Simpson Joins Write on Sports RI for Interview on Career

On Wednesday, July 6, campers from the Rhode Island Write on Sports program enjoyed the opportunity to interview Worcester Red Sox pitcher Caleb Simpson over a Zoom call. n this interview, campers got up close and personal with Simpson as he delved into their insightful questions.

Many questions related to Simpson’s career, which has taken him through many ups and downs, including four surgeries and changing positions from catcher to pitcher. “When you don’t have a Plan B, you only have a Plan A. [I had to] get the surgery, get the rehab over with. There’s no quitting, no stopping, you figure out a way to get it done,” Simpson said.

When it came to changing positions from catching to pitching, Simpson remarked, “It just reiterated the fact that I wasn’t a good hitter, and that baseball is what I wanted to do professionally, so I went with it.”

Simpson and the campers mainly discussed his endurance for the sport, and how he has continued a professional career despite many major setbacks.

“You have to stay present,” Simpson said. “You have to stay where you’re at and stay locked in with whatever level you’re at. Because then you start thinking ahead, and that’s when you start losing control of what’s going on right now. So, the more focus you have on being present and having your feet on the ground wherever you’re at, the more success you have, and then later on everything just takes care of itself.”

One student, Rose, asked him why he continues to play ball despite his multiple rehab stints.

“It’s just something that you don’t have a word for,” Simpson said. “For me, [baseball] was all I knew. It was all that I wanted to do, and I felt like it was what I was supposed to do. I’ve had so many surgeries. If I wasn’t supposed to be doing this, there’s plenty of opportunities for me to go home. There’s plenty of opportunities for something to go wrong and for me to not be here anymore. So, it was just taking it every day, one day at a time, and just going with it. Because this is what I wanted to do, so there was not really anything that was going to stop it.”

Others had questions about the day-to-day life and other experiences Simpson has had in his career.

Simpson told the campers that his daily life consists of taking care of his kid and just hanging out, showing up to Polar Park around 1 p.m., and then stretching and completing a throwing workout around 3 p.m.

One student, Charlie, asked about meeting baseball legends like Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale.

Simpson responded, “[Sale] brings a perspective to you. [He’s one of the] most down-to-earth baseball players I've ever met, keeps it light, has a whole lot of wisdom. I don’t think I've ever asked a question he never had the answer to.”

Aidan asked him what his favorite Major League Baseball team was growing up (Texas Rangers, as Simpson is an Oklahoma native). Mia wanted to know who in MLB he would love to pitch against. Simpson’s response included Toronto Blue Jays first basemen and DH Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Toronto’s shortstop Bo Bichette, the entire Yankees lineup, and “anyone who is considered the best, because that’s where you test yourself.”

At the end of the day, Simpson’s insights helped all the students become better interviewers and writers, skills that will carry them far in their careers.

If you want to learn more about Rhode Island Write on Sports and see past students’ work, click here.