When A Ball Player STOPS Ball Playing ⚾️ | THE HEAT CHECK SERIES 2 The Robby Row Show Baseball podcast

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When a Ball Player STOPS Ball Playing ⚾️ | THE HEAT CHECK SERIES 2

1d ago 43:17

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🎙️THE HEAT CHECK - When a Ball Player Stops Ball Playing (Episode 2)

A raw, vulnerable walk through identity, retirement, faith, and finding purpose beyond the game
In this episode of Heat Check, Robby climbs back into the sauna blanket and opens up about one of the hardest transitions a ballplayer can face — stepping away from the game that shaped your entire life.
From childhood memories of watching his dad retire from pro ball… to the confusing emotional aftermath of his own final seasons… to the weird limbo of feeling done but not finished…
This one cuts deep.
If you’ve ever stopped playing, lost a version of yourself, or struggled with purpose when a chapter ends — you’re gonna feel this one.
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⏱️ Episode Timestamps + Topics

00:00 – 02:25 — Pre-Roll Vulnerability
• Robby sets the scene: sauna blanket, no script, full vulnerability
• Why these episodes feel like therapy
• Encouragement for listeners to submit topics via Ask Robby Platform (therobbyrowshow.com/ask)
02:25 – 06:00 — Letting Go of Opinions & Fear of Sympathy
• Wrestling with how people might perceive this openness
• Processing ego, validation, and the fear of “sounding ungrateful”
• How speaking out loud helps emotional healing
06:00 – 07:30 — The Discomfort of Closure
• Robby admits this topic gives him “heebie jeebies”
• Why he resists calling his career “over”
• The internal battle between acceptance and hope
07:30 – 12:00 — Childhood Flashbacks (1997 Memories)
• His dad in spring training with the Giants
• Life in the RV, family photos, early baseball impressions
• Funny/chaotic moment tipping a foul ball into his brother’s mouth
• Early realization of who his dad was in the baseball world
12:00 – 17:00 — Moving to the Woods + Dad’s Retirement
• Family relocating after dad leaves baseball
• Life on acres of land, trampolines, fire truck hoses
• The infamous “rock to the face” story
• Seeing subtle emotional changes he didn’t understand as a kid
17:00 – 21:00 — Watching His Dad Fall Out of Love With Baseball
• Dad unable to watch games anymore
• Learning as a teenager how deeply retirement affected him
• The weight of retiring when the game didn’t force you out
21:00 – 25:00 — Robby’s Early Mindset About His Own Career
• How his dad’s story shaped his expectations
• Belief that he’d “play until they ripped the jersey off”
• Realization that experience hits different than second-hand wisdom
25:00 – 30:00 — 2022 Season, Coaching, and Sour Endings
• The tough Indy Ball season as a player/coach
• Being excited to rebound… but not getting the ending he imagined
• Winter Ball ups and downs
• Navigating being Phantom’d after performing well
30:00 – 33:30 — When Teams Don’t Want the Brand
• Teams telling him to tone down or stop his content
• The confusing shift from “my brand is my résumé” to “it’s a distraction”
• Choosing between baseball and content creation
• Feeling like either choice had a cost
33:30 – 36:00 — Identity Crisis: Player Rob vs. Creator Rob
• The weirdness of waking up without a team
• Missing the structured purpose baseball gave
• The pressure of content performance affecting self-worth
• Why engaging directly with fans helps ground him
36:00 – 39:00 — Winter Ball Comeback Attempt
• Reinventing himself as a 3-slot pitcher
• Feeling re-energized and excited again
• Performing well… and still getting Phantom’d
• Questioning whether God was closing a door or testing resilience
39:00 – 41:30 — The Emotional Toll & Loss of Faith
• Honest conversation about resentment toward God
• The “Disney ending” he felt he was on track for
• Recognizing that the game doesn’t owe you anything
• Wrestling with purpose outside of playing
41:30 – 43:15 — Moving Forward & What’s Next
• Accepting that he didn’t call every team back
• The mental gap between liking baseball and liking playing
• Realizing baseball is therapeutic only when tied to a bigger mission
• Longing for deeper purpose and identity beyond the field
43:15 – End — Closing Thoughts
• Thanksgiving gratitude
• Plans to get mom & dad on future episodes
• Invitation to ask questions via his website
• “These episodes may not be for everyone… but they’re good for me.”
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🔗 Submit a Question for Future Episodes
https://therobbyrowshow.com/ask/
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