Why baseball? My dad played baseball. I’ve loved it since I was a kid. It’s my favorite sport. I had success in baseball and liked it better than football and basketball. Now baseball is my priority, where my future is.
When did you sense that baseball was your future? As a sophomore I got invited to a lot of showcase events with big-time players in California, Florida and Georgia. I played against Jake Smolinski of the Nationals, who was my teammate on the McHenry County Hurricanes in the summer. It showed I have a future in the game.
You are a left-handed pitcher who is 6-4 and throws a 90 mph fastball, every major-league scout’s dream. Do you feel pressure when you see 20 of them at your games? I notice them. I see them when I’m on the mound, sitting behind home plate. But I don’t feel any pressure. I just focus on the catcher’s glove and my job, not on them. I don’t worry about what they are thinking.
What do you think they are looking for? Command. Being able to repeat the same thing over and over. When I want to throw a strike, I can do it. Do I have command of my pitches — fastball, changeup and curve?
What makes a great pitcher? Being able to establish the strike zone, hit your spots, get batters out.
Is there anything more exciting than striking out a batter? Winning.
In your first five games, you allowed only nine hits while striking out 46 in 21 innings. How much better can you get? I want to improve my command, to control my pitches and throw them when I want to throw them. I don’t try other pitches because I can get hitters out with my fastball, changeup and curve.
You signed with Arkansas last November, but some scouts say you could be selected in the top three rounds of the major-league draft in June. Will you sign or not? If I get what I want in the draft, I’ll sign. If not, I’ll go to school. I don’t worry about which round I might be picked in. I chose Arkansas because I want to play in the SEC, and Arkansas is one of the top teams in the conference.
Conant coach Jerry Song said you have ability and tools but you need to stay focused on the game. What does he mean? I have no idea. I worked real hard last winter on my control. Last year, I didn’t have full control of my pitches.
What is the hardest thing about pitching? Throwing strikes. Repetition, trying to hit the catcher’s glove, hitting the target.
What is the worst thing about pitching? Not being able to locate pitches where I want to locate them.
What is your ultimate baseball dream? To be a Hall of Famer.
Next-best dream? The ultimate would be to strike out all 21 batters in a seven-inning game. The best I’ve ever done was strike out 17 in a seven-inning summer-league game.
If you could pick the brain of anyone in baseball, who would it be? Barry Bonds. I would like to ask him some questions about baseball and about growing up, his work habits, what he did to become the best home-run hitter of all time.
Who is your favorite player? Roger Clemens. He was a great pitcher with good work habits. I’d ask, ‘‘How hard was it to get where you are today?”
Favorite pregame meal? Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
How do you relax between games? I watch baseball on television. I like to watch how pitchers set up hitters. I try to set them up ... fastball in, changeup away, fastball away. I just go out and give it all I’ve got.
Did you ever hear of Warren Spahn and Steve Carlton? Spahn is in the Hall of Fame, the greatest left-handed pitcher ever. I never heard of Carlton.
In 10 years, I want to be ... Playing baseball anywhere. I want to be the best baseball player I can be.
Complaint-free zone: Cubs sweep, all's well again
Jay Mariotti 24/7
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