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Gary Bennett Talks 2006 World Series Reunion, Favorite Memories and Stories, Cardinals Fan Base · Cardinal Territory: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Hello, everybody, and welcome to another edition of Cardinal Territory.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: Jim Hayes with you, and we have a special guest,
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: one of my favorites. Now, the Cardinals are hosting the
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: 20-year reunion for the 2006 World Championship team. My buddy
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: Gary Bennett was part of that, so Big Benny joins
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: us now. Hi, Big Benny. How are you?
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: Good morning. I'm great. Great to be here.
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: It's great to have you. I wanted to ask you
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: about that ball club because... I think as time passes
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: and maybe some of the older fans move on and
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: the younger fans don't know the story of the 06 team. Like,
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: I think everyone knows, well, they had two eight-game losing streaks.
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: They had a seven-game losing streak. And they had a
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: terrible record and sort of coughed their way into the postseason.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: That team was loaded. But you guys had a ton
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: of injuries to get past. And once you did, you rolled.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: Tell me what stands out to you about the 06 team.
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: Well, there's a couple things. And just to piggyback on
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: what you just said, you know, that comes up every
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: now and then. I'll see former players, a couple of
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: them live in the community here. And they always talk, yeah,
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: 83 games. Like, yeah, we did win 83 games. But, yeah, remember,
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: this is a team coming off two consecutive 100-win seasons. Obviously,
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: I wasn't there for those. But then to your point,
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: I think in April– And someone might have to look
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: this up, but I thought in April we had maybe
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: the best start in Cardinal history for an April. And
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: Cardinals have quite a history in case you don't know.
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: So and then I think Albert pulled an oblique. Jimmy
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: had a concussion. I think Eck went down at one time.
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: Scotty went down. And these were all different times. So
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: the first time. Is he got hurt? Is he too?
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: Huge.
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: Is he going down as well? And then, um, so
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: you factor all that in. And like I said, it
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: was at different times, all these stars took, you know,
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: week off two weeks, three weeks for injury at different
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: times throughout the season, which didn't help us. And then
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: once we hit the playoffs, we roll into San Diego
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: and obviously minus Izzy, which was a big loss, everybody
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: was healthy. And it was the first time since April,
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: everybody was healthy. And then We just rolled through the playoffs, man.
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: Played great, and the rest is history. But thinking back
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: to that 06 team, the winter of 05, so after
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: the season ends, I got a call from Scott Rowland,
• 2:36
  Speaker 2: and he asked if I would be interested to join
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: the Cardinals, sign with the Cardinals. And I about jumped
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: through the phone and basically told him yes. But I
• 2:46
  Speaker 2: also told them, hey, whoever you talk to in the Cardinals, say, yeah,
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: I'd consider it because, you know, then they'd have to
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: talk to my agent and hopefully I'd get a few
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: more dollars if I didn't sound so eager. But first
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: of all, I had got a chance to play against
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: them regularly in 04. I was with the Brewers, obviously,
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: and then a fair amount with all the other organizations
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: I was with. So storied history, a team that you
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: had to play perfect against to compete against, just so
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: fundamentally sound, the way they went about the game, the
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: Cardinal way, if you will, So it was the first time,
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: and this is no disrespect to any other team or
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: organization I was with, you know, spring training, every team
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: has hope. You go in the first day of spring,
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: we could do this. Yeah, we could do this. Where
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: the Cardinal locker room, when I walked in spring training,
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: there wasn't hope. It was expected. And that was different
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: for me. You know, and obviously coming off 04 and 05,
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: they were right on the verge of doing, winning the
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: World Series. So for me, it was the first time
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: walking in and the expectation was sky high. And I
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: was so excited to be a part of it. And
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: I just can't say how fortunate I was that they
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: gave me a chance to wear that uniform and be
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: a part of the organization.
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: So Roland is your buddy. And I love him too.
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: Gave me a lot of grief over the years. But
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: he's one of those guys too that there's certain guys
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: like Holiday is my boy, but he didn't love the media.
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: Roland didn't love the media. Great guy. but just didn't
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: love talking about himself. Didn't like having, you know, the
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: camera in his face. Tell me about that guy. What was,
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: what's Scott, what's Scott Rowland like, you know, just in
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: the clubhouse or when you're out, I don't know, shooting
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: quails or whatever guys like you do.
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: I don't know what he's like shooting quail, but I
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: can go. So Scott and I got a chance to
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: play together, came up through the Philly organization together in
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: the Meyer leagues. Then for a couple of years, a
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: part of a couple of years in Philadelphia. So, so
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: to your point, he's a, not a very vocal guy, uh,
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: despises talking about himself. So with a camera in front
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: of him, people asking him questions about himself, you know,
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: how uncomfortable he is. He just, it's not his gig, but, uh,
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: as far as a teammate and, and, uh, a leader
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: by example, you know, not very boisterous guy. Uh, I
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: can't say I've had a better teammate, you know, and
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: obviously we go way back and I like to consider
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: him a close friend. I think he considers me a friend. Um,
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: But as far as a teammate and what he's going
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: to give you day in and day out on the field,
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: there's nobody better.
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: What a defensive player and his offensive numbers. Look him up.
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: I mean, through the roof. And on top of that, yeah,
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: no doubt.
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: But on top of that, Jim, as you know, he's
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: got a wicked sense of humor. He doesn't let too
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: many people see that, but he's a funny fella.
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: Okay, I'm going to tell a story. Now, on this show,
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: when we have a former Cardinal or a former professional
• 5:40
  Speaker 1: athlete on, I ask them questions. They talk. I have
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: a Scott Rowland story. I've never told it before. All right.
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: I'm going to tell him and I'm not going to
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: use the actual word he used. So I'm going to
• 5:51
  Speaker 1: shorten it. But anyway, so Rowland goes to the Reds.
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: Cardinals are in Cincinnati and I want to catch up
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: with him. So he's like, yeah, he go and he's
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: there early. He's one of those guys early. He goes,
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: I'll meet you out on the field. In like five minutes.
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: So I set up two stools, got a camera guy
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: waiting everything. Anyway, and it's early. So there's just some
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: guys in the clubhouse, no fans in the stands or anything.
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: And he plops down and we're like, hey, how you doing?
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: Because we got along good. He's a great guy. Anyway,
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: so I start and I go, you know, great to
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: catch up with our old friend Scott Rowland, who's now
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: a member of the Cincinnati Reds. Scott, how are you?
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: And he screams at the top of his lungs. And again,
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: I'll shorten it. He screams, F you, Jim. So you
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: can't laugh at me because I've been at it a while.
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: So I go, take two. All right, great. Catch up
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: with the great Scott Rowland. Scotty, how are you? F you, Jim. This,
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: I mean, so loud. It's like bellowing throughout the stadium.
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: Like you can hear the echo. It's loud. So at
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: this point, all the Reds teammates that are there run
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: to the field because they could hear some all the
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: way in the back. And they're all looking. I tried
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: a third time. Third time. What a treat to catch
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: up with my buddy Scott Rowland. Louder than ever. And
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: the teammates are dying. Everyone's laughing. So I go, take four.
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: And I go, hello, everybody. Welcome, blah, blah, blah. great
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: to catch up with Scott Roland. He goes, great to
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: see you, Jim. And we did the normal interview. Screaming
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: at the top of it. Like, like Pete, like the
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: cleaning crew was like looking out the window, the other
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: broadcaster show looking at everything's okay. That's just Scotty Rowan. Okay.
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: That's my wife. I want to, I want to ask
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: you about Yadi. I think you played in 60 games
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: with the Cardinals that year. And we're going to talk
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: about that week in August that I still remember. And
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: I know you remember. You know, I'm talking about Bambino.
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: I'm talking about Babe Bennett. Okay. But let's talk about Yachty.
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: Because back then, everyone talked about how good Yachty was
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: going to be, how good he was becoming. But he
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: wasn't full Yachty yet. What did you see in that guy?
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: Well, First thing I tell people, because I get asked
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: about Yachty a lot, and rightfully so, but as good
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: of a player as he was, Hall of Fame player,
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: no doubt about it, he's an even better person. And
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: one of the most selfless teammates I've ever played with.
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: But his focus and his attention to the small things
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: in his preparation, things that not a lot of people
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: outside the clubhouse, and actually not a lot of people
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: outside the pitching staff and other catchers would notice. He
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: took such pride and helping or trying to do his
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: best to help our pitchers be as successful as they could. So,
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: you know, and I would kind of a analogy would
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: be like an offensive lineman. You know, when you do
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: your best job, the quarterback and the running back shine
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: and the offensive lineman goes unnoticed. And that's kind of
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: the approach he took behind the plate is, you know,
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: and obviously with his arm and being a weapon behind
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: the plate, throwing guys out, he'd certainly help there. But
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: when things were running smooth, you didn't even notice him.
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: But it was because of him things were running so smoothly.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: So you could tell early on the talent was there.
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: The ability was off the charts. It certainly didn't help
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: to have Benji and Jose, his older brothers in the
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: big leagues, outstanding players as well. So he could pick
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: their brain. I'm sure they were schooling him, teaching him. And,
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: you know, through the ups and downs, giving him mistakes
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: they've made to avoid some of those pit holes. So
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: from that standpoint, you knew early on that the sky
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: was the limit. And then you saw the preparation and
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: work ethic he had. You knew it was only a
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: matter of time.
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: Great stuff. Another guy we kind of got introduced to
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: a little bit. We met Uncle Charlie, Adam Wainwright. became
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: the closer when Izzy went down and Izzy was such
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: an important part of that ball club from a leadership
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: standpoint as well. But then we got to see Adam Wainwright.
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: What do you remember about Waino at that point in
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: his career?
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: So, uh, again, the first thing I'll say is, and
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: this was, I could, this is going to be something like,
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: you know, echo, uh, that clubhouse, they talk about culture.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: They talk about, uh, chemistry camaraderie, and it was once
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: some very, very talented dudes, you know, like you said, loaded, uh,
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: three hall of famers, uh, may potentially five. I mean,
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: one outfield, Jimmy, if you put his stats up against
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: other guys in the hall right now, they, I don't
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: know how you don't make a case he should be
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: in as well, and we'll see what happens with Ueno.
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: So from that standpoint, incredibly talented, but also just first-class
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: human beings and guys with very, very strong work ethics.
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: So my introduction to Ueno, you know, pitchers and catchers
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: get down there early, and then the pitchers will start
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: throwing to hitters, which is some position players outside of
• 11:03
  Speaker 2: catchers that show up early and then to catchers. So
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: one of the first days, you jump in, you take
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: some live pitches off pitchers, And I think Waino was
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: second or third. I didn't know who he was. And
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: I jump in. He throws me a fastball, pretty lively.
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: He throws me another fastball. Then he throws me a curveball.
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: And I know it's coming, and it buckles me. And
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: I turn, and Dunk is behind the screen. I go,
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: who the hell is this? And Dunk just smiled. He goes, yeah,
• 11:29
  Speaker 2: he'll be with us this season. So that was my
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: introduction to Waino. He buckled me. His curveball buckled me
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: when I knew it was coming just in live batting practice.
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: So that's, that's how I got to know him. But,
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: but then from, again, you know, just the work ethic,
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: the attention to detail, you had Chris Carpenter, Mark, Mark Mulder,
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: Jason Isringhausen, you know, some, some Jeff Supan, Jason Marquis, some,
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: some very established veteran pitchers that he got to lean
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: on as a very young guy and, and show him
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: the way, how to become a professional, what it means
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: to be a professional. And, you know, he, He was
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: just latched to their hip and took it all in
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: and ran with it, obviously. So incredible dude, incredible competitor. Again,
• 12:12
  Speaker 2: his attention to detail and his preparation is just a hard,
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: hard worker.
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: All right, we're going to take a break. Before we
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: do that, let me say this because you brought it up.
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: Jim Edmonds should be in the Hall of Fame. The
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: fact that Jim Edmonds is not in the Hall is
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: a crime. It's a disgrace to the sport of baseball.
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: All right, we're going to take a break more with
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: our buddy Gary Bennett. You're watching Cardinal Territory on the
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: Foul Territory Network.
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• 13:38
  Speaker 1: We're talking 2006 Cardinal Baseball. They won the World Series
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: that year. We're talking other stuff as well. Our guest
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: is Gary Bennett, who's a member of that team. In 06, Gary,
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: there was a week in August where Gary Bennett became
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: Babe Bennett. You had four homers in the span of
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: one week. including, I think, a game-winning homer, which was
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: a grand slam, against the Cubs. And I just remember
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: how much fun the team was having with it. Your
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: teammates loved you. They were having a ball with it.
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: What do you remember about that stretch where suddenly you
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: were pool holes?
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, well, it was neat to feel what those guys,
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: what the superstars feel like. It was only a week,
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: but it was neat to kind of get a glimpse
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: of what they feel like on a regular basis, which
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: is pretty damn cool. Um, so I think we were
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: in Chicago the week before the week before the series
• 14:35
  Speaker 2: before that week, um, started. And I think Yachty's shoulder was,
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: was a little sore. He needed a little downtime. So
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: let me, let me go back. So the one thing, um,
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: all the great managers do and, you know, great coaching
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: staffs and organizations is they put players in a position
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: to be successful. And, and one of the early conversations
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: Tony had with me when I came in as a
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: spring training goes, look, here's what we expect to you.
• 15:00
  Speaker 2: We've played against you enough. You've been in the league
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: however many years now, so we've got a pretty good
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: idea of what you're capable of. We don't want you
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: to do any more. Just do what you do day
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: in and day out. Catch your ass off. When Yachty
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: needs a breather, make sure there's no lull defensively, although
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: I couldn't do what he could defensively, but I tried
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: my damnedest to keep it as close as it was.
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: And then, you know, put together competitive at-bats. And if
• 15:23
  Speaker 2: you've got to move runners, if you've got to get
• 15:24
  Speaker 2: a bunt down, if you've got to get a sacrifice fly–
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: Make sure you execute, but don't try to be Babe Bennett,
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: as you say, which is comical. So Yachty goes down,
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: sore shoulder, and Tony calls me and said, we're going
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: to give Yachty a breather. You're going to be a
• 15:41
  Speaker 2: chance to run out there. Hopefully it's four days. If
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: it's five, if it's six, hopefully no longer, but we're
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: going to give him a break. No problem. And at
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: that point, I think we were playing either playing the Reds,
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: or I forget exactly what we were playing, but it
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: was a tight race. And I was in the cage early,
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: just taking a few swings off the tee, thinking, you know,
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: this could go one of two ways. I could, you know,
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: hold my own back here and we stay in the
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: pennant race, or I could screw this up and, you know,
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: be the dog. So, you know, mentally, a lot of
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: people thought, you know, talk about failure and doubt and,
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: you know, this organization, what they expected that year, missing
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: Yachty for five or six days. If I don't go
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: back there and hold my own, it could have been disastrous.
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: So going into it, my only thought was catch my
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: ass off, try to not let there be a lull defensively.
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: And if I get competitive at bats or chance to
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: move guys over, ground ball right side to get an RBI,
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: do that. Well, I can't explain it, and I don't
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: know why. Maybe it's more of the pitchers just hit
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: my barrel for that week than anything I was doing.
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: quite frankly, but I started to square some balls up
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: and find some gaps and drive some runs in, and
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: three or four of those left the park. And I
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: have no rhyme or reason why it happened, but I'm
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: awful damn glad it did.
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: It was big fun. And like I said, your teammates
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: enjoyed it for you as well. I just remember Aaron
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: was having a good time with it. You mentioned the manager,
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: Tony La Russa. What was it like playing for him? Because,
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: let's be honest... Tony is a Hall of Fame manager,
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: but he has some unique characteristics. I know Roland used
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: to make fun, as a lot of the players did.
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: Just your, give me some fun stuff about La Russa,
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: if you haven't. What was it like playing for him?
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: So I was very fortunate, or unfortunate, depends how you
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: want to look at it. So I played for eight
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: major league teams, a lot of managers. And I was
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: very fortunate, the manager I played for, you know, Bruce Bochy,
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: obviously Tony, Ned Yost, Frank Robinson, Fregosi, Boa, Francona. I
• 17:56
  Speaker 2: finished with Joe Torre, but I was on the disabled
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: list pretty much the whole year. So I didn't, I
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: didn't get a chance to play for how much, but
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: got to see the way they all go about their
• 18:03
  Speaker 2: business and, and a lot of similarities in what they do.
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: And then some differences, you know, and like I said earlier,
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: the one thing Tony did with me, I'm sure I
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: wasn't unique in this is, you know, spelled out exactly
• 18:16
  Speaker 2: what he expected from you and held you to a
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: standard and, and, And day in, day out, expected you
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: to do it. The one thing about Tony is kind
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: of a joke. You see him before the game, hey, Tony,
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: how's it going? He goes, ah, I'll let you know
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: in three and a half or four hours, whenever the
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: game was going to be over. But his relentless drive,
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: day in and day out, attention to detail, preparation, I mean,
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: no one did it better. And obviously his record shows.
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: But he was great to me, and I have nothing
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: but great things to say about him. But certainly, like
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: I said, they all have their different ways, their different personalities.
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: But the way they communicate, set expectations, hold you to standards,
• 18:58
  Speaker 2: and I think that's what all the great ones do.
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: One of the best managers in the history of the game,
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: no question about it. No doubt about it. Said he
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: didn't eat meat. Said he didn't eat meat. And then
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: you'd see him eating a piece of a hamburger. Okay,
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: but that's all. What about Yachty? Now, Yachty is in
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: the camera well with me when I still– get to
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: do sidelines. I'm in the camera while Yachty's back as
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: an advisor with the team, has already expressed interest in managing.
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: And Yachty was such a fiery player. I was wondering,
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: can he temper it and everything? And now I watch
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: the way he interacts with the young players and the
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: way he works with them and just his demeanor now.
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: I think he can do it. Do you think Yachty would?
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: And it also takes some seasoning because I think it's
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: hard to jump in from player to managing I know
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: Yachty has some international experience managing. I think he'd be
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: a good one. Just your thoughts about Yachty potentially managing
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: in the big leagues at some point.
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: Oh, I think he'd be phenomenal. There's no doubt about it.
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: And we've seen, like you said, you need some seasoning or,
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: or He's done a little bit internationally, but we've seen
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: guys jump in. A couple jumped in from coaching Little
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: League to becoming managers. So that's not unprecedented. But like
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: I said, the thing about Yachty is the track record playing,
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: but also he's just a better human being. And the
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: way he would pass on knowledge and wisdom and experience,
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: he basically managed the game when he was playing back there.
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: So from that standpoint, he's done it. and studied and
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: prepared every part of the game. So I, without question,
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: think he'd be phenomenal. No doubt about it.
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: All right, we're going to take our last break of
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: the program. You're watching Cardinal Territory on the Found Territory Network.
• 20:48
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• 21:47
  Speaker 1: So the 2006 World Series Champion Reunion is coming up.
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: Gary Bennett, you were part of that. We've seen these before.
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: The Cardinals periodically bring some of you guys back. And
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: I watch from afar because I wasn't part of it,
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: but I know all you guys. And it's almost like
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: when I see you, it's like you guys have not
• 22:07
  Speaker 1: been apart. Like, is that bond always there? Like once
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: you do something like win a World Series? It is.
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: It is.
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: And, you know, everyone I've talked to, not only with
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: the 0-16, but whether it's Super Bowl or NBA championships,
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: you know, or obviously World Series, any championship. It's such
• 22:26
  Speaker 2: a tight bond. You know what you went through, how
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: difficult it is to achieve that. And just the stories
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: and things that happen throughout the season in the clubhouse
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: when you're together. You spend so much time together, the
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: ups and downs. Like you said, the two, eight, eight
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: game losing streaks, a seven game losing streak. You know,
• 22:42
  Speaker 2: some of the bickering in the clubhouse that makes you
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: tighter and There's just such a unique bond that, that,
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: that goes along with that. And it's to your point,
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: anytime I got to see Jason Marquis a few weeks ago,
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: he was in Chicago passing through. So I went and
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: had a cup of coffee with him. And it's, it's
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: like yesterday it happened. Obviously it didn't, it was 20
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: years ago, but you fall right back into, to where
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: you were when we were in that clubhouse. And it,
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: it doesn't seem long ago. And it's, it's, it's, I'm
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: looking so forward to seeing many of these guys. A
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: lot of them I've had a chance to see with
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: some of the, uh, Cardinal charity events, or some of
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: the times I've come to town, some of the fantasy camps,
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: but there's quite a few I haven't seen in 20 years,
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: and I'm really looking forward to seeing them and catching
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: up with them.
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: That's great. You know, the Cardinal fan base, and look,
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: I'm a New Yorker. That's where I was born. I've
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: been here 25 years, and I'll say it. I think
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: Cardinal fans are the best in baseball, but whether or
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: not you believe it, one thing is true about this
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: fan base. Cardinal fans never forget, because It could be grandpa, grandpa.
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: They pass it down to their grandkids, son or daughter.
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: And it's just part of the fiber of St. Louis.
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: Just what was your experience? You played, what, 13 years
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: in the big leagues? Tell me something about the Cardinal
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: fan base that you picked up in your time with
• 24:00
  Speaker 1: the Cardinals.
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: So a few things stick out. I want to say 2002.
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: I hope I got my dates and teams right. The
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: Rockies opened up in St. Louis opening day. And Been
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: part of a lot of opening days. Nothing comes close
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: to opening day in St.
• 24:17
  Speaker 5: Louis.
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: And I think we were staying at the Hilton, and
• 24:20
  Speaker 2: my view, my window, looked right into the stadium there.
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: I didn't know what I was in for, but up early,
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: have a cup of coffee. I pulled the blinds back,
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: and the amount of people that were out there, and
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: I think there were blow-up houses, and everything I saw
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: was red. Streets were already crowded, 8.30, 9 in the morning,
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: and it just floored me. I'm like, what in the
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: world is going on here? So get down, walk to
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: the stadium, obviously bump into a few fans, get in there.
• 24:47
  Speaker 2: And then you see the pomp and circumstance that goes
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: along with, with opening day, the Clydesdales, the hall of famers,
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: the place is packed so much earlier than, than first pitch,
• 24:59
  Speaker 2: which is not common with other opening days. And that
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: was my real first experience with Cardinal nation. Now I
• 25:07
  Speaker 2: played in St. Louis before, I guess that, that was,
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: I shouldn't say first real experience. That was, It was awe-inspiring,
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: you know, because I would come in as a visiting
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: player in years prior, and I'd seen Cardinal fans clap
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: for a play made by the visiting team, which kind
• 25:23
  Speaker 2: of floored me a little bit, to appreciate good baseball,
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: are knowledgeable, and appreciate if the other team does some
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: things well. So from that standpoint, that was before I
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: got to wear that uniform. Those are my earliest memories
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: of it. And like I said, as soon as Scottie
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: called me and said, what would you be signed with
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: the Cardinals? I about jumped through the phone, you know,
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: and it's story tradition growing up, just North of Chicago,
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: you know, Cubs, Cardinals, Mets. It seemed like those were
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: the only games on TV when I was a kid.
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: That's all I remember watching. So, you know, Tommy, her,
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: and I can go on and on Ted Simmons, uh,
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: the amount of players that I just appreciate what Willie
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: McGee and watching Ozzie and, um, the opportunity to wear
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: that same uniform, um, But then you get here and
• 26:10
  Speaker 2: it's the way the fan base treats you. And, you know,
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: if things aren't going well, they'll let you know. But
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: it'll be a casual, nice way of letting you know, hey,
• 26:19
  Speaker 2: step it up a little bit, would you? So whereas,
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: you know, in New York, it might be a little different.
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: So from that standpoint, I said it earlier, I was
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: so fortunate and grateful. And that won't ever leave me now.
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: I'm so fortunate, so grateful, one, for my major league career,
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: but two, to get a chance to wear that uniform.
• 26:37
  Speaker 2: and to win a world series in St. Louis. I mean,
• 26:40
  Speaker 2: it's wrap up every holiday, every snow day, every birthday
• 26:45
  Speaker 2: and wrap it all into one. And that's, that'd be
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: about as close as trying to describe what that felt like.
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: One of the true good guys in baseball, Gary Bennett, Gary,
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: thanks for coming on. I look forward to seeing you
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: at the reunion. And once again, thanks for jumping on
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: with us.
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: We appreciate it. Thank you for having me look forward
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: to seeing you as well, man. I can't wait.
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: That's going to do it for this edition of Cardinal Territory.
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: We'll see you next time. Hopefully that episode won't sell.