Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series introducing the 2016 Braves.
BRAVES OF PROSPECT MALLEX SMITH
Which model bat do you use?
It’s a B45 (model) 318. It’s real hard. The birch doesn’t give easily. It’s a very dependable bat. Xavier Avery showed it to me about two years and I just liked the way it felt.
What will be your walk-up music?
Everybody keeps asking me that. I'm trying to keep that a secret right now. It will be a surprise to people when I show up (in the majors). [Smith helped the Gwinnett Braves start season with a win.]
What do you know about baseball now that you didn’t know when you signed?
I didn’t’ know how many minor league levels there were. I didn’t grow up watching baseball. Learning the ins and outs of it and the level of progress. The everyday grind. My biggest shock was showing and playing a full (pro) season. There were parts of my body that were hurting and felt like they were about to shut down. That was the biggest eye-opener. It’s a different type of grind. It can wear on you.
What do you like to do for fun?
I like to go find a nice, soft couch and a nice big TV and not even turn the TV on. Just sit there and look at it and breathe and maybe sleep. And then wake up. That’s what I like to do for fun.
What do you like about the current state of baseball?
The game is more acquitted for (smaller) guys like me now. During the ‘steroid era’ it just became about long balls. Players like me were going extinct. But now my (type) player is very necessary now. I can score some runs for a guy like (Freddie) Freeman. Let him knock me in. If I can steal some bases it makes his job easier. We are working together instead of everyone trying to hit the long one.
Is there anything about the game you’d like to see better?
I would like to incorporate more bat flips in the game. A little more showmanship. That would be nice. It’s not going to go over well (in the majors). People’s feelings get hurt real easy here. The game is so tough, though, especially for a hitter. Soccer, they are celebrating when they score one goal. It’s hard to get a hit. Let me be happy about that.
What is your favorite baseball movie?
“Hardball,” easily. Just a group of young man out of the projects trying to play ball, stay out of trouble. They are just enjoying themselves. That’s the purest form of the game right there. You are out there with your friends. You are not worried about stats. You are just out there having fun.
You ever get a good baseball tip?
Stay relaxed. You play tomorrow. Don’t get to up or too down. You play tomorrow so there’s no need to get that frustrated. You are going to have some awful days. You are going to have some phenomenal days. You may have both at the same time so there is no reason to get too down. You are going to be playing sooner than later so there’s no need to hold on to what previously happened.
What do you remember about your first-ever home run?
I think my first home run was the day before my (11th) birthday. We were getting killed. My team was getting murdered. We were in first place and this team was in last place and they were kicking our butts. It was like 12-1. It was close to the end of the game and, crack, home run dead center. That was a good memory. But it sucked that I couldn’t celebrate. I had to act like it didn’t matter but latter it was ‘Mom, did you see it!’
