Do you ever wonder what it takes to succeed as a Major League Baseball player? In this engaging episode, we're joined by our good friend and special guest, Bobby Kielty. We discuss the mental game of both baseball and tennis, as he shares his experiences growing up playing baseball in Southern California, and reminisce about the bond we created through tennis. Bobby, a former MLB player and current tennis teaching pro and USTA rated 5.0 player, brings a unique perspective on the similarities between the two sports and how to approach each game to maximize our strengths and exploit our opponents' weaknesses in tennis.
As we chat about our shared love of tennis and the similarities between baseball, Bobby shares his incredible journey from signing with the Minnesota Twins to playing in the World Series as a member of the Boston Red Sox, and his current career as a real estate broker and tennis pro in Canyon Lake. We also explore the challenges American athletes face in making it to the D1 level of tennis, drawing from Bobby's experiences to inspire the next generation of players.
Finally, we discuss the possibility of teaming up and playing doubles tournaments together in the 45s age group. Listen in and learn how Bobby's experience playing in the World Series helped him focus on the mental game, and has made him a formidable competitor on the courts. Join us as we laugh, learn, and explore the fascinating world of tennis and baseball, all while celebrating the friendships formed through our shared passion for tennis.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
You are listening to Your League Tennis Podcast with
your host, anthony Radonia.
Anthony is an avid weekendwarrior tennis player, just like
you.
Every week, he'll beinterviewing new and exciting
guests that will not only differin experience and skill level,
but also in age and physicalability.
Your League Tennis Podcast isabout making you a better tennis
(00:26):
player, whether you're abeginner or have been playing
for years, in your 20s or inyour 60s.
Now here is your host, anthonyRadonia.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Alright, so there's the fancy intro, bobby.
So all credit to my wife.
she knows how to do that.
I'm still an idiot, so I don'tknow how to do any of that stuff
, but thanks for coming, myfriend.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I really appreciate it.
Thanks for having me on, it wasfun.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, driving out from Canyon.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Lake to my house.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I really appreciate this.
So I'm just going to start outwith this, because this is huge.
You brought this for me tonight, so I got to show this on
camera.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That was for carrying me in the last match we played.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
We're going to talk about that for sure.
So what did you do here?
What did you give me?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
So I just gave you a bat that I used.
It's not a game to use bat, butjust a bat I used to swing
signature to you.
What I think I wrote you're agreat doubles partner.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
I'm a.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
World Series champ.
I wrote down I know awesomedoubles partner.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
And then so when you say, like you used, do you just
have like a million bats thatyou used for practice?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, i mean I don't have them anymore.
I've given them so many awayover the years, but I still have
a few left, so I figured it'dbe a good time to give it to you
.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Well, cool, let's at least start with that, then,
because we met in league and weplayed against each other's,
probably a year ago maybe, ormore.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I think it was less.
Oh, really, I think we, I feellike we just played in Marietta.
You know, maybe was it only, itwas only maybe six to eight
months ago.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Because the first time I met you was actually at
your place in Canyon Lake.
Do you remember that We playedon that bottom court?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, that was the same same league.
I think it was winter leaguelast year.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, okay, yeah, okay, so about a year.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah, yeah, i know it was great to play.
You got me right, you got mepretty good.
That was a good match, though.
That was fun.
That was definitely fun, andit's just like meeting you and
then playing in doubles againstyou, and then there's just not a
(02:40):
lot of five-oh guys around, youknow, Yeah, especially in the
Empire.
So it was nice to team up withyou and have a league together.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, and I remember that match too which was funny
because I always tell the storyto my other buddies is you're a
very humble guy, very normal guy, and we were talking after the
singles match And I didn't knowanything about you.
Truthfully, i don't really lookpeople up, i just go play, have
fun.
You know Try to be nice and youknow try to win.
But be, nice, you know, gainsome friendships along the way.
(03:10):
And I forget how.
I asked it, like hey, when didyou get into tennis or something
?
And then you said I played alittle pro ball or something
like that.
And I'm like, oh okay.
So I went home and looked youup and I'm like, oh my gosh.
And well, at first actually Iwas like, oh wow, i played some
major leagues, that's cool, it'scool.
And then I started YouTubeingyour name, and that's when I saw
(03:31):
the World Series home run And Ithink I sent you a picture of
it or something later that night.
And I was like oh my gosh, thisis you.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Like yep, I want to talk about that, of course, But
you're rating right now.
You're a five-oh in tennis.
Do you know your UTR?
Do you follow that?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
I want to say it's right around an eight and a half
.
Okay, right in that range.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, are you playing tournaments outside league at
all?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Not a lot.
Okay, I played a little bit.
I played a 45s tournament lastyear which actually ranked me in
the US, which was kind of cool.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
But I'd like to How old are you again?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I'm 46.
46, okay, yeah, i'd like toplay, but I think I'd like to
play more doubles tournamentsthan singles tournaments.
You know, find a good a partnermaybe you No we got to do
something That'd be fun.
Maybe we can make it around inthe 45s, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I just turned 45 this year so I can play it.
Yeah, that'd be fun.
I think we'd do pretty good inthat.
Yeah, I would love to do thatbecause I've been playing 40s
and then obviously you can playlower, you know sometimes, but
no, 45s would be a good league Ithink so too.
I mean a good tournament.
We would love that, so okay.
So let's do this, because Iwant to obviously get into
(04:46):
tennis, because the tennis is agood tennis podcast, but I want
to lay the groundwork of who youare, why you're giving me a bat
number one.
So let's just show the ring tostart it, and then we'll talk
about it.
Where'd you put that thing?
So, bobby brought the WorldSeries ring 2007,.
Boston Red Sox.
Oh, i got to see this thing.
(05:06):
Is it massive?
Here you go.
It's pretty big.
I never wear it.
Look at that thing.
I mean I did Google it actually, just I don't know.
I didn't knew that littleInstagram teaser and I looked it
up.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Yeah, that was cool, that's so cool.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Oh, so it has your name on it.
Yeah, 2007,.
7th World Series Champions.
Oh, 4-0 sweep.
I looked that up too.
See, i'm not a big baseball guy, you know.
what's funny is I grew up inWest Covina, which is right by
South Hills, and I'm sure you'llknow the guys I'm going to
bring up right now.
A few years older than me wasGiambi the Lydals.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Corey Lydall.
yeah, Yeah, Corey Lydall.
and then I forget who elsePlayed with Corey Lydall.
You played with Corey.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh wow, With the.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Blue Jays.
Oh, he played on the Blue Jaystoo.
Yeah, okay, not on the A's,then You guys weren't together
on the A's.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
No, we were together on the A's.
That's so cool, Bobby.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Oh, thanks.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Blue Jays, you know.
And then the crazy accident ofcourse That was sad.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
That was sad yeah, yeah, his family lives like
three blocks from my parentswhere I grew up, so I sort of
grew up with his family, notknowing his family too good, but
just knowing of them, you know.
And they were a little olderthan me And I forget who else.
It was Giambi Lydals.
There was one other, oh, aaronSmall, do you know that name?
(06:25):
He played on, i think so.
Yeah, it rings a bell.
Yeah, he was in the majors too.
I just forget how much, butthose three guys played on the
same Little League team and thesame high school team.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
That's nuts.
Yeah, it's pretty nuts.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And then, where did you grow up?
I grew up in Marina Valley.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Oh, you did, Yeah.
So I grew up there my wholelife.
Out of there I went to USC toplay baseball.
Red Shirted left there, went tojunior college for RCC for two
years and then finished up atOle Miss.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Oh wow, did you go straight into the minors, or how
does that work after college,for basically, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
So I was kind of a different avenue.
I was never drafted And thenafter my year at Ole Miss I went
to It's called the Cape CodLeague, which is the best
collegiate league in the nationto play, and I just blossomed
there.
I ended up becoming the MVP Andthen it was like a lullaby to
tour.
Every major league team wasinviting me out every weekend
(07:24):
And I went to I think 12 or 13different teams and just went on
this big tour where I washitting, running, throwing and
doing everything for them Andthen at the end of it offers
came in And then I signed withthe Minnesota Twins.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
How soon was that after college?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I was right after college.
In fact, i was still at OleMiss when I was doing all that,
because I thought I was going togo back for my senior year.
But I just sat out and waitedand then signed in February.
So I was at Ole Miss fromAugust till February, and then
February came, and then that'swhen spring training starts.
So I went directly to springtraining straight from
(08:03):
Mississippi.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Did you end up finishing college then, or did
you didn't get to I?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
didn't.
No, I didn't finish.
I came back and finished atUniversity of Phoenix online.
Oh, cool Yeah.
When did you do that?
I did that.
I think I finished in like 2014.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Okay, so way after your baseball career.
Yeah, oh, that's so cool.
How much did you have left tofinish?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
You know, i went to SC, then RCC and then Ole Miss.
Four years of college and Istill had to do two more Years.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Yeah, two more years.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Oh, really, yeah, I was like you know just
everything.
Yeah, yeah, i always got goodgrades.
I never had an issue with that.
Just, it was just.
When I went to SC, i was like apre-med major.
And then RCC, you're just doingyour associate's degree And
then you go to Ole Miss andthere I was a math major, So I
wasn't really nothing really fittogether.
(08:54):
And then at the end of the dayit was like you know, i got my
business administration degreewith Phoenix And that just made
the most sense.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You know, and right now you're doing what?
What kind of work?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I'm a real estate broker.
I have about 20, 22 agents thatwork underneath me, so they do
a lot of business.
I kind of manage all that Andthen I sell and, you know,
represent buyers and sellers.
Obviously, when I first started, i got into, it was when all
the flipping stations were inand my wife and I, you know, we
(09:28):
just kind of took that by thehorn, started flipping back in
08.
And that's what got me intoreal estate and I got my license
and so forth And so, yeah,that's my main source of income
is, you know, real estate.
And then I'm going to headtennis pro at Canyon Lake.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
At Canyon Lake.
And so if you started that in08, that was one of the things I
was a little confused aboutwhen I was just Googling you and
Wikipediaing you right, Whichwas after 07, which I still want
to talk about you went to theminors or you played still major
league, or how does that work?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
So actually 07.
that at bat was my last at batin the big leagues, which is
blows my mind that that's theway it ended.
But you know, then I went 08, iwas with the Red Sox and after
08, i didn't have a great year.
I was injured And I just feltlike I knew I needed to do
(10:23):
something to make sure that Ikept making money.
you know, You know most peoplethink that if you played major
league baseball you have a tonof money.
But in the grand scheme ofthings, I had, you know, four to
five years where I made goodmoney, but I didn't make the
kind of money that superstarsmake.
You know, I was a role player,bench player, And so you pretty
(10:46):
much have to do something afteryou're done playing baseball.
That's just the nature of it.
I felt like that was we got inthe flipping to make money that
way, And then it turned intobrokerage and so forth.
So it was just a situationwhere, you know, my career was
wasn't I didn't feel like atthat point in time was nearly
close to being over, but becauseI did play, you know, all the
(11:09):
way to almost 14.
Oh, really, But it was minorleagues, you know the whole way.
So, yeah, it was just.
I just knew that there wasgoing to be something I needed
to do when I was done And I feltlike that was a good situation
to go to.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
And do they pay guys in minor leagues or no?
Speaker 3 (11:26):
They do When you know , when you've, when you've
played in the big leagues, youknow, at that point in time I'd
played seven years in the bigleagues.
So you still get decentcontracts, but they're not, you
know, they're not right around ahundred thousand a year.
So it was, it was still goodfor six months.
You know it was good.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
All right.
So let's let's go.
Let's go back to the 07 WorldSeries then.
So, like I said, i mean Iplayed a little baseball.
I love watching sports, butI'll be honest with you, i don't
even know who won the WorldSeries last year.
That's how little I followbaseball, which is sort of
embarrassing.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
That's okay.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
So I had to look up those seven World Series.
After you know, knowing thatyou're coming tonight, i had to
just really look at it And youguys destroyed the Rockies for
4-0, right, sweet, yeah.
And first game was like 13 toone or something like that.
It just seems like it was ablowout series.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And fourth game.
You guys are up 3-1.
You get up in the eighth inningor the ninth inning.
I got up in the top of theeighth.
Top of the eighth inning.
It's 3-1, first pitch to youFirst pitch, yeah.
It's high fastball or high,high fastball.
I guess high fastball, You justyou kill it Home run And it's
(12:40):
4-1 and you guys end up winning4-3.
4-3, yeah.
So I mean really it's thedecisive home run, in a way.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
They all obviously won the win.
It ended up being the gamewinning RBI of the entire.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
World Series.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Now, i mean we were up at the time.
It's different, Like it was 3-3and that'd be different, but
yeah, it still ended up beingthe game winning RBI, which is
super cool.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
And that must have been in Colorado then, right,
that was in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Because when I was listening to it on YouTube at
what?
the crowd wasn't that into it,so I was like this must be in
Colorado.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly yeah.
Oh, that's so cool, It wasn't?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
loud.
It was pretty quiet.
I mean, i can tell you likethat was my only abat in the
World Series, you know, in thewhole World Series, in the whole
World.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Series yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
I played the series before but I had about seven,
eight days off And I rememberthe night before, like it
happened yesterday, i wastalking to my family and they
were all there And I was like Idon't care how I get in, i just
want to get in.
Yeah, i don't care what happens, i have to play defense for
Manny Ramirez.
You know, like that would havebeen great for me.
(13:48):
Just to say that I got to playAnd I knew that there was one
guy I would face.
It was Brian Fuentes,left-handed pitcher for the
Angels, and nobody probably knewthis, but including our team,
including front office, and itwould blow my mind if they
actually did know this But Iprobably had more bats against
(14:12):
him in the minor leagues thanany other player that I ever
played against And my numberswere fantastic against him in
the minor leagues.
But I was always known to be agood hitter off the bench
against left-handed pitching.
He was left-handed pitcher, ithink they just you know, that's
why I got pinched, that's why Ipinched it in that time period
was just to face him.
But I had so much confidencegoing in there facing him.
(14:33):
I had seen him, i hadvisualized probably 500 times
during the series about how hisarm slot was, how his ball was,
how it kind of had like awriting effect, and you know,
it's just, it's like I'd facedhim 500 times before I actually
had to face him.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
So you know, When you say visualize, you literally
are sitting down and justpretending you're at bat, like
how are you?
Speaker 3 (15:01):
visualizing Yeah just like you know, when you
visualize in sports or baseballor whatever, you're just closing
your eyes, visualizing his armangle, his arm motion, how this
ball looks, you know What doesit feel like to be in the box
against him.
You know, like there's it's aunique, you know scenario.
(15:23):
You know probably how you knowDjokovic visualized facing Roger
Federer.
serve, i'm sure he does thesame thing you know, like that's
what they do.
Yeah, and and in a what you knowthe the idea of visualization
is your brain.
you know it's proven that yourbrain doesn't know the
difference between you actuallyvisualizing and the actual event
(15:47):
happening in place.
So like when you're having, ifyou visualize success off a
pitcher, this is what kind ofwhat we would do.
If you visualize success orhits or or whatever it is, your
chances for success hasincreased you know, And so
that's, that's what it was allabout.
But so, yeah, i you know I wasready And at the time, you know
so, the the top of the eightstarts, and I saw him running in
(16:10):
.
I'm like this is my chance, youknow.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Oh, so he just got put in at that, he got put in
for the eighth inning.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Oh, wow, and, and so this is my chance.
And they actually didn't callme at first, they called Coco
Crisp, to, to, to be the pinchheader, okay, and I was just
like total it down.
Like, that's it Like that was myonly chance to be Yeah In this
world series.
And so I went to the the topyou know stair and was just kind
(16:37):
of sitting there and just last,literally last minute, they,
they completely changed theirmind and said they started
screaming my name and, you know,said I was going to hit And I
was just like I jumped up youknow it was freezing in Colorado
, i wasn't really, you know.
After I saw him say Coco, ikind of shut down.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
And then.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
so then I literally went, went to the, the bat rack,
put on my helmet, grabbed mybat.
There was a heater right there.
I sat in front of the heaterfor maybe like 20 seconds, then
started walking And as I waswalking to the on deck circle,
the umpires calling me the plate.
So I really I got like one ortwo practice swings.
And I'm walking And maybe ithelped.
(17:20):
you know, maybe I didn't havetime to think.
you know, maybe is, but as Iwas walking to the plate, i just
the one thing I, you know, itold myself was this is the
world series.
Like, i'm not going up theretaking pitches, i'm going up
there to swing the bat you know?
Speaker 2 (17:37):
So were people telling you how to what to do
Like?
Speaker 3 (17:40):
no, no, but you know there's, there's a, there's a
situation.
Sometimes you know you'releading off an inning.
This is, you know, lead.
You want to take a pitch, youknow just to see.
But I'd already seen him enough.
You know I knew what he had andI knew I had to.
His fastball kind of would,would ride and get on you a
little bit.
So I kind of cheated to thefastball You know I.
(18:00):
I, you know, i'd like to sayit's luck.
but Yeah, the preparation youknow the visualization, the, the
amount of times I'd faced them.
I don't believe it was luck.
I think it was.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
It was meant to be you know, wow, you know it
cracks me up watching theYouTube a bunch of times.
This one comment made me laughbecause you sort of rounded the
base bases pretty quickly Andobviously the game's not over
right, not even close.
So I was expecting more highfives and cheers, but the
whoever was on deck didn't highfive.
You And I saw this comment onYouTube and they're like who's
(18:34):
this guy on deck that didn'thigh five Bobby, like it just
cracked me up.
So, anyways, he was probably inthe zone.
He was in the zone.
He was in the zone.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
And that happens a lot.
You know he's walking in, I'mrunning by him fast, We miss
high fives or whatever, And youknow Manny and David Ortiz are
hugging me, And so that was thatwas like super awesome And then
, but yeah, it was just asurreal moment.
You know, it was like there'stwo moments that I can describe
(19:03):
as being called up as rookie,the adrenaline.
You know, it was kind of likebeing a rookie again, like the
adrenaline is so overwhelmingyou know when you get put in a
situation like that And you knowit was.
it was like I was a rookie allover again.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, and like you said last at bat in the major,
last at bat, yeah, last at bat,yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
I would never run.
A million years thought that.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
It just you know, it just ended up that way.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
How does Boston see you as a hero Like?
are you known there or is itnot really like that?
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, I mean Boston fans are very knowledgeable,
Yeah, And they remember you know, so certainly the fans that
know their stuff.
Yeah, they remember me for sure, Yeah, yeah, You know there was
an altar that said he'll beable to get a beer at any bar in
Boston for the rest of his life.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
During that game.
he said that Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
That's what they said you know, So I haven't.
I haven't actually gone toBoston and asked for my beer yet
, but maybe someday.
Oh, you haven't been back Ihave.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yeah, i've been back.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
It's just, you know, it's just, it's kind of a funny
saying that they said which iswhich is cool?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
No, it's cool.
Actually, I was going to askthat Do you have to pay for any
alcohol in Boston?
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Yeah, that was exactly one of the questions.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
So obviously I can stay on this topic forever and
it would just be interesting foranyone who's listening, but I
want to try to relate it totennis as much as I can.
So when you talk about thatsituation of going up to bat
World Series crowd, everythingyou know how does that relate to
(20:41):
when you're playing a matchlike, let's let's say, our
doubles match?
And so when I came home afterour doubles match, we ended up
losing the first set, i think,coming back winning the second
set, winning a very close thirdset, tiebreaker.
And when I came home I actuallytalked to my wife about this
and I said Bobby's builtdifferent, it's not like me and
(21:04):
you were hitting the mostamazing shots to win.
But there was something I saw inyou really and I mean this that
there was something that madeyou just I don't even know how
to describe it You weren'thitting better.
But there was something inthose close points where you
were there like focused, youwere mentally there and you just
(21:26):
didn't miss And like I'm sureyou can even think of some
volleys or whatever.
They were hitting at you hardAnd it's not like you were
hitting this beautiful wintervolley away, but you weren't
missing, and so when I went home, when I thought of that match,
i was like man Bobby's justbuilt different.
That must be something he'sgained over time, like through
his baseball years, where whenit counts he's there, i don't
(21:50):
know.
Can you talk a little bit aboutthat?
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Dude, I actually thought about similar, a lot of
similar stuff.
I felt like we both kind ofclutched up at the end.
And cause it was like the firstset I felt like I was a little
bit all over the place.
I wasn't as consistent as whatyou're saying And then I don't
(22:15):
know, i just I feel like we gotin the heat of the battle and I
really wanted to win.
Like I was like God, i want towin this match.
I felt like the pedigree on theother side was a little better
than us, what they'd collegetennis and what they'd been
through, and it was just.
I also didn't want to let youdown.
(22:36):
I wanted to win.
Yeah, I mean, I felt like theimportant points were the ones
we won.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
No, you're right.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Totally.
I don't feel like necessarily.
They may have won more points,but we won the important ones.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It was.
I loved the match.
It was an awesome match.
I had a lot of fun that day.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Oh yeah, that was so fun.
You know thinking when I readmore on YouTube about the World
Series, there was this onesentence that caught my eye and
I tried to relate it back totennis and even our tennis match
.
I know the sports aren't thesame, but I was surprised to
read that the Rockies made noerrors in your World Series.
I don't know if you've knownthis or read this.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
No, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Literally the third team in history to make no
errors in a World Series.
And there were.
The other two teams were in thefifties, like Yankees, orales,
something like that, andprobably the other ones won.
See, i don't know To tell youthe truth, i have to look that
up, but it was Yankees in thefifties and the Orioles in the
sixties.
So I'll look that up.
You're probably right.
Yeah, but I was so surprised tosee no errors and a sweep
(23:39):
against them.
Obviously, the sports aredifferent, because no errors is
huge in baseball.
But I sometimes think that's myissue in tennis, which is I'm
playing for no errors instead ofplaying to win.
Maybe can you talk about that alittle.
I know, maybe baseball isn't onperfect on point.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Yeah, with baseball gosh, you get out there and you
start playing a little timid andthe game will pass you by.
And that's what happens to alot of players that get called
up as rookies.
They get nervous, they getscared and they get their shot
(24:21):
and they don't necessarilysucceed And they send them down
and then they come back up Andsometimes the same thing happens
And you're like God, this guy'sincredible in the minor leagues
, but he can't put it togetherin the big leagues.
And I think it has to do withplaying timid And, yeah, just
sometimes playing too safe.
(24:42):
Right In tennis, sometimes,when you play too safe, you're
like why didn't I go for thatshot Or why didn't I?
And yeah, i think at the end ofthe day, when you finish a
tennis match and you feel likeyou went for it and you lost,
you're going to feel a lotbetter if you didn't go for it
and you lost.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Yeah Right, i mean No , totally.
All my regrets in tennis afterthe match are that I didn't
trust myself in swing out AndI'm not necessarily making a
million errors, because I don'treally make errors, but the
other person's always blowing meout When I lose and I watch it
on swing vision or somethinglike that the other person's
(25:23):
always blowing me out, and it'snot like they're necessarily
stronger than me.
It's just that I'm not hittingout, i'm not trusting my shot,
so it's definitely that.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
For sure, yeah, i mean.
Yeah, it's just funny how themind can get involved with your
ability to perform.
Yeah.
You know, Yeah, I think whenyou can let it go and clear your
mind and take all the extrainformation out and just play
(25:54):
the way you're supposed to play,then I think good things happen
right.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, which is sort of what happened.
Going back to our importantpoints, i wasn't necessarily
thinking It was just me and youreacting to each other, like you
said, trying not to let eachother down which is why doubles
is so fun, different thansingles But we were just there,
just pumped, and I wasn't reallythinking We were just swinging.
(26:18):
Points were going fast, yeah,but we were super fast.
Yeah, it was going fast, butsomehow we were getting them.
We were hitting the rightserves, we were doing everything
right And when it counted.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, when it counted , it was strange.
Yeah, i did, i would.
I mean, i win singles matchesAnd I'm not nearly as pumped as
when it doubles.
I don't know what it is, butI'm super excited when doubles.
It's like a team thing.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
And we got one more league match.
Was it next Saturday or?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Sunday, next Saturday Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
So we got to play that one.
Oh, you know what something Ididn't ask you was?
You were on the A's as well,prior to Boston.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Right, right prior to Boston.
So that wasn't necessarily likethe money ball year, right?
Because I'm trying to thinkback to the movie I think it was
.
O2 is like supposedly the yearof the movie.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Of the movie.
Yeah Yeah, O2 is the movie Iwas with the twins.
In fact I'm in the movie moneyball.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Are you really?
Yeah, wait, you personally areyour name, so they, they flag
their flashing cards.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
I don't know if you remember the part where they're
flashing players, ok, and andI'm one of the players that pop
up.
In fact, a bunch of peoplealways sent me a text like dude,
i just saw you money ballReally, and it's super fast,
right?
Speaker 2 (27:32):
OK, I got to check that out.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
But then also I'm the when they played the twins.
I'm I'm actually live footageof me hitting in that movie.
Oh my gosh, yeah, so it's.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
OK, i totally got to watch that.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
It was a huge out that they made, you know, to
close out a big win you know itmade.
I can't remember if it wastheir big 20th win or not, but
it was during that series whenthey were showing them, when all
those games and I was one ofthe outs, that was a big win for
them.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Oh you're, you're one of the outs, meaning you hit, i
hit and they, they threw me out.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
They threw you out.
Yeah, to end the game.
OK.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
So were you one of the guys that Billy Bean, or
whoever else, wanted after?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Oh, yes you were, yes , i was.
So I got, i got traded there in2004 in the offseason, ok, and
I was a money ball guy, you know.
I had a good on base percentage, yeah, so if you look at my
stats from, like, the twins, mynumbers are really good, you
know.
And I went to the Blue Jays, igot traded to the Blue Jays and
(28:40):
then in between that off seasonand the next is when Billy
traded for me, and so, and itwas because of my on base
percentage and so forth, and youknow, i just when I went over
to the A's, i just, you know,the playing time was a little
sporadic right from the get go,which kind of created a, you
(29:04):
know, a wonder in my mind is, asyou know, i thought I was
getting traded to play every dayAnd I just wasn't getting
thrown out there every day, youknow.
And so, yeah, i mean, could ithave been different?
Who knows?
you know, there's a lot ofthings I probably could have
changed in my major leaguecareer.
I always wanted to play moreand more and get more playing
(29:26):
time And you know, i was one ofthe when I was with the twins.
I was playing very well and and, but I was.
I was bummed that I wasn'tplaying every day And I wanted
to play every day And I was ayoung player and I felt like I
deserved to play every day.
You know, but at times I mayhave said the wrong things to my
manager back then And that'sprobably why I got traded the
(29:48):
first time.
But you know, i probably couldhave stayed in Minnesota for 10
years and kept doing, kept doingthe role that I was doing, but
it's all you know.
water on the bridge, in thesense that I just, you know, I
wanted the opportunity to playevery day, And I don't think it
would ever would have happenedin Minnesota, but I could have
stayed there for a long periodof time.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
So my understanding of the movie is the am I saying
that right?
Billy Bean, Is that the guy'sname, right?
Okay, His want for players andthen whoever his assistant was,
was because guys wereundervalued.
So were you considered anundervalued guy?
or you're saying you were sortof flew under the radar?
Well, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
So they always wanted to look for players.
When they say undervalued,they're not getting paid a lot
of money yet right.
So if they can find a guy thathas a year or two in the majors,
we're like, you know, look atthe on base percentage, you know
there he's not really gettingpaid a lot of money.
(30:50):
or they would look in the minorleagues, you know, and look for
the high on base percentagesand try to bring those guys in
and you know they would havesuccess and then they wouldn't
have to pay that much for aboutthree years, okay, and so that
was kind of the way they did itand it worked extremely well for
many, many years.
But you know, i think it's Ithink that there's so many other
(31:12):
teams doing that now that it'sharder.
it's harder to pull that offwithout spending money, you know
, and keeping guys, and I thinkit'll continue to be harder
because the front office hasreally dived, you know, dived
into that and so.
but the undervalue, yeah, imean for me.
you know I was a bench player,so I didn't, i wasn't putting up
(31:32):
a lot of, i wasn't getting alot of it at bats.
That's really where it comes to.
making a lot of money isgetting that 500, 600 of bats
And, as with those of bats, more, better numbers are coming.
you know I was getting the youknow 250 to 350 at bats, and so
I was pretty cheap you know Okay.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
And so that was yeah, exactly So, and again, always
trying to relate this back totennis.
But the more I looked into whatBilly Bean was trying to
accomplish, or even peoplebefore him, and trying to
understand what Saber metrics isand all this stuff, i started
realizing, like you said, it'smore on base percentage versus
just batting average.
(32:11):
They were looking at otherstuff, slugging percentage on
base percentage, and then I wastrying to relate that somehow to
tennis And I know I'm justthrowing this at you And if you
don't have an answer, that'sfine.
But it seemed like Sabermetrics.
All these guys were trying tosay we're focused on the wrong
thing.
I guess that probably came fromthe movie too, but it was like
(32:32):
we're focused on the wrong thinghere.
Everyone just focused onbatting average And that doesn't
win games.
And I'm trying to relate thatsomehow to tennis.
And I started thinking maybeI'm focused on the wrong thing,
like why aren't I winning?
Am I focused on I don't knowhow, like my stroke, like
sometimes not being conceited?
I really try to look in themirror and look at my stroke.
(32:54):
You know what I mean by that.
Right Like meaning I'm tryingto.
Is my stroke pretty?
Is it the right way?
Is it, you know, and so am Ifocused on the wrong thing.
You think.
Should I just be focused on, idon't know, keeping the ball in
play, not making errors, goingfor it, like, what do you think
it is?
if that, if I?
Speaker 3 (33:13):
I think, like just me thinking about what you're
saying, like if I were to, if Iwere to compare batting average
to on base percentage, i wouldprobably compare it to like how
hard are you serving right?
What's the speed of it comparedto?
am I serving it to the backhandmore or am I serving it to the
(33:34):
forehand?
more right, So let's say you'reslamming first serves and you're
going to the forehand the wholetime, you know, are you gonna
have as much success?
Yeah, so I think it's like Idon't know, i kind of feel like
that would maybe be more related.
Like it's great that you havethis big serve or this great
average.
Yeah, like, how successful isit?
Yeah, you know, is it moresuccessful that you'd have that
(33:55):
great big serve to the backhandcompared to the forehand?
Like you know, i think mostpeople are probably taught to
like try to serve to thebackhand more right, i mean,
especially like to me.
I'm a one-hander, you know.
Yeah, yeah, so I think it'slike they started diving into
what really matters and what canwin more games, right, and I
(34:17):
think it's kind of like what youand I would look at if we were
playing a singles match.
We're gonna probably the firstthing we're gonna do is try to
beat up the backhand, come inand volley right, like you know,
or just pound the backhanduntil you know something opens
up, and so forth.
Yeah, but that's kind of Idon't know, that's kind of.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
No, it totally makes sense what you're saying,
because I think it is what I dowrong, which is I'm more
concerned with how hard or howslow is my first serve, like
it's not fast enough.
It's actually what I go out andpractice.
I'm probably practicing thewrong thing.
I'm not noticing, like what'stheir weapon.
I probably don't even noticesometimes if they're a lefty or
a righty.
(34:57):
to be honest, like till, maybehalfway through the match right
I'm just like I know I'm gonnaserve at this spot as hard as I
can.
So you're right, it's beingfocused on the wrong stuff
totally.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
And sometimes like that's just playing.
You know, playing to yourstrength, right?
I mean, if your strength is toserve to a certain spot of the
box and you're really good at it, then it may actually hurt you
to try to go to.
You know, if the backhand sideisn't your best spot, maybe it
would hurt you.
You know what I mean, like Idon't know.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Well, that's interesting though, because I
think about that too, am I, ifI'm not noticing my opponent?
I had a friend on Adam you knowAdam, my friend Adam on the
podcast And he actually saidduring the warmup in tennis,
he's paying attention to them,what's their strengths, what
their weakness is.
And I said I've never done thatonce in my life.
And now I'm thinking should Ibe, should I just play my
(35:47):
strengths or should I play theirweaknesses?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
I guess maybe a mixture of both problems,
Probably a mixture of both right, yeah, i try to do that And
sometimes I, you know, ievaluate wrong and it takes me a
set to be like, okay, i've beengoing to his backhand the
entire match and he's just notmissing, you know.
And then, or for example, let'ssay, you're hitting big first
(36:11):
serves and they don't have anyproblem with it, and then you
hit kick serves and they'rehaving a problem with it And
it's just all kick.
But that one always confuses me.
You know, if I'm serving bigand they're slapping it back
just as hard, then I'm like I'mnot going to do that anymore.
You know, that's not funwatching it come back at me And
I, you know.
So, yeah, i don't know, i'malways trying to figure
(36:34):
something out.
Sometimes I'm not right,sometimes I am, i guess, but I
try to figure it out.
And warmups, you know, and seewhat it looks like.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
So so you are thinking about that Even during
the match.
You're not just out thereswinging.
You'll do high top spin, you'llchange it up, you'll do as much
as you can.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
I try to yeah, Okay, Especially with the serve,
because I feel like if I can getsomething where I'm like, oh,
that's working you know I'mgoing to keep doing it because
it's working.
Because, I don't want the ballcoming back.
Yeah, You know I'm not, I'm not, I'm not good enough for it to
come back and have to react toit.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
And we're getting too old and too heavy.
My strokes aren't that prettyyou know, My strokes are kind of
they're like my my swing andbaseball.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
It wasn't a pretty thing, but it got the job done
you know, yeah, what do youweigh right now?
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Do you want to say that on air?
I'm like G25.
And what's a good weight likethat you would love to be for
10?
.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
I'd love to be like 205, you know, 210.
I'd be faster and I wouldn'thurt as much.
I think the weight, just it,crushes my knees.
Not that 225 is like superheavy, but I didn't need to lose
some weight.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
So you're a good 20, you would like to lose 20.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
20,.
Yeah, 15 to 20.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
That's actually exactly what I'm at, if I can
lose 15 to 20, which I havebefore, and my tennis was
amazing.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Yeah, Like everything was different.
I think everything will themovement, the mobility you know,
like I mean, wouldn't you agree, Like when you, when you have
the mobility, you're that muchbetter.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yeah, I wasn't hurting, like especially when I
was stretching too.
When I lost the weight for somereason, I was doing everything
else right, Like now I'm doingnothing right.
I should be least stretching,you know, doing some other
things right, But when I lostthe weight I was doing
everything right.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
Like I was stretching , i was doing sit ups Yeah, i
don't do that stuff, right now,i don't either.
You just feel better.
You know, Oh, totally, And myback felt better When I was
doing sit ups.
My back felt amazing.
Now, every morning when I wakeup, my back hurts.
I'm like why Is it in my back?
And no, it's probably have aweak stomach.
Yeah, Oh man, What else are yougonna say?
(38:43):
So you know, when we playeddoubles, you played the backhand
right, yeah, i played thebackhand.
You did play the backhand, Okaythat's right And which later on
I started thinking about that.
That's a little strange.
Right, You have the one-handerAnd I got the two-hander.
I feel a little morecomfortable on my two-hander And
(39:05):
I don't remember why we didthat.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Well for me.
I struggle with the one-handedbackhand inside out.
You know That's a tough shotfor me, oh yeah, yeah.
Whereas the backhand crosscourt is a little easier for me,
you know.
So I think that we probablycould play really well the other
way too, mm-hmm, you know, butI would probably go with more
(39:28):
cut lobs over the net playerthan trying to go inside out.
That's tough for me.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
On the do side.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
On the do side, On the do side.
out one-hander is a difficultshot for me to pull off.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
But if I can rip a one-hander cross court, it just
tends to work a lot better forme.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Yeah, well, when you're teaching right now, you
said you're teaching just kids,or is it all around?
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Kids, adults.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
Yeah, you are.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
Yeah, everybody Were you gonna ask which one I teach.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
No, well, i was gonna ask like that because I'm
interested.
when you're dealing with yourown problems and doubles, like
you're noticing, you know you'rehitting this shot better, that
shot better, like I was justinterested on how you're
teaching kids Like, is it doublestrategy?
Are you not there yet?
That's what I was asking about.
the age.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
Yeah, we do.
I mean with the high schoolgirls I get into double strategy
with them.
It's pretty simple, basic stuffto make sure they're positioned
, you know right And you knowtrying to come in when the ball
is deep and so forth.
But, like as far as strokes areconcerned, i just feel like the
two-hander is just a bettershot to teach.
(40:38):
So I don't ever teach aone-hander.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
Interesting.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
I haven't taught a one-hander to anybody.
It's always a two-hander.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
So even right when they're starting out, you're
making sure.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
Right when they're starting out.
I just, you know, you watch thetwo-hander's return serve and I
feel like it's always betterYeah.
I mean wouldn't you agree?
Speaker 2 (40:53):
No, i do, because the one-hander has to rely on the
slice.
I mean, if you're Federer whocares, i guess but, you're right
, the one-hander has to rely onthe slice a lot.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
Yeah, i mean you hear .
you know you watch the prosplay and all the great
one-handers you still hear thecommentators always talking
about.
You know the one-hander's gonnabreak down.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yeah, you know, just hear it.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
I hear it over and over again on TV.
Like you know, sits a boss.
You know his return to serve onthe one-handed side.
Backhand isn't near as good ashis forehand.
Yeah, so it's, and I.
There's times where I wish Iwas a two-handed returner and
then a one-handed shot makerInteresting.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
You know?
Yeah, that's interesting.
I never thought about that,because I do actually hit a
one-hand if it's really low andthe guy's pressing the net and
it's a certain shot I reallycan't describe it, maybe unless
we're on the court, but it's acertain shot where I'm running
to the left.
I actually do hit a one-handersometimes.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Because you can maneuver, maneuver it.
Yeah, i agree.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Yeah, Cause it feels.
It feels a little stuck whenthe two hands.
But the one hand I'll just, Ifeel You can flick it, Flick it.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Cross-court, kind of like a forehand right.
Yeah, yeah, i agree, i agree,and but the return to serve?
I'd much rather have atwo-handed.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
No, you're right.
Yeah, yeah, that's interesting.
Are you using weight on yourracket at all?
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Like lead.
Yeah, no, have you ever?
I haven't no.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Do guys?
I mean I know baseball, theyweigh their bats and everything,
but I don't know, is thereanything comparable like that in
baseball?
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Yeah, i mean.
So when we order bats they'reall a little different.
Oh, like you could.
You could order a dozen batsand there's there's six to eight
of them that you actually like.
The other four you're like justdoesn't feel right And it could
be a 0.1 ounce, but we can feelit.
(42:50):
It's really when you'reswinging a bat every single day
And it's just that it's kind oflike they talk about Federer
swinging rackets.
They're like, yeah, this isn'tright, so it's not right about
it.
And it's maybe the mostminuscule gram of an ounce or
whatever you know, like that'son, that's on an intelligent
(43:10):
gram of an ounce, but it's sominuscule that you'd think that
they wouldn't know.
You know, and it may even bewrote on there, that it's the
same weight, but we'll gomeasure it and it's not the same
weight.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
I've always been interested about that too,
because they actually say thatwhen you get your racket it
might be slightly different,Slightly different yeah.
Which is why the pros havesomeone that weighs it and they
do use weight, but they'll getall the specs exactly the same
Perfect Cause, you're right.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
I mean, it may happen to them too, where they get 10
rackets coming and maybe theyonly like four of them.
Yeah, But that's what happenswith baseball too.
It's so mental, you know likeyou're like God, it just doesn't
feel quite right Or maybe thebat was cut.
It's the same exact weight.
You measure it, but it wasn'tcut exactly the same way.
(44:03):
You know what I mean.
There's a little more headweight in the barrel.
That will get you.
Every time There's a littlemore head weight in the barrel
You're like no, it's gotta feelbad.
Like.
For me it always had to be abalanced bat.
I didn't like any weight at theend of the bat, cause it just
felt heavy.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
How about in tennis?
then?
Are you head light, handleheavy?
Speaker 3 (44:25):
Do you care?
Speaker 2 (44:25):
about that stuff, do you think?
Speaker 3 (44:26):
about it.
I don't like it when it's thelighter head.
You know, lighter head, light,lighter head, yeah, i like it.
I think, whether you measure itat a one, is it like 0.51 or
whatnot?
I like it right at a one.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Cause I've been putting.
I gotta show you, after beentaking the butt cap off, and I
actually put fishing putty.
You know the putty that theyput on.
You know fishing lines whenthey throw, like to make it to
get a little heavier.
I've been stuffing that in thebutt cap.
It's tungsten putty and thehandle feels nice.
(45:03):
So it's making it's heavierdown here.
It's heavier down the handle,so technically it's.
It's called it's making theracket head light, because
obviously the handle's heavierthan the head, but for some
reason it feels so nice and itfeels a little deader to me, so
something about it when I hitjust feels really nice.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
Cool.
I mean, you gotta find.
You gotta find what feels good,right?
Yeah, like you know, as a, ithink, as a tennis player, as a
baseball player, both situationsif it doesn't feel right, how
can you really perform like theway that you want to?
Yeah, it's always gonna be inyour head, man, something's not
right with my racket orsomething's not right with my
(45:45):
bat, i think it's impossible toperform to your best, but if it
feels great, you know watch out.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
How did you get into tennis after baseball?
Was it always part of your life?
Speaker 3 (45:55):
No, so, my, you know, i got my daughters into tennis.
I just always felt like it'd bea good sport for them to get
into.
And they just were, you know,taking lessons at Canyon Lake,
and I figured, man, i betterstart playing, because at some
point I didn't want to get beatyou know, And so it was.
(46:18):
I didn't want to get beat bythem.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
By them.
Yeah, oh, you didn't want toget beat by them.
Speaker 3 (46:24):
Yeah, i didn't want to get beat by them because
they're getting good, you know,and my, you know, i hit with my
daughter now and she can beat mein a set here and there, you
know, yeah, and it's like Andshe's out of college.
She's a 17 year old, she's ajunior.
She's a junior, okay, but she'sgraduating early.
(46:46):
So she's graduating this yearas a junior.
But you know, when I play her,i'm like man, some of the
there's a lot of 5-0 guys thatdon't hit as hard as she does.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
She hits really hard.
Speaker 3 (46:57):
And her backhand's super hard and flat So it rushes
me.
you know It's hard to it's hard.
She gets points off me that way.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
Yeah, the younger kids right now are hitting so
hard.
There's some kids on my club.
They hit so hard, man Oh manLike, wouldn't you agree?
Speaker 3 (47:12):
Like, the kids are hitting harder.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
I think so.
I don't know if it's just usbeing old and we're thinking
that, but I truly believe it.
Speaker 3 (47:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:19):
I know for a fact I wasn't hitting as hard as them
when I was young and I wasplaying all the time.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
Yeah, I mean, it's just, it's different.
I mean you would know more thanme.
I didn't play tennis.
I mean I played very littletennis when I was little.
We did, like me and my buddy.
I had a good friend who I grewup with.
We actually both played in thebig leagues, you know, And it's
just a, but we would go down.
I mean he was Michael Chang,right, Like that's who.
(47:49):
he was imitating his swings andeverything, And I was always
imitating Boris Becker, Likethat's what we were trying to do
.
We'd go and watch Wimbledon andmatches all the time.
We watched tennis.
We didn't play a lot, but wewatched it.
And then we went to the tenniscourts and tried to emulate the
way that they hit, they served,all the things that they did.
(48:10):
Even though we may not looklike them, we felt like we
looked like them.
Speaker 2 (48:13):
So when did you start playing more often?
and obviously you're teachingnow, so when did you start
really getting into playing?
Speaker 3 (48:20):
So like probably I wanna say it's about six years
now when I started playing likesix years ago, started at the
three, five level, Then I wasplaying like mixed 7-0 with my
sister and just players from theclub And then 4-0 and then 4-5
(48:44):
and then 5-0.
Speaker 2 (48:46):
How long have you been a 5-0?
Speaker 3 (48:48):
I've been a 5-0 for it's either two or three years
now.
Okay, But I feel like when Ibecame a 5-0, it's just like I
haven't played that much Thelast few years.
shoot like the leagues that youand I played.
That's all I've really played.
(49:08):
I haven't gotten to play muchat all, like three.
I think it was about threeyears ago.
we did take a 5-0 team tosectionals, which was super fun,
but that was we can't put two5-0 leagues together or teams in
our league here in Riverside todo it, Otherwise we'd probably
(49:30):
go.
Speaker 2 (49:31):
Yeah, no, it's so hard in our area because it's us
, then you, and then the nextclub is I don't even know where
a good 20, 30 miles worth of youAnd you got you know Andoka's
dude.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
I mean it used to be.
Yeah, andoka had a 4-5 team.
We had a 4-5 team, maria, thetennis club had a 4-5 team And
you had even Ken Kress had a 4-5team.
Then you also had the Rancho,the crickets.
I don't know if you ever playedagainst the crickets, but they
had a 4-5 team And it was agreat league.
But, man, when coronavirus hita league died.
(50:07):
It's lucky to get two teams forthe league now.
Plus, guys are getting older.
You know what?
Speaker 2 (50:13):
I mean, yeah, it seems like you could still get a
4-5 team together.
The 5-0 gets a little tougher,5-0's hard.
Speaker 3 (50:19):
Yeah, at our age I think It is It's hard to get a
5-0 team together.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Yeah, so what's your daughter's plan?
Does she want to go play incollege?
She does.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
Yeah, i had my older daughter.
She originally signed to goplay division two at a school up
North And then it was stillgonna be kind of expensive to go
there, and then she alsoapplied to University of Arizona
.
And she got a full academicride there, So it just made
(50:48):
sense you know, Okay, and she'shaving a blast there, so it's.
Speaker 2 (50:52):
Is she playing any sports?
Speaker 3 (50:55):
She just kind of messes around with recreational
stuff, yeah.
And then my younger daughtershe really wants to focus over
the next six, eight months andtry to get a rating up to go D1.
Oh, wow, it's.
You know, the D1 for men andgirls is super frustrating
(51:21):
because it's like 80% Europeanplayers Oh interesting.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
I guess it's always been, It hasn't no?
Speaker 3 (51:29):
I don't know how long it's been like that for a
little while now But you know15,.
I don't even know the totalyears, but I know 15,.
20 years ago it wasn't likethat.
Speaker 2 (51:40):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (51:40):
But you know, i don't know.
I kind of feel like thereshould be a cap, but just to get
more Americans to division onetennis you know, it's just, it's
super, super hard And in factthe stats show now that it's the
hardest sport out of any sportto make it in D1.
As an American athlete, youknow If you compare football
(52:05):
basketball, the percentages is Ithink the it's the lowest, for
Americans actually play D1tennis.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
Interesting.
I mean I guess it also goesinto tennis as more of a world
sport versus football or evenbasketball.
Well, basketball is a worldsport, let's be real.
Speaker 3 (52:21):
but Basketball yeah.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
It's still, i guess, american sort of lead the way
still, But not like tennis.
Speaker 3 (52:27):
I feel like and someone described this to me
recently as like college tennisis like the minor leagues for
baseball Yeah, in the sense thatthe players are so good.
Yeah, you know, you win theNCAAs and you got an automatic
bid you know For sure.
Into the US Open.
Speaker 2 (52:47):
Yeah, which is pretty awesome.
Oh heck, yeah.
Did you get a chance to go seeOhio?
Did you go watch any college?
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (52:53):
No, i haven't been to Ohio yet.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
You haven't, but you know of it, i know of it yeah,
okay, love to go.
Speaker 3 (52:59):
I'd love to do it and experience it, but I haven't
done it yet.
Speaker 2 (53:02):
Oh, your daughter would love it too, cause I got
to go and I watched the Pac-12Women's and Men's Finals.
So it was Stanford versus USCfor women's and USC versus Utah
for men's.
Speaker 3 (53:12):
Oh wow, really Wait, usc were in both then.
Yeah, oh, wow I guess theyalways are.
Speaker 2 (53:16):
I don't follow it that much, but I guess USC is
always there.
Oh, are they?
Yeah, and I think they won thePac-12 the last three or four
years and then they get to go tothe NCAA tournament.
Yeah, so it was so fun.
Speaker 3 (53:29):
Yeah, you know, I think I'd like to see all the
grand slams at some point.
Oh heck.
yeah, And next year my wife andI are going for our 25th
anniversary to do Wimbledon.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
That's actually gonna be our 25th anniversary, so
that'll be fun Very cool.
Have you seen any protournaments recently?
Speaker 3 (53:46):
I always go to Indian Wells.
Speaker 2 (53:47):
Okay, did you go this ?
Speaker 3 (53:48):
year I did.
Yeah, We go every year And ourkids have always been ball kids
there.
So, they were there.
They were ball kids for likefive, six years.
You know, i think theirhighlight was I think they both
have done Federer and SerenaWilliams- Oh, my gosh So they
don't let those, they don't letthe inexperienced kids go on.
(54:10):
But after like four or fiveyears they got to go on the main
stage and ball kid with those.
So that was cool.
Speaker 2 (54:18):
What's that process like you go try out, like
literally, you have to try out.
Speaker 3 (54:21):
Yeah it's actually pretty easy.
If you have tennis experiencein your kid, you can.
Just you know.
If you research it online, youknow ball kids for Indian Wells.
All you gotta do is do thetraining.
It's usually a four daytraining situation.
And once you pass everythingthat you're required to pass,
(54:42):
they'll take you.
Oh, that's cool.
It's all you know non-pay.
Speaker 2 (54:48):
You know they don't pay you, or?
Speaker 3 (54:49):
anything.
At one point we were thinkingabout let them do the US Open.
You know That would have beencool.
They actually pay you for theUS Open.
Oh really, That would be cool,but we never did it.
Speaker 2 (55:00):
She did it this year too, or no?
Speaker 3 (55:02):
She didn't do it this year.
No, they didn't do it this year, they did last year and the
last five, or I think five years, five, six years before that.
Speaker 2 (55:10):
Oh, that's so cool.
Speaker 3 (55:12):
But yeah, they always loved it.
It was a super fun experiencefor kids.
If anyone you know listening,it's actually pretty easy to get
into those And, which is a perk, they give you two tickets to
every single day.
Speaker 2 (55:28):
Really, yeah, oh my gosh.
So that's kind of a Oh heckyeah.
Speaker 3 (55:32):
So we had three.
we had six tickets to everysingle event.
Speaker 2 (55:36):
So it was pretty cool , we were giving them away and
stuff but My little one's eight,So she wanted to do it, but
that's probably too young.
She probably wouldn'tunderstand what's going on and
how to do it yet.
Speaker 3 (55:46):
Yeah you know they used to take the really young
ones, but I know they recently,in the last couple years I think
, they made an age cap on it.
Speaker 2 (55:54):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (55:55):
I don't know what that age is.
It may be 12, it may be 14.
I know that both my kids weredoing it at 12.
At one point.
But yeah, i think eight isgonna eat, probably I think it's
12.
It could be 14, but if it's, ifthey're not getting a lot of
ball kids, they probably open itup to some younger ones, you
(56:17):
know.
Speaker 2 (56:18):
I remember that.
That totally remind me of thatbat boy Problem.
They used to be like young batboys, right, yeah, well,
something happened.
Yeah, and I remember what thatthing was, like someone ran into
him.
Oh yeah, no.
Speaker 3 (56:32):
He.
He was going to home plate toget a bat when the play was
going and there was a runner,you know, coming in and and it
was gonna be a play at the plateand Somebody I think maybe the
guy in deck had to grab him andyank him out of the way the bat
boy, yeah, yeah.
And so, yeah, it was a kind ofa scary moment because, yeah,
(56:54):
you know, he would have gotcrushed.
Speaker 2 (56:55):
Yeah, yeah it would have been ugly.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, so they don't have anyyoung bat boys anymore.
Speaker 3 (57:00):
I don't think they have any young.
they used to have the littleones you know do it, But yeah,
they don't do that anymore.
Yeah, just for safety reasons.
Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (57:06):
Oh my gosh.
Well, bobby, i know you gave mean amazing present.
I don't know if you've watchedthe podcast, so I try to give
everyone one little present.
This won't match up to what yougave me, but this is an a
caress card, oh shit.
So I collect cards.
Leaf made this card this yearactually, and it's it's numbered
(57:27):
to 2300 something.
So they only made that many ofthis particular card, and then
they have a signature one whereit's worth a lot more.
Where's autograph?
Oh right, i bought three orfour this particular card.
I kept one and I gave out onelast week and I wanted to give
you that just say thank you,this is awesome.
Speaker 3 (57:43):
Yeah, thank you really really for coming.
Speaker 2 (57:45):
So I really appreciate it.
Bobby, um, i mean, just youtalking about Visualizing alone,
really, i think made thispodcast and then obviously you
talking about your experience inthe world series.
But I'm gonna start doing thatbecause I do.
Sometimes on a long drive I'lljust start thinking about
(58:06):
playing a point, and every nowand then it's pretty rare, but I
think I should do it I'llactually try to play a set in my
head.
Yeah, and I don't know why Idid it that one time I just sort
of imagined it like and I don'tremember if I, if I won in my
imaginary set or not.
Yeah, i guess it doesn't matter, or maybe I should win.
Do you think I should visualize?
Speaker 3 (58:27):
Oh, i think, I think the positive experiences are
what you're really trying to getout.
So, yeah, you know, a greatexample of of a server Compared
to a pitcher is a perfectvisualization situation, like a
pitcher can visualize hittingcorners or Or I'm gonna hit a
(58:47):
slider, or I'm gonna throw aslider on the outside corner,
i'm gonna throw a slider downand in or whatever they're gonna
do.
But you know, at one point Youknow as a pitcher you could
actually visualize what you'regonna pitch.
The second, before you actuallypitch it, and the chances of
success, of that pitch gettingexecuted It increases by a
(59:08):
certain percent.
So like, let's say, you'reserving, you're like I Want to
hit the tee and close to the teefor an ace, right.
So the few, if you actuallyvisualize you doing that right
before you did it,hypothetically, your chances of
actually executing it should bea little bit higher.
Wow, that's so cool Cuz you're,because your mind thinks it just
(59:28):
did it and it's gonna try torepeat the motion you know Like,
so that that would be a greatexample of of a of a pitcher and
a server.
Speaker 2 (59:38):
Yeah, hitting your spots, which obviously I guess
every now and then I do thiswhen I'm playing my best tennis,
i'll sort of know where the itnever on the serve.
My serve is never good.
Maybe that's a problem notvisualizing on my serve, but on
the return, on the ad side,every now and then I can sort of
call where they're gonna hit it, mm-hmm, and I sort of feel
(01:00:00):
like I'm I'm like writing ascript.
I go, okay, they're gonna hithere, i'm gonna hit here, the
next ball is gonna land here.
And every now and then, liketwo or three balls, i can almost
see it happening prior to ithappening, yeah, and if it
happens that way, man, i'mhitting a good, you stick it
right.
Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
Yeah, guys, served you Five or six balls in the
spot and then, like you're, likeyou're like seeing before it
happened, he's gonna go to thatspot again.
Yeah, you, just you end upcrushing it, right, that's no
totally the same same scenario?
Yeah okay, well, i gotta, igotta, try to implement that
more or like let's say, you know, you could just visualize, You
know great shots down the lineor something you know, stuff
(01:00:39):
like that, i think is There'sjust so many similarities like
being in baseball and then andthen going to tennis.
The similarities are are arereally The serve is like a
throwing.
You know Seeing the ball bounceand recognizing where you're
supposed to be before early.
You know trying to get thespots early.
You know It's just like youknow reading a ground ball Yeah,
(01:01:01):
um, where you're supposed tomake contact, you're always
supposed to feel the ball out infront.
You're supposed to make contactout in front.
You know all those littlethings kind of play.
But it's.
It's such a good Transitionalsport like I like right now.
I like tennis way more inbaseball.
But I played baseball my entirelife.
I burnt out, you know.
But if you were to say, hey,bob, you want to go play a
(01:01:22):
baseball game or a tennis match,i'm gonna pick tennis match,
really 100% of the time so how?
Speaker 2 (01:01:28):
how much Like hitting the ball in baseball versus?
I guess it would be maybe aforehand if you're righty.
So how similar or dissimilarare those like?
are you?
are you seeing a lot ofsimilarities, like hip turn,
shoulder turn, i don't know?
Lag with the bat, is thereanything like that?
Speaker 3 (01:01:46):
I mean there's a lag with the bat.
Yeah, the the hands comethrough first and the barrel
comes, you know, second.
But there's nothing I can'thome run.
Speaker 2 (01:01:55):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:01:58):
You know the grind of hitting is is way harder to
deal with.
Then then They're differentthan playing a tennis match.
Like tennis matches is moremore of a consistent mental
grind.
Baseball's more of a.
You know you fail and then yougot to wait to your next at bat.
(01:02:19):
Yeah, it's so much farther downthe road and then you take
another at bat and then you know, let's say you go for four in a
in a game And that's why slumpsare so bad, like mentally you
want to beat yourself up.
You know, because if you go ona, if you go on a 10 game, you
know slump in your oh for yourlast 40.
(01:02:41):
It feels like it feels likeeternity, you know, whereas you
know, whereas tennis, you knowIt's not.
It's more, for me at least it'sit's more like The.
The entire match is more of amental grind and then when
you're done Win or lose you'renot beating yourself up as much.
Hmm, sometimes you can right,but, yeah, by the next day
(01:03:04):
You're not really, you're readyto play again, yeah, whereas in
in a baseball situation, man,you can beat yourself up for a
very long time.
Speaker 2 (01:03:15):
I had a buddy once tell me who played baseball.
I think he got into the minors,um but he said hitting a
baseball is the hardest thing insports.
I forget we had an argumentabout it one time and I don't
remember why we were arguingabout just buddies arguing about
sports stuff, yeah, um, what doyou think about that?
How is that?
is there anything comparable totrying to hit a fast major
(01:03:36):
league pitchers ball, you know?
Speaker 3 (01:03:40):
When, when I first got called up, I was like Blown
away with major league pitchinglike man.
This is not going to last longyou know, I was like I I'm going
back, like because, because themovement and the speed and and
and how fast everything was,yeah, uh, encapsulated with the
fact that I was, um, geeked outof my mind to be there and the
(01:04:03):
adrenaline was through the roof.
I couldn't control what I wasdoing, um, and then, as you get
called up again, slows up alittle bit and then you get sent
down and you get called upagain and then it starts
becoming like the game that youplayed your entire life.
But, um, i coached jv baseballat elsonor And you know, when
(01:04:25):
you're a great hitter, you don'tfeel like it's the hardest
thing that do in the world,right, like You've hit your
whole life and it's, and it'ssomething that you have success
with and and and Like I wouldnever say that because I did
have success and and and Iwouldn't say that was the
hardest thing to do in the world, right, because I actually was
able to do it.
But then, when I coached thispast year and I and I saw how
(01:04:50):
difficult it was for high schoolhitters to hit not just Good
pitching but sometimes averagepitching, it made me think I'm
like, damn, i don't remember itbeing this hard, um, but yeah,
it's.
It's extremely hard to do andand when you watch You know
pitchers dominate hitters at atthis little level you start to
(01:05:11):
realize how, how difficult it isto hit It's not easy.
Speaker 2 (01:05:14):
Yeah, i mean I think I've talked to you about this,
but that's how I feel.
Playing these opens, which isit's just a different level of
speed, because I I'm not tryingto like float my own boat or
wherever the expression issaying I'm on equal ground, is
them in talent?
But I do feel that way.
A lot of times I feel like ourstrokes are pretty similar.
(01:05:35):
Talent why?
some of these guys are justabsolutely amazing, but a lot of
times I feel I'm on an equalplane as my opponent.
But it's this, the speed oftheir ball.
I'm just not used to And it'sthat little and I've said this
before on other podcasts whereit might be just a 10 mile per
hour difference, but it's aworld of difference for me.
I just I'm just that splitsecond late on everything And it
(01:05:59):
it's like it's an easy matchfor them.
Speaker 3 (01:06:03):
And maybe my balls that much slower to them.
I think that That is a greatcomparable, like when I first
got to the big leagues And, andeven more so, like if I was, if
I was younger, like and I was incollege And I had to go face
big league pitching like I wouldhave got dominated you know,
but the more you see it like,the more you play those guys,
(01:06:24):
the more you get used to it,right?
Speaker 2 (01:06:26):
Yeah, yeah, no, i do, and that's why I think the more
I'm playing opens, the Theslower it's feeling that.
Not that it's getting anyslower, but the more I'm getting
used to it right, and I can becalm out there.
Yeah more than I'm just feelinglike I'm, you know, going
everywhere and I can't get my myfeet under me kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
Yeah, i mean, i think the more you face it, the the
easier it is and and you'llstart catching up and and you'll
be like Man.
I remember my that overwhelmingfeeling that I had.
That like this is impossible,but sooner or later, when you're
around it and you see it daily,it's not as impossible, you
know, and and even more so likeif you hit with that type of a
player on a daily basis, you'dprobably fit right in.
(01:07:07):
You know, because you're right,your, your strokes and and
everything is Is at the level,but they're just a little, a
little bit faster.
That you don't get to see on adaily basis.
That's how I, that's how Iwould see it, and I feel like
that's kind of similar to Maybesome of the juniors in in this
area and they got to go play inorange county.
(01:07:27):
You know the orange county kids, ellie, you know they're
hitting with better playersdaily, yeah, and so you know,
sometimes The kids here they goout and they play tournaments
and they get beat.
And it's not that they can't,they're not as good as athletes,
because a lot of them aresometimes better athletes.
Sometimes they're, you know,but they they're not seeing that
(01:07:48):
just a little bit more speed orjust a little bit better, um,
you know tactical skills, butsooner or later they'll, they'll
catch up, you know that's how Ifeel you know.
I mean, sooner or later, thecrop will, the cream will right.
You know, rise for the crop.
You know to the top and and umyeah, but like for for you, like
(01:08:09):
I feel like I feel the same way, like when I don't play and
then we go and play a match,like there's times when I'm like
I'm over matched right now, youknow, but I think it's more
because they've either one.
They've played Against thattype of a player for so long.
Yeah that they're like.
This is, this is you know pieceof cake, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:08:29):
Yeah, Well, we got to play some dubs.
I'll try to find a tournamentfor us.
Maybe we'll do some filming andI'll try to put it on the
channel and stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:08:37):
Dude, I'd love to play dubs with you and and make
a run.
You know, i think we could doreally well.
Speaker 2 (01:08:42):
We'll find the right tournament for us not too crazy
Yeah something right in themiddle, we'll figure it out,
yeah for sure.
That'd be, that'd be awesome,awesome, bobby.
Well, thank you, my friend.
Um, i'm gonna close it up here,but I really appreciate.
Thanks.
You are listening to Your League Tennis Podcast with
your host, anthony Radonia.
Anthony is an avid weekendwarrior tennis player, just like
you.
Every week, he'll beinterviewing new and exciting
guests that will not only differin experience and skill level,
but also in age and physicalability.
Your League Tennis Podcast isabout making you a better tennis
(00:26):
player, whether you're abeginner or have been playing
for years, in your 20s or inyour 60s.
Now here is your host, anthonyRadonia.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Alright, so there's the fancy intro, bobby.
So all credit to my wife.
she knows how to do that.
I'm still an idiot, so I don'tknow how to do any of that stuff
, but thanks for coming, myfriend.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I really appreciate it.
Thanks for having me on, it wasfun.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, driving out from Canyon.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Lake to my house.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I really appreciate this.
So I'm just going to start outwith this, because this is huge.
You brought this for me tonight, so I got to show this on
camera.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
That was for carrying me in the last match we played.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
We're going to talk about that for sure.
So what did you do here?
What did you give me?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
So I just gave you a bat that I used.
It's not a game to use bat, butjust a bat I used to swing
signature to you.
What I think I wrote you're agreat doubles partner.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
I'm a.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
World Series champ.
I wrote down I know awesomedoubles partner.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
And then so when you say, like you used, do you just
have like a million bats thatyou used for practice?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, i mean I don't have them anymore.
I've given them so many awayover the years, but I still have
a few left, so I figured it'dbe a good time to give it to you
.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Well, cool, let's at least start with that, then,
because we met in league and weplayed against each other's,
probably a year ago maybe, ormore.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I think it was less.
Oh, really, I think we, I feellike we just played in Marietta.
You know, maybe was it only, itwas only maybe six to eight
months ago.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Because the first time I met you was actually at
your place in Canyon Lake.
Do you remember that We playedon that bottom court?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, that was the same same league.
I think it was winter leaguelast year.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, okay, yeah, okay, so about a year.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah, yeah, i know it was great to play.
You got me right, you got mepretty good.
That was a good match, though.
That was fun.
That was definitely fun, andit's just like meeting you and
then playing in doubles againstyou, and then there's just not a
(02:40):
lot of five-oh guys around, youknow, Yeah, especially in the
Empire.
So it was nice to team up withyou and have a league together.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, and I remember that match too which was funny
because I always tell the storyto my other buddies is you're a
very humble guy, very normal guy, and we were talking after the
singles match And I didn't knowanything about you.
Truthfully, i don't really lookpeople up, i just go play, have
fun.
You know Try to be nice and youknow try to win.
But be, nice, you know, gainsome friendships along the way.
(03:10):
And I forget how.
I asked it, like hey, when didyou get into tennis or something
?
And then you said I played alittle pro ball or something
like that.
And I'm like, oh okay.
So I went home and looked youup and I'm like, oh my gosh.
And well, at first actually Iwas like, oh wow, i played some
major leagues, that's cool, it'scool.
And then I started YouTubeingyour name, and that's when I saw
(03:31):
the World Series home run And Ithink I sent you a picture of
it or something later that night.
And I was like oh my gosh, thisis you.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Like yep, I want to talk about that, of course, But
you're rating right now.
You're a five-oh in tennis.
Do you know your UTR?
Do you follow that?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
I want to say it's right around an eight and a half
.
Okay, right in that range.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, are you playing tournaments outside league at
all?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Not a lot.
Okay, I played a little bit.
I played a 45s tournament lastyear which actually ranked me in
the US, which was kind of cool.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
But I'd like to How old are you again?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I'm 46.
46, okay, yeah, i'd like toplay, but I think I'd like to
play more doubles tournamentsthan singles tournaments.
You know, find a good a partnermaybe you No we got to do
something That'd be fun.
Maybe we can make it around inthe 45s, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
I just turned 45 this year so I can play it.
Yeah, that'd be fun.
I think we'd do pretty good inthat.
Yeah, I would love to do thatbecause I've been playing 40s
and then obviously you can playlower, you know sometimes, but
no, 45s would be a good league Ithink so too.
I mean a good tournament.
We would love that, so okay.
So let's do this, because Iwant to obviously get into
(04:46):
tennis, because the tennis is agood tennis podcast, but I want
to lay the groundwork of who youare, why you're giving me a bat
number one.
So let's just show the ring tostart it, and then we'll talk
about it.
Where'd you put that thing?
So, bobby brought the WorldSeries ring 2007,.
Boston Red Sox.
Oh, i got to see this thing.
(05:06):
Is it massive?
Here you go.
It's pretty big.
I never wear it.
Look at that thing.
I mean I did Google it actually, just I don't know.
I didn't knew that littleInstagram teaser and I looked it
up.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Yeah, that was cool, that's so cool.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Oh, so it has your name on it.
Yeah, 2007,.
7th World Series Champions.
Oh, 4-0 sweep.
I looked that up too.
See, i'm not a big baseball guy, you know.
what's funny is I grew up inWest Covina, which is right by
South Hills, and I'm sure you'llknow the guys I'm going to
bring up right now.
A few years older than me wasGiambi the Lydals.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Corey Lydall.
yeah, Yeah, Corey Lydall.
and then I forget who elsePlayed with Corey Lydall.
You played with Corey.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Oh wow, With the.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Blue Jays.
Oh, he played on the Blue Jaystoo.
Yeah, okay, not on the A's,then You guys weren't together
on the A's.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
No, we were together on the A's.
That's so cool, Bobby.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Oh, thanks.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Blue Jays, you know.
And then the crazy accident ofcourse That was sad.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
That was sad yeah, yeah, his family lives like
three blocks from my parentswhere I grew up, so I sort of
grew up with his family, notknowing his family too good, but
just knowing of them, you know.
And they were a little olderthan me And I forget who else.
It was Giambi Lydals.
There was one other, oh, aaronSmall, do you know that name?
(06:25):
He played on, i think so.
Yeah, it rings a bell.
Yeah, he was in the majors too.
I just forget how much, butthose three guys played on the
same Little League team and thesame high school team.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
That's nuts.
Yeah, it's pretty nuts.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
And then, where did you grow up?
I grew up in Marina Valley.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Oh, you did, Yeah.
So I grew up there my wholelife.
Out of there I went to USC toplay baseball.
Red Shirted left there, went tojunior college for RCC for two
years and then finished up atOle Miss.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Oh wow, did you go straight into the minors, or how
does that work after college,for basically, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
So I was kind of a different avenue.
I was never drafted And thenafter my year at Ole Miss I went
to It's called the Cape CodLeague, which is the best
collegiate league in the nationto play, and I just blossomed
there.
I ended up becoming the MVP Andthen it was like a lullaby to
tour.
Every major league team wasinviting me out every weekend
(07:24):
And I went to I think 12 or 13different teams and just went on
this big tour where I washitting, running, throwing and
doing everything for them Andthen at the end of it offers
came in And then I signed withthe Minnesota Twins.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
How soon was that after college?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
I was right after college.
In fact, i was still at OleMiss when I was doing all that,
because I thought I was going togo back for my senior year.
But I just sat out and waitedand then signed in February.
So I was at Ole Miss fromAugust till February, and then
February came, and then that'swhen spring training starts.
So I went directly to springtraining straight from
(08:03):
Mississippi.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Did you end up finishing college then, or did
you didn't get to I?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
didn't.
No, I didn't finish.
I came back and finished atUniversity of Phoenix online.
Oh, cool Yeah.
When did you do that?
I did that.
I think I finished in like 2014.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Okay, so way after your baseball career.
Yeah, oh, that's so cool.
How much did you have left tofinish?
Speaker 3 (08:22):
You know, i went to SC, then RCC and then Ole Miss.
Four years of college and Istill had to do two more Years.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Yeah, two more years.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Oh, really, yeah, I was like you know just
everything.
Yeah, yeah, i always got goodgrades.
I never had an issue with that.
Just, it was just.
When I went to SC, i was like apre-med major.
And then RCC, you're just doingyour associate's degree And
then you go to Ole Miss andthere I was a math major, So I
wasn't really nothing really fittogether.
(08:54):
And then at the end of the dayit was like you know, i got my
business administration degreewith Phoenix And that just made
the most sense.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You know, and right now you're doing what?
What kind of work?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I'm a real estate broker.
I have about 20, 22 agents thatwork underneath me, so they do
a lot of business.
I kind of manage all that Andthen I sell and, you know,
represent buyers and sellers.
Obviously, when I first started, i got into, it was when all
the flipping stations were inand my wife and I, you know, we
(09:28):
just kind of took that by thehorn, started flipping back in
08.
And that's what got me intoreal estate and I got my license
and so forth And so, yeah,that's my main source of income
is, you know, real estate.
And then I'm going to headtennis pro at Canyon Lake.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
At Canyon Lake.
And so if you started that in08, that was one of the things I
was a little confused aboutwhen I was just Googling you and
Wikipediaing you right, Whichwas after 07, which I still want
to talk about you went to theminors or you played still major
league, or how does that work?
Speaker 3 (10:02):
So actually 07.
that at bat was my last at batin the big leagues, which is
blows my mind that that's theway it ended.
But you know, then I went 08, iwas with the Red Sox and after
08, i didn't have a great year.
I was injured And I just feltlike I knew I needed to do
(10:23):
something to make sure that Ikept making money.
you know, You know most peoplethink that if you played major
league baseball you have a tonof money.
But in the grand scheme ofthings, I had, you know, four to
five years where I made goodmoney, but I didn't make the
kind of money that superstarsmake.
You know, I was a role player,bench player, And so you pretty
(10:46):
much have to do something afteryou're done playing baseball.
That's just the nature of it.
I felt like that was we got inthe flipping to make money that
way, And then it turned intobrokerage and so forth.
So it was just a situationwhere, you know, my career was
wasn't I didn't feel like atthat point in time was nearly
close to being over, but becauseI did play, you know, all the
(11:09):
way to almost 14.
Oh, really, But it was minorleagues, you know the whole way.
So, yeah, it was just.
I just knew that there wasgoing to be something I needed
to do when I was done And I feltlike that was a good situation
to go to.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
And do they pay guys in minor leagues or no?
Speaker 3 (11:26):
They do When you know , when you've, when you've
played in the big leagues, youknow, at that point in time I'd
played seven years in the bigleagues.
So you still get decentcontracts, but they're not, you
know, they're not right around ahundred thousand a year.
So it was, it was still goodfor six months.
You know it was good.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
All right.
So let's let's go.
Let's go back to the 07 WorldSeries then.
So, like I said, i mean Iplayed a little baseball.
I love watching sports, butI'll be honest with you, i don't
even know who won the WorldSeries last year.
That's how little I followbaseball, which is sort of
embarrassing.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
That's okay.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
So I had to look up those seven World Series.
After you know, knowing thatyou're coming tonight, i had to
just really look at it And youguys destroyed the Rockies for
4-0, right, sweet, yeah.
And first game was like 13 toone or something like that.
It just seems like it was ablowout series.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
And fourth game.
You guys are up 3-1.
You get up in the eighth inningor the ninth inning.
I got up in the top of theeighth.
Top of the eighth inning.
It's 3-1, first pitch to youFirst pitch, yeah.
It's high fastball or high,high fastball.
I guess high fastball, You justyou kill it Home run And it's
(12:40):
4-1 and you guys end up winning4-3.
4-3, yeah.
So I mean really it's thedecisive home run, in a way.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
They all obviously won the win.
It ended up being the gamewinning RBI of the entire.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
World Series.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Now, i mean we were up at the time.
It's different, Like it was 3-3and that'd be different, but
yeah, it still ended up beingthe game winning RBI, which is
super cool.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
And that must have been in Colorado then, right,
that was in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Because when I was listening to it on YouTube at
what?
the crowd wasn't that into it,so I was like this must be in
Colorado.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly yeah.
Oh, that's so cool, It wasn't?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
loud.
It was pretty quiet.
I mean, i can tell you likethat was my only abat in the
World Series, you know, in thewhole World Series, in the whole
World.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Series yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
I played the series before but I had about seven,
eight days off And I rememberthe night before, like it
happened yesterday, i wastalking to my family and they
were all there And I was like Idon't care how I get in, i just
want to get in.
Yeah, i don't care what happens, i have to play defense for
Manny Ramirez.
You know, like that would havebeen great for me.
(13:48):
Just to say that I got to playAnd I knew that there was one
guy I would face.
It was Brian Fuentes,left-handed pitcher for the
Angels, and nobody probably knewthis, but including our team,
including front office, and itwould blow my mind if they
actually did know this But Iprobably had more bats against
(14:12):
him in the minor leagues thanany other player that I ever
played against And my numberswere fantastic against him in
the minor leagues.
But I was always known to be agood hitter off the bench
against left-handed pitching.
He was left-handed pitcher, ithink they just you know, that's
why I got pinched, that's why Ipinched it in that time period
was just to face him.
But I had so much confidencegoing in there facing him.
(14:33):
I had seen him, i hadvisualized probably 500 times
during the series about how hisarm slot was, how his ball was,
how it kind of had like awriting effect, and you know,
it's just, it's like I'd facedhim 500 times before I actually
had to face him.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
So you know, When you say visualize, you literally
are sitting down and justpretending you're at bat, like
how are you?
Speaker 3 (15:01):
visualizing Yeah just like you know, when you
visualize in sports or baseballor whatever, you're just closing
your eyes, visualizing his armangle, his arm motion, how this
ball looks, you know What doesit feel like to be in the box
against him.
You know, like there's it's aunique, you know scenario.
(15:23):
You know probably how you knowDjokovic visualized facing Roger
Federer.
serve, i'm sure he does thesame thing you know, like that's
what they do.
Yeah, and and in a what you knowthe the idea of visualization
is your brain.
you know it's proven that yourbrain doesn't know the
difference between you actuallyvisualizing and the actual event
(15:47):
happening in place.
So like when you're having, ifyou visualize success off a
pitcher, this is what kind ofwhat we would do.
If you visualize success orhits or or whatever it is, your
chances for success hasincreased you know, And so
that's, that's what it was allabout.
But so, yeah, i you know I wasready And at the time, you know
so, the the top of the eightstarts, and I saw him running in
(16:10):
.
I'm like this is my chance, youknow.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Oh, so he just got put in at that, he got put in
for the eighth inning.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Oh, wow, and, and so this is my chance.
And they actually didn't callme at first, they called Coco
Crisp, to, to, to be the pinchheader, okay, and I was just
like total it down.
Like, that's it Like that was myonly chance to be Yeah In this
world series.
And so I went to the the topyou know stair and was just kind
(16:37):
of sitting there and just last,literally last minute, they,
they completely changed theirmind and said they started
screaming my name and, you know,said I was going to hit And I
was just like I jumped up youknow it was freezing in Colorado
, i wasn't really, you know.
After I saw him say Coco, ikind of shut down.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
And then.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
so then I literally went, went to the, the bat rack,
put on my helmet, grabbed mybat.
There was a heater right there.
I sat in front of the heaterfor maybe like 20 seconds, then
started walking And as I waswalking to the on deck circle,
the umpires calling me the plate.
So I really I got like one ortwo practice swings.
And I'm walking And maybe ithelped.
(17:20):
you know, maybe I didn't havetime to think.
you know, maybe is, but as Iwas walking to the plate, i just
the one thing I, you know, itold myself was this is the
world series.
Like, i'm not going up theretaking pitches, i'm going up
there to swing the bat you know?
Speaker 2 (17:37):
So were people telling you how to what to do
Like?
Speaker 3 (17:40):
no, no, but you know there's, there's a, there's a
situation.
Sometimes you know you'releading off an inning.
This is, you know, lead.
You want to take a pitch, youknow just to see.
But I'd already seen him enough.
You know I knew what he had andI knew I had to.
His fastball kind of would,would ride and get on you a
little bit.
So I kind of cheated to thefastball You know I.
(18:00):
I, you know, i'd like to sayit's luck.
but Yeah, the preparation youknow the visualization, the, the
amount of times I'd faced them.
I don't believe it was luck.
I think it was.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
It was meant to be you know, wow, you know it
cracks me up watching theYouTube a bunch of times.
This one comment made me laughbecause you sort of rounded the
base bases pretty quickly Andobviously the game's not over
right, not even close.
So I was expecting more highfives and cheers, but the
whoever was on deck didn't highfive.
You And I saw this comment onYouTube and they're like who's
(18:34):
this guy on deck that didn'thigh five Bobby, like it just
cracked me up.
So, anyways, he was probably inthe zone.
He was in the zone.
He was in the zone.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
And that happens a lot.
You know he's walking in, I'mrunning by him fast, We miss
high fives or whatever, And youknow Manny and David Ortiz are
hugging me, And so that was thatwas like super awesome And then
, but yeah, it was just asurreal moment.
You know, it was like there'stwo moments that I can describe
(19:03):
as being called up as rookie,the adrenaline.
You know, it was kind of likebeing a rookie again, like the
adrenaline is so overwhelmingyou know when you get put in a
situation like that And you knowit was.
it was like I was a rookie allover again.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yeah, and like you said last at bat in the major,
last at bat, yeah, last at bat,yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
I would never run.
A million years thought that.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
It just you know, it just ended up that way.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
How does Boston see you as a hero Like?
are you known there or is itnot really like that?
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, I mean Boston fans are very knowledgeable,
Yeah, And they remember you know, so certainly the fans that
know their stuff.
Yeah, they remember me for sure, Yeah, yeah, You know there was
an altar that said he'll beable to get a beer at any bar in
Boston for the rest of his life.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
During that game.
he said that Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
That's what they said you know, So I haven't.
I haven't actually gone toBoston and asked for my beer yet
, but maybe someday.
Oh, you haven't been back Ihave.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yeah, i've been back.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
It's just, you know, it's just, it's kind of a funny
saying that they said which iswhich is cool?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
No, it's cool.
Actually, I was going to askthat Do you have to pay for any
alcohol in Boston?
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Yeah, that was exactly one of the questions.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
So obviously I can stay on this topic forever and
it would just be interesting foranyone who's listening, but I
want to try to relate it totennis as much as I can.
So when you talk about thatsituation of going up to bat
World Series crowd, everythingyou know how does that relate to
(20:41):
when you're playing a matchlike, let's let's say, our
doubles match?
And so when I came home afterour doubles match, we ended up
losing the first set, i think,coming back winning the second
set, winning a very close thirdset, tiebreaker.
And when I came home I actuallytalked to my wife about this
and I said Bobby's builtdifferent, it's not like me and
(21:04):
you were hitting the mostamazing shots to win.
But there was something I saw inyou really and I mean this that
there was something that madeyou just I don't even know how
to describe it You weren'thitting better.
But there was something inthose close points where you
were there like focused, youwere mentally there and you just
(21:26):
didn't miss And like I'm sureyou can even think of some
volleys or whatever.
They were hitting at you hardAnd it's not like you were
hitting this beautiful wintervolley away, but you weren't
missing, and so when I went home, when I thought of that match,
i was like man Bobby's justbuilt different.
That must be something he'sgained over time, like through
his baseball years, where whenit counts he's there, i don't
(21:50):
know.
Can you talk a little bit aboutthat?
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Dude, I actually thought about similar, a lot of
similar stuff.
I felt like we both kind ofclutched up at the end.
And cause it was like the firstset I felt like I was a little
bit all over the place.
I wasn't as consistent as whatyou're saying And then I don't
(22:15):
know, i just I feel like we gotin the heat of the battle and I
really wanted to win.
Like I was like God, i want towin this match.
I felt like the pedigree on theother side was a little better
than us, what they'd collegetennis and what they'd been
through, and it was just.
I also didn't want to let youdown.
(22:36):
I wanted to win.
Yeah, I mean, I felt like theimportant points were the ones
we won.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
No, you're right.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Totally.
I don't feel like necessarily.
They may have won more points,but we won the important ones.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
It was.
I loved the match.
It was an awesome match.
I had a lot of fun that day.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Oh yeah, that was so fun.
You know thinking when I readmore on YouTube about the World
Series, there was this onesentence that caught my eye and
I tried to relate it back totennis and even our tennis match
.
I know the sports aren't thesame, but I was surprised to
read that the Rockies made noerrors in your World Series.
I don't know if you've knownthis or read this.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
No, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Literally the third team in history to make no
errors in a World Series.
And there were.
The other two teams were in thefifties, like Yankees, orales,
something like that, andprobably the other ones won.
See, i don't know To tell youthe truth, i have to look that
up, but it was Yankees in thefifties and the Orioles in the
sixties.
So I'll look that up.
You're probably right.
Yeah, but I was so surprised tosee no errors and a sweep
(23:39):
against them.
Obviously, the sports aredifferent, because no errors is
huge in baseball.
But I sometimes think that's myissue in tennis, which is I'm
playing for no errors instead ofplaying to win.
Maybe can you talk about that alittle.
I know, maybe baseball isn't onperfect on point.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Yeah, with baseball gosh, you get out there and you
start playing a little timid andthe game will pass you by.
And that's what happens to alot of players that get called
up as rookies.
They get nervous, they getscared and they get their shot
(24:21):
and they don't necessarilysucceed And they send them down
and then they come back up Andsometimes the same thing happens
And you're like God, this guy'sincredible in the minor leagues
, but he can't put it togetherin the big leagues.
And I think it has to do withplaying timid And, yeah, just
sometimes playing too safe.
(24:42):
Right In tennis, sometimes,when you play too safe, you're
like why didn't I go for thatshot Or why didn't I?
And yeah, i think at the end ofthe day, when you finish a
tennis match and you feel likeyou went for it and you lost,
you're going to feel a lotbetter if you didn't go for it
and you lost.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Yeah Right, i mean No , totally.
All my regrets in tennis afterthe match are that I didn't
trust myself in swing out AndI'm not necessarily making a
million errors, because I don'treally make errors, but the
other person's always blowing meout When I lose and I watch it
on swing vision or somethinglike that the other person's
(25:23):
always blowing me out, and it'snot like they're necessarily
stronger than me.
It's just that I'm not hittingout, i'm not trusting my shot,
so it's definitely that.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
For sure, yeah, i mean.
Yeah, it's just funny how themind can get involved with your
ability to perform.
Yeah.
You know, Yeah, I think whenyou can let it go and clear your
mind and take all the extrainformation out and just play
(25:54):
the way you're supposed to play,then I think good things happen
right.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, which is sort of what happened.
Going back to our importantpoints, i wasn't necessarily
thinking It was just me and youreacting to each other, like you
said, trying not to let eachother down which is why doubles
is so fun, different thansingles But we were just there,
just pumped, and I wasn't reallythinking We were just swinging.
(26:18):
Points were going fast, yeah,but we were super fast.
Yeah, it was going fast, butsomehow we were getting them.
We were hitting the rightserves, we were doing everything
right And when it counted.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, when it counted , it was strange.
Yeah, i did, i would.
I mean, i win singles matchesAnd I'm not nearly as pumped as
when it doubles.
I don't know what it is, butI'm super excited when doubles.
It's like a team thing.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
And we got one more league match.
Was it next Saturday or?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Sunday, next Saturday Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
So we got to play that one.
Oh, you know what something Ididn't ask you was?
You were on the A's as well,prior to Boston.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Right, right prior to Boston.
So that wasn't necessarily likethe money ball year, right?
Because I'm trying to thinkback to the movie I think it was
.
O2 is like supposedly the yearof the movie.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Of the movie.
Yeah Yeah, O2 is the movie Iwas with the twins.
In fact I'm in the movie moneyball.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Are you really?
Yeah, wait, you personally areyour name, so they, they flag
their flashing cards.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
I don't know if you remember the part where they're
flashing players, ok, and andI'm one of the players that pop
up.
In fact, a bunch of peoplealways sent me a text like dude,
i just saw you money ballReally, and it's super fast,
right?
Speaker 2 (27:32):
OK, I got to check that out.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
But then also I'm the when they played the twins.
I'm I'm actually live footageof me hitting in that movie.
Oh my gosh, yeah, so it's.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
OK, i totally got to watch that.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
It was a huge out that they made, you know, to
close out a big win you know itmade.
I can't remember if it wastheir big 20th win or not, but
it was during that series whenthey were showing them, when all
those games and I was one ofthe outs, that was a big win for
them.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Oh you're, you're one of the outs, meaning you hit, i
hit and they, they threw me out.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
They threw you out.
Yeah, to end the game.
OK.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
So were you one of the guys that Billy Bean, or
whoever else, wanted after?
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Oh, yes you were, yes , i was.
So I got, i got traded there in2004 in the offseason, ok, and
I was a money ball guy, you know.
I had a good on base percentage, yeah, so if you look at my
stats from, like, the twins, mynumbers are really good, you
know.
And I went to the Blue Jays, igot traded to the Blue Jays and
(28:40):
then in between that off seasonand the next is when Billy
traded for me, and so, and itwas because of my on base
percentage and so forth, and youknow, i just when I went over
to the A's, i just, you know,the playing time was a little
sporadic right from the get go,which kind of created a, you
(29:04):
know, a wonder in my mind is, asyou know, i thought I was
getting traded to play every dayAnd I just wasn't getting
thrown out there every day, youknow.
And so, yeah, i mean, could ithave been different?
Who knows?
you know, there's a lot ofthings I probably could have
changed in my major leaguecareer.
I always wanted to play moreand more and get more playing
(29:26):
time And you know, i was one ofthe when I was with the twins.
I was playing very well and and, but I was.
I was bummed that I wasn'tplaying every day And I wanted
to play every day And I was ayoung player and I felt like I
deserved to play every day.
You know, but at times I mayhave said the wrong things to my
manager back then And that'sprobably why I got traded the
(29:48):
first time.
But you know, i probably couldhave stayed in Minnesota for 10
years and kept doing, kept doingthe role that I was doing, but
it's all you know.
water on the bridge, in thesense that I just, you know, I
wanted the opportunity to playevery day, And I don't think it
would ever would have happenedin Minnesota, but I could have
stayed there for a long periodof time.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
So my understanding of the movie is the am I saying
that right?
Billy Bean, Is that the guy'sname, right?
Okay, His want for players andthen whoever his assistant was,
was because guys wereundervalued.
So were you considered anundervalued guy?
or you're saying you were sortof flew under the radar?
Well, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3 (30:29):
So they always wanted to look for players.
When they say undervalued,they're not getting paid a lot
of money yet right.
So if they can find a guy thathas a year or two in the majors,
we're like, you know, look atthe on base percentage, you know
there he's not really gettingpaid a lot of money.
(30:50):
or they would look in the minorleagues, you know, and look for
the high on base percentagesand try to bring those guys in
and you know they would havesuccess and then they wouldn't
have to pay that much for aboutthree years, okay, and so that
was kind of the way they did itand it worked extremely well for
many, many years.
But you know, i think it's Ithink that there's so many other
(31:12):
teams doing that now that it'sharder.
it's harder to pull that offwithout spending money, you know
, and keeping guys, and I thinkit'll continue to be harder
because the front office hasreally dived, you know, dived
into that and so.
but the undervalue, yeah, imean for me.
you know I was a bench player,so I didn't, i wasn't putting up
(31:32):
a lot of, i wasn't getting alot of it at bats.
That's really where it comes to.
making a lot of money isgetting that 500, 600 of bats
And, as with those of bats, more, better numbers are coming.
you know I was getting the youknow 250 to 350 at bats, and so
I was pretty cheap you know Okay.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
And so that was yeah, exactly So, and again, always
trying to relate this back totennis.
But the more I looked into whatBilly Bean was trying to
accomplish, or even peoplebefore him, and trying to
understand what Saber metrics isand all this stuff, i started
realizing, like you said, it'smore on base percentage versus
just batting average.
(32:11):
They were looking at otherstuff, slugging percentage on
base percentage, and then I wastrying to relate that somehow to
tennis And I know I'm justthrowing this at you And if you
don't have an answer, that'sfine.
But it seemed like Sabermetrics.
All these guys were trying tosay we're focused on the wrong
thing.
I guess that probably came fromthe movie too, but it was like
(32:32):
we're focused on the wrong thinghere.
Everyone just focused onbatting average And that doesn't
win games.
And I'm trying to relate thatsomehow to tennis.
And I started thinking maybeI'm focused on the wrong thing,
like why aren't I winning?
Am I focused on I don't knowhow, like my stroke, like
sometimes not being conceited?
I really try to look in themirror and look at my stroke.
(32:54):
You know what I mean by that.
Right Like meaning I'm tryingto.
Is my stroke pretty?
Is it the right way?
Is it, you know, and so am Ifocused on the wrong thing.
You think.
Should I just be focused on, idon't know, keeping the ball in
play, not making errors, goingfor it, like, what do you think
it is?
if that, if I?
Speaker 3 (33:13):
I think, like just me thinking about what you're
saying, like if I were to, if Iwere to compare batting average
to on base percentage, i wouldprobably compare it to like how
hard are you serving right?
What's the speed of it comparedto?
am I serving it to the backhandmore or am I serving it to the
(33:34):
forehand?
more right, So let's say you'reslamming first serves and you're
going to the forehand the wholetime, you know, are you gonna
have as much success?
Yeah, so I think it's like Idon't know, i kind of feel like
that would maybe be more related.
Like it's great that you havethis big serve or this great
average.
Yeah, like, how successful isit?
Yeah, you know, is it moresuccessful that you'd have that
(33:55):
great big serve to the backhandcompared to the forehand?
Like you know, i think mostpeople are probably taught to
like try to serve to thebackhand more right, i mean,
especially like to me.
I'm a one-hander, you know.
Yeah, yeah, so I think it'slike they started diving into
what really matters and what canwin more games, right, and I
(34:17):
think it's kind of like what youand I would look at if we were
playing a singles match.
We're gonna probably the firstthing we're gonna do is try to
beat up the backhand, come inand volley right, like you know,
or just pound the backhanduntil you know something opens
up, and so forth.
Yeah, but that's kind of Idon't know, that's kind of.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
No, it totally makes sense what you're saying,
because I think it is what I dowrong, which is I'm more
concerned with how hard or howslow is my first serve, like
it's not fast enough.
It's actually what I go out andpractice.
I'm probably practicing thewrong thing.
I'm not noticing, like what'stheir weapon.
I probably don't even noticesometimes if they're a lefty or
a righty.
(34:57):
to be honest, like till, maybehalfway through the match right
I'm just like I know I'm gonnaserve at this spot as hard as I
can.
So you're right, it's beingfocused on the wrong stuff
totally.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
And sometimes like that's just playing.
You know, playing to yourstrength, right?
I mean, if your strength is toserve to a certain spot of the
box and you're really good at it, then it may actually hurt you
to try to go to.
You know, if the backhand sideisn't your best spot, maybe it
would hurt you.
You know what I mean, like Idon't know.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Well, that's interesting though, because I
think about that too, am I, ifI'm not noticing my opponent?
I had a friend on Adam you knowAdam, my friend Adam on the
podcast And he actually saidduring the warmup in tennis,
he's paying attention to them,what's their strengths, what
their weakness is.
And I said I've never done thatonce in my life.
And now I'm thinking should Ibe, should I just play my
(35:47):
strengths or should I play theirweaknesses?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
I guess maybe a mixture of both problems,
Probably a mixture of both right, yeah, i try to do that And
sometimes I, you know, ievaluate wrong and it takes me a
set to be like, okay, i've beengoing to his backhand the
entire match and he's just notmissing, you know.
And then, or for example, let'ssay, you're hitting big first
(36:11):
serves and they don't have anyproblem with it, and then you
hit kick serves and they'rehaving a problem with it And
it's just all kick.
But that one always confuses me.
You know, if I'm serving bigand they're slapping it back
just as hard, then I'm like I'mnot going to do that anymore.
You know, that's not funwatching it come back at me And
I, you know.
So, yeah, i don't know, i'malways trying to figure
(36:34):
something out.
Sometimes I'm not right,sometimes I am, i guess, but I
try to figure it out.
And warmups, you know, and seewhat it looks like.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
So so you are thinking about that Even during
the match.
You're not just out thereswinging.
You'll do high top spin, you'llchange it up, you'll do as much
as you can.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
I try to yeah, Okay, Especially with the serve,
because I feel like if I can getsomething where I'm like, oh,
that's working you know I'mgoing to keep doing it because
it's working.
Because, I don't want the ballcoming back.
Yeah, You know I'm not, I'm not, I'm not good enough for it to
come back and have to react toit.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
And we're getting too old and too heavy.
My strokes aren't that prettyyou know, My strokes are kind of
they're like my my swing andbaseball.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
It wasn't a pretty thing, but it got the job done
you know, yeah, what do youweigh right now?
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Do you want to say that on air?
I'm like G25.
And what's a good weight likethat you would love to be for
10?
.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
I'd love to be like 205, you know, 210.
I'd be faster and I wouldn'thurt as much.
I think the weight, just it,crushes my knees.
Not that 225 is like superheavy, but I didn't need to lose
some weight.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
So you're a good 20, you would like to lose 20.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
20,.
Yeah, 15 to 20.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
That's actually exactly what I'm at, if I can
lose 15 to 20, which I havebefore, and my tennis was
amazing.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Yeah, Like everything was different.
I think everything will themovement, the mobility you know,
like I mean, wouldn't you agree, Like when you, when you have
the mobility, you're that muchbetter.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yeah, I wasn't hurting, like especially when I
was stretching too.
When I lost the weight for somereason, I was doing everything
else right, Like now I'm doingnothing right.
I should be least stretching,you know, doing some other
things right, But when I lostthe weight I was doing
everything right.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
Like I was stretching , i was doing sit ups Yeah, i
don't do that stuff, right now,i don't either.
You just feel better.
You know, Oh, totally, And myback felt better When I was
doing sit ups.
My back felt amazing.
Now, every morning when I wakeup, my back hurts.
I'm like why Is it in my back?
And no, it's probably have aweak stomach.
Yeah, Oh man, What else are yougonna say?
(38:43):
So you know, when we playeddoubles, you played the backhand
right, yeah, i played thebackhand.
You did play the backhand, Okaythat's right And which later on
I started thinking about that.
That's a little strange.
Right, You have the one-handerAnd I got the two-hander.
I feel a little morecomfortable on my two-hander And
(39:05):
I don't remember why we didthat.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Well for me.
I struggle with the one-handedbackhand inside out.
You know That's a tough shotfor me, oh yeah, yeah.
Whereas the backhand crosscourt is a little easier for me,
you know.
So I think that we probablycould play really well the other
way too, mm-hmm, you know, butI would probably go with more
(39:28):
cut lobs over the net playerthan trying to go inside out.
That's tough for me.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
On the do side.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
On the do side, On the do side.
out one-hander is a difficultshot for me to pull off.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
But if I can rip a one-hander cross court, it just
tends to work a lot better forme.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Yeah, well, when you're teaching right now, you
said you're teaching just kids,or is it all around?
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Kids, adults.
Speaker 2 (39:53):
Yeah, you are.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
Yeah, everybody Were you gonna ask which one I teach.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
No, well, i was gonna ask like that because I'm
interested.
when you're dealing with yourown problems and doubles, like
you're noticing, you know you'rehitting this shot better, that
shot better, like I was justinterested on how you're
teaching kids Like, is it doublestrategy?
Are you not there yet?
That's what I was asking about.
the age.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
Yeah, we do.
I mean with the high schoolgirls I get into double strategy
with them.
It's pretty simple, basic stuffto make sure they're positioned
, you know right And you knowtrying to come in when the ball
is deep and so forth.
But, like as far as strokes areconcerned, i just feel like the
two-hander is just a bettershot to teach.
(40:38):
So I don't ever teach aone-hander.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
Interesting.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
I haven't taught a one-hander to anybody.
It's always a two-hander.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
So even right when they're starting out, you're
making sure.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
Right when they're starting out.
I just, you know, you watch thetwo-hander's return serve and I
feel like it's always betterYeah.
I mean wouldn't you agree?
Speaker 2 (40:53):
No, i do, because the one-hander has to rely on the
slice.
I mean, if you're Federer whocares, i guess but, you're right
, the one-hander has to rely onthe slice a lot.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
Yeah, i mean you hear .
you know you watch the prosplay and all the great
one-handers you still hear thecommentators always talking
about.
You know the one-hander's gonnabreak down.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yeah, you know, just hear it.
Speaker 3 (41:15):
I hear it over and over again on TV.
Like you know, sits a boss.
You know his return to serve onthe one-handed side.
Backhand isn't near as good ashis forehand.
Yeah, so it's, and I.
There's times where I wish Iwas a two-handed returner and
then a one-handed shot makerInteresting.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
You know?
Yeah, that's interesting.
I never thought about that,because I do actually hit a
one-hand if it's really low andthe guy's pressing the net and
it's a certain shot I reallycan't describe it, maybe unless
we're on the court, but it's acertain shot where I'm running
to the left.
I actually do hit a one-handersometimes.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Because you can maneuver, maneuver it.
Yeah, i agree.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Yeah, Cause it feels.
It feels a little stuck whenthe two hands.
But the one hand I'll just, Ifeel You can flick it, Flick it.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Cross-court, kind of like a forehand right.
Yeah, yeah, i agree, i agree,and but the return to serve?
I'd much rather have atwo-handed.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
No, you're right.
Yeah, yeah, that's interesting.
Are you using weight on yourracket at all?
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Like lead.
Yeah, no, have you ever?
I haven't no.
Speaker 2 (42:22):
Do guys?
I mean I know baseball, theyweigh their bats and everything,
but I don't know, is thereanything comparable like that in
baseball?
Speaker 3 (42:29):
Yeah, i mean.
So when we order bats they'reall a little different.
Oh, like you could.
You could order a dozen batsand there's there's six to eight
of them that you actually like.
The other four you're like justdoesn't feel right And it could
be a 0.1 ounce, but we can feelit.
(42:50):
It's really when you'reswinging a bat every single day
And it's just that it's kind oflike they talk about Federer
swinging rackets.
They're like, yeah, this isn'tright, so it's not right about
it.
And it's maybe the mostminuscule gram of an ounce or
whatever you know, like that'son, that's on an intelligent
(43:10):
gram of an ounce, but it's sominuscule that you'd think that
they wouldn't know.
You know, and it may even bewrote on there, that it's the
same weight, but we'll gomeasure it and it's not the same
weight.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
I've always been interested about that too,
because they actually say thatwhen you get your racket it
might be slightly different,Slightly different yeah.
Which is why the pros havesomeone that weighs it and they
do use weight, but they'll getall the specs exactly the same
Perfect Cause, you're right.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
I mean, it may happen to them too, where they get 10
rackets coming and maybe theyonly like four of them.
Yeah, But that's what happenswith baseball too.
It's so mental, you know likeyou're like God, it just doesn't
feel quite right Or maybe thebat was cut.
It's the same exact weight.
You measure it, but it wasn'tcut exactly the same way.
(44:03):
You know what I mean.
There's a little more headweight in the barrel.
That will get you.
Every time There's a littlemore head weight in the barrel
You're like no, it's gotta feelbad.
Like.
For me it always had to be abalanced bat.
I didn't like any weight at theend of the bat, cause it just
felt heavy.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
How about in tennis?
then?
Are you head light, handleheavy?
Speaker 3 (44:25):
Do you care?
Speaker 2 (44:25):
about that stuff, do you think?
Speaker 3 (44:26):
about it.
I don't like it when it's thelighter head.
You know, lighter head, light,lighter head, yeah, i like it.
I think, whether you measure itat a one, is it like 0.51 or
whatnot?
I like it right at a one.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Cause I've been putting.
I gotta show you, after beentaking the butt cap off, and I
actually put fishing putty.
You know the putty that theyput on.
You know fishing lines whenthey throw, like to make it to
get a little heavier.
I've been stuffing that in thebutt cap.
It's tungsten putty and thehandle feels nice.
(45:03):
So it's making it's heavierdown here.
It's heavier down the handle,so technically it's.
It's called it's making theracket head light, because
obviously the handle's heavierthan the head, but for some
reason it feels so nice and itfeels a little deader to me, so
something about it when I hitjust feels really nice.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
Cool.
I mean, you gotta find.
You gotta find what feels good,right?
Yeah, like you know, as a, ithink, as a tennis player, as a
baseball player, both situationsif it doesn't feel right, how
can you really perform like theway that you want to?
Yeah, it's always gonna be inyour head, man, something's not
right with my racket orsomething's not right with my
(45:45):
bat, i think it's impossible toperform to your best, but if it
feels great, you know watch out.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
How did you get into tennis after baseball?
Was it always part of your life?
Speaker 3 (45:55):
No, so, my, you know, i got my daughters into tennis.
I just always felt like it'd bea good sport for them to get
into.
And they just were, you know,taking lessons at Canyon Lake,
and I figured, man, i betterstart playing, because at some
point I didn't want to get beatyou know, And so it was.
(46:18):
I didn't want to get beat bythem.
Speaker 2 (46:21):
By them.
Yeah, oh, you didn't want toget beat by them.
Speaker 3 (46:24):
Yeah, i didn't want to get beat by them because
they're getting good, you know,and my, you know, i hit with my
daughter now and she can beat mein a set here and there, you
know, yeah, and it's like Andshe's out of college.
She's a 17 year old, she's ajunior.
She's a junior, okay, but she'sgraduating early.
(46:46):
So she's graduating this yearas a junior.
But you know, when I play her,i'm like man, some of the
there's a lot of 5-0 guys thatdon't hit as hard as she does.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
She hits really hard.
Speaker 3 (46:57):
And her backhand's super hard and flat So it rushes
me.
you know It's hard to it's hard.
She gets points off me that way.
Speaker 2 (47:06):
Yeah, the younger kids right now are hitting so
hard.
There's some kids on my club.
They hit so hard, man Oh manLike, wouldn't you agree?
Speaker 3 (47:12):
Like, the kids are hitting harder.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
I think so.
I don't know if it's just usbeing old and we're thinking
that, but I truly believe it.
Speaker 3 (47:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:19):
I know for a fact I wasn't hitting as hard as them
when I was young and I wasplaying all the time.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
Yeah, I mean, it's just, it's different.
I mean you would know more thanme.
I didn't play tennis.
I mean I played very littletennis when I was little.
We did, like me and my buddy.
I had a good friend who I grewup with.
We actually both played in thebig leagues, you know, And it's
just a, but we would go down.
I mean he was Michael Chang,right, Like that's who.
(47:49):
he was imitating his swings andeverything, And I was always
imitating Boris Becker, Likethat's what we were trying to do
.
We'd go and watch Wimbledon andmatches all the time.
We watched tennis.
We didn't play a lot, but wewatched it.
And then we went to the tenniscourts and tried to emulate the
way that they hit, they served,all the things that they did.
(48:10):
Even though we may not looklike them, we felt like we
looked like them.
Speaker 2 (48:13):
So when did you start playing more often?
and obviously you're teachingnow, so when did you start
really getting into playing?
Speaker 3 (48:20):
So like probably I wanna say it's about six years
now when I started playing likesix years ago, started at the
three, five level, Then I wasplaying like mixed 7-0 with my
sister and just players from theclub And then 4-0 and then 4-5
(48:44):
and then 5-0.
Speaker 2 (48:46):
How long have you been a 5-0?
Speaker 3 (48:48):
I've been a 5-0 for it's either two or three years
now.
Okay, But I feel like when Ibecame a 5-0, it's just like I
haven't played that much Thelast few years.
shoot like the leagues that youand I played.
That's all I've really played.
(49:08):
I haven't gotten to play muchat all, like three.
I think it was about threeyears ago.
we did take a 5-0 team tosectionals, which was super fun,
but that was we can't put two5-0 leagues together or teams in
our league here in Riverside todo it, Otherwise we'd probably
(49:30):
go.
Speaker 2 (49:31):
Yeah, no, it's so hard in our area because it's us
, then you, and then the nextclub is I don't even know where
a good 20, 30 miles worth of youAnd you got you know Andoka's
dude.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
I mean it used to be.
Yeah, andoka had a 4-5 team.
We had a 4-5 team, maria, thetennis club had a 4-5 team And
you had even Ken Kress had a 4-5team.
Then you also had the Rancho,the crickets.
I don't know if you ever playedagainst the crickets, but they
had a 4-5 team And it was agreat league.
But, man, when coronavirus hita league died.
(50:07):
It's lucky to get two teams forthe league now.
Plus, guys are getting older.
You know what?
Speaker 2 (50:13):
I mean, yeah, it seems like you could still get a
4-5 team together.
The 5-0 gets a little tougher,5-0's hard.
Speaker 3 (50:19):
Yeah, at our age I think It is It's hard to get a
5-0 team together.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Yeah, so what's your daughter's plan?
Does she want to go play incollege?
She does.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
Yeah, i had my older daughter.
She originally signed to goplay division two at a school up
North And then it was stillgonna be kind of expensive to go
there, and then she alsoapplied to University of Arizona
.
And she got a full academicride there, So it just made
(50:48):
sense you know, Okay, and she'shaving a blast there, so it's.
Speaker 2 (50:52):
Is she playing any sports?
Speaker 3 (50:55):
She just kind of messes around with recreational
stuff, yeah.
And then my younger daughtershe really wants to focus over
the next six, eight months andtry to get a rating up to go D1.
Oh, wow, it's.
You know, the D1 for men andgirls is super frustrating
(51:21):
because it's like 80% Europeanplayers Oh interesting.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
I guess it's always been, It hasn't no?
Speaker 3 (51:29):
I don't know how long it's been like that for a
little while now But you know15,.
I don't even know the totalyears, but I know 15,.
20 years ago it wasn't likethat.
Speaker 2 (51:40):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (51:40):
But you know, i don't know.
I kind of feel like thereshould be a cap, but just to get
more Americans to division onetennis you know, it's just, it's
super, super hard And in factthe stats show now that it's the
hardest sport out of any sportto make it in D1.
As an American athlete, youknow If you compare football
(52:05):
basketball, the percentages is Ithink the it's the lowest, for
Americans actually play D1tennis.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
Interesting.
I mean I guess it also goesinto tennis as more of a world
sport versus football or evenbasketball.
Well, basketball is a worldsport, let's be real.
Speaker 3 (52:21):
but Basketball yeah.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
It's still, i guess, american sort of lead the way
still, But not like tennis.
Speaker 3 (52:27):
I feel like and someone described this to me
recently as like college tennisis like the minor leagues for
baseball Yeah, in the sense thatthe players are so good.
Yeah, you know, you win theNCAAs and you got an automatic
bid you know For sure.
Into the US Open.
Speaker 2 (52:47):
Yeah, which is pretty awesome.
Oh heck, yeah.
Did you get a chance to go seeOhio?
Did you go watch any college?
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (52:53):
No, i haven't been to Ohio yet.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
You haven't, but you know of it, i know of it yeah,
okay, love to go.
Speaker 3 (52:59):
I'd love to do it and experience it, but I haven't
done it yet.
Speaker 2 (53:02):
Oh, your daughter would love it too, cause I got
to go and I watched the Pac-12Women's and Men's Finals.
So it was Stanford versus USCfor women's and USC versus Utah
for men's.
Speaker 3 (53:12):
Oh wow, really Wait, usc were in both then.
Yeah, oh, wow I guess theyalways are.
Speaker 2 (53:16):
I don't follow it that much, but I guess USC is
always there.
Oh, are they?
Yeah, and I think they won thePac-12 the last three or four
years and then they get to go tothe NCAA tournament.
Yeah, so it was so fun.
Speaker 3 (53:29):
Yeah, you know, I think I'd like to see all the
grand slams at some point.
Oh heck.
yeah, And next year my wife andI are going for our 25th
anniversary to do Wimbledon.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
That's actually gonna be our 25th anniversary, so
that'll be fun Very cool.
Have you seen any protournaments recently?
Speaker 3 (53:46):
I always go to Indian Wells.
Speaker 2 (53:47):
Okay, did you go this ?
Speaker 3 (53:48):
year I did.
Yeah, We go every year And ourkids have always been ball kids
there.
So, they were there.
They were ball kids for likefive, six years.
You know, i think theirhighlight was I think they both
have done Federer and SerenaWilliams- Oh, my gosh So they
don't let those, they don't letthe inexperienced kids go on.
(54:10):
But after like four or fiveyears they got to go on the main
stage and ball kid with those.
So that was cool.
Speaker 2 (54:18):
What's that process like you go try out, like
literally, you have to try out.
Speaker 3 (54:21):
Yeah it's actually pretty easy.
If you have tennis experiencein your kid, you can.
Just you know.
If you research it online, youknow ball kids for Indian Wells.
All you gotta do is do thetraining.
It's usually a four daytraining situation.
And once you pass everythingthat you're required to pass,
(54:42):
they'll take you.
Oh, that's cool.
It's all you know non-pay.
Speaker 2 (54:48):
You know they don't pay you, or?
Speaker 3 (54:49):
anything.
At one point we were thinkingabout let them do the US Open.
You know That would have beencool.
They actually pay you for theUS Open.
Oh really, That would be cool,but we never did it.
Speaker 2 (55:00):
She did it this year too, or no?
Speaker 3 (55:02):
She didn't do it this year.
No, they didn't do it this year, they did last year and the
last five, or I think five years, five, six years before that.
Speaker 2 (55:10):
Oh, that's so cool.
Speaker 3 (55:12):
But yeah, they always loved it.
It was a super fun experiencefor kids.
If anyone you know listening,it's actually pretty easy to get
into those And, which is a perk, they give you two tickets to
every single day.
Speaker 2 (55:28):
Really, yeah, oh my gosh.
So that's kind of a Oh heckyeah.
Speaker 3 (55:32):
So we had three.
we had six tickets to everysingle event.
Speaker 2 (55:36):
So it was pretty cool , we were giving them away and
stuff but My little one's eight,So she wanted to do it, but
that's probably too young.
She probably wouldn'tunderstand what's going on and
how to do it yet.
Speaker 3 (55:46):
Yeah you know they used to take the really young
ones, but I know they recently,in the last couple years I think
, they made an age cap on it.
Speaker 2 (55:54):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (55:55):
I don't know what that age is.
It may be 12, it may be 14.
I know that both my kids weredoing it at 12.
At one point.
But yeah, i think eight isgonna eat, probably I think it's
12.
It could be 14, but if it's, ifthey're not getting a lot of
ball kids, they probably open itup to some younger ones, you
(56:17):
know.
Speaker 2 (56:18):
I remember that.
That totally remind me of thatbat boy Problem.
They used to be like young batboys, right, yeah, well,
something happened.
Yeah, and I remember what thatthing was, like someone ran into
him.
Oh yeah, no.
Speaker 3 (56:32):
He.
He was going to home plate toget a bat when the play was
going and there was a runner,you know, coming in and and it
was gonna be a play at the plateand Somebody I think maybe the
guy in deck had to grab him andyank him out of the way the bat
boy, yeah, yeah.
And so, yeah, it was a kind ofa scary moment because, yeah,
(56:54):
you know, he would have gotcrushed.
Speaker 2 (56:55):
Yeah, yeah it would have been ugly.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, so they don't have anyyoung bat boys anymore.
Speaker 3 (57:00):
I don't think they have any young.
they used to have the littleones you know do it, But yeah,
they don't do that anymore.
Yeah, just for safety reasons.
Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (57:06):
Oh my gosh.
Well, bobby, i know you gave mean amazing present.
I don't know if you've watchedthe podcast, so I try to give
everyone one little present.
This won't match up to what yougave me, but this is an a
caress card, oh shit.
So I collect cards.
Leaf made this card this yearactually, and it's it's numbered
(57:27):
to 2300 something.
So they only made that many ofthis particular card, and then
they have a signature one whereit's worth a lot more.
Where's autograph?
Oh right, i bought three orfour this particular card.
I kept one and I gave out onelast week and I wanted to give
you that just say thank you,this is awesome.
Speaker 3 (57:43):
Yeah, thank you really really for coming.
Speaker 2 (57:45):
So I really appreciate it.
Bobby, um, i mean, just youtalking about Visualizing alone,
really, i think made thispodcast and then obviously you
talking about your experience inthe world series.
But I'm gonna start doing thatbecause I do.
Sometimes on a long drive I'lljust start thinking about
(58:06):
playing a point, and every nowand then it's pretty rare, but I
think I should do it I'llactually try to play a set in my
head.
Yeah, and I don't know why Idid it that one time I just sort
of imagined it like and I don'tremember if I, if I won in my
imaginary set or not.
Yeah, i guess it doesn't matter, or maybe I should win.
Do you think I should visualize?
Speaker 3 (58:27):
Oh, i think, I think the positive experiences are
what you're really trying to getout.
So, yeah, you know, a greatexample of of a server Compared
to a pitcher is a perfectvisualization situation, like a
pitcher can visualize hittingcorners or Or I'm gonna hit a
(58:47):
slider, or I'm gonna throw aslider on the outside corner,
i'm gonna throw a slider downand in or whatever they're gonna
do.
But you know, at one point Youknow as a pitcher you could
actually visualize what you'regonna pitch.
The second, before you actuallypitch it, and the chances of
success, of that pitch gettingexecuted It increases by a
(59:08):
certain percent.
So like, let's say, you'reserving, you're like I Want to
hit the tee and close to the teefor an ace, right.
So the few, if you actuallyvisualize you doing that right
before you did it,hypothetically, your chances of
actually executing it should bea little bit higher.
Wow, that's so cool Cuz you're,because your mind thinks it just
(59:28):
did it and it's gonna try torepeat the motion you know Like,
so that that would be a greatexample of of a of a pitcher and
a server.
Speaker 2 (59:38):
Yeah, hitting your spots, which obviously I guess
every now and then I do thiswhen I'm playing my best tennis,
i'll sort of know where the itnever on the serve.
My serve is never good.
Maybe that's a problem notvisualizing on my serve, but on
the return, on the ad side,every now and then I can sort of
call where they're gonna hit it, mm-hmm, and I sort of feel
(01:00:00):
like I'm I'm like writing ascript.
I go, okay, they're gonna hithere, i'm gonna hit here, the
next ball is gonna land here.
And every now and then, liketwo or three balls, i can almost
see it happening prior to ithappening, yeah, and if it
happens that way, man, i'mhitting a good, you stick it
right.
Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
Yeah, guys, served you Five or six balls in the
spot and then, like you're, likeyou're like seeing before it
happened, he's gonna go to thatspot again.
Yeah, you, just you end upcrushing it, right, that's no
totally the same same scenario?
Yeah okay, well, i gotta, igotta, try to implement that
more or like let's say, you know, you could just visualize, You
know great shots down the lineor something you know, stuff
(01:00:39):
like that, i think is There'sjust so many similarities like
being in baseball and then andthen going to tennis.
The similarities are are arereally The serve is like a
throwing.
You know Seeing the ball bounceand recognizing where you're
supposed to be before early.
You know trying to get thespots early.
You know It's just like youknow reading a ground ball Yeah,
(01:01:01):
um, where you're supposed tomake contact, you're always
supposed to feel the ball out infront.
You're supposed to make contactout in front.
You know all those littlethings kind of play.
But it's.
It's such a good Transitionalsport like I like right now.
I like tennis way more inbaseball.
But I played baseball my entirelife.
I burnt out, you know.
But if you were to say, hey,bob, you want to go play a
(01:01:22):
baseball game or a tennis match,i'm gonna pick tennis match,
really 100% of the time so how?
Speaker 2 (01:01:28):
how much Like hitting the ball in baseball versus?
I guess it would be maybe aforehand if you're righty.
So how similar or dissimilarare those like?
are you?
are you seeing a lot ofsimilarities, like hip turn,
shoulder turn, i don't know?
Lag with the bat, is thereanything like that?
Speaker 3 (01:01:46):
I mean there's a lag with the bat.
Yeah, the the hands comethrough first and the barrel
comes, you know, second.
But there's nothing I can'thome run.
Speaker 2 (01:01:55):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:01:58):
You know the grind of hitting is is way harder to
deal with.
Then then They're differentthan playing a tennis match.
Like tennis matches is moremore of a consistent mental
grind.
Baseball's more of a.
You know you fail and then yougot to wait to your next at bat.
(01:02:19):
Yeah, it's so much farther downthe road and then you take
another at bat and then you know, let's say you go for four in a
in a game And that's why slumpsare so bad, like mentally you
want to beat yourself up.
You know, because if you go ona, if you go on a 10 game, you
know slump in your oh for yourlast 40.
(01:02:41):
It feels like it feels likeeternity, you know, whereas you
know, whereas tennis, you knowIt's not.
It's more, for me at least it'sit's more like The.
The entire match is more of amental grind and then when
you're done Win or lose you'renot beating yourself up as much.
Hmm, sometimes you can right,but, yeah, by the next day
(01:03:04):
You're not really, you're readyto play again, yeah, whereas in
in a baseball situation, man,you can beat yourself up for a
very long time.
Speaker 2 (01:03:15):
I had a buddy once tell me who played baseball.
I think he got into the minors,um but he said hitting a
baseball is the hardest thing insports.
I forget we had an argumentabout it one time and I don't
remember why we were arguingabout just buddies arguing about
sports stuff, yeah, um, what doyou think about that?
How is that?
is there anything comparable totrying to hit a fast major
(01:03:36):
league pitchers ball, you know?
Speaker 3 (01:03:40):
When, when I first got called up, I was like Blown
away with major league pitchinglike man.
This is not going to last longyou know, I was like I I'm going
back, like because, because themovement and the speed and and
and how fast everything was,yeah, uh, encapsulated with the
fact that I was, um, geeked outof my mind to be there and the
(01:04:03):
adrenaline was through the roof.
I couldn't control what I wasdoing, um, and then, as you get
called up again, slows up alittle bit and then you get sent
down and you get called upagain and then it starts
becoming like the game that youplayed your entire life.
But, um, i coached jv baseballat elsonor And you know, when
(01:04:25):
you're a great hitter, you don'tfeel like it's the hardest
thing that do in the world,right, like You've hit your
whole life and it's, and it'ssomething that you have success
with and and and Like I wouldnever say that because I did
have success and and and Iwouldn't say that was the
hardest thing to do in the world, right, because I actually was
able to do it.
But then, when I coached thispast year and I and I saw how
(01:04:50):
difficult it was for high schoolhitters to hit not just Good
pitching but sometimes averagepitching, it made me think I'm
like, damn, i don't remember itbeing this hard, um, but yeah,
it's.
It's extremely hard to do andand when you watch You know
pitchers dominate hitters at atthis little level you start to
(01:05:11):
realize how, how difficult it isto hit It's not easy.
Speaker 2 (01:05:14):
Yeah, i mean I think I've talked to you about this,
but that's how I feel.
Playing these opens, which isit's just a different level of
speed, because I I'm not tryingto like float my own boat or
wherever the expression issaying I'm on equal ground, is
them in talent?
But I do feel that way.
A lot of times I feel like ourstrokes are pretty similar.
(01:05:35):
Talent why?
some of these guys are justabsolutely amazing, but a lot of
times I feel I'm on an equalplane as my opponent.
But it's this, the speed oftheir ball.
I'm just not used to And it'sthat little and I've said this
before on other podcasts whereit might be just a 10 mile per
hour difference, but it's aworld of difference for me.
I just I'm just that splitsecond late on everything And it
(01:05:59):
it's like it's an easy matchfor them.
Speaker 3 (01:06:03):
And maybe my balls that much slower to them.
I think that That is a greatcomparable, like when I first
got to the big leagues And, andeven more so, like if I was, if
I was younger, like and I was incollege And I had to go face
big league pitching like I wouldhave got dominated you know,
but the more you see it like,the more you play those guys,
(01:06:24):
the more you get used to it,right?
Speaker 2 (01:06:26):
Yeah, yeah, no, i do, and that's why I think the more
I'm playing opens, the Theslower it's feeling that.
Not that it's getting anyslower, but the more I'm getting
used to it right, and I can becalm out there.
Yeah more than I'm just feelinglike I'm, you know, going
everywhere and I can't get my myfeet under me kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
Yeah, i mean, i think the more you face it, the the
easier it is and and you'llstart catching up and and you'll
be like Man.
I remember my that overwhelmingfeeling that I had.
That like this is impossible,but sooner or later, when you're
around it and you see it daily,it's not as impossible, you
know, and and even more so likeif you hit with that type of a
player on a daily basis, you'dprobably fit right in.
(01:07:07):
You know, because you're right,your, your strokes and and
everything is Is at the level,but they're just a little, a
little bit faster.
That you don't get to see on adaily basis.
That's how I, that's how Iwould see it, and I feel like
that's kind of similar to Maybesome of the juniors in in this
area and they got to go play inorange county.
(01:07:27):
You know the orange county kids, ellie, you know they're
hitting with better playersdaily, yeah, and so you know,
sometimes The kids here they goout and they play tournaments
and they get beat.
And it's not that they can't,they're not as good as athletes,
because a lot of them aresometimes better athletes.
Sometimes they're, you know,but they they're not seeing that
(01:07:48):
just a little bit more speed orjust a little bit better, um,
you know tactical skills, butsooner or later they'll, they'll
catch up, you know that's how Ifeel you know.
I mean, sooner or later, thecrop will, the cream will right.
You know, rise for the crop.
You know to the top and and umyeah, but like for for you, like
(01:08:09):
I feel like I feel the same way, like when I don't play and
then we go and play a match,like there's times when I'm like
I'm over matched right now, youknow, but I think it's more
because they've either one.
They've played Against thattype of a player for so long.
Yeah that they're like.
This is, this is you know pieceof cake, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:08:29):
Yeah, Well, we got to play some dubs.
I'll try to find a tournamentfor us.
Maybe we'll do some filming andI'll try to put it on the
channel and stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:08:37):
Dude, I'd love to play dubs with you and and make
a run.
You know, i think we could doreally well.
Speaker 2 (01:08:42):
We'll find the right tournament for us not too crazy
Yeah something right in themiddle, we'll figure it out,
yeah for sure.
That'd be, that'd be awesome,awesome, bobby.
Well, thank you, my friend.
Um, i'm gonna close it up here,but I really appreciate.
Thanks.
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