Daytona Tortugas walk-up songs: Listening to the hits while looking for hits

<p>DAYTONA BEACH — Alex Blandino likes to stroll into the batter’s box listening to a classic R&B tune.</p><p>Phillip Ervin prefers a popular 1990s TV show theme song, and Carlton Daal likes Latin hip-hop.</p><p>The list of walk-up songs for the Daytona Tortugas is definitely eclectic — rock, alternative, rap, country, techno and Latin flavor are all included.</p><p>Even though the audio clips blare over the loudspeaker for just a few seconds, some players spend hours searching for the right tune. Their choice can say a lot about their personality and, some claim, can even make a difference in how they perform.</p><p>In Blandino’s case, he never had a walk-up song — not at Stanford, rookie ball or Class A Dayton last season — before Daytona. </p><p>“I was a little nervous picking a walk-up,” the shortstop and 2014 first-round pick said. “I definitely put some thought into it. I probably spent a day thinking about it.”</p><p>He finally settled on James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”</p><p>The 1960’s hit has a calming effect on Blandino.</p><p>“I think it helps me focus a little bit,” he said. “You just take some deep breaths and get your mind right for the at-bat.”</p><p>Ervin, a center fielder and 2013 first-round pick, shared similar sentiments.</p><p>His walk-up song is the theme to the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” a TV show that starred rapper Will Smith.</p><p>Ervin didn’t originally choose his walk-up. His teammates at Samford University gave it to him when he was a freshman, but he had success with it and decided to keep it. He said it was sort of a superstition. </p><p>“It’s like a routine,” he said. “If you break your routine, it can throw you off a little bit. And if you’re not focused or feeling comfortable at the plate, you’re not going to be able to perform.”</p><p>Sammy Diaz said his walk-up, a techno tune — “Booyah,” by Showtek and We are Loud — is definitely all about superstition. The designated hitter/third baseman used it at Bakersfield last year, hit .327, and decided to stick with it.</p><p>For Daal, who walks up to “Loyenge,” by Rotterdamse SterrenGang, it’s all about feeling good heading to the plate.</p><p>“If you feel good, you hit good,” he said. </p><p>Tyler Murray, the team’s director of broadcasting and media relations, makes sure the family-friendly version of the players’ songs make it into the computer and are ready to go on game day. Visiting teams walk to the plate at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in silence. </p><p>Murray said most of the music comes from iTunes, and it takes him a couple of hours to put it all together. </p><p>“I usually handle the walkout song process by myself,” he said. “Just because, if anything goes wrong, it comes down on me.”</p><p>And things can go wrong. </p><p>“One year, when I was working with a different team, I let an intern handle it so he could learn a thing or two about audio-editing software,” Murray said. “Turned out, he didn’t listen to a particular song by Drake, and you can imagine what happened.”</p><p>Murray said around 90 percent of the guys care about their songs, and probably 20 percent are extremely particular. He said there are about 10 percent who just don’t care.</p><p>Tortugas manager Eli Marrero said he would have been in that 10 percent. Marrero, a former big-leaguer, likes ’80s music — bands like Metallica, AC/DC and Def Leppard — and also is a fan of Latin music. He said never requested a specific walk-up song but understands the appeal.</p><p>“For some guys, it’s really important,” he said. “Some of the starters like to play music that, I guess, reminds them of something positive that they did or something they play when they’re back home working out. They’ll play that kind of music that gets them through that phase where they’re fading out or tired. It may put a hop in their step.”</p><p>Ervin hopes it works for him this season. He didn’t have his song last season and hit .237.</p><p>“This year, I have it back and hopefully I’ll have a little better year,” he said. “Hopefully, it brings a little luck.”</p><p>At least for now, when fans hear James Brown start wailing, “This is man’s world, this is a man’s world,” at the ballpark, they’ll know Blandino is getting ready to step in.</p><p>“If it gets me some hits at the beginning, we will stay with it,” he said. “If not, we will see.”</p><p></p><br>

Daytona Tortugas walk-up songs: Listening to the hits while looking for hits