White Sox World Series Champion Scott Podsednik calls in to Alumni Home Run Derby and the state of the White Sox

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Rahimi & Grote Show 20 min 3 speakers 3 chapters transcribed 2 months ago

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What iconic 2005 World Series home run does Scott Podsednik describe?

0:00

That was better. Potsetnik hits one to deep right center field. Back at the wall. This ball is gone. Potsetnik goes deep. His second home run of the postseason. And the White Sox win it 7-6.

Vinny Rotino 0:20

Yeah, you know what that is. That's one of the most important home runs in White Sox history, hit by our next guest, my former broadcast partner on White Sox pre- and post-game, the White Sox outfielder from 2005 to 2007, and again in 2009, World Series champion, 2005 All-Star, Scott Pitsadnik, joining us on Rahimi Harrison-Grody. Scotty Pods, how are you today?

Scott Podsednik 0:43

I'm doing great, Layla. Can you just run that replay on loop there again? I'd like to hear it a few more times.

Vinny Rotino 0:50

Is that what you need to pump yourself up for this alumni home run derby you got tomorrow?

Scott Podsednik 0:55

I need anything I can get. So how are we doing, guys?

Mark Grote 1:00

We're doing great. I was just thinking, now that that home run was just played, and you're right, Scott, it never goes out of style to hear that game too blast by you. I was lucky enough to be there covering it, and I know that it was Brad Lidge who gave up the home run. Any chance that Brad Lidge can be your home run derby pitcher? Ooh.

Scott Podsednik 1:21

I don't know. I think that was a 96-mile-an-hour fastball that I hit out. I don't know what Brad Lidge has left in the tank these days, but it probably doesn't take much to get in on the hands of me these days. But I'm not sure who I'm going to be facing tomorrow, to be quite honest. I don't know if it really matters, but I mean, you guys know that it won't be because of a lack of effort if I'm not able to hit one.

Mark Grote 1:47

That's amazing. By the way, real quick, just going back because it never gets old talking about that, and maybe you've answered this and it's out there. Were you trying to hit a home run in that spot?

Scott Podsednik 1:58

Absolutely not. I got ahead in the count 2-0, and I stepped out of the box, and I remember looking at Ozzie, and he's shaking his finger. He's like, no way. You take a pitch. I don't want you swinging. Wow. So I took a fastball right down the middle, and I stepped out, and I said – There's no way he's going to throw you that slider. At that time, Brad Liz was fastball slider. So I'm like, he doesn't want to walk you. So let's look dead red here, look fastball. And I was just looking to put a good swing on it. I was not thinking home run by any means. I was just trying to find the barrel.

Why does Scott want the home run replay on loop before the Alumni Home Run Derby?

Scott Podsednik 2:30

But it was a good pitch to hit. I put a good swing on it. And, you know, luckily I got all of it.

Vinny Rotino 2:37

That's incredible. Yeah, I don't know that we'd ever talked about that, whether or not the intent was there. The result we discuss a lot, Pods.

Scott Podsednik 2:44

No, there were very few times I went up to the plate thinking about hitting a home run, Layla. And even when the ball came off my bat, I mean, I knew that I had gotten all of it, but I was still at that time thinking extra bases. Let's get to two or possibly three, depending on how that ball was going to carry them off the wall. I got all of it, so I was a bit curious, but it was 45 degrees, it was cold, the ball wasn't carrying, so I was probably thinking two or three bases rather than thinking about that ball leaving the ballpark.

Mark Grote 3:15

We'll get to the present, I promise, but now that we're stuck on this, like these questions, do you remember the sound of the crowd?

Scott Podsednik 3:24

Well, that's a really good question, Mark. I was about to round first base, and in my peripheral, I saw Tim Raines throw his arm up. So I then looked out to right center field. I saw the ball leave the park. And from that point forward, I remember, because I have newspaper articles and pictures of it, I remember letting out a very primal just scream from the bottom of my gut, And from that point forward, it was just a blur. I don't recall hearing the crowd. I've obviously seen the footage a million times, and I just remember meeting the crew at home plate and getting mobbed, and it was pretty much what I remember, just mayhem from that point all the way until we got into Houston that night. So to answer your question, I don't exactly remember the crowd.

Scott Podsednik 4:18

I just remember this out-of-body experience.