Former Major League Baseball star and MLB Network analyst Ryan Dempster will present special installments of his “Off The Mound” talk show during this weekend’s Innings Festival in Tempe, Arizona. Dempster spoke with JamBase about Innings Festival, “Off The Mound,” his excitement to see Dave Matthews Band and more in a recent interview.
Jake Peavy, Bret Saberhagen, Rick Sutcliffe, Luis Gonzalez, Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton, Eric Davis, Shawn Dunston, Wally Joyner, Ian Happ, Miguel Montero and Aaron Rowand will be among the MLB stars past and present who will participate in “Off The Mound” at Innings Festival on Friday and Saturday. For those unable to make it in person, clips from Dempster’s “Off The Mound” appearances at Innings Fest will be broadcast on the MLB Network. Additionally, Ryan Dempster will present “Off The Mound” events in Boston on April 3 and in Chicago on April 20. Here’s our chat with Ryan:
JamBase: What is the Innings Festival all about?
Ryan Dempster: It’s a chance to merge baseball and music together. I think that’s what [organizers’] intentions are with this festival and they do a really good job of it. It’s been fun to be a part of it for the past three years.
JB: What is a typical “Off The Mound” experience like?
RD: Well last year we had Jim Thome hitting softballs into the crowd. I think a couple of times he hit them over the Port-O-Lets. Jake Peavy getting up and singing was pretty fun as was having Eddie Vedder pop out on stage before [he performed]. Just to get to talk to them as humans and talk about who they are and what they are doing … it’s a blast.
JB: How did the Eddie Vedder appearance come about?
RD: I just told him I was going to be at the festival and as it got closer I thought maybe he could stop by for a visit. It just worked out as his friend Sean Casey was up on stage. We never publicized it or made a big deal about it. We just wanted it to happen organically. He told some great stories about his first trip to Wrigley Field, the Cubs winning the World Series and all these really cool moments. For him, it was nice to do an interview that wasn’t about rock and roll or music or anything. It was just about his love for the Cubs and it was really special.
Eddie Vedder on “Off The Mound” Captured by Nunu Zomot
JB: Does the timing work out so people can see baseball games in the afternoon before the music starts?
RD: Yes. So pretty much anywhere in Arizona where the spring training facilities are you can go take in the one o’clock game and then go home, shower up if you feel like it or don’t even bother and just keep going and go to a music festival and there’s great bands playing all day. Then, great headlining artists play in the evening.
When somebody gets off stage on the Home Plate Stage, “Off The Mound” starts up. There’s also hitting cages and clinics and baseball players signing autographs. You can also dive into a foam pit as an outfielder if you want. And then all the while we’re doing “Off The Mound,” bringing music and baseball together and having a blast.
JB: How did you decide on the lineup for players that will appear on “Off The Mound”?
RD: When you’re doing an interview like that, you want a good interview and those guys are great dudes. A guy like Jake Peavy, he played with Willie Nelson this year! There’s a guy who won a Cy Young in the big leagues, punching out the world as a young kid and after he’s done with baseball he continues to play the guitar to the point where he’s playing music on the same stage in the same night as somebody like [Willie Nelson]. So I really enjoy finding guests like him. Or take Luis Gonzalez who got the game-winning hit in Game Seven of the World Series. That’s every kid’s dream!
JB: Speaking of Jake Peavy, I know he’s a Deadhead …
RD: Yeah, we brought him out to “Shakedown Street” and he loved it!
Photo by Nunu Zomot
JB: I know this is your first time seeing the Dave Matthews Band, are you excited for it?
RD: Absolutely. I’m a fan of the music. He’s a great guitar player, writer and singer. He’s got a pretty positive message and his fans seem to be happy people. I’m really looking forward to it.
JB: What are some of the other bands on the lineup you’re looking forward to seeing?
RD: The Struts, Whiskey Myers …
JB: I highly recommend Jason Isbell.
RD: Yes! He’s opening for Chris Stapleton at Wrigley [on August 29] and I’m super bummed out I’m going to miss it because Chris Stapleton is one of my favorite musicians.
JB: I hear congratulations are in order as “Off The Mound” has been picked up by the Cubs and is going to be shown on Marquee Network this year?
RD: Yeah, we’ve been working on this and we’re in the production process of trying to get it all together. Narrowing down everything and we’re going to do six [installments] during the year and tape them in front of a live studio audience and see how it comes out.
Photo by MLB Network
JB: If you could have any living baseball player appear on the show who would it be?
RD: Nolan Ryan. He’d be my number one as he was the guy I idolized when I was a kid.
JB: Have you met him before?
RD: Yeah, the very first time I ever met him, it was like one of those moments that came out of a movie. It’s Spring Training 1996 and I’m 18-years-old and here’s my boyhood idol. “How are you doing you man,” he said. I’m like “Mr. Ryan, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” And he responds, “You too son. Good luck, keeping working hard, you’re going to be alright.” I wanted to quote the Advil commercial: “I feel so good I can go another nine innings!”
JB: One final question, do you think the Astros’ sign-stealing controversy will come up?
RD: Yes, absolutely. It’s the talk of baseball right now. I just want to figure out how to make it funny.
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