Dave Riske
Appearances
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
What number player were you? I was a 16th, 134th pick. Oh my God. In the 1996 draft.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
They just call down, like, get risky. He's in the game. And then I get warmed up.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
My legs are shaking on the first pitch. I throw strike one, which is, oh, my gosh. I'm like, yes. I get the next pitch pop-up. It was Mike Bordick was my first hitter. Then my second hitter was B.J. Surhoff. He flies out the left field. And then I kind of calm down a little bit. Then the next hitter comes walking to the plate, and it's Albert Bell. And I'm like, if you remember him? Yeah, yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh, my gosh. He was giant. And I'm like, oh, my legs start shaking again. And so I ended up working to a full count and then struck him out looking and the whole place in Cleveland went crazy. And so that was my first.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Derek Jeter was one. Yeah. Yeah. I kept, you know, as funny as I kept hitting him.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
He had a game-tying home run off me in New York. But all the other times, I think I got him out a couple times, I think. But he always saw me well. He always got hits off me. And then I would throw an off-speed pitch, and I would hit him. And I hit him back-to-back at bats, and I'm like... we were on the bus and somebody had, was talking to him on the phone or something like, let me talk to him.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Like Jeter, I'm not meaning to hit you. Yeah. Sorry, dude. It's my bad. But yeah, he was, he was impressive.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Um, it was close. I had some close ones.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Looking back on it now, it looks awful.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. Cause I had a hit. I had a hit, hit a bunch of people on purpose. Um, I got traded from the red Sox to the white Sox and Ozzie Guillen was the manager. My very first outing, one of our players gets hit and they call down and get risky up. And I'm like, I know it cause I'm kind of seven years in then. So I knew what I was supposed to do. Yeah. And, um,
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Or is that just an, well, it's kind of, yeah, kind of, but not really kind of unspoken. Yeah. Right. You just kind of know. Yeah. You know, and the bullpen coaches like risky, you know what you're doing. I know exactly what I'm doing. Yeah. I'm going to be in the sky. I went in and first time pitching for the white socks.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
First time in the uniform, I just get traded and I got to go in and hit this guy and let's do, I forgot his name, but he was not, he was not small. And I first pitch drilled him. I got thrown out of the game and the manager and the team loved me.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Fine.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
That was fun.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
That was a great, I've never heard anybody say anything negative about that place.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Well, I mean, the baseball stadium itself.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I grew up outside of Seattle, Washington. Okay. And my biggest thing was I didn't let anybody tell me I couldn't do anything. I wasn't the biggest, strongest athlete. I was a good athlete, but I didn't have all the best tools. But I always believed that if anybody says I couldn't do something, I would 100% do it. Yeah. No matter if I couldn't do it, I would believe that I could do it.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It was wild.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
No, no.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Um, like, like did well against, or just didn't like, so I want to get him out.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. I'm trying to think of names right now and I'm kind of blanking, but There were some players that just didn't play the game the correct way or the way I liked. So you want to get those players out so bad. So bad. And I can't think of the names right now.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Probably CeCe Sabathia. I mean, I had so many good ones. Bob Wickman was a good one.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I mean, we just get along good. You know what I mean? And go out, everything off the field, hang out together, have the same likes or whatever, and it just got along with him good. Just got along. Yeah. One of my best friends still today is Ryan Dracey. He was a teammate of mine in Cleveland, and we still talk every day.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh, yes. Yes. But from Boston, I didn't love Boston when I played for them because I was hurt and I didn't play a lot there the first three months. So I didn't get to know my teammates very well there. So I didn't mind that trade.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Indians. Got traded to the Red Sox. The Red Sox. Then traded to the White Sox. Okay. And then signed as a free agent with the Royals and a free agent with the Brewers. So that was your choice.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I actually don't know. What did your folks do? My dad's worked at Boeing for like 40 years. He's a machinist or works on airplane parts or whatever. My mom was a waitress slash restaurant manager her whole life.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
To go there. Yes.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
My wife at the time was born and raised in Kansas City. Okay. Her whole family lived there. So we got a house there and that was a great year.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I loved it. Did you? I loved it because we knew everybody there. Yeah, okay. You know what I mean? And outside in like Blue Springs and Lee Summit, it's really nice there. Especially because I had young kids at the time.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Right. It's, that's a tough, it's a tough question because usually like I want everyone to know that I'm normal and we all, we want people to think that we're normal, but there are fans out there that just kind of just wear you down and just want a picture with you nonstop or whatever it is.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But it was really cool in Kansas city because we had so much help around us and we had little kids and I just, I w I was always told I was always that family man first. So I didn't have a problem with it at all there. Okay, cool.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh, big time struggling. Struggling. Okay. Struggling. $800 a month. $800 a month. Right.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Well, I, growing up, we were, I was poor. Like my dad, my mom and dad got divorced. So my dad was on his own for a while. Right. So I was just with my mom and I had two other brothers and she was a waitress and she was just bringing home tips for us. And we went from apartment to apartment. And then my dad came back in a picture, like my senior year in high school or whatever.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So it was really just my mom raising us.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
offer tips so we had no money um so i just i'd always stuck with sports and that's what helped me through my childhood but then once i got to the big league i started making this money it was like oh my gosh like it's i remember taking a picture of my first check and i'm like what is this this is two-week check yeah it's just freaking out but i had a problem like we all do like once you get into money like you want to buy stuff shit that you never thought you could get you know i mean but i did how long how long of that period of just buy dumb shit did you go through
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Probably until I got married. Okay. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah, I probably did. I bought a lot of dumb shit.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I mean, I'm a big time shoe collector, so I probably overpaid for some shoes. Like who knows what I paid for shoes. It was something stupid. Yeah. And then cars. I always went through cars and stuff like that. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. So the big thing with baseball players and probably basketball, football, professional athletes, there's always agents like I have. I had an agent. I still have an agent agent and a financial advisor. Those are the two guys that athletes always get.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
They don't listen to them because they, you know, they'll call their financial guy and be like, this is my money. No, send it to me. I need it. And they're like, you know, and I've always been, my, my guy is great. Like I still have him to today. Um, he always drives in a slow lane, which is good for me. You know what I mean?
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But I, I could make more money if I moved over a lane, but I just stay in the slow lane and just kind of live my life.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
For sure. Yeah. but we always have those two guys, agent and financial guys that always help us players out. And you just got to, hopefully you pick the right ones.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh my gosh.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I just remember a rookie just got called up to the big leagues and I had like five or six years in and it was his first time in the big leagues. And like the week, our first road trip, he went out and bought, I think he went to the Gucci Louis Vuitton store and just bought everything. And we're sitting there going, he hasn't even got paid yet.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
and he gets like if you don't pitch good you're getting set right back down yeah this is like you're not on a multi-million contract that's guaranteed this guy was just rookie like just just got caught up on nothing even though it was like 200 000 a year but it's all prohibited like you don't make 200 000 right as soon as you get to the big leagues no you know it's what it's you gotta wait every week you're there yeah and we were just like what are you doing at rolex but he went out and bought everything and i'm sure he put it on a credit card
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. Did he stay? I think he stayed about four or five years in the big leagues.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But I don't think he made a ton of money.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You know, the biggest problem is, and I hate saying this, the bigger problem is really not that a lot of times it's the girlfriends or the wives that come in and But what's worse. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Way too many people with that, with the entourages they have. Yeah. Yeah. That's 100%. You see that all the time, all the time.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
No, I wanted to be nothing like my dad.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I would tell him 100% you got to be smarter with your money. Way smarter as far as not buying the dumb shit. You know what I mean? And going through all the houses and all this. But once you sign a big contract, you're just like, you want to do that one time. Like you want to get the big house. You want to get the cool cars and everything. Whatever. You know what I mean? But I don't know.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It's just that we don't really think about the future when you're there.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh yeah, for sure, yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes, exactly.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh, my gosh. I love that. I just heard that saying somewhere else.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh, 100%.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Kind of both. So my dad, and I always tell the story when I talk, and I'm obviously a very humble person. I don't like to brag or do anything, but I think my story is pretty cool. My dad told me when I was 18 years old to stop playing baseball, go get a regular job. You're not good enough, you'll never make it. Now, when that comes from your dad as a kid, that hits hard.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
When I retired in year, I retired 2011, 2012, somewhere in there. Um, I started them. I started a club ball baseball team around town right away. And I feel like I did it at a too early of an age for them, but yes, I wanted them to play baseball. I wanted them to play all sports, which they did. Um, but if I could go back and change something, I wish I could have, I wasn't so hard on them.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Or some people say that's what made them better. But I was, I was, I was a very competitive, hard dad with them. Um, and to go back, I, I wanted kids right away when I was young because I wanted my kids to be able to come into the clubhouse and see what I did. So, so luckily, and I was blessed that my boys got to come in a clubhouse at like five and seven years old.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So they, they got to see what I did, but my daughter didn't get to, um, But once, once I had them or whatever, once we were growing up in there in that where I thought they were pretty good, um, I pushed them a little, I pushed them really hard.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It's really crazy.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I was just going to mention that.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But how do you really know is the question. I think the best thing you can do is wait to have an opinion until they're in eighth or ninth grade because that's when it all starts. I think the biggest mistake parents make is at, like you said, five, six years old, they think their kids are the next Babe Ruth or whoever you want to say, Bryce Harper.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
They think they're so good so they get convinced that they need a pitching coach, a hitting coach, an infield coach, and all these coaches. And nothing against the coaches. They're making a living teaching baseball, which I think is great.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But I wish the parents would settle down just a little bit. My kids had to go through growing up. They had to go through their dad was a major leaguer. So these kids better be great. They better be perfect.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You know what I mean? And that's another thing. That's, I didn't like that feeling. I didn't want my kids to feel that way. But these parents, if they just kind of settled down for a minute and just let the kids, cause everybody develops at different ages. Everybody gets bigger and stronger at different ages. You know what I mean?
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And just because your kid's big at 10 years old and hitting home runs, that doesn't mean he's making it to the big leagues. Yeah. It's a 1%, maybe less than 1% chance making it to the big leagues.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I usually always get emotional when I talk about this, but... That made me want to do it more than anything I've ever believed in. It was crazy.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And if they love it, I mean, I've got friends that their kids are so good at a sport at 10 years old and that's all they want to do. And there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah. You're letting the kid guide that too. For sure. Yeah. You can't pressure them into playing because you love the sport.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It's exhausting watching. Especially someone that knows the game too, and you're sitting there going, oh my gosh.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I would just look at how athletic they are. So no matter what position they're playing or even what sport they're playing, you can see a kid and see, oh, he's athletic. His movements are different than all these other kids. That's how I always tell. And obviously, I'm looking for certain things on the baseball field.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes, 100%.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But just the way they move and use their hand-eye coordination and all this stuff, you can tell when someone's more advanced than other kids.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I think there's so many in town. Yeah. I think like how to run better, how to jump. I think, yeah, there's one called my buddy runs it. It's called Game Changers.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. I think that's what it was.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I think if there's an athletic kid, no matter what sport it is, I think you can make them or not make them. They could be good at it if they're athletic. It's just the non-athletes that the kids that are running and falling, like you're just like, I don't know.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You know how many times I went home when I was coaching club ball or little league or whatever I was in, I was like, man, I just wish they would pick a different sport. Maybe this isn't for you. And baseball is boring. I'm not going to lie. Baseball is boring.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
That is, I mean, that video, I have no exact way that you're talking about. That is so good. Can you, uh, no mass more. I think you say one time, why does your parents let you play this game? Exactly.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
No, I had not. I mean, you're right. It is crazy. I actually give lessons too here in town, and I had nothing. I mean, I maybe went to a couple of baseball camps, but I was always football, basketball, baseball. So I didn't have time to specialize in one sport.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I, and I had my kids do it, but we didn't, we didn't do it all the time. It was like maybe one tournament a month, which is still a lot. Yeah. But playing club ball and spending all that, we always joke about me and my buddies are like, all the money we spent on club ball and all these parents I spent on club ball could have paid for college.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You could go to college anywhere.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Club ball, not necessary. I'm not against it, but there's just too much. I've heard some parents tell me, I go, why do you play so many games? The human body, especially throwing a baseball, you're not supposed to throw a baseball every day. It's just not how it works. Injuries come and play with that or whatever.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And they said, well, we're afraid that our kid, little Johnny or whatever, is going to be behind if we don't play as much. I'm like, what do you mean behind?
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
know what i mean so these parents are so worried that they're not playing every single weekend so they'll jump to teams and go to not even not play with if their team's not playing they'll go to play for another team because they feel like the more they play better they'll get better again that's not true it's not true at all well if you've ever seen me play golf you know that that's not true same with me yeah which you have you can be a 10-day layoff man i'm gonna smoke it right
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And baseball and throwing a baseball, there's nothing better than rest.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
The rest and go, like I say, go play another sport. Yeah. Go play rec basketball just for fun as a kid.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I think that's the key to kids. Everyone specializes in one sport now. And I think they could become better athletes if they played multiple sports.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So I've been on both sides, parent and a coach in high school. So I'm kind of in the middle of all of it. So I've always tended to want my kids to go to a better team or where there's better players, even elite players, because I think if my kids are not elite, I think they could get better.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I was always against going to a high school where they're terrible and then you being the best player on the team. Yeah, because you don't get any better. I don't think you can get better that way. But so many people play summer ball, and summer ball is very important because that's when you get seen by all these college coaches.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It is. I love high school baseball. It is, but the college coaches cannot go and see them play in high school.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Right. So that's the tough part. So summer, summer ball is you get looked at and you get recruited way harder in the summer.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
There's, there's so many different teams, especially in town here. Oh my gosh. There's so many different teams. And then like my kids would travel outside of state and they'd go play in Arizona for a team. They'd go play in Ohio for a team, Utah for a team, and they would just travel that way.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
um well it's almost like these summer ball teams coaches they like call they kind of recruit okay so they'll they'll know if somebody there see video somebody or seen them play before and they'll call they'll call me i'm like hey can your son play play for us this summer and they kind of reach out let's say you live in a weird sort of place like uh
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
saskatchew tune canada whatever right do you just send stuff out to these guys yeah now nowadays there's so much video out there so now you just send your video or you or you just make calls if you want to come in the state like you come in the states and play or whatever but they my kids played a lot of canadian teams that would come over and play did that yeah yep okay so let's talk about now you got a point so you're playing summer ball which is where you really get noticed that's where stuff starts to happen
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes, but I think high school baseball is great. And you can still get noticed. A lot of pro scouts go to high school baseball if there's a kid that they're looking at.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
For sure, yes.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I would hope that parents would – their first option should be like let the kid enjoy the sport. Yeah. You know what I mean? Don't force it on them because that's – it actually happened to me. My oldest son was – And I can say this now because he's in college and he's a pitcher, but shortstop-wise and defensively was unbelievable.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Like what dad said that, um, I would just, I was kind of like cocky kid. So I said, are you, are you crazy? No, I'll go find. Cause I, I don't think he wanted to pay my junior college money, you know, pay for my tuition. So I was like, I'll find, I'll get it paid for it. Don't worry about that. I'll figure it out. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I would never say this out loud to him and let him hear this. You know what I mean? This is the kind of dad I was. But coaches from around town, defensively, he was unbelievable. But he didn't hit. He didn't like to hit. He didn't want to get better at hitting. He was just not a very good hitter. So he became a pitcher.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Right. So he became it. And now he's pitching in college right now. Yeah. But I'm just like, I just, you know what I mean? You just can't. And he actually stopped liking baseball. I think he took baseball off from 9 to 12 or 9 to 11. He's like, Dad, I don't want to play baseball anymore. So I felt like I almost like got him to hate the sport. Dude, what was that like? Oh, it was, I was crushed.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Absolutely crushed. And that was my biggest fear, like me pushing them too hard in the sport and then them not wanting to play. But after the fact, and even with my younger son, I was just like, you guys can do whatever you want.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Well, they, I didn't get that, but that would be awful. Like, I don't, I don't even know how I would respond to that because baseball was my life. That's all I, that's all I know is baseball. Yeah. You know what I mean? So, and knowing all the, um, all the attention they were getting from all these schools and pro scouts and all, they're getting a ton of attention.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So I was just in there going, you got in, I tried to push them harder once all that came in, but they never, at that age, um, I was hoping that didn't happen. At what point did it click for them and they wanted to get a D1 scholarship? Kids, you know what's funny? Kids at that age, they just, results. If they have good results, they love it.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And then my oldest was like, if he doesn't have results, he hated the sport. He hated baseball if he doesn't have good results. And if you're playing baseball, it's a game of failure. It's all about, you know what I mean, results.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And then I actually had division one colleges tell me I wasn't good enough to play D1 baseball. Okay. So that's why I went the junior college route. Yeah, so you went to junior college. Where'd you go to junior college? It's called Green River Baseball, or Green River Community College, sorry. Okay. Right outside of Seattle.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I always thought about that if that happened too, but it didn't happen, thank God. But I always thought about then how I would react to that. But going back to that, I think I heard this from Michael Jordan one time and he was like, you know the old saying, there's no I in team? I think Michael Jordan said something like, there's no I in team, but there's an I in win.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And there's a me. Yeah. So if he works harder, they're going to win. I just, I just think kids in today and not to stereotype all kids or whatever, but I think kids today are just a little bit softer when it comes to sports.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Why are you door dashing? It's crazy. My boys too. They won't make food for themselves. It's just insanity. You know what I mean? They want it made for them. And I'm like, you guys are so spoiled. But again, that was partly my fault too. Yeah. Forgive them. That was another thing to go back. Like I had nothing growing up. So like once I had kids, like I wanted them to get everything I didn't have.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. You know, and sometimes I can bite you in the butt.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It was all about, I mean, we had to go to class, but it was all baseball. It was all baseball. Yeah, just trying to get to the next level from there.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I had a lot of input with it. I think the biggest mistake some parents and some kids make picking a college is sometimes they just want to pick that big name. Oh, I'm going to USC. Oh, I'm going to UC, whatever, whatever big college. And sometimes that can bite you in the butt because sometimes there's all, they're getting the best of the best at these big colleges.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Um, and then you, you hear about the kid going through three or four years of college and never really played.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Um, and they can be released in college now, you know what I mean? And they could be, you're not going to play. So might as well transfer out. And that's why the portal where the portal comes in. But yeah, I would say pick a place where you have the best chance to play. And obviously it's all about results and how you develop and what you do once you get there. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I mean, not saying you can't play at these big colleges.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I even told my boys that you guys are good, but the percentage of you making it is not good. Yeah. I will never say you can't do it. I want, you know, I don't never, unless you're going to put it in the field. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Um, but yeah, The percentage of the making is not good. And I was just telling my oldest son, I think I was telling both my sons the other day, I was like, nobody in my family on my side has a college degree. I go, Peyton, my oldest, he's a junior now at University of Utah. I go, you could be the first one to have a college degree. Like, who cares about baseball? You got to show up.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Who cares about baseball?
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
it was my head coach there at junior college, Dan Spencer. And he's been a, he's been a coach all throughout the country now. Um, but he was for sure my mentor and really changed my life there because I was a shortstop coming out of high school. And I thought there's no way I'm going to ever be a pitcher.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So anyways, I try to always preach that to them, like get that college degree.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
For sure. Great. Four years of growing up. Yeah. Like you could make a lot of money and not have a college degree, obviously. Oh, sure. Of course you can. But. to have that college degree. And I always tell my boys too, like you're playing baseball and you're getting it paid for. Like, why would you not want to go to college? You know what I mean?
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Like, and you're, like you said, you're developing and growing up for those four years.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
That's what we always talk about.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It really is. That's what everyone tells me.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes, for sure. So, yeah. I mean, like, honestly, like you, your, your business here. Like if you went to USC and my kid, you didn't know him. He came in and did a job interview with you and said he went to USC. He's not a big deal. Yeah. He's not. Oh yeah. You're in.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
He converted me to a pitcher there and just kind of helped me through all my parents and all my situations off the field. And I was going to transfer to another college and he was able to talk me out of it to stay there, to stay there. And then that's where my career took off after that.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I think at times... they can want too much. You know what I mean? Like, Oh my Johnny is so good. He has 10 home runs, this, that he needs full ride. You know what I mean? He needs, we can't pay for anything. And there are certain situations, parents, they can't pay for college. Right. So I, I get those things, but like, I think it just goes back to like,
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You can't think your kid is, don't think they're so good. I'm not making sense, but like, you know what I mean? Like just come back a couple levels and just, you know what I mean? Don't, I don't even know how to say it. Like, don't think your kid is the best and should get the best. Yeah. I just think you need to be more humble with it. Let your kid just go through it on his own.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah, that was fun.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I mean, I'm on Instagram.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. And I can, I can, you know, work on this even more. This is like the first podcast I've ever done. So I'm not, but not as smooth. And I'm going to, you know what I mean?
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I always had a good arm, and he was one of those guys that kind of pushed my buttons, and I actually liked it because he was like, you're not a good hitter. You can't hit. You're too skinny. You're this, that. You know what I mean? Anybody that tells me I can't do something, it just feeds on me.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You know what I mean? And I want to be the best I can when someone says that.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes, but I did pitch a little bit in high school, so it wasn't that big of a deal. But to become a full-time pitcher and not hit anymore, that was tough mentally. Because I was like, wait, I'm not playing a position. I'm not playing short, so I'm not hitting. This is boring. Were you always a reliever? No, I was a starter in college.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So that took off, and then I had good results and then just stayed with it.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
With the game of baseball, it's the easiest job because hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports. So I realize that. But just when you're a strike thrower, you just go up there and you just throw the baseball. Especially at that age and in junior college, I was just going up there and trying to throw strikes.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
But at the highest level, being a reliever, I think, is the hardest job in baseball because you have to be perfect every time you go out. You can't give up a starter's run. You can't give up your own run. You can't blow leads. Like, you have to be absolutely perfect.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah, because starters can give up runs. They can throw seven innings, give up three runs, and have a great start.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
A reliever can't throw an inning and give up a run, and it's a good outing. It's not a good outing.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
after my second year, scouts started coming around and my velocity was going up and they were starting to give me a lot of feedback. And they're like, we're going to take you in the draft. So I committed to Texas Tech University after my second year of junior college. So I was going to go there. I didn't plan on signing in the draft. But then the scouts, this is another funny story.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
The scouts told me that I was going to go the first or second day in the draft. The draft comes around. I don't go till day three, the 56th round.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So what was that like? I mean, and I was in no green room. Like the third day is just like maybe draft for favors or kind of fill roster spots.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
back then my story wouldn't even happen this year because there's are now nowadays because there's only 20 rounds i was drafted the 56th round the 56th 56th i mean at that point they just kind of let like the interns yeah sometimes they do a draft and follow with the high school kids it's like a fan it's like a fantasy draft at that point right you're just filling them in yeah we we select uh gandalf because
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Right. So the fifties, what number player were you? I was a 16th, 134th pick. Oh my God. In the 1996 draft.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I don't think so. But there's three of us, and it could have changed, but this is when I was playing when I got called up to big leagues in 99. They always talked about this because it was a big deal. But there's only three of us that were later than the 50th round that had 10 years in the big leagues. Yeah. It was me, Mike Piazza, and, oh, I could be getting the next, Jeff Conine, I think.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I don't know if you remember that name. He was a counselor for a long time. There was literally only three of us.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes. Let me go back to when I got drafted the third day. I was pissed off. I was like, if I don't go on the first and second day, screw the draft. You know what I mean? I'll go play at Texas Tech. I'll go play at Texas Tech and then hopefully get better there. And then I was sitting there going, the scouts were coming up to me and they were like, you know what? We're drafting you as a favor.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I think one of the scouts said, he goes, you have no shot of making it. I'm just doing it. It was a dick. And I'm sitting there going, wait, what? I'm 18 years old listening to this. And I'm like, what is going on right now? I keep having these people come into my life and like sit there and tell me I can't do something.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Well, I was, I ended up signing and went to spring training and I made it to the big leagues in two and a half years at 22 years old.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, they just they I don't think I think he was just the scout was just being a dick. You know what I mean? Like, I don't I just think he was just like. Well, anyways, I got called to the big leagues and he tried to call me to say congratulations. Cause I think they get a big bonus or something if one of their players works out.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I answered the phone and he said, Hey, congratulations. This is Steve Avila. I go, don't you ever call me ever again? Click and hung up on him. I'm done. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
For sure.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes. And when I was younger, it was always gas. Yeah. Always. Okay. I don't know about now. Now I'm older, but. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Two and a half years. What was that like? It was really hard. It was fun because you're young and you don't know anything else. And I just wanted to play professional baseball.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
$820 a month before taxes. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I was in Kinston, North Carolina.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Which is really cool.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yeah, that's cool.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I was there for the first two years in the minor leagues, and then I just went up to Akron, Ohio, and then Buffalo, New York. Those are my minor league stops.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh, my gosh. It was so shocking. This is a cool story, too. So I was in AAA pitching very well. I'm 22 years old. there was two other guys that have been up and down in the big leagues. Oh my gosh, I wish I could remember their names, but they called all three of us into the office, the manager. And he goes, I don't know what's going on, but so-and-so got hurt.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
One of you three are going to the big leagues tomorrow. And I'm sitting there going, how are you going to call us in there and say one of you that I'm 22, these guys have already been to the big leagues. You know what I mean? So I'm like, I go, what the heck? So you guys go home or whatever. And I'll just wait for a phone call. Well, at midnight, my manager called me, goes risky.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You're going to the big leagues tomorrow. Congratulations. And I just, I was freaking out. Like it was like a dream come true. And I just think I called my mom and everybody that night. And then went to Anaheim the next morning.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
No, I'm sorry. I was with Cleveland Indians and I went to Anaheim to play that.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
First major stadium I've ever been in Anaheim. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
no am i just dreaming this up no i had a ton of teammates like that okay but no i was not like that at all no yeah because i was so young well no no but i'm saying you had the older guys telling you like oh for sure oh yeah they were let me take you under the wing yes yeah and then the hookers you gotta look out for the hookers because they're gonna try to get you no whatever and some of them were jerks too because they know that i'm trying to make it up and they're just back and forth and they're miserable and a lot of them had kids and were married i'm like what's going on here
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
No. No, no, no.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
How's it going? What's up, dude? How are you, man? I don't know about one of the best relievers, but I was up there.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
I did not play, but my very first night in the big leagues – I was just that rookie and young kid that sat in my locker and didn't even look at anybody. I was like, I was with all the big time named named players. Yeah. Um, so I, so there's a, the youngest kid in the bullpen will always, you have to make the candy bag for the bullpen. You have to make this certain snack bag for the whole bullpen.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
So I said, I'm going to make the best one. They're going to be so impressed with this day one. I make this huge bag. I didn't double bag it. So I'm walking the Anthem. We stand in front of the dugout. The Anthem goes off. And then I'm walking across the outfield to get to the bullpen in Anaheim. Right about center field, the bag falls open, all the candy on the field.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And David Justice comes running over because he was a left fielder. He comes running over and he goes, don't worry, Rook, I'll help you. And he helps me pick it up. And I'm sitting there going, I'm so embarrassed.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It was good.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
There was a couple of them. I don't know if you know the names, but there was Mike Jackson. He was a closer for a long time in the big leagues. Paul shoe is another reliever. And then Charles Nagy was a starter, but there was there. I had so many good teammates that helped me out with everything. My first year. Cause I was so young. They were all like in their mid thirties.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
And I was like, I thought these guys were as old as my dad.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Yes, sir. No, sir.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
Oh my God. There were so many, so many good teammates. Yeah.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
You know, my teammates called it the stinger. The stinger.
Escaping the Drift with John Gafford
Major Leaguer to D1 Dad: David Riske's Journey of Success
It was three days later I got to pitch in Cleveland because we played two games in Anaheim and then went back home. And I played the third or whatever, three days later. And I came in with like a 7-1 lead. And my first batter, my legs, you could see me on video, were shaking like crazy. I was a nervous wreck. And I just couldn't even believe I'm in the major leagues.