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Live Chat With Former MLB Reliever Chuckie Fick
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Kory
9:56
Thanks for chatting with us! What was it like pitching for the EDA Rhinos?
Chuckie Fick
9:57
It was a great experience, and they treated all the players very well. The level of competition was AA/AAA and the tougest part was the humidity and they never rubbed up the balls. So every ball that came info play was brand new and very slick
9:59
Hi everyone, I can kind of jumped right into this, but I am excited to chat with you this morning. My name is Chuckie Fick, and I am a former MLB reliever for the Cardinals and Astros.I played 9 years professionally, and bounced around in the minors, along with playing in Mexico and Taiwan. My dad was a 30-year MLB scout for the Cardinal and Giants, and my uncle Robert Fick was an 11-year MLB player as well. Long story short, I come from a baseball family.
Guest
10:01
Best team in the MLB going into season?
Chuckie Fick
10:02
I predicted the Blue Jays last year to make a big run last year, and I think they are very exciting. The Dodgers are always extremely well rounded, but never count out the Yankees and Cardinals.
James
10:02
Do you think that growing up in baseball made it more appealing for you or made it feel more like a job? Seems like, based on your own interviews, that you were more ready and willing to move onto the next chapter than some other players.
Chuckie Fick
10:03
It made it very appealing. It never felt like a job, and my family was always very objective with the career path, along with my own skill set. People always assumed that it was tough growing up in a baseball family, but everyone was so supportive of how hard it is to make it past D1 baseball.
10:04
I heard a quote one time about no matter who you are, or how good you were, you always become a former player. I always kept that in the back of my mind, that it would eventually come to an end, and I was ok with it.
Guest
10:05
Which hitter did like facing the least and most?
Chuckie Fick
10:06
I loved facing any right-handed hitter. I also hated facing any left handed hitter. If you ever do a small dive into my stats, all the lefties dominated me.
Ryan
10:06
As a pitcher, did you choose to be a reliever or is it decided for you?
Chuckie Fick
10:06
It was decided for me. I started in college and here and there in the minors, but my repertoire was best suited for 1 time through the time lineup mostly.
Guest
10:07
Favorite ballpark to play in?
Chuckie Fick
10:07
I loved PNC Park
Jessie
10:07
What are you doing with baseball nowadays?
Chuckie Fick
10:08
I coach a nationally ranked travel team with my brother and dad. We help kids get exposure to college and pro scouts during the summer and fall. We have recently had a good stretch of draft picks coming out of both HS and college.
Joe Davola
10:08
What was the strangest thing you ever did to keep a hot streak alive?
Chuckie Fick
10:08
I wore the same shirt and underwear every day for months in 2011. They were cleaned everyday obviously, but I didn't change a thing!
Guest
10:09
Biggest challenge to playing in the pros?
Chuckie Fick
10:10
Being away from friends and family and the travel. It's a commitment to following a dream during your 20's when a lot of your friends are off doing other things.
Richard
10:10
Hi Chuckie, Thank you for chatting with us.  What was it like being in a 100+ loss team?  Was it difficult to stay motivated and positive?
Chuckie Fick
10:11
It was not difficult for me. I was there to try and establish myself as best as possible, and as a pitcher, if I did my job I would help the team try and win. There was some toxicity in the clubhouse from the veteran players, but there were also some really good guys as well. Players like Wesley Wright, Jason Castro, Jed Lowrie and Justin Maxwell were great guys and mentors.
Joe Davola
10:11
What was the funniest heckle you heard from the bullpen?
Chuckie Fick
10:13
I got a lot of heckles about my last name. I thought I had heard them all and none of them ever bothered, me, but one time I was jogging into game, and a fan yelled "Don't Fick this up"! I had heard the comment, but in that moment it made me randomly laugh.
Ryan
10:13
Based on the new rules, shifts/click, do you think it benefits the hitter or pitcher more? Would you have enjoyed these rules when you were playing?
Chuckie Fick
10:15
Most of it benefits the hitters for the shift rules I believe. Also, everyone uses some sort of sticky stuff. Your hand gets too sweaty, and the balls are too slick. It doesn't enhance much, but it keeps the ball safely in your hand. If the hitters get to wear batting gloves and have pine tar, we should get a little something too.
Bella
10:15
Was being in the majors difficult from a mental health standpoint?
Chuckie Fick
10:16
It was an adjustment as you have to really learn to control your adrenaline and remind yourself its still the same game as any other level. Yes, the players are better, but if I execute, I should win.
Guest
10:16
What was your favorite affiliated organization to play for? And your favorite team overall?
Chuckie Fick
10:17
Springfield Cardinals. The AA affiliate for the Cardinals. Great fans, great stadium, great support staff. Also loved playing for the Quad Cities River Bandits. It's the perfect town with a beautiful stadium.
Jessie
10:17
If you could do it all again is there anything you'd do differently?
Chuckie Fick
10:18
I wouldn't change much. I was able to walk away from the game knowing I gave it my all. I would have tried to learn a cutter earlier on, but it was a tough pitch for me.
Jake
10:18
Who was the toughest guy to face in  your career?
Chuckie Fick
10:18
Kila Kaʻaihue
he owns me
Bella
10:18
If you ”fick” up in a game, do your teammates get on your case?
Chuckie Fick
10:19
No. We are all professionals, and physical mistakes happen. It's when the mental mistakes happen, is when it gets frustrating. Those are always controllable
Bella
10:19
Did you ever get hit by a comebacker? Is that scary?
Chuckie Fick
10:20
I got hit 3 times in my life and all 3 times was very bad. I got hit in the chest in college with a 107 MPH comebacker. It missed my heart by about a 1/4 inch. I went on to pitch another 1 1/3 innings against Nevada Reno, got my first college win, and then went to the ER.
10:21
The other times, I got in the forearm and the ankle. The forearm was the most painful, and I thought it broke as soon as I got hit.
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