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Former Mets Prospect Gavin Cecchini On Life In A Baseball Family

Full Transcript for Former Mets Prospect Gavin Cecchini On Life In A Baseball Family

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00:00:00 Speaker 1: I was pretty much projected to start all four of those games right in that series. 00:00:07 Speaker 2: So I'm like, all right, cool. So I'm sitting, you. 00:00:10 Speaker 1: Know, I'm eating and I'm on my phone and I look up like, hey, who are we facing tomorrow? 00:00:18 Speaker 2: And it's Clayton Kershaw. 00:00:30 Speaker 3: Welcome into another episode of Baseball Americas from Feenown to the Farm. I'm your host, Kyle Bandugo. Today, I'm talking to former big league infielder and first-round pick Gavin Cicchini. 00:00:38 Speaker 4: Gavin is a baseball lifer, essentially right out of the womb. 00:00:41 Speaker 3: His mom and dad are both legendary Louisiana high school baseball coaches, and his older brother Garrett also played in the big leagues. I never saw Gavin play in person, just on TV, but I've got to imagine he was a ball of energy on the field because that's how he is in this episode. Genuinely exciting guy to talk to, and he had a ton of incredible experiences to dive into. We talk about playing on a loaded 18U team for Team USA, his experience attending the MLB draft in person, playing in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy, and without a doubt, the best breakdown of hitting your first big league homer we've ever had on the show. I love talking to Gavin, and if you're a fan of the show, I think you'll dig this one. Episodes of Infinity Nome to the Farm drop every month. If you enjoy this one, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and go check out past interviews. We are well into the hundreds, a lot of evergreen content there. And if you have any, leave me a five-star rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Also make sure to subscribe to BaseballAmerica.com and the BA podcast feed for all amateur baseball and prospect news. We are right in the thick of draft prospect season, BA releasing those lists, as well as 2027 list covering the NCAA baseball postseason. It is always a good time to be subscribed to Baseball America. And with that, let's talk to Gavin Cicchini. All right, joining in for today's episode from Fianna on the Farm, he was the 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Mets, former big league infielder Gavin Cicchini. 00:01:54 Speaker 4: Gavin, thank you so much for joining the show. 00:01:56 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me, Kyle. 00:01:57 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. As we talked right before we got on, I was an intern when your older brother, Garen, was in high A. So I feel like I've known about you for a long time. So I'm excited to have the conversation. I want to jump in first, before you dive into your career, first with what you're doing now. Tell me about your brand, your batting club brand. 00:02:16 Speaker 1: Yeah, so Luchini, I founded the company in 2022 after I retired from professional baseball. We offer everything besides a bat, a fielding glove, and cleats. So uniforms, batting gloves, belts, socks, bags, you name it. 00:02:34 Speaker 2: We offer it. 00:02:35 Speaker 1: We set up player packages for amateur organizations. We also provide for 12 major leaguers and 85 minor leaguers currently is using our batting gloves and protective gear, elbow guard, shin guard, sliding mitt. 00:02:49 Speaker 2: We're really excited. We have a great team behind us. 00:02:53 Speaker 1: And just putting the best products out on the market to put smiles on these players' faces. 00:02:57 Speaker 4: Where can people go to take a look if they want to take a peek at your gear? 00:03:00 Speaker 2: LivLuchina.com. 00:03:01 Speaker 4: Awesome. 00:03:02 Speaker 3: We were talking before we recorded that when you were playing, there wasn't as much. It kind of towards the tail end, guys started having some flair. Would you have been a big time? Would you have incorporated some new stuff if you were still playing here in 2026? 00:03:15 Speaker 1: That's a that's a great question. I think I would have dabbled with it a little bit. But, you know, my playing style was just just dirtbag type. Just, you know, I take my risk, but I wasn't too much with, you know, all of the flair. I mean, I wore some small chains, but nothing like outside my jersey. 00:03:37 Speaker 2: And, you know, really. 00:03:38 Speaker 1: This thick is just I was just go out there and get the job done type of player, man. 00:03:45 Speaker 3: Well, let's talk about how you became that kind of player. Let's go back to to your upbringing and your family. Was there any option to be anything other than a baseball player? 00:03:54 Speaker 1: No, my parents, you know, they'll always say, oh, yeah, we let the kids do what they want, which is true. We played a bunch of different sports growing up. But I mean, we were sleeping in dugouts at six, seven years old. We were missing school to travel with the baseball team. during the week when they would play out of town and doing homework in the buses. And it was just, that's all me and my brother could remember is growing up at the baseball field, doing field work with my parents. They're both coaches, fertilizing the grass, mowing the grass, and then getting our work in afterwards, right? And so our parents held us accountable when we were young and we wouldn't want it any other way. 00:04:36 Speaker 3: You guys are close enough in age to have gotten to play together at least a little bit in high school before he got hurt. What was Garen like as an older brother? 00:04:46 Speaker 2: Fantastic, dude. 00:04:47 Speaker 1: He's one of the best brothers that anyone could ask for. When we were younger, we were very, very competitive towards each other. 00:04:58 Speaker 4: Imagine that. 00:04:59 Speaker 1: Yeah, which we still are, but we definitely, in a good way, we butted heads, but it was in a way where big brother was trying to coach up younger brother, which most of the time, I definitely needed it, you know, because I would talk smack to him, and Garen was the guy that was, you know, really quiet and just kind of
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mind his own business, but look, he's a huge reason and part of who I am today and the things that I've accomplished throughout my career, and Just someone that I love so much and couldn't ask for a better brother. 00:05:35 Speaker 3: So most guys, most future professionals or future high-level college players, they don't really get a big-time spotlight until they're in college or they're in pro ball. You played in the 2006 Little League World Series. I want to hear about the experience. Also, there were four big leaguers in that Little League World Series. 00:05:51 Speaker 4: Can you name the other three? 00:05:54 Speaker 2: I could not. 00:05:55 Speaker 4: They're all American. They're all American. Uh, Jace Fry, left-handed pitcher. 00:06:00 Speaker 1: Okay. 00:06:00 Speaker 2: I remember him. 00:06:01 Speaker 4: Josh Lester. He got a cup of coffee. 00:06:03 Speaker 2: Okay. 00:06:04 Speaker 4: And then Scott Kingery. 00:06:06 Speaker 1: Oh yeah. 00:06:06 Speaker 4: Scott Kingery. 00:06:07 Speaker 2: I played with Scott in the, in the fall league. Scott's a great guy. 00:06:09 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:06:10 Speaker 2: Wow. I didn't know Scott played in the little league world series. 00:06:12 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:06:13 Speaker 2: And dude, that the little league. 00:06:14 Speaker 1: World series, as we were mentioning before, uh, it's the closest thing to the big leagues that a player can get to. 00:06:20 Speaker 2: And I didn't, I didn't go to college. 00:06:22 Speaker 1: I was drafted out of high school, but you're playing in front of 30,000 players at 12 years old. You show up, it's like Christmas for the, for these kids, right? You stay in a dorm. It's essentially like the first time you're staying away from your parents. 00:06:35 Speaker 2: Like parents aren't allowed to go in the dorms. 00:06:37 Speaker 1: You know, you, you receive like three or four bats and, and, and batting gloves and helmets. I mean, like, it's like the mini big leagues, right? And you're playing on ESPN. And, you know, our team was fortunate enough to win a game there. It was opening night. I pitched that game. 00:06:54 Speaker 2: We won. I believe it was one to nothing. I can't remember the score. 00:06:58 Speaker 1: But, dude, it was a fantastic experience, man, and helped us. uh, prep me for, you know, the next phase in, in my baseball career and to being able to play in an atmosphere like that. 00:07:12 Speaker 2: So young, uh, it was, it was unbelievable. 00:07:16 Speaker 3: So as you get into high school, you're on the, you're on the prospect radar pretty early. Like you're on the map, your brother, your older brother is also on the map. You got to watch the draft day, that whole kind of gamut play out as you're a sophomore, your brother's a senior, now a little different because he got hurt. But what did you and your family take from that experience? 00:07:37 Speaker 1: First off, being drafted, it doesn't matter how high or low, it is a dream come true. All these
kids out there that are amateurs, their goal is to get drafted. Uh, and it's, it's, uh, there's far and few between let's put it that way. The experience was unbelievable. Um, you know, my brother, unfortunately towards ACL, his senior year is projected to be a first round pick as well. Still got first round money with the Red Sox. 00:08:04 Speaker 2: It was able to. 00:08:05 Speaker 1: Get through the system with the Red Sox and play in the big leagues. He has nothing but great things to say about that organization and how professional they were. Him going through the process two years before me helped me so much because I was prepped for all the scouts coming in and coming to the games and the questions that they're asking and having dinner at your house and what's your number, what's. 00:08:29 Speaker 2: The minimum you're going to sign for. 00:08:31 Speaker 1: Which teams are interested in you, pre-draft workouts, you know, all of that stuff plays a part. And, you know, I was with my brother throughout that whole process, right? And so I was able to, you know, be a sponge and just kind of soak in all of that information, which helped me be better prepared two years later in 2012 draft. 00:08:52 Speaker 3: So before that 2012 draft, you go play for Team USA. That is as most 18 new national teams are. That is a loaded team. Joey Gallo, Alex Bregman, Albert Almora, who, you know, I was going to, you know, always ask anyone who's on those teams, like who stood out, whatever you hit 500. Technically, you were you were the the standout of that team. But like who, you know, everyone's a top tier player. Everyone from that team is committed to a top college. Most of these guys got drafted a lot in the first round. Was there anyone who was, you know, in your eyes like a tick above? 00:09:25 Speaker 1: Man, I would say strictly power, Joey Gallo could hit the ball further than anyone I've ever seen at that time, right? And it was just like at that age, I mean, he was, you know, whatever he is, 6'5, he was 215, 220 at the time, could throw hard. big first baseman, played a little bit of third base as well. That was one thing that really impressed me was was the ball just jumped off his bat. 00:09:56 Speaker 4: Right. 00:09:57 Speaker 1: And then you, you know, to your point, you know, Bregman was a great all around player. You know, you had Addison Russell who won a world series with the Cubs. David Dahl was on that team as well. Carson Kelly, who's still playing in the big leagues, Carson Fulmer. 00:10:13 Speaker 2: We, we, we were loaded, won a gold medal. 00:10:17 Speaker 1: Talk about another, another, amazing experience throughout my career. 00:10:22 Speaker 2: We talked about the little league world series, winning a gold. 00:10:25 Speaker 1: Medal for your country, um, 18 years old playing with the essentially projected all first rounders. You know, we played against Puerto Rico, Carlos Correa, all of them. It was, uh, it was a dream come true and we did it overseas too. We did it in, uh, Cartagena, Columbia. 00:10:42 Speaker 2: So that was awesome. 00:10:43 Speaker 1: Uh, leading into your prep season, uh, You know, and then obviously we had the prep year and then the draft happens and, you know, was drafted by the Mets. 00:10:51 Speaker 2: But it was a great experience to win a gold medal for our country. 00:10:55 Speaker 3: What is that senior year kind of under the microscope like? You're committed to Ole Miss. At what point do you realize, like, I don't need to pick my classes? 00:11:07 Speaker 1: Dude, when you asked that question, the first thing that came to mind that was different is like your senior year, you only have like two or three classes. 00:11:17 Speaker 2: Right. 00:11:19 Speaker 1: And at that time, you know, you're getting out. I took my classes in the morning. So I was done by like 10 30 in the morning, you know, every day. And, you know, I was projected to go really high in the draft. Um, I had teachers telling. 00:11:35 Speaker 2: Me around that time, like, hey, well, you've only got two classes. 00:11:39 Speaker 1: You're almost done. You're not going to be going to college. Like, you know, go work on what you need to work on and get ready for the game. You know, and it was kind of joking like that. And I never skipped class because of that. But it was definitely unique. And, you know, every day, it didn't even matter if we had games. 00:12:00 Speaker 2: There was stuff. 00:12:01 Speaker 1: Numerous scouts at the facility watching me hit. Dude, there was cross-checkers and directors that were actually going to our school and speaking with teachers and principals. How does he act in class? Does he show up on time? 00:12:15 Speaker 2: How's his grades? Going to bars. 00:12:18 Speaker 1: Hey, have you seen the youngest Chikini around here? When you're investing in a player's Uh, and, and, and you're talking millions of dollars, they're going to do their due diligence. Right. 00:12:30 Speaker 2: Um, so I didn't find that out until later. 00:12:33 Speaker 1: Luckily, you know, we, we, we, uh, we were raised the right way and we try to, you know, do the right thing. You know, we all make mistakes, but, um, we had a great, we have great parents and, you know, we, we didn't do any partying when we were really growing up. And we, we, like I mentioned earlier in the interview, we lived in breathe baseball and, We just stayed at. 00:12:54 Speaker 2: The field and worked. I mean, I remember hitting. 00:12:59 Speaker 1: So much that like I fractured my back, you know, like I literally fractured my back. 00:13:07 Speaker 2: And I had to take time off. 00:13:10 Speaker 1: And but that was just that that's all we knew is like, dude, if you want to be the best that you can be, you got to put in the work. And we just, that's what we did. That's all me and my brother knew. So yeah, it's pretty unique our senior years, how we went about it. 00:13:24 Speaker 3: With the
conversations around money, that is the first year of the hard slot system. So your brother really ends up a beneficiary of the old system where there's not a hard cap. If you're someone who got hurt or a team wants to float you down or something like that, like it's less likely that he gets, it's harder to get first round money outside of the first round now than it used to be. So what were those conversations like? Because it's it's not just a how much you want, you know, how much they're they're trying to gauge, you know, if they can sign you because the consequences for them of losing their first round pick of not signing their first round pick are massive because they lose the money involved in it, too. So how much how did you guys come up with that? Because it's a much players have to be much more in tune to their number than they used to be. 00:14:09 Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. 00:14:10 Speaker 1: And teams are very strategic about like, hey, can we pay this guy a little bit less or under cap to, you know, pay give more on this in that that 2012 was the first year that was implemented. And I will say players did lose out on a significant amount of money. 00:14:29 Speaker 2: Right. 00:14:31 Speaker 1: My brother signed in the fourth round, I believe, for 1.3. 00:14:36 Speaker 2: You know, that's not what slot is. 00:14:38 Speaker 1: Well, I don't know what it is now because we're 10 or what is it, how many years later, right? 00:14:43 Speaker 4: Yeah, slots have increased, but the percentage of, you know. 00:14:46 Speaker 2: Exactly, exactly. 00:14:47 Speaker 1: So, you know, my dad had a player, Carmen Angelini, that was drafted in the 10th round by the Yankees, signed for a million dollars. Like the first year when they implemented it, that wasn't happening. 00:14:59 Speaker 3: Anymore, right? 00:15:00 Speaker 4: Someone in the first round would have had to take a massive haircut for them to float that down. 00:15:04 Speaker 2: There's less negotiation going on. 00:15:07 Speaker 1: I know for me, personally speaking, we had teams that came back to me later on and told us what they would have paid us if that wouldn't have... you know, been implemented and we're talking, you know, a few million dollars, you know, that, that I missed out on, but look, man, I'm not, no complaints on my end. I was drafted by the Mets, great organization, accomplished a childhood dream of mine. 00:15:34 Speaker 2: I love the city of New York. I wouldn't trade it for anything. 00:15:38 Speaker 1: So really thankful for that organization and everyone involved that helped me accomplish my dreams. 00:15:43 Speaker 3: You're the first guy I've had on the show who actually attended the draft in person. And you're also, you know, as you're growing up, you, you obviously would have seen Aaron Rogers seen Brady Quinn, you know, what, what went into deciding to, to attend the draft because there are those there, there haven't really been many in the MLB draft. I don't think we have a signature. This guy's been waiting for five hours, but, That's the story, especially now. It used to be the story of the NFL draft every year of who's going to get locked in that green room for hours. 00:16:11 Speaker 1: Yeah, so I don't know how they do it now, but they invited the top, I think it's 10 players or 15. 00:16:20 Speaker 2: Maybe 15 to. 00:16:21 Speaker 1: The draft I think it's 10 somewhere around there 10 or 15 and like they they have to do their due diligence because they don't want to have a family there and and you know put them on blast and they don't get you know drafted in the first round and they're there they just they want to try to stay away from that so all the guys that they're you know inviting are like secure secure first rounders right unless something crazy happens and we got the opportunity to you know, get that invite. And, you know, we knew that I was projected to be in the first round. We just didn't, we knew the team's interested, but we didn't like, in all honesty, we didn't, we didn't know the Mets were going to draft me at 12. We thought they were really, really interested, but there was a few teams a little bit before and after that were interested as well. And I get a call like a minute before the pick comes and they're like, Hey man, we're going to draft you. 00:17:18 Speaker 2: And I'm like, all right, I'm going to be a New York Met. 00:17:22 Speaker 1: And, you know, I gave my parents a hug and it was really, really cool to be there. 00:17:27 Speaker 2: And, and, and I think it's, that was hosted by the MLB network. If I'm not. 00:17:31 Speaker 4: Mistaken, like studio 42. Yeah. 00:17:34 Speaker 1: And they had a bunch of, you know, guys over there that, that played in the big leagues. 00:17:38 Speaker 2: And it was, it was a really, really cool experience. 00:17:41 Speaker 1: And I was also able to just go right across the city to New York and go to the stadium. 00:17:47 Speaker 2: And meet everyone. 00:17:48 Speaker 1: And, hit BP and meet Sandy Alderson and all that good stuff. 00:17:53 Speaker 2: So it was a cool experience. 00:17:55 Speaker 3: You were uniquely prepared for what life in minor league baseball is like. You'd obviously played at a high level with Team USA and stuff like that. And then you have your brother who, once he got healthy, was two years in front of you kind of doing the same thing. What still surprised you about minor league baseball? What are things that you just have to experience? No one can tell you this is how it's going to be. 00:18:20 Speaker 1: Um, people can tell you, like you hear it all the time, like, hey, pro ball's a grind, right? You don't realize how much of a grind it is until you're in the grind. 00:18:36 Speaker 2: There's nothing that can prepare you for that, right? 00:18:41 Speaker 1: I mean, you're playing, it's, it's actually a little bit better now because player, the minor leagues are getting paid a little bit more. 00:18:48 Speaker
2: I think they're covering housing. 00:18:49 Speaker 3: And covering housing, providing a lot more food. 00:18:52 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:18:53 Speaker 4: Like it's all, it's all improved since exactly. 00:18:55 Speaker 1: And you get more days off. I think you get a day off a week now, whereas before dude, you have one day off a month and man, I know just from experience that And also just speaking with teammates, there's organizations that treat their players really, really well. And then there's organizations that are trying to cut and cut and cut. And, you know, on a player's view, it's like if you're looking back at it now, my take on that is like, you know, you look at all the most successful organizations and teams year in, year out that are winning at the big league level. Most of the time, they're treating their minor leaguers really well, right? And this is what, I mean, you invest a lot of money into your minor league form system. Like, you got to you got to invest money on the diet side as well. Right. You know, to make sure the players stay healthy and keep their weight in that long grind. And so that that's a big part of it. But the grind is what they really say, like, you got to love it, man. And there's so much failure in baseball. As you know, if you're succeeding, you know, 30% of the time, you're considered the best of the best. So you're failing 70% of the time. And I said this on a show the other day, like in what other field can you fail 70% of the time and still keep your job? Like if you're a surgeon and you're killing 70% of your patients, like you're going to jail and you're fired, right? 00:20:33 Speaker 2: So in our world, if. 00:20:35 Speaker 1: You're hitting 300, like you're considered the best of the best. And so there's so much failure. So I would say, you know, come on at the amateur level, you're not playing every day. So there's time to calm your mind and, you know, Hey, what did I do wrong this game? And we'll let me go work for the next four days until our next game. 00:20:54 Speaker 3: And like, as a first round draft pick, you're also not nearly failing that much. I mean, you're hitting 500 for team USA. You're probably around similar because you're facing accountants and salespeople. So as a high school draftee, your failure rate goes up just even if you're hitting 300. 00:21:10 Speaker 4: That's a massive drop for. 00:21:12 Speaker 1: Most of the most of the players have never experienced that type of failure in their life. So if they don't have a good supporting cast and, you know, or the organizations I played with did really well with the mental side, you know, being able to have coaches full access to them. you know, working on your breathing, how to get over failure. 00:21:32 Speaker 2: So I was put in a really good position. 00:21:34 Speaker 1: But, you know, some people don't have a great supporting cast and they're on their own. And, you know, they have to figure out how to turn that page day in, day
out. Because if I go 0 for 4 on Monday, that pitcher on Tuesday doesn't care about I went 0 for 4 on Monday. He's trying to put food on the table just like I am, right? And so that's the biggest thing for pro ball, the adjustment. Um, and just being able to, to, to handle that grind. 00:22:00 Speaker 4: I was going to ask about the diet aspects. 00:22:02 Speaker 3: So since you mentioned it, um, obviously, you know, organizations are now providing a lot more support in that, but in like a lot of your scouting reports early in the minors, it was, you had to, you know, pack on weight, you had a wiry frame, keeping that on a lot of that can be done in the off season and stuff. You can bulk up train, whatever, but like you said, it's a grind, it's a long season. And, you know, you might've had more means than some guys cause you're a first rounder, but that money only goes so far when it's 11 PM on the road and nothing's open. So curious, like how in the pre providing a lot of nutritious meals era, like how you were able to keep a diet in minor league baseball and like keep that healthy playing weight. 00:22:39 Speaker 2: It's very difficult. It's very difficult. 00:22:43 Speaker 1: I mean, you got to be on a plan and you got to be strict about it. And most 18, 19 year olds aren't right. 00:22:50 Speaker 2: It's just the reality. 00:22:50 Speaker 4: Your body can handle anything. 00:22:51 Speaker 1: Yeah. You can go at 18, 19 that, You know, you play a game at 7 p.m., you finish at 11, then you got to shower, then you go eat, and you eat McDonald's at 11, 45, 12 o'clock. Not to hate on McDonald's, but, you know, I feel like there's better things to eat, right? And you just got to scratch and claw. I mean, like, we're hammering peanut butter and jellies, dude, and protein shakes and just doing everything you can. Like, for me, it was so difficult to keep weight on. I mean, I lost 15 to 20 pounds every single year. So going into spring training, I would try to be slightly like above my ideal weight because I knew every year I would finish the year. Like if I came in at like 205, dude, I was finishing at like 185, low 180. 00:23:40 Speaker 2: It was crazy. It was crazy. 00:23:44 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a challenge. 00:23:47 Speaker 3: If you're a guy with fast metabolism, it's a massive challenge and there are limited dining options on the road in some of these towns. I like asking guys who play to this level since obviously MLB is cut short season, short of the complex leagues. You signed early enough to play short season and then you played it in your first. 00:24:02 Speaker 4: Full season as well. 00:24:03 Speaker 3: What did you, you know, I'm curious, what did you gain from that level from that early, early exposure in terms of preparing you for full season ball? 00:24:11 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:24:11 Speaker 1: So a lot of that, those short season players were, you know, players that just got drafted as well. So you're not thrown into the fire with, with players that have, you know, a few years under their belt. Right. Um, And it's, the right word's not diluted, but it's a shortened season, right? Like it's hard to go from playing 20 to 30 games in high school to then go and play fricking 162, right? Like your body's just, and I remember too, they even had me at 18 years old. Like I wasn't even playing every day. Like they had scheduled days off for me every day. I want to say every third or fourth day just to limit, because you got to get, you got to, you know, get used to that, your body, right? But I think, I thought the short seasons were great. So at the time, the Mets had two short seasons. I actually played two years in short season. Kingsport, Tennessee, when I first got drafted. And then the next year I played in Brooklyn, New York. So I went high school season, short season in Kingsport. Then, you know, they have their, they call it, what's the fall? 00:25:20 Speaker 2: That they have the. 00:25:22 Speaker 4: The, um, like instructs or the. 00:25:24 Speaker 2: Yeah, they have instructs. 00:25:26 Speaker 1: And then I went to spring training the next year and then went through, um, what is it? 00:25:32 Speaker 2: I'm going, I'm blank extended, extended spring. Right. 00:25:36 Speaker 1: And then, you know, I went to Brooklyn, New York, uh, that next year. So I was able to play in short season twice. Um, Ooh, extended spring, dude. 00:25:44 Speaker 3: I was going to ask that after that first spring training, and then you have to go to extended spring. I have never heard a good word about extended spring training. 00:25:53 Speaker 2: Man, I tell you what. 00:25:55 Speaker 1: It is the hardest thing to do as a player to get yourself ready to play day in, day out in extended spring. There's no one in the stands. It's 115 degrees. You're sweating through batting gloves. Every two had bats. 00:26:13 Speaker 3: Uh are you mad too because like are you thinking like hey i was the first round pick like i can go to savannah i should i should have made a roster. 00:26:21 Speaker 1: There's always you know that thought inside your mind um in every single player's mind like you know i. 00:26:27 Speaker 2: Should be there i should be here and. 00:26:30 Speaker 1: Um at the end of the day dude what i learned and and and you know i had to learn it it took a couple years is You can only control what you can control. You can't control if you get called up, called down. You can control your performance, right, and going out, you know, getting yourself ready to play, you know, swinging at good pitches, you know, focusing on the process and not so much the result. 00:26:56 Speaker 2: Those are the things that you can control. 00:26:58 Speaker 1: But, I mean, there's a lot of times throughout my career where, I mean, I was hitting over. 00:27:03 Speaker 3: 300. 00:27:04 Speaker 2: I mean, my last year in pro ball, I was hitting. 400. 00:27:06 Speaker 1: 400 for two months straight and I didn't get called
up in AAA. So, um, I can't control that. Right. And, you know, there's a lot of, there's a lot of business that goes into, you know, making those, those, um, those decisions on the front office side. 00:27:22 Speaker 2: And, you know, sometimes you're on the, the, the, the good part of that. 00:27:26 Speaker 1: And sometimes, unfortunately you're not, and that's just the part of, of, of professional baseball and, and, and, and that. So. 00:27:34 Speaker 3: Yeah, and to, I guess, continue drawing parallels to your brother's career, because when you're just getting going, he's kind of, he's had that breakout, and then he's dealing with that kind of thing of trying, the Red Sox were loaded at that time, ton of prospects, ton. 00:27:47 Speaker 4: Of talent at the big league level. 00:27:48 Speaker 3: Like, he is struggling to get big league at-bats, even though when he's in the minors, he's tearing it up. Like, curious, like, how much of that you ingested or, like, learned maybe quicker than you might have because of what was happening to your brother in that struggle to gain a foothold? 00:28:02 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's definitely something that players, you know, if you're not someone that gets caught up and you're playing every single day, something that players definitely have to get adjusted to. 00:28:16 Speaker 2: You know, a lot of pinch hitting, like pinch hitting. 00:28:18 Speaker 1: Is hard to do, man. Very hard to do. You don't know when it's going to happen. You know, you're not really able to prepare for it. You can prepare the best you can taking swings right before, doing all your prep work, but you know, it's right on the spot. Hey, Chikini, you know, go ahead. You're on deck, you know, and then you're trying to, you're looking at the, you know, Hey, well, what does he have? How hard is he throughout, you know? And so you're trying to do real quick scouting reports. That's difficult. And it's also difficult that, you know, you go from playing every single day and getting daily at bats. And then if you get called up, you know, they, you know, Potentially sometimes, depending on where you're at, the guy in front of you is getting paid $ 20, $ 30 million a year. It don't matter how good or bad he's doing, he's playing. 00:29:06 Speaker 4: Right? 00:29:06 Speaker 1: And so like, you just got to stay ready and you might start a game every fifth day or seventh day, but you know, hitting is a lot about timing and you're trying to figure out ways how to keep your timing, you know, whether that's machine work in the cage or, you know, trying to take live at bats for, you know, pitchers throwing off to the side or just stepping in. So there's, there's ways that you can try to stay ready, but that's definitely a very difficult part of the game. 00:29:33 Speaker 4: It's funny. 00:29:34 Speaker 3: You mentioned that the hitting work, that's a perfect segue for me Cause like your, your a ball, your double a scouting reports mentioned toning down a leg kick, making some mechanical adjustments, things like that. Are you tinkering throughout the season or like coming at, you know, Hey, I'm struggling with this. I'm changing things like that. Or is that all off season work? And then in season, it's like, okay, I've got this plan. I'm going to stick with it. 00:29:56 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:29:57 Speaker 1: Um, I guess it depends on how good or bad you're doing, right? I think players that, you know, are killing it, they're not making any adjustments. They're essentially saying, hey, just leave me alone, flip me some balls, and I'm good to go. 00:30:12 Speaker 2: I'm putting up numbers, right? 00:30:13 Speaker 1: But, you know, if you're struggling, definitely there's adjustments that need to be made, even though you might, it's in the middle of the season, you don't want to make these crazy big adjustments. You know, one thing I learned is like, At that level, you understand your swing. You understand what you need to do in order for your body to work the way it needs to work. It's small, minor adjustments, right? And I think the first couple years in my career... Getting acclimated to pro ball. I was trying to make big, big adjustments. And, you know, my numbers weren't as good as they should have been. And then as you notice in the middle towards the end of my career, I started putting up really good numbers. And I just got back to doing what... You know, I did my whole life and kind of went back to my toe tap. And, you know, from there, there's always adjustments that you got to make in season, right? Like if you're kind of leaking out, you know, stay hinge in your back hip or, you know, if you're dropping here, you know, think staying on. 00:31:15 Speaker 2: Top of it. Like those are small adjustments. But as far as like. 00:31:18 Speaker 1: Middle of the season going from a toe tap to a leg lift and stuff like that. Personally, me, I tried to stay away from that. Everyone's different, but I think as a whole, you know, you do a lot of your work in the off season. So that way you have your foundation going into the next year and then you can always work off of that foundation. 00:31:37 Speaker 4: How did you spend your off season? 00:31:38 Speaker 3: So obviously you got a, you know, a brother who's doing, doing a similar thing. You're, you know, I'm sure your dad was, was coaching your swing from the moment you could stand. So I curious, like how, Um, how you incorporated working with them, working with outside people, like, did you, did you keep it pretty internal in the family or were you seeking out outside opinion? 00:31:57 Speaker 1: Yeah. For the most, for the most part, we kept, kept it pretty internal. Um, you know, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, my dad has an amazing, beautiful facility in Barb high school over here. 00:32:09 Speaker 2: So we had everything we needed. 00:32:11 Speaker 1: Um, just from the past and, and, and relationships that we've built, we would have people come in,
um, and work with us. But as a whole, we spent our off seasons here in Louisiana, worked out there. 00:32:26 Speaker 2: My mom throws amazing BP. My mom's a coach as well. 00:32:29 Speaker 4: I've seen the stories about your mom. 00:32:31 Speaker 1: Yeah, 35 years, man. And look, you know, I'll always pick on my dad. I'm like, Hey, we made it to the big leagues because of mom, not because of you dad. But no, my dad was a big part of that too. But anyone that knows my mom, she's an absolute, she's awesome. She's great at what she does. She's, she's has a ton of experience. She's very, very knowledgeable. 00:32:56 Speaker 2: She's calm. She knows what she's talking about. 00:33:00 Speaker 1: And you know, Most of the time, going back to your question, we were in Lake Charles, but I played in the Fall League for two years. My brother played in the Fall League. One year, my brother played in the DR for Winter Ball. One year, I played in Australia for Winter Ball. But for the most part, we were in Louisiana working out, practicing. We would jump in practices with my dad's high school team because we were always wanting to get our work in, but we want to give back to his players, help them try to win games and state championships. Because we had players when we were coming up that did the same for us. 00:33:38 Speaker 2: So we're big believers in that. 00:33:40 Speaker 3: By the time you make it up to AAA, you have a great first season offensively. It seems like you've kind of figured it out on that side of the ball. You hit 317. 00:33:47 Speaker 4: You walk a lot. You don't strike out much. 00:33:49 Speaker 3: But scouting is kind of pegging your future as moving over to second base or possibly being utility infield or something like that. You played shortstop all through high school, all through college, all through pro ball. You're drafted as a shortstop. I'm sure when you're drafted, you're like, I'm a big league shortstop. This is my identity. I am the shortstop. What you know, when, when outsiders are saying, Hey, I think you're this, or maybe people in the organization are saying, I think you're this, what is the mentality of I might have to move? And then what is the physical, you know, how much, how difficult is it to suddenly flip to the, to the other side of the infield or start playing different spots? 00:34:26 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was, you know, when I, around that time, whenever I got called up, the game changed in a sense where, you. 00:34:37 Speaker 2: Know, utility you you. 00:34:41 Speaker 1: Hold a lot of value because especially whenever you have a high payroll in the big leagues like there might not be a need for a shortstop or a second baseman or third so the more you know positions you can play the more value you carry and bring to the to the roster and a better chance ultimately that you can break with the team and stay in the big leagues because they can insert you anywhere in the lineup anywhere on the. 00:35:05 Speaker 4: Field Marwin Gonzalez made a lot of money. 00:35:08 Speaker 2: There you go. There you go. 00:35:09 Speaker 1: So, yeah, I came up only playing shortstop, but I was open to moving and playing other positions as well because I knew that benefited me. It was definitely a change in learning some other positions, but I was an athlete and didn't have any issues with it. 00:35:25 Speaker 2: So, yeah, and it was cool. 00:35:27 Speaker 1: It gives you a different perspective on the field and, you know, you bring more value, as I mentioned, but I didn't have any issue with it. 00:35:36 Speaker 3: What is the work like? Is it before game? Hey, I'm taking grounders a second day. I'm saying grounders a third. I'm going to try some fly ball. Like what is, what is the, how do you divvy up divvy up the work and also make sure he's, Hey, I'm staying, staying good at shortstop. 00:35:48 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:35:48 Speaker 1: I think when you look at the lineup, you know, Darren BP, that's where you're going to get your work in. Right. So if I'm playing shortstop, you know, I'm taking ground balls at short during BP. If I'm playing third or second, that's where I'm taking ground balls before. So as far as learning a new position, like that's off-season work, right? And kind of spring training work as well to where like, hey, you know, this week I'm going to take ground balls at third. This week I'm going to get some work in at second. And, you know, left field, shortstop, right? So then once the season comes, you know, you're prepared for all those positions. And now it's just, hey, take 15, 20 minutes a day before the game, wherever you're playing, get some work in, you know, stay crisp and go far away, you know, at 7 p.m. 00:36:37 Speaker 4: Walk me through that first big league call up. 00:36:39 Speaker 2: Man, it was first year in AAA. 00:36:43 Speaker 1: You know, I hit 317, had a great year. 00:36:51 Speaker 2: Wally Backman was my manager. 00:36:53 Speaker 3: Oh, I'm going to need at the end of this, I'm going to need a safe for work Wally Backman. 00:36:58 Speaker 1: I love Wally. Wally was one of my favorite all-time managers. But going back to the call-up, we were in Salt Lake City. It was the last game of the year or second. It was definitely the last series of the year, if not the last game. And they were doing September call-ups. And he called me in his office saying, right before the game, and, uh, he goes, hey, Cheech, they called me Cheech, sit down, man, and so I sat in his, in his office, he goes, hey, dude, you've had a hell of a year, and I've really, really enjoyed coaching you this year, and, you know, the big league team is, is, is, is only calling up a few, few players this year, and, you know, I just wanted to call you in, and, uh, tell you that you're going to the show and I'm like. 00:37:48 Speaker 4: Holy he had you in the first half. 00:37:51 Speaker 1: And so man I was just like at that point just like I'm I'm a big leaguer dude like I
I made it to the big leagues and you know that's everyone's goal and I remember giving him a hug and thanking him and you know I still had to go out and play a game but like I went in the locker room grabbed my phone stepped out the locker room and I called my mom right away and I'm like hey I'm like uh Y'all coming to Cincinnati? And they're like, what do you mean? I'm like, going to the big leagues. And, you know, my mom was crying and I ended up crying a little bit. And, you know, we played the game, flew up to Cincinnati. I think there was, I came in like with two games left in the series. And I didn't get to play in any of those games. So I hadn't made my debut yet. And then we went, flew to the old Atlanta Stadium, and I got a pinch hit to make my debut there, and my family was able to see that. It wasn't until, I think, a week later, we were in New York, and we were playing against the Phillies, and we were actually. 00:39:12 Speaker 2: In a playoff race. And we were down. I think. 00:39:18 Speaker 1: They were like six or seven up on us and there was like the sixth inning. So Terry Collins pulled some of the starters and put a few. 00:39:28 Speaker 4: Of us in. 00:39:30 Speaker 1: And I got my first AB and hit a double you know in the left center field gap and I can't remember how many how many RBIs it was but. 00:39:39 Speaker 2: We ended up getting the game close to where it was. 00:39:41 Speaker 1: Like seven to five or something and the crowd's getting pumped and I get another AB and I hit it off the left center field wall now it's I can't remember the score. 00:39:50 Speaker 2: It was close. And, man, just to go out there, get my first hit out. 00:39:54 Speaker 1: The way, and then hit two doubles, and we're in a playoff race in New York City. 00:40:02 Speaker 2: It was pretty cool, man. It was great. 00:40:05 Speaker 3: To go back, you had to go out and play your last AAA game before you got up? 00:40:11 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So were you like, no risks? Oh, you know, dude, you're like. 00:40:18 Speaker 1: You're like, man, none of these stands, none of these people in these stands know that I'm about to be in the big leagues in less than 24 hours, dude. 00:40:26 Speaker 4: No dives. I'm not getting hit by a pitch today. 00:40:30 Speaker 1: You're like, dude, I cannot get hurt right now, man. Because if you get hurt or freaking tweak something, you're just. But no, that wasn't me, man. I still played the game hard in the right way. 00:40:42 Speaker 2: Like, I only know how. 00:40:43 Speaker 1: And it was a really good feeling, though, man. 00:40:47 Speaker 2: Really good feeling. 00:40:48 Speaker 3: What is playing in New York City like versus playing anywhere else? 00:40:54 Speaker 1: Dude, if you do great, they love you. When you struggle... They. 00:41:01 Speaker 2: Can't stand you and you're going to hear it. 00:41:03 Speaker 4: Right. 00:41:03 Speaker 1: And that's, Hey, that's, that's, that's what's great about the New York fan base and the fans. And you, you know, I wouldn't have wanted any other way. And I, you know, they're hardcore. They love the game. They love their Mets and they, they, they expect a certain level of play. And if you're not given that level of play, then you're going to hear it. Right. So I had a blast playing in New York, man. And it was, it was, it was a great experience. 00:41:30 Speaker 3: So you have this call-up, and then how does playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic come about? You are strangely the third alumnus we've had from that. I had Calabello and Pat Venditti on as well. 00:41:42 Speaker 2: I love Chris, dude. That's my boy. 00:41:46 Speaker 1: I keep saying this is one of the best experiences because I feel like I have so many, but there's Little League World Series, not in any order, Little League World Series, Team USA, uh, world baseball classic and making it to the big leagues. You know, those, those are the best experience. And then, and then obviously I'd have to throw in there, like get your first hit and your home run, but WBC, dude, I'm a dual citizen, uh, of, of USA and Italy. 00:42:14 Speaker 2: One of the best experiences. 00:42:15 Speaker 3: Did you have to get that for like, does like the Italian baseball federation or whoever, does someone reach out to you? 00:42:22 Speaker 4: And it's like, Hey, guess what you qualify for? 00:42:25 Speaker 2: Yeah, not for the WBC. 00:42:27 Speaker 1: The WBC, you don't have to be a citizen of the country you're playing for. 00:42:34 Speaker 2: I played in the. 00:42:34 Speaker 1: WBC, but I also played in the qualifier for the Olympics, which you do have to be a citizen for that to play for, to represent your country. Whenever they had baseball for 2019 or 20, they brought baseball back into the Olympics that one year. We were one game out of qualifying and, you know, I have my Italian citizenship, and so I was able to play with them. But going back to the WBC, dude, the– I mean, you saw it on TV this year. 00:43:02 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:43:03 Speaker 1: When you hit a home run, the whole team is out there, and they're throwing seeds up in the air, and people in the stands are playing drums and trumpets. 00:43:13 Speaker 2: It's– dude, it. 00:43:14 Speaker 1: Is– it makes baseball really, really fun, right? And there's a lot of unwritten rules with baseball, as you know. That's why in the big leagues, you don't see, like, the team going all the. 00:43:25 Speaker 2: Way out there. 00:43:26 Speaker 1: And, you know, there's some things that you can and can't do. But WBC, it's like, there might be some unwritten rules, but that's kind of, it's like, dude, I'm playing for my country, and they're shooting arrows everywhere. 00:43:41 Speaker 2: In the sky. Dude, it is an amazing experience. And I played with Colabello there. 00:43:47 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, and the thing with the minor league experience, so you get drafted in 2012. So presumably, aside from the
couple big league games you played at that point, you have not truly played to win in like a win or die experience until that WBC. So it's got to feel like a brush and fret there because that is one of the knockouts I would say guys going about the minor league, listen, winning is always better than losing, but this is about getting to the big leagues at the end of the day. 00:44:16 Speaker 4: So that had to feel like a breath of fresh air. 00:44:19 Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, it's all about winning. You're doing everything you can to win, right? 00:44:24 Speaker 1: And if that's getting bunts down, diving for balls, you're doing everything you can, right? Whereas minor leagues, it's more about development. you know, it's, you know, if you're hitting 200 and, you know, they invest some money in you, you know, they're going to give you more time there. 00:44:41 Speaker 2: It's just like, you need to get the job done. You need to help the team win. That's what you're there for. 00:44:45 Speaker 1: Cause you could be, you know, there for three games and you lose three games and you're out, you're going back to wherever, you know, whether you're in spring training or your, your country to play baseball over there. So it's all about winning. So the atmosphere is just to your, it's like playoff baseball. 00:45:01 Speaker 2: It's intense. 00:45:01 Speaker 1: It's you're playing against the best players, all all-stars in the big leagues, essentially, right? Like, I remember our class, I mean, or our bracket, it was us, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Mexico. So we played in Guadalajara, Mexico. We upset Mexico first night. There's 40,000 people at the game. And we're like, oh, we had Cervelli at catcher, Calabello at first, me at short. 00:45:32 Speaker 2: Um, it was, it was Nemo. It was in a center field. 00:45:38 Speaker 1: We had some really, really, uh, Descalso was at a second base. Liddy was at third base. We had some really good talent. Um, but yeah, it's all, it's all, it's, it's all about winning dude. Um, and you're playing against the best talent and it's, uh, it's fantastic. We lost against Venezuela but there was like a three-way tie so we had to play another game against Venezuela and Miguel Cabrera we were up the whole game in the eighth inning we were winning we're like we're about to make it to the freaking second round dude and Miguel Cabrera goes oppo taco hits a bomb like 15 rows back and we're like oh my gosh dude then it's one to one or whatever the score was they tied it and then they broke away and scored a few more runs i think we ended up losing like three to one or four to one but we were so close dude. 00:46:36 Speaker 3: Dude and one to one when you're the team that was up feels it feels like you're down five whereas if you're the team that ties it late. 00:46:43 Speaker 1: We were and dude we were there and we were it's just like Oh, man. Drew Buter was a catcher also. I think he said something like, dude, we make it to this next round. 00:46:58 Speaker 2: I'm getting a private jet for the whole team. Like, we're going to Miami, dude, getting a private jet. But it was a great experience, man. 00:47:06 Speaker 1: And Italy did fantastic this year. 00:47:11 Speaker 2: I still speak in the president of, of team Italy. 00:47:14 Speaker 1: And, uh, I was so happy for them and they sold a dang espresso machine for how much? 00:47:19 Speaker 2: $ 15, 000 or something. 00:47:21 Speaker 3: I was going to ask, they have the espresso machine in the dugout. Like when you're playing for team Italy, do you food wise, do you eat as the Italian? I've, I honeymooned in Italy is the easily the best food week of my entire life. So like, do you, do you eat as the Italians do when you're playing for team Italy? 00:47:35 Speaker 2: So when, when, when, yes. 00:47:37 Speaker 1: And especially whenever we were, qualifying for the olympics and we had preliminary rounds in germany and then we flew to italy and we had the qualifier there every meal dude was homemade meatballs and dude you're like so huge barrels of Parmesan cheese that you're scooping out and just eating whole. 00:47:59 Speaker 2: It was. 00:47:59 Speaker 3: Listen, for a guy who struggled to keep weight on it, I feel like playing for team Italy was probably good for you. 00:48:04 Speaker 2: Oh, dude, you have that, those meals in the clubhouse. 00:48:08 Speaker 1: Like I'm not, I don't think I'm losing 15, 20 pounds a year, dude. 00:48:13 Speaker 4: I was going to ask, I'll probably just ask it now. 00:48:16 Speaker 3: Like you're, I mean, Louisiana is one of our, our biggest food cultures in, in, in the country. Like you, Louisiana, Cajun food versus Italian food. 00:48:26 Speaker 4: Like who you got? Oh, it's not even close. 00:48:29 Speaker 2: Italian food. 00:48:29 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's not even close. I mean, I like Cajun food. Don't get me wrong. But I got Italian in my blood, man. Yeah, it doesn't trump Italian food. But yeah, I like both foods. Obviously, the culture here, the people are great in Louisiana. The food's fantastic. So it's good. 00:48:50 Speaker 2: It's good. 00:48:51 Speaker 3: You get back up to the big leagues after that WBC, and then we're talking highlights. 00:48:56 Speaker 4: We've got to talk about your first career home run. 00:48:58 Speaker 3: Because I saw you had one, and I was like, let's look this up. I was like, I hope it wasn't off a position player or something like that. I hope it's someone we can talk about. 00:49:07 Speaker 4: So walk me through that. 00:49:08 Speaker 1: So we're going cross-country flight from New York to L.A. And Terry Collins comes up to me in the plane. and says, hey, Cheech, you know, you're starting tomorrow. Because usually on those, you know, cross-country flights, they'll rest the veteran, let him have the day off, you know, and get some people inserted in the lineup. 00:49:36 Speaker 2: And Estrubal Cabrera was... hurt he he. 00:49:41 Speaker 1: Rolled his ankle
or something happened to a strubel and you know i was pretty much projected to start all four of those games right in that series so i'm like all right cool so i'm sitting you know i'm eating and i i'm on my phone and i and i look up like hey who who who who are we facing tomorrow and it's clayton kershaw so i'm like all right cool So I forget who I was sitting by, and, you know, I'm asking about, hey, you know, right-handed hitters, how does he pitch you, and, you know, what's his tendencies and all that. So we get to L.A., and next day I get to the field, and, you know, your locker's already set up for you. So I find my locker, and Curtis Granderson is my locker mate sitting right next to me. 00:50:35 Speaker 2: And so we. 00:50:36 Speaker 1: Go out for BP and, you know, my dad's from California. And I had 40 people, family members, friends at the game. 00:50:51 Speaker 2: To the point where people. 00:50:54 Speaker 4: That's a heavy bill. 00:50:55 Speaker 2: Dude, who's all at the game, man? 00:50:58 Speaker 4: That's a heavy bill because you don't get those tickets for free. 00:51:00 Speaker 2: No, you don't. And so. 00:51:02 Speaker 1: my dad's from like 45 minutes Camarillo. He grew up in, you know, right around, you know, Santa Barbara, a thousand Oaks, 45 minutes away from LA. 00:51:11 Speaker 2: So they all came. And, uh, so we go in the locker room, uh, and, um, I say, Hey Curtis, I said, um, you know, obviously. 00:51:22 Speaker 1: You know, you face, uh, Kershaw a lot of times, like, what do you see from them? Um, Are you patient? Do you want to, you know, attack early in the count? What's he trying to do? What's his fastball look like? I know he has a really good curveball. You know, what's your thoughts? And, you know, he was like, man, you know, I could tell you what he does with lefties, but for righties, since you're a righty, you know, he kind of likes to do this and do that. 00:51:50 Speaker 2: And late in the count, he'll come in and then kind. 00:51:51 Speaker 1: Of flip, you know, that curveball up there and big, big loopy. 00:51:58 Speaker 2: Curveball, one of the best curveballs ever, you know? 00:52:02 Speaker 1: And so I'm like, all right, I appreciate you. So we get out there, game starts. Can't remember where I was hitting the lineup. I believe seventh or eighth, Jose Reyes was hitting right before me. And my first at bat, I strike out looking. I'm like, all right, I'm gonna stick with my plan. Second at bat, I think there's, I don't know if there's a runner on second and third or maybe first and second. And, you know, I think I take a pitch, I foul a pitch off, take a ball. I work the count, and I'm fouling some pitches off. And I remember that, you know, Curtis was like, hey, you know, Layton counts. You know, he's going to go cutter, likes to go cutter inside to righties, and he'll kind of flip that curveball. 00:52:48 Speaker 2: So he threw me a cutter inside, and I fouled it off. step out the box. 00:52:52 Speaker
1: I'm like, stick with your plan, man, stick with your plan, you know? And so he threw it, dude. And I saw that pop out his hand and I'm like, got it. And then boom, I hit it in the. 00:53:04 Speaker 2: Left field, uh, bullpen. 00:53:06 Speaker 1: And, oh man, I just, I can still picture myself, uh, you know, rounding the bases and, um, you know, hitting second, hitting third. And I mean, my adrenaline obviously is like, I can run, I feel like I can run through a brick wall, right? So I get to home and I'm dapping. I think Travis Darnot was right there. And I think Jose Reyes was there, which Jose is one of my favorite teammates I've ever played with. And we get in the dugout and me and Jose have this, you know, this handshake where we're doing this. 00:53:39 Speaker 2: And doing the money thing. And it was awesome. 00:53:43 Speaker 1: Then I get up And I put my stuff up and I go and I sit on top of the, like, you know, hang over the dugout, you know, because there was only like one out or two outs. 00:53:53 Speaker 2: And I'm just breathing. I'm like, oh, my God. What just happened? 00:54:00 Speaker 1: Kevin Long, who used to be the hitting coach for the Yankees, comes up to me and goes, Cheech. Kevin's, I love Kevin. One of my favorite hitting coaches ever. He's like, Cheech, you realize what. 00:54:12 Speaker 2: You just did, son? 00:54:13 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:54:14 Speaker 2: So I go, well, I hit a home run. He goes, yeah, but dude. 00:54:20 Speaker 1: It was your first home run, but you just did it off a future Hall of Famer. And he goes, I just pulled some numbers. He goes, there's only ever been three right-handed hitters hit a home run with two strikes off Clayton Kershaw's curveball. And he goes, dude, that's unheard of. And I'm thinking to myself, I'm like, damn, well, thanks for sharing that with me. I wasn't thinking like on that level. And then finally, you know, I had teammates, more teammates doing, dude, that's awesome. You know, slapping me on the butt and giving me some dap. And, you know, it finally sunk in pretty much like, cause I had to go, I had to get ready to go on the field. And then, you know, I had like two more at bats or one more at bat and I'm going one for three that game, but it didn't sink in until later on. 00:55:09 Speaker 2: And I got in the locker room and they got my home run ball. 00:55:14 Speaker 4: I was going to say you had 40 people in the crowd. I hope someone got my home run ball. 00:55:19 Speaker 1: And I don't know if a fan ended up with it or if it was the Dodgers, but they were able to ask, Hey, can we have that ball back? And they were able to put the barcode label on there and give it back to me. 00:55:33 Speaker 2: And I immediately gave it to my mom and this is for you. 00:55:36 Speaker 1: And It was a great experience, and I ended up, to extend the story, you know, that series, which was my only time that I was able to start that many games in a row, which was four games in a row, I ended up
hitting 300 in the series, made zero errors, was flawless at second base, and And it was fantastic. And then, you know, we were flying up to not to put a damper on the story, but we were flying up to. 00:56:05 Speaker 4: Here comes the business of baseball. 00:56:07 Speaker 1: San Francisco right after the series. And I'm like, my parents are like, dude, we're going to San Francisco. Like you're in the lineup. Like you're going to get more playing time. And Terry calls me in the next day. I'm the first one at the field. I'm like, all right, I'm getting ready. Who are we facing? Cheech going his locker in his office. I'm thinking like, Hey, you know, great series. 00:56:29 Speaker 2: Keep it up. 00:56:29 Speaker 1: Keep doing what you're doing. He's like, we got to send you down, man. I'm like, he goes, I don't have anything to tell you. He goes, you've done great. You did everything I can ask for. You hit 300. You played flawless in the field. Shruble's coming back and he's healthy and we got to send you down to AAA. 00:56:49 Speaker 2: And that's the business. That's the nature of it, man. 00:56:52 Speaker 1: And so, uh, You know, I'm so grateful though for the opportunity that I had to share moments like that with my family. to go out and produce and play really well when I had opportunities. 00:57:08 Speaker 2: And it was just a dream come true. 00:57:10 Speaker 1: That's all I can say, and I'm thankful for the Mets. 00:57:15 Speaker 2: I've gotten to meet so many amazing people. 00:57:19 Speaker 1: I've been to every continent besides two, meet great people with a lot of the names that we've mentioned on here, and you form these bonds that last a lifetime. 00:57:30 Speaker 2: So I'm so appreciative of that. 00:57:32 Speaker 3: So I assume, I mean, you're 23 years old or something at that sundown. I've got to assume that at that time, you're like, okay, I'll be back, you know, whatever. As time keeps going, you know, DFA, bouncing organizations, you know, you play indie ball, you play COVID indie ball, which is a different, whole different level of indie ball. Like when, when in your mind does the shift go from, I'm going to be back eventually to, you know, I might have, I might, might never come back. 00:58:03 Speaker 1: Yeah. So I had after that year, um, I had two serious injuries. So, um, I tore my quad and it was kind of misdiagnosed and they thought it was a strain and I kept going and going and going and it just never got better. Finally took an MRI and sure enough, I had a, A tear in my quad, had to get a PRP injection, had to sit out even longer, ran back up, only played like, I don't know, I feel like a month that year. I also got hit in the foot by like a 96 mile an hour. I was tearing up AAA, hitting, I think it was like 300, leading the league in extra base hits. the first full month of the year get hit in the foot break and fracture my foot pretty much out the whole year um and i had two years back to back like that not. 00:58:59
Speaker 4: Playing which that's a thousand abs out the. 00:59:03 Speaker 1: Door oh yeah for sure yeah and and and I'm on the 40 man roster. So I would have gotten big league time too, because I was playing well. Then the next year, I get DFA after hitting, I think I hit 300, but I was hurt. So I think that the Mets told me that they thought that they could keep me because I've been hurt the last two years. So he took a chance and DFA me and they, they were able to, and they did it in a very good time because it was right before spring training where rosters are already full. So no one picked me up. I was out two years. And then, um, you know, the third year, uh, it was the COVID year. Um, And, you know, I just, there was no AAA season. I was with the Diamondbacks. There was no minor league season. I was with the Diamondbacks. I was going to have a good opportunity to get to the big leagues with them. I was going to be playing every single day in AAA. And COVID hit. So now you're essentially looking at three full years of. 01:00:07 Speaker 2: Of not playing. 01:00:09 Speaker 1: And after I had those two injuries, I came back slightly with the Mets, but it was just, you know, a month and a half and my timing was off and all that. But yeah, three full years. And then the Angels, my last year, picked me up a month into the season. 01:00:25 Speaker 2: No spring training. I thought I wasn't getting any calls. 01:00:29 Speaker 1: That offseason, I was like, man, I got to get at-bats because I hadn't played in three years. 01:00:33 Speaker 2: So that COVID year, they had an indie ball. 01:00:36 Speaker 1: It was a lot of AAA and big league guys that played at the Sugarland Skeeters place. 01:00:41 Speaker 2: It's not the Skeeters anymore. 01:00:43 Speaker 4: Yeah, we were wide open in Texas at that time. 01:00:46 Speaker 1: Yeah, and they had a summer season there, and I was able to get at-bats there. I was planning on going to play indie ball, and the Angels– called and halfway or into the first month, I get signed, no ABs, go to AA, takes me you know, I'm there like a month or something. And, you know, I'm trying to get, you know, I hadn't played in three years, trying to get my feel back, you know, not doing too great. You know, I think I was hitting like 230 or something like that, 240. And, uh, but playing really good defense, someone gets called up in AAA and I get called up to AAA. Cause I had a lot of, you know, AAA experience, dude, I hit 400 for two months straight. I was leading the league and hitting and I, They were like, I was getting word from my agent that they were going to call me up. And, you know, the front office was talking with them and like, hey, you know, he's doing great. Seems like he's back in stride. I was playing all positions, shortstop, second base. 01:01:50 Speaker 4: And you're still only 27 at this time. So it's not like you're an old timer. 01:01:53 Speaker 2: Exactly, exactly. 01:01:54 Speaker 1: Even playing some left field. And, dude, I went five for five one game. They had some people be sent down from the big leagues, but they were guys on the 40-man roster. 01:02:05 Speaker 2: I wasn't. So those guys have to get at-bats, as you know. 01:02:10 Speaker 1: And they had a few guys sent down, and I went five for five one game. And I wasn't in the lineup the next day, and the manager brought me in and was like, dude, you're hitting 400 for two months. You just went five for five. I was on, I went nine for 10 with like a couple of walks. I almost broke the record at Salt Lake City B's for like the most, you know, being safely at first base in consecutive at-bats without making it. I think it was like 10 or 11 or something like that. 01:02:42 Speaker 2: And he was like, you know how it goes. You've been around. 01:02:45 Speaker 1: He's like, I got guys on the 40-man roster coming from the front office. They got to get A-B's and I feel for you. Just hang in there and stay ready. And so there was like weeks I wouldn't, you know, a week, five days, I wouldn't play. And then I'd get a game in and, you know, and it was difficult. And around that time to answer your question was, I was like, I don't know if I even really want to do this anymore. You know, it's just like, I'm not getting paid a lot because they didn't have the system that they have implemented now. And it didn't really, that just shows me, it doesn't really matter how well you're doing. Like you're, if you're not, if I'm hitting 400 and I can't get back up to the big leagues, I don't know what else that I can, I can essentially do and playing great defense. So I was like, man, this, this, this might be my last year. So I enjoyed the rest of the season, man. There was a great group of guys that we were playing with, um, I went into the off season with an open mind. I told myself I was not willing to play independent ball because if, if I can't get a minor league job the next year with what I did, then why go to independent ball? Like I'm, I'm wasting my time. 01:04:01 Speaker 4: Just trying to get a minor league job. 01:04:03 Speaker 2: Exactly. 01:04:03 Speaker 4: Exactly. 01:04:04 Speaker 2: And that call never came and I'm, I I'm at peace with it. 01:04:08 Speaker 1: Right. And so, um, that call never came. And now that led me to what I'm doing currently with Luchini and, Um, it's been fantastic. Uh, we have a great team. We have, uh, it's, it's the camaraderie that we build just like you, you build in a locker room. Um, and I love it, dude, you wake up every day, you're still in the game of baseball, uh, you're developing products, you're traveling, you know, it's, it's, uh, it's been a blast, man. 01:04:34 Speaker 2: And I'm grateful for it. 01:04:36 Speaker 3: If you could go back and give a pep talk to your 18 year old self, the day you signed, what would that pep talk look like? 01:04:43 Speaker 2: Oh man. 01:04:45 Speaker 1: I don't know what I would say for pep talk, but essentially I would
tell myself, you know, treat people with respect, play the game the right way. Don't get too high and don't get too low and be yourself. That's what I would say to myself. 01:05:04 Speaker 3: And that Kershaw drops that, that curve ball in with two strikes on a righty after that cutter. 01:05:09 Speaker 2: That's right. Give it a ride. 01:05:11 Speaker 4: A little rapid fire for it. Then I'll let you get out of here. 01:05:13 Speaker 2: Yep. 01:05:14 Speaker 4: Favorite minor league stadium? 01:05:20 Speaker 1: Oh, the Las Vegas, the new Las Vegas stadium. 01:05:23 Speaker 4: It was like brand new when you went there, right? 01:05:25 Speaker 2: It's sick, yeah. 01:05:27 Speaker 4: Favorite big league stadium? Dodgers. The great one. This is probably the best pitcher you ever faced. 01:05:35 Speaker 2: Jacob DeGrom. 01:05:36 Speaker 4: Okay, okay. Did you face him in spring? 01:05:41 Speaker 2: Dude, when I tell you. 01:05:44 Speaker 1: I don't think I've ever had a bat in my career where I've seen a pitcher spot, like does not miss his spots, at least to me in a couple of bats I had. 01:05:55 Speaker 2: I think I had two or three. 01:05:57 Speaker 3: And it's those early spring at bats when you haven't seen a lot of live pitching, right? 01:06:02 Speaker 1: He throws 99 to 100, but you haven't seen live pitching, and it looks like it's coming 120, and he's breaking sliders, and he's literally spotting it. He could throw it in any count. spot it wherever he wants in and out. Um, he's the best pitcher that I've faced. 01:06:19 Speaker 2: Yeah. 01:06:19 Speaker 4: Best food spot in all of Louisiana. 01:06:23 Speaker 2: Daryl's. 01:06:25 Speaker 4: You got to describe it to me. 01:06:27 Speaker 1: I need more. Dude. 01:06:28 Speaker 2: It's, it's a, it's a Cajun slash po' boy. Um, lunch. 01:06:34 Speaker 1: You can eat dinner, but it's, uh, dude, it's just like, you know, shrimp po' boys and, and, uh, ham and cheese and roast beef. And dude, they put like jalapeno mayo on there. And it's just, it's, it's a legit po' boy spot that people come essentially from, you know, across the nation to, if you're in Louisiana, they're going to stop by Daryl's on I-10 that you drove and they're going to, they're going to stop and get a sandwich. 01:07:02 Speaker 4: Perfect. I live right on I-10, so I can just, I can just hop on head of East and get there. 01:07:07 Speaker 2: There you go. There you go. 01:07:08 Speaker 4: Last one. Everyone gets this. Do you have a nightmare bus ride story from the minor leagues? 01:07:16 Speaker 2: Um, I don't know about it. Yeah, kind of. 01:07:21 Speaker 1: I mean, we, um, I think we were in double a and we had a double header and we were traveling. 01:07:30 Speaker 2: It was like, man, 12 hours. I forget where we were. 01:07:34 Speaker 1: We were going back to Binghamton, New York and, uh, We had some rain delays, but then we had a double header. Dude, we didn't get out the park until like midnight. And we have an off day the next day. So, you know, when you have an off day, you don't want to do it. You want to spend your off day, you know, like. 01:07:53 Speaker 4: Not on a bus. 01:07:55 Speaker 2: The bus breaks down halfway. 01:07:57 Speaker 1: It's 2 a.m. 01:07:58 Speaker 2: And we're like. What are we doing with our lives right now? 01:08:04 Speaker 1: Like, we probably just got our heads beat in and, you know, went. 01:08:08 Speaker 2: 0 for 4. 01:08:09 Speaker 1: And, you know, we're trying to figure out our swings and pitchers are trying to figure out their pitches. 01:08:14 Speaker 2: And we're like, dude, it's 2.30. 01:08:16 Speaker 1: We still got seven hours to go. We have an off day, and we're going to be spinning it on the bus. We're not going to be able to do anything. We've got to wait for a whole bus. Dude, we got in like the morning or midday the next day, and it's just like the day's REO. 01:08:29 Speaker 2: Everyone had the ass, dude. We're just like, what are we doing? This is ridiculous, you know? 01:08:36 Speaker 4: That is the minor leagues. Gavin, that is all I've got for you. 01:08:39 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for joining us and being on the farm. 01:08:41 Speaker 2: Anytime, man. 01:08:43 Speaker 4: You got it. 01:08:47 Speaker 3: Thank you.
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