Jeff Suppan
American baseball coach
50
APPEARANCES
2
PODCASTS
Sep 23, 2026
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Yeah, and you know, it's funny because people always ask me like, oh, what'd you do different from St. Louis? Like, what'd you do? How'd you get better than you were in Kansas City? And I'm like, I really didn't.
Mike SweeneyPANELIST
Tell this story, I think it's so fascinating, about number one, your faith, how it played into you standing up for life, and then how God protected you that night on the mound.
Tim McKernanHOST
Uh, what was y- what was your thought on that as a teammate and getting a chance to hear him with that gratitude and emotion as well?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Yeah, no, I think it, um, it gets to the point, like, where, I mean, 20 years, or well, he, I think he said 26, probably the minor leagues, I'm not sure, but 26 years with the organization is a long time, right? So you're, you're talking like there's not that many people that are like that.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, um, you know, s- talking to him at the breakfast that we had, I mean, he, he hasn't changed.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, and, um, he, you know, he, he cares a lot, and that's, that's the difference, right? So it's not like, you know, "Look at me, look at me." Like, he's- You know, the general, like I always consider the, the catcher like the general on the field.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
They're the only ones off the field looking at everybody and, and he fulfilled that role so well.
Tim McKernanHOST
Uh, what, uh, what about behind the scenes? Things that fans didn't get a chance, as you got a, got the opportunity to see your fellow world champion teammates, uh, probably some of whom you hadn't seen in a while.
Tim McKernanHOST
Uh, what was your, what was your thought on that as a teammate and getting a chance to hear him with that gratitude and emotion as well?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Yeah, no, I think it, um, it gets to the point, like, where, I mean, 20 years, or well, he- I think he said 26, probably the minor leagues, I'm not sure.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
But 26 years with the organization is a long time, right? So you're, you're talking like there's not that many people that are like that.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, um, you know, s- talking to him at the breakfast that we had, I mean, he, he hasn't changed.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, and, um, he, you know, he, he cares a lot, and that's, that's the difference, right? So it's not like, you know, "Look at me, look at me." Like, he's, you know, the gen- Like, I always consider the, the catcher, like, the general on the field.
speaker_5ADVERTISER
Number one rating based on 2024 filings with state departments of insurance.
Tim McKernanHOST
Uh, what was y- what was your thought on that as a teammate and getting a chance to hear him with that gratitude and emotion as well?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Yeah, no, I think it, um, it gets to the point, like, where, I mean, 20 years, or what he, I think he said 26, probably the minor leagues, I'm not sure, but 26 years with the organization is a long time, right? So you're, you're talking like there's not that many people that are like that.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, um, you know, s- talking to him at the breakfast that we had, I mean, he, he hasn't changed.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, and, um, he, you know, he, he cares a lot, and that's, that's the difference, right? So it's not like, you know, "Look at me, look at me." Like, he's, you know, the gen- like, I always consider the, the catcher, like, the general on the field.
Tim McKernanHOST
Uh, what, uh, what about behind the scenes? Things that fans didn't get a chance, as you got a, got the opportunity to see your fellow world champion teammates, uh, probably some of whom you hadn't seen in a while.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
So when, you know, cause we came back and I was talking to Spies and he was telling me about the book.
Tim McKernanHOST
How much were you aware of, or you guys aware of, what he was dealing with while it was going on? Well, there were some times
Jeff SuppanGUEST
But as a player, like that's the crazy thing about baseball because it's a game that's played every day.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I mean, obviously if I was hanging out with them, you know, might've had a conversation, but we didn't, you know, pitchers and position players were all teammates, but we always didn't get, you know, hang out like that.
speaker_0ADVERTISER
Do you understand what I'm saying? So it's like I
Jeff SuppanGUEST
had that feeling, and then when I was about 18, receiving an award, went on to Dodger Stadium, and I remember walking on the field, and I'm like, I think I can play here.
18 MINS LATER
speaker_11ADVERTISER
Do you understand what I'm saying? So it's like I
Jeff SuppanGUEST
had that feeling, and then when I was about 18, received an award, went on to Dodger Stadium, and I remember walking on the field, and I'm like, I think I can play here.
16 MINS LATER
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Encino is- would be on the south side of the valley, and basically when everyone started moving over into the valley, like all the actors, they were buying ranches, Studio City, and then went into Encino, and it's really nice.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
It was Crespi Carmelite High School, great school, all boys Catholic high school.
18 MINS LATER
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Uh, so anyway, so like with Yadi, you know, you could stare, and when he would call the next pitch, like exactly what you wanted to throw, and you knew you were on the same page, it just, it was awesome.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
But I tell you what, there's a photo, a great photo in, um, '06 that basically is Yadi and I talking, and that's the conversation we had before the...
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Because he wanted to go to it, and a few innings before, I threw like a 45-foot curveball or whatever, a 50-foot curveball that bounced off the dirt and hit Valentin in the chin.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And he goes, "Just throw the curveball." I'm like, "No, no, I'm, I'm not throwing the curveball."
31 MINS LATER
speaker_6UNKNOWN
... that may be one of the greatest, is one of the greatest ever.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I would have – I mean, when I had the sack bunt, I'm like, okay, well, guess what? If he throws it in, I'm taking it.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And actually, to be honest with you, I told – gosh, I can't even think of his name right now.
8 MINS LATER
Doug VaughnHOST
Was it hard to play late in the season, those years when you're out of it, going nowhere, 95 degrees out somewhere, and you still got to go out there and give it everything you have? Was that a difficult thing to do?
10 MINS LATER
Doug VaughnHOST
Was it hard to play late in the season, those years when you're out of it, going nowhere, 95 degrees out somewhere, and you still got to go out there and give it everything you have? Was that a difficult thing to do?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I would have – I mean, when I had the sack bunt, I'm like, okay, well, guess what? If he throws it in, I'm taking it.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And actually, to be honest with you, I told – gosh, I can't even think of his name right now.
8 MINS LATER
Doug VaughnHOST
Was it hard to play late in the season, those years when you're out of it, going nowhere, 95 degrees out somewhere, and you still got to go out there and give it everything you have? Was that a difficult thing to do?
speaker_15UNKNOWN
But, uh, you got to the big leagues at age 20, so I imagine two years before that you were a snootful for high school hitters.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I mean, I was like, I remember thinking, "Two years ago I was in high school" [laughs].
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I'm playing with Roger Clemens and Mo Vaughn, Mike Greenwell, uh, Ellis Burks, um, Mike McFarlane.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, uh, you had to learn fast, right? You know, 'cause you're only there a minute, right? So, you know, it was a need.
11 MINS LATER
speaker_7UNKNOWN
Oh, okay.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Okay, yeah, I remember we all sat there, and we all expected each other to be there.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I do remember when Keister loved throwing, so he would throw, I mean, a million.
Doug VaughnHOST
How soon can you move on from a really tough Major League loss, a series loss, a World Series loss? Does that linger with you for a long time?
Doug VaughnHOST
How soon can you move on from a really tough Major League loss, a series loss, a World Series loss? Does that linger with you for a long time?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
It is, and I'll tell you what, you know what's funny is that, like, I got to a point where I was like, I don't, I mean, I don't care if the ball hits me.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
It is, and I'll tell you what, you know what's funny is that, like, I got to a point where I was like, I don't, I mean, I don't care if the ball hits me.
8 MINS LATER
Martin KilcoyneHOST
And because you'd come up in the Red Sox organization, so when you were young, you also knew Clemens.
8 MINS LATER
Martin KilcoyneHOST
And because you'd come up in the Red Sox organization, so when you were young, you also knew Clemens.
Tim McKernanHOST
So what is or what can be, or in your experience, what was the impact of a manager losing his job because a team is underperforming?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, you know, you're going to have, I would say, Unless you have a mutiny with the players, I mean, you're going to have a lot of players that really love playing for that manager, and it does affect them greatly.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Because now they, if you're a normal person and your manager gets fired, you're like, huh, what could I have done? I got him fired, you know, like, whoa.
7 MINS LATER
Tim McKernanHOST
Their bullpen is burned out, so they might call on you to throw, I don't know if you've got 120 pitches in you, but you might be there for a while wearing
Tim McKernanHOST
So what is, or what can be, or in your experience, what was the impact of a manager losing his job because a team is underperforming?
Jeff SuppanGUEST
I mean, I did lose pitching coaches or hitting coaches in my career, but manager, that's a big position.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
And, you know, you're going to have, I would say, Unless you have a mutiny with the players, I mean, you're going to have a lot of players that really love playing for that manager, and it does affect them greatly.
Jeff SuppanGUEST
Because now they, if you're a normal person and your manager gets fired, you're like, huh, what could I have done? I got him fired, you know, like, whoa.
7 MINS LATER
Tim McKernanHOST
Their bullpen is burned out, so they might call on you to throw, I don't know if you've got 120 pitches in you, but you might be there for a while wearing
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