1 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: With all the numbers and all applaud it's given to 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: Tony Gwynn. The thing I would remember the most his smile. 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: There are those who smile and get rid of it 4 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: right away. There are those who smile and then it 5 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: kind of drips off their face. And then there are 6 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: those rare ones who will smile and it will just 7 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: stay in the air and make you feel better. And 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:36,919 Speaker 1: that was Tony Gwynn. Got another log on the fire 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: nobody hears give it time. Welcome to the fire pit 10 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: with Matt Chanella. Good to be back again sharing with 11 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: you the stories that means something to me. And while 12 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: most of those stories have a hook and a tide 13 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: of golf, this or this series of stories about the 14 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: life and legacy of Tony Gwynn, is a passion project 15 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: that started when I was a kid an amateur baseball 16 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: card collector in Santa Rosa, California. I'd squirrel away rookie 17 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: cards into plastic sleeves and I stuffed my face with 18 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: the sticks of tops bubblegum. In the late seventies in 19 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: the early eighties, I was more into individual players than 20 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: I was, say the San Francisco Giants who played an 21 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: hour south of where I lived. I loved Willie Randolph 22 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: at the New York Yankees because I played second base 23 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: and so did Willie. I loved Goose Gossage because who 24 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: doesn't love a guy who goes by the name Goose? 25 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: When Gossage, Steve Garvey and Greg Nettles, another one of 26 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: my favorites, ended up on the Padres in nineteen eighty four, 27 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: That's when I remember planting my flag as an official 28 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: fan of the Friars, which was good timing with Tony Gwynn, 29 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: Kevin McReynolds, Carmelo Martinez in the outfield, plus Garvey at first, 30 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: Nettles at third, Gary Templeton at short, Wiggins at second, 31 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: and Terry Kennedy behind the plate, plus Eric Show, Andy Hawkins, 32 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 1: Mark Thurman, Edwitson Dave Drevecki as key starters, the Goose 33 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: as the dominant closer. They came back to beat the 34 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: Cubs in the playoffs and ultimately lost to the Detroit 35 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,119 Speaker 1: Tigers in the eighty four World Series. The Padres cruised 36 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: into the playoffs, winning the First Division title by twelve games, 37 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: and after they erased a two game deficit against the 38 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: Cubs in the NLCS. The knockout blow came off the 39 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: bat of San Diego's emerging superstar har The Padres had 40 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: never gone to the World Series or won a pinnet, 41 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: so we were the first to do that in San Dieg. Y'o. 42 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: To have him blossomed in eighty four and lead us 43 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:02,119 Speaker 1: to the World Series was something special. Though the Padres 44 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: would fall to the Detroit Tigers in five games in 45 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: the World Series. For Gwen and the city of San Diego, 46 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: a love affair was just beginning. At night, in just 47 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: the right conditions, I could listen to the Padres games 48 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: on the radio, still, Doe. My perfect day is working 49 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: in the yard and listening to baseball on the radio. 50 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 1: Tony Gwynn was and always will be my sports hero. 51 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: He shouldered to shoulder with Arnold Palmer and Joe Montana. 52 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: I was always Magic Johnson over Larry Bird, Tiger Woods 53 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: over Phil Mickelson. But it was Tony Gwinn's humility, consistency, 54 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: work ethic and style of play. It was the fact 55 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: that he never left San Diego for a bigger market 56 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: or more money, And it was the way he conducted 57 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: himself off the field that made me in my mind 58 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: his number one fan. I have assigned jersey that's in 59 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: a frame, pages of his rookie card that are in 60 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: boxes in my garage. I have Tony Gwen t shirts 61 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: that go back almost twenty years. My favorite number is nineteen. 62 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: I share my love of Gwynn with my kids, you 63 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: know the Joe. It has always been so easy to 64 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: be a Tony Gwynn fan. Not always easy being a 65 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: Podres fan, especially living on the East Coast for twenty 66 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: five years as a Sports Illustrated employee and working on 67 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: the baseball beat at the time. I went to every 68 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: game of the nineteen ninety eight World Series in which 69 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: the Podres were swept by the Yankees. Devastating not just 70 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: for me, but I remember feeling heartbroken for Tony Gwynn. 71 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: How many more chances would he have to be on 72 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 1: a team that wins a World Series? The answer, of course, 73 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: was none. Gwen retired three years later. He'd go on 74 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: to coach at San Diego State for twelve seasons, and 75 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: he dabbled in broadcasting. Tony Gwynn was married to Alicia, 76 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: his childhood friend anne high school sweetheart, for thirty three years. 77 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: They had two children, Anthony Junior and their daughter Anisia. 78 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: After a long battle with cancer, Tony Gwynn died on 79 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: June sixteenth, twenty fourteen. He was only fifty four. This morning, 80 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball lost a 81 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: beloved family member. Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn passed 82 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: away at the age of fifty four following a courageous 83 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: battle with cancer. A fifteen time All Star, winner of 84 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: eight matting titles and five Gold Gloves, Tony Gwynn was 85 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: one of the most respected and gracious players to have 86 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: ever played this game. Ladies and gentlemen, please join in 87 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: a moment of silence as we remember Tony Gwynn. So 88 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,039 Speaker 1: cut to November of twenty twenty. My wife and I 89 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 1: decided to move our family from Winter Park, Florida, and 90 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: settled in San Diego. Only days into our new surroundings, 91 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: we were out to dinner with some friends, the Spooners, 92 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: and Tim, who's also a diehard Padres fan, started talking 93 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: about how he played Little League with Tony Gwynn Jr. 94 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: I had no idea, he said. They had stayed in contact, 95 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: and then Tony Gwynn Junior a lot like his dad 96 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: was pure class. Tim Spooner proceeded to tell me his 97 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: personal story about Tony Gwen, which we get into in 98 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: episode two of this tribute series, and then I asked 99 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: Tim if he'd be willing to connect me with Tony 100 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: Gwen Jr. The goal, very selfishly, was to learn more 101 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: about my idol. I wanted to produce a tribute podcast 102 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: series about how and why Tony Gwinn was so great, 103 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 1: not only on the field but off the field. Start 104 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: with the cold hard facts, the three thirty eight Lifetime, 105 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: the eight batting titles, But there was something else about 106 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: Tony Gwen that made him relatable and enduring. What a day, 107 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: what a game, what a country. If you were Central 108 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: casting and you were looking for someone to play a 109 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: baseball here, or at least by physical type, he might 110 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: not be the guy, but he was so down to earth. 111 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: He was approachable For a guy that was as big 112 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: as Tony was, he never acted that way. Eve's the 113 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: most approachable big time start I've ever been around. Hi, 114 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: I'm Tony Gwinn of the San Diego Padres, and so 115 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: here we are Episode one of three, in which I 116 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: tip my cap to Tony Gwynn. In addition to Major 117 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: League Baseball's tribute to Tony Gwinn's iconic career. I get 118 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: help from people like Ken Griffey Jr. Ryan Sandberg, Greg Maddox, 119 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: John Smoltz, Trevor Hoffman, Tom Ferducci and sure enough Tim 120 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: Spooner delivered Tony gwyn Junior before we get started. I 121 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: want to thank link Soul for their support of this 122 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: podcast and the fire Pit Collective in general. I've been 123 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: a brand ambassador of the lifestyle brand since twenty thirteen, 124 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: and it's pretty much all I wear on and off 125 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: the course every day, all day. Go to link soul 126 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: dot com and use promo code fire Pit twenty five 127 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: for twenty five percent off your next purchase. Anthony Keith 128 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 1: Gwynn was born in Los Angelist, California, on May ninth, 129 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty the middle son of three boys. He attended 130 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: Long Beach Poly High School, where he played baseball, excelled 131 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: and loved basketball. At San Diego State, he was the 132 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: star point guard, where he still has career records and assists. 133 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: And Gwynn was also able to play baseball for the 134 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: Aztecs for three seasons. Here's Jack McKeon, the longtime general 135 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: manager of the San Diego Padres. We always had an 136 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: annual exhibition game with the Padres in the Aztecs day 137 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: before opening day. I'm setting up in the box with 138 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: the athletic director. Tony comes up, hits a double, watch 139 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: him run the basses. Comes up the next time, hits 140 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: a trouble. I said, who hell is this guy? He 141 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: says Tony Gwynn. I said, where's he been? I've seen 142 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: you play fifteen games. I haven't seen this guy. He said, 143 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: he just came out last week. I said, this is 144 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: the best guy on that field. I think that wasn't 145 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: including major letters as well. Sure enough, on June ninth, 146 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty one, Tony gwen was drafted by Sandy Ago 147 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: twice as both a baseball and basketball player. Picked day 148 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: in the gwyn house. So that day he got drafted Padres, 149 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: then the Clippers, who were in San Diego. Then, I 150 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: mean it was the story here that he got drafted 151 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: by both local teams. Not being a big guy, he 152 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: chose baseball. What would have an interesting game if Tony was, 153 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: you know, a six six guard, would he have gone 154 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: with the basketball? His first love we'll never know that. 155 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: The same week he got drafted, we got married. He 156 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: was just so happy, and I remember him saying, I'm 157 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: gonna work hard, I'm gonna work card. I'm probably gonna 158 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: play about five years and then I'll go on to 159 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: do something else. He never thought he would be that good. 160 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: Gwinn played one full season in the minors, hitting four 161 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: sixty two in DOUBLEA, and on July nineteenth, nineteen eighty two, 162 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 1: he made his debut in the big leagues. Gwen would 163 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: fly through the minors in nineteen eighty one, winning a 164 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: batting title and league MVP award. The next season, barely 165 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: a year out of college, he was in the majors 166 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: and attracting the attention of all time grades. You know, 167 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: Tony's playing his first game against the Phillies, gets his 168 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: first hit. Compete Rose, Hey, kid, Pete Rose comes up 169 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: to me, shakes my hand and we're trying to kiss 170 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: me after one night, you know, and just the whole 171 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: atmosphere of that, it just really nice. Well that was 172 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: the first hit. Three thousand, one hundred and forty hits later, 173 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: Gwin's stats are staggering, and we'll get to all those 174 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: and all of his accomplishments. Throughout this series, there are 175 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: plenty of stories and anecdotes, special moments, and sweet reflections 176 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: by his Hall of Fame peers, an award winning writer, 177 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: and his son Tony gwen Jr. I hope you enjoy 178 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: listening as much as I've enjoyed piecing all of this together. 179 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 1: Meet Tom Verducci, a former colleague get Sports Illustrated. His 180 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: also done a lot of TV for TBS, FOX and 181 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball and has covered the sport for over 182 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: forty years. In twenty twenty, Verducci was elected to the 183 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:14,760 Speaker 1: National Sports Media Association's Hall of Fame. I say Tony Gwynn, 184 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: and you say artists, artists as a hitter, just a 185 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 1: pure craftsman, That's what I think about. I wasn't just talented, 186 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,079 Speaker 1: because anybody can see that, But the work behind the work, 187 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: that's kind of the craftsmanship that I think about with 188 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: Tony Gwynn, all the work in the cage, all the 189 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: studying that he did. So great hitter. Everybody knows that, 190 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,960 Speaker 1: but it didn't come by accident. Here's Greg Maddox, a 191 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: four time sy Young Award winner who led the National 192 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: League and wins three times, led the majors in ear 193 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: A four times, and was inducted into Baseball's Hall of 194 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 1: Fame in twenty fourteen. I say Tony Gwynn, and you 195 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: say pure hitter. If you needed one guy to put 196 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 1: the bat on the ball, he's your guy. Eat. Don't 197 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 1: think anybody was better at it than he was. He 198 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: never missed when he swung, he made contact, He found 199 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: the barrel of the bat, probably more than any other 200 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: hitter in the game. I loved the chance to get 201 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: to talk to John Smoltz, an eight time All Star, 202 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: a Cy Young Award winner. He was the National League's 203 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: wins leader in nineteen ninety six and two thousand and six, 204 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: saves leader in two thousand and two. Smoltz was inducted 205 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,680 Speaker 1: into Baseball's Hall of Fame in twenty fifteen. I say, 206 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: Tony gwen and you say greatest hitter I've ever been around. 207 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: Probably the greatest hitter in my lifetime. From the fas 208 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 1: standpoint of I mean, there was a gift, but he 209 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 1: perfected it. And you know, we'll never see another hitter 210 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:56,199 Speaker 1: like that until baseball changes philosophically. Ryan Sandberg played sixteen 211 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: seasons in the majors, his first with the Philadelphia Phillies 212 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty one and the rest with the Chicago Cubs. 213 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 1: One of the greatest second basemen to ever swing about, 214 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: Sandberg won seven Silver Slugger Awards, nine Gold Gloves, and 215 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: was the MVP of the National League in nineteen eighty four. 216 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 1: Sandberg was inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in two 217 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: thousand and five. When I say, Tony Gwynn, what do 218 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: you say, National League's leading hitter? You know what? The 219 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: reason why it was a big deal for us to 220 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: keep up with the top ten hitters in the league, 221 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: usually by USA Today or Sporting News. They didn't have 222 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: We didn't have all the internet and all that as 223 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: much if any back then. But it was getting up. 224 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: Picking up the USA Today once a week, they'd have 225 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: all the hitting stats on the back page of the 226 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: Sport of the Sports section, but there was a section 227 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: top ten hitters, National League, top ten American League. His 228 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: name was up. There had to be up there, if 229 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: not all the time, majority of the time. And then 230 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: myself and teammates like Sean Dunston, Mark Race, when we 231 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: started talking about a lead in the league and hitting 232 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 1: and all that. You know, the first thing that after 233 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 1: we thought about it, you know, Tony gwyn is going 234 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: to be that person. So let's let's shoot for the 235 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: next spot for sure. And here's Trevor Hoffman, one of 236 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: the game's greatest closers, who notched six hundred and one saves. 237 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: He played for the Padres for fifteen seasons, almost eight 238 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: of those with Tony Gwynn as a teammate. He was 239 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: a seven time All Star. He was the National League's 240 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: saves leader in nineteen ninety eight and two thousand and six, 241 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: and he was inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in 242 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen. Like Tony Gwynn, there's a statue of Trevor 243 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: Hoffman outside of Petco Park. I say Tony Gwynn, and 244 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: you say pro just a professional hitter, professional teammate, professional athlete. 245 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: I just think he personified it. Here in San Diego 246 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: back to Tom Verducci, who starts a section on what 247 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: made Tony gwyn so great? Well, there are some guys 248 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: you picked up spots on the ball, but I think 249 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: Tony and Ted and I'll throw Barry Bonds in the 250 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: same category. Here they had that it's almost like an 251 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: extra sense. It wasn't just vision great eyesight, you know, literally, 252 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: whether it was twenty ten or whatever it was, it 253 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: was the perception combined with terrific eyesight. In other words, 254 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: they could see the ball, the direction coming out of 255 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: the hand, maybe it popped up slightly to give a 256 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: tip off that it's a curveball, or being able to 257 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: pick up the spins the seams as they spun, which 258 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: is more you would see in a curveball fastball. It's 259 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: just kind of blurry the things that a lot of 260 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: hitters need time to process. Those great hitters, Williams, Gwynn, Bond, 261 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: they picked it up like that. And hitting is time management. 262 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: That's what hitting is. The more time you have, the 263 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: easier it is to hit. So if you can pick 264 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: up the pitch earlier, you're on time. You understand, you're 265 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: not fooled as much. I mean, I dare anybody to 266 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: go back on whatever video exists and you go find 267 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: me a swing that Tony Gwynn took where he was 268 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: off balance. I don't know if you'll find one. And 269 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: you think about a guy who played for as long 270 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: as he did, part of that was being able to 271 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: pick up the ball so easily. So yeah, it was 272 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: a gift that he had. He certainly worked at it. 273 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: But I think it's one of the reasons why Ted 274 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: and Tony connected so well. I'm not just being from 275 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: San Diego, but the fact that they could look at 276 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: baseball and speak a language that was above everybody else. 277 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: Greg Maddox, he was able to control where he hit 278 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: the ball. I think that's kind of what made him 279 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: so good, as if he could actually look at the 280 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: defense and you know where they say, kind of hit 281 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: it where they ain't. You know, you hear that in 282 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: baseball all the time. He was the best at it. 283 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: But I think he could see the shortstop if he 284 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: was playing up the middle or in the hall. He 285 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,239 Speaker 1: was capable of going to either side of the shortstop 286 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: as well as anybody. John Smoltz. People don't really understand 287 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: and how good of an athlete he was, Like, you know, 288 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:04,199 Speaker 1: he may not have looked the part at the end 289 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: of his career, but he was a tremendous athlete with 290 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 1: great hand eye coordination, great basketball player. So he was 291 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: an athletic hitter. And you know, we look at the 292 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: bodies today and they're never been greater, but they're not 293 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 1: really athletic hitting the machines trying to hit the ball 294 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: over the wall. They have one objective and that's swing hard, 295 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: swing up. Tony had. You know, in the era that 296 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: we played, it was a badge honor to not strike out. 297 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: Nobody did it better than him, and he would be 298 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: one of those people today that we would look at 299 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: analytically too much soft contact. No, he sought and hunted hits, 300 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: and he got more hits than most people would have 301 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,719 Speaker 1: gotten because his ability to cover the plate. Like, if 302 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 1: I had to go back in time, I've said this 303 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: all the all, I'd throw it right down the middle 304 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: because anywhere you threw it, he exploited that part of 305 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 1: the field because he could wait longer and serve it 306 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: the other way or pull the trigger inside. He hits 307 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: some of the nastiest pitches that you could throw. And 308 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 1: so if I had to go back, I would just 309 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: throw right down the middle and maybe confuse him and 310 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 1: he wouldn't maybe know what to do at first, he 311 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: would adjust and plus I would have probably told him 312 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: what was coming, just said here's what's coming. Ryan Sandberg. 313 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: First of all, he was one of the few hitters 314 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: in my era. He used a thirty three inch bat, 315 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: which was at least a inch shorter than most of 316 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: the other bats. I used a thirty four inch Andre Dawson, 317 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: for instance, thirty four and a half. Some guys thirty 318 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: four inches long. He had thirty three inch bat. He 319 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: stood fairly close to the plate. He had a really 320 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: nice batting stance, not quite like Pete Rose, but a 321 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: little bit more upright. But he had a nice crowd, 322 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: so his strike zone was just slightly bigger than a 323 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: shoe box. And after he established him up after eighty 324 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: four and the batting titles, I mean, then the strike 325 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: soone gets even smaller for those types of hitters. I 326 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 1: experienced that a little bit throughout my career. But he 327 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: was with that shorter bat, he was able to be 328 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: just wait so long on the pitch and this ball 329 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 1: was coming back. He let it travel back and real 330 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 1: short stroke, pretty stroke. And his game planned was the 331 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:31,199 Speaker 1: square the ball up five times a game if he 332 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 1: had five at bats. Home run never came into his mind. 333 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: Swinging in the air never came into his mind. But 334 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: square the ball up. That meant absolute bullet line drives gappers, 335 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: line the line and that pretty approached swing that he 336 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 1: had hitting a line drive over the shortstop's head as 337 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 1: a left handed hitter. And I asked Trevor Hoffman if 338 00:19:57,440 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: he and Tony ever talked about whether or not Tony 339 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: would have been able to hit Hoffman's best stuff. He 340 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: did have some conversation about, you know, what he would 341 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: have seen via might change up. He goes, He flat 342 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: out said, I would be able to pick up your 343 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: fingers up off the ball on your change up. And 344 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: he goes, I wouldn't have been fooled with the armspeed 345 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 1: like so many other hitters kind of did, like they 346 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: didn't pick up fastball change up one way or the 347 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: other until it was too late, and he goes, And 348 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: partly because his vision was so much better than everybody else, 349 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: But I think you had the ability to slow things down. 350 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: And we talked about a little bit earlier about always 351 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: putting yourself, you know, in a position to hit. He 352 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: was always on time, and so when you're on time, 353 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,199 Speaker 1: you don't rush, you're not rushed, things slow down. And 354 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 1: when things are slowing down and you're able to see 355 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: things a little differently. And so I think they made 356 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: a less sense that that was something he was he 357 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: would have been able to do when it consists of 358 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: basis and let's face it, he hit you know, the 359 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: greats of the greats of our generation and Randy Johnson's 360 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: and Greg Maddox like they or a rookie. So you 361 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,119 Speaker 1: know that's a success across the board. As Trevor suggests, 362 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: Tony Gwynn was in the heads of some of the 363 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: best pitchers of his generation. We go back to Tom Verducci. 364 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: I remember Ronnie Darling telling me that he was as 365 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: tough as batter to face, and ron said he was 366 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: so difficult because he could hit any pitch. And then 367 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: ron would find himself out thinking himself because he was 368 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: trying to outthink Tony Gwynn. You're not doing that, man, 369 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: you are not out thinking Tony Gwynn. He's prepared for everything. 370 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 1: He can cover everything in and out, up and down, 371 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: fast and slow. So Ron said the same thing that 372 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 1: I should have been better off just telling my catcher 373 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: let him know it's a fastball down the middle, because 374 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: he said too many times, I just outthought myself and 375 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: I walked right into his trap. So let me think 376 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: about that. Baseball is a game where the pitcher is 377 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: the one. He's on defense, but literally he's on offense, 378 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: right he initiates the action. The pitcher is going to 379 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 1: get you out a lot more times, and you're going 380 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: to get him. Tony Gwynn was one of the few 381 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: guys that seemed to flip the odds where pitchers seemed 382 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: to be like they were defending themselves against the guy 383 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: to play and hitting is supposed to be a reactionary position, 384 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: but Tony made it almost like an aggressive position. Tony 385 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: Gwynn faced Ron Darling fifty six times. He had twenty 386 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: five hits for a four forty six batting average. Here's 387 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: Greg Maddox, Tony Gwynn and Barry Bonds. Those two hitters 388 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 1: were the first time I realized you beat lineups and 389 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: not hitters. So you know, my game plan against Tony 390 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: was too It's okay to give up a single, but 391 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: you have to get the other eight guys out, So 392 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 1: you got to make sure you get Kim Kem and 393 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:50,679 Speaker 1: Eddie out or Fernandez I believe got to spend so 394 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: long ago. Yeah, Greg Vaughn, a lot of those guys. 395 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: I think. I think Tony Fernandez hit in front of 396 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: him and Cam and Eddie hit behind him one year 397 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 1: and it's it's almost like you have to get the 398 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: guys out before him and the guy out after him, 399 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: and then uh, you know, the single won't hurt you 400 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: too bad. But he was he was a good hitter, 401 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: incredible eyesight, and I learned probably five or six years 402 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: into the game that he was able to recognize all 403 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 1: speed pitches, probably better than anybody, just based on his eyesight. 404 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 1: We we had an eye doctor that did a bunch 405 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: of eye tests and said Tony Gwenn was hands down 406 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: the best at picking up the speed of the ball. 407 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: So I made a comment to him, so I should 408 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 1: throw my all speed pitches slower, and he goes, no, 409 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: it's the other way around. You should throw your all 410 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: speed pitches harder. So I didn't have hardly any success 411 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:48,880 Speaker 1: against him the first five or six years I faced him, 412 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: and I started throwing changeups as hard as I could, 413 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: and it's like he finally reached for one, and you know, 414 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: I kind of give the credit to the eye guy. 415 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:04,119 Speaker 1: Parts at this guy had suggested that I'd throw my 416 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,679 Speaker 1: off speed pitch is harder to him rather than slower. 417 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 1: He'd take fooling him to the next level. Instead of 418 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 1: fooling him with a changeup that goes slow, you fool 419 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: him with a changeup that actually goes fast. Exactly, he 420 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: was able to pick up the speed differential if you know, 421 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: there was seven or eight miles an hour off in baseball, 422 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: But if he took two or three off or four, 423 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: that's when you seem to catch him just enough. On 424 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 1: the end of the back. Smolty said, if he had 425 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: to do it all over again, he might just throw 426 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: it right down the middle and actually tell him he's 427 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: throwing it right down the middle as a way of 428 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: just basically saying, you know, I can't get you out, 429 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: hopefully you can get yourself out. Yeah, I heard a 430 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 1: guy saying that. You know, Rick Sutcliffe said he used 431 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: to throw him BP fastballs and had success with fastballs. 432 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: And I never threw a BP fastball, but I could 433 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: throw my change up harder, which probably looked more like 434 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: a BP fastball. You know, there was there was a 435 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: lot of guys. There was a lot of guests and 436 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 1: going on with him, but you know, I just it 437 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: just got to the point where just keep him in 438 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: the park. A single's okay. You know, he didn't run 439 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 1: much the second half of his career, and you know, 440 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: if you could, if you can have him hitting with 441 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:25,600 Speaker 1: one or two outs and nobody on and get the 442 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: next guy out, you're probably gonna skate through that inning 443 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: pretty well. Here's John Smoltz on the success Quinn had 444 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: against the Braves Big three, Smoltz, Maddox and Tom Glavin, 445 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: yet another Hall of Famer. I don't know the total 446 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: number of bats that he faced the three of us, 447 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,360 Speaker 1: but I know it was a lot, and he only 448 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: struck out three times. So let's say it's close to 449 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,959 Speaker 1: two hundred times, one hundred and seventy times he faced Maddox, Glavin, 450 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,239 Speaker 1: myself or whatever. The number is two forty nine, all right, 451 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: So two hundred forty nine at bats he struck out 452 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 1: three times, and collectively, you know, we have over nine 453 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: thousand strikeouts between us. So that's the that's the kind 454 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 1: of frustration when you think of facing Tony Gwynn, especially 455 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: when there was runners on, you felt defeated because the 456 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: odds of you getting him out without him getting the 457 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 1: run in we're not in your favor. By the way, 458 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: you can throw Pedro Martinez in that group of you 459 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: Glad and Maddox and that goes to three hundred and 460 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 1: twenty three at bats and it's still just three strikeouts. 461 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: So Pedro Martinez never struck out Tony Gwynn, and he 462 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: had his and you struck him out once and Glad 463 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: him struck him out, Glad and struck him out twice. 464 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,120 Speaker 1: So do you even recall the one time he struck 465 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: him out. I really don't, and it's mind boggling. I 466 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 1: recall a lot of things about Tony Gwynn. I recall 467 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: I had I say this all the time. I had 468 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: a no hitter going against the pod Race in San Diego, 469 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 1: and I knew I was going to get a no 470 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: hitter as one of those few games where I was 471 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: just locked in, had given up no hits going into 472 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: the eighth inning, two outs and Tony Glenn was out. 473 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:06,119 Speaker 1: Never once thought about walking faced him, and you know, 474 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: he hit kind of a ball to left left field 475 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 1: and Brian Kusko ran about twenty feet and I thought 476 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: he had it, it was in his glove and then 477 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: it dropped out. Well at that point in the game, 478 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: I just knew that was an error, and the official 479 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: scorer ruled in a double and I went kind of 480 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: crazy afterwards. I got taken out of the game and 481 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 1: a things. I think I got twelve to thirteen strikeouts, 482 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: and I said, Bobby, let me pitch the ninth. They 483 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,440 Speaker 1: have to change it. And Bobby said, that's Tony Gwinn. 484 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: They're not changing it, and it's their ballpark. And I 485 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: was so mad. And I saw Tony and a couple 486 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: different events, and he would always chuckle, you know, knowing 487 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: what I was going to talk to him about, and 488 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: like three thousand whatever or whatever less one hit, I 489 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:48,439 Speaker 1: don't think was going to rob you of your career, 490 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: and he would just chuckle, knowing that he got the 491 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: benefit of being the greatest all time hitter. So that 492 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: was my no hitter. I talked about that I never 493 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 1: got that I should have had, and Tony Glenn was 494 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: the reason I didn't get it. Tony Gwynn ended his 495 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 1: career with three thousand, one hundred and forty one hits, 496 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: which puts him twentieth all time, one behind Robin Yeout, 497 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: who had almost one thousand, eight hundred more at bats 498 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: than Gwynn. Twenty first on the all time hit list 499 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: is Alex Rodriguez, who Gwynn got by twenty six hits, 500 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 1: even though a Rod played two more seasons than Gwynn 501 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:27,440 Speaker 1: and had one thousand, two hundred and seventy eight more 502 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: at bats. Here's Trevor Hoffman. The one stat that I 503 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: can say with certainty is I've seen t hit over 504 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: four hundred for a season. And it's partly because I 505 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: came over and end of June nineteen ninety three from 506 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 1: New Orleans and it seemed like he was getting to 507 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: it to night for the rest of that season, and 508 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: then the ninety fourth season was obviously crazy and he 509 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: was hitting three four when it ended. But you go 510 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: to June twenty fourth or fifth when I came over, 511 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: and we'll give a leaving a little extra leeway to 512 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: July first of nineteen ninety four, Lacas batting average at 513 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: the time that I was there for the year was 514 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: over four hundred. So I think I'm the last guy 515 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 1: that's been able to say I've seen somebody hit four 516 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: hundred for a season. I looked it up. From July second, 517 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three to August eleventh, nineteen ninety four, Tony 518 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: Gwynn played in one hundred and sixty six games. He 519 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: had six hundred and forty six at bats, he recorded 520 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty eight hits, giving him a batting 521 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: average of three ninety nine three. In that stretch that 522 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: Trevor refers to, he had three or more hits in 523 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: twenty eight games, only struck out twenty five times. He 524 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: never went more than two games in a row without 525 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: a hit, and one game worth noting on August fourth, 526 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three, verse the Giants, Gwen went six for 527 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: seven with two doubles. Padres won the game in twelve 528 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: innings eleven to ten, so a career three thirty eight 529 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: hitter in twenty seasons. The list of mesmerizing Tony Gwin 530 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: stats could fill a roll of paper. Task in reporting 531 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 1: podcasts on the career of valence, Ship Knock and a 532 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 1: Sports Illustrated cover shot by the great Walter yos I 533 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: got the chance to interview Ken Griffey Jr. This was 534 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: Junior's quick thoughts on Gwinn's greatness. Some people just look 535 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: like they stand in their second base all day. Some people, 536 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: do you know that they come up to the play 537 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: in the next thing, you know, and you stand in 538 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: the second going, how do you get there so quick? 539 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: And he just gotta they just did they finish announced 540 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: his name. I mean it becomes comical, you know, certain, 541 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: you know, but you look at the history of the 542 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: game and look at the guys who played, and look 543 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: at the numbers that they put up, and it's like 544 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: bugs bunny numbers. It's like, you know, these guys who 545 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: highlah blah. I'm like on the subject of bugs bunny numbers, 546 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: here are a few of my favorites as they relate 547 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: to Tony Gwynn, who, in twenty seasons as a padre 548 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: only hit below three o nine one year. That was 549 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: his rookie year nineteen eighty two, in which he hit 550 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: two eighty nine. Gwinn's one hundred and sixty two game 551 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: average of strikeouts was twenty nine. Compare that to Wade Boggs, 552 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: the kind of the Tony Gwynn of the American League, 553 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: who played eighteen seasons and had a career batting average 554 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: of three twenty eight. Boggs's one hundred and sixty two 555 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: game average of strikeouts was forty nine, twenty more per 556 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: year than Gwynn. Although Boggs had more doubles than gwyn 557 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: Tony got the best of bogs in triples, home runs, 558 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: extra base hits, and batting titles. Boggs won five, Gwynne eight. 559 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 1: This stat courtesy of Aj Cassevell, a writer for MLB 560 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: dot com. If you include postseason play, Gwynn in his 561 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,800 Speaker 1: career faced eighteen Hall of Fame pitchers for a total 562 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 1: of five hundred and forty one plate appearances, essentially a 563 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: full season's worth of at bats. Gwinn's average against that 564 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: collective group of elite pitchers he hit three thirty one. 565 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: For more on gwyn stats, we go back to our 566 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: panel of Hall of Famers. I asked Tom Verducci about 567 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:23,479 Speaker 1: the idea that if Gwynn played another two seasons, and 568 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: in those two seasons he went oh for one thousand, 569 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: one hundred and eighty three at bats, he'd still have 570 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: a career batting average at three hundred. It's it's crazy 571 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:37,000 Speaker 1: to think about that. First of all, he I don't 572 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: even know what his worst slump is, so to say 573 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: Tony was oh for four it seemed like he was 574 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: over due. But yeah, I mean to be that far 575 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: over three hundred, with that much room to take an 576 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 1: offer if he just wanted to chill out the rest 577 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: of your career and retire at three hundred. That's crazy. 578 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: I mean, that's Tony Gwynn is to batting average, kind 579 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 1: of what Babe Ruth is to home runs. When you 580 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: look at it that way, here's Greg Maddox. He faced 581 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: you more than any That's amazing, you know, and I 582 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:07,480 Speaker 1: know you've you've heard it a million times probably, but 583 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: he faced you more than any other pitcher and hit 584 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: four fifteen against you. That just yeah, outlandish. Yeah, that's 585 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: it was up to four eighty five. So I actually 586 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: don't feel too bad about the four or fifteen, to 587 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: be honest with you, you know, because I know at 588 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: one time, I think that's when I started throwing him 589 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: changeups a lot harder. He was up by saw where 590 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: he was. I don't know, it's fourteen for twenty seven 591 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: or something like that. It was ridiculous, and uh, you know, 592 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: the game plan was to just, hey, if he wants 593 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: to hit a two hawk or two the left fielder, 594 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: go ahead. I got John Smoltz's reaction to the idea 595 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 1: Gwynn could go oh for two seasons and still have 596 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 1: a career batting average over three hundred. It's incredible. I 597 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: don't know how many um new age players really know 598 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:01,920 Speaker 1: about Tony Gwynn. This is style that has not been 599 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:04,680 Speaker 1: popular in this game for I hope it comes back. 600 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 1: I really do. I hope. I hope there's a way 601 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: that baseball realizes the importance of guys like Tony Glen 602 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,839 Speaker 1: who could hit for average, get on base, and use 603 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: their athleticism. I think it's a part of the game 604 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:18,200 Speaker 1: that's been a little bit missing, and if we can 605 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,000 Speaker 1: get back to that, you're going to see the action 606 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: kind of picked back up and let the bombers do 607 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: what they're due and let them hit their homers. But 608 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 1: I think there's a place for the guy that seeks 609 00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:32,000 Speaker 1: and hunts hits. So in regular season play without counting playoffs, 610 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,840 Speaker 1: he was ninety eight for two forty nine against you 611 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: Glavin and Maddox, which is three ninety four, and then 612 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 1: three ninety four is what he hit in nineteen ninety four, 613 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 1: and the strikes shortened season of one hundred and ten games. 614 00:34:46,640 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: He hit three ninety four, which is a fun Just 615 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 1: now they've made a beer in San Diego called three 616 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:57,920 Speaker 1: ninety four. Yeah again, you know, I didn't mind watching 617 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 1: him face other people, but I certainly. I didn't like 618 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: facing him on the mound because I'm a big competitor 619 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 1: and wanted to always try to figure out how to 620 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 1: make the necessary adjustments as you talked about earlier, and 621 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: he was just somebody I couldn't I couldn't make the 622 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:17,640 Speaker 1: adjustment against. And it's a contribute to his style. It 623 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:21,120 Speaker 1: got so bad for Smolts that at one point he figured, heck, 624 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:24,360 Speaker 1: I got nothing to lose. This was the ultimate white flag. 625 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 1: I caved in and I threw him a knuckleball and 626 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,279 Speaker 1: he laughed at me. The knuckleball was a strike that 627 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,080 Speaker 1: could call the ball, but he looked at me like, Okay, 628 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: you've tried everything, you can try now a knuckleball, and 629 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,400 Speaker 1: he laughed at me, And so, yeah, I was, I 630 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: was trying. I was drawing at straws. At that point, 631 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: he sat on the knuckleball, watched it, sat on it, 632 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:48,399 Speaker 1: and he looked at you and laughed. Yeah. Yeah, that 633 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 1: that first of all, I started messing with a knuckleball, 634 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: and knowing I was headed for Tommy John So I 635 00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:57,520 Speaker 1: had been flirting with knuckleballs that that season, and I 636 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:00,480 Speaker 1: couldn't wait to break it out to Tony Gwinn because 637 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:01,920 Speaker 1: I want to see what he you know, what he 638 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,120 Speaker 1: would do with a knuckle ball, throwing him everything else, 639 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: and he just looked at it, probably recognized it, and 640 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: just looked at me and kind of smiled, and I 641 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: went us. Shoot. Here's Ryan Sandberg on the fact that Gwynn, 642 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: with two strikes against him in the count, finished with 643 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:25,280 Speaker 1: a career batting average of three zero two. Again, Boggs, 644 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:30,080 Speaker 1: who's second on that list, hit two sixty two. Well, 645 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:32,359 Speaker 1: he was so tough because he was so short at 646 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:35,239 Speaker 1: the ball. He with two strikes, he wasn't He was 647 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 1: still fine. He would put the ball in play, he'd 648 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:41,279 Speaker 1: give himself a chance, and no doubt about it. He 649 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: I mean, he was a tough strikeout on top of it. 650 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 1: It didn't matter two strikes, it didn't matter. And he 651 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: still knew the strike zone. He he was able to 652 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,239 Speaker 1: see the ball and wait on it so long and 653 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:57,480 Speaker 1: just have an approach of just hit the baseball somewhere, 654 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: which takes it takes, you know, how do you pitch 655 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 1: to that? I remember certain pictures that I played behind, say, 656 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,400 Speaker 1: you know, forget the scouting report. We know who he is, 657 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 1: we know he's gonna get three hits, but the pitcher 658 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: would say, I'm just gonna throw somewhat of a BP 659 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 1: fastball down the middle, because that's not what he's looking for. 660 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,879 Speaker 1: He's looking for the pictures stuff, and what he would 661 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:26,719 Speaker 1: think the picture, how the pitcher would face him. Sandberg 662 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,759 Speaker 1: told me that Gwyn told him that he struggled to 663 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 1: hit at Wrigley Field. Well, he shared that with me. 664 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:35,880 Speaker 1: You know, he had some struggling years, and all of 665 00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 1: a sudden they start to pile up a little bit. 666 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean an old for four in a walk, 667 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 1: or o for three in a walk, or one for five, 668 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: you know, something like that. Then occasionally to have a 669 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:49,480 Speaker 1: good game, but for the most part he had a 670 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:51,879 Speaker 1: hard time with Wrigley Field. I think the grass being 671 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:56,839 Speaker 1: so high that those groundballs now would be gobbled up. 672 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:02,799 Speaker 1: He said he noticed the wind direction, which is it 673 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 1: blows out maybe ten times out of eighty one games, 674 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: it's about ten that it blows straight out. The rest 675 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:13,080 Speaker 1: is a side wind each way left field, foul pole 676 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: to the first base, first base dugout or vice versa 677 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:20,920 Speaker 1: wind blown straight in. And I think all just all 678 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:25,359 Speaker 1: that sometimes I know how it goes as a major 679 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 1: league player. Sometimes you have a one place where early 680 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 1: on in your career you struggle for whatever reason, and 681 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,840 Speaker 1: that never would never go away. So it's just possible 682 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:39,239 Speaker 1: that maybe he struggled early on and then he never 683 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:41,279 Speaker 1: really got over that as much. But he still was 684 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:42,960 Speaker 1: putting the ball in play. It wasn't because he was 685 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 1: striking out, obviously, but he's putting the ball in play. 686 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:51,120 Speaker 1: He's hitting the ball in the wind. The higher grass 687 00:38:51,160 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 1: would gobble up the ground balls and fielders could get 688 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,319 Speaker 1: to him, and so it was a different, a little 689 00:38:56,360 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 1: different for him. Having heard what Sandberg said about Wrigley Field, 690 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,320 Speaker 1: I did a per dive. I went through regular season 691 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:06,760 Speaker 1: game logs every time Gwynn went to Wrigley in twenty seasons. 692 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:09,920 Speaker 1: I counted three hundred and forty seven at bats. He 693 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:14,440 Speaker 1: had one hundred and fifteen hits. That's a Wrigley Field 694 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:18,640 Speaker 1: batting average, again, a place he said he struggled. He 695 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:23,320 Speaker 1: hit three thirty one. While the likes of Maddox, Smoltz, Glavin, 696 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:26,279 Speaker 1: and Pedro Martinez couldn't keep Gwynn off the basis, it 697 00:39:26,320 --> 00:39:29,360 Speaker 1: was Nolan Ryan who struck win out nine times, the 698 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 1: most of any picture Gwynn only hit two forty three 699 00:39:33,719 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 1: with six strikeouts against Dwight Gooden. And then there was 700 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 1: a guy by the name of Frank de Pino, Gwinn's 701 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:45,800 Speaker 1: no name nemesis. Tony Gwynn was one for twenty against 702 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:49,279 Speaker 1: Frank Depino. He's the one guy who had Tony Gwinn's number. 703 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:53,000 Speaker 1: Tony Gwinn hit fifty against Frank Depino, of all people. 704 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:57,120 Speaker 1: So Frank de Pino had a funky and delivery and 705 00:39:57,200 --> 00:39:59,200 Speaker 1: he kind of threw he Kenny King said like this 706 00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 1: and any he like in a stretch motion and then 707 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:04,359 Speaker 1: he'd just come out of his back pocket. So that 708 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:06,759 Speaker 1: was probably one thing, and he probably came right out 709 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:09,920 Speaker 1: of his uniform. But then he had he had a 710 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:15,160 Speaker 1: hard split finger fastball or forkball or a hard slider. 711 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:20,040 Speaker 1: That was it was just one of those pitches. And 712 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:23,760 Speaker 1: facing left handed hitters, you know, Frank Pipino's left handed, 713 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,759 Speaker 1: so Tony gwyn left handed. I could see where that 714 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:27,719 Speaker 1: would be a little bit of a tough could be 715 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:32,080 Speaker 1: a tough matchup. It stops. It all stops there though. 716 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:37,040 Speaker 1: Probably back to Sandberg on what it was like teaming 717 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:40,080 Speaker 1: up with Gwynn on nine National League All Star teams, 718 00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,880 Speaker 1: but Tony gwyn I'd hitting his group because for the 719 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:46,239 Speaker 1: most part, I was hitting the second and he was 720 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:49,239 Speaker 1: probably hitting third on some All Star teams. He led 721 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:51,040 Speaker 1: off some All Star games, but he hitting the same 722 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,720 Speaker 1: group and just be a part of that up close 723 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:57,160 Speaker 1: and personal with all the with all the All Stars. 724 00:40:57,440 --> 00:40:59,479 Speaker 1: It meant so much to be around all those guys 725 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 1: that I was around, but with him, just to see 726 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:06,080 Speaker 1: that up close like that and see the routine. But 727 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:08,239 Speaker 1: like I said, I watched him every time I had 728 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:12,359 Speaker 1: a chance to watch his routine, and so I just 729 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:16,319 Speaker 1: got to follow in kind of emulate his ball a 730 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,880 Speaker 1: little bit. Back to Tom Verducci, you mentioned some of 731 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,360 Speaker 1: the stats, and they are crazy about Tony Gwinn. It 732 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 1: seems like almost going back to the nineteenth century when 733 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:27,960 Speaker 1: you think about some of the things putting back to 734 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:30,719 Speaker 1: ball because guys just don't do it today. I think 735 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:32,920 Speaker 1: there was one year, because you know, we do think 736 00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:35,000 Speaker 1: of Tony is getting all these singles right, and he 737 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:37,759 Speaker 1: had a million of them, but he could do so 738 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:41,000 Speaker 1: many things on a baseball field, including run right. There 739 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: was a year early in his career he hit over 740 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:45,960 Speaker 1: three seventy with more than fifty stolen bases. He's the 741 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:49,400 Speaker 1: only player to do that in the last hundred years 742 00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:52,120 Speaker 1: to have a batting average that high and steal that 743 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: many bases. And I remember, this is what really stands 744 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:57,400 Speaker 1: out in my mind. Game one to the nineteen ninety 745 00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:00,560 Speaker 1: eight World Series, David Wells is on the mount and 746 00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:04,399 Speaker 1: Tony Gwynn hits one a bomb to the upper deck 747 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 1: in right field at Yankee Stadium. I mean I was 748 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:09,040 Speaker 1: in the press box and you can almost hear the 749 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 1: jaws drop onto the counter Tony Gwynn singles hit or 750 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 1: upper tank Yankee Stadium. After the game, I think the 751 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,359 Speaker 1: Yankees won the game, so you know, the Padres wrend 752 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:22,200 Speaker 1: in especially good mood anyway. But it's like the only 753 00:42:22,239 --> 00:42:25,080 Speaker 1: time I saw Tony where he was, let's say, even 754 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:29,000 Speaker 1: slightly cranky because the New York writers kept asking him 755 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:31,399 Speaker 1: about hitting the ball that high and that far. It's 756 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:34,399 Speaker 1: like they couldn't believe Tony Gwynn, mister three hundred hitter, 757 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:36,839 Speaker 1: you know, mister single could hit the ball that far. 758 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:39,759 Speaker 1: He was chapped about it. He's like, haven't they seen 759 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:42,120 Speaker 1: me play? Haven't they seen me hit? I can turn 760 00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:44,239 Speaker 1: on the ball if I want to, and you know, 761 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:46,719 Speaker 1: he's right. He didn't hit plenty of home runs. He 762 00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:50,960 Speaker 1: did have power. It wasn't really his calling card, but 763 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:53,200 Speaker 1: he could do it when the moment called for it. 764 00:42:53,239 --> 00:42:55,720 Speaker 1: And at Yankee Stadium, where you'd get rewarded from pulling 765 00:42:55,719 --> 00:42:58,919 Speaker 1: the ball, he did that against David Wills. So I think, 766 00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,680 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes Tony gets short changed by the skills 767 00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:04,640 Speaker 1: that he did have when you think about defense, gold 768 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:08,200 Speaker 1: glove outfielder, stealing bases, and yeah, he could hit for 769 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:11,640 Speaker 1: power if the situation called for it. That's one of 770 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:15,360 Speaker 1: the most vivid memories I have sitting in the stands 771 00:43:15,360 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 1: with my family. I remember we were sitting right across 772 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:23,920 Speaker 1: from Denzel and Bruce Willis and little Tony. He was 773 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 1: really giving them the business. My brother is a big 774 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:30,279 Speaker 1: trash talker, and you know, they were just going back 775 00:43:30,320 --> 00:43:32,440 Speaker 1: and forth. Me and these these fans were going back 776 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:34,640 Speaker 1: and forth. And then my dad hit that homer. What 777 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: double Tucker? I mean, I don't think I screamed any 778 00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:46,359 Speaker 1: louder at a baseball game than that moment, first full 779 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 1: season home run to San Diego out in front. I 780 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:53,440 Speaker 1: don't think I had ever seen my dead smack a 781 00:43:53,480 --> 00:43:58,200 Speaker 1: ball that hard before that was like top dead. Okay, 782 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:00,920 Speaker 1: all right, dad, to me, that's the biggest hit I 783 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:04,280 Speaker 1: got because in the World Series, there's no bigger stage 784 00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:07,400 Speaker 1: than playing in Yankee State. Guinn would hit five hundred 785 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,960 Speaker 1: in that series, but the Padres was sweating making them 786 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:13,680 Speaker 1: oh and two in the Fall Classic. Over his career, 787 00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:16,040 Speaker 1: he did all he could help us win. You know, 788 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:18,640 Speaker 1: we just ran into a juggernaut. But I think you know, 789 00:44:18,719 --> 00:44:21,400 Speaker 1: the country saw how great Tony Gwen was in our 790 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:29,640 Speaker 1: World Series. This is where we're going to stop down 791 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:32,680 Speaker 1: for a second. In episode two, we sit down with 792 00:44:32,760 --> 00:44:37,400 Speaker 1: Tony Gwen Jr. We hear more about Tony Gwen, the father, grandfather, 793 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:41,240 Speaker 1: innovator and why in the end, even for mister Padre, 794 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,640 Speaker 1: it was blood before baseball was in the press box. 795 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:48,600 Speaker 1: He wasn't working that day, but he stayed for the game, 796 00:44:48,719 --> 00:44:52,360 Speaker 1: and I think people expected him to have some type 797 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:56,360 Speaker 1: of disappointment, but he had the exact opposite because it 798 00:44:56,440 --> 00:44:58,960 Speaker 1: was his son and he was in there. He was 799 00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:01,279 Speaker 1: It was probably good uting on TV because he was 800 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:04,520 Speaker 1: in there, fist pumping and you know, happiest henk for 801 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:24,760 Speaker 1: me to get that hit. Put another log on the fire. 802 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:30,600 Speaker 1: Nobody here is give the time