Get to Know: Q&A with Brewers utility man Nick Franklin

The Journal Sentinel’s Todd Rosiak caught up with Milwaukee Brewers utility man Nick Franklin to discuss his side job driving Uber, concussions and the value of versatility and switch-hitting. Franklin, 26, is hitting .192 with one home run and six runs batted in while seeing time at second base, shortstop, left field and right field this season. He was claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays on April 5.

Q. You gained a little national notoriety during your time with Tampa Bay after divulging you did some driving for Uber on the side. How did that all come about?

A. It was early in the off-season two years ago, maybe a week and a half in, and I was bored because we usually take a couple weeks off before we start conditioning or working out or whatever. I was sitting there one weekend and it kind of came upon me that I wanted to drive Uber. I figured I’d sign up and then drive later that night. So I signed up, did everything and then it kind of ruined my night when it said I had to have a background check. It took a week to get a background check, so the following weekend I actually Ubered the first time. So that’s how it all started.

Q. You live in Orlando in the off-season. How many rides have you given?

A. I would say last two years, probably 18 to 20. There was one time I had to do a ride otherwise I was going to be shut off by Uber and it kept on warning me, so I was just like, ‘I’ll turn it on real quick,’ and I wound up taking this 45-minute ride. It was kind of odd. But they don’t require that anymore, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do it during the season.

Q. What kind of car?

A. A Ford-150 (pickup). That was my truck at the time. It didn’t really matter. It wasn’t Uber XL; just Uber X. I just drove around in that.

Q. Do you have a high rating?

A. It’s 4.8 (stars). I don’t think it’s changed because I haven’t done much with it lately.

Q. Any interesting stories? Meet any interesting people? I would assume that was a big part of the draw.

A. No, basic rides. A couple people from high school. That’s really about it. I would say for the most part guys that were in college, because it was nightlife.

Q. Whenever I Uber I find myself chatting with the driver. Did you ever let any of your fares know you were actually a major-league baseball player just moonlighting as a driver?

A. I did not. Totally kept it undercover. I left the communication to whatever they wanted. If there was just one passenger I’d ask them to sit in the passenger seat because I didn’t want them behind me.

Q. Are you tougher or easier when rating as a rider now considering you’re also a driver?

A. Honestly, I’m pretty easy on the rating as it goes. All you have to do, really, is follow my directions and that’s about it. It’s not like they have to provide any services while I’m in the car like water or gum. Just be friendly, drive safe and know where you’re going.

Q. Any plans to drive Uber in Milwaukee?

A. I think I could do it, honestly, for fun. Maybe before I go to the field – pick up somebody, take them somewhere and then just go to the field. I realistically could do that, so we’ll see.

Q. So Brewers fans should be on the lookout for Nick Franklin, Brewers utility man, possibly dropping them at Potawatomi on the way to Miller Park?

A. It’s possible, yeah. (laughs)

Q. You’ve had three documented concussions in your career, including one as recently as last season. Does that worry you?

A. Honestly, I’m not the trainer so I don’t know what the protocol is for how many concussions you can have or whatever, or what are the side effects from having so many. If it’s not really affecting my play then I think everything should be fine. I don’t really even think about it, honestly. The last one I got I went to the emergency room and they told me that was, like, the last concussion I should have. But that’s just a doctor. I don’t know what the protocol is for a sport. Obviously we have tests we have to pass. It’s not really in my mind.

Q. A couple of your concussions came under strange circumstances as well, correct?

A. Right. Last year it was in the on-deck circle, getting hit with the bat weight. My first one, in 2011, was in the cage. I was standing behind the net and somehow or other when he swung, it was probably 10 feet away and he let go of the bat and it happened to just hit me perfectly. The other one was in Seattle in 2013. Justin Smoak and I were going for a fly ball and his knee hit me in the head. Kind of crazy. The one last year was a little weird. It was probably my fault, as well. But walking to grab the bat weight, leading off, you figure you have that space to yourself and all of a sudden you get rung.

Q. You were drafted in the first round by Seattle in 2009. An interesting grouping – Mike Trout to the Angels at No. 25, Eric Arnett to the Brewers at No. 26 and you to the Mariners at No. 27. Does it seem like a long time ago?

A. I would say it’s been quite a ride, for sure. It doesn’t feel like that long, honestly. I think it’s solely the fact I didn’t go to college. I think it’s just because I came out of high school and I still feel young. It was eight years ago, but I don’t feel like it’s gone by that fast.

Q. Is there a lot of pressure that comes with being a first-round pick?

A. Coming out of high school, you’re so young at that point you don’t really know anything about professional baseball or being a prospect, things like that. Growing up I didn’t really know about the minor leagues or prospects or things like that. I just played baseball. I didn’t watch TV, hardly. So I guess there wasn’t much pressure. But when I got traded (to Tampa Bay as part of a three-team trade that featured David Price), I felt like there was a little bit more. But I think it was just being young. The human nature just slowly came about – hey, you just got traded, you want to live up to the expectations kind of thing. It was actually more like they showed and they cared (in Seattle). So I guess that was a lot of help.

Q. You came up as a shortstop but are now a utility man who’s played every position but pitcher and catcher at the major-league level. When did you start adding more gloves to your equipment bag?

A. Two years ago they said something about first base, but I only played two games there. Then last year we were in Minnesota, the day I got called up, I pinch hit and then they said, ‘Can you play left field?' ‘Yeah.’ I mean, what am I supposed to say, no? I hadn’t played left field before in my past, but I went out and did that and I didn’t really have anything hit to me. It kind of continued – ‘Can you play here, play there?’ ‘Yeah.’

Q. There’s value in versatility in all lines of work, correct?

A. It was a little bit to take in, to absorb and understand where this could lead. But I think it was pretty easy to do since I succeeded. If I wasn’t succeeding then who knows where it would have ended up.

Q. At what age did you begin switch-hitting?

A. I was probably seven. My dad suggested it because I was playing with the older guys, and he wanted me to get down to first base faster.

Q. How long did that take to master?

A. My freshman year, the head coach told me to take away the right side (his natural side) because of the fact we faced so many righties and it was almost pointless to hit right-handed. So all I hit was left-handed that year. My sophomore year I transferred schools and they said stay lefty. It was tough because in high school you had maybe 30 games and you might face 2-3 lefties, if that. I stayed lefty the entire time (that year), then my junior and senior year I consistently did both. But growing up I was hitting left-handed the majority of the time. It was kind of odd. Now, I would say lefty is better than righty. In Tampa we didn’t have a left-hander to throw BP, so I was literally facing right-handers every time. So then I almost had a better chance facing right on right.

Q. Switch-hitting requires twice as much work, doesn’t it?

A. It’s tough to keep up with. Sometimes it almost has to be more one way or the other because whatever’s lacking, but to feel comfortable going into the game you have to do both. I honestly believe if you don’t have an at-bat on a particular side, it’s not that you forget, it’s the perception and the timing – everything’s just a little different when you switch back over. Now you’re looking out of your other eye … little things that people don’t think about.