Joe Maddon

He taught our bullpen guys how to be professionals.

We were very non-professional in the bullpen.

Danny Wheeler came over in the trade for Ty Wigginton, and he demanded professionalism among relief pitchers and got it.

We got it because of that.

So we overlook these kind of things.

Everybody, you know, when you break down a player, what's needed, you're always looking, of course, for the tools and you're looking for the great prospects.

And I get that.

But if you get a veteran player.

that has a great way within the clubhouse, that has something left in the tank to perform on the field.

To me, that is dynamic.

And that was a difference with the raise from seven to eight and beyond that.

And even further from, I mean, to today, I mean, there's a lot of good leaders.

And look at the Cubs.

When, you know, we got David Ross with the Cubs.

You had Mickey Montero with the Cubs.

Uh, Johnny Lester, of course, as a pitcher comes on over, we got all these guys that had done it before that made a huge difference in the clubhouse because the race, I mean, the Cubs were the youngest team to win a world series or youngest second youngest, like forever.

Right.

And I'm telling you the, the veteran players, uh, doing it properly, meaning.

not afraid to make a suggestion or actually be kind of difficult sometimes, knowing their audience and knowing how to do it, that is invaluable.

If I ever had a chance to put a team together, that would be paramount to me getting those right guys in the clubhouse.