RSN: Let’s start with your offensive game. How would you describe yourself as a hitter?
LE: I have power here and there, but I’m mostly gap-to-gap and like to hit the ball where it’s pitched. You need to have a plan, and mine is mostly to stay up the middle and react from there.
RSN: Where is most of your power?
LE: I have what you’d call line drive power, mostly to left center, although I did hit two balls out to right this year.
RSN: Where have you typically hit in the line-up, and does that matter to you?
LE: I usually hit fourth in college. Here I’ve been fifth, sixth, seventh….all over the line-up. Where I hit doesn’t matter to me. I go up there with the same approach, regardless of where I am in the order.
RSN: How about on the defensive side? What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses behind the plate?
LE: I don’t want it to come out sounding like I’m cocky, but I think I have the whole package. I block balls pretty well, and I have a pretty good arm. If the pitcher gives me a chance I’ll usually throw guys out. Right now I’d say my catching is ahead of my hitting, and for me to go up the ladder everything is going to depend on my bat.
RSN: You were drafted by the Red Sox a year ago. What is the biggest improvement you’ve made to your game since last June?
LE: Outside of being a year older, there’s not really one thing. I think I mostly just had to go out and prove something…show the organization something. Maybe they weren’t sure about my bat, and wanted to see me against better competition. The school I went to, St. Petersburg Community College, was pretty good. They had won a championship the year before, so we always faced everyone’s best this season.
RSN: Did you have an opportunity to sign last year, or was it strictly a draft-and-follow situation?
LE: I was taken in a later round, and they pretty much said, “Good luck in college.” I wanted to sign. That’s why I didn’t go back into the draft this year -- I wanted to sign with the Red Sox. My dad said that it was my decision, and when they made me an offer in May, I took it. Not the first offer, but the second one they made. Then I spent two weeks in extended spring training before coming here.
RSN: We’re only a few weeks into the season, but from what you’ve seen, who has the best stuff on the Spinners’ staff?
LE: Justin Masterson is pretty good. He and Dustin Richardson have good two-seamers. Justin’s is real heavy. Travis Beazley has good stuff, too….good off-speed stuff. A lot of guys here throw well.
RSN: How would you describe your personality on the field?
LE: I like to have fun, and I like to pick guys up…show them that I have confidence in them. I like to be a leader that way. And because I’m bilingual, I’ve always helped the Spanish guys a lot. I believe in helping people out when I can, both on and off the field.
RSN: To close, tell us a little about your background and what you’re into when you’re away from the game.
LE: My family is Cuban. They came over in the ‘80s when Castro opened the gates and allowed people to leave. I have a sister who’s here, but also an older brother back in Cuba who I’ve never met. My family and I hope to go there to visit someday. What am I into away from baseball? I love music. I’m into hip hop, Spanish music…anything with a good moving rhythm.