Your League Tennis Podcast
Tennis talk, for people that love to PLAY tennis.
Your League Tennis Podcast
Mental Game: Baseball & Tennis, with ex- MLB Player, current USTA League Tennis Player, Bobby Kielty
Do you ever wonder what it takes to succeed as a Major League Baseball player? In this engaging episode, we're joined by our good friend and special guest, Bobby Kielty. We discuss the mental game of both baseball and tennis, as he shares his experiences growing up playing baseball in Southern California, and reminisce about the bond we created through tennis. Bobby, a former MLB player and current tennis teaching pro and USTA rated 5.0 player, brings a unique perspective on the similarities between the two sports and how to approach each game to maximize our strengths and exploit our opponents' weaknesses in tennis.
As we chat about our shared love of tennis and the similarities between baseball, Bobby shares his incredible journey from signing with the Minnesota Twins to playing in the World Series as a member of the Boston Red Sox, and his current career as a real estate broker and tennis pro in Canyon Lake. We also explore the challenges American athletes face in making it to the D1 level of tennis, drawing from Bobby's experiences to inspire the next generation of players.
Finally, we discuss the possibility of teaming up and playing doubles tournaments together in the 45s age group. Listen in and learn how Bobby's experience playing in the World Series helped him focus on the mental game, and has made him a formidable competitor on the courts. Join us as we laugh, learn, and explore the fascinating world of tennis and baseball, all while celebrating the friendships formed through our shared passion for tennis.
You are listening to Your League Tennis Podcast with your host, anthony Radonia. Anthony is an avid weekend warrior tennis player, just like you. Every week, he'll be interviewing new and exciting guests that will not only differ in experience and skill level, but also in age and physical ability. Your League Tennis Podcast is about making you a better tennis player, whether you're a beginner or have been playing for years, in your 20s or in your 60s. Now here is your host, anthony Radonia.
Speaker 2:Alright, so there's the fancy intro, bobby. So all credit to my wife. she knows how to do that. I'm still an idiot, so I don't know how to do any of that stuff, but thanks for coming, my friend.
Speaker 3:I really appreciate it. Thanks for having me on, it was fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, driving out from Canyon.
Speaker 3:Lake to my house.
Speaker 2:I really appreciate this. So I'm just going to start out with this, because this is huge. You brought this for me tonight, so I got to show this on camera.
Speaker 3:That was for carrying me in the last match we played.
Speaker 2:We're going to talk about that for sure. So what did you do here? What did you give me?
Speaker 3:So I just gave you a bat that I used. It's not a game to use bat, but just a bat I used to swing signature to you. What I think I wrote you're a great doubles partner.
Speaker 2:I'm a.
Speaker 3:World Series champ. I wrote down I know awesome doubles partner.
Speaker 2:And then so when you say, like you used, do you just have like a million bats that you used for practice?
Speaker 3:Yeah, i mean I don't have them anymore. I've given them so many away over the years, but I still have a few left, so I figured it'd be a good time to give it to you.
Speaker 2:Well, cool, let's at least start with that, then, because we met in league and we played against each other's, probably a year ago maybe, or more.
Speaker 3:I think it was less. Oh, really, I think we, I feel like we just played in Marietta. You know, maybe was it only, it was only maybe six to eight months ago.
Speaker 2:Because the first time I met you was actually at your place in Canyon Lake. Do you remember that We played on that bottom court?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that was the same same league. I think it was winter league last year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, yeah, okay, so about a year.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, i know it was great to play. You got me right, you got me pretty good. That was a good match, though. That was fun. That was definitely fun, and it's just like meeting you and then playing in doubles against you, and then there's just not a lot of five-oh guys around, you know, Yeah, especially in the Empire. So it was nice to team up with you and have a league together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I remember that match too which was funny because I always tell the story to my other buddies is you're a very humble guy, very normal guy, and we were talking after the singles match And I didn't know anything about you. Truthfully, i don't really look people up, i just go play, have fun. You know Try to be nice and you know try to win.
Speaker 2:But be, nice, you know, gain some friendships along the way. And I forget how. I asked it, like hey, when did you get into tennis or something? And then you said I played a little pro ball or something like that. And I'm like, oh okay. So I went home and looked you up and I'm like, oh my gosh. And well, at first actually I was like, oh wow, i played some major leagues, that's cool, it's cool. And then I started YouTubeing your name, and that's when I saw the World Series home run And I think I sent you a picture of it or something later that night.
Speaker 2:And I was like oh my gosh, this is you.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like yep, I want to talk about that, of course, But you're rating right now. You're a five-oh in tennis. Do you know your UTR? Do you follow that?
Speaker 3:I want to say it's right around an eight and a half. Okay, right in that range.
Speaker 2:Yeah, are you playing tournaments outside league at all?
Speaker 3:Not a lot. Okay, I played a little bit. I played a 45s tournament last year which actually ranked me in the US, which was kind of cool.
Speaker 2:But I'd like to How old are you again?
Speaker 3:I'm 46. 46, okay, yeah, i'd like to play, but I think I'd like to play more doubles tournaments than singles tournaments. You know, find a good a partner maybe you No we got to do something That'd be fun. Maybe we can make it around in the 45s, you know.
Speaker 2:I just turned 45 this year so I can play it. Yeah, that'd be fun. I think we'd do pretty good in that. Yeah, I would love to do that because I've been playing 40s and then obviously you can play lower, you know sometimes, but no, 45s would be a good league I think so too.
Speaker 2:I mean a good tournament. We would love that, so okay. So let's do this, because I want to obviously get into tennis, because the tennis is a good tennis podcast, but I want to lay the groundwork of who you are, why you're giving me a bat number one. So let's just show the ring to start it, and then we'll talk about it. Where'd you put that thing? So, bobby brought the World Series ring 2007,. Boston Red Sox. Oh, i got to see this thing. Is it massive? Here you go.
Speaker 2:It's pretty big. I never wear it. Look at that thing. I mean I did Google it actually, just I don't know. I didn't knew that little Instagram teaser and I looked it up.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that was cool, that's so cool.
Speaker 2:Oh, so it has your name on it. Yeah, 2007,. 7th World Series Champions. Oh, 4-0 sweep. I looked that up too. See, i'm not a big baseball guy, you know. what's funny is I grew up in West Covina, which is right by South Hills, and I'm sure you'll know the guys I'm going to bring up right now. A few years older than me was Giambi the Lydals.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Corey Lydall. yeah, Yeah, Corey Lydall. and then I forget who else Played with Corey Lydall. You played with Corey.
Speaker 3:Oh wow, With the.
Speaker 2:Blue Jays. Oh, he played on the Blue Jays too. Yeah, okay, not on the A's, then You guys weren't together on the A's.
Speaker 3:No, we were together on the A's. That's so cool, Bobby.
Speaker 2:Oh, thanks.
Speaker 3:Blue Jays, you know. And then the crazy accident of course That was sad.
Speaker 2:That was sad yeah, yeah, his family lives like three blocks from my parents where I grew up, so I sort of grew up with his family, not knowing his family too good, but just knowing of them, you know. And they were a little older than me And I forget who else. It was Giambi Lydals. There was one other, oh, aaron Small, do you know that name? He played on, i think so. Yeah, it rings a bell. Yeah, he was in the majors too. I just forget how much, but those three guys played on the same Little League team and the same high school team.
Speaker 3:That's nuts. Yeah, it's pretty nuts.
Speaker 2:And then, where did you grow up? I grew up in Marina Valley.
Speaker 3:Oh, you did, Yeah. So I grew up there my whole life. Out of there I went to USC to play baseball. Red Shirted left there, went to junior college for RCC for two years and then finished up at Ole Miss.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, did you go straight into the minors, or how does that work after college, for basically, Yeah.
Speaker 3:So I was kind of a different avenue. I was never drafted And then after my year at Ole Miss I went to It's called the Cape Cod League, which is the best collegiate league in the nation to play, and I just blossomed there. I ended up becoming the MVP And then it was like a lullaby to tour. Every major league team was inviting me out every weekend And I went to I think 12 or 13 different teams and just went on this big tour where I was hitting, running, throwing and doing everything for them And then at the end of it offers came in And then I signed with the Minnesota Twins.
Speaker 2:How soon was that after college?
Speaker 3:I was right after college. In fact, i was still at Ole Miss when I was doing all that, because I thought I was going to go back for my senior year. But I just sat out and waited and then signed in February. So I was at Ole Miss from August till February, and then February came, and then that's when spring training starts. So I went directly to spring training straight from Mississippi.
Speaker 2:Did you end up finishing college then, or did you didn't get to I?
Speaker 3:didn't. No, I didn't finish. I came back and finished at University of Phoenix online. Oh, cool Yeah. When did you do that? I did that. I think I finished in like 2014.
Speaker 2:Okay, so way after your baseball career. Yeah, oh, that's so cool. How much did you have left to finish?
Speaker 3:You know, i went to SC, then RCC and then Ole Miss. Four years of college and I still had to do two more Years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, two more years.
Speaker 3:Oh, really, yeah, I was like you know just everything. Yeah, yeah, i always got good grades. I never had an issue with that. Just, it was just. When I went to SC, i was like a pre-med major. And then RCC, you're just doing your associate's degree And then you go to Ole Miss and there I was a math major, So I wasn't really nothing really fit together. And then at the end of the day it was like you know, i got my business administration degree with Phoenix And that just made the most sense.
Speaker 2:You know, and right now you're doing what? What kind of work?
Speaker 3:I'm a real estate broker. I have about 20, 22 agents that work underneath me, so they do a lot of business. I kind of manage all that And then I sell and, you know, represent buyers and sellers. Obviously, when I first started, i got into, it was when all the flipping stations were in and my wife and I, you know, we just kind of took that by the horn, started flipping back in 08. And that's what got me into real estate and I got my license and so forth And so, yeah, that's my main source of income is, you know, real estate. And then I'm going to head tennis pro at Canyon Lake.
Speaker 2:At Canyon Lake. And so if you started that in 08, that was one of the things I was a little confused about when I was just Googling you and Wikipediaing you right, Which was after 07, which I still want to talk about you went to the minors or you played still major league, or how does that work?
Speaker 3:So actually 07. that at bat was my last at bat in the big leagues, which is blows my mind that that's the way it ended. But you know, then I went 08, i was with the Red Sox and after 08, i didn't have a great year. I was injured And I just felt like I knew I needed to do something to make sure that I kept making money. you know, You know most people think that if you played major league baseball you have a ton of money.
Speaker 3:But in the grand scheme of things, I had, you know, four to five years where I made good money, but I didn't make the kind of money that superstars make. You know, I was a role player, bench player, And so you pretty much have to do something after you're done playing baseball. That's just the nature of it. I felt like that was we got in the flipping to make money that way, And then it turned into brokerage and so forth. So it was just a situation where, you know, my career was wasn't I didn't feel like at that point in time was nearly close to being over, but because I did play, you know, all the way to almost 14. Oh, really, But it was minor leagues, you know the whole way. So, yeah, it was just. I just knew that there was going to be something I needed to do when I was done And I felt like that was a good situation to go to.
Speaker 2:And do they pay guys in minor leagues or no?
Speaker 3:They do When you know, when you've, when you've played in the big leagues, you know, at that point in time I'd played seven years in the big leagues. So you still get decent contracts, but they're not, you know, they're not right around a hundred thousand a year. So it was, it was still good for six months. You know it was good.
Speaker 2:All right. So let's let's go. Let's go back to the 07 World Series then. So, like I said, i mean I played a little baseball. I love watching sports, but I'll be honest with you, i don't even know who won the World Series last year. That's how little I follow baseball, which is sort of embarrassing.
Speaker 3:That's okay.
Speaker 2:So I had to look up those seven World Series. After you know, knowing that you're coming tonight, i had to just really look at it And you guys destroyed the Rockies for 4-0, right, sweet, yeah. And first game was like 13 to one or something like that. It just seems like it was a blowout series.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And fourth game. You guys are up 3-1. You get up in the eighth inning or the ninth inning. I got up in the top of the eighth. Top of the eighth inning. It's 3-1, first pitch to you First pitch, yeah. It's high fastball or high, high fastball. I guess high fastball, You just you kill it Home run And it's 4-1 and you guys end up winning 4-3. 4-3, yeah. So I mean really it's the decisive home run, in a way.
Speaker 3:They all obviously won the win. It ended up being the game winning RBI of the entire.
Speaker 2:World Series.
Speaker 3:Now, i mean we were up at the time. It's different, Like it was 3-3 and that'd be different, but yeah, it still ended up being the game winning RBI, which is super cool.
Speaker 2:And that must have been in Colorado then, right, that was in Colorado.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:Because when I was listening to it on YouTube at what? the crowd wasn't that into it, so I was like this must be in Colorado. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly yeah. Oh, that's so cool, It wasn't?
Speaker 3:loud. It was pretty quiet. I mean, i can tell you like that was my only abat in the World Series, you know, in the whole World Series, in the whole World.
Speaker 2:Series yeah.
Speaker 3:I played the series before but I had about seven, eight days off And I remember the night before, like it happened yesterday, i was talking to my family and they were all there And I was like I don't care how I get in, i just want to get in. Yeah, i don't care what happens, i have to play defense for Manny Ramirez. You know, like that would have been great for me. Just to say that I got to play And I knew that there was one guy I would face. It was Brian Fuentes, left-handed pitcher for the Angels, and nobody probably knew this, but including our team, including front office, and it would blow my mind if they actually did know this But I probably had more bats against him in the minor leagues than any other player that I ever played against And my numbers were fantastic against him in the minor leagues.
Speaker 3:But I was always known to be a good hitter off the bench against left-handed pitching. He was left-handed pitcher, i think they just you know, that's why I got pinched, that's why I pinched it in that time period was just to face him. But I had so much confidence going in there facing him. I had seen him, i had visualized probably 500 times during the series about how his arm slot was, how his ball was, how it kind of had like a writing effect, and you know, it's just, it's like I'd faced him 500 times before I actually had to face him.
Speaker 2:So you know, When you say visualize, you literally are sitting down and just pretending you're at bat, like how are you?
Speaker 3:visualizing Yeah just like you know, when you visualize in sports or baseball or whatever, you're just closing your eyes, visualizing his arm angle, his arm motion, how this ball looks, you know What does it feel like to be in the box against him. You know, like there's it's a unique, you know scenario. You know probably how you know Djokovic visualized facing Roger Federer. serve, i'm sure he does the same thing you know, like that's what they do.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and and in a what you know the the idea of visualization is your brain. you know it's proven that your brain doesn't know the difference between you actually visualizing and the actual event happening in place. So like when you're having, if you visualize success off a pitcher, this is what kind of what we would do. If you visualize success or hits or or whatever it is, your chances for success has increased you know, And so that's, that's what it was all about.
Speaker 3:But so, yeah, i you know I was ready And at the time, you know so, the the top of the eight starts, and I saw him running in. I'm like this is my chance, you know.
Speaker 2:Oh, so he just got put in at that, he got put in for the eighth inning.
Speaker 3:Oh, wow, and, and so this is my chance. And they actually didn't call me at first, they called Coco Crisp, to, to, to be the pinch header, okay, and I was just like total it down.
Speaker 3:Like, that's it Like that was my only chance to be Yeah In this world series. And so I went to the the top you know stair and was just kind of sitting there and just last, literally last minute, they, they completely changed their mind and said they started screaming my name and, you know, said I was going to hit And I was just like I jumped up you know it was freezing in Colorado, i wasn't really, you know. After I saw him say Coco, i kind of shut down.
Speaker 2:And then.
Speaker 3:so then I literally went, went to the, the bat rack, put on my helmet, grabbed my bat. There was a heater right there. I sat in front of the heater for maybe like 20 seconds, then started walking And as I was walking to the on deck circle, the umpires calling me the plate. So I really I got like one or two practice swings.
Speaker 3:And I'm walking And maybe it helped. you know, maybe I didn't have time to think. you know, maybe is, but as I was walking to the plate, i just the one thing I, you know, i told myself was this is the world series. Like, i'm not going up there taking pitches, i'm going up there to swing the bat you know?
Speaker 2:So were people telling you how to what to do Like?
Speaker 3:no, no, but you know there's, there's a, there's a situation. Sometimes you know you're leading off an inning. This is, you know, lead. You want to take a pitch, you know just to see. But I'd already seen him enough. You know I knew what he had and I knew I had to. His fastball kind of would, would ride and get on you a little bit. So I kind of cheated to the fastball You know I. I, you know, i'd like to say it's luck.
Speaker 3:but Yeah, the preparation you know the visualization, the, the amount of times I'd faced them. I don't believe it was luck. I think it was.
Speaker 2:It was meant to be you know, wow, you know it cracks me up watching the YouTube a bunch of times. This one comment made me laugh because you sort of rounded the base bases pretty quickly And obviously the game's not over right, not even close. So I was expecting more high fives and cheers, but the whoever was on deck didn't high five. You And I saw this comment on YouTube and they're like who's this guy on deck that didn't high five Bobby, like it just cracked me up. So, anyways, he was probably in the zone. He was in the zone. He was in the zone.
Speaker 3:And that happens a lot. You know he's walking in, I'm running by him fast, We miss high fives or whatever, And you know Manny and David Ortiz are hugging me, And so that was that was like super awesome And then, but yeah, it was just a surreal moment. You know, it was like there's two moments that I can describe as being called up as rookie, the adrenaline. You know, it was kind of like being a rookie again, like the adrenaline is so overwhelming you know when you get put in a situation like that And you know it was.
Speaker 3:it was like I was a rookie all over again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and like you said last at bat in the major, last at bat, yeah, last at bat, yeah.
Speaker 3:I would never run. A million years thought that.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:It just you know, it just ended up that way.
Speaker 2:How does Boston see you as a hero Like? are you known there or is it not really like that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean Boston fans are very knowledgeable, Yeah, And they remember you know, so certainly the fans that know their stuff. Yeah, they remember me for sure, Yeah, yeah, You know there was an altar that said he'll be able to get a beer at any bar in Boston for the rest of his life.
Speaker 2:During that game. he said that Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's what they said you know, So I haven't. I haven't actually gone to Boston and asked for my beer yet, but maybe someday. Oh, you haven't been back I have.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i've been back.
Speaker 3:It's just, you know, it's just, it's kind of a funny saying that they said which is which is cool?
Speaker 2:No, it's cool. Actually, I was going to ask that Do you have to pay for any alcohol in Boston?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that was exactly one of the questions.
Speaker 2:So obviously I can stay on this topic forever and it would just be interesting for anyone who's listening, but I want to try to relate it to tennis as much as I can. So when you talk about that situation of going up to bat World Series crowd, everything you know how does that relate to when you're playing a match like, let's let's say, our doubles match? And so when I came home after our doubles match, we ended up losing the first set, i think, coming back winning the second set, winning a very close third set, tiebreaker. And when I came home I actually talked to my wife about this and I said Bobby's built different, it's not like me and you were hitting the most amazing shots to win.
Speaker 2:But there was something I saw in you really and I mean this that there was something that made you just I don't even know how to describe it You weren't hitting better. But there was something in those close points where you were there like focused, you were mentally there and you just didn't miss And like I'm sure you can even think of some volleys or whatever. They were hitting at you hard And it's not like you were hitting this beautiful winter volley away, but you weren't missing, and so when I went home, when I thought of that match, i was like man Bobby's just built different. That must be something he's gained over time, like through his baseball years, where when it counts he's there, i don't know. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Speaker 3:Dude, I actually thought about similar, a lot of similar stuff. I felt like we both kind of clutched up at the end.
Speaker 3:And cause it was like the first set I felt like I was a little bit all over the place. I wasn't as consistent as what you're saying And then I don't know, i just I feel like we got in the heat of the battle and I really wanted to win. Like I was like God, i want to win this match. I felt like the pedigree on the other side was a little better than us, what they'd college tennis and what they'd been through, and it was just. I also didn't want to let you down.
Speaker 3:I wanted to win. Yeah, I mean, I felt like the important points were the ones we won.
Speaker 2:No, you're right.
Speaker 3:Totally. I don't feel like necessarily. They may have won more points, but we won the important ones.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:It was. I loved the match. It was an awesome match. I had a lot of fun that day.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, that was so fun. You know thinking when I read more on YouTube about the World Series, there was this one sentence that caught my eye and I tried to relate it back to tennis and even our tennis match. I know the sports aren't the same, but I was surprised to read that the Rockies made no errors in your World Series. I don't know if you've known this or read this.
Speaker 3:No, I didn't know that.
Speaker 2:Literally the third team in history to make no errors in a World Series. And there were. The other two teams were in the fifties, like Yankees, orales, something like that, and probably the other ones won. See, i don't know To tell you the truth, i have to look that up, but it was Yankees in the fifties and the Orioles in the sixties. So I'll look that up. You're probably right. Yeah, but I was so surprised to see no errors and a sweep against them. Obviously, the sports are different, because no errors is huge in baseball. But I sometimes think that's my issue in tennis, which is I'm playing for no errors instead of playing to win. Maybe can you talk about that a little. I know, maybe baseball isn't on perfect on point.
Speaker 3:Yeah, with baseball gosh, you get out there and you start playing a little timid and the game will pass you by. And that's what happens to a lot of players that get called up as rookies. They get nervous, they get scared and they get their shot and they don't necessarily succeed And they send them down and then they come back up And sometimes the same thing happens And you're like God, this guy's incredible in the minor leagues, but he can't put it together in the big leagues. And I think it has to do with playing timid And, yeah, just sometimes playing too safe. Right In tennis, sometimes, when you play too safe, you're like why didn't I go for that shot Or why didn't I? And yeah, i think at the end of the day, when you finish a tennis match and you feel like you went for it and you lost, you're going to feel a lot better if you didn't go for it and you lost.
Speaker 2:Yeah Right, i mean No, totally. All my regrets in tennis after the match are that I didn't trust myself in swing out And I'm not necessarily making a million errors, because I don't really make errors, but the other person's always blowing me out When I lose and I watch it on swing vision or something like that the other person's always blowing me out, and it's not like they're necessarily stronger than me. It's just that I'm not hitting out, i'm not trusting my shot, so it's definitely that.
Speaker 3:For sure, yeah, i mean. Yeah, it's just funny how the mind can get involved with your ability to perform. Yeah. You know, Yeah, I think when you can let it go and clear your mind and take all the extra information out and just play the way you're supposed to play, then I think good things happen right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, which is sort of what happened. Going back to our important points, i wasn't necessarily thinking It was just me and you reacting to each other, like you said, trying not to let each other down which is why doubles is so fun, different than singles But we were just there, just pumped, and I wasn't really thinking We were just swinging. Points were going fast, yeah, but we were super fast. Yeah, it was going fast, but somehow we were getting them. We were hitting the right serves, we were doing everything right And when it counted.
Speaker 3:Yeah, when it counted, it was strange. Yeah, i did, i would. I mean, i win singles matches And I'm not nearly as pumped as when it doubles. I don't know what it is, but I'm super excited when doubles. It's like a team thing.
Speaker 2:And we got one more league match. Was it next Saturday or?
Speaker 3:Sunday, next Saturday Yeah.
Speaker 2:So we got to play that one. Oh, you know what something I didn't ask you was? You were on the A's as well, prior to Boston.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Right, right prior to Boston. So that wasn't necessarily like the money ball year, right? Because I'm trying to think back to the movie I think it was. O2 is like supposedly the year of the movie.
Speaker 3:Of the movie. Yeah Yeah, O2 is the movie I was with the twins. In fact I'm in the movie money ball.
Speaker 2:Are you really? Yeah, wait, you personally are your name, so they, they flag their flashing cards.
Speaker 3:I don't know if you remember the part where they're flashing players, ok, and and I'm one of the players that pop up. In fact, a bunch of people always sent me a text like dude, i just saw you money ball Really, and it's super fast, right?
Speaker 2:OK, I got to check that out.
Speaker 3:But then also I'm the when they played the twins. I'm I'm actually live footage of me hitting in that movie. Oh my gosh, yeah, so it's.
Speaker 2:OK, i totally got to watch that.
Speaker 3:It was a huge out that they made, you know, to close out a big win you know it made. I can't remember if it was their big 20th win or not, but it was during that series when they were showing them, when all those games and I was one of the outs, that was a big win for them.
Speaker 2:Oh you're, you're one of the outs, meaning you hit, i hit and they, they threw me out.
Speaker 3:They threw you out. Yeah, to end the game. OK.
Speaker 2:So were you one of the guys that Billy Bean, or whoever else, wanted after?
Speaker 3:Oh, yes you were, yes, i was. So I got, i got traded there in 2004 in the offseason, ok, and I was a money ball guy, you know. I had a good on base percentage, yeah, so if you look at my stats from, like, the twins, my numbers are really good, you know. And I went to the Blue Jays, i got traded to the Blue Jays and then in between that off season and the next is when Billy traded for me, and so, and it was because of my on base percentage and so forth, and you know, i just when I went over to the A's, i just, you know, the playing time was a little sporadic right from the get go, which kind of created a, you know, a wonder in my mind is, as you know, i thought I was getting traded to play every day And I just wasn't getting thrown out there every day, you know.
Speaker 3:And so, yeah, i mean, could it have been different? Who knows? you know, there's a lot of things I probably could have changed in my major league career. I always wanted to play more and more and get more playing time And you know, i was one of the when I was with the twins. I was playing very well and and, but I was. I was bummed that I wasn't playing every day And I wanted to play every day And I was a young player and I felt like I deserved to play every day. You know, but at times I may have said the wrong things to my manager back then And that's probably why I got traded the first time. But you know, i probably could have stayed in Minnesota for 10 years and kept doing, kept doing the role that I was doing, but it's all you know.
Speaker 3:water on the bridge, in the sense that I just, you know, I wanted the opportunity to play every day, And I don't think it would ever would have happened in Minnesota, but I could have stayed there for a long period of time.
Speaker 2:So my understanding of the movie is the am I saying that right? Billy Bean, Is that the guy's name, right? Okay, His want for players and then whoever his assistant was, was because guys were undervalued. So were you considered an undervalued guy? or you're saying you were sort of flew under the radar? Well, yeah, I mean.
Speaker 3:So they always wanted to look for players. When they say undervalued, they're not getting paid a lot of money yet right.
Speaker 3:So if they can find a guy that has a year or two in the majors, we're like, you know, look at the on base percentage, you know there he's not really getting paid a lot of money. or they would look in the minor leagues, you know, and look for the high on base percentages and try to bring those guys in and you know they would have success and then they wouldn't have to pay that much for about three years, okay, and so that was kind of the way they did it and it worked extremely well for many, many years. But you know, i think it's I think that there's so many other teams doing that now that it's harder. it's harder to pull that off without spending money, you know, and keeping guys, and I think it'll continue to be harder because the front office has really dived, you know, dived into that and so. but the undervalue, yeah, i mean for me.
Speaker 3:you know I was a bench player, so I didn't, i wasn't putting up a lot of, i wasn't getting a lot of it at bats. That's really where it comes to. making a lot of money is getting that 500, 600 of bats And, as with those of bats, more, better numbers are coming. you know I was getting the you know 250 to 350 at bats, and so I was pretty cheap you know Okay.
Speaker 2:And so that was yeah, exactly So, and again, always trying to relate this back to tennis. But the more I looked into what Billy Bean was trying to accomplish, or even people before him, and trying to understand what Saber metrics is and all this stuff, i started realizing, like you said, it's more on base percentage versus just batting average. They were looking at other stuff, slugging percentage on base percentage, and then I was trying to relate that somehow to tennis And I know I'm just throwing this at you And if you don't have an answer, that's fine. But it seemed like Saber metrics.
Speaker 2:All these guys were trying to say we're focused on the wrong thing. I guess that probably came from the movie too, but it was like we're focused on the wrong thing here. Everyone just focused on batting average And that doesn't win games. And I'm trying to relate that somehow to tennis. And I started thinking maybe I'm focused on the wrong thing, like why aren't I winning? Am I focused on I don't know how, like my stroke, like sometimes not being conceited? I really try to look in the mirror and look at my stroke. You know what I mean by that. Right Like meaning I'm trying to. Is my stroke pretty? Is it the right way? Is it, you know, and so am I focused on the wrong thing. You think. Should I just be focused on, i don't know, keeping the ball in play, not making errors, going for it, like, what do you think it is? if that, if I?
Speaker 3:I think, like just me thinking about what you're saying, like if I were to, if I were to compare batting average to on base percentage, i would probably compare it to like how hard are you serving right? What's the speed of it compared to? am I serving it to the backhand more or am I serving it to the forehand?
Speaker 3:more right, So let's say you're slamming first serves and you're going to the forehand the whole time, you know, are you gonna have as much success? Yeah, so I think it's like I don't know, i kind of feel like that would maybe be more related. Like it's great that you have this big serve or this great average. Yeah, like, how successful is it? Yeah, you know, is it more successful that you'd have that great big serve to the backhand compared to the forehand? Like you know, i think most people are probably taught to like try to serve to the backhand more right, i mean, especially like to me.
Speaker 3:I'm a one-hander, you know. Yeah, yeah, so I think it's like they started diving into what really matters and what can win more games, right, and I think it's kind of like what you and I would look at if we were playing a singles match. We're gonna probably the first thing we're gonna do is try to beat up the backhand, come in and volley right, like you know, or just pound the backhand until you know something opens up, and so forth. Yeah, but that's kind of I don't know, that's kind of.
Speaker 2:No, it totally makes sense what you're saying, because I think it is what I do wrong, which is I'm more concerned with how hard or how slow is my first serve, like it's not fast enough. It's actually what I go out and practice. I'm probably practicing the wrong thing. I'm not noticing, like what's their weapon. I probably don't even notice sometimes if they're a lefty or a righty.
Speaker 2:to be honest, like till, maybe halfway through the match right I'm just like I know I'm gonna serve at this spot as hard as I can. So you're right, it's being focused on the wrong stuff totally.
Speaker 3:And sometimes like that's just playing. You know, playing to your strength, right? I mean, if your strength is to serve to a certain spot of the box and you're really good at it, then it may actually hurt you to try to go to. You know, if the backhand side isn't your best spot, maybe it would hurt you. You know what I mean, like I don't know.
Speaker 2:Well, that's interesting though, because I think about that too, am I, if I'm not noticing my opponent? I had a friend on Adam you know Adam, my friend Adam on the podcast And he actually said during the warmup in tennis, he's paying attention to them, what's their strengths, what their weakness is. And I said I've never done that once in my life. And now I'm thinking should I be, should I just play my strengths or should I play their weaknesses?
Speaker 3:I guess maybe a mixture of both problems, Probably a mixture of both right, yeah, i try to do that And sometimes I, you know, i evaluate wrong and it takes me a set to be like, okay, i've been going to his backhand the entire match and he's just not missing, you know. And then, or for example, let's say, you're hitting big first serves and they don't have any problem with it, and then you hit kick serves and they're having a problem with it And it's just all kick. But that one always confuses me. You know, if I'm serving big and they're slapping it back just as hard, then I'm like I'm not going to do that anymore. You know, that's not fun watching it come back at me And I, you know. So, yeah, i don't know, i'm always trying to figure something out. Sometimes I'm not right, sometimes I am, i guess, but I try to figure it out. And warmups, you know, and see what it looks like.
Speaker 2:So so you are thinking about that Even during the match. You're not just out there swinging. You'll do high top spin, you'll change it up, you'll do as much as you can.
Speaker 3:I try to yeah, Okay, Especially with the serve, because I feel like if I can get something where I'm like, oh, that's working you know I'm going to keep doing it because it's working. Because, I don't want the ball coming back. Yeah, You know I'm not, I'm not, I'm not good enough for it to come back and have to react to it.
Speaker 2:And we're getting too old and too heavy. My strokes aren't that pretty you know, My strokes are kind of they're like my my swing and baseball.
Speaker 3:It wasn't a pretty thing, but it got the job done you know, yeah, what do you weigh right now?
Speaker 2:Do you want to say that on air? I'm like G25. And what's a good weight like that you would love to be for 10?.
Speaker 3:I'd love to be like 205, you know, 210. I'd be faster and I wouldn't hurt as much. I think the weight, just it, crushes my knees. Not that 225 is like super heavy, but I didn't need to lose some weight.
Speaker 2:So you're a good 20, you would like to lose 20.
Speaker 3:20,. Yeah, 15 to 20.
Speaker 2:That's actually exactly what I'm at, if I can lose 15 to 20, which I have before, and my tennis was amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Like everything was different. I think everything will the movement, the mobility you know, like I mean, wouldn't you agree, Like when you, when you have the mobility, you're that much better.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wasn't hurting, like especially when I was stretching too. When I lost the weight for some reason, I was doing everything else right, Like now I'm doing nothing right. I should be least stretching, you know, doing some other things right, But when I lost the weight I was doing everything right.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like I was stretching, i was doing sit ups Yeah, i don't do that stuff, right now, i don't either. You just feel better. You know, Oh, totally, And my back felt better When I was doing sit ups. My back felt amazing. Now, every morning when I wake up, my back hurts. I'm like why Is it in my back? And no, it's probably have a weak stomach. Yeah, Oh man, What else are you gonna say? So you know, when we played doubles, you played the backhand right, yeah, i played the backhand.
Speaker 2:You did play the backhand, Okay that's right And which later on I started thinking about that. That's a little strange. Right, You have the one-hander And I got the two-hander. I feel a little more comfortable on my two-hander And I don't remember why we did that.
Speaker 3:Well for me. I struggle with the one-handed backhand inside out. You know That's a tough shot for me, oh yeah, yeah. Whereas the backhand cross court is a little easier for me, you know. So I think that we probably could play really well the other way too, mm-hmm, you know, but I would probably go with more cut lobs over the net player than trying to go inside out. That's tough for me.
Speaker 2:On the do side.
Speaker 3:On the do side, On the do side. out one-hander is a difficult shot for me to pull off.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:But if I can rip a one-hander cross court, it just tends to work a lot better for me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, when you're teaching right now, you said you're teaching just kids, or is it all around?
Speaker 3:Kids, adults.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you are.
Speaker 3:Yeah, everybody Were you gonna ask which one I teach.
Speaker 2:No, well, i was gonna ask like that because I'm interested. when you're dealing with your own problems and doubles, like you're noticing, you know you're hitting this shot better, that shot better, like I was just interested on how you're teaching kids Like, is it double strategy? Are you not there yet? That's what I was asking about. the age.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we do. I mean with the high school girls I get into double strategy with them. It's pretty simple, basic stuff to make sure they're positioned, you know right And you know trying to come in when the ball is deep and so forth. But, like as far as strokes are concerned, i just feel like the two-hander is just a better shot to teach. So I don't ever teach a one-hander.
Speaker 2:Interesting.
Speaker 3:I haven't taught a one-hander to anybody. It's always a two-hander.
Speaker 2:So even right when they're starting out, you're making sure.
Speaker 3:Right when they're starting out. I just, you know, you watch the two-hander's return serve and I feel like it's always better Yeah. I mean wouldn't you agree?
Speaker 2:No, i do, because the one-hander has to rely on the slice. I mean, if you're Federer who cares, i guess but, you're right, the one-hander has to rely on the slice a lot.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i mean you hear. you know you watch the pros play and all the great one-handers you still hear the commentators always talking about. You know the one-hander's gonna break down.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, just hear it.
Speaker 3:I hear it over and over again on TV. Like you know, sits a boss. You know his return to serve on the one-handed side. Backhand isn't near as good as his forehand. Yeah, so it's, and I. There's times where I wish I was a two-handed returner and then a one-handed shot maker Interesting.
Speaker 2:You know? Yeah, that's interesting. I never thought about that, because I do actually hit a one-hand if it's really low and the guy's pressing the net and it's a certain shot I really can't describe it, maybe unless we're on the court, but it's a certain shot where I'm running to the left. I actually do hit a one-hander sometimes.
Speaker 3:Because you can maneuver, maneuver it. Yeah, i agree.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Cause it feels. It feels a little stuck when the two hands. But the one hand I'll just, I feel You can flick it, Flick it.
Speaker 3:Cross-court, kind of like a forehand right. Yeah, yeah, i agree, i agree, and but the return to serve? I'd much rather have a two-handed.
Speaker 2:No, you're right. Yeah, yeah, that's interesting. Are you using weight on your racket at all?
Speaker 3:Like lead. Yeah, no, have you ever? I haven't no.
Speaker 2:Do guys? I mean I know baseball, they weigh their bats and everything, but I don't know, is there anything comparable like that in baseball?
Speaker 3:Yeah, i mean. So when we order bats they're all a little different. Oh, like you could. You could order a dozen bats and there's there's six to eight of them that you actually like. The other four you're like just doesn't feel right And it could be a 0.1 ounce, but we can feel it. It's really when you're swinging a bat every single day And it's just that it's kind of like they talk about Federer swinging rackets. They're like, yeah, this isn't right, so it's not right about it. And it's maybe the most minuscule gram of an ounce or whatever you know, like that's on, that's on an intelligent gram of an ounce, but it's so minuscule that you'd think that they wouldn't know. You know, and it may even be wrote on there, that it's the same weight, but we'll go measure it and it's not the same weight.
Speaker 2:I've always been interested about that too, because they actually say that when you get your racket it might be slightly different, Slightly different yeah. Which is why the pros have someone that weighs it and they do use weight, but they'll get all the specs exactly the same Perfect Cause, you're right.
Speaker 3:I mean, it may happen to them too, where they get 10 rackets coming and maybe they only like four of them. Yeah, But that's what happens with baseball too. It's so mental, you know like you're like God, it just doesn't feel quite right Or maybe the bat was cut.
Speaker 3:It's the same exact weight. You measure it, but it wasn't cut exactly the same way. You know what I mean. There's a little more head weight in the barrel. That will get you. Every time There's a little more head weight in the barrel You're like no, it's gotta feel bad. Like. For me it always had to be a balanced bat. I didn't like any weight at the end of the bat, cause it just felt heavy.
Speaker 2:How about in tennis? then? Are you head light, handle heavy?
Speaker 3:Do you care?
Speaker 2:about that stuff, do you think?
Speaker 3:about it. I don't like it when it's the lighter head. You know, lighter head, light, lighter head, yeah, i like it. I think, whether you measure it at a one, is it like 0.51 or whatnot? I like it right at a one.
Speaker 2:Cause I've been putting. I gotta show you, after been taking the butt cap off, and I actually put fishing putty. You know the putty that they put on. You know fishing lines when they throw, like to make it to get a little heavier. I've been stuffing that in the butt cap. It's tungsten putty and the handle feels nice. So it's making it's heavier down here. It's heavier down the handle, so technically it's. It's called it's making the racket head light, because obviously the handle's heavier than the head, but for some reason it feels so nice and it feels a little deader to me, so something about it when I hit just feels really nice.
Speaker 3:Cool. I mean, you gotta find. You gotta find what feels good, right? Yeah, like you know, as a, i think, as a tennis player, as a baseball player, both situations if it doesn't feel right, how can you really perform like the way that you want to? Yeah, it's always gonna be in your head, man, something's not right with my racket or something's not right with my bat, i think it's impossible to perform to your best, but if it feels great, you know watch out.
Speaker 2:How did you get into tennis after baseball? Was it always part of your life?
Speaker 3:No, so, my, you know, i got my daughters into tennis. I just always felt like it'd be a good sport for them to get into. And they just were, you know, taking lessons at Canyon Lake, and I figured, man, i better start playing, because at some point I didn't want to get beat you know, And so it was. I didn't want to get beat by them.
Speaker 2:By them. Yeah, oh, you didn't want to get beat by them.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i didn't want to get beat by them because they're getting good, you know, and my, you know, i hit with my daughter now and she can beat me in a set here and there, you know, yeah, and it's like And she's out of college. She's a 17 year old, she's a junior. She's a junior, okay, but she's graduating early. So she's graduating this year as a junior. But you know, when I play her, i'm like man, some of the there's a lot of 5-0 guys that don't hit as hard as she does.
Speaker 2:She hits really hard.
Speaker 3:And her backhand's super hard and flat So it rushes me. you know It's hard to it's hard. She gets points off me that way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the younger kids right now are hitting so hard. There's some kids on my club. They hit so hard, man Oh man Like, wouldn't you agree?
Speaker 3:Like, the kids are hitting harder.
Speaker 2:I think so. I don't know if it's just us being old and we're thinking that, but I truly believe it.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I know for a fact I wasn't hitting as hard as them when I was young and I was playing all the time.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, it's just, it's different. I mean you would know more than me. I didn't play tennis. I mean I played very little tennis when I was little. We did, like me and my buddy. I had a good friend who I grew up with. We actually both played in the big leagues, you know, And it's just a, but we would go down. I mean he was Michael Chang, right, Like that's who. he was imitating his swings and everything, And I was always imitating Boris Becker, Like that's what we were trying to do. We'd go and watch Wimbledon and matches all the time. We watched tennis. We didn't play a lot, but we watched it. And then we went to the tennis courts and tried to emulate the way that they hit, they served, all the things that they did. Even though we may not look like them, we felt like we looked like them.
Speaker 2:So when did you start playing more often? and obviously you're teaching now, so when did you start really getting into playing?
Speaker 3:So like probably I wanna say it's about six years now when I started playing like six years ago, started at the three, five level, Then I was playing like mixed 7-0 with my sister and just players from the club And then 4-0 and then 4-5 and then 5-0.
Speaker 2:How long have you been a 5-0?
Speaker 3:I've been a 5-0 for it's either two or three years now. Okay, But I feel like when I became a 5-0, it's just like I haven't played that much The last few years. shoot like the leagues that you and I played. That's all I've really played. I haven't gotten to play much at all, like three. I think it was about three years ago. we did take a 5-0 team to sectionals, which was super fun, but that was we can't put two 5-0 leagues together or teams in our league here in Riverside to do it, Otherwise we'd probably go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, it's so hard in our area because it's us, then you, and then the next club is I don't even know where a good 20, 30 miles worth of you And you got you know Andoka's dude.
Speaker 3:I mean it used to be. Yeah, andoka had a 4-5 team. We had a 4-5 team, maria, the tennis club had a 4-5 team And you had even Ken Kress had a 4-5 team. Then you also had the Rancho, the crickets. I don't know if you ever played against the crickets, but they had a 4-5 team And it was a great league. But, man, when coronavirus hit a league died. It's lucky to get two teams for the league now. Plus, guys are getting older. You know what?
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, it seems like you could still get a 4-5 team together. The 5-0 gets a little tougher, 5-0's hard.
Speaker 3:Yeah, at our age I think It is It's hard to get a 5-0 team together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so what's your daughter's plan? Does she want to go play in college? She does.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i had my older daughter. She originally signed to go play division two at a school up North And then it was still gonna be kind of expensive to go there, and then she also applied to University of Arizona. And she got a full academic ride there, So it just made sense you know, Okay, and she's having a blast there, so it's.
Speaker 2:Is she playing any sports?
Speaker 3:She just kind of messes around with recreational stuff, yeah. And then my younger daughter she really wants to focus over the next six, eight months and try to get a rating up to go D1. Oh, wow, it's. You know, the D1 for men and girls is super frustrating because it's like 80% European players Oh interesting.
Speaker 2:I guess it's always been, It hasn't no?
Speaker 3:I don't know how long it's been like that for a little while now But you know 15,. I don't even know the total years, but I know 15,. 20 years ago it wasn't like that.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:But you know, i don't know. I kind of feel like there should be a cap, but just to get more Americans to division one tennis you know, it's just, it's super, super hard And in fact the stats show now that it's the hardest sport out of any sport to make it in D1. As an American athlete, you know If you compare football basketball, the percentages is I think the it's the lowest, for Americans actually play D1 tennis.
Speaker 2:Interesting. I mean I guess it also goes into tennis as more of a world sport versus football or even basketball. Well, basketball is a world sport, let's be real.
Speaker 3:but Basketball yeah.
Speaker 2:It's still, i guess, american sort of lead the way still, But not like tennis.
Speaker 3:I feel like and someone described this to me recently as like college tennis is like the minor leagues for baseball Yeah, in the sense that the players are so good. Yeah, you know, you win the NCAAs and you got an automatic bid you know For sure. Into the US Open.
Speaker 2:Yeah, which is pretty awesome. Oh heck, yeah. Did you get a chance to go see Ohio? Did you go watch any college? I didn't.
Speaker 3:No, i haven't been to Ohio yet.
Speaker 2:You haven't, but you know of it, i know of it yeah, okay, love to go.
Speaker 3:I'd love to do it and experience it, but I haven't done it yet.
Speaker 2:Oh, your daughter would love it too, cause I got to go and I watched the Pac-12 Women's and Men's Finals. So it was Stanford versus USC for women's and USC versus Utah for men's.
Speaker 3:Oh wow, really Wait, usc were in both then. Yeah, oh, wow I guess they always are.
Speaker 2:I don't follow it that much, but I guess USC is always there. Oh, are they? Yeah, and I think they won the Pac-12 the last three or four years and then they get to go to the NCAA tournament. Yeah, so it was so fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, I think I'd like to see all the grand slams at some point. Oh heck. yeah, And next year my wife and I are going for our 25th anniversary to do Wimbledon.
Speaker 2:That's actually gonna be our 25th anniversary, so that'll be fun Very cool. Have you seen any pro tournaments recently?
Speaker 3:I always go to Indian Wells.
Speaker 2:Okay, did you go this?
Speaker 3:year I did. Yeah, We go every year And our kids have always been ball kids there. So, they were there. They were ball kids for like five, six years. You know, i think their highlight was I think they both have done Federer and Serena Williams- Oh, my gosh So they don't let those, they don't let the inexperienced kids go on. But after like four or five years they got to go on the main stage and ball kid with those. So that was cool.
Speaker 2:What's that process like you go try out, like literally, you have to try out.
Speaker 3:Yeah it's actually pretty easy. If you have tennis experience in your kid, you can. Just you know. If you research it online, you know ball kids for Indian Wells. All you gotta do is do the training. It's usually a four day training situation. And once you pass everything that you're required to pass, they'll take you. Oh, that's cool. It's all you know non-pay.
Speaker 2:You know they don't pay you, or?
Speaker 3:anything. At one point we were thinking about let them do the US Open. You know That would have been cool. They actually pay you for the US Open. Oh really, That would be cool, but we never did it.
Speaker 2:She did it this year too, or no?
Speaker 3:She didn't do it this year. No, they didn't do it this year, they did last year and the last five, or I think five years, five, six years before that.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's so cool.
Speaker 3:But yeah, they always loved it. It was a super fun experience for kids. If anyone you know listening, it's actually pretty easy to get into those And, which is a perk, they give you two tickets to every single day.
Speaker 2:Really, yeah, oh my gosh. So that's kind of a Oh heck yeah.
Speaker 3:So we had three. we had six tickets to every single event.
Speaker 2:So it was pretty cool, we were giving them away and stuff but My little one's eight, So she wanted to do it, but that's probably too young. She probably wouldn't understand what's going on and how to do it yet.
Speaker 3:Yeah you know they used to take the really young ones, but I know they recently, in the last couple years I think, they made an age cap on it.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:I don't know what that age is. It may be 12, it may be 14. I know that both my kids were doing it at 12. At one point. But yeah, i think eight is gonna eat, probably I think it's 12. It could be 14, but if it's, if they're not getting a lot of ball kids, they probably open it up to some younger ones, you know.
Speaker 2:I remember that. That totally remind me of that bat boy Problem. They used to be like young bat boys, right, yeah, well, something happened. Yeah, and I remember what that thing was, like someone ran into him. Oh yeah, no.
Speaker 3:He. He was going to home plate to get a bat when the play was going and there was a runner, you know, coming in and and it was gonna be a play at the plate and Somebody I think maybe the guy in deck had to grab him and yank him out of the way the bat boy, yeah, yeah. And so, yeah, it was a kind of a scary moment because, yeah, you know, he would have got crushed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah it would have been ugly. Oh my gosh. Yeah, so they don't have any young bat boys anymore.
Speaker 3:I don't think they have any young. they used to have the little ones you know do it, But yeah, they don't do that anymore. Yeah, just for safety reasons. Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Well, bobby, i know you gave me an amazing present. I don't know if you've watched the podcast, so I try to give everyone one little present. This won't match up to what you gave me, but this is an a caress card, oh shit. So I collect cards. Leaf made this card this year actually, and it's it's numbered to 2300 something. So they only made that many of this particular card, and then they have a signature one where it's worth a lot more. Where's autograph? Oh right, i bought three or four this particular card. I kept one and I gave out one last week and I wanted to give you that just say thank you, this is awesome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you really really for coming.
Speaker 2:So I really appreciate it. Bobby, um, i mean, just you talking about Visualizing alone, really, i think made this podcast and then obviously you talking about your experience in the world series. But I'm gonna start doing that because I do. Sometimes on a long drive I'll just start thinking about playing a point, and every now and then it's pretty rare, but I think I should do it I'll actually try to play a set in my head. Yeah, and I don't know why I did it that one time I just sort of imagined it like and I don't remember if I, if I won in my imaginary set or not. Yeah, i guess it doesn't matter, or maybe I should win. Do you think I should visualize?
Speaker 3:Oh, i think, I think the positive experiences are what you're really trying to get out. So, yeah, you know, a great example of of a server Compared to a pitcher is a perfect visualization situation, like a pitcher can visualize hitting corners or Or I'm gonna hit a slider, or I'm gonna throw a slider on the outside corner, i'm gonna throw a slider down and in or whatever they're gonna do.
Speaker 3:But you know, at one point You know as a pitcher you could actually visualize what you're gonna pitch. The second, before you actually pitch it, and the chances of success, of that pitch getting executed It increases by a certain percent. So like, let's say, you're serving, you're like I Want to hit the tee and close to the tee for an ace, right. So the few, if you actually visualize you doing that right before you did it, hypothetically, your chances of actually executing it should be a little bit higher.
Speaker 3:Wow, that's so cool Cuz you're, because your mind thinks it just did it and it's gonna try to repeat the motion you know Like, so that that would be a great example of of a of a pitcher and a server.
Speaker 2:Yeah, hitting your spots, which obviously I guess every now and then I do this when I'm playing my best tennis, i'll sort of know where the it never on the serve. My serve is never good. Maybe that's a problem not visualizing on my serve, but on the return, on the ad side, every now and then I can sort of call where they're gonna hit it, mm-hmm, and I sort of feel like I'm I'm like writing a script. I go, okay, they're gonna hit here, i'm gonna hit here, the next ball is gonna land here. And every now and then, like two or three balls, i can almost see it happening prior to it happening, yeah, and if it happens that way, man, i'm hitting a good, you stick it right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, guys, served you Five or six balls in the spot and then, like you're, like you're like seeing before it happened, he's gonna go to that spot again. Yeah, you, just you end up crushing it, right, that's no totally the same same scenario? Yeah okay, well, i gotta, i gotta, try to implement that more or like let's say, you know, you could just visualize, You know great shots down the line or something you know, stuff like that, i think is There's just so many similarities like being in baseball and then and then going to tennis.
Speaker 3:The similarities are are are really The serve is like a throwing. You know Seeing the ball bounce and recognizing where you're supposed to be before early. You know trying to get the spots early. You know It's just like you know reading a ground ball Yeah, um, where you're supposed to make contact, you're always supposed to feel the ball out in front. You're supposed to make contact out in front. You know all those little things kind of play. But it's. It's such a good Transitional sport like I like right now. I like tennis way more in baseball. But I played baseball my entire life. I burnt out, you know. But if you were to say, hey, bob, you want to go play a baseball game or a tennis match, i'm gonna pick tennis match, really 100% of the time so how?
Speaker 2:how much Like hitting the ball in baseball versus? I guess it would be maybe a forehand if you're righty. So how similar or dissimilar are those like? are you? are you seeing a lot of similarities, like hip turn, shoulder turn, i don't know? Lag with the bat, is there anything like that?
Speaker 3:I mean there's a lag with the bat. Yeah, the the hands come through first and the barrel comes, you know, second. But there's nothing I can't home run.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3:You know the grind of hitting is is way harder to deal with. Then then They're different than playing a tennis match. Like tennis matches is more more of a consistent mental grind. Baseball's more of a. You know you fail and then you got to wait to your next at bat. Yeah, it's so much farther down the road and then you take another at bat and then you know, let's say you go for four in a in a game And that's why slumps are so bad, like mentally you want to beat yourself up. You know, because if you go on a, if you go on a 10 game, you know slump in your oh for your last 40.
Speaker 3:It feels like it feels like eternity, you know, whereas you know, whereas tennis, you know It's not. It's more, for me at least it's it's more like The. The entire match is more of a mental grind and then when you're done Win or lose you're not beating yourself up as much. Hmm, sometimes you can right, but, yeah, by the next day You're not really, you're ready to play again, yeah, whereas in in a baseball situation, man, you can beat yourself up for a very long time.
Speaker 2:I had a buddy once tell me who played baseball. I think he got into the minors, um but he said hitting a baseball is the hardest thing in sports. I forget we had an argument about it one time and I don't remember why we were arguing about just buddies arguing about sports stuff, yeah, um, what do you think about that? How is that? is there anything comparable to trying to hit a fast major league pitchers ball, you know?
Speaker 3:When, when I first got called up, I was like Blown away with major league pitching like man.
Speaker 3:This is not going to last long you know, I was like I I'm going back, like because, because the movement and the speed and and and how fast everything was, yeah, uh, encapsulated with the fact that I was, um, geeked out of my mind to be there and the adrenaline was through the roof.
Speaker 3:I couldn't control what I was doing, um, and then, as you get called up again, slows up a little bit and then you get sent down and you get called up again and then it starts becoming like the game that you played your entire life. But, um, i coached jv baseball at elsonor And you know, when you're a great hitter, you don't feel like it's the hardest thing that do in the world, right, like You've hit your whole life and it's, and it's something that you have success with and and and Like I would never say that because I did have success and and and I wouldn't say that was the hardest thing to do in the world, right, because I actually was able to do it. But then, when I coached this past year and I and I saw how difficult it was for high school hitters to hit not just Good pitching but sometimes average pitching, it made me think I'm like, damn, i don't remember it being this hard, um, but yeah, it's. It's extremely hard to do and and when you watch You know pitchers dominate hitters at at this little level you start to realize how, how difficult it is to hit It's not easy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i mean I think I've talked to you about this, but that's how I feel. Playing these opens, which is it's just a different level of speed, because I I'm not trying to like float my own boat or wherever the expression is saying I'm on equal ground, is them in talent? But I do feel that way. A lot of times I feel like our strokes are pretty similar. Talent why? some of these guys are just absolutely amazing, but a lot of times I feel I'm on an equal plane as my opponent. But it's this, the speed of their ball. I'm just not used to And it's that little and I've said this before on other podcasts where it might be just a 10 mile per hour difference, but it's a world of difference for me. I just I'm just that split second late on everything And it it's like it's an easy match for them.
Speaker 3:And maybe my balls that much slower to them. I think that That is a great comparable, like when I first got to the big leagues And, and even more so, like if I was, if I was younger, like and I was in college And I had to go face big league pitching like I would have got dominated you know, but the more you see it like, the more you play those guys, the more you get used to it, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no, i do, and that's why I think the more I'm playing opens, the The slower it's feeling that. Not that it's getting any slower, but the more I'm getting used to it right, and I can be calm out there. Yeah more than I'm just feeling like I'm, you know, going everywhere and I can't get my my feet under me kind of thing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i mean, i think the more you face it, the the easier it is and and you'll start catching up and and you'll be like Man. I remember my that overwhelming feeling that I had. That like this is impossible, but sooner or later, when you're around it and you see it daily, it's not as impossible, you know, and and even more so like if you hit with that type of a player on a daily basis, you'd probably fit right in.
Speaker 3:You know, because you're right, your, your strokes and and everything is Is at the level, but they're just a little, a little bit faster. That you don't get to see on a daily basis. That's how I, that's how I would see it, and I feel like that's kind of similar to Maybe some of the juniors in in this area and they got to go play in orange county. You know the orange county kids, ellie, you know they're hitting with better players daily, yeah, and so you know, sometimes The kids here they go out and they play tournaments and they get beat. And it's not that they can't, they're not as good as athletes, because a lot of them are sometimes better athletes. Sometimes they're, you know, but they they're not seeing that just a little bit more speed or just a little bit better, um, you know tactical skills, but sooner or later they'll, they'll catch up, you know that's how I feel you know.
Speaker 3:I mean, sooner or later, the crop will, the cream will right. You know, rise for the crop. You know to the top and and um yeah, but like for for you, like I feel like I feel the same way, like when I don't play and then we go and play a match, like there's times when I'm like I'm over matched right now, you know, but I think it's more because they've either one. They've played Against that type of a player for so long.
Speaker 3:Yeah that they're like. This is, this is you know piece of cake, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Well, we got to play some dubs. I'll try to find a tournament for us. Maybe we'll do some filming and I'll try to put it on the channel and stuff.
Speaker 3:Dude, I'd love to play dubs with you and and make a run. You know, i think we could do really well.
Speaker 2:We'll find the right tournament for us not too crazy Yeah something right in the middle, we'll figure it out, yeah for sure. That'd be, that'd be awesome, awesome, bobby. Well, thank you, my friend. Um, i'm gonna close it up here, but I really appreciate. Thanks.
