Today marks the first part of a (hopefully) twenty nine part series, the Thunderbolts player profiles, which I hope will give the fans a greater understanding of the players they are rooting for. Today's player is Heath Weatherford, a sophomore first baseman at Wingate University.
Although Weatherford is hitting only .190, he is tied for second on the team with three doubles and has come up with clutch hits throughout the year.
Q: How has the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball league helped you improve as a player?
A: It has helped me recognize the ways in which I need to work to become a better player overall and to learn to play on an everyday basis.
Q: How do you feel about the performance of the team and your own performance so far this year?
A: I feel that the team is pretty good overall although we tend to make mistakes that sometimes costs us, and me personally I believe that I should be doing better dealing with my hitting, but it is all a learning situation.
Q: What has been the toughest team that you have faced this year?
A: Personally the toughest team this year is the Big Train.
Q: What are your expectations for yourself and for the team for the rest of the year?
A: For us, to make the playoffs and I believe that we can even make a run in the playoffs if we play to our abilities. As for me I am starting to swing the bat better and hoping that I can contribute more to the team.
Q: Why did you join the CRSCBL?
A: I joined because my coaches at college got me into the league because they know it is a good league to go to and learn and become a better player.
Q: Do you have a special diet or exercise regimen to help keep you in shape? For example, a special meal on game days?
A: I usually work on 5 days a week to help keep me in shape for all the games that we play in a short amount of time. And usually I try not to eat at least an hour before games, because I believe I play better on an empty stomach.
Q: What are your plans after college?
A: I am studying environmental biology, and hope that maybe I can continue baseball after college.
Q: What is your mentality when you step up to bat?
A: See the fastball, get the pitch I like and drive it. React to everything else. It also depends on the situation on how I swing.
Q: What do you need to improve as a player and as a team?
A: See better pitches in my at bats, and stay in shape! As a team we just need to make the routine plays.
Q: Do you have any advice to kids who want to play baseball at a high level?
A: You have to have your heart in it and really love it, and be willing to give you life to it to become the best.
Q: Are you staying with host parents? What has your experience been like in the DC Area?
A: Yes. The DC area is very different than from where I am from which is country area. Traffic can be terrible at times, and sometimes it is hard to know where you are going, but eventually I learned how to get around.
Q: Who was your favorite player/team when you were growing up?
A: Braves are my favorite team.
Q: What player, if any, do you try to model your game after?
A: Albert Pujols.
Q: How hard of a transition has it been to wooden bats?
A: Swinging wooden parts is 100% different than aluminum. All of a sudden then balls not hit so well and falling for hits with aluminum are not falling for hits with wood and you do everything you can to hit the ball on the sweet spot with the wood which can be challenging at times, especially with a good pitcher.
Q: How does the level of play in the CRSCBL compare to the level of play in your college season?
A: Every team has good hitters and good pitching in this league
Awesome coverage, Pete. It's really good to see a reporter take our local team seriously.