What member of the Sox organization has been the biggest key to your success to this point?

I don’t know if I could point out one person… All the different rovers and coaches have helped me with different parts of my game. I feel like I have improved in every facet of the game since signing with the White Sox.

Have you had any interaction with Buddy Bell?
Yes, I’ve been pretty fortunate to have Buddy Bell as my minor league coordinator. Not only is he a nice, well-respected guy, he was a great third baseman. He’s helped me out a lot with different things at third base.

I read some of your pre-draft scouting reports the last few days. Some mentioned you being able to possibly play catcher at some point? I know you are considered a plus defensive 3B, but would a switch even be realistic?

Before I was drafted, I heard some people talking about maybe switching; but the White Sox were never a team that wanted to make me a catcher and I haven’t heard anything from them about switching positions.

That leads me to my next question. Have the White Sox given you any indication on where they want to play you long term? Have they sat you down and sort of drawn out a plan?

As far as I know, the Sox want me to stay at third. Every conversation I have had with the rovers and coordinators is trying to improve at 3rd.

How much improvement do you think you need? I know you were voted best defensive 3B in the Carolina League this last year, which had to be a nice honor.

Yes it was nice being honored that from the coaches in the league, but I don’t think there is ever a time to stop improving. I’ll have this off-season to help improve my speed and quickness, and on the field you can never get too many reps to read hops.

Lets talk a little about the AFL. You replaced Dayan Viciedo, who went down with an injury. What were you doing before then? Just normal off-season stuff?

Ya I played in the Instructional League for about a month then I drove back home and was relaxing and letting my body recover a little bit. I was only home for a little over a week when Buddy Bell called me and told me that I had a chance to come play in the AFL. It was nice relaxing but I was really excited for the opportunity to come out here and play.

How has the experience been?

I’ve really enjoyed myself out here. We have a real good group of guys on our team that are fun to be around. It’s been nice getting to play with some of the elite players in the minor leagues.

Anyone really stick out to you? Maybe one guy on your squad, and one guy you have played against that you just say “Damn, this guy is going to be a Major League All Star.”

There are a ton of guys in the fall league that will be future All Stars but the guy probably having the best season is Grant Desme. I’ve played against him in high school and with him at college so its been nice seeing him do so well out here.

Any idea where you may be starting the year? Back in A ball, or do you think you will be starting for the Barons in AA?

My goal is to start in AA but its really out of my control. I’m just going to try and get in the best shape for spring training and go from there

Being as “fair” as possible, what is an optimistic projection for yourself in the majors? What kind of hitter do you see yourself as?

That is tough to answer. I still know there are some things that I need to improve on in my swing before I will be able to contribute to the major league club.

Anything in particular?
Well my whole life I’ve been a guy who hits for a pretty good average and can drive in some runs so hopefully that’s the hitter I’ll be in the major leagues too

You’re from Bakersfield, correct? Who did you grow up rooting for? Still a fan of that team?

Ya, I grew up liking Cal Ripken Jr. so i followed the Orioles till he retired. Since then I haven’t really had a favorite team.

Alright, now for the fun stuff. Top 3 favorite movies?
Shawshank, The Rock, and pretty much any comedy. It’s so hard to pick just one.

Do you have a specific walk up music?

Not really.. I change it a lot. This year I had “Bring Sally Up” by Moby from Gone In 60 Seconds and “8 second ride” by Jake Owen… I pretty much only listen to country music so anything country would work for a walk up song.

I’ve heard you’re a big “Office” fan. Favorite character?

Ya my favorite TV show has to be Seinfeld but The Office is up there. Dwight has to be my favorite from The Office for many reasons but I don’t think there’s a better character on TV than Kramer.

That should just about do it Brent. Myself and everyone at FutureSox would just like to thank you for your time, and look forward to seeing you up with the big club soon.

Thanks, anytime guys.

FutureSox.com would like to again thank Brent for his time.

Were you surprised to not see your name called in the draft? Did the fact that you weren’t drafted add any extra motivation? And do you have any advice for other college players who don’t get drafted?

Ahh I get this question often, haha. To be honest I was pretty upset and devastated that I wasn’t drafted at all, kind of made me question the whole ordeal, but I definitely think it added motivation to try and succeed. I have a very supportive family but also great friends who were there for me. They helped me get through the process, and we knew it would be a long road, but I’m glad that I’ve started on that journey with the White Sox. I don’t know what type of advice to give because I think it differs for different people, but I sat down with my parents and tried to map out how I could get into affiliate ball. I went to MLB showcases, and then as soon as I got a call from Windy City, through my Dad’s networking, I went straight there. All I wanted to do was pitch and I think the rest is history. 10 days later the White Sox got a deal done.

Have you met or spoken with any of the other undrafted guys in the organization (like C.J. Retherford, Ehren Wassermann, or Chase Blackwood), about their similar experiences?

It’s funny because I had a locker right next to C.J. in spring training and didn’t realize that he was undrafted. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him about anything important really, but he seemed like a very likable guy. I could see that he kinda knew the ins and outs of things, so I tried to pick up little things from him since it was my first spring training. Other than that I haven’t met the other guys.

You dominated pitching in your college conference for four years, but some of your numbers dropped off a bit your senior year. Do you think that is why you weren’t drafted? Was there an injury, or change of approach, that caused that?

I think my velocity dropped off a bit, but I was able to learn the mental side to pitching with my pitching coach. I’m sure my velocity was one of the reasons why my stock might have fallen, but scouts could see that I understood how to pitch as well as set up batters and attack the strike zone. There was an injury to my lower back my junior summer that might have changed my mechanics a bit, but other than that I think teams in my conference had seen me for 4 years and kind of knew how I pitched. I’m not really sure why the numbers weren’t the same, but it didn’t seem like I threw as much my senior year as I had in the past. The season sort of flew by and before I knew it, my college career was over.

Have you gotten to meet or speak with any of the guys on the major league club? If so, what were your impressions?

I got to meet Jim Thome in spring training. Buddy Bell introduced me to him and I think he might have been one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and it definitely took me by surprise. Carlos Quentin, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have all been through here (Kannapolis) on rehab assignments and they couldn’t have treated us any better. I’ve had some great experiences with all of them, I think they all know where they came from and were looking out for us. It’s great to know that they tried giving back to us a bit in anyway they could, not that they should have for any reason. They definitely went out of their way.

Tell us about your experience being signed out of the Frontier League – how did that work? Who did you meet, if anyone, prior to signing?

It was pretty exciting. I made one start and I believe there were a few teams interested. A deal fell through the first time, but I made another appearance and that was it. My agent had some ties with Buddy Bell and thankfully they were able to get a deal done. It was a good experience because I learned from the older players who had been in affiliated ball how things worked. I was able to come into the system feeling more comfortable that I knew how the business was run to a certain extent.

If you hadn’t been signed, and weren’t going to play baseball professionally, what would you be doing instead?

That’s tough to answer because I still have some more school to finish. Baseball’s a passion of mine and I think I would have tried to get in any way possible. Maybe try networking for a front office job haha, I’m not really sure.

Has the organization given you any plan for the future or timetables for your progression? Will we be seeing you promoted to High-A Winston-Salem this season?

Yeah I’ve been given some general timetables that I was happy to hear, but I don’t think it would be professional to share how exactly the meetings have gone. I believe there are still players ahead of me deserving a promotion because I think I’m still paving my own way with the organization. The best way to put it is that I’d be very happy to move up to a new level because it’s one more step closer to my ultimate goal of making it to the Show. I think the more polished I can get myself here the better I can be in the long run.

Given that there seems to be virtually no scouting information available about you, can you tell us about your pitch repertoire? What pitches you throw, what velocity you throw them at, what sort of movement, etc.

I have a 4-seam fastball, sinker, split, change, and spike curve. Right now I’m working on my fastball and changeup combo, but my splitter is my best secondary pitch. My fastball is 88-92, but still working to bump that up a little bit more, my changeup and splitter had similar velocities so I’m working on dropping my changeup lower and perhaps get more depth to be an above average pitch. I think my command is my best asset. I just throw the ball to the glove and don’t worry about the things I can’t control.

Judging by your K rate, how does it feel to throw an invisible baseball? Seriously though, are strikeouts your goal, or would you be happier getting a first-pitch ground out? And do you have one pitch that has been your strikeout pitch?

Haha, our pitching coach Larry Owens said that to me earlier in the season. I would much rather prefer to get a guy out on the first three pitches no matter what. I think a key for me is that I’m able to get ahead of the guys, and put them away when I have 2 strikes. I try to throw my fastball to four different spots and I think not throwing the ball down the middle of the plate has helped me so far this year.

From the few pictures and videos we could find, you seem to have an unorthodox approach and a very high leg kick. How do you feel this has helped you? Do you think it makes the ball tougher for hitters to pick up? How did you develop your approach?

I think it helps me get my arm through quicker, and it’s just become a habit for me. I don’t realize how high it is now and I’m surprised myself when I see the pictures. This might help get a little more deception, it’s just what I’m comfortable with so if anything I need to work on keeping it more compact with runners on base. It started as a joke with my pitching coach in college because I didn’t want to pitch with the phone booth technique my freshman year, and then it just kept getting higher and higher. My windup was similar to Bronson Arroyo without the long golden flowing hair. I just prefer the stretch, keeping with the same motion every time out because it’s easier to repeat.

What area of your game are you most interested in trying to improve on? What aspect of your pitching are you most proud of?

Right now I’m trying to bugs bunny my changeup, take some velocity off it since it’s around 80. I’d like to get as comfortable throwing it as my fastball, but I think that’s going to take some time because it’s hard while I’m closing games. The last thing I want to do is blow a lead, I take losing more personally then winning. I’m a thrill seeker and nothing compares to when you’re closing games out and the adrenaline’s flowing through you. I’m excited that I’ve been given those opportunities this season.

–OK, now some easy questions, just for fun…

What was your favorite baseball team (or teams) growing up?

Born and raised in Cincinnati. The Reds. I’m glad they’re not in the American League.

Who were your favorite players? Any particular pitchers you modeled yourself after?

I love watching Manny Ramirez, Ken Griffey Jr. and Josh Beckett. They can be so dominant, or were while I was growing up. I didn’t know much about the White Sox growing up, but I do like watching Bobby Jenks now. I never really tried modeling the way I pitch after someone else, but I like how Josh Beckett pitches. Mark Buehrle is great watching how he sets up hitters.

What stadium has been your favorite to play in thus far?

Lakewood was awesome because it was in a great location and I was able to make it to New York City for the first time. It’s great to go to Lake County (Ohio) because I get to see all my family and friends, it’s always nice to get a home cooked meal.

If you could play a position on the field other than pitcher, what would it be? And how is your hitting?

I always liked playing the outfield, try and throw someone out. My hitting is a little suspect, but I guarantee I’m not going to get cheated up there. You’d see some full blown hacks, maybe even a pulled back, but I’d hit that white thing a mile if I got a hold of it.

What is the strangest thing you’ve seen happen on the field?

I’ve seen a triple play already this year, nothing really beats that. You got to love the head on collisions at the plate though!

What music do you like to listen to? If you got to come out of the bullpen to close a big league baseball game, what song would you want playing?

I’m a hard rock kind of guy, but none of that heavy screaming or emo stuff. I like a lot of pop and alternative, but I’m not a big country or rap fan. To come into a big league game you’d have to have your own song, but also let people know you’re there, and not cliché…I think mine would be Mudayne’s- Happy.

Favorite movie(s)?

Way too many to name, I like a lot of comedy, action, thriller, horror, drama…anything really. I’ll take on any challengers for the movie game. The best movies I’ve seen lately were Transformers Revenge of the Fallen and The Hangover.

You were playing briefly for Windy City in the Frontier League. Did you get to know Chicago at all, as a city? What did you think of it?

No I wanted to. I have a cousin that lives in Wrigleyville, that might take away some of my street cred haha, but I hadn’t been to Chicago since UConn men’s basketball team won the NCAA tournament beating out Duke in 1999! I love Chicago style pizza though, Gino’s East of Chicago I believe it was. That stuff is amazing. I would definitely like to go back, but preferably not sight seeing.

And finally, have you had a chance to look around SoxTalk and/or FutureSox yet? What do you think of it?

My mom looks at all the blogs and fills me in at times. She keeps me posted pretty well, and from what I’ve seen of the site it seemed very informative. A lot of interesting stuff! It was a pleasure taking the time for these questions, thanks for asking me for the interview!

FutureSox would like to thank Dan for taking the time to answer the questions and wish him luck the rest of the season!

What has the White Sox organization told you about your timetable? Were you expected to move up from Kannapolis all the way to Birmingham like you have thus far?

I don’t really think there is any specific timetable with me but I really wasn’t expecting to be called up to B-Ham this year. Not because I didn’t think I wasn’t ready for the moves, but because I was already one of the younger guys on Winston’s staff so I figured I was a little lower on the totem pole then the older guys that were there. But jumping to Birmingham from K-Town was definitely a surprise to me but I’ll take it!

What has been the biggest difference between A ball hitters and AA hitters? What has been the thing you needed to work on most when moving up leagues?

The biggest difference I have noticed between A ball and AA hitters is definitely the patience at the plate. AA hitters don’t chase bad pitches a lot of the time like a lot of the more undisciplined A ball hitters do. I had to learn and am still in the process of learning how to be more effective within the strike zone while still not throwing too many good pitches to hit.

In 2008 you were drafted with fellow college teammate Dexter Carter. How have the two of you adjusted from the jump of college to rookie ball? Has the familiarity of being drafted with a college teammate helped with your progress?

Dex and I are good friends and still keep up with each other frequently even though he is still in K-Town. Being drafted together and assigned to the same team definitely helped the transition from college to pro ball because the game can get pretty individualized especially in the lower levels because everyone wants to move up before the other guy. It’s good to have someone there rooting for you and vice-versa. Personally I don’t know why he is still in k-town because he seems to be dominating that league with the k’s. The only thing I could guess is that they want to keep him a starter and his change up is still sort of a work in progress.

Judging by your numbers in college, it looked like you had mixed results. How has the White Sox organization helped you in becoming a more consistent pitcher?

Yeah my junior year was terrible. Haha. I really couldn’t have had a worse year in my draft year I don’t think. It all worked out though by slipping to the Sox. I really click with the pitching coaches in the organization and they are getting me to work over the ball a lot better and get downhill more consistently. My arm angle tends to drop sometimes and my stuff will really flatten out in the zone. When I get over the ball really well everything I throw has hard downward movement.

No one really knows what your breaking pitch is and there have been reports saying it’s a curve and others saying its a slider. So, what is your breaking pitch?

I throw both a slider and a curveball, but I really haven’t had the feel for my curveball in a long time for some reason so I have been throwing a lot more sliders. The curveball has been coming along recently though. Its definitely not a put away pitch, but more of a get-me-over a couple times in a game type pitch.

We’ve had a report saying you topped out at 98 in Birmingham. Does that sound right to you? Has your velocity increased in the past year+ since college? Where does your fastball usually sit at?

Yeah, I caught a glimpse of the scoreboard during my first outing and saw 98 up there. I don’t throw quite that hard so that gun was a little juiced that night haha. But the guys on the charts did come in and tell me I hit 96 a few times in my first outing. I don’t know what I have been at recently but I would guess I am probably in the 90-94 range.

Can you tell us some more about your pitching arsenal? What other pitches do you throw? Which pitch do you consider your out pitch?

I throw a 4-seam fastball, slider, circle change and my curve. I have confidence to throw the first three in any count to any hitter. I usually use my changeup against lefties more though because I get really good action on it down and away to them. I get them to swing over it or hit weak groundballs a lot of the time. If I had to pick one pitch in a clutch situation I would probably use my fastball. I feel like I throw hard enough to get it by a lot of hitters.

Do you consider yourself more of a finesse or a power pitcher?

I don’t think I am either a power or a finesse pitcher. I don’t really throw in the mid 90’s that often but I also don’t throw soft enough to be called a finesse pitcher either. I guess I am sort of a hybrid of the two haha. I usually get a good amount of groundballs every game but I also get a lot of strikeouts. I locate most of my pitches a lot of the time but also feel I can blow it by you if I need to.

Can you hit at all, or would you look clueless at bat?

I love answering this question haha. I haven’t tried recently but my senior year of high school I was second team all-state as a first baseman. I hit .400 something with 9 homeruns. For some reason my college coach never gave me a chance to take bp. We had pitcher’s bp in the Cape and I hit a few bombs in a pretty big park with wood. I’m not going to say I could still hit now, but if you gave me an at-bat tomorrow I don’t think I would look too terribly bad up there. It’s like riding a bike right?

Is there a pitcher in the MLB that you compare yourself to? Is there a certain pitcher in the MLB that you love to watch or grew up idolizing?

I don’t really compare myself to anyone pitching in the bigs, but I love watching Josh Beckett pitch. His demeanor on the mound is awesome and I like to think I have that bulldog mentality as well. There’s no one else I would rather have on the mound in a must win game than him.

Have you spent much time with White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper or some of the veteran pitchers (most notably Mark Buehrle) on the staff during Spring Training? If so, what was that like? Did they give you any advice that has helped you this season?

I haven’t really spent a lot of time with Coop or any of the guys on the big league staff. I have met Coop before and he has seen me throw but I haven’t talked to him about pitching or anything like that yet. Hopefully that will change this spring training though.

What do you think of Ozzie Guillen? Did you get to spend any time with Ozzie during Spring Training?

I think Ozzie is awesome and I can’t wait to play for him. I love playing for and watching managers who work really hard for their players whether it’s getting in the umpires face and getting tossed or sitting you down and sharing his knowledge of the game with you. I met him a couple times in spring training but never really talked to him unfortunately. I kind of just get what I need to get done, done then go about my business haha.

What was your favorite team growing up?

I was a big fan of the Braves growing up and my favorite player was Chipper Jones. They were always on tv on TBS so I would watch them everyday. I never really started following the Sox until I got drafted by them but I can tell you I already love watching the Cubs lose.

If you weren’t playing baseball, what would you be doing?

I really don’t know what I would be doing if I wasn’t playing baseball. I was a sports management major at school so it would be something in the sporting industry.

Now for the fun questions:

Favorite Athlete: Lebron James

Favorite Movie: Too Many, but #1 is probably Major League

Favorite Food: Anything with bacon on it….

Favorite Song: Figure.09 by Linkin Park (my walkout song)

Dream Vacation: Anything tropical

Best Baseball Memory: Coming back from being down 8-0 after three innings then winning 11-10 in 12 innings in the state championship my senior year. (I was intentionally walked and the guy behind me got the walkoff hit… that might help answer the hitting question… haha)

Best Prank You’ve Pulled (Or seen pulled): I put icy hot on the brim of one of my teammates hats once… he had a nice red line on his forehead for a while.

Hobby Outside of Baseball: I like to play golf even though I’m not very good. I also play video games too. I am also I big Redskins fan and watch every game in the offseason.

FutureSox.com would like to thank Dan Hudson for the interview and wish him nothing but the best of luck in his professional career.

Anthony Mazzuca: Name 1 sleeper in the Sox’s system that isn’t a top 5/10 prospect.
Kevin Goldstein: Just talked to a scout today who saw Dexter Carter over the weekend and really liked what he saw — big, very athletic, low 90s with a very good breaking ball, and I still like John Shelby.
AM: Seems like Shelby has sort of taken a step back after a nice 2008…
KG: Yeah, Double-A has proven to be a bit much, but he can still play all three outfields, has a good approach, a bit of speed and pop. I wish he was LH, he’d have a surefire future as a 4th OF.
AM: Did you expect more out of Jon Gilmore (.600 OPS at Kanny) this season?
KG: I did, but I really don’t anymore. That Kannapolis lineup is really ugly, not much to talk about there.

AM: Let’s jump to the draft, then come back to some individuals. How did you rank the Sox’s draft? Best pick and the worst pick?
KG: I didn’t do a ranking of the drafts specifically, but in general, I was a big fan of their selections, especially Mitchell and Thompson. I thought they took Phegley too high, but if they believe he really can catch, it’s understandable. I think what you saw was the continuing shift to tools and upside, a philosophy that Sox officials confirmed to me before the draft.
AM: How far away is Jared Mitchell? For a polished college player, there seems to be talk of a rather large learning curve.
KG: He’s a raw, toolsy college player with a ton of upside, but it will require patience. He’s certainly not going to move like Beckham, for example.
AM: Incredibly early, but what is the most realistic ETA you could put on it, if everything went right?
KG: Late ‘11? Something around there. He’s a tools guy, and those guys sometimes just click, and when the explode, they move very, very quickly, or it just never happens.There are certainly aspects of his game that need to improve.
AM: Anything in particular?
KG: Well, there’s a lot of swing and miss in him. You’re never going to turn him into Ichiro, but they do need to be curbed, and that’s going to come with a better plan, and better pitch recognition.
AM: Staying with the overall system, What effect has Buddy Bell had?
KG: It’s really hard to give credit (or blame) to any one guy. Success and failure in scouting and player development is really an organizational thing, and you are literally talking about hundreds of people. That said, Bell is very well respected.
AM: It just seems like the organization, after the 2006 draft, which was a disaster, have really taken a new approach to things, as you touched on earlier.
KG: Yeah, and that’s system wide. There’s been changes in personnel and philosophy, and both have been good things.
AM: Staying with the system as a whole, If you were doing a mid-season rank of where the minor league systems are, where would the Sox rank? Just for an idea of where they are, give me a number with and w/o Beckham and Poreda, two guys up with the team right now.
KG: Well, I had them 24th entering the year. Clearly, they’re up from there. If you include Beckham, Poreda, they’re definitely in the upper half, a top 15 system, but without them, and now with Allen gone, they more somewhere in the middle, but that’s for all of the right reasons.

AM: What is your view on the Brandon Allen trade? Too much for Pena, or have Sox fans maybe overrated what Allen really is?
KG: It’s funny, when the trade happened, I went through my notes and found three different scouts who had seen him this year. One thought he was an above-average every day big league first baseman. One thought he was more of a second division player. One thought he was a platoon player at best. So the reviews were really varied.
AM: Could it be a move to open up a spot for Viciedo at 1B?
KG: It was a move to get a dependable power righty in the pen, I don’t think they thought much about how it effected other prospects, and Viciedo at first would be pretty troubling, as he’s not even hitting enough for a third baseman right now.
AM: Any views on Pena himself?
KG: I do wonder if he’s really the answer. On a pure scouting level, he’s always shined, but the results have always been inconsistent. I saw it as only a minor upgrade, but you take what you can get.
AM: I just brought him up, so will stick with him. What kind of future in baseball do you project for Dayan Viciedo?
KG: Honestly, reviews have been very disappointing. Still a bit out of shape, swing at anything approach, not much power. Because of his age and where he’s coming from, you have to give him more time than others to make adjustments. If anything, I think it’s possible that they just started him at too high a level.
AM: Has there been any talk of the culture change playing a role, or just totally overmatched at the plate?
KG: Specifically on Viciedo, I haven’t heard that, but with the Cubans, it really is a different kind of culture shock than you get with most international players, and it really does need to be taken into account. It’s a massive, massive change in everything about Viciedo’s world. But as far as pure baseball goes, the approach is the biggest thing — he’s chasing everything.

AM: Overall, should White Sox fans be generally excited for what is in store for the future, or should we temper our excitement? With the way the farm system has produced in the last 5 years, this looks to be the best crop of prospects the Sox have had in quite some time…
KG: Sure, but it was kind of nowhere to go but up, no?
AM: Very true. I feel like there are a good amount of Sox fans maybe overrating the system because they aren’t used to having some high end prospects in the system.
KG: Look, I think they should be excited for Beckham alone — how often to teams develop true stars? It’s really pretty rare, but yes, I’d be much happier than I was. It’s not an elite system, but there’s some good stuff here.
AM: Tyler Flowers. Should he be close to untouchable? Is he going to stay behind the plate?
KG: You know, I’ve never been a fan of the term untouchable. Is anyone REALLY untouchable? If the Jays wanted him in Halladay deal, wouldn’t you want the Sox to do that?
AM: That’s why I wont say totally untouchable. If Pujols was offered for Beckham, he isn’t untouchable anymore.
KG: I think the catching future is still debatable, he’s just so huge a sluggish back there. That said, there has been some progress — they’ve shortened his release a bit, and the results are encouraging.
AM: Would his bat alone still project him to be a plus major league hitter?(if he had to move out of catcher)
KG: Yes, the bat is going to play.

AM: Whats your take overall on the Halladay news over the last 48 hours?
KG: Well, it makes sense for the Jays certainly, with this year AND 2010 under contract, his value is about as high as it can be, and he’s going to leave Toronto, so I do think there’s a good chance he’ll get moved.
AM: Will the Sox be in it, even with Williams comments yesterday about lacking attendance?
KG: I would saw they’re in the race, but not a favorite.
AM: What type of package would it have to be?
KG: It would be a ton. I think they’d ask for Beckham for sure, but if that was off the table, they would probably need at least two, maybe three of Poreda/Flowers/Danks.
AM: If you are the Sox, do you pull the trigger on a deal with those 3?
KG: Would I? Probably.
AM: Take on Jordan Danks?
KG: What’s not to like? Big, athletic, good approach, gap power, good runner, plays a nice CF. I don’t think he’ll ever be a true power guy, but I think he’ll be a solid every day center fielder, which is pretty good for an organization that has been absolutely desperate for one for a long time now.
AM: Top of the order guy?
KG: Yeah, could be an ideal No. 2 hitter type.

AM: Changing the topic a bit, How do professional organizations view your publication? What feedback have you received?
KG: They all read us, and like anything else, some like us, some don’t. We’re certainly a highly respected name in the industry, I think our work speaks for itself, and teams take my calls, so there’s that. I talk to tons of scouts on an anonymous level (pretty much every day) about what they’re seeing and what they think.
AM: What is your relationship with the Sox in general?
KG: Solid. I talk to White Sox scouts and front office people on a regular basis.
AM: That actually should just about do it from my end. Can’t thank you enough for taking out the time.
KG: More than happy to help.

We again would like to thank Kevin Goldstein for providing us with some great information on the entire White Sox organization.

My defensive abilities are pretty good across the board. I think I have decent range and enough arm to make the deep throw from shortstop. I’m going to make the routine plays and make a great play every once in awhile. I think every player is inherently different so I don’t think there is a need to compare myself to anyone. I play the game my way, that’s all I know.

Your draft stock went through the roof after a strong performance at the prestigious Cape Cod league. In fact, it was reported that your power performance was the best in the Cape Cod since Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay). Tell us a bit about your experience in the league and how you believe it helped you better prepare for your junior season as well as life in professional baseball (ie, getting to adjust to wood bats, etc).

The cape really helped me understand what I needed to do to be successful. I did not try to do too much up there and by taking the pressure off, I actually did more than I thought I would. Wood bats magnify every mistake you make with your swing, so it is important to do less with your body.

Who was your favorite team growing up. And how much do you know about the White Sox organization?

The funny thing about this question is I never had a favorite team. People have asked me all my life who I liked and I never had a good answer. I guess I was a Braves fan, but only because they were the team in the city I lived in. I don’t know a ton about the White Sox yet. I do know that I want to be a white sox player from the moment I make the big leagues to the moment I finish my career. The white sox have placed a lot of stock in me and I want to return that commitment to them.

Your swing compares, especially with the kick, to that of Alex Rodriguez. Did you intentionally try to model your swing after his, or has it been the same all your life?

When I was little I would go into my backyard and try to hit tennis balls over my house. So what you see in my swing is what I’ve been doing my whole life. The leg kick just comes naturally. If I’m half the player A-Rod is then I would say I’ve had a good career ha ha. I just hope I don’t get booed when I make an out. I feel awful for that guy because he is so good and he gets booed when he doesn’t deliver. Baseball is a cruel game, once you think you have it figured out, it will humble you quickly.

Many guys struggle to hit in the cold, which is a big part of Chicago baseball, including April, May, some of September, and then October. Do you think it’ll be an issue, especially with wood?

Obviously I would rather not hit in the cold. But everybody has to deal with the conditions. I try to control the controllables. If you worry about anything else, you’re destined to fail. So I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

In the minors, a lot of times the game is more about individual numbers than playing for “the team”. Is that style of play going to change anything for you?

This is something that I have struggled with lately. I’m used to playing for my team, fighting for the guys around me as much as myself. But Minor league ball is different because it is highly individualized. I’m trying to get used to it. But until I’m up in Chicago playing for a pennant, its going to be tough to get into that mindset.

Why do you have Your Love by The Outfield play when you come to bat?

Great question. Your love by the Outfield is my favorite song. I like to have a song that lights me up inside. I like a song that gets me excited and ready, but keeps me relaxed at the same time. I chose that song when I was a freshman in college and used it for three years. That song has kind of attached itself to me and the University of Georgia. I get messages late at night from friends who hear it in the bar and call me just to tell me it’s on. I’ve walked into places in Athens where they would see me and then play the song. And the girls enjoyed it too. They would actually finish the verse when it would cut off when I stepped into the box. Best of both worlds I guess.

With you about to be a very rich man, what is the big thing you want to buy?
Being rich should not make you stupid. I am planning on putting all the money in the bank. I don’t have anything I really want to buy so I’ll put it in the bank and buy something big down the road. Maybe I could get some suggestions from people.

How has the adjustment been from playing in the College World Series on ESPN to Single A Ball? Any culture shock?

Serious culture shock. One day I’m in the White Sox clubhouse and the next day I show up to a low A clubhouse. Its very different from what I’m used to but that’s all part of what I’m doing now. I’m just getting my feet wet. I’m just trying to experience a little bit of pro ball now before I head to the fall league.

How closely have you followed the big club in recent weeks?

Well I have Oney Guillen on the team so I get updates everyday. I have been following them basically through Oney and Sportscenter. They are going to make the playoffs. I know that because they are such a great group of guys from what I know. They were just joking around the day I met them. Good guys that have fun don’t get denied.

Are you a stat nut?

I try not to be. But who are we kidding; this is baseball, its all about the stats.

How do you compare the SEC to the minor leagues? You have only seen A ball, but is SEC Ball better than Single A? Maybe High A?

The SEC is tough. So far I have not felt over-matched by anyone I’ve faced. I am going through a stretch right now where I’m getting myself out. I would say depending on who your playing, the SEC is in the middle of High A and Low A.

How stressful were negotiations.
I hated negotiations. That’s why I did not wait till 11:59 on the 15th. I could have done that and made everyone sweat a little and probably got more money, but it’s just not my personality. I’m big on relationships, and I wanted the relationship between the White Sox and me to get off to a good start.

Favorite Food: Dads steak and baked potatoes.
Hobby outside baseball: Hunting. My dad and I own 900 acres in Middle Georgia. Its honestly my favorite place in the world, especially in the fall.
Last thing you listened to on your Ipod: The Lost Trailers. They are a southern rock band that I really enjoy. They are not too well known but I would do anything the watch those guys in concert.

I feel like I am a steady player who can handle the bat, play solid defense, and use speed to help create some offense. 

What do you think you have to improve on the most? 

I think I need to improve in all areas, but, most importantly, to give away less at-bats. 

Do believe that college baseball better prepared you for the minor leagues than if you had gone pro right from high school? 

It’s hard to say because I have only experienced one route, but I know that each way has its positives and negatives. 

Do you miss aluminum bats? 

Not really. I think aluminum bats create too many bad habits. 

As one of the organization’s only second base prospects, do you feel there is any pressure to quickly advance from level to level? 

I don’t think there is too much pressure to move quickly. Last year was a big jump to Double-A after playing a half season in Low-A, but in the end I think I will benefit from what I learned last year. 

Have you personally met Ozzie Guillen? Is he any different from what the media and fans suggest? 

I have met Ozzie while playing in spring training games. It’s hard to say whether he’s perceived accurately through the media, while only being around him such a small amount, but I do know that he is honest with the media and I think our society is so hooked on political correctness that they are taken aback by the honesty at times. 

Many people have an image of a leadoff hitter as someone who is quick, patient and capable of stealing bases. Do you see yourself as a player who possesses these qualities, or is there something different you have in mind for what constitutes a leadoff hitter? 

I think that a lead off hitter has to have all of those qualities to be good. I think one of the most underrated parts of doing the job is seeing a lot of pitches. Now, with that being said, I think I am batting second this year. [Laughs] 

Have current (or past) hitting coaches approached you about possibly adding more muscle for additional power? 

The muscle part isn’t really harped on too much. I have improved my strength but that was focused more on stamina and hopefully a little more power, but in Birmingham power really doesn’t play much. 

Are there any major league players, either current or from the past, that you’ve attempted to imitate in any area of your game –anything from batting stance to a set position defensively? 

I don’t really try to imitate anyone, but I do play the game hard, so I probably fall into an old school type player mold. 

Now some lighter questions: 

As a native of Michigan you’re probably a Detroit Tigers fan, right? 

Yeah, I am a Tigers fan and I did attend some playoff games last year. 

What musical preferences do you have? 

I am open minded when it comes to music. I just do not like techno. 

Take us through a typical evening following a game at Regions Park? 

Finish the game, possibly lift if I haven’t done that before the game, shower, eat, head back to my apartment and relax. 

Even as a minor league player, do you find the women are still impressed that you play for a team within the White Sox organization? 

I would say that some women are interested because of that, but those are the ones you want to stay away from. Think about it. A girl who is attracted to a minor league baseball player because of that – something’s not right. 

Now come the fun questions: 
Favorite Athlete: Steve Yzerman 
Favorite Movie: Momma’s Boy 
Favorite Food: Sushi 
Favorite Song: Hollywood Nights- Bob Seger 
Best Baseball Memory: Little League and High School State Championship 
Best Prank You’ve Pulled (Or seen pulled): Can’t go wrong with a good leaner once and a while. 

FutureSox.com would like to thank Chris for taking time out of his day to answer these fan questions!

Lucas Harrell Interview Questions:

First off, how does it feel to be called up to Birmingham?
It’s really nice, you know. I’m working on a lot of new things this year and I feel like my progress has gotten a lot better. I did well at the low A level, and now I’m hoping to do well at the AA level. I was really excited.

How come you picked a start day to do this interview rather than one of your off days?
Well, on my start day I don’t have to be at the stadium until two hours before the game. Our game is at seven o’clock tonight, so I have to be there at five. I just have this little down time, where I just don’t think about anything. It’s when I get to the field when I start putting on my game [face].

Early in your professional career you had struggled with your command and you talked about how it could be attributed to trying to overpower professional hitters. Talk about the progress you’ve made with your command and where you currently see yourself “command” wise?
The command in my movement, I throw a two-seam fastball, and early in my career I threw it hard; actually, a little bit harder than I do now. But, I couldn’t control the movement. And then I learned that with a little bit off I can still throw 92-93 (MPH), but I can control, and with that pitch, being able to control that, that’s really helped me just with my other pitches. I mean, my change-up was always good, but in high school I didn’t throw it enough because it helped hitters out. At this level, that’s my second pitch. And then my slider is still a pitch I really need to work on a lot. It’s either there or it’s not. Maybe some days I’ll throw two good ones in a game when I need to throw eight or nine [good ones]. Some days I can throw nine or ten good ones, and maybe one or two bad ones, so I need to get more consistent with my slider. And, I mean, I can always improve my fastball command and my change-up command, but those are two of my better ones.

Was there anyone in particular that has helped you with your command? Maybe a pitcher coach or instructor?
Yeah. Last year when I was in Kannapolis, I got with J.R. Perdew in spring training and that’s when we tweaked my mechanics a little bit, to change a few little things, and I noticed my command getting better. And then there were some things that he taught me, like how to work hitters, how hitters set you up, how you can set hitters up, and to work to your strengths, keep it simple, and don’t try to do too much. He’s really helped me in my development.

What is your plan on the mound? How do you go about attacking the hitter?
It depends. There are a couple guys where you see their teams a lot, so the hitters make adjustments, and you have to make adjustments also because if you don’t, they’ll start to hit you. You have to be able to recognize what their strengths are and what are each hitter’s weaknesses, and try to exploit that. Therefore, you do pitch to some different than you do others. I mean, with lefties, I’m going to attack more with my fastball, change, and with righties, I’m going to attack more with my fastball, slider, but I will mix in a change-up away to the righties also.

How would you describe your arm angle during your delivery? Is it overhand, ¾, sidearm?
I guess it’s kind of three-quarters, maybe a little bit below.

What pitches do you throw? Also, are you working on anything new?
Right now, I’m not working on anything new. I’m just trying to keep the ones I have good. But, I throw a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a slider, well, it’s kind of a slider-curve or slurve, and a change.

What would you consider your strikeout pitch?
It would probably be my circle-change. Actually, I’m a right-handed pitcher, but I think I match up better against left-handed hitters.

Do you think your groundball tendencies will put you above other SP prospects in the system, considering U.S Cellular is a big HR Park?
I would hope so, but, yeah, U.S. Cellular Field is definitely a field where the ball flies out, so you want to be a good groundball pitcher. I have a lot of natural downward movement to my change-up and my fastball, so that’s helped me get a lot of groundballs, and hopefully that puts me ahead of some other prospects because I do get a lot of groundballs. But, I’m still young, and I know it’s a work in progress.

Do you think getting a chance to pitch with some top Sox pitching prospects like Lance Broadway and Tyler Lumsden will help you in your development?
Yeah, no doubt. I actually watched Lance throw last night, I was in the dugout, and I just picked up a couple little things he does; he attacks hitters. But, I mean, I think you can learn something from everybody, even the guys that are younger you, even though (laughs) I’m the youngest one on this team, now. And Tyler Lumsden is a good pitcher, smart. And another one is Corwin Malone. He’s an older veteran guy, so if you just sit and listen, you can learn something from everybody.

What teammate of yours has impressed you the most this year?
It might sound funny, but I’m going to say Chris Kelly. He was our first baseman in Winston, and he hits the ball well. He’s probably hitting .270, .280; probably has about 15 homeruns. I think was leading the league in RBI’s, too, with about 60-something. But, he’ll have a bad at-bat, and some guys will come in there saying “f-this, f-that,” and he’ll come in there, set his helmet down, and he might even smile because he knows that there’s going to be another at-bat, don’t get so pissed off that it ruins the rest of your game. He doesn’t take his at-bat to the field. He is the best fielding first baseman that I’ve ever played with, and he’s just very professional, and does what it takes to get the job done. If you need a hit in a clutch situation, he’s the guy that going to get your hit.

What are some things you need to improve in the future to make the majors?
Consistency and also my mental side of the game. From last year to this year, I know a heck of a lot more, and you have to recognize when guys make adjustments to you. I think those things, and you’ve got to be able to get out left-handed hitters. I know when Lance Broadway was pitching last night, he was ahead of hitters, and you have to be ahead of hitters because when you fall behind, you get hit. So, the mental side of the game, staying ahead [in the count], and throwing pitches for strikes at any time are the main things.

Primarily, you’ve pitched as a starter in the minors? Have you ever pitched in the relief role, and if so, is that something someone in the organization has ever approached you about doing?
No one has ever approached me about doing it, at least not to my face. When I first got drafted in ‘04, I was sent to Bristol, and I actually started out there throwing two or three relief appearances, and I struggled. But then shortly after my last relief effort, they moved me to starter, and I’ve started ever since.

Growing up as a kid, who was the player you tried to emulate? Are there any players currently in the majors that you model yourself after?
Well, if you look at my high school draft video, I look almost exactly like Nolan Ryan. That’s who I wanted to throw like. I didn’t quite throw as hard, but actually, I threw harder in high school than I do now. But, Nolan Ryan is a guy I really look up to. He took care of business the way it was supposed to be done, and he had a long career. Greg Maddux is another guy I really look up to.

If you had to chose, who is the one person that has helped you throughout your baseball career the most and why?
My dad. I always had an interest in baseball since I was four or five years old, and he didn’t really push the game on to me like some parents do. Every time I wanted to do something, he’d put the tools in front of me so I could do it. Like, we had a batting cage in our back yard. He spent money he didn’t have to, for me to do stuff, do trips, and they really put a lot of time and effort and love into it.

Best baseball memory?
I have two. In high school, my senior year we won the state championship and that was a great feeling. Obviously, I want to win a World Series one of these days, but I mean, I beat Blake DeWitt, who was a first round draft pick of the Dodgers that year and I hit a homerun off of him, and then the next day we won the state championship. That was a pretty good feeling. And then last year, when we won the South Atlantic League in Kannapolis, that was a pretty good feeling. We worked hard all year. We didn’t play well in the first half, but we played really well as a team and did the little things to get the job done. It was pretty awesome.

Do you have a nickname? If so, how did it come about?
They haven’t really given me one. They call me “Ducas” sometimes, but besides that, they haven’t really given me one. Since I’m the youngest one, they give me the most crap. I was the youngest one in rookie ball, then in Kannapolis, and then this year in Winston-Salem and Birmingham. I’ll probably get one here. I’ve only been here a few days, so the older guys will probably give me one.

Who’s the toughest minor league hitter you’ve had to face this season?
There are two, and they both play for Myrtle Beach. Michael Rosamond, who’s actually in Mississippi now, is a left-handed hitter, well-balanced, and he doesn’t swing at stuff out of the zone. He’s got a good eye. And then, when you get ahead of the count, he’ll foul of five or six pitches to make you throw eight or nine pitches to him. He’s always a tough at-bat. And then another guy who’s in Mississippi now is Brandon Jones. Same kind of guy [as Rosamond]. He’s a left-handed hitter with power, and if you make a mistake, he’ll hit it out of the ballpark.

Is there any one song or CD that you listen to before you pitch to get you pumped up for the game?
There’s not a particular song. I just listen to some hard rock or rap, whatever I’m in the mood for that day. Just something so I can sit there and think about the game, but at the same time, get pumped up.
Favorite Baseball Team growing up?
American League = Royals
National League = Braves
Favorite Movie?
Braveheart
Favorite Food?
Chinese Food
Lastly, what’s the best prank you’ve pulled on a teammate or seen pulled?
When I was in the instructional league, I got a prank pulled on me. They almost pulled it off, but I was sick and I didn’t feel good. It was early in the morning and I had fallen asleep in my locker. So, they turned the clock to where it said 9:45, when we were supposed to be stretching. Then Snyder comes in and starts yelling, but I had my cell phone in my hand. Anyway, he starts yelling “What are doing!” And everybody is out in the hallway, listening. I didn’t look at the clock on the wall, though, because if I would have, I wouldn’t have known, but for some reason, I looked at my phone and saw what time it was. So, I was just like “What’s going on?” All the guys say that they got me because I did jump up at first because I was kind of startled. And they were all laughing. It was kind of funny.