4/9/14

Q&A with Savannah Sand Gnat John Gant from Savannah, GA

John Gant, a 2011 21st draft pick by the New York Mets out of Wiregrass Ranch High School in Florida, reached Brooklyn last year and had a very nice season, pitching to a 2.89 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 71.2 innings while allowing only 53 hits. The 6'3" right hander weighs in at 208 pounds, will pitch the beginning of 2014 in his home town of Savannah. John had a very nice start to his season this week: 6 IP, 5 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, 1 R. 

Despite the craziness of the early season, John took the time to answer some questions for us. 



Stephen Guilbert: How long did you live in Savannah and what was it like pitching in your hometown in 2012? 

John Gant: I was born in Savannah and lived there with my parents until moving to Florida when I was 10 years old.  I still consider Savannah to be my hometown.  I pitched in Kingsport in 2012 and was moved to Savannah for 1 start at the end of the season.  The game was on the road so I actually did not get to take the mound in Grayson Stadium.

SG: I see. So it was more of a spot start scenario. Is it difficult to move levels and switch teams mid-season?

JG: Not very difficult for me as it was only one start.  Only negative was I didn't get to pitch in Savannah.

SG: Were you disappointed not to pitch more in low-A in 2013 or even get to St. Lucie? 

JG: While I certainly wanted to get to Savannah, Brooklyn was the natural progression so it was not a disappointment for me.

SG: Few prospects get the chance to pitch in the same city as that features their parent club. What was your impression of pitching in Brooklyn in front of a home crowd who can take a subway (plus a transfer or two) to go from watching short season baseball and watching the big-league club? 

JG: Well, while I mean no disrespect towards Kingsport, it was certainly more exciting to pitch in front of a crowd of 8,000 in Brooklyn than 200

SG: Wait until you’re in front of 50,000. You threw, in my mind, the best start by a Mets prospect in 2013 and one of the better performances by a minor league starting pitcher last year. That night you faced the minimum, what was working? What was going through your head in a game you flirt with a no-hitter but can also lose the lead so quickly?

JG: That night my fastball was on and moving.  And the change was on as well.  I was concentrating on pitching to contact to throw fewer pitches to stay in the game longer.

SG: Was it the highlight of your season?

JG: Definitely.

SG: Could you share with us fans a bit on what you're working on? Any new pitches being added to the mix? Any new conditioning, nutrition, or training plans introduced to the Gant routine in 2014? 

JG: Working on my mechanics to fine-tune them some more.  No new pitches but confidently working on the 3 I have now.  I have gained weight to about 208, so I'm stretching more to keep loose these days.

SG: I've heard of a number of prospects gaining mass this off-season. Do they have you guys on a program or did you just motivate yourself and got to the weights diligently?

JG: Both. They have a program for us to follow and I followed it.

SG: I have a few fan-related questions to get to know you a bit better. First up, what’s playing on your iPod right now?

JG: Mostly country music.

SG: Do you have a pre-start song that gets you going?

JG: TNT by ACDC is my walkout song.

SG: Which other players are you close with?

JG: I’m close with all of my teammates.

SG: Have the Mets communicated an innings limit for you this year?

JG: No limit has been set.

SG: Favorite MLB player past or present?

JG: Javy Lopez. I grew up a Braves fan.

SG: Fastest pitch you’ve thrown?

JG: 94

SG: Favorite ballpark?

JG: Grayson Stadium.

SG: Thanks for the time, John. Great chatting with you.


JG: Thanks for the time, Stephen. I appreciate the interest.

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We wish John the best this season and would like to thank his father for facilitating the interview and getting us in touch with his son during this busy time of the season. 

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