The WILD PRESSURE of pitching in Cubs' World Series w/ Justin Grimm & Mike Montgomery | Ross & Rizzo

Anthony Rizzo, David Ross, Michael Montgomery, Justin Grim. Welcome to
another episode of the Lovable Reunion Podcast.
This episode this week is with Mike.
Montgomery and Justin Grim, Unsung Hero and a World Series Hero.
Both World Series Hero closed out Game seven of the
World Series. Welcome guys on our show. It's been amazing
ten years later talking about reminiscent on good old times.
Yeah, the Boys, the back of the Boys, it's been fun.
Grimmer, you you got traded over here in thirteen and
came up right away. I think he had like a
handful of games, right, yep, we stunk fourteen, We stunk where.
Let's get right into it. Where were you at? You
were in Texas? You were a dude there, right, Yeah.
I was a starter in Texas, you know, just finding
my way and then the trade happened.
Obviously wasn't very happy about it at the time. No shit, really, Well,
I was in the big leagues.
You know, they had a lot of injuries, and so
for me, I was kind of like floating, uh, still
finding my way. But you know, then when I got traded,
they were like, you're gonna go to Triple A, And
I was just kind of like, well, well, fuck, like
that sucks, you know, but uh, you know, fast forward down,
all worked out, I guess.
So yeah. I remember seeing Area Area. They were in
the corner, you know, just big broad chests. I was like,
who the hell is that guy? Like, you know, that
was like my first reaction seeing Area But yeah, so
kind of I just came up with.
Him, and Stroke was already in the big leagues, I think, so, yeah,
you all came over together.
Grimmer was such a big part of our teams throughout
the years. I mean, you came in thirteen, but fourteen, fifteen, sixty, seventeen, right,
seventeens were last year. And for me, I tell this
story all the time after I was done playing with you.
In sixteen, we were so good at coming back, and
I put all that on you because your role that
year our bullpen was so deep. Your role was kind
of if we were down two three runs, you would
be the guy that came in. And every time Grimmer
came in, he would bridge the gap for the inning
or two of relief that gave us a chance to win.
And so many times people would ask me, like, what's
it about this team? Why can't you guys come back.
I'm like, well, our bullpen isn't deep enough. And I'm like,
what do you mean? Your back end is amazing, and
I'm like I understand that, but the back end can
only pitch when we're winning and when we're not winning.
If we don't have back end guys, because you are,
no doubt we're a back end guy on that bullpen
as well, bridging that gap and being dominant, we can't
come back.
And you were always that guy for us in sixteen.
I tell that story all the time. Awesome. Yeah.
My big thing was like, you know, Joe, he's calling
down We're like down two runs, we're up two runs.
It could be in the fifth inning, it could be
in the eighth inning. You know, it can get tiring mentally,
but uh yeah, I just kind of after me and
him and talked. He's like, you're the fireman. You're gonna
put the fires out right, and uh, you know, one
thing after it was all said and downe it's like,
you know, like when you start an inning on your own,
you kind of try to get cute next saying no,
you're in a mess. And finally I was like, you know,
I get out all these fires, like can you not
just let me get put my own fire out?
One time? I got to sit here and watch this ship, right, So,
but yeah, well that's.
Why good bullpens are made of the guys that like
in a good staff, because the starter's grinding and then
you know he may have some traffic out there, and
how a team interacts and you know, kind of comes
together is because he trusts when you come in to
put out his fire, right, and then the guy behind
you comes in and puts out your fire if you
don't have it that day. Yeah, And I think that's
a big part of what Riz is getting at is
like the depth doesn't just mean locking down wins. It
means holding a two run deficit. Five Yeah, give us
a chance to score some runs. Because the best teams
I've been on, and we've we've been on those teams
that know how to come back. You never give up, right,
And that was one of our slogans, like we.
Never give up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's important.
Well and then MANI the best trade in Cups history
because you close out the World Series.
Well we'll get to that, but.
Super we thought we were getting a closure the deadline.
We just we thought it was a rale is but actually.
Right right, we get you right right around the All
Star Game early July and Moni comes over and does
this thing.
You're in the bullpen. You're kind of you made a
few starts too, right.
Yeah.
I was in a weird spot because I was in
Seattle and I was like a starter leiever type and no,
you know, just out of the blue cub straight for you.
I'm like kind of like him. I was like, man,
kind of.
Disappointed at the first, but then I realized, like, these
guys are the best team in baseball. They traded for me.
I got to go and find, you know, do my thing,
find what role I'm going to have, right, So I
was like, I didn't know.
If I was going to be in the rotation.
They called me, they were like, hey, you're going to
be in our bullpen. We'll find a role for you.
So it took me a while to kind of jump
in and understand, Okay, am I going to be the
mop up guy?
Am I going to be laid in? And yeah?
So that was the hard part, but like you said,
the team we had was it didn't take long because
I just was able to fit in and be like, Okay,
here's where I'm gonna do and you know, here we go.
Yeah, you could probably.
Relate to this because you manage just about seven how
much did Lester shrowed our bullpen coach at the time,
Chris Bosio, who probably you guys didn't interact with as
much as Leicester you did. And Joe helped with your
roles because it's not easy to be in a bullpen
roll unless you're the closer, the setup guy, right like,
because you guys are such hybrids. Tell me what you
liked about Joe. Tell me what you didn't like. I mean,
if there was things you didn't like.
Yeah, Well, so first I'll say, let's show is one
of my favorite people in the world. Just having him
down there, like he knew when like we could cut up,
and then he knew when to tell everybody get locked in.
And he was funny. He was funny.
He had a good pulse on how to manage all
of us as a group and individually.
Absolutely, and then I interacted with Bozzio a lot. I
love the guy and he was just good at like
coming up to me and just kind of hey, like
I noticed this or that, like.
Yeah, let's let's throw this out and just do that.
There's no bullpen though that I've ever play with that
likes the manager.
You guys are always fucking pissed off and bitter because
you think you should.
Especially everybody, right, well, so that's that'ship. Like you really
got to drop the ego. There's no doubt I wanted
that eighth or ninth inning. Everybody sitting down there does right,
But like if everybody can embrace their role and do
it very well, it's going to pay.
Off when you guys are your own little world down there, right,
Like we didn't you know me personally, Like Lester took
care of you guys, but we didn't like interact with
Lester Shrove that much, you know, like just he took
care of you guys and had that bullpen on lockdown
down there. But to your point of like having not
knowing your role and sometimes doing that going back to
my managers, like you kind of get in and out
of that trust tree, right and you guys feel that
was like I may have a bad outing.
I really want to get back out there. The manager's like,
oh he didn't have the good stuff. I'm gonna get him.
I'm give him a couple of days, you know, just
to try to get on that. And that's a more
so it's just a confidence hit. And then you think
your manager don't have confidence in you when you're like,
I want to get back in the fight because I
had I didn't have my.
Best stuff the other day, you know, for whatever reason.
Yep, that's right.
That's hard. That's hard.
That's a hard I think it's the hardest role. It's
the shortest lived kind of tenure for guys. And and
uh and you got to go out there and be ready.
And you guys know as well being in the bullpen.
The one thing that we had, we had a lot
of healthy guys that posted. Guys posted, you know, they're
ready to go the back to backs. It didn't matter
three in a row, like you guys, And that's a
silences the horses, bro horses.
Yeah, and Joe wasn't scared to go to you. Joe
wasn't scared to ride the ponies. Yeah, you know, And
that's why I love Joe.
He managed to.
Win every single game. And that's the lost for part.
Because sometimes teams will punt a little bit early. Maybe
we've punted a few times, maybe a few games that year,
but we're in it to win.
I want to know, MANI coming over from a team
to the best team where we were comfortable. What was
the vibe when you first walked in. Did you know
we were good? Did you feel a confidence about the group?
It was it was a kind of a hard transition
because I came from Seattle.
We were young.
You know, we had a couple of veterans, but it
was we were a titnque group. But it was like,
I come over, I didn't know what to expect. I
had no idea what you guys had going on, And honestly,
I was just in a I just want to try
to find a role fit in in the sense of, Okay,
how can I help the team.
Just so I don't get shipped out of here?
Right?
That's kind of like your mentality when you're young. And
I was saying with our bullpen, we had guys in
different stages of our careers where you had the stable
and guys, you know, Strophie and these guys that had
been there, Grim had been with the team for a while,
but then you had C. J.
Edwards me.
I know, rob Z had kind of been up and
down a little bit with us, so we're like new
guys on the block and we're kind of trying to
find our way.
With Joe, it was like you're saying, Joe, and you.
Have a good outing, you're probably gonna get called up
the next day, right, so you know, if you do well, you're.
Back in there the next day. And that was just
what I remember.
So if you guys had such when I first got there,
the first personality group and it was almost like a
larger than life person you know group that I just
was kind.
Of let me just go, let me just see what's happened.
I don't want to come in and throwing you know,
you and Lester and Lackey. It's like, Okay, I don't
want to be you know, talking, Let's just listen a
little bit and see where everyone's at, right.
And Gremmor you were here in some tough times, and
I've got to hear the stories of coming in and
uh winning pretty quickly, Like what changed in your vision
when you look back like we sucked and then going
into like oh this where the where are the dudes?
Yeah?
Well, I think one part of that question is we
we had guys like you, Lester, Lackey who.
Had done it before with you know, the Red Sox
and everything.
So y'all kind of understood and set that precedent, uh
going into fifteen, I believe yep. And then also, I
mean I think just when you just start winning, it
gets contagious and you.
Start to realize it as it's happening, and you're like, you.
Want to be a part of it. You want to
be a part of it. Tribute Yeah, yea yeah. Well
the thing too, with the thing too with Bullpens over
my career is like, dude, you guys are on islands.
Like you guys throw at your own time, you stretch
it your own time. The starters are on their own program.
But the starters are at least in the dugout with
feel like I can go if you if you want.
In the big leagues, you can go a month without
seeing a reliever, especially with the clubhouses today, how big
they are.
And that's one thing I loved about Joey's like show up,
get your work in, like I don't want to see
I used to hate and this is more of a
younger thing when I came up, Like Adrian Belcher was
my locker mate.
Yeah, you had to get that probably eleven a m.
I had to if I didn't get to the field
before he got there, Like my locker was like throwing
to shit, and he's the old answer in the fo Yeah,
And so then I go shift into Joe and I'm like, man,
I hated getting there early and just sitting in my locker,
just fiddling, like I got nothing to do for three hours, you.
Know, so I'd like i'd get there, you know, just
get going. I love that.
What's the story you guys looking back and we'll talk
through all the cool contributions. But like when you tell
your friends stories about that team of your assd or
your favorite memory or moment or game, like what comes
to mind.
Yeah, I go with the humble approach.
I'm like, man, I was just a part of a
really special group of people when I was just happy
to be there and then they all come.
On, you know, like, so I just kind of take
that protun you talk about road trips or bus trips
or story carefully.
Yeah, all the.
Stuff that happened outside of the field, like clubhouse bus trips,
you know, pregame rituals, speeches, like that's the stuff that
as a player is what separated I think us, because
I've never been on another team that did that.
Even you get traded over, bro, we're taking shot, we
sweep and take shots.
There's there's interesting going on.
That kind of stuff.
Having been on a lot of teams, you're like that,
we never did that, But you know, does that mean
that's why we were winning?
Maybe?
But you know, we just had the group of guys
I worked with. So it was that stuff that I
remember the most. And then but as far as like
playing wise, I I the biggest thing I remember is
I'm going into the game because I don't I don't
want to let you down, or you or you in
the bullpen. I'm kind of there for you guys. More
than I was to break the curse or what you know,
the winning. It was more just to not let you guys.
That's I mean, that's what this seems about, honest.
Because all the rituals we did on the field, all
the rituals we did off the field. We did take
shots before the games, we partied after the games, but
it was we did it together and it wasn't like
we enjoyed it right, And that's what made us us.
I say, we're like the.
Motley Crew, like we would just come in and reh havoc.
And without I've been saying this to everyone, like without
all the pieces to the puzzle, we don't win, right,
Like without you bridging the gap on a lot of
games that help us with the comebacks, or coming in
and putting out the fires, without you getting traded over
like you came in and the biggest, the most important
part of history.
Right, you are literally part of history forever, we all are.
But you're the last person that I'm jeous. Well you said, right,
he was sorry, you got them. You had no idea.
I didn't know you were going to be in that.
But as part of like looking back on it, you
were ready for that. And I feel like as as
being one of the guys on the team, like proud
because like bro, you came over and got traded and
like it's our job now to make you feel quickly
comfortable and like yourself. And that's what Joe always preached,
like be yourself. If you look hot, wear so when
guys come over, it's like, dude, fit in, you're here,
you go.
This is what we do. You said.
Last night we were talking and telling stories about just
the season you were like Russ had member Thoni. He
was like, I didn't want to let you down and
it was like that guy.
But I was.
But I think like part of that is like we
held each other to a high standard on that team, right,
and you're talking about Lack and you know lack lack,
so was I. But Lack was like an angry to
day he pitched right like angry. Else, Yeah we're angry and.
Don't talk to talk to you guys in the day.
Yeah they were playing, thank god only played once a month,
you know what I mean. It's like it was, but
that was part of that stuff he was talking about
bringing over and that expectation of being great and the
fact we were so close. I look back, like a
lot of guys said nice stuff about me and how
I got my reputation. It wasn't me talking about myself
on my teammates saying nice things about.
Like how who I was and how I treated them.
And when you look back on everything, like these stories
were telling, it's everybody come together as a family because
of all those cool culture and Joe created that because
of the freedom he.
Gave us shit And it's not about me.
Later on it's not about you later on in my career,
so now I'm gonna make it about me. I got
a very good compliment and I got ticked this from you.
The comblem was, I don't understand how you can literally
motherfuck someone right to their face and then when you're
done with the conversation, they're smiling and they feel good
about it, when.
You just buried him.
And that was literally to you, to its tea, how
you can portray and it was a leadership quality that
you had because it was like it wasn't like you
were actually baring something. You were just getting on someone
for the truth out of love, and you would bury
him by doing it, but then you'd walk away feel
good about it. And I like, there'd be times where
I walk away I'm like wait what.
But I felt like, yes, that was me. But I
also gave the most love. I feel like on the team.
When guys, I watched the game.
Oh yeah, you watched fucking one hundred and forty games from.
The bench, I always called myself on my team.
Everybody's like what I was like, you're the back of characters.
Like actually, I was just the best cheerleader on the team.
I sat there and just clapped and watched Miggy, you know,
caught Lester every once in a while, like to say, babysit,
you know, babysit Lester for seven innings and if he's stunked.
They took me out of the game too. I'm like,
wait a minute, I want my bats. You know, I
wouldn't not my fault.
But that culture that was created and those expectations is
I think what made us all good. Everybody was trying
to lift each other up and playing for one another,
and those are the best teams I've been onto.
The bullpen is the most important starting pitching bullpen, right
pitching defense.
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Took advantage of the Giants. They had a weak bullpen
that year and that was kind of their achilles. We
move on, but let's get to the World Series in
that mentality, because the bullpen was in disarray, right, Joe
was going to like two guys for the most part,
it was it was chappy.
It was chappy, and it was chappy. Yeah yeah, yeah.
And your guys' roles were so from what we did
in the season, yeah, so sporadic. You had no idea
how do you guys stay locked in in the World
Series to be your very best?
Well, you came in, you came in bases low with
Game three, game one out.
Well, I felt like a month we hadn't seen you.
I know.
I came in first and second, uh KB bobbled it
like he always makes the play, bobbles it.
Now I got based loaded one out, Mike had been warm,
Davis k hit a gerbel. I understand this, right, We're
going to throw them a ball.
But then it was like, well, now I got Lindor
and I honestly, there was a point I was out there.
I was like, Mike's got.
Lindor, and then I I don't maybe I recall I'm
pretty sure I stepped off the mound for a second.
It was like, hold on, here we go, like locked
it back in.
Yeah, and through six straight curveballs, I'm shaking to the curve.
Ball, the nastiest curveball on the team. Yeah, two years
I was there and appreciate it. Really, I'm shaking and.
Catch Call's time looks over and it was like he
goes like that, and I was like, well, ship, here
we go. I'm either going to walk him in or
something's got to happen. So I remember telling myself, don't
make it nasty, just throw it and it ended up
working in I remember.
That your emotion, we're right there, you're here, I'm here.
I have the emotion of that.
And just because we've been together now for three four years, like, yeah,
I know your wife, like I know you.
So got working well, we fought, we got along, sit Yeah,
you were a staple.
And it's like that emotion seeing you do that and
like reliving that and watching it ten years later is like, dude,
that was fucking awesome.
What a moment.
I just remember my body like it literally had electricity
going through it, Like I was just tingling my whole body,
like you know.
And Mike, you threw what five out of the seven games?
Well, I was going to say in that moment, it
was a relief when you did that, because they had
called down and said you're in if he doesn't the
next batter, so it was either a double play even
if you struck him out, I probably would have been
in there.
So that was like.
Like the weight it was lifted off me because coming
in bases loaded situation, there's there's can fill your feet
when in those moments you're like, oh, that's confident, but
you're also like so scared.
My body there's so much that goes into the bullpen
that no average fan, even if you're such a fan
of the game, you have no idea what these guys
go through every day.
I mean, we get it. We're we've got to I've
got a zero E r A. Yeah, well it's not
about striking.
But in the World when in the World Series, when
when Joe Joe was going to his guys, right, it
was pretty much Chappie.
And well before we got Chappy, it was ron Don
Strophy the playoffs andj.
In the playoffs, I was just like, you were the
left Hey can I take the playoff roster?
Right? I didn't.
I'm like, hey, can I just be on the playoff rosser?
To just be there?
And I think it was just I kind of started
getting people out and Joe just kept saying that many
you're in and it just kind of I think the
way the game shaped in the playoffs that year and
especially the World Series. And it was more of the
matchups too, because you know, he was alway is about, Okay,
here's your batters that we want you to face because
this guy can't hit a certain pass.
Is Joe telling you guys that is that Lester.
I think it's I mean Bosio did a lot of that, Yeah,
and then like did a lot of that, and I
know Tommy was involved in that a lot. So it
was kind of like in all those pitchers meetings, it
was like if we would have played a different team
that had different style hitters, it could.
Have been him on the mountain in the last out.
You know.
I think it was just like four or five hitters.
In the Cleveland line out that he had left handed
kurrballs or like weren't as good at you know whatever
I threw sinker or change up well, you know that combination.
So that was just it was just all a matchup.
And I mean I didn't go to bed.
Till like five am every night in the playoffs and
night it was starting to get light.
Out and I'm like, okay, I gotta get again.
But there was just so much adrenaline because you don't
know if then that night you're going to be out
there to give it up to get the out. Like
the adrenaline spike at NPM is going to be the
highest of your life. Yeah, and that's something that I remember.
I Mean, it took a lot a lot of time
to like calm down.
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Let's jump into that because like obviously the biggest out,
the final out of the World Series. Right, you're you're
down there in the bullpen warming up. You pitched the
night before with multiple innings. Yeah, so like you're and
we've got everybody down there Arietta. Woody had led us
and appearances in that playoff that playoffs, right, so like
what he's a big part and your numbers called.
Well, where are you guys at before like with the
Rangel the speech, because you guys were both in the
come in.
You came in.
I stayed out there with Jake and I believe I
think it was me Jake and maybe Noble.
I'm not sure, but we kind of we came in late.
And I remember coming in to Chapman tearing up and
I was like, ho ship, what did I just walk?
You know?
And guys are like around him. I'm like, this is
our guy. He's being emotional and John and you guys,
I don't know who it was, but and it was
just kind of like a surreal moment, and it just
was quick because by that time it was like Okay,
five minutes later.
Yeah, we're going, we're going. Yeah.
And I remember going out with CJ and going, hey, CJ,
it could come down to one of.
Us and ready and came through and tell him.
When Joe told him, I was surprised because like he walked,
he had two outs and he walked the guy and
I was like, all right, yeah, he.
Took second just for free or whatever, and then it
was a base hit but.
Got another hit. I remember, do you.
Remember that moment like before I went in like the
last out. I remember from my perspective, it was I'd
never seen guys like Lester or I mean, Lackie was
down there, Areata you, a few other Stroke and Rondeau
and they I'll never forget the look they all looked
at me as like please, Mike, please do this, and
it was just like, yeah, I was kind of like nervous.
You know, the cameras are on you as you're going.
It's like twenty stairs, you gotta go down in Cleveland.
But seeing those guys's face faces was like I'm doing
it for them, Like I lost any sense of where
I was in the moment, and I was like these
guys that I've been with and had that bond with
over the last few months, unlike any other team I've
been on, I can't mess it up or I'm gonna
do what I can took for them. And that was
why I always feel that way of coming to that
moment was it was more seeing you know, Lackey and
Grim and less our Arieta's face and doing it okay
for them.
What do you remember about the range leers.
Well, so it couldn't happened at a better time because
obviously the momentum swinging their way, and it was the
crowd was electric, and hit happened. My heart, My heart sunk.
I was like, oh no, like here we go, you know,
but not a lot of people know this. Me and
Strope were warming up while you were pitching the Raja Davis.
Oh woman up, Poppy, it is over.
If the hit that was like Martinez, you're talking about Martinez,
I'll tell you what down. When Joe called down, I
was like Moni's coming in. I was like, why the
fuck you cj out?
Yeah, And but well.
Then I was like in Trophy was in my mind
from a catcher standpoint, he just didn't know where it
was going after the chap It's all master and it.
Wasn't like a left right like Martinez, a switch hitter.
So yeah, and at that time when they pinch hit
Martinez for Coco cris three three.
Before if it was Coco cris I, he was the hardest,
the best against lefties, So there's no chance I would
have been in it was him, but because it was
Martinez and they had said he had not hit a
left handed curveball all season.
Yeah, bro, you didn't have one hit landing.
And that's what I just don't like, I want people
to grasp, is you're young, in your first World Series.
You're going with two outs, a fast down first. Right
before you came in, I was like, well, Rogers fix
is still off c J. He's not quick to the
plate and he's a second and now we're now here
we go again. And you came in and I was like, well,
at least we've got a left a lefty stare at.
Maybe it won't go first move. And then you landed,
breaking ball, strike swallowed, And I'm like, that's impressive. And
then you know, because just that right, just branding that.
First one with all the seven of the World Series,
like everything's on the line, flipping a break, winning you
had a good break in Baltimore.
We win champs, I know, and you do it again.
And it's kind of ironic because to let's see, three
years before, two years before I'd set the International League
I was in Durham Triple A, the record for wild pitches,
like everything, twelve of them came to curve balls, like
I didn't throw a curveball until I signed. Like I
was not a good curveball guy up until a few
months leading into that. I was more of like a
pitchability change up, you know, mix up speed, whatever. And
you know, my Dad's like, it took twenty seven years
for you to be to land one curveball, right, and
that was kind of And I did it twice and
it was like it wasn't even like I don't know,
you know, it's one of those divine intervention moments where
it's like I probably couldn't have done it. And two
years before I couldn't throw a curveball, Like I sucked
at throwing a curveball, and it was like, how did
I end up to? You know, going into that season,
the Mariners were like, you're not going to make our team.
Japan had offered me. I was like considering going there.
Five six months later, I'm on the mountain in the
World Series in Game seven.
Right, and I land all I had to do.
And even warming up for that game, you asked Chad
I was spiking him.
I was.
I came two balls, went to the visiting I was
like Okay, here we go.
It's like a good BP. Think good BP. You're like,
you're worried about your game, you have a bad bullpen.
You're like, I'm locked in out there.
And but that's what I mean.
It was just it was meant to be because I
go in there, and let's be honest, if I give
it up, City of.
Chicago, we're not sitting here.
Yeah we're not.
We're not.
No, if we give it, I let like seven runs in.
The stand. Yeah, yeah, I didn't block one two runs
come in. When in that ninth inning I had.
I was so fucking nervous at first base, like it's
freezing out, it's even colders in there. I put so
much pine tar on my glove. And when when Martinez
hit that ball off you, I'm like, fuck, that's my
because I thought he was a lot faster we had
seen him in the series.
When it fell like a chopper, I was going to
be like, what's going through your mind?
Is the ball's coming to you? Like, don't miss.
I'm playing far off the back, so I'm head down
sprinting and I look up to KB and he has
it with his little smirk on his face, and he
kind of sails it and slips.
I'm like, whoa fuck. So I go up and I'm like,
please catch this.
Yeah, Like I'm so scared because you know, in those moments,
any mistake is like any life changing as much as
winning is life changing. Like any little mistake in that
big moment, you're like forever it hit like it's bad
history in Chicago up until this point.
Yeah, so that but we catch that ball, bro.
The fucking celebration like coming and jumping on you, like
the brotherhood and all of it was just what do
you remember about that?
The celebration, the relief, the parade, Like.
I remember, I mean, like you say, it's it's a blur,
but yeah, and I see pictures and I just remember
the sense of relief of like just rushing through you
the same way the adrenaline, did you know, going into
the moment when the sense of relief was even more
than the adrenaline and being in the middle of the
dog pile and seeing that picture.
Now, oh, it's incredible.
It's you know, it was my first big year in
the big leagues, first full year in the big leagues,
and I was down and out going into the season
and then here I am on the mound to end
Game seven, in the middle of the dog pile, and
it was it was a lot of like just sense
of Okay, finally, you know, I wasn't thinking, but now
looking back in that moment, it was like like, fuck, yeah,
I did it for everyone else. Everyone's happy, but for me,
looking at yourself, I did it for myself, Like how
many people have shitting me out? No one even knew
about me ever. Being the Cubs was like, okay, I'm
the mop up guy. But to go in there and
do that, like it just gave me a sense of like, Okay,
I did it, you know, like.
What about you? She's just running in. I mean, even
if you pop the hamstring running in, you wouldn't have
felt it. You just be like whatever, here we go.
But yeah, no, It's just a lot of excitement, relief
and just enjoyed the moment, the beauty, if her hand
was there.
Everything was all these stories.
Hearing all these stories is like each guy was going
through their own journey, like, yeah, you're you're telling this
story about the curveball, Like, dude, if I knew that,
I wouldn't even my pants even more. Your journey as
I started getting pissed off and.
Getting traded and then where it ended up.
Right, Yeah, and it's the first two years. Hey man,
I think training as a story. I remember, he goes, Yeah, no,
that's that's great. He goes, but we're going to need you.
You were He goes, I got six starters and five spots.
I said, I'm paying six starters and I got five spots.
I was like, all right, the team me and not
going to Rossie and I had going into the playoffs right.
We we were winning the World Series, going with the
playoffs right, and in our playoff share meeting, we gave
out an insane amount of playoff share.
It was a record up to that point. I asked it,
but I think we got with most shares.
Did y'all not mess like so like Tim Buss brought up,
but y'all were messing with Rizzo and like we were
just going through players shares like ah, like you know
Tim Buss, what like quarter and was like, what.
This guy's been with us? He got high. I fought
from my guys down.
That was most his heart generosity came out those meetings.
He was fighting for everybody.
It's good.
Rossie and I had this master plan though, because we
were so close of He's catching on playing first, the
likelihood of us catching these balls to move on or high.
So I caught the DS ball to.
Send us to the CS, the CS ball to send
us to the World Series, and we were like, bro,
we get the trifecta, like this should be worth a lot.
So I get the World Series. I throw it in
the pocket and the rest history but later on that
or just yeah, but are you kidding me?
You know much of in my head?
I'm like not much, just and eight years of like
misery coming to an end, and this is it.
I know, this is my extension waiting for it.
And that was my first saying I know.
So.
So Mike comes up to me, like at some point
during this celebration, like I have this ball like security guarded,
like I have our head security with it. Get it
authenticated right then and there, get it back like you
do not touch this ball right, don't want Champagne on it.
And Mike comes over to me is, hey, Ri is
like you think I can get that ball?
That was my first That was my first ever save
in like any part of my career, Like it was
just mean a lot like my first save ever, and
I'm just like, yeah, fucking right, dude, I laughed the
old body or body. Eventually I ended up giving the
ball back to mister Rickets. Everyone asked me, which you
have to, but it was just like the emotions of
all of it, and well.
The amount of people that asked me like, hey, did
you get that ball?
Ba if it was a game number ninety four of
the regular season.
Yeah, you get it right away?
Yeah, yeah, sure, And so that's everyone asked, like the
number two question besides like how was it?
Say?
It was like did you get the ball? Where's the
ball from your first save? And I was like, well,
you saw Rizzo put it in his pocket, and you know,
I think you did it right though, Like it belongs
in Cooper's Town, which is probably where it is.
So I'll probably here.
I caught the last out in Red Sox and I
kept the ball. No ever, nobody asked me for it.
And then I had it from remember when Kogi came here. Yeah,
I had found out in my time away from that
he had every ball from every save except that one.
He never I don't even think he knew what the
ball was, so I brought it to him here especial.
Yeah, so he's got that now somewhere in his case.
I think, Wow, it's crazy because we've talked about how
the puzzle on our team, like without every single guy
and every character in every role, we don't win.
And the story really isn't complete without.
You, guys the bullpen and like you at the end
coming in and broke, like no one had that on
their card, you closing out games somebody, but you.
Will forever be a part of the hype video.
No, we all rose, but you were ready. You were ready,
and that's testament to our team. It's testament out close
to where and it's the reason we're sitting here ten
years later, reminiscently.
So we appreciate you guys, Love you guys. Yeah, thanks
for your time too. This is amazing. Yeah, yeah, I know.
This is it's fun to talk about because, like you said,
there's stories that you don't.
Know about, but we're getting all yeah right.
I'm getting all the stories and it's fun.
Cheers to another ten years.
Yeah, yeah, do it right?
All right, boys, thank you. That was a great, good one.
Young