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.