Interview with Matt Sosnick

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to interview Sports Agent Matt Sosnick. Sosnick is the founder of Sosnick Cobbe Sports, an agency that represents over twenty players. They are most known for Dontrelle Willis, but also represent Freddy Sanchez, Josh Hamilton, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and more. I really appreciate Matt Sosnick for agreeing to do this interview while he plans for the off season ahead.

ELI: How did you start get your start in baseball?

MATT: I found one player, who was actually a family friend, let me represent him. He never actually made it, but he gave me my start and I was able to move on from there.

ELI: Did you play any sports growing up?

MATT: Not so much baseball, I was more a basketball player?

ELI: What are your day to day duties as an agent?

MATT: It depends. I usually make a list for myself each night, but stuff definitely comes up during the day.

ELI: How much contact do you have with each of your clients?

MATT: I have a lot of contact with my players. I was just at Dontrelle Willis' Charity Event and some my other clients were there as well.

ELI: Coming into the off season with several clients unsigned, how do you prioritize which players come first?

MATT: Well, we have different people in the off season doing different things. We have an arbitration guy, contract guy, other things like that. We take our guys on a week long trip each year-this year we are going to Cabo with our guys.

ELI: Do you go to a lot of your clients games?

MATT: Yeah, and I have a lot of guys on the same team. I've got three on the Pirates, six on the Marlins, three on the Rangers, so I can visit them in groups.

ELI: Was becoming an agent something you had always wanted to do?

MATT: Actually no, it is something I just decided to do one day and went with it.

ELI: Out of baseball, do you have a favorite team?

MATT: The 49ers.

ELI: How about a favorite movie?

MATT: Bull Durham.

ELI: What is the one thing you would say an everyday fan does not know about sports agents?

MATT: I think that fans do not know how important our relationships with our players are. With all the things out side baseball, having us can really influence a career. Wives, girlfriends, breakups, parents pass away, all that can effect a player. Having us to turn to really helps players and I think that is the one thing people do not understand.