A cortado with a touch of vanilla. It's funny because I didn't drink coffee until about four years ago, it started with Dutch Bros in Colorado. My wife drank coffee, and I'd get these drinks that were basically a milkshake, loaded with stuff to drown out the coffee taste. Over the years, I've become a coffee snob to the point where I'll have full-on discussions with baristas about how they're making my coffee. I've gone from really sugary milkshake coffees to wanting the most bitter, punch-me-in-the-face coffee possible.
Can you tell us a little about where you grew up and when baseball first became something you really loved?
My parents met in Orlando and settled there. My dad actually played professional baseball too, so I spent a lot of summers around different spots. I spent a few summers in Montreal and Toronto as a kid. My parents said that as soon as I could basically walk, I had a bat and ball in my hand, and all I wanted to do was hit or play catch all day long. From as early as I can remember, I was in love with the game.
Do you feel a connection to Toronto as a city?
My dad's been with Major League Baseball for 30-plus years in just about every capacity. Some of my most fond memories were when he coached for Toronto in the mid-to-late '90s. We'd live up here in the summer, and once I got done with my summer schoolwork, I'd run to the field, stop and get a hot dog, a street dog, and then basically practice with the Blue Jays. I remember taking ground balls with Alex Gonzalez, hanging out with Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green. It was a really fun experience, maturing as a teenager and getting to hang out with these superstars. Coming back now, even as a visiting player, I'd walk from the hotel to the field and stop and get a hot dog just because it reminded me of when I used to come to the field with my dad. Those are pretty cool memories I'll never forget.
What made you want to transition from playing into coaching?
Baseball is just in me. It's got its claws in me and I love the game. But the unfortunate thing about every player in every sport is there comes a time where we're just not able to do it anymore, and I hit that point. I was very fortunate to play 16 years professionally, and at 39 the body didn't respond like it used to. The Angels gave me the opportunity, my first year not playing, to be in the Major Leagues in kind of a transitional role. I helped out in the bullpen, helped with game plans, did a little bit of everything to see if it was something I liked. I would still love to be playing, I love the game and I missed the competitiveness of it, but it was my time to take the next step and help the future generation.
Who's been one of the most influential coaches or managers in your career?
First and foremost, my parents. I would not be anywhere near where I am today without both of them. But outside of my parents, Pedro Grifol. It wasn't one specific thing he did, it was more of an eye-opening experience, a wake-up call. He gave me a reality check into what my career was like and where it was heading, and a plan of what I needed to do to correct the course and help me play a lot longer. We connected on a different level. He was my catching coach in Kansas City, then became bench coach and manager for the White Sox. I'm forever grateful for the advice and the wake-up call he gave me to help me further my career.
What's one of the biggest misconceptions about your role today?
It's the time element. Even my friends today, we'll see them in the cities where they live and they'll say, hey, do you want to go get an early dinner before the game? And it's like, hey man, I've gotta be at the field at 11:30. The amount of time and preparation that goes into our day as coaches, during the game you see us helping the players out, but the preparation before they even arrive, making sure every T is crossed and I is dotted…I think that's the biggest thing some people don't understand: how much time and effort goes in on our end before the players even arrive.
What's still exciting for you about the game?
What's so unique about our game is you could watch it every single night and not see the same thing twice. There's still so much to learn, so many new things coming out that can help someone teach or help someone play, you're always continually learning, and this game is so much fun. I don't feel that it's work. I feel blessed that I get to come to the field and be part of something that connects players to a city. It's so much fun to be part of a kid's game every single day and call it my job. I don't have words to describe the excitement I get coming to the field every day. It's something I love to do, and I don't think that'll ever leave me.
How do you approach dressing for work?
Dressing for work is tricky because we're in a lot of different places with different unwritten dress codes. At home, going to the stadium is pretty casual, shorts and a t-shirt, jeans and a t-shirt. But on the road we have to look presentable, wear a collar to the field, stay professional. On the plane it's more professional - jeans and a shirt with a sport coat, or nice pants and a nice shirt. We arrive in different cities and people notice us, so we want to represent the Blue Jays in a professional manner.
Wake up, feed my son breakfast, drop him off at school if he has it, go work out, maybe have a late breakfast with my wife, take her to get coffee, come back, clean up the house, hang out with her, maybe play a little golf. And honestly, I really love going to the grocery store. I’m travelling so much for work, it’s nice when we get to do that all together. This might sound crazy, but it's something our whole family loves. We pick out stuff for dinner together. A perfect night for me is making dinner, maybe having a glass of wine or two, and just hanging out outside while our son plays. I don't get to experience that a lot during the season, so a low-key day at home with them is something I really cherish.
What's something you're proud of that has nothing to do with baseball?
The thing I'm most proud of, outside of baseball, is my family, honestly. I have an amazing wife. My son is the best thing in the world — I think everybody says that about their kids. My parents, my sister, my brother-in-law. I couldn't ask for better people to be in my life and to be with me every day. It's corny to say, but that's the thing I'm most proud of.
What's one piece of advice you wish you could give your younger self?
Take it all in. There were moments in my career where I was always trying to look to what's next, how can I get better, where can I advance — I didn't always fully take the moment. There's a saying that you never know you're in the golden days until you're out of them. If I accomplished something really cool, I'd think, all right, what's next? As I get older I appreciate moments more, and I'd tell myself: slow down, look back, and really enjoy the moment.
