April 29, 2009
BALTIMORE, MD -
Senior Dan Merzel of the Johns Hopkins baseball team recently chatted with HopkinsSports.com about his career at JHU and the season thus far. Heading into the Centennial Conference Tournament, the Blue Jays own a 22-14 record and will host Franklin & Marshall in game two on Friday at 3 p.m.
The senior has a .352 career batting average and has tallied 78 hits over the past three seasons. In 2008, Merzel was named the Mike Durgala Most Valuable Player in the Centennial Conference Tournament.
Merzel is an applied mathematics and statistics major and will graduate in May before heading to umpire school. Here is what the senior had to tell HopkinsSports.com.
HopkinsSports.com: Dream job?
Dan Merzel: Major League Baseball Umpire
HS: Why Hopkins?
DM: It is a great academic school with a well-respected, top notch baseball program.
HS: If I could eat dinner anywhere, I would choose...
DM: At home with my mom's cooking. Or a hot dog at Fenway Park.
HS: Who is your most intense teammate and why?
DM: Swarr. I am scared for my life whenever he gets excited or mad.
HS: After Hopkins, I would like to...
DM: Attend umpire school and try to work my way to the Major Leagues
HS: Teammate that inspires you?
DM: Tim Rappazzo.
HS: One word to describe me on the field?
DM: Energetic.
HS: One word to describe me off of the field?
DM: Competitive.
HS: In my free time, I like to
DM: Watch Jeopardy, watch baseball, play board games.
HS: One thing that being a member of the baseball team has taught you?
DM: I will never hit a homerun.
HS: Thing I miss most about home?
DM: Home cooked meals, my dog Slider, and real hockey fans.
HS: Nickname?
DM: C.U.P., Merzeltov.
HS: Favorite thing to do after a win?
DM: Eat a big meal, then win the second game of the doubleheader.
HS: What other sports did you play in high school?
DM: I played hockey goalie for four years in high school.
HS: Athletic Accomplishment you are most proud of?
DM: I am most proud of our team's trip to the College World Series last year. It took a lot of hard work from everyone on that team and there was never a dull moment while we were on the road.
HS: Furthest road trip you've ever taken?
DM: When I was younger, my parents made a deal with my brother and I that if we read a certain number of books over the summer, we could pick a road trip to take. We had never been out of the country, so my dad took us to Olympic Stadium in Montreal to see a Montreal Expos game.
HS: Your proudest moment?
DM: Winning the Centennial Conference Tournament last season, winning the South Regional Tournament, and representing Johns Hopkins at the College World Series.
HS: Favorite movie?
DM: Miracle and Sandlot.
HS: Favorite Bob Babb quote?
DM: "In my 30 years of coaching, I have never seen [INSERT RARE BASEBALL EVENT HERE]". One time he said that and it happened the next pitch.
HS: Favorite meal to cook?
DM: Do bagel bites count?
HS: Worst part of college?
DM: Laundry.
HS: Craziest thing you've ever done?
DM: I ran with scissors once after my mom told me not to.
HS: Favorite mid-night snack?
DM: Chips Ahoy cookies and milk.
HS: What's the significance of "chat em up, Merz"?
DM: My teammates say that phrase whenever there is a break in the action and I talk to an umpire working our game or an opposing player or coach. I try to be a friendly guy on the field, and they like to joke about it.
HS: What was your role on the state championship Hopkinton, Massachusetts squad?
DM: I was a utility guy during our junior year. During the regular season, I got some innings at different positions. In the state tournament in Massachusetts, there was a rule that coaches were not allowed to be anywhere in play during the game, so players had to coach the bases. I was appointed the third base coach.
HS: Would you rather be a professional baseball player or a professional umpire?
DM: If I was good enough to be a professional player, I would rather play. But right now? Umpire.
HS: Who is the first person you call after a game?
DM: My dad.
HS: Which teammate are you most envious of?
DM: None of them. They all hit too many homeruns.
HS: How many meals per day do you consume from Subway?
DM: Less than one.
Up next on The Inside Pitch: Dan Schiffner. Have a question for Schiffner? E-mail it to carrie.shaw@jhu.edu.
