Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - 142 | Delmon Young Loves Playing Overseas

Episode Date: May 11, 2020

Delmon Young talks about his relationship with Trevor Plouffe, skateboarding, being the No. 1 overall pick by the Rays, throwing a bat at an umpire, and playing overseas on this episode of Talkin' Baseball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to talking baseball. We have a very special guest today, Trevor Plouffe's childhood friend, Delman Young. Welcome to talking baseball. My name is John Boy. I got Trevor Plouf. I got Jake. We got producer BBD and we got a special guest coming up on today's interview, the Friday episode.

Thank you to everyone who has been listening and being part of this quarantine ride with us. Pretty impressive, the amount of guests we've had. I'll say it myself for ourselves. Two interviews a week with a middle episode. It's quite the fun task. So thank you everyone for allowing us to do this. Jake, how are you doing on this fine? Well, it doesn't matter.

This is going to get released on Friday. We're recording on Wednesday. How you doing? Doing well, James. Two announcements, I'm off steroids for my back. Second announcement, I'm back on steroids. Okay, I was going to say. So that's good.

I'm on the juice, off the juice, on the juice. And yeah, man, Delman Young. I was excited for this because this brings out some of Trevor's roots too. It does. And the reason I wanted to bring him on, not only is like he's just, yeah, he's definitely part of my baseball story. But I think he just gets a bad rep. Like he's been in some stuff, like some confrontations, the media painting. in a certain way, but I know those weren't his true colors.

Like, everyone that's played with him loves Delman Young. So it's nice to, like, have him on here and have him talk about those situations. And sort of, like, clear the air on him. And I think as you listen to him, you'll understand, like, he's just a fun loving guy. The umpire, and I won't, I won't spoil it because we talk about when he threw his bad at the umpire. And it's just a funny story. And then the other thing is that he talks about, well, you know what, let's go to the

interview and then we can recap a tiny bit afterwards. Here we go. Delman Young. All right, we have the special treat. Normally we have one Lehigh Valley Iron Pig, but we have two today. Delman Young joins the program. Delman, how you doing, man? Good, good. How are you guys all doing? We're surviving. All right, man. Yeah, yeah. Day by day. I guess people know you from a couple other teams, twins, tigers, rays, all over. But yeah, man, Trevor's been stoked about this. He says you guys have had a lot of good times back in the day. Yeah, well, I'm first from that forever.

I just turned 12 and you were 11 and we're playing on the same travel ball team. That's right. He used to sleep up. He used to go to his house. It's because all our parents were working and stuff. And then one of our parents would take us to the games or drive us back. You know, a lot of us parents made a sacrifice for all of us to be able to play in all these games and eventually. It worked out for me and Trevor, and the rest of the guys that worked out, just not majorly baseball, but they went to college play.

Now have families and working and everything, but baseball has done a lot for me. Yes, it has. It's funny because you mentioned, like, we used to play together on our travel teams. And when I go back and think about those days, I mean, Delman was, he was a cheat code. Like in those days, you know, when he was 12 and further up past that, but especially in those days, I mean, when the other team saw that we had Delman Young and everyone knew his name and everyone knew what he could do on the field, I mean, the game was over, essentially. we would just wall up people because they were scared of Delman. And Delman would either, and he'd barely even pitch back then. But if we needed you to, we would just like throw Dell on the mound.

And all of a sudden, he's like a 12-year-old nearly pumping 90 miles an hour, which, you know, I think at that time, I don't know about 90, but like definitely like upper 70s, 80s. And then he obviously developed into that in high school. But it was a lot of fun, man. I didn't hit 90 until next year at 13. Was there anyone else on this team? I mean, I mean, Delman's first round pick in 03 and then, Bluf, your first round pick the next year. Is there anyone else?

Who else was on this 12-year-old team? What do you got, Delano? Biggie guys, I think it might have just been us too, but there was a lot of guys that were in our area that were top guys that went into college. And so I think some play pro ball, some that. but it's hard going from 12 and to keep developing and growing and being stronger. And then with all the, especially when you play summer games when you're a little older against the Texas kids and they've been in the wait room for football. You've got the California kids, you're just long and lanky, shaggy hair.

And then you play against the Midwest kids and they're coming out there, 21 15, 16, 17 years old. What, what is this? But. Yeah, I'm trying to think if we had anybody else. It's just hard to keep on, but I think it's just, I think of us too, just so everyone went D1 though. Yeah, I'm not sure if Chris Valeka was ever played on that specific team.

But the whole Valacca family, there's like 17 brothers. We all kind of grew up with them as well. And I think what now? Three of them have been in the big leagues? I'm not mistaken. Yeah, and there's like three or four of them. I know that play baseball. Yeah.

Yeah. And then the youngest one, the one that's playing now, I remember, was like all the brothers I always talked about was better than all of them. Yeah, I love stuff like that, man. That was a good baseball family, and they've done really well with it, which is cool. Do you guys have any, because I mean, that time period, That's around the time. Me and Jimmy kind of linked up together.

And I think at that age, you have, I don't know, some kind of dumb stuff sticks in your head. Like you have a movie you referenced from that time. Like, I don't know. You guys were doing sleepovers and stuff. Like, I've got a group of buddies. If I reference a saving Silverman quote, like they know it like that. But it was like a dumb movie from that time period that we just beat into our brains. Do you guys have any references like that?

if you say something, you jump back to being 12, 13 years old? It's got to be like an assistant coach on that team. I don't know if there's anything like that. I think most teams aren't baseball players, especially baseball players. I think it's usually just a player or the way maybe when your teammates talks or walks or, you know, does that, you know, or someone's, you know, favorite. you know, ad lib, that they always have to say, like, that might be something. I got, I got one.

We had this coach who was, it was basically Hank Steinbrenner for 12-year-old travel ball. Oh, my. Ronnie. His name was Ronnie Michaels, or I think it was Ron. And was his son, Ronnie? Yeah, yeah, yes. It was Ron and Ronnie. Yeah, so Ron.

Big Ron. He was the Steinbrenner. He would, he's the one that got Delman and I on this team. He already had this team. They needed better players. And basically he kind of like recruited us onto this team. And he was a guy who was like, he didn't coach, but he was always in the dugout. And if you needed something, if somebody needed to fly out, if you needed the hotel room, help with the hotel room, which a lot of us did, you know, travel ball is not cheap. this guy was there to take care of it and he just wanted to be a part of this thing man and he was like one of those guys larger than life personality always at the games like he had his like big uh i remember this to the day i die a carl's junior cup we'd have some like spiked ice tea in it

and he would just be living the dream man like kind of like pulling the pulling the strings like you know living his living his dream living his dream live in his dream big Ron he was someone i'll never forget he passed away not too long ago but I'll never forget. Yeah, that was, and also, too, it was like a Steinbrenner. It wasn't like looking for, I need this, I need that. When you go to, because I remember I was with the Thousand Oaks team, you got to pay a lot of money each month, and it was like, it was expensive.

And then we played a tournament with the Philcow angles in it. Ron comes up to my dad's after. I'm like, you know, would you like for him to join this? basically Southern California All-Star team of travel ball players. We do this, we do this, we play in these terms, we go here. We provide all this, and

I was like, all right, yeah, you get to practice and play with a really strong team and it's not coming so much out of your pocket to be able to play baseball. Yeah, that was a big thing. We needed that. I mean, at that time, like I said, you know, money wasn't, money was tough to come by and you got this guy like, hey, I got this team. You want to come play?

I'm going to help take care of a lot of the expenses. We're like, yes, sir, let's do it, baby. And that's how a lot of us got together. Yeah. How about that? That's crazy. I mean, we'll jump forward a ton of years. We'll get back to the beginning of your career, Delman. But when Plouffe makes his debut, the guy hitting in front of him is you. If my research is correct, that's kind of a crazy full circle.

Would you get a kick out of that? like, you know, because you had been in the league for three years. And when, do you remember Plouf making his debut? Was he nervous? I wasn't so nervous because I've been around him so long that he, you know, you can kind of hear him talking and everything and knew that, like, was nervous, but he was poised and ready to, he's been looking forward to that day for so long and working so hard.

Like, he knew me he was nervous, but you're just going to. try to let him enjoy the moment and get everything out the way, get the nervousness, get the first thing up the way. So it was fun, but also too, I got traded over to Minnesota after the old seven season, and me and Trevor were roommates ever since for spring training. So being with them in spring training and playing with them in spring training, it almost just felt like I was always with them. I'm sorry. Not like that, no, either. No, we always had a good time.

You know, Delman was like a big brother. And he was so good at like understanding the big league lifestyle. So he would take care of me, man. It was like he had the place in spring training. I'd go live with him. We'd share a car. And then one year he was like, I'm not sharing a car with you. He got me my own rental car.

Like, I mean, I think I know this answer, but like, I always felt like you were just so good at, like, handling the lifestyle. Like, where did, where did that come from? Well, I had Dimitri in front of me, so, and there was an age difference, 12 years between me and my brother. So, you know, that's the only reason I ever played baseball, you know, watching him play, you know, and then going to, in the summer when you get vacation, you know, following him around in the minor leaves, follow him around the Biggin Beach and everything, and seeing how the older guys, when my brother was younger, tied him, and then he was teaching me then when I got to the Big Lees, you know, they were called Crawford and Rocco Bowelley, and then so then I had my own experience with

the older guys, how we were doing with things, and then going to Minnesota with just a more known with Naur, Cadier, Joe Nathan, you know, he can name a lot of guys. So I always kind of been around the games from so long, and I got called up at 20, so I just been around my whole life to see him things and then just knowing that, you know, winning teams and stuff like that. You know, most guys, you got to get along and, you know, have fun when you have fun when you Yeah, Delman's not going to talk about too much, but like I'm talking like he is the guy who would approach you about buying you a suit. If you're a young guy, like Delman bought me suits. And the

only thing he ever asked in return was that I did the same thing when I became a veteran. And like it's stuff like that that gets passed on from guy to guy. And like you talk to a lot of guys in the game now and it doesn't happen as much. And it's kind of a shame. I understand the the dress codes are getting more and more lax, so it's kind of like you don't need it. But it's, it was a cool experience to be able to have him be like that kind of mentor for me, but like also like I'd known him forever.

So it was like this really special dynamic that we had together. And people, people love Delman. Anybody that's ever played with him, like you ask anybody and like, Delman's one of the best teammates I've ever had. Does he got more juice than you? Because we saw your juice around spring training.

and you're a well-liked guy, he's got you beat? Yeah, probably. About this, yeah, I would say so. You know, he's been... We're even pool power. We're even pool power. Okay. You got that, like, postseason magic, though, man.

So a lot of guys, you know, you made a lot of guys some money in the postseason. Boy, the, my natural swing is lost its right field, and luckily we're at Yankee Stadium for a lot of them. There we go. Yeah, but what about your path from, I mean, you blew through the minor leagues. It was like two and a half to three seasons, really. You get called up at 20. But also you're with the race, the expansion team.

And were you their first draft pick overall? Is that, is that true? No, no, no, no. Oh, no, no. They were draft on a long, maybe 96. Yeah, I had that way wrong. They were two years before they, had the expansion, because of the expansion draft and everything.

No, I was an 03 draft and got called up in 06. When you get drafted by the raise being a California kid and they're like a new team, I mean, first overall is pretty damn exciting. But was there any, like, did you not understand, like, you know, what were the raise all about then? Because, I mean, I was too young to remember, but was it an exciting franchise to go to? spring training kind of new and different. I mean, because they started with an

aging vets, and then the young crew started coming up with you guys and Crawford and all that. By time I was drafted, it was kind of how you kind of started seeing what's the team recent, like the Cubs. When they had some older players and then the younger players started coming up. And then

it's because they still have a really young team. And that's how it was kind of for us. He had an older team earlier, then it got younger. And then Bupinella had Rockaboddell and Carl Crawford playing every day in the big leads, 20, 21 years old, 22. And so starting to transition and Joe Manning came in. And then that's where Joe Manning and Andrew Friedman. When they came in, then Tampa started taking off.

you get and then you get called up your 20 and I was like going through the whole your first that bat and all that and it's a it's a first pitch hit by pitch uh yeah I got the the the the Freddie Garcia welcome to the big leads but it's all any getting hit getting hit by pitch and the big leagues is way better than doing anything and triple like I I didn't eat here like all right whatever uh get on base this is going to be the only way i can go on base i don't walk so uh i was just happy to get on base you know it was kind of it was kind of good because you know my back foot was i'm talking about wobbling in the batters box i was i was finally in the big leagues and um wobbling if he threw me anything over to play i was swung

a minute probably fell down but he hit me and was able to calm nerves. Do you think that had, okay, because we, right before that happened when you're in AAA, I told you we got to talk about this. We had the whole bat incident with the umpire. Yeah, I want to get into that with you a little bit, but do you, do you think that was retribution? Like, was Freddie Garcia, like, pandering for, like, umpire approval when he hits you? Is that something that you thought of at the time? I don't necessarily think it was, oh, I think it was just, uh, 2006 all the things that happened in Durham, North Carolina with that team.

I was a period with the incident. Elijah Dukes had his situation. You know, there was a lot of things going on and it was just the old school baseball that's not really around anymore, which I got one on. I first got up, it was so, boom. Welcome to the big league. So some respect, and you'd be good. And then that was it.

And then what happened the next event? I started taking some gangster hacks trying to get some retribution. And Freddie Garcia, that was still when I start seeing what a real big league breaking ball looks like. They mean, you know, they come right in.

line of the leads, if they're up, they kind of stay up in the big leagues. The thing has so much spin on it. I swung over the buckle bomb. I struck out. But then you try to come with the phase sequence again. My first hit was a home run in the left field. I won't fly and be really excited if I really was, but I try to help like a, you know, I'm supposed to be here.

I've done that before. It's no big deal. Even when I'm like, dude, that's number one. dude I've been practicing every day my whole life just to do this and I finally did it and so it was just it was just a unreal experience I'm just getting a phone call from Andrew Friedman getting on the fight going to my room opening the door I don't have a roommate I was so hot in the road you know five-star in a hotel just a way just to go to the field legal. No, it's just, I feel like rock stars going to the field every day. Yeah, it's a nice,

it's nice. Do you wish, like nowadays it's the tide's kind of changing on celebrations, obviously, and there's the whole let the kids play? Like, do you, do you wish you could have just been your joyous self? Or do you think there's something fun about, you know, or respectful about, you know, acting the ho-hum been there done that? If you go back, do you wish you could have been fittest pump and bad flip in your first home run? if it was a bomb i was going to bat flip it anyway but it had a lot of top spin on it so i had to run with you but uh i think i always let's and let the kids play as long as it's not done um out of spite and you know to show me but you know just a guy hits his home around bat flips just for that

you know just to his team and get the fans up you know i had no problem with it because one thing a lot of people I always say baseball is born but when you take them to a baseball game if he took anyone that said baseball is born to their very first baseball game and it was that Blue Day game they'll come out on a baseball fan

so I think it works in a lot of a lot of ways where it makes the game exciting yeah you're talking about the Batista bat flip that's a big one I love that I love that And I think that's the ESPN showing the KBO games now. And I think the crowds are normally insane. So that's kind of one of the weird things.

Just, well, watching it without any fans. But never mind missing that because they bat flip. They have fun. And I think the game needs more of it and it's coming. It seems like pitchers are getting off their high horse about a little bit. Yeah, you know, because I don't mind if I strike out in a baseball situation. You know, you celebrate me because, you know, that's your job. I've been celebrating if I drove in the runs.

Yeah. But, you know, let the hit her also good because it's hard to hit. It's hard to hit 95. Well, the guys are throwing 100 now. It's hard to hit 9. It's hard to square up 100. It's so hard to make the baseball. Let me enjoy when I hear because, you know, soccer.

They celebrate everything hockey, football. You know, that all the sports sell, but you do something good. Yeah. In 2010, that was kind of your biggest year. You get, I mean, top 10 MVP, you know, 298, 826 OPS, 21 homers, 112 driven in. I mean, was that a year that it just felt like it all came together for you? Were you healthy? Did something happen with your swing?

Or was it just like, hey, this is what I do? new ploof was coming up is best friend from 12 years old yeah uh you just that year was kind of was a different because uh she i have my aprils are terrible and so then you know you're you're trying to make up from such a bad start uh that you start like panicking you start kind of make up all these things that you seem to be worried about. You just worry about playing the game, pitch to pitch, the batts of that, and then worry about all the other aspects of baseball.

But that year, I got out to a hot stop, so it was able to keep my numbers afloat while struggling. Then when I got going, I really got going. everything has worked out with that team we had. I spent my time talking to Mourne Mauer, Kedar all the time. And then that year, I would spend my time with Jim Tomei and Carl Povano, the last group of BP in right field. And Carl will be talking about swing pass or about how he's going to pitch.

He asked Tomey about a guy. I'll talk about what he probably can cover with his type of swing and stuff. Obviously, he's sitting there listening and told me, I'll ask him my question. He would tell what he long, and he would say stuff from what many Ramirez taught him and Albert Bell and all those hairs of the 19-Ease and playlists. And then when he went to Chicago, Paul Conner-Uker, so I just had a lot of information and then I had a lot of guys around me

just to always if something's just kind of slide it off to kind of get me back going so my slumps were lower there were only like a couple weeks instead of like two months so I was just

fortunate enough to have a great team around me great players, great coaches and I ain't going to lie that stadium target feels sick and you can see really well there compared to at the metro i didn't have joe mauer's vision to be able to see as well as he could he can he can he did a blindfold and stuff like that but the target feels it it's a great place that hit the ball doesn't feel as hard because you can see really well i'm diving through the numbers here and

in July of that 2010 season, you had more multi-hit games than you did single or zero hits. You had a 434 batting average. Like that just is an insane month stretch. That had to feel pretty fun. Yeah, it was fun. And I'm glad they didn't have a stat casts out there for it. Because, yeah, I have good numbers. Well, I had some luck.

I had, you know, some balls fall in. this was pre-shift and so I can get balls to go at the middle, I can get balls to go in a five-six hole and so I might have a four-hundred-something average and I hit the ball in wire but there there are some balls going to come off my bat at about 60 miles per hour with a fresh base on the head.

They all count. That counts, man. Yeah, that's what I'm glad that caps of them. Do you think that was the best team you've played on because you played on some pretty good teams. But I mean, I know the 2010 Twins team. I was terrified because the team was so good I didn't want to fuck anything up when I went up there. But then you go to Detroit and you play on those teams.

What's the best team? That Detroit team. The 2012 Detroit team was the best thing. I thought once we got into the play, and we start rolling. You know, we had Burland, Sers, sister, Priscilla,

Annabelle Sanchez, bullpen for days, everyone throwing 95 plus. You had a triple crown one out of rare. Prince, I mean, third, Prince at first.

I forgot Prince. Oh my gosh. Yeah, we just had so filming a year before the 2011 team that we lost in Texas. Because I don't only say

that those teams are The best teams I play are, it's because the starting pitching, you have two for sure guys, those Roma Detroit teams and that rotation are going to the Hall of Fame. Yep. And what those two guys and how well fish served for sale, how well fished all year, and all the things we can beat San Francisco, but those guys who know, they just know how to play some baseball. I got to give them that big a plug.

Those were some great teams. I tell people that all the time about that Tigers team, just how stacked they were. And the pitching staff is definitely, like, why? Like, they were so good. But then you just look at the hitters you have. And, I mean, like you were saying, I mean, you have Prince.

You got Miggie. You got you. Johnny Peralta, Alex Avila, Austin, Jackson. Yeah, I was just, if you forget about Austin Jackson, and how damn good he was that year. Andy Dirk's had a really good year that year. Andy Dirk's, yeah, I remember him.

You had a pretty good postseason there, too. I think you had a big home run in the elimination game in the World Series to tie it in the bottom of the six. All your playoff numbers are pretty good. Did the high pressure situations like that? Did you eat them up, or was it just the same as any other day? For some reason, ever since playoff any playoff game or a big game, my whole life often a few as well. but I got experience from the 08 postseason run of how the game is actually different at different points of the year. Like, since I was coming up in the minor least, you get to spring training, you're trying to make the team.

And you're trying to, while the big dogs, they're getting ready for the season. So, you know, the spring training, there's the beginning of the season, there's the dog days in the middle of the season. And that playoff push from the last two months in the year. And you can just see how guys, I've seen how much like getting as the season on. The routines were better. And they were ready to go out there and win baseball games. So that 08 season kind of prep me.

And then we lost the game 163 to the White Sox. Tomet, it's a homeowner. run so it's one nothing great great great game and then so the next year we ended up 153 and we won it and so I kind of started seeing how everything was basically when we get into the playoffs and we play the Yankees right away I got I got to hit my last of that we got swept and I saw how they pitched differently in the playoffs and they did when we face them through the year or any tapes that we watch and so knowing about the advanced guys during the postseason race.

The last few months of the season, they're just falling you around, getting every detail on you. And so you start understanding why guys struggle in the postseason and stuff like that. Plus the teams are better. Yeah. So you think that you started to understand

the game's different in the postseason, and then as you found that out, you were able to make adjustments. Because you are, I mean, you're kind of like a postseason legend. I mean, you come up with some huge hits. I mean, obviously in Detroit and then that huge swing against Detroit with the Orioles. Was it against Soria? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The hangar up there. You came in and bang that one. So that's cool that's some good insight for people to listen to. Like, it is. I mean, you're saying the beginning of the season is different, middle of season is different, end of the season is different, and the game is all about adjustments. And you were one that was able to really do that. And that's what I'm saying, man.

People love you because you made them a lot of money in the postseason. Yeah, because I'll tell you the one thing about the post season. Whenever the lead off on it doesn't matter how, the score is still tied. Doug used to give it a tie early. I remember just sitting out there, a lead-off guy gets on. We're going to lose this game. Oh, my God, the lead-off runner is on.

Oh, my God, we'll lose one. Nothing. Like, the attention to detail is magnified so much. Oh, a little walk, moving the guy over, everything count in the playoffs. And so that's why I remember some, you know, talking to Buck, talking about the goal of equality. That's why they preach the minor league coordinators and the coaches.

That's the player development. You guys know how to play baseball when they come up there because little mistakes can ruin your whole season. Yeah. And I, you mentioned Buck there a little bit at the end. And I think those Baltimore teams, I mean, they had some talent on them. I know Jim mentioned he wanted to ask you what was going on with young Machado. But we're also a sucker for Buck Showalter.

We're Yankee fans and he's starting to do stuff on the Yes Network now. And it's a comedy show because they, Buck, I don't know your experience with him, but he's not what you expect as a TV guy. The Yes Network put him on the middle of the screen, like in between two guys. and they were just like talking through him. But at the end of the day, he was spitting some awesome baseball knowledge. He was doing some rundown stuff that was really neat. He was talking about pitchers throwing the bases.

And it was like, wow, this guy notices some nuances of the game that are like kind of mind blowing to us sitting here on the couch. So I don't know if that's, if you've got any good buck stories, because if you do, I would eat them up for days. I got good book stories just for like the knowledge of stuff. If you guys want real good book stories, you guys going to get Adam Jones on the line. Yeah. Okay.

You're going to get book stories. But, yeah, Buck was, it was a, it's been the only time for anything I went to in spring training. We, not every day, but every other day, seem like. We would have a quick meeting in the video film room. And we'll talk about how we're going to, what's the best way, you know, to get, like a ball down the line cut off and relay. We're in a shortstop and third base, man,

and where they're going to be lining up that. You know, they have a whiteboard with the diamond on it, and then they're just moving pieces around. And he's really great going over all the small details that he really don't go over that much, or you go over really quick. And then he has a video to show us. So it's almost like I never played football.

So he's just like a film room session of how we're going to do things and how he wants things done show us. We'll talk about it. And then we'll go out break and do our practice stuff. But he really pays attention to every small detail of baseball. Your list of managers that you played for is a pretty impressive crew of like baseball-hardened managers. Gardenhire, Leland, Charlie Manuel, Buck, Sherylter, and then Joe Madden. On the outside, it seems like Joe Madden is much different than those other four. Actually playing for those guys, is there a big difference between any of them, all of them?

Is there a style that you enjoyed the most? You know the thing about it? They're all different because they are similar because they are players' managers. and so they will defend the player, you know, they'll be the one to take the blame in the media. They'll be the one sticking out for everybody. So they're all,

they all have their own things. They're all personal and everything. But Joe, he took it to another level. No dress coat. No vice zone. Be yourself. What's going to hit you show up every day and be a good teammate and bust your butt with all the 25 guys here?

Whatever he needs to do, I don't care what it is, as long as it's illegal. So, it's going to make you at soon as you short to the ballpark to be good in the clubhouse and play the game hard. That's all that he said, I don't care what you do.

You want to sew it all day before you get here and come, go do it. Just what's going to make you, what's going to bring the best out of you? That's how Joe is. Joe was, he wasn't. He's like a psychologist, like kind of going to like a really good one that passed away

about 10 something years ago Harvey Dorfman, you know, a good baseball fight guy to talk to. Joe's really good to understand every individual or his team and not. And one guy to get him going, he might need to yell at the other guy, you might need to baby. The other guy, he might just need to leave alone. The other guy might need to do this. Joe

coming out. his 25-man roster, his 40-man roster, and any player that he's around, he finds out away at the best of them. That's good. I mean, that list is awesome. And like Jake said, I was just curious about when you get to Baltimore,

you're standing next to 20-year-old Mani Machado, who's lighten the world on fire. I think he had MVP votes. But you yourself, you know, second and rookie of the year, You debuted as a 20-year-old. Did you, was it fun to see another young kid or see him at that level? I mean, there's also, like, he was getting in trouble with some dumb things, it seemed like. What was it like to step in that clubhouse and greet 20-year-old Mani Machado?

Well, we all know how the TV could be, the media could be, just when you see something. You can make a big deal with the player. Mani's awesome. Man, he's a dog. Man, he's like, gee, whatever he wants to. So, money is awesome. Mani, you want him on your team. Mani's fine because when I was there, I went to the team,

so I didn't play every day. You know, I play cards with Manny, Ryan Flaherty, Johnson, Skull, but, you know, Hudson Cruz will be around Adam Jones. You know, all the guys are always around, and then on the road trips, we'll take Manny, Scope to dinner. Adam Jones will do that and so we're always hung out with Manning at the field off the field the hotel hotel like Harvard watch TV and stuff like that like sitting next to your turn it on the plan and stuff but man he's a good guy

he's got a bad rap in the media which happens to a lot of people man he's very good you know growing up and Miami taking care of a lot of people and everything. You know, I love that kid. He's a man, mom. He's still a kid to me. That's good to hear about that about Mani, you know, because he does get painted in a negative light.

And I feel that kind of coincides with like kind of some of the stuff that you dealt with as well. Like, you know, you mentioned, I totally forgot about that. There was like the USA Today article about you guys in Durham. And I think there was like a classic quote like you had like we're down in the minor leagues and they're up there in the big leagues showering and Evian waters. Yeah, that was just, it was Duke's. It was Duke's. Duke's is very honest.

And he was just trying to just say that the big leagues is nicer to playing in AAA, which every baseball player knows that. It's just the analogy. And for who said it, they just made it worse. since it was, like, we shower in sewer water, they shower in Avion, which, you know, it's not really true, but if you want to talk about the pay scale, that's kind of what it is.

You know, guys in AAA trying to get to the big leagues to provide for a family and everything, and you want to get to the big leads and make more money and play the sport that you love and be able to support. Anyone that you have to support and be able to play the game, that for me it's the most fun outside skateboarding. It's the most fun thing I ever done in my life. You just made Trevor so happy.

Trevor knows. I think about that all the time. I remember young Delman with like bleached blonde hair, you know, punk rocker, you know, like really like hardcore dude. But I've seen you obviously the progression

as you get a little bit older. And I was the same way. I was a punk guy. and then probably because of you, you and my brother. No, it's where we grew up in California too. It's only hip-hop and punk rock growing up.

They're the United States. Yeah. But no, it's funny. I mean, I love that you brought to the skateboard. I think because people, I feel like people need to know Delman a little better because some of the public perception

is the bat-tossing incident and, you know, that article. But to get like the background, I think is really important. Yeah. If you're saying even with Mandy Machado, He gets a bad rep, and maybe he shouldn't because people just don't know the whole damn story. Yeah, it's like people think from like the hard part of L.A.

gangster or stuff like that, I'm like, bro, I grew up near Calabasas and Malibu, bro. I'm from the soulholds, huh? Skate and relax. I said all we did in my hometown was play baseball and skateboard. That's all. most 10-year-kids did that were doing active stuff and then they start getting in the water under snow and then you know if you get older you know baseball physical out by interest or by talent but you can still go do all the other things but my area is extreme sports and baseball

the, we're going to have like our guys, Kyle and the other editors kind of clip this, this, this incident, but can you take us through the bat in the empire? It was in Potucket, right? Yeah. Can you kind of take us through what happened? Because I think that's like, it's like a funny Yeah, so we'll, we'll dial it back into spring training. So before all that, you know, those old six, just come up from minor league players a year. And, you know, to talk about, you know, he's a complete full spot in spring trainer. I'm like, all right. Cool.

That's all I've been trying to do forever. So, go down there, springtime, flying springtime, and pull you in the office. And then, hey, we just need you to go down here and make sure, you know, you just need to need a little seasoning to get ready and stuff like that. But, you know, you need to have some plate discipline. So I'm like, all right, I could take some pictures, whatever. So there's that umpire strike. And so then they had to go higher, just regular umpires from little leagues, high school leagues,

one of the other leagues. There was turmoil any time of the year with the umpires because a lot of them, the speed of the game was different with the balls moving and stuff. And so these guys couldn't see the balls off the bat on the line because they're coming off the bat hot. balls that are five feet out of hair, balls, cutters that are four feet off the plate,

straight, some balls right down the middle of balls. All the guys are getting frustrated because you're trying to get to the big leaves and I've got to deal with this. And I'd be in a number, so I'm up there and Lester, it was Lester on the mound that day.

And just before he got cancer, and he was nasty. He was like 94-97, late to 6. seen in that hook. You never have that a fighter cutter thing or change if you get it. And the ball is way outside. I'm like, how am I supposed to walk?

If I take a ball, that's off the plate. I'm like, they don't get this tape. What's all? There's some people who's come down as a strike. I'm supposed to be walking and stuff and I can't walk here. No, I'm probably. I'm sorry you know get the fuck out of my

batter's box I was like huh he says get the F out of my guy's box I'm like what

I said what the fuck your your horse crab you you're ringing me up on something way out here yo I say

get the fuck out of here all right so as I'm going back to the day out I'm just going you know make a scene

you know you toss your shit back to the home plate area or You throw the stuff on the ceiling until the bat boy don't pick it up. So you can make a scene.

So how about that, as I'm walking away, and I tossed it backwards. And I got to grab my helmet and toss it. That's where I'm playing. And when I look at home, it just sits right in their chest. And I was like, yeah, just go back to the clubhouse, man. He's gone out to this wear, whatever happened after this, man. did did you so after you tossed it backwards you saw it hit him i was i was wondering if you had to like go see it on camera and be like oh shit uh when i tossed it behind and then i'll turn to um

spike my helmet so it goes in that direction and it just hit off his chest and i was nah yeah yeah it did done well he just walked right into the else. Yeah, just let's go. It's a hilarious video. I mean, you'd feel bad for the umpire because it squares him up, but like the context is important in it. It's one of the all-time videos, I think, because you made your debut like pretty shortly

after that, right? I mean, it wasn't too long after that. Yeah, I think that was April made and I got the, the, they gave me the 50 games. suspension to put it on par with the steroid policy. But the one thing about it, though, there's always something to do that kind of happens at something. So go down to Tampa to Freeman, so you're going to do something.

So I was a part of the wheelchair softball league. You know, doing those charity events when you're doing it with the teams or stuff, you get to need a lot of cool, interesting people. A lot of people that have way more enthusiasm by anything. And so it was so much fun when out there with the wheelchair softball league, the miracle league, doing charity work when I was down with in St. Pete. And then guess who at that point was about to get cleared from suspension

from Major League Baseball? Who? Josh Hamilton. So I was down there with Josh Hamilton. We're both on picks with the race on suspension. at extended. And so

Steve Lizley was like the hidden coordinator and he says are you are you just going to be

in the first group because I was going to be together so it's my first son to even Hamilton you know the opposing six four it looks like a green

God statue doesn't work out that much just, yeah, tattoos all over, play. Very soft, they're really nice guys. He's joking around, and he goes, hey, all right.

First round, let's just go all homers over the batters. I was like, are you joking? You know, you know, loose? And I'm going to go two over center. And I was going to turn the parking lot in left field, and then I'm going to go back over to center. I was like, whatever.

First pitch, about four. 50 over a thing of center. Second pitch over the thing and thing. The next two in the parking lot of the airport, the hill, that's over the same. Don't ever put me in this guys' D.C. group again. Some of the most, because I heard from Carl Crawford, he said, man, whatever you is,

I wish you could have seen Josh Hamilton play. Most of him have seen Josh Hamilton play. Because he always talks about, he almost made the team like his first spring training. a ball hit in the corner and he was at the Alley and stays here he gets it from the wall or like the warning track

and throws a ball that doesn't get no higher than nine feet off the ground and no lower than six feet just all the way to the higher plate and so I was I was like man I don't see him a couple weeks just to see him throw and that's day off the D.P.

He was okay I haven't been able to meet it so don't go that far I'll say, all right, I'll go about 45 feet. First pitch is about 96. Almost takes off my chest. And then watching him and being around him, this guy has got some serious talent when he can get on the field.

I've got a few more than. Hasn't played above AA and haven't played organized ball in four or five years. And then in a platoon, not many back to me. a back to make 19 home runs and 300 played appearances in Cincinnati. I've been the next year went off. It's like, I'm glad I, I'm glad everyone got to see that guy. That was something amazing. Yeah, we've, we've been doing something on our, on our YouTube where we watch

Old World Series games just to see some classic moments. And one of them, Josh Hamilton came up and he hit, you know, a 600 foot home run in the World Series game. and me and Jimmy kind of had this realization like, man, there's going to be when kids are digging through baseball reference or whatever they're doing in 10 years from now, they're going to be like, wait, who was this dude? And yeah, I mean, just hearing you talk about him, another first round pick, major league talent, and just some guys are just completely different.

That's insane. Yeah, some guys, some guys are just, well, everyone's an individual, you know, 7 billion people on Earth and there's only been, what, 25,000 baseball players in the history of Earth. You know, there are a lot of different characters and a lot of different background. That's why me and my friends, I always talk about in the minor leagues is where you meet all, like, the mythological characters of every organization. from guys in the same town to this guys with

some crazy stories like this and the my league and baseball you can find some individuals with some crazy

backgrounds that made it to the big leagues and done well yeah I always talk about how baseball that's one of the reasons why I think it's

the best sport is like everybody can play it no matter shape, size, color. You put Randy Johnson, Randy Johnson and Bartolo Colon can share the same mound and do the same nasty shit out there.

It's crazy. It's a Strowman. Exactly. It's just, you know, and then now we're, you know, especially nowadays, it's a very international game. So you're getting people from all over the world. And you just don't see that in any other sport. No, I'm outside soccer,

but they all got their own leagues in their own country. so it's not like the big leagues here where it's really mixed. Yeah, you can't be fat and play soccer, though. You know, you can't. No. You got to be a stunt. And baseball is a perfect one because I play with some guys, some pictures that are extremely talented,

can run and throw out. I think that I play with position players that play to play defense really well. But if you give them a basketball or football, they look like they couldn't play any type of sport in their life. But some pitchers can't tie their shoes and they throw 100 and have a long career. You don't have to be six foot nine like in basketball. You can be five, four, five, five, five, six.

You can be taller. You know, you've got a range of different heights, weights, and you don't have to be a power here. You can be a highly skilled defensive player with a great eye. to play a great way just to get on base. There's different ways to be a successful baseball player. You've been playing in a bunch of different leagues, unless this is wrong. It looks like you've spent some time in Mexican League, Venezuelan, and even Australia. Is there similarities or differences that you find, like, going from these different

countries and playing in these different leagues? Like, how would you compare those three compared to minor leagues and all of that? Well, the one thing is different is in USA baseball, we don't have any import rules. So you can have a team. You don't have to have each team only to have eight imported players, three imported players and stuff. So you can kind of see where they have really good players is just not as many. But it's kind of skewed to say that for Mexico because a lot of those players sign at 16. 17 and come playing in the States for a while.

And so, but you can just see, like Venezuela, it's a winter ball, so it's almost all, every player there is actively still in, um, affiliated ball or they're playing independent ball or they're playing in an overseas league somewhere. But the Venezuela, they play USA baseball a lot, so everything is kind of just basically like playing USA style baseball. The other, Mexico, they work hard and everything, but they're, like, mechanical stuff. It's dated, like, like, swings and everything. It would, like, uh, low-line drives and ground balls and BP and so. So the games, I have a lot of hits in them, but not a lot of offense, like, I'm not a lot of power. And Australia, you can see that they have guys

that they just need to have more guys play games because they have so many other sports. down there. But the one thing that you still get everywhere is people love baseball around the world. It's fun going everywhere, especially Australia, where baseball's not big. Some of my friends I met down there, Bronx to a game for the first time, they're like, I don't know what's going on, but I had so much time talking shit to the other team and drinking. I was like, yes, that's all you do for baseball. Sounds like Australia. Yeah, Canada and Australia, same thing.

I was like, that's all you need to do. I was like, all right, baseball is a fun when you go to it because sitting behind all the fight. They're like, the ball moves so much. I don't understand how you guys hit it. But it's fun. It's fun to live in another country and kind of see how people live and be there for two, three months instead of, I'm going on vacation for one week. And you stay in a hotel, you do the tour stuff. You go on vacation.

I go on vacation. I don't do the same things to do at home. pool beach, eat dinner, sightseed, and mixing some drinks while on at the pool and stuff. But I kind of like going on and playing overseas for the one of the ball and stuff to get a few of them. You know, living in a different country and, you know, just getting out the U.S. for a little bit. I got to be honest, you're like the last guy. I would have thought it would end up doing stuff like this. Like you had a successful big league career.

And now it's like, you know, we talked about this. I don't know a while back, but I was kind of asking you about it. And your plan is like, hey, I'm going to come home and work out and hang in the States during the summer and train. And then I'm going to go, you know, you've been everywhere. And Australia is the latest place you've been. But it's like you're like a world traveling baseball guy now. And it's fun to see you kind of like transition into that.

And you're really, you're doing it. because you just love it. And it's really kind of refreshing to see that. Yeah, and it's fun too, for the reason I go to Australia, and the team I play with, they get guys from the Japanese big league. So two years ago, they had to save Blue Lions guys in there. And our catcher on that team two years ago,

last year, I was on the battle in MVP in Japan. Coney was on that team the year before that. And then this year when I went back, we had a bunch of Orish players, and then they find Adam Jones to go over there, and then they're asking me

about I'm not in the middleman. I'm like, bro, this is kind of a small world. I'm coming down here just to help out someone the affiliated guys of playing that you know, they want to I've got any guy I want to

I've seen you do this and so I kind of like how it's going out and being a player coach but with no responsibility of coaching so you're MLB's ambassador

to the world I love it it's awesome man and that it's cool down there because I don't think they have gotten many guys

go down there that have a lot of bigly experience until I went down there. And then I saw the year after that, Col meter was down there. And then last year, there was quite a few guys with five years plus

down there playing. Everyone loves it because you play four games in the weekend, Friday, Saturday, Saturday, or Thursday, or Thursday. And you get the Monday until your game day off. It's optional practice. And so it's very optional for. for me on vacation mode. Then you get to play the game.

It's not taxing on your body. You're in Australia during the summer. I was in one of the best cities in the world in Melbourne down there. So it's almost like I need the airports to make sure they open up. So I can try to go to Venezuela for the first month and play down there and then try to go back to Australia after Christmas. and have a summer vacation and play baseball down that. That sounds like the absolute best life ever. Yeah, Trevor says he knows you and he's a little surprised by it,

but that's literally my dream. You're getting paid vacations to play baseball around the world. Yeah, and the only way it happened. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I wouldn't be able to do that with a wife and kids. I want to be able to just to leave and say, hey, honey, You can't come down here. You need a beast.

That wouldn't be able to fly. But I was, I didn't, I wasn't, I didn't take a little ball in here. A while I didn't do anything. I was sitting up the house in Miami, doing my own things. And I got a call from Virgil Vasquez. He's from my dad. We trained, you know each other since beginning of high school. And then we trained together at P3 at Santa Barbara.

And he gave me a call. I'm a pitching coach down here in Melbourne. They need a hitter. Would you like to come? He's got to be able to come for four months. And then I said, bro, you know, I'm got to sell me to come to Australia for four months. Like, I'm coming, bro. So that was the only way.

And then down in Australia, I got a call from the team in Mexico. Would you want to come? I was like, might as well. Let me go see Mexico. Yeah. That's awesome. And so then I forgot someone. Someone called me a baseball mercenary.

So basically just, so you got a winter ball time in a cool city? Call me. Yeah, I might come. Love it. Love it. Last question, just on skateboard. And like, do you still have a skateboard in the garage?

Do you still shred? Is it like, do you look on Amazon? like every couple weeks and you're like maybe I got to get one where where's your skateboarding career at uh when I saw I stopped skating just because of the college boy blah blah and so I would just go by a debt and I'd say two years just so like have to look at himself but they don't give it to my nephews and stuff so don't know where all of them are right and I just being mixed in the, uh, in the, uh, in the shed. And, but, uh, I would like to just be able to get, get, get back on it.

And this, just cruise around, you know, just say I'm trying to get some vitamin D outside and their shirt on and it's kind of burn some calories. So it gets out with business going to. I like to get back on it just to roll around just to reminisce the, what it was like growing up in the camera in California. well we'll let you go but i do i do have one more nugget i looked in that i wanted to ask you about i was looking at that that baltimore pinch hit double which i think the city of baltimore loves you forever for that one and it was the first pitch like 70 mile per hour curve ball that you were

swinging on which kind of surprised me that uh that's first rich curve but you love the first pitch yes i was going to say i know i know that's what i'm saying like your numbers on the first pitch are 350 batting average, and you swung at a lot of first pitches. So is that something from 12-year-old Delman through? Just, I'm here to hit. To be honest, which, I bet it lead off until, like, high school. To be honest with you. Yeah.

And so it wasn't, it wasn't a, it was, I think it was like low A when, I said I went to Arizona phone league. I went to, I saw in lakes, I went to extended for two weeks, and Tampa had a real short one, so they kind of wanted me to be active. So they just sit me down to Arizona Foley to be on the tactic squad. Just to be maybe play once a week, twice a week that they let me just so be active. And I'm down now, and all the guys, you know, they're throwing hard, they're now, but they're right around the plate.

So, you know, I got a good hand-eye coordination. I can make contact and then just play you know all for the best so when I get to low A 97 but he's hitting the backstop and I'm like oh I don't know

batters box is flung with some of these wild guys like I don't know how I even got to the season on how wild someone's pitches are so I was always just trying the first pitch that is out over the plate that you think he could put some serious would I didn't go ahead because The last thing you want is to get hit in the fingers or anywhere where you're going to miss time because

you're missing time in my league or missing time to get to the big leagues. So I was just trying to stay injury-free and not get hit by any pitches. And then it's kind of kind of just started just happening. And a lot of pitchers just throw balls over the plate. And too, I found out you can't strike out in first pitch. So I let it eat. Love it. It's great.

Cool. All right, man. I think we'll let you go. Treves running off to do his new show. I'm sure you got a lot of fun stuff planned. Hopefully quarantine's going well for you and get to get you to Australia soon or Venezuela, was it? Both. But when the sun's fully out, I'm just going to go hang out to get some sun.

So I got nothing to do until Sunday night really went to Jordan, the Jordan document. You're talking about it. Yeah, that's everyone's calendar right now. I love it. See you there. All right. Well, thank you, man. We really appreciate it.

Thanks for our chatting with us. That was awesome. All right. No problem. Do it again sometime. All right, man. Thank you, Del. All right.

Take it. And there he was. Living the baseball mercenary lifestyle, just four months in Australia. You know, what do you say? Monday, Tuesdays, and sometimes Thursdays or just do whatever you want.

And then you can play baseball on the weekends. I mean, come on, Trev. Like, that is literally. like a teenager's lifestyle. He loves it. I mean, he doesn't have to do it. You know,

like he said, he was in Miami doing some Miami shit for a while, but he is just a baseball player. I mean, that's from, you know, 11, 12 years old until he debuted,

he was the golden child. On every publication, he was topped ranked. He had all that pressure. Minor league player of the year, he said, right? Minor league player of the year.

Like he's had all the pressure on him that anyone could ever have, you know, had a good big league career. and then took some time off. And now he's like, you know what? I have a talent. I get to go travel to these places.

He goes and plays in Venezuela for a month, which they love him in Venezuela. Then he goes and plays in Australia for a few months. Like you said, I think a lot of people would sign up for that lifestyle. Yeah. I mean, it's vacation in baseball. It's literally like a dream for me. And yeah, I mean, some things that stuck out when he was like,

yeah, you know, I don't love skateboarding more than baseball. I think that's funny. just as you said like a guy that became number one prospect and everything like i don't know i think if he could have got some offers to shred it sounds like that was in it and then dude at the end i mean talking about his approach at the plate like i'm imagining how many coaches that would drive insane but at the same time like hey uh just give me some more of the plate i could get the bat on i'm not trying to get hurt in here or anything like that's amazing he hates getting hit like that is one thing he hates getting hit with the with the ball and i think i've

told a story on talking baseball about the time when jose mahares did something and then they'd be in delman and instead of being mad at the pitcher he started going after jose maharas his teammate like this is your fault like he hated getting hit so it was funny for me to hear that like i'm spending the first pitch because i'm trying to get the hell out of the box with these guys that don't know where the ball is going yeah it's also funny like you know the media he even said yeah the media like people think i'm from like you know uh but the bad parts of la or i grew up hard he's like i had i had bleach blonde hair love skateboarding and punk rock like i'm from malibu yeah he's he's he's a fun one man and uh i think like he's a guy like

he just he's just such a good personality and like i've said this a million times now but like if you know him you love him it had to be comforting for you trib to have like your debut at and you got Delman Young ahead of you, who you had sleepovers with when you were 12. It was awesome. Like I said, he was like a big brother to me. He's only like six months older than me,

but he was just developed quicker and was in the big leagues before me. And yeah, so to have him and he always had my back. You know, you go into a big league clubhouse for the first time, whether it be spring training or regular season. It's a daunting task.

You're scared, dude. But to have a guy that, like, yeah, I grew up with. And he's like supporting me and like, I had it really easy because one, Delman was there and had my back and two, he taught me how to fucking act, dude. Like, I knew how to act because of him. So I owe a lot to my baseball career to Delman.

Cool. All right, Treb's going to go do a brand new episode of Sequence. You got a fun guest he's recording with. So make sure you are checking those out every Tuesday and Thursday on the John Boy Media YouTube page. And thanks for listening. We appreciate it. We will see you on Monday. Have a good one.