Get to know: Steve Green, pitcher

5/7/2006

  • 2006: Began the season 0-1 with a 1.08 ERA, allowing just six hits and one earned run in 8 1/3 innings. Has struck out four and walked this year. . Opponents have hit just .222 this season. Currently on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. Pitched for Canada in March's World Baseball Classic, earning the save in his country's upset of the United States with a scoreless ninth.

  • Career: Now in his eighth pro season after being drafted by the Angels in the 10th round of the 1998 first-year player draft. Began last year with Double-A Akron in the Eastern League, posting a 2-2 record and 3.45 ERA. Came to the Mud Hens following a mid-season trade and went 2-2 with two saves and a 5.29 ERA in 24 appearances for Toledo. Pitched twice for the Hens during the playoffs with no decisions and a 5.79 ERA. Spent the rest of his career in the Angels' organization. His only major league appearance was a spot start for Anaheim on April 7, 2001 at Oakland. Became just the 12th native of Quebec to pitch in the major leagues. Won nine games for Triple-A Salt Lake of the Pacific Coast League in 2003, one year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

    NINE INNINGS

    1. Favorite team growing up: Coming out of Montreal, I had to cheer for the Expos for sure. My favorite players were Larry Walker and Pedro Martinez. My favorite year was the 1994 team where they had all those great players. [What about Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish, who played for the Expos 1974-81]? He played with Babe Ruth- I don't remember that era.

    2. How does someone from Montreal become a baseball player? I'd play in the summer because it was something to do with my friends. When I got to high school baseball was a little more serious, and I started to get into it. That's when the offers started to come around from colleges.

    3. Who's the toughest hitter you've ever faced? It had to be a lefty for sure. Probably Jason Giambi - he went 2-for-2 against me with two walks. I couldn't get him out.

    4. If you could meet any player, who would you like to meet? If I could go back in time, I'd love to meet Babe Ruth. I wouldn't ask him anything; I'd just follow him around for one day and see what he does and how he goes about his business.

    5. What was your most embarrassing sports moment? There's been silly stuff like going out onto the field with the wrong cap. And giving up runs always is embarrassing. But in Class-A ball someone tried to give me a hot-foot - they stuck a piece of tape on my shoe and lit it on fire. It burned the whole back of my shoe off.

    6. What was it like to pitch in the World Baseball Classic? I played with a lot of those guys - for example, Max St-Pierre was there. It was just an unbelievable feeling to represent your country and play against the best players in the world. It was the best experience I've ever had in my life.

    7. What is your favorite sports memory? The World Baseball Classic stuff is up there, but my first major-league start was very special. It was a spot start - if it would have been rained out, I wouldn't have pitched. It was kind of cloudy in the morning, so I kind of freaked out about that. But at game time it was sunny, so I got to pitch. I remember the fans, the crowd, everything was different. I had been in big-league spring training before, but it wasn't the same. The whole day was just amazing.

    8. What is your favorite memory of last year's Governors' Cup championship team? The best memory was my teammates and the atmosphere around the ballclub. From the day I got traded over here until the last out was very special. It was the first time I ever won in pro ball, so it was pretty special.

    9. Something nobody knows about you: I was born a woman [laughing]. Actually, I'm pretty straight-up. I've tried every sport, and I'm a sports freak. I play hockey of course, and I play golf when the season is over. I curl about twice a year; it's hard to get into because it's mostly league play and it's hard to find guys to play. I love to curl. I love to compete, and it's a lot of fun no matter how boring it seems.

    - John Wagner