What does it take to go from a baseball-less high school in Montana to the bright lights of Major League Baseball? In this episode, Jeff Ballard shares his incredible journey, from choosing Stanford over a draft offer, to starring alongside future legends like Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire on Team USA, to carving out his place in the Orioles rotation.

We dive into his breakout 1989 season (18 wins, Cy Young votes), what clicked that year, and the reality of sustaining success at the Major League level. Jeff also reflects on facing elite hitters like Don Mattingly, turning a triple play, and learning from managers like Cal Ripken Sr., Frank Robinson, and Jim Leyland.

Plus, life after baseball, a geophysics degree, and a rapid-fire “Binge Burner” round featuring some of the biggest names of his era.

00:00 Intro

00:28 Favorite Athlete / Team Growing Up

03:49 Path to D1 Baseball

10:18 Choosing Stanford Over the Minors

11:49 Collegiate Career at Stanford

16:22 Jeff’s Thoughts on Stanford Teammate Jack McDowell

16:49 Jeff’s Pitching Arsenal and the Radar Gun

18:23 Playing for the U.S. Nat’l Team and Meeting Fidel Castro

21:18 Call Up to the Majors for Jeff’s First Start

25:08 Pitch Counts

25:46 Joining a Staff with Mike Boddicker, Mike Flanagan and Scott McGregor

27:31 The 1989 Season

34:55 Trusting Your Pitches with Lower Velocity

38:07 Career Highlight #1 Striking Out Don Mattingly Three Times

40:29 Tough Batters Faced During Jeff’s Career

44:30 Career Highlight #2 – Starting a 1-6-3 Triple Play

46:02 Playing for Cal Ripken, Sr., Frank Robinson and Jim Leyland

51:26 Success as a Batter

56:40 Post MLB Career

59:26 Binge Burner Round

1:04:47 Outro

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