(female announcer)
This is a production
of WKNO - Memphis.

Production funding for "Sports
Files" is made possible in part

by..

My guest today on "Sports Files"
is Memphis Redbirds All-Star

Pitcher Michael Wacha.

♪♪♪

It has been a pretty amazing
run for Redbirds Pitcher Michael

Wacha, and the best part is,
he's just getting started.

A mere year ago the six
foot, six inch righthander was

finishing up his third and final
season at Texas A-and-M and now

finds himself a Triple-A
All-Star in his first season

with the Redbirds.

And the way Wacha has pitched,
it may be his only season at

Triple-A.

The Cardinals first round pick
in 2012 has already made his

Major League Debut and has
picked up his first big league

win.

And while Wacha would love to
still be with the parent club,

there's no question he feels
he'll be back in Saint Louis

sooner than later.

But while he's in
Memphis he's enjoying himself.

He'll head out to Reno Nevada
on Monday with fellow Redbirds

All-Star Brock Peterson, to
represent the P-C-L in the

annual Mid-Summer classic.

Today I step up to the plate and
face one of the Cardinals top

prospects, a young man who just
turned the tender age of 22.

Michael Wacha is my
guest on "Sports Files".

♪♪♪

Michael thank you so
much for being with us.

Yeah, glad to be here.

A year ago, you were
pitching for Texas A-and-M.

Low and behold now, you're a
member of the Pacific Coast

League All-Star team for he
Triple-A Allstar game in your

first year.

You already have a Major
League victory under your belt.

Did you expect the
success to come this quickly?

You know, I definitely
wasn't expecting it to come this

quickly.

I mean but you know I
just come up to the field,

you know, try and
work hard everyday.

You know and just my goal is
just to try and make it up there

as soon as I could.

You know it ended up
coming pretty quickly.

And I was very thankful for it.

Next week you'll be in Reno
representing the Redbirds along

with Brock Peterson.

How did it feel when you
found out that you were going to

represent that Redbirds and the
P-C-L in the Triple-A All-Star

game?

I mean it's an
unbelievable honor.

I mean Brock, he's
well-deserving of it as well.

I mean he's a heck of a hitter.

You know and it's fun watching
him take his at-bats up there in

Memphis.

But you know, yeah, I'm just
looking forward to go out there

to Reno.

This will be my
first time out there.

And you know, I'm looking
forward to meeting a whole new

group of guys.

And yeah, I think it'll
be a good experience.

Alright, let's take a
step backwards to last year.

And your at Texas A-and-M.

You were first round
pick of that Cardinals.

What were your emotions
like when you found that out?

Oh, it's an
unbelieveable feeling.

I was with my family down in
College Station with a couple

teamates or so.

You know whenever I
heard my name called,

I mean I wasn't
expecting it at all.

I know I was supposed to go
in the first round sometime.

But whenever the
Cardinals throw out your name,

I mean it's an
unbelievable feeling.

And yeah, I mean it
was just a lot of fun.

Being able to experience it with
my family and friends as well.

Who called you and
what did they say to you?

No body like really called me
until after they drafted me.

And then I think it was the
scouting director called and was

like, "Hey, you know, we'll
talk more about the -- like the

negotiations, contract
type of stuff but you know,

just want to say congrats on
getting drafted by the Cardinals

and I look forward to
talking to you more."

In the few times I've had a
chance to talk with you on my

radio here or on television,
you seem real easy-going.

So I wouldn't suspect
there's any pressure,

added pressure of being one
of the top propects in the

organization.

Do you feel pretty at ease?

Yeah, I mean I can see where
people could get overwhelmed by

pressure.

But you know I just try and you
know just not worry about the

pressure.

Don't worry about the hype
or the top propects list or

anything like that.

You know I just try and show
up to the field everyday to get

better.

And you know that's
the way I look at it.

Many, many moons ago
before you were born,

pitchers would be -- who were
drafted or pitchers who were

called up after a short stint in
the minors were thrust right in

to it in the middle of
the major league season.

Now it's more seasoning with
players and especially pitchers.

But here in your
first year at Triple-A,

you get the call and
you're in Saint Louis.

And you get your first
start at Busch Stadium.

What was that like?

It was an unbelievable feeling.

Yeah, I mean words can't really
describe the feeling that I was

going through.

I mean just walking
out on the field and,

you know, just warming up in the
bull pen and walking across the

field and coming to the dug
out and just throwing the first

pitch out there on the mound.

It was an unbelievable feeling.

All my family and a lot of
friends in the stadium watching.

It was just a great
feeling knowing they were there.

You know I don't think the night
could have gone any better.

You know it was
jsut a lot of fun.

And you know I can't wait to get
back up there and do it again.

Yeah, you pitched
very, very well.

You didn't get that win but you
pitched well enough to get the

victory.

Were you nervous?

I imagine
everybody has some nerves.

Were you really nervous?

There was definitely
nerves going through me.

I don't think you'd be human
if you didn't have any anxiety

going through you.

But you know I think there was
like an hour rain delay before

the game started.

And so it just
pushed it back even more.

I mean I was so
anxious getting out there.

You know just getting
ready for the game to start.

But you know once I
threw the first pitch over,

you know I just looked at
it as another ball game,

another game that
I was pitching in.

It's what I've been
doing my whole life.

So yeah, once I got
that out of the way,

the nerves went away and I was
able to settle down a little

bit.

What was the fan reaction like?

Oh, it was unbelievable.

I never pitched in front of that
many people or that passionate

of a crowd.

And you know it
was unbelievable.

You know they're the
best in the business.

It's a lot of fun playing
in front of those guys.

Were you getting a
lot of, "Hey rook,

hey rook, hey rook!",
from your teamates?

Oh yeah, definitely.

Deifnitely like the
next day and stuff.

You know they have us doing all
the stuff that they don't want

to do and stuff so.

Oh, you were getting hazed.

Is that what you're telling me?

Yeah, a little bit.

I mean just running errands.

You know bringing
all the waters out,

getting the baseballs.

And if they needed coffee
or a Red Bull or stuff.

You know it's, "Hey
Rook, Wacha, you know,

go get us one in the clubhouse."

So you know I was able to
get a little taste of that,

too.

But I mean I didn't
mind that at all.

No, you felt like
you were a part of it.

Exactly.

Part of the team!

You felt like you belonged.

You get your first win, your
first major league win at your

tender age at City Park, New
York where the All-Star game

will take place, the Major
League Baseball All-Star game.

What was that experience like?

Oh, it was crazy.

You know I gave up two in the
first and stranded bases loaded.

So I mean it was a rough first
inning for me but I was able to

come out there and battle
through the next five innings.

And you know defense just
played a heck of a game.

I mean it got me out of
some crucial jams and yeah,

it was unbelievable getting that
first one underneath the belt.

And hopefully
there's more to come.

Was it hard when you were told
you're coming back to Memphis?

I mean what were
your expectations?

I mean you know my expectations
whenever I went up there were,

you know, they were
definitely to stay.

You know that was my
mentality going up there.

I mean I wasn't going up
there with a mentality,

you know, I'm just making some
spots and I'm coming back down.

You know it was
to stay up there.

But you know I'm
back down in Memphis.

And you know I know I
got stuff to work on.

And that's what
I'm using this for.

I just come out here everyday
and try to work on that stuff

and get better and get
back up to Saint Louis.

So Michael, what area of
pitching do you think you need

to work on the most?

Mainly probably my third
pitch which is a curve ball.

You know I need to be able
to throw it more for strikes.

And you know once
I'll be able to do that,

it'll open up my game
a little bit more and,

you know, also I need to work on
the command of all my pitches.

And working down in the zone.

I mean that's
whenever I get in trouble.

It's whenever I leave
some pitches up in the zone.

That's when it really
gets some base hits.

And so if I'm able to work
down some and get some more

groundballs, I
think it'll be alright.

You have good velocity.

I don't know if they would
enable you over powering stuff.

But how would you describe your
pitching style to the average

fan out there?

I'd say more of like
the control kind of guy.

You know I don't
walk very many people.

I mean I pitch to contact.

I feel like walking guys
is just free base runners.

And that just gives them
the easy way to score.

So I try and like make them
earn their way on the bases by

pitching to contact.

So I guess that's
mainly how it is.

Are there a lot of people in
the organization whether it be

Manager Mike Matheny when you
were up with Saint Louis or of

course you have Pop
Warner down here.

And your pitching coaches
are both Triple-A and majors.

Did they talk to you a lot?

Do you get a lot of
information, direction?

Do you lean on them a lot or
do they kind of let you do your

thing and when they
have to talk to you,

they talk to you?

It's mainly like they
leave you alone quite a bit.

And you know unless they see
something that you need to work

on like if you're
tipping pitches or something.

They haven't really messed
with me mechanically-wise,

you know, since
I've been drafted.

But you know it's a lot of like
situational type stuff and what

you do in certain situations
and how to get out of jams and

stuff.

That's mainly what
the talks are about.

You're innings are
being monitered.

So you're not always going
to start that fifth day,

that fifth game.

Is that tough?

Is that taxing on
you not knowing?

Yeah, I mean it's definitely a
different experience that I've

never really experienced before.

But you know I wish I was
pitching every fifth day.

I love being out on the mound.

But I understand what they're
trying to do and limit my

innings to my first
professional season.

And so I guess they're
just looking in the long run.

But I would like to
be out there pitching.

But I guess I can see
where they're coming from.

Got your competitive juices.

Exactly, yeah.

But we saw what happened
with the nationals and with

Strasburg.

And they had to be
very careful with him.

So Texas A-and-M had
that steady start.

You knew when you were going.

What was the experience like
in college at Texas A-and-M and

then try to compare it to when
you made your first start in the

pros?

A-and-M was a lot of fun.

You know their fans remind me
a lot of the Cardinal fans.

I mean they fill up
that place every game.

Passionate.

Yeah, very passionate, you know.

They know the baseball as well.

They're smart fans.

It was a lot of fun playing in
front of those guys and playing

for the coaches.

Coach Childress and Coach
Sawyers and Coach Sealy.

And then playing
with those teamates.

Those guys are going to be my
brothers for the rest of my

life.

And you know I wouldn't have
traded those years for anything.

I was so blessed to be able to
go play at Texas A-and-M for

Coach Chidress giving me the
opportunity to go play there.

And yeah, it was a fun
three years for sure.

And you missed the move
to the S-E-C by a year.

Yeah, yeah.

I played all of my
three years in the Big 12,

yeah.

Now did you have any
crossover at all with Manzel.

When he played, you
were already gone.

But do you know Johnny?

I met him a couple times.

Yeah but I mean he's a heck of a
player out there on the field.

I wasn't able to go to a lot
of the football games this past

season.

He's a heck of a player.

I was able to go to Tuscaloosa.

Oh, did you go to the game?

Whenever we took down Alabama.

But yeah, it was unbelievable,
unbelievable off-season.

It was a lot of fun being able
to go back and watch him play.

Oh, he has the off-season.

He's out there.

He's partying.

He's with the
Hollywood stars and all that.

Alright, here you are.

Big first round pick.

Already got a major
league win under your belt.

You see yourself
being that kind of guy?

You out there on Beale Street
partying and all that or are you

just quiet and go to your back
apartment or condo where ever

you live and just
keep it even keel?

Yeah, I mean I just
keep it pretty even keel.

You know I mean Johnny, he's a
young kid just trying to have a

good time really, ya know?

He's trying to live it up and I
can see where he's coming from.

But yeah, I mean after games, I
just go back to my apartment and

hang out for a while, you
know, go grab something to eat.

Yeah.

But you've got to
have a little fun,

too.

You're a young guy
just like him -- rihgt?

I mean yeah.

I mean I have some
fun every now and then.

But I mean he's
in the off-season.

I'm sure he's not doing
that during the season.

But yeah, I mean,
he's a heck of a player.

And I mean he can have
a little fun I guess.

Well Michael, what's it
like here in Memphis?

We know there's a lot of
Cardinals fans so there's

obviously Redbirds fans playing
in this beautiful Autozone Park.

What's it been like for ya?

I mean there's a lot of
Cardinals fans that live in

Memphis.

So they come out and
they know who everyone is.

They understand who these minor
league players are that can go

up and play and fill in in
Saint Louis at any time.

So they're very
knowlegable here as well.

You know it's a lot of fun
playing in such a nice ballpark

here in Memphis and playing
in front of these fans here.

How do you stay, Michael?

How do you stay patient?

Beucase you've tasted it.

You know what
it's like up there.

The way professional
athletes are catered.

It's not too shabby a Triple-A
but it's a whole different level

as you know.

How do you stay even keel
patient knowing that your time

will come again?

Yeah, I mean it's tough
trying to keep that patience.

But you know you just
got to come to the field.

And you just got
to tell yourself,

you know, you got
stuff to work on.

You know it's tough to go up
there and stay -- stay in the

big leagues.

And so you just got to prepare
yourself down here for whenever

you do called up again, that
maybe you can stay up there the

next time.

You know I've talked to some
guys that have been called up

and sent back down.

You know what
I've got to work on.

Like I talked to Rob
Johnson all the time about it.

And he's a great guy to have on
the team who's kind of a mentor

to all of us young guys.

And yeah, so it's good
talking to him about it.

Yeah, let me ask you about the
pitcher-catcher relationship.

You know we hear an awful lot
about how important it is that

the catcher calling the
game for the pitcher.

But is it comprable to a
golfer-caddy relationship?

Is it maybe even tighter
where you really are completely

dependant on that catcher or is
it more exaggerated a little but

and maybe it's not as pivotal?

I mean I wouldn't say we're
totally like reliant on them.

But I trust in Rob and whenever
I was up in Saint Louis,

I definitely trusted in Yadi.

And what they're putting down in
that I have to have the mindset

that this is the right pitch.

But I absolutely trust this guy
because I mean if I go up there,

I'm like, "Ah, I don't really
feel like throwing this pitch

that he just put down."

And that balls going to get hit.

You know I'm not
throwing it wtih conviction.

And so you know you got
to have complete trust.

And we talk all the time, going
over scout reports on these

guys.

And yeah, so the main thing
is just having trust in them.

I mean it's a really close
relationship for sure though.

Do they get upset if
you shake them off?

No, not at all.

I mean they're putting down
what they think is right.

But I mean there can be two
pitches that could work in any

count.

Sure.

Really so.

Yeah they don't really get upset
unless they get a home run after

you.

Then they see you
going like this.

You shouldn't have shook me off!

Yeah, you're right.

Do you see in Triple-A, do
you look at a lot of tape on

opponents and when you're up
in Saint Louis for that stint.

Did you look at tape of the
opponents you were about to

face?

Not a lot down here in Memphis
but definitely when I was in

Saint Louis.

They have a video
room where those guys.

I mean it's an
unbelievable set-up up there.

They just give you a line-up,
the line-up for that day.

And you go on the
computer, it's already on there.

They have clips from probably
about a hundred at-bats of every

single batter on the line up.

Wow!

Yeah, so you can see like
whatever they're doing.

It's pretty unbelievable.

Can you overthink though?

Watch too much?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Definitely.

You can definitely overthink.

I mean I didn't pay attention.

Like I didn't watch
all hundred clips.

I watched a few of each guy.

See what their
swings kind of look like.

I mean this is probably my first
time facing all those hitters.

But I mean I just had to
really trust in Yadi because,

I mean, he had seen
all of those guys.

And he knew what kind of
sequences he wanted to go with

those guys.

So..

Did you get the baseball by the
way from your first big league

hit?

Yep, I got the
first big league hit.

I got the first win and
the first strike out.

You got all of them?

All the balls?

I was going to say
all the golf balls.

All the baseballs.

And where they at?

I gave them to my dad
just the other day.

So they're back in the house.

Better believe they're proud!

oh yeah.

Your familys proud.

Alright, five
years from now, 2018,

what are we saying
about Michael Wacha?

Oh man!

Hopefully I've been in the big
leagues for a little while and

you know just that I'm a
competitor out there on the

mound.

You know he's going to go out
there and you know give it his

all and give this team
the best chance to win.

And you know hopefully
that's what they're saying.

We are literally on hot seats
but you are off the hot seat.

But we're not done with the
interview yet because I like to

end all my interviews with
something called 'Five for the

Road'.

So the fans out there, our
viewers can learn a little bit

more about my guest.

So quick answers
to these questions.

Number one -- What is your
favorite professional team in

any sport?

You can't say the
Saint Louis Cardinals.

Green bay Packers.

The Packers?

Yep.

You're a Texas guy!

I know.

You're shunning your Cowboys?

Never!

Never a Cowboys fan!

Family grew up in the Mid-West
and they were all Packers fans

growing up.

So I kind of all the children
now are all Packer fans.

Wow, Packers!

Okay, your favorite professional
athlete of all time?

Uh, all time?

I'd say Aaron Rogers.

Aaron Rogers?

Yeah, I like
watching him play, yeah.

How about if it was
a baseball player,

who would it be?

Derek Jeter.

Favorite music, musician, band?

What do you like to listen to?

Ah, I like some country music.

A little Randy Rogers Band.

Okay.

Are they more local?

It's a little Texas-country.

Yeah, yeah.

Um, favorite movie of all time?

"Field of Dreams."

Do ya cry?

I have before, I have before.

Yeah.

Dad, do you want
to have a catch?

Had a little tear
coming out maybe.

Oh my gosh!

I'll admit it.

Everytime I watch it,
you know it's coming,

too.

Exactly.

Finally favorite
television series?

Television series?

"Breaking Bad".

Is it got one more season
or a few more episodes left?

I think the season five
-- half of it's played.

And I think the other
half is coming out.

But I've only seent he first
four because it was on Netflix.

We only have 30 seconds left but
what do you guys do out in the

bull pen when
you're sitting around?

You don't have to start
for a couple of days.

What do you guys do?

Well I actually sit in the..

Are you in the dug out?

I'm in the dug out.

All the starters, if
they're not pitching that day.

None of the
starters go out there.

No, it's all the bull pen.

So who knows what
they do out there.

You know some of the starters
are charting in the stands doing

rader gun or they're
hanging out in the dug out.

But who knows with
those crazy bull pen guys?

The relievers are
doing out there.

Yeah, they'e a
different breed for sure.

Well Michael, thank you
so much for being with us.

We appreciate it.

Continue success.

We'll take a break.

'Overtime' is coming up next.

♪♪♪

(male announcer)
Three..

Two..

One..

[buzzer sounds]

One of the
fastest growing sports in the

United States is
mixed martial arts.

And it's a sport we have
profiled on "Sports Files".

I'll be honest with you, M-M-A
is not for everyone because it

often can be violent, but
violent in a controlled

atmosphere where safety
precautions are taken very

seriously.

Now recently we sent
Photographer Clifford Thomas to

a night of V-3 fights at
Minglewood Hall in Memphis,

and with the work of
editor Nolan Smith,

we wanted to show you what
it's like for an M-M-A fighter.

In this case, it's
Arkansas native Tripp Carter.

A very popular fighter.

But on this night it
would be Carter's opponent,

Matt Robinson, who
would steal the show.

♪♪♪

(applause and cheering)

We present the official tap
of two miunutes.

42 seconds in round number one.

Due to verbal tap out,
declaring your winner,

Matt Robinson!

(applause and cheering)

Tought night for Tripp but

unquestionably he will
live to fight another day!

And that will do it
for this week's show.

Next week I'll be joined by
college football hall of fame

coach Gene Stallings.

And remember you can see any of
pur previous shows by going to

WKNO-dot-org and
clicking on KNO Tonite.

Have a great week, and
we'll see you next time!

♪♪♪