Tuesday

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Spring Training Q&A

with Eli Tintor

Good morning ya'll!

Spring Training is in the air! Pitchers and catchers will start officially reporting to camps in Florida and Arizona this week. The Twins pitchers and catchers will start reporting next weekend. Minor League camp starts March 9th. Over the course of the next week or two, I will have several Spring Training Question and Answer postings with a number of players. In most cases, I had a larger scale Q&A with them after the 2006 season. In some cases where I didn't, there will be more questions. I will try to post the Q&As as I receive them, so there could be multiple postings in any given day.

This first installment features Eli Tintor, the Hibbing, MN, native. The 22 year old spent his first season with a full-season team in Beloit. He also switched positions from catcher to outfield. In both cases, he did so almost seamlessly. He hit .285/.320/.429 with 19 doubles, 12 homers and 54 RBI. He kept hitting throughout the year, and in the Snappers playoff series, he hit two game-winning home runs. Defensively, all reports say that he took very well to the outfield because he is a very good athlete with a strong arm.

I have now had a couple of Q&As with Eli Tintor. The first was following the 2005 season. After the 2006 season, I was able to do a phone conversation Q&A with him for a Twin Cities Dugout article on him. Please check out those articles for more on Tintor, but the following are some of his thoughts as the 2007 season quickly approaches:

SethSpeaks: 2006 was a really good season for you in Beloit, your first season in the OF and with a full-season team. Overall, how do you feel about your 2006 season?

Eli Tintor: Overall I think that it was the best move for me moving to the outfield, yeah I hit alright but I think I should have a lot more in store for you in the future.

SethSpeaks: How has your off-season been? Did you jump right into an off-season workout routine, or were you able to get away from baseball for a little while?

Eli Tintor: my off-season was alright, but being up in Hibbing, MN doesn't really give you a lot to do so yeah i pretty much jumped right into working out and preparing for this season just lifting weights and getting my mind right. I never wanna get away from baseball for awhile its my job and my dream so I wish I could be doing it year round just to complete my dream ya know...

SethSpeaks: Here is a very open-ended questions, but... What does Spring Training mean to you?

Eli Tintor: Spring training is pretty big for me, that's why I come down a few months early each year just to get into the swing of things.

SethSpeaks: When are you heading to Ft. Myers for spring training and when does it officially start?

Eli Tintor: I'm already down here in Fort Myers working out and what not but spring training starts march 9 for us I believe.

SethSpeaks: Do you feel physically and mentally ready for the upcoming season?

Eli Tintor: I think this year is going to be a big year for me just because I feel like I am in top shape and mentally I think I can play with the best of them so its just a matter of time.

SethSpeaks: Heading into camp, what are your hopes and expectations for it and where you will start the '07 campaign?

Eli Tintor: Well I don't want to seem so confident but I feel confident so that's all that matters to me.. I dream big and keep my head to the sky so I think that the sky truly is the limit to where I can be by the end of this year...

SethSpeaks: Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2007 season?

Eli Tintor: of course, and they might seem off to perhaps you or any of the internet geniuses out there but I wanna be in the big leagues and if you have the dream and the motivation you can do anything...

SethSpeaks: And finally... what were your thoughts on Twins Fest '07 and, how sore does your wrist and hand get from all the autographs?

Eli Tintor: Nah it doesn't bother your hand or anything...I love doing that sort of thing.. I love the fans that come out because it just adds to your encouragement to wanna make it. then you might get some people that come through and think negative or say something negative but that makes you stride further and just out of spite it pushes me more and more since there are a lot of haters out there that will just diss you because they think they know everything, but ya know what, I just have to laugh at simple minded folk like that.

Thank you very much to Eli for taking some of his time to answer these questions. Obviously I, and I know many of you, wish Eli the best in 2007!

Again, these Spring Training Q&As will be posted as I receive them. So, be sure to check back. Please leave Comments or follow-up questions that I can take back to Eli for response. Thank you, and enjoy your day!

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