Alumni Spotlight: Jeff Kunkel
9/24/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jeff Kunkel (2003-06) was an All-Big Ten catcher for the Wolverines during his senior season with the Maize and Blue, helping that team to a Big Ten regular-season and tournament championship. The Oak Forest, Ill., native was then drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2005 draft and signed with the organization after his fifth-year in Ann Arbor. Kunkel played six years in the Tigers' organization before becoming the bullpen catcher in 2012. Kunkel sat down with MGoBlue.com to talk about his job with the Tigers and what it entails, along with looking back to the 2006 championship team and his take on the current state of the Michigan baseball program.
Q. What's your daily routing as the bullpen catcher for the Detroit Tigers?
A. Before the game, we have side work for one of our starting pitchers and that is usually two hours before batting practice. And there is preparation for the game. I will help out Jeff Jones, the pitching coach, if he is looking at videos of our pitcher or the opposing hitters. Whatever I can do to help him, I do. I get the bullpen ready and get everything set up out there. I get there early, get ready to go and set up. I'll catch a bullpen for then starting pitcher, and then we have batting practice. I'll long toss and for the other pitchers. Depending on the day and who is pitching for the other team, a right-hander or left-hander, I'll get an extra group in the cage. During the game, I am out there in the bullpen, warming up the starter. We'll do their throwing program and walk off the starter before the game, and when a guy gets up, we get him ready.
Q. How did you transition to the bullpen catcher after playing in the Tigers' organization for six seasons?
A. In 2012, I was in spring training trying to make a team. It looked like I was heading back to the Erie Seawolves in the Eastern League. They [the Tigers] had an opening for the position and they thought that I would be a good fit so they offered me the job, and I ended up accepting it. It's worked out really well for me.
Q. How exciting is it to be a part of this team in the middle of a pennant race?
A. At this level, every game, every pitch means so much. Over the course of 162 games, you play every day and sometimes the grind can get to guys. But if you look at heading into this week, one or two plays is a huge difference in whether we are one game up, three games up or three games down. Everything at the big league level is magnified. Everybody is so talented and everybody is so good that it is so exciting. The games at the beginning of the year, middle of the year, and down the stretch especially, it is just so important that it is really fun to be a part of. Especially my first year getting a chance to go to a World Series, really exciting for me to be doing that job and catching so many guys that I came up with playing in the minor leagues. That was special. To see a lot of their accomplishments and having guys get called up and seeing their successes was really special for me. It is really exciting every day to be up there.
Q. You have a variety of pitchers and styles that you have to catch during a game or during a day. How do you prepare for that?
A. Every pitcher is different and special and they all have their things they like to do. And I take it upon myself to learn every pitcher and their routine and whether it's David Price, Rick Porcello or Joba Chamberlain, when they get up, I know exactly what they are going to do. I can help them get through what they are trying to do, whether they are rushed trying to get in to the game or a starter. I can help them get through their routine. I can help them because of the familiarity of knowing what they are trying to do. Sometimes with a minor adjustment or a motion, they know what I am trying to tell them. Everybody is different. Every pitcher is trying to do their own thing and it is my job to make them feel good and reassure them of what they are trying to accomplish. They all have their different routines and schedules and I'll go out at different times for different pitchers. Some guys throw longer, some throw longer on the mound. Some have a set amount of pitches they want to throw, and some, once they feel good, they are going in. I take it upon myself to know what each guy is doing and what each guy's routine is.
Q. What was your most memorable moment at Michigan?
A. Nothing will ever top my last year at Michigan, winning the Big Ten championship at home, getting to celebrate with my teammates on the field at Ray Fisher Stadium and being in that dog pile. Those couple of days to senior weekend, everything was really special, and the next weekend getting the chance to play in Big Ten Tournament on our field, which we earned, and winning that, [even after] losing the first game and coming back and winning. I take a lot of pride in the fact that we had four freshman pitchers win games during that tournament. For me, a proud moment was the next year. The team continued on and won the regional and I was just happy to be teammates with all those guys. You knew something special was building there and we kind of got it started with that first Big Ten championship that we worked so hard for so many years. The guys before me had worked so hard and maybe weren't rewarded with a Big Ten championship and hopefully they felt connected to that. I felt connected to the guys who continued on and won a regional and hosted a regional and had such great success after I left.
Q. How often do you get back to campus?
A. [I come back] as much as I can. I have been to one football game in the last two years. Playing in the minor leagues, I missed one or two games but I would go to every game after. I will try to get back to basketball games or hockey games and usually the last football game or two to get back to. I love Ann Arbor and consider it my home.
Q. Have you talked to the current staff at Michigan and where do you see the program going?
A.I talked to Coach (Wayne) Welton when I can, and talk to Coach Bakich when I see him. At the Tigers games I try to see him. I haven't gotten the chance to get out to see them play. Usually it works out that I can go to a game during spring training if they're playing in Port St. Lucie. Last year or two I think Coach Bakich is doing what he has always done. He is recruiting good players and there are a lot of young guys and hopefully building towards the future. Everything I hear about team is good and building towards the future. Everyone is growing up and coming together. They are trying to do to build a championship program. Obviously, nothing but good things are happening with them. I texted him when we got David Price to see what he knew about him. If there is anything I can do to help them out, I would want to help them. I want the best for Michigan baseball program. It is headed in right direction.
Q. How often do you talk to your former teammates at U-M?
A.One of good things about this job is traveling around country and seeing guys in parts of the country where the Tigers are playing, and I wouldn't get to do this [without my job]. Here in Detroit, a lot of the guys who live in areas are at games or meeting up with them to say hi. Those are my best friends, the guys that I went school with and spent those college years with are best friends I ever had. I try and keep in touch with all as much as I can.
The recently created Office of Alumni Engagement strives to foster a community, recognize the holistic student-athlete and honor the great Michigan Athletics history. This alumni spotlight illustrates the impact that our alumni are having around the world and how they stay engaged with Michigan.
