Courtesy of Kevin Henry from the Tulsa Examiner:

Lars Davis is in an interesting position for the Tulsa Drillers.

Davis, selected by the Colorado Rockies in the third round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Illinois, currently serves as the backup catcher to Wilin Rosario, ranked #2 among all Colorado Rockies prospects in their farm system. Yet, when Davis has his chances behind the plate, he is making the most of his opportunities, hitting .318 in 19 games with two homers and six RBIs in his 66 at-bats.

I recently had the chance to talk to Davis about his season, his outlook, and his thoughts on the injury to San Francisco catcher Buster Posey.

Kevin Henry: How do you prepare knowing you’re not going to play everyday?

Lars Davis: The biggest thing is my mindset. I have to work on my mental game as much as my physical game. It’s taken me a few seasons to realize that, but I know I have to do what I can to help the team win when I am in there. That can be on any given day. I know I always have to play good defense and always help my pitchers in every way I can.

Henry: You know you only have a certain number of at-bats in your current situation. Does that change your philosophy when you’re batting?

Davis: I’m always looking for a good pitch to hit. Every time I get in there, I want to put my best swing on the ball. I can’t get a hit every time, but I can always put my best swing out there.

Henry: Earlier you mentioned defense and you have earned the reputation as a very solid defensive catcher. What did you do in the offseason to work on that?

Davis: I worked a lot with Marv Foley (Colorado’s catching coordinator) and really learned a lot from him. I really worked hard on my throws and blocking the ball in the dirt.

Henry: How long does it take for you to development relationships with your pitchers so you know what needs to be called and when?

Davis: That’s always an ongoing process. I’ve been with some of our pitchers since we were all drafted together. Some of our pitchers are new arms in the bullpen. I try to learn what they feel comfortable throwing in certain situations and go from there.

Henry: As a catcher, what were your thoughts when you saw Buster Posey go down in that collision at home plate?

Davis: It’s a tragedy to lose a player like Buster to an injury. As a catcher, you know there is a risk there and that an injury like that is a risk you face. A lot of people are debating who was right or wrong there, but I don’t feel strongly one way or the other. Collisions at home plate are part of the game. They’ve been part of the game forever. Look at Pete Rose in the All-Star Game. We see it happen all of the time, and I think we’ll keep seeing it happen.

Henry: This is your second season with the Drillers. What do you think of the makeup of this year’s team?

Davis: I think we have a fantastic club. We have a lot of returning players from last season and a lot of guys on this team who knows what it takes to win.