Chasing David MacKinnon: The Grit, Grind, and Global Game

Chad (00:20.409)
Hello and welcome back to Talent Chasing, the podcast that examines where professional sports and corporate life intersect. It's where money ball meets office space. I'm Chad Sowash, recruitment industry veteran, startup advisor, and investor.

Jasper (00:35.151)
And I'm Jasper Spanjaart, a big baseball nerd, a writer and a filmmaker.

Brian (00:40.377)
And I'm Brian Johnson, retired Major League Baseball legend and scout. Wow. Who wrote that? I like that a lot. Um, that was excellent. I love that. We don't normally do that. That's a good addition. Uh, we've got a great guest coming on our show today. Someone whose career embodies what we talk about every week, resilience, adaptation, and the making of most of, of every opportunity that we get. Uh, someone whose baseball journey spans from Massachusetts high school fields to major league stadiums.

Jasper (00:45.511)
It's probably chat GPT, legend goes a bit farther.

David (00:50.95)
successful.

Brian (01:10.381)
to Japanese and Korean ballparks and Korean diamonds, Dave MacKinnon. Welcome to Talent Chasing.

David (01:17.505)
awesome guys I'm excited to be here so let's get going

Chad (01:20.603)
Excellent. Before we get too much into it, give us a little bit about David. Who's David? Yes, we're going to get into the professional stuff, but give us a long walks on the beach, and wine. mean, what kind of guy is David?

David (01:26.372)
Alright.

Jasper (01:31.753)
Ha

David (01:32.075)
All right hobbies, yeah, yeah, yeah Um, so I'd say pretty much grew up in Massachusetts Got brother two parents still live in the same house. I grew up in I Got married right after college right when we got your right when I got drafted we end up in Houston Because that's where she's from and we actually met during we actually met during the Cape

Jasper (01:56.689)
Hahaha.

David (02:00.068)
Cape Cod Baseball League. So that was cool. Cool little summer catch story. And yeah, now we're down here. We got two kids and I would say probably steak's my favorite food.

Jasper (02:02.503)
Uh-huh.

Jasper (02:14.619)
A steak, who doesn't like a steak? That is what that is.

David (02:16.708)
Nah, nice New York strip. That's where it's all about.

Brian (02:20.185)
I'm a real bad guy myself.

David (02:21.774)
I know, you're one or the other, honestly.

Jasper (02:24.167)
Hey, David, I have to start on a personal note here. A few years ago, I saw you play live with the Saitama Saibu Lions in Japan. And I think just seeing an American player adapt to Japanese baseball culture firsthand was fascinating because again, we'll dive into that later, but the fans adored you. before we dive into your international experience, let's go back to the beginning because you're a 32nd round draft pick.

David (02:34.95)
Yes.

Jasper (02:53.779)
by Los Angeles Angels in I think 2017 it was. Pretty far down the draft board though. What would they call it in NFL terms? sort of Mr. Irrelevant? We're not calling you that.

Chad (02:57.587)
But who's counting?

David (02:58.907)
Yeah.

David (03:02.396)
Well, they don't even have that around anymore.

Hahaha

David (03:13.385)
pretty irrelevant, but we made it up there.

Brian (03:15.011)
Yeah, I was the 16th round. They don't have my round around either.

Jasper (03:18.087)
But what was going through your mind when you finally get that call? Did you anticipate it happening? What was life like for you back then?

David (03:18.468)
Yeah, gosh.

David (03:29.052)
Yeah, so I had anticipated it happening my junior year. So it was kind of a big disappointment. It didn't happen. I hit 392 my junior year, OPS over a thousand. So I could hit, you know, I could always hit and I just, I had four homers that year. And I think I pretty much asked for, which in the scheme of things at this time, a hundred thousand dollars.

Which I didn't think was a big ask. It's pretty much like, please double my scholarship money from school. We weren't getting NIL money. So I was just like, if you guys double my scholarship money, I'll definitely leave. And no one wanted to do that. And I mean, honestly, it's just kind of the same thing in my career the whole time. We need first baseman to hit more homers. You know, you need first baseman to more homers. And it's kind of that revolve that just...

It's nonstop. That's what my whole career has been and I've heard it. So, I mean, I eventually hit more homers, but it was, I was never going to be a 25, 30 homer guy without, I don't even think, I don't know if I could hit 25 or 30 homers because my swing would just go away if I did that. So, junior didn't get, didn't get drafted. And so went back to the Cape that summer and I had, I think I hit like 275 in the Cape that summer. Not bad.

But I didn't meet my wife. in my opinion, I think everything happens for a reason. And God had his hand in that and I was able to meet my wife and now I got two kids and a house and yeah, we got a good life going now. And I don't know if I don't meet her, do I make the big leagues? Like you really don't know what happens. So it all, no, you never know what's gonna happen. Like do I have the same exact road? I don't know. So everything happens for a reason. Was I extremely disappointed? And was it like one of the biggest?

Jasper (05:06.083)
Yeah exactly, you never truly know.

David (05:18.236)
disappointments of that year because I worked so hard and actually put the numbers up on the field and then just didn't get drafted. So it was disappointing but you get by it, you your wounds and you move on and go work hard in the Cape and go work hard again the next year. And funny thing was I actually had my worst year the next year, which it wasn't a bad year but I like 330 instead of 360 or 370. So I ended up getting drafted senior sign, went to the Angels and had a good first year.

Brian (05:47.929)
There we go. Great call, great career. Like you said, every second matters, every inning matters. The college piece is really hard, especially nowadays when we got a decreased number of minor league teams and therefore less job opportunities for baseball players nowadays. So to be able to make it even in this generation is pretty good call. Are you finished? Are you transitioning to the next part of your life or are you?

Still hoping to get in there? You still training? Where are you at with that?

David (06:20.764)
No, I mean I was giving it through April I was still getting some calls and like hey like might have a spot might have a spot Korean team called might have a spot for like a fill-in player, but Just nothing came to fruition. made it a decent chunk of change overseas the last couple years where I I really just want an opportunity I wanted an opportunity to either get back to the big leagues or make substantial money in Either Korea or Japan like somewhere, you know

So I mean, I had opportunities to go play in Mexico and I had opportunities to go play independent ball if I want. for me, being away from my family for as long as I was last year, because we had just had another kid, so they didn't get out to Korea. They were going to come out and then I got released. So I was like five months alone there. didn't like that. And I don't really want to go to Mexico. And I don't really want to bring my

Jasper (07:08.998)
Yeah.

David (07:19.92)
family to Mexico either. there's that. so I just don't feel like I want to play baseball just to play baseball. You know, if I have a chance to get to the big leagues again, that's my, that it would be the goal, you know? and to, but if I can just stay home and make the same amount of money or do be involved in baseball and make the same amount of money, kind of coaching and kind of moving to that next step.

Jasper (07:29.892)
Okay.

David (07:47.324)
I would rather just do that and be with my family.

Brian (07:50.435)
Yeah, it's interesting how that the balance kind of occurs, right? When we're young, we're just starting out coming out of college, we're ripping and running. It's just us, we're not married, we're single, we can go do it, we can do whatever, winter ball, whatever it may be. But then you get married and you got somebody you want to spend time with and then you get a kid and then you want to spend time there and you don't want her to do all the work but you got to go out and do work. So yeah, I hear you. That's a, because a lot of times people say, well, why did you quit? Why didn't you just play forever? Like dude.

David (08:08.506)
Yeah, the kids are hardest part.

David (08:19.632)
Yeah.

Brian (08:19.692)
It's a hard life. It's a difficult life to pursue.

David (08:22.18)
It's difficult. Yeah. And like you're traveling constantly or in hotels. the rest isn't great. And then my biggest thing was like, if I was going to be a really good dad, I really, I was going to struggle to be a good baseball player. Cause when they get, they get up in the morning at six 30 or seven, I'm good. I don't want to be missing too much stuff. You know, I want to be a good dad. then by the time I have realized in Puerto Rico,

Jasper (08:39.045)
Hmm.

David (08:51.804)
It's like, this is, I played Puerto Rico this winter and I was in my gues. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We won this year, that was fun. So, but yeah. Yeah, yeah, went, yep. We went to, it was Mexicali. It wasn't the nicest city of the cities that I've been told. They were like, yeah, we've gone to some sweet places, so.

Jasper (08:55.941)
Okay.

Brian (08:56.109)
What's it?

Okay, that's where I play. Great spot.

Jasper (09:00.837)
Yeah?

Brian (09:05.443)
How'd you go the Caribbean World Series? Nice.

Brian (09:15.352)
you

Chad (09:15.377)
Ha ha!

David (09:20.028)
I like, well, this isn't that sweet, but okay. But yeah, so it's hard to balance it because the game started at 730 and I was just tired. It's hard to stay up and be locked in 12 hours later after you wake up, know, so.

Jasper (09:34.673)
Hmm.

Brian (09:35.385)
Yeah, as a professional athlete, you're married to your sport, right? Your wife and your kid are kind of the extras. Otherwise, you can't play. And it's a tough call. But again, congratulations for doing that. Looking back at all the different spots that you had, who do you think was your best manager and why?

David (09:39.747)
Yeah, for sure.

David (09:44.112)
Mm-hmm.

David (09:58.524)
manager.

Brian (10:01.485)
or favorite, not necessarily best.

David (10:03.216)
My favorite, I mean, best and favorite, got to go, J. Bell. He's my double A manager. I also have Ryan Barber. I loved him. He was the man. And he's with the Padres now, but J. Bell, I mean, he was Pittsburgh Pirates for a while. was on that world series team, I think, with the Diamondbacks. He was, I was almost getting released after right before 2021.

Brian (10:23.011)
Okay.

David (10:31.548)
spring training and I was told the story. Obviously not then I was told it later. Um, and they were like, yeah, like they, we, they almost released you and like Jay and one of our hitting coordinators that worked with me the entire, um, rehab process because I had to kind of change a lot of stuff in my swing in order to get where I wanted to go. And I'd worked really, really hard on it. And my swing was way better to the ball harder, but they almost like, weren't going to give me a chance. They're just like, guys rehab now.

Jasper (10:32.795)
Mm.

David (11:00.508)
we can like release on MJ and hitting coordinator, we're like, no, like you got to give them a chance. So.

Brian (11:06.411)
Awesome. I played against J. Bell. Good dude. I didn't know him really well, but he always had a great reputation as a good teammate. I'm glad you had that experience.

David (11:14.096)
Yeah.

David (11:17.573)
Yeah, Jay's the man.

Chad (11:19.271)
you looking to kind of re-engineer your swing? I mean, this just kind of like happened because obviously you were injured and this is like during around COVID, right? So you had like more of an extended time to...

David (11:28.156)
Yeah. This was why I was wild. So it was the first time where I really had an off season to Cal, go, go.

Jasper (11:43.367)
It's part of life.

David (11:43.868)
Sorry. It's my little dude. So yeah, this is the first time where I really had time to re-engineer my swing. I played soccer in the fall in college. So it was hard to do anything in fall ball. I was just kind of like, finish soccer in November, take the end of November off. And then once I got home after finals, I would hit every day. that's when I, but I never got to develop my swing, you know?

Brian (11:44.163)
Yeah.

Chad (11:44.861)
No worries.

David (12:13.358)
So when I ended up getting that extended period off because I blew my knee out, obviously, one of our coordinators tells me, like, hey, like you can make the big leagues because of your like bat to ball skills and your ability to get the bat to the ball, but you need to change your swing to impact it a little bit better. And he said it in a lot meaner way. I love him, but like he said it in a lot meaner way. Yeah, it was tough love. And I was like, I was like, okay. And he's like, you need to like do.

Jasper (12:28.391)
Mm-hmm.

Brian (12:33.753)
You

Jasper (12:34.201)
Yeah.

Chad (12:37.553)
It's tough love, David, tough love, okay?

David (12:42.844)
like do this stuff and we started it and I slowly changed my stance and slowly worked towards that. And I started impacting the ball at end of 2018 a little better. five homers in August and I started to, I was like, oh, okay, this makes sense, but it still wasn't great. 2019 rolls around, I blow my knee out in like the first two weeks of the season, not hitting the baseball good at all either. So I was not swinging it great.

and

Brian (13:12.505)
Were they trying to incorporate your lower half more or what were they specifically looking for you to do?

David (13:16.966)
I was just like blowing open, I was just blowing open like, I was just very spinny. So it was like, I never held my back hip very good. And my bat would just kind of be like in and out of the zone very quick. I didn't produce much ground force or hold posture well. So that was kind of the big things that we worked on during that off season time. was just like, first the posture of keeping the chest over the plate a little bit more and keeping your butt back.

so you could hold the posture and have some space for your arms to work to the ball without having to like rotate your chest open. So that was a big thing and just producing like where I needed to produce force, like what muscles to use in the weight room. And so we really worked on hamstrings and glutes and like single leg exercises and the lunge positions. And all of a sudden I went from hitting, I think my max was 102 and then.

Jasper (13:48.357)
Hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Jasper (14:07.335)
Hmm.

David (14:12.72)
Like six months later, after like our whole swing surgery, it was 110. and which is kind of crazy, but it's not like I got stronger or anything. It's just like I got stronger in certain areas, you know, and just got better mechanically.

Jasper (14:17.965)
Wow, okay.

Jasper (14:22.535)
I think you've just, you've just spoken to the sort of how data driven baseball is though. It's the most data driven sport I think in the world. It's so, it's, sort of incredible how that can happen to someone. But what I want to delve into is something Brian alluded to in the intro, sort of your, I think story of perseverance very much. You know, you, you spent so many years in the minor leagues and

And I mean, Europe, don't appreciate how tough the minor leagues are. don't, I don't think anywhere would really appreciate it because it's hard to fathom how difficult the lifestyle is. You're not on a lot of money. You can probably attest to that better than I can, but you, have to spend, you know, days and days on buses going back and forth to stadiums. And then you're expected to perform. But at the same time, looking at your sort of minor league career, you, you earn so many sort of player of the month honors and at multiple levels. you, you did end up making it to

know, the big leagues to the show. But can you sort of walk us through what kept you motivated perhaps during, you know, those grinding minor league baseball years?

David (15:28.572)
Yeah, so obviously the goal of making it to the big leagues was like, that's what I always wanted to do. Obviously you imagine it being like, oh, I'm to be in the big leagues forever. Like I'm going to be in there for 10 years and it's going to be awesome. And like, you don't imagine it like, oh, I got a cup of coffee up there and I went over and finished my career overseas. know, like that's not what you're thinking. But I kind of realized it was just my dream was to get to the big leagues. I wanted to step on the field, get a hit, like put a big league uniform on.

Jasper (15:35.578)
Mm-hmm.

Jasper (15:42.535)
Yeah.

Jasper (15:50.631)
Hmm.

David (15:58.172)
As a 32nd rounder, you just don't have much leeway. like, I go up, unless you go up there and you rate right off the bat, it's really hard to stick, you know? So when I did get time to play, it was pretty much at third base, which I've never played third base before. And like in the professional baseball at least, I played it in college baseball in freshman year, but in professional baseball, I never played third base. So.

Jasper (16:05.852)
Yeah.

Jasper (16:16.805)
Okay.

David (16:26.668)
going like I remember just like going to sleep and be like, dear God, I hope the ball doesn't get hit to me. Like this is brutal. Like, it's just like not very fun over there when you're like, you haven't played it before and you can't, you're not, you're just like trying to like get the ball. like, I remember feeling a ball from Julio Rodriguez and throwing it over there. I was like, I have no idea how hard it is to run this baseball.

Jasper (16:40.999)
Yeah.

Jasper (16:46.151)
You

Brian (16:46.361)
Yeah, and going from one side of field to the other side of the field is really tough.

David (16:50.612)
yeah, really tough. was like, I'd rather be at second right now. I don't have the range to play second, but it looks more normal over there, you know? But yeah, so.

Jasper (16:57.287)
It's funny that you say that though, third base. remember the first practice I ever had in baseball was years ago and I had to play third base. It's where they stuck me. I don't know why. And honestly, for the life of me, it felt like I had to throw the ball to the other side of the world. It felt like I had to throw. It's incredible. You don't realize it once you... Yeah.

David (17:15.125)
you do?

There's like some days, there's some days your arm feels good and it feels like doesn't have to get on it to do much. And then there's other days where you're like, I have to get my whole body into this even, I'd give it a chance to get over there.

Jasper (17:23.59)
Yeah.

Jasper (17:28.935)
You

Chad (17:29.405)
Then you get the yips and that's all.

David (17:31.788)
yeah, no, that was what I was hoping. I was like, if I throw this ball playing first base or playing third for the first time over his head, like there's, can't, I can't ever go back there. You know, that was in my house. Like that was a hundred percent in my head. I was like, I will not be able to recover from this. If I throw this over Jared's head while she's had, know.

Jasper (17:45.945)
You

Brian (17:49.893)
We talk about the years many times in the show and it's like, there's that point every player gets that point where they think about it and they're like, my God, this is it. And you have to if you can overcome that you're your goal. But

David (18:00.476)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And like, once I stopped caring, like, or not, it didn't happen in the big leagues though. It happened more overseas where I was like, once I didn't care, like, I was just gonna, I was just gonna do my best. And once I stopped that, worrying, it was, it was a lot better, you know? But it was like, you're trying to stay there. You're trying to stay there. You don't want to go to sent down. You don't want to get sent down. In reality, like if you make one error, then it's just going to send you down, you know? There's going to be other things, factors that factor into those decisions and stuff.

Jasper (18:23.313)
Yeah.

No.

David (18:30.298)
But yeah, so the grind of the minor leagues is just crazy. The foods is like not exactly, that's not great, especially the lower level minor leagues. It's just, it's tough. But once you get up there, it's all worth it.

Jasper (18:42.939)
What did you diet? Was it peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or was it what was it like?

Chad (18:43.325)
So.

You're

Nothing wrong with that. That's good protein.

David (18:49.308)
I mean, peanut butter and jelly is not bad. But yeah, no, that was, yeah. mean, that was always an option typically. Like there'd be peanut butter and jelly. It was, I don't even know. Yeah. I there'd be like, just like lukewarm noodles that barely had like sauce on them in lower levels, you know?

Jasper (18:53.73)
That was a good day.

Chad (18:57.853)
and a Capri Sun.

Chad (19:10.803)
You're going to make, you're going to, you're making Brian hungry. We got to move off this subject. So, so it really talking about getting into a groove, right? Which is, know, you don't worry about making that throw, but sometimes that groove leads to a rut. And then you kind of like, that's when you get into that player development. It seems like you had to re-engineer some things that you really didn't learn well. We see this, we see this a lot, a lot in the corporate ranks where

David (19:14.381)
Hahaha!

Chad (19:37.575)
You get really good at one thing, but you're not good at kind of like the, the, the, the ancillary things, but those are important too. From a player development standpoint, did you find yourself? Cause we know that Brian was always in search for the perfect bat, right? In the perfect swing. Did you find yourself always like thinking about that? And was it always training? How did you go through that whole process? Because again, you want to be the best of the best.

and stay with the best of the best. How do you do that from a development standpoint? And did those clubs help you try to get there too with the coaching?

David (20:14.384)
Yeah, so I would say the biggest thing for me was the training side of it. just, was a big feel hitter. So I wanted to feel good when I was working on my swing. wanted to have like a certain feeling and sometimes it only took 10 swings, 10, 15 swings in batting practice. And other days it took 50. I wish I could be a guy that could just do like the same exact thing every day. And like, like I do like my three drills and

Chad (20:19.123)
Mm-hmm.

Chad (20:36.295)
Mm-hmm.

David (20:42.008)
Like my swings good, you know, like I feel like some of the freak hitters out there, just they do their routine and they're good to go. And they probably don't even have to do their routine. They could just go out there at night. You know, I feel like I really had to dive into, the like why my swing was doing it, what it was doing and like how to change it. Like how it's a big look at video after the game. really like looking at video during the game because that's just too much in your own head at that point, you know.

So I look at video after the game typically and just, was I late? Was I like, where was the pitch? Cause if the pitch isn't even a strike or it's not a good pitch to hit, like I can't really worry too much about my swing at that point. But yeah, no, I was definitely more of a field guy. So I definitely needed to dive in and talk through my swing with coaches and figure out what was going on.

Jasper (21:32.391)
Hmm.

Chad (21:33.959)
Ryan, what was your routine? Was there music? I see you listening to Twisted Sister or something like that,

Brian (21:36.345)
was a tee guy. I like the tee. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I was a tee guy. would go in and get, find the field the day he talking about off the tee. And I go inside, outside, down the middle. And sometimes it would be, you know, 10 or 15. Sometimes it would be 50, like you said. But yeah, I think every hitter is a field hitter to a certain extent. And he talks about the guys that, you know, the star players or the guys that get to play every day. It's a whole different job when you have to make

David (21:58.595)
Yeah.

Brian (22:06.369)
Your pinch hit appearance in the ninth inning when you're sitting on the bench for three hours, make that work versus you're playing every day. You know for the next two years, you're gonna be playing every day, even if you go over 50. And so if you have a little bump in the road where you go over eight or two for two for 10, you're still gonna be in there. You're still gonna have a chance to work out of it. Guys like myself and Dave, didn't really get that opportunity. It makes it it lot harder.

Jasper (22:32.549)
Hey, but I want to delve into this because we sort of skipped over it. But you made your MLB debut. Yeah, sure.

David (22:37.424)
Give me one sec.

Brian (22:39.693)
Yeah, good.

Chad (22:42.717)
Kids and dogs, I know how it feels.

Jasper (22:44.23)
Ha ha.

Brian (22:45.475)
Kids and dogs, friends to the show. Have the cats walking across the keyboard is not a problem.

Chad (22:47.997)
Yep, friends of the show. That's what I've got to...

Jasper (22:48.113)
Friends of the show, yeah. They're all friends of the show.

I might have a few that yeah might have that run into that problem. Yeah. Two yeah brother and sister. Yeah.

Brian (22:55.095)
Yeah, that's right. And you guys are doing two, right?

Are they babies? Nice. Nice.

Jasper (23:03.611)
Yeah, little catbugs, yeah.

All good? No worries about it at all. It's like we said, they're all friends of the show.

David (23:07.696)
Sorry. It's ridiculous though, cause it's like, just, they, right when they, right when I'm in the office, they just need to be in the office too, you know?

Chad (23:09.011)
All good.

Brian (23:20.793)
You

Chad (23:21.523)
Like before COVID, was never, it was always an issue, right? Cause you're always kind of like hypersensitive if things were going on. But now after COVID, it's just kind of like, meh, dogs in the background, kids, you know, kids dancing. Yeah, but it's fun.

Jasper (23:30.331)
Part of it, part of it. Kids in the background. It happens, yeah.

David (23:30.455)
yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

For sure. It's just like for me, like, I need to be able to focus you too. So can you guys kick rocks, please, for a little while.

Jasper (23:41.735)
Hey, so

Brian (23:43.353)
Right. We did the babies and the dogs at the same time for some reason. Have you guys?

Jasper (23:51.099)
Babies and dogs. did you come? Brian, how did you come to that decision? The kids and dogs at the same time.

David (23:51.128)
that's crazy. We have not done the dogs yet. We have a doggy door. We just moved into our house. They a doggy door and they think it's for theirs.

Brian (23:59.555)
Huh? Well, the plan was to ease into it, like ramp up, like practice with the dogs first and then get to the kids. But we didn't want to have dogs, so I got done playing baseball. We didn't want to have kids, so I was done playing baseball. And so it just kind of all got smashed together.

Jasper (24:15.411)
Hahaha

Chad (24:18.007)
Better late than never. Good. Hit it Jasper.

Jasper (24:18.023)
Okay, very late in the... Okay, but David, getting back into something that we sort of did skip over. You made your MLB debut. You made it to the Big Show. I think you were playing for Salt Lake at that point, but can you sort of dive into that moment? Because that's something that you'd lead up to, right? That was your dream. You described it as your dream. So what was that moment like, being called up to the Big Show?

David (24:30.107)
Yes.

David (24:40.932)
Yeah.

David (24:46.012)
Yeah. So it was kind of weird, honestly, because Jared was Jared Walsh I'm referring to. was the first baseman at the time for the angels and he was kind of, he was sick. So they didn't know if he had COVID because it's still during that like weird COVID time. And I've been raking a little bit in AAA. So they, got a call from my manager, Lou Morrison, and he called me right around like noon or one.

Jasper (25:02.172)
Hmm.

David (25:16.124)
was going out to eat with my aunt and uncle who came in from Scottsdale. We were in Albuquerque at the time. We were about to go into a diner and Lou goes, hey, Dave, I need you come to the field. We need to pack up your stuff. You're going to Seattle. And I'm like, what's in Seattle? And he's like, the Anglers are in You're going to go over there. And I was like, He's like, I don't know if you're getting 100 % called up yet, but there's someone that might be put on the IL, so you might be getting called up.

And so like I was just like flying there. was like, this could be like the worst thing ever if I don't get called up. I'm just like flying there. Like this could potentially be really bad. Like, so I didn't even know what to do. Yeah, no, that's what I saying. This could be horrible. Like this could be the biggest like, so I was just flying there like, come on. I gotta get called up. So first I know, I know was like, let's give you that. I've been on 40 man. So I didn't know why I wouldn't get called up if they were going to fly me out there. But I mean.

Jasper (25:51.008)
you

Brian (25:53.005)
Ha ha!

Jasper (25:53.745)
Yeah.

Chad (25:55.868)
That would suck.

Brian (26:06.553)
make a decision already, yeah.

Right.

David (26:15.068)
I know, there's some crazy decisions that happened. But got up there late for Friday night, too late for the game. And then Saturday, they had a doubleheader. So I'm just like sitting in the locker room. I got into, I said hi to everyone and they're like, holy, you look just like Sindagard. You're like a smaller version of Sindagard. And I was like, you're actually right. Yeah, we do look very similar. He's a lot taller and a lot more ripped, but yeah.

Brian (26:36.248)
Hahaha!

I can see that, yeah.

Jasper (26:40.677)
I can see that, yeah.

David (26:43.292)
Well, and we both had the long hair too and he's just in better shape, you know, but yeah, so said hi to everyone, kind of watched the game from inside the locker room or the clubhouse. And then the next, right after the game ended, I believe we won that game. And Nev came up to me and was like, hey, you're going to play, you're starting at first, but next game. And I was like, it was like three hours before the next game. I was just horrified. I was like, oh my gosh, are kidding?

Jasper (27:12.784)
Hahaha!

David (27:13.116)
So I like, I know, can I go back? Can I go back to Albuquerque? So yeah, so I know, never. So I ate some food. I ate some food and I got a lift in and just kind of kill some time. And what it had, oh yeah, that was the other funny thing. Right before I took some swings in the cage and right before the game, I just get my helmet and it's a one-flap. I've never worn a one-flap.

Chad (27:13.587)
Send me home on the plane.

Jasper (27:15.59)
Hmm.

Chad (27:20.125)
Said nobody ever.

Jasper (27:21.829)
Yeah.

David (27:43.644)
I might be the only person that ever did not go to big league camp and then debuted. Like it's kind of crazy. Never had that bad in the big league spring training game. Never had big league camp, which is kind of crazy, crazy little fun fact. So I get this helmet and I'm like, I've never hit with this before. And so I walked back to the cage like 15, 20 minutes for the game and Trout and Otani are in there. And I'm like, all right, like I was just gonna, nevermind. And Trout's like, what's up Mac? I was like.

Brian (27:50.361)
Oh, you didn't call it a big league game. Okay. Interesting.

Jasper (27:56.591)
Yeah, it is,

Brian (27:59.961)
Yeah.

David (28:13.116)
I just never hit with this helmet before I wanted to throw it on see what it like can I take three swings and just like see if it feels weird you're like oh yeah go ahead and I took like two swings barreled two balls and walked back out and I was like that was most ridiculous thing I've ever seen

Jasper (28:29.287)
How badly were you sort of shitting your pants though? mean, it's showy Otani and trout like it's it's two of the best. That must have been.

David (28:35.772)
In front of those two I was as soon as I walked in I walked right back out I was like, I'm not doing this I'll just figure it out on the field

David (28:46.478)
intro I was like no go ahead go ahead I was like okay

Brian (28:49.475)
Nice. You mentioned Nevin, Phil Nevin.

He was your manager with the Angels? Yeah.

David (28:59.512)
Yes, yeah, he was my manager with the Angels. I think it was like right after Joe Madden had gotten fired. Yeah.

Brian (29:05.761)
OK, Nev was one of my teammates in Detroit, so I recognize that name quick.

David (29:13.38)
Yeah, he's a good manager.

Brian (29:15.853)
Yeah, yeah. So the next chapter, I see you writing a book. I love the title, Average Joe to the show. Writing a book can be tough. Do you have any goals, like long term goals for your next chapter, short term goals? Is the coaching involved there? Is the not coaching involved there? What kind of things are exciting you now, even if maybe you might need some time to ramp up to get there? What are your plans?

David (29:25.625)
yeah.

David (29:43.196)
Yeah, so, um, this is the way the, so I'm trying to get, set up some side stuff right now. You know, um, I've really enjoyed coaching. So I'm trying to create a remote swing development kind of business where I can kind of get you to the next level. It's not, not going to be able to building your swing from scratch through the phone, but like I can get you to the next level. Um, so do you make development? I'm trying to pretty much, got

Couple of kids, I haven't fully launched the business yet to like the public. I'm kind of just running it a little bit on a discount, try to see what works, see what doesn't work. Kind of understand kind of the logistics of the business and how to, what apps work better than others for certain things. But yeah, pretty much they would get full access to me. Send video, send texts through the Coach Now app and do a couple of video calls a month.

And we can just do daily adjustments. get a, they get a strength and conditioning design workout. And it's all the stuff's designed based on how I like the changes I made in that COVID and blowing my knee out time that really bumped me up. So it's kind of just built on everything that I did to increase exit below in that time. And it's just kind of trying to make them the best version of themselves, because I feel like I didn't have to change myself.

Jasper (30:54.47)
Hmm.

David (31:10.652)
just got really good at being comfortable and knowing what I have to do in order to, it wasn't a swing over all where like coach was like, you do this, do this, do this. And like, I had no conversation or there no choice, know, was conversation and we figured out what's going to be best for me. So I'm trying to develop kids that way. Um, but yeah, it's probably, I think it would be best for guys that are in the high school college age that are trying to get that little bit more refined out to a learning track a lot. You're just, you just don't have that extra little.

Jasper (31:37.082)
Hmm.

David (31:39.366)
Cause that's what I was doing. It was just like, didn't hit it hard enough. didn't spin it good enough. didn't hit it solid enough in order to get the ball over the fence or beat the outfielders for gaffer doubles or over their head.

Chad (31:53.011)
Sounds like that run to first base was obviously an oh shit moment when you hurt yourself and you blew your knee. But it was an ability to take a beat and just kind of like come back and really retool yourself. And I don't think a lot of people do that. I mean, unless they have a time where they're forced to have some time. I know on the corporate side, I mean, I've had a couple of opportunities just to kind of like step back and do that myself. And I know it's...

David (31:59.227)
Yes.

David (32:09.157)
Yeah.

David (32:14.533)
Yeah.

Jasper (32:16.614)
Hmm.

Chad (32:22.739)
It's great just to be able to reassess, right? So you were reassessing, you're hitting, were there any other aspects that you were trying to reassess while you had some time to just take a beat?

Jasper (32:26.599)
Great.

David (32:26.876)
Mm-hmm.

David (32:39.036)
I think so that the beginning right when I tore my ACL with the home D blew out ACL MCL meniscus I was kind of I was like licking my wounds. I was talking to my wife. I don't know This is even possible like it's a 30 second rounder I'm 24 now. I Thought I was gonna start in double and I sent me a high again. I blew my knee out You know, so like it just wasn't good wasn't a good situation. I was like, this even worth like

Chad (32:45.875)
Mm-hmm.

Jasper (33:01.863)
Hmm

David (33:06.554)
given another shot, should we keep going? Like, should I keep going? Am I being selfish if I keep going? And holding off like the next step of maybe kids and stuff down the line. And my wife was like, you you gotta go back and work as hard as you can and try to retool your swing, it's who happens. So she was, she also knows baseball. I mean, not like this.

mechanics and all that, but she's been around baseball. her stepfather played in the big leagues and her brother's plays in the big leagues. So she knows baseball and she knows what it's all about. So she's definitely easy person to talk to. And she was the one that like, was like, don't know, we're not retiring right now. Give it one more chance. like, so without her, I, you know, I don't know if I make it there and I don't know if, uh, but yeah, once I reassessed and was like, look, I can switch this. And I looked at trout and I looked at trout and glad junior slay.

And like the two things that I found with their swings are like when they land, they're so close, like their toes, their knees, their hips and their shoulders are pretty much facing the other dugout. And when I would land, my front hip was starting to leak open, my back hip was starting to leak and like I was just kind of dragging the barrel through the zone. So I was like, if I can, I'm not going to be as good as those two, but if I can get closer to that position when I land, like with that front foot, I'm going to be better, you know.

Jasper (34:03.545)
Okay.

David (34:32.698)
And that was kind of the realization we had. like, I would take video and look, I'd take video and look, and we'd just go back and forth until like, we got, I got the right feels that I wanted, that looked right on video. And then we just stuck with those feels. And all of a sudden the ball's coming off a little harder, you know?

Brian (34:50.039)
Yeah, that's awesome. And hats off to your wife. mean, you know, that's the part that the fans never get to see is the spouse or the significant other that you're venting to, talking, speaking to, getting counsel from. And you guys do that together. mean, because where she was right and not because I know, you know, that day, but where other people don't realize is that it was the best idea to finish the to not end on an injury to try to get that through.

David (35:04.092)
Yeah.

David (35:17.244)
Yeah.

Brian (35:18.701)
Give it all you got because you got the next 40 years, hopefully, to live your life. The last thing you want to do is have something that you regret. And what you'll find, you'll find that now, Dave, when you get in, you transition now to the next phase, is that there's a whole bunch of players out there that played at some point, whether it be high school, college, or pro. And the thing that haunts them is that they didn't try this, or didn't try that, or didn't expand every possibility first.

so that they can go on with their next life and be at peace with it and move on and be okay with whatever career you had, whatever level you're at and be okay with it. That's a gigantic thing as a human being. And I'm so glad that you were able to get that and hats off again to your wife for helping you in that path.

David (35:57.755)
Mm-hmm.

David (36:04.015)
Yeah, I mean...

Chad (36:04.017)
And Brian is now playing pickleball seven days a week. So it's all good.

Brian (36:06.733)
That's right.

David (36:08.988)
Be safe. That's a dangerous game. I'm here. I'm here people getting hurt left and right

Brian (36:14.167)
yeah, big time.

Chad (36:14.611)
That's because most of them hadn't taken enough Geritol. That's the problem.

David (36:18.908)
Yeah. Yeah, but it is crazy though, because like, feel like, um, I feel like I could still play right now. You know, if I, if like, it's not like I went out after hidden under 200, you know, I still hit like 295 last year in the KBO and then I hit pretty good in Puerto Rico too. So I feel like I, you know, I can still do it. And I was just like, it's my choice now, you know, if they don't want me at this point, like it's okay. Baseball's kind of changed, which kind of stinks for the older guys. Cause

You, uh, when I got drafted, was all 28 to 35 year olds in AAA and now it's 22, 25 year olds, much a couple of guys that are under 30 maybe, but yeah, it's just changed a little bit. It's harder to get jobs, especially if you're a position player. Um, they're just opting to go younger. Um, save money. Definitely help save money. They don't get to pay as much for the veteran guys that are coming back. I mean, they will spend the money on.

Chad (37:15.699)
Doesn't that do something to the product though? mean, doesn't that do something?

David (37:17.574)
Yeah, I mean, I think eventually you will definitely see a decreased product because guys will be getting rushed up there and guys will be very uncomfortable because guys are starting in double, triple A. Honestly, I don't think there really is a triple A anymore. There's some pitching pitchers that are triple A guys, but for the most part, looks like triple A is the old double A. And then I don't just think they're just missing that level right now just because so many of those guys are kind of.

Chad (37:25.021)
Yeah. Yeah.

Jasper (37:25.339)
Yeah, absolutely.

David (37:45.98)
They're using like Mexico and other places as AAA now to just sign guys out of. So yeah, it's just much different now. I couldn't really explain the logistics behind it so much and like where all the money goes. but yeah, I just know it's a lot harder to get a job when you're my age now.

Brian (38:05.187)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Chad (38:06.064)
and he's 30 people, he's 30.

David (38:07.598)
I am like dirty.

Brian (38:10.457)
Yeah, it seems like when winning the actual game is kind of secondary to saving money to have making sure guys are developed at the organizational space. Like you were no longer going to see the guy that's raw like Dave coming out of high school or coming out of college a little more raw might need a little more time to develop. But once he does develop, you know, he can really provide this or that. You don't see it anymore. You don't develop by a ball or double A. You're gone. Next person.

David (38:11.804)
30 it hit pretty good, you know

Chad (38:15.655)
Yes.

Jasper (38:18.056)
yeah.

Jasper (38:26.161)
Yeah.

Jasper (38:33.102)
Exactly.

David (38:35.472)
Yeah.

Chad (38:36.627)
diminishing product.

David (38:38.256)
It's tough, yeah. mean, and I think it's just gonna, now the signing bonuses keep going up, right? And then the top tier players are gonna keep making more more money. So obviously those guys are going, those guys, like nothing's gonna change with that. They just don't realize where that money goes up, money goes down other places, you know? So.

Chad (38:58.589)
It just doesn't feel like it's a developmental type of league. Like at one time you're going up to the bigs, right? And there wasn't this race. I could be 100 % wrong, but you take a look at like the NFL. I'm a big football guy, right? Green Bay Packers, they put guys on the bench for a couple of years. They develop them and then they get them out on the field where everybody else is burning through them. And it almost feels like a lot of these teams are just burning through talent. Is that what it feels like?

David (39:07.836)
Well yeah, I mean...

Nah, you're right.

David (39:17.657)
Mm-hmm.

David (39:28.572)
Yeah, I I was with the Angels and they, when I first came up, it was very slow ascent to the big leagues. Like I came up with Marsh, Brandon Marsh and Joe Adele and those were two very high prospects on the top 100 lists. And it was like one level a year or like Joe one time, Joe did one time go from like low A and he finished in double A. But, and he raked the whole time. So it wasn't like.

Jasper (39:43.685)
Yeah.

David (39:57.756)
It wasn't like it was out of the question. was a month in low A, most of the year in high A, and then the last like two weeks in double A. And he hit well and he deserved it. But for the most part, you're going one to maybe two levels a year, you know? So now I can't even imagine like going from like just you get drafted straight to double A and then straight to the big leagues or straight to the big leagues, your triple A rate like a month later. I know we had, and they're good players, Zach Neto.

But he has kind of rushed up to the big leagues. And I would say he struggled a little bit and he's coming into his own now. But I think they're just starting to develop guys in the big leagues and just be like, we're okay with it. They fail. We can just develop them up there and they'll be around big league fields, get used to it, get used to how things are done. So yeah, it's just definitely different. I feel like they didn't do that as much because they didn't want to ruin guys' confidence back in the day.

Jasper (40:51.631)
No, I think I think it's just changed. think baseball has changed in that sense very much so. But I think I deserve an award, guys, because it's been 40 minutes. I haven't mentioned Japanese baseball yet. so David, let me go back to 2023 because I went to Japan with a friend of mine were both big baseball fans and he was like, OK, but you need to try and go watch a Japanese baseball game. I went, fine, I'll come with you and we'll go see the Saibu Lions in the Ballooner Dome.

David (41:00.668)
It has been.

Jasper (41:19.691)
And it was, it was, let me just say it was the most sort of staggering experience I think I've had in terms of sporting events. the way, yeah, you played the Oryx Buffaloes. you played first, you played first base. faced Taizuka Yamaoka. I think he was a right-handed pitcher, smaller guy. I don't know. I think it was, yeah, it was May. It must've been, it must've been like two years to the day.

David (41:27.612)
Do you remember what team we played?

David (41:32.361)
yeah.

David (41:40.752)
Wait, did you go at the beginning of the year, like in April?

Jasper (41:46.513)
must have been like 22nd, 23rd of May, something like that. Yeah, it wasn't that game. Now I would have, I think I would have, it wasn't the game. No, think, I think the Lions only scored one run that game. But I mean, that's how that season went. That's very true. But let me just sort of introduce people to Japanese baseball and they will do a better job.

David (41:50.286)
Yamaoka was my first homer, but it wasn't that game. It was not that game.

David (42:00.022)
That sounds about right.

Brian (42:01.849)
Hahaha

David (42:07.398)
Yeah.

Jasper (42:11.877)
that than me, but you could be, I feel like you could be batting a hundred in Japan and they'll still cheer. They'll still sing a personal song for each player. They'll wave around their celebratory towels, you know, with your face on it. but you put in some really excellent performances, I think for the lions and watching you at first base during that game, you were playing really great defensively playing really, really well. but I'm just curious, how, how did you adapt?

to the Japanese style of playing culture, because it is completely different. It's still baseball, but it's different, right?

David (42:42.68)
Yeah. Yeah, it's different. I remember the first day. So you have half spring training at their, their spring training complexes, and then you kind of play a couple countryside games at their spring, spring training complexes. So it's like dirt field or dirt in field. It's crazy. It's dirt in field and like small.

small fields you might get like eight to 10,000 people in there watching the game. Which is cool concept. And then for the month of March you come back, play in the stadiums for spring training. And I didn't realize how many people are gonna come on a Saturday, Sunday to spring training games, but the stadiums were pretty full, you know? So you're getting used to, I was getting used to them playing music and singing during my at-bats, which was very interesting.

Because you're used to that kind of like...

David (43:44.119)
nothingness, like it's just loud, but it's nothing. No one's cheering together, but you can like hear everything they're saying and it's together cheering and the music's going. So that took a couple, probably two days to get used to. then it wasn't too bad after that. Baseball wise, just getting used to, a lot of them have five or six pitches. And I feel like I'm more built for that than I am built for.

Jasper (43:45.093)
Yeah.

David (44:11.9)
Like, Hey, here's 102 with a 93 mile an hour slider, you know, um, I'm more built for being able to adjust timing. So I feel like I had an easier time adjusting than a lot of foreign guys have adjusting. A lot of foreign guys just seem to be more in the 10 to 15 mile per hour. I can only hit like those ranges. So if it's, if they throw an EFIS or something slower than 15 miles per hour, they have a hard time staying on it. And it took me maybe a little.

a little while to adjust to that, I definitely adjusted faster than most of the foreign guys in regards to how they pitch and manipulate timing.

Jasper (44:52.731)
Because it's like you said, the sort of pitch selection is different, but then I'm very intrigued sort of by the sort of cultural changes because you're obviously, you're going to live in a country where I've been to Japan a few times now. But it's still like, I don't speak any of the language. I can say the sort of basic terms and I can say, sumimasen, sorry to everyone because I'll make cultural faux pas like anywhere I go.

David (45:12.668)
Yeah.

Jasper (45:17.243)
Just what was that like for you? Cause you're there, you're with the Lions, you're trying to learn their brand of baseball, guess, but also trying to, know, find your own in a country that you're not familiar with. Well, I think Japan is by far the strangest country you can go to because it's not like the U S it's not like what I know in Europe. So what was that like for you?

David (45:39.546)
Yeah, I mean, especially in the U S there's no, not really public transportation so much. that's tough. so having to navigate public transportation at different languages, even tougher, obviously. and then just the navigation of the public transportation with a one year old, cause we had our first son, he was one at the time. It's also tough cause it's hard to like get him on a train to a field and you're hopping on one train. like in my head, I was like, hop on a train and it just brings me straight to the field.

Jasper (45:50.631)
You

David (46:09.34)
And the reality is like you have to get on other trains, you know, you have to like hop on this train and then get off and then go on the next train and get on the next. So it would be three trains every time we go to the field. It ended up taking about 35 minutes, 40 minutes. So yeah, it's just like, sometimes you just miss that. That having a car and being able to go where you want, when you want all that, but and then not being able to speak the language is tough. When I was in Korea, there's a lot more English speakers in Japan.

Jasper (46:10.439)
you

Jasper (46:31.783)
Hmm.

David (46:38.883)
So that was tough too. What else?

Chad (46:43.571)
What in the clubhouse? What's the difference between the culture in America and in the clubhouse and then in, let's say, Korea or Japan? Because, I mean, those are the people that you're working with.

David (46:51.068)
Okay. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Korea and well, Korea is much more Americanized clubhouse. Little more room and guys are, some of them were fluent. A couple of guys that I like teammates were fluent English and they love talking, like speaking and trying to learn more. And then a lot of guys knew a little bit of English so you can like communicate a little bit more. Japan, a lot of guys did not know any English. A couple.

Jasper (47:14.225)
Hmm.

David (47:18.15)
couple, one guy was fluent, but he wasn't in the big leagues most of the time. so it was just harder to kind of feel like you were a part of the team. I feel like in Japan sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. Like sometimes you were just a foreign helper and, the fans were like, we love you. You're our favorite helper, you know, but it's like, you're not on the team. You're just helping this team, you know? so sometimes you felt that way for sure. But, the locker room.

Jasper (47:27.857)
Hmm.

Chad (47:28.467)
longing kind of part. Yeah.

Brian (47:39.449)
You

Jasper (47:41.223)
Yeah.

Jasper (47:45.02)
Yeah.

David (47:48.098)
in Japan was like one of the most messy locker rooms I've ever been a part of. Like everyone had their, everyone had their travel bag packed for, and they just never unpacked it. So it was just like bags everywhere, bats everywhere, stuff was just everywhere. And Korea is a lot more room and there was just, it was not as, it was a lot more like the American locker

not as nice as like Bakley Clubhouse, but nicer than all the other like AAA, nicer than all those nice saunas too. yeah. Yeah, so we had, this is just during spring trading. remember our second, it was me and Mark Keighton, the other foreign position player. And we went golfing with...

Brian (48:22.571)
Is smoking still a part of the culture out there?

David (48:43.1)
Tonosaki, our second baseman, and he was up and down in AAA in the big leagues in Japan, but they smoked one cigarette per hole. It was unbelievable. the entire, and then yeah, after every single inning or after a bat, they're in there, they got little smoke cabins in the back for Japan. like there's like four people go in there, the smoke and smoke goes up and they go back out and.

Chad (48:55.036)
Wow.

Jasper (48:56.295)
I'm gonna be a...

David (49:12.988)
I was like, how do you guys do that? right before, like right in there, like, oh, like bad at bat smoke, finish. No, no more thinking. And I'm like.

Chad (49:20.282)
Yeah.

Jasper (49:22.631)
You

Brian (49:23.117)
I it.

David (49:24.188)
okay. I get it. get it. But then Korea, they don't have a smoke chamber. So they do. They changed the shower room into the smoke room. So like with foreign guys, we were like, we're shower after the game. And then you walk in, you're like, I guess we'll just shower at the hotel. You know, like we were not showering after the game. We just went back to the hotel and showered. So

Jasper (49:34.161)
Hmm.

Brian (49:42.307)
worth it.

Chad (49:46.867)
So next time you'll ask that on the interview, do you have a smoke room? Remember that listener next time you are interviewing with the possibility of actually having corporate locations in Korea or Japan or what have, ask for the smoke room. Ask for the smoke room. Yeah.

Jasper (49:47.226)
us.

David (49:51.225)
Yeah.

David (50:01.328)
They have lots of smoke rooms in Japan, like designated smoke rooms. It's crazy.

Chad (50:08.211)
That's awesome. Well, hey, really appreciate you coming on DMACC. Good luck with the new company. Good luck with obviously continuous hitting via video or in person. Listener, thanks a lot for listening and come back next week where we'll have more fun discussions around sport where sport meets the corporate world. That's talent chasing. Thanks so much, guys.

Jasper (50:33.799)
Thank you.

Chad (50:35.73)
Later.

Jasper (50:37.201)
Awesome.

Brian (50:39.737)
Good to meet you, man. Thanks for coming on.

David (50:41.372)
Thanks for having me guys, I appreciate it.

Chad (50:41.51)
Thanks dude!

Jasper (50:44.007)
I didn't get to ask 20 more questions I have about the Lions team. Hey, David, I'll send you. You count me on the podcast, are they? Well, that's fair. That was a really good discussion, mate. Thank you so much for all your answers and yeah, really, really good.

Chad (50:44.337)
No problem.

Thank God.

David (50:49.655)
You got more?

Brian (50:50.701)
He's got a kid he's got a kid too. He can't be on the podcast all day.

David (51:00.25)
Yeah, yeah, no problem, no problem. Brian, did you ever coach?

Brian (51:04.473)
No, I high school coaching. So not professionally, the high school coaching idea coach basketball and and baseball, the high school and then college. We had a college league that we got going here for a few years to have like 75, 85 guys from many different colleges, you know, a place to play in the summertime here locally where they didn't have to go somewhere else and be gone yet again to play. So but that that faded because, you know, other leagues were often.

David (51:05.328)
Eating coach.

David (51:25.179)
Yeah.

Brian (51:34.466)
offering different things. so are you, are you thinking about doing that?

David (51:39.75)
I'm not sure. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do next. And yeah, I mean, I'm thinking, I don't know, I do, you know, I was wondering if you got into coaching ever like I would like to stay in baseball, you know, eventually I'm going to have to get a real job. But if it could be baseball related, that wouldn't be bad.

Brian (51:49.219)
Yeah, it's

Brian (51:56.717)
Yeah.

Brian (52:00.141)
Yeah, I always thought coaching at college would be fun. And you have the resume that's perfect for a college environment locally. Do you have any schools locally around you that...

David (52:09.285)
Yeah.

David (52:13.596)
Yeah, rice has a couple.

Chad (52:14.743)
I gotta ditch out guys. Keep chatting. Good to meet you, man. And we'll let you know when this is up and running.

David (52:19.068)
Hey, nice to meet you too. Okay, perfect. Thank you very much. Nice hopping on.

Brian (52:26.809)
So, right, so you're in Texas now? Okay.

David (52:28.22)
So Rice is like 20, yeah, I'm in Houston. Rice is like 25 minutes away and Houston's also like 25 minutes away.

Brian (52:34.777)
Yeah, especially where you're out there, but there's a lot of recruiting, so there's a lot of travel involved.

Jasper (52:34.865)
Okay, thank you.

David (52:39.004)
Yeah, I was like, do I want to do college or would I want to coach professionally at some point?

Brian (52:45.069)
Yeah, that's tough. Well, I think college gig pays more than the pro. The pro gig is pretty, that's why I got into scouting is because I was like, I'm not going to go into pro coaching because it doesn't pay enough, honestly. But then the scouting pays double, but now the scouting job is kind of gone. The whole industry of scouting is kind of gone. So yeah, I would say my recommendation is just try everything, be it baseball or not baseball.

David (52:58.405)
Yeah.

Brian (53:13.869)
Just try some stuff and you don't know what you enjoy doing or what's gonna work for you until you try it. Not everything's gonna go well and you know that, but it's really worth it to kind of try everything and see where your stuff fits. Because there's, as you say, great value in being able to be home every night. Because that's number one now. But yeah.

David (53:34.492)
Yeah.

Brian (53:40.633)
Coaching was cool for me. Again, I did it seven, eight years and it was when my kids, so that was another thing. I did it when my kids were growing up. I've got a daughter and a son, so I coached soccer with her, basketball with her, basketball and baseball with my son. So that was kind of the time where I did it and it worked in well because I get to spend more time with my kids and it's a challenge of coaching your kid and you got to work through that sometimes. But so maybe before they're ready, you could try other stuff or try whatever coaching you want.

David (53:45.028)
Yeah.

David (54:09.744)
Yeah. Yeah.

Brian (54:10.637)
But the whole world is out there for you. Sometimes there are too many options, right? That can be a challenge too. There's too many options. It's hard to narrow.

Jasper (54:11.953)
But yeah, world's your oyster, right? But it's,

David (54:13.539)
I know, I just gotta figure it out.

David (54:19.728)
Yeah.

Jasper (54:21.031)
But it's like, for me, it's kind of like, feel like you were harshly done by it that may make it sort of more difficult. Cause when you were released, you weren't resigned with the Saibu lines. I was really surprised to be fair. Cause it feels like you're really with the, yeah, Saibu, yeah, in Japan. Yeah. That was strange. Cause you were playing every game.

David (54:33.732)
With Cebu? Or s- yeah. Dude, that was crazy.

Jasper (54:43.023)
You played well, you were hitting in the heart of the lineup. You were performing. I think you had the second most homers on the team. Like you were getting home runs. was something I wanted to say.

David (54:46.468)
Yeah.

David (54:50.012)
Yeah, no, yeah, I was hitting, I was hitting some homers back. Honestly, the only time I didn't hit homers was, or in the last like three years was just this past year in Korea and my swing was just not quite right. But I still was hitting. I just wasn't hitting the ball over the fence. It was just kind of like not through the zone long enough to just contact and left. So, but yeah, so I don't know. The same thing was, they just didn't really negotiate in good faith, you know? That was kind of what it came down to.

Jasper (54:54.267)
Yeah.

Jasper (55:02.79)
Yeah.

Jasper (55:06.204)
Yeah.

David (55:20.624)
They offered what I made the prior year and I was like, I was the best foreign player in the league. give me something. And they're like, well, hitter wise, hitter wise, pitchers had higher award, but hitter wise, was one of the top hitters and they, they were like, yeah, let's negotiate. So we started negotiating and then they never moved it up. You know, that's just, so I'm like, this isn't really negotiating. And then all of a sudden they're.

Jasper (55:27.013)
Yeah, yeah you were. Yeah, I mean yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

David (55:46.886)
We were like, is this taken or leave it? Like, it's taken or leave it. We have a decision made. It's not like, well, negotiate. And they're like, no, this is negotiating. And then all of sudden they just pulled the offer the next day. So I was like.

Brian (55:57.849)
I remember guys saying when they come back from Japan that they expect you to be raking. If you're not raking, they get rid of you. Is that accurate and power is what they want in there too or?

David (56:05.5)
Oh, they... Korea... Korea expects you to be the best player in the league. So that was the problem there, because I was well above average, but I was not the best player. Or was not the best hitter. I think if I'm right, my swing there, I'm still not going to be the best hitter. There's some studs in that league now. If I'm right, I'd be like an 850 to 900 OPS in Korea.

Jasper (56:12.967)
Hmm.

Jasper (56:29.243)
Yeah,

David (56:33.532)
If I'm right in Japan, once I figure it out how those guys pitch, I feel like I could get to like, because that ball's a little more dead and it's super humid there, that I feel like I would be 760 to 800. I don't think much more is in the tank with my power. You need to hit balls a hundred and fifteen in order to really do damage in Japan. But yeah.

Jasper (56:41.743)
It's dead,

Jasper (57:01.191)
It's a hard place to get home runs. think people sort of underappreciate that part of Japanese baseball.

Brian (57:01.337)
Yeah, makes sense.

David (57:05.284)
It's, yeah, well the ball's like a little squishier and the seams are higher so like it just like kind of like kind of parachutes if you hit it too high. And it's humid, it is so humid. So if you're not inside, like the ball just isn't great.

Jasper (57:09.669)
Yeah. Yeah.

Jasper (57:20.487)
Yeah.

Brian (57:23.469)
Each stick.

Jasper (57:24.227)
Yeah, yeah. No, but did you did you get to face? know you're not. You weren't in the same league. Did you get to face Trevor Bauer in the same season? Because that was twenty twenty three, right?

David (57:33.98)
I did face Bauer. I was over two with a walk against him, but I barreled the ball twice.

Jasper (57:42.341)
Yeah, well that's a lot of people do. That's the weird part with Trevor Barrett, seems like. He gives up one hit and it's a home run. It's really weird. He can either be absolute best pitcher in the world or he looks like, I don't know, a 6ERA guy. It's really, really weird.

David (57:45.988)
I know.

David (58:00.846)
Yeah, I mean, I just didn't see much. I mean, I know he's a good pitcher, but like also the Japanese ball, when you're trying to move it side to side, it just doesn't move as much, but up and down, moves a lot. So the sliders that are nasty here in the States, they just don't move as much there.

Jasper (58:19.675)
Yeah. How did I want to ask you about, because I read plenty of stuff about Soske, the gender, the shortstop for the lions. Again, he was, I think he's described as one of the best short stops defensively in the world. Like, I think

Brian (58:21.337)
It's

David (58:23.036)
Okay.

David (58:29.03)
GANDA YEA!

David (58:35.364)
I would say he's probably the best shortstop I've ever seen. But his bat, his bat would never get him here. No, he would not be able to hit in the big leagues enough. I've never seen anyone better than him. Like the ball's just in his hand so quick, you know.

Brian (58:38.435)
Wow. Right on.

Jasper (58:38.756)
Yeah, that's what I think, yeah. It's bad, it's not great, no. No.

But defensively, don't know, just something about watching the guy, because obviously... No.

It's and it's so fluid like it's one motion and it's like I'm like how do you and he makes every heart shortstop blade look easy. It's so weird. Brian, I'll send you some clips but it's it gets yeah literally it's honestly.

David (58:56.444)
Yeah. Oh yeah.

David (59:02.202)
Yeah, he gets to every ball.

Brian (59:05.219)
Yeah, yeah, send it to him. Yeah.

David (59:06.746)
And it's like, it's not like a conventional like, like fielding, like he definitely doesn't look conventional doing it like a guy that we would have thought how to do. He's just so smooth.

Jasper (59:17.989)
Yeah, yeah, it's funny that you mentioned that because I went I went over I'm literally just back from a trip to Japan. So I took my now fiance not girlfriend anymore. Fiance. Thank you, mate. Took it took her to the to the Lions game. She loved just she's not into sports at all. But she loved the atmosphere and have buddy I am a Japanese baseball fan, but I love the Lions. I don't know some

David (59:27.056)
Hey, King Grats!

David (59:34.768)
So you're like a big Lions fan only or Japanese fan?

David (59:41.018)
You love the lions?

Jasper (59:42.247)
They were the worst team in Japan when I came to watch you guys. So I thought this is the underdog. I love them the dog in sports. So they used to be awesome. I think they just that's a problem. Yeah. And they have this sort of, think a lot of plays were sent away from that team due to disciplinary things too. Like, um, or you, you probably lived through that, didn't you? That was 20 to 23.

David (59:46.331)
Yeah.

We were, I mean, they used to be good, so they just don't spend money anymore.

David (01:00:03.196)
Yeah, I mean I Did live through that one. Yeah, our first baseman I suppose like third that whole year and our first baseman got in a there's like a sexual assault case and he Ended up suspended for the year So I ended up at first which I wasn't complaining about playing first. I'm a lot more comfortable over there, but Yeah, so he was suspended all year then he just signed with

Jasper (01:00:13.777)
Yeah.

David (01:00:31.164)
Softbank. He's a big hitter too. We kind of needed him that year. They had to circle my name on the lineup card to avoid and like 15 homers and he usually hits like 30, 35 homers. So that would have been a lot of homers that we could have had. I think our team actually would have been really good. We might have been in the playoffs that year if we had him because our pitching was good.

Jasper (01:00:31.527)
Softbank, yeah, Softbank, yeah. He is. Yeah, it's, and he was...

Jasper (01:00:44.871)
Yeah.

Jasper (01:00:53.935)
I think the pitching is just so good in the lines. lines have, think, Imae Tatsuya, he's going to be in the MLB as soon as he can be. When the lines end up posting him, I think the same way we talk about Yamamoto, we talk about Sasaki, I think Tatsuya Imae is, for talent-wise, he's right up there for me.

David (01:00:58.222)
EMI, EMI is unbelievable.

David (01:01:04.422)
Yeah.

David (01:01:12.922)
Yeah, and Kona, I don't know what happened to Kona. Kona seems like he's hurt or something. I don't know what's going

Jasper (01:01:18.383)
I've, yeah, he was, I think it was hurt last year and he put on some weight and the performance is just, I think he lost about 10 starts in a row. And I know Japan obsesses over wins and losses for pitchers. Yeah. Wins and losses. That's what they care about. So he had a really, well, he's got one run. Yeah. but he had a, think he had a poor season last year, but he's, he's looked a bit, but I try to watch some of the games every week.

David (01:01:27.804)
Wins and losses, yeah.

It's hard to win when you don't score, so yeah.

David (01:01:42.14)
I mean Sumita has been really good this year I saw. And Emaai, yeah.

Jasper (01:01:45.831)
Left-hander, he's very very good as well. in my years of Brian, again, I'll send you some clips of this guy's a rock star. I think...

David (01:01:52.348)
He might is like throws absolute. He's like 95, 98, and it's just like explodes out of his hand. That was, I thought he was the best pitcher on our team when I faced him in spring training. was like, Whoa, like this guy's it just takes off.

Jasper (01:01:56.153)
It's ridiculous. It's-

Jasper (01:02:06.679)
It's, it's, I was, I was lucky because the game we went to was a Emai start. So I got to see him for seven or eight innings. And I think he's, he's, he's ERA is. Yeah. But now he can like his ERA is 0.59. Yeah. Something like that after 10 games. Like it's ridiculous. It's he's an incredible talent. Yeah.

David (01:02:15.426)
Yeah, he's all over the place though. Like if he gets to throw the ball in the play.

More. He's .65 I saw, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Jasper (01:02:31.419)
Maybe we should start a Japanese baseball podcast, David. That would be good. Give you another little venture.

Brian (01:02:35.129)
Hahaha

David (01:02:35.644)
Yeah. I mean, I definitely know a lot of people. We have a lot of players. I can definitely, I got all my Japanese balls up there too. I if you can see them. So I got Yamamoto, Miyagi, I got Kondo, Yanagita, Sasaki, Tanaka and Murakami. I got all the good ones.

Jasper (01:02:40.709)
Yeah, I will.

Jasper (01:02:46.624)
cool, very nice.

Jasper (01:02:58.299)
All the good players, yeah. Wow.

That's awesome, right? That's nice collection you've got going on. Now listen, mate.

David (01:03:05.967)
Yeah. Yeah, every time we played one of them, was like, we got to get them.

Jasper (01:03:10.789)
No, you gotta get him. Yeah. Whilst you're there, he might as well. Might as well. Yeah. One check for you guys. Is it, does it show a still recording and uploading or is that me? Maybe it's me. Yeah. I'm going to make sure Chad.

David (01:03:12.144)
Yeah, might as well.

David (01:03:22.063)
It says recording still.

Brian (01:03:24.973)
Yeah, mine's at 99%. It's good.

Jasper (01:03:28.035)
Yeah, we to make sure that we end up getting the recording of that because we've had one or two technical issues in the past, but.

David (01:03:36.38)
Mine says it's still recording, it says 99 uploading.

Jasper (01:03:39.759)
Okay yeah, same for me. I'll make sure, but yeah? Well, I hope.

Brian (01:03:40.185)
Yeah, I think we're good.

Yep. I need to head out. Dave, great to meet you. Good luck to you in the next phase. It'll be fun and enjoy the wife and kids. It's a great thing to have.

David (01:03:49.104)
Nice to meet you too.

David (01:03:57.178)
Yeah, thank you very much. I'll enjoy it.

Brian (01:04:00.269)
Right on. All right, Jasper, we'll see you later,

Jasper (01:04:02.737)
See you later, Brian. Let me check.

and see if I can I think I've got the I'm just going to make sure that and this is 99 % for you right

David? Okay. Okay. Let me try and

David (01:04:15.972)
Yes, it says 99%. Yep.

Chad (01:04:21.716)
What did you break Jasper?