One Instagram Post Ended His 12-Year MLB Career

Anthony Bass3:02

Yeah. I couldn't imagine, especially like I see it out of the draft, kids coming straight from high school, being 17, 18 years old, and then going right into pro ball. They're away from family, they're away from friends, they're in the middle of nowhere, America, trying to figure it out. This is the first time in their lives that they're actually failing for the first time, and they're on their own island doing it.

Uh, and a lot of times it breaks them down. A lot of them don't make it all the way. They just mentally just get burned out from baseball. So to see these young kids like Elly De La Cruz of the Reds shortstop there, obviously he's got a god-given ability.

Um, and then to go to the big leagues and stay there and not get sent back down. A lot of guys get there, then they get sent back down. Hey, you got X, Y, and Z to work on.

Anthony Bass3:43

But he stayed and stuck. So that's like really really uh impressive that you can do that.

Anthony Bass3:58

I grew up in Trenton, Michigan, just south of Detroit between Detroit and Toledo, Ohio. Have three siblings, two older sisters, younger brother. Grew up in a very like sport family. Uh my older sister was a college softball player. My brother was a great baseball player. He just didn't have the same passion as I did for baseball. So he ended up going a different direction. But yeah, I was kind of a late bloomer. I would say I was one of the youngest kids in my grade. And um I always just felt like I wasn't the biggest kid.

I wasn't the strongest or fastest, but I had a work ethic that was different than everyone else. So I would go to practice. I'd come home and then I would ask my dad, "Hey, can we go in the backyard and pitch? I want to I want to work on my my pitches today with you." Or I would set up the tea in the garage in Michigan in the in the winter time when it's freezing outside, put a little space heater on the ground, warm it up a little bit, and then I would take a 100 swings off the tea right-handed, 100 swings off the tea left-handed just on my own cuz I knew that there was kids in in Florida, in Texas, California that can play baseball year round.

And and I couldn't. So, this was my chance or this was how I got better. I was setting uh aside time in the garage just working on my craft, hitting, throwing with my dad, anything I could do more cuz I knew I was kind of behind the eightball. So, I I took a lot of pride in and putting in extra work beyond practice.

Anthony Bass5:26

Always. And that's one thing I I I thank him a lot for is his time. He he worked on the railroad. He was a locomotive engineer. throw the trains for his whole life.

Anthony Bass5:36

And he'd have long long trips, come home, probably be exhausted, but I'd say, "Hey, dad, like I missed you. Can we go throw in the backyard?" Whatever he was doing or needed to do, he would stop, grab his glove, and go out and play catch with me for 10, 15 minutes, whatever it was. But like those 10, 15 minutes were like everything to me. And that's something that like I want to, you know, reflect on my kids, too. Always be available for them. If they have a passion or drive for whatever it is, I want to be there for them.

Anthony Bass6:06

High school.

Anthony Bass6:14

Yeah. I broke uh my parents fence quite a bit, throwing holes in it from my dad not being able to catch uh my pitches. He said it was uh my senior in high school when I started creeping up closer to that 90 mph mark.

Anthony Bass6:26

And stuff just started moving faster and he's like, I don't have the hand eye coordination to catch that ball anymore like I used to. So, we're going to have to find you a catcher.

Anthony Bass6:57

Like to me, that's the real mastery, right? the pitching side of it that takes years of practice. It doesn't just happen in one season or two seasons. It's an on it was an ongoing battle for me my whole career was my command.

Um the velocity came going into my third year in college. Um, I played in a college summer league in Northern California for the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox and they had a a radar gun on the right field wall and my velocity that whole season was 88 to 92 mph, which is good, but I felt like I was every other college pitcher at that time.

And I knew I'm like, if I want to try to play at the next level, I got to separate myself. And the only way I know I how to do that is to throw faster. How can I do this? And it so happened that that summer, summer of 2007, a small pitcher who looked like a bat boy by the name of Tim Lincecum made his major league major league debut for the San Francisco Giants. He was a first round pick out of University of Washington. Big arm, but he was about 5'9, 5'10", probably 160 lbs, 165 pounds,

Anthony Bass8:03

And he was able to throw a ball 98 miles an hour. I'm like,

Anthony Bass8:06

I'm bigger than he is. How is he doing it? So, I basically studied his mechanics and I basically said, "I'm going to try to pitch like him." So, the next day I get to the field, I grab my catcher. I'm like, "Hey, I'm going to try something new. Do you mind squatting down for me and just catching a couple of fast balls?" He's like, "Sure, no problem." So, he goes, we go in the bullpen, he squats down. I just do my best impersonation of Tim Lincecum's delivery.

And, uh, he catches it. He goes, "Do that again.

Wind up. Throw it to him. Nice crack of the glove." He's like, "Hey, Jack, our our manager at the time, the head coach, Jack, come on over here." And Jack had played in uh professional baseball as well. He was a catcher. He said, "Jack, take a look at Anthony." So, I get the ball, [clears throat] throw a couple throws, my coach goes, "Hey, I want you to pitch like that in your next game." I go,

Anthony Bass8:58

He must have. Yeah, cuz he he gave me the confidence and the green light to this is summer ball. This is a perfect time to go experiment.

Yeah. your next outing you say, "I don't care what happens. Let's just see what happens."

So, next game I do my best impersonation of Tim Lincecum's going to deliver.

Anthony Bass9:19

I was pretty traditional just a very clean simple delivery.

And what I incorporated was a little bit more of a coil with my front leg and I got into my back hip deeper.

So almost created almost like a like a whip effect with my body. So when I did that, when I when I went to my first game, I went one, two, three, couple strikeouts, and I noticed my fast ball was now getting by hitters. Usually they would follow it off or put it in play. Now they're swinging and missing late.

But I didn't take a look at the scoreboard that whole inning. I just was feeling good. I'm like, "All right, this is obviously working. Guys aren't hitting it." I come in the dugout and all my teammates are just looking at me like a deer in headlights. like what just happened? And uh one of my teammates sat by me. They're like, "Hey, did you look at the scoreboard that inning?" I was like, "No." They're like, "You didn't throw a fast ball below 94 miles an hour."

Anthony Bass10:12

Like

What? Like whatever you did, keep doing it. So the rest of the game I was like 94, 95. Granted, before that I was 88 to 92. So, I jumped 3 to four miles an hour just by seeing this young pitcher Tim Lincecum throw and trying to move like he did. Granted, he's like a freak of nature. It just so happened to work for me. It's it it's not always like that way.

But it was almost like a light bulb moment went off and it was just like yes. And from then on,

I started getting attention, hearing word around that, hey, you might have a chance to play at the next level. And then that carried right into my fall season in college at Wayne State University in Detroit. and we would have a scout day there where we'd have like eight or nine scouts and uh they'd come and watch us play in a scrimmage. And when I went there, we had uh a few more scouts. I went on the mound, faced my team, went through my delivery, pitched really well, and when I walked off the mound, I had an envelope.

I had 12 envelopes from my head coach. He said, "Hey, you're going to be busy tonight. You have 12 You have all these envelopes to fill out, which are questionnaire forms, which is like the beginning process of the draft process." really.

It's kind of like a hey, you're on the radar for all these teams. This is like could happen.

Yeah.

So, that was a really cool

Anthony Bass11:33

Yes, we had um a couple young pitchers um that were also really good young man by the name of uh Brett Shanken ended up getting drafted by the Seattle Mariners a couple years later. Um and then another young man signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Royals. His name is Justin Maer. He ended up uh playing a couple of seasons with the Royals organization as well. So, we had some good arms.

Anthony Bass11:53

Yeah.

Anthony Bass11:59

Yeah. So, we were division two. So, we played in the GLIAC the great Great Great Great Lakes Intercolgiate Athletic Conference. Okay. So, we would play schools. The biggest school I would say most familiar would probably be Grand Valley State. Yep.

Um they're the Lakers. They were really good. Ashland University in Ohio. Um Saginaw Valley State.

Anthony Bass12:18

But yeah, I was the the big thing on me going in the draft was I was had a really successful last season at Wayne State, but I was going up against division 2 hitters and obviously I was doing really well. So the scouts were like,

"Yeah, he's doing great, but how's what do you do against better competition?" So that was always like the big question mark with with me in the draft.

Anthony Bass14:22

So, after I was done at Wayne State, uh I was drafted by the San Diego Padres's. And

Anthony Bass14:28

Yeah, beautiful place. I felt like I was on vacation.

Anthony Bass14:32

Beautiful place. So, get get drafted, sign the contract, um, and go immediately to Eugene, Oregon, which is the Eugene Emeralds, which is the short season uh, single Affiliate for the Padres's. It's kind of like where most of the college guys go to.

And I finished that summer in Eugene, Oregon. And then, um, I actually went into the bullpen. I was a starter in college and then I went into the bullpen uh, right away just to preserve my arm. Yeah.

So I don't throw too many innings for the next year cuz the next year I went to um Single A Fort Wayne Indiana. The Fort Wayne tin caps.

Anthony Bass15:16

Yeah, I knew it was a process. I know I would love to have gone to San Diego, but I just was not ready for that.

Anthony Bass15:22

But yeah, I kind of made all my stops. Um

Anthony Bass15:27

Yes.

And so how big of a jump was it from college to single A? I would say definitely better competition because now I'm facing players that played in the SEC.

Anthony Bass15:38

ACC, Big 10, D1 programs that everyone's good.

Anthony Bass15:46

A lot of the Latin players that were there um very raw, big arms, big power, but a lot of swing and miss and not a whole lot of control.

Anthony Bass15:56

So, you saw a lot of potential

In that league. And then you saw like the college players were more um I would say polished.

Anthony Bass16:10

Yep. So I actually pitched half the year there. Uh was pitching well and they promoted me to the next level which is high A is what they call it. And that was in Lake Elsenor, California.

Anthony Bass16:21

Not a bad spot. But it was kind of like a

Almost feel like you're like in a desert cuz it's like inland California. Really really hot. Yeah.

Uh and it was known as a hitters league. So that was a big jump from for Indiana to high. That was I would say that was probably one of the biggest jumps cuz now I'm facing guys in their second year or third year of professional baseball. So they're more comfortable. They're better players. Uh they've seen better pitching. So now they're more accustomed to better arms. So now it's like you really got to start to learn to pitch in high.

Anthony Bass17:10

I think I think you have a mixture at that level. You have guys who take it very seriously and you have guys that think that this is never going to end and that they can just keep playing baseball forever and they can just joke around and mess around. And I would say at that single A double A mark is kind of when those players kind of start getting weeded out

For sure. And double A is like you're you're just knocking on the door of the big leagues. So you're so close. So everyone in double AAA as well are like pretty focused on trying to make that jump to the major leagues. But yeah, you get a good mixture of like guys who take it seriously and guys who are there just to have a good time. And

Anthony Bass17:57

Yeah, I never got that vibe with my coaches. They were very much there if you wanted the help. They never like, "Hey, Anthony, come aside. I want to show you something." It was like if I approached them like I I feel off right now.

Anthony Bass18:12

They would come and help me for the most part. And um it it kind of felt that way throughout the minor leagues. It was like, "We're here for you, but we're not going to force anything on any player. If you all need help,

Come to us." It was like, "If you ask, we will tell you what we see, but we're not going to um kind of jump in unless unless you want us to."

Anthony Bass18:37

About the same. Yep. So there's a the manager, pitching coach, hitting coach, and then there's like another coach who's kind of like an infield, outfield kind of type coach or base running coach.

So there's like three or four actual coaches, and then you have a trainer or two.

Um, and then at the higher levels, you actually, some organizations now have like a nutritionist. Y

Make sure that the guys are getting fed properly.

Anthony Bass19:12

Yeah, definitely improves as you go up. You have options now uh as you move up the ladder in the minor leagues and obviously into the big leagues. Um when you get to the big leagues, it's like anything you want.

Yeah.

Anything. Socks, new Nike dry fit shirt, shorts, workout stuff, no questions asked. Like if you need something,

It's in your locker within 2 minutes.

Yeah. which was really really cool. I also try not to uh overstep my my boundary as a rookie in in the big leagues and try to ask for too much. I just kind of stayed quiet to myself. I didn't want to ruffle too many feathers.

Anthony Bass20:06

That's awesome."

Anthony Bass20:18

Oh, I love that. That's a great story.

Anthony Bass21:06

Heck yeah. [snorts] I love that they took good care of you like that.

Anthony Bass21:47

Yep. So, I go to high A. Uh I was there for a season and a half. So, I got promoted at um All-Star Break from from Fort Wayne to Lake Elsinore North, California.

Anthony Bass21:56

Finished the year there and then I went back the next year and uh pitched really well. Um threw the ball really well that season and then um got promoted to double A the following year. So, I pretty much like hit every stop on all the way up. And then in 2011 when I was in double A San Antonio, Texas pitching for the missions, um I was in a really good mental headsp space. Physically I felt really strong. I was throwing the ball really hard and in end of May um I actually got called into the manager's office after a game and he said, "Hey, there's a chance you might be pitching in Chicago tomorrow." And I was like, "What?

Anthony Bass22:45

I mean, everything that you've worked for, all the long bus rides, all the hours put into it, you're just like, "This is what you live for, this moment."

Anthony Bass22:59

I was with San Diego, but the team was playing, I think, the Cubs on the road.

Anthony Bass23:03

Okay. They're like, "We'll keep you posted. Nothing's 100% yet." End up not getting to Chicago.

Anthony Bass23:17

Like,

Please just tell me when I'm actually going.

He started laughing. Uh,

And he's like, "I wish I could have. I get it." But he's like, "We were just told to give you a heads up." Okay. Couple weeks go by and they call me in the office and they're like, "Have you ever uh been to Colorado before?" And I was like, "Never." They're like, "It's kind of hard to breathe there, right?" I'm like, "Yeah, that's what I heard." They're like, "Well, you're starting for them tomorrow, tomorrow night." I was like, "Wait, what? You're starting for the big league team against the Rockies in Colorado?"

Anthony Bass23:54

And I was like, "For real this time?" They're like, "Yes, for real." And I was just like, "Oh my gosh, thank you all so much."

Just like so much just like emotion was just taking over my body. And

They're like, "Look, we know you have to make some phone calls right now cuz it was before one of our games. Feel free to go and make phone calls and you can join us whenever you're done in the dugout to watch us watch the game." I said, "Okay, great. Thank you so much." So, first phone calls were my parents to break the news and obviously my mom screaming on the other line immediately looking for flights to get from Detroit to to Denver. Um, which they were there, they they made it.

And then uh told my siblings, they're all super excited for me, my my sisters, my brother. And then um started going down the list like coaches that made a big impact on my life. And then I called all of my teammates from college and shared the news with them. And I just said, "You know what? I I wouldn't be here without you guys because you guys made me look so good on the mount at Wayne State to help me get drafted. You all made those plays behind me.

I'm like, I'm so appreciative of you guys." And actually, my my college catcher, Matt Cunningham.

He's like, I'm I'm He's not missing this. He's like, I got something going on tomorrow, but I'm canceling it. He's like, so he ended up flying from Detroit to see me, my college catcher at my major league debut, which was like so cool. Um, in that whole moment, I can go into it even more. That was a whole story in and of itself. The actual debut of me pitching.

Anthony Bass25:50

Yep. Until you reach uh AAA, AAA is flying. Um cuz the cities are too spread out.

Anthony Bass25:55

But up to that point, a lot of long bus rides, especially in the lower minor single A level. Um, 6, 7, 8 hour bus rides in the middle of the night after a game to then get to a a Motel 8 or Motel 6 and then wake up and go right to the field and do it all over again. It it was no joke. The the position players, I tip my hat to them. I don't know how they do it.

Anthony Bass26:30

No, not not in the the minor leagues now. Um,

Anthony Bass26:43

So I was hitting in double A.

Anthony Bass26:45

But you don't start hitting until double A. So double A was the first time I

I faced a professional pitcher. And I remember facing this this pitcher Juan Nicasio for the for the Rockies doubleA affiliate

And he was throwing 98 and my first swing was so late that the ball went over their dugout opposite dugout and like hit a hit the stands. Thank god no one was sitting there. But it's like I swung and the ball went the opposite direction and I was just like, "Oh my gosh, I need to start sooner. Way sooner." like as soon as his hand comes out of his glove, I'm going to start swinging. Um, so that was nerve-wracking.

Anthony Bass27:26

Thankfully, in my debut, I didn't face someone throwing 98. But it was Aaron Cook who was known for his sinker.

Anthony Bass27:34

That thing was like a bowling ball. I mean, it just like came in and then just moved hard down to the last second. It was like you couldn't square it up. Um,

Anthony Bass27:43

I know that. I don't remember exactly what happened at bats, but it was not easy.

Anthony Bass27:59

Yeah. So, I bring my gear. So, my cleats, my gloves. I couldn't sleep that night. I mean, obviously, my mind's just like so excited.

I couldn't eat either. I was just trying to eat food and I couldn't.

Anthony Bass28:12

End up getting like maybe an hour or two of sleep. wake up, catch the red eye or the 5 a.m. flight to Denver out of uh I think we're in Frisco, Texas at the time. So, Dallas to uh to Denver. And I get in, get to the hotel. Uh I don't see anyone from my team at this hotel. So, I'm like, I hope I hope this is the right place. Like, yep, we have you checked in, Mr. Bass. Here's your room key. Um go ahead and make yourself comfortable.

We'll grab your bags for you. I'm like, oh, I can take them. They're like, oh, no, no, we insist. I'm like, I'm not used to this. So, I just let leave my bags at the at the front desk and go up to the room and get into the uh the room. I think it was a Ritz Carlton or something like that. Some really nice hotel. And I go in there and it's like this whole room's to myself cuz in the minor leagues I had a share at a roommate.

Anthony Bass28:58

And the hotels weren't as nice and now I'm staying at like a five-star resort and this whole place is like mine. I feel like [clears throat] you know, Home Alone, kid Home Alone, you know,

Anthony Bass29:09

Did they have everyone in sweets? the some of the guys had sweets. They have it in their contract. Yep. Some of them do. But I just had a standard room and I was still over the moon. I was so excited.

Still couldn't eat. Um trying to drink water cuz I know you get winded fast in Denver. So just trying to pound water, trying to get some sort of food in me.

And then uh

Hop on hop on the bus. Um the traveling secretary messaged me and said, "Hey, bus to the fields at 2:00." I said, "All right." So, I get on there and it's just me and uh

Dick Enberg and I forgot the other guy's name, but basically the broadcasters. Yeah,

Just me and the broadcasters on the bus and I'm just like I'm just like, am I in the right place? Where are my teammates at?

Anthony Bass29:55

And my teammates already there. They're already in the cage hitting, warming up and everything. And I'm kind of feeling like, oh shoot, should I have gone to the field sooner?

Anthony Bass30:02

Come to find out, I was fine. Usually the starting pitcher can show up a little bit later. Okay. Allow them to to uh relax and do what they need to do.

So I get to the field. The clubhouse manager welcomes me. Traveling secretary welcomes me. Show me where my locker is.

Hey, we want to take you to the manager, which was Bud Black at the time.

Went to the manager's office. He shook my hand, congratulated me. Try to keep things late. I don't exactly remember the full conversation we had, but because I was just like

So anxious about this moment. Yeah,

But I just knew it was just all positive. You go out there, just nothing changes. Games is still the same.

So then I went to my locker and uh yeah, I saw all of my Padres's gear, like an actual MLB uniform with bass on the back of it and I was just like, "This is surreal." So I think I remember taking a picture like trying to discreetly take a picture just like soak it all in.

Anthony Bass30:55

And uh so sure enough, fast forward um getting ready for the game, put my uniform on. I still go through my same routine that I was doing in double A.

Anthony Bass31:09

Oh, it felt so good. It just moved with my body. I'm like, "I'm not used to this cuz the double A jerseys are like kind of like rough and like don't move the same."

Anthony Bass31:20

Right. Right. I'm like, man, this is like really nice. These pants fit great.

It was awesome. And then I went through my pregame routine. Um, and then an hour before the game, I grab my glove, head out to the field, um, and start going through my warm-up on the field.

It all was like a blur. I'm sure

Anthony Bass31:44

When I walked down the field here,

The third level is what I heard gets you in the big leagues. In the in the minor leagues, there's just one level. Sometimes two, but usually just one level. So, it's like

Anthony Bass32:02

But it's cool. Like all these people like I'm like, "These people paid money to come see me play." It's like what I was thinking like, "How cool is this?"

So

I go through my routine warming up with my catcher. Nick Hundley was uh my major league debut catcher. He's now in the front office with the Texas Rangers. He was super positive and like just kept things really simple with me. Reminded me like, "Don't change anything. Keep doing what you're doing. the game is still the same. Don't give these guys too much credit. So, I'm like, "All right, thank you. Thank you. Go through my warm-ups. Get on the mound."

Anthony Bass32:40

Yeah, there there was a scouting report, but they kept it pretty simple with me. They didn't want to overload me with so much information on my major league debut. So, they're just like just do like be you today.

Anthony Bass33:06

Yeah, pretty much. I trusted uh Nick behind the plate.

Anthony Bass33:10

No, no, no. Uh I just trusted his pitch calling cuz he's seen these guys for years. Yeah. Um, but I remember walking or running out to the mound, w making my taking my eight warm-up pitches. Ball comes down, get the ball from my third baseman. I I kind of just stop, take a deep breath, thank God for this moment, step on the mound, look at my catcher for the sign, and in walks Carlos Gonzalez, who is having a monster season for the Colorado Rockies, just all-star hitter.

And he's standing up there and he's got the drip, the swag,

The Nike Jordan spikes, perfectly hemmed uniform. He looks massive.

He's got he's got the the big league helmet on, the matching batting gloves with this with the cleats. Just looks like a big leader.

Anthony Bass34:09

And [gasps and sighs] I was like, "Well, here we go." You know, fast ball away. First pitch. So I wind up, throw the fast ball away. 96. Nick doesn't even move his glove. Ball. Throws it back to me. And I go, "You got to be kidding me. That was a ball at this level. How am I going to get anyone out?

Yeah.

So, I just He calls fast ball away again. So, I I throw another fast ball away. Thankfully, Carlos Gonzalez swings on top of it, chops it back to me. I feel it. And I just feel my hand shaking as I pick up the ball. I'm like, "Step and throw. Step and throw to first base. Nice and easy." And like as I threw it, it just seemed like everything was in slow motion as the ball's traveling to the first baseman. He caught it. They throw the ball around.

Anthony Bass34:57

Now I can say like I'm officially a big league. I recorded an out in the big leagues

And then

From there just kind of just kept going

And got a chance to face some really good players in that lineup. Uh including Todd Helton. Yep.

Um and Troy Tulowitzki. Really, really good players. And what helped me was getting really good major league players out gave me confidence.

It was like I could do this. M

I'm getting these incredible athletes out with just who I am and what got me here. Don't don't change anything, Anthony. So, I went I I end up pitching five innings, gave up one run and then the rain came and my my manager, Bud Black, said, "That's it for you." Um I was throwing right around 80 pitches. The rain delayed uh I think it was like an hour long, hour and a half long. So, like we're going to go to the bullpen now. But great job way to keep us in in it and we end up winning that game.

Oh, awesome. So, I got the win in my major league debut.

Anthony Bass35:54

Um,

It was just a whirlwind. Whole experience just happened so fast. And then after the game, I get called in the manager's office. Hey, you did great today, man. Thanks for helping us. Um, but you're going to head back down to double A. Don't big league those guys now. Don't big league them. You go down there, you do the same thing you did here. Nothing changes and we'll see you soon. And I was just like,

Anthony Bass36:20

Yeah. I was like, I'm just so appreciative of like this opportunity. I'm like, thank you. Like,

Anthony Bass36:25

Which, yes, I can.

Anthony Bass36:28

So, after after that conversation, I eat dinner and then uh I go get cleaned up and uh in the shower, our closing pitcher, three-time all-star Heath Bell, is in there with me. He's like, "Great job today, rookie." I was like, "Thank you." And he's just like, "Are you going back down?" I was like, "Yeah." He's like, "I'll see you in," he said, "3 weeks." I was like, "You think?" He's like, "I know." Three weeks go by, get called back up, finish the rest of the season in the big leagues with the Padres's.

I'm like, "How did you know that, Heath?" He's like, He's like, "I could just tell. I just knew." He's like, "You came up here and shoved for five innings and got us a win." He's like, "You're going to be back."

Anthony Bass38:04

It's so in my shoes. It's kind of dayto-day. Like there's no like guarantee that I'm going to finish the season.

Anthony Bass38:16

Pretty much. I lived out of a suitcase for the rest of the season.

Anthony Bass38:20

In a hotel. Yep. In the team hotel. I was like, well, there's only I think there's like two or three months left of the season. I'm like, I'm not going to go get a place.

Anthony Bass38:28

Who knows if I'm going to be here the whole season. So, I just I would live at the team hotel and then when we hit the road, I just threw everything in my my car, parked it in the parking garage at the field and then, you know, hit the road.

Anthony Bass38:51

Walk right across. Plenty of places to eat nearby.

Anthony Bass38:54

So, it was it was a really cool first experience for me. Um

Anthony Bass39:00

Every like you work so hard for like that that moment to [clears throat] make it and then when it comes

It's like comes and goes like that. Yeah, I just remember just getting the first out and then next thing you know I'm shaking the manager's hand like great job rookie. Uh you did great.

Anthony Bass39:23

Very cool.

Anthony Bass39:32

There was no, "Hey, you're going to be on the team next year." But they're like, "You showed us a lot."

Anthony Bass39:44

Yeah. Yeah. So double A, um, I wasn't on the 40man roster yet in double A. So I was making, I don't know, $800, $900 a month.

Anthony Bass39:54

Maybe a,000 bucks a month.

Anthony Bass39:57

A year.

Anthony Bass39:59

I crashed at my parents house in the offseason. Like I didn't I tried to save my money and thankfully I had a little bit of a signing bonus when I signed a little bit of a signing bonus.

I signed for 166,000.

Anthony Bass40:11

Pretty good. Really? I mean I thought I was like loaded.

Anthony Bass40:14

So I just basically lived off of that. That allowed me to like get food and and uh put gas in my tank, all that stuff. Um and then I would in the offseason I would just stay at my parents house. So when you get when you go from double A making a grand a month basically what happens when you go to San Diego like you must have like a major league contract while you're there.

Yep. So once you go there you meet with the traveling secretary and you sign the contract in that moment you get put on the active roster. So your pay goes from you know thousand bucks a month to now you're it's a prrated league minimum amount. And I'm trying to remember I think league minimum amount at the time was like 450,000. So you go from making So you go from making a,000 a month to 40 a month

Pretty much. Yeah.

Anthony Bass41:01

Yeah. I was like, whoa.

Anthony Bass41:04

And what was cool was So yeah, it's a lot of money.

Anthony Bass41:15

Oh yeah. One of them, one of them showed me his contract or uh his payub after two weeks

And it was uh I think it was close to $200,000 every two weeks. I'm just like

Compared to some of the contracts now like it's probably low. And even that that was like a lower salary, a lower contract on the team. And I was still just like, "Oh my gosh, you're getting uh I think they get 12 of these during the course of the season." And it was like

So obviously that motivates you like to set up yourself and your family for life. So

It was cool to see. And um

Anthony Bass41:56

Oh yeah. And it was like that's another reason like I don't want to go back. what can I do to stay? So, I was just locked in on trying to put up the best numbers I could to make my give myself the best chance to stay the rest of the season and put myself in a good position to make the team the following spring, which I did. Okay.

Went to spring.

Anthony Bass42:20

Yep. So,

Anthony Bass42:24

Yep. So, I'd been in I'd been in major league spring training before.

Oh, okay. But I got sent down from spring uh major league spring training. Um so what that means is like you get invited as a minor leager to come and usually you're kind of like a a backup kind of pitcher.

Anthony Bass42:40

Their their main guys get most of the innings. Y

And then whatever's left is for us.

Anthony Bass42:45

And then after uh guys start building up their uh innings and pitch counts, the minor league guys get reassigned to minor league camp. So, I've been in big league camp and reassigned to minor league camp, but the next year was like the first time I was coming in as a major league baseball player. Yeah.

Cuz I finished the year as a major leager.

Anthony Bass43:04

So, I'm not coming in as a minor league. I'm coming as a major league baseball pitcher, which is cool.

Anthony Bass43:11

So, the new season is still league minimum.

Anthony Bass43:13

Yep. So, the first three years, um, you're under league minimum. Okay.

And then after those three years, you go into, um, what do they call it? Arbitration.

Anthony Bass43:22

Yep.

Anthony Bass43:29

It was exciting cuz I was like I felt like now I put myself in a great position to break with a big league club.

Anthony Bass43:38

And they they saw me have success against major league competition now.

So, I know that they like me. Now, it's about going out there and continuing what I've done. and I had a good spring training, was throwing the ball well. And then they told me, "Hey, you're joining us uh to start the season. I was pumped. This is what I wanted. This is what I worked for in the offseason." And then uh in 2020, I was in the starting rotation. I I made I think like 14 or 15 starts, but I was super inconsistent. I would have a really good outing and then the wheels would fall off.

Really good outing, wheels would fall off. just

Anthony Bass44:21

I would fall behind the count. I would walk batters um give up some hard contact

And usually they were shorter outings, you know, lasting three, four innings, then they go to the bullpen. So now you're burning bullpen arms. So that was frustrating cuz I

Anthony Bass44:43

Yeah. Yeah, they're coming to me um trying to help me figure out why I'm being so inconsistent. I'm not what's what's going on. So, they're working with me on the side in between games.

Um and then I would have have flashes of of what I'm capable of. Um I remember one of my best starts was in San Francisco. I carried a perfect game into the sixth inning with two outs.

We ended up losing the game three to one or something like that, but I went complete game giving up those three runs. I think two of them were earned. But going up against a team that was a World Series contender in the San Francisco Giants and having a perfect game through the six, I'm like, I know what I can do. Why can't I just keep doing this over and over again? And obviously that's

That's the hard part is the consistency at that high level.

Showing up when you don't feel your best.

How do you how do you bounce back after a tough inning or tough tough at bat? I was still young, so that got to me mentally because I just wanted to do well every single time. And when I didn't, I I would get in my head, couldn't sleep. I cared. I cared a lot.

Anthony Bass45:49

So, that was like a big learning curve trying to figure out trying to be a major league starting pitcher. Um, and eventually they moved me into the bullpen to see if maybe that was another direction for me. So now I'm trying to learn to be a reliever at the major league level and same thing some good outings, some bad outings. So just inconsistent out of the bullpen too. So ended up getting optioned down to the minor leagues

Anthony Bass46:18

During um I was in 2013. So in 2012 I was up all year from starting to relieving and then 2013 I made the big league club again out of spring training. Yep.

As a reliever and just couldn't couldn't figure it out. I was up and down 2013 AAA in the major leagues.

Anthony Bass46:40

At the time it was Tucson and Arizona, the Tucson Padres's. Yep. It was hot. It was really hot there. And that league, the Pacific Coast League is known for

Hitters. It's a hitters league. High elevations.

The so hot it's almost like playing on concrete. Every ball goes through the infield.

So that was a challenge. I almost found that harder than pitching at the major league level because that grind traveling, hopping on uh 5 a.m. flights, playing in uh next city, trying to get these really good hitters out. A lot of them are are um trying to get to the big leagues. Some of them are pretty salty, like why am I in AAA? I should be in the big leagues.

So, it's it's a very like

I would say more like a selfish environment in AAA. It's like everyone's kind of out for themselves trying to get to the big leagues.

Anthony Bass47:31

Yep. That's AAA. Uh, it's tough.

Anthony Bass47:35

They're AAA. Yep.

Anthony Bass47:37

Play them. Yep.

Anthony Bass47:40

Oh, it's awesome. Beautiful park. Great. Great fans there, too. Close to home.

Anthony Bass47:50

Milwaukee. They're like, "You're so close. You're like, get me out of here." Especially when you get a taste of the major leagues, you're just like

Trying everything you can to get back. Um,

Anthony Bass48:04

Yep.

Anthony Bass48:05

Uh, 13 13. Um, I'm in the bullpen, inconsistent, not pitching great. And then that off season, the Padres's in 2013 trade me to Houston, the Astros.

Anthony Bass48:18

Which I was excited about. Maybe a change of fresh start. Yeah, a fresh start somewhere. Maybe new eyes, new pitching coaches. they could see something. So I go to Houston 14 and uh end up uh being like at one point their back and arm in the bullpen. I was throwing the ball pretty well, but um I got hurt um strained a intercostal muscle in my back that season, missed significant amount of time, and when I came back, I just wasn't the same. So ended up finishing the year in AAA with the Astros in 2014 in Oklahoma City.

Uh pitched well. Um but not good enough to get called back up that season. And then um from there just I call myself like a journeyman. Just like signing minor league deals from then on out trying to make it with with multiple teams. End up catching on with a few of them and then uh eventually took me overseas to Japan.

Anthony Bass49:14

Japan.

Anthony Bass49:14

2016.

All right. So what happens? How how does that come about and like how's the whole thing play out? So 2015, I pitched for the Texas Rangers all year in the big leagues. I was like their long man.

Anthony Bass49:29

Oh, what's his name? I could see his face cuz I saw him all the time, but I can't I slipping me around.

Anthony Bass49:56

Cool.

Anthony Bass49:59

Texas. Yep. Uh after that season um

I actually get traded to the Seattle Mariners and uh which I was pretty excited about. Another new opportunity and then the Seattle Mariners added a bunch of relief arms so it kind of like kicked me down the depth chart.

Mhm. And then their general manager told my agent, "Hey, I think they're aware of Japan interested to me."

Anthony Bass50:22

They're like, "We we encourage Anthony to consider his options." Kind of like without saying, "Go to Japan. Hey, you should probably consider it." So, I talked to my agent about it and finally made the decision to try Japan. So,

Anthony Bass50:37

Yes. Because my thought was, if you go to Japan, you're you're never coming back.

You're never coming back. your your time in the major leagues is over. And that couldn't be further from the case, especially now. Yeah. A lot of guys go over there, resurrect their careers, get their confidence back, come back and take off. I see it [clears throat] happen a lot.

Anthony Bass50:55

So, I go over there, play for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. So, Hokkaido is the island.

Anthony Bass51:02

Nippon-Ham is the sponsor of the team and the fighters is like the mascot.

Anthony Bass51:06

So, everyone's like, you play

Anthony Bass51:08

Like a ham company. It's like a meat company. the salami fighters.

Yeah. So, it's like it'd be if like the Yankees were like the Samsung Yankees. Same thing.

So, that was interesting. I was like, "This is a different world." And

Anthony Bass51:22

It's a plane flight. I want to say it was like a two or three hour plane flight.

Anthony Bass51:29

Yeah, we're on our own island north of Tokyo. So,

Anthony Bass51:42

Yes. Tokyo.

Anthony Bass51:47

Yes. Going to the grocery store the first time I was there, which normally takes me, I don't know, within an hour. Took me 3 hours to find all the food items.

I remember looking at my phone, Google Translate. I was taking pictures of items on the shelves trying to figure out what is this ketchup or is this barbecue sauce?

That was an experience.

Yeah. Must have been fun though. Kind of fun. Oh, was probably my favorite experience that baseball has brought me to was going over to Japan. Um, so I play for this team and I hear about this really good player. I've never heard of him before, but I heard he's like the next Babe Ruth. So I'm like, "What's his name?" They're like, "Oh, his name's Shohei Ohtani."

Anthony Bass52:32

I was like, "All right, cool."

So we go through spring training together.

Anthony Bass52:40

And I watch him in spring training. I'm like, he's a good player, but it wasn't like this isn't like Black Spirit Bruce. He's good though. He's a good player.

And then all of a sudden, we get to um the city's Sapporo.

Anthony Bass52:51

In Hokkaido. And we open up the regular season. He's our opening day starter.

And he gets on the mound. And first pitch it was all in kilometers was like 60 something or 172 I think is what it said on the board which is like equivalent to like 100 miles an hour. I was like oh my gosh. I'm like no way this is sustainable for nine innings. He goes complete game sitting like 98 to 100 with a Roger Clemens split at 92 and then he goes up to the plate and goes like three for four at the plate with like a home run opposite field and two doubles down the right field line like exit vo's like 110 and I'm just like and he flies down the line.

I was just like oh my gosh I'm like this is the greatest player I've ever seen.

Anthony Bass53:43

To that point it was Mike Trout with the with the Angels.

Yeah. But I'm like, he's doing on both sides of the game now. Like the impact he makes is different than anyone else.

Anthony Bass53:52

And sure enough, obviously him with the Dodgers just he just is his only I call him the 10 tool player cuz he's got all five tools on the offensive side, all five tools on the pitching side. Like there's nothing he can't do,

Anthony Bass54:11

Yeah. 50 something like that. It's wild.

He literally is incredible. I just know what it the toll it takes on your body as a pitcher in the major league level. Now throwing on now you got to go hit. Yeah.

For 162 games.

Anthony Bass54:25

He DHes. Yes. So I'm like

Anthony Bass54:28

Every day. And I'm just like I couldn't imagine how his body feels. Like it's got to be just be breaking down. U I know he's on the shelf right now, but um

He's so into his routines and into his body. He'll figure out how to get back and help the team win. he's uh in a league of his own. But that was a that was a really cool experience before he came to the States to see him at I think he was 20 years old at the time. Best player in the league in Japan. And it was we we would fly commercial to other teams from our from our island. And you would think uh LeBron James was on the airplane when we walked on because he had to hide himself in the airport like in a corner otherwise people would try to surround him, take photos and autographs and all that stuff.

And he would be sitting in the back cuz he was a younger player. The younger players sit in the back of the plane with the rest of the team and the foreigner players like myself, the foreigners and the older players got to sit in first class.

Yeah.

So, it's kind of funny like out of all the players, he's the one that should be sitting in the front first class, but he's in the back sitting coach with everyone else in economy.

Anthony Bass55:35

And he's 6'4. Like you recognize him and his face is all over Japan. And I'm like, I couldn't imagine being on like a Southwest flight sitting sitting down and LeBron James or like Wayne Gretzky sitting next to me like what?

Anthony Bass55:51

I was like I couldn't imagine like what his life's like. Um but that was that season. So many great memories. Made a lot of good friendships there. We ended up winning the Japan they called the uh uh Japan series championship which is equivalent to like the World Series there.

In Japan. Yeah. Uh, I would say that Ohtani basically led us led us the way there, but that was a world.

Anthony Bass56:18

Won a World Series. But I would imagine it's something similar because those stadiums were packed. I mean, 40,000 plus people, chanting the whole game. It felt like a soccer match at a baseball game. Um, very passionate fan base. And then to to win it on the road, we played um the Hiroshima Carp. Yeah,

We beat him at their place.

Anthony Bass56:42

I know. The carp. We beat him at their place.

Anthony Bass56:46

Some interesting names for sure.

Anthony Bass56:50

We beat them at their place and to like silence their fans was like so rewarding. Oh, to do that. I'm like, man, there's no greater feeling than to like prove people like

Anthony Bass57:21

Oh,

Anthony Bass57:23

I love watching that curse be broken.

Anthony Bass57:33

Yeah, we ended up having a good uh friendship. Uh he was a big kid like loves to have fun, keeps things light but he's also very like regimented.

Anthony Bass57:41

Has his routines goes to the cage at a certain time, eats at a certain time and when he's in his locker he just kind of turns his back to everyone. He just kind of does his own thing. Um and one day um they have vending machines around Japan and I bought a remote control helicopter out of one of them. I won one. Yeah. And I brought it to the this the field the next day

And I was flying it around the clubhouse. This little remote control helicopter

And for whatever reason I thought it'd be funny to land it on Ohtani when he wasn't paying attention.

So he's in his locker just like doing whatever he's doing. And I fly the helicopter over top of him and land it on his head.

Anthony Bass58:19

And he turned around like what the heck just landed on me. And then when he found out it was a helicopter, he just started laughing so hard. He thought it was the funniest thing.

Anthony Bass58:31

No. No. He thought it was the funniest thing. And through the interpreter, he's like, "Hey." He he asked if he could fly it. Oh, for sure.

So, for the next like 30 minutes, Ohtani is just flying this helicopter around the clubhouse, landing on people that aren't paying attention and just cracking up like a little kid.

Anthony Bass58:53

Yeah. Wild. But it was just like kind of shows some like human side of him too, you know, just not the baseball player. So I know he's very regimented, very serious ball player, but also like deep down he likes to have a good time and keep things light.

Anthony Bass59:20

I know that they make I want to say I heard something like a hundred million alone just on Ohtani each season.

Anthony Bass59:28

So, I think that in that in of itself like that's going to cover his his end of the deal.

Anthony Bass1:00:08

I don't get that either. the bad situation cuz they're not afraid to spend money either and they've got a lot of talent that for them just to consistently just fall short and like what is going on that's just not allowing

Anthony Bass1:00:21

I don't know I don't know what it is I know that there's a lot of people calling for management's head and getting rid of him

Anthony Bass1:00:36

Maybe maybe something new I don't know could that could Uh maybe just some new faces there players wise. Maybe they just don't have the right fit in the clubhouse. Who knows? Um

But they had the talent. They just haven't put it all together.

Anthony Bass1:01:02

That's a big talk in the new CBA is kind of like putting that cap.

Yeah. Um, and that's a big thing that the union's been fighting for for years is like we're the one sport that doesn't have a salary cap and that's how it's going to be. Like we fought tooth and nail for years, even went on strike to protect players right to negotiate their contracts to whatever teams want to pay.

Um, but I think that there needs to be a definitely a floor. I think that there needs to be some sort of floor in place

To force the the smaller market teams to spend more money on players and get them paid. It's interesting.

Anthony Bass1:01:45

Yeah. So, a little bit of like kind of like I was really excited. I I finished the season very strong in Japan and I thought I could get a major league contract coming back. [clears throat]

My agent never guaranteed me anything. He just said that there's teams interested in you, Anthony. So, the team you're with, they want you to come back to Japan. Same terms as before.

Anthony Bass1:02:11

Good money. So, I made um with incentives and everything, uh one and a half million.

Anthony Bass1:02:18

In Japan,

Anthony Bass1:02:19

Great money.

Anthony Bass1:02:22

Yep. So, they wanted me to come back.

Anthony Bass1:02:29

And I felt so confident about where I was at now and before

That I was like I can get I think I can get a major league contract in the States.

Anthony Bass1:02:42

I get more money. Yep. [clears throat] So I rolled the dice. Ended up not working.

Anthony Bass1:02:48

End up signing a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers that season. Um, I get called up to the big leagues for two weeks and then spend the rest of the year in TripleA.

Anthony Bass1:02:59

I know. That's the one thing I'm like, I wish I would have gone back to Japan. Obviously, always easy to look back on it.

Anthony Bass1:03:06

I didn't do that. And everything happens for a reason. The following year, I end up signing a a deal with the Cincinnati Reds, a minor league deal with the invitation to spring training. go to spring training, throw the ball well, not make the team, start the year in AAA in Louisville, Kentucky for the Louisville Bats. Actually, was that in 201? No, that 2018 I was with the Cubs. I take that all back. This is So in 2018, I signed a milely deal with the Cubs. Don't make the big league team go to Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa, play for the Iowa Cubs for the first couple months of the season.

Then they call me up to the Chicago. Go to Chicago. For the first month and a half, I'm pitching great.

Anthony Bass1:03:48

And then all a sudden, I get sick as a I saw my daughter. She had hand foot mouth. End up I getting it and I miss I think three or four weeks with hand foot mouth.

Anthony Bass1:04:02

History repeats itself. I try to come back. I'm not the same. So they end up sending me down to the minor leagues, not coming back up.

Anthony Bass1:04:12

Yeah. But they kind of stay home. Oh, they stay in Chicago.

Anthony Bass1:04:18

They were in Nashville and then they would they would come visit me whenever I like if we came into Nashville, they'd come visit me or

Once I got called up Chicago, they came to Chicago.

Anthony Bass1:04:27

So, yeah, that's kind of how we worked that situation.

But another situation like where I I got sick, missed some time, try to come back just like not the same. I was like, man, I knew this was going to happen. It's a bummer. um end up uh getting released from the Cubs at the end of that season. Then I signed with the Reds and then start the year with the Reds in TripleA Louisville and I was I was the team's u closer at the time. I was pitching well and I remember having a conversation with my roommate and I was just like man I just feel like I'm so ready to be back in the big leagues.

I've kind of shown everything I I can right now. Like I know I just got to be patient. He's like

Anthony Bass1:05:08

In TripleA. Yeah. So, we'd have roommates on the road. We're in Buffalo.

Anthony Bass1:05:12

At the time.

Anthony Bass1:05:18

So, I remember having this conversation. I was like, man, I'm so ready to be back to the big leagues. He's like, you and me both, man.

So, I go to bed. I wake up in the morning to a text from my agent say, "Call me." And sure enough, he's like, "Hey, the the Seattle Mariners want you like in the big leagues right now." I'm like, "Let's go." He's like, "Well, let me talk to the front office, the Reds, just let them know that the Mariners want you in case they want to bring you up." So,

Anthony Bass1:05:51

Yeah. Cuz in my contract, it's called an open out, which means I can leave at any time.

Anthony Bass1:05:57

But out of respect,

My agent said, "Hey, we got this offer on the table, but we're we're with the Reds. So, if you want him, you have a chance to call him up right now if you want to. So, like,

Anthony Bass1:06:10

Yeah, they could have. Um, but they're like, "Give us 24 hours. We have a player that's going to get an MRI right now, a pitcher."

Anthony Bass1:06:17

So, we waited 24 hours and they called my agent, said, "We're going to give Anthony his release. He can go pitch for the Mariners." So, I pack up my stuff in Buffalo, guys. It was good playing with you. Hop on the flight. I never see you again. No, no, no offense.

Yeah, if I see you, hopefully it's in the major leagues.

Anthony Bass1:06:38

Meet uh the Mariners in Texas against the Rangers and uh meet the team, pitch that night, pitch well, and then end up being a a pretty good relief pitcher for the Mariners the rest of that season. So that was in May. So finished May through the rest of season in the big leagues with the Mariners was

Anthony Bass1:06:59

So yep. So my contract at that time was cuz I was in arbitration I think was I'm trying to remember I think it was like 750 or 800,000 was my was my salary and it was all prorated so based on the days I was there.

So I finished the year there pitched well and then at the end of the season um I think they designate me for assignment which is basically we're taking you off the roster. We're not we're not bringing you back. This has got to be the most painful major

Anthony Bass1:07:35

Exactly. So, I call myself a journeyman for a reason. Like just one year toear deals pretty much.

And then I get designated and uh the Toronto Blue Jays claim me. So, what that means is they grab me from their major league roster and they essentially put me on theirs.

Anthony Bass1:07:49

So, I'm still a big leager now. Now, I'm in Toronto and then that's when we go right into COVID season. So, go to Toronto. I'm the major league team. end up being one of their closing pitchers um during COVID season. Throw the ball well, end up going to the playoffs, made it to the wild card wild card round. We lost the Rays and then after that season um they I think they designated me for assignment or again release me

Anthony Bass1:08:19

After a full season, they released me and I become a free agent. Um or no, my contract was expired, but they didn't they didn't want to pick me up. Yeah.

So then that's when I signed my multi-year deal with the Miami Marlins.

Anthony Bass1:08:32

Start of the 2021 season. So I signed a two-year deal with Miami with a with a team option for um year three. So I go to Miami, pitch well or actually I don't pitch that great in 21 and then the following year I have a career year. I thought I had a chance to be an all-star. Wow.

In 22. I didn't get voted there, but inside I felt like I should have been one. I had a really really good numbers at the break. One of the best relievers in baseball in my role. I was like a setup, you know.

Anthony Bass1:09:04

Um but they don't normally take setup guys in all games. Usually closers.

Anthony Bass1:09:08

But I knew I was putting myself in a really good position for the next year.

Anthony Bass1:09:13

Um so I ended up getting traded in 22 from Miami back to Toronto at the deadline.

Anthony Bass1:09:19

For Toronto's playoff run.

Yeah. Um, which was a lot of fun.

Anthony Bass1:09:23

We end up falling short to who did we lose to in 22? Seattle. Oh, that was devastating because I pitched in that game and I didn't record an out.

Gave up three straight hits and then I was out and then and then our closing pitcher came in, Jordan Romano, who had a great season and almost saved me. and the last batter hit like a bloop single over our shortstop's head that cashed in the runs that were on base and we end up losing the game and I'm just like oh no like

I've worked so hard for this moment to be like the guy that team can trust and like bring in a leverage situation and I and I didn't do it.

It was it was really hard for me that whole offseason just to think on that

Anthony Bass1:12:49

Oh yes.

Anthony Bass1:12:51

Oh,

Anthony Bass1:13:00

Yeah. Yeah. I I learned that the hard way. Uh

It was no like fault to the front office. It's a business. They're just trying to like focus on just players playing baseball, nothing off the field. I get it. Um but I just had enough of everything that was happening in the world.

Anthony Bass1:13:21

So I posted, but

Anthony Bass1:13:25

Yeah. And especially where I was playing didn't help either in Toronto. So I did I I I I reposted the video of of this young man explaining um basically how Christians should stand up against uh these big corporations for promoting these agendas essentially and he gave biblical reference to it and I'm like you know I agree with him.

Anthony Bass1:13:48

My sister was the one that actually sent it to me on Instagram

And I was like you know I like this. I need to share it. It was on an off day in Toronto. So I shared it.

Few hours go by. Next thing I know, my agent calls me. I'm out on the lake fishing on my off day with a with a fishing charter and he's like, "Hey, I heard you just posted something." I was like, "Oh yeah, like a few hours ago." Why? He's like, "I just got a call from media with the Blue Jays and they're asking if you could take it down. It's causing a big stir." I was like, "Oh yeah, no problem. Whatever." So I like took it down.

I didn't really think anything of it. I'm like, "All right, whatever." Like, "Okay." And then I called my wife Sydney and I was like, "Hey, my agent just called me and this is what he said." And she's like, "No, don't take it down. Like, this is who you are. Like, don't hide who you are." I'm like,

Anthony Bass1:14:39

So, I kind of doubled down. Yeah.

So, I'm like, "I'm putting it back up." So, I put it back up and then the next day,

Oh my goodness, the amount of media just waiting to ask me questions out in front of the dugout before the game was

Anthony Bass1:14:59

That was what got me was like I felt like it was just taken too far. Yeah. Like targeting kids.

Anthony Bass1:15:05

Yeah. Like

Do what you're going to do in your life. Just

Let the kids be kids.

Anthony Bass1:15:10

That's why that was the whole premise behind it. Um

Anthony Bass1:15:16

Yeah.

Anthony Bass1:15:18

Yeah.

Anthony Bass1:15:22

Yeah. Exactly. It's just like

Anthony Bass1:15:30

Yeah. So I get called into the manager's office with the general manager and uh he was just he was upset. Um he's just like man he's like you've been in this league for for eight nine years now. Like I thought you would know better than to post something like this. And I was just listening to him and I'm like I get where you're coming from. I I totally understand. And I explained to him what I just shared with you. I'm like enough was enough. I was just like I just feel like this was too far.

Anthony Bass1:15:57

And I felt like there was a sense of him that like understood where I was coming from.

Anthony Bass1:16:02

But still the business side of it was like

We need to keep this stuff hush and just focus on baseball.

Anthony Bass1:16:08

Like I have enough on my plate with just trying to get to the playoffs with this team. Now I got to deal with this. So that conversation was made and then basically I I had two options like hey you're going to apologize for what you did or you're out of here without him directly saying I just could read between the lines. So, they kind of scripted me a an apology and I tweaked it around a lot and um I was like, I'm not going to apologize for my beliefs.

First off,

I'll apologize if if if I offended someone like that wasn't my intention. So, I'm I'm sorry for that, but I'm not going to apologize for my personal stance. So end up making like a 37se second scripted apology that didn't go over well cuz that people can just read the disingenuousness behind it. So they tried to like just sweep it under the rug. I even met with like the pride director of Toronto.

Anthony Bass1:17:07

To just talk to him

And it was he was a super nice guy. Talked to him about like my beliefs,

His beliefs. That was pretty much it. Yeah, I think it was more of a like a PR thing to like let people know that I'm I'm working on myself through this. Trying to like do anything they can to brush this to the side and just focus on baseball. It didn't happen. Um they tried a week and a half and it every time. So I pitched twice in that in that in those 10 days and every time I took the field I got booed.

Anthony Bass1:17:40

In Toronto.

Anthony Bass1:17:45

So I get into the game. This is wild. So, I'm in the bullpin warming up and I start to hear the booze. Inning finishes. So, I'm going down, coming out the gates, running the field, and on and all a sudden the booze just get louder and louder and louder. I'm like, whoa, okay, this is pretty loud. So, I get to the mound, do my warm-ups. They're still booing me. So, I'm thinking my head like, all right, they got their booze out of the way. No, the whole inning while I was pitching, booing me the whole time.

Anthony Bass1:18:13

I've never experienced that in my my whole playing career. I've gotten booed before for not doing well.

Anthony Bass1:18:19

But not an entire inning. And by the way, I went one, two, three, and struck out Christian Yelich, allar player.

Anthony Bass1:18:27

Like did my job. Did a great job. And what was so cool was my teammates behind me.

Anthony Bass1:18:33

Were like, "You got this, Bass. We got you. We got your back."

Yeah.

And they were all like super like supportive of me, which I loved. I just wish maybe they showed it a little bit more to let everyone know like we're all in this together.

Anthony Bass1:18:50

They're like we're not even giving this.

Anthony Bass1:18:55

Yeah. It was just a a situation if I would go back like obviously like just play baseball and when I'm done playing baseball, hey, if I want to go speak out about about my Christian beliefs Yeah. and make a stand, that's the time to do it. That's kind of what I learned from it playing in baseball. And there's a lot of people that shared my same beliefs and supported me. Even so much so that the day I was released, the general manager came in the clubhouse and shared with the team the decision that was made

And he he called it. It was a baseball decision. And finally some of the older guys stood up at the end of his his speech and they're like, "We got some questions for you." and he was kind of thrown by it because he didn't expect anyone to kind of question their decision. And some of the older guys were like, "Yeah, didn't Bass not get didn't give up like one run last month in the month of May. He gave up one run in like 12 games."

Anthony Bass1:19:52

Right? And everyone could could see that. They just didn't want

The GM lying to them like just just tell us

Anthony Bass1:20:00

Yeah. So, it was it was cool that they had my back. teams did. But um it happened. I came home and uh I had a lot of resentment. I bet you did. I was I was frustrated.

Anthony Bass1:20:21

Yeah.

Anthony Bass1:20:25

Yeah.

Anthony Bass1:20:28

Yep. I had other teams. I know the Dodgers contact my agent right away. Hey, we just saw Anthony was designated for assignment. We're going to claim him. Awesome. My agent's like, "Just so you know, do you know what happened in Toronto?" And they're like, "No, what happened?"

He shared with them what happened. Like, oh, we've got our own issues. This was when um the nuns came on the field and all that stuff. Like, we have our own problems right now. Like, we can't take that on.

Anthony Bass1:20:52

As much as we want Anthony, we're at the pass. I'm like, "Ah, man." I'm like, "All right,

Anthony Bass1:21:00

I got a phone call from the Arizona Diamondback's pitching coach. He calls me. He's like, "Hey, I just saw what happened to you." He's like, "F that." He's like, "You did nothing wrong. I'm going to do everything I can to get you here." So, he calls me back the next day. Yeah. They just they don't want to touch it either. He's like, "I tried, man. I tried so hard." Yeah. Yeah. So,

Anthony Bass1:21:25

That's how I felt for sure. And that's why I had resentment because I felt like I had more.

I felt like I had more in the tank to give to an organization to help them win. I didn't want my career to end the way it did.

Anthony Bass1:21:36

Um but it did and um

Kind of led me to my next chapter of my life and that's and that's coaching which I really really love and help helping young men achieve

You know their dreams and and help them

Get to levels that they thought they never could get to. And I've actually

Get a lot of joy out of that. Yeah. Um, which has been great.

Anthony Bass1:22:37

I did. Yep. Saved all my jerseys. They're up in in a bin somewhere. I have a couple of them framed, especially my Japan Series Championship jersey. Saved that one.

A lot of good memories. So, I try to look at all the

The great uh friendships I've made over the years and just like all the highlights more so than how it ended.

Anthony Bass1:23:12

Y

Anthony Bass1:23:19

Yes, that was that was a really cool experience. And uh

Anthony Bass1:23:25

This was before all that happened.

Anthony Bass1:23:32

I felt like when I pitched there, I I did well, too. I just I love the feeling of pitching at Fenway. I love the

Kind of like the like it felt like gritty there.

Anthony Bass1:24:00

It felt like

Anthony Bass1:24:02

It felt like I was so close to home plate, too. And the the mound felt like it was lower. Like it felt like you're

Anthony Bass1:24:08

Pitching on a flat ground to home Fenway. That's how I felt. Um and I loved it. I loved pitching underneath the lights there.

Closing out. I I got one of my saves there uh during a day game. Cool. It's such a cool place. I love all around uh Fenway Park, too. Just walking around after the games. Just seeing it. People in the bars and out just like

Talking and having food and having a good time. Like these people.

Anthony Bass1:24:58

Let's make that.

Anthony Bass1:25:08

I think you have the credentials to do it.

Anthony Bass1:25:11

How would you feel about throwing a first pitch at Fenway Park?

Anthony Bass1:25:19

Oh my gosh.

Anthony Bass1:25:21

Just as someone that's caught a first pitch, please don't throw me a knuckle ball.

Anthony Bass1:25:28

That would be really cool. Hope that happen for you.

Anthony Bass1:25:49

I would think of like a LeBron James throw.

Oh my gosh. And someone so athletic as he is and like

I see that sometimes it's really not that hard to throw this ball over the plate.

But you put just anyone out there and then it goes to show you like actually it's really hard for the average person to throw this ball over that plate 17inch plate

And I'm just like

Anthony Bass1:26:23

Yes.

Anthony Bass1:26:42

I know. I've seen people before throwing the first pitch and you can see the anxiety in them. Like they don't want to be that person.

Anthony Bass1:26:50

So they're like warming up underneath the tunnel before the game like

Can you give me any tips?

Anthony Bass1:27:25

I get up there.

Anthony Bass1:27:31

Oh, yeah.

Anthony Bass1:27:51

Yes.

Yep. When I was there.

That was awesome.

Anthony Bass1:28:17

Middle Tennessee is a lot of talent. I've noticed just being in the amateur high school circuit. Just the arms I see I kids going to one kid going to&M last year, another kid going to Vanderbilt. Just power arms.

Anthony Bass1:28:31

If I was if I was a high school kid, if I were to go back in time, that would definitely be like my school. My dream school will be like something Vandy playing under coach Corbin.

Anthony Bass1:28:45

Gray. They had David Price.

David Price. Oh, yeah.

Big arms. Great career.

Anthony Bass1:28:56

He uh went to John Overton High School. So whenever we play them, his jerseys up on the wall out in center field uh since his jerseys been retired. But that's awesome.

Yeah, there's some talent in Middle Tennessee. No doubt.

Anthony Bass1:30:09

Wow. I didn't know that.

Anthony Bass1:30:11

I mean, there should be, you know, there shouldn't be any fighting in high school, man.

Anthony Bass1:30:27

Zero tolerance. I I like it.

Anthony Bass1:30:40

Yes, I'm competing in my first Hy Rocks competition in Nashville. Uh second week of December, I believe.

Anthony Bass1:30:47

Open. I'm not at pro yet. I'm not I'm not at Ken's level yet.

Anthony Bass1:32:03

That's what gets me the sled push into the run.

So I'm going to do it uh doubles.

Anthony Bass1:32:09

So my partner's the stronger runner right now. So we plan on him finishing the push. Yeah.

Give me a chance to let my legs recover and then go into the run.

Yeah. Last time we did it, last simulation, we we did it, I finished the sled push and he's like, "All right, let's go." And I'm like, "Hold on. I just hit a wall. I had to walk for a little bit and then go into the run." So, that one that's that's what gives me that [ __ ] push into the run.

Anthony Bass1:32:51

Your heart rate is just

How would you compare that to your marathon?

Anthony Bass1:34:22

That those are hard the runs after the push runs before the the wall balls at the very end you're just like ready to be done you're like you got a hundred of these

Anthony Bass1:34:59

Set the bar high.

Anthony Bass1:35:09

So, I can only imagine being in your shoes event like that.

Anthony Bass1:35:47

Yes, I can relate to that. Nevertheless,

It almost becomes like a white noise once you do it long enough where you just you hear it, but you're just like so focused,

Anthony Bass1:35:58

And that's a that's a good place to be in, especially like a competition like HYROX to be so focused on whatever exercise, whatever run you're on. I think that helps you get to that next level.

Anthony Bass1:36:09

Oh, yeah.

Anthony Bass1:36:11

Four. Yep. Four little ones. Yep. Uh they'll be there watching. Uh oldest is nine. So, nine soon to be six, three, and tomorrow one years old.

Anthony Bass1:36:21

Yeah,

We're busy.

Anthony Bass1:36:35

Yeah, that's wild.

Anthony Bass1:37:06

I've heard about that.

Anthony Bass1:37:13

Yeah.

Anthony Bass1:37:15

Do you ever wish you can go back and and have them all little?

Anthony Bass1:37:27

Yeah. That's how I feel.

Anthony Bass1:37:29

Cuz I just know the

Anthony Bass1:37:34

More so than me, but like

They just need a lot, right? Um, yeah.

You know,

And then you don't know what they need, so you're just trying to guess.

Anthony Bass1:37:42

It's It's a lot of work.

Anthony Bass1:37:45

Yeah.

Especially with girls.

Anthony Bass1:37:58

For sure. That's where I need some help, the running.