Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Rob Butler: Toronto Mike'd #1458

Episode Date: March 25, 2024

In this 1458th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Rob Butler about growing up in East York with his brother Rich, playing for the Toronto Blue Jays and winning the 1993 World Series, retiring from MLB as a Blue Jay, playing in the IBL, managing the Toronto Maple Leafs and more. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

Welcome to episode 1458 of Toronto Mic'd! Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. The Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. The best baseball in the city outside the dome

with eight championships since 1967. RecycleMyElectronics.ca Committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past The Advantage'd Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada Valuable perspective for Canadian investors who want to remain knowledgeable, informed and focused on long-term success And Ridley Funeral funeral home pillars of the community since 1921. Today making his Toronto mic debut is Rob Butler. Welcome Rob.

Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here. And you got the East York collegiate hoodie on East York represent. You're born the East York collegiate hoodie on East York represent. So you're born in East York. I was born in East York, born and raised, Maine and Danforth, Maine and Danforth punk, as they used to call us when we were kids. And yeah, what a great place to grow up, man. I was so lucky.

The neighborhood I grew up in full of athletes, full of us, poor kids running around, just hoping we would get a tennis ball for Christmas and, you know, we could make wonders, miracles happy with the tennis ball. So when you were growing up in East York and you're playing baseball there and shout out I want to shout out Chris Cooksey and Mike Ross who are there they were coaching with the East York baseball and Mike Ross is the public address announcer for the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team. Is that a wild coincidence? Yeah, it is.

And Chris Cooksey, he hosts a podcast for Raymond James Canada called the Advantage to Investors. So shout out to Cooksey, shout out to Mike Ross, shout out to East York. I have a message for you, Rob, from my buddy Elvis. Elvis is not his real name, but he says, tell Rob that Charlie Monaco says hi. Good, Charlie. Charlie lives on my street. Is that right?

Going to be a future baseball legend. Did you know I call Perry Elvis? I did not know that, but he does have that on his license plate. Yeah. I did notice that when I walked by with my dog every night, I see his license plate or a great family, man. So you're living in the dirty schwa near Elvis. That's a fun fact.

Yeah. So, um, obviously I grew up in Toronto, spent most of my life there. You know as things evolved and you know being able to afford life I decided to move out to Durham and I met my wife out there and we bought a little house up in North North Oshawa and it's been fantastic ever since. So Elvis who is a regular on this program, good friend of mine, he talks about having a Costco room like he's got a room in his house where he just puts like, I don't know, he buys large

quantities of toilet paper and stuff and he stores it in the Costco room. That's the kind of real estate we're talking about in Oshawa. Am I right? Well, they build a Costco basically in our bath in our backyard. So anybody who lives up near Wimfield's farm is celebrating every day. And now I know where to go when I run out of toilet paper and paper towels. I'll be at Perry's house for sure. And I'm sure he's got like a hundred tubes of toothpaste in that Costco room. I just get, I can tell. So Elvis, invite me back to North Oshawa and then I can knock on Rob Butler's door

and say hello. So we'll make that happen. Okay. So small world, a lot of small world stories here. And again, I'm aching to go back to 1993 with you, but I need to first let everybody know you're you're coaching, you're managing, sorry, you're managing the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. Yes, the Inter County League was a staple in my life also as when I was a kid. I loved looking at the highlights in the paper, you know, back when we used to read newspapers when we were kids, uh, what was happening with

Maple Leaf baseball team and Inter County in general, and you know, Bill Bajkowski and Rod Heisler and all these guys that were in the league back then, they were my childhood heroes along with the Blue J players. So, um, it was kind of a dream of mine to play in that league. And, uh, as it all happened, um, when I was 18, I, uh, I, I wasn't eligible to play for Toronto. I actually had to play my first games in the IBL for Stratford.

I had to drive. What's their nickname Stratford? They were the Stratford, I don't know. Okay. Crazy people. Stingrays? I don't know. Oh, the Stratford Hillers.

Hillers, okay. What am I saying? How could I forget that? Well, it's all that trivia. By the way, I got a book full of trivia like that. I know you've probably got a copy, The Strafford Hillers. Sorry. What am I saying? How could I forget that? Well, it's all a trivia. By the way, I got a book full of trivia like that. I know you've probably got a copy, but that's the Toronto Maple Leafs history book. And guests have been loving it when I handed it out, so you'll probably find out about

Strafford in there. But please continue that story because I want to ask you about playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the IBL back in, I guess, 2001. Yeah. So I always wanted to play for the Leafs, but I couldn't. So for two years, I actually had to play up in I guess 2001. Yeah, so I always wanted to play for the Leafs, but I couldn't so for two years I actually had to play up in Stratford and it's funny because I didn't have I mean I shouldn't be admitting this but I didn't Have a driver's license back then I didn't get my driver's license until I was halfway through being 20 years old before I went to

Proball and I was driving to Stratford With my brother in the car who was 15 years old my brother Rich Wow who? Loved watching all my games when I was playing anywhere, to be honest. Hell of a ball player himself. Oh my God. I don't know, he says I'm the reason he made it to the big leagues and I always say he's the reason I made it to the big leagues, or did I say that properly?

We helped each other make it to the big leagues, playing numerous thousands of Burby games against the wall of the tennis ball against each other as growing up. What did you call those games? Burby games against the wall to tennis ball against each other as growing up. What did you call those games? Burby? Okay, so that like box Burby tell me about Burby. Yeah, so you put the strike zone on the wall. Yeah the schoolyard so we were playing at st. Bernadette or McCordick school on Coleman Avenue and it was our

playground that we would play either Burby or ball hockey with our friends in the neighborhood. But me and Rich would mostly play Burby against each other because he could literally throw a tennis ball when he was eight years old. It felt like it's going to be 100 miles an hour. The guy was a superstar in the making way back when. And literally we know that playing all those games and all that hitting that we

did off each other would help us with our hitting in the pros. Who were you like, like, I'm now we're gonna get you back to the IBM, we're bouncing around a little bit because I am gonna get you to 1993 too. And I had some clips from Friday's episode when Rod Black dropped by. So Rod says hi to, but I'll let him say that himself. I'm gonna play clips from the like just fantastic

Rod Black episode on Friday. So he raised the bar for everybody. But who would you, who'd be your heroes back then? Like, what Canadian ballplayers would you emulate? Like was there any hope and dream for a kid from East York that he could one day play in Major League Baseball? Well, that's the funny thing about dreaming. You can be rich, poor, you can be anything you want,

but you can have big dreams. And I was so keen on the Blue Jays and any Canadian that ever played for the Blue Jays. Terry Pohl, he was with the Houston Astros. I mean, I obviously loved Ferguson Jenkins, who is obviously a hero of every Canadian that ever thought of even playing baseball at any level. You know, legend.

So I really just wanted to be like those guys, not knowing what it even meant or what it was, you know. It was just like seeing them in the paper, seeing them on the news, seeing highlights. And, you know, I just, uh, something about baseball was in my blood from the time I was, you know, seven, eight years old when the blue Jays first came to Toronto and you know, Bob Baylor, John Mayberry and, um, you remember those, you remember those years. Oh yeah. I,

I followed the blue J so closely. Um, I followed the Blue Jays so closely. I used to score keep the games. I go and buy a score book and you know, I would score keep Toronto Blue Jays games. Mostly when, especially when they played the Kansas City Royals or the New York Yankees. I loved Don Mattingly, George Brett, Willie Aikens, the Milwaukee Brewers with Robin Yount

and Paul Mollider and Ben Oglebay. Like I used to imitate these guys when I was playing. Did you ever think one day you'll be a teammate of Paul Maltner's? No. I could never have thought- That's wild. I could never have thought that that would actually happen. I actually wore it my first pro year.

I wore number four. Lou Gehrig was my favorite player of all time, but Paul Maltner was my second favorite player of all time. So I wore number four my first year in St. Catharines when I was a baby Blue J and you know I never dreamed that I'd ever get a chance to you know be his teammate high five him after one of his home runs him give me a high five after I scored a run. Let alone like let's get some because we're going to talk about this but not just you know having him as a teammate playing for your you know beloved Toronto Blue Jays but we're talking in the world series, Rob.

Like I pinch yourself, like that happened. Uh, yeah, you know, the more, the farther away I get from that now, 30 years now, the more I realize how amazing it was. I mean, in the moment, like we were jumping down, freaking out. We were jumping beans, going mental and celebrating like you could never celebrate in your life. But the farther you get away from it and you see how hard it is to actually be a team and make it to the World Series,

it becomes more and more special because the Blue Jays haven't done it since. And they've had some good teams. So it's tough, right? And you really appreciate it more as you get older. You are there. I'm gonna play some clips that prove you were there. Okay, and I'm gonna play some clips from abroad

and then some clips he told me to pull about you. And then we'll get back to, what we'll do is we'll get back to 93 we're gonna talk about you playing in the IBL we'll talk about you managing the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team at Christie Pitts we'll talk about May 12 which is the the home opener this season and and what's going on shout out to Keith Stein what's it like dealing with Keith Stein, new owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team? Oh, Keith is amazing.

He's got the energy, he's got the ambition and love for what he wants to do with this Maple Leaf team and using the logo properly and getting the word out about what we're doing down there. He is the right guy that's coming to this league and for this team for this, for this team, for sure, because the league was the league has its up and downs and the owners like Keith will turn things around and make it more fun to be at the park.

That's his ambition is, you know, how to treat the fans properly and, you know, make sure the players are happy. So he's got all the right, right ways of doing things that the players are going to love and the fans are going to love. Absolutely. Now say some words about before I play a clip of him, play some words about, say some words, I'm gonna play the words, you're gonna say the words about Rod Black. Rod Black, we go way back, we go way back to my

Toronto Blue Jays days and I had a great interview with him actually after the World Series. Okay, then I'm gonna cut you off because now I'm gonna let Rod take over and we're gonna play that interview and then we'll talk about the 1993 season. You ready to hear from Mr. Black? Yes. Here we go. You know you should actually look when you have Butzi on, Rob. Take a look at the video of Rob Butler and I. I'm interviewing Rob in 1993 World Series and that's when I really kind of got to know Rob when he played for the Blue Jays and we became just fabulous friends at the time.

And that interview to me is still one of the most favorite interviews I've ever done because it was so raw. He was screaming, screaming out his brother Rich. And then he doused me with so much champagne and ruined his suit. And you know what's so crazy? I think my mustache never got wet. But that mustache was, that was grotesque at the time.

But I will grow it back for you. Mike, for you, that's three for three, that's a hat trick. Okay, it was worth it. So are you gonna put some money on this thing? So if Keith Stein, I'll tell you what, if Keith Stein donates, if he donates $500 to $1,000 to Special Olympics Canada, I will grow it back.

Okay, Rob, before I play the clip that Rod is describing of you guys talking after, you know, Joe touches them all. I pulled that clip too. There's a lot of clips I got here, but let's just establish something. So I spoke with Keith Stein on the weekend and Keith is happily donating that money to Special Olympics Canada. Therefore, and I urge everyone listening to make a contribution to Special Olympics Canada too,

because this ensures we're gonna have Rod Black's mustache back for May 12th's home opener at Christie Pitts. It's coming back, Rob. Oh, I hope it comes back. I mean the man is the legend with his mustache. He was legendary back then in those days. You know we all loved Rod. Rod is such a positive guy and we loved when he was around. He just knew what the right questions asked the players to make them

feel comfortable and happy to do interviews with him and I loved doing interviews with him. He was so good to me. Well let's find out how your interview with him sounded in 1993. interview with him sounded in 1993. You are looking live at a partying downtown Toronto this evening. The Blue Jays have just won, as you know, their second straight World Series. A million people in Yonge Street last year when the Blue Jays won it in Atlanta. There will be at least that many well into the morning in Yonge Street this year for the Blue Jays winning their second straight World Series on Joe Carter's dramatic three run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning only the second time that has

ever happened that the World Series has been won on a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Bill Mazurowski did that the first time in 1960. We have more for you from the Blue Jays Clubhouse. Let's go now to Rod Black. How does this feel? Bullyville is going crazy, Eastern is going crazy. All I wanna say, I love you all. I love everybody, Bullyville. I love everybody, Eastern. I love everybody in Canada.

Woo hoo! I know I talked to you earlier this season about your first Major League RBI. And I talked to you recently about what it was like to be in the series to help contribute to get a chance to play at the plate to know that you were here and to accomplish a dream how do you how does that all feel? It was a dream it's all a dream that has come true like you know I can't believe what I'm feeling I can't keep my feet still I you know I went to

the game that I couldn't even watch. I was so nervous about the outcome. I saw you in the tunnel. You didn't want to watch the game in the seventh. What did you think when Joe Carter put it out? I was sitting on the bench and I was saying, Joe, if there's any time to do it, baby, do it now. And he did. And I said, oh, I can't even remember anything after that. Just running.

Family and friends watching, a kid grows up and dreams about being here. Talk a little bit about the emotion being felt in Butlerville right now and from your family and friends who are watching. And your brother. My brother, anyone who's always supported me, I wouldn't be here without them. To make it through all those days where you just want to give up. All those long bus rides, you're thinking, man, is it all worth it?

They've been there for me my whole career, my brother and I have been out there practicing every day, making all this happen, and it has happened, Rich. Whoa, I love you, Rich! Rob Butler, very happy, enjoy yourself tonight. Jerry Dobson, back to you. Wow. When was the last time you heard that?

Wow, I actually haven't heard that in an entirety for a long time. I never used to listen to anything I ever did on interviews or anything. I didn't like the sound of my voice, but hearing that, man, makes me- No in an entirety for a long time. I never used to listen to anything ever did on interviews or anything I don't like the sound of my voice, but hearing that man. No one likes the sound of their voice It makes me emotional. Except maybe Rod Black. Yeah. Yeah, I know it does it brings back a lot of heavy emotion man like You know just really what we went through, you know as a family and you know, wow, it actually hit me a little bit there surprising Because it means everything to me

You know what I mean like my grandparents in Newfoundland and we were from a place called Butlerville Who's actually named after my my great-grandparents and you know, we go back there, you know once a year and they Fell in love with me playing baseball They tried to watch as much as they could my I don't even think my grandmother had a TV She could watch at one point waited by her TV But you know it was so meaningful and it was brought up a lot they actually talked about it in the world series when I got on base and they mentioned butlerville and butlerville erupted into this huge crazy thing and east jork and east jork was talked about a lot it was just

all so surreal and funny like meant to be like it was crazy just you know growing up when I was playing baseball in East York you know it's just it all accumulates and you become a Major League Baseball player and you're just like how the hell did this happen because it wasn't really ever supposed to happen you know Canadians didn't really ever make it to the big leagues especially ones who who grew up and were and were born playing baseball here you know there's Canadians that you know were born here but grew grew up in America. Sure, I'm thinking like Rob Doocy.

They were few and far between for sure. Very few. Are you all feeling Blue Jays? It was almost impossible because who were we playing against? I was playing house league baseball and really had no competition. I mean, I played in the Olympics when I was 18 years old. I was just in grade 12 in Eastern collegiate

as a high school kid. And suddenly I'm also playing in the Olympics and all these amazing things were on their way to happening for me. And it just, it really comes from my parents being so supportive, driving me, I do all my games, my brother playing Burberry with me, my brother almost being kind of like my hitting coach

when I was a kid. The guy has been so knowledgeable about hitting and throwing a baseball since I can remember. He's just so talented to be a brother, play against, and learn from. And you know, I was really lucky, man. I was lucky. I grew up in East York, lucky I grew up with me and Dan Forth, lucky I grew up in a tough neighborhood where we learned the ropes about grinding it out, you know, the grind every day, and being able to manage and handle all that. And it all ends up being so transferable when you play

and being able to manage and handle all of that. And it all ends up being so transferable when you play at a pro level on any sport for anybody who does it. I mean, where does that all come from? And it really comes from your childhood and learning how to grind. You're the only Canadian player ever to have won a World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

You're it. Yeah. That list is one guy, Rob Butler. It is. Well, you also have to thank the people who also put you there, Paculik and Paul Beeston. Well, let's do that then, talk to me. So of course, I did a little homework.

I'm like, okay, let me find out when, Rob. So you're signed as an amateur free agent in September, 1990, but you make your MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on June 12, 1993. and then you go on that season in the regular season. You play 17 games, you had a hand injury, you batted 271 with four doubles and a couple of RBIs. I mean, you had a fine 17 regular season game.

So tell me about, A, being signed as the amateur free agent. You talked about playing in St. Catharines there and then that you know, that moment you're called up to make your major league debut, that's June 12 1993. Like, just let me know what it's like and then I'm gonna play Tom cheek, calling that walk off Homer by future FOTM Joe Carter FOTM is friend of Toronto Mike. I have in my calendar. I think it's I want to get the Toronto Mike, I have in my calendar. I think it's I want to get the right date. I think it's June 19 or something like that. I think it's June 19.

I'm setting up my podcast studio at Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville because that is the Joe Carter classic. And Rod Black has promised me Joe Carter will make his Toronto Mike debut. So maybe give me a vibe like, OK, you're playing for the Blue Jays. How does it all feel? Let me hear your voice and I'll shut up for a moment. Well, going back to when I signed in 1990, me and my brother actually signed the same day,

same contract, same everything. I was 20, he was 17. He was a baby, man. I mean, this guy wasn't even shaving yet. He couldn't even grow armpit hair. But he was six foot one in about 140 pounds. Um, but it was funny. Like, uh, all of this almost did not happen because you know, I'm a human being and human beings have things that go on in their life and you

have struggles and you, you, you deal with things. And sometimes you need some help dealing with things. And I didn't know that I needed some help. I was really suffering from a lot of anxiety and stress and things that were going on that I didn't really realize was going on until I became a professional. I played with Team Canada for a couple of years.

I traveled around the world, had no real issues. And then all of a sudden things started to change for me and I was struggling a little bit. So I was really debating at one that I was going to even sign my contract. Cause the Blue Jays, it's funny, the Blue Jays wanted to sign Rich at that time. They were interested in signing me when I was 18 and 19, but they lost interest when

I was 20. I was kind of getting past, you know, the door was closing basically. So when they wanted to sign my brother, my dad called the Blue Jays and said, you know, Rob wants to sign, he's interested in, you know, Rich will sign, and I still remember Bob Prentice and relaying the message back to my dad that Rob can sign as long as his brother signs. So it's either gonna be Robin Rich or just Rich.

So that put a little bit of reality, reality kick in the butt check for me that it was time to do something, even though I was really kind of struggling with everything in my world. I did it and we did it on September, what was the date, September 23rd? September 24th.

September 24th, yeah, so it was right after my dad's birthday. So we did it actually kind of like, my brother enticed me, he said, let's do it for dad's birthday. And I said, you know what, okay, let's do it. So we ended up agreeing and doing it, but it would kind of go a little bit downhill for me from that point on.

I had a hard time training, I had a hard time, I even had a hard time riding the subway. I used to have a panic attack and get off the subway. My brother would be like watching me throwing up on the subway platform. And I was scuffling and didn't really understand because people didn't understand anxiety and people didn't talk about it. No, you didn't understand anxiety. People didn't talk about it.

No, you're 100% right. We didn't talk about it. It's like, oh, Rob, man up, deal with it. Pull through. Today, we're far more sensitive to what you were suffering from there. Yeah, no, definitely. And it was, yeah, so there was no such thing

as talking about therapy or anything like that. What the hell's that? And how do you even pay for that? So I really kind of internally tried to deal with it on my own and it didn't work. Like, did you have a coping mechanism? So I really kind of internally tried to deal with it on my own It was didn't work. So you have a coping mechanism So is you experience these feelings in your body like panic attacks and anxiety like do you have a coping mechanism? For me a lot of it was music like listening to my I had my yellow Walkman I listen to every day like my go-to the sports walk. Yeah, it was a sports walk man

Got me through most of my childhood actually what kind of music? Well, my favorite of all time actually is Duran Duran. My wife will be sad to hear me admit that on the radio. But yeah, no, it's Duran Duran. There's no shame in that. Yeah, no, Planet Earth. Oh my God, man. Oh Planet Earth, okay.

Oh man, these songs, my brother still makes fun of me about it, but you know what? And then I grew to love Metallica, Rush. Rush was a go-to, big for me. New Order, and I got to meet Geddy Lee. I could talk about that another time, but I got to meet Geddy Lee. So music really helped me.

But when I was a pro, I kind of, I don't know, nothing could help me. I was really scuffling. I actually went to my first spring training on my own, because Rich was still in high school. And I went AWOL, man. I took off. I went to my first day at the park.

Couldn't understand a word anybody was saying. My brain was moving way too fast. I was nauseous, ready to throw up. And I packed my bags, told my roommate, Greg O'Halloran, I cannot do this. I am out of here. Walked down Highway 19, sat in the, sat and hid really in a motel for three days.

Yeah. And of course there's no cell phones. I mean, I couldn't even call home and say, my mom, I'm in trouble here. Right. But you know, it was definitely a dark, I mean, I'm talking light about it right now, but it was dark.

It was, it was pretty scary for me. No, I appreciate the honesty because I think we all like write this script and it's like, oh, East York's own Rob Butler gets a pinch hit single off Kurt Schilling. And it was on the field when Joe Carter touches them all. Like that's how we write the story. But I think it's important to talk about that.

It's not all like, uh, you know, wine and roses on the, on the path. No, it's not. And most of the time it isn't most of these guys. No, it's a long, hard struggle of certain things that go on. And for me, it was definitely things that went on that, you know, impacted my life, you know, and I

hit it. I hit it really well. I mean, I was a straight A student. I was athlete of the year multiple times. I looked like I lived a perfect life and had the perfect soul. And my soul was cracked and damaged and all broken up. So I went and hit for a little while.

And I was really contemplating like really negative things because I had no way out for me. It was like, this is it. Like what have I done to myself? But I was pretty damn lucky. I had some families who were, who got ahold of me, put their arms around me and said, you know what? The Blue Jays, you know, said,

you're gonna go get some therapy. We're gonna work this out, figure it out. You don't have to be a baseball player, which was like the most refreshing thing I've heard in my life. They saved your life. They saved my life. They really did. Wow.

So I flew back home to Toronto. I did a solid three months of therapy, three, four times a week. I'm not going to say my Dr. Bierman was my big bear, my big cuddly bear. He taught me how to, he rebuilt my soul is what he did. And talking about what was bugging me and what was building up my body really is what helped me become a Major Leaguer because at the end of my therapy around May, I hadn't picked up a baseball or a bat for God over a year. He's like, you know what, the Blue Jays just want to know if you want to play baseball. It's entirely up to you. You make the decision. Are you ready?

If you're ready, you know, we can work towards getting you ready to do it. And I said, yes, I said, yeah, I want to do it. So it's funny, I started actually practicing with my mom. My mom used to soft toss to me. We used to walk over to Stan Wadlow and we had a bucket of tennis balls and a few baseballs and my mom would soft toss to me and my brother would catch some fly balls in the outfield and this is how I prepared to play

my first professional baseball season against first round draft picks. Guys from Florida State, Stanford. And I went back and I was player of the year in St. Catharines. Wow. I won a batting title. This is quite the story. Wow. Yeah. So glad you got that help at a time when it wasn't, I don't know what the right terminology is, but it wasn't in vogue. It wasn't fashionable to, you know, seek professional help and admit that you have, uh, anxiety that you need to, to, to deal with. And so your life saved at that moment. And then you decided you did one.

And I love that story. Stan, uh, what's his name again? Lamp last Stan Wadlow. Yeah. Shout out to my East York friends. I want to shout out. Uh, I know Bob Willett knows that Park wet well, and he'll be here on Friday for another episode of Toast with Rob Proust. So shout out to Bob Willett. But I did not know this part of your story. To me it's like Toronto Kid makes

the pros and then wins a World Series. The end and everybody's happy along the way. But it's amazing you got that help. Yeah, no, it made, it made, and I didn't understand even the therapy when I was talking about what was going on in my world and what was, you know, cause you don't realize how much of your childhood builds up in your own body and how it becomes really negative if you let it and you don't know how to deal with it.

Childhood trauma. Childhood trauma is actually what it was. And so I learned to deal with it. And what it really helped me the most and what my therapist helped me the most was dealing with it, how to work my way through negative thoughts and to turn my brain into thinking positively. And it really helped me be a professional athlete and it turned my superpower on. My superpower of focus and concentration came back, which is what you actually have to have if you're going to be a professional athlete, play at the highest level. It's actually a game of concentration at any sport you play. And if you don't have it, you're gonna be a professional athlete play at the highest level it's actually a game of concentration at any sport you play and if you don't have it you're doomed and

For me I was able to find it and you know He told me to you know do the things I love to do listen to music read books Do all these things before games that didn't let my mind race and go to where I didn't want to go and those are the things that I kind of did my routine was always to stay in that positive mode and Really, you know not that things Kind of creep back into the way they used to when I was a kid. And then it worked, man. I was two and a half years later, I'm playing in the major leagues, you know, after really being at the bottom,

bottom, what I felt was the bottom's pit. Amazing. Now on June 12th, 1993, do you remember your major league debut? Oh, I think I remember every time I even walked into a baseball stadium, I can tell you what happened. So yeah, oh yeah. 100%. Do you remember your major league debut? I think I remember every time I even walked into a baseball stadium. I can tell you what happened. So yeah, oh yeah, 100%. Okay, do you remember what picture were you facing that first at bat? The first at bat was Mike Moore and I got my hit off Tom Bolton in Detroit. And I got called up from Syracuse.

So the night before I'm playing in front of 1,400 people and the next day I'm playing in front of 48,000 people, which was a bit of a shocker for me because I didn't really expect to be called to the big leagues that fast because I'd only played in about 160 minor league games at that point. I basically only played like a total of one professional season, but I was doing really well. Like I was I was I was playing good. I was on fire. I was lucky. I was healthy. My brain was healthy. My body felt good. And I just loved playing baseball.

I couldn't wait to be in the batter's box. It was such a good, refreshing feeling for me because for a few years I had really struggled with that. And for me, playing for my teammates, I growing up in East York, when I played baseball in East York, if you didn't play for your teammates, you were not gonna be on that team for very long.'ve growing up in East York when I played baseball, East York, if you didn't play for your teammates, you were, you were not going to be on that team for

very long. So my, my boys in East York, you know, we always kept an eye on each other and made sure that we were going to battle, we're going to battle together. And I carried that all the way and it really helped me be a solid pro and get to the big leagues. So when you're joining the blue Jays in 1993, you're that's a, that's almost called them a Stanley cup winning team. I'm like, wait a minute, Mike, we wish I'm thinking about the leaves here.

I wish is true there. Uh, I only learned about it in black and white footage. I saw on YouTube, apparently the, the, the Maple leaves hockey team has won a few Stanley cups, but that's before my time, but world series championship team, they won in 1992, of course, and now you're joining this team in June and you know again at that point we look like we're on our way to win another AL East pennant and try to repeat which is so damn hard I'm going to play well you know what I'm gonna build up to this clip what do you remember about the the playoffs in 1993? Well it's funny because when I got called up initially I

was a starting left fielder. They had they made a trade and brought Tony Fernandez in and I got called up that night to play left field and so I was a starting left fielder for about 11 games and then we were playing a home game against the New York Yankees, my favorite team growing up besides the Blue Jays. How did that happen though? I mean, because of Don Maddenly, you let you rooted for players, I suppose, because they're the AL East rival. I didn't know how to root for the Yankees growing up.

Yeah, well, I'm more of an old, I was definitely more of an older Yankee fan, like the- Like Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, the 70s. Murderers Row. Ron Guidry and these guys. And then Don Maddenly.

Goose Gossage. Goose Gossage, yep. And then, but Don Maddenly became my, like I really emulated him so much as much as I could when I was playing in my own games as a kid and Wade Boggs. I wanted to be those two guys mostly. Both great hitters. Wow. Good guys to emulate. Yeah. So I, so I'm playing against the Yankees. I get a hit in my first at bat. Um, I'm on first base and I lo and behold, I'm talking to Don Mattingly. And I, Bob Baylor is the first base coach and, and, and I've already told him how many times I love Don Mattingly and he's like, well, your dreams come true, Rob, look at your standing side. And I'm like, you're not kidding, man.

And I went on for about 30 seconds about how Don Mattingly's poster was on my wall. I wish I had his autograph. I pretended that it was him playing Burby. I copied his stance. I copied the way he walked up the home plate and he's looking at me going, okay, good job. Good swing, by the way. I say, really good swing?

You just told me I had a good swing? So I have to say, yeah, watch this. So then I try to steal second base and I break my thumb. Oh my God. Yeah, and I am now on the disabled list pretty much for the rest of the season. So I tore the main ligament break my thumb. Oh my God. Yeah, and I am now on the disabled list pretty much for the rest of the season. So I tore the main ligament in my thumb and was on the DL until September.

So which is why my stats are low and my games played. We only played the 17 games in the regular season. But that, to me, it's almost like you're peacocking there for your idol, Don Madding. Like if it was anyone else at first base, you might, you probably, maybe you'd play it a little differently and you don't break that. Yeah, I'd be too afraid to say anything to anyone but I had to talk to Don Maddingly

and then show off and break my thumb. So I went on DL, but the Blue Jays kept me around. I was around the big leagues for the whole time. I got all my rehab done there which kind of helped me get comfortable. And then when we clinched against Milwaukee, that's when I got to play. So me, Dick Skoll, for the guys who were generally not playing much, we got playing time because they were trying to decide who's going to play in the playoffs. They were building their playoff roster, which I knew nothing about. I just assumed all of us were on the playoff roster. I had no idea of the little, little things that actually go on.

So we got in and I played pretty good. I got a bunch of hits. Most of my hits were actually in September and Ceto had to make a choice. And they picked me and Dick to be on the, Dick Scofield to be on the playoff roster. Well, let me come back to Dick Scofield after I play the clip of Tom Chee,

cause there's a fun fact about Dick Scofield, but back to you. Yeah, so we thought we were being told that we're not going anywhere. We're actually going home. We were looking at each other going, why is Tisito calling us into the room? Anyways, it was good news. It was congratulations. You guys are on the World Series roster and make the most of it when you get a chance.

And so we were like high five and hugging. We were buddies. Dick was my buddy and he took care of me. One of the guys who really took care of me when I was a rookie in the big leagues. And so I got, that was my way of being put on the roster. I actually did earn it. Um, the last couple of games of the season, I showed that I was ready to play again. And so I got to be not expectedly going to play much, um, because of our roster and who we have in the team.

And I think we had 12 all-stars in that team that year. So we were stacked, but, um, you know, at any time, you know, anything can happen as we all know in baseball. So I was always just preparing myself to be ready to play and, you know, off it went. Okay. I'm good. Again, make sure this is your job, Rob. Make sure you don't let me forget to share

the Dick Scofield story here. Okay. So we're game six. Maybe first talk about the World Series hit, right? Because you get a pinch hit off. Well, you get the you get the pinch hit off Curt Schilling and you went one for two in the games in that game. But tell me about getting a World Series hit. So when we first played when we first played Chicago, the roster, the lineup didn't change. So that kind of like, we weren't thinking we were going to play much at all. I mean, we didn't need to. I mean, the big boys are up there doing their thing and we didn't need any pinch hitters or anybody to come into

the game. Nobody got hurt. It was great because that helped us get to the World Series, keeping the bench guys on the bench. So, but when it came to playing in Philadelphia, I'd never played in the game without a DH until that point. I didn't understand pinch hitting for pitchers and all that. That didn't, I didn't really follow the National League a lot as a kid either. I was almost in the American League with DH. So when we went to Philadelphia, I had no, I wasn't even prepared. No, we didn't talk about it.

We're just hanging on the bench, the guys, me, Dick, Darno, Coles, we're all these guys, Woody Williams are there, and we're all just hanging out, eating chocolate bars and just like loving life because we're in the World Series. hanging on the bench, the guys, me, Dick, Darno, Coles, word to all these guys, Woody Williams are there and we're all just hanging out, eating chocolate bars and just like loving life because we're in the World Series and not really having to do much. But game three comes along and a pinch hitting situation comes up

and Gene Tennis comes down and says, "'Butler, you're hitting." And I was like, "'Butler who?' Like, "'Butler's hitting, what's going on here?' It was a shock. I was still in my winter coat base because it was freezing cold in Philadelphia during that world series.

Um, but it was great. It was, it was a great first experience for me to get out on deck. Uh, I busted out of that coat as fast as I could, got my bat, my little Cooper bat, which I loved and, uh, got out there in front of the 70,000 people at veteran stadium and hurt and got that kind of that energy that was needed to be able to handle a situation like that. But as the, uh, as it turned out, Lanie Dijkstra made a diving catch to end that inning and so my chance to pinch hit disappeared.

But it definitely made me more ready for the next game, game four. I was now jogging, stretching, getting ready, not screwing around, eating chocolate bars and making jokes with Dix Goldfield and telling him new fee jokes. We were being more serious and so when he came when the call came when when Todd Stoddermare scratched his chin all over Veterans Field. What a moment. I got to pinch it in the third inning and I was ready this time and I was pumped. I was so excited. Not a feeling of nervousness at all. It was such energy and adrenaline. Something that I didn't expect and I like oh man I ate it all up.

I just loved it. So I ended up reaching base in the field of choice, but I did score the seventh run to give us the lead in that game. So it was pretty fun. I love watching the video. Actually, that's one video I do like to watch when I'm scoring on that base hit,

because I don't think, I'm pretty sure I could have beat Ben Johnson in a race when that ball was hit. Nobody was running faster than me at that point. Wow. Wow. And you got, you did get a single too. Yes. So, so in game five, again, I was ready, but it was, it was after the 15-14 game. And as people know, baseball always seems to average itself out. It was either going to be zero, zero, one, nothing the next day.

And sure enough, it was. Kurt Schilling was throwing a gem. I mean, the guy is unbelievable. He's a super, super star pitcher. And it was this Nick and Tuck. We had Goosie going and it was incredible. The battle that was going on. And of course, Pat Borders reached base in the eighth inning as he usually does in the clutch. I mean, that guy's a superhero. What a series he had. That's the best baseball of his life was like those two weeks. Two years, two years in row playing in the world series. He's Mr. Clutchman. Like just balls out amazing guy. Tough. Oh my God, tough. You don't mess with Pat borders, but you want Pat borders on your side. And he looks like he could still play. Like I saw him, they had a ceremony last year.

I saw him. It looks like he could still play. Yeah. He's one of those never aging men. He's definitely got the same biceps and the whole thing going on. Probably still wears his little cutoff, cutoff shoulder t-shirt around town in Florida down there. But a great dude and one of my favorite teammates. But he reached base and Willie Kenyatta went to pinch run and I got to pinch hit.

And it was like, for me, it was an epic battle. I mean, Kurt Schilling probably didn't remember even happening, but I remember every pitch and it was along at bat. Like I was fouling balls off there over my head at my feet. I was not going to strike out looking or strike outs, uh, swinging. I was going down, putting the ball in play no matter what happened. Um, because Cito did say, you know what, like when you get into pinch hit, swing at everything, man, like don't, don't wait around for, you

know, the pitch that you want to hit. You got to, you got to hack. So I did. And I ended up getting a ball through the right side of the infield there and got on base. And again, it was standing there talking to John Kruk and Bob Baylor and like, I got a base hit. And Bob's like, you got to score the tying run.

Like stop thinking about your base hit. But I'm like, but you're in heaven. Like you're like on a cloud in heaven. It's like, oh my God. Listen, I can only imagine. So I'm living precariously're in heaven. You're like on a cloud in heaven. It's like, oh my God. And I can only imagine. So I'm living precariously through you right now, Rob. So yeah, I love how you're describing this. So this is game five in Philadelphia, right?

This game five we're talking about here. OK, but you got your you got a World Series hit, but we lose that game. And this this series is coming back to Toronto for Game 6. Yeah. So it was we didn't expect to go down to win this four games in a row. Like Philly was one of those scrappy, grind it out, wear you down kind of teams. I mean, they had some great players,

Darren Dalton and Lenny Dykstra. And oh my god, they were stacked as well, obviously. So we knew it was going to be tough. And some guys predicted it would take six or seven games. They weren't shying away from the fact that Philadelphia was really good. So in Pleska, when they had Kurt Schilling and Mitch Williams and they had a great bullpen which didn't come through for

them obviously so this game six okay so you know I'm a die-hard fan I'm like I'm at home watching on TV but I love my Blue Jays and here we are we're down heading into the ninth inning we're down by a run I believe I'm trying to remember all the details so we're down six five going into the ninth inning. And if we lose this game, there'll be a game seven. Okay. Nobody wants to take their chances on a game seven, but joke. So okay. Two on in my, uh, uh, Ricky Henderson's on and Paul Molitor.

Is that, yeah, it's like, I've seen these, we have, like I've lived this a million times, but Joe Carter, future FOTM Joe Carter is at the plate. So let's listen to how Tom Cheek called this moment. Here's the pitch on the way, a swing and a bell. A field, way back. Blue Jays win it! The Blue Jays are World Series champions as Joe Carter hits a three-run home run in the

ninth inning. And the Blue Jays have repeated as World Series champions. Touch them all, Joe. You'll never see them again. in the ninth inning and the Blue Jays have repeated as World Series champions. Touch them all, Joe. You'll never hit a bigger home run in your life. Okay, Rob, please, in as much detail as you can, where are you? What's your reaction to that moment when you see it clear the fence? What happens next? Everything between that moment and when we pick it up,

you talking to Rod Black there on that clip we played earlier, but talk to me. Well, first of all, like you gotta appreciate how amazing Tom Cheek did right there. Like that whole going through, and like there's no way there's a script, like he's really going off his own, his own reaction and his own emotion

and he set it out perfectly. Like it was such a momentous moment and he time, everything he said was like bang on and still gives you goosebumps. Oh yeah. You still feel the chill. I was loading it up last night and like, I'm gonna get to play it again.

I did a whole, I'll just tell the listenership, I did a whole micumentary about this home run where I had people who were there, Dan Schulman was actually stuck in an elevator shaft, but I had a whole bunch of people who were there that day telling me their recollections. Jerry Howarth has been over to tell me his recollections, you know, and there's a micumentary out there about this, a home run by Joe Carter, but now I'm talking to somebody on the team for the very first time on Toronto Mic'd and you got to tell me like, so what you're, are

you able to watch? Cause Rod Black was saying like, you, you know, you were covering your eyes. Did you see it? No, of course I did. I was, um, um, no, I didn't miss that. I would not miss that. It was funny cause in the seventh inning there was a, there, we, we, I think we had the lead in lane Dicester just kept hitting home runs and like pissing us all off. It's like this little rat of a player is just freaking beaten us by himself. And I love those kinds of players though.

I had such maximum respect for nails, like the way he played. I like those gamers. I play. I actually got a chance to play a little bit with Lenny because I got traded to Philly later on. Sure. Yeah. Great dude.

Like the dude. And that's what they call them. I mean, he has, I think the dude on his shoes. But yeah, so at one point I was actually getting ready in case I had to go in. So we, so I happened to be down the tunnel and I was nervous as all hell. So I was like, you know, I didn't want to watch that part, the one part of the inning

and because they were beating us up. But no, definitely when we were in the ninth inning, I was right there with my boys, Dickie and Darnell and everybody. And it was like, we were all holding hands. Like, come on Joe, we knew if there was one guy that could do it, it'd be him. Nobody was really expecting a home run.

Um, cause we had runners on I think first and second. And, uh, so we, you know, we just needed a base hit and, you know, the right guy, the most clutch guy that we've had in years. Would tie this game. Yeah. And that was Paul Molle. Like we heard them talking. They were all talking in a group there before the inning even started.

Like Ricky Henderson was going to mess with Mitch and step out of the box. And he had all that was planned. Like he knew he was going to do that to try to mess him up and it worked because he couldn't throw anything near a strike after that to Ricky. But Ricky's a menace, right? You, you're, you're the greatest leader of all time. So, you know, for sure, Mitch had problems with that.

And then really like the one, two, three, four, five lineup that was coming up, like you, there's no escape, right? There really is no escape for any pitcher. So we had, you know, Devo, Robbie, anybody that was coming up was going to be a clutch at the time. So when Joe was up, it was definitely kind of like a quiet stillness in the bench, like explosive energy inside your body, but nothing that anybody could see.

It was really like this, you know, this whole energetic like lightning bolt was traveling through all of us. And when Joe actually does hit the home run, it's almost, it almost is unbelievable. It really is. Cause you see, you see the swing. I can still see the ball taking off.

We really couldn't see it go over the fence cause it's down tight in that left field corner when it went over into the, into the bullpen, but when you see him start jumping that then the fans going ballistic, that's when we knew and it was just like, we were bouncing off the roof. So let me ask you when, when, when he'd been, you know, cause he kind of hooks it up like it, like there's a moment of like, will this go foul or will it stay fair? Like it's kind of wild. How straight it kept like it, like it was totally fair. Not even that close,

really. But there is that moment of like, is this thing gonna stay fair? Like, are you guys just like holding your breath to see if this ball, cause you know it's got the distance, but will it be fair? Like is it that moment when then when you see it, I guess you, like you said, you hear the, you see the reaction.

Like the crowd tells you this thing was fair. Oh yeah, no, it, like Joe normally would hit that pitch over our dugout, he pulls the ball so much. So yeah, it was funny how he was able to keep it fair. Oh yeah, no, it like like Joe normally would hit that pitch over our dugout. He pulls the ball so much. So yeah, it was funny how he was able to keep it fair. But there's that kind of like that that moment I think everybody would have where you kind of like your arms go up, your mouth, your jaw drops and your eyeballs bulge out. You're like it's over. It's slow motion and then it's like boom and you just start freaking out. Like you just start freaking out. You really don't even know what you're doing because we were all bouncing, bouncing, bouncing, bouncing.

Somehow me, Nick Lava, Jack Morris ended up down the third base line. So he jumps into Jack Morris's arms, Nick Lava's arms. And then lo and behold, just a little Rob Butler in behind him, like running behind him in behind home plate. So I'm not in any picture that shows Joe Carter touching home plate because I'm actually behind him.

And he's about six foot five and I'm only five 10 and about 175 pounds. I disappear into the back of his body and so I'm never seen. So people are like, will you there? Because I see every other player. But yeah, no, I am literally strapped to his belt and carrying him to home plate

when you watch the actual thing happen. Amazing. Do you have any awareness that you're the first Canadian to win a World Series with the Blue Jays? Cause you know there was no Canadian on the 92 World Series winning team and there's no other Canadian on this 93 winning team. Like, do you have any sense of that piece of history?

Not really. Like nothing that I really pay attention to. It was talked a lot about me being from Toronto, especially in a group. Well, I found a clip. You mentioned, we were talking about Butlerville earlier and the fun fact about Butlerville that's in Newfoundland right but Butlerville but I watched just yesterday I watched a like a news report talking about Butlerville and showing how fanatical they were for you in this World Series run in Butlerville

like that that side story is unbelievable. Yeah no it was it made it it made a lot of fun because it was talked about a lot. Whenever I played just a regular game, and especially when I played in the World Series, they talked about Butlerville. They said everybody there is named Butler. So it was so exciting and enticing for them. And I didn't know the whole scope of it

because I was just enthralled and getting on the subway and heading to the Skydome to play in the games. But I went to Newfoundland after the world series and it was planned on not being any kind of an event. I wanted to see my grandmother and my grandfather who I hadn't seen in a couple of years. So it was nothing that was supposed to be big. And we got off the airplane.

There was, there had been 5,000 people at the airport and there was a parade basically from the airport to my grandmother's house in Butlerville. And, uh, so me and my brother were in the car and we were just like, man, this is a little bigger than we thought. I thought it was just going to be grandma and my dad's 13 brothers and sisters with us at the house. But it ended up being about 10,000 people. We signed autographs for about 10 straight hours. Wow. And it was a steady stream of happiness, fun. They were so excited that something so interesting was happening and it was surreal.

And I don't know, my grandparents are gone now, but I'll just never forget my grandmother looking at me, cause she's only like four foot 11, and just saying, I loves you bye, I loves you bye. And it was just like, oh, it was amazing. It was such a good time and I never will forget it Where is your World Series ring right now? My World Series ring is in my in my house. My wife actually hides it for me

It's usually not anywhere inconspicuous but I bring it out to show kids I let the kids wear it let them take pictures with it because I always tell them that you know if you put a World Series ring on you you now have a baseball superpower and Somehow they all seem to go get two hits in the next game. So it's like spreading spreading the love of Joy and you can do it that if you really think about you know anything that you want to try to accomplish if you it can all it can possibly happen and That you know, it's it really is a way to bring so much of the

baseball community together for me especially and it is really a connection to my major league baseball career. Well you know when Rod was here on Friday we talked about the 2019 Toronto Raptors and we talked about how you know because it's tough times right now for that team and we talked about how flags fly forever and that is true of course for the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. Like they can never take that away from you. You were a part of a World Series winning baseball team. And I hope you just realize how freaking amazing that is

and how proud we all were that East York's Rob Butler was part of that team. Yeah, I definitely, like when, in the moment, the perspective is different because you're living it and you're doing it and you're trying to not be so crazy insane about it. But now it's like, you know, people do remind me, you know, it's only 25 guys on that roster, 25 guys on the whole planet. And you're on the greatest team in the world at that time.

So I feel so fortunate. I feel proud of myself, which is something I never did as a kid. I am definitely proud of what I accomplished. I definitely did it with my family and it's something that I'll never forget. It's something that I appreciate more and more as I get older and you know baseball was my world and I'm so happy that I've always been a part of it. So we talked about how, you know, well maybe it was actually in the clip, I think, before Rod Black interviewed you back then in October 1993, but that is only the second time a World

Series ended on a home run. So the first time a World Series ended on a home run was Bill Masurowski. And here's the fun fact, which you might know, but Dick Scofield, of course, he's on the field with you and Joe Carter touches them all but did you know his dad was on the field when Bill Masurowski touched them all did you know that I did okay and and the reason why I do know that is because when everything kind of quieted down sort of this go Phil did say you know who else was on the field when this happened right my dad is that amazing what are the odd like this this. Right. My dad. Isn't that amazing?

What are the odd, like this, this fun fact was brought to me by Dave Perkins, who was of course covering that world series team for the Toronto star. And it's just a mind blow that, that, you know, that, uh, father son would be part of these two such, such a rare. And again, I don't think it hasn't happened since right. A world series ending on a home run hasn't happened since. No, no, it's such a thing. Yeah.

And then by the way, it was, so it was 1960 game seven. I was just a young man back then, but that's when Bill Masurowski hit the home run in the ninth inning game seven of the 60 World Series and that beat your, your New York Yankees there. So shout out to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yeah, no, it's funny. Like anytime there there's a father son or a brother who Brothers who make it to the major leagues. It's such a rare rare thing And I still think me and rich are the only brothers ever wear bluejays uniforms I don't think there's ever been another pair of brothers. That's amazing. I know there's John Mayberry in his

Think there's a father son who have done it, but you're right. You might be the only brothers who have done it I'm trying to think to play for the bluejays. I don't think any other brother combo has done that yet. That's amazing too. Yeah, no, it is. Rich was far superior athletically and skill-wise as a baseball player. My ability came from just my, I guess my grind. I mean, I was the smallest player on the team,

always been the smallest player on every team I've ever played on. So you're playing with a bunch of trees and trying to figure out how do I stay and compete at this level. And you just gotta grind it out, man. My dad made me work with him in the factory for three years for my summers.

And I got to live his life and see how hard it was on him and how hard getting up at six in the morning was. And that really helped me, man. I get it's taught me how to fight for your life and do whatever it takes to try to compete with the best. Eric had a question for you when he heard you were making your Toronto mic debut and I'm so glad you're here to have this convo I'm getting goosebumps just listening to you but Eric says if

you have it if you have a chance could you ask Rob what made him wear the high socks and if he still does it? I actually still do I'm looking at this Toronto Maple Leafs history book. I don't seem to have made the cover of this book, but I even wore my high socks and I was a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball player. Um, it's funny when me and Rich went to our first mini camp in June, 19, 1991.

Um, I was just coming off my, my, my therapy sessions and Rich was just leaving high school. Um, so we went there together, we were roommates, which was also helped me having him around. I called him like my, you know how like a thoroughbred needs a little goat for a little buddy to keep him calm. So Rich was kind of like that for me, even though he's better than me,

to me he was my little goat that kept me calm. So anyways, we did our first spring training there together and what was the question again? I'm off topic. Anyways, we did our first spring training there together. And what was the question again? I'm off topic. No, listen, it's funny you called him a goat because now when we were growing up. On my high socks. That's right.

You were getting back to your high socks. But it's funny, the connotation goat changed so much since you were coming up now. Now it's like, oh, he's my goat. It's like, oh, he's the greatest of all time. But when we were growing up, Goatsburg you can talk about, oh, he's my goat. It's like, oh, he's the greatest of all time. But when we were growing up, you know, Goatsburg you can talk about, but back to your high socks. So it's funny.

My wife always reminds me, stay on topic, because if you go off the road, you can't find your way back. And it is so true. That's how, I'm sorry Sherry. I'll bring you back. I apologize Sherry. I just proved you right again

for the 100,000th time in our marriage. So we were terrible. Oh my God, we were so brutal. Doug Alt was my coach in St. Catharines and he was throwing me batting practice and I could not hit the ball past the pitching screen. Like every ball I hit was either a foul ball, swing and a miss, pop up, nothing went to the outfield. I'd never used a wooden bat before in my life. It was my first time using a wood bat actually for me and Rich. We only used aluminum when we were growing up so it was definitely different.

And he'd peek around and say, like, is there 11 year old hitting? Like who brought the bat boy? He just was chirping us, right? Having fun, like the dugout always did. So for four or five days, like we, we didn't think we were going to make it. We didn't think we were going to make it through our first mini camp, which was only about 16 days long. We were terrible.

So we were having our spaghetti meatballs which Rich made for us every night when we were together at the hotel. And he was like, you know what? You're Lou Gehrig, I'm Babe Ruth. Let's pull up our socks, go show up tomorrow, pull the socks up and see what happens. And lo and behold, balls started going over the fence.

Love that so much. What a great question from Eric. Yeah, it was insanely amazing how that somehow clicked. I don't know if it's timing that we had more time, but I never, I never. It never works, right? Yep, I kept my high socks for the rest of my career. I did it when nobody else did it.

I think me and Jim told me we're the only guys with high socks in the big leagues in 1993, which I got made fun of every day for, but I didn't care because there was no way I was gonna to play with my pants down my ankles because it wasn't going to work. Right. And a shout out to the late-grade Doug Ault because he hit two home runs on opening day in 1977. Doug Ault was a great coach, a perfect coach for me my first year. He was fun, he was funny, he took it very not seriously, like he understood what it was what we were going through as young guys first first time playing pro ball and man was he the right guy for me. I thrived under his leadership and you know the expectation

that you go play hard you do what you can but you make sure you have fun you chirp you're with your boys your brothers and we did man it was great. Okay so obviously I wanted to focus on 1993 because what a great team. I mean, in 92 we talked about WAMCO and then we brought in the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of the sport. So WAMCO got changed up, like HamCow or something.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But what a great team. I mean, so that team that wins the World Series in 1993, like, do you still maintain friendships with some of these players? Like when Joe Carter 1993, like, do you still maintain friendships with some of these players? Like when Joe Carter's in town, do you still say hi? Or I'm just curious, are you still friendly with like a Paul Molitor?

Or have you had any contact with Roberto Alomar? Who's probably the greatest positional player of all time? Me being probably the only guy that still has always lived in Toronto, it's difficult to get together with the guys. It really only happens when they come always lived in Toronto, it's difficult to get together with the guys. It really only happens when they come to town and they're all really good to me. We hang, you know, we do all the alumni events together and Paul Mulder came to my old batting cage and I used to own my batting cage a couple of times and

Alomar came out to the cage. So they'll do anything that you want. Pat Hanken came. We had all the guys come. Pat Hanken, yeah. So it was kind of our connect that I kept the connection going was asking them to give some tips to the kids. And I would say half the team came at some point. Maybe that's where we let it go. So I want to do want to talk.

So again, Major League Baseball, you're part of this 1993 World Series winning Toronto Blue J team. And of course, you're with the team for 41 games in 1994. But then they trade you in December 94 to the Phillies. So you're you get to be a teammate of Lenny Dykstra's and you play with the Phillies. I think you played in 43 games. You've added 292. Sounds pretty damn good to me. But then you signed with Houston. You played for the minor league system with the Houston Astros. But there's something people probably don't remember. But in 1998, you do come back as a free agent to play for the Blue Jays.

You play eight games in the 1999 season and then your final major league game is June, sorry July 10th 1999. So here let me give you a couple of gifts and then I want to just touch on your IBL career and that'll lead us to you coaching now. And then I have another clip because you know you alluded to these players you're mentoring and coaching and I wanna talk about that as well because it's all part of the same nut here. So do you enjoy Italian food, Rob? Of course, my grandfather's Italian.

Is that so? Oh yeah. My grandfather's Italian, my mom's a Mohawk, she's from Kahnawake in Quebec, and my dad's a Newfie, an Irish Newfie. So I've got it all in me. You are. Well, listen, what I have for you is I have in my freezer right now, I have a large frozen

lasagna from Palma Pasta. I was actually at Palma's kitchen on the weekend. I think it was Saturday I was there and I had a meal with Anthony, Anthony's father, who started Palma Pasta in 1985. He's turning 100 years old this year and still doing well. So shout out to the Pacucci family, but don't leave here without your Palma Pasta lasagna. You're gonna love it.

I will absolutely love it. And it saves me a night of actually cooking up something for my wife. I promise her I make her dinner once a week, and this is gonna make it easy for me for this week. Gonna make it easy. There'll be leftovers too. And you'll love it.

Let me know what you think of it. And I do wanna shout out an event that I'm hosting for me for this week. Make it easy. There'll be leftovers too. And you'll love it. Let me know what you think of it. And I do want to shout out an event that I'm hosting on June 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Great Lakes Brewery here in Southern Etobicoke. Palma Past is going to feed everybody who comes out and Great Lakes will buy you your first beer and Great Lakes sent over some fresh craft beer for you, Rob, to take back to Oshawa with you. You'll you'll love it. Fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewer some fresh craft beer for you, Rob, to take back to Oshawa with you. You'll love it. Fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery.

Absolutely, thank you very much. I appreciate any gifts actually, and so this is great. Lots of gifts coming your way. Yep. I also have a measuring tape for you, Rob. This is courtesy of Ridley Funeral Home. They're pillars of this community since 1921. And you never know when you have to measure something.

Yes, well, yes. Insert joke something. Yes. Yeah. Well, yes Insert joke here. I know you're thinking. Oh, do I say this? What will Sherry say if I tell you I got nothing that's measurable so it's all good Now I'm not fixing that in post, okay Shout out to recycle my electronics dot CA that's where you go Rob if you have old electronics old Recycle my electronics dot C a that's where you go. Rob, if you have old electronics, old cables in a drawer in Oshawa and you,

you don't want to throw that in the garbage because the chemicals end up in our landfill. So you go to recycle my electronics dot C a put in your address. It's like, hey, drop it off here because, you know, it gets properly recycled and it's good for Mother Earth. So recycle my electronics dot C a yes. Find out if Elvis any stuff too. I feel like he's got the Costco room. Maybe he's got a big giant drawer full of cables that he hasn't used since 1995. Well, all of us old people generally still have cables

around because we're old. And we never get rid of it. We don't know that there's wireless stuff to buy now, so hopefully we'll clue in. You never know if you're gonna need those old cables. Okay, now let's talk here a little bit about the IBL. And then I do have a clip I want to play again, another clip from Rod Black. But you're retired from Major League Baseball again, nineteen ninety nine.

But you're not done playing high level baseball because as you told us off the top, you joined the IBL as a as a intercontinent inter county, I always want an inter-continent, inter-county, I always want to say inter-continental, like it's Randy Macho Man Savage, inter-continental champion or whatever. Oh, shout out to Ridley Funeral Home, man. I love that WWF.

Well, you see here, I got George Animal Steel here, I got Andre the Giant here, love that time in the WWF. But- Junkyard Dog, all my old heroes, I used to love watching. Rob them cakes. G-R-A-B-C-C-A-K-E-S. Superfly snooker. Oh, off the top rope.

Absolutely. Okay, we could talk forever about this. Ricking the Dragon steamboat. Yep. Wow, okay. So Inter County Baseball League, you join it. You play for the Toronto Maves. So tell me a little bit about your playing career

in the IBL, because you play for, I'm gonna say five, four years or so? You don't play. You play until 2005. Yeah, so when I retired, I actually retired with a back injury and a little bit of other things going on, but I retired from baseball actually happily in 1999.

I was actually in the Major Leagues with the Blue Jays when I retired, but I was under the same old list. Yeah, eight games with the 1999 Blue Jays. Yeah, I was on the injured list, which is a whole other story about how I even came back to make it to the Major Leagues again. Well, you can tell the story. I don't want to deprive you of a good story. Shades of Dave Steeve coming out of the bullpen. Oh, I caught Dave Steeve, my hero. So in 98, I was at a function and I saw Gord Ash and my dream was to kind of make amends with the Blue Jays because I felt like I got traded and I was unhappy or sad.

I got traded to the Phillies for nothing. I think I got traded for a bag of used baseballs and I felt like, man, oh man, what have I done to my baseball career? So I scuttled around the minor leagues and got to the big leagues a couple of times, but I always wanted to finish my career as a Blue J. It didn't matter if it was an A ball again.

I just wanted to wear the Blue J uniform because a lot of my, but I always wanted to finish my career as a Blue J. It didn't matter if it was an A ball again. I just wanted to wear the Blue J uniform because a lot of my guys were still there. The coaches were still there. Ernie Witt and all these guys were still around and they were my childhood heroes and my coaches when I was coming up. And I wanted to finish back. So we talked and he said,

we'll make you a fourth outfielder in Syracuse if you want. And so I think I signed the contract before he could even finish the sentence. So I was back with the Blue Jays in your organization. I go to spring training in 1999 and I'm at, you know, it's a basically, you're still always kind of trying out in spring training, but I thought I pretty much had a job guaranteed. But I didn't. And Terry Bevington was and Hector Torres were the coaches and we had a little like individual meetings and they said, you know, what's your goal for this year and I said well I want to be the fourth outfielder and you know do be a good teammate and kind of know so show

some leadership and they're like we're not making the team I'll say what is this day one of spring training and they're like yeah no we already have five outfielders and you're not on the radar and we're just letting you know because Bevington was like a guy didn't want, he didn't want to lie until, you know, make me string me along. So I was like, whoa. Anyways, I kind of went back to, I called my brother right away. Actually, it's funny.

I said, you know, I'm not making this. I'm done. Like I'm going to be released at in spring training. And it kind of got me around for whatever. And he just said, you know what, you never know. You know baseball, you just never know. Do not walk away. So I didn't.

And I got about 12 or 13 at bats. I think I struck out 12 or the 13 times. I was practicing on field three at the old Dunedin fields, which means that you are practicing where nobody is watching. Um, so I really literally had no chance. So I did get released about three days to go. I was not surprised.

Um, Jimmy Hoff brought me in with Garth Orge and Ernie Witt and they said, you know, we're sorry, Rob, but there was no spot for you. I said, I was not surprised. Jimmy Hoff brought me in with Garth Orridge and Ernie Witt. And they said, you know, we're sorry, Rob, but there was no spot for you. I said, I already knew that, I knew that in day one. And, but it was still upsetting. I was like devastated. I get up, I say my thank yous and my goodbyes,

and I get up and Ernie Witt and Garth Orridge talk to each other and I turn to Jimmy and something's going on. I go to my locker, Garth Orridge comes over to me and says, you literally have 30 seconds. You're gonna go to AA or you're going home. Tell me right now. I said, I'm going to AA.

So they gave me one more opportunity. They sent me to Knoxville in AA. And Omar Malaveh was my manager who also has passed away now, but great guy. And he said, Rob, we're gonna give you a chance. You're gonna play every day because we have a spot here so I ended up I never played double a before I actually skipped double a on my way up to the big leagues so it's fine went from a ball to triple a to the big leagues all within like a month and

on the way down they said the mountain is pretty slippery when you're going down I was back in double a for the first time as a 29 year old but I had the time of life I had so much fun I had so much fun with Omar I had so much fun with the guys I I had no intention of ever being called up to the big leagues. I was batting about 350 360 I was really loving it and I was a veteran on the team. I was playing with a bunch of 20 21 year olds Anyways, I'll start game comes around. I didn't want to play in the all-star game I didn't want to take a spot from somebody who's younger Omar makes me go da da da After the game, he calls me over and he says,

Robert, I gotta talk to you. But he does in front of our whole All-Star team. And I got some, a message for Rob. And I thought he was sending me home, like great career. Thank you for everything you've done, da da da. Nope, Rob, you are going to the major leagues. And I was like, what? So I basically went from being released in spring training,

sent to AA, thankfully because of Ernie Witton Garthorge. And I got a chance to play baseball that I with guys I loved the city that I love Knoxville was amazing the bus rides were awful But they're also fun because there were 12 hours and 14 hours with no food no money in your pockets This this plain suffering, but it's a suffering that you enjoy. It's so weird. It's such a weird thing But well, you're gonna take that for granted because of where we, you were in your career. Oh, exactly. I never, I, I, I did not take one second of any of it for granted. And I got back to the big leagues, which was probably, uh, for me, the most thrilling and exciting time,

more than the first time around. Cause the first time around was kind of a prospect and it was, you know, I was doing well and I was young. When it's your last time around, it really does mean more to you individually, right? Nobody else even knows what you're going through, what you've lived through. But I had spent about nine years toiling around AAA and with the Phillies a little bit in the majors, but I was, I was a AAA guy mostly. And to get back to the big leagues with Toronto was a huge accomplishment for myself because I was done.

I was cooked and out the door and got my way back in. Wow. Again, you play your last game for the Toronto Blue Jays on July 10th, 1999. So that day, they put you in a room or something and say, thank you for your service. But yeah, basically, thank you for everything you've done. You're done. You're done. Okay. So in 2001, you joined the Toronto Maple Leaf. So is it right away that you, you talked about playing in Stratford first? So I played in Stratford in 88, 90.

So in the 1900s with, you know, black and white TVs and your phone still on the wall. That's when I played in Stratford. Couldn't call home. I couldn't find it. No, no, if you got lost, nobody knew where you were. Right. So when I, I actually skipped a whole season.

I sat out the year 2000 and just did some baseball camps and kind of just gave back to East York. I did some camps at San Wadlow. I'm not thinking about playing baseball. And my, my, my best friend at the time, Mike Aslan, who's still one of my best friends, uh, said, you want to come play for the Leafs? Cause he was the first baseman on the Leafs. And I was like, I never even thought there would be an opportunity to do that.

Um, it's something that I always had wanted to do, obviously, cause I said I was, when I was a kid,eman on the Leafs. And I was like, I never even thought there would be an opportunity to do that. It's something that I always had wanted to do, obviously, because I said I was one of those kids that loved the Leafs. And then he relayed it to Jack Dominico and Jack on the horn called me right away and said, you want to be a Leaf? And I was like, absolutely, I want to be a Leaf, not even knowing really what it was at that time, because I'd been so long not playing in Toronto.

And I hadn't picked up a bat for over a year and a half, but I agreed to do it and I was excited. And so Jack signed me and then my brother ended up getting released out of spring training and he came and it was our first chance to play on the same team together. What was that like playing with Rich? Oh my God, it was the dream come true.

We played against each other a lot in AAA. He was with Syracuse and I was with Scranton and with the Phillies, we played against each other a bunch of times, we never played on the same team. And to play with Rich was like the things I was with Scranton. So with the Phillies, we played against each other a bunch of times. We never played on the same team. And to play with Rich was like the things I've always wanted to do my whole life. And standing in center field and looking over in right field. And there's your brother, was great.

And that level of baseball was really competitive. There was pro guys in the league. Pulseball jerk ended up in the league. Yeah, I was going to say Pulseball jerk ended up playing for that Maple Leaf team. Yeah, I got Paul on the team because he lived in Toronto at the league. Yeah, I was gonna say Paul Spoljeric ended up playing for that Blue Jays, that Maple Leaf team. Yeah, I got Paul on the team because he'd lived in Toronto at the time. He's from BC but he was living in Toronto and so I called him and asked him to play and then I got Jack to call him. Kind of like what Mike did for me. So, but me and Rich playing together it was really special. It

really was the Butler brothers doing their thing and we had a great first year. We broke the record for most wins in the league. My brother won the MVP, won the batting title, he had the home run record. The guy was unbelievable. Not talked about enough, Rich doesn't get enough credit for how good a baseball player he was. This guy was a five-two-a player, man. He was chiseled. He was Alex Rodriguez without steroids. He was unbelievably fit and tough and could do anything on the baseball diamond and he did it on the baseball diamond. And he did it in the big leagues. He got, you know, he hit some big league home runs, hit the

first home run off of Roy Holliday that Roy Holliday ever gave up. So when we got to play together it was special and I loved being on base when he hit home runs and that happened a lot. So it was, it really was a family affair. My mom and dad were at every game. They sat down in right field and there was times where me and Rich were, I mean our pitching staff was so good at the time. We had John Duris, Chris Roth. We had all these guys who were ex pros who were dominating the league. So me and my brother would play in the outfield and literally stand

beside each other and just talk. And like no balls are coming to the outfield. So we would, we would end up literally 10 feet apart. Just saying like, just telling stories of whatever. Yeah. We were shooting the breeze all the time and you know, chirping and laughing and joking about everything. And you know, chirping and laughing and joking about everything and you know, it was great man.

I love playing, we played together about three years on the team. So was Rich part of the team that won the 2002 league championship? Yes, he was instrumental and us winning. Like what's that like? Like I mean, I don't even have a list here in front of me how many players have won a World Series title

and what is the name, pardon my ignorance, got to revisit my Toronto Maple Leafs history book here But what is the name of the trophy you win when you win the Inter County Baseball League? It was the Jack Dominico Cup. There you go. It's been that for a long time now. Yeah. Yeah He's like a pillar of that league. He bought the Leafs back in 1969 or took it over I don't think you bought anything back then, probably for a dollar. And he turned the league into a league where guys who play pro can come back and play guys who want to get to the pros play. Very cool.

Peter Orr came up and before he got to the major league, played for the Leafs as well. So Jack built that whole, he really was the pillar of the whole league. So for him to put me and Rich on the same team and for us to win together was even more special. Uh, cause he had a great year that year as well. Um, he's one of the top hitters that have ever hit in that league. So it was

one of the reasons why we won. Okay so a question came in from Mike Grigotsky. Mike Grigotsky says it's great that you have Rob Butler on the show. Can you ask Rob about what changes we can expect on and off the field with the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team now that they are under new ownership. So this is the first season where we talked about this at length with Rod Black, but you know, we talked about Kiefstein earlier in this episode, but new ownership. You're the manager of this team. How you were the manager last year too, right? Is this your second year as as team manager? So before I play this clip of Rod Black, which will

tie in with his his firstborn son, tell me, I'll answer Mike's question here, like what changes what will be different now with the new ownership? What do you know about? Well the energy of the owners is great, and they are making changes right away like the uniform is being changed. We're actually going to a more pro looking uniform, which is beautiful. People are actually going to want to buy this jersey. The old jerseys were not up to par what I would say for the level of baseball that we're playing and the new owners have come in and revamped the look. Keeping with the history totally but they have gone with a more professional feel so it's amazing

that the look of the team is gonna be better. The fan experience is going to be way better. There's much more fan engagement, more stuff going on in the stands, more interesting things for the fans, more giveaways, more just fun at the park, more music. They've upgraded the sound system. Like make it a meeting spot, like let's bring it back. So like, let's talk specifically about,

and again, many, the schedule, there's a website, you go get the schedule, but the first game at Christie Pitts this season is May 12 And I know I'm going to be there recording like I'm gonna have like a tent and I'm gonna be recording this Maybe I'll get to say hello to you Yeah, and I know I'm bringing from from Hamilton Stephen Brunt is coming and Mark Hebbs sure will be there and I got Rick Emmett from triumph is coming out and I got there's some other surprises in store I know Rick Avett from Triumph is coming out and I got some other surprises in store. I know Rick Vibe will be there.

There'll be some other former Maple Leafs there that I can't speak about quite yet. But just we're going to make this like an event. People come out, you know, say hi to me, say hello on the microphone, see some great baseball, you know, enjoy the atmosphere. It'll be great to see Rob Butler there, coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. So it's going to be and I'm going to be recording at least once a month. I'm going to be setting up shop at Christie pits to record during a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team game.

So I'm excited about this. I'm excited that you'll be there. And the new jerseys you mentioned, I saw a photo on social media and they look cool. Like I can't wait to get my, my mitts on, uh, one of those new jerseys. Yeah, no, definitely the Jersey is going to be amazing. And it's funny. And all those guys are guys that I grew up loving Rick five, my favorite leaf. Uh, first thing I met my triumph. I loved trying to grow. So that's that took, look, I have,

I literally have a the lead singer of the jitters is going to drive to Burlington to pick up Rick Emmett and deliver him to the game. And Rick Emmett was a slow pitch superstar. Yeah. Okay. And we're going to do something special for him. I've talked to Keith about this. We'll do something special for Rick Emmett, get him some swag and then I'll get him on

the mic and talk about it. Get him back to Christie Pitts. But yeah, all this is happening. There's a new buzz, a new excitement around this team. Yeah. And Rick Emmett doesn't know, but Jeff Lounsbury, the general manager of the team, is a Triumph groupie and a Rick Emmett groupie. He loves this guy. We may not get an autograph because Jeff will not leave this guy alone. He's definitely a super fan of Rick Emmett. Well, this is happening

May 12th. I can't wait, man. I can't wait. Let me play, I promise, another clip from Rod Black and then we can talk about this part of your life in baseball. Let's listen. Anybody like, no, the Bushmen who are famous and infamous at the same time, who go to the games and they've got great chirps. I've met some of them just before Christmas with the manager, Rob Butler, who was a World Series. Who's my guest on Monday? Is it Buzzing?

Oh, he's... Listen, tell him that he's got so many great stories. I would also say my son, Tyler, who's a prospective big leaguer, he's got so many great stories. I would also say my son Tyler, who's a prospective big leaguer, he's knocking on the door. You're stealing my thunder, we're gonna get to that. He's knocking on the door. He's probably not a big leaguer without Rob Butler.

So we'll get to that in a sec. But so Butzi and I went out and saw the Bushmen and I think a lot of people said, well, new ownership, they're gonna try to, we're gonna change things. We're gonna absolutely change things. We're gonna make it better. We're gonna change things. We're gonna absolutely change things. We're gonna make it better. We're gonna get a better sound system in there.

We're gonna have great promotions, a lot of giveaways. We're gonna bring the Savannah bananas here. Okay, so there's a little bit of Rod Black, but what I want the takeaway from that is he gives you such enormous credit for the professional development of his son Tyler, who is a hot prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers now. Yep, Tyler was a special from the first minute

we saw him as an eight year old, eight year old coming down from Markham in Stouffville. Left handed hitter, he actually, it's funny, he actually reminds me so much of my brother. The same physique, the same attitude, the same gamerness, all of that was built in there at an early age from playing hockey or whatever Rod had his kids doing when they were young. But we got to take him under our wing and kind of raise him as a proper baseball player.

This guy did everything that you dream of doing as a kid. This kid, he would steal all four bases. It was unbelievable how good he was. Stealing first is tough. It felt like he stole first, but he was still home. Yeah, I saw him steal home 20 times. And I remember him looking at me for the first time, he's probably 11 years old, and he was like,

Rob, I can steal home. I said, well, go do it. If you can do it, do it. Cause I used to do it, so do it. And sure enough, probably about 20 times later, he's like, man, I love stealing home. But he could hit, he hit bombs. We went to America a lot. And that was the one thing that really, um,

was great about our program. We used to run a program called the Ontario prospects and the Butler prospects and Tyler, um, I really truly believed thought thrived, you know, he played 70 games every year. We went to spring training in Florida. Um, but he played probably by the time he was 15 years old, he'd probably played about 35 tournaments in the U US and most kids in Canada We're not doing that but that was our belief. They had to go down and play against better players

experience driving and then playing games and living in hotels and I really believe that doing that at a young age really just drive something special and every kid like every kid in our program Feels that that was what helped them the most And just you know really having me and Rich as our coaches, as guys who had expectations of how you play properly, uh, we believed in having fun, but you know, when it came to getting down to it, you know, you, you got after it. And Tyler was one of those kids who, oh my God, this guy hit, I mean, I had other coaches coming up to me and saying, is this, is this guy not going to be a

professional one day? And I was like, we knew when he was 13, 14, this guy was going to be a pro. Wow. And um, we're right. Like we're right. And, and a thriving pro one is going to be in the big leagues very shortly. We should make sure whenever he makes his ML debut, let's pretend it's in Milwaukee or something. Uh, we gotta make sure Rob, you should be at that game. I will be, I've already been invited. So I'm looking forward to when it does happen. I'm making the magic happen. It's already well underway here but maybe shout out some of your clinics and stuff. I mean I was told you run these great clinics and you coach amateur baseball players and you've been giving back to the game all these years. You're not just coaching the

Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. You're also running these camps and stuff. Maybe shout all that out for players like the the Tyler Blacks of the world. Yeah no we've been I've been doing camps for 23 years now this would be our 23rd year we do them now up at Durham College to Turfield it's unbelievable it's for kids 13 and under which is our niche is what we want we want the younger kids that can we can embed the professional way of doing things and make it competitive and challenging. So we've been doing it for 23 years. My brother's been doing it as well. I'm doing the Toronto Maple Leafs World Series experience on some Sundays before games, which kids can come out and learn from me

and from other players as well. And it's just something I've always loved doing. Even when I was playing, I couldn't wait to teach kids how to play properly because it's the one thing that we never really got as kids. We didn't, we had to learn on our own, I couldn't wait to teach kids how to play properly because it's the one thing that we never really got as kids. We didn't, we had to learn on our own. We had to learn from just our muscle memory and nobody really could guide us on how to do it right because nobody had done it before and nobody really knew the nuances and the little things that make a difference. And so I always wanted to take what I got from Ceto and Bill Buckner and Mike Eastler

and Richie Hebner, Ernie and Garth, all these guys who taught me and my brother how to play properly. We wanted to always pass that along and we've been doing it for a long time and it's so much fun. We just can't wait for summertime to get after it again. Quick question about another Toronto ball player, a guy named Joey Votto. You ever heard of this guy? Oh yeah, I used to hit with Joey. Joey, we used to hit out in Etobicoke at Denny Burnie's place, Pro Teach, another great facility to train and you want to go go somewhere and learn how to play baseball properly, learn from Denny Burnie. But Joey when he was in high school, me and Rich and a couple other pros used to go to Denny's place and hit.

Was it Don Bosco? Denny Burnie at Pro Teach. No I mean the high school. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry. I'm not, I'm not. Remember, you're in Etobicoke right now. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Not East York. For me going, me going on the West side of Yonge Street is like, I think I need a passport because the people in the East side

don't venture across to the West side very often. So sometimes I'm lost out here. It's fine, I feel the opposite. Like if I come, now you're in Oshawa, but I'm gonna visit you in like East York. It's like, I have to use Google Maps in my headphones when I'm biking there. I at like in East York. It's like I have to use Google Maps in my headphones when I'm biking there. I'm like, where am I exactly?

I know a few of the rest is beautiful beaches is beautiful. Oh, Queen Street's amazing, but nobody wants to venture down there from the west side. Well, the beaches is freaking amazing. And shout out to Rouge Park, biggest park in the city. But everybody talks about Hyde Park. What's up with that? It's the biggest park in the city. OK, so shout out to the East End.

But yeah, so back to Joey Votto, good Etobicoke boy. I always, you know, just before the Blue Jays announced he was getting a tryout and I know he's got an ankle injury, but hopefully we'll see him with the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team this year. But were there any conversations, any talks about, hey, this guy's not done playing pro. You know, you, when you were done with MLB, you weren't done playing

competitive baseball. I was actually looking up your stats in the IBL. Okay. Your career average in the IBL was four 15. You've had it for 15. Okay. Like Joey Votto wants to play at home. If the blue J's weren't interested, it turns out they are thankfully, but

Joey Votto would be a hell of a dry Christie Pitts of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. Oh my God. Absolutely. Were these conversations happening? Cause I was trying to start the rumor to make them happen. Where's there any conversations and you and Keith Stein on a phone call one night and it's like, we got to get Votto. It actually has been talked about.

And it's funny, you know, I, in back when, um, 1998, 99, uh, we were hitting out in project and Denny was,et, and Joey was there when he was just a little kid. He was 15, 16 years old, up and comer, just sucking it all in, like learning from all of us. Just watching us, really. He didn't really ask questions, but he just watched us train and watched how we practiced. I don't know if that had any impact on him. It doesn't matter. He was there. Take some credit. So I just like to say that I did know him before he got to the big leagues. But I did throw BP to him for a couple of years as well. So I've got to know him really well.

And I know his dream was to play for the Toronto Blue Jays. And I was always surprised why it hasn't really happened. Me too, buddy. As soon as Cincinnati released him, he was gone from Cincinnati. I can't believe it didn't happen instantly. The guy is on fire. He wants to be a Blue J.

He's got the most confidence of anyone I've ever been around in baseball. He's so prepared to thrive in this environment. He'd be a 30 homer guy. It would almost be a no-brainer that the Blue J is... You'd think so, but remember, who made the call that made it happen? I understand Joey called Blue J's management to make that happen. It's bizarre to me that it wasn't the other way around. No, I know. I think enough whispers from Joey were getting around that he wanted to be a Blue Jays management to make that happen. Yeah. It's bizarre to me that it wasn't the other way around. No, I know. I think enough whispers from Joey were getting around that he wanted to be a Blue J. I don't think he was shy about it. Yeah.

Like, let's do this. Why are we not doing this? And this is the right move. Like the Blue Jays need a Joey Votto. Like it would be, I believe it would take him over the top. They would do well in the playoffs with a Joey Votto around. And what, even from just strictly a PR standpoint, like strictly PR, like imagine that moment when he makes his debut at the Skydome there and you got, you know, that new, you know, remodeled

Skydome. I mean, come on, but in an, I don't know, let's say he plays a year of the blue Jays and then we're next year. What is that? 2025. He's 41 years old. He still likes playing in Toronto because he's a, he's that kind of guy. He loves playing professional ball. Hey, Kristy Pitts is home for you. Joey Votto, 2025. Just tell me it's possible. It is possible because I've seen ex big leaguers do it so it can happen. By the way, Andrew Ward had a question.

He says, would you consider writing a book about your life in baseball? Because you are a tremendous Canadian story. Yeah, absolutely. I would love to. I have so many things that have gone on. When I talk more and more, I can reach in and find a bag of so many things that have happened and how it happened and how lucky I was that it happened. And there's so much I would love to tell.

Well, Rob, I feel like this is tip of the iceberg stuff. Like we've now, we've met each other. We had our first initial chat, but there's so many stories left to hear from you. And this will not be your last Toronto Mike appearance. I promise you that. I would love to come back many more times actually. Yeah. And I will see you on May 12th.

So we're gonna, apparently Rod and I were joking. We're gonna get sick of each other this summer. I'm gonna see quite a bit of you cause I'm gonna make sure I say hello to FOTM Rob Butler every time I come to see the Toronto Maple Leafs play ball at Christie Pitts this summer. Can't wait to see you there, buddy. Yeah, no, me too.

And Mother's Day, they're giving out flowers, carnations to all the moms and they have some other promotions that are gonna happen. It's gonna be a great first day. And that brings us to the end of our 1458th show. You can follow me on Twitter and Blue Sky. I'm at Toronto Mike. What's the best way to follow what's going on in the Rob Butler universe?

Which social media app? Give me a give me a way to learn what's going on with Rob Butler. You can find me on Instagram on Twitter It's Rob Butler pro baseball comm Other than that, that's pretty much only way you can't find me. I try to stay or you'll find them in Christy Thank you or yeah come to come to Christy pits But yeah, that's where I'm found online and to sign up for anything I'm doing or see what we're doing Much love to all who made this possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery That's palma pasta. Don't leave without made this possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery. That's Palma Pasta. Don't leave without your lasagna.

That's RecycleMyElectronics.ca. That's Raymond James Canada. That's the Toronto Mike Believes baseball team. And Ridley Funeral Home. See you all tomorrow. I've got to go to my calendar to find out that Jason Wilson is making his Toronto mic debut and he'll be joined by Kevin Shea, a beloved FOTM. See you all then. Your smile is fine and it's just like mine and it won't go away

Cause everything is rolling in gray Well I've been told that there's a sucker born every day But I wonder who, yeah I wonder who