speaker-0: That moment surely brought a a ton of perspective to to our whole family and understanding how fragile life was. You know, she had an incredible attitude about everything and and that's really kind of why we are here today talking and you know, she wanted us to kind of push in this regard. Nobody else would really have to suffer her fate. Those were kind of her words and something that's stuck with us. You know, so we're trying to do our small part to move that needle.

speaker-1: Welcome to the Giving Game, the only show where professional athletes are banned from talking about their sport. That's right. No stats, no game recaps, no media trained answers. I'm your host, Sophie Weitzel, and every episode we find out who these athletes actually are when the cameras stop rolling and the jerseys come off. We're talking untold stories, questionable life decisions, dating disasters, money, family, fame, philanthropy, and all the stuff their PR teams would probably prefer state off the internet. But here's the twist. Every episode is tied to a charity or cause chosen by the athlete. So while we're exposing personalities, we're also raising real money and driving measurable impact for the organizations that matter. There are only three rules on this show: no sports talk, no filters, raise as much money as possible. So if you've ever wondered what athletes are really like off the field, welcome to the giving game. Let the game begin. Today we have Mr. Steven Piscotti. As I was just telling Stephen, Everybody knows, like I don't really know the guests at all, and it's super fun because I don't know anything about Steven's background in baseball. I just know he's a baseball player, but we have three rules on the giving game where we don't talk sports, ⁓ and there's no PR answers, and we try to raise as much as we can for your cause. So, welcome, Steven. Cool. Yeah, yeah. So tell us a little bit about.

speaker-0: Yeah, thank you for having me. This is wonderful.

speaker-1: your cause and kind of what motivated you to come on the giving game.

speaker-0: Yeah. So my father and I started the ALS Cure project after my mother Gretchen passed away from ALS in in twenty eighteen. ⁓ it happened during kind of the middle of my career and at the time had a a platform and it's still to still do to some regard to kind of share and educate people a bit about ALS and kinda drive more awareness and more more funding. And you know, we've been at it now for for quite a few years and you know, we've Our our our mission is all about research and in funding 'cause currently there is no cure for ALS and it it feels like an underfunded disease in in our opinion, because it is very rare and so we're just trying to do all the the all that we can to you know, move the needle a lot closer to a cure.

speaker-1: Yeah, it's incredible. I you know, I've gotta say, you don't hear about a lot of women who have ALS. And I was in the ⁓ medical field and so it's usually more common in men, correct?

speaker-0: I I believe there is some some data right yeah.

speaker-1: Yeah, I I what do you think is the biggest misconception about ALS that people ⁓ just may not know?

speaker-0: That's a good question. I don't know if there's a misconception as much as just people aren't sure maybe, you know, what exactly it is. You know, it's a disease that, you know, attacks your your your nervous system. And basically you while your brain stays fully there, you're fully mentally, you know, with it, slowly your body kind of deteriorates in the sense that you you can no longer control certain parts of your body. And, you know, sometimes for for people it starts with a speech. from my mother and others, it started with her foot and not being able to just raise her foot. And once that kinda gets started, there's no stopping it. And it just kinda spreads throughout. And really what kind of ends everything is the ability to you lose the ability to to breathe. And so at that point, yeah, that's just kind of the end of the line. And it's it's really sad to see someone go through that and to know that they're, you know, mentally all there. It's just a really hard combination and Especially with my mom and someone that we love so much to see her, you know, suffer like that. was really hard. So

speaker-1: I I well obvious I'm just so sorry to hear about your mother. How how old was she when she passed? Fifty five. I'm so sorry. You know, it is there anything that she talked about during the process or any revelations that she kind of gave you during the process when she knew everything was happening, obviously. That you remember anyway.

speaker-0: Fifty five. You know, that moment surely brought a a ton of perspective to to our whole family and understanding how fragile life was. You know, she had an incredible attitude about everything and and that's really kinda why we are here today talking and you know, she she wanted us to kinda push in this regard so that you know nobody else would really have to suffer her fate. Those were kind of her her words and something that's stuck with us, you know, so we're trying to do our small part to to move that needle, but You know, she in her in her final days I remember everybody, you know, coming over to the house to to spend time with her and all the questions, you know, if she wanted to know how other people were doing, she was just that type of person and you know, sitting there and and kinda hosting those visits really impacted me and in how she was handling that and yeah, just her her attitude and approach to life was, you know, something to really admire.

speaker-1: I love that. So do you feel like this is kind of what has given you purpose after baseball? Is this your kind of go to?

speaker-0: Yeah, you know, I've I got done playing two years ago and trying to figure out kind of what's next for me. This is obviously, you know, an important thing. And you know, I have a a a family now with three young kids and you know, that's that's definitely a big focus of mine and just trying to be super dad as best I can. But yeah, this is, you know, something that's you know, part of our family now.

speaker-1: Kiddos.

speaker-0: I have a five and a half, about to be four and about to be two. So they're

speaker-1: So okay. ⁓ my god, like little, little, little. Little little. ⁓ my gosh. So are you the c are you the coach? Are you the baseball coach? Or are you like I get keep keep me out of it.

speaker-0: Literal. No, I I I was chomping at the bit to ⁓ start with a T ball. So that my oldest son started this year, which was really fun and yeah, I'm I'm all for that that type of stuff. So I'll be there.

speaker-1: ⁓ I love that. I think that this is just so cool that you're taking, you know, the grief that you had with your mom and turning it into something that it's like, okay, let's turn this grief into purpose. Is there anything about your foundation when you when you meet some pot if you meet anybody, if you have you met any patients that you're like, ⁓ my gosh, my mom would love this person or anybody that's reminded you of your mom in any way?

speaker-0: Yeah, that's it's an interesting part of of kind of our our charitable journey is you know, we do meet lots of families and you know, it's it's kind of a hard either introduction or meeting or whatever because you're you're sad to be meeting them. You understand what's kinda going on. ⁓ so we have we have met some just incredible people and we have some incredible people that have helped us with our charity and and you know, using their stories to amplify ours. ⁓ and so that's been that's been really special as well. But yeah, yeah, I always think about, you know, those those meetings. It's it's great to to talk to someone and it's great to get their support. But at the same time you just you almost feel bad that you're meeting them for that reason. Yeah. It's just kind of it's a weird dynamic, but yes, the nature of it.

speaker-1: How do you approach talking to somebody with ale? It's like, how do you approach talking to them and saying, you know, I'm sorry this is happening to you, but keep hope? Like, do you say that or do you just say, you know, I'm just sorry?

speaker-0: Yeah, I mean that's that's what's so challenging with ALS is there there is no hope and that's that's why we're working so that there will be more hope. But I remember, you know, my mom was diagnosed and I think she passed about a year and a half ⁓ or maybe even sooner from that diagnosis. And our approach as a family is we're gonna still go live life. You know, we didn't want to sit and and and kind of dwell on it. So if Yeah. You know, for for me and meeting people, it's just like I wanna talk to them and and learn about themselves and and acknowledge but also let's you know, let's talk about this cool event that that we're at or the music or something like that. That's yeah, you know, where I where I go with that that type of stuff.

speaker-1: So do you talk to your kids about their grandmas or any stories that you talk about that keep her memory alive?

speaker-0: Yeah, we we definitely bring her up. You know, I think they're still too young to understand yeah, you know, what happened and obviously they've never met her. So, you know, that's we're we're tiptoeing into that that realm, but there's we we do talk about her and there's photos all over the house and say that's Dada's mom right there or whatever and no no pressing questions for them yet, but yeah, we do keep her family alive for sure.

speaker-1: Yeah. So tell me, Steven, who who are you like without baseball, without ALS research? What is like a typical Sunday afternoon look like for you?

speaker-0: It it Who is It's now the answer should be with kids or without kids. ⁓

speaker-1: This guy. Okay. We'll start with L without.

speaker-0: Kids, you can only find me at a golf course. Okay. For sure. I I love the golf. I I started doing that when I was playing and it was a good way to take my mind off off the game and and just I like to be outside. I like to be outdoors. I like to go fishing, like to do camping and and that sort of thing. ⁓

speaker-1: Do you guys do a golf tournament? Do you guys do one for your foundation?

speaker-0: We do. We d we've done golf tournaments. We're we're doing a top a top golf event in September, so that's definitely part of the it seems to be part of the the normal ⁓ charity thing is golf tournaments. So yes. So and we just did one in Texas actually with one of our board members that was that was a big hit. So

speaker-1: Totally. are you going to Tyson's golf tournament?

speaker-0: Yeah, I'll be there in November. Yep.

speaker-1: Hey, me too. Fun. I told Tyson I was gonna get I told him I was gonna get everybody really drunk so that they would donate a lot of money. He was like perfect.

speaker-0: Yeah, yeah. He he's he's got some great contacts and he's he's a great guy. So yeah, I'll I'll I'll meet you there. That'll be awesome.

speaker-1: Yeah, no, no kidding. I I so I do have a question. And this is just like for my listeners that wanna understand, because I think whenever I started this journey, people had a lot of questions as to like why I was so focused on athletes. And they were like, Why do you feel so bad for these athletes who have millions of followers? And, you know, like why is it that they're the ones that you have all this sympathy for. And I'm like, because you guys have never had a platform ever to talk about anything outside of like your sport, really. Like you've never had a platform to where you can talk about, hey, this is what I really care about. This is where my passion is, my heart is, like this is what really matters to me. And you know, you guys are really trying to do a lot of the work on a grassroot level. I obviously know that there are big foundations that are doing the huge work. Right. And like It's great. It's kind of like big picture day-to-day. And I feel like you guys are the day-to-day that aren't getting as much awareness, right? Or like as much funding, whatever it may be. But my question for you is like, what has been your biggest struggle in your like nonprofit journey? Like, what is the biggest misconception about athletes, nonprofits? And like, why is it so hard for you guys to get your mission out?

speaker-0: ⁓ that's a question. I think every mission, every everything that an athlete does is can be on a big spectrum. So I think you know, there's certain things that are easy to to rally around. And I guess I say that in the sense that it's it's more common. So cancer obviously, you know, gets a lot of attention and and for good reason. I think when and I don't want to call ourselves a niche charity, but when you're, you know, attacking a very specific thing, sometimes it's hard to get that widespread contribution from from everybody. So I think that's probably been our our biggest challenge. You know, it's you know, we do all these events and we get we get great turnout. but you know, it's I think what we're not that we're lacking, but you know, we've heard of, you know, in you know, cancer charities, whatever, people writing really big checks that go really far. You know, the money that we receive goes really far in our opinion. You know, we work pretty hard for not a small amount, but you know, sometimes that flywheel tends to flow a little bit easier for the charities that are more focused on the the bigger market stuff, I guess is the best way. It's a weird way to talk about things like that. That's how I described

speaker-1: So does your charity like take the funds and give it to like a bigger ALS research organization? Or how do you how do you do that? How do you go into like tackling the research side? Do you just have a team that does it?

speaker-0: my dad. It's my dad. Yeah. He's so he he just retired. He worked at Livermore National, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and they do a lot of research. And so he's kind of used to being around people that do this type of thing, but you know, more for government grants and stuff like that. ⁓ so he has a good feel for it and he's spearheading all of it and he's really

speaker-1: No way.

speaker-0: Finagle is not the right word, but he's really wedged himself into some of these research, ALS research communities and and done some impressive things. So kind of the three main buckets that we're we're focused on right now. One is a drug repurposing kind of study, trying to figure out if there's drugs that are already exist out in the world that could extend the life of ALS patients. And so that's kind of one big one big bucket. The other bucket is just data collection. So in order for a lot of these pharmaceutical company pharmaceutical companies to do research they need or to find drugs, they need the basic research and that doesn't exist. And so the second big bucket, we're trying to just collect as much data as possible. They call it multimodal, trying to get different blood samples or x ray, like all these different things and bring them together to get a snapshot in time. And so that's another big one. And the other one is looking at ⁓ genes. So for ALS, there are genetic predispositions to it that people know about and are aware of, and it's one specific gene. We are trying to fund a study to look at all the genes and understand if there are combinations of genes that lead to ALS. And so that one's actually pretty incredible data set that my Yeah. So the my date my dad had

speaker-1: That's super

speaker-0: Got his hands on this data set. It took like five days to download onto this computer. So just a ton of data. And then he's got some research people that are looking into, you know, with AI now you can do pattern analysis and stuff like that to try to locate kind of combinations of genes. So we're doing all of that. So all the money that we raise goes into those projects that are kind of self directed through a lot of my dad's work. So

speaker-1: I I could probably nerd Yeah. I was gonna say I could probably nerd out with your dad for like a really long time. I love that stuff. That's so cool. So cool.

speaker-0: He goes deep.

speaker-1: Yeah. I love that for him. I mean, do you feel like that is like his what has kept him going is, you know, f this purpose of his for sure?

speaker-0: Yeah, I think, you know, after retiring, yeah, it's definitely a purpose. That's it's a very noble mission for sure. And he wants it to be over, right? He wants it to be cured and and on to onto the next thing. But yeah, there's there's a ways to go, but all you can do is chip away.

speaker-1: So I mean, I have seen with like the Chris Johnson story that, you know, came out pretty recently, like more of the the talks of ALS and more of like the the ice bucket challenges. I wonder how you feel about that. Do you feel like that's raised awareness and like, you know, has it made a pretty big impact that you've seen? Or is it just like, ⁓ this is just a social media thing? I feel like anytime somebody talks about something, it's a good thing, but you know, other people have different opinions. Yeah.

speaker-0: No, I I agree with that take anything that they can do to help. I don't care who figures it out, you know, we just want someone to figure it out. And, you know, there's also organizations that are just focused on care. So when someone gets ALS, there's a lot of equipment, there's a lot of money that goes into you know, kind of retrofitting a house. Yeah. And that sort of thing. So there's charities focused just on that, helping families financially get through that.

speaker-1: Did you guys get to keep your mom at home or did she have to go to a facility or

speaker-0: No, no, she was at home the whole time and ⁓ yeah, we did some work on the the bathroom and kinda the bed and some sort of you know, other ramps and things like that. But yeah, she was able to stay home, which was great.

speaker-1: Okay. Yeah. So you said that it was genetic and there is like a gene where you're predispositioned to have this. Did you get tested by chan? Like do you do you and your kids get tested just to make sure?

speaker-0: Yeah, so we well we actually tested my ⁓ my mom to see if she had the gene. ⁓ because there's ALS you get from genetics and then there's they call it sporadic ALS where nobody really understands why what turns it on and and gets it going and that's yeah, what we're working on trying to find out. But she was tested and did not have it. So we know that we're we're in the clear. I haven't been tested, but

speaker-1: There's some people that would probably just like not want to know, right? Especially if there's not a cure. Do you think like you're one of those people that's like, hey, I don't want you know, I'd rather just not know? Yeah. That's a hard question. Sorry.

speaker-0: I I think I'd rather know that's just the way I am. But yeah, yeah, everyone's different.

speaker-1: sure. I I'm just I yeah, I'm just curious because I'm the type of person that I'm like, I think knowledge is power, and so whatever I can find out. But you know, there's other people that are like, don't tell me. Like just I'd rather not know, you know. But so now I'm like curious a little bit more about your your life outside of this and just like what you know, everything looks like for you now, how you like move forward and You know, obviously golf is like a huge part of your life. I'm just curious if you have like a golfer that you nerd out about and think he's like the coolest ever, you can't say Tiger Woods because that's obvious.

speaker-0: Yeah. Cash. I really like watching you know, Scotty and and Rory. I don't know that I have a favorite. But I do love watching all the majors. That's something that I really enjoy.

speaker-1: You give me like a Scotty vibe. You give me like Scotty a little bit. A little Scotty vibes. Yeah. Yeah. Scotty vibes. I could see it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

speaker-0: He's great.

speaker-1: What's your guilty pleasure TV show? Do you have one?

speaker-0: I will watch The Office at Nauseum. That's kinda one of my favorite shows.

speaker-1: Yeah. Me too. If you had a character, who would it be?

speaker-0: My wife thinks I look similar to Jim with bigger nose and that's

speaker-1: ⁓ my wife just thinks I look like the hottest one on the show. It's no big deal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's fine. No, I mean, if you had personality, like your personality, would you say you're a gym?

speaker-0: Yeah.

speaker-1: Hopefully not a Toby.

speaker-0: I don't know that I'm necessarily a gym and a personality on that show. I don't know. I I tend to be a little bit more reserved. My my wife is more extroverted. Mm I don't know. I don't know from that show if I if I match up with with that but ⁓

speaker-1: Okay, well as long as you're not a toe.

speaker-0: Yeah. I mean Dwight's hilarious, but I don't know that Yeah. Don't know that I'm like

speaker-1: Well now I'm gonna really judge you on your absolute favorite episode because I also am an office nerd and I've seen every episode like twenty times.

speaker-0: Yeah. Ooh, you own my favorite episode. For the immature one, I'm not gonna say. And then that first seep.

speaker-1: What no, you have to s you have to tell me.

speaker-0: is the one with the PDA, I think, in the first season. I don't know what it's called.

speaker-1: ⁓ with with Michael and Holly where they like have a PDA talk in front of everyone

speaker-0: No, I don't know. That that first season was so good.

speaker-1: It really is. And it's so underrated because like people don't appreciate it, I think, until you like go back and like watch the whole series and then go back and watch the first season. And you're like, ⁓ my gosh, that's just so money, you know. But I've just now started letting my my twelve year old because he's got this like really old soul, very like dry sense of humor, you know. And so I'm like, Okay, he'll think this is hilarious, you know. So he started watching it with me and I had this like bandana the other day. We're getting ready to go golfing. And I have this bandana on. He goes, Why do you look like Prison Mike? And I was like, God, I absolutely, you know, kind of like hate that I let you watch this because he's got so many good, like funny one liners from the show now. I'm like, ⁓ man. Yeah. But I think, you know I told him, he goes, I why is it that you always skip over Scott's tots? You'll never watch that episode. And I was like, because it gives me secondhand embarrassment. I physically can't get through it. Yeah, that was so it's like it gives me secondhand, like I don't know what I was like, I can't do it. And I think any office fan really understands that. But like the

speaker-0: Yeah.

speaker-1: Yeah. I know. The bloopers from the bloopers from the I'm sorry, I could make a whole podcast about the office, but the bloopers from the dinner party episode absolutely kill me every time. I just like lose it every time Michael pushes that TV back into the wall. I just like lose it. It's like that's yeah. Okay. Sorry, but

speaker-0: You hurt. It's a cringy episode for sure.

speaker-1: ⁓ yeah. No, I my my son, he's like, I'm gonna get you that tape for Christmas and I was like, What? What tape are you talking about? And he's like, The one that Hunter sang for Jan. And I was like, You know what? You'd be my you would be my favorite kid if you did that. You know? But I I'm very excited for you to have kids that are just a little bit older and you can share like those moments of like a little bit of adulthood, not quite the like I don't feel like the office is like that bad, but You know, it it definitely couldn't get made today, I don't think, but you know, I still am so glad that like you can have those moments with your kids and Yeah. Yeah. What I want what I'm trying to do is get my kids more into golf. Are you like on that bandwagon of like getting your kids out there golfing?

speaker-0: Yeah, I have my oldest loves it. My middle boys he's coming around, but yeah, we we w hard. I try to my approach with it is it's supposed to be just fun. So, you know, if they hit the ball on the fairway, drive the cart, you know, sitting on my lap and we'll play music and have some snacks and that sort of thing. So yeah, my oldest is he's definitely into it and my baby girl, she's just

speaker-1: It's really hard.

speaker-0: She's about to be two, so she doesn't really know what's what, but she notices I'll pick up clubs, my oldest, and then she'll want to go do it. And she's like looks like she's sweeping with her putter, but she's like trying to do it. Like she wants to she wants to play too. So that'll be

speaker-1: Your wife does your wife play or is she like, No, I'm good?

speaker-0: Not so much. I think she would. She's starting to get into tennis now and doing some lessons. We also take the kids out there for that and that's my approach with all the sports, is just like all the sports. Do all of it. Lay it on and see what sticks, see what they like. Yeah.

speaker-1: I when I started taking lessons, I actually like don't live you may have heard of the course, but it's Top of the Rock or the one that Tiger Woods built, it's called Pain's Valley. And so I'm like really not very far. And they do lessons there. And she told me she was like, old athletes are honestly the worst ones to coach. And she was like an old LGPA, you know, player or whatever. And she's great. But She was like, they're the worst ones to coach because you're like everything that you're you've been taught like your whole life is like, I'm telling you to do the opposite. Your body just like doesn't do that. So I'm wondering if that was hard for you with baseball.

speaker-0: Yeah, I I took lessons. My one of my good friends for I was a groomsman or I was the best man and as a gift, the groomsman gift was some golf lessons, which was like kinda funny and backhanded because he he generally beats me although I'm starting to get him now. ⁓ but I went and did and I was just like I kinda left it's like, man, I just didn't get a lot out of that and I wonder if it's a two way street. So like my approach now is I I just go and try to figure it out on my own or watch. I mean, I'll watch I'll watch the videos on Instagram or whatever and get confused just like anybody else, but I like to try to figure it out on my own.

speaker-1: I do I do make fun of you guys a lot because I'm like I think is it like a prerequisite like when you retire from being a professional athlete, you just automatically get into golf. Is that like a you have to move from one to the next? Because I feel like everybody does.

speaker-0: Yeah, yeah. It's yeah, yeah. Some people are that way. Yeah.

speaker-1: You just I mean, I do you feel like it's really hard for you to stay patient or are you just like a naturally patient person? Like that was not hard for you. 'Cause you don't just start out being good. Like you have to be pretty bad for quite a while, I think.

speaker-0: I feel like I am more persistent than most. I will really put the time in. I don't mind spending hours and hours on something that like I'm trying to get better at. I will I will kinda go nuclear in the sense that I'll just keep going and going. Like if someone's gotta pull me away and stop. That's just how I and I was that way with baseball too. But and it might I might not do it the most efficiently in trying to get better, but I will I will just take swing swing after swing.

speaker-1: So are you like completely retired or do you like do any kind of coaching or anything like that now? Yeah.

speaker-0: So I'm actually in Arizona right now coaching with the A's. ⁓ they just had a draft class come into town and so we're here seeing all the new draft picks and getting them acclimated and it's a fun week and getting to hear it's really cool. We're getting to hear their stories. Everyone's kinda coming in and introducing themselves and how they got to this moment. And it's actually really, really interesting to hear where all these kids came from. It's it's pretty special. Yeah. ⁓

speaker-1: So you're like okay, for baseball you have like certain coaches, right? Like are like a hitting coach or just like a any okay, okay.

speaker-0: Hitting and and then I played outfield, so I'll also mix in in the when doing defense in the outfield. ⁓ but it'd say predominantly hitting hitting coach, yeah.

speaker-1: What is one thing that you wish you like that you want to embark, like all this wisdom that you have now? Like what's something that you want to like tell all the young athletes about the sport and you know, now when they're getting started, are you like, This is not a means to an end? Like are you you know, like how do you feel about it now?

speaker-0: I don't really have like my own philosophy or anything. I think, you know, I have you know a fair amount of experience and so I understand kind of what it takes, but I also understand that one, I don't have all the answers and two, there's multiple ways to do something. So I think it's more of not sitting back, but I like to observe initially and kinda get a feel for for a player. that way if they ask a question that I'm, you know, prepared and I'm I I'm ready to go. But by no means do I get in there and and you know, kinda tell them how I did it and if it's the right way to do it, because I d I never

speaker-1: You're not like Uncle Rico, you're not like you know, back in the day

speaker-0: ⁓ and I just feel like as a player, the coaches that did that, it never ended up well. And the ones that, you know, I I gravitated to were coaches that kind of we would work together and sort of tinker and we understand what we were looking for and then we would try to get there through different routes. So I wanna do

speaker-1: Do you feel like that was Yeah. Do you feel like that was kind of a hard transition though? Like leaving and being like, Okay, this is what I've known forever and now it's like gone.

speaker-0: Yeah. Very blunt, yes.

speaker-1: Nah this is I d now what do I do with my hands? Like Ricky Bobby, like what am I doing? You know? Yeah.

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. I feel fortunate. Yeah, I played in the big leagues for eight seasons. I played professionally for twelve. Like I would have loved to continue on, but I felt like, you know, I I accomplished a lot and feel very, you know, positive looking back on my career. And it is fun to be in that room where I'm at now where you got a bunch of young kids who are this is their first, second day of of professional baseball. And I just remember what it was like in that chair. And it's cool to be in that room now. after going through it and kinda knowing what's ahead for them. I don't know how to describe it, but it's it's pretty cool to be there.

speaker-1: Yeah. I mean you said you you lived in Missouri, right? You I'm a Missouri girl, so you said you're in Missouri, right? You played for the Cardinals or

speaker-0: I did play for the Cardinals. Yeah. I was I debuted in twenty fifteen in St. Louis. I played two seasons there. And then in the third season with St. Louis is when my mom was diagnosed. And then in that off season, I was traded to Oakland A's, which was close to home. So it was a baseball deal, but also the general managers were kind of looking out for me and they sent me back to where I You know, I could be with my mom for kind of her final final days. So and then in St. Louis I did own a home there. And then when my mom got sick, it was a quick move. I wasn't I wasn't there for long, but technically I did live I did live there for a little bit.

speaker-1: So do you like since you're coaching now, do you have to go on the road with them all the time like you did before? Or is it just like you help with practices and like local games?

speaker-0: So I will go and see every affiliate. So we've got teams all over the country. And so it's it's a bit of a part time role. So I'm going and making sure I see each team at least once during the course of the year, but I'm not on that same hundred and sixty two day grind that that I have been on for for forever. ⁓ and so it's a good balance with having the young kids at home. Yeah.

speaker-1: I feel like you're like I feel like you have the best like stay at home dad energy. Like that you take it impeccable care of your lawn and have like the widest sneakers.

speaker-0: Yeah.

speaker-1: I I see it. I mean, do you have the white New Balance leather sneakers? I need to know. ⁓ yes. I've got Steven pegged. Okay. Yeah. I love it. I mean, you've really just like embraced the dad role. I love this.

speaker-0: Great. It's a fun one. It's also exhausting and frustrating, but you know, they're only that little for so long. So it's it's pretty special to to be around and yeah, and to be there for the T ball and you know, they do the soccer and that sort of stuff. So it's

speaker-1: Yeah. It's really cool. Do you have like a favorite story, like a one really funny favorite story to tell? About your about your little nuggets. Mm-hmm.

speaker-0: And Hmm. I can just my head just goes to like traveling with them and the issues we've had and the I don't know I have one big story, but just as a small example, like I really don't like to fly with them 'cause it's just so hard. And with two boys and the girl even like she just She just keeps on moving. I don't know. She doesn't chill. I I was told that girls just chill and draw and sit, but she does not. But we flew we went down to San Clemeni for just a trip. And then we went to Carsland for the boys. And I was like, okay, I can handle like a like a short flight, like fifty minutes. Like this is we can do this. And sure enough, we we get on the on the plane and I don't know, we're five minutes into the flight and My middle son explodes vomit. Like it hit somehow the people in front and the people in back. I don't know w what happened. And so it was just a a big, a big mess. And then I have my daughter on my lap and I want to help. And then she takes she goes number two. I'm like, okay, well that doesn't sound like people were helping us for the entire flight. I was just like, this is

speaker-1: ⁓ no, I hope you bought them drinks, Steven. I hope I hope you bought them some sort of liquor.

speaker-0: I I I I tibbed them on the way out, that's for sure.

speaker-1: ⁓ my gosh. ⁓ my gosh. So are you so you are you pretty close to Tyson now, where he lives?

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. We're probably ten minutes from each other, so

speaker-1: ⁓ okay. Okay. Yeah. We did we like had a similar joke about how his like we were like, you know, our kids just think they're so bored all that like on road trips and these things and like they have all the iPads set up and you know, it's just so wild. Cause I'm like, I was like counting, you know, light posts as we were like, you know, in the backseat and our kids are just like so stimulated all the time. And I'm like, you don't even know what freaking boredom is. Like, you know, like you have no clue. And I, you know, we just kind of laughed about that. But I mean, what do you think is like one thing that you said you would never do as a dad that like you've kind of caved on? If there's anything

speaker-0: That's a good one. I felt like I wasn't gonna do spanking, but that yeah, that happened real quick. My mom my mom would use a wooden spoon to spank us too, and that hurt like ⁓ my god, so bad. So I haven't pulled that one out. But I wasn't sure on like the yeah, on that, but I got to a point where we tried like talking to they're just I don't know, if it's a boy thing, but they just It it seems to work and we don't do it frequently, but like yeah.

speaker-1: That was like your thing. Yeah. I I mean I get it. And you know, there's like different like my kit my boys are so good compared to my daughter. She's nuts. But you know, like I just like I look at them a certain way and they're I'm like, you know, they just kinda like shape up a little bit. And she is like a monster. She doesn't care. She has like no, you know, anything. So I think it's like I mean, it really is like different kids require different things. Like And I mean, y I could threaten to spank her and you know, she's just like, Okay, great, like come on, hurry this up, like let's go, you know, and I'm like, ⁓ my gosh. Yeah, you know, and ⁓ she like tests my patience more than anybody, but no, yeah, they're they're they're great. Good luck with three. I know the struggle of two boys and a girl, so I g I totally get it. And yeah, is is your girl the youngest? Yeah.

speaker-0: Setup. Yeah.

speaker-1: Okay. ⁓ yeah, you're in trouble. Yeah. It sucks. ⁓ You know what? Good luck. I should tell you something like a little more motivational and positive, but I'm like, no, you're you're gonna have a hard time for a while. But I I definitely really I'm you know, I really do just appreciate I know that you're busy, I know that you're on the road. I you know, I totally get that and I respect your guys' time. And so I just wanted to say I really appreciate you coming on and like You know, talking to us, giving us a little ALS lesson for the day and just, you know, yeah, at least informing people of, you know, the struggles with the disease, right? And just how hard it is to manage and navigate. But let's say somebody hears your story and is like, ⁓ my gosh, I wanna donate to this cause. I wanna help however I can. Is there a website that the listeners can go to? Yeah.

speaker-0: ALSCure.org.

speaker-1: Okay. Okay. ⁓ and then is there is the AL so if anybody wants to donate alscure.org and I'm guessing you probably have monthly paym, you know, if they want to have set up recurring payments. Okay. And then if somebody was like, hey, if somebody was like, hey, I don't know anything about like I don't have a lot to give right now, money wise, but I would love to help in other ways, however, I can. Is there like volunteer opportunities or anything somebody else can do?

speaker-0: Yeah. So we do we do quite a few events and we always get volunteers. So that would that would definitely be a ⁓ a big help. We we should have all our events posted on that website that you can see and then should be able to drop us an email on there as well and just say hello or just whatever. We're we're open books here. We're all we're an all volunteer organization through and through. So yeah, we're doing the best we can.

speaker-1: Yeah. You seem like you're a pretty chill guy. Like if somebody emailed you you'd probably be very cool about it. Just try to find him a spot. Try to find him a spot. Just don't try to mow Steven's yard.

speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah.

speaker-1: I if well any art if yeah, I we are definitely gonna post a lot about this on our social media page when your episode goes out. We do like a seven day all informational like posting all that stuff on social media. So we will we will do everything we can. So I definitely really appreciate you coming. And if there's anything else we can do to help your cause, like please let us know. But I appreciate you coming on today.

speaker-0: Yeah. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.

speaker-1: Yeah, yeah. Enjoy your enjoy your training camp.

speaker-0: All right, and yeah, we'll do. Try to stay cool out here in Arizona.

speaker-1: Yeah. Thank you, Steven.

speaker-0: Alright, have a good one.

speaker-1: And that's the game. If today's episode hits close to home for you, the donation link for this athletic charity will be in the description below. And if you can't donate right now, hey, that's okay too. Just do something kind for somebody today. The world needs more of that. See you next time.