Hopefully you guys enjoyed the first part of the interview! Here is what remains of our conversation late last week. Austin left on Wednesday to join both the Drillers and the Rockies at the new Salt River Fields complex. Can anyone believe it is only 29 days till the Rockies come to Tulsa!

1       What is the most rewarding part of this job for you?

Man, let me think about that one. In Tulsa you are dealing with a bunch of young men or kids that are away from home for the first time, especially some with lots of pressure on them. I feel that a bond between a player and a trainer is a special one that he doesn’t have with the team’s manager or clubhouse guy. It means a lot to me being the guy that players often come to, to talk about things other than baseball. And the fact they have the confidence in me to tell me very personal things, it means a lot to me.

2       Does Sam ever slack on the spread after the game? Worst? Best?

Sam really is not in charge over the spread after games. We usually have special deals with local restaurants that provide the food after the games. Sam is usually in charge of the meal before the game, and over the years he has done a great job with it. It has really changed over the years with organizations trying to become a lot healthier. My first year here our meals usually consisted of ballpark food, so yea it has really changed.

3       What is the most common injury the Drillers are plagued with?  – Jen Baker

By far the most common injury that we deal with are either related with shoulders, elbows, or wrists. Whether it be the arms with the pitchers or the hands of hitters, those are the main injuries I see.

4       When a member of the Rockies comes down for a rehab stint, are you more focused on getting them back to Denver or focused more towards your guys?           –  Justin Warhime

The overall goal of an organization is to build championship players all the way from Denver to Casper, Wyoming. My goal is to get the MLB player to full strength so he is able to help the MLB club compete for a championship that is mainly why we have the entire minor league system. Yes I would say that the MLB players might take somewhat of a priority just because of the parent club, but if you’re asking do I show favoritism to them. The answer to that is not at all.

5       With the strict P.E.D testing what supplements are allowed if any and what product is most commonly used by the players?           –  Curtis Brummett 

There are not many things that the players are allowed to take. But I would say that most take the basic protein supplement. Any MiLB player is able to take supplements with the NSA certified logo on it, it’s just that there hardly any supplements that have that logo. The Rockies also provide most of the supplements that are legal, therefore making it easier on the players on what they can and can’t take.

6       What team did you root for as a kid?

When I was younger my baseball team was definitely the Mets. I like the Mets, the Chicago Bears, and Lakers. Now I don’t really like the Lakers, and Colorado has a MLB team, so I got to go with the Rockies for sure. They are huge in the Upper Midwest, you will have your occasional Mariners fan, but most people are for sure rooting for the Rockies.