Jon Duplantier; Fishing & Pitching

-The K Zone-

September 29th 2017

Jon Duplantier

Interview by Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: I was wondering when you go from high school, minor leagues, what was the biggest challenge when you reach each stage?

Jon Duplantier: The biggest challenge is being on your own. You have to grow up a lot and be a grown man when maybe some guys aren’t ready for the responsibility.

Mike Duffy: What’s your favorite thing about being apart of the Diamondbacks?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite part about being with the dbacks is I get to play the game I love for and organization that is respectful and supportive.

Mike Duffy: What’s your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Jon Duplantier: I like to fish on my off days. Just relax and let my mind wander.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite player growing up was Roger Clemens.

Mike Duffy: What was your favorite team growing up?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite team was the Astros or Rangers. Anyone in Texas.

Mike Duffy: What was your favorite memory of this season?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite memory this season was being in the Futures Game.

Mike Duffy: What was it like knowing you were recognized for your great year on the MLB Pipeline team of the year?

Jon Duplantier: Being recognized for the team was awesome, because it brings attention to the dbacks farm system and all the work we’ve put in.

Mike Duffy: What’s your favorite stadium?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite stadium is Minute Maid.

Mike Duffy: What’s your favorite movie?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite movie is Space Jam.

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

Jon Duplantier: Just think about positive energy and count my blessings.

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

Jon Duplantier: My mom said I first told her when I was young like 6 or 7.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite thing about being a pitcher? Hardest thing about pitching? When did you start getting good at it?

Jon Duplantier: My favorite thing, is the one on one battle, the hardest thing, getting out of a bad streak, when I turned 20 I guess.

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Tyler Watson; How I Met My New Team

The K Zone

August 31st 2017

Tyler Watson

Interviewed By Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: I was wondering when you go from high school, minor leagues, what was the biggest challenge when you reach each stage?

Tyler Watson: The biggest obstacle even moving one level to the next is to understand that you got there for a reason and changing anything will not help. Be yourself.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite thing about being a Twin?

Tyler Watson: I’ve met a lot of great teammates so far being a Twin.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Tyler Watson: I love to read, I guess the best thing I can do while playing baseball is try to educate myself anyway I can.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?

Tyler Watson: I will always be a Big Papi fan.

Mike Duffy: What was your favorite team growing up?

Tyler Watson: My dad is from Boston so I grew up a Red Sox fan.

Mike Duffy: Goals for this season?

Tyler Watson: This season I just want to learn from my mistakes and my successes. Never forget what got you there and never forget what didn’t work.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Tyler Watson: My favorite stadium is probably Chase field because I grew up there!

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite movie? What is your favorite tv show?

Tyler Watson: My favorite movie is it’s a wonderful life! My favorite show is how I met your mother!

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

Tyler Watson: Lord we know what we are but know not what we may be.

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

Tyler Watson: I’ve always wanted to be a professional baseball player from day one.

Mike Duffy: What do you enjoy most about staying with host families during the season?

Tyler Watson: Staying with host families have given me connections and experiences that I’m extremely thankful for.

Mike Duffy: For a shout out to your old teammates lol! What do you miss most about your time in the nationals organization?

Tyler Watson: Wow haha I think about my boys all the time. Still hasn’t sunk in that I won’t see them very often anymore but I’m so thankful that my best friend Blake Perkins lives in Arizona so I can still see him!

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite thing about being a pitcher? Hardest thing about pitching? When did you start getting good at it?

Tyler Watson: I love being a pitcher because it’s so strategic, hardest thing about pitching and almost anything is not letting your head get in the way even though it’s a mental craft. I started getting good my senior year of high school once I realized I wasn’t as good as I thought I was!

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Ty Kelly; Utilizing his role on the Phillies

The K Zone

July 12th 2017

Ty Kelly

Interviewed By Mike Duffy

Mike Duffy: I was wondering when you go from high school, minor leagues, to the majors, what was the biggest challenge when you reach each stage?

Ty Kelly: The biggest challenge at each stage is dealing with the new surroundings. You want to fit in and help the team at first and then work up to standing out and being a key player on the team.

Mike Duffy: What have you done best this season?

Ty Kelly: My best moment this season was getting a go-ahead pinch hit double against Chris Sale.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite thing about being a Philly?

Ty Kelly: My favorite thing about Philly is all the history here and getting to explore the museums.

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Mike Duffy: Do you miss anything from the mets?

Ty Kelly: I miss the guys with the team and the city itself. It’s an amazing place to play every day.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Ty Kelly: I have a lot of hobbies. I enjoy making music, writing, and outdoor activities during the offseason in San Diego.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?

Ty Kelly: My favorite player growing up was Chipper Jones. He was a switch-hitting infielder like me.

Mike Duffy: Who has been the hardest pitcher you have faced?

Ty Kelly: The toughest pitcher I’ve ever faced was probably Yordano Ventura in the minor leagues.

Mike Duffy: What is your favorite stadium?

Ty Kelly: My favorite stadium to play in is AT&T Park in San Francisco. I grew up close to it and it is beautiful.

Mike Duffy: What are your favorite movies and tv shows?

Ty Kelly: My favorite movie is “Inglourious Basterds” and favorite show is “Seinfeld.”

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

Ty Kelly: If I’m struggling I try to step back and look at the bigger picture.

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

Ty Kelly: I didn’t know how good I was at baseball until my sophomore year of college when I transferred to UC Davis and had a lot of success.

Mike Duffy: Whats your favorite thing about being a utility guy?

Ty Kelly: My favorite thing about being a utility guy being used in a bunch of different facets. It never gets boring!

Mike Duffy: Whats the hardest thing about being a utility guy?

Ty Kelly: The hardest thing is not knowing when or where you’ll go into the game every day.

Mike Duffy: What are your hopes for the Phillies?

Ty Kelly: My hopes for the Phillies are that I get to stick around and help out a team of young guys as they grow into successful big leaguers.

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Rhys Hoskins Interview: On the Road to Citizens Bank

-The K Zone-

January 12th 2017

Revised August 10th 2017

Rhys Hoskins

Interview by Mike Duffy

I was able to interview Phillies #6 in their top prospect list (according to MLB Pipeline) Rhys Hoskins in January. This past offseason he was invited to Phillies 2017 spring training! This is huge because he is the only 1st baseman in the top 30 of the Phillies prospects and if you haven’t heard, the Phillies need a counter part to Tommy Joseph now that Ryan Howard isn’t coming back and that the Phillies just traded Darin Ruf to the Dodgers in a packaged deal for Howie Kendrick. You heard it here first! This year in AA he had a .281 BA and scored 95 times with 38 of them being home runs!

*He has officially been Promoted to the Show on August 10th 2017.

His Debut on August 10th he faced Jacob deGrom. Rhys went 0-2 and was walked.

On August 26th 2017 he became the fastest person EVER to get 10 HOMERUNS! He did it in 17 career games! Hoskins hit his 9th and 10th on players weekends and while hitting those, he wore a patch to honor his mom who battled breast cancer and sadly she passed away within a day of his 16th Birthday!

Mike Duffy: I was wondering when you go from high school, minor leagues what was the biggest challenge when you reach each stage?

Rhys Hoskins: Biggest challenge really is that along with the competition just getting better and better, you play a lot more games at each level! You just have to figure out how to maintain and strengthen your body so you feel good when it gets to late in the season. That has been the hardest thing so far for me, figuring out what works for me so I feel my best at the end of the season.

Mike Duffy: How did you feel when you got drafted?

Rhys Hoskins: It was a dream come true. I had worked countless hours to reach that goal and it happened!

Mike Duffy: What did you do best last season?

Rhys Hoskins: I felt like I really honed my approach this season with men in scoring position, and I knocked in a lot of runs because of it.

Mike Duffy: This offseason whats the major thing you are planning to work on?

Rhys Hoskins: This offseason I’m really focusing on getting my foundation back for my strength. I have played the last couple offseason and haven’t really had the chance to focus on the gym.

Mike Duffy: Whats your favorite thing about being an Philly?

Rhys Hoskins: The coaching staff and friends I’ve made on the teams I’ve been on are an awesome part about being a Philly.

Mike Duffy: Whats your favorite hobby besides baseball?

Rhys Hoskins: I love traveling and see different cultures and exploring new cities.

Mike Duffy: Who was your favorite baseball player growing up?

Rhys Hoskins: I grew up watching Barry Bonds play and I still to this day think he is arguably the best hitter To ever play this game.

Mike Duffy: Who’s the hardest pitcher you faced this season?

Rhys Hoskins: The best pitcher i faced this year was German Marquez, in the Rockies organization. Guy threw 100 mph, kept the ball down in the strike zone, and had a good breaking ball on top of it!

Mike Duffy: Whats your favorite stadium?

Rhys Hoskins: Favorite stadium I’ve played in is Citizens Bank Park!

Mike Duffy: Whats your favorite movie/tv show?

Rhys Hoskins: Favorite Movie: Wedding Crashers, show: Suits

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