How is the quality of play here at the Little League World Series?
It’s a lot better than when I played. You’ve got guys who are throwing 71 and can hit the spots. That can throw the slider down and in on the right-handers. I’ve been watching these guys—it’s a totally different game. I would have no chance if I were playing this day and age. I wouldn’t have been a first round pick. I probably wouldn’t have made it to the major leagues. Well…maybe I would have. (Laughs) How’d you get involved with the Urban Initiative? My agent and I were sitting around my house in Texas in the off-season trying to brainstorm ways to bring baseball back to inner-city. We were there for like four or five hours and the name David James came up. He’s the Director of the Little League Urban Initiative. And how did you get other Major Leaguers involved? After I got hooked up with David I just called a few players up. Gary Sheffield was the first one. I told Gary and he said, “Oh! I’m in!” I was skeptical of calling these guys because they’re busy and they got things going o
