00:00:00
Speaker 1: There he is. My guy. BD Gregorius.
00:00:05
Speaker 2: Thanks for having me, man.
00:00:06
Speaker 1: Delivering happiness just for you, brother.
00:00:08
Speaker 2: All right.
00:00:12
Speaker 1: Well, really, it's all about you.
00:00:14
Speaker 2: No, you got me here. It's all about us right now. It's about us. Yeah. Right.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: How are you, brother?
00:00:20
Speaker 2: I've been good, man.
00:00:21
Speaker 3: You?
00:00:22
Speaker 1: I'm pretty good.
00:00:24
Speaker 3: You're a guy that I always liked a lot, you know?
00:00:28
Speaker 1: You came in.
00:00:30
Speaker 3: You gotta remember you came in, you replaced Derek Jeter and no one, I'm a hardcore Yankee fan. So the hardcore Yankee fans, we didn't know anything about you. We were like, Didi Gregorius, who is he?
00:00:43
Speaker 1: You know?
00:00:43
Speaker 3: And I mean, it's like, it was a fair question because a lot of people didn't know. So, and then people were like, can he even hit?
00:00:50
Speaker 2: You know?
00:00:50
Speaker 1: And I was like, it was a tough situation. How did you handle that?
00:00:53
Speaker 2: No, for me, it's just that first month, I will never forget that. It was terrible. But I got to know myself and learn to slow the game back down the way I wanted to and the way that I played. And that's how I managed to pick back up where I know how good I can be. And I kept making adjustments because it's a different league for me. And we didn't have much of a big league time. But the experience that I got and the guys I have on the team that talk to me every day and help me get better. And that pushed me a lot.
00:01:26
Speaker 1: You came over in what, 15?
00:01:28
Speaker 2: Correct. 2015.
00:01:30
Speaker 1: You were a trade, right?
00:01:32
Speaker 2: Correct.
00:01:32
Speaker 1: Who did they trade for you?
00:01:35
Speaker 2: It was a three-way trade. It was me, Shane Green, I think Robbie Ray. I can't remember who else.
00:01:46
Speaker 1: Robbie Ray was in that trade?
00:01:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so, if I'm not mistaken.
00:01:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, because you're coming over from, was it the Reds or the Diamondbacks?
00:01:53
Speaker 2: Diamondbacks.
00:01:54
Speaker 1: Diamondbacks, okay. But you told me.
00:01:56
Speaker 2: No, it was a different trade.
00:01:57
Speaker 1: Wait a minute. You started with the Reds?
00:01:59
Speaker 2: Yes, I started with the Reds.
00:02:00
Speaker 1: And then you went to the Diamondbacks?
00:02:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got traded to the Diamondbacks. And then the Diamondbacks got traded to the Yankees.
00:02:07
Speaker 1: Did you have any inkling you were going to be traded?
00:02:11
Speaker 2: I had a little bit of a feeling because I was going... I wasn't between agents. Like, I had an agent. And then I met... Just met with just another agent. And he's like, in two weeks, you're going to get traded. I was like, yeah, whatever. Whatever. Cause I talked to the agent I have, he's like, yeah, I just talked to the team and they're like, you're going to be playing every day here next year. And then literally in two weeks I was traded.
00:02:34
Speaker 3: Did Gita just retire in 14?
00:02:36
Speaker 2: Correct.
00:02:37
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:02:37
Speaker 2: Right. Wow.
00:02:39
Speaker 3: So you, when you heard the Yankees, were you like, what was the reaction?
00:02:44
Speaker 2: The first thing that went through my head is like, because I had afro, so I got to cut my hair. That's the first thing.
00:02:50
Speaker 1: I had one in.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: High school. That's really because, I mean, I always grew out my hair like I'm growing out my hair again.
00:02:59
Speaker 1: You had afro?
00:02:59
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:03:00
Speaker 1: Damn.
00:03:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, not a big one, but I was getting there.
00:03:04
Speaker 3: I can't picture you because I always, you know, saw you with the short hair or the braids.
00:03:10
Speaker 2: Yeah, I always had a flat top when I was in New York. Only way I can let my hair grow, because they're like, oh, you can't have afros. I said, well, cut the side, it'll keep the top. Right. Yeah.
00:03:20
Speaker 1: Were you putting on the pinstripes, were you a little bit overwhelmed?
00:03:24
Speaker 3: Did you feel the pressure of just being a Yankee and Jeter and all that?
00:03:29
Speaker 2: No, because.
00:03:29
Speaker 1: Just let me just be Didi.
00:03:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, because I will never forget this. So I had one of the coaches when I was with the Diamondbacks, and he always used to tell me, Steve Sacks, he always used to tell me, don't ever forget who you are. Always be yourself. Always be yourself. And when I got there in the first month, I'm trying to do everything. I'm like, dude, slow the game back down. And that's when I started picking back up to where I want to be. And then that's how I managed to keep everything under control and enjoy the game.
00:04:08
Speaker 1: Right. And 15 was, you know, you had to find your way in 15.
00:04:11
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:04:12
Speaker 1: And that was a rough year.
00:04:13
Speaker 3: If I remember correctly, we got like eliminated in one game or something.
00:04:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, wildcard. Against the Astros, right? Dallas Keuchel.
00:04:20
Speaker 1: Keuchel?
00:04:21
Speaker 2: Yep. The beard.
00:04:22
Speaker 1: I freaking hated that beard. He shut us down. I could never stand the one game.
00:04:30
Speaker 3: I don't know how you guys felt, but I felt like you play 162 unless you're tied for the division. All right, I can understand that in the old days.
00:04:40
Speaker 2: You play one more.
00:04:41
Speaker 1: One stupid game anybody could win. And I was like, I.
00:04:44
Speaker 2: Never liked that game. But that's like, for me, it was the trail of it.
00:04:49
Speaker 1: It's what?
00:04:49
Speaker 2: It's the trail of the game.
00:04:51
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:04:52
Speaker 2: Like you said, you play 162. It takes one game for you to advance. Or you can go home.
00:05:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true.
00:05:02
Speaker 2: So it's also, it's a fun, it's a fun if you win. I mean, it sucks if you lose. Right. But at the same time, That's what you play for.
00:05:10
Speaker 3: Right.
00:05:10
Speaker 2: But you don't play just to make it to the playoffs. You play to win the whole division, win everything. Right. So, like, it wasn't for us, like, the years that I've been there, it wasn't like a surprise for us that we're going to be in the playoffs. We know we're going to be in the playoffs. And we have to make it, like, all the way through.
00:05:28
Speaker 1: What was the turning point? Was it in 16 or what?
00:05:31
Speaker 3: Like you started winning the fans over, you're winning people like me over. I like, you just started figuring it out, right?
00:05:38
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:05:39
Speaker 3: 16?
00:05:40
Speaker 2: I would say second way through 15, I started to pick up. Yeah. So I think first, first half of the year, I think I had like one something maybe or two something. And then second half, I think it was the best I've ever hit. And that's, since then it's just kept building.
00:05:58
Speaker 1: Let me ask you something.
00:05:59
Speaker 3: You were good in the big moments. You know, when it's like, not everybody comes up big under pressure. Like, I saw you in Cleveland, you had two big home runs. No, you were freaking huge in the big moments. And not everybody, like, when you do that in New York, and you do that as a Yankee, people recognize that.
00:06:18
Speaker 1: And they were like, wow, Didi could play under pressure. And then in Minnesota, in New York, when we were behind, you know, you went deep off Berrios. I think it was, man, the place went bananas. Yeah. I mean, you had that.
00:06:30
Speaker 3: I just think some guys have it and some guys don't in the big games.
00:06:35
Speaker 1: What do you think that's about?
00:06:36
Speaker 2: I won't say some guys don't. It's just when it's your moment, it's your moment. I feel that I always believed in that. But also, I always play the game like I know I'm going to be in a big situation every time I come up there. It doesn't matter who's on or who's not on. But for me, I feel like Every at-bat is big. So, like, when a certain situation happens, it should be not catching you off guard. Because you're anticipating, you're preparing yourself for moments like that the whole year. And once it happens in that moment, it's like, hey, I'm trying to do my job. Any way as possible. So, I mean, that's all you try to do.
00:07:22
Speaker 3: And you were part of that 2017 team, which I think, for me... in the last, that's a damn good team. That's a fun team because you had Judge coming of age, Gary Sanchez coming of age, you had Todd Frazier, you had you, you had Greg Bird who was, we thought, you know, yeah, this was a wonderful, fun team and you guys were so close, man.
00:07:46
Speaker 1: All those three games in New.
00:07:47
Speaker 3: York when you came back and then kind of got blown out, I think game six and then game seven, whatever happened, happened. But that was a, I really liked that 17 team. You know, I thought you guys were going to get there. I didn't know if you were going to win it.
00:08:01
Speaker 2: I think, I think what made that 17 year team good was 16.
00:08:07
Speaker 1: 16?
00:08:08
Speaker 2: Because 16, we had a bad record halfway through the year and it traded away everybody. So what happens, you traded with all the guys, you get young guys, they're hungry. They're want to put their name on the map. So for next year.
00:08:27
Speaker 3: Right.
00:08:27
Speaker 2: And that's literally what happened. Judge came up, Gary came up, a bunch of guys came up in that, that, and that span.
00:08:35
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:08:35
Speaker 2: And then we ended up being, I think half or one game out. And then that led to 17.
00:08:42
Speaker 1: Led to 17. You missed the playoffs that year.
00:08:45
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:08:45
Speaker 1: But they got rid of everybody and then they let the kids play.
00:08:49
Speaker 2: Kids play, yeah.
00:08:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, let me ask you. So Judge came up in 16. He struggled like mightily.
00:08:55
Speaker 2: You know, like a lot.
00:08:56
Speaker 1: Like a lot of guys do. It was a short, you know, small sample.
00:09:00
Speaker 3: Did you see in 17, did you see, wow, this guy is going to be a star?
00:09:05
Speaker 1: I mean, in 16, it was hard to tell.
00:09:08
Speaker 2: I mean, you see it in 16 because there's a reason why you're up here. Right. There's a reason why you're up there. And I tell a lot of people this. I like everybody that's on my team. Even if you're not on my team, I like your story. Because everybody got there in their own way. So you put up good numbers in the minor leagues. You got to figure it out in the big leagues. If you struggle, like my first year of pro ball, I hit. 150. I'm not ashamed to say it. I hit 150, but I was also, I was 18. First time playing 40 games in a year. So, I was, I was waiting 140. So, like, I had no muscle, nothing, so I'm learning. And, I struggled early. I think that also helped me in my career. And I was spoiled coming up to the Reds system with the hitting coaches and infield coaches that I had. With the Reds? With the Reds, yeah. I had Barry Larkin as my infield coach. Wow. They'll take him to almost 200 ground balls every morning in spring training. And then I had Ken Griffey Sr. as my hitting coach, then manager for like four years, three years in a row. So it's, and then I had Delaney DeShields who will let me hit up the machine with a bat, barrel like this big. It's like, you're the leadoff guy, all he wants you to do is make contact. So every day I'm like this. Literally every day. hitting one hand, one hand, one hand, learning top hand with him. So that's always tell people like I was spoiled because I had all those guys that have a lot of experience, had a big career in the big leagues and know about adjustments and all that stuff. I was 20 and Griffey used to tell me, he goes, before you know it, you're going to mess around, hit 10 to 15 home runs and you don't know. You're going to what? 10 to 15 home runs a year. In the minor leagues, I barely hit five because I was lead up there. He's like, don't worry about it right now. It will come up later in your career. It'll happen. And so I was like, okay. And then all I did was go. Meaning what?
00:11:24
Speaker 1: Then you'll figure it out?
00:11:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, because then you figure it out. You go into yourself, learn your power, and then learn how to drive the ball.
00:11:30
Speaker 3: Yeah. You played both in the American League and National League. What would you say was, even though you had more success in the American League, what Is there a difference in the leagues? Because now they're so, you know, integrated.
00:11:46
Speaker 1: I don't know if there is, but.
00:11:48
Speaker 2: I mean, when I got up... What's the better league? The pitchers were still hitting when I got up. So it's different. Yeah. So also, if you're hitting in front of a pitcher like I used to when I was with the timebacks, it's like some days they're going to pitch you, some days they're not, depending on the situation. So I also had to learn that. And then when the DH came, it was a little bit different because now the whole lineup is clubbing. So it's a completely different thing.
00:12:19
Speaker 3: But do you think there's, do you think like one league is more stronger than the other or what do you.
00:12:24
Speaker 1: I mean, what's your feeling?
00:12:25
Speaker 2: Like right now?
00:12:26
Speaker 1: No, just like.
00:12:26
Speaker 2: Oh, when I was playing?
00:12:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, when you were playing. What did you think? Like, what would you say was... Like, for you?
00:12:33
Speaker 2: So, the only thing that was different for me is internationally, the pitchers were hitting. The other pitchers were getting more strikeouts. Okay. So, for me, the pitchers on the national side would get, like, more strikeouts. I won't say more, way more, but at least maybe five or six more, you can say, than Americans.
00:12:54
Speaker 3: I just wonder, like, the brand of baseball, do you think it's crisper in the National League than the American League? Or it's kind of not that far different today?
00:13:03
Speaker 2: No, today I don't know. Today, it's different baseball.
00:13:09
Speaker 1: It is, right?
00:13:10
Speaker 2: It's different baseball, yeah.
00:13:11
Speaker 1: You like it?
00:13:12
Speaker 2: I won't say I hate it. But do you like it? It's a little bit different. Let's go with that. Yeah.
00:13:21
Speaker 3: So yeah, you've gone over to Mexico and you're playing over there and you said it's highly competitive. And what is it like there? What's the spirit like? What's the brand of baseball like in the Mexican league? You said similar like high-end AAA?
00:13:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's basically like 4A. I call it 4A because you have a lot of guys that are up and down here in the States. They're out of options and then the team don't want to pick them up so they go to Mexico and play. You have guys that have a lot of big league experience that are also there. You have guys that are young. They didn't make it to the big leagues. But we'll try to get picked back up so they can go to affiliated teams. So for me, it's been like 4A because there's a lot of guys with experience. You see, you get a bunch of guys throws 100 down there. Nasty cutters, nasty curveballs. Pitching, know how to pitch with elevation and all that stuff too. And we got really good hitters over there too. Yes. It's more contact, contact. So Pitchers who are not getting a lot of strikeouts, because guys love making contact over there. And that's what I think the game shied away here from the interstates. You do? Yeah.
00:14:32
Speaker 1: Do you like the new rules? Do you like the pitch clock?
00:14:38
Speaker 2: I don't think it makes a big of a difference.
00:14:40
Speaker 1: Not much, right? What about the challenge now? Hitters are challenging.
00:14:45
Speaker 2: The strike zone?
00:14:45
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:14:46
Speaker 2: I mean, you see that couple calls, you're like, hey. I mean, if it's close, yeah, but if it's too far off, then I'd definitely challenge that.
00:14:56
Speaker 1: You feel like you could still play in MLB?
00:14:59
Speaker 2: If they give an opportunity, I can never say no. Right. But it's up to them, so that's out of my hands.
00:15:05
Speaker 1: I understand that, yeah. Why do you think that is?
00:15:08
Speaker 3: Why do you think sometimes somebody that's had a great track record, that you know they could still do it, why they shy away and.
00:15:18
Speaker 1: and don't give you another shot?
00:15:20
Speaker 2: I mean, right now, I don't know, to be honest. But I think it's more of the way the game is going. They just want young guys.
00:15:30
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:15:31
Speaker 2: And young guys, so they can lock them, or guys that have, like, long extension. If you look, those are the ones that are actually playing. Otherwise, you're out of the game. If you don't have a long-term contract or you're young. Right. I don't think it's basically it's about hitting cause it's not much of a hitting or defense. The value of the game has changed. So it's a little bit different now from when we were playing.
00:16:00
Speaker 1: Who was some of the toughest pitches you faced when you was a Yankee?
00:16:03
Speaker 3: Like, can you name like three guys that'd be like, Oh shit, these guys scare me.
00:16:08
Speaker 2: Oh, and that's scaring me, but I don't really want to say scare. Charlie Morton when he was with Houston.
00:16:16
Speaker 1: Charlie Morton?
00:16:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, when he was with Houston throwing a hundo and it's moving like a bowling ball. Did you like facing lefties? I did not care. No, I didn't care. Lefty or righty, it didn't matter for me.
00:16:34
Speaker 1: Didn't matter?
00:16:34
Speaker 2: No. I think I had like two years that I had better against lefty than righty. Really? I hit better against left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers.
00:16:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, because you kind of hung in there, right?
00:16:47
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:16:48
Speaker 1: What was the World Baseball Classic like? A lot of fun?
00:16:52
Speaker 2: It's a lot of fun, even though this year wasn't the best. What happened this year? We were in a tough pool. We were in a pool with Venezuela, DR, Nicaragua, and Israel.
00:17:07
Speaker 1: So you're from where? Curacao?
00:17:09
Speaker 2: So I was born in Netherlands.
00:17:10
Speaker 1: Netherlands.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, born in Netherlands. I grew up in Europe.
00:17:14
Speaker 1: It's in Europe?
00:17:15
Speaker 2: Yeah, Netherlands is Europe. In Europe.
00:17:17
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:17:18
Speaker 2: So then... So you're European? Yeah.
00:17:20
Speaker 1: Like me. We're both European.
00:17:22
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:17:22
Speaker 1: Well, I'm Italian, but.
00:17:24
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:17:25
Speaker 1: And a lot of other... It's funny. We could be cousins. Me and Didi. So you're European, but Curaçao is where?
00:17:38
Speaker 2: Curacao is in the Caribbean. But it belongs to... The Netherlands. The Netherlands, yeah.
00:17:45
Speaker 1: But what do you speak? What's the language?
00:17:47
Speaker 2: In Curacao, Papiamento.
00:17:48
Speaker 1: What is that?
00:17:49
Speaker 2: Papiamento.
00:17:50
Speaker 1: What does that sound like?
00:17:52
Speaker 2: It's Portuguese Creole. What's that? Portuguese Creole. So it's a mixture of Portuguese Creole. Portuguese. Wow.
00:18:02
Speaker 1: That's exotic.
00:18:04
Speaker 2: I mean, it's mixed with English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French words.
00:18:10
Speaker 1: It's a wild language. Yeah. So, like, give me something, like, you know, how's it going?
00:18:15
Speaker 2: How does it sound like? Conta cubo. Conta cubo. Conta cubo. Yeah.
00:18:21
Speaker 1: Conta cubo.
00:18:22
Speaker 2: Conta cubo. Wow, cubo. Oh, yeah. It's kind of like Portuguese. Portuguese, yeah.
00:18:28
Speaker 1: Spanish influence.
00:18:30
Speaker 2: Yeah. Right. Right.
00:18:31
Speaker 1: Because, you know, the Spaniards went everywhere, right?
00:18:34
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:18:36
Speaker 1: Well, they did. They went all over.
00:18:39
Speaker 2: That's right.
00:18:40
Speaker 3: I mean, you know, my wife's Filipino and they got a Spanish name. And there's nothing Spanish about them.
00:18:46
Speaker 2: It's true.
00:18:46
Speaker 1: Not really. Except their name. So how did you get the name? I go, obviously you took it from some Spaniard. You look Asian.
00:18:55
Speaker 2: Asian. Yeah, I get it. I get it. I get it.
00:18:59
Speaker 1: What makes you happy, Didi? What brings you happiness?
00:19:05
Speaker 2: Life.
00:19:05
Speaker 1: Life?
00:19:07
Speaker 2: Yeah. Life. Happiness. I mean... You're a creative spirit, right? Yeah, I try to create my own happiness. Yeah. That's how I go with that. Stuff that I can control myself, so I don't have to worry about somebody else making me happy if I can control my own happiness.
00:19:23
Speaker 3: You know, I think you're a Yankee. Even though you play with a lot of teams, I think people, when they think of you, you know, when they think of a player, they'll say, oh, he's a Red Sox. He's a Met deep down. I'm like, even though you didn't start with the Yankees, when you hear the name Diddy Gregorius, he's a Yankee.
00:19:43
Speaker 1: No, because you had your best moments there.
00:19:45
Speaker 2: I mean, my best moment was with the Yankees, yeah.
00:19:47
Speaker 1: And the Yankee fans love you. I mean, I know I do.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: And I'm like, you know, some players just, they have that way about them. And I hope the Yankees still embrace you that way.
00:19:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, I still go every now and then. I have some fun over there, yeah. I haven't went to the Yankee Stadium yet.
00:20:05
Speaker 1: That new one?
00:20:06
Speaker 2: No, no, I mean, I went there, but I haven't went to, like, any games. Oh, any games? Yeah, I haven't went to any games.
00:20:11
Speaker 1: You don't follow them right now?
00:20:13
Speaker 2: No. No. That's all right. If it's on TV, I see it, I watch it, but I'm not going to look for something.
00:20:20
Speaker 1: You root for them?
00:20:21
Speaker 2: Yeah. It's a team that gave me the opportunity to play for a lot of years and front a lot of people, so.
00:20:29
Speaker 3: You got to remember the good stuff.
00:20:30
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. You got to remember everything that comes with it. Yeah.
00:20:34
Speaker 3: Now, listen, I'm glad I got to sit down with you because you're somebody that was a favorite of mine, plus on a 17 team and, you know, replacing Jeter. You won me over, a lot of people over. And we were sad to see you go when you were in Philly. We were like, I felt like that was a mistake.
00:20:53
Speaker 1: But anyway.
00:20:54
Speaker 2: Hey, that wasn't in my control. I know. I get it.
00:21:01
Speaker 1: I'm in show business, so a lot of things are taken away from me, too, that are like, oh, why did you leave? I go, they don't want me no more.
00:21:07
Speaker 2: Yeah?
00:21:09
Speaker 1: They're lost, or whatever. They're a decision.
00:21:12
Speaker 2: Things happen, you know?
00:21:13
Speaker 1: Yeah, I get it, brother. Hey, I appreciate you, man.
00:21:16
Speaker 2: Thank you, man. Thank you.
00:21:17
Speaker 1: You were a gentleman. Nice watch, too.
Speaker 1: There he is. My guy. BD Gregorius.
00:00:05
Speaker 2: Thanks for having me, man.
00:00:06
Speaker 1: Delivering happiness just for you, brother.
00:00:08
Speaker 2: All right.
00:00:12
Speaker 1: Well, really, it's all about you.
00:00:14
Speaker 2: No, you got me here. It's all about us right now. It's about us. Yeah. Right.
00:00:20
Speaker 1: How are you, brother?
00:00:20
Speaker 2: I've been good, man.
00:00:21
Speaker 3: You?
00:00:22
Speaker 1: I'm pretty good.
00:00:24
Speaker 3: You're a guy that I always liked a lot, you know?
00:00:28
Speaker 1: You came in.
00:00:30
Speaker 3: You gotta remember you came in, you replaced Derek Jeter and no one, I'm a hardcore Yankee fan. So the hardcore Yankee fans, we didn't know anything about you. We were like, Didi Gregorius, who is he?
00:00:43
Speaker 1: You know?
00:00:43
Speaker 3: And I mean, it's like, it was a fair question because a lot of people didn't know. So, and then people were like, can he even hit?
00:00:50
Speaker 2: You know?
00:00:50
Speaker 1: And I was like, it was a tough situation. How did you handle that?
00:00:53
Speaker 2: No, for me, it's just that first month, I will never forget that. It was terrible. But I got to know myself and learn to slow the game back down the way I wanted to and the way that I played. And that's how I managed to pick back up where I know how good I can be. And I kept making adjustments because it's a different league for me. And we didn't have much of a big league time. But the experience that I got and the guys I have on the team that talk to me every day and help me get better. And that pushed me a lot.
00:01:26
Speaker 1: You came over in what, 15?
00:01:28
Speaker 2: Correct. 2015.
00:01:30
Speaker 1: You were a trade, right?
00:01:32
Speaker 2: Correct.
00:01:32
Speaker 1: Who did they trade for you?
00:01:35
Speaker 2: It was a three-way trade. It was me, Shane Green, I think Robbie Ray. I can't remember who else.
00:01:46
Speaker 1: Robbie Ray was in that trade?
00:01:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so, if I'm not mistaken.
00:01:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, because you're coming over from, was it the Reds or the Diamondbacks?
00:01:53
Speaker 2: Diamondbacks.
00:01:54
Speaker 1: Diamondbacks, okay. But you told me.
00:01:56
Speaker 2: No, it was a different trade.
00:01:57
Speaker 1: Wait a minute. You started with the Reds?
00:01:59
Speaker 2: Yes, I started with the Reds.
00:02:00
Speaker 1: And then you went to the Diamondbacks?
00:02:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, I got traded to the Diamondbacks. And then the Diamondbacks got traded to the Yankees.
00:02:07
Speaker 1: Did you have any inkling you were going to be traded?
00:02:11
Speaker 2: I had a little bit of a feeling because I was going... I wasn't between agents. Like, I had an agent. And then I met... Just met with just another agent. And he's like, in two weeks, you're going to get traded. I was like, yeah, whatever. Whatever. Cause I talked to the agent I have, he's like, yeah, I just talked to the team and they're like, you're going to be playing every day here next year. And then literally in two weeks I was traded.
00:02:34
Speaker 3: Did Gita just retire in 14?
00:02:36
Speaker 2: Correct.
00:02:37
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:02:37
Speaker 2: Right. Wow.
00:02:39
Speaker 3: So you, when you heard the Yankees, were you like, what was the reaction?
00:02:44
Speaker 2: The first thing that went through my head is like, because I had afro, so I got to cut my hair. That's the first thing.
00:02:50
Speaker 1: I had one in.
00:02:53
Speaker 2: High school. That's really because, I mean, I always grew out my hair like I'm growing out my hair again.
00:02:59
Speaker 1: You had afro?
00:02:59
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:03:00
Speaker 1: Damn.
00:03:01
Speaker 2: Yeah, not a big one, but I was getting there.
00:03:04
Speaker 3: I can't picture you because I always, you know, saw you with the short hair or the braids.
00:03:10
Speaker 2: Yeah, I always had a flat top when I was in New York. Only way I can let my hair grow, because they're like, oh, you can't have afros. I said, well, cut the side, it'll keep the top. Right. Yeah.
00:03:20
Speaker 1: Were you putting on the pinstripes, were you a little bit overwhelmed?
00:03:24
Speaker 3: Did you feel the pressure of just being a Yankee and Jeter and all that?
00:03:29
Speaker 2: No, because.
00:03:29
Speaker 1: Just let me just be Didi.
00:03:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, because I will never forget this. So I had one of the coaches when I was with the Diamondbacks, and he always used to tell me, Steve Sacks, he always used to tell me, don't ever forget who you are. Always be yourself. Always be yourself. And when I got there in the first month, I'm trying to do everything. I'm like, dude, slow the game back down. And that's when I started picking back up to where I want to be. And then that's how I managed to keep everything under control and enjoy the game.
00:04:08
Speaker 1: Right. And 15 was, you know, you had to find your way in 15.
00:04:11
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:04:12
Speaker 1: And that was a rough year.
00:04:13
Speaker 3: If I remember correctly, we got like eliminated in one game or something.
00:04:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, wildcard. Against the Astros, right? Dallas Keuchel.
00:04:20
Speaker 1: Keuchel?
00:04:21
Speaker 2: Yep. The beard.
00:04:22
Speaker 1: I freaking hated that beard. He shut us down. I could never stand the one game.
00:04:30
Speaker 3: I don't know how you guys felt, but I felt like you play 162 unless you're tied for the division. All right, I can understand that in the old days.
00:04:40
Speaker 2: You play one more.
00:04:41
Speaker 1: One stupid game anybody could win. And I was like, I.
00:04:44
Speaker 2: Never liked that game. But that's like, for me, it was the trail of it.
00:04:49
Speaker 1: It's what?
00:04:49
Speaker 2: It's the trail of the game.
00:04:51
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:04:52
Speaker 2: Like you said, you play 162. It takes one game for you to advance. Or you can go home.
00:05:01
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true.
00:05:02
Speaker 2: So it's also, it's a fun, it's a fun if you win. I mean, it sucks if you lose. Right. But at the same time, That's what you play for.
00:05:10
Speaker 3: Right.
00:05:10
Speaker 2: But you don't play just to make it to the playoffs. You play to win the whole division, win everything. Right. So, like, it wasn't for us, like, the years that I've been there, it wasn't like a surprise for us that we're going to be in the playoffs. We know we're going to be in the playoffs. And we have to make it, like, all the way through.
00:05:28
Speaker 1: What was the turning point? Was it in 16 or what?
00:05:31
Speaker 3: Like you started winning the fans over, you're winning people like me over. I like, you just started figuring it out, right?
00:05:38
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:05:39
Speaker 3: 16?
00:05:40
Speaker 2: I would say second way through 15, I started to pick up. Yeah. So I think first, first half of the year, I think I had like one something maybe or two something. And then second half, I think it was the best I've ever hit. And that's, since then it's just kept building.
00:05:58
Speaker 1: Let me ask you something.
00:05:59
Speaker 3: You were good in the big moments. You know, when it's like, not everybody comes up big under pressure. Like, I saw you in Cleveland, you had two big home runs. No, you were freaking huge in the big moments. And not everybody, like, when you do that in New York, and you do that as a Yankee, people recognize that.
00:06:18
Speaker 1: And they were like, wow, Didi could play under pressure. And then in Minnesota, in New York, when we were behind, you know, you went deep off Berrios. I think it was, man, the place went bananas. Yeah. I mean, you had that.
00:06:30
Speaker 3: I just think some guys have it and some guys don't in the big games.
00:06:35
Speaker 1: What do you think that's about?
00:06:36
Speaker 2: I won't say some guys don't. It's just when it's your moment, it's your moment. I feel that I always believed in that. But also, I always play the game like I know I'm going to be in a big situation every time I come up there. It doesn't matter who's on or who's not on. But for me, I feel like Every at-bat is big. So, like, when a certain situation happens, it should be not catching you off guard. Because you're anticipating, you're preparing yourself for moments like that the whole year. And once it happens in that moment, it's like, hey, I'm trying to do my job. Any way as possible. So, I mean, that's all you try to do.
00:07:22
Speaker 3: And you were part of that 2017 team, which I think, for me... in the last, that's a damn good team. That's a fun team because you had Judge coming of age, Gary Sanchez coming of age, you had Todd Frazier, you had you, you had Greg Bird who was, we thought, you know, yeah, this was a wonderful, fun team and you guys were so close, man.
00:07:46
Speaker 1: All those three games in New.
00:07:47
Speaker 3: York when you came back and then kind of got blown out, I think game six and then game seven, whatever happened, happened. But that was a, I really liked that 17 team. You know, I thought you guys were going to get there. I didn't know if you were going to win it.
00:08:01
Speaker 2: I think, I think what made that 17 year team good was 16.
00:08:07
Speaker 1: 16?
00:08:08
Speaker 2: Because 16, we had a bad record halfway through the year and it traded away everybody. So what happens, you traded with all the guys, you get young guys, they're hungry. They're want to put their name on the map. So for next year.
00:08:27
Speaker 3: Right.
00:08:27
Speaker 2: And that's literally what happened. Judge came up, Gary came up, a bunch of guys came up in that, that, and that span.
00:08:35
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:08:35
Speaker 2: And then we ended up being, I think half or one game out. And then that led to 17.
00:08:42
Speaker 1: Led to 17. You missed the playoffs that year.
00:08:45
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:08:45
Speaker 1: But they got rid of everybody and then they let the kids play.
00:08:49
Speaker 2: Kids play, yeah.
00:08:50
Speaker 1: Yeah, let me ask you. So Judge came up in 16. He struggled like mightily.
00:08:55
Speaker 2: You know, like a lot.
00:08:56
Speaker 1: Like a lot of guys do. It was a short, you know, small sample.
00:09:00
Speaker 3: Did you see in 17, did you see, wow, this guy is going to be a star?
00:09:05
Speaker 1: I mean, in 16, it was hard to tell.
00:09:08
Speaker 2: I mean, you see it in 16 because there's a reason why you're up here. Right. There's a reason why you're up there. And I tell a lot of people this. I like everybody that's on my team. Even if you're not on my team, I like your story. Because everybody got there in their own way. So you put up good numbers in the minor leagues. You got to figure it out in the big leagues. If you struggle, like my first year of pro ball, I hit. 150. I'm not ashamed to say it. I hit 150, but I was also, I was 18. First time playing 40 games in a year. So, I was, I was waiting 140. So, like, I had no muscle, nothing, so I'm learning. And, I struggled early. I think that also helped me in my career. And I was spoiled coming up to the Reds system with the hitting coaches and infield coaches that I had. With the Reds? With the Reds, yeah. I had Barry Larkin as my infield coach. Wow. They'll take him to almost 200 ground balls every morning in spring training. And then I had Ken Griffey Sr. as my hitting coach, then manager for like four years, three years in a row. So it's, and then I had Delaney DeShields who will let me hit up the machine with a bat, barrel like this big. It's like, you're the leadoff guy, all he wants you to do is make contact. So every day I'm like this. Literally every day. hitting one hand, one hand, one hand, learning top hand with him. So that's always tell people like I was spoiled because I had all those guys that have a lot of experience, had a big career in the big leagues and know about adjustments and all that stuff. I was 20 and Griffey used to tell me, he goes, before you know it, you're going to mess around, hit 10 to 15 home runs and you don't know. You're going to what? 10 to 15 home runs a year. In the minor leagues, I barely hit five because I was lead up there. He's like, don't worry about it right now. It will come up later in your career. It'll happen. And so I was like, okay. And then all I did was go. Meaning what?
00:11:24
Speaker 1: Then you'll figure it out?
00:11:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, because then you figure it out. You go into yourself, learn your power, and then learn how to drive the ball.
00:11:30
Speaker 3: Yeah. You played both in the American League and National League. What would you say was, even though you had more success in the American League, what Is there a difference in the leagues? Because now they're so, you know, integrated.
00:11:46
Speaker 1: I don't know if there is, but.
00:11:48
Speaker 2: I mean, when I got up... What's the better league? The pitchers were still hitting when I got up. So it's different. Yeah. So also, if you're hitting in front of a pitcher like I used to when I was with the timebacks, it's like some days they're going to pitch you, some days they're not, depending on the situation. So I also had to learn that. And then when the DH came, it was a little bit different because now the whole lineup is clubbing. So it's a completely different thing.
00:12:19
Speaker 3: But do you think there's, do you think like one league is more stronger than the other or what do you.
00:12:24
Speaker 1: I mean, what's your feeling?
00:12:25
Speaker 2: Like right now?
00:12:26
Speaker 1: No, just like.
00:12:26
Speaker 2: Oh, when I was playing?
00:12:28
Speaker 1: Yeah, when you were playing. What did you think? Like, what would you say was... Like, for you?
00:12:33
Speaker 2: So, the only thing that was different for me is internationally, the pitchers were hitting. The other pitchers were getting more strikeouts. Okay. So, for me, the pitchers on the national side would get, like, more strikeouts. I won't say more, way more, but at least maybe five or six more, you can say, than Americans.
00:12:54
Speaker 3: I just wonder, like, the brand of baseball, do you think it's crisper in the National League than the American League? Or it's kind of not that far different today?
00:13:03
Speaker 2: No, today I don't know. Today, it's different baseball.
00:13:09
Speaker 1: It is, right?
00:13:10
Speaker 2: It's different baseball, yeah.
00:13:11
Speaker 1: You like it?
00:13:12
Speaker 2: I won't say I hate it. But do you like it? It's a little bit different. Let's go with that. Yeah.
00:13:21
Speaker 3: So yeah, you've gone over to Mexico and you're playing over there and you said it's highly competitive. And what is it like there? What's the spirit like? What's the brand of baseball like in the Mexican league? You said similar like high-end AAA?
00:13:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's basically like 4A. I call it 4A because you have a lot of guys that are up and down here in the States. They're out of options and then the team don't want to pick them up so they go to Mexico and play. You have guys that have a lot of big league experience that are also there. You have guys that are young. They didn't make it to the big leagues. But we'll try to get picked back up so they can go to affiliated teams. So for me, it's been like 4A because there's a lot of guys with experience. You see, you get a bunch of guys throws 100 down there. Nasty cutters, nasty curveballs. Pitching, know how to pitch with elevation and all that stuff too. And we got really good hitters over there too. Yes. It's more contact, contact. So Pitchers who are not getting a lot of strikeouts, because guys love making contact over there. And that's what I think the game shied away here from the interstates. You do? Yeah.
00:14:32
Speaker 1: Do you like the new rules? Do you like the pitch clock?
00:14:38
Speaker 2: I don't think it makes a big of a difference.
00:14:40
Speaker 1: Not much, right? What about the challenge now? Hitters are challenging.
00:14:45
Speaker 2: The strike zone?
00:14:45
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:14:46
Speaker 2: I mean, you see that couple calls, you're like, hey. I mean, if it's close, yeah, but if it's too far off, then I'd definitely challenge that.
00:14:56
Speaker 1: You feel like you could still play in MLB?
00:14:59
Speaker 2: If they give an opportunity, I can never say no. Right. But it's up to them, so that's out of my hands.
00:15:05
Speaker 1: I understand that, yeah. Why do you think that is?
00:15:08
Speaker 3: Why do you think sometimes somebody that's had a great track record, that you know they could still do it, why they shy away and.
00:15:18
Speaker 1: and don't give you another shot?
00:15:20
Speaker 2: I mean, right now, I don't know, to be honest. But I think it's more of the way the game is going. They just want young guys.
00:15:30
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:15:31
Speaker 2: And young guys, so they can lock them, or guys that have, like, long extension. If you look, those are the ones that are actually playing. Otherwise, you're out of the game. If you don't have a long-term contract or you're young. Right. I don't think it's basically it's about hitting cause it's not much of a hitting or defense. The value of the game has changed. So it's a little bit different now from when we were playing.
00:16:00
Speaker 1: Who was some of the toughest pitches you faced when you was a Yankee?
00:16:03
Speaker 3: Like, can you name like three guys that'd be like, Oh shit, these guys scare me.
00:16:08
Speaker 2: Oh, and that's scaring me, but I don't really want to say scare. Charlie Morton when he was with Houston.
00:16:16
Speaker 1: Charlie Morton?
00:16:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, when he was with Houston throwing a hundo and it's moving like a bowling ball. Did you like facing lefties? I did not care. No, I didn't care. Lefty or righty, it didn't matter for me.
00:16:34
Speaker 1: Didn't matter?
00:16:34
Speaker 2: No. I think I had like two years that I had better against lefty than righty. Really? I hit better against left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers.
00:16:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, because you kind of hung in there, right?
00:16:47
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:16:48
Speaker 1: What was the World Baseball Classic like? A lot of fun?
00:16:52
Speaker 2: It's a lot of fun, even though this year wasn't the best. What happened this year? We were in a tough pool. We were in a pool with Venezuela, DR, Nicaragua, and Israel.
00:17:07
Speaker 1: So you're from where? Curacao?
00:17:09
Speaker 2: So I was born in Netherlands.
00:17:10
Speaker 1: Netherlands.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: Yeah, born in Netherlands. I grew up in Europe.
00:17:14
Speaker 1: It's in Europe?
00:17:15
Speaker 2: Yeah, Netherlands is Europe. In Europe.
00:17:17
Speaker 1: Okay.
00:17:18
Speaker 2: So then... So you're European? Yeah.
00:17:20
Speaker 1: Like me. We're both European.
00:17:22
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:17:22
Speaker 1: Well, I'm Italian, but.
00:17:24
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:17:25
Speaker 1: And a lot of other... It's funny. We could be cousins. Me and Didi. So you're European, but Curaçao is where?
00:17:38
Speaker 2: Curacao is in the Caribbean. But it belongs to... The Netherlands. The Netherlands, yeah.
00:17:45
Speaker 1: But what do you speak? What's the language?
00:17:47
Speaker 2: In Curacao, Papiamento.
00:17:48
Speaker 1: What is that?
00:17:49
Speaker 2: Papiamento.
00:17:50
Speaker 1: What does that sound like?
00:17:52
Speaker 2: It's Portuguese Creole. What's that? Portuguese Creole. So it's a mixture of Portuguese Creole. Portuguese. Wow.
00:18:02
Speaker 1: That's exotic.
00:18:04
Speaker 2: I mean, it's mixed with English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, French words.
00:18:10
Speaker 1: It's a wild language. Yeah. So, like, give me something, like, you know, how's it going?
00:18:15
Speaker 2: How does it sound like? Conta cubo. Conta cubo. Conta cubo. Yeah.
00:18:21
Speaker 1: Conta cubo.
00:18:22
Speaker 2: Conta cubo. Wow, cubo. Oh, yeah. It's kind of like Portuguese. Portuguese, yeah.
00:18:28
Speaker 1: Spanish influence.
00:18:30
Speaker 2: Yeah. Right. Right.
00:18:31
Speaker 1: Because, you know, the Spaniards went everywhere, right?
00:18:34
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:18:36
Speaker 1: Well, they did. They went all over.
00:18:39
Speaker 2: That's right.
00:18:40
Speaker 3: I mean, you know, my wife's Filipino and they got a Spanish name. And there's nothing Spanish about them.
00:18:46
Speaker 2: It's true.
00:18:46
Speaker 1: Not really. Except their name. So how did you get the name? I go, obviously you took it from some Spaniard. You look Asian.
00:18:55
Speaker 2: Asian. Yeah, I get it. I get it. I get it.
00:18:59
Speaker 1: What makes you happy, Didi? What brings you happiness?
00:19:05
Speaker 2: Life.
00:19:05
Speaker 1: Life?
00:19:07
Speaker 2: Yeah. Life. Happiness. I mean... You're a creative spirit, right? Yeah, I try to create my own happiness. Yeah. That's how I go with that. Stuff that I can control myself, so I don't have to worry about somebody else making me happy if I can control my own happiness.
00:19:23
Speaker 3: You know, I think you're a Yankee. Even though you play with a lot of teams, I think people, when they think of you, you know, when they think of a player, they'll say, oh, he's a Red Sox. He's a Met deep down. I'm like, even though you didn't start with the Yankees, when you hear the name Diddy Gregorius, he's a Yankee.
00:19:43
Speaker 1: No, because you had your best moments there.
00:19:45
Speaker 2: I mean, my best moment was with the Yankees, yeah.
00:19:47
Speaker 1: And the Yankee fans love you. I mean, I know I do.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: And I'm like, you know, some players just, they have that way about them. And I hope the Yankees still embrace you that way.
00:19:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, I still go every now and then. I have some fun over there, yeah. I haven't went to the Yankee Stadium yet.
00:20:05
Speaker 1: That new one?
00:20:06
Speaker 2: No, no, I mean, I went there, but I haven't went to, like, any games. Oh, any games? Yeah, I haven't went to any games.
00:20:11
Speaker 1: You don't follow them right now?
00:20:13
Speaker 2: No. No. That's all right. If it's on TV, I see it, I watch it, but I'm not going to look for something.
00:20:20
Speaker 1: You root for them?
00:20:21
Speaker 2: Yeah. It's a team that gave me the opportunity to play for a lot of years and front a lot of people, so.
00:20:29
Speaker 3: You got to remember the good stuff.
00:20:30
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. You got to remember everything that comes with it. Yeah.
00:20:34
Speaker 3: Now, listen, I'm glad I got to sit down with you because you're somebody that was a favorite of mine, plus on a 17 team and, you know, replacing Jeter. You won me over, a lot of people over. And we were sad to see you go when you were in Philly. We were like, I felt like that was a mistake.
00:20:53
Speaker 1: But anyway.
00:20:54
Speaker 2: Hey, that wasn't in my control. I know. I get it.
00:21:01
Speaker 1: I'm in show business, so a lot of things are taken away from me, too, that are like, oh, why did you leave? I go, they don't want me no more.
00:21:07
Speaker 2: Yeah?
00:21:09
Speaker 1: They're lost, or whatever. They're a decision.
00:21:12
Speaker 2: Things happen, you know?
00:21:13
Speaker 1: Yeah, I get it, brother. Hey, I appreciate you, man.
00:21:16
Speaker 2: Thank you, man. Thank you.
00:21:17
Speaker 1: You were a gentleman. Nice watch, too.
