Rapid fire: 10 questions with Chris Archer
Chris Archer emerged as one of the faces of Major League Baseball last season with his dominance on the mound and well-received work as an analyst during the playoffs.
Armed with a charismatic attitude, infectious smile, and deadly slider that former teammate David Price called the best pitch in baseball, the 27-year-old North Carolina native is in Toronto this week for a three-game set with the division rival Blue Jays.
We caught up with Archer at his locker in the visitors' clubhouse at Rogers Centre on Tuesday to talk about many things, including his baseball influences, the players he'd most like to play with, his must-follow list on Twitter and more.
3 favorite ballparks
Not in this order: Dodger Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Minute Maid Park.
Most influential people on career
My dad, my mentor - Ron Walker (former baseball coach), David Price, and Jackie Robinson.
3 favorite cities
Toronto, Toronto, and Toronto.
Must-do things in Toronto
Coffee and post-game dinner. It's usually somewhere different every time because there's so many different types of cuisine here because it's so diverse. I've eaten everything - Asian, Jamaican, French, everything.
3 go-to guys you talk baseball with
Andrew Friedman, Brad Miller, and my mentor.
Players past or present you'd love to play with
Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Satchel Paige
A hitter you'd never want to pitch against
Man, I want to face all the greats.
3 must-follow people on Twitter
Malcolm Gladwell (@Gladwell), John Maxwell (@JohnCMaxwell), Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson)
Which MLB players would be good TV analysts
Let's skip that one.
3 best hairstyles in baseball
Bryce Harper, Hanley Ramirez, and Michael Martinez
(Note: Interviews were condensed and edited for clarity.)