Hold My Cutter
The Fort McKenry: Triumphs, Drama, and the Magic of Baseball
Michael McKenry recounts his exhilarating first home run at PNC Park on July 8, 2011, against Carlos Marmol. Experience the tension of his 10-pitch showdown, the strategies employed, and the euphoric crowd reaction that followed. We also share heartfelt stories that highlight the camaraderie among the Pittsburgh Pirates and their devoted fans, including touching memories of Jay Hay and Andrew McCutcheon.
Our journey into Pirates history continues with emotional tales, such as Rock's unexpected game-winning home run during the final game at Three Rivers Stadium. Michael shares his firsthand experiences from the epic 19-inning game against the Braves in 2011, including his second career home run and the challenges of catching for Jeff Karstens. These stories paint a vivid picture of the high stakes and emotional highs that define baseball.
We also dive into the controversial moments that have shaped the team, from disputed calls to the role of replay technology. Hear about Pedro Alvarez's throw leading to a disputed call by umpire Jerry Mills, and the lessons learned from such pivotal moments. As the episode wraps up, we reflect on the unpredictable nature of baseball, embracing the human elements that make the sport so special, and bid a heartfelt farewell to the Pirates community. Join us for a trip down memory lane, full of laughter, tears, and the timeless magic of baseball.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!!!!
www.holdmycutter.com
Michael McKenry recounts his exhilarating first home run at PNC Park on July 8, 2011, against Carlos Marmol. Experience the tension of his 10-pitch showdown, the strategies employed, and the euphoric crowd reaction that followed. We also share heartfelt stories that highlight the camaraderie among the Pittsburgh Pirates and their devoted fans, including touching memories of Jay Hay and Andrew McCutcheon.
Our journey into Pirates history continues with emotional tales, such as Rock's unexpected game-winning home run during the final game at Three Rivers Stadium. Michael shares his firsthand experiences from the epic 19-inning game against the Braves in 2011, including his second career home run and the challenges of catching for Jeff Karstens. These stories paint a vivid picture of the high stakes and emotional highs that define baseball.
We also dive into the controversial moments that have shaped the team, from disputed calls to the role of replay technology. Hear about Pedro Alvarez's throw leading to a disputed call by umpire Jerry Mills, and the lessons learned from such pivotal moments. As the episode wraps up, we reflect on the unpredictable nature of baseball, embracing the human elements that make the sport so special, and bid a heartfelt farewell to the Pirates community. Join us for a trip down memory lane, full of laughter, tears, and the timeless magic of baseball.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!!!!
www.holdmycutter.com
Hold my Cutter coming your way, as always, from Burn by Rocky Patel, just a couple of blocks away from PNC Park on the North Shore, seven days a week, 2 pm to 2 am, just enjoying some premium cigars. And, as always, we want to thank Jim Fisher, the GM, and Assistant General Manager, ken Stout, for today's featured smoke by Rocky Patel, the white label, connecticut wrapper, nicaraguan binder, with Honduran filler, michael McHenry, a slight nutty taste, a hint of peppercorn creamy smoothie taste and just a really good, smooth smoke. And we always enjoy these tremendous stogies from Burn by Rocky Patel, don't we, we do.
Speaker 2:And with my catcher's mitt right here, brownie, I saw that. I kind of wish I would have caught with one of my mouth at one point. I really do Back there. We'll work on that Fort. We're going to work on that.
Speaker 1:You know when we last left you, by the way, we were getting into Michael McHenry. This episode Seven years in the big leagues, three years with the Pirates, three years with the Rockies, a little bit of time with the St Louis Cardinals and the Majors Seventh-round pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2006, made his Major League debut September of 2010. And we were leading up to we were teasing this incredible moment. And your career is filled with some wild coincidences. I think and this one for sure because we talked about Fort your first hit in the big leagues was with the Pirates. Your first big league home run came July 8, 2011, pnc Park. It's your 19th major league start. You had been acquired June the 12th. Again, you had made some starts with the Pirates, but your big moment comes on this day at PNC Park. It's a Friday night, over 37,000 fans. The Pirates, you could tell, were turning, just starting to turn the corner. You could just tell there were three games over 500. Think about that July 8, 2011,. They had sniffed 500 for years. So now we set the stage.
Speaker 1:James McDonald is on the hill for the Pirates against Rodrigo Lopez. Pirates are trailing three to two in the bottom of the sixth inning. Rodrigo Lopez, pirates are trailing 3-2. In the bottom of the sixth inning, andrew McCutcheon hits a home run. That ties it. Then in the top of the eighth, darwin Barney of the Cubs, an RBI single off Jose Veras to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead. So you can just sense now people in the ballpark are kind of down. They were fired up that Veras would hold the lead. They give it up.
Speaker 1:Bottom of the eighth inning lefty Sean Marshall on the mound for the Cubbies. He faces pinch hitter Matt Diaz Diaz draws a walk, cutch follows, flies out Neal Walker ground ball fielder's choice. So Walker's on. Now a left-handed batter for the Pirates, lyle Overbay faces the lefty Sean Marshall Overbay, a base hit first and second, two outs. Manager for the Cubs that year and that day was Mike Quadi who brings in their lights-out guy, the right-hander Carlos Marmol, who gives up an RBI single to Josh Harris and Jay Hay ties the game. Now that's a long preview of what's about to occur because of this moment. Michael McHenry, it's an 0-2 count. We're going to set this tonight. I've got this here on YouTube. You and I are going to watch it here in a moment, but I'm sure you remember it like it was yesterday. I do.
Speaker 2:How nervous.
Speaker 1:Were you coming up to the plate in this situation? I?
Speaker 2:mean, think about all the names you just mentioned. I didn't think I was going to hit that inning. Yeah, I have my shin guards on. I'm getting a game plan going back out, thinking, hey, we're going to come back. But then you see things start to happen and unfold. So you start playing that game out in your mind and you know, when I get on deck and Jay gets that hit, and then all of a sudden it's like, oh, it's go time. I get up there really with no expectations. But have a good at bat, try to continue this inning on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you're down two strikes. I get down two strikes real fast. Do you remember anything about slider, slider, slider, Really really good slider, foul off a slider.
Speaker 2:You remember that I do. I don't remember anything preceding that, how that inning kind of came about, anything preceding that, how that inning kind of came about, I have no clue.
Speaker 1:With the first pitch you said you fouled off a slider.
Speaker 2:First pitch I took, strike yes, and then the next one I ended up swinging at and now.
Speaker 1:What are you thinking? What's in your mind now?
Speaker 2:I'm battling, so I spread out and I'm like, all right, he's got a nasty slider, he loves throwing it. I think he threw it like 70 plus percent of the time. So I'm just sitting there like fouling ball off after ball off after ball off. I think it was a 10-pitch at bat.
Speaker 1:Oh, I didn't even know that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a wild at bat.
Speaker 1:Wow, so you kept fouling off slider after slider.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he just kept going to it. Finally he hung one and I got it.
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's watch it together.
Speaker 2:Now it's 0-2, 10-pitch at bat, and Ooh, May really do one of here goes. I love that For me.
Speaker 1:Brownie, that call First in the big leagues. Your first home run in the big leagues gives the Pirates a 7-4 lead. Eighth inning, two outs and it really just came to mind they're going to bring the house down because this moment you could again tell it was like the Pirates coming out party. Now, you don't get many curtain calls in your career. Not many players ever do right, but they're your teammates. Yeah, a hug from kutch. They want the. You get the curtain call. You barely sheepishly go to the second step.
Speaker 2:Yeah because it didn't seem real. I mean, if you watch me around the bases right there, brownie, right, um, I kind of have a, a straight face, like didn't even really hit me until I started slapping hands and my teammates were right there. I have a picture and I'm just like, and I hit over bay so hard because it was such a moment that like it was surreal round of the bases didn't even feel like I was touching the ground, I touch home. But it's when I saw jay hay and overbay and waiting for you at home, waiting for me, that it really hit me.
Speaker 2:and then the fans you know it's screaming and yelling and then say let's go, bucks. That was the moment. And then obviously all the guys loving on me kutch gave me a big hug and then, him and over and I'm sure it was Diaz kind of pushed me up and I didn't even really know what to do and I had my helmet and I just tipped my cap. Maybe they reminded me to, I have no idea, but they felt like that was the moment. You know, hey, get out there and do your thing, something you'll never forget.
Speaker 1:I wonder, when a player has that moment, when you're in the dugout and you're high-fiving and hugging, when we're up there in the booth and we can sense the fans, they have that sense that they want. It's like a concert. You know that you want that band to come back out. Now that's pre-planned? This, of course, is not.
Speaker 2:And when you're in the dugout and getting the high fives and the hugs. Can you hear any of that? Or was it the teammates that hear it and they get pushed you out? It was the teammates, I mean. It was such a surreal moment for me. It almost gives me like an unreal emotional feel after the fact, like watching it now I just got chills. And there's been times where people surprise me whether it's now I just got chills, Um, and there's been times where people surprise me whether it's an event I spoke at, they play this and they talk about where they were in the, in the stands, and a lot of times it's a father and a son, or a father and a daughter.
Speaker 2:Maybe it's a mom and a daughter, mom and a son. I've heard so many stories about moments, and just small, small moments in time that have meant so much, where they've become a Pirates fan for life, or they've become a Michael McHenry fan, which is absolutely humbling or one of the best calls. In my opinion, in all of sports history is based around that and a couple others that you've had, Brownie, that solidify a moment that you can never forget. It's ingrained in my mind. Every time I go back to it, my heart starts fluttering, I get those goosebumps. I had a kid called Chicken Skin.
Speaker 1:Chicken.
Speaker 2:Skin and you do, and then you remember all the little moments that you had by watching it that you didn't remember.
Speaker 2:I didn't remember Kutch, I didn't remember Kutch giving me that big hug until I rewatched it. That's what's cool about reflecting on your career and I think as players now they don't take enough time doing it. They dig themselves but they don't take enough time saying what a moment that was. They can embrace that and I think a lot of times that will enhance people's career. But but that right there may be not just fall in love with my team even more, but the city, you, walkie, and just the winning effect Pittsburgh gets when they know something good's coming.
Speaker 1:And then they sensed it. They knew the big, bad Cubs beating up on the Pirates for years. Now that swing kind of hands it to the Cubs and maybe everybody is awakened to know that the Pirates are now on the cusp of being a really good team and and we're not going to be pushed around anymore in our home ballpark yeah, we had a fight in us, yeah, and you named some of those names.
Speaker 2:I mean they signed over Beto a pretty good contract, diaz, a pretty good contract. But you mentioned Neil Walker, who a couple years in, pedro Alvarez a couple years in uh, pedro alvarez couple years in, who came off in that year, really, really struggled, so he had some moments. And then jay hay in a huge year in triple a. Alex presley also part of it, but a lot of names that nobody knew that were just kind of fighters, grinders, gritty players and I felt like that was a moment where they saw the identity coming together with the thingates.
Speaker 1:Well, the thing about it too. In a previous episode we talked about the eight catchers the Pirates used that year. So you, even being a Pirate, was incredible that you ended up getting there. Less than a month into your Pirate career, you hit your first Major League home run. Again, it beats the Chicago.
Speaker 2:Cubs Felt like it took forever, though Brownie yeah, I'm sure it did. Man, it felt like 19,000.
Speaker 1:Where is the ball?
Speaker 2:It's at home.
Speaker 1:But where specifically?
Speaker 2:It's. In my basement I have a giant collection of signed balls and it's one of the ones I have kind of off to the side. But my wife also got the print of contact of when I made the actual contact I have, when I believe it was Neil Walker and AJ Burnett ended up putting cream in my Not AJ, aj was next year, there's no Walker put the shaving cream in my face. I wish it was whipped cream.
Speaker 2:It did not taste very good. But yeah, those are things you want to kind of reflect on, look back on and never forget. So often I think you do the same thing. We don't do it a good enough job of remember where we came yeah, that was special.
Speaker 1:Appreciate the moment. Did you know right away, by the way, when that ball left the bat you hadn't hit a home run? The big leagues you're at pnc park. It's a tough place to hit home runs. Drive the ball to left field and that was deep beyond the wall.
Speaker 2:But did you know immediately it was gone I did, I did, but I didn't want to believe it until it actually hit. And what? Everybody went nuts. Because you know, when you hit a homer always say you got to know your pop. Yeah, right, even though I I felt like I did, that was a moment I was going to take off, so hard, and so fast the first base and not not think about it just get there and let it happen, Because if it didn't go, something weird happened. Gus to win, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Michael, you didn't drop the bat, you didn't flip the bat, you didn't nothing. No, we can never go back and look at that moment that back flip, no back flip.
Speaker 2:It was so great to see a really cool back flip, but I did hover around the bases I don't even think I touched. So it did something cool at least.
Speaker 1:What was a number of reasons why that moment stands out and will stand the test of time and all the years of PNC Park. There are seminal moments that take place. That one certainly for those reasons we talked about. And you're less than a month in your Pirates career. How the fans embraced you. That kind of puts you on the the pirate fans map and and really they they kind of knew that the nickname already. Um, now it was reinforced that maybe hardcore fans knew the fort nickname which brilliant bob talked about early on in your career. Like he's a catcher, he blocks fort mckenry balt. How perfect that is. But that kind of made you almost a cult figure.
Speaker 2:I don't know about that. I think you guys helped, you know, bring love around. Players that played a certain way. You know, jay Hay was beloved here, kutch was beloved here, guys that just had, you know, the attitude to embrace the city, I think, and I felt like they adopted me. I felt like I was a child of Pittsburgh that didn't know it yet.
Speaker 2:There's a Clemente quote that said I wasn't born here, but this is my home. That's kind of how I feel. I feel like it's been somewhere that's embraced me. When I left the game playing wise, it was one of the first cities that popped in my head and of course someone calls and asks if I'd like to take that job with AT&T and it was. It wasn't even hesitation of like, yeah, I'd love to go back to Pittsburgh. Obviously, there's a lot more that goes into it, but it's because of the way the fans embrace me, the team, you guys in the front office and in the booth, because that's not normal I don't know if people know that.
Speaker 2:Fans know that that you can go to a team and never meet the president, never meet the owner. When you come to the pirates, you meet the owner, you meet the president, you meet just about everybody. They come up and shake your hand, make you feel like a normal human being. And the fans some of the best and most respectful fans on the planet you know, going to dinner with with pedro or kutch people see them and they want to come and talk to them. They'll lay back and they just wait for a moment and sometimes you know that they want to come up. So there was times where they can't catch go say hello to that person and catch me. Hey, I think they're trying to get a hold of you. This time it was so cool because that wasn't normal. Most, most places they just jump out at you. Here there's a different type of respect for their Pittsburgh people.
Speaker 1:I think that's really, really good. They do embrace you, especially if you're one of their own, and you and Jacqueline have made Pittsburgh your home. By the way, I think I recall you actually made a visit to Fort McHenry in Baltimore, didn't you? When the Pirates were there? I did Shortly thereafter, i't you when the Pirates were there? I did.
Speaker 2:Shortly thereafter, you did yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, baltimore Harbor.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I got to look back at that when we played Baltimore this year.
Speaker 1:Adam.
Speaker 2:Elmore grabbed the film and put it in the broadcast. We used it in the pregame. Yeah, talk about a moment. And being a guy that loves the military and has always been a part of a lot of different military charities and have a lot of friends that have served, that was special, like that. That goes down with any home run, with any moment I had on the field, because of what that represents. I mean, we're not free, right, if that flag doesn't hold. Yeah, we're not free. And also finding out from you and walkie and his love for like history really just the history of the military military complex.
Speaker 2:All of it made it even more special.
Speaker 1:I mean star spangled banner, Exactly so cool. How about nicknames? You love nicknames, don't you? I do love nicknames. You fire them out there.
Speaker 2:I do, and part of it's because when I was a kid I couldn't remember people's names and it kind of like stuck. You try to figure out who is this guy, what does he represent, and then you find it like Jack Swinsky. I call Sunshine. He reminds me of the guy from that movie in you have Forever, will Call Brownie, yeah, and you just kind of find something that fits, and if they don't get offended by it, you run with it.
Speaker 1:Well, it's funny too, because nicknames over the years it a lot, of, a lot of years ago, decades ago, the the gunner, a nickname, bob prince, a hall of fame broadcaster, one of the more iconic voices in baseball history. He used to love tagging guys with with nicknames, and those stuck for a long, long time. Uh, his, his partner was Jim Woods for a while the possum he called, but the kitten Harvey Haddix nicknamed him, and it went on and on. Dr Strange Glove was the first baseman, dick Stewart because he was so bad defensively at first base. But you know, back then players were never offended by things like that. You could outwardly say it, but now I remember I don't think he'll mind me telling this, I don't think he will. If he will kill me, we'll find out.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite players to watch over the years at PNC Park and people have asked me the best all-around player that I've seen Now, andrew McCutcheon, probably at the top of the list because he had and he's still not necessarily at the top of his game as he was 10 years ago, but you know, for that stretch there was nobody hotter, for a three-year stretch was Andrew McCutcheon, but a guy who could hit for power, didn't have the greatest arm in the world but well above average speed, knew the game, knew the strike zone, did everything, was a baseball junkie, ran the bases. Great was brian giles and when he first came on board he was running around the outfield. He played some center and left a little bit of right and one of the first things I did he looked like an animal running around out there. So I kind of started calling him the animal and he told me his wife didn't care for that so I backed down off that. But there's a sensitivity level.
Speaker 2:You think he took it home. I bet he took it home. Maybe that's why she didn't like it.
Speaker 1:It seems he and the animals yeah, that's right, animals home, but it seems like players are a little more sensitive to it, and so you have to be judicious, maybe, with the calls. I think Jacob Stallings liked it when you called him the cheetah.
Speaker 2:It's kind of a bit of an ironic name. Yeah, I've heard it with that. I wasn't sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he didn't kind of show it Didn't embrace it like you embraced Fort.
Speaker 2:I was like, come on, you're so good in that six-foot window, let's just run with it.
Speaker 1:Anyway, I think one of the episodes down the road we're going to do just like a whole episode of nicknames, because there have been some classic nicknames over the years, especially in Pirates history you talked about and I hear this from players who hit maybe game-winning walk-off hits, but especially the home runs and your home run. John Wainer hit the last home run ever in the history of Three River Stadium.
Speaker 1:That's a long story. We'll get rocked, we'll be part of Hold my Cutter for an episode in itself, but that home run for me was the greatest I've ever witnessed, or called because of all that it entailed, being the last game ever in the history of Three River Stadium and a Carrick kid who grew up a Pirate, steeler, penguin fanatic and who just had a kind of a no disrespect, he would say it, I'm sure. Middling career, 10 years and bounced around you know different positions but didn't even start all that many games in his career. He had a total of four home runs in a 10 year career and happened to hit the last home run ever in the history of Brewer Stadium. Just incredible.
Speaker 1:But again he said about kind of floating around the bases. Maz talks about that hitting the last home run, the walk-off home run 1960, maybe the greatest home run in the history of baseball to beat the Yankees. But how they floated. And you guys have talked Fort about how things slow down for you when you're in that zone and in a weird sense for me as a broadcaster, time almost stood still Because I remember that ball that wainer hit. It was a line drive home run of a left field wall through river stadium off a former pirate, john leber, was pitching for the chicago you can't make that stuff.
Speaker 2:That's the craziest part is that you start putting these pieces of puzzle together like how does that work?
Speaker 1:you can't write that script. That's why baseball such a romantic.
Speaker 1:That's why it's the best of all it really for so many reasons, but these things like that that we're pointing out can happen. And here's Lieber delivering this pitch. Wiener's home run gives the Pirates the lead. It turns out to be the last home run ever, but I remember 60,000 fans at River Stadium, the last game ever they'll witness baseball game there and where everything just kind of quieted down. It just like everything went blank, and all I could see was this carrot kid running around the bases. For me he was going in slow motion. Uh, it's just a weird feeling, a weird moment, isn't it where you're in that zone?
Speaker 2:yeah, and I'll never forget, when you told me this story, You've gotten to tell it the short version, the long version, and you and Walk were kind of talking about like what if? Yeah, Like what if.
Speaker 1:Well, we saw Wainer in the.
Speaker 2:Not a home run guy. No Total of four home runs in his career, not in the minor leagues, not the big leagues, not at all.
Speaker 1:Four. He hit four home runs in his entire career, but the thing that was cool was he was in the starting lineup that day, because I never do this, which is feel For me.
Speaker 2:we talk about it Gene Lamont.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like having feel the manager.
Speaker 2:The, moment, this moment, this makes sense. This kid has been Pirates and Cubs are out of the race.
Speaker 1:Could not pick it better, let's put him. So I go in the clubhouse at Three River Stadium. As soon as you walk in it was that cork board and they would stick the lineup up there on the left-hand side as soon as you walked in so you could see it. And I'd run through the lineup and I see Wainer, third base. How cool is that Way to go. Gino, gene Lamont, you get it. Yep, put this Pittsburgher in for this moment. And I never do this. But I had a big uh scorecard, uh, made of heavy construction paper, and I went around and had each player sign his position. It's the only thing I think I've ever kept memento. Just thought it'd be kind of a neat thing because that that was kind of where I grew up. Three river stadium that was. We're gonna get into it was my ballpark.
Speaker 2:You had a cool story too, brown well anyway, it was neat, uh.
Speaker 1:So I go around to each position and have the guy sign. I go to Rock Wiener, whom I had known because he was up and down. I was in Buffalo in the minor leagues when he was coming up and I was there for five years and not only did I see him come up for the first time but I see him come back down again and again. But I loved his story and and again. But I loved his story and so we were kind of buddies and I sat there in his locker and had him sign it. I said how cool is it that Gino has you in the starting lineup? And he kind of chuckled yeah, they're kind of kidding me, I should have hit a home run. And we laughed and chuckled and shook his hand, went upstairs.
Speaker 1:I go into the press room. We're having dinner before the game and I happen to be on TV that night with Steve Blass and Nellie King, a former pirate and a longtime broadcast teammate of Bob Prince in the heyday of the 70s. And they decided which was smart on their part to have Steve, the former pirate pitcher, who was a great pitcher in the 70s, got the Pirates of the, who was a great pitcher in the 70s, got the Pirates to the 71 World Series, those two big games and Nelly and they were kind of spinning tails. The booth TD booth at Three Rivers was located on the fourth level, the radio booth behind home plate on the third level, and it just took a couple flights of stairs to get up quickly to each level up and down. And I was having dinner with Bob that night, who was a teammate of John's, of course in the early nineties and we're talking how cool it was.
Speaker 1:He's in the lineup and I mentioned that they're kidding him that he should hit a home run and walk East. Oh, would that be unbelievable. Yeah, it'd be cool, you know, just the fact that he's starting is great. Well, after the home run is hit and of course I'm going crazy, I love this I take my headset off and Steve Blass and Nellie King are there alongside. I just am shaking my head. I can't believe it. It's between innings, so you got a couple of minutes to try it. I turn around and look who had made his way up those two flights of stairs from the radio booth to the back of the TV booth. There's Bob Waugh with tears in his eyes and I jump up out of my chair and I jump into his arms and it was like the seventh game of the World Series. We're both bawling, you know, crying, and just loving that moment, and so, for a number of reasons, of course, that stands out for me. But you weren't done.
Speaker 2:But Brownie real quick. Yeah, the coolest part about that is that could have been the biggest moment, and it probably is the biggest moment in Rock's career, the one he remembers more than anything. And same thing with you guys. The hope is, yeah, we win a World Series, you call it, people go nuts, we're crying and the city just goes bonkers. But those moments you don't want to forget because they only exist once.
Speaker 2:Right and it's special and it you can't draw it up. And you know, knowing the relationship, all you guys have now thinking back all the way to then and you know how it kind of manifested. Former teammate, you're a Pittsburgh fan your entire life. You're watching this kid fight and claw. He's from Pittsburgh, gritty, hard-nosed, literally. He's called the Rock for a reason and he does something that nobody could have drawn up. I mean, there's a chance he didn't even start, but the feel of the manager to understand that this is a moment this kid needs to play. It's his last chance to play to a place that was pretty much heaven to him as a kid he'd ride the bus or the trolley, whatever, to get there.
Speaker 2:That is such an incredible thing because you're right like you're such into that moment and I love how you said how slow it was. In that moment you know the ball is coming in, he makes contact, it's like the balls, like a I don't know well, yeah, when it's leaving the bat, I think about saying a lot, but it's like yeah it's exactly right when it's leaving the bat like.
Speaker 1:My first thought is and it happens in seconds. But my thought is is does this have a chance to leave the ball? Could this be a home run?
Speaker 2:this is impossible have you gone back and listened to your call?
Speaker 1:I've heard it because, yeah, yeah, 93.7 the Fan when John does a weekly show and they'll replay that. So yeah, I hear it. But I've talked to Rock about that. In fact I've introduced him at events and you know he's not a guy that gets teary-eyed very often but he admits that when that moment, when he reflects, he does. And he said he's never cried on the baseball field except when he went out back to third base after the home run that gave the Pirates the lead in the top of the inning. He goes out there and the crowd goes crazy and he said that's when he was really. He says I can't see because I got tears. I don't want to, you know, wipe them.
Speaker 2:yeah, because I don't want people to know I'm a tough guy and I had one of those moments in my career. Same thing, yeah, when I'm sure we'll get to it, but the blackout game for me when I walked out the introduction the introduction um. I'd been on the field reaction yeah, I'm in the field a month and a half, two months. What had happened? Why there was a standing ovation?
Speaker 1:Had you been hurt? Yeah, I'd been hurt. Oh, I didn't realize that.
Speaker 2:Just started walking off crutches and they're like hey, we're going to introduce you, you've got to go out, don't run. So everyone else is jogging out extended period of time and they're going ballistic the entire time and then I get to the end and they do it again and tears are just falling on my face.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cause, like when you're on the DL, I was always taught you don't exist. My, I remember our college coach telling me that. And even being in the meetings, you know talking to teammates, you know doing everything I can possibly think of to do for the city, for my team on the DL, you still don't feel part of it, but that moment made me just like boo-hoo a little bit.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's cool.
Speaker 2:I was the same way as Rock, but not my home run. That moment was the moment that was like wow.
Speaker 1:And they brought Jung Ho Gung out a wheelchair.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, For a wild card game. I mean, I think that's so important.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, a wild card game. I think that's so important. I agree we're here. You're one of the reasons we are here. Seriously, that's the truth. Hold my Cutter is the podcast here at Burned by Rocky Patel, and we are enjoying the featured cigar.
Speaker 2:The white label and, for everybody out there, this is called a torch.
Speaker 1:Oh, and it's a good one awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like a little kid the whole time you like all these toys here, I do, I do but uh, this is, this is great stuff here and talking to michael mckenry about these moments in his career, including. So I went back and looked for it at. Obviously we talked about the home run. The home run. Light it up. This is less than three weeks after your first home run. You're involved in one of the most controversial moments in Pirates history, which is I cannot believe it was less than three weeks after that home run at PNC Park that beat the Cubs. But in Atlanta Turner Field, Pirates led 2-0 in the first inning, 3-0 in the second. I didn't realize it in the first inning, 3-0 in the second. I didn't realize it. The reason they were leading 3-0 in the second? Because you hit your second career home run.
Speaker 2:It took a while, and against Tommy Hanson.
Speaker 1:Tommy Hanson yes.
Speaker 2:And I couldn't hit him in the minor leagues. He owned me and he hung me a slider and I deposited in the seats. So it's three to nothing. Yep, I didn't know, hey brownie, how long that game was. I did not know. I hit that homer that game. I thought it was the game before for the longest time.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, yeah, we're. In case you didn't realize, it's spoiler alert we're talking about the 19 inning game. The braves tie it in the third inning with three runs off jeff karstens. We talked about him in a previous inning, with three runs off Jeff Karstens. Talked about him in a previous episode, but you always like catching Karstens. Why? Because gamer.
Speaker 2:He, he was unconventional. I mean, we, we weren't in a time where the velocity was, you know, sitting about 95 on on league average, but he was kind of the old school approach. We used to call it playing wolf ball in backyard, you know, we, we would go into a game and if his ball was cutting, we played the cut and he may say, hey, I think I could really do this today to be something we've never done before, which one day it was a backdoor slider, one day it was a slow curveball, next day, hey, I'm going to wiggle in this split some. Today I was like, all right, just bounce it, see what happens.
Speaker 2:We're always adapting to the game and there's nothing more fun as a catcher than a guy that's out there just trying to figure out a way to compete and win. He was a guy that threw really hard at one point when he was with the Yankees. When he came over he could touch 94, but he knew the BP fastball, played the good changeup, being able to locate, and he knew his strengths. Having that, you could do a lot of cool stuff. That's why I love jeff carson so really a pitcher.
Speaker 2:He really was a definition of a pitcher right yeah, like he may drop down, do different things, because he's trying to learn the game and play the game in real time. Not just a scouting report, because that's that's really just a template to say this is where these guys are out, this is what you could do, but the game's going to tell you everything as it unfolds. If you don't watch the game and learn the game as you're playing it, you're going to eventually hit a wall and have to take a left or right. This guy was always willing to take that left or right, but in real time.
Speaker 1:Well, obviously he got a no decision that night because he gives up the three.
Speaker 2:it ties it at three, yeah they didn't let him go that long. No, no, no, I don't know why him go that long.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, I don't know why, yeah, but anyway in the uh. I didn't realize this until looking at the box score, but in the top of the ninth inning, trying to think how many chances the pirates might have had to regain the lead. Top of the ninth michael mckenry a one-out single toward the shortstop position off craig kimbrell. Brandon Wood is next. He singles you go to third. Eventually they give Wood second base, so it's second and third. With I think it was Xavier Paul at the plate and David Ross is catching. You get picked off third base. What are you thinking? Mchenry obviously wasn't thinking how can you get picked off in a tie game?
Speaker 2:in the ninth inning I got caught in between and honestly, if I look back at it, I'm sure it was a squeeze.
Speaker 1:Aha, well, that's okay. Statute of limitations. You can admit it now that it was a squeeze.
Speaker 2:It was. Maybe somebody missed a sign. It wasn't you. Okay, it was not you, and it wasn't you. Okay, yeah, it was not you, but yeah, it wasn't me, but it's always you, yeah.
Speaker 1:I know you always take responsibility, I remember taking the responsibility on air.
Speaker 2:and then I think Hurdle or somebody actually brought it up in his interview they're like why'd you take the blame? I was like because I'm a teammate.
Speaker 1:Good for you.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to throw him under the bus. Yeah uh huh yeah a lot of guys, a lot of guys did, but I thought so the squeeze goes awry and uh ends up a teammate under bus.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry, no, no heck, he checked again statute of limitations. We're talking about 2011 for goodness sake get over it. Anyway, you're in the. Uh, it's the bottom of the 19th inning, still tied at three, daniel mccutcheon who's pitched, I think, five innings to that point in relief. Have we gone into that part of it? We're going to. So, in terms of the relievers and Daniel McCutcheon, what a gamer he was.
Speaker 2:Unfolded. Yeah, so it's the ninth inning and we go into that tenth and he's going around asking guys like, hey, man, should I go get my spikes? Should I go get my spikes? I think I'm going to be needed, I think this is daniel mccutchey. He's very high, strong, he's like me, he's a gamer and eventually, like we all, just say, yeah, go. And all the coach were like no, you're, you're down.
Speaker 1:You've thrown the last three days you've been up for well, that's something he had already thrown the last three, last three days.
Speaker 2:And we used to call them turf days. Guys, that would not go to the bullpen, they had to stay in their turfs in the actual normal dugout. They couldn't go out there because they were not available. Like, don't even make it.
Speaker 1:Don't even go out there.
Speaker 2:Not even a thought. Well, he threw out a spike and ran out there.
Speaker 1:Did someone suggest that to him?
Speaker 2:It was a player's decision Because the coach was saying no. He ran out there and, sure enough, Yuki picked up the phone and said Kutch is ready, and he won the game, Ended up throwing five in the third inning. I believe that's the teammate you'll go to war with any day of the week, because I mean just zero after zero ends up throwing almost as much as Carson did. I mean, think about it.
Speaker 1:Incredible.
Speaker 2:On three days pitching four days up my gosh.
Speaker 1:So he goes out for that. Down the bottom of the 19th he gets Jason Hayward to ground out. Julio Lugo walks Jordan Schaefer I believe it was singles goes to second on defensive indifference. There's runners at second and third with one out. Scott Proctor is the batter for the Braves. Bottom of the 19th inning Tie game Pirates and Braves in Atlanta. Bottom of the 19th inning tie game Pirates and Braves in Atlanta. By the way, were you at all aware, prior to that game or since, about devastating losses by the Pittsburgh Pirates in that city, in Atlanta?
Speaker 2:You were not aware of it. Not at all.
Speaker 1:You have since been made aware, well aware, I'm sure. October 14th, of course, 1992, game 7. Aware, well aware, I'm sure. Absolutely october 14th, of course, 1992, game seven. Sid bream scores from second base on the francisco cabrera hit. That uh gives the braves that come from behind win over the pirates and the nlcs and brings them to the world series, but anyway. So now here's the ground ball to pedro alvarez. Take us, take it from there. You're catching, catching. So first off, scott Proctor is a pitcher right.
Speaker 2:So we know we have a pretty good chance to get out of this situation and we get him to roll over and hit a ball right to Pedro Pedro's playing, even with the bag they're all playing in. He gets the ball, throws me a bullet and I have a lane. So now it's actual rule, but I'm giving him a lane. Lugo slides probably about seven feet prior to the plate. So I go in, take my jab step and I kind of swipe tag I'm not going to destroy the guy. I mean, if I destroy him I'm probably going to get hit in the head. The next about so swipe tag him and I don't even think he's touched the plate.
Speaker 1:Even today, even today he has up today Julio Lugo.
Speaker 2:He's still not touched the plate has never touched home plate. And Jerry Mills just goes safe and my heart just drops Hands go here and I say, jerry, you missed it. There's no way I tagged him. I tagged him. He's like you missed the tag. And I said, jerry, you're so disappointing yourself Like wow.
Speaker 1:Like, wow, is that what you said? Yeah, I was like it's another. That's a heck of a way to curse out an umpire.
Speaker 2:You're going to be so disappointed in yourself when you watch the film. You should be disappointed, and by that time Snyder's out.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Hurdle's out, hurdle pushes Snyder out. Gum comes out of the mouth and he's this close to.
Speaker 2:Jerry Well looking red and they kind of pull us all away and we ended up losing that game. I mean 19 innings, everything that McCutcheon did, fighting, clawing, and this event was such a devastation to where we were going. I felt like it took the morale out of us just completely a gut punch. But we went into the locker room and a lot of times people don't know what happens afterwards. We're all going nuts, guys pissed off. Hurdle comes in, coach staff comes in, we have a meeting. We're putting the the game under suspension and then kind of putting it under review and hopefully protesting, yeah, a little protest, um, and we didn't know what was going to happen and you know from there.
Speaker 2:You know I'll never forget getting showered up leaving. We're there forever. It's probably 3 30 in the morning. I get into the tunnel where the family is and my wife is hot. I'm not talking, just by the way she looks brownie. Yeah, I'm talking.
Speaker 1:She is still like probably like anything you've ever seen from her she's ducking, she's diving and she is fired up.
Speaker 2:She's like why are you not madder? I'm like there's nothing I can do about it, like he's just human. And I remember going to sleep that night and she's still going, really yeah, so fired up. I'm like man. Have we ever switched roles?
Speaker 2:here wow she was just so wired about it. And, too, like brian, like I grew up at lana braves fan, that's my first time in Turner and I have probably 50 to 100 people there randomly, plus family that came and watched a lot of those games. So I mean when I get back in my phone and we're not in the new age iPhone era- we're in the okay iPhone era and it's just blown up to pieces because it went everywhere. I mean Martha Stewart's talking about it.
Speaker 1:It's on CNN, it's on Fox.
Speaker 2:It's everywhere. My wife ended up flying out the next day, or maybe two days later, and they're still talking about it. It's on every TV. So it was like it was a huge deal because why Was that the last game of that series? It was a woman game the next day, but it was during the day. We flew the woman game the next day, but it was during the day. We flew out that day A day game. The next day we got destroyed in Philly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, Fort. So the replay had been introduced in baseball a little earlier, but really only for home runs, foul balls. So, looking back, because I've thought about this a lot since replay now is in full swing and soon we'll have the automatic strike zone, we'll get into at some point. Yeah, a little teaser. It tells you what Ford thinks of it. But do you think I have an opinion? Do you think replay would have overturned that?
Speaker 2:You remember, so I want to say yes.
Speaker 1:You want to. Your heart says yes, my heart says yes.
Speaker 2:My heart says yes. But remember early on with the review they kind of had a brotherhood and they kind of stuck it out with plays if they could. I don't know how they get around with Lugo not touching home at first.
Speaker 1:I don't know if there's an angle that exists. I've seen every angle. I've never seen an angle that actually shows definitively that he did hit home plate. Otherwise that call has to stand.
Speaker 2:Right. So it'd be interesting to see what happened. And I'll never forget. Something I don't share often is next time I catch and Joe West is behind the plate, he tells me hey, next time bury him into the ground. Well, now you can't do that either.
Speaker 2:So now we have two rules that kind of make it impossible to do anything different than what I did, and I was trying to be a good dude and not destroy this guy, because baseball is a big family and you kind of swipe tag him and remember Brown, we're still in the neighborhood, play era at second base.
Speaker 1:You didn't have to touch second base. Well, that's why it was so surprising, by the way, back then.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just think he had a brain fart.
Speaker 1:I really do. Well, what kind of conversations down the road did you have with him, when he was either at home plate and you were catching or on the bases? Any at all?
Speaker 2:I ended up catching almost 300 more games and never had him, never had him after that. Never.
Speaker 1:Again incredible twist to the mchenry fort you can't make that up and I felt like every time he was behind the plate and I thought I was catching that was intentional by baseball, I don't know, but it makes you wonder see theorists.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 300 games and not that. Yeah, yep, and it's not like I didn't have him. I mean he was the chief. You know my last two or three years he was a chief, yeah he, he was, he was the chief. My last two or three years he was a chief Crew chief. Yeah, he was the guy that maybe moved himself sometimes. I have no idea.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's incredible.
Speaker 2:I could talk to him at first base, always said hello, never was rude to him. I knew how good of an umpire he was. But he did make a huge mistake and the biggest thing I say all the time to those umpires is like own it.
Speaker 1:Yeah thing I say all the time to those umpires is like, own it, yeah like if you own your mistake and say you know what I missed it, so bring in your guys and I know, just respect to jerry meals, because I've never had a conversation with him. By the way, he's a local guy butler that came later on the road too.
Speaker 1:I didn't know and I felt for years now he's no, he retired but but I felt badly for years because I felt I almost contributed to the fans ire over the many years that followed, even years when announcements before the game at PNC park would be made here's the umpiring crew, and Jerry meals were on that crew. He would hear it the booze, and I felt like, and it was not intentional. My, I never forget my call because I hear it, the booze. And I felt like, and it was not intentional. My, I never forget my call because I hear it on occasion. But you've got to be kidding me. Jerry meals, yeah, because I looked down to confirm.
Speaker 1:On my scorecard I write down all the umpires, their location. I wanted to be certain that's who it was. And again, not to in a vitriolic way, but just because that's's a fact. And I was on with John Wainer that night and we just couldn't believe how hard fought that game was for it to end there. On top of everything else, proctor the pitcher slips and falls in the box. So Daniel McCutcheon, the pitcher unbeknownst to you, is assuming it's an out call and he is screaming from in front of the mound to you throw to first, because it's an inning ending double play in his mind no clue, right?
Speaker 2:He's just called him safe.
Speaker 1:Now you had no clue that he was yelling it because you're telling him the game's over. He doesn't even look that way. He's yelling at you. Throw to first. You're not aware he's yelling at you.
Speaker 2:No, I have no clue, because I mean for me the game just ended in a spectacularly bad fashion. I mean it's something that you never forget. And, Brandon, when I say like we fell apart, after that you look at the record, you see how we played in Philadelphia. I mean we played so bad, it took so much of the win we had a game the next day that we lost late in the ballgame too against the Braves. So it was one of those games that you can look back on and say that was a complete U-turn we took with the motion.
Speaker 1:The only thing I'm going to say to that. To be fair, I thought about this because fans believe and that's okay, that that was the turning point that the Pirates would have gone on to a playoff spot had they won that game. It was that meaningful, but that separates baseball from every other sport. You've got to turn the page the next night and win that game.
Speaker 1:It's the starting pitcher's momentum, the whole thing Because the following year, incredibly enough, you're still on the team 2012. The Pirates play a 19-inning game in St Louis and beat the Cardinals, but have the September collapse for the ages in 2012. So a 19-inning win did not catapult the Pirates the following year into the postseason Again, to be fair.
Speaker 2:But first of all that was a wives' trip, by the way.
Speaker 1:That was yeah, the next year.
Speaker 2:It never ceases to amaze me how baseball plays things out when things like that, like a 19 in a game, it's usually a family trip or something where it shouldn't be because it never works out the way it's supposed to. But that game, two guys went 0 for 8. Me and Matt Holliday.
Speaker 1:I wasn't going to point that out. You and Matt Holiday went 0 for 8. I had a home run robbed in that game?
Speaker 2:What? Who robbed you, grichik?
Speaker 1:Randall Grichik.
Speaker 2:Yep, I got to play with him. He's like. I'll never forget that one.
Speaker 1:He robbed you of a home run, yep.
Speaker 2:Yep, it was a, that would have been the difference, well gonna win the only way that game was gonna end. Somebody ended at homer. Of course it was the bull he hates red that's incredible for us.
Speaker 1:Um, so we talked about jerry meals and we won't, you know, spend. And, by the way, you did nothing wrong.
Speaker 2:I mean he had to come out and apologize well, that was, that was my.
Speaker 1:That was my point. The only the only thing I have an issue with. I'd love to talk to Jerry someday about it. No disrespect, I have the greatest respect in the world because I think they're the best officials of any sport.
Speaker 1:It's a hard job I have shown that that they're so good. But I don't know how contrite he was. He almost seemed a little bit, at least from the quotes. I don't know how contrite he was, he almost seemed a little bit, at least from the quotes. He was reticent to admit a mistake even later on when the league pushed him to say you made a mistake.
Speaker 2:Correct me if I'm wrong. You've been in the game longer than I have. But from my experience, the guys that are willing to say, hey, you're right, I missed it, or even in a game, like, hey, what'd you think? I mean how many conversations I've had catching and they're asking me, was that a strike, was that a ball? And yeah, I could manipulate it. But a lot of the guys I got a favor with because I would tell them the truth.
Speaker 1:Oh, you know how much more forgiving everyone is.
Speaker 2:Fans umpires everyone in the game when you're contrite in all aspects of life. Roger clemens andy pettit enough said how about the difference? One guy came out and said hey, it's what happened. This is why I owned it. Baseball forever loves him, roger clemens.
Speaker 1:You know a lot of people still despise that man, but they fought for something differently instead of saying, hey, yeah, this is what happened yep, well, and I point this out because a year earlier, June 2nd 2010, Armando Galarraga, pitching against the then Cleveland Indians in Detroit, is one out away from a perfect game. There's a ground ball to the right side. He covers, hits the bag before the ball, before the runner, Jason Donald, arrives. The first base umpire is Jim Joyce. He rules him safe. Perfect game is over. He it takes Galarraga's name, uh, robs him of an historic perfect game moment. But unlike, again, my belief and and maybe not fair to say it, because I want to talk to Jerry about it and and it's not fair that that we never really saw him on video. It was more of just a quote. But boy, Jim Joyce did exactly what we talked about. He almost immediately said I blew it. I ruined history for this guy. I blew it. He kept saying that.
Speaker 1:But Fort, what I often think about with replay replay has taken away moments. So, right or wrong, those indelible moments are gone, Even if it hurts your team, like the Pirates and the Pirates and you because the next day, your team like the Pirates and the Pirates and you Because the next day, Jim Leland in all of his wisdom, recently, of course, we're going to have Jim on a podcast. This is Hold my Cutter and we'll have the now Hall of Fame manager then of the Detroit Tigers. In his infinite wisdom he saw fit the next day to give that lineup card to Armando Galarraga. So Galarraga, the pitcher who had that moment robbed of him the previous day, goes out to home plate and meets the umpiring crew and who is calling balls and strikes that day with that equipment on? But Jim Joyce, the man who had made the call the day before, and the two of them shake hands and embrace and Jim Joyce is visibly shaken, crying.
Speaker 1:Now that's a moment, not just a baseball moment, societal moment about how it's okay to make a mistake. You can be forgiven. What a great baseball lesson. That is Life lesson, Life lesson. But that's taken from us because of replay. Yeah, and feel.
Speaker 2:We're going to say that a lot in this podcast is because I think the game has lost a lot of feel because of technology, whether it's replay, whether it's analytics. And that moment that Leland said this is what needs to happen gave, in my opinion, jim Joyce a chance to have his piece, but also, at the same time, if, if Colorado is willing to do that, I mean that moment's really special because they can both move on right and it's a moment that'll live on forever. And I've had arguments with guys whether it should be, you know, an asterisk where he gets the perfect game. And I say no, I like the moment in history way better. Like, keep it as is. He threw a great game. I mean, what he did there is really remarkable. But that moment, I think, in history and everything that surrounds it, means so much more.
Speaker 1:I argue that we okay. Players can make mistakes, managers, coaches can make mistakes. Fans can make mistakes. Managers, coaches can make mistakes. Fans can make mistakes, broadcasters can make mistakes. The only ones that have to be perfect are the umpires or the officials. I don't understand that. Why. Why can't they make mistakes?
Speaker 1:Right, and we always forget what falls in our favor, because of one thing that fell out of favor and, by the way, baseball is 162 games for a reason, because mistakes are made and it all evens out. It's like don deckinger, the the uh first base umpire, the the uh cardinals and the royals uh game six of that 1985 world series ninth inning one nothing, uh cardinals lead it. Uh. Jorge orta hits that ground ball to first base. Deckinger calls him safe, he safe, he should have been out. Outrage. The Royals end up winning that game two to one. That was game six. The Cardinals could have won game seven, they did not. There's always a tomorrow and it bothers me that everybody the umpires have to be perfect. Nobody else has to be perfect. Everybody else can make mistakes, but umpires are the ones that have to be perfect. So now at replay, we're going to try and make everything perfect, which it never will be.
Speaker 2:And it's all an adage as a team, I think, when you look back at 11 and 12, and we're kind of embracing what's happening now with the pirates of maybe they're at that that 12 range it maybe they're at that 12 range it's all about the bounce back. How can you control the things you can not, worry about the things you can't and just move on to the next day, find those little victories, the little wins? If we looked back at that 2011 game 19 innings, brownie or in St Louis and said, man, look at all the things we did well, but then the game we ended up losing, losing, they go to st louis. Look at all the things we did wrong and ended up winning, because we should have won that game nine times probably, and that's the fact is like we have to reflect and look back at what we need to move on, to grow, learn and get better. So often we just we just pile the bad on. Yeah, we focus on that wait a minute.
Speaker 2:Did we win that game?
Speaker 1:by the way, the bad is okay.
Speaker 2:It comes along with the good. That's what makes you enjoy the good, right yeah?
Speaker 1:I mean, if somebody didn't miss a suicide squeeze bunt that day, the Pirates might have won it in nine innings and he will remain nameless from this point forward. But again, that's a chance. The Pirates would have won. Would have won and we wouldn't be talking. We're talking about that still to this day, about that 19 inning game. Hey, we've got just one more moment in your career. Your pirate career finishes up in 2013, july 27th. You play 41 games that year. I'll never forget it for it. Because we could see that you had hurt your knee badly. Turns out we didn't know it was a torn meniscus in the seventh inning. But talk about why you guys love guys like Daniel McCutcheon and others gamers. How about that moment that not many people know about? How did you hurt it?
Speaker 2:Sliding into second breaking up a double play, not the double play breakups nowadays, where you can't make contact, you're talking about.
Speaker 2:you go in and if you break up the double play they don't make the throw or they fall down. You get high fives in the dugout. That's the way the game should be played, my opinion. I never want to put people in harm's way, but this time he did a really good job, kind of deked me a little bit and kind of pulled back last second. So I hit the bag, my knee hits and I feel it tear immediately. And the problem was, if it tore I would have been fine. Maybe it flowed around, but it got caught underneath my kneecap, my leg got stuck and just happened to be a four-hit game. I just started playing a little bit more. Russell and myself went into Hurdle's office and Russell was exhausted. He was playing too much and pretty much talked Hurdle and Kutcheff into hey, we need to play this guy more. So I'm not beat up and he was hurt at the time.
Speaker 1:So the starting catcher's hurt that day. Yep, that day, you the backup, and you knowing that you know that, martin, you need to play, and despite the fact you knew you had done some major damage to your knee, a catcher goes out there and then catches after getting hurt in the top of the seventh inning that was. I can't imagine the pain you must have been in every time you'd get into that catcher's crouch With a torn meniscus.
Speaker 2:I could keep it bent, it would straighten it out. So I threw from my knees. Blocking wasn't very fun, but the only thing I was thinking about is, if I get through this game, maybe, just maybe, I'll be okay. Pretty much knowing I wouldn't be, but yeah, I told Benny as soon as I came off the field after the slide are you okay?
Speaker 1:are you okay?
Speaker 2:And I said I'm stuck, my knee's stuck, and we go down the tunnel and we're yanking on that thing trying to unlock. It Doesn't unlock. He's like can you go? Hurdle's yelling down, what's the word? And Martin puts on his gear, not knowing, and I'm like I'm good, I got it. I just ran out and made it work and we ended up winning the ball game. I think Tony Watson and Grilly at the time Maybe it was Tony Watson, melanson and Grilly, I don't remember who it was, but it kind of blacked out a little bit. Special moment for me to just finish the game, because I always said I always wanted to finish If I was able to. I wanted to finish. One time I got pulled off field because of blood and I was so mad. But yeah, if I was able to play physically and not put my team in a bad place, I wanted to.
Speaker 1:Last game of your Pirates career, last game. Incredible. Here's to you. Yeah, fort. Thank you, sir. Thanks for the coffee mugs, by the way, and thanks for tuning in, as always to Hold my Cutter, and thanks to the great folks here at Burn by Rocky Patel, an incredible story, the Michael McHenry Fort story. Hey, Fort, hold my cutter.
Speaker 2:Think about it like that, right there, that's the cutter I'm thinking about.