Dayton Daily News Q&A with Adam Rosales

Q&A with Adam Rosales

Dragons player Adam Rosales has been on fire lately, capped off by his recent ESPN Radio Player of the Month award for July. Dragons Lore caught up with the "hard-running" shortstop to talk about his work ethic, his home run trot, and a taboo topic: his superstitions.

Dragons Lore: You have the reputation of being a workhorse. Walk me through your daily regimen to help you prepare for a game.

Adam Rosales: I go through the same routine every day. I get up at the same time, come in to the stadium at the same time-I don't like to change anything. When I'm at the stadium, I really focus on taking care of my body: I'll go through a series of stretches, take a hot water soak, and then go through a mental process to ease my mind and to remain focused.

DL: You only have about a month left in the season. What do you still hope to accomplish before the end of the year?

AR: The first goal, obviously, is to make the playoffs. We are in the thick of a playoff race, and we're giving it all we've got to win. I want to give these fans something to cheer about. They're always so supportive, and we want to be able to give back by winning.A personal goal for me is to remain focused. I've had a rough year, getting hurt while playing at high-A Sarasota and then being sent back down. When you struggle after an injury, it's a mental challenge. That's why we're here, though; we need to learn to deal with these struggles before we move up.

DL: But you've been playing so well. I'm a little surprised when you say you're struggling; you're one of the Reds top prospects.

AR: You know, I didn't even realize how highly I was thought of outside the Reds organization until a few days ago, when a teammate said he heard someone talk about me on a Cincinnati radio station. The phrase "top prospect" means nothing to me-the way I see it, I've been given a tremendous opportunity to play professional baseball, and it's my duty to prove myself every day. If I win a World Series some day, then you can call me a top prospect; otherwise, I'm just a player trying to make it like everyone else.

DL: Getting away from baseball for a moment: I noticed your parents were at the game the other night. Do they come to a lot of your games?

AR: Despite their busy schedules, they try to make as many games as they can. My whole family is very supportive of me; my siblings try to fly all the way from Utah to Dayton a couple times a year. My family is the key to my life, and with their support, I always want to play my best.

DL: It's time to reveal the truth: whenever you hit a home run, you never trot around the bases. It's always a run-for-your-life sprint to home plate. Why do you do that?

AR: It all starts back to when I was 12, when I hit my first little league home run. I did a trot, and I hated it-it was so boring. Now, I'm from the Chicago area and I'm a huge Cubs fan. One day I saw Cubs outfielder Brant Brown sprint around the bases after a home run. I idolized all Cubs players, so I decided I wanted to be just like him.

I know it sounds a little weird, but running is the only way I do things-whether it's on a ground-out or when I get introduced at the beginning of the game. Fast is the only speed I know. I feel like a little kid every time I'm out there, and it's hard to control my energy and passion for the game.

DL: I hear you're a very superstitious guy. What kinds of things do you do?

AR: I must admit, I do have quite a few superstitions. I never touch the foul lines when I run to and from my position. I wear the same baseball socks the entire year. If I had a good game one night, I wear the exact same shorts the following night. I always drink from the water cooler closest to my bat.

Actually, just talking about my superstitions is a superstition, so I'd rather not go on.

DL: I understand. Is this normal in the clubhouse? Do you have the most superstitions out of anyone on the team?

AR: I don't know. We can't talk about it.

It's superstitious.

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