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Pete Alonso and his dad get candid with The Post about Mets, overcoming childhood bullying ahead of Father's Day
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and his father Peter take some hacks with Post columnist Steve Serby in a Father's Day Q&A. Q: Describe your father, Peter. Pete: My dad, No. 1, beyond supportive. He's patient. He's understanding. I think the biggest thing about my dad, he's always just wanted me to succeed no matter what I chose to do in life. He kind of taught me the basics where it's like no matter what you do, no matter what your passion is — whether it be like a hobby, a profession, no matter what you choose to endeavor — you have to do it 100 percent. At all times. Whenever you give something attention, you give it 100 percent of your attention. There's no half-assing anything. If you commit to something, you commit and you see it through. And for me, I think that's a powerful thing. Q: Describe your son. Peter: I'd say a gentle giant with a huge heart. Everything that he does, he always puts people around him first. Q: How are you like your father? Pete: There's a lot of life lessons that he's kind of taught me. I think as a professional, I give all I can give, but then as soon as I leave this door I'm just Pete. I'm a son, a brother, a friend, a husband, soon-to-be father. So for me, it's like as soon as work is done, it's like I am no longer the baseball player, I'm Pete the family man. My dad did an unbelievable job kind of separating … as soon as he walked in the door he's all about me and my brother and my mom. Whether he came from work, it's like, 'All right, I'm coach Pete now,' whether he's coaching me or my brother, or taking us to practice. 'Now I'm not Dad anymore, I'm the tutor guy, I'm the homework guy.' … This is one of the best stories ever. So my dad's taking me to baseball practice — it's probably like a 25-minute drive. And my dad is like, 'Hey, you gotta do homework, I'll help you with your math homework in the car, you just have to do it.' And I'm doing my homework, I broke my pencil, we didn't have a pencil in the car. He's like, 'Listen, your mom is going to absolutely kill me (laugh) if you don't have this homework done. I don't care how easy or hard this is, but all the questions need to be done.' Q: How were you going to do it without a pencil? Pete: So what he did was, he was biting down the wood. … He was basically sharpening the pencil with his teeth (smile). He made it work. I know that's kind of like a stupid, silly little moment, but he just kind of was like gently tearing little wood chips off one by one just to get to that piece of lead so I could finish the homework. And my mom would have killed both me and my dad (laugh) if I didn't have that homework done. Q: Dad, what is your recollection of the pencil story? Peter: You had to do your homework first before you go to the field and do those kind of things. I probably bit the pencil in half so it would write so he could finish his homework. Q: How old were you? Pete: I think I was 12 or 13, something like that. Q: What did your dad do? Pete: He worked in professional staffing. Q: Was there one emotional heart-to-heart you recall? Pete: I'm really fortunate because my dad kind of wears his heart on his sleeve. I kind of know exactly where he stands at all times. He's not afraid to, like, speak plainly or speak exactly what comes to mind. So if something's kind of weighing on him, he's not afraid to just say it how it is and just tell me. I think the biggest thing is, he's just always there, he's always like, 'How can I help? How can I make your life easier? What can I do?' Having that unrelenting support is just truly special. He takes pride in not just, like, physically being available for things — 24/7 he's always emotionally available. Q: How often does he come up to New York? Pete: He'll actually be up here this weekend. During the season, my parents always come once a month or so, whether it's here or on the road. Q: When you were a kid, you internalized things and you were bullied and taunted. Did your dad guide you through that? Peter: I think the biggest thing that he said is, it's about just being the bigger person, not stooping to their level. Obviously, there are certain ways to handle certain situations, and regardless, despite how other people are, you have to hold yourself to a standard. If you don't have character, you really have no leg to stand on. I think for me, building character and staying disciplined in certain things, that spoke volumes for sure. Q: What did you tell Pete when he was bullied and taunted as a boy? Peter: He was taunted about just being bigger than the other kids. … Our message to him was how special he is, and that people are just jealous of the gift that he has, and to keep your chin up and just keep doing the best you can. A lot of things are going to change, and great things will happen to you. Q: What did it mean to him the day you made your major league debut? Pete: I don't take this granted. He's like, 'Listen, proud of not just what you do on the field but how you go about your business, how you've kind of went along this journey and kind of like took on obstacles and never really backed down from anything.' He was just very prideful. Very, very prideful. Q: What was it like emotionally for you Peter, when Pete made his MLB debut in D.C.? Peter: Honestly, my stomach was in knots. I knew he had it in him. He was fine. I was a wreck. I'm normally the cool, calm guy when it comes to baseball and stuff, but I was not. Q: Do you remember his reaction when you broke Aaron Judge's rookie home run record? Pete: He was excited, but I think one of the really cool things was actually in 2021 where I think I was the second-fastest player to 100 homers by a certain amount of games, and then me and him are in the lobby after the game in Miami just kind of talking about it. Even now today, it's still crazy to wrap my mind around … everything. I mean, yeah it's happening, I'm competing and it's my reality, but it's still kind of crazy, and I think for both of us it's just really special. Q: Your car accident, how frightening was it for you and for him when he learned about it? Pete: Just hearing about it, seeing the pictures, he was shaken up, but if there's anybody that took it hardest I think it was my wife because she kind of saw it. We were driving together at spring training, she watched a car pretty much right in front of me T-bone me, and then me flip and do all this stuff. Peter: It looked like an Indy car wreck or something, it was just car parts all over the place. He was standing up very casually talking to an officer explaining what happened and whatnot. … Just a huge relief. Q: Your parents were in Cleveland for your Home Run Derby win in 2019. Pete: Honestly, that whole experience, rookie year, first full season in the big leagues … I think it was just magic … for everybody. Peter: That was fun. That was like a homecoming. We have several friends and relatives in Ohio. I was just happy he was doing it so he could enjoy his 8-year-old self. After his first five or six swings when he started to lock in, I was like, 'Uh-oh!' And then he just went on a roll. Q: In the offseason when you might have been stressing out about not returning to the Mets, did he have any advice for you? Pete: The biggest stressor of the offseason was kind of just being displaced from my wife and our home, and I was just trying to get everything back together from the flood, from the hurricane. After Hurricane Helene, my wife and I were displaced. And we had to pretty much redo our home. It'll be pretty much two years without being in our house. Q: What were your emotions, Peter, when he signed back with the Mets? Peter: We [wife Michelle] were super-excited. The Mets are home, the Mets gave him his opportunity when he was drafted out of the University of Florida. I was born in Queens, his grandfather lived in Queens, so New York and the Mets are home. Also to see a winning culture emerging within the Mets team and organization was very fulfilling. We felt that Peter has been a big part of moving the Mets culture, so it was like job's not finished and you get to go back and continue your calling. Q: How happy was he that you signed back with the Mets? Pete: He just wanted what's best for me. He was just super supportive of the whole process, and he was very confident that the right thing would happen at the right time. Q: What do you recall about him on your wedding day? Pete: He was really emotional, but obviously he was so stoked. That's a super proud moment I feel like as a father to watch your kid stand up there. That's a major life accomplishment. He was really beaming. It was really nice. Q: What were your emotions on his wedding day, Dad? Peter: We were just filled with joy. We're so blessed. She is such a jewel and a doll. If I had a daughter I'd want a daughter like her. She's awesome. Q: How supportive has your wife, Haley, been, and what kind of a difference has it made for you as a baseball player? Pete: I'm really fortunate because my dad loves spending time with her, and to have that relationship I think is key for, like, a whole family unit. My wife really enjoys spending time with my dad likewise, and I think having that great relationship is awesome. I feel very, very blessed. Q: When is she due? Pete: She's 24 weeks now. Q: Boy or girl? Pete: It's going to be a boy. Q: A name yet? Pete: No name yet. Q: Next Father's Day you'll be a father. Pete: I'm really excited. It's a blessing to kind of create life, and it's an honor to be a parent, it's a privilege. My wife and I were at that stage in life where it's like being able to want to start a family and to have that opportunity, we're really blessed. It's been a great pregnancy so far. We're just really excited thinking about, like, kids, and what our Thanksgivings and Christmases and stuff are going to be like. Q: How did you celebrate Father's Day growing up? Pete: Whether it's spending time just hanging out at the pool, my dad loves to cook, loves to barbecue, stuff like that. My dad also loves being on the water, being on the boat, stuff like that. My dad is big on time. No matter what quality time we had, that's what he wanted to do, just spend time. Q: Any Father's Day gift for your father? Pete: I'll have something for him. It was just his birthday not too long ago, so he gets the double dip. Q: What are you most proud of having him as your father? Pete: I just feel really lucky, and I'm proud that he is my dad because he walks the walk in the lessons that he preaches to my brother and I. He lived by those, and he never really deviated. He's super consistent in his ideologies and advice. He wouldn't just say something because it was the right thing and then go do something else. He treated my mom and my brother and I with respect and with love. He just held himself to a very high standard, and he's like, 'OK, if I'm the man of the house, I'm going to provide and be there emotionally.' Anytime my brother and I want to go do something, he's like, 'Absolutely, we're going to do it.' He would always be there spending time or coaching me and my brother: 'You want to go swimming. let's go swimming.' He'd be willing to go to the ends of the earth for my mom, my brother and I, and I can't appreciate and thank him enough for that. Q: Is he as proud of you as a man as he is proud of you as a baseball player? Pete: Yeah, he's like, 'You could be pumping gas, but as long as you're a loving and caring individual who treats people the right way and lives the right way, then I'd be super proud.' Q: Sum up why you are so proud of your son. Peter: I'm proud of the person he is … his generosity … he makes things better around him than he left them … his positive energy … and his resilience. Those are the character traits that shine through of the son that we brought up, and it is hugely fulfilling and we feel super-blessed, and we keep pinching ourselves to this day. Q: Describe his go-ahead home run in the ninth inning off Devin Williams in the deciding game of last year's wild-card round. Peter: That was an outer-body experience. We sensed that something was going to happen. With the look in his eye, he just seemed calm and up for the moment. We were in our living room jumping up and down. Q: You're zeroing in on the Mets' all-time home run record, with 243. Darryl Strawberry has 262. Pete: It's great, but for me, it's a personal record — I just want to win. I just want to win. And however I can contribute, I want to contribute. That's what it's all about it. Q: Have you ever felt more dangerous at the plate? Pete: Yeah, family backyard Wiffle Ball games (smile), that's probably the most dangerous I feel. Q: When your mother was throwing to you? Pete: (Smile) Yeah, exactly. This is by far the most consistent I've felt in my career pretty much the entire year. Q: Describe that feeling when you know you're dangerous. Pete: I just feel consistent, I feel consistent in my mechanics. I feel like I'm myself pitch to pitch. And that's all I want to be. I just want to be myself. I want to have the best version of myself every swing, every take, every time the pitcher releases the ball. Q: I've noticed you seated at a table writing notes after games. Pete: That's my book of secrets. Q: How long have you done that? Pete: Every year has its own book of secrets. I've been writing notes pretty much since college. For me, I think writing things down [is] powerful. Q: People are talking about you having an MVP season. Pete: It's nice, I appreciate it. It's still really early, and ultimately I just want to contribute, help the team win. I think last year getting a true taste of what postseason baseball is like … in 2022, it was just three games [losing to Padres in wild card round], but this year it's like I'm so motivated to get back to the postseason because that is the ultimate form of baseball. It's an addictive type of baseball, and I want to do everything in my power to help get the team back there again and then also go further than what we did and hold up the trophy at the end of the year. I want nothing more than to be in that environment again and have that chance to play for a championship. Winning isn't guaranteed, that's for sure, but to have that honor and privilege to roll the dice again in October … playoff baseball's the ultimate. I just want to do whatever I can to help the team get there and succeed when we're there. Q:. What do you like best about this team? Pete: I think that the way that we're structured is obviously we grew in talent from last year, but I think that the coolest part is we have so similar faces, so it's not a completely different team. We have so many of the same faces where it's like, hey, this is almost the same group as last year, and we have that shared bond, shared experience together. Not only is it good for camaraderie and stuff like that, but it's great for teamwork, it's great for knowing personnel and also because all of us had the same experience last year going to the postseason and going on that run, we're not just motivated to get there again, we want to go further, and everyone has that extra edge. I don't think I got the bug — everybody does. Everyone's got that yearning and that want every single day to get back there. I know it's 3 ¹/₂ months away, but I blinked and it's already halfway through June. Q: Why is it so much fun playing in New York? Pete: People have been itching to come out to games, and it's been awesome. Everybody's rowdy, everybody's engaged. It's really like having a 10th Man out there. It's honestly great. And you can kind of feel it whenever the crowd is more and more engaged, more times things start to happen in our favor, it's awesome. Q: What is it like sharing the city with the Yankees with both teams doing so well? Pete: I think it's great for the city. The more teams that do well in New York, the more that the city's alive and buzzing and hopping. It's fantastic. Q: Would you want to retire as a Met? Pete: That could be awesome. It's really rare for a guy to spend his whole career with one team — I mean, I've thought about it, for sure. But the business side of things has to work out for that. I love playing here. It's awesome. I hope that the business side works out to be that way. Q: Would you like to see Pete retire as a Met? Peter: I want to see [him] succeed wherever he's at, so it would be great if he retires as a Met. And, if he doesn't, I wouldn't want to be in the other dugout. Q: I don't think Mets fans would be happy if Pete was to leave. Pete: I hope that the business side works out to where I don't have to do that (smile).
New York Post
24-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Max Fried's early career struggles helping him deal with weight of $218 million Yankees contract
New Yankees ace Max Fried strikes up some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: What was that like when you visited Dachau? A: I went back-to-back years for a couple of soccer trips with a couple of buddies, just lining it up so, like, if we went to go see Manchester City, Manchester United in England, and then we wanted to go see PSG versus Real Madrid in Madrid, and kind of scheduled our trip around that. And then the days in between we kind of just were like, 'OK, well we've got three or four days in between, let's go to Germany.' In that time we went to Munich and then we went outside to Dachau, and then just being able to do the sightseeing thing in Europe for the first time, but just trying to make the most of being out there. … Me growing up Jewish and understanding that I have a lot of family that were killed in the Holocaust, to be able to go and step … I'd heard about it my whole life growing up and to be able to step and kind of like feel the energy that is just still extremely … it's heavy. … You go into the grounds and you can feel that there was definitely evil done down there. … So to be able to experience it in person … You know the evils that were done, but to be able to step on the grounds, see the gas chambers, to see the quarters, to see where they were living, working and all those little things and just being in person, in the flesh, it kind of just brought a heaviness and a weight and more of an understanding of this is something that happened in somewhat of a recent past. Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Q: What family members do you know that were killed? A: My dad's dad side. They were from, like, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and all the borders were just kind of always getting moved, and then right before the war, they happened to move to Israel, in that region and that area, and a lot of the family that stayed put in Europe were taken to the concentration camps. Q: What was it like pitching in the Maccabiah Games? A: It was really cool. I was a very young 13-, 14-year old, it's one of the first times I went away by myself without my parents, and traveled with a team, and we went across the world in Israel and being able to represent USA but also just to go and get a taste of where I have relatives that live in Israel, and also just to be able to see everything from the Dead Sea to the Wailing Wall to just everything that it brings, it was a really cool experience. Q: What is the biggest adversity you had to overcome? A: I had a rough year in 2017. I was in Double-A, I think at the time I was like 2-11 with a 6.00 ERA. There was definitely a moment where I had a talk with my dad of just being like, 'I don't know if I'm gonna be cut out for this.' I hadn't made the big leagues, I was getting to be 23, 24, drafted out of high school, no college or anything. So I was like, 'This might be a point where I'm not 100 percent sure.' Luckily for me I had a couple of good weeks, I got called up to the big leagues unexpectedly and just kind of put all my eggs in the basket, tried to make it work from there. 5 Max Fried of the Yankees throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post Q: What about the Tommy John surgery in 2014? How big an obstacle was that? A: Extremely. Twenty years old, it was something that I'd never been hurt up to that point and then I need surgery, and I get surgery and then a couple of months later I get traded [by Padres] to a new team [Braves]. A lot of uncertainty … just me moving also across the country 'cause I was in Arizona spring training and me being a California kid, I flew out to Orlando [Fla.] for spring for the first time and spent the whole entire season living in Orlando, and rehabbing and really just learning a new organization and all that. Q: Describe your mentality on the mound. A: Controlled aggression. I don't want to be out of control, but it's important for me to be on the attack and attack hitters in a way that keeps the odds on my side. Q: You've been described as an artist. A: That's definitely an extreme compliment. Being able to change speeds, and move the ball back and forth, and have the ball move a bunch of different ways, being able to use that and utilize that in the best way possible, it's nice. Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Q: Describe the pressure of living up to your $218 million contract, and being forced into the ace role with Gerrit Cole lost for the year. A: Once you step out on the field, it doesn't matter what you're making or what your stature is or if you have 15 years in the big leagues or you have one day in the big leagues. You're going out there competing. So all of that, it's nice for the outside, but once you step between the lines it's very much a competition, it's me versus you. It doesn't matter what time you have or how you're feeling or whatever it is, it's time to compete today and nothing else really matters. Q: You were a Cy Young finalist in 2022. Is that one of your major goals? A: No. As far as like that, that's for other people to decide. It's important for me just to make sure that when I take the ball, the competitor I am, I just want to be able to take the ball and make sure that our team has the best chance to win. My stats, I try not to really look at them. For me, did we win the game that I pitched? And that's really all I care about in the moment. 5 Yankees pitcher Max Fried (54) walks off after the fifth in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Yankee Stadium, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Q: What drives you? A: Competition. I'm a very competitive person, whether it's board games with my family or cards or video games or anything that involves sort of a competition or a testing or challenging mentally, I really enjoy it. Q: How's your chess game? A: It's getting better (chuckle). It's one of those where you have to dive in and really do a lot of theory and studying. I'm getting some of the basics, but I need a lot more hours. Q: How did the Encino wildfires in L.A. affect people you knew? A: I was in town, I was with my girlfriend, we actually stayed at my parents' house 'cause it was coming up on the other side of the hill, and with the winds, we just didn't know which way they were gonna be blowing. My parents' house is just outside of the evacuation zone, so if it blew the wrong way, we were just getting ready to get all the pictures and everything that we could to be able to run out of there at a moment's notice. Q: You didn't have to evacuate? A: No, we stayed put and then eventually it kind of died down. Q: How scary was that? A: It was really crazy 'cause the smoke and the air quality was terrible. A lot of people that I had grown up with or I have known lost homes, a lot in that Palisades area. It was just really sad, just kind of all over the place. It was a very somber mood in the area, a lot of people lost everything that they've had for forever. Anytime there's some kind of catastrophe like that, it definitely is a reality check. 5 Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) reacts after a double play ending the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Q: Tyler Skaggs' overdose death in 2019. A: We worked out together from the time that I got into pro ball to probably the first five or six years of my career. I would work out with a big group of guys in Malibu. And just getting to know him over the years, he was a left-handed pitcher from Los Angeles that made it to the big leagues and was someone to have to be able to look up to. He was someone that was always really great to me and always really nice to me and my family, and someone that definitely meant a lot to me in my career. Q: Describe winning the final game of the 2021 World Series. A: I was exhausted. I just knew that at that point it's a long year. The first year after COVID, it was back to 162 [games] and the playoffs. I had thrown, including playoffs, right around 200 innings, which I hadn't done before. I was just mentally and physically exhausted. That last game I gave everything that I possibly could and I had nothing left. I was elated and so happy, it was great. But I definitely remember celebrating that night, I was trying my hardest to try to stay up. I just wanted to go bed and fall asleep and just kind of, like, decompress a little. Q: Were you part of the dog pile? A: Oh, I ran out there, I did the whole thing. That was incredible, to be able to share that with my [Braves] teammates, and all the hard work that we put in, 'cause it was a long year of ups and downs. We were .500 for a lot of the year, had a great second half. Those guys are people that I'll be in contact with and have something to talk about and share for the rest of our lives. It was an awesome experience. 5 Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates with teammates after their 7-0 victory against the Houston Astros in Game Six to win the 2021 World Series at Minute Maid Park on November 02, 2021 in Houston. Getty Images Q: Which was better, winning a Gold Glove or a Silver Slugger? A: I'll probably say Silver Slugger 'cause hitting was probably one of my favorite things to do. I still get to field, so it's a little bit of uncertainty with the whole hitting situation with it being potentially the last year. It was nice to be able to get one. Q: Your father idolized Sandy Koufax. Have you watched old clips of him? A: Yeah, the ones that I can get a hold of. Q: What do you think when you watch him? A: Electric. Him being able to throw as much as he did, as often as he did, and complete games, and blow hitters away. The kinds of games that he had, on the stage that he did and the World Series and all that kind of stuff, and to be able to do it with two pitches, it's extremely impressive. Q: Three dinner guests? A: Two of my grandparents that passed away, one was before I was born, and the other one was while I was younger; Albert Einstein. 5 Yankees pitcher Max Fried (C) is congratulated by his teammates in his team's dugout after being taken out of the ball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Q: Favorite baseball movie? A: 'For Love of the Game.' Q: Favorite actor? A: Matthew McConaughey. Q:.Favorite entertainer? A: J. Cole. Q: Favorite meal? A: Sushi. Q: Have you gotten a sense for how New York embraces winners by watching the Knicks? A: You can definitely see the enthusiasm and the excitement for the Knicks is real. I grew up a Laker fan in Los Angeles watching Kobe [Bryant] a lot, and winning in general excites a city. In New York, the fans are extremely passionate, and they want and expect winning. The Yankees have been able to do that for a while pretty consistently, and I just want to do my part. Q: Have you adapted well to New York? Do you enjoy pitching in this market? A: Yeah … golly, back to the other point, it's the same game. It's 60 feet, 6 inches between us, and we're competing. You know that it's important and every game matters 'cause of kind of the market and everything that comes all with, but that's kind of the way that I treated every game when I was with the Braves, too. I was up and down kind of to the point earlier of not sure if I was really gonna make it, and it was every single time I took the ball I wasn't sure if I was gonna get sent down after the game. So since I can remember pitching in the big leagues, I've always pitched with the mentality of, 'This might be my last time, so I've gotta make sure that I focus on this game only, and we'll figure out what happens in five days.'
New York Post
03-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Griffin Canning reveals how one book helped him rebound to become emerging Mets starter
Mets pitcher Griffin Canning takes aim at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: The book 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle has impacted you. A: I read it in 2023. I wish I could go back and read it for the first time, but I think I'm realizing so much of things are just circumstantial. For whatever reason, at the time in my life when I read it, I was injured (back) and had more free time than I had ever had before in my life. I was 25, 26 years old, still trying to figure out who I was. I grew up Catholic, but kind of got away from religion, I guess, and kind of went down the spiritual path. It felt like every single word I read just kind of resonated with me. That's kind of what he writes in the book is like, 'Nothing I'm writing is nothing that you don't already know within you.' Q: What resonated with you specifically? A: It's being in the present moment. Every day that I would pitch, I would read a chapter of the book, and just kind of pick out some passages that resonated with me, and they're more like 'I am' statements. I'd be like: I am present in the moment, focused on the task at hand. I felt like it kind of took some pressure off myself. Got me in the best head space I've ever been in in my life, on the field and off the field. Your mind is such a powerful tool that you have, but I don't think people realize how lost in thought continuously we are. You have this inner dialogue going on in your head, and it can be pretty detrimental to people. So I think it was about just kind of recognizing when you're lost in thought. It talks about as soon as you recognize that you're like thinking, and you come into the present moment. 9 This book has had effected Griffin Canning's life. Q: You picked up that book because of what you were going through with your back? A: I was hurt and not playing baseball for the first time in a long time. I want to be known as a baseball player, that's my identity to a certain degree, but I kind of learned you got to have some hobbies and be able to get away from the field. I think it's easier for us to go home and just only think about baseball, only think about your mechanics because all you want to do is get better. A lot of times once you get out of your own way, things usually start to work out for the better. Q: So when you got healthy again, your headspace was much better on the mound? A: I made it a point when I came back in '23 that I was going to enjoy myself and have fun: I'm playing in the big leagues, my lifelong dream, so why not enjoy it instead of putting all this pressure on myself? I started judging myself on the outings like of how present I was … you think about anybody in any field, when they're at their best you're in this, like, flow state where you're really not thinking about anything, like, you're so deeply involved in the task at hand, and it's like the best feeling in the world. So everything I would do kind of was centered around trying to get into that zone. I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot right now, too, where I'll finish an outing and it's like the last however many hours I don't even remember. You're so focused on the task at hand that it's like time isn't really a thing to you anymore. Being in that state of mind, especially pitching, is one of the better feelings. 9 Griffin Canning has been a pleasant surprise for the Mets. Robert Sabo for NY Post Q: So you're past putting pressure on yourself now. A: I try to, yeah. All we want to do is feel like we're getting better. Sometimes you're your harshest critic for no real reason, so yeah, try and have fun and enjoy myself. Q: You still pick up the book every so often? A: I do, yeah. Q: But you've already learned all those lessons from the book, so you don't need to read it again, right? A: You still fall into those ruts where you might be overanalyzing or stuck in your own head, so every once in a while it's good to get back into it. Q: Have you told any of your teammates about the book? A: I told a couple of guys, yeah. Q: How has it made a difference away from the mound? A: Just not taking myself so seriously. A lot of the stuff that you can drum up in your own mind usually isn't true. People are usually more worried about themselves than other people. It's trying to notice things you don't normally notice when you're walking outside, or focus on your breathing, or little things like that. In the book, he talks about we become like knowers and namers. Like we walk by a tree, you're like, 'Oh yeah, it's just a tree' instead of like looking at the tree and noticing the different colors or the textures and stuff like that. When you see little kids, they're so enamored by everything around them, and I think that's kind of how we're supposed to be, and then you get older, and you kind of lose that side of you. Q: Are you a knower or a namer? A: I don't want to be either. I think you want to be like a noticer, or an experiencer. Q: What is the biggest obstacle you had to overcome? A: The injury, I guess, but so much good came out of it, it's hard to look at it as a bad thing. I feel like life is trying to teach us lessons, and you're going to keep going through the lesson until you learn it. For whatever reason, I had to get hurt for me to maybe go down this other path and kind of learn some stuff about myself a little bit more on and off the field. I feel like I came out of it stronger. Q: What was the lesson you learned? A: I think it goes back to not taking myself too seriously. Just kind of understanding the things that make my mind and my body feel good, allow me to get out of my own way and enjoy myself. Q: What was the low point, and did you think your career might be over? A: I missed half of '21 and all of '22. No, I didn't feel like it was going to be over. I had dealt with a stress fracture before in college my freshman year, so I kind of knew that my body would heal. There was for sure doubt. I think it kind of just left a sour taste in my mouth the way I was pitching in 2021 — just pitching hurt, just not getting great results, wasn't very fun. It was hard to get away from baseball, but at the same time I had a summer off in Newport Beach [Calif.]. I was going to the beach every single day. … I don't think I had really too low of a point. Q: Why did you like Orel Hershiser so much? A: (Laugh) When I got to UCLA, my coach [John Savage] kind of compared me to him, like being a bulldog on the mound, so I started wearing No. 55 in college. I started watching him more. I enjoy listening to him when he does the Dodger games. I feel like you always kind of gravitate towards guys that look similar to you. He was a thinner guy, athletic on the mound. 9 Canning during an April 2025 start for the Mets. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Q: Your mound mentality: Are you a bulldog? A: Yeah, I'd like to think so, but I'm pretty even-keeled. I had a coach when I was younger … you're playing in a tournament, you walk up, there might be like four fields all around so there's games going on, and he said, 'If somebody walks up and they see you out on the field, they should never know if you're 4-for-4 or 0-for-4.' So that was always something I kind of took to heart, not getting too high, not getting too low. But over the last couple of years, I've definitely gone down kind of this more holistic like Zen more approach. Just trying to be in the moment, and embrace it and enjoy it. Q: If Orel Hershiser was watching you pitch, would he say, 'That guy reminds me of me?' A: Yeah, I like to say I'm attacking the zone, I'm throwing strikes, I'm throwing four pitches for strikes. I think when I get in those scenarios where there's some runners on and stuff like that, your adrenaline kind of kicks up, and that's when the bulldog would turn on, I guess. Q: So you're an even-keeled bulldog. A: (Laugh) Yeah. Q: What drives you? A: I think trying to reach my full potential without really ever knowing what it is. I don't know how good I can be, so I think it's always just wanting to improve and be the best version of myself. Q: How good do you think you can be? A: (Laugh) I think it can be really good. I think it's more of a process mindset, try and take it one day at a time and not being in the past or the future, just kind of trying to live in the present moment. Q: Where is your confidence level? A: It's pretty good. It's weird as baseball players how superstitious a lot of guys are. It's stupid, but sometimes you don't want to say things out loud because you're worried it'll, like, jinx it a little bit, I feel like I know myself pretty well, and I know kind of what my blueprint is when I want to go out there and pitch, and then kind of know when I need to deviate from my plan. Q: Give me a scouting report on you. A: I'm an athletic strike-thrower, even though I've been walking a lot of people (smile). I'm going to throw four, five, six pitches for strikes. I kind of really just pride myself on being a pitcher and being a baseball player and just being able to understand the rhythm of the game, and trust my instincts and trust my intuition on what pitch I need to throw … competitive and field my position well. Q: Do you think you've surprised people here? When you came here, nobody knew what to expect. A: I think it's easy to look at the season last year that I had and just not expect much … you're just going to have a year where things don't really go your way. … Obviously I'm really grateful that the Mets saw something that I know I can be and just kind of let me prove it, and obviously to have the help of the pitching coaches and the medical staff and some of the other guys on the staff, it's been a lot of fun. 9 Griffin Canning during his time with the Angels. AP Q: Have you surprised yourself? A: I don't think so. I think the hardest thing in this game is just being consistent. So I think right now I'm just finding a little bit of consistency and want to keep it rolling. Q: What is it like pitching on the big New York stage? A: Pitching here has been a lot of fun. The fans … two strikes, two outs in an inning, and they get up and they start cheering. Yeah, you can definitely feed off that type of energy. Just the general buzz in the stadium is a lot of fun to be out there on the mound, it kind of keeps you going, and kind of sustains some energy. Q: In 25 words or less: Juan Soto. A: I think he's supremely confident in who he is as a baseball player … trusts himself, knows what works for him … really, really, really, really good hitter. Q: Francisco Lindor. A: Awesome leader. … After every win, he goes around and gives everybody like a little high-five and a hug. Him and Pete [Alonso] are two of the better leaders in the clubhouse that I've seen. Q: Alonso. A: He's really funny. He's a jokester, but super prepared in his day-to-day routine and kind of knows what he's trying to do. I really respect how he judges his at-bats. He's not looking at results as much as did he execute his approach? Q: Brandon Nimmo. A: Nimmo's probably the nicest guy on the team … super-genuine, cares about everybody. Q: Kodai Senga. A: Knows his body really, really well. He's a jokester, too. Knows himself really well, knows what makes him good and how to get the most out of himself. Q: Carlos Mendoza. A: Mendy's awesome. Really takes the time to go up to each guy every day, wants to know how you're doing, talking to guys in between innings, see how you're feeling … just a really good leader. Q: Jeremy Hefner. A: Hef is a little sarcastic, like a dry sense of humor, but he puts confidence in us, really genuine and he knows what he's doing. Q: Luis Torrens. A: I've gotten along with Luis really well. I just happened to throw to him a lot during spring, and then unfortunately once Alvy [Francisco Alvarez] went down, I was throwing to him a lot. I think we just built a relationship really quickly where we kind of go out there and we're competing together and trust each other. 9 Griffin Canning and Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Q: Steve Cohen. A: I think it's awesome that we have an owner that's a fan of the team. Q: Tell me about your godmother's grandson. A: Yeah, Jeffrey Hayak. I'm super-close with my godmother [Diana)]. Her grandson passed away when he was about 8 or 9. We were pretty close in age. I started writing his initials [JRH] on every mound in every start. When I was younger, I went to Cooperstown and played in a tournament out there, and she had always kind of referenced monarch butterflies, whenever she would see a monarch butterfly she kind of attributed it to being Jeffrey. We started seeing butterflies all over the place, we'd be playing at like 9 o'clock at night, a butterfly would fly through our dugout or something. His family lives in Baltimore, so last year when we went to Baltimore, they built a field for him, like a Little League field, so I got to go see it and hang out with them and take some pictures with them there. Super-special for my godmother to have that connection between me and him. I'm still talking to his family frequently. Cool thing to take him around with me on every mound. Q: What did you tell your mom when she went through her breast cancer ordeal last spring? A: I think you see people get diagnosed with cancer or some other illness, and they kind of like take it on as their identity, and I feel like that kind of sends people on a downhill spiral, so I told her just to not let it become her identity, it was just something that popped up and she just had to deal with, and luckily she's doing great now. Q: Were you frightened? A: Yeah, I think it caught us all off guard. Once my mom was diagnosed, she started talking to some other friends, and then like friends of friends had it and stuff like that. Yeah, a little shocking and scary for sure. Q: You won a Gold Glove in 2020. A: I really pride myself on fielding my position well. I played a position (shortstop, second base, center field, third base) all through high school and then once I got to college I was just a pitcher. Just always loved taking ground balls. 9 Canning during his first start of the season in Houston. AP Q: How did your fascination with Derek Jeter begin? Your mother tells me you were asked to do a book report on a famous person and you picked him. A: I think everyone my age when you're younger, you just kind of liked Derek Jeter, like he was just the guy. The way he carried himself on and off the field, never saw something happen with him off the field, he was always kind of private, kept to himself … the way he talked to the media … he was just a pro. Q: Why aren't you on Twitter? A: I deleted all my social media when I signed with the Mets. … Just easier to not have it. Luckily I've been throwing well so far (smile), but the fans are passionate here, you see stuff, it's easier just to not see it. Q: Describe sock baseball in the living room with your older brother Spencer. A: We would roll up a couple of socks so it was like a ball, and then we'd kind of stand by the front door and we had this credenza-type thing that had two little cabinets that was kind of like the strike zone. Then we had one of those little tiny wood bats that you see. Q: Did you do any damage? A: Probably, as much as a sock can do. But I'm sure we knocked down some lamps. Q: You and your brother would practice batting stances. A: Like Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, Ken Griffey Jr., those are the stances that stood out for sure. 9 Canning pitching against the Blue Jays. Getty Images Q: Your went to a World Series game because your family had Angels season tickets in 2002. A: I remember the red sticks that we used to hit together against the Giants. My mom's aunt was a big Giants fan. I remember the atmosphere and standing on the seats and watching the game and just how electric it was. Q: Favorite players? A: My favorite players back then were Francisco Rodriguez and David Eckstein. Q: What about Zack Greinke? A: That was as I got a little bit older. Q: As a high school senior, winning the 2014 CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) division championship at Dodger Stadium was an emotional moment for you. A: Those were my best friends. I think it was kind of just a culmination of high school knowing it was the last time playing together. Q: What was it like losing to San Diego State to be eliminated from the 2017 NCAA Tournament as a junior? A: I kind of knew that I was probably going to get drafted and that would be my last game at UCLA. Some of my best friends that I'm going to have for the rest of my life, and probably even more so than high school, just the amount of hours that you're putting in together and working to win a national championship. It sucks to finish on a losing note like that. Tears of sadness, but tears of joy too, just really grateful and thankful for my time there. 9 Canning and Pete Alonso. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Q: Three dinner guests? A: Albert Einstein, Socrates, Abraham Lincoln. Q: Favorite movie? A: 'Pulp Fiction.' Q: Favorite actor? A: John Travolta. Q: Favorite actress. A: Alexandra Daddario Q: Favorite entertainer? A: Tom Misch. Q: Favorite meal? A: Filet mignon, baked potato, broccoli. Q: You've wanted to be a professional baseball player since kindergarten. A: I think stuff like that's pretty powerful. I've read some stuff too, like your DNA can like alter … if I want to be a basketball player, I don't just have to randomly get lucky that I can jump high. If you're a little kid and you want to be really good at basketball, your body just kind of like adapts, and you start turning into this guy that can jump high and do all these things. I never had a backup plan, I always just wanted to be a baseball player, I honestly never once thought about doing anything else. 9 Canning has helped the Mets' staff to a great start. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Q: Why is this such a fun team to be on? A: Nobody's playing for themselves. Everyone just wants to win and is doing whatever it takes. Every guy's pulling for each other. Guys like Sean [Manaea] and Pete keep things light, and we're able to joke around and have fun and not take ourselves too seriously. Q: Have you dreamed about winning a World Series? A: Yeah, I think we all do. My mom always tell me, she's visualized me pitching in the World Series. I think coming over here and being with this team, it feels like a definite possibility. I think we have the right guys and the right camaraderie.
