Batter Up!

I understand the ins and outs of most sports, but I don’t consider myself a huge sports fan. I don’t like watching games on TV, I can’t get into them nearly as much as when I am there in person . (Unless we are talking football, I am from Texas after all.) I would much rather be at the stadium to see the event played live. I especially love going to baseball games. Sunshine, hot dogs, people doing the YMCA, guys in tight pants, it’s pretty great. Naturally last weekend when my friend, Raquel, asked me to the Yankees game I jumped at the chance. Raquel is a huge sports fan. She works for MLB and knows all the crazy random stats and facts about each player. It was like sitting next to a Jeopardy winner at the game with all the random trivia she knew.

In between innings I asked Raquel a few questions about her career and love of baseball.

What drew you to baseball?

I grew up in Saint Louis which is a big baseball city. Cardinals baseball is in my blood. As I got older, it developed into an all out obsession with the sport.
 
How did you get a job with Major League Baseball?

For the past year, I worked for the Major League Baseball Network. But at the start of this season, I made the switch to the MLB Commissioners Office. I work for the Umpires Administration, which is great because the umpires are such a huge part of the game. I'm sort of the liaison between the Umpires Union and the MLB Office. We like to think of the umpires as the 31st team. Baseball games don't happen without that team of umpires on the field.
 
What is your ideal career?

My dream job in baseball is to be a sports broadcaster. I would love to do on-air work. It's not something I went to school for, but I have the passion. I've taken a lot of classes on my own, and worked with some of the best on-air talent in the business, so hopefully I'll get a chance one day.
 
Do you have a favorite moment in baseball?

My favorite baseball memory has to be working the World Series in St. Louis last year. I got to work on the set with MLBN on the field and in the clubhouse. Being a Cardinals fan and being one of the first 10 people with our camera crew on the field immediately when the Cards won game 7 was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Being at a game with someone who is so passionate about the sport is great. The best journalists are ones who are truly interested in the field in which they are working in. Raquel is clearly interested in baseball and has had a good amount of success in her career already. Like any player would know the way to a successful career is practice and dedication, two traits that Raquel possesses.With her hard work ethic and love for the game I have no doubt she will have an outstanding career as a sports journalist.