THE TEAM
When we talk to you after
games, you seem to have a
pretty good recall.
Im sitting there chewing on it,
too, especially if I get out of
there early [laughs]. Theres a
recollection, maybe, because
theres a game plan. Theres
a thought process. Its not
something that I just sit there
and digest afterwards, its
something that Ive sat there
and digested before.
You like to watch the best
pitchers in the game.
If youre on the mound or in
the dugout during your own
game, how do you see them?
I take the opportunities
when I can, especially when
theyre pitching against us
obviously not when theyre
pitching against me. When
theyre pitching against us, I
take the opportunity to watch
them. Fortunately some
of those guys play in big
markets where you kind of
see them on Sunday Night
Baseball every night, or
theyre always on ESPN, the
highlights. Its just kind of
like, you have your peers in
this game and theres guys
that are just at a different
level. Maybe watching
them might not give you all
the answers, but it cant
hurt. It cant hurt.
If you werent a baseball
player, what do you think
you would do for a living?
It would have to be a competi-
tive industry. I dont know. I
dont know what I would be
doing. I have so much love for
the game, its hard for me to
envision not being involved
in the game. Theres a lot of
moving parts. I have other in-
terests, but Ive been pitching
since Ive been like 13 years
old. When I get a question
like that, its just not some-
thing that Ive really thought
about for a long time. Im
sure Id be able to take a lot
of the stuff Ive learned here
and how to be a professional
and go about your job and the
work ethic that it takes every
day. We work with our bod-
ies, you guys work with your
minds, but the same process
applies. I dont really have a
specific feel, but I feel like it
would have to be something
competitive, at least.
Having pitched since you
were 13 and having put so
much effort and thought into
it, do you find it hard to
decompress?
Yeah. I think thats what the
offseasons for, I think thats
what your teammates are for.
You try to do it the best you
can. In between games, in
between starts, it builds up
on you over the course of the
year. Theres no substitute
for experience and just fine-
tuning that process. Youve
just got to try to keep working
at it, never be satisfied with
it, and it can always get bet-
ter. You learn how to flip that
switch better. I remember ini-
tially talking about that kind of
stuff in college. When youre
at the field, be at the field.
When youre at home, doing
your homework or youre with
your girlfriend or youre with
your wife, be with them when
youre there. Dont drag your
luggage out to the field and
dont drag your field luggage
back home.
Now that youve done this
a couple years, have you
found anything that makes
relaxing easier?
Amy [Crawford, Coles fian-
cee] makes it easier. Being
able to settle into a team. You
develop relationships with
these guys. Finally Ive played
with J-Hay [Josh Harrison] for
five years. Ive played with
Tony [Watson] for three years,
four years, Ive played with
Andrew [McCutchen] for three
or four years. Ive played with
Jordy [Mercer] for five years
down in triple-A before he got
called up. We have a little bit
of a rapport. Sometimes all
it takes is just kind of like a
look across the table, and
like, hey, you want to go grab
a beer? I need a blow, I need
a beer, and they kind of look
at you and reciprocate the
same look, and you go grab a
beer and just kind of decom-
press. Its stressful. Its 162
[games], it may look monoto-
nous from the fans perspec-
tive. Youve been involved
in this as much as anybody
from the outside can, and
you know how we focus every
day and how we go about our
business every day, and what
it takes to win 98 games. You
cannot take a day off, you
cannot get overwhelmed, and
you have to stay focused.
What did it mean to you
when you were chosen to be
the Pirates union rep?
I was a little taken aback. I
had worked with Neil [Walker]
last year a lot. As much as
we knew he was going to
get traded, I think the tim-
ing was a little premature,
at least what him and I were
anticipating. So I hadnt really
thought about taking on the
responsibility myself. I kind
of hoped I would have a little
more time with a seasoned
vet. And when I sat down
with Tony and Jared [Hughes]
before camp really started to
get rolling and they had sug-
gested that I do it, and Mark
[Melancon] as well, there was
some thought into, this is
an important year. We need
to make the right decision.
We need to be connected to-
gether as a team. We have an
important role to play in this
clubhouse to set an example.
Its a tremendous honor.
What was the biggest
moment of your
Little League career?
I had slid into second base
a couple weeks before and I
really hurt my hamstring bad.
I went to the doctor and he
graded me out with some sort
of strain, I cant really remem-
ber. But I remember I was
limited just to hitting and not
really running. I think we had
bases loaded in the bottom
of the sixth, we were down by
three, and I hit a grand slam.
And we won the game, and I
really could literally barely run
around the bases.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES 2016 19