Inside A Division III World Series Run At Baldwin Wallace

A baseball season can feel like a coin flip until you hear how a veteran coach prepares for the moments when the game gets weird. I sit down with Brian Harrison, the longtime head coach at Baldwin Wallace University baseball, fresh off another NCAA Division III World Series run, to talk about what actually travels in the postseason: confidence, toughness, and a team culture that holds up when the bounces stop going your way.

Brian walks me through his path from being “in the portal before it was cool” to playing independent pro ball, then jumping into coaching and grinding through the kind of early seasons that test your patience. We also dig into the college baseball landscape today, including how recruiting works when every kid has video, every inbox is flooded, and relationships still matter. If you are a player, parent, or coach trying to understand what helps a student-athlete stand out, you will get practical, real-world guidance.

We wrap with some rapid opinions and fun detours: the pitch clock (we both end up liking it), the ghost runner (we both want it gone), and Brian’s Cleveland recommendations like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, East 4th, and West Side spots. Then we hit the Fast Fitty Five, because every serious sports talk needs at least one totally unhinged question.

Subscribe, share this with a baseball friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of winning baseball do you think fans underrate most?

All music brought to you by former guest of the show Speedo

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home Rants podcast. This is as always your host, Mike Bono. I have a great guest for us today. He is a 16-year veteran of the head coach of the Baldwin Wallace University up there in Cleveland, and that is Brian Harrison joins the show. Brian, thank you for joining, brother. Yeah, thanks for having me, Mike. Appreciate it. No problem at all. Like I said, you're the coach of the baseball team up there at BW. You and your baseball team just wrapped up a great season with making it to the D3 World Series. Tell us a little bit about your season. How did it go? The trip to the World Series and what that experience was like for you and your boys.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

It's incredible. It's incredible. Yeah, we're fortunate. Three out of the last five years we've gone to the World Series. You know, the postseason's crazy. Baseball's crazy because not all, you know, the best team doesn't always win, right? I mean, the the the Guardians can beat the Yankees. And and it's about you know playing with confidence about who's hot, getting some calls, some bounces your way, and the fact that we put ourselves in that position the last few years is pretty cool. I don't know if this was our best team talent-wise, but man, these guys, but it's you know, just seem to be like our type of kids, right? Tough kids and proud of the way they competed and the way we finished. And, you know, it's just, you know, it's it's it's what you're training all year to do, right? Is is is to make the World Series. So hopefully one of these years we can make it to that final round, final two. But but yeah, proud of the way we played this year, man. It was awesome. Yeah, I get it.

SPEAKER_00 1:40

Watching the uh excuse me, the D D1 NCAA World Series, my Mountaineers were making a run. You know, they didn't really look like they would be the best team, but they had that heart, that grit, and were just raking the ball. It got hot at the right time. But I gotta say, when you said the the best team doesn't always win, North Carolina, I thought was gonna be a sweep in the finals of the World Series, and then ended up losing. You know what I mean? So it just it all depends on and on how the ball bounces. Baseball's a is a tricky sport for sure. Played a little bit of it growing up, but you know, it's it's one of those sports that you you know you love to watch, and you know, seeing a team get hot at the end of the year is all always makes for great baseball, especially around the World Series.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. How about Oklahoma, man? Not even 500 in the SEC, and they were just national champs. I mean it's nuts, and it's crazy, crazy, and then and then and then West Virginia, brother, man. They they West Virginia now, my guy Jimmy Racinger, he played for me as an assistant over there. I've spent a little bit of time with Steve Sabins, the head coach down there. So so I was rooting for those guys. How about the year that they had, man? It's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

What a year! Like, I I had to do a double take because I mean I wasn't following it much beginning of the year, and I just kept getting notifications on my bleacher report. West Virginia wins again, West Virginia wins, West Virginia wins. Then it says West Virginia heading to play for the uh battle for Oklahoma. And I was like, I this can't be right. This gotta be a type of are they are they messing with me? My Mountaineers normally are the team that I'm like, yeah, I love them, but they disappoint me every year in every sport. Like I I I love them to death, but I was like, okay, now I gotta start paying attention a little bit more, and you know, watching watching that was just a blast to get to see those boys do what they did, and you know, there's no no hard feelings with that. I mean, you made it uh what almost the semifinals of the of the World Series, and it was the first time that programs ever made it there. So you know that that's a winning season for me in my book, you know, and then let's just build for next year, you know what I mean? Get get these boys back and and see what they can do next year and maybe maybe make a little bit more of a run and and get to the finals. I I I would love to see it.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

But yeah, no doubt. I mean, they won two, they'd won two games out in Omaha, and the cool thing about as you know, you know, growing up in the by the river in the valley there, man, is is in West Virginia there's no pro sports, man. So the Mountaineers are it.

SPEAKER_00 4:11

That's they're it's so that's our pro sports because people ask me all the time, they're like, you have the weirdest like pro sports teams that you root for. I'm I'm a Buccaneers fan of football. I I root for the Red Sox mainly because I hate the Yankees that much. And I mean, obviously, I I grew up near Pittsburgh, so I root for all the Pittsburgh sports, pro sports teams, pirates, penguins, steelers, unless they're playing by Buccaneers. People like you're just like all over the map when it comes to it. I was like, I don't have any pro sports teams, like there's no there's no hometown team other than the mountaineers. Like people always like, you're always rocking West Virginia gear.

Welcome And World Series Run

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Why? I was like, 'cause that's it. And in West Virginia, that's that's all we got to to go off of. And I love everything.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

I'm jealous. I'm jealous because you're a you're a free agent fan, you know, and we got the stinking browns, my i mean, we got the browns, man. So, like, so I'm jealous of you to tell you the truth, you know. But this is our year again this year.

SPEAKER_00 5:11

I I hear that every year, man, from every brown friend I got. This is our year. I want them to be competitive, you know what I mean? It's it's tough to as somebody who just loves sports in general, it's like you just like can can we get relevant a little bit? You know, let's just let's be competitive and let's make it interesting there in the AFC North, but which that's a tough division there, too, as well. So, yeah, that that is what it is. But you know what, before we dive into more of your coaching background and you know, baseball experiences and whatnot, what were your thoughts on this baseball season so far? I mean, any teams that are standing out to you, good or bad?

SPEAKER_01 5:51

You know what? I'm a Guardians fan. You to my Guardians fan. Unfortunately, their three best hitters are out right now. I mean, we're lucky to have Jose Ramirez, man. He took that home hometown discount, and what what what he's done for our city is pretty pretty awesome. And we're we're lucky, we're we're lucky and we're not. We're lucky because our the Guardians, man, front office, they do an incredible job. The problem is we just don't spend the money like you know, some of those East Coast teams. But man, they've had a nice little run. They've had a nice run over the last decade or so. And but to be honest with you, I you it's it's crazy how it works, you know, all this deferred money in Los Angeles and stuff. I I don't I don't know how I I don't think you should have deferred money. So I'm a little nervous about this lockout that's gonna happen, but but anyways, I got I would say that the Blue Jays, if there's a team I'm rooting for, it's the Blue Jays. Mark Shaparo, the president of the Blue Jays, is a friend of mine. So so so I'm a Jays fan. I guess I'm rooting for those guys. Heart heartbreak. They were four feet away, or they were three feet away from winning the World Series last year. But hopefully they can put together.

SPEAKER_00 7:00

That was tough. That was tough last year in the World Series being that close. I would say for me, I mean, I mean, and I feel like I say this every year, it's my pirates. You know what I mean? Like most divisions, we'd be almost leading that division by a lot with how we've been playing this year, and just proves how tough the NL is. Like it's just such a it's such a wild card with where the L is. But we dove into it a little bit on a on a baseball round table with the deferred money and all these teams spending all this money. I think they got to do away with it. Yeah, I I I really do because then you have these powerhouses, like, I mean, to the point where it's like, all right, who are the Dodgers going to play this year in the World Series because they're just spending all this money? I'm hoping the lockout does a little bit of good to even the playing field across the league, giving some of these smaller market teams a chance. I was surprised to see the Pirates spend some money this year. I mean, you got Paul Skeens, Bubba Chandler, Mitch Keller. Our starting pitching is just insane right now. And then you add that Connor Griffin in there, and that's I mean, that playing well as a rookie, you know, if we can get them back healthy, I think we can make it make a good run. I mean, we're a couple games out of the wild card right now. Before the all-star break. That that's what blows my mind. I I don't remember a time in my 37 years on this earth where I could say that about the pirates. We're in the hunt for a wild card, and it's before the all-star break. So and everyone, everyone's getting on schemes like, oh, he's lost his step. It's like if you look at the stats, I mean, he has it. His strikeouts are up. His oh well, his ERA is down. I mean, he got beat up in the in the opener, and that's why it looks the way it does. I mean, his ER da ERA has fallen. He still has the best career ERA right now in three seasons, and in the hunt for a Cy Young. So how do you how do you say he's fallen off? Like, I mean, just look at the stats. I mean, yeah, that home opener only going a third of an inning or two-thirds of an inning. Like, yeah, you're gonna get beat up every now and again, but I still think I still think the Buckos make a make it make a run at the playoffs this year.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

Yeah, I hope so. I hope so, man. Donnie Kelly, he's a great dude. And the uh that ballpark's awesome. That's gotta be one of my you would ballpark. Yeah. Yeah. The bridge in the background. And it's it seems like to me, and I don't know, Mike, but it seems to me it's almost like a foray stadium. It's not as massive as some of these stadiums. It's almost like a not a triple A stadium, but it's a it's just a little bit more home homier. And I'm I'm a huge fan.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

Yeah, there's there's not a bad seat in the house at PNC Park. You you're not gonna you're not gonna find a bad, bad spot. I mean, and yeah, that it's it's an intimate setting, you know what I mean. It's hard for me to think that Pittsburgh's a small market team in baseball with what they do in that city. But yeah, that backdrop, you know, seeing the city night game all lit up, everyone's there, you know, the entire city's there, room for them, and they have fireworks every night. You know, it's just it's an amazing experience. If anybody can get out to to PNC Park there in Pittsburgh, it's it's worth the drive to go and into that stadium

MLB Standouts And Money Debates

SPEAKER_00 10:26

and to just just see it. Like everybody uh that I've I've talked to has has said, like, you know, PNC Park, like you can't beat that anywhere. It's it's great, it's intimate. You know, you you're getting your you're right there with the fans, you feel like you're right on top of everybody. And hell, if you're sitting up in the nosebleeds, it's still great seats, you know what I mean? Like, and there's a chance to get a foul ball if you're no matter where you're sitting, you can't beat you can't beat Pittsburgh.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Yeah, I agree. It's one of my favorite parts.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

Absolutely. But now, you have been at BW for 16 seasons now. Walk us through your journey prior to BW as a baseball player and then transitioning to a coach.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

Oh man. So so I'm from Cleveland, Ohio. Back then, when it was, you know, horse and buggy, you know, the recruiting scheme scene was a heck of a lot different than it is now. I I I went to three schools, Mike. I was in the portal before it was cool to be in the portal, and and got done playing at an NAI school down at Shawnee State on the Ohio River, down in Portsmouth. And we went to the NEI World Series, it was awesome. Got done playing. I was working downtown and I was playing actually in the Frontier League. So so I was on the roster of the Washington Wild Things our first year. Uh, but I was in the front, anyways, I was in the frontier league for a year. My last year I got traded for like five pounds of catfish and a fungal bat, and they got a hell of a lot better deal. So I was with the wild things, I got released. I was working downtown Cleveland, wanted a coach, just helped volunteer. And so I started the local uh junior college, uh Kyle Community College as an assistant. So, anyways, after two years as an assistant, our head coach took the new job and they asked me to be the head coach. And I was like, no, I don't, I don't want to do that. Why would I want to do that? And I declined the job. And a week later I called back and and said, Hey, if the offer still stands, I'm in. And anyways, uh next thing I know, I'm a baseball coach, you know. And it was a part-time position at the end at that time. Anyways, uh, I was still working downtown. After two, we had success. So after two years, I I talked my wife, we were newlyweds, into taking the job down at Urbana University. So Mike Urbana was an N, they were at an NEI school turned Division II. So we were west of Columbus. So we were about 45 minutes west of Columbus, north of Dayton, just by Springfield, Ohio. Yeah, yeah. So, anyways, I got the job in September, late September of 2005 or whatever. And my first year down there, we were seven and for three. You know, you want to talk about a long year. We we were six and forty-three, but we won our last game. We walked off, we dogpiled for our seventh win of the season. And the next year we won 37 games, so it was a great turnaround. And the next year we won again. So now I'm thinking, okay, man, how do I get to Omaha all right? And so my next progression was division one. I went to the University of Dayton as an assistant coach, I think maybe in 2008, I can't remember, 2008, and I was there for three years. It was time to move on just professionally. And you know, the coaching landscape was a little bit different, you know, the way they structured division one and all that stuff, but I wanted to go down south of A Ecc, SEC country, and my wife, who's from Cleveland, she she found out this job at little old Baldwallish University was open. And anyway, she she six miles from where we grew up, and she politely told me to get my butt up there and and and take a look. And and and I did because I was like, hey, I'll go hang out with my dad for a couple of days, you know, it'll be cool. Right. And anyways, came up to BW, fell in love with the place. Here I am, you know, 16 years later. So that's kind of my journey.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

That's an amazing journey. Wild things games, you know, talking about that, being a player there and that, you know, I love wild things games. Right out of college, I actually filmed a couple of their games and worked for them for a little bit too as well. So I mean, gotta love them. Fun stadium, too, as well. And you know, going back a little bit to our first topic here, but I believe this was what the third year in a row for the D3 World Series has been played at East Lake, Ohio at the Lake County Captain Stadium. For those who aren't familiar with that, that is the single-A affiliate of the Guardians. Also, the Ohio State Championship baseball games are held at Akron at the Rubber Ducks Stadium each year. Now, coach, what are your thoughts about these types of games being played at these minor league stadiums?

SPEAKER_01 15:29

Yeah, there's different thoughts. I mean, you know, for us, first of all, being in Cleveland, you know, we've gone to three World Series prior to this. And and and they were the first one was in Appleton, Wisconsin, the second one was then Cedar Rapids, Iowa. And when we're at

From Player To Head Coach

SPEAKER_01 15:44

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, you know, we would play and we would have maybe 70 BW fans and the tenants in this huge stadium. So it's kind of a little, you know, sometimes you just don't get the collegiate atmosphere, if you will. So sometimes you want to play at a smaller venue, but I was I was like, you know, when we heard it's coming to Cleveland, I'm like, hey man, I don't know. It's kind of kind of cool taking a trip, right? You want to go to Omaha or you want to take a trip. So I'm like, you know, I hope we make it, but I don't know if it'll be as special. But to be honest with you, once we made it, it was incredible. We probably had 1,500 people in the stand Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. And it was like an awesome atmosphere. It was electric, so so it was an incredible experience. But I think sometimes the venues can be too big for you know the attendants, if that makes sense. No, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 16:40

I mean, because if you're you're getting these people from you know D3 schools, you're not gonna get the the D1 fans just coming out to to these games because it's the World Series. And yeah, there might be a lot of fans there, but in that stadium, it does not look like it is, and it's not gonna get that roar that you're used to hearing because the stadium's so big. That's like, you know, going back to to my days back in in high school, you know, it was always played at one uh stadium, and that was in Wheeling, West Virginia on Wheeling Island was the football uh uh state championship game. It's uh a decent sized stadium, but you pack two uh teams in there from West Virginia that uh yeah, the if you if we put it at uh a mile and push guard, it we wouldn't even make it that far and you know how many people were there and you wouldn't get that feel, but there like it's it's electric feeling because the stadium's packed because there's that many people there and you feel that roar and you get the whole playoff experience. So I get that with a smaller venue and and wanting it to be there because it gives these these players that actual feel, like you know, hey, this is this is the national championship D1, you know, stadiums are packed, everything like that, even in these bigger stadiums because you have those fan bases. Like me being a Mountaineer fan, I don't live there. I almost told my wife, hey, we gotta take some time off work, make a trip to Obaha to to go watch these boys play. So this is this is something that we'll never see. You know what I mean? I don't think you get that really at the D3 level.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Yeah, no, I I I I I definitely agree with that. And so having it a place like a Washington Wild things where it's maybe 4,000 seats, it's a little bit more, you know, a smaller venue, and and if you do get 2,000 and a 4,000 seat venue, it seems like it's backed. Yeah, and I do, you know, I'm a little bit more of a fan of that. But but hey man, if they put that sucker in wherever, and if we can make it, I'm in. Absolutely, I'm in. I just want we just want to make it there. We just want to make it there.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Absolutely. I get that. That's that's always where everybody wants to end up, regardless of what the stadium size is, it's still gonna be electric. Now, we talked about this a little bit before we started recording, but you are also a proud dad and a husband. I know we were talking a little bit about the the craziness of schedules. How do you balance the grind of a baseball season with being a family man and also having time to enjoy that too?

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Yeah, I mean, obviously, you know, my wife's got to have a hell of a lot of sense of humor. You know, it's you know, the the the the the life of a coach's wife is is interesting because you know, there is no schedule. Plus the way I am, there's no schedule, you know. So I'm so day-to-day uh with everything that we do, and she's she's you know, she's incredible. Now, my oldest is 17, so he can drive, and that makes life a hell of a lot easier. So we're 17, so we're gonna be a senior, gonna be a freshman, and gonna be a seventh grader. So it's boy, boy, girl, and it's it's nuts. So so my you know, daughter plays softball and volleyball, my oldest plays football and baseball, and my my middle boy is golf, basketball, and baseball. So it's I mean, we're nonstop, man. It's nonstop.

D3 Baseball In Minor League Parks

SPEAKER_00 20:17

That's year-round stuff.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

It is year-round, it is year-round, brother. So so the schedule's just a little bit hectic, but I went and changed it for the world. And and as my kid starts to become a senior in high school, which is nuts, you know, it's starting to kind of culminate here in and I don't want it to come to an end, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 20:37

So it's the best years. I get it. I know we were talking, you know, I got my two stepgirls that are older, and then my 17-year-old that's gonna be a senior this year. He he was a football player, freshman sophomore year, and then decided when he turned 16 that he wanted to join the workforce. And as a dad, you know, it's kind of hard to be like, no, you should keep playing football. You know what I mean? You you don't see young kids with that attitude, like, hey, I want to go to work, I want to make some money. Like normally it's all about like, hey, let's do this. And as I was like, am I gonna miss going Friday nights and watching you play? Absolutely, absolutely. But am I gonna stop you? No, absolutely not. So the schedules were crazy, uh all over games, you know, being a comedian and still having a day job too, as well, trying to find that balance of okay, winter games, can't have shows when there's these games. As a comedian, I have a little bit more say over my schedule with that, which made life a little easier. But you know, after I might have a show on a Thursday night where it's six, seven, eight hours away, and then driving back all day and then getting back basically in time for kickoff. And it's just like, all right, I've been in a car all day. Now I get to go and sit in the stadiums and and Watch him play on Friday nights, but I would have changed that for anything. Like you said, my wife has a great sense of humor. I mean, obviously, she married a comedian. Uh, so but she keeps us together, she she keeps us all rolling, and she keeps me or like to the point where we had to have like a joint calendar on our phone so that she could just put stuff in. Because if not, I should be like, hey, you coming here? What what? Like I had I'd have no idea. I'm going 75 different directions at once. And but yeah, she she keeps us together. And I'm sure, you know, with Coach's Web, it's kind of similar where she kind of keeps everybody in line, sounds like.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

Oh, no doubt about it. No doubt, man. It's yeah, we we we're our personalities are are pretty opposite. Pretty opposite. She's the organized one. I'm the, you know, I I'd forget my I I think I forgot my birthday last year. You know what I mean? I don't, it's just it's just not my, you know what I mean? I'm not organized like that, and not the way my mind works. So thank goodness she she keeps us together, man. She makes it happen.

SPEAKER_00 23:07

I get it, man. Like with that, like it wasn't my birthday, but I came home from work. I know about the time this airs, it's a little bit dated, but I came home from work Friday, weekend of Father's Day. And I look around the corner and I see something with my name on it. And I was like, What the what the hell is that? And she she she was like, I don't know, open it up and see. And I was like, Why why why am I getting a gift? Like, there's nothing going on. And like I looked at it and I was like, What's this for? She goes, uh, Father's Day is Sunday. I was like, Is it I had no idea what like I had no clue it was a holiday coming up? Bought me a new set of golf clubs and uh some West Virginia golf balls and all that stuff. So I was like, ah I

Coaching Life And Family Balance

SPEAKER_00 23:51

was like, I appreciate it, but I had no clue it was Father's Day. Like that, that thank you, because now I now I know I need to call my dad on Sunday. Yeah, right. Which I mean, thank you for the reminder to let the old man know it's Father's Day. But that's that's how it is. Like, I don't re I don't realize like she asked what we were doing. If we were doing anything next weekend, and I was like, What's next weekend? She goes, the fourth of July. I was like, oh yeah, that is coming up, isn't it? Yeah, that's you know, America's birthday. Might want to remember that one. So yeah, if if it weren't for her, I'd I I'd for I'd forget to eat some days, probably. If it weren't for her.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

We got married on the 5th of July, man. That's the only thing that helps me out on the on the anniversary piece, you know, is tough to miss that one. Tough to miss that one, but I'm not, I'm not a I'm not the dates guy, you know what I mean? People people, you know, hey, happy birthday next week. And I'm like, what are you talking about? You know, I'm just not the dates guy. That's not me.

SPEAKER_00 24:50

No, I get it. Helps me a little bit. We were the we were the 9th of July, my wife and I with getting married, which also conveniently has helped out. My mother's birthday is the 10th of July. So that it was remembered that too as well. I know that wasn't planned, but it was just a great coincidence that it worked out. Oh man. Uh, but getting back to it here for you. You know, if a student athlete is interested in BW and their baseball team, what would you tell them about BW and what are some of the things they can do to get recruited?

SPEAKER_01 25:27

Yeah, I mean, it's BW is a great place. You know, that's a it's a really I can go a couple different directions with that. That's a great question. I mean, BW is a great place academically, location, you know, buildings are beautiful, all that stuff. But really, the recruiting piece is is is is it's crazy because again, my kids going through it right now, right? So you know, most of these guys you just want to play on the right teams and hopefully be seen. So we're out, we're out all the time watching kids play. And then these kids are putting videos up online and sending them to us. But of course, we we get so many of these videos a day, you know. So it's it's it's kind of hard to you know separate yourself a little bit, but you know, kids go to showcases, the prep baseball report showcases, we recruit out of those. We'll recruit kids out of anywhere. But the book, a lot of our kids, to be quite honest with you, come from relationships and guys that we know. So if you coach at Steubenville High School, or you know, it'd be like, hey, you know, who do you have this year? So so we take a lot of recommendations. So we we get kids from all over, but but you know, it's hard as a kid because it's it's it's very it's confusing, you just don't know what to do. But I would suggest the kids to play on a good team and go to showcases.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

Yeah, I get that. I was uh I was also a swimmer in high school, and that's a that's a tough one for recruiting because you're you're not gonna see the recruiters at the at the meets. They're they're mainly concerned with times for for that. And you know, uh when I was getting recruited back in the the early 2000s, a little different than having you know all these tapes online and all the social media, which which helps out a good bit, I'm sure. But yeah, you know, it's it's tough because I'm sure these these colleges are getting thousands upon thousands of uh, hey, here's my stuff, take a look. You're not gonna get to all. I mean, unfortunately, you're just not gonna do it.

SPEAKER_01 27:33

Yeah. I remember back in the day, man. I don't know if you did this. We used to make the VHS tapes. Yep. You know, I used to send V, I remember sending out like a hundred VHS tapes of my skill, you know, they put in the you know, VHS machine, you know, which is hilarious, you know, to think about nowadays. Now it's just a YouTube one button, and but you know, it's uh the the thing about baseball that's so much different than, you know, as you're saying, swimming, swimming times. Baseball is beauty's in the eye of the beholder. So one coach may think this guy's good, uh, and another coach thinks he's not good. And and who knows who's right in the recruiting process. So it's it's really hard to evaluate, I think, in our sport. It's really hard. So that's why like we we try to you utilize our contacts because if I know you, you're not gonna send me a kid that stinks, right? So it's a little bit of leverage relationships there, a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Yeah, and you know, like you said, you you you hit a good point there, and that you know, beauty's in the eye of the beholder, like we were talking about with with Paul Skeens, and everyone's saying he's he's down this year. And if you look at the stats, like he's not, you know what I mean? Like so people were saying, oh, everyone's figuring him out, he's not gonna be that good, he's probably gonna end up being a bust. He he's in a hunt for a Cy Young, you know, and if you look at the at the stats and everything like that. So one coach may look at a kid and be like, ah, yeah, he's batting 275, you know, this, that, and the other. That's not what we're looking for. Another coach might be like, he's batting 275. Like, let's let's go take a look at this kid, you know what I mean? So I get that a ton. I had a I had a bunch of recruiters for swimming in college being like, oh, well, you you're you're swimming at 27-5 in your in your 50 backstroke. It's like, okay. World records 25-2. I gotta drop two seconds, like, and like I'm right there on world record pace. What do you mean you're not even gonna take a look at, you know, maybe it's just a maybe it's just a form thing that we could work out in and coaching. Maybe it's a start thing or turn thing, you know, something minor that's just a little tweak, and you got and you got a stud. You know what I mean? Like, and that I feel like that's the same thing with baseball. Like, okay, hey, turn your hip just just a second more, and I guarantee you're gonna hit more home runs. And and it's something that quick that I think that could be could be beneficial. But yeah, that I I don't envy

Recruiting Advice For BW Baseball

SPEAKER_00 30:03

these recruiters and trying to trying to make these decisions.

SPEAKER_01 30:06

Well, then you got you know, you're right, and you got late bloomers. I mean, skins is a great example of that out of high school that he went and played at the at the Air Force Academy, yeah, is where he played. And then he transferred to LSU, but like Air Force doesn't give scholarships, you know, plus not only that, you kind of got to be a cadet. So not a lot of folks want to do that, right? And and so he he went out there and then he just blossomed into what he is, and then he went to LSU and and and really took off. But but you know, some guy, and who would have who would have thought you know Paul's Keynes would have been what he is now coming out of high school? Because I'm sure Air Force was his only division one opportunity. So, you know, beauty's now beholder. You gotta have somebody do those small tweaks, and man, now now that guy's killing it. He's incredible.

SPEAKER_00 30:58

Just incredible to watch, absolutely. Turning over a little bit more, getting into that with the with the MOB. I want to get your opinion on two things as a baseball coach here. First thing is what is your thoughts on the pitch clock? And second, what are your thoughts about this ghost runner?

SPEAKER_01 31:16

Yeah, the the the pitch clock's awesome. I'm man, I don't know how you feel about it. I tell so, so like I tell our players, like, hey man, we we're gonna do two things. Let's either win or let's lose fast. You know, I I I like fast games. I I I can't pay attention to this stuff, man. Let's go, let's go, let's get the actions. You know, these Dominican kids, I've taken teams over to the Dominican Republic, and when you go over there and play, you'll play a seven-inning game in three and a half, four hours. And and and and the game is so boring to me when it's that slow. But you know, to these kids and the Dominican, it's like, hey, this is the best part of their day. They're not in a hurry, right, you know, to get these games done. What are they gonna go home to? But, anyways, man, I think it's enjoyable to watch on TV. I'm I'm a huge fan. I don't know how you feel, but and then the the the ghost runner, I'm yeah, I'm out on that. That's like I don't, I don't really like I don't really understand that that one a whole lot. Let's let's just play some baseball, but and then the best team wins, but yeah, that's those are my opinions. I don't know how you'd feel.

SPEAKER_00 32:26

No, yeah, I'm with you on the pitch clock. I I was so upset about the pitch clock when it first started, when it first came out, and they were talking about going to a pitch clock. I'm like, that's I mean, what are we doing? Why do we keep changing things with baseball? But I gotta tell you, I'm for it. Especially not being able to get out to as many games, watching a game on TV now, it makes the game more enjoyable to me. It's a quicker, it's a faster-paced game. You can kind of pay attention a little bit more, get more action out of the game. That's a whole nother strategy to it, because you know, you you got those guys that you know that they they take a swing, miss, go back, they fix their gloves six six times each hand before they're stepping back to the box and all this other stuff, and then you know, that cuts down on a lot of that. So, yeah, I'm I'm a big fan of the pitch clock. I I think it adds a whole nother level to the game. This ghost runner, get rid of it. I I'm with you on that one. Just why why are we doing that? What are we playing in a backyard somewhere? Like, oh ghost runner on first. Like, what are we doing? Because you don't have enough guys to field it, but you just want to play some baseball with your buddies in the backyard. You know what are we doing? Like, let's let that let's play some baseball and let if we're going into extras and let's let's let's let the best team play and the and win on that one. I I I agree with you a thousand percent on that one. But yeah, I I fought the pitch clock. I I fought it for a while. Yeah. Now, yeah, I'm all I'm all for it. I think it's I think it's the right amount of time too. I don't think we need to adjust it any. I think it's perfect, and let's just roll with it.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

Yeah, I agree. The only the only thing I could see maybe tweaking a little bit is maybe in the ninth inning, you know, maybe a little longer, you know, strategy, close games, maybe. But you gotta remember too, man, is like, you know, I coach baseball in north in in Cleveland, Ohio. So we we play a lot of our games in like 34 degree temperatures, you know what I mean? Like, let's get this thing moving. I you know what I mean. I'm cold. Yeah, I'm cold, man.

SPEAKER_00 34:28

It's cold in Cleveland in baseball season, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 34:31

Yeah, let's let's take that 20 seconds down to 16 and let's go. Let's get home. This is speed it up. We can we gotta get to the heat, we gotta get to some warmth. That's right, that's right, man. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 34:44

But I got I gotta ask you this because we're getting close to the end of the episode. I asked every Clevelander this because you're originally from Cleveland. You gotta tell us some of your favorite Cleveland things to do and to recommend for somebody visiting.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

Oh man, that's a good question. I went down to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time. That was cool. If you're into music, that was cool. You know, I think just down there, that science center area downtown's awesome. The East 4th District, that's really cool. I you know, I don't get downtown very much. You know, I love going to the Guardians games, but we don't uh yeah, we don't do very much touristy stuff, which is kind of crazy, man. So yeah, yeah, we're just yeah, so I would just say, you know, if you're coming to Cleveland, you know, you gotta hit the I mean you gotta do the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, right? I mean it's kind of like a thing to do, and you know, the down to the waterfront right there is pretty cool by the science center. That's a pretty cool area. But I'm a I'm I'm I'm I'm more of a west side guy, to be quite honest with you. That's where I grew

Pitch Clock Love And Ghost Runner Hate

SPEAKER_01 35:49

up. So so you know, down there west 25th, you know, that the area is pretty cool. There's some you know, Tremont, there's some really cool areas, man. Usually, usually centered around bars, which is crazy, you know.

SPEAKER_00 36:02

So I I get it. I I I've frequented a lot of bars up there at Cleveland, mainly doing shows up that way. A lot of fun things to do. You beat me to it. I I normally ask everybody, just a quick east or west side kind of guy trying to get a little poll because I keep hearing things about east and west side, and you get you got to make a decision on which one it is. And I gotta tell you, it is split right down the middle with everybody I've talked to. I can't we can't pick a side of Cleveland, which one is the best side, but Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's great. Been there a couple of times, a huge music fan, love that for sure. But Brian, we are running down here near the end of the episode. I do need to get this last segment in here before we roll, otherwise, the wonderful manager of the podcast, Johnny Fiddy Falcone, will kill me. And that is the Fast Fitty Five, and that is five random questions from the wonderful manager of the podcast, Johnny Fiddy Falcone. And Brian, these these are rapid fire. You can elaborate if you need to. They have pretty much nothing to do with what we've been talking about for the better part of uh 45 minutes here now. So if you are ready, we can go ahead and get rolling. Yeah, let's do it. All right, question number one. What is your favorite flavor of popsicle?

SPEAKER_01 37:11

Oh, great.

SPEAKER_00 37:13

Great, that's a good choice. Uh two, better invention, the microwave or the dishwasher? Dishwasher. Dishwasher, okay. That's gotta be mine. I barely use my microwave dishwasher all day on that one. Question number three What was your favorite cartoon growing up?

SPEAKER_01 37:41

Elmer Fudd. I loved Elmer Fudd, man. He never he never shot the rabbit. So so you know, yeah. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_00 37:49

That's an underrated one for sure. A little Elmer Flood action.

SPEAKER_01 37:53

Yeah, I don't I yeah, that's a good question, man. He threw me for a loop. I I don't know. Oh God, the Roadrunner? I mean, the Roadrunner was great. I'm maybe I'm sped up. I got nervous. Wrong answer. I'm I'm going the roadrunner. Going to the roadrunner. We're changing back to the roadrunner. It's still a solid choice.

SPEAKER_00 38:10

It's still a solid choice.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

Yeah, I'm still I'm still stuck on the dishwasher, man. I hate washing dishes, so I might still, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:19

It's the worst tour in the world, dishes. Terrible, terrible. Question number four, and this is this is right out of the mind of Fitty. If LeBron James and Ben Rothesberger box in a 12-round boxing match without any training, who wins?

SPEAKER_01 38:38

This hurts my heart to say this, but LeBron wins. LeBron wins. I mean, he's just too big. I mean, he's gotta have. He's just too big. I mean, Ben Ben's what, 6'4? LeBron's 6'9? 6'5? I think 6'5. All right, I'm going Rothlessburger. I mean, I want Rothless Burger. I would want Rothesburger to win. So I'm going with Rothlisberger.

SPEAKER_00 39:06

Yeah, I got it. I know. I know, I know LeBron's tall, but I I just think I think Ben Ben takes that.

SPEAKER_01 39:13

He's got to be tougher, right?

SPEAKER_00 39:14

He's a I mean, he's a stealer. You know, how many hits did he take in that line running the ball, you know, when we didn't have really a line? I think I think he's got the toughness factor down with that one that he can take a hit. I'm in. I'm in. He taught it, man. I gotcha. And last question here. What is one?

Cleveland Favorites For Visitors

SPEAKER_00 39:32

Oh wow, Johnny, what is one country that people visit that you have no desire to visit?

SPEAKER_01 39:39

Oh man. Gosh darn. Mexico. Mexico. I got zero interest in going to Mexico.

SPEAKER_00 39:49

Zero. That's a that's a solid one. Yeah. Mexico, for sure for me on that one.

SPEAKER_01 39:54

Yeah, what do you got? Which where where are you at?

SPEAKER_00 39:56

I mean, um Mexico's a good one. Jamaica, I mean, I really I mean, everyone talks about it. I just I really don't have a desire to go down there. Yeah, I'd have to stick with that. And you know, Mexico or or Jamaica. There's really nothing, nothing intriguing for me to to head to those, either of those ones there. But that was the fast 55. And yeah, like I said, nothing. I he took it a little easy on you, except for that Rothesperger LeBron James question there. That was right out of the mind of Johnny 55 Cody. Well, thanks, Johnny. See, these ever and and he sent these to me today, like 10 minutes before I jumped on here for us to record. I don't get to see these until it's like time to record. Like, and I think sometimes he's like, How can I make the comedian laugh during these? Is is what his thought process is. But no, Johnny used to like I used to wake up to text messages, and it was these types of questions coming from Johnny, and like these are mild compared in comparison to what we normally get. And I was like, What if we turn this into a segment on the show? Let's get these out of your head and and let that's and we'll call it the fast 55, and you know it'll be rapid fire. Let's let's let's see what happens. And people have loved it, and I can't I can't I gotta say I'm a fan of it too. And I don't get as many text messages in the morning of like, all right, so you're locked in the racquetball court with Mike Tyson, Connor McGregor, and

The Fast Fitty Five Round

SPEAKER_00 41:26

Batman. You have a road flare and a boxing glove. Who who comes out alive? It's like, what are we doing? It's five in the morning, Johnny. How are we coming over these questions, man? But all right, Brian. Like I said, we are running down near the end of the episode here. I give every guest this opportunity at the end of every show. If there's anything you want to get out there, whether it's just a good message, anything you have about that's going on with the baseball team at BW, anything like that. I'm gonna give you about a minute, and the floor is yours.

SPEAKER_01 41:56

Oh, I don't have a whole lot. No, just grateful for I I don't have a whole lot, Mike. I'm just grateful for the people that have supported us and you know made made our lives easier, guys like Johnny and the recruiting, our administration, all that stuff. Man, I don't I don't have a whole lot. So now I would say if you're a multimillionaire and you want to give us money, I guess maybe I could say that, but try to try to try to ask for money. But no, just just I don't have a whole lot, man. Just uh appreciative. It's nice spending some time with you today, and and so I appreciate everything.

SPEAKER_00 42:34

No, absolutely. I I I give everyone the opportunity to do what they want to do at the end of every show. And yeah, if there's any multimillionaires listening, BW baseball team. They're making some runs, there's a good team to invest in up there, and you won't be a penny wasted up there at BW as long as Brian is at the helm there. Uh, and with all that being said, that is going to do it for this week's episode of the Ride Home Rands podcast. I want to again thank my guest, Brian Harrison, for joining the show. I will be following your baseball program up there a little bit more extensively now that you've been on the show. I do it with every guest. And as always, if you enjoyed the show, be a friend. Tell a friend. If you didn't, tell them anyways, they might like it just because you didn't. That's gonna do it for me, and I will see y'all next week.