May 28, 2021 • 31 mins
This week's Diamond Conversations welcomes former Major League Baseball superstar pitcher, Bret Saberhagen. A dominant pitcher throughout his career, Bret solidified his position as an Ace during the 1980s and 1990s with durability and pure dominance.Now, Bret and his wife Kandace are taking on a new challenge and lifting those in need with SabesWings. Kandace is a three time breast cancer survivor. SabesWings was developed to help those who are experiencing firsthand, the costs of caner treatments and the lack of opportunities presented to patients. From the SabesWings website: "The spirit of love, the gesture of kindness, the support of our wings lifting those in need when presented with fear. SabesWings was established to assist those suffering from financial medical toxicity because no patient should choose between treatment and everyday expenses." Learn more about SabesWings by visiting their website (https://www.sabeswings.com/). You can also find all of the information for their upcoming events this September that include a dinner, live auction, golf tournament and cooking with Celebrity Chef, Roshni Gurnani.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:13):
All right, let's get back inhere on Diamond Conversations, another episode here
on the Creative Control podcast network.If you didn't know by now, my
name is Ian and every single weekwe take a journey on the Diamond,
we walk across it, we goto the bullpen. In this instance today
as I welcome in and very decoratedformer Major League pitcher. He's been he's
(00:35):
really done it all No Hitters,World Series Champions, All Stars Gold Glove.
Is my honor to be joined todayby the one and old league mister
Brett Saberhagen. Mister Saberhagen, howare you. I'm doing well. Thanks
for having me in. Oh myblood chat. Oh it's always a benefit
for me to speak with somebody whoI watched grew up a Mets fans,
so I'll get that out of theway. You know, watch watches when
(00:58):
you came over, So it wasa great time as a fan. But
now to sit here in the chairto talk to you, absolute pleasure.
But first and foremost, how areyou doing? What's going on in the
world of Brett Saberhagen. Oh,it's a beautiful day in Central Coast California.
That's where I make home. Nowwe've got one of our sons in.
(01:18):
We've got a blended family, Candiceand I. One of our sons
in from Colorado for another day orso, so that's been kind of nice.
But just really waiting for the summerto hit. We've got a lake
that we usually go out on aboat, ready to get on the water,
but it's been cooler, it hasn'tbeen too hot yet, so we're
waiting for that one or where theyget going. But yeah, just watching
(01:41):
baseball, watching a little playoffs.With the basketball, I'm not crazy about
how many teams actually get in inthe postseason. It's kind of ridiculous.
I don't want to watch a teamthat's either five hundred or below win postseason.
You've got so many teams that aregoing in. I think baseball does
it perfectly. They have the rightamount of teams going in, so it
(02:01):
keeps it interesting for a lot ofteams out in different parts of the country.
So yeah, I've been keeping upwith that. I'm a little upset
with our Mets, as you wouldsay, um, you know my boy
Chilie Davis the other day. Yeah, yeah, but that's that's part of
part of the game, you know. If the hitters aren't doing what they're
supposed to be doing, you gottablame somebody, right. And it's weird
(02:22):
too because since they fired Chili,they went on a run. And that's
the thing. I don't understand.What was the difference that Chili Davis,
who was there for about a seasonand a half, what was the difference
that he gets taken out of theequation and then they go on a fourteen
and five run and whatever it iswith fourteen guys on the injured list,
it's just it's one of those MajorLeague Baseball misnomers. Yeah, and it
(02:43):
seems like they're dropping like flies too. That was a pretty good face show
that Polar got the other day.That was unfortunate. That was tough to
watch, But yeah, I haveI have another good buddy of mine that
keeps me up to date on justabout everything every day with the Mets.
Um for he's out in Atlanta,but huge Mets fans, so I'm always
getting text from him because he's watchingthe games NonStop. And they did very
(03:06):
well in Atlanta, which is veryodd because they never do. So that
was it was quite the thing tosee and we thought maybe they were gonna
sweep last night. But can't allbe perfect right now? Now? We
try exactly now Before I have acouple of questions we'll get into about this
season. I want to talk aboutSaves Wings. That's how I got in
touch with you, and the eventthat you guys have coming up in September,
and again here we are talking inMay and the look down the road.
(03:29):
I know the preparation that goes intoevents is a lot and it's gonna
blink for you. But to seehow you guys have put stuff together,
tell the listeners about Saves Wings andabout the event itself, well, I
appreciate the chance to talk about that. Ian. So yeah, Candice and
I. She's gone through breast cancer. She's been diagnosed three different times,
gone through treatments four times because thelast go around she didn't get rid of
(03:53):
the cancer completely, so she didfour rounds of chemo, has done four
rounds of chimo. She's clean asit is right now. She's had a
double missectomy. But for her togo through cancer and see it firsthand and
know that there's different types of treatmentsout there, and the different types of
treatment come with a cost, andsometimes the treatments are not taking care of
(04:15):
through medical and you got to comeout of pocket if you want to try
those procedures. So she was doinga procedure that costs seven hundred a pill
and it was costing her about twentytwo thousand dollars a month though to have
this treatment. So there's times wherefamilies have to make a decision whether they
pay their bills or they pay fortheir treatments, and so she came up
(04:39):
with the idea of saves Wings andhelping those in need. And we're helping
out families that are going through cancer. It doesn't matter what type of cancer
it is, but if you're havingproblems paying your bills, go to saves
wings dot com. There's a thingthere that you can click on and fill
out some forms because we are lookingto help those in need that are making
(05:00):
those decisions whether they pay their householdbills or their their treatments. So a
lot of times people get behind ontheir mortgages and we'll take care of that,
or if they're they're they're behind ontheir medical payments, will will help
that out. But with that beingsaid, what we're doing and trying to
help these families out We have threeevents going on September nineteenth and twentieth,
(05:21):
Central Coast pass Robos, California.U So yeah. The nineteenth is a
Sunday. We have a dinner.We will be given away a lifetime Achievement
Award. We will be given awaya couple of family financial assistants to the
couple families. At night, wehave celebrity chef Rosch who is a great
(05:44):
chef. She's one Shop, She'sbeen on the beat, Bobby Flair,
she's been on Hell's Kitchen. Shehas she is one of the celebrity chefs
on the Food Network. She isin charge of creating an unbelievable meal that
night. It's not going to bea sit down rubber chicken, steak,
fish thing. It's going to becreations of many chefs putting together their thoughts
and creating different things that you cango around and taste all kinds of great
(06:08):
foods. We've got plenty of cigarsthat are Cigar Roller will be there.
We have singer songwriters, good friendsof ours that will be there. Some
unbelievable names. Can't really mention themyet because they're still setting up their schedule
for the non COVID season coming up, so we hope to have just about
each one of them. If not, we will have some fabulous singer songwriters.
(06:30):
And then the next days of golfevents. So the twentieth is a
golf event, and if you're notinto golf, Chef Rash is actually going
to put on a cooking class whileyou go and join her and create something
that she creates and cook alongside withher. So we've got all those things
going on in September, But goto saves Wyns dot com to find out
(06:51):
more about it. You can donate. If you're not going to be there,
you can put up money to havea foursome of first responders going to
either of the cooking class or thegolf event. All kinds of good stuff.
So we appreciate your help because withoutyou, guys, we cannot make
a difference with these families. Soappreciate you. Let me get that all
(07:11):
in you, oh my pleasure.I mean just reading on the site and
all the stuff I've kind of researchedlooking at it. I mean, obviously,
you know, my heart goes outto Candice at what she's had to
go through. Unbelievable warrior that shecan survive all that, that's wonderful.
But with the organization itself and theevents, and I I love charitable events,
I don't know what to say aboutit. I used to do a
lot of them in New Jersey whenI lived in New Jersey. They just
(07:33):
you see how much they help peoplekind of cheer up. But I'm sure
with something like this, you knowthe support that you guys also offer.
Kind of your experience and going throughit with Candice, you know, are
you able to kind of speak withpeople and give them your perspective on how
to maybe coach them through the toughtimes? Yeah, you know, you
(07:55):
know that's the basic thing. Imean, I think the tough thing with
I mean, and it goes withdeath as well. Death and um,
you know, when you're going throughcancer, people don't really know what to
say. But um, as longas you're there for them to support them
and say, hey listen if youneed to talk, you know, uh,
I'm here. UM. You know, it's it's one of those things
where, um, you don't needto say anything if you're just there and
(08:18):
you're supporting. We have some friendsin Tahoe that are she's going um through
some breast cancer and it's it's it'sum not not a good thing. UM.
I truly believe that there's always hopeif you if you're trying to do
things to cure to the cancer.UM. But the biggest part about I
(08:41):
think people going through cancer is yougot to be mentally strong and tough.
Um. And then not just theperson, but the loved ones that are
around them giving them their guidance andtheir uh they're positive thinking and just being
there for them. So that's that'sthe tough part is actually no one not
not what to say, but beingthere for them, to talk to them
(09:03):
and at any given time and evena text each day you can give them
a shout say hey, we're thinkingabout you, you know, stay positive
and that that is very meaningful aswell. Absolutely, I mean what I
can what I can say to youguys is what a team you make.
Just by reading about everything that I'veread over the last week, I mean,
just it's a tag team. You'vebeen on a lot of baseball teams,
but this is I'm from the wrestlingworld and you guys are a great
(09:24):
tag team. So very very nice. Hats off to you both appreciate that.
Thank you yes, um we uhyeah, I would just try to
try to make a difference. That'sthat was my old foundation, Make a
Difference Foundation. Now it saves Wings. But yeah, just try to make
make a difference, one person,one family at a time. And another
really unique thing that you do isyou sign memorabilia through the charity to help
(09:48):
benefit the charity, you know,and being in the memorabilia world, I
know what that's about. And thatis like that's the best way to do
it because people they come out andI'm sure in droves to support the cause
and get a right sab can autographin the process. Yeah, you can
go to site as well, savesdot com. You can find out where
to send it to and also thedonation suggested minimum price, you can donate
(10:11):
more than whatever it costs. Sofor instance, a baseball card, you
send a baseball card ten dollar minimumdonation to Saves Wings and uh sign it
and send it back to you.So self addressed envelope to send it back
to you and send it to meat the wing on the address on the
site, and um yeah you getan autograph. So and that actually helps
(10:31):
out the foundation as well. Um, so all the people that have been
doing that. We really appreciate you. Um. We do get quite a
bit of mail um, which ispretty cool for me just knowing that people
still um, I want this whileve veteran's autographs. I got to get
them ready ready to h So let'stalk about that. One of the things
(10:54):
they can throw on baseball card,I'm shore is a no hitter inscription.
But no hitters seemed to be therage this year on baseball season, A
little reminiscent of nineteen ninety one,the year you threw You're no hitter,
because that was one of the seasonsthat's in the record books right now for
the most no hitters in one year. And we're up to six so far
in May. That's a pace fora lot. But where did I missed
(11:18):
another one? I thought it wasjust five? Just recently last night Corey
Kluber for the Cleveland India for theNew Yor Yankees against the Yeah against the
Rangers. You go to sleep andyou miss another one? Because I know
the young man what is his namefrom Detroit that just threw a couple of
nights ago. He I saw aninterview on ESPN with him afterwards, and
(11:39):
don't know a whole lot about him, but I like him already just from
his interview after the game. Veryhumble, very just straightforward, and um,
yeah, it's it's great to seesome of these guys. I always
say, no hitters, you haveto be good, and if you're in
the big leagues, you're good,but you have to have a little luck
as well. So there's some unbelievableHall of famers out there. I've never
(12:00):
thrown one, so you know,it's it's it's it's it looks like it's
getting easier and easier. And Idon't know if these guys with the analytics
now and again, strikeouts are ifit's funny back when when I was playing,
and it wasn't too long ago,I finished out my career two thousand
and one, if you struck outone hundred times in a season, you
(12:20):
were looking to probably get cut,let go sent down in the minors.
Now, if you strike out onehundred times by the All Star Game,
it's okay. You know, It'sjust it's a different game. They want
home runs, they don't care aboutstrikeouts. Um, I'm tired of analytics,
so they just it's I'm just oneout. I'm an old school guy.
And you know, I just you. You get the ball, you
(12:43):
go as long as you can.Um. I know that there's some great
pitchers in the bullpen um that cansave your savior rear end in that,
But um, I like to finishwhat I start. Um. And it's
just it's it's changed. The game'schanged. It's all the switches and movement
and all that that stuff. AndGuy's not button anymore. No hitting runs.
(13:05):
When teams are struggling in that,you gotta manufacture runs. You just
can't sit back and go, Okay, this is working, this is it's
not. So Yeah, I'm nota huge fan of the analytics. It's
a fascinating debate because you see,you know, it would be the old
school versus new school. It literallycomes up on every show now that I
say this old school versus new school. Is there a perfect way? No,
(13:26):
there's no perfect way right now.But we can sit there and play
armchair quarterback. Different sport, butwe can sit here and say, yeah,
it was better when you did this. Yeah it was better than you
when you did that. But youand I put you in today's game,
you'd have fifty thousand strikeouts. Youwould be you wouldn't be touched in a
game like today because these guys areeither it's all or not, literally all
or nothing. And as a fanof somebody watching, it takes away from
(13:50):
it because I think the no hitteris sacred. Okay, it's the Mets
didn't have one until twenty twelve.The Padres didn't have one until next week
ago. Now six and when you'rein granted, I understand nineteen ninety,
nineteen ninety one, twenty twelve,twenty fifteen, there was a lot,
but this seems a little excessive,and it got a guy like you,
for what you had in your arsenal, you would literally be untouchable today.
(14:13):
Well, I like to say thatI could hit a NAT's ass from sixty
feet six inches, And now they'retalking about moving the mound back and other
foot It's it's just crazy with withall the things that they talk about,
with all the changes and trying thesethings out. Um yeah, yeah it
uh. I think there's baseball hashas a place for for for both UM
(14:37):
old school and UM analytics, butit seems like it's just all geared towards
analytics, analytics, analytics and justyou gotta you gotta I always say you've
gotta manage with your eyes, um, and not numbers. So UM.
Your eyes usually don't deceive you onhow somebody is doing and sit suations,
(15:01):
but now it's you've got to managefrom You see pictures taken off their hat,
It's like, oh, okay,this is we got to do this
guy put her at their hats backon. Um. It's just crazy,
um. And you need to fallinto a rhythm and at times when you
have to go over all these things, especially as a pitcher, um,
if you don't get into that goodrhythm and able to you know, do
(15:24):
what you do best, and that'spitch. Um. I think there's always
things that you can take to themound that you need to know about.
But when you start overwhelming yourself withall these numbers and all these things that
you have to you know, abideby, UM, you lose track of
what you what you should be doingout there. I wish I had the
tweet pulled up. I just wantto see if I could pull it up
quickly. Somebody said, how areyou allowed to have an iPad in a
(15:46):
dugout during a game? After wejust went through a cheating scandal with garbage
cans and guys in center field iPadsthe risk thing. You know, guys
would literally things taken out of theirback pocket and it's it's wonder how did
anybody play the game before the lastfive or ten years. Oh yeah,
you're you're absolutely right. Um yeah, you know when we were playing,
(16:08):
you had the game, it wasit was vhf U tapes, um,
and you go up in between endingsand clicking your tape to look in in
a bat um or see a seea picture too that you made where you
thought was was in a certain spot. Um, rewind it, take a
peek at it and go okay,h yeah, that's that's what was going
(16:29):
on. Now it's right now inthe dugouts like you got it firsthand and
seeing everything uh right there. Soum yeah, I'm very surprised that they're
they're allowing any type of thing likethat and iPad anything in the dugout.
Um after the scandal, yes,and especially Houston stuff where you got no,
don't take off my jersey you knowyeah, my wife, My wife
(16:53):
didn't want anybody to see what wasunder my shirts. You know. Yeah,
Okay, okay, that you're you'rebugged like you're going into a mafia
sting. You know, you gotwires coming out of every orifice. Yeah,
it's crazy, it's something else.But let's go back to nineteen ninety
one. August twenty six, nineteenninety one, you're no hitter. What
was going through your head? Whatdid you have that day in the bullpen.
(17:14):
I've seen some of the footage,the post game stuff that you're talking
about, But what did you havethat day that maybe you might not have
had on another day. Well,I always my curveball was my my third
pitch. I could control the fastball, I could control the change up,
I could throw the strikes. Inany account, I always said, if
I had the curveball early in thegame, it was going to be a
lot of fun that day. UM. And so with that being said,
(17:38):
the last out of the game wasactually a curveball to Frank Thomas, who
broke his bat on the on theswing groundball Terry shumperd over to first base
for the final out. UM.But that particular game, and I've been
I've been late in the game withno hitters. UM a perfect game against
Milwaukee, uh UM seven and twothirds. Enny in Gorman Thomas got a
(18:00):
base hit off me. It wasa three two pitch, and Jim Soberg
at that time, he still kickshimself. He said I should have not
worried about the perfect game because hedidn't want me to walk anybody. He
said, I should have been focusingon the no hitter and throwing a curveball
in that situation or something off theplate, and suggested that to me rather
(18:22):
than throwing a fastball. But Idon't know if I would have actually said
okay to the curveball, I probablywould have gone with the fastball as well.
So you know, you kind ofcan say what if, what if?
What if? But with this particulargame against the White Sox in August
of ninety one, I got tothe seventh inning and I said, you
(18:42):
know what, instead of thinking aboutouts or I need to get six more
outs, I'm going to think aboutpitches, quality pitches, each and every
pitch, working the hitter that's up, and going with whatever the count is,
making that particular the best of myability. And that's kind of what
(19:03):
I did the last two innings ratherthan worrying about Okay, I got one
out in the eight innings, sonow I only need five outs left.
I didn't think about that. It'sunbelievable to watch. You know, you've
already gotten him out a few timesin the game, but to see Frank
Thomas up there and barely his secondyear in the big leagues and how big
he was, and that nickname wasthere for a reason, and you got
to be thinking, I really gotto pick the right spot right here,
(19:26):
because all it took was one missinch and boom, that thing's going to
you know, five hundred feet.Yeah he's he and people just think,
okay, yeah, he's he's ahome run hitter, you know, brings
the drives and RBIs. He actuallyhad a great idea of the strike zone.
He was I don't know what hisfinal numbers career numbers were batting average,
(19:47):
but he always seemed to be upthere in average each and every year.
So yeah, I'm glad it workedout the way it did with the
final out. But I want toget back to one thing. Talking about
so many no hitters. You knowthat no hitters are it's they're talked about
a lot, and you know it'swhenever no hitters brought up or thrown,
(20:10):
you know, people are talking aboutit. It's on the news. The
thing that doesn't happen a whole lot, and it's not I don't as people
don't talk about it enough, Idon't think. And it's tougher to do
is hitting for the cycle. Yeah, it doesn't happen. Maybe if it
happens once. I can't tell youthe last time there was a cycle,
(20:30):
somebody hit for the cycle. Andfor those fans out there that might not
note the cycle as a basic doubletriple on a home run in all one
game, so a lot less fewerof those than there are no hitters.
But people love to talk about ano hitter compared to the cycle. Yeah,
they absolutely do when the cycle isI mean, I'm trying to think.
(20:51):
I'm racking my brain. I thinkthe Mets might have had one a
few seasons ago, but before thatit was like two thousand and one.
It was a real long time agobecause you just don't see it happened at
all. And even for the Yankeeswith these no hitters, you know,
the Yankees hadn't thrown a no hittersince ninety nine, so it still has
some sort of scarcity, but withthe way you know, the home runs
were going out at a rapid pacea year and two ago, and now
(21:14):
this year the guys can't swing thebats. They're missing everything. So it's
just it's very odd. The timingof it is all a little yeah,
but yeah, everybody. Everybody digsthe no hitters, um I you know
for me, uh, especially beinga pitcher when you're when your teammate comes
through for you like that, andif a guy has um a hits for
(21:36):
the cycle on a game, Igotta believe that we're winning that game.
So yeah, I would hope so, right, unless it's one of those
you know, fifteen to fourteen battles, and you know, you never know,
happen from time to time. Now, where's the more pressure? Okay?
Is it the no hitter or isit the last out of the World
Series? Now, I know youguys were trouncing on the Cardinals. It
was eleven nothing, but still interms of holding that ball and knowing this
(22:00):
is your last pitch, And Iwant to get to a question here in
a second, boy, where doyou find the more pressure cooker situation?
Is it the no hitter or isit that final out? Well, I
guess it all comes down to whatthe score is and of that particular final
out of Game seven. Um,we were up by so many runs.
(22:23):
Yeah, we knew that we weregonna win that game, so there wasn't
a whole lot of pressure getting thatlast out. And yeah, but the
no hitter, yeah there was.It's if you don't make that exact pitch
that you need to. Um,Yeah, the no hitter's kind of gone.
And you've seen it time and timeagain. You get late part of
(22:45):
the game that guys get there andit could be with two ounce and the
guy's breaking it up. It's like, damn, I came that close and
didn't pull it off. So Isaid, the last, last, last
out of a no hitter. It'sinteresting, though, to watch that nineteen
eighty five World Series and to seeyou in that last inning, and I
mean again, you know you hada safe lead from the third inning on.
It was five nothing before you knewit, And to watch you pitched
(23:07):
that last inning. It's funny.I think it was the Jack Clark at
bat. You threw a pitch,you stepped off the mound and he was
just kind of standing there like astatue. He didn't even put the bat
on his shoulder. For I thinkuntil the third pitch, but it was
after Jack Clark flies out, GeorgeBrett comes in and says something to you.
What does he say when you guysare approaching that last out? Well,
(23:27):
it was my second year in thebig leagues. First year we get
to the playoffs, we lose innineteen eighty four to the Tigers, and
up win the World Series, andnext year we get in the postseason.
And yeah, so George has beento the playoffs. I don't know how
many years with the Royals. Innineteen eighty they lost to Philadelphia in the
(23:47):
World Series, so they have beento postseason quite a bit, and he
hasn't won the World Series yet.So he came up to me and said,
listen, I've been playing for thisamount of time and when this guy
makes this out, and he willmake this last out right here, you're
not running anywhere else. You're comingover to celebrate with me. So sure
not. Soon as the ball wentup in the air to Daryl Motley and
(24:10):
right field, it seemed like itstood up there in the sky forever before
it came down. We knew itwas an out and I was ready to
jump into his arms, which hecouldn't catch me anymore. I wagh a
little bit more than I did backthen. But yeah, that was what
he said. He said, you'renot going anywhere, You're coming over here.
We're celebrating together. That's awesome,it's great. Yeah, and that's
(24:33):
a it's a shot too by AndyVan Slike. I mean, it looks
off the bat and it just keepsgoing for Kansas City Big Ballpark, cold
October night. Uh yeah so itUh ball doesn't fly all that well,
especially when it's cold out there.So um yeah, it's it was.
(24:55):
I didn't strike out a whole lotthat game. I don't. I probably
threw who maybe less than a hundredpitches in that game, just thrown to
contact a lot of easy early Outsum, not a they it was again you
gotta you gotta throw the ball andput in the right spots. But they
made my life very easy that night, just swinging at a lot of early
(25:17):
counts and um hitting hitting it twoguys. Um yeah, there wasn't.
And again we scored so many runsso early that it made my life a
lot easier as well. So,um, I don't think you could ask
for a better game seven on awinning side. Um, I think guys
were coming back in the dugout afterthe fifth ending, basically saying, let's
(25:37):
go, let's make out, let'sget the celebration going. It was it
was kind of that that lop sided. Oh they captured it perfectly with the
cameras. I mean, you couldsee the adulation building in that ninth then
it's just it's an amazing thing towatch. I love that series. Next
year I like a little bit more. But that's okay, we'll move on
from that. But I do wantto touch on the Mets before we head
(25:59):
into the wrap up. So youcome over to the Mets ninety two.
There's been books written about the team, so we're not going to get into
the to the semantics about what,you know, what was going on at
the time. I want to goto ninety four, the strike year,
And I don't know if a lotof people remember, you had a really
great year in ninety four, cutoff by the strike, and then you're
you're traded in ninety five. Butthat ninety four season, what was it
(26:21):
that changed in the Is it theculture of the team. Was it something
with you you were feeling better?Where what was going on in ninety four?
Bret Saberhagen. Well I was healthy. Um, that's one thing.
And yeah, the books that you'vebeen written and referred to the worst team
money could buy. Um when wegot when I got traded over there after
the ninety one season, starting offin ninety two, UM, Bobby Bonia
(26:42):
myself. Um, he had EddieMurray, UM, Willie Randolph came over.
Um he had Jeff torborg as asthe manager who came over, um,
who was doing a great job managing. I think he came up from
the White Sox, I believe,Um we and and then the team that
(27:02):
they already had with Johnny Franco inthe bullpen, um, Sid Fernandez dot
Gooden. Um it was. Itwas an unbelievable team. We just never
put it together between um not jellingas a team, UM and just actually,
you know, guys being hurt.Um, So we just never really
put it together. But ninety fourwas one of those years that, UM,
(27:26):
yeah that's I didn't like walking guys, and I like to throw strikes.
I throws contact. Um. ButI think right about the All Star
break, um, uh mel Statomeyerwho was our pitching coach, God rest
his soul and PC's uh he wasa great one um to be around.
Taught me a lot about pitching.UM. But UM, he came to
(27:49):
me at the All Star Game andhe said, we right at that time,
I had more wins than uh walks. And he says, that's that's
our goal. Where we're not gonnawalk anybody intentionally. We're not gonna walk
any eighth hitter to get to theto the pitcher. We're gonna go after
each and every guy, UM,and want you to finish with that record
(28:11):
of more wins than walks. Andsure enough I ended up with fourteen wins
thirteen walks. UM. At theend of August when they shut down the
season, Um, we went onstrike um and no World Series that you're
either so UM. So yeah,that was that was our our our goal
and we achieved it. And Iknow you I mentioned earlier that I felt
(28:34):
like I could hit a NAT's assfrom sixty feet six inches. When we
had warm up in the bullpen,Mel would put his drink down, UM,
just on this little ledge to theoutside of the catcher, probably about
two or three feet to the rightside of him. And so he did
that a couple of times. Inmy last pitch warming up. I would
throw um at it, and I'dknocked it over three or four times in
(28:59):
a row, and finally he said, I'm gonna hang onto this cup and
not put it down anymore because you'reblowing it up. So I just I
could put the ball where I wantedto. And that was one of those
years that I actually did. UnbelievableYet fourteen four two seven four year,
a one hundred and forty three k'sin the strikes shortened year, which you
know was you guys didn't miss thatmuch time compared to the season, but
(29:21):
no World Series and teams that hada lot of promise that year. Obviously,
everybody talks about the Montreal Expos.That met team was a different team
than it was two years ago,was a little bit more of an infusive,
younger talent, and as you wouldthen depart in ninety five, always
say it's one of those things.I went on vacation in nineteen ninety five
and everybody got traded. I justall I remember is sitting and watching baseball
(29:41):
tonight in a hotel room. Werewatching You got traded, and Bobby Bow
got traded, and everybody's starting togo and they're dismantling that team, and
it was kind of an odd endto seeing you come over to pitch for
my team. It was. It'sa crazy couple of years growing up there,
Brett. I'm not gonna lie.Yeah, you know that. That
is the one thing throughout when Ilook back on my career is UM being
(30:06):
disappointed in not being able to achievekind of what you think you're you're able
to achieve, and we were neverWe just didn't do it, Um for
many different reasons, but um,that is one regret that I kind of
pissed off about that we never actuallyjailed and made that successful team. You
(30:27):
guys also had the weird tail thingon the met uniform that didn't really didn't
work for me. You know thatI'm talking about that s just kind of
tailed. Yeah, yeah, Idigress. So let's wrap up here.
Let's talk again about Saves Wings.Bring it back to the event this September,
and again, please share with thelisteners of Diamond Conversations where they can
find everything and anything and everything inthe world of Brett Save Reagan. Well,
(30:49):
yeah, a lot of it isright on the on our website Saves
Wings dot com. Um, you'vegot the events, all the all the
things going on for the events,how you can sponsor, how you can
be a part of this golf,singer, songwriters, celebrity chefs, great
food, and helping a great cause, helping families that are in the need
(31:11):
of paying for their medical treatments thatthey're going through cancer. So please go
to saves Wings dot com, checkit all out and be a part of
something great. So thanks Ian,Oh my pleasure. I can't thank you
enough. It's been an absolute joyand a pleasure to have you on Diamond
Conversations. If you want to followme, it's at Chad emb on Instagram
(31:33):
and Twitter. For the website,it's IB exclusives dot com. You can
get all the information there about theevents I've got going on with IB Exclusives
and stay right here on the CreativeControlled Network for the rest of the Diamond
Conversations catalog. So for mister BrettSaberhagen, this is your old pal Ian.
We will catch you on the flipside.
All right, let's get back inhere on Diamond Conversations, another episode here
on the Creative Control podcast network.If you didn't know by now, my
name is Ian and every single weekwe take a journey on the Diamond,
we walk across it, we goto the bullpen. In this instance today
as I welcome in and very decoratedformer Major League pitcher. He's been he's
(00:35):
really done it all No Hitters,World Series Champions, All Stars Gold Glove.
Is my honor to be joined todayby the one and old league mister
Brett Saberhagen. Mister Saberhagen, howare you. I'm doing well. Thanks
for having me in. Oh myblood chat. Oh it's always a benefit
for me to speak with somebody whoI watched grew up a Mets fans,
so I'll get that out of theway. You know, watch watches when
(00:58):
you came over, So it wasa great time as a fan. But
now to sit here in the chairto talk to you, absolute pleasure.
But first and foremost, how areyou doing? What's going on in the
world of Brett Saberhagen. Oh,it's a beautiful day in Central Coast California.
That's where I make home. Nowwe've got one of our sons in.
(01:18):
We've got a blended family, Candiceand I. One of our sons
in from Colorado for another day orso, so that's been kind of nice.
But just really waiting for the summerto hit. We've got a lake
that we usually go out on aboat, ready to get on the water,
but it's been cooler, it hasn'tbeen too hot yet, so we're
waiting for that one or where theyget going. But yeah, just watching
(01:41):
baseball, watching a little playoffs.With the basketball, I'm not crazy about
how many teams actually get in inthe postseason. It's kind of ridiculous.
I don't want to watch a teamthat's either five hundred or below win postseason.
You've got so many teams that aregoing in. I think baseball does
it perfectly. They have the rightamount of teams going in, so it
(02:01):
keeps it interesting for a lot ofteams out in different parts of the country.
So yeah, I've been keeping upwith that. I'm a little upset
with our Mets, as you wouldsay, um, you know my boy
Chilie Davis the other day. Yeah, yeah, but that's that's part of
part of the game, you know. If the hitters aren't doing what they're
supposed to be doing, you gottablame somebody, right. And it's weird
(02:22):
too because since they fired Chili,they went on a run. And that's
the thing. I don't understand.What was the difference that Chili Davis,
who was there for about a seasonand a half, what was the difference
that he gets taken out of theequation and then they go on a fourteen
and five run and whatever it iswith fourteen guys on the injured list,
it's just it's one of those MajorLeague Baseball misnomers. Yeah, and it
(02:43):
seems like they're dropping like flies too. That was a pretty good face show
that Polar got the other day.That was unfortunate. That was tough to
watch, But yeah, I haveI have another good buddy of mine that
keeps me up to date on justabout everything every day with the Mets.
Um for he's out in Atlanta,but huge Mets fans, so I'm always
getting text from him because he's watchingthe games NonStop. And they did very
(03:06):
well in Atlanta, which is veryodd because they never do. So that
was it was quite the thing tosee and we thought maybe they were gonna
sweep last night. But can't allbe perfect right now? Now? We
try exactly now Before I have acouple of questions we'll get into about this
season. I want to talk aboutSaves Wings. That's how I got in
touch with you, and the eventthat you guys have coming up in September,
and again here we are talking inMay and the look down the road.
(03:29):
I know the preparation that goes intoevents is a lot and it's gonna
blink for you. But to seehow you guys have put stuff together,
tell the listeners about Saves Wings andabout the event itself, well, I
appreciate the chance to talk about that. Ian. So yeah, Candice and
I. She's gone through breast cancer. She's been diagnosed three different times,
gone through treatments four times because thelast go around she didn't get rid of
(03:53):
the cancer completely, so she didfour rounds of chemo, has done four
rounds of chimo. She's clean asit is right now. She's had a
double missectomy. But for her togo through cancer and see it firsthand and
know that there's different types of treatmentsout there, and the different types of
treatment come with a cost, andsometimes the treatments are not taking care of
(04:15):
through medical and you got to comeout of pocket if you want to try
those procedures. So she was doinga procedure that costs seven hundred a pill
and it was costing her about twentytwo thousand dollars a month though to have
this treatment. So there's times wherefamilies have to make a decision whether they
pay their bills or they pay fortheir treatments, and so she came up
(04:39):
with the idea of saves Wings andhelping those in need. And we're helping
out families that are going through cancer. It doesn't matter what type of cancer
it is, but if you're havingproblems paying your bills, go to saves
wings dot com. There's a thingthere that you can click on and fill
out some forms because we are lookingto help those in need that are making
(05:00):
those decisions whether they pay their householdbills or their their treatments. So a
lot of times people get behind ontheir mortgages and we'll take care of that,
or if they're they're they're behind ontheir medical payments, will will help
that out. But with that beingsaid, what we're doing and trying to
help these families out We have threeevents going on September nineteenth and twentieth,
(05:21):
Central Coast pass Robos, California.U So yeah. The nineteenth is a
Sunday. We have a dinner.We will be given away a lifetime Achievement
Award. We will be given awaya couple of family financial assistants to the
couple families. At night, wehave celebrity chef Rosch who is a great
(05:44):
chef. She's one Shop, She'sbeen on the beat, Bobby Flair,
she's been on Hell's Kitchen. Shehas she is one of the celebrity chefs
on the Food Network. She isin charge of creating an unbelievable meal that
night. It's not going to bea sit down rubber chicken, steak,
fish thing. It's going to becreations of many chefs putting together their thoughts
and creating different things that you cango around and taste all kinds of great
(06:08):
foods. We've got plenty of cigarsthat are Cigar Roller will be there.
We have singer songwriters, good friendsof ours that will be there. Some
unbelievable names. Can't really mention themyet because they're still setting up their schedule
for the non COVID season coming up, so we hope to have just about
each one of them. If not, we will have some fabulous singer songwriters.
(06:30):
And then the next days of golfevents. So the twentieth is a
golf event, and if you're notinto golf, Chef Rash is actually going
to put on a cooking class whileyou go and join her and create something
that she creates and cook alongside withher. So we've got all those things
going on in September, But goto saves Wyns dot com to find out
(06:51):
more about it. You can donate. If you're not going to be there,
you can put up money to havea foursome of first responders going to
either of the cooking class or thegolf event. All kinds of good stuff.
So we appreciate your help because withoutyou, guys, we cannot make
a difference with these families. Soappreciate you. Let me get that all
(07:11):
in you, oh my pleasure.I mean just reading on the site and
all the stuff I've kind of researchedlooking at it. I mean, obviously,
you know, my heart goes outto Candice at what she's had to
go through. Unbelievable warrior that shecan survive all that, that's wonderful.
But with the organization itself and theevents, and I I love charitable events,
I don't know what to say aboutit. I used to do a
lot of them in New Jersey whenI lived in New Jersey. They just
(07:33):
you see how much they help peoplekind of cheer up. But I'm sure
with something like this, you knowthe support that you guys also offer.
Kind of your experience and going throughit with Candice, you know, are
you able to kind of speak withpeople and give them your perspective on how
to maybe coach them through the toughtimes? Yeah, you know, you
(07:55):
know that's the basic thing. Imean, I think the tough thing with
I mean, and it goes withdeath as well. Death and um,
you know, when you're going throughcancer, people don't really know what to
say. But um, as longas you're there for them to support them
and say, hey listen if youneed to talk, you know, uh,
I'm here. UM. You know, it's it's one of those things
where, um, you don't needto say anything if you're just there and
(08:18):
you're supporting. We have some friendsin Tahoe that are she's going um through
some breast cancer and it's it's it'sum not not a good thing. UM.
I truly believe that there's always hopeif you if you're trying to do
things to cure to the cancer.UM. But the biggest part about I
(08:41):
think people going through cancer is yougot to be mentally strong and tough.
Um. And then not just theperson, but the loved ones that are
around them giving them their guidance andtheir uh they're positive thinking and just being
there for them. So that's that'sthe tough part is actually no one not
not what to say, but beingthere for them, to talk to them
(09:03):
and at any given time and evena text each day you can give them
a shout say hey, we're thinkingabout you, you know, stay positive
and that that is very meaningful aswell. Absolutely, I mean what I
can what I can say to youguys is what a team you make.
Just by reading about everything that I'veread over the last week, I mean,
just it's a tag team. You'vebeen on a lot of baseball teams,
but this is I'm from the wrestlingworld and you guys are a great
(09:24):
tag team. So very very nice. Hats off to you both appreciate that.
Thank you yes, um we uhyeah, I would just try to
try to make a difference. That'sthat was my old foundation, Make a
Difference Foundation. Now it saves Wings. But yeah, just try to make
make a difference, one person,one family at a time. And another
really unique thing that you do isyou sign memorabilia through the charity to help
(09:48):
benefit the charity, you know,and being in the memorabilia world, I
know what that's about. And thatis like that's the best way to do
it because people they come out andI'm sure in droves to support the cause
and get a right sab can autographin the process. Yeah, you can
go to site as well, savesdot com. You can find out where
to send it to and also thedonation suggested minimum price, you can donate
(10:11):
more than whatever it costs. Sofor instance, a baseball card, you
send a baseball card ten dollar minimumdonation to Saves Wings and uh sign it
and send it back to you.So self addressed envelope to send it back
to you and send it to meat the wing on the address on the
site, and um yeah you getan autograph. So and that actually helps
(10:31):
out the foundation as well. Um, so all the people that have been
doing that. We really appreciate you. Um. We do get quite a
bit of mail um, which ispretty cool for me just knowing that people
still um, I want this whileve veteran's autographs. I got to get
them ready ready to h So let'stalk about that. One of the things
(10:54):
they can throw on baseball card,I'm shore is a no hitter inscription.
But no hitters seemed to be therage this year on baseball season, A
little reminiscent of nineteen ninety one,the year you threw You're no hitter,
because that was one of the seasonsthat's in the record books right now for
the most no hitters in one year. And we're up to six so far
in May. That's a pace fora lot. But where did I missed
(11:18):
another one? I thought it wasjust five? Just recently last night Corey
Kluber for the Cleveland India for theNew Yor Yankees against the Yeah against the
Rangers. You go to sleep andyou miss another one? Because I know
the young man what is his namefrom Detroit that just threw a couple of
nights ago. He I saw aninterview on ESPN with him afterwards, and
(11:39):
don't know a whole lot about him, but I like him already just from
his interview after the game. Veryhumble, very just straightforward, and um,
yeah, it's it's great to seesome of these guys. I always
say, no hitters, you haveto be good, and if you're in
the big leagues, you're good,but you have to have a little luck
as well. So there's some unbelievableHall of famers out there. I've never
(12:00):
thrown one, so you know,it's it's it's it's it looks like it's
getting easier and easier. And Idon't know if these guys with the analytics
now and again, strikeouts are ifit's funny back when when I was playing,
and it wasn't too long ago,I finished out my career two thousand
and one, if you struck outone hundred times in a season, you
(12:20):
were looking to probably get cut,let go sent down in the minors.
Now, if you strike out onehundred times by the All Star Game,
it's okay. You know, It'sjust it's a different game. They want
home runs, they don't care aboutstrikeouts. Um, I'm tired of analytics,
so they just it's I'm just oneout. I'm an old school guy.
And you know, I just you. You get the ball, you
(12:43):
go as long as you can.Um. I know that there's some great
pitchers in the bullpen um that cansave your savior rear end in that,
But um, I like to finishwhat I start. Um. And it's
just it's it's changed. The game'schanged. It's all the switches and movement
and all that that stuff. AndGuy's not button anymore. No hitting runs.
(13:05):
When teams are struggling in that,you gotta manufacture runs. You just
can't sit back and go, Okay, this is working, this is it's
not. So Yeah, I'm nota huge fan of the analytics. It's
a fascinating debate because you see,you know, it would be the old
school versus new school. It literallycomes up on every show now that I
say this old school versus new school. Is there a perfect way? No,
(13:26):
there's no perfect way right now.But we can sit there and play
armchair quarterback. Different sport, butwe can sit here and say, yeah,
it was better when you did this. Yeah it was better than you
when you did that. But youand I put you in today's game,
you'd have fifty thousand strikeouts. Youwould be you wouldn't be touched in a
game like today because these guys areeither it's all or not, literally all
or nothing. And as a fanof somebody watching, it takes away from
(13:50):
it because I think the no hitteris sacred. Okay, it's the Mets
didn't have one until twenty twelve.The Padres didn't have one until next week
ago. Now six and when you'rein granted, I understand nineteen ninety,
nineteen ninety one, twenty twelve,twenty fifteen, there was a lot,
but this seems a little excessive,and it got a guy like you,
for what you had in your arsenal, you would literally be untouchable today.
(14:13):
Well, I like to say thatI could hit a NAT's ass from sixty
feet six inches, And now they'retalking about moving the mound back and other
foot It's it's just crazy with withall the things that they talk about,
with all the changes and trying thesethings out. Um yeah, yeah it
uh. I think there's baseball hashas a place for for for both UM
(14:37):
old school and UM analytics, butit seems like it's just all geared towards
analytics, analytics, analytics and justyou gotta you gotta I always say you've
gotta manage with your eyes, um, and not numbers. So UM.
Your eyes usually don't deceive you onhow somebody is doing and sit suations,
(15:01):
but now it's you've got to managefrom You see pictures taken off their hat,
It's like, oh, okay,this is we got to do this
guy put her at their hats backon. Um. It's just crazy,
um. And you need to fallinto a rhythm and at times when you
have to go over all these things, especially as a pitcher, um,
if you don't get into that goodrhythm and able to you know, do
(15:24):
what you do best, and that'spitch. Um. I think there's always
things that you can take to themound that you need to know about.
But when you start overwhelming yourself withall these numbers and all these things that
you have to you know, abideby, UM, you lose track of
what you what you should be doingout there. I wish I had the
tweet pulled up. I just wantto see if I could pull it up
quickly. Somebody said, how areyou allowed to have an iPad in a
(15:46):
dugout during a game? After wejust went through a cheating scandal with garbage
cans and guys in center field iPadsthe risk thing. You know, guys
would literally things taken out of theirback pocket and it's it's wonder how did
anybody play the game before the lastfive or ten years. Oh yeah,
you're you're absolutely right. Um yeah, you know when we were playing,
(16:08):
you had the game, it wasit was vhf U tapes, um,
and you go up in between endingsand clicking your tape to look in in
a bat um or see a seea picture too that you made where you
thought was was in a certain spot. Um, rewind it, take a
peek at it and go okay,h yeah, that's that's what was going
(16:29):
on. Now it's right now inthe dugouts like you got it firsthand and
seeing everything uh right there. Soum yeah, I'm very surprised that they're
they're allowing any type of thing likethat and iPad anything in the dugout.
Um after the scandal, yes,and especially Houston stuff where you got no,
don't take off my jersey you knowyeah, my wife, My wife
(16:53):
didn't want anybody to see what wasunder my shirts. You know. Yeah,
Okay, okay, that you're you'rebugged like you're going into a mafia
sting. You know, you gotwires coming out of every orifice. Yeah,
it's crazy, it's something else.But let's go back to nineteen ninety
one. August twenty six, nineteenninety one, you're no hitter. What
was going through your head? Whatdid you have that day in the bullpen.
(17:14):
I've seen some of the footage,the post game stuff that you're talking
about, But what did you havethat day that maybe you might not have
had on another day. Well,I always my curveball was my my third
pitch. I could control the fastball, I could control the change up,
I could throw the strikes. Inany account, I always said, if
I had the curveball early in thegame, it was going to be a
lot of fun that day. UM. And so with that being said,
(17:38):
the last out of the game wasactually a curveball to Frank Thomas, who
broke his bat on the on theswing groundball Terry shumperd over to first base
for the final out. UM.But that particular game, and I've been
I've been late in the game withno hitters. UM a perfect game against
Milwaukee, uh UM seven and twothirds. Enny in Gorman Thomas got a
(18:00):
base hit off me. It wasa three two pitch, and Jim Soberg
at that time, he still kickshimself. He said I should have not
worried about the perfect game because hedidn't want me to walk anybody. He
said, I should have been focusingon the no hitter and throwing a curveball
in that situation or something off theplate, and suggested that to me rather
(18:22):
than throwing a fastball. But Idon't know if I would have actually said
okay to the curveball, I probablywould have gone with the fastball as well.
So you know, you kind ofcan say what if, what if?
What if? But with this particulargame against the White Sox in August
of ninety one, I got tothe seventh inning and I said, you
(18:42):
know what, instead of thinking aboutouts or I need to get six more
outs, I'm going to think aboutpitches, quality pitches, each and every
pitch, working the hitter that's up, and going with whatever the count is,
making that particular the best of myability. And that's kind of what
(19:03):
I did the last two innings ratherthan worrying about Okay, I got one
out in the eight innings, sonow I only need five outs left.
I didn't think about that. It'sunbelievable to watch. You know, you've
already gotten him out a few timesin the game, but to see Frank
Thomas up there and barely his secondyear in the big leagues and how big
he was, and that nickname wasthere for a reason, and you got
to be thinking, I really gotto pick the right spot right here,
(19:26):
because all it took was one missinch and boom, that thing's going to
you know, five hundred feet.Yeah he's he and people just think,
okay, yeah, he's he's ahome run hitter, you know, brings
the drives and RBIs. He actuallyhad a great idea of the strike zone.
He was I don't know what hisfinal numbers career numbers were batting average,
(19:47):
but he always seemed to be upthere in average each and every year.
So yeah, I'm glad it workedout the way it did with the
final out. But I want toget back to one thing. Talking about
so many no hitters. You knowthat no hitters are it's they're talked about
a lot, and you know it'swhenever no hitters brought up or thrown,
(20:10):
you know, people are talking aboutit. It's on the news. The
thing that doesn't happen a whole lot, and it's not I don't as people
don't talk about it enough, Idon't think. And it's tougher to do
is hitting for the cycle. Yeah, it doesn't happen. Maybe if it
happens once. I can't tell youthe last time there was a cycle,
(20:30):
somebody hit for the cycle. Andfor those fans out there that might not
note the cycle as a basic doubletriple on a home run in all one
game, so a lot less fewerof those than there are no hitters.
But people love to talk about ano hitter compared to the cycle. Yeah,
they absolutely do when the cycle isI mean, I'm trying to think.
(20:51):
I'm racking my brain. I thinkthe Mets might have had one a
few seasons ago, but before thatit was like two thousand and one.
It was a real long time agobecause you just don't see it happened at
all. And even for the Yankeeswith these no hitters, you know,
the Yankees hadn't thrown a no hittersince ninety nine, so it still has
some sort of scarcity, but withthe way you know, the home runs
were going out at a rapid pacea year and two ago, and now
(21:14):
this year the guys can't swing thebats. They're missing everything. So it's
just it's very odd. The timingof it is all a little yeah,
but yeah, everybody. Everybody digsthe no hitters, um I you know
for me, uh, especially beinga pitcher when you're when your teammate comes
through for you like that, andif a guy has um a hits for
(21:36):
the cycle on a game, Igotta believe that we're winning that game.
So yeah, I would hope so, right, unless it's one of those
you know, fifteen to fourteen battles, and you know, you never know,
happen from time to time. Now, where's the more pressure? Okay?
Is it the no hitter or isit the last out of the World
Series? Now, I know youguys were trouncing on the Cardinals. It
was eleven nothing, but still interms of holding that ball and knowing this
(22:00):
is your last pitch, And Iwant to get to a question here in
a second, boy, where doyou find the more pressure cooker situation?
Is it the no hitter or isit that final out? Well, I
guess it all comes down to whatthe score is and of that particular final
out of Game seven. Um,we were up by so many runs.
(22:23):
Yeah, we knew that we weregonna win that game, so there wasn't
a whole lot of pressure getting thatlast out. And yeah, but the
no hitter, yeah there was.It's if you don't make that exact pitch
that you need to. Um,Yeah, the no hitter's kind of gone.
And you've seen it time and timeagain. You get late part of
(22:45):
the game that guys get there andit could be with two ounce and the
guy's breaking it up. It's like, damn, I came that close and
didn't pull it off. So Isaid, the last, last, last
out of a no hitter. It'sinteresting, though, to watch that nineteen
eighty five World Series and to seeyou in that last inning, and I
mean again, you know you hada safe lead from the third inning on.
It was five nothing before you knewit, And to watch you pitched
(23:07):
that last inning. It's funny.I think it was the Jack Clark at
bat. You threw a pitch,you stepped off the mound and he was
just kind of standing there like astatue. He didn't even put the bat
on his shoulder. For I thinkuntil the third pitch, but it was
after Jack Clark flies out, GeorgeBrett comes in and says something to you.
What does he say when you guysare approaching that last out? Well,
(23:27):
it was my second year in thebig leagues. First year we get
to the playoffs, we lose innineteen eighty four to the Tigers, and
up win the World Series, andnext year we get in the postseason.
And yeah, so George has beento the playoffs. I don't know how
many years with the Royals. Innineteen eighty they lost to Philadelphia in the
(23:47):
World Series, so they have beento postseason quite a bit, and he
hasn't won the World Series yet.So he came up to me and said,
listen, I've been playing for thisamount of time and when this guy
makes this out, and he willmake this last out right here, you're
not running anywhere else. You're comingover to celebrate with me. So sure
not. Soon as the ball wentup in the air to Daryl Motley and
(24:10):
right field, it seemed like itstood up there in the sky forever before
it came down. We knew itwas an out and I was ready to
jump into his arms, which hecouldn't catch me anymore. I wagh a
little bit more than I did backthen. But yeah, that was what
he said. He said, you'renot going anywhere, You're coming over here.
We're celebrating together. That's awesome,it's great. Yeah, and that's
(24:33):
a it's a shot too by AndyVan Slike. I mean, it looks
off the bat and it just keepsgoing for Kansas City Big Ballpark, cold
October night. Uh yeah so itUh ball doesn't fly all that well,
especially when it's cold out there.So um yeah, it's it was.
(24:55):
I didn't strike out a whole lotthat game. I don't. I probably
threw who maybe less than a hundredpitches in that game, just thrown to
contact a lot of easy early Outsum, not a they it was again you
gotta you gotta throw the ball andput in the right spots. But they
made my life very easy that night, just swinging at a lot of early
(25:17):
counts and um hitting hitting it twoguys. Um yeah, there wasn't.
And again we scored so many runsso early that it made my life a
lot easier as well. So,um, I don't think you could ask
for a better game seven on awinning side. Um, I think guys
were coming back in the dugout afterthe fifth ending, basically saying, let's
(25:37):
go, let's make out, let'sget the celebration going. It was it
was kind of that that lop sided. Oh they captured it perfectly with the
cameras. I mean, you couldsee the adulation building in that ninth then
it's just it's an amazing thing towatch. I love that series. Next
year I like a little bit more. But that's okay, we'll move on
from that. But I do wantto touch on the Mets before we head
(25:59):
into the wrap up. So youcome over to the Mets ninety two.
There's been books written about the team, so we're not going to get into
the to the semantics about what,you know, what was going on at
the time. I want to goto ninety four, the strike year,
And I don't know if a lotof people remember, you had a really
great year in ninety four, cutoff by the strike, and then you're
you're traded in ninety five. Butthat ninety four season, what was it
(26:21):
that changed in the Is it theculture of the team. Was it something
with you you were feeling better?Where what was going on in ninety four?
Bret Saberhagen. Well I was healthy. Um, that's one thing.
And yeah, the books that you'vebeen written and referred to the worst team
money could buy. Um when wegot when I got traded over there after
the ninety one season, starting offin ninety two, UM, Bobby Bonia
(26:42):
myself. Um, he had EddieMurray, UM, Willie Randolph came over.
Um he had Jeff torborg as asthe manager who came over, um,
who was doing a great job managing. I think he came up from
the White Sox, I believe,Um we and and then the team that
(27:02):
they already had with Johnny Franco inthe bullpen, um, Sid Fernandez dot
Gooden. Um it was. Itwas an unbelievable team. We just never
put it together between um not jellingas a team, UM and just actually,
you know, guys being hurt.Um, So we just never really
put it together. But ninety fourwas one of those years that, UM,
(27:26):
yeah that's I didn't like walking guys, and I like to throw strikes.
I throws contact. Um. ButI think right about the All Star
break, um, uh mel Statomeyerwho was our pitching coach, God rest
his soul and PC's uh he wasa great one um to be around.
Taught me a lot about pitching.UM. But UM, he came to
(27:49):
me at the All Star Game andhe said, we right at that time,
I had more wins than uh walks. And he says, that's that's
our goal. Where we're not gonnawalk anybody intentionally. We're not gonna walk
any eighth hitter to get to theto the pitcher. We're gonna go after
each and every guy, UM,and want you to finish with that record
(28:11):
of more wins than walks. Andsure enough I ended up with fourteen wins
thirteen walks. UM. At theend of August when they shut down the
season, Um, we went onstrike um and no World Series that you're
either so UM. So yeah,that was that was our our our goal
and we achieved it. And Iknow you I mentioned earlier that I felt
(28:34):
like I could hit a NAT's assfrom sixty feet six inches. When we
had warm up in the bullpen,Mel would put his drink down, UM,
just on this little ledge to theoutside of the catcher, probably about
two or three feet to the rightside of him. And so he did
that a couple of times. Inmy last pitch warming up. I would
throw um at it, and I'dknocked it over three or four times in
(28:59):
a row, and finally he said, I'm gonna hang onto this cup and
not put it down anymore because you'reblowing it up. So I just I
could put the ball where I wantedto. And that was one of those
years that I actually did. UnbelievableYet fourteen four two seven four year,
a one hundred and forty three k'sin the strikes shortened year, which you
know was you guys didn't miss thatmuch time compared to the season, but
(29:21):
no World Series and teams that hada lot of promise that year. Obviously,
everybody talks about the Montreal Expos.That met team was a different team
than it was two years ago,was a little bit more of an infusive,
younger talent, and as you wouldthen depart in ninety five, always
say it's one of those things.I went on vacation in nineteen ninety five
and everybody got traded. I justall I remember is sitting and watching baseball
(29:41):
tonight in a hotel room. Werewatching You got traded, and Bobby Bow
got traded, and everybody's starting togo and they're dismantling that team, and
it was kind of an odd endto seeing you come over to pitch for
my team. It was. It'sa crazy couple of years growing up there,
Brett. I'm not gonna lie.Yeah, you know that. That
is the one thing throughout when Ilook back on my career is UM being
(30:06):
disappointed in not being able to achievekind of what you think you're you're able
to achieve, and we were neverWe just didn't do it, Um for
many different reasons, but um,that is one regret that I kind of
pissed off about that we never actuallyjailed and made that successful team. You
(30:27):
guys also had the weird tail thingon the met uniform that didn't really didn't
work for me. You know thatI'm talking about that s just kind of
tailed. Yeah, yeah, Idigress. So let's wrap up here.
Let's talk again about Saves Wings.Bring it back to the event this September,
and again, please share with thelisteners of Diamond Conversations where they can
find everything and anything and everything inthe world of Brett Save Reagan. Well,
(30:49):
yeah, a lot of it isright on the on our website Saves
Wings dot com. Um, you'vegot the events, all the all the
things going on for the events,how you can sponsor, how you can
be a part of this golf,singer, songwriters, celebrity chefs, great
food, and helping a great cause, helping families that are in the need
(31:11):
of paying for their medical treatments thatthey're going through cancer. So please go
to saves Wings dot com, checkit all out and be a part of
something great. So thanks Ian,Oh my pleasure. I can't thank you
enough. It's been an absolute joyand a pleasure to have you on Diamond
Conversations. If you want to followme, it's at Chad emb on Instagram
(31:33):
and Twitter. For the website,it's IB exclusives dot com. You can
get all the information there about theevents I've got going on with IB Exclusives
and stay right here on the CreativeControlled Network for the rest of the Diamond
Conversations catalog. So for mister BrettSaberhagen, this is your old pal Ian.
We will catch you on the flipside.
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