Newcomer Q&A: Cosart on living in Miami, playing the saxophone


Before the trade deadline, the Miami Marlins bolstered their rotation by trading for Houston Astros right-hander Jarred Cosart.
In four starts for the Marlins, Cosart is 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA. Over his past three, he has allowed just two runs over 20 2/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels.
The 24-year-old made his major-league debut last season for the Astros, going 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA over 10 starts. Before the deal, he was 9-7 with a 4.41 ERA in 20 starts in 2014.
Recently, FOXSportsFlorida.com's Christina De Nicola caught up with Cosart, whom you can follow on Twitter, to talk about living in Miami, playing the saxophone and being friends with college football's "it" coach...
FOX SPORTS FLORIDA: Before the trade had you ever been to Miami before?
JARRED COSART: This is my first time. I'm enjoying it so far. I haven't seen too much of it, but hopefully once I get settled in. I finally got my car. Next homestand I'll be able to check it out a little bit.
FSF: What would be the first place you want to visit?
COSART: I went down and drove on South Beach and saw some of the stuff, but I didn't get to check out some of the malls and beaches. Hopefully if we have an offday or day game I'll be able to do that.
FSF: When did you start playing baseball and why?
COSART: I started playing when I was 7. I have an athletic family. My grandpa (Ed Donnelly) played (for the Chicago Cubs). I played everything growing up, though. I loved sports. I did basketball, swimming, football, soccer. It was just another sport to pick up in free time, but I ended up running with it. It worked out OK.
FSF: So maybe in another life you'd be Michael Phelps?
COSART: Yeah. (laughs)
FSF: I've read that you play the saxophone. What would be your go-to song to play?
COSART: I don't know it's been a while.
FSF: Whether for you or just in a song.
COSART: I don't even have one. I really don't. I played whatever was handed to me. That's kind of how it always was. I don't have a favorite song. I just like hearing music.
FSF: Maybe some Kenny G or Clarence Clemons?
COSART: Bring it on. It wouldn't be that good, but...
FSF: I get home from work and you've tweeted something. Who is your favorite person to follow on Twitter?
COSART: A variety of baseball players. Obviously LoMo's pretty funny. Just see what everyone else is saying, what's going on. Most of my friends and teammates I've played with have it, so it's a good way to keep up with people maybe you don't talk to through text.
FSF: We've talked before about being friends with (Texas Tech football coach) Kliff Kingsbury. What's the coolest thing about him that people don't know?
COSART: How much fun -- well, they might know -- he has with his team. That's big with recruiting and everything. He's always having fun. Like with the ALS Challenge and stuff he donates a lot of his time in the offseason to charities and does a lot of traveling behind-the-scenes he doesn't really get a lot of publicity for. It's more now for his looks and everything like that. I think it's the little things that go unnoticed, probably under appreciated that he does. I don't know about other college football coaches, but he's up at 3 o'clock in the morning in the film room. He's pretty much in 'go mode' right now and they're supposed to have a pretty good year. I'm excited to go down there and watch and see some games and see what they can do.
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.