Click below to hear a quick chat I had with Mets minor leaguer Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Like a lot of the minor leaguers, Kirk wasn't overly talkative but keeping an eye on him over the last few days he seems like a quiet kid who just goes out there and does his work. We talked about his future in center field, playing for Ken Oberkfell and Terry Collins and sitting on the doorstep of the major leagues.
Check after the jump for a transcript of the interview.
Rob: Here with Kirk Nieuwenhuis. Kirk how you doing?
Nieuwenhuis: Good, good.
Rob: So, how has camp been so far for you?
Nieuwenhuis: It’s been great so far. Definitely. It’s been a good camp.
Rob: Well, I wanted to ask you about your game in center field. One of the things that people say about you is that you’re maybe a fringe guy in center and maybe you’d be better off in right. How do you feel about that?
Nieuwenhuis: Well, I’m going to play wherever they put my name in the lineup. I’m going to play the same way everyday. I’m going to play hard wherever I’m at, whether it be in center or right. I’m just going to play the same way.
Rob: I wanted to ask you about Buffalo a little bit where you were at for a little while last year. Your manager there was Ken Oberkfell who is going to be with the big league club this year; what can you tell us about him?
Nieuwenhuis: I had about a month with Obie and it was great. I have a lot of respect for him and I think that’s something that’s real important. Everybody here respects Obie a lot, and a lot of guys know him real well.
Rob: And then as far as Terry Collins, he was the Minor League Coordinator last year, did you get a chance to work with him a lot?
Nieuwenhuis: Yeah, definitely. Terry’s a real positive guy, real energetic. And those are two great things, two of the best things to have, positive energy.
Rob: As far as this coming spring, it looks like you’ll probably end up starting out in Buffalo and you’re just a phone call away if anything happens with the big league guys. How does that feel?
Nieuwenhuis: It feels great, you know? We’ll see what goes on in the next few months but I’m ready.