In a recent conversation with MLB.com, Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser answered a wide range of topics from his popularity with Orioles fans to the possibility of winning the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award in the American League.

MLB.com: You could become the eighth member of the Orioles to be named the American League Rookie of the Year. What would that mean to you?

Colton Cowser: That would be really cool. One of my best friends [Gunnar Henderson] won it last year. It's cool to even be considered.

MLB.com: What was it like to hear that Henderson won the award?

Cowser: Gunnar being unanimous wasn’t surprising to me at all. He had 28 home runs and an .814 OPS. He had a great year.

MLB.com: I remember during the first half of this year -- batting average-wise -- you got off to a slow start and then you really picked it up during the second half. What changed?

Cowser: Honestly, I think over the [All-Star] break, I kind of decompressed and reflected on what I had been doing. I was putting too much pressure on myself, especially coming out of the gate hot. I wanted to play well. I kind of let that outside noise get to me.

During the break, it turned into, 'I don’t care what happens.' I just want to be productive on the team. Even towards the end of the first half, I was going back to a fourth outfielder role. I was just trying to stay productive, do whatever I can. I guess the only thing I did change was go up to a 34-inch bat [from a 33 1/2] during the second half of the year.

MLB.com: How did the 34-inch bat help you?

Cowser: Sometimes with some of these off-speed pitches -- I still occasionally do -- I felt a little quick to the zone and I wanted to slow myself down a little bit because of the way I was getting attacked. I knew I could get to fastballs. I was swinging and missing a lot of off-speed pitches in the zone. I felt I wanted to put the ball in play more.

MLB.com: During the break, did you go back to Texas and talk to family members?

Cowser: We opened the second half in Texas against the Rangers. I just stayed in our team hotel. It’s a nice hotel. My brother lived about 20 minutes away and I have a couple of buddies who lived near there. I just decompressed with them. Sat by the pool a lot.

MLB.com: What did your brother say to you? It seemed like it worked.

Cowser: He didn’t say much. For me, I don’t really like to talk too much baseball off the field. It got to a point in the first half where I was talking a lot about baseball. I was not separating what I was doing on the field to when I was at home. That’s not a very good thing to be doing.

MLB.com: As you look back on your season, what’s the biggest thing you need to improve on?

Cowser: One thing I did really well in the Minor Leagues was walk a lot and stole some bases. I didn’t walk quite as much as I would have liked [in the Major Leagues]. I want to get the on-base percentage north of .350, have a better batting average and be consistent. … I want to put the ball in play more. I have the speed to make things happen -- just run hard to first and take the extra bag.

MLB.com: You have become a popular figure in Baltimore. Do you like when the fans say, “Mooo," when your name is called by the public address announcer?

Cowser: I do like it. I feel really blessed for the way the fans have embraced me. I look at the stadium toward the end of the year and see cow prints everywhere and things like that. I’m thankful for that. It puts a smile on your face. It makes it easier to be at [the ballpark] some days.

MLB.com: Do you like to be called “The Milkman?”

Cowser: It’s cool.

• 'The Pasture': Cowser's fan section to bring 'moos' to Camden Yards

MLB.com: People relate your last name to an animal. I know you were not given the nickname as a kid.

Cowser: Well, my mother is a schoolteacher. She had all kinds of cow stuff in her classroom. I always messed around and said I had two animals in my name. I have a colt and a cow.

MLB.com: When you ran into the protective screen recently trying to make a catch, you didn’t wake up the toddler who was on his father’s lap.

Cowser: He was a Tigers fan, too. He was out. I thought I was going to wake him up. I looked at him and he was still sleeping. I said, 'Look at that. He is still sleeping.' The dad was great, too.

MLB.com: You seem to have this magic with fans. What is it about you and the fans? Was it something you saw while you were growing up in Texas?

Cowser: Growing up, interacting with baseball players would make my day. As I’ve gotten older, I realize I’m in that role. Seeing some of the interactions and reactions based on what I have with fans, it just makes me feel good. It’s just good to interact with fans. That’s the reason we play.

MLB.com: From a baseball standpoint, who did you admire growing up?

Cowser: I was an Astros fan -- being from Houston. I loved the Killer B’s -- Craig Biggio, Lance Berkman and Jeff Bagwell. They played the game the right way. I was fortunate enough to meet Craig and Lance. It’s really cool. I’ve been a fan of theirs. Those were the core group of guys who were really fun to watch.

MLB.com: What would it mean to face the Astros in the playoffs?

Cowser: That would be crazy. It’s still crazy when we play them during the regular season because I grew up watching Jose Altuve. That’s when I was watching more baseball, you could say.

MLB.com: You will be involved in your first postseason. What will that mean to you?

Cowser: I learned from other players not to take the postseason for granted because you never know if you will ever be back. Making the playoffs at the Major League level is very difficult. I’m just looking forward [to playing the games].

MLB.com: If the Orioles stay healthy and get your pitching in order, I think the team can go far.

Cowser: I would love to think that. I have all the confidence in this team and I think when we are playing our brand of baseball, we are pretty hard to beat.