September 1, 2004

An Interview With LaTroy Hawkins

LaTroy Hawkins hasn’t been very talkative with the media in town so far this season.  But having an opportunity to speak to ‘The Heckler’ put a twinkle in his eye, and gave him an outlet to open up and speak his mind. 

The Heckler:  What do you think the difference is between being the closer and the setup man, and do you feel more pressure as the closer?

LaTroy Hawkins:  There’s a lot more pressure because everything is riding on you.  They don’t remember what happened the first eight innings, and that’s the last impression on the fan’s mind.  It’s not pressure, but it’s one of those things where hopefully you can be out there and be perfect.

TH:  You came up in the American League and are now playing in the National League; do you see much of a difference between the two leagues?

LH:  Oh yeah.  There are a lot of free swingers over here.  And this league is definitely the fastball league.  Another difference is the DH and the bunt situation.  Here they bunt a lot more than they do in the American League.  In the American League, even though a guys swinging for the fence, you’ve got a chance to get a ground ball double play.  

TH:  Do you think it’s easier pitching in the National League than the American League?

LH:  No, it ain’t easy pitching in the Major Leagues at all.  I’m not saying that, but here you face the pitcher instead of the designated hitter, but that depends on which pitcher you’re facing though.

TH:  Growing up in Gary, is it more difficult for you pitching close to home?

LH:  Not at all.  No pressure at all pitching close to home.  One of the best things is my grandparents and my mothers don’t have to get Direct TV.  They watch all the time.

TH:  You recently had that incident with the umpire, (Tim Tschida) where you were suspended.  You had a history with him before, and you had a tough time that game.  Were you angry about the past and felt he was squeezing you, or were you frustrated with how you pitched that day?

LT:  It wasn’t even about the home runs.  That’s part of the game.  I’m going to give up home runs again.  That won’t be the last time.  I just asked about two pitches, that was it.  I thought they were strikes. 

TH:  When Dusty named you the closer, what were your thoughts at that time?

LH:  I figured I can go out there and do the job until Borowski (Joe) gets back healthy.  I told Dusty from the start, if there’s anywhere I can help the team, that’s where I’ll do it.  Closing, setting up…I don’t know if I can help starting because we’ve got some great starters over here, but anyway I can help the team, pinch-running or whatever.

TH:  You used to start back in the day with Minnesota.

LH:  That’s why I’m in the bullpen, because I wasn’t that good.  I’d say 90% of the guys that are in the bullpen were once starters. 

TH:  So if you don’t make it as a starter, you go to the bullpen, and maybe have some great success like you have in your career?

LH:  It makes a big difference, and it can definitely prolong your career, especially if you’re successful.

TH:  Do you think its easier working in the bullpen than being a starter?

LH:  I don’t know, because when you start, you’ve got a couple of innings to make up for a bad inning.  In the bullpen, you don’t have that much time.  You have one inning, or maybe an inning and a third or two thirds.  So you can’t make up for a bad inning.  It’s tough.  It might take two or three outings to make up for that in your stats. 

TH:  Is your attitude as a bullpen pitcher that you just have to go out there and go all out for that one inning?

LH:  The way I look at it is either you get me or I get you.  You’ve only got one chance.  You’ve got one chance to get me and I’ve got one chance to get you, so the best man wins.

TH:  What was your rational or thinking at the time you were named the closer when you decided not to speak to the media?

LH:  Because I didn’t want them to start a soap opera.  It was plain and simple. 

TH:  Did you do it because you didn’t want the media to approach you perhaps if you had a bad game?

LH:  No.  That was my intention in the first place and all that other bullshit, that wasn’t my intention.  You know how they are – the media here.  Always looking for something.  Write (about) what’s on the field. 

TH:  You previously played in Minnesota, a lot smaller market than Chicago.  How would you compare the media in Minnesota to Chicago?

LH:  It’s not even comparable.  Minneapolis and Chicago – there’s a big difference. 

TH:  Did you have a better relationship with the media in Minneapolis than you do in Chicago?

LH:  Nope.  I had one guy in Minnesota, Souhan, with the Star Tribune.  Only guy I talked to.

TH:  Is there anyone in Chicago that you have a good relationship with?

LH:  I don’t know nobody and I don’t want to… I like Carrie Muskat, that’s it.  She writes for Major League Baseball. 

TH:  Do you plan on keeping up with the media boycott as long as you are here?

LH:  It’s not actually a boycott.   Actually, I speak when I feel like speaking.  Plain and simple.  When I feel like speaking, I’ll speak.  And when I don’t feel like speaking, I’m not going to speak. 

TH:  What would you say the mindset of the team is now?

LH:  We’re in good spirits.  We’re in the thick of things.

TH:  The team has never really gotten hot all season.

LH:  We haven’t gotten hot, but we’re right where we need to be.

TH:  So everyone’s pretty confident going into the stretch run?

LH:  We’re very confident.  Just as confident as we have been in the whole first half of the season.  St. Louis has been playing unbelievable baseball.  They’re playing great.  You’ve got to tip your hat to them. 

TH:  You grew up a Cub’s fan.  What does it feel like to play for the team you grew up watching?

LH:  That’s a thrill.

TH:  If you could get to the World Series and win it as a member of the Cubs, would that be a dream come true for you?

LH:  That would be a dream come true whether it’s Chicago or anywhere.

TH:  The 1985 Bears have been living off of winning the Super Bowl in this town for the past twenty years.  Could you imagine what it would be like if the Cubs won the World Series?

LH:  I couldn’t.  I can’t even fathom that right now.  We’ll see. 

TH:  Do you think this city would go absolutely crazy?

LH:  What do you think? 

SportzNutz Columnist Darrell Horwitz isn’t shy when it comes to “A Fan Speaking Out”… he holds nothing back and tells it like it is, from a fan’s perspective.  A Chicago native, Darrell is a lifelong Cubs and Bulls fan. Along with his “A Fan Speaks Out” column, Darrell is the fan writer for the Chicago Cubs, here on SportzNutz.  If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email Darrell at darrell.horwitz@nutzworld.net