What Does "All In" Really Mean? Character, Effort & Teamwork

A Hall of Fame coach with 500+ wins doesn’t hang around by accident. Coach Mike Shade of Gahanna Lincoln High School (OH) opens the dugout door to 41 years of lessons: why relationships anchor a program, how practice—not pep talks—decides results, and what “all in” really means for player standards, culture, and accountability. We trace his journey from early assistant days to a sustained run in the OCC’s gauntlet, where weekly battles sharpen teams for the state tournament.

We dig into his non-negotiables—character, effort, and being a great teammate—and how he delivers tough feedback without leaving players in the doghouse. Mike shares how the game has evolved around travel ball and shifting norms, yet still revolves around three outs, three strikes, and a pre‑pitch plan. You’ll hear why he respects umpires who hustle and prepare, and how empowering energetic assistants keeps a veteran staff fresh. Off the field, a simple tradition—his wife’s annual senior pasta dinner—reveals how small, consistent acts turn a roster into a family.

The stories are the heart: an unforgettable 3–2, bases‑loaded walk‑off that still gives chills, Evan White’s first-base artistry that later earned a Gold Glove, and the all-time trio he’d choose to ride with—Bench behind the plate, Gibson or Koufax on the hill, and Mickey Mantle in the box. If you coach, play, or simply love baseball, you’ll leave with a blueprint for sustainable success: teach clean fundamentals, correct fast and lift faster, respect the craft, and trust your people when the season shrinks to a single pitch.

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0:00

Intro & Sponsor Message

2:36

Meet Hall of Famer Mike Shade

3:24

Longevity, Loyalty, and Purpose

4:35

Early Years and Assistant Lessons

7:10

Non‑Negotiables and Player Character

9:18

How The Game Changed, What Hasn’t

11:27

Umpires, Standards, and Professionalism

13:22

Winning, Losing, and Practice First

15:30

OCC Competition and State Runs

17:15

Assistants’ Impact and A Supportive Spouse

19:20

The Unforgettable District Walk‑Off

22:10

Evan White’s Defense and Growth

24:00

Mantle, Seaver, and Baseball Roots

25:40

Hate Losing, Love Seven‑Game Series

27:00

All‑Time Catcher, Pitcher, Hitter Picks

28:30

Closing Thanks & Sponsor Reminder

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro & Sponsor Message
• 2:36 Meet Hall of Famer Mike Shade
• 3:24 Longevity, Loyalty, and Purpose
• 4:35 Early Years and Assistant Lessons
• 7:10 Non‑Negotiables and Player Character
• 9:18 How The Game Changed, What Hasn’t
• 11:27 Umpires, Standards, and Professionalism
• 13:22 Winning, Losing, and Practice First
• 15:30 OCC Competition and State Runs
• 17:15 Assistants’ Impact and A Supportive Spouse
• 19:20 The Unforgettable District Walk‑Off
• 22:10 Evan White’s Defense and Growth
• 24:00 Mantle, Seaver, and Baseball Roots
• 25:40 Hate Losing, Love Seven‑Game Series
• 27:00 All‑Time Catcher, Pitcher, Hitter Picks
• 28:30 Closing Thanks & Sponsor Reminder

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:02

Today on Baseball Coaches Unplugged, I sit down with a Hall of Fame coach who has over 500 wins. He's coached three MLB players, one became a gold lover, and he has no problem giving credit to his assistants, his players, and a very supportive wife for his success. It all comes back to relationships with Mike Shade, the handle Lincoln High School head coach in Ohio. Next on Baseball Coaches Unplugged.

SPEAKER_00: 0:31

This is the Ultimate High School Baseball Coaching Podcast, Baseball Coaches Unplugged, your go-to podcast for baseball coaching tips, drills, and player development strategies. From travel to high school and college. Unlock expert coaching advice grounded in real success stories, data-backed training methods, and mental performance tools to elevate your team. Tune in for bite-sized coaching wisdom, situational drills, team culture building, great stories and proven strategies that turn good players into great athletes. The only podcast that showcases the best coaches from across the country. With your host, Coach Ken Carpenter.

SPEAKER_01: 1:12

Baseball Coaches Unplugged is proud to be partnered with the Netting Professionals and Proving Programs, one facility at a time. Coaches, are you hoping to get one more season out of your batting cages or L-screens? Tired of broken ball buckets or windscrepping on the outfield fence? It's time to take your facility to the next level. Will Minor and his team at the Netting Professionals specialize in the design, fabrication, and installation of custom netting for baseball and softball. This includes backstops, batting cages, BP turtles, BP screens, ball carts, and so much more. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding, windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, and cubbies. The Netting Pros also work with football, soccer, lacrosse, golf courses, and now pickleball. The Netting Pros continue to provide quality products and services to recreational, high school, college, and professional fields and facilities throughout the country. Contact them today at 844-620-2707. That's 844-620-2707. Or visit them online at www.nettingpros.com. Check out Netting Pros on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for all their latest products and projects. Be sure to tune in every Wednesday for a new episode with some of the greatest baseball coaches across the country. Hello and welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged. I'm your host, Coach Ken Carpenter. And today's guest, I gotta say, is long overdue. I should have had him on a long time ago. He's been doing it for 41 years. He's a Hall of Fame coach here in the state of Ohio, and he does it the right way. He's a coach that all coaches across the state admire, and we're excited to have him be a part of today's podcast. It's Gehanna Lincoln, Hall of Fame head coach, Mike Shade. Coach, thanks for taking the time to be on Baseball Coaches Unplugged. My pleasure. Thank you for inviting me. Well, Coach Shade, you've been at it for 41 years. What's the secret to staying at one place for so long?

SPEAKER_02: 3:28

Well, I I actually just feel very um honored to have had the opportunity to do it. The district has obviously uh shown faith in me and um and allowed me to continue to uh to coach a game that I love. I mean, I I've I tell people now that uh I always knew how to to start projects, but I never knew how to say, okay, it's over. And so it's like, you know, I I I I look at the field and I look at our kids, and it's like, you know, there's other things I'd I'd like to accomplish out here, even after this length of time. So uh uh it's one of those things where um it it gets in your blood and it's hard to let go. Because as I told my wife, you know, just like uh when you're when you're working projects or or anything once you say you're done, then you know you're done. And uh um it's hard to get back into it. So um I'm not foolish enough to think that I'm gonna do this forever, but uh I know my time is coming. But um for right now, I feel like we still have energy and uh and my coaches uh still have some faith in me. And so away we go.

SPEAKER_01: 4:35

Well, you you started at Capitol University and uh joined Gehanna, I believe, in 1983.

SPEAKER_02: 4:42

I did. Um I that's when I started at Gehanna. Um graduated in 79 uh from Capitol with uh Coach Roger Welsh, and uh he was a tremendous influence on us. Um yeah, started in '83. Uh there was an opening at the freshman level and stepped into that and uh got a very quick uh awakening on what was needed to be done to uh make sure that we could get fields ready to play. And wasn't always a priority for the athletic department uh have the freshman baseball play, but you know, I we gave our best shot. What was it was fun? Those days were fun.

SPEAKER_01: 5:19

What was something that uh what what did you learn being an assistant and how did that shape you to the coach you've now become?

SPEAKER_02: 5:28

Uh Roger was a tremendous coach. One of the biggest things that I think I learned from Coach was that um, you know, if you did if you messed up, he could dress you down pretty quick. Well, when it was over, it was over. I mean, he had to say he said what he had to say, and then it was like, okay, let's move on. And yeah, growing up, it didn't always work that way. You got in trouble, and sometimes you're in a doghouse for a while.

SPEAKER_01: 5:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 5:57

You know. But with Coach Welsh, it was um he had he said what he needed to say, he uh he gave you a little check up from the neck up, and then it was move on and let's go, uh, because he expected to be better the next day, or after he was done letting you know what he thought needed to be said. I I always was amazed at that, and I've tried to emulate that. Um the other thing I found out from coach that that he never let you stay down. Um if he got on you, then sometime through that practice or later on, he'd also have a pickup. He'd pick you back up because he didn't want to leave you down. And I try to do the same thing. If we got to if we address a situation, we try to address it, but then always let them know that you're still on your side, on their side, because if you don't, then you can harm those relationships. And that's really what we're doing here as a coach and players, is trying to develop relationships. Yes, it's through the game of baseball, but it's really developing relationships with your players and having a true honest uh care what happens to them.

SPEAKER_01: 7:09

Well, your career's been pretty special. You've got over 500 wins, you've had back-to-back final four appearances, and you've even had three players go on to play Major League Baseball. What are some of the non-negotiables you've had with your teams over the years?

SPEAKER_02: 7:29

Non-negotiable. What we're really looking for is those kids that are that are all in, you know, that that come to the baseball diamond every day to get better, to work, uh, to be a good teammate. Those are the things that we're looking for. High character. Okay, because it when you have those kind of of young men that come into your program, then they're gonna help make each other better. We can give them the opportunity. We can map out our our practice plans and uh and go through technique and and and go through fundamentals, but they bring the drive to be better. And uh it's been my honor really to to have had the opportunity to coach some just tremendous athletes and tremendous baseball players. As you said, we've had three in the major leagues. Um it's it's uh it's quite remarkable to watch, especially, you know, when when they come in as freshmen, you can kind of say, well, that's a pretty special kid. And then as they develop, um, you just see the confidence that they end up uh uh developing, and then the obviously their skill level. Um, but um, and then when they go on and have that type of success uh later in their career, it's just so rewarding to know that you had an opportunity to work with them because it doesn't happen.

SPEAKER_01: 8:53

Definitely. And you've had some really special guys here. You know, the thing I wanted to ask you about though, since you've been at it for such a long period of time, the game's changed dramatically over the years between travel baseball and parent it and the parents getting involved in things. And how have you how have you adapted your coaching style and philosophy? And what's better now or and what do you miss? Is it better now or and what do you miss about your the old days?

SPEAKER_02: 9:28

Um well it's the game has evolved, obviously, yes, changed in a lot of different ways. I've had a lot of people ask me this, and right off the top of my head, the first thing I say is hair. Because back in the day, you know, I mean, it was the expectation, this is even through the athlete department, was that you don't have hair on the shoulder or on the uh collar, and you know, above the ears and so forth. Obviously, that's changed quite a bit. Um, those days are gone, and that doesn't bother me a bit. I think what it really looking back, I think it's more that I have an appreciation of uh I'm I'm able to appreciate those players that came before. And when you have a chance to see them now, and and I've had an opportunity to have second generation players or players that have had uh their sons that have played at other schools that played against us will come back up and uh strike up conversations and bring back those memories of of what we did then. I think that's really more how I take it as far as the way the game's changed, you know, obviously with some technique and so forth. Um, but it it's still the same game. I mean, you still gotta get three outs, you still get three pitches at uh three strikes at the at the plate, and you're still trying to teach the kids to have that approach and be prepared. And then on defense, you know, what happens when the ball's hitting me? What am I gonna do with it? So those things haven't changed. But um, I think without uh being nostalgic, it's just appreciating having had the opportunity to be around those, those, uh, those guys for such a long time. And then looking at these guys going, yeah, a lot of them have those same tendencies, right? They still they still want to go out and win, they still want to be better, and that part of the game really hasn't changed, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01: 11:27

Well, I believe the very first time that I I met you in person was um, and this is gonna lead into the into a question, but the first time I met you, it was as an umpire, and it was a doubleheader, and oh my goodness, and I was uh going to school to Ohio State, so I needed every dime I could get. So I was I was umpiring, and I I actually did football, basketball, and baseball, but um we went out for ground rules, and you know, you had one or two really good teams, and it was a Saturday doubleheader, and I can't quite recall who you were playing, but um I can't believe I'm admitting this, but uh we we go out for ground rules, you run us around the field, and I got the plate, and I remember asking you it's one of those dreary Ohio days in the spring, and I said I and I don't I don't believe you had a windscreen up, but I said, What are we how are we gonna work the uh you had the turtle out there and you and you look at me and you go that's that's behind the fence, and I was like, Oh, this is not a good start, but it ended up being a good day, and uh I guess this leads into my question. How has the umpires you know, it have they been about the same? Have they changed over the years?

SPEAKER_02: 13:05

Yeah, I mean, some of those old timers, those guys that uh are about the same age I am now, obviously that we cut our teeth together. Uh some of them are still around. Um I tell you what, there's a lot of good young umpires right now. And when I say young, that's respect, they may have been umpire for 20 years now, but since I'm as old as I am, uh they seem like younger umpires, but they really work at it, you know, and they want to get better, they want to be right, they want to do a fair job. And I think it's always been like that. But uh uh haven't had a chance to really talk to some guys and and and really see their preparation. Um, I think that they're doing uh as good a job now as they've done. I mean, they they hustle. I know they have expectations. Uh uh uh Bob Moder is uh uh high up in the uh umpire ranks, and he actually was one of my uh he helped us out uh as an assistant coach back in the day. And just having a chance to talk to him and the professionalism that he brings to umpiring in the central district, and I think that's the expectation that that they have. Um that they come out, they do a business-like job. Um, you're not gonna get every call correct, but I tell you what, they get most of them, right? And uh, if they don't, obviously I'll I'll let them know. Um I I'm usually uh I very respectful for uh to the umpires because like I said, they're out there doing their job and they take it seriously. And that's what you want to come out and and have guys that uh care as much about what's going on in the field as you do. And I see that in in the central district, certainly in the central district, because there's I mean, I could go down the list of uh the umpires that just come out every day that we haven't just come out and do a great job.

SPEAKER_01: 14:52

Definitely agree with you on that one. Now, how has your perspective on winning and losing changed over your career?

SPEAKER_02: 14:59

Oh gosh, I tell you what, um it that part of it hasn't really changed a whole lot. Obviously, you want to go out and win, but uh Dave Kobunts um gave me a piece of advice my first year coaching. Um we were struggling. We we we were a very young team. Um we didn't play well, and I admit that freely. Um and we were over there playing, and he knew that I was having a tough season. And we were he was over at St. Charles at the time. Um and he said, Coach, yeah, he goes, Um my approach is he goes and he I didn't ask, but he uh he he knew that I was looking. And uh he said, I my I spend my time at practice. He said, the games take care of themselves. These guys are ready to play because I get them ready to play during practice and let the game go and let them play and go do their thing. And and and I always remembered that from that point forward. And so winning and losing, yes, that's what you want as a as an expectation, but the reality is the job that you do during practice, getting them ready to play, that's where the game is. Um, and uh so we have tried to make that um our philosophy and our approach uh throughout the years is like let's make sure that they know what they need to do, let's get their fundamentals as as sound as we can get them, um, and then uh get them ready to play and then let them go play. Um and I think that's you know that that's where I've been, and that's where our coaching staff has been, and I think our guys do a great job.

SPEAKER_01: 16:49

Now, do you think, you know, at least I know I think it's like this, but I just want to hear your thoughts. The OCC and the division you're in, total meat grinder, and that that definitely is uh what makes your your 500 plus wins even more impressive, but that also helps prepare you for the end of the season when it comes time for the state tournament. Oh, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02: 17:17

Um going back um a little bit back from 2000, about 2010 to 2020, I think uh I think seven appearances in the state final, four for the OCC Ohio. I know Pick North was there a couple of times, we were there a couple times, Grove City was there a few times. Um, so I mean it was you have to be ready to play in that division. And it's like that really all the way around. Now, the the level of competition in Central District is is exceptional. And uh the All Intangies, the success that they have had, um, they just come out in day in and day out and just play hard-nosed, fundamentally sound, uh good baseball. And uh um so yeah, the OCC has some of the best baseball in the state of Ohio, obviously. I mean, Olentanji won it last year. Uh uh Ryan Lucas just uh did a tremendous job with that that baseball club this year. Um so yeah, I have a great deal of respect for our division, um, but also the other divisions throughout uh Central District.

SPEAKER_01: 18:24

Well, every great coach usually has two things that I think are critical that that play a huge role in in a head coach's success. And those two things being your assistant coaches and probably the most important thing, a very supportive spouse. Talk a little bit about the the those two.

SPEAKER_02: 18:46

Well, my assistant coaches are are I can't say enough about them. Um I've had some great people to work with over the years. I mean, going back to when I got the job in '92, I mean, uh, I could write down the list, but um they've just been they're all baseball guys. They all have something that they bring special to the game and to um our program. Um, and the best thing I thought I could do is just get out of their way and let them go out and work and and do their thing. Um because they have that energy that they bring. Um, and so uh um and our kids respond to them. Um recently, I mean, uh Brian Hall, Scott Meadows, those guys for a very, very long time. Uh our some of our new guys, Andrew Shrake and uh Carl Flogger, those guys have a tremendous amount of energy that they that they've instilled in me. I mean, they're keeping me young because of the uh the um emotion and uh the energy that they bring with them uh to our program. They're just doing a great job with our kids. Um and then my wife, obviously, yeah, she's emotionally, she's as invested in this program as much as I am. Um she um she's just been a tremendous support over the years. Um every year we have a senior dinner that she loves to do for our guys. Um she's Italian. Well, I I Italian, Sicilian, Sicilian, Italian. I don't want to be in trouble. Um, because she's gonna see this, and so is her her sister. And so I gotta make sure that I get that right. But no, she um she makes uh a pasta dinner for them every year um that we have uh our seniors over, um usually after a game on a Saturday, and in the evening we have them come over and into our home and and have dinner with us, and she just loves doing that. Um so yeah, I mean she she always wants to know how many now, how many seniors we're gonna have this year, how many, so how much pasta? I mean, and she starts planning this from the beginning of the season because she just wants to make sure that they have that special time because she's just so forward to it, because again, like I said, um uh we don't have any kids, and so our players are our kids. And so she tries to to let them know that we appreciate them not just on the baseball field, but also off the baseball field as well. And I I can't ask for anything more than that because uh um without that, there's no way I could do this for as long as I have. I mean, I've this this game has uh meant a lot to me, and uh it's been my life. So um I'm very appreciative to have had her support all the way and the support of my assistant coaches, they've just been tremendous.

SPEAKER_01: 21:42

Yes, I you know that I I I never actually got a chance, thought of doing something like that, but my wife would make for every game, she would make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We had like one player that had a peanut allergy, so she'd make him ham sandwiches and chips and scar or whatever, and did all that. And I I the thing that I remember most about it was she's a she's working, she's an executive, so she's she's doing all that. And I I still recall one game, yeah. We got we're waiting on a bus, and all the players she she had passed everything out, and then she left and went back to work. She had to finish up, and one of the players walked up to me and said, Coach, does you know, Miss C not like me? I go, What do you mean? He opens up his sandwich and there was nothing on it. Oh no, she must have had some line going in. She just made a mistake.

SPEAKER_02: 22:43

Oh my. Yep, yep, no doubt. That happens. That happens. Hey, I gotta tell you, and I know you we talked about a little bit earlier today, and uh you one of the best baseball games I have ever seen is the game that we played with you guys in that district. That that that one still thinking back about that, I know it's tough on you guys, yeah, but uh that was a battle that uh was will live in my memory banks forever.

SPEAKER_01: 23:12

Yes, I I actually think that it's like you read my mind. You know, it leads into my my next question here. I was you know, when I was just kind of researching, trying to come up with things I wanted to ask you. I my last game as a head coach came against you guys in the district tournament, and I didn't even think about it, but two of your better players that you probably coached was on that team and Jackson Wolfe and uh Cale Baker. You know, Cale was given player of the year for the state of Ohio, and I think Jackson played at WVU and you know played Major League Baseball. And uh that game is seared in my memory because it was one, it was such a great game, and you know, of course, being my last one, you guys walked it off on a you know ideal situation, 3-2 bases loaded. But oh yeah, and KO end up getting the the game winning hit down uh to to left field. But uh, you know, it it's one of those things when I talk to some of my assistant coaches at that time. We we always end up talking about it because it was such a great game and it was back and forth. And I still remember uh uh my son's first at bat, he was his senior year. He he struck out, Jackson struck him out, and he comes up to me, you know, in the dugout later, and he says, That's the best curveball I've ever seen in my entire life. And I said, He's a he's a good one, but uh it was such a great memory, and the fact that you know we we lost, it it's still one of those memories that I'll I'll never forget. And you know, I I don't even know if I even ever had a chance to talk to you about it, but do you realize what we did in the yeah?

SPEAKER_02: 25:01

That was that I mean that game was a nail biter. The people, everyone was on the edge of their seat. I think Kale must have fouled off three or four pitches before he finally got that with a 3-2 count, uh, before he finally uh hit the ball into left field and knocked those runs in. I mean, it was just like live and die on every pitch at that point. And it was it was amazing. I mean, that was as far as a high stress game and with everything on the line. I mean, that that was baseball. I mean, that's like the epitome of high school baseball right there because everything was right there. You know, it came down to one at bat, one-on-one, and a kid that ended up becoming um one of the best hitters in Gehana's history. Um uh, well, he was one of the best hitters in Gahana's history. And uh uh he had an incredible tournament uh and he just offensively he carried us uh into the regional finals that year. And uh uh and then Jackson obviously was uh was outstanding during that tournament as well. But yeah, that was that was a great game. In fact, I don't know if it's still out there, maybe floating around somewhere, but uh on online that that uh that hit was and I think I watched that probably all summer long. Um every now and then I just turn it on and just watch that last at-bat and watch him uh knock that ball through the left side, and it's like, wow, what a game. What a game. So you're yeah, it still gets me chills.

SPEAKER_01: 26:30

That's online somewhere a lot.

SPEAKER_02: 26:32

It was. I don't know if it still is anymore. I mean, that's back in what 2017, I think. Yeah, 16, yeah. 16, 17, so I know that was their junior senior year, 16.

SPEAKER_01: 26:43

Yeah, you know what, you know, and I I feel so bad for one of the the JV guys I brought up to our team that that day uh for the game, and that foul ball in the first base dugout that we find it was Hoover, and he he put on his glove and for whatever reason reached up and knocked it out of our first basement.

SPEAKER_02: 27:04

I remember that. It was unbelievable. It's like, oh my gosh, did that just happen? And I'm like, thank you very much. But it's like I know that your dugout just had to have gone, oh no.

SPEAKER_01: 27:13

Yeah, we were just like, and I felt so bad for him. He just said, I was in the moment, I don't know what I was thinking, you know, but it happens. But it's one of those things where it's something you'd probably never see in a baseball game, you know. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02: 27:31

Like that play last night in the in the playoffs. Yes, exactly. You know, outside of his glove and then ends up getting a force and assist from center field at home plate. I mean crazy.

SPEAKER_01: 27:42

Just never know what's gonna happen. Go ahead and if you could talk about probably one of the best defensive players to ever play in the state of Iowa.

SPEAKER_02: 27:50

Oh, absolutely. Um, Evan White. Um he was a young man that uh as an eighth grader, I watched him go play some summer baseball and just watched his approach and watched him play the game. It's like we knew that he was gonna be uh a pretty good baseball player, and we have varsity guy from day one. Matter of fact, um we went down to Florida his freshman year, and his first bat was a triple to left field. Um so he uh but he he did things defensively that I've never seen before or since. He was so athletic. There was a play over at Pickerington Central where um a pickoff moved first base and the pitcher threw it wide and it went out to the first baseline, uh, the fence line. And the kid's going first to third, and the kid had the their runner had already rounded second base and coming, and Evan picked it up blind. I mean, he's got his back to the infield, picked it up, and threw a one hopper to third base, bang bang, you're out, and probably 120-foot throw, maybe more. Those were just that was just every day for Evan. And uh um it's no uh question why he he was a gold glove winner um back uh in 2020 when uh uh he had that tremendous season uh with the Mariners. Um yeah, he he's something special. He he got he he was that kind of player that he just puts you on his back and carry you to the next level. And that's what he did. He got us to the the state final four two years in a row um just by doing going out and doing everyday things for him, but exceptional for everybody else. I mean, he's just a and such a great person too. Great family, a great guy, and uh um uh always am so blessed to have had uh a chance to to coach Avett.

SPEAKER_01: 29:44

Well, you for people that don't listen to the podcast, uh the the backdrop that you have right now, I believe that I I'm looking at a left hand, it looks like George Brett and Tom Seaver.

SPEAKER_02: 29:56

Well, it's almost George Brett. It's Mickey Manil, actually.

SPEAKER_01: 29:59

Oh, is that Mickey Man? Mickey. Okay. I I was thinking the color to me looks like a light blue uniform. So that's Mickey.

SPEAKER_02: 30:06

It was those old wool wool gray uniforms that they wore on the road back in the 60s. Yeah, Seaver was one that uh they had a poster day down at uh Cincinnati, and I got that down there. And then um the other one I got at Old Agner Davidson on um Hamilton Road back in the day. They had uh posters back there. And Mickey was my favorite player. Um didn't really have a chance to see him play, just knew the legacy. Um, but uh yeah, so saw that poster and had to have it. Yeah, I think it was probably about five bucks back in those days, maybe even if it was that. Um I'm sure it goes for a little bit more than that now. I need to check.

SPEAKER_01: 30:45

Yeah. Well, you know what? I I I have to ask because I asked every guest this. Hate losing or love winning?

SPEAKER_02: 30:56

Hate losing. Hate losing. Why is losing it's just tough to take. It's a lesson every time. Yeah, I you learn more from a game that you lose. A game that you win. But uh losing's just a tough throw to swallow uh when the expectation is when you're gonna go out to try to win a baseball game. Um I think that uh um I mean game baseball's a game of momentum, right? And uh whether you're winning or losing, you've got to be able to bounce back from those losses. Otherwise, that momentum can go the wrong way. And likewise when you're winning, um, that gives your kids confidence to continue to play up to up to their level. But uh um, so losing part of it, man, that's that's tough on everybody, right? That's tough on everybody. So, yeah, I would say that. I'd like to win, but I hate to lose.

SPEAKER_01: 31:54

Well, with the ALCS taking place right now, who do you got advancing to the World Series and who wins it all?

SPEAKER_02: 32:02

Whoa, well. Oh, who wins it all? Well, I mean, Saddle's playing pretty well. Um that I tell you what, it I've I have made predictions ever since I was in college and who's gonna win, and I'm always wrong. So I could say it's gonna be two teams and it will be the other two, and so I'm not even gonna attempt it. I tell you what, all you know what my preference is, and my wife asked us all the time, well, who do you want to win? It's like I don't care, I just want them all to go seven games because I want to see more baseball. You know, it's like I know I I just want all the series to go seven games and then come down. Like the game of the other night, uh um that the Philadelphia games that was a nail biter all the way down to the end, but it was a full five-game series, and I just love that um because it's just more baseball that I could watch. So I'm gonna just kind of let it go at that because I just want it to go seven. No matter who it is, I just want to go seven.

SPEAKER_01: 33:02

And I I I really enjoy those late afternoon games. It just brings back memories from when you're young and it and the fact that they still do them now. To me, that's the best time to play a baseball game or at least watch a baseball game.

SPEAKER_02: 33:16

Oh, yeah. I I uh and I'm gonna go way back, and people probably have no recollection of this at all but me, but uh I remember when I was in the eighth grade in 1971, and we had a teacher that liked baseball also, and he actually turned on the World Series when Pittsburgh was playing in the World Series. And remember seeing Roberto Clemente, um Willie, those guys playing, um, and I thought, man, there there's nothing better. That's the first time ever that a teacher did that. And it's like, there's nothing better than being in school, being able to watch the World Series on TV during the afternoon. That was just that etched in my mind. Yep. Yeah, that etched in my mind. 71 series. Yep.

SPEAKER_01: 33:59

Well, let me ask let me finish up with this question here. If you were a major league manager and you had to have and you could pick one pitcher, uh, one hitter, and one catcher, who would they be?

SPEAKER_02: 34:17

I mean, like from all of history? All of history, yes. Well, I'm a Reds fan forever, so Bench would be my catcher. Um pitching, that's gonna be a tough one. But um either Gibson or Koufax, those two guys are incredible. And uh as a hitter, he's right behind me. Um Mickey Man. Um, like I said, he was my guy. I wore number seven because of Mickey, and uh um, and then I grew up watching Johnny Bench. Um but I just remember seeing a game. I was going through YouTube last winter because it was nothing to do, and I watched the series game, I think, from 68, and I think it was the 11th, 10th or 11th inning, and he was a starting pitcher, and he was still in, he'd thrown over 120 pitches. It's like, I mean, that's he and he was still just as nasty in the 10th as he was in the first, and so that guy was something else. Yeah, he was something else. So if we go back and ask who are my defensive guys, um, if you put another defensive player in there, Evan White's on my list, along with those other guys.

SPEAKER_01: 35:31

That's a that's a pretty good squad if you could have those guys uh running out there every day for you. Well, it's Mike Shane, head coach at Gehanna Lincoln High School, and he's uh Hall of Famer here in the state of Ohio. Coach, thank you so so much for taking time to join me on baseball coaches on foot.

SPEAKER_02: 35:50

Thank you, Ken. I appreciate the invite.

SPEAKER_01: 35:52

Special thanks to Mike Shane, head baseball coach at Gehanna Lincoln High School in Central Ohio. Today's podcast is powered by the netting professionals improving programs, one facility at a time. Contact them today at 844-620-2707 or visit them online at www.netting pros.com. As always, I'm Coach Ken Carpenter. Thanks for listening to Baseball Coaches Unplugged.