Bo Knows NSBB!: Q&A with Bo Fulginiti!

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(Bio courtesy of http://www.daytonacubs.com)

Bo Fulginiti, Director of Broadcasting and Media for the Daytona Cubs, begins his second season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Daytona Cubs." His college and professional sports broadcasting experience includes stints with Stetson University Basketball (2004-'05), University of Maine Baseball (2004-'05) and Savannah Sand Gnats Baseball (2003). A 2003 graduate of Georgia Southern University, he received his bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism. A native of Philadelphia, Bo is also a diehard fan of all Philly sports teams, and he enjoys long walks along the warning track and a good cheesesteak.

Bo has graciously agreed to help NSBB as a media source with the Daytona Cubs! Bo will be helping NSBB in setting up interviews with some of the Cub Minor League players in Daytona! In addition, Bo has added NSBB to its media post-game list where he will e-mail out recaps and boxscores of each game. These recaps will be added to the daily box score and discussion in the Minor League Forum.

As many of you are already aware, Nathan Baliva of the Peoria Chiefs and Ron Potesta of the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx are already posting here on NSBB! In addition, Bruce Miles of The Daily Herald is a contributing poster. Bo will be a very valuable addition to our community here at NSBB!

I would like for this thread to be used as a welcome thread for Bo as he prepares to officially join us at NSBB!

Welcome, Bo, we are so glad to have you with us!

Wonderful news! Bo has graciously agreed to be a part of a question and answer session here at NSBB! This will be a great way for all of us to get to know Bo on a more personal level. Everyone has until this Friday night (July 29th) at midnight to turn your questions/comments in. Once Bo has had a chance to respond to your questions/comments, his responses will be posted in this thread.

We at NSBB are so fortunate to have three broadcasters in the Cub Minor League system contributing here at NSBB, as well as Bruce Miles from the Daily Herald! In addition to Bo, we have Nathan Baliva in Peoria and Ron Potesta in West Tennessee registered here at NSBB. Let's all make it a point to remind these guys of how great of a job they are doing and how happy we are to have them here! In regards to Bo's NSBB ID, his ID is DaytonaVoice.

This session will be coordinated as in accordance with The NSBB Q & A Guidelines

Thank you to Bo for taking the time to interact with us on such an up close and personal level! I encourage everyone to visit the official website of the Daytona Cubs. In addition, thank you to all of you for making NSBB such a wonderful community!

Greetings all, enclosed are Bo's responses to your questions and comments! Thank you so much to Bo for his willingness not only to do this Q & A, but for registering here at NSBB! Bo's answers are in bold.

Bo Fuliniti Q & A

Outshined_One

Location: Chicago, IL or Madison, WI

Bo,

One of the biggest burning questions Cubs fans seem to have this season

center around Brian Dopirak, whose struggles in these parts have not gone without notice. His strikeout and walk numbers are on par with where he was last season, but his average and power are both down significantly.

Speaking of Scott Moore, while his offensive production has been quite

impressive, he has posted a rather large number of errors on the season (I believe 18?). Are his errors on plays that he will be able to corrected

given time and coaching, or does it seem more like he could benefit from a move to the outfield or to first base?

What's happened to Brian? Has he been battling injuries or exhaustion this

season? Or does it seemed like he's been overmatched by FSL pitching? Or is it something else?

What have you thought about Juan Mateo so far? He's posted some pretty nice numbers this season and seems to have been on a bit of a hot streak as of late. What kind of stuff does he have and how does he projects in the majors?

Thanks a bunch for this!

OUTSHINED_ONE, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT THREE PLAYERS THAT HAVE BEEN VERY INTRIGUING THIS SEASON...

FIRST ABOUT DOPIRAK: IT'S BEEN A BIT PUZZLING AT TIMES TO SEE THE NUMBERS TAIL OFF FROM LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE TALENT IS THERE, THE DESIRE IS THERE, AND MOST OF ALL THE BLAZING BAT SPEED IS STILL THERE. I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL COACHES AND SCOUTS AND THEY ALL BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST A SMALL BUMP IN

THE ROAD TO A BRIGHT FUTURE IN THE BIG LEAGUES.

I THINK THAT THE ADJUSTMENT FROM THE MIDWEST LEAGUE TO THE FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE IS A BIGGER ONE THAN MOST FANS REALIZE. TWO NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOUTS TOLD ME THIS YEAR THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO LEAGUES IS BIGGER THAN THE JUMP FROM HIGH-A TO AA. THE PITCHING IN THIS LEAGUE IS TREMENDOUS...WE HAVE SEVERAL PLAYERS LIKE JUSTIN VERLANDER WHO HAVE LIT UP THE GUNS AT 100 MHP THIS SEASON, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ARMS THAT HAVE MADE IT STRAIGHT TO THE BIGS FROM THE FSL. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT "DOPE" HAS KEPT A GREAT ATTITUDE THE WHOLE TIME...HE HASN'T THROWN WATER

COOLERS OR SHRUGGED IT OFF EITHER. HE IS IN THE CAGES, EVERYDAY WITH HITTING COACH MIKE MICUCCI AND ROVERS LIKE KELLER WHO ARE COMMITTED TO GETTING HIM BACK TO FORM. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, HE HAS HIT TWO BOMBS IN THE PAST

WEEK, AND LAST NIGHT SCORCHED A THREE-RBI DOUBLE LATE IN OUR GAME TO SECURE A SERIES OPENING WIN.

ABOUT SCOTT MOORE: HE IS A LEGIT PROSPECT AND IS ONLY GOING TO KEEP RISING. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HIM PLAY, JUST PICTURE A YOUNGER AND SLIGHTLY SMALLER VERSION OF ERIC CHAVEZ. HE HAS A SMOOTH EFFORTLESS SWING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PLATE, AND A STAT THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT IS THAT HE IS HITTING CLOSE TO .330 AGAINST LEFTIES THIS SEASON. A LOT OF MEDIA HAVE BEEN ASKING ME WHY HE HAS ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTING STEALING BASES TOO, AND I AM QUICK TO REMIND THEM THAT SCOTT MOORE ALWAYS HAD GOOD SPEED, BUT THE TIGERS ORGANIZATION NEVER TOOK THE HANDCUFFS OFF AND LET HIM RUN.

DEFENSIVELY, I WOULDN'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT HIS ERRORS THIS SEASON...HE IS COMMITED TO PLAYING THE HOT CORNER AFTER MOVING OVER FROM SHORTSTOP, AND HE HAS THE SOFT HANDS AND GOOD ARM. THE FOOTWORK IS WHAT HE HAS WORKED ON AND IMPROVED WITH THIS SEASON QUITE A BIT, AND HIS DEFENSIVE NUMBERS SHOULD ALSO GET BETTER AND BETTER AS HE MOVES UP THE SYSTEM.

FINALLY, AND JUAN MATEO: HE IS THE WILDCARD OF THE BUNCH BECAUSE THERE IS NO TELLING HOW FAR HE MIGHT GO. WE MOVED HIM FROM THE BULLPEN TO THE ROTATION ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO AND THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN MIXED. IT'S TAKEN HIM A LITTLE WHILE TO BUILD UP THE ARM STRENGTH TO GO 6 OR 7 FULL FRAMES, BUT HE

IS SLOWLY GETTING THERE. AS ALWAYS, THROWING STRIKES IS KEY FOR HIM, BUT HIS OUTPITCH IS A FILTHY SLIDER THAT HE THROWS LOW AND AWAY TO RIGHT-HANDED BATTERS, AND HE HAS GOTTEN HIMSELF OUT OF A LOT OF TROUBLE THIS SEASON WITH THAT PITCH. KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR HIS NUMBERS AT THE END OF THE SEASON...THEY SHOULD BE VERY RESPECTABLE.

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NCCubbieFan

Location: near Raleigh, North Carolina

Welcome to NSBB. It's great to have another of the minor league broadcasters on board.

Eric Patterson has been tearing it up at Peoria. Has there been any talk

that you're aware of about him being promoted to Daytona? Would you like to see him in Daytona this year, or do you think he'd be better served by finishing out the year in Peoria?

NCCubbieFan, THANKS FOR THE KIND WORDS AND I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THE NSBB FAMILY.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ERIC PATTERSON IN DAYTONA, BUT I DO THINK THAT HE WOULD BE BETTER SERVED FINISHING A FULL YEAR IN PEORIA. RIGHT NOW OUR SECOND BASEMAN ROBINSON CHIRINOS IS REALLY STARTING TO MASH, AND I THINK THAT IT IS A BREAKING POINT IN CHIRINOS'S CAREER THAT WILL DECIDE IF HE IS READY FOR

THE NEXT LEVEL.

BUT TRUST ME, WE ARE ALL WAITING TO SEE PATTERSON AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM RUN WILD ON THE BASES AT JACKIE ROBINSON BALLPARK.

P.S. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE RALEIGH...YOU LIVE IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. I LIVED IN CHARLOTTE WHEN I WORKED FOR ESPN REGIONAL TV AND I USED TO SPEND WEEKENDS DOWN IN WOLFPACK COUNTRY. THE SPORTS BAR "CHUCK'EMS IS ONE OF THE BEST SET UPS A SPORTS FAN COULD ASK FOR!

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CaliforniaRaisin101

Location: Arcadia, CA

Hi Bo, thank you very much for joining us at NSBB and taking the time to

answer our questions.

Where do you feel RHP Randy Wells is better - in relief or in the starting

rotation? Does he throw a fastball and a slider, or does he throw any other

pitches?

You've had a chance to see Scott Moore in the FSL last year and again this

year with Daytona. Is there anything that stands out between what he did in Lakeland and what he is doing this year that explains his breakout season?

HEY CaliforniaRaisin101,

THANKS FOR HAVING ME...

I THINK RANDY WELLS IS SOMEONE I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE IN THE ROTATION BECAUSE HE GIVES US A CHANCE TO WIN EVERY TIME HE STARTS. HE THROWS WHAT SCOUTS CALL A "HEAVY FASTBALL" THAT HE CAN RUN IN ON RIGHTYS AND CAN BLOW PAST LEFTIES. THAT PITCH ALSO SETS UP HIS NASTY SLIDER, AND HE MIXES IN AN ABOVE AVERAGE CHANGUP TO KEEP THE HITTERS ON THE TOES.

IT'S AMAZING HOW SMOOTH AND FLAWLESS HIS MECHANICS ARE FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS DRAFTED AS A CATCHER, BUT WE ARE ALL HAPPY THAT HE DECIDED TO TOE THE RUBBER INSTEAD. WELLS HAS FLOWN UNDER THE RADAR MORE THAN MOST PLAYERS IN THIS ORGANIZATION, BUT HE MADE THE ALL-STAR TEAM AS A SET-UP MAN AND AT THIS LEVEL MIDDLE RELIEVERS HAVE TO BE STELLAR TO BE NOTICED..SO THAT SHOULD TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HIS STUFF.

THE TWO DIFFERENCES WITH SCOTT MOORE FROM LAST YEAR IS THAT THE CUBS ARE LETTING HIM STEAL BASES, AND AT THE PLATE HE HAS BEEN MORE PATIENT AND MORE SELECTIVE. HIS POWER NUMBERS WILL ONLY RISE AS HE PHYSICALLY MATURES, AND MOST PEOPLE OFTEN FORGET THAT IF HE WENT TO COLLEGE HE WOULD ONLY BE A SOPHOMORE LAST SEASON. KEEP HIM ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN!

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CubsWin

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Bo, thanks for taking the time to visit and answer our questions.

Scott Moore is just 21, so he is age appropriate for the FSL, but he is

repeating the league this year. How much of an advantage does a player have when repeating a league? Should we be skeptical of his performance this season because he is repeating?

And also, in your opinion, which of the pitchers currently on the Daytona

roster has the best chance of succeeding in the major leagues? I would

imagine it would be one of Petrick, Wells or Mateo. Am I missing someone?

Thanks again, Bo.

HEY CubsWin,

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, FIRST STARTING WITH MOORE:

SCOTTY IS RIGHT WHERE HE SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW, AND YES I DO THINK THERE IS A DEFINITE ADVANTAGE TO REPEATING THIS LEAGUE BUT THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE AWAY FROM HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT IF YOU CAN HIT IN THIS LEAGUE THAN YOU CAN HIT ANYWHERE. LOOK AT WEST TENN: GUYS LIKE THERIOT, MCGEHEE, AND COATS ALL HAD DECENT NUMBERS IN DAYTONA BUT THEY ARE RAKING NOW BECAUSE THEY HAD A FULL SEASON OF FACING LEGIT PROSPECTS LIKE KYLE SLEETH, JOEL ZUMAYA, SCOTT KAZMIR, ECT. IF I HAD TO GUESS, I WOULD SAY THAT MOORE IS TWO MORE FULL MINOR LEAGUE SEASONS AWAY FROM A TICKET TO THE SHOW...AND THIS

SEASON MIGHT BE LOOKED AT AS HIS COMING OF AGE...NOT BAD FOR SOMEONE WHO JUST RECEIVED THE LEGAL RIGHT TO DRINK COLD BEER!

OF THE PITCHERS ON OUR CURRENT ROSTER, THERE ARE SO MANY WILDCARDS THAT COULD GO IN ANY DIRECTION, AND EVEN MISS CLEO PROBABLY COULDN'T PUT A FINGER ON WHERE THEY MIGHT END UP. OBVIOUSLY, MARMOL AND MARSHALL ARE BIG TIME ARMS, AND THAT¹S WHY THEY MOVED UP TO JACKSON AT THE BREAK. FROM THE GUYS NOW I WOULD SAY THAT I CAN SEE WELLS IN A MAJOR LEAGUE UNIFORM BECAUSE HE HAS A BIG LEAGUE STUFF AND HE DOESN'T RELY ON ANY ONE PITCH. A LOT OF GUYS AT THIS LEVEL FIZZLE IN THE SHOW BECAUSE THEY HAVE MADE THEIR MARK THROWING STRAIGHT CHEDDAR, AND EVERYONE IN THE SHOW CAN HIT THE HEAT. IF WELLS CAN PERFECT HIS CHANGEUP, THAN THAT WILL PROBABLY BE HIS TICKET.

AS FAR AS MATEO, HE IS A HUGE QUESTION MARK. HIS FASTBALL IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE, BUT HIS SLIDER IS HIS TICKET TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND HE WILL GET A TRUE TEST IN THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE. IF HIS NUMBERS CONTINUE TO RISE THAN THERE IS NO REASON NOT TO BELIEVE HE WOULD GET A SHOT IN ABOUT

THREE YEARS.

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Mark_R

Thanks for your time, Bo!

What players have gone relatively unnoticed, but could prove to have an

impact on the big league club at some point down the road?

Thanks Bo!

HEY Mark_R,

MY PLEASURE BROTHER...

ABOUT PLAYERS WHO HAVE GONE UNNOTICED THIS SEASON I WILL START FROM THE TOP WITH OUR SHORTSTOP CARLOS ROJAS. HE IS FLAT OUT THE BEST DEFENSIVE SS IN OUR LEAGUE AND HE CAN SAVE GAMES WITH HIS LEATHER. I OVERHEARD GRADY LITTLE EARLY IN THE SEASON TELL OUR COACHES THAT HE IS A PLAYER WHO WILL BAT .230

AND STILL PLAY 10 SEASONS IN THE BIG LEAGUES. PICTURE REY ORDONEZ WITH A SLIGHTLY BETTER BAT AND BETTER SPEED...THATS ROJAS.

OUR CATCHING CORE OF JAKE FOX AND TONY RICHIE ARE ALSO PUTTING UP HUGE SEASON, AND I'D BET THAT ONE OF THOSE TWO WILL BE A BIG-LEAGUER BEFORE ALL IS SAID AND DONE. BOTH GUYS HAVE PUT UP BIG OFFENSIVE NUMBERS, AND ARE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS NOW ON THEIR DUTIES BEHIND THE PLATE BECAUSE THE CUBS VALUE A CATCHER'S ABILITY WITH THE GLOVE FAR MORE THAN THERE BAT.

FINALLY, CHRIS WALKER IS AN INTRIGUING CASE. HE HAS MADE HUGE STRIDES EVERY SEASON, AND NOW IS PUTTING UP BIG NUMBERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE PLATE WHILE BREAKING RECORDS IN THE STOLEN BASE DEPT. HE HAS 43 SB'S RIGHT NOW AND COULD BREAK 60 WHICH WAS HIS MARK IN LANSING. WITH THE LOG JAM OF OUTFIELD TALENT

IN THIS SYSTEM I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE HIM IN A TRADE, AND IF HE DOES MOVE ON, HE COULD BE MOVING UP VERY QUICKLY.

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DJAXXFAN

Greetings Bo, thank you for joining us here at NSBB!

Favorite broadcaster?

Best call you've ever made?

Favorite call by another broadcaster?

Thanks!

THANKS FOR HAVING ME DJAXXFAN,

MY FAVORITE BROADCASTER IS HALL OF FAMER HARRY KALAS OF THE PHILLIES. OF COURSE IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO FORGET THE VOICE YOU GREW UP LISTENING TO, AND HE WAS THERE FOR ME ON EVERY SUMMER NIGHT OF MY CHILDHOOD IN SUBURBS OF SOUTH PHILADELPHIA. MOST PEOPLE WOULD RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE FROM THE INSIDE THE NFL NARRATION ON HBO, OR ON THE CHUNKY SOUP COMMERCIALS. I SWEAR WITH HIM DEEP BOOMING VOICE I COULD LISTEN TO HIM READ THE BACK OF A SHAMPOO BOTTLE.

THE BEST CALL I HAVE EVER MADE WAS PROBABLY WHEN CASEY MCGEHEE HIT A GAME-WINNING BOMB TO CAP OFF A BIG COMEBACK WIN LAST SEASON...IT'S WHEN I STARTED THE 'SHE'S GONE AND SHE AIN'T COMIN' BACK" PHRASE FOR HOMERUNS THAT MOST FANS HERE REMEMBER ME BY. I FIGURED THAT MOST HOMERUNS HIT AT WRIGLEY

ARE THROWN BACK IF IT'S HIT BY THE OPPOSITION, SO WHEN A CUBBY GOES DEEP YOU KNOW THAT IT WON'T BE COMING BACK!

MY FAVORITE CALL BY ANOTHER BROADCASTER...MMMM, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE. I LOVE THE AL MICHAELS CALL OF "DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES...YES!" BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GAME TO OUR COUNTRY...BUT I NEVER SAW THAT LIVE.

MY FAVORITE LIVE CALL WAS KALAS'S CALL OF MIKE SCHMIDT'S 500TH HOMERUN IN PITTSBURGH...I WAS ONLY 7 AT THE TIME BUT I JUMPED UP AND DOWN AND BROKE A WINDOW IN MY HOUSE!

GREAT QUESTIONS!