 Paul O'Neill has had many titles in his career. He's been a five-time World Series champion, a batting champion, and all-star. George Steinbrenner called him the warrior. Well, now Paul O'Neill is a co-author because he and I collaborated on this book, Swing and a Hit, nine innings of what baseball taught me. And Paul, I asked you so many questions about hitting for this book, I'm gonna dive right back in and start with this. You talked so much about hitting line drives. Where was that approach born, and why was it so important to you? Well, I think it's an important thing in baseball and in any sport to know what is best for you. And you know, I had been preached my whole life that the line drive was the classic swing, the perfect swing by my father. And ever since Little League, every time I hit a line drive, I would hear my father say, you know, you can't hit it any better than that. So, you know, if you made your dad proud, then at that point that was good enough. That's the perfect remedy for anything, I agree. So, you're an Ohio kid, you debut with the Cincinnati Reds, and you get to play for and with Pete Rose. What kind of influence did he have on you as a hitter? You know, Jack, as we went through this book, I think you realize that every question you ask kind of brought back a lot of memories. And they're memories that you never forget. And you know, you remember your first hit, your first appearance at the plate. I remember growing up in Ohio in the mid-70s as part of the, you know, the fan base of the Big Red Machine. So, when I was called up to the Cincinnati Reds in 1985, Pete Rose is still the manager. A couple weeks before he breaks Ty Cobb's record, Tony Perez still on the team. Davey Concepcion, Ken Griffey Jr. So, these were guys that I idolized, you know, since my teenage years, and now I'm putting on the same uniform. So, it was an unbelievable experience for me and kind of a welcome to the major leagues. You win a World Series in Cincinnati under Lou Pinella. You eventually get traded to the Yankees. And Paul, we talk in the book, or you told me, about how when you first got that call, you were unsettled. Can you describe your emotions when you found out you were traded to the Yankees? Well, I think the first time you're traded, and you know, we kind of talked about this, it's kind of a demotion in your own mind that you know, hey, if I'm good enough, why would they want to trade me? And especially growing up in Ohio, basically playing for your hometown team and the unknown of going to New York. I mean, I had a brother there, I had a sister there, so I knew a little bit about New York. But as a player, all I knew was, you know, the grand hiatus to the bust to Shea Stadium playing in the National League. So, I didn't understand what it was like to be a home player in New York and the tradition that went along with playing with the Yankees. Paul, I covered your time with the Yankees and I watched the relationship between you and Don Mattingly, but you really took readers inside that relationship. What was that friendship and that hitting camaraderie like between you and Mattingly? Well, I have to smile every time Cap's name is brought up because, you know, he literally was really the first player that I met going into the locker room in my first spring training and it didn't take long before, you know, we became friends. I had only known the Yankees, what was going on. There was no interleague back there. So, you know, Don Mattingly was the face of the Yankees and one of the greatest hitters in the game at that time. So, you know, just to sit and talk with him about hitting, love to go down to the cage, you know, just beat balls forever with Don Mattingly. I mean, we went to dinner after games. We went to movies. I mean, we did all kinds of things until this day. I still have great thoughts about the time that I got to spend with him and, believe me, I know he's not listening so I could say this. The respect I have for him as a person and a player at that time, second to none. One of the things that was really important to you in this book was to talk about other hitters and the people who had influenced you and the people you watched. You mentioned face of the Yankees. A kid named Derek Jeter later became the face of the Yankees. What stood out about Jeter as you watched him evolve as a header? Well, immediately, you know, he's a call-up. And, you know, he's a touted prospect that's going to become a great player. And great players usually take a little bit of time. And Derek Jeter, the first spring training, you're wondering, you know, wow, where is all this praise coming from? But, you know what, it didn't take long. Opening day in 1996, phenomenal game. I remember he had been called up in 95, sitting on the bench in the playoffs, not active. But, you know, he learned. And it just, to me, it was like the perfect fit because I got to go to New York. We were starting to build a team to win. And then all of a sudden, these great young players within the system come up. And it just became the perfect storm for us to win championships. Paul, as we wrap this up, both Buckshaw Walter and Joe Tory, who I interviewed for the book, said, Paul O'Neill's hitting style, that would play today. He would be as successful today as he was in the past. How would you contrast your hitting style with the way you see many of the current hitters hit? Well, I mean, the game has changed. There's no doubt about it. Players are expected to do certain things. Obviously, home runs are a huge part of the game. They're so involved with launch angle and elevating the baseball. You know, whether that would have affected me today in today's games, it would have been frustrating to me because strikeouts were an embarrassment back then and really not now. But don't get me wrong. I mean, this is not a one shoe size fits all. These are my opinions, what worked for me. I believe I can sit back and marvel at some of the hitters at what they're doing today. And Aaron Judge and Stanton, but I still always step back to guys that kind of have the same approach that I had, the DJ LeMayhues and the guys that just want to put the ball in play and play the game of baseball. But the game changes because it always has to. Will it go back to average being a meaningful thing, hopefully, because I love the approach of hitters and to watch guys change what they're trying to do within the bats. That to me is a true art. And sometimes that's lost when you see guys go up there swinging for the fences for three pitches. Paul, it's always been enjoyable for me to talk hitting with you. I'm glad we got a chance to do it in book form. We will see you with Michael and Meredith shortly on the Yankee broadcast of the Yankees White Sox game. Jack, I appreciate it. And you know, I would have never done this book unless you wrote it because I trusted you. And as we spoke, we went back a long way and a lot of stories and I appreciate it. It was a lot of fun.