Tommy Kahnle talks free agent life, ALDS G5, Skull’s greatness

00:00:04
Speaker 1: All right, we are pleased now to be joined by longtime Big League believer Tommy Cainley. Tommy, thank you so much for joining us. How's free agency treating you?

00:00:14
Speaker 2: Thank you?

00:00:14
Speaker 3: I'm here, Uh, to be honest, I haven't really gotten into any free agency stuff yet, so I'm sure it's gonna be picking up here in the next few weeks. You know, we got I think the owner of meetings at the end of the month, and uh yeah, it should be interesting. Right now, just kind of enjoying the family time at home. My daughter's birthday is today. She's turning four, so it's gonna be a chaos when she wakes up from nap here.

00:00:45
Speaker 2: Before the way.

00:00:48
Speaker 4: By the way, happy birthday to your daughter. But the shirt's tired. And by the way, how are they ranked ahead of Miami? But Miami beat him? It doesn't make any sense bias joining conference anyways.

00:01:01
Speaker 2: This way.

00:01:05
Speaker 4: One team beat the other team. And here's here's my bone. I have to pick with you. I see you in the playoffs, right and I and you're on you know you're sitting there, you're on the phone. I just walk up to you and just try to give you knuckles, shake your hand. You don't even acknowledge my existence, you know. And then we walk into the clubhouse in Seattle, and I think the Eagles were losing, so you had. The Phillies lost, the Eagles lost, the Yankees lost, Notre Dame probably had lost that weekend. You were just not a happy person, Tommy. Don't take it out on me because all of your teams were losing at the same time.

00:01:40
Speaker 2: Okay, thank you. It's that passion, man. I don't tell you. I don't know.

00:01:46
Speaker 3: He's always there for everything, fandom. I loved it, always there by the way. I love the fact that you're not. I mean, I just walk in there and your teammates were all over.

00:01:57
Speaker 4: You about the Eagle. I think the Eagles had lost, the Notre Dame had, I don't know they were. They were all over you. I had never seen teammates get on one guy more than they were. Just they just were piling on. It was fun to watch.

00:02:12
Speaker 3: I've been dealing it with with it for my entire life. So that's from friends from some weird you know, grade school through high school, onto my college buddies, my minor league buddies, everybody Cratzy sure has seen it.

00:02:26
Speaker 2: He's seen it.

00:02:28
Speaker 5: You are a target? Why Why are you a target? Why do you think that is?

00:02:31
Speaker 4: Why?

00:02:31
Speaker 5: Why do you think that is? Let's tell them to it.

00:02:36
Speaker 2: I like to wear my stuff. I like to flaunt it. You know, I don't know what ty.

00:02:41
Speaker 5: You have two lockers. You have two lockers, one with your baseball stuff and one with all your jerseys. So you flaunt your team and then when they win, you say, yeah.

00:02:49
Speaker 2: I'm baby, it's not wrong. Hey, what are you gonna do?

00:02:55
Speaker 5: All right? So you ride the highs of your team? How did you did you ride the highs of your season this year? We talk about it, We talk about it all the time. You you know, the Tigers were nails the beginning of the season and then struggled in the second half. Everybody knows it. Did you feel like your struggles were part of your personal struggles were part of the team struggles. Did you feel like it was something that you were starting to get worn out? It was the most innings you had thrown in a season since I think nineteen, But before that it was like when you were a baby, Like what was it that for you personally kind of made the struggles? But then also like how do you during that time, how do you try to get back to like being you, being the Tommy Kinley that had like a one to five, one seven ERA in the first half of the season.

00:03:54
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:03:56
Speaker 3: I think it was a culmination of everything. I mean, I, like you said, it's been six years since I pitched as much and basically pitched an entire season, So I think I probably got a little tired. I know, Uh, I was fighting through like a little bit of a calf thing, so I don't know if that had anything had to do with it, but there was a culmination of that. You know, shoulders starts barking a little bit here and there, But overall I felt, you know that I could, you know, keep.

00:04:24
Speaker 2: Going out there and contributing.

00:04:25
Speaker 3: But uh, at the same time, you know, obviously that's when we started our little trajectory down.

00:04:31
Speaker 2: So it was, uh, it was going hand in hand.

00:04:34
Speaker 3: But I don't think, uh, you know, our struggles kind of affected me personally. I just you know, I tried to keep all the guys, you know, upbeat, like, hey, like this this stuff happened.

00:04:47
Speaker 2: Like you know, you're on good teams. I've seen this happen. You go through spells where you lose you know, five.

00:04:52
Speaker 3: Six, seven, eight, nine games in a row, and then next thing you know, you flip switch during the corner and you're back off. But I felt like, you know, it happened a couple of times. Maybe it's just snowball too much for us, and we just never kind of really regained that, like just the magic that we had those first couple of months. It kind of flashed here and there in the playoffs, I feel like, but it just never really culminated to the team. We were those first you know, three four months of the season, and I mean I was, you know, not generally too happy with my performance in July.

00:05:29
Speaker 2: Obviously, so.

00:05:33
Speaker 3: Looking back on it, I mean, obviously that one month was killer, But overall, I feel like, you know, I finally pitched an entire season, you know, being able to contribute and helping the team. Maybe not through that time, but overall, you know, the entire season, I feel like, I, you know, I did a pretty good job.

00:05:52
Speaker 2: Maybe the numbers.

00:05:53
Speaker 3: Don't show it, but hey, I feel like, you know, I stuck with it, hung in there. You know, mentally, it's tough to go through times like that, so to come out of it after you know around later August, I think is when I started to kind of re regain that form again, and it tried to help these guys winkrats.

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00:07:15
Speaker 4: I think y'all did a great job. You guys went through what you went through. Then you beat Cleveland, you beat them to go to the next round, and you, you know, whatever you want to say about the next series was one of the best series I was ever a part of. Those five games are unbelievable, like ups and downs and ins and outs and twists and turns. But what does it mean Because you mentioned you were struggling. I know this when I talked to Hinch, he never lost faith in you, right, and he would still put you out there. He puts you in situations. So what does that mean as a player that even though you think, oh man, I'm really kind of struggling, but Hinch just kept running you out there in all kinds of situations. I mean, as for me as a former player, I would say, all right, this guy believes in me. Maybe I am still pretty good.

00:07:56
Speaker 3: Yeah, I definitely. You know, I went through probably a few weeks there where I kind of just got kind of pushed to try to just get me into different situations to try to get that form back. But he was really you know, he kept going to me, and I wanted the ball I mean, it's not like I'm gonna shy away from it. It obviously going out there and not performing is that's that's the that's the name of the game is you know, perform. But uh, it was it was I think I got mentally worn out a little bit. He he we had a talk after the season. He definitely agreed with me on that one. I feel like it just kind of snowballed a little bit too much, and and then I it was just too late by then, and I was just kind of, you know, looking up at the scoreboard a few times here and there and just going, oh gosh. But he did believe, you know, he kept getting me in there, and later in the season I started pitching those late in scenarios again. So it it definitely turned around, which was the positive part of the season. But obviously I'm still you know, not too fin it like my overall season, because I feel like I can avoid that that month if I just recognize it sooner and you think, you know, I've been in the league for over ten years now, I would have probably figured that out by now.

00:09:13
Speaker 2: But still learning, so that's.

00:09:16
Speaker 5: Always always making adjustments. I want to go to that game five I want to go to what you're watching. You're watching your offense. And I joked about it on here, like had the Tigers continued to play, I don't know that you guys would have.

00:09:32
Speaker 2: Scored a run.

00:09:32
Speaker 5: Do you see a difference in hitters approaches when it comes to extra innings in the playoffs, because normally you get a run around second and it's like, well, you know what, this is probably going to be done here, oh blooper base it, Okay, we're going Do you see a difference because when we got into extra innings in that game, but when you guys, we I was just watching the game. AJ was sleeping on the broadcast. Is there like a are you sitting in the bullpen? Like, go can I get a line drive from somebody? It's like strike out, pop up, strikeout, pop up, ending over.

00:10:10
Speaker 3: I mean you've been in the bullpen, you know, you know, we we definitely have a lot of stress balls down there. Maybe a couple of times I was like that, but still just like sitting there just waiting, you know, trying to enjoy it. I know a lot of the other guys seemed a little bit stressed out. I mean, it makes sense you're younger. I was like that when I was young, in those playoff situations, like you're ever gonna score? Like can we get it done? But you know, I kept believing, you know, these guys are gonna get it. But uh, you know, obviously we didn't push one across. You know, the crazy amount of scenarios for both teams to you know, push it across sooner.

00:10:44
Speaker 2: But yeah, it was, Uh, it was definitely.

00:10:46
Speaker 3: I could see the stress and it was getting bigger and bigger, so it was mounting. So it sucks, it does, but you know, it was a It was a hell of a run. I wouldn't change anything again. It was I had a blast with these guys.

00:11:03
Speaker 1: Tommy Trek Skoubahl is in all likelihood going to win his second consecutive American League sign award tonight. What did you learn about he? Look, we all know he's great, but what did you learn being a teammate of his, watching him, being around him every day, especially compared to some of the other greats you've been teammates with, like the Garrett Coles.

00:11:19
Speaker 5: Of the world.

00:11:21
Speaker 3: Yeah, his involvement definitely with the younger guys, he's same as I've seen, you know, with other side, young guys around the league, you know, Kershaw, Garrett. I'm sure I've played with quite a few others that I can't even think of off the top of my head. But it his involvement with the younger guys and just with the staff. You know, they're always working with each other, you know, kind of throwing things off each other, you know, back and forth. But just his you know, every day he's in there and doing the same, you know, the routine.

00:11:54
Speaker 2: It's always routine.

00:11:55
Speaker 3: I think it's that's one of the things we need to teach younger kids today is that routine is a big, big thing in baseball.

00:12:03
Speaker 2: And I mean I have a routine.

00:12:05
Speaker 3: I know, younger I try to teach the younger bullpen guys to have a routine, you know, keep the same thing every day. Every once in a while, you straight from it. I mean there's nothing you can do about it. You hit with like a quick phone call.

00:12:16
Speaker 2: But overall, like scooball like, I just thought his routine was pretty flawless.

00:12:21
Speaker 3: So I mean, he just he kept it and obviously you see him, he's phenomenal. It was incredible to watch him all year. I mean, he's a big left. He throwing one hundred. It was insane. So it's a disgusting change up. So I get to admire that while I'm out in the bullpen watching him pitch. So I truly enjoyed watching him pitch.

00:12:42
Speaker 5: All right, Well, your routine when the season ends is to not pick up a baseball and not watch baseball. Did you get to see any of the World Series or did you not see any of them?

00:12:55
Speaker 2: So I could admit that I probably watched Oh boy, maybe one inning, two innings maybe, But how hard was it? Uh? Pretty hard? I just was like, I don't even feel like watching this.

00:13:09
Speaker 3: Just walked, just went, and I was down here watching it late night, and I said, nah, I'm done.

00:13:15
Speaker 2: I wouldn't just play video games? Can you can? You?

00:13:18
Speaker 5: Can you get into that a little bit because I know the years that I lost. I don't know about aj the years that I lost in the DS or the CS. And I love baseball. I love watching baseball. I love watching baseball as much as you love watching all the other sports that you watch. But it was so hard for me to watch it, not because I was jealous, but because it was like, no, I should have been there. And then I'm like, I'm exhausted from what we did play and all that stuff. Can you can you delve into that feeling at all since it's still kind of fresh the World Series just ended.

00:13:52
Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, Cratzy.

00:13:53
Speaker 3: You know you you you lose in a playoff series like that, and it's just it's tough.

00:14:01
Speaker 2: You know, obviously you don't want it to go that way.

00:14:05
Speaker 3: But I come home, you know, I decompress, and like you said, I I don't watch baseball. It's after Game five, Like I said, I think I watched one two innings of the World Series maybe, and uh, I just didn't want to deal with it.

00:14:18
Speaker 2: I didn't want to watch it.

00:14:19
Speaker 3: I want to, Like you said, it's just stuff that goes through your head, like we should be there. I I know it, but you know, it's just one bad pitch, one bad play in the infield, one bad play in the outfield, you know, hit somebody something crazy, but it's just and you start your mind starts racing. So it's just kind of a I don't want to even think about it. It's over, like there's nothing you can do now.

00:14:46
Speaker 2: You know. It took me probably till the next day to really you know it's over like.

00:14:51
Speaker 3: That, I can't there's nothing I can do about it. Like it's the game's over. It's done. So I like come home watch football obviously that's it's football in the air, and I come home. I just watch football and basketball and having a grand time and then basically just getting ran over by my kids.

00:15:09
Speaker 2: Twenty four to seven.

00:15:11
Speaker 4: In video games, you forgot the video games, forgot the end the video games and the video so stuff. Forget the most important thing. Now, you went through a little bit of not an easy free agency last time you were out there. Do you think because of that, you're more like to sign the first deal that comes your way or are you gonna rely on your agent and try to wait it out and get the best deal? Because spring training, right, you have to find a place to live in spring training. You got to figure out a place to live in the season. All those things add up. Is it easier just if the first team comes to you and whatever team that is, and says, hey, Tommy, here's a one year deal, whatever number, and you're like, man, maybe I should take this instead of wait, even though it might be someone saying don't take it.

00:15:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's definitely you know, I have discussions with my wife.

00:15:59
Speaker 2: That's first. Is kind of.

00:16:02
Speaker 3: Once you do get the offers, you kind of have to weigh them. And I generally at this stage in my career, you know, one thing has eluded me, and my agent knows this is, you know, winning a world series.

00:16:14
Speaker 2: So it's not and.

00:16:16
Speaker 3: Everybody can't do it. I mean, you've done it. It's definitely not easy. So that would be the last domino that I would like to, you know, check off the list before I right off. But it's definitely in my mind it's definitely location. Location helps because obviously family, you know, where the team's at. Money is obviously a factor, but you know, there's always things that can change me. And I feel like at this stage, I'm older now and you know, times ticking, so I'm not I don't think I'm just gonna jump on the first first thing thrown out at me. I kind of want to just get teams in there and see who's interested in kind of pick and pry from there and see what they're doing out in the market and all that kind of stuff. So it's definitely like a I feel like there's a lot of things going on for me at this stage of my career, I just don't want to jump on anything. And but I mean, obviously, if you don't, sometimes offers go away. So I mean it's gonna it's gonna be a it's gonna be interesting free agency this time around. So I definitely we'll see at the end of the month kind of how it starts. The weigh out, so I haven't I know, I'm gonna have a discussion here probably within the next few days with my agent just to see what what what we got going here.

00:17:39
Speaker 4: Okay, so you do pay attention a little bit, so that's not true. You do pay attention a little.

00:17:43
Speaker 2: With what I would staying with the free agency stuff, I will.

00:17:46
Speaker 3: Obviously O Okay, you know all that.

00:17:51
Speaker 4: No Notre Dame losing again to the Coast Guard or whoever else like you. But by my favorite part, by the way, I know we we got to get but my favorite part was the team. And I asked you this question, have you ever been to a game at Notre Dame? And you said no? And I was like, typical Notre Dame fan because I lived in Chicago for years and they were, oh Notre Dame fan. They can't name five players and they've never been to a game there, so you're not a real fan. Now, let me get to.

00:18:16
Speaker 2: I can name way more players on Florida than you.

00:18:18
Speaker 4: Go, fine, but that's not true. That's not true. That's one hundred percent not true. But what I want to know is in the playoffs when we and we we always get to meet with the managers and we have hints, right, and he says, oh, when Tommy throws that one fastball and he strikes him out comes in the dugout and so see see see, so you're known for your change up, but you threw a couple of fastballs and you punch some tickets with these fastballs. Is it true that you come in the dugout and you say, see, guys, I can't throw ninety five and I can't strike out guys with my fastball.

00:18:47
Speaker 3: I will say there's times, yes, this year I did come in and kind of nudge them a little bit, all the you know, the coaches and you know players and stuff.

00:18:56
Speaker 2: But yeah, I.

00:18:58
Speaker 3: Mean at the end of the year, you know, I look back on it, I do wish that I threw more fastballs. I think it just was playing so much better this year that we could have utilized it way more. I especially in that last outing. I feel like the Crawford the single, I gave up the kind of like blue pit to write. I don't know if it was a blue or not. I maybe I have no idea, but it just felt like, you know, the I threw a change up almost off off the ground and he sticks the bat out there and it's at the right field. I feel like, you know, you buzz a fastball. He's probably see you later. But you know, I felt like that was a lot throughout the year I was giving up kind of like those you know, ass out hits. Guys are just reaching out there and just kind of like scooping it over the second basement into right field.

00:19:47
Speaker 2: Stuff like that.

00:19:49
Speaker 3: So I feel like those are the times that you know, you come out and let the ninety five eat, even if it was I mean, I think I got Bobby earlier in the year on a ninety four just literally right down the middle, because I guess people just.

00:20:03
Speaker 2: Just don't expect me to throw a fastball these days, So.

00:20:06
Speaker 4: No, they don't, they don't. And and by the way, I wasn't gonna bring up the last inning, so thanks that you did it.

00:20:13
Speaker 2: What are you gonna do?

00:20:15
Speaker 4: I know, but it was it was. It was great everything I know, but I was such a great game and it was so exciting. And then I'm like, I don't want to bring it up because you know the way it went. So you brought it up. I'm glad you've moved on. But it was all of a series.

00:20:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it was. I mean that obviously.

00:20:31
Speaker 3: I can't do anything about that any now, so I can talk about it obviously, But what are you gonna do?

00:20:39
Speaker 1: All right, Well, Tommy, thank you so much for joining us today. We really really appreciate it. And best of luck and your free agency journey this offseason.

00:20:46
Speaker 2: All right, thank you guys. Awesome, See you boys,