No one has emerged onto the MLB scene quite as fast as Jose Bautista. After spending numerous years never reaching 20 home runs in a season, Bautista surprised everyone in 2010 with 54 bombs. With more than a quarter of the 2011 season completed, the Blue Jays outfielder is showing that his breakout year was no fluke. He leads the majors in home runs with 20, and is hitting them at an astounding rate of one every 8 at bats (for reference, Mark McGwire is the all-time leader with one homer for every 10 at bats). Before facing the Yankees this past week, we asked the man known as "Joey Bats" to answer the Complex Questionnaire in the newly created MLB Fan Cave to find out just how Complex he really is.
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What’s your favorite song of the moment?
Jose Bautista: I don’t know. I listen to a lot of stuff. I’ve been listening to the new Wisin Y Yandel album, “Los Vaqueros: El Regreso.” There are a couple of songs in there that I really like. I can’t say that I have one favorite.
What’s the song you come out to when you bat up?
Jose Bautista: Some of the guys sent a request up last year to put “OMG” by Usher, and I’ve did so well with it that I haven’t messed with that. So I’m gonna keep it for the time being.
What are you favorite kind of sneakers to wear?
Jose Bautista: I wear a lot of Converse, just the regular Chucks. They’re comfortable, easy to put on and take off, and you can wear them with anything. I try to keep it real simple.
What’s the most money you ever spent on an item of a clothing?
Jose Bautista:Probably a leather jacket. A couple grand, nothing too crazy. I know that’s a little bit on the high end for a jacket, but it’s an item that lasts a long time. It's something that you’ll keep, and you don’t want to be cold when it’s freezing outside.
Did you start buying these leather jackets before you made it to the majors or before?
Jose Bautista: Probably the last couple of years. I’m not trying to brag here, but once your income starts going up, you tend to buy nicer things, or things that last longer and those are usually more expensive. That’s probably when I did it. Two years ago or something like that.
What celebrity is in your Wifey Hall of Fame?
Jose Bautista:You know, growing up, I always had a crush on Carmen Electra. I can’t say that I have one right now, but Carmen Electra was definitely the one back then. [Laughs.]
What is your opinion of Odd Future?
Jose Bautista: I don’t have an idea as to who they are or what they do. I'll try to look them up, and see what they’re all about.
Favorite alcoholic drink?
Jose Bautista:I enjoy a nice beer, here and there. I just like tasting different beers from different parts of the world.
Current video game obsession?
Jose Bautista: I actually don’t play any video games. I just never got into it growing up, and I haven’t gotten into it after that.
Dream ride?
Jose Bautista: I don’t have a dream car. Right now, I would like to have the Audi R8, but I just had a baby girl. It’s a small, two-seater car with no trunk space, so I’m going to have to wait a couple of years to buy it.
Coveted tech product.
Jose Bautista: Probably my laptop. I don’t go anywhere without it. I just try to keep it with me because I’m always either looking for information, watching a movie, or listening to music. It’s kind of bigger and bulkier than what most people use with the iPad and iPod, but I want to have access to everything and regular-sized web pages. So I just keep my laptop with me all the time.
Favorite city to visit.
Jose Bautista: I have a lot for different reasons. I love going to Chicago because the weather is great, and there are a lot of nice places to go shopping around where we stay. I love going to San Diego because it's a younger city with even better weather and it’s really, really nice. But I don’t like the stadium there. And obviously Miami. Being Latin, you can’t help but love it when you go down to Miami. The hot weather and all the Latin people. I enjoy my time whenever I go to those three cities.
Favorite ballpark to visit?
Jose Bautista: Not that I enjoy hitting in it, but I think PNC Park is the most beautiful park in the big leagues. If I had to choose one stadium that I like to play in, it would probably be Fenway just because of the history, and I do very well when I go there.
Who’s the most famous person in your cellphone?
Jose Bautista: You know what, I don’t know, probably another ball player. I don’t know many celebrities, and it’s not like I make it part of my life to try to hang out with celebrities or anything like that. I enjoy when I meet anybody, but I just never got close with celebrities or anybody famous. I’ll probably just say any other ball player that you can think of.
How does it feel to have arguably the best first name ever?
Jose Bautista:[Laughs.] It’s the best name. It’s a bit common, but I love it. I was named after my grandfather, and it’s a great name to have. You never have problems with people forgetting your name.
It’s just terrible sometimes when people still mess it up…
Jose Bautista: When they write my name with an ‘H,’ it just gets me furious. I just can’t believe people still make that kind of mistake. I mean, my name is not ‘Hose,” it’s Jose.
