Minor League Memories: The George Springer interview (June 2012)
“You can’t complicate the game any more than it is”
Originally published June 13, 2012
For background and context into what this is, read this explainer
George Springer began his career in professional baseball by making headlines. Last summer, the Houston Astros selected Springer 11th overall in the Draft, making him the highest drafted player from the University of Connecticut. A huge 2011 season for the UConn Huskies catapulted Springer to success.
The Astros picked Springer for his speed, power, and defense. This season in Lancaster, Springer is a California League All-Star, hitting .298 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs with 13 stolen bases.
The Huskies may have shocked the college baseball world by advancing to the first Super Regional tournament in school history and defeating powerhouse Clemson in the process, but Springer’s talent was clear from his freshman year. He hit well over .300 all three years for the Huskies and was the Big East Preseason Player of the Year in 2011.
Springer thrived in the Huskies’ program, thanks to being close to his hometown in New Britain, Conn. and having his parents around for support. George II and Marie both graduated from UConn and backed up their son’s decision to attend the school. “It was the right fit,” he said. “My mom and dad said that school is important but I also had to go to a place that felt right.”
Springer became an All-Star by relying on the tools that impressed scouts in his college days. At first glance, JetHawks hitting statistics could be written off as inflated numbers in a hitters league, especially in The Hangar (the Jethawks ballpark). That’s not the case for Springer.
He takes the differences in playing at home and on the road at face value and doesn’t rely on a favorable ballpark to improve his numbers. “Every ballpark plays differently,” he said. “When you’re on the road, it’s hard because the pitchers understand their home ballpark, like we as hitters understand our home ballpark.”
Also, as Springer said, focusing on what Cal League hitters do does a disservice to the top-flight pitchers he faces on a daily basis. “It is a hitter’s league but the pitching here is extremely good,” he said. “You still have to hit the ball and do all the right things. You have to go out and battle each game.”
Springer plays each game at full tilt and he still feels there’s room for improvement. “I go out and play hard for the team and put my body on the line to make a big play or get a hit,” he said. “I just go out there and play. My instincts take over. The results happen because I go out and play hard. You can’t complicate the game any more than it is.”
No stupid joke of the week
Nothing new to report here. I’ve decided to fill this space by telling you all to support the Oakland A’s reverse boycott tonight.
Where are they now?
Springer made his MLB debut with the Houston Astros in April 2014 and showed promising power with 20 home runs in 78 games at the MLB level that year. He became a regular in the Astros lineup in 2015 and went on to win a World Series title and World Series MVP in 2017. Springer signed a six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 and is continuing his success with his new team, as a reliable power hitter and everyday starter in the outfield.
A few things I did not know about Springer, that I definitely would have written about if I’d known:
- He had a stutter as a child that he has embraced in his adult life, and he invests a lot of his time and resources into organizations like the Stuttering Association for the Young. Springer does a lot of great work in the community, both in the city where he plays baseball, like his bowling benefit in Houston, and in his home state of Connecticut. He’s a regular coach at Newtown Youth Academy, a free youth baseball clinic hosted by Matt Barnes after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012.
- Springer’s grandfather, George Sr., was a tremendous athlete who left his home in Panama to play baseball in the U.S. in 1950 at only 17 years old. The eldest George pitched four years at Teachers College of Connecticut (now known as Central Connecticut State University) before an arm injury ended his dream to play in MLB. George II played in the 1976 Little League World Series, and grandpa and dad passed their passion for athletics onto George III. The Springer family has a long history as Connecticut sports legends — now you can add another nugget of knowledge about sports family dynasties.
Springer was very kind when we spoke all those years ago, and I was always excited to see him do well. His success was one of the first times I ever felt really proud of my work. Minor league prospects can be a crapshoot. Even first round draft picks aren’t guaranteed successes (see Matt Bush, Mark Appel, or Todd Van Poppel). Baseball is a tricky sport to forecast because it’s an extremely long development pathway. It’s asking teenagers/very young adults to become superstars at increasingly faster speeds throughout the history of the game. I don’t know why Springer succeeded where others did not, but I am glad to see him doing well. Especially now that he’s on a team I can actually support.
Next week
From a prospect who made it to one who didn’t. Or at least I don’t think he made it. We’ll find out.
Previous entries in this series:
Wande Olabisi: From MiLB to MBA
Paul Goldschmidt: Good at baseball
David Chavarria: Coaching since 2001
Didi Gregorius: Good guys wear orange
Matt Davidson: Making history in two leagues
Billy Hamilton: Who tells the story
Brandon Belt: The story behind the story
