Getting To Know: Tigers RHP Charlie Gillies
The Detroit Tigers drafted Gillies in the 10th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft with the 334th overall pick. The Tigers felt the former Master's College pitcher from Castaic, CA proved himself as an amateur collecting awards such as NCCAA Pitcher of the Year, GSAC Pitcher of the Year and a place on the first team 2012 All-American squad.
In his first year in the Minor Leagues, Gillies took a moment out of his pre-game routine to discuss being drafted by Detroit, how the 'Road to the Show' is living up to his expectations and what it was like to take the mound for the first time as a professional ballplayer.
Ryan Maloney: You hear the term in minor league baseball a lot, 'the road to the show'. What are your expectations of the road to the show?
Charlie Gillies: I knew that Minor League Baseball was a grind. I heard stories of long bus trips and it has definitely lived up to expectations in that respect.
RM: How have your expectations measured up to actual experience playing minor league ball with the Connecticut Tigers?
CG: I had heard it would be really rough and not a lot of sleep and it's been every bit of that.
RM: How would you describe the 2012 Connecticut Tigers? The team's strengths or areas for improvement?
CG: Very talented but it's taken us some time to figure things out and play as a team but we're starting to get it rolling. We're a talented group of guys. We'll be ok. We've got some good pitching and I think our defense is our biggest strength keeping us in games. We could improve on the little things, little mistakes that are the difference between winning and losing. Last few games we've done much better and we're starting to win games because of it. Things like not making mental errors, getting down a bunt when you need to...things like that make a big difference.
RM: You spent sometime playing recently in the Alaska Baseball League. How did that come about? How does the talent in the New York Penn League compare to the talent in the Alaska Baseball League?
CG: My coaches knew one of the coaches up there and set me up with the opportunity. I had the time of my life by far. Alaska is beautiful and the talent there is great. The talent here is better but those guys there are D-I guys who (got) drafted and some (were) high draft picks. Everyone here is a professional ballplayer so the level of play is a little higher here.
RM: What part of your game are you currently working on and what part of your pitching arsenal have you found to be most effective at the short season A-ball level thus far?
CG: Everyone here has the physical skills to play baseball but for me I need to go out and focus and take it pitch by pitch every inning and focus harder every inning. I need to work on focusing because between the ears is the most important part. My fastball is my best pitch. It's a sinker pitch. I'm a sinker guy so I get a lot of ground ball outs.
RM: You've received accolades at every level of play and are now well on your way to proving yourself in professional baseball. Having been honored with first-team awards, Pitcher of the Year awards, All-American honors and the such, which is greater, the expectations people have of you or the pressure you feel to deliver now that you've been drafted by an MLB team and why?
CG: I don't feel a ton of pressure. The only pressure I feel is to give the Tigers my best seeing they invested in me and I want to give them what they want out of me.
RM: What is your draft day story? How did things unfold at your house or wherever you were when you found out you were drafted by the Detroit Tigers?
CG: I was at my house. I didn't have a big party or anything like that, just my family and girlfriend. We watched the computer, they had it on-line. I had some teams call me during the eighth round saying they'd take me and it didn't happen. Being a senior, I didn't want to fall out of the 10th round because that's where I was projected to go. So, when the 10th round came, a scout called me and said 'Hey man, we're about to take you right here.' I just watched the screen, they called my name and I just, I can't describe it. It was amazing.
RM: How is your season with the Tigers going so far in 2012 and what do you expect out of yourself for the remainder of the season?
CG: It's been going well. I feel like I have a lot of room for improvement. I've already improved on things since college, including mental focus and getting a lot more strikes. I have a lot more to improve on. As a team, we're starting to turn a corner and I think we're going to start winning a lot of games now.
RM: How much do you believe your performance dictates being called up to the next level and how much is it whether there's a spot for you in levels above short season A-ball?
CG: All I can worry about is me. I haven't been to Spring Training so I only know what's at the Major League level. I can control how I work and how I perform. If I get called up tomorrow, great if not, then I don't (worry). I can't control it. I can only work as hard as I can every single day.
RM: What did it feel like to take the field for the first time as a professional ballplayer here with the Connecticut Tigers?
CG: I get nervous before every start no matter what. Then I start to settle down generally after a couple of batters - but the first start the nervousness never went away. Not a big game or anything, I just couldn't believe where I was and that I've come this far - but it's been better since then.