The Rapid Decline Of Matt Antonelli 😞

[@flythew5939]

Its funny how Matt just casually glances over his football career even though he was player of the year. Massachusetts isn't a huge football state, but that's still impressive.

[@EddieDuranLLC]

Wth really??? Lmao player of the year and never mentions it. Lol

[@blankname6629]

Patrick aka Freestyle mass is kind of a hidden sleeper of an area for football. I think Aaron Hernandez came out of that area.

[@brianeleighton]

@@blankname6629 Nope. Aaron Hernandez is from Connecticut.

[@mdfootball41]

Brian Leighton Which is next to Mass lol

[@brianeleighton]

@@mdfootball41 Yeah, but they are not the same place. Aaron lived in a part of Connecticut that is split in loyalty about 50/50 with the Yankees and Red Sox.

[@matthewdriscoll8327]

The Padres have always rushed prospects when they’re not ready. Something similar happened to me, but I found my niche in coaching. I’m one of the fortunate ones, this game may break you

[@finnm1370]

Matthew Driscoll Yo you were the guy who coached here at Valpo right?? I remember your name.

[@matthewdriscoll8327]

Finn M No sir, I’m In CT/RI region. Currently coaching the 13-15 age group which can be frustrating but also very rewarding. Hopefully I can coach HS one day

[@finnm1370]

Matthew Driscoll oh same name i gues

[@cacub9282]

@@finnm1370 hey hey, fellow Crusader?!

[@finnm1370]

Carl Colvin yeah

[@Badatthis24]

The humility damn Matt I can barely talk about the end of my college career and here you are talking about this all the credit to you love having a baseball guy making great content

[@jayjayson9613]

Acceptance is a hard step. Maybe it took him long to get there that we dont know.

[@garycotie6983]

Aye bro you have played Major league baseball and that’s impressive. Not many people get to say that. Matt you are a good person don’t feel bad.

[@Keystone67P]

U just said * major league baseball baseball *

[@jaxendieterle4220]

Technically he played in the same league as babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and other stars

[@garycotie6983]

true

[@chris00nj]

I appreciate Matt's candor and honesty. It's hard having every error and mistake broadcast to millions. I can't imagine every error that I've ever made at work being national news and having people write articles about it.

[@cardboardu6019]

Yea 100 percent, and many very young athletes deal with fame well and dont get credit for it. Matt seems like one of those guys, even though he did not reach the very high goals he once had based on his awesome skills and potential.

[@SLagonia]

The sad fact is that most ballplayers hit a wall at some point. I was a solid hitter in high school and college. I had no problem at all hitting a curve or a change. Then came the minors... And suddenly, what used to be a strength (adjusting to the speed change) turned into a career-killing weakness, because each level was dramatically more difficult to judge than the last.

[@BSCTrainerRob]

I played mass high school football and it's no Texas or Florida but to be player of the year for the whole state is a huge deal. He must have been a savage and I bet he was fast af

[@BoomerG21]

I give you a ton of credit for even reading this. It’s got to be tough seeing people tear you down.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

BoomerG21 you get used to it lol

[@blankname6629]

That’s why the not coachable line is funny. If anything I think he had too many guys in his ear that he was listening too.

[@getjaketospace]

Matt's level on candor is always incredible. I love seeing this insight.

[@philhemion1198]

I was a 3 sport athlete but had my best streak of success in baseball...got pulled up to varsity as a soph, middle infield, hitting well. Until I got into a slump during the second half of my senior year. It was brutal....so confusing. Looking back, I can't believe the horrible advice I was getting about my swing....everything you mention...."stop trying to hit a h.r.....get on top of the ball....quit swinging up....stop dipping your shoulder....Keep your elbow up...keep your eye on the ball.....stop swinging down....stop lunging.....bla, bla, b.s.' I coach multiple sports these days and with struggling batters, I would start from scratch. Mainly to clear the slumping head but also to get back to the basics and avoid the over corrections. Stand at the plate...no bat, just hold position. Crank the pitching machine and make them watch...and watch and watch...retrain the eye. Calibrate the timing. Then step...and step and step...a hundred times. Then start working the hip rotation....watching and stepping and rotating....over and over. Then after a while holding the bat. Watching and stepping...no swing. Concentrate on the timing of every detailed body movement...from toes to knees to hips to shoulders. Keep watching the ball....over and over and over. Regain comfort both physical and mental. Then, eventually...bring in the swing. And just like when we were little, the swing comes naturally and contact returns. I recommend that all batters include a swingless routine (with the pitchers sometimes if possible) to remind themselves that the swing is the product of long list of micromovements that start with the eye. There is no better feeling in sports than a solid hit...touchdowns and interceptions are cool too....only had one shot at a buzzer beater in basketball...missed it. Congrats and making it to the bigs!! I quit baseball in junior college and stuck with football because baseball was such a grind...so many games and hours and traveling and double headers. I don''t know how the pros do it! great content.

[@weirdalfan1980]

MLB 21 RTTS should have 2 new difficulty: Houston Astro: Below easiest, you get to see what pitch is coming and where. Matt Antonelli, the later years: Extremely difficult to hit the ball.

[@captainkev10]

I would almost rather have your career than most pro athletes. At least you were there, and then you transferred your knowledge into a successful business. I'm sure you do well enough, and you don't have the hassle of celebrity at that level.

[@Car_D_Board]

lol mlb isnt real celebrity. They do make the most money though. Its a no brainer really, best gig of the 3 major sports.

[@calebbohrer3757]

Pohorex except Bryce Harper lmao

[@LukenUSee]

Matt, you're one incredibly humble and honest human being. Thank you for setting a terrific example for so many younger players for not only your skill level when you were playing, but how to come to grips with things not working out and then move on to a positive, productive life sharing your knowledge. Now, frankly you're a terrific role model with a lot of baseball know-how and wisdom. Thank you for sharing it with the world.

[@jthomos21]

How can I believe the author of the article when he said you were a hockey star and you self admitted that you were not a hockey star. Matty I love the channel. It is what it is, you went to a level of professional that very very few go to....the past is the past. Just continue to be you.

[@jackjon7763]

You can be a hockey star and not feel like you are worthy of the label.

[@brianeleighton]

He was second team All State in hockey in a hockey state.

[@pillestyrer]

Because it is for some reason commonly believed he was player of the year in hockey. It is/was on wiki too and a lot of other places. Matt joked in a video that Wake Forrest made it up to generate hype around him. But this author is far from the only person who made that error.

[@johnspizziri1919]

I am 62 years old and loved baseball all my life- You my friend have shown me how to love it even more. Thank YOu, Matt!

[@User22528]

Blame the Padres organization, they have good prospects but never properly develop them

[@User22528]

Idk Me Those are 2 guys out of many good prospects that they’ve had over the years

[@Tetsaiken]

​@Idk Me The Mariners had Griffey and A-Rod, two extremely gifted individuals who were so talented, that they could end up great no matter the quality of development a team would have on them. They are also the same team that failed to develop Jeff Clement, Mike Zunino, Dustin Ackley, and Danny Hultzen all within successive time frames. Now, I'm not saying Tatis and Paddack are those levels of talent (they could be, but it's hard to tell with such a small sample size), but I'm saying that those type of players don't come by very often. Your organization could be good at recognizing talent, but it doesn't mean anything if they are absolutely garbage at developing said talent. Mariners and Padres are both awfully notorious for this.

[@hemorrhoids221]

@@User22528 The whole front office and organization has changed. I think you would be hard pressed to find a lot of the people who were around when Matt was playing still there.

[@matthewkluge5441]

I had a coach tell me that there are two types of players , prospects and suspects , and that I was awfully suspicious 😂👍⚾️

[@AndrewAJT]

Matt when baseball is back you should tryout for some teams, and make your way back to the MLB to prove them all wrong :)

[@DrPlatypus1]

You're a class act, Matt. Not many people could be that bluntly honest about the worst times in their career, but you are astoundingly candid and honest about everything. I wish you nothing but success in all your future endeavors good sir.

[@steves1584]

Yea, whatever dude. You positively affect far more people, and make their days more entertaining, inspirational, and enjoyable with your youtube content and your coaching. I might recall an odd player from 10 years ago. Those guys come and go. I'll always remember Matt Antonelli. When I'm 80 years old, and I do something silly, I'll probably still do a "How Embarrassing".

[@copomo]

agree 100000%

[@nycsongman9758]

I'm gonna say "Oh my God, Braun's barely - *and I throw the ball 47 FEET ... "* I love that; describes my life up to this point.

[@omgjuggalo304]

You should try and make a come back. We believe in you.

[@rachaelwilliams2064]

Anytime they say “don’t worry about your stats”....you really need to really worry about them

[@DaileyShorts]

Kinda like having your boss tell you "hey, we need you to try this, but don't worry, you're job is safe". Your job is NOT safe and a "hey, come on in, close the door" is soon to follow lol

[@ATCguy1973]

You made it to the big league and have a home run to show for it. You also got your first hit off of a Hall of famer. Not a lot of players get that opportunity. I'm proud of what you have done and what you continue to do here on your page telling us about the game behind the scenes

[@brianc1481]

It happened to me Matt.. I never made it to your level but throughout my days playing ball hitting came easy to me.. I would consistently finish among the top of the team in average and extra base hits.. I was a doubles machine.. then one day it was like someone shut the switch off on my hitting.. Pop-ups to second base.. grounders to the pitcher... I started getting in my head .. It was the most frustrating thing ever.. An extended slump caused it.. I started forcing it.. That combined with my obsession with hitting more homeruns... that was my downfall.

[@YouGoPro]

I thought this video was about your KZbin channel. 😂 Mine is declining drastically too because it’s no longer baseball season because of this damn Corona Virus 🦠 😔

[@notthatoriginal6914]

I wish I had seen this video when I was still playing in high school. This is the exact issue I would have when I was in slumps. Super helpful video!

[@furyofbongos]

Humility is a significant virtue. You'd be hard pressed to find a more humble man than Matt.

[@curtiscox6469]

This is manning the f* up! you can hear the pain and frustration, but he's owning it & using it to make something great of it! that type of perseverance is what we teach our kids to help them be successful in life.

[@thebillcollector]

Thanks for sharing. Your honesty will surely help a kid in a similar situation.

[@jonkluver7912]

Mr. Antonelli, I just watched your video about the brewer game. I did not play baseball, but I am a fan of the game and your knowledge is experience is gold. Back to the video, that video was one of the coolest things I have watched. Yeah you over threw home, but I played SP softball once and struck out a time or two. You were the guy on TV tho. You made it to the show. And you messed up. I mess up at work some days, no big deal. What you are doing with sharing your perspective is neat to see. When life hands you lemons make lemonade. Go Twins!

[@spg1026]

I am analyzing in my head my swing when I played in high school and college. I hit a ton of ground balls either to the shortstop or third baseman. And I hit a quite a few shallow pop ups to the right side of the field. Your analysis of your swing problems seems to fit me years ago. Of course, I was told many of the same things. Looking back I wish I had known about bat path. I was must have been swinging down. Thanks. I didn’t care nearly enough about my hitting. I pitched in college D2. That’s what I was good at. Man I miss playing.

[@extreme472000]

Thanks Matt! Your a real one! I’ve learned so much from you and teach my little slugger so much from your videos. If only I had youtube when I was in little league 😅

[@moonbeamskies3346]

Awesome video! I think we all at one time or another have had people yelling at us "do this, don't do that", and be frustrated as hell trying to do what they say.

[@aladdin1633]

He is so honest and humble bro!

[@thewiezman]

Hey I just realized i saw you play in 2008! it was the Rainers vs the beavers. I have a lot of fond memories going to rainer games when i was young. Not all family’s can afford to see major league games that often. I just wanted to let you know you were a part of a lot of young kids fond memories. Have a good one

[@pedro3131]

Thanks for the vid. Haven't done a swing breakdown in awhile. Might I suggest taking a look at Rhys Hoskins? He went from 18 home runs in his first 50 games to hitting .226 (and only .180 with a 180 ISO in the 2nd half of 2019) with a 15.3 iffb%. Conventional wisdom would say he's trying to replicate his past home run output and swinging for the fences but I'm wondering if it's due to the bat path stuff you were talking about.

[@michaelstein7510]

Hey, at least you made it to the majors! Not many can say that. There are hundreds of ballplayers that were very highly rated prospects like you that didn’t even sniff Triple-A. Now you’re living your dream life and teaching the next generation of players all the lessons you learned. We’re all better for it.

[@brookjacksha2905]

Great post Matt. I played just before your era and had coaches hammering me to swinging down on the ball to get more backspin and not fly out. I so wish I had known about advanced bat path when I played. I do my best these days to study the game and the hitting approach. Love your videos and the perspective you have on the game having been through some extreme highs and lows. I hope many of those old school chop down on the ball coaches had either changed their tune or have since moved on. Thanks for talking real about the struggles hitters go through!

[@Chris-ez1ly]

I hate that Matt is not in the majors. He is such a cool nice guy and knows a lot about the game. In a perfect world we wouldn’t be talking about this. It’s great to see him using what he has to help the younger generation.

[@joesmith9483]

In all honesty you have nothing to be ashamed of. You got to play in the show. I would gladly give up my millions to even play one day in the show.

[@richardjones1988]

Once in high school I got told stats didn't matter and then got chewed out for not having the stats. They always matter.

[@canag0d]

Love your videos! Thanks for all the insight!

[@robertscranton2358]

I found this to be very interesting. almost 35 years post playing (my last game I was 35), I haven't heard "bat path", I've been involved in High School ball previously. Now having a granddaughter starting out in softball, I'm gonna start recording her swing good infielder for 10 years old, but has trouble with SOLID contact. Thanks Matt for the insight.

[@mousaka_h3160]

Good video. Amazing small inconsistencies such as loading up a little early or late can affect the outcome of what happens at bat. Would like to know why you were 215 when you played and not 195 think some of your injuries happened because of that. Grant it Jonathan villar is the same size as you he’s built different. Did you get that big because of football or because of the workouts. Reminds me of Clinton Portia when he was with Denver broncos weighed 195 lbs and ran for 1400 plus yds goes to redskins gets up to 220 and gets hurt all the time and numbers went down.

[@athletesforgod1187]

Matt, I think there needs to be a follow up video of the rise and resilience of Matt Antonelli. You are one of my favorite KZbin channels, and somehow I look up to!

[@turnthree5617]

It's amazing to me how bad coaching can happen at such a high-level. It happens all the time at lower levels. So many players don't reach their full potential which is very sad and unfortunate.

[@LukenUSee]

So true!

[@markb.1259]

Surprised the game tape video wasn't used to confirm or not whether the bat path was downward or upward. Thanks for your video!

[@glgoonery7201]

Crazy to see how much knowledge we’ve gained tho in the last 15 years about baseball

[@staidenofanarchy]

Yeah, now batting avg isnt really main metric

[@oplax4692]

Just came across this video and I wish more younger batters (and their coaches) would listen to what he is saying. Not fully understanding bat path ruined my career too. Luckily for me, I was a pitcher so I had an excuse to suck at hitting. Great video here! People should watch this multiple times to fully comprehend!

[@bucksdiaryfan]

There's nothing to be ashamed of in this article. The author was genuinely trying to assist Matt with his "struggles" (struggles is a relative term, he made the Bigs so he was a tremendous success)

[@TheBatugan77]

Funny... In the old PCL, Ted Williams asked the great Lefty O'Doul for hitting advice. Lefty said, "Don't let anyone mess with your swing..."

[@caesarion1399]

Can you explain calculations for salaries, for instance the high amount of money given to certain players like Geritt Cole and others and the justification behind high salaries compared to other sports.

[@patrickscribner]

Great analysis and I can certainly see how this would be confusing as you were a player with these coaches telling you the wrong thing.

[@ScottHirons]

Topic for discussion/video: Girlfriends/wives in the minor leagues. How hard is it to maintain relationship while in minor leagues? What about hometown/college friends? How hard is it to stay in touch with friends with Minor league grind? Differences when you move up levels and/or to MLB?

[@josephcox3091]

I had the same issue with my coaches in High School. My coach would force me to swing down on that ball on a tee and all it did was make my swing worse because it caused my bat path to meet the ball underneath. So I would hit these choppers or pop the ball up. It wasn't until I stopped playing and watched your video of analyzing A rods swing that I fully understood what I was doing wrong. What's worse is my coach told me that I could not swing long like them because I'm not a "freak athlete", but now I realize that that really didn't make much sense, yes MLB players are freak athletes but in the science of hitting it talks about bat path being slightly angled up to increase plane of contact with the ball and being able to hit it more square, so if your early or late it really shouldn't matter to much as long as you get the barrel of the bat on the ball. Which is exactly what Arods swing was doing, but by the time I put it all together my baseball days were over.

[@markpenta3234]

Great insight. If it’s any consolation. So may people are learning from your experiences. Thank you!

[@jefftrimble994]

Hi Matt - love this . Especially the parts where we get behind the scenes regarding you and coaches. I would love to hear you break down your Mlb coaches and strengths and weaknesses . Also did superstars get bitched out or coached hard ?

[@juanmikan8289]

You gotta be really strong mentally to process all the shit people can say when you´re in such a hard time in your career, specially when everybody starts to throw advises you may not even need. I think you were meant for what you do now.

[@k.otticgoode5881]

Matt, most of us can only dream of having someone take the time to write a "The Rapid Decline of Me" article. I think you did alright in life. Btw I'm going through a tough time right now. Your videos help. They help me get through, give me something to look forward to. I appreciate everything you do

[@LukenUSee]

Hang in there. I hear you. Tough times don't last, but tough people do. Stay active and connected with friends.😉

[@k.otticgoode5881]

@@LukenUSee thank you

[@tonygville2969]

Best story teller on the web. Thanks for just being Real 👍

[@hunterthehound21]

This is tough man. My approach is just crush. The simple mindset helps me to realize how deep to let the ball get on any given pitch to hit the ball as squarely as possible. All subconscious by just thinking “crush”

[@hunterthehound21]

Obviously it’s still baseball we’re talking about, and what works for one may not for another. Besides that, the variables at play are far too numerous to make a definitive statement on what a player should do

[@Danimal.69]

In the last couple of weeks my approach to teach my 10 year old son is to get into the bat into the ball path as quick as possible and stride forward to say in the ball path as longer.

[@donaldhunt4]

I love this channel, I find all the videos very interesting. Thank you Matt!

[@jeffreystelly674]

Hey Matt, just an idea for a video. What did your senior year of high school mean to you and do you have any advice for current seniors who may have just played their last game. - than you buddy for all you do. Glad to have your content and voice around right now

[@jakevajgrt2736]

Would like to hear more about your high school football career. What position did you play? Where you heavily recruited? Why baseball or football or Hockey?

[@themacocko6311]

Hey Matt, could you do a video on you mentally and emotionally transitioned from the Majors to not playing anymore? -Have you accepted it? -Are you thinking about jumping back into it? - Do you feel like you missed out on your purpose or did things workout exactly the way they should have? - ...

[@peachjwp]

Props to you. Really mature and “brave”. Average person is going to allow themselves to be bitter or ignore entirely re: your experience in MLB. Your analysis was great, expert. Who knew bat path? Maybe the guys coaching you should have.

[@Pwnzistor]

I don't care what anyone says about your ability to hit in the majors, you made it to the majors and that alone is a giant accomplishment.

[@easycharlie6739]

Hey, At least you had a small taste of the Major Leagues. I grew up and graduated with Bob Volkerding who was drafted by the Phillies back in 1977. Fast forward ten years later. I spoke with him at our 10 year reunion and he just shook his head saying that once you turn pro everyone is their school's star player. In addition, you need alot of luck and someone in your corner. Injuries doomed him.

[@glgoonery7201]

Reminder Matt hit .305 outside of the 0-20 stretch (because his hitting coach messed up his stance) If he had been healthy he would have had a good mlb career

[@my2l]

Yea in a different universe Matt probably could’ve been a Dustin pedroia. Injuries derailed his career.

[@rayraymontoya78]

I appreciate you sharing this.

[@jacobkelley2189]

You where a beast man in college I've been watching you your whole career and I follow you on as a KZbinr I'm a big fan

[@jandjsportsproduction9857]

What address do I send to if I want your autograph

[@Toolman2024]

Good video, I expected you talking about GAME MATT being seen with some former minor-leaguer catching has-been risking the Corona Virus and drinking Nyquil to be what was bringing his homerun production down. This was in fact good though. Another great video to add to your library of fun and great content.

[@HamsterK37]

If I knew in college what I know now about hitting, I would have been drafted. I hit .390 in college w/o the information. Our hitting coach was trying to teach everyone to swing down to hit the bottom of the ball.

[@Antix619]

Hey, I remember that time in the Padres organization. Marcus Giles in 2007 (Brian's brother still a great player though), then 2008 with Edgar Gonzalez (Adrian's brother). I think that was Matty V's last year being announcer with the Padres (very good comedic television came to an end). To be honest, I thought you were definitely trying to hit dingers when you went to the plate.

[@shawnbebout]

not a baseball fan, but I enjoy your videos.

[@themacocko6311]

😲 Blasphemy!

[@turnthree5617]

That means you are becoming a baseball fan. Enjoy the ride!

[@LukenUSee]

There's more than just baseball knowledge in his videos.😉

[@jasonforsythe7515]

Love your videos!!!!

[@jacobkelley2189]

You should be proud of yourself man you made to the big league's I still think that pretty cool man

[@cameronfielder4955]

You are way too hard on yourself, Matt. Keep up the good work.

[@DTAPeter]

How’s it going Matt, would you be able to make a video on what your daily routine was to get your swing dialed in during the off season when it’s just you and no other coaches or players. What did you do how many rounds of t, of soft toss, and front toss etc. !!

[@iraevans2013]

It's simple. The faster major league fastball stays up in the zone more. He was hitting the bottom of the ball. You get use to a fastball in the zone tailing down late. When a straight fastball comes in a bit faster, as it would in the majors, it tails down a bit less. A half inch (or less) variance is difficult to see from the dugout.

[@timeonly1401]

Love your insights, your thoughts, and some inside-scoop re what coaches were telling you (BADLY) why you were getting pop-flies and what to do to fix it. Thx. I do work on computers, and to solve problems one must SEE what's happening. Someone reporting on a problem is only partial (but important) information. For "interesting" or hard problems, one must see and see CLEARLY what's happening. Your batting coach yelling at you for doing X because they see result Y is not helpful when they have the wrong assumptions, CLOUDING their vision, and hence giving you the wrong diagnosis. So his suggestions for correction were not only USELESS, but were actually HARMFUL! Jeez... Now, my question: Surely, in the 2007, the major league had cameras. Were/are cameras used in batting diagnostics? It's almost a no-brainer to me. Came to me in like 5 seconds as you were describing your experience with your batting coachs. Batting is a dynamic and VERY fast event, so fast that the eyes can't track in the last 10ths and 100ths (MB 1000ths) of seconds what's happening. But high-speed cameras can. Put cameras in front, behind, above and back-of-the-plate to track what's happening, and NO ONE HAS TO EVER GUESS!! Simple. Today, with transmitters, sensors, lasers and computers, one could create a swing diagnostics batting cage that'd render and give a 3-D image of what's happening to the bat and the ball, easily saveable and reviewable... in MERE SECONDS! Again, no more guessing, but with quick generation of accurate & precise data. To think of it, I'd be STUNNED if this doesn't already exist. (In "The Hobbit" movies, Smaug was played by Benedict Cumberbach wearing a special suit with white ping-pong balls, and cameras tracked his every body movement, and they layered on a CGI dragon onto & over his recorded movements. It's quite amazing & remarkable!) One doesn't have to go THAT far... but a transmitter in the balls used, and ones at the top & bottom of the bat, sensors & cameras all around the batter should suffice. Just wondering..

[@scottgh8285]

If a guy is struggling, I could understand them jacking with his bat, but there is no cookie cutter approach to hitting. if a guy finds success hitting a certain way, typically they push that stance, etc. to the others. this plus the injuries, things not predictable. Ryne Sandberg went something like 0-59 when he first joined the Cubs, but they stuck with him and things worked out. I remember those days, that's a stat you don't hear about, but you make adjustments

[@ClydeSherburger]

great athlete and coach

[@HeritageWealthPlanning]

matt, you ever read the Dirk Hayhurst books? He was in teh Padres org same time as you. Interesting stuff actually.

[@michaelcorradini5309]

Thanks for the insight!

[@ssjtyru]

Hey i was watching your video about your least favorite pitchers to face. I saw Daniel Bard on that list and when I looked him up, it seems hes on his way to making it back to the major league what do you think about this?

[@manuelrogus2833]

Matt over here starting to promote video game Matt more than his own brand and I absolutely love it. :D

[@waymor2460]

If hitting down on the baseball caused your problems please explain Albert Pujols. He swung like a left handed tennis player hitting a backhand slice and got tremendous backspin and the ball carried forever. Love talking swing mechanics, thanks for your candidness.

[@joejo6969]

Dont go too hard on yourself. You made it to the big league. Not many people can say that

[@rslwannabe9475]

See im learning all the basics and fundamentals now. Im doing the fundamentals so much everyday that its going to be impossible for me to forget them. I know the way they move, what happens if you move it this way or that way, what causes this, why you do it this way and not that way, i know how to do it, im learning all of that this year so next year i can be a prospect or some shit.

[@Greasyspleen]

Your coaches should have played more pool. That's how you learn that when two round objects hit each other, their position at the point of impact is more important than the direction they take to get there.

[@Dpressplays]

Most guys don’t know what to do with their careers when they don’t pan out, but you were able to take it and make a business career out of it. Not many can say that

[@DavidLines]

Thanks for the insight. Very interesting.

[@greenmonster9913]

If you knew then what you know now, would you have been better able to adjust, or would your coaches have made it difficult to do things that you now know might have helped you?

[@The_Card_Squad]

Can you share a little about your football career? What position you played. Did you ever want to try to play baseball and football in college?

[@SchroderPhotography]

You g=familiar with Kevin Maas. He was a Yankee in 92-93....came in like a storm trooper HOmers everywhere...was the next Joe D.....and then he couldnt hit anymore....

[@jimbo2900]

When I was in high school we drew Flint Central three years in a roll in Districts. They had a stud pitcher Jim Abbott. My first at bat we put on the hit & run, I hit double on his fast ball. After that, he threw curves, and sliders, and I went 2 for 10 against him.

[@dbach1025]

Fellow Michigander here. Played at EMU 2 years. Until they realized I could not hit a curve ball. LOL. Nobody gave two craps about walk ins, so got very little extras from coaching staff. What many people dont realize is when you get to collegiate level, 1, 2, and 3, everyone there was a stud in high school. The pressure and being able to handle it and progress is what can separate the players from the rest of us really quick. It is cool seeing Matt break down his successes and failures with dignity and humility. I have dreams about playing post high school. Stays with you for a long time. Stay healthy brother. Very cool you hit against Abott with success. I was a huge fan of his st Michigan and beyond. Got to see him several times at Tiger Stadium.

[@jimbo2900]

@@dbach1025 You play for Coach Oak?

[@dbach1025]

@@jimbo2900 not that old. Played for his successor Coryell. Who had enough personality for both of them. Lol

[@jimbo2900]

@@dbach1025 I played at Grand Valley. I met him when I visited the campus in '85.

[@dbach1025]

@@jimbo2900 awesome. I played 91 to 93. I wanted to play at Hillsdale where I was offered 40%, scholarship, but parents pushed EMU. Woulda coulda, should-a. You still in Michigan?

[@DChappelle27]

Eventually Matt's swinging his bat like he's chopping wood. Still popping up to the second baseman. "Fer fack sakes Matt, quit swinging up dammit!"