New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy fielded some questions from Post columnist Steve Serby for this week’s Q&A.
Q: What would it mean to you to play in the All-Star Game at Citi Field this summer?
A: That would be unbelievable. That would be so much fun. It would be such a humbling experience. But I do understand that is a long way away.
Q: Do you consider yourself a throwback? What is your definition of a throwback?
A: It seems like some of the games you watch … highlights of [Tim] Teufel and teams in the ’80s and stuff like that, they spent a lot of time in the dirt, they were kinda grinders. I think in that sense, because I’m not as blessed physically as a lot of major league players are, that I’m a bit of a grinder. … It’s tough for me to use adjectives on myself. I don’t really enjoy doing that.
Q: When you came up, some people compared you even with Pete Rose, right?
A: That is too high of praise (smile). Way too high.
Q: But there were comparisons, right?
A: One of us is fighting to get four years in the big leagues, the other one’s got [4,256] hits. It’s humbling, but … Pete Rose … it speaks for itself.
Q: What is it about hitting that makes you so obsessed?
A: I’d like to think … as I’ve matured a little bit in the big leagues that it hasn’t taken on as much of an obsession. Now it’s more … kind of the art of it. Not that I have, by any stretch of it figured out. But it’s just taking whatever you have that day, and trusting in it, whether you think you feel perfect at the plate or you feel terrible, and just going out and battling as much as you can. I would say early on in my career, swinging and hitting was very much an obsession, but the workload, the season’s too long to do that consistently, you break down. And also, with the way we tick as athletes, our blessing is our curse in that we’re always seeking perfection, but it’s so unattainable. … As I’ve matured, I just try to ride it as long as I can.
Q: When you step into the batter’s box, describe your mentality.
A: Definitely there’s a lot more peace now. The game has slowed down just a little bit. … It is by no stretch of the imagination slow, the game is still very fast. But it has slowed down just a little bit. I think I have a little better idea of what I want to do, and what pitchers and other teams are trying to do to me. I need to look for the ball. Been looking for the ball in a certain area, and I’m just trying to hit on the barrel.
Q: You’re intent on not giving away at bats now.
A: I’ve been guilty of it before, that you maybe get two hits your first two at bats, and then it’s very easy to clock out, ’cause you know you’re gonna be 2-for-4, or 2-for-5. Or you’re 0-for-3 and that last at-bat comes up, and you’re like, “Even if I get a hit, I’m 1-for-4. And that’s just the way we tick as hitters. So to be able to make the choice to lock in every single at-bat … I don’t know if it’s necessarily as physically visible to a fan, but I **** know **** when I’m not giving anything away, and I also know that when I expand the zone, I wasn’t as locked in as I should have been at the plate.
Q: You enjoy talking hitting with David Wright?
A: He’s very much like a very athletic feel hitter, so I’ll talk to him about approach. I have a tendency to get bogged down with the mechanics of a swing, but David understands himself so well … like he’s always looking for the ball, and I forget to do that sometimes. It’s a very different approach to hitting than I have, so it’s good for me to learn. And plus, you know, the guy’s been to like seven All-Star games, so he’s got a pretty good idea what he’s doing.
Q: What was your reaction when he was named Captain?
A: I thought it was well-earned. I think it’s a role that we’ve looked to him as. … He was always readily available if you wanted to talk to him. So I think the organization thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and give him what he was already kind of doing. And he went around and talked to each guy and asked us how we felt about it. He understands the role he’s taken on. I think it calls for being a little bit more vocal — not in your face, but just prepared to say something when something’s necessary. And he’s been awesome.
Q: How much have you felt for Ike Davis during his ordeal?
A: I’d say the first thing is, Ike would say he doesn’t want you to feel for him. Of everybody in there, he’s maintained the best attitude. What I’ve tried to do with Ike is just anytime he wants to talk, about whatever it is, just try to listen. We all love him so much that we want to help. What I end up doing is I end up imposing my will on somebody else. If he’s willing to open himself up and talk, about whatever it may be, it doesn’t have to be baseball, I think I should be humble enough to just listen.
Q: What is it about Ike that makes him so loved?
A: He’s the same guy every day. He loves his teammates. … And he’s just a professional that works very hard at his craft.
Q: Describe Matt Harvey.
A: He pounds the zone. He has a very good feel for what he’s doing out there, him and Bucky [catcher John Buck] have been on the same page. He doesn’t miss a whole lot of spots. But what I’ve noticed is when he does miss spots, his stuff’s so electric, guys foul him off or they swing through ’em.
Q: Do you guys feed off him?
A: We do know that this guy’s gonna give us a chance to win today, and that probably, without thinking about it, gives you a little bit more confidence going into that game.
Q: What are your spring training recollections of Zach Wheeler?
A: The ball jumps out of his hand, really jumps.
Q: Do you watch other second basemen?
A: I did when I was first starting to learn the position. I watched Chase Utley and [Dan] Uggla, mostly on like the double play. [Teufel has] done such a great job of helping me, but also allowing me to make the position my own — not necessarily try to do it this guy’s way, this guy’s way or even Teufel’s way, but I’m gonna do it … not in a hardheaded, but like what works best for me.
Q: Describe the Daniel Murphy way at second base.
A: (Laugh). I always joke, I only want to do two things after a doubleplay ball — I either want to put up two outs to the outfielders, or run off the field. I know it’s not pretty, but if I could be consistent and efficient with it, that’s all I’m looking for.
Q: Best Mets moments and worst Mets moments.
A: Best Met moment was Johan [Santana’s] two-hitter, I think, against the Marlins in ’08 in the middle of the pennant race. He threw on three-days’ rest. I was 23 years old, I was in a pennant race for two months, and that’s the most exciting baseball I’ve ever played in my life. Probably worst Mets moment was the next day, ’cause we got bounced.
Q: What are your favorite scriptures?
A: I’m going through John right now, which I really enjoy. That’s the Book of Love, that just reminds us how much God loves us. … It says, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns,” Philippians 1:6. I enjoy that because there’s so many promises that Christ gives us, that God gives us, that like, “I’m never gonna leave you, I’ll never forsake you.” And then another one that really comes in handy … “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” Philippians 4:6. Because this is a very anxious and stressful world that we live in, and what we want to do, I feel like we want to control everything, and I’m so guilty of wanting to control whatever happens in my life. Where Jesus says, “Just release control. Give it to me. Bear all your burdens on me. I want to take them.” And Romans 5:1-4 is, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” So it’s like even when you struggle, it’s all molding you. Everything happens to cleanse you, to mold you, whether it’s good, or whether it’s bad.
Q: What was going on in your life that compelled you to embrace Jesus?
A: In 2011, I got to play four months of the season. I hit .320. I was fifth in the league in batting when I got hurt (knee). I knew going into the next season I was gonna have a job in the big leagues, which was unique because it was the first time kinda that happened. And then I got to the end of the season, and I’m at home and … felt so empty. There just was no peace, there was no joy. And I had grown up in the church and I knew what Jesus was offering me, but I wasn’t humble enough to love Him back. It was always a one-way street, Jesus has always loved me, I chose not to love Him. And with the help of my mother, I surrendered my life to the Lord in October of 2011. My wife now, we had kinda broken up at the time, she came to the Lord in December, we got engaged in January and got married last December.
Q: Other life-changing events?
A: The day of my marriage, the leading up to it … just the excitement, and the feeling of blessing that I was gonna marry the exact woman that was meant for me.
Q: Your wife Tori was a softball pitcher at the University of North Florida.
A: She could fill it up.
Q: Have you ever hit against her?
A: She won’t pitch to me.
Q: Why is that?
A: By the time we started like dating, she had been done pitching for about a year so … it was a tougher matchup for her.
Q: Describe her.
A: She has a servant’s heart. She loves children. Her heart goes out for those who are less fortunate. She worked at a private school, but a lot of the kids there were foster kids, and she just has such a soft heart for them. She really is my No. 1 cheerleader. She’s so patient with me, especially when I don’t think things are going the way they should on the field. She’s very patient with me when I become a little bit of a bear to be around.
Q: You live in Manhattan. Are you recognized?
A: We joke. My over-under is three people (smile).
Q: Best practical jokers?
A: If you’re gonna joke with David, you got be willing to go the distance. You gotta be willing to see it the whole way through.
Q: He’ll retaliate?
A: Yes. So you have to be willing to dig your heels in.
Q: Examples?
A: He put a whole bunch of that stuff you get in boxes, like the popcorn-type stuff? He filled the St. Lucie Mets GM, he filled the entire car up with that on the inside.
Q: Anything else?
A: He stole his tires. Put his car on blocks.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: The Apostle Paul, Abraham Lincoln, Ted Williams.
Q: What would you want Mets fans to say about you?
A: I would hope they say I was a humble guy that played the game the right way.
Q: Would you like to stay in one place your entire career?
A: I love New York. I have a special place in my heart for the New York Mets for the opportunity they’ve given me. I got signed hurt, I got hurt in the big leagues twice, and they’ve continued to bless me with opportunity. The fans appreciate when you play hard, and I appreciate them for that
steve.serby@nypost.com