The Dodgers are in Pittsburgh, and we're joined right now by tomorrow's starter from
southern California, El Toro High School, Paul Skeins, who's pitching for the
Pirates now, A champion of the people, a champion of Orange County.
Thanks a lot for the time. Yeah, thank you for having me man
blown away being at P and C Park and seeing that stash in full glory
here. Yeah. No, it's a great place, and I'd like to
think of it as a good stash, So thank you. I know everybody
thinks of you as a national champion rightfully, so with LSU. But this
started, this journey started in southern California and specifically at El Toro High School.
I talked to your high school coach, Coach Gonzales, today, and
he kind of lets you know that you were too big to be a catcher.
How did that news go over? No, I mean I kept doing
it for a couple of years. Yeah. The nice thing is, you
know, for a long time, I didn't really have restrictions. He let
me catch. I didn't really have restrictions on what positions I could play,
so caught for a while. But obviously it's just pitching. Now. He
told me, back in your junior year, there was one playoff game where
he pitched seven scoreless and that seemed to be kind of the bridge to your
senior year. Did you feel that way too, Yeah, for sure,
because I hadn't started in my high school. I mean, I started on
the freshman team my freshman year, but after that I didn't start until that
game I was I was a closer that year, so yeah, I went
seven scoreless and then it kind of, you know, the riding was on
the wall that I should probably start the next year, and so that's kind
of where my focus went. I don't know if you want this out publicly,
but he told me that back at Eltora High School, the baseball team
would have a Halloween night and you dressed up as the coach from the Bad
News Bears. Where did that come from? No, we had a group
that was my senior year, and we had a group of probably four or
five other guys who were players from the movie, and so we just you
know, made it a whole charade, just run around, brought him.
Probably shouldn't say this publicly, but we brought a motorcycle and or like one
of those like little I don't even know, just one of the electric bikes
or something like that. And yeah, so it was it was a fun
game. Paul Skeens is our guest, as we get said, for first
pitch here in Pittsburgh at PNC Park. Paul's pitching tomorrow against the Dodgers.
Anything when you think about that, a lot of people back home will be
watching you face the Dodgers. Did you have any fandom of the Dodgers growing
up a little bit. I've been to one Dodgers game in my life and
it was at Dodgers Stadium and that was, you know, a surreal experience
with just to you know, watch a game there. So you know,
I paid attention to that. My my grandpa was more of a Dodgers fan
than I was, or my family was. But no, it's gonna be
cool. When you grew up as a high school player, you know,
you're you're pretty good. Was there anybody that you try to emulate or at
that point in time, are you just yourself a little bit? Just myself?
But definitely seeing Otani do it do what he was doing with the Angels,
because I was an Angels fan seeing him hit and pitch that kind of,
you know, gave me some some inspiration to be able to do that
at the next level. So just kept working, you know, did that
as long as I could. How good of a hitter was Paul Skans in
high school? I was good. I was. I was a better hitter
than I was a pitcher when I was in high school. But I mean
I didn't get drafted for a reason. Yeah. Yeah, Paul. Your
family has a background in the military, right, you went to Air Force
your first two years of college. How much did you see in your future
maybe being a fighter pilot for the Navy. That was the goal, you
know, since I was probably like a freshman or sophomore in high school.
I just wanted to fly and kind of saw baseball as a as an avenue
to do that, you know, as a way to get you know,
an education and that kind of thing. But my goal was was to fly.
Yeah, the Air Force Academy had Paul Skins for a couple of years.
Did you outgrow that too, Yeah, I agree fighters. I could
probably fight fly some other stuff, but I agrew fly fighters. When you
look back at just this journey, how have you been able to handle the
attention that you've gotten a seemingly every step of your baseball journey. Just staying
present, taking a day to day and doing the work that I need to
do to to go out there and compete, you know, making it simple
like that. It's has definitely helped you. Mentioned O Tani was kind of
your inspiration. He's very routine oriented. How much are you devoted to your
five day routine? Really devoted? That's something that I think the Air Force
Academy was really good for, not just for baseball, but you know with
life, just kind of instelling a routine and and everybody who goes there.
So yeah, that's that's that's a big part of of you know, how
I go about my business. You're way past being a fan. So how
much of the competitor inside of you is looking forward to facing Otani tomorrow night?
Yeah, I'm excited. It'll be fun. The Japanese media swarmed you.
What was that about. Yeah, I don't know, that was a
little bit of surprise. Thanks a lot for the time. Great meeting you
for the first time, and I can understand why everybody at El Toro High
School love Paul Scheme. So thanks a lot for the time. Yeah,
thank you very much,