About this episode

Jeff Ballard shares his journey from a baseball-less high school in Montana to Major League Baseball, discussing his collegiate career, breakout season, and life after baseball.

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…

People in this episode

Host: JB

Guest: Jeff Ballard

Topics covered

• baseball journey
• Major League Baseball
• Stanford baseball
• 1989 season
• career highlights
• life after baseball

Keywords

• Jeff Ballard
• Major League Baseball
• Stanford
• 1989 season
• Don Mattingly
• Team USA
• Orioles
• baseball career
• geophysics degree

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford, Team USA, Orioles

Places: Montana, U.S.

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