PhoulBallz Interview: Off-season Check In with OF Austin Listi

Austin Listi, image- Jay Floyd

This year outfielder Austin Listi stood out as the Phillies' organization's most outstanding offensive prospect, getting honored by the organization as their Paul Owens Award winner.

In the 2018 regular season, Listi split time with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Double-A Reading. In 123 total games in 2018, the Dallas Baptist product tallied a .312 average with 18 home runs and 84 RBI. He did all of that in his first full season in the professional ranks, after the Phillies made him their 17th round draft choice last year.

Defensively, Listi played left field, third base and first base, though primarily he spent his time in right field during the season.

In the autumn months, Listi continued his development, seeing action in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. In 22 games for the Scorpions, the 25-year-old tallied a .250 batting average with two doubles, a triple and seven RBI.

This week I heard from Listi who offered some comments on his off-season, winning the Paul Owens Award and more. Read ahead for that interview.

-Related to your off-season, how are you keeping busy away from the sport?

I took two weeks off after I got home from the Arizona Fall League and just played a little golf did a little hunting and caught up on family time. Now I’m working out and enjoying family time.

-What sort of workout routine are you doing? Is there anything you are working on strength or that sort of thing?

Strength is always something I want to improve.

-What facility do you use or do you plan to use to execute your workouts this off-season? Are there any other pro players that you work with?

I train my speed and agility at Armed Sports and I do my weights at my high school.

-I know before the big league season was over, you got to attend a game at Citizens Bank Park and get honored for the Paul Owens Award. Can you share some thoughts on that experience and the lasting feelings or memories you took from that night?

It was an incredible experience. The way the Phillies took care of my family was very special. That will be a memory my family and I will cherish forever.

-Does that Paul Owens honor impact your mentality at all? For example, does the goal of becoming a big leaguer seem more like a reality after getting that award?

I wouldn’t say it really changes my mentality at all. I am still going to work as hard as I can to be the best that I can be. I have never lacked the confidence in my ability, so to be chosen for this award, it was humbling and an honor. I wouldn’t say it gave me anymore confidence than I already had.

-I know you're a family guy and a parent. What's the best thing about the off-season for you?

Being with my wife and boy.

-Do you have any sort of big plans or vacations lined up with them?

No vacations or anything. Beauty in simply spending time with the loved ones, man.

Rappers in Phillies Caps

Weekend greetings to you phine pholks out there. Today's post features pictures of rappers wearing Phillies caps. Why rappers in Phillies caps, you ask? Because... Any other questions? We will start things off properly by going with a highly recognizable hip hop star. 50 Cent stays constantly relavant by consistantly creating radio friendly material to help sell (G) units, while he "keeps it real" by still rapping about the thug life he lived before becoming the 2nd highest earning black entertainer in America. 50 is seen here in a recent interview rocking a throw-back Phillies cap. Next up we'll use a throw-back screen cap from what may be the very first major appearance by a rapper wearing Phillies gear. Chuck D, of legendary rap group Public Enemy, wore a Phillies cap in the music video for rap anthem Fight The Power in 1989. The song was the lead single from the soundtrack for Spike Lee's film Do The Right Thing . Next up we'll go with some home grown tal...

Drabek Preparing For Next Step

The transition has been easy for Kyle Drabek. In December, he was part of a package of young prospects that was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for ace pitcher Roy Halladay. Now, as though nothing has changed, he's right back where he was last season...the star prospect on the pitching staff of a team in the Double A Eastern League. Drabek has often stated that he wanted to stay in the Philadelphia organization, who drafted him in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft. The 22-year-old thought after the midseason trade rumors, that surrounded him possibly going to Toronto last year, passed with no action that all the turmoil was over and that he could simply relax and focus on getting to the big leagues with the Phillies. That wasn't the case, as the deal eventually came to fruition over the off-season. In the Blue Jays system this season, Drabek doesn't have to worry about being dealt. He only has to concern himself with opposing batters and working on his secondary pit...

Anthony Gose Q&A

A prospect who has been talked about a whole lot lately is outfielder Anthony Gose. Gose, a 2nd round pick of the Phillies in the 2008 amateur draft played just 11 games for the Gulf Coast League Phillies last year, before getting hurt. Gose, an 18 year older, stole his minor league leading 36th base on Tuesday night, is batting .253 with 21 RBI and 29 runs scored, in 49 games with the Lakewood BlueClaws. Gose took some time to answer some questions for PhoulBallz.com, and here's how that went down... -I've spoken with the coaching staff and they're impressed with you this year. Tim Gradoville even compared your baserunning to Shane Victorino. Can I get your response to the coaches' positive view of your game and speed? I think it's great. I don't watch too many Phillie games. I'm from LA, I'm a big Dodger fan. So, I've never seen too much of how Victorino steals bases. I know they call him the Flyin' Hawaiian. I know he's fast. -Travis D...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog