Interview with Infield Prospect Eric Campbell

Many thanks to Braves infield prospect Eric Campbell for taking the time to speak with me several weeks ago. Eric was very eager to be interviewed and was real responsive to every question I asked. He seems to know and get along with a lot of the current Braves players, and seems like he belongs in a Major League clubhouse.

Martin Gandy: How happy are you with the season you've had, and do you think you're on track for the Majors?

Eric Campbell: Every year you get an award like this you feel you're on track, so I'm extremely happy to be here. I had one last year in Danville, I was fortunate to have one there, and one again this year. There are a lot of great guys on our team, so it's nice to get an award.

Matt Diaz (in a pinched nasally voice as he passed by harassing Eric a bit): And it gives me a reason to where my pimp suit.

- laughs -

MG: That's always a good reason.

EC: Yeah, it's nice to come back and see some of these guys. Like Matty [Diaz], I played with him whenever I played with the big league team, Rochy and all those guys. It's fun, and hopefully I'll be here one day.

MG: What kind of player are you? What should Atlanta fans know about you if you do make it to the Majors?

EC: Hopefully an all-around player. They drafted me for my hitting and stuff, hopefully I can give them a 20 plus, 100 RBI kind of guy.

MG: Along those lines, you've got Van Pope in front of you, you've got Chipper in the Major Leagues, is third base where you're entrenched or do you consider yourself a player who can play anywhere?

EC: Well, I think I'm going to Hawaii in a couple of weeks to play second base. I've never played second, but I think I can pick it up on the fly. Wherever they need me, wherever I can play in the big leagues or help out the team, that's all I want to do.

MG: Do you think going to Hawaii and playing second might lead to you getting to the Majors faster?

EC: It can't hurt to play more than one position. If somebody goes down and they know you can play that position, you've got a definite shot at moving a little bit, but I don't know - it's hard to tell. Chipper's playing the way he always does, and Marcus is always going to be there, so you just kind of got to wait your turn, sit around and just keep producing.

MG: Talk about some of the guys you play with, who are the ones that impressed you the most?

EC: Ka'aihue, Kala from Hawaii, he was my roommate all year until he moved up to Myrtle. He's great, he knows baseball. We talked every day about the ins and outs of baseball; it just helped me get mentally prepared for a game. There's Jo-Jo, a pitcher. I don't really know anybody besides the guys at Rome, because I've been there all year. Jo-Jo pitched real well, and he's a power lefty who's going to throw 91 to 93, so he's going to be a guy to look out for hopefully.

MG: Who was your favorite player growing up?

EC: It would have to be Cal Ripken. Dad, the whole family always watched how he played, and obviously he played every day. He's a great guy.

MG: Who do you pattern yourself after?

EC: Last year in Danville [I patterned myself] after Adam LaRoche, I used his kind of approach; I had to change that a little this year making adjustments. He was the one I watched in Spring Training last year going into Danville, and how well he was relaxed, just his hands and movement and stuff like that. He'd probably be the one.

Photo courtesy of Chip Jett