| Exclusive Interview |
| Welcome to Colby-Rasmus.com The web site dedicated to the latest on the St. Louis Cardinals #1 prospect. |
| 1. Now that you have two season of professional ball under your belt you’ve had more than a few interviews. What would you say is the most frequent question you get asked? I get asked about Jim Edmonds or maybe when I’m gonna be ready. 2. You’re described as a 5-tool athlete. Most athletes of that description have also played other sports at some point. Is that the case with you? I played basketball and I like to play basketball but I gave up to concentrate on baseball. And to avoid injury? Yeah. 3. Describe a typical day this off-season? For example, what time do you generally get up and what was your routine? Both my parents teach so I get up when they do and eat with them. Then I usually go back to bed – my dad says that will help with me trying to put on weight, then get up around noon and eat lunch, then head over to Columbus where a guy pitches batting practice to me, then come back here [Russell County High School] and lift and practice with the [high school] team. 4. Do you feel the pressure of “the big contract”, high rating of being a top prospect? I don’t really focus on that. I just try to focus on what I need to do to get to where I want to be. 5. In an interview you did last season, you indicted that the hardest thing to adjust to going into pro ball was the grind. Is this still true? Pro ball is a lot different than playing in high school. I mean in high school you play maybe one or twice a week. In pro ball you play every day. I got pretty tired at end of last year. This year, I’m working on preparing self to hold up for whole season 6. What do you eat on the road? What is your favorite food? There’s really not that many good places to eat when you’re on the road, I mean, all the towns are pretty small. I eat pretty much whatever. I guess my favorite thing is steak. 7. What does an 18 year old (at the time he signed) do with a million dollar signing bonus? [B.J.] Upton signed for six [million]. I want to know what an 18 year old does with 6 million? I bought my dad a new truck and I got a new car. What kind? BMW. I tried to get them [his parents] more but they wouldn’t let me. 8. After hitting over .300 at Quad Cities last year, you were promoted to Palm Beach but got off to a very slow start there. To what do you attribute that slow start? I think tried a little too hard. I pressed some at the beginning at both places. I feel like I’ll be more relaxed this time around, though. 9. After the slow start, you really came on in August batting .305 and achieved a .414 OBP. Was there one thing in particular that accounted for the improvement? I’m not really sure. I got more comfortable as the year went on. I also stopped pulling the ball so much. 10. Several articles claim that while working out during a showcase at Fenway Park before the 2005 draft, you actually threw 94mph from the outfield. That sounds a little over-the-top. Is it true? Yeah, the showed me the radar gun. I can throw it pretty good if I need to, like if a runner’s trying to go on me or the game’s on the line. 11. Those same articles say that you were clocked at 6.7 seconds in the 60 yard dash? Yeah, ran 6.7 the first time I was timed. Actually ran a 6.4 after that. 12. You live just 100 miles or so from Atlanta. That had to shape who your favorite team was growing up? Was it the Braves? (Pause) I didn’t really have one team that was a favorite. I did follow it some but to tell you the truth, I was always playing so much didn’t really have time to get into what the major leaguers were doing. I was too busy playing myself. 13. Who were your favorite players as a kid?? Ken Griffey and Tori Hunter. Why them? They played good defense and could hit, especially for power. I actually met Griffey once when my dad was playing. He came up and sat by my mom while I was sitting on her lap. 14. You had a lot of success even as a kid, playing in the championship game of the Little League World Series. Was it then that time you thought you might REALLY become a pro player or a different point? When I was 11, dad sat me and my brother Cory down and asked if we were happy or if we wanted to go to next level, I mean baseball-wise. 15. You’ve played in the Little League World Series, been selected for various All-Star teams, earned a college scholarship to Auburn, been chosen as Mr. Baseball for Alabama, and selected in the 1st round of the major league draft. What, to date, is your best baseball memory? (Says back to himself, “My best baseball memory...?” , then pauses.) I’d say winning state [Alabama high school title]. I mean we came back after losing the first game to win last two. I got to pitch the final game. Did pretty good, too, if I recall…struck out ten and gave up only two hits in a complete game win? (Smiles, appears somewhat embarrassed) Yeah, I had only pitched ten innings all year in relief. I could pitch pretty good if I needed to, if the game was on the line. 16. Your dad has been enormously successful as a baseball coach, achieving a record of 127-29 in his first six seasons at Russell County and a top ranking in the U.S. in 2005. What makes your dad such a great baseball coach? Well, he was a player himself until he got hurt. How’d he get hurt? He cut his wrist diving for a ball and he also tore his rotator cuff. He’s real good with young guys. And he knows the game really well and is always online studying, trying to learn more and get better. 17. You got a lot of attention in 2005 by breaking the Alabama high school state home run record of perhaps its’ most famous athlete, one Bo Jackson. Have yet ever met him? No 18. According to an interview you did in November, you’re making stride you’re your goal of adding bulk. How’s the weight gain going? Is weight-lifting part of your exercise program? In addition to weight gain, have you seen your strength improving? I’m up to about 193. I lift a lot cause I’m trying to build endurance and power. Might get to 200 before season starts. I’m doing more than I have in the past and I can tell I’m stronger. What exercises do you do? All the regular ones. Bench, declines, pull downs. I try to strengthen my triceps and that sort of work. 19. You’ve indicated in previous interviews that professional ball is a lot more mental than high school was. What effect, if any, did that have on your early performance? Are you still “catching up”? They pitch me different. I get a lot fewer fastballs and a lot of off-speed stuff. I adjusted, though. I’m also trying to go the other way. Gene Tenace, who is the Cardinals traveling hitting instructor, has worked with me a lot on that. 20. Surely by now, you’ve come into contact with people – coaches, scouts, and other veteran baseball people – who have offered advice. What do they tell you about playing at the upper levels when that time should come? Gene Tenace has told me to develop a routine, not just come to the park and wander around. To have a disciplined approach. He’s said that’s really important - to have a routine. 21. After this season at Palm Beach in early September, what did you do for the first month or so? I took two days off, then went to instructs [Instructional League] for a few weeks. After that I came back home and then began to lift & I go hit with guy over in Columbus everyday. And now I lift and have started working out with high school squad. I’ll do that until I head to Spring Training. 22. Even though you have not yet reached AA, you have attained some degree of celebrity due to being drafted in the first round and such. How much fan mail do you get? I get about 5 letters a day. 23. Have you met any of the current big league Cardinals? What was that like, being around big leaguers at this winter’s Cardinal’s Caravan? It was real nice, I mean, all the guys were really friendly. I sat next to Adam Wainwright. I also spent tine with Brad Thompson, and Reyes. Then Chris Carpenter came in and took my seat in the middle so I move to the end which was great by me. I also met Tony La Russa which was really special. John Rooney and Al Hrabosky were there to and they were great. Everyone was very good to me. They help me be at ease, were all very friendly and made me feel welcomed. 24. You received an invite to Jupiter for Spring Training. When do you report and do you find that a little scary? I report Feb 19th. I’m excited about it but I definitely respect that those guys have earned being there and I just want to do all I can to learn all I can – to get the most out of it. 25. Who are the best players you have played with or against to date? (Long pause) Jamie Garcia, John Jay, John Mayberry, BJ Upton. There are others. 26. Who do you see in ML uniform in the yrs ahead? Garcia definitely and of course Upton. 27. Baseball Prospectus says you have trouble handling left-handed pitching yet you hit .308 against them and had 300+ pts higher OPS at Palm Beach against them. Why the knock? I’m not sure. I mean in high school you don’t see that many lefties. I’ve seen a lot more since and where I use to not like to hit against lefties, don’t feel that way anymore. I kinda like hitting against them now. 28. They also stated that you can be an over-aggressive base runner & fielder. What’s your take on that? I don’t think I’m overaggressive running the bases. I mean sometimes I’ll stretch it out but I don’t really take chances. I may not be aggressive enough at times. Fielding … I’ll try to throw out a runner at times but it depends on the situation. I don’t think I’m overaggressive in the field. 29. You had 22 doubles at Quad Cities but just 4 at Palm Beach yet you had 5 triples at Palm Beach. Any theories on that? (Pause while thinking) I’m not sure. The Florida State League is a pitchers league. I mean you really have to load up to hit one out. I’m not sure. I pulled some balls down the line for the triples. 30. One last stat: Your batting average at Palm Beach with the bases empty was .183 but with runners in scoring position you hit .377. Why the disparity? Well, I mean driving runners in - that’s my job. I don’t know – I guess I’ve always like hitting with runners on base. If someone’s on first they can’t pitch around you, can they? Yeah. (Smiles) 31. Have you met Mr. Pujols yet? No. He was at the Caravan on a different day that I was. 32. With the advent of the internet and its’ growing popularity do you ever get online to see what people are saying about you? No. My mom does but to me there’s always going to be someone who has something bad to say so I just want to focus on what I need to do and where I want to be. Ok, Colby, now here are a few questions fans have submitted that they’d like me to ask you: 33. What is your favorite cheese? (Laughs) Probably American 34. How awesome is to e a part of the Cardinals organization? It’s a great organization. I mean at the Cardinal’s Caravan everyone made me feel at home. Adam Wainwright, Thompson, Reyes – all of them were great. I got to meet and talk with Tony LaRussa which was really nice. They treat you like family, you know? 35. Do you feel any of the pressure of being “The Prospect” in the Cardinals organization -- a lot of people are expecting big things from you? I don’t worry about that. I just try to take care of my business. I never really pay much attention to that kid of stuff. I just love to play baseball and want to try to get better and better. 36. Here’s a lighter question: Which Jessica….Alba, Simpson, or Biel? (Chuckles briefly, then without hesitation…) Biel 37. Which tools do you possess that you believe will help you succeed at the pro level? Defense. I really try to be a good centerfielder with good speed. And not just play good defense but I want to hit, too… to develop more power, to hit for power and a high average. 38. Who do you model your game after or who do you most resemble that is currently in the majors? (Long pause) I guess I don’t really try to be like anybody, just be me and play my game and work hard to be as good as I can be. 39. Who do you credit with most of your success to date? (Points to the ball field where his dad is throwing batting practice) That man out there, my dad. I mean he’s been with us [he and his brothers] at every level…Little League, high school… He’s just a great coach. You can see that by what he’s accomplished and how players respond to him. 40. What’s your reaction to the Cardinals winning the World Series? It was great. We watched it, the whole thing. I mean it’s a great organization and as I said they’ve treated me like part of the family. I mean it’s like when you were a kid in the backyard - I’d like it to be me play in the World Series some day. |
February 2007