In the Dugout with Ben Greenspan
1/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 17, 2006
Along with head coach Tracy Smith and assistant coaches Ty Neal and Micah Nori, the Indiana baseball team also welcomes 12 new players to the 2006 roster. In the coming weeks, IUHOOSIERS.com will feature each IU newcomer. After infielder Keith Haas took his turn in the spotlight, infielder Ben Greenspan is up next.
Greenspan transferred to Indiana after spending the past two seasons as a member of the UConn baseball team. Prior to UConn Greenspan, starred at Salisbury School, where he hit .500 with three homers and 29 RBI as a senior and closed his high school career with a .400 batting average. He was selected as a first team Times Herald Record All-Star and named a New York State Scholar Athlete.
Additionally, Greenspan earned two letters in football, where he was an all-conference tight end and a team captain, and basketball, where he averaged 14 points and nine rebounds as well as being named a team captain.
The son of Rick and Jenny Greenspan has one sister, Emily, and is a sport marketing and management major. Rick is Indiana's Director of Athletics and played baseball at Maryland.
Hometown: West Point, N.Y.
High School/Last School: Salisbury School/UConn
Position: Infield
Height/Weight: 6-2/200
Bat/Throw: R/R
If you were to play another sport at IU, what would it be?
Football
Best thing about Bloomington:
My family is here.
Best thing about the team:
Over 30 completely different personalities
What are three words that best describe coach Smith?
Determined, confident, wise
Who would play you in a movie?
Samuel L. Jackson
Which professional player would you compare yourself to?
Mo Vaughn
What is your favorite major league ballpark?
Yankee Stadium
What would be the title of your autobiography?
Getting Back Up
What is your favorite/most memorable sports moment?
My first collegiate hit
Should Pete Rose be eligible for the Hall of Fame?
Yes
Should college baseball switch to wooden bats?
Yes
Who is the best hitter and pitcher in major league baseball?
Hitter- Manny Ramirez; Pitcher- Pedro Martinez
Should baseball impose a salary cap?
Yes
Who is the one MLB pitcher you would want to face?
Keith Foulke - Boston Red Sox
Favorite baseball team:
Chicago Cubs
Favorite player:
Ichiro Suzuki
Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
My baseball pants have to be perfect.
Why did you choose IU?
It is a good school, and I like Bloomington a lot. I also like coach Smith, and I'm back with my family.
