Ryan Platt
Pitcher- Milwaukee Brewers' organization
My next interview is with Ryan Platt. Ryan is a 24 year old pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization from Los Angeles, California. Ryan made his professional debut with the AZL Brewers this past season before being moved up and finishing the year with the Helena Brewers. Ryan was selected by the Brewers in the 27th round of the 2009 Draft out of UC-Riverside. In 2007, Ryan played for the Alaska Goldpanners in the elite Alaska Summer Baseball League, and was also the starting pitcher for the 102nd Midnight Sun Game. Ryan also struck out 18 batters during a playoff game his sophomore year, while pitching for Pierce College in Los Angeles. I asked Ryan various questions about his first year as a professional baseball player, what it was like when he first heard his name get called on draft day, and what he thought the biggest difference was between D-1 college baseball and professional baseball.
What was the moment like when you heard
you were drafted and how did you find out?
The moment of hearing my name on the computer felt very
surreal. I was more relieved than
anything else since I had built up a little anxiety of where and when I was
going to get taken. The Brewers
ended up calling me a couple of minutes before their next pick and basically
told me that I was going to be their next choice, so I listened and watch that next
round, and then heard my name called.
What was the process like after you
were drafted?
The immediate process after being drafted was a busy
one. The day after I was drafted I
had two final exams, so I got to enjoy the moment of being drafted for a couple
of hours and then had to hit the books.
After I was done with my finals, I ended up meeting with the [Brewers] scout
and signed the contract.
Immediately after signing the contract, I finished moving everything out
of my apartment and drove back home.
I ended up leaving the next morning for Arizona to report for physicals
and mini camp before the rookie ball season began. Once I got to Arizona, the first day was strictly physicals
and then the rest of that week was a mini camp.
Where did you play this season?
I initially started in "Rookie Ball" in the Arizona League and
then I got moved up to the Helena Brewers in the Pioneer League, which is
considered Advanced-Rookie or Short-Season level.
How did you find out
you got moved up and what did they say to you?
I found I out I was getting moved up when my AZL [Rookie Ball] manager asked me for my jersey since another player had forgotten his. My coach then went on to say that I wouldn’t be needing
the jersey anymore anyways since I was leaving the next morning for [Helena], Montana.
What was a typical game day during the
season like for you?
A typical day for me on the road was waking up and having at
least two meals before I got to the field. I would usually watch a movie or read a book to pass the
excess time. Once I got to the
field, the pitchers would do their throwing and running before batting
practice. After batting practice
was over, I would usually have a snack then turn on my iPod and listen to a mix
I have.
What your first outing
like and the emotions you were feeling at the time?
Like pretty much anyone will tell you, I was a little
nervous before I went out there. However, once I stepped on the mound, my emotions subsided as the concentration took
over.
What was the hardest part of playing
professional baseball, or something that you did not expect?
The hardest thing that I wasn’t expecting was the difficulty of being able to
maintain a healthy diet. Most
of the areas that surround the hotels on the road have only fast food
type places to eat at, so it can be difficult to maintain a healthy diet.
Describe what living as a Minor League
baseball player is like?
When I got moved up to short season, things were more like
the stereotypical minor league living.
In Montana, the Brewers set everyone up with a host family to live
with. At other levels, 3 or 4 guys
will share an apartment. When we
would leave for road trips, we usually had on average, a 5-hour bus ride. We would get paid about every two weeks
on the 1st and 15th of every month. When we're on the road, we were also given
a per diem of $20 a day, which isn’t too bad considering we also get a meal
after batting practice before games.
What is the biggest difference between
College Baseball and Professional Baseball?
The biggest difference I noticed between professional and
college baseball was the fact that you are playing every single day, compared to only 4-5 times per week in college. Traveling is also a lot tougher. The bus rides are longer, and you are
on the road for longer periods of time.
Has there been any point where you
have been like, “wow
I’m a professional
baseball player," or you thought about how far you have
come from playing t-ball
to now?
There has been a couple of times where I was either filling
something out that asked for occupation where it sank in, but otherwise it
hasn’t really “sank in” because I am not entirely satisfied with being just a
"professional baseball player." I want to continue
moving up and hopefully make it to the “bigs.”
What are your plans for the 2009 off-season?
I plan on finishing my last 3 classes in the fall [at UC-Riverside], so I can
get my undergraduate degree in business with a concentration in finance. While going to school, I plan on weight
lifting and conditioning to stay in shape. Besides school and conditioning, I plan on relaxing and
mixing a little golf in my downtime.