Q&A with Jonathan Schoop

You voted and you shall receive. 58 Camden Chat readers requested a Q & A article with Orioles prospect Jonathan Schoop. To date (4/17/13) the Willemstad, Curacao native has a .140 batting average over the span of 12 games. The 21-year-old was named the third best prospect in the O’s system in 2012. In addition, Baseball America ranked Schoop the best power hitter and best infield arm in the Baltimore organization.

C.C. What is your earliest baseball memory back in Curacao?

J.S. I have a lot of memories. The Little League World Series was my biggest memory.

C.C. How was your experience in the Little League World Series?

J.S. It was a good experience. I was a little kid and to represent your country and win it all was the most fun I had as a kid.

C.C. Did you pitch during the last game of the Little World Series?

J.S. Yes, I got the last out.

C.C. Have you always pitched?

J.S. Yes, since I was a kid but everybody pitched. I was one of the best pitchers.

C.C. What made you transition to infield?

J.S. Well I was shortstop and a pitcher, but you play a lot of positions. I was throwing very hard. That's why I stuck with the position player because I'm a better position player than pitcher.

C.C. You also played in the World Baseball Classic. How was that experience?

J.S. It was fun. There is a lot of experience because there are a lot of major league guys and everybody wanted to win and it was a good experience.

C.C. What are some of the areas you have improved in during the offseason?

J.S. I think I improved everything because in baseball you just can't work on one thing, you have to be good at everything. You have to keep working because you never know everything and every year is a different year. I improved in everything--hitting, fielding, base running, speed and especially mentally is a big part of the game.

C.C. Who was your favorite player growing up?

J.S. Andruw Jones (who is also from Willemstad), Derek Jeter, Ken Griffey.

C.C. What's your favorite part of playing pro ball?

J.S. It's kind of becoming a job. It's an everyday thing. I like it. There's not a better place to be then here playing baseball. You play baseball and you like it and it's a job.

C.C. If you weren't playing baseball what would you be doing?

J.S. (laughs) That's a tough question, I don't really know.

C.C. What's your first impression of your new team?

J.S. There is a lot of experience. We have a lot of guys that have played in the big league and you can learn a lot from them.

C.C. Is there anyone you go to when you're looking for advice?

J.S. Jair Jurrjens is here. (who is also from Curacao). Russ Canzler--he has the knowledge and the he teaches me everything he knows.

C.C. What's your favorite type of music?

J.S. R&B

Tides manger Ron Johnson added his two cents about the young gun chirping, "He's a plus defender hands wise and arms wise. He's playing shortstop. He can play second base, third, and he's a very interesting guy for a 21-year-old. When you talk to Schoop a lot and you're around him, you kind of forget he is twenty-one. He's above his maturity level which is a good thing. He has some skills, man. He can put a charge on the baseball."

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