Wade Meckler Interview Part Two: His Approach to Hitting and How He Inspires Kids

Wade Meckler is living the baseball dream of playing for his favorite team. The Anaheim native and Esperanza High School graduate grew up an Angels fan and is now their starting left fielder.

I first met Meckler on the field at the Angels free baseball clinic as part of the Play Ball Weekend festivities throughout MLB. He happily ran kids through drills then posed for pictures.

In the first part of the interview Wade talked about playing for his hometown team and his really interesting and winding path to professional baseball. This segment takes off from there and gets more into the professional game. Meckler definitely opens up more as he talks about the game rather than himself and provides some insights into the modern game.

You became a doubles machine. You went from 10 doubles to 23 doubles in one year, just a nice combination of contact and speed. I'm a big fan of the contact game, do you think that is kind of coming back to Major League Baseball now rather than just the three true outcomes?

"Yeah, in my opinion and the numbers will back it up guys are throwing harder than they ever have before. They have more information on you than they've ever had before. They've got a more detailed plan on you as a hitter than they've ever had.

The game is getting more difficult to put the ball in play, way more difficult to carry a high batting average. And I guess the value in being able to do that is increasing as less people are able to do it.

So, yeah, I think you see a lot more guys where they prioritize that because there is value to it. And this game rewards things. When you are able to do things that people aren't able to do you're rewarded in this game."

Yeah, you're playing left field in Anaheim. You grew up watching Garret Anderson who made his career hitting doubles.

I actually met you at the Angels baseball clinic teaching kids in the area. You played the night before. What inspired you to wake up early and get out there and work with those kids?

"First and foremost we did have a little bit of time. I was able to get home before midnight that night and get a little bit of sleep.

But it's a cool experience. I was a huge Angels fan growing up and it's just cool to see excitement with the kids and give back a little bit."

Wade Meckler coaches at the Angels Play Ball clinic in Anaheim. — Wade Meckler watches a local girl crush a ball off a tee. | Jeff Joiner

In walking around I heard more than one coach tell their kids that you grew up here and you made it. So has it dawned on you that your a bit of an inspiration to the Little Leaguers playing on the same fields that you used to play on?

"I guess when you get to pro ball and you get to the big leagues you know how it works and kids will look up to you. That's just something that you sort of know when you're in the big leagues that something's just going to happen.

I guess I never saw it that I would be more of an inspiration because I was from the area. I wasn't like an epiphany for me or anything.

Part three of the interview will cover the rest of the conversation and include Meckler's take on the minor leagues and advice for kids trying to follow in his footsteps.

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