Skip to main content

Catchphrase influencing players' approach

Photo courtesy of Cord Sandberg, pictured 3rd from right
It’s all part of it!

Are you wondering what that means? That’s okay. You’ll be in the know soon enough.

It's a simple saying that has become a slogan for baseball players for life inside and outside of the game.  In a sport where its competitors are faced with an immense amount of failure while life presents similar outcomes at times, It's All Part of It has become an important adage for scores of players to lean on for reassurance and motivation.

“Whatever happens, the bus breaks down (or) you break a bat- hey, that’s all part of it,” Phillies outfield prospect Cord Sandberg excitedly shared in the home dugout of Lakewood’s FirstEnergy Park recently.

Seems like an insightful thought process.

The motto has really caught on quite a bit and seems to be making an impression at multiple levels, in various organizations and even across continents.

The phrase “It’s all part of it” or sometimes referred to as just “part” or “part-part” for short, was brought to the Phillies organization after outfield prospect Cord Sandberg and organization mate third baseman Mitch Walding played alongside catcher Jack Murphy down under, in an off-season league.

"It spread down to Australia because I played down there in Canberra and we used to talk about it all the time," Murphy said.  "Since there are a lot of guys from different organizations down there, the Phillies picked it up."

Murphy is a long-time Blue Jays minor leaguer and a Princeton University product that currently plays with Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers organization. When he was in the Toronto system, Murphy picked up the phrase from his manager Mike Redmond while with Dunedin in the Florida State League in 2012. Redmond had adopted the mindset when he played for veteran skipper Jim Leyland during his time with the Marlins.

Redmond has since gone on to manage at the big league level for Miami and coach in the majors for the Rockies.

A World Series and World Baseball Classic winning manager’s lessons getting passed down via a man that was virtually groomed to take on that skipper's duties and on to players that both men may never encounter sounds precisely how good coaching should work.  Teach what matters and let those lessons thrive.

Murphy feels the sentiment has become a critical way of thinking for many players he has encountered.

"I mean, it's mostly a life motto for most of the guys," Murphy asserted.  "The livelihood of playing can be a real grind.  But when you say, 'Hey, it's all part of it!', you realize that's just how things are and keep going."
 
In addition to leaning on his faith, the 22-year-old Sandberg found peace of mind in the expression when he learned that he was going back a level to open the 2017 season after spending last year with Class A Advanced Clearwater and playing with Lakewood two years back.

“We have a lot of talented guys that deserve to be where they’re at. So, obviously, I was hoping to be in High A to start the year, but when Joe (Jordan) let me know that I was coming here and my at bats would be in Low A, I was like, ‘Hey, that’s all part of it.’ I’m just going to come down here and do what I can to produce and show what I can do at this level and then let the rest just take care of itself,” Sandberg said.

Phils corner infielder prospect Zach Green, currently sidelined with hip and elbow issues with Clearwater, has found solace in the phrase while dealing with repeated stints on the disabled list during his career.

"Injuries will happen.  0-for-4's.  But, it's all part of it and that's why it shouldn't affect your character or confidence," said the 23-year-old Green.

It’s all part of it may be bordering on sensational.

A great catchphrase these days is nothing without some manner to display your statement, so Sandberg and company have created t-shirts and are using the hashtag #PartPart on social networking sites. 

The phrase has drawn the attention of Phillies developmental coaches, as Sandberg’s manager with the BlueClaws and former big league infielder Marty Malloy has requested of Sandberg, “Where’s my shirt? I want to be part of it!”

Malloy has grown fond of the outlook simply because of the way it can turn a negative into a positive for his players.

Also embracing the movement: Complete strangers.

“One night we went out in Tampa and we were all wearing our shirts and just random people would ask, ‘What’s all part of it?’ And we would be like, ‘Yeah, that’s correct. You’re right!’ And they’d say, ‘What do you mean, ‘I’m right’?’ ‘It’s whatever you want it to be. It’s all part of it. Oh, you spilled your drink? It’s all part of it.’ And they were loving it, so I was able to get some more people on board,” Sandberg explained, assuring me that part-part is for everyone, not just ball players.

So, how can you get down with the concept and be part of it?

“If anybody wants (a t-shirt), find me thr ough social media, Twitter, Instagram or whatever and give me an address, a size and a color,” Sandberg stated. “No official web site yet. Venmo and straight cash.”

According to Murphy, though, a more ideal shopping option, a complete and proper website, should be coming soon.

But, don't worry about any delay on that front, everyone, because...well, you know why.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2021 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #22 SS Casey Martin

Please visit Patreon.com/PhoulBallz in order to support my work, get access to material like this before anyone else and get access to interviews as well as other exclusive content you can't get anywhere else.   A third round draft pick last year, Arkansas junior Casey Martin was quickly signed by the Phillies and consideration as one of the organization's top infield prospects quickly began.  The team's confidence in his ceiling is likely evident in the signing bonus he got, which was reportedly $1.3 million, which was considerably more than slot money dictated by his 87th overall draft position ($685K). The right-handed batting Martin tallied a .311/.393/.545 slash line with 30 homers, 24 steals and 112 RBI in 143 games through his college career at Arkansas.  Reports had him falling in the draft as a result of an injury to the hamate bone in his left hand prior to his 2020 season.  Prior to the procedure, Baseball America projected Martin as a top ten draft pick.

Slick fielding Sam is the Champion of the (PhoulBallz) world!

Phillies Ball(z)girl Sam Arnone was kind enough to answer some questions for the PhoulBallz site and all of you. Sam will be entering her 3rd season as a Phillies ballgirl and is a junior at Drexel University. Sam hails from the great town of Mt. Ephram, NJ. 1- Since the Phillies are the World Champions of baseball teams, are the Phillies ballgirls the world champions of ballgirl teams? - Of Course!!! There are not that many teams that have Ballgirls, so the competition is a little scarce. I would definitely put my team up against any other Ballgirl team with full confidence! 2- What is your routine to prepare for a day of on-field duties? - Before a game, I am always a little nervous. Once I am ready to leave my house and head to the ballpark I triple check my bag to make sure I have my glove and then I check again. I always have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat because it keeps me full and gives me energy for the entire game. I guess I might have to find a new favorite sa

Rappers in Phillies Caps

Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal