Hank Blalock (Tampa Bay Rays) 8/6/2002)

Hank Blalock

What would you say is your baseball philosophy?

I just try to play the game like your suppose to play it. I just like to play hard and try to go out there and win everyday. As long as you are orientated with your team and try to win then your personal stats will take care of themselves.

How about hitting philosophy?

I just go up there and try to get a good pitch and try to hit the ball as hard as I can. Sometimes you get hits and sometimes you hit it at guys and sometimes you miss it.

Do you look for any pitches?

I think every hitter likes to get a good fastball to hit. I just like to see the ball to the hands and make adjustments.

What are your strengths right now?

I feel like I play good defense and I can hit in the middle of the order. I feel like I can drive in runs and help my team win.

What about weaknesses?

Everybody has their weaknesses. There are different pitches that you could struggle with at different times and sometimes your timing is messed up. It really varies.

Pitchers set up hitters, do hitters set up pitchers?

I don’t think so. I don’t know how you could set up a pitcher. Maybe looking foolish on a pitch so he will throw it later, but I never heard of it.

When you were drafted did they give you a timetable?

I think when everyone gets drafted it just depends on how you do is how fast you are going to move up.

Do you look at the people above you?

Yeah all the time. You look at people at the level above you and you try to get to that level. So you try to watch as much as you can.

Do you think the high draft picks get more chances?

I think as long as you play well at do good at the level you are at you are going to move up whether you’re drafted in the first round or not drafted at all.

How much film do you watch?

In Triple A there is not much film to watch. It is available but your hitting is hard to come by .

Have you ever been injured?

Yea this year I got a facture in my elbow.

Do you think the Chemistry in the clubhouse effects a team?

Absolutely. The team that gets along better is going to play better in the field. In the dugout and when your pumping each other up it goes a lot easier.

When your’re at Triple A there are guys coming down from the major leagues and guys coming up from Double A, does that cause any friction in the clubhouse?

I don’t think so. Player moves are part of the game. You never go through a whole season seeing the same guys in the clubhouse everyday so you stay with them, make new friends and wish the guys the best of luck when they leave.

What was the difference between Single A and Triple A?

Everybody is more polished.

What is some of the things about pro sports that you didn’t know that you had to learn?

You play a lot of games. It is a marathon. You really got to stay mentally focused and positive through the ups and downs. Stay on an even keel. Just go out there everyday and battle, play hard.

How important is weight lifting?

It’s different for every guy. Some guys don’t like to do it and some guys really believe in it. I lift weights a little bit. I like to stay as fluid as I can. I think you can bulk up to much and get stiff and that could affect your swing.

Does the team have a program?

I make my own program

Do you read the sports pages and the scouting reports about yourself?

I try not to. I try not to read about myself. I know what’s going on, what I need to work on. I don’t need to read it.

How about in Baseball America where you are a top prospect?

I understand that they put me as one of the top guys so I try to back that up. I play hard as I can to show everybody I am that number one guy.

How do you handle the fans?

I don’t listen to them.

It doesn’t effect you at all?

No.

How do you handle the umpires?

I don’t have a problem with the umpires. They make bad calls just like we make mistakes. Nobody is perfect so you got to understand that. As far as I’m concerned the umpires always do a great job.

How about the brush backs, knockdowns, and retaliation?

It’s part of baseball.

Your thoughts on being traded?

In baseball you can’t control it. Trades happen all the time.