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00:00He is a ton of fun. He's a Giants leader. He's the shortstop. We're getting ready for the season. It's
00:05Willie Adamas here on Willard and Dibs. Hey, Willie, what's going on?
00:10How we doing, guys? We're doing good, man. You know, so we're here in spring training, having some fun with
00:14the boys and getting ready for the season.
00:17I mean, the easy first question is, how is this different than last year with a new manager and now
00:23a year under your belt? What sort of feels different for you?
00:27I mean, there's a lot of new faces here. Like you say, we have a new manager, new whole staff,
00:32and I think, you know, we added some pieces that are really fun, too.
00:37You know, I think the vibes are very different from last year. You know, there's a lot of energy, a
00:41lot of personalities, you know, a lot of guys that want to have some fun and want to get better.
00:46You know, a lot of guys that are working hard to prove people wrong and, you know, a lot of
00:51guys that want to show up and win some games, you know?
00:54Willie, you referred to last year as a challenging year. I'd love to hear in your words why.
01:01I mean, obviously, it's a new year for me with a new organization, you know, new baseball field, new weather,
01:12you know, new everything, basically.
01:13You know, it's just like an adapting year for me. You know, a lot of adjustments that I had to
01:18make.
01:18You know, a lot of responsibilities on the table, I think. You know, obviously, starting the season, not performing well
01:27was really tough, very challenging.
01:29But, you know, at the end of the day, I think we finished the season better, you know, and, you
01:35know, we finished the season in a good way.
01:38You know, so for me, it was just more like adapting and, you know, getting used to the new environment.
01:44And I think, you know, the last two months of the season were way better than the beginning.
01:49And, you know, it felt good to be like that and, you know, to feel myself again.
01:55And, you know, I think now this year going into my second year and, you know, knowing how things move
02:01there in San Francisco
02:02and, you know, having that support from the fans, I think it's going to be amazing.
02:06So outside of the obvious things about, you know, where you live and where you eat and all the rest
02:11of it,
02:11when you're playing, is it harder to get used to a new background as a hitter
02:15or get used to the new dirt and the hardness of an infield?
02:20I mean, it's just a little bit of everything, you know.
02:22I mean, I play my whole career, like, in stadiums that have a roof.
02:27You know, I never had a whole season outside playing every day outside, you know, adjusting to, like, the cold
02:33or, like, the heat every day. You know what I mean?
02:35Like, I think for me it was just more of that, you know, getting used to the weather in San
02:40Francisco,
02:41which is a little different than everywhere else, you know.
02:44And just, like, you know, adapting to the field.
02:46It's a very different baseball field.
02:50And, you know, the dimensions are different than every other park.
02:55And, you know, I think it was just more adapting to that than everything else.
02:59Willie Adamas is with us here on Weatherton Dibs 95.7 The Game.
03:02I'm curious, Willie, what those adjustments are like.
03:06Like, when you talk about the weather, I get the idea of getting used to it.
03:11But is there something you can do baseball-wise when you come to a park that's not really a hitter's
03:17park?
03:19No, I mean, it's just more just to get used to it.
03:22You know, like, there's nothing that you can do, you know.
03:24That's just how Mother Nature is in San Francisco, you know.
03:27It's going to be cold in July.
03:28It's going to be cold in June, you know.
03:30And you have to adapt to it, you know.
03:32Like, when everybody goes to San Francisco in July, they're like, how do you guys play here, whatever.
03:36And for me, it's like, when we go to a different city, like, during summertime, and it's steaming hot.
03:42And then we go home, and it's so cool and nice, you know.
03:45But for us, I think for me personally, it was, you know, it took a little bit to adjust.
03:49But then at the end, I felt good, you know.
03:51It felt really, like, good to go from the heat to, like, the cool weather, you know.
03:56And, like, having to wear, like, some nice clothes, you know.
03:59And, like, you know, some good style on the field.
04:03And I think it's just, you know, it's a home advantage for us, you know, if we can really say
04:09that.
04:09Yeah, because you'll be used to the fog in June as opposed to visiting players.
04:13I wonder how hard it is to not let those things get in your head, where, you know, we see
04:17you drive a ball,
04:19and it's out in 29 of 30 ballparks, but not down the street.
04:22How is it a difficulty to try to keep that from getting in your own head?
04:28Yeah, I had to go through it last year, you know.
04:31I feel like it will get to your head.
04:33Like, if you let it, like, go deep into your head, then it will play with you, you know.
04:37It will trick your mind to try to, like, do different stuff that, you know, that you're not it.
04:45And for me, that was kind of the main thing I felt like why I struggled last year,
04:50because I tried to change who I was because of it, instead of just embracing it and keep hitting the
04:55ball high.
04:55You know, they're going to go when they're going to go, you know.
04:57So just embrace the type of player you are.
05:01And for me, it was more getting that confident of, like, if I hit a ball 107 and they didn't
05:05go out,
05:06I'm going to go try to hit it 107 one more time next at bat, you know.
05:10And that's the mentality you got to have to be successful there in San Francisco,
05:13because other teams come and hit homers, you know, because they don't worry.
05:16They're not worried about it.
05:17But you have that mindset that, yeah, it's not a hitter's park.
05:20Yeah, it's not like all the baseball field, but you still got to hit it everywhere you play, you know.
05:25So for me, it was more just getting that mindset of, like, you know,
05:29I'm just going to continue to hit the barrel.
05:31If it goes out, it goes out.
05:32If it doesn't, then I'm going to try to hit the barrel next at bat.
05:34And I think that's why the last two months were better, because the mindset was different.
05:40Willie, I want to get this out of the way while we're talking about all of the adjustments.
05:44You do like it, right?
05:46Like, you like it.
05:47You're going to be here for a while.
05:49So, like, it's working out, right?
05:52Yeah, I mean, I love it, man.
05:53I mean, playing there every day is a dream.
05:55I mean, that's one of the, if not the best, the most beautiful baseball field in the whole MLB.
06:00So for me, I love it, man.
06:02I just, like I say, it's just more about the mindset, the mentality you have going into San Francisco to
06:07play there.
06:07You know, I know I'm having a blast.
06:10I know I'm enjoying my time here.
06:13And I know I'm going to, you know, do my best the next six years I have here, you know,
06:18because I had a responsibility with this organization and these baseball fans that we have in San Francisco
06:25to try to win as many games as we can, hopefully multiple championships in those six years.
06:32And, you know, like I say, I'm going to go with the right mentality every year and try to be
06:37better every year.
06:38Willie Adamas is with us.
06:40And a lot of what you're talking about, I figure, has got to apply to Rafi Devers as well,
06:45who only got there, you know, a few months after you did.
06:49What do you think it will mean for both of you to not only hit next to each other, but
06:54be in year two together?
06:57Yeah, I think it's going to be huge.
06:59I think, you know, having Rafi now for the whole year is going to be special for us.
07:03You know, we're going to, I'm going to have the opportunity,
07:05and then we all are going to have the opportunity to play with one of the best hitters in the
07:09game, you know.
07:10And I know it was a little tough for him to adjust to the part, too, in the beginning, you
07:14know.
07:14But when he had, when he got that confidence going, I mean, I think you guys saw it.
07:18It was driving the ball everywhere.
07:20So, like, it'll be fun to have him in the lineup for the whole year to see how special he
07:24is for real
07:25and, you know, to show the fans that, you know, we could do really special things together as a team,
07:30you know.
07:30And now you've got a pretty interesting infield with Luis Arise over at second,
07:35and depending on, you know, Rafi at first or the DH and Chappie over at third,
07:39it's got to be nice for you to have what's going to be a pretty veteran infield this year.
07:44Yeah, it's going to be nice to, you know, knowing that we have an infield set.
07:49You know, like, they're going to be playing every day.
07:51You know, obviously, we're going to have guys like Cousin and Schmitty being there, you know,
07:56helping us to be better every day, you know, whenever one of us guys don't play that day.
08:02But I think it's interesting, man.
08:04And like I say, you know, Rafi and Arise are working hard here in spring training with Ron.
08:11And I know they're trying to, you know, prove people wrong.
08:15They're trying to prove that they are really good at what they do, you know.
08:18And then they are going to be better.
08:20They're going to work, you know, hard to be better, to establish themselves, you know,
08:24as a good defensive players, you know, because they are great hitters.
08:29You know, obviously, Arise, probably the best contact hitter in the game.
08:33And, you know, Rafi, you guys already know.
08:35So now that they're going to be playing, you know, every day in one position
08:39and they're working hard to be better every day, I think it's going to be very interesting.
08:43And obviously, we all know Chappie.
08:46If he's not the best, he's, you know, top two or three in the game, you know, as a third
08:50baseman.
08:51So, Willie, take us into the offseason.
08:54You finished one year as a Giant, and then all of a sudden they tell you,
08:58hey, your new manager is a young guy who's only coached at the collegiate level before.
09:05So, like, what was your first reaction to that?
09:07What was your first conversation with him like?
09:11Yeah, no, it was very interesting.
09:13I mean, obviously, we all trust Buster and what he's doing, you know,
09:16to lead this organization to be in a better place every day.
09:20And I know if he has the confidence to bring a guy like Tony,
09:24I know if he trusts the guy, we're all going to be, you know,
09:28very comfortable about that decision.
09:30And obviously, you know, getting to meet him and getting to know him a little bit more now,
09:34I think he was a great decision.
09:36I think it was the right choice to bring somebody like him with a lot of energy,
09:40you know, with a lot of potential, with a lot of, you know,
09:44desire to make everybody around him better.
09:47And that's what he's been doing in spring training.
09:49So far, he's been, you know, working hard, you know, trying to help everybody,
09:53trying to push everybody to be better every day.
09:55And I think that's something that we needed it.
09:57And, you know, to have it now, you know, with somebody that is, you know,
10:02new in the big leagues, not in the game, because he's been around forever in college.
10:06But to have him somebody, to have somebody like him being, you know,
10:10the leader of the team now with that personality that he has,
10:13I think it's going to be, you know, special for us this year.
10:16How do you guys go about finding that chemistry in the clubhouse?
10:19I was just thinking about a couple of Venezuelans.
10:21You're from Dominican Republic and Chappie's from Fullerton.
10:24You got Jung Woo Lee from Korea.
10:26How do you go about having everybody be able to communicate and be on the same page?
10:31I mean, you know, going for dinners, you know, doing fun stuff, I think that helps.
10:36But, you know, I think it's the most important thing.
10:39It's just embracing each other, you know, embracing everybody's culture.
10:41I think getting to know about, you know, everybody's culture,
10:45that's what makes it interesting.
10:46You know, everybody here in the clubhouse is invested to try to, you know,
10:52get to know each other's culture and, you know, to try to respect everybody's culture
10:56and just to go out there and compete as a family, you know,
10:59and have each other's back every day.
11:01And I think we're doing some stuff up the field that is helping to create that chemistry,
11:06to build that friendship, that chemistry within the clubhouse, you know,
11:11to bring that outside to the field.
11:12And I think it's been great.
11:13You know, the boys like to hang out with each other.
11:16They love to have fun with each other.
11:18And, you know, hopefully we can continue to do that
11:20and continue to build the relationship just to a stronger stage.
11:24Willie Adamas with us.
11:26And, Willie, before we do the big finish,
11:28I wanted to be sure to ask you about your 30th home run last year
11:32because that was a big deal.
11:34Everyone in the organization had been waiting for somebody to finally hit 30.
11:37You get to the final weekend, you need two.
11:39You hit one on Friday night.
11:41They lead you off on Sunday, the final game of the year,
11:45and you lead off with a home run.
11:48I've always heard when you try to hit home runs, you don't hit a home run.
11:51But I think that's what you were trying to do.
11:53So can you take us through that experience and that at-bat?
11:57Yeah, I mean, when I got to the field, I talked to Bowman
12:00because I was hitting second that day, and I talked to Bowman.
12:03I said, Bowman, I would love to be first today just to swing on the first pitch,
12:09just to try to go and get it.
12:10If I get it, I get it.
12:11If not, well, I'm going to have a few more at-bats to try to do it.
12:14But if I lead off today for the first time in my career,
12:17I'm going to swing at the first pitch.
12:18I don't know if it's going to happen, but I'm going to go for it.
12:21And obviously, before that, I don't think I was forcing it to happen.
12:27But that day, I was like, I think it would be very dramatic
12:30if I go and lead off and hit a home run to the first pitch.
12:32I think everybody would be like, wow, that was incredible.
12:35That was like, it felt special.
12:37But, you know, I was happy that it went the way that it went.
12:41And obviously, you know, just to get that out of people's heads, you know,
12:46that all the bull don't fly here.
12:48There's nobody that can hit 30.
12:50You know, we don't – that's that side of the picture now.
12:53You know, now hopefully this year we have a few guys that hit 30-plus,
12:56and, you know, now they don't say that anymore.
12:59Love that. Love that.
13:00Okay, Willie, this is how we do the big finish.
13:02We give you two categories.
13:03You pick one, and then we'll ask a couple questions out of that category.
13:08So here's Willie Adamas on the big finish.
13:11All right, Willie, the two categories.
13:13Do you want to do the Adamas family or sports, man?
13:18Oh, man, this is tough.
13:21Let's do the family to see if I'm good at it.
13:23I don't know what you're going to ask me.
13:25Well, there's only one way to find out.
13:27All right, here it is.
13:28What's your favorite thing that your mom cooks?
13:32Oh, pastelon.
13:33That's a Dominican dish.
13:35Tell us about it.
13:37It's a smash sweet plantains with ground meat in the middle with a lot of cheese.
13:44It's kind of like a lasagna, but with plantain.
13:47And have you learned the recipe?
13:49Do you make this now for yourself?
13:52Oh, no, no, no.
13:53I say it would be too difficult for me to make that.
13:55Okay.
13:56It sounds tough.
13:56I saw a story that during the –
13:58No, and it probably won't taste like my mom's.
14:02Well, yeah.
14:03Like, I'd rather have it from her.
14:04It never does.
14:06Yeah.
14:06I saw during the pandemic that you were conversing with her over the phone to try to figure out how
14:11to cook.
14:11Are you a good cook now?
14:13Well, I think I can cook a little bit.
14:15I mean, obviously, I'm not a chef, but if I had to cook for me, you know, I won't starve.
14:21You know, I won't die from not cooking.
14:24You know, I can cook a little bit.
14:25That's good news.
14:26Question number two, and this is another internet dive for me.
14:30Your sister is engaged to William Contreras.
14:33How did they meet?
14:34And did he have to get your okay before the dating began?
14:40Yeah, they met when I was playing there in Milwaukee.
14:44You know, obviously, that's the first time that that happened in my life.
14:48And, you know, obviously, me and he talked after, you know, they started kind of, like, talking.
14:55So, like, I don't like to get involved because my sister, she's grown.
15:00So, like, she makes her own decision.
15:02I don't want to get involved.
15:03But, you know, I talked to him a little bit to let him know that, you know, I'm, you know,
15:07I'm my sister's brother, you know.
15:09So, like, before I'm his teammate, so, you know, he better respect her.
15:14She's been good.
15:15You know, they've been good.
15:16Okay.
15:17Okay.
15:17That's a relief.
15:18I mean, did you ever, even with a tongue-in-cheek, did you ever have to look at him and
15:22be like, dude, that's my sister?
15:26No, I mean, like I say, I don't like to get involved in, you know, in those type of things
15:30with my sister because when I want her to make her own decision and go through her life, you know,
15:35on her own, if she's ever won an advice or need my help, I'll be there for her.
15:40But I want her to, you know, enjoy her life and do whatever she would think is best for her.
15:44All right.
15:45Last one for you, Willie.
15:46When was the first time your family actually saw you play in the big leagues?
15:49And what was that experience like?
15:53It was my second game with Tampa, a Tropicana field.
15:57And obviously, it was a dream come true, you know, seeing them, seeing their faces, you know, seeing how proud
16:03they were and, you know, obviously seeing how happy they were.
16:06It was amazing.
16:07It was very special for me.
16:10Obviously, for me, that was a dream come true.
16:12And, you know, that was something that I always wanted to do.
16:15But, you know, having them there and, you know, and just seeing their happiness, it was priceless.
16:21Do you remember what you did in that game?
16:24The second game?
16:25I don't remember.
16:27It was, I only remember the first game.
16:30It was a lot going on that weekend.
16:32And, you know, obviously, there was a lot of emotions involved.
16:37Yeah.
16:37Was that the, was Boston in town in May of, let me, I'm trying to see what year this would
16:44have been.
16:462018, was Boston, does that sound right?
16:49Yeah.
16:50No.
16:50Okay.
16:51I got you for 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, Willie.
16:55That was, that was my second day?
16:57Well, there you have it.
16:58That's what probably I don't remember.
17:01I'd forget that, too.
17:02You know?
17:02Hey, Willie, you're, you're always a blast, man.
17:05Thank you so much for, for coming on.
17:07Best of luck.
17:07And we hope to talk to you during the year.
17:10Thank you guys for having me.
17:11It was a pleasure talking to you guys.
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