GaryMrMets
10-08-2006, 02:08 PM
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10082006/sports/mets/serbys_sunday_qa_with___john_maine_mets_steve_serb y.htm
Serby's Sunday Q&A With...John Maine
http://www.nypost.com/img/cols/steveserby.jpg
October 8, 2006 -- The Post's Steve Serby chatted with Mets starting pitcher John Maine the day after his start in Game 1 of the NLDS:
Q: How did Paul Lo Duca loosen you up during your Game 1 start?
A: There was a guy on second base, and it was the fourth inning, he was just like, "There's a guy on second, who cares? Just pitch." He always knows the right thing to say.
Q: What was it like sitting in the dugout for the rest of Game 1 after you came off the mound?
A: I've never been in a situation like that; it was nerve-wracking.
Q: Describe your on-the-mound temperament.
A: I try to stay as calm as I can be.
Q: David Wright?
A: Scrappy.
Q: Jose Reyes?
A: Electric.
Q: Pedro Martinez?
A: Wise.
Q: Carlos Beltran?
A: Talented.
Q: Carlos Delgado?
A: He's great in the clubhouse, great sense of humor, but when he's out there hitting, he's got a different look in his eyes.
Q: What do you think of Billy Wagner's New York Post column?
A: I saw it the other day - it's good!
Q: What did you like about it?
A: He's up front with things, really candid.
Q: Best room-service item at the Ramada?
A: I would say if they could deliver a Bud Lite ... I don't think they can deliver that to the room.
Q: You'd walk to the hotel and back before and after games?
A: Well I did, now I got a rental car.
Q: How long a walk is that?
A: Not even five minutes. It's right across the street.
Q: Favorite New York things?
A: Just the atmosphere of New York; you can't get that anywhere else. People honking their horns, people yelling at each other ... the whole atmosphere is just great.
Q: You allowed 15 home runs in 90 innings during the regular season; is that unusual?
A: No, I've always pitched up in the zone, my fastball, and I've always been a flyball pitcher, and you get guys up here that are this good, they're gonna hit it out.
Q: Your Single-A no-hitter against Winston-Salem?
A: I didn't honestly realize it 'til the last couple of innings, and it was one of those things like nobody was talking to me. But after it's over, it's done. I had another start to get ready for.
Q: Favorite Camden Yards memory?
A: Probably my first big-league win [as an Oriole], against the Blue Jays.
Q: You were 0-for-27 at the plate.
A: Well I didn't hit for seven years ... I go from facing high-school pitchers to major-league pitchers. I didn't get to take any batting practice in the offseason, so what can I do? It's slowly getting there.
Q: What was the reaction when you doubled off Tony Armas Jr.?
A: They were just like, "You finally got a pulse! You finally got a batting average!"
Q: What's it like having a (fraternal) twin?
A: It's not like if he gets hurt or I get hurt he feels it, nothing like that, but we're pretty close. You can tell we're twins but definitely we don't look alike.
Q: How are you two different?
A: He's a little more outgoing than me.
Q: How did you propose to your wife?
A: Just surprised her. Got her a couple of gifts and I was just like, "Oh, and I got you this."
Q: Where were you?
A: Her parents' house.
Q: If I were president, I would ...?
A: Lower taxes.
Q: If I were baseball commissioner, I would ...?
A: Get rid of the DH.
Q: You're 6-foot-4, did you play basketball in high school?
A: I played my freshman year, but I didn't like practicing.
Q: Three dinner guests.
A: The lead singer of Metallica (James Hetfield); Bob Gibson; Edison.
Q: Why Gibson?
A: I liked the way he pitched; he's hardcore.
Q: Favorite comedian?
A: Probably Jim Carrey.
Q: Is your sense of humor like his?
A: No, I don't think so; I got more of a kind of a dry sense of humor. I don't say a lot, but always try to kinda say an odd thing every once in a while.
A: You do?
A: I kinda do it on purpose to see what people's reactions are, kinda say something that's really just ... not odd, but just so stupid that you're like, "Why would you ask that?"
Q: Why would your one woman on a deserted island, other than your wife, be Jennifer Aniston?
A: I think she's awesome.
Q: What is it about her you think is awesome?
A: Just her whole attitude. I don't think she's into herself. I don't know, just something about her ... really appealing.
Q: You also like Carmen Electra?
A: She's more of the kind of the punk-rock, heavy-metal type of thing that I like.
Q: Worst habit?
A: Dipping.
Q: You know it's bad for you?
A: Yeah.
Q: Worst fear?
A: I don't fear not succeeding, because people fail. I don't know ... probably giving the wrong answers to questions (smiles).
Q: What would you want people to say about you at your funeral?
A: I'd like people to say that I wasn't scared of a challenge.
Q: You have a tattoo of a skull on each arm.
A: People are like, "Why'd you get a tattoo, you know what that's gonna look like when you get older?" I don't care what it looks like when it gets old, I'm not worried about that, I worry about right now.
Q: Most embarrassing moment?
A: I don't get embarrassed that easy.
Q: Best piece of advice your mother gave you?
A: Don't come home crying.
Q: Favorite childhood things with your buddies in Fredericksburg, Va.
A: Stickball, basketball, riding bikes.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Anything with chicken.
Q: What would it be like for you to pitch in a World Series?
A: That's why I play.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10082006/photos/mets085.jpg
John Maine
Serby's Sunday Q&A With...John Maine
http://www.nypost.com/img/cols/steveserby.jpg
October 8, 2006 -- The Post's Steve Serby chatted with Mets starting pitcher John Maine the day after his start in Game 1 of the NLDS:
Q: How did Paul Lo Duca loosen you up during your Game 1 start?
A: There was a guy on second base, and it was the fourth inning, he was just like, "There's a guy on second, who cares? Just pitch." He always knows the right thing to say.
Q: What was it like sitting in the dugout for the rest of Game 1 after you came off the mound?
A: I've never been in a situation like that; it was nerve-wracking.
Q: Describe your on-the-mound temperament.
A: I try to stay as calm as I can be.
Q: David Wright?
A: Scrappy.
Q: Jose Reyes?
A: Electric.
Q: Pedro Martinez?
A: Wise.
Q: Carlos Beltran?
A: Talented.
Q: Carlos Delgado?
A: He's great in the clubhouse, great sense of humor, but when he's out there hitting, he's got a different look in his eyes.
Q: What do you think of Billy Wagner's New York Post column?
A: I saw it the other day - it's good!
Q: What did you like about it?
A: He's up front with things, really candid.
Q: Best room-service item at the Ramada?
A: I would say if they could deliver a Bud Lite ... I don't think they can deliver that to the room.
Q: You'd walk to the hotel and back before and after games?
A: Well I did, now I got a rental car.
Q: How long a walk is that?
A: Not even five minutes. It's right across the street.
Q: Favorite New York things?
A: Just the atmosphere of New York; you can't get that anywhere else. People honking their horns, people yelling at each other ... the whole atmosphere is just great.
Q: You allowed 15 home runs in 90 innings during the regular season; is that unusual?
A: No, I've always pitched up in the zone, my fastball, and I've always been a flyball pitcher, and you get guys up here that are this good, they're gonna hit it out.
Q: Your Single-A no-hitter against Winston-Salem?
A: I didn't honestly realize it 'til the last couple of innings, and it was one of those things like nobody was talking to me. But after it's over, it's done. I had another start to get ready for.
Q: Favorite Camden Yards memory?
A: Probably my first big-league win [as an Oriole], against the Blue Jays.
Q: You were 0-for-27 at the plate.
A: Well I didn't hit for seven years ... I go from facing high-school pitchers to major-league pitchers. I didn't get to take any batting practice in the offseason, so what can I do? It's slowly getting there.
Q: What was the reaction when you doubled off Tony Armas Jr.?
A: They were just like, "You finally got a pulse! You finally got a batting average!"
Q: What's it like having a (fraternal) twin?
A: It's not like if he gets hurt or I get hurt he feels it, nothing like that, but we're pretty close. You can tell we're twins but definitely we don't look alike.
Q: How are you two different?
A: He's a little more outgoing than me.
Q: How did you propose to your wife?
A: Just surprised her. Got her a couple of gifts and I was just like, "Oh, and I got you this."
Q: Where were you?
A: Her parents' house.
Q: If I were president, I would ...?
A: Lower taxes.
Q: If I were baseball commissioner, I would ...?
A: Get rid of the DH.
Q: You're 6-foot-4, did you play basketball in high school?
A: I played my freshman year, but I didn't like practicing.
Q: Three dinner guests.
A: The lead singer of Metallica (James Hetfield); Bob Gibson; Edison.
Q: Why Gibson?
A: I liked the way he pitched; he's hardcore.
Q: Favorite comedian?
A: Probably Jim Carrey.
Q: Is your sense of humor like his?
A: No, I don't think so; I got more of a kind of a dry sense of humor. I don't say a lot, but always try to kinda say an odd thing every once in a while.
A: You do?
A: I kinda do it on purpose to see what people's reactions are, kinda say something that's really just ... not odd, but just so stupid that you're like, "Why would you ask that?"
Q: Why would your one woman on a deserted island, other than your wife, be Jennifer Aniston?
A: I think she's awesome.
Q: What is it about her you think is awesome?
A: Just her whole attitude. I don't think she's into herself. I don't know, just something about her ... really appealing.
Q: You also like Carmen Electra?
A: She's more of the kind of the punk-rock, heavy-metal type of thing that I like.
Q: Worst habit?
A: Dipping.
Q: You know it's bad for you?
A: Yeah.
Q: Worst fear?
A: I don't fear not succeeding, because people fail. I don't know ... probably giving the wrong answers to questions (smiles).
Q: What would you want people to say about you at your funeral?
A: I'd like people to say that I wasn't scared of a challenge.
Q: You have a tattoo of a skull on each arm.
A: People are like, "Why'd you get a tattoo, you know what that's gonna look like when you get older?" I don't care what it looks like when it gets old, I'm not worried about that, I worry about right now.
Q: Most embarrassing moment?
A: I don't get embarrassed that easy.
Q: Best piece of advice your mother gave you?
A: Don't come home crying.
Q: Favorite childhood things with your buddies in Fredericksburg, Va.
A: Stickball, basketball, riding bikes.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Anything with chicken.
Q: What would it be like for you to pitch in a World Series?
A: That's why I play.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10082006/photos/mets085.jpg
John Maine