Q & A with Clint Robinson

Clint Robinson has done about everything a guy can do in the minor leagues.

The 2007, 25th round draft pick has played on two championship teams (with the 2008 Burlington Bees and the 2010 NW Arkansas Naturals) and is currently one win away from another one with the Omaha Storm Chasers.

The 26-year-old designated hitter/first baseman was the Idaho Falls Play of the Year in 2007 and he won the Triple Crown (.335 / 29 HR / 98 RBIs) for the Naturals in 2010. He had another great season for Omaha in 2011 (23 HR and 100 RBIs), earning the right to represent Omaha at the PCL All-Star game this summer and he was named to the All-PCL team.

Unfortunately for him, he’s stuck behind Billy Butler and Eric Hosmer at the big league level and it doesn’t look like he’s going to get his shot with the Royals. All year long he has told media that until he gets to the big leagues, he feels like he has something to prove. On Monday, before the Chasers worked out at Werner Park for the PCL Championship Series, he spoke with Omaha Baseball 360 about his season and the position he finds himself in.

Sean O'Sullivan's Michael Jackson impersonation

Since shooting the video of Mark Nasser dancing in celebration with the Storm Chasers after they won the American Conference Championship on Saturday, several people have asked me if I shot video of Sean O'Sullivan doing his Michael Jackson impersonation that took place just moments before. Sadly, I did not. But thankfully, the Storm Chasers did and they just uploaded the video to YouTube. So, here's what inspired Nasser's dance:

Omaha wins Game 1 of the PCL Championship Series

Luis Mendoza picked up his second win of the postseason
(File photo: Minda Haas / Royal Blues)

Omaha, Neb. – The Omaha Storm Chasers continue to win in the most unlikely of ways.

On Tuesday night, during Game 1 of the PCL Championship Series, David Lough ripped a ball down the right field line, but stumbled and fell on his way to second base in the seventh inning. He scrambled back to first in time and was followed by Lorenzo Cain, who hit a blooper into right field that Grant Greene was unable to corral and Lough was able to score what turned out to be the winning run all the way from first base.

The 3-2 win for the Chasers gives them a 1-0 lead over the Sacramento River Cats in the best of five, PCL Championship Series. And the 4,203 fans who were in attendance couldn’t have been happier. As has been the case throughout the playoffs, fans gave players standing ovations and were engaged with every pitch. Rob White, from the Omaha World Herald, wrote a blog post about this. Check it out if you get a chance.

Mark Nasser celebrates with the Storm Chasers

Omaha Storm Chasers' radio broadcaster Mark Nasser celebrates with the team after they clinched the PCL American Conference Championship on September 10, 2011. Nasser was having a little fun, as if he were in a dance off against pitcher Sean O'Sullivan, who did a Michael Jackson dance impersonation earlier.

Jeff Suppan's reaction at the 27 second mark is priceless.

Omaha wins the PCL American Conference Championship

The Storm Chasers pose for a celebratory picture
(Photo: Lee Warren)

Omaha, Neb. – Kila Ka’aihue’s two-run walkoff home run in the bottom of the tenth inning Saturday gave the Omaha Storm Chasers the Pacific Coast League American Conference Championship and while it wasn’t the shot heard around the world, if you were anywhere near Werner Park, you certainly heard the celebration.

Ka’iahue’s blast off Round Rock reliever Tanner Scheppers hit the right field foul pole, giving the Chasers a 4-2 win and a place in the PCL Championship Series, set to begin at Werner Park on Tuesday night.

“He’s got a good fastball,” Ka’aihue said after the game. “That’s all I was looking for. I was fortunate enough – I saw it the at bat before and I had a better swing this time ... If he’s going to get beat, I’m sure he can live with getting beat with his best pitch. And if he beats me with another pitch, he beats me with another pitch. He’s bringing his best pitch – this time I got him, the last time he got me.”

Mark Nasser talks about Mendoza's no-hitter

Omaha Storm Chasers radio broadcaster Mark Nasser made some time for Omaha Baseball 360 this morning to talk about Luis Mendoza's no-hitter, turned one-hitter, turned no-hitter last night in Memphis. He spoke about why Mendoza has been so effective this season, the controversial play that nearly cost Mendoza the no-hitter and Nasser offered his opinion of the play. Just click the play button below to listen to the interview.

UPDATE from the Storm Chasers on July 19 @ 4:02 pm: The Memphis coaching staff, led by manager Chris Maloney – who, incidentally, was ejected during the 5th inning last night – is protesting the scoring decision and has filed a formal appeal to the Pacific Coast League office. A final decision could be made within the next 24-48 hours.

UPDATE from the PCL on July 20 @ 5:13 pm: The PCL has overturned Medoza's no-hitter. It will go down in the record books as a one-hitter. See the PCL's complete response here.

Gene Watson talks about the scouting process

Gene Watson, coordinator – professional scouting for the Kansas City Royals, was Mark Nasser’s pre-game show guest tonight. They had an interesting exchange about the process a scout goes through in evaluating talent.

Talk about evaluating players. I’m always fascinated by this for scouts because you might be in one place one day where a guy might either have a great game or a lousy game and you have to make evaluations based on just one game. That’s almost an impossible task.

You’ve really got to start with track record, statistical performance, what their draft status is, and then you begin to dig on the make up with your area scouts, finding out what kind of kids they were in high school, any people you might know in the other organization and really, you try to piece it all together and put it into one big melting pot and ultimately make your decision on the player.

Dayton Moore, the general manager, may call you at any second and say, “Geno, Player A. Yes or No?” That’s a lot of pressure.

That’s really the funnest part of the job and what you really have to do is, once you see a player, like a player, you’ve got to stay on track with him. How’s he doing? What’s his last month been? Six months? Year? Is he healthy? Is he taking care of his business off the field? What kind of teammate is he? That’s really, really the fun part of the job. I’ve learned the hard way sometimes, you better have an answer right away and you better be convicted of that answer.

Mike Jirschele wins his 1,000th career game as a manager

Photo: Andrea Stava / Omaha Storm Chasers

He had to wait for a while to get it, but Mike Jirschele won his 1000th game as a professional manager Monday night when the Omaha Storm Chasers defeated the Tucson Padres 2-1, thanks in part to a strong pitching effort from starter Kevin Pucetas (1 ER in 7.0 IP) and an outstanding effort from reliever Mario Santiago (0 ER in 2.0 IP).

Jirschele sounded more relieved than happy after the game.

“I’m just happy it’s over because we’ve been waiting for a while for this one,” Jirschele said. “I just wanted to get it out of the way. In fact, I didn’t even know I was that close to a thousand until we were on that last road trip and Mark Nasser, the radio guy, said, ‘Do you know what win that was? 999.’ I had no idea.

“You know, to me that doesn’t mean anything. Yeah, you won a thousand games, but I don’t win the games anyway. Those guys out there playing are the ones that win the games.”

Jesse Chavez trying to work his way back to the big leagues

(Photo: Omaha Storm Chasers)

Jesse Chavez has been one of the solid components of the Omaha Storm Chasers bullpen this season. He hasn’t allowed any runs so far in 5.1 innings of work.

The 27-year-old righty hasn’t been in the minor leagues since he pitched for Indianapolis in 2008. Since then he’s seen time at the major league level for Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Kansas City where he’s posted a 6-10 record with a 5.09 ERA in 139 relief appearances.

He found out toward the end of Spring Training that he didn’t make the big league club, so he would be starting the season in Omaha.

“It’s tough,” said Chavez on the Omaha Storm Chasers pre-game show a couple of nights ago with Mark Nasser. “Nobody wants to get sent down when they’ve been in the big leagues for an extended period of time.

Clint Robinson feels like he has something to prove

When you are selected in the 25th round, you tend to feel like you have something to prove. Clint Robinson, the designated hitter/first baseman for the Omaha Storm Chasers who is off to a quick start this season, certainly does.

“When you don’t get drafted out of high school, and you don’t get drafted as a junior out of college and when you’re a 22-year-old senior that’s going to have to be a prove yourself draft pick,” Robinson said to Mark Nasser during the Omaha Storm Chasers' pre-game show last night. “You have to go every year and prove that I belong here.

“You look around and there’s not too many guys like me – low round picks, you’ve got no money. And up in Double-A and Triple-A – those are usually thinned out by now. Obviously the Royals have seen something and I’m going to keep doing what I do and keep proving whatever doubters I have wrong.”

Pucetas settling in with his new team

Kevin Pucetas in action for Fresno last season
(Photo courtesy of: Dave Nelson)

Kevin Pucetas picked up his first win of the season last night in Albuquerque. The 26-year-old came over to the Kansas City organization last season as the player to be named in the Jose Guillen trade to the Giants. Pucetas spent the entire 2010 season in Fresno where he was 5-7 with a 5.69 ERA in 26 starts.

Pucetas came in from the bullpen last night because the Storm Chasers have too many starters right now and they are piggybacking a few of them.

Storm Chaser broadcaster Mark Nasser interviewed Pucetas before the game this afternoon in Albuquerque. Given that Pucetas had 116 starts in his career, Nasser asked him what it was like to come in from the bullpen rather than start.

“I just treated it like a start,” Pucetas said to Nasser. “I just wanted to try to control my effort level a little bit – just go out there, keep the game close and give us a chance.”

Storm Chasers' roster coming together

Mike Moustakas in action last season
(Photo: Omaha Storm Chasers)

Mark Nasser hosted the annual Omaha Storm Chasers’ Preview Show yesterday on KOIL-1180 AM. He spoke with Dayton Moore, Mike Jirschele, Martie Cordaro, Alex Gordon, Tim Collins and J.J. Picollo about the upcoming season and the minor league farm system.

The Royals announced that several players were assigned to minor league camp, including pitchers Louis Coleman, Luis Mendoza and Zack Miner; and infielders Lance Zawadzki and Irving Falu. All but Miner will probably begin the season with Omaha. Miner is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Right-handed pitcher Vin Mazzaro, who is expected to be the number five starter for Kansas City, was optioned to Omaha because the Royals won’t need a fifth starter until April 16.

Q & A with radio broadcaster Brett Pollock

(Photo: Dave Schofield/Lakewood Blueclaws)

The Omaha Storm Chasers and NRG Media announced recently that they extended their broadcast agreement, which means KOIL-AM 1180 will broadcast all 144 games this season. KMMQ-AM 1020 will air all 24 Friday and Sunday home games in Spanish.

Mark Nasser, the Storm Chasers director of broadcasting, also announced recently that Brett Pollock will join him in the radio broadcast booth for all 72 home games this season. Pollock has broadcast games in the past for the El Paso Diablos (1998-2003), Lakewood BlueClaws (2004) and Huntsville Stars (2005-09). He took last year off.

Before last season started, Nasser and his former broadcast partner Kevin McNabb, graciously agreed to a Q & A interview as part of a “getting to know you” series for OmahaBaseball360. Yesterday Pollock was just as gracious with his time. Hope you enjoy the interview.

Q & A with radio broadcaster Mark Nasser

(Photo: Omaha Royals)

Continuing our “Getting to Know You” series with Omaha Royals’ radio broadcasters Kevin McNabb and Mark Nasser ... we turn our attention to Nasser. (Here's a link if you missed the Q & A with McNabb.)

In addition to being a radio broadcaster with the Omaha Royals since 2001, Nasser is also the director of broadcasting for the team. Before he joined the Royals he called games for the Wilmington (DE) Blue Rocks (Class A), the Portland (ME) Sea Dogs (Double-A) and the Burlington (NC) Indians (Rookie).

“Baseball America” has named you as one of the top ten broadcasters in Minor League baseball. That’s quite an honor. Talk about what went through your mind when you first heard the news.

I thought it was a joke! Who ranks minor league broadcasting prospects? Coupled with the date, April Fool’s Day 2000, it all sounded unbelievable to me. When I found out that the prospect list was legitimate, like anyone in any job, it was flattering to be recognized for what I do.

What is your favorite moment in the broadcast booth since you’ve been with Omaha (can be funny, serious, dramatic, anything that comes to mind)?

My favorite moment was the first time calling play-by-play of a major league game. The Kansas City Royals has been gracious enough to invite me down to call about ten games since I’ve been in Omaha. Knowing how difficult it is to get a big-league play-by-play job, being able to say that I’ve called big league games, with Hall-of-Famer Denny Matthews and Ryan Lefebvre, no less, is an especially gratifying accomplishment.

If it’s strictly related to when I’ve broadcast for the Omaha Royals … Favorites are always tough because you feel bad leaving things out. Kerry Robinson having to leave the game before it started for laughing too hard and Calvin Pickering hitting ten home runs in nineteen at-bats – those were pretty memorable. But from a personal standpoint, Bob Costas unexpectedly joining me in the booth last year while I was in Des Moines, Iowa was my favorite. Costas was in Omaha for the U.S. Olympic swim trials, and he drove over to Des Moines with his son to catch a game. He heard that I went to his alma mater, Syracuse University, and popped in my booth for an inning. Calling a game with him – a person whose work I admired growing up, was a thrill.

Do you have a “most embarrassing moment” in the booth?

My first road broadcast ever in Bluefield, WV in the Appalachian League, I was calling games for the Burlington (NC) Indians. And like many a minor league broadcasters, I described a fly ball to deep left field as a home run – only that it wasn’t. (In fact, the left-fielder played the ricochet off the wall and threw the guy out at second.) It’s happened to just about every broadcaster, so much so, it’s a cliché embarrassing moment. But in the tiny confines of Bluefield press box, the PA announcer, Bud Gallimore, decides that I’m not embarrassed enough with my butchered call. He gets on the public address and tells everyone at the stadium about my call! Thanks Bud.

How much time do you spend preparing to call a game?

It’s an all-day thing. I wake up and spend a couple of hours scouring all the baseball news from the previous night. Then when I go the ballpark in the afternoon, it’s another few hours preparing, talking to players/coaches, and after the game visiting with the coaching staff to review the game. The best part about it, however, is that it doesn’t feel like work because I enjoy it so much.

What do you enjoy most about calling a game?

I enjoy being the fan’s connection to the game.

Name something about your job that the average fan might not know about or expect.

The number one question I get about my job is, “What do I do during the offseason?” I still work for the Royals doing a little bit of everything – marketing, community relations, etc. That surprises most people.

What will you miss most about calling games at Rosenblatt after this season?

There’s no trademark feature that I think I will miss. I think it will be the intangibles of knowing that Rosenblatt has been the home to hall-of-fame players, like Bob Gibson and George Brett, and the site of so many incredible games and moments. That cannot be replaced.

What do you like to do when you aren’t calling games?

All the things I don’t get to do during the season – spend time with family & friends, home-cooked meals and cook outs, reading about other things besides baseball and going to sporting events as a fan.

What are you favorite movies? Books? Bands?

Some of my favorite movies are “The Godfather,” “Pulp Fiction” and “Silence of the Lambs.” For books, “The Catcher in the Rye,” “The Great Gatsby” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” For music, I’m all over the map – a little bit of Rock (U2, Tom Petty), a little bit of R & B (Michael Jackson, Prince) and a little bit of soul (Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder.)

*****

Many thanks to Mark Nasser for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you haven’t listened to a Royals’ broadcast for a while, games can be heard on KOIL-1180 AM and they are also streamed live at oroyals.com. Opening Day is April 8 at 7:05 pm.