Sharks Sign Starting Left-Handed Pitcher From Bucknell University

Dan Weigel is another big (6’7”, 225 lbs.) left-handed pitcher that will be on the Martha's Vineyard Sharks pitching staff and is expected to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. Dan is from Lancaster, PA and is in his sophomore year at Bucknell University. He has started off the 2012 season in grand fashion. In his first game of the season against Niagara, he pitched 7 innings for the win, giving up one unearned run and striking out 8 batters.  In his second game of the season he picked up the win beating James Madison going into the 8th inning pitching a shutout before giving up 3 earned runs in a blowout. In his third game he came two outs shy of recording his first career complete game as his strong pitching performance helped the Bison to a 4-3 victory over Niagara His ERA for the season is 2.38 with 14 Ks and a “batting average against” of .195. Dan sat down and answered questions relating to his mores on pitching.

Last season as a freshman, you had an overall average season, but you came on strong at the end of the season in a reliever’s role. What has been the change or changes you have made to your pitching routine to get off to such a great start for the 2012 baseball season?

Last season saw me essentially start from the bottom of our staff and work my way into a prominent left handed relief role. I continued to work hard over the summer and I'm glad to see it paying off thus far.  There weren't any drastic changes, but I went home with a few more MPH on my fastball, more consistent off-speed pitches, improved strength, and also more experience at the college level.

Last summer you played in the New York Collegiate Baseball League in Alfred NY. You started all eight games you played in, which was a completely different role than what you did at Bucknell. Were you looking to make that change or did your coach make the decision for you?

We lost two of our weekend starters from last year to graduation, and I've had my eye on winning one of those jobs since the end of last season. The experience from the summer has definitely helped me in my transition to the rotation this year, and I'm thankful that our coaching staff has given me this opportunity. 

How did you find the competition in the NYCBL compared to your college schedule?

It's pretty similar, there weren't as many D-1 guys in the NYCBL, but I quickly found that many of the D-2 or D-3 guys can be just as good.

Give me a breakdown of your pitches; your primary pitch and secondary pitches.

I'm currently a three pitch pitcher, fastball, breaking ball and changeup. My pitches are similar to those of Rays prospect Matt Moore, with the main exception being that he throws 97 and I don't.

Do you rely more on location, movement or both.

I try to use both to my advantage. I'm not the type of guy who can just blow it by college hitters, so I rely mostly on hitting spots and changing speeds to keep the hitters off balance. Being a lefty I get pretty good natural movement on my fastball, but most of my success comes from not throwing either of the two pitches all college hitters can hit: the fastball down the middle or the hanging breaking ball.

Did you start last season or were you used primarily in relief?

I was in the bullpen for the entire year last year, in fact the Niagara game was my first ever start for Bucknell. I started all through high school though so being in the rotation now is nothing new for me.

What made you decide on Bucknell University?

I choose Bucknell for a number of reasons, namely great academics, D1 baseball, somewhat close to home, etc. I'm very happy with my decision and I can't see myself anywhere else. It also helps that my high school pitching coach used to be the pitching coach here and still has a great relationship with our current staff.

Did you work on anything in particular last summer as far as pitching is concerned, such as your secondary pitches?

There wasn't anything specific that I wanted to change, but I think I saw improvement in myself across the board. It was nice being able to start games, which meant I had 4-6 days between starts to get better. I was able to improve my arm and overall strength, off-speed pitches, as well as gaining valuable experience starting at the college level. 

Have you ever been to Martha’s Vineyard? It is a lot different from Alfred, NY.

No I have never been to Martha's Vineyard, but I have heard nothing but great things about it. Every time I tell someone where I'm spending the summer they seem to get jealous for some reason.

What is your goal pitching in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League this upcoming summer?

My personal goal is to get better every time I step on the field, but as far as pitching goals this summer. I would like to start and throw a lot of quality innings to give the team a chance to win every time I take the ball.

Are you ready for the minor-league like traveling when you play for the Sharks? Charter boat rides back to the Vineyard at 1:00 and 2:00 AM in the moonlight?

Absolutely, I can't imagine spending my summer doing anything else but playing ball.