 Yankee first baseman Luke Boyd. Luke, welcome in. I love it. Thank you guys. A lot more of that this year. Yeah. Alright, so you had just like, almost like a Joe Hardy damn Yankee sort of season, you know, you come here not much as expected at least from fans. They don't know Luke Boyd and you just start to rake and you never stopped. So tell us why it's going to continue. You know, last year was one of those opportunities. You know, I made the big leagues a couple years ago and, you know, with the Cardinals, I was stuck behind Matt Carpenter and, you know, I never really got a chance and, you know, throughout my minor career of, you know, I won a batting title and, you know, I had great success, you know, in the minor leagues hitting and I just never got an opportunity and, you know, making the big leagues is one thing, but, you know, sticking in the big leagues is another thing and, you know, finally getting an opportunity with New York. I just couldn't get that consistent at bats with St. Louis and it was frustrating and, you know, it's hard and you ask any guy that's a utility guy, you know, that has that role. It's, you know, tough and, you know, for that guy that's coming in, pitch hitting in the sixth, seventh, eighth inning or playing every third or fourth day, it's, you know, hard to get in rhythm and, you know, every baseball player, you know, can appease to that. But, you know, I just ran with it, man. I became myself, you know, I kind of got stuck the first time I was up. I, you know, I tried to show New York who Luke Boyd was and that didn't work out very well and I think I, you know, got out of my shoes a little bit but, you know, I just went back, stayed with it myself, you know, tried to build some confidence, you know, go bat, bat or bat at bat by a bat instead of, you know, trying to hit a, you know, ball, you know, out of the stadium. And it also looked, currently, if I'm wrong, that you were having a blast. Oh yeah. And that's the big thing too. And that was what's great about what New York, you know, brought to me and in the clubhouse with, you know, all the guys that they brought me in. And, you know, at first, I, you know, I was a little intimidated, you know, you know, we got MVP's, you know, side young winners, all-stars, you know, all the stuff in the clubhouse. And I was like, man, I gotta, these guys have no idea who I am. And, you know, I wanted to make an impression and I was, you know, kind of the wrong route. But, you know, honestly, after two weeks, I felt like I'd been there for eight years. Like, it was crazy how awesome that clubhouse is and it shows the success, you know, the Yankees organization's had. And, you know, I was just like, you know what, be yourself, all these guys who accept you, whoever you are. And, you know, I kind of just did what I did in the minor leagues and, you know, had fun. So, it seems like it's an ongoing audition that just constantly proved everybody. Is that audition continuing to this year, especially when you, you know, you hear rumors they're looking for a first baseman, converting this guy to a first baseman. So, does it continue in 2019? In my opinion, no. I mean, last year I was, you know, fighting for a spot to make the team and not saying I'm not doing that this year, but I actually think I have a chance to, you know, prove to the world that I can play first base and, you know, play first base for the New York Yankees. And, you know, I know Greg's going to be competing his butt off too. And, you know, I expect him to. And that's what makes this game great is that we're going to go in there competing and, you know, I guess the best man wins. It seems like, though, from what, you know, Boona said and Cashman, Voight's going in as the first base. It's going to be a battle. So, it seems like it's your job to lose. Do you feel that you have to put up some numbers in spring training? And that's where it's difficult for a young player. Better can just work on things. But you might have to put up some numbers. Yeah. I mean, and I was listening to MLB Network One Day in Calrubkin, and not Junior. His brother was talking about how he never, you know, had a starting job. And he's like, yeah, I had to amp up my offseason every year because I had to show up day one, like, you know, ready to hit, you know, a 93 mile an hour fastball or whatever. And now it's like 99. But yeah, I'm going to show up ready to go. And, you know, I'm ready to compete. And, you know, that's how I kind of take every offseason. I want to show up in shape. You know, I lost some weight. I want to be a better athlete. I want to, you know, be really good defensively. And, you know, prove the world wrong. And I can, you know, sustain the position. And now you have some responsibility, Luke. You're not just playing for Luke and, you know, to get a nice car. You got married this offseason. I did. And yeah, thank you. Congrats. Yeah. And actually, my wife, she was a fifth grade teacher, and she's actually resigning next week. So that's even more pressure. More pressure. Oh, yeah. Um, I never even told you guys this. You made me feel terrible about myself because that's our job. No, yeah, you guys used to. So during the I've lost some weight and I get on the life cycle. I'm doing 35 minutes and then 35 on the elliptical. I feel really good about myself. I go to Twitter and I see you're like lifting small trucks. I mean, how do you do that? I mean, do you do those workouts every day like that? Yeah, five days a week. I'm trying to hit more home runs, man. I'm trying to. What are you trying to do, Michael? I don't know what I want to live. That's right. So just trying to announce them without passing out. There you go. So what is your regimen? How serious is it? Oh, it's unbelievable. You talking to me? Yeah. I know his regiments. Watch TV. You go like this. I see no, that does. What do you do, though? I got a split. I do upper lower cardio, upper lower. And that's Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. And I mean, it's 2 and 1 half, three hours in the weight room. And that goes, you know, the first two months from October, November, into December, I'll really hit. And then after that, I'll start doing more, you know, baseball activities and stuff. But, you know, before I lift, I do a bunch of speed stuff. And I'm doing, you know, I'm jumping everything. I'm trying to be the best athlete I can be and sustain it. And I think that helps a lot with me being injury free and keep my muscles in tech for 162 games. And a lot of guys in baseball don't like working out. I think a lot of the old-school guys don't like working out. But I think it's a huge part of me and keep me healthy and keep my pound numbers consistent throughout the season. No, what's the most weight that you lift? What kind of exercise are we talking about? All right, just bench pressing. Dumbbells or like? Can you lift Peter over your head? I can lift Peter over my head. We did not. Let's see. Who would like to see that? No, no, no, no. We didn't get some money going on. Like Vegas show. No, the reason I wouldn't let you do it, I'll tell you right now. Because one hand's going on my face, and I don't want to know where the other hand's going. Because that's why I'm not letting you do it. Just close your eyes, everybody. Now, the old days in baseball, Luke, I'm sure you've heard these stories. You don't want to get too muscular because you need to be fluid, but you seem like you're combating that with the speed exercises as well, right? Yeah, and I'm being more flexible, too. I mean, I'm sustaining. I'm not getting too tight to where I can't hit an inside fastball, or I can't, I mean, you guys have seen me do the splits, so I can do the splits at first base. But I try to maintain everything and keep my body nice and loose and fluid throughout the whole season. I mean, it's something I take my pride in, and I'll always be there every day at a certain time trying to make my body as tip-top shape as I can. Every guy wants a team to win. Every player we spoke to, Steve Pierce, or your teammates, that's the job one is to win. But do you have personal goals in your head? I want to hit X amount of home runs. I want to drive in this many runs. Number 28, that's what I want. 28, 28 championships. 28 championships. Doesn't matter how it comes. Doesn't matter how it comes. You know the room well, too. That's what they want. Now, I look at Yankee Stadium, and I look at you and your swing, and I say that's kind of made for each other. When you saw Yankee Stadium, did you say, yeah? You know what's inside this, too, is DJ LaMayhew. Yes, yeah. I think that's going to be you. Yeah, he's going to have more home runs than he's ever hit. I think so, too. I agree. So, I mean, does that ballpark make you happy when you walk in? All right. Well, when you're hitting in a group with Stanton, Gary and Judge, maybe not so much, but I try to do my best. But it's always, I've always been a middle guy, and I always try to say inside the baseball, to right center, right field. And that stadium plays into my approach, which is huge for me. And I think that kind of, you should have a lot less. How surprising is it for you as a player to still see Harper and Machado out there? That sucks, man. I'm frustrated for them, even though I know they're probably asking for a lot of money. But at the end of the day, they deserve it after their first six, seven years of playing, and not getting paid a lot. But I mean, I hope baseball doesn't go in that direction. It's going to go in the next two years, and hopefully nothing bad happens. But it's kind of depressing right now. And I mean, it's not even those guys. It's 100 other guys. That's insane. It's not fair. Marwan Gonzalez doesn't have a job. He's a really good player. Is he super utility guy? It's frustrating. And hopefully they sign. But I mean, even me trying to get an apartment in Tampa, I panic, I know I have a job, but I can't imagine them and trying to find a place in their families, not knowing where they're going to go and stuff, it's frustrating. And I mean, look at Neil Walker did. I'm sure he probably didn't want to sign to Miami, but that was probably the only offer he had. Right, rather than, because he joined late last year, and that set him back the first half of the year. Absolutely, so is there a solution to it? It seems like if you reach a certain age now and they don't want to give a certain length of contract. I just hope we, I mean, I don't know. There's not a strike. Yeah, right. And that's what I try is going to happen. It sucks. When you look at the success you had last year and you never really had the opportunity in St. Louis because somebody was blocking you, does some of the joy of success get taken away when you go, I could have done this before. They wasted three years of my career. Do you ever think like that? I could have been doing this. Yeah, I mean, that always goes to your mind. But then again, like they gave me the opportunity to make the big leagues. They drafted me. I was a senior sign. Did you grow up a fan of the Cardinals? 20, I mean, from St. Louis grew up 20 minutes from the stadium. So this sort of, it seems like a perfect dream. Yeah, and you know, so David Freese went to my high school. I got to see him do the whole thing, you know, win the World Series MVP. And, you know, Ryan Howard went to my high school too. And, you know, seeing those guys have a lot of success and then David do it with the Cardinals. And, you know, he's done it, you know, with, you know, multiple other clubs. And I wanted to do that. And then I ended up getting drafted by him. And then, you know, I kind of got stuck in the minor leagues and, you know, I kept hitting, kept hitting and finally got a chance. And then I got stuck in the big leagues. And it's just like, man, when am I going to get an opportunity? And then all of a sudden, I'm getting all my family and friends asking me for tickets all the time. And I'm like, I can't get 15 tickets. I haven't seen you since seventh grade, but yeah. You know, Paul O'Neill has always told me, Luke, that it was easier for him to play in New York than it was in his hometown of Cincinnati. Sometimes playing in your hometown is a bear. Did you find that? Yeah. And don't get me wrong, I mean, I loved it too. But it's hard, man. I mean, it was great because I got to go home every day. But at the end of the day, I mean, I thought New York was going to be a challenge. And it was the first couple of weeks. But then, you know, it was unbelievable. And you guys took me with open arms. And I really appreciate that. And Luke, chance are unbelievable. And I can't wait to hear him. Did you root against the Rams in the Super Bowl? Yeah. I did. You rooted against them. I can't stand Stan Kronigie. God, I guess. Yeah. You know, I don't blame you. I mean, they left it to me. I grew up with the greatest show on turf. I had Tori Holt, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Fock, Hurt Warner. Greatest. All those guys. It was unbelievable. And then you think you have it again? You get Todd Gurley? Yes. Aaron Donalds, Brockers, all these guys. And then, boom. See ya. LA. So have you picked a new football team? No. So I went to Missouri State. And so I have those people who are like Kansas City people. So I tried hopping on it. But I couldn't do these those myths. That was before my home started. But now my home makes it easy, then. I know. And then, of course, I decided not to do that. Now, did you have family that rooted for the St. Louis Cardinals, too, and had to go through this twice? Yeah, my grandfather, yeah. Yeah, he was a big, big, big red fan. So did you not, I mean, for the Super Bowl, were you rooting against them? Or you just didn't care? I had money on Tom Brady. How about that? Oh, why? Yeah. So you were active. You can't bet against Tom Brady. Absolutely. Do you marvel at what he does? I mean, for as long as he's done it? It's the TV 12 thing, whatever that is. I mean, I think we all need to go on that. We all need to deal with the devil. I'm on TV 12. We've heard that. I mean, it's a Boston guy, but six rings, man. I mean, he's got himself, he's got as much as any other franchise. I mean, it's amazing. It is simply amazing. And what him and Bill check do, even though it's kind of like a second cousin or something like that, because I was a Fram's fan in 2002 when they beat us and stuff. Right, that's where it all started. You got it kicked off. So that's what I'm saying. Yeah, it's kind of sucks, but it is. So you got Jets and Giants here. You're a New York guy now. Wants to be one of those 15. That's what I'm saying. You know? You were up for bid. I'm up for bid. Somebody can get you. Exactly. They didn't release. Four wins here, five wins there. No one really fought for you last year. That was not a good audition. I was more worried about my fantasy team. Well, congratulations on the marriage. Are you heading down to Tampa after the dinner tonight? I've actually been there last week, so. And you just flew up for that? I heard there's a lot of video floating around of you raking already in Tampa. I'm trying to keep raking. Keep going last year and next year. Good to see you. Congratulations on the marriage. I appreciate it, guys. All the best, guys. Congrats. That is a lot of joy. Thanks.