Tyler Graham Interview

                       By: Joshua Fischman

 

An Interview with Tyler Graham

Tyler Graham is a 24-year old outfielder in the San Francisco Giants farm system. The 6'0", 180 pound Graham was drafted in the 19th round of the 1996 amateur draft (566th overall) by the Giants. In 2007, Graham had a vital line of .290/.352./.385 with 29 stolen bases at High A San Jose. His real claim to fame, though, was a national championship with the Oregon State Beavers in 2006 (OSU would also go on to win the title in 2007). Leading into the 2008 season, Graham fielded questions from Joshua Fischman in an exclusive Deli interview.

Joshua Fischman: Who did you look up to in the sports world as a kid?

Tyler Graham: I looked up to Ken Griffey, Jr. when I was a kid. I was a big Mariners fan as a kid and he could do everything. [He] was a lot of fun [to] watch.

JF: When did you know you had the ability to play baseball at the highest level?

TG: As a kid I always played with older kids. I loved the competition and I held my own in all the sports. So having success then, with kids three and four years older, let me know that I was very fortunate.

JF: Who is the best pitcher you have faced in your baseball career? And what makes him so good?

TG: Tim Lincecum, for sure. I faced him for three years in college and he only got better each year. When you have the velocity that he has (upper 90's) and have an awesome curveball, it makes for a very difficult combination to hit the ball.

JF: What have you been up to this off-season, both baseball-related and away from the game?

TG: I have been busy doing baseball lessons, lifting, hitting, and keeping shape in all areas. When I get the chance to go back to Montana, over the breaks, I do a lot of fishing and hunting which are two things I enjoy the most, besides sports.

JF:What kinds of classes did you take, and which did you enjoy the most?

TG: I majored in business and minored in communications.

JF: What are your goals for the 2008 baseball season?

TG: Start out in high A and make it to AA by midseason.

JF:What will the 2008 OSU baseball team be like?

TG:What I have heard is good things. I know they had a great recruiting class this past year, so it all depends on what kids can step up during the season. They should be in pretty good shape on the mound, with Mike [Stutes] returning and having the experience he does, along with Jorge Reyes.

JF: Talk about what makes Oregon State such a special baseball program.

TG: To do what we have done the past three years is very special in itself. But a lot of us came in when the program was at the bottom of the Pac-10. To see, and be a part of, a program that progressed so fast, and was able to stay on top, was very special to me. It just took guys that were the best players in the area, and around the Northwest, to believe in the program and come to Oregon State rather than picking a more prestigious program. Because of that, OSU is now looked at in a whole different perspective. [It] is now a program that every kid in the country wants to come to.

JF: What do you enjoy most about being a pro baseball player?

TG: What people don't realize is that pro baseball is a tough road and not glamorous at all unless you make the big leagues. It's a long, hard grind. But I just love being able to do something I love and be able to call it my job.

JF: You established yourself as a stolen base threat with 29 last season for Augusta. Talk about the art of stealing bases.

TG: You have to be able to read pitchers well and get good jumps. Being fast is only a small part of being able to steal a base.

JF: Talk about your 2006 National Championship team.

TG: The 2006 National Championship team was very special in many different ways. We were not only very talented, but a very close group as well. As you have seen in many different sports, the most talented team does not always win. When you can put talent and chemistry together, it can create many different ways to succeed. I think our team had a lot of both and that's why we were so successful. The way we came back after losing that first game to Miami 1-1 is something that was unbelievable and something that none of us will ever forget. I think that alone speaks for itself. The kind of team that we had, I feel very fortunate that I was able to be a part of that. We had a kid at every position that wanted the ball. Every hitter wanted the pressure at-bat. We had no one [who] backed down. I am very proud to have played on a team that was unselfish and hard-working. That's why we came out on top.

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