Baseball profile: Joe Randa-Kansas City Royals

Baseball Digest, May, 2003 by Rick Sorci

FULL NAME: Joeseph Gregory Randa

AGE, HT., WT.: 33 5-11 190

Born: December 18, 1969 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

HOME: Leawood, Kansas

STATUS/FAMILY: Married with two children

NICKNAME: The Joker

LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: Quiet. I try to live a normal life. Pretty conservative. Not very flashy and I don't have fancy cars or houses. I try to live like I was brought up, growing up outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I want my kids to live a normal life of a middle-class family.

SPORTS-HERO WHEN I WAS YOUNG: I followed the Milwaukee Brewers and my heroes were Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Not just because they were good players, but because of the way they played the game--hard.

PEOPLE limo INFLUENCED ME THE MOST: My mother influenced me a lot. She taught me to be stern and stick to my dreams and game plan and not let people stray me away from what I was striving toward.

PLAYERS, PAST OR PRESENT, I'D PAY TO WATCH PLAT:. Obviously Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. Also George Brett, Pete Rose and Alex Rodriguez.

BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME: Along the lines of what my mother said. Stay focused on your goals and don't let a roadblock or something negative derail you from what the big picture is.

HOBBIES: I love fishing and playing tennis.

TYPE OF CAR: Lincoln Navigator SUV

FAVORITE ACTOR: Gene Hackman

FAVORITE MOVIE: Hoosiers

FAVORITE TV SHOW: Friends

FAVORITE MUSIC: 1980s Rock music

FAVORITE FOOD: Steak

FAVORITE BALLPARK: Safeco Field in Seattle

PLAYER I LEARNED THE MOST PROM: There have been many like Gary Gaetti, Kevin Young, Wally Joyner and Keith Miller.

THE TRUE SIGN OF SUCCESS: Being respected by your-fellow players or employees

THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE A BASEBALL PLAYER NEEDS: TO respect the game and respect the way you play the game.

FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL: The Green Bay Packers

CHARACTERISTICS I ADMIRE MOST IN A PERSON: Humbleness

BEST TIME OF MY LIFE/WHY? The Wisconsin State High School Championship in 1988. We won the state title at Kettle Moraine in Wales. That was back when the game was a game played by a bunch of kids who love to play and there wasn't a business side to it.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT BASEBALL IT WOULD BE: No doubleheaders

IF NOT A BASEBALL PLAYER I WOULD HAVE BEEN: I'd probably be in the business of sports marketing

BEHIND MY BACK THEY SAY: They probably would say I'm outspoken and humble at the same time. I like making fun and poking jokes, but at the same time, I know I'm no better than anybody on this team.

TOUGHEST PITCHER I'VE FACED: For me it's Randy Johnson. He's right on top of me and I often don't see the ball well against him.

LIFE AFTER BASEBALL: I envision myself being a gamily guy who's there for his boys. A Little League coach and being a fan of baseball.

MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT:. Losing my mother. I have to deal with it every day.

MY MOST EMBARRASSING BASEBALL EXPERIENCE: Playing baseball in (high school) summer league, I was upset one time when I got walked. I wanted to hit. I slammed my bat down and as I walked toward first base, I tripped over home plate.

MY MOST MEMORABLE GAME: It was in 2001 and on the fifth anniversary of my Mom's death. Playing at home against Tampa Bay, I hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the game. As I rounded the bases, I just looked up in the sky. I don't think I'll ever forget it. It was something very special.