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Y! MyWebQ&A with Barry Larkin
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Dayton Daily News staff writer Matt O'Donnell gathered with a group of reporters following the Cincinnati Reds' Hall of Fame induction press conference on Saturday, July 19, inside Great American Ball Park. In the impromptu 15-minute session with new Reds Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, O'Donnell learned about Larkin's new employer, his thoughts on the Reds' young talent and his feelings about Brandon Phillips:
On what he does with the Washington Nationals: It just really depends on what's going on. They've given me the liberty to do things that I like to do, which is player development. I've worked with the Chinese national team, I've worked with some of the minor-league players in the Nationals' organization ... It just really depends. They asked me to represent the team in the draft last year, but I was doing the College World Series (as a commentator).
On the possibility of coaching: Right now, my time commitment is to my kids, my family. I have a daughter who is going to be a senior (in high school) this year, my son is a freshman. I have an 11-year-old going on 23, I have to be there for her. My wife has been so supportive and I want to be there for her as well. At this time in my life, I need the flexibility to be able to be with them wherever there and being on the field, in uniform in that capacity of a manager or some kind of coach, doesn't mix with that at this point.
On the Reds' young talent: I'm a huge Jay Bruce fan. It was awesome to see him come up and do some of the things he's been able to do. I know he's come back down to Earth a little bit, but everything I hear about him, he's a great kid, great guy, and that's what it's all about. Obviously I follow Dunner and follow Junior, Volquez, we tried to get him, Cueto, everybody tried to get him. It's great to see a kind of trend in Cincinnati of them going to pitchers that can dominate. Teams that are successful have pitching staffs that can dominate. Cincinnati should be competitive team for awhile to come.
On tutoring young shortstops: I just like to pass on the information. Davey (Concepcion) signed something to me as did Ozzie Smith, didn't ask them to, both of them said, "Continue the legacy, carry on the tradition" so that's what it's about, giving back.
On Brandon Phillips: This last year he figured it out, 30/30. He's a great talent. I would very much enjoy having an opportunity to work with guys that are there and want to get better. I would love to work with him, I would love to work with anyone that has that much talent and wants to put in work to get better.
On the Reds having trouble finding a regular shortstop: A guy said to me today that there is a curse named after me and I really didn't know how to take that. He said, "Since you've left there've been 16 disabled shortstops," and then he said, 'Why don't you come back and play?" and I said because there'd be 17 out there. I just think should make the people in Cincinnati know how lucky they've had it and the organization has had over the last number of years for mainstays at shortstops.
On how he's feeling: "I feel great. I was just telling somebody, 'I haven't missed a slider, I haven't made an error, I haven't swung through a pitch over the last three or four years now. I haven't got booed at all, and I like that."
