Batting Around with Eric Byrnes
High energy A's outfielder talks surfing and success
By Kent Schacht / MLB.com
05/26/2003 1:27 PM ET
OAKLAND -- Since Jermaine Dye went down with a knee injury in late April, Eric Byrnes has started 26 games in the Oakland outfield and seems to have permanently written his name into the A's lineup. Since getting a chance to play full-time, Byrnes has hit safely 16 games in a row, batted .380 (38-for-100) and seemingly done something special every day.
A Northern California native with Southern California looks, Byrnes is an Oakland fan favorite for his all-out play and hustle. He sat down recently with MLB.com to talk about life away from the field.
MLB.com: You play baseball like a football player, so what kinds of sports did you grow up playing?
Eric Byrnes: I grew up playing every single sport you can imagine. Anything active, when I was growing up, that's what I was doing, so really, not much has changed. I used to ski, waterski, wakeboarding, skateboarding, surfing, basketball, football, baseball, tennis, karate. My old man -- he's a 4.3 black belt in Kempo Karate, so I grew up doing that real competitively until I was 12 -- I kind of burned out then.
MLB.com: Doing all those sports when you were a kid, do you think that's part of why you're so high-energy now?
Byrnes: Yeah, I always need to be doing something. I don't like sitting around for too long. I guess you could say I get bored really easily.
MLB.com: You don't have much time to get bored these days -- you're at the stadium every day for early batting practice. So what kind of things are you doing before you get to the park?
Byrnes: I won't sleep in, I get up at around 7 every morning. I play with my bulldog, Bruin. He's 12-inches high and 70 pounds. He's awesome. I go play with him for a while, he loves to play -- we could play all day.
MLB.com: Who gets tired more quickly? You or the dog?
Byrnes: I don't know. That's a good question. He starts panting so hard though, I think he's going to explode. We have fun together, though. We have some good wrestling matches.
MLB.com: You recently moved to Half Moon Bay, right on the Pacific Ocean, how's life by the water treating you?
Byrnes: I go down to the ocean a lot. I love to play golf, I live right by the golf course in Half Moon Bay, so whenever I get an off day, every chance I get, I'll get out on the course. I like to go down to the beach, I'll go for a jog, take the dog out. He loves to run in the ocean. He thinks the waves are incredible. He loves to go crashing into them. Really, he defies logic, because bulldogs aren't supposed to swim. He somehow finds a way.
MLB.com: You said you liked to surf as a kid. Do you still get out there?
Byrnes: I grew up surfing -- I learned how to surf from my uncle down in San Diego. He's 50 years old, a dentist, and he goes surfing every single morning. I used to go on 'dawn patrol' with him -- that's how I learned. In high school, once I got my license, I used to drive to go surfing every day before school. I grew up in Woodside, but over the hill was Half Moon Bay, so every morning, I'd drive over there and surf, then drive to school. That lasted for a while, until finally the frigid waters just got to me. It was freezing every morning and I wasn't getting a whole lot better, so I just kind of bagged it. The only time I go surfing now is when I go see my Uncle. We go down there for Christmas every year and every Christmas morning, we're on 'dawn patrol.'
MLB.com: Any chance you get back into surfing?
Byrnes: Both my neighbors (in Half Moon Bay) want me to get back into it. Maybe in the offseason. I've got to stay sharp for my uncle Chris.
MLB.com: Growing up in the Bay Area, you've always been a big fan favorite, but now that you're playing so well, have you noticed more people recognizing you?
Byrnes: I'll get more random people coming up to me now and saying some things, which is pretty cool. But the greatest thing about it is that I've had the support from all my family and friends that have lived in the area. Obviously, it's been really exciting for me, which I think makes it exciting for them. I couldn't ask for better support from my family, my friends. It seems like the fans have caught on to me nicely, and it's been a joy to come out here and play in front of people that root for me like that.
MLB.com: Do you ever get burned out on baseball? Is it ever a grind?
Byrnes: Never. I figured that I spent my whole life trying to get here. I might as well enjoy it while I'm here. I wake up every morning excited to get to the ballpark. The day that's gone is the day that I won't be playing anymore.
Kent Schacht is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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