The Show, the Voice and Grandpa: A PTFO Surprise

Summary

Podcast Summary: "The Show, the Voice and Grandpa: A PTFO Surprise"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Pablo Torre Finds Out
• Host: Pablo Torre, Le Batard & Friends
• Episode: The Show, the Voice and Grandpa: A PTFO Surprise
• Release Date: May 22, 2025

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Introduction: Setting the Stage (00:00 - 11:45)

Pablo Torre kicks off the episode with playful banter, introducing John Boog Sciambi, a renowned sports announcer known for his work with the Chicago Cubs, World Series coverage for ESPN Radio, and extensive voice work for the video game "MLB the Show." The conversation quickly delves into Boog's role in bridging the gap between traditional sports broadcasting and interactive gaming. Pablo reflects on their previous interaction, humorously mentioning attempts to improve his own vocal delivery.

Key Quote:

• John Boog Sciambi (01:16): “The sound quality in here is so good and calm. It's really wonderful.”

---

Exploring "MLB the Show" and Its Impact (11:45 - 17:07)

Pablo introduces Kim Soriano, an 86-year-old avid player of "MLB the Show." Kim shares his unique dedication to the game, meticulously playing and scoring each of the Yankees' 162 games over two decades. His passion blurs the lines between virtual and real-life baseball, treating each game with the seriousness of an actual season. Pablo marvels at Kim’s commitment, highlighting how Kim's approach mirrors traditional baseball fandom.

Key Quotes:

• Kim Soriano (12:15): “I play every single Yankee game and keep score. This has been my hobby for 20 years.”
• Pablo Torre (13:24): “You're living a parallel Yankee season that I have to imagine is better than what we've been experiencing in real life so far.”

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The Unique Connection: Virtual Meets Reality (17:07 - 22:04)

The conversation shifts to the surprising revelation of Kim’s meticulous scorekeeping and parallel experience in both the video game and real-life baseball. Pablo and Boog discuss the intricate ways Kim interacts with "MLB the Show," including his manual scoring and the immersive realism he experiences. This segment underscores the profound impact that well-crafted sports simulations can have on dedicated fans.

Key Quotes:

• Kim Soriano (16:16): “If I get to the playoffs, I have never got to the World Series except for last year.”
• Pablo Torre (16:32): “It feels like a lifestyle at this point.”

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A Prank Unfolds: Surprising Kim with Boog (22:04 - 33:21)

Pablo reveals the core of the episode's surprise: John Boog Sciambi, previously speaking remotely, is about to join the studio in person. Behind the reflective glass lies Boog, who has been covertly announcing a live game within the podcast studio. The prank aims to see how Kim reacts when he realizes that the familiar voice he associates with the game is physically present in the room.

As Boog begins announcing the game, Kim initially remains unaware, engrossed in his scorekeeping. The interaction grows more intense as the game progresses, with Kim expressing mild frustration over the repetitive commentary but ultimately appreciating Boog's professionalism. The revelation culminates in Boog stepping into the studio, surprising Kim and creating a heartwarming moment of recognition and shared passion for baseball.

Key Quotes:

• Pablo Torre (32:19): “So while all of this is happening in our studio, I do need to reveal to you what 86-year-old Kim Soriano does not know...”
• John Boog Sciambi (27:16): “We're gonna work on fixing that.”
• Kim Soriano (33:27): “I thought it was cool.”

---

Behind the Scenes: Boog’s Role and the Creation of the Prank (33:21 - 35:40)

Pablo delves into how Boog records his extensive voice lines for "MLB the Show," emphasizing the dedication required to ensure each game feels unique despite repetitive elements. Boog explains the meticulous process of recording various scenarios to maintain authenticity in the game's commentary. This segment sheds light on the behind-the-scenes efforts that enhance the gaming experience for fans like Kim.

Key Quote:

• John Boog Sciambi (37:24): “So one of the things that's tough... is stitching together all the different lines to make each game feel fresh and exciting.”

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Reflections and Revelations: The Power of Voice in Sports Gaming (35:40 - 42:47)

As the episode winds down, Pablo reflects on the unexpected depth of Kim's understanding and appreciation for Boog's work. The interplay between virtual and real-life sports experiences is highlighted, showcasing how integral voice commentary is to the immersive nature of sports simulations. Kim shares nostalgic memories of his early experiences with video games, tying his lifelong passion for baseball to his dedication to "MLB the Show."

Key Quotes:

• Kim Soriano (40:08): “I used to imagine games, throw the ball against the steps at my grandmother’s house...”
• Pablo Torre (42:19): “We've just played an entirely fake game, and I’m sorry that we just...”

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Conclusion: Celebrating Dedication and Innovation (42:47 - End)

Pablo expresses a mix of remorse and delight over the prank, acknowledging Kim’s unwavering enthusiasm and the seamless integration of Boog's voice into the gaming experience. The episode closes with a humorous and touching anecdote about friendship and shared love for baseball, cementing the episode’s theme of community and passion within the sports world.

Key Quote:

• Kim Soriano (41:42): “You just hope it continues until I go to the Great Beyond? No, I just want the game to continue because I enjoy playing it.”

---

Episode Highlights:

• Dedication of Fans: Kim Soriano’s 20-year commitment to "MLB the Show" exemplifies the profound connection fans can develop with sports simulations.

• The Role of Voice Commentary: John Boog Sciambi’s extensive voice work enhances the realism and immersion of "MLB the Show," making virtual games feel authentically real.

• Intersection of Virtual and Real Sports: The episode illustrates how digital experiences can parallel and complement real-life sports fandom, creating a holistic and deeply engaging fan experience.

• Community and Shared Passions: The surprise interaction between Kim and Boog highlights the strong community bonds formed through shared interests in sports and gaming.

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Notable Moments:

• Surprise Reveal (31:26 - 33:21): Boog steps out from behind the glass to surprise Kim, turning the prank into a heartfelt encounter.

• Boog’s Insight on Voice Work (37:24 - 38:51): Boog explains the complexity of recording diverse commentary for "MLB the Show," emphasizing the dedication behind creating a seamless gaming experience.

• Kim’s Lifelong Passion (40:08 - 41:05): Kim shares his early experiences with baseball and video games, illustrating a lifelong passion that has evolved over decades.

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Final Thoughts:

This episode of "Pablo Torre Finds Out" masterfully intertwines humor, surprise, and heartfelt moments to celebrate the deep connections between sports, technology, and dedicated fans. Through the interactions between Pablo, John Boog Sciambi, and Kim Soriano, listeners gain insight into the intricate world of sports broadcasting and the lasting impact it has on passionate individuals.

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Transcript

[Pablo Torre]

Welcome to Pablo Torre finds out. I am Pablo Torre. Today's episode is brought to you by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours. And today we're going to find out what this sound is.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Bellinger trying to throw it in. Let go of the baseball, Pablo.

[Pablo Torre]

Right after this ad.

[Kim Soriano]

You're listening to DraftKings Network. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a great feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with the personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Foreign.

[Pablo Torre]

Thank you for being here sitting in that chair, by the way.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Love being in this chair.

[Pablo Torre]

It's really good to have you back. I've been trying ever since we had you on the show last. I've been trying to speak from the bottom of my.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah. Of my. From your diaphragm.

[Pablo Torre]

Diaphragm was remembering which part of the fram.

[Kim Soriano]

The.

[John Boog Sciambi]

The fram. The sound quality in here is so good and calm. It's. Yeah, it's really. It's really wonderful. I mean, literally, if you just, if you wanted to leave for like three minutes, I would just sit here and just say stuff to myself and like, this is what I do for a living.

[Pablo Torre]

What would you say to yourself if I wasn't here? What are the vocal exercises that you would run or the vocal masturbation that you would do more than exercising? Clearly.

[John Boog Sciambi]

I have red sneakers on. I love my red sneakers. I look slimmer in black. My hair looks good.

[Pablo Torre]

I like me those not watching on YouTube.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Boo.

[Pablo Torre]

Giz just gazing at his own reflection.

[John Boog Sciambi]

That's right.

[Pablo Torre]

Look, we though as a, as a show had you do some, I would say credibility imperiling things. The last time you were on, I.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Had totally forgotten so early in the year the Cubs play the Dodgers and I run into Joe Posnanski and Mike Shore and sure, at some point it comes up what we had done and I had just disconnected and forgotten. I said, you know, velociraptor on his horse. The kick and the pitch. Swing at a ball, driven right field towards the corner, slicing fairball. That's going to get into the corner. And Velociraptor is on his horse on his way to third. Velociraptor. They're going to send him Soto trying to dig it Out Velociraptor on his way to the plate and save ball game. Cubs win. Pablo Torre the hero as he knocks in Velociraptor and the Cubs walk it off. And Mike Sher's like, I wrote that.

[Pablo Torre]

We did assemble a writer's room and then I got credit for it. But it was really the guy who wrote, you know, the office and parks and rec and whatever. So ridiculous and wonderful and a credit truly to the credibility of, as I always say, the best voice in baseball. The best voice in announcing the guy with a Stradivarius in his diaphragm. And the thing that I didn't talk to you enough about last time that I was confronted by on the Internet was the work you do in video games. The video game boog yeah. Is known to a whole universe that I, I think I've aged out of because I'm not because of Violet being her age and me being too busy to have fun anymore. I, I, I'm less fluent in the world that you are also the voice of MLB the Show. How do you feel that? How does that sort of like make itself known to you?

[John Boog Sciambi]

I will say it's the one space. Yeah. When a nine or ten year old kid is excited to meet me or I say, hey, do you play MLB the Show? And they say yeah. And I say I'm that guy.

[Kim Soriano]

Play by play announcer John Boogshambi and.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Color analyst Chris Singleton swing in a deep drag drive and forget it. Zingy. He's been red hot, man. He is really seeing the ball well in this one. And watch their eyes get big. Yeah. Can't lie. I dig that. It's exciting that in some way I might be impacting some kids love for baseball through this silly game.

[Pablo Torre]

People play this thing a lot.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yes.

[Pablo Torre]

And so the idea that a someone in baseball is doing the thing that baseball has always been anxious about, which is reaching out and converting. Converting. Baptizing young people a little bit.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Sure. Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

You get to feel that and you're the voice of that. But then there's a video that I saw recently. This is the reason why I brought you in a studio today because the video is not this actually it is arguably the opposite.

[John Boog Sciambi]

He's got MLB to show in his house. He's sitting on his couch, older gentleman. And he keeps score. So he's clearly playing and he keeps score of the game that he's playing, which is wild. And of course the dork in me that loves keeping score likes keeping a really clean scorecard.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Is like what's going on over there? Keeping score of.

[Pablo Torre]

I didn't know that was possible or a thing anybody wanted to do. But of course, when you are apparently an 86 year old gentleman whose grandson has decided to actually share with the world the thing that he's been seeing his grandfather doing apparently for 20 years.

[John Boog Sciambi]

It's Aaron Judge. Now here's a swing and a drive left field. And he knew it amazing because it's.

[Pablo Torre]

20, 25 now and that's true that you can play a video game at age 86 for 20 or so years and play and score it as if it's a real game. That this is the thing that the Internet. Agreed. Like we must celebrate. People need to know that this guy is out here merging the two worlds, virtual and real in a way that I, my mind was blown upon learning of this man and his passion.

[John Boog Sciambi]

The outside of the binder says MLB the show. I mean this is, we're, you know, analog.

[Pablo Torre]

Digital have rarely been so interwoven.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Holy cow.

[Pablo Torre]

And so I have an idea and I just need you to be willing to imperil your credibility again.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Sure.

[Pablo Torre]

Because this, this 86 year old man and say grandson may or may not be on their way here and you may or may not need to be the voice of the very thing that I have been talking about. Really, you're going to need to, to, to do something that I have full confidence, your ability to do.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

Which is A, be yourself and, and.

[John Boog Sciambi]

B, be your monkey. That's what you're really saying.

[Pablo Torre]

I'm going to need you to dance.

[John Boog Sciambi]

I mean it's liter, it's, it's dancing, but it's also like. And you're going to put your hand up the back of my shirt and then just like, yeah, turn me into your, your sort of muppet.

[Pablo Torre]

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[Kim Soriano]

Hello. How are you?

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, the pleasure's all mine.

[Kim Soriano]

Call me Kim. Kim.

[Pablo Torre]

Kim, Kim, Kim.

[Kim Soriano]

Okay, so my real name.

[Pablo Torre]

But wait a minute, what do you mean it's not your real name?

[Kim Soriano]

My real name is Joey Kim. My legal name, but my mother had a sense of humor. She cut it off and made Kim. So that's it. So, but my last name is Soriano.

[Pablo Torre]

So I was gonna say any relation to.

[Kim Soriano]

No.

[Pablo Torre]

Alfonso.

[Kim Soriano]

No, same name, not the same money. That's the difference.

[Pablo Torre]

Well played. So this is New Jersey's own Kim Soriano, the 86 year old from the viral video which has been shared now and viewed well over a million times across TikTok and Instagram and all these other platforms. And what Kim proved to be as soon as I met him is a real character because, yeah, I just met him right then when I walked into our studio in that scene, you just heard, he was sitting at my desk. My mic wasn't even on yet. But what caught my attention even more immediately was, was the binder that Kim brought with him. Because what Kim's grandson Matt had told us is that his grandpa has not only been playing mlb, the show as the Yankees, his favorite team, but also he's been scoring the 162 games he has been playing on the video game every season over two decades now. Meaning that Kim is logging the unfolding details of a virtual video game by hand, as if he himself is also sitting in the stands or at home watching a real game. Which sounds crazy. Obviously, the Internet's favorite sports grandpa is basically merging a beloved analog ritual, which Bugsiambi, by the way, also does for every real life game that he calls in the booth with the video game world. And Kim's binder, which is now sitting here atop our desk, is the unambiguously earnest proof, which does make me feel a little guilty about what I'm about to do. So the book you have brought with you in studio today, can you describe it for people who may just be listening to us? What does it look like? What does it say on the front cover?

[Kim Soriano]

Well, I just put this on, okay. Because that's what I play, the show. Okay. Now what I do is I play every single Yankee.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, the blue bind opened up. Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

I keep score.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes.

[Kim Soriano]

Of the lineup, and I keep score. And this is the. This right here is the blank page. And I. What I do is I go to a copy company, right? And I get 182 copies of it, and that's it.

[Pablo Torre]

So when does this start? When the game comes out. You get 182 copies ready for the new release of every game.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah. Let's say the season opened this year. I think March 27th or something like that. I usually go beginning of March.

[Pablo Torre]

And will you play one game per day matching the real life schedule?

[Kim Soriano]

Yes.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, my God. So you've been living a parallel Yankees season as this season has gone forward?

[Kim Soriano]

I guess you can call it that, yeah. Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

Does Giancarlo Stanton also have double tennis elbow in your universe?

[Kim Soriano]

In your timeline, I make it like tennis thumbs.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. I got blisters. I got blisters on my fingers.

[Kim Soriano]

As a wise man, once, and I'll tell you this, in all the years, I have never been bored playing this game. And the fact I look forward to the next day, and that's it. It takes me about hour and 15 minutes, hour and 20 minutes to play the game.

[Pablo Torre]

And in your case, because you like me, we're both Yankee fans, you're living a parallel Yankee season that I have to imagine is better than what we've been experiencing in real life so far.

[Kim Soriano]

Yes.

[Pablo Torre]

How are you guys doing in your timeline?

[Kim Soriano]

We're both in first place.

[Pablo Torre]

Amazing.

[Kim Soriano]

Sometimes it scares me because I'll play a game and they may come close to the game that I'm actually playing, what they play.

[Pablo Torre]

Right.

[Kim Soriano]

So right now, if I can remember right, I'm like, I'm in first place about three games. They're in first place by two and a half.

[Pablo Torre]

Right? Right.

[Kim Soriano]

So it's. Sometimes it's scary.

[Pablo Torre]

So what you're saying is that sometimes the video game in real life couldn't match up, match up, even interact. Maybe the streams cross every now and again.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

This has gotten a little spooky, Kim. You may have more power in your controller and these thumbs than I realized.

[Kim Soriano]

The only thing I do when I play the game, I hit. Only I don't pitch. I set everything up automatic. Automatic.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, you automate pitching.

[Kim Soriano]

Automate pitching. Automate base running, throwing. And all I do is hit.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. Why is that?

[Kim Soriano]

Because I was never too good at the other.

[Pablo Torre]

I'm getting a sense of how much you use this video game where you can do anything as truly like a simulation of something like your actual lived experience here on this version of planet Earth.

[Kim Soriano]

I've tried pitching. I've tried hitting and throwing. I mean, hitting and throwing, base running, I'm not good at that. And then they're noise, but. But hitting.

[Pablo Torre]

You think you would have covered first, like Garrett Cole.

[Kim Soriano]

Garrett? No, I don't think so.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. Can't get him. Can't get on him for that one. That still haunts me, by the way. I was at game five at the stadium. You were there World Series? Yeah, I was there.

[Kim Soriano]

Really?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. I paid money off a stub hub.

[Kim Soriano]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

To attend.

[Kim Soriano]

Well, he's out for the year, so.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, I know.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

I'm not giving him a break, though.

[Kim Soriano]

See? And I do that also.

[Pablo Torre]

What do you do if G's out? Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

I'll injure him.

[Pablo Torre]

You'll take a digital crowbar. Take them out back.

[Kim Soriano]

There's a. An app on here. Okay. That you can manually injure a player.

[Pablo Torre]

That is sadistic, Kim. And I didn't realize that was possible.

[Kim Soriano]

Well, I got the. Hi. How you do it?

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, what is that?

[Kim Soriano]

Well, here.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, you're taking a slip of paper.

[Kim Soriano]

From your blue binder setting.

[Pablo Torre]

You have instructions you've written down on a torn off scrap of paper.

[Kim Soriano]

Go to gameplay general. Set to manual.

[Pablo Torre]

Set to manual.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah. You set injuries to manual so you can control it.

[Pablo Torre]

Do you feel like a God when you do that? Do you feel like you're in control of everything when you do that? It just feels like an intoxicating power to manually.

[Kim Soriano]

I think I feel more realistic.

[Pablo Torre]

I haven't played this game in probably 15 years.

[Kim Soriano]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

And you've been playing it every season. 182ish times a year. 82ish because the Yankees are making the postseason.

[Kim Soriano]

If I get to the playoffs.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

You're.

[Pablo Torre]

You're smiling. And I got to say, this Yankee fan, in.

[Kim Soriano]

In the playoffs, I have never got to the World Series except for last year.

[Pablo Torre]

This is an honest suffering you signed up for. Does it hurt to not make and win the World Series?

[Kim Soriano]

You know, bubble at times. Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

I feel like you live. You are carrying and feeling the. The marathon that is the baseball season in a way that no video game player is actually signing up for. No one else is doing this.

[Kim Soriano]

Well, sometimes my wife says, what, are you crazy? Because, like, I'll strike out and I'll.

[Pablo Torre]

Go bang the table.

[Kim Soriano]

So. But all in all. All in all, it's. It's fun and I enjoy it.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

And that's it. I don't have. I guess you could call it a hobby.

[Pablo Torre]

I mean, it feels like a lifestyle at this point.

[Kim Soriano]

I don't collect stamps. I don't collect coins. I don't go fishing, hunting, that.

[Pablo Torre]

Should we start playing? Maybe. So this is not a competitive game. Can this be a tour? You take me, Kim, on a tour of your world.

[Kim Soriano]

Okay.

[Pablo Torre]

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[John Boog Sciambi]

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[Pablo Torre]

Alright, so while all of this is happening in our studio, I do need to reveal to you what 86 year old Kim Soriano van does not know as the two of us sit here wearing headphones, which is that behind the reflective darkened glass of the PTFO studio where my producers normally sit is John Boog Chiambi, the voice of Kim's favorite thing in the entire world and the man who is going to surprise him in real life when Boog walks into the studio to join us. Before any of that can happen, what I've asked Boog to do in his capacity as guy who calls games for the Chicago Cubs on television as well as the World Series for ESPN Radio, in addition to the hundreds of hours of pre recorded voice work he does for mlb, the show is to do something similar, but something I did not realize at all when we set up this whole prank experiment is that Kim Soriano, perhaps predictably in retrospect, has a lot of opinions about Boog's line of work.

[Kim Soriano]

That's the thing I don't like about this game is the announcers are too repetitive. It's the same thing. So I put it on the lowest volume I could think of without totally shutting it off.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

And that's the problem with the show.

[Pablo Torre]

Mm.

[Kim Soriano]

It's repetitive.

[Pablo Torre]

You're saying that when you play the game, it all feels like that. That damn voice just keeps on saying the same, same over and over again.

[Kim Soriano]

Yep.

[Pablo Torre]

Is the announcer, though a good announcer, in your view?

[Kim Soriano]

I always a good announcer.

[Pablo Torre]

Okay.

[Kim Soriano]

Okay. But the tendency. The same thing over and over every single day.

[Pablo Torre]

That. That's just the.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah. And I don't want to hear the stories anymore.

[Pablo Torre]

Because you've heard them all.

[Kim Soriano]

I heard them all. Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

Yankees, Cubs.

[Kim Soriano]

And that starts it.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. But what we've already done here that the Internet's favorite sports grandpa does not yet realize, but his grandson Matt does, is go into the game's manual settings not to injure any players, but to manually mute the show's announcing team of play by playman John Boog, Ciambi and color guy and former MLB outfielder Chris Singleton all together. Which would allow the real Boog behind the glass to do play by play of our virtual Yankees Cubs game live into the headphones that Matt's grandpa and I are both wearing in studio. At least until Kim notices.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Welcome to Wrigley Field, everybody. A beautiful day for baseball. Second oldest park in the majors. It's the Yankees and the Cubs as we get ready for baseball on a gorgeous afternoon. And we've got a good pitching matchup. Couple of lefties. It'll be Max Freed and Shota Imanaga.

[Kim Soriano]

I never played on a screen this big.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, yeah. Imanaga takes the mound.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Take a look at the numbers for the left hander. A season ago on All Star shot to Imanaga and a.291 era. Anthony Volpe climbs in for the Yankees. And we're ready to go from the Friendly Confines.

[Kim Soriano]

So now this should work. If I try to hit it right.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. Yeah. So I'm going to. I'm going to throw you some heat. Spoiler alert.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Imanaga ready to work. Volpe waits. And here we go.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, boy.

[John Boog Sciambi]

And the first pitch missing. A little bit low for ball one. Fans wanted that call to strike, so one and nothing of the Yankee shortstop, a lefty from Japan. Imanaga fires. And a swing and a miss. Anthony Volpe grew up a Yankees fan. Checks his swing. The pitch misses low. It's two and one.

[Kim Soriano]

There you go.

[Pablo Torre]

I don't like what I'm doing here.

[John Boog Sciambi]

And a pitch.

[Pablo Torre]

Totally. No. Come on.

[John Boog Sciambi]

And that misses. 3 and 1. Tight strike zone here in the early.

[Kim Soriano]

Going See, it's a good game.

[John Boog Sciambi]

And a pitch. Swing and a miss. Woo. 4 seam fastball right there. And now the count is full. Nobody on, nobody out. Just getting started here at Wrigley. Three, two, pitch, check, swing. Did he go? Yes, he did.

[Pablo Torre]

I'm not gonna lie to you, Kim. I don't really know what I'm doing. And I now understand why you only hit.

[Kim Soriano]

Oh, yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Chisholm. Fouls. One. And that one hit foul. So an opportunity for the Yankees as Pablo needs to clean up the defense.

[Kim Soriano]

See, right now he's hurt and I won't play him. I didn't even see that one. Come on, I was talking to you.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, you're mad that the rosters on this one have been updated.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Chisum is down on strikes. And now here's a matchup. It'll be Judge and Imanaga. This one drilled out to center field. Crow Armstrong, the early dive. Now he'll retrieve it and fire it in. And a single from Aaron judge. Big number 99 on base. Two aboard and one out.

[Pablo Torre]

I feel old these days, but not so old that a literal grandpa explaining how video games works to me isn't deeply confidence shaking.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Here's the former Cub, Cody Bellinger. This is drilled right field. Tucker is there to make the catch.

[Kim Soriano]

See how realistic it is?

[Pablo Torre]

That's realistic, man. This whole thing. By the way, the announcers. Yeah, they're. They're on top of it. They're on top of it.

[John Boog Sciambi]

So repetitive and realistic. And now it's John Carlos Stanton, tennis elbow or not. Here he is.

[Kim Soriano]

I don't play him either. He's out.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, because he has double tennis elbow, obviously.

[Kim Soriano]

Huh?

[Pablo Torre]

Because he has the double elbow. Tendonitis.

[Kim Soriano]

Yes.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Two away opportunity for the Yankees as Stanton bows it away. And it's one and one on the ground. Workmen will pick it up. Races, I'll tell you.

[Pablo Torre]

Thank you.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Number three. That's some good defense by the man. The blue sweater. End of a half inning, the Yankees nothing. The Cubs coming to bat.

[Pablo Torre]

That's pretty good.

[Kim Soriano]

It is pretty good. Now, what happens here now?

[Pablo Torre]

So I believe that. Okay, so in this case. Yeah, you're pitching. So do you want to hit? Do you want to?

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah, why not?

[Pablo Torre]

Okay. All right.

[Kim Soriano]

Okay. I'll be the Cub still.

[Pablo Torre]

So we're. We're switching controllers because Kim refuses as a permanent DH in video games. You are going to hit and I'm going to now pitch.

[Kim Soriano]

So I should be able to hit now, right?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Ian Happ stands in facing Garrett Cole. And a swing and a miss. Early reports had Max Freed on the mound. But instead. Instead it will be the right hander Cole. If you're scoring at home, all the strike on the leadoff man. Three time Gold Glove winner, Ian Hap. Swing.

[Kim Soriano]

See what I like about this game? The stadiums are realistic.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

The play is realistic.

[John Boog Sciambi]

One and two. Here comes. Ooh, swing and a miss. And it gets past the catcher Wells. And safe at first is Ian Happ. How do you like that? In the first inning, each team with a strikeout and a reach in a wild pitch. Waka waka.

[Pablo Torre]

Honestly, like the repetitiveness of the announcers. He's. This guy's on top of it.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Beautiful day here at the friendly conference. Suzuki hammers one. That's it in the right center field. Bellinger can't get it. That'll bang up against the brick wall as it hits off the ivy. Bellinger trying to throw it in. Let go of the baseball, Pablo.

[Kim Soriano]

Wait a minute. I got a question. How was that done? They mentioned your name and the blue sweater. How was that? Who was broadcasting the game?

[Pablo Torre]

That's isn't this game. That doesn't happen for you, huh? That doesn't happen for you?

[Kim Soriano]

No.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Michael Bush at the plate.

[Pablo Torre]

Now, hold on.

[Kim Soriano]

Totally different.

[John Boog Sciambi]

That's.

[Pablo Torre]

I don't know.

[John Boog Sciambi]

And Bush takes a strike.

[Pablo Torre]

Wait, you're saying you've played this game this often and that's not happened yet?

[Kim Soriano]

Well.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Here at Wrigley Field, John Schombi with you, Chris Singleton on assignment. And they chant, let's go, Cubbies.

[Kim Soriano]

You see, that's the same guy that announces it. Jambi.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

But they never mention that the other guy is on assignment because that other guy, Chris Singleton, is always there. And he's the one that comes up with the story, the repetitive.

[Pablo Torre]

So in other words, Seanbi, you're like, that guy's cool. It's Singleton. Where you're just like, come on.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Golden opportunity for the Cubs.

[Pablo Torre]

He's a color guy. And. Yeah, so.

[John Boog Sciambi]

And that's all right.

[Kim Soriano]

I don't.

[John Boog Sciambi]

That's about him.

[Kim Soriano]

See.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Here comes.

[Pablo Torre]

That's. That's just newfangled baseball.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Lots going on and that was nasty. Garrett Cole, the backwards strikeout and Bush down on strike. Here comes Dansby Swanson and that one in there for a strike. It is nothing. And 1. What a gorgeous afternoon here on the north side of Chicago. The Cubs looking to strike first. John Chambi without the always repetitive Chris Singleton here on MLB the show as that one Gets away.

[Pablo Torre]

Do you miss Chris Singleton? Do you miss Chris Singleton?

[John Boog Sciambi]

What about John Chambie? Do you like John Chambie.

[Kim Soriano]

The other night? The color guy?

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

Chris Singleton.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

The same stuff over and over.

[Pablo Torre]

Right, right.

[John Boog Sciambi]

We're gonna work on fixing that.

[Kim Soriano]

Hi.

[John Boog Sciambi]

How are you?

[Kim Soriano]

Good.

[John Boog Sciambi]

I'm John Schombi. Oh, John, nice to meet you.

[Kim Soriano]

Yes.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Love you. Playing mlb the Show.

[Kim Soriano]

Nice meeting. It's a pleasure.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yes. We got rid of Chris Singleton and his stories and it's just me. It's just me.

[Kim Soriano]

Is it just you?

[John Boog Sciambi]

It's just me. He's not here. I mean, eventually he's going to come and talk.

[Kim Soriano]

No, of course it's not.

[Pablo Torre]

He's going to be pretty pissed off.

[John Boog Sciambi]

He's. He's already pissed off.

[Kim Soriano]

I text that drives you queen.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Well, I mean, you play the game a lot. You do play the game a lot. I mean, you're playing a lot of the games. You know, like, we've been recording, like 400 hours, like, but it's hard, you.

[Kim Soriano]

Know, I. I play 160. I've been playing this game since 2006.

[John Boog Sciambi]

It's amazing. So nice to meet you. Your video on Tick tock. Amazing. I love that you keep score.

[Pablo Torre]

All right. We gotta. We gotta get Boo to sit down with us.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah. This is yesterday's. Yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

You know, I wanted to show you. I have my. So I keep score on an iPad.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

But it. But it looks exactly like this. And I wanted to show you my scorecard from the World Series because I called the World Series on radio.

[Kim Soriano]

This is the blank ones.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah. So there you go. I have them. I have them, too. I'll show you. I can show you mine.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah. Yeah. I would like to see.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Absolutely.

[Kim Soriano]

Can you.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Can you go grab that.

[Pablo Torre]

Can you move your chair from the other side of the glass?

[Kim Soriano]

You walked in and you said, you're John. I like, we're blank.

[John Boog Sciambi]

How great is that, by the way, to play on that? Wouldn't you love to play? You play all the time there.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah.

[John Boog Sciambi]

It's pretty cool.

[Kim Soriano]

It is.

[John Boog Sciambi]

All right, back. I'm gonna get my. I'll get my score card and I'll show you and we'll get. Get a chair in there. So.

[Pablo Torre]

Surprise.

[Kim Soriano]

Huh?

[Pablo Torre]

I said surprise.

[Kim Soriano]

Yes. I looked. I said no to my shot. Like, everything went blank.

[Pablo Torre]

Part of me, Kim, feels very bad for what we perpetrated on you.

[Kim Soriano]

No.

[Pablo Torre]

The other part of me could not be happier.

[Kim Soriano]

This Memorial Day, turn up the heat with the Home Depot. Find the perfect grill and patio Set to keep the cookouts coming all season long. Grill up a feast with the next grill 4 burner gas grill only $229.

[Pablo Torre]

And complete your space with the stylish Glen Ridge Falls 7 piece dining set.

[Kim Soriano]

Now on special buy for just $499.

[Pablo Torre]

Dollars with free delivery.

[Kim Soriano]

Take your Memorial Day cookout to the next level all summer long with the Home Depot.

[Pablo Torre]

See homedepot.com delivery for more details. So while Boog has stepped out to grab his iPad and his own meticulously kept scorecards from the 2024 World Series when the Dodgers beat the Yankees in, you know, our actual timeline, which is parallel to the virtual timeline where Kim Soriano's virtual Yankees made the World Series for the first time in their history. I do just need to jump in here to clarify that I am not quite sure if our starstruck and pitching averse and 86 year old grandpa totally understood what had just happened to him. Him here in the Pablo Torre finds out studio. And who could blame him? What we've just done. You're now. You're now. I. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we just.

[Kim Soriano]

That what?

[Pablo Torre]

We. We. We played an entirely fake.

[Kim Soriano]

Fake.

[Pablo Torre]

So Boog was announcing that game.

[Kim Soriano]

Yeah.

[Pablo Torre]

From the other side of the glass.

[Kim Soriano]

I don't care. I thought it was cool.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh my God. I mean, just, just, just. There are a couple of moments when he personally mentioned my name where I was like, Boog, you are flying way too close to the sun right now. He's gonna find out.

[Kim Soriano]

And I said to myself, wait, you mentioned Pablo, guy in the blue sweater? I said, I never heard this.

[Pablo Torre]

But I was gonna say you would be the 1 person on earth to note that this does not typically happen in this video game. And you did notice that. But you were very polite. You were very polite.

[Kim Soriano]

But he does. He does a great job announcing.

[Pablo Torre]

He's going to. He's going to come sit with us.

[Kim Soriano]

He's got the.

[Pablo Torre]

He's got the best voice in baseball.

[Kim Soriano]

Yes. I'm just going to say that.

[Pablo Torre]

Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

By far. By far.

[Pablo Torre]

Yes. Boog is, is an old friend of mine. And so we're going to. We're going to bring him in.

[John Boog Sciambi]

That's what my World Series score. You can just page it with your hands. But that's.

[Kim Soriano]

It's similar.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

And I use the same way you do a double single. Same as I do it. Except if the ground ball is short, I'll put G S. Okay. And then a dollar sign to it. Ah, well, because we grounded a second. It's s. Right.

[John Boog Sciambi]

So I do 6, 3, 4, 3. That type of stuff.

[Kim Soriano]

Is this normal way. What broadcasters.

[John Boog Sciambi]

So I would say. I would say close to half of us now. I would say close to half of us now use that. But I would say half are still using paper.

[Kim Soriano]

Oh, really?

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah. So like, this is just a scan of your sheet.

[Kim Soriano]

I'll tell you that's. It's detailed.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah. So. And then like, so that's the Dodgers down there. And this is game one.

[Kim Soriano]

And you can save all.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah, I have every game. I have all.

[Kim Soriano]

So, like, geez, maybe I should get something like that.

[John Boog Sciambi]

So, like, right, so this is game five of the World Series.

[Kim Soriano]

Right.

[John Boog Sciambi]

So that's that. This is game four.

[Pablo Torre]

So you. So Kim was asking, why are you here? And I feel like that's a reasonable question given that you just appeared out of the LED screen in my studio.

[Kim Soriano]

But when you showed up, y' all went to my.

[John Boog Sciambi]

So I am here because Pablo and I are good friends. And he told me. He showed me the. The TikTok video and he said, don't you think it'd be. We. I've come in to do the show a few times. And he said, don't you think it'd be fun to come in and.

[Pablo Torre]

And torture the Internet?

[Kim Soriano]

You've got the perfect voice for.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Thank you.

[Kim Soriano]

And better than Michael K. I'm telling.

[John Boog Sciambi]

We get. Can we cut that part out?

[Pablo Torre]

And yeah, we're gonna clip that. Send it to Michael.

[Kim Soriano]

Well, that's okay. That's my opinion.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Well, you know, I'm a New York City guy, by the way, so I grew up. I grew up. I went to Regis High School in New York. He and I went. We were separated by a few years, but okay.

[Kim Soriano]

But this game, this game, like I said, Pablo, it's realistic. It doesn't look like a video game. Doesn't look like a Pac man, you know, where they run like crazy. It's actual.

[John Boog Sciambi]

It's crazy how much the players look like the players.

[Pablo Torre]

Don't you think so in real life. So today, Boog was on the other side of the glass narrating Truman, showing, as it were, your experience in our studio, but when it comes to, like, how you actually recorded all of this for the game.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah. So one of the things that's tough and I understand for the people that have been playing for a long time, you know, again, you have to remember how frequently you're playing the game relative to, you know, the amount of games that are actually being, you know, Called. So you're going to hear some of the same stuff. But the way we have to record it, in order to stitch it together, I have to say, say I record Aaron Judge's name and I say Aaron Judge, and then I say Judge, and then I say Judge so that they can stitch them all together so that I can say Aaron Judge from California. But then if I want to say Judge swings and drives one. So. So they just take Judge. But then if I want to make a point and I say Judge, who was a pretty good high school basketball player, like, there's all these intonations that you have to follow. So you're just, you're recording. And then any type of exciting play, you have a. I'll come in and record and they'll say, we're gonna record a walk off homer in the division series, a walk off homer in the LCS in the, you know, on and on.

[Kim Soriano]

So it's amazing the way it's done because every game you broadcast, it's different. Different. Totally different.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

You know, and when I say the repetitive. It's more. It's more. No, actually, if I. And I know I put on a lot of YouTube shows and people who review, they say the same thing. They say, what they do is they turn the commentator all the way down.

[Pablo Torre]

I just like that. What I plan to be truly a. I had no idea how this was going to go. What I underestimated was how Kim had the most developed perspective of anybody, into how many combinations of words your pre recorded voice could fit into.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah, yeah. Well. And then the part that was hysterical was that I was. I made the reference to him in the blue sweater and he caught that. And then I said his name was. And I said his name and he was like, wait a second.

[Pablo Torre]

So look at the AI man, crazy times. I don't know.

[John Boog Sciambi]

That's right. You never know.

[Pablo Torre]

You know, they're robots. Am I a robot right now, Kim? Hard to tell.

[Kim Soriano]

You know, and the thing is, again, like, I've been playing this since the inception of. Yeah, since 2006. Okay. Since the 20th year. I have never been bored.

[Pablo Torre]

Can I ask you just what made you pick up the game in the first place and say, this is how I'm gonna spend the next at this point, 20 years.

[Kim Soriano]

Oh, I never figured that. That I was going to play for 20 years. But I used to imagine games. In fact, I used to go to my grandmother's house and in the backyard, they had great steps and I used to throw the ball against the steps. To make believe I'm pitching and hitting. Okay. And then the years go on. I don't know if you remember. You probably do. When we didn't have the Internet, it was a dial up.

[Pablo Torre]

Oh, yeah.

[Kim Soriano]

I started with that. Oh, wow. Yeah. I used to plug it in.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Sure.

[Kim Soriano]

It was New Jersey Bell. And then I developed this. That's it.

[Pablo Torre]

And how long did it take you for you to fall in love with this game as.

[Kim Soriano]

Immediately. Immediately. And then I get very disappointed at the end of the season because it's over. What am I going to do for.

[Pablo Torre]

Myself when the season ends? When your season ends for you? Which is?

[Kim Soriano]

Well, I end the season basically around the same time.

[Pablo Torre]

Right. So have you ever considered playing more games in between?

[John Boog Sciambi]

No. You're saying this hard shake of the head, season's over. I love this.

[Pablo Torre]

Before we say thank you and let you go, Kim, for you, from the psychological experiment that you've unwittingly entered into thanks to your accomplice of a grandson, do you have anything you want to tell Boog at the end here? Do you have any last thoughts about this thing that you love, that he happens to be the voice of that.

[Kim Soriano]

You just hope it continues until I go to the Great Beyond? No, I just want the game to continue because I enjoy playing it.

[John Boog Sciambi]

Yeah. You love baseball, don't you?

[Kim Soriano]

I do. Yeah, I do.

[Pablo Torre]

I am confident that in the Great beyond we can get booged to, you know, just be on the side of the glass. Maybe.

[Kim Soriano]

You've done a great job. We really appreciate it, but I'm really happy to be here.

[Pablo Torre]

I cannot tell you how delightful it is for this entire thing to have just happened in front of me.

[Kim Soriano]

Well, there was a joke about Pete and Mike, who are the best of friends. They love baseball. They did everything together. They played every single game where one day Pete dies, goes to heaven. Two days later he comes down and says, mike, I got good news and bad news. Good news is baseball and heaven. Bad news, you're pitching tomorrow.

[Pablo Torre]

This has been Pablo Torre Finds Out. A Meadowlark Media production. And I'll talk to you next time.