DP ducks the Unit with Eric Chavez

Dan Patrick's interview with Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez appears in the June 9 edition of ESPN The Magazine

	Eric Chavez says Barry Zito's music is horrible.

DP: Some people say the A's used to be the blue-collar, hard-working group, and now ...
EC: We're prima donnas. By the way, was Jason Giambi ever blue-collar?
DP: Well, he used to be. And now he's like Prince.
EC: Yeah, right. You know what? Jason is the best guy.
DP: He told me that he bought everybody gold-sequined G-strings.
EC: He didn't buy me one!

DP: You lived with a bunch of other guys from the team last year. Was it like The Real World?
EC: It was not as glamorous. The year before last was really fun.
DP: Give me some dirt.
EC: I've got to leave names out. No. 20's parents came over to the house unannounced once. They walked right into 20's room while he had a girl over. He slammed the door right in his parents' face, and made the girl get into the closet. Totally ridiculous.
DP: Mark Mulder is sort of sweet, actually.
EC: I didn't name names.

DP: How would you describe Barry Zito's musical stylings.
EC: Horrible.
DP: He should just go by Zito. Like Yanni.
EC: That guy is ... I know stuff about that guy ... just appalling.
DP: Give me an idea.
EC: I can't.
DP: You already sold out No. 20, why not sell out No. 75?
EC: No way.

DP: You've got two Gold Gloves -- do ladies say you have great hands?
EC: Gentle and soft.
DP: Do you use any special lotions?
EC: I'm all natural. But Tim Hudson gets manicures.
DP: I should have known. Does he look like a 12-year-old with his shirt off?
EC: Like a fungo bat.

DP: You're a Stones fan. Who's the Mick Jagger of baseball?
EC: An old guy who's still performing? Randy Johnson. I swear I'll never face him. In fact, I ducked The Unit this spring.
DP: You're honest.
EC: No, I'm scared to death.
DP: Could you imagine having to face him 20 times a year?
EC: No! I almost peed my pants when they were going to come to our league.
DP: Is there a pitcher who makes you cry?
EC: Mariano Rivera. It's that stupid cutter. He's throwing, like, 97! There's not enough time for the ball to move that much. Mariano has to cheat.