In every edition of Sportsnet Magazine, Kristina Rutherford talks to the biggest stars in sports. In this interview, Toronto Blue Jays reliever Aaron Loup discusses fans, fishing and what he likes best about being an MLB pitcher.
What’s it like when you trot out of the bullpen on opening night and you hear “Looouuuuuup!”
> [Laughs.] It’s pretty crazy. The first year it happened, it kinda hit me, wow. I was shocked because I didn’t know it was gonna happen. But it was awesome.
Your last name is perfect for it.
> Right, I guess so.
Did that happen in the minors?
> Not at all. Didn’t happen ‘til I got up here.
How do you like Toronto fans?
> It’s exhilaratin’ playin’ here. It gets your blood goin’, it gets you pumped up. There’s nothin’ better than havin’ guys on base during a big moment in a game and gettin’ a punch-out. It’s definitely a one-of-a kind experience. It’ll pump you up and pump the rest of the team up, too.
Brett Lawrie’s gone. I imagine the clubhouse will be a lot less amped up this year. Who’s going to step up and be that energized guy?
> He’s wound up. [Laughs.] I’m not sure, I guess we’re gonna have to wait and see.
Maybe it’ll be you.
> No, it definitely won’t be me. But he’s a great guy to have in the clubhouse, full of energy. He goes out there and he’s gonna play as hard as he possibly can. He’ll run through the wall for you. Who’s gonna replace him? That’s a good question. Some of the new guys I haven’t had a chance to meet, we’ll get in spring training and get to know guys. It’ll definitely be fun to see who takes over that role, ‘cause he provided a lot of energy. He’s crazy, for sure. [Laughs].
I hear you’re quite shy.
> Yeah, that’s it. I’m kinda shy for the most part, gettin’ to know new people. I kinda keep to myself, pretty low key. For the most part I’m laid back, relaxed. I’m also a competitor. I want to win. When I’m in the game I want to be the best guy. In the bullpen I wanna be the best guy. If my role ends up being the guy that pitches in the fourth and fifth inning or the closer or the setup guy, it doesn’t matter to me, I’m gonna go out there and do my best to keep us in the ballgame.
You’re a southpaw. Do you eat and write and brush your teeth left-handed, too?
> No, I’m confused. I play baseball left-handed. I’ll write right-handed. I’ll eat with both hands, drink with both hands. I can kick with both feet. I’m just confused.
What was your childhood like in Louisiana?
> I played football, I played soccer. But for the most part baseball was my favourite and it happened to be the sport I was best at. Me and my dad and my grandpa were always in the yard playin’ baseball. I was always playin’ whiffle ball with the kids in the neighbourhood.
When did you figure you could make a career of it?
> Probably when I got in high school, not that I could make a career out of it, but I knew I was good enough to keep progressin’. Not that I was gonna make it to the big leagues but that I could go out there, test the waters, see what happens.
What’s the best part of playing in the big leagues?
> Being able to travel and see different places across the country. That, and hangin’ out with the 25 other guys on the team every day. They basically become like your family, you’re with them so long, basically 7, 8 months out of the year. You get close and you just go out and have fun and hang out and do your thing.
Is this team in the best shape it’s been in since you started playing here?
> Yeah I think so. We made some great acquisitions. We lost a few guys, Brett Lawrie, J.A. Happ, but we also got a few great guys, a third baseman in Donaldson and we got Russell Martin which I think is gonna help us out a long way. Whenever you get one of the top guys in the league at stealing strikes, it’s definitely gonna help our pitching staff. Donaldson is gonna provide a huge boost defensively and offensively in our lineup—not that we really needed it offensively, we got some guys that can hit the ball. But it’s definitely gonna be fun. I think the pitching’s there, I think the offence is there and the defence is gonna be there. We’ve improved.
Did you enjoy the off-season?
> Yeah, it’s been pretty relaxed. Just hangin’ out with the family, watchin’ my little baby girl grow. She’s about a year and a half now. She’s takin’ up most of my time. And a little huntin’ and fishin’ and workin’ out back home in Louisiana. It’s a pretty laid-back easy-going city, good change of pace from the season.
What sort of hunting?
> I do mostly dear huntin’. I do a little duck huntin’.
Did you play that Duck Hunter video game on Nintendo when you were a kid?
> Oh yeah, growing up, absolutely. I guess it was good practice a little bit. But it’s a little different when you get out there in the woods. They’re tough to hit. They’re flying, they move pretty quick.
Do you have any hunting-related stuff on your walls in Toronto?
> Nah, I don’t bring it up here. But back home I have one deer head mounted on my wall. I have a couple sets of horns. I have a couple ducks mounted and I have a big 10-lbs. bass mounted on my wall.
When did you reel that in?
> Two years ago, during spring training. I went fishin’, I think I was out there by myself. There’s a lake in one of the neighbourhoods; definitely had to show it off. Biggest bass I ever caught. It wasn’t as easy as reelin’ in one of the small one-pounders, you know?
You grew up in Raceland, Louisiana. How do you like Toronto?
> I enjoy it. Toronto, to me, is a pretty laid back city. It’s not as fast-paced as some of the other cities. Like New York, I can’t stand New York, it’s just way too busy and too fast-paced.
Do you get recognized when you’re walking around Toronto?
> Yeah, it’s happened a few times. It’s kinda crazy to be walkin’, somebody sees you, they go ‘Louuuuuup!’ It happens every once in a while and it’s definitely fun when it happens. It’s cool.
Do you like the fame?
> Nah. For me, through my whole career I’ve always been not necessarily the guy that was overlooked, but I’ve never been the guy that, ‘This guy’s supposed to do this and this.’ I was kinda the guy in the background that was consistent enough and pitched well. Never the top prospect or the top guy in high school. Growin’ up, my dad and my grandpa, one of the big things was, you don’t talk about yourself. You let other people talk about you for you. That’s how I think I got my relaxed ways, and went about my business and do what I do and let everything else happen the way it’s gonna happen.
