Hey everyone! I have another interview for you today! This time, I have interviewed 9 year old Matt Eisner. Matt writes a very interesting Blog called Matt's Bats. It is a very good read, as it talks about his hometown Nationals! So let's start with the interview.
Now, we know you are a Nats pro blogger, but could you tell us a little bit more about yourself and your blog?
My name is Matt , I’m 9 years old and from the nation’s capital of Washington DC. I got interested in baseball in 2009 when my dad took me to a Nats game (it was actually a Nats-Mets game) and I got really interested in it. I started writing about games I was watching and started a blog (it was my mom’s idea) on July 26, 2012. I write mostly about my hometown Nationals. As my blog got more popular, I started to interview some players and broadcasters, they started following me on Twitter, and I’ve done some TV interviews. In August 2013, MLB Advanced Media invited me to become a Pro blogger on their MLBlogs.com site.
Since you are 9 years old, you probably have a lot of other things happening in your life, how many Nationals games do you suppose you watch during a season?
I usually watch the most games I can. Some of them overlap with school or camp or just end way too late at night so I can’t watch it, but my mom and dad always TiVo them. I try to watch them, but there are so many that lots of times I just end up watching highlights on MLB Network or online. But I try to watch all 162 Nats games and highlights of the other teams’ games. I usually go to between 10-20 MLB games a year in person.
Being a Mets fan since 2006, I have personal hatreds towards some Nationals players, (Especially Tyler Clippard), however who is your favorite Nats player of all time?
I like all the players, but two stand out to me. Bryce Harper (for showing the world that you can do anything no matter how young you are) and Ian Desmond (because he is great with the fans and is an awesome ballplayer). I really like Clip, and this year he’ll probably be getting a bobblehead (they announce the winner on Monday).
Now believe it our not, I used to be an Expos fan, ( I was 5 in 2004) primarily because I come from a Canadian family. Is there any Montréal influence left?
Only SS Ian Desmond, who was drafted by the Expos in 2004, is still on the team. Other than that, it’s really become a DC team. There are some signs in Nationals Park with the Expos logo commemorating great players.
I can remember watching one game at RFK stadium, Tim Redding was pitching, other than that its been all Nationals Park, how is the new home of Nationals Park?
It’s very nice. We have lots of the same food options as Citi Field like Shake Shack. There are some other good places to eat with a DC feel, like Ben’s Chili Bowl. If you ever come down, you should definitely get a cupcake from Fluffy Thoughts because they make cupcakes that look like Jayson Werth and Teddy the Racing President.
Nats Park was the first MLB baseball stadium to get the LEED award for being green! There are great sightlines from almost every seat.
Now, enough National talk and on to your blog! What's the best part about writing your blog?
The best part of the blog is the experience. I write about 2-3 posts a week, and I get a lot of viewers, so I have made the MLB Top 100 Pro Blogs for 2013. I have had viewers in the United States, and lots of foreign countries: Canada, Japan, Brazil, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, South Korea, India, Australia, Germany, Spain, Colombia, Taiwan, Russia, the Philippines, Mexico, the Netherlands, France, Ukraine, Italy, Mauritius, Austria, Belgium, Indonesia, Norway, New Zealand, Paraguay, Greece, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Romania, Portugal, Switzerland, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kuwait, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Bermuda, Madagascar, Pakistan, Croatia, Malta, Morocco, Israel, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Bahamas. I’ve gotten to interview a few big league players for my blog, like Justin Verlander, and have met a lot of players, journalists and fans. One of the best feelings is when I go up to a player and they recognize me without having to introduce myself, like Ian Desmond, Drew Storen and Ryan Mattheus all have.
Blogging is a big commitment, how long to you want to blog about Baseball? And what's the "Next Step" for your blog?
I am hoping to blog until about high school or college, and I think as I grow up my blog will get more and more visitors. I hope one day to be a journalist or baseball color commentator, like F.P. Santangelo on our MASN network or Keith Hernandez on SNY.
What was the best Baseball moment you've ever experienced?
I was at a Nats-Mets game at Nats Park in July 2012. Jordany Valdespin hit a three run home run in the 9th against Tyler Clippard to take the lead. In the bottom of the 9th, the Nats tied the game. In the bottom of the 10th, Pedro Beato threw a wild pitch (check out the link) to Tyler Moore and scored Ryan Zimmerman for the walkoff win. The stadium went wild. It was awesome to be there as a Nats fan. Sorry to bring up bad memories for a Mets fan.
What is your opinion on the Biogenesis scandal?
I think there is six letters to the solution: USA FDA. When the United States Food and Drug Administration ban the PEDs, they will close all of the shops selling the stuff. I also think Alex Rodriguez should receive a lifetime suspension if he is caught cheating again. Pete Rose (who was banned for gambling) should’ve gotten at least as many chances as A-Rod.
Who is your favorite Baseball Player of all time and why?
It’s so hard to decide. I recently visited a museum all about Babe Ruth (check out my post:http://mattsbats.com/2014/02/28/a-visit-to-the-house-that-built-ruth/) and learned a lot about him. That’s kind of an obvious answer, but it’s what I’m thinking about right now.
Now I can't conduct an interview without asking you this question. ( Before I ask I want to say that Borja picked the Nats to go to the World Series last year, while I didn't have them making the Playoffs!) Any BIG predictions for 2014?
Yes, if you are a Tampa Bay fan. Wil Myers and Evan Longoria will probably help the Rays head to the 2014 World Series, a feat Tampa hasn’t done in its existence since ’98. A lot of people have big expectations for the Nats this year, another team that has never gone to the World Series. So I think it would be great if the two squared off. So I’ll make that prediction: the Nationals and the Rays in the 2014 WS, Nats in 6. The Tigers, Dodgers, Cardinals and Yankees are also strong teams.
Well, that's all for the interview! Thanks again Matt for taking the time to answer those questions. If you ever come to NY, tell me so we can catch a Mets-Nats Game!!!
And one more thing.... I forgot to include a link to Matt's blog! Here it is:http://www.mattsbats.com/
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