Ducks watch: Randy Keisler

LHP Randy Keisler, 36, entered the New York baseball landscape in 1998 as a second-round draft pick of the Yankees. He appeared in 14 games in pinstripes over two seasons (2000-01) before being released in 2003. Despite an assortment of injuries, he has played with 12 major-league organizations in 14 professional seasons. His last big-league stint came in 2007 with the Cardinals, when he appeared in four games (three starts). He is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in six starts for the Ducks this season.

What was it like, making your MLB debut at Fenway Park in 2000 against the Red Sox?

"That was one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to be a part of. The more I look back on it, the cooler it is. At the time, you thought your future would have many more moments like that."

How did you deal with the pressure of being a high draft pick?

"I was a dumb kid, to be honest. It's not the pressure of it; you make mistakes that you regret doing. You take for granted where you're at when you are young and a top prospect. Over the years, I wish I knew then what I know now. It was humbling, and I learned from my mistakes. But being a Yankee was the best."

Your career has been sidetracked many times by injuries. What keeps you motivated to continue playing?

"I don't know. I had so many times when I was frustrated with injuries. It made me irritated with the game. But there is just that part of you, whether it is at Yankee Stadium, Bethpage Ballpark or the back field at spring training, when you get on that mound against a hitter, everything about that moment makes you want to come back and do it again."

Who has been your most talented teammate?

"I was in Triple-A in Norfolk with the Mets in 2004 when David Wright was called up from Double-A. You kept hearing about what he had done in Double-A, and then he comes to Triple-A, and he's only there for like a month and a half. But with his approach and abilities, you could tell he would be a star. And he was a good kid, too."

Who is the most intimidating hitter you've faced?

"Lefties never really bothered me, but Carlos Delgado when he was with Toronto in his heyday . . . Every time I threw the ball against him, I was nervous. I think he hit a home run against me that [second baseman] Alfonso Soriano jumped for, and it ended up hitting off a cement wall in the right-centerfield bleachers. It was a rocket."