This week, in one of their most scholarly and unhinged endeavors, Alex and Bobby sift through years of A-Rod YouTube, podcast, and social media content to distill the Five Essential Rules to Life that the baseball and finance luminary lives by. Through a treasure chest of clips straight from the man himself, they take you on a journey which, at the end, will have you feeling closer to A-Rod than you ever would’ve thought you could.
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Transcript
Tell us a little bit about what you saw and be able to relay that message to Cora when you watch Kimbrel pitch and kind of help out so he wasn’t tipping his pitches. So tipping pitches we hear about it all the time. People are home on the stand what tipping pitches all about? That’s amazing. That’s remarkable.
BOBBY: Alex, it’s the main character month. Are you excited?
ALEX: I’m really excited for this. We— some of these episodes have been in the works for a while.
BOBBY: Really, just one of them.
ALEX: Namely the one you’re about to hear.
BOBBY: We built a whole month around this single episode, yeah.
ALEX: And then we’ll do some other episodes, too.
BOBBY: Yeah, we’ll do some more. No, the other ones are gonna be good, too. I— at time of recording, since we’re recording this two weeks in advance, don’t know exactly the contents of those episodes yet. I do know what our ideas are for them. And guess what the ideas are good. Good ideas. But this here episode, this has been, what, like a year in the making? For you, personally.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Today, we are talking about Alex Rodriguez’s rules to life, an episode that you pitched at our brainstorm meeting last offseason, and now we are finally following through. Now, what does that mean?
ALEX: I mean, look, the— the people know what Tipping Pitches is all about.
BOBBY: No, that’s for sure.
ALEX: Right? We’ve established that.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: But it did get me thinking—
BOBBY: They know. Do we know?
ALEX: —do the people— well, yeah. Do the people know what Alex Rodriguez is all about? We talk about him a lot.
BOBBY: Some might argue that’s one and the same.
ALEX: But we figured, you know, seven years in, it’s time to do our deep dive.
BOBBY: It’s time to make official all of the jokes that we’ve been making throughout the years.
ALEX: Right. Exactly. This is the culmination of our obsession with the man, the myth, the legend.
BOBBY: The coup de grace, if you will.
ALEX: Yeah, exactly. So we’re— we’re diving into the psyche of this Yankees legend, this centaur painting enthusiast.
BOBBY: Mariner shade right there.
ALEX: This—
BOBBY: Texas Rangers slight—
ALEX: This walking LinkedIn post.
BOBBY: That’s a good way of thinking about it.
ALEX: Alex Rodriguez himself. Because here’s the thing, right? Like any good thought leader—
BOBBY: Uh-huh.
ALEX: —he has spent a good chunk of his post-playing career, sharing his wealth of knowledge with aspiring millionaire— millionaires like you and I.
BOBBY: Right. Temporarily inconvenienced millionaires, I like to think.
ALEX: Temporarily inconvenienced millionaires, exactly.
BOBBY: Yeah, yeah. But we’re close.
ALEX: On podcasts, at luncheons.
BOBBY: On YouTube.
ALEX: On YouTube, primarily.
BOBBY: At conferences.
ALEX: At conferences, conferences.
BOBBY: You— if you go to his website, and I know you know this because you spend— his website is your homepage.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: If you go to his website, there’s a whole section about how to book him as a speaker at your event or conference, like a whole different email address that you’re supposed to send in. Because I was going to look to try to see how we could book him on this episode.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: It didn’t— there wasn’t— how do I say this? It was never going to happen. But I wasn’t totally opposed to the idea of shooting a long shot, but it just— it would have had to just go to a general email, and there would have been a lot of explanation as to who we are and why we want to talk to A-Rod.
ALEX: Well— and— and I think we want it to happen organically, right? We’re not trying to book a speaking engagement with him.
BOBBY: No. No.
ALEX: We want him to be here as much as we want him to be here.
BOBBY: I don’t think that we can afford his speaking engagement fee. I think he would need to come on to promote his book.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Which, as you said to me in the lead up to recording this episode, you’re basically doing his book right now today.
ALEX: Right. I mean, because here’s the thing, right? You listen to enough of his appearances, and you really, for better or for worse, start to get an idea of what animates the man, what drives him in his day-to-day, his business. He has anecdotes that he draws from repeatedly, right? He has a holster of— of tips and business tricks that he uses to up his business acumen.
BOBBY: So like I said, this is A-Rod’s rules to life, and what Alex has done is he has poured over hours and hours and hours of A-Rod videos, social media posts, podcast appearances— hosted podcasts. He has amassed a list of quotes and life lessons that we are going to talk about today. That is the— that is the endeavor. I—
ALEX: Yeah. I listen to every stock tip, every forced baseball metaphor.
BOBBY: How much—
ALEX: Every— every Warren Buffett name drop.
BOBBY: Dude, we’ll— we’ll get into it.
ALEX: We’ll get it— we’ll get to it.
BOBBY: Again, part of main character month, this is where we’re honing in on people who we’ve become obsessed with over the years, people who have dominated the show’s airwaves over the years. You could probably guess, like, a handful of other people who we might be interested in talking about over the next few weeks. This will run through the month of December. We thought no better way to kick it off than A-Rod, and this idea that Alex had pitched over a year ago. And I— I mean, I know some of these things, and I know we have a running document, but the way that this is going to work is that you are going to teach me these things—
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: —along the way, as well as the listeners. And we’re going to hear from the man himself.
ALEX: We will.
BOBBY: Straight from the horse’s mouth via clips throughout this podcast. Before we get into it, I am Bobby Wagner.
ALEX: I am Alex Bazeley.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I’m Alex Rodriguez.
BOBBY: And you are listening to Tipping Pitches.
[theme]
BOBBY: I’m ready to be the student. Please teach me.
ALEX: Well, so before we get in, do you want— do you want to talk a little bit about sort of why we’re doing— like, who this man is, and why he has become the patron saint of the podcast?
BOBBY: Can you actually explain it to me? Like, I don’t really remember how this happened.
ALEX: [6:23] I mean—
BOBBY: Actually, I have a core memory of— like, A-Rod is something— someone that everyone in the baseball world is obsessed with. Like, we’re far from the only people—
ALEX: Right. Yeah.
BOBBY: —online who are, like, posting screenshots of A-Rod, who are obsessively following his social media accounts, who are talking about how he’s like a robot in the body of, like, a perfect Major League Baseball hitter. Like he has all these weird moments throughout his career. There’s never been anyone like him, and there never will be. He is simultaneously, like, trying for a type of authenticity that you just don’t see in culture anymore, while also being this— the most inauthentic person on the planet. He somehow like— he practiced authenticity in the same way that he, like, practiced, you know, his baseball swing.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: And it’s just been decades and decades of this stuff. Obviously, his career is characterized by these, like, sensationalist moments. You know, these tabloid moments of when he was in New York, and the— all the people he was dating, his romances, his failed romances, but also his suspensions, his highs on the field, his lows with steroids, all of these different things. He truly is like one of the last, to me, like mythological baseball players, but his career overlapped with, like, the high information age.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: So we know all of this stuff that we, like, shouldn’t know about him. It should have really just been, like, a little bit more mysterious. And he’s not only pulled back the curtain, he’s made, like, the pulling back of the curtain, like, his whole thing.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: For some reason.
ALEX: Yes.
BOBBY: I would have never predicted that, like, 25 years ago. I mean, I would have been three, so of course, I wouldn’t have predicted that. But had I been who I am now 25 years ago, I would have never been like— in three decades, A-Rod will be doing, like, stock tips on YouTube. Like that— just— that’s weird.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: It’s weird that it happened this way. And so, yes, we became obsessed with him over the years. And there were always, like, these silly, funny moments that we just thought were, like, so weird and so indicative of, like, weird athlete brain, you know? Where you’re like, “I must— must seem like a real person. I must seem relatable. You know, I must seem— while also simultaneously being a brand, and a business, and a landlord,” and all these different things that we always thought were really funny. The— the thing that is cemented in my mind the most was when he did his video about tipping pitches.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: His five favorite ways to tip pitches.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: And for you youngsters out there, when you go into the video room, you know what you’re thinking about? The past and you’re thinking about the future. What you’re not thinking about is the moment, and the present is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present. Now, when you’re looking at that picture, there’s things to look for. I’m gonna give you three ways that pitchers tip pitches all the time, but the only way you can pick up on these signals is if you’re paying attention.
BOBBY: And from that point on, when we went through that video, like minute by minute, talking about how weird of a thing this was to do, like why he did this. And of course, it’s our— it’s our name, it’s, like, the name of our podcast and so we thought it was very funny. And then from that point on, I was just like, “Okay, this is the guy.”
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Like, this is the patron saint of the pod. That is what— that is my conception of it, but you, I think, honestly feel stronger about A-Rod than I do. Like you feel some sort of, like, deep cosmic connection to this man.
ALEX: I really do. I mean, we— we started this podcast in 2017. A-Rod had just retired from baseball the year before. And—
BOBBY: That’s insane.
ALEX: Which is insane to me, right? And he very quickly made his transition to, like, TV baseball personality, right? He was—
BOBBY: You know that I was at the game that he passed Willie Mays?
ALEX: What? How am I just learning this?
BOBBY: I was there.
ALEX: Why didn’t you— why didn’t you claim the home run, say it was yours? Sue the fan who caught it.
BOBBY: I am the fan who caught it.
ALEX: Okay. I’m looking at the ball right now. No. What I mean, he— he quickly became a visible personality, right? And, like, as we were in college, as his career was winding down, right? We were sort of getting these profiles of him that were sort of priming him for this next act, right?
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: It was like— he comes back from the suspension, he’s— he’s gone to therapy, he has done the— he’s done the work, right? And you were getting these sort of prestige profiles of him that said, you know, “Alex Rodriguez is ready to listen.”
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: He’s ready to sort of be human and—
BOBBY: A-Rod’s next chapter.
ALEX: Yes. And, like, it worked. Like, I think that a lot of people were— were ready to give him a level of grace. I think ourselves included, right? There was one— I think it was like an ESPN profile or something like that, where I was like— I was like, “All right, A-Rod. Like, you’re”— this is— this is the— the man behind the curtain, right? This is like— this is seeing Oz. This is seeing the Wizard of Oz for the first time in the flesh. Like, you know, no— no castle, no yellow brick road. This is just— I’m gonna— I’m gonna see how—
BOBBY: You’re losing the metaphor here.
ALEX: I mean, I—
BOBBY: Keep going. Famously, in The Wizard of Oz, they pull back the curtain, and it is still in an authentic trod.
ALEX: So you’re saying it’s— it tracks?
BOBBY: I am, yeah. I agree.
ALEX: And then we started— we got his second act, right? A-Rod, the talking head. And I think that’s sort of first where we started gravitating towards it, right? Because he had all these sort of really bizarre takes that ran against the grain of, like, what his career was, right? We became obsessed with his obsession with bunting.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: Right?
BOBBY: Yeah, yeah. It was like a psychological experiment.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: To hear this guy talk about baseball in a way that was just totally incongruous with how his career actually played out.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Like, you hear guys get up there and you hear— you know, it’s not so often that we get guys who were, like, as good as A-Rod, as, like, studio analysts go.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: It’s like, why? He made like, $300 million in his career. He doesn’t need to be on TV.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: He doesn’t need to be as obsessed with business as he is. He could have retired and fucked off for the rest of his life, and we could have never heard from him again.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: And— but that’s not the case. Like we— we— constantly, we’re hearing from him all the time. And then what we were hearing became just, like, increasingly esoteric and, like, increasingly just, like, only he could say it this way.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Like only he could— only his brain. His brain is the one singular brain on Earth that could get to that point from this point.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: And it’s— it’s— I honestly still find it kind of charming.
ALEX: I do, too. Because the thing is like— look, every sports broadcaster, especially the former players, right? You— you listen to what they’re saying, and I’m like, “All right, it’s 90% like platitudes, right?” Because these are guys who are so skilled at what they do, how do you even explain that to a general audience? Besides saying, “Yeah, man, it was— I was just up there and I was thinking, ‘See ball, hit ball.’” You know? But the way he delivers it in— is in—
BOBBY: Dude.
ALEX: —such an off-kilter, out of left field way that I have to admire it.
BOBBY: To this day, I mean, it is basically just like one long Nathan Fielder sketch, but like, to this day, right up into, like, the World Series post games in 2024, like this most recent Dodgers World Series win, he was still like— he still shoots a shot sometimes. Like, he still tries a weird metaphor that doesn’t land, and his co-hosts are even just like, “What are you talking about?”
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Like, nobody else is doing it like that. By now, if you would— would have been on TV for seven years, he’s like— all right. This is gonna seem— this is gonna seem absurd and— and almost like sacrilegious for me to say. He’s like the closest thing we have to, like, what Charles Barkley does for the NBA. And I know you might be able to say like, “Okay, Papi is like that, more so, because Papi is really funny.” But I actually— the way that everybody else responds to Chuck, where they’re just like, “What the fuck are you talking about?” Like, no one else could have—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: —thought about it this way. Like you were— you are totally out on an island out there. Like, that’s not really how Papi is. Papi’s just like goofy, and funny, and beloved.
ALEX: Yeah, and everyone loves him. Yeah.
BOBBY: And everybody loves him. Charles is, like, controversial, you know? Charles is like— like willing to be— go against the grain. And, like, I actually really think that A-Rod, in a lot of ways, says stuff on TV that other people would— again, like you’re talking about, that would have been, like, ironed out of their— like, that would have been ironed out of their sort of TV persona. If you just compared to— to Jeter, who even was boring when he was playing, like, they’re just totally different, you know? Jeter is just up there, like, not really saying much of anything.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: And A-Rod is up there, like, saying a lot, but nothing is at the core of it.
ALEX: Right. Right. He’s saying the things that other folks are too afraid to say, because, like, it might be wrong or, like— or it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but he says it anyway.
BOBBY: Right. Like, it’s better to have a one-run lead than a two-run lead.
ALEX: Exactly. And you’re like, “I don’t—”
BOBBY: What is that?
ALEX: “I don’t— I don’t get that.”
BOBBY: What is that? Who else would think that? Nobody would think of that.
ALEX: So, like— I mean, I think that’s kind of where our obsession came from as we were starting this podcast, right? Here is this guy who’s so weird, who’s so out there, and at times, is so nonsensical that, like, you have to just kind of stop and enjoy the show a little bit. But I think our obsession with him changed, right? As he himself sort of changed, right? I think coming out of his baseball career, he was trying to find his footing. What is that next step? Is it just a talking head on Fox Sports or is it— does he have a greater destiny that is beckoning—
BOBBY: Oh.
ALEX: —to him?
BOBBY: He had— he had a manifest destiny, you might say.
ALEX: And he did, yeah.
BOBBY: I think our podcast was boomed by the fact that he tried to become a sports owner.
ALEX: Yeah. [16:21]
BOBBY: And— and tried and succeeded, maybe? Are we gonna get into that at all?
ALEX: We— actually, it’s not— it’s— I mean, I— you know, occasionally in what I was listening to even— you know, we talked about the wolves and stuff, but we’re not really gonna get into a lot of the specifics of his business dealings, right? I will say this is what we’re focusing on today. His rules to life are primarily around how you conduct yourself in a—
BOBBY: In a business setting.
ALEX: —in a business setting, right?
BOBBY: Right.
ALEX: These are the— these are the keys to success.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: If you want to work your way to the top, from a man who has done it.
BOBBY: Now— okay. I have— I have one kind of, like, big and important question about that before we even start.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: Is A-Rod a successful businessman? Because, like, I— I actually think that’s a kind of important part of this, because all evidence points towards, like, not really. Like, he started with, like, a $300 million head start.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: Like, that’s what he made playing, basically. And, you know, he obviously is like a financially— compared to the average person, he has a lot of financial might. But does he have more financial might than the— than the average person would if you gave him $300— $300 million to work with at the start?
ALEX: Right. He hasn’t been [17:43]
BOBBY: It’s a really, actually, like, open question that I have about his whole business persona, because does it actually really amount to anything? He’s like— he owns some condos. He owns the Wolves, but it’s like not the main money guy of the Wolves, and didn’t have enough money to make the payments to, like, avoid the dispute of the former Wolves owner that they are still arbitrating. Like he didn’t have enough money to buy the Mets. I’m honestly sort of, like, shouldn’t he have more money?
ALEX: I mean, we— we will get into some of this a— a little bit, right?
BOBBY: Okay. Right.
ALEX: And— and what he sees as success and how you get to that. I think, if we’re being honest, yeah, he’s a— he’s a good business person in the sense that, like— I mean, you mentioned, like, the— the Wolves sale and he’s not the main money guy, but he’s still just kind of, like, there. And I think that’s a big part of actually—
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: —his, quote-unquote, “success” is like—
BOBBY: Showing up.
ALEX: —”Get in the room.”
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: You hear him say this a lot. “Get in the room.” But also—
BOBBY: But like—
ALEX: But also, stay in your circle of competence. Okay?
BOBBY: All right. Now, we’re— now, we’re getting into it, because I just—
ALEX: These aren’t even on the list. These are—
BOBBY: Bro—
ALEX: —these are the cutting room floor.
BOBBY: I’m kind of just like— he’s— because the thing is he’s always putting himself in league with these guys who are truly, authentically, like the top cream to the crop of the business world. Now, as you know here on Tipping Pitches, I don’t respect these people. I don’t value their opinion on the world, and I think that they are a leech on society. That is the official stated position of us for the rest of the pod.
ALEX: Yep.
BOBBY: But, like, Warren Buffett is objectively doing way better than A-Rod—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: —but he’s— A-Rod’s always like, “He’s my mentor, he’s my mentor, he’s my mentor.” This would be sort of like— like, if Luis Torrens was like, “I really love Johnny Bench.” He was constantly like, “Johnny Bench, Johnny Bench, that’s the guy that I strive towards.” And it’s like, “All right, well, like, you got kind of close, but you’re not Johnny Bench. You’re Luis Torrens.”
ALEX: Well put.
BOBBY: Thank you. Thank you.
ALEX: I— I mean— I mean, you’re not wrong, right? He has— he has a ways to go, but I think that— I think he would be the first person to admit that.
BOBBY: Right. He has a lot of assets to acquire, and a lot of liabilities to open himself up along the way.
ALEX: All right. Well, you want to get into it?
BOBBY: I do.
ALEX: You just— the great transition.
BOBBY: I just want everybody to know right before you start reading these, that we basically moved heaven and Earth to make this podcast recording happen in advance, so that we could be in person, because just the energy that we have about this has just been waiting to do this for a year.
ALEX: Without further ado, these are A-Rod’ rules to life.
BOBBY: Yes, they are.
ALEX: The first rule, Bobby, is you need to know the difference between assets and liabilities.
BOBBY: Classic.
ALEX: A lot of people don’t know the difference between assets and liabilities, and we are here with some assistance from Alex Rodriguez—
BOBBY: Uh-huh.
ALEX: —to set the record straight.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I mean, we can all react differently, right? I mean, we can go say, “Hey, let’s go on a vacation.” You can say, “Hey, let me go buy a Rolls Royce. Let’s go buy a boat.” My whole thing is I’ll be like, “All right, guys, what can we do with this million to make it grow?” I want to take this million and buy assets. I don’t want to buy any liabilities, because ultimately you’re going to get in an elevator, either one is going to go up or it’s going to go down. Nothing’s going to stay the same. You got to pay Uncle Sam, and then I believe in buying assets. And part of the world out there that we have to educate our community is, what is the difference between an asset and a liability? When people look at their homes, they say, “This is an asset.” Well, they’re wrong. Your home is a liability. My multifamily, your multifamily is an asset. Now you ask, why? Number one, very simple. If something takes money out of your pocket every month, that’s a liability. If something puts money— if an asset puts money in your pocket, that’s an asset. And it’s as simple as that. And the more assets we can have and the less liability we can have, we’re going to be better off.
BOBBY: So this is a clip that I have heard. In fact, I believe we’ve played this clip on the pod before.
ALEX: I think we probably have, yeah.
BOBBY: Yeah. Your home is a liability.
ALEX: It is. Takes money out of your pocket every month. Do you— do you feel like you understand the difference between assets from liabilities?
BOBBY: So I’ve had years to think about this.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: On account of the fact that we’ve been doing this podcast, and we’ve played this clip on this clip on this podcast before.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: So yes, yes, an asset is something that makes you money, whether it’s passive or you have to be active about it. This is something that is net positive for you over time.
ALEX: Yes.
BOBBY: A liability is something that you have to pay for.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: Ignored in all of this is the fact that, like, many lie— liabilities by, like, strict financial standards are just, like, things you need. So like—
ALEX: You mean like a— a home?
BOBBY: —like groceries, is that a liability?
ALEX: Yes, it is, Bobby.
BOBBY: That’s such a small— I mean— okay, God. Like, I know in fact—
ALEX: Buy the grocery store.
BOBBY: We’re—
[laughter]
BOBBY: The fact that he was like, “Your home’s a liability, but your multifamily—”
ALEX: My multifamily, that’s an asset.
BOBBY: Your— where’s your multi family?
ALEX: Right next to A-Rod’s in Miami.
BOBBY: To me, a fucking multifamily in Miami sounds like a liability. They might get washed away by the tides.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: But I guess the insurance pays out, money in your pocket.
ALEX: Multifamily is an asset, but that’s not the only example we have from him, right?
BOBBY: Hmm.
ALEX: He does— he will help us understand— what else is an asset? Let’s hear a couple examples for you.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: The most important asset we have in our lives is— is our time and the ability to spend time with those that you love and respect the most. And— and for me, those are my family, my daughters, and— and our team here at ARC.
ALEX: Time—
BOBBY: Oh.
ALEX: —asset. Time, that is an asset.
BOBBY: See, now the definition has been [24:04]
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: Because I— see, I thought I understood it. By his previous definition, something that puts money in your pocket is an asset. I sit here all night. Money’s not gonna come into my pocket.
ALEX: No.
BOBBY: Nope. That seems more like a resource, not an asset.
ALEX: Okay. So let me see if I can clarify it a little bit, a little bit more for you. Okay?
BOBBY: All right. Thank you. All right.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Keep everyone fresh and use the DH, that position as a great asset, not a liability.
ALEX: So a designated hitter.
BOBBY: Fuck.
ALEX: How does that change your— your calculation on what an asset and a liability is?
BOBBY: Again, it’s complicated it.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: What I’m understanding here is that maybe A-Rod’s slightly more nuanced than I thought.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Again, I think of the DH as a liability.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: Me personally, being a National League fan.
ALEX: Right. It is a liability.
BOBBY: Inherently in the fucking—
[laughter]
BOBBY: I can’t [25:02] do a DH—
ALEX: No, that actually a really— a really good bit if we brought the DH argument back for this.
BOBBY: No, no, it’s back.
ALEX: Yeah. Never left, left.
BOBBY: Inherently there. Inherently in the fact that they don’t play a position in the field, they’re a liability.
ALEX: I mean, quite literally yeah.
BOBBY: Like— like J.D. Martinez can’t play in the field.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: He’s a liability.
ALEX: That’s a liability. But here’s the thing is if you think about it long enough, you can use that position as an asset, not a liability.
BOBBY: But the DH— the DH is a— is a sabermetrically negative position. That’s not providing surplus value to your organization, that’s taking money out of the owner’s pocket.
ALEX: No, there’s no ROI on that.
BOBBY: That should be a liability. He’s wrong by his own standards. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
ALEX: Wow. Wow.
BOBBY: What else you got?
ALEX: All right, here— let me give you one more and I think this will—I think this will bring it home for you.
BOBBY: All right.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: The principal thing is, like, I did not take myself so seriously.
SPEAKER 3: Right.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I realized that, you know, being human, showing all my faults, and I had plenty, and my weaknesses was an asset and not a liability.
BOBBY: Being human.
ALEX: Okay. Okay. I’m— I’m—
BOBBY: So— so this is the thing that he says. This is just doesn’t mean anything.
ALEX: I’m gonna run down those for you, assets, multifamily homes.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: Or multifamily complexes.
BOBBY: All right. In Miami.
ALEX: Time.
BOBBY: Time.
ALEX: The designated hitter.
BOBBY: Sure.
ALEX: And being human. I don’t understand how you’re not getting this.
BOBBY: No, I know, I get it now.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: Actually. At the end of the day, I’ve come full circle, and I understand that this is just a phrase that he’s— this is like a catch phrase. This is not like— this is not really like a lesson. This is sort of like a slogan.
ALEX: Well, it’s like— it’s like both. It’s like— so on the one hand—
BOBBY: This is like— this is, like, hoping to change for Obama.
ALEX: Right. He’s just saying, “Yes, we can,” to everything.
BOBBY: Right. Exactly.
ALEX: Yes, we can carpool.
BOBBY: Yes, we can have a good DH.
ALEX: It’s— it’s like— the thing is, like, this is one of the things that he always says, right? We have to teach our young people the difference between an asset and a liability. He always uses that home versus multifamily thing, right? He’s like, “Poor dad thinks a home is a asset. Poor dad’s stupid.”
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Poor dad teaches you that a house is an asset. So you see athletes, they get a lot of money, they end up buying and acquiring houses.
SPEAKER 4: True.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Right? An athlete has five, six houses. Those are five or six liabilities. The reason they’re liabilities is because every month you take money out of your pocket to support these homes.
SPEAKER 4: Uh-hmm.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Now compare that to an asset, which is an apartment building or a commercial real estate that puts money in your pocket.
BOBBY: He also fails to admit that— like, he definitely has a lot of liabilities, right? Like—
ALEX: Well, yes, yes.
BOBBY: —he’s always just like, “You don’t buy a Rolls Royce.” I’m like, “So what kind of car do you drive?”
ALEX: Right, exactly. Are you saying you don’t live in a home? I’ve seen it, bro.
BOBBY: No, but he stated— he— he’s paid it off already, though.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: So it’s no longer a liability because it’s not taking money out of his pocket. He’s paying property taxes because he said that, he specified that.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: “Gotta pay Uncle Sam.”
ALEX: Yep.
BOBBY: That doesn’t count towards the asset-liability dichotomy.
ALEX: No.
BOBBY: Uncle Sam, outside of that dichotomy.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Clearly, because he’s a good American.
ALEX: Being human is an— like I imagine Alex Rodriguez looking inward and saying, “Do you think I can charge myself rent?”
BOBBY: Him saying being human is an asset is really funny, because he’s like one of the least human presenting people out there.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: You know?
ALEX: Right. But— but that is him presenting human.
BOBBY: So there’s a little bit of interest— but this is a little bit of introspection that needs to be done there.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: I think.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: All right, okay.
ALEX: All right.
BOBBY: Assets are more important than liabilities. That’s lesson number one.
ALEX: Uh-hmm. Lesson number two, Bobby, you need to have a PhD in failing and a Master’s in getting back up.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: If you think about my career, sure, I’ve hit home runs and been part of a world championship team, but I’m also— I’m fifth all-time in the history of strikeouts. I mean, that means that only four people in the history of mankind have failed more than me. But I think as a result, I’ve been, you know, PhD in failing, but also an MBA of getting back up. I’m fifth all-time in the history of the game, fifth all-time in the history of strikeouts. So that means that only four people in the history of mankind, four have struck out and failed more than me, so that gives me PhD in failing.
[applause]
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: But— but I remind my daughters all the time, I also have a Master’s of getting back up. I’m fifth all-time in the history of the game, fifth in the history of strikeouts, right? So that means four [29:43] So if I’m fifth, that means that only four cats in the history, four [bleep] cats in the history of mankind have struck out more than me.
SPEAKER 5: Right.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: So I got a PhD in failing, folks. I know how to fail better than anybody, but I always tell my daughters, you know, I have a Master’s in getting back up.
BOBBY: It’s honestly so remarkable, the consistency with which he delivers those lines.
ALEX: Yeah. Although it is funny— there’s— there’s another clip that I haven’t played here, right? He, like, does code switch a bit based on, like, the audience he’s with.
BOBBY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. He said MBA the first time and Master’s the second time.
ALEX: Right. Yes. There’s—
BOBBY: You can get your Master’s in Journalism. It doesn’t have to be MBA. Doesn’t have to be Wharton. Could be NYU J school.
ALEX: Exactly. No. He—
BOBBY: In getting back up.
ALEX: This is one of the wells that he does go back to a lot, right? He loves this story. He’s fifth all-time in the history of strikeouts, but that means he’s got a PhD in failing, Master’s in getting back up, and that’s just so powerful to me.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: Right?
BOBBY: Yeah. Is that inspiring to you?
ALEX: Yeah— I mean, yeah.
BOBBY: What are you fifth all-time in? Time spent organizing your thought on the Tipping Pitches Podcast?
ALEX: I’m first all time in hours logged listening to Alex Rodriguez’s podcast.
BOBBY: You might be. You might be.
ALEX: If we’re quite honest.
BOBBY: Wait, I— I need to know where some of these clips are coming from, by the way.
ALEX: Okay. I’m— I’m sorry. I will—
BOBBY: Some sourcing, some sourcing. This is a scholarly endeavor, dude. Come on.
ALEX: A scholarly endeavor. I’m happy to—
BOBBY: Please do MLA, citations.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: No, no. Wait, Chicago is the one that I like.
ALEX: Do you— do you— how do you want me to present this to you? Do you want me to read—
BOBBY: Bibliography, printed.
ALEX: So I’m—
BOBBY: Laminated, sent to every listener of the podcast—
ALEX: Okay. So I’ll read that to you at the end of the—
BOBBY: —individually.
ALEX: —the end of the list?
BOBBY: Yeah. Tattoo it on your back, in, like, biblical script.
ALEX: These— the clips I just played for you, one came from a Bloomberg original on A-Rod’s Life of the Businessman. One—
BOBBY: That’s the one with the crazy music?
ALEX: Yeah. Another one came from the Greenwich Economic Forum. You’re familiar with Greenwich Economic Forum?
BOBBY: Yeah, I founded it.
ALEX: I would say there were probably about 15 or so podcasts that I pulled from.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: Plus his YouTube channel.
BOBBY: Uh-huh.
ALEX: I— including, I did listen to his Barstool podcast [31:56]
BOBBY: Oh, yeah.
ALEX: Unfortunately.
BOBBY: So you’re part of the rightward shift of podcast listeners?
ALEX: Oh, Jesus.
BOBBY: Did you ever listen to his interview with Dan Le Batard?
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Okay, good.
ALEX: It’s a— it is featured in here. I do have some clips in here. Although—
BOBBY: Okay, excellent. All right. Because you fucking bailed on me that week and I had to listen to it solo.
ALEX: I know. I know.
BOBBY: He’s talking for, like, 40 straight minutes about his therapist in Utah or whatever.
ALEX: Yeah, Dr. David.
[laughter]
BOBBY: I— I can’t— you’re the realest person I’ve ever met.
ALEX: He is really big on failure, right? Failure being an important part of your growth. I mean, so let’s back up a little bit.
BOBBY: It’s the human condition.
ALEX: Here’s the thing about, like, all of these rules, these platitudes or whatever, is, like, at the center of them, they all have a kernel of truth.
BOBBY: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
ALEX: So it’s like the kind of thing you learn in a business class, like, 101.
BOBBY: Right.
ALEX: You know? It’s like you gotta fail and then you gotta get back up.
BOBBY: Exactly. And it’s like, “Hello, fellow human, I am also human.”
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: But I— but what I will say is I think he has some concerns about today’s generation not being able to fail, and this is something that, I think—
BOBBY: Oh.
ALEX: —the kids really need to learn.
BOBBY: Because of the dopamine.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Navy Seals trained for failure, but we’re also able to come back, and come back, and come back. And my competition and his competition are collective competition after one or two failures, especially young kids today, they break like butter. They’re soft. They’re soft. They’re not used to saying no. They’re used to getting a trophy for ninth place. That’s crazy to me.
BOBBY: They— wait, hang on, hang on, hang on. All right. Aside from the everybody gets a trophy thing—
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: —they break—
ALEX: They break like—
BOBBY: —like butter.
ALEX: —like butter.
BOBBY: Famously, something that just breaks really easily.
ALEX: [33:43]
BOBBY: You know how— you know, you know how you get your butter. When you need, like, a tablespoon of butter, you take the butter and you break off a tablespoon with your hands.
ALEX: Right. Just break it off.
BOBBY: I mean— I mean, how else would you get it? Trophy for ninth place is funny.
ALEX: That’s really funny.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: Yeah. It’s a lot of self-mythologizing that he does.
BOBBY: Uh-hmm.
ALEX: You know?
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: “I have failed— I have seen rock bottom, right? I had to sit on the bench the entire year and cash a $40 million check. But that hurt, right? And I learned from my failures, and I came back stronger because of them.”
BOBBY: Uh-hmm.
ALEX: And I think that’s important to keep in mind.
BOBBY: Where did he finish all time on the home runs list? Was it ninth? I actually think it’s like fourth.
ALEX: I think it is, yeah.
BOBBY: Just off the podium, though.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Yeah. You don’t see him asking for a trophy.
ALEX: No. And yet, you see his face everywhere.
BOBBY: But he’s more known for hitting singles, though.
ALEX: That’s— Bobby, we’ll get to that, okay?
BOBBY: Okay. Sorry, I don’t mean to jump the gun.
ALEX: It’s— it’s just a testament to how deeply we know this man.
BOBBY: Yeah, he’s in the bloodstream.
ALEX: He’s in the bloodstream. Do you want to go on to rule number three?
BOBBY: I do.
ALEX: Okay. Rule number three, this goes back to kind of what we were discussing at the—
BOBBY: Is there gonna be a quiz at the end of this? Like, am I gonna have to repeat the rules back to you?
ALEX: Honestly, yeah. Maybe— maybe this is where we bring back our ranking segment. Remember that?
BOBBY: No. I actually thought about that today. I was like, “Should we bring that back on the podcast that we recorded earlier today, that aired two weeks ago?”
ALEX: Uh-hmm. Well said.
BOBBY: Should we bring it back? And I was like, “Nah.”
ALEX: No.
BOBBY: Nah, nah. There’ll be a time and place for it. You— when you ranked the Bill of Rights, that was awesome. You did some—
ALEX: It was fun. It was fun.
BOBBY: You did some great work on that one.
ALEX: All right. Rule number three—
BOBBY: In retrospect, though, you may be put state’s rights a little low, something that we might need in the next four years.
ALEX: Jesus Christ. All right. Rule number three, “You are an average of the five people you surround yourself with.”
BOBBY: Oh, wow. Oh, wow.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: And you have to surround yourself with great people. And you— you are an average of the five people you surround yourself with. I said, “Grant, don’t worry about the economics. Let’s just get one in. And after one in, you’ll want to do more and I want to do more. Get one in with great, great people. You’re an average people. You’re an average of the five people you surround yourself with most. Winners hang out with winners and losers hang out with losers. End of story. End of story. You tell them about really creating a great ecosystem, because you’re an average of the first five people you surround yourself with, right? So looking for great mentors. Because one, I’ve had great producers, great talent all around me. I think you are an average of the five people you surround yourself with, and that’s great news for me with Fox and ESPN.
BOBBY: “You are an average of the five people you surround yourself with.” Now, you want those people to be assets.
ALEX: You want them to be assets.
BOBBY: Not liabilities.
ALEX: Not liabilities.
BOBBY: So if I say I’m hitting third in the lineup, I want five DHs around me, just to be clear, and they all have to be human. Hitting sixth, my multifamily.
ALEX: So, like, this is where I think we start to actually get to the core of what Alex Rodriguez believed, because I do think that he 100% believe this. If you look at who he talks about, who he spends his time with—
BOBBY: Uh-huh. Warren Buffett, Mark Cuban.
ALEX: Warren Buffett, Mark Cuban, Magic Johnson.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: Phil Knight.
BOBBY: Uh-hmm.
ALEX: Like he—
BOBBY: Warren Buffett, like the real estate bill— for people who don’t know how—
ALEX: Right, right, right. Yeah.
BOBBY: We’re always thinking and talking about billionaires. Warren Buffett, the real estate billionaire, Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, who also had, like, an internet startup company. He’s a multibillionaire. Who was the other per— Magic Johnson, the former—
ALEX: He said— he cites Magic [37:38] yeah.
BOBBY: Now, Magic Johnson is actually, I think, the person that Alex Rodriguez wants to be. Like—
ALEX: Yes, the [37:44] yeah.
BOBBY: —wildly successful in business, like post-playing career, and he owns parts of, like, a bunch of different companies. He sits on a lot of boards. Like, you always hear A-Rod talking about that. Phil Knight, the founder of Nike. And who’s this fifth guy?
ALEX: Doc— Dr. David.
BOBBY: Can we— can we get a woman in here?
ALEX: I mean, he— no, there’s no— I’ve never heard him reference a woman before. I’m willing to be proven wrong. He loves—
BOBBY: Name a woman.
ALEX: He is always referencing Pat Riley.
BOBBY: Oh, yeah. Yeah.
ALEX: That’s his— that’s his guy.
BOBBY: People love Pat Riley.
ALEX: He lo— yeah.
BOBBY: Yeah. Pat Riley’s kind of— kind of— he’s like, for me, like the one exception that proves the role of, like, all athletes are kind of like— all, like, hyper competitive, crazy athletes are, like, insufferable assholes. Like Michael Jordan, definitely that way. Like—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: But Pat Riley is that way, but in kind of like a cool like, “I’m the godfather,” kind of way.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: You know, like, famously, when he recruited LeBron to Miami, he pulled out all of his championship rings and slammed them on the table, and it’s like, “You come here now.”
ALEX: Yeah, badass.
BOBBY: Kind of badass.
ALEX: This is where you get back to the question of, like, is he a successful businessman or not? I think what he does is he surrounds himself with successful people, and, again, hopes that he just comes out an average of them all.
BOBBY: Yeah, but, like, does that make him a successful businessman? Like— I suppose if you’re like— he’s not— he’s not a grifter. Like, he’s— he’s something different, but he is, like, in that vein where he’s like, “I’m a sort of coattail rider.”
ALEX: Right. I mean, hey, I don’t want to sell the man short. He— you know, he’s managing like 15,000 units right now.
BOBBY: Of housing?
ALEX: Of housing.
BOBBY: I mean, we haven’t even gotten into Slam Corp yet.
ALEX: I know.
BOBBY: The word Slam Corp have not been mentioned yet.
ALEX: They won’t.
BOBBY: That’s what I’m talking about, though. What is his like— what is his blue chip stock of his portfolio?
ALEX: So I will— I will tell you. So, as I mentioned earlier, circle of competence, it’s a Warren Buffet ideology that—
BOBBY: Sounds a lot like average of the five people around you.
ALEX: Yes, exactly. What’s— what’s the other word he called? He says— oh, it’s the power of restriction.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: It’s like, focus on what you know. And so what— what he does is— what he does is real estate, like venture capital, and then, like sports teams is kind of what he’s been— you know—
BOBBY: Uh-hmm.
ALEX: —they’ve been dipping their toes into.
BOBBY: Sure.
ALEX: But— but again, it’s like real estate and then sort of investing in these small cap companies, I guess. I don’t know.
BOBBY: Uh-hmm. Uh-hmm. Sure.
ALEX: You know what I’m saying.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: That’s the type of company you like to invest in.
BOBBY: No, I’m a big company guy.
ALEX: Right, yeah.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: Googles of the world, Amazons, Videas.
BOBBY: Most of my stock is in Tesla right now, so I think it’s— it’s on the upswing.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: ‘Cause like— ’cause, like, I saw a guy yesterday when I was walking to the movie that we went to. I saw a guy, he had a Tesla truck, and he was, like, sitting in—
ALEX: In a cyber truck?
BOBBY: Yeah, cyber truck, sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. He was parked, blocking the entire crosswalk, and texting. And I was like, “That’s the kind of company that I want to support.”
ALEX: Alpha behavior is what it is.
BOBBY: Right, exactly. Take back this city with our cyber trucks. You’re hearing it more and more.
ALEX: I— I think this is probably the idea that comes up the most, that he repeats the most when people ask him, “What is your— what are the— you know, if you had to give a young entrepreneur a piece of advice, what would you do?” The two are usually knowledge is power and you’re—
BOBBY: That’s not a new one.
ALEX: That’s not a new one. And you’re an average of the five people you surround yourself with.
BOBBY: I have to be totally honest.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: I kind of love this one.
ALEX: I kind of do, too. I— see, this is— the thing is I don’t even think he’s wrong about this one exactly.
BOBBY: No, I think he’s— this is, like, kind of the core tenet of this is that he’s taking, like, philosophical concepts and applying them to the most soulless endeavors.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Like he’s taking— this is the— it reminds me of how, like, NFL defensive coordinators are always quoting Sun Tzu, like The Art of War. I’m just like, “This is— you’re not doing that, though.” You know what I mean? Like, you’re not doing, like, ninth century battles. You’re playing fucking football.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: This is what like— this is like— sure, sound philosophical principle about how to enrich your life for, like, a telecom company that you invested in, your spec. Like, it’s just weird, you know? Like, I just don’t relate, right? It’s a bastardization of these, like, philosophical principles.
BOBBY: Right. My five— the average five people— my— my analog of this is, like, your political opinions are an average of the five people whose politics you think are the coolest.
ALEX: I mean, yeah. That’s true.
BOBBY: You know? So mine are you, Brooklyn Dad Defiant.
ALEX: Uh-huh. He’s been popping up on your timeline a lot lately? Second reference you made.
BOBBY: No, I [42:53] him a long time ago.
ALEX: Jon Favreau, the podcaster.
BOBBY: Right, exactly. Jon Favreau, the actor.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: And the Disney CEO Bob Iger, yeah.
ALEX: Iger. Yeah.
BOBBY: Those are the five average American voter.
ALEX: All right. Is this— is this one feel pretty— you— you got your head around it?
BOBBY: Yeah, I do.
ALEX: Okay. Start thinking of your five people that you got to surround yourself with, man.
BOBBY: I just told you.
ALEX: I— well— but I mean— I mean for business.
BOBBY: Oh, okay, for business.
ALEX: Like, who is your Phil Knight? Maybe it’s Phil Knight.
BOBBY: No, no, no, no. Slave labor thing is tough.
ALEX: Well, yeah, but you’re only getting— remember, you’re only getting a fifth of the slave labor. You’re getting four fifths from everyone else.
BOBBY: Do you think A-Rod would call outsourcing to China for cheap slave labor asset or a liability?
ALEX: That’s— that’s an asset, baby.
BOBBY: I think so.
ALEX: That’s just putting money in your pocket.
BOBBY: I think it is.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Yeah, I think it is. It’s maybe a legal liability, but it actually isn’t [43:56]
ALEX: That’s why you have lawyers. That’s— no, it’s not. No.
BOBBY: It’s like a— it’s like a you might end up in the deepest circle of hell liability.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Which is something I believe in. I believe in hell.
ALEX: All right.
BOBBY: I have to. You know, there’s gotta be some place for these people to go.
ALEX: What are we doing?
BOBBY: They can’t get away with just eternal nothingness. Like there has to be some sort of damnation.
[laughter]
ALEX: Rule number four—
BOBBY: You knew where this was going, like the second you set out to do it. You knew I was gonna lose it about, like, 50 minutes in.
ALEX: Rule number four, Bobby, shoot for singles and doubles. Don’t shoot for the home run. Don’t shoot for the grand slam.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: In— in this crazy environment, you look at those numbers and you say, “You know what? We— we— we’re happy we didn’t get greedy and we didn’t want to go for the big, you know, grand slam. Doubles and singles are— are just fine, and that’s what you see here. We ended up growing that portfolio to about 15,000 apartment units in 14 states.
SPEAKER 6: Jeez.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: And— but that was the startup. I always tell people, “Don’t look at the headlines. You know, I didn’t get 697— 96 home runs overnight. I started with one. I started with a bunt, a hit and run. I started with a duplex.
[laughter]
BOBBY: I think a really important piece of context for the listeners here is that not only are these clips playing, like not only is Alex playing these clips out loud of his laptop, he’s, like, mouthing along with them, like they’re his favorite song.
ALEX: I’m like, “Wait, listen to this next part. This next part is good.”
BOBBY: I think also one of my favorite parts about many of these clips is that when he starts talking, I don’t know if he’s, like, in a business conference or, like, on the Fox set.
ALEX: Right. Yeah.
BOBBY: Like, sometimes he’s just talking about, like numbers. He’s like, “And then these numbers are so crazy,” and then he’s— clearly, he’s, like, on CNBC after that.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: You know? But, like, every once in a while he might be talking about, like, the offensive hitting environment in the American League. I don’t know. I actually don’t know, because he just does it the same way.
ALEX: Well— and I’m sorry, I have not been very good at citing my sources.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: I will admit to that.
BOBBY: Look at you. You’re just like AI.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Just stealing.
ALEX: I’m just stealing.
BOBBY: Stealing, stealing.
ALEX: Stealing the content.
BOBBY: Stealing.
ALEX: Look, if he had given us the interview, we wouldn’t have had to do this.
BOBBY: This is true.
ALEX: Shoot for singles and doubles, Bobby. You need to think small and big things will happen. He has, like, a half dozen, like, just variations on this idea.
BOBBY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
ALEX: Right? Where it’s like, go for the bunt, shoot for the single, think small, don’t look at the headlines.
BOBBY: This is a really good example of cutting against the grain of society.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Because many people are, like, shoot for the moon, end up in the stars.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: You know, aim big, be content with what you land on. And if I had to choose between those two polls, I honestly think I might be closer to him. Like, this podcast is a single, you know?
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: It’s not— we didn’t strike out, by any means.
ALEX: No. No, no, no, no, no.
BOBBY: We’re— like, globally, technically speaking, I think we’re in, like, the top 1% of podcasts. Now, that includes a lot of podcasts who publish, like, three— three episodes and then just die on the vine. But, like, we’re at least a single here, and we’re a double. We weren’t aiming for a grand slam, you know, so I’m happy with it. I’m passing the baton to the next guys who wants to start a leftist baseball podcast about Alex Rodriguez.
ALEX: I think the phrase, “I started with a bunt, a hit and run. I started with a duplex—”
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: —is maybe the most incredible thing he’s put out into the world.
BOBBY: That is actually one of those things— yeah, that— that is kind of like his Kid A.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Started with one, I started with a bunt, a hit and run. I started with a duplex.
ALEX: Think small, think duplex. This comes from the fact that he— this— the story that he tells, right, is this— is he bought his first duplex—
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: —when he was, I think, 22.
BOBBY: Uh-huh. With his, like— with his first paycheck, right?
ALEX: Exactly.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: $250,000.
BOBBY: I’ve heard this story.
ALEX: He put it down, and he said, “Look, if I can invest in one asset like this every five years, by the time I retire, I’ll have a nice nest egg for myself, right?” And he— I mean, he— he talks a lot about, like, fear, right? Fear is what he started investing, why he wanted to up his business acumen, because he saw his mom having to move every six months—
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: —growing up.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: He read all the horror stories about the athletes who didn’t know what to do with their money, and they lost it all, and went bankrupt.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: And so he said, “I’m not going to do that. I’m going to start with my duplex, and I’m going to go from there.”
BOBBY: The thing is, like, you can actually psychologize this from, like— from a genuinely authentic place.
ALEX: Yes.
BOBBY: From his childhood.
ALEX: Yes.
BOBBY: And from the, like, instability that came from it, from growing up in New York City. Like, from looking to sports and baseball for, like, a version of American iconography that, like, basically, at this point, is dead and, like, so corporatized that it just doesn’t exist anymore, you know? But, like, the type of things that inspired him to be who he became, like this type of people or players, the Keith Hernandezes of the world—
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: —who are, like, these genuinely authentic, like inspiring New York City sports figures. Like, it’s just that the way that he’s applying these things are just so, again, like, such as— so soulless, you know?
ALEX: Yeah. Yeah.
BOBBY: Like to a duplex. I was like, “Okay, man.”
ALEX: Oh, my God. Yeah. I mean, I fully believe him when he talks about that fear, right? And he was like, “I don’t— you know, I don’t want to go broke. I don’t want to do whatever.” He talks a lot about, like—
BOBBY: You can’t go broke.
ALEX: I—
BOBBY: You made $300 million, like—
ALEX: He breaks that down, too. I don’t have to clip queued for that, but he does talk about how athletes who make a $100 million go broke. First of all, you have to pay Uncle Sam. That’s where half of that goes.
BOBBY: Rolls Royces, dude. The other half goes to Rolls Royces?
ALEX: Yeah. You know, he talks about, “Oh, it goes to your agent. It goes to your manager, and you haven’t even bought yourself a house yet, you know?”
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: “And you haven’t even bought yourself a car.” And so this is how—
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: You know, it’s— it’s hard. But the thing is, like, I think that, sure, part of this is motivated by fear of losing everything or whatever, of not being able to provide for your family. I think that the thing that animates him most right now is fear of being left out, of, like, not being in the conversation.
BOBBY: Yeah. Yeah.
ALEX: I think that he was probably pretty scarred from some of his experiences playing baseball and being so reviled by such a huge number of fans, and by being spurned by the— by the league, essentially.
BOBBY: I mean, one thing that has always been true of him, even back to his playing career, that was like— that was just self-evident from the jump, is like he wanted to be liked. That was the animating force behind all of the thing— the ways that he was acting. And it is advanced from just wanting to be broadly liked by the public to wanting to be accepted—
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: —into these business circles, into these Davos style conferences, into these MBA programs where he teaches a class at Stanford. You know, like it’s— it’s— it’s beyond just wanting the fans to like him for being this authentically interesting player, because that clearly, like, failed, you know? For a number of reasons, which he learned via Dr. David.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: And which he talked about in the Dan Le Batard interview that I’m sure we’re going to get to shortly. But it’s— it’s— again, back to the point of, like, being able to authentic— authentically psychologize this, like, it’s so— it’s so fascinating to me. It’s such an interesting character study of a person who’s like, “I just need to be accepted, and now my version of the people who I want to accept me are not just like, you know, my friend.” Like, for a normal person like you or me, like my friend group, you know—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: —the people I work with. Like, him is like business titans.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Those are the people now that who he wants to be accepted by.
ALEX: Right. And he got a huge leg up because he made $300 million—
BOBBY: Right. And is the most famous.
ALEX: —and was the famous baseball players in the world.
BOBBY: Yeah, exactly.
ALEX: And so it’s like, “Oh, your piece of advice is get in the room. I’m sure that was tough for you.” He talks about, like, cold emailing Warren Buffett, you know, and all these—
BOBBY: Yeah, yeah.
ALEX: —all these guys, and that’s how he started these relationships. And it’s like, yeah, that’s because Warren Buffett underwrote your contract. That’s— that was not a cold email, you know? Like— or was ensuring this whatever.
BOBBY: Right. I— it’s really interesting, too. Like, the types of biases that he just doesn’t know that he has.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Because it’s like, yeah, if you cold emailed Warren Buffett, he wouldn’t answer you, dude.
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: Like, you could cold email Warren Buffett right now, see if he— if he answers you by the time we’d finished his pod, you know? Like, he’s not gonna—
ALEX: [52:40] me.
[laughter]
BOBBY: Yeah. I cold email people all the time.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: You know who I cold emailed? Fucking Bernie Sanders, trying to get him on the pod. Still waiting. Still waiting. Zoom’s still open, Bernie.
ALEX: Well, that’s because you don’t have a multifamily complex yet. He might take you more seriously then.
BOBBY: I think I would be on the wrong side of his—
ALEX: Yeah, he would start taking you seriously in ways that you weren’t prepared for.
BOBBY: But you know Bernie has a vacation home.
ALEX: What?
BOBBY: I know, I know.
ALEX: It’s over.
BOBBY: I know.
ALEX: It’s never been more over.
BOBBY: Yeah. The progressive movement is dead.
ALEX: Do you want to get to rule number five?
BOBBY: We’re already at rule number five?
ALEX: We’re already rule at number five, yeah.
BOBBY: Sheesh.
ALEX: I mean, you say already, like we haven’t been talking for an hour.
BOBBY: Yeah, but that’s speedy by our standards.
ALEX: Yeah, that’s true. I mean, hey, we have plenty more, man, if you want to get to them. I don’t think we’re all trying to get them, but we’ll get some quick ones at the end.
BOBBY: I’d like to do at least 13.
ALEX: Okay. Rule number five, one plus one equals five.
BOBBY: Oh, he’s on his Joe Madden shit.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: The number one thing I say is know— knowledge is power. And show me your team. You’re an average of the five people you’re surrounding yourself with. And it’s finding good people in aligned economics and making sure that you’re doing things for the right reasons, something you’re passionate about, something you understand. And then you want to create a structure, a deal structure that is win-win with you and your management team. I’ve always said the perfect partnership is Warren Buffett and Tom Brady. One goes out and wins championships. The other one takes that capital and invests it over time. And that’s a perfect example of one plus one equals five.
ALEX: Which one of us do you think is Brady and which one of us is Buffett?
BOBBY: I gotta say I think I’m Brady.
ALEX: I think so, too.
BOBBY: Yeah. Unlike—
ALEX: You’re not moving on the stock market like I am.
BOBBY: —health and wellness curious.
ALEX: Right? You had, like, multiple years where you were actually doing the TB10?
BOBBY: TB12.
ALEX: TB12. Fuck. Damn it.
BOBBY: See, this is— you’re not Tom.
ALEX: This is— this is why you do it.
BOBBY: You’re not Tom. You don’t know shit about that. I mean, I haven’t had a nightshade since Obama’s term, Obama’s last term. I don’t get this. Does he explain it ever?
ALEX: Nope.
BOBBY: He just says one plus one plus one equals five?
ALEX: One plus one plus one equals five. I think the— the— what he’s getting at is— say you have a team of people.
BOBBY: Hmm.
ALEX: Or a team of two people, a couple people, partners, whatever. And if you guys are bringing different things to the table, that creates an outsize impact that is more value, it’s greater than the sum of its parts.
BOBBY: Why not one plus one equals 10? Why not one plus one equals 13?
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Why five? What are the other three things?
ALEX: The intangibles, man.
BOBBY: I guess. I just— another question I have about that clip—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: —by the way, is, are Warren Buffett and Tom Brady a team, or are those just the two guys that came to his mind?
ALEX: I think those are just the two guys who came to his mind.
BOBBY: He says, “I always say Warren Buffett and Tom Brady are the perfect team. One guy brings championships and one guy takes that and invests it over time.” So, like, was Warren Buffett Tom Brady’s personal investor during his career?
ALEX: I mean, it wouldn’t shock me, but—
BOBBY: Because that’s sort of what that implies.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Really— really fascinating stuff there, one plus one equals five.
ALEX: Can I be honest with you? When I was growing up, I didn’t know that Warren Buffett and Jimmy Buffett were different people.
[laughter]
BOBBY: Like, where does this guy find the time?
ALEX: Literally. I was like—
BOBBY: I mean, Margaritaville—
ALEX: — I was like—
BOBBY: —is a— is an asset, dude.
ALEX: It is an asset.
BOBBY: It’s not a liability.
[laughter]
ALEX: I was like, “The richest man in the world wrote this song? Maybe rich people are good.”
BOBBY: There’s only one ethical way to become a billionaire, it’s to write Margaritaville.
ALEX: He— I mean, yeah. He— he has this whole thing about how, like, you only want to hire tens, you know? He’s like—
BOBBY: No, I was led to believe that I need a five.
ALEX: Well, you need two ones is what you need.
BOBBY: What the fuck are we talking about? He needs to be careful saying you only need to hire tens.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: That’s like— that has a weird implication.
ALEX: Yep. But he’s like— he’s like, “Fives and tens are easy to identify. Fives are the ones you never hire. Tens are the ones you keep around. The sevens or eights, those are the ones will trick you.”
BOBBY: In what way?
ALEX: Because they can sweet talk you. They can get their way through an interview, you know?
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: It’s like they’ll— they’ll trick you into thinking they’re tens, but they’re really fives.
BOBBY: Shouldn’t the ones be the ones you never hire?
ALEX: It’s a great question.
BOBBY: Now, in this— in this instance, I don’t need tens. What I need is four ones—
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: —to get to 10.
ALEX: Yeah. Well, I think the one through fours are the ones you’ve evicted from your multifamily complex. They’re not even a thought.
BOBBY: What do you— see, like, I would love— I’ve thought many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many times about what I would ask A-Rod if he was on this podcast.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Now, honestly, I— the— the interview would just like, be over in 30 seconds, because we would freak him out.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: But if I was making an effort to not freak him out, I would probably ask him about all of these philosophies.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: But what I truly want to ask him about is, like, what do you think about the labor theory of value? Like, stuff like that, because it’s just like he exists in this sort of Harvard business school grade extended universe where, like, these economic principles are real, but they’re, like, kind of not, you know? Like the reason Warren Buffett is so rich, it’s not because he wrote Margaritaville, and it’s not because of one plus one equals five, and it’s not even because, like, he identified assets versus liabilities. It’s because he—
ALEX: Right. It was the circle of competence.
BOBBY: No, it’s because he manipulated the market illegally.
ALEX: Right, right, right. And that was his circle of competence right there.
BOBBY: I guess so. I guess so. He’s just living in a fantasy land, man.
ALEX: Yeah, I know.
BOBBY: It’s awesome.
ALEX: It is sick. It’s really sick.
BOBBY: It’s awesome.
ALEX: So those are the five rules I pulled together. Can I— can we do a— like, a bonus one and then maybe we’ll— we’ll do, like, a rapid fire round?
BOBBY: Yes, please. Before you read this one, can I just briefly remind you and myself and the listeners of this podcast, like, just how seminal this man’s baseball career was?
ALEX: Yeah, right.
BOBBY: Because, like, I think actually sometimes it gets buried underneath all of this stuff.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: And all of the TV personas, and all the hit singles, and all the go the other way, and all of the two-run lead is worse than a one-run lead, all these things.
ALEX: Right. I started with the duplex.
BOBBY: I started with the duplex. Alex Rodriguez is 13th— 13.
ALEX: Wow. Taylor reference?
BOBBY: —13th— what did Taylor Swift know?
ALEX: Goddamn it.
BOBBY: All-time in WAR. He is 13th all-time in WAR. He is between Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle. Here are some names of some people who he’s ahead of me, Mel Ott, Mike Schmidt, Ricky Henderson, Frank Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski, Cal Ripken, Jr., Albert Pujols, Wade Boggs, Mike Trout. These are people that he is ahead of, all-time.
ALEX: And yet haven’t heard a peep from any of them about assets and liabilities.
BOBBY: That’s actually probably not even true.
ALEX: I know.
BOBBY: No, because they probably blew it all.
ALEX: Yep.
BOBBY: Yeah, in freaking Rolls Royce, every single [1:00:37]
ALEX: Exactly. And— and homes.
BOBBY: An army of Rolls Royces, homes across this great nation, and nothing to show for it.
ALEX: Yes, it’s— it’s very us to do an episode on Alex Rodriguez and not even mention the fact that he is one of the most prolific power hitters of all-time and—and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
BOBBY: He got his home run— he got his home run number wrong in one of those quotes. What was that?
ALEX: He said 697, 696. Whoa.
BOBBY: That’s wild.
ALEX: Freudian slip.
BOBBY: Maybe he believes that he was robbed of one along the way and that was his way—
ALEX: Right.
BOBBY: —of saying it.
ALEX: Right. He’s holding on to, like, a 2011 almost homer?
BOBBY: Yeah. It, like, went fair, but they couldn’t review it?
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: And they called it a foul.
ALEX: Right. He’s like, “This number isn’t canon, but—”
BOBBY: The real heads know. Okay, bonus.
ALEX: All right. We’ve done our five. This is, I think, my favorite one.
BOBBY: So you left one off the list?
ALEX: I left it— I left it off the list, because it’s— it’s— it’s more of a story from him than it is a rule.
BOBBY: Uh-huh.
ALEX: But I think it’s one that we could maybe take to heart more.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: It’s one you’ve heard before. I think we first heard it on the Le Batard Show.
BOBBY: Uh-huh. This is— this is South Beach Sessions.
ALEX: The South Beach Sessions, yeah.
BOBBY: Which is the interview series that Dan Le Batard does with his friends and other members of the media, and athletes, and business people. It’s just like a sort of like the cons— the conceit of it is like, this is an open-hearted and honest style of interview, and we just sit down and we talk.
ALEX: Yeah. Yeah. And— and I— hey, I encourage folks to listen to it, and to listen to, frankly, all of these, because you gain some incredible insights.
BOBBY: It is, like, actually a different version of A-Rod than I ever heard before.
ALEX: It is. It becomes less different when you start hearing all those anecdotes popping up all over the place.
BOBBY: Yeah. Well— yeah.
ALEX: I’m like, “Okay, this is a nice distillation of— of all your stories.”
BOBBY: Right.
ALEX: But no, it’s— I mean, it— again, it does lend some in— even the most, like, Tony Robbins anecdote that he does.
BOBBY: Yeah.
ALEX: The TED Talk metaphors, like even those you do find, like, a truth in there that says something about him. It may not tell you anything about how to do business, but it does tell you something about how he’s viewing the world.
BOBBY: Uh-hmm.
ALEX: And that alone is worth it. This is how he views the world, though. This— this anecdote right here.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Six months, every 12 months, every 18 months, because we just couldn’t make the rent. We couldn’t pay the rent. And I remember the—
SPEAKER 7: So how— how old are you at this point?
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I was about 10 or 11.
SPEAKER 7: Okay. And where’s dad?
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: And dad left when I was 10.
SPEAKER 7: Okay.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: So left mom in a tough situation, and I just saw this woman— she had to pay the rent.
SPEAKER 7: Wow.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Right. And that’s when I started first having my dreams of, “Boy, if I can be a landlord.” 30 days, it feels like it comes, like, every three days and I felt really bad for my mom. And I remember, praying as a young kid, I said, “Boy, if I can ever trade places with a landlord, that’s what I’m gonna do.” If I had an opportunity to invest, I’m gonna do that and trade place with a landlord. So you have this draw— and I always dreamed about trading places with a landlord.
ALEX: Rule number six, if you can trade places with a landlord, do it.
BOBBY: So now, I actually think he does understand the labor theory of value.
ALEX: He absolutely does, and says, “I’m on the other side.” I think—
BOBBY: Do you think he like just to get familiar with what he’s up against? Like, do you think he’s read Abolish Rent?
ALEX: No, he’s lived it, man. He said, “I have seen what the tenant lifestyle is like.”
BOBBY: Right.
ALEX: “And I would like to be the boot now.”
BOBBY: Hey, he read Evicted by Matt Desmond and he was like, “What’s wrong with this setup?”
ALEX: He was like, “This is a great business model.”
BOBBY: He’s not like a slum lord, though, is he? He’s just like a normal landlord, right?
ALEX: He’s just a— yeah. He just has, like, beautiful, like, condos and multifamilies, and—
BOBBY: I have a question.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: How far are you willing to go for the bit? Like, are you willing to tour one of his apartments?
ALEX: I would.
BOBBY: Okay. Should we go— fly down to Florida for this?
ALEX: Right. I mean, I think a lot of them are, like, in the Miami area.
BOBBY: Does he own anything in New York? Like, anything at all? Could we do like a live stream? This— this broker is like, “Why are these guys live streaming this apartment, talking about one plus one equals five?”
ALEX: I actually do think they have some New York properties.
BOBBY: Okay, we got to do it. Could we put the Tipping Pitches office in an A-Rod property? Does he own anything that’s office space?
ALEX: Well, hmm, that— that I’m not sure about. He owns Stonehenge 51, which is a 114-unit apartment building in the heart of midtown Manhattan, where I work. So maybe after work tomorrow—
BOBBY: Conversely, conversely, can we start a tenant union in an A-Rod building?
ALEX: Oh, God.
BOBBY: Because then he will definitely know who we are.
ALEX: Oh my God.
BOBBY: Now, I’m cooking with guests. Actually, I’m cooking lecture, because it’s New York City.
ALEX: Right. It is— he’s got, like, 2,800 apartments in New York City.
BOBBY: That’s a lot.
ALEX: So, like— so, like, there’s room. And it’s one of these things where it’s like—
BOBBY: Hang on, wait. 2,800 apartments.
ALEX: I mean, it’s one of these things where, like, he’s investing in, like, a real estate company, right?
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: He’s, like, a majority investor or whatever, in a real estate company that owns these properties. So it’s not like he singlehandedly went out and found each property.
BOBBY: Maybe he is a good businessman.
ALEX: This is what I’m telling you, dude.
BOBBY: Oh, my God, he’s a mogul.
ALEX: He is. He is an actual business magnate.
BOBBY: This is so crazy.
ALEX: And it’s sick.
BOBBY: All right, speed round.
ALEX: All right, I’m— I’m gonna let him speak for himself here.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: Okay?
BOBBY: All right.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: So one thing I would say hire slow, fire fast.
BOBBY: He always pream— the preamble is always like, “One thing I would say,”
ALEX: One thing I would always say. It makes it very easy to, like, find all these because you just have to look for him saying, “I always say.”
BOBBY: Did you have all of these things, like, transcribed?
ALEX: Some of them, some of, like, the podcasts I transcribed, and then some of them I was just listening on, like, double speed, and, like, skipping through to the parts where he’s talking.
BOBBY: I see.
ALEX: But I do have, like, a dozen transcripts just sitting on my desktop right now.
BOBBY: Did you just, like, pay rev to do it? Use AI?
ALEX: Yeah. I mean, it’s like, you just Google podcast transcript. This is— hey, this podcast is sponsored by AI.
BOBBY: Yeah. Thank you, Google.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Those commercials during the playoffs, “Everybody say thank you, Google Cloud. Please say thank you, Google Cloud. Stand up, salute, say thank you, Google Cloud. Google will come to your home and beat the shit out of you if you don’t say thank you, Google Cloud. Plea— may I please have another AI tool in my Google Suite? Thank you.”
ALEX: Next rule—
BOBBY: I would’ve just kept going.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: And you have to be able to bring people along. It’s not fun to get rich by yourself.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: I agree.
BOBBY: This is why we’re getting rich together.
ALEX: Exactly. One Brady, one Buffet.
BOBBY: And again, I’m the Brady.
ALEX: Yep.
BOBBY: I’m the Brady.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I’ve often said that the three things that could take a man down or people down in— in the world of business are the three L’s, liquor, ladies, and leverage. So you got to watch those things.
ALEX: His little giggle.
[laughter]
BOBBY: Can you play that one again?
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: The three things that could take a man down or people down in— in the world of business are the three L’s, liquor, ladies, and leverage.
BOBBY: Where is that one from?
ALEX: That’s— that’s from a Breakfast Club interview that I think, actually, only came out, like, a week ago. Relatively recent. Liquor, ladies, leverage.
BOBBY: Wait, back up, back up. It’s like— I know he said— no, no, don’t play [1:08:55] back up. What was said, the one that could take a man down or people down?
ALEX: Or people.
BOBBY: And then so he’s like— he’s, like, neutralizing the gender of the statement.
ALEX: Right. But also—
BOBBY: But then it’s the three L’s and one of them is ladies.
ALEX: Ladies. He said, “Ladies take ladies down, too.”
BOBBY: Right. Internalize— he’s talking about internalize misogyny.
ALEX: Internalize misogyny, yeah.
BOBBY: Oh, man. Oh, man. [1:09:28] studies A-Rod just cooked on us, bro.
[laughter]
ALEX: It’s like— it’s like George Bush, like, giggle, you know?
BOBBY: Right. Fool me once, can’t get fooled again.
ALEX: Right. Fool me twice, eh.
BOBBY: That was like Beavis and Butthead.
ALEX: No, I know.
[laughter]
BOBBY: All right. What else do we got?
ALEX: I don’t even know where— where we go from here.
BOBBY: Let’s do one more, one more.
ALEX: Let’s get— let’s do one more. You know what? Let’s do this one.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX: This one has a really great lesson that I think we can apply to our work right here.
BOBBY: Okay.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: There’s a little boy, a little girl out there that you’re gonna impact in a big way, that you’re gonna make a difference and that’s— that’s enough of a reason to put out their great content.
ALEX: That’s it, right there.
BOBBY: I’m gonna use that. That’s going on the soundboard. “That’s enough of a reason to put out great content.”
ALEX: So there is enough— I was thinking about this. There is enough here for a soundboard, I think. We can get to work on it.
BOBBY: Oh, so you want to have, like, two separate soundboards? Like, one is the A-Rod sound board and one is the normal soundboard?
ALEX: I— I think so. I—
BOBBY: Two pieces of hardware in the studio.
ALEX: I think we have enough here that we need to step [1:10:45]
BOBBY: I think actually, like, you should just have the A-Rod sound board with you at all times.
ALEX: I agree. Yes.
BOBBY: Like in life.
ALEX: Yeah. I— that— that’s it. I mean, there’s so much more. You know, there’s so much more to go through. Maybe we’ll put some of this on a blog, we’ll see.
BOBBY: I have an idea.
ALEX: Okay.
BOBBY: Are you familiar with the Bop It?
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Bop It but with A-Rod sayings. Asset.
ALEX: Liquor.
BOBBY: Liability.
ALEX: Ladies. Kids break like butter.
BOBBY: Duplex. Duplex.
ALEX: Landlord.
BOBBY: I just want to say thank you so much for all this hard work. This was, like, actually so scholarly the way that you approached this and just, like, genuinely inspiring shit, the reason we have this podcast.
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: And it was just— I had so much fun. I hope everybody listening had fun as well. There’s always a reason to make great content.
ALEX: There is. There’s a little boy or girl out there, you know, who could be watching you.
BOBBY: Sometimes that little boy or girl is like a 38-year-old lawyer listens to a baseball podcast.
[laughter]
ALEX: We did it. Those are A-Rod’s rules to life, and I think that I— I learned a lot certainly going through this exercise. I hope the listeners learned a lot. I— I would love for folks to write in, let us know which rules they are putting into practice.
BOBBY: Uh-hmm.
ALEX: Because I know there’s at least one or two of these that— that I’m already taking to heart.
BOBBY: Or if there are rules that you know that A-Rod is living by that didn’t come up on this episode—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: —please submit those as well, tippingpitchespod@gmail.com. You can get more Tipping Pitches in your life over at patreon.com/tippingpitches, where we have different tiers that get you different things. One of those things that the top tier is a bonus episode once every two weeks or twice a month. The next bonus episode, our last bonus episode was a movie watchalong of the movie, Fever Pitch, a movie that A-Rod features in. He doesn’t actually appear on screen, but he’s in the world.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Our next bonus episode is going to be the Tipping Pitches book club for the month of December, where we were reading the book stealing home by Eric Nusbaum. That book is called Stealing Home by Eric Nusbaum. That’ll be publishing on December 12th, so please get your reading in as quickly as possible. Although, you know, I realized in thinking about the book club that, like, it’s just like a podcast episode. It’s like they don’t get the reading done by the 12th. Like they can—
ALEX: Right [1:13:23]
BOBBY: They could sit there for a little while. It’s not like a real book club where, like, you have to show up and be like, “Yeah, I got to page 54, really interesting so far.” Not that I’m speaking from personal experience.
ALEX: No, no, not at all.
BOBBY: Of either of us [1:13:38]
ALEX: Using the SparkNotes for the last 250 pages.
BOBBY: Bro, SparkNotes as an adult, like, you can’t—
ALEX: It do— yeah, I know.
BOBBY: Like, that’s— that’s just not—
ALEX: Yeah.
BOBBY: Yeah, you gotta just be honest.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: Stealing home by Eric Nusbaum, most recent Tipping— Patreon episode was a movie watchalong, the Fever Pitch. There’s gonna be other great Patreon content in— with regards to main character month. We’re hoping to have bonus episodes for the last episode in main character month, additional content, additional interview stuff that’ll make kind of more sense when people see what that episode is going to be, structurally. Coming up later in this month, more episodes like this, focusing in on— on characters that we care a lot about. They won’t all be quite as—
ALEX: Off the wall.
BOBBY: —researched, off the wall, silly, thematically resonant as this, I don’t think. Like mission statement-wise.
ALEX: Uh-hmm.
BOBBY: But they will be good. I— I can promise you we will put a lot of effort into those as well. Thank you, everybody, for listening. Thank you to you, Alex, for doing the work. and thank you to Alex Rodriguez, just for having the asset of being a human. We’ll see you all next week.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Hello, everybody. I’m Alex Rodriguez. Tipping Pitches. That’s enough of a reason to put out their great content. Tipping Pitches. This is the one that I love the most. Tipping Pitches. That’s enough of a reason to put out their great content. So, we’ll see you next week. See ya!
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