Saturday Seven: Eric Byrnes

Saturday Seven is a weekly lightning-round of questions delving into the personalities of major leaguers.

Eric Byrnes is more than a player for the Diamondbacks. He's an institution. He is such an outgoing, lively character that his show, "The Eric Byrnes Show," has become one of the most popular programs on the local Fox Sports affiliate. Byrnes was an MVP candidate as recently as 2007, but he suffered through a disappointing 2008 because of hamstring injuries. He's back, healthy this year. "I'm really enjoying baseball a lot more than I have in a long time."

On to the questions...

What do you remember most about your big-league debut?
Getting intentionally thrown at and just about causing a bench-clearing brawl in Cleveland. The pitcher didn't like the way I was swinging. The pitcher thought I was swinging too hard, so he threw at me and hit me and said something. Then we threw at Sandy Alomar and the benches cleared. That's good. It was fun.

What player taught you the most?
Probably Tony Clark, just being around him. More than baseball stuff, he taught me how to deal with the lifestyle on and off the field. He's the ultimate veteran. As far as I'm concerned he's going to be able to write his ticket and do anything he wants to do when he's done playing this game. He's a very unique individual with a lot wisdom and knowledge.

What was your best moment on the field?
Beating the Cubs in '07 to get to the National League Championship Series.

What was your most embarrassing moment on the field?
In my mind there is nothing to be embarrassed about as long as you are out there giving your best effort.

Who is the player you most enjoy watching?
Manny Ramirez. I could watch him hit all day. It's a beautiful thing, just to see him swing the bat. It's very rare that a right-handed hitter has the best-looking swing in baseball. This is a once-a-generation type of hitter.

Who is your favorite teammate?
I can't pick one. There were so many good guys in the Oakland clubhouse, and also here. It's too hard to pick one.

What would you be doing if you were not a baseball player?
Great question. I've answered it many different ways. When I was a kid I wanted to be a toll taker on the Golden Gate Bridge. I thought they got to keep the money. I thought it would be cool to sit in that booth, listen to music and take people's money all day.