Catching up with Ryan Goins
NH Fisher Cats: What was your experience like in the Arizona Fall League?
Ryan Goins: The fall league was an experience that I am happy to have gotten the opportunity to take part in, just getting to compete against some of the best talent in the minor leagues was an honor. Everyday you go out and play against guys that will make it to the big leagues as early as next year, or have already had time up there. It was a ton of fun and a great experience that I will take with me the rest of my career.
NHFC: Was hit hard to get in a groove with an abundance of middle infielders on your team, the Salt River Rafters?
RG: It was tough adjusting to not playing every day as opposed to the regular season where I was penciled in every day. It really thought me a lot about how to prepare myself if I am not playing everyday and how to work efficiently to keep myself ready for the days where I would play. It taught me a lot about myself and what I need personally to keep my rhythm in the field and my timing at the plate so that if the time comes where I don't get every day reps I will be ready for my opportunities and won't miss a beat.
NHFC: How much did you 'learn' in the AFL - whether it is from coaches, other players, other organizations?
RG: It was a learning process every day. The coaches we had were full of knowledge and were happy to share with us. Also, you get to experience what other organizations teach and how they do things and sometimes you could pick up something new and maybe apply it to your own game, so that was a fun part of it and it was great to interact with guys from other places.
NHFC: What were your thoughts on the Blue Jays-Marlins trade?
RG: I thought it was awesome when I heard the news! I was actually with Jake (Marisnick) when he got the call that he had been traded. I have never seen anyone or been with anyone getting that call so it was fun to give him a hard time about how we could not talk to him anymore because he was not a Blue Jay anymore.
NHFC: How big of a moment was it when you were told you were being added to the 40-man roster?
RG: It was a good feeling when I got that call. It was an early morning phone call and after I got it I really didn't go back to sleep. It's a great feeling to know that the organization thinks you have the ability to help out at the big league level and wants to protect you from the Rule 5 draft. But it's something that has made me realize that I'm close and need to keep working hard every day, and hopefully help out at some point and take advantage of the opportunities that the Blue Jays have given me.
NHFC: Looking back to 2012, where does it rank among your pro seasons from a personal success standpoint?
RG: It was probably the best season overall that I have had in pro ball. I had one of my best offensive seasons and stole the most bases I ever had. This wouldn't have happened without my teammates or coaches coming to the park and working hard everyday. We had a great group of guys and everyone made it fun everyday to come to work and compete and get better.
NHFC: Have the Blue Jays talked about where else you may play with recently acquired Jose Reyes signed to a long-term contract?
RG: No, we haven't really talked about what is going to happen; I will do anything and everything they ask of me no matter where I play. I'm just going to go out and play the way I play every day, and that's giving it everything that I have and trying to help the team win, no matter what the circumstance.
NHFC: What does the off-season training regime look like?
RG: Off-season right now just consists of working out with a couple of teammates and cranking up the hitting again. Once January hits I will go out to a (training) facility and work out there until spring training starts.
NHFC: Lastly, what does an average day look like for you from the morning wake-up call through workouts or odd jobs?
RG: Well, it usually starts at about 9 AM, I wake up and make breakfast and coffee - coffee is a must have. Workout at about 11:30 AM, then a quick lunch, hitting at 1:30 PM, and then after hitting its just miscellaneous activities or running errands to get things done. At night it's usually hanging out at the house or with friends. It's a pretty boring life in the off-season, probably not the glory life that everyone expects.
Thanks to Ryan for taking time out of his schedule to answer our questions. As a member of the Blue Jays 40-man roster, Goins will likely be in spring training with the major leagues in February, ahead of the minor leaguers who usually report in the first week of March.