How should one feel going to spring training with the opportunity to interview players in the clubhouse? Grateful? Excited? Honored? I suppose you have to be an introvert to understand that pang of dread that instinctively follows me into the clubhouse each year, as I gear up to approach people who don’t know me and ask them to engage in a conversation as if they did.
When I introduce myself – "Hi, I’m Nico from Athletics Nation" – I can almost hear them replying, "Didn’t catch your name, don’t know where you said you’re from, but you seem to have a valid credential and I’m supposed to do interviews so yeah sure, let’s talk.