Kellen Kulbacki is a junior outfielder for the James Madison University Dukes. Last year, as a sophomore, Kulbacki took the NCAA by storm, breaking out in a huge way. After hitting .464/.565/.943 with 24 home runs (the most in Division I), Kulbacki was named Collegiate Baseball / Louisville Slugger’s National Co-Player of the Year, as well as being named to Baseball America’s first team All-American team. The lefty slugger is continuing to tear up the Colonial Athletic Association as he’s hitting .422/.537/.871 with 17 homers through the team’s first 40 games. Kulbacki was gracious enough to answer some questions via e-mail. Here is what he had to say…
Courtesy of JMU.edu/photography/athletics
Tell me about your youth baseball career. Where did you grow up? When did you start playing baseball?
As a child until I graduated high school, I grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania. My career began long before T-Ball. As a 3-year-old, my father and grandfather would set up a tee outside and I would hit wiffleballs with them. Both my father and grandfather played baseball, and ever since then, I knew baseball would be my favorite sport.
What made you choose to attend James Madison University? What other schools did you consider?
As soon as I took my official visit to James Madison, I knew it was the perfect fit for me. The university has so much to offer students, as well as student-athletes. Not only is it a prestigious academic institute, but they offered a beautiful campus, great athletics and much more. I had the chance to be a large contributor as a freshman, which was very important to me as well. Other schools I considered that were interested included Georgia Tech, Maryland, Delaware, and East Carolina.
After the success you had last season, are you feeling more pressure this season?
There is definitely more pressure than last season. The draft talk, and the discussion of leaving school early have added great pressure on me this year. The best way for me to handle it is to feed off of it. The more pressure, the better off I’ll be. It adds to my intensity and drive, both on the field and off the field, to become a better player.
Your accomplishments thus far as a baseball player are astounding. What are you most proud of?
There is so much I’m proud of thus far in my career. I feel very fortunate of the abilities and opportunities I’ve been blessed with, and I enjoy every moment of it. The accomplishment that sticks out the most to me is being named National Co-Player of the Year last year. It still is hard to believe sometimes.
What is a specific part of your game that you're working to improve?
In the off-season, the major areas I focused on were arm strength, speed, and defense. I worked hard to lower my 60 time, and on improving my defensive skills in the outfield. So far this season, I have seen a big improvement in these areas from last year. Overall, I’m always trying to improve in all aspects of the game. There is always something I can work on to become a better, more well-rounded baseball player.
With your success last season, have you noticed teams changing their approach with you at the plate? Are pitchers working you differently?
I’ve noticed a slight difference in their approach. The one major difference is the approach with runners in scoring position, or with first base open. In these situations, pitchers will try to get me to chase bad pitches and get myself out. I tell myself to just stay patient and disciplined, not to swing at bad pitches, and take my walk.
Tell me about working with a sports psychologist. What sparked that decision and how has it impacted your game?
The decision to start seeing a sports psychologist came last fall. We were told there was an opportunity to see one, and I knew it was something I needed to pursue. Baseball is a very mental game; those who do not have a solid mental approach will struggle. I knew that working on these mental skills would elevate my game to another level and, so far, I’ve seen dramatic results.
Courtesy of JMU.edu/photography/athletics
How do you respond to critics that discount the success you've had because of the friendly confines of Mauck Stadium?
For me, it’s not hard to ignore the criticisms about the stadium, or the conference, or anything else that has been said. It is out of my control, and can’t distract me from the task at hand. I can only focus on the things I can control, and block out the things that I cannot.
Please talk about your experience playing in the Cape Cod League. Were you pleased with your performance there?
The Cape was a blast last summer. The atmosphere surrounding the league is something I have never experienced before. Playing in the best summer league, with hundreds of fans and scouts at every game, is truly amazing. As for my performance, I honestly felt like I did not show my full potential. The first half of the summer, my coach was trying to make changes with my swing to add more power, yet I could not get comfortable with it, and it was distracting my focus at the plate. I came back and had a solid second half of the summer, yet I was disappointed with my overall performance. However, I did take a lot away from my time in the Cape that will help me throughout my career. I owe a lot to Coach Roberts and the things he taught me last summer.
What player have you played with or against that makes you think, "That guy is going places!"?
If I had to choose just one player, it would be Justin Smoak from South Carolina. We became good friends this summer up in the Cape, and he is extremely talented. His switch-hitting power from both sides of the plate is fun to watch during batting practice and in games as well. He has tons of potential to be a great player in the pros.
On a related note, who is the best pitcher you've faced?
There were so many talented pitchers I faced last summer in the Cape, but one of the toughest was Joe Paterson from Oregon State. As a lefty, he was very tough to hit.
Your grandfather, Bob Bettleyon, played in the Philadelphia Athletics' organization. Have you had a chance to hear stories about his playing days?
My grandfather has shared many stories with my brother and I about his playing days. It is truly amazing to see the difference between playing in the minor leagues back when he played, and playing in them now. It’s hard to believe that players were given cigarette money when he played, which is something unheard of in today’s society.
Do you have any superstitions? If so, how did they develop?
Yes, I’ve always been a very superstitious guy. For me, superstitions develop over time. If I’m doing well, I do the same thing the same way until it doesn’t work any longer. Some of those superstitions include the way I put my cleats on, my helmet/batting gloves on, my on-deck routine, my routine before I bat, etc. It’s something I’ve done for years, and will continue to do for the rest of my playing days.
Who is your favorite Major League team?
Philadelphia Phillies
Who were your favorite ballplayers as a kid?
As a kid, I was a huge fan of Ken Griffey, Jr. and Barry Bonds. As an outfielder and a left-handed hitter, those were two icons for me to love and follow as a child. Griffey has one of the most beautiful baseball swings you will ever see, and I loved the way he played the game.
I noticed that you're a fan of Curb Your Enthusiasm and that's my favorite show. What is your favorite episode?
There’s too many. One episode that I love is when Larry calls out the weather man for forecasting the wrong weather so he could go play golf. I couldn’t stop laughing watching that episode!