Kevin Kuzmiak Interview
Conducted by Captain Joe Davis, 9/20/07
(The fiery, hard-nosed Kevin just completed his 2nd season as a slugging BAB third baseman. He recently was named Most Improved Player and voted to the All-BAD ASS Team while finishing 4th for Most Valuable Player. )
JD: First of all, tell BAB about how you learned of BAD ASS Baseball, and
why you joined.
KUZ: Leland
was the one who told me about the league when he was training me when I
started working for Frito-Lay. I was intrigued about the league, it
reminded me of one of the softball leagues I played in back in
New York, so I said what the hell and never looked back once.
JD: Will we ever see you in your Lays truck roll up and feed the league? Or has it happened and I wasn't there to see it?
KUZ: Yeah you
missed it, it was at Minor's house the day of the Banquet, I had to bring
the truck back though, but I dont think you will be seeing me roll up with
the truck any time soon if everything works out with the SFPD.
JD: Speaking of that...some may or may not know you're attempting to go into law enforcement. From what I see, you definitely have the mentality and toughness required for the career. How is that coming along?
KUZ: Well I
have to get under 200 pounds and when you get over 30 its a bit hard but
I will keep you up to date on how it's coming along.
JD:
You spent practically all of last season batting lefty, only to bat
exclusively righty this season. Were you simply experimenting last season,
or did you consider yourself as good from that side?
KUZ: The
reason why I batted lefty last year is because I went into a terrible
slump right-handed and thought I needed to do something different. I have
been known to have more power batting lefty but I make better contact
batting righty , that is why I switched at the end of last year and batted
righty throughout this year.
JD: Were you going for the fences in the last game, in an effort to win the homer title, or swinging normally and hoping for the best?
KUZ: I was
swinging for the fences my last 2 at-bats, but I dont normally do that, I
just try to hit line drives and to drive in as many runs that I can to
help my team win.
JD: When Alvin ended 2007 with 30 homers, and you with 29, a part of you had to feel robbed thinking back to the April 15 game in which you lost a home run to a missing fence, and another to what you feel were incorrect foul judgments.
KUZ: Forgot
about the missing fence, shit that was 2 homeruns that was robbed from me,
"STORY OF MY LIFE", (thank you Torance). No, I dont like to think like
that, those were the calls, was I happy at the time? No, but thats the
way the game is played.
JD:
Whenever you hear on ESPN "Padres 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff", do you almost do a
double-take (like I do)?
KUZ: I heard
it once when I was doing the dishes and i thought it was a Dateline
special and they found me.
JD: Anybody with eyes can tell you root for the Yankees. Do you have any love for the Bay Area baseball teams?
KUZ: I rooted
for the Giants when I lived in S.F. when I was kid but my heart was always
with the Yankees.
JD: Who is your NFL team?
JD: Who is your NFL team?
KUZ: I love
the Jets but I also root for the Giants, when it's all said I am a
football fan, I just hate the Dolphins and the Patriots (those fucking
cheaters).
JD: One thing about you, let's face it: You've got a pretty smart mouth. Has there ever been a time, personally or professionally, when you regretted not holding your tongue?
JD: One thing about you, let's face it: You've got a pretty smart mouth. Has there ever been a time, personally or professionally, when you regretted not holding your tongue?
KUZ: Every
fucking day of my life
JD: You also play in a softball league several days a week in addition to working and BAB. Tell us about the schedule of your other league, what position you play, and a general idea of how you and your team are performing.
JD: You also play in a softball league several days a week in addition to working and BAB. Tell us about the schedule of your other league, what position you play, and a general idea of how you and your team are performing.
KUZ: Well I
play for a team in S.F. in which I play the outfield and second or third,
but primarily the outfield. With that team we have won the for two years
that I have been with team and 5 years in a row, the first 3 of those I
was In
New York. The other team is with Frito-Lay in which I play the
outfield and the infield but because of certain people who cant play the
outfield I am bound to play there, and in which we suck but when we go to
any tournaments we do fairly well.
JD: In BAB I've personally seen you: get your wrist lit up by a liner, get the wind KO'd from you at home plate, twist an ankle at home plate, and suffer the shoulder injury. Do you get battered in your other league as well?
JD: In BAB I've personally seen you: get your wrist lit up by a liner, get the wind KO'd from you at home plate, twist an ankle at home plate, and suffer the shoulder injury. Do you get battered in your other league as well?
KUZ: Oh yeah,
I pulled my hamstring and that is how I hurt my back, I go all out, their
are no gears in me, there is hustle or sit your ass down.
JD: Next year you will likely be a series manager for the first time. Give us a preview of your draft strategy, and who you'd like to go against and why.
JD: Next year you will likely be a series manager for the first time. Give us a preview of your draft strategy, and who you'd like to go against and why.
KUZ: I will
try to draft a well balanced team of defense an offense, and who I would
like to go up against is anyone's choice.
JD: On Sundays do you ever tell your Lays customers to hurry up cuz you got a game to get to?
KUZ: Every
single one of them.
JD: You definitely were 2007's Most Improved Player. As such, do you think you can and will improve further in 2008? Can you maintain the same excellent attendance?
JD: You definitely were 2007's Most Improved Player. As such, do you think you can and will improve further in 2008? Can you maintain the same excellent attendance?
KUZ: Yeah, I
do see myself improving, especially with my bat, as for my defense we will
see how my shoulder responds to the rest and rehab.
JD: No secret that you, during the middle months of 2007, had a serious problem on even the most routine of throws. Right about the time this started you were hit on the shoulder by an errant Torance throw during warmups. Did that play a role?
KUZ: No I
don't think that was the case, I have been battling shoulder problems for
some time, it just took me awhile to figure out a way to make an accurate
throw without my shoulder feeling like its going to fall off.
JD: Can we expect to see "Ryan Who" posts on the Smackboard for the rest of your career?
KUZ: You
might.
JD: Are you aware that Javier took about 20 pictures of you in the frilly shirt that day at Taylor (in 2006)? What was the bet anyway?
KUZ: No, but I
would like to check them out, see if any would make great Christmas
cards. The bet was the Yankee-A's series last year.
Generic questions:
JD: Your favorite single teammate.
KUZ: I love
everyone in BAB; I dont have any favorites.
JD: The best field you've played on and why.
KUZ: Piedmont
because they take care of their infield.
JD: How would you spend Sundays if not for BAB?
KUZ: Getting
about 3 more hours of sleep and spending some more time with my wife.
JD: The game that stands out most in your mind, for either team or personal reasons (I think I have an idea).
KUZ:
Personally for me was my first game playing BAB, but other than that was
the Mother's day game, my best game so far
(a game in
which he hit 4 homers, drove in 14 and hit for the cycle in one inning).
JD:
Top 7 picks in the draft, who do you take?
KUZ: Torance, Cav, Alvin, Simas, Ed, Leland, Rob.