Latest / OneLegUpAlex Media / OneLegupAlex Media Welcomes Chris Reyes of USA BASEBALL 3-11-26

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OneLegupAlex Media Welcomes Chris Reyes of USA BASEBALL 3-11-26 · OneLegUpAlex Media

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: All right, and welcome inside One Leg Up Alex Media.
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: It's one of my favorite months. It's the month of March.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: Let's celebrate with some Irish music. Welcome aboard to this
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  Speaker 1: edition on One Leg Up Alex Media. Well here at
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: the one Leg Up Alex Media channel. You know, all
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: of a sudden, the USA could be eliminated. This is
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  Speaker 1: the best roster we've had. I don't understand it. But
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  Speaker 1: on my line with Way right now is Chris Rays
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  Speaker 1: and you are involved with USA Baseball and we met
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  Speaker 1: at the Plotius Baseball camp. Thanks to you know, the
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  Speaker 1: Player Association for having one Lego Blex Media there allowed
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  Speaker 1: us to connect. Chris, tell us what you do with
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  Speaker 1: the USA Baseball. So glad to have you today.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm glad to be on Alex. Appreciate just talking
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  Speaker 2: about USA Baseball. Youth baseball in general is a passion
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  Speaker 2: of mine, so I appreciate you having me on. So
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  Speaker 2: for USA Baseball, there's a division called the NTIS. The
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  Speaker 2: NTIS is the National Team Identification Series. So myself and
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  Speaker 2: Angel Lugo we head the Northeast region, if that makes sense.
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  Speaker 2: So what that means is we have the ability to
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  Speaker 2: identify players from ten years old all the way up
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  Speaker 2: to fifteen years old to eventually make the national team.
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  Speaker 2: But inside of that, Alex is like it's become a
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  Speaker 2: very high end thing for players to want to be
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  Speaker 2: involved with, right because eventually those kids, you know, obviously.
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  Speaker 3: Are the really good players.
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  Speaker 2: They go on to play in college, some go to
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  Speaker 2: play in the pros, players such as Josh Note from
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  Speaker 2: Long Island who is a first rounder, Aiden Ruiz who's
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  Speaker 2: committed to Vanderbilt. You know, so you get to be
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  Speaker 2: around those kids at a young age, You get to
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  Speaker 2: pour into them, and you know, it becomes really just
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  Speaker 2: a fun situation to be around them.
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  Speaker 1: All right, special guests. I mean, who are the big
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  Speaker 1: games I've come through to be part of these clinics, camps,
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  Speaker 1: whatever you want to call them.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, So for New York City, Aidan Ruiz is definitely
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  Speaker 2: a huge on trying to think who else we have here,
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  Speaker 2: Danny Corona who got drafted by the Pirates, just to
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  Speaker 2: name a few, and then along the way kids that
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  Speaker 2: went on to make the regional team, which if you
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  Speaker 2: follow us on Instagram, that's the red team. Each each
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  Speaker 2: region has their own color. We have red, but those
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  Speaker 2: are two of the notable names. We had some kids
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  Speaker 2: that go on to play in the pros, you know,
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  Speaker 2: big time college commits that are playing in the ACC
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  Speaker 2: and the SEC. But like I said, Alex, it's really
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  Speaker 2: fun to watch them when they're ten and eleven years
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  Speaker 2: old and you're.
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  Speaker 3: Like, you know, that kid has something special in him.
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  Speaker 1: I want to talk about that because I've seen camps
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  Speaker 1: and even in November, you could tell the kids that
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  Speaker 1: were motivated, and not that everybody's not motivated, but you
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  Speaker 1: could just tell the kids that have it and maybe
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  Speaker 1: the kids that don't. And I'm sure you could tell
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  Speaker 1: that early on. So how do you approach both, you know, parties,
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  Speaker 1: the ones that you know could have a chance of
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  Speaker 1: the show and the ones that may be just doing
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  Speaker 1: this because they love baseball.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's the beauty about USA Baseball and you
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  Speaker 2: could probably see it in the World Baseball Classic right
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  Speaker 2: now is like USA Baseball just the organization as a
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  Speaker 2: whole has created just a fun atmosphere, right you know.
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  Speaker 2: So the first thing that I always analyze, and this
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  Speaker 2: is something that when I talk to Jeff Shaffer, who's
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  Speaker 2: the head of everything, and Angel Lugo, is like, we
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  Speaker 2: want to create a fun experience, right, and the kids
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  Speaker 2: that are having fun between the ages of ten and
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  Speaker 2: twelve and thirteen are going to make it to the
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  Speaker 2: next level just because of pure passion. Right now, if
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  Speaker 2: you couple that with discipline, hard work, good academics, you know,
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  Speaker 2: obviously that's going to take you to the next level,
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  Speaker 2: which of you know, means possibly playing at a really
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  Speaker 2: good high school or you know, being a kid that
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  Speaker 2: can get committed to a college. Right, So you obviously
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  Speaker 2: have to be talented, you obviously have to love the game.
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  Speaker 2: But with USA Baseball, and if you follow us on
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  Speaker 2: social media, we're looking for a very specific person, right.
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  Speaker 2: I don't want to say it's the total package, but
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  Speaker 2: we put character at a very high level in terms
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  Speaker 2: of the pecking order here. So when you when you
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  Speaker 2: take those three and and you go to identify a
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  Speaker 2: kid that is ten or eleven or twelve years old,
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  Speaker 2: we always look at are they having fun? Do they
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  Speaker 2: respect the game? Do they respect their parents? You know,
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  Speaker 2: those are just kind of like the prerequisites to get
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  Speaker 2: through We we've actually cut kids and I hate to
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  Speaker 2: say that, because they were disrespectful to their parents, right,
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  Speaker 2: or they threw their helmet or you.
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  Speaker 1: Know, that's because that's important too. I mean, yeah, it's baseball.
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  Speaker 1: And maybe they said about all sports, but I do
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  Speaker 1: like baseball is such a character building outlet in general,
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  Speaker 1: and that's that's where it starts, you know. And then
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  Speaker 1: I want to know about Chris Rays though, Coach Chris,
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  Speaker 1: tell me about your upbringing. How did you get involved
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  Speaker 1: with USA Baseball? Yeah, I in general, I mean.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, we'll start. We'll start with little Chris. So.
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  Speaker 2: I grew up on Staton in Staten Island, New York,
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  Speaker 2: which is one of the five boroughs in New York City. Uh,
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  Speaker 2: some may know it as a forgotten borough. Baseball, as
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  Speaker 2: many know in Staten Island is a very very very
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  Speaker 2: serious thing. Kids go on to play in college, they
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  Speaker 2: go to play in the pros. We have numerous people
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  Speaker 2: in the World Baseball Classic right now, if it's for
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  Speaker 2: Team Italy, Frank Menichino, Matt Festa, Jason Marquis, who was
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  Speaker 2: a good friend of mine. So I grew up in
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  Speaker 2: a culture alex that was very very serious about baseball.
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  Speaker 3: If that makes sense.
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  Speaker 1: Oh yeah, Look, you got a low league team out
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  Speaker 1: there that always makes it as a private always, I
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  Speaker 1: mean come on now exactly.
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  Speaker 3: So baseball is very serious. I took it very serious.
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  Speaker 2: I then went on to play at Tottenville High School,
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  Speaker 2: where I played there for four years under Tom Tierney
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  Speaker 2: senior Tom Tierney Junior, went.
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  Speaker 3: To Brookdale Community College for.
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  Speaker 2: Two years in Red Bank, New Jersey, and then played
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  Speaker 2: to the College of Staten Island for two years.
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  Speaker 1: Just now about playing my division at Queen's College right now,
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  Speaker 1: And yes it is. See, so it's all it's all
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  Speaker 1: small world, you know.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, And they're doing a really good job right now,
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  Speaker 2: Coach Morrow and one of my good friends, Tommy Lano there,
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  Speaker 2: they're really starting to creep up the ranks very quickly. Actually,
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  Speaker 2: you know, they're redoing all their amenities, their weight rooms,
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  Speaker 2: their turf field. So you know, I grew up in
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  Speaker 2: a culture that was very baseball heavy, Alex if that
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  Speaker 2: makes sense, and I always took it really serious. And
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  Speaker 2: then in two thousand and six I got asked to
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  Speaker 2: coach at Long Island University in downtown Brooklyn by coach
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  Speaker 2: Don Mayne, Don Maynes and Craignodo.
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  Speaker 3: And it was at that.
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  Speaker 2: Point where I knew that I can make a bigger
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  Speaker 2: impact in the game. So I left college baseball, I
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  Speaker 2: started my own training company called Athlete Player Development, and
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  Speaker 2: in two thousand, eighteen, twenty sixteen, Angel Lugo and Jeff
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  Speaker 2: Schaeffer hired me as the director in New York City
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  Speaker 2: and then they upgraded my title to one of the
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  Speaker 2: assistant Northeast directors. So that kind of brings us to
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  Speaker 2: where we are right now. And you know, I have
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  Speaker 2: the luxury of going to events like Josh Pelacios's event
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  Speaker 2: and Richie's event just to be around instruct and just
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  Speaker 2: be around good people and meet good people and have
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  Speaker 2: fun watching the game.
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  Speaker 1: I got to ask you this because I mean, kids
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  Speaker 1: with disabilities want to play ball too. So has USA
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  Speaker 1: Baseball considered opening and adaptive sports wing and allowing kids
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  Speaker 1: with disabilities to play on that level?
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  Speaker 3: Oh? Absolutely.
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  Speaker 2: When I was in Carrie last year for the Team
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  Speaker 2: National Championships, they did an event with that. So there
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  Speaker 2: were kids in wheelchairs, there were kids that I actually
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  Speaker 2: think there were some kids that were blind playing, which
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  Speaker 2: is really interesting to me. There's actually a blind baseball league,
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  Speaker 2: which I think is the coolest thing ever. So yes,
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  Speaker 2: USA Baseball definitely has that just to kind of open
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  Speaker 2: up USA Baseball. In what they do is they have
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  Speaker 2: all these different branches that cater to coaching, that cater
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  Speaker 2: to the idea of players, that cater to college recruiting.
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  Speaker 2: So yes, they do have a branch that does cater
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  Speaker 2: to those to those people.
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  Speaker 1: Yes, well, I might have looking to it as a
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  Speaker 1: thirty four year old, I will love the game, So
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  Speaker 1: I gotta see what's up with that.
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  Speaker 2: I don't think there's an age limit, Alex, to be
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  Speaker 2: honest with you, So if you can play, we'd love
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  Speaker 2: to have you and carry.
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  Speaker 1: I'll take a look. All right. I want to ask
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  Speaker 1: you about this team because it's the best roster. I mean, look,
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  Speaker 1: there's been a lot of Hall of famers that I've
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  Speaker 1: played for USA Baseball, Tino Martinez gold medalist in nineteen
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  Speaker 1: eighty eight and a friend and whatnot. But this roster
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  Speaker 1: kicks ass.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: So first of all, how are we on the brink
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  Speaker 1: it fields like? And secondly, I still say that's winning
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  Speaker 1: the championship or at least going to that champion game,
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  Speaker 1: don't you.
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  Speaker 3: I do.
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  Speaker 2: I hope they make it out to Miami because I
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  Speaker 2: was hoping to go there. I have friends that are
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  Speaker 2: heading to the games and hoping that USA Baseball will
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  Speaker 2: be there.
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  Speaker 3: I just think it's it's the game we play.
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  Speaker 2: I know Mark Derosen made a little slip up there
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  Speaker 2: on media last night talking about how we were a
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  Speaker 2: shoeing to the to the next round, which I don't
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  Speaker 2: believe was the truth at the time.
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  Speaker 1: But the lineuplowkward two and I love PCA. Okay, hey,
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  Speaker 1: but I didn't realize you still had to win last night.
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  Speaker 1: And look, I guess you said Harper, it was very
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  Speaker 1: odd decision, but hey, you know what, they're still I
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  Speaker 1: think they're still going to have advanced. But the lineup looking
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  Speaker 1: at it now was the little awkward.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: I think he made that decision because he thought he
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  Speaker 2: could let the foot off the gas a little bit.
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  Speaker 3: But what a lot of people didn't recognize.
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  Speaker 2: I was actually going doing some homework here on the
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  Speaker 2: Italian roster, and I think and I was watching social
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  Speaker 2: media and scrolling through and they're like, how did we lose.
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  Speaker 3: To Team Italy? How did we lose to Team Italy?
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  Speaker 2: What people don't realize how because like Team Italy has
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  Speaker 2: some of the best young prospects in baseball, right, you
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  Speaker 2: got Jack Caglione, Andrew Fisher. I got a whole list here.
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  Speaker 3: Who else.
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  Speaker 2: You know, you got Kyle Tiel, you got veterans like
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  Speaker 2: Adam Ottavino. You know, these guys are staples in Major
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  Speaker 2: league organizations. And you know, I think we downplayed Italy
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  Speaker 2: a little bit and we and we kind of left
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  Speaker 2: the foot off the gas, and I think, you know,
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  Speaker 2: they crept in and did what they do. Like some
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  Speaker 2: of these guys are first rounders, you know, you know,
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  Speaker 2: potential Major leaguers in the next few months here, and
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  Speaker 2: I think we did let our foot off the gas.
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  Speaker 3: And you know, time will tell.
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  Speaker 2: But I believe that that roster is good enough, effective
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  Speaker 2: enough and has enough depth to actually, you know, get
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  Speaker 2: back and create momentum.
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  Speaker 1: Have you had any kids that you coached years ago
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  Speaker 1: now in these rosters, I mean, have you been seeing
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  Speaker 1: that they're making the Classic or what.
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  Speaker 2: So not the World Baseball Classic per se. They have
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  Speaker 2: come from other regions, obviously, like the southern California region
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  Speaker 2: has like the Machados of the world. He played for
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  Speaker 2: USA Baseball, Bryce Harper, I have to do some research.
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  Speaker 3: That's actually a great question. I'm going to ask Jeff that.
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  Speaker 2: But I don't believe that we have one currently, and
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  Speaker 2: I have to double check to see if we had
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  Speaker 2: one four years ago.
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  Speaker 3: You know, you've got kids.
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  Speaker 1: If they don't do this in the Olympics, so I
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  Speaker 1: can't really ask you had any Olympian you know, kids,
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  Speaker 1: because they don't do that anymore. They did up until
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  Speaker 1: the ninety six or ninety one of those early nineties Olympics.
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  Speaker 1: Now it's not there, and so oh yeah, I often
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: wonder what would happen if they did bring it back.
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  Speaker 1: That would be kind of fun, wasn't it.
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  Speaker 2: I think it would take on the same vibe Alex.
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  Speaker 2: To be honest with you, I think baseball in America
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  Speaker 2: is such a hot thing right now and has been
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  Speaker 2: for a long time that you can put you could
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  Speaker 2: put this event in the middle of the ocean somewhere,
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  Speaker 2: and I think people would watch it. I think it's
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  Speaker 2: a great event for youth baseball. I can say just
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  Speaker 2: listening to kids as I do my training and I
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  Speaker 2: had a camp in North Carolina. Everybody's talking about it
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  Speaker 2: on the lower levels, which is really fun to watch
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  Speaker 2: right and watch and see because kids don't typically watch
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  Speaker 2: Major League Baseball.
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  Speaker 3: They just don't. They don't, you know.
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  Speaker 2: They're a little bit of few kids will watch college baseball,
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  Speaker 2: but to have kids watching baseball again is an awesome
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  Speaker 2: thing to watch.
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  Speaker 3: It really is.
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  Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I was gonna say, because you were doing
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  Speaker 1: a cam, I'm sure that must have been talk of
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  Speaker 1: the town now. And I'm not mistaken. USA Baseball has
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  Speaker 1: posted when the twelve US and the Team US and
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  Speaker 1: all these you know, these levels are playing in tournaments, right,
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  Speaker 1: I feel like they just got promote that. But I
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  Speaker 1: brought you on because I'm like, we gotta bring more
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  Speaker 1: awareness to what you guys do. We gotta get because baseball,
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  Speaker 1: I don't know, it just it it's different, right, So
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  Speaker 1: we still want to keep that magic alive. And I
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  Speaker 1: feel like through you baseball, that's how it's staying alive.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, you know what it is, Alex And And that's
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  Speaker 2: a great point. And I get that a lot. I
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  Speaker 2: get that probably two or three times a week. You know,
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  Speaker 2: why doesn't USA Baseball promote this and promote that? And uh,
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  Speaker 2: you know we The first thing is it's not easy
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  Speaker 2: to make Team USA, right, Let's be honest.
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  Speaker 3: It's not even easy to make the.
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  Speaker 2: Regional team that you know, the country's broke into six
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  Speaker 2: different lanes, so to say. But I go back to
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  Speaker 2: what I originally said, Alex, where we're looking for a
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  Speaker 2: very specific human right. We're looking for kids with high character,
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  Speaker 2: that don't bat flip, that don't disrespect their parents, that
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  Speaker 2: don't disrespect the UH, the umpires, they respect theme, they
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  Speaker 2: play with passion, you know, and our culture unfortunately, because
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  Speaker 2: I get to see a lot of the kids from
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  Speaker 2: ten U all the way to eighteen U around the country,
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  Speaker 2: you know, we have a culture that is not doing that.
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  Speaker 2: So it is very countercultural USA Baseball and they hang
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  Speaker 2: their hat on on that right. They hang their hat
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  Speaker 2: on that. They don't do rankings, and they don't overcharge
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  Speaker 2: for events, and for the most part, USA Baseball events
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  Speaker 2: are free and they're trying to keep it that way.
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  Speaker 3: So I just don't think.
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  Speaker 2: What we're seeing is their brand that they want to
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: put out there, if that makes sense.
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  Speaker 1: You know, I didn't realize herb Brooks said, it's not
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: the name on the back of the jersey, it's it's
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: whole you rep in the front of the jersey. Now
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  Speaker 1: you talk about character, Do kids feel that, all right,
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  Speaker 1: I'm not repping my name, I'm repping the USA. Do
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  Speaker 1: you feel that kind of pride even at the younger levels.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean Paul Skeins played for Team USA. I
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  Speaker 2: believe he came from the Northwest region NTIS and.
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  Speaker 3: All that stuff. Yeah, that's the main thing.
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  Speaker 2: That's the main thing that we have to preach when
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  Speaker 2: we're at these USA NTIA events. For me, it hits
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  Speaker 2: home because my dad was, you know, served in the military,
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  Speaker 2: he was a marine. Uh So if I wasn't to
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  Speaker 2: preach that, my dad from his grave would probably send down,
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  Speaker 2: you know, a bolt of lightning if I didn't preach
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  Speaker 2: that message. So I kind of have I have it
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  Speaker 2: in my heart to do that. It's almost a necessity
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  Speaker 2: for me. But uh, yeah, that that message of of
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  Speaker 2: of country pride and and American crop pop pride is
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  Speaker 2: is the thing that USA Baseball is about. And they're
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  Speaker 2: not they're not uh, they're not getting off off that
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  Speaker 2: message if that makes.
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  Speaker 1: A social media is And Judge has been sort of
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  Speaker 1: Captain America right now with the homer to start the
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: whole thing. And then of course he strikes out yesterday
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  Speaker 1: to end the game. But look, he's human and he
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: didn't really he didn't make the team go down. What
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: ate nothing, I think at one point or something like that.
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  Speaker 3: Nothing.
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  Speaker 1: That's not his fault in that situation. They just got
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  Speaker 1: behind early. But I love social media. You know, the
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: guys here are one day and then he's not the next.
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  Speaker 1: And that's the way we are in today's society.
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  Speaker 3: Hey, listen, you play New York City.
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  Speaker 2: Like I've met Judge and I've been in his in
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: his uh you know, and with people around him, and
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: he talks about that it's not easy to play in
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  Speaker 2: New York City.
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  Speaker 3: You know, it's not even easy to live in New
• 15:10
  Speaker 3: York City. You know that.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's very tough living just as a normal
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: human being.
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: So I give that guy credit.
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: And he doesn't even try to brush it off and
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: you know, try to make it something it's not. He says, Listen,
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: playing in New York City is hard. Being the best
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: player in baseball in New York City is hard. And
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: you know we're witnessing that right now. He goes from
• 15:29
  Speaker 2: being a god one night to you know, I'm sure
• 15:33
  Speaker 2: he's getting.
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: Some death threats right now.
• 15:34
  Speaker 2: But that's part of the game. It's fun and you know,
• 15:37
  Speaker 2: as long as everyone keeps it healthy and safe. And
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: I think it's part of the game.
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: All right. We talk about this off air, but I
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: want to get it on the record to parents. You know,
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: we love our parents and that the dedication they after
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: their kids. I mean, look, getting up at three in
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: the morning, four in the morning to get these kids
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: in terments not easy. But then when they're there, they
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: act sort of stupid sometimes. So how do you how
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: do you sort of get these parents say, look, let
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: the kid enjoy the game, let the ums do their job.
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: Is a challenge you're finding even in the USA world.
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's really hard.
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: I've been in Carrie at our events and I've seen
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: parents acting up and they know they need to be
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: on their best behavior.
• 16:09
  Speaker 3: Right. Carrie is a very.
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: Very countercultural, peaceful atmosphere, if that makes sense, And I've
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: seen parents go crazy. So I think it has a
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: lot to do with Alex. To be honest with you,
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: I think it has a lot to do with we
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: paid for all this, you know, all this stuff, and
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: we're not being given what we've been told or you know, you,
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: as an umpire get paid, you should do your job better, right,
• 16:32
  Speaker 2: And you know that's kind of the message that I
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: hear from parents but I also think they need to recognize,
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: and this is the USA Baseball message. They need to
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: recognize that this is a game, right. This is something
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: that's supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be character building.
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: It's supposed to be something that your kid can come
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: to and feel safe.
• 16:51
  Speaker 3: Right.
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: If you look at the bylaws of USA Baseball and
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: you look at our mission statements, it's all about that, right.
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: And I think because there's so much pressure on these
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: children and nowadays to be the number one ranked player
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: in this state, or you know, making sure they get
• 17:05
  Speaker 2: a college scholarship, or that coach told me that my
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: kid is going to be a draftable kid out of
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: high school. I think you build up this anticipation, Alex,
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: to be honest with you, that becomes a little delusional,
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: if that makes sense.
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: I can see that. And look, also, they're being told
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: to do one sport. I miss the days when kids
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: are told with multiple sports. I feel like, yes, no,
• 17:25
  Speaker 1: you look at Judges' resume. He did football. He deleted
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: basketball too at one point, but he did all these
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: sports he did. How do we get to the specialist
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: society where it's like, all right, you got to focus
• 17:34
  Speaker 1: on this one sport and do it twenty four hours
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: a day, Like that's not healthy for the kid. They've
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: got to do a lot of sports.
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, Well, I think it comes down to the
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: fear of missing out right, where it's like, if my
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: kid doesn't go to this thing, he's going to be
• 17:47
  Speaker 2: left out. My kid is going to miss this this
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: guru trainer, he's going to be left out. And then
• 17:53
  Speaker 2: and I'm not going to mention some of the organizations
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: that do that, but there are organizations out there that
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: playoff of that, right they say, if you miss this,
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: you know your kid is going to be less of
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: which we know that's not how this works. And then oh,
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: by the way, you have to pay five hundred dollars
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: to be there, and you have to take you have
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: to stay in this hotel, not knowing behind the scenes
• 18:16
  Speaker 2: that these people all make money from that. And I'm
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: not saying making money is a bad thing, right, it's
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: all business, But when it becomes corrupt, this is the
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: stuff that we start seeing, Alex if that makes sense, right,
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: and we're starting to we're starting to see it play out. Unfortunately,
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: it's affecting a lot of parents' relationships with their children,
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: and and when I see that, that's what disturbs me.
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: But I see exactly what you're seeing as well.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: All right, ntis any moments that touch you, like, you know, like,
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: oh my god, this kid's helping out another teammate, Like
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: do you see that a lot? Do you see those
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: kind of character building moments? Also?
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I've seen kids like Ada Luiz, you know,
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: not the biggest kid who's now projected to go in
• 18:56
  Speaker 2: the first round, committed to Vanderbilt from Brooklyn Ghosts Stony
• 18:59
  Speaker 2: Brooks School where you know he should have probably got
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: the invite to the next round at USA Baseball and
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: didn't and still went out the next day and had fun. Right,
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: So that's that's great parenting, that's great leadership, you know.
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: So it's little things like that, because you got to remember,
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: these kids are getting bigger and bigger egos alex at
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: a younger age, you know, because they're glorified on social media.
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: So it's little things like that. When I see things
• 19:25
  Speaker 2: like that that you know, you could have a bad
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: game and you're a highly ranked player, touted player. If
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: you can come out and still smile and have fun
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: that next day, that's the stuff that I that I
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: think USA Baseball does very well, and that's the stuff
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: we like to reward, if that makes sense.
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: I mean, I'm looking at these headlines now at the
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: NTIS section of USA Baseball. These kids getting scouted early
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: on too, like our scouts there to see the talent
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: of a young age.
• 19:50
  Speaker 3: So when you say scouted in regards to what.
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: Type of scouting too, no.
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: Absolutely not.
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: We are actually not even allowed to in contract to
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: say that. But they are being scouted for teen USA, right.
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: So there are some organizations, some showcase companies, I'll put
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: it out there like that that tell you, yes, your
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: kid is going to get recruited and scouted at twelve.
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: There is no such thing. I have myself coached division
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: and baseball. I have friends for thirty years, twenty something
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: years that are now current head coaches of the ACC
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: programs and the SEC programs, and they're not allowed to
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: do that. So the answer is no, they're not being recruited.
• 20:37
  Speaker 3: To a college. There is no such thing. I've seen kids.
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: I have specific kids that made Team USA at thirteen U,
• 20:44
  Speaker 2: twelve and thirteen U that weren't even playing baseball anymore
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: at fifteen because they just didn't love the game anymore.
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: So it's something that's being told in the culture, Alex,
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: but it is definitely not true.
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: All right, let me ask you this the NIL world,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: because you've been in college ball, so we can talk
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: about this too. Old has changed football drastically. I think
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: it's changing basketball too, but it's not really You don't
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: really say those headlines yet, but I mean you're talking.
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: I feel like baseball kids just want to play the game.
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: But the iil is it changing college baseball? Are you
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: seeing that?
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, most definitely is changing college baseball. For the top
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: ten percent of kids, basketball and football Division one level
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: is a little bit different in terms of recruiting and
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: scholarship money. But I do have kids in that top
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: ten percent that are going to the Alabamas of the world,
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: the Clemsons of the world. Yes, it is a game
• 21:38
  Speaker 2: changer situation for them and their family. They're being offered
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: hundreds of thousands of dollars to go to these schools
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: in name, image and likeness contracts and other profit sharing abilities.
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: But for the kids that are going to your ordinary
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: like Big Eiet School or in ANYC school or MAX school,
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: I don't think that they have the income to provide,
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: you know that that type of stuff. So yes, it
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: is definitely affecting the higher end kid, but I haven't
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: seen it trickle down yet to the kid that's under
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: the less than eighty percent, if that makes sense.
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: Interesting, So like a D two school, you may not
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: worry about the nil yet because it's just it's different,
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: all right. I gotta ask you this. I feel like
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: they're and my friend johnna On in J Sports said
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: this was this Baseball Classic is what baseball is supposed
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: to be. It'supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: you know, not relaxed, but there's not. I don't know.
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: It just has a very different feel to it. You know,
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: it doesn't be like a regular MLB game. So do
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: you feel like these guys are reflecting what USA baseball
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: is from top to bottom? I mean, are they having fun?
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: Like the kids have fun? Is that what we're seeing?
• 22:48
  Speaker 3: Well?
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: The beauty about this and this is the beauty about
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: living in America. And this is my message that my
• 22:52
  Speaker 2: dad used to send to me as a military. You
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: can live in this country however you want. You could
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: see the game however you want, as long as it's
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: under the rules of the country, and under the rules
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: of the game, you can see it and play it
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: however you want, right.
• 23:05
  Speaker 3: You know.
• 23:06
  Speaker 2: That's why when when we look at Dominican Republic, you know,
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: they jumping around, they're going crazy. America is a little
• 23:12
  Speaker 2: bit more conservative. Team Israel is a little bit more conservative.
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: So I send that message to all kids. If you're
• 23:19
  Speaker 2: respecting the game, play the game however you want, right,
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: as long as you're hustling, as long as.
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: You're taking it serious.
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: I think we're seeing a lot of fun and smiles
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: from Team USA is because they.
• 23:38
  Speaker 3: Well, the first thing.
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: The first thing, in my opinion, and again this is
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: just an opinion, they're not being paid, right, so just
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: start there, right, So the I don't want to say
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: the expectancy is lower, but in my mind it.
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: Probably is lower.
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: The second thing is they're playing for something much bigger
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: than a contract. They're playing for something much bigger than
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: an organization that pays him.
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: Right, and they're actually twenty twenty two. I mean, that
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: was a rough way to lose to Japan, I mean,
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: and they want to avenge that, I think.
• 24:08
  Speaker 3: So.
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah, And when you look at situations like with cal
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: Raley and his teammate I can't say the last name. Yes, yes,
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: when you see things like he's not shaking his hand,
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: that's not maliciously being done. What these guys think this
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: is is a pride thing.
• 24:25
  Speaker 3: And we're at war right now, right in a friendly way.
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: We'll we'll go, you know, to the restaurant afterwards, into
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: the locker room, we'll hug it.
• 24:32
  Speaker 3: Out and we'll have fun.
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: But right now we're at war right now in a
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: peaceful way, and I think we're seeing that play out
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: and I love to watch it.
• 24:38
  Speaker 3: I really do.
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: One of the cool moments for USA Baseball. I've actually
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: got to know a few of those guys over the years,
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: which is special to have that connection. But cal Rally
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: was at MLB store and I'm like, hey, cal nice
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: to meet you. And you know that shout it was
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: basically heard around the world when he hit that homer
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: for the Mariners. I got taking on that, you know.
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: But he just he seems like a really decent guy,
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: stand up guy, and a really good dude.
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: So yeah, he does. He does.
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: They all seem like that, you know. And I think
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: Mark de Rosa when he picked the team and his
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: staff picked the team and he wanted to scout people.
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: I think he took character very serious. I think he
• 25:13
  Speaker 2: took the mission statement for USA Baseball very serious because
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: all the guys like Bobby Wood Junior played on Team USA,
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: I mean skiens Team USA. Like there's a culture of
• 25:23
  Speaker 2: USA Baseball that like really gravitates to the more serious kids,
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: and we're seeing that play out.
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: All right, let me ask you about this. Tarik school
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: Ball has really been a headline because he's gonna go
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: back to Detroit and not play. It's very odd what's
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: going on there. I mean, kids aren't like that at
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: year level, right, Like, oh, okay, well I'm not going
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: to go because I got the travel team to play
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: for now, Like, I mean, that doesn't happen, does it.
• 25:47
  Speaker 3: Oh? And this is a tricky question.
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: So Schoolvill's in an interesting situation because he is a
• 25:53
  Speaker 2: highly touted prospect. He's getting paid a ton of money
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: to his to do his job and be prepared had
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: for his job. This goes back to what I was
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: saying about, like, I think every individual has their own
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: way of approaching this, right, So when he talks to
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: his agent and his you know, his close entourage, I
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: think he can do whatever he wants.
• 26:15
  Speaker 3: That's my opinion, and I want you.
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: To say, but it's a very Scott boris antic. Let
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: me put it that way.
• 26:20
  Speaker 2: I won't say anything about Scott Bors because we have
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: some kids that are represented by him, so I will
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: not interesting. I will not go down that road. We'll
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: just leave it at that. But in regards to the
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: youth portion of it, Alex, it's a mess.
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: Let's put it that way.
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: I've seen kids try to play on different teams in
• 26:41
  Speaker 2: the same tournament. I've seen kids in one summer have
• 26:46
  Speaker 2: fifteen different jerseys in the back of their back seat
• 26:50
  Speaker 2: and they're like, Hey, which team are we playing for today?
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: So if you.
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: Think the school situation is is bad, youth baseball is
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: way worse.
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: In the wheelchair basketball world, I've seen this. So we
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: had kids that graduated from our high school, but they
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: kept playing with someone else till they're twenty one. It
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: was very it was very odd to me. It's like,
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: but you're competing against now, you know. It's very strange.
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: And it's unfortunate though, because it's becoming the ordinary now
• 27:15
  Speaker 2: and I'm starting to see it, like a kid will
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: go to one high school for half the year and
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: then go to the other high school for the other half,
• 27:22
  Speaker 2: and then transfer to another school because they're giving him
• 27:26
  Speaker 2: a guaranteed starting spot. And I don't know what all
• 27:29
  Speaker 2: this means, and I don't think it's a good place
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: to be in for youth baseball culture. But to go
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: back to your the question, it most definitely happens at
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: the youth baseball level.
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: And to me, I think it's like, maybe I get
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: to where it's week's coming from, but if you're committed
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: to USA Baseball or any country, you stick with the
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: country through them. That's just my first feeling on that.
• 27:51
  Speaker 2: But yeah, yeah, I'm the same I'm the same way
• 27:55
  Speaker 2: the thing is. And I can't speak for you here,
• 27:57
  Speaker 2: but for me, I've never entertained someone paying me hundreds
• 28:01
  Speaker 2: of millions of dollars, so, you know, and being prepared
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: to be a guy and risking, you know, as a
• 28:07
  Speaker 2: starting pitcher, the risk is way higher than a lot
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: of these players. It's a tough decision to make. I
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: respect that he came and did what he needed to do.
• 28:15
  Speaker 2: It's not a good look on on on his part
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: to leave in the middle of the event, but it
• 28:20
  Speaker 2: is what it is, you know, it's it's uh, by
• 28:23
  Speaker 2: the way, I guess it's assessing the risk, right.
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: And I love seeing a met prospect and you just
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: got to start this year Nolan McLain on the mound.
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: That was pretty cool to see that. Yeah, let me
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: ask you this because I find that people are go
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: into coaching. I don't know, maybe something I'm in their
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: careers that they didn't pursue baseball further than than the college.
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: What was your story? I mean, did you want to
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: play in the pros? Obviously?
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: Right?
• 28:46
  Speaker 2: I was a heavily recruited kid in high school in
• 28:48
  Speaker 2: New York City. I won the Daily News Player of
• 28:52
  Speaker 2: the Year, so I was in New York City's top player.
• 28:56
  Speaker 2: I was going through some stuff in life. My dad
• 28:58
  Speaker 2: was sick, I didn't do phenomenally well in school. And
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: it's it's the message that I preach to kids where
• 29:05
  Speaker 2: it's like, you know, the decisions you make will affect
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: what happens to you, Right, So the more decisions you
• 29:11
  Speaker 2: make that are better, you're going to get better results. So,
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: you know, did I want to play in the pros?
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: Absolutely?
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: What kid would would sit on a podcast at forty
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: two years old and say that wasn't the case. I
• 29:25
  Speaker 2: personally have a very high faith in God, and I
• 29:28
  Speaker 2: think my purpose and my path was to coach. For
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: a little while, Alex, I was fighting that. You know,
• 29:34
  Speaker 2: it's hard to give it up when you're a really
• 29:36
  Speaker 2: good player and you're all kind.
• 29:39
  Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, it's it's it's tough.
• 29:42
  Speaker 2: But at the same time, my faith led me to
• 29:45
  Speaker 2: believe that there was a bigger purpose, you know. And
• 29:47
  Speaker 2: as I look back now twenty something years I can
• 29:50
  Speaker 2: honestly say that I am a better coach than I
• 29:53
  Speaker 2: am a player.
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: I will tell you that, Well, I was fighting, not
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: my mom, but I wanted to play though I have
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: one leg or whatever, I want to play like I
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: wanted to. But she made the right decision. She made
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: the right call when she's like, you know what, I
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: was about five years old, be on the reporting side,
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: and I think going on that side for me open
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: up a lot of door. Look we're connected because I
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: decided to listen, absolutely.
• 30:15
  Speaker 2: And you do a great job at it and people
• 30:17
  Speaker 2: respect it. And when I met you at the at
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: the event, it's it's light, it's fun.
• 30:22
  Speaker 3: Uh yeah. So I think everybody has a.
• 30:24
  Speaker 2: Calling then anyway, it all worked absolutely most definitely.
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: Well this has been really fun, and you know, if
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: you were in the locker room, well, I guess they're
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: not playing today. But if you're in the locker room
• 30:35
  Speaker 1: owing for, what do you tell these guys? I mean,
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: this is uh, this is going to be a fight still,
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: even if if the advance, it's going to be a
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: bigger fight.
• 30:42
  Speaker 2: I think ahead, Yeah, I mean if I was marked
• 30:46
  Speaker 2: de Rosa, I wouldn't say much different. I would remind
• 30:50
  Speaker 2: them why they're doing what they're doing. And when you're
• 30:53
  Speaker 2: at war, so to say, you don't let your foot
• 30:56
  Speaker 2: off the gas. I don't think you need to remind
• 30:59
  Speaker 2: Hall of famers that they need to play.
• 31:01
  Speaker 3: Hard and you know, uh oh we need to. I
• 31:04
  Speaker 3: don't think they need to judge. I've seen him absolutely.
• 31:08
  Speaker 2: I think sometimes you just when you're in that situation.
• 31:10
  Speaker 2: And I'm not a locker room guy never you know,
• 31:12
  Speaker 2: I coached in college, but I'm more of like on
• 31:14
  Speaker 2: the one on one you know, development portion of it.
• 31:16
  Speaker 2: But I would just remind these guys, like, let's not
• 31:18
  Speaker 2: make the mistake that these players are really good so
• 31:21
  Speaker 2: that we're facing so that that would be my message because.
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: I got two more things, and you mentioned you as
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: a very good friend of Ken Griffy Junior. I mean,
• 31:29
  Speaker 1: what a great name to be a great person to
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: be the ambassador. Have you seen him on interviews and
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: all that has he been doing.
• 31:36
  Speaker 2: I mean, I've met Ken grify Junior once when I
• 31:39
  Speaker 2: was younger, and I don't know a person in baseball
• 31:43
  Speaker 2: that doesn't complement that guy being a gentleman. I think
• 31:47
  Speaker 2: it was instilled with it with his parents to be
• 31:50
  Speaker 2: a good person. He played for Team USA. I've seen
• 31:54
  Speaker 2: him at the Carry Complex in North Carolina. I think
• 31:59
  Speaker 2: anything that I does for MLB develops Jackie Robinson events.
• 32:06
  Speaker 2: I don't think there's anything that guy can do wrong.
• 32:08
  Speaker 2: He's he's that guy in baseball that is well respected.
• 32:12
  Speaker 2: Seems like he's a good human being from what I've
• 32:14
  Speaker 2: what I've you know, encountered with him, and I think
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: he's a great brand ambassador for USA Baseball.
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, he's a legend. I mean, the guy's a legend. So,
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: oh my goodness, what can I say?
• 32:26
  Speaker 2: Every kid wanted to be uh Ken Griffy Junior right
• 32:29
  Speaker 2: when we were kids, White, black, didn't matter what skin
• 32:31
  Speaker 2: color you want to be Griffy and I.
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: Saw him first in A Little Big League that That
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: was my first exposure to him in that movie, and
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: I was like, Oh, this kid's a great player. Anyway,
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: let me ask you about Brad Case and the Lyland
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: the Ducks. Do you funnel guys or do you do
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: any of these kids end up on the independent leagues
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: like that?
• 32:49
  Speaker 3: Yeah? So we've so.
• 32:50
  Speaker 2: I I'm the founder of the Catch Metrics program, which
• 32:53
  Speaker 2: is a catching development program. We've had numerous kids from
• 32:56
  Speaker 2: Long Island because that's where it kind of started, played
• 32:58
  Speaker 2: for the Long Island Ducks. Uh. Specifically, I'm really good
• 33:02
  Speaker 2: friends with the owners over at the fairy Hawks, Eric
• 33:06
  Speaker 2: and Gary Perne and Ray and we have a ton
• 33:10
  Speaker 2: of kids that go to play independent ball. Wait, do
• 33:13
  Speaker 2: you know John Katztids also the I know he just
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: took over as owner from Eric.
• 33:18
  Speaker 3: Yes, yep, I've never met you on but I.
• 33:22
  Speaker 2: Know he's gonna do a phenomenal job because I can
• 33:24
  Speaker 2: just tell but what he's saying and were Liday and.
• 33:27
  Speaker 1: Radio, so I kind of get his vibe and he
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: loves baseball, so it's a perfect match for him.
• 33:31
  Speaker 3: That's what I'm being told that he really loves the game.
• 33:34
  Speaker 2: He loves creating an atmosphere, which is I mean, if
• 33:36
  Speaker 2: you've ever been to the FerryHawks stadium, Alex, It's it
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: is one of the coolest atmospheres. Man.
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: I called the few innings of Fairyhawks baseball a few
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: years ago, So I did you very familiar with that?
• 33:46
  Speaker 2: So you know, you know, the whole atmosphere over there
• 33:48
  Speaker 2: is is something that if they can spark a flame,
• 33:52
  Speaker 2: could be really really good.
• 33:53
  Speaker 3: So go back to your question.
• 33:55
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we've had, uh, we've had a ton of kids
• 33:57
  Speaker 2: that that go there. My high school coach is one
• 33:59
  Speaker 2: of the assistant coaches, Mike Morrow. He's the he's the
• 34:02
  Speaker 2: assistant coach at the FerryHawks and he's the head coach
• 34:05
  Speaker 2: at the College of Staten Island.
• 34:06
  Speaker 3: So yeah, the field.
• 34:08
  Speaker 1: There, CSI uses that stadium, I believe right.
• 34:10
  Speaker 3: Yes they do.
• 34:11
  Speaker 2: Is like when they when they have to play like
• 34:13
  Speaker 2: an upper class game. I guess you can call it.
• 34:15
  Speaker 2: But what's cool is they're getting their own field redone. Uh,
• 34:18
  Speaker 2: they're putting turf at the College of Staten Island, So
• 34:20
  Speaker 2: it's pretty cool to watch.
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: Wait, do you know Chris Soriano because he's a big
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: baseball guy and he's been all over the Yeah. See
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: we have some connection. That's so cool.
• 34:27
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I know Chris since he's a little kid. Absolutely,
• 34:30
  Speaker 3: it's a good dude.
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: Great coach, now announcer.
• 34:32
  Speaker 2: You know we all have Oh my god, he's he's
• 34:34
  Speaker 2: one of those guys in the in the State Island
• 34:36
  Speaker 2: baseball community that has.
• 34:38
  Speaker 1: Been around with Rob Bernardo and Chris Ramanowskis while we're
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: at it, because I know those two kids from Staten
• 34:43
  Speaker 1: Island as well.
• 34:44
  Speaker 3: Rob.
• 34:44
  Speaker 2: I don't know Chris. Yes, Chris I trained when he
• 34:48
  Speaker 2: was a kid. Uh what a great family I trained
• 34:51
  Speaker 2: both him and his brother. Parents are great people.
• 34:53
  Speaker 3: Absolutely, Yes, I think Tottenville.
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: I think my friend Samantha Mason went on the softball
• 34:58
  Speaker 1: side with Tottenville. So it's all like small world here.
• 35:01
  Speaker 3: But we Alex.
• 35:02
  Speaker 2: The one thing I will say is the baseball community
• 35:07
  Speaker 2: in Staten Island is very, very homegrown, and it is
• 35:13
  Speaker 2: well represented not only in sports like professional sports, but
• 35:18
  Speaker 2: in college sports, high school sports.
• 35:20
  Speaker 3: Even into youth baseball.
• 35:21
  Speaker 2: If you come to one of the All Star tournaments,
• 35:24
  Speaker 2: it looks like you're going to a World Baseball Classic game.
• 35:26
  Speaker 2: It's really you know, and these are ten and eleven
• 35:28
  Speaker 2: and twelve year old kids playing, so you should definitely
• 35:31
  Speaker 2: come out come to a game with me. It's actually
• 35:33
  Speaker 2: impressive to watch because the passion that these people have
• 35:37
  Speaker 2: for youth baseball out here is something that I've never
• 35:40
  Speaker 2: seen before.
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: All Right, I'm gonna I'm gonna take up on that offer.
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: One last thing. I think you answered early on, but
• 35:46
  Speaker 1: when they hear USA Baseball, they're like, well, my kids
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: got to be cream of the crop, They've got to
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: be top of the top. But it sounds like you
• 35:52
  Speaker 1: actually do grow these kids and they don't have to
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: be necessarily a vet at twelve years old, you know.
• 35:59
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah. Well.
• 36:00
  Speaker 2: The interesting thing about USA Baseball, and this is something
• 36:03
  Speaker 2: I've come to learn over time, is that it's a
• 36:05
  Speaker 2: It's kind of like a funnel, right, So a lot
• 36:07
  Speaker 2: of kids come in and then what USA Baseball does
• 36:10
  Speaker 2: really well is that they they point them in the
• 36:12
  Speaker 2: right direction.
• 36:13
  Speaker 3: Right.
• 36:14
  Speaker 2: So we have we have open camps, So meaning what
• 36:18
  Speaker 2: does that mean? Open camp does Anyone can sign up
• 36:20
  Speaker 2: and get instruction from the USA Baseball staff. You could
• 36:24
  Speaker 2: also work with one of the directors like myself, Angel Lugo,
• 36:27
  Speaker 2: Terry McFarlane. I mean throughout the whole the whole country.
• 36:31
  Speaker 2: There's a ton of instructors like that. But yes, we
• 36:34
  Speaker 2: do cater to the more serious kid. Right, So you
• 36:38
  Speaker 2: could enter the funnel and just come train with us.
• 36:41
  Speaker 2: But if we think you're one of the top players
• 36:43
  Speaker 2: in your in your state, in your city, we are
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: one hundred percent going to have a conversation with you
• 36:47
  Speaker 2: and tell you, hey, you may you may want to
• 36:49
  Speaker 2: take a chance at making the regional team and then
• 36:52
  Speaker 2: you know there's a really good shot that you can
• 36:54
  Speaker 2: make the national team. Danny Corona right from Brooklyn. His
• 36:57
  Speaker 2: dad is a scout with the Yankees.
• 36:58
  Speaker 3: You may.
• 36:59
  Speaker 2: Danny was at the at the event with Josh.
• 37:01
  Speaker 3: He made Team.
• 37:02
  Speaker 2: USA as a twelve and fourteen year old kids, So yeah,
• 37:05
  Speaker 2: I actually think he's one of that.
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: Clear that doesn't mean you drop everything with school. You
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: still in part go to school, go to high school,
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: play that ball too, right.
• 37:13
  Speaker 2: Yeah, So the USA events are typically anywhere from five
• 37:17
  Speaker 2: to seven days, so it's not like you're leaving school.
• 37:20
  Speaker 3: USA Baseball is.
• 37:21
  Speaker 2: Conscious enough to know how to pick and choose their
• 37:24
  Speaker 2: battles and that's not something they want to battle. But yeah,
• 37:28
  Speaker 2: you know, you'll head to Carry for like a trials,
• 37:30
  Speaker 2: which is like training with the top kids, and then
• 37:33
  Speaker 2: you practice for a week and then you probably see
• 37:35
  Speaker 2: it on social media where you know the twelve U
• 37:37
  Speaker 2: team is going to Mexico or Taiwan. The thirteen U
• 37:41
  Speaker 2: team is developing and Carry just practicing with our staff
• 37:44
  Speaker 2: and the task force. The fourteen U is heading to
• 37:47
  Speaker 2: wherever they're going. It's very similar to watching at the
• 37:50
  Speaker 2: World Baseball Classic, just with the young kids.
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: I want to start end the point where I started,
• 37:55
  Speaker 1: which is you know, when I see these camps and
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: I saw what the process were doing, I was like
• 37:59
  Speaker 1: wall and baseball is not dead. It's very much alive.
• 38:02
  Speaker 1: I mean the narrative is all baseball is this, Baseball
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: is that. But you go to a youth clinic you
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: see that there are still kids that want play the game,
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: and I think that's the most important part of all this.
• 38:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, if I can put this in perspective
• 38:15
  Speaker 2: and this is something I'll send to you, Alex.
• 38:16
  Speaker 3: There's a graph that USA Baseball talks about.
• 38:19
  Speaker 2: It's like a consensus of how many kids are playing
• 38:21
  Speaker 2: baseball each year. Right, So it started with the collaboration
• 38:25
  Speaker 2: with USA Baseball and Major League Baseball in twenty sixteen, right,
• 38:29
  Speaker 2: so that's ten years. We had a really major decline
• 38:33
  Speaker 2: in like the twenty eighteens and nineteens. For whatever reason,
• 38:37
  Speaker 2: kids didn't want to play baseball. Little leagues were down, Babe,
• 38:42
  Speaker 2: ruths were down, American legions were down. Travel ball was
• 38:46
  Speaker 2: a mess. If you look at that same graph in
• 38:49
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty six we're actually above twenty sixteen. I want
• 38:54
  Speaker 2: to say, we're in the twenty million range kids, twenty
• 38:57
  Speaker 2: million amount of kids playing baseball in America, which is
• 39:04
  Speaker 2: far exceeding where.
• 39:05
  Speaker 3: We were five years ago.
• 39:06
  Speaker 2: So to your point, baseball is alive and well and
• 39:09
  Speaker 2: is trending in a very very good direction.
• 39:12
  Speaker 1: I'm so glad you said you feel like a kid
• 39:14
  Speaker 1: at forty two talk about this because at heart, once
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: a baseball get, always a baseball kid.
• 39:18
  Speaker 2: That's right, absolutely, brother, absolutely, And it doesn't matter skin color,
• 39:22
  Speaker 2: it doesn't matter where you're from. Baseball will unite and
• 39:26
  Speaker 2: it always will and always has.
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: Well. I'm so glad we united at that event, and
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: here we are on the eve of maybe the US
• 39:33
  Speaker 1: advancing I love it. Thanks thanks so much for joining
• 39:35
  Speaker 1: us today.
• 39:36
  Speaker 3: I appreciate, Alex. I really respect what you do.
• 39:39
  Speaker 2: Keep it up, and I'm sure I'll see you on
• 39:42
  Speaker 2: a baseball field somewhere very soon.
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: Maybe so all right, Chris rance Ntis National Team Identification
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: Series Director of USA Baseball. Always a pleasure to talk
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: with you, and now finally get you on the podcast.
• 39:54
  Speaker 3: Yes, sir, Thanks brother, have a great day, See you,
• 39:57
  Speaker 3: see you.
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: And that was Chris Rays on One Leg Up Alex Media.
• 40:00
  Speaker 3: You