RSN: To start, give us a scouting report on yourself as a pitcher.
DR: I throw a curve and a change-up, but I'm more of a fastball guy than anything. I like to go out there and compete, and I'm looking to be aggressive. I don't pick corners. My approach is to throw strikes and let my movement dictate where the ball goes. I'm sort of the "tall lefty," attacking hitters. I try to put fear in the batter.
RSN: Where does your velocity usually sit?
DR: It’s pretty consistently in the low 90s. One thing we're working on here is not overthrowing. There's a tendency to do that when things aren't going well, but your mechanics can get out of whack when you do. It's important to stay the same with your delivery.
RSN: Are you more of a ground ball pitcher, or a fly ball pitcher?
DR: Neither, really. To this point I've been more of a strikeout pitcher, although the coaches here want us to get outs with as few pitches as possible. I throw both a two-seamer and a four-seamer, and the situation helps dictate what I go with.
RSN: Looking at your future, do you see yourself as a starter or as a reliever?
DR: When I got here, they sat me down and set out my role…they told me my pitch count and things like that. I'm relieving now, but because I’m on a set schedule, preparation-wise I’m preparing as though it was a start. Personally, I think that maybe I attack hitters better out of the bullpen, but I don't really care. They know I’ve done both, so they’re probably trying to get a feel for me. I just want to pitch.
RSN: In your first professional appearance, you struck out five of the six batters you faced. In your second outing, you gave up four runs in one inning. What was the difference between those two games?
DR: Believe it or not, I felt the same. The second game was actually a positive outing, because I got ahead in the count and kept the ball down in the zone. I broke a few bats, but they had some balls fall in and then someone hit a gap shot. Those things happen. I don't mean to make excuses -- the runs still counted -- but the results aren't always the most important thing.
RSN: In an interview earlier this summer, you said that one of your pet peeves is giving up bloop hits and infield hits. What are you thinking when that happens?
DR: If I made a good pitch, I like to think that I won the battle with the hitter -- the ball just fell. I just try to put it out of my head and go for a ground ball-double play. If you keep making your pitches, you’re going to get outs.
RSN: When you're looking in from the mound, what do you see? Is it just the catcher's mitt, or a wider angle shot?
DR: You know the movie "For Love of the Game," with Kevin Costner, where the pitcher says "Clear the mechanism"? That's what pitching is. It's visualization to throw to a target. Pitchers can relax a little in the dugout, but while they're on the mound it’s total concentration. If you look at a good pitcher when he's working, you can see it in his eyes and face. You can see him breathing. That's the kind of focus you need on the mound.
RSN: You received some notoriety by becoming a finalist on ESPN's "Knight School," where you competed to earn a spot on the Texas Tech basketball team. What is your opinion of the team's coach, Bobby Knight?
DR: Coach Knight is one of the smartest guys I'll ever meet. The media makes him out to be a bully, but I don't see him like that at all. I've always looked at him as someone who would be fun to play for, because I love playing hard. What a coach wants is for you to give your best, and that's what he does. He gets you to compete. And when you earn the respect of someone who is demanding, you know that what you've earned is real. As an athlete, that will fire you up.
RSN: Style-wise, what kind of basketball player are you?
DR: Kind of all over the court. My favorite player was Michael Jordan, and I tried to play smooth like he did -- fundamentally sound, but willing to show off a little, too. In a way I'd pretend I was him, playing with passion and some flair.
RSN: Who were your favorite teams growing up?
DR: I was big into the Chicago Bulls. I have family in Chicago, but mostly I just loved watching guys like MJ (Michael Jordan) and Scottie Pippen. In baseball, I guess it was the Braves -- I have family there, too -- but I wasn't what you'd call a big fan. I've always been a guy who likes to play more than watch. A big league game would be on TV, and I'd almost get mad because I wanted to be out there playing -- not watching other guys play. Now, I'm almost there. I mean, I have a ways to go, but I'm getting closer. And I absolutely appreciate that the Red Sox are giving me this chance. I actually thanked Theo (Epstein) after the draft. Going in, people were saying I’d go in the 5 to 10 range, and the Red Sox showed faith in me by taking me in the 5th. I want to reward that faith.