RoughRiders 1B Blaine Crim

Episode 154 June 11, 2022 00:26:25
RoughRiders 1B Blaine Crim
Hustle and Pro - Frisco's Sports Podcast
RoughRiders 1B Blaine Crim

Jun 11 2022 | 00:26:25

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Hosted By

Kelly Walker

Show Notes

Episode 154: Frisco RoughRiders first baseman, Blaine Crim, sits down with Hustle and Pro to talk baseball in Frisco. We talk about his journey leading up to the minor leagues, living with teammates and his wife at the same time, and his mindset as DH and first base. 

RESOURCES:

• Frisco RoughRiders: https://www.milb.com/frisco

• Blaine Crim: Bio | Twitter: @Bcrim23

Give me a comment, a wave, a message. You can find me on Instagram @hustle_and_pro or email me at [email protected].

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 0 00:00:00 Hey everybody. Thanks for joining. Before we start the episode, I wanted to give you a little sneak peek of our setup. We are at writer's field today. I'm not out on the field in the wind, in the sun. I'm in a suite and our guest is gonna join us soon, but I just wanted to show you what's going on outside. So he's one of those outfielders out there, uh, taking BP and SHA balls. And in just a few minutes, he's gonna join us and we'll get started with this episode of hustle and pro. Welcome to episode 1 54 of hustle and pro I'm your host Kelly Walker. We're here at writer's field and our guest today is re writer first spaceman Blaine, crim, welcome to hustle and pro Speaker 2 00:00:39 Thank you. It's a pleasure to be Speaker 0 00:00:40 Here. It is fun to have you in person sitting down talking to you. Yeah. So in my notes, I have that, um, you were drafted by the Rangers in 2019. You're a Mississippi college guy. Mm-hmm <affirmative> um, and then you were named top first baseman, the post-season all star, uh, player of the week player of the month, then promoted up here to Frisco, August 3rd of 21. Does all that sound right? That's correct. Okay. Take us back a step before, before the blame we know here in Frisco, then what was like your, your childhood story of, of sports and baseball? Was it all sports, just baseball all the time. Speaker 2 00:01:13 Typical baseball guy. Um, growing up, I was super unathletic unathletic on very unathletic. Okay. Um, short on the large side, um, underdeveloped. I was younger for my grade, so I was kind of like, I was at some 0.2 years behind some people that I was playing with. Oh, wow. Um, so, you know, I was seeing them hitting puberty as I was growing up and I was not. Um, but because of that, I just kind of fell in love with baseball was the only thing I was decent at at the time. And then my parents of course helped facilitate, you know, travel ball and, you know, they, you were serious. Yeah. They sacrificed everything for me to, you know, plan every weekend doing all that kind of stuff. So I've tried football out. Um, late middle school, early high school got thrown around bullied by some studs at my school. So that was not for me. I was eating grass too much. Oh Speaker 0 00:02:07 Man. Where are you from? Speaker 2 00:02:08 I'm from, okay. Yep. So I was right next to BBA Thompson. So I was watching him do his stuff in the football field. Um, so I was kind of stuck with baseball, you know, of course I was the kid who dreamed of playing the MLB and going to vision one first and just your prototypical dream, um, found out early in high school. That was not gonna be the thing for me. Um, all the schools I wanted to go to just believed I was underdeveloped, which I was, um, so throughout my high school career, junior and senior year stuff, kind of going my way, putting up some numbers. But at the time Mississippi college was really the only real school that was interested in me. Um, they were giving me the opportunity to hit and pitch. Um, oh, okay. And so felt like that was the place for me. Went there had the best four years of my life, um, met my wife, met countless, you know, lifelong friends, um, actually talked to my coach today. So it was just, that's great. Yeah. Unbelievable experience. Speaker 0 00:03:07 So, so sometimes people don't realize in general how hard it is. Yeah. Um, when you're a parent of an athlete or an athlete with those dreams, you think if they're really good, they'll be able to play at higher levels. Right. Like you just gotta be really good. Yeah. There's so much more to it. So when you say you kind of hit you in early in high school, what do you just notice that like the talent around you or just the people aren't, you know, knocking on your door asking me, or you're just not, you can just tell that it's just the numbers aren't there, right? Speaker 2 00:03:36 Yeah. Um, my dad was, you know, one of those annoying parents in a good way. Um, you know, he was like, where do you want to go? Like what we need to do to get you there? You know, I went to camp, I went to try or showcases. I went to these all star things in Alabama to put myself in front of all these eyes and, you know, they, they liked what they saw, but like I said, they just kind of thought I was more of a Juco route than division one route. And, um, I wanted to be a doctor at the time. So Mississippi college had a good pre-med. I had good grades to where, um, you know, I got a good scholarship to go there and, you know, I felt like I had the opportunity to play mm-hmm <affirmative>, like I said, I could have gone junior college and you know, I'm playing with plenty of guys that played junior college that could have been a route that was good for me. There Speaker 0 00:04:23 Are a lot of routes. Yeah. And that's what I mean, like you, you still end up here. So in 2019 you still get drafted by, well, you know, I'm a Homer, so a great organization. Should I say for the Rangers? Um, so do, does it reset your expectations of like your dreams and your like, do you reset your goals and now you're like, all right, I'm in the system. Yeah. And so you start out in a league or a ball, right. And so you have these good seasons. And so now, like how, how are you looking at your goals and like defining what steps are your success? Speaker 2 00:04:55 It's funny. Um, my first season, I was kind of like stunned that I got drafted. I'd seen so many guys in my conference do so well, way better than the numbers that I put up and they never got a chance to get drafted. Um, looking back, I apparently had some, uh, more in depth numbers that they liked, um, that didn't just jump off the page at other people, but, you know, the Rangers were actually the first one on me. Um, Rick Schroeder and Brian Morrison did a good job of keeping up with me. And, um, they made it known that they wanted me going into my senior year. And then I had some other teams kind of come in, but not enough to where I was like, wow, I'm a huge draft prospect. Like yeah. You know, I still took a, had a sales job lined up. Speaker 2 00:05:40 Um, cause you never know. Yeah. Yeah. I was getting, you know, I knew I was about to be engaged, so, and I knew the route, you know, I, I didn't have any buddies that were playing minor league baseball besides Bubba. And of course Bubba was the first rounder. I didn't know anybody that would've taken a similar route to me as me. So I didn't know what to expect. Yeah. So honestly, going into my first season, it was kind of just like, Hey, I'm just gonna play this this one season. Um, and just see where it goes. Speaker 0 00:06:06 I think that's all you can do is season by season or, you know yeah. Part of the season by part of the season too, as you, as you know, you know, you never know where you're gonna end up. Um, okay. That's interesting. But I love that though. Every path is different and you, you can't control it, right? Yeah. Uh, that's a big part of it too. All right. So I was here for media day, which I can't believe was so long ago now. Yeah. It's already, like this season is already like in full swing. Um, but you talked about plate discipline and how last year you try to do too much, you feel like in expanding your, your, uh, strike zone. So here we are recording this at the end of may 10 home runs in, how are you feeling now? Speaker 2 00:06:42 I feel like you're kinda starting to pick up. Um, I feel like a lot of the swings that I was putting on balls early in the season were good, but maybe necessarily the results weren't coming. Um, I was kind of feeling some stuff out and, you know, I felt good about, like you said, the plate discipline. I felt like I was taking pictures that I should have been taken. I didn't feel like I was really chasing. I just feel like I was kind of getting pitched well by some of the staffs we were seeing, you know, which is gonna happen. But, um, you know, in reality to hit these guys, you have to hit their mistakes. You're not hitting their, their good pitches. Right. And so I just felt like I was getting pitched really well. And then, you know, two or three weeks ago, I felt like my swing started kind of taking off. I started to feel stuff I felt last year and kind of just ran with it. Um, you know, of course the being in the top five of this order is, is fun to hit into, you know, I'm hitting in good spots a lot of the time. Yeah. And you know, they either gotta throw to FOS me or, or Duran or Dustin or J. So it's kind of like one of the, be Speaker 0 00:07:43 Mistaken. Speaker 2 00:07:43 Yeah. Yeah. Somebody's gonna get pitches to hit. It's just about knowing that you might not get one this go round and being okay. Not pressing that one at bat, knowing that maybe another at bat in the game, you're gonna get that mistake. Sure. And I feel like if you're worried about, you know, trying to do too much, this one at bat, it can just carry over, carry over, carry over your 15 at bats in, you only got two hits and you're like, man, I could have really knit this in the bud, you know, three it bats in. Yeah. Um, Speaker 0 00:08:08 That's that patience though with this sport is that you have to let those at bats go behind you, right? Yeah. I mean, there's a time to go look at them and, and figure out if there's something wrong, but for the most part you have to just push onto next and let it go. Yeah. Speaker 2 00:08:21 Yeah. You just have to flush every, you know, every night you leave here till you're coming back a new day. Um, you know, I had one of our mental performance skills guys tell me a few weeks ago actually, where I, I feel like he helped me turn some stuff around. Um, didn't really have a release coming off. The field was kind of taking it home with me and, you know, letting things compound. And he told me about Jim to, um, when he was going really good in his career, he would write down his positives and negatives from each game. And on the way out, he'd ball it up, throw it away in the trash and walk out. Yeah. So it was kind of just that mental reset. Yeah. And I kind of took that heart and I feel like it's, uh, going a long way. And plus, you know, I live with three baseball guys that are, you know, they're all from different backgrounds and they're all different players, different mindsets. And I feel like they help me, you know, release as well. So, okay. Speaker 3 00:09:09 Now let's take a quick break for a word from our sponsor. Speaker 4 00:09:16 I wanna tell you guys about beyond studios, I'm going there for Pilates right now and I love it. And I want you guys to try it out. You can actually try your first class for free when you use my code hustle and pro that's hustle, Amper sign ampersand pro, and you'll get your first class for free. So you can check it out at either their beyond studios location in west Frisco on fourth army or the beyond 500, which is at Lebanon and legacy. And that's more of a cardio workout. So head to the beyond studios.com to find out more. Speaker 3 00:09:52 And now let's get you back to this episode of hustle and pro Speaker 0 00:09:57 I was gonna ask you about your living situation. Mm-hmm <affirmative> you, you're married. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. And I also wanna talk to you about that too, because you mentioned that the other day that, um, I love which I love what you said. We're gonna talk about her in a second, but so you're in a team housing situation. Mm-hmm <affirmative> I know that you're not the only married one here are Speaker 2 00:10:12 You? No, no, there's Speaker 0 00:10:13 Several, right? Yeah. So, so, um, I wondered that though, I like is, do you get a chance to be in the same city with your wife? Yeah. Or you guys just have to be split because of your, both of your coach or Speaker 2 00:10:25 Jobs. So she's her co her head coach. Her boss is actually letting her be with me until August of this year. Um, I, I think he kind of realizes how hard it is and how hard it can be. And I think he's, he saw how it affected her last year. Um, which is great on his part. Right, right. And so she gets to be with me for the most part until August, you know, she gets to work remotely and recruit around here. Okay. She goes, she'll go, like she's gone back next week, um, to help out and stuff like that. But Speaker 0 00:10:55 Isn't the worst place to recruit female Speaker 2 00:10:57 Soccer players. Right? Yeah. There's a lot of soccer activity. She loves it here. This is her happy place. I know that's at some point, you know, we want to end up here, but yeah, it's me and her and my dog. Um, we're we have the master and then kero Dustin Harris and Trey hair. Oh, so we're in a four bedroom. We're about 10 minutes away. Speaker 0 00:11:16 She's a Saint. Speaker 2 00:11:17 Yeah. She's great. That she's great. But she loves it. I mean, you know, we get our date nights and the guys are really good about it when they, you know, when it's, Hey, it's time for me to go or, yeah. That's awesome. That's great. Yeah. So it's great. Speaker 0 00:11:30 All right. So she's so, uh, you know, I didn't say it outright, but she's a D two soccer coach, um, up at Greenville chamber. Yes. Um, and, and I'm quoting you from what you said when I was out there on media day, you said, you said she's a stud. Yeah. And I love that, that like stuck with me because you were so like, you know, you're talking about baseball, but then somebody asked you about her. You said something and, and then you like lit up and you're like, she's awesome. And you know, all this stuff about her. So I, I just, I think that's awesome. And that you like threw it out there. Yeah. It's fine. It's great. Like tell everybody how awesome she is. Speaker 2 00:12:01 Yeah. I could talk about, and y'all met in college, like you said, we did, you know, her, she had a weird story. Um, absolute, like I said, stud to come outta high school, didn't know her, um, you know, Googled her, read about her once I was starting to talk to her. That's great. Um, you know, national team, all that good stuff. Oh, wow. Um, you know, almost qualified for, uh, the world cup team and all that kind, or like the young, her age group. Yep. Going to like high school teams. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. Yep. And so went to Arkansas at a high school, um, and had a bad leg injury. Um, and then just some other stuff going on and transferred back home to Mississippi, went to Mississippi college and, you know, thankfully met her and kind of hit it off, both, both very passionate, competitive athletes. Um, she can always hold above me that she was all American and I wasn't. And she's Speaker 0 00:12:54 Got you on Sunday. Speaker 2 00:12:54 Yeah. Speaker 0 00:12:55 So she, I love it. I think like my husband and I are not at y'all's level obviously <laugh> but we met in this similar, like he's a soccer player and we met in college. Um, he was playing there and, but we've always been competitive in sports. Yeah. It's, it's like a big part of our family. Yeah. It is two kids now. And so it's, it's like a lot of our life. Yeah. People laugh at us because we're either always here or at an FC Dallas game. Yeah. Because soccer's so important to us or at right over here at the basketball, at the legends or something. And so it, because we met playing sports in college. Yeah. Like it's just like, it formed our, our life, you know? Yeah. I'm sure that's how you guys are, since you both work in Speaker 2 00:13:34 Sports. Yeah. I'm very, I mean, I, I try and be involved with her soccer team cuz you know, of course my off season's her season. Um, I'm close to a lot of the girls I'm close with the coach, you know, we're close with their family. So it's a, it's a really cool, it's cool thing to watch her coach. Yeah. Um, of course, you know, she's having a tough time not playing. Um, but she wa the impact she makes with those girls is incredible to see in person and she's super passionate. Like I said, super competitive and, um, you know, she's very gifted in the soccer world. So she pushes me off the field, you know, sometimes too much, but, um, has very high expectations for me as a person, as a man, as a player. Yeah. She's Speaker 0 00:14:16 Great. That's fantastic. I think what brought that up is you were talking about winter ball. Yeah. And so, um, I'm curious, and just for those who don't understand how that all works and why you would, you know, why you go do that? Is it simply a development step just to get more, Speaker 2 00:14:33 To get more experience, it was developmental and financial for me. Um, you know, it's, I was able to make more than I'd made my whole career in just three short months. Wow. And it still, I mean, it still wasn't a ton of money, but see, Speaker 0 00:14:46 I never realized that. Yeah. I just always assumed it was an extension of this season to keep, just to, yeah. I don't know. To get, to get more at bats. Yeah. To get more, to work on something. I didn't realize that that never factored that into Speaker 2 00:14:57 It. Yeah. I mean, like I said, I kind of went the plate. Discipline was a big thing for me going down there. Um, you know, I wanted to work on the striking out, less walking, more. I wanted to work on, you know, trying to keep the ball in the air and off the ground, you know, I was trying to fine tune my game at the plate and, and defensively as well. Um, I actually ended up ding like 90% of the time though. Okay. Um, but yeah, and then, you know, being a senior sign, um, is, is tough. It, you know, it's great. It is a great opportunity, but it's just, it can be tough. Yeah. And you know, that was a great off season quote unquote job for me and my wife. And so, you know, it was kind of a blessing and, and in both aspects for me, Speaker 0 00:15:41 So timewise, you finish up here. I mean, this last season for the re writers ended later than normal normal seasons would cause they got different start dates that got moved around. So you finish up here what? In September? Yeah. And then when do you get a break and then you, and you headed Puerto Rico, like where you in Puerto Rico? Yeah. Speaker 2 00:16:00 Yes. Okay. I had about a three week break. Oh, okay. And then I got, we got like two weeks of preseason, whatever down there. And it was at the schedule down there was great. I mean, we played three to four days a week, max. Um, you know, I lived on, it, lived from here to the stands right there from the beach. Oh, okay. So, you know, of course I got to see Puerto Rico, you know, baseball's taking me all, all across the world, so yeah. It was tough not being with my wife. Um, gotta come home for two weeks for Christmas. And then I went right back for playoffs and then came back. And if we, if I would've made the Caribbean series, then I probably would've had a week before spring training. Oh gosh. So that would've been a lot, but Speaker 0 00:16:42 Can they overlap if Speaker 2 00:16:43 You go? No, it wouldn't have overlapped, but it would've been really close. Come home pack. Mm. Kiss wife go. That's that? Speaker 0 00:16:49 That's hard. Yeah. Yeah. And then cuz does spring training start March, February? When are you back here? Speaker 2 00:16:55 It was, it was mid-February year, Speaker 0 00:16:57 But mid-February Speaker 2 00:16:58 Yeah. Yeah. Cause I early. Yeah. Yeah. That's a lot. So, and it would've been earlier if it wasn't for the lockout. So mm-hmm <affirmative> Speaker 0 00:17:05 Yeah. I know one day we're gonna get back to a normal yeah. Right. A normal baseball season for everybody starting and stopping. So you talked about, uh, you were ding and you didn't really get a whole lot of defensive play out there. Mm-hmm <affirmative> or down there, out there. Um, here you are playing mostly first base. Yeah. Are you playing outfield? I saw you SHA balls in the outfield a while ago. Yeah. Are you always out there ready or what's Speaker 2 00:17:29 Your try? Yeah. I mean, I, I got to play here. I played more outfield here last year than I did first. Um, mainly because we had Huff at first, but you know, here it's five to six, you know, five days usually at first, maybe one DH, maybe one off day mm-hmm <affirmative>, which is my favorite. I, I love playing first. I feel very comfortable over there. Um, that's where I've always played. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, you know, outfield of course is it can add two spots in the lineup for me, you know, in the future. Um, just try and stay. Like I don't want to get to the point where they throw me out there one day and I'd be like, dang, I haven't taken a fly ball in two years. Right. So it's kind of like, you don't wanna lose it. Speaker 0 00:18:06 Yeah. Speaker 2 00:18:07 It's more just, so Speaker 0 00:18:08 What do you mean? It opens up two spots in the lineup, like just, you mean on this roster or anywhere else in the future, like yeah. They can place you at dinner or left Speaker 2 00:18:15 And right. And right. The corner outfield. Okay. Yeah. And then at the same time, except trying to take round balls at third. So that way, that way maybe, you know, first, third, right. Left DH. If I Speaker 0 00:18:26 See you as more utilities Speaker 2 00:18:27 Than yeah. If I can have five spots yeah. Then, you know, it's way better than just being locked into first base. Cuz then you have a lot more pressure to, to hit Speaker 0 00:18:37 <laugh>. Yeah. Well then you're, I mean, not that you're only in first base, but not that that's a problem, but it's, it's a disadvantage to you. If you are sit finding yourself on a team that has a first baseman they're good with and they don't need another one or, or the one that they need is you're backing up and you're never getting out there. Yeah, exactly. So opening up your possibilities. So, um, but you you're open to both. How do you know what you're going to play each week? I mean, do you just, or do you right now just know your, your first base and that's your role? Speaker 2 00:19:07 Yeah, we've had, I mean, you know, have conversations, leaving spring training, um, you know, with some of the people in the org and they kind of give you a, a forecast of what they think's gonna happen this year or like where they want you to play, what they want you to do. Um, mine was fine tuning first base, trying to just be the best first baseman I could be. Okay. Um, so you know, of course being on the same page with JG here, um, just getting my work in over there, but then at the same time, like I said, trying to take round balls at third just to stay athletic just in case. Yeah. Um, cuz last year I played third because we had two injuries, bang, bang in high a Speaker 0 00:19:44 Yeah. Especially the end of the season. You just never know what they're gonna Speaker 2 00:19:46 Need Speaker 0 00:19:47 JG. Is that what you guys call your coach? Yeah. Okay. I didn't Speaker 2 00:19:49 Know that that's and like I said, I mean, if you look at our infield, our infield is stacked. So I mean I'm the low on the totem pole when it comes to playing and then same the outfield. So that's why, you know, I try and take pride in playing first. Sure. Um, I really, I think I'm only the, the only primary first base on the team. So that's, that's kind of also why, you know, like I'm probably, if I'm gonna play today, I'm playing first. Yeah. Or DH. Right. Speaker 0 00:20:13 So yeah. DH, is it, I mean, this might sound stupid, but it's not your day off, but is it like, is it sort of Speaker 2 00:20:20 Like yeah. For it's they're not taking the field. Yeah. I, I'm not, you know, the season's so long and you place me at games that like, in your mind, you tell yourself like, damn man, a day off would be great today. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. But when I come to the field and I stand in the dugout and the game's going on, I'm like, alright, I don't wanna be off. You don't wanna be. Yeah. So it's kind, you know, like you're in it. Speaker 0 00:20:40 Yeah. Once you're in it. Speaker 2 00:20:41 Yeah. Once I'm here and I'm at the game. Yeah. Like I wanna play. Yeah. So, you know, DH days kind of are day off for me. Um, you know, I still stay locked in during the game. You know, you don't know when you're about to bat, but you know, it does give the body a nice rest. Um, Speaker 0 00:20:55 So in real days off when you're not in the lineup, are you, are you here? Speaker 2 00:20:59 Yeah. Speaker 0 00:20:59 You're here. You're Speaker 2 00:21:00 Still here. We're here. Yeah. We PR we do everything except play. You're just okay. Yeah. And you can, you know, you get to take it easy, you know, you don't have to hit, if you don't want to necessarily, you don't have 10 on game days if you don't want to. And you're, if you're playing it's, it's very individualized. Mm-hmm <affirmative> everybody. Speaker 0 00:21:15 Yeah. Warms up and preps in their own way. It's not, it's not team sanction that everybody Speaker 2 00:21:20 Has. Exactly. So usually off day is a good day to get your lift in or, you know, get with the trainer and get, you know, your, all your accessory stuff done. So spa day. Yeah. That kind of thing. Speaker 0 00:21:32 A little relaxing day. Yeah. You mentioned earlier, I don't know what you called it. Uh, performance, Speaker 2 00:21:37 Mental performance, mental Speaker 0 00:21:38 Performance. Is that something, do you know if the writers have always had that? Is that Speaker 2 00:21:42 A new or it's a, so it's a Rangers thing. Oh, it's a ranger. Yeah. So they Speaker 0 00:21:46 I've never, I've just never heard anybody talk about it. So I'm curious. Yeah. Speaker 2 00:21:49 I like it. I'm just wondering we have, we have two, um, that are, you know, one's mainly with the big league club mm-hmm <affirmative> and then the other one roams, like throughout all minor league teams. So we'll get 'em for like a week here and a week there. So we've had each one, one week. So we've had a mental performance person here, two weeks out of our season. So far, we'll probably have like six weeks total, if you look at the whole year and it's not. And, but at the same time, if I wanna call 'em right. Why don't we get done here? I can call they're available Speaker 0 00:22:16 To you. Speaker 2 00:22:16 Yeah. That's cool. So Speaker 0 00:22:18 I wonder, I'm gonna ask how long that's been going on just outta curiosity. Um, I think it's so great. Yeah. You know, like, especially you're not alone in the situation you're married and you, you're not alone and you're not one of the youngest here. Right. But like that really probably does help some guys who yeah. Feel a little more lost than others. Yeah. Speaker 2 00:22:37 Right. Cause there have feedback. This is a level where is, you know, it can be the first time people have ever failed. And that's tough cuz I think this is one of the tougher leagues to play in mm-hmm <affirmative> um, you know, there's the cliche saying, if you can hit, if you could play in double a, you can play in the big leagues, which Noah, I don't really know if that's true or not, but um, Speaker 0 00:22:57 Sometimes there is no triple a for people that, especially here, you're just, you go straight and, and sometimes it depends on how long you get to stay here too. Yeah. You know, if it's on purpose and you do get to go straight, there you are ready. Right. You know? Right. And, and especially like with the level of play that you mentioned your lineup and you're pitching, you know, staff and everything. Yeah. You are seeing the really high level yeah. Speaker 2 00:23:21 Of what's and they have four big leaders over there right now that are thrown against us this week. So oh yeah. We're getting prepped Speaker 0 00:23:27 <laugh> yeah. Yeah. But that's but that's good. Speaker 2 00:23:29 Yeah. It's great. It's what you cool to see how you match up. Speaker 0 00:23:32 It's what, it's what you're here for. It's what this league is, you know, here to do it's development. Yeah. Right. Get better by seeing better people. Um, I was gonna ask you, you said something earlier, um, maybe growing up something you talked about, but who were, or maybe playing first base, who were you watching when you were a kid? Like who's your, your baseball guys that you watched and looked Speaker 2 00:23:52 Up to? So I was a bit like being, you know, Alabama doesn't have their, a team, a lot of Braves fans down there. Mm-hmm <affirmative> so I, I liked chipper Jones a lot. I didn't really have a team. Okay. I was just a big baseball guy. Yeah. Um, loved big poppy. Loved Arod loved Jeter, loved Miguel Cabrera. Um, but I really started to appreciate it. Like once I got into pro ball, like seeing what these dudes are doing every day. Yeah. Cause you realize it's the same game. Like you're playing the same game, but like it's so hard. It's so hard. I just there's the, they make it look so easy. Yeah. The guys that are doing it year after year after year in real and just kind of grasping how they're doing it. Yep. You know, making those oh, for fifteens, they're making 'em oh, for sevens. That's the difference between the guys that are, you know, playing for 10 years and the guys that are playing for three. So yeah. Growing up it was, you know, the hitters. Yeah. I just like the hitters. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, you know, that's all my parents ever did with me was hit, hit, hit, hit, hit. It's probably why I was always fat it's cuz we never did any running or utilities or anything like that. So it is what it's well, I think it's working out for yeah, just, it is what it is. Speaker 0 00:25:04 Yeah. No hearing you say all that. Um, all those names, it reminds me like the different baseball generations that, that we are. So this is probably gonna air, um, I think close to your birthday. So happy early birthday. Thank you. June birthday. Yes. Speaker 2 00:25:17 Yes. June 17th. Speaker 0 00:25:19 Uh, when you were being born, I was unpacking out at college, in Lubbock at Texas tech <laugh> and so that is our, our, our life experience. Yeah. Age, age gap. But um, but doesn't matter. I just love, I wanted to hear the names that you grew up watching, so that's awesome. That's great. Those are good, good names and good guys to look up to. So thanks for your time. Speaker 2 00:25:40 Yeah, of course. Thank Speaker 0 00:25:41 You. I know it's game day. Yeah. And I know you're you gotta get in it and you're focused. Um, but I was here a couple nights. Go saw you had a two round Homer. I can't remember if it was center center, right? Maybe Speaker 2 00:25:50 Right center right center. Yeah. I was pulling out to left today though. Some hopefully you can get a pull side on today. Okay. Speaker 0 00:25:56 Well I'll be here tonight too. Okay. So I'll be, I'll be hollering for you. Speaker 2 00:25:59 Well, if you see a very blonde headed girl, that's my wife. Okay. I'm sure there'll be plenty of 'em but Speaker 0 00:26:04 I'll, I'll watch Speaker 2 00:26:05 Out for her. I think she sticks out like a sore thumb, but I think I'm biased. Speaker 0 00:26:08 I'll watch for her. Very cool. We'll be rooting for you. So thanks for your Speaker 2 00:26:12 Time. Of course. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:26:14 And thank you for watching this episode of hustle pro. Remember to subscribe on YouTube and follow us on Instagram to get the latest update.

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