Under the Halo Podcast: Griffin Canning

Intro welcome to the under the Halo podcast our second installment last time we had Mike Trout today we have a Southern California Native Griffin canning who spent his high school baseball days in Santa Margarita Catholic High then went up to UCLA and now is here with the angels where he's been his entire career now in his sixth season of Major League Baseball we reflect on a lot of things that Griffin canning is interested in in his life of course we spent some time talking about baseball as well as we get to know Griffin canning a little deeper with us now very special guests we have Angel starting pitcher Griffin canning with us talking about a lot of different things today we'll talk a little bit of baseball talk a little bit about life some cool things going on with Griffin here at the Ballpark first and foremost uh Griffin's good to see you glad to be up here uh spending some time with you today and and man for you last couple starts things seem to be treading in the right direction how you feeling on the On the mound mound these days yeah for sure I'm starting to feel pretty good um couple good ones to build off but same thing like once once one start ends the the next one starts so just uh staying focused on one day at a time what's the week like like when you're like you say okay one start ends you're getting ready for the next one so like what is what's like the week buildout for you for everything leading up to a start uh day after kind of just riding the bike and and recovering a little bit day two throw a bullpen work out day three playing catch day four same thing playing catch doing some Sprints and then yeah um all in between you know just just kind of trying to get familiar with with the hitters and and how we're going to attack them we were talking in spring training about the Pilates that you felt like had a huge impact on what you were able to do on the mound how did all that come to be uh when I heard my back in 2021 um one of our our U PT Mark U was reaching out we we had talked about me doing Pilates in the past um so he ended up finding a place uh it's called Newport physical therapy so I could do my physical therapy there and and there's a little pilat Studio in there too so I could do the Pilates as well um but honestly it's for sure changed changed my career um something I'm going to do the rest of my life and then we have a couple other guys who started going in Sandy Sandy goes in pretty frequently U during the offseason and then a couple times when we're during when we're here during home stand what what even goes into that like I have no idea like for me like I I can't even do stretching like at the gym like I'm must I'm a mess like like what goes into like a Pilates regiment uh I for one obviously core strength um has been a big help uh but for me it's helped body awareness um I kind of learned a lot of my my um compensations I think as athletes were you might not realize you're compensating your body figures out a way to be able to do what it needs to do um so yeah just just kind of helped me learn uh my body a little bit better so you got Sandy in there that's and that's going okay is he is he up to speed with where you're at right now how's that going I don't know if I've been doing a little bit longer so I think still got a little bit of nedge on him but but he's good at for sure uh I know you guys are tight like it seems like this pitching group as a whole is is pretty connected like what's the dynamic with you guys as a rotation yeah I think we've just been together for a couple years um so we're I mean we we enjoy each other's company we enjoy talking baseball um we enjoy hanging out off the field um I think that's probably the biggest thing we we we enjoy each other off the field so it kind of just translates to to being here in the clubhouse and I mean we're with these guys so much that um it's hard not to become good friends is that something like offseason rolls around you guys are still getting together that kind of thing or or when the baseball season's done you kind of shut it off like how does how does that kind of play out uh I think baseball players in general kind of like because we are with each other so much the offseason hits and it's kind of kind of go do your own thing and then as we get picked back up like start throwing again might might check in a little bit but um yeah you kind of kind of like guys go do their own thing for sure so I've always kind of wanted to Watching the game know and I'm not looking for like specifics if you'd like to share them feel free but uh when you like I see the starters all sit together end The Dugout during games you guys are watching like like what are you doing during during that time is it just like talking about whatever is going on that day or like you like trying to pay attention like like what's going on uh it's a little bit of everything yeah uh you know if a guy's getting into Jam I think we're talking like what we think he's going to throw there um what we're seeing from hitters um or just talking about something completely else uh it really could be anything I I bet uh but Leadership I mean in regards to like your role with this group I mean you've been around for a little bit now you say it's a staff that has been together it has and and it's it's cool watching Everybody not just mature as as players but also just kind of as people and growing up and how that's going and taking on leadership roles I know that's something that's been important to you how how has how has maybe that leadership role you know kind of defined the way that your career has progressed last few years yeah obviously it was cool um hearing what wash had to say in in spring training so um I just kind of wanted to prove him right and yeah whatever I can do I think I'm not I'm not the most vocal guy but if I can lead by example and and little things like how we how we field our position or something like that then that's that's what I'm going to do speaking of wash so we see him make these Mountain visits and sometimes he'll go tell hop like hey stay back like I I'm going one-on-one right now have you had one of those yet and like what goes through your mind when you see Watch come out of the Dugout uh if he does that I know it's a good thing because I know I know he's not going to take me out uh I would say most guys feel the same way sometimes you just need a a breather right there but he's usually really encouraging and and gets you fired up to go go get that it's probably going to be your last guy so um yeah fires you up to go get that last guy I mean he seems like like an alltime Alltime motivator motivator like does that does that kind of stuff like does that make a difference for you like when you're out there like when when your manager goes out and says the kind of belief he has in you to go get it done or or I maybe for some guys can't it challenging you know like hey you nobody thinks you're going to get this guy you got to go get him like how does that kind of play out yeah I think it's super encouraging um you know I'm even when I'm not pitching I hear him in the Dugout like we get out of jams he's he's fired up so um to know that the coaches are are in it with you and and behind you um definitely helps when you're out on the mound um yeah was is awesome he's just just a baseball guy speaking of stuff that fires you up I Music taste know you are a big music guy and I was looking through uh fans can go find it you you have a public Spotify account where people can go check out your music which is kind of cool it's all songs I've never heard of no idea I have no idea what any of that stuff is but like how would you describe like your musical taste I don't know I think I listen to a lot of different kinds of music um I feel like usually it's based off the weather if the weather's like once we get into summer then it's usually more like beachy alternative or or ree um I like old school rock like 70s 70s rock um yeah I try and listen to everything I'm I'm like just the boring like country only guy I don't venture out so that's probably why uh I don't know what the stuff is but that being said like are you like a music guy is this something that's been part of your life for a while is something you're into or is it just kind of like you just like listening I just like listening to music I mean I love going to concerts um we have simber simber is the guy probably the biggest music guy he's a music guy he's playing guitar he he brings a guitar on on the road and stuff um obviously Cole Tucker Cole Tucker plays some instruments I think too um yeah yeah yeah Tucker's the so you got simber on guitar you got Tucker's the drummer like we we can fill out the rest of the band here like now you need like you need a bass player you guys might have something going here yeah but um I don't know I grew up like in my mom's car she always used to play Fleetwood Mac The Eagles um those kind of bands so I love that kind of music and I think that's probably where where it started but yeah just just enjoy listening to music Mothers Day speaking of your mom cool to spend Mother's Day out here with her we saw her throw the first pitch and uh you getting to be a part of that everything that she has been through like what was what was that experience like yeah it wasal um I think my mom said it after it's just it's going to be a core memory for for us and for our whole family that was here um so yeah obviously it was it was really special to to get her out there and to be able to throw the first pitch with Grace um yeah it was special and and having to go through what she went through I mean being diagnosed with breast cancer and and now being on the other side of it like when you're trying to pitch and you're trying to have a major league career and you got that kind of stuff going on at home like how do you how do you separate um I mean she she handled it really really well I think early on we kind of talked about I mean my my uh view of it was to not let it kind of Define who she was um it was just something that that had popped up and she just had to deal with it and whatever came came and you you handle it as it goes um so I think she she did an awesome job at at doing that um I think she she she took had like five months off of work too and I honestly think she really enjoyed just having that time for herself cuz she's she's worked for her her whole entire enre life so I think she really enjoyed just having some time for herself um and I think that helped with with her recovery just kind of getting her mind off things being able to go do different things not not be stuck at work all day so um she handled it really well and she's she's doing awesome if I if I may I'm going to just Family Support tell you how proud your mom is of you so I remember the first time I met her this was 20 it's supposed to been 2018 you were just drafted and we're doing a visit at like a local company that was a sponsor for the angels and there was an autograph signing going on there and there's this big line all kinds of angels people around and she's like doing her grocery shopping I didn't know who it was she just walks up she's like hey you with the angels like what's going on here I said yeah yeah we're doing an autograph signing like would you like an autograph we can get you in line she's like well you know my son's with the angels I said oh cool who is it well I you you probably don't know who he is he's in the minor leagues you wouldn't know him and she and I said well maybe I do what's his name he goes Griffin she goes Griffin canning I'm like oh my gosh you kidding me of course followed your whole UCLA career and all that and she was like so proud to talk about you I thought that was a pretty it was a pretty neat like first impression I got to know of the of the canning family and uh what was that all like but for you growing up in Southern California being around a family that like has big- time support for you like what was what was like childhood Griffin canning like like coming up and learning how to play baseball maybe doing other sports like like what was it like growing up here in soia um it was pretty much just baseball I played I played a ton of baseball but um it was fun I mean I just during the week I mean I go to school a couple nights a week I would have practice um or like batting cages stuff like that um but I think probably every single weekend from from eight years old until I was probably 15 16 I I had a baseball tournament somewhere um but I mean yeah that my my family was obviously very supportive and and being able to drive me into these games pay for all these tournaments and to play on these teams so I'm I'm obviously really grateful for that um did did you enjoy that or did you ever feel like burned out at any point I never felt burnt out I loved it um we used to I was really fortunate in some of the teams that I grew up playing for and had some really good coaches we used to we always had practices on Sunday nights too so we would I there was a lot of weekends where i' would play two games Saturday three games Sunday and then go home and then go to practice Sunday night um but like a lot of guys would do that that's just what we did we just we we loved baseball and it was fun and you how you Playing Baseball probably pitched three days in a row like was that the deal because by the time you're getting UCLA you're throwing like 170 pitches in some of these outings and like putting like legendary numbers up uh that but I mean that but that's how it was right when you're when you're coming up that's as a kid playing baseball you just play you don't think about that kind of stuff I think yeah you just you just played um played for the Love of the Game um yeah I don't I don't think uh I wasn't too worried about throwing too much or anything like that and it's worked out so far it it's funny too like being in Southern California the players that you're Getting to the Majors around I remember being in little league and thinking like the major leagues seem like the most ludicrous far-fetched there's no chance of ever getting there and then like SOC like guys I've played Little League get to the major leagues you were able to to get it done growing up in Orange County as did I but man you you you got here was there ever a point in your life where that was a goal of yours that seemed attainable seemed real like like this was going to happen I think that was my goal my whole my whole entire life I I honestly have never once thought about doing anything else um so I get those questions like what would you be doing yeah I have no idea because I I honestly never thought about it um but I I remember once I got into high school I think uh my sophomore year I start some colleges started talking to me I think UCLA was was the first or second school that talked to me yeah and I honestly hadn't even thought about playing in college or or Beyond I was um I was just playing um didn't didn't really think too much of it and then obviously once I got to to UCLA or my senior year high school when you when the draft's coming around and start doing that stuff but yeah then once being at UCLA it felt felt like I was pretty close to to being able to do it grew up in Southern California grow up Home Field right here in Orange County go Santa Margarita High School UCLA pitching now for the Angels where you've been your whole career I mean you are the personification of homegrown what is what is like what does home mean to you spending a whole career to this point basically within a 10 15 mile radius uh obviously it's been super special just being able to to play for the team that I um grew up coming to the games as a kid had season tickets um but honestly I love playing here and I love I love my family being able to come to the games and everything but I love playing on the road too I I love being able to to go see other stadiums um different cities uh I've always I've always really enjoyed playing on the road for whatever reason probably because I've always just been at home so uh sometimes it's nice to just go play at these other stadiums but um to be able to have my family and friends come out to pretty much every single start of mine is is really special do you have a favorite ballpark to pitch in uh I mean I I I know the team is going to matter year to year right but like a ballpark I mean some of the like Fenway is always super special um I've thrown I threw at Petco a couple years ago and that was I like pitching there it it usually boils down to how you do at a stadium or or just how the mound is and stuff like that did you have a a favorite player growing up Angels it was always David Einstein and and Francisco Rodriguez um but I liked I mean everybody liked Derek Jeter for sure um and then as I got a little bit older guys like Zack ranky were were the guys I kind of watched a lot so if you're a if you're a Fenway guy like are you like a baseball history guy like are you are you into like the the history of the game that kind of stuff you pay attention to that uh I don't know about super deep history I might I mean I I I watch a lot of b i I consume a lot of baseball so but mostly just watching games like um I don't know I like I like being on the west coast because we have these games on the East Coast that start at 1 o' so we can get here and watch games all day until until the game starts but I watch a lot of baseball I don't know how much well I was I was Outside of Baseball kind of curious about that because we go down in the clubhouse and you guys have some TVs in there and every time we're in the clubhouse there's there's always a game on it feels like especially as you mentioned here on the West Coast and I've always kind of wondered like you guys actually paying attention to that are you like trying to watch what's going on around restell League or is it just is it just on and you're handling other stuff but it sounds like you do pay attention to that yeah I mean I'll go look like U pitching matchups just to see who like good pitching matchups that I'd want to watch um but I mean there's there's a balance of of baseball and outside of baseball I think uh one of the things I learned being hurt was that you needed to be able to to get outside of baseball and do other things and not be so consumed with things here I think I think you've seen uh like simber talking about it this year just not putting so much pressure on on himself at baseball and just kind of realizing he has life outside of baseball um is really helpful so when you went through that injury what were maybe some of those things beyond the game that you felt like were important for you to find uh honestly I I pretty much went to the beach like yeah every single day I mean like come on we live here like yes of course that's what you're going to do right obviously it it sucked not being able to play and and be here with the guys but uh um one of the first Summers off I've had in my whole entire life so just being able to to have a somewhat normal life for a little bit and and um just kind of step back and and realize what what might help me in the long run was was really beneficial I know that uh when you're coming off a back injury probably not a whole lot of time on a surfboard but like do you surf now like do is that are you into that or you just just put your you know toes in the sand and just hang out on the beach I'll body surf I'll go in there yeah body surf but yeah I love going in the water and then just kind of Chill on the sand read a book yeah uh what kind of stuff are you into like book book books wise do you try to find do you try to find stuff that's like applicable to baseball or you just like that just Escape time applicable to baseball or applicable to life um last year I read this book The Power of Now that that I feel like really changed a lot of my uh kind of the mental side of of the game and and of life um and then this year I'm reading the the mental ABCs of pitching um just kind of read a couple chapters a day and it's it's good stuff just to yeah to hammer in how much do you feel Mental vs Physical like when you're on the mound is the mental side versus the physical component because it it seems like if you didn't if you didn't know baseball and you're just watching like oh wow the stuff's really good that's man that seems unhitable that's what it is and then the next start it's like well wait a minute it didn't look like that before and then maybe vice versa so so how much does the mental side come into play when you're on the mount I think it's all mental uh obviously you're you need your body to cooperate and and do what it needs to do but usually the more often you can get you can get out of your own way um and just kind of be in the moment your body's going to take over and and do what it knows to do um but yeah it's it's all mental it's it's so easy out there to to get in a battle of you vers yourself um instead of you vers The Hitter uh so I mean yeah you try and just try and get external and and not be so internal so how do you get out of those battles um so so like the book I'm reading right now the the mental ABCs of pitching it's um it just talks about like little little tiny things like like execution or just ways to get um like when I was in college we always had a thing it was it's you versus The Hitter so I think little things like that that you the stuff you tell yourself over and over is usually the stuff that's that's going to become who you are um so that's that's what been working for me lately just kind of Me versus The Hitter it's it's competition um and that usually kind of like I don't think I really changed anything mechanically or I really just focus on me versus The Hitter and I think things have taken over from from there is that something you talk about with teammates I prob that individual I probably talk about it the most with with ta um we kind of had a similar background just uh both went to I mean Reed went to college too but um we both had uh kener via as a mental skills coach and this book is is Harvey Dorfman who's like the The Godfather of the mental skills of baseball and kener Via was under him so yeah we we just have a lot of similar background stuff of of the mental game so we we probably talk about it the most all right so if if we're going to go and and we're going to go with ta and get Patrick involved and Griff and uh we're all going to go we're all going to go to dinner and we're going to go hang out where's a where's a spot where should I where should I check out uh if we're GNA if we're going to go to a restaurant um let me stop there because I have heard that the if we were to go to like a five-star Michelin restaurant or a three star and we were going to go have a a fancy Steakhouse big big elaborate dinner um what would like what would be something on the menu that would be appealing to you I'd probably get a filet um that's actually better than I thought you were going to answer because I I heard you were like a basic basic basic food guy who said that I had I had I've had people tip me off it's uh I don't think not Carson Fulmer I know that's what you were thinking it was not him uh I don't think I am I feel like I kind of evolved in my in my food tastes um I got a bad tip then all right my bad yeah uh I don't know I I I feel like I like most things I'm willing to try most things um but at the same time like if you know what you like then why not why not eat what you like I I understand that I understand that Outro absolutely hey Griffin it's been fun watching you on the M it's been fun watching you evolve now as this season continues to progress what are maybe some of the things that that you're hoping like you can build off of what's going on well now that you're hoping to take with you the rest of the year yeah I think I think it just boils down to staying in the in the present um focusing on one day at a time you know not getting caught up in in story lines and um kind of letting your mind go off on these tangents and and stuff you know just kind of control what you can control um obviously just just keep putting in the work and and staying healthy G appreciate it man thank you appreciate it good stuff thanks for checking out our conversation with Angel starting pitcher griffi canning to stay up to date on everything going on the under the Halo podcast be sure to click that subscribe button and also be sure to download and follow everything that we have going on across Angel social media channels the Angels website angels.com podcast as well as the am830 app and am830 nnet all cool places where you can find this pod and several others that we've done including last time's conversation with Mike Trout I'm trut Rush thanks for checking out the under the Halo podcast [Music]