KC Royals: Getting To Know Veteran Infielder Clint Barmes
By Scott Dillon
“You were with the Rockies in 2007 when they won seven straight games to go to the World Series. I wasn’t able to fully appreciate what that must’ve meant to those fans until the Royals accomplished something similar in 2014. I know how intense it was just being a fan, so what kind of adrenaline and intensity is happening as a player?”
"“On every pitch. Guys are hanging on every pitch throughout a game. It’s mentally and physically draining for sure. After a game, you’re exhausted, you’re spent because of all the emotions of how intense everything gets and how everything hangs on every pitch thrown. It’s pretty cool”"
“I’m sure that’s something that every kid who’s ever been interested in baseball has looked to try and emulate. Speaking of kids, I saw you at an event for ‘Friends of Baseball’ a couple of years ago. I’ve been a youth baseball coach for years. I think it’s really cool that you take time and give back to youth sports and do baseball clinics. As a coach, I tried to place importance on teamwork, and playing for something greater than themselves, and trying to develop for the next level over things like wins and losses at a young age. What advice can you give to young players, parents of young players, and coaches of young players that can help them be successful?”
"“In my opinion, the best thing you can do is spend a lot of time working on whatever skill it is you’re working on. The more times you do it the more you work at it the better you’re going to get. I’m very blessed to have been able to grow up and to have had the father that I had because of how much time he worked with me. He was willing to spend so much time on practice and on getting better whether it was baseball or basketball for me in my case. So as far as a parent or coach, just staying positive and spending the time. That’s what’s huge. Working on the development so that it takes a lot of time and a lot of practice. I wouldn’t be in this position or where I’m at without my childhood and putting the time in that my dad was willing to do”"
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