We all have dreams. Not just the ‘check every item off this week’s to do list’ kind – but big dreams! Dreams we’ve had since we were small. These days, we may not even dare to verbalize them, but they’re still there.
Today, we meet a man of great faith who spent a quarter of a century living out the dream he first had the age of eight – as we head On The Road with Jim Kaat.
Jim spent 25 years pitching in Major League Baseball – 15 of those with the Minnesota Twins. He’s been a longtime, award-winning television analyst of the game for the New York Yankees, and works currently for the MLB Network Showcase. His new book, just released this spring, is called If These Walls Could Talk: New York Yankees.
We hear tremendous tales of perseverance, handling victory and defeat in the World Series – as well as in daily life, and how Jim’s faith in God underpinned it all. To start listening to the full conversation right away, just head to the bottom of this post. Otherwise, here are some fascinating highlights from our chat first.
Jim began his journey through life with a strong faith foundation laid by his family and community. He explains how that legacy stayed with him, how his faith became his own, and also how he has grown in his understanding of the central concept of grace.
The path to the big leagues for a talented young player can be a lengthy and – at times – arduous trek. Though Jim’s journey was smoother than that of many others, he explains how the faith that his minor league manager placed in him at a critical time as a young prospect shaped the player he would become.
Dealing with life’s twin extremes of failure and success is one of the greatest challenges we all face. So how has Jim learned to cope with them in his highly visible roles, and how has his faith shaped his perspective on what’s really important?
Highlight: Not a matter of life and death
The scale of Jim’s achievements on the field has kept him in the discussion for potential election to MLB’s Hall of Fame. He was nearly elected recently in a vote by baseball’s Veteran’s Committee. Jim shares his thoughts on what that would mean to him.
And now here’s our full conversation with this good man, featuring his memories of World Series showdowns with Sandy Koufax; a fascinating story about his relationship with Alex Rodriguez; and much more!
