INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM Ryan Armstrong '06 swings for the fences

Author: Zamir Ahmed, sports editor

The Campus: When did you first play baseball?
Ryan Armstrong: I started playing probably when I was about five or six, tee-ball like everyone else, then I just played through my town and then through high school and now here.
TC: So, do you play any other sports?
RA: I play football here and I've been doing that just as long as I've been playing baseball.
TC: Which one do you like better?
RA: I'm going to have to say baseball, simply because we go to Arizona or Florida, so it has a little bit of an advantage, I suppose, over football and Vermont.
TC: Is it hard to balance two sports?
RA: It's tough, it's definitely demanding. You have to try to balance your academics and your sports and find time to read, study and write papers and all that good stuff. But I think I would be better off playing two sports with my academics than not doing any sports and doing academics because it keeps me focused on school and all that good stuff too.
TC: How does it feel to be a Middlebury record holder?
RA: [Laughs] Um, flattering, I guess. This college has a very long history and it's an honor to be at the top of the charts in some categories, but I don't know how long it's going to stay. We've got some good underclassmen who are ready to break a lot more records. It's an honor.
TC: Any superstitions?
RA: I would like to say I'm not superstitious, but I guess I am. Uh, I usually wear like, sort of a, like a little piece of string on my left wrist. But, uh, after last season when I was in a slump, I took it off and then I got out of the slump so I haven't worn it since playing baseball, I don't wear it anymore. So I guess a little superstitious. [Laughs] I have some habits, some routines before I get up to bat but it's nothing as OCD as, uh, my batting gloves or anything like Nomar.
TC: If you could have one song played when you are stepping up to bat, what would it be?
RA: Blue Oyster Cult - "Godzilla." I don't know if you've heard it but it's a pretty bad-ass song. I like it, it's a good intro.
TC: What are your responsibilities as a captain?
RA: Just making sure we stay focused. I think a lot of the time, in any spring sport, it can be difficult to keep your focus because seniors have graduation, the weather gets nice, people are interested in going outside and having fun and all that stuff. But it's important for us to keep our focus and make sure we can advance to the playoffs. But definitely keep everyone focused and having fun, making sure everyone has fun because that's what playing Division III baseball is for - because we love it and, you know, we enjoy playing it. Those are the two most important things, I'd say.
TC: What is your best moment as a player?
RA: I'm going to say a couple days ago, beating Williams in extra innings. It was a nine inning game and we were down by five throughout most of the game. We came back, tied it up 5-5, and then they got another five runs so we're down 10-5 going into the eighth inning. We get five runs in the eighth inning, tie it up so it's 10-10 going into the final inning. They get two runs, which killed me personally but thankfully the team was there to pick me up and we got two runs in the ninth to tie it back up so it goes into extra innings. Gary Roosa, a senior pitcher, did an unbelievable job and pitched a scoreless inning against Williams for the tenth. They walk the bases loaded. John Lanahan '08 hits a fly ball to right field. Kid catches it and Joe Ramoin '06 tags from third. He gets thrown out so it's a double play, two outs, tenth inning, runners on first and third. Nick Lefeber, a sophomore, who was huge for us all throughout the Florida trip - he hit over .500, the kid was just a stud - he hits a game-winning hit up the middle. So we came back from five runs on two separate occasions throughout the game and beat Williams. I think it was morale boosting and it just changed our mentality. It really showed that we have a lot of character on the team and I was really proud to be a part of it.
TC: Who's the biggest clown on the team?
RA: [Laughs] I would give that honor to either myself just to avoid embarrassing anyone else. I'm a big goofball. I like to keep it loose in there. But all those guys keep the fun around in their own ways. But I'm definitely the loudest and most obnoxious in the locker room and practice and stuff like that. I guess maybe myself.
TC: Have you given any interesting nicknames?
RA: Giving other people nicknames, I like doing that if something happens where a particular event or something is linked to someone else, I like to maybe bring it up as a joke and see if it spreads. It's happened a couple of times on the baseball team. Nick Lefeber, we call him DJ Kid Nicky, for whatever reason. Alex Casnocha '06, we call him Casanova, Nacho. Stuff like that sticks.
TC: What do you think of the designated hitter?
RA: I know I'm probably going to get yelled at by some professors who follow baseball because I know a lot of guys are against the designated hitter. I personally like it. I'm a big Red Sox fan [Laughs] and if David Ortiz wasn't the designated hitter for the Red Sox, we wouldn't be half as good as we are. But in terms of NESCAC play too, I think it's great because you get another hitter in the game and especially….We have a great lineup so it's good to get as many guys as you can in the game. So I'm for it, though I can see why people are against it. It doesn't bug me.
TC: What are your plans after graduation?
RA: Oh man, you sound like my mom. [Laughs] I get this question asked all the time by relatives and stuff like that and I still have no idea. I'm thinking about grad school somewhere, maybe going to a bigger school out west and studying education. If not, I'd like to work somewhere in the New England area, maybe stay close to home for a couple of years then eventually move out to somewhere in California just to get away from the cold weather for a little bit.
TC: Finally, who's going to win the World Series?
RA: I gotta say Red Sox. I mean, if I don't say Red Sox, I'm not a fan. But that's me being a typical Red Sox fan. I have the - I did like a whole bracket by myself. [Laughs] I was bored one day in class. I think I have the Angels winning the World Series in six games against the Cardinals.
- Zamir Ahmed, sports editor