Splash Considerations Ep. 6: Sit-Down Interview with Reliever Matt Gage

SAN FRANCISCO — Before the Giants' 6-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night at Oracle Park, Justice sat down with left-handed reliever Matt Gage, who has yet to allow a run over 5 2/3 innings this season.

Recommended Reading:
How Matt Gage’s winding journeyman career through minors, Mexico led him back to SF Giants

How two-time MVP Bryce Harper became friend, resource to SF Giants manager Vitello

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

I'm now joined by a left-handed reliever coming off the best season of his Major League career. He is, in my opinion, probably the best pitcher to ever come out of Siena College, and probably one of the few Major League pitchers who can somehow convince his significant other to get in the batter's box for live bullpen. Matt Gage, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Appreciate it. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

And I think I kind of want to start there because I think people are going to hear that and be like, wait, what? Like you're having your wife step into the batter's box for live bullpen. So can you kind of explain, like you you've told me this before, but for the people, can you explain like how that whole process it kind of started? Because she has her own it not baseball background, but close enough.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Yeah, so basically what happened was is we met in college and her father played a couple years in the Phillies minor league system. So seeing Philly here tonight kind of is is appropriate for us doing this. Um but yeah, we were just kind of hanging out in college, and then I was probably taking things a little bit further. I was like, hey, like if we do take this a step further, like I need you to be my catch by partner in the offseason. She's like, Yep, sounds good. And then as we started playing catch, I was like, okay, like now I kind of need you in the batter's box. And at first she was kind of hesitant and she was like, but I don't want you to hit you hit me. And I was like, I won't hit you. You're a left-handed hitter in softball, like you know how to get out of the way. So she got in the box, and then to me, it's just about a perception thing. Because like in the offseason, I don't have track man, I don't have really any numbers. It's just like I need to know what my pitches are doing at the plate, and she was a good enough softball hitter, so I trust her eye to tell me what's going on. So that's really all it came down to, and now she's done it more and more, and now that we have a a son and he runs around the cages and whatnot, so it's more about protecting him right now, but uh, she'll still get in the box, she tells me what the pitches are doing, and it's helped me uh kind of elongate my career.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

Well, we talked about this a year ago when I wrote the story on you, shot go read the story, it's on somewhere on Mercury News, I'll put the link in the description, shameless plug. But you know, she actually helped you notice. I think it was something as far as your like where your arm slot was. Can you kind of elaborate on that a little bit?

SPEAKER_01 2:13

So the biggest thing was is uh so when I was a younger pitcher in the Giants system, I was like a low three-quarters guy. I sank it, cut it. Like now I'd probably be really good metrically because I was 86, 88 below the hitting speed. Um, but it was just one of those things is like I plateaued as a pitcher. So during COVID, I was just kind of sitting at the house saying, all right, like how do I get better? Like I was in Mexico, and then I was just like, all right, let me just go try to throw something together. I went to a field, had her in the box, had a catcher, and I just started changing arm slots. And she was like, All right, like this arm slot's probably better, like everything looks sharper, everything's later movement. And I was like, all right, so I just took it and ran with it, and that's what I do now. And like it was kind of all to her perception-wise at the plate, like, hey, like I think there's something here because I didn't know how hard I was throwing, and then I went to independent ball during COVID, and all of a sudden I stepped on the mound, and first pitch was 94, and I might have touched 92 as a starter once in my entire career, and all of a sudden we had a VLO jump, and then somehow, somehow in Houston, I was up to 98. So something stuck, and it's just like, okay, like if this is the mechanics that I'm gonna stick with, then I'm just gonna go and compete with what I got.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

And what you've got has certainly got you to this point right here, back with the team that originally drafted you. I think it was back in 2014, yeah. And so there's obviously a lot of different kind of forks in the road between you making your Giants Major League debut last year and being drafted by the team in 2014. You mentioned Indie Ball, you mentioned pitching in Mexico. And I kind of want to go back to when they told you you made the team. Just what was that conversation like? Who was it with, and what were kind of the range of emotions when you were told that you know you were gonna be on the opening day roster?

SPEAKER_01 3:52

So this year it was kind of like, okay, coming in, you're on the roster, I don't have any options, so it's kind of like I felt it was my job to lose. So coming into camp, I kind of took it as like, okay, just go out and perform. And I was able to perform well enough that I thought that I kind of earned my spot. And then I wasn't really even told anything until we got here. We I pitched first Monterey, and it was actually the day before opening night that I got brought in the office. Uh, Tony, uh Tingler, Buster, and Zach were all in there. And Tony was just like, Well, how'd how'd you think it went? And I was like, I I thought it went well. I said, I just feel appreciative because this is the first time I've ever ended with a team, and I got brought back to spring training with since the Giants, and when I was on my minor league contract. So it just was made me feel appreciative of the team bringing me back to camp, even if I had to compete for my job. They still thought of me as a piece that could help them, you know, opening day and throughout the season. So Tony kind of just dominated the conversation and told me, like, hey, like, we're gonna use you and you know, we're gonna take you along with this, and you know, you're gonna be a part of this. And I was I was just appreciative of. I was really surprised they didn't cry. Uh just because it was like my first opening day. It was like, all right, like it actually is gonna happen. But it was just my heart was beating on my chest, but then the f national anthem and the flyover on opening night versus the Yankees, I definitely teared up on the line.

SPEAKER_00 5:14

I want to get into that in a second, but you know, it's obviously a full circle moment for you because you were drafted by the Giants, and then you get to finally be on the opening day roster for them. But it's also a full circle moment in the sense that you got your call, or you got the news rather, after facing a team that you played in Mexico. Like, did that kind of factor into your your thought at all, like as you were receiving that news?

SPEAKER_01 5:35

For sure, because there was a couple guys on the Monterey roster that I played with, uh, whether it was with another team here or even one of the guys that in their bullpen, he's 37 years old, and he was my next door neighbor in Winter Bowl. And the dude made me a bunch of carne asada tacos and stuff for uh for a Christmas dinner. Like, I go way back with the guy, and it's like when I put it in perspective of standing there, it was like, holy cow, just a couple years ago I was in Mexico playing these dudes, and to now stand on the other side of the line for a major league organization, it was it was just putting in perspective of like your career is taking a complete 180, and like just embrace the moment and just be where your feet are, because at any moment this could be gone and you could be somewhere else.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

I don't know if this is a fair question, but opening day in Mexico versus opening day in San Francisco, which one which one is better?

SPEAKER_01 6:22

Definitely definitely in in the States. Um because now Mexico City, there I think we I think I threw in front of 28,000. Uh it was opening night, opening for everything at Stadio Harpaloo. Um they we like I said, I think we had 28,000 people, but here we had I think right right around 50. And it's it was just different. Like at least this time I got to have my family here. Uh, they got to embrace it. My parents even flew out from New York to see it. So, and we got to play the Yankees. So it's a team that I grew up watching and everything. So it's just it was just different to kind of have that moment here, especially with the team that drafted me.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

There was obviously the kind of interesting start to the season in that there was opening night, which was the Netflix production. I think we talked about that. You got Tony V jumping out of the cable car, everyone's jumping out of the cable car, they got Green Day playing, but then the next day, or rather two days after that, that was more of like the traditional opening day, and you actually got your proper introduction. You run out of the dugout, John Miller is saying your name. It's a beautiful day in San Francisco. You mentioned that there was some emotions there. Just what was that? You know, getting to run out, getting greeted by all the fans here. What was that experience like?

SPEAKER_01 7:26

Definitely a lot of nerves because uh I was the first one getting called out, too. Because when I first got to the dugout, they're like, hey, you're gonna follow the coaches. So I was just gonna follow the coach's lead. And then sure enough, they put all the coaches on the line and they were like, Yeah, we're gonna go in number numerical order, we're gonna start at the highest. And it was, of course, my number. So they told me at first, like, I'm just gonna take out, take steps out of the dugout and just run and go see Lucille. And I was like, perfect. And because I asked them, I was like, Am I running kind of through like the stuff they had set up out of the dugout? They're like, No. I was like, all right, so as soon as like the guy called me up, I was like, All right, go see Lucille. And then all of a sudden I got called back. So I don't know if that's on camera somewhere, but definitely got called the moment. But uh then when I got called out, having that moment, um, and then some of the photos behind it and that I've seen, it's it's just a truly remarkable moment, and just kind of getting the feel of actually being on the line, getting my name introduced, and opening day, and you know, it's a one o'clock day game in San Francisco. There's nothing better.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

I think I may have asked you this at some point in the time you've been on the team, but had you been to Oracle Park prior to when you made your debut here on the team?

SPEAKER_01 8:30

The only time I got to San Francisco was uh when I we get drafted, we come out here for like a little week camp, and I got to run all these upper deck stairs and all the way back for one of our conditioning drills. Oh man. It took me, I think it took us, I think they wanted us to do it like under like 35 minutes, and I think I took me like 38. I was running the last one.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Like every single row?

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Yeah, so you start at the foul line and you go go up and then zigzag down and go all the way over to the right field side and then all the way back. So I got to see the bay a lot, looking out. But uh coming down the stairs wearing a size 14 shoe, not very fun. So I was definitely holding on those railings going down, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

I can't imagine that would be that much of a fun experience. At least like now you've gotten this opportunity to like be more immersed in the bay and you know get some opportunities to see the not just all the interest keys of the stadium, but kind of everything that goes with it. Exactly. I do want to ask about the splitter. We've talked about this off camera a little bit, and something that was kind of shocking to me is you hadn't thrown that pitch since college, and what was that process like of reintroducing it into the repertoire?

SPEAKER_01 9:31

So basically the biggest thing was is like I really couldn't find a changeup that worked. Like I went to college, my college coach said I'm not allowed to throw a splitter anymore, and it was just like, all right, like let's just try to find it. And anytime that I put my ring finger and a pinky on the baseball, it feels it feels just like a different ball. Like it just for some reason my brain just doesn't compute it. I gotta have my pointer finger and middle finger on the ball at all times. So coming back to it this offseason, I was like, I'm going to figure this out. Like last year, Detroit helped me find a changeup that worked. The problem was is that out of 10 times in the zone, I would probably throw it three times in the zone, the other seven were spiking in front of home plate. So it wasn't a competitive pitch. Kind of the same thing with the sweeper, and that's why I banged the sweeper as well. So this offseason, I was just like, all right, let me just figure out a way to throw the splitter again because I try to bring it back in the past, and it again just didn't feel comfortable. So then finally, I just was like, all right, like this kind of feels right. I worked with Clay Rapotta in spring training, he kind of got me working with a couple things. I talked to Wanders on how to get the shape the right way, like how we're trying to get this ball to kind of spin out of my hand and get the shape, like if as long as it's moving out of this way, out of my hand, we're gonna get the right shape, all the analytical stuff. But to me, it was just kind of getting that feel of coming off of the inside of the middle finger again. And once I got that feel, we were good. Until about a week ago when I lost it again, but we're we're getting back there. So that's the good thing, is like just trying to get that feel of it. Like my last sighting, I threw a couple really good ones. So we're on the right trajectory, and it helped me in spring because I struck out more guys in spring training than I ever have before. Like I'm not a strikeout guy, and I was striking out guys left and right. So to me, it's like it just it adds to my repertoire and it gets guys off the slider.

SPEAKER_00 11:15

When it comes to finding the feel of that pitch, it's obviously one thing that it's been so long since you've consistently thrown it, but with a pitch like the splitter, is it kind of the most finicky in your arsenal is trying to find the consistent feel, or is it, you know, is it the same as others as far as finding that feel with the pitch?

SPEAKER_01 11:30

Well the biggest thing was is like the sweeper, I had no feel of it either. It was just all right, like try to throw this like a curveball and it didn't even work then either. Um so like the the force seam, the two seam and the the little slider, like those are all based with the same grip. I'm just moving the ball around and just try to catch the different seams. So anything my fourth pitch is always gonna be like a question mark to me. So that's why it's just like alright, try to find something that's a fourth pitch that you can throw consistently in the zone or around the zone as much as you can and just get that feel. So it's always gonna be my pitch that I have to finic like kind of finicky and kind of fool around with, but it's just something like it's like okay, just get the feel and trust it. Because like when I when stuff hits the fan out there, I just rely on the slider. But now it's like guys, they're telling me just trust this, trust the splitter, like it's a good pitch, because then if even if you throw it near the zone, guys have to respect it and then they get off the slider and they can't take as big of a swing. And it's like just trusting in the process of getting it around the zone and getting guys off the slider. That's all it is.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Hitters in the box will always kind of be the ones to inform you as to how well that pitch is or isn't working. Just in terms of you reading the reactions on some of the hitters that you face with the splitter, both in spring training in the majors. Like, what's the kind of feedback that you've kind of seen from your vantage point?

SPEAKER_01 12:44

The the biggest thing is the swings. Um, because like I'm going up there, I mean, Texas is a good example. Like the first time I faced Texas in spring, uh, they went out there and I've I've faced the Rangers AAA team a bunch in Round Rock. So they have a really good scanner report versus me. So they go up there, they're looking for it, and then first time around, like Wyatt Langford, I have a one-two, just threw a splitter the other way, and all of a sudden he hits a 116-mile-an-hour double in the gap. And it's like, what are we doing? And then two batteries later, uh Burger hits a two-run homer, and it's like, okay, and then to my last outing versus them, all of a sudden I start landing the splitter, and I I'm able to punch out Langford, punch out Seeger, and then I get Burger to pop up. So it's like just getting them off of it was just the biggest thing of just seeing the different swings, and like, like I said, it's just reading their swings and seeing, okay, now their barrel can't come through it completely and they can't wrap that slider and backspin it to left. Now all of a sudden they're like, okay, well maybe I have to punch a little splitter to right, and then all of a sudden I throw that slider and they ground out.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

What's the mental cue that you kind of have when you're throwing that pitch? Do you kind of just is it throw it full force? Is it throw it like take a little bit off? Like, what is kind of the mental cue that you have as you're trying to get the feel on that pitch?

SPEAKER_01 13:59

The biggest thing to me is just get it out in front because when I when I release it a little bit too much, like I say it's by my ear, but it's still out in front. But I get underneath the ball a little bit and I push it. If I get out in front of it, like I can get on top of it, I can get the ball to kind of dive a little bit more to the plate, even if it, even if I leave it arm side a little bit, it's still near the zone. Whereas when I just push it, it looks like a BP fastball and it's not a good pitch at all.

SPEAKER_00 14:27

This is riveting. This is that riveting just to like hear you like go through the process of like you know, re-bringing this pitch back into your repertoire. We talked about this off camera, but just to see you kind of re-in-inrigate this pitch and re-get it into your repertoire, it's been a lot of fun to see. And it's been a lot of fun to have you on the show. Obviously, the first player that we've had this season. Hopefully, we can do this again soon. Matt, thank you for taking the time.