Today I hosted my first segment of a live television show, ever. Of all things, it was to chat pitching with Pedro Martinez.
Wow. Just wow. Talk about boyhood dreams made real…
Usually I take a lot of flack after my broadcasts for being a done-nothing/never-was with strong a opinions. How did I get my platform? Who do I think I am? How dare I think anything about anything…?
Today was the much the same. After a year of broadcasting I know I’ll always get this response in some shape or form as there will always be folks out there who feel anything and everything I’ve done is crap. Such is the burden of a fringe major leaguer who’s been more successful writing and talking about baseball than actually playing it.
I’m not going to lie, there are days it bothers me. Days I wonder if I am good enough to do or claim anything I’ve done. It’s exactly zero fun to achieve a dream, or, in my case, 3 of them, just to have people tell you you’ve done nothing and never will.
Today was not one of those days.
Pedro Martinez is a great dude. He knows infinitely more about pitching than me, and he’ll never have to justify his career or accomplishments to anyone. He’s one of the best the game has ever seen, and when he offers an opinion, no one questions it.
…However, when we’re on air, he doesn’t have the broadcast experience that I do.
Yes, he’s got all these amazing stories and insights; Experiences that make baseball fans drool; Experiences I’ll never touch with a lifetime of books… but he can’t wrap them up into concise thoughts to share in an efficient and efficacious manner. At least not yet.
So, in the meantime, there I am, the done-nothing/never-was, not fit to wipe the sweat from Pedro’s brow, hosting a segment wherein my main focus is setting Pedro up to succeed. I played long enough to speak in terms players understand and are comfortable with, and I articulate well enough to break baseball code down for the unchurched audience.
Folks at home are like, “who the F!#$ is this nobody next to PEDRO?” and I get it.
There is no comparison. I’ll never have Pedro’s legend in baseball, and people will always tell me to shut up since I have no championship rings on my finger.
But, afterwards, when the take is over and the camera is off, Pedro is telling me I’m smart, quick, comfortable. He’s saying “thank you” for helping him along, and that in his next take he’ll be better, for me. When we’re done with the show he’s giving me a fist pound because we made good television together. He’s relying on me to help, and appreciative when I do.
Like I said, Pedro is a great dude. Talented, funny, loaded with awesome experiences and has a bright future in this business. I never got to play baseball with him, but, thanks to my ability to adapt and articulate, I get to call him a teammate now. Moreover, he recognizes my talent.
Do you have any idea how that feels?
Let me give you a hint: It feels a little like what I can only imagine Pedro must have felt like on a MLB mound for 18 great years.