MLB Network’s Play Ball show is typically aimed more at kids, but Diamondbacks fans who are a little older might be interested in tuning in tomorrow, as Jake Lamb will be the featured player. He discusses growing up in Seattle, where - like just about every kid in the Pacific Northwest - his hero was the man patrolling center-field for the local Mariners: “I’m a righty thrower, but it was ‘Do everything like Griffey.’ Everyone used a Griffey stance. My dad would put me at shortstop - I’d want to play center. That was the guy to watch and my favorite player.”
Given the choice, shortstop and center would be the positions apart from the hot corner that he’d want to play. But Jake does appreciate that’s probably not going to happen. “Most likely, they’ll probably just tell me to move to first base. I’m not too athletic anymore!” His return to Safeco with the Diamondbacks in 2015 (as shown in the picture, top) remains his favorite memory in the big leagues to this point: “It was just crazy, growing up, going to that field, and now I had all my friends, family [there]. All my friends from Blanchet High School, University of Washington came out, so that was definitely the coolest thing.”
Above is a fun clip of Lamb car-pooling to Chase Field with fellow Diamondbacks Archie Bradley, and riffing on their team-mates - C.O., in particular, comes in for his share of ribbing. Though Lamb does admit that his favorite celebration is “Pretty much any handshake celebration with Chris Owings. He does the dab and all that stuff. He has all the moves, so anything involving him is probably the best I’ve seen.” Jake also discusses his approach at the plate (sporting a fetching Archie Bradley T-shirt, I note!), and how everything starts with having a good feel for hitting the fastball, and being on time with that.
The shows will air tomorrow on the MLB Network. It starts at at 7:00 a.m, Arizona time - so either set your DVRs (that’s a bit too early for me on a Saturday!) or watch it when it re-airs at 1:30 p.m.