Giants Q & A with Eric Surkamp
Joe Ritzo: How was your offseason? What did you do to get ready for the new year?
Eric Surkamp: It was good. I went back to Cincinnati, so the weather wasn't the greatest as we got hit with a bunch of snow this year. I worked out inside for the most part. I hadn't thrown a baseball outside since I got out here to Arizona in mid-February. It was cold, but I was working out with another guy that played up at my high school and we were lucky enough to have an indoor facility up there. I worked out, gave some pitching lessons and tried to stay as involved with baseball as I could.
JR: What are some of the specific things that you feel need work to one day reach the Major League level?
ES: I really think it's more getting experience and innings under my belt. My command - I know they want me to work on that with my fastball. I think really it's just getting experience and learning more about the game. The more you play, the better you're going to get. That's the thing that separates the guys in the minor leagues with the guys in the big leagues. They (the big leaguers) can go out there and do it consistently every time. I don't think stuff-wise, it's really that different, but guys in the big leagues can do it every time out, or at least close to every time out. That's the thing I'm really working on going into this year - being more consistent.
JR: Did your preparation change at all this offseason now that you've experienced a full year of Minor League baseball and you've seen what it takes to succeed?
ES: Yeah, it changed a little bit. It was good to have that one spring training under my belt from last year. Last year I came in and I don't think my arm was quite ready and where it needed to be. Knowing that, I started throwing a little bit earlier this year and worked off the mound a couple more times. I really felt strong at the end of last year, so I don't think it will hurt me to start throwing earlier. I'm in good shape right now and I'm ready to get the season started.
JR: Going back to last September, what are going to be your lasting memories of San Jose's championship night?
ES: It was unbelievable. Winning a championship was a great experience. The fans are so good up there too. So many people around there are Giants fans, so it makes it that much cooler. They can follow us and hopefully see some of those guys playing in San Francisco. It's a great atmosphere for Minor League Baseball. I saw where they won Minor League Organization of the Year and I can vouch for that. It was unbelievable.
JR: Specifically in that last game, you actually started slow on the mound (three runs in the first two innings), but obviously settled down (8 IP, 3 R, 12 SO). What allowed you to have that success against a High Desert club that was considered the best offensive team in the league?
ES: Yeah, I don't think I was really nervous, but I think maybe just getting comfortable. You go to a new team and I knew a few guys from earlier in the year and some guys that came up with me from Augusta. And all the players on the team were great as they really took us in. They knew we were there to try to win and help them win because they had worked so hard for it the entire year. The coaches were great - Skeels and Cram and all those guys did all they could to help us prepare for the games with the scouting reports and stuff like that. We were put in a good situation and it was a good time. I think I just got comfortable in the game and was able to get into a groove. The adrenaline was pumping with it being a championship game. It was fun.
JR: You kind of just addressed this, but how difficult was it to join a new team for the playoffs and then also be expected to play a leading role in their success?
ES: It really wasn't at all. Like I said, the guys were great, the coaches were great. They had played High Desert throughout the year and had seen all of those hitters, so they gave us the information that we needed. I was also lucky enough to throw to Johnny Monell in that last game and he had caught me all year, so he knew what I liked to do. It just worked out. It really wasn't a hard transition at all.
JR: Did you have a pitching idol growing up or perhaps someone that you feel your style compares to?
ES: I love watching left-handed pitchers, really anybody. I've always liked watching Andy Pettitte a lot because he's so good at what he does. Some people have told me that I remind them of him, so I've always tried to watch him and pick up things that he does. Really, you can watch any big leaguer and pick up some things.
JR: Last season in Augusta you struck out 169 hitters - tops in the Giants Minor League system. Do you consider yourself a strikeout pitcher even though you don't necessarily fit the stereotype as someone who throws 90-95+ MPH?
ES: I don't know. I guess I was last season. I think the level that I was at, if you can command your offspeed pitches, you can succeed. I had that going for me last year where I felt I could throw my offspeed stuff in any count that I wanted to. That really helped out. As you go up the ladder, I definitely hope that I can continue that success and strike guys out, but I know it will probably get a little harder. I'll have to work more off my fastball and instead of trying to miss bats, I'll have to pitch more to contact and get later into games as the hitters get better.
JR: As an amateur player, you were one of the select few college players given an opportunity to play for the US National Team. How was that experience?
ES: Yeah, actually I went up to the Team USA trials and didn't initially make the team. But then I was brought on halfway through the season when someone went down with an injury. I got to travel to The Netherlands and play in the World Games over there. There's no greater honor than playing for your country, of course. It was a first-class deal everywhere we went. I pitched against The Netherlands here in the United States and then pitched against Team Japan over in The Netherlands. It's just cool playing against teams from other countries. You get to see different styles of baseball. The small-ball that the Japanese play and stuff like that. You get to see Team Cuba and experience the amazing talent that they have down there in that country. It was a very good experience. Hopefully one day down the road I'll get to play for the Olympic team. That's what I'm hoping for.
JR: You've won a few championships now as a player. Do you have a top highlight from your career thus far?
ES: I won a state championship in high school and I'm still really close with all of those people and my coaches. They really got me started in baseball, for the most part. I really cherish that. I never really got a chance to win a championship in college. We (N.C. State) made it to the super regionals junior year and that was a very cool experience playing down in Georgia. But that game in San Jose last year, the atmosphere, the celebration afterward with the champagne, I had never done anything like that. It was pretty neat. You always see the guys on TV in the big leagues doing it when they win the World Series, so it was pretty neat.
JR: Have you been given any indication as to where you're going to play this season?
ES: To be honest with you, I have no idea. We'll probably find out within the last week of spring training. Really wherever I go, I just want to pitch, stay healthy and get innings. I think it will play out. However it works out, I'm sure it will be a good year. There's so much talent in the Giants Minor League system right now. It's fun seeing all of these guys down here and competing with them. Wherever I end up, whether it's San Jose or wherever, it will be a good experience.
JR: Can you describe the atmosphere in Minor League camp. Are guys pretty loose or do you feel stress levels run high as players try to earn a spot on the various Minor League clubs?
ES: To me, it's a good environment. No one is freaking out or anything like that as far as trying to make a team. Everybody is really getting into a groove and getting back to playing baseball because it's such a long offseason. Maybe toward the end...we haven't started playing games yet, so performance-wise you're not competing against anyone yet. When the games get going and you start to see someone else in the batter's box, I think it will get a little more intense and that's when you'll really see guys start competing for jobs.
JR: I understand you had a pretty cool experience down in camp earlier today...
ES: Yeah, we had a Q&A session with Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Gaylord Perry and Orlando Cepeda. It was unbelievable to sit in the same room as those guys. Unfortunately, I never got to see Willie Mays play, but all you hear is that people say he was the greatest player they've ever seen play. And I just know there are so many people around the world that would pay money to sit in the same room as those guys, talk to them and ask them questions. They're nice enough to come back and share their time and baseball experiences with us. It's really cool how they've stayed involved with the Giants after they retired. Everybody is starting to talk about "The Giants Way" and Willie and all of those guys are preaching it too. It's cool to see those guys giving their time back to the Minor League guys and the Giants. Hopefully I get to do that one day.
JR: I know the fans here in San Jose are anxious to know what kind of team they're going to watch this season. In all likelihood, many of the guys you played with in Augusta last season will be moving up to the California League, so what kind of team do you think we can expect to see here?
ES: We had a great group in Augusta. We started out a little slow, but I think we probably had one of the best overall records in the league even though we didn't make the playoffs because of the first and second half winners. It was a great group of guys going out there and playing hard everyday. With Coach Harper being the new manager in San Jose, he brings a lot of energy and is a great guy. I think everyone is excited to play for him. It will be different to see how the hitters and pitchers transition because of the parks in the Cal League and everyone talks about how the ball flies a little bit more. You might see a few more home runs out of the group, but hopefully we won't be giving up more though.