My 4th Interview with Maxx Tissenbaum

My 4th interview ran like clock work. Maxx Tissenbaum, a Canadian shortstop turned catcher for the Charlotte Stone Crabs was nice enough to interview to me for an awesome 20 minutes. Maxx is also a blogger and was named a Florida State League Mid Season All Star.  If you want to check out his blog, click HERE! Here's the recap from the interview!

Question #1

Who are some of the toughest pitchers you've faced so far this year?

Answer: Jose Berrios (J.O. Berrios) or  Daniel Norris Berrios is a power pitcher with a 94-95 MPH fastball and Norris is a pitcher with a 92 MPH fastball with a big, looping curveball.

Question #2
What are some of your biggest fears when you are up to the plate?

Answer: Try not to be afraid with an 0-2 count, I'm usually confident with an 0-2 count unlike most hitters. 

Question #3
When and where was your first professional home run?

Answer: It was my first season, 3rd or 4th game. I was with the Eugene Emeralds (San Diego Padres short season affilate) and we were playing against the Spokane Indians (Texas Rangers short season affilate) in the Northwest League. It was a line drive home run over the centerfield wall, and I assumed that it wasn't going to be a home run, but then it cleared the wall when I was about halfway to first.

Question #4
How do you change your approach against a side-arm or submarine pitcher?

Answer: They don't throw hard, so you got to wait and let the ball come to you.

Question #5
What are some of your baseball related "pet peeves"?

Answer: I don't like when the batters or pitchers have fidgets (ex. David Ortiz with the spitting into the hands and Nomar Garciaparra readjusting everything after every at bat).

Question #6
What is the biggest stereotype about minor leaguers?

Answer: That hearing "professional baseball athletes" you automatically assume that we are rich athletes. Everyone assumes that baseball players are rich, because of hearing big names like A-Rod and Pujols getting an absurd amount of money to play baseball.

Question #7
What are some funny facts that your teammates don't know about you?

Answer: I used to do movies and commericals and I play hockey as often as I can after practices.

Question #8
Your favorite pro team is...?

Answer: Ehh I might get in trouble... but a toss up between the Yankees and the Rays.

Question #9
What are your individual goals?

Answer: Get as much work as I can in as catcher and receive the ball behind the plate. SIDE NOTE: I asked who the toughest pitchers with the most signs were, he said that his roommate Kevin Brandt had the most complex signs.

Question #10
What is the coolest name in minor league baseball besides your own team name?

Answer: Omaha Storm Chasers and Durham Bulls.

Question #11
When do you believe you'll be contributing in the Majors?

Answer: In a few years.

Question #12
Who was your biggest influence growing up?

Answer: My parents. They would hit ground balls to me after school and practice with me after school.

Question #13
How many blog views do you have and what do you blog about?

Answer: I blog about our season. I have about 22,000 views on my blog.

Question #14
How close were you to sign with the Blue Jays?

Answer: Not very close at all... the Jays picked a ton of Canadian players before me and said that unless something crazy happens, we aren't going to sign you. I had my heart set on college anyways.

Question #15
What was your experience like playing in the Arizona League?

Answer: It was a long, brutal schedule and there were 115-120 degree days in the summer and the schedule was basically a three hour practice then a game. The games were usually really slow, because everyone would be tried and they would make a lot of errors.