Dugout Chatter
TRAVIS BAILEY
Posted March 8, 2000
Travis obliges a young New Jersey Cardinals fan with a pregame autograph
(c) 2000 Kevin D. McCann
Several readers of Cardinals in the Bushes had the opportunity to chat online with Cardinals minor league third baseman Travis Bailey on March 6, 2000. The two-and-a-half hour group conversation also included Travis' father and a few friends who made it even more interesting. The following is a sampling of some of the questions that Travis fielded during the chat.
His fondest memory of his first professional season:
"My fondest memory this season was traveling with my teammates and living the life of a professional athlete. I appreciated every single day I put that uniform on and played like it was my last day...I had an absolute blast...I have memories I'll never forget! That's the fun I had."
Teammates who have impressed him so far:
Shawn Schumacher, Gabe Johnson, Eli Alfonzo, Tim Lemon, Charles Williams
On Cardinals No. 1 draft pick Chance Caple:
"He has a lot of potential. He's a big boy that throws hard. [The] potential is there."
On the challenge of communicating with his Latin teammates:
"I have always wanted to learn Spanish and playing with Latinos helped me learn more about them and their culture. We can play together as a team even though we don't speak the same language as long as we have the same goal! I learned a lot of Spanish and my girlfriend is Cuban and she is teaching me Spanish."
The difference between college and pro pitchers:
"In college, you will face three starters, all pretty good, and some of their bullpen, but in pro ball you will face everyone's best pitcher from their particular school. Nobody's setup guys get drafted so all the guys you see playing pro ball were starters for the most part and were their team's best pitcher."
On watching videotape of himself to improve his hitting:
"I do [watch videos] but I tend to dissect things too much. For instance, I was watching myself on film hit and my stride was too big on one occasion, so I thought this was the problem. And it could have been a good pitch or something else. So film is helpful if you study it objectively and aren't too picky."
His strengths and weaknesses as a player:
Strengths: "I think I have an advantage mentally because I am always thinking of the next play before it happens. But I also take pride that I can play anywhere [in the field].'
Weaknesses: "Being versatile is very important. It makes you that much more valuable to your team. I would like to improve on situational hitting, driving in the runner from third with less than two outs, moving the runner over (guys on 2nd, no outs), hit and running more consistently and stealing more bases. I want to bring my game to another level, the whole game."
Describing himself as a player:
"I think I am a good utility player with some speed and power...[I]n the big leagues I could be like [Joe] McEwing is now, (someone who) plays every day [at] different positions."
On baseball fans:
"Fans are what make the game of baseball and without them, there would be no baseball. So I try to take time out and sign autographs for kids everywhere I go."