Offseason Q&A: Seth Bynum

Anybody else feel like baseball season is right around the corner?  There’s a reason for that…it is.  (Though that’s a bit of a lengthy corner, still.)  We’re about a month and a half away from the Chiefs’ 2012 opening day, and for the most part, we don’t know who’s going to be there.  One name we have a pretty good idea on, though, is Seth Bynum.  The IL All-Star should start his fourth year with the Chiefs this season, and he returned to the Chiefs Hot Stove last week in Liverpool.  Hope you got a chance to chat with Seth there – but never fear if you don’t, because we did.  Here’s what the slugging middle infielder had to say about his offseason…

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Kevin Brown: I hear you’ve had an eventful offseason so far.

Seth Bynum: I’m a proud papa.  I have a little daughter, she’s six weeks old – Madison Jade.  It’s life-changing.  It’s awesome.

KB: How stressful is it being a first-time father?

SB: You get worn out.  You don’t get much sleep.  You have to coordinate with your wife, your partner on how things go, but overall it’s wonderful.

KB: She didn’t accompany you to Syracuse, obviously, but your dad Kurt is here.  Is this his first trip to Syracuse?

SB: First trip to Syracuse, yep.  I wanted to bring him, I showed him around town today so he’s like a kid in a candy store.  He’s pumped.

KB: I know last year he got to go to Fenway Park for the game and he said he was a lifelong Red Sox fan.  You had a big day, too, with a couple of hits.  You reflect back on it now, a couple of months after – how much fun was it?

SB: It was awesome. You can’t explain it into words.  I mean, ever since you’re a little kid you want to play in that ballpark.  You go there, your first game there, and your father’s there, the one who’s coached you your whole life…it was a great moment.

KB: So outside of the new kid, what’s your offseason been like?

SB: It’s been interesting.  I went to Venezuela and played there for a month.  I struggled a little bit, but it was a culture shock for me.  It’s a different world, a different experience but I loved it.  I’ve just been working out and getting ready for the season.

KB: I know a bunch of different guys from the organization were down there in the winter…did you play with anyone from the Nationals?

SB: I played with Carlos Maldonado – he actually got me the job down there.

KB: First time playing winter ball ever?

SB: I played in Puerto Rico three years ago.  But Puerto Rico and Venezuela, they’re totally different.

KB: What is the difference?

SB: The crowds.  In Venezuela, you get 20,000 people a night.  Puerto Rico’s on the come-up, I heard, but when I played there, there weren’t many fans.  (In Venezuela) they heckle you, man, they’re all over you.

KB: You’ve got a new manager this year, Tony Beasley.  What’s your experience with him?

SB: I don’t know much about him, but I know the people that play for him love him to death.  He wants people to play hard and he loves his players.  I’ve hear
d nothing but great things about him.