1) This is an e-mail from Sharon:

With all the talk of Jeff Samardzija picking baseball over football, I was
wondering if you had to choose between the two. Was baseball your clear
favorite? I understand you keep a football in your locker and have been
throwing to Jeff. Do you wish you would (or could) have played football
instead? And by the way, who is your favorite NFL team? Sorry, I guess
that was more than one question but it does say "anything":)

MARK: No, I don’t wish I had tried to play professional football, I definitely picked the right profession. There’s no room in the NFL for a 6-1 quarterback with no mobility. And my favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys.

2) This is an e-mail from Ashley:

You always seem to be too hard on yourself. Trust me from a fan's point of
view, i love everyone on the team,but i prefere to watch you. I think you
are amazing and that you are doing a wonderful job. I just wanted to know
why in your blogs and on interviews you are so hard on yourself?
your number ONE (1) fan, Ashley

MARK: That is something that was instilled in me since I was young. My father was very critical of me in every game I played in. We talked about the good things, but throughout the course of a game there’s always things you could have done better to change the game or just be better. In baseball, you can never be perfect. There’s only one Barry Bonds, only one Albert Pujols, guys who are able to make a major contribution offensively every night. I would just rather stay humble and concentrate on correcting my deficiencies than pump up the things I do well.

3) This is an email from Alex:

1. How do you feel so comfortable playing most baseball positions?

2. Which is your favorite?

MARK: The reason I feel comfortable playing different positions is that I’ve been doing it for nine years. I try not to worry about style points out there, just get the job done, be fundamentally sound at each position. I have a lot of time to work on each position, it’s something that comes second nature and I don’t even worry about it anymore. My favorite position? Anywhere in the infield, shortstop, second base or third base.

4) This is an email from Mike:

Dear Mark,
Do you have any pre game rituals or superstitions?

Your Fan,
Mike DeRosa (no relation)

MARK: The only superstition I have is that if I go 0-for-4 or don’t get a hit one game, I will change out my batting gloves. Otherwise, not really.

5) This is an email from Joise:

Big bet going...are you Italian or Hispanic?

MARK: Italian.

6) This is an email from Tim:

Hey, Mark, is Derrick Lee still
having back trouble? I used to
have a bad back and I know something
that could help him in a big way.
By the way, you and Reed Johnson are
those kind of guys that a championship
team always needs for chemistry.
It's that thing you can't find in the
numbers, even though yours are great.
It's about that scrappy attitude.

MARK: I’m not aware that Derrick is having any back trouble, but he needs to start having some from hitting homers and carrying this team on his back.

7) This is an email from Warren:

Hey Mark, I saw you on the PTI show and heard about the blog. I am a
lifetime Cubby fan and somewhat of a ball player myself. I play in an
amateur league here in Indianapolis. Like you, my team has asked me to play
multiple positions, but I'm a second baseman by trade. I'm also a
grind-it-out player always hustling my ass off. I care so much about the
game of baseball. I always have and I always will. I enjoy watching players
like you, because you do what is necessary for the team day in and day out
no matter what. You've been a tremendous influence.
However my production has declined since I joined this new team and I
haven't been able to get comfortable at any position. I worry they may cut
me because I don't play like Roberto Clemente in Right field. So my playing
time has been lessened and my confidence is at an all time low. I get fewer
at-bats than all the other every-day players and it just becomes an on-going
cycle. And as if that weren't enough, I seem to have forgotten how to throw
a baseball, much like Knoblauch, I'm a headcase. But I know if I got just
thirty-forty more at bats I could be what I used to be. Oh and I pay the
same amount of money to play as everyone else ($300).
I'm almost ten years out of high school, never played college ball, I don't
have a lot of free time or a lot of money so I've thought about giving it up
- something I never thought I would do. DeRo, if anybody could give me some
advise its you. Whaddya think?
p.s. should I be worried? I mean, six in a row.

MARK: As far as your throwing problems, I would go back to the fundamentals. Point your lead elbow in the direction you want the throw to go, at the first baseman’s head. That’s what I do when I have a bad run of throws. When struggling on offense, keep it simple; the bat head replaces your hands, if you take your hands to the ball the bat head will follow. Talking about playing many different positions, I still feel uncomfortable when I haven’t played a position in a while, so I simplify the game. Catch the ball, hit the cutoff man, do the fundamentals.

8) This is an email from Jason:

Hey Mark! I too am 33 and will be having an ablation later this month at
Loyola. I get thousands of Premature Atrial Contractons (PACs) per day which
sometimes leads to afib. Over the years it’s gotten so bad that it’s affecting
my quality of life.
Q- Was it a 100% success?
Jason

MARK: Yes, it was 100% successful and I would recommend the procedure highly. Had I known it was available I would have done it years ago.