The Ariel Helwani Show - Blake Snell

Episode Date: January 20, 2022

One of the best pitchers in baseball joins Ariel for an honest conversation about many subjects, like Snell's love of MMA, why he feels the need to give back to the community, and his Twitch channel. Plus, Snell opens up about his infamous May 2020 comments in the early stages of the pandemic (21:42), MLB's current lockout (26:30), the controversial decision to pull him from Game 6 of the 2020 World Series, baseball's unwritten rules, and much, much more.Blake Snell is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. The 29-year-old left-hander is entering his seventh season in the big leagues and his second in San Diego. He spent five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, winning the 2018 AL Cy Young Award after boasting an astounding 21-5 record and 1.89 ERA. Snell helped lead Tampa Bay to the World Series in 2020, where the Rays fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.You can follow Blake on Twitter, Instagram, and Twitch @SnellZilla4.We're brought to you by BetterHelp. Join over 1 million people who have taken charge of their mental health and get 10% off your first month by visiting our link at BetterHelp.com/AHS. Today's episode is also brought to you by ExpressVPN. Visit EXPRESSVPN.COM/HELWANI right now to arm yourself with an extra 3 months of ExpressVPN for free.For more episodes of The Ariel Helwani Show, please follow the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.Theme music: "Frantic" by The Lovely Feathers

Hello everyone, hope you're doing well. Welcome back to a brand new edition of the Ariel Helwani Show. I, of course, am Ariel Helwani. It is Thursday, January 20th, 2022. Very excited that you're back and very excited about today's interview. Today, we're talking to Blake Snell, one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres, of course, won the 2018 Cy Young as well. He's an incredible talent, was traded last off season to the Padres from the Rays. Of course, everyone remembers Game 6, 2020 World Series. He

is dealing, he is on fire against the Dodgers. And then his manager at the time, Kevin Cash, takes him out of the game. And it was simply because of analytics and pitch counts and all that stuff. Even though he was on fire, he was very upset. It was very controversial. It turned into a whole thing and they eventually lost the game and the World Series. So he's known for that. Of course, he's known for his great skills as well. And he's a big MMA fan. And so we'll talk a bit about MMA. We actually met in a very funny way. We'll tell that story as well, talk about his career, the ongoing lockout in baseball and how crazy that whole story is and how detrimental to the sport it may be.

We are going to get into all of that, his love of Seattle and basketball, fighting, his great career in Tampa, all that and more. So it's very rare that you get to talk in this type of format to an athlete like him. I'm looking forward to it very much. And I think you guys will enjoy it as well. So stay tuned for that. Before we get to the interview with Blake Snell, I do want to tell you about our good friends over at ExpressVPN.

We appreciate their support very much. And if you've been listening to me for a long time, you know how active I am on social media. I can't tell you how many times through the years I've been, you know, in touch with people and I've seen people who have been hacked, right? And we've seen some prominent people get hacked as well. I mean, it's happened to Selena Gomez, Paul Pierce, even my dear old friend, Chael P. Look, it can happen to stars like them. Just imagine how easy it would be for them to hack you. That's why I use ExpressVPN, to safeguard my personal data online.

According to recent reports, my friends, hackers can make up to $1,000 from selling someone's personal information on the dark web, making people like me and you easy, lucrative targets, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi in a coffee shop or an airport. ExpressVPN is an app that funnels your data through a secure encrypted tunnel so that no matter what device you use, you can have peace of mind every time you use the internet. The app connects with just one click, is lightning fast, and the best part is ExpressVPN works on up to five devices simultaneously so you and your whole family can stay protected. And if you visit expressvpn.com slash Helwani right now, you can arm yourself with an extra three months of ExpressVPN for free. Again, that's expressvpn.com slash Helwani. Please support them because they support us. Now, I also want to tell you about another sponsor that I know and love and one that has been supporting us for the last few weeks as well.

It's BetterHelp. You know that I've been talking about mental health and therapy and all that stuff, just trying to be a better version of me. And I want you to be a better version of yourself as well. So if you think you might need some help, then I want you to visit my URL at betterhelp.com slash A-H AHS. Why? Because BetterHelp will assess your needs and match you with your own licensed professional therapist. They'll connect you in a safe and private online environment and you can start communicating in under 48 hours. With BetterHelp, you can send a message to your counselor anytime, receive timely and thoughtful responses, and if money is tight, BetterHelp is more affordable

than traditional offline counseling and financial aid is also available. Best of all, anything and everything you share is 100% confidential. I want you to start living a happier life today. As a listener, you'll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at betterhelp.com slash A-H-S. Again, that's betterhelp.com slash A-H-S.

Join over 1 million people who have taken charge of their mental health. Again, that's betterhelp, H-E-L-P.com slash A-H-S. Please support them because they support us and also support yourself. All right, now time for my conversation with San Diego Padres superstar, Blake Snell. Enjoy. So I have a lot to talk to you about. I do want to get into the story of how we first met a couple of weeks ago. A lot that I want to ask you about. But first, just off the top, and I hate to start on this note, but I feel compelled to do so.

I understand that someone that you knew recently passed away from the Rays organization, Jean Ramirez, I believe his name was. And so I just wanted to send you my condolences on that. It sounds like, I mean, a horrible story, and it seemed like it hit you hard. So my condolences to you and to everyone who knew him. Yeah, no, it was definitely tough on a lot of us. So I was able to talk to guys that were all, you know, close, that I was close with over there, and then they were all close with Gene as well.

So definitely tough, still is. But, you know, he's where he wants to be, and you've got to support him in that. It sucks, but it is what it is. Well, much respect. And, again, my condolences. That news just came out, so I just wanted to say that to you. I've been watching you for a long time, and I have to say I was very surprised when one day – do you mind if I tell this story how we met? Yeah, tell me.

I'm just looking at my Instagram, and it's not even like the main dm like account thing it's like the the cesspool account when i guess it's the people that you don't follow because at the time i wasn't i don't follow a ton of athletes because it's always just like wake up workout here's what i'm doing and it's not very compelling content as you know and i have a dm there from blake snell who i know very well i know of not personally and uh the message is basically like hey man, I think you don't know who I am, and that's cool, but I just wanted to give you props on your verbal beatdown of Dylan Danis. And I was like, wait a second, is this really Blake Snell of the Padres, Cy Young winner, reaching out to me? I couldn't believe it. And yes, it was you. And so can I ask you,

why did my 10-7 of Dylan Danis compel you to reach out to me? Well, it's because every time I see Jake Paul fight or McGregor fight, I see guys that are doing stuff. And he'll talk crap about McGregor's opponents because he's riding McGregor's success. And then he's dogging Jake because of all his success. And it's like, bro, you're doing nothing in the meantime while you're dogging everyone that's trying to do something and it's like and you're not fighting anybody you're not doing anything that you're you know super talented at and you say you're the most

talented grappler and striker and but I haven't seen you do anything so when you call them out for not doing anything it's like I loved it so I'm like if you're gonna talk about just don't do it like I'm not I'm not saying like oh I know how to fight or like anything like So I'm like, if you're going to talk about it, just don't do it. Like, I'm not, I'm not saying like, Oh, I know how to fight or like anything like that. I'm just saying like, if you're good at something and like, and you're going to talk crap to other people that are actually doing it,

like go do it. Stop talking crap and doing nothing to back, back up your words. So when I saw you just go off, I loved every second of it. Cause he's always in everyone's comments just talking crap. Anytime ESPN or SportsCenter will post anything related to those guys, it's there, right?

It's like, I don't know how he has notifications just based off of Jake Paul's stuff, but I just had enough. And some people ask me like, oh, you know, like, okay, why'd you do that? Was it necessary? You're a journalist. What good came of that? This came of that. So I do think it was worth it.

Oh, 100%. And it's like, and he's just like everywhere, always talking crap about people. Like, bro, build someone up one time. Like, say something nice to somebody. Yeah. Like, you don't have to be the villain.

You don't have to be like, bro, just be like a regular human. Like, stop. He's just always like, what Jake Paul's done, like at first, I'm not even gonna lie, I didn't like Jake Paul.

And then what, like what he's done and like how confident he is, how much better he's getting every like what Jake Paul's done like at first I'm not even gonna lie I didn't like Jake Paul and then what like what he's done and like how confident he is how much better he's getting every time and like bro Tyron Woodley is legit and he knocked him clean out and I'm like you gotta respect that like you don't have a choice at that point so then I come to find out as we just kind of saw there uh you're a fight fan and i kind of feel like i i know of most of the people in sports like in the regular normal sports who like mma i did not know that you were a fight fan so how long have you been watching mma for uh i mean i would say i really started to get into it around like 2013 oh wow um yeah i remember like the, when I really started watching it, it was Anderson Silva when he broke his leg on that kick to Weidman. Yeah.

And I was devastated. I was, like, devastated. But I don't really post about watching UFC. I just, like, I watch it with all my friends. We go to, like, whoever has the biggest, like, you know, projector screen. We go there, and then we all just watch it and just kind of hang out. Yeah, but I've been watching OutStay since 2013.

And do you follow it? Are you just watching the pay-per-views? Are you just watching select fights or fighters? Just guys I like. Just guys you like. If I see guys coming up that I like, I'll watch them. If I see fights that I know are going to be like an all-out brawl, the matchup is insane. like it's two strikers

or it's two grapplers, like, and I'll definitely watch that. But when I know, like, oh, like this guy's winning for sure, I just, I won't watch. Like, I'll watch this fight because I think Davis, like the UFC 270, I'll watch that because I think Davidson's going to win. His energy in that, the last fight against Moreno, he was just different. It wasn't him.

It wasn't that cockiness of confidence. I felt like he was almost trying to let him win. It was weird. I didn't like watching that fight. I'm not saying that he did that, but I think Davidson is insane. And I think Don has a shot against Francis. I love Francis. But I always think that and then the champion does what the champion does.

So we'll see. But I think Don, I think he has a legit chance. I don't know if you follow it this deeply, but one of the interesting storylines going into the Nganou fight is his contract. Yeah. Free agency, all this stuff. This is all kind of new to mma do you take an interest into that because you live in the world like mma fighters dream of a situation like baseball players and basketball players have with revenue sharing and collective bargaining and all that stuff do you pay attention to that and if so do you think the mma fighters deserve a bigger piece of the pie?

I do. But again, they got to get a union together. And there's a lot. I mean, it's going to take a while. You're going against Dana, who knows everything about that whole company. And he knows how to manipulate. He's just so smart. So you could try to say it.

But again, then he's going to come up like, well, what are you bringing in? How popular even are you? Are we making money like with you fighting like when he says that stuff i'm like ah like you need to get a good look like he's gonna because he's gonna ultimately what he has to do is dog you know his fighters like he has to because he has to beat them down to where you know they can't hype it up so like everyone believes like they like they need money. He has to make it look like, no, this is why I'm paying them when I'm paying them. It's fair. So, I mean, Dan is a smart man.

I do think they need to get paid more, but again, it's like they have to earn it, too. So, I feel like if you're, you know, you're a popping guy like McGregor who brings in all this money, Nate Diaz brings in all, like, guys that get their name up there, yeah, then you do you do deserve it but you just became champions so I do think you need more than what you were getting um but

keep winning and I feel like you'll just keep getting more and more money but they definitely need a union 100 percent who are some of the guys that like you find out that they're fighting. McGregor, no matter what. Diaz, no matter what. Masvidal, I love him. Even Covington. I love Covington. Usman, love him. Israel. Israel.

Yeah. He's just like, he's the coolest dude I've ever watched. Like he is who he is. He's confident beyond belief. He does things that make no sense. I'm like, that's just so cool. Cause like, that's who he is. And he's like fine with that does things that make no sense i'm like that's just so cool because like that's who he is and he's like fine with that i think israel like and then his fighting game like even when he lost like when he lost to yan and he went up like he learned so much from that fight so i'm so excited to see him like continue on past that and see how much he's

gonna gain um so yeah i mean is mean, Israel is my guy right now. Because it was Silva early on. And then, yeah, once I saw Izzy coming up, I was like, all right, this is my guy. And then I didn't like Usman to start because I really like Woodley. And then I love Usman now. And then I like Sean O'Malley because he talks but he backs it up. And he's, like, ultra he's like ultra confident like ultra confident

after that you mentioned woodley what was it like for you to see him get knocked out like that yeah he just doesn't have that same confidence and plus like him boxing like he he has hands yeah but even when he was champion like he was always known for like you know like kind of running dodging grappling like he never was really like sitting there like throwing the whole time from what i remember could be different i mean you this is your everything this is just what i watch recreation um but uh yeah i just i mean i know yes and i know he's a great fighter great competitor uh but seeing him get knocked out i hated that i hated everyone that he's knocked out i don't like. But I respect Jake for what he's doing because no shot I would ever do any of that.

Would you ever consider, have you ever considered training? Training, yeah. But like fighting, nah. I get cleaned. Nope. Those guys are different animals. We just saw Darren Williams and Frank Gore do it. Yeah, what they said

after what they said no i'm not i'm not trying to act like i'm a macho man i just enjoy watching uh on on the teams that you've been on like have there been guys that you all come together like even if it's a you know you're playing a 7 30 game right after you guys are watching the pay-per-view in the clubhouse? Joe Musgrove's huge into that. Bregman's big into it. So I'll text Bregman from time to time. But I talk to Musgrove about it a lot. I mean, yeah, me and Musgrove talk about it the most.

And then Ryan Weathers will talk about it with us. There's some other guys. I can't remember the names. But a little group, we'll talk about it. Like, there's a big fight going on. Like, we're all talking. We're all going to watch it. So we were just talking before you came on about the fact that you teach younger kids how to pitch, right?

Yeah. Is this something that you've been doing throughout your career or as you get older, you feel like giving back? Because I think, I mean, I can't imagine you're in your prime, young kid learning from a big leaguer. I can't imagine a lot of guys are doing this right now. Yeah, it was just something like, I don't know. I just wanted to help and like make kids better

because I started seeing like, when I was playing, I didn't see a lot of, you know, like guys from my area. It's always like Cali, Dominican Republic, Texas, Florida, Arizona, like all those areas are kind of baseball places and everywhere I go I see like my teammates know other guys they're like oh yeah he's from my city he's from my city I'm like I ain't got no one from my city like the closest thing I got is Conforto and then after that I got Sousa and that kind of trickles down and that I know of that are in my area. A lot of them I really don't know of. So then I was like, you know what?

Like I'm gonna start training these kids at a young age. It's my responsibility to start helping the Pacific Northwest, like, you know, get, get better talent and teach them what I know. And I know a lot. I feel like I have a lot of information to share to help these kids and, you know, just develop them and build them young to where they have an idea as they grow up to like what the right thing feels like. So then I was like, you know what, I'm going to do it every Tuesday. I'm going to give five to six hours of my time away and I'm just going to do these pitching lessons, help the kids

and all the money that I make from it goes back to showcase to help kids that can't afford it. So, yeah, so the kids that can't afford it and can do it, all that money goes back help kids that can't afford it. Wow. Yeah, so the kids that can't afford it and can do it, all that money goes back to kids that want to do hitting lessons and showcase sports where I do it out. They find the people that they're going to give money to and let them use that. And one of your students on this particular day is from my hometown of Montreal,

coming all the way from Montreal to Seattle? Yeah. He said he was like, he's a super big fan and this is like his dream. And it's kind of crazy to hear that. Cause I don't really look at myself in that light. You know, I just,

I play baseball. So when I heard that, I was like, okay, like usually it's just a 30 minute session. I said, Hey, I'm coming at three 30 coming all that way.

At least got to give him an hour of my time just hanging out and talking wow so he's coming out and then uh we're gonna do an hour session and then we're just gonna hang out talk and if he wants to stay and watch and just hang out with me i'm gonna allow him to do that wow but yeah like i said i'm he doesn't know yet but i'm gonna tell him like as long as you want to hang out with me today you can hang out with me. Man, respect. How old are these kids? Like the range?

I think that kid's 13. Wow, man. Yeah. Well, that is incredible. You know, that's the thing. Like, and I remember this from, you know, we'll get into the Twitch stuff and all that. But correct me if you feel otherwise. You don't come across as the typical big leaguer. And I mean,

big leaguer, when I talk about MLB, NBA, like one of the reasons why I went to Syracuse University to become a broadcaster in 2001. And when I got there, I realized, A, all the kids there want to be the same thing that I want to be. They all want to be the next Bob Costas or Marv Albert, traditional sports guy. And also I started to realize that, you know, the athletes in these other leagues, NBA, like I watch everything. They're so boring. They talk in cliches. They don't tell you anything. You with Twitch, but even like when you showed up after game six in 2020 and all that, like you're just a real guy and you don't speak in cliches. You wear your heart on your sleeve. You don't worry about what people think. You know, I feel like athletes are so

guarded and they don't make for very interesting interviews and content. Do you agree with all of this? And is there something in your mind that you told yourself, like, I don't want to be like those guys when I'm coming up? I don't want to be that kind of athlete. Well, like early on, I was that guy. Like I was always doing that.

I was like, God, I hate interviews. Like I hate doing them. They're so boring. They're just, they're not fun to me. And every time time i talk i just told the media what they wanted to hear and it was boring and terrible and one of my teammates he was a veteran guy tommy hunter i'll never forget he's like bro my mom watched that and said that was the worst thing she's ever listened to like everything like just he was dogging me he's like bro you are hilarious just be yourself and i was like okay like i'm gonna do that and like's like bro you are hilarious just be yourself and I was like

okay like I'm gonna do that and like as I've done that like I've had instances where like you know like I've said like the slapdick prospect and that went that went all over the place in the baseball world and you know I've had moments where I've said stuff and like I had to listen to it but it's not even bad like it's just people talking about what I'm saying. I've had people where I said, like, I got to get mine. Like they take my words and they're like, this is all we heard. And they blow that up. And then I was like, I really just don't care what people think. Like, I'm going to be me. I'm going to have fun. I know I'm a good human. I know I'm a good guy. So like in the end, all of this is going to fade and then the real is going to show. So then I said, like, I'm just going to be me.

I'm like, I started doing Twitch, obviously, just to connect with people and like let my fans know, like, yo, I'm exactly like you. I'm nothing different. And then when they started messaging me, I started like really interacting, getting to know them, like where they're from, who they are. And then they're like just the impact that I had on them. I was like, yo, that's why I won't stop doing Twitch. Like there's moments where I'm like, oh, like it's a lot of time. Like I just want to do nothing. But then I'm like, what, what it means for these people that watch and show up.

Like it means more than me just being lazy for the day. So, and then I just started being myself through Twitch and then the interviews got way better and I was more just myself and I was fine with that but it took time to get there I actually think there's a case to be made for the the Twitch stuff bringing the real out in you and making you you know comfortable in front of the screen um have people tried to deter you from doing Twitch whether it's like the, people around you, like, oh, this is too much behind the curtain? I can't imagine in the 90s when I was growing up

idolizing ballplayers that I would have this kind of access to them. Have people tried to tell you not to do it? Early on, yeah, but since then, now that I'm more of a veteran player, I still feel young, but they call me a veteran. They're not going gonna tell me anything now so but early on like when i was a rookie i was like their voice can impact more to where now like it still can impact i'm listening to what you're saying it's not some older more successful

that i'm not gonna listen like i'm gonna listen but no one says anything uh i i was working for espn at the time uh filling in on espn radio when the i'm gonna get mine thing blew up um and so i remember that vividly in retrospect do you do you regret saying that do you feel like it was taken out of context for those that don't recall this was like may of 2020 when like covid just started i mean it's just like you were the face you were the you were you were labeled as like the inconsiderate athlete who doesn't care about the pandemic. There's no vaccine is not even in sight.

We're like two months into this thing. Every sport is shut down. And here comes, you know, the Cy Young winner saying, I'm getting mine while, you know, playing Twitch. And this thing exploded. What was that like for you? And do you regret it? I don't regret it at all, no.

Because what I said was correct. That's what ended up happening. So I didn't get upset about that. I get upset at what they clipped and put out there. Because if you listen to the rest of it, it's what happened. So do I regret the part of where I said I want to get mine? Yeah. Like, yeah.

But when you listen to the whole thing, no, I don't. So it's like that little part, yeah, it doesn't sound good. It sounded bad. And to see what COVID's done since then, like, it's not, you know, it's terrible. But when you listen to the whole thing and, like, what I was explaining, no, I don't regret that. Did you get in trouble, you know, for saying that from anyone? The reins got on me a little bit, but it was more just like, yo, I was getting, that was the first time I ever knew what like a death threat was or like. Wow.

Yeah. You got death threats for that? Yeah. Gee. Yeah. I mean. Yeah. Gee. Yeah. And I was like, whoa. And then, yeah, like everyone was calling me like, you know, like a bunch of just censored names. And yeah, even Stephen A. Smith, like a lot of people were saying stuff.

I replied to a lot of people, a lot. I was like, let's have like this debate. Like, I respect like why you feel that way. But like, I had the real clip and i sent that to him i said listen to it and then let's talk and every time i did that like they hadn't they're like oh like you're a good guy like it just got brian then so now i stopped doing that and then when stephen a smith said something i was like bro you're just like he's just always on the next like hot topic trying to just yell so i like i lost a lot of respect for step and I after that and then I watch all this stuff since then and I just like I can't do it I'm like you're just yelling and

you're just talking over people and not allowing them to talk and when he said that to me and then when I got taken out of the World Series game he was like oh I feel bad for Blake and I'm on his side and I was like bro not even like six months ago, you were dogging me, telling me to shut up and just listen and like not say anything. And like, now you're like on my side, like, oh, I feel terrible. Like what?

I hated that. I was like, that's fake. Like it's just, it's two different sides. So I didn't like that. When all that happened, was there a part of you that's like, I don't want to do this anymore. Like if it's going to get me in trouble and bring this death threats screw this uh no i was like you know i'll just keep streaming people come in they'll talk but i can't i can back myself up plenty so i don't need like they can come in and hate you're coming into my community

of people that back me and you're the you're like 10 people trying to talk crap to a whole community that has been built on just love and just having fun with, like, enjoying each other's company in that moment. So when those people come in, I would dog them, clean them up. And then by the end of it, we're like friends. And they're like on my side, side like and just making the community stronger so it didn't like no i wasn't like scared to stream again or anything like that it was just like what what was said was obviously not what i meant at all and in the way that i did mean it just they didn't clip that part i bet your fellow teammates loved it i bet they all agreed i'll tell you what a lot

yeah a lot they showed you love behind the scenes yeah because i was one that you know kind of took all the punches right that's right but it was the truth and then in the end that's what we ended up agreeing on so it was like i wasn't far from from it at all It was just the truth. So I was talking to a hardcore baseball fan, a friend of mine, who I told, I'm talking to Blake Snell. He's like, what the hell? How'd you get Blake Snell? And he's like, man, that's why it started to put a seed of doubt in my mind. He's like, I don't think he's going to do the interview with you.

That's what my friend said. And I said, why? And he's like, because of the lockout. He's not going to talk to you right now. And I was like, but this is the guy who went on Twitch, and he speaks his mind, and he's different my friend said. And I said, why? And he's like, because of the lockout. Like, he's not going to talk to you right now. And I was like, but this is the guy who went on Twitch and he speaks his mind and he's different than everyone else. And lo and behold, here you are. Could I ask, what is it like to be locked out?

What is life like for you right now? Yeah, everything's the same. You know, I'm training, like spring training, starting on time. The lockout doesn't hit any of us, don't think until spring training starts and we're supposed to go see our teammates or you know everyone that we love seeing every day like when we don't get to go do that that's when everyone's like that's what i think it's gonna hit everyone because right now i'm training i'm locked in like all i'm thinking about is be ready for the first day of spring training lock it in so like every day is i'm just locking it in getting

ready um but even with if spring train doesn't, I'm acting like I'm in spring training now and I still got to talk to all my teammates. So that's fine. And then I'll probably even get to a point where like we have a pitcher Zoom meeting tomorrow, which I'm super excited about. We talked to all the pitchers and we'll probably even find a way to where we talk to all the guys and we find a way to compete against each other and make spring training still spring training. I don't know. But that's for each team to decide, each player.

But I definitely know once the lockout really does get heated, everyone in that will want more answers because we want to play and we want the fans to enjoy the 162-game season. What is your gut telling you right now? Do you think the start of the season gets delayed? I don't think so, but if it does, I can't control that. I'm okay with trusting the union. I mean, I know the union has our back and they're doing what's best for us

and the fans, so it doesn't bother me that we're doing what's best for the game. Do you keep up with like every time Passon puts out an article or, you know, like do you read everything or you're just kind of letting it?

No, I let it go. I love Ken Rose and Passon. They're both like, they're great. You can talk to them whenever. They'll talk to you about

like they'll let you know anything. And they're like very like they're just good at their jobs really good but you're not keeping up with like the daily updates and all that stuff no because yeah i don't know no shot we were talking earlier about like you being called tone deaf and stuff like that i i grew up in montreal i was a hardcore Montreal Expos fan. I know you were born in 1992, so you were too young at the time, but 1994 was going to be our year. We were finally going to win the World Series. We had the best team in baseball, six games up on the Braves.

And then August 12th, 1994, the strike hits and the city, the team never recovered. And it's the only time the World Series has been canceled. You know the whole story, right? And, you know, it was just crazy that baseball would allow this to happen, that everyone allowed this to happen. And I feel like now it's not quite the same, but like, we're still in the pandemic. People are still hurting. No one wants to hear about this, right? Like this is the best time, right? Hot stove, transactions, all that stuff. No one wants to hear about labor struggles and all this stuff. Baseball can't allow this to happen. Would you agree with that? That would be incredibly tone deaf.

Yeah. I feel like, and what we're asking for isn't like crazy. It's to make the game, you know, more competitive, more fun for the fans. So every team is, you know, in it to win it. So I don't see why, like for me, it's confusing why we have a lockout. That's what, like my whole time coming through the minors is like you get to the big leagues to win and like now we're getting to the big leagues and there's teams like developing to winning in like four years like what is that it doesn't make sense to me and you know it's the big leagues and it's all about winning it's not

about developing when you get to the big leagues you win the only thing that matters is winning if you can't help win you get sent down um and only thing that matters is winning. If you can't help win, you get sent down. And you're seeing a lot of good players that can really help. You know, they're not, they don't get paid and they don't get, you know, you know, compensated what they deserve because now we have a younger guy that's cheaper and it'll take them three to four years, you know, to get better, but they don't see the value in a veteran guy that's played for six years. Like, you know, he's a pretty good player, not an all-star,

but he can help make your team better, and he knows how to, you know, play team ball. So when we need to get a guy to, you know, run a guy over or, you know, hit the ball to the other side of the field to get that runner over or to hit a deep fly ball, like, he's like, I'll sacrifice this at bat for us to score. Like, he's thinking that way.

To where a rookie is like, you know, you're coming up. You got to get your numbers up. And that's how you make your living. So it's just two different, you know, thought processes, and they don't pay the veteran. And that's what helps teams get really good and win a lot more and be way more competitive. But there's a lot of things. Like, I don't know everything about what we're really asking for, because I'm focusing on being the best baseball player I can be for my team.

And I trust the union. I talk to them, ask them questions. And I've always since day one, trusted them and love everything they're doing to make the game better. So we'll see. Last thing on all this, does this mean like you can't talk to your pitching coach, you can't talk to anyone on the team? No. And it hurts. That's crazy.

Yeah, and that sucks because I have really close relationships with the coaching staff. This is a new coaching staff. I know that for me personally, the coaching staff in Tampa, I still talk to a lot of those guys like a lot like very often and not being able to talk to them like that sucks especially like kyle snyder the pitching coach down there that's like i like my second father like i love that man and uh not being able to talk to him for you know majority of the offseason that's been yeah i hate it speaking of tampa obviously you had a

great start to your career there cy young made it to the world series all that it seemed to have really uh affected you when you got traded you really loved being a tampa bay ray why was it so special for you why did you have such a connection with that community well i i love the fan base it was like it wasn't like a crazy fan base, like very little, but like the people that did like the Rays, like they loved them and they loved the players and they were always backing us and they were never talking crap about us, like always on our side. And then even, you know, always being the underdog

and then seeing like the coaching staff, the GMs, the owners, like they all were for us. They all wanted us to be the best. And then when you look around at the talent that we had and they were able to put such a talented team for what they were spending together, it was just, it was kind of everything to me. They grew me up. You know, I lived in Florida for, for a long time. I really started to love being in Florida. I still like,

I miss Florida every day. But I grew really close to the coaching staff, the players. You know, they cycled through. But I grew close to a lot of those players that I did come up with that were even below me as well. And I just loved everything about that organization. And I never felt – the thing I loved most is, like, I could go out anywhere there and I never was talked to, never recognized, ever. I went out out this story I'll never forget I went out after I won the Cy Young I went to

this place in Tampa Daily Eats where plenty Yankees me and Aaron Judge go to get um we're going there to get food we're like waiting outside me and Aaron Judge and this lady comes up and goes like oh Aaron Judge like it's all exciting this is in my city and I'm like hey I'll take the picture and Judge is sitting there like what wow and he's like do you know who's taking the picture and I was like I'm his cousin don't worry smile like and I'm just like I'm not letting him say it and then she finally realizes me because Judge won't let it go and I keep saying like no i'm his cousin like he's joking like but like in my city like they don't even like majority of the people don't even know who i am and that was amazing like i could just go do whatever and no one even knew why do you think it hasn't worked there like why don't they draw a lot it actually

reminds me a lot of montreal uh the crowds I went to one game several years ago, actually when they were playing the Yankees before UFC in 2016. And, you know, it's sparse crowds. Even in the playoffs, it's sometimes not even full. Why do you think it hasn't worked in Tampa? Well, I think it's the location. You got to put it in Tampa. It's in St. Petersburg. So that bridge and crossing and bringing all that traffic over like

it just it won't work um and then on top of that like i mean the biggest name we had was really long gloria price but we never keep like they never keep those guys you know all the big time guys that they should keep and you know fans will have someone to cheer for for 20 years. They don't keep them. They keep them for, I mean, I was there, what, four years? Like, gone. And I signed a deal to try to stay there. Like, I didn't want to leave. And even then, gone. Longo signs a big deal, gone.

Price, gone at six years, six and a half years, whatever. Like, they don't keep anyone past that. So them signing wander and locking him up for what 12 years or whatever like they got a shot um like at that that'll be the longest tenured ray but if they keep them that whole time but they just they don't keep anybody so it's hard for fans to be excited about a team when every year the roster is different it's different it's different and then by the time you really like somebody he's gone so there's uh and that's actually exactly what happened to the expos back in the day we would develop guys and then they would get traded

off and now there's a lot of people holding out hope that they're going to do this split schedule thing i don't i'm sure you've probably heard of it yeah i hated it well i don't understand i mean i would love to have baseball back in montreal but if i'm being honest i can't see schedule thing. I don't, I'm sure you've probably heard of it. Yeah. Well, I don't understand. I mean, I would love to have baseball back in Montreal, but if I'm being honest, I can't see any scenario where the players association would agree. Why would any player sign up to play in two different cities, two different countries, right? It's absurd. And then sign a three month lease in one spot, a three month lease and another, like, you know how hard that is and how much stress that is on that player? Like, oh my, what?

They're never going to be home. They'll never feel like they're at home. It doesn't seem, I don't know what is going on, like the politics, but it seems insane that anyone would allow this to happen. Like, I'm not trying to get my hopes up here, right? Yeah, no. Let's either keep them in Tampa or if it's not going to work and you can't find something to do there, then send them to Montreal and have them there full time like I cannot see like I mean ask them when

the Blue Jays were in Dunedin and then they went up to Buffalo and then like all of that traveling like it's tiring it wears you out even more than you know a team that gets to be in Boston the whole year and like that's home that's comforting they go home they get to relax but when you don't have a home it's hard to relax considering how you felt about the team when you got the word that you were being traded did it feel like betrayal like did it feel i know it's the business but did you take it personally the weirdest part about it was i kind of like saw it coming like i never saw i never like even in double a like i was telling ozzy timbers like i ain't getting traded like they

ain't trading me and then i would always say that he's like you never know blake and he's like you don't you don't have something you don't understand this is business and i was like yeah but i understand my value they ain't trading me they ain't trading me I always say that to them and then uh I started hearing rumors about like I was gonna get traded San Diego and then I had people that are in San Diego that are like yo it might happen and then uh I talked to Eric Neander the GM he's like a month before I got traded like no like we're not trading you that's to be something that we really think we're going to get a lot of value for, but we really don't see it. And then, like, as, like, Christmas hit, because I got traded right after that, I was like, I started feeling, like, pressure. I was like, oh, this happened.

Like, I feel it. And then, sure enough, like, I'm like, I messaged Eric. Eric messaged me, and he goes, hey, I'm going to call you in a little bit. And I was like, I looked at, I was with my girlfriend and I looked at her. I go, I'm getting traded. And then sure enough, he calls and then he's like, hey, like, we're trading you to San Diego. Like, don't tell anyone. Blah, blah, blah.

We talk about it. We talked for a while. I said, okay. So then I was in Chicago at the time so then I ended up having to fly to Florida I saw all the coaches uh said like thank you bye I'm gonna miss y'all love y'all all of that saw Eric even saw Eric so that's him in my house and like it's just a respect like they really do like he let me know everything that was going on so I never felt betrayed I never felt like oh like they gave up on me or anything like that like

it's just it's a business I understand it and like it sucks for me personally because I love everyone in Tampa love cash love it's not like everybody I love everybody so when I left it like felt like I was leaving my family more than anything so like it sucked but at the same time i understand it's a business i'm older now i've seen this happen every year with all the guys i looked i looked up to so i understood it how often do you think about the world series game 6 2020 how often does that come up in your mind? And just, you know, it was like the perfect storm of analytics and like the old guard coming together. You're pitching the game of your life in the World Series. You're trying to survive and they take you out against the Dodgers and

Dodgers end up winning. And your manager, Kevin Cash, was blamed. You weren't blamed. You handled it incredibly well. I thought you showed up to the press conference. You answered everything again, hard on your sleeve. How often do you think about that? Not as much as people would think. I think about it once or twice. I still haven't watched it. Really? The whole game?

I'll see highlights and stuff, but I won't watch it. It hurts too much? It was the last time I played as a Ray, you know? Yeah. My best game that I played for the Rays, I got traded after that. And then like to see like the facial expressions of like my pitching coach and the bench coach and hitting coach and all the coaches that I like, the players, like the guys that I was going to war with,

like I don't want to see their faces. I want to see like what they, like their expressions and how they felt, how confused they were. Like I remember those feelings. So like, I remember all those expressions so clear. So, because like, I don't know if I ever get to the World Series again. I'm not one of the best teams in baseball.

If we can get to the World Series, it doesn't mean we're going to. Like, I know how hard it was to get there. So, it's just like, ah, it's hard to, like, look at it in any light. I think when I'm done playing, I'll look at it. For right now, I'm just so forward thinking. Like, I always think, like, what's next? What can I do to be better?

And, like, it's really helped me a lot to where I don't really, you know, reflect on that. But I know once I'm done like playing and I look at that yeah that'll probably hurt because I remember saying like that was the first time I ever saw my dad like really cry like he cried a little bit when his mom passed and I was like it's everything but he cried this man was bawling after that game and I was like I didn't even know what to say, dude. I was just like, whoa.

It was really crazy to me to see him finally get emotional in front of me for the first time. So I remember that really vividly. But yeah, I just can't watch it. You wrote a great piece for Players Tribune about that, about calling your dad on FaceTime and seeing him cry. Your dad has been a part of your life in terms of baseball and since a former minor league player, right? A former coach, too. What was he sad about?

Was he sad that you lost? Was he sad that you were wrong? Was it like what ultimately led this guy who you say didn't even cry when his mother passed away to show that kind of emotion? Well, I'm his kid, so I feel like he kind of felt the pain for me. And then he knew what I was going to do. I was talking to this man. I said, I'm going nine, and I'm putting the team on my back. We're beat up.

Our bullpen's been doing everything for us. I need to step up. And I just kept saying, I have to go nine, I need to step up. And, like, I just kept saying, like, I have to go nine. I have to go nine. Like, the whole time I'm pitching, like, all I'm thinking about is, like, go nine innings. Like, give you everything you got, 120 pitches, like, you're going nine. And, like, he knew how bad I wanted to go nine innings.

He knew how bad I wanted to win that for the team. Like, he just knew, like, because I was – when i tell you i was studying this team like oh my god i was sitting like i would watch how these guys walk by me in the hallway because we're in the same hotel right yeah i was like i was watching how they talked to their families i was watching like their swag their confidence their walk their everything like i wanted to know everything about these guys. I wanted even to see how they talked. Like, I would say what's up to them just to hear how they talk,

hear their voice, hear, like, I was so dialed in and I was so, like, just focused on beating this team. And I was like, we're not losing. I know Charlie Morton's game seven, and Charlie Morton in game seven is, that's a special human. So I was like, I just got to get him the ball. So then going through all that, I get pulled. It was just, yeah, it was just really hard. So I see why he cried.

Do you think Kevin Cash does that all over again the exact same way? Have you ever asked him? I don't think he would. Yeah. I mean, Kevin Cash, he's going to be honest. He ain't going to lie. I think he knows where he went wrong and I think that's going to make him a better manager.

He's that good and smart. It's an amazing thing and I think that people are going to keep looking back at that moment in terms of analytics and all that. I would imagine you fall on the side of we need to chill. If someone's feeling it, don't go by the book.

Listen to the player, right? Listen to how he's feeling. Look at what he's doing, correct? 100%. And Cash knows that now. But without that, everything would have been the same way moving forward. So we needed that to move forward, to understand what this actually means. And sometimes you've got to trust your gut.

And Cash knows that. Like, he'll admit he was wrong on that. But at the same time, if he didn't do that, he wouldn't have learned what he learned. So, like, he's such a good manager. Like, I couldn't even get mad at him or upset. Like, I trust him and I know he wants to win. So, like, I still to this day,

I don't get upset at him for doing what he wants to win. So I'm still in his day. I don't get upset at him for doing what he did. Inside I get upset and I wanted to keep going but he wants to win too and if he feels like that was his best option then go with it. I trust him. I thought it was very cool

how you didn't throw him under the bus afterwards and still don't throw him under the bus or try to show him up or anything like that. I just want to ask a couple more questions if i can and then i'll let you go is that okay um your your your big league debut april 23rd 2016 at yankee stadium could you could you even put into words the nerves that a young man has making his debut at yankee stadium like how nervous were i'd be know, I'd be in the bathroom probably for 20 hours leading up to that. Were you nervous? Because I can't even imagine what that felt like.

I wasn't nervous at all, honestly. Really? Like, 100% honest. I literally, like, I just felt like when I got there, I was like, this is my moment. Like, this is my time. Like, I put in five and a half years. Like, this is my time. Like I put in five and a half years of work in pro ball just to get here. Like I've earned this. I'm not letting this go to waste. And like, that's how I processed it. It was like, this is my moment. And like,

I'm taking advantage of it. And not once was I nervous. I mean, you know, I get the jitters and like all of that, but it's not because I'm nervous it's because like i can't wait like i can't wait to like get my story and like my my moment rolling and like my time in the big leagues going so that's how i looked at it and there's 44 000 people it's like a babe ruth bobblehead night or day um and it was packed and i remember like the first time going in the bullpen, fans are talking crap. I'm like, okay, I like this. I was getting excited. And I knew I got to face, like I was going to face A-Rod.

Like I looked up to A-Rod when he was with the Mariners. Like him and Griffey were the guys that like did it for me. Like I was like, I'm going to get to the big leagues because of those guys. So when I got to play A-Rod, I was stoked. The only thing I take from that is like, the only thing that really truly matters from my debut is like, I pitched to A-Rod. He almost took me deep, literally right to the warning track. And then I struck him out and I was

like, I will never forget this day. Like I struck A-Rod out. That was my idol, like one of my idols growing up. And like, that was the coolest thing for me. I love how you represent Seattle. You're very proud of where you're from. I know you also grew up a big basketball fan in like in an alternate universe. Would the dream have been to make it to the NBA? Because it sounds like basketball was your first love even before baseball. No, a hundred percent.

And then when I looked, you know, I was like, I'm not that athletic. Like, I got to be a lethal shooter with some pretty good defense. But these guys, like, that I was going against that were the best in my state, I mean, I just wasn't as good as them. And I was like, you know, I could compete. And if I really put my mind to it, I could be a good player. But nowhere near the player I'll be in baseball. So then I just had to go, okay, like hoop dreams is not it for me.

I had fun with that. I love watching basketball. I love it. But baseball is like, I can really dominate in baseball. I can be really good. And like everything in my life kind of set up that way. My dad had a baseball facility. I was there every day. My dad was coaching me every day in baseball. Like my advantage was baseball. And I saw that at a young age. So I was like, look, I can love playing basketball and I can play it. It's going to make me a better athlete overall for baseball. I played football to make me a better athlete for baseball. But then once I had to start focusing on baseball my sophomore year, that's all I did

was baseball. So you can kind of sympathize where I come from as an Expos fan, like Seattle losing the Sonics. It's kind of like this hole in your heart. Everyone wants to see the team come back. They have to come back to Seattle. I mean, I know you were a little young, right? When they left, did you ever go to games or were you too young? I did go to the Key Arena. I watched games. And then, like, all I want to happen is we lost Kevin Durant and Westbrook. I want, like, the Sonics to come back. And I want Russ and KD to reunite in Seattle. Oh, man.

That would be sick. That's all I want. We're running out of time with Russ, but, you know. Yeah. Clock is ticking. Yeah. Clock is ticking. Yeah, I just hope the Sox come back soon, and hopefully Russ and KD can come back to Seattle and do something special there.

I apologize if this is, like, a kind of uncomfortable question, but before your career is over, would you like to play for the Mariners? Would that be a dream? I mean, I've never said it, like, publicly, but, like, the most I can say is I love Seattle. And yeah, like I wouldn't mind it. Like, obviously, I'm from Seattle. Everything I've ever done growing up loving has been Seattle.

So, I mean, I would like to play in Seattle. It's not like a set goal. I really like where I'm at in San Diego. So it's yeah, it's just whoever wants me. wants me like i'll play i just want to win like i think that's really where it comes from like i've gotten comfortable wherever i lived and i enjoy those moments so i think wherever i play next i just want to win you're with a great team with a superstar face of the team right fernando tatis jr um a bit of a scrapper himself him and machado getting into it in the dugout there i saw that

a couple you know that was uh that was like but yeah they're brothers like that's just them like like man yeah like i didn't see anything wrong i'm like that's them like trying to be better like they're literally brothers so i was like, that didn't even bother me. I wasn't even there, and I saw that, and I was like, Manny just wants Totti to be more. They're going to be best. They'll literally go in the clubhouse and just laugh at each other two seconds later.

People saw a lot in that, but that's like Manny being the older brother. I really hope that this lockout thing doesn't extend because I do think that baseball is in a great place in terms of young stars uh i i'm i'm a blue jays fan now because i had to adopt the other canadian team i love laddie jr uh because his dad i grew up watching in montreal and he reminds me so much of his dad the way he swings at everything and all that and they're a very young team and a very fun team and they're like there's a bunch of sons of guys that i grew up watching right like biggio and bichette and all that stuff um i just i would love to know from you in closing the one thing about baseball that drives me nuts it's like

with your guy tatis they get mad at him for flipping the bat they get mad when anyone shows personality you know i come from the fight game right and it's like is right is he the the more flashy you are the better right connor the crazier you are the better why is baseball so like they're so obsessed with these unwritten rules and all this bullshit like i want to see you guys talk trash i want to see bad flips i want to see guys showing up other guys isn't that what it isn't that what like kids want that's what this generation wants why does baseball try to stifle that continuously? Yeah, well, they don't want it to get out of hand. And I don't think the players that play baseball would do that anyway.

I don't feel like that's them. I do see the young talent coming in, and I'm for it. Be yourself, like 100%. So I don't get upset. If you're going to pimp a homer off me or you're going to do whatever, I'm coming right back. So it does not matter. I don't care what anyone says. So if someone was to pimp one off me, when're going to do whatever I'm coming right back. So it does not matter. I don't care

what anyone says. So if someone was to pimp one off me, when I strike you out, I will do something and you will see it and know it. Like, it's just, that's just who I am. And that's like my fun and like my nature, like, all right, you got me. Well, I'm going to get you. Like, there's no way around that. I don't know why baseball does that because we have a lot of youth in the game right now, and it's fun, and it's exciting, and I don't know why they do that. But I'll tell you what, your Blue Jays team's really good, and they got a really good manager in Charlie, a really good manager. Former Tampa, right? Yeah. Yeah, you guys can do some really good things.

I was heartbroken. Last game of the season i come i mean i thought that they were better than the red sox and yankees and should have made it uh to the postseason vladdy's special right i mean that guy can hit anything anywhere to get ready for that year that he had last year i mean props to him lost all that weight oh yeah i mean i'm happy for him you did whoop their ass though though, in the playoffs in 2020. I mean, you whooped their ass. It wasn't even close, that series.

But, you know, I forgive you for it. Yeah, but they're young. They're a young team. So they got to learn what it's like to play in the playoffs. That was our second year getting there. We knew what we were doing. We were very focused and driven. And we just had such a good pitching staff and such a good team

that we were very confident going into that uh super last thing do you want to go back to that playoff format or do you like it the more traditional way you know when they let like the eight teams in yeah i like the lead i like where we're at now i don't want to get more teams in because then you're just you're just letting them get in i want i want feel like we earned it, like we got here because we earned it. You're the man, Blake, really. I have a lot of respect for you, the way you conduct yourself, the way you – I mean, the stuff that you're doing with kids is incredible,

and we share a mutual dissatisfaction of one Dylan Dana, so it's tremendous. I love it. I love the way we met. It's amazing. I wish you the best, and I hope that we get to see you come late February when pitchers and catchers report. And then of course, when the season starts, you have a fan for life here. So all the best to my man, have a great upcoming season and really thank you for giving us this time. I really appreciate it. Yeah, no, I appreciate it a lot as well. And when I'm in your city,

I'm going to be calm. We'll figure it out. All right. So that was great. Again, getting a chance to talk to someone who, you know, is so young in the prime of their career. One of the best pitchers in baseball. Cy Young winner. I mean, in the midst of a lockout, very unique, very special. And I appreciate how candid Blake is. And I appreciate that he's himself. He doesn't try to be someone that he isn't. He doesn't to be fake he doesn't try to speak in cliches he doesn't

try to do any of that he's just a real person and you don't get a lot of that in sports these days so thank you very much to him I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did and I wish him the very best this upcoming season I will root for him and I hope that we get the MLB season on time. Nothing's better than that April opening day start. And in the midst of this pandemic to go through all this nonsense, I know there's never a good time to have, you know, labor disputes, but this seems like a really ill-advised time. So appreciate his thoughts on that as well. And hopefully the season does not get delayed.

All right. I hope you enjoyed that. If you want to watch the interview, go check out our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Ariel Helwani. We had a second interview up last week with Mickie James, the Impact Knockouts champion who's going to enter the Royal Rumble. It's a very unique story, a co-promotion, if you will,

with WWE. They're basically loaning her from Impact. Very interesting. We put that on the web only. So that's on my YouTube channel right now. Also previous interviews with Dan Lebitard and the likes of Kendra Lust and Michelle Beadle, Daniel Ricciardo, Frank Izola, Big E, Renee Paquette,

on and on it goes, all on our YouTube channel. Building that up and I'm very very proud of it so please do check it out and I appreciate all your support here on the podcast as well please continue to rate download subscribe and review follow it means more than you know and thank you very much to our sponsors as well BetterHelp ExpressVPN anyone who has sponsored this little engine that could I appreciate you I appreciate the lovely feathers I appreciate our production team I appreciate the listeners and the viewers more than you know. And I shall be back next week for another great interview coming your way right here on the feed and also

on the YouTube channel. Again, thank you to Blake Snell. Much love and respect. Have a great weekend. I'll talk to you next week.