← Most Valuable Agent with Matt Hannaford
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- [00:13]
A
All right.
- [00:13]
B
My dog. What's up, dog?
- [00:14]
A
So we are in. Where are we right now? This your shop?
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B
We're in my shop.
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A
So, country boy, who's got a shop, what do we do in the shop? We got the gym, obviously.
- [00:23]
B
Yeah, we got the gym.
- [00:24]
A
People can't see. We got a gym over here.
- [00:25]
B
Got a gym.
- [00:27]
A
We got a sauna.
- [00:27]
B
You got a sauna for, you know, just being cold in the winter, so I can sweat a little bit. I got all my deer mounts, which they.
- [00:34]
A
I don't think they can see. They can see some ducks over here and maybe some turkey. Yeah.
- [00:38]
B
And got like a. This is just my place. This is my place to come. Whether I'm watching football, working out, and I says I have too much stuff, and this is where it goes.
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A
And this is your main cave.
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B
My man cave.
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A
I love it.
- [00:52]
B
Yeah.
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A
Every man deserves a man cave.
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B
I would.
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A
Right?
- [00:56]
B
For sure.
- [00:56]
A
Yeah. I would be here.
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B
Yeah. A lot.
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A
Most of the day.
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B
I think I'm up here a lot.
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A
And they didn't get to see it, but obviously your two boys were here running around. So I think we all will look forward to them getting. Hitting these weights at some point.
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B
Yeah, especially Bo. He's already way.
- [01:14]
A
So we're. Obviously, we're going to talk to Mike and Elisa, your parents, but before we did, I wanted to get into a little bit about, from your perspective, the impact that they made when you were coming up as a kid playing baseball. I know how meaningful and how impactful they were, but what can you. What can you share as far as, you know, your journey? I think your mom and dad, it's a beautiful thing because they both kind of share a different role in that.
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B
Right.
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A
I think a lot of times when, when players talk about their parents, it's like, okay, the dad's the baseball guy and then the mom is maybe, you know, know, just. She's very loving and funny enough. I. I think your mom may talk almost as much baseball as your dad.
- [01:53]
B
Oh, for sure, for sure. Yeah. I mean, obviously dad was the one that was taking me, you know, at practice, the. The true fundamentals of the game. You know, he taught me. Taught me all that. I remember doing, you know, a pre draft workout with Arizona. Tony LaRusso was there and he was like, you know, I was hitting the ball the other way and he's like, who taught you that? I was like, my dad. That's just kind of how he's always taught me, was just, you know, through the middle of the field.
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A
He never, he never Played pro ball either. So it's not like.
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B
No, I think he just, you know, and that's a. It'd be a really good question to ask him, because, you know, I don't know if I've ever asked him. It's like, okay, where did that. Where did that. Where did it?
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A
Like, how did you know?
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B
Yeah, because.
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A
Teach this.
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B
Yeah, but that's just kind of what he did was just learning how to use a big part of the field. So just like I said, from a circulation. Fundamentals. You know, dad obviously was. Was who taught me all that. And then, you know, but not taking anything from mom because she's as sharp on anything when it comes to baseball. Yeah.
- [03:07]
A
It's funny. So the relationship that we all have now is, you know, they're always together. A lot of times when I call, right. And so she'll be in the background, and maybe I'm talking to her dad, and I'll ask her something. And she. She's always thinking about the business. Right. And so even through the draft process, when you talk about, like, which one was more opinionated about a specific thing, I always found that your mom, for sure, was definitely the one that's like, yeah, what about this? She had a lot of questions.
- [03:35]
B
Right, Right. For sure. She was, I think, in that. Just the. The mother in her just, you know, I was 18 at the time, and. And, you know, I think she just wanted to make sure. I mean, because still to this day, she will ask me. She's like, do you think we made the right decision, like, as far as. Like, we didn't push you or anything? Oh, yeah. She's still like, oh, wow. Yeah. It's crazy. I think, like I said, I think that's just her. The mother instincts, and she's just very, very overprotective. And. And. And like I said, and in that process, you know, she. She definitely was the one. And anything up until today's point, whether it's I'm taking the kids to the doctor or, you know, buying some land, she's always asking questions. Yeah. I think that's just product.
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A
That's who she is. Yeah.
- [04:22]
B
Yeah, for sure.
- [04:23]
A
So I'm gonna ask them this question, but I want to ask you before they're here, at what age did you feel like. Like, this is real. Like, I. I went from being somebody who, like, just loved playing baseball, who wanted to play in college, and maybe, who knows what happens? Maybe I get to be a professional at some point. Like, at what point was it like, oh, wait a second. This is actually something that I'm not so sure I'm gonna get drafted or I'm gonna sign yet. Right. But, like, I'm pretty good.
- [04:49]
B
I would say it was probably. I would say my ninth grade year.
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A
Okay, so you were 15 at that point. Yeah.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And what was it about it?
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B
Well, I think it was, you know, I. I was. I was playing varsity as a freshman, and typically you're playing JV.
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A
I.
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B
Starting catcher. So I think it was just like. I think just like the separation of that. Of just like, okay, hey, I. You know, they're obviously wanting me to play varsity, so I think, you know, it's. It's. There's something. Something to that.
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A
Yeah.
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B
But, you know, I think it wasn't until probably my sophomore year where it's like, I honestly, I didn't even, like, really think of pro ball until probably.
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A
I'm aware, because I remember. And we'll get into that, because I remember having plenty of conversations with you where I'm like, do you realize, like, this is a thing?
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B
Yeah.
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A
Because at that point, even your senior year, in your mind, you're going to college. Right. That's just.
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B
Yeah.
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A
I don't think I'm gonna sign. It's. College seems to be the. The logical pathway.
- [05:54]
B
Right. I think it was just one of those things where, you know, if you're in, you know, being in Mississippi, you're not, you know, if you're in Florida, if you're an az, if you're in Cali or Flora, if you're in, you know, in the bigger cities, it's like, okay, you're seeing these teams and, like, really, I guess, understanding what spring training's about and what pro ball, like, the levels of everything. I don't know. It just wasn't talked a lot about growing up for whatever reason.
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A
Well, and this was. So your Senior year is 2015.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Right. So we're like, you know, at that point, travel, baseball was still really, really big back then. So by no means was it. You know, it's. It's not necessarily as big as it is now, but it was still really, really big at that point, for sure. Right. But being in Mississippi, I guess the word that comes to mind is, like, it is a little more sheltered, for sure, to where it's just not being.
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B
Thrust in your face like today's age. Yes. But back then, not at all.
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A
Yeah. And then. So your dad played in the NFL.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Right. You played football, too.
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B
Oh, yeah.
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A
And one of the things that we've oftentimes Talked about on this podcast, whether it's scouts, executives that I've had on the podcast, is so many people talk and encourage players if they can continue playing multiple sports.
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B
Oh yeah.
- [07:09]
A
Where was football? Because you weren't necessarily the prototypical football player and I think people would look at you and say linebacker. Oh man. Absolutely. Middle linebacker. But you weren't. What position did you play?
- [07:21]
B
I did all the kicking game.
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A
Right, you were a kicker. Now part of that though is because your, your dad was too.
- [07:26]
B
Yeah. No, so I was like, it just grew. Growing up in the backyard, we to just hang around. We just punted. So that's kind of how where that evolved now. I played quarterback my eighth grade year, played quarterback my ninth grade year in my sophomore year. And seven on seven, it was like that's when seven on seven, like I felt like got really, really big. Yeah. And obviously during the summer I was playing baseball and like, you know, my high school coach, you know, kind of wanted me to be at these seven on sevens. I was just like, I like baseball more and I wanted to play baseball. And so I was like, you know, I'm not missing. You know, we had football season. This is baseball season.
- [08:12]
A
Right. Did you think at that point, was it that you loved baseball more? Was it that you thought you were better at baseball? Was it a combination of both?
- [08:21]
B
I felt like I was better at baseball, but I also love the. I think I still, to this day, I love the game better than football. I think it's just. And that's what I tell people all the time is just from a baseball standpoint, it seems boring. But if you get down to the technical nitty gritty of things, of just the, the little like that's the name of the game is the attention to the little details. And I think that's what I, I like so much about the game. So I think that's kind of why I gravitated versus just, you know, not. I mean, I know there's some, some thought in football, but, you know, not just getting a football and go knocking the heck out of each other.
- [08:55]
A
Did you? And maybe this is where I'll take this. So if think about the dad who, let's just say, didn't play professional baseball, right. Maybe played a little bit of college, but their son seems to be on a trajectory as, as a. Called a freshman in high school, that's going to be a little bit more advanced than that dad ever was. The dad has a certain knowledge base about the game of baseball. Compare that to now being in the big leagues and how much more about those intricate details about all the little things that go behind the scenes to make certain things happen in the game. If, if, if you think about that dad, who, whose son is 15, what percentage of the game would you say they know compared to the big leagues? If the big leagues is 100%, what percentage?
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B
Ooh.
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A
And there's a reason I'm asking this question. But what would you say to me?
- [09:51]
B
To me, it's not as less as you think. I don't think. I mean, I would say, I mean, just from generic number speaking, I'd say, I would say 50%.
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A
50%.
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B
Just because I think, like I said, you. Everything's kind of. Everything's out there. What separates to me the, you know, obviously you got the talent, but what separates to me the most is just the mental side of the game.
- [10:18]
A
Right.
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B
Once you get up to the big leagues, it's just like, you know, you deal with all this pressure and people and. But when it, when it gets. When you're in between those lines, you're playing the same. I mean, they say it all the time. You're playing the same game that everybody's playing when you're in t ball.
- [10:34]
A
So the mental side that you're talking about, it's really, you know, as a hitter.
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B
Yeah.
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A
It's thinking about, all right, how is this pitcher?
- [10:43]
B
Right. Yeah. I think you just, you start to technically get a little bit more technical with things as far as, you know, the data that is apply or, you know, given to us to, you know, the game planning, you know, just, just the small thing. Like I said, it kind of goes back to the. That detail oriented thing. It's just how, how much, how prepared can you be on a nightly basis whenever you, you go out there to compete on, you know, when you're facing a pitcher.
- [11:14]
A
I think one of the biggest things that was I.
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B
Was my number close.
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A
Yeah. I mean, I don't think there is a right number. Right. It's really just. I think it's subjective, like, whatever.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Your experience is different than someone else's. Someone else may say maybe that dad knows a little less, maybe a little more. But I think 50% is point being is like there's a lot that they don't necessarily know, to no fault of their own.
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B
No.
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A
But the game at the highest level, it's just, it's different in every sport.
- [11:37]
B
Oh, for sure.
- [11:38]
A
Right, for sure. But I would say the biggest thing that I think a lot of parents, when they're talking about their Son, whether it's a pitcher or hitter that they struggle with is like the approach. Yeah, right. I think a parent or even a kid at 15 years old, like, go back to when you were 15. What was your approach at the plate?
- [11:57]
B
I mean, I. Up the middle. That was.
- [12:01]
A
Right. It's much more basic. Like C ball, hit ball.
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B
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
- [12:05]
A
Generally you're like, okay, how do I. How do I simplify this as much as possible? Where then when you look in the big leagues now, walk me through just briefly, like, what is an example of like, what your approach may be in a certain situation? What are the various things?
- [12:20]
B
I was honestly thinking about this the other day. Take. Take the walk off in 21 against Blake Trina.
- [12:26]
A
Okay, Tell them about that real fast if they haven't seen it.
- [12:29]
B
Yeah. So 21 Blake Trine. And with the Dodgers, I. I ended up, you know, game winning hit down the line on a slider.
- [12:39]
A
Down and away and LCs.
- [12:40]
B
And LCs. Yeah. So kind of take you through that approach. Okay, so power sinker with a wipeout slider. So if I remember correctly, because I think I was watching it back through. So this is where it's like technical of like how I get this swing off. It's like, okay, power sinker. I think he threw me a sinker down and in that. I literally was thinking like a sand wedge trying to hit this pitch because it's moving so much. And I was over it. So I was like, okay. In order for me to have any production in this at bat, I remember telling myself, I was like, okay, the only way I'm going to be able to stay through the fastball but still stay on the slider. I was like, okay, I'm going to tell myself, I'm going to try to hit this fastball, a bloop single over the first base head. Because that'll keep me inside the ball. That'll keep me like in under it. I was like, and that'll at least give me enough bat that if he throws a slider, if I'm not, you know, ready for it, I can at least cap it. Yeah, down the line. I end up doing that down the line to. To win the game. So it's like when you're starting to play that like, super mind game of like, okay, wedge didn't work. Because that's the thought I had. I was like, okay, now I gotta come up with something else to. Cause balls are moving so much in today's game. It's like, okay, now I gotta come up with something else to let me protect the fastball, but also stay on, you know, an 86 mile an hour wipeout slider.
- [14:07]
A
Right. The reason I love that analogy example is you take a kid who's 15.
- [14:14]
B
Yeah.
- [14:15]
A
The goal is not to think like that today.
- [14:17]
B
No. Because you can't. No.
- [14:19]
A
You had to learn.
- [14:20]
B
Yeah, for sure.
- [14:21]
A
Get to a place where thoughts like that aren't thoughts that are making you worse. They're actually preparing you for that at that point. That only could happen by spending the years that you through the minor system working up to that place that a.
- [14:33]
B
Thought like that wouldn't even cross my mind until probably. Probably double A, right, Triple A. Like when you start really getting to the nitty like gritty of like, okay, guys are starting to know what they're doing. But yeah, yeah. The basics of it is just like I said, it was him being pounding in my head, dad, stay up the middle, stay up the middle, stay up the middle, stay up the middle.
- [15:00]
A
I love it.
- [15:01]
B
Yeah.
- [15:01]
A
Let's go, big dog, both y'. All. All right, guys, so now we're sitting down. Mom and dad, I got qu. I got so many. I got so many questions. Some of these questions I know the answer to because we've had many conversations. But I want just so you guys know too. My listener is pretty much like you guys, right? Travel, baseball, parents who have a kid who's obviously really good at the sport and they have ambitions of wanting to help their son get to the big leagues. And so I want to know, and I've talked to Austin about this separately, but I guess from your guys perspective, whoever wants to go first, when did you guys first see something in Austin where you thought, you know, I feel like this kid's got a chance because I do feel like a lot of parents maybe think that too often. Right. Oh, my son's the best out there and my son's going to be a major league player. Oftentimes they're not. Right. And so but from your guys perspective now you have a son who not only is a big leaguer, who's an all star, who is fortunate to sign for life changing money. When did that point come? Was it like a moment you realized or was it like, did it happen over time?
- [16:07]
C
To me, I thought, I think it was over time. I think it's. It was more because we constructed a team obviously. And just like everything else we went through, we had our practices where the Monday practice, the Tuesday practice, whatever the schedule was. But. And obviously everybody goes to those. Yeah, but I think it was more so probably 13, 14, where over time it was, he consistently wanted to go do more and more and more.
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A
He wanted to work.
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C
Right.
- [16:44]
A
Right.
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C
Versus we got to go do this.
- [16:47]
A
Right.
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C
You know, And I don't know if that's the defining moment, but to me, that was one thing that. With what we already was seeing in terms of where he was at versus everybody else.
- [16:59]
A
Yeah. Like comparing him to other players physically and right. Talent wise, you're like, all right, he's already one of the better kids. But the want to. He had that. That's what I'm hearing you say, right.
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D
I think younger for me, just because.
- [17:13]
A
Really.
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D
Well, I mean, I was around all these small kids. Right?
- [17:16]
B
Yeah.
- [17:16]
D
I mean, talking about baseball, but he could. He rode a bike when he was 2 with no training wheels. I mean, it was very, very, very. Maybe three, but it was so young. And I'm watching him and I'm thinking, you know, wow, he could roller skate. And just the. Just this.
- [17:32]
A
So you saw the physicality at an early age, and that kind of tipped you off. Did you guys ever have a moment together where you said, hey, I think. I think this kid's pretty good?
- [17:43]
D
Probably.
- [17:44]
C
Probably inside our house somewhere once.
- [17:48]
D
Honestly. Yeah.
- [17:50]
C
You know, it's kind of like the it factor. You just. Without having to say anything, you kind of just.
- [17:56]
A
It's. Yeah.
- [17:57]
C
You just kind of know.
- [17:58]
A
Yeah. You know, I mean, look, it's.
- [17:59]
C
It's not. I don't want to say obvious, but it is obvious, sure, at that point, that he was at least a little bit above the better players anyway.
- [18:10]
A
Mike, did you. We shared earlier. So you obviously played in the NFL, right. Do you think any of the analysis that you had as far as, like, how good he could be from the mental side came from seeing some of the best football players and, like, what they had?
- [18:28]
C
You know, I'll tell you, yes, because my first year with Detroit, I was let go. I was let go both years, but each year I beat. In my opinion, in my opinion, I beat Jim Arnold out. But. But they went with him because he was the more veteran players, which. Which gave me a sense of really when things aren't going to go the way I think they should go or what the results stated, then you still get kind of knocked back a little bit. Then you just got to keep plugging and really bear down and get with it, so to speak.
- [19:11]
A
So, Austin, maybe this is a question for you. What did your parents do that you feel like if they hadn't done this for me, I don't know if I'd be where I'm at right now at a young age, all of it.
- [19:26]
B
No, I think the, the biggest thing and I think I, you know, I'm, you know, obviously I got a three year old and a one year old, so I'm around parents a little bit that have kids that are older than me. And I think what they did a really good job of is not the pressure of like, I didn't feel like I was, you know, filling my dad's shoes or know, feeling mom shooter. You know what I mean? It was just like it, it was, it was my sport. It was what I, you know, wanted to do. And like I said, don't. They, don't get me wrong. They, they, they pushed me for sure. And I, you have to. But I think they were really good at gauging when the, the pressure needed to be pressed, when they needed to back off. It wasn't, you know, if I had a bad game, it wasn't the end of the world type of thing. It was, you know, how can we get better? You know, it. They did, like I said, I think they did a really good job as far as just like when it came to like the pressure of pushing me that I, you know, you see in some of these, you know, these kids days where, you know, they, they kind of ruin it for sure for the kid.
- [20:41]
A
Do you, was that intentional? Like, did you guys, were you aware of that?
- [20:45]
D
Well, yes, because I think Mike was the presser and I was kind of like, okay, let's, let's dial it back just a little bit.
- [20:51]
A
So you guys like worked off of.
- [20:52]
D
Each other a little bit. We talked a lot about it too, and I was like, you know, he probably needs to go to the lake this week.
- [20:59]
A
You know, just get away from the game and not think about it.
- [21:01]
D
Yes, because he would play every day, every second, and I was the one like, no, let's give him a break. And I think that's. We balanced each other.
- [21:09]
C
We did. I mean, I think we was a, it was a combo, really good combo. But you know, and I think with. Along those lines with him was I think that we chose when to press. Like when he had a good game, like when he went 3 for 3, 4 for 4, then it was time to push the buttons. Hey, you could have done more. And then when he didn't have a good game, it was just so what? Yeah, you know, so we, I think we picked and choose when to.
- [21:41]
A
When the right time was put on the gas.
- [21:43]
C
You Know, press the gas or put.
- [21:45]
A
On the brake, pull back. Yeah. So we were talking about the Arizona Diamondbacks pre draft workout when Tony LaRusso pulled them aside and said, hey, who taught you how to hit like that? And he obviously was saying, my dad. When you put his, what I'll call kind of like development plan together prior to him getting a pro ball. Right. And you guys are working on things in the cage, where did a lot of that education, Right. Your understanding about where that come from.
- [22:10]
C
You know, because I. My first two and a half years, I played with Mississippi baseball at Mississippi State, so I was. I was under Ron Poke and that program and. And pretty much right there.
- [22:23]
A
Okay.
- [22:25]
C
And then just trying to learn from up. I mean, I was. I was always one to be around guys in baseball and doing lessons or whatnot with other people, and just. I've always tried to take from other people bits and pieces to try to apply it up, you know, to him back in the day, you know.
- [22:46]
A
Yeah, I. I think one of the things that a lot of dads struggle with probably more than anybody is they have opinions, right. And they try to force those opinions on their son. And sometimes the son is not, you know, agreeing with it.
- [23:00]
B
Right.
- [23:01]
A
Hey, dad, not now. Or you don't understand or you've never played, you know, at the highest level. What do you know? And I feel like knowing you guys together and, like, seeing how it's, you know, evolved over the years, whatever you did, it was just like, perfect balance of, let's work on this. But up to a certain point, like, when he gets the pro ball, obviously, it's like, all right, now he's working with different coaches. They may have different philosophies. So did you guys. Did you ever get to a place where you're in pro ball now and maybe some of the stuff he was talking about maybe wasn't still what you would use?
- [23:37]
B
No, no. I mean, it's just the new school, old school of teaching baseball, of hitting. And I've always, like, whenever we would. When we were kind of making that transition into pro ball and stuff, I would always kind of verify with him. Like, we talk every. Pretty much after every game, if he's not asleep already. And. And it was just like that. More of, like, verification. Like, hey, does. Does this make sense? Like, is. You know, because like I said, I was, you know, 18, 19 going into, you know, these hitting coaches that never have met. And, you know, he had always kind of been my coach. So, like I said, it was more of, like, verifying with him was like, hey, does this make sense? Yes. But like I said, he's done, you know, I think a really good job even now that this new school of hitting has kind of evolved of, you know, learning the game. And he's caught on to, you know, certain moves that I'm trying to, you know, to, to do to kind of help me. And, and you know, he's, you know, he can spot him now where I would say, like, you know, like I said five or six years ago, like it was still kind of that learning curve, but there's been some evolve around of, you know, like I said, I'm in Atlanta. He's here of just kind of figuring out a system to kind of all together.
- [24:58]
D
He still watches a lot of videos.
- [25:00]
A
I know I'm about to bring that up, by the way, so.
- [25:02]
C
And I think, I think what I was old school, new school, you know, old school where what we used to.
- [25:07]
B
Do.
- [25:09]
C
And back during the day, I think everybody did it, you know, with some of the things with the swing and I think more importantly with him. And for. I think the disadvantage that a lot of the kids even today is they got dad telling them one thing. They got their hidden guy that they go to probably saying a different thing. Then that afternoon they go to their coach or their team practice and they got two or three coaches there that are probably saying. So now all of a sudden in a 24 hour period, they've heard four different things on what you're supposed to do with your swing. And I think growing up, it was just us. It was us and a few, A couple Mike Klepsik, Scott Kraft. There was just a handful of coaches, but we had them specifically throughout a 10 or 12 year period.
- [26:02]
A
Yeah, you guys were all, it sounds like on the same page too. So he wasn't hearing different opinions.
- [26:08]
C
Gary Blaylock as well. Yeah, Gary Blaylock, sure.
- [26:11]
B
Can't forget Coach Gary. Yeah, No, I mean, the only thing I mean, and that's why I think like I'm also, you know, blessed with. Is like he was my hitting coach. Whereas like some of these kids are having to go to. Like I never, I got pitching lessons, but I never got hitting lessons. So like being able to. I only heard his voice 15 years, the first 15 years of my life when I was trying to, you know, learn the fundamentals of baseball. Well.
- [26:41]
A
And you just said something which I think is important. A lot of families today, and I think it comes from a good place, they want to provide their kid with the absolute best and so there's so many resources today. Right. You can go to these TikTok videos, which we don't even need to get started with your TikTok social media, whatever it is, where, you know, mom and dad are like, okay, my son is willing. Let's get him the best. What's the best?
- [27:03]
B
Yeah.
- [27:04]
A
And that's such a hard thing to find out. Right. So what happens is these kids think, okay, it comes from the travel ball program. So now we need to find a different team. My son's not as good as he could be because we're on the wrong team. When in reality, it's not that that's necessarily wrong. It's just, I think if a parent looks at that as though that's some, like, easy fix, oftentimes the negative to that, the downside is you spend all of this money, you now take him away from something that maybe was working, maybe not as good as you hope, but now he's trying something new, and it's not working at all. So now we have to find a different team and hope that we can get back to where we once were. You guys didn't do that. Right. So you guys didn't change travel teams either. Right. You pretty much stayed consistent.
- [27:51]
B
Yeah, we were the Mississippi all.
- [27:53]
C
All the way in Royals.
- [27:55]
B
And then about 16.
- [27:56]
D
They just put together such a good group.
- [27:58]
A
Yeah.
- [27:58]
B
That it just.
- [27:59]
D
Wow.
- [27:59]
A
Did you guys look at. So when you guys were trying to identify tournaments to go to, was it strategic at an early age or was it like, we just got to go play?
- [28:09]
C
It was strategic back then, though. I mean, and we were fortunate. We had Snowden that.
- [28:15]
B
That.
- [28:15]
C
And they had just built it, and all the. The better teams in the area came here, so we didn't have to do a lot of traveling.
- [28:23]
D
We were in Atlanta a lot.
- [28:24]
A
Yeah.
- [28:25]
C
As we got older.
- [28:26]
D
As we got older. Yeah.
- [28:29]
A
You start out really, really close to home, and then it sl. Starts to grow and change.
- [28:36]
B
So.
- [28:36]
A
Okay. I asked Austin a question earlier. When you guys think about how good he has become, did you ever see that as being a possibility? Like, in your mind, were you like, oh, no, he's going to sign for.
- [28:52]
B
Hundreds of millions of dollars.
- [28:54]
D
Don't. I'm not making. I did.
- [28:56]
A
You did.
- [28:56]
D
And I can remember right where I was sitting. I was sitting in my living room. I'm thinking. And I think the Braves came on, and I thought I could. I can imagine it. And I've told a lot of people that it's the weirdest thing, not really thinking at all. Yeah, this is. But it came to my mind my kid could play, he could play pro.
- [29:14]
C
Ball and, and go ahead.
- [29:17]
D
I mean, I'm not making that. I mean people. Oh, yeah, sure.
- [29:19]
A
But I really, really, really knowing you, I believe that.
- [29:21]
D
No, I did, I did. I can't remember. I can remember the time where I was and everything and thinking it's like.
- [29:30]
C
With me playing college baseball and I was around on the team, I didn't play much but. Sorry, Big dog. Yeah, right.
- [29:38]
D
You didn't have it.
- [29:40]
C
But seeing, seeing that level of players when I was at Mississippi State because you had John Coyne, you had Tommy Ralph, you had some of the better. Pete Young, you had some of the better players in college at that time. And, and, and I thought, just like Lisa just said, I, I thought the same thing. I thought that he could play at a very, very high level.
- [30:06]
D
If he had the mental side. I knew he had the physical, but it's so mental, you know.
- [30:11]
C
Well, and I think my next boy is. Yeah, he just, he's so even kill. I thought, I thought moving forward through all of this he was going to have an advantage because he never, I mean he was just steady, right?
- [30:23]
D
Yeah.
- [30:24]
C
You could never tell if he had went 3 for 3 or 0 for 3. I mean he didn't go over 3 very often.
- [30:29]
A
But what were your mom and dad. This is a question for you guys. Like what did you guys have goals for him at like 15?
- [30:39]
C
I, I don't know if you could say for me, I don't know if they were goals.
- [30:43]
D
I don't remember.
- [30:43]
C
We, I had routines for him and it was all based on what he wanted to do. And it gets back to, you know, I think kids now, I mean and the parents, they want it so much or the, and the kids do too, but they only get what they drop their kids off at the practice or the facility to do. And ours was. I think, I think it was a routine where. And it was all based on him. I mean we would go Friday, Saturday, Sunday if he wanted to and he did. So it was, it was, it was not non stop but it was, it was by choice. His choice.
- [31:27]
B
I would say there's there. I didn't ever feel like goals or expectations. But like you said, the routines of like he got the rice bucket, the stretching every night he would make me stretch, you know, sit at the airplane.
- [31:40]
C
Underneath the tree out here and we put a piece of turf down.
- [31:43]
B
Yeah.
- [31:45]
C
Hours out there, you know, just.
- [31:47]
A
And that was just something that you said.
- [31:49]
B
We were just always outside so it's like. And it wouldn't even be, like, a specific. Hey, we're hitting today. It was like we'd be outside pedaling around. I was like, hey, let's go. We had the net there. I was like, let's go. Let's go hit some water.
- [32:00]
D
They don't sit still.
- [32:02]
B
So I think it was also kind of our nature of like, we were outside or doing something all the time.
- [32:10]
A
And so, Lisa, for you, you know, I can recognize you have two. Two guys here, and they have their thing, baseball. Was it hard for you to kind of find your place in that?
- [32:20]
D
No, it didn't seem to be. No.
- [32:22]
A
Okay. So the reason I bring it up, I think a lot of moms sometimes do try to figure out, like, this is their thing and not that that's a problem.
- [32:31]
D
Like I told you, depressing. And I was always. I felt like I was there in.
- [32:36]
B
That aspect of it.
- [32:38]
D
Okay. I'm like, mike, he needs a break. Give him a. Cause he would be doing it all the time. And I'm like, okay, he's got friends. Let him go.
- [32:43]
A
And, yeah, you were the gas. She was the break.
- [32:45]
D
That was my go. That was my role. Yeah.
- [32:48]
C
And. And I think we. I think we meshed very. I mean, it was. It was.
- [32:52]
B
It was because they, you know, he worked night. So, I mean, there was a lot of times where, yeah, it was me, it was her that was doing all the driving.
- [33:00]
A
Right. Which is, by the way, a great point because I think a lot of parents struggle with this, too. It's like, how do we even find the time to do any of this stuff? You were literally working, like, Graveyard shifts.
- [33:09]
C
Yeah. 7:30 at night to 7:30 in the morning.
- [33:11]
A
And so when are you hitting with him?
- [33:13]
C
I mean, every day.
- [33:14]
B
Every. I mean, like, What.
- [33:15]
A
What time?
- [33:16]
C
3:30. Just after school.
- [33:18]
B
Okay.
- [33:19]
D
Yeah.
- [33:19]
A
Before you went to work.
- [33:20]
C
And. And it's funny because I remember as soon as I would get home, and a lot of times I got home around 7, and he went to school, like, at 7:30. So we'd be out in the. As soon as I got home, we'd be out in the middle of the street throwing a little bit. Just before he went to school, you know, we did that a bunch. So just.
- [33:39]
A
And how much fun was this for you? Was it a blast?
- [33:42]
C
Oh, yeah, it was. It was me. You know, it's just what I did growing up as well, you know, not to. Not to that extent, obviously, but. But, you know, I loved it.
- [33:53]
A
Well, and the balance that I want to make sure everybody kind of understands and sees is there was a comfort that you guys had in. You're present with each other.
- [34:04]
B
Right.
- [34:05]
A
You see his talent, but you're like, letting it develop. That's. That's from my perspective, because I came in, I think, when you were 16.
- [34:13]
B
Yeah.
- [34:14]
C
Yeah.
- [34:15]
A
So from that point forward, you guys were never overbearing. Right. Because I think sometimes parents, it's like they're trying to control everything. You know, my son's not working out hard enough. My son doesn't, you know, want to be outside as much as he. Maybe he wanted to be. And so it's like, I need to be the guy that pushes him to. To do this stuff. Now, you guys may have been fortunate. You didn't have to because he wanted to do it himself. But I think one of the biggest negatives, one of the downsides, a lot of family, with a lot of families, rather, is they feel like, well, if we don't do this, he's not going to do it. And I think that the. The issue with all of that is like, well, the minute you step away, at some point, does he really want this?
- [34:55]
B
No.
- [34:56]
A
Right. And so you were blessed and fortunate to where you figured that out early, that you did for a kid maybe that hasn't figured it out. I don't think it's a matter of mom and dad telling them, no, you have to do this.
- [35:08]
C
Right.
- [35:08]
A
I think you have to let him figure that out earlier so that when it happens, it can happen earlier and then you can kind of. You almost like, fit into that role more naturally as mom and dad.
- [35:20]
C
Yeah, I agree with that.
- [35:21]
A
Yeah.
- [35:22]
B
Yeah. I mean, I've seen players, you know, being in pro ball that have talked about that various thing, and like, they're. They're out of ball because it's like.
- [35:31]
A
They don't love it.
- [35:32]
B
They don't love it. Yeah.
- [35:33]
A
It was too much.
- [35:34]
B
Too much. I mean, they.
- [35:35]
A
They didn't like baseball.
- [35:36]
B
No.
- [35:36]
A
Yeah. No, that happens a lot. I mean, we. We oftentimes talk about. You obviously know, Joe. I was talking to him the other day, and, you know, he still works with a bunch of professional athletes as, like a mental skills guy. And he talks often about how, like, you would be so surprised that, you know, let's just say you take a major league player and you would say for any major league player who's made it right, that's like the parents, like, we did it right. We did a great job. Look at, you know, we helped our son get to this place. But then you talk to the player, and he's still dealing with these, like, residual issues of, like, you know, he's so hard on himself. And it comes from, like, maybe his dad was really hard on him or his mom was really hard. And so I think sometimes these parents don't. They lose sight of that. They think, well, yeah, but I did my job. Look at him. It's like, well, maybe he could have got there, and then maybe you guys would have a closer relationship if you did do that. So that's one of those things, that fine line. Yeah, it is. And I think, you know, you've talked about how you've seen that. So.
- [36:30]
C
And, you know, and that's. That's what I see right now is, I mean, versus. Because it's a process. I mean, obviously. And when I think parents and I said at our facility and around is when they don't immediately see results or greatness, then it's just a. It's a panic almost.
- [36:53]
A
Yeah.
- [36:53]
C
You know, and, you know, what do we do? Do we need to hit two more times this, you know, just whatever the case may be, but. But just. It's. It's a panic. You know, they just kind of trust the process.
- [37:09]
A
I just did this podcast where I talked about the difference between expectations and agreements. And what I mean by that is parents have these unspoken expectations, right, that live in your head. You look at him and you're like, I expect that you're going to give 110% at practice, outside, working out, whatever it is. And maybe they don't tell the player this, but they expect it. And so when there's a tournament coming up this weekend, and, you know, you're the player and you go hang out with your buddies, you show up late, you're tired, you perform like crap. That tournament, mom and dad are pissed, right? We're spending all this money. What are you doing? So that's naturally what happens, right? Mom and dad go to the player and they say, what? Like, what's your deal? And what do you think the player does? Right. Why are you pissed? Yeah, what did I do? Yeah, that's what I mean. Like, you have these expectations, but you're never communicating them. And so that's one of those things that I do feel like a lot of the families, they want what's best for the kid. It doesn't come from a bad place, but they don't realize the damage that they're doing leading up to. Or getting him to that place. So. All right, let's pivot a little bit. Is there anything that you guys think about where you're like, I wish we would have done this differently. Maybe when he was younger, right. In high school or maybe even before it. It looks like he has something in mind.
- [38:28]
B
I don't know. Oh, no, I was just.
- [38:30]
A
You're just curious.
- [38:31]
B
Yeah.
- [38:32]
D
I have a little mom guilt with the fact that he was always playing baseball. Like, I think, well, maybe I should have let him, you know, like, maybe.
- [38:41]
A
Be a kid more.
- [38:42]
D
Yes. Go do this. So I. I do. I do.
- [38:45]
C
No, no. And. And, and, and. And you're right. I mean, he didn't do much, but. But again, I. I mean, that was. That's what he wanted. I mean.
- [38:52]
D
Yeah.
- [38:52]
C
And I think his parents. You just.
- [38:54]
D
Not all the time.
- [38:56]
C
If that's what you want. Hey, I'm. It's like, Zach, he didn't. He didn't want to play, so we didn't push him to play.
- [39:02]
A
You didn't force him.
- [39:03]
B
Yeah.
- [39:03]
A
Right. Yeah. There's a balance.
- [39:05]
C
Until he lost the game in. In darts, and then I'm. No, I didn't make it, but I held him to it.
- [39:11]
A
There you go.
- [39:12]
B
No, no. Yeah. I told you earlier. She's still asking me.
- [39:16]
A
She's like, I do.
- [39:17]
D
To this day. I remember when he drove away, going to camp, and I'm thinking, you know, dude, should we have gotten. Should he have gone to college? Should we have pushed him to college? Because you just. You missed out. You missed out on that. And I. I do.
- [39:31]
B
It worked out.
- [39:32]
A
Yeah.
- [39:33]
C
And I think one of the strong points of all of this is as a group family, I mean, we've always talked about stuff, so, you know, we've talked it out, whatever the situation may be. And we. Nine times out of 10, we've always come to a conclusion on what we think is best together. So therefore, I think the decisions were whatever they were, which was based on what he wanted, were fairly easy.
- [39:59]
A
It's also hard to. It's a. It's a hard question to analyze. Right. Because it's like, well, it all worked.
- [40:05]
D
Yeah, it worked out really well.
- [40:06]
C
Yeah.
- [40:06]
A
That's why I recognize, like, maybe it's not like, oh, yeah, I wish we wouldn't have gone to this tournament or whatever, but it is interesting. Yeah. Like, I wish maybe he didn't play so much baseball and, like, enjoyed his childhood maybe a little bit more, but he's never brought that up to me once, so.
- [40:19]
D
But parents do live through their kids because I'm telling you, we've had a blast. The high school ball all that was.
- [40:27]
A
Do you miss it?
- [40:28]
D
Yes.
- [40:28]
A
Yeah.
- [40:29]
D
But I wouldn't necessarily want to go back. I don't mean that. But yeah, I mean, I kind of, you know, because all of our friends, all his friends, you know, it was fun. We had fun.
- [40:38]
B
We had a good group.
- [40:39]
A
And it goes by so fast.
- [40:40]
D
So fast. Yes. Like, come on, grandkids.
- [40:43]
B
I know.
- [40:44]
C
You know, it does. It's a fast, fast track.
- [40:48]
D
That's really all we did.
- [40:49]
A
Well. And you're still giving lessons. Right?
- [40:51]
B
Right.
- [40:52]
A
So what are you seeing now with the kids that are coming up that maybe is different than what you guys experienced? Do you see parents maybe a little more overbearing?
- [41:03]
C
What I see is not really overbearing. I think it's the same concept. They want what's best for their kid, period. They're trying to put them with what they think is somebody that gives them as good as opportunity as anybody else. There's a lot of good people in this area that, that no baseball. So it's. I mean, it's. The opportunities here are really good. But at the same time, what I see is where they used to be outside playing baseball in the. All day long. Now the kids are on, you know, video games and that's. They do that and then they go to practice, you know, so that's the biggest thing that I see is they just don't do it outside all day long.
- [41:52]
B
Right.
- [41:52]
C
Like they did.
- [41:53]
A
Right. You brought up college. So let's talk about that a little bit because going through the draft, I remember when we were on the road show going to all these pre draft workouts, I remember talking to Austin and I would say to him, all I've ever heard you talk about is college and to a point, and this is what's going to be funny. You've seen something in him. As did you really early on. I remember when we were going through the draft, there was an expectation in, in the industry when we started that senior year where it's like a kid may go pretty good. We don't know that he's a first rounder. And then as that season played out, all of a sudden I was like, hey guys, I'm just letting you know, like it's real.
- [42:32]
D
Yeah.
- [42:32]
A
Like this isn't like, hey, maybe he's a third round pick. Like he's got a legit shot to be a first rounder now it's still guarantee he's got to continue to perform, but it became a lot more real. So as we started going to these pre draft workouts, I Remember telling him, I. I do not want you to tell me in advance whether you want to sign or go to college, but after we're done, I want you to give me your answer. And literally, of course, he, I'm going to college. I already know I'm going to college. I'm like, just wait, just wait. But when you guys were going through that together, did you think, oh, he's going to sign? Like, I believe he is going to get taken in the first round and he's going to sign.
- [43:07]
D
Oh, you know, I just, I think I was afraid to believe that. Really?
- [43:11]
A
Like, you didn't want to set the.
- [43:12]
D
Expectation in your mind? I did not. I did not. And, you know, when the draft, the night of the draft, people started showing up our house and I was like, get away, get away. What if you don't get drafted? You know, I didn't want him there.
- [43:23]
A
Yeah.
- [43:23]
D
Sorry. Yeah, I just wanted, you know, because, like, I wanted to take the hit by ourselves.
- [43:29]
A
Right.
- [43:29]
D
You know, that he didn't go in the. Whatever. How many rounds with that first.
- [43:33]
A
Oh, back then, in 2015, it was probably 40 rounds.
- [43:36]
D
Yeah, I know. But not the first night.
- [43:38]
A
Oh, the first day.
- [43:39]
D
Yeah, the first day. Yeah. Three. The first three rounds. Like, so. No, he. He did. He believed more than me. Yes.
- [43:48]
C
Well, I mean, I didn't know. Obviously, I didn't know. I mean, because if you, you never have gone through that with anybody.
- [43:54]
B
You don't know.
- [43:54]
C
But, you know, with the amount of attention that he was getting in terms of. It was every week or two or three times a week, somebody was in our house.
- [44:05]
A
No. And we had GM show up at games. And I remember talking to you about that.
- [44:08]
C
Right. So, you know, you start to think, or you start to think that, you know, maybe it is a possibility. And. And then. And I remember us going to a workout in Atlanta. Oh, yeah. And he. He had a really good workout. And I think I told you in the motel, I said, that was really good.
- [44:28]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [44:28]
A
I mean, there's a. I remember that. I don't. Right after that, I got a phone call from the gm.
- [44:32]
C
I don't know what happens from there, but that's got to. To do something, you know?
- [44:36]
A
Yeah.
- [44:37]
D
He looked the part. We've gotten all the cracker barrel pancakes on.
- [44:40]
A
That is the thing, though. I mean, even at that age, right. At 18 years old, like, you look like a big leaguer in uniform, and so that's an imposing thing. Like, all of a sudden you're looking at these other kids who maybe are skinny, 180 pounds. You were maybe a little heavier than you are now, but you were 235. You were. You were like 245 in the summer before your senior year. So you were like 225 then.
- [45:01]
B
Yeah, 225. I got down to like 220.
- [45:04]
A
Right, so you looked the part.
- [45:06]
B
Yeah, yeah, I'm about what I was right now. Right now. Right.
- [45:09]
A
Which is crazy.
- [45:10]
C
Yeah.
- [45:11]
A
All right. So then we obviously sign. He goes to pro ball. We've talked about this plenty. He goes down and he goes, oh, for 26.
- [45:22]
C
Oh, for 28.
- [45:24]
A
It was over 22, 23, 23, 18 strikeout, 18 strikeouts.
- [45:30]
B
We did not have to bring that back.
- [45:31]
A
And I've talked a funny story. I've talked to Brian Bridges who was the scouting director at the time.
- [45:36]
B
Time.
- [45:36]
A
And we laugh about this story now where he. So just to let everybody know if they don't know. So you were a two way guy. You were a pitcher and a hitter. And we probably had about half the teams that liked you as a pitcher, half the teams liked you as a hitter. The Braves were one of those teams. And it was Brian Bridges who said, this kid can hit. And just so everybody knows, there was a team who literally told me when we called teams right before the draft and said, austin actually wants to be a hitter, who said, you're making the biggest mistake of your life. This kid is not going to be a hitter. And so we laugh about it now because it's like, oh, really? Couldn't be a hitter. But Brian Bridges believed in it. You get drafted, you go out there over 23 with 18 strikeouts. Brian Bridges called the GM or. No, called, I take it back, called one of the, one of the scouts, one of the special assignment scouts and said, should we be thinking about, like throwing this guy on the mound? Like, is this. Was I wrong? How about that?
- [46:29]
C
That's.
- [46:29]
B
Why.
- [46:29]
A
Have I ever told you that story?
- [46:31]
B
I think you have.
- [46:32]
A
Yeah.
- [46:32]
B
I was getting tweeted that all the fans were like, oh, he'll be a pitcher by September. Don't worry about it.
- [46:38]
D
Like, we were panicking.
- [46:39]
A
Well, so, yeah, so what was going through?
- [46:42]
D
We were at home and I was like, mike, we gotta get down. They flew down there, we came down.
- [46:46]
B
We went down and guess what got a knock.
- [46:48]
A
So how. What was that like, though?
- [46:52]
D
It was awful.
- [46:53]
A
I know, it was terrible. Terrible.
- [46:55]
B
I was like, awful.
- [46:56]
C
Did.
- [46:56]
A
Were you. Were you second guessing whether you could do this?
- [46:59]
B
Everything else, second guessing everything.
- [47:02]
A
So how did you get through it?
- [47:04]
B
Well, I mean, Obviously they came down, which was like, nice to see because.
- [47:07]
A
Reassuring.
- [47:08]
B
Yeah. It was like the first time I've ever left. I mean, I'm from small town Mississippi. It's like. And you know, I think they were just like, you know, it's going to come, it's going to come. And you know, obviously I had some really good hitting coaches, like, you know, they showed no panic. They're like, it's all about development. They're not worried. They're like, you just got to get the one. I still remember feeling like the first knock and it finally hitting like a.
- [47:35]
A
Weight off your shoulders. Yeah.
- [47:37]
B
And then, then I went off. Well. Yeah, yeah, it was, it was, it was crazy.
- [47:43]
A
A funny story.
- [47:44]
B
Second guess.
- [47:45]
A
I know I've told you guys this. I don't know if I shared it with you. So Dylan, who works with us, played with the Braves and he was in Danville ahead of Austin and he played third base. And so, you know, his dad was Kurt Manwaring. Played in the big leagues for, you know, a decade. Won a bunch of gold gloves as a catcher. And Dylan says the first time he realized that he wasn't going to make it is when this guy shows up to Danville and he's taken BP and he's like, that is just different. I don't have that. Yeah. And so. And that was that same year. It was a month later.
- [48:15]
B
Yeah.
- [48:16]
D
Yeah.
- [48:16]
A
So you went from going 0 for 23 with 18 strikeouts to getting promoted.
- [48:20]
B
Yeah.
- [48:20]
A
And finally feeling like, I can do this.
- [48:22]
B
Yeah, I hit.300 in Danville, I think, you know, it was just like I said, it was one of those things where it was new. I didn't know what to expect. The worst was happening in my eyes, I thought. And you know, it's kind of like when I debuted in 19 and hit the panic button and just, you know, you not knowing what to expect, first time doing anything.
- [48:46]
C
And he was young too. I mean, he was.
- [48:49]
B
I was 18.
- [48:50]
C
Seven. 18, okay.
- [48:52]
B
Yeah.
- [48:53]
C
You know, and I, and, and she and I, Lisa and I have talked about this a little bit. I mean, I think it's, you know, he's 18. I mean, now he's up there with 21, 22, 23 year olds, just trying to get settled in, so to speak.
- [49:09]
A
Yeah, well, we've had GMs on this podcast and they've actually said they want to figure out a way as early as possible to kind of create failure for players because, you know you're going to fail at some point in the game. Maybe it's not right when you get drafted. Maybe it's when you're in Double A, but you're going to hit that point where you're lost and if you don't have the tools to figure out how to get out of it. So I think on some level, it was good. Yeah. I mean, even when you were in the big leagues.
- [49:34]
B
Yeah. Those two things, I wouldn't change it for the world. I think it helped me grow as a player.
- [49:38]
A
Yeah.
- [49:38]
B
Because like I said, you go back to the mental side of the game, and I was all mental.
- [49:41]
A
Yep.
- [49:42]
B
I had the tools.
- [49:43]
A
You just knew, like, there's an end to this.
- [49:45]
B
Yeah.
- [49:46]
A
I'm going to get out of it. It's just a matter of when. I just got to keep working. And you talked about earlier, I just got to keep working on the process.
- [49:53]
B
Yep.
- [49:53]
C
And. And that's the one thing that I tried to take to the kids that I work with right now is. Is the failure. I mean, and just. You're going to fail. I mean, just deal with it and stay. Stay a course to what you're trying to get. What we're trying to get done here.
- [50:12]
B
Yeah.
- [50:13]
A
And I interviewed their assistant hitting coach, actually, yesterday on the podcast from last year, and he oftentimes he talks about, like, if. If players earlier could figure out that failure. It's actually a tool. And you're not, like, avoiding the failure, but when it happens, you realize, oh, this is a good thing, because it allows me to figure out how to get through it.
- [50:36]
C
Right.
- [50:37]
A
And then when I do now, it's like a tool in my toolkit.
- [50:41]
C
Well, you can't get to a higher level without failing. No, I mean, you just can't.
- [50:46]
A
No. Yeah.
- [50:47]
C
I mean, it's. It's all upon.
- [50:49]
A
That guy's a master at it. Master overcoming it, dude. Honestly, the best players are the players who stay the longest in the big leagues have failed more than anybody.
- [50:58]
B
That's.
- [50:59]
A
So then why, when you're 15, are you like, I can't fail? You know what I mean? And that perspective, I do feel like, is a massive shift for a lot.
- [51:05]
B
Of kids, for sure.
- [51:07]
A
All right, so you work your way through the minor leagues. When he was in the minor leagues, how was that for you guys? Because now we're, you know, I would be talking to you guys about the business side, probably you more than anybody. How did you guys accept the business side? Was that easy? Was it like, man, this is frustrating because we would have conversations and you're like, why is this happening?
- [51:27]
D
Oh, yeah, right.
- [51:28]
A
Why isn't he getting promoted yet?
- [51:30]
D
Oh, yeah, it was frustrating because I've always thought he was the best. Yeah.
- [51:36]
C
I mean, to me, it wasn't that frustrating because, well, you just wanted to.
- [51:41]
D
You wanted to go, go, go and get.
- [51:43]
C
You know, for me, I was seeing progress every year. I mean, because he never. I don't think he ever stayed in each year. He moved up a level. So. And to me. And what not ever going through it, I mean, but as long as you're seeing progress and he's moving forward and he's having success at every level that he's has been in, I mean, really a lot of success, then, at least on the field side that I was, I had no issue with it at all.
- [52:13]
A
So when you came back from like the pro off seasons, like the first couple off seasons, how would you guys work together? Would you get right back into the cage and it was like, just like normal.
- [52:22]
B
Oh. Oh, yeah, yeah. No, it wasn't ever. Because I think we talked so much during season. It wasn't like a new. It wasn't like you were reintroducing something new. So, I mean, it just was like one of those things where, you know, I would, you know, take a month off and then, you know, we kind of had right back at it.
- [52:42]
C
I mean, we didn't have to catch up on anything because there was a lot of communication.
- [52:46]
B
Yeah. Yeah.
- [52:47]
C
You know, so, yeah, I was ready to get back, but.
- [52:50]
D
Well.
- [52:50]
A
And I know one of the most frustrating times was you. You go to big league camp with the Braves, you go off in spring training, they sent you back to AAA to start the season.
- [53:01]
B
Yeah.
- [53:02]
A
And that was the year that you debuted.
- [53:03]
B
Yeah.
- [53:04]
A
Right. And I remember having a conversation with you, and I said, look, there's a reason why they're doing this, obviously.
- [53:10]
C
Right.
- [53:10]
A
They're doing it because they've got other guys in the big leagues. On some level, it benefits teams when they delay your clock, even though that's now changed in the big leagues. And I remember telling you, like, you have to embarrass this league and show them that you're above this. Right. And I think a lot of players, when they're faced with the same thing, they're so frustrated that when they go down, it affects their performance.
- [53:34]
B
Yeah.
- [53:34]
A
And so instead of going off, which you did, you know, now they're hitting.250 and they're striking out too much and they're just like, in a sense, it's almost like you're trying to piss the team off. Yeah, right. Like, screw you guys. I'm not even. And what players ultimately don't realize is, like, well, that's affecting your career now for sure. So to your credit, you did the opposite. And you went off and you hit like 15 homers in the first, like, two weeks. Yeah, right. In the minor leagues.
- [53:59]
D
Four on Mother's Day. Well, now, what was that?
- [54:01]
B
I had three on Mother's Day.
- [54:01]
D
Three on Mother's Day.
- [54:02]
A
Three on Mother's Day, gets called up to the big leagues. And I remember telling you, too, it's like, even though right now in the big leagues, it may look like they don't have a place for you, they're gonna need that bat in the lineup. They're gonna figure it out. So that's when you started to play a little outfield that first year. Right. Which was interesting.
- [54:18]
B
I was a plus defender.
- [54:19]
A
Not bad.
- [54:19]
B
Not bad, right? I played four games in the minor league before I played outfield.
- [54:25]
A
But then. So you get to the big leagues, Hit a homer in his debut. I was there with you guys. Give me some go. And you went off, right? You hit another. How many home runs in the first?
- [54:38]
B
15.
- [54:38]
A
Another 15 homers in the big leagues, like, right away. And then what happened?
- [54:43]
B
I hit rock. I hit a wall. Hit a wall, yeah.
- [54:47]
A
Now, from your perspective, what was the lesson that you needed to learn at that point?
- [54:53]
B
You know, it kind of went back to the whole start of the start of my pro career of just like, understanding the failure of the game and how to process it. And I think, you know, what I had to learn and what I've learned over the years of, you know, watching Freddie Freeman, watching, you know, Josh Donaldson in 19, Brian McCann, Nick Marques, they never. It was always about, like, they didn't change whenever things weren't going well. And I think, you know, I still deal with it, you know, to this day is like, the good ones that, you know, have really good careers and stay in the big leagues for a long time, no matter how good they're doing, how, or, you know, if they're going through a struggle, their routine stays the same. They. They know it works, they trust it. And then they, you know, it's just a matter of time before. Before they come out. And I think that's what I, you know, ultimately needed to learn. One, that it wasn't that easy. And two, like I said, under to myself, needed to learn how to process failure the right way, I guess I should say, and how to use it to my advantage and to grow as a. As a player.
- [56:10]
A
Did you ever fail in, like, your travel baseball years? And I don't mean, like, not really, no. Right.
- [56:18]
B
So.
- [56:18]
A
So, like, this, this whole pro ball.
- [56:20]
B
Was like the first true failure, right? Failure. Failure, where it's like getting dominated.
- [56:29]
A
So when you talk about the pressure that maybe these big leaguers feel right for you, when was that first time you felt that? Was it when you first signed and you were over before you're over 23, but like, you're over 10?
- [56:45]
B
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Right out of the gate.
- [56:47]
A
And you had never felt that failure before?
- [56:49]
B
Not that much.
- [56:50]
A
Okay.
- [56:52]
B
No, it's different. I mean, just like I said, you. You're doing it for a living at this point. And, you know, you're with a team that's got hundreds and hundreds of thousands of fans that are following you, you know, especially being drafted at a higher level. They're following you on a daily basis. So, yeah, there's. There's some. There's some pressure there that I've never felt.
- [57:16]
A
Did you feel like, hey, I was the team's first round pick, like there was an expectation. I have to live up to it? Did that thought come to mind?
- [57:24]
B
Yeah, that at times I think, you know, especially when I wasn't doing well, it's like, you know, you know, some pep talk of telling myself to get it together. You're better than this kind of, kind of, kind of self talk, more or less.
- [57:39]
A
If you think about when you were going into your senior summer, right? Because that's like the summer that everybody, like, puts on their calendars. Like, this is the most important summer. I have to do something. Compare the pressure that you felt when you were over 23. Compare that to the pressure, if you felt any going into that senior summer. Did you. Does it even compare? I bring this up because the kids today, they don't quite understand, like, what that feels like. But was it close or.
- [58:09]
B
No, no, it was. It was different. Like, like I said, because, one, you're on your own and you're going back to your, you know, your hotel room by yourself and you're kind of. This is like the first time you're dealing stuff by yourself. Like, whereas, like, in high school, whatever.
- [58:28]
C
I've, you know, had a bad game.
- [58:29]
B
I got to ride back with them, and we talked through it when we talked to it on the phone, but it's like.
- [58:34]
A
It's less serious.
- [58:35]
B
Yeah, it's less serious. Whereas this is like, more to lose. More to lose, so to speak. So, yeah, it's. I think it's a. It's different for sure.
- [58:43]
A
Okay, do you guys have anything to add on that? Did you guys feel pressure, like when he was going into that senior summer?
- [58:51]
C
Not. Not. Not his high school, because. Because no matter what happened in the pro. Whatever happened with the pros, we knew he had a solid place to go to Mississippi State, which that's where he was.
- [59:07]
B
So.
- [59:07]
D
Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say there was zero pressure, but it wasn't like a. You know, it was.
- [59:12]
B
I had more pressure when I pitched than when I did.
- [59:16]
D
Me, too.
- [59:17]
A
Oh, interesting.
- [59:18]
B
Yeah.
- [59:18]
A
Because it didn't feel like that was. Like that was.
- [59:21]
B
That wasn't my. I just fel. There was pressure there for. Because I didn't really want to do it. So I felt pressured there. And like I said, my. My arm hurt and I was. You know, times that my velo would drop, you know, scouts would be like, hey, what's up? Yeah, that kind of thing. So. But that was like, it hitting. I never felt it hitting.
- [59:40]
A
Yeah. That's interesting. All right, so we all know what happens. You get to the big leagues 20, 21, you guys win a World Series. You went out. You got MVP votes, You won all mlb. You were an All Star Silver Slugger winner. I want to talk about when you're now a couple years in the big leagues. You're arbitration eligible for the first time in the Atlanta Braves. And we've talked about this on this podcast before even you and I have the Atlanta Braves offer you a contract of $100 million. What were you guys thinking at that point?
- [60:19]
C
Gotta take it.
- [60:20]
D
Oh, we were.
- [60:21]
C
And gotta take it.
- [60:23]
D
He's talking. Matt doesn't want me. He says, no. I'm like, what?
- [60:27]
A
Well, now, remember, because we're having conversations, right? Ann is involved. And then we would have conversations. And I recognize, like, my role, obviously, as you guys know, in all this is like, I just have to educate you.
- [60:38]
D
And you did so very well.
- [60:40]
C
Very well.
- [60:42]
B
But.
- [60:42]
A
But I recognize when you're trying to help a family understand that a hundred million dollars is not the right number. I understand how that could be. Like, wait, come again? 100 million is not the right number. But we're never going to spend a hundred million. How. Right. So what was it? And maybe you never felt comfortable with those conversations because it's like, oh, man, this is a big risk. What was it that got you guys collectively, as a group to say.
- [61:12]
C
Well.
- [61:13]
A
I'm betting on myself.
- [61:14]
D
It wasn't very long. I mean, we really didn't.
- [61:16]
B
It was quick.
- [61:17]
A
It was quick.
- [61:19]
B
I remember exactly where I was standing. Whenever we turned it. We were. I was in New York outside. You know, I walked outside the locker room. But I think that's where it's like, I go back to, you know, just thankful for you and. And everything that, like, I tell people. I was like, I trust him with anything.
- [61:38]
D
He's explained it very well.
- [61:39]
B
Just the knowledge. There was no. There was never any pressure, like, from the day one, there was never any pressure of, like, I never felt like.
- [61:49]
A
I'm telling you to do this or don't do this.
- [61:51]
B
Yes. Where I think, like, some. Like, there's people out there that do that. It was like, you always were just, like a knowledge base. That's how you presented things. And it was like, you've educated me to the right decision. And that's where it's like, we had gained this much trust leading up to this point where ultimately, I was like. When you told me it. I was like, hey, we needed. For me, I know. It was like. It was. It was a lot more easier decision than I think, like, why would Matt.
- [62:23]
A
Why would Matt be telling me this if he didn't actually. Right.
- [62:25]
B
Because we had built. There was that much. You know, there's multiple, you know, years and years of just, like, trust that we had built between each other. And. And like I said, when it came to that point, it was like, we're in each other. You know, we're in each other's corner. It's like, whatever. You know, I'm leaning on you. Yeah. On this.
- [62:44]
C
I think this is a credit to you because once. Once, Austin told us what. What they had offered, and he told us that you said that that was not a good number. And I'm like, what? But then, for real, this is before.
- [63:02]
A
He was on the Coors Light commercials.
- [63:05]
C
And I said, well, he's gonna have to explain it. He. You know, in which he says, he's.
- [63:10]
B
Yeah.
- [63:12]
C
And I said, he's gonna have to.
- [63:13]
A
Well, it's funny, because I remember telling you. I'm like, listen, I'm gonna call your parents, because I don't expect that you're gonna be able to, like, just share with them what I'm saying.
- [63:19]
B
Yeah. And. Yeah.
- [63:22]
C
And I said. And I don't know if I. Of course, we talked about it a little bit, and. But I said, well, he's gonna have to explain this.
- [63:31]
D
And he did.
- [63:33]
C
And I said, but I really never doubted because you've never given us.
- [63:38]
B
You've never given us a reason to doubt.
- [63:39]
A
Right.
- [63:40]
B
And I think that's why we Were never.
- [63:42]
D
Like, there is no way. You know, he's crazy. Well, I've said that before, but.
- [63:47]
C
Well, I mean, you. You explain. I mean, there's. You do a really good job of.
- [63:53]
D
Of breaking it all down.
- [63:54]
C
Breaking it down.
- [63:56]
B
It's just true that there's no ego behind what you do. And it's like, I think that's where a lot of these agents and kids. And that's why I love what you're doing with this podcast. It's like, it's all information and it's. At the end of the day, it's our career and we have to make the decision. But it's like finding an agent that can feed you the right information and ultimately let you make the decision, but lead you down that way. I think you're hitting the nail on the head.
- [64:22]
A
Well, and so, funny enough, we obviously turn it down.
- [64:25]
B
Yeah.
- [64:26]
A
Right.
- [64:26]
D
Yeah.
- [64:27]
A
We're now two months later, and now they want to engage and talk about the multi again.
- [64:32]
B
Yeah.
- [64:32]
A
And we eventually. So they come back and they offer. Matt Olson got one A. It was like 170ish.
- [64:40]
B
Yeah.
- [64:40]
A
Right.
- [64:41]
B
For a.
- [64:42]
A
Which I tell you again, not the right number. Right. And at that point, that was the highest contract in Braze franchise history. So you're like, we're turning down the highest contract in brace franchise history. I'm like, yes. Just. Just trust me on this. It's not the right number.
- [64:53]
B
And we're. We're not.
- [64:54]
A
We're going through reasons as to why. Right. I'm not just saying, like, trust me, you don't have to look at anything. It's like, this is why. Right. And we eventually get to 212. And what I was told from them after various phone calls was, there is no, let's have another con. It's either a yes or a no. And if it's a no, we're going to allocate these dollars elsewhere. I'm not telling you we're going to trade Austin. Right. He's going to be here the next couple of years, hopefully. But at the end of the day, we're going to have to do things because there's just not going to be more money here. So you and I have a conversation along with Anna. And I know I've talked to you guys about this too, and for me, it was really okay. I need to make sure that whatever that decision is, it is, like, clear. And I feel confident because if we turn it down, you got to go out and perform.
- [65:43]
B
Oh, yeah.
- [65:44]
A
Right. And I understand what happens sometimes with Players, they feel like, you know, let's just say you went over 30 after turning it down. Now, are you regretting turning it down?
- [65:52]
B
For sure.
- [65:53]
A
And I remember having a conversation with you, and at one point we. We talked about it, and you were like, yeah, man, it's not enough. Because we wanted 225, if you remember. Yeah, right. So we. We turned down 212. And I could tell there was an uncertainty. Like, you didn't feel as confident in wanting to turn that number down. And so we continued to talk through it, and I asked you a question. I said, all right, let's assume for a second. You turn this down, you got to stay healthy. You've got to go out there and continue to perform at this level. Right. And if you do all those things, you're going to make more money than this. But it may not be with the Braves. So let's talk about some of these other organizations that might actually want to pay you that money. Now, it's no guarantee because it's in three years from now, but. And we went through all these various teams, and you were like, I'd rather be with Atlanta. I'd rather be with Atlanta. I'd rather be with Atlanta. And there was one other team, and it wasn't even you saying, I'd rather be there than Atlanta. It was like, that's the only team I could think of where, like, maybe I would like it just as much.
- [66:53]
B
Right.
- [66:54]
A
And I'm like, would you bet $212 million that all those other things are going to happen and that one team is going to be the team that comes and gives you that money? How do you feel about it? You're like, I'm taking the deal.
- [67:05]
B
Yeah, right, right.
- [67:07]
A
And so when we finally got to a place where it was 212, was there ever a moment afterwards where you guys were like, I can't believe this just happened. Did you cry?
- [67:17]
D
No, no. He called me and he said, you're lying. I said, you're lying. You know, you're lying.
- [67:23]
C
I mean, not cry, but I mean.
- [67:25]
A
Like, almost like in shock in a sense, I imagine. Right, Right when I say this, because again, like, having known you starting at 16 years old, like, this is the dream. Oh, yeah, right. Every kid or parent listening, like, that's the dream. You have this goal. Your dream was to be a major league player, right? Your dream is to maybe take care of family. And, like, I can. I can play this game for the rest of my life, and I don't have to, like, actually Get a normal job. And then all of a sudden when it comes true, it's gotta feel surreal. Oh, yeah, right. And so as you guys look back on it now, do you ever, like, do you ever, like, pinch yourself and like, I can't believe we're like, this is my life.
- [68:06]
B
Yeah. I mean, it's, it's. I mean, it's crazy. It's, it's. It's truly just the Lord's blessed. Yep. Blessed us. I mean, that's no other way to put it. Is just he's truly blessed us. I mean, to be able to play a game for a living and, you know, do whatever we want, you know, whatever we want to do. When it, when it comes to, you know, just, you know, I was able to buy some hunt. I've always wanted to buy some Huntlands I literally just closed yesterday on which.
- [68:40]
A
We'Re going to go tomorrow.
- [68:41]
B
Yeah, we're going. Taking Maddie on his first hunting extravaganza tomorrow. So everything that's like, you know, we kind of. I've ever, like, dreamed about and talked about and it's kind of, you know, it's coming in effect. It's, it's. No. Yeah, it's. It's crazy.
- [68:59]
A
How's it been for you guys? Obviously, the last couple years he's been banged up a little bit. How's it been not being able to watch him actually play?
- [69:06]
D
I don't like it.
- [69:07]
C
Frustrating.
- [69:07]
D
It is.
- [69:08]
C
You'll see him out there.
- [69:09]
B
But.
- [69:09]
A
Yeah.
- [69:11]
B
Sucks for me more than it does. I know.
- [69:13]
C
But, you know, you know, it's a part of the. It's. It's part of every sport.
- [69:17]
A
Yep.
- [69:18]
C
You know, not just baseball. So, you know what's going to happen. You just, you just try to do everything you can prior to.
- [69:24]
B
To.
- [69:24]
C
To prevent anything from. From happening. And I think he does. He, you know, he works out, works hard. So it's just that was probably in.
- [69:33]
D
The best shape of your life the.
- [69:35]
B
Last we were talking about it, me and Jordan much, you know, shrink guy. It's like the last two years have been the best shape I've been in my life. The fastest I've been like, as far as, like sprint speed, you know, moving left and right because they track it all at third base, like moving the best I've ever moved. And it's like I've been hurt the last couple years. It's just like.
- [69:56]
A
Well, in a funny way, take Those, the over 23. Take the failure that you had in the big leagues. This is just another version of it, right? Getting yourself to now being in the best physical shape ever. You're now training in a certain way, like, you know your body better than you ever have.
- [70:12]
B
Yeah.
- [70:13]
A
I mean, I literally just asked you before this podcast, how's your body feel? You're like, bro, I feel amazing. Yeah, right? You have to go through that stuff to get to this place, for sure. All right, last question. And this is for all of you guys, and we'll go one by one. What's your favorite memory that you have of playing baseball? Any memory?
- [70:33]
B
For me, I think it's the. The hotel room after we won the World Series.
- [70:39]
A
I love it.
- [70:39]
B
We're all in there, and it's just like. It's just crazy. And we're just like. I. I think I remember it was like we were like, so what do. What do we do? It's just like we ended up, you know, we obviously went up, going to the after party, but, like, kind of all.
- [70:53]
A
Was that the Ritz?
- [70:54]
B
Yeah, it all kind of came together right there. That was. That was pretty sweet.
- [70:57]
A
Yeah, that was fun. We could all celebrate that.
- [70:58]
B
Yeah.
- [70:59]
D
I had the flu then, so it's all kind of.
- [71:01]
C
She. She couldn't go.
- [71:02]
D
I was so sick. I didn't go to the after party. And I look back and think, what the heck? I miss that.
- [71:07]
A
But what was your favorite memory there?
- [71:09]
D
Probably.
- [71:11]
A
And it could be when he was.
- [71:12]
D
It was in high school. Yeah, in high school. And I can't. I don't know if it's just that whole, you know, he could. I know he pitch him, but he could. He had what his. Probably your junior year was at 0.9 ERA or something. He couldn't. Nobody could hit him. I didn't want him to pitch because it made me nervous. But that. And then we were in Tupelo, and I know we got behind twice, and you hit a home run both times, like, over on their back football field. We won the game, so just, you.
- [71:43]
A
Know, I love it.
- [71:44]
D
That's just. That kind of.
- [71:45]
C
Mine's his first home run in the.
- [71:46]
A
Yeah. That was crazy.
- [71:48]
D
That was crazy. I knew you were gonna put.
- [71:50]
C
There's so many great moments, but, I mean, that's to me, because that's the ultimate stage.
- [71:57]
A
Oh, yeah.
- [71:58]
C
You know, that's the highest stage.
- [71:59]
A
Oh, yeah. And I remember talking to you before the end, like, hey, what if he hits a homer today? Second at bat.
- [72:04]
D
Second.
- [72:04]
B
Second.
- [72:05]
A
Yeah, I remember where he hit it, too. I remember standing right next to you. We went nuts.
- [72:09]
B
Yeah.
- [72:10]
A
And funny enough, this year I had a kid making his debut in Atlanta.
- [72:14]
D
And I talked to him before the.
- [72:15]
A
Game, and I said, hey, I'm going back to Atlanta for another kid's debut. Can you imagine if he hits a homer and he hit a homer in.
- [72:21]
B
The first try, first hit.
- [72:23]
D
Did he not hit two homers?
- [72:24]
A
No, he hit one homer, but he robbed a home run in the first inning. Yeah. But it was the same deal. I was like, what the hell? I've done this before.
- [72:31]
B
This is great.
- [72:31]
C
Yeah.
- [72:32]
B
Oh, it's crazy.
- [72:34]
A
I love all y'. All. This has been fun. I appreciate you guys. Yeah. And we're helping these families out, so thank you.
- [72:41]
C
Yep.