Sam Tidaback: Baseball & Marketing

-The K Zone-

August 2nd 2018

Sam Tidaback

Interview by Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: What are some of your favorite parts of the Rockies Organization?

Sam Tidaback: I think that my favorite part of the Rockies organization is the atmosphere and the people around the organization. Everyone has been awesome since I signed here and it’s been a great environment to be in. Everyone is supportive and everyone challenges you to be your best on and off the field everyday.

Mike Duffy: What has been your favorite team to play for so far like South Bend Cubs, Eugene Emeralds, Boise Hawks, or your new team the Hartford Yard Goats?

Sam Tidaback: I can honestly say that I have had some great experiences so far. I really loved Boise because of the players on the team and I had a great host family. But I can honestly say Hartford has been the best. It’s almost like playing in the big leagues. It’s challenging. The stadium is unbelievable. And our fan base is great. I also love being around the guys on an everyday basis and our coaching staff is awesome.

Mike Duffy: What was it like playing for North Georgia? What are some of your favorite moments there?

Sam Tidaback: Playing for North Georgia was a one of a kind experience. I loved every minute of it. Coach Cantrell was unbelievable and the assistant coaches were one of a kind. We had an unbelievable following and our stadium was very very impressive for a division 2 school. I wouldn’t be where I am today without those guys. I also made lifelong friends there that I’ll never forget. I think my favorite moment was winning the conference and playing in a regional there.

Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?

Sam Tidaback: I would say I have always wanted to play professional baseball. Every baseball player dreams of doing that. But I honestly did not think I could do it until I transferred to North Georgia. They gave me the confidence and the guidance to conquer my hopes and dreams of playing pro ball.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite player growing up?

Sam Tidaback: I loved Derek Jeter and Sammy Sosa growing up.

Mike Duffy: What team were you the biggest fan of growing up?

Sam Tidaback: Chicago Cubs all the way.

Mike Duffy: What was it like being drafted by your favorite team growing up?

Sam Tidaback: It honestly was the greatest feeling in the world. To grow up loving them. It was unreal. My dad grew up like 20 blocks from wrigley so it was awesome for my dad and my family and everyone that I know that are cubs fans.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Sam Tidaback: Fenway Park. Wrigley field and PNC Park.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a second job in the offseason?

Sam Tidaback: I work at a hitting facility in the off-season giving lessons and working with the local travel teams in my area.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?

Sam Tidaback: I think my favorite baseball memory is getting drafted in 2016 by the Chicago Cubs.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?

Sam Tidaback: I always tell myself that I have nothing to lose in this game if I’m down or out. I have a great family. Great health. I’ll have a degree in Marketing in December. I just always tell myself to go out and play hard and whatever happens happens. It’s all in God’s hands at that point.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite book?

Sam Tidaback: I would say ready player one is my favorite book.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie?

Sam Tidaback: The Big Lebowski.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Tv show?

Sam Tidaback: Game of Thrones.

Mike Duffy: Who is your favorite Musician and what’s your favorite song?

Sam Tidaback: Anything by Led Zeppelin or Wiz Khalifa.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Sam Tidaback: My favorite hobby besides baseball is Golfing.

Mike Duffy: What is the host family experience like?

Sam Tidaback: It depends on who you get honestly. It is what you make of it. I love the host family experience because I love my home environment. If you are personable and can have conversations it is an unbelievable experience. You meet great people who care about you. But if you’re kind of shy and reserved it could be challenging.

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Caleb Frare: Chasing The SouthPaw Lion

-The K Zone-

July 30th 2018

Caleb Frare

The Nicest Guy In Baseball!

Interview by Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: What are you most looking forward too in the White Sox organization?

Caleb Frare: The opportunity to play and win the game I love. They’re rebuilding I hope I can be a part of that.

Mike Duffy: What has been your favorite team to play for so far like Trenton Thunder, Tampa Tarpoons, Charleston RiverDogs?

Caleb Frare: Trenton Thunder definitely.

Mike Duffy: What were some of your favorite memories as apart of the Yankees organization?

Caleb Frare: Celebrating with my teammates after playoff series wins has got to be the best. Never fortunate enough to win a championship but playoffs are a blast.

Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?

Caleb Frare: Since I was a little kid, become more of I can actually do this my senior year in hs.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite player growing up?

Caleb Frare: Billy Wagner.

Mike Duffy: What team were you the biggest fan of growing up?

Caleb Frare: Seattle Mariners.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Caleb Frare: Arm & Hammer Park (Trenton).

Mike Duffy: What mindset did you have to get over the hump of TJ Surgery? What ever you did it worked out and are seen as one of the best southpaw prospects in the game!

Caleb Frare: Tj was a grind. No doubt. I just had to keep getting after it.

Mike Duffy: What is being drafted from Montana like? It isn’t know as a big baseball state so what was that like big from that state and show how amazing you are in your career!

Caleb Frare: Being drafted out of Montana is something special definitely but it is just cool to chase my dream.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a second job in the off season?

Caleb Frare: I work for the family trucking business during the off season.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?

Caleb Frare: In hs I played a double header on Thursday night. Got on the bus. Drove 5 hours got to the field at 6 am and played 5 games that day. On no sleep. Won 4/5 that day 6/7 and won the tournament.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?

Caleb Frare: I pray and read the Bible. I don’t really have tough times cause God gives me peace.

Mike Duffy: What was MLB camp like?

Caleb Frare: MLB camp is really cool. You’ve got young guys like me and veterans all playing together. It is a really cool experience.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite book?

Caleb Frare: “Chase the Lion” by Mark Batterson.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie?

Caleb Frare: The Intern.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Tv show?

Caleb Frare: Parks & Rec.

Mike Duffy: Who is your favorite Musician and what’s your favorite song?

Caleb Frare: Def Leppard “Pour Sugar on Me”.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Caleb Frare: Games (board, video, something that’s competitive).

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Pat Light: Fan of the Yankees but Debuting for the Red Sox

-The K Zone-

July 22nd 2018

Pat Light

Interview by Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite player growing up?

Pat Light: Derek Jeter!

Mike Duffy: What team were you the biggest fan of growing up?

Pat Light: The Yankees!

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Pat Light: Investing my own money! It’s like a video game to me.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Pat Light: Fenway Park.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie?

Pat Light: Home Alone.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Tv show?

Pat Light: How I Met Your Mother!

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite book?

Pat Light: When the Wolves Bite.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?

Pat Light: Not really I just pride myself on not being a quitter so I always just keep going!

Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?

Pat Light: When I first picked up a baseball!

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?

Pat Light: Making my Debut for sure!

Mike Duffy: Who is your favorite Musician and what’s your favorite song?

Pat Light: Billy Joel and Piano Man.

Mike Duffy: What do you love most about playing professional baseball?

Pat Light: Just a good time playing the sport you love with some great guys and traveling the country! Nothing better!

Mike Duffy: Do you have a second job during the offseason?

Pat Light: No second Job but i do own a couple restaurants!

Mike Duffy: What has been your favorite team you have played for?

Pat Light: Probably the Red Sox because it’s who I came up with and have the most memories with.

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Hunter Speer: Sports Run Through His Blood

-The K Zone-

July 21st 2018

Hunter Speer

Interview by Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: What was your favorite part about being from New Orleans?

Hunter Speer: I would have to say my favorite part about being from Nola is the food & my family for sure!

Mike Duffy: Why did you pick #6 as your jersey number?

Hunter Speer: I wore number 6 in college & just so happened to get it in pro ball as well, it was hanging in my locker when I arrived! When I was in college I wore it because of stroman & I really enjoyed watching him pitch and compete.

Mike Duffy: Do you have any Gameday superstitions?

Hunter Speer: Gameday superstitions and really everyday superstitions is me chewing orbit bubble mint gum every time I play catch at practice or toe the rubber in a game!

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite player growing up?

Hunter Speer: My favorite athlete growing up would be Joe McKnight, and baseball player growing up would have to be Chad Gaudin. He taught me how to pitch at a young age and I got a chance to follow his career from a personal level and that was amazing for me to be able to see what he did in Big league baseball for so long.

Mike Duffy: What team were you the biggest fan of growing up?

Hunter Speer: The dodgers were actually my favorite club, ever since I was a young boy. As well as my favorite stadium, blue heaven is one of a kind and it was the first big league stadium that I’ve ever been to!

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie?

Hunter Speer: Remember the Titans probably (big movie fan so that’s a hard one).

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Tv show?

Hunter Speer: Prison Break

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite book?

Hunter Speer: Drew Brees : Coming Back Stronger (read that after I had shoulder surgery as a freshman in college).

Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?

Hunter Speer: Not sure if I have a certain motto, but I really enjoy watching Inky Johnson’s work as a speaker whenever times are tough & maybe I’m playing bad or I don’t feel well that day or just to get me out of a hole I listen to his work and that’s helped me a bunch over the years.

Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?

Hunter Speer: I knew I wanted to be a professional from a very young age, my dad was a Dallas cowboy, older brother was a New Orleans Saint, middle brother was drafted by the Rays, played with the marlins and nationals organization as well, and then I’m the last of the bunch with the dodgers so my whole life I was working toward one goal and it’s led me to this profession and I couldn’t be happier doing what I do everyday! I absolutely love coming to work everyday, it’s a privilege and an honor to be a dodger.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?

Hunter Speer: My favorite memory thus far baseball wise was the draft this year for sure, being able to hear my name called with my family is something I will never forget!

Mike Duffy: Do you have a second job during the offseason?

Hunter Speer: No job during the off season! Just train, I take that extremely serious to prepare for the next year.

Mike Duffy: Do you stay with a host family?

Hunter Speer: Host family right now in Ogden yes! Awesome people, super thankful to stay with them!

Mike Duffy: What are some of the best and hardest things about being a minor leaguer?

Hunter Speer: I would have to say all of it for me is amazing honestly! I know people say minor league ball can be miserable and this and that with the long road trips and whatever else but that’s all apart of it. I absolutely love going to work everyday & being in this organization is amazing I wouldn’t change it for the world! Everything about minor league baseball to me is everything I’ve ever wanted so why complain!??! I’m having the time of my life and only getting better with time! Super thankful for the opportunity the dodgers have given me in this years draft. It’s a dream come true!

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Tyler Zuber: Hunting & Blue Rocks

-The K Zone-

July 20th 2018

Tyler Zuber

Interview by Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: What was your favorite part about going to Arkansas State?

Tyler Zuber: I loved the family type atmosphere and the guys I played with.

Mike Duffy: Why did you pick #23 as your jersey number?

Tyler Zuber: It was the number given to me, but I don’t mind wearing the number Michael Jordan wore haha.

Mike Duffy: What’s your favorite part about being a part of the Royals Organization?

Tyler Zuber: It’s still one big family, I love that.

Mike Duffy: Do you have any game day superstitions?

Tyler Zuber: Not really any.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a second job during the offseason?

Tyler Zuber: Either lessons or just finding some small jobs to work.

Mike Duffy: Do you stay with a host family when you stay in Wilmington?

Tyler Zuber: I do.

Mike Duffy: What are some of the best and hardest things about being a minor leaguer?

Tyler Zuber: Definitely managing money, also embracing the grind and playing with a chip on your shoulder everyday.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite player growing up?

Tyler Zuber: Derek Jeter or Greg Maddux.

Mike Duffy: What team were you the biggest fan of growing up?

Tyler Zuber: Yankees.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Tyler Zuber: Hunting and fishing.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Tyler Zuber: That I’ve been to would have to be Fenway because I got to go on the field but now would have to say Cincinnati. The background at it is unreal.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie?

Tyler Zuber: Anything with Will Ferrell.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Tv show?

Tyler Zuber: Impractical Jokers.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite book?

Tyler Zuber: Not a big reader honestly.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?

Tyler Zuber: Fall back on my training that got me here.

Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?

Tyler Zuber: When I picked up a ball for the first time.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?

Tyler Zuber: Getting drafted honestly.

Mike Duffy: Who is your favorite Musician and what’s your favorite song?

Tyler Zuber: Kevin Gates, Don’t really have a favorite song just like abunch of types of music.

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Players and Fans Are Upset Over Blake Snell Snub. Verlander Has a Way to Prevent it in the Future.

The K Zone

July 8th 2018

Players and Fans Are Upset Over Blake Snell Snub. Verlander Has a Way to Prevent it in the Future.

by Mike Duffy

After this year’s controversial All Star picks were announced this evening, many fans and players stormed to social media to comment on this. One of this year’s general consensus snubs is Tampa Bay Rays Blake Snell. Snell has put up monster numbers this season, distinguishing himself as maybe even the best AL pitcher this year. Here are his stats.

I’ll have his best friend and teammate Chris Archer tell them to you.

This Tweet caught the eye of two of the best arms in the Astros rotation, Lance McCullers and the ace of Houston’s rotation, Justin Verlander. McCullers suggests that the system is broken for picking pitchers in the MLB All Star Game, which is done by players themselves. Verlander has a suggestion to make on how it should be changed:

Lance McCullers suggests it is all a popularity contest.

You heard it from the pros, what do you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMLmg9Fp2sk&feature=youtu.be

Pat Biondi Interview: Elevating through the levels of Baseball

The K Zone

June 28th 2018

Pat Biondi

Interviewed By Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: Starting your advanced baseball career at University of Michigan, what tools did you learn there that helped you become successful in the Mets organization today?

Pat Biondi: I think aside from growing as an individual(learning how to live on your own, interact and work with people from different backgrounds, how to think critically for myself) one of the baseball related things I learned both at Michigan and in summer baseball was how to steal bases–what to look for from pitchers, good situations to run, different techniques to steal second and third base.

Mike Duffy: What gave you the idea to create the elevate movement? What are your goals with it? Can you tell me a little bit about it?

Pat Biondi: A few different things lead to me starting the Elevate Movement. I had always enjoyed drawing and designing things, and around the time I started the company, it seemed like there was a lot of division and tension in our country–politically, interpersonally, in news outlets–and so I had a desire to create a company that brought people together and had a positive impact on the world. These two areas merged together and formed the Elevate Movement, a clothing company whose goal is to unify and create positive change–by donating a portion of our profits to different charities, working with charities, and providing information that will inform and challenge people to grow in their own lives.

Check out the Site here: theelevatemovement.com

Mike Duffy: When you won the 2012 cape cod league batting title, how did that effect your confidence? Was that when you realized you had a chance to move to the next level?

Pat Biondi: Winning the cape cod batting title definitely gave me confidence..especially after struggling in cape cod the summer before, it allowed me to prove to myself I was capable of playing at the highest level.

Mike Duffy: You were seen as a steal in the 2013 draft by the Mets. Has that had any impact on the drive it took to get you to AAA which is already a huge accomplishment?

Pat Biondi: I think the way the draft played out for me just motivated me to always prove myself at every level throughout my pro career.

Mike Duffy: Had you ever felt being 5’9 in professional sports was a obstacle? If so how did you beat that mental or physical roadblock?

Pat Biondi: As far as my height, I think because it gets talked about as far as “projectability” in the draft process, it’s something that I have viewed as an obstacle at times. But as I’ve played for longer, I realize that it has no effect on how I play the game, and so it’s not something I view as a roadblock or obstacle in my career.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite player growing up?

Pat Biondi: Curtis Granderson (had the chance to interact with him a few springs ago–he’s an even better person than he is player!)

Mike Duffy: What team were you the biggest fan of growing up?

Pat Biondi: I was a big Tigers fan growing up.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Pat Biondi: Playing the guitar, music, writing, reading, drawing, the outdoors/ hiking.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Pat Biondi: So far, Fenway.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie?

Pat Biondi: Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite Tv show?

Pat Biondi: Right now, Westworld.

Westworld Storyboards by Dan Caplan

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite book?

Pat Biondi: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Mike Duffy: Do you have a motto or a thing to do to get you out of a rough time?

Pat Biondi: I don’t have a motto, but for me, I think meditating, doing yoga, just taking the time to take a step back and slow down helps me refocus and reconnect.

Mike Duffy: When did you know you wanted to play professional baseball?

Pat Biondi: Growing up, I always wanted to play in the NBA..I think probably my sophomore or junior year in high school is when I began to think about playing baseball professionally.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite baseball memory?

Pat Biondi: Winning a state championship in high school, winning the batting title in cape cod, sweeping Michigan state my senior year at Michigan.

Mike Duffy: Who is your favorite Musician and what’s your favorite song?

Pat Biondi: Chance the rapper, rebelution, dirty heads, slghtly stoopid, John Mayer, Dave Matthews, odesza..just kind of depends on my mood