Podcast

Born To Baseball Podcast

Episode 014_RENE BALLOVERAS_ATHLETIC DIRECTOR_LEADERSHIP CHRISTIAN ACADEMY_HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL ACADEMY TOURNAMENT_BASEBALL COACH_TRAINER_AND_ADVISOR

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Evan 0:00

This episode of born to baseball is sponsored by the BTB travel team and training tracker. Are you a parent or player searching for travel teams or training facilities in your area? Or are you a coach looking to expand your reach? Then you have to check out the BTB triple t tracker at born to baseball dot com Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

Music 0:24

Calling all ball players. Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Were you born to baseball? Then bring it in, it's game time.

Evan 0:40

Hey guys, welcome to the born to baseball podcast. I'm Evan and today I'm here with Rene Balloveras. Rene first started coaching as a young teenager and has been a physical education and health teacher for 25 years. He is currently the dean and athletic director at leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and leads instruction for youth baseball coach certification across Puerto Rico. Rene, thank you so much for joining me today.

Rene 1:05

It's my pleasure. My pleasure. So good to see young people like yourself involved in this type of activity.

Evan 1:13

Thank you. So can you share your baseball experience as like a youth baseball player? Like, when did you first start playing baseball?

Unknown Speaker 1:22

Okay, I first started playing baseball, and I learned baseball here in Puerto Rico. I was born in New York City. And when I was in the about to go to the fourth grade, I moved to Puerto Rico. And even though I loved playing in school and in the backyard, we had games every day we played punch-ball. We played with the ball off the wall. One day, I went to a local team, where I had this tremendous manager who made me all fall in love with the game. And from there on, I continued to play but when I moved back to New York. About when I was in eighth grade, I went back to New York. I started playing in New York, but also coached a team. So even though I was about 14 years old, I also coached my younger brother's baseball team. So that's how I started coaching. As a matter of fact, my, my brother and myself, we would save all our money that we'd get for school and we ended up buying the uniforms for for our team.

Evan 2:31

Wow, that's really cool.

Rene 2:32

So that's how I started coaching. And in fact, there were years where I really enjoyed that more than actually playing. I played in high school in New York at the Richmond High School and then at City College. But coaching to me was my passion. I knew since I was a young person that I wanted to be a coach, and that was due to some of the coaches that I had that inspired me to want to coach.

Evan 2:55

Yeah that's awesome, could you tell us about some of the coaches that you had like, what was it about them that really inspired you?

Rene 3:01

Actually my first coach. His name was Ramon Cruz from the Dominican Republic. I had him here in Puerto Rico. Maybe he was not the type of coach that was good for everyone. In fact, when I was small, there were times I didn't really like him. You know, he was old school. And some of the methods he had I used that first, he would yell a lot, he wouldn't tolerate any errors. But one thing I learned from him was one, the love for the game. And the fact that he wanted to play the game the right way. And as I grew older, and I look back, I realized that that's where I got it from, was from him. He wouldn't allow us to accept any little mistake. He wanted us to play the best that we could, in fact, I remained in contact with him till he passed away about two years ago. So he was somebody that was very influential, but again, in the old days, it was a little different. So when I was small, a lot of things that I didn't like about him that of course, we wouldn't do now, but, he did have a lot of good qualities and thanks to him I wanted to become a coach.

Evan 4:15

That's amazing. Yeah, coaches play huge roles in our lives. And when it comes to baseball, they inspire a lot.

Rene 4:22

And throughout the years, I had I had many coaches who, who I learned from,

Evan 4:27

Yeah that's really cool. Did you have like growing up? Did you have like a favorite team? You say, like, favorite team or even favorite player that you could share with us?

Rene 4:39

Yes, when I was a small I of course, I like the New York team, the Yankees and the Mets being, growing up in New York. And Tom Seaver was probably one of my all time favorite players. But of the Puerto Rican players. I had two players who,,, Oh, and Pete Rose. Of course, I wanted to play always like Pete Rose that was how every kid wanted to play at that time. But two players from Puerto Rico that I really admired, one of them the reason why I wanted to play second base, and I didn't come second baseman was Felix Millan and the other one was Jose Cruz. Those two players. But Felix Millan, I saw him a lot because he played for the Mets. And every week, there'd be a Mets game, a local Mets game in New York, and I and I got to see him. So I really, really looked up to Felix Millan and interesting story when, when I was older, in fact, a few not many years ago, maybe about 12 years ago, doing a camp for the New York Mets. I got to meet Felix Mllian and he was tremendous. I mean, I was not disappointed. And to this day, we remained in contact so and he was really a great, great player, but he's a great person, also.

Evan 5:59

Yeah, that must have been a really, really cool experience being able to meet one of your idols and one of the people who you really look up to. That's awesome. So you're currently the dean and athletic director at leadership Christian Academy, which has a top notch baseball program. Before we talk a little bit more about that program, I want to talk about baseball in Puerto Rico, thinking about Hiram Bithorn and Carlos Beltran and Roberto Clemente and Pudge and so many others. What do you think baseball really represents to the people of Puerto Rico?

Rene 6:34

Baseball is a part of life here. I mean, even people that do not necessarily understand the game itself, love baseball and follow baseball. The baseball players are really important to the people here. They they, like I said, it's a way of life. And those baseball players are not just another baseball player. They carry practically the flag on their shirt wherever they go. So people here, always associate them with what Puerto Rico represents. In fact, when you have the World Baseball Classic, I mean people that never watch baseball, fill up the stadiums and and watch Puerto Rico, because of what they represent. Even if they don't understand the game. They know who the baseball players are, and the importance of them representing Puerto Rico.

Evan 7:35

Yeah, there's a level of pride that goes with the game in all over, but especially in Puerto Rico. That's awesome to hear. So this year has also been really tough for baseball. In general, like the draft was reduced to only five rounds and some minor league teams were cut. And the players in Puerto Rico are still managing through the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and earthquakes and of course now the coronavirus pandemic. How has this impacted your players in Puerto Rico and specifically, just baseball

Rene 8:13

players in Puerto Rico and everywhere, of course have been impacted, but thinking about the ones in Puerto Rico and in particular our school. A lot of the players, of course, dream of being drafted. They dream of being drafted and then they work hard. And I can tell you they really work hard. You should see how the kids that really want to go far, in terms of baseball work at it. So it has hurt them. It disappoints them. But, for example, the players at our school who we had about four players that we thought were getting drafted and most likely they were, did not get drafted. In fact, no player from Puerto Rico that lives here was drafted because we only had five, ther were only five rounds in the draft So, those players were not taken in when those five rounds most players that were drafted, were college players. Okay. But the good thing about it is that in our school, we really focus on transmitting to them the fact that they have to get good grades and be good students, because they have the opportunity of getting a college scholarship. So we were very fortunate, and the players were fortunate that it was based on their hard work, that they have the opportunity to go to college now. So everything is not lost for them. I know it is disappointing, because you you want to hear your name called you want to be drafted. But in some cases, they might even you know, it might be a blessing in disguise, because those players, they're really good and they'll be better after a few years and in in college, and and they'll get their education. So even though we're disappointed. I'm sure they have a lot of good things ahead of them but it's been tough is really been tough for For baseball in Puerto Rico, this situation,

Evan 10:03

and like, it just says, just a lot about, like your players and the kids who go to your school, just being able to like, this is going on and then but they know they still have another opportunity. And like you said it could be a blessing in disguise. That's really awesome. Like the way you think about that.

Rene 10:20

Yeah, something that's really good is that at least our players, and I'm sure a lot of other kids in Puerto Rico are doing it, but at home, they all worked out. You know, they continued to train. They stayed positive. So, so that's, that's good. That's good. But, you know, the bigger picture is that, that it was a terrible situation. Nobody knew that this was this was coming. But um, my message always to the kids is just prepare yourself and try to be the best student possible when you're the best one impossible. If you get drafted. You know, you have options, you have options and it even serves as leverage When, when it comes to negotiating, so it's just good to have that opportunity to go to school.

Evan 11:07

For sure. Yeah. And like you said, negotiating, like, Can you talk to us more about that, like with the draft if you do get drafted, but then you also have a college scholarship, like what goes on there?

Rene 11:18

Well, yeah, I'm not an expert in terms of that, because, but what I can tell you is that if you have good grades and you have an option of going to school, a good scholarship. Teams see that and, and they will, they will give you what the maximum may be that they can give you wherever you are selected, versus knowing that you will take whatever it is that they give you. So for example, I've heard of players who are offered very little because they have no option. So it's either you take it or you leave it. But when you have those those options, and a team really wants you They are gonna go after you because they know that if not, you will just go to college. So it's it's just, it's just a, you know, common sense that as a player, getting good grades and having an option is the way to go.

Evan 12:16

That's for sure.

So, like where do you feel like the coaches and players really strong like work ethic and resilience comes from during these tough times?

Rene 12:27

Well, obviously it all has to do and as a matter of fact, one of the things that scouts look at with players is something called the makeup that a player has. Okay. And that's very important to a lot of organizations. But most of that has come to to begin with from their homes. You know, if you have parents that that support you, you have parents that are constantly teaching lessons since you're small. That will come in handy for sure. Whenever we have tough times. I mean, and in baseball, you know, in baseball part of the baseball culture is making excuses. So also, if you learn that since you're young, and you have coaches also that teach you that since you're young, it can help you during tough times. Remember, most players will not become pro players or major league players. But there's so many lessons that you can learn in baseball, that will help you in jobs and in life in general.

Evan 13:27

Yes,

Rene 13:27

So yeah, that the players that have that, that are resilient, that are mentally tough, a lot of them it was developed at home. That's that's very important.

Evan 13:38

Yeah, families, parents and home environment can also just like coaches, they play a huge role.

Rene 13:45

I can tell you that. I'm sorry. If I can tell you that these players that we have. One thing that they all have in common is support from their, from their family. So that that's the common denominator, and we even have player was a first round pick a few years ago. And with him, it was no surprise how successful he was because not only was he a good student, he was a really good kid. But when you look at his parents and his family life, it was a tremendous family life. So it seems to always come back to that support that you have around, you know, whether teachers, parents, coaches, It all seems to get back to that. Yes,

Evan 14:31

definitely. So like, like you said, you guys had a first rounder a couple years ago, I believe in 2017. And like your Academy, it has a lot of success when it comes to players being drafted and then also D-1 athletes. So yeah, like that standout who was in that first round is Elliott Ramos. And he was drafted 19th overall by the San Francisco Giants, which is an amazing accomplishment and he was named to the The 2019 All Star futures game, and he's currently doing very well in double A so he's been very successful. So what are some of the things that make your school that Academy so strong and unique?

Rene 15:17

I feel that we've had success because we're not just a baseball school. We are a regular school with Christian faith based education, right. We have a strong values system there at the school, and we have a baseball program and so we we can be selective in terms of who comes in to our school. We just don't take anybody that plays baseball or any good baseball player. They have to have certain characteristics, right? We, we observe and we do a background check to see what what kind of kid is he, what kind of family Background and of course, yes, he does have some some talent, but we want them to want to have that option of going to college. And we have very good teachers who emphasize that. So once we have those players that come to our school, being that it's a small program, because even though our school has over 700 students, our baseball programming, the high school only has about 60 to 63. Players were able to work with them closely. For example, when we're at a batting session, we only might have seven players hiting, in our case, we have two hitting coaches. Okay, so maybe we might have 10 some classes might have five, so we get to give them a very good, almost individualized instruction. Being that we don't have, a coach does not have 15 kids or 20 kids to work with at a time so that really helps. Plus, we have an excellent staff, we have a staff that knows the game and knows how to teach and cares about kids. So that's very important to us.

Evan 17:08

And like you said, like the individualized, almost individualized practices where you might only have 5 or 10 kids, it's really good because you get, the coaches get to really develop them and as a player and it's not necessarily just repitition, it's more quality and getting that couple of players better. So, you know, your program definitely sounds like a great one.

Rene 17:32

I'm really glad you mentioned that about repetition. Because, um, you know, when we teach baseball many times we might make the mistake, and we'll have kids just take reps and take reps and take reps, but there's really no feedback. There's no correction given and that that is key, you know, it's not just taking repetitions. It's taking good repetitions. It's like you said it was the quality, not the quantity and we We try to pay attention to that, we really do. Because a lot of academies here have excellent instructors on almost all the academies have excellent instructors. But the fact that we put that emphasis on that on that amount of instructors per student and the way in which they teach the kids to us, it's very important and I try to stay on top of that, in terms of the teaching methods and strategies used when working with the players. It's not the same working with youth players, and working with professional players. It's very different.

Evan 18:35

It's awesome. Definitely just what you do, it's part of what makes it such a good program top notch baseball program.

Rene 18:42

Thank you.

Evan 18:43

That's really good to hear. So how many hours would you say like a week are your high school players practicing baseball?

Rene 18:52

I'll give you an idea of what we do at the school. So usually during their elective class. So let's say if they have physical education or, music, whatever electives they have during that period, they will take, they will have a baseball class, and it can be either strength and conditioning or hitting. That's just during school hours. Right? So that's basically their phys ed class. So two days a week, they will go with their hitting instructor during that period that corresponds. And two days a week, they will go with the strength and conditioning coach that's during school hours. Then after school after school, they will have two days a week of defense, right. Two days a week will be let's say infielders, and outfielders and two days a week will be the pitchers and catchers and two days a week, they will have speed work so they will go to a track and work with a speed specialist at a track. So, and they will do that from three in the afternoon til about 5pm you know, the school bus takes them to wherever it is, whether it be the field or the track, and then they will bring them back. But those players, most of them, of course, will also play on a weekend too. So some of those players also practice at night. Now the reason why we only have two days a week of defense two days a week of, of hitting, is because we know that they play on outside teams, and we do not want to overwork them. Okay, so um, that is the reason why we're only doing two days a week, but there's still two days a week of hitting defense and it's really a specialized instruction, that they're getting. And then on Fridays, on Fridays, we don't have baseball programming school, but we have some players might get extra work. They might need or so might work a little extra for something specific that they need to improve with the conditioning coach. That's the way we go about it in the program. But the idea is to really try to take care of the kids and not overwork them.

Evan 21:14

Yeah, that's really great. Knowing your players, knowing your team knowing that, okay, we don't want to overwork them. They're playing outside, knowing your players is a really big thing in order to have a successful team. You've also coached like basketball and volleyball. And so are there certain like drills that you've pulled from those sports that you now just teach to your players?

Rene 21:39

Well, there are always exercises that that are common at the lower age levels of baseball. One of the things that happened or can be a common mistake is where you want to teach players how to do advanced baseball drills. or think that they can perform high level skills when in reality at those lower levels you should be developing your fitness, okay your fitness and your motor development, for example, agility, balance, coordination and those have exercises that can be universal to various sports. It all depends on what category the sport belongs to, because of course, you know, there are some sports that are aerobic in nature and some are anaerobic. Okay. And one of the problems is that many times we train wrong for the sport that we're involved in, but of course, the lower levels, you want to work on all components of fitness. Very important because many times for example, you might have a pitcher, who's nine years old, and you hear you might hear the coach saying throw strikes, but the kid cannot throw strikes because he does not have any balance, or his coordination is off. So there are drills that we will use for coordination and balance that of course, we will use in volleyball and we can use in, in basketball, okay, so, so of course, we'll have drills that we can use for different sports. But there are other common denominators for all the sports is where we want to teach discipline, we want to teach dedication, we want to get kids to be committed. And each sport also does have their own culture. And, and we can see, we can see it with the baseball players, of course, that each one has their own, as you say, unwritten rules and sports culture. But um, players that learn that when they're young discipline, commitment, dedication, they can transfer that to any sport.

Evan 23:47

That's really interesting right there. And so like many of your players have attended D-1 schools which is amazing. So how do you guide your players to balance the academics and baseball?

Rene 24:01

One of the things at our school we have we have a person who works with the college placement, who does an extraordinary job. She, she makes sure that what based on the player's needs, what she knows about the player based on his grades, she will try to be realistic with the players and try to find something for them where they will most likely be successful. Okay. One of the things is we try we make sure our school not to talk to kids or want them to go to certain places where we know that it's setting them up to fail. For example, if we if we know that a personality of a kid is not to be in a big city, and like something small, we're not going to try to get them into a place where we know that that might affect them, but at the same time At the same time, we let them know that it's not just going wherever they want to go. Sometimes it depends on that school's needs, because we might have a kid that wants to go to a particular college, but that college doesn't mean that position, that college might already have players for that position. And it does not have to do with that player not being good. It's just that that college does not need that. So we try to give them a proper counseling or orientation and the person that does that our school is really, really good at doing that. So that it minimizes the possibility of that student failing once they go to that college that they're interested in or that the school is interested in that player.

Evan 25:47

Yeah, it's amazing to hear that.

Rene 25:49

But it's not a it's not an exact science. I mean, there are times it'll happen it'll happen where you have players that go away to a cottage and then come back because something didn't go right They didn't like the place. But with us again, since we're not such a big program in terms of amount of players, we can give them that special attention. In fact, I'll send you a little video when we when we get done in terms of our college players and their placement. We had about 20 players that that our, I think we have 21 seniors. And I think the 20 have a commitment to a college where they will be playing baseball.

Evan 26:32

Wow. That's amazing. That's amazing.

Rene 26:36

Thanks.

Evan 26:37

Um, have your players like really shared whether their experience playing in the states is different than playing in Puerto Rico?

Rene 26:45

Yeah, we communicate with them. They let us know their stories. Most of the ones we've spoken of, they love the experience. I mean, I've only been at the school for years, but during that time, I've experienced You know, success in terms of what, what they talk about. So, I think I think they enjoy we try at the school. And I know sometimes players might think that we want to be hard on them. But we want to try to give them an experience in such a way that when they go away to school, it's not a shock to them. That's why our high school teachers are demanding even though they are very understanding, the teachers at our school go out of their way to help the kids but the kids also have to go out of their way to get whatever work they have to make up if they weren't went out for a tournament. So because it's hard, some of these kids, they get home 10 o'clock at night after their other practices, and they still have to do their work. You know, we just don't give them the grades. They have to work for it. But we wouldn't be doing them any favors, if we are not demanding with the school workl. So that's something that our teachers do a real good job. As of now, we've had players enjoy their college experience.

Evan 28:06

That's great to hear. So MLB players service amazing role models and models for us youth and Players all over to learn from. So who are some players that you encourage your players to like watch and study?

Rene 28:23

Well, to tell you the truth I, I never really promote any particular players because they all have their own particular style. Of course, I do mention to them when when players that I am aware of that have strong work ethics, players that seem to be mentally tough, that behave themselves, you know, in a way a professional should, but I always leave it up to the kids to enjoy whatever player it is they like watching. What I just do is we just talk about with qualities that different players might have. So because also we don't want kids imitating a particular style. Because styles and fundamentals are different. And with youth players, not every style is suitable for them. But I can tell you, for example, a player who I admired his career, of course, was somebody like Derek Jeter and I admired the career of Cal Ripken players who've always had a positive image. But in terms of telling the kids who watch you to follow, we don't really specify Of course, there's players here in Puerto Rico, like Lindor and Correa that kids really look up to. And those are excellent players. And we we do use them as examples in terms of their their fundamentals. They are two fundamentally sound players, we just don't tell them to have their style because that's individual and if a kid wants to use their style, but in terms of quality of players Those two players are excellent players. But, but yeah, we leave it up to each kid to you know, like whatever player he he likes.

Evan 30:09

Yeah, Lindor and Correa are two very, very good players. They're two all star players. And I like how you said like, styles. It's not the fundamentals, each player has their own unique style that works for them. That's really, that's really great to hear. So building a strong mindset, like you said, and being really mentally tough, is really important. So what are some ways that you develop mentally tough players at your Academy?

Rene 30:47

Well, one of the thing is we, we try to, I shouldn't say, emphasize the fact that we don't want to make excuses that that's that's one thing. Of course, we know there are reasons why things happen. For example, we're on the field, and you drop a ball, which anybody can drop a ball, but you drop a ball because the sun was in your eyes. We know that's the reason. But we we don't want to players all the time say no, I dropped it because the sun was in my eyes or, or we lost the game because the umpire is not good. No, you know, we know things happen. And there are reasons for things, but we want players to focus on the bottom line. Either they caught the ball, or they didn't. Either they did their homework, or they didn't do the homework. So one of the ways is trying to not give excuses. Another way is dealing with whatever situation comes your way. One of the things that I tried to tell players that I've coached for years as we get to the field and it's really hot in my mindset, is Oh good, because it might be too hot for the other team. Or if the if we have to play and it seems like the grass is a little moist, and the ball might seem slippery, we say good, because we can deal with it, maybe the other team can't. So it's just a thing of getting into the players heads, and then believing that no matter what the situation is, they can do it. And of course, you know, with young kids in a small age group 7,8,9 10 until 12 you know, there, they're small and we've taken into consideration, right, you know, their age and their level, but at their level, there are certain things that we can teach them that they will always will always help them in terms of their their mindset, of course, always taking into consideration their level.

Evan 32:45

Yeah, that's that's a big key to success when it comes to coaching. Knowing like I said earlier, knowing your players and knowing the level that you're at knowing what they're ready for, and I like how you really said You don't let them make excuses. Because excuses ultimately, at the end of the day, they can lead to failure because you're not, you have to hold yourself accountable for the things that you do. That's a cool way to look at it.

Rene 33:14

Hey, that's awesome that you said you said accountable. I that's that's to me is an important word. And of course, I don't want to sound like we don't care when when kids make an excuse. I mean, you know, we do we do care because there are reasons why things happen. We just don't want kids getting into the habit of for anything negative that happens,There's an excuse. So I just want to make that clear. Because we understand that sometimes things will happen and we never, we never and I recommend this to any youth coach. Never bring down a kid or make them feel bad just because he makes an error. errors are part of the game. Errors are part of the game and I knowa kid who makes an error on purpose. And I know I was a coach when I first started, who used to get upset when kids make an error but, but as you mature and as you grow older, and then you look back and you say, wait a minute, I didn't like it when a coach we get on for making an error. So we as coaches, we never we never get on kids for making an error. And I think showing them that support, okay, will make them tougher, and have a better mindset. If we don't get on them from again, why? Because they will be more confident they'll know that you have their back. So sometimes coaches might believe that it'll make them tougher getting on them for errors, but it's the opposite. It's the opposite if we show them that we believe in them, and we encourage them to want that next ball hit to them that will make them suffer so it's just the opposite.

Evan 34:58

Yeah, that makes a whole lot of sense. I heard a really powerful quote from Roberto Clemente. And it's "anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, you're wasting your time on Earth".

Rene 35:11

That's one of my favorite quotes.

Evan 35:13

That's awesome. Like, how does that Roberto Clemente spirit, sort of just travel and stay alive in the island of Puerto Rico?

Rene 35:22

Well, he's obviously been an inspiration to players here and the entire Latin America. He is a player who did so much on and off the field, that it'd be very hard not to have him in mind anytime we stepp onto the baseball field. So he's somebody very special here and in and Latin America. So um, so yeah, he's, he's a, he's a role model in terms of how players should act on and off the field.

Evan 35:54

That's awesome to hear. Why do you like it so much? Why is it so powerful to

Rene 36:01

Because, you know, we, and one of the things I speak about when I speak to coaches, for example, one of the things that we talk to them about is that when we coach baseball, for example, and we coach kids, we're not just speaking terms of baseball, we're not just a coach, who, who might be an instructor who knows about, let's say, fielding or hitting, to those kids they might see us as a mentor, they'll see us as a teacher, they might see us as a as a model, as a guide, as somebody who inspires them. So we have a big responsibility. And, in this case, if we just go through life just, you know, minding our business. Um, you know, just thinking of what Roberto Clemente said, then we might be wasting our time. If we have the opportunity to impact another life or do something Positive for society, then I think our life has had some, has meant something great. You know. So that's that's why I like that quote. It obviously comes from somebody who definitely has a great heart because he's thinking of how he can impact somebody else.

Evan 37:22

Definitely. Yeah, he was a great guy and he wanted to impact almost everyone he met really, it's unfortunate the way he passed away. But, you know, he passed away, wanting to do something for other people and really trying to help people out.

Rene 37:39

In fact, you know, that that there's an award Major League award, and I've heard of players who have won that award and that to them, means even more than some other awards like a batting championship, and other types of awards, but that Roberto Clemente award means so much because it means that they've they've impacted lives. So that's that's a that's a great award.

Evan 38:06

Yeah, it must be really special to win that award, knowing that you to the people of the world, you resemble some essence of him.

Rene 38:21

For sure, no doubt about it.

Evan 38:24

And so you've been involved in a lot of camps outside of Puerto Rico like in the States and in the Dr. What are some of like the key skills and qualities that you see in the most successful players that you work with?

Rene 38:37

All players, it's important that they have a drive to be better in terms of their mentality, a mindset to grow to be a much better player. In fact, many professional organizations want players that have what they call the growth mindset for example. But in terms of physicals skills and some of the physical skills, you know, scouts look for particular tools, which is the strength of your arm, your speed, your power, your fielding, okay, you know, there's five tools. But of course, it's much more than just that. There are a lot of players that are talented, but if they don't have that drive, if they don't have that mindset to want to get better. Okay, it's very difficult, but I see players here. I've seen them in Dominican Republic, and Texas, New York. And something common with those players who get far up in the baseball ranks are those players that have that drive, that dedication, that commitment, and that discipline to get better, if they don't have that. Very difficult. Of course, there's someplace that are just so talented. But if they don't have those other qualities like discipline or that drive to be better at one point or another, it'll catch up to them. it'll catch up. So that's what I can tell you regarding that

Evan 40:02

Thank you for that. That's really great insight there. So you also invest a lot of time instructing youth baseball coaches in Puerto Rico, who are required to complete a baseball certification course. Could you tell us more about that, and that experience,

Rene 40:20

Yeah that course for youth coaches, I've been doing that for approximately 11 years. There's a law here in Puerto Rico, where all youth coaches must be certified to work with kids, because one of the things that includes is that when you take the course, right, which I give them a course, that involves, you know, just teaching them how to work with kids how to, and how to teach them the skills, once you take that you go through a background check. And with that background check, just so you know, it's just to verify the type of person who's going to be working with with with this Kids, right? If you once you take the course and you've come to a successful background check, then you're eligible to get that license. And that license, the great thing about having it is that if a parent takes a kid to a particular team, and that coach has that license knows that that coach went through a check, okay. And at least a parent knows that that coach might not be somebody who's harmed kids in the past, for example, and that parent knows that at least some basic about teaching kids, he must know, or he should know. So that's the reason why we want youth coaches to be certified. Because, of course, most people mean well, most people try to help kids most people teach the kids well, but there are also a lot of coaches who don't, and not because necessarily they want to be bad, or they don't want to do things the correct way, but because maybe they don't know. So we want to minimize the risks. And keep safe all the kids in Puerto Rico and we want them to love the game and not leave the sport because of something that a coach did or didn't do the right way.

Evan 42:11

Yeah that's a great mission of that Alliance.

Rene 42:14

That's a government program that has that. So it's a law. That has to be well. What you mentioned there with the Alliance, that is something was, that's an association, an alliance that we created when we got together a bunch of different coaches, and what we try to do is promote the game the right way. And we share insights. We share strategies to try. We haven't been really in action, so to speak officially, like official events in the past few couple of years. We've just been doing it more like in a private way where we speak on the phone and we get ideas out and we share strategies with coaches and try to help them as much as we can. And, and, and they can call us and we'll give them tips and ideas, basically, but this year we're planning to do, again, more activities as a group.

Evan 43:13

So do you have any projects that you're working on right now that you'd like to share and like, where's the best place that our listeners can reach you?

Rene 43:21

You know, one project that I've been working on, and it's not just me by myself, it's been a group of coaches, where we've put together and it's unfortunate This was our second season. We put together a league that involves the different baseball academies here in Puerto Rico. And, and we were really and we still are, of course, very excited about that project. Last year was our second season. The previous school year was our first season and what we did was you see here in Puerto Rico this, there wasn't a real school baseball league. All right. So we what we did is we got together with Different academies that have top players in Puerto Rico. And we made a schedule, and we formed the league. And that league was really good because not only out of the there were about 23 players drafted that year, about 18 or 19, played in that league. So all the top players in Puerto Rico belonged to one of those schools. And by the way, six were were at our school, And then there, you have good coaches, the coaches are all good, you know professional guys. And the game is played really fast. And there's a level of respect and we played in really great stadiums every single game. So we are really excited about the league. This past school year, was our second season and was going really well until the situation with the pandemic occurred. But that project is, I really love it because just to give you an example that we would play during the Week, and at a particular site, we'd have three games in a day, right. So this way the scouts didn't have to decide what field they would go to. So, because we only, each team played once a week, and there was a game, there was a one day in particular that a lot of your prospects will claim that we had over 80 scouts there because we had the Puerto Rico scouts, you know, the scouts that work for major league teams, but that are local, their bosses and some of those bosses bosses come. That would come to Puerto Rico, so that they was incredible, it was packed, but every week we'd have you know, 10, 12, 15 scouts at our our games, but that day in particular was just incredible. We had even an assistant GM come last year to see one of the players here in Puerto Rico. So, so we're really excited about that league because the it's the highest High School league here because any other league or conference where high school play doesn't have, let's say 18 players drafted. And even in the United States, you might have a league where high schools play, but they play in different conferences not necessarily all together. But here we had the best schools were in the same conference or league playing against each other so that that's what made it special

Evan 46:29

Yeah, that sounds really special. And the level of competition is awesome too.

Rene 46:33

That was one of the goals behind it. We wanted the kids play really good competition. Sometimes on the weekends. You might have a team that's really, really has a lot of good players. But then the team they play against doesn't. So we wanted with this league. They, every game You're facing good players, the good batters, the good batters are facing good pitchers. The good pitchers are always facing good batters. So that's what we wanted. It's a really high high Level High School league.

Evan 47:01

Yes. And that league that you and some other coaches created are definitely super valuable to those players and even the high schools and the academies.

Rene 47:12

If you get a chance you can check it out. Um, of course this year, we only played three games. But it's called BAT. You know, it stands for Baseball Academy Tournament. We have a Facebook page. And a lot of our games this year or last season, they were on Facebook Live so everybody can see the games. And that final game was, the year before was really tremendous. It ended, the championship game ended with a walk off Homer. Yes, yes. Yeah, as a matter of fact, our school won the championship but it could have been the other school. It was against the Carlos Beltran Academy. And it could have been them just as well because that's how close it was. It just so happened that our player hit a 3-2 homerun with two men on base, and it was a walk off. So, but we have a pages and it's called Baseball Academy tournament.

Evan 48:10

That's awesome how you and the other coaches came together to create a league

Rene 48:14

Yep.

You see, the key is the key is and I just want to emphasize this, many times the coaches see each other, you know, in general in youth sports as competition. But in reality, what we want to and what we try to promote here is that we're all a team, we all love the game. And and we want every coach to share whatever knowledge he has with the players. And if we work together, we can get much more done. And that's one good thing here that we want to do in Puerto Rico. We we care for all the players here, not only if they're from my school, I want other kids in Puerto Rico to get drafted. So because to us, it's players from Puerto Rico. So that's that's really about And that's why we're really excited about that league and, you know, anybody needs to contact me. You asked me before about a contact. It could be via my Telephone is 787-566-1514 or Reneballoveras@gmail.com. Right. But you have you have that information. But um, yeah, I really appreciate this. This is awesome the way you do these interviews. There's many, I've seen many TV shows where we don't have somebody who's doing the interview that's as knowledgeable as you.

Evan 49:40

Thank you so much. Yeah. I really appreciate that. And I'll definitely check out your league when I get a chance and our listeners can definitely check it out to you said it's Facebook page is BAT right?

Rene 49:53

Yeah, or if it doesn't come out like that put Baseball Academy tournament.

Evan 49:58

Okay, you know, that's great to know.

Well, thank you so much for coming on today, Rene. I really appreciate it.

Rene 50:05

Yeah, this was an honor. And again, I'm really impressed with your level of preparation. That's what I, Another thing I recommend to all youth coaches, be prepared. Be prepared. Whenever you're prepared. You'll feel confident and if you're confident, you're most likely to have success, so um and that's why I guess your program, your podcast is so successful, because you're definitely prepared. So thank you.

Evan 50:30

Thank you all for listening in. We really hope you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and be the first to know when new episodes launch. Check us out at born to baseball.com for free resources and new gear. And of course on social media, at born to baseball where we can connect live now let's play ball

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Born To Baseball Website

BTB Travel Team & Training Tracker

Episode #013: Ozzie Guillen- World Series Winning Manager and 3X All Star

July 2020 By Evan

Ep. #013: Join Evan and Ozzie Guillén, World Series Winning Manager and 3X All Star as Ozzie shares insight into his 16 season career as a player, his experience as a Manager and some keys to his success in baseball and in his family life.

What You’ll Learn:

02:38 Ozzie’s experience moving to the U.S. from Venezuela at only 16 to play baseball

09:37 What qualities are needed to be the best

11:24 His trade from the Padres to the White Sox

19:56 How he listened and learned from other champions like Tom Seaver and Carlton Fisk

23:23 All Star Game experience

26:25 On developing quick hands

35:26 Being an MLB Manager

43:49 Ozzie’s all time “Starting Nine”

45:28 His experience as an Analyst

52:02 His commitment to his Family

57:26 Hosting “Being Guillén” with his sons on La Vida Baseball

1:00:03 Ozzie Guillén Foundation and giving back

Thank you for being here with us! Evan and the Born To Baseball Team are looking forward to celebrating your success and sharing this journey together.

If you enjoyed this episode we’d be really grateful if you’d rate the show and leave a review on Apple or wherever you’re listening here. This will help other ballplayers find the Born To Baseball Podcast and give us more chances to shout out our listeners!

Now, let’s play ball!

Read show notes here.

Show Links:

Twitter: @OzzieGuillen

Instagram: @ozzieguillen13

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ozzieguillen/

Ozzie Guillén Foundation: https://www.og13.org/

Born To Baseball Links:

Instagram: @borntobaseball

Facebook

Twitter: @bornto_baseball

Born To Baseball Podcast

Episode 013_OZZIE GUILLEN_WORLD SERIES WINNING MANAGER AND 3X ALL STAR

The transcription below was provided for your convenience through an automated service. Please excuse any unintended errors made in the process.

Evan 0:00

This episode of born to baseball is sponsored by the BTB Travel Team and Training Tracker. Are you a parent or player searching for travel teams or training facilities in your area? Or are you a coach looking to expand your reach? And you have to check out the BTB Triple T Tracker at borntobaseball.com Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

Music 0:24

Calling all ball players. Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Were you born to baseball? Then bring it in, it's game time.

Ozzie 0:39

Hey guys, and welcome to the Born To Baseball Bodcast. I'm Evan. Today we have Ozzie Guillén on. Ozzie was the shortstop for the White Sox, Orioles, Braves, and Tampa Bay Rays and managed eight years for the White Sox and Miami Marlins. Ozzie led the White Sox to their first World Series in 88 years and he is also a pregame and postgame analyst for NBC Sports Chicago. Ozzie, thank you so much for coming on today

Wow, thank you. Thank you so much. It's a pleasure for me to be on. So many people calling me from different places. When they call me as a kid and go to do this, I will love it because I know it's not easy to do that, but to me, it's a pleasure to be with you.

Evan 1:22

Thank you. So you grew up in Venezuela. What was it like playing baseball there as a kid?

Ozzie 1:28

Well, you know, we'd be lucky enough that this only thing we can do we don't have those, those games kids playing now. We, you know me I used to get hit to get into the house, now you got to get hit to get out of the house. It was great, you know me I think we grew up everybody, the only sport we really have down there was baseball. We know how many big league player. I remember parents don't want you to be a baseball player because we don't have that many. But I grew up in a good, you know, good stuff. And I think when I was like from 10 to 12, 11 then I moved to another place and that then, I stopped playing baseball, but uh, do you go to Latin American countries? You know, obviously you play soccer, or you play baseball. I grew up playing baseball when money wasn't around. And I think you got to talk about the love of the game you can say that but, meanwhile, when you start professional is different thing but I grew up loving baseball and play baseball all day long.

Evan 2:38

And you were drafted at 16 years old and you came to the US what was that experience like? And was it what you expected?

Ozzie 2:46

Horrible! Horrible experience, you know me. This is when I realized I really loved the game because first of all, different culture different you know, you know when you go from Spanish to English full English it's not easy 1980s we don't have no video chat, Wi Fi we don't have a phone. Nothing is go by letter. Now you you can be out for six months and you can see your mom your parents and your friends every day. You can make your phone call you can WhatsApp to them, you know so many different things right now is a lot easier. But then it was bad, It was bad, but you know me. I want to play the game I know when I come to United States for the first time, I put everything away. I don't have mami, I don't have papi, I don't have girlfriend or anything. And I was a kid can you imagine having a kid 16 years old come from all the way from Venezuela to the United States is not an easy thing to to go through, you know, it's not easy to go through. The process is very hard, Ah, I put in my mind say I just come here to play baseball not to make friends or speak with Good English you know my English is still bad and my English is very, very, very not understandable but I enjoy it I make up my mind and say I want to be the best player I can be when i'm here. And besides that you know me when you're 16 you not grow up as a baseball player until like you're 20 I mean, you really don't grow up as a person you grow up, you're a baby, you you're underweight, you are not matured you English is not well, when you have meetings in English, you just sit there like, okay. And now they, there's more players in the minor leagues from Latin America, that was there, and I never had a roommate,or i didnt have any teammates to speak Spanish. That's why it was, a little harder for me, but it's a little easier because that make me concentrate a little bit more about the game cause I didn have around.

Evan 4:54

A must have taken some really, really good dedication and just the love For the game, to be out there every day and continue to do what you did best. You are also a true student of the game. What motivated you to really learn strategy and raise your baseball iQ? And how did this help you in your early baseball career?

Ozzie 5:17

When I was in baseball is 20 plus years old coming from college. Obviously, our swimming against the water and I think that I learned a lot from that. I think I said that's the way I will do it. That's the way we should do stuff and play winter league and it helped my a lot because all of a sudden I played there with men I come here to United States, back to United State then I play with guys my age a little bit, maybe two years older than me. I had an advantage, and I come out there It's like I can teach those guy how to play baseball, when I was 18. Well, you know me, I tell to my kids. I go you know what you guys Got college you know me You wanna play baseball. One of my kids is managing now. He was different you know me I had to be smarter and my mind got to be a little higher than anybody out in the game that's why that helped me we got a we got to fight to go through and people believe how good you can be. And people believe you really know about the game about life. I did the hardest thing in baseball to be honest with you is of the field you know me on the field now is harder because all the social media, phones, pictures then we just play baseball now you know everybody, find out who you are, what you do, what you up to what you do wrong, what you will do, right. But, I think baseball helped me to raise a good family and to raise a family we love to make to raise a family with respect because that's the game is about respect and love. In this game everybody. Look at the money. But again oh look at the time you spend with your family. The time you left mommy and daddy home, or your real friends are there in baseball. You have a lot of friendship, but you don't have friends real friends. You can you know I have been in this game. Oh my god 16, I'm 54 years old, 40 years professional since I signed and I have few, I got more friends in music real friends in music and bullfighting. They have a baseball player obviously I know more people in baseball buy real real real friend that people call me on call them everyday all the time. It's not in baseball.

Evan 7:39

That's very interesting and what you said about your family, raising your family with a lot of respect that that just motivates me and I'm sure a lot of other people to really follow that and use that to help us grow just in life.

Ozzie 7:55

Let me let me I will not talk to kids like that. And very, very smart kid like you are. Allways always bring the kids and put up, you know, get up, raise. It is a good standing ovation for those people out there and I push... look at the parents. Kids, they don't realize how hard is for the parents to take them to be a good kid to take them to play baseball. Why you were 11 years old, 10 years old, who take you to the baseball class or baseball practice? Your parents. Who drive you back and forth? Your parents. Who spent Saturday when they can do something different like playing golf or just do something with their friends? No, my kids got a game. You know me, We have to thank the parents. Those are the people we have to say thank you. And thank you to the coaches spend a lot of time with you guys. When we're kids, we had to thank three people, coaches and the parents because that's what people really doing this to make you better and be a good kid that do something You guys want to do. And that's more important thing when you appreciate youra parents, taking their time and take the life of them to to make you guys have fun and do what you guys want.

Evan 9:12

That's really great and to my parents, just thank you for everything and helping me continue to grow as a person and in baseball. So you are in the minor leagues for four years before moving up to the MLB. Can you give us youth baseball players some tips on how to stay motivated while focusing on making it to the Major Leagues?

Ozzie 9:37

No matter what you do one night it does not mean anything the next night. Discipline, 1) discipline. Yes sir. Do whatever they tell you to do whatever it takes to be the be the best. They tell you a be on the line. We stretch at 10 o'clock be there at 9:55 the coach can see you. Play hard, play hard discipline and respect the game. And don't be lazy to do extra workouts to take extra groundballs. I'm good friends with Michael Jordan, and when I see him and a lot of the best and Kobe Bryant, Miguel Cabrera, all those guys. They're not the best because... God gave them ability, but when you want to be the best you got to work harder than anything. No matter how good God gives your talent, talent gets you to be okay, talent help you but work ethic, discipline, and the commitment, that's the thing that is going to take you to the top and and I'm play hard, respect the game no matter what you do in life. You know I talk to my kids you don't have to be a baseball player whatever you shoot to be, you got to be the best you can be you know as a truck driver well you have to be the best truck driver in the world and how you motivate yourself to get what you want to get.

Evan 11:11

That's some great advice from a really big name Ozzie Guillén. What was your reaction when you first found out that you were traded from the Padres to the White Sox?

Ozzie 11:24

Wow. I was I was number three prospect. Tony Gwin R.I.P. Was number one. John Kruk. Kevin Mareno was in the top, I was around there. And when they traded me, first of all, they lied to me because they said you'll be the next shortstop for the San Diego Padres. Gary temper was the shortstop dark great one, a good one. And when the traded me I said well, I always say things happen for a reason. And when I talk to the, to the White Sox and said you have a chance to be the everyday shortstop here. And they give me more responsibility. I give myself more push, and don't let those guys who believe in myself to make those straight to, to make those guys down will do their job or being criticized. Then I say, You know what? I got to be the best I can be and I will be the best I can be to not make those guys fail. And when I come for Chicago, remember, I know nothing you remember, you can't. Luis Aparico and Chico Carrasquel they was playing for the White Sox in the past. Very good shorts are now going to fit those shoes. I told myself I've got to be better than them. Obviously, be better on Aparico. I can't because he's a Hall of Famer, but they remember and they love me now. More than of those guys. Why? Because I played longer, I played harder, and I was the best one. But I gave everything I have every day. In the field. Let me tell you one thing. When you play out there, your kids play there, it's always gonna be a scout. always gonna be a coach. always gonna be another parent always could be your father. Or your mom make them feel proud of you play hard, and you are not going to get a hit every at bat. You know what to make the best play. You will make errors. But if you play hard. Those guys going to go home feel proud of yourself about what you did. And I think that's more important than you going 4-4, you know, be the best on the team. I think around there is going to be people watching all the time. When I was playing, I said I'm going to play hard. And I'm going to play good. The way people should be playing just because somebody pay a ticket to watch me play. Maybe one out of 50,000 Maybe one out of 35,000, 1, maybe one parent takes their son or daughter to the game to say hey, watch number 13 play shortstop that's the way you play the game, that was my my goal when they leave the game, that Father, feel proud to show the kid, look that's the way you do go about your business and that was making my life a little bit better.

Evan 14:24

That's a really, really great way to look at that. There are some people who doubted you in the beginning, because you were only 150 pounds and 5'11" Did you go into your first game feeling like you had to prove yourself to the city of Chicago? Or did you just go there and focus on yourself and what you knew you did best?

Ozzie 14:46

I gotta I gotta think about me. What I what I what I know I can do. I was besides that I was only 19, 20 but I was the smartest guy in the in the field in that moment. Why because I wasn't worried about anything I was in every game, I never lose anything. I was very concentrated in the game, what happened? What's going on, why we lose when we win why did you guys not do this? And because I had to do that, I had to fight you know me, I'm played with you know I played with Ron Kittle, Tom Seaver, Carlton Fitz, those guy hit home runs oh, wow. But me, I had to make everything I had to do everything perfect for people realize who I was. Especially my coaches. I mean, my first manager was Tony La Russa Hall of Famer, Jean Leland he was my third base coach those guys teach me how to play the game right how to be a pro. I was lucky, very lucky kid to grow up playing baseball with mens right now a few Hall of Famers men who care about the game. Love the game, respect the game. And I grew up watching those guys go about their business and I say I don't have the talent they have, but I'm better than then in baseball IQ. And thank God I was thinking that way I always pick the right friends. Something you have to, you know to be careful about at your age. Not because the kids are nice to you and be nice. You have to listen to your parents. Why? Because in life you parents is the only real friend you have. Because whatever happened, who you going to call? Your parents. Not just a you know, is a good friends out there, yes, there are. but there's not good friends either. Maybe kids got jealous that maybe kids don't want you to be who you want to be. Maybe the kids grew up in different type of family. And you had to think about it. The only real friends anybody have. I hope is your parents. You know, I know some kids grew up with bad parents. That's no good. Don't care about drinking and smoking or do bad stuff. But when you grow up with good parents. That's all you have to look up to it and make them feel proud of you made them to love you and make them to to take care of you and do everything for you.

Evan 17:11

That's a really great way to appreciate our parents and like you said before, our parents are everything. And us as youth baseball players, we don't realize how much they do for us. So we have to just believe in ourselves as well.

Ozzie 17:29

Look at it this way my kids grew up in baseball and the worst thing for my kids is being "Ozzie's kid" because everybody's expecting them to play like me to have the IQ like me. I'm gonna watch a little league game and people say you're not better than your father you know me that's a very hard way to grow up to you know, it's nice to be a Guillén and it's nice to be a Griffey and it's nice to be you know, somebody name, but in the mean in the back. Inside the house it's not easy. I'ts hard because they look, my kid was managing. I think you saw him manage and everybody thought he was going to manage like I managed because he was my son no, everybody got his own life his own way, his own way to look at stuff. And and as a parent and a coach you have to respect that. But I grew up, I grew up in a divorce. My parents got divorced when I was 10 years old. I got the best I think that divorce helped me. I was obviously you don't want that to happen to anyone. But I said you know what? I got to do what they never did. I raise a family, be with the kids, my kids day in day out I think thanks to that divorce, I am the way I am with my kids and my grandkids and friends and my kids friends. Because I know how hard it is ot be raise almost by yourself. One day is your mom with two days with mom and dad. I put that in the past and say wait. I don't make that excuse "Oh my parents and my mom they got divorced, I got into this I said no. I said, I going to be great when they grow up when I grew up. My parents getting old, feel proud. What I did feel proud what I do, I raising my family. And that's why it's my ultimate goal. Don't fail for that. If something happened to you parents would have problems they do every day. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about that. Normally, that really invalid you because you know what to take anything positive out of that system.

Evan 19:37

It's really great how you do that for your kids. You were only 20 years old when you first broke into the major leagues. How are you able to keep your confidence up when you were facing guys who were much older than you and who had way more Major League Baseball experience, then you

Ozzie 19:56

I always say I'm here for a reason. and I am gonna battle against the best one that's all. You want to be a champion. You have to compete against a champion. You're not going to be a champion competing against no one and that's why like when I got to compete you know what I mean. One day I go to the mound and your dad and your mom can tell you who those guys were, Tom Seaver and Carlton Fisk, two Hall of Famers. I go down to the mound like I own the ballclub like, tell them what to say what to do. But you know why no, people was wrong. I would go to the mound to learn what they say and what they talk about, you know what I mean. My kids would make fun of me because my English was horrible, you know, I'm a little bit better, not better like Wow. But every time I go to the mound my kids ask me like "dad, it's Carlton Fisk and Tom Seaver talking on the mound, two Hall of Famers, they've been in the big leagues for like 15 years. What are you doing there?" And I told my kids I said, you know what I was doing there? Learning. Okay, what are those guys talking about, and I don't say anything. I just listen and go back to my position. And that's how you listen, you listen to the right people, and you go about it and you put everything together, you know. And and you have confidence in yourself. And I don't believe that, by the way, I believe in goals, I don't believe in dreams. Oh, my dream come true. Or Oh my god, you make it to a Big Leagues or you go to high school, or you go to college, graduate from college. Oh, my dream come true. No it's not. . No, that's not your dream that's your goal. Your goal is to be somebody in life because you can dream a different thing every day. You can dream about you was flying the airplane and all of a sudden you wake up, you don't fly anything, but you say I will fly the airplane. And that's your goal and you put that to be your goal. Goal. It's something you can reach dream. I don't know how many dreams you can reach.

Evan 21:55

I love that way of thinking right there. So you were Really amazing in your rookie year, you even won the Rookie of the Year award. What were some of the thoughts in your head when you first found out news?

Ozzie 22:10

I feel proud because, well, my goal came true to play every day in the Big Leagues. Not just to be Rookie of the Year. That's, that's real nice. But, I feel proud because my country, it have a great news in the sport. My parents are going to be, that's going to be there for rest of baseball life. But I feel more responsibility too because every year you have to get better and better. Obviously, you're not. But that's in your mind. I said I got to do better next year. And that will help you. I don't see that many Rookie of the Year finish up careers. I see a lot of Rookie of the Year, the next year they get released. And I said Rookie of the Year to me it was in my mind. It was One good season. That's not gonna carry over for the rest of your career. And that's why you had to turn that thing away. I said, Yeah, I was rookie of the year last year. I got paid last year. This is a new year, and I had to be better and work harder to continue to play this very tough career.

Evan 23:23

That's an amazing way of looking at it. Only three years into your major league baseball career, you were selected for your first All Star game. That's an experience that so many of us youth baseball players dream of. What was that all star game experience like for you?

Ozzie 23:44

I was scared.

First time in my life I was scared because all of a sudden you walk through the hotel. And you see everybody who plays against you. I still, I think I was still young for that. But you see Ricky Henderson, Don Mattingly, ah, George Brett. Ah, oh my god. That one to me, that's the best picture I ever take in a baseball uniform. My first year in the all-star game. You know why because most of the guys, I count one by one, maybe 90% of those guys, they're Hall of Famers. And when you get dressed, and you see those guys like, Oh my God, this guy, is like 6'8" with 300 pounds, just muscles, and you sit next to them like, 152 pounds and 5'11", you're like, Oh, I don't belong here. But uh, but that was a great experience just because you were with the best in the game at that particular moment. And it's just something I feel proud and more than anything, not just because I made the all star game or made the all-star team, it's just because you're next to the good ones, to the great ones and there's nothing, it's the best feeling when you are in the dugout talking to those guys like hey man you know what I mean. Wow when they named you to the line now from the Chicago White Sox Ozzie Guillen and you shake all those superstars hand, man it was so great to be part of that. It's one thing I never realized that til I was getting older and showed my kids like look at this picture guys, look at who's next to me you know, Cal Ripken,Tony Fernandez you know what I mean, so many great players around me. That was an amazing, amazing moment. No way you're gonna forgot about it.

Evan 25:41

yeah that's sounds like a really really amazing experience.

Ozzie 25:46

You know it's funny, the guy you hate, you play against them and now they're your teammate for a day. And you know what I mean, Dave Winfield, Oh my God, I look at Dave Winfield on the other side of the ballpark or the field, man I play against him and now I'm playing with him. That's a great great, great accomplishment you can ever have when you sit down and have a couple you know, you have dinner together, all the wives and that moment just, for the all star people, it's an amazing. An amazing experience I ever had with a baseball uniform.

Evan 26:25

You were a dynamic shortstop when you played and you had some really really good hands. What drills did you do to develop really quick hands?

Ozzie 26:36

Okay, working on your feet. The feet. When you work on your feet to try to be quicker, have quick feet. It makes a great fielder. People think oh, it's just great hands. No, I think it's opposite. I think when you have good feet. It's experience I don't think I don't Derek Jeter was a great shortstop. He was a great player to me. One of my favorite baseball players ever. But you see him play short stop, he wasn't good because of his feet it make him good because of his these hands. If I'm gonna teach you how to catch ground balls. I will not teach you the way Derek Jeter was catching the ball. But Derek Jeter's feet was so amazing he made everything look easy. But it wan't his hands it was his feet. I think when you have good feet and you're ready with your feet, ready to throw the ball to first base. Your feet are the ones that make you be great or be okay. If you have bad feet or heavy feet. And you look at a big first baseman, the outfielder, but you look at a good shortstop, the best thing they have is feet. And you gotta work every day. Kobe Bryant show me something. Michael Jordan show me something like oh my god. The best like we talked earlier. They were in theym hours before they start practice and they stayed an hour later after the practice. I didn't do it the way they did. No way I never did. Not too many athletes have that push to be the best, but the only way you'll be better is working.

Evan 28:13

That's really really great insight for us youth baseball players

Ozzie 28:17

Okay, let me tell kids now. Okay, the best thing you can do is hitting.

But the worst thing you can do is run the bases.

And kids love to do what they do best. Obviously to look good. But I think fielders, you know fielding to me was the best thing I ever did. I was the best shortstop for seven years the best in the league and said I didn't even realize that until my kids showed me maybe a year ago like wow, dad you was good defenseively, you was the best in WAR guys and I was like wow, I was doing my job. I was not thinking about being the best I wanted to try and be the best for my team. But You always, always try to work more in something you're weak at. If you're a good hitter but I need to play defense. Nobody likes to play defense. Nobody wants to do stuff they're not good at it. Like when I play golf. I like to drive. Oh my God, look at how far the ball goes. But that's because that's my best part of my golf game. By my short game, it's terrible. I should be working more on my short game than my big game. That's the same way with baseball. Don't fall in love with the things you already know you're good at. Obviously, you you have to continue to work on it. But work on the stuff you're weak at or you think you need work the most and you'll be a better player.

Evan 29:48

That's really great insight and information for us youth baseball players. And yeah, it's it's really important to be committed to the things maybe you don't want to do. At the moment, but you know eventually will get you to the place you want to go.

Ozzie 30:05

Same way when you're at school

when you go to school you always have one class your lost. And because you love and you're good at it, you work in that class, but the one you're not good at, you're like, oh my god, I gotta do this. I gotta do that. No, that's the one you got to concentrate more on and pay more attention to it because the other one you like, they're gonna come natural. But the one you don't like. You know, when I went to school, it was very, Periods, I know it was not that long. I hate English. Hated. But I never worked on English. I should go there and say, I'm gonna be better in my class in English. Because, not because of my future. I don't know why we have English class in Venezuela. when nobody traveled to the united states anyway. But uh, it was my mistake. I should've been better or work harder on my English. I was working on my math when I was already okay. And now that mistake teach me how to get better or to be in the top of my class every day. And the same way it's in baseball. Same way it's in life. Don't do stuff when you're already good at it. Do stuff where you think you're weak and you have difficulty to get better. That's the one you got to work on the most.

Evan 31:36

That's really, really great advice. You never made more than 52 strikeouts in one season. What are some things you worked on consistently to stay at the top of your game?

Ozzie 31:50

I don't think it was good because I was swinging at everything. If I'm born again and play the game again. I will be better than that. Strike out, my problem was every time my bat leave my shoulder that ball is in play. I don't swing and miss that many times. Never. Every time I put my hands out the ball is in play and that cost me my average, that cost me more to get on base, that cost me more walks. And that was my problem. I can be with two strikes as soon as swing I know I'm gonna put the ball in play. And that was a problem I had all my career, taking pitches. Now when I get older I got better but it was a little too late to put that in practice. Once you have two or three thousand at bats in the Big Leagues, but strike out, the strike out thing is every time, you see a lot of guys strike out swinging or strike out foul balls. Unfortunately for me, every time I put the ball in play it's on. Somebody would catch it or somebody will, you know what I mean. That was the problem I had in that particular time. But also it was a great problem. Because my manager knew I was the best contact hitter in the game and he took advantage. He put a hit and run, bunt you know, game situation. And that helped me too in those particular at bats.

Evan 33:22

Yeah, that's also what made you such a great player during your time and ultimately, a really big figure in baseball

Ozzie 33:32

It's a funny thing because I got paid to play. I didn't get paid to be a batting champion. I don't get paid to lead the league in RBI. I don't get paid to to be a homerun leader. I'm paid to play every day and I did. I played 162 games, 155 games. I played every day. A thing that is not easy to do, play every day with my size, my body. How much I weighed. That's why I take care of myself a lot, because I'm getting paid to be in the lineup. I'm not getting paid to, to produce the way somebody else was getting paid. And that's why my goal was staying in the lineup. Every day go out there and play everyday. And that was my proud. So you know, Ah, you lead the league in homeruns. Yeah but I played more games than you did. That's the only ammunition I had to give people and with them, okay, because the way to stay in the big leagues for me, it was to play every day, and I did. It's something, I know, I know, I wasn't going to lead the league in anything. But I got to lead the league in defense. And I got to lead the league in games played. And that was my, my goal, and I did it.

Evan 34:44

And it's important to know our strengths and do what we have to do to contribute to our teams to eventually just put our teams in the best position to win.

Ozzie 34:57

Yes, I think it's the best satisfaction. That's why I got the opportunity to coach and manage more because I was playing for the team. I was the captain of the team in the big leagues and I'm hitting 240, 250. You know, you always captain of the team when you're the guy to produce or you're the guy that makes more money. Just because they know every time I put on a uniform it's about winning it's not about numbers. And I think that made it easy and my teammates respect me the most just because of that.

Evan 35:26

Did you always want to be a manager in the MLB?

Ozzie 35:31

Yes, and I'm not gonna say You know why? Because I played for a lot of bad managers and I'd say if that guy can manage, I can manage. Then, you know, I was managing in the big leagues when I was playing. You know why?

Evan 35:47

interesting

Ozzie 35:48

because because that that was my goal, managing one day. And I said, No, I never thought okay, I would do this. I will do that. I would do the same thing he does. I got my own way to manage. When I was playing, how I talked to the guys, how I approach a player, how I move the guys back and forth, and that helped me to be a great teammate. And when someone is down, I'm always next to him, Like Hey, lets go. Don't quit, because they teach me that way. You know what I mean. Don't put yourself down, you know, you're good enough. You're in the big leagues. Don't let thish thing bother you. Don't let this game bother you. And then that's why, i don't think I was a good manager. I think I was a great, great communicator. And I make you believe no matter how bad you was as a player, I make you believe you was the best. And that's why I think that's why my managing career it was good because I make a lot of friends. They were my players. Because they know I was there for them every day.

Evan 36:55

Yeah, that's awesome. What you did for your players. Either when you were Managing or just playing during your playing career. And as a manager, what factors do you consider when you're about to make a pitching change? And how do you know who you're going to bring in? Because there's so many guys in the bullpen?

Ozzie 37:19

That's a very, that's the hardest moment for any manager. Why am I going to take you ouy, why you're leaving him in. Who are you gonna call who's the hitters? You got everything in your mind. Like, okay, this guy, this guy, because whatever the reason is, use the bullpen, Put those guys in the best moment to have success. That's what my point is okay, I'm going to put this guy in this at bat because he will have success against him. And to create. I will create more confidence in the player. Because when you bring somebody you know was the right guy or the right matchup and it fails, you create, you have doubts in your mind how good you can be. That's why I tried to put those guys out there but the hardest thing or the more uncomfortable thing for any manager is when you go to pinch hit for somebody or you go to remove somebody from the mound. And then that's the two things wow that you know what I mean. Some players don't like to come out but you have to. Or I hate like, oh this guy is gonna pinch hit for you. But wait a minute, I can't hit that guy? Yes, I can hit that guy. Especially if you pinch hit and the guy you pinch hit for strikes out. You're like oh my god, you have to try to put the best guys in the right place and the right posotion for them to have success in the game.

Evan 38:53

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And that's also what made you such a good manager. Trying to put the guys who you feel are going to have the most success in the right positions. So 2005 was a very special year for you because your team won the World Series. What was the chemistry like on that 2005 team

Ozzie 39:17

It's only one chemistry when you win, when you win, great chemistry. When you lose, That's not a good chemistry even if you want to have good chemistry. My thing is, in my clubhouse I had a great bunch of guys. I didn't have superstars. I had good players. But as soon as they put on their uniform, everyday it was about winning. And you got to tell those guys hey listen this is about winning not about numbers. If you win, Numbers are gonna be there. Why? Because when you win that means, you do something good. And your numbers and your ability will take care of that. And I think that from the First day players found out hey this is about winning it's not about numbers. And those players went to my plan, they put it together, they understand my point, they understand how we're going to play the game. And that's what at spring training, we got that philosophy. We don't care if you're 0 for 4. You go to bat and you have to move the guy over, you have to do something for the team that will help everyone.

Evan 40:29

And winning is what players strive for. It ultimately helps them and just the team in general.

Ozzie 40:37

I think when you win, if you are 0 for 4 and you win, you're happy. You might fake it. But the team win. And I think that was very important to everyone. Because you can be 4 for 4 and your team loses. You know, you can not enjoy that with the rest of the guys.

Evan 40:56

Yeah,

Ozzie 40:56

and that's why that's why I think winning is very important than anything

Evan 41:01

at what point in the season did you feel like you had a shot at winning it all with that team?

Ozzie 41:07

Never did, never did because we was like wow, 15 games over .500, 20 games over .500, we know we're gonna win the division. At the end of the division it was kind of hard because Cleveland was playing very good baseball.

But I never did. I never did I remember

we're up three games

against Houston. And I told those guys, I had a meeting with the players and said listen, don't let the duck wake up. Kick'em. Don't let it wake up because you lose this game, they know they're going to have a chance. That happened to Boston and the Yankees. They let those guys win one game. Uh Oh, there we go. If you are there. If you're in that particular World Series you know you won three games in a row before. 3,4,5,6,7,8, games in a row and that's why in the third game I talked to the guys. I said hey, kick them right now. Don't let them get up. Because if you let them, if you leave the guy get up, they might hit you and knock you down. I said let's go I said to me, Every game was important. We, until we had the last out of the World Series. Every day, I never take anything for granted, I never take anything for... Oh, we are up three games, we're fine, we got it done. No this... That's why I think this team went out and win it in four games.

Evan 42:33

That's very interesting and just take it one game at a time.

Ozzie 42:37

That's it. One game at a time and like like what I said. For you you want to play this game, it;s not an easy game but whatever happened the night before or the day before or the week before it doesn't mean anything the next day. You can have 4 for 4 one day and the next day it;s a brand new game. You can be 0 for 4, and that's why this game is not easy, but this game physically and mentally you have to be prepared for that.

Evan 43:04

What would you say your favorite game as a manager would be?

Ozzie 43:10

Wow. So obviously my first game was. My first game I was a manager like I couldn't believe I'm managing the team I played for. I managed in thecity I played all my career for or most of my career. And obviously the last out. We did it in Houston, the last out to clinch the championship. World Series. I wasn't happy for me. I was happy for the players. That's the ones that battle all year long. Stressed all year long. Played hard all year long. I feel proud for the players. And I feel so happy for them more than me

Evan 43:49

That must have been a really special moment for you and your players. If you could put together a dream team choosing players from across baseball history. What would be your starting nine?

Ozzie 44:03

Oh my god. Why do you do that to me.... so many great, so many great players. If I had a dream team. Let me see...catching I'd put Ivan Rodriguez. He was the best catcher I ever see ah. second base Roberto Alomar, shortstop it would have to be Ozzie Smith. I'd like to say Derek Jeter because Derek Jeter is a winner all his life. Third base it would have to be George Brett. In the outfield, my goodness, Vladimir Guerrero, Ken Griffey, Jr. in centerfield, left field Barry Bonds. You know, I left out Rickey Henderson you know what I mean so many great players out there. No, I'll take Barry out and Ricky because I see Ricky play more than I see Barry. I'll put Barry as a DH. First baseman that's only one I'm missing. First base, so many great first basemans out there. I would put Puljols on first base.

Evan 45:16

That's awesome but there are so many great players throughout baseball history.

Ozzie 45:20

So you can ask me tomorrow, you can ask me tomorrow the same question, I might tell you different players

Evan 45:28

as an analyst Is there a different way you see the game because you aren't like in it like playing or coaching

Ozzie 45:34

An analysts is... everything you see is easier from there. Because when you're managing everybody in baseball is managing that game. You and the fans they say why did this manager put this guy, Why did he do this, Why did he do that? I think being an analyst is the easiest way to criticize a player and say the right thing. But I think it's easier for me to watch the game. And when I am an analyst I don't try to be a former manager, a former player, I'm going to be the analyst on that day of the game. I never say oh, I would do this, why he don't do that? I always say why'd the manager do this? I don't say say if I was the manager I would do that. I think that sounds ugly, you know, that sounds ugly because it's easy to think about the game when you're with the mic, next to it. But I always say, You know what I mean, this guy got this guy on the bench, you got this guy in the bullpen. Why he don't use him? I don't say if I was the manager I'd use this guy. Because you sound arrogant. You sound you like you know the game more than anybody else or you sound like, like that manager down there. He don't know, I know more than him. And that's why you have to be careful how you say and when you Say in that particular moment, not because you managed. Or you, because you win the championship, or you managed for so many years, you played for so many years, you're better than the guy that's downstairs in that particular moment.

Evan 47:14

We're really lucky to have an analyst like you, who has a lot of baseball experience.

Ozzie 47:21

There's one thing I will tell you, I will tell the fans the truth. Even the players like it, or the manager like it, because my job is to explain the game to the fans. And whatever they say later if they like me or not, that's their problem. I will never lie to the fans and I never did. I never lied to the fans even when I was a manager. I never lied to the players. When I see something wrong, I let them know right away. And that's why I never have any problem with anyone because they know how I was and who I was. And that's the way my job is right now, to explain to you guys, explain to the fans in that particular game what's wrong and what's right. And if you like it You like it. I'm working for the White Sox right now at NBC. And I told the players if you don't want me to say bad stuff about you play good. If you play good or if you're managing good, what am I gonna say. Not, because you got four hits. Because, I see you do the right thing for the team in that particular game or that particular at bat, that particular pitch. And that's why you got to take this game, pitch by pitch, inning by inning and that's, That's how you can talk on TV. Because fans, fans know about the game. They think they know too much about the game. But when you lie, when you have the mic and you lie or you're protecting somebody, they will find out and they don't like that.

Evan 48:49

I've seen a couple of videos of you joking around around the game baseball. How important is having fun while you're playing the game of baseball?

Ozzie 48:59

Well, if you come from where I come from, and you are where I was. You had to have fun every second of the game. You getting paid. Like I always say, I never worked in my life. Never did. I never worked one minute. Because everything I was doing, I love it. I have the passion I enjoyed. And so far, I'm 56 years old. I don't know that word work, because I never did in my life. Every time I go to the ballgame, I was doing something I really love. I really like I enjoyed it. And I make money out of that. And that's why I say, I always say you know, I'm the luckiest man because I raised a family I create a family which is something I always got to enjoy what I was doing.

Evan 49:50

When you love something and it never feels like work.

Ozzie 49:54

Never did never do it and when you look and I'm one a few of those guys to show up to the ballpark no matter what happened that day. I was the happiest man in the field. I am the happiest man in myself. Because I was doing something I really does and I really loved doing and I was lucky enough to live that life.

Evan 50:17

What would you say your favorite sort of have fun moment is

Ozzie 50:24

have fun moment... when you play! You know how many people play for fun? Now we get paid to play that's, that's extra fun. You, when you get paid a lot of money and people look up to you and people ask for your autograph and people admire you or people appreciate what you did or what you do. That's the funny, The best thing about this game. And I think every time you put a uniform, let's go have fun. Especially you. You know right now, Little League, high school, and I told my kids, you're done with college fun is over. Now when you sign professional ball, you're getting paid for it. Now you have to be better. And that's two things People have to be careful with. Because it's two different things. Now you make money, you will have more responsibility. You gotta you got to expect better for yourself and people pay to watch you play. You cannot let those guys down. And I enjoyed every minute you see me play shortstop, you never see me or have the opportunity to see me play but everybody in the league say who have more fun in baseball? 90% of the players say Ozzie Guillen, play against me or play with me. And I love it because I was like, Well, you know when you go to Disney land. And to me I was going to Disneyland every day. And they say something. That's why I enjoyed the game more than anybody in my time.

Evan 52:02

Yeah, that's so cool. That's awesome. So, family is extremely important to you. What influence have they had on you as a player and in your baseball career?

Ozzie 52:15

Well, because they know, how, you know? It's funny because they know I had a lot of responsibility. I was very, very good in anything I did. And I teach my kids how it's important

to have

how do you say that?

the commitment you make, that's the commitment you're going to be. And you you make a commitment. You have to be a good husband, you got to be a good father. You got to be a great grandfather, that's commitment and I teach my kids that. I say that's the best thing I can say. You know, I was taking the game seriously. Very seriously. But with a lot of fun and to combine those two things, it's not an easy combination. But it worked for me. You know have fun with what you do but have a lot of responsibility what you do, and that's why I think my career lasted longer just because I make this combination. And one thing about it too... whatever happened in the ballpark, stays at the ballpark. Don't bring it to your house. And what happened in your house leave it in the house. Don't, because you are always going to have problems, okay. Like your father, he sings. All of a sudden he's gotta go to work. All of a sudden he has a problem, a fight with your mom for any reason or you know, he was upset with you for any reason. He can't go out there and think about those problems when he performs. Same way when you perform you let, okay, something goes wrong in in the concert. He can't go there and taking you guys what was wrong in the in the concert because you don't have nothing to do with that and then that's the thing with me worked very well. Whatever happened on the field stayed on the field, whatever happened in my house stayed in my house

Evan 54:12

Did you coach your kids in baseball when they were growing up? And were you tough on them?

Ozzie 54:18

I never did. Unfortunately I never do. I wish I could have had more time. I was tough of them? No, no, I wasn;t tough on them, not not all. I say you, I think. Maybe that's a mistake I make or that's a good thing I did. I let my kids be happy and do whatever they want as long as they do it the right way. And but I bet you my grandson and my granddaughter are going to be way better players than they did because now I have the time to coach them. I have time to teach them more. And so it's all about time. You know when I grew up, when they grow up. I watched them play. Yes I watched them play every day. Every time I have an opportunityto See them play I would go and watch it, every, every game. I never stayed home because I was tired. I never stayed home because I was busy. I never stayed home because oh my god I'm tired of baseball I got to see my kids paly. No I never did. I go there and watch like another parent. I never watched my kid like I was Ozzie Guillen. I watched my kids praying like all the parents. All the parents. I don't say hey Put your hands up, do do this, never did. I never put my nose on it. And that's why our relationship has been great. Has been good. And off the field or on the field, I treated my kids like kids. I treat my kids like my sons. And and I think my relationship with my kids is better than my career in baseball.

Evan 55:47

That's amazing. They're they're really lucky to have you as a father.

Ozzie 55:52

Sometimes they do sometimes they don't.

Evan 55:56

Your your son Ozney. He actually followed your footsteps and became a manager. What was your reaction when you first found out?

Ozzie 56:04

I was very proud? Very happy. Not because very proud because, he did it himself. I don't help him in anything. He did it himself, he just win the championship in Colombia. I was more proud more happy when that happened then when I won the World Series. because I see my kids have success. I think Ozney right now knows more of the game than me because he was into the game, the new stuff coming out right now. He knows about the game very well and I think he has a good future doing it. But you know what I mean say, he asked me questions, Yes. I answer the way I should answer yes. But we always discuss about the problem. I never right or you never right. We talk about it. We get together we talk. No, you're wrong. I say not because I say I'm right not because I played that many years in the big leagues I'm right not because I win two championships I'm right. And that's one thing you have to put on the side. Don't try to put together like I was better than you because of this, no, I think everybody have his time everybody thinks, but I always talk to him about the game. Yes. I always talk to, when he asks me a question. I answer. I never ask any question why you do this in the game why you move this guy, or why you take these guys out? Nope. I never did.

Evan 57:26

And I just want to say I watch LaVidaBaseball. And I love the dynamic between you and your sons. I think it's really special.

Ozzie 57:34

Don't miss it, it's gonna be better and better every day. Because we just not talk about our game. We just talk about life. We talk about something, we not agree with each other. And I love that. Everybody has a different way to look at the game. And that's why we put the show together just because it's fun. And I'm not right, because I'm the guy who knows baseball and everybody has their opinion. And the opinion they have is very good. And the opinion they have, if I don't agree I will say it but not because I don't agree I'm right. And I think the show it has been pretty good. And hopefully we'll continue to do it.

Evan 58:17

I really love lavidabaseball with you guys.

Ozzie 58:20

Well ask questions, you know what next time ask question we will respond to you

Evan 58:27

I definitely will

Ozzie 58:28

Yeah, do it, we will respond and I'll be aware if you are gonna ask questions and that's the part of the show. When you have people ask questions, it makes the show more fun. Because that's why we are there. For now you don't have one opinion in the show you have four. And that's why you can pick out of the four opinion, you can pick the one you like. You know what I mean, maybe you pick Ozney's opinion. And that's what the show is all about.

Evan 58:55

So Chicago has been your home for a number of reasons. Now. What makes that city so special for you?

Ozzie 59:04

Oh my god. Well, two things. I can do whatever I want in the city. At the park you know people be nice to me. People be nice to my family. They grow up here. I can you know, that's the first winter I spend in Chicago. You know it was not something we wanted to experience but when we stayed as a family we going to enjoy and I think that Chicago is a very calm city. Very nice city. Chicago, it's like a small New York and I told you guys I told Bobby Allende I told your dad why you not move out of that city, out of New York and come to Chicago but I think Chicago, I will. I will live here for the rest of my life. Now I have grandchildren. Now. I stay in the city more. I love this city. People respect me. One thing about it, I don't care if you love me or not. as long as you respect me? That's the only thing I care.

Evan 1:00:03

Can you talk to us about the Ozzie Guillen foundation and what its mission is

Ozzie 1:00:10

It start with, that foundatiotn start with Ruben Blades because I was doing a lot of stuff in my country without people notice and Ruben Blades come to me and say you got to let people know you help your community you help the town you help your city, yohelp your country and thats where it start. We start with kids with AIDS and cancer in Venezuela. That's why I love all the musicians that help me doing that. That's why I think I have more friends in the music sides than I have on the player side. And I was teaching my kids how to help the people that need help. Because we are lucky enough to have less problems than a few people. And that's how the foundation started. You know what I mean. We help a lot. We go through. It's not easy to do it, my wife, especially my wife, my wife is the one involved a hundred and Ozzie Jr. go a hundred percent. I just help and. And I think that's one of the best things my kids are going to carry from me, help others when they need help. And that's why I think that foundation is going to be long, you know what I mean. I don't do the foundation to be famous, I don't do the foundation just to be to be my, people talk about, oh look at Ozzie how great guy he is. No. I did it for my family. Make sure they have responsibility, make sure they care about people next to them, people around them, and every year it's stronger and stronger and, and people help me a lot. I got people, they put money on it. Do more stuff more important than me. And that's what the foundation was all about it. It's all about teaching my kids how to give something to the people really, want, need to.

Evan 1:01:53

That's a really great in an important lesson that all of us can learn for. Just to give back to People who may not have as much as we do, and even just the community we grew up in, you give back to others.

Ozzie 1:02:08

It's just something you feel you feel good. You feel like oh my god when we donate anything, you can donate one pencil, one book or you can donate a baseball field. No matter it's one million or $1. Every time you donate something to make the community better it's a great feeling. It's a lot of work. It's a great great feeling and I thank all the people that help that foundation without... it's a friend. You know, they never charge me anything. They never say hey, I want to do this or no. I think that Foundation, it comes from friends and you make good friends when you're a good guy. And, and so far, they know all the money go to somebody. I know have a Secretary I don't have any office, anything. You, We make a hundred thousand dollars we give away a hundred thousand dollars, we made $2 we give away $2. It doesn't matter, it's about helping and make family happy. Maybe sometimes you donate people you, you donate money to kids. They don't know. But the parents know the people around them know. And that's a great satisfaction.

Evan 1:03:21

Well, now I want to move into the rapid fire questions. You ready?

Ozzie 1:03:26

I'm always ready, brother.

Evan 1:03:29

So first, what was your favorite season as a player?

Ozzie 1:03:34

My favorite season to play my first year, you know, first year because finally I make it to the big leagues.

Evan 1:03:40

What's your favorite food from Venezuela?

Ozzie 1:03:43

Oh, from Venezuela, obviously like everybody else I love arepas. Arepas is the best one because I grew up eating that. And you talk about black beans, rice and meat. Everybody in every country eat that. In Puerto Rico, New York everything but arepas, I think that's my favorite.

Evan 1:04:01

And if there was a blockbuster movie made about your life so far, what would you want it to be called?

Ozzie 1:04:08

Oh my god the real Ozzie

because nobody, Yeah, because nobody knows exactly who I am. They got the, expecting different things, love me, hate me. But "Meet The Real Ozzie" that's the movie it should be making that's gonna be the name. And the guy, the guy worked hard, and he's a great. I'm not gonna say I'm great in everything. But I think I'm great, most the thing is I'm a great husband and great father and great grandfather that's that's my responsibility. I'm willing to do it. And that's, I think I want people to love me more with what I do with my family and my friends than what I did on the field.

Evan 1:04:48

What are some of the things that you're currently working on?

Ozzie 1:04:51

I work on my golf swing. I'm terrible, but I work on it. I work on it and I work on it to be the best grandfather I can be. I work on it everyday to be the best I can be because they're my blood. That's the people they're gonna look up to me and that's the people we're gona raise.

Evan 1:05:10

I know you're you're almost everywhere. Are there certain places where people can reach out to you and learn more about you?

Ozzie 1:05:17

Well, I'm a very home made guy. I stay home all my life that's why the quarantine don't hit me that bad because I always stay home the most I can. You can reach me and my Twitter. Or you can reach me on my Instagram, my Instagram I don't work on it that much. My Twitter Yes. And to be honest with you. This is my second, my second podcast I ever did something and when your parents and my friend Bobby asked me you want to do it, I feel like it's on. Just tell me what they because right now in that particular time, that's the thing people are doing now. They asked me from every part of the world, every media, every friend. To be honest, and I say no I don't want to be on it because It's one hour, you will enjoy it. But you never know what happened. But to be with you, and the questions you asked me, to me, that's very important. I always do that to my friends, be next to them and talk to them. They asked me any question they want, but if they want to reach me Twitter and Instagram.

Evan 1:06:20

Ozzie, thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate it. And I'm so honored to be here with you on the podcast today

Ozzie 1:06:29

Believe me it's not your honor, it's my honor. Because I went through a lot of media and they talk to me and the question you used, I know you were very prepared for this. To me it was on honor, hoppy and glad to do this. And now now you guys know a little bit about myself, the real Ozzie who is the Ozzie off the field. And when that question comes from a kid like you and to me it's more important to teach them how to be a better kid, not how to be a better player. Thank you so much to give me the opportunity to be with you and have a great, great time with you and very proud of you, man.

Evan 1:07:10

Thank you. Thank you all for listening in. We really hope you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and be the first to know when new episodes launch. Check us out at born to baseball.com for free resources and new gear. And of course on social media at born to baseball where we can connect live now let's play ball

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Born To Baseball Website

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Episode #012: Justin Sherman- Founder of JustinTime Baseball

June 2020 By Evan

Ep. # 012: Justin Sherman- Founder of JustinTime Baseball

Join Evan and Justin Sherman, Founder of JustinTime Baseball, as Justin shares how he fell in love with baseball, gives examples of perseverance paying off, provides insight into his entrepreneurial journey beginning at age 13, and his commitment to teaching the fundamentals and instilling confidence in the young players he trains.

What You’ll Learn:

07:08 Advice on detaching from the outcome and focusing on the process

08:09 Becoming an All Conference Player

12:55 His entrepreneurial journey beginning at age 13

15:07 Role of mentors and what he learned from one of his mentors, Brandon Steiner of Steiner Sports

18:25 The origin of his “What else” motto and how it translates to his life and work with youth players

20:02 JustinTime Baseball organization mission

23:42 Encouraging his players to be “brilliant at the basics”

31:15 How measurable “mini victories” help players build self confidence

32:32 Advice to parents on how best to support their players

Now, let’s play ball!

Read show notes here.

Show Links:

Website: www.justintimebaseball.com

YouTube- “Coach JustinTime”

Instagram @justintimebaseball

Email: justinsherman13@gmail.com

Phone: 914.420.8418

Born To Baseball Links:

Instagram: @borntobaseball

Facebook

Twitter: @bornto_baseball

Born To Baseball Podcast

Episode 012_JUSTIN SHERMAN_FOUNDER OF JUSTINTIME BASEBALL

The transcription below was provided for your convenience through an automated service. Please excuse any unintended errors made in the process.

Evan 0:00

This episode of born to baseball is sponsored by the BTB. Travel team and training tracker. Are you a parent or player searching for travel teams or training facilities in your area? Or are you a coach looking to expand your reach? And you have to check out the BTB triple T tracker at borntobaseball.com. Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

Music 0:24

Calling all ball players. Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Were you born to baseball? Then bring it in? it's game time.

Evan 0:40

Hey guys, welcome to the Born To Baseball Podcast. I'm Evan and today we have Justin Sherman on he attended Westchester Community College and he graduated from SUNY Purchase College with a degree in communications. He is a coach mentor and the founder of Justin Time baseball. Justin, thank you so much for being here.

Justin 0:59

Evan, I've done some podcasts in the last couple of weeks and months. This one I'm excited about.

Evan 1:07

Thank you. So when did you start playing baseball and what really inspired you to stick with it?

Justin 1:14

So, to play baseball, I really just I was very fortunate I had a beautiful gorgeous baseball field right up the street from my house. And the high school baseball team would always practice there. So in the morning, on the weekends, I would hear the Bing, bing, bing, the metal, you know, the metal sound of the bat. And I would always walk up and the coaches were so nice to me. This is when I was about seven, eight years old, I'd walk out my dad and and just even just take a bike ride up there myself and I fell in love with the game, the sound, the smell, and the coaches were extremely positive and supportive to the young kids in New Rochelle. And I'll tell you that's really what got me into baseball, as well as some great coaches along the way, which I'm sure we'll touch on.

Evan 2:11

Yeah, that's an amazing upbringing of the game of baseball.

Justin 2:15

Definitely.

Evan 2:16

Do you remember some of the teams that you played on when you were younger? And some of the coaches you had?

Justin 2:21

Definitely. So I'm sure you can attest to this Evan, but having great coaches could really mold what kind of baseball player you are, and what kind of person you are and help influence it And clearly, you've had some terrific coaches because what a what a polished, kid you are very polished and mature bond beyond your years.

Evan 2:43

Thank you.

Justin 2:45

so yeah, I mean, I've had some tremendous coaches. I've also had some coaches like, I'm sure you know, you're very nice kid, you can attest to it, that maybe weren't the best. As far as communication as far as yelling or whatever. I mean, you remember the good and the bad. So all of those experiences kind of molded what kind of coach I want to be I picked and choose, you know, and chose what I kind of liked what I didn't like, and kind of make my own little formula to how I mentor and teach kids. So, yeah, hundred percent i remember some great coaches and positive we'll never forget. So, uh, you know, I heard a great quote where, and, um, maybe this will register with you even if a kid forgets who you are as a coach. It's not their fault. It's your fault as a coach. So you always want to be remembered for how you impact that a player and how much you gave. And I'll tell you, I've had some tremendous coaches, and so have you, I'm sure, clearly so yeah, hundred percent.

Evan 3:45

Yeah, coaches have a huge impact on a youth baseball players life. So you really grew as a player in high school. Can you share a little bit more about your high school baseball experience?

Justin 3:56

Yes. So one of the many reasons why I love You and your podcasts is you're really geared to not just youth parents, but the players in your age bracket. And I hope this story inspire. Basically I got cut Evan from my junior varsity baseball team in high school, I was 14 years old. And I got cut. And I had to make a decision whether to even keep playing baseball, because sometimes in high school, the majority of the times if you stop playing, it kind of could be over just by statistics. But I basically just went up to the junior varsity baseball coach and said, Look, I want to continue to play baseball, what can I do to get better? So I ended up making the varsity baseball team by by the skin of my teeth, and I genuinely just needed to work harder, and made it and then ended up playing college ball and the rest is kind of history and I'm at where I'm at now as far as coaching but for your listeners, the story isn't necessarily Oh, to be a professional a baseball player because most people may not be I mean, I hope so I hope everyone listening could go for that goal, but the bottom line is just because something happens, you got to persevere. And you never know it's bigger than baseball it's a life lesson about perseverance. And I hope and that's kind of what I try to teach my players is perseverance, hard work, and dedication.

Evan 5:23

That's a really, really great success story. and perseverance is definitely huge not just in baseball, and just in life, as you said. Because of this pandemic, seniors aren't able to play their last year of high school baseball. So can you talk a little bit about your favorite memories playing high school baseball?

Justin 5:45

So it's another great question. So at that age, you're thinking like, oh, what's my batting average? Who am I gonna get recruited by because at senior year, I started to think like maybe have a chance to play in college baseball and I was like in the moment And I was like, oh, and what's my batting average and what's summer team and blah, blah. But the reality is looking back at it now, it's crazy to say 2010 years ago, unbelievable. I just have my 10 year high school reunion, which is incredible. The memories I have is not even like the actual baseball, it's the relationships, you know, I still have relationships with kids, I play Little League like you and older, the relationships that I built those memories, the joking around the, the team vibe. You know, going after practice going out to dinner, locally, like things like that is what you really remember most about high school baseball, and that's what I that's what I remember.

Evan 6:45

Yeah, those are some really, really great memories. And I definitely relate to that too just after a game after just team bonding is huge.

Justin 6:55

Right

Evan 6:56

It ultimately makes us better as a team.

Justin 6:59

Totally It's a win win, right? It's a win win.

Evan 7:01

Yeah. What advice would you give to players on overcoming challenges?

Justin 7:07

I was saying this to another coach the other day I was on the phone with him, you gotta detach from the outcome, Evan, meaning, you know, focus on the process. If you strike out, or if you pop up, or if you make the last out, you got to have the same mindset as opposed to getting the game winning home run, or a game winning hit whatever. Focus on the process, don't get too high. Don't get too low. And I'm sure you can also relate to this, Evan much easier said than done. But I think detaching from the outcome, Evan is really a great thing that helps us overcome adversity because baseball is a lot of failure. And we're going to drive ourselves crazy if we're constantly focused on the outcome as opposed to the process.

Evan 7:57

That's very true. And that's really good advice.

Justin 8:00

Thanks, bud.

Evan 8:01

So you became an all Conference Player when you were at Westchester Community College. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

Justin 8:09

Yeah, so all conference at Purchase as far as lead the league and RBI's. I mean, we're talking seven, eight years ago, I didn't even make my junior varsity baseball team and now leaving the conference in RBI's. Again, I don't say that story to brag. I really just say it to show players that with hard work and perseverance. Anything is possible. Anything is possible. You may not be a professional, maybe you are. I mean, I know kids that are you know, have one kid that's that I've taught since one of my first students. He's going to be playing, you know, professional baseball in the Pecos league if it happens.

Evan 8:49

That's awesome.

Justin 8:50

So the moral of the story is hard work, perseverance, all the general words, but it's so true. It's hokey, but it's true. It was a cool thing, but again, going back to the high school days, like it's the same thing for college. I really remember the relationships and that's something if anything I could say to any kid listening, youth player listening. It's really and even times like these, savor the relationships, the statistics will come if you put in the work and get around great coaches, obviously, in Westchester and all over there's great coaches, but savor the relationships and the little things and being a great teammate and forming great relationships.

Evan 9:32

And after Westchester, you actually went to SUNY Purchase College. And there like you said, you led the conference in RBI's and you were appointed team captain. What are some of the factors and qualities that you have to have to be a team captain?

Justin 9:48

So that's a very good question. And you're very, very, very good at what you do.

Evan 9:52

Thank you.

Justin 9:54

So I would say I have some interesting takes on a captain I think You need to be not necessarily the best player. I don't think the best captains I've ever seen and watch or not even the best players Evan it's the players that lead by example, are good in the community and light up a room as far as positivity and are willing to show the way. You know, you look at a guy like Jeter, right? I mean, yeah. Was he a Hall of Fame baseball player, should have been unanimous. But what leader traits made him a leader- he lit up the room. He showed the way. He was magnetic, you know he had a presence. I think those are leadership qualities that a player could could take to the field right now. Being a good person in the community. Shaking hands. Well, maybe shaking hands might be frowned upon now but maybe A tip of the cap to your coach or whatever, just being a good leader in the community, be magnetic and doing things the proper way to me is even bigger than just being a great baseball player makes you a captain.

Evan 11:15

Yeah, that's, that's a really great way to look at it. And just captains they lead by example, they almost show the way and pave a path instead of following one.

Justin 11:27

Definitely.

Evan 11:28

And were you always a natural leader? just growing up?

Justin 11:33

Well, I'll tell you when I when I was, how old are you Evan?

Evan 11:37

I'm 12 years old.

Justin 11:38

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. So polished.

Evan 11:43

Thank you.

Justin 11:43

So when I was your age, maybe a little younger. I sound like I'm like a grandpa or something. But when I was your age, I would always have stickball games going I would always have football games going and I didn't really say I am the leader. I just kind of formulated groups of kids and just wanted to get things going and organize things I really never thought of myself as like a title "the leader" but maybe that was the beginning of leadership qualities and coaching qualities I always found myself playing with, like, kids older than me and kids younger than me. You know, like I would play with a kid who was maybe 16, and then a kid who was eight. And I always tried to include all of them. So that might have been like the formulation, the beginning of a leadership maybe coaching path. But yeah, I mean, I don't think it needs to even be a title. You know, it just kind of organically happens if that answers your question.

Evan 12:42

Yeah, that's really great.

So I know that you started your own DJ business at 13 years old, which is super cool. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur at such a young age?

Justin 12:55

So when I think of you I think of me and how I started this DJ business and I give you so much credit for starting and you have a great following. I was looking at your background before we talked and like, dude, you got some great guests. You got some major leaguers on here. It's awesome. It really, you should be very proud of what you've built. Yeah, again, I'm assuming and I'd love to hear your story at some point. But really, it was just a matter of we would go to bar mitzvahs in Westchester County and again, like I always loved like leading the kids and being the Pied Piper. And my buddy and I were just like, Look, let's just like start a DJ business. We had a boombox. We did one gig at a pool party for a five year old or something I think was like a five year old. And we did the gig. It was like a two and a half hour party. I was the DJ/MC with a boombox we made I think, like $25 each, which is money. Don't get me wrong, but You know, just at 12 years old your age, I just we just started doing gigs and our parents got behind us and it just took off. And actually, the baseball business has really tied into the DJ business where I would before the pandemic, I was DJ-ing bar mitzvahs for my baseball players. So-

Evan 14:21

That's really cool!

Justin 14:22

Yeah, it's been a cool thing. So I mean, I'm assuming it's a similar story to you. I mean, is that, did you just kind of think like, hey, I want to start a podcast, I'd love to know.

Evan 14:30

Well, really it started like, I've always loved baseball. And my dream is playing in the MLB. So I actually one day just started writing about it. And now it's evolved into interviews and now a podcast. So it's been a really great experience.

Justin 14:46

So cool. That's so awesome. It really is.

Evan 14:50

Thank you

Justin 14:50

I love it. I absolutely love it.

Evan 14:52

So I read that Brandon Steiner was your mentor from Steiner sports. He's an awesome example of a guy who's really worked super hard to achieve their dream. What are some of the things that you have learned from him?

Justin 15:07

So yeah, he's one of the many mentors. I mean, I could also say my parents, and you have a wonderful mother.

Evan 15:14

Thank you.

Justin 15:15

And I'm assuming not assuming I know she's one of your mentors is giving you that

Evan 15:19

Definitely.

Justin 15:22

my parents, Steiner, I mean, he has a quote that says, What else? And the term what else is like what other value can you provide? Not just as a coach, but as an entrepreneur also, like, during these times during this pandemic, I was thinking, kids are not getting physical education. So let me just create a phys ed class, you know, and it's always, just the point of what I'm trying to say is, everything in life is you can be an, everyone is an entrepreneur, meaning everyone has to think like an entrepreneur, even as a baseball coach, like how else can I get to my students, how else can I teach my students in a more effective manner? How can I be a better leader? You know, so you always want to think entrepreneurially like you're an entrepreneur right now, by starting this podcast, you're an entrepreneur. So I guess, to answer the question is being an effective leader, communicating and thinking what else can I do to better serve my players and be more effective and be a better mentor and also being a student, right? Like, I'm, you're 12 years old, I'm 28. I'm learning from you right now. Just like you're learning for me. You know, so, always be an open book. That's something Steiner says, and my parents say, and a lot of other mentors and always be thinking, How can I improve? How can I improve? How can I get better? What else can I do? How can I better serve my players? How can I, you know, give a better message and I always think after every practice, like, could I have done some different or I liked what I said here, I could do more of that, etc. So, yeah,

Evan 17:02

yeah, that's an amazing and really important way to look at things. And I love how you said like, everyone is an entrepreneur, whether it's baseball or actually a business. I really love that.

Justin 17:15

Yep.

Evan 17:16

And in your opinion, how important would you say mentors are for someone to have?

Justin 17:23

So I don't know who said this quote, but like the day you stop learning is the day that you're done. Basically, I don't want to say die that's very dramatic, but like, the point of the quote is like, you have to always be learning and be an open book and a sponge and absorb as much knowledge as possible. So if you can get around a lot of great mentors, a lot of these top notch big coaches, entrepreneurs, business owners, not just business but even obviously, the baseball world. The great ones are Usually willing to give their handout and like help you if you're willing to learn. So it's extremely important to have a mentor forever. I mean, the the every great coach I've spoken to had a great mentor. And that great mentor had a great mentor. It's just, it's the it's the foundation of life to have some kind of influence on you always revert back to somebody.

Evan 18:25

That's very true. So when you talk about your motto, I read that your motto is what else and you said like Brandon Steiner. He talked a lot about that. How did that sort of become your motto? Was it Brandon Steiner, or was it something else?

Justin 18:43

Well, so Brandon Steiner is a friend of mine, and I actually played baseball against his son and that's how kind of we got friendly. I played against his son in high school. So we always became friendly with each other through Little League. But I think the whole idea of What else is a bigger picture? Like I was saying before, like, you know, always trying to think, again, be a servant. How can I serve my players better? How can I provide as much value as possible because the giving as you know as what you're doing right now currently, Evan giving is the highest form of service you can do in life. So if you could serve your message, you know different ways and enhance it constantly and and cut and paste and improve and ship and cut something here, add something here. You're reaching your own potential. And that's what life's all about, right? life's just about trying to fulfill your potential. So I don't know if that answers your question Evan but that's, that's a long answer.

Evan 19:50

It definitely does.

So you're the founder of Justintime baseball. Can you share what Justin time baseball is and its mission.

Justin 20:02

I love it. So just in time baseball, if you're looking to go get recruited to play college baseball, I'll help you with that. But that's it's not really the core, the core of my business is to educate the foundation of the principles and foundations of baseball and softball. All doing that in a fun, positive environment through life lessons. Because baseball is like life. And there's so many parallels, and it's the most beautiful game. I think you'd agree with me, Ivan. It's the most beautiful game in the world. And there's so many parallels between life and baseball. There's so many downs, "downs" in baseball, which is really, if you think of it's really not a down like three out of 10 times you're a stud, getting three hits out of 10 times. You are a stud. That's like life, a lot of things are not going to go your way. You know, you may reach out to a guest. He may not get back to you so quickly. And it's not because you're not a great kid or you don't have a great podcast. That's just life. And maybe that'll happen on the next one. And maybe that one guest one guest that didn't come on, an even bigger ones gonna come on. So the point is, it's life lesson Justin Time baseball is positive. Obviously teaching the skills, like I'm all about, obviously, the skills and teaching we teach, but it's also through a positive self confidence, self esteem, and youth development all combined into one mishmash.

Evan 21:44

That's really amazing. And us players we weren't able to practice or play during this pandemic, what are you telling your players that you coach and you train, about digging deep and really finding ways to grow as a Player during this time.

Justin 22:01

So I think it's important to detach from the outcome, Evan, because I think we're all like, well, when are we going to play? Well, are we going to play in a week? Oh, well, maybe we'll play July 1, and maybe we'll but if we just detach from the outcome and just reach our potential every day, do the best you can every single day. I don't care what the scenario is. Do the best you can every single day with the hand the cards you're dealt. And just try to fill that gap. I always try to tell my kids try to fill your gap. Right. So if your gap is, look, I just want to do 20 push ups a day, I want to take 50 swings a day. Just do what you can to your potential to just be the best ballplayer you can be every day because the only one that knows when we're going to play is God. I do know that I could get better every day God willing and healthy, you know, with health and all that. But I could get better every day that's in my control. Like just control what you could control Don't worry so much about when you're going to play because guess what? There will be baseball. We don't know when. But when there is baseball be ready to play because the game is not going to wait for you. You know, the game's gonna be like, Oh, uh, you know, Johnny's not ready. So let's wait another month. No, they're gonna say look, this day it's comin' be ready. So just stay ready, detach from the outcome reach your potential every single day.

Evan 23:24

That's really amazing advice that you give your players and for the younger players like ages 6 to 10 years old. What are some of the basic fundamental things that they should really be focused on to get ready for the next level?

Justin 23:42

So you may laugh at this, but I think just straight up, catching. This might be the most hokey answer you're gonna get on the entire podcast from everyone you interview. Catch the ball, throw the ball, hit the ball. I think we overcomplicate the game. And I see a lot of kids that are even 15 Evan that don't properly warm up, don't properly throw and catch. Like there's a way to have a catch, right? Like you should be moving your feet when you're having a catch. You should receive the ball like if you're an infielder received the ball like you're an infielder, not just lollygaggin. So, I think perfecting the basics, if you look I go back to Jeter, he wasn't the most fancy player, but he did the basics exceptionally well. I think it was Vince Lombardi that said, be brilliant at the basics. What I teach is really not like I know there's the Rap Soto and and the Hit Trax and they're great tools. But the basics of catching, throwing, uh batting stance even like hitting as far as like where to put your hands. What part of the ball Do you hit? Do you need a big step Do you need a small step Very basic principles be basic, be brilliant at the basics of baseball I think, is very important. instead of rushing to the Rap Soto and the hit Trax and the ball flight, the bottom line is be brilliant at the basics, pick two or three things and get really, really good at it.

Evan 25:18

That's really great advice. And even for the younger kids and for kids my age and a little older, like we can't overcomplicate the game, because, there's a lot that goes on. But realistically, it's just catching the ball, fielding the ball hitting and just running the bases,

Justin 25:37

right and then you get into details, but ultimately the start. I really preach and this is something I love to coach is just the basics, get on a field. Work on the absolute basics if you go to spring training, and I'm sure you've seen spring training at some point. But watching it live, you can go to those back fields. They're working on the same stuff that a lot of 12 and 13 year olds are work now. And they just repeat it, repeat it, repeat it, repeat it being brilliant at the basics, I think is overlooked.

Evan 26:12

And what are some drills that you do to like help your, kids that you coach just develop like good hands and catching or the right batting stance and right bat path and stuff like that.

Justin 26:27

So there's so many drills and there's so many great coaches I mean, like I know we follow each other on Instagram like there's so many you know, I try to good artists copy great artists steal like, everyone steals from each other and they should like that's the beauty of just being on Instagram and talking to great coaches. I again, I revert back to the basics, like how about just hitting a ball up the middle on the tee? I know that sounds simple and like it's not a brilliant might not sound like a crazy answer. But I see so many kids even older that can't hit a ball up the middle. Now I'm not putting them down. I'm just saying they're looking to do other things like fancy drills. But when a balls not moving right down the middle, you should be able to hit five in a row dead center. Right? I'm talking even 11, 12 years old. You know, that's something that I try to tell kids right away is get center. The more balanced the more center and letting the ball get to you, the better you are. So there's so many drills but again, easy answer tee work. There's so many variations to work, catching and throwing. I think even at the younger age, I think sometimes a glove can be a distraction.

Evan 27:46

Interesting.

Justin 27:47

I think taking a glove off is good and just focus on your hands and not necessarily the glove and focus on the mechanics of catching the ball out in front of your body and being in an athletic position. I think that's paramount when you're first starting out as a as a fielder, I think that's more important than any fancy drill you could throw him.

Evan 28:09

who currently in the MLB would you say you want your players to really watch in study?

Justin 28:17

I mean, the easy one I know I've said his name like 100 times already but the easy one is Jeter but I know he's retired which is unbelievable to even say. I mean, a great guy is trout. I mean, how can you not watch trout I mean, he just handles his business. There's a video on on the internet a couple weeks ago, I love it was Mike trout at Yankee Stadium. And basically, he hit a ground ball to shortstop and you know, routine ground ball that like most major leaguers would probably just jog it out. But he beat it out to first base. He's the best player in baseball, he's getting paid $400 million.

Evan 28:57

Yeah, it's crazy.

Justin 28:58

And he was hustling out of the box. So, I mean easy answers Trout. I mean, it's gotta be trout and he's the goat. I mean, he's he's the best player in baseball hands down. So definitely trout.

Evan 29:10

He's a great player to watch and study. And like myself, I watch him a lot. And just the way he plays the game, the heart and the hustle that he plays with, and just, he's just a great player. What some advice and tactics that you give to your youth baseball players about really staying really focused

Justin 29:34

During these times or just in general?

Evan 29:37

just in general, really.

Justin 29:39

So again, I think it's like I said earlier, like it's detaching from the outcome, because I think we're so worried about like the next step that and the and the next play and that, how about like being in the moment that is a skill, like being mental, mental sharpness is staying within the moment. And being where your feet are. I don't know who said it. Someone said it but being where your feet are is very important. Like not trying to be a What did I do my last about? Or what am I gonna? What am I going to do in the box when I'm up? No. How about like each pitches a new pitch? Actually, I have one better I heard one coach he goes each at bat is a new season. What's the point here? The point here is being in the moment and focusing on what you need to do if you focus on your task at hand. That makes you a better ballplayer. That is a skill, it's not easy to do. It's easy for me to say it now that I'm not playing and just coaching but teach that find ways to teach that. And that's something that I try to tell my players is focus on the controllables that's something that helps I think keep kids sharp. Students sharp.

Evan 30:51

Yeah, definitely. That's a huge key to success. Just staying in the moment being able to, like you said, like focus where your feet are be where your feet are. So players at every level can struggle with self confidence. What are some of the things that you do to help your players build their self confidence?

Justin 31:12

Great question. So I know I'm going back to the same couple of things, but they all really revolve around each other. But, um, so yeah, bottom line is detached from the outcome. I mean, is a victory getting a hit? Maybe. But I think a victory in my eyes is crushing a ball on a great pitch, even if it's a bullet at the shortstop. You know, so detaching from the outcome in the process, and controlling what you can control. I know I'm repeating myself, but it really just all comes back to it. Having those mini victories like, Hey, I read that ball well on that pitch, hey, I hit that ball hard on that pitch. Maybe it got caught. Maybe it went over the fence, but mini victories And that's like life, right? I mean, like, you're not going to hit a homerun on every pitch, but you're going to have mini victories and that adds up as hokey as it sounds to, you know, the end goal of being the best you could be.

Evan 32:15

Yeah, that's it's really important. Parents, as you know, play a huge role in a youth baseball players journey and their life. So what advice would you give to parents on how to best support their players?

Justin 32:32

Ah, that's that might be one of the best questions I've ever been asked. I think you gotta just say I love you. And just and just be there for them because it even though it's your life and my life and we love it, and we breathe and you have this great podcast and I do this for a living for business and stuff like that. Meaning like this. This is my life, my my baseball business. It's a game You know, it's a game and like, just love your kid and accept it and be there for them. You know, I think that's something that's so important and distinguish the difference between you being a parent and you maybe being their coach. You know, like one hat is different than another hat. And I think by you trying to be both at once, it's kind of like it gets jumbled. Be there for your kid love your kid, because it's really a game and it should be fun and, and if they have their parent, that's like adding extra pressure. It's not a good recipe for success. So love your kid, be there for your kid and as simple as that. I think that's important.

Evan 33:46

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. What would you want your players to take away from their experience with working with you?

Justin 33:56

I want my students to obviously get better. I'd be I'd be lying if I said, I want you to come to a lesson to not get better. Right? Because I mean, my my, I believe I provide some skill to teach your player and my program the teacher players, but I want your student to enjoy coming to us, my coaches may whoever and whoever's in whoever you work with, whether it's me or one other coach with me, I want them to enjoy it. And if they learn something, and felt good leaving meaning like they felt like a boost of confidence, and they got one or two nuggets out of that lesson or that program or that clinic or whatever it is, that's a victory for me. You know, and I think that's something where there's a lot of coaches that kind of just go through the motions and like, if you show that passion, and if you give them that confidence booster, that one little nugget Feel like you did your job as a coach.

Evan 35:03

Yeah, you're making you're making a difference in a lot of people's lives right now.

Justin 35:08

That's it. That's that's that's my whole goal. That's my whole mission.

Evan 35:11

Yeah, that's a really great mission. That's a really really great mission. So Justin, where can our listeners go to learn a little bit more about you and reach you

Justin 35:22

so you can go to my website at just in time you know, www.justintimebaseball.com Instagram as you and I communicated through justintimebaseball is my Instagram. You can go to YouTube type in Justin Sherman baseball, Twitter, Coach Justin time baseball, all that and just old school you can email me Justinsherman13@gmail.com or call me (914)-420-8418. If you need anything, practice, kids swing question about what to do whatever. I just want to help us Many kids as possible, I mean, the one beautiful thing about this whole experience if there's any positive out of this whole thing is I've reached kids throughout the country where I never really would have found them because of zoom. You know, we all know zoom now. So if I can help as many kids as possible, that's all want to do just be a positive force. help kids get kids better work. You know, if you're working hard, you work hard. You want to learn, you know, you're going me.

Evan 36:27

Yeah, that's, that's truly amazing. So, Justin, thank you. Again, thank you so much for joining me today.

Justin 36:35

You have an extremely bright future, you should be very proud of yourself, thanks for having me.

Evan 36:57

Thank you all for listening in. We really hope you enjoy On this episode, be sure to hit the subscribe button and be the first to know when new episodes launch. Check us out at borntobaseball.com for free resources and new gear, and of course on social media @borntobaseball where we can connect live now let's play ball

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Born To Baseball Website

BTB Travel Team & Training Tracker

Episode #011: Frank Rodriguez- Former MLB Player/ SUNY Maritime College Coach / Founder and Coach 33Rodz Baseball

June 2020 By Evan

Ep. # 011: Frank Rodriguez- Former MLB Player/ SUNY Maritime College Coach / Founder 33Rodz Baseball

Join Evan and Frank Rodriguez as Frank shares his baseball journey, his experience playing at Youth Service League with future pro players like Manny Ramirez, how he found motivation through adversity and how youth players can do the same and how developing a strong mindset helped him as an MLB Pitcher. Frank also shares the mission of his organization, 33Rodz Baseball, his coaching philosophies and his experience coaching at SUNY Maritime College.

What You’ll Learn:

01:20 Frank’s baseball journey

06:42 A lesson he learned from Manny Ramirez

09:00 Finding motivation through an unlikely scenario

13:15 Managing pressure through good preparation

15:12 Slowing things down

20:57 Striking out Derek Jeter

21:47 Using the numbers to learn from failure

29:22 Coaching philosophies

35:51 Balancing game time with training/ development

Now, let’s play ball!

Read show notes here.

Show Links:

Instagram: @33rodzbaseball

Websites/ Programs: https://www.33rodzbaseball.com

Born To Baseball Links:

Instagram: @borntobaseball

Facebook

Twitter: @bornto_baseball

Born To Baseball Podcast

Episode 011_FRANK RODRIGUEZ_FORMER MLB PLAYER_SUNY MARITIME COACH_FOUNDER AND COACH 33RODZ BASEBALL

The transcription below was provided for your convenience through an automated service. Please excuse any unintended errors made in the process.

Evan 0:00

This episode of born to baseball is sponsored by the BTB travel team and training tracker. Are you a parent or player searching for travel teams or training facilities in your area? Or are you a coach looking to expand your reach? Then you have to check out the BTB triple t tracker at borntobaseball.com Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

Music 0:23

Calling all ball players. Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Were you born to baseball? Then bring it in? it's game time.

Evan 0:38

Hey guys, welcome to the Born To Baseball podcast. I'm Evan and today we have Frank Rodriguez on. Frank was a relief pitcher for six years in the big leagues with the Red Sox, twins, Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds. Frank won the Dick Howser trophy in college and is one of two JUCO players in history to win that award. Frank is the assistant coach for SUNY maritime college privateers baseball in New York and the founder and president of 33 rodz baseball. Frank, thank you so much for being here.

Frank 1:06

Hey, brother, thanks for having me, man, this is a great thing to do and staying in touch with baseball and keeping everybody in touch with it.

Evan 1:12

Thank you. So, when did you first realize that being a professional baseball player was what you wanted to do?

Frank 1:20

Oh, man, I'm like a firm believer of you shouldn't be we live in a different era. Now. Now we post about all the good things we did. You know, now you know, it's different when I played we didn't have so social media and stuff like that. So I was just a firm believer of let other people talk about how good you are. And you know, you know, one time I was just I just happen to be somewhere and and I heard somebody dad talking about just talking about me, he didn't even know who I was. He just just I was just standing there talking, you know, just hearing him talk and I was just I started understanding some of the things he was saying. I was just like, wow, you know, maybe I know from different people's eyes, maybe I do have a chance at this because that guy was a well respected person that knew a lot of people that played professional baseball, and he compared me to some big names. So it sort of sank in in there. And then, with all the hard work I put in, I knew I was gonna go as far as I could with baseball, you know, just given the chance. That's all I needed. And I got my chance and I took it and I ran.

Evan 2:20

Thinking back, how intense was your like baseball practice baseball routine, when you were 10 years old, through like 13 years old? And then how did it change through high school and college?

Frank 2:32

Well, intense, I would say it was as as intense as I wanted it to be because I found myself even after practice, I would go to a handball court. If you grew up in New York, there's handball courts. It's a big wall and I worked on pitching I put a strike box up, I worked on actually hitting a ball off the wall, dropping the bat picking my glove up, catching the ball, worked on different things that I needed to work on. So there were some days I worked on specific stuff and you know, I didn't leave or I didn't go home until I figured, alright, I have a better idea of what I did. And then when I got older in high school, you know, in summer ball, I was able to pay for an organization called Youth Service league. A lot of guys, a lot of pro guys have come out of that league, the latest big name was Dellin Betances and the structure in that league, and in that organization was before you become a great baseball player, you're gonna learn responsibility and accountability. And that, you know, took me to a new level where I started to understand the hard work that you put it in, you know, it also affects other people, if you do or you don't, because if you're not putting in that work, and you're going out there and you're making errors, now that pitcher that worked really hard on something, now he has to throw more pitches because you made an error because you weren't working on things. So I started to look at it like that. I started to worry about more of I need to get myself better do that I'm better for my teammates. And then it just, it just all clicked within. And it just became a habit. It was just nothing that was just like, ugh, I gotta go work on this. No, never, it was like, I gotta go work on this so I don't let my teammates down.

Evan 4:13

That's a great way of looking at things and just being able to know like, let me help my team. It's not for me, it's for my team. So ultimately, you can all get to a better place and exceed in baseball. So you also mentioned that you played with the youth service League, and you won a national championship when you were playing with them. So what impact did organizations like these have on you as you were growing up?

Frank 4:41

In my era, which is a long time ago. You're so young man. You're awesome for doing this because you make me feel younger, too. But you know, when I grew up in my era, there were so many good baseball players. You know, there were so many good baseball players that never even made it to professional baseball. Like if they were in this era of they would be all stars, they would be like, drafted and go instantly to triple A. That's how the pool of players were in the era that I grew up in. And I, every game that I went to in high school or played in, there was always somebody that was on that field, or maybe even three or four guys that were as good as me or maybe even better. So I saw I saw that as an opportunity for all the hard work that I put in off the field, for it, that opportunity to be, you know, I'm helping my teammates out but yeah, here I have a chance to compare myself with that. And now with the youth Youth Service League, we got a chance to travel, not really travel. It was like you had a win a tournament in Brooklyn and then you go out of state to travel. That's the way it was before. And when we got that opportunity, now you start comparing yourself to Okay, maybe I'm good in New York, now we're going to Massachusetts, let's compare yourself against the best of Massachusetts and then New Mexico. How good are you now because now you have hundreds of teams. coming in from all states. So being in that tournament really helped me a lot because it put in perspective of, You're good in New York, but there's guys working as hard as you if not harder in all the other states too. So that's how it impacted my life. I was able to early in my life see that, you know, New York is not the only place and you're not you're not the best player in the country. You might be in New York, but you know, there's a lot of great talent out there in the country.

Evan 6:29

Are there any other players on the team you played with in the youth service league that eventually made it to the Major Leagues?

Frank 6:37

Yeah, one in particular, I played with Manny Ramirez. I played with him for about three years of summer ball. And, you know, a small story about Manny is like, there was one time that he came in from, because we practice right after school and some of us traveled and lived like 45 minutes to an hour on the train to get to where we practice that and he just happened to just lose his Sox somewhere along the line, he was like, I don't care that's not gonna stop me from practicing. And he practiced in his cleats with no socks. At the end of the practice took his shoes off and was bleeding. He didn't care. He was like "I felt good today I put in the work that I needed to put in". So Manny was a great player like that and he never, he just never let anything get in his way and I saw that and I was just like, "man, your talent aside Manny, I love the way you go about the game". And that's something I took a little piece of that and I added it to all the hard work that I put in and I was just like, I'm not gonna let any little circumstances deter me. It's raining outside so what I'll just get a sponge ball, I won't mess up a leather baseball and then boom, and boom, and I'll work on it. I'll put on a rain coat. So yeah, Manny Ramirez I played. It's weird because the last year that I played with youth service, there were like about six or seven kids drafted from that team. No, it was it was

Evan 7:51

That's amazing!

Frank 7:52

Yeah, it was good competition to have, not only to have next to you to compare, but you might even play against these guys at some capacity in minor league ball and it was great. And I played against Manny. I played against Manny for three years in minor league ball too. So it was it was fun catching up with him. But that was really one of the big name guys I played with in summer ball.

Evan 8:15

What was the thing that motivated you the most to play in the big leagues and really excel at something you love.

Frank 8:22

Alright, so the exceling part comes from within, you shouldn't need any motivation to want to excel at anything and that's if you want to be a doctor or lawyer, anything that has to come from your heart, you got to want to do that, at the time where it may seem the most difficult. That's where you got to decide whether you're going to continue to do that or not. So that's motivation aside, that has to come from your heart. The biggest factor the biggest motivation, I definitely say was the night before I went to my junior college in Howard Big Springs, Texas. Um, I got a call from the Red Sox. So long story short When I got drafted, in the era that I got drafted, you were the team's property until the following draft. Now it's either you sign when they draft you, and then that's it, you're not their property anymore. So I had a full year to sign. And the night, the night before I left the college, which happened to be the last time they could actually make an offer to sign me and then they couldn't talk to me until my college season was over. You know, they really low balled me on the offer. And the words that really stood in here and never left that other ear was "Come on, take this offer you're a kid from the projects, and nobody in your family is ever going to make this amount of money. And it was just like, I still say the story night and then I get my hair standing and I get angry sometimes. But that was definitely a motivating factor for me, to say that nobody in my family would ever make that amount of money, because I grew up in the projects and to take this offer and this is what we're going to give you. I understand it was from the business side. So fast forward, I signed with the Red Sox. In spring training that year, I happened to meet the guy that was on the phone with me and said that and he was like, Hey, listen, Frank, I just want to say sorry, it was just the business side. I don't know how you took that. You know, Rumor has it you weren't happy about that. I was like, No, thank you, because you motivated me to, like really get after it every day. Just hearing those words saying nobody in your family will ever make this amount of money, that was a motivating factor for me to really bust my butt every day.

Evan 10:31

Sometimes you might get angry or upset or frustrated. using that to motivate you can be a big factor in success. I feel and even just from your experience, it makes it all the more true. So you went to Howard junior college and you won the dick Howser trophy. Your team later went on to win the Juco World Series. So that must have been an amazing, amazing experience. How did those accomplishments help build up your confidence going into, um, was it the draft that you, you went back into the draft or you signed with the Redsox

Frank 11:10

So I ended up signing like maybe six hours before the deadline. So it was funny, like after we won the junior college world series. So the junior college world series was in Grand Junction, Colorado. So we had to take a bus for about 20 hours back to Texas. So every five hours, and I'm going to tell you, this is going to show you how old I am, there weren't any cell phones. So we had a stop every every five hours at a gas station, not only for gas, so that I can I can call my agent and say Hi, how's the number going and stuff like that? Is it good? Is it where we want to be? So I signed you know, I signed eventually before we even got to Texas, but um, yeah, like I gotta say, it prepared me for professional baseball because a lot of people will say this, you know, oh, trophies don't mean anything. And I'm a big advocate of that. Because one of my one of my slogans is development over trophies, but when you win a trophy, at the highest level of where you are not just summer ball, not just high school, or when you're at that college level, I feel if your next step is professional baseball, and you've won something like that, a college world series, whether it'd be junior college or the NCAA Division 1 World Series, it's an accomplishment and it prepares you for pro ball because now you know how to win. And then you remember everything it took for you to win, and all the hard work that you and your teammates put in, and that's what you go and you expect going into pro ball. Because pro ball is a little different. There's there's different ways people think but if they know that you were a winner of something so high like that, not only do they respect you, they start wondering How does he do things. Look, he's a winner. Look at what he's doing to get prepared for games and you know, it helps your teammates out a lot and it might even help the opposing player as well. So having having won in junior college meant a lot to me, but it also prepared me for pro ball.

Evan 13:12

And how important was preparing to you throughout your career

Frank 13:16

well preparing is... I was, I have this one thing about me that my uncle always, because my uncle was always at my baseball games. He was the one guy, he always said to me, You never look nervous. And I feel like, you know, I understood. I never looked nervous because I felt like me being prepared off the field in practices I felt I worked so hard on my practices, that the game was just easy. All I'm just doing is just repeating what I did in practice. So I was never nervous because I was so prepared for my my game situations. So any any professional baseball player will tell you, when you get to Pro Ball, there's a lot expected of you and there's a lot expected of yourself. Now, you want to make your family happy that you can, every year you can try to get to the next level and then eventually make it to the Big leagues. So there's a little bit of pressure. But that pressure just falls off your shoulders by how you prepare for games, how you're taking the information that happens during your games, and you prepare for the next outing with all that information because being prepared is so important. Obviously, anybody will tell you. But being able to trust how you prepare is always going to help you during games.

Evan 14:35

That's, that's really great advice. So you were drafted as a shortstop but ultimately became a pitcher. What were some of the drills and workouts that you did to prepare yourself to succeed as a pitcher?

Frank 14:48

Well, I always pitched I always pitched even in high school and in summer balI I pitched. Once in a while We played that really good team and all the other starters were already just used and it was just my turn. I pitched so it wasn't like I didn't pitch and then now all of a sudden I learned how to pitch because I pitched in college as well. But as far as drills for me, I didn't really break down too much. But sometimes I just slowed things down. Like in my bullpen sessions inbetween my starts, I just slowed things down. I saw a video of Matt Scherzer in the outfield before a game, no ball, no glove, just going through his motion really slow and and finding his release point. So I sort of did that but with my glove and my ball, and even throwing so I just slowed everything down. So as far as mechanics and what specific drills that I did, for me, the only drill that I really did was just slowing everything down and feeling everything, you got it? To be able to feel something that's instant feedback for you. When you throw a pitch and it felt this way and it was a good result. Well, heck, you better feel that same way again and try to feel that same way again, same thing hitting, same thing fielding. It's all about how you feel. So for me, I felt slowing things down was good for me.

Evan 16:13

That's really interesting. That's really, really great. So is there like a favorite drill that you had? Was it slowing things down? Or was it something else that really helped you?

Frank 16:25

Well, I wouldn't say I wouldn't say a drill I would say more of a routine. So after I got to the point where I started slowing things down before I got on to the mound, to start my whole bullpen stuff, my routine was a certain number of pitches here on this side, a certain number of pitches on this side of the corner, a certain number of pitches down the middle with my off speed, a certain number of pitches in slide step certain number of pitches, I actually took my time and I looked back like there was a runner at second. I worked on all those things so that when it came in the game, it was nothing new. Because a lot of announcers whether their former players, they throw out this thing, well, he hasn't pitched from the stretch yet all game. But I always did inbetween innings in the bullpen before, inbetween innings even though if I had like three straight innings, where I didn't have any base runners on inbetween innings I was working on if I did have a base runner on. So my routine was always something that was gonna happen in the game. I prepared and I put it as part of my routine. So when it came up, it was just, I already did it. It wasn't a surprise.

Evan 17:32

And like, do you stress routine to your youth baseball players and just players that you work with now,

Frank 17:39

you know what I do stress? As far as routines, as far as drills, I say find something that works for you. Find something you enjoy doing. Find something you don't enjoy doing, and then compare and whatever is going to help you get better. That's what's gonna make you get better. Because there's certain trainers that train this way, there are trainers that train this way. And there are coaches that teach this. And there are coaches that have philosophies of teaching this way. You gotta be able to take a little bit from everybody. And in the end, if a coach tells you, this is the way I want you to do it, and you feel uncomfortable doing it, you got to start finding something that works for you along those lines of what he's trying to teach you. It doesn't have to be exact. But you got to find something that works for you because you got to be happy doing it. If you're doing something because you were told this is the way you have to do it. You become robotic, you lose that feeling of Wow, this batter came up, and I felt like he was looking back, maybe I should call my catcher out here. Or maybe I should throw a curveball at him and get them to duck out the way and then break back in the zone. All the stuff that is going to be fun for you. That's what you have to find, something that's going to be fun for you, because the minute this game is not fun, is the minute you don't want to put in that hard work. And when you don't put in that hard work, somebody else in New York or out of state is and now they just jump over you.

Evan 19:12

That's really important. That's really, really great. So, as a pitcher, sometimes you feel that the outcome of the game falls in your hands. So, I read about a game where you struck out four batters in one inning. Could you walk us through that experience? So

Frank 19:33

So, I have the video posted on my Instagram And again, if you talk to my guys, my 12 year old team,they'll tell you I never talk about anything about MLB, Oh when I played, no never. So they were like "Frank put up a video I saw this my dad showed me a video of you" he was like put it up. Okay, I'll put it up. So if you see the video on my Instagram it's weird, because after I struck out the second that I was just like, I banged my glove. Everybody that knew me they were like, after I posted it they texted me like, why were you angry? I said because that second batter I threw like 13 pitches to. I was already exhausted. So I struck out the third batter on on a wild pitch that I felt the catcher should have blocked because he knows how I throw my sliders and you as a pitcher know that you have to have trust in your catchers and the catchers have to know how all your pitches are breaking and expect it. And then you know. That's like we spoke about earlier having a little bit of anger and helping you and motivate you I was like you know what, I'm gonna try to strike this guy out just so I can just say I did it. So it was like a little personal goal for me and it worked out I struck out that fourth guy and it was it was actually fun. So yeah,

Evan 20:44

it sounds really really fun. Small little bragging rights right there. I actually know that you struck out Jeter on the last strikeout. So how was that?

Frank 20:57

Um, that was another game in Seattle that I played against him. I struck them all like three times in that game. And at the end of that game, one of my good friends a high school teammate of mine, he was like, you know why he did him dirty like that? I was like, Hey, man, I did. I was thinking about you. I no that's your favorite player. And then I was gonna call you after the game, but you called me first. And I was gonna say, I got your boy. But listen, it's the Major Leagues man. You know, it's giving up a home run is exciting. You don't show it as a pitcher, striking somebody out as exciting walking onto the field exciting. Being able to say you play even though if you played less than a year or played a week is exciting. So every experience is exciting. But you know, when you get an opportunity to strike out a Hall of Famer, it's something you could, you could write and put in your books and tell your kids when they get older. So it's fun.

Evan 21:47

Yeah, sounds like a lot of fun. So what advice would you give to your youth baseball players on how to bounce back when something doesn't go your way?

Frank 21:57

Well, anybody, anybody Please baseballs and knows that, hey, let me throw out a number there's 10, right? There's a 10. at bats, the best major league players are going to get three hits, maybe sometimes, very rarely four. So there's seven times that you're going to be out. Now you break these seven times down out of the seven times, how many times that I hit the ball hard. If it's four out of those seven, you got to understand you did everything right seven out of those 10 times. So the numbers are equal percentage that way, that way, that's where data is very, you know, putting out the information is important. 10 starts if you're a pitcher and you have 10 starts, I'll tell you right now, you're only going to have your best stuff, probably three times out of those 10 times. So now in those seven times, how are you going to figure out how to get by without your best stuff. If you got by three or four out of those out of those seven times. Now you've had three great times you've had your great stuff. And four times you didn't have your great stuff, but you pitched well. Now that seven out of 10. So numbers at the end of the day numbers don't lie. If you can write some information down and refer back to it, it always helps you. Because at the end of the day, results or numbers don't lie or results matter. But if you're putting yourself in a position where you're doing everything, right, and then baseball just takes over line drive right at somebody, you can't do anything. And you got to be not so much you have to be happy about it, you have to understand like, okay, I did everything right. On to the next at bat. Short term memories is very important in all sports. So especially in baseball, because you fail so much. But you have to learn something from every little failure that you might have, because it's important,

Evan 23:47

unfortunately, but at the same time, it's almost fortunately it's, it's a game of failure. But it's baseball can even like it can even help in life. Just knowing when I fail there's still another opportunity There's still another way to succeed.

Frank 24:03

Yeah.

Evan 24:03

In youth baseball, you have maybe two, three coaches in the dugout at a time. But when you move up to college and really in the major leagues, you have five, six or even seven coaches in the dugout at a time. What value does each coach bring to the players in the dugout, and during the game? And how do players manage all the advice that they're getting from each coach?

Frank 24:30

Well, the value is different for everybody because you have you infield coaches, you have your outfield coaches, you have your hitting coaches, you have your pitching coaches, and then usually your infield coach is kind of like your base running coach as well. So everybody looks to their their guy, if you're an alpha, you're going to go to your outfield coach, if you a hitter or your everyday player, you're gonna go to you if you're struggling, hitting go to the hitting guy. Same thing on the pitching guy. So there's there's coaches that are, you know, there for a reason they're doing specifically help you with a position or something in the area the field of you may be working on. So the value is important. The value is important because they are there specifically for you and to make you better, and how you how you process the information that they give you and how you apply it to your next pregame workout or your pregame routine and then in the game is really all up to you. So the value is there for you how valuable you want to make that information is up to you how you apply it on the field, because that's important. Everybody could fill you with information, I can give you 10 different things you did wrong. But if you take one or two of those things, and you make it work for you, you're going to be better on the field. You can't think about 10 things on the field. So having a coach that in your specific area is important. So that's why I see so many coaches on the field at the major league level because they're getting paid a lot of money to help these players that are getting paid a lot of money. So They, they want their you know, as an organization, you want to be successful. And that's how you do it. You have a lot of coaches helping out.

Evan 26:08

It makes a lot of sense. Moving up to the majors, how much more time and effort did you have to put into your training? And as well as your mindset.

Frank 26:20

mindset is important. Because the firt your first time out on the big league field, your mind is going to be all over the place. This is my dream come true. How many people are coming to watch me do I have my friends in the stands? I don't want to let my family down. I don't want to let my teammates down. Once you get past that. You've worked so hard to make it to the Major Leagues that all you have to do is just go and do everything you've done. Then make adjustments because the best players the most elite players at any level travel ball from 10 to 12. travel from 30-18 College Pro, the most elite players make adjustments from pitch to pitch from inning to inning from at bat to a bat. And that's the most important thing being able to adjust. And you quickly learn how to trust your hard work. The training becomes a little bit more specific when you get to the big leagues. Because in the minor leagues, you have some coaches there you have some strength and conditioning guys, but then when you get to the big leagues, now it's amplified. Now they want you to succeed so, so so much, and help their team win so much. Now they're going to give you every tool to get better. So the training becomes a little bit more specific, but nothing like that's going to blow your mind. But it makes you focus a little bit more when the training becomes specific and it's not a trainer, just training the whole team. You have a trainer training just the pitchers you have a trainer training just the infield is trainers for outfielders, catchers, it becomes very specific. So as far as the training you might need and how different the training might be in the big leagues, it's just more specific, more fine tuned. And, you know, it lets you lets you get past the fact of, am I physically prepared, then you deal with the mindset, the mindset is just all that work that you put in with that trainer allows you to be so comfortable in your talent. And then all you have to do is be is just execute everything you've practiced on on the field, whether it's travel, college, or professional baseball, or the major leagues, execute everything you've ever done well, and then even then you're not something might happen. You might throw a great fastball on the inside. And it might be a blooper, RBI game over. No, but at the end of the day, you can only do what you can do so baseball strange like that.

Evan 28:57

And yeah, youth baseball players. If you're listening Be sure to take note on that, that that's definitely going to help me and you guys in your game to help get better and really just excel at the game of baseball. Obviously, you work a lot of a lot with the youth. Can you talk to us about what 33RODZ is, and its mission?

Frank 29:21

So 33RODZ, so 33 is my uniform number rods is an abbreviation of my last name, Rodriguez. So when I retired, I decided to give back all the knowledge that I have appear and physically to all the kids that I was coaching at the time. So I had a coach with a couple of organizations and, you know, I like some things I didn't like some things. Same thing will be here. And I decided I'm like, why don't I just do this in my area, instead of traveling so far to coach let me just do this in my area. And then my mission statement with 33RODZ is just the focus is yes, we want to win trophies But that trophies is going to the trophies are going to be a result of everything we did. And our practices are very specific. Our practice of practices are written down notes that we're going to work on everything we did wrong the last tournament or the last game of the tournament. So this specific stuff that we work on in practice, gets them ready for everything they're going to do in their life. prepares them for that test they might take prepares them to get them ready for the right High School for them, prepares them to get them to the right college and having the parents understand that the mission of 33RODZ is not nationally ranking recognition. It is the joy that I'm going to get as the organization leader in getting your kid where he needs to be high school or college. That is the end game. I do not even have a shelf all the trophies we've won. I don't even keep them. What I do is I take the little plaque part of it, I put it in a book and a habit to keep them and I show the kids, hey, this is what we want. What do you want to do? Let's keep adding to this book. What are you going to do to prepare that to that book? So it's just teaching them. Like I said, in the beginning of this interview, when I when I learned accountability and responsibility, it helped me It helped me a lot. And that's during practice. If one guy doesn't understand something, I point at another guy, and I'm like, what, how can you explain this better for him? So I have everybody just understanding. We all have to come together. Because if one guy is not understanding that one guy might not do well on the field, and then now we're all going to feel bad. So the mission statement, in summary, is just getting everybody prepared properly for the field, off the field, the right schooling, and we've even taken a bunch of trips to some boarding schools that was an opportunity that some parents never even thought they had. But it opened their their mind up and the kids loved it. Because you know, to go off topic a little bit going to those boarding school trips, you know, being away from school being I'm sorry, being away from your parents in a school where you have to take care of everything on your own. Now that prepares you for college, because when you go to college, you're by yourself. Nobody is waking you up in the morning. So that's something that the parents never even thought about. So that's all the things that we work on a 30RODZ and just, I'm not gonna sit here and say we're the best organization, but I try to separate myself from different organizations are the things that we do for the kids to be prepared for school.

Evan 32:41

That's a really, really great mission. And I really love what you're doing with your organization. You brought up two of the foundational pillars. I know there's five. it's sacrifice, commitment, selflessness, and then the two you mentioned accountability and resiliency. How do you pull these through with your team?

Frank 33:10

explaining, explaining I don't care if I have to stop practicing explain something for 10 minutes. I explained how this is gonna help you win a game. I explained how if we have a pickoff play up the middle on a daylight play if my center fielder and guys and my outfielders are not paying attention that walk or go to the gap, and if they do it wrong, we'll sit there we'll do it again. Just so they could understand. If you study something for a test, if you're studying the night before, and you have a fear of you didn't study enough, hey, study a little bit more. Study just a little bit more because that's going to help you. So the resiliency part, and all of the parts of the SCARS acronym for me is just about letting them understand what all of it means and I like to compare a lot of things that happen in life to baseball, because a guy makes an error, even in practice, I'm just hitting ground balls and the kid makes an error. I'm like make an adjustment. He makes the same error again, I'm like, hey, make an adjustment. He makes the same error again, I say, Okay, let's compare this, you have a job right now and you made an error. Your boss, your boss brings you in, and you talk about it and you understand. Okay, now I know what I need to do. I'm sorry boss, I'll get it right. Next time you make an error. The next meeting you're going to have is your pink slip, you're going to get fired, you're gonna get fired from your job if you're not paying attention and making adjustments. So that's how I make them understand by just breaking it down very, very easy and comparing things to baseball and life at the same time and, and they get it. And it's funny, because once I say everybody bring it in, they're gonna go Oh, god, what is this story about? When am I getting fired? And I'm like, Yeah, exactly. You're gonna you're fired.

Evan 34:58

Yeah, It sounds amazing how you like make it fun and at the same time have everyone learn and really just just prepare them for life and as well as baseball. So you're a coach at SUNY Maritime College in New York, can you tell us a little bit about your coaching experience at that college?

Frank 35:19

So it's a it's an engineering school. It's a you know, there's marine biology, there's international trade and transport. It's it's a school that has a lot to do with the business industry on the water. And to me, it's been a wonderful experience. Not only is it my first college coaching job, I feel like the kids at that school, their mentality, because of their very specific degree that they're gonna get. It requires them to have a level of concentration hitting the books studying and on the field. Because, yes, their relief on the field is from their schoolwork but they know that the instant concentration that it takes, because of all their work, they have to apply that on the field. So so it's a little bit easier for them. So the type of players we get and maritime are guys that are dedicated, are guys that understand how to listen, apply, adjust very quickly. And overall, just great kids, great kids there at the school and part of you know, our alumni, they always come back and they miss it so much that it missed the you know, the team. And it's just been a wonderful experience so far for me there and I just don't see myself going anywhere else.

Evan 36:41

It sounds like a really great environment there. What are some things that youth baseball players should be doing today to increase their chances of success at the college level?

Frank 36:53

Well, any good coach is going to tell you, you can leapfrog somebody As far as academic money and money that might be given to you on the baseball side by having a great grade point average, having a great SAT or ACT score. So my biggest advice to you is really get comfortable being in those books because baseball is great, you could do a thousand drills, that's great, and you could get better and you could be the best player in the country. But you're not going to go to the school that you actually want to if your grades are not where they need to be. So grades are very important. And the earlier you start, the easier it becomes at every level because at every level, meaning when you're 10 when you go to high school, and then when you finally get into college, you've already had that, that whole routine of being able to study hard and my grades are important up here and understanding that that all you gotta do is just make adjustments I need to study an hour and 15 instead of 45. That's all it is. You Put that work in now, not only on the field, but in the school and in your books, things will be so much easier for you. I promise you that's that's the biggest advice I can give you. Hit those books.

Evan 38:13

That's that's really great advice.

Frank 38:15

Your mom would like that you know that?

Evan 38:20

Definitely. So in your opinion, in youth travel baseball, what do you think is the right balance between time spent playing games and time spent developing and training? The youth baseball players? That's a good question.

Frank 38:36

Um, I feel like I have. I'm very fortunate and I'm not just saying that because it's just I want to make my organization look good. But out of the 13 players that I have, I have 13 parents, 13 sets of parents that understand the goal is I'm not just giving you money to play tournaments. We are all in this because the goal is to get into the right High School, into the right college. We're practicing two or three times a week in the summer. And then we don't have tournaments every weekend. So then now, we might even practice on a Saturday and Sunday. So that's five days out of seven, that not many organizations will do. But we're just going over practice things that we need to get better at. So that next tournament, we're prepared, we'll go over a bunch of times, not only just ground balls and flyballs, we'll go over everything that needs to be done to be prepared. So I feel the development side comes from definitely playing games, but practices are so important. And I think that you know, another important aspect of the game is to write down some information, write down have some stuff that you can not only have on the kid, and what he needs to do to get better, but that information you can apply to your practice because who's gonna like, you call a practice and you're just gonna work on just what a pickoff play, how about we work on... All right, (Johnny, you're over here. You didn't throw many strikes. In your bullpen I need you to throw 10 pitches, I need seven of them to be strikes). So you know, something specific like that is only going to make them better because now, not only to the parents, now the kid understands, okay, I didn't do this well, and I'm working on it. Now. I'm not just going to go through a practice and just forget about what I did last tournament. You can't do that. You gotta have a short term memory but you also have to understand what you didn't do well, and how to get better, because that's important. So tournament after tournament every weekend. I'm just not a big fan of it. Practice is so much more important, specific practices, because anybody could just put together a two hour practice. But how specific and attention to details you pay into practices will always pay out in tournaments.

Evan 40:44

Hey, well, I appreciate your opinion there. So now I want to move into the rapid fire questions. So you ready? What's the toughest hitter you've ever seen

Frank 40:57

All of them. It's the major leagues, they're all tough.

Frank Thomas.

Evan 41:02

So you're from New York City? What's your favorite pizza place?

Frank 41:06

Oh my god! A-1 pizza, Lower East Side, Manhattan

Evan 41:10

And what was your favorite pitching appearance?

Frank 41:14

Probably my first one in the Red Sox. I didn't do well. But it was just great. Everybody's just cheering my name actually, because I was the prospect coming up and it was my first outing. It's fun to hear people share my name.

Evan 41:25

So what kind of things are you working on that you would like to share?

Frank 41:29

Personally, I'm just working on right now getting some people to invest in me in a facility so that I can have something year round and I just want to keep just feeding kids with information and getting them better so they're prepared to go to college and just do well. And you know, a facility is something good to have because no matter what weather you have you always have somewhere to go.

Evan 41:51

Where can people reach out to you and learn more about you?

Frank 41:54

Well, the 33 rods on www.33rodzbaseball.com, that's our Organization website. I'm also on Instagram @33rodzbaseball. And I would say honestly, if you're an upcoming player, you should pay attention to my Instagram because I post a lot of stuff for youth baseball, college baseball and some pro stuff. So, a little sarcasm here and there, but that's needed.

Evan 42:21

Well, Frank, thank you so much for coming on to the podcast. And I just really appreciate it.

Frank 42:28

No problem brother, I can't wait to face you again because I'm not pitting against you because you're always kill us so we're walking you. And w're gonna try to pick you off.

Anytime brother

Evan 42:41

Thank you all for listening in. We really hope you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and be the first to know when new episodes launch. Check us out at borntobaseball.com for free resources and new gear. And of course on social media @borntobaseball where we can connect live. Now, Let's Play ball.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

COMPETE! Training Program

Episode #010: Dr. Tom Hanson- Sports Psychologist/ Founder of the “Play Big Academy” / Author of “Play Big” / Co-Author “Heads Up Baseball / Executive Coach

June 2020 By Evan

Ep. # 010: Dr. Tom Hanson- Sports Psychologist/ Founder of the “Play Big Academy” / Author of “Play Big” / Co-Author “Heads Up Baseball / Executive Coach

Join Evan and Dr. Tom Hanson as they discuss some of the key concepts in “Heads Up Baseball 2.0” co-authored with Dr. Ken Ravizza. Dr. Hanson shares insight into his personal baseball journey, what he’s learned from interviewing some of the “Greats” like Hank Aaron and Pete Rose and his experience working with professional athletes. The skills and tools Dr. Hanson teach truly prepare a baseball player to be their very best in baseball and in life.

What You’ll Learn:

02:29 How Dr. Tom Hanson got started in Sports Psychology

05:48 When he began working with MLB Teams

10:15 Being your own real life “MLB The Show” character

15:23 Players he had the most fun training

19:40 Uncovering what made Derek Jeter good under pressure

23:40 How players can use an internal “Green, Yellow, Red Light System” as a guide

26:01 Using “Breath” to slow the game down

31:25 Being self aware; Know yourself

35:51 Explaining the RAMP-C Process in “Heads Up Baseball 2.0”

41:31 What it means to “Know It, Do It, Own It”

45:16 Advice to Parents: Strategies for “debriefing” with your ball player after a game

52:33 Power of Visualization

55:41 How being a Heads Up Baseball Player also makes you a better Teammate

Now, let’s play ball!

Read show notes here.

Show Links:

Dr. Hanson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/headsupbaseball/

Twitter: @HeadsUpBasebal2 @DrTomHanson

Dr. Hanson Websites/ Programs:

Play Big Book: Mental Toughness Secrets That Take Baseball Players To The Next Level

Heads-Up Baseball 2.0

Dr. Tom Hanson

Born To Baseball Links:

Born To Baseball Website

BTB Travel Team & Training Tracker

Instagram: @borntobaseball

Facebook

Twitter: @bornto_baseball

Born To Baseball Podcast

Episode 010_DR TOM HANSON SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST_FOUNDER OF THE PLAY BIG ACADEMY_AUTHOR OF PLAY BIG_COAUTHOR OF HEADS UP BASEBALL_EXECUTIVE COACH

The transcription below was provided for your convenience through an automated service. Please excuse any unintended errors made in the process.

Evan 0:00

This episode of born to baseball is sponsored by the BTB travel team and training tracker. Are you a parent or player searching for travel teams or training facilities in your area? Or are you a coach looking to expand your reach? Then you have to check out the BTB Triple T Tracker at borntobaseball.com Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

Music 0:24

Calling all ball players. Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Were you born to baseball? Then bring it in? it's game time.

Evan 0:39

Hey guys, welcome to the Born To Baseball Podcast. Today I'm here with Dr. Tom Hanson, who's coached baseball players ranging from Little leaguers to world champions for over 35 years. Dr. Hanson earned a degree in sports psychology from the University of Virginia. He was a professor and head baseball coach at Skidmore College in New York. He's worked with many professional sports and business organizations as a performance enhancement coach and consultant, including New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins as well as Microsoft and Verizon. In addition to co authoring heads up baseball with Dr. Ken Ravisa, Dr. Hansen authored Play Big "Mental Toughness Secrets That Take Baseball Players to the Next Level". Thank you for being here.

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:24

Your welcome. Thank you for the introduction. Sounds like an interesting guy.

Evan 1:31

For sure,

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:32

I'm looking forward to see what he has to say.

Evan 1:35

So I actually first learned about you when my parents bought me a copy of heads up baseball 2.0 with Dr. Ken Ravizza, and that was that was a great book. Like once I was finished. I had I told my parents I have to go back and read that again.

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:48

Oh, yeah. You read the whole thing.

Evan 1:50

Yeah. It was really great.

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:52

That's, that's great. That's great. There's a because it's not a small book we decided to include err on the side of inclusion rather than making it you know, minimal. And so I respect that you that you read that whole thing because it's also designed where you don't have to read it all you could really just pick it up and read a quote and put it down. But it really is designed to go start to finish.

Evan 2:19

So I'd like you to share a bit about your journey. So what inspired you to become a sports psychologist and how did you begin working with different athletes?

Dr. Tom Hanson 2:29

I would say I got into it because I was really good at baseball when I was young. And then not good enough to go beyond college. I ended up playing division three ball I had some great experiences along the way. One of the biggest things for me was I was always really good because I was big and tall. So I say that not boastfully but just because I because I didn't work for it. I just was just came out and and could hit and play the game without having to work at it, and then what I ran into a ceiling my junior year of high school I really thought I should have been playing and I wasn't. And so that next winter in Minnesota or I grew up in Moorhead, Minnesota, I worked at it I bought a couple books, the "Science of Hitting" by Ted Williams and the "Art of Hitting 300" by Charlie Lau and I went down my basement and I swung a bat swing this big brats bat, you know, this big, there's a way to read that I swung that took a big chunk out of the pool table we had in the basement. And on one of my own it's an outside pitch. Took a chunk out of the pool table. And I came out that year and then just crushed I just mashed the ball set hitting records and home runs and and it was really great. But I still wasn't really good enough. No one was around me was going to division one school and I kind of said okay, I'm going to Division Three school. I went to Luther College in Iowa and my next big event, there was a well, two things one. Well, that happened in this order. In my Chist- during Christmas break during my sophomore year of college, I had to declare a major and I didn't know what I wanted to major in and I literally sat down at my desk at my home and said, Okay, what do what do I like? And I said, Oh, sports. So I write, okay, sports, and then my, my editing head was like, Okay, well, what's something real? I said, Well, I had this psychology class, basic requirement, and I really, I liked it. I liked the teacher. And I liked that they just were really telling me stuff that I already knew just putting names to it. So it was, it was pretty easy for me. And then two weeks later, so I said, Okay, I'm majoring in psychology. Two weeks later, I was in a bookstore. And I see this book called sports psyche, which I can see on my shelf right over the top of my computer here to this day, sports psyche. It's like oh my gosh, there's a field called sports psychology. And so I then wrote some letters because nobody at Luther and then 1982 really knew about sports psychology and so I wrote to where there were graduate programs and came back if you really wanted to work with people who were having trouble and you want to help them be normal go into psychology and if you really want to help people be great. Go into physical education, what became kinesiology? So I took that went to University of Illinois, fantastic time there really learning about how to help people play great. Then I went to-I wanted to be with the best so then University of Virginia for my PhD because there was a guy named Bob Rotella and I thought he was the best and it was fantastic experience to learn from the best. Backing up though, back to this other experience at Luther, that was so pivotal to me, was that which is in decor, Iowa, we finished last place my freshman year of high school, I started every game, but we got last place.

Evan 5:47

Yeah.

Dr. Tom Hanson 5:48

And then, but what we had was great leaders. We had these three guys from my sophomore year, that we're really strong leaders and they're like, come on, man. We can do this. We can do this. We'd have get togethers. And, and we talk over things. It's like you know who's better than Joe Knight at second base in this conference? Nobody! And who's better at third base and Layton Whistie? Nobody! And we got Jake Comin, we got Scooby. And it's like, let's go. And darn if we didn't win the conference, we went from worst to first and went to the regional. We had a goal to have our coach be the conference Coach of the Year and he was regional Coach of the Year.

Evan 6:27

That is amazing.

Dr. Tom Hanson 6:28

It is because I mean, we had talent, so it's not I heard you say skills and mindset. And so it's it wasn't just that we had meetings and talked about it. We had some good players. But we did go from worst to first and won it those next three years while I was there, and then it was another 20 until they did it again. And so just seeing that, oh my gosh, that power of leadership. It wasn't the coach changed. It was the power of leadership. And and of teamwork that was pulled together with everyone focus in the same direction, staying focused on a on a together on one target is just a has massive power to it. So that's one of my principles is stay on target, pick a clear target and stay on it. And that's what we did. And so that's sort of how I got into it here. So I can go more into, you know, further on with my history, if you want. Pick it up from there, but let me see if if you have any questions on, on what

Evan 6:28

yeah, I mean, if you could share a little bit about your work with some major league teams and then just professional athletes and teams.

Dr. Tom Hanson 7:40

Yeah, gladly. So just to round that out. After Virginia. I went to head baseball coach and a college professor at Skidmore College in upstate New York, was there for seven years and then decided to leave cuz I really wanted to work more with athletes and executives and I moved to DC and then I worked with the Texas Rangers and I worked with With the twins, and then the Yankees called up, and that's how I moved down here to Tampa 2001. And that just lasted that one year. And I've been here ever since. So those that was my working with, you know, this is just the general history of from where I'm coming from. And in there I wrote Heads Up Baseball, as you mentioned, in 90s, and then Heads Up Baseball 2, and Play Big. So I would say working with professional players, a good story. I mean, it's really about freedom. And it's really about freedom. But I kind of liken myself to in my highest version of myself, sort of sports, Abraham Lincoln, about emancipation and freedom because athletes, like myself and everyone else, really we tend to limit ourselves with the beliefs that we have. I can think of a player, I can't really think I can really name him. But back early one of the early ones when I was with the Rangers, who had been in the minor leagues for seven or eight years, and was really struggling and always would get hurt and get into this in that, and as we talked about mindset, and how he saw himself something as a victim, like, oh, things are always going wrong for me, and why did this happen to me and this guy did this. And this guy did this, always looking outside of himself at what was going on. And through our conversations, he shifted that and able to be like, you know what, I'm responsible for this. I've kind of been in what I would refer to now as a trance, like you go into a trance, and people think of trance of like a hypnosis and Oh, you're going to go dancing with a broom or something. But we go into trances all the time, pretty much all day, every day. It just doesn't seem that way. You don't you know, think of it because your experience and so it gets It's a mindset of like a call of being a victim, which he was being to being a player, which means he's creating from the inside and said, You know what, here's how I'm going to be as a player. And it's as if you take on a character. I liken it now very much to like when you play MLB the show?

Evan 10:19

Yes, I have it.

Dr. Tom Hanson 10:20

Yeah. And so at the beginning, you kind of pick the strengths, and then therefore weaknesses of the guy and you create this character, or the computer spits out a default one, right? You just jump in, and there's your guy, or you can go in and give them a beard. Oh, and long hair, and this bat strength and this foot speed and so forth. And so that's, there's the default, and then there's the one that you create. And with this guy, it's like, you know, what I'm going to create myself is this guy. And I'll even go with having people create character names for who they are, when when you're being a victim? What's the name for that? And I don't we can't even say on a podcast. And and then when you're really who you want to be your highest version of yourself that you selected and that you developed and trained, who is that and give a name to that person. And then it's really he this guy shows like, I'm going to be that and just a light bulb went off. And off, he went to end up being in the big leagues and being on a World Series winning team. He just really went to from living in sort of a nightmare. riding the bus. It's in the minor leagues to live in the dream, winning the World Series, and having that's really, really strong, major league career.

Evan 11:48

Yeah, that's really awesome. That's a really great success story.

Dr. Tom Hanson 11:52

Yeah, thanks. Anotherone that comes to mind. Is is really fun where this guy recently mildly guy was was really struggling and and every time he went 0-4, he would go for extra work in a batting cage and try to fix whatever was wrong. And what we talked about was like maybe there is nothing wrong other than you're just playing baseball. Baseball is hard at any level, much less professional level. And so why don't you find a way to go back and evaluate your at bats and see really if there's something for your hand path needs to get fixed. Something with your hips or your waste or your this or that, because that really can lead you down a rabbit hole and then it's just one thing after another. Again, it's a fundamental mindset of something's wrong. And I got to, I got to fix it. If you're coming from something's wrong, there's nothing that will fix it. Because you think something's wrong. It's a it's a mindset. It's like being in a pool, you go into the pool, let's go and pull down here, Florida, not one in New York at the moment. You're wet. And you can't really make a dry move. Because you're wet. If someone throws you a towel, that's how you dry off, right? Well, you're in the pool. So everything's gonna be wet. And so you get that that's a mindset of like, hey, something's wrong with me. Then you're, you'll just move from thing to thing and never get it. And so this guy cracked that. And it's like, oh, let me elevate which is one of my main principles also is to understand how we're designed as humans, that we have thoughts and feelings, but we are not our thoughts and feelings. There's somebody inside there that's watching the thoughts and feelings. And so he got really good at elevating and looking to Oh, look, where my mind goes right now is I want to fix something. I'm over for him frustrated, so there must be something to do and that I need to fix. And he could watch that and say ah, Look at that. Look at my mind go that way. And do I really think there's something to fix? No, I don't think so. So let's go watch Netflix or something to get myself at peace. So I can have clarity and calmness which is much more important than trying to fix his hand path not that not that. Mechanics aren't important physics applies to the world. It's just that really you want to have access to your talent. So that's how I would summarize is what I do with this whole like blinking thing is it's helped people have access to their talent, you can't play better than you can play. I couldn't help you play for the Yankees this afternoon. Right? Come on, Evan believe. Believe you can hit 95 on the black and no. However you having access to your talent means I can play this well. And I do play that well. But most players that can play x, well, and they perform it x minus n, where n in some, some measure, they play below that. And that's more of the mental game thing is access to your ability, then doing something impossible.

Evan 15:23

Wow, that that's really great. So, is there one athlete or team that you had a lot of like the most fun training lists and why did you have like so much fun with them?

Dr. Tom Hanson 15:37

Well, I love that question, because that's what I most want to do. When I was with your beloved Yankees, it wasn't that fun. It was a dream come true. That wasn't that fun because they kind of weren't ready for it. It was a little bit more than they were ready for because some I didn't play by their standards. I didn't play me. I didn't play professionally. I played through college. I was. I was I was an all Iowa conference player. And so it was sort of like what's Dr. shrinky doing here and it got it can easily fall into Hey, if something's wrong with you mentally go talk to Hanson. Second, you're gonna imagine how long the line at my door was for that. And so that wasn't that much fun. Even though there were great, great highlights. You know? What, why would I? Because it because what I really want to have is, is fun. And so what's funnest is when someone's really into it, I've got a player. I got a player that comes to mind. It's a softball player, high school softball player, that it's like, well, I'm number 25 in the country. And I want to be number one. What do I need to do? And it was fun. It's like, she there was nothing she never didn't feel like there was something wrong with her. It wasn't my Like, oh, I'm ready to quit baseball I have the yips if you see my site yipsbegone.com, I work with a ton of players and still do major leaguers to 10 year olds who have trouble making a simple throw. I get more of that than what this where this one was coming from, which is like, I want to be the best. And that's what's fun when I when I have those, that that's the funnest. It's deeply satisfying to help someone out of a slump. But like this person, I made a video for her a visualization exercise where she would then see these better and better and better versions of herself in front and then go more of her and then morph into and go into imagine what that's like. See what you'll see here, what you'll hear, feel what you feel when it's even bigger and better version of you. And then I get these texts ah You know, how's it going? Great. And then I talked to her even, you know, there was apparently not even a month, Well, I've done it every day. And sometimes twice. And it's like, that's fun. Because then you've got someone that's, that's really into it and you can, you can really blast blast off. I was talking with a golfer yesterday in England do a lot of stuff on zoom like this. And he just has really taken the stuff and run with it clear out a lot of negative emotions. I do some interesting stuff with tapping and other kind of what's called psycho sensory modalities, not just talking, and not even just visualizing. Certainly using the breath and routines and the stuff that someone would normally think of it's sports psychology, which would be in heads up baseball. A lot of stuff that I do most of isn't in the book. Because here's the here's the thing. Most of the stuff you hear about in sports Psychology, the routines and the breaths and so forth is about tools that will help you deal with stress that comes up, or anxiety or fear, or maybe even frustration. What I'm most interested in is having that not come up. That makes sense. How do you know Derek Jeter? I love Derek Jeter got to talk with him a lot. And I liked it because you know, quick Derek Jeter story. Yeah, Mike. Besides when I robbed him of a home run during batting practice, reached up over the fence was funny. But since you're a Yankee fan, right, they're ready for their Jeter story.

Evan 19:45

Yep.

Dr. Tom Hanson 19:46

So I'm sitting on my couch in 2000 ish. And watching him up to bat some playoff game. They're down by a run, and he's up to bat. And I'm sitting there on the couch and I'm watching him and it just comes to me. It's like You know what he looks like a little leaguer. And like, with all due respect, as in, hey, looks like that 12 year old kid that can just rake that's like, Oh no, Jeter's up backup. And he steps up and he's all wiggly and like, Whoa, this dude is confident and this dude is gonna, he's gonna hit the ball. Every thing about him, said he's gonna hit it. It might not be pretty when it wasn't, you know, the most beautiful swing, often, but all he's gonna frickin hit it. I'm just gonna get it done. And sure enough, he did. And they said they scored a run and you know, they win. And so a year later, I end up getting a call and I I'm working for the Yankees. And I'm helping people transition from triple A to the big leagues. So what do I do? I talked to people who've done it and say, How did you do that? That's mostly how I've done my career. My research for my PhD was interviewing Hank Aaron and Rod Carew, Stan Musial, Carl Yastrzemski, Pete Rose, Tony Oliva the best the great hitters head and said, How did you do that? And then I help other people do it. It isn't, you know, I was in Division Three, athlete myself. But I'm sitting there talking to Derek Jeter and I said, How do you do that? How do you be really good under pressure? And he was pressure. I said, I go, Yeah, like 50,000 people in the playoffs and they're all screaming and everyone's going. He goes, ah, because that's fun. Really is it? Yeah, he goes more I go with 50,000 people, because yeah, more people's more fun. Really? So he said, Yeah, you know, to me, it's just like little league. And I, oh, my gosh, I can't but my jaw just hit the floor. I can't believe you just said that. Because I told him my couch. Part of the story. He's like, yeah, so you see, the point there is that he saw the situation as fun so He wasn't in need of all the routines and everything you read when you read Heads Up Baseball 2.0 that those are great to have and I'm all for him obviously I teach them what I want you to people understand is that much bigger than that it's like iceberg that's what's on the surface much bigger is the belief system underneath. And the key distinction underneath belief system is is this a fun challenge? Or is it a dangerous threat? If you're up to bat and you feels like a dangerous threat? Well then you better have bunch of stuff to go to be breathing and routines and focal points and all all that stuff. And if it's like this is fun, oh my gosh, like like a wiffle ball Hey, you know Evans up back up, you know, Evans like here and it's like, oh, did you do your pre pitch routine? Well, me, well, you maybe did but not something You're conscious stuff. You're just up there waiting.

Evan 22:55

Yeah,

Dr. Tom Hanson 22:55

ready to just mash. So there I don't know. I mean, I don't know. Well, that is true. I also don't know. I can talk very authoritatively, about this. And then every person is different. And every situation is different. So what I just said about somebody might be the opposite for someone else.

Evan 23:19

I know you also bring up the philosophy of the internal, like lights like, green, yellow, red, and knowing which one you're at. So how can you youth baseball player determine what they're feeling in? Like real game time?

Dr. Tom Hanson 23:40

Okay, cool. That's a super cool question. Well, one is to hang on to being 12. I'll answer your question in a moment. But the bigger thing again, is, why do you play baseball? For fun, right, and it's more and more kids like your age might never even play a pickup game. sad is that can be might never play in the street or someone's backyard, or that everything to the left of second base is foul, because you only have three guys. Something like that. That's, that's beautiful. And I, and I wish that for everyone. And that's the fun, the spirit of fun. And it can be such a dangerous time right now for your sport because it's so parent focused and structured that you can lose that to number one thing is that thing fail in a fun, like, you know, I'm gonna mash this ball. Think of that as a green light. When you're watching your parents drive. They go up to an intersection. If the light is green, they just go. And so each pitch in a game is like an intersection or crossroads. And so you can check the traffic light that's inside you. And if you're feeling good, like Yeah, let's go ahead and bring it. I'm going to mash this or pitch. It's like this ball is going right there. You're about to sit down brother That's a green light. You're feeling good. yellow lights. Whoa, I feel not sure it's all speeding up. It's like it's going faster. I feel nervous or everyone's yelling and no, that's done swing at that high one. Devin that was over your head. Come on. Oh, like I didn't know that. So that's a Yeah, that's what I call a yellow light. And then a red light is even just worse. You're freaking out. It's all speeding up. You're having trouble breathing. So if you think of having this traffic light inside of you, it's like, how am I feeling? Your thought goes in? Am I really feeling I'm feeling good? Really good. And if you're feeling good, roll on, off you go. But if you have any kind of yellow light, you feel a little unsettled. That's when you can go to the different tools. Because now we're in the moment you're not going to be able to sit and say, Oh, just have fun. You can say that. But it's a lot easier said than done. And you can't just tell someone Hey, Derek Jeter just had fun you go have fun. It's a much deeper process in that to do what I call inner lens crafting, which is the work to get someone to see things differently. That's back on that fun challenge versus a dangerous threat. But you can use a breath and that would be the number one thing I would say for someone to do when they're on the field is to take a breath. So when you're in the hole, take a few deep breaths in, out. Slow it all down like that to three or four breaths and if you're really nervous, do it in the dugout, before you're in the hole. And then well you probably in the hole and leak. I mean, you're probably in the dugout the whole time. So then really breathing. If you feel boom, your heart's beating, it's like oh, Evan, you're on deck. Oh, you feel that in your body. Go to your breath. Inhale. Ideally through in and out through the nose but you may have too much adrenaline going to him excited to keep it in and out through your nose. So that in and out Your mouth is fine, but to see if you can bring it down to your belly but you might not be able to do that go into your chest The best thing to do is to practice it like right now you're listening in and then out and really finish it. You read hits a baseball you know, Mike trout said, Oh, like main things you got working with Ken Ravisa the finish his breath, be outside the batter's box, finish his breath, finish the exhale and then step in. Because it sounds good. I'll take a breath in as he's breathing out, he steps in, good, let's go. And that's it's all speeding up the breath can really slow it down, use the breath to slow the game down. And really then lock in on on what you need to do. So I would say use a breath And I would say be really clear about something simple that you're up to do. What when I said I interviewed Hank Aaron, Rod Carew, Stan Musial, Pete Rose most of what they said I go, is, Hank Aaron, what were you doing? No. First of all, what do you mean he was doing? He's hitting know, what were you in that batter's box to do? And he said, I wanted to put the fat part of the bat on the ball. Stan Musial. He's the number two all time total basis leader, you know, total base. homerun? , four, four, right. Double. Oh, so that's six. And so the all time leader is Hank Aaron. And he's, he is like 12 miles ahead of Stan Musial so it's just insane. here and how did you do that? And then he told me, and Stan Mutual's number two guy, I talked to him. What were you doing in the back batter's box. And he said, Well, I always knew where the fat part of the bat was. And I want to put it on the ball. And I would, and I was like, Yeah, but come on what else Mr. PhD wants it to be more complicated, but that's really what he was doing. So if you so helping a 12 year old, or a 32 year old Major Leaguer, I would say, really go to that breath. Really go to the breath. And then be super clear on something really specific, fat part of the bat on the ball. When I'm pitching, this ball is going right there. Take your breath, visualize the ball going there. And then just trust just let it go with the visualizing like say for a pitcher here is sort of like when you go out to eat, you'll sit here's a menu and say, Okay, I'll have the ham and cheese sandwich. And then they go and they make it and you just trust them to make it and bring it to you. So you can think of the visualizing is saying, okay, body. I'll have a fastball there please with You know the dressing on the side? And then just let your body throw it.

Evan 30:06

Yeah, that's, that's really, really great.

Dr. Tom Hanson 30:09

Thank you.

Evan 30:10

We know that our bodies and our results will match what we're thinking about. So how can we implement that and what does really being self aware mean?

Dr. Tom Hanson 30:25

Well, that's a way above average question Evan. Being aware is mean being conscious of in the book would give an example of like, think of your the big toe say on your right foot right now. And then wiggle it. Now it's in your consciousness awareness means in your consciousness. It doesn't mean you're thinking about it. It just means it's in. It's occurring to you. So what I would technically say since you're going to ask a big league question can get big league big words, it's going to, like it's occurring to me. It's in my field of consciousness. Where as now, it it. It wasn't. But now it is. But while I'm talking like this, maybe even lost your big toe, now bring it back. And now think about what you had for dinner last night. What do you have for dinner last night?

Evan 31:24

Had some soup.

Dr. Tom Hanson 31:25

All right, cool. And then you just lost your big toe, right? Because you went, your mind had to go back. But now your big toes back. So that's awareness is having it be in your consciousness, having it be sort of in play. And so being self aware, means having a lot of consciousness of how you actually roll. in baseball. I'll liken it to go back to MLB the show since a lot of guys listening would have played that. It'd be like okay, you're on base and knowing You're a speed guy, or knowing that you're a big slugger, and you're not gonna steal this base. So just click ahead and get around to your next at bat. Whereas, like my son loves to steal bases. And so he always gives himself a fast guy and steals bases. So it's really knowing what you're good at and what you're not good at. It's my own challenge, and I work with it with executives at the same just to broaden it out. Like what are you really good at? I like this term. This guy Dan Sullivan has your unique ability. What are you uniquely? good at and then really do that? You know, I had a chance, for example to and this is again, how good your question is. I have my son hit with a couple of big leaguers. I know these guys are in town here so we were able to take my 16 year old son to go hit with Kyle schwarber the Cubs and Oscar Mercado. The Indians, and I pulled him aside both those guys individually and I said, hey, my son 16, what do you got for advice? And they both said the exact same thing. Know yourself, you just got to go and be yourself. And so it's a question like, Well, what does that even mean? It's like, well, if you fast yet, well, then don't try and hit home runs. Have you ever hit a home run, no but I really want to, okay, well, it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to do that. Maybe it comes on like Mercado is a great example because he's hitting homeruns now and he's in his mid mid late 20s, I think. And he didn't, I mean, he's a fast guy. So he needs to be square the ball up and and then get on base and steal the base and take an extra base on something and then score on a ground ball know yourself and, and really focus on being That, that which you are, I mean, it's, it's endless. I could talk all day about what it can mean to be aware, but people mostly aren't very good at it is what else? So I'll say one thing Joe Maddon, now of the angels told me that he's astonished how often, Major League players don't know what pitch they hit best. They'll ask, Hey, where do you Where do you hit the ball? The best? I don't know, is the fastball no So I mean, like we're in the strike zone. Where did you swing? Ah, I don't know. Or even sometimes, okay, hit the home run. What did you hit? I don't know. And, and so it's, it's really knowing yourself, and it just could really go on and on. So I'll just I'll liken it back to this though. Just to kind of wrap it together, is when you're at your best, with a name for that character. Like the beast or The man or what other ones if I had just like, you know, unstoppable or Mr. fun you know, you could put Mr something on it and just make it up like it's a character like a Marvel character. And then when you're at your worst, I'm cry baby or Mr. Weiner, or Mr. Why me or my god and then okay well that's now you become self aware you can the same you it can be this or this and then the power comes into what choose not get good at choosing you know, Mr. Wonderful get good at choosing and being that guy and deliberately going out and doing that. So.

So there that's my answer.

Evan 35:51

Going back to the book has a baseball 2.0 you outlined a process called RAMPC where the C stands for compete could Tell us a little more about like what RAMPC stands for.

Dr. Tom Hanson 36:03

Yeah, it came. Because I like models and I like to have a conceptual structure for things it's like so it wouldn't just be random things. I've mostly I've kind of thrown out somewhat random things here so far. And I didn't want to do that. I want to have it be a book that has a where it all holds together. So we talked to Ken and I talked who passed away now two, almost two years ago, year and a half ago. It's still hard to believe it. And it'd be like, okay, responsibility and awareness are these to be responsible. Choose your own thinking, instead of just being on default. Choose I'm going to be Mr. Wonderful. I'm not going to be Mr. whiner. And so that's choosing I'm going to constantly choose. So that's at the heart of the whole thing. And then awareness. Ken was just So huge on this knowing it's it's two parts of awareness. One is knowing yourself and how you generally are. I spoke to that someone, and another is knowing what's going on in this moment. And so what you want to be able to do is be good at that. So that's R and A responsibility and awareness. What's another fundamental. Mission. Just a sense of clarity. This is what I'm going up there to do. Like I said, Aaron fat part of the bat on the ball, that's a mission he's on a mission to put the fat part of the bat in the ball. ARod said that was his mantra just repeated I I hit the ball solid. So what he said I hit the ball solid. What do you do for them I hit the ball solid. And so that was his mission for hitting in a bigger can have a bigger mission in terms of being a major leaguer something it can take different points but having a clear target. So we said that was big, and then a preparation is huge mentally prepare. Getting yourself ready is to compete is a huge part of it. Because sometimes guys get in I used to throw a lot of batting practice. I could tell a guy got in, was he really ready to hit? Or was he hitting to get ready or was he ready to hit? And so, mental preparation Are you ready? To Get ready. So that's ramp. And that was we actually picked these and then I realized that it formed a word. It wasn't that we wanted to ramp up to compete, it was just luck, really. And then C, ramp C, by the C, you can see we didn't go out of our way to make it RAMPY or make it one word, because then the whole thing really becomes about competing, see is compete. And that's what we found people were most missing when we talk to college coaches and ask them what they pro coaches. What is what do you mean what's missing in today's athletes? They don't compete. It's a showcase mentality. It's a you know, what can I do? But they don't get out there and compete. So we really oriented the book toward helping people compete because it's not the mental game is not about thinking my early days at Skidmore as a head coach coming out with a new fresh PhD. It the guys under, I it's like, Hey, you guys did a good job with your breaths. And you did you routines. And yeah, we lost 13 to two. But you, you worked your process, it's like, well, no, that's not it, that you got to do it with this will to win. People say, Oh, he's about the process. And I would also say no, it's not. It's about playing to win. And I'm going to focus on my process, but with it in my mind that I'm here to win. That's the goal of the game. Now the purpose of baseball is something whatever you want it to be, but the goal is to win. So to be in integrity with the game, you play to win within the rules. So That's that's how that was RAMPC and kind of how it came to be.

Evan 40:05

Could you like sort of define competing? Is it like just giving 100%? Or is it that willingness to win?

Dr. Tom Hanson 40:15

When I asked Ken what it all boiled down to, for him after probably 40 years of doing it, I know had to be. Yeah, maybe more. So what is it all boiled down to because we'd have these conversations on the phone and record them. And that's how we wrote the book. And he said, getting 100% of what you got right now to win the next pitch. So what do you have right now? I feel tired. I feel like Okay, can you get all of that? energy and focus commitment to executing your mission on this pitch? That's competing.

Evan 40:48

I know you guys. You talked about if you have 60%, that day giving 100% of that 60% to win that next pitch

Dr. Tom Hanson 40:57

Exactly, exactly. Because it's so to focus on how tired you are, how can I don't, I can't feel my swing today, I just, I don't feel right. I don't feel good. This guy struck me out the last two times. And then if the all the energy you have on that is taken away from putting the fat part of the bat in the ball, if that's your mission, and so whatever you do have to say I'm clear on this mission, I'm going to execute it. Even though it's almost laughable to think that I'm going to touch the ball, I'm still going to be locked in on executing that mission.

Evan 41:31

So we know that quality, preparation and practice are really important because it helps us reinforce what we're learning build confidence and be consistent. know it, do it and own it. Are the three steps a system that you teach. So can you tell us more about the steps and how they're different from each other?

Dr. Tom Hanson 41:49

To Know and know something intellectually? Hey, I, I should have a routine and and breathe or I I'm gonna have fun We could go back to jeter. Oh, yeah. See? I should have fun. That's right. Like if I if someone said, Hey, Dr. Hanson, what should I tell my son about to have a good mental game? I'd say, well go and have fun. And it's correct. It's just that that's a concept. And it's like knowing how to do push ups. I know how to do push ups. But it doesn't help doesn't change my body. Unless I do push ups. I got to do the push ups. And then that's doing it. We got know it and then do it and then own it. Own it would be in pushups would be that I know what I need to do. For my push ups. I'm not listening to someone else about how to do a push up or how many I should do. I know for myself, this is what has me be at my best. If I'm an pushup competition, that's one thing if I'm just coach, push ups now No, I want to feel strong and and have good energy. And so here's what I need to do for push up just knowing what I need to do. So know it, do it own it for say having fun would be Oh yeah, I know I should do it. And then you can actually go out and practice having fun. And then you and then you figure out that last step, you figure out how you do it. And what's fun for you. And are you a talker? Like Pete Rose, Derek Jeter would talk a lot. He'd be talking to people when he's on deck. And some people Oh, he's not focused. Just think if he focused? Well, that is part. That's what he did to focus as he talked and communicated. Some people are like that, that that the talking the whole time you go up and talk to the catcher, talk to the umpire talking and that's you being ready, whereas some people that would be Yeah, I don't care because I'm just talking. And because that isn't you. So you take the same thing of having fun, it can show up different for different people. It's a good idea. concept because it's liberating when people are really having fun, they're more free, which is gives you more access to your talent. That's the objective. And then Okay, let me figure out how to do it. Let me practice doing it. And then I find my way to do it. Then it might be totally different, or exactly the same as someone else.

Evan 44:21

Yeah, I know a lot of different ballplayers. They have to find their own way, because one way that someone else can teach them may work but not fully and in at the end, everyone has a different body. Everyone has a different way of doing things. It's important to really make things their own.

Dr. Tom Hanson 44:39

Yeah, right on.

Evan 44:41

So in the game of baseball, a lot of times, things don't go our way. So we have to learn how to turn that failure into a learning opportunity and compete one pitch at a time as you say, could you give youth baseball players like us some tips on how to stay in student mode? During those times rather than getting away and maybe becoming reacting like red light.

Dr. Tom Hanson 45:08

So when you make students student mode, what do you mean?

Evan 45:11

Being able to like learn from those failures and be able to move on.

Dr. Tom Hanson 45:16

Right? So I would say the most helpful thing for that, because I'm assuming that be a parents listening as well as your 12 year old might not be still listening after this long. But I would say have a clearly defined process for how you're going to debrief or talk about a game to maximize learning. I have a worksheet for you know, an example of called the experience, for example, called the experience Maximizer series of questions you go through to get the most out of an experience. Now for 12. It's like, hey, what, what worked, what didn't work What would I do differently next time? And that's a question that parents can ask. Hey, Johnny, what, What would you say work today? What Really? What did you do? Well, what was helpful? What? bla bla bla bla bla, and oh, what would you say didn't work very well? Oh, okay, what? Why would you apply these and, you know, are you basically saying do more of the stuff that worked, do less than stuff that didn't. And then put it aside. Meaning if you really want to get into it, as a parent, I don't recommend just having an open loop so that your kid might come to breakfast and say, oh, and another thing Johnny, when it was first in third this you did. And then a kid just has to be on guard all the time because their parent might attack him with with with instruction or reprimand. So you could have a set time And we're gonna answer these three questions and then let it go. And for big thing for me with my son growing up, he is right now where I, which was my, where my goal is for him was just to be doing something that he loved. And of course, happy that it's baseball since it's such a big part of my life. He's a junior now, and he just loves to play last week he came home from a game. I said, I can't wait till Thursday, so we can play again, is loving playing. And I could have crushed that by overcoaching him when he was growing up, because I know baseball fairly well. And I can see things constantly that he could do better. And what for me I chose the relationship to be more important prioritize that relationship to me and the relationship to baseball over The specific content of doing something right or wrong, and doesn't mean that that goes out the window. It just means that let me think before I asked him how many times I've told him not to make the first or third out at third base. And he did it. Should I? How do I handle that? I think he knows. But I could hammer it with them, but and it would feel good. It would feel good in the moment as a parent to say for crying out loud CJ, how many times have I told you and it's really tricky because you get caught up in your emotions as an adult and you love your kid and you want the best from you see could be so much better. How much do you hammer stuff and how much do you just let it go? I can't tell you. It's because it's you and it's your kid. I just the main thing I would say is for parents To be mindful of that. And again, my coaching was to have these three questions. Hey, what worked? What didn't work? What would you do differently next time? And maybe they have a limited time and then just zip it up and, and to put the relationship with yourself with you and the relationship the baseball and keep the love of it rather than Oh, dad, we're gonna go hit some more balls, Johnny. Oh, Dad, I just want to play MLB The Show. You know, like that.

Evan 49:33

Yeah. One thing. You talked about the mission earlier. And one quote from the book is keep your mission greater than your feelings. I love baseball and my long term goal is obviously to have a long career and play in the MLB. So when I have a clear goal set, it helps me stay focused. How can the strategy of winning really help someone's They focused on each pitch and be ready for the next thing that comes at them.

Dr. Tom Hanson 50:05

It goes right back to what I talked about, say you're going up to bat and you don't feel confident mission we've been using in this conversation is that part of the bat and the ball? Oh, but this is a little voice, I want to get a hit. I'm 0-3 three. And now I'm really 0-10 10 last few games and I gotta get a hit. So that you got that competing voice and the feelings that come with that. And again, you have to rise above that and say, I hear you. Thank you for sharing. And my mission is to put the fat part of the bat on the ball. So keeping your mission greater than your feelings. It's like, well, I don't you know, I don't want to do my I don't feel like doing my homework. Well, I want to you know, play in a good college. I got to have good enough grades to do that. So Even though I don't feel like doing my homework, I put my mission bigger and I'm going to override my feelings and do what I know is right anyway because because you aren't your thoughts and your feelings you are consciousness. That's, that's inside. It's like you can say out loud and you know, say loudly but in your head, only in your head, say your name. And so, you aren't the word in that case, Evan. You're the person that heard that. And so that that's a huge distinction that then gives you a chance to rise above your feelings and stay on what you're committed. Your feelings are important. I'm not pooh poohing feelings. It's a big problem if you just suppress them. They're like gages on a dashboard of a car. They're giving you information, like well It's not saying I have to stop the gas. No, it's like, but boy, you don't have too much longer. And so it's like, I'm gonna keep my mission greater than my feelings. I'm going to get to my girlfriend's house. Okay, well, if you run out of gas, you know, you're not going to get there. But maybe you can get there. And so you get the gas later. It's, I can't say you can't, you know, I'm saying the feelings are information, but you don't have to let them rule your behavior.

Evan 52:33

That's powerful. That's really powerful. So, I, you talked about how you interviewed a bunch of greats and like Hank Aaron, and Carl Yastrzemski and Pete Rose, and others. So with Hank Aaron, he said that visualizing was a big part, and like you talked about earlier. So what does visualizing do to a players success rate. And can you give us some tips on how we should visualize?

Dr. Tom Hanson 53:07

I certainly can't guarantee that doing anything is going to improve your stats. It tends to, and I can't say, Oh, this has to be visualized. Every day for 20 minutes, your average will go up 40 points. You know, I can't say that. What I can say is the top performers in any field, pre play the tournament. I like to watch ESPN or MLB network, you watch it replays. Key for performance? Well replaying is helpful like we just discussed with your other question. However, pre play, where you play it in advance in your mind, and really in your whole self gives your body clear clarity on what you want. And it helps reduce interference because if you're excited about what you think is about to happen, then you have much more access to your talent. If you're fearful or unclear, then doubt and fear can come in, which causes a contraction because we're first and foremost designed for safety. So, if we're uncertain, we'll contract and freeze until we see okay, is it safe for me to go there, you know, into the woods or run out of the woods? from our ancestors standpoint, or maybe in New York or something, or downtown Tampa, but it's like, Okay, well, first and foremost designed for safety. So if we're not clear on something our our hundreds of thousands of years of wiring is to hesitate is to hold back, but when when we know we're safe, and we know this This is what I want to have happen. This is what's going to happen, because I've just seen it. Oh, I'll have the ham and cheese sandwich. And I know that's what I want. Boom, I say it, and then it comes magically. And if he's saying that to your body, I want this ball to go right there. Ah, and then it's easier to free it up and trust it and let it go. Because you have that clarity that you just got, because you've already seen it. Sort of like, I love this part in whatever frozen tube or whatever movie I saw recently. My daughter will say, second time, it's different because you've seen it already. Oh, like that.

Evan 55:41

Yeah. One of the best parts of playing on team I feel and I'm sure a lot of other ballplayers feel is the teamwork that you use to win together. In the book you say, the more you focus on being a great team player, the greater you'll be as an individual. How does being a heads up baseball player help make us better teammates.

Dr. Tom Hanson 56:08

Because goal of the game is to win. And so if you are playing at or near your best as in, you have access to your talent that's going to help the team win the most, making you the most valuable you can be to that team doesn't guarantee success. But I want to be my individual best. So doing all the things that we've talked about help you do that. So that's been a great teammate, because the goal of the game is to win now the purpose of the game you can say well, oh, good to have fun. Okay, well, that's different, because that's the purpose. That's why you'd play but given that you're playing the goal, the game is designed around winning scoring, more runs and the other team. So the thing about why I would say Which I haven't said yet is that the key to the number one tip I would give is be a great teammate, is because it gets the focus off of yourself and gets it out where it needs to be, say out on the ball out on the mit balls going there. As opposed to what's my average, if, if I get a hit this time, you're not locked in on the task. And so if it's about you, then you're not being a good teammate. You're not helping your team win the most you can. Apple the other night, a player being nameless, saw the mad because he had to throw to a catcher that couldn't catch his curveball. And the catcher was sort of, you know, didn't want to go to the bullpen and work on it. And there they are out in the game. And then so this pitcher's, was unhappy with this catcher. So he's mad and then he has to throw a fastball and the guy hits, when he wanted to throw a curve. The guy hits a bleeder over second base, both the second baseman and the shortstop go back out for the ball. And it drops in and the runner runs on first. What do you think he did when he went to second base? Because it wasn't covered who in my opinion should have been covering second base?

but why wasn't he

Evan 58:29

cuz he was too focused on the last result

Dr. Tom Hanson 58:31

he was mad. Right? And then he was focusing on himself of saying god darnet give up a hit and when he should have been if you're in the moment, you're like, watching the ball and you're watching your second baseman shortstop both go for the ball. What do you do it run cover second base. And so that's where it becomes more about you. You just hurt his team but Now there's one second. And then if you don't get yourself under control, you don't hold him on, and he steals third. Now you're mad at really mad at everyone else when there's reason to be pointing at yourself.

Evan 59:16

Thats great

Dr. Tom Hanson 59:17

that it actually is Evan Imma agree with you on that one.

Evan 59:22

So you teach the principles of heads up baseball to leaders in business as well. So what advice would you give youth baseball players on using these lessons in all parts of their lives, like for school and family and friends,

Dr. Tom Hanson 59:37

there really isn't anything different of what I've said that wouldn't apply? instantly. So I would say go back and listen to it all again. And just think of it as not baseball. In terms of taking responsibility, being aware, knowing yourself, you hear my story about, you know, what do I like? I like sports. And I like psychology. It's like, Oh, it's like a recent Peanut Butter Cup. Chocolate, I like peanut butter. Oh, put them together. It's great. And so, but I wouldn't say, Hey, everyone listening should go into sports psychology. Because that's not them to tune into yourself. What do I love? Well, the baseball Okay, go for it. So it's people like myself making a living in baseball. Or you know, I like art. I like this. I like this pay attention to what you become passionate about and what really catches you and then run with it. And hopefully your parents let you do them and encourage you to do that. I watched a documentary The other day. I'm now curious about this Billy Eilish, I I lish Irish Billy, the singer

Evan 1:00:44

Billy Eilish, I think

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:00:47

when she's homeschool, and they're and her brother, write these songs, but it was really just their parents. The way it came across to me create an environment. It's like Hey, what do you love? What would you love to do? They play exposing different things horses, art and music. It's like a stick, you know, like the music, okay, run with it, and they run with it and then Off you go doesn't guarantee that anyone is going to do that. But it's the same principle is what I'm talking about. be tuned into something that I love this and, and run with it and and go for it and then pick targets. And then work out a process of here's what I'm going to do to make that come true to be the same. You want to be a major league baseball player, okay? And they'll make up a process for what you need to do and what are milestones along the way. And it's the same for building a business or getting a prom date. Or, you know, go to your breath, your routine and breathe, picture going well, and then go. So it's all human performance. So it's already the same

Evan 1:02:00

Do you have any projects you're working on right now that you would like to share and also where's the best place that are born to baseball listeners can reach you and learn more about you.

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:02:10

I have going to playbigbaseball.com where this book "Play Big" is we're really if that's the age group with my top recommendation is the book "Play Big" and there I've got a video, which is actually at playbigbass ball.teachable.com so we'll have to give them that link. But playbigbaseball.teachable teach-abel.com that may change before too long where I'm doing some upgrades to some things but between those two sites, we'll find it because I teach. I haven't even talked about my ABCs in this in this interview but- Act Big, Breath Big, Commit Big The process that I really teach in it, there's a video of me teaching it to a bunch of 12 year old and so just super simple it's and teaches all these things and really in like six minute videos with a little workbook so fun ways is for kids to you know for for your age, what would be the top thing there's not a lot of guys your age that have read all of heads of baseball. So that's a tough one what I'm a project I'm working on Oh, and headupbaseball2.com heads up baseball one word, two, the number two.com to get that book and there's a program called compete there a video program where each chapter have had to baseball to I have about a 12 to 14 minute video that teaches it and again, it's the same deal you can download a worksheet and fill in As I go through with a practice for each week, so those are just super practical, here's how to apply it. Because it can all sound good. But what do I actually do since the parent or coach, those are two for that. And a project I'm really excited about working on right now comes off of an assessment that I have takes 30-45 minutes for guy to fill this assessment out online and a measuring, it's all about awareness about helping someone know himself better or herself. And so they take this and here's your behavioral style, so that the big talker or big listener or or dominate I'm gonna go and dominate or I'm going to be very meticulous. What should I do? Well, you should be yourself. What's that? Well, this will help you find that. What motivates you, knowing what motivates you makes it easier to do things that motivate you, and for parents or for coach to know. And then you're thinking stuff so there's, it's, there's which measure stuff you don't even think you could measure So it's super cool. And what I've used it for, for many years, probably eight, nine years, individually with athletes, they fill it out. Like if we were working together, I would have you take this and then we'd sit and go through it. And we'd identify you your path. Your path is your process parts of you your identity, your values, and behaviors, you know, style. And then here's what you don't do. Well, here's the blind spots for you to look out. So you read heads up baseball, you read play big, it's great, obviously, but which page applies the most to me right now? I don't know. But I can tell you that. After you take this I can, we can really target here's what you need to do the way you would with the swing. A guy puts a swing on videos like look, Evan, here's what you're doing with your hands. It's giving you trouble. Oh yeah, I see that. But this is that for the mental game. And then where I'm going with it now is that someone can take it. And normally, all these years you have to go through it with me. So you can still do that, and it's the best thing to do. However, now I have it where a whole team or groups of people can take it. And then go through videos, where I am instructing them and they create something called the self scouting report that where you really get to know yourself, and then you tweak that a little bit to be able to have a one on one meeting with your coach to go through, that's a little form called How to coach me and to build that relationship. And so that's just a process that you go through, to build what I think really becomes at the heart of it all, which is relationship First of all, for relationship with yourself, knowing yourself. And secondly, relation well secondly, relationship with your coach, when a coach knows you really well then you communicate and there's less interference less noise. You can stay on target more you're not worried about what the coaches and the coaches helping instead of getting in the way Also if you're doing at the team level, when a team all understands and knows themselves better the way my Luthor team did, we got to know each other. It's a guy. Yeah. That's that guy. And that's that guy. And he's different and, and this speeds up that process. So now I have it as a process, that whole team can go through a whole travel organization could go through and really speed up. What really becomes the key when I started with the Yankees, and I'll finish with this was actually before how I got the Yankees, I talked to these five minor league managers. And I talked to them individually first, then we had a group meeting. And I said, well, what's the number one key to the whole thing? And they said, the relationship. It's the relationship, the respect, not like, you're going out to the movies or dinner, you can, but it's really about the connection and the relationship and the respect when that's there. can take off when it's not there. I don't like that guy. I don't like that guy. Don't get that guy. What's wrong with that guy? Then the information can't flow back and forth. So you talk to a high end coach. And they'll say it's a relationship. Joe Maddon said, I'm in the relationship business I'm, when I get when he went to the Cubs, he said, first three weeks was all only for him. relationship building. It's that huge. So it's what my project is a relationship building system.

Evan 1:08:26

That those sound like great resources. Yeah, that's really awesome. So, thank you so much for being here and sharing great knowledge with the born baseball community, and help taking our game to the next level.

Dr. Tom Hanson 1:08:41

You're welcome. That's my goal. So I appreciate the opportunity to do that. And you did a great job, get some really big league questions.

Evan 1:08:49

Thank you. Thank you all for listening in. We really hope you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and be the first to know when new apps So it's lunch. Check us out at borntobaseball.com for free resources and new gear. Download the Born Baseball App to have real time conversations, share your game and video highlights and be celebrated by our BTB team. And of course on social media @borntobaseball where we can connect live. Now, Let's play ball.

Music 1:09:23

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai

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Episode #009: Jason Michaels – 10 year MLB veteran / Owner “The Big League Approach”

May 2020 By Evan

Ep. #009: Jason Michaels- 10 Year MLB Veteran/ Owner of “The Big League Approach”

Join Evan and Jason Michaels as Jason shares his baseball journey, his decision to stay in college versus going pro, hitting tips and the value of staying within yourself. Jason also talks mental toughness and “The Big League Approach” Philosophy.

What You’ll Learn:

01:30- Jason’s baseball journey

05:00- Choosing JUCO after being selected in the Draft

06:45- Playing in the College World Series

10:20- How college helped him mature as a player

13:08- Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies

14:18- Getting called up to the Big Leagues

23:12- Advice on overcoming challenges

24:43- Mental approach in the game

26:12- Mentor Roving Coach experience

27:52- “The Big League Approach” Philosophy

Read show notes here.

Show Links:

Instagram: @thebigleagueapproach

Website: https://thebigleagueapproach.com/

Born To Baseball Links:

Instagram: @borntobaseball

Facebook

Twitter: @bornto_baseball

Born To Baseball Podcast

Episode 009_JASON MICHAELS 10 YEAR MLB VETERAN AND OWNER THE BIG LEAGUE APPROACH

The transcription below was provided for your convenience through an automated service. Please excuse any unintended errors made in the process.

Evan 0:00

This episode of born to baseball is sponsored by the BTB travel team and training tracker. Are you a parent or player searching for travel teams or training facilities in your area? Or are you a coach looking to expand your reach? And you have to check out the BTB triple t tracker at borntobaseball.com Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

Music 0:24

Calling all ball players. Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Were you born to baseball? Then bring it in it's game time.

Evan 0:39

What's up guys, welcome to the Born To Baseball Podcast. Today we have Jason Michaels. Jason is based in Tampa, Florida. Some quick highlights Jason hit over .420 in Juco was a fourth round draft pick in 1998 and played 10 years in the majors with the Phillies, Indians Astros and pirates. He's the founder and CEO of the big league approach a training facility in Tampa, Florida, with a heavy focus on both skill and mindset development. I recently had a chance to train with Jason and I took away so much from the lessons. Jason, thank you so much for coming on.

Jason 1:19

Well, thanks for having me. Evan.

Evan 1:21

I'd love to start with you sharing some of your baseball journey. So you grew up in Tampa, Florida. Did you play on travel teams or just a local Little League teams?

Jason 1:33

Yeah, so I grew up in Tampa, Florida, where you could play baseball year round. Unlike New York, and, but no, I grew up in Tampa played soccer and baseball. And when I got to high school, I focused more on baseball. Because I was wasn't big enough in football and I was getting my butt kicked. So other than that, I focused on baseball and got a chance chance to play at the next level. Actually I was drafted out of high school in the 49th round which they don't have that anymore. I think it goes up to 40 rounds. But out high school I got a chance to play college ball I end up going to junior college which I wasn't really good enough to play D1, I mean to go to a school but I really made I think that decision of me going to junior college, really getting a chance to play and not sit the bench if like if I would have went to a four year school or a big D1 school. I know I wanted to go to Florida, University of Florida out of High School and they told me I wasn't good enough. So I kind of use that little chip on my shoulder as motivation. Got got a chance to go to junior college, played two years there and really came down between it was going to be LSU or Miami, where I was going to go and ended up ended up choosing Miami and want to stay in state and wanted to see my wonder Have my parents be able to come watch me play? You know, being in Tampa to Miami. It's not too long plus my dad had his private pilot's license. So they were able to get a plane and get out there quicker than driving. So yeah, that's and then going to Miami into continue to excel in my career and was fortunate enough to get drafted by the Phillies and play my career start my career in the minor leagues with the Phillies.

Evan 3:28

Yeah. So that that's an amazing first like first part of your baseball journey and being able to go to Juco and excel there and knowing that I want to be able to play instead of saying I went to a big school but didn't get as much playing time.

Jason 3:46

Right.

Evan 3:47

You attended Jesuit High School and hit over 400 each year, which is pretty impressive. What are some of the things that contributed to your success there? Did you have strong mentors along the way?

Jason 3:58

I tell you, I'd be honest with you. You know, there wasn't anybody around like me as far as in that, you know, my the focus of the big league approach. What I own is a lot to do with the focus is on the mental side, not only in the physical side, but the mental side. And, you know, I had a lot of good coaches along the way. In high school. Honestly, I stayed simple see ball hit ball, I didn't try to overthink the situation. And I just saw ball hit ball and I end up getting lucky and the ball ends up falling in a little bit more times, you know, then you had some other people so i don't think i don't think i was the best player on the team. And but I was you know, I was I was a good player. You know, I was I was consistent had like consistent defense and had consistent at bats, like I said, just you know, see ball

Evan 5:00

So after high school, like you said, you were drafted by the Padres and chose to go to Juco instead. So what was behind that decision?

Jason 5:08

Well, we had drafted. Yeah, being drafted that Lee 49th round again, they don't have that those rounds. Again, remember, we have 30 teams at the time picking, you know, so if you do the math, 49 rounds times 30 teams, that's, that's around, you know, 1400 player chosen in the country, which is an exciting and it was incredible just to get the call to find out I was that I was drafted that a professional organization wanted me. Um, you know, I was getting a bigger scholarship than what they were offering me money to sign and I didn't feel like I was mentally ready enough to go in to start my professional career. I, you know, I end up it wasn't it was kind of a no brainer for me. I was gonna go to college. wanted to go to college? A my parents wanted me to go to college. And I needed more time to grow and and mentally and physically. Before I felt I was ready to go to the next step to the professional level.

Evan 6:14

That's a really mature smart decision. You averaged for 20 while at Juco. You were drafted in the 44th. Round by Tampa, your hometown team, and still chose not to sign and instead went to the University of Miami like you said. You competed in two consecutive College World Series. And what was it like to play with the hurricanes in the College World Series not once, but twice.

Jason 6:45

That's a it was what a great experience. I wish every college baseball player would get to experience something like that, you know, maybe down at Miami, I think we probably averaged three or 4000 fans a game, which was really good, you know, especially on a weekend. And next thing you know, getting a chance to get through the regionals and then go to the College World Series where you're one of eight teams, the top eight teams in the country that season. And play, you know, I was playing on ABC, ESPN, you know, national, national TV. And it was like 25,000 people there it was, it was just an incredible experience.

Evan 7:25

Amazing.

Jason 7:26

We had we had a great team, great. Our team was was really good. We were very competitive. And it was just a great experience that I wish everybody else could experience as well.

Evan 7:36

That really does sound amazing. Wow. 25,000 people.

Jason 7:43

Yeah. It's literally well, right. I mean, nothing prepares you for that. But yeah, man, you stay focused in the game. You don't even hear.

Evan 7:53

Now, after two years with the hurricanes, you have a 396 average, you hit 34 dingers. 154 RBI's and you set multiple single season records. Now you're selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 15th round of the draft. Why did you again choose to decline and go to your last year eligibility?

Jason 8:19

Again, I that was my junior year that was probably my best years to statistically playing. Physically, I was ready to go to the next level, but still mentally I didn't feel like I was I was fully there. Again, another great organization drafted me or want me to play for the organization. And again, I was getting a bigger scholarship at Miami than I was what they were offering me to go away from from school. So, you know, the way I looked at it is hey, I have another I get another year closer to graduation here for education. Before I go, play professional Ball. I mean, and you know, you probably know just as much as everybody else they the odds are the percentages of making it to the big leagues are right around 1%, if not less. It's a tremendous third, these are just tremendous numbers out there. With that, showing that so knowing that I needed to get I need to get closer to getting my degree, and I needed another year mentally to get ready.

Evan 9:30

And was there any fear that since you turned it down, it might have been your last chance to get drafted?

Jason 9:37

no I knew that I could. There was one more year I was a little disheartened because I really felt I that I would, that I should have got drafted higher or in a lower round. But you know, it is what it is. It's I think there's always a plan. You know, in life, maybe you you follow the plan and sometimes you always don't Like it, but I got a chance to, again to get another year of school, which was a great institution, University of Miami private institution, great school. And I can still get drafted again.

Evan 10:13

What were some of the biggest lessons you learned playing college baseball? And is there anything you would have done differently?

Jason 10:21

Well, you know, I think with college baseball, it's almost like a pyramid. I don't think I explained this to you. But you know, as you started out in youth baseball, you know, there's, it's a big pool of people. And then as you get, you know, to high school, some of those people weed out and yet the bet a little bit better ones get the chance to go on. Same thing you go to college. Now there's even more players that are weeded out a little bit. And then if you're lucky enough to go to professional and continues to keep going, and then we get up to the big leagues. That's, that's the pinnacle of the of your profession. And, you know, that's been my my dream. You know, since I was probably a little bit younger than you and get a fort Fortunately, I was able to play my dream. But you know, playing going from high school to college, the intensity level stepped up, you know, I felt I thought I saw more guys becoming more focused, being longer focused on working, you know, on baseball, trying to get better at what they're doing really starting to try to perfect their craft. And as I got a chance to go to D1, it was even better talent. You know, I'm facing guys, you know, pitchers that a little bit better arms. Guys are getting bigger and stronger. And I need to make those adjustments as as I went on.

Evan 11:51

The competition level was way different. In JUCO, and D1.

Jason 11:57

You know, it wasn't that bad. I didn't know much about Juco baseball coming out of high school and when I got a chance to go and look into playing with these guys on my team before we even started to play I was like man we got some some really talented guys here. I know they one of the scouts talked about our pitching staff as being comparable to LSU's.

Evan 12:21

Wow.

Jason 12:22

But yeah, I think we had we had or three top pitchers where guys were low to mid 90s. One of our pitchers was actually about to go in the first round and he went second pick in the second round. When you're so yeah, he was mean, so I got a chance to really face some good pitching. I did which helped me out to go the next level.

Evan 12:45

You finish your final year at Miami and you're drafted in the fourth round by the Philadelphia Phillies finally sign your first professional contract. This is a moment that youth baseball players all over The world dream about, and that's a place that they all want to get to. So how did you celebrate that big moment in your career?

Jason 13:09

I mean, it was. Me, I celebrated with my family. It was it was an honor. I mean, one to be drafted four out of the possible five times that I could get drafted, which is I mean, you don't really hear about that anymore. It was a tremendous honor that of that team, again, wanted me to play for their organization and get a chance to start my professional career and it was it was very exciting. Nervous as well, not knowing what the next step brought. I didn't know what kind of competition I was going to be seeing, but it was definitely very exciting. That

Evan 13:53

that has to be feel amazing. Being able to relief, like I finally got here, but I still have more work to do.

Jason 14:00

Absolutely, absolutely each you know, each organization has what six levels? you know that you need to go through that as with anything I think in the business world, you got to work your way up.

Evan 14:11

Yep. Do you remember how it felt playing your first big league game in 2001?

Jason 14:18

Yes, I was. I was on my way to my I was in AAA in Scranton, Pennsylvania at that time. Scranton was triple A, which is right underneath the big leagues. And they were the Phillies, a triple A affiliate. Then I got called up before a Sunday game. So we had a Sunday game in Scranton at one o'clock. And I got called in I think about eight or nine o'clock that morning. I usually get there early anyways to the field. And my coach sat me down and say we're, calling up to the Big League playing field a big you're getting called up. So all this wave emotions, took over a jumped in my car, whatever I can gather and I ended up speeding Down to Philly ended up getting a ticket, a speeding ticket on my way. It was about about a two hour drive, I think and ended up getting to in about the sixth inning. And when I walked in the locker room, we were playing the Cubs when I walked in the locker room, it was such a surreal moment because I saw my locker I saw my jersey hanging with with my number, my name and my number, you know, on the back and it just it was just a wave of emotion. So I hustled up, got dressed real quick, went down to the dugout. You know, met my coaches and whoever was there, you know, we I think we were on defense at that time and ended up hit I ended up pitch hitting the next I think it was the next inning. So I got there in the six either in the pinch hitting in the seventh or the eighth. I think it might have been in the seventh and the bottom of the seventh and face Todd Van popple With the Cubs, and the end up, striking me out. And I don't really remember a lot because everything was such a blur thing happens really fast. My anxiety level was really high. But to get that first at bat out of the way was I mean it was I didn't mean I cared that I struck out, but it was again such a surreal moment.

Evan 16:23

That sounds amazing. Just finally getting to your dream and knowing that it worked. The work you did when you were younger, it pays off. And now you're in the show. So one highlight I saw was your walk off Homer and 2008 against the Cardinals while you're with the pirates. So it was the bottom of the 10th inning, you hit that home run. final score 12-11 bucks win what was your approach going up to that at bat and big moments like that?

Jason 16:59

No, it was I ended up looking messing around and looking up that it was like a top 10 and pirates history or at a by by one reporter which I thought was Wow. I mean such a huge history or a long history for the Pittsburgh Pirates. My dad grew up watching the pirates and the reds. And so at that particular game, we know I ended up I didn't start that game I ended up coming in about the eighth inning, we were down 10 to four and the eighth and the bottom of the eighth you know, and just tell them my teammates, I said, Guys, you know, we can't nobody can hit a six run home run. We need to get guys on base. Okay, that's very important. When you're to have a good at bat not to swing at a pitch that's way out of the zone, you got to be very disciplined. I end up walking that at bat and end up scoring that inning and then we end up tying it up in the 10th. And then St. Louis went ahead by one in the room sorry, we ended up tying in ninth st Lewis went up one in the 10th 11 to 10. And guy good guy end up getting on and ended up facing their closer Chris Perez, who matter of fact, went to University of Miami. And he lives here ended up facing him. I didn't know him before. I knew that he threw hard. threw a first pitch ball, which helped me even more to zone in on that fastball and getting a fastball in the zone. I don't really remember swinging and I just remember rounding third base that's that's that's about it. It was all kind of a blur, but whatever an exciting moment that was.

Evan 18:41

That sounds great. That must be really great memory. when you were on deck Did you were you almost like praying that you were gonna get up with a man on base. So you had a chance or was it more of just like I want to get on base

Jason 18:55

be honest with you. I was trying to control my anxiety level. You know? I think that we did a great job coming back, you know to tie up this game 10 to 10. And here we are down by one you know, hey, we just need to get guys on base try to get a guy in scoring position you know, there was just a guy on first and you know the coach, let me swing away you know, instead of instead of butting them over which you know, I mean here where you were at home you want to play for the win, you don't want to play for the tie. So it just you know, when I was on deck just trying to stay within myself not to not to overthink the situation. Keep it simple. Get a good pitch to hit. And don't over swing.

Evan 19:39

Yeah, so eight runs in three innings. It's, it's crazy.

Jason 19:46

I might have went in in the 7th.

Evan 19:49

That's good. That's crazy. So..

Jason 19:53

that was a great team win.

Evan 19:55

For the youth baseball listening. Can you share some tips on things they could do to generate more power in their swings.

Jason 20:02

So, power power is going to come now, That's funny. So my high school career, okay, even I was drafted. I had one home run my high school career. One.

Evan 20:13

Wow.

Jason 20:13

And what I tell some of my high school players that I haven't really told the youth players as I say, guys, you're not strong enough yet. And anytime a boy gets on the field, it doesn't matter if it's if he's six years old, or if he's my age 43 we see a fence we want to go over it. It's one of the questions I asked you when we got together.

Evan 20:35

Yep.

Jason 20:35

And to me I bite by doing that. I think it creates lift. I don't want to create lift in my swing. We already do that already. To me is hit line drives. That's what that's what the major league Hall of Famers talk about these talk about hitting line drives, line drives will go but when you try to hit a home run, it doesn't really work. It just nobody's really Good to sit there say I'm gonna go up and hit a home run and then go up and hit a home run that just doesn't happen

Evan 21:06

either one or two things that you learned from hitting coaches or other great players that you played with in the major leagues that really helped you succeed

Jason 21:17

you know as as a baseball player and you know your age and even younger as you guys are going to be around a lot of coaches some good some bad and it's a tough thing I was right I was into what do you not listen to always be coachable? No matter what always be coachable? Whether it's the information is good or not. Most of the time, you don't know if it's good or not always be coachable. You know, they're learning from I take tips from all kinds of coaches. I really do a lot of them. I was learning from my teammates as well too. I would, I would, you know, talk to my teammates after somebody got a good hit. You know, such as you know, Let's say somebody just had a good hit one of your teammates had a good hit, you know, in a crucial situation in the game, you know, maybe after the game or during the game, I go up and ask him say, hey, what was your thought process there? What are you thinking about? So, you know, one thing is always keep learning, always keep learning and nobody's gonna hit 1000 this game and no pitcher is going to strike everybody out or get everybody out. So there's always something there learned in this game. You know, swing hard swing it strikes, take the balls, you know, it's something that we talked about as well. keep it simple swing hard to, you know, swing it strikes, take the balls. That's probably one of the best pieces of advice. And, you know, the fact that, you know, I told you this, too, is that there's negative results happen all the time on that baseball. Okay, you got it, you get it, you get you get the negative result and you throw it in the trash, you have to move on and focus on that next pitch, that next play whatever it is,

Evan 23:00

Speaking of throwing in the trash, one of the things that stuck with me when I trained with you, was when you said if something doesn't go your way, learn from it, then throw it away. What other pieces of advice would you share with us baseball players on overcoming challenges and keeping our heads in the game?

Jason 23:21

And then that's the thing. I think it's tougher when you're younger, as far as trying to figure out how to focus how to stay calm, how to concentrate during the game, there's there's a lot of moments in the game where there's nothing really going on in the big leagues, and sometimes I would find myself drifting as well in the outfield, especially if our pitcher was doing really well. There's not really much going on. But I'd like to say guys, when you get into that, that chain link fence or you start pulling that field, keep your middle keep your your your thoughts there. wouldn't really messes it up is that we try to overthink the situation or we distract ourselves. So when you get in that fence when you get in those that chain link fence and get on that field focus on that focus in their focus take that as as as your reminder getting away from the day, whether it's schoolwork or you're in trouble at home, with your parents or whatever, or your maybe some friends or wherever it is, stay focused on when you're there because when you're in school, you need to stay focused on school, you're on baseball field, you stay focused there.

Evan 24:27

How did you mentally prepare for a game? I know you talk a lot about the mental side when you train people. And just in really, in general, when you played so how did you mentally prepare for a game and did you have any mental cues that you'd use?

Jason 24:41

I wanted to stay within myself. I didn't want to try to do something that I'm that's not me. You know, I had a I did have a hitting coach in the big leagues or actually a manager. Tell me like you know, stay in your lane. And you know, me it was kind of referring to you know, like a like a running track and You got to stay in your lane. Don't try to get out, hey, if you're a home if you're if you're a double hitter, it doubles if you're a home run hitter, hit home runs, you know if you're, if you're if you're a double hitter, don't try to hit home runs, it's not my lane. You know, stay in your lane do what you could control. I'd say I just stay focused, try to you know, not distract myself, it's so easy for you to start for, for us to start distracting ourselves. Want to keep it simple. I want to stay motivated. You know, knowing that hey, a negative result is possible to happen today. I need to throw that in the trash as soon as as soon as I can. So I don't waste my a bad or take that bad bad out to the field. And you possibly make an error or hurt my team. But say stay simple, stay simple, stay motivated and stay hungry.

Evan 25:55

Yeah, that's, that's really valuable. So after you retired in 2012 he became a mentor roving coach in the national minor league system. That is the first time I've ever heard that term used and sounds pretty cool. So can you share what the job of a mentor and coach was? And

Jason 26:18

so I was with the nationals and AAA in 2013. And it was it was I was on I was, I was on my way out, I was starting to lose it in my heart a little bit as far as I'm playing. But I still enjoyed talking with my teammates and tell them about different situations in the game. And you know why they would handle it this way I thought about this way. So it was it was a way that the coaching staff ended up seeing me and like, you know, they end up relaying it to the to the front office with the with the nationals and say, hey, look, I think we need to have this guy around. And so they end up offering me a coaching position and then my minor leagues, and I was really mostly with the rookie ball guys. Now these are guys that are right out of high school, or guys that come over from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, wherever. And it's really the young guys to get their feet wet and to get going in into their professional career. So a lot of what I did was was my was helping them with their approach and how they approach the game, whether it was hitting, whether it was defense, or whether it was bass running. That's that's what they wanted me to do. And I ended up going around to all six of the minor league teams and talking with a lot of the players. And they were asking me questions as well as far as it may. What would you do here? What would you think of this and I really enjoyed I really enjoyed what I did.

Evan 27:52

Now you bring all your experience to training players at the big league approach. Can you share more about the mission Philosophy there.

Jason 28:01

Absolutely. And that's, you know, probably the main goal, or the main focus is the the mental side. You know, and like I was telling you, I'm not here to revamp your swing, your swing is your swing now we can tweak it here a little bit here and there and it's a lot of it has to do with up here. What's in between your ears. And what helped me be able to do that is become a student. Just like I was a student in school, I had to be a student at baseball. There's so much to learn. It's I mean, it's it looks like and it it really is an easy game, throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball, but there's so many factors that go into it. And that's what I help with I help with helping players develop their mental approach to hitting to defense as well. At there and to enhance their their their swing to make their swing path. More online in the in the hitting zone or stay longer in the hitting zone. And just to focus on hitting line drives and really mentor mentor the younger guys, these players Not me, not me again, my I've been teaching kids from four years old all the way up to 55. And it's it's really enjoyable. I'm getting some great feedback. I'm I'm also learning from my clients too.

Evan 29:28

Now I want to move into the rapid fire questions. You're ready. Okay. Know, what did you major in in college and why?

Jason 29:36

So sports management, that's. And it was business management. I decided to do sports management. Why? Don't know.

Evan 29:49

What was your favorite Major League stadium to play in?

Jason 29:53

Well, Baltimore, Camden Yards, or Oriole park? I don't know what they're calling it now.

Evan 29:58

Yeah, Camden Yards. What was your favorite memory of playing in the big leagues?

Jason 30:05

Probably the walk off home Well, between the walk off home run and then 2007. I was with the Indians, we went to we, we end up going in the playoffs, we end up going to play the Yankees and beat the Yankees in Yankee Stadium, which we were one of three teams to do. end up having a couple at bats and having a double. And that just that season was very memorable. 2007 we were one game away from going to World Series. That's the year Boston beat Colorado. we'll serious but that in my walk off.

Evan 30:41

Wow. That sounds like a really cool memory. Being able to stay in the playoffs and be one of the better teams in baseball.

Jason 30:51

Yeah, absolutely.

Evan 30:52

In inches. Tell us what's the longest length that your hair has ever been?

Jason 30:59

Oh man. It's got It'd be 12 inches maybe I got a couple of photos that I saw. Wow, my hair was that long. Yeah, just some Phase I was going through, like I was just, I didn't want to get cut, just being lazy.

Evan 31:13

Would you like to share any projects that you're working on and the best place for people to reach out to you and learn more about you

Jason 31:21

just, you know, continue to teach. And, you know, help and mentor, mentor younger players, not just baseball players, but softball players as well. And just trying to get the best out of each client. It's, I mean, I'm really fortunate. I've been fortunate enough to have some really good clients and great parents as well. And which really, which really helps. So the name of my company, again, is the Big League Approach. You can find me at www.thebigleagueapproach.com my cell numbers on there, and there's a way to sign up for lessons. As well as in the Tampa area. That's probably the best way.

Evan 32:06

Okay, thank you so much for coming on, and sharing some great information with the Born To Baseball community.

Jason 32:13

You got it. Thanks for having me on, Evan.

Evan 32:15

Thank you.

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai