Dillon Cain's The Developmental Gap Podcast

Who is cohost and founder of Stoop Juice - Jose Franco?

Jose Franco is a New York City-based youth baseball coach, author, and digital creator who specializes in the psychological and strategic development of young athletes. Rather than focusing solely on the physical mechanics of sports, his work emphasizes "mindset systems," self-reflection, accountability, and what he terms proactive awareness—bridging the gap between raw talent and actual execution. He is best known for his roles across a few interconnected projects: 1. THE DEVELOPMENTAL GAP PODCAST Jose co-hosts The Developmental Gap Podcast [https://riverside.com/dashboard/studios/the-developmental-gap-podcast/podcast] alongside Dillon Cain (a Texas-native coach and personal trainer). Broadcast from The Brooklyn Baseball Foundry, the podcast serves as an educational resource for players, parents, and coaches navigating the competitive youth and high school sports landscape. The show frequently breaks down real-world "baseball drama" scenarios, addresses team politics, and features regular professional insights from former MLB pitcher Pedro Borbon Jr. ### 2. Stoop Juice (StoopJuice.com [http://StoopJuice.com]) Jose is the founder and creative force behind StoopJuice.com [http://StoopJuice.com], which he launched in 2020. He describes the platform as a "digital table" and a public experiment in long-form, reflective writing. The site rejects traditional commercial marketing or paywalls, instead offering philosophy-driven essays and free digital books designed to challenge modern culture's desire for quick distractions, pushing instead for rigorous self-confrontation. 3. PUBLISHED BOOKS Under the Stoop Juice umbrella, Jose has authored multiple long-form guides, including: * Mind Over Matter: The Power of Now in Baseball: A mental conditioning book that has crossed over 15,000 downloads. * The Mental Game Before The Mental Game: Released in May 2026, this book serves as a foundational guide specifically tailored for youth baseball parents to help them align their intentions with their children's long-term development. 4. COACHING BACKGROUND A veteran of the New York City baseball community for over 30 years, Jose has deep roots in local high school and youth organizations. His background includes: * Serving as a Junior Varsity coach at Berkeley Carroll and the head coach of the Brooklyn Cadets 12u travel team. * Serving as the pitching coach for Morris High School, where he helped lead the team to a PSAL B City Championship in 2008. * An educational background from business school in Binghamton, New York, and early leadership roots as his high school class president at Dewitt Clinton High School in 1985. Across all of his mediums, Jose integrates the philosophies of thinkers like Nietzsche, Karl Popper, Viktor Frankl, and Ludwig Wittgenstein into practical dugout and parenting strategies.

Episode 13: The Adults In The Room - Horace Mann Vs Luhi 2026 NYSAIS Baseball Championship

EPISODE 13: CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK & THE ADULTS IN ROOM Stream Now on Apple Podcasts [https://riverside.com/dashboard/studios/the-developmental-gap-podcast/podcast] | Spotify [https://riverside.com/dashboard/studios/the-developmental-gap-podcast/podcast] | YouTube [https://riverside.com/dashboard/studios/the-developmental-gap-podcast/podcast] EPISODE OVERVIEW Welcome to a high-stakes, maximum-intensity edition of The Developmental Gap Podcast. We are coming to you right from the absolute heart of NYC youth baseball championship week. The energy in the city has been electric. We kick things off by breaking down the heavy-hitting Poly Prep vs. The Stony Brook School showdown the night before under the lights at FerryHawk Stadium in Staten Island. Then, we take you straight behind home plate at the SUNY Purchase baseball field for the 2026 NYSAIS Championship matchup between LuHi & Horace Mann. Jumping into the live action during the top of the fifth—just as LuHi answered back with three big runs to break a tie and command a 5-2 lead—hosts Dillon Cain & Jose Franco navigate a true championship environment. And yes, the relentless NY heat actually caused the iPhone video equipment to overheat & stall mid-game, but the audio is fully intact. Every ounce of tension, dugout strategy & raw emotion is captured loud & clear as LuHi pushed ahead to an 11-2 victory. ---------------------------------------- THE MISSION: BEYOND THE BINARY CLICKBAIT In this episode, Dillon and Jose use the backdrop of these high-stakes championship games to unpack the core mission of The Developmental Gap: * The Performance Void: Moving past traditional, rigid mechanics to focus on mental conditioning and proactive awareness. * When the Game Speeds Up: How youth athletes handle sudden shifts in momentum on the big stage. * The Mirror Effect: Recognizing that youth sports don’t just test the kids—they act as a mirror for everyone involved. ---------------------------------------- SPECIAL FEATURE: HOW TO USE "THE MENTAL GAME BEFORE THE MENTAL GAME" This championship week aligns perfectly with the official launch of Jose Franco’s highly anticipated new book, The Mental Game Before The Mental Game: A Parent’s Guide To Coaching Youth Baseball Without Losing Yourself—Or Your Kid. Available completely free (no paywalls, no sponsors) at StoopJuice.com [http://StoopJuice.com], Jose outlines the exact blueprint for how parents and coaches need to approach this text: > This is not a traditional baseball manual. You do not need to read it from cover to cover. Life doesn’t arrive in order, and neither does youth baseball. Instead, use it as a situational toolkit for the emotional side of the sport. Open it when you need it most: * After a painful, completely silent car ride home from a tough loss. * The exact moment your child drops the bombshell: "I think I want to quit." * When a toxic interaction with another parent on the bleachers triggers your own deep-seated insecurity. * The moment you realize your child is carrying a mountain of anxiety that you unknowingly helped create. Each chapter begins with a heavy, philosophical question. Start with the question closest to the discomfort you are feeling right now. Because high-stakes environments rarely reveal only the child. They reveal the adults, too.

Pedro Borbon Jr. Talking about the time Borbon Sr Crossed MLB Picket Line During 1994 MLB Strike

🚨 NEW EPISODE DROP: The Foolish Hero Complex Are you trying to save the world, or just feeding your own ego? 🗽 This week on the Developmental Gap Podcast, Jose gets raw about the "Hero Complex" and the heavy burden of being "aware" in the inner city. Inspired by Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, we discuss why showing people the light is often met with resistance—and how awareness can feel more like a curse than a gift. ⚾️ Legends of the Week: A conversation with former professional baseball player and Youth Service League legend Ernesto Castro Plus The Fiery Spirit of Pedro Borbón Sr. Pedro Borbón Jr. joins the stoop to share an incredible story from the 1994 MLB strike. At 55 years old, his father, Pedro Borbón Sr., wasn't looking for a paycheck—he just wanted to play. Despite the union's warnings, he crossed the picket lines to prove he still had the gas. He was dominant in Spring Training, but after a freak mishap on the field, Reds manager Davey Johnson sent him home. Pedro Sr. didn't go quietly, though. He left Davey with a "parting gift" involving the parakeets he had previously sold to the manager—a legendary move of retaliation that only a character like Borbón could pull off. 🦜🔥 The takeaways? * Talent is an illusion; interest is the engine. Life might be a scam, but the game of baseball is the only truth. We stay 100% independent—no sponsors, no paywalls, just the raw truth. 🔗 Listen Now Catch the full breakdown and the rest of the Pedro Borbón Jr. interview at www.stoopjuice.com [http://www.stoopjuice.com] or by clicking on our instagram bio! filmed at @brooklynbaseballfoundry [https://www.instagram.com/brooklynbaseballfoundry/]

Episode 12: The Foolish Hero Complex: How Awareness Can Be A Curse In The Inner City

“Once you see the light, coming back to the shadows is the hardest part.” In this soul-baring session, cohost Jose Franco comes clean about the "Foolish Hero Complex"—the well-intentioned but often misguided belief that he can save everyone. He reflects on the burden of awareness and the sobering reality of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: what happens when you try to show the truth to those who are still fascinated by the shadows? Jose and the team also reaffirm the mission of Stoop Juice. This isn’t a transaction; it’s a labor of love. By intentionally rejecting sponsors and paywalls, we keep the truth raw, unbought, and "reverse-engineered" for the community. THE CONVERSATION DEEP DIVE: * The NYC Gritty: A look at Ernesto Castro (John Jay HS, Brooklyn) and the exoneration of the Central Park Five. * The Hustle: Exploring the "Life is a Scam" philosophy through the lens of Tracy Morgan. * Baseball Lore: Pedro Borbon Jr. joins the stoop to share legendary anecdotes—from the eccentricities of his father to the leadership of Bobby Cox. * The Streets: Remembering the legacy of Maquetumba from 109th Street and the spiritual weight of Chango’s influence on the Central Park Five confession. > The Stoop Juice Philosophy: Talent is an illusion, interest is the engine, and while life might be a scam, the game of baseball is the only truth. ---------------------------------------- KEY TAKEAWAYS * The Awareness Trap: Why "waking up" in the inner city can feel more like a curse than a gift. * The Talent Myth: Why interest and obsession always beat raw ability. * The Authenticity Pivot: Why staying independent is the only way to tell these stories. ---------------------------------------- EPISODE CHAPTERS * 00:00 – The Illusion of Talent: Why we overvalue "gifted" and undervalue "obsessed." * 18:24 – The Hero Complex: Jose’s confession on the limitations of helping. * 42:10 – The Cave & The Concrete: Applying Plato to the Inner City. * 01:07:51 – The Legend of Pedro Borbon: Eccentricities, baseball resumes, and the legacy of 109th Street. * 01:35:00 – Advice for the Youth: Hard work, dedication, and spotting the scams. ---------------------------------------- Listen & Support: Keep the juice flowing at www.stoopjuice.com [http://www.stoopjuice.com] – No ads. No paywalls. Just the truth.

Episode 11: The Essential Skill Most Coaches & Parents Never Teach: Proactive Awareness in Baseball

The conversation delves into the importance of baseball etiquette and dugout discipline, emphasizing the impact of distractions and off-task behavior. It highlights the significance of creating and enforcing dugout rules for team success, as well as the role of awareness, body language, and support in baseball. Additionally, it explores the discipline of the present moment and the proactive approach in baseball, shedding light on the discomfort and blind spots associated with coaching decisions. Takeaways * Baseball etiquette is about awareness * Dugout rules are essential for team success Chapters * 00:00 The Proactive Approach in Baseball