The 6-1-1 Podcast Ep. 2: Chase Utley
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I'm Ryan Howard along with my man Young James aka J Roll Biscuits. We're here live in London. We got a special show for you. Excited to be able to bring one of our favorites that we were able to be able to share the diamond with for what was it 10 years?

It was a lot of double plays. A lot of double plays. A lot of double plays. I got to watch these two in action. The battery with these guys. MLB's ambassador in Europe. The Silver Fox, the one and only. My double play partner, Chase Utley. Welcome to the show, brother. Welcome, brother. Welcome. Guys, good being here. Good hanging with you guys. This is amazing. I love the enthusiasm. I can't believe we were doing a podcast in London. Who thought about it? Who thought about it? Who thought about it?

Question, question. Ryan Skills at first base. We're going straight there. Yes, off the top. We just have to go there. We want to bring a man before we get to you. We just wanted to settle this once for all. Do you feel you threw four seamers generally over to first base? That was my goal. That was my goal. Probably not everyone was a four seamer. I had a much shorter throw than you. Fair enough. Listen, he picked me up so many different times.

the long leg, but the, I mean, the patented. That's what we're discussing. That's what we're discussing. And I mean, if you haven't seen Ryan saying, Ron, can you give us, you know, the claw? Those are pads.

I don't know how you would ever just drop a ball that chase or I threw that hit you right in the chest and then get to dugout and claim that it was cutting. You know, I will say in my defense for the two hands, I was traumatized by Jamie Moore. And that only everybody knows. Everybody knows. I know it applied to pop ups, but for some reason.

He was always in my head. And I was like, I am not dropping this ball. So I would go out. I would catch it with two hands. Like, Chase, you knew we had the pop-up close to first base. You got to prepare yourself because at some point,

Jamie is going to yell, two hands, two hands. And that's if, well, majority of the time anyway. Chase, maybe it's lost upon you. We're talking about throws from you and I. But I'm just saying. And he went to pop-ups. But I'm just saying. He's trying to change the conversation a little bit. 100%. That's where it all came in. That's where the two hands came into play. So, yes and no. Is it fair to say that Ryan's glove work matured over time? It matured. I think...

Yes. I'm going to put myself in those shoes as well as my glove work and throws matured over time. So we matured together. You were fine defensively over there, the low center of gravity, but that was not an issue for you. Wow. We did not make it look as easy. So you're saying my height was an advantage? 100% height. Or lack of height was an advantage. 100% lack of height was an advantage playing defense. 1000%. Would you disagree? I mean, Derek was a tall shortstop. Alex was a tall shortstop.

Cal was a tall shortstop. - We're talking defensively, defensive shortstop. - Cal was a defensive shortstop. A-Rod was a defensive shortstop. Derek's game grew. His game grew. - But I'm gonna speak on your behalf 'cause you would never say this. The skills were sub-- - Well, thank you, Chase. - I would agree with that. - Well, thank you. - The one thing I loved about what you would always do is you knew if you were going in the hole,

And you did the patented J-roll slide, slide and glide, as I like to call it. Slide and glide. You never tried to. Sounds like there's some movement on there, Ryan. You never tried to throw the ball all the way in the air. I knew that if you went in the hole, you were going to try to give me a long hop. Yep.

And every single time it was the same, same thing. So he was consistent all the way. - Well, that was one thing I did because of my height, to be honest. I mean, every once in a while, you know, I try to make it just to see if I could, but yeah, I knew I was at a severe disadvantage going to my right-hand side that it was an automatic one hopper. Then obviously Chase, we're considering the skill set of the guy at first base. We gotta give you something to do. Anyhow, it settled, you know,

We will agree to disagree. We're going to keep it Chase specific with this question. What was your welcome to the show moment? Welcome to the show. Well, I made the team out of spring training in 2003 only because Jason Michaels pulled his hamstring in spring training. I

I knew I was going to be up and I'm not going to play much. I'll be up for a week. Once he's recovered, I knew I was going back to the minor league. And I think it was maybe the first or second game. I was pinch hitting. We were getting smashed by the Pirates at that point. Jeff Supan was pitching and we were down seven, eight, nine runs. Yeah, we weren't very good. Who delivers this message to you? I think it was Vuk. Vuk. So John Vukovic, he was our third base coach initially.

Slash... Enforcer. Enforcer. Slash...

a guy that would pull you aside and really want the best from you and he was willing to put in work he wasn't just just mouth and you know go out there and figure it out no he'd pull you aside and if you want to put in a work we'll put in work vuk so i'm obviously you we all went through the same experience of excited nervous anxious and adrenaline's flowing run to the bat rack

put my helmet on a little jittery go to home plate all right this is what you've kind of worked your whole life for for this exact moment i told myself i'm i'm swinging the first pitch first pitch fastball took such a good swing and a little disheartening because that was the pitch that i've been kind of envisioning for like 20 years right so anyways long story short battled that at bat

He ended up throwing me a 3-2 changeup that I'd completely swung and missed at. Demoralized, walking back to the dugout, I hear fan after fan, "Go back to AAA!" So I could just hear that over and over in my head. So unfortunately that was my welcome to the show moment. Wow. I did not think that was it.

I just knew for sure it was going to be the Grand Slam. I thought so as well. For sure it was going to be the Grand Slam. I thought that's... That's my second welcome to the show moment. So then I get sent down after that strikeout. So did you think it was because of this, like, had I did something at a bat, maybe I'd stay up? No, I knew no matter what was going to happen in that bat, I was going back down to AAA. Oh.

i understood that that was fine we had a nice conversation with um ed wade and larry boa once they sat me down need to talk about that conversation but yes i was eventually called up a month later i think polanco got hurt uh in the first game up i think i flew out my first bat and my second bat

Bases were loaded and I was able to go over the fence. So for my first hit, first positive big league moment was, yes, Grand Slam. I ran around the bases probably in 17 seconds. High-fived guys as hard as I possibly could. You said you tried to slide that? Yes.

I tried to slide that just really. Yeah. Yeah, I just slid one over the fence for a grand slam of my first major league hit. Now, who was that against? Like what team and what pitcher was it? It was Colorado Rockies, Aaron Cook. Aaron Cook. Aaron Cook. Heavy ball. Heavy ball. He sank one too far close to my body and.

- Just like it was just happened to be too close to your body. - Was it the old patented like-- - Short swing chase? - For sure. - Cut off. - For sure. - It had to be, 'cause anytime he would do the kind of-- - And then come back and stand up on you. - Yeah, that was automatically extra bassist. - Yeah, you knew he got you. - Automatically extra bassist. - Loud noises.

- Loud, loud, loud. - Loud, loud noises. - Very, very loud. - Just drop the head, right? - I mean, if it was that easy. - It was that easy for you guys as well. - I mean, your hitting was closer to my defense. Yeah, we worked on it. - Yeah. - And some of us have sailed a little further than others.

and at the department, you're one of those guys. - Save it. - No, look, we talk about it all the time. Look, and I joke with Chase all the time, going back to 2007, if you don't get hurt, it probably goes there to there for the MVP awards. You just didn't have enough games, 'cause you had a hell of a year. - Hell of a year. - And you got hurt. What'd you have, a broken hand or something is what it was? - Yeah, I got hit in the hand. - Yeah. - Yeah. - And then I had the bad third. It was fun, but bro, I did not want a bad third. I wasn't used to being right in front of him. That's the thing.

I got the leadoff mentality, but I'm having to take pitches. The cool part was batting third, I did. You know why? Because you had Shane or Mike Bourne on first. I'm trying to let them get in the scoring position. So I would take a pitch. You're right. I wasn't taking pitches. I would take a pitch. You know what I mean? Look, I'm ready to go. Right. But it's funny.

that it was, I felt like I was getting the Chase Utley treatment. They didn't pitch to me the same in the third position as they were in the first position. But what I learned, and it changed my outlook slightly, was the importance of having guys on base and in scoring position early. It made that ground ball mean something. Okay, that's an RBI. I'm going to get my hits. I'm going to get my, you know, later in the game, I'm going to get another situation to drive a run in. But when you have runners on,

just make some action happen and get that RBI, put the team hopefully in an advantage. And then you worry about the rest of your batch later. Yeah, 100%. I mean, I look back on our experience playing together,

Obviously we had great, but the top of the order, right? You have you, you have Shane. Like we were pretty lucky to be all together at the same time. Speed at the top. You got super pop in the middle of that situation. Right? So here we go again. Humble. Here we go again. Just so you know, this is what Chase does. He deflects. He gives credit, which is fine. You know, we all kind of do it our own way, but. Right.

It's okay to say you were good, bro. - Yeah. - I was a fucking mean motherfucker for a little while. - That was for sure. - Thank you, finally. - That was for sure. - That's Chase. - Yes. - Chase, welcome. - Yes. - Welcome to the world. Welcome to the world, Chase. - Welcome. I will say too, it was so much fun for me hitting behind you because we had this conversation the other day. - Yes, we did. - 'Cause Jimmy was saying it. Like, hey, him being in the leadoff spot,

He wasn't necessarily trying to take pitches where a lot of leadoff hitters would take pitches. And I felt like me hitting behind you, I got to see what pitchers were going to try to do to me because they would pitch us very, very similar in those senses. So when I would watch Chase hit,

and see, okay, okay, this guy's going to throw a curveball in this count or try to throw this pitch in this count. It helped me for when I went up because then I'm like, all right, either Chase just hit this pitch for a single or a double. That means he's not going to throw me the same pitch. So I go up there, maybe look for a curveball. If you just hit a guy's fastball off the wall, then I'm going up there first pitch curveball if somebody's in scoring position because I'm trying to get something to hit early, especially if we've got to run on third.

So, but that was coming from you guys also setting the table for us because we were trying to be aggressive early in a count. It was like if you or Shane got on and it was first and second, it's already one to nothing because I know Chase is going to put a ball in play. Right, right. And we're going to be on the board. Now we got a chance and move Shane. If Shane's on second, get him to third. And now we're going to be up to nothing because I'm going up there at worst case scenario. I'm trying to get like a sack fly. So, yeah.

What you were able to do in our lineup as well, like you were the hard ass of the lineup. Right. The hard ass. And I think things got really, really going with what you were able to bring to that lineup in front of me, in front of because I think it was either J-Dub or Pat that come behind and we would already be up one to nothing by the time we got to four, five, six.

Yeah. It seems simple some days, right? Jimmy get on first to bat. You know he's going to shoot for the most part your first to bat. And you know they're going to steal second. So I give them an opportunity to...

take a few pitches to get them on second base. Now it's, now it's, I'm going to pull the ball, right? I'm going to, I'm going to probably try to pull the ball at that point. And then knowing that you're behind me, that can do damage. And we all went through our hot streaks and our cold streaks. And I just remember thinking like, all right, Ryan's in a hot streak right now. So,

like be a little bit more selective, get on, just find a way to get on base, lean into one, find a way to get on base. And then and then and do your thing or vice versa. Maybe he's struggling a little bit. Maybe I'll take be a little bit more aggressive and try to drive something to to get the run in. So for me, every day was like a new day trying to figure out how I was going to be the best for our team. And it was fun to do. Yeah, it definitely was. And it's funny as you talked about that.

because everybody had a different role in the lineup. - Right. - And my thought was, like I said, they're not pitching to me thinking I have Chase and Ryan behind them. They were going to be aggressive with me knowing they had to be careful with you two. So it made my job easier. And I was asked on the show, literally, like, was my job to set up the three, four hitters, show what the pitcher has? I'm like, fuck no.

Like, why? Only thing we had in common is when it was right handed bat, right handed pitchers, I batted left handed. I wasn't the hitter you guys were. I wasn't hitting 300. I wasn't hitting the ball from pole to pole. I was basically a one trick pony. Left center to the poolside on either side of the plate was my bread and butter. And I knew earlier in the count, if I do that, the more aggressive I am,

and I get this pitcher in a stretch, then you guys can really do damage. I had some pop, but I'm like, if I get them in a stretch, that takes away their weapon, that's their legs. They take away their legs. They have to worry about me being on first or Shane being on first and second, and then dealing with you guys, it was a headache. And I had a lot of fun. I'm like, I do want to be on base for those guys, so I hit one out, cool, but...

I want to get these guys in a stretch so you guys can really go to work. Because in my eyes, like, these are the best hitters on our team. You got the power and average, and you got the average and power. But which one came first? Like you said, I think it depended on if Ryan was struggling, you'd step up. If Ryan was hot, yeah, you'd be like, well –

I'm going to get hit. You're going to throw eight pitches. I'm going to wear you out and get on base. And it was a beautiful thing to see. So you guys, I think we all fed off of each other. And we'll talk about that a little later in the show about the big three component because I think we had a big four, really. You throw Shane in there. But it was a beautiful thing. Chase was called into the manager's office to discuss the legitimacy of his home run. As a tenured Major League vet, I'm a member of the Major League Baseball rule.

We had some problems with you. They didn't put you on the roster. So we're going to have to... The Phillies. The computer work didn't get done when we made the recall from Scranton, trying to rush to get him off the bus. They're going to fine the Phillies $250,000. We have to forfeit every game that Chase has participated in this year.

Did you drive or fly here?

You drove? That might help. But you know, I think what Major League Baseball wants to see, they want to see a plane ticket to know that you were actually called by the Phillies. You just didn't drive up here by yourself. That could be a problem. So we're going to try to, like I said, we're going to try to fix that. Now, do you own a rent in Scranton? And here? Do you? And Philly? Do you? I'm staying in my hotel. Oh, gosh. You know what the biggest problem is with this whole thing?

Do you honestly think Major League Baseball would make me a member of the Big League? Welcome to the Big League. That is awesome. Oh my goodness. Man, Chase, take us through that, bro. Think about that. I'm 24 years old. I hit a Grand Slam. I'm so excited to get calls from everyone.

And then next day they tell me my homer didn't count. The Phillies get fined. Forfeit the games. Like, what is going on? But looking back on it, I should have known better. There's no way they would put Kruk in charge of any real responsible job whatsoever. Oh, man. Have you ever had a prank played on you? Those things, it never happened to me. I don't know how I would have reacted, but

I love seeing when it happens to a guy, especially like a Chase. - Yeah. - Who you know he's so astute, he's so sharp. He picks up on any little thing, just like a pitcher tipping the pitch. He sees it immediately. So to see that happen to you, bro, that's pretty fucking funny. - I remember we did the thing with Kyle Kendrick. - Yeah, that was a good one. - Which- - He's gullible. - Have you told that story? - No. - What's that? - You gotta tell that story. - No, I've only seen it. Were you involved? - No, I wasn't involved. I've heard about it, but I was not really involved.

Yeah, I think we all heard what was going on. He was getting traded to Japan. Is that what it was? Apparently he was getting traded to Japan. For the hot dog eating guy. For Kobayashi. For the hot dog eating. Yeah, yeah. The Nathan's hot dog eating champ or something, right? And I mean, they just went all in. It was Ruben and Charlie and...

they got his agent. They had to. He called his agent. He's like, dude, can they do this? He's like, unfortunately, like, yeah, they can. And it looks like they did. Did he cry? I think he did. I think they had to bring it back before he started. But for my deal, I mean, it lasted, what, three minutes? And they told me, I think they let this, like, 15, 20 minutes. Oh, no, they got the media. The media came to his locker and interviewed him. Like, how does it feel? Like,

that you know you gotta go to Japan everybody was in on it it was like I mean I guess at some point when the media gets there your agents involved as you said oh yeah and the media is asking you questions you have to say okay this is probably gonna be real this is happening yeah

I'm being shipped off to Japan. But if you know KK, like we know KK. Yeah. He was crushed. Yeah, he was. It was hilarious. So some people it really works for, but I'm tickled. Is that what we say in the UK? I'm tickled. Yes. I'm tickled. To see Chase, you really got took. Yeah.

You got talked. So after that, how did it feel that that had to make you feel like, all right, cool, man, like that's that's a really cool welcome, you know, from Kruki, Bo, all those guys to be able to come in and really start to kind of feel a part of the team. It definitely made me feel more part of the team. Right. I think I think we're all pretty lucky at being in the Phillies organization or of the front office, the coaching staff. They were real baseball players.

but also at the same time, good humans. And I think poking fun at people and making jokes and light is important, especially throughout the course of 162 game season. You need a little lightheartedness. I mean, we had a pretty dang good clubhouse. Yeah. You know, and I know it's...

2024 and people are sensitive about these things, but we in our clubhouse, we kind of let the stereotypes shape who we are. We would attack the stereotypes.

and make fun and make light of it because we knew it was just that. It was a truth, not something that was actually true. And that kept us light, but that also brought us together because it was saying it doesn't matter our differences. We're in this one uniform pulling one way, and we love each other on this field. I got your back. You have my back. And that's what's really most important as a human being. As a teammate, yes, but as a human being, I see you for who you are.

And I love that about our clubhouse. Oh, no. You know, it left for some damn good moments. It definitely did. I mean, Chase, Chase, at some point, you know, he was he was black. You know, he was black. You know, he walked around and I think, you know, he he was he was he was black. You know, some of the things you would say. OK. Yeah. You know, we'll just leave it there. We'll leave it for our listeners and viewers. Imagination. You know, some of the things you would say.

Yeah. You know, we it's like we tiptoe to the line, then we bag off. But that was a fun part because nobody ever crossed the line. Exactly. No one ever crossed the line. But we knew that our differences is what brought us together. Yeah, absolutely.

Chase, I want to ask a question in terms of, because I know you've done a little bit of coaching on the youth side with the boys. Chase coaches? Yeah, man. This is what happens. Bro. This is what happens. It's the natural transition. For most people. Adulthood. Yeah. Are you okay with that? I'm great with that. I enjoy it. I'm sorry. I'll just, I mean.

Do they know he's a serial? No. That life is... That life is retired? Okay. All right. Well, that being the case. Listen, Jimmy, right? We've all kind of evolved over the years, right? You have your game face. I had my game face. Ryan had your game face.

You had your smiles all the time. And then, yes. And then once you're not competing anymore, like your perspectives definitely changed. So, yes, I do coach my kids, whether they listen or not. I'm not quite sure. But, yeah, I'm enjoying it. We've been coaching some kids here in London. So speaking to that, right, especially here in London.

What's been kind of the biggest piece of advice or message that you try to get across to the kids as you're trying to get them to understand and learn and grow in the game of baseball? Yeah, I mean, one at a young age, having them make sure they're having a good, positive environment, but also as kids,

as very repetitious in how I did things. So like try to create some type of work ethic at a young age, regardless of sport, but in particular baseball, like let's play catch every day, let's swing the bat. And whether they swing the bat the correct way from day one, that's a whole nother story, but just creating that high,

hand-eye coordination because baseball is not a cultural sport here, but mainly you have soccer slash football. That is the ultimate sport here in Europe. Baseball is America's pastime. It's ingrained in our culture. Majority of pretty much every kid plays it growing up. Our goal here is to create those opportunities for kids to play something other than cricket and

or football. It's a work in progress, but it's starting to look pretty good. Now, do they know who you are? And second, are you just dad when you're in baseball mode? Or do your kids like, no, my dad was a major league ball player and it's pretty cool. You know, because we're parents. Right. They, it's only when we're out and about when somebody asks for an autograph or a picture, they kind of go, do you know that person? Well, why do they want your autograph? And that's when you kind of tell the story well.

You know, I was I was pretty good every once in a while. That will happen. Although we don't say that we're kind of thinking on ourselves like you. Right. You can't you you Google me. You see me on YouTube and you. OK, I'm just that. But when you're out there and you're in baseball mode, do these kids, you know, the kids here know who you are? And do your children start to understand like dad was actually a major league?

- That's a good question. I'm definitely a dad out here and some kids know that I was a former player. I'm not sure to what extent. My kids, I think, I hope at this point I was a pretty good player. But yeah, just trying to teach them, right? And yes, I probably get more attention from parents than I do from the kids. But there are a few kids that are into it and really want to learn and understand. And I feel like they feel lucky to have me around. - And if there's a future,

for baseball here, which is probably a distant future. You seen, you know, being here almost two years now and trying to teach the game. It's just something that you think can catch on. Obviously, you're competing against the world's game in football soccer. But is there a sliver of hope in your opinion for what you've seen from the ground level of baseball catching on and in Europe? Yes, I think there's a there's a bigger than a sliver of hope. I mean,

the amount of people, the hundreds of hundreds of millions of people in Europe, right? The sheer numbers. And, and if you just do the math that there's a ton of fantastic athletes, right? So it's like, how do you capture that young athlete and point them to a bat and ball sport, point them towards baseball. And it's, it's like you said, it's, it's not going to happen overnight. It's going to be a slow, a slow process, but just create, creating more awareness, trying to get

baseball on television more over here it's not as easy the time change makes it makes it challenging but um that's the whole goal and this the if you look at sports fans right they're they're fanatical fans here in europe mainly for um soccer because it's embedded in their culture but uh the hope is and the goal is to shift that and and

you know, take five, 10, 15% of those kids and point them in baseball's direction. And as soon as you get a very good major league player from Europe playing in the major leagues, there's been a few. Once you start getting more and more, that will create a lot of attention, not only for the kids, but for the parents going, oh, wait, there's another one. This guy did it. This guy did it and came from here. Maybe I'm going to send little Johnny out to the baseball field. All right. We've...

You know, I mean, we'd be like Drake. We start at the bottom. You know, you get there, it's your first day up and you walk into the clubhouse and you don't know which way is left, right, up, down. You just don't know. You don't even know what you're walking into. You've met some of the guys at spring training. And yes, you're cool and you're friendly, but it's different when you're actually in the game clubhouse of a big league stadium. And the objective is to go out there and win, not to get your work in, not to see if you can make the team, but to actually win.

And then eventually you do that. You know, you start to prove yourself until you become the elder statesman. So I would like to have a discussion of what it was like for each of us starting, you know, walking in for the first time. We talked about Chase gave us his walking in moment, but being on the team, you're on the team. I'm a player now. Before you had your contract.

What was that like to, you know, for your evolution starting at the bottom until we were eventually, you know, kicked out? We didn't walk away. Well, Chase may have walked away gracefully. Yeah. You know, but some of us got released and, you know, I digress. I digress. Ryan, take us through your maturity from a rookie to the old man in the clubhouse. You know, the mentality of when we were all coming in the game, the game was a lot different because...

My understanding was always be seen, not heard as a rookie. I had a problem with that. So, well, I mean, just putting bottle, you know, you bottled up a can of shaking up or a bottle of shaking up Coca-Cola. Yeah, there's going to be a lot of fizz coming out the top. So, yeah, that's that's what's going to happen. But the mentality was always like, I guess, you know, be seen, not heard. Right. Because as a rookie coming in, you're like, hey, I want to come in. I want to.

do my job. I don't want to stir anything up. I just want to do what I need to do to try to help the team win and go on and just do what I need to do.

And so for me coming in, I think it was you and Birdie that kind of took me in and showed me the ropes of what to do, what not to do. Hey, if the bus is at this time, be well, Birdie would say if the bus is at this time, be five minutes early because Jimmy's coming. I mean, look, I'm

I'm glad you listened to what I said and not follow what I did. And not follow what you did. That's all. Just keep it there. Yes, yes. So, I mean, at that point for me coming in, you know, again, kind of like with Chase, where you knew early on it was, hey, I may be up for a little bit because at that time we still had Tom. Jim Tommy, yeah. And so once I finally got into 06 and I knew the job was mine,

It was a different feel. It was a completely different feel. Like it's when you come in and you know that it's your job, you go about everything differently. Now, still, this is my first full season coming in. And then I know I've got the weight of Philadelphia all over me because now Jim Tomei, this guy who's a first ballot Hall of Famer with 600 home runs like you just replaced him.

We know what he can do. And what can you do? Did you feel like you belonged? Like, obviously, when we get the call up, no, there's no chance. You're just trying to, like, survive. Absolutely. But you belonged at that point. I felt like I belonged because I had my big league moment, which was standing next to Ken Griffey Jr. in spring training. Him saying hi to me. That was like. Hi, Ryan. Did he give you the prince eyes and deep voice?

Hi, Ryan. No, I didn't. You know, this is a first-time basis. We haven't gotten to that level yet. But, yeah, I mean, for me, that was my, okay, I'm standing here next to my idol on the same field, and I'm like, all right, I belong here. And similar to Chase's first A.B., I remember mine where it was against Jared Wright and the Braves, and you get that one pitch, and I fouled it off, and I was like,

That was the one. That was the pitch right there. And then he threw me like a 3-2 kind of Yahoo. That was – it was in. It was in. But the rookie call, I'm like, there's nothing you could do about it. But I think, you know, once I knew that 06, like –

I'm in. I was like, I'm just going to do me because that's all I can do. I know everybody's thinking about Tome and doing this and doing that. And then, you know, blacked out all year. You did a pretty good job making them not not making them forget about Tome, but accepting you. Yeah. Yeah. And just rookie of the year. Yeah. MVP. MVP.

How many home runs? 58. There was a debatable one in Houston. That is true. Joe West. To this day, that ball is a home run. I'm just saying. It is a home run, Joe. My man, it's one home run short. So it's 59. Yeah. It should have been 59. Day game in Houston, man. It was a shadow. Smoked somebody in the chest. We didn't have a replay or review at that time. No, we did not. I think you should get Joe West on the show. Can they go back and...

They went back and gave him a home run or something like that. We need to review. We need to bring that up. Yeah, because, I mean, we're talking about the all-time rankings in Philly's history, bro. Yeah. But what about you, James? Like, when you got called up. So, before I go there, because Chase and I got to actually watch you

go through that rookie year. And we had no idea either. Obviously, we knew that you were hitting home runs down in the minor leagues, but we've seen it a million times before. Guys in the minor league hitting home runs, hitting 300, 340, come to the big leagues, and they called it that third, Voot called it the third deck. They get here and couldn't hit the side of a boat. So to see you actually be who you are, we had conversations, you know, I had you stand with me, and we had conversations of what it was like

to replace tommy and still and yes you were certain but that you i think we all do have moments of uncertainty like i'm here i'm doing what i'm supposed to but is it yet enough

Because when we don't have a contract, we know it feels like we're on borrowed time until you get to that point. But to watch you go through it, it was simply amazing, to be honest. I've never seen anything like it. And I played with Tomey, and he would hit some majestic home runs. And I'm like, bro, I understand Jim Tomey. Then you came in and actually...

what he was doing. Like he was getting towards the end of his career and you're at the beginning. So we got rid of a great player to bring in another great player. And you became at that moment, our Superman is like, okay, this was for me, that was the last piece we

We had, you know, pieces in between. Obviously, Shane came a little bit later, but you had I'm up there. You had Chase up there. Still had Bobby Abreu. Bobby was still there, right? Bobby was still there. Bobby was still there. Now, our lineup was filling out. Now, we shed a little weight. That's just how baseball goes. But at that moment, I'm like, okay.

It's just a matter of time before we get good together and believe in ourselves that that will get to where we eventually end up going. We had that nice little nucleus of young, experienced players with you and Chase starting to have that experience. I think Myers was up. Brett Myers had just been up for a little bit. Cole was coming right behind me. So you could see it start to come together.

So for me, my story is a little different. They actually created space for me. Desi Relifer was a shortstop coming up and the same way that I treated you, I learned that from them. He pulled me to the side. And also I did this with Tim Anderson when I was in Chicago. He pulled me to the side and like he knew the right was on the wall.

And he told me how to go about the business of being an everyday big league player and a shortstop at this level, but more than anything, what it means in this organization. Because it was different. We weren't winning anything. We were losing 100 games and it sucked. So, you know, you're getting a rookie treatment from the manager, from the coaching staff, because...

What else are they going to do with the bad team? But try to drop the hammer and discipline you and beat you into greatness. It didn't quite work, but I know maybe it did because we got there. And I thank Bo and Vuk for every lesson I learned along the way. But they created a place for me. Desi was just there the last spring training until they felt I was ready. And you talk about, you know, welcome to the big league moments. It was awesome.

things on the field, but before we got to the field, it was John Vukovich. I had, you know, I had braids. You know, I'm rocking my do-rag. This is going to maybe 01. That was a good look. Yeah, it was. I had hair too, Chase, you know. He pulled me aside. This was in spring training. He pulled me aside, you know, at Jack Russell where you would walk through. You know, the catcher's gear sitting there. So it was just stinking smelling like just sweat from all the catcher's hard work.

And he was like, Yeah, I see you walking around with all this. You know, you gave a little swag bounce and you doing this and you doing that. And guess what? I don't like you. And I was like, Well, I don't like you either. We got that out the way. It's like, but I respect you. And that kind of stopped me like, Whoa, you don't like me, but you respect me.

Because the way you go about your business, you go about it in a professional manner. Guys like Desi along the way, this is how they expect you to go out there and play and perform. When they say, and I didn't do it throughout my career, but when you have that early work at 7.30, you better be here at 7 o'clock because they're walking through that clubhouse to see those things. So having that experience with John in that moment, not on the field, just a man-to-man talk, he was saying that,

You can play here. That's how it took it. You can play here. If you work like this every single day and I'm going to be on your ass, you if you think you're going to get a break, you're not. If you think getting away with anything, you're not until you prove until I know to prove to me that you're going to be an everyday player for the rest of your career in this uniform. This is how it goes. And for me, that was my welcome to the big league moment. But once the season started,

He bagged off. We worked, we worked, we worked. And you guys got to see it. I got my ground ball routine from Vukovic. You know, he taught me how to work every day and then he would pull me off. Hey, you're putting in work. You have to take care of your body. The season gets long. You're young, but August comes around and gets hot. And there's a different you know, that there's a difference playing in April, May than there is in August. So I learned a lot from the man.

my rookie year and that was something I carried along throughout my entire career. And as you know, we have our backup guys, guys that would, you know, be traded over. I tried to show them how I worked by example, not by talk, but by example, because I felt that was a key to longevity and the big leagues. - So Chase, kind of piggybacking off of what Jimmy was saying. So like when you went to the Dodgers, right, obviously,

the allure, the reputation of Chase Utley coming from Philly to the Dodgers. Like,

Now you've gone from that rookie to the elder Statesman to where, tell us a little bit, like when you came into that clubhouse and Jimmy, you'd be able to say, do the same thing. Cause you did, you made the same trick, but when you went into that clubhouse, like what was it like being able to either have those guys like coming up or, or did you feel that sense to where it's like, Hey, I'm going to go in here. My job is part of my job is to continue to do what I do on a field. But yeah,

also either mentor these guys or give these guys whatever kind of piece of advice that you can. Yeah, it was all the above. So I think initially...

I never really wanted to be traded, but the writing was on the wall. The organization is kind of going in a different direction where we want some younger guys to play. You're in the way, old man. We want you to go somewhere and still have the opportunity. Same story, yeah. And I listen for that. In the moment, I didn't like it, but looking back on it,

It was the right decision, even though I didn't want to leave that city. But my goal at that moment, I was getting older and to win another championship. And it wasn't going to happen in Philadelphia over those next few years. So the Phillies did me a huge favor of sending me to the Dodgers, my hometown team, team that I supported when I was six, seven years old. So that was a cool experience. So yes, going into that, my first conversation was,

with Andrew Friedman and Farhan, the president and the GM. And they said, listen, Chase, we love you as a player. We still believe you have a lot to give on the field, but we also believe you have an asset in the clubhouse. So we're going to give you full reign. You do whatever you think is

you need to do. Talk to whoever you need to talk to. We've heard so much about you. We trust your judgment. So just do your thing." And that was really helpful initially because before I was like, "Okay, well, I'm going to go try to be the best player I can be and maybe help some guys." But now they gave me a focus goal and maneuver it however I wanted.

So, get there, yes, you're nervous, you've played against some of these guys, but some of these guys are young. Some of these guys are really young players. Babies, yes. Like a Jock Peterson who's 20, 20, 24 years old. He was a few veterans, but a lot of young players. And I tried to do what they asked me to do. Yes, I obviously tried to do the best I could do on the field, but I was 35, 36. It was kind of the back end of my career, and I could definitely feel my skill set diminishing.

So I probably took the mentorship to a much different level than when I was in Philadelphia because I wanted to be able to make a difference and I knew I couldn't have as big of an impact on the field. But if I could have impact with the rest of the 25 guys or the coaching staff or the front office and try to get us all pulling the same way on the rope, I

I've done my job and I took that role and I really actually enjoyed it quite a bit yes I'm playing first year I'm playing quite a bit and then as the gears go on a little less playing time which yes it hurts the ego I got pinch hit for for the first time right it hurts it hurt my ego but it was the right decision right if I was a manager I go listen

I love Chase but he's 37 and this lefty is throwing 97, he has no chance. -Right. -So, we want to get a righty matchup in there and I get it, don't love it. That experience going to the Dodgers and being a mentor for so many different guys telling stories that we all went through that helped us improve, helped us kind of get over the hump. I told those stories and I feel like a lot of them took it to heart and moved on with it. -Oh!

Snatched him. Oh boy. That looked like that sprint from his first home run, right? Let me get around these bases. What was that like? Because the ovation was amazing, you know? And for me, I was like playing against the team. I didn't hit the home run in Philly. And it's weird.

And I don't know for me, I didn't know what the reaction was going to be, to be honest. I didn't know if they were going to love me, hate me. I don't know. It's just Philly. You just kind of get that uncertainty about certain things that home run.

What was that like? What did it mean more in Philly coming back, actually being able to accept the fact that they love you here at this place? Yeah, kind of same thing. I didn't really, wasn't sure what the reception was. I felt like it was going to be positive, but you just, you know. So my first bat got a huge long standing ovation and I was so nervous. Thousands of bats and I'm nervous right now. My first bat, my legs are shaking. Anyways,

Yeah, the home run felt amazing. And then it was like kind of like a curtain call. And my teammates, because I had told so many stories about our experience, but playing also in Philadelphia in front of those fans. And so, and everything was positive, right? And I think I was obviously proud I hit a home run. Mm-hmm.

But the ovation that I received from the home team to the away player, you just don't really see. Especially in a Dodgers uniform. You don't see that. Not if they've – maybe first at bat, but then they're happy that you hit a home run against their team. Right, right, right. Like you couldn't script it. And I think it surprised a lot of my teammates because I told them how –

tough the fans are on opposing teams. They're like, wait a second, they're giving you a standing ovation for hitting a home run. So a lot of emotion in that. Believe it or not, I almost got like

teary that first time I was able to hold it in and stay strong. He has changed. - Oh no, it was like a five minute standing ovation. - And uncomfortable. I don't love that. - Yeah, I mean, I knew him. - He has changed. - I could see it. - He has changed. - And I was standing at first base and I was laughing because I was like, he is uncomfortable as hell right now. I could see it. - It's weird. - I could see it. - Right, it is so weird, bro. Because yes, you know what's gonna happen 'cause we've seen it happen to other players.

But when you're standing there, it's just like,

the first 10 seconds okay cool all right they didn't boo they're cheering i get an ovation and then they keep going and i just can i just get the bat over right like just just throw the pitch right get on the mound and you know catchers catchers not he's just kind of standing up the pitchers letting it all happen and and it's a weird place to be in and and you know fortunately you didn't have to go through it because you got to wear one uniform but chase and i you know are fortunate that we actually got to go through it and have similar experiences but it was it was amazing it was

I was happy to see yours because I was like, man, OK, they gave me an ovation. What is going to be like for Chase? You know, even though I know they gave me one, you still write what it will be like for Chase. You know, it's and it's why will we have that uncertainty? I don't know what we did in that city. There's there was no reason to not be assured, but I don't think we can ever look at ourselves and be.

you know in a position where they better give me something right because we have to earn every single thing we got and even when you're not there there's a reputation okay we love you for that first at bat but after that you're wearing a different uniform yeah you know but since we're on that that that that subject of you know being traded

Or playing somewhere else. We have a young man that came from the Nationals. And we didn't like this kid. Let's be honest. We did not like this kid. And Cole is a gangster. He went around the club. I said, I'm drilling him as first at bat. He did. And what did he do? He drilled him. Drilled him.

Drilled him. Welcome to the big leagues. Welcome to the big leagues. But Bryce showed me his heart. It's like, you hit me. I think he got the second. Stole second. Stole second, got the third, and stole home. I was like, damn. He ain't no punk. Right. He's not a punk at all. That's like Cole saying, welcome to the big leagues. And Bryce saying, thank you. I got you. I got you. I got you. Respectfully. Respectfully. Respectfully. But he's here now wearing this uniform.

And as much as I didn't like him, because you're not supposed to like the guys you're playing against. It's just that was just the rule then. And a lot of friends now get off the field. OK, we got the but we put on a uniform. I just fucking hated it.

But he's here now. And the city has embraced him the way literally that it embraced us, but in a different manner. We saw I saw it firsthand when we brought Jim Tomey in how they embrace him as a free agent. He chose to come to the city, a superstar choosing the city of Philadelphia. It wasn't a thing that happened a lot.

And then you got, you know, baseball's megastar at the time, Bryce Harper, saying, I'm going 90 miles up north to play for the city that I admire so much because of their fan base and the way they went about their business. And he's lived up to every word of it. I'm going to take myself out because this is more of you guys' conversations as being a power hitter in that city with, you know, having the weight of that city on your shoulders to deliver and doing so.

So I don't know who wants to take it first, but talk about what it's like to be the man. I was a guy, but at points you two were literally the man. And Harry Callas said it on top of that chase. We all had amazing moments, right? So I think first I want to recognize, I think, you know, Bryce coming up with the Nationals, we're playing them several times a year. He was able to experience like playing at Citizens Bank Park, playing in front of amazing fans.

We were a really good team. So one, I feel like we should have some recruiting credit for him choosing the Phillies because of his. Yes. Right. Hands. Because of how he I would imagine he admired what we were doing on a daily basis. One, our performance to the electric crowd. So anyways, looking back on him signing with the Phillies.

I never I never disliked him, but he was the the enemy I definitely respected what he did or she laid he played hard right he ran hard helmets flying off hairs going everywhere He's diving. He's intense which I I appreciate which you know the Philadelphia fans Appreciate my first question was when I saw him sign with the Phillies is he gonna be able to keep that? Mm-hmm is he gonna be able to keep that pace up and

and not let the 300 bazillion dollars that he's getting affect him.

and to his credit it's been amazing but he has he has kept that up he's not getting younger but he's still he's still that same player that has that fire and that aggressive attitude and it's really kind of remarkable what he's what he's done in such a short time because they haven't won a world series they went to a world series they're playing amazing baseball uh over the past few years and he's a huge part of that but he's he's

he's doing the right things. He's, he recognizes the fan base and how special they are. Uh, he's still emotional. He shows, he shows that he smiles a little bit, but there's a lot of passion, um, and energy in the way that he plays. I mean, he's got the fucking Philly fanatic on his shoes of all things, which whoever his marketing department is fantastic. So well done to you guys. Um, he's, I don't know. I think he's really represented the Phillies well. And, uh,

And I'm happy for not only the fan base for them to be able to see him, but also for Bryce and his teammates to feel the love that we felt. I would say that Connor sounds like somebody sitting in this room that would go be flying around the field and

smile every once in a while and just go he didn't have the fanatic on his shoes you know but can we talk about chase's smile just one quick second because because i mean i tried to convince this man for years i'm like chase just smile okay i'm like they want to pay you to smile like their market is right here he just ah you know put his glove up when he did smile just

Yeah. The old turn away. Yeah. And it's it's it really is like a combination of I see a lot of chase. I do. And Bryce. I do. But yes, he's not. Not that you were afraid. Smile. It was it was, you know, you couldn't be a cereal and smile, you know, but Bryce is, you know.

He's Bryce. Anyhow, I digress. Ryan, please. No, I mean, absolutely. The similarities with them and how they would go about playing the game and what they were doing on a night in, night out basis. Like this kid, when he first came in, like you said, he's all over the place, all over the place. And you can see the potential there.

of what it was from day one when he first came in the league, from being the number one overall pick. I think he was on Sports Illustrated or something like that or Baseball America. A kid. As a kid. Like 16. And he's living up to the hype. And the biggest thing that I've seen was –

from him coming from the Nationals to the Phillies and I actually ran into him right after he had signed his contract in uh Clearwater and the biggest thing that I noticed from playing against him to when I actually saw him and I said hey what's up Bryce was I felt there was this big sense of maturation that took place and he understood the magnitude of what was about to happen and

ran with it i was like this is a different dude this is a different this like he went from i don't know how old he was at that time he's like 20 23 24 whatever it is and i could see i was like he's got the maturation of a of a veteran guy now and he's going to be a force to be reckoned with

So in watching him grow and do what he's been doing in a city, the biggest thing that I've seen with Bryce is he's just doing what he's always done. I think that's the biggest thing where when you sign these massive contracts, try to do more, try to be better. You try to show, hey, I deserve this because of this. You try to do more than what got you the contract in the first place.

as opposed to just continue to do what you were doing to get the contract in the first place. And I think with the way that he's going about it, the city's embraced him, he's embraced the city, and he just plays with that blue collar mentality. And I think the rest of the guys have followed suit and thus they're having that success. We knew what that was like playing. You're mimicking the city.

As a ball coach. Yes. And they love that. Well said. Guys are going hard. All you got to do is go out there every single night, give a blue collar, hardcore effort. And they can appreciate that. Anything less than that, you're getting booed. You're getting booed. Yep. Like we all make mistakes or whatnot and they're going to, you know, have their mistakes or whatnot. But the way that they're playing, they're playing as one. And,

Bryce is that central piece, man, to where, again, you asked us the question about what it's like to carry a team. Like, it's fun, bro. It's fun as fuck. Like,

When you get to the point to where it's like, if Chase is locked in, I'm not going that well. I'm like, I'm just going to sit back and watch the show. I'm going to sit back and watch the show. If something's off with me, I want to try to battle, battle, battle to get to the point to where it's like, fuck, I think Ryan's coming back. Keep pitching to Chase, please. And it was like vice versa, where Chase was like, all right, let me lean into one. Let me battle. Let me do what I need to do here so we can get Rhino up.

Because it doesn't matter what these guys throw. Does not matter. He's crushing it. So like when you can get to those points and you watch Bryce, like we watched him in the game the other day. They're down. He comes up. Homer in big situations. He's showing up in big situations. Huge situation. And to your point on big situations, like you're saying he resembles Ryan and I. And all right, fair in some aspects. But also those big moments when the lights are brighter.

He performed as did you, Jimmy. Like when those lights were super bright and a lot of people got uncomfortable, you did not get uncomfortable and you thrived in those moments. And Bryce has those similar characteristics. Tell me your thought process, Jimmy, in those big moment situations. You know what?

First of all, thank you, Chase. Honestly, I felt like I was watching big moments more than I was in them. And I don't know if that's true, but when I say watching, I was the guy on base for you to get the big double, for you to get the big home run. You know, we talk about Ryan. I have plenty of videos of you hitting and Chase hitting the ball goes up. And I'm calling out before it gets over to infield. I just hear that sound. I know what it looks like. But I think it's something that we all prepare for.

I mean, not as an adult, but as a kid, we're sitting, throwing the ball off the wall. Ground ball hits me two outs, making a play, tossing the ball up to ourselves, runner on, you know, bases loaded, two outs. And you hit a pop up and we do it again one more time. You know, you get one more at bat, you get one more pitch.

until it's ingrained in you that when those moments happened, you've done this a thousand times. Even if it's your first time, like I've practiced this routine of what it's like to feel the pressure. I didn't know what it was like then, but in my head, I've run myself through this routine a thousand times and

Seeing some of the best do it when it's clutch. I think we all wanted to be great players, but greatness means that when the time was called for us to do a job, we did that job. Whether that was getting a single, getting a double, stealing a base, making a big play, or hitting a walk-off home run, we were prepared because

We worked on it mentally and we went out there. It was just it was just another bat. Yeah. And just another bat. My guess is you. Yes. Like like for me, my biggest moment

ended up being a game winning double against the Dodgers. - Yep, Broxton. - Our mentality was pass the baton. If they don't wanna pitch to you, let 'em pitch to the next guy. Don't go outside of yourself. And, you know, it just happened to get the at bat. And in my mind, I'd never had success off of Broxton. I'm like, just get a single. Hit it over, literally, hit it over the second baseman's head

Make Shane's job easier. If he doesn't get a hit, at least the game is tied and we got Chase and Ryan coming up. Game is over. It just so happened to go into the gap. So it's able, I guess, if we're from breaking it down, taking that big moment

and thinking small. I wasn't thinking about a walk off. I was thinking a single ties the game. And then we keep the line moving. And I believe in Shane enough that I don't have to feel like I have to do the job. And if I do the job and Shane makes it out, then it's okay. Because like I said, we have reinforcements coming up the next inning. So we're winning either way. So a lot of times I think the pressure was if I don't do it right in this moment,

I have backup. Right. So, Chase, in today's game, we've seen a lot more now with these kind of the big threes in the lineup. Like we a lot of people will consider us like our our big three. As you kind of mentioned, we probably had like a big four or big five. If you really if you really want to look at it, because I think our top six players,

In our lineup, there was nowhere to run. There was nowhere to run. Even, I mean, you're throwing Chooch in there, so they're top seven. So your only safe spot was pretty much the pitcher's spot.

But into today's game, you're getting these teams where you're having these big threes, right? You got Judge and Soto and Stanton. And then Mookie, Freddie, and Ohtani. Mookie, Freddie, and Ohtani. How do you see these big threes in comparison to kind of what ours was and with the game today, how they are similar and how they are different? Let me throw this in there, too. With these big threes, Shohei, Mookie, Freddie, Soto, Mookie,

Judge and Stanton, who are you taking? - Ooh. - Ooh. - Wow. What am I going for? What am I trying to win? Am I trying to win a home run derby or am I trying to win a batting? - Good point. You're trying to win 162 and ultimately the trophy. - If I'm trying to win 162, I'm probably leaning towards more balls in play. So I would lean towards the Dodgers.

Big three. There's more power on the other side with Stanton who hits the ball 175 miles an hour. Same with Judge who hits moon shots. And Soto is a fully complete hitter. So, I mean, you can't go wrong with either of them, but over 162 games, I mean, Mookie is, to me, Mookie is the best player in baseball. But he, we've seen it multiple times and now I pay much more attention to the Dodgers. Literally,

When he's hot, he picks up the team and carries them for several games. If he hits a homer, there's a lot of times he's hitting three homers in that game. So he's one of these, I think in my opinion, the best player in all of baseball. And Shohei Ohtani is, now we're starting to see it. Now it's pretty freakish what he can do in the batter's box.

And Freddie, you know, the ultimate hitter doesn't get off his plan. He's sticking with his plan. It seems to work more often than not. But yeah, to compare us to them, I think it's challenging. I think...

I like our chances, but if we're hitting today in today's game, I took BP the other night at Trafalgar Square. So if it's us three right now versus them, yeah, they're going to kill us all day long. No chance. I mean, you guys are true lefties. Well, Chase, you –

We talk about this because it's interesting how he became a left-handed hitter. But I see Soto swing. And if I can come back today as a player, as a hitter, defense, I'll take my defense. But as a hitter, I think I would come back and want to be Juan Soto. Why is that? Because he doesn't miss. He's the closest thing.

that I've seen to Barry Bonds. He can hit you out anywhere. He doesn't swing at balls.

He doesn't waste a single pitch. And when he does swing, he rarely misses. There's no swing and miss. I remember Barry would go through a season where he'd go 20 straight games before he swung and missed. He was fouling pitches off. But when he swung, his decision was seemingly right. And I see that in Juan Soto. It's an absolutely beautiful swing. You know, we talk about Ted Williams' swing, you know, and having the perfect swing.

I think Juan Soto has embodied that, but with the power that can match any major league hitter in the history of baseball. I like what you're saying there, because as you said that, I think one of the things that's the most underrated things when it does come to hitting and people don't usually think about this is your takes, because your takes will tell you everything you need to know. It tells the catcher everything they need to know about what pitch they want to try to call it.

And as you watch Juan Soto, when he does that little Juan Soto electric slide in the box, the shuffle, I mean, like as a catcher, now what? Where do you go? You know, what am I going to throw? Like if you're staying behind it and you're on time and it's like, nah, bro, that I'm not, I'm not buying that. Like,

It's always – I'm always very interested in watching guys' takes and seeing where they are on their takes. Freddie's just a hitting machine. Like you said, his thought process is I'm going to hit everything over the shortstop's head.

And he does not, he's, to me, I feel like Freddie's like the, just one of the best natural hitters in the game. And he does it year in, year out. Like, yeah, he's going to, he's going to run into a few, but just watching him do what he does on a night in, night out basis, it's, it's all

it's always just so fun. Just bat on the shoulder and just, Oh, I'm just, I'm just going to flip it over. So simple. So simple. So simple. To me, the fact that he doesn't get off his plan, no matter how the pitchers pitch him, his objective is hit a line drive over the shortstop every single time that he sticks with that throughout the course of your, I mean, this is good information for like young hitters. Like you don't need to try to do too much. Clearly he's got some leverage in his swing. He's a strong guy, but he's not trying to hit a home run every time. Um,

where at least in my career, I would imagine you guys, yeah, there were definitely shots we were trying to juice one. He doesn't really do that. He's just trying to just hit a line drive with a shortstop, double in the gap, and good things happen when you think that way. Yeah, I try to tell kids and tell people all the time, I was like, bro, you want to learn how to hit a home run? Like when I was coaching my daughter's softball team or whatnot, I was like, you want to know the secret to hitting a home run? They'd be like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't try and hit a home run. Like just take a good swing,

put the barrel on the ball and then let the rest take care of itself like charlie used to say it's not about how far but i mean all it's got to do is get over the thing how many times it's a good point i mean you know remember ryan's remember ryan's batting practice it was the most pathetic batting practice how do you think you watch him take bp and you go there's no way that guy's gonna ever hit him no way no way he just these little

Had the donut. With the donut. I was guaranteed to hit the donut at least once or twice and just hit one right back at Mick. I forgot about that, but yes. The farthest ball he'd hit would be like 300 feet in batting practice. In the game, they go like 600 feet.

i don't know if we want to get into that now but that's maybe that's for another topic on a show but i just want to point that out ben revere had a much more impressive oh wow jesus christ wow ryan howard yeah right i mean this is that that was tough that was that was pretty we flipped bps that was pretty deep chase the law process was for me i just wanted to groove my swing they always say what you can be a five o'clock here you can be a seven o'clock like i can go out there and go hit home runs like all day i'm

I remember '06 when All-Star game. They were like, "Dude, you're gonna do the home run derby? "Is he even gonna hit home runs? "'Cause he never hits home runs in batting practice." - I said the same thing. I said the same thing. - And I was like, "When it's time to turn it up, "I'll turn it up." But I always wanted to just groove my swing nice and easy because I wanted to get backspin. And I just wanted to try to backspin it towards and hit it off the wall because I knew if I had that swing with the pitcher providing the power,

That's a homer or it's going to be a double off the wall. So my whole thing was never about hitting home runs. I actually got the whole donut thing from watching Edgar Martinez hit. And he used to hit with the donut on. So I can just feel the head of my bat because I wanted to control the head of my bat.

So I took the most boring BP as possible so that when it was game time, it was time to shine. Try to go out there and just, again, not try to hit home runs, but just get to the right path and create that backspin. And that's where sometimes you would see balls down and away. And I was just like, bow. And it would just go.

this way so is that what it was yeah yeah I got one funny story because as as we're listening to Ryan talking about bat control and backspin oh here we go he was a guy that de-bowled me into swinging his big ass bat it worked out well though it did worked out well I remember that and I thought what are you that is bigger than you he would get so upset I was he'd be like what are you doing I'm like

I don't know, Ryan just said try it. It took me a month in batting practice. Can we give the audience an idea of what you normally swang compared to what Ryan had you swing? So, my normal bat was a 33-inch to...

to 33 and a half inch to 30 to 31 ounces. It just kind of floated. So the biggest I swigged was 33, 31 and a half. I mean, yeah, 33 and a half, 31 ounces was the biggest bat I'd ever swung. My first bat in big leagues, I took a big bat up there because Gene Shaw was like, you're going to have a little adrenaline. You're going to need this heavier bat. I picked it up and it felt like a log. I took it up anyway.

After that, I went back to my small bat as Ryan called it, the little, uh, the sports car. I need to pick up the SUV. And look, the man hit 6,000 home runs, Chase. Yeah. He was like, you should give it a try.

And like you, I'm like, there's no fucking way. I don't even know how to start swinging this thing. Because what size was your bat, right? Mine was 35 inches, 34 ounces. That is four inches and four ounces. And that discussion can be had later. But we're talking baseball, people. Keep your minds off the gutter, Ryan. And yeah, when I picked it up, I'm like, bro, what is this?

Like, I don't even know how to do it. And he would tell me every day, just get the bat moving. Don't try to swing it. Just get the bat moving. And the first time I took it in the game after a month of failure and BP hitting the cage, and you've seen him hit the cage, and I just tossed his bat. I used it for one round. We were playing the Florida Marlins. They had some kid up there throwing 97. I remember Tony Gwynn saying, if a guy is throwing hard, you can use a big bat because the ball isn't going to come off a plane. It's just out of his hand trying to get to the glove.

And it was one of those moments. It was like, oh, fuck it. I'm over three foot a day. What do I have to lose? My bat isn't working. Right. And he threw a fastball. It was like a two count middle away. And I feel I got to stuck the bat out there and it went in that little corner, the home run. And it didn't go over to the bottom, have the bullpen power like you guys did. But it went to that right center area for a home run. And it was just like, I didn't even swing. I'd look.

Did that just happen as I'm running around the bases? I'm like, nothing about this makes sense. And then the next day, still a little nervous, I'm taking batting practice and I'm watching the balls get through the infield faster. And at that point, it wasn't about hitting an error. It was guys like you and I who would get paid a lot of money to catch ground ball, short line drives. If I could get it past them, that's just more hits. The power just happened to come along with it.

That's how really it developed and appreciate it. Like I said, as I started the show, you know, had you not got hurt,

You know, it would have been MVP, MVP. And Ryan, had I not picked up that big, heavy ass bat, I probably would not have been able to succeed you. It's like I say, man, you can't drive the sports car all the time. You got to grab the SUV, take your family for a ride, man. Go for a trip. Yes, sir. Speaking of Chase, we appreciate you, man. Yes, sir. Not just being here, but what you're doing for MLB and London, you know, uprooting your family, taking this experience, but keeping in contact with

the game and the sport that we love and trying to spread that love around the world and get it to grow. And, you know, no better ambassador than you taking it out there, a career that is to be envied

And Ryan and I appreciate you coming on the pod. My pleasure. I mean, if you 10 years ago, you think we're going to be doing a podcast. No fucking way. Right here talking about baseball in London. Like no way in hell. No way. But I'm really happy that we were able to do this. This has been great. I will definitely tune into the rest of your shows.