Ben Copeland

I just spoke with former Defender outfielder Ben Copeland, who was promoted to Triple-A Fresno earlier this week.

Here is the detailed account:

Q: Where were you when you found out about the promotion to Fresno?

A: "It was after the last game in New Hampshire. [Manager Bien Figueroa] called me into his office before we were getting on the bus to leave to let me know."

Q: Players talk about how excited they were when getting the call to the majors. While this isn't the case, how would you compare your reaction to what you've heard others' promotions?

A: “I can guarantee you I wasn’t as excited as I would be if I got a major league call-up. I was happy. It caught me off guard; statistically I wasn’t having that great of a season.”


Q: What were you told your expectations are for the remainder of the season?

A: “That’s all I really try to do. As far as expectations go, with baseball you’re playing every night. You’re not going to have a good game every night; you’re not going to have a bad game every night. What I do try and do is play hard and win a baseball game.”


Q: When you think about being one step closer to the bigs and you realize that all your hard work has paid off so far, what sort of emotions do you have?

A: "I'm one step closer to the major leagues, but this step to the major leagues is the biggest step that you make, more so than Single-A to Double-A or Double-A to Triple-A. We've already seen it a couple times this year where [the Giants] called guys up from Double-A straight to the major leagues. I still feel I am in Triple-A. There's a month left, so I'm going to work hard while I am here. When it gets into the off season, I have to work just as hard as I have in the off season, maybe even harder. The closer you get to it, the more you want it."

Q: Guys talk about the adjustments they have to make when they move up a level. Even though you've played just one game with Fresno, what do you have to work on to succeed at Triple-A?

A: "I've only payed one game, but I think what's going to be tough for me is blocking out that it's Triple-A. That's a distraction. You're with new teammates, new stadiums, new opponents, and it's in the back, of your mind that all this is new. Therefore you lose focus on what you're doing at that point of time whether it's hitting, or in the outfield or running the bases. I just want to play my game and be focused, have good at bats and play solid defense."