Padres closer Mason Miller joins FT: Evaluating USA teammate Clayton Kershaw, Converting back to SP?

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Padre Berliever, Mason Miller back on foul territory. Mason, good to see you, man. How's the off season going for you?

00:00:10
Speaker 2: Good?

00:00:10
Speaker 3: A cel off season's going great. Snow falling in Pittsburgh right now, So I'm ready to get back to spring training here soon. Get some get some sun.

00:00:20
Speaker 1: Yeah, and you happen to be playing for a team where you'll get a lot of sun the entire season now, which will be nice for you too. So I wanted to start, actually Mason with WBC News since it's real hot. Did you see the news today about Clayton Kershaw?

00:00:33
Speaker 2: I did about that one.

00:00:35
Speaker 3: What do you think count count me in the surprised boat?

00:00:39
Speaker 2: But uh, you know that just adds.

00:00:41
Speaker 3: To the uh you.

00:00:43
Speaker 2: Know, the further allure of the WBC.

00:00:46
Speaker 3: You got guys coming out of the woodwork that you know, you weren't even expecting to go to an already like star studded cast of guys, and I'm just so stoked to go hang out with them, and uh, you know, try to bring us thing home for for our country.

00:01:00
Speaker 4: Do you do you go into it saying yes, you're playing for Team USA, But do you go into it saying Okay, Clayton Kershaw's pitching, ah, man, I hope he's got it. I hope. I hope he's got it because we're looking to win this thing and you need everybody hitting on all cylinders because even a team like Brazil can can get a win, even a team like Great Britain can get a win, and that could mean you guys don't win it all.

00:01:28
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's early, early in the year for sure, So I think just having having the ability to treat some of the games, the exhibition games, getting a couple of early spring training games is at least how I'm approaching it. And I think it's it's kind of silly to sit here and say that guys are going to be in mid season form in March, but you know, it's just kind of rising to the occasion, and these guys are all all competitors. You know, a guy like Kershaw's pitch you know how many years now and pitches so many big games, so he's not scared of the big moments. And you know, he wouldn't be signing up to come to something like this if he didn't see himself as being prepared for it.

00:02:05
Speaker 2: So I don't think that's something to worry about at all.

00:02:07
Speaker 4: Yeah, Clayton Kershaw has never not just look at his baseball reference, He's never not done it. So it'll be fine, you said not mid season fourm So when you go out there for your first exhibition game with Team USA, I don't know who you guys will play, but it'll be somebody out in Arizona. You guys are training Arizona, right or Florida?

00:02:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, yep, Arizona.

00:02:26
Speaker 4: Okay. And you are only topping out at ninety eight. You're fine with that. You're like, I'm good. I know I got one hundred and four, but I'm totally fine. And then the first game you're facing Brazil, closing the game out and it's still just ninety eight. You're fine with that.

00:02:44
Speaker 3: I don't know if the velocity is what I was referring to. I think that'll be there. The adrenaline, it will be good. Drenaline will be good. It's just about harnessing it. And you know how polished are you going to be in March? You know, for me, I'm throwing indoors right now, so I'm gonna get some spikes in the dirt here in a couple of weeks and you know, let the thing get rolling a little bit.

00:03:04
Speaker 2: But you know the way that you're feeling, at least.

00:03:06
Speaker 3: For me, you know, I feel like I'm hitting my stride in the summertime and coming down the stretch. And that's not to say that you're not in a good place coming into the year, but you know, just just the different things you've worked on in the offseason, and you know, trying to roll those out and compete at the same time is sometimes a fine needle to thread. But the lights come on, and you know we're competitors, so you're gonna find a way regardless, even if it's a spring training game. You know, you know, I have a hard time going out there and just saying like I don't care about the results. You know, I'm just worried about feel. That's what some older guys have said. But you know, anytime I get a guy in the box, I'm competing.

00:03:42
Speaker 4: So you're saying, adrenaline brings the best out in you, crazy crazy stat to bring us because we saw you in the playoffs. Is there any way to duplicate that? Because we saw what you can bring in the playoffs from not just velocity, everyone loves to see a hunt and four fastest pitch of the year or whatever. But just the location, the fact that you were pretty much untouchable when you were spotting pitches. Does your adrenaline can you can you figure out because you experienced the playoffs last year, can you figure out a way to spike that same adrenaline to get yourself that superpower and be like you were in the playoffs the whole season.

00:04:25
Speaker 3: Pitching in a bunch of different atmospheres over the course of my career, I'm going to say, yes, you know, I've pitched. I've pitched in stadiums where there has been much anybody there, and I've pitched in stadiums where it's buzzing from the first pitch to the last pitch. So for me, like I said, as a competitor, you get a guy in the box, whether it's ten am on a backfield in spring training or you know, the wild Card Series in Chicago, like I'm bringing my best either way, and you know, maybe the adrenaline is is kind of a you can't simulate it, you know, So those situations, it's kind of how do you get yourself psyched out and ready to go and a lot of times for me, it's you know, the team and the other guy that's in the box, you know, not not the hell loud, the fans are cheering.

00:05:10
Speaker 5: Talk about adrenaline rush, thoughts about maybe being a starter. I mean, I know there was people talking about that, maybe you coming in and from the first inning on. I mean, I don't know what your your thoughts are on that, what your feelings are where you're at right now and you're pitching, but I don't know what do you got on that that kind of thought process.

00:05:29
Speaker 3: Yeah, it seems like everybody's got a lot of thoughts. I had my money on Kratz being the one to bring it up. But yeah, it's an exciting It's an exciting conversation. It's been had year in and year out since you know, I did transition to the bullpen, and uh, you know, I've had a lot of success and right now to go away from that success doesn't make sense for me. You know, my first year into the art system, I'm being comped as a as a reliever and a pretty good reliever at that. So I'm going to keep that ball rolling right now, and that's I'm never going to be the guy that rules it out down the line, but that I will admit it is.

00:06:07
Speaker 2: Hard to go away from something you're having a lot of success with.

00:06:09
Speaker 3: And you know, I think my value right now is that being the lockdown guy in the ninth or late in games whatever that we need to close a game out and being a part of a really good bullpen, and you know, something that I take pride into. And you know, down the road maybe we'll see, but this year we're looking at the bullpen.

00:06:30
Speaker 4: I appreciate you thinking that I would ask that question, but Todd is very valid and he's able to ask that type of question. I'm just looking out for your cash, Mason. I see it. I see it. But your manager was on also an ex reliever, and he's exact quote was he's the best in the entire world coming out of the bullpen. So I want your reaction to your new manager saying that, but I also want your your opinion who is the best closer in the game right now?

00:07:00
Speaker 3: Well, the reaction to Stay I'm saying that is awesome to hear. We got to know him a little bit these past couple of months, but I'm really looking forward to not only building that relationship, with him this year, but also just a full season with the guys, you know, and seeing seeing this thing through from opening day till till whenever we played that last game, which which hopefully is late late into the postseason. But yeah, best best reliever for me looking through this year. Obviously I put myself up there, but I'm never one to say that, you know, I'm the best. I always think there's guys that you're chasing and and things you're looking to emulate from others. I thought Duran with the Phillies this year was awesome. Chapman obviously had an incredible year, and he's been doing that for so many years. But to do it at the point of career that he's at and you know, being the guy up there in Boston is really fun to watch and it always has been since I was a Pirates fan growing up watching him do it against the Buckus.

00:07:57
Speaker 4: So that's fair like that. And he's Jack and if you didn't say Chappie, I'm pretty sure pretty much people think he would kill you. So it's just he's a scary, nice little teddy bear. Your manager is an ex reliever, do you think that that's going to be an advantage for you guys down in the pen. There's managers that really know how to use their bullpen and really take care of guys. But do you feel like that's an advantage for a team like you guys who have on paper right now, I think it's the best bullpen starting the season, because I get it you lost to Robert Suarez, but at the end of the year last year you were the best bullpen in the game, and I feel like you're starting out the season that way. So is that an advantage to have Craig being an ex reliever?

00:08:49
Speaker 3: Are doue imagine a way that it's not going to be? You know, I think just the awareness that Rubin and Fritz already bring from the pitching.

00:08:56
Speaker 2: Side, and then you throw in the stand.

00:08:59
Speaker 3: Also, you know, spent a lot of time down there, knows the conversations we're having, knows how to read between the lines of a guy saying like, yeah, I'm good to go, or yeah I feel good, but you know they've thrown back to back days or things like that. I think Worke leg management has been the furthest thing from my worry with with the Padres.

00:09:16
Speaker 2: They've been very good about that. Since the day I walked in the door.

00:09:20
Speaker 3: But I think just matching up those situations and talking to guys about where they find their success and hearing it from the players, because I think that's something that's important to the way the team's heading is you know what players think, and you know, having those honest conversations and not so many of those conversations where you know it's kind of worried about somebody's feelings or anything like that.

00:09:42
Speaker 2: I don't think anybody's worried about that.

00:09:43
Speaker 3: You put it out there and you know, get your opinion heard and you know it doesn't matter about being right or wrong necessarily, But having a conversation and working into to a mutual agreement I think is going to be key.

00:09:55
Speaker 4: As a guy who's not going into free agency, is you know, you know where you're going, you have your arbitrations off. Do you watch free agency? I got you know, you can't watch. You can't do much outside, so it's either video games or free agency in my mind, But do you watch what happens in free agency? And what's your what's the storyline that you're like, I'm really excited to see this. Obviously anything padres, but I think the Padres are probably done with the moves that they've made. But do you watch it?

00:10:23
Speaker 3: Of course? I mean I'm a baseball fan. Baseball player player first, but fan second. I like to know what's going on. And I think just as much as fans do, you know, we're interested to see where guys end up falling and having those conversations at the gym and amongst.

00:10:38
Speaker 2: The guys you're working out with.

00:10:41
Speaker 3: You know, I think it's fun to theorize and you know, be surprised like everybody else when something happens, or say like, hey, I predicted this months ago. But I always like following, following the pitching markets of course, seeing where guys are headed, seeing what's important to them. But yeah, like the big ticket guys every year, it's always exciting to see where they gonna end up falling.

00:11:02
Speaker 5: My last question here from a fan, Neil Katz six. He asked how much how much have you picked the excuse me? How much have you talked to Trevor Hoffman about closing? Have you picked his brain a lot at all? You know, the big San Diego reliever.

00:11:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, we we spoke a little bit last year.

00:11:20
Speaker 3: Actually before the trade even through through Katts's relationship with him.

00:11:24
Speaker 2: Uh and you know, just.

00:11:27
Speaker 3: Being able to lean on a guy like that a little bit and think about some mentality stuff, which you know sometimes is just you know, turning the page. That was the biggest conversation we had was how do you turn the page from a bad one and go back out there the next night to get the job done. So I'm always excited and eager to pick guy's brains, especially you know grades like that.

00:11:51
Speaker 2: Mason question for you.

00:11:54
Speaker 1: The way the season ended for the Padres obviously wasn't a title, so you know, this is a team that has high xpectations you'd fan based the whole deal, right, You've been able to get a taste of this. They were bounced by the Cubs. There were definitely some controversial calls umpire wise, it's leading to pushing forward. How excited do you think the team will be that they'll have the ability to challenge missed calls coming up this season?

00:12:21
Speaker 3: I'm extremely interested to see how it goes. I mean, we've had a little bit of experience in the minor leagues are on a rehab assignment, but seeing it.

00:12:28
Speaker 2: At the big league level, I think will be really really interesting.

00:12:31
Speaker 3: You know, as a closer, I'm kind of hoping the other team burns up all their challenges before they get to me, because I can already see the game ends, and you know it's they got one challenge left, and it's like, well, we're just going to challenge it just because we have it.

00:12:45
Speaker 2: But we'll see.

00:12:46
Speaker 3: I think it'll be something something, really. I guess different teams will manage it different ways, so you know, if there's guys that aren't allowed the challenge or guys that are allowed to challenge, you know, how does that get filtered out? As a pitcher, I'm always just gonna rely on the catcher because I'm gonna get too emotional with it.

00:13:04
Speaker 2: So I don't think you'll see me challenge a single pitch all year. That's fair.

00:13:08
Speaker 4: I like that you talked about ending the games the game's over. Are you gonna or have you thought about having a different walkout song music? Because now you're in a different city, you have, you know, kind of a starting a new chapter. I obviously played for the Padres last year, but if you're the closer, if you're designated the closer, I'm not sure what they're gonna do with that? Do you do you try to change your walkout music?

00:13:36
Speaker 3: Potentially there there's been conversations and you know, I guess I'll put you guys in the same boat as everybody else. We'll find out when I come out of the bullpen from my first selling this year.

00:13:46
Speaker 4: Is it a tough decision? Is it tough to side between do you have? I mean if you narrowed it down to like because some guys are like, ah, man, I got four songs I'm really loving with Meek Mill's putting now, with Drake's putting now, like what Breaking Benjamin's putting?

00:13:59
Speaker 2: It?

00:13:59
Speaker 4: Like, can you give us a genre? And is it down to like two songs?

00:14:05
Speaker 3: It's definitely down to a few songs, but kind of encapsulating that energy coming out and then you know, obviously with an electric stadium and fan base, you kind of see how they respond to it. Nickelback seem to be so so last year. So I think we're gonna go different round.

00:14:25
Speaker 5: And I'm gonna finish with this. I want to go back to comedy. So you said you're gonna take the You're too emotional, You're not gonna challenge any of the pitches. So I have a hard time believe in that three two count. You gotta run around. You're up one a pitch that could end the game. You're not gonna go crazy and go hold on, hold on, I gotta I'm calling I'm calling bullshit. I'm just being I know it's gonna happen one or two times and you're gonna scream your head off.

00:14:56
Speaker 3: I just I'm taking I'm taking this move, this moves out out of these, I might go, I might go palms up or something, but yeah, I got my My entire trust is in Freddie back there and decisions he's gonna make.

00:15:10
Speaker 2: He's seeing it. You know.

00:15:12
Speaker 3: If we get to a point of the year and he tells me, like, I want you to challenge one just to just to try it, I mean, I guess it's the same situation I said about the hitters. If we're at the end of the game and we have a couple left, you may as well use them.

00:15:23
Speaker 4: But uh, you know, go ahead one and a half.

00:15:27
Speaker 5: I'm calling the over. You're gonna do it more than one and a half.

00:15:30
Speaker 2: Time put over under and a half.

00:15:38
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, right, if Freddy convinced it, because really the thing is, I mean, Mason, you could go like this like whoa, and then Freddy's reading you, Freddie forming your catcher here for the Padres coming up this season, and then be like, all right, I got your back.

00:15:50
Speaker 2: I'm doing it.

00:15:51
Speaker 3: Maybe, I think fred Freddie will if I throw my hands up, he'll hit me with one of these right away.

00:15:57
Speaker 2: Yeah, it is off.

00:16:00
Speaker 4: The best, the best receivers, the best receivers have said I forget who it was. If it was David Price, it was somebody was talking about how when jose Molina was back there, he's like, bro, no it was Chris Archer. I think it was Ah whatever, Who cares who it was. They were like, dude, I almost got thrown out of like three games because jose Molina would be like and I'm like, oh, that's a strike, and the umpire calls it a ball and he throws it back and I'm sitting here like that's a strike. So yes, great, John Mason. I don't let these two non catchers tell you you know where. Look, look, you're so good. You could be like all right, that's fine, who cares if I didn't get the next benches and out like you have it I control yourself.

00:16:47
Speaker 5: It's human nature.

00:16:48
Speaker 2: It's human nature.

00:16:49
Speaker 4: Now that he's not human, do it.

00:16:51
Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm gonna see one. He's gonna freak out one time too, and we're gonna get him on the show and I'm gonna go like this, I told.

00:16:57
Speaker 2: You see, everybody gets one. Yeah.

00:17:02
Speaker 1: Well, Amazon, this was great, man, great to catch up. We're excited for WBC actions, so hopefully we'll catch it then at some point I'm here, guys appreciate it.

00:17:10
Speaker 2: As always, we