The Fascinating World Of Sonny Gray

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2:04We have all kinds of merge, baseball is in boring. And the crazy, crazy hot hats that Joe is talking about, Joe Kelly of course. The Joe, everyone wants the Joe. You're going to have to go to the website to see what I'm talking about. All right. It was a crazy, speaking of the crazy, it's a crazy day. Sunday was a crazy day for me. Six and a half hours on the radio talking about baseball. I'm not complaining one single second. It was easy in a sense because you're staring straight ahead. You're just watching a baseball field. In this case, I'm in JetBlue Park and Fort Myers, Florida watching the Red Sucks Orioles. So I did the baseballs in boring radio show. Like we do every Sunday. Ten to one. And then right jumped right into doing the broadcast with Cooper Boardman for the Red Sucks Orioles game.

3:06And yeah, it was a lot of hours. It was a lot of minutes. It was a lot of time. But it went by quick, man. It did because it's easy. We're just talking about things that we like talking about, which is what makes this podcast so easy to do. I'm going to be honest with you. That's what makes it so easy to do. It's the easiest part is just talking, talking to people, talking about people, whatever it is. And in today's podcast, I sit down with a couple of people that St. Louis fans might be very familiar with. And Boston fans are just getting familiar with. And the two guys who were traded in the off season. Sonny Gray and Wilson Contreras. The first part is the longest part. And that was with Sonny Gray. And we talk a lot about his evolution, like his love of spring training, how he streetspring training, why he didn't play in the WBC, how he views his career, how he views his future.

4:06And some really fascinating talk about his love of trees. He's an arborist. He's an arborist and a little behind the scenes. I only knew that because I said to Joe Ryan when I talked to him, hey, tell me a little bit something to talk to Sonny Gray about. He's like, talk to him about his love of trees. So let it be said, let it be done. I did. So after Sonny is Wilson Contreras, I caught up with him for a few minutes to talk about something which I had been wanting to talk to him about, which was how he viewed himself in regards to how teams view him, players view him. Because he is the guy, he is the, there's always guys like this in sports. Guys who, if you're on the other team, you don't, you like, oh man, I hate that guy. But if you're on his team, mom, man, I love that guy. And that's sort of like how Wilson Contreras, in which I find awesome because in this day and age, the baseball world,

5:09it's too much of the, we all get along Kumbaya. It's like, you're there to win the game. Anyway, we'll get to Wilson in a little bit. But first up is Sonny Gray. Both of these, by the way, both of these interviews were done in Clubhouse. So if you ever hear any little bit of background noise, it's not mine, but just to let you know. All right, here you go. First up, Sonny Gray. So I wanted to talk to you about a couple of different things. Number one, so we talked a little bit the other day about the, about you pitching the value of spring training and saying, hey, you know what? The value is being here, not WBC. So just take me through a little bit of, if you can, about how you see spring training and the, how the value of being with this team right now, leading into this season. I can, I mean, for my own personal, you know, perception or my own personal life, you know, for me, I think it, I think it's just valuable.

6:20New team, getting to know everyone, but also like everyone else getting to know me. You know, I, are you asking like the difference in like not doing the WBC? Yeah, I mean, you obviously, you had the, you had the chance to do the WC, but like the, like you said something just then, like I didn't even thought of like you're thinking. Of not only you getting to know everybody, but everybody getting to know you, nobody talks about that, right? I'm getting to know you what you like to do, like all that, so. Yeah, I have been told that I am a fairly intense person. I don't know if that's the word or just blunt and honest person is kind of like my assessment of it.

7:21But yeah, so I think like, I think it is important for me to get to know everyone else, but I think it's just as important for everyone else to get to know me as well. I do believe that. So yeah, I mean, I also like know myself and I know like how I am as a competitor and if, you know, and I still have to do a very diligent job in spring, no matter how good I feel of being able to take my days and maybe not. Even when I get in games and getting lives and even bullpins for, for instance, of not revving my engine up too quick, too soon too early. And I just know like how I am as a person and how I am as a competitor. So for me, like, if I was to go pitch in a highly, highly competitive tournament in early March, I know I would be all systems go and I just don't know if that's beneficial for me individually.

8:34Just because of how I am some guys can, some guys may be able to fluctuate that and kind of live in that gray area as a pitcher where you're being ultra competitive, but you're also like working on things and you're not going to push it too hard. I just kind of know myself and that's like very hard for me to do. So I just felt like if I was going to, if I was to get the opportunity to play in the WBC, I think it is more important. It's individually for me like this is a better space for me to get ready for the season than doing something else. How is this different? You've been through a couple different teams. How is this, every team is different, every philosophy is different. Evolution of baseball is different. How is this spring been sort of different for you or anything, whether it's learning, whether it's adjusting, whatever it is?

9:37So the familiarity with the area is similar. I know the area from when I was with Minnesota for a couple of springs here. A locker room is a locker room. Once you get on the baseball field, that's all the same. Once you pick up a baseball and once you start throwing, that's all the same. The flow and the structure is always a tick different, but once you get adjusted to how it works and how it's run, that's a little bit easier. Because now you understand how you understand the flow and you get into a flow. You have to be adaptable. Like me, you have to be adaptable in order to go with the flow at time, but also know like if you get too far from one thing like, okay, this is what I know that I need to do for me on an individual level to get myself ready or to do that.

10:39But as far as the adjustment, the guys have been awesome. Seems like a great group of teammates, a great group of just guys in general. You know, you just have to find your people. But again, that's what it's been training for. I mean, that's what it comes back to. Like the more you're talking, the more I'm like, there is so much to do, but we're very difficult to do whatever you were doing. So how are you energized like now? Like you clearly love pitching. You clearly love doing what you do. That's being around you little time that I have and see that. But is this the time where you're energized or like, oh man, I love this. I love talking about it. I love the idea of competing. I love the idea of the season not being a month away. Are you energized right now? I mean, I guess as you asked the question, I get goose bumps. So I mean, I guess the answer is yes.

11:42I love my time in St. Louis, but I do feel like this space does energize you a little bit more. Just with the level of expectations, the level of winning, being ready to win in a mode to win now. And it's not only from I like to win. I like to compete. I like to win. I like everyone pulling in the same direction. And when I say everyone, I mean, not only the players in the clubhouse and not only the coaches, the people in the dugout, but as a fan base, as a front office, as everyone involved with the whole organization. I mean, that's from top to bottom, everyone that is a part of it is pulling in the direction of winning. So that does energize me. I don't know how much longer I'm going to do this. So that also energizes me because it's like, you know, I still feel strong and I feel like I'm as good as I've ever been.

12:55So yeah, I definitely do feel energized. I love picking up a baseball. I love playing with the baseball flip ended up. I love throwing the baseball. I love talking about pitching. I do love talking about pitching. I love to just get in pitching conversations. And I do like that. And I like to I like when people make me think a little bit differently, but also like I enjoy like when I make somebody think a little bit differently. So yeah, I do I do I do enjoy I do enjoy that. I really do. You know, and then with my kids and my family around like they still love it, which is huge for me for sure. They still love it and they love being around, but they also like baseball, you know, they like playing football and doing those things. So they think it's cool, right? Like, I mean, my little kids and they think it's like a really, they think it's awesome. I think it's cool. And it is.

14:05I think it's like the older you get and the longer you play this game, which you can just keep that perspective. I think the better off the large and having kids and especially two boys and having them kind of grow up, like it does kind of like re-energize you, but it also like takes you back to being a kid a lot of time. So like being able to see that and see them, it just kind of made it does kind of simplify it, right? Like we are playing a game. And I've just learned over the course of my life and definitely like career, like what I have to do in order to be the best I can at the game. I like games. I like games in general. I like competing and I like games. This is just fortunate enough. I've been able to play one for a career. So I do like all of those things. So it sounds like also you talk about, you don't know how much longer you're playing. You're at the point now where it's year to year to year to year, just because of all the things you talked about.

15:13I mean, the kid stuff is awesome. There's also the other other side of it being around the kids. There's all of it. I guess what I'm saying is that you're in a great spot because you're good. You still enjoy it. And you have that opportunity to say, well it's okay, just go year to year to year. Yeah, okay. You talk about games and the hobbies. And this is the last thing I appreciate your time. I mentioned that you're an arbor arborist. Things that I never thought I said. All right. Take me in an arborist in case people don't know is a person who likes trees, studies trees. Tell me I don't even know where to begin with this. Tell me a little bit about that. I don't know. I just I love being outside. So let's just start there. Right. I love being outside. I love being out in nature.

16:15I love like just laying on the ground and like watching the wind blow through the trees. Like that's just there's such a calming thing to that. And then I don't know when I was little when I was younger, you know, I just remember kind of how I grew up. I grew up outside. I grew up just on my bare feet outside going out and playing and coming back in whenever you come back in. So I've always been around that group of climbing trees. And then I got into I got a little bit into like landscaping. And I didn't then I enjoyed that part of it. And then I was like, Oh, okay. So now you can I enjoyed decorating. So now you can like decorate with trees, right? Like you can landscape your yard or do something and you can do it with trees. And you can like, I don't know, I like I like all that. And then I got into like I love the idea of like a like a tree to like what you see on the outside is, you know, you see the the bark and then the branches and the leaves and everything.

17:24But what you don't see is like how their roots grow. That's very fascinating to me. Also too like they live a great life, right? Like they they would they see a lot of things they they they they it's trees. It's grass. I'm into grass. I'm into like different cuts of grass. I just I just like that stuff. And then I've got yeah, I've gotten into it. I like it. You know, and then you know, you then you learn about like the trees and all that stuff. It kind of like goes with it, right? Like the spring you get all the beautiful colors and then the summer and the fall you get all the beautiful colors too. So then you can like decorate with them or like, you know, you know, just kind of like that's just like the natural cycle. Cycle of life to me, right? And they see it all, right? They go through it. I don't know, I sound weird, but I just think it's I think they're just very fascinating. And like wood. I love wood.

18:30You're like favorite tree. I don't necessarily have a favorite tree. Kind of goes back and forth. I have trees that I don't like. I have trees that yeah, I have like a bunch of shit trees. I have trees that I don't like and I got a I got a farm in Tennessee now and there's a whole bunch of bread for pears on this thing. What is it Bradford pairs? Yeah, I like it. They're like so invasive and they just kind of like take over. Oh, I thought it's my last name. But you know, it's good that you identify the bad trees, right? Yeah, they're just like they're like They're just invasive and they're not they're no good. They just kind of take over for all of them. So I'm like been in the process last two years. I've been in the process of clearing those out and planning like reestablishing like hard oaks and maples and some some walnut trees on there and some Sikamore trees like those type of it's got some water around it. Then you know different trees grow in different areas.

19:31Like these trees are weird to me, but they're also kind of cool. Did you ever go like the redwoods or anything like that? I have. Those are amazing. Those are amazing. Those are crazy. Yeah, I have. I mean, if you think about it like trees are they go with the culture of the wherever you're at, right? Oh, yeah. It just is. I had a willow tree fall on my house when I was a kid. Like a weeping willow? Yeah, weeping willow. They don't think it's awesome. I know. It was so sad because like to have a weeping willow when you look outside. Beautiful. And then the local paper. It's like my house. Did you ever go to like conventions or like? No, not anything like that. I just like. I just like. I mean, what are you talking about? I'm getting interested in it. Yeah. I mean, I'm not like I guess I guess the root of it is just nature. Yeah. I guess that's the root of it. Yeah. It's not like I'm like obsessed with all these things. I guess this is the more that I've found myself like in nature.

20:37Like that's the thing, right? Like they're in nature. So I guess the root of it. The root of it is me enjoying trees. Yes, I do. But I also enjoy stumps and I enjoy rocks. I enjoy grass. And I enjoy all of those things. Right? So I guess the root of it is I enjoy nature. And that's like a big part of nature. Again, there's a similar. There's something to draw from that comparing to a baseball season, comparing to life, comparing to where you're going, everywhere you go. You just mentioned here, like different trees here in New England. Like those trees. I don't know. I'm just talking about. Yeah. I mean, they're everywhere. Yeah. So, well, I appreciate your time. Thank you, man. I'm pretty proud of you. I enjoy talking to Sunny Gray. He's a very, very interesting guy to talk to. Speaking of another interesting guy to talk to Wilson Contreras, Wilson Contreras who obviously played with Sunny in St. Louis, obviously was just traded to the same team in the Red Sox, but completely different people, but still veterans who know what's what.

21:45And as we said at the outset of this podcast, Wilson Contreras is a guy who knows what's what when it comes to how to approach a clubhouse, a team, being a teammate, all of that, how to be a leader. So, I just wanted to get a taste of how Wilson viewed all of that. I think that in this, what you're about to hear, that'll be a pretty good one. As he said, it takes balls to be a major league player. And sometimes that includes just turning your back on maybe doing in Jersey exchange. I don't know. I don't want to be old man yelling class, but I love it. I love the fact that when any time say, hey, I don't like that guy, where I, the guy is a pain in the ass. He's on the other team and then he plays with me. He said, that guy's awesome. Then there you go. There you go. All right. Here's Wilson Contreras. Again, at BB is boring at BB is boring. Go to BB is boring.com if you want to buy some cool stuff. All right. Here you go. Here's Wilson Contreras.

22:49One of the things that when I talk to people like about your competitiveness and like how teams view that competitiveness is, have you always been that way of like, okay, listen, it's us against you. Like, we're here to win. And this is it. No, he's not against anybody. He's against everybody. Yeah. I think, yeah, it's always been part of my way of playing. Sometimes we've been staking around because I played really hard. My games have played just to win. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast Q. And guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance too with the name of your price tool from Progressive. It works just the way it sounds. You tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law.

23:53Always finding a way to win or helping and to help the team anywhere I can, even if I need to get paid to get on base or something like that, I'll do anything. But that's my point is I think it's an ultimate compliment for people say, hey, listen, I might not like, like, I look across, I might not want to play against it, but I want to play with him. I think that's a whole point. People might not like me when they play against me, but when we're on the same team, it's a whole different view. That doesn't mean that I'm a bad person, I'm always looking to get in trouble. I'm just a team player and I win in a winning player. I think it's a great compliment to be onto you. I'm proud of what I've been doing these years, the 10 year of my career and being the MOV for a reason. I've never been sitting back down to AAA for a reason and I take proud in everything that I do and everything that I can.

24:54I think I'm so good compliment for me. I do have guys tell you that. I'm playing with you. I'm playing with you. I got that one I won with the cops. I got a few guys praying inside of me and signing that they used to say, hey, I really hate playing against you. I really like it because of my team mate. Same thing happened in San Luis and same thing happened here in Boston. I think it's good. When you get here, you immediately like, okay, guys, this is us. I think this is another thing that you can tell younger players, because now it's Jersey Exchange and everything else. But there has to be like, it's us against them, right? Yeah, I think it doesn't matter where you play. Just I think the mindset is that try to beat anyone and everyone. The mindset is trying to win every game and play hard. As hard as we can, they need that.

25:58That doesn't have to change anywhere you play. My thing is just bringing that same mindset every single day is the toughest part. Because we know we play 160 games. And it's a time you might get lost in one of those days where you're not feeling well. But that's it of a spark for me. It's like, bring the same energy every day. Not everybody can do that. Do you think that the way baseball is that there has to be more of what we're talking about because, you know, like, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, I could be right. I could be wrong, but we're not with so many restrictions. You don't know what you're going to get. I think we need to play with the edge because we're in the big leagues. You're competing with the best, you're competing with the best in the world, in baseball. And you have to feel proud of what you do. You have to have some proud of what you accomplish. And you have to have some balls to play in the big leagues, for sure. And the last thing is, we talk so much about leadership. And leadership doesn't have to be OK, everybody. I'm the leader.

27:03It's coming and doing things like, how do you be sort of being a leader on the team? Because I think clearly already you're a leader on the team. I think, like I said, I'll come here every single day with the same energy. It doesn't matter if it's a night game or day game. I'll try to be as professional as I can in the clubhouse. I'll try to create a relationship amongst the game in the clubhouse. And a lot of young guys see the way we work in the team, a lot of guys see what we do in the training room, what we do post game, pre game post games. How we handle our defense or practice in our workouts. I think you can lead by example, but also you also can lead by expressing anything that you see, anything that you think it could be better. Or even if some guy is doing something wrong, you just pull him aside and you chair what you see and try to make the guy understand that there's a better way to do.

28:05But yeah, it's just like, you just have to be the same person every day and pick your spots and you don't have to get on the stool in the middle of the road. There's always time in place. I don't think I ever done that. Just stand on the stool and say, I really try to be as quiet as I can. If there's a team meeting and somebody wants me to speak, I'll speak. But I'm not a guy that's going to yell in the middle of the clubhouse. Alright, this is the way I could do stuff. No, that's not me. But I think we really have a really good leadership with tribal here. Yeah. Just lead the young guys before I got here and they're doing a great job. I'm happy to see the chemistry they already created here in the end of the year. Awesome man. I'm Brian. I work at United Health Care. So Brian, why do you care? I care because I don't want to leave anybody behinds. I oversee one of the biggest resource center in United Health Care.

29:07I see people walking in my office every day, just like my parents. They have no idea about the health care. I feel like they're my uncles, aunties. I treat it as people of my family. I'm Brian and I'm committed to care.