Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:05] Speaker B: To the Players Association, Stitch by Stitch podcast where we talk to current and former players about union history, baseball and the bond that players share across generations.
Nixon butts Tim Winona throws to first.
[00:00:21] Speaker A: For the first time in history, the
[00:00:23] Speaker B: world championship banner will fly north of the border.
[00:00:26] Speaker A: The Toronto Blue Jays are Baseball's best in 1992.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Our guest this episode is former big league pitcher Todd Stottlemeyer. Todd and his brother Mel Jr. Grew up as self described baseball brats who had a blast roaming Monument park pre game when their dad Mel was the lead dog in the Yankees rotation in the late 1960s and early 70s.
[00:00:51] Speaker A: Monument park was like our monkey bars as kids and we were baseball brats just running around the stadium and during games.
A lot of times the kids would be in the clubhouse, we'd be having tape ball games and games of our own.
So the access back then was pretty crazy.
[00:01:08] Speaker B: Todd lived the dream over 14 seasons as a starter with the Blue Jays and four other clubs and was a part of back to back world championship teams in Toronto in 1992 and 93.
He received an education in baseball economics in 1994, when players went on strike to fend off a salary cap, Commissioner Bud Selich canceled the World Series and he joined dozens of other players at a camp for unsigned free agents in Homestead, Florida the following spring. For Todd, it was a career, a grind and an adventure all rolled into one.
Well, welcome to our Stitch By Stitch podcast. Todd, it's great to have you, man. I'm honored out here in Arizona.
[00:01:54] Speaker A: I'm glad you reached out to me.
[00:01:55] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, it's great to, great to see you.
So obviously as somebody who grew up in New England, as a Red Sox fan, Mostly in the 60s, I remember the Yankees were their rival.
Remember your dad very well.
And when I looked it up, I think you were born just about the time he was. He was pitching with the Yankees.
[00:02:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:17] Speaker B: 65. Yeah. So what was your childhood like as a son of a major league player with the Yankees?
[00:02:24] Speaker A: Yeah, so much different back then than today. Obviously, you know, it was from the time I could walk, I was going to the stadium. Basically every home game we'd, we'd put our Yankee uniforms on and, and we'd go to the stadium with my father. As funny as. Because you know, growing up that at that time it was like stickball was a big deal, right? And wiffle ball and stickball on the street and chalk in the bases and the neighborhood kids and mom would yell from the patio, dad, it's time to go to the ballpark. We'd run to the house, throw our uniforms on, jump in the car with Pops and. And go and roam Yankee Stadium. It was funny. I always make kind of a joke, but it's real.
Monument park was like our monkey bars as kids. And. And we were brats, baseball brats, just running around the stadium. And during games, a lot of times, the kids would be in the clubhouse, we'd be having tape ball games and games of our own. And so the access back then was pretty crazy because, you know, a lot of times, you know, I think back to some of my dad's teammates and, you know, from all the way through 69, a guy by the name of Mickey Mantle.
And to build a relationship as a child and to inherit my father's teammates as family, friends. And being that little brat or rugrat running around the stadium and then up through until Mrs. Babe Ruth passed away, which was, I believe, was 72. During the games. A lot of times we go sit on her lap, and the reason for that is.
Is she would buy us anything we wanted, and she loved us, and we loved her.
And when I tell people, I'm like, listen, I used to sit on Mrs. Baber's lap at Yankee Stadium. They're like, how can that be? And I was like, yeah, man. She was around until 72, and she had her seat. She was at almost every game. And we loved when she was there.
[00:04:27] Speaker B: That's amazing. So it was you. Your brother Mel Jr. I think, was two years older.
[00:04:31] Speaker A: Yeah, so he's about a year and a half. And then Jason is four and a half years younger than me, so.
[00:04:37] Speaker B: Right. So you had a little gang there.
[00:04:38] Speaker A: Yeah, we had.
Yeah, it was a gang, all right. And it was crazy because dugouts, clubhouses, the playing field during batting practice, we're out there with them. And, you know, it's crazy because I look back and I think to myself, you know, Mano Maris, Ford, Yogi Bear was my father's first manager.
Mercer, Munson, Nettles.
It was like, as a little kid who loved the game of baseball is Roman Yankee Stadium with his father, you know, and all these people around. And I look back on it now, and it was like, you know, there's so much talk about you becoming your environment, and I'm like, man, it was like going to the school of champions.
And it's like, you know, when you think about that at the highest level in sport, you get to go and hang out every day and you get to see all of the, you know, attitudes and Habits and rituals and everything that they went through to get ready, and it's the best of the best, you know, and a lot of those guys that were my father's teammates, you know, especially the early years, hall of Famers and great historic names, you know, and so it was pretty awesome. And then to have the dream, that environment fostered that dream, and it was like, man, if my dad can do it and these guys can do it, why can't I do it?
And, and, and it's kind of funny, you know, you look at percentages today, like, how many high school kids are going to even make it to college? Well, not many. And how many college will ever get drafted? Well, not many. You know, the guys that get drafted, how many are going to actually make it? Not many. Right. But that's not. That wasn't the. Our mindset. Our mindset was, they're doing it. Why can't we do it? And I always say percentages are for the people who don't make it, not for the ones who do. Yeah, someone's got to make it, so why not? You know, our opinion. And my. Our mindset was why not us? So we loved it.
[00:06:38] Speaker B: So Mickey Mantle, I think, retired in 68 when you were 3.
[00:06:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:06:43] Speaker B: But did you see him around there afterward? Do you remember?
[00:06:46] Speaker A: I think it was 69 was his last. Was it 69, 68? 69 was in there.
[00:06:50] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:06:51] Speaker A: You know, his kids and, you know, his family, you know, didn't come to the stadium like we did. You know, they weren't around as much. So if. I wish my dad was here, could tell you the story. But, like, he loved when we were around. I remember Mickey in the ice baths and before games and after games.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: Right.
[00:07:08] Speaker A: I think they were for different reasons.
I'll leave it at that.
But, you know, if you walked by Mick in an ice bath, he would yell something at us to come over and go get him something out of the cooler, you know, know, so, nice soft drink. Right, Right. And. But, you know, I look back at some of the old, you know, you know, you're about this yay tall or whatever, you know, and Yankee uniform on and standing with Mick or here or there. And I mean, it was incredible. And. And, you know, my dad's. My dad passed away in, in. In 2019, January 2019. And.
And, you know, he'd battled multiple myeloma and went through that for 20 years, but in his last handful of years, it was like, I would always ask him, I said, tell me about Mick, you know, and he Would always tell me.
He got the coolest story. They would go fishing. All they were fishing buddies, right, in spring training.
And my dad is rowing the boat and it's windy, and he says, they row by a couple old guys and they were out bass fishing or doing whatever they were doing, and.
And because of the wind, my dad could hear.
And the guy says, look at that, there's Mickey Mantle. And he's like, wow, there's Megan. He's got. He got some young dumb rookie rowing the boat for him, you know, and it was. Of course, it was my father. And so when they kind of made a pass and my dad said to Mick, he says, hey, Mick, as they were going to go by him again, why don't you row the boat for a little while? And Mick says, why would I do that? I got some dumb rookie rowing it for me.
And it was just, you know, those stories, it's like, you can't, you know, I mean, they're kind of irreplaceable, and it's. And it's cool, and it's a part of our family and growing up, and it's the legacy of those guys that we still remember today. So. Really cool.
[00:08:58] Speaker B: Yeah. Your dad always had this reputation when he was a pitching coach, too, as this sort of steady, reliable, stoic performer, great teammate, you know, a guy everybody could rely on.
Did he set an example for you in the way he did things? And what do you remember him teaching you about being a professional?
[00:09:19] Speaker A: Wow. So much.
I think the best way I can say it is that, you know, when my dad passed, it was, you know, the Steinbrenner family was talking about what my father meant to them as a family, to the Yankee organization.
And general managers were making comments and. And about how great he was and. And guys he played with and. And guys that played and that were under his tute as. As pitchers. And. And, you know, I remember. I think it was Clemens made the comment, like, you know, it didn't matter, like, what Mel was going through. And. And, you know, here he is battling for his life. He's got a chemo back underneath his Yankee jacket, and he's coming out, and I got a problem. And. And he made the comment. He says he always found a way to make you feel better about yourself when he was in your presence.
And I'm like, wow.
And then I remember. I'll never forget the day passed because we went to.
In. In Sammamish or. Yeah, Washington, and that night we went to eat. My mom and. And myself and My brother and were. Or we went to a really cool hamburger place, but it's kind of like a sports bar and there's TVs everywhere and the news was out and it was like every screen was my father. And it was just like. And it just happened.
And man, I got some goosebumps on that one.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: But.
[00:11:00] Speaker A: And you know, and there was just so many people that were making comments about how great he was.
And I remember thinking to myself, man, that is greatness, because a lot of people publicly look great or act right, but privately are not the same way. And I remember having that thought, my dad is 10 times the man privately than he was publicly. And I think that's the thing that I think that I'm left with.
That's the legacy piece that I strive to make damn sure that after I'm in someone's presence and leave them, I want to leave them better than prior to me getting there. That was who my father was. Was.
[00:11:45] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:11:46] Speaker A: So.
[00:11:47] Speaker B: And the being around it. And I guess you must have played in father son games held it back then.
[00:11:54] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, the battle, you know, and it was, you know, a lot of fun. I mean, I've got a. An old program at home and. And it's on a family day and I'm running with my dad. And it was funny because some fan had the program and. And had my dad sign it to him and then he wanted me to put my signature, so I had to print my name and I could barely print my name at the time. And it's hilarious, but to this day.
And then when I was a player, I think I was standing in.
I think it was in Baltimore, a fan was yelling at me from. From the outfield, and I was like, oh boy, here we go. And. And then they called me over and then they handed that to me and I was like, wow, what a special gift.
So really cool to grow up there to have those. Some of those things then to go on and play and to have some of the fans that were fans of my father that would find their way to find me. And. And so just. It was cool, man. It's like, it's different.
[00:12:57] Speaker B: It's funny because, well, your dad was a Yankee his whole career, but you guys were Washington state people. Right? So while New York was your baseball home, I assume Seattle or Washington was your Yakima.
[00:13:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
Your heart. Right.
So pretty wild because, you know, I was born in 65.
It was my dad's first full year.
The day I was born, I think he beat the twins that day, you know, I was back home in Washington, obviously being born, but, you know, growing up, probably, well, first 10 years of my life, or eight to nine to 10 years of my life, it was Washington in the winter and Florida in the spring and New York in the summer. And, and, you know, we go to school in Washington, then we go to Florida. We would check in, we go to school in Florida, and then we go to New York, and we would have tutors in New York to finish the year out. And, and even though it sounds like chaos, that that was what normal was for us, because my father, his opinion was he wanted to take his family with him. So.
But as far as jumping schools and doing all of that, you know, and I know today a lot of, A lot of people will keep their kids in the same school and then they'll bring them for the summer. I don't, I don't think there's a right or wrong for my life, changing schools, doing all of that.
It worked out perfectly because to play Major League Baseball today, you're going to have teammates from around the world, different races, religions, cultures. You're going to have all of those things, and you have to find a way to have a common bond inside that locker room. And, and then going from, for me, is getting out of my environment that was warm and cozy and easy in Washington, then have to go to Florida and only six weeks be in school there, then go on to New York.
You, you know, you learn fast, right? So it was perfect for us growing up. Stoudemire is finally delivering on the potential the Blue Jays have expected for a long time.
Is two away live strikeouts for Stottlemeyer.
[00:15:02] Speaker B: So you get drafted by the Yankees but didn't sign right.
[00:15:06] Speaker A: So hard.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: That was out of high school.
[00:15:08] Speaker A: Out of high school, yeah. So I was their second pick. It was the fifth round.
I think the Yankees had probably given up, you know, some rounds or whatever, for whatever reason. But, yeah, it, it, you know, it's funny, it came down to right before I was going to school, the Yankees made one last deal and said, like, what does he want? Like, let's work this out, and he's got to be a Yankee. And. And at that time, it was, you know, I was thinking, man, this is like a dream come true. And, you know, my mom really wanted me to go to college and, And, I mean, I was. I had just turned 18 in May, so I was young and very immature and probably way too. You know, I was way. I was full of myself and, and little cocky.
[00:16:00] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:01] Speaker A: And I never, never been away from home. So I'm gonna go from never being away from home.
This immature punk baseball brat that thinks he's all world is now going to go into pro ball and get his lunch, right?
So my mom really wanted me to go to school and. And my dad. Me and my dad would have great talks and. And he was like, listen, you know, I. If you want to. If you want to do this, I'll help you, support you, whatever, but you have to make your own decision. You're a man. And he made. He made me make the decision and. And I would always like, dad, what do you think he says on you, son? And I was just like, well, heck with it. I'll just go to college. My brother's at college. And. And so I went to uno, joined my brother and never got a chance. Always wanted the chance. I think there was one time in my career where it looked like I had the chance to go pitch for my father, maybe for the playoff run or whatever. Never happened, which would have been cool, but maybe it was supposed to be that way. You know, New York was my.
You know, it's kind of like, I look at it, it was. That was my dad's town. And. And if he was the pitching coach and I was the pitcher, and if I'm doing bad, that means he's doing bad. And.
And this way I was like, I never caused him any pain after the games.
[00:17:17] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I mean, there's a plus and there's a minus, of course. So you got drafted by St. Louis. That was in like the secondary phase or something.
[00:17:26] Speaker A: Secondary phase. They don't even have that.
[00:17:28] Speaker B: They don't even have it then.
[00:17:30] Speaker A: Not sure what that was, but yeah.
[00:17:31] Speaker B: And then Toronto picked you as the third overall pick, right?
[00:17:34] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:35] Speaker B: So that obviously was pretty easy.
I assume you. Yeah.
[00:17:39] Speaker A: You know what's funny about that story, too, is that was. Even wasn't easy because I'd signed a letter of intent to go to University of Texas, and.
And I was. I was. I went from UNLV to junior college and then signed a letter intent to go to University of Texas. And, you know, it was. I'll never forget when the Blue Jays called and I was at the house and it was. I'd pick up the phone and it's Todd there. This is Todd. And it was Pat Gillick, and he's like, todd, this is Pat Gillick, the general manager from the Toronto Blue Jays. And I was like, who is this? And I thought it was one of my buddies playing A joke on me. I ended up hanging up on him. He called back and he's like, hey, you know, and then I. My mom had come for the. For Draft Day, and my dad was in New York with the Mets, and. And I said. Walked outside and I said to my mom, I said, mom, I said, I don't know, man. I think maybe I got drafted by the Blue Jays. He was like, oh, yeah, you did? And I was like, you know, he's like, well, I wasn't supposed to tell you. I got to wait for them, you know, the whole thing. And I was like, wow. Just hung up on them. But we ended up talking again and. And I went to the Cape and I said, look, guys, I'm going to go to the Cape and play summer baseball. And I was like, I'll see you down there. And I didn't even know what I was talking about. You know, it's so funny now when I look back on it.
And then when I. I kind of pitched through the Cape and they would send scouts. Every time I would pitch, they'd send different people to come watch me pitch. And then I met Pat Gillick and Paul Beast in LaGuardia Airport right before I was going to go to school with my mom and dad. And I signed my professional contract on LaGuardia Airport.
[00:19:07] Speaker B: Really pretty cool. And your mom and dad, you didn't have an advisor or agent or anybody, your mom and dad?
[00:19:12] Speaker A: No, it was my mom and dad and me and Paul Beeston and Pat Gillick.
[00:19:17] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:19:17] Speaker A: I'll never forget it. It was really cool.
[00:19:19] Speaker B: When you look back and talk about yourself, it sounds like as a kid, you weren't exactly the quiet, stoic type like your dad.
A little bit brash, maybe. And back in those days, it was rookies were seen and not heard, and they were quiet.
Those Toronto teams were really talented. Teams had a lot of veterans.
[00:19:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:19:43] Speaker B: Who were the guys when you got there that you remember running the clubhouse? And did you have a little hard time fitting in as a kid who maybe liked to talk?
[00:19:54] Speaker A: Yeah. So. Because I respected the game, the players, the guys, their careers.
So I wasn't really being myself. I think. I think you nailed it, and that is that I had to fit in on this rookie status. Quiet. I had to earn my stripes and.
And so much the opposite of my. Who I am and my personality. Right. It's like, you know, I look at that outfield, George Bell, Right. Lloyd Mosby and Jesse Barfield, right. They're in their primes. I mean, George Bell had just Signed a massive deal for 2 million a year.
[00:20:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:20:32] Speaker A: Right after coming off of an MVP season where he drove in 147 runs or 100 something runs and 47 home runs. And, and it was like, you know, and Tony Fernandez the shortstop and McGriff and Cecil fielder played first base and Rance Mullinix, you know. Yeah, I still, I still talk to Rance to this day. And you know, Rance was on me from, from the time I showed up in his eye. I just tried to stay out of his eyesight because he was getting on me all the time first. I was always in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing. And as much crap as he would give me, he would also take me under his wing and, and Mike Flanagan, you know, rest in peace. But Mike took me under his wing. Jimmy Key, I think a Tom Hankey. And then George Bell was a classic because George would get on me all the time. I get on the bus and I'd be like, oh. And he would always make me come sit back there by him and, or whatever. And it just, you know, I was like a human punching bag. But that was the deal, right? It's like you got to, you got to go, you got to make it through the gauntlet and you got to, you know, and God forbid if you said something back to one of them, right. Or you didn't do whatever, and that was just. But at the same time, all of that, you're going through those pieces as a rookie.
They're taking care of every lunch and dinner for you. They're telling you come, you're coming to dinner with me or you're going to come to lunch with me. And, and, and they're, they're loving on you and supporting you and cheering for you and all of that.
But then you show up in the locker room and they're just on you non stop. And I was like, man, I liked you at lunch, I don't like you in here, you know, but that's the way it was. And you were.
[00:22:09] Speaker B: Rite of passage. Yeah.
[00:22:11] Speaker A: And you were supposed to, you know, keep your head down, keep your mouth shut, work hard and become one of those guys. Right. And, and, but it was definitely, it was not against the respect that I had for the game and the people of the game, but it was against. I had to kind of somewhat be a shell of who I was.
[00:22:32] Speaker B: Right. Temper your.
[00:22:33] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But when I got called back after the, the second time in, in 89 because I had to go back down and got called back up, I'LL never forget. My dad said, listen, because I don't. I would dominate. I go to Triple A and just dominate. But yet I'm getting, you know, not pitching even close to my capabilities in the, in the major league. My dad said, listen, it's the same game, go be you.
And it was like, you need to go believe in you and go be the type of pitcher you are at the big league level, just like you do in aaa. And it was almost like, go be yourself, son.
And I was like, game on. And then I ended up having a good second half of 1989.
And then they pitched me game two in the playoffs against the Oakland A's. And. And then it was from that point forward, I say it was a 15 year grind.
And it's funny, I'll never forget my last day. I thought to myself, I'm taking this uniform off. I've battled injury, I can't make it back. I know I'm not going to play again. I got to take this uniform off for the very last time. Took me like four hours after the last game of the season.
And I finally said it, and I was with Grace and Colburn and some of these guys and, and, and we were drinking probably a Diet Coke and.
[00:23:54] Speaker B: And same ones that make the same
[00:23:56] Speaker A: one making you that drink, you know? Yeah, exactly. And I was like, man, I gotta take this thing off. And it'd be. And I realized at that moment I was never putting it on again.
And so it was kind of like a little bit emotional. And I remember saying to Greg Colburn, I said, man, Colby, I said, 15 years went like that and you know, these guys, and I'm like, guys, it's gonna go by so quick. And I remember everyone used to tell me that it's going to go like that. And I was like, yeah, right. You know, because for me, when you're going through it, it doesn't feel like that because it's a grind. You're just finding a way to get better and get an edge. And how am I going to beat these guys? How am I going to pitch to this guy? So it was like a 15 year grind. I remember telling Colburn, I said, Man, 15 years. I said, I just feel like I've grinded for.
I said, you know, it feels like I never even got hot. And he laughed. He said, dude, he says, are you crazy?
And I said, man, I says, it's just like every day was find a way to get better.
And I love that about the game because if you're not Finding a way to get better. I said, you know, you're going to find your way doing something different. But incredible time.
Um, it was like I say, I'm. I'm. I'm so grateful for the game. I'm. I'm grateful I got to live out my childhood dream.
[00:25:19] Speaker B: I'm.
[00:25:19] Speaker A: I'm grateful for every teammate I had, all the managers and coaches and my father and everyone that poured into my life as a player.
Pretty amazing, the amount of people that. That cared enough about me, that poured into me, that just wanted me to be as good as I could be. It's cool.
[00:25:37] Speaker B: Obviously, winning World series rings in 92 and 93.
[00:25:41] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:41] Speaker B: Jack Morris and Ricky Henderson came through and Winfield came through, and. That's right.
Joe Carter and insane. Right.
One of the moments I remember covering that playoff series, the. The one with Philly where you.
[00:25:56] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:56] Speaker B: We're running the bases and.
[00:25:58] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:25:58] Speaker B: Bloodied your chin.
And I think he got into a little spat with the Philly mayor. Rendell. Right. Can you. Can you recall that?
[00:26:07] Speaker A: Yeah, that was the. That was really the turning point for me, which was, you know, so I'm 27, 28, and, you know, I've just announced game four starter and 93, and. And, you know, for playoffs, you go and do pregame interview, as you know, and. And the day before. So I walk in with Howard Starkman, and the media starts in. Ah, the mayor said this, the mayor said that. The mayor said the Blue Jays must be throwing the series. They're starting you. I can. The mayor was like, he could hit you, and blah, blah, blah, blah. And I just was like, snapped. And I was like, well, go tell the mayor to. Let's get it on. And make sure he brings a helmet. He's going to need it, and blah, blah, blah, blah. And. And it starts this whole thing. And then Howard Stman finally says, I got to get you out of here. He was the PR guy. Yeah.
[00:26:53] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:54] Speaker A: And I remember I had breakfast with my dad the next morning, and of course, my dad is reading all the newspapers and it's all over the news, and my dad looks at me and he goes, he got you.
He goes, he did exactly what he was trying to do. He got your emotions. And I was worn out, and I got a pitch that night, and I was worn out because I wrestled with the mayor all night long, emotionally.
[00:27:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:22] Speaker A: And then they end up costing me my performance because my performance wasn't against the mayor. It was supposed to be against the Philly hitters. And.
And, you know, I Didn't I pitched horribly. And you know, it was one of those games where I look back on and, and, and the lights were never shining brighter and I never showed up worse.
And it's funny because I look at playoffs and when it's bad, it can be really bad. When it's good, it's really good, you know, so when you do well, it's like the greatest thing in the world. When you don't do well, it's the loneliest thing in the world in the playoffs.
And, and, but I remember it was a big turning point for me. And, and that turning point was I've had enough. I've had enough of landing in the same place emotionally time after time, either because of something that happened on the field or off the field.
And, and that winter I called a guy that I looked up to, Dave Stewart, and I said, Dave, I'm going to mention this guy's name and when I do, I want the first thing that comes to your mind. And he was back home in California and I was in Florida. And he says, all right, Stod, I'm ready. I said, harvey Dorfman. He says, you must go see. He says, exactly. He says, you've got to see him or must see your. I said, all right, Stu, I got to go. And I hung up the phone, I called Harvey and I said, harvey, I said, this is Todd Stottlemeier. He says, ah, champ. And he had this rasp. I've been waiting on this call. And I was like, shit. I'm like, I had no idea Harvey even knew who I was, right? And I'm like, and I'm like, I must really be off the rails.
And I said, Harvey, I said, I want to meet. And I've heard nothing but great things, how you've helped players.
[00:29:11] Speaker B: He was a pioneering sports psychology kind
[00:29:13] Speaker A: of, yeah, the whole, the whole mind deal. And, and I booked a two hour meeting with Harvey in, in on the east coast of Florida.
Lasted 12 hours really. And man, we laughed and cried and we did everything. And, and that was the beginning of kind of a new me. And it was really the study of thought, the study of emotion and all of those things.
And one of the things Harvey had me do was he put me on a seven day challenge. He goes, if you're willing. I said, I'm willing. I'm willing to do anything that's going to help me get better and become a better person and become more. And he says, well, here I got a seven day challenge. And so it was the awareness around my thoughts and the awareness around my emotions. And, and anytime I triggered and I went to a negative standpoint, I had to document it. I couldn't respond, I couldn't react, I couldn't compete. And of course, it was off season, and I was like, I'm in. And then at the end of the seven days, it was crazy. We got back together and he goes, wow. He goes, this simple. He goes, the only time that you get triggered is on things you can't control.
I was like, what are you talking about, Harvey?
And then we started kind of going through it, and he says, it's the same thing for you in a game.
And he says, if you're having any thought other than what the pitch, you're going to do it and what you're going to do with it on the next pitch, it's the wrong thought. He says, look, let me take it a step further.
The second the ball leaves your hands, you're out of control.
So anything that happens, you can't mentally or emotionally give it any attention. Guy could swing and miss. Umpire might botch the call. He could hit a ground ball. Your infielder boots it. He could hit a home run, he could hit a double. At the end of the day, Harvey goes, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is when you get the ball again is complete focus and complete attention only on what you're going to do next and everything. So it became for me, from that point forward, for the rest of my career, it became, I'm going to pitch every game. It's going to be a pitch by pitch, It's a moment by moment thing. And, and, and he helped me create this awareness around anytime my thoughts or emotions started to go into a different direction, how to call time on myself and get centered again.
And it's funny, if you look at 88 through 93, my career, and then you look at 94, the rest, it's like two different pictures.
And it's because it was two different pictures, it was two different mindsets, and it was the whole thing. And to this day, you know, I talk to a lot of college kids and they call me all the time. It seems like when.
Only when they're going bad, of course. And it's always like. And I just listen to them. I'm like, man, you guys are focused on the wrong thing.
And a lot of times people, athletes, problem is because it's not because they're not focused, it's because they're not focused on the right thing. And that's what Harvey told me. He taught me how to prioritize my focus to the right thing. It was powerful. Todd Stottlemeier just four hits through the first six innings, and this is exactly what he had on his mind. He said he was really pleased to be able to go out and start game one of this championship series. And Todd Stoudemire will leave with a round of weld deserved applause.
[00:32:43] Speaker B: Obviously, one of the things we talk about with a lot of guys in these conversations is their labor experience.
And for you, you had the strike in 1994.
[00:32:55] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:55] Speaker B: Right about the time you're starting to find your groove and establish yourself. What do you remember about that August 12th strike date? Strike comes no World Series winter off, Homestead camp tryout camp. But what was that whole experience like for you?
[00:33:15] Speaker A: So it was almost like it was the movie. Like, it's not like, this is can't be right. This can't be true. Like, first of all, we go on strike in August, and it seems like the perfect time to strike because you're going to get a fast deal because you got pen races and playoffs coming. So, um, I think at that time, you know, Don Fear and, you know, and all the guys and all the players, you know, we were all. We were all in the same camp and on the same page. We'll get this pain over with quick and get a new collective bargaining agreement. And. And I remember, like, stayed right in Toronto for the first couple weeks, and then you kind of get to week three, and it's like, man, what's going on? I mean, here we are in September now, and then it just continued. And then pretty soon we, you know, guys are flying and going home, and I'm like, what the heck is going on? And. And it was. It was always a measure is like, how much time do you need to still preserve a pennant race?
Right. In fairness to who, the teams that were in it to finish in and still do the playoffs. And then I'll never forget when I was crossed over, and it was like this thing is. Owners had canceled this whole thing, and it was like, checkmate. And I was just like, wow, because I'm supposed to be a free agent,
[00:34:32] Speaker B: which is the best time of your career.
[00:34:34] Speaker A: I'm like, man, it would have been cool though, right?
Yeah. And it's the. It would have been the first time that every team can.
You can hear their evaluation about you. You know, are you worthy of us even giving you an offer?
And then it's like it goes on all winter and it's like, no agreement. Now it's time to go to spring training, and there's no spring training. And we're like, holy crap. Like, not just 94, but the first time.
I don't think there was ever a World Series canceled.
[00:35:10] Speaker B: We went.
[00:35:10] Speaker A: We went through world War. We went to world wars, and they would. They would have a World Series.
And. And of course, you know, the players are. Are taken a pretty good licking on this thing because, you know, we basically started it by the strike. And, you know, of course, we were being blamed at the time. And we didn't just take the World Series away from teams and baseball. We took it away from the fans. It was a difficult time that winter. And. And then they finally get the agreement, and we're already missing spring training. They get the agreement, and.
And that's great, but I'm a free agent. I don't have a team.
And, you know, thank God for the strength of the union. They put. They put a camp together in homestead and.
[00:35:54] Speaker B: About 40 minutes from Miami.
[00:35:56] Speaker A: Yeah. And a town that didn't really exist because of the hurricane. Right. And I'm down there and showing up in shorts and T shirts. It's not like we have, you know, and this is what we call spring training. And, you know, my agent is calling every day, and I'm like, what do you got? And he says, well, he goes, look, Todd. And he goes, this isn't good. And.
And he's, you know, all the offers are coming in, like, 50 of what I made the year before. And I'm like, geez.
And I'm kind of, like, getting to the point where I'm like, it is what it is. I'm gonna. But if I take one of these deals, I'm gonna get to play major league baseball. And. And I can prove myself all over. You know, I go have my free agent year all over again. And. And. And then he calls in the A's, had actually offered me as much or more than I made the prior year. And. And. And my agent's like, you got to take this. I said, I can't play for them.
He says, what are you talking about? Right? I said, man. He says. I said, you know, they were the beast of the west. We were the beast in the East. We kept colliding and collided in 89, and then, you know, we collided in 92, and we finally had beat them to move on and the whole thing. And I'm like. I mean, I hated those. You know, you. You build this relationship where it's like, you don't really hate them, but you hate them, right? And you're. And you're battling them. We had lots of different brawls with the A's. And I'm like, man, I can't walk into that locker room. And I said, I've hit a bunch of those guys, you know, And. And.
And he says, will you think about it? And then Dave Stewart called me. He says, what are you doing?
I said, I don't know, Stu, you think it'd be okay for me to come there? He said, man, these guys are. They're so excited to have you. And I'm like, they're excited to have me? And he says, yeah, like, I talked to Ricky and I talked to Maguire and talked to these guys, man. They're so. I'm like, wow, those guys are excited for me to come there. And I was like. So I called my agent back and I said, all right, man, take the deal. I'm going to Oakland.
[00:37:50] Speaker B: During this strike, were you involved in a leadership capacity?
Was there a rep who kept you involved? What was it like for you to go through all that time being a free agent but wanting to stay informed and wanted to know what was going on?
[00:38:10] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm trying to think who our player representative was.
[00:38:13] Speaker B: I was like, toronto?
[00:38:14] Speaker A: Yeah, in Toronto. I was like the assistant.
I was whatever. But.
So I wouldn't say I took a leadership role, but I. I spent time. I traveled to Washington.
[00:38:24] Speaker B: So, yeah, guys have talked about that.
[00:38:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:27] Speaker B: What do you remember about traveling to Washington? Did you go lobby Congress people?
[00:38:31] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, it was crazy. You go to the Capitol building, you go office to office.
You know, they all tell you about, you know, how they're huge fans and they're pulling for us, and you feel like you got your support, and then, you know, you walk out and you. You don't really have much, but we were showing up and we were doing our thing and we were showing, you know, how unified we were, and. And we were, you know, marching the halls of the Capitol and. And going from meeting to meeting to meeting, and it was really. I looked back on it and it was like. It was cool because it just really.
And I believe that because of it, too. It just showed the strength of who we were. Right. And we were sticking together. So we're going to either win or lose this thing together, but we're going to win or lose it. As every player in Major League Baseball, so was no longer an American League, National League, or this team versus that team. It was. We were all on the Same page together. And look, man, it's, it's never fun, but, you know, I'll never also never forget. Was it Marvin Miller that wrote the book?
[00:39:46] Speaker B: You. We were talking about this.
[00:39:48] Speaker A: I mentioned this before.
[00:39:48] Speaker B: A whole different ball game, Marvin. Yeah, so, yeah, we all read it at that time.
[00:39:53] Speaker A: Yeah. And it was like, you know, at somebody's suggestion or. Yeah, no, I think Bellinger might have like even, you know, I think it was Mark Bellinger. Right?
[00:40:03] Speaker B: Oh, Mark Belanger.
[00:40:04] Speaker A: Belanger. I'm sorry, Mark Bell.
[00:40:06] Speaker B: Mark, yeah. Yes.
[00:40:07] Speaker A: So not Bellinger, I got, you know. But.
[00:40:09] Speaker B: Right.
[00:40:09] Speaker A: No, he worked for the union for a long time. Incredible. And. And you know, because he was kind of like the guy that, you know, was Don Fear's right hand guy, but he was also the guy that was the bridge between, you know, you can have a conversation with Don Fuhrer and then say, okay, Mark, what did he mean by that? Don is brilliant, man. He was like so smart and brilliant and, you know, did a lot of great things. But, you know, reading Marvin Miller's book and really understanding what the union, what it meant, what guys before had gone through for us to be able to play the game at that time, where capitalism was at its best in Major League Baseball and without, you know, the guys before us and the guys before them down to, you know, Ker Flood. Right. It's like this thing could have been broken a long time ago.
And, and because it, because those guys that took a stance and by the way, they didn't just take a stand, you know, it cost some of them their livelihoods. Right. And you know, but they gave up what they believed in their heart at that time, that it was the best for the players and the game in baseball. And we were just trying. Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing at the Capitol other than this is where Kurt Flood would have been. This is where the guys before me, that's where this is where they would be. This is what I must do. And, and that's how, you know, we looked at it at that time.
[00:41:59] Speaker B: While you were going through this, did you ever talk to your dad about it? Because he was involved in the first strike, you know, free agency. He was around his time when he was finishing. Yeah.
[00:42:09] Speaker A: So, you know, it's funny is, you know, my father, I'll never forget my father said, you know, he says, and he told me this, he says, you should speak to your grandfather.
I was like, why is that? He says, because your grandfather was a pipe fitter and a plumber and he was A very powerful.
He was. He would, he would tell you how important unions are so you can get a history of what you're fighting for, you know, and that it's, it's about the space, it's not about the individual. And, and, but my dad, you know, look, you know, he was, of course he was, you know, not just a player, but a coach. And, and, and the whole thing went through it all. And, and in his time, I went. We got a chance to. I say got a chance. We went through it in our time. And, and, and fortunately or unfortunately, that's part of the game. There are contracts and there are collective bargaining agreements and there are time frames. And, and, but at the end of the day, it's like I always look at it, is that the game and the players union is bigger than any individual player by themselves. And we must not ever let a crack in the armor happen there where we, an individual or certain players think that they're bigger than that, because then, you know, then we have broken systems and it doesn't work.
[00:43:40] Speaker B: So how do you think you overcome that when inevitably there are going to be guys who have personal concerns about money or this or how do you stay strong as a group when inevitably there are people there, there could possibly be reps. What do you think has allowed the union and at that time to get through it when it was a very stressful time?
[00:44:03] Speaker A: Yeah. So I think we have to go back and study history. That in every agreement, stance, stoppage or anything, it was like.
So if you want to say, if you want to, if you want to look at it from a capital money standpoint to an individual, it was like, well, whatever those guys gave up, you know, 40 years ago was just as meaningful to them. That number to them is. The number is today. So we need to put that. Then you have the deal where it's like, could be someone's last year. Right. And never get another opportunity. But once again, we just, we just have to understand how we got here and we didn't get here just because we're the best players in the world and we should, we should get all of this. You know, we got here because someone made the ultimate sacrifice in order for us to be here in the first place. My father's last year of Major League Baseball, he made about $100,000. My last year of Major League Baseball, you know, I made more money in one month than he made his entire career.
Now, you know what? It's crazy today. Now let's fast forward today.
There are guys that are going to make more money in one month.
Okay, that I've also made in my entire career.
And that's the way. But just to get here and only look at this thing from your personal perspective, all of that history gets lost on what we fought for to even get here in the first place. So I would say be careful, come together, you know, just stay united.
And the whole, you know what the whole focus is? The whole focus is that you can get the best agreement, not just for the players, but it'd be the best agreement for Major League Baseball in order to move forward where everyone's healthy.
It's not a bad perspective, right.
[00:46:03] Speaker B: Just to wrap up, you know, as your career ended, obviously you won a World Series.
You also won the Branch Rookie Award, which maybe doesn't get quite as much publicity as the Roberto Clementi Awards sometimes, but is a very prestigious award.
What did that mean to you?
[00:46:21] Speaker A: So I won the Branch Rickey Award and the Lou Gehrig Award in the same year.
And those take center stage for me because it was more than what you did on the field.
It was also how you were being acknowledged as a person, how you competed, how you played the game, but also what did you do in your community by doing some good, right? So I take a lot of.
Not really a prideful guy because I think pride and ego can get in the way. But I'm so grateful that I was picked. And, and of all the guys in that year of Major League Baseball, you know, they only pick one to win that award. And, and I remember when I, when I won, we went to. We have a big dinner and you show up in Colorado and, and they had uniform jersey of all the previous winners and our. And Goose, actually Goose Gossage was the guy that presented me with my award. So here's another Yankee, right? And, and I was a big fan of Goose. And, and I remember looking across there and I looked at all the names prior to me winning. I was like, oh, dear God, what am I doing here?
[00:47:32] Speaker B: It's quite a list.
[00:47:33] Speaker A: I was like, they're all hallo. I go, what am I? I go, what happened?
I go, do they got to take a non. Hall of Famer Every. Every 10 years? And I almost was like, I was just so in awe.
And it just made me feel like, wow, you know, I was like, this is really cool. And, and then to study and go back and look, well, what did Branch Ricky mean for this game? Powerful man.
And I look at, you know, in that Lou Gehrig ward that says that it exemplifies, you know, Lou in the best way on and off the field. And I was like, I was a huge Lou Gehrig fan because of what he played through and how tough he was.
And I'm like, wow.
And I was so.
I felt so honored to win those awards.
They mean a lot to me.
[00:48:30] Speaker B: Today.
[00:48:30] Speaker A: I got that big branch Ricky statue, and it'll be with me my entire life. And I got that Lou Gehrig plaque.
And those two awards, will.
They mean so much more to me than. Than any other personal award I could have ever won. And, you know, I didn't win any Gold Gloves or Silver Sluggers or I didn't, you know, any of this. But those awards, for me, they're bigger and better and more meaningful than those. So they're powerful for me, you know, and I. I'm honored. Humbled. Humbled and honored.
[00:49:04] Speaker B: Bigger than baseball.
[00:49:06] Speaker A: Yeah. Those awards. Yeah. Because they mean. They mean it crosses over to real life.
And for me, that's, like, awesome.
[00:49:19] Speaker B: Thanks to Todd Stottlemeier for his entertaining reflections on his time in the game. This has been an episode of the Stitch by Stitch podcast, connecting players from the past, present, and future.
This episode was written and produced by Jerry Krasnick with research and production support from Pablo Ocariz, Pablo Bauza, Jordan Score and Eva Amarez. This episode was edited and mixed by Mark Levine with additional video editing from David Hattie and Michael Scribonia. Our supervising producer was Rachel Gross.
Emily Kless provided art direction and media strategy, and our executive producer were Roz Guevara and Gretchen Mueller. The Stitch by Stitch podcast is an MLBPA Audio original.
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