Q&A with Graham Godfrey on Trade

Graham Godfrey talked with Scout.com on Monday about the weekend trade that saw him to go Oakland.

Scout.com: Graham, can you talk a little about the trade and how you felt when you found out?

Graham Godfrey: At first it was definitely surprising. I felt very excited to be part of that and am looking forward to joining the Athletics and being part of their organization.

Scout.com: Did anybody from the Blue Jays and/or Oakland contact you yet?

Graham Godfrey:The first person to call me was Dick Scott, and then was contacted by Dave Forst, the Assistant GM for Oakland.

Scout.com: Can you comment on the 2007 season – as it was your first in professional baseball?

Graham Godfrey:The entire year was making adjustments. Each start I learned something new and then I had to try and apply it to my next start to get better results. I think I was successful with that and reflecting on my entire season I can say I made a lot of adjustments that helped me, and will help me in the long run. I’m really looking forward to next season and make the next leap in my career.

Scout.com: Specifically, what adjustments did you make?

Graham Godfrey:In college I was considered a thrower, but this year I learned how to pitch. I learned the situational aspects of pitching, how to pitch in different situations, and how to use the count to my advantage.

Scout.com: Is there a pitch you really tried improving on this past year, or a pitch you want to add this off-season?

Graham Godfrey:The changeup is a pitch I worked on the entire year, and it really came around for me by the end of the year. I will probably be looking to add a cutter or a split this off-season – to use against right-handers and left-handers.

Scout.com: What did the Blue Jays tell you they wanted you to work on after the season wrapped up?

Graham Godfrey:They wanted me to continue the work we started this season, and I plan on carrying everything over to next season