From time to time, when we are out on the field or in the clubhouse before or after a game, I like to mess around and do fake interviews with my teammates to pass the time and have a little fun (yes, an imaginary microphone is usually present). In anticipation of this blog, I decided maybe I should start mixing in some real questions and writing down the answers so I could post interviews here to give the fans the opportunity to get to know the person behind the jersey of their favorite Pacifics ball player.
While we were sitting through our 3 hour layover in Honolulu, I decided to log my first interview while sitting in the airport begrudgingly watching NHRA drag racing in the only “sports/mai tai bar” I have ever seen.
The interviewee just happens to be former Dodger farmhand and TONIGHT’S starting pitcher, Andrew Pevsner (Twitter handle: @Pevysouthpaw32). Without further adieu, here is the conversation that transpired.
Brian Gump: “How has your transition from affiliated ball (Dodgers) to independent ball gone so far?”
Andrew Pevsner: “It’s been great. In affiliated ball you get treated like you’re a number, so far here in Indy ball they have really taken care of us. The support of the community has been fantastic and the excitement coming from the community has been infectious.”
BG: “What are some positives and negatives from your experience so far?”
AP: “Positives are; it’s a great place to play, we have a great manager and the team has really started to come together. Our chemistry is great, they are a lot of fun to be around.
Negatives; I was born and raised bleeding Dodger Blue so living in San Francisco is rough, I get nauseous every time I see burnt orange and black, I’ve been having to eat a lot of pepto bismal.”
BG: “Is there any part of your game in particular that you are focusing on while with the Pacifics?”
AP: “I’m working on doing a better job of holding runners as a lefty. Also, starting is something I haven’t done a lot of in the past few years, so learning how to be starter is something that I hope makes me more valuable as a player.”
BG: “If you weren’t playing professional baseball, what would your dream job be?”
AP: “I love trading and entrepreneurship, so instead of being a broke baseball player, I probably would be a hungry, starving entrepreneur working tirelessly on a different dream.”
BG: “In your career, what has been you favorite place that you have lived in and visited? Why?”
AP: “Lived in: Home (Los Angeles) because that’s where my mom’s cooking is.
Visited: Maui, because they keep Maui in Hawaii.”
BG: “What is your favorite place to eat in San Rafael so far?”
AP: “Toss up between Sol Food and Miller’s Deli. As much as I love Latin food, it’s against my Jewish DNA to pick something other than great fresh rye bread.”
BG: “It is rumored that you know Johnny Hopkins, is there any truth to that(Pevsner attended THE Johns Hopkins University)?”
AP: “Yes, I used to hang out with him and Sloan-Kettering.”
BG: “Residing from LA, how do you feel about the Kings recent Stanley Cup victory?”
AP: “I hate all the bandwagoners that jumped on really late. I myself have been on the bandwagon since after the first playoff series, so all the other fair weather fans really irk me. But in all seriousness, I think it’s great for the team and the city and I have more respect for hockey players than any other athlete. “
BG: “Heat or Thunder?”
AP: “Rooting for OKC. I love underdogs and if you ever see me rooting for someone who says they are going to win at least 7 titles, you’ll know I’m being possessed by a Goliath demon”
BG: “If you could say one thing to the outstanding fans of our team, the Pacifics, what would it be?”
AP: “Thank you for the incredible welcome to your city and the support thus far. Keep coming out. I hope we can continue to provide entertainment and be a really positive influence in the community.
Ps – please make sure your kids look up to and idolize entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers at least as much as they look up to ball players. “
Now that you know him a little better, come out and watch his talents on full display tonight as we look to gain ground on the rest of the league with another win tonight behind his efforts.
Pevs, as we call him, has become a good friend and is pleasure to be around and learn from (as a fellow lefty who has much more pitching experience than myself, he along with the rest of the staff have been very helpful in offering up as much knowledge as they can to me which I greatly appreciate). Do yourself a favor and talk to him sometime when you’re out at the park.
SEE YOU TONIGHT!
-BG
ONTHEBUMPWITHGUMP 