Show Notes
19-year MLB veteran, 2x All-Star, and 2-time World Series champion Al Leiter joins All the Smoke Dugout for a wide-ranging conversation spanning his entire career and life.
Al opens up about a life-changing meeting with George Steinbrenner, learning the mental game from Harvey Dorfman, and pitching Game 7 of the 1997 World Series in front of 67,000 fans. He shares wild stories about Billy Martin, Rickey Henderson, and nearly coming to blows with David Ortiz on live TV, plus reflects on the emotional weight of playing for the Mets 10 days after 9/11. Al also gets personal about raising his son Jack into a big league pitcher and reveals his dream guest for the show. Timestamps below.
0:00 – Intro & Welcome to the Dugout 2:02 – George Steinbrenner, Chris Berman & Building a TV Career 7:44 – Life as Tommy John's Teammate 13:54 – Raising Jack Leiter & the Mental Game (Harvey Dorfman) 22:44 – Facing Vladimir Guerrero 26:40 – Roots: The Minor League Hypnotist, One of Seven Kids & the 32-K High School Game 39:46 – Mike Piazza, Pitch-Calling & Inventing His Cutter 46:19 – Drafted by the Yankees as a Diehard Mets Fan 50:17 – Billy Martin, Lou Piniella & Old-School Managers 54:20 – Almost Fighting David Ortiz on Live TV 1:01:23 – The Best Rickey Henderson Stories Ever 1:06:54 – World Series Memories & the 2000 Subway Series 1:10:27 – 9/11, Piazza's Homer & "We Were Part of the Healing" 1:16:52 – Mount Rushmore of Pitchers 1:25:53 – Pitch Counts Then vs. Now & Nolan Ryan's No-Hitter 1:36:05 – Dream Guest: Sandy Koufax 1:37:55 - End Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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