Bailey Ober does it big. Six-foot-nine of arms, fastballs and a family with four kids for the 29-year old pitcher - oh, and cooking?
As the Minnesota Twins get ready to start the Grapefruit League schedule on Saturday, WCCO's Jason DeRusha catches up with Ober, who's coming off his fourth big league season in the Twins rotation. He's a key part of the Twins staff anchored by Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Ober. If that group stays healthy, it should be a very formidable top three of the rotation.
Here's DeRusha's conversation with the Twins' big righty.
Bailey, you got the ball in the hand already, right? You're ready to go?
Oh yeah. I've been down here for a little while now, so it feels good to have the entire squad here and get everything rolling.
When you're here before the official start, what are you doing?
It's kind of the same schedule, to be honest with you. All the pitchers are primarily down here a little bit early, just so we can get acclimated to the weather and being outside every day. But yeah, just going through our routine and kind of staying on the same schedule. The only thing that's a little bit different is that we'll be adding in team defense and kind of those types of things in all the meetings.
You're you're on the schedule today to throw. What is that different when you get that first time out there, there's some people in the stands? Or is it just still the same for you?
It's kind of the same just because it's been here, done it a little bit now, and just kind of going out there and get my work in and trying to get better and try to work on some stuff while I'm out there.
Staying healthy is key, right? How is the offseason? What kind of things have you been doing to make sure you're ready to go?
Yeah, I've been feeling good, just kind of mixing in different types of aerobic exercises, trying to build capacity up that way. And also in the weight room, just doing a little bit of different exercises to try to build capacity so you can last the whole season, 162 games and be able to pitch and be fresh in October.
The offseason, do you get to have some fun and eat like a normal human, or are you still on an athlete eating plan year round?
You get a little bit of a break. So I feel like I like to cook, so when I'm home I get to make kind of whatever I'm feeling like and most of the time it's good. I'm not making too much unhealthy stuff.
What's your favorite thing to cook?
Oh, it's a tough question. I made a really good salmon dish last night. It's like a garlic butter cream sauce with spinach over some salmon. It's really good. Some penne alla vodka, really good.
Do you cook for family or who do you cook for? Are they down here?
Not yet, but I cooked for Randy (Dobnak) and his wife last night, but my family will be here in a couple of days.
That's cool to have them down here, right? Because during the season you don't get to see them as much.
Yeah, exactly. They'll be up with me during the season, but like you said, we're traveling a lot and half the time, I'm at the field.
Tell everybody about your family. You have how many kids?
I have four kids. A 5-year old, 4-year old, and twins that are 2.
So this is like vacation for you?
A little bit, yeah, just getting in a work vacation.
There's a lot of cooks on this pitching staff. It's kind of interesting?
I think I'm the best.
I wasn't gonna say anything, but Simeon Woods Richardson thinks he's a pretty good cook.
Yeah, I don't know. I haven't had anything, so we'll have to try some of that.
If you weren't playing baseball, what would you do?
That's a good question. Probably something on the business side of the world. Maybe try to work my way up in front office in any sport or maybe try to run my own type of business.
What's your other sport to watch or to geek out about?
Probably football and golf.
The Twins open Grapefruit League play in Fort Myers Saturday, February 22 against the Atlanta Braves at 12:00 p.m. Sunday, they play again at noon at the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. You can hear the games live on 830 WCCO and on the Audacy App.