Seth, over at Seth Speaks has a great interview with Strib baseball writer Jim Souhan that's worth a look. Here're a couple gems:
Seth Speaks: Which player or players are the first to the ballpark to take extra hitting or hit the weight room?Jim Souhan: Everybody has their own routine. Doug (and formerly A.J.) used to work out in the morning, so they could concentrate on baseball at the ballpark. Jacque and Torii work out religiously. Shannon Stewart has the most involved pregame routine. I know Al Newman has tried to get Guzman and Rivas to be a little more active before games. Some pitchers run like crazy; others don't do much. Eddie ran for miles every day; LaTroy worked out hard in the offseason, then rested during the season.
SethSpeaks: There seem to be a lot of great personalities on the roster. Which player or players are the pranksters or jokers on the roster? Any one story that you would feel comfortable telling?
Jim Souhan: Corey Koskie might be the funniest, because he invites jokes, then tries to respond. Rick Stelmaszek is the best when it comes to making fun of players, especially Koskie.My favorites: Koskie putting ice in David Ortiz's pants, to distract Ortiz from the peanut butter that was in his underwear. I've never heard someone cuss that much without getting arrested. And there was the time that Koskie deflected a few shots off his body at third base. After the game, Stelly put on all the catching gear he could, grabbed a hockey stick, put on a Koskie jersey and sat in front of the bathroom, waiting for Koskie to walk out. The thing about baseball humor: It never sounds as funny in print as it was in reality.
...SethSpeaks: Who wins a footrace between Matthew Lecroy, Henry Blanco and a continental drift?
Jim Souhan: What, is the glacier in another heat? Drift, Blanco, LeCroy. The great thing about LeCroy is, as slow as he is, he still has trouble making the turn at first base without running into the baggie.