Continuing with the interviews from Media Day, now it’s time to check in with Eric Surkamp. Surkamp dominated in Double-A Richmond, going 10-4 with an ERA of 2.02 in 142.1 innings, with a K/9 of 10.4.
That led to a promotion to the San Francisco Giants, where he started out pretty well (2-0, 3.24 ERA, 16.2 innings, 1.38 WHIP in his first three starts). Then he had problems with location, walking 12 and only getting through 10 innings in his final three starts.
Now that Barry Zito is scheduled to be the teams’ fifth starter in 2012, Surkamp looks to start the upcoming season in Triple-A Fresno. I asked him about his goals at the end of the interview, which led to this exchange:
BASG: What’s your goal going into Spring Training? Obviously you want to make the team, but have they talked to you at all about potential opportunities, or is it just go and pitch your best and see what happens?
Surkamp: They haven’t really told me too much and I know there’s guys that are ahead of me and stuff like that, but my goal is to pitch well no matter where I’m at. And then if things work out, they work out. I had a lot to improve on from when I ended the season last year and I think the rest and getting stronger and everything like that will really help me out this year.
Surkamp was really easy to talk to, which led to a fun interview (my apologies for the lighting — Surkamp was easily visible in the viewfinder, but the Flip Cam is not a fan of lighting that comes from behind the subject, apparently).
Surkamp talked about off-season training, how he felt about his Major League performance, which Giants reliever he leaned on when he made the jump to the Majors, and more. I had no idea he had hip surgery before last season, so entering this season pain-free could be a benefit to the 24-year-old lefty.
