Guard the Yard: Akil Baddoo of the Milwaukee Brewers

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Akil Baddoo joins Yeardley Smith for a candid and joyful conversation about confidence, resilience, and learning how to stay grounded through the inevitable highs and lows of professional baseball. Akil traces his love of the game back to hitting baseballs with his dad in the backyard, breaking a window before he was even old enough for Little League, and hitting his first home run at five years old. He talks about the confidence his mother instilled in him, knowing from a young age that he wanted to play professionally, and why he never believed in having a backup plan. He also opens up about the setbacks that tested that confidence, including Tommy John…