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Chat with Virginia Baseball’s Brandon Waddell at 3 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 1) as the Cavaliers start their annual Orange & Blue World Series.
A junior from Houston, Texas, Waddell threw a complete game in Game 2 of the College World Series Finals. He returns this season with Nathan Kirby and Josh Sborz as the Cavaliers bring back their entire starting pitching rotation from the 2014 squad.
Start submitting your questions now! Brandon will start answering at 3 p.m. Wednesday!
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Wahoo Central Moderator: Greetings everyone! Brandon has arrived in the chat room and we’ll get started shortly.
Keep the questions coming!
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Wahoo Central Moderator: All right, let’s get started. Brandon is excited to be here and take your questions. |
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| Roanoke va: How long have you be a pitcher? |
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Jeff. Cville: as a youngster where you discouraged from throwing curveballs and sliders so you may have a pitching career in maturity?
Do you have to pay for your glove/bat?
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Brandon Waddell: Yes I was. And I would also discourage other youngsters from throwing curveballs and sliders. I didn’t throw a curveball until my junior year in high school and I didn’t throw a slider until my first year here. |
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| Scott (New Castle, Delaware): Brandon, you’re great at pitching to contact, and that 71-pitch, 2-hit outing at Pitt last year was one of the most dominant performances I’ve ever seen at any level. Sometimes, though, hitters are going to get locked in and hit you. How do you respond to that mentally? |
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Brandon Waddell: It’s just part of the game. You can’t get away from your strengths. Some nights they are going to hit you well and nights they won’t. But you have to continue to throw strikes and attack hitters. Your job as a pitcher is to pitch to contact and let your defense play so they can get back in the dugout and score runs. |
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| Johnny Ray New York: How was your summer? What did you do to prepare for the upcoming season and to me it looks like the team is very strong but will need new leadership. |
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Brandon Waddell: The summer was very productive. I stayed around Charlottesville and got to work with the strength coaches and put on some weight. I got to spend some quality time with Kirby too. |
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| Bobby: How much do bragging rights mean on the team in the Orange & Blue World Series? Anything else on the line that makes it more fun to compete against your own teammates? |
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Brandon Waddell: Bragging rights mean everything during the Orange and Blue World Series. We like to have fun with it, but the good competition is the best part. |
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Brandon Waddell: The winner also gets a steak dinner at the team’s holiday party, whereas the losers get hot dogs. I want my steak. |
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| Jason (Albany, NY): What was it like to throw a complete game on the biggest stage in college baseball? |
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Brandon Waddell: It was an unbelievable experience, just to be in Omaha with my teammates playing on the biggest stage in college baseball. Words really can’t even describe the experience of emotions associated with that game. It’s something I’ll never forget. |
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| Christine: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not playing baseball? |
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Brandon Waddell: I like to play golf with teammates and friends. We don’t get a lot of free time but I like to enjoy the links when I can. |
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| Don, Hamilton, VA: The NCAA is going to a flat-seamed ball for the 2015 postseason. What do you think about that? |
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Brandon Waddell: I personally really like the new balls. They are more comfortable coming out of the hand, and I haven’t noticed much of a difference coming off the bat. |
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Carrie (Charlottesville): What made the biggest impression on you when you came for your recruiting visit?
What advice do you give the incoming First Year players?
What is your normal routine on a day when you are the starting pitcher?
Do you have superstitions?
How has your time at UVA differed from what you expected before you came?
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Brandon Waddell: Biggest impression was the baseball facilities and the coaching staff, being one of the best in the country. |
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Brandon Waddell: For advice, I tell them to keep working hard. There are going to be obstacles you face in the transition from high school to college baseball but it’s part of becoming a better all-around player. |
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Brandon Waddell: My routine – wake up, get something good for breakfast, head to the field, go through BP with the team, make a snack for lunch before heading out to start warming up, stretch, start throwing and then go out there. |
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Brandon Waddell: How has time differed – it’s been more than I could ever imagine. I absolutely love Charlottesville and everything that comes with it. |
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| Beth (Front Royal): After a great season last year, what is one key thing you do during the fall to keep the momentum going? |
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Brandon Waddell: Just to get back into a competitive setting with the team is the biggest part of getting the momentum and camaraderie back in full swing. |
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| Don, Hamilton, VA: Of all your past and current teammates at UVa, who is the best all-round athlete? |
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Brandon Waddell: According to the coaches, none of the pitchers are true athletes. Even though we are the true athletes!
But if you take pitchers out of it, it would have to be Joe McCarthy. For his size, he has unbelievable speed and range.
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| Michael from Winston-Salem, NC: Is there concern on this team about trying to match last season’s success with so many key components from last year’s team having moved on? |
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Brandon Waddell: Not at all. This is an entirely different team with different people that will step up and get the job done. Our expectations within the locker room never change and we know what we’re capable of. |
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| Big Dave (Richmond): For your pregame meal what kind of food do you choose to Load into your body the night before you pitch? |
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Brandon Waddell: I like to carb load. Especially loads of pasta with alfredo sauce. Complement that with fruits and vegetables. |
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Wahoo Central Moderator: We’ll take one more question before Brandon has to run. |
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| Scott: Any predictions for the Iron Cavalier competition? And what’s your favorite place to eat in Charlottesville? |
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Brandon Waddell: The Iron Cav will be interesting with both Whit and Tony gone. It should be competitive between all the pitchers and all the position players. For the position players, I put my money on Robbie Coman. For the integrity of the competition, I won’t comment on pitchers. |
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Brandon Waddell: Thanks so much for all your questions. I had a great time. Go Hoos! |
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Wahoo Central Moderator: Thanks for the great questions. Check out the Orange & Blue World Series this Friday at 6 p.m. The full schedule is available online at VirginiaSports.com. |
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