George Kontos (Transcript)
Robby Incmikoski: All right, let's talk a little bit about winning World Series and Bruce Bochy and everybody else. Hey, were you in the minor leagues in 2010? when they won? The first one, I'm gonna look this up house. I
George Kontos: So yeah, it's some point and I blew my elbow out and had TJ in July of '09. And then I re-handed,…
Robby Incmikoski:
George Kontos: the rest of '09, rehab, 2010 started playing back in competitive with these.
Robby Incmikoski: you were here. Yeah, you're at Yankee.
George Kontos: So I started out and, the recovery route. I was
George Kontos: High a a triple A then the Yankee sent me the fall league and I played for the Scots for the whatever team was playing in the old Oakland facility at the time in Mesa. So whatever team it was, it was in the old Oakland State Stadium. And I remember watching Timmy Lynch to comes first, start in the postseason where he punched out 14 against that Lana that and had been to me. And I were actually hard which mariner teammates. So I was sitting there we having in Arizona fall League kind of getting myself back under me watching my future teammates when their first ring, which was pretty cool and time.
Robby Incmikoski: Wow, that's incredible. And you didn't get a ring from the Yanks. Did you because you're in the minor league that you're do? You get the minor league rings?
George Kontos: I was the only major scare if you spent at least one day on the active roster, or if you were injured on the big league roster, the big league they give you a ring for that. Otherwise? Yeah, you have to be there playing.
Robby Incmikoski: Okay, that's what I thought. Okay, all right, cool. you go in 2012, You're with the Giants. Here's what I want to ask you walked in to a team that had superstars Posey. Crawford Sandoval Pence. And you look at the rotation you got mad Bob Kane. Let's go. I mean some of the greatest teams in the history of baseball came from that team and you were part of that team, right? What is it like kind of stepping into that clubhouse? They've already won one World Series and they're building court another Can you just describe what the vibe was Kind of around that clubhouse because you got there with the big League team in 2012 as they were doing right?
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: Kind of step into that clubhouse with superstars on their way to their second of what would be three World Series titles?
George Kontos: So it's really interesting because I was in spring training of 2012 with the Yankees. I just made my debut in 2011 and I had pitched really well in the seven games that I got into the September before. So I thought going into camp reporting to Tampa that I had a really good opportunity to make the major league roster of the Yankees that year and it's the last day of spring training and Mike Harkey. The bullpen coach of the Yankees. Phone rings and…
Robby Incmikoski: Yep.
George Kontos: he goes George, you warm up your pitching, the 9th inning against the Mets in Tampa. The team was gonna open up against the rays in Tampa, two days later and there was only myself and another guy named David Phelps were the only two, guys still on the roster, both of us, very similar style pictures short could go long, former starters, And I get a phone call. Back as I'm warming up. Harkey goes, Hey Skip wants to see it.
George Kontos: So, I go in, I'm like, man, he's gonna tell me that just made the roster, this is gonna be great. So I walk into Joe Girardi's office and Girardi Cashman, Billy Epler. They're all sitting in there and you're in a Brian Cashman says to me, He goes George, you'd have been a great situation here and I start panicking. I was like what he goes. We've traded you to the Giants and at that point, I had this vision that I was gonna spend my entire careers at Yankee and right off into the sunset having a pinstriped career and that quickly changed. But I get to Scottsdale just to do my physical. I report to Triple a Fresno where I just didn't know anybody, So it was really interesting because at that point I felt like I had done everything in my entire career to prove that I could get to the big leagues with one organization. That knew me. I'm gonna completely new organization where I feel like I have to prove everything again. so, I ended up getting Alled up. I threw. 27 innings in Fresno.
George Kontos: And I gave up two runs. I had a one era in Fresno in the PCL before getting called up To the Giants where, guys like Dan Otero and Steve Adliffson who were on the roster and their guys got the first opportunities to go
George Kontos: And then I get called up. And I walk in the first guy, I meet is Matt Cain I'm, Mike Murphy, who's our legendary clubhouse guy in San Francisco, retired recently,
Robby Incmikoski: An American.
George Kontos: but Murph is the absolute greatest human being ever. He asked…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: he goes, what number do you want to wear First guy help walking me in it was just surreal to be there. And, going over driving from Fresno, over the Bay Bridge and you see everything. This was my first time not only in San Francisco, but in California full time, I'd only been there to play The Angels in LA the year before in September. My only time ever being in California was that? And now I drive over the Bay Bridge at what is such an incredible view in the San Francisco and the first guy,…
Robby Incmikoski: Incredible.
George Kontos: the first guy I meet is Matt Cain and, he introduces himself, we were playing the Texas Rangers in a Sunday day game. So he had just thrown his bullpen and I'm trying to just get my stuff together.
George Kontos: Driven that morning and all that just kind of happy to be there type of thing. But, I had already known Timmy, like I mentioned from playing together in the Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners in 2005. So he stumbled in after maybe his pen or playing catch or whatever and that was a familiar face, obviously. So I started to kind of get my bearings a little bit but, you…
Robby Incmikoski: And you're talking about.
George Kontos: everyone. Stimulants to come.
Robby Incmikoski: Let's come right. Yeah, yeah.
George Kontos: Yeah, Tim Miller.
Robby Incmikoski: Making sure. Yeah.
George Kontos: So it was just interesting because I showed up and three days later, Matt Cain throws his perfect game which was wild. Everybody.
Robby Incmikoski: That was what I was gonna ask when was it three days later? So, that was what you first got there. When came through the PG,
George Kontos: yeah, so I got called up on I believe June 10th Of 2012 and Matt Cain's. Perfect game was June 13th. And the starting pitcher. For the Houston. Astros was JF, who I went to college with, Jay obviously Through the Pirates.
Robby Incmikoski: no, Jay Yeah.
George Kontos: But it was great. I mean, that was my first impression of what it was like being in San Francisco. Is you get your feet wet, I end up pitching. I think the first day I got there, I threw a scoreless inning against the Rangers and then,
George Kontos: Two days later. Matt Cain, throws his perfect game and obviously an event like that will 100% bring guys together because at that point, I think it was only the 21st, perfect game in the history of baseball at that point.
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: So that's one of those things where you immediately feel part of the team even though you had just gotten there when you're celebrating with those guys pop and champagne that automatically brings everyone a lot closer and it was just great to be a part of that bullpen and that squad that year. I mean it was a revolving door of guys that came in to fill out that bull pen and…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: I mean I had gotten there in June and then I went on to have a really really good kind of two thirds of the season at the major league level. I think I threw 45 innings and 40 games had a two and a half, punched out a guy and inning. Worked myself from mop up rolls while boats. got the vibe of who I was and what I could handle and had some actually really meaningful innings and
George Kontos: That's the rest of that season though. The biggest one being we had already clinched, the division and that was the year where the Dodgers had made the huge blockbuster trade for Adrian Gonzalez.
Robby Incmikoski: It's always,…
George Kontos: They got Nick Punto,…
Robby Incmikoski: yep. Call Crawford.
George Kontos: They got Beckett and all Crawford and we ended up when the division by 10 games. So it's game,…
Robby Incmikoski: That's why.
George Kontos: it's Game, 161. And that was the first year of the wild card game So we clinched the division
George Kontos: The Dodgers are one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card spot and we're in Dodger Stadium. And I think this outing really is what everyone else's, earned me their respect by being able to do this. But I came in the game and Shane Victorino was on third base. It was the seventh inning, Barry Zito. I started and gone seven innings or seven and a third inning, something like that and
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: Things hit the fan quick in that game. Guillermo Moda came in, I think gave up two runs quick boats, who was very, very good at doing this to me. He called the bullpen. Get Georgie up by the time. The phone had hung up and Mark Gardner would tell George you to get up. Votes would be walking to the mound already to make the pitching change. So I had thrown four fastballs and boat was already on the mound. I run into this game and, 66,000, people Standing Room only at Dodger Stadium. It was absolutely rocking and I'm facing Matt Camp. Who lost the MVP that year to Ryan Braun. And, …
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: hindsight obviously, we remember what happened with Bronze whole story in that year so Matt can look at it had one of those years…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah, of course.
George Kontos: where it was great and two outs I fall behind bald one ball too. And I have face man at this point throughout the course of the season that year, probably four or five times already. So he was looking sliders off me and I
George Kontos: Through a fastball that he took for strike, one through a two-seam on his hands that he's swung and missed on Shrek 3, or strike two. And I threw him a slider down away and he's swung and missed that. It took his bat launched it at the dugout. I went ballistic. our whole dugout was top step because it's a big game. First of all, Dodgers giants. And in the rivalry that we had, which I was just getting really learned the history behind it,…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah. Yeah.
George Kontos: and it was then keeping them out of the postseason. And that was just at that I had where I really gained the confidence to realize that I was a big leader at that point. And everybody on my team and on my squad, I think earned a little bit of respect for me. There just being able to handle that moment and I think that bad actually got me on the postseason roster that year Coach, came up to me, two days later. Just s*** my hand, he goes You're on the roster. I was like, holy cow. This is crazy, but it was just, incredible being a part of a team.
George Kontos: That as on paper, we were not the best on paper. When you put our roster on paper against the other rosters that were I mean Cincinnati that year did not lose three games at home consecutively all season and…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: then we played
George Kontos: Who'd we play, we play the Cardinals in the NLCS, where we went down, three, to one really quickly and came back and won three straight again to beat the Cardinals. I mean, we were just the story of the back against the wall, never say die, kind of team, and it again,…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: if you look at us on paper against, what Detroit had to offer that year we were heavy underdogs but we were playing back, scratching against the wall, scratching and claw and baseball while they were in Lakeland, doing scrimmages. And we came in and punched verlander right in the jaw, and I think that built our confidence and put them on their heels. And even with poor solo and scherzer in the cages waiting to go in games, two and three, we just were able to come out and play good solid solid baseball to sweep that World Series.
Robby Incmikoski: That's amazing and that game, by the way, that you mentioned. yeah, that story. So that's October 2nd, that was the day before last When you pitch that's unbelievable.
George Kontos: Yeah, game one.
Robby Incmikoski: So Can you just tell us a little bit? I just asked this question that look here. you got Joey Vado and just Dustin Baker, right? That's some good Reds teams in early. 2010s, they were competitive go far in the playoffs but they had really good teams. So You guys obviously win three World Series,…
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: you're there for two of them. When I mention those guys Buster Posey their fans in San Francisco are gonna read this. That might wonder What is the day in the life of that clubhouse. with all those star players, what was the vibe and how those guys kind of set the tone? For the rest of the team.
George Kontos: So it's interesting, Pablo is a really kind of happy. Go lucky guy, he kind of does his own king and…
Robby Incmikoski: but,
George Kontos: he was just so good at that time, where he showed up every single day, ready to play, he spun loving. he had that Latin flair that he has, which resonated really well with everybody. Buster was clearly our quiet leader, ter. I've been paying this about him for a long time and Buster's, a very good friend of mine, talk to him, still with everything going on with him, getting our director job. Talk to him quite But,…
Robby Incmikoski: That's crazy. Yeah, I can't believe he took that good for him. He's have f** crazy for doing it,…
George Kontos: Busters. You…
Robby Incmikoski: but yeah.
George Kontos: he's the keys that I always would call him Captain America because he's always so serious, It was always while he was in between the white locket.
George Kontos: A post-game interview, anything going on. He was just a lead. By example Guy. And you never really got many rah chirps out of him. But if he ever need ever noticed,…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: that the direction Of kind of the momentum was going in the wrong way. he would get everybody together and he could get the ass a little bit and set everybody back on the right track. And that's just how He was gonna go out there and lead by example and do everything that he could to help the team win. Even if that means pulling the slutler in the direction, he thought it had to go by himself even for a very short amount of time before everybody got on the same page. But then you have to give Hunter pence so much credit for what he brought to the table that year because he got traded at the deadline for Nate Shareholds and One of our minor leaguers, I can't remember what his name was.
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah, that's right. Yeah.
George Kontos: Basement. but Hunter gets there and Hunter is a very much bundle of energy and he is all about the,…
Robby Incmikoski: yeah.
George Kontos: I'm gonna envision this and I'm gonna will this to happen. And you gotta, envision it this happens before it happens. And he was our speech guy. He's the guy that we were down, we had lost both games at home against Cincinnati, in that nlds and We go in there and…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: I want to say it was Vogelsong, who was pitching game. Three?
George Kontos: But honor, call the meeting before game, three. And he earned himself the nickname of the Reverend with this speech that he gave, but he was unbelievably passionate, he said that we need to go out there. We need to play for one another. No one tried to do anything by yourself. If someone in front of you fails, you pick up his slack, and it was a really great speech, and it, got everybody fired up and it just turned into this pregame every game for the rest of the postseason. We would huddle up in the dug out Either the anthem or before either team, took the field, whatever it was, and it just turned into this raw chant that. Got everybody on the same page and while I was there for two of the three rings. what I can even say about that 2010 team is that San Francisco Giants organization had and had the right culture inside our clubhouse. we had great culture. There was never anybody who was like, I'm the guy or I need to be the guy. It was one…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: who really enjoyed each other's company. We all like each other.
George Kontos: Humans and friends. And, there were not these little kind of clicks where some guys would go to dinner. We had dinners where it was 12 13, guys. Everyone got together and…
Robby Incmikoski: Wow.
George Kontos: we had a really good team chemistry on the two that I was on. But I know for a fact that band of misfits his boat calls him, they had great chemistry as well.
Robby Incmikoski: When you look at boats, how much is that a credit what you just said about how much is that accredit the boats and the way he runs. I mean are you almost not surprised that he goes down and wins this another World Series in Texas? I mean
George Kontos: No, I'm not surprised because everyone always asks what was boats like or what makes boats different from actors.
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah, tell us about that. We wanted.
Robby Incmikoski: What does he like?
George Kontos: So boats,…
George Kontos: his superpower is obviously he knows the game of baseball. He's been around it for four decades. so the knowledge that he has is just so plentiful but the thing that he was the best at and I still think he's the best at it is he's a manager of men and personalities and he understands every individual guy how he needs to be communicated to or what he needs to get the most out of that player. And
Robby Incmikoski: Uh-huh.
George Kontos: Obviously, you know how many different types of personalities? There are in a clubhouse. Everyone's Not everyone needs tough, love. Some people need a pat on the back. Some people need to be talked. A little bit of s*** to get them mad and to get the best and…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: boats just knew exactly what buttons to press for every guy and he wouldn't overdo team meetings or stuff like that, he didn't see you walking by in the home clubhouse. And he'd be like, I use myself as the example. George you come in here when nobody else new, I was leaving, maybe go home, but you'd call you in, you talk to you for a couple minutes and, after I had a bad day, he's like, Hey look, you're gonna be out there again tomorrow. If I find any situation to get you out there, I'm getting you out there so I didn't have to go home and dwell on how bad my outing just was, I know that he wants to get me back on the horse because along with everybody else. our pieces of this team that are gonna be depended on and we need to be mentally right as quick as possible. And I think that his superpower is his ability to get to
George Kontos: Impact everybody on his roster in a way that's beneficial form.
Robby Incmikoski: So that's very interesting and we want for boats because that's a great. Summation of what he is. And I kind of get that vibe from being around him for a couple months, no this year with the Rangers.
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: The way he carries himself is unbelievable and how respectful is to the media. And even doesn't like a question. He doesn't like rolls eyes. You just kind of sits there. And he just answers the question, he's just very respectful to the media and…
George Kontos: So no.
Robby Incmikoski: he's very, very good to us. I'm a huge fan of his. when you Kind of jumping around a little bit, but when travesty Chicago hit the homer, like how the hell do you describe? Can you just tell me because were you in the bullpen when that happened? Or did you already pitch it?
George Kontos: I was in the dugout because our bullpens were still in the dugout, the than, yeah, we run out of the dog out and…
Robby Incmikoski: that's right. I've totally forgot. Yeah, yeah so
George Kontos: run down to the left field line there. That's where we warmed up at home back then.
Robby Incmikoski: About that. Yeah.
George Kontos: We can snap the bull plans in center field but I mean that was in it. What a swing to change, totally the trajectory of someone's career path. I mean, Travis Sheikawa who had been scaffolding a little bit prior to that at bat and…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: and again I have had many conversations because Travis did a few games of pre and post with me last year and we got to just talk about all this stuff all the time, but he was not confident going.
George Kontos: At bats in the few prior to that one where he hit the walk off to send us to the world's and…
Robby Incmikoski: Right, which is amazing.
George Kontos: to win the battle. And it was so interesting because again, giving more credit to Hunter Pence here.
George Kontos: Hunter and Travis had a little pow. And I know he's gonna throw me, I mean I'm not getting my foot down and Hunter just goes believe something good's gonna happen. It's better to believe Good than believe, something bad. If it was Michael Walker who was on the mound, he throws a fat ball down the zone, get your foot down and get ready to hit fastballs and literal Travis Scott,…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: his foot down, got the barrel out. And I mean it was Johnny Miller's calls, just so good on it. and the Giants win the pennant, it was just an incredible. second base. He's freaking out. Jake. Peavey doesn't even have his contacts and he's in between second and third, trying to, give him a hug. We had to make sure he touched home plate. But, talk about a huge swing from, I would say that Travis was not the last man on the roster that year. But there were other guys who you would have expect a huge hit from. And again, it goes to the culture that we have anyone could deliver at any time.
George Kontos: And Travis was the guy that was able to get the glory for himself and for us.
Robby Incmikoski: That's so me I as best as you can remember. That was why it was a Third pitch,…
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: at I'm just looking at that. what do you like can you as vividly? As you remember, Where were you in the dugout? What do you remember running out? when he made contact, Did you know,…
George Kontos: I was.
Robby Incmikoski: right away? Just take us through that minute. What do you remember about that specific moment and what it was like How would you describe the vibe? As soon as contact was made then the ball goes over into place just goes bananas.
George Kontos: Yeah. I mean, It was pandemonium at that point. I normally would sit or stand. I never really sat. I would be fitting kind of head on the padding and I would always be where we went down the tunnel. So the far side of the dugout, Just because that's where, we relievers tend to find a home in Rags,
Robby Incmikoski: Thank you.
George Kontos: hated what they're keepers, would be right next to the coaches, because we were normally supposed to be in the dugout and rags hated when they were talking about stuff.
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: If we were all there, ears, perked up, who's it gonna be? Just because the good anxiety was starting to build up when a pitching.
George Kontos: Change was gonna be made or was someone would go warm up so we all stayed as far away as we could. So the far side of our dugout is usually where I made my cocoon and…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: burrow but I remember as soon as you hit it I would say all of us were out of the dugout before the ball went over the fence. I mean everyone he hit it so hard that it went up and we were all immediately perked up and jumping over the side. I mean, what a great I mean it was pandemonium elation electric. I mean, I for sure, Remember the building shaking from everyone just going ballistic?
Robby Incmikoski: That's where I was going with that. That's incredible what was it. Alright, so after that happens, you go into the clubhouse what was it like? how did the teammates? How do all of you as his teammates feel for Ishi at that moment?
George Kontos: Again, issue he's one of like you.
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah. I know. Yeah. Yeah,…
George Kontos: He's one of the nicest humans ever. He's just a laid back.
Robby Incmikoski: I love them.
George Kontos: Somewhat soft spoken guy. But he's just Such a great family his career path was I don't want to say tumultuous but it had some ups It had some times that were hard for him throughout his career which most players at the major league level go through. Not everyone just shows up on day, one plays for 12 or 15 years and rides off into the sunset. But, you…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: he was a guy who got his moment and he absolutely took the rains on it and made something great happen and he's gonna forever be in the history books. Because when you do something like that, and then the next thing that happens is you win a World Series. It's a pretty big swing of the bat.
Robby Incmikoski: Ongous. And then, I mean. The travesty Chicago is not going to be known as a household name and I'm not ripping him by any stretch. But I mean how much do guys celebrate? Kind of a guy who's not a quote, unquote big-name player? Doing the thing on the biggest stage How do teammates react to that, how do you feel for him?
George Kontos: You, feel great for him. First of…
Robby Incmikoski: I know that…
George Kontos: I can
Robby Incmikoski: but they had a crowning moment. I mean, I guess I just asked that but we know what kind of guy he is. But that guy's gonna be remembered forever in the history of giant floor.
George Kontos: Forever forever. I mean, before I was just about to say he'll never pay for a meal in San Francisco. Ever again, he'll never pay for a meal in San Francisco ever again, nor should he because hey those are the types of fans of the Giants have when you've given them memories like that, that they can, share with their grandparents or what their kids who are just new Giants fans or Giants fans are they're real. I got to play for the Giants. Obviously the longest of any team in my career and…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: the fans. There are second to none. they will ride or die with you every single game. And that just is proven by the fact that every game, I ever pitched at formerly AT&T Park, currently Oracle was a proud of 44.
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah. That's yeah.
George Kontos: Plus thousand people eat, even the games and seasons, where we weren't very good from mid 2009. Until
George Kontos: When this streak ended and I was in Pittsburgh, or maybe the next year in 18 in Pittsburgh as well. But it was, I think, 555 straight, sellouts which expected in Major League Baseball to only,…
Robby Incmikoski: Unbelievable.
George Kontos: I think the Red Sox but that's the kind of fans that Giants fans are. I mean, we've given them not only have we given ourselves memory but we memories, but we've given the entire city and anybody who's a Giants fan tremendous memories for five years, winning, three rings. And, there are people's dogs who are named Posey, and Panda, and all sorts of stuff like that. So, it's a really unique bond that is shared between the fans the San Francisco, Giants and US players who were part of one or all three of those rings.
Robby Incmikoski: but, Yeah,…
George Kontos: There's just such special memories.
Robby Incmikoski: are you good for a couple more and I'll let you roll if you want that,…
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: So to that effect, and I asked this question because this is for the fans that are gonna read this book because I really like given the players perspective of how they view the fans and what the fans support means. I know exactly.
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: We're talking about work, many games in San Francisco, my career. How much of a boost how much do the players in that dugout? Appreciate You guys, team might be struggling, Or you might be having a rough August or a rough, you might have lost seven in a row. You might, get your balls kicked in a couple days. have bad loss. that s* happens in baseball to everybody, right? we know that but to have that day in and day out how much do the guys in the dugout and in that clubhouse really respect and appreciate the support that they especially got specifically as it relates to you, the Giants fans of…
George Kontos: Yeah. it.
Robby Incmikoski: what they did to you. I'm asking specifically about them and how much you're doing your teammates appreciated that.
George Kontos: we appreciated it, just I mean words don't describe the appreciation that we have for our fans because you realize that these people show up on day games, in traffic, whatever it is every day to show up and pack that stadium. It gives you a little bit of an unique kind of energy. When, that these people are here, support you every day. And even when you have a bad day, you got to shake it off because these people are gonna be back there. The next day, and they're gonna be rooting us on and they're gonna be expecting us to do what they know. And we know we're capable of doing and, there have been times where, even a guy like berries, who had some years that I think he would want to forget about?
George Kontos: The fans were critical but fair and as soon as we don't win 2012, without very zito, by the way, he was one of the most integral parts of our pitching staff and…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: just the appreciation that he felt from the fans view towards him after that as well. And especially, a lot of people might say that the contract prior to that wasn't lived up to but after that, it absolutely was and you to give it to him again. if you can show up and win a World Series and it makes it all worth it. So I think that everyone really appreciates the efforts that everyone puts on the field day in and out, especially, when you can create core memories. I mentioned with people that are in your family, or your friends, or where I was that fans have told me when this happened, or I was at game here, or I was at this bar, we were supporting you, we've helped create memories for these people that will last a lifetime and we will be talk.
George Kontos: Out for a lifetime and they are just so appreciated because they brought the electricity in that stadium day in and day out for my entire career there. So it was a fun place to be especially during those years
Robby Incmikoski: What did you have to be careful about pitching the guys in that ballpark? What you have to be aware of, you have triples alley,…
George Kontos: Hang until fighter sobriety,…
Robby Incmikoski:
George Kontos: that's about it. That was the thing that I said hanging sliders to righties,…
Robby Incmikoski: Say it again. What?
George Kontos: was about. The only thing you had to be careful about. Because, I obviously have been out of the game as a player for five. Six years now. But I haven't seen Leave that ballpark The way they do. Now, when I was playing, they didn't, if you ever fell behind to a right-handed batter,
George Kontos: I was a challenge fastball away outer third, and try to hit the ball, the right field as hard as you can. Because there's no way it's getting out of this ballpark. And that,…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: that was the way that I pitched to write his anti lefties. There was never any lefties trying to let them get their hands extended. it'd be fastballs and cutters into a lefty and sinkers down away because that's just how you pitched them. The ball was not going out to that part of the ballpark unless you just left the cookie middle middle and someone took your right down the line, but that triple valley, it's really hard to hit the ball 421 feet, especially with how cold it gets there in on most summer nights. And with that wind that is just, a lot of people don't realize. The wind might be blowing out but it hits that big scoreboard center field and comes directly back in. So it's really difficult or…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: it used to be really difficult to hit home runs at night there. It was just hard to do. So I'm the defense of that ballpark for at least the right handed picture against the right hand.
George Kontos: It was not to leave anything hanging breaking ball wise, over the middle of the plate because the one chance that damage could be really done is on those pitches.
Robby Incmikoski: I could do this all day. That's amazing, This is So one last thing, And I want to touch on this. earlier and I forgot to ask but just as it kind of extends and you mentioned this, a minute ago about how these guys are you're particular teammates from 2012 and there might be a few others that the teams we know that no team is the same players the whole time. But you're 2012 team and you're 2014 team. They're gonna be remembered forever. how much is that saying? brothers forever with you and all your teammates you cannot see a guy.
Robby Incmikoski: For 10 years. And you guys had to 2014 reunion this year,…
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: I believe, Were you there for that?
George Kontos: I was.
Robby Incmikoski: So, some guys, you probably haven't seen much, just because it's hard guys are all over the world, right? You get guys back together and then you see him and it's like, you saw him yesterday. Can you tell the fans a little bit of what that band of brothers mentality is because guys have it literally you can be friends with little leaders and you go live your lives, you get together and your friends because you play together. When** two World Series together has got to be like you know what I'm saying? What is that?
George Kontos: Yeah.
Robby Incmikoski: Just being a band of brothers. How do you describe that?
George Kontos: I being abandoned brothers, is a really, really put way of saying it just because, what the average person may not realize is the season is six months, End of March or beginning April, beginning of October, but what guys do is,…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: they get to Scottsdale or Florida two months before that starts because spring training starts right? Around Valentine's Day some guys will show up mid January and…
Robby Incmikoski: Yeah.
George Kontos: if you go to the postseason you're playing through October. So you're seeing these same 25 or 27 28 guys, in September. Whatever it is, you're seeing them every day for eight or nine months, you see them more than you family. You go through good times and celebrate good things and you go through bad times, you see these people when something bad in your personal life. Unfortunately happens. You lose a loved one or whatever happens. These are your sports staff, these people. So when you
George Kontos: You're able to create memories and we're unbelievably spoiled. I am anybody, who's won one, I've won two, the guys who have won three or more, you're unbelievably spoiled with how many core memories you're able to spend with the same guys. So, I tell everybody all the time. It goes significantly deeper than being former teammates or buddies. We are definitely all that were on those teams, whether you have one, or would you have all three? those are moments in your life that you'll never get back. And it was really interesting. Both said this to me after the 2012 postseason, I had this knack of always getting to the ballpark whenever it was pretty early because I like being there. It was a,…
Robby Incmikoski: Right.
George Kontos: it was a comfort zone, for me. It was a safe space. Is you go the ballpark and everything else is like, you're safe Haven. And it was the day of our parade in 2004 or 12 and I'm in the train.
George Kontos: Room, cutting my nails or something. And both comes into me and he goes, George's, it's not gonna settle in right now on what this actually means and what we've accomplished this year because that year, we won six elimination games to come back and then win a World Series, which I don't know that had ever been done before,…
Robby Incmikoski: Right. Yeah.
George Kontos: or if we had tied, the most elimination games in a single post season to do it, the boat said to me, He's like you're gonna be sitting there at some point, whether it's this off season, whether it's two years from now, or whether it's 10 years from now, when you're retired, whatever, and you're gonna realize what we did here and what this group of men did here and when that really kicked in it was I think soon after I had retired and I wasn't going to the ballpark anymore and we weren't around those guys like we were every day you realize just how special and how memorable and how much it means that we were able to experience those things as a group. So band of brothers, obviously referencing that this TV show which everyone loves it's a fantastic.
George Kontos: Opportunity that we all had to be in each other's lives for as much as we work.
Robby Incmikoski: That's amazing. That.