Gwynn & Chris On Demand
Stephen Strasburg talks about his time as an Aztec, Jackson Merrill, and what he's up to now
(crowd cheering) - Harder will step out of the box. The right handed hitter back in there. Strasford ready to go. - The one, two, Pitt Slider, straight recalled. No hitter. - Yes indeed, that was the no hitter thrown by Steven Stras, but what year was that? - Nine, that was my last start at Tony Winslet Stadium. - 2009, you know what I remember about that year was, I got traded from Milwaukee to San Diego that year and I remember like the first, so it would have been in May, which I think would have been post-season for you guys. I think you guys faced Virginia. - Yeah. - I think you started the day I got my first start as a Padre on the road in Colorado, but he had it up on the screen and you know, it was going well and then it walked out and then it came back. - I'll never forget, I didn't give up, not to toot my own heart and too much. I didn't give up very many home runs in college, but one of them, my last one was to Phil Gosling in that Virginia game and he like hit the scoreboard on it. And I always tell myself, I was like, oh that guy made the big leagues, like he must have been pretty good. (laughing) - Thank you so Phil, a little bit better about it. Yeah, Steven Strasford joins us here, just talking a little bit about San Diego State and some of the things he has going and of course the Padres and everything they have going right now in the midst of, I think one of their best seasons, it may not end up that way in terms of how many wins the Padres end up getting this year. I think the record is 98 or 99, the 98 team, I think has the most wins in franchise history. Obviously they can't get there, I mean they could if they went out, but I still think this is going to go down as one of the better seasons from start to finish. - Steven, you grew up here in San Diego, you obviously spent your entire career with the Nationals. Are you torn at all watching these games? I mean, I know there's a closet pottery fan in there as there was for me because you're no longer playing. - Yeah, yeah, I think when it gets to this time of year, you just start to follow the teams that are kind of like, I can imagine that they're going through what we went through. And you know, you pull for them. I mean, I'm always, I mean, I was an underdog, I pull for the underdog. So I think watching this, it just really brings back those really vivid memories and how it's almost like you remember the feeling, but you don't remember anything, any specific thing that happened. And that kind of like gets the juices flowing for me, just watching these games here, and they have a good test coming up, and that's playoff baseball, it starts now. And it's all about doing like the little things. I think from my experience, it was teams change, like the top teams, the ones who really go far, I look back on the giants when they're making those runs, and as a pitcher facing them, I wanna say it was like 2014, you're facing a really good lineup, and it's like, but these guys, they do the little things. They are gonna grind on you every single pitch. Talk about that a little bit. I bring it up often when I'm doing the radio, or the chances I get a chance to do the TV games. When a lineup is consistently going seven, eight, nine pitches, not just one guy, but four or five guys in the lineup that do it, how does, what kind of stress does that put on you as a pitcher? - Well, I just think it's like every mistake is compounded. As a pitcher, you're always gonna leave pitches over the plate. It compounds in the sense that like when you're facing hitters that keep the game simple, and they're just trying to keep the line moving. You know, that's a single up the middle, that's a single up the middle. That's not a, you know, trying to hit one in the gap and flying out, you know, so there's, it's really like every inning becomes the ninth. I think you see that where, you know, you can go as a starting pitcher and you can get away with pitches, but then it almost seems like the good teams and the good hitters in the ninth, they hit like another gear. And that's the best way I can describe it is that, you know, it's the ninth inning from the first inning on. - I always describe playoff baseball as pitchers, everybody's more focused. And so the, let's say you're getting a ball and a half of pitches in the middle of a plate during a regular season, that goes down to one. And pit hitters are spitting on pitches that maybe in the regular season, they might offer it. But did you notice the same thing in your experience? - A hundred percent. You know, I mean, it's just, it's, you know, it's so fine-tuned to where it's like, you can sit out there and try and be perfect. And I think that's the natural tendency. And that gets you completely out of like the frame of mind that got you there in the first place. And it's like, you know, that's the thing. It's like these good teams, it's like they know their identity, they pull for each other. And it's like when it comes crunch time, like you're doing the little things correctly. And it's just really simplifying the game as best as you can. And not necessarily feeling like there's any added pressure on each pitch. It's just, hey, as, you know, I'm going out there and I'm executing this pitch, I'm gonna execute this. And I know, you know, if I can do that 70 out of, you know, 95, 100 pitches, I'm gonna be okay. And if the scoreboard looks bad, then I can live with that. - One more, I know you don't like talking about yourself, but I have a lot of questions about, you know, especially that year. Did you hear the noise prior to that last start are going into that series against the Astros? You know, the noise around Stephen Strasburg has been, I will, he doesn't, he's not willing to step into the fold here when it really can. Did you hear that? And how did you channel that after, if you did at all? - Yeah, I think, you know, that was kind of something that carried me like through my whole career. And I was like, you know, it's there. You know, I think it also goes back to just kind of them making the really tough decision when I blew out my elbow to say, hey, like, you're not gonna pitch in the playoffs. I was young, I was just kind of like, I don't know what's going on, but it's like, now every opportunity that you're there from a personal perspective, it's like, it gets magnified. And, you know, I would say that was kind of like a, you know, a turning point in my career. You know, I feel like that there was, you know, some injuries, I was right in the high and the low, and then I finally got to this point where it's like, I was on, I made it to the end. You know, that was the biggest thing is, is like, can I be upright in September? - Right, right. - And, you know, I was able to do that and I just really loved the teammates that I had there. Girardo Parra, Anteball Sanchez, you know, we had a young Juan Soto who was great there. Throwing the Jon Gomes, Kurt Suzuki. You know, those guys are just like, you wanna, you play for them, right? And I just wanted to go out there and leave it all out there on the table. And, you know, if it didn't work, it didn't work, but man, those guys, like, there were so many points in that playoff run where I got bailed out and, you know, they can sit there and say, "Oh, World Series MVP." I was like, "Well, my teammates helped me get there." - They helped you to pick you up. - You know, I would ever have happened if it wasn't for all these, I mean, how he Kendrick, you know, it's like, you look back on all the big hits that he had. It's, wouldn't have happened otherwise. - You brought up one of my favorite guys to watch in Juan Soto. Did you, was it a pretty apparent the moment he got called up that he was gonna be this good? - Yeah, I think, 'cause he made a jump. Like, he-- - He was double A, right? - I don't think it was high A. - High A, I think you're right. - Because he was tearing it up down there. And, you know, a lot of times when you get a guy called up, it's like the game's like sped up. You know, like, guys breaking pitches are sharper. Like, they're hitting their spots better. And there's an adjustment period. And the thing that I noticed early on with Juan was just his plate discipline, was off the charts. And, you know, that's one thing that, you know, you see from the young guys, it's like, all right, they might be guessing, they might be trying to keyhole you in certain counts, but Juan's just seeing the baseball and reacting. - Yeah. - So, and that's a very, very special skill. - He's very special from that standpoint. Here's one that just kind of popped up. I mean, Paul Skeens kind of reminds me a little bit of what you went through. Well, if you haven't spoke to him, if you had a chance to speak on what you had, what kind of advice would you have for him? - Yeah, I mean, I think it's funny because I was kind of at the early stage of like the next, you know, let's hype up every prospect, right? And yeah. - Yes, you were. - Yeah, and I just looking from afar, it's like, you don't, you know, I didn't really understand what was going on at the time. I was young and I was like, I didn't, I felt really uncomfortable being in the clubhouse and being around these guys that I idolized, these veterans. I mean, I'm throwing the padra dreigas as a rookie. And it was just weird to me. It didn't really sit well. - That all the attention was on you. - Yeah, yeah. - You had these beds that have been in there for a while. - And it's just, you know, it's easy to be, you know, labeled the savior of the franchise. And, you know, that's a lot of weight that you have to put on, that you could put on yourself. But I would say just like, you just have to enjoy it. Like there's going to be highs, there's going to be lows. And it's all about just finding those ways to get better every single day. Like this is just a long career, you know, his next start, it's not just that start. Like there's many more starts down the road and just really look at it from the perspective, like, you know, this is going to be a long career. And I just want to know at the end of the day that I, you know, turned over every stone and I gave it everything I possibly could. - Now, Steven, you were built up old fashioned, right? We, you talked a little bit about getting in the weight room, kind of changing your whole body structure, really. How much analytics did you actually get to participate in, if you will? And how much did you like it or didn't like it? - Yeah, I think that the analytics part, especially from pitching, you know, one of the things that, you know, I had a pitching coach, Steve McCatty, early on in my career. And he would always talk about paralysis by analysis. And I think with that, when you get young guys, I think it's very easy to have the analytics part change who you are as a pitcher and what makes you successful. You know, I would use more so just like the data on a frisk, from a scouting perspective. You know, the biggest thing is, is that like, you know, when you're in college and you only give up like a couple home runs and a three year career and then you get, you know, clipped a few times, you're like, oh man, like this doesn't, this doesn't feel right. And so the immediate thing is to like, start to tinker and start to change and then you start to, oh, I need to throw 60 pitches in the bullpen in between and then I gotta figure it out. And, you know, when you have a long career, you start to realize that you're gonna give up home runs and then, you know, when you know you're gonna give up home runs, it's how can you, you know, pick out where your outs are in the lineup? How can you stay away from slug? And, you know, that's really the thing that really helped me was just trying to stay away from slug, you know, and it's like really using my pitches and my sequences to keep the ball in the yard. - Keep it off the sweet part of the back. - Yeah, and, you know, but at the same time, when you got two strikes, like know how to punch a guy out. You know, don't wait around, don't, you know, mess around. It's like, boom, put him away. - You know, you came up, you mentioned, you came up pretty quickly after you got drafted and you did have a lot of the eyeballs on you. And listen, having been in club houses, I know that that could rub people the wrong way to know bad doing on your own. Who were, like, your mentors when you came up? Like who were the guys that kind of put their arm around you? - Yeah, well, I would say, you know, obviously, Brian Zimmerman, Zim, was great. And he's always more like the quiet type. And then, you know, but he was always there to keep the inclusion with a lot of the stuff, like, you know, away from the field, a lot of the team building things. I would say, like, the one guy who, like, we kind of, like, are personalities. Like, he's got a very dry sense of humor. But as I've gotten older, I've learned to, like, accept it and, like, enjoy it. But Jordan Zimmerman, he is a character. And, you know, his family and my family are still really close. They were out here for 4th of July with us. And we're already talking about planning another trip together. But, you know, he was a guy that, like, you know, as a young pitcher, I mean, he kept it very, very simple. And it was just, he had that bulldog mentality. And it was like, I'm gonna make you beat me. And that's something that, you know, at the end of the day, like, if you go out there and do that, like, you can, you can take it, you know, it's not like, you know, second guess, man, I should've thrown that pitch, I should've thrown that. It's like, it doesn't matter whichever one you're committed to and you have the most conviction with. - A lot of, you know, Scrapey got your hand there. - Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, go ahead. - I'm just taking it over, go ahead. - No, I'm in some weird world over there watching a great conversation from in studio. But my question, we talked about Paul Skeens. And we have a pretty good chance at rookie of the year here in San Diego. I'm not gonna ask you to choose who's gonna win. But what is Jackson Merrill showed you this year in his rookie year and leading the team playing center? - Yeah, I mean, it's a hard thing to do. I think when you get the first taste of, you know, going through to the finish line, especially when you come from, you know, short and minor league season or like with with Skeens, like college season and stuff, that, you know, there's going to be some, you know, I guess physical breakdown at some point, but when you're staying consistent with that and you've kind of proven that, you know, you belong. You know, that's one thing that, you know, it doesn't come along very often. And in a way, I feel like it's, you know, it can be, that could be a little bit harder from a position player standpoint. 'Cause, you know, starting pitcher, like, you can go out there and be lights out, but you're pitching once every five days, five, six days. And, you know, when you start to like, change the rotation around just for a long-term health perspective, like those position players, they're grinding, they're playing through injuries. And to be able to have that, you know, professional sense and like feel to still go out there and perform, you know, it's impressive when you see a guy that young be able to do that. - Yeah, I mean, the one thing we haven't had to have, had to have a discussion of is health. He's been available every, every single game. A lot of injuries with pitchers this year, some of the best pitchers in our game have missed a year due to injury. I mean, you see it, guys are throwing harder than they ever have, you can kind of start with that trend as well. Is there a remedy to this? I mean, there was a time, you and I both grew up in an era watching aces face each other often. And it was like the, it was like the game to watch. We don't have that as much. I mean, you get a match up like yesterday with Fromber and Dylan, those seem to be far and few in between it. Is there a remedy for this? I know you've seen some of the conversation about Major League Baseball, maybe legislating this into the game somehow. I mean, what are your thoughts on it? - Yeah, I mean, I think the game of baseball, like it's in its purest form, it doesn't require outside elements to control it almost. It's tough to say. I mean, that's such a hard question to answer. That's the puzzle piece that I've been, I looked for in my entire career, you know? I think one of the things going up was that, you know, I idolized those guys that, you know, we're eating innings or innings eaters, right? And you don't see those guys valued anymore. You know, one of the guys that, you know, I got a chance to work with in the off season was James Shields when I was coming back here in San Diego for the off seasons. And, you know, I just thought that that was one thing where I just like, man, those guys are just pitching through everything, like they're reliable, they're going out there every five days, and they're going deep. I don't know if it's analytics, you know? They, I did start to see where it's like, oh, you know, this guy can't face a line up the third time through. You know, it's hard to say if guys are being rushed to the big leagues because they throw hard and they're dominating hitters, and maybe that they haven't really understood how to pitch and they're more throwers. You know, it's, it's a tough call. You know, I think, you know, I think the game's just changed in that aspect and I don't really know if it's where we're going to see it again. - Yeah, I know that's what the league is clamoring for at some point, but you're right, yeah. Once it's almost like, we say the toothpaste is out of the tube already, I don't know that you can put it back in. We run a little short on time, Chris Scrap, you got something else? - I got one more. - Okay, it's about, it's about like the pitch clock and all these different things that have come about after you left the game. But like, would you have been in favor of a pitch clock? 'Cause I think at first, many people thought it was going to be awkward, it was going to be weird, but we've all gotten used to it. So what are your thoughts on things like the pitch clock? - You can be honest. - Yeah, I think the pitch clock is controversial. I think it's one of those things that was like kind of pointless to me. I think if, you know, as a pitcher, it's like, you want a pitch at a fast tempo. You know, the hitter wants to slow the game down. But at this, like, there's been some instances, obviously where there's been a pitch clock violation and it's really messed up the outcome of the game. And I think that's not right from a personal perspective. You know, that's the difference about baseball compared to any other sport, there is no clock. And that's, you know, I think if you allow the players as a whole to police it themselves, you know, and I think that's where you can't police it yourself anymore. But, you know, for me, it's like pitch clock didn't really come into factor. 'Cause like you're trying out to go out there and given this repetitive tempo and that tempo is fast 'cause you want to have the hitter almost be on the defensive and not in the offensive. - You're 100% right. I mean, that was the game. It was, he's going to try to go quick. I'm going to try to go slow so I can kind of think this out. Who's going to win that, that cat and mouse? - Mark Burley through like a two hour and five minute complete game against this one time. And it was just like rapid fire. Here it is. Hit it, sinker, sinker, ground ball, ground ball. And I was like, man, that was a quick game. - Charles, give us the website. - Yeah, it's Aztecalumni.com. The sign up sheet is open for the golf tournament on November 15th. And yeah, I would love everybody to come out and support the baseball program. You know, I believe it can go to some great heights here. And really honor your dad. You know, he's got a special place in my heart and you always will. - Yeah, he definitely considered you a second son, Steven. Appreciate you coming on, man. We'll make sure we get the word out for sure. - Appreciate it. - Or going to Chris on the other side. (upbeat music)