Catching prospect fields queries from faithful followers
John Baker is hitting .259 through 27 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League. (Courtesy Oakland A's)
John Baker is a catcher in the A's organization. Taken in the fourth round of the 2002 draft out of Cal, the left-handed-hitting Baker batted .280 with 15 homers and 78 RBIs for Double-A Midland this past season. He earned a brief callup to Triple-A Sacramento, where he hit .347 in 14 games. Baker is currently playing for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League and recently took some time to answer your questions.Steve asks: What is the hardest pitch for you to hit and why?
It is hard to generalize pitches. For example, Nolan Ryan's curveball is going to be different than someone like Mike Mussina's. I had a chance to face Hideo Nomo this year in Triple-A and I wouldn't mind not seeing his split-finger fastball again.
Brian asks: Did it bother you this past year in Midland that despite having a better season, Jeremy Brown got most of the attention because of "Moneyball?"
No, not at all. Jeremy and I have a great relationship and constantly root for each other. Sometimes the attention he gets from the book is not positive. People often use lines and statements from the book to "rag" him. The way he remains stoic and unemotional about things people say is a testament to his strong will and strength as a person.
Curt asks: What was the most difficult challenge that you faced transitioning from college ball to the minors?
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