With the Mets off to a surprising start, Post columnist Steve Serby caught up with right fielder Lucas Duda.
Q: Four dinner guests?
A: Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein — I don’t think I’d comprehend anything that he says — Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ted Williams.
Q: What would you ask Babe Ruth?
A: “How do you hit so many homers? How do you do it? What’s the secret?”
Q: Ever watch old clips of him?
A: I have seen a few.
Q: Do you think Babe Ruth would understand what Einstein’s talking about at dinner?
A: I don’t know, I don’t think so. I think Babe Ruth and I are kind of on the same level, as far as comprehension of Albert Einstein goes. I’m not sure how highly educated or how intelligent Babe Ruth was, but I think that Einstein is a little bit above our comprehension level.
Q: Einstein would be the Babe Ruth of geniuses.
A: Exactly (smile).
Q: But you’d want to pick Einstein’s brain?
A: Yeah, just to hear what he’d talk about, just to listen.
Q: What’s the longest home run you’ve ever hit?
A: I’m not sure … I don’t care if it goes out by a foot or … 30 feet. As long as it goes over. They all count, so … I’ll take any of ’em.
Q: You had one like 450 feet, right?
A: I’m not sure. I don’t really check the board or whatever, I don’t really check. I just hit ’em and run and hope it goes out.
Q: Is it true chicks dig the long ball?
A: I’m still kind of debating that, whether that’s true or not.
Q: Do you have a girlfriend?
A: I do have a girlfriend.
Q: Does she dig the long ball?
A: I don’t really think she cares about the long ball. That’s probably a good thing that she doesn’t. She knows about baseball but … we kind of set that aside.
Q: Do you ever have a World Series dream?
A: Absolutely, absolutely. I think to win a World Series, that’s something special. One team a year gets that honor, and hopefully we can bring it to New York.
Q: You’ve actually dreamed about hitting a home run in the World Series?
A: (Smile) Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think every little kid has. You go play with your dad in your front yard — bases loaded, full count, down by one, and you hit a homer to win a World Series — that’s a common dream, common goal.
Q: Your adjustment to right field.
A: It’s comin’, it’s comin’. It’s a process, and continue to get better every day, and hopefully it works out.
Q: What’s it like playing in this market?
A: It’s good, it’s good. Fans, they know baseball. And they’re intelligent about the game. They know how the game is supposed to be played and if you don’t play 100 percent, or you make that wrong decision or whatever it is, they’re going to get on you. And that’s how it should be. There’s nothing like a New York fan. The fan base here is incredible. They make you play 100 percent every night. That’s a good thing.
Q: You believe this team can win?
A: Absolutely, there’s not a doubt in my mind. I think the media and reporters, they don’t really have a high opinion of this team, and that’s OK. We know it, we realize it, we respect it, we respect what you guys have to say. But ultimately, it comes down to us. I definitely think we have a shot to win. We’re not going to win every game, but I think we’re going to go out there and play hard every game, and that’s all you can really do.
Q: How much of that belief stems from Terry Collins?
A: TC’s a very fiery guy. And he’s a great leader. He breeds nothing but confidence in the clubhouse, and I think that’s what we need. We’re not going to go out there and [half-do] it, we’re going to play 100 percent all the time.
Q: What was it like living in Brooklyn when you played for the Cyclones?
A: That was cool, that was my first taste of New York City … it was a bit overwhelming. I’d never been to New York, especially playing in front of 10,000 fans, that was kind of cool. SC [Southern Cal] was kind of … shortage of fans. Playing there was a little taste of the big leagues, I guess. That was kind of a nice setting to start.
Q: Did you have a Nathan’s hot dog?
A: I did have a Nathan’s hot dog, it was good. It was everything they made it out to be.
Q: A typical dinner?
A: [Sunday] night for example, I had General Tso’s chicken, a couple of pieces of sushi, and … some chocolate cake.
Q: That doesn’t sound like it’s that. . .
A: The portions are kind of big.
Q: Bo Jackson was your boyhood idol?
A: Bo Knows Everything. Bo Knows tennis, Bo Knows cycling, Bo Knows bowling … I had that picture of him where he had like the football pads and he had like a baseball bat in his hand and … cycling shorts on. I just think he was a freak athlete. It’s awesome to see anybody climb up a wall and run two steps on the side of the wall and catch a ball.
Q: Did you play football?
A: I did, a little bit.
Q: What position?
A: I was actually quarterback, and a linebacker.
Q: You gave it up when you were around 10.
A: I wasn’t really any good (smile).
Q: Favorite childhood memory.
A: I think Little League … not a single memory, but just the overall Little League experience was awesome.
Q: You were a pitcher, right?
A: I pitched a little bit … played shortstop in Little League, actually.
Q: Are you more like your mom or your dad?
A: I’d say my dad. He’s kind of stubborn in a sense, and I’m kind of the same way, kind of hardheaded and … straight to the point, kind of direct. My mom is the nicest person in the world, love her to death.
Q: Did he play ball with you when you were growing up?
A: Yeah, almost every day, I’d be waiting on my front doorstep, waiting for my dad to get home. After a long day at work, he’d come home and every day play catch, or he’d throw me balls and I’d hit, or something like that so, he’s a huge part of my career.
Q: The night you were the closer in the championship game for Arlington High School (Riverside, Calif.) against Long Beach Wilson at Dodger Stadium. What was that like?
A: That was awesome. I went to a few games there growing up, and that was just nice to get on the field and see what it was all about. Hopefully, I dreamt I could play there one day with a big-league team. I think I was just too ignorant to notice it. Like they say, ignorance is bliss. It worked out for the best, and here I am.
Q: What was it like meeting Tom Seaver last year?
A: That was awesome. Was kind of starstruck. He actually went to SC too, so I think we kind of had a real connection there. Any time he speaks to you, you’re going to listen to what he has to say, whatever it may be.
Q: Did he give you any advice?
A: I was struggling at that point. He came over and talked to me and said, “Hey, just be yourself, and have some fun.”
Q: Ian Kennedy was your roommate at USC.
A: First of all, he’s a bit of a goofball, but he’s an unbelievable person. Great guy, and obviously what he can do on the mound, he’s a special pitcher too.
Q: Tommy John surgery, was that scary?
A: I was young when I had it. I didn’t realize it was a major surgery. I didn’t realize that could have ended my career.
Q: Players you’ve liked watching.
A: Any left-handed hitter I’d try to watch and observe what they’re doing and how they take pitches and how they go about their business … Prince Fielder, Chipper Jones, Carlos Beltran … any of those guys, just professional about what they do, and I try to emulate them.
Q: Deserted island, pick one person.
A: I’m going to go like Bear Grylls — he has that knowledge of living off the land or whatever, so I think that would be a good person just as far as surviving.
Q: How good a fisherman are you?
A: Not too good of a fisherman, but I love it.
Q: Favorite movies.
A: “Shawshank Redemption,” “Point Break.”
Q: Favorite actor.
A: Denzel [Washington].
Q: Favorite actress.
A: Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Q: Favorite entertainer.
A: Lil Wayne.
Q: Favorite meal.
A: Sushi.
Q: You don’t really like doing interviews, right?
A: I’d just rather play baseball but you know, it’s just me.
Q: Fill in the blank — I can talk forever if you ask me about ——-.
A: I’d say hitting … But, I don’t think I’m ever going to talk too much about one thing. That’s just me. I’m more of a listener than a speaker … what’s that saying? Silence is golden.
Q: What would be the perfect day for you?
A: Get up, win a ballgame and go home, watch some TV. I’m kind of a bland guy … kind of boring.
Q: You’re not recognized in Queens yet, are you?
A: No. I’m kind of the guy that flies under the radar right now and I like that.
Q: It won’t be easy for you to fly under the radar if you keep hitting home runs, you realize that?
A: Yeah, yeah (chuckle). It goes with the territory.
Q: Do you think you can be a star?
A: I’m just here to win some ballgames and have fun, and whatever happens, happens. I don’t want to be a big superstar, I just want to help my team win, and have fun, and play baseball.
Q: What do you hope Mets fans say about you?
A: That I play hard. I’m going to make errors, I’m going to make mistakes, but I’m going to give it 100 percent every night.
Q: If you weren’t a baseball player, what do you think you would have been?
A: I don’t know, maybe a firefighter or something, something physical, I’d say. Not really a sit-behind-the-desk kind of guy.
Q: Do you remember where you were on 9/11?
A: 9/11, yeah, actually I do. I was walking down my stairs, and my mom was watching TV, she was in tears — I was like, “Mom, what’s happening? What’s going on?” She just pointed at the TV and I saw a plane hit the Towers. I didn’t comprehend what was going on. That was a surreal day, kind of an eerie feeling … it was terrible.
Q: You haven’t been to Ground Zero yet, have you?
A: I have been to Ground Zero.
Q: What was that like?
A: That was kind of eerie too. I saw, like, little knick-knacks and stuff from people that were in the building collapse when the plane hit it, and it was, like, baby shoes … it was surreal, it was weird … can’t really explain it. I felt … it was like a pit in my stomach … it was terrible. Terrible feeling.