When did you first realize your incredible baseball talent?
Well, when I was five, my parents were videotaping me and my sister out in the yard, and I was hitting rocks with a stick, and my dad told me that if I could hit rocks like that, he couldn't wait to see how I could hit a ball.
What was your life like growing up, and how did growing up in Griffin, Georgia affect you?
My life growing up was very fun, and pretty much completely based around baseball. And luckily when I was in Griffin, there was alot of opporotunity for baseball, and that took me far. My talent also helped me get alot of nice equipment too. Haha.
How long did it take you to really become a strong Christian?
When I was young I didn't have a strong religious influence. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I was saved and started to see what God had planned for my life.
Who would you consider to be your Hero?
I would definitely have to say my dad is my hero. He has tought me everything I know about baseball. He almost played professional baseball, but turned it down to have a family.
What was it like laying and being as close as roomates with guys that are now MLB All-Stars?
Oh, it was fun. Of course at the time they weren't MLB All-Stars then, but they were still fantastic ball players. But we still had a lot of good times. I mostly remember playing on the same team as Brian McCann, Jeff Francouer, and Nick Markakis.
How hard was it to cope with all of your injuries that kept you from being drafted to the professionals?
It was really tough. I had three years in a row they wanted to sign me, and all three years, I got hurt so that I couldn't play. At first, when I broke my ankle, they just said don't worry about it, we'll draft you next year. Well the next year when they came down to watch me, every bone in my hand was shattered when I got hit by a pitch. That was a huge setback, but they still decided to give me another shot at it. So the next year, I'm working out alone, and all the sudden I can't feel my back. And that numbness turned out to be the crushing of two vertebrae, and the crushing of my hopes of playing pro ball, like I always dreamed of.
How do you think God has influenced all that has happened?
I know for a fact that he's got something great planned for my life. And as much as the MLB seemed like my destiny, it wasn't, and I know that God has my hapiness lying in something else in this world.
Lastly, what do you think has been the biggest learning experience in your lifetime?
Definitely baseball. It's been great, but it has also been humbling. It's taught me alot about faith and God's way of thinking. I believe it also was in my life as a way for God to enstill his trust and for me to learn alot about life. It got me a paid college tuition, but most importantly, it brought me to God, which I will never lose, no matter how many injuries.