The K Zone
January 17th 2018
Darick Hall
Interviewed By Mike Duffy
Mike Duffy: I was wondering when you go from high school to College, to the minor leagues, what was the biggest challenge when you reach each stage?
Darick Hall: The biggest challenge from high school to college especially the first year was definitely discipline. In high school practices seemed easy and short. Most of the time in high school lifting is voluntary when in college you start to get a pretty strict regimine lead usually by a strength coach or assistant coach. The competition is a pretty good jump as well. Pitchers are taught how to pitch backwards and throw off speed more consistently for strikes where in high school pitchers relied heavily on their best pitch. The workload and competition are the two biggest jumps from high school to college. From college to the minors is a major jump. In college you see some fantastic talent some days and some average talent on others. In pro ball the players you face on a consistent basis are in the place they’re at because either an organization or scout thinks they can get to the big leagues. Day in and day out you the challenge in the minor leagues doesn’t get any easier and the difference is you have to battle every single day for about six months. In college you average four games a week with plenty of off days. The mental grind of playing everyday is another challenge of pro ball. In college it’s easy to get your mind off of the game and relax. Pro ball not so much. You have to be locked in everyday and ready for anything. With talent so good the little things like rest and recovery tend to make a big difference. Having the energy to do what needs to be done as often as possible is how you maximize your talent.
Mike Duffy: What is your favorite thing about being a Phillie?
Darick Hall: Being a Phillie is honor. There is a lot of history and great ball players! The organization is great to play for. We are taken care of on and off the field and are constantly working with experienced and great baseball minds. Being comfortable and liking who you play for makes a huge impact on the development of the player!
Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?
Darick Hall: I enjoy many things during my down time. But the top hobby I enjoy is Bass Fishing! I fish tournaments throughout the off-season and I have been fishing competitively since I was 13 years old. It’s a passion I’ve always had!
Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?
Darick Hall: My favorite baseball player is Ken Griffey Jr. I loved watching him play and of course loved his swing! His attitude and ability were great to try and mimic as a young player!
Mike Duffy: What was your favorite team growing up?
Darick Hall: My favorite team growing up was the Seattle Mariners. Mainly because of Ken Griffey Jr. My uncle Ladd Hall was drafted his senior year of high school by the Mariners! Those two reasons had me liking them!
Mike Duffy: Goals for this offseason?
Darick Hall: My goals for the off-season are to get in great shape for the spring and with a large focus on footwork. I created a routine that I do everyday before I lift that I will be able to take into the season as well. The routine consists of different exercises pertaining to ladder drills, jump rope, scap patterns, and muscle activation.
Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Movie? What is your favorite T.V. Show?
Darick Hall: My favorite movie is Top Gun and my favorite show is Longmire!
Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?
Darick Hall: My favorite motto is “Keep hammering”. This motto is patented by a famous hunter named Cameron Hanes.
Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?
Darick Hall: I aspired to be a professional when I was really young. Probably about five. I grew up in a baseball family and got to see both of my uncle’s play and get drafted when I was young. It really inspired me to be one as well!
Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?
Darick Hall: My favorite baseball memory had to have been the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament at Dallas Baptist. I watched my best friend whom I played with since I was ten years old hit three homeruns in a game and the last one was a walk off! It was an incredible experience!
Mike Duffy: What is your biggest takeaway after this season?
Darick Hall: This last year was indeed a special year. So much of the season goes into preparation for it and what you do off of the field. My goal as a player is to play to the best of my ability everyday and to do that you have to rest. We play everyday. As players we can’t afford to lose sleep. Having energy is essential to our focus and mental edge! The ability to not get down on yourself after bad games is huge too. It’s so easy to turn one bad game into two or three if you don’t handle it correctly. I would consider myself a goal oriented person but I don’t really set goals related to numbers. I definitely didn’t know I was going to hit 29 homers but I certainly didn’t think it was unattainable. My goal is to find consistency. It’s a lot easier said than done but being consistent is so important in the game we play! I was able to find some consistency in my approach that helped me this last season. One takeaway from the season would be honestly be the brotherhood we all had on that team! You don’t know how close you really can be to your teammates until you’ve grinded out 140 baseball games in the saly league. We were right knit, we were brothers. I will never forget the guys on that team. For all of us it was our first professional full season. We had to help each other get through!
Mike Duffy: Who is your favorite Musician? What is your favorite song?
Darick Hall: My favorite musician of all time has to be Akon! Even though he isn’t really as relevant anymore he has such a great voice and vibe to his music. My favorite song is No Limit by Wiz Khalifa!
For more Interviews Click Here
For more updates on articles follow us on Instagram @thekzonenews
Comment below on how we can improve the articles!
Thanks for reading!
The K Zone 
1 Comment