Marlins outfielder Cliff Floyd
CBS SportsLine
Chat Transcript
February 21, 1999

Floyd is expected to be a part of the Marlins' future, having recently signed a four-year contract.

Marlins outfielder Cliff Floyd talked about the quickly approaching season when he answered your questions live from FanFest on Sunday, Feb. 21.

Floyd, 26, became the first player in Marlins history to attain 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a single season in 1998, hitting .282 and leading the club with 22 home runs, 90 RBI and a team-record 45 doubles. Floyd finished fifth in the National League in doubles and tied for sixth with 27 stolen bases, while establishing a career-high with 153 games played.

The 6-4, 235 lbs. left fielder began the season as the club's lead-off hitter and quickly broke the Marlins record for most homers to lead off a game when he pounded three in the month of April. He finished seventh in the National League with a .362 on-base percentage when leading off innings.

Floyd was voted as the 1998 Marlins Most Valuable Player by the South Florida chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America and was tabbed as a starting outfielder by The Sporting News on their 1998 National League East All-Star Team.

Find out what Cliff had to say in the full transcript of his chat below.

Cliff Floyd: Hello everyone. I am ready for your questions.

Questions: Are you having fun at FanFest, Cliff?
Cliff Floyd: I'm having a great time giving back to the fans who support us. Last year was tough but I think the team has matured a lot and ready to show the fans some excitement and compete on the field.

Question: What's it like to play out your dream?
Cliff Floyd: I think it's unbelievable. Making it to the big leagues is a dream come true. I never imagined playing in the majors. I love it and wouldn't want to do anything else than play baseball. Maybe one day I can even get into coaching and help players get to the point where I am today.

Question: Are you looking forward to playing under a new manager?
Cliff Floyd: I'm looking forward to playing for Boles. I think the important thing is all the guys on the team know him in their development in the minors. I know he wants to win and I think that's great. I look forward to playing for him and playing hard.

Question: You showed more discipline at the plate last season, what do you attribute that to?
Cliff Floyd: I think it was not worrying about what the pitcher was going to throw me. I just reacted. Just see it and hit. I went to the plate and didn't think, just saw the pitch and sung the bat. Every night won't be perfect, you just want to be consistent.

Question: How do you think the team will do this year?
Cliff Floyd: I think the sky is the limit for this team. We have a lot of potential superstars. We learned how to play together last year and fought through the losses. We gelled together and got stronger and that should help this year. Last year's tough time molded us into a family and we hang out off the field too. That's important in success is being close like that.

Question: Cliff, how many years have you been in the pros?
Cliff Floyd: This is my fourth season in the majors and hopefully there are many more to come.

Question: Cliff, you have a lot of young talent on this team. Do you see any future superstars besides yourself?
Cliff Floyd: I don't consider myself a superstar, but we have a ton of guys - Kotsay, Hernandez, Lee, Fernandez, Gonzalez. I can go on and on. All these guys are great players and can help us win ball games and bring South Florida another championship.

Question: What's your favorite team to play?
Cliff Floyd: The team I get the most hits against. I always like playing the Mets though, and we open the season with them so hopefully that will be the same.

Question: I read somewhere that you had a potential career-ending wrist injury in '95, how difficult was that for you?
Cliff Floyd: For a while I didn't know if I was coming back from that injury. My career was going backwards a little, so I was looking for a change. That was before coming to the Marlins. I had a good physical therapist and am thankful I came back and the Marlins gave me a chance to further my career and I'm thankful for it. I try not to worry about injuries though. I stay away from thinking about injuries and just go out and play.

Question: Cliff, are you ready to go to the All-Star Game this year?
Cliff Floyd: I'm ready to go to the World Series actually. The All-Star game is great but I guarantee all the guys at the All-Star game would love to be in the World Series, that's everyone's goal. Although it would be a great honor to go to the All-Star game.

Question: What do you think of maybe having to face Randy Johnson?
Cliff Floyd: I don't want to make Randy mad, so I'll just say I hope Randy doesn't do to me what he did to John Kruk at the All-Star game a few years ago. If he throws over my head I'll walk back to the dugout like Kruk did. :->

Question: Cliff, what is your favorite position to play?
Cliff Floyd: I've always preferred the outfield. To me, the OF you get to use your ability to chase down balls and make great catches to get the fans excited. In the OF, it gives you time to think about your offensive side of the game too.

Question: Hey Cliff, who was your role model as a child, did you have one?
Cliff Floyd: My idol was Harold Baines who played with the White Sox. When I started playing, I hit just like Baines. I have a whole collection of his cards and watched him play growing up in Chicago. To this day I love the chances I get to meet him.

Question: Cliff, which team has the worst outfield to play on?
Cliff Floyd: The worst would be Shea Stadium, the Mets. It could be sunny and beautiful day and the outfield is still wet which makes it had to get traction. All the turf fields are bad too with the turf burns and it's hard on your knees.

Question: Who's the hardest pitcher you have faced?
Cliff Floyd: The hardest pitcher would be all of them. Kevin Brown is the one of the toughest. He's hard to pick up on where he's throwing the ball and he knows what he's doing. Hard to hit him day in and day out.

Question: What lineup spot do you prefer?
Cliff Floyd: It really doesn't matter to me. Wherever I can help the team the most at is good for me. I hit leadoff and fifth last year. Wasn't thrilled about leading off from the pressure to get the team going, thought I was letting them down if I didn't get on, but I liked fifth.

Question: You're the first player in Marlins history to hit 20 homers and steal 20 bases in a single season. Should we expect more of the same this year?
Cliff Floyd: I think the biggest thing for me is setting personal goals and reaching for them. Its to stay consistent too. I think I had a pretty good year but it was mediocre compared to others at my position. There are things I know I can improve on and I will look to achieve that.

Question: Cliff, are you expected to the big RBI guy for the Marlins?
Cliff Floyd: I expect to drive in some runs. I like that pressure of being up with bases loaded, two outs and the game on the line. I win or lose it for us. I like that pressure. I hated it at first, but now I've accepted that role and go up there and relax and have fun.

Question: What do you like to do for fun?
Cliff Floyd: In my spare time, I like to bowl. I like jet skiing but my contract won't let me jet ski anymore :-) -- potential injuries. I like to relax with my wife and go out and have fun. During the season my mind is on the game but I like to relax away form it.

Question: Who's your best friend on the team?
Cliff Floyd: All these guys are fairly new and it takes time to develop those good, close relationships. My best friend in baseball is Rondell White with the Expos because I grew up playing with him. But there are a lot of guys on the team I am close to on the field too.

Question: Do you see yourself as the team leader or do you share that role with other guys?
Cliff Floyd: My leadership role is to go out and help the team and hustle and work hard to help the team win. That will show as a leadership thing. If someone gets out of line, we handle it in the clubhouse on our own, that's a team/family thing. I don't believe in chastising a guy in public. I hope I can go out and show what type of play we should be putting on the field with my hard work.

Question: Who is going to be the surprise of the Marlins this season?
Cliff Floyd: Hopefully its me. :-) I think it will be a lot of guys. Dunwoody has improved in the offseason and I think our pitchers are better too. I don't think anyone guy will be a surprise, I hope the whole team will be a surprise with our hard play and success. Hopefully the Marlins will shock everyone despite our youth and win a lot of games.

Question: You are very active in the community, what is your favorite organization?
Cliff Floyd: Now that I've been in Florida for the whole offseason, I will get a better chance to work with kids in this area. Especially kids from broken homes, that type of thing. I like working with kids from troubled homes and give them a chance to have someone to turn to. If I help just one kid it's worth it. My biggest thing will be to go to certain places and do whatever I can to help.

Question: Cliff, what's your chance of making the playoffs?
Cliff Floyd: I think we have a good chance to make the playoffs. We have a better team this year because Alex Fernandez is back and added some more players. We added Mike Lowell at third base, but overall I think we'll out-hustle a lot of teams. I'm looking forward to surprising some teams. Can't promise anything, but I can guarantee we will hustle and play hard every night.
Cliff Floyd: It's been great talking to you all! I have to get get going but thanks for having me! Goodbye everyone! (go to list)

This Week ... Cliff Floyd
Florida Marlins Left fielder

In 1998, Cliff Floyd became the Marlins' first 20-20 player. He also set the team single-season doubles record.

Favorite baseball player when he was a kid:
"Harold Baines. He was quiet, but he played the game hard and he enjoyed himself it seemed like, when he played. I just liked the way he went out there. He worked hard and that's what I try to do when I go out there and play."

Favorite team when he was growing up:
"I'm from Chicago...the White Sox were my favorite. I liked them because Harold Baines played on the White Sox, but I was a Cubs fan growing up. So I went back and forth, being from Chicago I had that privilege."

Favorite subject in school:
English

When he began playing baseball:
"I started (Little League) when I was eight years old."

His advice for kids who hope to be in the Majors someday:
"Continue working hard and don't listen to nobody telling you (that you can't make it). You have to believe it in your heart, if you believe it in your heart I think you'll get the right attitude that you need."

All-time favorite movie:
"I go to the movies a lot, but my all-time favorite would have to be American Pie. I haven't laughed as much as I have in a long time when I watched that. When I go buy a movie that means I like it."

Favorite singer:
Tupac

Favorite breakfast cereal:
"I love Froot Loops."

Favorite TV show:
The Jamie Foxx Show

If he could have dinner with any current or former Major Leaguer, he would choose:
"Hank Aaron, because he took so much criticism when he was coming through the years of playing baseball, and he hung in there and he battled...and it all paid off and he got to the Hall of Fame. He's getting his recognition now. When you go to play the game and you see how well he performed it makes you want to go out there and do the things he did."

If he could add one player to his roster, he would pick:
"Ken Griffey Jr. He's an all-around ballplayer. He does everything well. You can listen to him talking about how much he just wants to be normal, just like everybody else and play the game. I like him because he's a team guy and he's a great ballplayer."

A historical baseball event he would like to have witnessed:
"Hank Aaron's 715th home run."

If he wasn't a baseball player, another career that would interest him:
"You know, I always dreamed of being a taxi driver. Because I always liked talking to people. I think that for me, it would be a good opportunity to meet a lot of people. To be a taxi driver you've got to know where you're going, and I like knowing where I'm going when I'm driving."

The stadium he most enjoys playing in:
"I enjoyed playing in Baltimore, it was a great place. The fans came out and enjoyed the game. It's a great atmosphere for baseball, and it's just a great park also."

The best part about being a pro baseball player:
"The road. The opportunity to get out and see different places that you never thought about visiting. And when you get there, you just have to sit back sometimes and be thankful that you do get the opportunity. Not too many guys get the opportunity to do something that they love to do, and that's the best part, doing something that you love to do."

Person who taught him the most about baseball:
"My dad. He didn't so much teach me (baseball), he just taught me the ropes, in terms of always staying within myself -- not trying to do too much, do trying to do too little, work hard, don't let nobody steer you in the wrong direction, stuff like that I think just made me a better person. I just try hard to be myself and don't let nobody tell me something that I know is wrong and still do it."
(go to list)