 Well, again, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Yes, We're Here. I'm Jack Curry, and today I'm joined by Louis Soho, who owns five World Series rings. That's right, five. Four of them with the Yankees. He is a savvy baseball man. He's also as friendly a player as you would ever encounter when you were doing interviews. And Louis, as I welcome you into the show, first and foremost, how were you and your family doing during these challenging times? First of all, thank you for having me. Hey, my family, we do great. Thank God, you know, in this difficult time, we kind of a little crazy because we want to go out, we got to do things and stuff like that. But the most important thing is to stay safe. So you played 13 years in the major leagues, 848 games played. But let's go back to what I said at the top. You've got five World Series rings. 93 Blue Jays, and then, of course, four with the 96 to 2000 Yankees. How fortunate do you feel that you were connected to those teams and that while you were a contributor, you were also in the right place at the right time with some great players? Yeah, you're right. I mean, like you say, I'm very fortunate, you know, to have those rings because in 93, even that I had the ring, I was hurt the most part of the year. I have a ribcage, a poor muscle for most like two months at the end of the season. So I wasn't able to participate with the team. So I went home. I went home. I was very sad and I told my wife, wow, man, you know, 90, I got trade after the season. I got trade to the Angels. I was three years there and I thought I want to be there for a long time. And then I trade me back to the days. And then things went like very strange. So I say, you know what, I don't know what if I still can play this game because, um, and then I went to, I went to the Seattle Mariners when we play you guys, or our guys, 95. And I thought I was okay. Now I'm going to be set. I'm okay. And then I was Rodriguez up here in 96. So it's time for me to go and, you know, they put me on waivers at the end of the season in 96. So the Yankees picked me up and as soon as I get to New York, I say, wow, this is kind of different. I mean, by the way people was talking, you know, just, just to see people talking about the Yankees was all about winning, you know, you used to put the pink stripes and then in every, every way that you go to the stadium, you see Ray Jackson and I feel we should all, and you see the yogi bear, all those guys, and you said, hold on, man, hold on. I remember when I was a kid, I used to watch this guy, you know. So like you say, I'm very fortunate to, especially to play with all the group of guys that I played with or something very amazing. So they pick you up, as you said, off waivers late August 96, they needed somebody to back up your buddy Jeter. Jeter was going to play most of the time, but they wanted to give him a couple of days off. So you're saying that when you walked on to that 96 Yankee team, the focus was winning. And you had to jump on board, Louis, because they're thinking postseason World Series and you're being added to that moving train, so to speak. Right, right. You know, when you get there, especially in the season, you don't know nobody. You know, because you play against those guys a year back. But I played with Jeter, I played with Tino Martinez and in Seattle, and they were there already. So they welcomed me and they said, man, we need people like you, you know, because I always joking around talking to people and you start to feel in right away, you know, and that's what I did. And I remember the thing that really set the tone for me was when I talked to Posada and we're talking about Jeter, you know, he's first year as a full-time shortstop. He got little trouble, turned over place and stuff like that. And Posada come to me and say, man, let's help him, let's help him out. And I used to love that, I used to love that because when I was in Seattle, you know, A-roll was like 18 years old. So me and Phyllis and me, we think he always asked questions. So I told Posada, you know what man, last year, I was at the end of the season, I was the every nation stuff. So I don't know how she's going to take that. I'm talking about Jeter. So he said, don't worry about it, I take care, I take care. So I was the kind of guy that I never liked to get to the ballpark that early, like one 30 or I always get like three 30 before this stress and stuff like that. So Posada talked to Jeter and that was a big mistake on my part, like because I have to be on the ballpark like a one 30 every single day for a month. But the funny part about this is like, OK, we work and he got a lot better, you know, in terms of turn double play. He used to like to leap over the approaching runner, the sliding runner. And what he told me was you said, that's going to take a lot of wear and tear on your body. You can use the base to sort of push off the base and not have to always leap over the runner. Was that one of the things you taught him? That's exactly because he cannot swipe his foot. He said he don't feel comfortable doing it. So, OK, OK, I say, just receive the ball and push yourself. And then he was, you know, because he had the ability to turn double play, no matter what, because before, you don't have to touch the ball, you just got it. You know, in the old part already called out. So he used to go towards the running. I say, you were very young right now and you can get away with it. But when you get older, you're going to have problems. So we got to fix that right right now. So push yourself and he clicked right away. He clicked right away. Thank God, because I'm going to be in the ballpark one story every day. Louis, when you look back at those Yankee teams that won from 96 to 2000, four World Series titles in five years, there is only 11 players who have a ring from every year. And I think you would be the great answer to a trivia question because everybody would say, OK, the core four, Bernie, probably Cohn, probably O'Neill, you're one of those 11 players. How much pride do you feel in knowing that you are such a big part of that legacy? Well, I mean, I got to call myself like the 11 court, right? And that's that's special. That's special because all those guys that you mentioned, Andy, Mariano, Jaden, Rosada, and when you got Bernie and Paul O'Neill in that group, it's like, wow, I mean, I play with these great players. And not just that, they were a great teammate because we were so young and the chemistry of the team leading by Joe Torre. That was I mean, that was something like I was in heaven, you know, because in my career, I was all over the place. Blue Jays, Anaheim, Seattle, back to the Blue Jays. And then when I get to the Yankees, I say, wow, this is what I want to be, you know? And it's got a lot to do with my teammates, coaches, staff. And and I always mention Dan Seaman. Dan Seaman, really, he really pushed me. He really helped me out. And he wasn't one of the persons that say, Louis, when you understand who's what's your role and what you can bring for this team. And when you understand that, you want to be here a long time. And I, you know, I spent seven years there and I believe I did my job. Louis, I'm going to ask you to go back in history with me. October 26, 2000, ninth inning, a couple of guys on base. Outlighters on the mound, Louis Soho's at the plate. Game five of the World Series. What happened next? Well, I can say this because we're alive. And now, but I remember one time that I remember, you know, first of all, trying to do that, I'm going to be my bad is going to be the game winning. That was like in the fourth inning. I say, you're going to hold on to this bad because I want to win the game. This bad, right? So I do give you that look like you must be crazy. When I stepped on the on the circle, I had another bad. So I remember, no, that's not the bad. So I throw it to him and do give me the back. So he threw it to me and he went to the clubhouse. He went to the clubhouse, right? So I walked to the play and then he comes Bobby Valentine. So to our light it, whether he's going to make a move or not. John Franco, so, so leave my silly. When he was the first main coach, he comes to me. No, he walked to him play and he yell at me like, no, you should take the first pitch, be aggressive. He's going to throw you faster than that in the middle. You know, I wasn't one of the players that I had. It was hard for me to swing the first pitch. But it's a lot of, a lot of, a lot of emotions in my mind because my I lost my dad like a year ago. So that we was kind of, I was kind of, I don't know. I don't know how to feel. I'm sad. You know, I was sad. I was happy because I was in the World Series. So when the machine comes to me and start laughing, I say, OK, it makes sense. I'm going to jump in these things because you knew I like to start throw the party inside. That's going to be in and in and in. So I knew it's come way inside. I'm not going to have a chance. So I did that on my way to first base, second base. I was kind of crying because I was thinking about my dad. But when I got, when I got to a third base and Willie, Willie hit me at the home and I don't know. So I start looking at my family and I start smiling. And that was definitely my whole life. I mean, we're still talking about that, the family and the fans. Every time they see me, like, that's a good moment. That was outlighters. One hundred and forty second pitch. He actually did an interview with Yes, about that game recently, and he talked about out that that baseball had eyes. You put it in play and I think it bounced four times. Louis, you've already made it into center field, but it found the hole, which is all you were trying to do. You know what the first time I saw after after the World Series, like three or four years ago, whatever, and, you know, he's funny doing. I love him. He goes, man, I make you famous. I say you did. You did. Louis, when you look back at your career, you come to Old Timers Day in 2003, play in the Old Timers game. And then later in the season, you resign with the Yankees and you're back being a regular player without even looking. I don't think anybody in baseball history has ever done that. What compelled you to do that? How did that all work out? What do you remember about that? That whole season? So when you got hurt, I think it was laid in their eyes. I don't know. Before the playoffs, he got hurt. And then they called me at the office and I said, how you doing? I said, before they call me, I said, well, when I do run, did I do something wrong? I scratch my head because your children catch me at the office, but what the hell is going on? So I get in, he goes, what do you think? You got hurt, but we don't have nobody ready. And the minor leagues right now, we're not going to get somebody from another team. But we see you taking ground ball and you're looking very good. You're sticking. I said, they play with me. They joking around something, scammed around me. So I say, hey, you know me, you know, I'm not going to say no, you need me and be available. And to be honest, when you jogged, when that happened and I realized I'm in there, 25 roster, I'm a big league. It wants to gain. I was so scared. I was so scared. She's like, when I took that at that, she cheated for Giambi, I feel like it was my first big league at that. And that's what I turned down. And and then in the doublehead of your tour, it gave me like, give me the second game against 40 more and I went off for four. And OK, I think it's time for me to retire once again. Louis, last question. If we had to come up with a title for the Louis Soho baseball story, I know, first of all, the picture is going to be you after the hit against Leiter, because that's the big smile. But what would be the headline? What would be the title of the Louis Soho baseball story? I'm the man. Why? Why not the man? Because you were ready for whatever they threw at you. Right. Because you need me. I'm going to be there for you. So I'm the man, you know, like, I always was ready for that. And I want to show my my managers, my coaches, that I want to be part of the team, not just another guy on the bench. I want to be part of the team. And and I think I show that to my managers, like every time they put it when you realize and say, you know what? You got that's your job. Prepare for that. And in your story, he was the best on do that. He told you, you know what? One time he told me, Nate, when we get scab brochures before, I don't know, but the last question, but I got it, baby. When we got scab brochures, right? They call me at the office. For some reason, Joe used to call me at the office. And I was like, God, what now what? And then he said, hey, in April, you got to find a way to stay ready. Because Dino played 140 games. Nabila, we got Nabila, he played 140 games. GD played 152 games. And we got these guys, scab brochures, which I have to see what he can do. So in April, you're not going to play. I'll say, what? You're not going to play? I never played, but in April. So my first about, did I remember that there was an April 20th Sunday. I almost killed myself. But you got to realize that you got to be ready for your job. You got to understand what you're on, and that's what I did with the Yankee. Well, Louis, I want to thank you for being the man for us today. It's always a pleasure to talk to you. You were always a welcome person in the clubhouse. You welcomed reporters over to your locker, and you were candid and honest with us, which I always appreciate. So all the best to you and your family, and I hope I see you at a ballpark soon. Thank you, guys. It was nice to talk to you, and stay safe.