Hopefully you have read many of my columns on pitching, the honing of the craft, the mental aspect, etc.  This column is vastly different. This column will give you a view of just how important baseball is to the fabric of life, and how – intentional or not – it can prove useful long after you’ve hung up your spikes.

 

I played baseball for roughly 20 years of my life, and it was truly my identity.  Upon retiring, I had the normal questions of who I really was, what I was going to do now that I could no longer pitch, etc.  At first, simply not talking about baseball seemed like the best course of action.  I quickly realized, however, that in the real world, while some people may only be interested in the business at hand, most people want to talk about other things, and baseball is at the top of the list.

 

My playing career has opened more doors for me than anything else, and in reality, I was far from being a big success.  Two years of low-level minor league baseball shouldn’t cause people to want to hire you, to invite you to prestigious dinners, etc., but it did and does to this day.  Why?  All sports, specifically baseball, are transcendent in nature.  Why invite the guy who only knows business when you can hear about someone’s playing career, ask questions about specific people and feel like you were there.

 

Please do not take this as an excuse to not understand other issues or business topics.  You need a lot of substance to go along with your sports accolades, but put it together and it’s a potent combination.  Most non-complex business deals are negotiated fairly quickly.  The rest is just smoke and mirrors, but believe it or not, your ability to discuss non-business issues is as important as anything.  I have negotiated many deals in the midst of discussing pitching mechanics, my career, or my opinion on why Carlos Zambrano inevitably implodes for a period year after year.

 

Some of the readers of this column will play high school ball, fewer will move on to college ball and even fewer will play professionally.  That is immaterial as it relates to the business world.  The fact is, if you can embrace your current playing career and remain humble while discussing it, you will advance further in the business world.