Do you know that less than 1% of 1% who play amateur baseball make it to the major leagues? That's only one out of every 10,000. The odds aren't in your favor. Welcome to In the Volpin with Mark Doors, brought to you by developing Contenders Ministers. You're listening to the Fight by a Peace Network. Thank you for joining us. I have some more statistics for you. Only 13 to 15% of those who play youth baseball play at the high school level. Only 1 1 1 1% of high school players get drafted. Only 5 to 8% of high school players advance to play at the NCAA level of college baseball. And only 9 to 12% play at any level above college baseball. Community College, NAIA and the like. Even for those who sign professionally, only 10 to 15% ever play a single game in Major League Baseball. These numbers can be eye-opening for some. I hope especially for parents. In particular, parents that think their little Johnny is going to get that full ride to Vanderbilt or be drafted by the Yankees. And in believing this, they spend thousands upon thousands of dollars and invest many hundreds of hours pursuing their dream. I mean, I'm sorry, encouraging their son to pursue his dream. I'd like to see more parents and players enjoying the game, enjoying whatever time the Lord allows them to play. The greatest game on planet earth. Does the career end when they move to what I call the big boy field? Does it end after high school? Does it go beyond that? Does it end up with a plaque in the baseball hall of fame? Regardless, I have advice to give you if you are playing this game. Advice for today. Advice for right now. You need to work hard. Learn all you can. Get better every day and enjoy the experience. Enjoy it every single time you have the privilege of stepping onto a baseball field. Now, I think the biggest problem in our day is a denial of the reality as regards the raw statistics. However, I also believe there is a more subtle issue that needs to be dealt with as well. And that is this. That thinking that numbers, the percentages, dictate what will happen with Little Johnny. Somebody's Little Johnny is going to be on the field during a world series, as a matter of fact, many of them are right now as we watch the Brewers and the Rays. Statistics tell us what has happened in the past, historically. They are incapable of predicting what may happen in God's Providence with any given person, with any given Little Johnny. In this episode of In The Bulpin, I want to encourage you if you are a baseball player. I want to encourage you if you are the parent or coach of a baseball player. And that is true whether you are playing the game and you are eight years old or 15 or 18 or 22. I want to encourage you to dream big dreams and then to be tenaciously relentless in pursuing your dreams. I want to encourage that today before I do I have to make a disclaimer. If you, as a parent or a player, are sabitarian by conviction, then diligently and delightfully pursuing a professional baseball career is not an option. Earlier this summer I received an email from a parent of father and he has such convictions. And he has a son who loves the game of baseball and from what he described has a gift to play the game of baseball. And fundamentally he was asking for advice as it regards travel ball. In particular, travel ball and Sunday games and he said it was difficult to find a place for his son to play. And I tried to encourage the man I told him that my son found a coach who understood that for us worshipping our triune God comes before baseball. And he allowed my son to play on his team knowing that and so I encourage this father to keep looking. But because in his email he made it clear that he and his family hold to a sabitarian view. I made it clear to him that therefore him for his son or his son himself for them to think about playing professionally in the future wasn't an option. Now I didn't write this in the email but I thought about it since it isn't an option unless Major League Baseball went back to the good old days when they did not play on Sundays. So my disclaimer being made I want to encourage us all to recognize that it is possible to get there from here to get to the major leagues from the little leagues or from high school. Or from minor league baseball. Aaron Ashby was once a 10 year old playing on a little league sized field. He was once a community college pitcher. He was once a minor league pitcher trying to figure things out at the professional level. For the past few years he has been a major league pitcher. For the last few weeks he has been a dominant postseason pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers. How dominant? How about this dominant? 15 and 2 thirds innings pitched this postseason without giving up a single run. That is the second longest consecutive innings scoreless streak to open a postseason in Major League Baseball history. He is behind only one man. He is behind him by one third of an innings pitched. Andrew Miller with Cleveland in 2016 had 16 consecutive innings pitched. And if you're a bit older you likely remember how light out Andrew Miller was that postseason. Aaron Ashby picked up the save in the Brewers game two win. They're to five to four comeback win that was on Saturday night. That of course puts them up to to zero as the series now shifts to Tampa for the next three nights. That's of course if three nights are needed three games are needed. I believe it will go five. I can't say I believe it'll necessarily return to Milwaukee but I don't think the Brewers will sleep the rays. So tonight is game three and again tonight like Saturday another former brewer will be starting for the Tampa Bay rays. Freddie Peralta he will be pitching against left-hander Robert Gasser for the Brewers but going back to Aaron Ashby. Knowing Aaron from my time with the Brewers I'm very excited for him. I'm very happy for him and the success he's having this postseason and really his major league career. But I'm also celebrating this his poise and professionalism. The poison professionalism he is displaying during the game as well as in post game interviews. If you dream of being a major league baseball player or even excelling an amateur baseball or for that matter at anything in life watch what the best in the world do. And watch not only what they do on the field but what they say and do off the field. You can learn so many extremely valuable lessons by listening to these people these men discuss their approach the adjustments they make and how they overcome doubt and failure. I read a comment maybe it was Saturday about Aaron Ashby the comment was made by his manager the Brewers manager Pat Murphy. And from my perspective both as a former player and a former coach it's the kind of compliment that's hard to beat. Murph simply said this about Aaron Ashby. He does what it takes. Those words are very true about Aaron and if you've been watching you can see they're very applicable to the Brewers as a team as well. Aaron got to save on Saturday and it's the second save for him this post season. But Trevor McGill is the closer for Mel Waukey. So how does he feel about all this? So if I'm not mistaken this is the second time in the post season where we've thought we might see you come in for the save and instead it was Ashby that stayed out there. Yeah. What was going through your mind the first time it happened and then this time when you were warming up in the pen and then you didn't get the call. He's throwing it great right now so you know just when he's rolling like that it's just my job to be ready for him if anything happens and you know nothing really happens. So Murph's got all the confidence in him right now and you know we're not here for Egos for you to win a ring. So whatever it takes and so far man that guy's just it's impressive. Let me say this first of all I do not know who that reporter is. I did not like that question. I'm thinking maybe he covers the Tampa Bay race. I don't know. But more importantly here is a man Trevor McGill who is the closer. Closers thrive on being the man out of the bullpen on slamming the door to finish out a game. And it takes a different different mentality to be a closer a good closer and I can guarantee you that Trevor McGill wants the ball in the ninth inning. But listen to what he said. Listen and learn if you want to be the best you can be. He said among other things quote we are not here for Egos we're here to win a ring. So whatever it takes and of quote Amen. We live in a day when it is almost always about Egos about me myself and I it ought not be so and to be the best you can be. To be the best team a team can be it cannot be so in that game on Saturday night the race scored four runs in the top of the first inning. And they did so in part due to a throwing error by rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt. And that surely wasn't a good way to open game to especially given the fact that Drew Rasmussen was on the mound for the race and he has been dominant since the all star break. But Milwaukee came back to win that game five four so far this postseason the brewers have played 10 games. They've trailed in nine of those games and they have won eight of those nine games in which they have trailed. Watch such things happen and listen look for clues as to why. Because doing so is instrumental in getting from here to there. For instance consider these words from Cooper Pratt Cooper tell us what was going through your mind what were you looking for and that during that at bat. I was looking for something elevated something to get the ball off the ground to maybe hit a side fly or at least get him in and. Fowl fell off a pitch early that I was looking for and then chase one and had to kind of relax and breathe a little bit. But then I got back in there calm down before my pitch got a pitch that I can handle and shout out the other way man. It's pretty pretty electric. This game didn't start the way you wanted it to how did you settle down and lock back in. Yeah I mean mistakes happen you just kind of have to let them go and worry about the next pitch. I mean it's not the last year I'm going to make my career but it is what it is. I mean it sucked that it happened in the first inning but I mean a lot of game left a lot of opportunity to make up for it. But I mean glad I did. Finally what does it say about this team to get another comeback win in the postseason. I just think you can never count us out man I think one through nine like even on the bench like we're going to fight. We're not out of it doesn't matter what the score is we showed it all postseason and like if we still have innings we saw the chance. There are so many good things to listen to and learn from what Capra Pratt said in that audio clip. Make adjustments relax overcome be realistic mistakes happened and I loved his line it's not the last air I'm going to make in my career. Just as an aside I think I learned that lesson for the first time at least clearly in college. So I pitched in college I started and in between starts I would pitch out of the bullpen in relief. And in one home game I came in out of the bullpen and my buddy who started the game and pitched very very well and left the game with a lead. Ended up getting a no decision and we ended up getting a loss because I blew it. And it wasn't my head coach it wasn't my pitching coach it was the sports information director at Grand Valley State University Don Thomas who taught me the lesson and DT and I worked together so we knew each other well. And he pulled up he wasn't there for the end of the first game it was a double header the game that I blew and he saw me walking around. And he checked it and he said what's going on what happened and I said I just blew the game. And without missing a beat DT said to me it won't be the last time and I remember thinking come on DT you're not helping me but he did going back to Cooper Pratt move on let mistakes go. I cannot change the past the past season the past series game inning play or pitch. But there's a lot of game left focus on this pitch and then I loved his closing words quote if we still have innings we still have a chance end of quote. You may not be a rookie shortstop playing in the world series as a matter of fact I can guarantee you're not because Cooper Pratt's not listening to in the bullpen. But you can be and you ought to be a student of the game continuing to improve to overcome to conquer and you ought to be the type of player and person that delights in shining the light on others. It was just to highlight this guy real quick from that question to time time with yours right like has a little mistake early in the game doesn't slam a glove doesn't hang his head nothing right like comes off the field and then later in the game has a bigger back and maybe swing it a ball or two walks it back in. This is a rookie like people forget he's our short sub is a rookie and we trust him and I just hope that you know if there's people young kids watching that that was just really cool for me to see you know Cooper he's growing up a lot because I don't know if you have done that maybe your first game but it's cool to see and I just hope everybody understands how hard that is especially in the moment like all you want to do is throw something or get mad but you got four bats and yeah so I was just proud of that but I'm not sure if I'm going to be a good player. I'm proud of that but it's an example if you know it doesn't matter who it is. That was South Freelich praising his teammate in a post game press conference and if you've wondered why South Freelich is considered a leader on the brewers team listening to that should make you wonder no longer. And as he was praising Cooper Pratt he made a very important point and he even addressed it to young players and I would say a point that is to be addressed to all players of any age at any level. But here's the thing it wasn't only from players on the winning team Saturday night that would be the brewers the team up to zero in the series but also from the raise as well. In particular from the man who struck out to end the game and he was called out on a check swing. Now it appears to me that the umpire made a good call but I've been able to see video and still shots and that's how I'm convinced. But in the heat of the moment Yandhi Diaz and many others didn't think that he went on that swing. Soon after the heat of the moment a moment during and after a game being played on the world stage Yandhi Diaz had this to say. I need just your thoughts on that that check swing and how it all occurred there and that final at that. Look at this. Nobody does. No, if I point you, yeah, you got the thing. Nothing goes the strikeout and you know, ultimately we lost. He seemed to disagree with that on the field there. He got back in the gatherer, he was a certain community. At the moment this is a mess but it's just not for the tournament. You've seen it through the Mateo that you've seen it through. No, well I don't have time to go into the tournament. I thought I could do it. The ampat of the situation that he's in. No, after the fact, you know, I don't have time to do all of it. So in the moment, yeah, I disagreed but the umpire said it was a swing and it is what it is. That ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys is a professional and classy response. That is a lesson on how to handle losing and controversy. And it is another lesson to help you to get there from here. I hope you are learning lessons from all these men today. But realize this, these men have learned lessons from other men along the way. Parents and coaches, teachers and preachers. Others have poured into these men. And you are seeing and hearing the fruit from it. The sewing is evidenced in the reaping. Coaches like Kyle Snyder, the pitching coach for the raise. A coach who has made huge contributions to many. We have seen so many prolific arms come from the Tampa Bay system. And what a lot of them touch on is the friendship first. And the off season coffee dates and breakfast dates that you have with these guys. When did that start for you? Before my first year, Gary Tuck was a bopin coach of mine in Boston. I saw it out as a advice when I got the job for the first time. And he said call-done text and go and visit him. So before the first opportunity, I had to be a major pitching coach. I made sure that everybody that was on roster that were coming to spring training. I went out and saw on. I felt like you build the relationship strong enough that it can bear the way to trust. But if you show them enough that you care and you happen to be in their living room, let's say in January, it's a lot easier to deliver a hard and direct message in May. Because they know the care factor is there. What does it mean to you when you hear guys say they consider you a good friend? And how do you balance that? Like you said, with having the hard news and that line of you are a friend and a coach at the same time. It's a fine balance, but I think it's the right thing to do. I think it's right to get that environment right, to get the relationship right. Like if you feel like I'm going to get something to a player that can help them, I think it starts with being able to build that relationship first and develop that trust. 30 years ago, Tampa wanted you. They tried to draft you. You ultimately declined. What does that mean to you that you circle back now when you look at the tenure that you've been able to build with them? Being the, oh, Cassie and I both, being like hometown kids. It is very meaningful. It was a wise decision that they didn't sign me. I didn't turn out to be a very good player, but I do feel like a lot of the steps of my journey as a player has helped me in the second chapter of my career. So if you were listening to Kyle Snyder, you heard that he had others teach and guide him. And now he's doing the same. The Bible describes this kind of activity. Often we refer to it as the one another's of scripture. Love one another. Exort one another. Encourage one another. Admonish one another. Serve one another. Sacrifice one for another. I hope that what you have seen watching the games and I'm not just talking about postseason major league baseball or this world series, but all season at all levels of the game. I hope that they are teaching and guiding you well. And though it's impossible for me to cover even a small portion of the valuable lessons to be learned to do so in one episode of In the Bullpen. And I know one man whose hands are grateful I don't even try. I would fail if I did not include this one. Be thankful. Gratitude is absolutely required of you. Be thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful game. Be thankful for those who pour so much of themselves into it and into you. Have an attitude of gratitude to and for all those God has brought into your life and who have been a blessing to you. Most of all have an attitude of gratitude to God the Father through God the Son in and by God the Holy Spirit. Have lips of praise and a life of service. Acknowledge that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above. Let's start off with what a good and outstanding game. We wouldn't be here as all glory honor and praise goes to our Lord and say to Jesus Christ this for all the blessings that we've received and throughout our lives and throughout this week. This journey is just being here in London has been outstanding for our team. So thankful. That's my mindset right now. I'm grateful for this opportunity. Thank you for all our guys for pushing through to find a way to get us as well. All right. I get it. That was a football coach, Dimeco Ryan's head coach of the Houston Texans. But I had to include that clip in this episode. Why you ask? Because that's the most important lesson of all. Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. And also, it's part of the ultimate message regarding getting there from here. But that's a conversation for another day. Join us next time for In the Bullpen on the Fight Laugh Feast Network. Thank you for listening.
