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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/

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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

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Episode #007: Shea Hillenbrand- 2X MLB All Star/ Founder of Against All Odds Foundation & 2V’s Apparel / Realtor / Peak Performance Coach

April 2020 By Evan

Ep. #007: Join Evan and Shea Hillenbrand, 2X MLB All Star, Founder of Against All Odds Foundation and 2V’s Apparel, Realtor and Peak Performance Coach.  

In this interview, Shea’s energy shines through as he shares insight into his determination and practice routine on the road to the Bigs, his Four Step Focus Formula to take your hitting game consistently to the next level, and offers advice to players on dreaming big, taking responsibility and living on purpose.

01:15- Shea’s Journey 

03:28- Tips on making your dream tangible

04:26- His dream of owning a zoo 

05:16- The role being a multi sport athlete played in his development

09:35- Learning to play multiple positions as a Pro

12:03- Key advice he received from Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez

14:10- The Four Step Focus Formula

16:22- Advice for youth players managing distractions & responsibilities

20:20- Being part of the 1%

26:11- 1st Major League All-Star Game experience

32:40- Staying relaxed & focused while hitting

39:20- Failing your way to success 

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.
 
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Episode 007_SHEA HILLENBRAND 2X MLB ALL STAR FOUNDER OF AGAINST ALL ODDS FOUNDATION AND 2V APPAREL REALTOR PEAK PERFORMANCE 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 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? Than you have to check out the BTB triple T tracker at borntobaseball.com. Make sure your team is represented. Let's go.

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

Hey guys, welcome to the born to baseball podcast. Today we're excited to have Shay Hillenbrand with us. Shea played seven years in the major leagues is a two time All Star and was Player of the Year three out of five years in the minor leagues. Some of his career highlights include hitting a game winning home run off of Mariano Rivera at Fenway Park, and hitting three home runs in three consecutive innings. Amazing. Shea, thank you so much for coming on.

Shea 1:10

My pleasure. Thanks for having me, buddy.

Evan 1:12

Would you like to start us off by sharing your baseball journey?

Shea 1:15

My baseball journey, I think that would take about an hour, hour and a half to share that. But a lot like you what you shared to me, shared with me before we started the show is that ever since I can remember since five years old, six years old, seven years old, I had a baseball in one hand and a glove on the other hand, pursuing my dream of becoming a major league baseball player. So I have two older brothers, and they never did anything. They didn't do the extra work. They didn't go outside and play and put in the extra work to get themselves advanced at whatever they were doing. So they had the same opportunities I did, but they didn't take advantage of that. So I want to share that with all your listeners out there that baseball is something that's different than most sports is you have to have a hunger inside yourself with baseball. For the game, you have to love the game in order to go out there and work outside of practice outside of games outside of tournaments, outside of the rings, outside of the bats, all that stuff, you have to work so starting in middle school and high school, I'd eat supper real quick outside inside with the family and I run back outside and I hit the ball off the tee in the backyard. My father didn't buy me a tee or a net or any of that stuff. So I made a contraption a net out of PVC piping, which is what your irrigation piping is for your sprinkler systems for the frame and then I had a bed sheet and boy was that bed sheet loud man I hit that ball so hard just to wake up a neighbor's and make her neighbors let him know that the hearing Shea Hillenbrand is going to be a major league baseball player. So I worked harder than everybody else and I grew up in LA area. And I was a die hard Dodger fan when I grew up. And my mom had season tickets to the Dodgers games and my mom My best friend and myself would sit in the third deck and the top of the stadium, and I sit there with my chocolate malt in one hand, my nachos on the other hand, and I would just say, I'm going to be out there someday I'm going to be out there someday, I am going to be a major league baseball player starting at 7,8,9 years old. And that's what I want to convey to your listeners as well is that everybody has to have a dream. Everybody has a dream, they have a purpose, and they have a mission to accomplish here on earth. And I wanted to become a major league baseball player ever since just like yourself, and I think you can relate to that. So I would engage my senses and you got to make your dream become tangible by engaging the senses that you have. You got to touch it, you got to feel it, you got to smell it, you got to taste it, and you got to visualize it. Okay, so I said at the top of the deck, a third deck at Dodger Stadium, and I'd say you know, I'd hear the crack of the bat. I'd hear the roar of the crowd. I smell the grass. And I'd always imagined the announcer announcing My name now batting number 29. Shay Hillenbrand, everybody thought I was crazy. Because the chances of becoming a major leaguer is so insanely difficult, but I didn't care because I made my dream become tangible. And it was nobody else's dream but myself. So you can't compare yourself to other people's dreams because some people at your age, young lads at your age are playing baseball because your dad wants them to their mom wants to. That's what the cool thing is my friends, you have to have your own dream. And I did that. So when I was a kid, I had two dreams. I want to become a major league baseball player. And I wanted to own a zoo. Yes, you heard me correctly. So when I left Major League Baseball in the prime of my career, at 32 years old, I bought a zoo I think I'm the only major league baseball player to ever do this ever. Major League Baseball buying a zoo. Why? Because I loved animals. And I love helping out kids just like yourself with the animals. So I purchased the farm 38 acres at a 300 farm and exotic animals, camels, kangaroos, llamas, alpacas, monkeys, raccoons, everything up to the moon. permanent position to help kids out like yourself and impact your life. So I'm kind of a unique individual, and how it's kind of like, do my own thing. So, but you got to follow your dreams.

Evan 5:12

Thank you for sharing your baseball journey.

Shea 5:14

Absolutely.

Evan 5:17

You excelled as an all around athlete growing up baseball and soccer especially. What role did being a multi sport athlete play in your development?

Shea 5:28

That's a great question. When you're researching these questions, man who do these on your own?

Evan 5:34

Yeah,

Shea 5:35

that's awesome. Great job. So I always played multiple sports when I was a kid because I'm super competitive. And I'm pretty athletic. So I played baseball and baseball season basketball and basketball season and elementary school and junior high. And then I played football and football season soccer and soccer season. And what people don't understand is that you can't play baseball more than eight months out of the year. Because it drives your mind crazy. You have to let your mind relax. And I'm telling you as a major leaguer playing, playing every day in the major leagues, hitting 600 at bats, after six months of doing that, you're like, give me the heck out of here, even us as adults, even us as the best in the world at what we do. We deal with that because this is how we are as human beings as people. So you got to rest your mind. So I love soccer, soccer was a heck of a lot easier than baseball. I love slide tackling people. I love trying to be aggressive and doing that stuff and anticipate I was a forward and actually I was a number one soccer player in high school and Arizona had no options to play baseball anywhere out of high school. I had options to play soccer in Europe at options to play at a university division one university for soccer, but my childhood dream was to play Major League Baseball. So I walked on at the local community college, that's the only option I had. And I was the first guy there and the last guy to leave every single day. Why? Because I had a dream. Becoming a major league baseball player. And I made the team because of my work ethic. And after three years of playing at the junior college, some people might say, how'd you play the junior college three years because Junior College is two years. I'm medical redshirt in one year. So I was actually there for three years, I became the number one baseball player in Arizona, at the junior college level after three years, so it's just work ethic, but you have to play multiple sports. You have to you have to for development, and to be able to move and do different things and stimulate your mind. You have to be able to play multiple sports and it's challenging for you guys now, as kids because a lot of coaches like Oh, you got to play baseball year round. No, you don't. Here's a guy right here that didn't do it. And I made millions of millions of dollars in the major leagues, playing multiple sports and a lot of Major League Baseball players do the same thing. So I challenge people just enjoy being a kid because when you grow up, you have to deal with adult things. So enjoy playing multiple sports.

Evan 7:53

Yeah, that's great advice. You were drafted as a shortstop but played multiple positions in the MLB How were you able to adjust to that?

Shea 8:07

You weren't gonna stop me I don't care what anybody said. I was gonna become a major leaguer. Check this out. I was, first of all, I grew up a diehard Dodger fan like I told you. And in 1996, long, long, long, long, long time ago, I was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. And that was my childhood dream to get drafted by a major league baseball team, right to get drafted by a team to go professional baseball. And I told all my friends, check this out at 22 years, 20 years old. I told all my friends I got drafted by the White Sox. And they're like, What are you talking about? Man? You get drafted by the Red Sox, like the most prestigious team like Boston Red Sox, New York. And I was like, wait, I got drafted by the Red Sox. I don't even know what I got drafted by because I wanted to become a major leaguer. and my excuse? Every time or my answers every time I had two answers, I tell everybody because they thought it was kind of crazy. I didn't even know what to I got drafted by, I said for one, I'm a Dodger fan. All right, when you grew up a Dodger fan, you show up in the 3rd inning and leave in the seventh inning to beat traffic. So you'd never You don't know anything about baseball outside of Dodger Stadium in LA, as a West Coast Dodger fan quite different than New York. Let me tell you that much right there. But, so I said, I'm a Dodger fan. And for two, I told everybody this, mark my words, but I told him, I don't care what Sox it is White Sox, Red Sox, blue Sox, purple sock, pink socks. I'm going to the big leagues. So no matter what team you're on, he's going to have the opportunity and take advantage of that. So after I got drafted, I got drafted as a shortstop check this out. Number one shortstop in Arizona junior college, I went to play my first 10 games and professional baseball in Lowell, Massachusetts. I had no idea what I was doing. I knew how to hit I didn't know how to field. I made 14 errors. Check this out. I made 14 errors in my first 10 games at shortstop. I was up there wearing it, man. I was out there. Oh my gosh, this is horrible. And 4000 fans booing you because you're missing the ball all the time. And the manager came to me one day and he said, Hey, do you want to play like first base or something? Yes, please get me out of here, man, can I get the shortstop and then after my second year of playing professional baseball, the organization came up to me one of the members and organization the management said, Hey, you want to learn how to play catcher. They say if you learn how to catch, you can go to the big leagues pretty quick. So that offseason, after my second year of playing professional baseball, after a couple player of the year awards, I went to Australia and learned how to catch and with that I came to the big leagues as a catcher. And then and then after that, I started with third base on opening day with the Red Sox. See you have to do that song put me in coach. I'm ready to play today. You have to be able to do whatever the coach tells you to do, man because you never know what opportunity might arise.

Evan 10:53

Do you think it's important for youth baseball player to learn and play multiple positions?

Shea 11:00

Absolutely, because you never know what's going to happen because there's only nine guys on the field at one time, right? The pitcher at eight position players, I was no good at pitching. So I said, Don't give me that baseball. I'm not a good pitcher, I like to I like to crush pitchers hitting so you have to be able to be ready. And you can't you never know, you never know what's going to happen. I never would have thought in my wildest dreams that I would have been a catcher in professional baseball. But I said, Yes, I'll do it and learn it. And it gives you more opportunities. But the most important thing I want to convey to you bud is that and your listeners is that you have to learn the game of baseball, baseball is like chess. There's so many parts of the game, whether you're hitting or running situations, whether it's a 1-2 count or 2-2 count or 2-0 count or 3-1 count. Or if there's a guy in first base, we're going to throw the ball. There's so many different parts of the game that we got to learn. And so many players are so worried about how their swing is how they're launch angle is. How pretty is that ball? How far did I hit it? How hard did I throw it? There's so many more things involved. Baseball than that, and I want to convey that to you guys quick you learn the information. Better, Faster, get there. That's what Pedro Martinez told me. I don't know if you remember Pedro Martinez with it with the Red Sox. He was a he's a Hall of Famer now. But he told me one day when I was in spring training as a rookie, a minor leaguer, he said, Shea, let me tell you one thing. It's not how much you learn. It's how quickly you're learning is what gets you the big leagues. And that's the number one thing that stuck with me the whole time is that it's not how much you know, it's how much you implement it. It's how much you put it to play, how much you get it to work. You can have all the information in the world, but if you don't apply it, you're not gonna have success on a consistent basis.

Evan 12:38

Wow, that's great. So you didn't just practice for the sake of practicing you practice with a purpose? What was your practice routine and hitting process like leading up to the bigs?

Shea 12:51

Oh my gosh, that's a you have to have an obsession for the game. So when you start getting when you start getting paid Play the game, you have to have an obsession. Check this out. I've swung a baseball bat over a million times. Think about that. You guys might understand how many times a million swings i'd swing the bat 60,000 times every offseason in three months. 60,000 times 60,000 divided by three what is 20,000 swings a month. So you have to learn how to have a process to swing the bat. I take it I take pride in teaching young guys like you how to work. See what happens is the mechanics of your swing has 20% (2,0) to do with the success of your swing. And what I don't understand is so many coaches talk about the mechanics of your swing, it didn't matter. What it is, is 80% of the success of your swing guys has to deal with psychology. Psychology is not with a psychologist sitting in a couch and whatever. What psychology is, is what are you focusing on? See I have a four step focus for me a million focus formula that all guys do in the major leagues that hit over 300 in the big leagues, I was fortunate to be able to do that. I'm not really that great, but I know how to work and outwork everybody else. And I thought about what can I help people out with not mechanics, not teaching guys, pitch counts. This is I want to teach guys how to work. So I have a four step focus probably when you get off the batting tee I have a 4 step focus formula. When you get a when you hit soft toss, when you throw a coach pitch, when you have the machine thrown. Whether you're building a ground ball, whether you're the catcher, Fly ball, whether you're thrown, you always have to have a system and a process in place with what you do a four step focus formula real quick for you guys. And if you want the information, y'all can reach out to me after this. But the first step in it when you're hitting the ball off the tee, is you're gonna have direction in the batting cage, we're gonna hit the ball, where am I gonna hit this ball, I'm gonna hit it off the screen. Step number two, I'm going to look at the ball, and I'm going to tell myself hit the ball off the screen. In my mind, I'm going to tell my mind what to do. Step number three is going to be boom. I'm going to achieve my load my loading mechanism step number one where am I going to hit it Step number two, I'm going to look at the ball. Step number three, I will achieve my load. And step number four, I'm going to feel my swing, I'm going to 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4. Because if you have a specific thoughts, one specific focus guys, you're going to be able to have extreme confidence and achieve what you want to achieve on a consistent basis. If you have generalized focus, I'm gonna think about this and this and this and that and that and this and this, this generalized focus causes confusion. And when you're confused, the hundred percent byproduct of that is no self confidence. I want self confidence when I go to the plate to hit a home run off Mario Rivera, oh my gosh, the next day, throw it in my head. So you have to understand how to work. It's not about being pretty. It's about grinding it and have an understanding. If you have that specific focus. If we know what to do is step 1,2,3,4. It's going to stir up a hunger inside you and you're going to want to go out to work because you're going to have success. You're going to be consistent with your success. You want to go hit right now. I tell you what

Evan 16:03

Yeah, that's great advice. For us youth baseball players, and especially that four step process, we can definitely implement that in our game. Strong worth work ethic has been one of your keys to success. What drives you? And what advice would you give to youth baseball players who may be managing with distractions and other responsibilities?

Shea 16:28

What do you mean deal with the cell phone? What do you mean social media? What do you mean Twitter? What do you mean? IG? what do you mean Tik Tok. All that stuff, right? Check it out. You have to have a hunger. It all starts with your why why am I doing what I am doing? That why has to come in from within you, but it has to come from you. Like you said, you have to want to be able to go and throw the ball in the house. You want to be able to go outside. You want to be able to have that hunger and the love for the game. You need to have love for baseball. I always tell people, baseball's Like relationships, I'm married. So I understand that. All right, baseball is like relationships of love has to be unconditional. Why? Because in a relationship, there's a lot of failure. There's a lot of confliction. There's love. There's arguments, there's a lot of misunderstandings, because you're dealing with two separate people trying to become one person. That's like me as a baseball player. And baseball, baseball will eat you up, baseball will tear you down. Check this out, but I had 600 at bats in the major leagues, and I had success 180 times out of 600. Think about that. 180 times I had success out of 600 over six months, you know, how many how much failure that is? It's 70% failure. And it's just like, Oh my gosh, I suck. Oh my gosh, I'm gonna do good. Oh my gosh, what I'm trying to say is I hit 310. That year for the D backs. When I went 180 for 600 is 300. So I have 185 or 188 190. They're like, This is crazy. How How much failure there is a baseball? You have to have hunger for the baseball. Why are you doing what you're doing? Dude? Are you doing it for the love of the game? Are you doing it because your dad wants you to do it? Are you doing it because you wanna get a college scholarship? You want to make the high school varsity baseball team? Or do you want to play professional, you have to understand clearly what you want to do. And then two, you have to have that work ethic you have to seek somebody out, seek somebody out like myself that's been there and done it and ask them, How do I do it? So you seek someone out and you have them lay out a plan for you. Alright, let's do this. This This isn't this. Okay? So you did sought me out as kind of hit the batting cage, right? I said simple. Let's do 1,2,3,4 direction, ball, achive your load feel, direction, ball achieving load field, direction, ball achieve load field. I just gave you a million dollar formula. And step number three is a hardest thing. hardest thing for so many people. The hardest thing and step number three is you have to go implement it. You have to go do it. There's no secret formula to it. Success other than you've got to go. So whenever my friends were whether they were sick, I was working. Whenever my friends were partying hanging out with their friends, playing video games. I was outside working. When they say it's too hot. Yes, it gets hot in Arizona like 122 degrees. I don't. I was outside working. I was out there too cold, I was out working. And that's what it is. You have to have that consistency. So check it out. 4% of high school players in the United States play professional baseball 4% don't see the 0.05% percent 0.05%. And others 0.05 of high school played baseball players 4% go to the major leagues, or the point 05 that make it and then 13% of the 4% of the point 05 percent, become an all star. I did all that. So if I tell you right now, you have you have a 3% chance of living your dream What would you think? I've 3% chance of living my dream? If I tell you that, what would you do? You probably think that I have a 97% chance. I'm not going to do it. So why would I go fulfill my dream? Why would I go chase my dream? And for if only 3% of people make it? What are say like 1% 99% of a chance? I'm not going to make it. Why would I go do it? Let me tell you the secret right now. And this is the secret potion right here. What it means if I tell you have 1% chance of making it, what it means is that whenever you come to confliction whenever you come into failure whenever you come into a bump in the road, what that means is 99% of people give up 99% of people when they're chasing their dream, when they get oh my gosh, I had a bad game. Oh my gosh, like coach told me I'm no good. Oh my gosh, I didn't make the varsity baseball team. What it means is 99% of people give up 1% of people keep going. I told At the beginning that I walked on at a junior college, I didn't have a chance to go anywhere after high school. I couldn't give up. But I said, No, I want to be a one percenter. What the one percenters are, is that they take no, there's no such thing as no in their vocabulary. There's no such thing. You tell me. No. I'll find another way. You told me No. You told me I'm no good. I can't tell you how many times I've been told I suck. Of course, I played as a Red Sox player in Yankee Stadium. The only times I was told I suck in Yankee Stadium. How many times I told I was no good. Boo Hillenbrand you suck, I don't care. I'm gonna go work in the batting cage afterwards. And I want to figure this stuff out. And you're gonna see me on TV in front of millions, man. That's what it's about right there.

Evan 21:43

Yeah. three home runs in three consecutive innings. That doesn't happen by accident. What are some of the things you did behind the scenes to lead up to a moment like that?

Shea 21:57

It's the same thing. That's a great question. Dude your questions are awesome. Man, I appreciate those good questions cuz a lot of times people ask crazy questions, but you're doing an amazing job. But I do this all the time and with people all around the world, so awesome. It's the same thing, but it's the exact same thing I know exactly the same as a double negative. So you can't say that. So it's the exact thing, the same thing as I was talking about. It's work and work and work and work. If I work with a process, and if I work with a system, like when I'm playing catch, I think about the same thing when I'm fielding a ground ball. I'm a two time All Star a third baseman in the major leagues, I have no clue how to feel the ground ball. I am no bueno. You're probably like, Why? What are you talking about? I know how to have systems. I know how to have processes. I know how to implement them. And I know how the brain works. I know how confidence works. I know how to get things done. And that's what super super successful people do. When I go to field a ground ball. I do four steps. I read the ground ball. I read the ground ball. Step one, I read it for speed, location hop, where is it hit? How hard is it, hit? Get? Hot. Step number two I set up for the ground ball, I go right left, and I pick it and then go right left, pick up my target, throw, read the ground ball, right left, pick it right left, pick up my target, throw, read the ground ball, right, left, pick it right, left, pick and do that over and over specific focus on one thing, and you're going to be able to have success and consistency, and go and tap into all the talents that you've been blessed with all the ability that you've been given. Everybody's so worried about the external things, what does this coach gonna say, with this parent gonna say? What's it, who cares what they say? It's what you say to yourself. And the way you get confidence is two things, work and work and work and work. And the second thing is self talk. There's 60,000 thoughts that go through our head every day, subconsciously 40,000 of those 60 are negative. So it's what are you saying to yourself to go out there to give you an opportunity to hit three home runs in three consecutive innings? Let me tell you what, I didn't even know that was going on. Intuition kicks in the game, you go out there and compete. And when I'm competing in the batter's box, only think about two things that's it, have to focus is what am I going to start and read the pitch? What am I going to start read the pitch at what point in time in the pitches wind up Am I going to start my my load. And then second thing I focus on read the pitch. And those pitches, so happen to be in a spot that lets me jack some home runs upon I put on a show for the crowd of 40,000 people. But my teammates didn't tell me until my last at bat was my fifth at bat that I'm going for all time record of the most homeruns consecutively of Major League history of four times in four consecutive bats. They told me right before my last at bat, and then when I went to the plate for my last at bat, everybody who was watching the Yankees game, everybody's watching any of the game, they'll switch to my bat. So I had millions and millions of millions of millions of people watching me at my bat, and my knees were shaking. I was nervous. I was like, Oh my gosh, what's going on? Because we're humans too, right? So I was nervous, and I took the first Pitch because I wasn't focused, because sometimes things get overwhelming and, and things happen, and it could darn and pitcher threw me a curveball first pitch. I couldn't get it out of the stadium. But I ended up hitting a double to centerfield. I went five for five with three home runs, and seven RBI. So, and I'm no better than you, you're probably better than me right now, at your age when I was your age, but you have to work hard. Whatever you do, whether it's your schoolwork, whether it's your chores, whether it's being a good son, or being a good friend, or whatever you do. You have to work hard, and it's the biggest thing. A lot of people don't do that.

Evan 25:35

Yeah, that's a big part of life in general.

Shea 25:39

Absolutely, buddy.

Evan 25:41

5-5 isn't that bad

Shea 25:43

It's not bad, but you gotta go home the next day and do it again. So it's crazy in the major leagues because you play every single night so yeah, you got to enjoy those little wins, but you got to stay focused now.

Evan 25:54

So what was your reaction when you learn that you made it to the All Star team for the first Time

Shea 26:01

was crazy as my second year in the major leagues, I was with the Red Sox and I was having a really good start of the season. And this one day, and your questions are awesome and they get exciting. One day I was sitting on the couch in the afternoon, before I went to the ballpark and I turned on ESPN, I never watch ESPN. I never watch any of that stuff because I just I don't watch TV. I don't listen to music till I was 14 years old. I was always outside pursue my dream. I was always like, different. So I just turned on the TV. And it happened to be like showing like the all star balloting for the third basements in America league. So it's an all American League like like the players that are in a position that lead it, and I was leading all the third basements. Oh my gosh, man and I was beating Robin Ventura. Here's what the Yankees and I was with the Red Sox. I'm like, the fans are actually voting for me. Like five years ago, I was I was I was in junior college, and I'm in the major leagues and I like these people. Love me that much. And it's just it's the most amazing feeling ever and then being able to play the all star game that first game I started at third base. I started Alex Rodriguez was at shortstop. Ichiro Sazuki. Like, it was crazy man, all these guys. I don't I don't mean High School in college was Mike Piazza because I came up as a catcher. And he was like the best hitting catcher ever like, Oh my gosh, man, and like, all I ever wanted to do was meet Mike Piazza So my first at bat Ichiro Suzuki lead after that, I hit second. My first at bat, I went to home plate, because I was playing an American League and Mike Piazza was playing for the Mets so I've ever played against him, because we didn't have interleague at that time. So I went to home plate and it might be outside. I said, how you doing Mike? Like, he's like, hey, shea, congratulate he's talking to me. Like, like, we're friends. And he's like, I couldn't believe it. But it was it was the most amazing experience ever. The All Star games. absolutely absolutely crazy. They have a parade. They have a media day like you go to your hotel room for the all star game. And your whole bed is full of bags of equipment, and just stuff that give you all this stuff. And when you're in the major leagues, you fly on airplanes, like your private planes for the team, and they give you all the snacks you want. All you got, like, you get to choose between four or five different meals, whether it's steak or lobster or spaghetti or chicken, or they treat you like kings, man, and you have ice cream, and you have like popsicles. And you have like, like everything in the clubhouse is like a little room, like a like a convenience store, to where they have all the candies. You want hotdogs not to do it. It's crazy, man. And then like you don't even touch your bags, like to pack your bags in the major leagues like they pack it for you even touch your bags, and it's like, it's just amazing. It's like you stay in five star hotels like the state of the Ritz Carlton. In Houston. I had a doorbell in my room because the room was so big. And it was my first time in the major leagues. And I was you know, have you seen the movie at home alone with Macaulay Culkin? The movie home alone, like I was jumping up on top of my bed like Oh my gosh, no dude is crazy that I'm telling you playing in the major leagues and living your dream is the coolest experience ever.

Evan 29:07

Sounds amazing, What was your favorite All Star game memory? Was it when you met Mike Piazza and you guys were talking? Or was it in like those experiences where you got to see people like Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro and all those type of guys

Shea 29:25

it's uh it's it's pretty overwhelming because even when you get into major leagues, it's so hard to get the Major Leagues but to be like they're like all star players at 13% of all major leaguers. So it's like 60 guys at 55 guys out of 700 that do that each year so it's the whole experience is crazy, man. It's so cool to be able to see all the guys that are superstars and you're in a clubhouse with them. And like Jason Giambi was a first baseman for the Yankees and he was hitting the Home Run Derby. I think that was pretty darn cool to sit on the field. During The Home Run Derby or the all star game because you always watch it on TV, all that stuff a beat on the field like right there next to watch them launch the balls, man like it's just crazy as this. But the whole thing like the managers like it's just It's such an honor. And it's such an experience. It's just It's hard to explain it's really overwhelming for your senses. It's, it's such a good I never thought I'd ever do it. But I've never focused on becoming an all star. I focused on how can I be the very best I am right now. So you're 12 years old? Right? How can you like say you want to play high school baseball and you want to play varsity? Like that's your next major milestone or whatever, the freshman team or whatever. Like what can you do right now with that vision in sight of I want to play varsity baseball, I want to play freshman baseball, or whatever it is, or I want to play in college or I want to play professional Major League. I always want to become a major league baseball player, but I never thought about that under focused on that. I kept that in the back of my mind. But I focused where I was right there. I'm going to be the very best I can today, I'm going to be the very, very best I can in this at bat or for my team right now, or whatever it is. And tomorrow, I'm gonna do everything I can tomorrow, right now, because the next day is not guaranteed. But if you if you do the very best and focus where you're at now, you never know where you're going to be. So you can be on top of the world have become a two time All Star make millions like myself, it's it's just you got to be focused where you're at doesn't matter what anybody else says, you got to do that and force people to make a decision to play you. And they'll do that by being a good teammate. They'll do that by producing and they'll do that by seeing you work hard coaches love that.

Evan 31:38

So you said like you said it earlier. And you also you've also said it in a YouTube video. 80% of hitting is psychology and 20% is mechanics. What can youth baseball players do to make sure they're training their mental muscles just as much as their physical ones.

Shea 32:00

That's a great question. But it's a great question. The biggest thing is you got to go work, you got to work. Swing is like zebra stripes. I like animals, I use zebra stripes, or you can use a fingerprint. Everybody, your swing is different than mine. And my swing is different than the next person, everybody has their own swing. And you're trying to get a result of hitting a line drive, or hitting a home run, or whatever you're trying to achieve, have a good quality at bat, you got to go out there and learn how to work. And you'll figure it out yourself. And that's the thing is, is like, you have to understand that you can't think about so many different things. You just got to focus on the ball. And when you focus in the ball, I got to figure out what I'm going to start my swing, When you start your swing is when the pitcher breaks his hands. Alright, so when the ball comes out of the pitchers glove, and he's starting to come up, he's winding up and you're ready to throw. I'm winding up and getting ready to hit. It's all timing and rhythm with the pitcher. But you have to be focused on one specific thing. It's a soft focus, which is like relaxed and chill. So I can react. Right. So a swing is a reaction. It's not a swing, it's a reaction. And two things have to happen for me to react to something which is I want to react to the pitch, right? two things. The first thing is you have to be 100% focused on what you're reacting to. The second thing is so darn hard to do in Yankee Stadium. You have to be relaxed, your muscles have to relax, you can't be tense, it can't be going crazy. It can't be I'm going to crush you gotta be relaxed, like a cobra, like a tiger in the weeds getting ready to pounce on his prey. So what I got to do is relax, then focused on the pitcher, his arm. It's like a smaller area I'm focusing on, right. And then the second thing I focus on is read the pitch, or when I'm working focus where you're at right there. When you're in a batting cage, focus exactly where you're at off the tee. Where am I going to hit it? Focus on the ball to my load, feel, I can't think about talking to my teammates. I can't think about girls. I can't think about school. I can't think about all this stuff. be focused right where I'm at. And I think that's what I was really, really good at, to where it allowed me to excel at a rapid pace. Because of that, I'm telling you, your focus is 80% of the daily success, everything. And then 20% is mechanics, because I'm telling you like everybody's mechanics different in the major leagues, everybody's swings differ, but coaches are trying to teach the same thing. You can't really do that. But in order for you to understand what you need to do, you have to go out there and work.

Evan 34:28

Wow. Faith plays a big role in your life. How does it impact your self confidence and the work you do to support young kids through baseball?

Shea 34:40

Yeah, absolutely, buddy. It is it is. So we're made up of three parts you have to admit you're made up of your spirit you made up your mind you made up your body, and whether I don't matter if you believe in God doesn't matter if you believe in the universe, or Buddha or, or whatever. It doesn't matter. We are spiritual beings. So there's six human needs that we have every few human being, right, the first spirit that the first need is for the body, which is certainty. Second, uncertainty, love and connection and significance. And those are the body to the Spirit are you going to grow and you got to give, you got to grow, you got to give you got to work on yourself. You got to grow as a person. You got to continue to grow and you have to give to other people. I've made millions of dollars. I've lived my dreams. 98% of people don't get to live any of their dreams. I live to my dreams, Major League Baseball, owning a zoo at three. Three mansions, six cars 300 pairs of shoes. I love flying private jets. I flew the fastest jet in the world civilian jet in the world. The President's hung out with movie stars. I've been in front of everybody living my dreams. I'd had little girls in the stands, holding up sign See, will you marry me? I do autograph signings for $10,000 an hour and girls are coming to the table crying and shaking. Like I'm Justin Bieber. But what happens is that doesn't mean anything. You have to be able to grow yourself. You have to be able to give. And that's what it's about is giving back and my faith is, is I thought I was supposed to be a major league baseball player. As you can see, my my purpose is to motivate my purpose is to inspire a purpose to tell someone like you, you could do a bud. And that's my clothing line right here 2 V's aparell. It's two V's voice to the voiceless. So what we want to do is we want to inspire people like you to use your voice to impact the world, just what you're doing right now. So thank you, because you are impacting so many people that you don't even understand at this time of your life because it's amazing. There's not many kids that do it. But you're having people on that have a voice to help impact players. So my dream ultimate dream is to inspire major leaguers inspire people that are superstars to use your voice to impact the world because there's no greater feeling than to help somebody else out.

Evan 36:55

Yeah, that that's really strong. thank you for sharing that. If we want to be successful in baseball and in life, we can't make excuses. So what is against all odds mean for you?

Shea 37:12

Against All Odds me that I was drive around one day in my Hummer, h2 Hummer yellow, all chromed out zebra headliner pimpin stereo system, I put $100,000 in this car, and a voice came to my head, which I correlated to the Holy Spirit says, start of foundation and call it against all odds against all odds is just doing everything and having success against all odds. That's my journey. That's my life. That's my story. There's no reason why I should have made it to where I was because I wasn't the best player. I just, it's crazy. But I was blessed to have the opportunity to play Major League Baseball, to get a name to utilize a platform to leverage that to help other people make their lives better. So between against all odds and voice to the voiceless 2 V's aparell, we're teaming up and utilizing baseball as a platform to be able to teach and give back and utilize baseball to teach life skills. Because there's so many skills in baseball, that transfer to life. Because at some point in time, baseball is going to be over for everybody. You can't play forever, right? So at 32 years old, I walked away from baseball. At some point in time baseball is going to be over, but I learned so many life lessons, whether it's failure, navigating failure, whether it's performing under pressure, or whether it's being a good teammate, or whether it's, we call it pivoting, whether it's okay, I got to do this to this. You got to find a way to have success success. And that's what's the beauty about baseball and I think, my heart grieves, I get sad, because I think the coaches I think, the leaders, I think the parents, a lot of parents are taking that love of baseball out of the game for guys like you, because of the pressure they put on. We're going to have success or whatever. The game will beat you up enough. I have to as a coach, I have to as a mentor after you as a dad, I have to as a person. That's been there. that motivate you to inspire you. Because again, telling you there's so much failure, the game will beat you up enough. I have to lift you up and pick you back up and say, dude, you could do it. Let's go you might have went 0-4 today. But tomorrow's a new day. And you can go out there and rocket.

Evan 39:14

Yeah. So sometimes our biggest wins come after tough failures. What advice would you give to youth baseball players on bouncing back after a mistake of bad at bat or a slump?

Shea 39:31

Don't get from me and my friends. And you is I failed more than everybody else. every successful person fails. If you talk about anybody out there right now all the billionaires all the millionaires, all the superstars, or whether it's Mike trout or whether it's whomever it is the pitcher you just got I don't even watch baseball. I'm sorry, dude.

It was a pitcher, Cole that you guys

Evan 39:55

Cole, Yeah.

Shea 39:56

Yeah, Gerrit Cole. Like we have failed. So much. It's understanding about don't allow failure to define who you are. Failure is a part of the process. And you will not learn I'm telling you right now I can give you all the secrets, I just gave you the million dollar formula four step folks more formula direction, ball, load feel. I just gave it to you. But if until you go out there and try to implement it until you go out there and try to fail and fail at it and fail at it and fail at it. And you figure it out, and you implement it, and you tweak it, and you put it in your language and you apply it to where you need to apply it. That's when you can be able to have major success, but you have to learn how to fail. And so many people want to live inside their little bubble right here. They want to live inside their bubble like my head's in my bubble right now. You want to live in this bubble right here. I got to step outside that circle, allow myself to be vulnerable, allow myself to put myself in a position for all my friends to laugh at me. Oh, you suck. But people tell me I'm not going to do good after allow myself to get outside this circle, to go out there and fail and be vulnerable and that's where all the growth happens. That's where the learning happens. That's where all you flourish is outside of that. I'm the most introverted person you'll ever meet. introverted means shy. I'm the most shy person you would never believe it. I would play I was a third highest active batting average in Yankee Stadium. Number one Paul Konerco number two Ichiro Suzuki. Number three, Shea Hillenbrand, meaning that I had the third highest batting average of all major leaguers in Yankee Stadium. I love performing on stage. In the Big Apple, I don't know why. I just love it because I've worked so hard at it. But when I left the game, and after the game that night, I want to run a fancy restaurant, and I couldn't get up at the table the restaurant or walk across the restaurant to use the restroom. Because that fear of everybody staring at me, and they're going to make me think I'm stupid. That's how crazy it is, is you have to understand that that's where success happens is when you stand outside and step outside. The comfort zone and go, there's no such thing as failure. Failure is part of the process is the biggest learning you could do is when you fail.

Evan 42:08

Wow, that's great information. So thinking back to the days where you're a kid dreaming of playing in the MLB, what advice to you would you give to your younger self?

Shea 42:23

You know why I'm laughing because people ask me this question all the time, because they want me to give some knowledge, some wisdom. You know, my answer is every time I wouldn't give myself any advice, I wouldn't say one word to me. You know why? Because I wouldn't listen. So I wouldn't waste my time talking to my younger self, and wasting my breath. Because I wouldn't have listened. I didn't listen to nobody. I just went out there. I had tenacity. I had drive. I had work ethic I was going to get there and whether you're in a part of it or not, I'm going to the big league. So I'm kind of different in that way to where I wouldn't do that. What I would give you because I'm sure you might listen to me with the wisdom that I have, and this experience i have is enjoy the process. And this is sad. Like we got paid every two weeks. Like you go to your locker in the major leagues in the clubhouse, there's a check. Like, we get paid lots and lots of money. We get we get it, I pull up my check stub through my I see my check. And I would get paid $340,000 every two weeks after taxes, like mega money, like mega money. And I never once sat there and said, Wow, I'm a millionaire. Now one time in the major leagues that I say that, nor did that say, Oh my gosh, I'm living my dream. I was so worried about performing. I was so worried about the pressure of succeeding. Because the pressure to see is so great that you lose yourself. And when you lose yourself, you begin playing the pain driven game. It's hard when you get to the major leagues. It's challenging because if you get disconnected from who you are, you lose yourself man and you get wrapped up with Through identity of being a major league baseball player, that's the hardest thing for major league baseball players, when they leave baseball leave the game is that identity? What do I do now? I'm a major league baseball player. What do I do with this next chapter in my life? So that's challenging. So you have to enjoy it, because your life's a journey. And it's a process. And I never really enjoyed the process. I fell in solitude, I found comfort, I found confidence through the process because I worked so hard. And I had systems and processes in place, and all that to be able to achieve success. But it never was able to sit there like oh, this is cool. I'm in the major league. So you have to enjoy.

Evan 44:39

Wow. You've shared some great information with us today. And I really appreciate it.

Shea 44:47

My pleasure.

Evan 44:48

Now I want to move into the rapid fire questions.

Shea 44:51

Yes, sir. So

Evan 44:54

favorite MLB field you've played on?

Shea 44:58

so hard to answer. I would have to say Fenway Park

Evan 45:02

favorite postgame meal.

Shea 45:08

I would have it at the hotel. I would never eat at the stadium. I'm crazy. All the time I'd be in a five star hotel. I'd order a grilled cheese, French onion soup and a picture of it and it would cost me $80 for a grilled cheese French onion soup a picture of it. Wow.

Evan 45:26

So your first major purchase as a major leaguer?

Shea 45:30

Awesome, great question. But people buy my car, a house, but if you buy themselves a house, a lot of people buy themselves a pimping car. I bought a horse. I bought a horse. I always wanted a horse when I was your age. I wanted a horse. I grew up in Southern California, and I wanted to get a horse. I love animals. So my mom would never let me get horses or big, big animals like that. So I always told myself the first purchase I'm going to have is a horse I bought a quarter horse and named CL

Evan 45:59

you Favorite motivational or baseball quote.

Shea 46:04

I have my own quote. And my own quote that I came up with is for coaches because I like to train the trainer's. I like to train coaches, I like to train people, and the more people I could train up, they could help a lot of kids like you. So what it is, is it's not about the technique. It's how you teach a technique that stimulates growth and creates transformation. That's what it is. It's not about the technique. It's how you teach it. It's how you energize people. It's how you motivate people. It's how you go out there right now. I guarantee you, you and your listeners, you want to go learn you want to go hit, because the motivation and the energy and the passion that I bring, you'll be passionate about what you're doing.

Evan 46:39

You're working on multiple projects right now. Can you share a little bit about them with the listeners?

Shea 46:45

Yeah, I'm a real estate agent in Arizona. I love doing real estate. It's the passion I had for a long time. So I do that I have five kids. I have three girls and competitive All Star cheerleading. So I'm a cheer dad. I'm not a baseball player anymore. I have the Against All Odds foundation. But the biggest thing that I like doing is I like doing motivational speaking. And I like doing coaching programs to where I bring coaches in, I bring people in, and I put them through like a four or five, six steps, and teach them how to find fulfilment. I love teaching people simple steps to create to sustain peak performance. I was able to be a peak performer for a long time in the major leagues, and be able to master that aspect. So I like teach people that and my pride and joy is my hat. I love doing videos. I love being I'm editing right now, we're creating a video called an identity. For two V's, I'll send it to you whenever we get that done. But I love doing that and two V's apparel voice to the voiceless. We want to inspire people like you to use your voice to impact the world. So living on purpose. Understanding your gifts and talents is extremely important. But you have to understand your gifts and your talents. And the best thing to do is utilize those talents that makes somebody else's life better. That's what the true meaning of fulfillment and life is about.

Evan 48:04

That's amazing. And where can listeners go to follow you or learn about more learn more about you

Shea 48:11

on Instagram? It's Shea_Hillenbrand. I don't know why anybody want to do this stuff but there's been people that like, if somebody has Shea Hillenbrand because like a fan because I think it's cool to have like to be me. I don't know why anybody would think it'd be cool to be me. So Instagram is Shea_Hillenbrand. On Facebook. It's SheaHillenbrand. I have ShayHillenbrand.TV that we're getting ready to launch but I love teaching guys how to work. I love motivating, inspiring and mentoring young lads like yourself. So that's where I'm at. And that's my happy space.

Evan 48:44

Thank you so much for coming on and sharing some great knowledge with the Born To Baseball community.

Shea 48:51

Absolutely. Thank you so much. I feel super honored to have this opportunity. I love your smile, man. I love your charisma. You do an amazing job and it's super super thank you so much for Allow me to share a little bit of what I know and experience that may be able to maybe be able to help maybe one person that listens to what you got going on. Anything I can do for you just let me know bud

Evan 49:09

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 borntobaseball.com for free resources and new gear. Download the Born To 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

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

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