The Book of Joe: Home Field Advantage, Playoff Experience, and The Natural

Hosts Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci discuss the final two weeks of the regular season and teams finding their playoff seedings.   How much does home-field advantage and playoff experience matter in the postseason?  Tom points out the young pitchers that are peppered throughout the rosters.  Joe reveals his philosophy going into the playoffs and the messages he would deliver to players.  We note the passing of former player/manager Jim Marshall and his impact on the game of baseball.   Who are your MVP candidates as we come down the stretch? We also react to the breaking news of the passing of Robert Redford.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
The Book of Joe Podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.
Hey Thearon, Welcome back to the Book of Joe podcast
with Me, Tom Berducci and Joe Madden. Joe, for anybody
who maybe had like a three month vacation, can I

(00:25):
say that with a week and a half left in
the regular season.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
You haven't missed much.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
Let me put it to you this way, Joe, at
the All Star break, twelve teams in playoff position, they
are the exact same twelve teams in playoff position with
a week and a half to go.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
How about that.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
I'm not sure I've seen a season like this where
no one's really made a run to upset the order.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's a great observation, of course, I never even noticed that.
The thing that really stands out I just wrote down
five hundred. There's so many teams right around that mark
that are absolutely still in contention, and that obviously is
because of the extra wildcard spot. I know. I think
we've talked about this Mike goal and an a basis,
everywhere I managed was ninety wins was the benchmark, and
anything of course above that pretty much gave you an

(01:10):
opportunity to get to the playoffs when you're with the Rays.
We did win ninety did not get there, but it's
the extra wild card, and again, I don't know, it's like,
do you want to call it mediocrity. I mean, I
don't know what we want to call it, because it's
just the only team really well. The a Phillies and
the Brewers are the two most prolific teams that seems
right now. They're right around the ninety mark. I think
ninety ninety one something like that. But otherwise it's it's

(01:34):
kind of like, you know, it's a boat race in
regards to who could get like, I don't know, ten
games over five hundred, maybe eight definitely put you in
the playoffs this year. So that's the part that's interesting
to me. I'm not banging on that because I've always
I rallied for and thought that by doing the wild
card and extra wildcard, my my biggest bone of contention
was keeping fan bases engaged and involved, et cetera. But

(01:56):
the other part would be without trying to elongate the
season by too much. So anyway, there's a lot of
stuff going on there. But that's a great observation regarding
the fact that everybody's in the same spot they had been.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, and if we didn't have the extra wildcard, if
you want to call it the extra wildcard, the six.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Team in each league, it would really be boring coming
down the stretch. So we still have some intrigue.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
One thing it's a pet peeve of mine, Joe, is
lazy narratives. People just hold on to these ideas that
have no basis in fact. One of those, for instance,
left handed hitters are low ball hitters. It's not true.
I've checked the numbers year after a year, but factually
it's not true. I don't know why it would be
true that lefties would be.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Down in hitters.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
When you have a left who's a down on it hitter,
everybody says, oh, lefties love the ball down there.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Really is it that simple? The answer is no.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
One we're going to get to as well is home
field advantage. It's overblown in baseball. We'll explain why as
we get along here. And the other one, Joe is
about experience when it comes to the postseason. Does it
help absolutely, But I look around the game today, Joe,
and I see these young pitch I'm talking about first

(03:05):
year starting pitchers who have outstanding stuff, and teams are
trusting them down the stretch, and many of these are
likely to get starts in the postseason. I'm a big
believer give me talent over experience.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Do I want them both? Absolutely, I want a guy
who's been there and has the talent.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
But I do not rule out young players, certainly less
than I would have in the past, Joe, because the
development in amateur baseball is so far advanced.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
Now here's an example for you, Joe.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Last night, the Toronto Blue Jays, they're trying to close
out the American League East. They give a kid his
major league debut, right handed starter down to Tampa, trey
Ya Savage. All he does is set a franchise record
with nine punch outs in his debut.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
He had nineteen swings and misses.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
He throws straight over the top with a splitter that
absolutely disappears the race tried to hit his splitter of
fourteen times, they swung him eleven times. If I'm the
Toronto Blue Jays right now, after watching this kid pitch, Joe,
I have to think about giving him the ball and
the postseason start. And I know they have a lot

(04:13):
of options in that rotation. And a lot of experience.
But after watching this kid, and like I said, I've
seen these kids come up. Now, nobody's awed by the
major leagues and the third deck and the national cameras
and all that nonsense. I have no problem look around
the game. The Mets have three kids in their rotation
Jacob Miserowski and Milwaukee might be their best starter.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Boston Red Sox.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
Have two first year pitchers in their rotation down the stretch.
New York Yankees have two first year pitchers in their
rotation down the stretch. Joe, It's a long lead up
to this, but I'm curious what your take is a
guy who's been there and done that when it comes
to young pitchers handing them.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
The ball in those big spots in the postseason.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, I mean, I'm just writing names down. I remember
in the two thousand and two Frankie Rodriguez was pretty
much a difference maker for the Angels winning the World
Series that year. Was brought up a little bit later
than we should have prob and then we didn't really
give him the balls often until one day he goes
out there and just totally dominates, and then that was that.
After that with him in Percy and the rest of

(05:13):
that group, but Frankie and then of course with the Rays,
David Price. You know, he came on up, had been
starting a bit, and then we brought him in up
out of the pen and he was dominated out of
the pen, and he's another reason why the Rays got
to the World Serison. I'm thinking Maddy Moore another situation
where we're playing the Rangers in Texas and I had
a couple starts whatever, but we were trying to decide

(05:35):
who's going to pitch the first game in Texas. Rocco
Baldelli was a scout at that time. When Rocco was
just pounding the desk regarding Maddy Moore. Other people were
on board, but I thought that Rocco really helped push
that over the finish line. So I've been involved in that.
I think when it comes to pitching, if a guy's good,
he's good, and a part of that would be makeup.
I mean, I could talk about those three guys and
we all thought that the makeup played. I remember that

(05:57):
was being a big part of the discussion. It was
always as a head of the minor league developmental department,
a major league coach, manager the word makeup comes up
all the time. How's he going to handle the bad moment?
How does he handle failure? Those are the kind of
things that you always look at. So it's a combination
of these guys that you're talking about that are not
only very gifted physically, but I'm certain that you talk

(06:20):
to their group, they would always come a great makeup,
great makeup, good guy. Really, it's not going to be
white out, Like you said, that third deck's not going
to bother them. All those kind of different factors, and
a lot of times, quite frankly, you don't see the
third deck. I mean when you when you first come up,
you're the happy to be their stage. You're not even
in survival yet, so it's almost like you're you're superfluous,
not surpurfleuse, You're you're immune to anything that might be

(06:42):
going on around you, and you just you're just like
it's all on the sand loot until the point where
finally say everybody's talking about I mean, I'm kind of decent,
I'm pretty good, and that's when you might get into survival.
So I could go on on on and on and
on about this, but I think it's a combination of makeup,
the ability to focus in the moment, the ability to
handle a difficult moment, beyond just being skillful. So I

(07:04):
think it's always been there, maybe more so now than
ever because of the way things are being accelerated. A
lot of these guys may still be in double or
triple A had it been the same methods that we're employed.
I'd say in that, you know, at least to the nineties,
early two thousands. But because of the way things are
pushed today, a lot of these guys are just firing
right through systems. They're just not They're not being built

(07:26):
the way they had been built in the past, with
the idea of stretching them out success on the minor
league levels. So many innings, those kind of philosophies are
pretty much in the past.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
It's a good point about makeup.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
I don't want to be ignorant that you just can't
put any kid out there just because he's got a
good arm, especially in a postseason environment.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
But a lot of these guys, you know, they've grown.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
Up in travel baseball, and they're playing in major league
stadiums and showcases and whatnot. If they're coming out of college,
you know, that's basically it's almost.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
Triple A now.

Speaker 1 (07:55):
But I look at this kid, Y Savage for Toronto Joe,
and I see it's kind of a state of the art.
Where he started the year in a ball up every
single level in the course of this season.

Speaker 2 (08:07):
I mentioned as.

Speaker 1 (08:08):
Splitter, he also throws a slider, So on his first
start he threw fifty four percent splitters and sliders forty
six percent fourteen fastballs, which he's he's got good velocity.
I wouldn't call it elite velocity. It's a little bit
above average. But to me, if you can command the baseball,
and let's face it's tough to push anybody you know

(08:29):
up so many levels.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
If they don't command the baseball.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Then the stuff plays the way that teams now and
I'm talking about amateur baseball up through college and the
minor league system, the way they can teach pitch shapes
and spin h and if you command the baseball, you
got a quick path to the major leagues. And that's
why I think this is the kind of state of the
art with some of these young pitchers we've seen here.

(08:53):
Will Warren's got a fastball for the Yankees that the
only one I've seen similar to It's not the same below,
but in terms of the spinning carry is Jacob de
Gram from the low angle that plays Cam Schlittler unbelievable
arm right of our nineties velocity that plays as long
as you command the baseball.

Speaker 2 (09:10):
So I'm a big believer in Stuff and Joe.

Speaker 1 (09:13):
I think we have to start looking at the Toronto
Blue Jays now like they might be the best team
in the American League. I mean, listen, I had questions
about their bullpen. Jeff Hoffman has given up fifteen home
runs this year. I get it, but this may not
be a bullpen full of household names.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
But this kid, Braden.

Speaker 1 (09:29):
Fisher last night, I'm not sure if you caught the
end of the race game first and third man. He's
protecting a one run lead and he punches out Brandon
Lowe Junior Kamenaro and Josh Lowe Boom boom boom, and
with nasty stuff four seemers who carry at the top
of his own slider is going underneath the left handed
bat that kids seven to zer striking out almost twelve

(09:51):
batters per night innings. I mean, you know, with Brandon
little Yadiel Rodriguez. They have arms in that bullpen and Joe,
I'm sure you like watching this team almost reminiscently y'r
o two eight angels to me watching them play.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
They don't strike out, they keep the line moving.

Speaker 1 (10:08):
Uh, They're a fun rally team to watch, and they
keep coming back on people. That's a combination of not
just this relentless offense that does not strike out they
strike out the fewest of any team in baseball.

Speaker 2 (10:19):
But a bullpen that keeps a game.

Speaker 1 (10:21):
In check allowing these comebacks to happen. And man, they're
dangerous at home.

Speaker 3 (10:24):
I know that they're definitely a much more mature team
in the sense I've been watching them often. They are good,
and the biggest difference for me is like a guy
like was it Clement Clements.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Clem yeah or any comments.

Speaker 3 (10:37):
I mean, he's the kind of guy ball play they
needed guys like him. I love our show. I'm not
I'm not denigrating the superstars with Vlad and bo et cetera.
But those guys there, Barger, those are the guys that
really made a difference on the field for me when
I watched a real fresh attitude. There's a there's a
high energy about this group that I thought was lacking
in the past, and even Springer. Springer's been rejuvenated this year.

(11:00):
So there's so much good going on with that, just
attitude speaking, and that's that's really what I see as
being different. Now. The kid last night, the pitcher, how
do you say his name with the savage?

Speaker 2 (11:10):
You say savage.

Speaker 3 (11:11):
I watched that and I love down angle like that.
I love see for me down angle eqals movement. As
a hitter, you have to really intersect the ball perfectly
when it's coming from such a high slot. I had
Jeff Neeman with the Rays several years ago, and he
kept getting her, which was too bad. He didn't throw
that hard either, like you're talking about, but man, he
was hard to square up and he had like six'

(11:31):
niney had all kinds of breaking, balls great strike, thrower
very difficult a. Bat so that's WHEN i saw that
kid last night THAT i thought About, jeff Because jeff
was really all that good had he been able to remain.
Healthy now talking ABOUT i Saw. FISHER i saw, that
and and part of THAT i, agree great. Stuff but,
also you, know we talk about the home run all the,

(11:53):
time and there's a perfect example of not making any
kind of adjustment at the plate just to try to
move the. Baseball and that's that's my. Argument you're talking
about What toronto's doing right now. Offensively and THEN i
watched the race last, night and it's a high punch out.
Team it's always been that. Way but there was no
attempt made just to move the. Baseball it's like one.
Hack there's no b, hacked there's No sea. Hack there's

(12:14):
no just intent just to move the, ball WHICH i
would have loved to have. SEEN i know those guys
had some pop coming. Up it was a very thick
part of the batting, order and they did. CHASE i,
mean those fastballs up were up. Up, anyway you're right
about the. KID i Like fisher a lot from WHAT i,
saw but then, again the APPROACH i thought kind of
was not very. Good and the last, point like a
guy Like, fisher the thing That i'm looking for with

(12:34):
guys like this And savage and all these dudes is
like a little bit of. Longevity let's do this over
a period of. Time i've see so many guys come,
up it, seems with great, arms and then you don't
hear for. Them four or five years from. Now and
that's the part THAT i would really find interesting if
you could get more sustainable years out of some of
these guys with great, stuff no question about. It so

(12:55):
WHEN i look at, that WHEN i listen to this
AND i watched, this that comes to mind for. Me great,
stuff great, arms all that kind of interesting. Factor, well
how long are they going to be? There how long
are they going to be? Successful last, Point, WARREN i,
like warn't a, lot not a little. Bit this kid's
made what every one of his starts this year really.
Unusual had a tough night the other night In. Boston,
HOWEVER i think he's got that. Cold let it look

(13:18):
about him that just give him some. Time this guy
could be.

Speaker 1 (13:20):
Outstanding, Now joe may make you the manager of The
Blue jays for a minute.

Speaker 2 (13:25):
Here going to the.

Speaker 1 (13:26):
Postseason you've Got Kevin, gossman who's thrown the ball, great
AND i think he's absolutely your.

Speaker 2 (13:31):
Ace he's your game one.

Speaker 1 (13:32):
Starter after, THAT i actually think this, kid you, savage
makes you think about giving him the ball in a postseason.
GAME i think you're right about the arm. Angle if
you look at release points in the major leagues over
the last ten, years it.

Speaker 2 (13:44):
Has been going.

Speaker 1 (13:45):
Down people want that attack angle the lower release point
to the high point of his own that this now
looks even more funky than it would have even ten
or fifteen years. Ago NOW i have questions about remaining healthy.

Speaker 2 (13:58):
With that kind of arm.

Speaker 1 (13:59):
Angle you, Know Justin ferlander has done that for a long.
Time but for, NOW i just think the guy's a
tough solve for a rookie coming up people haven't seen
and the ball coming out of a different spot with
that tumbul to the.

Speaker 2 (14:10):
Split now you've.

Speaker 1 (14:11):
Got you, know you've Got Jose, Barrios you've Got, Bassett
you've Got Max, Schurzer you've Got Eric. Klawer tell me
what you might be thinking of if you're the manager
of The Blue jays and you've got this, Kid, now
who's gonna make you? Think SHOULD i give him the
ball over some of these established, veterans especially a guy Likes.
SCHURZER i, mean how do you not Trust Max? Schurzer
but on pure stuff you lean towards the.

Speaker 3 (14:32):
Kid that's where you have to be. Right word is,
tough but honest with your. GROUP i, Mean schurzer is
definitely going to even without seeing anything you exert some
pressure regarding his usage and how they're gonna where they're
gonna slot him in a postseason. Order. Savage i'm they
know what they think of this, kid they know how

(14:52):
much they like and they know how was that a?
Fluke was that who he? Is like you, said he
went up to the to the system and it's all really.
Good we love, Him we love this. Stuff, however we
still we're gonna move him to the back because it
might be a be cousin. THERE i don't see, it
you don't see, it but we'd ever. Know for, ME
i would not be afraid to do. THAT i, said
Like Maddi, Mo Matti. Mo he throws that first game Against,

(15:13):
texas And texas And kinsler is the first hitter for
The rangers a little bit, shadowy AND i Mean maddy
throws a fastball And kinsler it's a line drive right over, there.
DUGOUT i mean it was so late and it was
you could just see That Matty moe had his stuff going.
On that does not scare me at all regarding. Youth

(15:33):
if you think it's that good and if you think
it's the right thing to, do you do. It but
this is where you have to be strong and not worry, about,
well what if it doesn't. Work it's safe to pick
one of the other guys if they got their butt, kicked,
Okay but if you pitch the young guy and he
gets his butt kicked and you got all these other
quote unquote veterans on the, bench then it becomes it
could become a clubhouse. Issue so you just have to be.

(15:54):
Strong you have to be A i'm talking about as a,
manager as you, know with your pitching, coach your bullpen,
coach and in today's, world with your with your front,
office because they're gonna the only way it's gonna happen
is that the front office supports. It it's not like
a unilateral decision by the manager to start a rookie
in the game, too if that's what he wants to.
Do this will be an organizational. Decision there'll be a

(16:16):
lot of little conversations going on among pitching, coach maybe
the bullpen, coach whoever has the best relationship with the
pitchers that are being passed over in regards to having
this guy pitch. First there's a lot of little internal,
politics man's it's just. Fact that's how this will. Work
so if they really believe it this is the right

(16:36):
thing to, do they should do.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
It good, Stuff.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
Joe.

Speaker 1 (16:39):
Hey you, know also this time of year we start
talking about the seating for the, postseason not just getting,
in but we talk a lot about home field, advantage
especially it comes to the wildcard game. Around, remember the
higher seeded team gets all the games at. Home the
lower seated wildcard team of the wildcard round they need
to play all the games on the. Road does that? Matter,
Well i've got a surprising answer.

Speaker 3 (17:00):
For, You.

Speaker 2 (17:01):
JOE i want to get your take on. This the
home field advantag does not.

Speaker 1 (17:05):
Matter i'll explain that right after this on The book Of.
Joe all, Right joe madd AND i need your help
on this home field.

Speaker 2 (17:24):
Advantage we love to talk about.

Speaker 1 (17:26):
That in, sports, Right and IF i gave you your choice
where you want to play a, game of course you
would say you'd better play it a, home, right no
matter what it, is especially in. Baseball you, know back
in the, day it was not a rule that the
home team batted. Last they gave the home team the
option to bet first or, second and teams took batting
second basically every. Time they just decided all, right we're

(17:49):
just going to make this a. Rule so as the
home field, team you do have the advantage if the
game is, tied if they're eight, innings you don't have
to defend the. Lead that's a big advantage if you
get that far to that point of the. Game there's other,
things you, know, philosophically just comfort level and things like.
That But, joe since we've gone to the twelve team
format in the postseason three years of, this the home

(18:09):
teams are sixty and sixty.

Speaker 2 (18:11):
Four that's, right a losing.

Speaker 1 (18:13):
Record Home field advantage does not exist in the twelve
team playoff format and the wildcard round when the lower
seeded team was supposed to be penalized by playing all
games on the road to, advance, well the home team
the wildcard round is ten and.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
Sixteen i've got some. IDEAS i hope you do, Too.
Joe what is going?

Speaker 1 (18:33):
On we're home field, advantage at least so far in
the one hundred and twenty four game postseason sample size
does not.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
Exist, YEAH i, mean loud is, loud regardless of where you're.
At in, baseball it's such a focused. Game we don't hear.
THINGS i don't hear. THINGS i, mean it's the ballparks
that are like. Empty we hear like maybe one dude
rasing you the whole. Time that's when you hear. It,
otherwise you're out there just playing a, game and your
focus is there as long as there's energy in the

(19:00):
ballpark in your. Feeling, again sometimes you get fueled by
the kind of negative energy coming your, way or you're
hearing some booze. Whatever BUT i don't as a baseball player,
manager you're in a. DUGOUT i swear you could talk to.
Me you could be like two feet away from me
and you could be saying things to, me and If
i'm locked, in, MAN i don't hear a thing you're.
Saying it has nothing to do with crowd. Noise it's white.

(19:21):
Noise it's just. There it's just about. Energy you're in the,
playoffs and it's not like a maybe football where you're
going up to an offense and the crowd gets. Quiet
you go up on defense and he gets loud to
confuse the other team with their. SIGNALS i don't even
know if like the distractions of being at, home and
maybe they added onds that you have to be complicated

(19:43):
with in regards to helping people get, tickets, situated. Whatever
there's so many other things like. That But i'm here
to tell, you, man the most simple WAY i could
describe this whole thing is that you don't hear things
you don't you. Don't it could be like when you
played a dome like you you came to The trump
and you hated The. Trump that could be a home court, advantage,
absolutely AND i always thought that that was a big
thing for. US i never liked the, building but it

(20:05):
was a home field advantage just based on the, roof, sidelines, depth,
perception things like that THAT i think could work in your.
Favor but if it's, generic if it's kind of a generic,
SITUATION i think it's. MOOT i just think the better
team wins in that. Moment the team that's were motivated
possibly in that moment or handles the situation a little bit.
Better and sometimes you have nothing to, lose right as

(20:26):
being the quote unquote underdog in the, situation got nothing to.
Lose i'm just going to go out there and put
it out. There BUT i think it comes down to.
FOCUS i think baseball, players, managers, coaches, whatever you don't
hear things you're just you're locked, in you're playing the.
GAME i don't think it's as a negative as it
may be in other.

Speaker 2 (20:42):
Sports, yeah all good. Points. Joe let me add on another.

Speaker 1 (20:45):
THEORY i think the talent gap has shrunk in terms of.
TEAMS i, mean look at The American league this year
in the. Postseason whoever the sixteen team, is are they
really that different from the number one?

Speaker 2 (20:55):
Seed.

Speaker 1 (20:56):
No for the last ten teams to make The World,
series we're wildcard. Teams the average number of wins for
the last Ten World series teams is ninety.

Speaker 2 (21:06):
Four those are not.

Speaker 1 (21:07):
Juggernauts, basically we have this group that's kind of in
the same, boat if you, will between one and. Six
maybe not as deep in The National, league but you,
know a little more top heavy in The National. League point,
Being i'm not surprised when these wildcard teams get through.
Anymore my other, Point, joe is AND i want to
see if you agree with, this playing on the road
can actually be a great bonding experience bringing a team.

(21:31):
Together this is tournament baseball, now with these rounds of.
Postseason The Texas rangers convinced me of that when they
blew their division title on the last day of the,
season so instead of going home for an off, day
they had to fly To tampa to play The, rays
who in that building you just, mentioned had the best
home record in The American.

Speaker 2 (21:48):
League and they wipe out The rays on the.

Speaker 1 (21:50):
Road then they have to go To, baltimore which had
an amazing record At Camden, yards and they wipe Out
baltimore there and they're.

Speaker 2 (21:57):
Rolling now The.

Speaker 1 (21:58):
Mets with that crazy, way they ended the season right
on the road in this was regular, season But milwaukee To.
Atlanta it's In, milwaukee and they win that wildcard game
and they then they keep.

Speaker 2 (22:09):
Rolling i've seen it.

Speaker 1 (22:11):
Happen i've seen teams bond by going on the.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Road you are not expected to.

Speaker 1 (22:17):
WIN i think the pressure is on a home team
where you are expected to.

Speaker 2 (22:21):
Win BUT i like, that.

Speaker 1 (22:23):
You know kind of what like maybe when you played
and that what was at THE Nbc tournament In, Omaha, nebraska.
RIGHT i like the idea of having a major league
team bonding on the ROAD us against the world kind of.

Speaker 2 (22:35):
Mentality and if you.

Speaker 1 (22:36):
Can get back a couple of wins quickly with, that
momentum just. Explodes whereas at, home if you win game
one you're supposed to win that. GAME i don't think
you gain as much. Momentum tell me what you. THINK
i know those are kind, of you, know things you
can't really. Quantify it's more philosophical or even feel than.

Speaker 2 (22:56):
Data but how about those, Theories.

Speaker 3 (22:58):
Well, yeah IT'S i don't know how much that really,
plays to be honest with, You i'm listening to it.
All they're all really good. Points AND i remember The
rangers just lit it up on the. Road it looked
easily like they're not gonna really. Advance nice, job but
it's gonna end pretty, soon and it never. Ended SO
i get all of. That it's just the fact that
the way players go on the road, anymore and when

(23:21):
you go on the, road even in a, playoffs there's
a lot of families involved there. Too like with, us
we used to have two chartered planes with The, cubs
one for the team and then one for your families
going to the playoff, situation and then you would all
be on one plane coming. Home it's just. HARD i,
mean what the players do these days is they'll get
one big room and they will have like all their video,
games so it's not like going to the bars you,

(23:43):
know hitting the ricks after the, game throwing your backpack
in your, room colling Buddy, Black i'll eat you downstairs
in ten. Minutes that doesn't really happen much. Anymore so
it's just a different method of. BONDING i think there's
a there's a kind of like a subgroup that we'll
get together in a room and do video games all,
night but with families on the. Road LIKE i, said
that's part of it that has to be. CONSIDERED i

(24:04):
think the the rallying point is just you feel like
you're gonna kick somebody's butt because you're playing so well
and you got this vibe going on and momentum starting to,
build and all of a, sudden you feel like you
just have to throw your gloves out on the. Field
glove out on the, field and it doesn't matter who
you're playing or where we're gonna we're gonna beat. Them
we're just gonna kick these. Guys but you actually feel that,
way and it's like it's it's a very empowering kind

(24:27):
of a moment because you go to TAKE, bp go
up before the, game you walk the field and it's
strutting a little, bit and we got, this we got
this and you actually feel it, Internally SO i know
what you're saying and it can't be. Discounted BUT i
just know the way the guys work on the road these.
Days and the clubhouse is the, clubhouse you, know regardless
if it's regular, season, postseason. Whatever there's, distractions there's more,

(24:49):
media there's more people milling around in your, clubhouse which
can also be disturbing as opposed, to you, know. Exciting
so there's so many different ways to look at. THIS
i just think when you grab that, wave when you
catch that, wave you hang ten, man you're in a
pretty good position and you feel like beat.

Speaker 2 (25:04):
Anybody, well let me put it to you this, Way.

Speaker 1 (25:06):
Joe, if in, fact The New York yankees played The
Boston Red sox in the First wildcard, round do you
think gating home field advantage in this next week and a,
half no, matters no.

Speaker 2 (25:16):
Decisive and that had to hit and. Matchup, no, right not.

Speaker 3 (25:19):
At, All, NO i. DON'T i, mean that's not even
a little. Bit it's like a certain way you feel
when you play different teams and they play each other
so often during the course of the year in those two.
Ballparks that's what The rays WHEN i was with The,
rays we had to with sin and everybody was saying
at that, time, well you got to you need to
get out of The American League east the, Race you
need to get out of The American League eese to.
WIN i, said, no you. Crazy we need to be

(25:39):
in The American League east to get better quicker because
you have to play in hostile. Environments and that takes
me back to a Point i've always made in the.
PAST i thought it is the. Race we had an
advantage because we played At Yankee stadium And fenway often
and we didn't play in the in the. Hinterlands we
didn't play in the outpost as. Often baltimore was, good you,
Know toronto was a tough, division AND i think that's

(26:00):
really WHAT i counted on as being helpful when it
got to that time of the, year that, hey you
may not, win but you're not going to be intimidated
when you. Lose you're out there playing the, game and
sometimes the other team beach it because like you said,
earlier they might be. Better BUT i really thought the
ascension of The rays a lot of it had to
do with the fact that they were or are in
THE Al east and you get kind of battle tested

(26:21):
in tough. Ballparks but you, know when you play The
yankees or The Red, sox whatever they go and, PLAY
i don't. Care i'll just Say Kansas. City of. Course
there's not an intimidation. About it's just whether or not
the other team plays better than. You SO i don't.
KNOW i think As, no it's a very like you're,
said it's a moot. POINT i don't care where you're.
Playing it comes down to the vibe that. Night it
comes down to your starting, Pitcher it comes down TO

(26:43):
i mean part of it is Like i've talked to
different managers about, this don't do anything differently than what
got you. THERE i, mean at this time of the,
year sometimes, groups And i'm talking about you, know front,
offices analytical departments come down with dreams of information and
they start inundating you with all kinds of stuff they
can only serve to confuse and not. Help you've played
these guys like if you're gonna Be Red Sox, yankees my,
god you played each other all year, year and all

(27:04):
of a sudden you're gonna bare yourself in meetings and
d and, information when really it may be a nugget or.
Two if it's a surface at the, End i'll take.
It but, otherwise let's go play. Baseball let's beat these.
Guys and that's really where talent really shows. Up if
you're better or, not if you play a better baseball
game or, not if you don't make mental mistakes or,
not that's why you're gonna. Win long, answer Maybe i'm.

(27:26):
SCARED i don't even know If i'm being around the.
Bush but that's WHAT i believe. In. Man it's get
battle tested and believe in, yourselves and fortune favors the.
Ball take, risks don't back, off don't try something. Different
don't think like you have to do anything differently than
you had been doing all. Season that is the. Trap
all good.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
Stuff, Hey, joe you, know on this show we love
to celebrate great baseball, lives and we lost a great
one recently In Jim. Marshall, YEAH i know you were
closed To, Jim AND i, mean what a, great, big,
colorful amazing baseball. Life just did just about everything in this,
game played the game managed coach scouted played In. Japan

(28:06):
born in nineteen thirty one In, Danville, illinois a family
move when he was really, young.

Speaker 2 (28:10):
To, Compton. California great.

Speaker 1 (28:11):
Athlete in, fact he was recruited By John wooden to
play basketball AT. Ucla when wouldn't had just only gotten
just started the?

Speaker 2 (28:19):
Program really?

Speaker 1 (28:20):
Is he signed at nineteen and then he didn't make
his major league debut until he was twenty. SEVEN i,
mean WHEN i think About Jim, MARSHALL i think about
paying Dues, joe and we'll talk about that as we
love to do on this podcast as. Well but went
on to manage The cubs played In, japan AS i,
mentioned was a great, scout was one of the first
people hired by The Arizona. Diamondbacks it was back in ninety,

(28:41):
six a couple of years before they started.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
Playing just a great baseball. Life i'm, Wondering.

Speaker 1 (28:47):
Joe for, you what are the, memories what are the
connections To Jim.

Speaker 3 (28:50):
MARSHALL i have to say he's a sweet. MAN i,
mean he was so kind to me WHEN i first met,
him having been, with you, know a cub in his past.
Experiences he treated me so, well and he always seeks
you out and always, upbeat always, pop always pointing out something.
Good just a pleasure to be, around a little bit
of an, eccentric WHICH i also love Because i've probably
been accused of that. Myself BUT i really liked the

(29:13):
guy a. LOT i think everybody that came in contact
with him did. Too he was just, supportive you, know
he was ALWAYS i, mean if you had wanted to offer,
advice he would in a way that, was, like you,
know very benign and not intrusive. WHATSOEVER i would have
to just, say a really sweet man with a very, upbeat,
positive helping kind of an. Attitude AND i loved when

(29:35):
he came. Around he'd always seek me out and we
would sit there and talk. Whatever you. Know WHEN i
read his passing, man he, lived but he was into his.
Nineties LIKE i think you suggested there and just it's a.
LOSS i, mean he was all of. That he was
how much DO i love a baseball? Lifer you, know
you kind of look at a guy like him and, say,
there you, know hopefully THAT'S i could stay around that

(29:56):
long and make that kind of an, impact because he
certainly did.

Speaker 1 (29:59):
WELL i mentioned he played five years in the big
leagues with five different, organizations never really got a chance
to be an everyday player full, time but he was
an Original New york met by the.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
Way he goes to The mets in nineteen sixty.

Speaker 1 (30:11):
Two they traded him just a couple of months later
to The pirates For Vinegar Ben, mazel one of the
great nicknames in all the. Sports so he gets released
by The pirates at the end of sixty two and
he goes plays In.

Speaker 2 (30:25):
Japan so then he starts his managing. Career and you're
gonna love. This joe In, Lodi, california.

Speaker 1 (30:31):
Did there nineteen sixty, eight the manager of The Lodi.
Crushers they're playing At Lawrence, park which is the smallest
ballpark in The Cal. League this is a ball they.
Averaged there were three thousand seats in the. Ballpark they
averaged attendance is five hundred and ninety seven. People Jim

(30:51):
marshall was making seven thousand dollars a year plus three
dollars a day and meal money to manage an.

Speaker 2 (30:59):
A Ball how about?

Speaker 1 (31:00):
That and how about this in the same year in
The Cal lee you talk about paying your dues managing
other teams in The Calle league that Year Joe, Altabelli Dave,
Garcia roy. McMillan that's four future major league managers managing
in front of crowds of hundreds of people In CLASS a.
Ball how about That you talk about paying your dues

(31:22):
and eventually he, becomes as you, mentioned the manager of The.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
CUBS i think it was nineteen seventy.

Speaker 3 (31:26):
FOUR i SWEAR i love hearing that kind of. Stuff
but those are the guys that inspired. Me Mark browhart
hit a bomb there one, night and our gym at
that time Was Pete chiccarelli and he got To Paul
harvey and the next Day paul Har. Vietnam so it
was like five hundred and fifty feet Because peter never
let the truth get away of a good. Story bro
was On Paul harvey the next. Day and it's also

(31:48):
the scene probably the best Fight i've ever been involved
in in baseball was the. Hitter we hit somebody and
the hitter went out to the man with the bat
and we're trying to get out of the bullpen in
left field and there was a gate with actually no,
door but it was like the opening of a, gate
And Baylor moore and somebody else could not get. Out
they kept bumping. Shoulders was. Hysterical we finally get out
to the field And Bobby clark runs in from, leftfield

(32:10):
grabs the bat and he just flips it all the
way out to where he had been playing in left
field before that hell of a. FIGHT i, mean that's.
Listen the minor. Leagues, LOAD i the Cal. LEAGUE i
was in The colleague two. Summers Man Stan waziak was
the iconic manager after that with The dodgers for a thousand.
Years There Mus, STUBY, I Chuck, Katier John Van. ORNHEIM

(32:31):
i mean all these dudes he was with The. GIANTS
i have such warm fuzzies when you SAY loadi, man
and you talk about team. Bonding we used to go
out every night and the boys we'd get, together Remember
Johnny harris and all the guys THAT i had with
slain As. Angels we go out after games and. LOAD
i was absolutely a. Blast this is the stuff you
got me lit up BECAUSE i really BELIEVE i got

(32:52):
to become a major league manager because of moments like
that In lodie so many years, ago AND i could
see it like it was, yesterday and it's. GREAT i
didn't realize that About, Jim but those other names you
mentioned are standing. Too so kudos to the minor, leagues,
man for those able to experience. It we all feel
the same way for those who did not get the
chance or having the water down version, today it's too

(33:14):
bad because they were the proving grounds man and you
had to prove, yourself, brother because those are some tough
dudes that you had to stand up against because there
was no there was very few warm fuzzies being passed
run at the.

Speaker 1 (33:26):
Time, well AS i, mentioned just a, big beautiful baseball.
Life you think about all the people That Jim marshall
impacted and the course of what he, did whether it was, managing,
Coaching pacific Rim scout for so many years he was
a connection not just for the D, backs but really
For Major League baseball as an ambassador on The Pacific
rim was married for sixty four years till his wife

(33:47):
passed in twenty.

Speaker 2 (33:48):
Sixteen rest in, Peace Jim, marshall a, great.

Speaker 1 (33:51):
Huge happy baseball. Life take a quick break on The
book Of. Joe when we get, back we'll talk about
the final week and a half of the baseball season
coming up right after This.

Speaker 2 (34:11):
Welcome back to The book Of.

Speaker 1 (34:13):
JOE i mentioned the last week of the season as
far as deciding playoff. Spots joe the one award that
to me has been the most discussion about is The
American LEAGUE, mvp and that might be decided as well
Between Cal rawley And Aaron. JUDGE i actually don't think
it's as close as a lot of people.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
Do what's your opinion on that, Race.

Speaker 3 (34:34):
Well it's going to Be. JUDGE i think, honestly The
East coast thing has something to do with. IT i
love Cal, RAWLEY i. DO i love him from the
MOMENT i saw, him and, listen who doesn't Love Aaron.
Judge the position That rawley plays and that scene teams
in an ascending, Moment i'd love to see him get,
it but it ain't gonna happen that, way And i'm not.
Why maybe he's a, catcher maybe he's a switch. Hitter

(34:55):
maybe he's like you Broke Mickey, mantle switch hitting home run,
record maybe all that different. Stuff BUT i really he's
kind of similar To judge in a lot of. WAYS
i love the way he can. HIMSELF i love the
way he's handled all of. This that team obviously is
not even close to being where they're at without his
input behind the plate and at the. Plate SO i think,
Overall judge is gonna win. OUT i think that's going to.

(35:17):
Happen BUT i do want to put A i just
love everything about this. GUY i THINK i mentioned it.
Before WHEN i first Saw, RALEY i was still managing
The angels and he came up to the. PLATE i
might have been as like first at batter within the first,
week and he took some. SWINGS i, Said holy, COW
i mean that is some serious bat. Speed you, know
threw the ball pretty. Well you. Know i've heard different

(35:37):
things metrics about his catching, ability, receiving WHICH i do
not have a lot, of take a lot of stock
and all that. Stuff i'd have to look at him
with my own eyeballs in person again more, seriously but
this guy playing a very difficult. Position the THING i
really wish he had not. DONE i wish he had
not done the homer In. Derby AND i know everybody
loved all of, that BUT i think part of the second,
half no way to prove it's just something may have

(36:00):
the decline may have been from that day a little.
Bit BUT i love. Him i'd like to see him win,
it BUT i Think judge is going to get. It.

Speaker 1 (36:06):
YEAH i kind of feel the same, way AND i
almost hate bringing it up because it almost sounds like
you're being dismissive of Cal rawley when you Say judge
to me as a clear, EDGE i don't really mean.
That it's kind of Like bobby Wit junior last year
had one of the greatest years ever for a shortstop
but still was not able to be THE mvp Because
judge was just that. Good AND i think that's the case.
Here the offensive numbers are just there's too much of

(36:29):
a gap for. Me you, know you look at, ops
which factors in ballparks and league, averages And judges blows them.

Speaker 2 (36:35):
Away SO i get the whole.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
Positional advantage catching as opposed to being a right. Fielder
there's no question he means so much of that team
and running its, staff and just to wear and tear
behind the plate to do what he's done, offensively it's.
Amazing it's one of the, greatest if not the greatest
offensive seasons ever for a. Catcher but it's just a
notch below What Aaron judge has done. OFFENSIVELY i, Mean
Aaron judge could hit fifty home runs and win a batting.

(36:58):
Title you, know Only Jimmy fox And Mickey mandle have done,
That AND i get all the numbers for cal where
we're comparing him to, catchers we're comparing him to switch.
Hitters With, judge you compare him to guys that are.
Dead you, know there's no narrowing the field to a
sample of switch hitters or. Catchers it's Just judge against baseball.
History he's been that. Good but who. KNOWS i, mean

(37:19):
as far As East coast, BIAS i think the bias
is that people get to see The judge highlights maybe,
more the games.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
More but as you, know when it comes to.

Speaker 1 (37:26):
Voting it's two voters in each, city in this, case
Each American league city to vote on the, award so
it's spread out.

Speaker 2 (37:33):
Geographically BUT i.

Speaker 1 (37:35):
Do Think judge is going to win the. AWARD i
don't think it's going to be. Unanimous AND i do,
think you, know Maybe roley's got some you, know in
this last week and a half to leave a last impression,
here you, know a big home run here to clinch
a division.

Speaker 2 (37:48):
Title a big hit.

Speaker 1 (37:49):
There we'll, See BUT i think right now the edge
belongs To, judge so.

Speaker 3 (37:53):
That the voting isn't actually conducted or concluded until season's.
Over is that? Right?

Speaker 1 (37:58):
Yeah you, Know i'm an award voter not on this
particular one as. Well and the only instruct is we
have to get the award in before the first wildcard
game is, played so you, know And i've always been
ONE i like to really not like IF i had
AN mvp, vote WHICH i don't this, YEAR i would
wait to sit down after the season to actually start crunching.

(38:20):
NUMBERS i don't like making it a horse race where
you start picking someone you think is, ahead because the the.
Biases you want to back up your instinct at that.
Point So i'd rather wait till all is said and
done that crunch the, numbers and then send the ballot.

Speaker 2 (38:34):
In that's just the WAY i do. It anybody can.

Speaker 1 (38:36):
Do it, differently BUT i certainly am in favor of
different dis opinion in this. CASE i don't want to
tell anyone That rally is not THE, mvp because you
can make a strong case for. HIM i just, think
in my, Mind i've Got judge slightly.

Speaker 3 (38:48):
Ahead you're right on with everything you're. Saying there's no
question he's gonna win. It judge is gonna win. IT
i Think rawley's definitely worthy of that award this, year,
especially and who knows even if If roley comes up
big at the, END i still don't think that's going
to sway. It pretty. Much it's one of those things
like you sho have your mind made. UP i think
by now when guys evaluating, players even in a meeting

(39:11):
or the last thing they, saw pretty much sways their.
OPINION i never agree with. That it's the full body
of WORK i think over the course of the, year
and regardless of how Wonderfully rawley is, done if you're
going to really slant towards the offensive side of this
thing regarding who you're going to vote, for that there's no.
Question it's not even. Close if you want to balance

(39:31):
more of the aesthetics of the game into it and
consider other skill sets and try to balance your opinion
out voting, wise maybe there's some guys that are doing that,
too but most of the wars like this ARE i
think primarily in offensive. Awards, also THE mvp would be
that unless it's a really crazy pitcher with thirty wins or.
Whatever but, ANYHOW i Think judge is it great year For.

(39:55):
Rawley it's just unfortunate for him That judge has really
done it.

Speaker 2 (39:59):
Again, joe by the, way are you a fan of
the group Super.

Speaker 3 (40:03):
TRAMP i MEAN i kind of, YES i. DON'T i
don't like pull them up on the.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
Ire a lot more progressive, rock the classic.

Speaker 3 (40:10):
Rock right EXACTLY a little bit, later LIKE i moved
on a little bit from. THAT i don't. KNOW i
JUST i listened when they come. On, yeah there's a
lot of stuff that they. HAVE i do, like BUT i.
DON'T i don't like open my iPad but Say i'm
gonna go right to Super.

Speaker 1 (40:21):
Tramp, no, yeah you're not rolling down the car windows
and turn up the stereo To dreamer or Good Bye.

Speaker 2 (40:28):
Stranger.

Speaker 1 (40:29):
RIGHT i had to bring it up because we Lost Rick.
Davies he was eighty one years, old one of the
founding members of Super. Tramp THIS i did not know
UNTIL i started reading about. Him the name Super.

Speaker 2 (40:39):
Tramp i'm into, This, like where do the rock bands
get their? Names? Right there's always usually good stories behind.

Speaker 1 (40:46):
It do you have any idea where Super tramp the
name came from Super?

Speaker 3 (40:49):
Tramp you, know it's it just has a lot of
negative connotations to, it regarding somebody that did their work
on the. Streets somehow it just Doesn't, yeah it.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
Doesn't, yeah you're not far from the. Truth it's actually
taking from.

Speaker 1 (41:05):
Literature there's a book written by a guy whose last
name Was. Davies as a matter of, fact the relation
Of Rick davies W. H. DAVIES i think he was
A welsh poet and he wrote a book Called The
autobiography of A. Supertramp and besides being a, poet he
was a. Supertramp from eighteen ninety three to ninety. Nine

(41:25):
he traveled back and forth Between, England canada and THE
us and basically rode the rails back in the. Day
you know that was a thing back in the, day,
Right he got around by rail jumping on cargo, trains and.

Speaker 2 (41:36):
He was a. Tramp and in this case he was
a super.

Speaker 1 (41:38):
Tramp and he was also a, poet like a legit
published Famous welsh poet who got live material from chriss
Crossing canada in THE, us The autobiography of A.

Speaker 2 (41:50):
Supertramp that's where the name came.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
From superhook could have been super, hobo BUT i guess
a super tramp sounds lot.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
Better that's super. Tramp SO i just remember this, too
is when it came to super. TRAMP i don't know
if you Remember.

Speaker 1 (42:01):
Joe when CDs started becoming, popular, yeah, YEAH i started
moving away from, vinyl and people were, like you'll be
blown away by the.

Speaker 2 (42:09):
Sound you will hear sound you never heard.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
Before and one of the selling points For supertramp was
that they sound even better on. CDs you will hear
swirls and noises and sounds and notes that you can't
hear on. VINYL i just remember that being a selling
point of Super.

Speaker 2 (42:27):
Tramp that was just In.

Speaker 3 (42:28):
America that was great. STUFF i, mean my firstterea was
A hatachi my dad bought me WHEN i was in high,
school went down To Lenny cirilla's placed on here Below
Broad street and brought that back in the first cassette
he bought ME i. Won it Was Tubbleweed connection By Elton,
john WHICH i think is, wow well. SUCH i don't
know if it's underrated or, not BUT i love. That,

(42:49):
yeah that WHOLE. Cd but actually was a cassett excuse
me at that, time so it wasn't A, cd but
that was my first experience with stereo that was worth,
anything because prior to, THAT i was JUST i had
like a little had a Blonde filco record player and
maybe you know your your Channel master radio that he
also listened To harry carry. With but, yeah once you

(43:10):
got into that stereo scene with these little switches that
either take the stereo off or put it back, on
you control the base in the, Trouble my, GOD i
was in.

Speaker 1 (43:17):
Heaven what about did you ever get involved in a
track in the five or six minutes it was actually in?

Speaker 3 (43:23):
Vogue heck, YEAH i mean that was in all my.
CARS i had a sixty six vowel THAT i actually
put it underneath This. Listen you'd have money to like
take it to a dude and have it like, customize,
Right SO i just get it wired myself put underneath the.
Seat i'd have to bend, over take my eyes off
the road to Put simon And garfunkle in or out
or you know whatever get into the stones however it.

(43:44):
Was but, yeah eight tracks when they would also start double,
playing and you'd have to like jiggle them a little
bit so it gets back literally on. Track and then
you would take them out and get like a LONG
q tip like when with those long with the wooden
hand with the wooden stick handle and you put a
little rubbing alcohol and you get to that head was,
like would get dirty to try to improve this. Sound, also,

(44:04):
yes and my head wires all over that BOLBO i
had speakers exposed everywhere just to create better. Sound and
on top of, that probably had at least i'd say
twenty pounds of newspapers in that. BACKSEAT i would read
them and just throw them in the.

Speaker 1 (44:17):
Back And, joe there has been breaking news that probably
one of the greatest actors of a baseball role in
the history of cinema has passed. Away Robert, redford a
quintessential leading man In, hollywood passed away to eighty. Nine
now there's many things that he can be remembered, for
but if you're a baseball, fan the first thing that

(44:40):
must come to your mind Is The, natural one of
my all time favorite. Movies just a beautiful movie to,
watch just in terms of the, scenery the. Cinematography But
Robert redford, passing of, course Played Roy hobbs in The,
Natural and WHEN i think of his, Passing, JOE i
know his career was extraordinary on both sides of a.

(45:01):
Camera but that's the first thing that comes to my.

Speaker 2 (45:04):
Mind no, doubt that was.

Speaker 3 (45:06):
A spectacular, movie the whole. Thing but they do it
At Buffalo War Memorial stadium was in that they. Did,
yeah AND i never was, there BUT i heard so
many things about, it and then right down to the
to the one the bat and the kid giving him the,
bat and everything about that movie was. Magical and the
fact that he was like really, SMOOTH i mean when
he threw a baseball was very. Believable when he swung a,

(45:26):
bat it was very. Believable he was very baseball athletic
wise in that particular. Movie and when you first mentioned his,
name of, Course Paul, Newman pops and those two guys
to me were man's, man like a man's man kind
of a. Guy you just always rooted for. Them you
always liked. Them they were so. Likable their roles were
fantastic again BECAUSE i think there's to me they're kind of.

(45:48):
Insuperable Butch, Cassidy Sun, dance et. Cetera so, YEAH i
was a Big redford, fan a Big newman. Fan That's hollywood.
ROYALTY i saw pop up on my screen too as
we were talking earlier in this. Podcast so, yeah this
is A i, think from my, perspective is a VERY
i think the word class he's. OVERUSED i think this
guy had demonstrated a lot of, class and he was

(46:11):
distinctive and just he just handled himself in such a wonderful. Manner,
big big fan on so many different levels of his,
movies Even Three days of The, condor all these different
things that he. DID a huge fan and it's too
bad to read those that news. Today.

Speaker 1 (46:27):
Yeah of Course The natural was based on the book
By Bernard, mohlamad and that was actually based loosely on
a real life, Story Eddie. Wakes does that name mean
anything to, You, Joe, Yeah Warmer Chicago cubs first. Baseman,
yeah he was shot at The Edgewater Beach hotel In
chicago in nineteen forty nine by a nineteen year old,

(46:48):
fan Ruth Ann, steenhagen who had stalked. Him so the
movie is just a fictionalized the, count but the scene
with him being, shot the story Of Eddie wakes was
kind of the background For The.

Speaker 3 (46:59):
NATURAL i think this requires after eighteen holes of golf,
today cooking a really good dinner, tonight maybe going See
beanie this, afternoon starting to button things up. TONIGHT i
Think i'm going to Put The natural on the tube,
tonight turn it up a little, bit and enjoy. It
in All E, SCLORY i think that's exactly you just
you just convinced me that that's What i'm doing.

Speaker 1 (47:19):
Tonight nineteen eighty, FOUR i think when that movie came,
out and then of course it was The Kirk gibson
home run in nineteen eighty, eight where that was the, comparison,
right the walk off home run didn't hit the clock
and exploit the. Clock but, Yeah Robert, redford my, goodness
what star power? Is that Was Robert redford on the
screen right AS i, SAID a quintessential leading man has left.

Speaker 3 (47:43):
Us eighty, FOUR i was managing The Puoria, Chiefs, Puria.
Illinois Pete vanochen was my. Owner pete And Harry carey
were best of, friends and he Eulogized harry at his
funeral In, chicago and if you could find it on,
YouTube it's. Outstanding pete was the best. Man so nineteen
eighty four is a near and dear ear to my.
Heart so definitely gonna watch that.

Speaker 1 (48:02):
Tonight, Well, joe we've reached the point in the podcast
where you take us home and what do you have
to end this edition of The book Of.

Speaker 2 (48:09):
Joe, well you.

Speaker 3 (48:09):
Know we kind of touched on it a little. Bit
JUST i was just considering the time of the year
that it is and all these teams vying for this.
Position and you, Know i've talked to different managers at
different points over the last couple of. Years they they'll
check in AND i really these come for, me actually these,
quotes BECAUSE i do believe it to really hold true right.
Now number, one would we do simple? Better you just
you want to you want to consume nuggets right, now

(48:31):
not the entire. Chicken you, know everybody wants this time
of the. Year this is what happens is everybody wants
to get, involved meaning you, know their analytical, staff they're
they're they're putting together reams of information about the teams
are going to. Play they have meetings all day long
which are not, necessary and you're basically just getting people,
tired is what you're doing after a long. Season SO
i would really implore and encourage groups to just do

(48:53):
simple better right. Now if you have a, meeting which you,
should just really put a governor on it and and,
realize at this time of the, year the team that
plays better, baseball the better rested, team the better prepare
team mentally in regards to how they approach the, day
how they play the. Game who makes less mental, mistakes
that's the team that's going to. Win SO i really
believe in. FRESHNESS i believe in freshness and not overwhelming with.

(49:17):
Information so do simple. Better and last, point never permit
the pressure to exceed the. Pleasure you work so hard
to get to this, point something you've always wanted to.
Do and now. Listen the first YEAR i got to
the playoffs with The angels in two thousand and, two
we win. It my, GOD i was like, accelerated. OVERWHELMED
i was balling after that. Game my dad had just
passed away that. Year it was that powerful to me

(49:40):
Because i've always wanted to be a major league, coach, player, manager.
Whatever and then and then of course get into the
playoffs and there you. Are you're in the. Playoffs so
never permit the pressure of the moment to exceed the.
Pleasure sometimes we, do and that's too. Bad slow things
down takes mental. Snapshots this is what you've always worked
to do and, become and realize if you want to

(50:01):
win it. ALL i think to do simple better and
not permitting the pressure to see the pleasure are two
really good thoughts to hold on.

Speaker 1 (50:07):
To sage advice all the, time but especially this time of.
Year thank you, brother good, Job joe'll see you next time.

Speaker 2 (50:14):
On The book Of joe To.

Speaker 3 (50:15):
Tommy. Thanks The book Of.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
Joe podcast is a production Of.

Speaker 1 (50:25):
iHeartRadio for more podcasts From, iHeartRadio visit The iHeartRadio, App Apple,
podcasts or wherever you get your.

Speaker 2 (50:32):
Podcasts