many ways. 553 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 2: So Mark to sheerup your teammate briefly in the land 554 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:50,680 Speaker 2: that told me that you are the smartest hitter he 555 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 2: has ever played with. But he told me every night 556 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 2: before the game started, on the way to the dugout, 557 00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 2: like right before the game started, you would always stop 558 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,480 Speaker 2: up and jump on the computer and play some sort 559 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 2: of game on the computer, Solitaire or something like that. 560 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 1: And he said, Chipper could do that because he already 561 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: knew what was going to happen in the game. He 562 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: didn't have to run through the scouting report. What does 563 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: this guy throw? 564 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 2: What was your mindset on stopping at a computer right 565 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 2: before the game starts? 566 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:28,960 Speaker 3: It relaxed me, It focused me. You know, yes, sometimes 567 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 3: it was Solitaire. Sometimes it was the USA Today Crossword, 568 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 3: something like that. I like to exercise the mind even 569 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 3: to this day. You know, I love doing the USA 570 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 3: Today Crosswords. I love playing Solitaire. Heck, I'll play Candy Crush, 571 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 3: anything that's that. You know, got this kind of you 572 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 3: got to really exercise your brain for I'm all in on, 573 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 3: and I think it helped me focus. I didn't want 574 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 3: to do it with anybody else because I didn't want conversation. 575 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 3: I wanted to be alone with my thoughts and get centered, 576 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:10,680 Speaker 3: because you know, if I was doing that, then I 577 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 3: had already done my research on the picture that I 578 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 3: was facing that night. Every night I watched whoever the 579 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 3: starter was, I watched it right when I got there 580 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 3: at one o'clock. I would watch his last three starts. 581 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 3: I want to know where his head was at. I 582 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 3: want to know if he was three and oh with 583 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 3: a one ERA or oh and three with a six 584 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 3: e RA, or o and o with a three and 585 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 3: a half or four. I want to know where his 586 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 3: head was at. Also, I'm watching how he's pitching guys 587 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 3: in the middle of the lineup based open base is empty. 588 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 3: All these things go into my my thought process and 589 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 3: my game plan each and every night. So I've already 590 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 3: done my homework before most of the guys even get there, 591 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 3: So I'm mentally prepared already. That little thirty minutes before 592 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 3: I walked down that long tunnel at Turner Field really 593 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 3: got me centered, got me focused, and and you know, 594 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 3: got me ready for seven oh five. It was just 595 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 3: one of my little quirky things that I did, you know, 596 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 3: throughout the years. 597 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 4: It's so amazing hearing different preparations from different players, And 598 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,319 Speaker 4: I think the one common thread we always see dad 599 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 4: is what's on the field is just as important as 600 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 4: what's off the field. If it relaxes you and gets 601 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 4: you in a state of mind, then that's what's great. 602 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 4: And you know, we're seeing I think once in a 603 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:31,800 Speaker 4: generation player in Ronald Acuna Junior right now for the Braves, 604 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:35,359 Speaker 4: tell us Chipper from from your perspective, it's a Hall 605 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 4: of Fame player, and what a great career you had 606 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:39,280 Speaker 4: and working with the Braves. 607 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 1: Now, what do you see in this guy? Is he 608 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,600 Speaker 1: as great as we all think he is? Because he's incredible. 609 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 3: I catch a lot of flak for saying this. I've 610 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 3: often said he is the most talented player that has 611 00:34:57,680 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 3: ever put a Brave the foremot. Now everybody kind of 612 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 3: links that with being the best player that ever played 613 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 3: in this I'm not saying. You know, we all know 614 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,840 Speaker 3: who the greatest player who ever played in this organization is, 615 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 3: and that's Hank Aaron. There have been some really good 616 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,080 Speaker 3: ones throughout the years. But when I say talent, I 617 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 3: mean this kid has stuff in his tool belt that 618 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 3: nobody else has. You know, you know, everybody says, well, 619 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,920 Speaker 3: Hank Aaron could have you know, could have stole a 620 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 3: bunch of bases. Yeah, but he didn't steel seventy. You know, 621 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 3: you know, Hank, Hank Aaron hit forty homers, Yeah, but 622 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 3: he hit Ronald hit forty and stole seventy in the 623 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:45,880 Speaker 3: same year. This kid's got all kinds of talent and 624 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 3: right field He's a great defensive right fielder. He's got 625 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 3: a howitzer on his right arm, he can fly, He works. 626 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 3: He you know a lot of people he gets kind 627 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 3: of a bad rap here and there. Look, I've been 628 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,839 Speaker 3: down there with him, you know, day after day after 629 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 3: this kid works and he cares about going out and dominating, 630 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:12,320 Speaker 3: you know, and I just feel like, man, the sky 631 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,840 Speaker 3: is the limit. You saw it with the forty seventy. 632 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 3: It's unfortunate. Much like myself, he's had two ACL injuries, 633 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,400 Speaker 3: which is kind of knocked him backup peg. We'll see 634 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 3: in the coming years how that affects him. I did 635 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,879 Speaker 3: both of my acls on the same need. He's done 636 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:33,960 Speaker 3: it on each knet. So you know, it's gonna be 637 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:38,320 Speaker 3: interesting to see once he hits you know, the early thirties, 638 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 3: how maybe possibly that comes back to bite him a 639 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 3: little bit. But let me tell you something this. People 640 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 3: always say there's a different sound when the ball comes 641 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 3: off the bat, so much so to me that I 642 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 3: called my dad and I was like, Pops, I just 643 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:58,240 Speaker 3: want you to come up to Atlanta just to watch 644 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 3: this kid hit in biting practice. It is one of 645 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,719 Speaker 3: the most impressive things. He's not very big. He's six' 646 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:09,000 Speaker 3: one what one hundred and ninety five. POUNDS i, mean he's, 647 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:11,920 Speaker 3: built but he's not a giant human by any stretch 648 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 3: of the. Imagination but when that ball comes off his, 649 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 3: bat it is. Different AND i just think if we 650 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 3: can get him to have a sustained period of good 651 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:27,920 Speaker 3: health through his peak, years he's going to show you guys, Something. 652 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:28,799 Speaker 1: Tipper before we let you. 653 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,319 Speaker 2: Go we Had Tom glavin on earlier in the podcast this. 654 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 1: Year we Had smulti on last, year and. 655 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:37,360 Speaker 2: They both talked About Craig maddox and please confirm this 656 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 2: story For. JEFFERY i HOPE i got it. 657 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 1: Right Bobby cox comes to Take maddox. 658 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: Out of a playoff, game And maddox, Says, bobby you 659 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:46,759 Speaker 2: can't take me. OUT i got this. Guy you can 660 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 2: take me out after this, guy BUT i got this. 661 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 2: Guy he's going to foul out To chipper on the first. 662 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:54,120 Speaker 2: Pitch and on the first, pitch the guy pops out 663 00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 2: to you and you're in fair territory by about six. 664 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:00,359 Speaker 1: Inches and everyone says To, maddox you got it. Wrong 665 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:01,480 Speaker 1: chipper was in fair. 666 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:06,319 Speaker 2: Territory is that a story that actually, happened and does 667 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:09,839 Speaker 2: it kind of personify the brilliance Of Greg. 668 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:18,439 Speaker 3: Maddox it, Happened it won percent shows you that he 669 00:38:18,719 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 3: is the. Master like there were some subtle differences in the. 670 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:30,799 Speaker 3: Story bobby Sent leo out to Walk Louis. Gonzalez louis 671 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 3: Hit mattos pretty. GOOD i think he's got the most 672 00:38:33,239 --> 00:38:36,759 Speaker 3: career homers off of A maddox, probably you, know hit 673 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 3: him at a three hundred. Clip and we had a 674 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 3: base open And bobby wanted to Walk, louis so he 675 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:52,520 Speaker 3: Sends leo. Out SO i go out there And leo 676 00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:55,560 Speaker 3: looks At doggie with this kind of sheepish look on his, 677 00:38:55,640 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 3: face and he, Goes bobby wants you to to Walk. 678 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:04,759 Speaker 3: Louie And greg was, like, No i'm not walking. Him he, 679 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:06,799 Speaker 3: Goes i'm Gonna i'm gonna throw him a change up 680 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,960 Speaker 3: away for a, ball And i'm gonna throw him a 681 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,280 Speaker 3: cutter in he's gonna hit a pop up the chipper 682 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:16,600 Speaker 3: and we're gonna get out of this thing And, Leo 683 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:19,279 Speaker 3: leo just kind of looks at me and he, goes, 684 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 3: okay and he turns and he walks back. Right, Well 685 00:39:25,840 --> 00:39:30,080 Speaker 3: leo gets the, dugout and he Tells bobby, that you, 686 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:33,960 Speaker 3: Know doggie was, like, no he's not walking. Him he tells, 687 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,399 Speaker 3: him you, know change up, away cut her, in he's 688 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,040 Speaker 3: gonna hit a pop up at, Schipper and so he 689 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 3: throws a change up away for a ball and he 690 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:47,240 Speaker 3: throws a cutter in and it goes, up And i'm, 691 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:52,759 Speaker 3: like you have got to be kidding, Me LIKE i, 692 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:57,280 Speaker 3: mean but that's how that's he. Knew and he studies 693 00:39:57,360 --> 00:40:01,080 Speaker 3: hitters like he AND i have had so many conversations 694 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:05,480 Speaker 3: through the years about What i'm looking for in certain, 695 00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 3: situations AND i know that he's using some of that 696 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:11,920 Speaker 3: in those confrontations with some of those middle of the 697 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:17,439 Speaker 3: lineup type. Hitters whenever the rubber is meeting the road 698 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:20,000 Speaker 3: and he has to make a, pitch what he's going 699 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 3: to get that guy out? With and that was just 700 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,560 Speaker 3: one that he. Called maybe he got lucky on the, 701 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:27,759 Speaker 3: result But i'll tell you what it. Was it was 702 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:31,240 Speaker 3: awfully fun to be a part of that And. BOBBY 703 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:33,560 Speaker 3: i could Hear bobby cussing all the way from the 704 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 3: first base dug out to third base When leo told 705 00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:39,919 Speaker 3: him no that he wasn't going to walk him And 706 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:43,000 Speaker 3: bobby was laughing hysterically when we got back to the 707 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:43,840 Speaker 3: dugout after the. 708 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:49,000 Speaker 1: End Chipper, jones you have made us, laugh you. 709 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:53,759 Speaker 4: Were it's just incredible time getting to chat with. YOU 710 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,440 Speaker 4: i still look back at Those braves. TEAMS i was 711 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:59,640 Speaker 4: born in ninety, Three chip or so for me, that 712 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,160 Speaker 4: like you, know so much of your upbringing was Cal Ripken. 713 00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:05,600 Speaker 4: JUNIOR a lot of my upbringing was watching you and 714 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,800 Speaker 4: Those braves. Teams AND i would be remiss IF i 715 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:12,280 Speaker 4: didn't say my, grandfather my, Daddy, pat my mom's, dad 716 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:14,800 Speaker 4: never misses A braves. 717 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:15,799 Speaker 1: Game especially during our. 718 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 4: Years and to see all those guys now celebrating in 719 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:21,160 Speaker 4: The hall Of. Fame and my final question for you 720 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,360 Speaker 4: is we brought Up Freddi, freeman WHO i believe should 721 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,399 Speaker 4: be a first Ballot hall Of famer at this point 722 00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:28,520 Speaker 4: of his. Career how cool will that, be especially with 723 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:30,600 Speaker 4: how close your wives are and how close you two. 724 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:33,040 Speaker 1: Are that moment he makes it into. 725 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 3: The, hall, WELL i don't think there's any doubt He's 726 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:39,600 Speaker 3: he's On hall Of fame. Trajectory i'd like to throw 727 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:44,439 Speaker 3: on another plug For Andrew, jones hopefully get an opportunity 728 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 3: here in the next year or two to kind of 729 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:50,960 Speaker 3: extend that That braves wing that we have there In Cooper's. 730 00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:58,319 Speaker 3: Town but, Yeah freddy's it will. It'll it'll be like 731 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 3: my younger brother is going. In you, know there's certain 732 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:04,440 Speaker 3: players that you take under your wing during the course 733 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:07,280 Speaker 3: of your, career and he AND i just had a special. 734 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:11,400 Speaker 3: BOND i knew that WHEN i passed the torch to, 735 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:15,360 Speaker 3: him being that middle of the, lineup every day threat 736 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:18,399 Speaker 3: in The braves, lineup that he was going to take 737 00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:22,640 Speaker 3: that torch and run with. It he certainly did for you, 738 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:25,439 Speaker 3: know quite a few years after. That i'm extremely sad 739 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:27,799 Speaker 3: that he's not still, here but he's going. Out had an, 740 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:33,680 Speaker 3: iconic iconic moment in The World series WHICH i couldn't 741 00:42:33,719 --> 00:42:36,480 Speaker 3: be prouder for him. ABOUT i texted him right after 742 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 3: the game and, said. Decent you, know just one, WORD i, said. 743 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 3: DECENT i gotta let him Know i'm hard to please, 744 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:48,520 Speaker 3: man you, Know So i'll throw him a little some 745 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:51,160 Speaker 3: flowers every once in a, while but let him know 746 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:55,879 Speaker 3: That i'm still better than. Him but, hopefully hopefully he's 747 00:42:55,920 --> 00:42:58,400 Speaker 3: another one in the long line Of braves that joins Us. 748 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:01,680 Speaker 2: Chipper that's the biggest grants in the history of. Baseball 749 00:43:01,719 --> 00:43:04,479 Speaker 2: it has to be a walk, off the only walk 750 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:07,160 Speaker 2: Off Grand slam in the history of The World. Series 751 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:10,520 Speaker 2: and it completely turned The World series around because it 752 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:13,240 Speaker 2: happened In game, one and none of this would happen 753 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:15,960 Speaker 2: if you hadn't have saved his life In. 754 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:21,120 Speaker 3: Nice hey, Good i'll take credit for. 755 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,400 Speaker 1: That she'll be on the highway right. Now would have 756 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 1: never made it to The. Dodgers, Jipper thank you so 757 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:27,400 Speaker 1: much for making us. 758 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 2: Laugh thank you for teaching us so much about the. 759 00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:32,319 Speaker 1: Game this is why we love having you. ON i 760 00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:34,880 Speaker 1: will see you At. COOPERTOWN i will see you. 761 00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:38,359 Speaker 3: Soon sounds, good, guys pleasure to being with. You