You're Going to "The Show!" with Chase Lambin

Chase Lambin played professional baseball until he was 35 years old. During that span, he played a stint for Bobby Valentine in the Japanese Big Leagues with the Chiba Lotte Marines.

When my wife & I visited Chiba in 2016, we deliberately stayed in a high-rise hotel near the stadium so we could see inside.

Based on our floor, there was only one section we could see inside the stadium. And what do you know, it was where Chase’s cheering section sat in right field.

How cool are them beans?

But you won’t hear Chase talk much about his Japanese experience—the fact he spent time playing in Japan’s equivalent of Major League Baseball.

Chase has had the sort of career for which movies are made. But he walks around like the beautiful gal who doesn’t know it. Could explain our long-term friendship—I like to think I’m pretty too. I kid. But for certain we married the type [that doesn’t know she’s beautiful].

Back to “Chasing the Dream.” It’s a delicate thing. The line between arrogance and confidence. Two adjectives for which I’m sure he felt at times like he was tight-roping through his 12-year pro career.

As you’d expect. The journey through baseball’s ups and downs aren’t for the faint of heart. The game is too psychological.

“Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.” – Yogi Berra

I’ll shoot you straight. First time I met Chase in 9th grade, humility would’ve been the last word I’d use to describe him. Not only was he the most cocksure fella in the dance club on this particular Friday night—sporting a blonde mullet, yellow Polo, khaki pants & Red Wing boots—dude was gettin’ after it on the dancefloor. He took no songs off.

I remember telling the gal next to me, “I like the cut of that guy’s jib—I want to meet him—got a feeling he & I are going to be buddies a long time. Know his name?”

“I think he’s one of those baseball guys,” she replied.

No rush, I figured. I’ll meet him at school one day.

Finally, he took a break and I walked over to introduce myself. He was sweating like crazy.

One thing you’ve gotta understand about ‘high school Chase.’ It didn’t matter if he was in the on-deck circle talking at a pitcher, walking up to the plate talking at the pitcher (and catcher), or chirping as he passed the pitcher after the play—he was going to talk throughout the entire game.

I can’t say it turned me on or off. It’s who he was. I thought it was his way of firing himself up, and since it worked, who was I to say anything?

My best memory of Chase on the field was in high school. We were Home Team. Our opponent was in the dugout along the first-base line. First pitch, Chase hits a “no-doubter.”

He puts his bat down. Almost gentleman-like. I’m more excited than he is. And I can’t help but wonder if something’s wrong.

Had he changed? Not feeling well? Where’s the Chase who flips his bat and pounds his chest?

As soon as these thoughts enter my mind—Chase starts jumping in circles, yelling at the opposing dugout like they’d all left the ball up in the zone, and he wanted each of them to know they made a mistake.

In all my years playing (and watching) baseball, I’ve yet to see a more excited and animated shortstop who “brung it” to the ballpark the way Chase did.

Yet ask him today what he’s most proud of during his reign in baseball—he’ll say this: “Being a great teammate, no question.”

That’s not a full-180, but I’ve forgotten most skateboard terminology. And if I called the way he changed throughout his career an “about-face,” it’d be my first time using that word too.

Let’s just say the game changes you. Competition changes you. Camaraderie changes you. Deep slumps…I could go on.

But how could the game not change you? It has its own rules, many of which aren’t even written.

It’s the reason you may have violated one of the game’s [unwritten] rules, been severely punished by the “baseball gods,” and they won’t let you figure it out. Trying harder never works. The baseball gods come at you even harder, laughing at the 0 for 18 you’re in the midst of.

I’ve wondered thru the years if other friends of mine say, “Brad talks about Chase too much.” But he’s my top dawg, and I’m proud of him in a way words can’t express. So unless told to shut up, expect stories like these to keep coming.

Unlike so many other guys who left the game disgruntled because they didn’t get their shot in the Big Leagues, Chase has insisted it was about the journey. He expounds on his journey during his first appearance on the podcast: Becoming a Human Catalyst with Chase Lambin.

His passion for storytelling—rivaled by few—hasn’t been topped.

Chase is now the Bench Coach for AAA Round Rock Express in the MLB Texas Rangers organization. He has a beautiful family—wife Sara, son Champ, and daughter Stella.

Questions asked:

How did we discover we were in the same town?
Do you remember who else was in the Ruff Riders?
Are all of y’alls teams in Texas?
Why there are managers in pro ball?
Why is not showering every day so bad?
Have you seen the prices of Costco meals?
Does Triple-A treat you pretty well?
Did you abbreviate Olive Garden as the OG or is it the OG of Italian food?
Can you talk more about Triple-A baseball and being so close to the Big Leagues?
Do you ever have trouble correcting someone who has 5 years Big League experience?
How do you handle losing guys to the Big Leagues?
What happened recently with Bubba Thompson?
How did you tell him [Bubba] that he’s going to the Big Leagues?
What’s Bubba’s walk-up song?
We have friends who hire professionals to give baseball lessons to their kids. Would you do that to your kid?
How do you know what kids know when they show up on campus?
Do you sense that kids don’t watch games anymore?
Do you want to be a manager someday?
Do you have any idea where you’ll be in 5 years?
How good is The Toasted Yolk?
Didn’t you ask your wife on a date & she pretty much laughed in your face?
Where did you go on your first date?
Do your kids go to a Catholic school?
Did you think that you could’ve provided for her to stay at home because you’re going to be a coach?
How much did you make in Japan?
Is it risky to buy a house as a coach?
Do they [Triple-A] do trades for managers?
Do you get to hunt a lot in the off-season?
What do you think of Deggs? Is he something special?
How do you think about life coaching?
Was it humble pie that helped diminish your ego?
Do you remember how you started reading?
Are you a journaler too?
What are the odds that you and I would both have our journals with us?
What’s the rest of your day look like?
What’s your favorite kind of music nowadays?
It’s been proven through studies & other ways that there’s no additional margin of happiness once you get past $80,000 or $90,000 a year, and yet, we keep pushing & working ourselves to death. Why do you think we do this?
Any desire to be on Twitter?
At what age do you hope to retire?
How are you saving money currently?

Fun questions:

Is social media a net positive or net negative for society?
Who is on their phone more, you or your wife?
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Who’s your favorite band?
If you could go anywhere in the world for 2 weeks, where would you go?
If you were stuck in the Florida Keys by yourself & could only bring one band’s album, would it be Pearl Jam’s?
If someone were to give you $100,000 worth of stocks for either Spotify, Airbnb, or Tesla, which one would you take?
If you have somebody to give you $100,000 in Amazon, Apple, or Microsoft, which would you choose?
If you’re hosting a dinner party at your house & cost is no issue, are you having 4, 6, or 12 guests?
At this dinner party, you klink-klink your glass & stand up because you want to thank everybody for coming. What do you say next?
Is not wanting something just as good as having it?
Do you think the Coronavirus was deliberately unleashed on the world?
How overweight should you be at 62 yrs old?
How many social media apps are you on?
How different are the 20-year olds today from 7 or 8 years ago?
If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be?
Is it a lie if you believe it?
Who’s more likable – Tony Romo or Drew Brees?
What is your favorite baseball/basketball/football card that you currently own?
Who’s the most impressive person you’ve ever met?
If you were put in charge of naming the Washington football team, what would you name them?
If you were a Jeopardy contestant & got to pick the Final Category, what would it be?
Would you rather win a gold medal or a national championship?
Name one thing that’s more important to success than hard work.
Have you ever lauded someone for not talking bad about others?
Don Lemon or Chris Cuomo [if you’re going to have a beer with one of them]?
If you could have a beer with Donald Trump or Tucker Carlson, who would it be?
Do you think popularity is currency?
What’s your view on athletes letting their politics be known?
Do you think the world has drastically changed since March 2020?
If you could sign Nick Saban to a 3-year deal or Bill Belichick to a 7-year deal, which would you choose?
Do you consider yourself a deep thinker?
Give me your 3 favorite books off of the top of your head.
What’s the one piece of travel equipment you’d recommend to someone if they only had $100 to spend?