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Yasmani Grandal: Out For The 2013 Season
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday July 16th, 2013
Yasmani Grandal has been a big disappointment for the San Diego Padres. He was suspended for PED use in 2012 and was injured in 2013.
Bernie Olshansky (Baseball Writer): Follow @BernieOlshansky
When the San Diego Padres traded Mat Latos for Yasmani Grandal (among others), the team was hoping they would get a lot more out of him than they currently are. Grandal was suspended for PED use, and has only played in 28 games this year.
Unfortunately he will not play any more games in 2013 due to an injury to his ACL and MCL. In this piece, I will talk about the possible impact that Grandal’s departure has on the Padres.
When the Padres traded for him, they were hoping to get an everyday catcher with production down the road similar to that of Yadier Molina or Buster Posey. So far, it looks like that is very wishful thinking. Grandal is 24 years old.
In his two-year career, he has played in just 88 games. In a few years, the best-case scenario is the Padres looking back on this as a slow start. But for now, it hurts.
2012 Trade Deadline Update #7 7/31: League, Snider, Thames, Soto, and More
Tuesday July 31st, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Monday night and Tuesday morning turning out to be a busy one for MLB General Managers! Here are the flurry of deals before the MLB Non-Waiver Trading Deadline:
Brandon League to the Dodgers
With the Giants talking to the Mariners about League, I think the Dodgers traded for him just so the Giants wouldn’t get him. They really don’t have a reason to get him other than that. Their bullpen has been solid this year with Kenley Jansen holding it down at the back and Josh Lindblom highlighting the other relievers. League would’ve been key for the Giants. They lost Guillermo Mota at the beginning of the year for 100 games due to his second failed drug test, Sergio Romo has been a bit shaky lately, and Santiago Casilla hasn’t been the best closer. Not to mention Brian Wilson went down with an elbow injury after only a few appearances. Although League hasn’t been the best this year (0-5 with a 3.63 ERA) he will definitely help strengthen the already strong Dodger bullpen. After acquiring Hanley Ramirez and Ryan Dempster, the Dodgers are definitely ahead of the Giants in my mind. For League, the Mariners get OF Leon Landry and RHP Logan Bawcom. Landry this year in Single-A Rancho Cucamonga has hit .328 with eight homers and 51 RBI, and Bawcom has gone 3-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 27 games with Double-A Chattanooga. League was removed from the closer’s role in Seattle in favor of Tom Wilhelmsen earlier this season, so losing him won’t drastically affect the Mariners. League is apparently owed $1.85 million for the rest of this year.
Eric Thames to the Mariners
Right after trading League, the Mariners went ahead and traded Steve Delabar to the Blue Jays for outfielder Eric Thames. Thames adds some more youth to the Mariners and looks like the fourth outfielder right now. This year, in 42 games, Thames is hitting .243 with three homers and 11 RBI. The Blue Jays add to their bullpen after getting Brandon Lyon and J.A. Happ (who can either start or come out of the bullpen) from the Astros. Delabar held a 4.17 ERA in 36.2 innings for Seattle this year. Neither team seems to be going anywhere, so it looks like each is building for the future, as each player is signed through 2017.
Travis Snider to the Pirates
Snider went to the Pirates for reliever Brad Lincoln right before Eric Thames was traded. The Blue Jays seem to be bolstering their bullpen by getting rid of young outfielders. Snider started the season in Toronto last year before being demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas, and stayed there until recently being called back. The Blue Jays must have finally given up on him after he hit .225 last year and .235 this year in nine games. Snider will join the mix of Andrew McCutchen, Alex Presley, and Starling Marte in the outfield for Pittsburgh. The Blue Jays get reliever Brad Lincoln in return, who has gone 4-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 59.1 innings this year. He’s only 27 so he should be with Toronto for a while.
Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson to the Braves
After losing out on Ryan Dempster, the Braves went out and got Paul Maholm, who has been doing well for the Cubs going 7-4 with a 3.74 ERA. The Braves also received Reed Johnson. Johnson has hit .307 for the Cubs this year and will join Jason Heyward, Michael Bourn, and Martin Prado in the outfield. He should serve as a fourth outfielder and possibly come in late in games as a pinch hitter. The Cubs will get Arodys Vizcaino and Jaye Chapman. Vizcaino went 1-1 with a 4.17 ERA with the Braves last year. Chapman, this year for Triple-A Gwinett, has gone 3-6 with a 3.52 ERA in 53.2 innings.
Geovany Soto to the Rangers
Soto will go to the Rangers after they designated catcher Yorvit Torrealba for assignment. Soto will primarily catch while Mike Napoli will see some time at first base. Soto struggled this year for the Cubs, hitting just .195 with six homers and 14 RBI. He makes $4.3 millon this year. Hopefully for the Rangers, Soto will put up better numbers than Torrealba, who hit .236 with three homers and 12 RBI. The Cubs will obtain pitcher Jacob Brigham, who went 5-5 with a 4.28 ERA in124 innings for Double-A Frisco. Soto just wasn’t cutting it for the Cubs; maybe he’ll have a fresh start with the Rangers.
***Today’s feature was prepared by Bernie Olshansky, Baseball Writer & Facebook Administrator. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Bernie on Twitter (@BernieOlshansky)***
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2012 Trade Deadline Update #6 7/29: Lirano to the White Sox, Johnson to D-Backs, and More
Sunday July 29th, 2012
Bernie Olshansky: Here are some of the latest key baseball trades that have taken place over the last 24 hours:
Francisco Liriano to the White Sox
After losing out on Greinke, the White Sox needed to make a move. Their pitching needed an extra boost. Chris Sale hasn’t been himself his last two starts, giving up five earned runs in each, and Jake Peavy has been on and off lately, going 1-2 in his past three starts. Although Liriano has for the most part had a terrible year, holding a 3-10 record with an atrocious 5.31 ERA, he hasn’t been all that bad in his last few starts (excluding his last start against Chicago—2.2 innings, seven earned runs),striking out 10 and 15 in the two starts before facing Chicago. The White Sox are hoping that Liriano will continue his turnaround and help them reach the playoffs. This could be tough for the White Sox though; the Tigers seem to have the makings of a playoff team to not make the playoffs, and the AL West looks like it could produce three playoff teams as of now. But, with all this, Chicago does look promising after the acquisition of Kevin Youkilis earlier in the year. Adam Dunn has returned to form, hitting more home runs and striking out just as much. It looks like the White Sox will have a good shot to play in October. Read the rest of this entry
Back Stiffness or Sitting Out, The Posada-Gate Report
Sunday May 15, 2011
MLB reports: A big tilt was scheduled for last night, Yankees vs. Red Sox. Always a classic between two of the biggest rivalries in baseball and all of sports. While both teams have taken time to get out of the gate, signs were starting to appear that each was starting to come around and getting ready for a dog battle for the AL East crown with the Rays all summer long. One minor sidenote was the lineups, which was shaken up by Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Struggling DH Jorge Posada, normally batting somewhere in the middle to lower-end of the Yankees lineup, was dropped to the #9 slot. Considering that Jorge was batting .165 and struggling all season for the Yankees, most baseball fans and analysts would not have given the move a second thought. In fact, most would have applauded Girardi for making the necessary move to most help his ball club and perhaps ignite his stagnant DH. But something happened along the way that resulted in Posada missing yesterday’s matchup. As the mystery of the missing Posada is unfolding, tongues cannot stop wagging and the baseball world has its focus on New York to attempt to solve “Posada Gate”.
From the news and people that I have spoken with, it is clear that Jorge Posada came to manager Joe Girardi before the game and asked to be taken out of the lineup. Girardi accommodated Posada in his request and changed the lineup. Somewhere along the way Posada made mention of “feeling disrespected by the Yankees” as well. The issue becomes blurry as it does not appear that Posada indicated at the time of his removal that he had any sort of injury and the comments on being disrespected is being directed to being placed in the #9 slot in the Yankees batting order. During the game last night, damage control was in full effect. Posada’s wife, out of all people, tweeted during the game that her husband was suffering from back stiffness and that was the reason for him missing the game. The “back stiffness” account was confirmed by Posada’s agent as of this morning and by Posada himself last night after the game. But something seems awry and not sitting right with me. Let’s dig deeper to see if we can get to the bottom of this.
Brian Cashman, the Yankees General Manager, informed the media that Posada had removed himself from the game and did not make it known that any injury was behind the decision. From reading Cashman’s comments, I had the distinct impression that the Yankees were not impressed with Posada’s actions. Having Posada indicate that he felt disrespected was the kick in the teeth, the igniter of this Yankees fire. I cannot understand what Posada was thinking in making such a statement, but it is clear that both player and team need to work towards finding a quick resolution to Posada Gate. The team does not need such a distraction coming from one of its elder players and possible future hall of famer. But in order for such a resolution to arrive, both team and player need to come clean, apologize and move forward.
Lets be clear from one end. The New York Yankees do not owe Jorge Posada a single thing. In 2007, the Yankees granted the then 35-year-old Posada a 4-year, $52.4 million contract. On the open market, coming off back-to-back 20+ home run, 90+ RBI seasons, Posada would have been lucky to obtain a 2-year, $20 million deal. The Yankees were essentially bidding against themselves and out of loyalty and reward for Posada’s years of service to the team, compensated him with one last big score. The team knew full well that Posada would not be able to play out the contract as a catcher and would like move to 1B or DH at some point, making him less valuable from a financial standpoint. But the team gave Posada his due and he happily accepted the contract.
Taking a look at the situation following Posada’s signing, the value has not been there. Posada was injured for much of 2008, limited to 51 games. In 2009, Posada at 37 had his last big season, with 22 home runs, .285 AVG and .885 OPS. But as we recall, Posada and teammate A.J. Burnett were having issues, as A.J. was insistent that Molina catch his games rather than Posada, based on Posada’s eroding skills behind the plate. While much of the blame was directed at Burnett, Posada did little to calm the waters. The Yankees stood behind Posada then, even considering that his defense was no longer acceptable at the major league level. Going into 2010, Posada remained the Yankees catcher and played 83 games behind the plate. Finishing the season with a .248 AVG, the Yankees were in a bind. They had one more year to go with Posada with a monster contract. Despite needing to make a change sooner, the Yankees showed Posada loyalty by sticking behind him up to that point. But with the highest payroll in the game and team performance and team results coming first, the Yankees made the right move. Former all-star catcher Russell Martin was signed as a free agent after being let go by the Dodgers. The Yankees were able to outbid the Jays and Red Sox for his services and have been handsomely rewarded with Martin’s strong play behind the plate and with the bat. Beating out the Red Sox, with the second-worst hitting catching tandem in baseball, makes the signing that much sweeter. With also three of the top catching prospects in the game sitting in their farm system, the Yankees clearly had options. Jorge Posada, based on his declining numbers and skills, was not one of them.
So here is where we sit today. Jorge Posada got his big contract. The team stuck with him through injuries and poor play, despite the fact that it was not the best decision from a baseball standpoint. Going into 2011, the Yankees said “no more” and moved Posada to DH full-time. To be able to save wear and tear and focus on offense, experts agreed the move was best for the team and player. Posada offered little resistance, although he did indicate in the media several times that the adjustment was difficult and one that he did not necessarily enjoy. But sitting in the middle of May, hitting .165, Jorge Posada was not in a position to make demands or question his manager’s authority. Posada should be embarrassed with his statistics and working towards improving himself, rather than blaming others. My feel for the situation, is taking a look at the lineup card Posada did remove himself from the lineup out of pride. But where is the pride when he collects his giant paychecks every 2 weeks and does little to show for it? That is the problem with baseball and sports. When a player does well and is underpaid, he demands higher compensation out of “fairness”. But when a player is making a lot of money and does not perform, the player does not return the money despite the fact that the team is not receiving its value. “Respect” seems to go one way but not the other and that is not right.
The Yankees are justified in being upset with Posada, as they have shown him respect to-date as shown above. When Posada removed himself from the
game, the team justifiably took it as a slap in the face and called the player out for his treason. Coming to his senses and realizing I believe the mistake of his ways, Posada is now trying to justify the situation by claiming “back stiffness” caused his decision to not play yesterday. But why would he conveniently forget to tell his manager this piece of information? If the team was aware of Posada’s injury, Cashman would have responded differently to the media. Posada looks to me like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is now trying to get himself out. The truth would have been best but now with the injury claim, Posada has made himself and his team look terrible and guilty. Nobody wins in these situations.
The Yankees, don’t get me wrong, are not without fault. I do not agree with how Cashman spoke to the media. If Cashman spoke to Posada about the situation, both the player and team should have issued a joint statement after the fact. But airing one’s dirty laundry in the media is not the proper method to use. While the team is justified in being upset over Posada’s actions, it should have dealt with the matter privately and in-house. Now the cat is out of the bag and difficult to hide and clear away.
I have seen this situation time and time again with teams and veteran players. The issue is not as much the Yankees and Jorge Posada, but teams giving big money and long-term deals to older players. It rarely works and often blows up in everyone’s faces. Think to Frank Thomas, Raul Ibanez, Milton Bradley, Aaron Rowand, Barry Zito…how many of these big contracts to older players ended up working out. What kills me is that the teams pay $10s of millions of dollars and its the teams that are seen as disrespecting the players by sitting them, moving them around in the lineup or releasing them. That is not fair in my estimation. If the players are cashing their cheques, there comes a point where they need to shut up, play and do as the team tells them. But this notion is getting lost in baseball and is being lost in the Jorge Posada story today.
Where Posada Gates goes from here, few of us know. The likely scenario is that the player will stick to the injury story, the team will grumble under its breath and the relationship will continue smoothly for the rest of the year. Posada’s agent surely told him that he did not have a leg to stand on and to keep his reputation and contract in check, sticking to the injury story would be best for his image. After all, if Posada did come out and state that he sat yesterday because he was upset for being dropped in the lineup, he would branded and blasted in the New York media. But truthfully, I would have respected him more if he had come clean rather than rely on the childish cover-up attempt after the fact. At the end of the day, the deed is done and we all need to move forward. Both player and team need to say their respective stories, make peace and move forward. But based on the Yankees loyalty shown to Posada, let’s remember the full story before we jump to conclusions.
Jorge Posada will be a free agent at season’s end. The Yankees have already indicated that he is not in their plans and that they will be moving forward come to 2012. I do not know of many teams that are looking for ex-catchers in their 40s hitting .165 as their lineup targets. Baseball is evolving like we have never seen before. Teams are going away from 40-something DHs and keeping the spot open for younger players to rotate throughout games to keep everyone healthy. With the steroid era at an end and team salaries at an all-time high, baseball is becoming more than ever a young man’s sport. While many players used to hang around till their 40s to pad their career numbers, players like Mike Piazza, Sammy Sosa and Jermaine Dye essentially had mandatory retirement thrust upon them by a lack of interest. Jorge Posada is one of the lucky ones. He is getting to play to his 40th birthday and earning a maximum career salary. While many players in their mid-30s need to play on minor league deals and incentive structures, Posada is getting full and unconditional pay. Posada had to realize this year that he could no longer play in the field and is looking towards the future and realizing that he soon may not be able to play at all. Rather than blaming the team, it is time to look in the mirror and to think how much he has left in the tank. For a team that has given him so much money, opportunities and shown so much faith in him until this year, it is time for him to pay the Yankees back. I hope to see everyone take the high road on this one at the end of the day. It is better for the player, the team and the game. Posada Gate was interesting and provided all of us with good conversation piece. Now let’s be done with it and turn our attention to the only thing that should matter: baseball action on the field.
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Interview with Yusuf Carter: Oakland A’s Prospect
MLB reports: In our latest interview feature, we meet Oakland Athletics catching prospect, Yusuf Carter. Yusuf is 26-years-of-age and currently playing AA ball with the Midland RockHounds. Carter has the distinction of being drafted by three different major league teams, the Mariners, A’s and Cubs. Carter ultimately signed with the Cubs and played in their farm system before joining Oakland. The nephew of former major leaguer Joe Carter, Yusuf has graciously agreed to this interview with MLB reports. After speaking with him, I can fully say that you would be hard pressed to find a nicer, more down to earth player than Carter. A terrific human being and baseball player, Yusuf Carter is one of the lucky ones to play professional baseball and appreciates every minute. He is a hard worker, does not take anything for granted and is giving it his all to make it the major leagues. We proudly present: Yusuf Carter, of the Oakland Athletics.
MLB reports: Welcome to MLB reports Yusuf. It is a pleasure to have you join us.
Carter: The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for contacting me and having me on board.
MLB reports: Let’s start off with learning who was your favorite baseball player growing up. Which player did you most idolize and pattern your game after?
Carter: My favorite player growing up was definitely the kid, Ken Griffey Jr. I loved the way he brought style and swagger to the game of baseball! He was the best at hitting long home runs (and pimping them) and making highlight catches seemingly every night! Griffey probably had the most pure talent of any player I have ever seen and I hope that he makes the hall of fame one day.
MLB reports: To flip it around, which current MLB star do you most admire and why?
Carter: The player I most admire now is definitely Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees. I admire the way he goes about his business and plays the game. Jeter works very hard and plays the right way, every day. I am also impressed that Jeter has not let stardom get to his head and has remained humble despite his vast successes in baseball.
MLB reports: Reflecting on your career to-date, what are your proudest accomplishments on the baseball field?
Carter: Well looking at my career so far, I would have to say winning the Florida State League Championship in 2008 with the Daytona Cubs. It was the best feeling I ever had playing baseball. I hit a game-tying home run in a crucial game during the series and that was a pretty awesome feeling.
MLB reports: What are your goals going into the 2011 season?
Carter: My goals are to hit .400 with 50 home runs and 150 RBI’s! They say it is important to dream big, right?! (laughing) Realistically though, I am just going to go out and play hard 
every day and give it my all! I want to look back after every game and know that I never took a night off and never gave away any at bats. As long as I play like that, I am sure that I can achieve at least half of my expected goals. That would be pretty good!
MLB reports: When you first found out you were drafted by three different teams in three years, what were your reactions? Did those reactions change over time? If you can comment on each team and why you chose to re-enter the draft that would be great. Please also tell the story of final signing with the Cubs and how you came to the A’s.
Carter: To be drafted at all is a pretty big deal. After it happened 3 years in a row, I was very happy that different organizations thought I was good enough to play for them and wanted me. That definitely gave me the confidence that I can make it all the way to the big leagues one day and made me work that much harder on every aspect of my game. But each situation was different for me. After considering all the factors, even when I got drafted early, I decided that I didn’t want to rush into signing and starting my career if the situation wasn’t the best fit for me at that particular stage. The best situation was when the Chicago Cubs drafted me in 2005, so I signed with the Cubs and started my baseball career. I played with the Cubs from 2005 -2008. I was picked up by the Oakland A’s in the winter of 2008 in the rule 5 draft and have been with the organization ever since.
MLB reports: Can you give an insight as to why you originally chose not to sign in the 2 previous times you were drafted before signing with the Cubs? Did you have any fear that you may not be drafted again or not have interest if you did not sign each time you chose not to sign?
Carter: I was first drafted out of high school by the Mariners and the offer wasn’t very much. I knew it would be best for my career if I went to college and played more. That way I could gain more experience playing at a higher level, with the chance of increasing my value if I played well. The second time around, I was ironically drafted by the Oakland A’s. I was a draft-and-follow (before they got changed the system and got rid of it). The A’s wanted me to play another year of college ball and come to a decision once the year was over. I decided not to sign with them because they had just drafted a catcher in the 1st round that year and another catcher in the 2nd round. Kurt Suzuki and Landon Powell were both catchers that I knew of and as it turns out, are now the starting and #2 catchers for the A’s today. With such a backlog at the position, I thought I would have a better chance at advancing with a different organization. That’s when the Cubs drafted me and I felt it was a good situation for me and I signed. I definitely had a slight fear each time that I may not be drafted again by not signing. But I was also confident in my abilities and didn’t want to sell myself short just out of fear. I just wanted to play hard and do well and I felt everything would work itself out. Which it did.
MLB reports: What do you consider your greatest baseball skill(s)?
Carter: I would have to say that in my opinion and based on what most people say as well, my best skill would have to be my arm. I like throwing guys out anyway I can. Defense behind the plate attracted me to the position and throwing out would- e based runners is the best part of being a catcher.
MLB reports: What facets of your game do you most wish to improve upon?
Carter: I honestly need to improve on all areas! But I think as a catcher, I need to focus on improving my receiving skills so that I can handle all the different pitchers I work with on a daily basis much better. I have made already strong improvements from this spring to now in that area of my game. As a result, I am feeling a lot more confident as I work towards being a major league catcher one day. But my mindset is that I can always get better!
MLB reports: How do strikeouts and walks figure into your game? Do you see any of these items changing over time and to what degree?
Carter: They play a huge part in my game. When I feel good and comfortable in the box, I see the ball a lot better and I don’t chase many pitches out of the zone. That inevitably leads to more walks and better overall results at the plate. I don’t end up getting myself out as much. But if I’m not seeing the ball as well or I’m in a little funk, like most batters I tend to chase out of the zone and swing at pitches that I should have resisted! That ends up leading to fewer opportunities for success. My approach at the plate is something that I definitely see changing and an aspect of my game that I have to constantly stay on top of.
MLB reports: Long term what position do you see yourself playing? How do you see defense as part of your overall game?
Carter: I have always been a guy that can play multiple positions, which I consider a strength for me. By being versatile, I have more ways to stay in the
line-up and gain experience in the field But I think that if I had a choice, I would choose catching at this point. I know that many people will call me crazy for choosing the most demanding position in the game! But in my view, I see catchers as an important part of the game. I have always thought that if I could master that position and be able to catch at the highest level, I would be very important to my team and organization. As a catcher, defense is the main part of my game which always needs to be sharp! I have to be able to do it all, including stopping easy runs from scoring by base runners advancing on balls thrown in the dirt or stealing, for example. So yes, defense is huge.
MLB reports: A little birdy told us that your uncle happens to be no other than…former MLB star and World Series hero Joe Carter. Is this true?
Carter: Yes, indeed (chuckle). You are correct. Joe is my father’s brother and my uncle. I definitely get my athletic genes from that side of the family. Just to look in comparison, I am probably the “smallest” guy in the bunch at 6’3″ when I am around my dad’s family, including my father, uncles and brothers. My dad is 6’7″ so I got some of his height luckily (chuckle).
MLB reports: What is your relationship like with Joe Carter? Must have been pretty amazing. What kind of influence was Uncle Joe on your baseball career and life?
Carter: Joe and I always have enjoyed a great relationship. He was one of the best uncles a nephew could ever asked for. He has helped me and been there for me in so many ways since I started playing baseball. Joe always gives me hitting advice if I needed it and just to talk baseball sometimes. He always helped get me back on track and improve my game. I had an advantage with Joe Carter as my uncle, as he always gave me good advice at each stage when I was trying to decide when and where to sign professionally. My agent happens to be also his agent that he has been with for 25 years, so I knew that he would have my best interests in mind.
MLB reports: What was it like growing up with Joe Carter as your uncle? I can only imagine the stories that you must have.
Carter: Growing up with everyone knowing that Joe was my uncle was a good thing and a bad thing at times. It was cool because I had a famous uncle to brag about if I wanted! (chuckling) Although I usually didn’t tell people about Joe often. Having such a famous uncle got me a great deal of exposure and extra looks from scouts and teams. The only thing was that I just did not want to be known solely as his nephew though. I wanted to stand on my own and have people see that I could play and had talent as well. But it was always cool going to watch him play whenever he played in New York (my hometown) against the Mets or Yankees! I got to meet a lot of my favorite players after games waiting for him to come out. That was always a treat.
MLB reports: Any memories of your uncle that stick out?
Carter: A cool time that I remember is when Joe was a commentator for the Cubs back in 2003. That was my senior year in high school. He set it up so that I could take batting practice on the field with the Cubs! The team gave me a uniform and everything. I got the chance that day to meet Sosa, Alomar and a lot of guys from both teams . I didn’t hit any out of the park that day, but it was fun! Later, to top it off Joe brought me up to the press box with him and put me on tv with him for a bit! I’m just lucky to have someone of his stature in the game, that has been there and to look out for me. Joe knows what it takes to succeed in life and baseball and has always been there to give me advice and to help me out.
MLB reports: What have you most taken away from Joe Carter the baseball player?
Carter: One thing that I always noticed about him when he played is that he had a constant smile on his face and looked happy to be playing the game. I definitely try to do the same when I’m out there on the field. After all, let’s all never forget that it is still just a game! The more fun that you have out there, the better you will play overall.
MLB reports: I know that you must get this all the time, but we can’t talk about Joe Carter without me asking you: what are your memories from his famous walk-off home run in the World Series?
Carter: A lot of people ask me what I thought about his walk-off home run to win the World Series for the Blue Jays back in the 1990s. The truth is that I respond that I did not know anything about it until I was 12-years-old and started playing organized baseball! So I actually learned about “the home run” 4 years after it happened. Boy, I got a late start! (chuckle)
MLB reports: What were your experiences like growing up as a baseball late bloomer? Please give us an insight as to what your childhood was like and how that affected your playing career.
Carter: I would say my culture or childhood affected me the most as far as playing goes. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in a neighborhood where I was fortunate to have many friends of the same age. We were always involved in some type of sports every day. We would literally play all different sports throughout the day, every day. My childhood is definitely where my competitiveness on the field comes from. You never want to lose to another neighborhood at all, so I learned at a young age that you always have to give it your all in sports. That is how I continue to play the game to this day. I joined my first organized baseball team when I was 12 years old. That is a late start for most people but I was lucky to have the raw skills from playing in the streets. From there, I had to learn the game of baseball and the fundamentals that go with it. But I think growing up that way taught me to work hard and always play the game the right way.
MLB reports: How has your general interaction with fans been? As far as autograph requests, cheering, heckling etc. please share insights.
Carter: I always try to interact with the fans any chance I get. I have never been a guy that takes himself too seriously, so I don’t mind small talk or signing autographs for fans if I have time. I especially like to talk to the young kids at the game if I can. It is important to me to make sure that the kids get the most out of their time at the ballpark. In terms of fans cheering, I can take a joke that comes across as a good heckling. I’ll usually laugh in those situations and not get upset. As long as it is nothing personal or disrespectful, it doesn’t get to me.
MLB reports: If you were not playing baseball today, what do you think that you would be doing? When you aren’t playing baseball Yusuf, what do you do for downtime?
Carter: If I wasn’t playing baseball, I would try my luck in acting or something. I would be a bad guy or villain in my movies or the super cool hero! (chuckle) Either an actor or a music producer. I Love music, so that would be a fun role for me. On my free time when I am not playing baseball, I usually try to kick back and relax. Watch tv or catch a new movie that came out. I enjoy my downtime and try to let my mind and body relax and focus. Nothing that involves baseball! (laughing)
MLB reports: On a side note, have you ever met Billy Beane before? If you can give any scoops as to how interactions with Billy were and/or other members of the Oakland management that would be great to give fans the inside feel.
Carter: I don’t have much to share, sorry guys. I have seen him before but haven’t actually met him and interacted with him. But I would say it would be like any interaction with any management or boss. My rule is to always do the right things. Smile, don’t talk too much and laugh at their jokes! (laughing) If you do that, you should be fine!
MLB reports: If you had to look into a crystal ball, when do you see your expected time of arrival in the big leagues and what do you think you need to do most to get there?
Carter: If I had a crystal ball I would definitely try to speed up that process as much as possible! (grin) In my estimation, if I continue to sharpen my receiving skills and work hard on the other parts of my game as well, I think I can be there in the next 1-2 years. Until then, I will continue to work hard and bust my behind to make it happen!
MLB reports: Keep up the great work Yusuf. It was a pleasure meeting and speaking with you. We hope that we can do this again soon and good luck on the rest of the season.
Carter: Thank you for featuring me, you guys are awesome. I read MLB reports all the time and love your articles. This was fun!
***A special thank you to Yusuf Carter for his time in speaking with MLB reports as part of this interview and providing several personal photos. We look forward to Yusuf writing a blog entry for our MLB Guest Blog this season, exclusively on MLB reports. You can also follow Yusuf Carter on twitter***
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