Question & Answer With Grant Johnson - ANSWERS POSTED

[Chris]

http://peoriachiefs.com.ismmedia.com/ISM2/PlayerManager/506.jpeg.300.jpeg

 

Grant Johnson, Pitcher for the Peoria Chiefs, has graciously agreed to answer questions from posters on NSBB! If you would like to send a comment to Grant, or if you would like to ask Grant a question, feel free to post it here. Since the Chiefs' regular season is winding down, the deadline for submitting questions is 12-noon on Wednesday, August 24. Once Grant has had an opportunity to answer them, the responses will be posted.

 

This session will be coordinated as in accordance with The NSBB Q & A Guidelines.

 

From the Peoria Chiefs website:

 

Birthplace: LaGrange, IL

DOB: May 26, 1983

Bats: R

Throws: R

Height: 6' 6"

Weight: 220 lbs

 

Grant Johnson was chosen in the 2nd round of the 2004 draft by the Cubs out of Notre Dame. In 2002, he posted a 9-5 record with a 3.46 ERA as a freshman. Johnson missed his sophomore season following shoulder surgery on Dec. 30th, 2002. Grant returned to the Fighting Irish rotation in 2004 and posted a 6-0 record with a 1.87 ERA.

 

This is Grant's first pro season. He hails from Burr Ridge, IL and went to Lyons Township HS.

 

 

Thank you to Grant for taking the time to interact with us on such an up close and personal level. Many thanks to Nathan Baliva, Broadcast & Media Manager for the Peoria Chiefs, for setting up the interview. As always, thanks to all of you for making NSBB such a wonderful community!

[Outshined_One]

Greetings Grant! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to answer our questions here.

 

Did you watch much baseball growing up in Burr Ridge? If so, which team were you a fan of? Also, who were your favorite players growing up?

 

Thanks again!

[Jon]

Grant-

 

1) How are your shoulder and hamstring feeling right now?

 

2) I asked a similar question to Sam Fuld, but did playing with Eric and Sam on the national team help you adjust any quicker to A ball when you reported to Peoria?

 

3) You're finishing up just your third month of professional baseball. Has it been what you had expected?

 

4) Do you have any sense of what not pitching in 2003 meant to your progression?

 

Thanks and keep up the great work!

[Joe_Cub]

Hello and thank you for answering questions.

 

I was wondering what your major was in college? And what's the biggest change in pitching in proball vs pitching in college? Does your family come see you play alot since you're in Peoria now?

 

What do you think the best food is at the Peoria park? Who on the team would make the best espn broadcast guy someday? And hopefully take Joe Morgan's job.

 

Thanks and good luck.

[NCCubFan]

Thanks for answering our questions. The participation we're receiving from players in the Cubs system is great.

 

Have the Cubs given you any indication of whether they see your major league future as a starter or reliever? Do you have a preference one way or the other?

[CuseCubFan69]

Welcome!

 

Looking back, is there anything you wish you knew in High School that you know now?

 

What is your workout schedule during the season and do you throw every day?

 

Say a team is sitting on your fastball, what adjustments do you make to get the batters out?

 

Say an ump is squeezing you, do you try to go to what he is calling for or continue to do what works for you?

 

Can you get me tickets to the Syracuse/Notre Dame football game? :wink:

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Grant.

 

How tough was dealing with the hamstring injury in that your pro debut was pushed back?

 

Have you had a difficult time getting used to life as a minor leaguer, or was it not as difficult for you (compared to player straight out of high school) because of your time at Notre Dame?

 

Good luck to you the rest of the way!

[rawaction]

Thanks for taking our questions, Mr. Johnson.

 

South Bend, born and raised here! First question is, what did you do for fun in your days in "Da Bend!"? Where did you hang out?

 

Secondly, obviously you had the shoulder injury in college. How hard has it been to shake that injury? Not only the effects of it physically, but mentally? Have you altered your mechanics or anything?

[Chris]

Are the Irish going to contend this season in football?

 

How has it helped the Chiefs to have Major Leaguers in Peoria this season? Did you make it a point to ask any questions to any of the guys doing rehab assignments in Peoria?

 

What is the funniest story from this season that you can share without getting in trouble?

 

Thank you very much for your time, keep up the great work!

[Laura]

Questions & Answers with Starting Pitcher Grant Johnson

 

 

Outshined_One (Madison, Wisconsin)

 

Greetings Grant! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to answer our questions here.

 

Did you watch much baseball growing up in Burr Ridge? If so, which team were you a fan of? Also, who were your favorite players growing up?

 

I watched a lot of baseball. I was a big fan of the entire Atlanta Braves pitching staff and I followed them and watched them. I always watched what Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux did.

 

Thanks again!

 

--------------------

 

Tim (Chicagoland)

 

Grant,

 

I believe that Baseball America reported that you weren't allowed to use some of your pitches at Notre Dame after your surgery. Could you give us a quick update on what you're throwing these days and if you still have any restrictions?

 

Fastball, slider, change. Not many restrictions now. When I first came back from surgery they wanted to make sure everything was ok before I threw the slider which puts more stress on the shoulder.

 

Your numbers this season would look much better if it weren't for that one disastrous outing against Kane County this year. How hard is it to come back after an outing like that? Does the confidence get shaken at all or is it something that motivates you to come out and focus that little bit extra afterwards?

 

After a rough outing you tend to work a lot harder. You get humbled by the situation but at the same time you have to have a way to forget about it. Pitchers are suppose to have temporary amnesia so it doesn’t sway your confidence too much though it is in the back of your mind a bit.

 

Thanks for answering our questions!

 

--------------------

 

JonMDavis (Evanston, Illinois)

 

Grant-

 

1) How are your shoulder and hamstring feeling right now?

 

I am 100 percent now. I work on both of them to keep them strong and work with the trainers to take care of them and make sure I do what he tells me

 

2) I asked a similar question to Sam Fuld, but did playing with Eric and Sam on the national team help you adjust any quicker to A ball when you reported to Peoria?

 

It’s nice to have some guys that you know well going into a new situation. Eric and Sam have been great teammates and it has made it easier as a pitcher.

 

3) You're finishing up just your third month of professional baseball. Has it been what you had expected?

 

It’s a lot of hard work., I expected it to be work but not as tiring as the long season has been. People see baseball players as a glorified profession but we work just as many hours and most of our work isn’t seen because it takes place before the game starts. It’s what I want to do and it's not a bad gig!

 

4) Do you have any sense of what not pitching in 2003 meant to your progression?

 

You have to play the cards that you dealt and I had to learn the next year how to pitch more but you can’t look back and you have to move forward.

 

Thanks and keep up the great work!

 

--------------------

 

 

Joe_Cub (Rensselaer, Indiana)

 

Hello and thank you for answering questions.

 

I was wondering what your major was in college?

 

Marketing

 

What's the biggest change in pitching in proball vs pitching in college? In college you can get by with leaving pitches up or over the plate but here if you leave it up it is gonna get crushed.

 

Does your family come see you play a lot since you're in Peoria now?

 

Yeah they have been at every start, even the ones that are out of town.

 

What do you think the best food is at the Peoria park?

 

Chicken sandwich with honey mustard.

 

Who on the team would make the best ESPN broadcast guy someday?

And hopefully take Joe Morgan's job.

 

Aaron Smith or Drew Larsen cause they both have a flair for entertaining and a unique outlook on the game.

 

Thanks and good luck.

 

--------------------

 

NCCubbieFan (North Carolina)

 

Thanks for answering our questions. The participation we're receiving from players in the Cubs system is great.

 

Have the Cubs given you any indication of whether they see your major league future as a starter or reliever? Do you have a preference one way or the other?

 

I’d like to be a starter but I’ll do what it takes to make it. The fact that I’m a starter now indicates they like me starting.

 

--------------------

 

CuseCubFan69 (Beautiful Upstate New York)

 

Welcome!

 

Looking back, is there anything you wish you knew in High School that you know now?

 

I wish I threw a changeup a lot more which would make the transition to pro ball a lot easier.

 

What is your workout schedule during the season and do you throw every day?

 

We throw in some fashion every day. We throw a bullpen the 2nd day after you pitch. We run long distance the day after we pitch and we do some kind of running every day and we stretch every day.

 

Say a team is sitting on your fastball, what adjustments do you make to get the batters out?

 

Throw off-speed and mix them in on first pitches. Move the fastball in and out and up and down.

 

Say an ump is squeezing you, do you try to go to what he is calling for or continue to do what works for you?

 

Anytime you go to an umps zone, if it is a poor zone you are going to get hit hard. So it’s a question if you want to please the ump or get outs. I do know that if the umps zone is up and you bring it up it will be a long day.

 

Can you get me tickets to the Syracuse/Notre Dame football game? ;-)

 

No, sorry!

 

--------------------

 

CaliforniaRaisin101 (Arcadia, California)

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, Grant.

 

How tough was dealing with the hamstring injury in that your pro debut was pushed back?

 

Definitely frustrating to have all this time off before I started and then to get setback further. It’s not something I’d like to do again but overall you have to deal with what is thrown your way and learn from it.

 

Have you had a difficult time getting used to life as a minor leaguer, or was it not as difficult for you (compared to player straight out of high school) because of your time at Notre Dame?

 

It hasn’t been difficult. I think the fact I went to school helped me grow up and mature a lot more. The fact that I’m so close to home has made it an easier transition.

 

Good luck to you the rest of the way!

 

--------------------

 

CubbieGirl22 (Kewanee, Illinois)

 

Hi and thanks for answering my questions!!

 

Who do you think was the hardest hitter that you've had to pitch to this season?

 

Each hitter has their weakness and you just have to find them. No one person sticks out as giving me a tough time.

 

Why did you decide to wear #22??

 

It was the number given to me in college and it worked for me there so I was hoping it would work for me here too.

 

What is your favorite kind of music and favorite band?

 

I like all kinds of music but I listen to Dave Matthews the most.

 

THANK YOU!!

 

--------------------

 

rawaction

 

Thanks for taking our questions, Mr. Johnson.

 

South Bend, born and raised here! First question is, what did you do for fun in your days in "Da Bend!"? Where did you hang out?

 

The Basilica! :)

 

Secondly, obviously you had the shoulder injury in college. How hard has it been to shake that injury? Not only the effects of it physically, but mentally? Have you altered your mechanics or anything?

 

I haven’t altered my mechanics at all. I feel like I'm back to the way I used to throw. The injury helped me grow as a pitcher because I had to learn how to pitch instead of just throwing.

 

--------------------

 

 

DJAXXFAN (Tennessee)

 

Are the Irish going to contend this season in football?

 

Definitely. If not this year then next year.

 

How has it helped the Chiefs to have Major Leaguers in Peoria this season? Did you make it a point to ask any questions to any of the guys doing rehab assignments in Peoria?

 

I tried not to bother them too much but it’s nice to see what it could be like to be in the majors and see what these guys can do. It was fun for all of us.

 

What is the funniest story from this season that you can share without getting in trouble?

 

Hearing Aaron Smith do his different voices and his dead-on impersonation of Sam Fuld.

 

Thank you very much for your time, keep up the great work!

 

--------------------

 

Serena (NW Indiana)

 

Hello and thanks for answering our questions!

 

Did the Cubs suggest any changes to your pitching mechanics while you were in Arizona?

 

No my mechanics are the same as they were in college.

 

What's the best burrito place in Peoria? We’re getting local burrito recommendations for all the minor league teams. :)

 

La Bamba on Bradley’s campus.

 

Thanks -- and good luck the rest of the way!

 

--------------------------------------

 

Many thanks to Grant for taking our questions and to Nathan Baliva, Peoria Chiefs Broadcast & Media Manager, for coordinating the session!

[Chris]

Thanks Serena, Nathan, and Grant for doing this!

 

La Bamba on Bradley’s campus.

 

We should be getting gift certificates from all of these restaurants getting burrito plugs!

[abuck1220]

he's not lying about the chicken. when i went to a chiefs game this summer, i was at the concession stand and i looked over and there he was...getting chicken. :D

[treebird]

wtg la bambas

[imb]

Secondly, obviously you had the shoulder injury in college. How hard has it been to shake that injury? Not only the effects of it physically, but mentally? Have you altered your mechanics or anything?

 

I haven’t altered my mechanics at all. I feel like I'm back to the way I used to throw. The injury helped me grow as a pitcher because I had to learn how to pitch instead of just throwing.

 

oops, wtg cobs

[Joe_Cub]

yeah getting the food advice is what its all about!