MLB

Serby’s Sunday Q&A with… Zack Wheeler

Amazin’ pitching prospect Zack Wheeler fires some quick bullets in a Q&A session with Post columnist Steve Serby.

Q: Who are some pitchers you’ve liked to watch?

A: Growing up [near] Atlanta, I enjoyed watching [John] Smoltz, [Tom] Glavine and [Greg] Maddux. The past few years, I liked watching [Justin] Verlander.

Q: Do you think you’re similar to Verlander?

A: Yeah, I think so.

Q: In what way?

A: We have the same arsenal.

Q: Can you be an ace?

A: Yeah, I think so.

Q: What is your definition of an ace?

A: Somebody who’s gonna carry the team. Go out there and grind every time out. Be a leader.

Q: When do you hope to be in the major leagues?

A: Out of camp.

Q: Do you think that’s realistic?

A: Yup.

Q: Is your confidence at an all-time high now?

A: Yeah, I guess you could say that. I just go out there and do my job, man.

Q: Describe your mentality on the mound.

A: I’m gonna go after guys, but every once in a while, stuff’s gonna happen. You have to let it go.

Q: Are you mean on the mound?

A: Yeah. I’m not scared to throw inside. I’m gonna go out there and battle.

Q: Are you intimidating on the mound?

A: I don’t know, I never faced myself.

Q: Do you want to be intimidating?

A: That’d be fine with me, but it’s up to the batter if he wants to be intimidated or not.

Q: How fierce a competitor are you?

A: Like I said before, I like to go out there and battle.

Q: Your thoughts on pitching in New York.

A: It’s gonna be pretty fun. Big city, big lights.

Q: It doesn’t scare you?

A: No.

Q: Why don’t you feel pressure?

A: It’s how I came up. I’m a calm, relaxed guy. Nothing bothers me really.

Q: Do you ever get ticked off on the mound?

A: Yeah. I think every pitcher does.

Q: Have you visualized your first major league start?

A: No.

Q: You tweeted: “If you risk nothing, you gain nothing.”

A: If you don’t put anything out there, you’re not gonna get anything back.

Q: Another one of your tweets: “Mickey Mantle hit a ball 565 feet without anything.”

A: It was a cool fact.

Q: What did you mean by “without anything”?

A: I don’t know.

Q: Another tweet: “Fate decides who walks into your life. You decide who you let stay, who you let walk away and who you refuse to let walk out.”

A: It’s your life. You can control it.

Q: Another tweet: “Big things have small beginnings.”

A: I just see stuff and think it’s good.

Q: Two dinner guests?

A: Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe.

Q: Why Babe Ruth?

A: He’s an icon. Who wouldn’t pick him?

Q: Why Marilyn Monroe?

A: Same thing. It’d be cool to sit down and talk to her.

Q: Boyhood idol?

A: I didn’t look up to nobody.

Q: What did you learn from Lee Smith when you were with the Giants?

A: He was the same type [of] pitcher — big guy, long arms and all that stuff. He told me what he did [when he played].

Q: What did your brother Adam tell you about Dwight Gooden when he was in the Yankees’ minor league chain?

A: Obviously he knows a lot, he’s been through a lot. He came back and taught me some mechanics and stuff.

Q: Any regrets about not going to college?

A: Not at all.

Q: Tell me about the day you were traded to the Mets.

A: I rolled out of bed, saw it on Twitter. I went downstairs, it was on ESPN.

Q: What was your reaction?

A: It was gonna be a good opportunity for me.

Q: Other than the no-hitter you threw in the state playoffs your senior year in high school, what would you say has been your best baseball moment?

A: Being in two Futures games.

Q: When did you start the Saltines Challenge — six Saltines on one minute?

A: I’ve done it for a while now.

Q: Is anybody as good as you?

A: No.

Q: Favorite NYC things.

A: Sightseeing really.

Q: What did you think of Times Square?

A: Pretty cool.

Q: Superstitions?

A: No, not really.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Just hanging out with friends and family.

Q: Don’t you like to fish?

A: A little bit.

Q: Aren’t you interested in hunting deer?

A: I was gonna get into it this coming offseason.

Q: Didn’t you buy a rifle?

A: Yeah.

Q: Your truck.

A: It’s probably the biggest one where I live. It’s got everything I wanted to be in it.

Q: Will you bring it to New York?

A: No.

Q: You’re a “Leave It to Beaver” fan?

A: If it’s on I’ll watch it.

Q: You like “Jersey Shore”?

A: Yeah.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “The Town.”

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Jason Statham.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Jessica Biel.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Mom’s home-cooked meat loaf, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese.

Q: Favorite item at Chipotle?

A: Burrito bowl.

Q: Chicken or steak?

A: Steak.

Q: You tweeted that you love watching the Masters on television. … Have you ever gone to one?

A: No.

Q: Is that something you’d like to do?

A: Absolutely.

Q: Do you golf?

A: Every once in a while.

Q: Are you any good?

A: Not really.

Q: Matt Harvey has been taking you under his wing. What have you learned from observing him?

A: How he carries himself. … He just helped me out with media stuff and all that.

Q: What do you hope Mets fans say about you after they watch you pitch?

A: I don’t know (chuckle). … He did a good job, I guess.