Last year I frequently answered your e-mails throughout the season. I will do the same this year, and this is the first such blog of the season. Some of these questions are left over from last season and a few are from this year. The only thing I ask is that you pay attention to what questions I answer throughout the season, as I will only answer a question once.
Q: What is the best thing about spring training?
--Dan, Rochester, N.Y.
The weather I would say is the best thing. It's of course a lot warmer at that time of the year than being back at home in Chicago, or the beginning part of the season in Detroit. Also at that time, it isn't that humid yet, even though we did have a few extremely humid days.
Q: What advice would you give hopefuls or rookie professional athletes in adjusting to a professional sports player's lifestyle, but yet, also keeping morals and values in tact?
--Tonya, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Don't forget what you did to get to the point to get where you are now, and also remember that there is still a lot more out there for you to accomplish. People who think they have it or have made it, end up getting passed very quickly. Those who continue to work and try to improve year after year are the ones who continue to stick around.
Q: Hey Curtis! I'm a 14-year-old Tigers fan. Do athletes actually drink Gatorade, as it is a heavily marketed product?
--Jordan, Slinger, Wis.
It all depends on what is available for us at the park to drink. For example, in Boston they carried Powerade, so most guys drank Powerade. I've also tried Vitamin Water and like that as well. Cleveland carries Gatorade Rain, which I think is a little bit better than normal Gatorade. Overall, I'm not too picky on whatever drink choice is there for us.
Q: You have such a jackrabbit start as you head to first base that one would think you had a background in sprinting. Is this your natural form, or is it something you have to keep working on?--Nan, Adrian, Mich.
My background in sprinting only consists of 6th to 8th-grade track, where I ran the 100 and 200. At that age, we really didn't focus on form. It was all about trying to run as fast as you could. As for my form, I have been trying to improve that each year, as my strength coach feels that running more relaxed will actually help me become even faster, so hopefully it works.
Q: I enjoyed reading your blog all of last year and was excited to see that you continued it this season. How were your approached last year to write the blog and what made you decide to continue this season?--Ryan, Ferndale, Mich.
Last year it was more of a way to give information about what's going on in a baseball player's life. ESPN jumped on board and decided to take it. Also, by having a MySpace page, we were able to post info there. For this year, ESPN.com offered me the chance to do it again and offered to donate money to my foundation for me continuing to blog again this year. That's a win-win situation for everyone, and I want to again thank ESPN.com for letting me do this blog.
Q: Who do you think is the best player on your team?--Matthew, Parts Unknown
My favoriate and best player to watch is
Carlos Guillen because he can switch hit, hit for power, has speed to steal bases and draws a lot of walks. I think he is pretty close to being a complete player in every aspect.
Q: If you designed your own major league ballpark from the best features of current parks, what would it be? I'm thinking stuff like: knowledgeable fans, clubhouse/locker/training rooms, history, food, field, bullpen, dugout, hotels, city, airport, etc.--Greg, Swartz Creek, Mich.
My new stadium would have the following features:
• Great fans that are very knowledgeable.
• VERY large clubhouses with numerous TVs.
• Great chefs inside the clubhouse cooking food.
• A large weight room and large batting cages for both teams.
• The field would be extremely low-cut like Anaheim, Houston, or Texas.
• There would be a retractable dome so we could play every day no matter the conditions outside.
• The dugout wouldn't be too big. Small enough, as the team is close, but big enough to have 25 guys with space.
• Concessions would include the basics (hot dogs, nachos, beer, pop, popcorn, and pizza) but also some different taste from all the areas of the world, for all the fans from all over the world.
• I would also want a rollercoaster visible in the stadium.
• A huge, clear HD display screen.
• Last but not least, cheerleaders or dancers. Winter leagues have them, the Marlins have them and every level of basketball and football has them (from pee wee to the pros), so why not baseball? There's nothing else going on between innings. Oh yeah, and no organs. Only a new, up-to-date sound system to play all types of music throughout the game.
Q: Do you ever look at the replays on the scoreboard after you make one of your harder catches?
--Jason, Kent, Ohio
I do watch replays, but it's never when I make them. It's only when another guy on our team makes them or a guy from the other team is making them.
Q: What is it like visiting teams and cities you don't usually play against because of interleague play?--Luke, Philadelphia, Pa.
I like it. It's a chance for me to play in a stadium that I may not have played in before. It's also a chance for me to see some friends and family that are scattered throughout the states that I might not see otherwise.
Q: Do you and your teammates go online and vote for the All-Star team?
--Aaron, Portland, Mich.
I voted for
Jeremy Bonderman and
Justin Verlander the years they were the last man in votes, but only once. As for the rest of the voting, I have yet to vote for anyone. We do a players' choice vote at the end of the year, and I'll vote for that, but never for myself.
To send me questions, e-mail them to grandy@fullathletemarketing.com.
Curtis Granderson
