Bobby Witt Jr., Carlos Estévez & Cole Ragans @Royals camp

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Aj, I want to bring in our next guest.

00:00:04
Speaker 2: Does he need an introduction? Do we do? We not know who this guy is.

00:00:07
Speaker 1: This is only for the podcast crowd because they can't actually see it.

00:00:11
Speaker 2: Oh that's right, I forgot podcast only. Also, Bobby Witt, junior super superstar of the Kansas City Royals. And now I read an article today, You're going from the bench to a big player on Team USA in the WBC in a couple of weeks. Excited alighting.

00:00:28
Speaker 3: Yeah, exciting times for sure, just to just say, because I was there last year and got to witness everything that happened, got in a couple of games and then but now it's like you definitely you were like a pinch runner right on the bes there. Yeah I got pinch some pinch runs in there, and uh so, but yeah, it's just how how much it means for USA and just not only baseball but the world. Just because Olympic's going on too, so it's kind of like a perfect timing for this to happen, and so it's gonna be a lot of fun.

00:00:54
Speaker 2: Did you sit when you were when you weren't the star on that team? Did you kind of just sit back and they treated you like, hey, just go sit in the corner and then we'll let you know when it's time. Or did you learn just learn from what we're doing or did they include you and all this stuff? Oh?

00:01:07
Speaker 3: Yeah, I was included with everything. Those guys in there were unbelievable Trout, Mookie, Goldschmidt or not all those Just the list goes on and on with just Branial all Stars and just being able to be there. I was trying to take absorb as much as possible, try to be a sponge in there, but also be a fly on the wall because I know they got to go out there, go out there and work and so but it was it was special just to be a part of that. And uh yeah, I learned a lot from it too. And then now I'm able to kind of go out there and now we really got to bring back gold.

00:01:33
Speaker 2: Better get that gold I need to know about. We talked to some other guys too about this. But is there a text bread that you've already had or that you continued to have from that WBC or did that kind of get washed away and a new one is going to start?

00:01:48
Speaker 3: Yeah, then more so than new one has already started. And so sorry, I feel like a couple weeks ago. And so guys are fired up and ready to ready to get after it. Walker said, there wasn't much on where I'm in the position player one more texts in there, and so yeah, guys are fired up, shore we're in there firing us up.

00:02:06
Speaker 2: So already who texts the most? Is it Swarber? And you're younger? So do you want them to make it a snapchat thread? Because most like my kids, my kids, it's all snapchat, like you text them and you're like, oh go, I see you on your phone all the time and I never get a text back. So yeah, is it swarms?

00:02:24
Speaker 3: I think it's more so guys are gonna start getting I don't have everyone's number saves yet, just is God knowing some of the guys who who's texting whatever? But I got like Gunner's number, a bunch of younger guys than guys who run the last w BC team, And so yeah, I got probably half the number save.

00:02:39
Speaker 2: But yeah, if you don't ask, I don't.

00:02:41
Speaker 4: You don't know.

00:02:41
Speaker 2: I don't want to do that. I feel like I'm not there's a three five two number? Yes, no, yeah, I'll get it. I'll look, what are you? Code is this? And you try to guess, Yeah, you don't want to put the wrong thing in there? No, yeah, And then I looked up where they're from, Like, I don't I'll just wait. She just asps, Yeah, I might have a new phone. Who DIDs one tech whereever? Text measures? All right, who is everyone? I have to do that? Okay, that is that's amazing. What what are you most excited about for WBC? Is just reppers putting on the red, white and blue representing your country. Yeah, what does that mean to you? Because we just talked with Carlos and he said, would you say thirteen guys from the Royals are on.

00:03:20
Speaker 3: W Yeah, I think Team thirteen or throughout the whole organization. But yeah, it's just like pretty cliche, but it just really just means more representing you're you're Yeah, you got your name on the back of your jersey, but you represent to what's in front. And so that's that's how I always try to play the game. But whenever you see USA across and wearing the red, white, blue and playing the national ants for the game, it's just it just gives me chilled.

00:03:42
Speaker 2: Glad it's it's come to mean a lot, but more than what it did when it first started, which is awesome, and it's better Olympics.

00:03:49
Speaker 3: Yeah, and then winning guts silver last time. So it's it's just like you got some I don't say there's really any pressure, but because pressure is a privilege in a way. But it's going to be gonna be awesome.

00:04:01
Speaker 2: Now, your dad was on the Olympic team. What did they place when he was on the Olympic team for Team USI pretty sure was silver or bronze? I know he has the Olympic medal. I can't remember what it was. I know it wasn't goal. But is it silver? Or is a brown? M I run it is that? Tell us?

00:04:20
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:04:20
Speaker 3: I brought to Show and Tell when I was in like elementary school and like kindergarten, so I don't I can't remember from there i'd sitting on the show.

00:04:26
Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure it's silver. Now I don't know. Sorry, Are you the same? Would you? Would it be cool if you were the same number as him, because then you both have Team USA jerseys. I know you have your number for the Royals, but did you ever think about doing that or something cool? Like that. Now I never really thought of that.

00:04:45
Speaker 3: Last WBC, I was number fifteen, and then kind of growing up, they got wore seventeen on the like eighteen U USA team and then now pretty sure I'm seven, and so yeah, I set up.

00:04:55
Speaker 2: He's got his own number, Kratz. By the way, he's got his he's got his own number. Now he doesn't need he doesn't I need his dad's number anymore. He's got his own number.

00:05:02
Speaker 3: It's like it I read score number growing up, thirty six, okay, I was like more of a pictures Yeah for the short s shortstop.

00:05:09
Speaker 2: Totally so fast. Guys can't have thirty six. And by the way, would you play in the Olympics if they did it? Yeah, I think that was it twenty eight I think in La.

00:05:17
Speaker 3: I love like growing up, I always watched the Olympics, whether it's winter, summer Olympics, and I just thought it was really really cool just to kind of see that, like I said, to get to represent your country on a bigger stage.

00:05:26
Speaker 2: And so would you be okay if you uh, if they stopped the season for ten days or whatever it was for guys to go play for their teams and then come back.

00:05:34
Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't, I know, just with the hockey they do that because but I think hockey already has that a longer like All Star Break. Yeah, already and so but I don't really know how it works. So but yeah, it's perfect in that it's in that All Star break wins. But I mean when I have to move the All Star Game away, but or I don't know whatever, I'm here for it though. I'd love to see USA in the middle of the season, whenever all the pitchers are primed. You get the best of the best Japan. All the guys go to Japan with Carlos and that team you know, whoever it is.

00:06:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, it would be. It would be an incredible exhibition and spectacle for the game of baseball that way. Love and it's in the USA. It's going to be cool too, true, all right. We got the warby Parkers, I got the Raiders, but one thing I upgraded to polarized, sorry about it.

00:06:22
Speaker 5: Yeah, these are good not only for wearing, but also out in the sun. When I become that baseball coach, I always want to be with my kids. I got the Hatchers. They're darker, a little bit wider for my face. They fit perfect, They're comfortable. It's an easy process to order these really really cool glasses.

00:06:38
Speaker 1: I am a diehard Warby Parker fan. I do have prescription glasses and I wear Warby Parker every day for many years.

00:06:45
Speaker 4: I'm excited about this one. Give it a shot.

00:06:47
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00:07:13
Speaker 2: All right, since you're the face of the Royals, Salve is gonna be pissed. But Salve's career is almost over and they finally moved the fences in. Do you feel like you were the final straw to say, listen, guys, we need to move these fences in. Because Salve complained about it back in twenty fourteen when he and I played together there.

00:07:33
Speaker 3: Yeah, and whenever we had our zoom call, kind of saying everything. I know someone was saying, I wonder when Moose and Haws are going to tweet out something or whatever. It is just whenever those guys are kind of get online, Gordo and all those dudes. But yes, sal there. Everyone was excited. But I knew we were gonna have the zoom call, so I kind of texted everyone be like, hey, we may or so for the pictures, Hey we might be having a call about the fences being moving in. So if that happens beforehand or whatever, just don't be shocked with it. But I think everyone was goodbye it. It's not nothing crazy. But obviously it was tenn sacrifies into Homer.

00:08:07
Speaker 2: Yeah, oh yeah, for sure. So they turned triples into doubles for you too. That's all right, okay, I still you tell your fast Still.

00:08:17
Speaker 1: Well, here's another change for this coming season, Bobby, you're gonna be able to do this. Last year, if you did this, and I know you didn't do it, you would get kicked out of the game. I'm tapping my head. But this year it's a real thing with the ABS Challenge system. So here's my question to me, I've been covering you for years. You're definitely a very humble guy, but you're you're a superstar in the sport, right You're the guy on the team, and you're the guy where they saved one of those challenges for that eighth inning ab where you think you might have gotten squoomis and you need to use it. Do you feel like you need to go through spring training and get used to being known that, like, hey, we're saving these sometimes for you no offense to the eight or nine hitter in the fourth inning, but it could be a huge moment in the game and they're gonna want you to do this, and it's no coach involvement. So that's my question is I feel like there are other superstars in the game too that are very humble, But do you recognize like they're saving those challenges for years sometimes?

00:09:12
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it just comes down to the situation, knowing what's right and then being one hundred percent with it if it's a ball or whatever. It is, just knowing trying to figure out to know the zone. How well you know the zone, then really practice it in either spring training or there's ways to do it with the track man or whatever it is and the cage or whatever, and just try to really just hone in on knowing the zone but no know what a strike is and then know what what's not a strike really and just actually to just talk to some of the other guys that guys were in Triple A up and down, that had dealt with the abs and everything. It just gets get to know their knowledge. Talk to the Triple A hitting coaches, talk to the Triple A coaches or whoever, and just get to kind of fill it out with star.

00:09:50
Speaker 2: Like he talks to the minor leakers. Oh yeah, no way, I can't believe that crats. Can you believe only there to signs out. He goes there to find out. He's like, what were you guys doing down there? I barely was in the minor leagues. I don't really know what that is. But honestly, that we've promoted you as a superstar, what do superstars superstar hitters work on in the offseason? What do you what did you need to work on this offseason? Because we asked pitchers all the time. Oh, you know this guy, he's working on a new change up grip. Oh I'm not gonna tell anybody what did you work on this offseason?

00:10:24
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it was just to try to be as consistent as possible, just with try to limit those highs and lows as much possible and just try to keep it get better and better each and every day mentality, and so but taking it one day at a time.

00:10:35
Speaker 2: That's kind of how I went through the off season.

00:10:37
Speaker 3: But then just knowing just try to you want to simplify things as much as possible, just because pitchy is getting better and better, but then also know that you got to get better, so whether it's getting stronger mentally, physically, and then but also just trying to say as consistent as possible and go through things in the off season that are make it harder than the game. So whenever you feel like all right, your swings off, whatever it is, all right, what's off? What'd you do there? And then fix it and off season so whenever it pops up in season, you know what you're doing and know how to kind of get back on that get the track where you want to be.

00:11:07
Speaker 2: You're ever jealous of anybody that does something in the offseason in the sense of like dudes come back to spring training, he put on twenty pounds of muscle, and You're like, I lift it every single day. How on earth did I not put on twenty pounds? Like is there anything You look at other guys and you're like, oh, man, what I was trying hard? Yeah.

00:11:27
Speaker 3: I've always like going in off season like oh you want to put away? You want to put away, and then I put on weight and then it's like it's the same that I've always been and I feel great no matter what whatever it is. So like this offseason, just like try to eat better, sleep good, make sure I'm mentally in a good spot, and then go out there and kind of work hard the way I've always done, and go to the place I train at and just get through a healthy offseason and see kind of where I'm at.

00:11:51
Speaker 2: I feel really good.

00:11:51
Speaker 3: It feels strong, and just being able to kind of stay healthy for one hundred and sixty two plus games. That's ultimate Goald And it starts kind of back in November when I start training.

00:12:01
Speaker 1: Kay, what about the base running, Bobby, I know last year you said that was a big focus for you, and I think sole and base percentage wise, it was either a career high or was up there. So do you feel like you made stride the way you wanted to write? You're you're supposed to be your harshest critic on all of that. How did you feel that was for you? And what are you thinking coming into this year on that front?

00:12:22
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:12:22
Speaker 3: I think I thought it was better. And there's always, like you said, always room for improvement, but just figuring out little things to my starts or whatever my jumps. That's what something kind of did more in this offseason, Just how can I get faster on that first step and then use my kind of natural given speed and let that kind of take over. But then just really just being able to, like you get more comfortable just playing baseball, And I feel like each and every year you get more comfortable, you get more confident, and you get better with your routine. I think that's what I've done, like defensively, offensively, and then base running last year, and then I still think each one's going to keep getting better every year until I don't know who knows when.

00:12:58
Speaker 4: I don't know.

00:12:58
Speaker 2: How you practice base running in the ausome.

00:13:00
Speaker 3: Just more like reactive drills like those type of things, and really do you a drop?

00:13:05
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.

00:13:06
Speaker 3: Little things like that, just with like things flashing, like tossing up a different color ball or running reactive stuff against another guy, chasing a guy, whatever it is, and just trying to and then always like timing it and see if you're getting better throughout the offseason.

00:13:18
Speaker 2: So it's it was good crowds and I let you chase us, but you'll catch us too fast, so we can't. That wouldn't be a fair fight for us. Before we leave, before we let you go. I know you're a big baseball card collector. You have all your cards I got, and is there one that you have in God that you really want?

00:13:33
Speaker 3: There's my one of one super Factor of the tops update. But I'm in contact with the guy and that will complete like the rainbow of all my rookie cards of the card I'm looking for.

00:13:43
Speaker 2: So that's it, So okay. Then that brings you to the next question. What does that person ask? What do you laugh for?

00:13:50
Speaker 6: Like?

00:13:50
Speaker 2: Because I mean true, they're probably like, hey, give me a million dollars. You're like, well, let's slow down.

00:13:54
Speaker 3: More so like trade back, like cause like I don't, I'm not going to ever sell the card. So I'm like I got a bunch of cards that I've gotten bought. Let's work out of trade that I'll bring you to you come out to Kansas City, get you your whatever it is, like, just kind of make it something special, something memorable for him, but then also put him in a position where he's going to be good for whatever he needs.

00:14:13
Speaker 2: Okay, all right, that's good because I don't even know what Because people ask me all the time, hey do you have all your cards? I'm like no, but I know you're way more into it than I mean a lot of your the younger MLB players are way more into mat Strong. Obviously you and him can talk for out really sure about about that since he's come over. I just I just want I don't know how that works. So they DM you on Instagram or Twitter or whatever and say, hey Bobby, I have your one on one. How do we work that?

00:14:38
Speaker 4: I don't know.

00:14:39
Speaker 3: Yeah, So I have a card account it's called beat Ups Cards that I'll go and like look through the dms and see I clicked through them and see, oh, this guy has one of the cards they want. Let's see if I can make a trade, or I'll send it to another guy to reach out to him and kind.

00:14:51
Speaker 2: Of third party or whatever, and so just try to make it easy and efficient. Good. Look, do they have USA cards coming out?

00:14:57
Speaker 3: I know they did it the last time, but it was like the fall year, so I'm assuming they will.

00:15:02
Speaker 2: Will they do all the refractors? Yeah? Cool, I'm gonna get one in. I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna try like the Paul schemes one of one. I'm gonna try and get the Bobby Wit one on one and then I'm gonna hold it hostage like crazy for that go. I will hand signed jerseys and twenty sign back.

00:15:18
Speaker 1: Daily FT appearances. Now, we wouldn't do that to you, Bobby. Thank you so much for joining us. Enjoyed camp, the rest of camp and then of course the WBT. We're super excited and thanks for sharing some time about how that's all going to look.

00:15:32
Speaker 2: Appreciate you man, Thank you guys.

00:15:36
Speaker 4: There he is.

00:15:37
Speaker 1: He led Major League Baseball in SABS last year. Carlos the Step is joining us right now, the Rose closer. Carlo is great to have you here on the show. Thanks for joining us. How's camp going for you so far?

00:15:48
Speaker 2: Man? He's going good, you know, getting back on track, getting ready for a season. Yeah, planes like this and Dominican. Well we'll hear to so hold like that. Well these often instead of I'd take my earpiece out so I could hear you, because there we had fighter jets flying over again for like the fifth time. They you ever stop yourself when you're in PFPS and they start doing all the tricks. Oh yeah, you just watch them. Yeah, we do watch them, you know when whenever we're doing condition or something, they start going with you stop buying. By the way, I saw y'all's conditioning this morning, that condition y'all ran. How much different it is? I all ran like five ten yards. They were all a pitch walking ragons. And but oh well we ran five ten yards. Friends, We are so tired. It was. It was a light day, let's say it like that. But it is coping with different Oh my god, you remember all these holes eastern holes and run for distance.

00:16:45
Speaker 7: All the time and all the time. The remember the mile? Oh yeah, yeah, those those were good ones. Those were different ones. How much better is it now? It is a lot better because they got a lot of that.

00:16:57
Speaker 2: You know, the science, How you to you?

00:16:59
Speaker 7: What can you do to you? Use your muscles better what you actually need. We're going into the field to pitch all this stuff, and you know sometimes you still miss it to get the body moving again and all the stuff. But at least it's not seven days a week anymore.

00:17:15
Speaker 2: Where are you at at this point in camp? Where? Where does where does the closer get to? Because everyone's like starters, they're working up, they're they're throwing it up down by this point. Some we're going to WBC, so they're doing the you know, they're doing this and that. Where are you at at this point? Right now?

00:17:30
Speaker 7: I got a live VP coming up because you know, I gotta get ready for WC two, So I'm through a few bullpens already getting off the pump to face hitters tomorrow.

00:17:41
Speaker 2: And then from there we'll see. When do you go on the twenty eighth? And you guys, are you guys go? Where you go? Minigan Republic? Do you train in Dominica? We go Miami.

00:17:52
Speaker 7: We gotta go to Miami and uh we trained on the first and then we'll flight the same day to the Minigan Republic. We got practice day in two games there and then we come back. Okay, so you got a lot of trout a lot of them, so you gotta be ready, ready or read? Are you the closer for Dominican?

00:18:07
Speaker 2: I wish. I don't know, but we'll see hopefully. Who's the way Who's I forget, who's the manager all the pools? Oh, so Albert, you gonna go to Albert to Albert.

00:18:15
Speaker 7: Listen, I'm not gonna say anything. I'm just gonna show up waiting for whatever. Hey, Albert mean, I'll be in the heath. He has an idea what he's doing, so I'll see.

00:18:25
Speaker 2: We'll figure out how important? How important are those two games? There's two exhibition games you're gonna play in the Dominican just because you get the whole team together. I played for I was at Ague Lucco. I think you played for the Totos. Yeah, okay, you're gonna play. Are you gonna play those games in Santa Domingo? And health that for you guys and your and the country of the deal. And it's gonna be so cool. He's really it's really importantly because uh, they the way that they go about the total BC team, the country, how much they org us is. It's really cool that we're able to give them back that you know, a few games, the exhibition games, so they still in the mood of you know, WC mood and just uh, just you know, having our backs. It feels really cool.

00:19:15
Speaker 4: Man.

00:19:15
Speaker 2: So the DR hasn't won since twenty thirteen, exactly, it's been a while. It's been a while. I mean in the US at least one in twenty seventeen. So we can't make much fun in the US as he can in the DR. What does it mean? What did it mean? And what does it mean for the DR? If you guys were.

00:19:32
Speaker 7: To win again, Oh man, it'll be amazing because the competition is just getting crazier and crazier, you know, is uh, they're more of a the other teams to Venezuela's are looking a lot better.

00:19:45
Speaker 2: He's looking a lot better.

00:19:46
Speaker 7: You got Puerto Rico, United States, Japan, and it's like there's a lot more competition and if we can step up and win it, that that's gonna speak volumes of what a small country, a small island can do in this giant of a game and Basley that is baseball.

00:20:04
Speaker 1: Hey, Carlos, I saw a recent podcast that you were on and I just want to commend you for telling some stories that I think really hit home for people. I think because the pod was in Spanish, so I just want to bring one or two things up from there. I think this one would really hit home with our audience and our guys will like this because I didn't tell them this beforehand. Can you explain what happened when you had a showcase to tryout for the Pirate and how it, oh in person, really affected you one way?

00:20:31
Speaker 2: I don't want to.

00:20:31
Speaker 1: I don't want to like bring out the tears already. I mean, hey, do what you gotta do. But I think it's so important. We have so many players that listen to this show, and that story is wild. You know, there's a there's a load to that story in a high So if you don't mind sharing.

00:20:44
Speaker 2: Uh yeah, man, Rther.

00:20:45
Speaker 7: We were talking about a tryout showcase Sunday morning. I had to show up like at seven am. That's basically my only off date throughout the the week.

00:20:54
Speaker 2: And uh I show off to the to the Pirates Complex whatever we we get the whole day just waiting the showcase stars. Like at ten.

00:21:05
Speaker 7: They moved me down a few times because I was an older guy. I was eighteen and a half an older guy doing tryoutsund there, and when I got to the mound, I got ready, I'm throwing them. All I have was ninety ninety two and I was doing the same, just throwing strikes at ninety ninety two, throwing my pitches, and uh, the director stops to try out and he's walking towards me, and I think it's gonna tell me something good, you know, like maybe they.

00:21:30
Speaker 2: Canna sign me. Yeah, I and uh, and he comes in and he he he had a bad choice of words to tell me.

00:21:40
Speaker 6: I don't know if I can say it live, you can, you can on here? Okay, all right, yeah, you only do you get who the hell brought this? Basically city player here?

00:21:52
Speaker 2: Really? Yeah, I'm like whatever, do I just walk up? I just walk out. I went back and sat with my running shoes on, and uh, dude, I was eighteen, almost eighteen and a half already, and man, I had tears on my eyes. Yeah, damn did this? You think you're doing pretty good? You're like, I'm throwing straw.

00:22:08
Speaker 7: At that moment, I was like, I'm done with baseball. I'm not playing baseball anymore. And then I've been on my run is shoes and I run ten poles, you know, that's yeah, and I want to run ten poles. And uh, actually they agent basically the guy that was that they call it Buscone, but uh, for us, we call it agent.

00:22:26
Speaker 2: Down there, when I was with my head down, sitting on the dugout, he ties me on the shoulder and he tells me, hey, get up, go round. Anyways, you're gonna play in the big leagues. Who curs?

00:22:36
Speaker 7: And that dude, I get goosebumps every time I talked about all that. And uh after that, I signed a few months later, and here we are. Wow, that's a great that's a great that's a great story because you never know, every one of us has been told you can't do this, Yeah, but to hear it like yeah, and then you're eraging.

00:22:54
Speaker 2: That that one got me good. That one. That one, Yeah, most people need to hear that.

00:22:57
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:22:58
Speaker 2: It was kind of he was a breaking point where there, you know, I was like, I'm done with me.

00:23:01
Speaker 7: So I'm all you know, eighteen down there is really old nowadays, and uh, back then, it was still like if you were not sixteen and you were not good enough, you were not gonna sign. So for me, it was it was rough, I mean, but I was ready to go to college and be done with baseball.

00:23:20
Speaker 2: Well, yeah, what were you gonna do? You go to college? Where? Where? And what were you? What were you studied in the capitol. I was gonna go in, uh, into college to study. I was going to be a civil engineer. You're gonna build bridges? Yeah, wow, okay, that's what I was going for, roads and bridges. Yeah, I mean, good to you. It's not people that have been to the dr they need some roads and bridge there you go. Everyone's got to see honestly. That's that's why I was that. That was my main focus.

00:23:43
Speaker 7: And I was trying to do something for you know, impact the community or something like that. And uh, I thought that was the right way outside of baseball.

00:23:50
Speaker 2: You can still buy roads and bridges now with all your money. Yeah, you just don't know how to build them exactly. You know. Now you have to hire somebody to do Yeah.

00:24:00
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right.

00:24:00
Speaker 2: I have to that.

00:24:02
Speaker 1: Hey, there was another one from that combo and krattwill like this. He's mister Philly for us and he played for the Phillies. Obviously you did too. I heard there was you know, a hot dog that that lost it lost its way.

00:24:16
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, it's funny because I was there in Colorado and Ian Kennedy was pitching.

00:24:23
Speaker 7: I'll warm it up, you know if we take the leader in the game and uh mcmanni's here and he's he's he's playing thurfer like he's with the Yankees now and uh at the time, he was kind of struggling with you know, fastballs and stuff, but he was hammering breaking balls and uh, I saw were bullban catcher, Okay, get down, like if he throws a curveball in the South, we're going to take the lead. And you know how the fans and Philly are always paying attention to what you do. They always paying attention to the game. And they saw me saying like doing that, doing the signs and right away, man curveball, like man hits a homer.

00:24:57
Speaker 2: We take the lead.

00:24:59
Speaker 7: And the people on the bullpen was juice.

00:25:02
Speaker 2: With Bullship like you're a picture. You jinxed them, you know, so they were on me crazy when I was When I was walking down the steps, there was a kid he couldn't be older than thirteen fourteen, and he was like, oh, I help your fucking trip, big arms, whoa and going yeah, well all right, you're like, where are your parents at? Yeah, rich your mom and daddy. I just walk away. I did what I had to do. The next day, I'm warming out doing my pants in the bullpen and I think it was a I think I don't know if it was a day of like one dollar hot or something like that, but there were a lot of hot dogs flying over there, and I got smoke on the back of the head with a with a hot dog. I knew what it was. And you know there that people that those like those fans are on there are always the same. And I was like, all right, good sport al, right, whatever, why bad? I got you. Next time, I'll see you.

00:25:49
Speaker 7: And then when I got traded to Philly, Uh, the story came up, someone you know, brought it up and I said it like how it happened, and they loved him. Man, they were they were going crazy about it.

00:25:58
Speaker 2: Was walking the film. Yeah, I got an early taste it. Yeah, there you go. It's to have taken him bite to the hot dog you showed them. But yeah, that's right. So it's not always just the fans that give you a hard time. Can you tell us the Troy Tulowinski story about how he kicked you out of the weight room and then he uh and then you got a little bit of revenge.

00:26:23
Speaker 7: But uh, I went uh I went into I was uh squatting in the in the thlubhouse, and uh I didn't know that was his corner. You know, but back in the day a lot of the older guys had their stuff. Then you know, I don't know he's superstitious or whatever, but I was working out on that corner. I'm I'm squatting and uh.

00:26:43
Speaker 2: So wait, hold up, hold up. So in this weight room he had like a corner that was only his that he could use.

00:26:49
Speaker 7: I don't really know because I was my my first year around there. Okay, okay, so I'll walk in there and uh I see he said, all he stopped down there and I'm just lifting.

00:26:59
Speaker 2: I don't know what's going on, and uh he walked in.

00:27:01
Speaker 7: He was like, hey, pety leaguers are about to hit the weight room. I'm like, I kind of didn't understand at the beginning. It was like, oh, okay, this is but right, I'll see you and just you know, walk out whatever, and uh jasp be uh the trainer for a Rockies. He was you know, he was talking, you know, giving me ship whatever. I'm like, Okay, next time I seen him on my I might go in. I'm only fastals like I'm attacking him. I ended up walking him because of how much I wanted, you know, to get him out. I ended up walking my thing.

00:27:32
Speaker 2: Uh. I think I went in. I don't check Saul or he didn't swing. I swear I thought Brogie's bad. I think I didn't or something like that. But I I know I ended up walking him for how much I wanted to want to lower that hansshle Yeah, you want to revenge? Yeah, And then after I hear retired, I'm like, come on, man, I wanted to face him again. You already hit him though.

00:27:51
Speaker 7: No, No, I don't want to hit him. He's just get him out. I don't, yeah exactly, I'm not on that side. I just want to get you out.

00:27:57
Speaker 2: Getting out is much worse than, trust me as it hitter than getting hit. It is someone that got hit a lot of much other get hit, then get the making out break abat all that stuff. All right, you have one of the most iconic closer celebrations, so where did you learn the is that street fighter? No kamiha ma? How dragon Ball seat? See, I don't know what that is. I was gonna say moretal Kombat, not well what a tamehammahama kamihame?

00:28:22
Speaker 7: How he's a he'sn't a like a final attack from a Japanese adamant okay that Uh into the Midican Republic.

00:28:30
Speaker 2: We grew up watching that. Yeah, there you go. There you're going to the Minican the Republic. We grew up watching that all over And uh then I played for Anaheim that they have a giant Japanese community, and uh, we were trying to bring something to celebrate whenever we finished and it since we had a good Japanese media and everything, well, I brought out that celebration because the owner of dragon Ball, he died on a on twenty fourth beginning of twenty four, and uh, I just started doing it, you know, as a thank you for what the show always showed us that the restlands like, you know, the hard work. All this stuff is like he's reflecting on that show to me, and I decided just to start doing it because of the pooping guy, Maniel Campbell. It was like man you watch Dragon Ball with it. Two Japanese people here, they love it. They're thinking, I like it. If you start doing it now, he's sticking around. He's gonna stay rid of it now. No, no, no, no, it's stuck now it does. Yeah, I mean it's not the I don't know if it's the Fernando right the shoot the Yeah, that was that was cool too. I mean I wish I knew. I wish I would have known that. That makes the story even better. Yeah, but just now you got rex other after every game was come on, uh oh.

00:29:50
Speaker 1: I got I got one more for a Carlos. You know, I know you've been pitching well with the Royals, but did they have to do you like that and bring the fences in coming up this year? When when you saw that news, We're like, guys.

00:30:03
Speaker 2: Come on, I mean, if if I'm telling you that I didn't really mind it, I'm lying because he was a huge park to pitch at. But at the same time, he's I don't think he's it will make a difference on the gaps and all the stuff. But in the at the end of the day, I still get a pitch, and you know, I just I pitch on the road on smaller fields, and I still gotta make the adjustment. I just gotta get used to him. It's just, uh, it's just a big list. You gotta make the adjustment with whatever you get thrown, and you just gotta be ready and make sure you're ready to show up and compete every day. But fuy way call you pitched in Colorado. I mean they bring the fences in ten feet of coffin. It's still way higher, y way bigger than it was in Colorado.

00:30:48
Speaker 7: Yes, yes, oh I got yeah, yeah he was. He was crazy out there.

00:30:52
Speaker 4: Man.

00:30:54
Speaker 1: Oh, Carlos here the man. Thanks for doing this. This is really fun. Fans will love hearing those stories, will put them up on socials and all that. To hope you enjoyed it. Good luck, the rest of camp will catch you during the season.

00:31:03
Speaker 2: Okay, all right, thank you guys for having me back here in surprise at Royals camp with stud Pitcher. Cole Reagan's for the Kansas City Royals. And I just want to know, have they appointed you opening day startering?

00:31:17
Speaker 4: No they have not. Why not? That's above my away. Yeah, no, I haven't said anything yet, so we'll see what happens. How's the rotator cuff shoulder? Yeah, everything's good. I feel as good as I ever have. You know, made the made the three starts at the end of the year, so kind of clear conscience going into the off season, you know, Phil, Like I said, Phil, as good as I ever have. What's the how's the villa? Everyone wants to know. How I haven't thrown my first lives on Thursday, so you know, get the adrenaline, get a heater in there. But bullpens, it's been it's been solid. It's you know, I think we're in a good spot. Do you are you an iPad checker guy for every pitch? Do you have the coach? And I mean I'm not going to say I don't check it, but I mean there's I'm looking at a lot of stuff on there, so you know, release look at I look at release height a lot. Just I just want everything to be pretty same, the same. Yeah. Yeah, So like if my fast fall is a you know, six' three release, HEIGHT i want my slider to be there and not like dropping down or you, know Because i've had tendency to do that in the. Past so it's making sure everything's coming out of the same.

00:32:34
Speaker 2: Slot can you feel it when it's? Not are you, like oh, yeah it was definitely this was definitely, Lower and then you look at the iPad and it's half an inch, lower a full inch, Lower like what's the?

00:32:44
Speaker 4: Discrepancy, YEAH i think when you, like WHEN i get extreme like a couple of, inches, uh you, Know i'll feel. It but sometimes it's just like, oh like you, know you start looking at like just with your eyes the movement of the pitch like that was pretty, good and then you'll near arm slots not the, same and it's, like, well that's that's not gonna. Work so, yeah you can't tell that. Much you.

00:33:07
Speaker 2: CAN'T i MEAN i know that people, say, oh he drops his, arm like unless it's like it's a, year that's this little bit of like from here to like, here.

00:33:19
Speaker 4: They, say like within two or three, INCHES i think is. Fine so it's just trying to keep it within that that. Window cole whose? Day whose day is?

00:33:28
Speaker 2: It people that have had an electric arm and is that or have actually stood in the box against big hitters or the they the like the they who read the iPad and have never thrown a.

00:33:40
Speaker 4: Baseball it's it's like my pitching coaches and. STUFF I i you, KNOW i trust them pretty. Good so just kind of you, know see, what see what they have to say about, it pick their bins about, it you. KNOW i mean OBVIOUSLY i have a good idea of where my stuff should, be but just kind of bouncing ideas off each.

00:33:57
Speaker 2: Other all, Right, well this is the time of year where everyone's, like, oh what's the new pitch? Grip and you're talking about the. iPad have you tried anything new this offseason or because of you, know the health issues that you had a little bit last. Year is it just stay healthy and be my dominant.

00:34:12
Speaker 4: Self, yeah it's more so just stay. HEALTHY i haven't really added. IT i haven't added any new. Pitches i've tinkered, with like my slider, grip just trying to get you, know, consistency you, know throw it a little bit, harder not as much depth on. It but other than, that you, know pretty same same. Repertoire do you go sweeper or do you go? Slide just like a gyro LIKE i, like you, know there was a.

00:34:36
Speaker 2: Guy Named Ice caves though gyro and it didn't do. Anything you should get, Whack so you don't want To, no, no.

00:34:40
Speaker 4: No it's, Like i'm just wanting like a little bit of, movement, something you, know more, vertical right than, yeah like just. Something, YEAH i don't want like, THIS i want more like yeah. Yeah so and a little. WHILE i tried it twenty twenty one or twenty twenty. Two it worked for my first LIVE, bp and THEN i could never throw it for a strike, again SO i banged. It, yeah, Smart, NO i got.

00:35:05
Speaker 2: One of the things you. Did you went to tread to work on some like post, pitch post, outing recovery. Stuff is it stuff that you already knew and now that you're, like all, Right i'm just going to actually lock into it or is it actually like something new that you're, Like, OKAY i feel the difference When i'm doing, this But i'll see what happens WHEN i take it into the. Season.

00:35:26
Speaker 4: Yeah, so like a week after the season, ended you, know flew up, there did like a, mocap threw off the, mountain and then did like a movement, assessment and basically the movement assessment they have they call them, correctives and it's basically you have this you, know twelve to fifteen movement stuff that you. Do you can do it pre, Lift LIKE i use it as like my warm up BEFORE i go out to stretch and. Throw and it's basically just like you, know some of its ankle, mobility some of it's like t spine, stuff shoulder. Stuff like it's, basically you, know whatever kind it's tailored to me on WHAT i. Need, so like coming off of you, know the shoulder thing last, year it was it, was you, know let's get some range of motion back in the. Shoulder my ankle mobility isn't you, know, Great so it's like working on that a little, bit some hips stuff things like that, basically and and you, know you just kind of some of the stuff is pretty. WEIRD i guess you could, say like you're when you first, start you're just kind of like what AM i? Doing but in the, end it's, like you, know you start doing. It a couple of months later you're, like, WOW i can actually notice that this is you, know help. Me you take time? Off, yeah SO i TAKE i take two weeks off from. Throwing that's. It, Yeah, yeah, gosh it's. CRAZY i JUST i BUT i like to do that because THEN i get to like ease myself into. It so it's like first couple of. Weeks i'm at like sixty seventy five. Feet i'm not throwing any off, speed Like i'm just you, KNOW i might mix in some change, ups But i'm not really throwing many breaking. Balls i'm just kind of like nice and easy and then that, WAY i, can you, know start moving back slowly and it's not LIKE i don't feel rush and then you, know you got bicep barking or something like. That who catches YOU i play catch? With like When i'm throwing, pins or just in? General who plays? Catches your dad play? Catches no cole sands with the. Twins we grew up, together so we've we've been throwing he's not catching your? Bullpens, No, no we Usually so we have a mixture of. Guys there's a there's a couple of pro ball. Guys there's some guys up AT fsu that will you. Know, YEAH i live In. Tallahassee, yeah interviews.

00:37:33
Speaker 1: Over guys out for the rest of the. Interview so let's bring in mister.

00:37:40
Speaker 4: Whatever what was your school crat?

00:37:43
Speaker 2: University you, know you, know everybody knows it's a, Powerhouse but what's the longest you ever took? Off because we just had this conversation the other. Day what's the longest you ever Said i'm not throwing a, baseball not because of, injury but because of like it's just, time it's time to take.

00:37:59
Speaker 4: Off, Yeah, so like right AFTER i got, DRAFTED i would take off till like the beginning Of. December but THEN i the OLDER i, got the more it was, LIKE i feel Like i'm like kind of flying through this like every spring. Training you, know my arm's like, achy kind of barking Because i've kind of had to like fly through the throwing program a little bit in my. Standard you, know everybody's a little. Different but so THEN i just started to kind of you, know starting a little, earlier take a few weeks off and kind of ease back into it that, way you, know the arm kind of stays. Moving you, know it gets a little bit of a, break but then it's like the arm stays. MOVING i feel like for, me like the LONGER i take, off it's then it takes longer to like figure out mechanics and you know all that kind of. Stuff AND i didn't like how that felt.

00:38:46
Speaker 1: Cool i'm curious how often does the team check in with you during the off, season and what are the conversations like they making sure you feel? Good are they going over anything that you're working? On who do you talk?

00:38:57
Speaker 7: To?

00:38:58
Speaker 4: Yeah SO i talked To, sweeney our pitching, coach a good. Bit you. Know we'll shoot text back and, forth have some calls like this year where there was a like a minor mechanical thing we were working, on so LIKE i would shoot him some video and you, know ask him, like how do how does this? Look you, KNOW i feel Like i've you, know made a good stride and we just kind of like talk about that run through that kind of stuff because we had been talking about at the end of the off. Season so we Probably i'll shoot them, video you, know every other week something like. That we'll have like a phone call probably you, know two or three times an off, season but usually just shooting text back and. Forth what's your least favorite part of spring? Training mm. Hmm all the? Meetings, yeah we got another meeting coming. Out yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah a lot a lot of. Meetings so, NO i don't fall. ASLEEP i got early. Training i'm, Like i'm.

00:39:58
Speaker 2: Everybody.

00:39:59
Speaker 4: Does yeah, yeah, no it uh you got to be, up yeah it. Is, yeah It's are you a? Napper?

00:40:08
Speaker 2: Cole do you? Nap one of the things THAT i always, said guys go home from games and then they take a, nap and then when the season, starts people'll be, like what they take, Naps but the season starts then and you're like four thirty your normal nap time during spring training is LIKE, bp are you a napper in? Spring so.

00:40:30
Speaker 4: Every now and THEN i, am BUT i try to like fight through it because IF i take a, nap Then i'm Gonna i'm not falling asleep that night AND i wake up the next, day Then i'm, tired and it just it starts it all over, again and then you want to nap, again AND i try to just avoid. It like whether that be just like get up and like go sit outside or, SOMETHING i don't. Know just try to stay. Away that's the greatest.

00:40:52
Speaker 7: THING i.

00:40:53
Speaker 2: Tried to eliminate them. All right before we let you, go we Had vinie On Team. Italy not going to get into. THAT i want to know, now since You're Florida State tallahassee, guy do you And jack trash back and?

00:41:07
Speaker 4: Forth? No not, really because HE i didn't go to F, SU i didn't go To. Florida but, YEAH i mean kind of hard to it's kind of hard to talk. TRASH i, means got a really, good really good baseball, team football, teams you, know Beat alabama and then it just kind of went. Downhill so that Was, yeah that was tough to. WATCH i thought we were going to be national champions for a, second and then everybody got humbled really. Quick it all came crashing.

00:41:38
Speaker 2: Down, hey call last.

00:41:41
Speaker 1: ONE i know it's early in, camp but can you just throw a name out pitching staff. WISE i, mean it could be a young guy, too he's not even ready, yet but anybody that we should keep an eye on this spring to watch when spring training games.

00:41:53
Speaker 4: Start Mm james. McArthur he's been hurt for a little, while but he's back and he looks freaking. Good pump to see him face some headers and get in the game.

00:42:06
Speaker 1: Action, yeah it's been a, Minute, Okay, YEAH i like that good. Name, Well, cole thank you for the. Time it's good to see. You enjoy, camp stay awake during the meetings and we'll catch during the.

00:42:16
Speaker 4: Season. YEAH i appreciate you. Guys thank you