Mr BioFile Interviews by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Colorado Rockies pitcher. 2023 All Star. In 2023 with Philadelphia he threw a no-hitter vs. Washington.
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 190
DOB: January 4, 1992 In: Anaheim, CA
First Baseball Memory: “Would be whiffle ball in the front yard with my brother.”
Baseball Inspiration(s): “Jim Edmonds making that catch in centerfield – that’s all I wanted to do growing up – make the highlight plays growing up. I played centerfield my whole life, so that and pitching in the World Series. Watching Roger Clemens pitch when he was with the Yankees. Going to sleep and dreaming about pitching in the World Series.”
Last Book Read: “I would say First Timothy in the Bible.”
First Job: “When I was fifteen I worked at a restaurant in downtown Disney called Naples and I was like a busboy/clean the bathroom boy. It was a tough job for sure. It made me work that much harder at baseball. Made me want to have fun during my job.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Vanilla. Plain guy [smiles].”
First Famous Baseball Player You Met Or Encountered: “I would say Eric Karros when I was just a kid at a Dodgers game and he came over and signed a ball for me and it was just the coolest thing ever. I was like nine or ten.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Would be making my major league debut (2015 vs Milwaukee). I would say getting the phone call and being told that my dream has come true. That and pitching – and then my first win. That was pretty awesome.”
Most Painful Moment: “It was my freshman year of college (at Cal State Fullerton) and getting knocked out in the regional. And then junior year getting knocked out in the super regional. Terrible feeling. Terrible feeling.”
Most Memorable Pitch: “I haven’t been pitching for very long but I would say — I haven’t been pitching for long enough to have a really good experience pitching. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to say a shut out or something.”
Embarrassing Memory: “I would say giving up three home runs in my debut, that’s pretty embarrassing. Especially the two in that one inning and I was like, Okay let’s stop giving up home runs this inning (vs Brewers at Great American Ballpark in 2015).”
Strangest Game: “I’ve seen a lot of foul balls that have come back fair. It’s like how did that happen? The ball is twelve feet foul and then it just hits a rock or something and scoots fair. It’s one of those things that’s so crazy that you see maybe once every two or three years.”
Why Do You Love Baseball: “Because it’s given me a platform to be an influence on people in a positive way. I used to play baseball to glorify myself and now it’s kind of like being self-sacrificial and giving myself to people and kind of spreading the hope the Lord has give me through the platform of baseball. So that’s why I love baseball especially in this country. The country’s past-time. It’s just such a huge platform. Once you put on a major league uniform everyone looks up to you – or looks down on you – either way. But just having that opportunity to be an influence on people’s lives – that’s why I love baseball.”
Favorite Stadiums: “Great American Ballpark is no. 1. No. 2 so far would be Wrigley. No. 3 would be Kansas City. Yeah I liked Kansas City. Kansas City was fun as well.”
Favorite Uniforms: “Cincinnati Reds. I get to put it on everyday. I really like wearing the white uniforms than the red. I love our uniforms.”
Favorite Sport Outside Baseball: “Baseball is all I ever played. But I do like the work ethic that goes into preparing for football and what they do in the off season. All the athletics that goes into being a football player. That stuff is just on a different level.”
Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow: “Tim Tebow. Jacob DeGrom – he’s a young guy and he’s doing unbelievable. And Manny Ramirez. Just the fun that he had playing the game. I feel that nobody should ever lose that love for the game and having that much fun and watching him play and learn from him that you could still be a kid and be in the major leagues playing the game.”
Personality Qualities Most Admired: “Grace is a good quality to have. And have mercy on people. Another one is just truthfulness. Good work ethic. No excuses.”
