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, where baseball meets Broadway. I'm your host, Al Malafronte, coming at you for the Broadway Podcast Network. Uh tonight we're gonna spend some time at the stadium with one of the greatest starting pitchers of his generation. During a major league career that spanned 1984 to 2001, my guest tonight was a key member of the 1985 World Series champion Kansas City Royals, a season in which he also won the World Series MVP and the first of his two Cy Young Awards. Uh he'd go on to retire as a three-time All-Star, twice as a Kansas City Royals, and also once here on the stages of Broadway while pitching for the New York Mets. And uh in addition to everything he's accomplished on the field, he also continues to do some phenomenal work off of it as he and his wife Kandace have spearheaded the SabesWings Foundation, which provides financial assistance uh to those who are dealing with medical financial toxicity.

Uh he's truly one of the good guys in baseball, and we're so grateful he could join us tonight. So with that being said, if you'll please turn your attention to home plate, just beyond the marquee, now batting Bret Saberhagen.

[1:31] Bret Saberhagen: Thanks for having me, Al. Looking forward to it.

[1:36] Al Malafronte: Did the uh now batting thing take you back to your NL days when you were pitching here in New York?

[1:41] Bret Saberhagen: It's not quite the Yankee uh announcer who Jeter still uh loved uh after he passed away. Um still loved to have him announce him uh when he came to the batter's box, but uh did a good job. Thanks, Al.

[1:54] Al Malafronte: Well, thank you for that. And uh, you know, one thing I just want to touch on the current state of baseball with you for a moment. We just came off a crazy 2020 baseball season. We saw a lot of rule changes last year. Uh one of the big things I'm looking forward to going into this season is whether or not the NL decides to keep the DH. As an old school guy, where do you stand on that?

[2:13] Bret Saberhagen: You know, I really thought that I was gonna enjoy because I was drafted actually as a shortstop in the 19th round in uh in the uh 1982 draft. I can't remember that far back. But um, anyways, yeah, drafted me as a shortstop because I had uh some arm problems my senior year, and I started out uh playing some first base, slowly moved to shortstop, and then I got back up on the mound. And by the time I got back up on the mound, I wasn't throwing as hard and the scouts kind of dwindled from my uh previous year. But anyways, I thought I was gonna really enjoy swinging the bat once I got to the National League. But after not swinging the bat for about 10 years and the guys being the best of the best in the game, uh it made hitting a little tougher.

And it just uh it wasn't the same as in high school. Of course it's not, but um it was something that I was thought I would always look forward to. But looking back and I was able to, in the American League, I was able to just focus on hitting. I didn't have to, and I changed my shirt undershirt each inning. I I didn't like to get all hot and sweaty underneath and have it stick into me. So I would change my undershirt. That gave me time to go up in the clubhouse, change out my shirt, get a drink of water, kind of relax. Uh in the National League, you know, you're gonna have to swing the bat periodically. You're gonna have to run the bases. So sometimes you're rushed to do a few things. So I actually kind of liked just focusing on on uh, you know, pitching and not having to worry about hitting.

Um I I took pride in swinging the bat. Uh my uh lifetime uh batting average wasn't all that great. Um so for me, looking at uh whether they have the DH or not, I always like it because it keeps the two leagues separate. And you you it it's it's always been one of those things that I've always remembered that you you have a designated hitter and you don't have a designated uh hitter in the uh uh national league. So I I kind of like the difference between the two, but you know, and the thing that I thought had always kind of stuck in my head was when we would go um uh the players association always wanted to keep that designated hitter because the designated hitter was one of your top salary guys.

So they didn't want to get rid of the designated hitter. And that also gives guys that can swing the bat without the greatest glove and the ability to move around on the field a chance to actually play in the big leagues.

[4:35] Bret Saberhagen: Now we did see a lot of rule changes in uh baseball last year, and you know, I think the seven-inning double headers kind of drove me nuts. Uh the man on second and extra innings got to be a bit much. I did like the three-batter minimum. Uh, people who say baseball's boring, I think one of the reasons why was all this mixing and matching with the bullpen over the years. Uh, you know, a 200-inning starting pitcher is almost an endangered species. You were a guy who always it seems like you were, you know, one of the league leaders in complete games every year. Uh, do you think that we could find a way to like blend the old school with the new school? Uh as you know, as far as bringing baseball back to what it was when you pitched.

[5:16] Bret Saberhagen: I don't think that's ever gonna happen now with the analytics in the game, unfortunately. And yes, there are a few guys that you kind of look at and say they're throwback guys, uh, such as uh Baumgardner and Kershaw a little bit, but it seems like Roberts still likes to play the analytics game with the Dodgers. So there are some managers out there that are willing to give certain pitchers the ability to go deep in a game. But now it's once you get to the lineup the third time around, analytics say you got to pull them out because they can't get anybody out after that. So it's unfortunate. Uh I'm one of those guys that love to see guys go deep in the game, give them the ball. Uh you know, it's and you you gotta you gotta I think manage with your eyes.

You can't manage with numbers all the time. Sure, that comes into play, but it's it it's kind of taking out the the heart and soul of of baseball. Um, and I I I I like the what you talked about. Um, you know, seeing you have to know the the relief pitchers that come in have to face three hitters if it's they're still in an inning. I believe if they come out of the inning, they don't have to, they they can substitute a pitcher, but that's to speed up the game a little bit instead of going right, left, right, left and trying to slow the game down, speed it up a little bit now with having to face three guys. And sometimes you you gotta manage a little differently when you have to do that. So I like that fact.

There's a few games that I tuned into and we were in the seventh inning and um the inning was over and the game was over. It's like, what did I just miss? Oh, that's right. Seven inning double header and makeup games. Sometimes the, you know, it's it's strange to see that. So, but I do like the fact that you talked about relievers having to see three hitters.

[7:00] Al Malafronte: Yeah, it's almost you know, it's funny you mentioned that. It's almost like that game. It was a subway series game. Aralda Shatman gave up a walk-off home run. Uh in the it was the top of the, or excuse me, bottom of the seventh inning. They were playing it at Yankee Stadium because you know, all the COVID cancellations and whatnot. And after he gave up the home run, he didn't walk off the mound. He forgot that the game was over all of a sudden, right? It's very misleading.

[7:22] Al Malafronte: And you know, one thing, uh Brett, that we love here on this show as a star player who has a great appreciation for the arts. And I know during your playing days, you did quite a bit of TV and movie work. Uh, you even got to sing a little bit, and you originated, you know, the whole Saberhagen shuffle. I know baseball is your first love, but what was it about those on-screen acting appearances that you love so much?

[7:43] Bret Saberhagen: Thank God I could throw a baseball. Uh I yeah, the acting and the singing, I would have never made a career out of it. It could have been pretty good comedy, that's for sure. And it was at times, yes. The Saberhagen shuffle after winning the World Series. I did a Ford commercial that Jimmy Fallon was uh kind enough to uh bring me back on when the Royals won the World Series back in uh 2015. And he uh he actually got me another car commercial out of that. So thank you, Jimmy, for that. Um, but yes, I I was actually at Yankee Stadium for the scout um with Brandon Frazier, and it was uh supposed to be Doc Gooden, but Doc couldn't make it because he was starting that that game. I I had pitched the night before and went out to the stadium and had to throw a few balls to to Brandon Frazier and let him swing at him.

And uh they show him hitting home runs out of the ballpark, both right-handed and left-handed. Um, I can tell you that he swung and missed it every pitch that I threw, and I was just lobbing him up there. So, and if you want to talk about vice versa, you being an actor wanting to be a baseball player, I don't think he could have done that either. So we were in the the wrong settings um for sure. But anyways, that was a fun one. Mary with Children, I was a pizza boy delivery uh guy uh um during the 1994 strike, delivering pizza to the mall to uh um Ted Bundy's uh shoe shop and um Christina Applegate was there, and yeah, it was uh Danny Tardable came in. He was the mall cop. Mike Piazza was on it.

Um he was a video guy. Um Dave Winfield was on that episode as well. Um Frank Thomas. So it was it was a lot of fun, uh a little spoof on uh us uh trying to get odds and end jobs since we were on strike in 1994. So there's been a few things um that I've gone out and uh done that uh have been fun, and it's good to rub elbows with those uh uh movie stars and guys that you kind of watch all the time and uh have our appreciation for. And Albert Brooks does a great job.

[9:49] Al Malafronte: Now, a lot of those appearances what you know came while you were pitching here in New York for the Mets. Um by any chance, did you, you know, were there some Broadway shows that you were catching while you were pitching here that you know kind of helped hone your acting skills a little bit?

[10:03] Bret Saberhagen: Like I said, I didn't study very well. If I was watching some of those shows, I did enjoy the Broadway. I love going in there and having dinner from time to time and also catching a uh uh a show, and especially during the winter time in New York City, uh during Christmas and that when everything's lit up, it's it's always great to get into the city and and enjoy a nice dinner and and uh and a show. Unfortunately, with COVID right now, things have slowed down a lot with that. So hopefully we get back to uh whatever the new norm is gonna be sometime soon.

[10:33] Al Malafronte: Yeah, I sure hope so. I mean, I'm not sure if you've seen the Hamilton movie, but you know, that came out during the pandemic. Your rap skills really would have played quite well into that. So maybe if you know, if you if it was still happening right now, or maybe once Broadway comes back, they'll recruit you to do like a one-off or something.

[10:48] Bret Saberhagen: Yeah, uh I I uh I you're being awful kind, but um again, I think it's it's more comedy than actual good quality acting. I uh I missed that uh um the theater classes in high school. I should have uh done a little bit more, but uh unfortunately it was uh up for I should say fortunately I was on the baseball field, but um I I feel more comfortable on this side um watching rather than trying to make people enjoy um those particular things that I did. But if you get a chance, go back and take a peek. You you'll get a good laugh out of them as well.

[11:30] Al Malafronte: Oh, you're you know, you had a very interesting tenure here in New York. You know, I gotta ask during the infamous Bobby Boe incident of 92, where were you in the clubhouse during that? When you look back on some of the dysfunction of some of those early 90s Mets teams, uh, what comes to mind?

[11:45] Bret Saberhagen: Well, you know, we when I came over there and uh had Eddie Murray, um Bobby Bonilla, um Willie Randolph, Jeff Torborg as the manager, you had starting staff of Sid Fernandez, Dave Cohn, Doc Gooden, myself, through a couple other guys in as first starters from time to time. Uh we actually thought we we had a great nucleus, Vince Coleman in the outfield. I mean, you can go on Hojo, um, Johnny Franco as a closer. We actually all believed, and I think a lot of people that looked at us thought that we could win World Series, uh, at least one, um, and we didn't even come close. So that's that's the toughest part about looking back at that time. And yeah, we had some a lot of a lot of crud that went on.

You know, you can go to the Bleach incident with me, which that was stupid. I was young and you know, trying to uh I was a little pissed off at all the reporters and stuff that were coming in and going through Anthony uh Young's uh 19-game losing streak and setting record and um fireworks underneath uh you know um Vince Coleman at Dodger Stadium. Um you can go on and on. It was just Bobby Boe with the airplugs. It was we just never gelled. We never played good baseball together. Um we had a lot of injuries from time to time. And it was it looking back, I love being in New York. I love that atmosphere. Um it was it made me a uh a stronger person because uh you learn from your mistakes, you own up to your mistakes, and if you don't, um you're gonna get buried in New York. So I really enjoyed my time there. But like I said, um it's it's frustrating for us to look back and go, wow, what if, because that's basically all we can say.

[13:03] Al Malafronte: You know, you had a lot of success pitching here. I mean, at the time you held the record for the strikeout to walk ratio stat, um, which you know stood for 20 years. Um, however, you're as I mentioned in the intro, you're primarily known as a Kansas City Royals. And even in 2021, you still have celebrity status in the city of Fountains. How surreal is that all these years later?

[13:59] Bret Saberhagen: Well, yeah, my best playing days for sure were in Kansas City. I did get some a couple of decent years in in New York. Um, I think my favorite stat in all of uh all the things that I've done is uh was with the Mets in '94, where I ended up uh having more wins than walks, 14 wins, 13 strikeouts. It was the strike shortened year. Um, so I had 170-something innings in. Um, I think we finished up in August at some point in time. Um, we, I think we walked out um because there was a disagreement with uh uh the owners. And so, anyways, uh that's my favorite. And I just I know I I look back and I shortly after I got traded to the uh the Rockies, I blew up my shoulder after three starts.

[14:45] Bret Saberhagen: Um I remember it vividly where I just went to play catch. So my best I always look back and I go, I love being in Colorado. I loved um me being able to actually make a difference and come back and pitch solid baseball after two surgeries and one year on my right shoulder with the Red Sox. So I really enjoyed each spot that I went, but if you look back at, you know, definitely my eight years of Kansas City going out there, that's kind of the numbers that um, you know, I look back on and go, wow, that's that was a great time. And but again, like I said, I enjoyed each spot that I went to and um made some great friends and saw different parts of the country and um enjoyed the baseball um in each each spot.

You know, I want to touch on something you mentioned earlier, you know, going back to you know, being a 19th round draft pick as an infielder, not necessarily the highly the most highly touted prospect, but you spent all of one season in the minors before you got called up to the show at 20 years old. And I know you had some injury issues coming up. How quickly were you able to rediscover your ability on the mound to the point that you got called up so quickly? Um, you know, I guess in that 1984 season. Well, I think the biggest thing that I had going for me and I think you touched on a little bit was my control. I've always been able to um throw strikes work ahead in the count pitch to contact I I never really had um too many games that I had high pitch counts.

So I was finishing nine innings with 110 to 115 pitches max. I mean I remember games that I threw nine innings and I was under a hundred pitches. So I had some strikeouts. I could get strikeouts when I needed to but I wasn't uh uh a guy that you would look at and go wow you know he had uh unbelievable career striking guys out um time and a place I always thought for that and so that made the jump from and again there was a few guys with the Royals in 1984 that the pitching uh had uh had some arm issues and stuff so they gave me an opportunity to come up actually I was 19 years old the first week in the big leagues turned 20 April 11th in and 1984 and started out in the bullpen they put me in the bullpen and um I was hoping to make the triple A team that year and uh Dick Hauser brought myself and Mark Gubazaw uh along with uh with the team and when he was calling me in the office I thought I was getting you know the the pink card to say hey yeah yeah you you gave it a good effort but um we're gonna we're gonna go with somebody else right now so and I never went down to the minor leagues after that.

[17:31] Bret Saberhagen: So I stayed there as a uh minor uh a relief pitcher for the first few weeks and then I ended up getting a start here and there. And um yeah, I just uh but uh I think the biggest thing for me first off was right plays at right time. They needed some pitching and also being a control guy where I could throw strikes. And you know, you had plenty of dominant games in your career. But take me through the ninth inning of game six of the 85 Fall Classic, the whole Don Dankinger incident, and then your mindset going into that game seven when you went on to pitch one of the greatest games in World Series history. Well, thank you. Um yes, the Don Denkinger call, and again, I was on the bench and our dugouts on the first base side, and when he called him uh safe at first base, I actually thought he was safe, but by every replay you can watch, he was definitely out.

Um they still had a chance to get out of that inning. And we actually had a little thing with a few of the um uh Cardinals and um uh a few of the Royals a few years ago, a little reunion and uh had uh questions and answers. And um a couple of the guys for St. Louis basically said, Hey, listen, um, yeah, Don missed the call, but we still were able, and especially the pitching staff was able to get out of that inning um uh with the game tied or still winning. That wasn't uh the winning run that came across by you know um him calling them safe at first base. They kind of lost focus and didn't get that third out, and we ended up going ahead. But I think what made it um a little easier for me um until I got to the stadium was that uh Drew, uh my first son was uh born um that morning of game six before game six started.

So I showed up with cigars before game six and um went on and uh you know went back to the hospital after game six and uh uh got some rest and got back to the uh hospital in the morning and uh visited with uh uh Janine and uh Drew and went on to the ballpark.

[19:40] Bret Saberhagen: And as soon as I got to the ballpark for game seven, that's when kind of hit me. Where it's like, okay, uh I had won 20 games that year. I you know, um had uh I won a fur the first game in in St. Louis pitched a good game. But I felt like if we didn't win game seven, I was gonna let down our fans. I was gonna let down um our our organization, family, friends. Um so there were I I felt the weight um prior to that game, and I don't think my feet actually felt touching the ground until about the second inning. So were you more locked in that night than you were uh during the 1991 no hitter? Yeah, you know, I I'm not sure, but I I think I was and again, I think with Jim Sunberg, who was a veteran guy, cuts I don't know how many of Nolan Ryan's no hitters, um uh was behind the plate.

And he still, when I talk to him nowadays, he he like loved to bring up the fact he said, after I saw your stuff in the first inning, he said I knew that they didn't have a chance tonight. And that was that's a great compliment coming from him. Um but I yeah, I just uh I was very focused and um fortunately, you know, they scored so many runs uh early in the game, it made it very easy for me. And again, just going out, putting the ball in play. I didn't have very many strikeouts in in game seven. Um, I probably stayed right around uh a hundred pitches, if not less than a hundred pitches, a lot of fly ball outs, uh easy outs. And um, I I got a chance to watch the game with with Candace, my wife now, um, because I hadn't ever watched the full game, I don't think uh ever.

So just uh about I don't know, um six, eight, nine months ago, we put it in and watched it. And um I got a chance to see that, yeah, there was a lot of fly ball, a lot of easy outs, a lot of um uh early swinging. Um, so they made it very easy for me by swinging early and often and um hitting it at guys. Is it surreal, you know, to go back and look at your old game? So, you know, during your playing game, during your playing days, would you go back and watch a lot of tape, you know, as far as you know, wanting to work on your mechanics and whatnot?

[22:00] Bret Saberhagen: Yeah, mechanic-wise, uh, and I I happen to be around a few um really good pitching coach guys. So Joe Kerrigan was my favorite pitching coach, uh, just because of the knowledge that he instilled in me on being behind in the count. If you're down uh, you know, three, three and one, three and two, and he will always say pitch to the big part of the the ballpark, which means keep the ball away from the guys and make them hit it to the bigger part of the ballpark. Um, work ahead. First pitch strikes were huge with him. Um knowing um knowing each and uh hitter and who was swinging um early and often, and you didn't have to, you know, groove a uh a strike to him. So we would go through a lot of stuff with Joe that I didn't with anybody else, but I think at that point in time, finally, statistics finally started coming into the game.

And now it's just too many statistics and too much knowledge. And and there was a few guys that didn't care for Joe's um stuff that he would feed to them. But I would tell some of the pitchers, don't you can't focus on everything because you're gonna you're gonna become a robot and you can't be a robot out there. You've gotta you've got to get into a good rhythm, a good groove. But take a couple of things that he says, and maybe a couple certain hitters in in the lineup that you're gonna be facing and remember those things. But you don't want to get bogged down and just start thinking of everything he's because you can't actually go out and pitch that way. So just uh he he was very instrumental, especially after having um two surgeries on my shoulder that really helped um me become more of a pitcher than I always felt before my surgeries was if I had my best stuff, um, you know, it was gonna be a lot of fun, you know, that night.

So if I didn't, I felt like I could still get by and uh, you know, have the defense work for me. But um, yeah, so it was kind of good timing for me to have him in in uh in with the Red Sox organization um and help me out after surgeries.

[24:05] Bret Saberhagen: You know, you mentioned your Red Sox years, and you know, considering your age and your, you know, your injury history, you had some really impressive seasons, especially 98 to 99. And listen, we know that that era is largely clouded by the steroid era. And it's interesting because you know, we have the Hall of Fame voting announcement coming up in just a few weeks. Uh, you had the opportunity to compete against a lot of guys on this year's ballot, and for many different reasons, some of the bigger names like Bonds and Clemens, um, you know, shilling for different reasons, but you know, the writers have kept them out. Um as they come up on their final years of eligibility, you know, where do you stand on putting those guys, you know, who may have broken the rules um, you know, when it comes to putting into putting them into the Hall of Fame?

Well, uh again, if I'm kind of uh, you know, I I think it's gonna happen for these guys. It seems like they are um uh on the verge of something. And and the guys that you had mentioned right there, they all had great careers before the alleged um uh steroids. Um I'm good fl friends with Clem. Um, you know, love him. Um, and uh, you know, I I have no idea what the writers think, some of them, and what some of them don't think. Um and uh we'll see what happens. But um, you know, like I said, I think they were Hall of Famers before um you kind of had an idea of um what they might have been doing.

[25:38] Bret Saberhagen: So you played on some teams with some prominent steroid users, at least if we believe the Mitchell report, like Manny and Mo Vaughn, Todd Hunley. How aware were you, you know, as far of that actual steroid era and you know, it's rampant use throughout baseball once the 90s rolled around. Honestly, I had no idea. Um there were some guys that you suspected that could possibly be doing it, but uh I yeah, I was told after the fact by um a few former teammates that there were uh a lot of guys around uh that were doing it. And again, uh, you know, I I who's to say that if it was approached to me in the right way, and if I would have had the the knowledge behind what it was gonna do for me, um I probably wouldn't have had three shoulder surgeries.

I probably could have pitched until I was 40 years old, um, had I been doing that. And and each and every person has their own reason for you know, their choices that they made. And, you know, um, I'm sure they're all different. Um mine would have been, hey, you know what, I've had a lot of injuries, a lot of shoulder problems, um, uh meniscus and the knee torn. Um, you know, if I was gonna keep me healthy and out on the field, because uh towards the end of my career, the reason why I retired is I physically couldn't do it anymore. Um I felt like I was letting my teammates down because I wasn't going out there. Um I was spending more time in the training room than I was out on the field. So uh if it was approached, like I said, if it was approached to me, um, and I would have known what kind of consequences there could have been, you know, after the fact of taking um performance enhancing drugs, um, how it was gonna help me, how it was gonna help me recover, I probably would have done it to help out my team and to get out there and and pitch and a little longer longevity.

[27:33] Al Malafronte: Well, I do appreciate how you were always someone who did things the right way on the field, and you know, you carry that off the field with you. Um before we play fastball derby, I mentioned your Saves Wings Foundation earlier. Can you tell the folks at home a little about what you and your wife Candace have put together?

[27:51] Bret Saberhagen: Yes, thanks, Al. Um, we have uh uh started uh and it's just kind of started to take off. Um it's called Saves Wings, and it is for cancer patients. And like you said earlier, um, the financial toxicity that people go through um during their cancer stuff, and let me preface on saying that Candace has seen it firsthand. She's gone through uh four rounds of chemo um through breast cancer um at different times um throughout um her life. And um she knows what how much money it it cost to um get the right treatments and and if you're uh uh have to make a decision between paying your bills and getting treatment to stay alive, uh we feel that that's unfair. And I know there's a ton of people out there that love research, and you can't get us going on on the research end of it, but we feel like um cancer should have been uh there should be some kind of vaccination.

Um, and uh after all the it's more than billions of dollars on research, you know, every year, and there's not a cure. So we're trying to help the people that actually um have to make a decision on whether they um pay their medical bills and get the treatment or pay their bills um uh to live um and have a roof over their heads.

[29:24] Bret Saberhagen: So we're trying to help people out in those particular situations, and um there's a ton of them out there. So we started Sabes Wings and we're partnered with uh weed sellers. Um it's uh it's a liquor um uh company. It's there's no uh CBD uh uh cannabis, um, any traces of THC in it. It is all uh the name weed sellers and their prosecco, or I shouldn't say their prosecco, but they're sparkling rose that is soon to be called prosecco. Um and also their sparkling um, or not sparkling, but their um Rose Wine. Um we've partnered with them and we will uh be getting money from them to help out through all this. We've um done different uh signings, um autograph signing stuff that money goes towards Sabes Wings.

Um we have uh another friend and uh uh with Corbell that has helped out. We have um uh another uh group of people here with uh J. Ducey Winery, they've helped out um to get this up and off uh the ground. We're looking to have a golf tournament in September in Pasaroblis at Hunter Ranch. Um so a lot of good things coming along um and trying to raise as much money to give back to those in need. So um it's been a lot of fun. Um uh there's some heart-wrenching stories out there um and we're just trying to make a small little difference. So if someone wants to reach out for your services uh or get involved, you know, as far as donations go, where can everyone find more information?

[31:03] Bret Saberhagen: Sabeswings.com. And um there is a donation thing there. Um, and um I believe there's uh there's an address on there as well if uh uh memorabilia needs uh to be signed um for um certain donations for different items. Um you can send them out to uh to us and uh we'll turn around and get them back to you. Um uh each little um bit helps. So um, yes, Sabeswings.com is the website, and um appreciate any uh help from anybody, everybody every little bit counts.

[31:39] Al Malafronte: Well, you know what, everyone, we're gonna link that in our uh episode description, and it's a wonderful organization. And uh, we're so grateful that Brett and Candace are doing such great work like that. So, you know, thank you for that, Brett. Really appreciate it.

[31:52] Bret Saberhagen: Thanks, Al, for the the plug in. Anyone out there, thank you.

[31:57] Al Malafronte: Absolutely. Now uh we play a little game on this show, uh, Brett. It's called Fastball Derby, and I just want you to think of it as like the ninth inning, the pressure's on. Um, I'm gonna ask you a question, and you're gonna tell me the first thing that comes to mind. How does that sound?

[32:13] Bret Saberhagen: Is this like mind over matter? If you don't have a mind, it doesn't matter.

[32:18] Al Malafronte: There's no rules if if that gives you enough clue.

[32:22] Bret Saberhagen: Okay.

[32:23] Al Malafronte: Favorite New York City meal.

[32:28] Bret Saberhagen: First thing that pops into mind is um the Palm. They have uh unbelievable steaks, and um, I love their blue cheese.

[32:36] Al Malafronte: Fantastic. Yeah, those ice wedge salads that you're talking about. I think I know exactly what you're talking about. Love that.

[32:42] Al Malafronte: You can be the lead in one Broadway musical. What would it be?

[32:50] Bret Saberhagen: I I would have to um Phantom of the Opera. That was kind of one of the first ones I I ever saw.

[32:57] Al Malafronte: Favorite Broadway show you ever got to see.

[33:01] Bret Saberhagen: I I you know there's there's a bunch of them. Um I'm gonna have to go with cats.

[33:13] Al Malafronte: Interesting. Okay, now they didn't come and sit on your lap then, obviously, because you probably wouldn't have had as fond of memory if that experience happened to you, right?

[33:21] Bret Saberhagen: No, no, I didn't uh no. No, nobody purring. Those are those were too big a cast to be sitting in the lap.

[33:30] Al Malafronte: Now you pitched in Boston during the heart of the Yankee dynasty. Toughest Yankee you had to face.

[33:39] Bret Saberhagen: I tell you, Dave Winfield hit the hardest ball, I think I've ever seen hit off of me. Um I think he uh almost killed Greg Pryor at third base. He was either putting his glove on it or hit the ball going through his chest. Um Winfield, he yeah, he had uh he was in his prime, he was a stud. There's a lot of Yankee studs, though, but uh he comes to mind right off the get go.

[34:05] Al Malafronte: Was there someone on those teams that you owned?

[34:09] Bret Saberhagen: Um, you know, I don't really recall owning anybody with the Yankees. Um and again, when during the the 80s, while I was with the Royals, the the Yankees weren't um playing Yankee baseball, so to speak. Um they were they were uh on their downward slide a little bit in the in the 90s, they they came back. And as you know, when everybody in New York knows how many championships they've won and how many they won in the 90s. Um so um, yeah, they had uh they had to you know put together some great teams.

[34:44] Al Malafronte: Better hitter, Tony Gwynn or Wade Boggs.

[34:48] Bret Saberhagen: Well, Wade Boggs hit, I think, uh 450 or something like that off me. I forget what it is. Um, and um it was funny. I was doing uh um a thing with Rich Eisen, and it's always brought up who's who's the toughest hitter that you've faced. And I always say Boggs, and his guys started doing the numbers on the side, and sure enough, yeah, Boggs was such and such for such and such, and hit 450 off you. And I said, Yeah, that uh I I did definitely help uh his lifetime batting average of 380 something, I think. I don't know, whatever it was, um, for sure. But um, and with with and I there's two other stories to go about that. One of my friends called and said, Hey, you should have told him he got him out 33 times.

And another particular game that I remember in Boston, um, three at bats, three different pitches, and base hits on all three. And it's like, okay, I don't have anything else to throw to you. But Gwyn, I got him out a few times early on, and he um does his studying, and um then he started hitting me pretty good. So he's a student of the game for sure.

[35:56] Al Malafronte: Well, how about this then? Better hitter. This is from our friend of the show, Scotty Casman. Better hitter, Tony Gwynn or Barry Bonds.

[36:06] Bret Saberhagen: Uh I gotta go Tony Gwynn. Um, yeah, it uh Bonds was was a great hitter in his own right, um, numbers and home runs and that, but um Tony Gwynn was just such a uh an unbelievable hitter and just caused havoc all the time. Um doesn't matter what what you're pitching, where it was at, he would hit it and put it in play and usually for a hit. Captain Video, as they called him. He knew what he was doing up there. True student hitting one of our favorites for sure.

[36:36] Al Malafronte: Um, how about this one? You can have dinner with any three players in baseball history. Who are you inviting?

[36:43] Bret Saberhagen: Well, the the the Bambino for sure. Um gotta sit around and hear some of his stories, and I definitely know we're gonna have a cocktail or two, so definitely. Um Ernie Banks would definitely be, he was kind of like my all-time, you know, Mr. Cub, let's play two. I grew up a Cub fan. I was born in Chicago Heights and went to my first big league game at Wrigley Field. So definitely uh Ernie as well. And um I think I I gotta throw the terror in there. Ty Cobb. Um just uh just a nasty old player that played hard and wanted to hurt people out there. So love to hear some of his stories.

[37:26] Al Malafronte: It'd be fun to get inside Cobb's head, wouldn't it?

[37:29] Bret Saberhagen: Absolutely. Absolutely. He kind of reminds me of Pete Rose a little bit, you know. Um they just played the game hard and they would do anything that they had to do to win.

[37:40] Al Malafronte: Fact about Bret Saberhagen that would surprise people the most.

[37:48] Bret Saberhagen: Uh I love to cook. Uh you know, yeah. My wife and I um we uh we've teetered on possibly having a little cooking show. Um uh possibly a cookbook. Um, and we both love to dabble in the kitchen a lot. So yes, enjoy cooking.

[38:05] Al Malafronte: That's a good skill to have during this pandemic, that's for sure.

[38:11] Bret Saberhagen: Proudest moment of your career.

[38:13] Bret Saberhagen: Winning the World Series um 1985. Um it's just it's what players want. Uh they want a championship. Um individual success um will uh will get you uh uh a nice contract, um, some great accolades, but um it doesn't uh doesn't win you a World Series. You need to have a team. And uh it takes a whole team to win a championship. So 1985 World Series championship.

[38:45] Al Malafronte: And what's the best piece of advice anyone ever gave you?

[38:55] Bret Saberhagen: It's probably um, and again, I don't know who said it, but um I've been told over and over again that um never give up. Um uh set your mind to something and um never give up. It's it's you just go out and you if you work hard, um, good things will come to you. It doesn't mean that it's gonna you're gonna be successful, but the work ethic, and I learned that at an early age that um to be successful, whatever you do, um you have to work hard.

[39:28] Al Malafronte: That's a great virtue, Brett. And uh, you know, you're such a special part of the baseball community. And I know how much you still love the game now. So, you know, to close, I do have to ask, you know, there's a lot of uncertainty right now, but if you had to guess here in January, do you think we're gonna have a 162 game season?

[39:46] Bret Saberhagen: I don't think so. Um I think it'll be close, but from what I keep hearing, um, and again, I'm sure you hear the same things um that um we're looking at uh a possible May start. Um so um yeah, and if you have a May start, there's no way you're gonna get 162 in. So I gotta believe that uh, you know, there'll be more games than last year for sure. But um how many um uh we hope that I think everybody hopes the more the better.

[40:16] Al Malafronte: Yeah, I mean, I just hope that there's a willingness from some of these owners to, you know, if if it has to be two months or two and a half months without fans in the stands, that they'd be willing to eat it a little bit. Um, I know the CBA is gonna, you know, have a lot to say about that as well. And I mean as of right now, a lot of these players are, you know, talking from the mindset of, you know, tell us where and when, but uh, you know, there's so there's so much economics with the game now that um yeah, I mean, I certainly hope I sign me up for 130 wherever, you know, I'll I'll take it.

[40:49] Bret Saberhagen: Yes. Yeah, and I I understand um there are uh you need to have um you know people watching the game in the stands um you have to have ticket sales um you know the salaries are are very large and the TV uh um revenue is not gonna cover all their cost. Um the good thing is that you can still you know buy jerseys and they can still do all that stuff but it's not at the ballpark. You know you got uh all the food and all the alcohol sales at the ballpark uh the parking you know there's a lot of money makers for the owners um to be able to pay these salaries and if there's not uh people watching it at the stadiums it's gonna be uh it's gonna be tough for them to kind of do what they uh they have been uh um doing.

[41:16] Al Malafronte: Well Bret, I do hope that uh you end up launching that cooking show and I know you're a little bit of a social media guy now so you know before we go today why don't you tell the folks at home where everyone can find you on Instagram and check out all the cool stuff you're up to.

[41:51] Bret Saberhagen: Instagram it's at Bret Saberhagen um and it's called the Saberhagen. The page is the Saberhagen so we uh kind of highlight things that are going on from time to time with uh with the family, um, birthdays and um again um Sabe's Wings um will be up on it. Um it's different things from time to time, but um uh yeah, check it out. And um, yeah, there'll be uh some fun things happening with Save's Wings. So um uh I appreciate your time, Al, and uh I really appreciate all the plugs and um look forward to uh um seeing uh and hearing more uh in the future, maybe with you.

[42:33] Al Malafronte: Oh, that would be an honor. And you know what? When we're on the other end of this thing, Brett, we'll have you up uh in the studio. God willing that we could go back and uh we'll we'll all go out and catch some Broadway shows. I think that'd be a good time.

[42:45] Bret Saberhagen: Always, yeah. Uh the wife keeps bugging me to get to New York and um see a show and have uh have a dinner. So that that would work out great.

[42:53] Al Malafronte: There we go. Well, we'll certainly put those uh links where you can connect with Brett and uh Save's Wings in our uh episode description, folks. Brett, thank you so much again for joining us tonight. And uh, you know, for the folks at home, thank you for listening. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. This is Al Malafronte signing off for the Broadway Podcast Network. We'll see you next time.

[43:17] 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 break a bat. You can find me online at break underscore a underscore bat underscore podcast. 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.