20 questions with Terry Adams
MiLB.com: You took some time off from baseball to tend to your son. What was the situation there?
Terry Adams: I had just gotten custody of my son last summer, and he was coming back from six weeks visiting his mother and my nanny quit on me, so I asked the Phillies if I'd be traded or called up. They said no, so I told them I wouldn't be coming back the rest of the year.
MiLB.com: Was that decision tough, having to choose between baseball and your son?
TA: I've had him since he was 10 months old and now he's 3, so it wasn't difficult, but it was risky because I hadn't been in the Minors for 10 years, so I kind of thought this may have been it. But, overall, it was a simple decision.
MiLB.com: Talk about your Major League experience.
TA: I was with the Cubs in August of 1995 through 1999, then went to the Dodgers for two, then I signed as a free agent with Toronto and then the Red Sox in '04. Last year, I re-signed with the Phillies, and now I'm with the Pirates in Triple-A.
MiLB.com: You're a pitcher, and have filled pretty much every role in the staff. Do you have a preference?
TA: I've closed, pitched middle relief and started, but I like middle relief the best. I like the idea of getting in everyday, having to put on your spikes everyday.
MiLB.com: What was it like the first time you took the mound in a big-league game?
TA: I was in Wrigley Field, and we had a doubleheader that day against the Padres. I don't recall how I felt, but I'm sure I was a bundle of nerves. I remember closing the first game and then in the locker room they told me to suit up again, so I ended up finishing both games of a doubleheader.
MiLB.com: What's the weirdest thing you've seen a fan do?
TA: I remember two guys jumping the fence at Wrigley and both of them breaking their ankles.
MiLB.com: Of all the teams you've played for, which is your favorite?
TA: All the teams had such a rich history, but I'd have to say Chicago, because there's so much familiarity there. My fondest memories are of Boston, though, because we won the World Series. It's like your senior class, you never forget the names.
MiLB.com: How tough was it adjusting from being a full-time baseball player to being a full-time dad?
TA: It was tough, altogether. I was going through a divorce, and my son was only 10 months old, so I wasn't getting too much sleep (laughs). I was kind of a mom, but just a male doing it. I considered retiring at one point.
MiLB.com: You thought about leaving baseball altogether. What stopped you?
TA: I thought, "I'm only 33, I still have a lot left in my arm. I'm still healthy and I have that strong competitive drive." Plus I started pro ball straight out of high school, so it's not like I have a degree to fall back on.
MiLB.com: You were part of a notable scuffle during a Dodgers-Cubs game. What was that like?
TA: I had just been traded to L.A. and some fan took some outfielder's hat, and so we all ended up in the stands in this big frenzy (laughs).
MiLB.com: What happened as a result?
TA: We all got heavily fined and had a huge meeting, and Frank Robinson had a tape of the whole thing and he was pointing all of us out (laughs).
MiLB.com: Could you imagine doing it again today?
TA: Yeah, I'd still do it. You've got to put your teammates first. You don't think about someone actually getting hurt, you just want to get out there and hope none of your teammates gets sucker-punched.
MiLB.com: How has the Minors Leagues changed between your past visits and today?
TA: It's changed quite a bit. Salaries are the same (laughs), but signing bonuses are out the roof. Everybody's building new ballparks, so that's nice, too. The bus rides are still just as bad.
MiLB.com: What's your favorite Major League park to play in?
TA: Fenway and Wrigley, no doubt. There's rich baseball roots behind those.
MiLB.com: Finish this statement: If I weren't playing baseball, I'd be . . .
TA: I'd be at home playing with my son.
MiLB.com: Is your son at the age when he's getting into baseball at all?
TA: Yeah, he's getting into it. He's catching on to what I do and being more involved, so it's fun.
MiLB.com: What advice are you giving to young guys trying to follow in your footsteps?
TA: Don't ever get comfortable, because the game has a way of humbling you. Just be steady and try to have more ups than downs.
MiLB.com: Do you have doubts, being a bit older now and working your way through the Minors?
TA: Daily. I remember being 22 and getting called up. Now I feel like scouts or coaches think I've had my chance -- I just hope one team will give me another opportunity.
MiLB.com: What Minor League ballpark do you enjoy playing in?
TA: Victory Field (in Indianapolis) is amazing. There's so many things going on every night, it's never dull here.
MiLB.com: You got a World Series ring when you played for the Red Sox. Where is your ring?
TA: It's in a safe back home. I bought another one that's just like it but not made with the same materials, so I wear that one regularly. That's my "B" ring -- the real one is safe and sound.
Sapna Pathak is a contributor to MLB.com.
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