California League interview w/Paul Goldschmidt (August 2010)
It’s 2023. I’m back after a 6 year break from baseball. Goldschmidt still kills the Giants. Has anything really changed?
For background and context into what this is, read the previous entry https://medium.com/@steelydanrather/what-was-steely-dan-rather-a-journey-through-minor-league-baseball-memories-ba13bea45fd5
Originally published August 18, 2010
Visalia Rawhide first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was the picture of consistency at the plate during the last two years of his baseball career. He hit 18 home runs in each season at each level, from 2008 to 2009. He led the Southland Conference in big flies both years then hit 18 more in his debut professional season with Missoula in the Pioneer League.
That type of consistency set the tone early for Goldschmidt’s career. His 2010 season, however, is already one for the ages, with 21 regular season games left.
Goldschmidt leads all of minor league baseball with 32 home runs and he is in the top 10 in RBIs with 93. Winning with the Rawhide means much more to Goldschmidt than his individual feats. His team leads the wild card by one game over Modesto and Stockton, and they are six games out of the second half title race, and he’s focused on getting to the postseason.
“That’s our focus,” Goldschmidt said. “It’s been a fun year for me, not just individually but as a team. It’s fun to finish the season being in a pennant race and to get a chance to win a championship.”
The Rawhide took two of three from Bakersfield this weekend, the hottest team in the California League’s second half. Goldschmidt values each win his club gets against their arch nemesis, who still holds a 14–8 record over the Rawhide. They face the Blaze, as well as other North Division foes in Modesto and San Jose the rest of the way this season.
Goldschmidt is a hitting force for the Rawhide, yet he doesn’t focus on the power aspect of his game. He has hit well in two leagues that favor hitters, the Pioneer League last year, and the Cal League this year. “I don’t go up there trying to hit home runs,” he said. “I just try to put good at-bats together. If I hit a fly ball, I hope the wind will take it out or hopefully I’m strong enough to get it out.”
He doesn’t have to do it by himself. Left fielder Mark Krauss has 23 homers and 77 RBIs and is hitting .313. Goldschmidt and Krauss are everyday producers in the heart of the Visalia lineup, but Goldschmidt can count on the other guys on the team to pick it up when needed, on either side of the ball.
“When the middle of the order struggles, the bottom of the lineup guys can come up, or the pitching can help,” he said. “I think it’s the reason why this team has done so well. I’ve learned a lot from everyone in the lineup including Mark.”
“I’ve really enjoyed my time with the guys on the team. I’ve become close with them and made good friends. It’s fun to be here, playing baseball and trying to win every day.”
Goldschmidt is in elite company in his first full pro year. The top home run hitters in the minors include Las Vegas catcher J.P. Arencibia (31 homers, and two at the major league level), High Desert outfielder Johermyn Chavez (30), Omaha third baseman Mike Moustakas (26), and Sacramento outfielder Chris Carter (27).
Goldschmidt says it’s cool to be mentioned with those names, but “I don’t pay attention to it,” he said. “I’m just going out there, trying to help this team win, whether it’s hitting a home run, or a ground ball to second, or taking a walk, or playing good defense.”
He’s also not affected by Arizona’s tendencies to challenge their top prospects on the fast track. “Wherever they sent me, this year, last year, in the future, it’s not something I think about,” he said. “I’m just doing my best. Things like getting called up or sent down are out of your control.”
“There are better players and older guys,” he said of confronting the higher level of competition in the Cal League this year. “Everyone’s better.”
There may not be a better power hitter in the league this year than Goldschmidt.
Where are they now?
If you have watched a baseball game in the last 13 years and you don’t know who Paul Goldschmidt is…
But if you haven’t, and don’t follow baseball, Goldschmidt is a 7-time All Star (including 6 consecutive picks), 4-time Gold Glove winner (best defensive player at his position in the league), 5-time Silver Slugger (best offensive player at his position in the league), the National League MVP in 2022, NL home run and RBI leader in 2013, and two-time World Baseball Classic medalist (gold in 2017, silver in 2023).
So he’s pretty good. One of the best players I’ve ever interviewed, and definitely one of the best players of his generation.
I felt inspired to start this series again, after going through a personal rebirth as a baseball fan. Watching Goldschmidt annihilate the Giants year after year over the last decade-plus makes me feel justified in picking a good interview subject, but it’s really fuckin’ exhausting to watch this dude murder the team I follow.
Stupid joke alert: I tried to get my MiLB.com editor (sup Brendon) to run a blurb about the Modesto Nuts Pitcher of the Week winner with the hed “Nut Note” but I don’t remember if they ran it, and I can’t confirm because they wiped all my articles. In my heart, I want to believe they kept my stupid jokes intact. I’ll try to include all the jokes and puns I tried to sneak in on future posts.
Next week: Maybe another Giants killer and elite player who also plays for the Cardinals in 2023? Maybe a former Giants hero who is no longer with the team (not Brandon Crawford obv, but that’s because I never got to interview him)? Maybe someone who never made it? Or maybe a coach? You’ll find out when I do, after I decide who to post about.
