Batting Around With Austin Kearns

[redsrbetter]

11/16/2005 5:15 PM ET
Batting Around with Austin Kearns
Reds right-fielder offers some insight into his world
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

As years go, 2005 was an odd one for Austin Kearns.
The right fielder was hoping his 2005 season would be a breakout one, and his performance in Spring Training indicated as much. But when the real action began, Kearns found himself in a slump at the plate and, eventually, demoted to Triple-A.

It was a strange place for the promising young player to find himself. He had already grown accustomed to life in the big leagues, and he had no desire to spend any more time at Louisville. He proved that by hitting .342 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs in 21 games for the Bats, earning a promotion back to the Reds.

By the end of the season, Kearns was back in as the Reds' regular right fielder, and he had even become a father for the first time. Perhaps the positive end to the year will put him on the track to the breakout year he was looking for in '06.

MLB.com caught up with Kearns toward the end of the '05 season to talk about his life on and off the field.

What career do you think you'd have if you weren't a pro ballplayer?

I'd like to be able to sing, but I don't think that would go over too well. I would have gone to school, I'm sure, and found something sports-related. But I really don't know.

What do you remember about your first car?

My first car was an '87 Isuzu pup -- a little pickup truck. I think I was bigger than the truck. I just remember I got it when I was 15, before I got my license. It was a stick shift. All my buddies and I would try to learn how to drive it while my parents were at work. We didn't get in any wrecks or anything, but we stalled out a lot.

How about your first job? Did you do anything, outside of playing baseball?

I'd help my dad in his car lot, washing cars. But nothing where I'd get paid.

Who was the biggest influence on your life, outside of your parents?

Probably just a couple of my best friends, as far as always being themselves. It's not like anybody's got a big head or anything. It's just people who keep me grounded. I've got two best friends back home, Chris and Jared, who I hang out with all the time.

If you could have dinner with any celebrity, who would it be and why?

Golly, that gives you some possibilities right there! I've got to think of some chicks! I'm trying to think who the best one going is. If I had to pick a dude, I'd probably say Brett Favre. But if it's a female, hmm. ... Let me think about that. There's so many.

[After several minutes of deliberating with good buddy and teammate Adam Dunn and a few passers by, Kearns picked Angelina Jolie].

Do you have any bad habits you've tried to correct but haven't been able to?

I bite my nails. That's my habit. I've always done it, and I don't even know I'm doing it half the time.

If you could face any pitcher in history, who would it be and why?

Probably Nolan Ryan. He's one of the best, if not the best. He's a guy who, when I was growing up, he was the man. A lot of us looked up to him.

What's the dumbest thing you and your friends did as kids?

We did a lot of stuff with BB guns that we probably shouldn't have done. Let's just leave it at that.

What hobbies do you have away from baseball?

PlayStation, poker, golf, fishing a little bit. That's about it.

What's your biggest pet peeve?

People being late. I like to be on time. I don't like having to wait.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?

I'm not a big traveler. I don't really like to go places. I think maybe Australia or something. If I go, though, I'd only want to go for a few days.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring one CD and one DVD, what would you bring and why?

I'm going to have to cheat on the one CD. I'm going to have to bring George Strait's boxed set. And DVD? If I'm by myself, I need something to keep my spirits up. I'd have to go with "Old School" -- something I can watch over and over. It's funny, and I've never gotten sick of it so far.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASAp...=.jsp&c_id=cin

[redsrbetter]

I never knew Kearns had a baby!

Anyways, Kearns vs. Nolan Ryan. Any chance for Kearns here?

[ghettochild]

yeah remember his "leave of absence"? he and his girlfriend had a baby girl i believe

[Red Hot Mama]

If you read Red Hot Mama you would have known!

It was a boy. Here's the the write-up from the official site :

Welcome back, dad: Austin Kearns' cell phone wouldn't stop ringing when some of his friends saw reports that he had left the Reds this week because of "personal matters" back home in Lexington, Ky.

The personal matter, as it turns out, was nothing bad. It was the birth of his son, Aubrey Ryan Kearns, on Tuesday.

"It's pretty incredible," Kearns said of fatherhood. "It's hard to explain. Just... wow."

Aubrey and his mother, Abby, are reported to be doing just fine. Kearns, who missed Tuesday's and Wednesday's games, was back with the club and in the starting lineup for the first game of Friday's doubleheader with the Pirates.

[redsrbetter]

Hey, I do read your blog! Just didn't know about it last season. Should have advertised yourself earlier. LOL. Anyhow thanks for the write-up.

[Red Hot Mama]

As soon as I knew this place existed, I started shamelessly promoting myself here. I just wish I'd known sooner.

But no matter. Come next Friday, you'll be able to catch up on all the Red Hot fun you missed during the season when Funnyball comes out. It compiles all the fake news from the 2005 season, plus a new-and-improved version of the Reds Choose Your Own Adventure all in a convenient paperback. It's the perfect gift for every RHM fan, every Reds fan, heck every single human being on your list! I hear that puppies like it too!

See? Shameless.

[Kingdom]

For shame.