Eastern League Extra: What would you say is your best moment in baseball?

Jason Roach: I'd have to say my best moment in baseball happened to be in Venezuela. In '02, I was pitching down there for Valencia. I threw a great game, it was a shutout - the only shutout of my career - and it was a packed game with 25,000 people. If you've ever been to Venezuela and played baseball down there, you know how loud and crazy those fans get, so I was pretty excited.

Other than that, in my first two years, I was fortunate enough to win two championships. As a whole, that was extremely exciting, mobbing at the end of the game.

ELX: How about your worst baseball moment?

Roach: My worst baseball moment would have had to have been getting called into the office and getting told that I was being switched to pitching. I was drafted as a third baseman, and after three years I went into Spring Training - and I really wanted to hit, that's why I came out in the draft telling people I wanted to play third base - and that was a tough blow, because that was somebody telling you that we don't think you can go any farther at this level with hitting. So that was probably the worst moment, but good things have come from it.

ELX: In retrospect, do you wish you'd stuck with hitting?

Roach: I would have liked to have tried a little longer, yes. But I also knew that I was very confident at pitching, and I also knew that deep down that maybe pitching was my best chance to get to the Major Leagues. But who doesn't want to hit, who doesn't want to play every day and play third or first and hit home runs and do all that kind of stuff. It was a tough blow, but it worked out.

ELX: Who was the most talented player you've ever played with?

Roach: The most talented player I've ever played with - he's in the Reds organization, I think in Louisville, Triple-A, his name's Robert Stratton. He's a huge power hitter, and I'll tell you why he's the most talented player. Not because he was a first round pick or any of that stuff, but this is a huge guy with tons of power, and he's got a great arm and he can run. He's really a five-tool player, that's why he was a first round pick. But he's a great guy and he's a guy that deserves to get a chance at the Major League level. He's got to be the most all around hit the ball in the lights slash beat out a swinging bunt type player that I've played with.

I played with him in 2001 in Binghamton, and I was with him in 2000, 2001 and 2002 in the Mets organization, so I got to see him a lot. Last year I got to play with B.J. Upton in Durham for a while, a very highly talented player and Josh Hamilton - I'm from that Raleigh area, so I got to see him play in high school. I didn't get to play with him, but that's an extremely talented guy, too. Hopefully he'll get back on track. He threw 95 left-handed and was a five-tool player. But I'm going with Robert Stratton.

ELX: The Mets called you up in June of 2003. How did you find out you were going up?

Roach: It was after a game. I'd actually just gone in and gotten my dinner plate put together and sat down. The manager came in and said, 'Hey Roach, I need to see you in the office.' That was at 11 o'clock at night, and he told me I was going up. I flew to Anaheim the next day, so I didn't sleep at all that night, of course.

ELX: Your first big league start was in Anaheim. I know things didn't really turn out the way you might have wanted, but what do you remember most about that game?

Roach: The thing I remember most about that game was - one, just the excitement of a Saturday night in Anaheim with 46,000 people. Gorgeous park, unbelievable. But the thing I remember most about it was - I've explained this to a few people - but I'm out there on the mound and I'm throwing and the first batter, (David) Eckstein, comes up and I'm pitching to him, and everything really just felt like it was in slow motion. I guess that's the anxiety, the nerves, just everything all together.

After that, I walked Eckstein and then I got (Darin) Erstad out. He moved the runner over, but I remember I got him out. And then, it was like everything cleared up, it was like the game went back into normal motion. I remember sitting there on the mound thinking wow, that just happened to me. It was your total rookie experience, just being a little overwhelmed with it and then getting right into the action.

ELX: You made your second and, for now, last big league start in Shea Stadium against the Braves. You had a better game there, and you even went 2-for-2, making you a career 1.000 hitter. Tell me about how things went for you in that game...

Roach: That game was exciting. I grew up watching the Braves a lot, and to get to go (and play them) - Sheffield was there in the lineup at that time and I think they were leading the league in batting at the time. The first thing I'll say is it was much better. I was in the bullpen and it was eyes wide open, I was more relaxed. It wasn't like the Anaheim game, I just felt more comfortable. It was great to get out there and get that scoreless first out of the way and pitch deep into the game.

My first hit was a little bit of a lucky infield chopper, and my second one was clean. So that was huge, I've got that ball at home. They were able to keep the ball for me and everything, and that was great. But I long to get back. That was '03 and this is '06, and I'm still here and I'm trying to get back.

ELX: So is it a little frustrating to be in Double-A after what you just did three years ago?

Roach: I wouldn't say frustrating. Obviously, I don't necessarily want to be in Double-A, but I'm not bitter at all about having to be here. I'm happy to have the job, I'm happy to get innings and be pitching and try to work my way back. For anybody that's been playing long enough, you start to understand that whether you're in Double-A or in Triple-A, it's all about how you're doing. Are you pitching well, are you hitting well...and those are going to be the things that get you a chance at the next level. But I'm happy to be here.

ELX: Going back to that second game for a little bit, was it a little intimidating to be pitching in Shea Stadium or was more in your favor considering that it's a pitchers park?

Roach: Definitely in your favor since it's a pitchers park. It wasn't that intimidating, I had the luxury of going to a couple of exhibition games and pitching there early on, so that kind of helped as far as getting the nerves out, but it was definitely exciting, it really was. There were all the fans, and my family was able to make it, and it was just really exciting and really unbelievable. It was everything you think of when you're six or eight years old and you think you're going to get to the big leagues and you're going to try to make it.