Transcript
WEBVTT
00:00:06.189 --> 00:00:08.651
Hello and welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
00:00:08.651 --> 00:00:16.013
I'm your host, Coach Ken Carpenter, and on today's podcast, a story of inspiration A 40-year-old father.
00:00:16.013 --> 00:00:31.989
He's had two liver transplants and he's battled cancer in the past 10 years and he's fighting for a spot to play Juco baseball with players half of his age, Aaron Roussel next on Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
00:00:34.360 --> 00:00:39.052
Welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged with Coach Ken Carpenter, presented by AthleteOne.
00:00:39.052 --> 00:00:53.268
Baseball Coaches Unplugged is a podcast for baseball coaches With 27 years of high school baseball coaching under his belt, here to bring you the inside scoop on all things baseball, from game winning strategies and pitching secrets to hitting drills and defensive drills.
00:00:53.268 --> 00:00:54.451
We're covering it all.
00:00:54.451 --> 00:01:02.947
Whether you're a high school coach, college coach or just a baseball enthusiast, we'll dive into the tactics and techniques that make the difference on and off the field.
00:01:02.947 --> 00:01:05.412
Discover how to build a winning mentality.
00:01:05.412 --> 00:01:16.409
Inspire your players and get them truly bought into your game philosophy Plus, get the latest insights on recruiting, coaching, leadership and crafting a team culture that champions productivity and success.
00:01:16.409 --> 00:01:21.028
Join Coach every week as he breaks down the game and shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories.
00:01:21.028 --> 00:01:26.745
Your competitive edge starts here, so check out the show weekly and hear from the best coaches in the game.
00:01:26.745 --> 00:01:28.650
On Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:40.546
Baseball Coaches Unplugged is proud to be partnered with the netting professionals, improving programs one facility at a time.
00:01:40.546 --> 00:01:48.305
The netting professionals specialize in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for baseball and softball.
00:01:48.305 --> 00:01:54.043
This includes backstops, batting cages, bp turtles, screens, ball carts and more.
00:01:54.043 --> 00:02:02.766
They also design and install digital graphic wall padding, windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches and cubbies.
00:02:02.766 --> 00:02:05.694
They're not limited to just baseball and softball.
00:02:05.694 --> 00:02:09.471
They also work with football, soccer, lacrosse and golf courses.
00:02:09.471 --> 00:02:14.711
Contact them today at 844-620-2707.
00:02:14.711 --> 00:02:19.131
That's 844-620-2707.
00:02:19.131 --> 00:02:24.431
Or you can visit them online at wwwnettingproscom.
00:02:24.431 --> 00:02:31.308
Check out Netting Pros on X, instagram, facebook and LinkedIn for all their latest products and projects.
00:02:31.308 --> 00:02:42.991
If you enjoyed today's show, be sure to share it with a friend and let them know that a new episode comes out every Wednesday where we talk with some of the best baseball coaches around the country.
00:02:42.991 --> 00:02:46.941
Now to my interview with Aaron Rosella Coach.
00:02:46.941 --> 00:02:50.812
Thanks for taking the time to join me on Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
00:02:51.961 --> 00:02:58.165
Thank you so much for providing me an opportunity to kind of share my story and even just talk to you, meet you and make a new friend.
00:02:58.165 --> 00:02:59.288
I appreciate you.
00:03:01.052 --> 00:03:01.332
Love it.
00:03:01.332 --> 00:03:33.114
Well, you know, I reached out to you, I want to say around January 23rd I came across your story, old and you're pursuing Juco baseball, and the other reason is you've battled cancer and you've had liver transplant.
00:03:33.114 --> 00:03:38.870
And you know, I guess I got to start off with how are you doing?
00:03:40.192 --> 00:03:43.766
I'm here Currently battling pneumonia on some new antibiotics.
00:03:43.766 --> 00:03:44.329
Hopefully kick that soon.
00:03:44.329 --> 00:03:44.610
But I'm here.
00:03:44.610 --> 00:03:45.915
I'm currently battling pneumonia on some new antibiotics.
00:03:45.915 --> 00:03:46.979
Hopefully kick that soon.
00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:49.242
But I'm good.
00:03:49.242 --> 00:03:53.532
My liver numbers have been good for the first time in almost a decade.
00:03:53.532 --> 00:03:57.807
I've gone a year without being admitted to the hospital, so that's a win.
00:03:57.807 --> 00:04:01.144
I try to really focus on the small victories.
00:04:02.326 --> 00:04:03.169
Well, that's great.
00:04:03.169 --> 00:04:16.021
I mean, I you know, when you, when you, when, before all this started happening to you, I gotta ask I mean, uh, what was like your, your size, as far as, like you know, height and weight?
00:04:16.841 --> 00:04:28.509
oh, before I got sick, I was, uh, about 6, 4, 220 and, um, nobody could stop me from doing anything I wanted to do athletically, which kind of came with an ego.
00:04:28.509 --> 00:04:33.869
But I was big and I owned a CrossFit gym, so I was in shape too.
00:04:33.869 --> 00:04:39.411
Like my goal right before I got sick was I wanted to be in the best shape of my life at 30.
00:04:39.411 --> 00:04:49.714
And I was, and thankfully, because what I was about to face six, nine months later I needed that, because I would have survived without being in the best shape.
00:04:51.161 --> 00:05:07.309
Yes, I can totally agree with that because your story really resonated with me, because you've been through such a great deal in your life with health issues and the only thing I can say is you don't quit.
00:05:07.309 --> 00:05:16.605
And you know as, as coaches, you know you, you find yourself telling your players hey, you know we're down six and it's the seventh inning.
00:05:16.605 --> 00:05:17.769
You know, hey, let's not quit.
00:05:17.769 --> 00:05:19.764
You never know what's going to happen.
00:05:19.764 --> 00:05:25.449
And you yourself, you just keep getting back up and staying positive.
00:05:26.742 --> 00:05:32.048
I really look at it like and I think that's why I've gravitated towards baseball, because I was a basketball player before.
00:05:32.048 --> 00:05:33.625
I was pretty good at football.
00:05:33.625 --> 00:05:39.490
But those are timed events and life obviously is timed, but we don't know that time.
00:05:39.490 --> 00:05:47.605
So with what you say, it kind of just makes me think of baseball and it's like, until you get that left out, you're not out, so why would you quit?
00:05:47.605 --> 00:05:55.084
So you know, I might be in my fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth inning, but I got two outs left.
00:05:55.084 --> 00:05:56.529
You know, let's play ball.
00:05:58.040 --> 00:05:59.427
Yes, I totally agree with that.
00:05:59.427 --> 00:06:08.620
And you know, I think your attitude is just like in anything that people do in life is the key to anything.
00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:32.295
And you know, this past week this is actually my first episode since returning from the hospital I was in Cleveland Clinic having surgery because, you know, I have a J pouch and that kind of replaced my large intestines and colons that were colon that was removed back in 2011.
00:06:32.295 --> 00:06:44.071
And I've recently found out that there was a hole in it and it's failing and created osteomyelitis which is leaked into the bottom of my spine.
00:06:44.071 --> 00:06:56.293
And you know, I go to Cleveland Clinic, they put an ostomy bag on me and within two days, you know, good old insurance says it's time for you to go.
00:06:57.461 --> 00:07:12.048
So I'm back home and I'm doing daily infusions through a PICC line and you know there's been a lot of times where I've really doubted myself and thought, you know, hey, this isn't fair.
00:07:12.048 --> 00:07:20.629
Uh, I, I don't want to deal with this, but you know, I, I guess this, this is kind of selfish on my part.
00:07:20.629 --> 00:07:27.110
You know, how do you do it, how do you, how do you get up each day and just keep pushing forward?
00:07:28.860 --> 00:07:29.944
It's you really.
00:07:29.944 --> 00:07:44.771
I just do it and I don't think you should feel any type of way and negative about yourself or the way you feel, because I've been there and that put me in a very dark, depressed state.
00:07:44.771 --> 00:07:54.278
I've been there and that put me in a very dark, depressed state, but what I've realized is you do what you can when you can, and when you can't, you just don't.
00:07:54.278 --> 00:07:56.987
We have to listen to our bodies.
00:07:56.987 --> 00:08:04.009
We all have limitations, but why can't we just learn to make the best of what we have?
00:08:04.009 --> 00:08:07.298
Um, but that, why can't we just learn to make the best of what we have?
00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:20.067
And I think back to like when I was at my sickest, I slept 20 hours a day, but when I got up I would go to baseball practice because my teams, I would try and I'd give everything I had to be involved.
00:08:20.067 --> 00:08:32.269
And then the next day you know I'm just not moving, um, and it probably wasn't the smartest, but I was willing to accept that as my normal and I was going to make the most of it.
00:08:32.269 --> 00:08:44.706
And I think that's where a lot of it lies, is I don't look at it as like why me anymore, it's more so just like trying and I'm going to do what I can, and when I can't, I just don't.
00:08:44.706 --> 00:09:01.890
And if anybody feels some type of way about that, I don't care, because it's not selfish to put yourself first so I, I, I get that, but I wanted to see how is your attitude affected those around you.
00:09:02.211 --> 00:09:09.623
You know teammates, the players and just even your family.
00:09:10.465 --> 00:09:11.044
It's hit or miss.
00:09:11.044 --> 00:09:23.913
Sometimes I could get annoyed with my mindset because I sometimes push it on the others and sometimes people just want to be sad, mad and wallow in their self-pity.
00:09:23.913 --> 00:09:31.886
Be sad, mad and wallowing in their self-pity, and I've learned that it's not up for me to project who I am onto them.
00:09:31.886 --> 00:09:39.009
But at the same time I can't sit there and listen to it, so I remove myself from the situation and sometimes that'll be.
00:09:39.009 --> 00:09:44.607
You know, I won't talk to you for years because you're not making any progress to get better.
00:09:44.607 --> 00:09:51.092
You know, once you identify the problem, if you're not willing to work on a solution, I can't do anything with you.
00:09:51.092 --> 00:10:02.546
Um, and it's no hard feelings, it's just I'm not problem orientated, I'm more on the solution side, um, and I'm going to offer everything I can.
00:10:02.546 --> 00:10:05.393
But not everybody's receptive to a solution.
00:10:05.393 --> 00:10:10.164
They just want to be kind of living their problems and that's just not me.
00:10:11.441 --> 00:10:18.433
You know and I you know I was sitting here thinking you know I'm in the worst possible situation I could be in right now.
00:10:18.433 --> 00:10:35.087
But you know, when you're getting pushed around a hospital, going into surgery or moved to a room or whatever, you realize that there's always someone out there that's in a lot worse situation that you're in and I've kind of tried to go that route.
00:10:35.087 --> 00:10:36.432
You know it could be a lot worse.
00:10:36.432 --> 00:10:37.861
Do you agree with that?
00:10:38.984 --> 00:10:39.785
Oh yeah, absolutely.
00:10:39.785 --> 00:10:43.011
But I also agree with that.
00:10:43.011 --> 00:10:48.991
At the same time, you know, you shouldn't discredit what you're going through just because someone's going through something worse.
00:10:48.991 --> 00:10:58.754
We're limited to our experience and it's good to kind of remember those and think about those that are struggling a little more, because it can help us kind of rise.
00:10:58.754 --> 00:11:10.147
But at the same time, like, don't discredit what you're going through because it is hard and my hard is going to be different than someone else's hard.
00:11:10.628 --> 00:11:13.803
Like I know people that the hardest thing they ever dealt with was a stubbed toe.
00:11:13.803 --> 00:11:17.500
So to them that's catastrophic because that's all they dealt with.
00:11:17.500 --> 00:11:19.644
So who am I to judge them?
00:11:19.644 --> 00:11:41.759
From my experiences I have to kind of go where they are and say, man, like I've stubbed my toe before, like that's bad and that's I mean that's the kind of weed, but it's just a good way to kind of explain it like we're only limited to our experiences, so you're bad right now, like this is your worst.
00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:46.399
That doesn't mean mine work was worse, it's just different.
00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:56.331
And I think that's where we kind of spur up in his life as we compare, when we really should just like be more accepting and understanding makes sense.
00:11:56.913 --> 00:11:59.503
Well, I, you know, I, I gotta ask.
00:11:59.503 --> 00:12:09.445
You're 40 years old and you go the route and I'm going to do some try to play some Juco baseball.
00:12:09.445 --> 00:12:12.465
Um, how did that come about?
00:12:12.465 --> 00:12:16.285
And uh, how did the, how did the?
00:12:16.285 --> 00:12:23.422
How did the team respond to, uh, a guy that's trying to play the game and they're half your age?
00:12:25.630 --> 00:12:29.861
So I knew the coach and I knew they were rebuilding the program and he needed guys.
00:12:29.861 --> 00:12:33.461
So it was kind of a perfect opportunity to be one of those guys.
00:12:33.461 --> 00:12:35.475
I wanted to go back to school.
00:12:35.475 --> 00:12:39.972
I'm not a good student without sports, so why not?
00:12:39.972 --> 00:12:46.480
You know, if the opportunity presents itself, take it, because that's what I try to teach the kids that I mentor and coach.
00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:56.263
So like what better way to lead them than to go into their world and then, with the teammates, they're a little like who is this old dude?
00:12:56.263 --> 00:13:01.341
But once they saw that I was willing to put in the work, you know, I embraced the struggle.
00:13:01.341 --> 00:13:07.754
I did everything I could at the time because I was also dealing with pneumonia.
00:13:07.754 --> 00:13:10.100
So they've learned to like, accept me.
00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:15.201
They kind of call me Uncle Aaron, they make fun of how old I am, but they're super receptive of it.
00:13:15.201 --> 00:13:16.270
They push me.
00:13:17.474 --> 00:13:19.498
We did a sit-up test a couple of weeks ago.
00:13:19.498 --> 00:13:34.642
I only got four, but you would have thought I got 150 in a minute because the way they all cheered me on, because they know, you know, I've been cut in half twice, my core is not together, so to set up on my own is a real struggle.
00:13:34.642 --> 00:13:38.673
Um, in the beginning of January I can only do one.
00:13:38.673 --> 00:13:41.600
By mid January I could do four.
00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:48.876
So if you really break that down, that's a significant growth product, but it's still four.
00:13:48.876 --> 00:13:54.355
It's not that many Everyone else is doing, you know, 30 to 40, but I did four.
00:13:54.355 --> 00:14:07.178
But you would have thought I did the most, and that really just puts into perspective how much they truly are like with me, how much they truly are like with me A lot of times that couldn't um being around.
00:14:07.380 --> 00:14:15.974
you know a team, you know you guys are all in that same struggle to try to get better and get ready for the season Um have have the players kind of.
00:14:15.974 --> 00:14:27.755
You know that you got coaches that are obviously going to be older than the players, but do they ever kind of just reach out to you and talk to you about your experiences?
00:14:29.880 --> 00:14:32.955
Oh yeah, quite a few of them.
00:14:32.955 --> 00:14:38.957
I actually have my own facility so during the winter break a good amount of them would come to my facility.
00:14:38.957 --> 00:14:51.666
So now it's kind of awkward because we'll be at the like a team function and they're calling me Coach Aaron because they got so used to coming to my facility and hearing everyone else call me Coach Aaron.
00:14:51.666 --> 00:14:58.176
So it's kind of a neat dynamic because I'm like a player and a coach to some.
00:14:58.176 --> 00:15:07.506
But I really welcome that role and I take pride in it because at the end of the day, I am a coach more than I am a baseball player.
00:15:07.506 --> 00:15:14.884
I mean, by being on the team with them it's almost like they have a coach in the mud, in the grind with them.
00:15:14.884 --> 00:15:24.705
So it's been a really cool experience because I'm there with them but I'm also like, essentially their flashlight, you know, guiding the way.
00:15:26.091 --> 00:15:28.438
You mentioned you have your own hitting facility.
00:15:28.438 --> 00:15:32.134
Tell me a little bit about that.
00:15:32.134 --> 00:15:41.015
As far as you know what, what goes on there, do you or do you have a team like a summer team that you work with, or so I run it as a nonprofit.
00:15:41.056 --> 00:15:42.139
It's called Pops Culture.
00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:57.485
You've seen the baseball landscape a lot of kids getting priced out of it so I do this so they can still get access to training, hitting and the travel ball scene without spending thousands of dollars.
00:15:57.485 --> 00:16:38.738
No-transcript and it's obviously age appropriate, but I'm hard on them, but they know it's come from a place of caring.
00:16:38.738 --> 00:16:41.056
And another aspect is the.
00:16:41.056 --> 00:16:48.082
These kids have like pro level programs and designs and workouts and coaches.
00:16:48.082 --> 00:16:52.480
Sometimes these kids just need to be kids and they get to do that with me.
00:16:53.169 --> 00:17:00.063
And I think that's a very important part of baseball and sports in life is remaining childlike and understanding.
00:17:00.063 --> 00:17:06.074
If they're not having fun, if they don't learn to love it first, they're not going to work as hard at it.
00:17:06.074 --> 00:17:16.012
So that's what I try to do is I get them to love it and then we work on it and we um, we use the word invest a lot because I think it's just a little more positive than work.
00:17:16.012 --> 00:17:23.699
Nobody likes to work, but an investment can turn a profit and that's what we're trying to do is grow and turn a profit on ourselves.
00:17:26.891 --> 00:17:40.077
Yes, and in today's world where travel teams are playing 60, 70, 100 games and I sometimes wonder how that I can see where it doesn't become fun anymore.
00:17:40.077 --> 00:17:43.935
It becomes like a job, and when you're that young, it's got to be fun, I think.
00:17:45.352 --> 00:17:46.195
Oh yeah, it's huge.
00:17:46.195 --> 00:17:51.195
I mean, you see it every day, from the Little League fields to these travel ball tournaments.
00:17:51.195 --> 00:17:56.501
These kids are under so much pressure and it's a game, it's fun.
00:17:56.501 --> 00:18:09.278
We have kids, you know, as young as 10, that have pitching coaches, hitting coaches, you know all this stuff, but really all they need is dad to go out back and throw them wiffle ball.
00:18:09.278 --> 00:18:11.544
Play a game of wiffle ball in your neighborhood.
00:18:11.544 --> 00:18:13.355
How often do you see that anymore?
00:18:13.355 --> 00:18:15.753
But these kids have time to be kids.
00:18:15.753 --> 00:18:18.820
Because it's in such a rush, we got to get you here.
00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:19.843
We got to get you here.
00:18:19.843 --> 00:18:21.115
We got to take you to this coach.
00:18:21.115 --> 00:18:21.790
We got to get you here.
00:18:21.790 --> 00:18:22.932
We gotta take you to this coach.
00:18:22.932 --> 00:18:23.512
We gotta take you here.
00:18:23.532 --> 00:18:24.234
Um, and it's become a racket.
00:18:24.234 --> 00:18:33.894
Like people are getting rich off kids with pro level workouts and development, but I'm like they're not ready for that.
00:18:33.894 --> 00:18:38.070
Like, let's be, you know a little more appropriate and let them be kids.
00:18:38.070 --> 00:18:45.855
And like, if your son wants to play fortnight and not go to his pitching coach, maybe sometimes let him.
00:18:45.855 --> 00:18:48.036
It's not that big of a deal.
00:18:48.036 --> 00:19:02.478
Nobody's signing a contract at 10, but the fear of missing out has like consumed these parents and they get online and they see every kid in the country working and you're like, oh my gosh, my 10 year old's not as good as this 10 year old.
00:19:02.478 --> 00:19:08.394
I need to get him a hitting coach, I need to get him with a pitcher and before you know it, by the time the kid's 13,.
00:19:08.394 --> 00:19:18.172
He's got 17 different jerseys in his closet because they're bouncing wrong from team to team because they just feel like one team is better or one coach didn't do it the way they wanted to.
00:19:18.814 --> 00:19:25.630
So we're not only pushing these kids way harder than they need to, so we're not only pushing these kids way harder than they need to.
00:19:25.630 --> 00:19:32.039
We're also not teaching them how to compete because the second time they're not the best shortstop on the team or best second baseman, best catcher, best pitcher.
00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:34.227
They don't buckle down and work to become the best.
00:19:34.227 --> 00:19:39.556
They roll out and find a new team and that's why you see such a high dropout rate in college.
00:19:39.556 --> 00:19:45.916
I think is because in college you have to compete, but we're not teaching kids how to compete or teaching them how to complain.
00:19:45.916 --> 00:19:51.596
And I'm sure you watch enough games like how often do you hear parents say anything positive?
00:19:51.596 --> 00:19:57.854
They're on the coaches, the umpires, their own kid playing their teammate.
00:19:57.854 --> 00:20:04.724
It's rarely anything of love or growth or development.
00:20:04.724 --> 00:20:06.817
It's just ridicule and criticism.
00:20:06.817 --> 00:20:09.136
And who wants to be criticized all day?
00:20:09.136 --> 00:20:11.277
So why would this kid want to do it?
00:20:11.277 --> 00:20:16.522
We're literally sucking the love out of it, when that should be the most important element of all.
00:20:17.371 --> 00:20:19.398
I hear people talk about it on social media.
00:20:19.398 --> 00:20:29.498
You see the crazy stories social media and you'll see the crazy stories and, uh, you know, and, like you said, even the umpires, they don't want to be a part of that.
00:20:29.498 --> 00:20:43.750
So then it creates a ripple effect where you don't have umpires for games because they're just not enough that want to put up with some of the things that goes on in baseball and basketball and football and everything else out there yeah, if you don't get the call you want.
00:20:43.790 --> 00:20:45.354
It's like oh, meet me in the parking lot.
00:20:45.354 --> 00:20:47.979
Is it ever really that serious?
00:20:47.979 --> 00:20:58.270
As adults, I don't think very many situations should ever get to the point where I have to physically do harm to another human being.
00:20:58.270 --> 00:21:05.414
We should be able to remove ourselves from the situation or dissolve the situation, but we rarely do.
00:21:05.414 --> 00:21:13.096
We just escalate it and then we get so angry that we don't know how to react and then we throw tantrums and then we make a terrible choice.
00:21:13.096 --> 00:21:13.837
We get in a fight.
00:21:13.837 --> 00:21:15.221
Our kids see that.
00:21:15.851 --> 00:21:34.240
I mean we don't really understand the repercussions of our action and our work as adults, like we're literally creating their normal and we're dropping the ball because we just refuse to be accountable and, like I say it often like parents we're the problem and I'm just as guilty.
00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:38.855
The only difference is is like I'm aware of it and I'm working to be better.
00:21:38.855 --> 00:21:48.478
I still fail, but when I make a mistake, if I'm too hard on my kids or a kid that I coach, I apologize to them, because I think that's an important part.
00:21:48.478 --> 00:21:57.290
As parents and adults and coaches, we create these images of ourselves to these kids like we're perfect but we're all severely flawed.
00:21:57.290 --> 00:22:05.820
But if we're not willing to swallow our pride and apologize to these kids when we make mistakes, they're never going to think we're wrong because they don't know that.
00:22:05.820 --> 00:22:12.920
So that's why you see so much negativity still in this world because adults are just stubborn, unaware of themselves.
00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:14.676
They just refuse to take accountability.
00:22:15.289 --> 00:22:20.353
So how can we expect our kids Well, let me ask you this what has been your biggest challenge?
00:22:20.353 --> 00:22:24.859
Trying to compete at the JUCO level?
00:22:27.003 --> 00:22:29.938
Speed I am not as fast as I used to be.
00:22:29.938 --> 00:22:37.000
I have neopathy in my left leg, so when I plant sometimes I just fall.
00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:39.517
And on top of that I am 40.
00:22:39.517 --> 00:22:43.119
So it's just speed tends to go first.
00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:48.182
Thankfully, as the physical falls, the mind kind of picks up.
00:22:48.182 --> 00:22:55.115
So I'm kind of at a decent spot of balance to where I recognize things and I can pick up on tells and things.
00:22:55.115 --> 00:22:57.422
So I can still be effective.
00:22:57.422 --> 00:23:08.173
But what I've learned too is it's far more effective for the team's growth if I see it and I communicate it and I get it to these fast guys.
00:23:08.935 --> 00:23:17.575
Because speed with knowledge is real dangerous on the base path, but like knowledge without speed, still a liability.
00:23:17.575 --> 00:23:26.006
So um, so what I do mostly now is like I try to just like I see the game as a coach but I'm playing.
00:23:26.006 --> 00:23:30.109
So then I tell the you know the teammates like hey, man, like watch this picture.
00:23:30.109 --> 00:23:34.753
Like every time he does this he's going home, you can get an early jump.
00:23:34.753 --> 00:23:38.675
Or you know he's pitching in this sequence, it's just it doesn't run around.
00:23:38.675 --> 00:23:40.675
Second, he's heavy on his fastball.
00:23:40.675 --> 00:23:44.772
He's doing this Cause those are things you don't think about it.
00:23:44.772 --> 00:23:47.539
You know 19 to 20, but at 40 you have to.
00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:56.519
So you know it's so beneficial to everyone that I use my mind not just to benefit my game.
00:23:56.519 --> 00:23:59.573
You know everybody's game and I think that's another part of the sport.
00:23:59.593 --> 00:24:07.795
That's missing is we don't see players communicating as well and helping each other be successful and we've.
00:24:07.795 --> 00:24:11.963
We watch even the mlb, especially in the regular season.
00:24:11.963 --> 00:24:13.734
It's selfishness.
00:24:13.734 --> 00:24:15.118
It's all about the individual.
00:24:15.118 --> 00:24:26.223
You know, if there's no outs in a runner on third, these kids would rather strike out than make contact and just drive something over to the right side to get the runner home.
00:24:26.223 --> 00:24:30.020
How often do you see kids square the bunt anymore or a sack fly?
00:24:30.020 --> 00:24:35.096
These kids will hit a sack fly and they're going back to the dugout pounding it mad because they got out.
00:24:35.289 --> 00:24:38.180
I'm like bro, we scored the run, mission accomplished.
00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:40.232
It's the small victories.
00:24:40.232 --> 00:24:49.683
But we've gotten so far away from small ball and baseball in a way that's played together that these kids don't understand baseball.
00:24:49.683 --> 00:24:53.760
Like the IQ is low but the athleticism is crazy high.
00:24:53.760 --> 00:25:02.785
But we need to create that balance and I don't think a lot of people are doing it because it's just not as popular.
00:25:02.785 --> 00:25:04.691
These kids want to have home runs.
00:25:04.691 --> 00:25:06.335
The parents want to see home runs.
00:25:06.335 --> 00:25:08.641
You know you see a meme all the time.
00:25:08.641 --> 00:25:13.461
You know you got four thousand dollars worth of bats and two cents worth of knowledge in the dugout.
00:25:13.461 --> 00:25:14.651
It's like what are we doing?
00:25:15.732 --> 00:25:16.815
I, I gotta believe that.
00:25:16.815 --> 00:25:43.902
You know, when you know the the season gets rolling and you know every player goes through struggles, you, whether it's hitting, or they boot ground balls or whatever, they've got to see how you keep battling to overcome all the challenges, you have that boot and a costly error late in the game.
00:25:43.902 --> 00:25:46.476
It it's not the end of the world, you gotta.
00:25:46.476 --> 00:25:50.557
You gotta just uh, have a short memory and just keep moving forward.
00:25:50.557 --> 00:25:51.239
I would think right.
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Castro
RSS Feed
Amazon Music
Podcast Addict
Podchaser
PocketCasts
PlayerFM
Overcast
Castbox
