On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the streaking Chicago Cubs, Paul Skenes’ historic start to his career in Pittsburgh, and the surging television ratings across Major League Baseball. Later, Los Angeles Angels second baseman Vaughn Grissom swings by for a very compelling conversation, and Rob pays tribute to the late, great New York Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling. Plus, we reveal the sixth installment of his Memory Lane series.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the Berkshars to the sound from wherever you live
in MLB America. This is inside the Parker. You give
us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the scoop
on major League Baseball. Now, here's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number fifty six, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Come on, I've been covering Major League baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I love this game. Let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker, and
what a show we have for you today. Coming up,
Angels second Basement, Vaughan Grissom, making a comeback, will join us.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
We'll talk about his journey back into the major leagues.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Plus we'll have a very special tribute to the late
great John Sterling who passed this past week. What a
great We'll share some of his greatest highlights calling game
for the New York Yankees for thirty six years.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Plus that and much more. Let's go better.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Up to lead off. It's getting rocked to keep them on.
Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major
League Baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Number one, break up the Chicago Cubs, my god, hottest team,
in baseball eight game winning streak coming into Thursday afternoons
series finale against the Cincinnati Reds, and I know the
Reds can't wait for this series to be over.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Because the Cubs are so hot.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
They won three straight walk off wins against the Cincinnati Reds, three.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Straight walk offs.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Incredible, Even Reds manager Terry Francona said, the lineup is
crazy for the Cubs.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
It's so deep.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Pete Crow Armstrong, you ready for this? Who was in
MVP conversations early last year? He beat at ninth? Can
you imagine he betted ninth? That's how potent the lineup is.
The Cubs are on the move. The Cubs leading the
NL Central and man, what a stretch here, eight games
(02:20):
in a row on Thursday, trying to go for nine.
I doubt they'd get another walk off, but my goodness, gracious,
the Cubs are red hot.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Number two.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Hello is this on Pittsburgh Pirates? Can you sign Paul Schemes?
Can you back up the brinks truck?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Give this dude his money? Can we stop playing around?
Sign this guy.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
There's no way you should allow him to move on
and trade him to get other plays. He's one of
the greatest pictures that we've seen so far young in
his career. I have to put my glasses on because
I can't misread these numbers about what he's done. This
is a compliments of Bob Nightingale on X. Skeenes now
(03:05):
is a career roray of two point zero one. That's stingy.
It's the lowest rora by a pitcher. There was first
sixty three starts since at least nineteen twenty, he has
made twenty two scoreless starts, which are the most by
any pitcher through thirty sixty three starts since nineteen oh one.
(03:31):
I don't know what else you can say. And I
know he got roughed up in the game this year
to start the year, gave up like five earn runs.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
People are like, oh, he's normal, he's mortal.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
He can get knocked around like most pictures get in
the big leagues. But man, the stuff that he's putting
together is pretty incredible. Paul skeens the Pirates. If you
want to win, turn your team around for real. And
I know they're playing over five hundred ball right now,
or close to five hundred.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I should say you got to make sure that you
build around schemes. You keep them there. It's hard to
have a losing record.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
When that guy's on the mound every fifth day, you
have a chance to win every single time he touches
the rubber.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I mean, it's just it's elementary.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I remember kind of when I was in Detroit and
the Tigers had Verlander. When they got him and they
started spending money putting players around them. They never won
the World Series. They should have, but they got to
a couple they were in the mix. They were selling
out the ballpark all the time. That's what you need
to do. Go look at the Tiger's blueprint when they
(04:36):
got Verlander and they decided to spend money. The late
great Mike Illige, the owner, he went all in pirate.
Should do the same with Paul.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Skins number three. You know, if you've been.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Listening to this podcast, I've been talking about it for
a few years now, and you're starting to hear it,
like even on national radio where guys are talking about
baseball now right because they can't ignore it anymore, and the.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
TV ratings continue to validate it.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
The latest that just came out through the first week
of May, and we're talking about MLB exclusive national Games
ratings two point two eight million, which is a plus
forty four percent.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Increase over last year alone. And you're ready.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
The TV ratings on a national level are the best
they have been in nine years, and people go, well,
what's going on? What's the renaissance? A lot of things.
First of all, there are a lot of good young.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Players in Major League Baseball out there.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Just go look different teams they're out there. Bobby Witt
Junior in Kansas City, We just talked about Paul Skins
in Pittsburgh. We can go on and on and on,
and there are great young players out there for people
to watch.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And you have big time stars.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
The two biggest markets LA would show Hay and of
course New York with Aaron Judge and the Yankees. I mean,
it's a dream come true for Major League baseball. Baseball
is in a very good spot. It hasn't been this
healthy in a long time, and the TV ratings bear
it out, the attendance bear it out. And we're just
(06:22):
getting started because the weather is just going to start
warming up around most of MLLL be America ballparks will
be filled. A lot of teams that are not normally
good are pretty good. That's going to help the attendance
this summer. But wait till you may really kicks in May,
June and July and ballparks will be packed. And then
(06:43):
the Baseball package on NBC kicks in Memorial Day weekend,
where games will be on NBC, not Peacock, but NBC
on Sunday nights. So I think that's going to be
a huge boost for people who can tune in, not
try to find out. I don't have the app, where
do I go to?
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Why the game?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
You're gonna be watching it on NBC. And that's gonna
be huge for Major League Baseball. So baseball is in
a good place. If you've been listening to Inside the Park.
I've been telling you this for five years, and I'm
gonna give the Commissioner, Rob Man for credit.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
We're changing some of the game with the.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
You know, the stealing the bigger bases, uh, taking away
the shift, and of course the pitch clock.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
So the game is in a good spot right now.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Here comes the big interviews. Listen and learn.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
All right, Welcome into the podcast, Rob Parker along with
Vaughn Grissom. That's right, how you doing my man Vughon
Grissom from the Angels of course, infielder second base with
short so.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
For on, how are you.
Speaker 6 (07:43):
I'm feeling good? How about you?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Awesome?
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Great, thanks for joining us, and let's talk about your
road back into the major leagues. I know in Boston
a couple of injuries things going on, but now you're back,
You're healthy and off to a great start here with
the Angels.
Speaker 6 (07:58):
Yeah, I'm feeling great. Like you said, it's been a nice.
Speaker 7 (08:01):
Little road, you know, a couple of bumps in it,
but it feels great to be where I'm at.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
To that and the Angels. You're playing second base.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
What's the difference between second base and short stop, because
that's what you came up as a shortstop, and you
still consider yourself a shortstop or you can play the position.
Speaker 7 (08:18):
Yeah, you know, in my head, I still feel like
I can still man shortstop, you know.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
But I think that's just, you know, part of the
competitiveness in me.
Speaker 7 (08:27):
And I think it's a lot easier to do from
short to second versus from from second to short.
Speaker 6 (08:31):
So I do think I have it easier.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
You know.
Speaker 7 (08:35):
Obviously, nothing's out there is easy and there on the
big league level. But it's nice to go from the
left side of your field.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
To the right.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I was gonna say, I played third base, you know,
it's a kid, and I moved to second base. I
couldn't believe how much easier it was. The way the
ball comes off the bat. It am I right, It's
just I saw the ball all the way.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Is how you compared to shortstop or third where the
ball is.
Speaker 6 (08:57):
On top of Yeah, you know, and it's also obviously
a shorter distance.
Speaker 7 (09:02):
And I have enough arm to where like I can
really take my time on some ground balls and just
throw it over there pretty good. So obviously bet on
the left field or less side of the endfield, you know,
you have a little less time to you know, take
steps and sometimes it's just catch and throw, you know,
depending on the face of the ball.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
So definitely there's ns sing comforting over there and.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Saying let's talk about the way you broke into the
big leagues, which is pretty special. I mean with the
Atlanta Braves, and to hit a home run is still
a base and in the history of baseball, and there
they do.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
No one has ever done that.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I mean, do you think about that or if the
time when they told you to think that this game
has been around for more than one hundred almost one
hundred and fifty.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Years, and nobody ever did that. What does that mean
to you?
Speaker 6 (09:50):
That was pretty good, you know. When they first told
me that, you know, I had that record or whatever.
Speaker 7 (09:54):
I figured, I'm like, yeah, they can always find something,
you know, like if they were anything in the away,
you'll be a first, you know. And they're like, no, no,
this is a this is a real one, you know.
And and it went back to like you said, a
couple hundred years or whatever, one hundred years, and I
thought it was pretty special.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
You know.
Speaker 7 (10:11):
It's a one to get the opportunity is made even two,
but to be able to make the most out of it,
you know, and go out there and play the game, you.
Speaker 6 (10:20):
Know how it's supposed to be playing and play hard.
I think I think it was a drink country for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
I guess going Grissom from the Angels Second Basement, you're
only twenty five years old and you got the railed
in Boston.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
You could talk about the injuries battling back from now.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
How was that as a young player, especially having some
success first in Atlanta and then going to Boston and
kind of not being able to get out there.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Yeah, it was. It was tough.
Speaker 7 (10:46):
You know. The first time I got off my rehab
assignment with the hamstring, I had to flew and that
sent me back. It was it was just tough to
come back from and then I ended up running into
another hamstring, just because I.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Feel like I was frail out there.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Like when I look at the video, it's it's a
little scary of what I looked like. You know, it
was just a I was like a skeleton of myself.
But yeah, I think, uh, you know, at the end
of the day, I feel like I had learned some
things I needed to learn.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
You know.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
In year two, they made some decisions which kind of
put me out of the picture. But I think that
year was a good learning year for me, you know,
just development wise.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
You know, kind of took it and.
Speaker 7 (11:22):
I took every day as it as it was, and
I try to learn every day and then try to
get you down or whatever, because I knew I belonged
in the big leagues, but I just had to deal
with what I had to deal with, and you know,
it sent me up for you know, hopefully this year
and we have some success and go on along with
the career how I was supposed to be.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
We were traded for Chris Sam Too impressive, is it it?
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (11:43):
Yeah, it's when I first heard that it was, I
was like, wow, that's a you know for hall of Fame. No,
it's a Hall of Famer, you know what I mean.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
And it was just it was it was a cool
thing to be a part of and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
But uh, you know, it's like I said, he's on
his journey.
Speaker 7 (12:00):
There and in Atlanta, and I like.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
To continue mine as well.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
And how about the angels the opportunity here when you
got a chance to get over here, trade it here,
did you just feel like, hey, here's my opportunity come
back do what I was doing in Atlanta.
Speaker 5 (12:15):
You know, we'll get back to that. Do you feel
like you're on that course?
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Yeah, you know, it's it always feels good when when
you know the people that you know.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
Watch you or believe in you.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
You knows, is that something here that that I missed
there for a couple of years.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
And it feels good to, like I said, be out
there and have the opportunity to go out there and
play the game of love.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
And still have fun with it. You know, it's a job.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
You know, when you get to the big leagues and
the pressures and stuff, what have you gotten back to
that where it's just fun to go out and play.
Obviously you're off to a good start with the bat.
How do you feel, No, it's definitely fun. You know,
it's a it's a lot funner when you're winning and
stuff like that. But regardless of it, you know, just
being around here with these guys, I think we have
an incredient of a group of cries.
Speaker 7 (13:02):
I mean every persisten you can point to Mantes, it's
just a good dude. You know, people got people who
love the game, and it's fun to go out there
and suit up with Mike and Adel and and all
these guys. You know that I used to love watching
Eve been playing against Ill used to watch playing against
Josh Lowe, you know, and we're on the same team.
That's awesome netto you know, Florida guy Shanny, Florida guy
(13:25):
Darnault had in Atlanta, so that's always cool to be
back with him and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
Like a hoppy, we gotta get a bunch of good guys.
You know that it's fun playing with and people.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
All right, long Grissome with the Angels, Thanks for joining us,
appreciate it and continue success in the season.
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Thanks sir.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto,
if I'm writing I'm ripping, Let's bring in a writer
or broadcaster, old or new.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Sad Weekend Baseball for sure.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Of course, this week alone, we lost former Atlanta Braids
owner Ted Turner, who of course put the Braids on
the map when he started the superstation WTBS. Everybody in
America watched those games he passed. But also a broadcasting legend,
(14:18):
John Sterling. We usually do this segment for writers and broadcasters,
but we're going to dedicate and make a tribute for
John Sterling, who spent thirty six years behind the microphone
at doing Yankee games on the radio. He also worked
in Atlanta and did the Atlanta Braids games on TBS
back in the day before coming to the Yankees. And
(14:39):
I got to know John on a personal level. Obviously,
I worked in New York a couple times and got
to know him. I just saw him a couple of
years ago in Houston for the opener for the Yankees,
and even at eighty five. Back then he passed at
eighty seven. He looked at me right away and was like, Robbie,
how are you help you? Happy Opening Day? And I thought, man,
he still got it. He still recognizes me, you know,
(15:02):
and know who he's talking to and all that kind
of stuff. But he was a brilliant broadcaster and original
of one of one. No other broadcaster in baseball history
had a different home run call for every player.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Just an incredible thing. I know some people thought it
was hokey. I didn't.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I thought it was brilliant. I thought it was fun.
He entertained fans. He really loved baseball, He really loved
the Yankees.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
I mean, you want to talk about a dream job.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
The story is it's the only job he ever wanted
to have since he was six years old, was to
be a broadcaster for the Yankees. And man did he
wear it well. And we're gonna now have a tribute
of some of his great calls. A you're gonna get
some goosebumps. Pull up a chair, listen to the great
John Sterling, one of baseball's great broadcasters and a guy
(15:58):
who should be in the cast. His wing of the
Baseball Hall of fame. I hope that happens, even in death.
He deserves it. He was a true treasure. Understandably, they
don't think the Yanks can bowl Woolers.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
It'll be a two to two.
Speaker 9 (16:14):
Swung on it hit in the air and the deep
left Jone's back tore the track at the wall.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
It is gone.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
A three run home run.
Speaker 8 (16:22):
And the Yankees that tie the game.
Speaker 9 (16:25):
Jimmy larren kid Paul Woolers, and he hit a three
run home run over the left field fence and the
gutty gritty Yankees had come all the way back six
nothing down to tie the game at six.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Do you believe that it'll be a one one to
Bernie Williams. Myers deals swung on and driven a deep left,
hit US high four. Let's gone, Yankee's win. Yankees wins.
Speaker 9 (16:56):
Bernie Williams Homer's deeper the love fieldc to.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Lead off the eleventh. Then he got a one one
bench and the.
Speaker 9 (17:03):
Yankees beat the Loreoles five to four to win Game
one of the American League Championship Series. Burn, Baby Burn,
He's done it again.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Here's the O two. Swung on and hit on the
edity left, hit US.
Speaker 9 (17:19):
High, hit US far hens gone held Bunso Soriano having
the greatest rookie year you can't imagine as Homer deep
in the left field seats has given the Yankees a two.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
To one lead.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Here's Tino one on two out pitch, just swung on
and drolled.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Did he breaks hit.
Speaker 8 (17:38):
Us, high let us far let us done the bam.
Speaker 9 (17:43):
Tino With two outs in the fottom of the ninth
he drills a game time two run home runs on
the Bam Tino delivers big time and the Yankees, on
the precipice of defeat.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Tie the game at three.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Now Kim one Oh swung on a hit and they
are good.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Block bet bows high let us, far let us God,
I don't believe it.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
Once again, deja foo on two out, game time to
run home run by Scott Proches probably the most unbelievable
steat in World Series history. Scott Proches ties the game
with a two run home run.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
What was it?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Al Michael said, do you believe in miracles?
Speaker 8 (18:37):
Fifty six thousand Yankee fans here say yes, we do.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
It's time for a trip down memory lane. Here on
inside the Parker Rock Parker has covered Major League baseball
for forty years. Now, let's relive a memorable moment of
his career.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
In nineteen nine, as a columnist for the Detroit Free Press,
I covered Michael Jordan's first spring training baseball game in Sarasota, Florida.
There was a huge crowd and a ton of media
members to take in his airness. On March fourth, nineteen
(19:19):
ninety four, Michael Jordan played at ed Smith Stadium in
Sarasota for the Chicago White Sox in his.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
First spring training game. Wearing number forty five.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
He entered as a right fielder in the sixth inning,
going zero for two. I remember the excitement. I remember
everybody getting a glimpse of Jordan and his first at bat.
He had a soft grounder to the pitcher who tagged
him out. It was a magical moment. Indeed, the greatest
basketball player on the planet was playing Major League baseball. Indeed,
(19:56):
it was a special moment even for this reporter. After all,
I had covered the NBA.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I covered so.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Many of Michael George's magical moments, including that shot he
made over Craig Elo to beat the Cavs in a
game five and now here I was in Florida watching
Michael Jordan play baseball in his attempt to get to
the major leagues.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
He wound up never making it, but.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It was a moment that most sports fans will never forget,
including this reporter.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Hey, this is Rob Parker.
Speaker 10 (20:32):
Come back all season long every week as I chronicle
my forty years of covering Major League Baseball. And if
you missed any episodes, go to mlbbro dot com and
catch up.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Rob Parker out.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker.
See you next week, same bat time, same batt station,
From the Berkshars to the sound from wherever you live
in MLB America. This is inside the Parker. You give
us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the scoop
on major League Baseball. Now, here's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number fifty six, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Come on, I've been covering Major League baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I love this game. Let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker, and
what a show we have for you today. Coming up,
Angels second Basement, Vaughan Grissom, making a comeback, will join us.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
We'll talk about his journey back into the major leagues.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Plus we'll have a very special tribute to the late
great John Sterling who passed this past week. What a
great We'll share some of his greatest highlights calling game
for the New York Yankees for thirty six years.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Plus that and much more. Let's go better.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Up to lead off. It's getting rocked to keep them on.
Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major
League Baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Number one, break up the Chicago Cubs, my god, hottest team,
in baseball eight game winning streak coming into Thursday afternoons
series finale against the Cincinnati Reds, and I know the
Reds can't wait for this series to be over.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Because the Cubs are so hot.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
They won three straight walk off wins against the Cincinnati Reds, three.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Straight walk offs.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Incredible, Even Reds manager Terry Francona said, the lineup is
crazy for the Cubs.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
It's so deep.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Pete Crow Armstrong, you ready for this? Who was in
MVP conversations early last year? He beat at ninth? Can
you imagine he betted ninth? That's how potent the lineup is.
The Cubs are on the move. The Cubs leading the
NL Central and man, what a stretch here, eight games
(02:20):
in a row on Thursday, trying to go for nine.
I doubt they'd get another walk off, but my goodness, gracious,
the Cubs are red hot.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Number two.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Hello is this on Pittsburgh Pirates? Can you sign Paul Schemes?
Can you back up the brinks truck?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Give this dude his money? Can we stop playing around?
Sign this guy.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
There's no way you should allow him to move on
and trade him to get other plays. He's one of
the greatest pictures that we've seen so far young in
his career. I have to put my glasses on because
I can't misread these numbers about what he's done. This
is a compliments of Bob Nightingale on X. Skeenes now
(03:05):
is a career roray of two point zero one. That's stingy.
It's the lowest rora by a pitcher. There was first
sixty three starts since at least nineteen twenty, he has
made twenty two scoreless starts, which are the most by
any pitcher through thirty sixty three starts since nineteen oh one.
(03:31):
I don't know what else you can say. And I
know he got roughed up in the game this year
to start the year, gave up like five earn runs.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
People are like, oh, he's normal, he's mortal.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
He can get knocked around like most pictures get in
the big leagues. But man, the stuff that he's putting
together is pretty incredible. Paul skeens the Pirates. If you
want to win, turn your team around for real. And
I know they're playing over five hundred ball right now,
or close to five hundred.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I should say you got to make sure that you
build around schemes. You keep them there. It's hard to
have a losing record.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
When that guy's on the mound every fifth day, you
have a chance to win every single time he touches
the rubber.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
I mean, it's just it's elementary.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I remember kind of when I was in Detroit and
the Tigers had Verlander. When they got him and they
started spending money putting players around them. They never won
the World Series. They should have, but they got to
a couple they were in the mix. They were selling
out the ballpark all the time. That's what you need
to do. Go look at the Tiger's blueprint when they
(04:36):
got Verlander and they decided to spend money. The late
great Mike Illige, the owner, he went all in pirate.
Should do the same with Paul.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Skins number three. You know, if you've been.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Listening to this podcast, I've been talking about it for
a few years now, and you're starting to hear it,
like even on national radio where guys are talking about
baseball now right because they can't ignore it anymore, and the.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
TV ratings continue to validate it.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
The latest that just came out through the first week
of May, and we're talking about MLB exclusive national Games
ratings two point two eight million, which is a plus
forty four percent.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Increase over last year alone. And you're ready.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
The TV ratings on a national level are the best
they have been in nine years, and people go, well,
what's going on? What's the renaissance? A lot of things.
First of all, there are a lot of good young.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Players in Major League Baseball out there.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Just go look different teams they're out there. Bobby Witt
Junior in Kansas City, We just talked about Paul Skins
in Pittsburgh. We can go on and on and on,
and there are great young players out there for people
to watch.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
And you have big time stars.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
The two biggest markets LA would show Hay and of
course New York with Aaron Judge and the Yankees. I mean,
it's a dream come true for Major League baseball. Baseball
is in a very good spot. It hasn't been this
healthy in a long time, and the TV ratings bear
it out, the attendance bear it out. And we're just
(06:22):
getting started because the weather is just going to start
warming up around most of MLLL be America ballparks will
be filled. A lot of teams that are not normally
good are pretty good. That's going to help the attendance
this summer. But wait till you may really kicks in May,
June and July and ballparks will be packed. And then
(06:43):
the Baseball package on NBC kicks in Memorial Day weekend,
where games will be on NBC, not Peacock, but NBC
on Sunday nights. So I think that's going to be
a huge boost for people who can tune in, not
try to find out. I don't have the app, where
do I go to?
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Why the game?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
You're gonna be watching it on NBC. And that's gonna
be huge for Major League Baseball. So baseball is in
a good place. If you've been listening to Inside the Park.
I've been telling you this for five years, and I'm
gonna give the Commissioner, Rob Man for credit.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
We're changing some of the game with the.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
You know, the stealing the bigger bases, uh, taking away
the shift, and of course the pitch clock.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
So the game is in a good spot right now.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Here comes the big interviews. Listen and learn.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
All right, Welcome into the podcast, Rob Parker along with
Vaughn Grissom. That's right, how you doing my man Vughon
Grissom from the Angels of course, infielder second base with
short so.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
For on, how are you.
Speaker 6 (07:43):
I'm feeling good? How about you?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Awesome?
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Great, thanks for joining us, and let's talk about your
road back into the major leagues. I know in Boston
a couple of injuries things going on, but now you're back,
You're healthy and off to a great start here with
the Angels.
Speaker 6 (07:58):
Yeah, I'm feeling great. Like you said, it's been a nice.
Speaker 7 (08:01):
Little road, you know, a couple of bumps in it,
but it feels great to be where I'm at.
Speaker 5 (08:05):
To that and the Angels. You're playing second base.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
What's the difference between second base and short stop, because
that's what you came up as a shortstop, and you
still consider yourself a shortstop or you can play the position.
Speaker 7 (08:18):
Yeah, you know, in my head, I still feel like
I can still man shortstop, you know.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
But I think that's just, you know, part of the
competitiveness in me.
Speaker 7 (08:27):
And I think it's a lot easier to do from
short to second versus from from second to short.
Speaker 6 (08:31):
So I do think I have it easier.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
You know.
Speaker 7 (08:35):
Obviously, nothing's out there is easy and there on the
big league level. But it's nice to go from the
left side of your field.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
To the right.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I was gonna say, I played third base, you know,
it's a kid, and I moved to second base. I
couldn't believe how much easier it was. The way the
ball comes off the bat. It am I right, It's
just I saw the ball all the way.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
Is how you compared to shortstop or third where the
ball is.
Speaker 6 (08:57):
On top of Yeah, you know, and it's also obviously
a shorter distance.
Speaker 7 (09:02):
And I have enough arm to where like I can
really take my time on some ground balls and just
throw it over there pretty good. So obviously bet on
the left field or less side of the endfield, you know,
you have a little less time to you know, take
steps and sometimes it's just catch and throw, you know,
depending on the face of the ball.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
So definitely there's ns sing comforting over there and.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Saying let's talk about the way you broke into the
big leagues, which is pretty special. I mean with the
Atlanta Braves, and to hit a home run is still
a base and in the history of baseball, and there
they do.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
No one has ever done that.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I mean, do you think about that or if the
time when they told you to think that this game
has been around for more than one hundred almost one
hundred and fifty.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
Years, and nobody ever did that. What does that mean
to you?
Speaker 6 (09:50):
That was pretty good, you know. When they first told
me that, you know, I had that record or whatever.
Speaker 7 (09:54):
I figured, I'm like, yeah, they can always find something,
you know, like if they were anything in the away,
you'll be a first, you know. And they're like, no, no,
this is a this is a real one, you know.
And and it went back to like you said, a
couple hundred years or whatever, one hundred years, and I
thought it was pretty special.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
You know.
Speaker 7 (10:11):
It's a one to get the opportunity is made even two,
but to be able to make the most out of it,
you know, and go out there and play the game, you.
Speaker 6 (10:20):
Know how it's supposed to be playing and play hard.
I think I think it was a drink country for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
I guess going Grissom from the Angels Second Basement, you're
only twenty five years old and you got the railed
in Boston.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
You could talk about the injuries battling back from now.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
How was that as a young player, especially having some
success first in Atlanta and then going to Boston and
kind of not being able to get out there.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Yeah, it was. It was tough.
Speaker 7 (10:46):
You know. The first time I got off my rehab
assignment with the hamstring, I had to flew and that
sent me back. It was it was just tough to
come back from and then I ended up running into
another hamstring, just because I.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
Feel like I was frail out there.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Like when I look at the video, it's it's a
little scary of what I looked like. You know, it
was just a I was like a skeleton of myself.
But yeah, I think, uh, you know, at the end
of the day, I feel like I had learned some
things I needed to learn.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
You know.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
In year two, they made some decisions which kind of
put me out of the picture. But I think that
year was a good learning year for me, you know,
just development wise.
Speaker 6 (11:20):
You know, kind of took it and.
Speaker 7 (11:22):
I took every day as it as it was, and
I try to learn every day and then try to
get you down or whatever, because I knew I belonged
in the big leagues, but I just had to deal
with what I had to deal with, and you know,
it sent me up for you know, hopefully this year
and we have some success and go on along with
the career how I was supposed to be.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
We were traded for Chris Sam Too impressive, is it it?
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (11:43):
Yeah, it's when I first heard that it was, I
was like, wow, that's a you know for hall of Fame. No,
it's a Hall of Famer, you know what I mean.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
And it was just it was it was a cool
thing to be a part of and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (11:55):
But uh, you know, it's like I said, he's on
his journey.
Speaker 7 (12:00):
There and in Atlanta, and I like.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
To continue mine as well.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
And how about the angels the opportunity here when you
got a chance to get over here, trade it here,
did you just feel like, hey, here's my opportunity come
back do what I was doing in Atlanta.
Speaker 5 (12:15):
You know, we'll get back to that. Do you feel
like you're on that course?
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Yeah, you know, it's it always feels good when when
you know the people that you know.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
Watch you or believe in you.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
You knows, is that something here that that I missed
there for a couple of years.
Speaker 6 (12:30):
And it feels good to, like I said, be out
there and have the opportunity to go out there and
play the game of love.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
And still have fun with it. You know, it's a job.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
You know, when you get to the big leagues and
the pressures and stuff, what have you gotten back to
that where it's just fun to go out and play.
Obviously you're off to a good start with the bat.
How do you feel, No, it's definitely fun. You know,
it's a it's a lot funner when you're winning and
stuff like that. But regardless of it, you know, just
being around here with these guys, I think we have
an incredient of a group of cries.
Speaker 7 (13:02):
I mean every persisten you can point to Mantes, it's
just a good dude. You know, people got people who
love the game, and it's fun to go out there
and suit up with Mike and Adel and and all
these guys. You know that I used to love watching
Eve been playing against Ill used to watch playing against
Josh Lowe, you know, and we're on the same team.
That's awesome netto you know, Florida guy Shanny, Florida guy
(13:25):
Darnault had in Atlanta, so that's always cool to be
back with him and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (13:31):
Like a hoppy, we gotta get a bunch of good guys.
You know that it's fun playing with and people.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
All right, long Grissome with the Angels, Thanks for joining us,
appreciate it and continue success in the season.
Speaker 6 (13:43):
Thanks sir.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto,
if I'm writing I'm ripping, Let's bring in a writer
or broadcaster, old or new.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Sad Weekend Baseball for sure.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Of course, this week alone, we lost former Atlanta Braids
owner Ted Turner, who of course put the Braids on
the map when he started the superstation WTBS. Everybody in
America watched those games he passed. But also a broadcasting legend,
(14:18):
John Sterling. We usually do this segment for writers and broadcasters,
but we're going to dedicate and make a tribute for
John Sterling, who spent thirty six years behind the microphone
at doing Yankee games on the radio. He also worked
in Atlanta and did the Atlanta Braids games on TBS
back in the day before coming to the Yankees. And
(14:39):
I got to know John on a personal level. Obviously,
I worked in New York a couple times and got
to know him. I just saw him a couple of
years ago in Houston for the opener for the Yankees,
and even at eighty five. Back then he passed at
eighty seven. He looked at me right away and was like, Robbie,
how are you help you? Happy Opening Day? And I thought, man,
he still got it. He still recognizes me, you know,
(15:02):
and know who he's talking to and all that kind
of stuff. But he was a brilliant broadcaster and original
of one of one. No other broadcaster in baseball history
had a different home run call for every player.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Just an incredible thing. I know some people thought it
was hokey. I didn't.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I thought it was brilliant. I thought it was fun.
He entertained fans. He really loved baseball, He really loved
the Yankees.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
I mean, you want to talk about a dream job.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
The story is it's the only job he ever wanted
to have since he was six years old, was to
be a broadcaster for the Yankees. And man did he
wear it well. And we're gonna now have a tribute
of some of his great calls. A you're gonna get
some goosebumps. Pull up a chair, listen to the great
John Sterling, one of baseball's great broadcasters and a guy
(15:58):
who should be in the cast. His wing of the
Baseball Hall of fame. I hope that happens, even in death.
He deserves it. He was a true treasure. Understandably, they
don't think the Yanks can bowl Woolers.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
It'll be a two to two.
Speaker 9 (16:14):
Swung on it hit in the air and the deep
left Jone's back tore the track at the wall.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
It is gone.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
A three run home run.
Speaker 8 (16:22):
And the Yankees that tie the game.
Speaker 9 (16:25):
Jimmy larren kid Paul Woolers, and he hit a three
run home run over the left field fence and the
gutty gritty Yankees had come all the way back six
nothing down to tie the game at six.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Do you believe that it'll be a one one to
Bernie Williams. Myers deals swung on and driven a deep left,
hit US high four. Let's gone, Yankee's win. Yankees wins.
Speaker 9 (16:56):
Bernie Williams Homer's deeper the love fieldc to.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Lead off the eleventh. Then he got a one one
bench and the.
Speaker 9 (17:03):
Yankees beat the Loreoles five to four to win Game
one of the American League Championship Series. Burn, Baby Burn,
He's done it again.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Here's the O two. Swung on and hit on the
edity left, hit US.
Speaker 9 (17:19):
High, hit US far hens gone held Bunso Soriano having
the greatest rookie year you can't imagine as Homer deep
in the left field seats has given the Yankees a two.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
To one lead.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Here's Tino one on two out pitch, just swung on
and drolled.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Did he breaks hit.
Speaker 8 (17:38):
Us, high let us far let us done the bam.
Speaker 9 (17:43):
Tino With two outs in the fottom of the ninth
he drills a game time two run home runs on
the Bam Tino delivers big time and the Yankees, on
the precipice of defeat.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Tie the game at three.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Now Kim one Oh swung on a hit and they
are good.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Block bet bows high let us, far let us God,
I don't believe it.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
Once again, deja foo on two out, game time to
run home run by Scott Proches probably the most unbelievable
steat in World Series history. Scott Proches ties the game
with a two run home run.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
What was it?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Al Michael said, do you believe in miracles?
Speaker 8 (18:37):
Fifty six thousand Yankee fans here say yes, we do.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
It's time for a trip down memory lane. Here on
inside the Parker Rock Parker has covered Major League baseball
for forty years. Now, let's relive a memorable moment of
his career.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
In nineteen nine, as a columnist for the Detroit Free Press,
I covered Michael Jordan's first spring training baseball game in Sarasota, Florida.
There was a huge crowd and a ton of media
members to take in his airness. On March fourth, nineteen
(19:19):
ninety four, Michael Jordan played at ed Smith Stadium in
Sarasota for the Chicago White Sox in his.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
First spring training game. Wearing number forty five.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
He entered as a right fielder in the sixth inning,
going zero for two. I remember the excitement. I remember
everybody getting a glimpse of Jordan and his first at bat.
He had a soft grounder to the pitcher who tagged
him out. It was a magical moment. Indeed, the greatest
basketball player on the planet was playing Major League baseball. Indeed,
(19:56):
it was a special moment even for this reporter. After all,
I had covered the NBA.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
I covered so.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Many of Michael George's magical moments, including that shot he
made over Craig Elo to beat the Cavs in a
game five and now here I was in Florida watching
Michael Jordan play baseball in his attempt to get to
the major leagues.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
He wound up never making it, but.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It was a moment that most sports fans will never forget,
including this reporter.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Hey, this is Rob Parker.
Speaker 10 (20:32):
Come back all season long every week as I chronicle
my forty years of covering Major League Baseball. And if
you missed any episodes, go to mlbbro dot com and
catch up.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Rob Parker out.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker.
See you next week, same bat time, same batt station,
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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