The debut episode of Pacific Swings is here! That Retirement Episode’ features David MacKinnon and co-host Jasper Spanjaart explaining the origins of their unique partnership and setting the stage for what promises to be an unprecedented look inside international baseball. Listen to the episode on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts (or wherever you get your podcasts).

A journey across continents

David MacKinnon’s baseball journey took him from being a 32nd round draft pick to playing alongside future Hall of Famers like Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout with the Los Angeles Angels. After a brief stint with the Oakland Athletics, he crossed the Pacific to experience baseball in Japan with the Seibu Lions and Korea with the Samsung Lions.

“So this feels weird, talking into a microphone instead of swinging at sliders out of the zone”, MacKinnon admits in the opening moments of the podcast. “I’m still trying to figure out what normal people do with their time.”

The transition from player to podcaster wasn’t exactly planned. “The baseball bubble is like the greatest bubble ever”, he said. “You don’t really know what’s going on in the real world. You kind of just try to figure out how to get the bat to the ball and how to lift heavy weights and how to move better and catch baseballs. And then all of a sudden you don’t do that and you have so much free time on your hands.”

Falling in love with Japanese Baseball

The podcast’s origin story traces back to Spanjaart’s 2023 trip to Japan, where he experienced something that would change his perspective on baseball forever. “The atmosphere was absolutely gripping”, Spanjaart recalls in the episode. “The fans were singing. In harmony. For specific players. Anyone. Their star hitter, but the nine-hole hitter batting .200 was getting the same treatment.”

That experience at Belluna Dome, watching the Seibu Lions, proved to be the spark that would eventually become Pacific Swings. “I fell in love with the Seibu Lions that day. Just loved every second of that experience.”

Playing in a different World

For MacKinnon, the cultural differences between American and international baseball were immediately apparent from his first NPB spring training game. “Our fans are going buck wild in left field, like just going crazy, singing songs, like everyone’s got their own song. No one warns you about that.”

The respect and dedication of Japanese fans particularly impressed the former first baseman. “It’s just so crazy how respectful they are. Like when you’re hitting, when their team’s hitting, they’re up cheering for their team. The other team’s fans sit down, they watch the game.”

Elite talent across the pacific

MacKinnon’s unique perspective allows him to identify exceptional talent that often goes unnoticed by American audiences. When discussing the best pitcher he ever faced, his answer was definitive: “Roki Sasaki, when he is healthy, which he has not been healthy, is the best pitcher that I’ve ever faced. Big leagues, minor leagues, Japan, Korea, best pitcher I’ve ever faced.”

He describes Sasaki’s arsenal in vivid detail. “When he was healthy, he was 100, 102, like absolute flame balls, slider that he doesn’t like, doesn’t throw it that much, but still throws it like 86 to 88 with a splitter that’s 88 to 93. Like he was just disgusting.”

In Korea, MacKinnon was equally impressed by MVP Kim Do-young. “That dude is, I think he’s going to be the best Korean baseball player, if he stays healthy. He’s 21 years old, won the MVP of the league last year, hit, had a 40-40 season.”

Playing alongside greatness

MacKinnon’s time with the Angels provided him with a front-row seat to witness Shohei Ohtani’s dominance. “He’s the best player in potentially the history of baseball, just with what he does”, MacKinnon states. “No one can pitch like him and hit like him. Like is Babe Ruth. Like you can argue Babe Ruth, but it’s different time. Babe Ruth doesn’t throw a hundred. Like he is Babe Ruth, but better.”

Beyond Ohtani’s athletic abilities, MacKinnon was struck by his character. “He’s the nicest guy ever. He was super humble. Always was trying to keep it light, keep guys joking. Like, always trying to make you smile.”

What’s next? Unprecedented access

The partnership between MacKinnon and Spanjaart promises to deliver unprecedented access to international baseball stories. “Our biggest goal is to kind of just get the entire baseball world coming together and just showing everyone what’s awesome about each culture’s baseball and kind of bring it all together.”

Pacific Swings is available on all major podcast platforms, with new episodes releasing weekly. The show represents a unique opportunity for baseball fans to gain insight into the global nature of America’s pastime, told through the eyes of someone who has lived it firsthand.

Pacific Swings can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Follow @PacificSwings on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.