November 28, 2025 • 38 mins
The former Giants first baseman is getting his first taste of managing and discusses the league and his hopes for his Modesto team while also breaking down his defensive work with Bryce Eldridge and what it might look like if Patrick Bailey stopped switch hitting. F.P. Santangelo finishes up by asking Snow about playing with Barry Bonds.
Subscribe on YouTube and rate 5-stars wherever you get your podcasts. Part of the Foul Territory Network.
Take advantage of Ridge’s Biggest Sale of the Year and GET UP TO 47% OFF by going to Ridge.com/FOUL #Ridgepod
Go to MeUndies.com/foul and enter promo code foul for up to 50% off!
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 (00:06):
All right, it's another episode of splash Hit. We're so
excited for our guests today.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I hope everybody out there had a great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It's f P.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Santangelo and my buddy is joining us today. Jack Thomas
Snow Junior, sixteen year career ten with the San Francisco Giants,
had two seventy three for the Giants, with one hundred
and twenty four home runs, six hundred and fifteen runs
driven in my friend, six time Gold Glove winner JT Snow.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
JT, what's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Man?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Thanks for coming on today.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Anytime, anytime. Got a lot of initials on this show today. So, yeah,
you guys are doing a great job. I watched your
last podcast. I believe it. Shana Rubendy, who writes for
the Giants, does a great job. She was awesome, And
you guys are doing a great job. So my pleasure
helping out.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yeah, Well, we got we got to take care of
some business along those lines. We're trying to get some
more subscribers to the show, So subscribe to splash Hit Territory.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We're trying to get three thousand. That's our next goal.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
So you go to YouTube, you press subscribe or you
can depress it right here.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Splash hit territory. Check out the cool logo. We got
a kayak and.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
The cove, so it's very unique to San Francisco. It's
a double Enton splash hit.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
So JT we got breaking news right now.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I mean, you're you're a professional manager of the Modesto Roadster.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
So that after broadcasting and after being an advisor for the.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Giants, after being a coach for the Oakland Ballers, you're
you're a professional manager.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
So tell us about that and how it all evolved.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah, So I was the Pioneer League, which has been
around since the forties, used to be affiliated baseball up
in Idaho and Montana. A lot of great players. If
you get a chance with people out there, google Pioneer
League and see some of the alumni have come through there.
Two expansion teams a couple of years ago, Oakland and
now it's Uba City. They weren't Davis this year. Two
(01:57):
more expansion teams, Modesto and Long Beach. And the owner
for the Modesto team a guy named Dave Heller. Check
him out research him. Owns this will be his fourth
minor league team. He owns the Billings Mustangs in the
Pioneer League, Quand City River Bandits, and the I believe
it's the Delaware Blue Rocks, a ball for the Royals.
(02:21):
So anyways, he called me or reached out. He was
interested in maybe getting someone that ties to the area,
maybe next Giant. So we talked and hashed it out
over the last couple of months. And it really goes
back to earlier. I did some work with the Giants.
I've been doing something since I retired, and I reached
out to them first, and then talked to the guys
(02:41):
in the minor league system and had a chance to
work with Bryce Elders last year, which was fantastic and
he's gonna be a great player. And so yeah, that
didn't really pan out. Couldn't get it, couldn't get as
much work as I wanted or make a have enough
influence as I wanted. So I took this job. So yeah,
I'm gonna manage the Medesto Roadsters. The last time I
managed was my son's twelve year old Little League All
(03:03):
Star team, So we're gonna it's gonna be a lot
of fun. I put together coaching staff. We have three coaches.
Pitching coach is a guy named Alex Leech. He's the
head baseball coach at Modesto Junior College. Great pitching guy.
And then my bench coach is Gary Templeton Junior who
we all know is Dad Gary Templeton shortstop with the Podres.
So Gary's been in the league a long time, so
(03:23):
we're excited. Yeah, it's gonna be fun. Modesta lost their
team last year. They've been affiliated ball They were the
A's for a long time, as you know FP, and
then they were the Rockies and then Seattle, and then
Seattle left after the season. So Dave Heller came right
in and put a new put a team in there,
and we can get into it. It's it's gonna be
pretty cool because it's it's gonna be a Modesto's team.
(03:45):
It's not affiliated with any major league organization. Our goals
assigned guys and then affiliated teams came by them and
get them onto an affiliated organization.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
So what level is this of minor leagues? What would
you call it?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I think it's pretty strong middle to high single A.
When I was with the Ballers, I was amazed, and
you know this, people probably don't, But when I came
out of college and you I think the draft was
fifty rounds, then it went down to forty. Now it's twenty.
So there's half the kids that aren't getting drafted. They're
really good players. So what do they do. They go
(04:21):
to independent ball. There's four independent leagues in the country.
There's the Pioneer, there's a Frontier League in the Midwest,
the American Association, and the Atlantic League. So when I
saw the player with the ballers, I was impressed. I mean,
it's not like some travel ball summer league and people
are gonna people are gonna be impressed. We got pictures
(04:43):
we're already getting, were already putt we got pictures throwing
ninety two to ninety five. We got guys looking for
guys that are kind of high quality college guys that
maybe didn't get signed. So yeah, it's gonna be fun.
It's like I said, it's gonna be Modesto's team and
hoping the fans will come out and are our owner's
whole stick is just to make a baseball affordable game.
(05:04):
Come out by ticket, you know, grab some food for
the kids, grab a beverage, and watch them. Good baseball.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Dude.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
We've been friends for a long time, and we did
the fantasy camp for the Giants last year and just
you lit up coaching fans and I could just see it.
I've known you for thirty years. I could just see
it in your face right now, like you're happy, You're excited.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You're I think.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And I've told you this, like like privately, that I
think you were born to coach, and it's so cool
to see you do this, and you.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Just kind of look managerial sitting there.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You texted me last week and you said we're looking
for a slogan and I said, Modesto Roadsters drive to Win.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Is that gonna stick? Am I gonna get like the
rights for that?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You might.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
You might. There's a bunch of slogans going around guys
like full Throttle, guys like pedal to the Medal. If
you haven't seen our logo, go to Modesto Baseballs on
Roadsters check it out. One of the cool things is
I'm really appreciate it to the owner. He's given me
full just carte blanche to like I designed along with
(06:11):
my wife. We designed the uniforms, we designed the hats,
we got home and roads, we got an alternate. We're
gonna wear on Friday called Black Friday. So yeah, it's
been fun. I got a chance to I get to
to paint the clubhouse the way I want. The owners
like left it up to me, and I love that
he's given me this much responsibility.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
You're gonna pay the clubhouse yourself.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
No, no, I I was there last week last Thursday
when they announced the roadster and toward the clubhouse. They're
painting the whole the painting the whole ballpark. They got
a pretty nice chuck of money from the city from
Modesto High high six figures to paint the ballpark, paint
the clubhouse. They're gonna put a beer garden down the
(06:54):
right field line by the bullpen, just things like that.
So yeah, I went through with the painter and uh
we we got it all laid out. So just want
to make it a good spot for the kids to
come and relax, because you know how much time you
spend in the clubhouse. We have some TV's that we're
getting new carpet, So I love the responsibility that's been
thrown in my lap. And talking to guys I know
some guys in the league. Aaron Miles as a manager
(07:17):
with the Ballers he played in the big leagues. There's
a lot like UFP, just a grinder, utility guy.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
He did it.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
They won the whole league last year, and then Davis
won it the year before. So the two expansion teams
won the last two years. The people of in Idaho, Montanna,
we're not happy that the California teams won. But now
with dustin Long Beach, Troy, Troy Percival, great closer, he's
a manager in Long Beach. He just hired Troy Bloss
as a bench coach. We got some We got some
(07:44):
guys coming into coach and the thing I love about
it is these kids are all great. They want to learn.
I I've seen some of the the minor league development
and I think one of the things that I noticed
is when we played, and you can tell this, we
we all had coaches and we're like X big leaguers
or X something, and our coaches and managers all went
(08:05):
to the big leagues later on. And I've been in
the minor league's work with some guys and the generation
after us. These guys made so much money they're not
going back into coaching. They're retiring, which they should do.
But I think the players are starving for it, and
there needs to be get back to fundamentals. We watch
a lot of baseball, see a lot of mistakes being
made at the major league level. We saw in the
(08:26):
World Series, saw a lot of the Giants last year.
My players will know the infield fly rule. They will
know not to make the first or third out at
third base. So yeah, I think these coaches are coming
back and the players love it. They're all years. So
we'll sign guys, and after the draft in July, we're
gonna have to let some guys go because there'll be
a big influx of really good players that don't get draft.
(08:47):
I want to come play for us. So my whole
goal is to win and then get some of these
guys on the field the ball, and then sign some
new guys.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
All right, I gotta take care of some business real quick.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
JT.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
We got to add, we got to get to you
real quick.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
If you are still carrying a clunky leather brick that
can be mistaken for an old school wallet, may I
introduce you to what Eric Kratz is getting himself for
the holidays.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I mean, this is the greatest wallet that I've ever
seen in my life. Your credit card's fitting here. It's adjustable,
lifetime guaranteed. Like what like? This is a must have
for the holidays.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Absolute must have Ridge Olive matt That is a design
that Kratz has right now and you can get a
hold of that. There's over fifty plus colors and styles
to choose from. Over at Ridge. You can even get
a wallet that features every NFL, MLB or college team.
And for a limited time, Ridge is having their huge
Black Friday sale. Head to Ridge dot com slash foul
(09:47):
to get up to forty seven percent off your order.
This is by far the biggest discount they've given all year.
That's Ridge dot com slash fowl for up to forty
seven percent off your order during their biggest sale of
the year. After your purchase, I'll ask you where you
heard of it out Ridge. Tell them Foul Territory sent
you kind of get that.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Dodgers thing off as world champions. We're gonna work on that.
But the Ridge wallet is really cool.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
JT.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I want I want to touch on the first base.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
You're considered one of the greatest defensive first basement in history,
the best one I ever played with, six time Gold
Glove winner, so maybe it take me through the most
important things in what you were.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Better at than anybody else.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
And also maybe working with Bryce Eldridge, Like Giants fans
are so excited about this kid and talk about maybe
playing first base, and what you saw in Bryce Eldridge,
what you taught him, and.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Do you think he can be a big league first baseman.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Yeah, so I was lucky. I think when I came
up in the time, you know, FP first base was evolving, right,
it was a lot of left handed guys that were
decent athletes that could hit a little bit, not necessarily
the big you know, fat slow guy over there that
could just slug. So coming up, you know Wally Joyner
(11:07):
and Anaheim, and you know guys like Mark Race and
Rafaeld Palmrow and of course Will Clark and just different
guys like that that I followed and tried to emulate.
And I think that I tell people other than the
pitcher and the catcher, the first basement is involved in
more plays, So why wouldn't you want to go out
of there? That they can handle the ball? You got
to take care of infielders. I think that I tell
(11:29):
people there's no secret I worked at it. I mean
you saw me in infield. I took ground balls every day.
I didn't necessarily throw every day, but took ground balls.
I think one of my biggest attributes was was my footwork,
and I worked on that. And that comes back to
when I was a kid. I played every sport like
you did. I played football and basketball, base I even
played soccer in the summer. So I played four sports
(11:52):
and I played three in high school. And then when
I went to college at Arizona, I just honed it
on first pace. So I was always working with my footwork.
I mean, when I was a kid, my dad, this
is gonna be hard, people, please. My sisters were dancers
like ballet. My dad maybe take a ballet class with
my sisters, and I went. I went to the ballet class,
and I was like the worst one in the class.
(12:12):
That I used to go do aerobics with my mom
back in the day.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
I didn't know this.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, when I was a kid, I took gymnastics with
my sisters and it all paid off. Like I think
I lasted maybe two or three sasa jin ballet. I
was the only guy in there. No, I didn't wear
a lear.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
No judgment, No judgment.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
No judge, I just horsewise. But yeah, footwork and basketball
taught me that, and then the other thing was just,
you know, just your hands. And I think I was
blessed a little bit because of my dad being a receiver,
but just working at it. And I always tell any infielder,
every great infielder I played with always had good feet.
(12:51):
Good feet allow you to have soft hands. And I
wasn't fast, but I had good feet, quick feet around
the bag, and I could make decisions. Guys from Omar
Vascal great feet. You know, guys that could really play
David Bell when I played them with the Giants. Great feet.
So your feet sets you up to make you have
(13:12):
soft hands, and you know, there's a lot of other
things you get into, like reading a hop and knowing
the speed the ball off the bat. And I used
to tell the infielders just just get it close. You know,
I got the biggest glove on the on the infield.
Just get the ball close and let me work with it.
And I wasn't afraid to go behind the bag. I've
seen Devers do that with the Giants full But yeah, we'll.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Get back to well, I want to get to Bryce,
But like, what's your impressions of Devers at first base.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I thought he was good. He made a couple of
mistakes early on, but he's you know, he's willing to play,
and I thought he was good. I think if you
play third base you can in time, you could go
over there and and be good. I was impressed. I
thought he made a couple of weird decisions early on,
but that's to be expected. You got to give where
It's such an era nown society where we were so
quick to judge. I got one game out, the guy
(13:56):
can't play, but give people time. I mean, if people
saw me play one or two, they'd be like, you
make it.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
No, that's much I saw you play in college. At
you are in the Cape Cod League, I'm like, this
guy's smooth as anybody I've ever seen over there.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
So you're being real humble right now.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
So Devers, I think is progressing well. Can can Bryce
be in everyday first basement?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Because you talk about feet, You just talk about feet.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
He's got like size sixteen's yes, Like is that always
going to be a clunky thing with him?
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Or can he develop like quick feet like you had
around the base? Is that god given? Or can he
work on that.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I think he can work on it. I think he
does have like fifteen shoot whatever. I think one of
the coolest things when I worked him in spring training
and then towards the end of the year, he got
so much better. And I had people my old agent.
I've had some coaches tell me we saw him in
spring training, then they saw him in the minor leagues.
At the end of the year, my agent was in
Round Rock scouting some guys, and then they saw him
(14:51):
in Sacramento and they said the development was really really good,
Like they were impressed the play he made in LA
late in the season. Remember that he dove at first
base Tagg threw across. So yeah, he I was in
Sacramento twice last year, two visits, and he got better.
I saw him play eight games. He did hit five
bombs in those games and I was there and then,
(15:13):
but he didn't make any airs. The one thing he
didn't like, which I used to love, is he doesn't
like pop ups and fly balls. And he said, because
you know, playing at Oracle, it's a tough play. So
we played a candlestick. That was the worst. But he
got better. I give him credit that we were out
there every day at two o'clock two thirty in that
heat and Sacramento, and he worked. We just worked for
about twenty minutes. He was kind of struggled. He asked
(15:36):
me some great questions. He asked a lot of questions.
You know, cutoffs, How do you know when to cut
the ball? Let it go? Man on second? So I
told him, I told you to share the story with you.
Just read the third base coach. The third base coach
is waving him, and the throws online, let it go.
If it's offline, cut it. Get the guy's second to.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Just peak real quick, like you're just speaking.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah, you say it's man on second, nobody, and you're
playing back at first, and there's a base at the center.
As you run into the cutoff position, just you're already
facing the third base coach just walts. The third base
coach gets set behind the mound. If he's waving him,
now you know he's scoring. And there's always a thing
to like. You know this, If the outfielder's picking up
the ball and the runner's hitting third, you gotta play.
(16:18):
If the runners already around third and the guy's picking up,
he's gonna be safe. If the runners hasn't hit third
yet and the guys picked up. Now we got a
really good shot at him, and just read the throw
from the outfielder. If it's off line, cut it no.
The score of the game, right, if it's a close game,
we need to get that guy. And then the other
part was, you know, giving a good fake. If you're
gonna let it go, come get the ball and fake
it to hold that runner the batter. Now runner rounding first.
(16:42):
If you can give a fake and protect you and
catch it and let it go, now you hold him
it at first and if there's nobody out of one,
I keep the double play in order. Just little things
like that so we all know. We get in the game,
the game speeds up and our mind goes. But he's learning.
He's a great kid. He's a I think he can
give me an everyday first baseman. He's gonna hit homers,
going to strike out, but I think he's gonna be
(17:02):
I think he'll be okay over first.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
That's good stuff. But those are nuggets, dude.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Those are going to be cut up and people are
gonna listen to that, and they're gonna go coach their kids.
I love to teach on this thing like it's becoming
my new favorite thing about teaching. And we talked about
switch hitting last time, and one of my Instagram followers
cut out the part where I was talking about it's
two different jobs. You got to come into the cage,
you got two different swings, you got two different bats.
(17:28):
You did that for the majority of your career, and
then all of a sudden, our year in San Francisco,
you decide to hit straight left handed. Yeah, and you're
up there against Randy Johnson. I believe right after you
started you hit a base at the left. There's a
lot of talk about Patrick Bailey and him just hitting
straight left handed, that his right handed swing doesn't play.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
That's not for me to decide, but maybe you can
talk to Giants fans listen to this about your your adjustment.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Why you stopped hitting right handed and just hit left handed?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
And was that hard to hit left he's left handed
because you did it tremendously successfully.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Cand you say that that's not good English.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Yeah, he it's fine. We're we're in the clubhouse. It
doesn't matter. We're not being judged. I started switching when
I was a kid because I was facing left on
lefty and a big left and early hit me in
the back and I went down. I was sobbing and crying.
And my dad that night at dinner was like, well,
just start switch hitting. Now the ball's breaking into you,
so all right, I'll try it, and stuck stuck with it.
(18:26):
Most switch hitters are naturally right handed. They'd have trouble
with the curveballer slider, so they go to the left
side because the breakdowns about eighty twenty percent left handed
at bats first right handed bats because there's just more
right handed pitching. So I did it. The reason I
stopped was I tore the labor on my shoulder my
right should so I couldn't hit right hand. I couldn't
(18:47):
I couldn't fall through get my top hand through. So
I remember telling Dusty, hey, if we get to blow out,
let me get left you on lefty, and he did
it let me. And my first at bat was against
Jason Christiansen, former Giant lefty, and I smoked the ball
at the left center off the wall for a double
and I said, okay, I'm done, and then I decided
to do it. The next year, I talked to a
lot of left handed hitters like that offseason, I got
(19:08):
their numbers form my agent. I talked to Tony Gwynn,
and I talked to Wally Joyner and Will Clark and
Mark Race and they all said the same thing. They said,
if if you're a straight lefty pole guy, your you
might struggle with lefties, but if you could hit the
ball the other way, and you know, like my go
to was left center, I had that down, You're gonna
be fine. So I did it that year. In spring training,
(19:28):
I was in the cage every morning at eight am,
two hundred balls off the curveball machine and just watch
them and track them, and then sliders. And then Ron
Renicky was one of our coaches and he left. He
threw me VP every day on the backfield, and so
I felt pretty good. And I also knew that I
was going to get a day off against a tough
lefty right Randy Johnson, Mike Hampton, those guys. Glavin wasn't
(19:52):
as bad. There was, there were some other good ones.
So I knew I was going to get a day off.
And then I ended up my splits before so I
think righty I was about two twenty lefty to eighty.
Then after I stopped. I was two fifty lefty on
left and about stay at two eighty, so I got better.
And I was also in the National League. And the
(20:14):
other reason was I knew i'd be in the game
late for a double switch or defense, so I was
gonna get a chance to play maybe a pinch hit.
And as I was getting older, it kind of gave
me a little day off. So the thing with Patrick
Bailey is I'm not sure if he's now to your
right or left, but if he did decide, and like
you said, that's for him to decide. He catchers get
days off so a manager can actually schedule. This is
(20:36):
my manager cat now he can actually look ahead in
the schedule and the pitching and get he can give
you a day off against a tough lefty, like the
backup is going to catch that day. You gotta really,
you know, you got to really work hard at your
right handed swing because you don't do it as much.
So I was like some days I just I would
look at the next series, the next couple who were facing,
(20:57):
Oh they don't We're facing six righties in a row.
So I may not take a lot of right handed
swings in the cage, but I'm glad I did it.
I probably should have done it earlier because and also
may also made an adjustment where I moved up on
the plate and talking to guys. I talked to Barry
a lot about it, and Barry was like, it's not
that you know you could do it. I've seen you swing.
(21:18):
He got me up on the plate a little open
stance so that I closed down my front foot and
that kept me from my first move my front shoulder
flying out, so I was more open. And then as
I closed it, it's hard to like close down and
then you know, open up. So it was more of
one thing. And then he told me, he's like, just
look for the ball away, Like, just look middle away.
(21:38):
They might show you in They're not going to throw
your change up. It's gonna be sliders, per balls and
fastballs away.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
So I want to get to an ad real quick.
We'll be right hold that thought.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
We've got holiday shopping season is here, and we have
you covered from head to toe.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Let's take to talk about an area that's not quite
close to the toes. Let's get crazy with this holiday season.
Yeah that's me, Undies, I'm spinning around. But the holiday
season now you can get me undies with some holiday
prints on them.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
That's right, ridiculously soft fabric holiday prints, matching holiday prints
with your special person. Or you can coordinate pj's for
the family photo. And right now you can get up
to fifty percent off with the code foul. We rock
me Undies. You should too. We're talking over thirty million
pairs sold. Knock out all your holiday gifting needs today
(22:27):
with me Undies. To get exclusive holiday deals up to
yep I said it, fifty percent off, go to meundies
dot com slash foul and enter promo code foul. That's
m E U N D I E s dot com
slash f o U L promo code foul for up
to fifty percent off.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Maybe they have some Ballerina meundies to those would be
a good Christmas So quickly and then I want to
transition to Barry Bonds.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
If you were talking could to Patrick Bailey right now quickly?
What would you tell him?
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Would you tell him to do it? And if so,
how would you tell him to go about it?
Speaker 3 (23:08):
I would ask him how he feels, and I would
talk to him and kind of get into him mentally
about what do you feel left handed as opposed to
right handed, and just just get down with him. And
it's fun to talk to players because they'll open up
to other players. He might tell me, when I go
up the right handed, you know that I have no clue.
I don't know where my swing's at. I didn't take
an your right hand swings today. Would you have ever
(23:29):
done lefty on lefty? And then my other point was like,
you know, you might just get and you're getting you're
getting older. If he can, if he can catch five
days a week, maybe he gets days off against the lefty.
He's gonna be in there late in the game for
double switch or for a switch. They don't have to
do double switches anymore. But just just to ask him
how he feels and just try it. And if he's
(23:49):
not comfortable, then bag it and don't do it. But
get on that get on that curveball machine. And he could.
He hits the ball good the other way like he's
a right the right center left center guy. Once when
he keeps the ball off the ground and doesn't roll
over like a lot of us lefties do, he's he's
pretty good. And I think that the thing I liked
(24:11):
about him was he was having a rough season, but
at the end he got better, and it was almost
like it's easy to it's easy to throw the talent
at the end of the year and he was getting
crushed right by people and fans and media, but he rallied,
had a pretty good end of the year and just
just enough carrot right to dangle for the next year.
But that that kid can he can just flat out cash.
(24:32):
I mean you can't. You got to work with that.
So anything he gives you offensively's a bonus.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
I would think the hardest adjustment, Like I was better
right handed, and I thought about going straight right. Yeah,
actually right, and my right hand is my dominant hand,
so I could get on top of the ball, and
then left handed, I was always underneath it, hitting a
lot of fly balls because this Sam.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Was a spaz and I couldn't get on top of it.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
But I always thought, like at the big leagues, with
like exploding breaking stuff, if I tried to go straight right,
that it would be coming at me. And since I
was eighteen, I started later than you. I started my
senior year in high school switch in.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Then I would just buckle. So like when when you
when Bailey.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Faces the first three quarter guy left handed that throws us.
Isn't there gonna be a tendency to just be like
whoa and just buckle and let it go in for
a strike.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
And I don't know that. That's what scared me the most.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
That's the hardest part. You gotta trust yourself. And I
thought that the worst thing that's going to happen is
that it's gonna hit me, you know. But now with
all their all their guard, their armor they got on,
it's not gonna hurt. But that's why you get that's
when you get down the cage, get get on the machine.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
It's called everybody soft.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
And just see it. Just called everybody and get the
machine where one starts at your head and break and
then one starts behind you. And that's why that's why
I try to open up so when I close down
and got kept me in there. And then if you
get right on the plate, the hardest, the hardest pitch
leftown left, he is gonna throw a two seamer because
you don't see him move at the end. And I
(26:02):
got jammed plenty of times. But you learn to take
that pitch and then you just center over the shortstop's
head right you're trying to hit the ball in the
left center and see I was let my left hand
on it, so left handed was my strong arm so
I could get and then right handed. It was a
little bit too much of this, like you say, like
little drags. I had to really like and I tried everything.
(26:22):
I had a lot of successes putting the bat on
my shoulder, so my hands were this way, and I
did that when I was with the Angels. Joe Madden
was our Rovin hitting coach, so he taught me to
do that. Just lay it on your shoulder and then
that way. Your hands are kind of coming through like
this instead of like this where I was losing it
and I was losing the barrel. So I tried everything, and.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
You know was the adult was Joe Madden insulted because
you didn't put sorry inside joked there.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I love Joe. He's the first guy I ever saw
with a laptop computer. And I was in Vancouver and
Triple A, I guess got sent down. He had a
laptop computer logging all your bats and the only thing
he said he did this print out. He came out
to me, he goes, look what you're hitting ahead in
the count one, o, two, one, three, one three, zero
(27:10):
above three fifty, every one of them. He goes, look
what you hit behind the count? One two, one below
two hundred. Everyone He's like, so go get ahead the count,
get a good pitch to hit like that was our analytics.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Keep it simple.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I love it all right, Uh all giants fans love
to hear Barry Bond stories. You played with Barry during
his most dominant era. What was he like in the clubhouse?
What was he like as a teammate. I came on
here early and said that I would rather have Jeff
kent up in a big situation than Barry, And I
thought about it after the show.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Dude, sometimes you say the stupidest crap. I meant that
that Barry wouldn't get a chance to hit he had walking.
They would walk him. So I didn't articulate that. Well,
I'm sure if Barry saw I'm gonna hear about it.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
But talk about talk about Barry Bonds as a teammate
in the clubhouse and maybe share some stories with him
from behind the scenes.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Yeah. So I didn't know this at the time when
I retire, but a reporter came up and said that,
he said, you know, you played with Arry longer than
anybody in his career. And I said, I didn't know that. Yeah,
he said nine years. He was with the Pirates for six,
but the Giants had some rope. He said, yeah, you
played with them longer. We had the same agent. So
I knew Barry off the field from some things. The
(28:25):
first time I ever met Barry was in the off
Sea and I got trained and we were going to
function and a fundraiser, and he came up and we
talked and he goes to me. He says, you provide
the defense and I'll provide the offense a lot of
games and I said, well, you know I can swing
it too. You know, I just got done hitting like
twenty four and driving in one hundred runs. He's like,
just worry about the defense. But he's the smartest hitter
(28:47):
I ever played with. And you got to tap into him.
He didn't come out outwardly and just volunteer stuff, but
when you got him on a plane or you got
him in the dugout, he was great. And he he
really added about two or three years onto my career
because I adjusted later in my career and I was
(29:10):
watching him like, well, if he chokes up. Everybody should
choke up. Because he was all about the barrel. He
got me to move up on the plate, and then
he got me to move up in the batter's box
because his theory was, when you bunt, you move up
in the box right because it makes the foul lines
go wider. He goes, why won't you do that as
a hitter, move up in the box. Now, the balls
I was pulling foul down the right field line were
(29:31):
staying fair. The balls down the left field line are
staying fair. The ball out the right fielder is now,
you know, to his right. And he was just like,
there's there's four areas on the field where you can
get a hit down the right field line, right center,
left center, left field line. The other you can get
hit the other areas, but it's got to be like
a perfect line drive. You can get it hit the left, straight, left, center, right.
(29:53):
You had a perfect line drive to get the ball down.
So he's like, focus on those four areas to drive
the ball. And it worked. And a lot of guys
are afraid to move up in the box. But I
found when I moved up in the box, I got it.
Got me going mentally It gets you into the fire
and like you got to be ready to hit. And
then he was right balls. They started hitting at the
(30:15):
center fielder. We're now in right center and vice versa.
Get we were in a game once in Atlanta and
there's a pitching change like this left he came in.
I was sitting next to Barry in the dock. He
was up third that inning or second, and the guys
getting his eight warm up pitch, he bounced like four
of his off speed pitches. So I never forget. Barry
was putting his helmet on it, and he looks and
(30:36):
he goes, do you really think he's gonna throw that
to me? He goes, he can't even throw it with
nobody else at the plate. He goes, he ain't throwing
that to me. He just bounced four of on me
through four and then he got up and first pitch
he looked fastball, boom, home run, runs around the bases,
takes his helmet off. He looks at me and he's
just like I told him, it's an easy game. And
(30:56):
so that's that's something to stuff.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
You can't see that in an iPad, exactly right. I
I keep I see these guys in the iPads, and
I know that it's very helpful. But like the game
is an open book.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
It's a cheat sheet.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
It's right out there in front of you, whether it's
warm up pitches, whether you're watching the third basement between innings.
You can't throw the ball the first you lay down
a butnt pitch your tipping pitches.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Like it's all out there in front of you. And
I see these guys and it's kind of maybe.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
I'm sounding old and screaming at clouds right now, but
there's so much information to be gathered by just having
your head up and watching the game.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Watch the game. I remember our great pitching coach, David Getty.
We'd be in the dugout. He was like, guys, watch
the game, and so like Barry would do that in
between innings. I also had really good talks. I remember
in two thousand we lost the Mets and we were
flying back home and in the playoffs, and Barry was
not very good in the playoffs throughout his career until
two that year. We went on a run, but we
sat on the plane for two hours and him and
(31:54):
I had a few beers and we sat there and talked,
and he opened up to me like probably nobody in
his career and telling me things like how he feels
like the whole world's watching the teams on his shoulders.
And because I'd always played pretty good in the postseason,
I just played like I have a theory that guys
that played the same all year getting the postseason just
keep playing the same. The stakes are higher, the adrenalines higher.
(32:17):
But and Barry was telling me, He's like, I get
up and I paced around my hotel room at night,
I can't sleep. I get to the yard. I know
every abbat, everybody wants me to hit a home run.
So we had a really good talk, and I think
he got a little bit of that, and I said,
just you know, Barry loved it when you jabbed him.
And so I said something to him like, hey, Barry,
you're not as good as you think you are, like
(32:38):
come on, and then the two went to he went off,
and then O three, the same thing. So I remember
him talking to me going, yeah, just just relaxed me.
He had a lot of anxiety, and he had a
lot of like stress and stuff early on in the play,
and the you know, the whole like the Sidbream thing
right in Pittsburgh and Atlanta when the guys took a
lot of flock to that. But I like Barry's he
(33:00):
was good to me. Best hitter ever saw. I was
very lucky. Tell people I played the best left handed
hitter ever and Barry the best right handed hitter I
think I ever saw. It was Manny ra rror Is.
My last year in Boston, I got to play with
Manny and see him and those guys are special.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
My first day in spring training as a Giant, I
walked down the stairs in scott Stale in the clubhouse
and there's Barry and my locker's real close to him,
and I went over and shook his hand and he goes, man,
I thought you were a smart player. And I go,
what are you talking about? He's like, he goes, you're
dumb for signing with us. He goes, you used to
(33:38):
kill us. He used to kill us. He goes, not
all those hits you got against us, He goes, you
just took them away for this year because you're now
you're on our team.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Was like, oh crap, maybe I was.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
I never really thought of that.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
And my other story, and you know this one I
tell it all the time, was we were in Colorado
playing the Rockies and we had lost like five in
a row, and Barry was in charge of the stereo
in the clubhouse and he would play the rap music
every day, which we all liked, but it wasn't working.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
And I said, Barry, be let me do the Let
me do.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
The stereo today and put some ac DC in, crank
it up a little bit to change the mojo. And
he goes, you ain't touch in this radio. And I
think at the time he had won three MVPs already.
He goes, when you win three MVPs, you can do
the radio. And in front of the whole team, I said,
I have won three MVPs. B I was MVP in
my high school team, my junior college team, in my
(34:31):
my college team.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
And everyone goes, oh, no, you didn't.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
And he he loved me from that day on because,
like you said, I ribbed him.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
I gave him crapping for the whole team. And I
used to say stuff like.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Player the decade, my ass, you got to go first
to third on that ball in the shower after the game.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
So you used to tell me, He's like, careful, he
likes you, now.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
You know what, And I think that's a good like people.
The great players are great. What are the top ten
percent of players? But they like it when you kind
of rib on because everyone just you know, kind of
kisses her behind and bows down. But my dad was
great like that. Would go to Saint Louis and my
dad would come in the clubhouse and my dad and
Barry love my dad because my dad would be like, hey,
what are you What are you gonna do tonight? Do
(35:12):
something thrill me? And my dad would be like, you
ain't that good? Like I've seen you, you ain't that good?
He goes, and then he told he goes, now your dad, Bobby,
he was a hell of a player. And then Ben,
oh you have like And then Barry go all that
night and hit two homers and come back to the
clubhouse and my dad would be like, good show, good
dude again tomorrow. That's a great thing about baseball. So
(35:33):
he loved it. He loved the kids. He had the place,
the big TV with the recliner in the clubhouse, and
we allays used to bring the kids. And I brought
my son one day and we came and all the
kids would play PlayStation during batting practice and there's a
rule you know with your kids, like you can you
can have whatever you have candy this. So we're coming
after VP one today, Barry walks in. He's like, hey,
(35:54):
there's chocolate all over my chair. Like who there's like
four kids in the clubhouse. And I looked at my
son Hine and he had chalk but like all around
and down. I said, you better go over and apologize, Barry.
So he went over and apologize, and Barry's like, that's okay,
you know, snowflake clean. So he cleaned it up and
then but he loved it. Like those guys like when
you just you can challenge him a little bit. There's
(36:17):
there's so much knowledge there that yeah. And I saw
it with Barry and then Mandy when the great one
starts struggling, it's hard on them, like the whole playoff thing.
And then I was in Boston. Manny got off to
a terrible start and he's like, what do you see, Poppy,
what do you see? I said, you're not ready to
hit the fastball. Every fastball you fell back, Okay. So
he would look at me in the dugout and fenway,
we're in the first day stuff, and I would just
(36:38):
go like this, look for the fastball. And then he
started getting hot, two hits a game. And then he
came up one at bat and I told one of
the players, you go watch this. I'm gonna go down
the runway and he can't find me. He's looking for me,
and he strikes out. And he comes back and he says, Poppy,
we're warrious. I'd used the bathroom. Sorry, he goes, I
just struck out. I need you, I need you. And
I'm like, so, it's just little things like that, Like
(37:01):
it's great looking back, it's great to play with great players.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Well, that's where you're gonna make a great manager.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
And hey, congratulations on the modesto thing.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
That's super cool. I'm super happy for you. You got to
come out that I will, Dude, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
I'm gonna come out and just teach your kids how
not to play.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
No, I'm gonna. One of my goals is in Gevy
holme stand. I'm gonna try and get a former big
league got to come out for a day or two
and just I want you to come out and work
with the utility guys and and tell them how you
round the bases and introduce you guys, and I got
some guys to the Bay Area. I've already reached out
to guys like like Noah Lowry and when Rich really
is in town, and I got some buddies when they
(37:38):
come through, just come out and spin to day with
these kids. They love it. They soak it up and
they love it. I reach out to Mark Gardner and
Guardy's gonna come to some games and show them. I
yell the curveball and show them, you know, Guardy Guardy
through ninety ninety one and just carve people up. So
it's it's gonna be fun. I can't wait. It's a
lot of work, but I love it.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
Thanks for coming on today. I'll teach them how to
go out after the game too if you let me.
But but thanks for coming on, dude. It's been a
pleasure that this was good. I mean, Giants fans are
going to eat this up. This is this is really
good stuff. So thanks for coming on and I'll text
you after. But have a great day, dude, Thanks so much.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Okay, good look for the show. Guys doing a great job.
And I'm watching this show, so I'll watch this one
and yeah, keep going.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Yeah you can find us on splash it at splash
it Territory on x on Instagram and obviously go to
YouTube click and subscribe, and I hope everybody on Thanksgiving.
We'll talk to you guys soon, like I say on
the way out every single time, sweetheart, in case you
hit it
All right, it's another episode of splash Hit. We're so
excited for our guests today.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I hope everybody out there had a great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
It's f P.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Santangelo and my buddy is joining us today. Jack Thomas
Snow Junior, sixteen year career ten with the San Francisco Giants,
had two seventy three for the Giants, with one hundred
and twenty four home runs, six hundred and fifteen runs
driven in my friend, six time Gold Glove winner JT Snow.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
JT, what's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Man?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Thanks for coming on today.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Anytime, anytime. Got a lot of initials on this show today. So, yeah,
you guys are doing a great job. I watched your
last podcast. I believe it. Shana Rubendy, who writes for
the Giants, does a great job. She was awesome, And
you guys are doing a great job. So my pleasure
helping out.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Yeah, Well, we got we got to take care of
some business along those lines. We're trying to get some
more subscribers to the show, So subscribe to splash Hit Territory.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
We're trying to get three thousand. That's our next goal.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
So you go to YouTube, you press subscribe or you
can depress it right here.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Splash hit territory. Check out the cool logo. We got
a kayak and.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
The cove, so it's very unique to San Francisco. It's
a double Enton splash hit.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
So JT we got breaking news right now.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I mean, you're you're a professional manager of the Modesto Roadster.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
So that after broadcasting and after being an advisor for the.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Giants, after being a coach for the Oakland Ballers, you're
you're a professional manager.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
So tell us about that and how it all evolved.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah, So I was the Pioneer League, which has been
around since the forties, used to be affiliated baseball up
in Idaho and Montana. A lot of great players. If
you get a chance with people out there, google Pioneer
League and see some of the alumni have come through there.
Two expansion teams a couple of years ago, Oakland and
now it's Uba City. They weren't Davis this year. Two
(01:57):
more expansion teams, Modesto and Long Beach. And the owner
for the Modesto team a guy named Dave Heller. Check
him out research him. Owns this will be his fourth
minor league team. He owns the Billings Mustangs in the
Pioneer League, Quand City River Bandits, and the I believe
it's the Delaware Blue Rocks, a ball for the Royals.
(02:21):
So anyways, he called me or reached out. He was
interested in maybe getting someone that ties to the area,
maybe next Giant. So we talked and hashed it out
over the last couple of months. And it really goes
back to earlier. I did some work with the Giants.
I've been doing something since I retired, and I reached
out to them first, and then talked to the guys
(02:41):
in the minor league system and had a chance to
work with Bryce Elders last year, which was fantastic and
he's gonna be a great player. And so yeah, that
didn't really pan out. Couldn't get it, couldn't get as
much work as I wanted or make a have enough
influence as I wanted. So I took this job. So yeah,
I'm gonna manage the Medesto Roadsters. The last time I
managed was my son's twelve year old Little League All
(03:03):
Star team, So we're gonna it's gonna be a lot
of fun. I put together coaching staff. We have three coaches.
Pitching coach is a guy named Alex Leech. He's the
head baseball coach at Modesto Junior College. Great pitching guy.
And then my bench coach is Gary Templeton Junior who
we all know is Dad Gary Templeton shortstop with the Podres.
So Gary's been in the league a long time, so
(03:23):
we're excited. Yeah, it's gonna be fun. Modesta lost their
team last year. They've been affiliated ball They were the
A's for a long time, as you know FP, and
then they were the Rockies and then Seattle, and then
Seattle left after the season. So Dave Heller came right
in and put a new put a team in there,
and we can get into it. It's it's gonna be
pretty cool because it's it's gonna be a Modesto's team.
(03:45):
It's not affiliated with any major league organization. Our goals
assigned guys and then affiliated teams came by them and
get them onto an affiliated organization.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
So what level is this of minor leagues? What would
you call it?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I think it's pretty strong middle to high single A.
When I was with the Ballers, I was amazed, and
you know this, people probably don't, But when I came
out of college and you I think the draft was
fifty rounds, then it went down to forty. Now it's twenty.
So there's half the kids that aren't getting drafted. They're
really good players. So what do they do. They go
(04:21):
to independent ball. There's four independent leagues in the country.
There's the Pioneer, there's a Frontier League in the Midwest,
the American Association, and the Atlantic League. So when I
saw the player with the ballers, I was impressed. I mean,
it's not like some travel ball summer league and people
are gonna people are gonna be impressed. We got pictures
(04:43):
we're already getting, were already putt we got pictures throwing
ninety two to ninety five. We got guys looking for
guys that are kind of high quality college guys that
maybe didn't get signed. So yeah, it's gonna be fun.
It's like I said, it's gonna be Modesto's team and
hoping the fans will come out and are our owner's
whole stick is just to make a baseball affordable game.
(05:04):
Come out by ticket, you know, grab some food for
the kids, grab a beverage, and watch them. Good baseball.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Dude.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
We've been friends for a long time, and we did
the fantasy camp for the Giants last year and just
you lit up coaching fans and I could just see it.
I've known you for thirty years. I could just see
it in your face right now, like you're happy, You're excited.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You're I think.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And I've told you this, like like privately, that I
think you were born to coach, and it's so cool
to see you do this, and you.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Just kind of look managerial sitting there.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You texted me last week and you said we're looking
for a slogan and I said, Modesto Roadsters drive to Win.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Is that gonna stick? Am I gonna get like the
rights for that?
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (05:49):
You might.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
You might. There's a bunch of slogans going around guys
like full Throttle, guys like pedal to the Medal. If
you haven't seen our logo, go to Modesto Baseballs on
Roadsters check it out. One of the cool things is
I'm really appreciate it to the owner. He's given me
full just carte blanche to like I designed along with
(06:11):
my wife. We designed the uniforms, we designed the hats,
we got home and roads, we got an alternate. We're
gonna wear on Friday called Black Friday. So yeah, it's
been fun. I got a chance to I get to
to paint the clubhouse the way I want. The owners
like left it up to me, and I love that
he's given me this much responsibility.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
You're gonna pay the clubhouse yourself.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
No, no, I I was there last week last Thursday
when they announced the roadster and toward the clubhouse. They're
painting the whole the painting the whole ballpark. They got
a pretty nice chuck of money from the city from
Modesto High high six figures to paint the ballpark, paint
the clubhouse. They're gonna put a beer garden down the
(06:54):
right field line by the bullpen, just things like that.
So yeah, I went through with the painter and uh
we we got it all laid out. So just want
to make it a good spot for the kids to
come and relax, because you know how much time you
spend in the clubhouse. We have some TV's that we're
getting new carpet, So I love the responsibility that's been
thrown in my lap. And talking to guys I know
some guys in the league. Aaron Miles as a manager
(07:17):
with the Ballers he played in the big leagues. There's
a lot like UFP, just a grinder, utility guy.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
He did it.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
They won the whole league last year, and then Davis
won it the year before. So the two expansion teams
won the last two years. The people of in Idaho, Montanna,
we're not happy that the California teams won. But now
with dustin Long Beach, Troy, Troy Percival, great closer, he's
a manager in Long Beach. He just hired Troy Bloss
as a bench coach. We got some We got some
(07:44):
guys coming into coach and the thing I love about
it is these kids are all great. They want to learn.
I I've seen some of the the minor league development
and I think one of the things that I noticed
is when we played, and you can tell this, we
we all had coaches and we're like X big leaguers
or X something, and our coaches and managers all went
(08:05):
to the big leagues later on. And I've been in
the minor league's work with some guys and the generation
after us. These guys made so much money they're not
going back into coaching. They're retiring, which they should do.
But I think the players are starving for it, and
there needs to be get back to fundamentals. We watch
a lot of baseball, see a lot of mistakes being
made at the major league level. We saw in the
(08:26):
World Series, saw a lot of the Giants last year.
My players will know the infield fly rule. They will
know not to make the first or third out at
third base. So yeah, I think these coaches are coming
back and the players love it. They're all years. So
we'll sign guys, and after the draft in July, we're
gonna have to let some guys go because there'll be
a big influx of really good players that don't get draft.
(08:47):
I want to come play for us. So my whole
goal is to win and then get some of these
guys on the field the ball, and then sign some
new guys.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
All right, I gotta take care of some business real quick.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
JT.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
We got to add, we got to get to you
real quick.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
If you are still carrying a clunky leather brick that
can be mistaken for an old school wallet, may I
introduce you to what Eric Kratz is getting himself for
the holidays.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I mean, this is the greatest wallet that I've ever
seen in my life. Your credit card's fitting here. It's adjustable,
lifetime guaranteed. Like what like? This is a must have
for the holidays.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
Absolute must have Ridge Olive matt That is a design
that Kratz has right now and you can get a
hold of that. There's over fifty plus colors and styles
to choose from. Over at Ridge. You can even get
a wallet that features every NFL, MLB or college team.
And for a limited time, Ridge is having their huge
Black Friday sale. Head to Ridge dot com slash foul
(09:47):
to get up to forty seven percent off your order.
This is by far the biggest discount they've given all year.
That's Ridge dot com slash fowl for up to forty
seven percent off your order during their biggest sale of
the year. After your purchase, I'll ask you where you
heard of it out Ridge. Tell them Foul Territory sent
you kind of get that.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Dodgers thing off as world champions. We're gonna work on that.
But the Ridge wallet is really cool.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
JT.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
I want I want to touch on the first base.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
You're considered one of the greatest defensive first basement in history,
the best one I ever played with, six time Gold
Glove winner, so maybe it take me through the most
important things in what you were.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Better at than anybody else.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
And also maybe working with Bryce Eldridge, Like Giants fans
are so excited about this kid and talk about maybe
playing first base, and what you saw in Bryce Eldridge,
what you taught him, and.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Do you think he can be a big league first baseman.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Yeah, so I was lucky. I think when I came
up in the time, you know, FP first base was evolving, right,
it was a lot of left handed guys that were
decent athletes that could hit a little bit, not necessarily
the big you know, fat slow guy over there that
could just slug. So coming up, you know Wally Joyner
(11:07):
and Anaheim, and you know guys like Mark Race and
Rafaeld Palmrow and of course Will Clark and just different
guys like that that I followed and tried to emulate.
And I think that I tell people other than the
pitcher and the catcher, the first basement is involved in
more plays, So why wouldn't you want to go out
of there? That they can handle the ball? You got
to take care of infielders. I think that I tell
(11:29):
people there's no secret I worked at it. I mean
you saw me in infield. I took ground balls every day.
I didn't necessarily throw every day, but took ground balls.
I think one of my biggest attributes was was my footwork,
and I worked on that. And that comes back to
when I was a kid. I played every sport like
you did. I played football and basketball, base I even
played soccer in the summer. So I played four sports
(11:52):
and I played three in high school. And then when
I went to college at Arizona, I just honed it
on first pace. So I was always working with my footwork.
I mean, when I was a kid, my dad, this
is gonna be hard, people, please. My sisters were dancers
like ballet. My dad maybe take a ballet class with
my sisters, and I went. I went to the ballet class,
and I was like the worst one in the class.
(12:12):
That I used to go do aerobics with my mom
back in the day.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
I didn't know this.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah, when I was a kid, I took gymnastics with
my sisters and it all paid off. Like I think
I lasted maybe two or three sasa jin ballet. I
was the only guy in there. No, I didn't wear
a lear.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
No judgment, No judgment.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
No judge, I just horsewise. But yeah, footwork and basketball
taught me that, and then the other thing was just,
you know, just your hands. And I think I was
blessed a little bit because of my dad being a receiver,
but just working at it. And I always tell any infielder,
every great infielder I played with always had good feet.
(12:51):
Good feet allow you to have soft hands. And I
wasn't fast, but I had good feet, quick feet around
the bag, and I could make decisions. Guys from Omar
Vascal great feet. You know, guys that could really play
David Bell when I played them with the Giants. Great feet.
So your feet sets you up to make you have
(13:12):
soft hands, and you know, there's a lot of other
things you get into, like reading a hop and knowing
the speed the ball off the bat. And I used
to tell the infielders just just get it close. You know,
I got the biggest glove on the on the infield.
Just get the ball close and let me work with it.
And I wasn't afraid to go behind the bag. I've
seen Devers do that with the Giants full But yeah, we'll.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Get back to well, I want to get to Bryce,
But like, what's your impressions of Devers at first base.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I thought he was good. He made a couple of
mistakes early on, but he's you know, he's willing to play,
and I thought he was good. I think if you
play third base you can in time, you could go
over there and and be good. I was impressed. I
thought he made a couple of weird decisions early on,
but that's to be expected. You got to give where
It's such an era nown society where we were so
quick to judge. I got one game out, the guy
(13:56):
can't play, but give people time. I mean, if people
saw me play one or two, they'd be like, you
make it.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
No, that's much I saw you play in college. At
you are in the Cape Cod League, I'm like, this
guy's smooth as anybody I've ever seen over there.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
So you're being real humble right now.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
So Devers, I think is progressing well. Can can Bryce
be in everyday first basement?
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Because you talk about feet, You just talk about feet.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
He's got like size sixteen's yes, Like is that always
going to be a clunky thing with him?
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Or can he develop like quick feet like you had
around the base? Is that god given? Or can he
work on that.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
I think he can work on it. I think he
does have like fifteen shoot whatever. I think one of
the coolest things when I worked him in spring training
and then towards the end of the year, he got
so much better. And I had people my old agent.
I've had some coaches tell me we saw him in
spring training, then they saw him in the minor leagues.
At the end of the year, my agent was in
Round Rock scouting some guys, and then they saw him
(14:51):
in Sacramento and they said the development was really really good,
Like they were impressed the play he made in LA
late in the season. Remember that he dove at first
base Tagg threw across. So yeah, he I was in
Sacramento twice last year, two visits, and he got better.
I saw him play eight games. He did hit five
bombs in those games and I was there and then,
(15:13):
but he didn't make any airs. The one thing he
didn't like, which I used to love, is he doesn't
like pop ups and fly balls. And he said, because
you know, playing at Oracle, it's a tough play. So
we played a candlestick. That was the worst. But he
got better. I give him credit that we were out
there every day at two o'clock two thirty in that
heat and Sacramento, and he worked. We just worked for
about twenty minutes. He was kind of struggled. He asked
(15:36):
me some great questions. He asked a lot of questions.
You know, cutoffs, How do you know when to cut
the ball? Let it go? Man on second? So I
told him, I told you to share the story with you.
Just read the third base coach. The third base coach
is waving him, and the throws online, let it go.
If it's offline, cut it. Get the guy's second to.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Just peak real quick, like you're just speaking.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah, you say it's man on second, nobody, and you're
playing back at first, and there's a base at the center.
As you run into the cutoff position, just you're already
facing the third base coach just walts. The third base
coach gets set behind the mound. If he's waving him,
now you know he's scoring. And there's always a thing
to like. You know this, If the outfielder's picking up
the ball and the runner's hitting third, you gotta play.
(16:18):
If the runners already around third and the guy's picking up,
he's gonna be safe. If the runners hasn't hit third
yet and the guys picked up. Now we got a
really good shot at him, and just read the throw
from the outfielder. If it's off line, cut it no.
The score of the game, right, if it's a close game,
we need to get that guy. And then the other
part was, you know, giving a good fake. If you're
gonna let it go, come get the ball and fake
it to hold that runner the batter. Now runner rounding first.
(16:42):
If you can give a fake and protect you and
catch it and let it go, now you hold him
it at first and if there's nobody out of one,
I keep the double play in order. Just little things
like that so we all know. We get in the game,
the game speeds up and our mind goes. But he's learning.
He's a great kid. He's a I think he can
give me an everyday first baseman. He's gonna hit homers,
going to strike out, but I think he's gonna be
(17:02):
I think he'll be okay over first.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
That's good stuff. But those are nuggets, dude.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Those are going to be cut up and people are
gonna listen to that, and they're gonna go coach their kids.
I love to teach on this thing like it's becoming
my new favorite thing about teaching. And we talked about
switch hitting last time, and one of my Instagram followers
cut out the part where I was talking about it's
two different jobs. You got to come into the cage,
you got two different swings, you got two different bats.
(17:28):
You did that for the majority of your career, and
then all of a sudden, our year in San Francisco,
you decide to hit straight left handed. Yeah, and you're
up there against Randy Johnson. I believe right after you
started you hit a base at the left. There's a
lot of talk about Patrick Bailey and him just hitting
straight left handed, that his right handed swing doesn't play.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
That's not for me to decide, but maybe you can
talk to Giants fans listen to this about your your adjustment.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Why you stopped hitting right handed and just hit left handed?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
And was that hard to hit left he's left handed
because you did it tremendously successfully.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Cand you say that that's not good English.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Yeah, he it's fine. We're we're in the clubhouse. It
doesn't matter. We're not being judged. I started switching when
I was a kid because I was facing left on
lefty and a big left and early hit me in
the back and I went down. I was sobbing and crying.
And my dad that night at dinner was like, well,
just start switch hitting. Now the ball's breaking into you,
so all right, I'll try it, and stuck stuck with it.
(18:26):
Most switch hitters are naturally right handed. They'd have trouble
with the curveballer slider, so they go to the left
side because the breakdowns about eighty twenty percent left handed
at bats first right handed bats because there's just more
right handed pitching. So I did it. The reason I
stopped was I tore the labor on my shoulder my
right should so I couldn't hit right hand. I couldn't
(18:47):
I couldn't fall through get my top hand through. So
I remember telling Dusty, hey, if we get to blow out,
let me get left you on lefty, and he did
it let me. And my first at bat was against
Jason Christiansen, former Giant lefty, and I smoked the ball
at the left center off the wall for a double
and I said, okay, I'm done, and then I decided
to do it. The next year, I talked to a
lot of left handed hitters like that offseason, I got
(19:08):
their numbers form my agent. I talked to Tony Gwynn,
and I talked to Wally Joyner and Will Clark and
Mark Race and they all said the same thing. They said,
if if you're a straight lefty pole guy, your you
might struggle with lefties, but if you could hit the
ball the other way, and you know, like my go
to was left center, I had that down, You're gonna
be fine. So I did it that year. In spring training,
(19:28):
I was in the cage every morning at eight am,
two hundred balls off the curveball machine and just watch
them and track them, and then sliders. And then Ron
Renicky was one of our coaches and he left. He
threw me VP every day on the backfield, and so
I felt pretty good. And I also knew that I
was going to get a day off against a tough
lefty right Randy Johnson, Mike Hampton, those guys. Glavin wasn't
(19:52):
as bad. There was, there were some other good ones.
So I knew I was going to get a day off.
And then I ended up my splits before so I
think righty I was about two twenty lefty to eighty.
Then after I stopped. I was two fifty lefty on
left and about stay at two eighty, so I got better.
And I was also in the National League. And the
(20:14):
other reason was I knew i'd be in the game
late for a double switch or defense, so I was
gonna get a chance to play maybe a pinch hit.
And as I was getting older, it kind of gave
me a little day off. So the thing with Patrick
Bailey is I'm not sure if he's now to your
right or left, but if he did decide, and like
you said, that's for him to decide. He catchers get
days off so a manager can actually schedule. This is
(20:36):
my manager cat now he can actually look ahead in
the schedule and the pitching and get he can give
you a day off against a tough lefty, like the
backup is going to catch that day. You gotta really,
you know, you got to really work hard at your
right handed swing because you don't do it as much.
So I was like some days I just I would
look at the next series, the next couple who were facing,
(20:57):
Oh they don't We're facing six righties in a row.
So I may not take a lot of right handed
swings in the cage, but I'm glad I did it.
I probably should have done it earlier because and also
may also made an adjustment where I moved up on
the plate and talking to guys. I talked to Barry
a lot about it, and Barry was like, it's not
that you know you could do it. I've seen you swing.
(21:18):
He got me up on the plate a little open
stance so that I closed down my front foot and
that kept me from my first move my front shoulder
flying out, so I was more open. And then as
I closed it, it's hard to like close down and
then you know, open up. So it was more of
one thing. And then he told me, he's like, just
look for the ball away, Like, just look middle away.
(21:38):
They might show you in They're not going to throw
your change up. It's gonna be sliders, per balls and
fastballs away.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
So I want to get to an ad real quick.
We'll be right hold that thought.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
We've got holiday shopping season is here, and we have
you covered from head to toe.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Let's take to talk about an area that's not quite
close to the toes. Let's get crazy with this holiday season.
Yeah that's me, Undies, I'm spinning around. But the holiday
season now you can get me undies with some holiday
prints on them.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
That's right, ridiculously soft fabric holiday prints, matching holiday prints
with your special person. Or you can coordinate pj's for
the family photo. And right now you can get up
to fifty percent off with the code foul. We rock
me Undies. You should too. We're talking over thirty million
pairs sold. Knock out all your holiday gifting needs today
(22:27):
with me Undies. To get exclusive holiday deals up to
yep I said it, fifty percent off, go to meundies
dot com slash foul and enter promo code foul. That's
m E U N D I E s dot com
slash f o U L promo code foul for up
to fifty percent off.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Maybe they have some Ballerina meundies to those would be
a good Christmas So quickly and then I want to
transition to Barry Bonds.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
If you were talking could to Patrick Bailey right now quickly?
What would you tell him?
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Would you tell him to do it? And if so,
how would you tell him to go about it?
Speaker 3 (23:08):
I would ask him how he feels, and I would
talk to him and kind of get into him mentally
about what do you feel left handed as opposed to
right handed, and just just get down with him. And
it's fun to talk to players because they'll open up
to other players. He might tell me, when I go
up the right handed, you know that I have no clue.
I don't know where my swing's at. I didn't take
an your right hand swings today. Would you have ever
(23:29):
done lefty on lefty? And then my other point was like,
you know, you might just get and you're getting you're
getting older. If he can, if he can catch five
days a week, maybe he gets days off against the lefty.
He's gonna be in there late in the game for
double switch or for a switch. They don't have to
do double switches anymore. But just just to ask him
how he feels and just try it. And if he's
(23:49):
not comfortable, then bag it and don't do it. But
get on that get on that curveball machine. And he could.
He hits the ball good the other way like he's
a right the right center left center guy. Once when
he keeps the ball off the ground and doesn't roll
over like a lot of us lefties do, he's he's
pretty good. And I think that the thing I liked
(24:11):
about him was he was having a rough season, but
at the end he got better, and it was almost
like it's easy to it's easy to throw the talent
at the end of the year and he was getting
crushed right by people and fans and media, but he rallied,
had a pretty good end of the year and just
just enough carrot right to dangle for the next year.
But that that kid can he can just flat out cash.
(24:32):
I mean you can't. You got to work with that.
So anything he gives you offensively's a bonus.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
I would think the hardest adjustment, Like I was better
right handed, and I thought about going straight right. Yeah,
actually right, and my right hand is my dominant hand,
so I could get on top of the ball, and
then left handed, I was always underneath it, hitting a
lot of fly balls because this Sam.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Was a spaz and I couldn't get on top of it.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
But I always thought, like at the big leagues, with
like exploding breaking stuff, if I tried to go straight right,
that it would be coming at me. And since I
was eighteen, I started later than you. I started my
senior year in high school switch in.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Then I would just buckle. So like when when you
when Bailey.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Faces the first three quarter guy left handed that throws us.
Isn't there gonna be a tendency to just be like
whoa and just buckle and let it go in for
a strike.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
And I don't know that. That's what scared me the most.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
That's the hardest part. You gotta trust yourself. And I
thought that the worst thing that's going to happen is
that it's gonna hit me, you know. But now with
all their all their guard, their armor they got on,
it's not gonna hurt. But that's why you get that's
when you get down the cage, get get on the machine.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
It's called everybody soft.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
And just see it. Just called everybody and get the
machine where one starts at your head and break and
then one starts behind you. And that's why that's why
I try to open up so when I close down
and got kept me in there. And then if you
get right on the plate, the hardest, the hardest pitch
leftown left, he is gonna throw a two seamer because
you don't see him move at the end. And I
(26:02):
got jammed plenty of times. But you learn to take
that pitch and then you just center over the shortstop's
head right you're trying to hit the ball in the
left center and see I was let my left hand
on it, so left handed was my strong arm so
I could get and then right handed. It was a
little bit too much of this, like you say, like
little drags. I had to really like and I tried everything.
(26:22):
I had a lot of successes putting the bat on
my shoulder, so my hands were this way, and I
did that when I was with the Angels. Joe Madden
was our Rovin hitting coach, so he taught me to
do that. Just lay it on your shoulder and then
that way. Your hands are kind of coming through like
this instead of like this where I was losing it
and I was losing the barrel. So I tried everything, and.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
You know was the adult was Joe Madden insulted because
you didn't put sorry inside joked there.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I love Joe. He's the first guy I ever saw
with a laptop computer. And I was in Vancouver and
Triple A, I guess got sent down. He had a
laptop computer logging all your bats and the only thing
he said he did this print out. He came out
to me, he goes, look what you're hitting ahead in
the count one, o, two, one, three, one three, zero
(27:10):
above three fifty, every one of them. He goes, look
what you hit behind the count? One two, one below
two hundred. Everyone He's like, so go get ahead the count,
get a good pitch to hit like that was our analytics.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
Keep it simple.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
I love it all right, Uh all giants fans love
to hear Barry Bond stories. You played with Barry during
his most dominant era. What was he like in the clubhouse?
What was he like as a teammate. I came on
here early and said that I would rather have Jeff
kent up in a big situation than Barry, And I
thought about it after the show.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Dude, sometimes you say the stupidest crap. I meant that
that Barry wouldn't get a chance to hit he had walking.
They would walk him. So I didn't articulate that. Well,
I'm sure if Barry saw I'm gonna hear about it.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
But talk about talk about Barry Bonds as a teammate
in the clubhouse and maybe share some stories with him
from behind the scenes.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Yeah. So I didn't know this at the time when
I retire, but a reporter came up and said that,
he said, you know, you played with Arry longer than
anybody in his career. And I said, I didn't know that. Yeah,
he said nine years. He was with the Pirates for six,
but the Giants had some rope. He said, yeah, you
played with them longer. We had the same agent. So
I knew Barry off the field from some things. The
(28:25):
first time I ever met Barry was in the off
Sea and I got trained and we were going to
function and a fundraiser, and he came up and we
talked and he goes to me. He says, you provide
the defense and I'll provide the offense a lot of
games and I said, well, you know I can swing
it too. You know, I just got done hitting like
twenty four and driving in one hundred runs. He's like,
just worry about the defense. But he's the smartest hitter
(28:47):
I ever played with. And you got to tap into him.
He didn't come out outwardly and just volunteer stuff, but
when you got him on a plane or you got
him in the dugout, he was great. And he he
really added about two or three years onto my career
because I adjusted later in my career and I was
(29:10):
watching him like, well, if he chokes up. Everybody should
choke up. Because he was all about the barrel. He
got me to move up on the plate, and then
he got me to move up in the batter's box
because his theory was, when you bunt, you move up
in the box right because it makes the foul lines
go wider. He goes, why won't you do that as
a hitter, move up in the box. Now, the balls
I was pulling foul down the right field line were
(29:31):
staying fair. The balls down the left field line are
staying fair. The ball out the right fielder is now,
you know, to his right. And he was just like,
there's there's four areas on the field where you can
get a hit down the right field line, right center,
left center, left field line. The other you can get
hit the other areas, but it's got to be like
a perfect line drive. You can get it hit the left, straight, left, center, right.
(29:53):
You had a perfect line drive to get the ball down.
So he's like, focus on those four areas to drive
the ball. And it worked. And a lot of guys
are afraid to move up in the box. But I
found when I moved up in the box, I got it.
Got me going mentally It gets you into the fire
and like you got to be ready to hit. And
then he was right balls. They started hitting at the
(30:15):
center fielder. We're now in right center and vice versa.
Get we were in a game once in Atlanta and
there's a pitching change like this left he came in.
I was sitting next to Barry in the dock. He
was up third that inning or second, and the guys
getting his eight warm up pitch, he bounced like four
of his off speed pitches. So I never forget. Barry
was putting his helmet on it, and he looks and
(30:36):
he goes, do you really think he's gonna throw that
to me? He goes, he can't even throw it with
nobody else at the plate. He goes, he ain't throwing
that to me. He just bounced four of on me
through four and then he got up and first pitch
he looked fastball, boom, home run, runs around the bases,
takes his helmet off. He looks at me and he's
just like I told him, it's an easy game. And
(30:56):
so that's that's something to stuff.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
You can't see that in an iPad, exactly right. I
I keep I see these guys in the iPads, and
I know that it's very helpful. But like the game
is an open book.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
It's a cheat sheet.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
It's right out there in front of you, whether it's
warm up pitches, whether you're watching the third basement between innings.
You can't throw the ball the first you lay down
a butnt pitch your tipping pitches.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Like it's all out there in front of you. And
I see these guys and it's kind of maybe.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
I'm sounding old and screaming at clouds right now, but
there's so much information to be gathered by just having
your head up and watching the game.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
Watch the game. I remember our great pitching coach, David Getty.
We'd be in the dugout. He was like, guys, watch
the game, and so like Barry would do that in
between innings. I also had really good talks. I remember
in two thousand we lost the Mets and we were
flying back home and in the playoffs, and Barry was
not very good in the playoffs throughout his career until
two that year. We went on a run, but we
sat on the plane for two hours and him and
(31:54):
I had a few beers and we sat there and talked,
and he opened up to me like probably nobody in
his career and telling me things like how he feels
like the whole world's watching the teams on his shoulders.
And because I'd always played pretty good in the postseason,
I just played like I have a theory that guys
that played the same all year getting the postseason just
keep playing the same. The stakes are higher, the adrenalines higher.
(32:17):
But and Barry was telling me, He's like, I get
up and I paced around my hotel room at night,
I can't sleep. I get to the yard. I know
every abbat, everybody wants me to hit a home run.
So we had a really good talk, and I think
he got a little bit of that, and I said,
just you know, Barry loved it when you jabbed him.
And so I said something to him like, hey, Barry,
you're not as good as you think you are, like
(32:38):
come on, and then the two went to he went off,
and then O three, the same thing. So I remember
him talking to me going, yeah, just just relaxed me.
He had a lot of anxiety, and he had a
lot of like stress and stuff early on in the play,
and the you know, the whole like the Sidbream thing
right in Pittsburgh and Atlanta when the guys took a
lot of flock to that. But I like Barry's he
(33:00):
was good to me. Best hitter ever saw. I was
very lucky. Tell people I played the best left handed
hitter ever and Barry the best right handed hitter I
think I ever saw. It was Manny ra rror Is.
My last year in Boston, I got to play with
Manny and see him and those guys are special.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
My first day in spring training as a Giant, I
walked down the stairs in scott Stale in the clubhouse
and there's Barry and my locker's real close to him,
and I went over and shook his hand and he goes, man,
I thought you were a smart player. And I go,
what are you talking about? He's like, he goes, you're
dumb for signing with us. He goes, you used to
(33:38):
kill us. He used to kill us. He goes, not
all those hits you got against us, He goes, you
just took them away for this year because you're now
you're on our team.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Was like, oh crap, maybe I was.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
I never really thought of that.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
And my other story, and you know this one I
tell it all the time, was we were in Colorado
playing the Rockies and we had lost like five in
a row, and Barry was in charge of the stereo
in the clubhouse and he would play the rap music
every day, which we all liked, but it wasn't working.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
And I said, Barry, be let me do the Let
me do.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
The stereo today and put some ac DC in, crank
it up a little bit to change the mojo. And
he goes, you ain't touch in this radio. And I
think at the time he had won three MVPs already.
He goes, when you win three MVPs, you can do
the radio. And in front of the whole team, I said,
I have won three MVPs. B I was MVP in
my high school team, my junior college team, in my
(34:31):
my college team.
Speaker 1 (34:32):
And everyone goes, oh, no, you didn't.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
And he he loved me from that day on because,
like you said, I ribbed him.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
I gave him crapping for the whole team. And I
used to say stuff like.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Player the decade, my ass, you got to go first
to third on that ball in the shower after the game.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
So you used to tell me, He's like, careful, he
likes you, now.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
You know what, And I think that's a good like people.
The great players are great. What are the top ten
percent of players? But they like it when you kind
of rib on because everyone just you know, kind of
kisses her behind and bows down. But my dad was
great like that. Would go to Saint Louis and my
dad would come in the clubhouse and my dad and
Barry love my dad because my dad would be like, hey,
what are you What are you gonna do tonight? Do
(35:12):
something thrill me? And my dad would be like, you
ain't that good? Like I've seen you, you ain't that good?
He goes, and then he told he goes, now your dad, Bobby,
he was a hell of a player. And then Ben,
oh you have like And then Barry go all that
night and hit two homers and come back to the
clubhouse and my dad would be like, good show, good
dude again tomorrow. That's a great thing about baseball. So
(35:33):
he loved it. He loved the kids. He had the place,
the big TV with the recliner in the clubhouse, and
we allays used to bring the kids. And I brought
my son one day and we came and all the
kids would play PlayStation during batting practice and there's a
rule you know with your kids, like you can you
can have whatever you have candy this. So we're coming
after VP one today, Barry walks in. He's like, hey,
(35:54):
there's chocolate all over my chair. Like who there's like
four kids in the clubhouse. And I looked at my
son Hine and he had chalk but like all around
and down. I said, you better go over and apologize, Barry.
So he went over and apologize, and Barry's like, that's okay,
you know, snowflake clean. So he cleaned it up and
then but he loved it. Like those guys like when
you just you can challenge him a little bit. There's
(36:17):
there's so much knowledge there that yeah. And I saw
it with Barry and then Mandy when the great one
starts struggling, it's hard on them, like the whole playoff thing.
And then I was in Boston. Manny got off to
a terrible start and he's like, what do you see, Poppy,
what do you see? I said, you're not ready to
hit the fastball. Every fastball you fell back, Okay. So
he would look at me in the dugout and fenway,
we're in the first day stuff, and I would just
(36:38):
go like this, look for the fastball. And then he
started getting hot, two hits a game. And then he
came up one at bat and I told one of
the players, you go watch this. I'm gonna go down
the runway and he can't find me. He's looking for me,
and he strikes out. And he comes back and he says, Poppy,
we're warrious. I'd used the bathroom. Sorry, he goes, I
just struck out. I need you, I need you. And
I'm like, so, it's just little things like that, Like
(37:01):
it's great looking back, it's great to play with great players.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Well, that's where you're gonna make a great manager.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
And hey, congratulations on the modesto thing.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
That's super cool. I'm super happy for you. You got to
come out that I will, Dude, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
I'm gonna come out and just teach your kids how
not to play.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
No, I'm gonna. One of my goals is in Gevy
holme stand. I'm gonna try and get a former big
league got to come out for a day or two
and just I want you to come out and work
with the utility guys and and tell them how you
round the bases and introduce you guys, and I got
some guys to the Bay Area. I've already reached out
to guys like like Noah Lowry and when Rich really
is in town, and I got some buddies when they
(37:38):
come through, just come out and spin to day with
these kids. They love it. They soak it up and
they love it. I reach out to Mark Gardner and
Guardy's gonna come to some games and show them. I
yell the curveball and show them, you know, Guardy Guardy
through ninety ninety one and just carve people up. So
it's it's gonna be fun. I can't wait. It's a
lot of work, but I love it.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
Thanks for coming on today. I'll teach them how to
go out after the game too if you let me.
But but thanks for coming on, dude. It's been a
pleasure that this was good. I mean, Giants fans are
going to eat this up. This is this is really
good stuff. So thanks for coming on and I'll text
you after. But have a great day, dude, Thanks so much.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Okay, good look for the show. Guys doing a great job.
And I'm watching this show, so I'll watch this one
and yeah, keep going.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Yeah you can find us on splash it at splash
it Territory on x on Instagram and obviously go to
YouTube click and subscribe, and I hope everybody on Thanksgiving.
We'll talk to you guys soon, like I say on
the way out every single time, sweetheart, in case you
hit it
Popular Podcasts
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.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
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