Q&A with starting pitcher Vin Mazzaro
A: So far I've been enjoying it a lot. I've been feeling really good and I've been healthy. I think I've been throwing the ball well. Overall, I've been having a lot of fun.
Q: You lead the River Cats team with 27 strikeouts. What have you been working on most to keep sitting those hitters down?
A: Just command. Throwing fastballs and getting ahead of the guys. Going to my breaking pitches when I need to. They've been swinging at it and I've been getting strikeouts. Its all been leading up to strikeouts and that's a pretty good sign.
Q: What aspects of your game will you be working on most throughout the year to get up to Oakland and help the River Cats win some games?
A: I think staying focused is really the key. Staying in the zone, throwing strikes and cutting down on the balls. The guys have been really good at making plays behind me in the field. Just pitch to contact. Don't be afraid to throw the ball in the zone. I'm just going to try to stay healthy and stay focused.
Q: Right now the River Cats have a losing record (the River Cats were 12-15 on May 6, when this interview took place). What do you think the team needs to do to break out of this funk?
A: I think we're doing well. We're hitting the ball, fielding and pitching. We're doing everything we can. You know I believe that we're going to come around. We've got big bats and the guys out there are really working hard. We're getting our work in and I think we're going to be all right. We're doing good and most importantly we're staying focused and we're hustling.