MLB Keynan Middleton talks about pitching against his idols on 'Old Baseball Cards'
One of the more mind-blowing moments that can happen for a young player in MLB is when they get an opportunity to face a childhood idol. If the player is young enough and their idol had a career that lasted long enough, they could end up facing the very players whose baseball cards they collected.
On this week’s episode of “Old Baseball Cards,” our baseball card-driven trip down memory lane, we’ve got Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Keynan Middleton as a guest and he recounts his youth as a Seattle Mariners fan and what it was like when he made it to the big leagues and got to face Ichiro.
Middleton, who is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, has a big personality and was definitely keen on the game as a kid. He opens Topps from 2004 and we also cracked open some 2018 Topps Archives, which has current players and stars from the past.
We talk about Will Clark, Greg Maddux, Eric Gagne, the Upton Brothers and more.
If you’re new to our show, we open old packs of cards with baseball players, coaches and famous fans. If you dig it, there are plenty of great episodes below:
Previously on Old Baseball Cards
RECENT EPISODES: Don Mattingly | Tom Gordon & Nick Gordon | Ron Darling | Mike Rizzo | Craig Counsell | Rocco Baldelli | Kevin Cash | Brad Ausmus | Pete Rose | Mike Trout | Kyle Freeland | Tony Gwynn Jr. | Archie Bradley | Manny Machado
MUST-SEE EPISODES: Randy Johnson | George Brett | Dave Winfield | Gary Vee | Jerry Dipoto | Mike Krukow | HQ’s Scott Rogowsky | Felipe Alou | Torey Lovullo | Nick Swisher | David Ross | Tim Raines | Thomas Ian Nicholas aka Henry Rowengartner | Pedro Martinez | Bronson Arroyo | Eric Davis | Dusty Baker | Hank Azaria | Alex Rodriguez | Scott Boras | A.J. Ellis | Bernie Williams | Chase Utley | John Smoltz
COMPILATIONS: Best trades of 2017 | Best finds of 2017 | Best Guests of 2017 (Part 1) | Best Guests of 2017 (Part 2) | The Best of People Eating 30-Year-Old Gum | The Best Finds of 2018 | Favorite Guests of 2018
CROSSOVER EPISODES: The Miz | Metta World Peace | Jazzy Jeff
STARS FROM BACK IN THE DAY: Fred Lynn | Eduardo Perez | J.J. Putz | Luis Gonzalez| Duane Kuiper | Edgar Martinez | Ryne Sandberg | Frank Thomas | Sandy Alomar Jr. | Delino DeShields | Cliff Floyd | Dan Plesac | Aaron Boone | Bobby Bonilla | Andre Dawson | Ivan Rodriguez | Jack Morris | Jeff Nelson | Mark Teixeira | Rick Ankiel | Kevin Millar
MANAGERS/COACHES: Terry Francona | Joe Maddon | Bruce Bochy | Clint Hurdle | Buck Showalter | Brad Mills | Bob Melvin | Dave Roberts | Gabe Kapler | Alex Cora | Dave Martinez | Ron Gardenhire | Scott Servais
CURRENT PLAYERS: Alex Bregman | CC Sabathia | Curtis Granderson | Noah Syndergaard | Kyle Hendricks | Clayton Kershaw | Todd Coffey | John Axford | Dee Gordon | Adam Eaton | Rajai Davis | Brad Ziegler & Tyler Clippard | Buster Posey, David Price & Anthony Rizzo
CELEBS: Kurt Busch | Bill Nye | Mr. Belding | Alyssa Milano | Josh Duhamel | Joel McHale
ETC: Chris “Mad Dog” Russo | Josh Kusnick | Jeff Passan | Ken Kendrick
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Mike Oz is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @mikeoz
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