A's rookie Mark Canha used two of the Bull Durham cliches in his first post-game interview
A's rookie uses Bull Durham cliches in interview
Being an MLB rookie isn't always easy. They've got to adjust to life in the Majors, carry equipment, wear ridiculous outfits and pick up dinner checks for the veterans, all while learning to hit a big-league cutter. So, sometimes rookies aren't quite comfortable enough yet to give an in-depth post-game interview ... that's where Bull Durham comes in.
In the classic 1988 baseball film, Kevin Costner plays Minor League catcher Crash Davis. While on the team bus en route to an away game, Davis schools newbie "Nuke" LaLoosh on how to speak during interviews.
Davis advises LaLoosh to memorize three vital phrases:
- "We gotta play 'em one day at a time."
- "I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ball club."
- "I just wanna give it my best shot and, the good Lord willing, things will work out."
After making his MLB debut on Wednesday night, Athletics rookie Mark Canha employed this tactic almost word-for-word.
MLB.com's Jane Lee caught up with Canha before his second career start on Thursday and managed to get an answer that wasn't out of Crash Davis' handbook.
His teammates are gonna love him. (Going 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs probably won't hurt either.)