Driving ‘em In with Jim Campanis Jr & Eric Lenaburg

We welcome our Special Guest--Mark Littell, former MLB pitcher, Coach, the inventor of the Nutty Buddy, and Author of two books joins Campy and Lenny for a rip-roaring show of great stories and laughs.  What a blast!  Hear some of his minor league stories, big-league accomplishments, and the invention that has saved many a baseball player's most precious jewels.  

Big thanks to our special guest, Jim “The Rookie” Morris, for joining us for an interesting episode on a very unusual career. In case you missed it, Jim wrote an autobiography about his baseball career that was turned in to a Feature Film by Disney starring Dennis Quaid. Lenny and Campy discussed his “first” career, his teaching and coaching career, and then his “second career” coming back after nearly 10 years off to make it to the majors. Jim discusses his past and details his current career as a Motivational Speaker working with some of the top companies in the world. If you love a great come-back story, and who doesn’t then be sure to check out this episode of “Driving ‘Em In”.

Kirk Shrider, High School Head Coach, College Coach, High-Level Collegiate Summer Ball Manager, MLB Scout and a WEALTH of baseball knowledge discusses the importance of Summer ball at this WEIRD time.  Plus the conversation gets into speculation on where the 2020 season will go at levels of the game.  What about the HS Seniors? What about the College Juniors who had a shot get drafted?  What about the draft itself? So many unanswered questions but Kirk helps put everything into perspective with his vast experience and insider baseball information.  This show is must-listen for young players, their parents and baseball fans who love hearing the inside scoop.

Desi Relaford was a former teammate with Campy when they both played AA in Jacksonville, FL which is Desi's home town.  They've remained friends ever since.  Desi has more years in the game as anyone else we could think of so what a perfect guest to discuss the baseball topic of this episode--Spring Training!  Desi has 16 of them under his belt with many teams and in many venues.  He talks about the good, bad and ugly of Spring Training from the player's point of view.  What's better as a player--Florida or Arizona Spring Training?  Plus, he discusses his newest adventure--returning to pro baseball in France and getting into shape at 48 for Spring Training.  You'll enjoy this inside take on the kick-off to the season.  

What a blast Campy and Lenny had interviewing the talented and very funny Seth Swirsky, who is a top-selling baseball author, and also a Grammy-nominated songwriter.  Plus, he is a WORLD CLASS baseball collector who has owned some very interesting items like the ball that squeaked through Boston Red Sox Bill Buckner's legs.  Listen to his fantastic stories from the music business like getting schmoozed by a Beatle, writing songs for legendary singers and making a documentary about the Beatles, but his love for baseball shines through this fun interview.

 Angel's Legend, Bobby Grich, is one of Campy and Lenny's favorites.  He was a tough player that played the game with grit and determination throughout his 17 year MLB career but also liked to have a good time.  Listen to his AWESOME story about pouring a beer over the head of former President, Richard Nixon!  Plus, he details his role as the President of the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America also known as the APBPA including their upcoming fundraising dinner on Saturday, November 9th at the Diamond Club in Anaheim Stadium.  Tickets are still on sale at APBPA.org for just $80 and ANYONE can attend.  You don't need to be a former player or coach.  Join the fun and meet dozens of former players, scouts, and coaches telling the best baseball stories anywhere.   The APBPA helps former players, not on pensions, who are going through tough times.  Currently, 36 players are on a monthly stipend to help them through.  If you can't make the dinner, become an honorary member at APBPA.org and help the cause.

Jon Huizinga, AKA Coach Zinger, believes in a holistic approach to baseball training. That means nutrition, mechanics/technique, approach, preparation, physical conditioning, mental conditioning, are all equally important for the athlete. Nutrition is where it all starts. Without the proper fuel, it would be silly to think you will have peak performance.  Listen as Jon talks about details of his training and how his approach is helping players get to the next level including a first-round pick from 2018.

Perry Barber, Woman Umpire, who umpired at every level of baseball, PLUS, shared the stage with Rock Music legends shares her awesome stories.  Listen to her passionately describe how she calls balls and strikes and keeps the game moving.  Then she describes her time as a singer/songwriter sharing the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar and more!  Very interesting interview from a Trailblazer!

Lenny and Campy had a blast discussing how Author, Eric Gray, got the idea for his new book, "Bases to Bleachers", featuring stories written by baseball fans he met all over the world.  Listen as he tells us the process and then reads a number of these short stories ranging from their favorite games to watching baseball in another country to his own family's experiences going to SF Giants games over the years.  Awesome stories!!

Here's a book description from the site:  BasesToBleachers.com

One day during an afternoon at the ball park, author Eric Gray asked his wife, daughter, and friend to identify their favorite game that they had been to.  Little did he know, that simple question would soon take on a life of its own. As the question made its way to family members, friends, friends of friends, strangers and beyond, it gave way to a surprising collection of incredibly diverse stories and perspectives. Thus, Bases to Bleachers was born.

Much more than your average baseball book, the many special and unique stories shared with readers here, whether they’re about watching or playing, either at the Major League level or Little League, represent a wide gamut of experiences. Some entail meeting the stars or attending famous games—and some offered are personal, intimate moments involving family connections and the importance of baseball in people’s lives.

Unlike most baseball books, this is not a biography, or a discussion of a team, or analysis of a season. Baseball here is a setting in which both astounding feats and some of the most beautifully touching moments in peoples’ lives have happened. Whether it’s the first game, falling in love at the park, or even a beloved baseball glove that survived World War II, these stories are about more than just baseball. They reflect the joys, triumphs, and disappointments of the human condition, and often illustrate what’s truly important in life—those things we hold most dear in our hearts.

FORMER PHILLIES GROUNDSKEEPER, MARK CARFAGNO, HAS BEEN ON A MISSION TO INFORM BASEBALL FANS ON WHY 60'S AND 70'S ALL STAR, DICK ALLEN, DESERVES TO BE IN THE HALL OF FAME.  IN 2014, DICK ALLEN MISSED BEING INDUCTED BY ONE VOTE!  HE IS BACK ON THE BALLOT FOR 2020 AND MARK GIVES US SOME FANTASTIC STATISTICAL PROOF AS TO WHY DICK SHOULD BE ELECTED.  AFTER HEARING THIS SHOW, YOU TOO WILL AGREE THAT THE GREAT DICK ALLEN SHOULD BE ENSHRINED IN THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.

This episode is like a history lesson in early baseball.  To hear how fragile the beginning of organized baseball was from a great granddaughter of Doc Adams, the inventor of modern baseball is amazing!  Consider this--without Doc's tireless efforts to unite various regions with the same rules, field dimensions and even baseballs and bats, America's Pastime could have never materialized into anything more than a kid's game.  Hear Marjorie proudly talk about her relative with keen knowledge and passion especially the effort to get Doc Adams inducted into the Hall of Fame.  If you think you know baseball's early history, this show will teach you a few things.  

Jon Leonoudakis, a friend of both Campy and Lenny, talks about his really cool baseball themed projects like "The Sweet Spot" that featured an episode with Campy and his dad, Jimmy Sr.  This was like a conversation hanging out at a Sports Bar.  Lots of fun discussion on interesting topics Jon has presented in his movies.  Plus, a list of his favorite baseball movies of all time and he rattled off several we'd never heard of.  Any baseball fan will love this episode!

Rick Burleson, 13 year MLB veteran and 4X All-Star Shortstop talked to Campy & Lenny about the thrill of being selected by the fans for the Mid-Summer Classic.  It was so cool as he described each game and how he was a part of it--even the game on crutches.  You'll love his baseball stories from the 70's and 80's especially the memories from the roster of his former teammates with the Red Sox and Angels.  Great stuff! Plus, Lenny asks him where he got his famous nickname, "Rooster".  Interesting answer!

When you have the opportunity to speak with a baseball lifer like Coach Tom Gamboa, you realize how drastically things in the game have changed.  Tom talked about scouting future first round picks armed with a back notebook and stop watch.  He talks about managing in the low minors with NO OTHER COACHES!  Just himself throwing 3 full rounds of batting practice everyday, working with pitchers and catchers and also running the game ALONE.  Amazing!  He discusses winter ball in Puerto Rico, analytics and why he's happy he retired when he did plus he talks about his recent book, available on Amazon called, "Tom Gamboa, My Life In Baseball".  Super interesting conversation every fan will enjoy.

Sometimes you hear a story that is so remarkable, it should be in a book--well this one was.  Campy memorialized the amazing story of his former USC teammate, Jim Henderson, in his book #1 Best Selling book, "Born Into Baseball", detailing his perseverance and grit when faced with a traumatic injury from a car accident right when he had just signed his pro baseball contract with the Montreal Expos.  This story is deeper than playing the game of baseball--this former baseball player kept grinding to beat the odds with much more at stake.  He tells a riveting story about rehabbing in the hospital for months on end, regaining some of the gifts he had lost, but feeling a sense of "surviver's guilt" as others were not progressing as well as he was.  He talks about his X-Rays being used for training Doctors who specialize in spinal injuries since Jim had the biggest spinal cord his Doctor had ever seen.  Jim is still the same smart ass as he was when we were young and now as a Lawyer--the prosecutors have their hands full!  And as always, there's the baseball small world syndrome as Jim (who had transferred from USC) and Lenny both played for the same Coach at ASU a decade apart.  This show transcends baseball as we all fall down or get hit with trials and tribulations--it's how you react that defines you.  You'll be inspired by Jim and his story--maybe even get a bit of strength to guide you through your current trial.  

This is a must listen show for coaches and hitters.  Listen to former MLB player and hitting coach, Derrick May, discuss hitting with Campy and Lenny.  This conversation from three pretty good hitters will enlighten and entertain you with interesting takes on things like the mental approach, maple bats versus ash bats, Derrick and Campy growing up in their dad's MLB clubhouse learning from current players like Dusty Baker and more.  Derrick now trains players at his Delaware based program called "The Beast of the East" and he mentions how he helps players get to the next level.  Batter Up!

Campy's former Coach at USC and later at UCI, Mike Gillespie, discusses how recruiting has changed from his years in Junior College, USC and up to his last year at UCI in 2018. If you have or know a high school baseball player who wants to play at the next level, this is a great listen from a master recruiter as well as mentor to many of the thousands of players he coached.  If you are a Coach, this is a must listen.  Great inside commentary from a Hall of Fame Coach on recruiting.  Additionally, you'll hear more stories of winning championships, the players he coached and the challenges of the NCAA rules on scholarships and playing time.  Thanks Coach!!!

Campy's former Mariners Minor League teammate, Mark Merchant, joins Campy and Lenny to discuss the baseball draft and as a former #2 pick in 1987 behind HOFer, Ken Griffey Jr, he knows what these recent draft picks will deal with as they enter the highly competitive world of pro baseball.  "Merch" has great insight on the expectations, the pressure, the will to succeed and also the reality of injuries cutting careers short.  In fact, Campy hit a grounder with Merch on first and as he slid in to break up the double play, he broke his ankle and lost his great gift of speed at that moment.  All the recent draft picks were shown on TV with big smiles hearing their names called and donning their new uniform for the cameras--but this is just the beginning or the beginning of the end for many.  Great insight from a great player and even better human being.  Mark "The Merchant of Menace" Merchant.

Listen to this fascinating episode of "Driving 'em In" with special guest, Ila Borders, the first woman to get a college baseball scholarship and eventually play men's professional baseball.  As a left handed pitcher, Campy and Lenny know a lot about facing that type of pitching as hitters.  Ila's knowledge of her craft was so enlightening as she discussed her strategy to get both Lenny and Campy out based on how they hit.  Ila also talked about her hyper-competitiveness and how it has helped her transition from Baseball to her new career as a Lieutenant in her Fire Department in Oregon.  

What separates baseball players at the very top levels?  Talent?  Nope.  Luck?  A little.  Ask any former hitter and they will say it's the hitters ability to step up his level of awareness and completely focus on beating the opposing pitcher.  In this episode, Campy and Lenny discuss their competitive drive and are joined by 14 year, MLB All-Star, and Campy's former USC Teammate, Jeff Cirillo.  Campy wanted to discuss this topic with "Rillo" because he was one of the top competitors he's ever played with.  And Rillo's drive propelled him much further than his level of talent.  Listen to this deep level of insight from three baseball lifers and insiders who have used their gift of competing in the "Real World" to become successful in other fields after baseball was over.  "Driving 'Em In" is presented by Mack Weldon, the most comfortable underwear, socks and sweats Campy and Lenny have ever worn.  Get 20% off with promo code Campy20 on your first order!!

Eric Lenaburg, the Doctor of Baseball, gives his predictions of the top surprise teams in each division.  Listen in to see if your team is on the list.  Hey Jerry Plowman--you need to listen to this one!  You'll like what we are saying about your Mariners.  Plus, more in depth analysis from former players on the "Unwritten Rules" of baseball and how that rule book is being torn up by this era of players.  We agree to disagree on some and agree to the change on others.  But no more brush back pitches?  Listen to the discussion and let us know what you think.

Topic:  What's up with free agency and the trend for young players to sign longer term extension versus testing the free agency market.  Eric and Campy discuss reasons and potential options to fix what looks like a very contentious issue between the players and owners.  Things could get very tense as the collective bargaining deal is coming up for renewal.  Listen for as they discuss this topic in detail with insider insight.