Fan Q&A: Austin Romine, Part 1

Recently, Trenton Thunder catcher and top Yankees prospect Austin Romine was gracious enough to agree to sit down and answer questions submitted by Thunder Thoughts readers.  Here’s how the first part of that conversation went…

Question: I’d like to ask Austin about what kind of advice his dad has given him about making his way to the big leagues…

Romine: “Well, he’s told me how much of a grind it actually is since I was young.  He told me it’s not going to be easy.  Certain times you’ve got to find certain ways to get hits, even when you don’t feel like you can.  Overall, he said to try and be as consistent as you possibly can.”

Question: “What is the best thing about having baseball in your bloodlines with both your dad and brother having played?

Romine: “You have someone there, either your brother or your dad, to tell you what to expect; what to do and how to play the game right, how to be in the lineup every day.  It’s a crutch to lean on, someone to talk to who’s been through it and knows what they’re doing.”

Question: In making the adjustment from High-A to Double-A, how do you get to the know the pitchers on your staff in such a short amount of time and call an effective, good game?

Romine: “I’ve had four out of the five (starters) on my team last year, so I already know how to call for them.  Working with their new pitches, it takes care of itself.  It’s just all about getting reports about the other team and knowing what that guy does well at certain times and calling the game to benefit him the most.”

Question: What are you doing to improve your plate discipline and walk rate?

Romine: “Just try to stay calm.  I already have a couple walks this year.  I’m not overdoing it, I’m not swinging and hitting bad balls.  I’m putting more decent pitches in play, which will result in more hits, I believe.  Just not trying to go up there and walk, but go up there and try to hit my pitch and the rest will take care of itself.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com