This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:08] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to the Break a Bat Podcast where baseball meets Broadway, an attempt to show that my two favorite mediums don't have to live in such separate worlds and maybe even break some stigmas.

[0:20] Al Malafronte: We're happy to have you with us. Now let's play ball.

[0:25] Al Malafronte: Hello and welcome to Break a Bat. I'm your host, Al Malafronte, coming at you for the Broadway Podcast Network.

[0:31] Al Malafronte: Uh tonight we're joined by a performer who played 12 seasons in the major leagues.

[0:34] Al Malafronte: And for our New York audience, he's certainly a familiar name. Having made his mark on the stages of Broadway playing for both the New York Mets and New York Yankees.

[0:43] Al Malafronte: Uh he was actually a big part of the 2008 Yankees cast that closed out one of the most famous theaters here in New York City, the House that Ruth built, as he was the last man to perform the role of left fielder upon closing out the old stadium.

[0:55] Al Malafronte: He was also a member of the last Yankees Championship cast in 2009, as well as the 2012 San Francisco Giants.

[1:03] Al Malafronte: And even all these years after his retirement, he's still involved in the game of baseball working for Super Agent Scott Boras.

[1:10] Al Malafronte: In addition to this, he also caught his fair share of Broadway shows while he played here.

[1:13] Al Malafronte: So we're so glad he could join us tonight. And with that being said, if you'll please turn your attention to home plate, just beyond the marquee, where X marks the spot. Now batting.

[1:24] Al Malafronte: Xavier Nady X, welcome, my man.

[1:27] Xavier Nady: Al, thank you for having me, man. It's a blast to be here.

[1:30] Xavier Nady: Uh it's such a pleasure. First and foremost, how's everything going with you and your family during the pandemic?

[1:35] Xavier Nady: Everything's good, man. Knock on wood. Uh obviously it's uh been a crazy year.

[1:41] Xavier Nady: And fortunately, you know, you put things in perspective and really kind of slow down things. And I've got two boys, uh, 12 and nine.

[1:50] Xavier Nady: So we've been able to spend a lot of time together, do a couple little road trips here and there, but uh, we're making it through, and obviously hopefully things go back to normal soon.

[2:00] Al Malafronte: Now I know throughout this whole thing, you've continued to stay on top of your new role with the Boras Corp on the agency side of things.

[2:07] Al Malafronte: I know Scott was your agent back when you played, uh, but what was your motivation to get involved in this side of the game?

[2:13] Xavier Nady: Um, a couple different factors. Uh when I retired in 2014, I took a little uh time away from the game and kind of sat down with the family.

[2:24] Xavier Nady: We did a big, we had a good, nice long summer together, but I wanted to stay into the game, stay in the game uh to some extent.

[2:31] Xavier Nady: And I did some coaching in minor leagues for about a year and a half uh at Lake Elsinora, did the hitting coach position and obviously it was fun to show up to the park every day and watch these kids kind of grow and develop.

[2:46] Xavier Nady: And uh a lot of these guys now are in the big leagues having very successful careers. So I took a lot of pride in that.

[2:53] Xavier Nady: But at the end of the day, it's a grind, you know. It's these coaches, it's the hours of your playing days.

[3:02] Xavier Nady: And at the time with my family and the ages of my boys, I feel like I still was missing a lot doing that, doing that job.

[3:10] Xavier Nady: So once again, I took a break again and sat back, relaxed, and uh I'd known Scott for a long time and obviously had him my entire career.

[3:20] Xavier Nady: And they came to me, offered me a role and a position to kind of stay more heavily involved in the amateur side, high school, college, and scouting, recruiting, and so far been doing that, and it's been really it's it's been a good transition, but also like you said, keeps you in the game and also it gives me a chance to be with the family.

[3:43] Al Malafronte: Now, how much bigger of a commitment is it if you wanted to get involved in let's say what Scott does, you know, let's say in a Garrett Cole or Bryce Harper type negotiation, as a member of the Boras team, could you realistically get involved in those types of negotiations with it being you know a similar workload, or is that just way more intense?

[4:01] Xavier Nady: Way over, yeah, way over my pay grade. Absolutely not. So, you know, I try um no, I've been doing obviously nowadays, especially with the during the pandemic, showcases have been altered.

[4:15] Xavier Nady: A lot of them are still because California is more on the lockdown side, do a lot of travel, whether it's Florida, Georgia, um, you know, like area code games have been going on for so long at Long Beach, and they took place back east this year.

[4:30] Xavier Nady: So I do a lot of the amateur side, and obviously negotiations were not what I signed up for.

[4:38] Xavier Nady: So I'll I'll I'll stay out of that. You know, I think it says a lot though about you wanting to give back to these young players, make sure they're taken care of in a very tough business, which you know you know as well as anyone.

[4:50] Al Malafronte: Um you yourself were a second-round draft pick, and you got selected by your hometown team and the Padres, a lot of hype.

[4:56] Al Malafronte: When you look back, you know, all these years later, is there one thing that you know now that you wish you knew back then about you know the business of baseball?

[5:09] Xavier Nady: You know what? Uh I think when you step away from the game, you contemplate a lot, you you sit back and and wonder how you could have been more successful, what could have lengthened your career, gave you a couple more years.

[5:21] Xavier Nady: But uh to answer your question, no. I mean, to be honest, I mean, it's a game of ups and downs, and I think when you're young and you come up, you seem to just put so much pressure on yourself because you know you've got to start out and be successful, or you're gonna be back in the minors.

[5:40] Xavier Nady: And I think that's just the nature of the beast. And you know, the the sleepless nights of your over 20 slumps, and obviously you hear the whole cliché, don't get too high, too low.

[5:53] Xavier Nady: It's you know, it's a long year. But it's uh at the end of the day, it's a very competitive industry.

[5:59] Xavier Nady: And obviously when you're young and you're trying to make your mark, you need to have that confidence. You need to be successful in order to see your name in that lineup every day.

[6:09] Xavier Nady: And looking back, I just you know, I I look back and say, hey, it's there's a lot of things, yes. I I wish would have would have maybe in the in the at the end, it would have turned out differently.

[6:22] Xavier Nady: But I was very fortunate enough to to put on that uniform for for quite a quite a long time.

[6:28] Al Malafronte: You had your share of success, but you also, you know, you faced quite a bit of adversity.

[6:31] Al Malafronte: I mean, you had to have Tommy John surgery, right? As you were on the cusp of making the big leagues.

[6:35] Al Malafronte: And you know, we've seen it become more commonplace with position players over the years, but you were really one of the first guys to go through it.

[6:41] Al Malafronte: How tough is that surgery for an outfielder? And how long did it take you to feel like you were yourself again out on the field and can contribute in a big way?

[6:50] Xavier Nady: Yeah, it was a bizarre circumstance. I mean, I, you know, everyone deals with shoulder elbow pain when you're younger, especially when you know pitching back in the day, there was no pitch count.

[6:59] Xavier Nady: I think my dad finally took blame. He said, I think I threw you too much when you were 10, 11, and 12.

[7:05] Xavier Nady: But uh yeah, I had the first one in 2001. And I felt like for me, whether or not setbacks were an issue or trying to rush and get back, it wasn't until 2003 that I felt like it was full strength, which is actually when I made when I was in the big leagues my rookie year.

[7:26] Xavier Nady: And then it felt good. And yeah, it made it another, it was just a bizarre made it another eight years and there were seven years and then blew out again, which still is uh mind boggling, but it's uh things you have to deal with.

[7:41] Al Malafronte: Do you feel like you kind of have had kind of had like an arrival moment in the majors?

[7:45] Al Malafronte: Like I know you started to have some real success once you went to the Pirates.

[7:48] Al Malafronte: Was there like, you know, kind of that definitive hit or big game where you felt like you belong?

[7:54] Xavier Nady: Uh, you know what it was? I think when the Mets traded for uh in 2000 in the the offseason going into 2006 when I was traded for Mike Cameron, I went to the Mets and I had the opportunity to compete for an everyday job.

[8:11] Xavier Nady: And as a young player, kind of going back to what we were talking about, it gives you the confidence.

[8:17] Xavier Nady: And I won the position that I was gonna be in the lineup every day.

[8:21] Xavier Nady: So I knew I didn't have to press too much. I won the position. I was gonna have some time to prove that I was an everyday player and I belonged at the big league level.

[8:29] Xavier Nady: And that's when things started kind of, you know, obviously you stay on the field, you're gonna put up numbers, you're gonna have more success.

[8:38] Xavier Nady: And that's the next few years is when I kind of was able to put things together and start having more confidence, showing up to the park every day, knowing where I was gonna be in the lineup and just understanding the game a little better and and trusting that you deserve that, you know, deserve to take the field every day.

[9:00] Al Malafronte: Now you mentioned that trade to the Mets. I think it's pretty cool how, even though you're a Southern California kid through and through, that you came over to New York and really embraced the arts culture around the city here.

[9:10] Al Malafronte: Last week you were telling me you caught your share of Broadway shows. What was it about Broadway and the city lifestyle that you love so much?

[9:16] Xavier Nady: Well, we fell in love with the city. I mean, immediately. And like you said, I'd been there obviously as a visitor, uh, visiting team, uh, but never got to go do, you know, the shows or the nightlife or the dinners, the restaurants.

[9:31] Xavier Nady: I mean, uh, we joke now. I mean, it's still the city, it was just incredible.

[9:36] Xavier Nady: We lived on the upper east side in 2006, and I always joke. I said you could go to the park and get home at 11 o'clock and go grab a bite to eat at midnight.

[9:46] Xavier Nady: You know, we didn't have kids at that time, and or go catch a show.

[9:50] Xavier Nady: And we, it was just, I was blown away by the opportunities and and how beautiful the people were everyone was so amazing.

[10:00] Xavier Nady: I always joked like New Yorkers would just come by if they recognize you and say, hey, hey, good job, and just walk by you, but not like you try to turn around and engage in a conversation with them and they'd be gone.

[10:11] Xavier Nady: So um, but overall, yeah, we saw Wicked, we did Lion King recently.

[10:17] Xavier Nady: We went back out and we watched uh we went and saw Hamilton.

[10:21] Xavier Nady: So it's yeah, well, and SNL, we went did the SNL experience, which was awesome.

[10:27] Xavier Nady: So we tried to make our rounds and taking a lot of good shows because uh I know the wife really enjoyed it, and so did I.

[10:36] Al Malafronte: You know, it's funny. I'm just thinking back to your stint with the Mets.

[10:40] Al Malafronte: I think Tina Fey was still doing SNL back then, and she ended up bringing Mean Girls to Broadway.

[10:45] Al Malafronte: So uh yeah, it's it's kind of amazing how it crosses over like that.

[10:48] Al Malafronte: Was she in the cast when you went to go see it then?

[10:50] Xavier Nady: Yes.

[10:51] Xavier Nady: So the gentleman at the uh I met a buddy in line.

[10:56] Xavier Nady: I don't, I think we got our our tickets through the Mets.

[10:58] Xavier Nady: There was another younger gentleman in line wearing the same exact colored shirt I had on.

[11:03] Xavier Nady: So he made like a joke to me about it, like, hey, you look really good tonight, you know, and then we hit it off.

[11:09] Xavier Nady: And he knew he was a baseball fan, he was a diehard Met fan.

[11:12] Xavier Nady: So we kind of hit it off.

[11:13] Xavier Nady: And his, I think it was, I believe it was like his sister or his wife's sister was Tina Fey's assistant.

[11:19] Xavier Nady: And we kind of kept this ongoing relationship, and I still keep in touch with him to this day.

[11:24] Xavier Nady: So um, but small world, yeah, we got to go to the after party that night because of him.

[11:29] Xavier Nady: He's like, come on, it was uh, I think it was Tom Hanks and the Chili Peppers.

[11:34] Xavier Nady: So it was a pretty pretty good cast.

[11:37] Al Malafronte: Were you partying with Tom Hanks at the after party?

[11:40] Xavier Nady: Well, no, I mean, I was no, I I kind of I sat in the corner and tried to, you know, leave him alone.

[11:45] Xavier Nady: Leave him alone. You know, I I'm I don't know about you because you're a little bit older than I am, but I didn't see Lion King, for example.

[11:53] Xavier Nady: You mentioned that one earlier. I was 27 when I first saw it, and you know, more than 20 years after I first saw the movie, there was something about like that opening scene with the circle of life and all those animals coming to the eye down the aisle, like brought me back to my childhood in a way that certain moments on the base field baseball field could, you know.

[12:11] Al Malafronte: And those are like the only two things that I, you know, put in that same sentence.

[12:15] Al Malafronte: Do you have like a favorite song or a memory from you know any of those shows that you saw that you'd never forget?

[12:21] Xavier Nady: Not really, but it's funny you say that because Lion King, you know, I used to watch it a ton growing up, and I to this day I haven't seen the the new the remake of it.

[12:31] Xavier Nady: I know I probably should uh uh venture out, but yeah, still old school, you know, we still throw it on for the kids, the old one, and but nothing in particular off the top of my head.

[12:42] Al Malafronte: So now I mentioned in the intro, you made your mark here for both the New York teams, and you know, both teams had their share of success while you were here.

[12:52] Al Malafronte: In your eyes, what was like the biggest difference between playing for the Mets and then playing for the Yankees?

[12:59] Xavier Nady: Ah, God, I mean, both franchises obviously come from San Diego, uh however you want to say it, a more chill environment.

[13:08] Xavier Nady: And coming to New York was it's an experience that I wish every guy could have because you go, it's like I always joked uh from my Pittsburgh days.

[13:19] Xavier Nady: When you ran out on a Monday evening to go run your pregame stretches, you knew it was a Monday in Pittsburgh. Like in New York, when you run out on a Monday to go run your stretches, you couldn't—I had no idea what day it was. If it was Friday, Saturday, the crowd was always buzzing. The atmosphere as a player, when you're young and you're seeing obviously the team has success. I was playing amongst a bunch of superstars in the lineup every single day, showing up to that field. Guys made it fun. We believed in each other. And even with the Yankees as well, you know, I get traded from Pittsburgh back to New York, and I'm amongst a big group of superstars. And I just—my job was to go there, kind of fit in, hopefully have some success and kind of keep your mouth shut.

But you know, I had—uh, every single—I mean, I always joke that it was just an amazing from Posada was my locker mate and Pettit the first year, and just unbelievable people. And they really made you fit right in, and you feel like you're one of them.

[14:26] Xavier Nady: I want to talk about September 21st, 2008 for a second. Final game at the old Yankee Stadium. Yogi's there, Whitey Ford, Ron Gidry, Paul O'Neill. What stands out most to you from that night? Just an overwhelming of emotion. And obviously the history that that ballpark had had and how fortunate I was to take left field and be out there. I mean, you know, it's like I remember Jeter saying the day you don't have—like your nerves aren't there. Like I got nerve, you know, your nerves are always there. Anxiety just—it was an amazing night. Um, unfortunately, I—I don't know, we might have to look this up, but I think I might have been the only guy that went hitless that day. So I remember one of my buddies gave me crap for that. So um, but just it was a special night. All the guys were hanging out in the clubhouse like before, uh, after, and that stuff you'll never forget, you know, you get the chills just being out there.

[15:29] Xavier Nady: Now, by no means am I looking to, you know, stir the pot here, and I'm not looking to knock the captain, but Derek Jeter was also hitless that night. Although I—he was, he was 0 for five. Okay, good, okay, good. That's—so I guess I guess they don't put him in the same category. So when—yeah, I do think he played the role of the captain very well that night, especially with that speech he gave with all you guys around the mound there. But uh, you were telling me last week, you know, during your time with the Yankees, it wasn't so much Jeter, but more so his friend of me who took a particular liking to you, if you want to call it that. Why don't you tell us a little bit about your relationship with Alex Rodriguez?

[16:10] Xavier Nady: Yeah, he—he was a butte, man. I mean, when I got traded there, obviously you got a lot of emotions from a—it's from a trade, and my son is 10 days old, so we had—my wife had to pack up Pittsburgh and drive over. So I got a flurry of things going through my head. But yeah, he took—uh, he took an interesting liking to me. Like, so in 2008, when I got traded there, obviously it's college shirt and jeans, uh, on the road to the yard. So I had this—I remember it's a Mark Echo dress shirt. I swear to God, I bought it Macy's. And I wore it, and AJ Burnett was like, "Man, it's a cool shirt." Well, at the time, I didn't bring my whole entire wardrobe because I had just been traded. So I only had a suitcase.

So I had limited options. So we started, I believe, on the road for seven days. And AJ loved it. So then, of course, I have to reuse it later in the road trip and I wear it again. And Burnett comes up to me again. He's like, "Bro, you already wore that, but that's a sweet shirt," like give me crap. Well, for some reason, Alex was probably close by listening. He literally at the end of the year, he came up to me. He's like, "Hey, will you send me that shirt?" And I'm like, "My dress shirt that I bought at Macy's?" He's like, "Yeah, I love that shirt." He goes, "Well, you sent it to me." And I said, "Crazy." Probably walked away, get home, and I swear to a couple weeks later in the off season, he reached out.

He's like, "Bro, are you gonna send me that shirt?" So I knew—I knew his style then was obviously, I was, I guess he wanted some help on his wardrobe and make it. But you know, that's—I'm like, you're worth hundreds of millions of dollars. You could have this shirt made if you would like. So it's like that single white female obsession thing that they talk about with him in chair. Except literally did we know that Xavier Nady was awful in this movie. So for the whole tidbit about X and A and A Ron. Uh, yeah, he was—uh, he was good though. They were all good to me. So it's just, you know, we went over there, minded my own business, hit it off with some guys, and the rest is history.

[18:33] Xavier Nady: After games, I don't know if it was, you know, he—I don't know what it was, but you know, I'd shower, get ready to jump on the team bus, and he'd say, "Hey, let's go grab a bite to eat." So we'd go grab a bite to eat next night, you know. I'm trying to get all get showered to get out of there, and he grabs me again. He's like, "Hey, let's go have a drink." So, and then we know we get back to New York, and it's "Come over for lunch." But he—uh, he was very, yeah, he was—it was very interesting at the time, but he was—he was always very positive with me. He, you know, talking to that guy about hitting was to be able to pick his brain of his thought process through each and every at bat was always very special.

But all the entire group of guys, we—I have all had very unique relationships with all of them. Like Johnny Damon and I spent a lot of time together. And like I said, I had Posada and I were locker mates, and we bonded over tequila. We were both big tequila fans. So just random, random little tidbits about each guy when you're trying to get to know guys and what their likes, their personalities are. But uh, yeah, Alex was very fun.

[19:48] Al Malafronte: Now, when you guys would go out as a team and you know the drinks would start poured, who would get the most rowdy?

[19:53] Xavier Nady: Well, that group, it was—uh, I mean, Johnny, I think it's just as you can tell with his personality. I mean, I don't have to sugarcoat him at all. Johnny was—uh, Johnny was a beast. But you know, that group with personalities and fame, a lot of guys just kind of did their own thing. Uh, it wasn't a big, like in—you know, when I was in Pittsburgh, we could go out as 15 of us, and no one would ever have a clue who anybody was. You know, we could go do team dinners on the road. Uh, different, you know, no one—no one ever bothered us. Those guys, I remember seeing we'd go out to a couple dinners, and guys would try to get like a booth, and it's just nonstop. And ever—and they're obviously all well liked, well perceived, and very—very friendly. So they try to be as courteous to everyone saying, "Hey, can I eat dinner?" You know, it's—but so a lot of guys, a lot of those guys just kind of did their own thing.

[20:53] Xavier Nady: Now, I know the Yanks missed the playoffs in '08, and they spent a boatload going into '09 to try to write the ship. You were named the starting right fielder going into the season. A few games in, you hurt your elbow. Uh, you get that second Tommy John, but on the bright side, you got to see your teammates succeed and win the World Series. When you look back on the narrative of '09, do you feel like you're a part of it?

[21:16] Xavier Nady: Uh, I've been asked that question. Uh, God, it's—it's tough to answer. I mean, because as a player, you obviously from a competitive nature, you'd want to be out there. Uh, I swisher and I developed a very unique friendship from competing for the starting position. And we just always joke that someone—something was going to happen where both of us were gonna get our at bats and help our team. We knew we were gonna be good and help our team down the stretch. And unfortunately, I go down on whatever it was, game seven year ending and go home, have the Tommy John. But it was cool. Casherman called me and said, "Hey, I'd really like it. And I think the guys would like it if you came and hung out during the playoffs."

So that was—that was a lot of fun. I mean, obviously, it's tough. I mean, it's when you're—not able to be out there or to contribute at all. But once again, I look back and it's a lot of good human beings on that team and a lot of guys that did things the right way and competed, and we all—it was a very tight-knit group, and that's why I think they—they were able to have some success.

[22:33] Al Malafronte: You know, you were showing me and uh my awesome audio engineer Brittany before a little bit around the Navy Man cave there. And I did see quite a bit of uh Yankees memorabilia from your time there. How'd you get like so involved into collecting, you know, as you started playing?

[22:47] Xavier Nady: I think that's pretty—I’m just looking behind you. See, I see a whole showcase of baseballs there. That's pretty amazing. It started, yeah. I have no idea who told me to do it, but they said, when you're young, just start with a ball. Send over a ball to guys that you admire, how they play the game, uh, guys you envy that you want to be, you know, that you want to be like, that you look up to. Or for me, when I was younger, it was guys that I'd watched growing up that I had idolized, you know, whether it was a Barry Bonds or so I'd started with balls, and then I would start buying jerseys, send over a jersey, and then it started with randomly with bobbleheads. Yeah. So you go in, you go into a visiting city, and obviously they—they would give you a bobblehead.

That was the Friday night, you know, bobblehead they're passing out. So I'd get those, send those over to get signed. Then it went to cleats. So I started doing game worn cleats. So I uh just kind of bounced around. Oh, and then bats, you know. I've got, like you said, I probably got a hundred and something bats of guys that I would just ask. And the hardest part sometimes was tracking them down or getting guys to remember, you know. So when you see them in a—if they're in your division, you see them three times, whatever, you know, I'd keep—I’d stay on, say, "Hey, you ever gonna send me that bat you promised, you know, last year?" So but I said, why not? And to this day, I always joke with my friends that no one ever said no. Some guys were harder to get to, but no one ever said no, I'm not gonna sign for you. So that just shows you. I always tell these young kids coming up now. I said, just go for it. Just don't be shy and go ask them.

[24:29] Xavier Nady: And you know, one thing I've always loved about baseball in Broadway is you know the interaction between, you know, the fans and the performers. You know, we see on Broadway a lot, you have a lot of folks, you know, who are signing playbills after the show. Um, with baseball, you know, I know that happens a lot in spring training, but during the regular season, it doesn't seem to happen as much. You know, what's like kind of going through the mind of a player, you know, before a game, during batting practice as to why you know a lot of guys aren't necessarily signing autographs?

[24:56] Xavier Nady: I think from a standpoint of a player, like you're so routine oriented. And everything in the long season, obviously, after BP, you go in, you don't have a ton of time, but you're usually going to go in, you're gonna eat, you're gonna get treatment, you're gonna go do your pre-cage workout, try to stretch whatever it is, and then you're literally back on the field. But I know, I mean, in every—in every guy's different. Like I always took time if there were people. I was—I’ve always felt like I'm a people person. Like my wife gives me crap because I say hi to everyone and wave to everyone, you know. But I didn't mind it, you know, if I could take a couple minutes, especially when they bring people on for batting practice behind home plate.

To me, if you take a couple minutes out of your day to go over and say hi to the kids or say hi to someone that might be a fan of yours, uh, if you can put a smile on their face, that it's—it's worth it. And some guys, obviously, yes, you've heard stories about that aren't big—uh, big kid, they're not big on the—or well perceived or well liked. And hey, you—you gotta make your own, you know, you lay in your own bed every—every night, and that's—that's the decision they made.

[26:12] Al Malafronte: Yeah, I mean, I know you were always really good about it. You mentioned Johnny, he was great about it, another teammate of yours, Giambi. I'm just talking from firsthand experience. I—I never might—I was never lucky enough to get an Xavier Nady signed baseball. Because I think when I saw you play in '08, I was sitting like in the upper decks. I wasn't necessarily close to the field.

[26:30] Xavier Nady: But um, yeah, it's always been kind of interesting to me now. One guy, you were showing me a jersey before you had from Barry Bonds, which you know, he has a little bit of a reputation, you know, around the game. Um, you know, someone like that, are you nervous or intimidated to approach someone like that? You know, when you're when you're trying to get their autograph from someone you clearly admire as a player. I was definitely all of the above, which is funny you bring that up because at the time, I don't remember if it was 2004 or 2005, I was playing a decent amount of first base. And that was really my only time to ever have a conversation with him because that he wasn't taking a lot of batting practice on the field, so you never had a chance to approach him.

And when he was hitting, you know, I was just hoping he didn't kill me because he was hitting everything so hard those couple years. But um, I had I'd asked him multiple times. And he was always he he was a man of very few words, you know, to at least with me. And I was a young, intimidated, so I didn't want to say anything that anything wrong, but I was able to get a couple words out of him. And you know, I like I said, I I had asked him if he'd signed something, and I believe it took the next couple years until my buddy Mark Sweeney was able to finalize the deal and get get a jersey signed from him. But we tracked him down. It's just he was he was uh he made me put in a lot of hard work to get that signature.

[27:56] Xavier Nady: It's funny, you know, you end up coming back from that Tommy John surgery, and you're part of you know, one of the only San Francisco Giants championship teams in 2009. You know, having come back from the surgery and you know, wrapping things up with a 12-year playing career, um, what are you most proud of when you look back on it now? Uh man, I think as a as a little kid, you know, you sit around and you always dream about being a professional baseball player. And if you would have told me, hey, you're gonna spend parts of 12 years in the big leagues, uh ups and downs, no matter how you look at it, 100%. I would have said, no way, you know, this that would be a dream come true. And along the line, I took, you know, I took a lot of pride.

I got to play for some amazing organizations, eight different teams in that in the course of those years. And you develop a lot of good friendships, meet a lot of good people from coaching staff to staff, you know, to training staff. Uh and that's what I look back on. It's just the people that you've met, the ups and downs you go through on a daily grind with these guys, the championship teams that you're on. And uh, you know, you just I was fortunate enough to put on that uniform for a long time. And obviously, like we talked about earlier, yeah, do I wish I could have stayed healthy, you know, in the prime of my career. But that was the plan that God had for me. And there was really nothing, nothing I could do but to get back and keep grinding it to get a couple more years in the big leagues. But overall, you know, you're just I was just thankful to have the opportunity with to play that game for a long time.

[29:38] Al Malafronte: Now you were always very consistent, but I think there's no denying when you look at your stats, 2008 is your best season. You know, when you go through a career year, and you know, some folks in Broadway experience this too. You know, they're kind of in a zone where they just shine in one particular role or performance more so than anything else in their career. Like when you're locked in like that, what are you feeling at the plate when you're coming up there and just you know, you hit 305 that season, almost drove in a hundred runs. Like, what's different about your memory of 2008, let's say, compared to like 04 or 2011, or you know, just to use those as an example.

[30:14] Xavier Nady: Absolutely. I think it goes back to obviously confidence, trusting, you know, you're you've bit built a year of success, and it's a it's a very mental game. And stepping in the box, and obviously it's a consistency too. It's like when I was with the with the pirates earlier that year, had been in that division for you know, I got traded there again in 06. So I had some time and division. So it's the familiarity with opposing pitchers, tendencies, how they're gonna pitch you, and obviously adjusting to their game plan, but all that kind of goes into and staying healthy. Obviously, I still had a couple of little issues those years, whether it was a hamstring or one year I got hit in the head, missed 10 days.

So it's stuff that happens that you just deal with, but your job is to get back on the field as quick as you can, because the only way you're gonna put up numbers is staying staying healthy and getting those at bats. And then obviously being in a lineup in York where every time I felt like I was hitting guys were on base, whether it's Jeter, A Rod, Johnny, Giombi, every time, you know, I got to see how those guys got pitched to, and I had an opportunity to hit a routine ground ball short and get an RBI or whatever it might be, but but that all goes into the entire mindset of you know, I've I got an art, whatever of building success. And I think you know, you obviously put a lot with with the lineups that are around you and and the organizations you're in.

[31:49] Al Malafronte: One final segment that we do to wrap every show, X. Uh, you know, you've accomplished a lot in your career, but now it's about to get tough. It's called Fastball Derby. I'm gonna ask you a question. You're gonna tell me the first thing that comes to your head. How does that sound?

[32:02] Xavier Nady: Sounds good.

[32:03] Al Malafronte: Favorite New York City bill.

[32:06] Xavier Nady: The breakfast uh egg bagel sandwich.

[32:11] Al Malafronte: If you could be the lead in one Broadway musical, what would it be?

[32:18] Xavier Nady: I gotta pass. Because I'm like, I don't know. I can't say what I you know. Give me give me my top options.

[32:26] Al Malafronte: All right, I mean, he could be like anyone from Alexander Hamilton or George Washington in Hamilton. You could be Who's the other uh let me you could be Beetlejuice, you could be, I'm just gonna look at my wallet. I haven't seen a lot, I haven't seen a lot of these.

[32:42] Xavier Nady: Um you saw Hamilton Beetlejuice.

[32:46] Al Malafronte: Did you see the movie?

[32:46] Xavier Nady: No, yeah, I've seen the movie.

[32:49] Al Malafronte: But there's a good one. You want me to roll with that for your answer?

[32:54] Xavier Nady: No, go with go with whatever you want. What do you like to see yourself in? There, or you want you want like a big singing part or you want something more uh no, I can't see Austin side.

[33:02] Al Malafronte: You can't at all?

[33:04] Xavier Nady: No, god no.

[33:07] Al Malafronte: Toughest pitcher you ever had to face.

[33:10] Xavier Nady: Clayton Kershaw.

[33:13] Al Malafronte: How about a guy you owned?

[33:15] Xavier Nady: Ooh, I never said own, but I had good numbers against Ben Sheets.

[33:20] Al Malafronte: Milwaukee Brewers, okay.

[33:22] Xavier Nady: Yeah.

[33:25] Al Malafronte: Now you've seen the Lion King. Your teammates that would make the best Timon and Pumba in the Lion King on Broadway.

[33:33] Xavier Nady: We were just having this discussion the other day. Uh I'm gonna go with a former Pittsburgh pirate named Ryan Domit would be uh one. And I'm gonna go with Brian Giles of the Padres. I guess you'd have to get to know these guys in order to uh have a vision of how good they would be.

[33:54] Al Malafronte: Now Brian Giles was some player. Is he more of the meerkat or the warthog?

[33:59] Xavier Nady: I'm gonna go the warthog for sure. He is a interesting, he is a funny, he's this I don't can't even if we had another hour of this segment. I could I could elaborate a lot more on him.

[34:13] Al Malafronte: I believe it.

[34:17] Xavier Nady: If you had to binge watch the Brady Bunch or the Muppet Show, which would you choose?

[34:21] Xavier Nady: This is from one of our listeners, fast food Nick. I'd go Brady Bunch. Obviously, spent some time as a young kid watching it, so I'd I'd get caught back up.

[34:32] Al Malafronte: All-time favorite film.

[34:36] Xavier Nady: Ooh. God. I've been asked this before, and let's say The Godfather.

[34:54] Al Malafronte: The 2008 Yankees. Most uncomfortable Jeter and A-rod moment.

[35:08] Xavier Nady: Oh man. I don't know. Probably when Jeter just ignores him when he's talking for you know and he acts like he doesn't hear him. Nothing in particular that I remember, to be honest.

[35:23] Al Malafronte: Tell me if there's any truth to this. Does it seem like Jeter at times is a little bit too obsessed with this privacy and who he wants to make it known that he actually likes? Because I mean, I've heard him adamantly state that, oh, I never went out to eat with Paul O'Neill. Like I never understood why he acts like that when no one would really care if he had a dinner with Paul O'Neill, for example. Did you ever kind of notice that?

[35:47] Xavier Nady: Well, when I came over as a young, he probably has no clue, you know, who I am coming from Pittsburgh over there. And I just kind of minded my own business with him because I had A-Rod, obviously, my new best friend asking me out on dates every night. So I didn't get really the opportunity to go out with Jeter at all.

[36:07] Al Malafronte: What's your favorite late-night snack? You play a doubleheader, uh, you get home, it's after midnight. What are you grabbing before you hit the couch?

[36:14] Xavier Nady: Chips and salsa. Big big uh Mexican food guy out here. Yeah. Chips and salsa. If I had to go on the the Akins, I'd have trouble giving up the bread and the chips. Obviously, I mean the the same the sandwiches and the chips and sauce are two weaknesses.

[36:33] Al Malafronte: Teammate or coach you learn the most from.

[36:35] Xavier Nady: That's tough. Uh it's a toss-up between Girardi and Bochy. Both uh different times in my career that uh I just would sit down and obviously pick their brain where it was at. And both have obviously been very successful what they did, but both uh great, great people as well.

[36:57] Al Malafronte: And lastly, what's the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you?

[37:04] Xavier Nady: Uh always believe in yourself. Continue to work hard, whatever uh obstacles are in front of you in life, and most importantly treat others the way you want to be treated. And uh that's it.

[37:21] Al Malafronte: Great stuff, X. And uh man, I can't thank you enough for coming on the show. I think uh, you know, our New York-based audience is definitely gonna be very happy to hear from you. And uh, you know, if they want to follow along with what you're doing on social media and whatnot, where can they find you?

[37:36] Xavier Nady: Uh so I'm I'm getting better at that. I'm it's uh Xavier Nady 4 at whatever on my Instagram post. And I'm trying to, you know, with all these young kids that I've been working with. I you know, the the cool thing is to get an Instagram account, which I'm I'm learning, and I even got a blue, a blue check, blue check mark. So I guess that makes me a big big league in their in their mind. So uh trying to trying to be a little better at posting, and but obviously I'm following you and you're doing good things and it's fun to watch.

[38:11] Al Malafronte: Well, thanks, man. And you know what? Like I said, hopefully when we're on the other end of this thing, you can come back up to New York, we'll get you over to Broadway. Is there one show that you really want to see that you haven't gotten a chance to yet that you know maybe I could put in a good word and get you over there?

[38:23] Xavier Nady: No, but I will I will narrow it down to a few for you before I come out. And I'm sure the wife's gonna have some requests as well. So uh hers are gonna top mine. So I will I will keep you posted.

[38:35] Al Malafronte: That sounds good. You know, just figure out the name of the you know, that steakhouse that you were telling me before. Maybe you can, you know, we'll work it out over there, or you know, over dinner, all of us. We'll, you know, we'll come up with a list and you know we'll narrow it down over a nice ribeye. How does that sound?

[38:49] Xavier Nady: Well, I'll treat for you putting up with me for the last 40 minutes or so. So look forward to it. But I will find out. I'm gonna tell watch. When I get off, I'll text my dad and immediately I'll have a response for you.

[39:02] Al Malafronte: Thanks for listening to Break a Bat. This is produced by the fine folks at the Broadway Podcast Network. Visit and subscribe at bpn.fm slash breakabat. You can find me online at break underscore a underscore bat underscore podcasts. And you can also find the Broadway Podcast Network on Instagram at Broadway Podcast Network. It's been so great having you here with us today, and we'll see you next time.