Q: You grew up just a few hours from here. What’s it like to be back?
A: It’s a blessing to be back in San Diego. Growing up pretty near here, and then going to school down here, I love the city and I love the people around here. And the weather is obviously great. Being able to be this close to home and having my friends and family at all the games is a dream come true for me.
Q: How did you start playing baseball?
A: I started when I was a little kid, hanging out at my grandparents’ house. My grandma was actually the only other left-handed person on either side of my family so she would sit there and watch baseball with me and teach me about the game. She was left-handed, so I just picked up throwing left-handed. She ended up playing catch with me all the way until I was about 10 years old.
Meet The Padres: Alex HinshawQ: Was she able to see you play?
A: She did. She actually ed away this offseason, in October. It was actually two months to the day when she would have turned 100. Up until she was 95, she used to walk a mile and swim a mile every day. I credit a lot of what I’ve done in my life to her.
Q: When did you know this was your dream?
A: I think actually the first time I put on my Little League jersey. We had practice before our first game and I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to wear our full uniform to practice. So I’m in full gorilla, going to my first Little League practice and everyone’s looking at me like, “What are you wearing">
Q: You were drafted three times before finally g on the fourth. How come you didn’t go any of those previous times?
A: A lot of it had to do with going to college. My parents never really went to college so I kind of wanted to further my baseball skills and further my education. I wanted the college experience. And I was young — I was 17 the first time I got drafted. I had barely started pitching and they drafted me as a pitcher. There’s no way I would have survived in pro ball not knowing how to pitch yet.
Q: Why did you choose to go to San Diego State University?
A: I picked San Diego State for one main reason: I wanted to play for my childhood idol, Tony Gwynn. I just knew having the opportunity to actually be on the same team as Tony Gwynn, even though he was the manager … it was by far one of the biggest thrills I’ve ever had in my life, showing up at San Diego State and having Mr. Padre come and shake my hand and say welcome to the team. I was so thrown back. I still get the chills thinking about it. I loved every second of playing for San Diego State.
Q: You made your major league debut for San Francisco in 2008. Take me through that moment.
A: If I could put it into any kind of words, I’d tell you, but I really can’t. It’s really like a movie. Everything slows down, you’re in front of 50,000 people and they’re all cheering for you, and when you see the manager come out and give you the signal to come in, and then just jogging out … Everything stands still. I really think that if I watch the highlight of my debut, I Mark Loretta pinch-hit right before I came in the game and he was on first base, and I coming set, and thinking to myself, can Loretta see my glove shaking as much as I can right now?
Q: After that you spent three years in the minors. How did you stay positive?
A: The first time you go down, it’s not ideal, but there was obviously stuff I had to work on. It sucked that it took three years to figure it out, but I’m just happy that I get another opportunity to prove to myself that it wasn’t just a one-shot wonder in San Francisco, that I actually do have the skill set to be a major league pitcher. And you cannot survive Triple-A baseball being bitter. I’ve seen way too many guys that have had significant time in the big leagues come down to Triple-A and have this attitude that the world is going to end, don’t talk to me, just bitter to the world. I didn’t want to be like that. When I was a young guy, my first year in Triple-A, I wanted to look up to those older guys that had been sent down and pick their brains. To see them upset, or bitter, that’s just not how I wanted to be because, who knows, that young-prospect guy could look up to me someday and I didn’t want to be a negative influence.
Q: And now you’re back up with the Padres. Every time you walk in the clubhouse, I see that smile on your face. Do you still feel it?
A: Yeah, I was just talking about that today. Every time I come in the clubhouse and I see that huge San Diego logo on the floor, I can’t help but smile. Ever since I was little I’ve wanted to wear a Padres uniform. The day I actually got to put on the camos, the first time on Sundays, I thought, “This is unreal.” Everyone was getting mad at me in the bullpen, like, “What are you smiling about?” I said I can’t help it. Sorry.
Q: One thing on your bucket list?
A: Surfing in Australia.
