While reading Baseball America today, I suddenly remembered that there was an interview I never posted on this website. I feel really bad about it but, in my defense, May was a very busy month for me because I had just graduated school and had started a new job.  Anyway...back to business. Micah Owings was kind enough to answer some questions for me via e-mail and I'm sorry I didn't post this earlier. For those who don't know, Owings was a standout two-way player at Tulane. Last year he hit .355/.470/.719 for the Green Wave and was just as dominant on the mound, going 12-4 with a 3.26 ERA, 135 strikeouts and only 25 walks in 129.2 innings. After being named the Conference USA Player of the Year, Owings was drafted in the 3^rd Round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The D-Backs decided to use Owings’ talent on the mound – and it appears that they made the correct decision. In 22 innings at Lancaster of the California League, Owings dominated hitters – posting a 2.45 ERA with 30 strikeouts and a mere 4 walks. Micah’s brother, John Mark, is in the Braves’ orginazion.

*Please note that this interview was conducted in May of 2005

1. First off, can you please talk about yourself a little bit? Tell everyone where you grew up, a little about your youth baseball career and what made you choose college over signing with the Rockies out of high school.
I grew up in Forsyth County, a small town in north Georgia where I played ball on rec. teams for my Dad until I was 11. Some of the greatest joys of my life were playing for my father while I was growing up! He decided that it would be best for me to begin travel ball at age 11, so that is what we did. I spent every summer since traveling all over to play this game that I have always loved. In high school I transferred my junior year to Gainesville High School, another town about an hour north of Atlanta. After winning two state titles and playing with my younger brother at Gainesville, it was time to go pro or off to college. I chose college because I felt that was where God was leading me. It was not an easy decision to give up a lot of money at a young age but I thought it was the best thing for me to do!

2. What made you transfer from Georgia Tech to Tulane?
Many reasons led up to my decision of leaving Ga. Tech and my home in Atlanta. Most are personal but the main reason was that I felt that God was telling me to move on and open another chapter in my life.

3. Which do you prefer: Playing infield or pitching?
That question comes up quite often and I wish I had a good answer. I enjoy playing the game and doing whatever I can to help my team win. I have been blessed in certain areas both ways and love each!

4. What has been your most memorable moment in your baseball career?
 First of all, I have been fortunate enough to be a part of many great teams. I am a part of two state titles, two summer World Series championships, and an ACC regular season and tournament championship. Above all my most memorable moment would have to be growing up just tossing in the yard with my Dad and brothers. That is really where my love for the game began so it is a very fond memory.

5. What player have you played with or against that makes you say, "That guy is going places!"?
This is a tough one because I have played with and against so many great ball players. However, two come to mind...Matt Murton – I played with him my freshman year at Tech and he is now in double-A with the Cubs, and Brian Bogusevic – whom I am currently playing with at Tulane. Both of these guys are tremendous players and great friends of mine!

6. On a related note, who is the best hitter/pitcher you've faced?
The best pitcher that I have ever faced is Kyle Sleeth from Wake Forest who is now in the Detroit Tigers’ organization. The best hitter that I have ever faced is probably Stephen Drew from Florida State.

7. What part of your game would you say needs the most work?
I would have to say that I can improve in every area of my game and work hard all the time at doing so. Don't really want to disclose my true weaknesses if you know what I mean.

8. What is something specific that you are currently working on?
Just doing whatever I can to help our team continue to win ball games.

9. How much time does your commitment to baseball take each week? How do you keep up with classes? Will you finish your degree?
I'd say fifteen to twenty hours a week...approx. 2 or 3 hours a day six days a week. It is tough sometimes to get motivated to study after a long day at practice or a game, but something that I have to do to play. I do plan on getting my degree.

10. What is your conditioning regimen during the season and during the off-season?
In the off-season, I tend to hit the weights and conditioning a little harder...about five days a week including two upper body lifts and two lower body lifts with an ab/conditioning day in the middle. In season is a little lighter but just as important. I usually get three lifts a week in to try and maintain my strength through the duration of the season. Have to be careful lifting in season because we play so many games.

11. Is it difficult to maintain a healthy diet while you're in school?
At times it is, but I eat my share of whatever is in front of me. I just have to stay away from the sweets more.

12. Do you have any superstitions? If so, how did they develop?
 I like to think of my superstitions more as routines – Things that I do on a regular basis. If they qualify as superstitions, I do not tell anyone, but they are welcome to try and pick up on them.

13. Can you please talk about your experiences on the 2003 USA National Team?
It was one of those things that I will never forget! I got to play with some of the country's best college players and for some of the country's best coaches. Not to mention, every game we had the country's initials across our chests! I am sorry every kid does not get to experience it, but I feel very fortunate and blessed!

14. Who is your favorite MLB team?
 I don't really have one anymore. I grew up a huge Braves fan and I guess I still am because my brother is in their organization.

15. How often do you talk to your brother, and what advice has he given you about, not only the game of baseball, but also what you can expect for life in the minor leagues?
I talk to my brother about every day. Unlike me, he decided to sign out of high school and it has worked out great for him! We are two different people and he decided that he was ready for pro ball. He played in the Gulf Coast League for the Braves rookie team last summer after he signed and is currently in extended spring training in Orlando. He had a rough injury at the end of the season that has set him back a little. I have spoken with other friends of mine that have played in the same league and moved up the last few years, and they have said it is the hardest place to play. Jon Mark has a tremendous drive and I have the
utmost respect for him. He realizes that he is where God wants him but works daily to do whatever he can to make a move to the next level. He said it gets pretty rough at times but loves the game.

16. Who is your favorite baseball player?
 Growing up, I always loved watching Greg Maddux pitch and Frank Thomas swing!

17. What will be the first thing you buy if you get a signing bonus?
 I will have to think about that once it comes...right now I am trying to help my team win a National Championship!

18. If you make it to the big leagues, what player would you most like to hit against?
Partial to this answer but I would love to see what Randy Johnson's 100 mph fastball looks like from the left side...notice how I said looks!

19. And finally, please tell me something interesting/unique about yourself.
 I have been blessed with a great family that I love very much. "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength" -PHIL 4:13

Ever since Bryan Price left for Arizona, I’ve been waiting for the M’s to announce that King Felix will be wearing number 34 next season. The kid idolizes Freddy Garcia, and 34 is the number The Chief wore in Seattle and wears for the World Champion Chicago White Sox. Felix wore 34 in Tacoma in honor of Freddy, and it’s basically inevitable that he’ll be wearing number 34 on the mound at Safeco this season. So, why haven’t the M’s announced it yet? Money. Remember, Jeremy Reed wore number 58 in 2004 and during Spring Training of 2005. In fact, according to the M’s official site, he didn’t switch to number 7 until April 3^rd – just days before 2005’s Opening Day. Why wait so long? It’s not as if Reed making the team surprised anyone. The reason I believe they’re waiting so long with Felix is because they have a lot of jerseys and T-shirts with number 59 on them. They want to sell as many of those as possible before Felix switches to number 34 and the 59’s go on sale. It’s all about the Benjamins….

I recently received the first issue from my subscription to Baseball America. It’s awesome…but that’s not what this post is about. When I opened the magazine, the first thing I saw was an advertisement for the new MVP ’06 NCAA Baseball. Now, I was a huge All Star Baseball fan for a while, never really giving MVP a chance, even though I love the Madden series. However, when ASB died out, I switched over to MVP and wondered what the hell took me so long! EA Sports is awesome and I absolutely fell in love with MVP Baseball from day one. So…I was really bummed to find out that they lost their MLB licensing rights or something and are not releasing a Major League Baseball video game this year. Bummer. So…they decided to do the next best thing: college baseball. At first you might think, “College baseball? What’s next…Arena Football?” However, if you think about it from a business perspective, it was probably a good move. With ESPN airing more and more of the College World Series every year, college baseball is gaining popularity. Plus, because the college season begins earlier than the MLB season, EA gets to release its game before MLB 2K6 comes out. EA obviously has a solid reputation and I’m sure I’m not alone in my love for the MVP game – therefore I was willing to trust their collegiate endeavor.  After playing several games, fiddling with all of the options and simming through a couple of dynasty seasons with Jeremy Reed’s Long Beach State Dirtbags, here are my thoughts…

THE GOOD

• First of all, the gameplay is basically the same as MVP ’05. For me, that’s certainly a plus – because MVP Baseball ’05 is one of my favorite games of all time.
• During the intro, there are some cool video clips of current MLB players during their college days. You get to see Roger Clemens pitching for Texas, Bonds as a Sun Devil, Giambi and his mullet playing for the Long Beach State, Nomar at Georgia Tech and Todd Helton at Tennessee…among others.
• You may think the metal bats are annoying, but they sound perfect. And, if you hate them, you can switch the settings to “Summer League” rules and use wood bats.
• After the Tony Hawk series let you create your own skatepark, the create-a-stadium feature is something that I always wanted to see in a baseball game. Although it’s not too in-depth, it’s still a neat option for MVP ’06 NCAA Baseball.
• The throwing is better in this game than it was on MVP ’05. In the old game, when you were using the throwing meter to make a throw, if you only went a little way up on the meter, you would throw a little dribbler to your target. This time around, if you only use a little bit of throwing power, you still throw it to your target on the fly, it’s just a very soft throw. Obviously that’s not true if you’re throwing home from the warning track, but this is a lot more realistic and made me glad.
• The batter steps out between pitches and the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher. These are minor details – but they make a nice difference in adding to the realistic quality of the game.
• And finally, there is a mid-game tuning option for all of the elements. Personally, I like to crank the pitch speed up all the way – it makes it more realistic.

Overall, the game is pretty good. It’s fun to play, but there are still some things that I didn’t like…

THE  BAD

• When I first discovered that a college baseball game was in the works, I was very excited for a “Golden Spikes Challenge.” In the NCAA Football game, there is a Heisman Challenge – where you create a player, they go through training camp and then are recruited by different schools. You pick which one you want to attend and then join the team as a freshman. You then have four years to play with that team and your ultimate goal is to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. I know that the Golden Spikes award isn’t as prestigious as the Heisman, but…c’mon…it only makes sense to have a Golden Spikes challenge. I was disappointed that it didn’t make it onto the game.
• EA is really hyping up their new “Load & Fire Batting” system. The ad in Baseball America states,

  “Past baseball video games have never succeeded in recreating the essence of what it’s like for a player to step up to the plate and take a swing at a pitch. Simply pressing a button just does not capture this feeling. There is no sense of being in total control of your swing. However, in MVP 06 the all-new Load and Fire Batting system does recreate that experience at the plate by using the right thumbstick. It’s similar to the hitting mechanic used in Tiger Woods PGA Tour with one notable difference. In golf the ball is just sitting there, while in baseball the pitch is flying at varying speeds and in different directions. Your job with Load and Fire Batting is to Load your back swing at the proper time and Fire your swing through the zone towards the pitch with the proper timing based upon where the pitch is located.”

  Sure, it sounds fun, but my first reaction is that it really blows. Often times I will try to hit the ball and it feels fine, but then I end up doing some half-assed check swing and I hit a six-hopper back to the pitcher. I can’t afford to break any more controllers! Now…perhaps I just need more time with it. I’ll admit that I absolutely hated the new Madden QB vision feature at first, but have since grown to love it. But I already switched my default MVP ’06 settings back to the classic zone hitting technique.
• You can’t change the names of the players. With my first issue for my Baseball America subscription being the college preview, I was ready to enter the names for the top prospects, only to be really disappointed that it wasn’t even possible. What gives? You can put in names in the EA Sports NCAA Football game!
• And, why can’t you save replays in the baseball games? I love saving cool replays on Madden and wish I could do the same for this game. I realize that Madden brings in a LOT more money, but it doesn’t seem like it would be that difficult to add.
• There’s no batting practice. I would much rather take plain old BP than the shitty arcade-style batting practice game they make you play. For a company that has the motto, “If it’s in the game, it’s in the game!” you’d think they would have normal batting practice. I don’t go to as many college games as I would like, but I don’t think any teams are taking BP with ramps and tractors out in the field. I would also love to see pitching and fielding practice.
• The baserunning can be clunky at times. It says that to advance all runners, you hold down the left trigger – however, I’m still not sure that works and I’ve been thrown out several times when I had plenty of time to beat the throw- it’s just that my guy either didn’t go when he was supposed to, or stopped, came back to the bag and then tried again. Also, players don’t run automatically when there’s two outs.
• The swings look really funky sometimes. Most everything from EA Sports looks fantastic, but some of the swings in this game are downright awful. Oftentimes, players will slide their back foot toward home plate when they’re swinging. No college hitter in the nation does this, and you would think that EA would try to perfect an aspect that is about 75% of the gameplay. Check out these screenshots I took of a bad swing and notice how much the hitter’s foot slides toward home plate upon missing the pitch…

• And finally, there are just a few minor quibbles I have about the game. One thing I really liked about All Star Baseball was that hitters could wave their bat through the strike zone, like many players do, while they’re waiting for the pitcher to start his delivery. You couldn’t do this with MVP ’05, and it’s still not possible with this year’s installment. Again, this is minor – but it’s something that I would enjoy and I think that it adds a nice element in making the game more realistic. The final minor quibble is that all games have four umpires. Again, I don’t make it out to many college games (although that’s one of my New Year’s Resolutions), but I really doubt that very many NCAA games before the College World Series have more than two men in blue.

So, as you can see, the bad traits of the game seem to outweigh the good ones, but obviously I’m grading on quality instead of quantity. Sure, there are a lot of complaints I have with the game, but they’re not equal – either to each other or to the things I enjoy about the game. The most important thing is that it plays virtually the same as MVP ’05, and that’s important. I loved that game and, although this one is different and it doesn’t seem that as much care was put into it, it’s still fun to play and I’m sure help me kill some time before MLB 2K6 comes along.

After working 80 hours between Sunday and Friday, Saturday was a much-needed day off from work! So, I spent it in the best way possible...I attended Mariners' FanFest at Safeco Field with my father. We woke up, got ready and drove through Starbucks on our way downtown. It was pouring rain and we got soaked walking a block to the stadium, but once we were inside I warmed up with the sight of the field, the smell of hot dogs and the thought that Opening Day is right around the corner. We headed straight to the first base line, where they were having the Dugout Dialogue series on top of the Mariners' dugout. Immediately, I spotted Deanna, who was already with Positive Paul and his brother-in-law, whom I actually knew vaguely as a customer from my store. I introduced myself to Positive Paul and we all chatted for a few minutes until a few guys started walking on top of the dugout. The first group in the Dugout Dialogue series included Jeremy Reed, Greg Dobbs and Felix Hernandez. Now, the questions for these things usually aren't too good. People asked Felix what's the fastest he's ever thrown, Kenji Johjima was asked if he's been eating American food yet and someone asked Jeff Pentland, the M's new hitting coach, why Ichiro pulls on his sleeve before he hits. I know I'm sleeping better knowing that the answers are: 99 MPH, Yes - I love Red Robin, and Rick Rizzs answering for Pentland, "Hitters are weird." Felix certainly won the award for "pimpest attire worn under his Mariners' jacket." Check it out...

Next up was Mr. Bill Bavasi. I really enjoyed listening to him speak at the USSM/BP event this summer, but he seemed to be more distant at FanFest, which is to be expected. Positive Paul asked Bavasi about the M's possibly acquiring Jeff Weaver. Bavasi said that the M's were basically tapped out financially, but added that he liked Weaver, noting that Weaver had grown up and "isn't such a goofball anymore." After Bavasi was done, our little crew packed up and decided to head out to the bullpen. On the way, I checked out some of the booths along the main concourse. I got some pamphlets and trivia cards from the SABR booth (I can't wait for the convention in Seattle!), got a Moyer Foundation bracelet, picked up an Aquasox schedule, and we took our pictures in one of those silly things where you stick your face through a wooden cutout before finally making our way downstairs to the bullpens. I had never been in the M's bullpen before, so it was a really neat experience to be able to throw a couple of pitches in there. I tried a knuckleball first, but I pick my nails too much to get a good grip on the thing and it sailed over the catcher's head. So, for the second pitch (everyone gets two), I went with a straight four-seamer and I think it was actually a strike.

After we all had our turn, Deanna and Positive Paul decided to head upstairs to get some autographs. I didn't want to wait in line, so my dad and I headed back over to the third base line and waited in line to catch a popup in the outfield. I was a little disappointed that when you were catching the pop flies, you were facing the outfield wall - not facing the infield, like you would be if you were actually catching fly balls at Safeco. However, it was still a fun experience to be on the field. I had been on the field before - the first time was when my dad and I attended "Play Catch in the Outfield" day at Safeco, and I have also been in foul territory several times - reporting for the Grand Salami and at my sister's high school graduation. But, it's always exciting being on the field and I caught both fly balls that were shot my direction. After my dad and I caught a couple pop flies, we headed back over to the Dugout Dialogue series. Now, the section by the M's dugout was really packed - this is because next up was Kenji Johjima and Jamie Moyer. I could tell from the press conference that fans are really going to love Johjima (or "Jo" as he says his teammates are already calling him) and the Dugout Dialogue just cemented that idea. When Johjima walked onto the dugout, I gave him a thumbs up, and he gave me one back. He was beaming the entire time and seemed genuinely happy to be in Seattle. He was very upbeat, he had everyone laughing, and you can already tell that the language barrier won't be a problem for him. Moyer said that his favorite place to pitch is Yankee Stadium, which made me throw up in my mouth a little bit since Moyer reportedly rejected a trade to the Yankees last season. For the record: As a Mariner, Moyer is 4-2 with a 5.10 ERA at Yankee Stadium. Whatever...

Anyway, people really cleared out after Johjima got off the dugout, so I moved to a better seat because I was really excited for the next group. Up next was Benny Looper, the Vice President of Player Development & Scouting, and Greg Hunter, the Director of Minor League Operations. They seemed really cool, but I felt bad for them because there were only about 25 people sitting in the section and the questions they were getting were pretty bad. I asked about Anthony Varvaro, and they said they're expecting him to pitch this summer. I think drafting him was a steal for the M's and I'm excited to see him this summer - presumably in Everett. If you're wondering, here is what Hunter and Looper look like (Aaron definitely got his father's ears!):

After those guys, Jeff Pentland, the M's new hitting coach came out to answer some questions. Reed and Dobbs had already raved about the guy earlier, and from listening to him talk, you could tell that they were being sincere. They both said that he was really easy to talk to and had a ton of knowledge. I don't doubt that he has a wealth of information (he said that he's now been coaching for 34 years), and it was apparent that he would be someone that is easy to approach. This is an important quality for a coach, especially if the team has a lot of younger players. Pentland said that his main expertise is power. He talked about helping Barry Bonds in college and about working with Sammy Sosa on the Cubs. He also said that he expects Jeremy Reed to improve a lot this season. I asked Pentland whether controlling the strike zone and patience is something that can be taught at this level, or if by the time guys get to the Majors, it's either something they have or they don't. He said that controlling the strike zone and patience were indeed two of the most important things he'll be working with players on during Spring Training. He said that he believes - and this is similar to what he told Doug Miller on the M's official site the other day - that a lot of times when players struggle, it's not because of something they're doing mechanically, it's because they lack confidence. Pentland made it almost seem that what a hitting coach does for its hitters is more psychological than physical. I hope he's right and I'm excited to see what he can do for the M's young hitters this season.

After that, Dad and I decided to call it a day. He was cold and I was tired and hungry. We decided to drive back to Redmond for some Thai food. As we were leaving, we stopped and looked at the Mariners Care Silent Auction. They had some crap that was being sold for way too much money, but what caught my eye was tucked back in the corner - the Mariners Garage Sale. Here, they had about 30 autographed balls that they were just trying to get rid of. You didn't have to bid, you just had to be willing to shell out $15 - $30 for autographed balls from crappy ex-Mariners. $15 for an Aaron Taylor ball? Ha! The funniest thing though was the chart that listed all the prices had more errors than Mike Morse. Miguel Olivio? Yorvealt Torrealba? Grerg Dobbs? I'm not making this up. But, that was that. I wish I hung around a little longer. I wouldn't have minded watching more Dugout Dialogue sessions - notably the one with Howard Lincoln and the one with Jarrod Washburn and J.J. Putz. I also would have liked to meet "msb" with Deanna, hit in the Mariners' batting cage and participate in the trivia contest, but as I'm sure I'll be saying in September...wait 'til next year!

There's been a lot of hoopla recently over Barry Bonds' decision to drop out of the World Baseball Classic. But, you know what? I don’t care. Good for him! In fact, I think more players should follow his lead. I’m sure Brian Sabean, the Giants’ ownership, Barry’s teammates and all of San Francisco’s fans are absolutely thrilled about his decision. And, why shouldn’t they be? Who really cares about some trivial, over-hyped, money-grubbing event like the WBC? As a Mariners’ fan, I can assure you that I don’t want Ichiro playing (and heaven forbid if Felix is allowed to participate!). I mean, can you imagine the backlash if a MLB player gets hurt during this exaggerated advertisement disguised as “competition”? I know that WBC supporters are thinking, “What’s the difference between getting hurt at the WBC and getting hurt during Spring Training?” Well, I’m glad you asked! Spring Training is just that…training! Players are training for the toll that a 162-game season will take on their bodies. The WBC is supposed to be a competition. However, it’s flawed because MLB players won’t be playing at 100%. To me, any competition that wants to be taken seriously shouldn’t have any restrictions placed on its competitors (outside of the standard rules for the game taking place!). However, during the WBC, pitchers will have pitch-count limits. How competitive is it really going to be when Buck Martinez has to pull Brad Lidge because Lidge has reached his limit of 20 pitches. Furthermore, the goal of the WBC is to determine which country is “the best” at baseball. But, how can that be fairly determined when the best players are dropping out? And, why does it even matter in the first place? You’ve got players playing for countries they may have never even been to (Mike Piazza and Italy) and new American citizens playing for Latin countries (Manny Ramirez). Face it…the WBC is a joke. It’s worse than the All-Star Game. Yeah, I’ll probably end up watching some WBC games, just because I love baseball so much. However, I won’t be rooting for an individual country as much as I’ll be rooting for all of the players to stay healthy – so they’re able to play when the games really matter!

UPDATE: Uh...yeah. What he said! Jayson Stark is the man.

I just got home for working a 16-hour shift. See, I work at the Seattle Team Shop, right across from the Qwest Field Event Center, and people are going crazy getting their Super Bowl gear. At 7:45 am, we were selling people shirts that were still warm from the printers. Anyway...this post is to just warn everyone that posting will be erratic for the next two weeks - maybe longer. Things will certainly be chaotic! I know I'm going to the Mariners' FanFest on Saturday, so there will be a post and pictures from that...but other than that, I'm not sure how much blogging I will be doing. On top of my crazy work schedule, I'm also planning a wedding. So, needless to say, this is a very hectic time for me! It's probably going to be work>sleep>repeat until sometime after the Super Bowl. Not that there's anything to really write about - luckily this crazy time in my life is coming during the slowest point in baseball's off-season! However, when the Super Bowl insanity dies down, pitchers and catchers will start to report to Spring Training, I will have a minor surprise to unveil, and I will have more time to write. But, in the meantime...GO HAWKS!

About a year ago on the Grand Salami blog, I recommended the MLB.tv searchable video service to people. It costs $10 for the offseason, and you have unlimited access to MLB.tv’s video archive. I paid the $10 again this year and I’m pretty bummed out with the service. It’s just not very accurate at all. For example, alot of the clips are out of whack. I tried to look at some of Felix Hernandez’s strikeouts, but very few of them actually worked. Sure, I saw some video – but it wasn’t of Felix striking someone out. In fact, it was rarely of him even pitching! One time it was Ichiro hitting and another time it was a freaking Saturn commercial! WTF? I wanted to watch Jacque Jones grounding out to Yuniesky Betancout, but the clip was of Ryan Franklin pitching to Lew Ford. Sure, there are some really cool things. Want to watch Sexson crush balls out of Safeco Field? No problem. Want to look at all of the times Jeremy Reed was caught stealing, or check out Marcos Carvajal, the new M’s pitcher from the Rockies? You’re a few clicks away. However, if you want to watch Jeremy Hermida hit a grand slam in his first Major Leauge at-bat…you’re shit out of luck. Yeah, it’s fun when it works – but it’s always a toss up. You sit there while the video is buffering, wondering, “Is it going to work this time? Is it going to be the actual clip I’d like to see?” At this point in the off-season, I wouldn’t even recommend subscribing.You’d think that such a huge entity, like MLB, could get their shit together and put together a service that works properly.