Legacy and Connection with Toronto Fans

Like, if I were to ask, Hey, I need you to sing a song And like you actually like tried. Like it didn't even matter if you're good Right? Like, But if you really tryate respect everybody goes crazy. you get the boys back into it But the other side, if he's like, no, I ain't doing that I'd put him in the shitter and make him sit in the shitter for thirty five minutes all the way to the to the LA airport And then if he if he still didn't want to act right, I would just make his permanent seat in the shoter and then I'd have the busy take a shit in it right before. We got on the bus This isn't the T League s again I M thowing. They Brusselll Martin challengingly You know this is to get it done, like It's another week. It's another episode of the getet it Dun League, North America's fastest growing baseball podcast. And you know why. That's the MVP Josh Donaldson There is Russell Martin. I'm your host, Aash Badany. Thank you so much. We encourage everybody to like, subscribe, follow wherever you get your podcast And of course on YouTube, Fellas, happappy summer. Russ, I have some I have some spies out there who tell me co host was spotted in Vancouver Wearing red and white with a Canadian badge at the World Cup match between the national team in Switzerland in a game that Canada had to get it done. They didn't But JD, you're in the house for it Yeah was I was that was my first ever soccer game, professional soccer game So it was pretty cool. They FIFA hooked it up for us and obviously The other side of my family is Canadian, so I wanted to support them and You know, my wife was like, You're like thirty percent Canadian. I was like Okay, if you want me to. What' you make of it? like fifty three thousand people like the red, the march to the stadium, the pageantry Yeah, I mean it's been a while since I've been to Vancouver. Vancouver is really, you know, a really nice city Um to go to But yeah, Dodger Sitter as far as How many people were there, right? Like it's it's a lot of people and it got loud for the one goal that they had and there was a lot of A lot of times when they were ready to erupt where they just couldn't quite finish off a goal. it looked like they had so many opportunities. We had such a good view on a lot of them. So it was It's fun. I mean, anytime for me, I appreciate when it's at the highest level And it means the most like you have an appreciation for those guys that are on the field for sure. Yeah, Russ, I know you're into this thing too, huh? I love Soccer or football, Fooieball, whichever way you want to say it It's u I mean, it's just fun to have Canada in it. And u You know, they won their first game. Obviously that was that was a tough loss against Switzerland, but They didn't put on a good show You know, they've been fighting un to watch. Yeah, It has been fun to watch. It's the getet it Dun League, Josh Jonon Russell Martin a Rashmidanny with you. All right, guys, let's get into it. I mean, it's become the story in baseball over the last No week or so Dalton Rushing, Shohee Oani, young catcher. The narrative has been that the catcher is showing up show hey, Otani, like it just how that whole thing all shook down And then Dave Roberts kind of puts his arm around rushing in the dugout afterwards. Freddie Freeman goes and has a chat with a young twenty five year old just finding his way in the big Lagues Otani said all the right things afterwards. Rushing said all the things afterwards But Russ, you see something like that shakedown with a young catcher. what's your kind of reaction to this Well your job as a catcher is to protect your pitchers Right You never want to show You're never supposed to, you know, show your pictures up. just like pictures if somebody makes an error behind them you know, you don't want to see your pitcher throw his hands up or you know, bar at you or whatever And as a catcher, I mean, you're You're facing everybody. Everybody's looking at you. so If you show bad body language or And if there's one guy that you probably should never, ever show up. It's Pil He. I mean Please you know, arguably one of the best talent that has ever played the game And he seems like a great teammate and a good de and I don't think he would ever show anybody up ever. So I uh I don't know. I wonder what's going on. I'd like to know what the real conversation was like. you know, before they talk to the media afterwards. It looked heated on the mound with showohee and Rushing. likeike when when the catcher went up to show he even before the translator got there, even before Mark Prior, the pitching coach got there Jady, I can't remember the last time on the field I've seen no Tony that animated Yeah. well, I think I think layers to this, right I think One of the layers that I will talk about first is show He kind has been giving up a few runs leading up to this and I even saw earlier in the week where he's like throwing another bowlpin to try to get some field for some pitches and work on some things If you don't show he, I don't think he like so that he doesn't work, but I don't think he puts his body through more than what he should because of I'm hitting and pitching Right or whatever he thinks. So I think he's kind of feeling a little bit like he wants to write this ship and then when he's going out there and He's got this young kid that's Either they're getting crossed up or showing them up and it doesn't look good. on TV. it doesn't look good to show Hey. like U because The game If there is one game that the guy' about Everybody's talking about it's show hey noobody. you're a backup catcher first off. right. Like nobody should know your name as a backup catcher L you should be like In this shadow, you should be catching your tail off And I think and here's here's where I I kind of see this Dalt rushing because I watch a play. He kind of reminds me a little bit of myself or the other team doesn't like him. He's going to play hard. He's playing playing way he's taking guys out at second base when you're really not supposed to be taking guys out anymore. He's doing some stuff behind the plate. He's You know He has some antics. I'll say that And I remember when I was a catcher coming up to the big leagues the first time and I was, you know, I was vocal. I was loud and Kurt Young was our pitching coach. He'd say, JDie We don't want to hear you We don't want to hear you Be quiet Be quiet, stay back there, stay stay soft Be quiet. I think rushing needs to take a step back and say this isn't about me L I'm the backup until And it reminds me of a movie clip. One of my favorite movies, Bull Durham when We're talking about the pitcher, right? And he's like He's looking at his of, you know, his shower shoes and he's like, they're dirty. Yeah. like it's disgusting. He's like When you're in the minor leagues and you're grindy, you can't have dirty Sher shoes He goes, but If you're in an all star, if you're number one Now those shower shoes mean like you're an artist or like like you're creative, like they make it something good. like You're not good enough right now, Dalton. to be acting the way that you are G some give it some time. I'm not saying you're not a good player But right now, you're not the guy So I mean, you guys got the potential. He's got the potential like he's a good player. Yeah. He's a good player. He can do some things. So So R's not that guy. So what's the conversation? likeike we saw again. We saw Freeman, we saw Roberts And I hear what JD's saying, but like How do you express that to a dude? Wh may know better, may not know better in terms of how to handle Now in game How to handle this post game and how to handle this tomorrow I mean, it's pretty easy. Those are conversations that need to be had away from cameras you don't You don't want to escalate a situation when all the eyes are on you So And it's the same thing with if you have something to say to the emmpire Ifs you don't turn around and face him and then start barking at him. likeike you can Face in the field and say or say whatever you want to say, but just don't show anybody up. It's just It's pretty simple, you know, justust wa wait for the time. L there's a time and place for everything and Um, barking at somebody on the mound in front of everybody is is never going to go well with anybody. So it's just you can you can have the conversation in the dugout or even better, you go walk into the tunnel And then you kind of hash it out that way So I think it's just You know, kind of like a kind of like a rookie mistake type thing where You just got to pick the right time and And sometimes you Bite your tongue a little bit, even though you're frustrated and and just wait. a little bit. You just got to wait. You got to find the right time to It's the expression that we it's the expression we like to say, you just got to wear it You got to wear it for a little bit soence. Even if it's Johi's fault, like you're wearing for that You're where you're the you're the you're the catcher likeike he's the guy. you wear that. You have your talk And that's going to be the first conversation that the boys have with them in the in the locker like, Hey, dude, like we understand like this might not have been your fault but doesnesn't matter. Yeah, right. Exactly. The problem the problem is' an easy fix It is if it's if the if it's not falling on deaf ears. like we've had those guys. Yeah. that when it falls on deaf ears, like he's gone R Like like Your numbers aren't going to be good enough for the antics that are there right now And so like if this doesn't turn around You're gone, dude like That's that's the easy fix if he doesn't, right? But I don't think like they see the talent with the kid. So they want to give them some runway. The only problem is there's just been kind of one too many things now which is starting to lead me to believe like Does this guy think he's Shohee Boy boy. So like like do you think the show's about you 'ause it's not, dude like it's It's not. So you both have had teammates like that along the way. You know, they don't they don't come around often, but they've been around What have you like that shelf life cannot last long. over one hundred and sixty two in an everyday situation environment So how does that get handled Like what, how does this evolve? Russ. Well, this is what this an example of what can happen is Obviously you know, when Josh was told to be quiet probablyably wasn't quiet, and then they moved him to third base I was you know actually I actually was. I was like, I'm like sorry. but it did feel out of like u it wasn't good. likeike I didn't feel good about it Yeah. Um I mean, I I don't really remember any teammates in Tough. Well, you know what age There was like an early Matt camp that had a like, you know, and it was it was I mean, that's a long time ago. That was kind of like teams were built. they had a lot of veteran players And there used to be kind of that separation between the veterans and the young guys and The young guys, normally the rookies kind of just kept their head down and didn't say much. and You know, you kind of needed to like prove yourself. And then after a couple years, then you can kind of start taking up more space in a locker room and and kind of showing your personality and stuff Um Kem was I mean, he's's he's a big dog. Like he's he's not afraid of anybody And he's not taking any shit from anybody And there were some situations where some of the veterans were getting a little, you know Pissed off Adam And u And it was just like, it was like Typical Rokie stuff like, hey, Rokie, you know, take my luggage to the plane. Right. And Camp was like Ain't having that And it kind of, you know, there was some there was some heated exchanges and Um Eventually you know, everything kind of fell into place But And I don't think, you know, I think the veterans nowadays aren't as hard as they used to be Right? Well, you can't feel like the league the league is so much younger than it used to be and there's a lot more young guys Um Like it's just you gott to be professional That's that's and it goes for the veterans and the younger guys. You just you got to you gott to keep it professional. Josh, you say the vets can't be in what ways? Yeah. well I remember like the rookie dress up stuff that we used to do and that I was a part of myself. like they've taken that away like the rookie hazing like stuff away. I know We talked about Bauower, like he was the guy that got rid of that because he didn't want to do it and he complained to Manford about it. And so they kind of cracked down on right Yeah, I didn't know that I didn't know that either. Yeah. Yeah. so U ly They do coffee runs now like in Chicago. they go get coffee coffee runuds, you know, like And to you. It was it's kind of like what Russ was saying. and rosters nowadays aren't created to have like a veteran presence sky like that twenty for to twenty six man roster spot that is likeike a solid veteran that's been around that can grab a guy by like, For me, it was Johnny Gomames Grab you by the shoulder, be like, hey kids like you're doing good or like, hey, like you got to clean this up. Like, hey, we're gonna to do this. this is how we go. you know, if you want to drive the bus like This is what this is how you drive the bus and u They've kind of gotten away from that and gotten into the younger players Um, and younger coaches like Like you have coaches nowadays that they want to be your friend. like, o, hey, they like What's up, buddy? like They're like thirty five years old. He like I remember my last couple years in the Yankees. I was older than some of the hitting coaches and I'm like What is this? right These guys don't want to talk to me about hitting because like what are they going to say to me? like And if they know if I catch them slipp it on something, I'm going to call I'm going to say like no, that's, I don't believe that Right? And like you think they want to say something to Jehan Carlos No, they don't want to say something to Judge Stayon and these guys and they're just there. like You know With that being said Everybody's younger and you rely on some of these guys. the unique instance that we're talking about with Rushing is that He has Th dudes on his team that are MVPs He's got free but Mooky bets U Shoheo Tani like Why are we talking about you We should not be talking about you unless you're just Scorching, earth, carrying the team And it's not just that't leave it at that. Well, it's not just that you have MVPs. You're the defending World Series Champions, you have the highest payroll in baseball. like you're the team. likeike this is the is a team, you know. This is the Ferrari. Back in the day, the backup catchers were old veterans, like backups that I had coming up I think I had Sandy Alamar my first year. He was like forty two The as that I'm right now which is pretty impressive. that I I had. Brad Osmus like Mike Liebberhal And like all veteran guys who had been through tons of seasons And they kind of knew like they know their role They d In Russhing, it's like a different situation because he wants to prove that he's capable I'm sure he wants to be a starter and he has the potential to be So It creates a You know how teams are assembled it It's not conformed to have the best chemistry Right. Like in a perfect world, you'd have like a good veteran. you know, catches every third or fourth day and knows his place But we're rushing like He wants to bang. he wants to. you know, he want he wants to be an everyday guy, which is what I mean, which Yeah, that's the way you want your young players to play So let's talk about this You know what I would do? You know what I would do I wouldd finish it off like this Al's on the Dodgers right now and let's say like You're leaving Dodger Stadium and how long's did they get to the airport Russ from Dodger Stadium With traffic or no traffic. withith tra I would say it's like forty five minutes an hour. Oh, perfect. So I would traffic maybe more. I would as soon as you get on the bus, you know, you get on the bus, there's a mic man. And I'd wear him out for ten minutes and I'd make him come up I would just absolutely obliterate them for ten minutes And then I'd get him to I'd get him to come to the front, make him sing a song or something like that And here's the deal. This is what's cool about baseball is like, As a young guy not knowing this When you're on the bus and there's a bike manan and he's trying to get after you a little bit. if you take it in stride and you just If you wear it per se, like we were saying it, then you actually like if I were to ask, Hey, I need you to sing a song And like you actually like tried Like it didn't even matter if you're good Right? Like, But if you really try respect everyverybody goes crazy. you get the boys back into it But the other side, if he's like, no, I ain't doing that put him in the shitter and make him sit in the shitter for thirty five minutes all the way to the to the LA airport And then if he if he still didn't want to act right, I would just make his permanent seat in the shootter and then I'd have the busy take a shit in it right before We got on the bus Oh my God I mean, it's funny you say that about the about the music. L Aiden Hutchinson, it was like top pick in the NFL draft. You know, University of Michigan gets taken by the Detroit Lions in front of the whole meeting room Whatever, the first week of training camp busts out Billy Jean by Michael Jackson. The whole room's going crazy. They're dancing along, They're singing along. B He had He's got him. He got him Aam And now and now you and what now you take away from is because in the NFL it's like Oh he's the first rounder. He got the big signing bonus. He's got this and that and to where people are jealous of that, right? like that are in that locker room that didn't get that money Now all those people they arere like Oh shit, he's one of us. He's a dude. likeike he's not a Yeah. He's not a D bag, you know, like he's that's how you gel. That's how you create like good kid team vibes. Yeah translates. It does. I remember with I remember with LA early on. we went to we went to a bar and sang Karaoke and our Our closer who became the closer, He started the year in the minor Leagues was a Japanese guy, Takashi Saito And he's saying What song? What song did he sing It was a beatles song Hey Jude. Oh wow. He sang Hey Jude like It the voice of an angel. Oh baby. And everybody was like, what? I feel like Japanese people are known to be pretty good karaoke singers. part of their culture. they get after it M I was like, I was in awe. I just thought I was like Dude, I like this version better than the Beatles one. Like he killed it. It was amazing. And then from then on, like everybody loves Saito He was It was fun. I I didn't get up there. I'd love to hear Edwin on the b look like we Edwins in karaoke, by the way. Oh my gosh Ed would do that. Yeah. I wish I was you need earplugs for that, you need earplugs for Edie singing for sure. It just depends. It just depends on how much, you know of the dark sauce that he had. I mean if was if he was a little tipsy, I bet he would air it out. I've seen that I've seen thatide he just Carneson one of one of the greatest teammates. L of beauty He's a beauty He's a beauty. So he's did you ever did you ever have to go sing up on u Ohh yeah on the bus? I did Yeah ye. Are you kidding me I'm a lightning rod they wanted to I had to do jokes I had I had to do jokes and I had Dallas Braden who was on the team and he was just the whole time crushing me. That's why That's why I became a good mic manan because he was our micman and he just used to bang us You would just kill us. But then if you tried like And you did good like he was you feel good about it. You know what I mean? Be he Did you guys have kangaroo courourt too? Did you guys do kangaroo courourt? No, I think the last time I think the last time I did kangaroo court was in Maybe the minor leagues Yeah. Does that even exist still now? L does that exist? That's old school Yeah. Ser tried to bring it around to the Js this year, but explain it, Josh for those who don't know So kangaroo Core is You have normally you'll have three judges on the team and Anybody Be fed And so what happens is let's say Let's just say something You're late for stretch. You're late for strech. You're late for stretch You get banged. Somebody catches you, you have somebody that does the accusation blah blah blah. It gets red in front of the team And then the three judges decide whether and then they'll recommend like how much of a fine it should be Like it could be max fine, it could be a dollar, two dollars. You know, when I was in college, it was like max fine was five bucks. Like they weren't trying to kill guys. But at the end of the year all the kangaroo corp bunny would go to like a big party at the end And u So they read it out the jury or the judges decide whether or not You're guilty or you're not. And then you would get a chance after he would after he would piece of paper was read, you would get a chance to defend yourself. say like this is what happened. and then they would decide What would happen Were either of you tried or convicted? Oh yeah at any stage along the way. All right, let's hear it never. pererfect record. Law and order. Law and order Martin Donaldson, let's hear it. No Russ probably did, but he didn't understand because he could can only understand French at the time it They were begging it, but it was in English, so he didn't know No, man. They were too. They were too scared to take his lunch money away from him yeah, for me, I mean, it was always You of You know, late like not surprised with you likeike you just you pop off all the time You're like asking for it. Yeah. I was I loved it. I loved it. Yeah. Yeah, it did ye. Yeah, like you wanted to go to Kangaroo Court. P probably probably one of the funniest things We had this is my freshman year of college, when I was at Auburn We had this little outfilter, his name I think is JT He was like a fourth outfielder, like little lefty. He was like five foot eight Definitely had Little Man syndrome for sure And They We had all just gotten our new spikes for the year And so they took Um, All of the boxes from everybody's shoes and stacked them in front of my locker And I was like, oh, sweet. like all right, fine. likeike it's like it was my freshman year of college. L it's the same thing as being a rookie of the big leagues. likeike you're going to get You're going to get it, especially for me because I like to voice my opinion And All of a sudden I go to start taking the boxes out and this little guy just jumps straight out of my locker and starts like scares the crap out of me. I'm like o crap And so I literally ch he was a junior at the time. I literally chased him around Plainsman Park, which is the name of our baseball field. he ran from the locker rop to our field and I chased him for like fifteen minutes until I finally like caught him and I took him to the ground and like we wrestled for like a little minute and then it was over man K Woodcourt wasn't there a story? wasasn't there a story of I don't I forget what team it was. But somebody pulled a prank the rims and the wheels off somebody's car. Oh, I was in Chicago when that happened. You were there? It was my first That's an all time. That's an all time prank right there. That is insane. Yeah, it was my first big big camp Carry Wood I want it or it was Dimpster. as Dipster Carry Wood took the wheels and put it on blocks. This guy just got a brand new car was parked in the wrong spot But it was payback. It was payback for another break was put on him or something. Yeah. By the way, Dempster is like stand up comedian. He's a beauty quality, funny. he's Hilarious I literally we were at a golfvent. a Canadian boy too. We were we were at a golf event one time And we were all You know, having a good time And he literally this is The only words he said was And these So I said For an hour and a half, he's talking about his golf swing and he's like, Andy is And this And is For an hour and a half, it had different like little accents like every little time you did it You want to talk about like, my eyes were swollen after I left there because I was crying laughing so hard It was an absolute I' like I like this guy' why is he not O a stage somewhere This is he could be. He's that good. He's that good funny. Oh yeah. he's hilarious. Who else is up there, feas? Wh's who's who's Who's got a little special shelf for their own? I mean, I mean, I think we all have got it to I don't know if he's a comedian or. I think he might be like What was that like part of the usual suspects or something, but Joe Biainie. I think he should be on a stage somewhere Js me's kind on that dry humor. Like he doesn't laugh at his own jokes. He's got like that awkward funny. and he knows he's awkward But he's late He just he'll never laugh And you're just sitting there and you're like, Cringy almost It is And then like's like' be like ser L little will Ferl little will Ferrel you a little bit, I think. And when you're being serious to him, like he'll like look at you and be like Like Joe, like I'm being serious right now Okay. Even what yeah, even when you's really listening. Jo. Are you like Im being serious serious face? Yeah know like Joe,m being serious Okay, I'm serious to I, I'm gonna kill you. like I'm gonna kill you, like stop look looking at me like that like be serious We had Toronto had some good ones. Kawasaki.esome. I love you. Kawasaki so funny. He was like physically funny. Y. And just like in interviews He just playays he just barely speaks barely speaks English and he's hilarious. He played that role so well. like you want to talk about like absolutely like dominating a role. L literally we brought Kawasaki up for a time because our team was like a little it was scuffling a little bit Kawasaki was not even playing in the minor leeagues. He was he was like the all time first base coach Okay he wasn't playing We called them back up to the big leagues because we knew they knew as soon like the guys had told like Alex like, hey, we need we need Kowwa up here. likeike he's going to bring good vibes Cowy gets called up, like everybody's pumped up. We go in a winning streak and it was like the rest is history. He knew he wasn't playing. We knew he wasn't playing But he was going to bring great vibes to the clubhouse and that's what we needed Mark Mark D Ros had a great line about Kawasaki said donon't know what he's saying all the time, but he just gives a lift to this entire team. I thought that was That was a good one. The best. He's the best Um Look I wanted like we talked about Edwin and Vlad and, you know ow coming back to Toronto, Canada today. It was supposed to be the Boe and Vlad show forever. Like they, you know, they come up all the way through the minor Leagues and they have the success and Obviously second generation, big leagers, etcetera. A When along the way do you know as a player You know what? My time's probably up here I got a take on this. I So I feel like You know, it's it's a little dig to to the front office When you players in your system from the minor leeagues and you know they're going to be good Yeah there's a window. There's a window there to where you can You can sign them to a contract and not have to pay free agent money. Right And I I feel like they dropped a ball on both of them They paid Vlad free agent money And then Bashet they lost him because it got too close to free agency And like I think everybody At least in the clubhouse players knew that these guys were good. We wanted them called up earlier You know, they did the proper thing and way T was calling them Legends from one week in major in major League camp. I was like, come on, dudes like you can't Yeah. It't call him leges a weeknd into camp, but He didn't know. No like, you know when you know when somebody's got it sometometimes, right? It doesn't always work out that way. But I feel like They could assign them to longer contracts earlier and probably gotten you know, a less Less less of a hit annually on their salary personersonally You know, like that's how the small markets, That's how they do it. They take risks players who they think are going to project really well. Yeah They give them contracts They cost them less long term. be mayaybe you miss once or twice, but You make a couple good moves and then that kind of gives you wiggle room for other guys, kind of like what At landed did with Ozzie Alb's You know, they it it takes a couple guys who don't sign good contracts early on or just lesser contracts and then it gives the freedom to add what you know, free agents when when they need to add to that team. And I think the blue Jays You know, they play they paid Vlad free agent money And I don't think That's my take on it. I think I agree. Like if they could have signed them, I bet they were trying to at some extent But when you have To dads that were in the big leagues that also know how good their kids are Like they're not letting him sign an abit out Ozziey Alby's deal. like No, that's like know, but I just But I'll say this, I think there was concerns to like I don't want to sound like I'm like, backing, which I kind of am backing the front office a little bit. I think there was concerns from both sides like Vlad had like some years and especially early on. When he was dealing with some weight issues and you know, being in coming to camp, being in shape I remember whenever I was on the team like he was in They didn't send him to a team because he needed to lose forty pounds. So I think they were also kind of nervous that if they gave them money early on that They didn't want to encourage that. Eactly. They didn't want to encourage. Exactly. So they made Vlad kind of like earn it. to get to the free agent market because I don't think they were believers that he was going to do that. You know what I'm saying? Right Now with B. I think now with Bob Bette. I think in the last year or so Either he made his mind up about not wanting to be there anymore. whether it was the field Be I know a lot of infielders have, you know, it's that infillld is tough one on your body. You know, the turf, the dirt that they have, you're literally on forages of surface and then it's concrete, right Um So I don't know if they' like he's had some body issues. towards the past You just, I mean, once you start getting close to free agent Yeah, you're like one year away and then you're trending You're having one of your best seasons. You're like, I think I'm just going you know, get fifteen other teams who are interested involved to see. Yeah what I can It was interesting. You know what I mean? coming coming off the worldld series going into that off season. It was one of the most awkward dances where nobody wanted to say a bad word about the other But it was very clear that Bow wasn't Boa had no interest in coming back and the BlueJays had no interest in bringing him back So it was like this awkward high school dance where nobody wanted to make the first move to the exit It just wasn't going to happen at that point. I wonder along the way as players, wn't you just get a sense Mm. This isn't this isn't for me long term or this isn't going to happen for me long term. Well I could tell you I could tell you from my own personal experience dealing with the same front office I remember twenty eighteen, we got there like And it kind of stemmed like a little bit before spring training. I what is it like would you What was it when we had to go and see the fans and stuff like in Canada know the winter tour training winter The winter tour Winter tour. So we did the winter tour type stuff and You know, the media was asking me like, Josh, you're going to be a free agent coming up. likeike, do you want to stay us likeike What's your conversations like like, well, we aren't having any conversations Iven't heard anything Well, what do you think I'm like? Well, I'm perfectly happy because they did what they needed to do through my arbitration stuff. likeike I'm fine. L I was was making plenty of money through arbitration but I did want to stay like and I made it very clear to Ross and all involved like I wanted to end my career as a Toronto bllueJay said that word for word. And their thought like did we kind of go to spring training? And there's a whole lot of talk that are going we go play a round of golf And we're talking. he's like, Josh, like What are you thinking for like a Like a D deal or whatever like that And I was like, I don't know. I was like, I want what's fair and I would like to end my career here in Toronto If that's possible And then it was like, They shorted they started at like three years And they're talking about like certain amount of cash and I'm just like, gross like I'm going to play longer than three years I don't want to like I want this to be it. like I want this to be my last team. I don't want to have to worry about Another day of like putting on another uniform. And So then we're sitting there talking throughout the round and he's like, hey, like you should come in and see like how we project you over like the next like four or five years And I remember I was like Russ I said so you want to just Nullify all the body of work that I've put him before that Is it now Here I am like having to go off what your projection of me is. I said, no, like I know what you're trying to do W that I said Here, me let me help you I said twenty thirteen fourth in the NVP twenty fourteen, eight in the NVP, twenty fifteen, I won it. twenty sixteen. I was fourth. twenty seventeen, I missed fifty games It was my best home run per a bat year of my career and I pretty much had him addmit like if I don't miss fifty games I'm top four in that And I said, that's what you're, that's what you're paying for Like that's that's what you're getting. And obviously like stuff happened my career where I got banged up and like Yeah, it happens I go, but I said, I just want what's fair for whatever the market is going to be And he's like, Josh, it would be, you know It would be great if our team had eleven of you or know twenty five of you on our on our roster He goes, but, you know, it doesn't really Matt, like Rogers doesn't really care like if we sign you or not And I go, okay, well, here's the deal If Rogers doesn't care that they sign me I go that I don't want to be a part of this organization anymore because You're telling me you don't want to win if that's the case And Their whole thought was it didn't affect the shareholders' value or whatever the I don that was the that was the garbage that I got And so I go to like the next day to spring training. And I go Um I just went straight up to Ross and I was like, Hey, man, I just want to let, you know, I kind of talk to my agent about Our discussion yesterday And I'm like, I don't want to see your projections of me and I'm like I really didn't like how the conversation went. And I had always told Ross. I'm like, just be straight up with me. I'm okay with it. Be straight up with me. Right. Let me know where I stand Yeah, like if you don't want me here, like if you're trying to get like the new generation to come up and turn over, like I'm okay with that at least like when I put my head down at night, like I know like I'm playing now for the Jays, but like my future doesn't lie there It's so how that conversation ended up happened like how it ended going the way is I woke up the next day and I said, okay Like if that's how I'm going to be treated In this instance, I said, I'm not talking about I'm not talking about contracts anymore Like it's over. Like you just took your chance doing it how you thought you were going to do it. And I think like maybe there was some intent to that. mayaybe he wanted me to not want to do comeome back. I don't know But I remember coming back with it, Lena. in twenty nineteen Bring it back full circle with Bow is like when I was out there playing catch and looking around in the stadium and seeing it like I felt like Pace of my heart was kind of gone at that time. And I remember like I was like fighting back tears like just like playing catch in the outfield Like because that's where I wanted home. It's like to end up being. You don knowt And obviously the fans reaction, you know Toronto' great with guys come backack. and have their moment coming back because you know, what Would you do great things in that city like they remember you, like they they love athletes there and they really appreciate Um You know, that you sweat and blood and did the things you did for that organization. they really appreciate that. That's why for me the Toronto fans are the best. Yeah, there's such a connection I find between the two of you, like Bow coming back Kyle Lowerry, like, you know, they want to build a statue of Kyle outside the basketball arena, Bautista Now There's such a there's such a neat bond between the fan base And certain dudes who laid it on the line and had success there. like I remember that series, JD, and I remember that Jays came to Atlanta around Labor Day that season. you almost said like That series was almost like closure for me. on, you know, like whether it was Of my time in Toronto, the divorce of my time Russ, I remember you and I chatting in LA. when the Jays came and you were pretty matter of fact about it. You knew at that point You know, my career is winding down, making a lot of money They're going with the youth movement. I know what this is. But it was it was different stages of your careers both of you at that point I mean The fans they appreciate they they can see the guys who play with heart And I feel like that's what kind of resonates with them. And, um Yeah It's just You It's it's kind of like just the circle of life like it. There's going to be a time where it's, you know, you're not playing like the way you used to play and At least for me, that's what it was. You know, I had a couple poor seasons and I'm like, man It's like I'm trying. It's not like I'm not trying, but it's just Not a not as Not as good as I once was. There you go. There you go.pe thing, you know Yeah. Well, it's just like every time you guys come back. It's just amazing. likeike JD, when you threw out the opening pitch, the playoffs last year, like that place. Roar You know Baputista's Jersey induction when they announced Gibby You know, the manager that place roared. likeike it's just it's amazing connection that can be built It is like You know, saying what we said earlier, like I don't have any ill will towards the front office. Now like that was the business of what happened at that time And I definitely think that there are We're all humans here. so there are feelings that kind of you know, that get stretched at times Um But I mean Yeah Are you always gonna to make every right decision? No. you know, but I think at the end of the day for me like one of the mottos that I try to use for myself is like If I'm staying true to myself, that I can live with like having a bad decision or right, you know being on the right side or bad side of it. like stay true to who you are and I think for Bow, I think there's definitely going to be some emotions like coming back 'ause that was a close team. we all saw And he was a very integral part of that And I wouldn't be surprised if emotions are going on and However he feels right now, I think whatever he's done playain's going to look back at that time and You know, then he'll get to under fully understand like did I make the right decision or not? or not Yeah, it's an amazing bond when you win together, right? Does't matter if it's a division like you guys had in fifteen. It doesn't matter if it's the penant like they had last year. U It's the get it done leue. When you get it done, it it absolutely brings the guys together Fells, this has been awesome JD, I just love I love that you' wearing a team Canada jersey at a soccer game. I gott to tell you, that is that is, that is awesome to me. If only somebody could tell the kid at Auburn twenty years ago that that's what you would be doing. It's amazing how type of the cycle of life. It's amazing. lifeife comes at you fast. What women will do, huh? What women will make you do for love, you know? I love it. On that note, another episode of the Get it Dun League. There's Russell Martin There's Josh Donaldson. I'm a rashedanny. Please like and subscribe Thanks to all of you for making us one of North America's fastest growing Baseball podcast. Get it done, link