You're Going to "The Show!" with Chase Lambin

Chase Lambin played professional baseball until he was 35 years old. During that span, he played a stint for Bobby Valentine in the Japanese Big Leagues with the Chiba Lotte Marines.Chase has had the sort of career for which movies are made. But he walks around like the beautiful gal who doesn’t know it. Could explain our long-term friendship—I like to think I’m pretty too. I kid. But for certain we married the type [that doesn’t know she’s beautiful].Back to “Chasing the Dream.” It’s a delicate thing. The line between arrogance and confidence. Two adjectives for which I’m sure he felt at times like he was tight-roping through his 12-year pro career.As you’d expect. The journey through baseball’s ups and downs aren’t for the faint of heart. The game is too psychological.“Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.” – Yogi BerraFirst time I met Chase in 9th grade, humility would’ve been the last word I’d use to describe him. Not only was he the most cocksure fella in the dance club on this particular Friday night—sporting a blonde mullet, yellow Polo, khaki pants & Red Wing boots—dude was gettin’ after it on the dancefloor. He took no songs off.I remember telling the gal next to me, “I like the cut of that guy’s jib—I want to meet him—got a feeling he & I are going to be buddies a long time. Know his name?”“I think he’s one of those baseball guys,” she replied.No rush, I figured. I’ll meet him at school one day.Finally, he took a break and I walked over to introduce myself. He was sweating like crazy.One thing you’ve gotta understand about ‘high school Chase.’ It didn’t matter if he was in the on-deck circle talking at a pitcher, walking up to the plate talking at the pitcher (and catcher), or chirping as he passed the pitcher after the play—he was going to talk throughout the entire game.I can’t say it turned me on or off. It’s who he was. I thought it was his way of firing himself up, and since it worked, who was I to say anything?My best memory of Chase on the field was in high school. We were Home Team. Our opponent was in the dugout along the first-base line. First pitch, Chase hits a “no-doubter.”He puts his bat down. Almost gentleman-like. I’m more excited than he is. And I can’t help but wonder if something’s wrong.Had he changed? Not feeling well? Where’s the Chase who flips his bat and pounds his chest?As soon as these thoughts enter my mind—Chase starts jumping in circles, yelling at the opposing dugout like they’d all left the ball up in the zone, and he wanted each of them to know they made a mistake.In all my years playing (and watching) baseball, I’ve yet to see a more excited and animated shortstop who “brung it” to the ballpark the way Chase did.Yet ask him today what he’s most proud of during his reign in baseball—he’ll say this: “Being a great teammate, no question.”Unlike so many other guys who left the game disgruntled because they didn’t get their shot in the Big Leagues, Chase has insisted it was about the journey. He expounds on his journey during his first appearance on the podcast: Becoming a Human Catalyst with Chase Lambin.His passion for storytelling—rivaled by few—hasn’t been topped.Chase is now the Bench Coach for AAA Round Rock Express in the MLB Texas Rangers organization. He has a beautiful family—wife Sara, son Champ, and daughter Stella.