CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Our first ever KRIS 6 Hooks Kid Reporter, 9-year-old Nate Gonzalez, sat down in the dugout with Astros' Double-A catcher C.J. Stubbs. Gonzalez is one of seven kids selected this summer to interview and get to know a Hooks player at Whataburger Field.
Gonzalez volunteers his time with his own organization called Nate's Next Kid Up where he helps collect and donate sports equipment to foster children.
Nate Gonzalez: Do you name your baseball gloves or bats?
C.J. Stubbs: Don't name my baseball gloves or bats, but I definitely treat them like they are my child.
Nate: Would you rather have sweet or spicy food?
C.J.: Spicy. I'll put jalapenos or Cholula or anything pretty much on anything. Yep, my roommates vouch for me. Spicy over anything.
Nate: What is your dream car?
C.J.: My dream car, I want like a vintage red Ferrari just to drive on Sundays though.
Nate: Okay, so it's like not drive it everywhere to wear it out. It's just like on special occasions.
C.J.: I don't want to be that guy who drives like you know, their best car to go to the grocery store.
Nate: Do you have any hobbies when you're off the baseball field?
C.J.: I play golf and I love to play pickleball.
Nate: That is really interesting. Have you ever played mini golf? I have.
C.J.: I love mini golf. I went in spring training.
Nate: What is your favorite 80's movie?
C.J.: Was Grease in the 80's? We're going to go with Grease or maybe Animal House, no that sounds like the 90's. If one of those was an 80's move that's my answer.
Nate: I've seen like a ton of them. 80's like Back to the Future.
Nate: When you were my age what baseball player inspired you to play baseball?
C.J.: For me it was Derek Jeter because the way he carried himself on the fields and the things he had to deal with off the fields. He really just like exemplified what a leader should be.
Nate: Like my dad tells like when the field and like playing a game he says you have to be a leader because everyone will will follow you and do what you do on the baseball field, and that's how you win games.
Nate: Which flavor of bubblegum do you like?
C.J.: The watermelon one. You know the bubble gum, double bubble green one, yeah, that one is my favorite.
Nate: What is your favorite baseball movie?
C.J.: The Sandlot and it's not even close. I've seen that movie probably over 50 times and I can probably recite every single line if I'm watching it with the movie.
Nate: I like it too. Mine is probably Field of Dreams. If you build it they will come.
Nate: What is your favorite Star Wars character?
C.J.: I'm gonna go with Chewbacca. Yeah, I love the way he talks.
To sign up to be a KRIS 6 Hooks Kids Reporter, click here. This interview is split into two videos.
