This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob doesn't like the idea of a neutral site World Series, but thinks a shortened season under the circumstances is legit. He also talks with World Series champs Cecil Fielder and David Justice discuss the Covid-19 impact on the MLB season and if a shortened season is the best solution to the problem.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
From the Berke Shears 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 one oh three, Rob Parker. Welcome into
the special edition of Inside the Parker. That's right, your
(00:24):
Major League Baseball podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. Coming
up on the show. Former All Star and World Series
winner Cecil Fielder. We caught up with him on my
radio show The Odd Couple with Chris Boussard. Also David Justice,
who of course was a All Star and a World
(00:45):
Series winner as well. We talked with him on my
radio show The Odd Couple with Chris Boussard. But first,
here's getting robbed to lead off. It's getting robbed to
keep him on. Rob's hot take on the three biggest
stories in Major League Baseball. Number one. I get that
Major League Baseball wants to have its season, no matter
(01:06):
what and no matter how far it has to be
pushed back. But this whole idea of playing baseball in
December and playing at a a different location rather than
the home team uh stadiums. I have a problem with that,
that it would be some neutral site and they play
(01:26):
in Las Vegas or or l A or San Diego
or some place in the middle of the country or something.
It's so hard for me to to grab hold of that.
I understand that when you talk about college basketball or
NFL a super Bowl, Baseball is different. I just can't
imagine a seven game series played at a neutral site.
(01:50):
That is not what the game is about. The game
is also not about a one game We're gonna take
all kind of deal. I know these are extraordinary time
times in the world, but I just don't feel comfortable
with a neutral site for the World Series two. A
lot of people are saying that they will hope that
(02:11):
baseball plays at least a hundred and forty four games
to make the season feel legit. I'm not one of
those guys. I'll take a hundred and twenty. I'll take
a hundred. If everybody's playing the same schedule, a hundred
and twenty or a hundred games, it's a legit season.
This whole notion that it would be bastardized and it
(02:31):
wouldn't be right, and because they didn't play enough games.
In these kinds of times, you have to adjust and
do whatever it's possible. If we can get a good
a hundred and twenty games or a hundred games and
get the World Series in I'm good with that. I
don't think we need to go more than that given
the circumstances. So it would be a legitimate season to me,
(02:55):
and it should be for you if MLB could play
one twenty or a dry games. Here comes the big interview.
Listen and learn. It's so good Cecil, Welcome to the
eye couple. What's what's happening? Hey? Thanks Mats. It's great
(03:16):
to have you on. Uh, it's always How are you
doing the family? Everybody? Robaker? Are you how the family doing? Everybody? Okay, man,
you're good man. Now we were hunkered down, man, we
ain't going outside. This stuff is crazy, man. Yeah, you
gott be careful out there for sure. How do you feel,
(03:36):
I mean, this is the day, the opening day, you know,
would have been today. Are you rob just read a
great essay about how heartbroken he is that baseball is
not going on the day. Do you feel the same
way or is it different now that you're not, you know,
not playing no, it's it's it's a little different since
I'm not playing. But again, uh, this is a bad
(04:01):
situation we got going on right now. I mean, people
are dying, man, and I you know, baseball is the
number one concern right now. I was trying to get
rid of this virus and get people healthy so we
can go back to playing baseball because if we don't,
if we don't not this thing down, it's gonna be
a bad summer, right, no doubt about it. Sus And
(04:23):
and me talking about Opening Day and how I grew up,
how my mom was a stickler for school and everything,
but she used to as a kid, I used to
write me a note to that I could leave school
early I was in junior high school to get home
to watch the Mets opener as a kid in New York.
Just to talk about you as as uh. I think
that the story you once told me to was about
(04:45):
watching uh Hank Aaron. Uh. You know when I was
a kid growing up in l a man, and you know,
the Dodgers were in the in the playoffs and my
team and nineties sevity nine, I remember like it was yesterday.
We are family, the Pittsburgh Pirates when I first seen
Willie Stargell. When I first seen Willie STARGI man, I
(05:08):
was a kid in the candy store. It was most
unbelievable things that I ever seen. And uh, you know
him and William but Covery were like my two favorite
first basements, you know. So when I when I had
the opportunity to come home from school or play six,
to watch you know, the Pirates play, I mean, that
was that was the greatest days of all time, sessil.
(05:30):
What was your what was your favorite opening day memory
as a player? What was the maybe your best game
or whatever memory stands out to you. Well, the best
opening day probably was probably was eighty Probably was eighty
six the Blue Jays. I was in the starting lineup
as a you know, rookie. Really that was probably my
(05:51):
best memory as an opening day. Every other opening day
was good because I was a starter and I got
to play every day. But the really think back on it,
that was really my first time to really be the
starting lineup as a as a as a rookie. How
about the nineteen nineties seven, after you guys won the
World Series in nineties six, what about that? I remember, like,
(06:15):
I think you're the only got hit three D for
any team I think in that World Series. But what
was that like? Once you're a champion, you come back
to crowd Yakee Stadium. Well, you know, when I came
back in ninety seven, my agents, which I should have
probably not agreed to, but my agents demanded a trade,
so they were boring me when I first got back.
(06:36):
That's right, I do remember that. For me, that was
especially after the World Series I had, and then I
came home and they were boring, So that wasn't a
good thing. No, no, no, you're right about that. We
are joined by World Series champions Cecil Fielder Cecil when
(06:56):
they come back, you know, assuming they start playing this Ummer,
June or July or whatever it may be. Uh, they're
talking about, um maybe playing into December. Uh in neutral
at neutral site, so maybe a dome or going to
a warm weather series, right, it would be right in
(07:17):
l A or Arizona or something like that. What do
you think about that plan? Well, they're gonna have to
do whatever. They're gonna have to do, whatever they have
to do. They're gonna have to They're gonna have to
do whatever they have to do to make this be
a real season. I mean, whether whether that's a hundred games,
whether that's a hundred forty games. I don't think they're
gonna be able to get a hundred sixty games out
of it. But you know, when we had that shortened season,
(07:39):
uh in when we get when we were on striking
ninety four, you know, they cut the season down a
little bit and just made it work. So they can
make it work. How about playing double headers where you
offended them? I mean they when you played, you know,
double headers were a part of baseball, and they still
played some day night dub headers with a you know,
(08:01):
empty the stadium to have a one o'clock at the
seven o'clock or something like that. Did you like doubleheaders
or normally did you get that second thing? I didn't
like to split. I didn't like to split double headers, right,
Like the double headers we played, you know what they
were back to back, the split night day night double headers.
They they were terrible because that's just a whole different animal,
(08:21):
whole day at the ballpark, like really a whole day. Yeah,
and that's what they're talking about, rob right, split doubleheaders, right,
because that's usually how they make them. The reason they
went to that is to make money because you get
two different crowds. You know, we as kids, Chris and
I were both talking about it. We used to sit
there at the ballpark and go there for eight hours
and not think anything of it. Do you know what
(08:43):
I mean? As a fan? Right? But I didn't like that.
I didn't like to split. I like the double heads
when we played back to back. Yeah, I can imagine
it for a player. Yeah, I like to back to
back and you're gonna be there. You're gonna be there
eight hours anyway, playing that, you're gonna be there eight
out was anyway playing them back to back? Doubleheaded? I
mean you really think about it? Yeah, I think they
(09:05):
just want the that extra lude. But it'll be interesting.
One last thing for me. The Red Sox against the
investigation is done. Uh? What do you make? What do
you do you think? I think it's gonna be uh?
Or have you heard anything about the severity of it
or not as severe as Houston? And Uh? Is this
gonna be another open wound? Or will people kind of
(09:27):
not think about it as much because of what we're
going through here? I don't know. I think once baseball starts,
everybody's gonna get what they deserve. I mean, when baseball starts,
they're gonna let them know what time it is. I
mean I would because at the end of the day,
you know, that's a part of the game that you know.
What they did wasn't right. I mean, I don't care
what to say. What happened, what happened with the Astros
(09:49):
was not right. I don't know as far as what
they're gonna come down on Boston downs, but and I
don't know. You know, you hear Rob, you hear it.
A lot of people have been doing it, you know,
not just now right now? How much? How much would
that have helped you as a hitter? Obviously you had
a lot of success not knowing what was coming. But
(10:11):
for real, man, if you know what was coming, I
know you you hit one out of you hit one
out of Tiger Stadium. Could you hit it any further
if you knew it was coming. No, I wouldn't have
hit it no further. But can you imagine knowing what's
coming every of that? Man? I can't believe. I've heard
people try to say that is in a big advantage.
(10:32):
It might not be me or ride before a professional hitter,
come on. The only thing I only thing I wanted
to do it, So a strike, that's all. I hear you?
All right, we appreciate the time. Man. Take care of yourself. Family, Yes,
you got it. Thank you. We are joined by two
(11:02):
time World Series Champion, three time All Star David Justice. David,
Welcome to the Eye Couple. Dave. What's up? What's up?
What's up? Rob? Are you? What's up? Man? How are you? Rob?
What's up? Rob? Every time I think about you, man,
I think of how you try to turn me on
a Frank Sinatra. That's all right. It could have been worse, David.
(11:27):
It could have been worse listening to some of his
musical taste on this show. But you know what I bought.
I bought Dave the box set of Sinatra, trying to
get him my set. Man, I want you to just
listen to the music. I was sow in the Sinatra
and I was trying to get Dave to just widen
his listening a little bit. And uh, and it didn't work. David.
(11:54):
We're obviously the day would be opening day? Um, what's
your favorite? And we should say this, Chris. He grew
up in Cincinnati, uh, David, and was born in Cincinnati,
and you know it was a holiday in Cincinnati, Opening Day.
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, Hey listen, my my favorite are
you there? Yeah? Well here? Yeah yeah. My favorite Opening
(12:16):
Day memory is always probably seriously coming from being in
like the fifth grade, sixth grade, they used to bring
the TV into the classroom so we could watch the
Cinnati Red. That was like the best. That's how big
of a day that would be that that people either
(12:38):
got the day off, Chris, or they brought TVs in
the workers school. That's how big Opening Day was. Oh yeah, yeah, man,
Cincinnati Reds. I'm I'm I'm the biggest Cincinnati Red fam
I mean my whole life, even in the Big League
when I first got in, probably my first five or
six years in the Big Leagues, I used to root
for the Red except when we played them, Right, I
(13:01):
get it. That's how much I love the d and
and Dave. When you look at where baseball is and
the stuff that's floating around, you know, they're trying to
come up with ideas. Obviously, the coronavirus, it's day to day.
We don't know how long this thing is gonna go. Uh,
there was some stuff thrown out maybe that baseball would
play some doubleheaders where the first game would be nine innings,
(13:24):
in the second game would be seven innings, or both
would be seven. I'm sorry, right, Uh what about ideas
like this to try to get all the games in
depending on the delay? You with that, Well, I'll tell
you that's rob There's gonna be a lot of tire
guys if they do that, you know, guys not that
that would be something totally different. Could you imagine managing
(13:45):
where you have to do a double header consistently? I
mean that's the managers would would lose their mind and
try and decide how to use the bullpen for both games. Uh.
It would be harder, I think from a picture's perspective
than probably a player. But I think they're gonna try
to do. I mean, these are crazy times right now.
(14:05):
They're they're just trying to figure out something to get
as many games played once they start the season, which
as of right now, I don't think they even know
when they're gonna start, right, No, anybody knows. The NBA
doesn't know, nobody even the NFL. There's something that think
the NFL could be delayed the start. So if they
play baseball, they should just started regular whenever they decided
(14:27):
to come back. Just have an abbreviated season. However, many
games that maybe if it's nineties, if it's a hundred,
just whatever it is, and then whoever is the best
after those games, just roll with it. What do you
think about the notion of playing say you play playoff
games in December, Obviously you can't play everywhere in December,
so they take the playoffs to warm Weather City, so
(14:51):
basically neutral site. What do you think about that? You
obviously had a lot of playoffs experience playing home in
a way, what do you think about that in the
neutral site? Well, I'll tell you one team that would
not like that, as the Yankees, because the one thing
about the Yankees I thought was that made them special
was the fact that they had the ultimate tense man,
(15:11):
that Yankees, that Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, that's a
different crowd, man, that's a rabid bunch of people, and
it matters. I mean when I when I played against
the Yankees in the playoffs, it was a very tough
environment to play in. And I'm sure every opposing team
would love that, but I don't. I don't like the
neutral site. I don't. I don't like that. Um, and
(15:32):
then where would it be who would get the depth
on that? Right? Are you talking about money? Yeah? Yeah,
yeah right, I mean that that there's no way they're
gonna do that. I mean, like I told you, I
think you should start the season whenever you started and
have an abbreviated season, shortened season and just play a
(15:52):
regular I don't There's no way in December you're gonna
play in New York, That's for sure. So I don't know, no,
no doubt about nothing. Dave, you played in Atlanta, Cleveland,
of course, the Yankees with the Yankees in New York,
and the Oakland A's. And when you talk about baseball towns,
I say St. Louis is the baseball capital of America.
(16:12):
I can't get over to support. Obviously Cincinnati is a
great baseball town. Obviously New York and Boston and uh
also Detroit and and I'm missing another city, but there's
a lot of them. What was the best place that
you played and what's one of the greatest play even
if you didn't play their greatest baseball town in America. Well,
(16:34):
I'll tell you this, I don't know if you can
play in a in a greater all around baseball atmosphere
from April through October. Then New York uh with the
Yankees because I lived in a Yankee neighborhood and it
just felt like baseball in the Northeast was just different.
(16:55):
Man Like people based their whole day around old Yankee
games and my morning routine going to get a starbus
and going to my local deli. I mean, people are
always talking Yankees and the game. I think on the road.
I gotta agree with you, man. St. Louis. There's a
(17:16):
great town, a tremendous fan base. They were the easiest
fans in terms of heckling the opposing team, Like I
can't be in St. Louis, be honest with you, but
they showed a great appreciation for their home team, and
I can definitely see how guys have a great time
(17:37):
playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. David, what you want
to say, Chris, Chris, let me, let me, let me
just queze in real quick. I'm sorry when you were
talking about the New York then, Chris and I have
talked about this before. You're right about the baseball in
New York. From this standpoint, even on Sports Talk radio,
where most cities are talking about the NFL or NBA,
you could turn on the radio New York and hear
(17:59):
them break down the Yankee game and talk about the
entire game for two or three hour. Yeah. Man, it's
a big deal. It's a big deal in New York,
and I really got a chance to see it when
I became a Yankee. I mean, the the Yankees fans
are some of the most knowledgeable fans that exists. I
remember when I found th Toriano. I think he hadn't
(18:24):
walked in about seventies something at bats, something like that,
and all of a sudden he got his first walk
and got a standing ovation. I was lost in the dugout, like,
what's going on? The first walk? How the heck does
the whole stadium no first walk? I'm telling out, and
(18:45):
I tell nothing I tell about people that in New York.
Let's see if I'm hitting and uh, let's say I'm
facing a right hander with with first base open, and
there's a right hander behind me, and the Yankee fans
totally know what's going on. They totally know that they're
gonna put me on first base. That's how they're playing there.
They already see in the game, whereas an other stadium
(19:08):
they're like, hey, swinging the bat, you know stuff like that,
are going, oh yeah, we know what's going on. Hey,
don't swing it one day. They're trying to want you.
It's just I was amazed by the knowledge of the
Yankee fans. But when it comes to cheering on your
team and really really coming down on the opposing team,
(19:29):
I don't think anybody does it better than Yankee pas.
That's David Justice, two time World Series champion, and man,
we enjoyed your time. We appreciate you joining us. Thanks
a lot, oh many anytime fellers. Hey, Rob, get with me,
no no doubt about it, and we will once everything
clears up. Man, we'll get together. Man a alright, brother,
(19:53):
all right, stay well. Now. Bringing the closer is why
MLB is better than the NFL or n and it
isn't even close. Most of MLB America, and for that matter,
the entire UH United States is of heavy hearts with
(20:15):
what's going on with the coronavirus and UH the loss
of life and sickness, and it has been really um
tough in the last few weeks in UH in the
United States and what we've gone through. Uh, but uh,
you know last week is when Opening Day would have happened,
(20:36):
and that was March on Thursday, and uh, it just
really sunk in on how tough it was that we
didn't have Opening Day. Despite on what was going on
and we understand the seriousness of it, there still were
a lot of baseball fans out there who were bummed
out about not having Opening Day. So I wrote this
(20:58):
old to Opening Day. Take a listen. I have just
one word for you on this day. It's heartbroken no
Opening Day. I understand the circumstances. I'm not blind, I'm
(21:21):
not crazy, and the coronavirus has stopped many things, many
things we love and admire and enjoy, but it doesn't
soften to blow. Still, it's so cruel, so disappointing. Today
is not just any day. Today usually marks the best
(21:44):
sports day of the year for me and so many others.
If you're old enough to even remember this, the Reds
always had the traditional opening Day in Cincinnati. It used
to be the greatest Monday of the year because Major
League Baseball would open with the Reds playing their first game,
(22:06):
and then we'd have the n c A a champion
crown that night. This is deep rooted, it's deep, it's
deep down, it's a part of our d n A.
It's who we are, and it dates back early Opening Day.
(22:28):
For me, it was like my Christmas, my present. Nothing
could stop my joy on this day. There was nothing
more I wanted to hear than wait. And it's not
just me, no way, no how, it's millions of Americans.
(22:49):
MLB cells seventy million baseball tickets a year, more than
all the other sports combined. So much of my love
for baseball started at an early age, and my family
knew how much I loved baseball, even my mom, who
(23:11):
was a stickler for school and about getting your work done.
But when I was in junior high school, my mom
used to write a fake doctor's note for me so
that I could leave school early so that I could
get home to watch the Mets on Opening Day. I
had to see the first pitch of the season on TV.
I couldn't come home in the third or fourth inning.
(23:34):
I had to see it from the beginning. And back
then I was a Mets fan. I wasn't a reporter.
I was a fan. Opening Day that stands out to
me the most dates back to college I was a
(23:56):
student at Southern Connecticut State University. Me and my three
buddy we hopped in the car. We barely had money
for tickets, but we had to see Tom sever returned
to the Mets. We drove from New Haven, Connecticut, and
I can remember standing up in our seats and the
bleachers and watching Tom Sever walked from the bullpen and
(24:20):
to the mound. What a moment it was. And even
as I got into the sports writing business and I
wasn't a Met fan anymore, I was still a baseball fan,
still blessed to work in some of the greatest baseball
(24:42):
towns in America. In New York to why I covered
the Mets and the Yankees, and it was awesome to
be there, to be on that field where Babe Ruth
once played, and and John Sterling, the Yankees announcer, would
give any big baseball fan goose ball with his baseball
play by play calls Swann Andrevn and eat but toward
(25:07):
the line, jeers Aaron Judge line, run right down the
line judging and blass all rise, here comes a judge.
And when I left my hometown of New York to
go to Cincinnati, I had a great job covering the
(25:27):
Knicks for the Daily News, but I wanted to cover baseball.
I went to Cincinnati, one of the all time great
baseball towns, and when I got there on opening Day
to see the spectacular that always heard about. It's a
holiday in Cincinnati. People are given the day off. Some
(25:49):
people there's a parade, People take TVs in the work.
That's how big baseball is in Cincinnati. Don't forget the
Cincinnati for the first professional team and in sports history
in his country. Yes, the Cincinnati Red Legs. And I
(26:11):
was honored to go to Detroit to work for to
work at the Detroit Free Press and then the Detroit News,
and to cover another charter member of the American League,
the Detroit Tigers. And people loved the Tigers and the
old Tiger Stadium. There was nothing more amazing than the
(26:34):
sound of the crack of a bat at Tiger Stadium
and the roar of the crowd. And in Los Angeles
where I am now and work, there's nothing better than
the voice of Vince Gully to get the game going
time for Godger base and as a reporter, you always
(27:04):
wanted to get the opening day hours early, four hours
early to enjoy BP take it all in us. You're
in a new season. See friends from the past, winter
gone by. Smell the fresh cut grass hot dogs with
spicy brown mustard. You could smell them from the field.
(27:30):
This has nothing to do with the other sports. But
this is tradition, part of who we are, part of
our fabrics. Small Klazowski, Camp Finana talking days, the Man
and Bobby Feller, the scooter, the bomber, and the nuke.
(27:52):
They knew him all from Boston. Dude, damn you coronavirus.
Today was supposed to be our day. Today was supposed
to be opening Day where we would stand and remove
our caps all over America to honor our tradition. And
(28:29):
we would do it to all over Canada. Yeah, and
in the bottom of the seventh inning, hanging out with
(28:51):
your buds or your family or your favorite girl in
the seventh inning. You know what we would do. Today
(29:13):
is a dark day. There's no other way to look
at it. There were no hot dogs. There were just
there was no beer. Worst of all, there was no
baseball on opening Day in America. And this man here
(29:40):
before you are Fox Sports Radio, I am just heartbroken.
In the words of New York TV Legend of Late
Bill Jorgensen thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out. He can't get it. This
(30:02):
could be an inside of Parker to see you next week.
Save bad time, same nastination. M hmmmm mm hmmmmmmmmm mmm
(30:22):
mmmmmmmmm
From the Berke Shears 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 one oh three, Rob Parker. Welcome into
the special edition of Inside the Parker. That's right, your
(00:24):
Major League Baseball podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. Coming
up on the show. Former All Star and World Series
winner Cecil Fielder. We caught up with him on my
radio show The Odd Couple with Chris Boussard. Also David Justice,
who of course was a All Star and a World
(00:45):
Series winner as well. We talked with him on my
radio show The Odd Couple with Chris Boussard. But first,
here's getting robbed to lead off. It's getting robbed to
keep him on. Rob's hot take on the three biggest
stories in Major League Baseball. Number one. I get that
Major League Baseball wants to have its season, no matter
(01:06):
what and no matter how far it has to be
pushed back. But this whole idea of playing baseball in
December and playing at a a different location rather than
the home team uh stadiums. I have a problem with that,
that it would be some neutral site and they play
(01:26):
in Las Vegas or or l A or San Diego
or some place in the middle of the country or something.
It's so hard for me to to grab hold of that.
I understand that when you talk about college basketball or
NFL a super Bowl, Baseball is different. I just can't
imagine a seven game series played at a neutral site.
(01:50):
That is not what the game is about. The game
is also not about a one game We're gonna take
all kind of deal. I know these are extraordinary time
times in the world, but I just don't feel comfortable
with a neutral site for the World Series two. A
lot of people are saying that they will hope that
(02:11):
baseball plays at least a hundred and forty four games
to make the season feel legit. I'm not one of
those guys. I'll take a hundred and twenty. I'll take
a hundred. If everybody's playing the same schedule, a hundred
and twenty or a hundred games, it's a legit season.
This whole notion that it would be bastardized and it
(02:31):
wouldn't be right, and because they didn't play enough games.
In these kinds of times, you have to adjust and
do whatever it's possible. If we can get a good
a hundred and twenty games or a hundred games and
get the World Series in I'm good with that. I
don't think we need to go more than that given
the circumstances. So it would be a legitimate season to me,
(02:55):
and it should be for you if MLB could play
one twenty or a dry games. Here comes the big interview.
Listen and learn. It's so good Cecil, Welcome to the
eye couple. What's what's happening? Hey? Thanks Mats. It's great
(03:16):
to have you on. Uh, it's always How are you
doing the family? Everybody? Robaker? Are you how the family doing? Everybody? Okay, man,
you're good man. Now we were hunkered down, man, we
ain't going outside. This stuff is crazy, man. Yeah, you
gott be careful out there for sure. How do you feel,
(03:36):
I mean, this is the day, the opening day, you know,
would have been today. Are you rob just read a
great essay about how heartbroken he is that baseball is
not going on the day. Do you feel the same
way or is it different now that you're not, you know,
not playing no, it's it's it's a little different since
I'm not playing. But again, uh, this is a bad
(04:01):
situation we got going on right now. I mean, people
are dying, man, and I you know, baseball is the
number one concern right now. I was trying to get
rid of this virus and get people healthy so we
can go back to playing baseball because if we don't,
if we don't not this thing down, it's gonna be
a bad summer, right, no doubt about it. Sus And
(04:23):
and me talking about Opening Day and how I grew up,
how my mom was a stickler for school and everything,
but she used to as a kid, I used to
write me a note to that I could leave school
early I was in junior high school to get home
to watch the Mets opener as a kid in New York.
Just to talk about you as as uh. I think
that the story you once told me to was about
(04:45):
watching uh Hank Aaron. Uh. You know when I was
a kid growing up in l a man, and you know,
the Dodgers were in the in the playoffs and my
team and nineties sevity nine, I remember like it was yesterday.
We are family, the Pittsburgh Pirates when I first seen
Willie Stargell. When I first seen Willie STARGI man, I
(05:08):
was a kid in the candy store. It was most
unbelievable things that I ever seen. And uh, you know
him and William but Covery were like my two favorite
first basements, you know. So when I when I had
the opportunity to come home from school or play six,
to watch you know, the Pirates play, I mean, that
was that was the greatest days of all time, sessil.
(05:30):
What was your what was your favorite opening day memory
as a player? What was the maybe your best game
or whatever memory stands out to you. Well, the best
opening day probably was probably was eighty Probably was eighty
six the Blue Jays. I was in the starting lineup
as a you know, rookie. Really that was probably my
(05:51):
best memory as an opening day. Every other opening day
was good because I was a starter and I got
to play every day. But the really think back on it,
that was really my first time to really be the
starting lineup as a as a as a rookie. How
about the nineteen nineties seven, after you guys won the
World Series in nineties six, what about that? I remember, like,
(06:15):
I think you're the only got hit three D for
any team I think in that World Series. But what
was that like? Once you're a champion, you come back
to crowd Yakee Stadium. Well, you know, when I came
back in ninety seven, my agents, which I should have
probably not agreed to, but my agents demanded a trade,
so they were boring me when I first got back.
(06:36):
That's right, I do remember that. For me, that was
especially after the World Series I had, and then I
came home and they were boring, So that wasn't a
good thing. No, no, no, you're right about that. We
are joined by World Series champions Cecil Fielder Cecil when
(06:56):
they come back, you know, assuming they start playing this Ummer,
June or July or whatever it may be. Uh, they're
talking about, um maybe playing into December. Uh in neutral
at neutral site, so maybe a dome or going to
a warm weather series, right, it would be right in
(07:17):
l A or Arizona or something like that. What do
you think about that plan? Well, they're gonna have to
do whatever. They're gonna have to do, whatever they have
to do. They're gonna have to They're gonna have to
do whatever they have to do to make this be
a real season. I mean, whether whether that's a hundred games,
whether that's a hundred forty games. I don't think they're
gonna be able to get a hundred sixty games out
of it. But you know, when we had that shortened season,
(07:39):
uh in when we get when we were on striking
ninety four, you know, they cut the season down a
little bit and just made it work. So they can
make it work. How about playing double headers where you
offended them? I mean they when you played, you know,
double headers were a part of baseball, and they still
played some day night dub headers with a you know,
(08:01):
empty the stadium to have a one o'clock at the
seven o'clock or something like that. Did you like doubleheaders
or normally did you get that second thing? I didn't
like to split. I didn't like to split double headers, right,
Like the double headers we played, you know what they
were back to back, the split night day night double headers.
They they were terrible because that's just a whole different animal,
(08:21):
whole day at the ballpark, like really a whole day. Yeah,
and that's what they're talking about, rob right, split doubleheaders, right,
because that's usually how they make them. The reason they
went to that is to make money because you get
two different crowds. You know, we as kids, Chris and
I were both talking about it. We used to sit
there at the ballpark and go there for eight hours
and not think anything of it. Do you know what
(08:43):
I mean? As a fan? Right? But I didn't like that.
I didn't like to split. I like the double heads
when we played back to back. Yeah, I can imagine
it for a player. Yeah, I like to back to
back and you're gonna be there. You're gonna be there
eight hours anyway, playing that, you're gonna be there eight
out was anyway playing them back to back? Doubleheaded? I
mean you really think about it? Yeah, I think they
(09:05):
just want the that extra lude. But it'll be interesting.
One last thing for me. The Red Sox against the
investigation is done. Uh? What do you make? What do
you do you think? I think it's gonna be uh?
Or have you heard anything about the severity of it
or not as severe as Houston? And Uh? Is this
gonna be another open wound? Or will people kind of
(09:27):
not think about it as much because of what we're
going through here? I don't know. I think once baseball starts,
everybody's gonna get what they deserve. I mean, when baseball starts,
they're gonna let them know what time it is. I
mean I would because at the end of the day,
you know, that's a part of the game that you know.
What they did wasn't right. I mean, I don't care
what to say. What happened, what happened with the Astros
(09:49):
was not right. I don't know as far as what
they're gonna come down on Boston downs, but and I
don't know. You know, you hear Rob, you hear it.
A lot of people have been doing it, you know,
not just now right now? How much? How much would
that have helped you as a hitter? Obviously you had
a lot of success not knowing what was coming. But
(10:11):
for real, man, if you know what was coming, I
know you you hit one out of you hit one
out of Tiger Stadium. Could you hit it any further
if you knew it was coming. No, I wouldn't have
hit it no further. But can you imagine knowing what's
coming every of that? Man? I can't believe. I've heard
people try to say that is in a big advantage.
(10:32):
It might not be me or ride before a professional hitter,
come on. The only thing I only thing I wanted
to do it, So a strike, that's all. I hear you?
All right, we appreciate the time. Man. Take care of yourself. Family, Yes,
you got it. Thank you. We are joined by two
(11:02):
time World Series Champion, three time All Star David Justice. David,
Welcome to the Eye Couple. Dave. What's up? What's up?
What's up? Rob? Are you? What's up? Man? How are you? Rob?
What's up? Rob? Every time I think about you, man,
I think of how you try to turn me on
a Frank Sinatra. That's all right. It could have been worse, David.
(11:27):
It could have been worse listening to some of his
musical taste on this show. But you know what I bought.
I bought Dave the box set of Sinatra, trying to
get him my set. Man, I want you to just
listen to the music. I was sow in the Sinatra
and I was trying to get Dave to just widen
his listening a little bit. And uh, and it didn't work. David.
(11:54):
We're obviously the day would be opening day? Um, what's
your favorite? And we should say this, Chris. He grew
up in Cincinnati, uh, David, and was born in Cincinnati,
and you know it was a holiday in Cincinnati, Opening Day.
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, Hey listen, my my favorite are
you there? Yeah? Well here? Yeah yeah. My favorite Opening
(12:16):
Day memory is always probably seriously coming from being in
like the fifth grade, sixth grade, they used to bring
the TV into the classroom so we could watch the
Cinnati Red. That was like the best. That's how big
of a day that would be that that people either
(12:38):
got the day off, Chris, or they brought TVs in
the workers school. That's how big Opening Day was. Oh yeah, yeah, man,
Cincinnati Reds. I'm I'm I'm the biggest Cincinnati Red fam
I mean my whole life, even in the Big League
when I first got in, probably my first five or
six years in the Big Leagues, I used to root
for the Red except when we played them, Right, I
(13:01):
get it. That's how much I love the d and
and Dave. When you look at where baseball is and
the stuff that's floating around, you know, they're trying to
come up with ideas. Obviously, the coronavirus, it's day to day.
We don't know how long this thing is gonna go. Uh,
there was some stuff thrown out maybe that baseball would
play some doubleheaders where the first game would be nine innings,
(13:24):
in the second game would be seven innings, or both
would be seven. I'm sorry, right, Uh what about ideas
like this to try to get all the games in
depending on the delay? You with that, Well, I'll tell
you that's rob There's gonna be a lot of tire
guys if they do that, you know, guys not that
that would be something totally different. Could you imagine managing
(13:45):
where you have to do a double header consistently? I
mean that's the managers would would lose their mind and
try and decide how to use the bullpen for both games. Uh.
It would be harder, I think from a picture's perspective
than probably a player. But I think they're gonna try
to do. I mean, these are crazy times right now.
(14:05):
They're they're just trying to figure out something to get
as many games played once they start the season, which
as of right now, I don't think they even know
when they're gonna start, right, No, anybody knows. The NBA
doesn't know, nobody even the NFL. There's something that think
the NFL could be delayed the start. So if they
play baseball, they should just started regular whenever they decided
(14:27):
to come back. Just have an abbreviated season. However, many
games that maybe if it's nineties, if it's a hundred,
just whatever it is, and then whoever is the best
after those games, just roll with it. What do you
think about the notion of playing say you play playoff
games in December, Obviously you can't play everywhere in December,
so they take the playoffs to warm Weather City, so
(14:51):
basically neutral site. What do you think about that? You
obviously had a lot of playoffs experience playing home in
a way, what do you think about that in the
neutral site? Well, I'll tell you one team that would
not like that, as the Yankees, because the one thing
about the Yankees I thought was that made them special
was the fact that they had the ultimate tense man,
(15:11):
that Yankees, that Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, that's a
different crowd, man, that's a rabid bunch of people, and
it matters. I mean when I when I played against
the Yankees in the playoffs, it was a very tough
environment to play in. And I'm sure every opposing team
would love that, but I don't. I don't like the
neutral site. I don't. I don't like that. Um, and
(15:32):
then where would it be who would get the depth
on that? Right? Are you talking about money? Yeah? Yeah,
yeah right, I mean that that there's no way they're
gonna do that. I mean, like I told you, I
think you should start the season whenever you started and
have an abbreviated season, shortened season and just play a
(15:52):
regular I don't There's no way in December you're gonna
play in New York, That's for sure. So I don't know, no,
no doubt about nothing. Dave, you played in Atlanta, Cleveland,
of course, the Yankees with the Yankees in New York,
and the Oakland A's. And when you talk about baseball towns,
I say St. Louis is the baseball capital of America.
(16:12):
I can't get over to support. Obviously Cincinnati is a
great baseball town. Obviously New York and Boston and uh
also Detroit and and I'm missing another city, but there's
a lot of them. What was the best place that
you played and what's one of the greatest play even
if you didn't play their greatest baseball town in America. Well,
(16:34):
I'll tell you this, I don't know if you can
play in a in a greater all around baseball atmosphere
from April through October. Then New York uh with the
Yankees because I lived in a Yankee neighborhood and it
just felt like baseball in the Northeast was just different.
(16:55):
Man Like people based their whole day around old Yankee
games and my morning routine going to get a starbus
and going to my local deli. I mean, people are
always talking Yankees and the game. I think on the road.
I gotta agree with you, man. St. Louis. There's a
(17:16):
great town, a tremendous fan base. They were the easiest
fans in terms of heckling the opposing team, Like I
can't be in St. Louis, be honest with you, but
they showed a great appreciation for their home team, and
I can definitely see how guys have a great time
(17:37):
playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. David, what you want
to say, Chris, Chris, let me, let me, let me
just queze in real quick. I'm sorry when you were
talking about the New York then, Chris and I have
talked about this before. You're right about the baseball in
New York. From this standpoint, even on Sports Talk radio,
where most cities are talking about the NFL or NBA,
you could turn on the radio New York and hear
(17:59):
them break down the Yankee game and talk about the
entire game for two or three hour. Yeah. Man, it's
a big deal. It's a big deal in New York,
and I really got a chance to see it when
I became a Yankee. I mean, the the Yankees fans
are some of the most knowledgeable fans that exists. I
remember when I found th Toriano. I think he hadn't
(18:24):
walked in about seventies something at bats, something like that,
and all of a sudden he got his first walk
and got a standing ovation. I was lost in the dugout, like,
what's going on? The first walk? How the heck does
the whole stadium no first walk? I'm telling out, and
(18:45):
I tell nothing I tell about people that in New York.
Let's see if I'm hitting and uh, let's say I'm
facing a right hander with with first base open, and
there's a right hander behind me, and the Yankee fans
totally know what's going on. They totally know that they're
gonna put me on first base. That's how they're playing there.
They already see in the game, whereas an other stadium
(19:08):
they're like, hey, swinging the bat, you know stuff like that,
are going, oh yeah, we know what's going on. Hey,
don't swing it one day. They're trying to want you.
It's just I was amazed by the knowledge of the
Yankee fans. But when it comes to cheering on your
team and really really coming down on the opposing team,
(19:29):
I don't think anybody does it better than Yankee pas.
That's David Justice, two time World Series champion, and man,
we enjoyed your time. We appreciate you joining us. Thanks
a lot, oh many anytime fellers. Hey, Rob, get with me,
no no doubt about it, and we will once everything
clears up. Man, we'll get together. Man a alright, brother,
(19:53):
all right, stay well. Now. Bringing the closer is why
MLB is better than the NFL or n and it
isn't even close. Most of MLB America, and for that matter,
the entire UH United States is of heavy hearts with
(20:15):
what's going on with the coronavirus and UH the loss
of life and sickness, and it has been really um
tough in the last few weeks in UH in the
United States and what we've gone through. Uh, but uh,
you know last week is when Opening Day would have happened,
(20:36):
and that was March on Thursday, and uh, it just
really sunk in on how tough it was that we
didn't have Opening Day. Despite on what was going on
and we understand the seriousness of it, there still were
a lot of baseball fans out there who were bummed
out about not having Opening Day. So I wrote this
(20:58):
old to Opening Day. Take a listen. I have just
one word for you on this day. It's heartbroken no
Opening Day. I understand the circumstances. I'm not blind, I'm
(21:21):
not crazy, and the coronavirus has stopped many things, many
things we love and admire and enjoy, but it doesn't
soften to blow. Still, it's so cruel, so disappointing. Today
is not just any day. Today usually marks the best
(21:44):
sports day of the year for me and so many others.
If you're old enough to even remember this, the Reds
always had the traditional opening Day in Cincinnati. It used
to be the greatest Monday of the year because Major
League Baseball would open with the Reds playing their first game,
(22:06):
and then we'd have the n c A a champion
crown that night. This is deep rooted, it's deep, it's
deep down, it's a part of our d n A.
It's who we are, and it dates back early Opening Day.
(22:28):
For me, it was like my Christmas, my present. Nothing
could stop my joy on this day. There was nothing
more I wanted to hear than wait. And it's not
just me, no way, no how, it's millions of Americans.
(22:49):
MLB cells seventy million baseball tickets a year, more than
all the other sports combined. So much of my love
for baseball started at an early age, and my family
knew how much I loved baseball, even my mom, who
(23:11):
was a stickler for school and about getting your work done.
But when I was in junior high school, my mom
used to write a fake doctor's note for me so
that I could leave school early so that I could
get home to watch the Mets on Opening Day. I
had to see the first pitch of the season on TV.
I couldn't come home in the third or fourth inning.
(23:34):
I had to see it from the beginning. And back
then I was a Mets fan. I wasn't a reporter.
I was a fan. Opening Day that stands out to
me the most dates back to college I was a
(23:56):
student at Southern Connecticut State University. Me and my three
buddy we hopped in the car. We barely had money
for tickets, but we had to see Tom sever returned
to the Mets. We drove from New Haven, Connecticut, and
I can remember standing up in our seats and the
bleachers and watching Tom Sever walked from the bullpen and
(24:20):
to the mound. What a moment it was. And even
as I got into the sports writing business and I
wasn't a Met fan anymore, I was still a baseball fan,
still blessed to work in some of the greatest baseball
(24:42):
towns in America. In New York to why I covered
the Mets and the Yankees, and it was awesome to
be there, to be on that field where Babe Ruth
once played, and and John Sterling, the Yankees announcer, would
give any big baseball fan goose ball with his baseball
play by play calls Swann Andrevn and eat but toward
(25:07):
the line, jeers Aaron Judge line, run right down the
line judging and blass all rise, here comes a judge.
And when I left my hometown of New York to
go to Cincinnati, I had a great job covering the
(25:27):
Knicks for the Daily News, but I wanted to cover baseball.
I went to Cincinnati, one of the all time great
baseball towns, and when I got there on opening Day
to see the spectacular that always heard about. It's a
holiday in Cincinnati. People are given the day off. Some
(25:49):
people there's a parade, People take TVs in the work.
That's how big baseball is in Cincinnati. Don't forget the
Cincinnati for the first professional team and in sports history
in his country. Yes, the Cincinnati Red Legs. And I
(26:11):
was honored to go to Detroit to work for to
work at the Detroit Free Press and then the Detroit News,
and to cover another charter member of the American League,
the Detroit Tigers. And people loved the Tigers and the
old Tiger Stadium. There was nothing more amazing than the
(26:34):
sound of the crack of a bat at Tiger Stadium
and the roar of the crowd. And in Los Angeles
where I am now and work, there's nothing better than
the voice of Vince Gully to get the game going
time for Godger base and as a reporter, you always
(27:04):
wanted to get the opening day hours early, four hours
early to enjoy BP take it all in us. You're
in a new season. See friends from the past, winter
gone by. Smell the fresh cut grass hot dogs with
spicy brown mustard. You could smell them from the field.
(27:30):
This has nothing to do with the other sports. But
this is tradition, part of who we are, part of
our fabrics. Small Klazowski, Camp Finana talking days, the Man
and Bobby Feller, the scooter, the bomber, and the nuke.
(27:52):
They knew him all from Boston. Dude, damn you coronavirus.
Today was supposed to be our day. Today was supposed
to be opening Day where we would stand and remove
our caps all over America to honor our tradition. And
(28:29):
we would do it to all over Canada. Yeah, and
in the bottom of the seventh inning, hanging out with
(28:51):
your buds or your family or your favorite girl in
the seventh inning. You know what we would do. Today
(29:13):
is a dark day. There's no other way to look
at it. There were no hot dogs. There were just
there was no beer. Worst of all, there was no
baseball on opening Day in America. And this man here
(29:40):
before you are Fox Sports Radio, I am just heartbroken.
In the words of New York TV Legend of Late
Bill Jorgensen thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out. He can't get it. This
(30:02):
could be an inside of Parker to see you next week.
Save bad time, same nastination. M hmmmm mm hmmmmmmmmm mmm
(30:22):
mmmmmmmmm
Host
Rob Parker
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.