Skip to main content

Austin Listi Interview Excerpts

Austin Listi, image- Jay Floyd
First baseman Austin Listi is enjoying success after he was selected by the Phillies in the 17th round of this year's draft.

Through 32 professional games at two levels, the righty batter has posted a .274 average with five home runs and 21 RBI.

At this rate, it may not be too long before Listi has sports fans everywhere using NetBet, hoping to make his talents work in their favor.

The 23-year-old Dallas Baptist product was the subject of a recent feature I wrote following a chat at Lakewood's FirstEngery Park.  The interview excerpts ahead include Listi's thoughts on earning a promotion, playing in the minors with a pair of college teammates and plenty more.


-With the promotion from Williamsport to Lakewood, what was the jump to the Sally League like for you? 

Obviously, I'm humbled and honored to be here.  I met the team on the road, we were in North Carolina, so what made it an easier transition for me is I have a couple former college teammates here with me.  Darick Hall, David Martinelli.  So with those guy here, just giving me advice on how things work at this level or with this organization, or with this team, this organization as well.  'Cause when I got drafted they were there to lay it out for me with what's going to be going down.  And all the other guys on the team have been great and have welcomed me with nothing but hospitality and a smile.  It's been great.  It's been fun and I'm just happy to be here.
-Can you share more about your relationship with those two guys that were your college teammates?

I played with David Martinelli for three years at Dallas Baptist.  I was a sophomore when he was a freshman there.  And then Darick Hall came there when I return to DBU, I left for a year to go do some stuff.  When I was drafted by the Phillies, 'cause they call me and texted me right away.  They found out and they welcomed me to the extended family now.  They were like, "Welcome to the family again!"
-Coming out of college ball this year, has the transition to the minor leagues been as you expected?

Well, coming from DBU, we have a lot of guys that get drafted, so we'd have guys that come back in the off-season and tell us how it was for them, or tell us what they needed to work on or tell us about what they saw or what their biggest adjustment was, so I took all their advice and kind of put it into myself.  I had to use that to help me to see what I thought and to see if I was kind of like them.
At this level especially, the pitching has been really good, I think.  They're spotting up with different pitches in different locations in different counts.  And they move up, down and it's pretty tough to hit.  You know, I would say it's a pretty big transition from college, where a team might have one guy that can do that.  Or two, a starter and a closer or something.  But here, it's been starter, bullpen, closer, it doesn't matter.  It's been good baseball.

-Now that you're in the pro's, are you keeping souvenirs with all the firsts and landmark moments?

I was pretty lucky.  I didn't get my first hit ball, but I got my first home run ball in Williamsport.  Somebody went and got it and brought it to me.  And then I got my two home runs, I got both balls over in North Carolina, their fans went and got them and gave them to me.  That was really nice, especially for the away team.  Baseball fans, they love the game no matter who it is.  Just, I was really thankful, because- my family, they want it more than I do.  I'm not really sentimental type.  I just give it to my family.

-Coming from Texas, what were your impressions on New Jersey before playing here with the BlueClaws?

Honestly, Jersey Shore.  The shore, the beach, the piers and then the show.  Me and Martinelli are Italian, so we'd joke about it, being Guidos and stuff but...I've never even been to this side of the country other than North and South Carolina till now.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mike McGuire Living a Dream With Favorite Team

LAKEWOOD, NJ- Every young ballplayer grows up wishing he could play for his favorite team. Mike McGuire has an opportunity to do just that after signing with the Phillies organization in July. McGuire was a 43rd round draft pick taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 2008 amateur draft out of the University of Delaware. Early scouting reports liked McGuire's abilities, despite some arm trouble. He advanced as far as High A Level Kinston last season. While there, he posted an 0-3 record with a 5.46 ERA in 9 games, 8 of which were starts. The Indians weren't happy with McGuire's efforts this spring and released him. McGuire caught on with the Sussex Skyhawks of the independent Can-Am League, where he stayed in shape and pitched against other formerly affiliated minor leaguers. As a starter with the Skyhawks, McGuire went 3-4 with a 5.29 ERA in 8 outings. From there, just as all players in those independent leagues hope for, the 24-year-old McGuire got noticed. The Phillies wer...

Harry's Plaque Has Misprint

At the ballpark today for the first time since Harry Kalas was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Friday, I noticed an error in the text on his plaque. Verbage on the plaque reads like this... Voice of Phillies baseball on radio and TV for 39 seasons. Teamed with Richie Ashburn from 1971 until 1997. Harry was on the air for all of Mike Schmidt's 548 home runs, five Phillies no-hitters, seven National League Championship Series, three World Series, the first and final games at Veterans Stadium and the Citizens Bank Park 2004 opener. Received the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award in 2002 for "Major Contributions to Baseball" and was inducted into the broadcasters' wing at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. His calls were legendary, especially his signature home run call, "Outta heeere." On October 29, 2008, he brought utmost joy to Phillies fans: "The 0-2 pitch, swing and miss , struck him out. The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 Worl...

Series Preview: Braves @ Phillies 5/7-5/9

The Braves make their first visit to Philadelphia this weekend, as the Braves (12-16) will face the Phillies (17-11) in a 3-game series. The series opener will see the 2nd meeting of Derek Lowe and Jamie Moyer this season. The first match up saw Moyer come out on top, when he pitched 6 shut out innings in Atlanta. That win clinched the series victory for the Phils. Off to a good start after winning that series opener against the Phils, the Braves have lost 11 of 15 games since then. The Braves won 5 of the 9 games against the Phils at Citizens Bank Park last season. Atlanta is currently in last place, 5 games behind the division leading Phillies. Read ahead for pitching match ups and other key stats from this series. Friday, 7:05pm. Derek Lowe (4-2, 5.81 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (3-2, 5.70 ERA). Lowe is 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA in five career starts at Citizens Bank Park. Lowe is 6-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 15 career games against Philadelphia. Raul Ibanez is 2-for-28 (.071 avg) in his career again...