AJ Pierzynski Interview - Former MLB catcher talks to us about how to stay in the big leagues!

Former MLB catcher talks to us about going pro and staying in the big leagues for so many years!

AJ would love to just start and talk to you a little bit about how you fell in love with the game of baseball. What’s your history growing up? How did you fall in love with the game?

Well, I grew up here in Orlando, went to Dr. Phillips High School, and honestly, I fell in love. I started playing when I was about four years old and my parents, my grandparents, everybody just loved baseball. And the first time I played it, I just couldn’t get enough of it. I honestly can say that people always ask you, what did you want to be? And I was like, I just wanted to be a baseball player as long as I can remember, I was very fortunate to be able to live that dream. But yeah, I mean, I just wanted to be a baseball player and I love playing the game and I love the competition and I just love just everything about it.

Yeah. Was there a time when you were growing up, obviously that it kind of clicked and you said, I really do have a shot at this. When was that first time that you figured that you’ve got a chance to be a really good player?

Well, listen, I was always a year ahead in high school because of my age, so I started as school a year early, so I was younger. I didn’t realize it until later on that I was younger than what I should have been. So I graduated just turning, having turned 17, whereas most guys graduate now almost 19, 20 years old. So it was a little bit different. My junior year of high school, I probably would’ve been on JV again, but our starting catcher actually got hurt. He was a senior, so they were like, you got to come up. And I was like, awesome. I’ve been working really hard and I worked my tail off to get to that point. And so I got to play and the first game we played, we faced a kid that was going to Miami. I think I got a hit, I don’t know. And then it was weird, something changed. People were kind of paying attention to it. They were like, Hey, you’re pretty good. And that was kind of the first indication I had that I had anything going on because before that I was just kind of like, I’m playing high school, I’m happy. And then my junior year I played, it went well, and then I started getting letters in the mail. This was before email and before Twitter and Instagram and perfect game. Listen, I went to team one, which

Back in the day was the precursor to perfect game. And it was because people came and saw me in LA as a junior in high school and we didn’t have travel ball. And so I got invited to all this stuff and kind of when I went to the team, one thing, which was in Cincinnati, and they had kids from all over the country, and it was kind of like the big would be the National Showcase they have now for Perfect game. And I did well there. And then after that, I mean you just start getting phone calls and they had to call the landline at your parents’ house. Your parents are answering like, oh, it’s the Florida coach or the Miami coach or the Tennessee coach or whoever was calling. And you’re like, what? Okay, so you talk to ’em. And then that was when that kind of stuff started happening.

I was like, oh man, this is pretty cool. I got a chance to maybe go to college. And then I go through my senior year, and again, this is all different back then. So you start getting scouts talking to you and they want you to do these tests and they, they’d come to your games. You’re like, oh, okay, maybe I got a chance to maybe go play professional. So it was a step, it was a process of getting to that point. But like I said, for all the people out there that are like, man, my son might have to play JV his junior year. Well, I was going to play JV my junior year until I was fortunate enough where a guy got injured and then I was able to take the spot.

Yeah, absolutely. And I think nowadays you see it, you’re still in the game and around it. And a lot of times you get parents that get really antsy with the process. And I think a lot of the education that you hear, and when you talk to people, you find out that a lot of the best players really didn’t get to be the best players until they were older. And it’s a process and it’s just constantly getting better. So let’s talk me through that a little bit. So you get drafted, I believe in the third round, and we’re committed to the University of Tennessee. You get drafted and you make the decision to sign. So obviously go from your junior year being on jv. Now all of a sudden you’re a third rounder going off to play pro ball. What was that experience like for you?

It was weird. It was different. Yeah. You go from high school where you’re kind of the big fish. And then again, I was 17 years old and I’m living on my own making 800 bucks a month before taxes, and they took 400 a month out of my paycheck. So I was literally making 400 bucks a month before taxes to live off of for a month. And so you get a paycheck every two weeks for like 120 bucks. I thought I was rich. I’m like, man, I’m rich. Look at all this money I have. You’re living in a two bedroom apartment in Fort Myers, Florida with three other guys. You don’t even know. You literally met them because you’re all signed out of high school and you’re a bunch of dumb dumbs out of high school thinks you got everything figured out and you’re trying to figure out where dinner’s coming from every night.

So it was different. It was awakening. It was an awakening. And you see guys that were ultra talented, you play with guys, anybody that’s at that level is ultra talented. They have something. But what I found out with the separator was the guys that were able to take it seriously, not get into the stuff kind of off the field, even at that age in the Gulf Coast League, which is the worst league, I don’t wish that league is just the worst. You’re playing noon games and it’s 120 degrees in Fort Myers, and there’s literally one person in the stands. It’s who ever mom or girlfriend was there. Other than that, there’s nobody there. You’re playing practice scrim basically.

And there’s too many guys on the team. You can’t even fit in the dugouts.

Yeah, yeah. There’s 45 guys on your roster. So you get drafted, you sign, you’re like, man, this is going to be amazing. I’m in the minor leagues. You get to the first game and you’re like, wait, there’s nobody here. No, there literally is no stands. You play on the same fields you play on in these tournaments in the backfield, nobody there except there’s more fans at the travel ball games than there are at the games you play now. So it’s crazy because then you find out who really loves it, who’s there, who wants to put in the time, and who really loves baseball. If you don’t love baseball, you cannot do it out of high school because it is really a hard job. It’s a job.

Yeah, absolutely. So I guess from your development as a player will kind of transition to that, what was the hardest thing going from high school to pro ball? And then obviously we’ll kind of accelerate because I believe it was, is it 17 complete years in the big leagues? Is that the right number that I got?

Parts of 19. So yeah, 17 is right. So parts of 19.

Well, first talent level is the thing that you realize right away that everybody’s good when you get to the minor leagues. And then you’re also, the thing about the minor leagues that I think a lot of people don’t understand is when you’re in high school and you’re a senior in high school, you’re the oldest dude, you’re the alpha, you’re the alpha guy or the alpha person on your team because you’re a senior and you’ve done it. When you get to the minor leagues, you play against guys. I remember when I went to AAA for the first time, I was 21 years old, and there was dudes that were like 30 and they had kids and wives, and they’re talking about, when am I going to get my kid for dinner? I’m like, dude, I’m 21 years old. I can’t have a conversation with you. So you just realize that there’s a lot of good baseball players out there and that it’s every single day.

There’s no days off, no let up. Oh, I went, oh, for four on Tuesday. Oh, I’ll get ’em on Saturday. Oh no, I went, oh, for four on Tuesday, I’m facing a dude on Wednesday. I’m facing a dude on Thursday. I’m facing a dude on Friday facing a dude on Saturday. So that is the biggest thing that I’ve seen is when even kids from college, they play three, four games a week, sometimes five, well, it’s seven days a week for three weeks straight. So 21 days in a row, you get an off day. We’re on a bus from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Appleton, Wisconsin. That’s your day off and you’re trying to get a little bit of sleep, and then you wake up and you play. So I mean, it is every day. And that was the thing. It was like, whoa, this is real.

So a lot of the guys that I’ve been able to interview and ask when they go from high school to professional baseball, I think one thing I always used to ask them when they came home, AJ, was what’s the thing you learned this year? And I think it was to a man, A lot of them talk about taking care of their bodies and that their body was what was their paycheck essentially. How long did it take for you to realize that, and especially as a catcher, what are some things that you did to keep yourself able to go day after day after day?

So Matt, you’re going to laugh at this. When I tell you this, you’re not going to believe what I’m about to say. And I tell people this all the time, and they’re like, there’s no way. I didn’t do anything in the minor leagues. We ate. We literally ate crap. That’s all we could afford.

You have to remember, I came up with the twins. We didn’t have strength coaches, we didn’t have any, we had a hitting coach, a pitching coach, a manager and a trainer. There was no strength coach. There was nothing. That was it. You had to do four guys and a bus driver. So you had five guys on the road with you and at home. So that was it. There was no, now they have strength coaches, nutritionists, mental coaches, two hitting coaches, four pitching coaches, six coach. There’s an army of dudes, video guys. We had none of that. And I came up with the twins. And when I first got to the big leagues, we didn’t even have a strength coach, so there was none. I mean, I would come home in the off season and I’d go to the local gym here and work out, and I’d be like, okay, maybe I’ll figure out I’m doing regular bench press like everybody else in the gym because it wasn’t so sports specific.

And I was just doing that. I was skinny, so I was trying to gain weight. So I was like, how can I gain weight? And you’re taking your protein powder shakes and you’re trying to put on weight like, man, I need to get stronger, because I was, again, I was so young. So it was different. There was no, nowadays I watch these kids and people and they start training at such a young age, and it’s different now. That’s why I think the athletes are obviously better now. They’re stronger, they’re faster. They throw harder because they start at younger ages prepping for this career. And it’s different. I mean, I look back and we were in the Metrodome in Minnesota. We didn’t have a weight room. Our weight room was our training room, and there was two leg machines of leg press, one of the leg curls, and there was a set of dumbbells, and they were like, there’s your workout room.

And we’re like, we didn’t even have a batting cage. We had to hit on the field. They would drop a tarp. And for people that don’t know what the metrodome was, Google it, but there was a tarp in right field. Our batting cage was, they would drop a net down over the tarp and we’d bring the L screen that we used in bp. They would flip throw balls to us, and we would hit it into the tarp, which was the right field, which was the right field wall into the baggy. There was no batting cage. We didn’t even have a batting cage.

That’s Unbelief

Guys didn’t hit extra guys didn’t hit early. It just wasn’t a thing. And then about two or three years in, it started becoming a thing, and that’s when kind of everything changed. We hired a strength coach. Well, again, we didn’t have a gym. We’d wake up on the road and we’d go to a gym. There’d be five or six of us that’d wake up with a strength coach, and we’d go to the gym on the road at home. We had our gym in our apartment. We’d go to the there, but it was not a thing.

Gotcha. So it wasn’t a thing, but then obviously through a 20 year career it became a thing. Right. So talk us. Oh, totally. Yeah. So talk us through how that changed as you got older. And then I think an important thing that I’d love to kind dive into for our listeners, a lot of kids around the country right now are starting their high school season, are starting to get going to have the excuse sustained career that you had. Having a plan and being prepared was obviously part of that. So getting some advice from you for these kids about how to take downtime and then how to ramp back up and prepare themselves for the season. So I guess two parts there. Number one, how did things change over your time in the big leagues in terms of that preparation? And then what are some things that you would recommend to high school aged kids nowadays to be able to shut down, ramp up and get ready for the season?

So when I first, I lived in Fort Myers when I was with the twins, so there was a ton of us that lived in Fort Myers. So again, we’d go like the Gold’s Gym together, there’d be like seven of us at the Gold’s Gym, and we’d go and work out. But one thing we all did is baseball wise, we all stopped when the season was over, we stopped, right? There was no baseball activity for, I mean almost all of us until we wait until January 1st. And then that gave us about six weeks to start ramping up. And that gave, especially after a big league season, you need some time off. I mean eight months of every day, it wears you out. And not only physically, but mentally, I was just like, dude, listen, I just need a break. I’m taking a break. And so we would go around January 1st, the first week of January, let’s say, and we’d go to the twins complex.

And like I said, there was probably 12 or 13 of the big league team that lived in Fort Myers, and we were all young, we all didn’t have a lot of money. And so we’d go and work out, I mean, we’d hit, we’d throw, pitchers would throw, we’d go into cages and hit and the twins would open their complex for us and we would just do that. And that was kind of how we ramped up. I mean, we didn’t change our workouts, we didn’t do anything different because again, we didn’t know any better. We didn’t know that we’re supposed to have workouts. Now, how did it change over time? Basically, when I got to the White Sox was the first time where I had a true, we had a strength guy in Minnesota, and he was good when I was there, but when I got to Chicago, which was my sixth, seventh year was when we had a full strength guy that was dig in, let’s go, and they had a full weight room there and they had everything you needed.

So it became more of a routine for me. About 2005, I started working out a lot during the season and I mean, I did something every day, whether it was lifting. When I was lifting, I was big into circuit programs. So I would do two exercises, either run on the treadmill, ride the bike for a minute to get my heart rate up, then I’d go do two weighted exercises and do it again. And the whole workout would take probably 30 minutes. And I do that two days on, and then I take a day where I just rode the bike for say 20 to 30 minutes depending on how I felt. But I did something every single day to keep my body going. And that was kind of how I did that kind of my whole career. Now the workouts changed and progressed depending on what team I was on or what the new thing is, but I was like, that was my thing. I would get there at one o’clock for a seven o’clock game. I get my workout in right away, grab some food, then get ready for batting practice. But I had to do that because one, it got my body going and just, so definitely over time things evolved into you learn your body, you learn what you need to do to get ready to play every day. And that was my thing. I had to do something workout wise every day.

How many of the guys in the big leagues were in there with you on a daily basis, would you say? Most of them, everybody.

I can’t think of a team I was on that we didn’t have, I mean, listen, if not 25 of the 25 guys, 24 of the 25 guys we’re on some sort of a regular workout maintenance program during the season. Now some guys lifted heavy great, some guys lifted light just to do things That was more mine. I mean, I lifted kind of medium. And then the offseason when I would take the time away from baseball is when I do my heavy lifting until I started the baseball activities. And then once you got to the January baseball activities part of it, then I had a trainer here in Orlando that we would do more movement based, more body weight stuff to kind of get ramped up for spring training. So even that evolved over time. But every single guy, pitchers, they had their work after they threw bullpen, guys had their stuff, position players, whether they were starting or relieving, I mean, sorry, starters or bench guys, they all did stuff. So it was just a constant, let’s keep my body in shape. Let’s be ready for the game tomorrow. Gotcha.

So you’re in the game still announcing, and you see these young players coming up and you talked a little bit about how the young players in this group is faster, stronger. Do you attribute that to this early specialization and what do you think about this early specialization?

I do, and I also attribute it to earlier working out guys start working out way earlier. I mean, when were, I dunno how old you are, but when I was a kid, nobody really worked out until they kind of got into high school. It was like now kids are like eight years old. They’re like, I got a strength coach or nutritionist, a dietician, a personal trainer, a physical therapist I go to. It’s like, whoa, wait a minute, you’re eight years old. So it’s like, okay, that’s crazy to me, me. But yeah, I say it’s two things For me, it’s two things. One, it’s the specialization, which I’m okay with. I think at a certain point because of how good players have gotten, you have to make that choice. It’s almost impossible now to be a multisport person once you get to say your junior year of high school because everybody is so darn good and they’ve already all become specialized.

Now can you do it? Sure, you can do it, but eventually you’re going to have to pick one the days of a Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders playing multiple sports of Brian Jordan. It’s kind of gone by the wayside. Then two, I also think the players are better now, I don’t want to say fundamentally better, but they’re better equipped to handle bigger situations because of the travel ball circuit and traveling into these tournaments and playing kids from all over the country because you get to see kids from all over the place. You think, oh man, I live in Orlando. We’re good in baseball. Then you go to these travel ball tournaments, you look up and there’s kids from California, there’s kids from Texas, there’s kids from New York and Washington and Oregon. And you’re like, dang, these kids are pretty good too. So you get to see more. And I think that helps kids develop better because they realize, man, I got to work hard in order to keep up with the 25 million kids that are my age playing baseball.

Yeah, I couldn’t agree with you more. And we talk a lot about specialization in the diamond allegiance, and I think it’s important as a young kid for your athletic development to be playing different sports and to being part of those. But like you said, as you get older and you realize that this is what you want to do and you’ve got a chance to do it, whether it’s at the highest level or whether it’s at a division three college, it’s really important that you start to hone in on those skills and start to work on them. I noticed

There’s no shame, man, lemme say this. Listen, there’s no shame. I know people, I think a big thing that people also need to realize is you got to go to where you can play. So when you’re talking about division three colleges, you hear all the time like, oh, he’s only going to division three college. Well listen, it’s still a place to play. And if you’re good, I mean, see there’s guys in the big leagues right now that played at division three colleges played in juco, right? Some guys were rafted, they’re in the big leagues. So I think that’s one thing we also like, if you can find a place that’ll take you and you can get a chance to play, and if you love baseball, then go. It might not be, listen, not everyone’s going to go to a Florida, Florida state of Miami. There’s other places you can go play, and if you love playing baseball and can get an education, and heck, they’ll give you money to go help your education, go do it.

Yeah, absolutely. I think that’s a really important thing is everybody, you’ve got the first rounders, but what percentage of first rounders actually make it to the big leagues? I think it’s something like 40%. And you’ve got guys, like you said, there’s so many different roads. And when we’re talking about the big leagues, it’s such a small percentage of people that get to do that. And the goal should be for every kid should be to get that education if they can. And some kids it’s to make their high school team, whatever that next step is for you should be the one that you’re training towards. And that doesn’t lessen your intent of training, doesn’t lessen how hard you work, but it’s always about that next step. Right?

Totally.

So you talk a little bit, I appreciate you kind of transitioning to the travel ball world and it a little bit. You’ve seen it a little bit.

I think it’s nuts. I’ll be honest with you. I think it’s crazy, but

It’s a necessary crazy though, right? I mean, I just think that it’s good because the kids get the exposure and they get to play. It’s bad because I don’t feel like kids are taught enough fundamentals. They don’t practice. So they just go and play games, which is fine, but there’s no teaching of anything. And I help out at First Academy and I helped coach there. The kids come and they play their high school season and we are like, you’re going to bunt, you’re going to hit and run. You’re going to do little things. And then they go to the travel ball circuit and they’re like, well, we don’t bunt and we don’t do anything except try to just showcase your kids, which is fine. I get it. It’s a different animal. But when you get to the travel ball, they expect the high schools to teach the kids the fundamentals. And then when they get to travel ball, it’s like, okay, let’s show off your skills. And for me, that’s where it can be good and bad because it’s good because of the exposure, it’s bad because what are they really learning other than let’s just go see how hard I can hit a ball and how hard I can throw it.

Yeah, there’s no doubt. And I think that’s one thing that I think needs to be done better on the travel ball circuit is a recommitment to development and working hand in hand with the high school coaches or with the trainers or whoever it is, and understanding that. So data-driven as all the way up to the big leagues that everybody’s searching for that number, throwing 92 or running that six seven, that a lot gets lost in the fact that I’ve never met a manager that didn’t make a lineup based on who he thought was going to help them win that day. Right? Totally. And I think that winning player and being able to showcase and highlight that winning player is something that us as a travel ball world need to do a better job of. It is finding a way to let college coaches and professional scouts know that these are winners. These guys play the game the right way. And it’s something that’s really important.

I have a buddy that played with me, Doug Kovich, who played with me with the twins and had a long career in the major leagues and he helps coach a high school team down in the Keys. And he also does some scouting stuff for another organization. And his biggest thing, he coached in the minor leagues for a long time, managing aaa. So right there, the biggest thing he says is when someone will say, oh, my kid does this. My kid can throw 92, my kid can hit at 500 feet, my kid can run a six six. And he just looks him in the face and goes, CHP. And everyone’s like, what? And he is like, can he play? Can he play? I don’t care how far he can hit it. I don’t care how hard you can throw it. Can you play? Can you play the game the right way?

Can you play? Can you do the things that you need to do to help your team win that game? Because ultimately, I don’t care what people say. Yes, first of all, you have to have a skillset in order to get to a college to get to the next level, to get to high school, start with high school, then you get to college, then you get to the professional ranks, and then you’re blessed beyond belief. To get to the major leagues, you have to have a skillset which is developed mostly handed down. Listen, you’re either, listen, there’s a lot of that’s just genetic. You’re either got it or you don’t, right? And work. But you still got to develop those skills. But at the same time, once you start getting into those levels, you go to high school, you want to win, your goal is to win the state championship, then you go to college, what’s your goal?

Get to Omaha. If let’s say you’re at a power of a big school, you want to go to Omaha, you want to go to the World Series, you want to win the World Series, what is that? Winning, right? Winning the World State Championships. It starts with winning. Then you want to win the World Series College World Series. Then you get to the professional level. People say, oh, it’s about development. But the good teams also develop their players to learn how to win and win the right way. So then you get to the big leagues, guess what it’s about in the big leagues, because how many people lose their jobs on your team sucks. A lot. Managers, general managers, coaches, players lose their jobs if you can’t win. So at the end of the day, you have to know how to win. And I think that starts with teaching kids at a younger age that winning is important the right way.

And I’m not saying go out there and try to blow kids’ arms out, throw 400 pitches because you want to chase a trophy in a travel baller. No, I’m absolutely against that. What I’m saying is teach them, and if you lose, it’s okay to lose. It’s not, I think also you lose things because you lose people because you say, oh, we didn’t win the 4th of July tournament wherever Myrtle Beach, we finished third, great, but did your kids get better? Did you teach ’em something? And a lot of times, I’ll say this, at the first academy where I helped coach, we learn more about not only the coaches, but the players when you lose, because that’s when you see the warts. If you win every game, you’re like, we’re the best team ever. We got nothing wrong. You go out and you get your butt kicked, you look in the mirror and you say, okay, we need to work on this. And it’s easier to talk to the kids and say, Hey man, we need to work on bunting, or we need to work on our cutoffs and relays, or we need to work on holding runners, or whatever the thing is. But if you don’t lose and you just win all the time and you’re playing teams that aren’t as good as you or weaker than you, you never get better.

And I would say that in this day and age, we’ve even created a numbness to losing because the kids do play in so many things and understand, yes, there’s always tomorrow, but also that sting of that loss is really important. And feeling that and understanding what that feels like and letting that sit with you, that’s what drives you to work harder the next day. So again, always trying to create and get better and create a good balance. And obviously that’s what our hope that through the diamond allegiance and the teams that are a part of this, that they’ll look at this ecosystem of travel baseball and how can we do better? And so things that we always talk about. So let’s talk a little bit more, and for everybody that’s live with us today, if you guys do have questions, you can type ’em in the question and answer, and I’ll be sure to weave them in into our conversation here. I’d love to hear, as a former catcher myself, I’d love to hear what the feeling of catching a perfect game was.

The most nervous I’ve ever been on a baseball field by far. Okay. Because listen, before that, I had won a World Series. I’d played in all-star games. I’d done that pretty much. I watched Mark Burley throw a perfect game, caught a no hitter from Mark Burley, watched Mark Burley throw a perfect game sitting on the bench. And I’m like, man, I’m never going to get that opportunity because there’s only been what, 23 of ’em in the history of the world,

In the history of Major league baseball. So I mean, listen, I got to see two of them from right here. I mean, I was right there in the fight with the boys. So when Phil Humber threw his, you start looking up, it’s about the seventh, and you start thinking about it and you’re like, okay, we got to a no hitter, it’s really cool. And then I’m like, wait, he hasn’t been in the stretch yet. And so you start looking at the scoreboard. We were in Seattle, and you be like, wait, he hasn’t allowed a base runner yet. Wait. Oh my gosh, he’s really got something cool going on here. And then you get to the eighth and we get to the eighth, and you get to the ninth and you’re like, okay, just don’t screw this up. Put the right fingers down. Don’t mess this up.

Just do everything you can. And then I remember the ninth inning, he goes 3.0 on the first inning, and I’m like, really? I’m like, come on. And he went, boom, boom, boom, strike one, strike two, strike three. And I was like, okay. We got through that, right? And then he gets the second out. I forget how the second owl was, but it was like, I think a fly ball to our right footer. But at no point was there a ball hit hard. There was not a, I mean, there wasn’t even close to anybody getting on base. And so we get to the nine hole hitter, and it was Brendan Ryan, it was like a shortstop three, two, of course. And I’m like, well, this dude, Phil s had the nastiest slider. He is. Had I ever see slider, he shakes. And I’m like, oh no, he throws a fastball, he fouls it off.

And I’m like, oh no, okay, alright, okay. And then I’m like, okay, let’s try this again. I’m like, fastball. He shakes and I’m like, slider? He like, yeah, he throws a slider. But it was way outside. It was ball four, right? It was so far outside. I actually missed it. And Brendan Ryan checks swung and the umpire called him strike right away. Well, he didn’t run. Thank God. He probably would’ve made first because the ball was so far and I had to run. If you watch the video, you see me row and I just throw, I’m like this away, he’s not running. So I kind of take my time, throw it, strike. Don’t throw this thing in the right field, right? Yeah, just don’t throw this in please. Because I could run it down there and he’s out. And the coolest part for me was because I had missed the ball and everyone knew what was going on.

Everyone kind of congregated on the mound, and I was the last person to get there. So everybody ran and I wanted to enjoy it because I’m like, this probably I’ll never get to see this again. So I was kind of standing back and I’m kind of walking. I don’t sprint into the pile and I watch everyone kind of dogpile fill. And then if you ever watch, just Google it. You’ll see me. I just go on the pile and I just kind fall down backwards and I just lay on the pile and just lay there. And I was just kind of soaking it all in. And I mean, listen, it was the nervous I’ve ever been because no hitter perfect games. They’re not scripted. It’s not like when we won the World Series, we’re like, oh man, you feel it coming, right? You’re like, oh, we’re up 3.0, we’re winning games.

Four, we’re going to sweep ’em. We’re going to win. It’s going to be great. It’s going to be an unbelievable party. This is one night. I mean, if you ask people that are watching, they’re like, who the heck is Philip Pumper? We had one day where he threw a perfect game again, there’s only been what I think 23 of them. And he threw one of ’em. So I mean, he’ll go down in history forever as a guy that threw a perfect game. And for that one day everything was right. And that’s why you’re just like, please God, don’t let me mess this up.

Yeah. I can’t imagine as a catcher just that, especially three, two. And he shakes and you’re like, first thing I’m probably thinking is, if you don’t throw this for a strike, we’re going to have a lot of issues, right?

Listen, I’ve been in it, you Darvis, the first time I caught you Darvis with Texas eight and two thirds, perfect.

Second game of the year in Houston, eight and two thirds cut her in into Marvin Gonzalez. I still hate him because he got a hit, hit it right through Ish’s leg. And I’m like, no, right through his legs. I’m like, you got to be kidding me, right? I mean, it was the right pitch. Everything. And then you always look back now when you say, man, Shelby Miller went eight and two thirds no hit in Miami, and we get to Justin Bohr was up, and I call first pitch heater in, and I just had a conversation with another guy in the morning. I was like, what do you got on this Justin boar guy? He goes, he always looks first pitch heater. He’s like, so if he pitches it, don’t throw him one. And I’m like, well, Shelby’s been throwing this heater in on these left. He’s bounding them in. He won’t be ready for 96, 97 miles an hour. And he breaks his bat and he throws it over center field. To this day, I’m still like, why didn’t I call ball? It’s just like, why didn’t I call a curve ball? I knew and I still went. But those are the things that happen. That’s why those things are so special.

So you’ve got, obviously your memory recall is pretty phenomenal, right? I mean, remembering pitches and a 20 year career, right? Excuse me.

Mean give you, I mean, obviously I played a lot of games. I can give you a lot of stuff. I can’t tell you what’s the most fun. I tell you what about being retired though is I see guys now and they’ll tell stories about me and I’m like, that didn’t happen. They’re like, oh, yes. Funny.

I love it. So question that came from one of our listeners is if you could go back to your younger self, whether that’s as a teenager, when you were first getting into this, what’s one thing that you learned through the journey that you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were young?

Enjoy it more, enjoy it more. There are two things. I’ll say this, and I’ve learned this now as I’m getting older. I wish, one, I wish I would’ve enjoyed things more. Just my whole career until the end. Don’t worry. My last three years, I’d say it was all business. And my last three years of my wife and my kids were with me a lot on the road, and they forced me to go out and see the cities and do things. So even in the minor leagues, it was just hotel field, home, hotel field, home or home, field home. It was never get out and see places. So I would say that is number one. And then number two for me, and I swear on this, you got to find out what you’re good at. No, you got to find whatever you are. If you’re a lead off hitter and you have speed, then blunt run, show off.

Use your speed. If you’re a power guy, figure out a way to use your power. If you’re a pitcher and you got a great slider, throw slider 80% of the time, whatever it is, whatever you have that is good work at to make it great. The thing you got, and I wish that somebody would’ve told me this earlier in my career, you have this skillset and this is what you can do. So I feel like I did a good job of it, but at the same time, you never know, but figure out what you’re good at and make it great and use your tool set and what you’re given by God or whoever to make people see that I have this specific skill that can help you down the road.

Yeah, I think that’s a great piece of advice because if we talk about the high school kid that’s going through this travel ball stuff, a lot of times we as coaches even focus on the things that they don’t do as well. And every player has something they do really, really well, like you said. So as a player, the takeaway would be for me to focus on those things and make ’em even better and to utilize them. So I really love that. But

Still, you still have to work on your deficiencies. I’m not saying ignore ’em, you can’t ignore, but I think what happens a lot of times is we get so stuck and what you just said, you get so stuck on what you can’t do, right? Oh, this kid can’t steal bases. Well, okay, but what can he do? He can hit the ball the other way. I can hit and run with him, put the ball and play. He can bun. He can play a terrific outfield. He plays a great whatever it is, but we’re so hung up on, man, this kid can’t hit, or this kid can’t do this. Well, yeah, you still have to work on those things, but you also I think, get ignored. Your strengths get ignored because you think it’s always going to be there. So emphasize the strengths, but you also have to work just as hard on your weaknesses. But don’t forget about your strengths.

No doubt. So I’ve got a couple more I’m going to pepper you with, and we’ll try to finish up here in about five, 10 minutes. Okay, no problem. What would you consider your biggest personal accomplishment throughout your career?

Besides my family, obviously is number one. Without a doubt. I mean, my wife and my two kids. Look, when you’re fortunate enough to make the major leagues, which I obviously was unbelievably lucky to do, winning a World Series. I mean, there’s nothing as a major league baseball player, that means more to you when you put on that uniform. It’s like the World Baseball Classic, right? You just watch. The games were incredible. Every game was incredible. The atmospheres were, I mean, the greatest thing I’ve ever seen. But why? Because they were playing for the USA. They’re playing for Japan, they’re playing for Venezuela, they’re playing for Puerto Rico, whoever they’re playing for. When you put on the uniform and it says whatever team you’re on, yeah, it has your name on the back. But if you’re not trying to win and win a World Series and you’re playing the game for the wrong reasons. And so to be able to pick up that trophy and jump in your teammate’s arms after eight months of everyday busting your butt to get to that point, there is no better feeling than just pure joy and everything, every dream, every person that ever worked for you, every person that ever helped you, it’s all wrapped up into that one moment of celebration and the emotions that come out of guys is what makes it all worth it.

This one’s a tough one, and there’s probably a million of them you could name, but who’s your favorite teammate and why?

Oh, well, yeah. See, I mean, I have a better chance of telling you who I didn’t like, probably, which I’m not

Going to do.

Okay? So it’s kind of tricky because I look at it in different ways. My favorite teammate I ever played with, and if we’re just talking about pure baseball playing, was Barry Bonds. Listen, I played with Barry Bonds for a year in 2004. If anybody out there listening doesn’t know what Barry Bonds did in 2004, Google it because that was the year he hit 360. He walked 230 times.

His OPS was like 1400 I think, or something crazy, 600, 6 60 or something ridiculous. So from just a pure guy, if I had to get a guy, get a hit, Barry Bond’s is my favorite teammate of all time, because when he stepped into the Batard’s box, it was like, stop what you’re doing. I don’t care where you’re at. I got to see what this dude’s about to do. It was incredible. And then if you’re talking total package, I mean, mark Burley was awesome. Brad Radke was awesome. Adrian Beltre was unbelievable. E Kinsler was one of my favorites. Jeff Rankor, I’m trying to think. Adam Wainwright is really high on the list. Let’s see, I’m trying to think of, Paul Ko was great. Chris sale was unbelievable. There’s just so many guys that were just awesome dudes. I mean, and by far way, way, way more out of, I dunno how many guys I played with way very, I can count ’em one hand maybe the guys that I was like, ah, I’m out on the.

That’s awesome. One last question here. What’s the best advice, and I know that you could give to parents to best support their kids in baseball as a coach, as a high school coach, now as someone that sees the travel ball circuit, what’s the best piece of advice you would give to a parent?

Listen, I’m bad at this too, because I’m in the dugout, I’m in the fight. I’m in the game. I’m in it, right? Even though I’m not playing, I’m still in it and I feel for the kids. So I always try to look at it and think about this. And I always, when I do broadcast for Fox, or when I do my YouTube show, I always try to remember this. And it’s hard because again, I’m a parent. I played and you forget this, and I’ll tell everybody this, baseball is really, really hard. It is really hard to do. And I forget this with my own kids, and I forget this with, like I said, the kids that I coach. And you have to just kind of take a step back and say, man, this game is hard. And just remember that it’s hard. So try to be as positive as you can, and whether you play it as a parent, you never played baseball.

It looks easy on tv. The people that are doing it are really good on tv. They’re incredible. But it is really hard and don’t ever forget how hard it is because the farther you are away from the lines, man, I think you could say as you played, the easier it looks, right? So the farther you get from actually being inside the white lines, a little diamond there, the easier it looks. Now when you step back in between the lines, you’re like, man, that ball’s moving fast. And these dudes are throwing hard and they’re hitting it hard. But when you start backing away, you’re like, man, how would he not hit that ball? I mean, I’ll be calling games for Fox. I’ll be calling the playoff games. And I’m like, I can guess what’s coming pitch wise. And I’m like, how do they not hit that? And I’m like, damn, I forgot how, man, I never swung at the ball in the dirt, right? Meanwhile, I can show you a thousand videos of me striking out, right? So it’s like it’s really hard and I think you just got to be positive and try to accentuate with your kids the positives that they had. Even if you lose, Hey, we lost, we played like crap. But you know what, we did certain things right? We’ll talk about the bad things too, but make sure you accentuate the good things.