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APRIL 2012
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HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
VERLANDER:
It’s been pre y good too.
HEMISPHERES:
Right up until you start
talking about how good it’s going,
and then you get the yips and the putts
don’t fall.
VERLANDER:
That’s why we don’t talk
about pu ing.
HEMISPHERES:
If you were a business,
you’d be up against what they call “tough
comps,” or comparisons. You just had a
historically big year. Are you worried about
living up to it this season?
VERLANDER:
Not at all. I feel like I
worked hard for that, and I’m continu-
ing to work hard, if not harder, so it
doesn’t bother me one way or the other.
You turn the page. You have to be able
to do that in this game. Last year is over.
I’m focusing on this year.
HEMISPHERES:
Still, coming up as
Most Valuable Player had to land pretty
sweet. Pitchers don’t usually win that,
no matter what kind of year they had.
You have to go back to Dennis Eckersley
in ’92 and Roger Clemens in ’86 for the
last examples.
VERLANDER:
Oh, it was absolutely a
thrill, especially when you’re talking
about Roger. I remember once I got
into professional baseball as a fan, I
heard about what he had done in 1986,
winning the Cy Young and MVP. I
remember thinking that might never
be done again. It was kind of a surreal
moment, but I had that same thought
a er I won themmyself.
HEMISPHERES:
From what I’ve read,
throwing isn’t the only thing you do fast.
What’s up with you and Porsche?
VERLANDER:
Oh, I’ve got a few fast cars
I like to drive. I’ve always been drawn to
sports cars, and luckily I’m in a position
nowwhere I can afford some of my
childhood dreams.
HEMISPHERES:
Current favorite?
VERLANDER:
Right now I’ve got the new
Mercedes SLS.
HEMISPHERES:
And it goes fast.
VERLANDER:
Of course.
HEMISPHERES:
What don’t people
understand about the job of being a major-
league pitcher?
VERLANDER:
I think there are some
people who believe it’s easier than it is.
Or you get a lot of people saying, “I was
pre y good when I was younger and if
I hadn’t go en hurt ...” You never know,
that could be the case, but it’s a pre y
hard game. And what a lot of people
don’t understand is the work that we put
in behind the scenes. We don’t just go out
there and play baseball every day. There
are workouts and running and other
approaches to prepare us to be success-
ful on the field, in front of the fans.
HEMISPHERES:
By the time you got to
college you were fairly dominant. You
struck out, like, 17 batters in a game at
Old Dominion. And before that, you
were throwing 85 miles an hour in high
school. You must have been a menace
in Little League.
VERLANDER:
I wasn’t a phenomenon,
really. I was pre y good when I was
younger but didn’t really hit my stride
until college. That’s when I separated
myself, I’d say.
HEMISPHERES:
How’s pitching in
Comerica Park? It’s a beautiful stadium.
VERLANDER:
I love pitching there. The
fans are great, it’s a big ballpark, it’s a
pitcher-friendly ballpark and it just
looks good when you’re standing on the
mound. I like the aesthetics of it behind
the plate.
HEMISPHERES:
As a city, Detroit has
been making a comeback. There are even
commercials using the city as an example
of rebirth. Is it an exciting time to be there?
VERLANDER:
Absolutely. It’s great
to feel that you’re a part of that.
Having experienced some success
in 2006 going to the World Series, and
then going to the playoffs last year—
that not only helps the economy in
Detroit, but in a small way you feel like
you’re giving people a chance to step
away fromwhatever is going on in
their lives and come cheer for a team
that they love.
HEMISPHERES:
You have a suite at the
park where you host veterans and their
families, right?
VERLANDER:
We came up with the
idea through the Tigers. For certain
games, they have a uniformed military
service member take the field and
deliver the game ball. It sparked an
interest for me, and from there it
kind of snowballed. I decided to donate
the suite to four or five families on my
start days. We provide the suite, food
and drinks, and it gives our military
and their families a way to share time
at the park.
HEMISPHERES:
Well done. How are you
feeling with the acquisition of Fielder?
VERLANDER:
He’s a great addition. I
wouldn’t want to face our lineup—it’s
very deep and powerful, and it’s going
to be tough for other pitchers to get
through. I’m excited to see those guys
play this year.
HEMISPHERES:
Think you’ll personally
be able to top last year?
VERLANDER:
We’ll find out. Stay tuned.
New York Times
columnist
DAVID CARR
saw his baseball career cut short when he
discovered he couldn’t hit the curve. He had a
little problem with the fastball, too.
A er Roger Clemens won the Cy Young
and MVP in 1986, “I remember thinking
that might never be done again. It was
kind of a surreal moment, but I had the
same thought a er I won themmyself.”
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JustinVerlander