Father’s Day

Father’s Day brings up the best memories and the sharpest grief, so we talk honestly about losing our dads and still feeling them in the way we coach and live. Baseball stays the thread through it all, from youth tournaments and tryouts to what we think the pro game is getting right and wrong. 
• remembering our dads through church, coaching habits, and family time 
• baseball friendships that feel like real family 
• Midwest Prospect League recap, scouting presence, and learning to compete in the zone 
• St. Elmo’s tradition, road stories, and team travel life 
• why the blow pop moment feels like a standards problem 
• old-school pace, disrupting timing, and what the universal DH changed 
• all-stars, tryout season, and preparing bodies for heat and long weekends 
• a pair of father stories that capture pride, joy, and embarrassment 
If you still have your father, follow me. Say, hey, how you doing? Just thinking of you. 

Transcript

July 4 Opener And Laughs

SPEAKER_03 0:01

Happy July 4th if you're listening to this around the fourth. I love the fourth. It's one of the best holidays ever invented. I mean, you get fireworks, you get stakes, you get family that you might like or love or dislike or hate. But you all come together to see something explode in the sky or in your backyard and you blow up your house. Those are all great things that can possibly happen, but as long as there's an explosion, something good came out of it. And there's an L in every lesson, and you might have to lose something. But we have a couple lessons for you to learn today. I don't know what they're going to be, but there's going to be one or two. So sit back, relax, get some lemonade, gather the family for the holiday festivities, whether it be Father's Day or July 4th, and listen to the Good Man Show.

Travel Banter And Waffle House

SPEAKER_03 1:02

Hey you all up sticking with us another week. I'm in Atlanta right now as a list of list.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

He's flying first class. No disguise drinking champagne.

SPEAKER_03 1:15

I'm in a middle seat.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

He's in a middle seat with Nikki C.

SPEAKER_03 1:20

No.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Different C from Nikki C.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Yes. Who booked these flights? Well, no. I'm flying with someone else, and Nikki C is kind enough to switch his seat. Nikki C does it again. I know, right? What a guy. Waffle House as soon as we land. Oh. Love the Waffle House.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Some call it the Awful House, some call it the Waffle House. No matter what. It's delicious. Who would call it the Awful House? Me. Why? Because of the awful things it can do to you. Like what? Well, I don't know if that's really show appropriate.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

It's real simple. It's just eggs, a waffle, and bacon.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

And sometimes it goes slip-sliding away. But man, was it delicious.

SPEAKER_03 2:08

It provides jobs for the community.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Don't get me wrong. I call it the alpha house, but I love it. They do a ton of great things.

SPEAKER_03 2:15

It's like Applebee's. It's really crapplebees. I haven't been there since with you, since Iowa. Great trip. Yeah, that was a long time ago.

SPEAKER_02 2:23

Half-price appetizers.

SPEAKER_03 2:24

Yeah. Game ended at midnight.

SPEAKER_02 2:26

Go devour half-price appetizers. I mean, there's nothing better. You go play Minor League Baseball, and you've never been at Applebee's, you have not lived. Whoa. I'll tell you this. One of my first like encounters of the road in Minor League Baseball, we all, the whole team, the hotel we were at, not a very nice hotel, was right next to an Applebee's, and that's where we all ended that night. And the coach from the other the manager from the other team was at the bar, and we proceeded to send that man numerous shots. He wouldn't take a single one, but we were stacking. It was like we came a runny joke. It was just like stacking up at his table.

SPEAKER_03 3:10

So who drank them all?

SPEAKER_02 3:11

Nobody. They just sat there and then he left. Wow. And then we had a lot of fun, and then we showed up in Detroit on the next day, and he was very unhappy in his dug up.

unknown 3:20

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

Good times.

SPEAKER_03 3:21

Good times.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

Yeah, a lot to catch up on.

unknown 3:24

Yeah.

Father’s Day After Loss

SPEAKER_02 3:25

First things first. Okay. Father's Day was on Sunday.

SPEAKER_03 3:28

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:29

To all the dads out there that listen to the Goodman Show. We appreciate you. Happy Father's Day. Father's Day to Josh and I is a day that hits home. Both of us are unfortunately have lost our dads. I will speak on me personally. My father has influenced me tremendously in my baseball career and coaching career, especially. My mother tells me all the time how every time she watches me coach Ethan, how it basically reminds her of my dad coaching me. I catch myself doing things that definitely he did when I coached or he coached me. So it it's it's one of those things where Father's Day is a sad day. But you you learn to remember the good times and understand he's always with you. And I enjoyed my Father's Day. I had actually, to be honest with you personally, from my front, I had one of the better Father's Days I've ever had. Besides it rained the entire day, but it was nice. The kids were great all day. My wife had some nice stuff for me. Got myself a new ninja ice cream maker. What have not ventured into it yet, but I have an ice cream maker. I will keep all those posted on how my ice cream making ability starts to turn out. But it was a great day. I mean, spent time with the family, got to hang out, went over to my mother or my father-in-law's house, spent time over there. But it was very relaxing, enjoyable Father's Day. I went to mass. I let the kids sleep in. I didn't drag them to 9 a.m. mass. We went to 11 o'clock. But I always find going there helps. Like my my dad is the one who always kind of brought us to church. So it's definitely a place that I can connect with him and just feel his presence. So if you've lost your dad and you had to spend it without him on Father's Day, we feel you. Always remember your dad. If you do still have your father, appreciate what he does for you. So that was my Father's Day. I'll let you speak how your day was. I know that you know, unfortunately, you've also had your father pass.

SPEAKER_03 5:37

Yeah, it was rainy, as you say. And then I mean, you try to feel you're privileged enough to lose someone and it means something. You know, that's how I kind of try to view it. Like I was like you're blessed enough where losing something means something, you know. But the time doesn't really get better. I mean, I started breaking down today about something because as same as you, it was one of the main things that we connected over was the game. And you know, we're both, this is our livelihood, so you always constantly be remembered remembering him. And it was rainy. I was actually under the weather the entire day, but I was able to work with a couple kids that just called me at the last second, and I wasn't feeling too well. But back to what you said about mentioning your dad, I thought, what would my dad do if he was in this situation? And I went. So, because you know, sometimes you gotta help people that need help in last minute situations. And yeah, I mean it's it's difficult. Like again, today it's just it's you just saw something and it's just like it just brings you to tears, and it's okay to cry. And every father's day or the day he dies or his birthday, his mom and I share his my mom and him share the same birthday, so you have to think about that too on that day. So again, it's you're trying to do the things that mimic that he did were positive, and then try to not do the things that are negative that he did, but then you catch yourself doing some of the things that you disliked about him, and you're like, Oh, I'm doing it, specifically talking to certain people in certain ways. And but no, he he um he's shaped nearly everything about me, consciously or subconsciously.

SPEAKER_02 7:28

So yeah. And I would say, from my experience and from yours, that both of our fathers did a fantastic job.

SPEAKER_03 7:36

Yeah, I I actually I was lucky enough to meet your dad. My mom met your dad, he was a really nice guy. Every time I encountered him, and they always had a conversation on my mom and him, so I was really cool to meet him too.

Baseball Builds A Second Family

SPEAKER_03 7:48

And then also just on a side note, I I actually was gonna call you about this earlier, but I've decided to save it for now. I when I was I played tennis with your Jake for people that don't know Jake's.

SPEAKER_02 8:00

Jake took a six six one line. Tough day for Jake.

SPEAKER_03 8:04

Jake's is Dan's older brother, and I when I was playing with him, I just felt so fortunate. I was just looking across the net and I just like, wow, like to have a friend like this to just hit the ball around like stick going on six years now, and it's just it's just you know, you you just you know, and then we we went to we went to St. Elmo's, we're in Indianapolis, and it just when we were just sitting around, and I'm just it you know, you just this game has brought me tighter family than my actual blood, and I only have to thank my dad for that, for getting me in the game to allow me to experience that. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Well, I I know this. I met your dad. Yeah, and I still remember the first time I met him was at one of the games you were coaching, and he was literally sitting like under the stands in like the only shaded area. Yeah, and I kept looking at I was like, Who is this? And you're like, Oh, that's my dad. I was like, Oh, yeah, never met him, got to go meet him. It's great. I loved his seat choice, find your shade, stay cool, yeah. But I agree, man, it's it's baseball is a great game that like my best friend probably in the whole world is the guy who coaches down in Chatham that I played ball with in the Yankee organization that like just met him through playing ball, and I don't know, we just really connected, became really good friends, and keep in touch with. And every year we do a stupid challenge with each other that we call the impossible because it's never been done, and we've been doing it for I don't know, we're like seven or eight years now, where one of us every year has to call the other one every single day. But like the two of us find amusement out of it. Like you said, you just find people who really connect with, and and I don't know, you find passion and love and care for individuals who share the same passion and love you have. And I wouldn't I if my old man never would have just forced us to be hey, shut up, go grab a ball, go grab a bat, go outside, go play baseball, like who knows what would happen. So you have to be appreciative for all those things that they they did for you.

SPEAKER_03 10:21

Yeah. And I again, like, you're just in certain places, you look around and you just feel you just real feel real fortunate. I mean, you just you trust these people more than you trust your actual supposed to be family. You're like, wow.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

The positive is is my brother Jake is also like my number one. Yeah, and I get to spend time doing baseball and talking to him. But I get what you're saying. Like you're saying, I have three other brothers. My oldest one is definitely the one I'm closest with. I see him the most, but also connect and relate to him the most, and was fortunate enough to live with him for four years while I was playing ball and get to spend a lot of quality time, just the two of us when we were in our like early mid-20s. And it was awesome, it brought us closer together, and yes, very fortunate that I have someone who is of my own blood alongside with that.

SPEAKER_03 11:10

Mine's a clowns.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

No, come on. I saw Caleb in the dome today. Haven't seen the kid for a while. He's doing a great job.

SPEAKER_03 11:17

Dude's a clown.

SPEAKER_02 11:18

I see his text messages he sends all the kids. It sounds just like you. No, you're very similar.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

Impersonator. Impersonator.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

Hey, here's a good one because we gotta talk about the MPL.

Midwest Prospect League Takeaways

SPEAKER_03 11:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:30

Right? Segway a little bit. But really quick, happy Father's Day to all the dads who had it the other day. Hope you guys all had a good one. Let's talk a little bit indie. We were just out there for the Midwest Prospect League. Yes. Right? Talking to an umpire because I was on the field a lot with Jake. And when I when I'm out there with him, like I coach first base, I'll coach third. When I come to your games, I let you and Nikki C do your thing, and I can't get in the dugout with the boys. But I was talking to one of the umpires who apparently has a sparks hat he got from Hickey's dad, I guess, last year. So he was talking to me about the hats. He was commented how he liked mine. And then I asked him, I'm like, hey, you see that guy over there? He's like, Yeah, and I'm like, you know, he tells my brother. He's like, Yeah, I kind of had a feeling you two sound alike, you walk alike, you dress alike. I was like, You think we're twins? He goes, No, he's way older than you. I was like, Finally, finally, I don't have to listen to people say that we're twins anymore. That's just the socks. Well, it's the voice, it's the socks. I was here's a funny one. I was coaching one of Logan's Little League games, and a kid was on second base and he looks at me, he goes, You look like my gym teacher. So did you go to ideal? He goes, Yeah. I go, that's because your gym teacher's my brother. I took my hair, I pushed it back, he goes, Whoa, you really look like him now. This little kindergartner. I was like, that is awesome. He's like, Wait, so Mr. Brewer's your your brother? I was like, Yeah. I was like, look at the socks. He goes, he wears them too. It's like, who do you think I dress like, bud?

SPEAKER_03 13:10

Is that season over?

SPEAKER_02 13:11

Yep, all done. Well, now Little League All-Stars is starting. Ethan's all-stars don't start till July 8th. We do have a practice tomorrow, and then we'll practice probably again next week before 4th of July. Big news, Lily made the nine new All-Star team for herself. Really proud of her. She had her first practice today. I'd have missed it. I'll be at her practice tomorrow. But also, her b-ball team that she was on played in the championship game last week on Thursday, I believe it was that night I came back from Indy.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

She went two for three in the game with a double that turned into a home run because of an error, and then another legit drought double, and she drove in like three or four RBIs, killed it. What's she gonna play? What do you mean?

SPEAKER_03 13:57

Baseball or softball?

SPEAKER_02 13:59

Well, I think she'll stick with baseball as long as she can. I don't know if she'll ever venture into softball. She's more like she likes um, she really likes basketball. She loves soccer this year, which was great, and then she's getting into flag football.

SPEAKER_03 14:11

So um I don't hear I don't hear any sport with a racket here.

SPEAKER_02 14:15

Yeah. Well, her father's not the greatest racket sport player, so I can't say that I really sway that way.

SPEAKER_03 14:22

Pagula's father can't do nothing.

SPEAKER_02 14:25

Nothing.

SPEAKER_03 14:26

Besides write a check. Hey, hey, hey.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Yeah, well, you know, we're gonna go ahead and stick with those other ones for now. But let's talk a little bit of MPL. Yeah. I thought it was a great trip. It was really nice to see the 17-year-olds and 16-year-olds play. 17-year-olds played, lied out, went 5-0 on the weekend, kind of smashed some people up. It was pretty cool. Colin Doyle, who threw game five, big 6-6 righty, committed to Duke. I know he's been up to like 95-96 this year. He's a nice guy. He's a great kid, very respectful, very humble, polite as all could all hell. But three, four pro scouts at the game watching him. I told all the kids after after the game, I'm like, you guys have to understand that like having him be here is a win for all of you guys because he brings them to the park, you guys get to play in front of him. So like they're here, they're gonna watch the game, it's an opportunity for you guys. Like, that is, I think, the coolest thing about what we do when kids understand that like utilize everybody on the team as a resource. Like, anybody who can bring quality people to the yard because they're high-end baseball players is just a win for everybody. And I think that teams really bought into it and they're playing that way, and it was fun to watch. I know you guys finished what three and two. Three and two. We can't throw the ball over the plate. Time you should have been four and one. Yeah. The first game, Jimmy O'Connor threw a heck of a game. Yeah. Then the walks hit, and and some some bad stuff happened in the bottom of the sixth. Also, a very tough day to hit that day on the field you guys are on because the win was gale force straight in. But needless to say, there are positives. Definitely some negatives. We can hit the ball. You guys can play defense and you can hit the ball. Yeah. You do have to find a way to compete in the zone a little bit more. Doesn't matter how hard you throw, boys compete in the zone and make the dude swing the bat. But I think there's stuff to build on off that group. You got better this year than you were last year. Yes. And if you watch the progression that Jake's team has been on, they've gotten better every single year. And now you watch them this year. It's just the goal that, hey, every day, every year, we're always working to get better. So I thought from a baseball standpoint, it was great. I was happy we got all of our games in because there was some bad weather out there, so it was nice to be able to get all of our games in. But as you mentioned earlier,

St. Elmo’s Food And Traditions

SPEAKER_02 17:01

St.

SPEAKER_03 17:01

Almo's off the charts. I I was so happy to be there. I had this dry-aged ribeye. Tastes so good. Now this BLT salad, I could have just walked away with the BLT salad and been a happy guy. It was so good. I've never had a BLT salad before. I had it for the first time, made me get it again at a different restaurant the following day. It wasn't as good as St. Elmo's. Oh no, no, no. But the steak was great. The mashed potatoes. I haven't eaten all day, people. We're recording this at 11 o'clock at night. Mashed potatoes are so good. And then the cheesecake. I asked for milk with the cheesecake. Second time he said seven years. Seven years. He'll remember me.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

Seven years. Second time a glass of milk the man had ever had ordered.

SPEAKER_03 17:47

He found it. Of course they had milk. The guy was acting like they didn't have any milk. Well, I know you have milk back there.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

They have it. And the last person that probably ordered it was probably six years old, but that's okay.

SPEAKER_03 17:58

Well, we had that cheesecake.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

With the what'd you put on top? The raspberry? Raspberry. Oh, it was great. He was offered raspberry, caramel, or hot fudge. And we all sat there waiting for Josh to answer, and he went with the raspberry. And I thought it was a great choice. Some may have gone with the hot fudge because it sounded delicious. The raspberry on the cheesecake.

SPEAKER_03 18:22

Wah. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 18:26

It was a walk-off.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 18:27

Like it was basically a walk-off out of the restaurant.

SPEAKER_03 18:30

Easy.

SPEAKER_02 18:30

I will say this from the dinner. For those who have ever been to St. Elmos, the cocktail shrimp. Bring the heat. Watching Ethan take a bite of that still has me rolling over laughing.

SPEAKER_03 18:46

I had it three years ago. I nearly died. My throat closed up. It wasn't a good experience.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

Lord Puck wouldn't try it again. No. He quit.

SPEAKER_03 18:54

I just stood there and I ate. I ate the bread.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

The bread was good.

SPEAKER_03 18:58

Bread was awesome.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Everything was good. Didn't get an accident. Great dinner. Got rained on the city.

SPEAKER_03 19:04

Nearly got an accident again. That person coming around the corner hot in that track in that uh parking garage.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

They did. That one would have been me crown smashing my sunglasses, but that that car did come around hot.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

That was a funny day.

SPEAKER_02 19:23

It was. I will say that though. Whatever that place was we went that year was delicious. That was good too. I know. I, on the other hand, same almost went with the tuna. The crusted tuna. And but I also knew that I was gonna get my steak fixed off my child who's there who got himself a 12-ounce filet.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

And I was actually impressed that he ate probably 85% of it. He's a hungry boy. He was a hungry boy. Plus, he loves those dinners. He's always he's always talking. When do we get to go to dinner with Josh again? He always picks the best places. Love you, Ethan. I said, Well, he picks the best places because I allow him to pick the best place when we go to Indy.

SPEAKER_03 20:06

It happens once a year, man, and I look forward to it every year. It's tradition. All right. It is have a buy one, get one free off Fogo next time.

unknown 20:16

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 20:16

Not saying I want to.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

I can't wait for our alumni winter dinner again.

SPEAKER_03 20:22

December.

SPEAKER_02 20:22

That was great. So baseball, MPL, fantastic, another successful year. Next thing we gotta talk

Blow Pop Debate And Team Standards

SPEAKER_02 20:31

about. Okay, you mentioned this to me before we started the show tonight. Right? And and I gotta say, since seeing this video earlier today, I've been very bothered by this. Being for the fact that I played within this organization and I always felt there was a standard amongst this organization. And I feel like this particular player is not a great representation of it, but Jazz Chisholm with a blow pop in mouth mid-game has to be one of the most insulting things I've seen on a baseball field in a very long time. And I know some people are gonna hear it and disagree, so we're gonna agree. I've I've read things on it. I've read things online about it so far about what people are saying. It's not surprising to me because that is seems to be who that guy is. I just can't believe that the Yankee organization, for all their standards that they have, at least like I said, what they used to have in place for us all, I can't believe that that was allowed. And I don't know about this double down thing, so I'm interested to hear what you have to say. But what I can what what I have to say about this is kids. Don't ever do that. One, if you have to make a diving play, dangerous. Right? Two, it's just stupid. Like it's just it it's stupid. I remember playing against a kid who used to catch with a toothpick in, which I always thought was wild. I was like, dude, foul ball, that thing gets trapped or stuck. Like this that's idiotic. It's it's just not smart, man. It's a bad look. It's it's I don't know. I just I don't like anything about it.

SPEAKER_03 22:27

So yesterday he was playing with the blow pop in his mouth, had a conversation with Aaron Boone about it. Aaron, according to Jazz Chisholm, Aaron was more concerned about his safety, as you mentioned, and really didn't, I guess, address the core of why he goes, I don't think it's a bad look. I'm playing a kid's game and having fun, says Jazz Chisholm, and then doubled down on it today. It's a go-ahead two-run homer, and then as he's in the dugout, the camera's panning to him, he grabs all the bubblegum box and starts waving it in the camera. That's doubling down on it. And I just find it really ironic that he is wearing that jersey. And if George Steinbrenner was around.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Yeah, the boss wouldn't wouldn't tolerate that stuff.

SPEAKER_03 23:17

He'd be gone.

SPEAKER_02 23:18

He would have been he would have been traded. To be honest with you, he would have been traded whenever they picked him up and he started wearing all those colors.

SPEAKER_03 23:26

What I find funny is that if you remember a few years ago, do you remember who was really in his corner? Like promoting him.

SPEAKER_02 23:35

No.

SPEAKER_03 23:36

He was an owner of the Marlins, I believe, at the time. I don't know if he still is.

SPEAKER_02 23:39

Oh, Jeter?

SPEAKER_03 23:41

Yeah. And I just find it like the the total the total opposite. I again, I the man who literally represents you think of that jersey, you think of that guy. And then now you think now you think of this guy for all the wrong reasons.

SPEAKER_02 23:58

Yeah, like I said, the standards they used to put in place, it's the polar opposite of everything. That's why I think they don't win. I don't I I don't disagree with you. I don't like the fact that his response was, Oh, I'm playing a kid's game and I'm just having fun. Like, get it, but that's just like that's stupid. That's just doing stupid, arrogant stuff because you just want to be an idiot. Like, I I don't like anything about it. I feel like if I was a teammate and I had a guy out there doing something like that, like I'd have had a lot of issues with it. I probably would have said something.

SPEAKER_03 24:30

Do they here's the thing if the manager was really respected, do I think is that guy really running out there like that?

SPEAKER_02 24:38

No. But managers in the big leagues don't really manage. There are certain guys. There's very there's very few who actually have control of teams. I mean, dude, look at Raphael Devers. He well, that's he he looked he looked in his dugout and gave no no no to the manager who was trying to pinch run, which by the way, the ninth inning, you're down by one run, you have zero stolen bases, and you're a slop. Why do you think you wouldn't get pinch ran for you're not scoring on a double? Or like if he if they're not scoring a triple. If they hit a ball in the gap, is he scoring on a double? You get thrown out on a triple. Is he stealing a base? No. Are you getting to second base on a borderline dirt ball? No. So why would we keep you in the game in a one-run game? Like that, that another thing. And I said this to somebody the other day because I forget who we're who I was talking to. They were talking about the Giants and Fatello and things going on there. I said he won't ever be able to win there until Raphael Devers is gone. That's why Red Sox got rid of him. As soon as they picked up Braggman, he complained third baseman. You're not a third baseman, dude. You're a DH first baseman who can hit when you decide to actually stay on the ball and not swing out of your shoes every single swing. But like he hasn't hit in a while. I mean, he's hitting 230 right now. Like, you're hitting 230, you have no bags, you don't score runs, like, and you're telling the manager not to run for you, like defensive liability as well. Defensive liability. Like, I did the whole thing was like, just shut up and go sit in the dugout. But it's like between that and Jazz with a blow pop in his mouth, I'm like, some of these guys are making way too much money to be very average baseball players. Those guys aren't even as good as they think they are, or they're paid to be. They they really aren't. Like, I I'm convinced there's many, many guys in the minor leagues who would play the game a lot harder than them that could put up the exact same numbers as them.

SPEAKER_03 26:44

It's not hard to put up the exact same numbers.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

I could have hit 230 in the big leagues. I could I could have done that.

SPEAKER_03 26:53

For a lot less money.

SPEAKER_02 26:54

For a lot less money, I probably would have played a lot harder.

SPEAKER_03 26:57

Yeah. It's just it's it's amazing. What happened to the utility white guy? The DH? Like Chris Coglin.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

I was I was like, Yeah, but the D once okay.

Old School Pace And The DH

SPEAKER_02 27:07

When I was still playing, the pitchers still hit. So when they got to double A, if you played National League, National League. So when I got traded the Braves, it was it was wild. So when you play NLNO, pitchers would hit. What happened to those guys that you're saying is that utility guy, the double switch guy, the you know, infielder, outfield. Like the guy who could do everything was a baseball player. The national DH across the board took that guy out of the game. Because the there became no use for him anymore because that guy was a National League player. There were dudes who are better suited to play National League Baseball than there were to play American League Baseball. Like I would say that this I was more of a National League type baseball player. I hit and ran, I could bunt, I could do double switches, I could play infield, I could play outfield, like I could be in fourth outfield on a team, but be a very good situational guy. Like those guys made long careers back then because, well, your pitcher would come out after the fifth or sixth inning because it's like stop, we don't want you to get your third or bat. Now they just have their donkeys who swing the bat.

SPEAKER_03 28:13

I was watching on Roku TV. There's a weird MOB channel. They play all the classic games. I was watching Ken Griffey's 500th home run game, just a different type of ball. It was the Reds and the Cardinals. Seeing Scott Rowland. Scott Rowland. Was it Edgar Rentaria? Edwards. Edgar Rentaria. Pool Holse, Mike Matiti behind the plate. And then the Reds had all these other clowns. Just a different thing. Jim Edmonds in center? Yeah, a lighter Jim Edmonds. Not as fast.

SPEAKER_02 28:42

With a hose. Jim Edmonds, when he was young, was a dude. Had a hose. He was one of the best center fielders playing the game of base. That Cardinal team when Pool Holse was young and Edmonds was young and Scott Rowan. They were an electric team to watch.

SPEAKER_03 28:59

Oh, I he threw one. I was like, whoa. And I watched about five innings of that game. I was just watching the catching. Totally different presentation. They were just worried about catching the ball. Yep. Rather than presenting the ball. Yep. Blocking the ball. And then pitchers working with high pace. Yep. Totally different brand of ball. You didn't need a pitch clock then.

SPEAKER_02 29:20

No. Because it was grab and go. Correct. They pitched at a pitch clock.

unknown 29:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

Because their pace was to make people uncomfortable. And then the steroids are hit. The pace slowed down because it came more about the hitting and the balls and launch and all this stuff. And then it became a very, as you say, entertainment. The money started really taking over. And then it became the whole, well, do all my stuff as I get in the box. I'm going to have my old persona, and the pitchers are going to have their old thing, and it's going to we're going to slow the pace down because we're going to make it about us. And then MLB was like, we're going to try to speed it back up. We're going to try to bring old school, but not really bring old school. And the way we teach it, which is crazy, Jake and I were talking about this. There's a pitcher on our 17-year-old team that pitches just like Max Kaplan. Max Haplan's just finished the sophomore year at South Carolina Upstate. When Max Kaplan was a sophomore in high school, he was not a division one pitcher until we taught him you don't get to throw the ball every 30 seconds. You get the ball and you throw that ball as quick to home plate as you can and make everybody uncomfortable. And that's what made Max Kaplan a division one pitcher and why he's having so much success pitching in college.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

Disrupting timing. Correct. Whatever way necessary.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

I get on my team about it all the time. We'll do a pickoff, and then the first baseman throws it back nice and slow to my pitcher, and then the catcher's standing up. I'm like, you should be set giving a sign already. Like, as soon as that pitcher gets on the rubber, like give him a sign. The guys in the backs, he doesn't have a leadoff. Like, that's what you want. Because you make a quick pitch, get a bad swing, ground ball, double play, bam.

SPEAKER_03 31:07

Yes. It's real simple.

SPEAKER_02 31:10

It is when you study this game and love this game and have passion for the game. And you know what's fun? Is when the kids start to learn that and play like that. That's when you start being like, ah, all my crazy antics and hostility towards them is starting to pay off. You guys

All Stars, Tryouts, And Coaching Load

SPEAKER_02 31:30

get it. Only have one more week. One more weekend.

SPEAKER_03 31:33

What are you gonna do with all this free time?

SPEAKER_02 31:35

Well, there's no Santa Claus doesn't give breaks, Joshua. There's all my weekends. There's all-star teams to coach now.

SPEAKER_03 31:44

Oh, you coach an all-star team?

SPEAKER_02 31:45

I coach Ethan's 11-year-old all-star team, and I'm going to I was asked if I could help coach the Lily's nine-year-old team, and I told the guy I would coach or help out as much as I could when I'm available.

SPEAKER_03 31:57

Next year are we potentially seeing you on the Little League World Series?

SPEAKER_02 32:01

Next year would be the year that if my team somehow can win districts and win state and win regionals, then yes, we could potentially make the Little League World Series. But if you want my honest answer of like likelihood to make that, you know, if a couple kids decide to move into our district and change my team, then I would tell you, like, hey, yeah, sure, we have a good chance. But our district's pretty good. Our our sectional is pretty good. We'd have to play some good ball to get out of it.

SPEAKER_03 32:35

I think you can't. I'm putting it out there right now.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

I would love to. Yeah. When I was a kid, we had we made the run as we talked earlier on our episodes, and you know, Jake almost, you know, beat up a baseball ex-major league baseball player, but whatever. So, but yeah, to your point, what's coming? Season's gonna finish here, and tryout season's coming. Yeah, to be honest with you, it technically already started this week. I had to do some semi-private tryouts yesterday and today.

SPEAKER_01 33:03

What?

SPEAKER_02 33:04

Yeah, you know, the people who can't make the actual tryout that need to have their private tryouts that I always am like, fine, I'll just stack like three or four kids, and it'll take me 40 minutes to get through it with them all and knock it out.

SPEAKER_03 33:18

I think the first one's next week, the official one.

SPEAKER_02 33:20

June 30th is the 12U, and July 1st is baby baby. Let's go. Seven and eight U tryouts.

SPEAKER_03 33:29

Oh, I think I'm coaching the 7U team next year.

SPEAKER_02 33:31

You're coming to coach the 7U?

SPEAKER_03 33:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:33

Better watch out. They got a pretty good coach already. Ooh. This guy. Oh, I thought I was you. Oh, you want the team? Yeah. Listen, you get Logan to listen to you, dude. You are a miracle worker. Love

Dogs, Raccoons, And Backyard Wars

SPEAKER_02 33:50

that kid. He is a great kid. I took him fishing today. Oh, where at? Uh, just a pond that's like two minutes away from the house. We caught about 30 bluegill between me and him and Louie.

SPEAKER_03 34:01

With a stick? Awesome. Tie a string to a stick and throw that away.

SPEAKER_02 34:04

With a pole and a bobber and some worms.

unknown 34:08

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 34:08

Was proud of Logan. He was able to get the worm on his own hook today. He still can't get the fish off the hook yet, but he will huck and chuck him.

SPEAKER_03 34:17

Speaking of animals, my dog ate a possum the other day.

SPEAKER_02 34:21

Are you referring to Logan as an animal or the fish? The fish. I'm thinking of fish as an animal.

SPEAKER_03 34:28

A fish is an animal. Look this up right now. I don't know if he's a fish. An animal. Let's see.

SPEAKER_02 34:38

What's the old Google button say?

SPEAKER_03 34:40

Yes. Fish or animals. Scientifically classified with the kingdom. An Amelia.

SPEAKER_02 34:50

All right, go on.

SPEAKER_03 34:51

No. So this was Saturday night. I wasn't home all day.

SPEAKER_02 34:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 35:00

I hadn't eaten. So I make myself some eggs.

SPEAKER_02 35:03

Great choice.

SPEAKER_03 35:04

Actually, this is Friday night, sorry. I make myself some eggs with some toasted honey. And I get my honey free now because my girlfriend's mother lives right next to a person that keeps their own hive. Boom. And so they just give me honey. Do you know how much money you're saving? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:25

That's a big win.

SPEAKER_03 35:26

I know, yeah. So anyway, I'm really excited for this. I get a phone call, gotta go to the other room, and then I hear I walk back in. My plate's completely gone. This dumb dog jumped on the kitchen table and ate my plate completely clean. And then the next day, the Lord's trying to do some justice and get this possum to get him. What he gets the possum to. Some would say it was your own fault. Dog crossed the line.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

You left it too close for him.

SPEAKER_03 36:04

He had to jump on the table.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

It smelled good.

SPEAKER_03 36:09

I wanted to throw that dog into a river.

SPEAKER_02 36:11

Well, I fully understand. I get it. But some would some would argue that it was your own fault.

SPEAKER_03 36:16

And then the poor possum had to get it too? He was hungry. After the stay after the eggs and the toast.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

Yeah. You coated them up with the honey and egg.

SPEAKER_03 36:28

I was rotting the house the other day, the sink and the toilets. Yeah. You know, cleaning it all up. I gotcha. And I had to go down to the crawl space. Crawl spaces. I I discovered we have two. Oh found a rat in the other one.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

He was dead. That'll happen. How the hell did he get in there?

SPEAKER_02 36:49

I don't know. I found a dead mouse in my garage the other day. I see chipmunks around here. I hate chipmunks. What? They just they they're nuisance. They're a nuisance. The raccoon that's been living in my tree in my backyard, I haven't seen him since I got back from Indy. He used to be out there every morning just chilling up top. I I haven't seen him. I'm kind of hoping he disappeared and went somewhere else.

SPEAKER_01 37:13

Why?

SPEAKER_02 37:15

Rather not a raccoon living in my tree in my backyard. Cute. I think we have a difference of opinions on that. Can't say that I would look at a raccoon be like, oh, so cute.

SPEAKER_03 37:30

If he came walking down these stairs right now, what would your reaction be?

SPEAKER_02 37:33

I'd go get my red rider BB gun and put one right in his eyes. If you want my highest opinion. And I know my man, John Allison, who's listening, he's gonna laugh when he hears it because I know he'd do the same thing. He'd eat it. John, hey, I know you're on your shift right now, brother. I know you're you're hucking and chucking and you're getting after, dude. Love you, my man. You're a good man. You're a good dude. But I know how you feel about raccoons, too.

SPEAKER_03 38:03

He hates raccoons too?

SPEAKER_02 38:05

Nah, he just pelts him with his red rider. The red rider doesn't have enough juice to get him, but like, man, it really it's it's funny. You put one through their eyes and the You've tried it? I've done it.

SPEAKER_03 38:17

You've hit a raccoon in the middle of the ice.

SPEAKER_02 38:20

Oh, I squared him up a few times in his face already.

SPEAKER_03 38:22

That thing's got Oh, so you've shot at this thing already. Maybe that's why he's gone.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:28

Maybe he's eating Rocky's cookies.

SPEAKER_02 38:30

I'm contemplating going to get my neighbor's like crack barrel pellet gun to really put a pellet in this thing and see what happens. So why don't you just go?

SPEAKER_03 38:38

How'd you feel about possums?

SPEAKER_02 38:42

I don't know. Those things, they're cowards. Oh, deer. Love deer. There was a huge one in my backyard yesterday.

SPEAKER_03 38:48

You'd shoot him with the Red Rider? Never. Get some venison. Why would you do that? Eat. Yeah, but that that come on, man. We want to kill a raccoon, but the actual thing that we can eat.

SPEAKER_02 39:01

Deer doesn't live in my tree.

SPEAKER_03 39:03

He lives in your yard.

SPEAKER_02 39:04

It's not burrowing holes and making it all what am I trying to say? Hollow? It's not hollowing out my tree. That's what that thing's doing. It's hollowing out my tree. Cut it out. It's gonna go timbron to my house. I don't want that. That's a lot of money. You know? You're ruining my backyard. Lily wants me to build a tree house? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:31

Imagine how many coons would be in there. Start throwing some hot dogs out there.

SPEAKER_02 39:37

None because they're gonna get shot with the pelican and they're gonna go bye-bye.

SPEAKER_03 39:40

So yeah, there buster.

SPEAKER_02 39:46

What are you doing? I'm hunting wabbits. My sister-in-law said she's gonna get me uh, you know, one of the hats. Yeah. What do you always have? Johnny Apple seeds.

SPEAKER_03 39:59

Paul Bunyan, a Paul Bunyan, a hat.

SPEAKER_02 40:00

Not a Paul Bunyan hat, but you know what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 40:03

Davy Crockett.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

Nailed it. Little Davy Crockett. Davy Crockett. You're looking for a birthday present for the big man. Birthday's about it.

SPEAKER_03 40:10

I need a smoky bear hat. Smokey. You have one. You sent me a picture of it. It didn't fit me. I had to force that thing out of my head.

SPEAKER_01 40:16

Smokey dumb bear. Smokey dumb bear. I might find one down there. Smokey the bear. Only you can prevent forest fires.

SPEAKER_02 40:26

True. Speaking of forest fires, you know what we need to talk

Sponsor Shoutouts And Local Spots

SPEAKER_02 40:30

about? Caliburn bats. Oh. Your boys are going down to Georgia. And if they haven't called Don to get their bat, idiots. They're idiots. Great bat.

SPEAKER_03 40:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 40:41

Good man. Gotta go see Don. Don and Caliburn Bats. We appreciate the sponsor. We love Caliburn bats. We'd love Don. I was texting with Don the other day. Sent my condolences to him as he lost his father. I'm sure Father's Day was a tough one for him. But I gotta tell you, if you guys need wood bats, there's only one man to go see. Donnie E. Donnie E, man, you gotta get over to Caliburn Bats in Downers Grove and go see our guy. Tell him the good man sent you. All right, see what he can do for you. And if you ever need your glove relaced, you know where to go.

SPEAKER_03 41:15

Yes, that's who. Donnie does it all.

SPEAKER_02 41:18

Does it all. So, first thing we're gonna talk

Omaha Trip And CWS Atmosphere

SPEAKER_02 41:21

about. All right, for those who don't know, we were down. I was down in Omaha. We talked about Omaha last time we were on the show because we were leaving before that. Great trip. Highly recommend. Okay. And no, it's not because we won the tournament. I was gonna ask that. Which we did. It was awesome. Boys played some of the best baseball. I've watched them play the whole whole year. Went 6-0 down there, beat teams from Texas, North or from Carolina, was it Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska. So it's cool. We played a bunch of people from different states. I'll tell you what though, that college world series atmosphere. Electric.

SPEAKER_03 42:00

How many games did you go to?

SPEAKER_02 42:02

I only went to one. But walking around that area and just the vibe, the fan, the fan fest, everything they have going on there. Like, it's if if you really enjoy baseball, it's a baseball dreamland. Besides the fact that like your wallet's gonna take a hit. I let every one of my kids pick out one thing. That's why I told them you can get one thing. Lily picked out an awesome hat. The best hat. She's got good taste. But it was cool, man. It's a really cool experience. The field's awesome. I was fortunate enough because one of my assistant coaches played ball at Creighton, and then his wife played volleyball at Creighton that we got to go do a tour of all the facilities. They have a brand new, it's kind of crazy. They built a brand new softball stadium and baseball field on campus, but the field is only for practices for them and also for the College World Series teams to practice on. I guess the town built the field, but it's crazy. It's a brand new altar field, like beautiful underground dugouts, a little bit of stadium seating, not much, not as much as a softball, but I'm like, it's an awesome field that they should be able to play on, and they can only practice on it. But the athletes get treated ridiculous down there. I mean, they walk around like they're god. Some of these kids, as we were walking around or scooting around on those scooter things, just doing stupid stuff, but like whatever. Like I said, the tents, the vent itself, highly recommend it. If you've never been to the College World Series, I finally got to check that one off my bucket list. I give it an A. What's next? What do you mean, what's next?

SPEAKER_03 43:46

What bucket list sporting event do you need to attend?

SPEAKER_02 43:52

Sporting event?

SPEAKER_03 43:54

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 43:55

I mean, I've always wanted to go to a World Series game, but I would rather do that when it's the White Sox. So I guess I have to wait for that. Got a shot this year. Just saying. First place. Beat the Indians again or Guardians. Whatever. Not hard to do these days. Hey, I'll tell you this. Yeah. I couldn't tell you the last time that I felt like the White Sox actually beat teams in our division, though, no matter how good or bad they were. We have always had issues beating teams in our division.

SPEAKER_03 44:28

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 44:28

And I don't think the Sox are having issues right now. Just got Kyle Teal back. Teams looking good. They're healthy. They're good. They got a good vibe going. A lot of positives, Josh. I'm not letting your negativity take me over. I don't care how bad the White Sox. I don't care how bad our division is.

SPEAKER_03 44:47

I like the White Sox.

SPEAKER_02 44:48

They're beating the teams they're supposed to beat and they're competing even on the road with teams that are better. We went into New York. We took a lump in the first game, but we held our own the other ones. We took another we took one from them. And I believe that we can play with those teams. I agree. And I think the kids on the team feel the same way.

White Sox Optimism And Watching Plans

SPEAKER_02 45:07

I agree. It's fun to watch. I agree.

SPEAKER_03 45:09

So I need your password again.

SPEAKER_02 45:11

I get. Oh. My Comcast Sports. Not I got you. I was like, I'm trying to think. I'm like, I have your MLB password. We share passwords. Yes. But friends do.

SPEAKER_01 45:24

Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 45:25

But I would say this the Omaha experience was great. It was funny. We did have some storms roll through, and I'm like, I have no idea how they're going to get these games in.

SPEAKER_03 45:35

You didn't send me a picture.

SPEAKER_02 45:37

I didn't go see it. Oh. But I assumed I'm like, if they got these fields ready, there's only one way they could have got them. They lit them on fire. Yes. But it was great, dude. It was a cool experience. Thankfully, my family and I, we drove down on Wednesday. Thursday was when we had nasty storms roll through here, and it rolled straight through the middle of Iowa. So a lot of people who were supposed to fly out on Thursday got canceled, and then they had to drive, and they literally had to drive straight through the storms.

SPEAKER_03 46:04

I didn't have power for four days.

SPEAKER_02 46:06

I heard. We lost it for a little bit here. My neighbors, good man, morrow man, love that guy. Came over, checked my basement, made sure no flooding, no flooding. We were good. We lost power for like an hour and then we were back in action.

SPEAKER_03 46:18

Oh, I would have house set for you.

SPEAKER_02 46:20

We're good. You didn't have to come do that. Although if you came out, if you came in, I would sleep in this basement. If you came and house sat, you'd be in heaven because you could just go play tennis at Pleasantdale, which is five.

SPEAKER_03 46:34

And I'd stay in this basement and sleep. So quiet.

SPEAKER_02 46:40

That's gonna have like a like a big like underpart that lays out. I'm excited.

SPEAKER_03 46:47

This basement's quiet. It is quiet. I know.

SPEAKER_02 46:51

It's a great basement. I know. Could you imagine right here if we just put like a steam room right there? The game changer. I'd live

Cars, Trucks, And Midlife Promises

SPEAKER_02 47:00

in that. That's that we were hanging out with our neighbors the other day, and we were talking, and one of my neighbors is getting a dog, and they're like, Will you guys ever get a dog? I'm like, Yeah. The moment my kids all go to college, I will have an English bulldog named Gambit, and I will have a sa I will have a steam room in my basement. And Amy looked at me and she's like, Why? I was like, and I will tell you it's because I'm having a midlife crisis, and I don't care what you have to say off of that.

SPEAKER_03 47:26

Well, you've predicted it already, so it's not a midlife crisis.

SPEAKER_02 47:28

Well, I've already talked it into existence. It's not, it's not, it's what's going to happen. I'm telling you, I will have an English Bulldog when my kids all go to college. I will have 10 years. An English bulldog named Gambit with a steam room in my basement.

SPEAKER_03 47:43

What about the car?

SPEAKER_02 47:44

What a car?

SPEAKER_03 47:45

Like you have to complete the whole thing.

SPEAKER_02 47:47

Well, no, that's my car. Old trusty blue is she's running on on her last couple legs here. What do we have? 200 or 300. She's like a cat, though. She's got nine lives, and she just keeps on ticking. Her little rumbly, but it's okay.

SPEAKER_03 48:02

200 or 300.

SPEAKER_02 48:04

Well, we're at 162. That's it? I know. We still got 30 left. Minimal. Yeah. We got one more year in her. We're good.

SPEAKER_03 48:13

What do you average a year?

SPEAKER_02 48:15

Too many.

SPEAKER_03 48:16

I average 24.

SPEAKER_02 48:18

I'm I'm around there.

SPEAKER_03 48:20

Yeah. It's ridiculous. Ghost takes a beat.

SPEAKER_02 48:24

Yeah. But that's what yours. The Broncos name Ghost. You always gotta name your car.

unknown 48:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:29

How many cars have you had?

SPEAKER_03 48:30

Well, my first car ever. I was actually talking about this because all my kids are getting their license now. So I was talking about the first cars. I my first car was a Chevy Astro. Solid. I had it for a little bit, but then I drove a 1988 Chrysler New Yorker.

SPEAKER_02 48:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 48:48

I rem well the gear shift was so sketch on that thing. So I accidentally, as I was driving going forward with my dad, I I remember I accidentally like nudged it with my elbow as I literally tapped the like I it went into reverse.

SPEAKER_02 49:09

I never drove, I never learned to drive stick. But I was in the car multiple times with my brothers who drove stick.

SPEAKER_01 49:16

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 49:16

Jake was pretty good at it. My second brother, Timmy. Not so much. I will say this real quick and then I'll let you finish. But big shout out to my brother Timmy. It's his birthday today.

SPEAKER_01 49:26

Happy birthday.

SPEAKER_02 49:26

Gave him a call. I go, man, you're old. He goes, That's the first thing you're gonna say to me. I was like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:33

So the car went in reverse for one second. It was sketchy.

SPEAKER_02 49:37

It happens. The 88s were tough.

SPEAKER_03 49:39

I had a Honda Fit. That's three. Now with the Honda Fit, it was so light of a car that when the wind blew on the expressway, I thought I was going away. It was so scary. So then I upgraded to the Honda Accord. And I had that for a very long time. I ran that thing to 200,000, and then I remember it hit some black ice and it went into the it was gone. She gone. And then I had the Bronco Sport and then the Bronco.

SPEAKER_02 50:09

I like it.

SPEAKER_03 50:10

So started with the Astro, Chrysler, fit accord, Bronco. We'll never go back after the Bronco.

SPEAKER_02 50:19

Oh, you're you're a Bronco for life.

SPEAKER_03 50:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 50:21

You are a Bronco for life.

SPEAKER_03 50:23

No, not that type of bronco. I know.

SPEAKER_02 50:25

I know you're a Bronco car for life. Yes. It's like this. Once I get rid of my car, I'm getting a truck, and I don't think I'll ever get another car.

SPEAKER_03 50:34

A truck.

SPEAKER_02 50:36

I really like the Silverado.

SPEAKER_03 50:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 50:41

Or the F-150.

SPEAKER_01 50:43

Go with the F-150. Well. Electric. No. No, no, no. No.

SPEAKER_02 50:51

I I don't I don't know. When I get to that point, I'll make that decision. The guy I've been buying cars from for a while, I really like, and he takes care of me, and they're a GMC dealership, so it's harder to get the F-150s, but sometimes he does stumble upon some. But the wild thing is like one of my good family friends who I always bring my car to works at a Packy Web, which is all Ford. So like I'd probably be better off just buying an F-150 because I can bring it to him, but uh we'll see what happens. But I did have to bring my car in to get checked out, and he always lets like just lets me take a car. And it's funny, I got a Ford Maverick, which is not a truck.

SPEAKER_03 51:36

It's Jake's car.

SPEAKER_02 51:37

No, he's got a Ranger, which is like just above a Maverick. The Maverick's a smaller one, but like driving that thing around was like, this is not a truck. It's nice, not a truck.

SPEAKER_03 51:48

What is it?

SPEAKER_02 51:49

It's a fake truck. It like looks like a truck, but it's not a truck.

SPEAKER_01 51:53

Imposter syndrome.

SPEAKER_02 51:55

Yeah, it's like, hey, we made a little baby truck and you want a little baby truck, you drive your baby truck. It's a very Midwest. I would tell you this, it's a very Midwest truck. If you drove that truck down to Texas, the Texas people look at you and be like, hey dude, get off the road. Like that's a that's a fake.

SPEAKER_03 52:12

Texas Roadhouse.

SPEAKER_02 52:13

You don't belong on the road, son.

SPEAKER_03 52:16

I need Texas Roadhouse. Maybe tomorrow.

SPEAKER_02 52:19

That'd be good. No, you're going to Waffle House tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03 52:22

That's in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 52:22

Cut out.

SPEAKER_03 52:23

In the morning. So I think it's time to go to a couple brew. Brought to you by Newman's Corner Pub. We gotta go in the next couple months. Here, see my guy Jeff Naraki. For all your gambling food, beverage, and overall social needs, head on down to Newman's Corner Pub, located out in the western suburbs in Hampshire. Beautiful. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 52:47

And if you get to the fall and you're looking to go apple picking, great apple picking out that way.

SPEAKER_03 52:53

Just reminding me, I'm back in that now.

SPEAKER_02 52:55

Just say, oh, you need to go apple picking. I'm back. I love apple picking. I'm

Favorite Dad Baseball Stories

SPEAKER_02 53:01

back. It's great. Kids love it. Eat some apples. So in the honor of Father's Day, okay, Lord Puck and I were sitting here before the show started, and we were talking, and I was asking him for some input on you know topics for a cup of brew, and he said, favorite father story. And I said, that's a great idea because being that it's a Father's Day episode, my father was a big influence of me in my baseball career. I thought I would share my two favorite baseball stories of my dad. And I'm going to tell you before I share them that they are very polar opposite, and definitely at way different times of my career. Right? The first one, which is kind of funny now that I'm bringing up, my dad coached me when I played Little League All-Stars. When I was 11, same age as my son right now, Ethan. I played on the 12U All-Star team that we've talked about, made a run at almost making the World Series. Well, anyways, in the state tournament that year, there was only one home run hit the entire tournament. Happened to come from probably arguably the smallest kid at the tournament, which was me. I took some like 6'4 pitcher dead center. I'd never hit a home run over a fence. I hit it. Definitely wasn't a full-on sprint because I thought it was just over the center fielder's head. And I'll never forget to this day, dude, it flew over the fence in my dad's face of pure joy and jumping up and down as I was rounding the bases and coming around third base, and he drops to a knee because I'm, I don't know, four foot four probably. Giving me a high five and just the father-son moment of your first ever home run and just the cool experience of it, like has always just sat with me. So that's the first one. Now the second one, I will say I also shared this memory at his memorial. When I was playing my first professional year in Staten Island after getting drafted, my dad, my stepmom, my uncle and my aunt decided to come out and visit. So they kind of segregated up there. My dad, when he would show up to baseball games at this point of my career and just in his life, definitely partook in a few adult beverages. And I'll never forget, I was sitting in the dugout, it was late in the game, it was probably the seventh or eighth inning, and the YMCA was jamming on the you know speaker, and and people in the crowd and our sponsored people are trying to get everybody up and going or whatever. And all of a sudden I'm sitting in the dugout, and some kid goes, yo, dude, you gotta check out this dude doing the YMCA on the dugout. And like as soon as he said it, I was like, Oh, you know, like I have a bad feeling who I know who this is. And I remember popping my head up outside the dugout, and lo and behold, there's my old man on the dugout, not supposed to be jamming the YMCA, stumbling all over the place. And our lady who did all like the MC and all the whatever, like she's yelling, sir, sir, get off the dugout. And he's he can't hear. He's oblivious. And I remember turning and I popped my head up, I go, Dad! He looks down, I go, get the off the dugout. Oh, oh, like you just yelled at your child, and he scurries off the dugout and wanders up to his seat and looked at the lady. I was like, please don't kick him out, like he's fine, he won't go back up there. And she's like, Okay, and like she went away, and the kids were all like, There's your old man. I was like, Yeah, and they're like, That's great. I was like, Well, to find great, amusing, looking back at it after the game. I went up to him, I'm like, I'm gonna kill you. Like, what's the matter with you? You can't do that stuff. But it was just one of those moments where, like, you know, before it, before I even popped my head up to look, you were just like, I know who that is. I could I can sense it, I can feel it. But he, you know, my dad was as stupid as that stuff is, like, he was so proud of me. I could always feel that every time he came to watch me and when he coached me, like he was so proud of the things I did and the things I accomplished, and for that I'll I'll forever be grateful for everything he did for me.

SPEAKER_01 57:47

Those are good stories.

SPEAKER_02 57:49

Thanks, man. I I was able, I'll say this. I was able to share that story a lot better than I was able to share the Davis Memorial. Like I always think back to when I was saying that, and I'm like, I don't even know. When I finished, I was like, I don't know if anybody heard a word I just said. I said, I know what I said, but I can't tell you that anybody heard the words that came out of my mouth. So that is in honor of my father, as he called himself True Brew, as he would tell you, because he's the truest brew of them all, hence why his nickname became True Brew. That is my my honor and salute to my dad and and my love for him of my baseball story. So for anybody who plays and has played and has your dad in your back, dude, just just understand they they they want the best for you. And and and it's great, man. Yeah.

Georgia Prep And Tournament Mindset

SPEAKER_02 58:51

So one last thing to talk about tonight. Yeah. Big trip tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03 58:55

Yeah, we're off on Southwest Airlines. If you want to come say hi to me at the airport before I go off.

SPEAKER_02 59:00

9 30.

SPEAKER_03 59:01

I'll be up midway at 9 30. Yeah, we we got a big trip. We gotta throw the ball a lot better. We gotta continue to hit the way we've been hitting with wood bats, kind of changes the algorithm a little bit, but gotta plug in a couple more numbers, gotta, you know, overcome a couple things.

SPEAKER_02 59:18

What are you doing to prepare for the heat?

SPEAKER_03 59:20

I told the boys that they gotta start drinking water yesterday, literally yesterday. The only way it is a different type of humidity down there than we're used to. It gets humid here, but that's an oppressive humidity. Like it is top of you down there. And we are playing late games. Our first game's at 10 o'clock Eastern time, 9 o'clock here. They already have a people, a couple of people already complaining and rumbling about it. So again, you just got to face the reality of the situation and understand that you got to prepare your body for this days in advance. And I got that off from tennis. Like you see guys cramping, and more times than not, every commentator is usually talking about what was your hydration like days before the tournament, not the tournament. So that's what we got to do. They got to eat well. I'm hoping that they do that. But in terms of hydration, we're gonna have that covered, and hopefully we pitch the ball better than we pitched last week.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:17

What about the competition? What's your outlook at the competition?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:22

You you see some things, and uh usually the best of not the best of the best are gonna be there, but decent amount, a good turnout's gonna come out. And but that's why we've talked about this before. We are a Nash national program because we compete with national teams at this level at a high clip, and I expect us to do that again. It's just that we gotta, again, it comes down to we gotta literally throw the ball over the plate a lot better than what we've been doing.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:48

All right, give me the pool play prediction. Five games. What are we doing?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:55

If we again, if we throw the ball over the plate, we should win every game. I mean, again, it that's we should have won every game last weekend. We had a lead in every game. True. We've had a lead in every game we've played so far this summer. True. And again, we are never out of a game. And it's we just gotta throw the ball over the plate, and that's pretty much it. And sometimes it's some I mean you can talk to this, it's sometimes helpless as a coach because you're sitting there and you can't do anything about it. Like you can do everything else in preparation for this, that, and that. But if that guy doesn't want to throw it over the plate, and you're like, all right, change another one. What if the next guy doesn't do it either? And that happened to me a couple times. The next guy doesn't want to do it. I thought once. What if the third guy doesn't want to do it? That's happened to me too also. And then you're like, okay, like, and then by that time it's too late. It's too late. And and then you try to get creative. You're like, okay, when should I throw this guy? When should I throw that guy? And what matchup this that way? But you know, if that guy don't want to have it or do it, it's you know, that's the reality of the situation. But we're gonna be better because we can't possibly be that bad again. It's only up from here. You're ready. Yeah, I can feel it, and uh I can sense it. I this is my favorite tournament provider and location by far. I feel at home down there.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:16

You got the first three games at Lake Point?

SPEAKER_03 1:02:18

Yeah, every every time. My Georgia record is way above 500. Good. I feel comfortable down there. I love it down there. I've always I've told you this. If I were to move out of here, I didn't move there. I just love it down there.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:31

So I expect I saw you at practice today, rallying the troops yesterday. Yesterday. Yeah. Yeah, that was yesterday.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:38

Today we were supposed to go outside, but we had people ready leaving.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:40

And uh you had it. So the troops are rallying, they're ready to go. Yeah, and we're ready, we're ready.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:46

And I I thoroughly believe we're ready, and uh we're gonna do well.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:50

Listen, spitting out the rotation tomorrow. Yeah, gotta get it out for the college guys. Um, I'll keep be keeping my eyes on them, man. I'm looking forward to it. I know I know you boys are gonna be out there playing, so yeah. I'm ready for it. I know you are ready for it.

Final Thanks And Sendoff

SPEAKER_02 1:03:05

Um great show. Good to sit, good to good. I'm glad we got to sit down. Yes. Uh always nice to sit down and talk, catch up. Next time's tryout season. I know we talk a lot, but yeah, next next show we'll probably be talking a little bit more about tryouts and what's going on. The look ahead to the 26-27 season. I can't believe the 26-25 is almost up. But uh, see what happens. All right. Um great talk. Father's Day. Uh love you guys, miss you. Appreciate all the all the dads out there. We have a lot of good dads in this organization. Um, so appreciate what you guys do for the boys.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:44

Yes, thank you to you all.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:46

So and hit us with the ending praise, Lord Puck.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:49

Um, if you still have your father, follow me. Say, hey, how you doing? Just thinking of you. And remember, one man can change the world. Hey man. We can be that guy.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:59

Amen. Moonsaws, Lord Puck.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:03

Ow. Good night.