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Josh Smith joined the K&C Masterpiece LIVE from Spring Training in Arizona!
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00:00K&C Masterpiece right here on 105 Through the Fan.
00:02We're talking with Josh Smith.
00:05Now, you had two home runs today.
00:08If for some reason you hadn't showered,
00:11I know baseball players are superstitious,
00:13or at least a little stitious.
00:15Would that have carried over if you had another big game tomorrow?
00:19Would you have been like, this is the key?
00:20Yeah, I mean, I never really thought about that,
00:22but maybe I should look into it.
00:24But I already did shower, so hopefully tomorrow will be a good day too.
00:28Okay, well, hey, that's probably for the best.
00:30What is the superstition we should keep an eye out for on you?
00:33For me, I really don't have, I'm not very superstitious,
00:36to be honest with you at all.
00:38So I put my socks on differently every day.
00:40Maybe I'm like so not superstitious, it's superstitious.
00:44You can tie.
00:45You can tie, yeah.
00:46I swear I have baseball questions too, but since you brought up socks,
00:50both my wife and myself, we go sock, shoe, sock, shoe,
00:54because that's the most efficient way to do it.
00:56Okay.
00:56Have you ever thought about that before?
00:58Or do you think I could be a sociopath?
01:00That's a little crazy.
01:01I'm sock, sock, shoe, shoe.
01:02Yeah.
01:03That's inefficient.
01:04You're one, two, one, two.
01:06That's a good idea because I like being efficient.
01:09See?
01:09And so I'm weird, I guess, because I claim to be one,
01:13and then my wife's like, but you just said you're that,
01:14but I just watched you do it the other way.
01:16I'm like, maybe I'll just do whatever I want.
01:17And that's the way I rock with it.
01:19And what sticks with you longer, two-home run game
01:23or that ball that was just out of reach right over the second base?
01:28Or are you freaking about that already?
01:29I probably forgot.
01:30Yeah, I mean, the one I dove for?
01:32Yeah.
01:33Oh, yeah.
01:34I forget about that.
01:34It was a heck of an effort.
01:35I thought you had it.
01:35I mean, if I die for it and I don't get it, I did everything I could.
01:39Okay.
01:40All right.
01:40Now, you had already talked about the differences, obviously,
01:44in this spring training when you're focused in on specifically one position.
01:47Can you walk our audience through what that looks like,
01:50both short and long term for you?
01:53Yeah, for me, it's different.
01:54I've never, and the big leagues have never done that.
01:57So just trying to kind of master that one position,
02:01I think you might have heard me say it,
02:02but I think it's harder to do that than to be decent at all of them.
02:06And so it's definitely been a more taxing spring for me, I think,
02:10this year, just trying to have more focus on that one position.
02:13I've been kind of defending that whole, like,
02:16maybe it's a little more taxing in season to play all these multiple positions,
02:19though.
02:20And I know you're like, hey, I'll do whatever it takes to win and be on this thing.
02:25Is that kind of a tiring thing, though,
02:27to have a lot of different things you have to learn on any given night?
02:30Yeah, I mean, it's definitely tiring,
02:32but I think just playing 162 games at any position any night is pretty tiring.
02:36It might be just a little bit your broader focus, I guess,
02:41is just kind of you don't know really where you're going to be that day.
02:44So that's kind of that's the nice part about playing one position
02:47is you know you're going to be in that spot.
02:48But, yeah, I guess just playing everywhere is it's definitely tiring.
02:52But, like I said, I still think it's a lot harder to play just one position.
02:56I'm sure people like even your former teammate Marcus Simeon would say
02:59you never really master any position.
03:02But how do you feel like you've done bringing it along this spring?
03:05He was pretty close to mastering it.
03:08Couldn't you see him be like, no, I have more to do?
03:11Yeah, definitely.
03:12Yeah, he's a hard worker.
03:13But, yeah, he played it really well.
03:15So it's definitely going to be some big shooters for me to fill.
03:18I learned a lot from him in his time here, his work ethic.
03:21I mean, he was, in my opinion, the best – one of the best defenders
03:24in the big leagues, in my opinion, last year.
03:26And so, yeah, for me to have to fill those shoes is going to be tough.
03:30But from him, I did learn to work hard.
03:32And if I work hard and it works out, great.
03:34If not, so what's – I did everything I could.
03:37We'll hear different things from different athletes.
03:38Some will say, like, I don't hear outside noise.
03:41I'm curious your thought on if you've heard people say,
03:43what about second base?
03:45Like, do you hear any of that noise when you're like,
03:47no, I'm playing second base right now?
03:49I mean, yeah, I'm not dumb.
03:52I hear – I'm on social media and stuff, so I see people talking.
03:58I wouldn't say it, like, affects me, but you definitely do see it.
04:02I know my process, my work that I do.
04:06That's what I can control.
04:08You go out and hit 300, somebody's going to say, oh, you should have hit 315.
04:11So it's always trying to do something more for people.
04:14Or what was this for?
04:15Yeah, something like that.
04:16So people always find something, so I don't pay too much attention to it.
04:20But they have every right to want someone to do something.
04:23We were talking with Skip on Monday, and one of the – I think one of our criticisms,
04:28we were pulling for you in a lot of different forms, but it is that second half.
04:32And I said – I asked Skip what he thought there, and he said,
04:35here's what I'm going to say is chase winning.
04:37And I don't know if he's had that discussion with you or said that phrase to you.
04:41How do you take chase winning?
04:42Like, that's funny you said that because I actually saw that interview the other day.
04:45Okay.
04:45And I've been trying to figure out how to manage that second half,
04:51and that's – I saw that, and I was like, that's a really good point.
04:54Because if you're trying to win the game, whatever happens, happens.
04:57But you can at least go home at the end of the day and say, hey, I did everything I
05:00could.
05:00I would always kind of focus on, oh, I had a terrible game,
05:04and then just kind of spiral into the next, into the next.
05:06And so you're chasing feelings and stuff like that.
05:07But, yeah, if you're chasing winning, I think that's all that matters in this game.
05:12I'm stealing that, by the way, and using it, like, every day for every single one of these sports.
05:17Yeah, that's a really good quote.
05:17And that was the interview with us, so you're welcome.
05:20And that's what I – I mean, I led that with we're going to have tough conversations sometimes.
05:25Do you – is he okay with tough questions like that?
05:27And that's a tough conversation with you, too.
05:30Yeah, it's part of the game, getting criticized, and I think in a good way.
05:35I think he – if I were to guess, he probably wants the best for me,
05:38and he wants me to figure it out, too.
05:40So if he's got any advice for that, I'm always open here.
05:43You were just talking about the mental aspect of it.
05:45We all know about the physical grind of 162, but the mental aspect,
05:50is there anything that you do to try to stop that potential spiraling that you were just talking about?
05:55Because I feel like that's relatable to all people.
05:57I mean, the physical part doesn't even compare to the mental part, based on my opinion.
06:02It's – the mental part is – it's really hard.
06:06But, yeah, that's something I'm still trying to figure out.
06:08I think, like you said, I've had some conversations with Skip and chasing winning,
06:13finding joy in other teammates and their success.
06:17It's something he kind of preaches, and I think I need to be better at that,
06:20and it's something I'll try to focus on this year.
06:22Is there a particular – go ahead.
06:24That can be contagious around the clubhouse.
06:27Okay, so that feeds into what I wanted to know.
06:29Is there a teammate or two that you have that you can't help but root for them
06:33just because they're like – I know Osuna last year was just bouncing around
06:36and everyone was excited.
06:38Is that just all of your teammates, or do you have a couple that you're like,
06:40man, that guy gets so happy, and, like, you can't help but root for him?
06:44Yeah, well, I think that's the idea of having a good clubhouse
06:47is you want everybody to be pulling for everybody.
06:49You don't want to have any bad apples because, like it or not,
06:53usually every team there's somebody that kind of brings people down,
06:56and it does make it hard to root for those guys.
06:59But I feel like this year in camp, like, we got a pretty good group
07:01to where you do find yourself wanting people to do good.
07:04And it's not – I think some people might find some jealousy sometimes
07:08in people's success.
07:09I've never been like that.
07:10But I do need to be better at showing my emotion, like, towards my teammates
07:14and stuff like that.
07:15You root for all your teammates with the exception of in the ping-pong tournament.
07:18Oh, yeah.
07:19Where – how did – yeah.
07:21Yeah, how did it go?
07:22I hope they all lose.
07:25But, like, you were talking about having a good clubhouse.
07:27That level of, like, banter or that level of maybe pettiness at times
07:32in a ping-pong tournament, that does feel like something
07:35that helps bring people close together.
07:37Yeah, definitely some competitiveness in the clubhouse,
07:41whether it's cards, ping-pong always brings the guys closer.
07:44But, yeah, you definitely want to see guys succeed on the field,
07:47but in ping-pong you want to see them lose every time.
07:49I heard the draw was random, but Seager and DeGrom, was that random?
07:54They're together?
07:55Yeah.
07:55Oh, that's BS.
07:56Yes.
07:58Nate said the same thing.
07:59Yeah, that's what he was like.
08:00Oh, I don't know about that random part of the draw.
08:03I was telling Nate earlier, Kevin and I grew up here.
08:07We've been Rangers fans our whole lives, and so we're lucky to get to cover this,
08:11you know, because we have a different attachment to it.
08:13But last year watching the pitching was the most fun I've ever had
08:18watching Rangers pitching.
08:19And from your seat, from where you stand on the field,
08:22did you get kind of the same vibe out of those guys?
08:25Because it was artwork out there.
08:27Yeah.
08:27I mean, they were awesome.
08:30Evo, DeGrom, Leiter came along really well at the end.
08:34Just Corbin gave us great innings.
08:36Just everybody.
08:37It was – we felt bad as hitters because, I mean,
08:40these guys are out there every night giving up one, two runs,
08:42and we couldn't pull through, and it's frustrating.
08:45But also it's like, Jesus, these guys are doing their part.
08:49And, yeah, hoping it can kind of go into this year, too.
08:53That part of how competitive Evaldi is, can you describe that for our fans?
09:00Like, is he like that in the clubhouse, or is it just when he gets down,
09:03it's different, dude?
09:05I'd say in everything he does, it's very detailed,
09:08and there's a reason behind it.
09:11He's a pro.
09:12Like, everything he does, he doesn't do it 50%.
09:16It's 100%.
09:17So, just for example, if I asked him what my scouting report is,
09:21if he has to face me in a live backfield event, that doesn't matter at all.
09:24He knows exactly how to pitch me, what he's trying to do, this and that,
09:27and he knows every pitch I hit, every pitch I don't hit.
09:29So, he's just always locked in, and he's the ultimate teammate, in my opinion,
09:34just a guy that we're pretty blessed to have here in Texas.
09:37You talked about the jump up from lighter, whether it's Lats, whether it's Rocker.
09:41What have you seen from some of these other younger pitchers
09:44that I know we're all hoping takes that lighter-esque jump?
09:47Yeah, definitely.
09:48I mean, Kumar, he's been great.
09:51He's a high draft pick for a reason.
09:53He's got a ton of potential.
09:56I know that he knows it, too.
09:57He believes himself, but this game, it's really hard to come up here
10:02and have immediate success.
10:04And so, I think just for him, just learning on some of his failures
10:08and how to grow from that, I'm saying that for him,
10:10but I could also take that myself as well.
10:13But, yeah, just having those guys, I think hopefully they'll have good years for us.
10:17Lats, he's been great.
10:19I thought he was awesome last year in his role.
10:21And, yeah, hoping he can kind of bring that to this year, too.
10:24And then, I know you're focused on yourself and the team,
10:26but y'all played Team Brazil yesterday here at the stadium.
10:29We had Cuba against the Royals.
10:31Just what was that experience like?
10:33And then, are you amped up, like a lot of players, for a World Baseball Classic?
10:37Yeah, it's definitely unique.
10:39I've never played Team Brazil, so I did.
10:41That was pretty cool.
10:41Yeah, definitely.
10:42I think the Baseball Classic's great for baseball.
10:45I love watching it.
10:47I feel like it's pretty much postseason baseball in February, March,
10:51or every month we're in.
10:52I don't even know.
10:52But, yeah, it's really fun to watch that, to see your country,
10:58some of the best players representing your country, is really cool.
11:00The last thing for me is it's very difficult to explain for anybody
11:05that's never swung the bat or felt that feeling.
11:07But you hit two home runs today, you're fresh off of those.
11:11Can you explain that feeling of when the ball meets the bat
11:14and just kind of describe it for the humans?
11:16Yeah, it's really good, especially as a baseball player.
11:23It's everything you want.
11:24And so, yeah, to do it twice today is pretty cool.
11:27But, yeah, I don't know, it's hard to describe.
11:30I'd say three feelings are pretty good, getting married, having your baby,
11:33and hitting a home run.
11:34Oh, yeah, I saw you pushing the stroller at Sandlot this year.
11:38That was pretty nice to see.
11:39You're not going to ask him that other question then,
11:41if he thinks it's irresponsible.
11:43I'm here right now.
11:44My three-year-old yesterday, he broke his arm.
11:46Do you think I should – my wife says keep working.
11:49I think you're a terrible person.
11:51No, I'm kidding.
11:52That's what he said.
11:53He goes, I'm going to ask every player today.
11:56I think if – I don't know, man.
11:58That's a tough one.
11:59I think if he's okay, you're fine.
12:00If the wife says you're fine.
12:02If the wife says you're fine, you're good.
12:03Okay, she says I'm fine.
12:05You're good.
12:05But, okay.
12:06You're good.
12:07All right.
12:07I'm going to use this interview.
12:08I'll be like, no, Josh Vinson was fine.
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