K-Rod interview with Mota

by BBFan1 on Aug 27, 2008 4:15 PM PDT

Gives some props to a guy named Troy Percival:

"You spend a lot of time looking for ways to get better, to have an edge by studying video of yourself and of the opposing hitters, but when it comes down to asking questions about your role, who are the people you’ve talked to the most?

Well, early in my career it was Troy Percival. I was so fortunate to come into the big leagues with the Angels just about when he was about to leave. I learned a lot from him. He always allowed me to pick his brain about life in the big leagues and especially about life as a closer.

He stressed to me the importance of the everyday focus and intensity. Watching him pitch was very special to me. After Percy moved on, I started reaching out to current teammates in any role, because I’ve learned a great deal from Darren Oliver, Justin Speier and even from the starting pitchers – we always have very good ones.

To me, I try to learn from each one something about what has made them successful, and they’ve all played a role in my development with their advice. And, of course, I can’t forget about my pitching coaches, from the big leagues all the way down to the minor leagues.

Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan and may or may not be a reflection of human evolution, divine enlightenment or nine cans into a 12-pack.

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Comments

I can't wait to hate him next year.

I brought sexy back, but they only gave me store credit....

by PhiSlamma on Aug 27, 2008 4:55 PM PDT 0 recs

Good attitude

Seattle I would like to thank you for sucking. It allows me to get back to my roots: Hating Fremont.

Kobe tell me how my ass tastes

by hauldog on Aug 28, 2008 9:38 AM PDT up 0 recs

A R R E D O N D O !

by 44FAN on Aug 27, 2008 6:10 PM PDT 0 recs

wow

nice giving credit to everbody

"There's only one way to become a hitter. Go up to the plate and get mad. Get mad at yourself and mad at the pitcher." -Ted Williams

by AnaheimHalos61 on Aug 27, 2008 7:34 PM PDT 0 recs

What's that brown stuff on the end of your nose Frankie?

Too late to start sucking up to Percy…you blew that bridge a long long time ago…

Whodathunk we would be rooting for a former Ranger come August...?

by K3YEROUT on Aug 27, 2008 10:58 PM PDT 0 recs

Um... what?

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Aug 28, 2008 6:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

You are now entering the Posturing Zone

Hold onto your minds folks.

by ReggieBullits on Aug 27, 2008 11:03 PM PDT 0 recs

How close is that to the No-Spin Zone?

Chuck Finley is my homeboy

by HaloDutch on Aug 28, 2008 12:40 PM PDT up 0 recs

Knuckler

I see red people

by The Limey on Aug 28, 2008 2:16 PM PDT up 0 recs

Even with the posturing, that's a pretty big snub to Scioscia, Buddy Black, et al.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Aug 28, 2008 3:26 PM PDT 0 recs

???

“And, of course, I can’t forget about my pitching coaches, from the big leagues all the way down to the minor leagues.”

Last sentence.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Aug 28, 2008 4:05 PM PDT up 0 recs

Not naming a single coach? That's a snub.

And a fairly direct one to the current manager.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Aug 28, 2008 5:36 PM PDT up 0 recs

Wow.

Put down the haterade man. Just because he doesn’t run off an itemized list of everybody who’s ever taught him something doesn’t mean he’s snubbing people. I can’t recall Vlad or Hunter or Anderson thanking Scioscia for anything either.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Aug 28, 2008 6:48 PM PDT up 0 recs

Why bring others into it

This is about F-Rod and what he said in the interview. What do Vlad, Hunter or Anderson have to do with F-Rod’s interview and him thanking people?

F-Rod never mentioned his only big league manager and he never thanked him or gave him credit for the opportunity and trust that his manager has put in him. When your giving credit to people that have helped in your development and you leave out Mike Scioscia you have snubbed a pretty big name.

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Aug 29, 2008 11:23 AM PDT up 0 recs

Because it's a ridiculous statement to make.

For one thing, person to person coaching isn’t something Scioscia is in charge of most of the time. That’s what the batting coaches and pitching coaches are there for. Scioscia sets the general strategy and has input, but unless you’re a catcher, Scioscia’s probably going to leave the day to day stuff to those guys and the veterans. That’s what they’re there for.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Aug 31, 2008 1:50 PM PDT up 0 recs

He;s got a side of hater-tots with that haterade

Chuck Finley is my homeboy

by HaloDutch on Aug 30, 2008 8:04 AM PDT up 0 recs

Isn't this a complete 180 from what he said in an interview not too long ago?

I looked but couldn’t find it, but it was something like ’I’m helping Arredondo because nobody helped me when I came up’. And now he’s saying that Percy was there for him?

Weird.

by ReggieBullits on Aug 28, 2008 5:36 PM PDT 0 recs

Paul Kinzer (K-Rod's agent)

is likely standing behind him with his hand up his ass.

IF you want a big payday, can’t act off the field with Guillen-like selfishness all the time.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Aug 28, 2008 5:38 PM PDT up 0 recs

That or he means when he first came up, in 2002.

As in like during September, no one really came over and talked to him. Then in 2003 and 2004, Percival started teaching Frankie stuff.

K-Rod has mentioned in previous interviews that Percival helped him out, a fact that Optimist and I brought up back when the article Bullits is talking about came out.

Did K-Rod shoot your dog or something? You might at least wait until he actually leaves for the money before you start hating his guts for it.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Aug 28, 2008 6:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

He asked for 12 million in arbitration.

And lost.

I’m fairly sure the Stoneman era made certain that no player who requested more money in arbitration was re-signed before free-agency (anti-team chemistry etc.).

All I said is that his agent is posturing him and making sure that his comments stay neutral and professional, rather than with passion and the possibility to be misconstrued by others as selfish “why not me?” attitude.

I don’t know anything personally of K-Rod as a teammate or have intimate knowledge of his big head in the clubhouse. All I know is that he is a passionate individual who takes the underdog role. If he stays with the Angels, I have no problems with that.

by shiftyeyedgoat on Aug 30, 2008 2:58 PM PDT up 0 recs

How is getting beaten in arbitration a bad thing for chemistry?

And why is it posturing? Why can’t it be what he actually thinks?

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Aug 31, 2008 1:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

Guys... he's been with the angels now for about 6 years and I've never heard anyone say

a bad thing about him except from the bizarro world of Brandon Wood lovers. This over analysis is ridiculous. Here’s the real highlight from the article:

What do you recall the most about your abrupt introduction to the big lights in 2002?

It’s been six years and I still haven’t fully assimilated everything that I did, everything happened so fast and my life changed overnight. To be honest with you, sometimes I still can’t capture how big it was until people tell me about it.

The most exciting thing was winning the World Series, but I was too young to even understand the impact I had on it. It’s still hard for me to grasp it, considering that so many players never get to experience that feeling. Now, when I relive the feelings and the atmosphere, it brings a chill to my spine. But really, I still can’t believe that it happened to me.

If GA wasn't so lazy the Halos woulda won the 2008 WS by now.

by melvintoast on Aug 29, 2008 7:27 AM PDT 0 recs

This one quote made me laugh

"I’m going to take it day by day, and God willing I’ll be able to get the record. "

Sounds like he’s getting his interview training from Crash Davis.

I was uncool before uncool was cool.

by WiHaloFan on Aug 29, 2008 7:36 AM PDT 0 recs

Why all the hate for someone who's trying to cash in?

I would love to have him stay. He’s not clubhouse poison as far as I can tell. He performs as he should. He’s trying to get every dollar he can — as he should. It’s not like he grew up in Anaheim. His loyalty goes as far as his paycheck. If he turned into Donkey or his arm blows out on September 15th, how much the Angels going to give him then?

As much as it is love for us…it’s a business for them. If you don’t think so, ask Casey.

GA GA he's the man, if he can't do it, no one can

by Moondoggy on Aug 31, 2008 10:11 AM PDT 0 recs