The following article was previously written by our good friend and pitching legend, Jimmy Scott, on his entertaining blog , “Jimmy Scott’s High and Tight.” If you haven’t made a visit to Jimmy a regular habit, I encourage you to do so. Jimmy posts frequent interviews with former baseball legends and their wives with an occasional visit from current players. I hope you enjoy reading it or listening to it, as much as I enjoyed doing it. ~ Jason

From Jimmy Scott’s High & Tight: The Jason Grilli Interview will introduce you to a major cog in the bullpen of the Colorado Rockies, Jason Grilli.  Here’s the good thing: You know how you watch your favorite players on SportsCenter or your favorite news channel talk on camera, or on sports radio, and basically say nothing?

You come away from that interview wondering why you just spent 15 minutes listening to virtually nothing.  Well, Jason doesn’t give us nothing.  He gives us something.  A whole lot of something.

Jason not only speaks, but speaks well on about 50 different subjects sure to reel you in like a hungry fish looking for the squiggly worm.  You see, Jason has a personality.  He’s a confident man, not cocky or pompous, just comfortable in his shoes.  And, after you listen to this, I think you’ll agree he’s a good man as well.  The son of Steve Grilli, former MLB pitcher, Jason starts by telling us how the pension fund system for 900+ players isn’t sufficient for those guys who helped build the Players Union to what it is today.  Then there’s the discussion of baseball history, how Jason and his dad used to visit the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY every year together.  He understands baseball history and his place in it.

But he’s also an active player, so Jason runs down a day in the life of a typical, or if you’re Jason Grilli, not so typical relief pitcher.  He talks candidly about money, about what it meant to be a #4 overall pick in the draft and the advantages that gave him.  At first.  Until the injury.  And the rehab.  And the trade and release and minor league free agency and sweat and tears and hard, hard work to get to where he could help a Major League team.  In fact, Jason was a huge part of the 2006 Detroit Tigers ‘pen, those same Tigers that made it to the World Series but basically got their butts handed to them by the St. Louis Cardinals.  Jason gets into the Series, his ring, and his trade to Colorado.

Money.  I used the word in the last paragraph, but the subject comes up a few times.  Is it always about the money?  Maybe.  You should hear what Jason has to say about it.  And you should listen about his contract status; about how he feels about the arbitration process and his agents and the money he will get, regardless of a victory, loss or settlement.

Then there’s God.  Well, let’s use the word Faith.  Jason is a Christian and tells us what that means in baseball, in a clubhouse, and on Sundays.  He explains how he got to where he is, in terms of faith, and what it means to him.  And he does it without preaching and without casting stones at those who don’t agree.  He’s humble and confident about his faith.  And happy to talk about it as well.

And let’s not forget the reason for many of these interviews: The End.  What’s Jason going to do at the end of his career?  He tells us about VOIP, about his company, Perfect Pitch Marketing, about what his plans are in the telecommunications industry and how you can get involved with him, if you want to work hard and see the same opportunities he sees.  Click on links and get involved.  Or don’t.  It’s entirely up to you.

We end talking about the 2009 World Baseball Classic, with Jason playing for Italy.  He tells us why and how that came about.  And, as a quick aside, tells us about his nickname, The Cheeseman.  It all started…  Nah.  I won’t give it away.  Some things are better left for you to find out on your own.

So, let me now present to you the Jimmy Scott’s High & Tight: The Jason Grilli Interview, with a soundtrack that’s going to blow you away and some discussion you’ll remember for a lifetime.  Enjoy yourselves.  And tell ‘em Jimmy sent you.

THE MUSIC

Pitching the Perfect Message