I suppose I should wait until Thursday to do this, but…. I’m not going to.
This is a reprint of an interview I did with Clint Robinson (Harrisonburg 2005-06) back in May of 2007, when Clint was a senior at Troy, awaiting the draft to see if he might be chosen to play pro ball. Seven years later, he’s a pinch hitter off the bench for the Los Angeles Dodgers!
Q & A With Clint Robinson
A senior at Troy, Clint Robinson (Harrisonburg 2005, 2006) has been slowly gaining the attention of scouts and baseball writers this year.
Robinson, a big man at 6-4, 225, has always been a strong hitter with power. In 2004, as a freshman at Troy, he hit 322/395/462 in 143 at-bats. He hit 9 doubles, 3 home runs, and had a 14/20 BB/K ratio.
As a sophomore in 2005, he hit 292/361/487 in 226 at-bats. He hit 11 doubles, 9 home runs, and had a 17/34 BB/K ratio. He joined the Harrisonburg Turks in the summer of 2005, and hit a whopping 349/369/571 in 63 at-bats. His summer was cut short because of an injury. He hit 11 doubles and a home run, and had a 2/9 BB/K ratio.
As a junior at Troy, Robinson again fought the injury bug, but still hit 343/398/550 in 169 at-bats. He hit 9 doubles, 8 home runs, and a 9/28 BB/K ratio. He rejoined the Turks that summer, and hit 254/352/440 in 134 at-bats. He hit 7 doubles, 6 home runs, and had a 19/23 BB/K ratio (much closer to 1/1). He was named the Valley League’s #10 Prospect by Baseball America.
As a senior this year, Clint is hitting 364/454/684 in 206 at-bats (through May 13). He has 16 doubles, 16 home runs, and a 28/29 BB/K ratio. He has set team career records for most games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits, total bases, and hit-by-pitches. He is, obviously, leaving quite a legacy at Troy University. To top it off, Baseball America has mentioned Clint as someone whose draft stock is rising with his senior performance.
Clint was very gracious in answering a few questions via email about a week ago. He is working hard at his craft of hitting, and looking forward a bit to the future. Here are the questions and answers:
Q: Baseball America has named you one of the top first basemen in college. In their writeup, they say that you are “becoming a better hitter.” What have you been doing differently at the plate this season to warrant such a comment?
A: This season all that I have really done is become a more patient hitter. In the past, I was a more aggressive, swing-at-anything 
near the strike zone hitter, and that was causing me to throw away at-bats and get myself out. Now, I am up at the plate waiting for a pitch to drive, and if I don’t get it, I will take the walks.
Q: How did you come to realize that you were “throwing at-bats away?” Did a coach help you, or did you just have an epiphany?
A: You know it was little bit of both my coaches saying something and me kind of coaching myself. You know last summer in the Valley, after my junior year at Troy, I set a goal to go 1/1 K/BB ratio just so I could see more pitches and get something to drive and it has paid off ever since. The K/BB ratio was just a tool to see if I was seeing pitches.
Q: We’re about a month from the draft. Was it a surprise to go undrafted last year? What do you know about the process this year? (i.e. Have you spoken with any scouts, been invited to any workouts?)
A: It was not a surprise that I went undrafted. I missed about 20 games in the middle of the season with a pulled hamstring and when I got back in the lineup all I did was DH and I didn’t really put up draft-worthy numbers. This year, I have gotten some attention from scouts and invited to some workouts, but as far as knowing where my draft status stands as of now, I am still unsure. I will just have to wait and see what happens in June.
Q: How does it feel when publications like Baseball America notice your accomplishments?
A: It feels good to know that the people at places like Baseball America recognize what I have done. I’ve worked hard this past year, and to know that it is being recognized is a very good feeling.
Q: Who are the toughest pitchers you’ve faced- both in college and the Valley League? Why were they tough?
A: Some of the toughest pitchers I have faced have come from right inside the Sun Belt [Conference]. ULL [Louisiana Lafayette] pitchersHunter Moody and Danny Farquhar were tough because of their good deception. Another is our closer at Troy, Josh Dew (Harrisonburg 2006). I’ve faced him in our intersquad games and he is so deceptive that it is hard to hit for even a left-handed batter let alone a right-handed batter. After playing so many games in the Valley it is hard to remember the toughest guys because you never really know who you are going to face that day and you hardly ever get their names, but I have faced some tough pitchers in the Valley, their names just escape me.
Q: What were some of you personal and team goals for the season? Are you meeting them?
A: My personal goals for this year were to win another conference championship at Troy and go as far into postseason as we could, then my goal was to move into pro baseball. Right now we are working on the first goal, and the second is out of my hands, so I will have to wait and see what happens. All I am going to do is go out and try to play the best I can and hopefully finish up strong at the end of the season.
Q: Why did you choose Troy out of high school? Did you have a chance to go to any other schools? What have you appreciated the most about playing at Troy?
A: I chose Troy out of high school because I had a few teammates from past years that were playing or going to play there, and I knew that I could come in right away and play as a freshman. There were other schools that were interested but I signed with Troy the first day that seniors could sign during the early signing period, so I never really entertained any other schools. I appreciate the fact that I have gotten four solid years of college baseball without having to sit out or red-shirt to wait for playing time.
Q: How did you get connected to Bob Wease and Harrisonburg in the Valley League?
A: I got connected to Bob Wease though one of my coaches at Troy, Mark Smartt, a former coach in the Valley. He used to coach with Bob years ago.
Q: What were, in your opinion, the best and worst stadiums in the VBL?
A: In my opinion, Harrisonburg has the best facilities. We actually had a stadium with locker rooms and a clubhouse. Bob does a great job with those facilities. The worst field we played at was probably Front Royal, but that is a little unfair because I know they were building a new stadium and the field they were playing on was just temporary. Their new stadium for this summer is probably going to be real nice. (Ed. note: the early word on Front Royal’s new stadium is “fantastic.”)
Q: How did the Valley League benefit you as a player? What did you learn, and get better at?
A: The Valley gave me a little taste of what minor league players go through. Living in a place you’ve never been to, playing every day, being responsible for yourself in every way.
Q: One more: Do you have a favorite major league team? (If you could choose who drafts you in June, which team would you choose?)
A: I am a pretty big Atlanta Braves fan. But when it comes to having a preference on who I would like to get drafted by, it does not matter to me. Professional baseball is professional baseball no matter who I might play for. It makes no difference.
Thank you, Clint, and good luck the rest of this season, postseason, and in professional ball!
All Things Valley League 