Getting to Know New Head Baseball Coach Andrew Weimer
Jeff Kassouf
Issue date: 3/5/10 Section: Sports
When the Utica College Pioneers baseball team officially takes the field later this month, it will do so under the guidance of new Head Coach Andrew Weimer.
Weimer was hired in June and finished his professional playing career before coming to Utica College to coach. He has playing experience with minor league teams of the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. Weimer recently took the time to chat about his new position and some of his expectations.
First, why Utica? What brought you here?
Well I grew up in New Hartford and I live in Utica, so I was born and raised in the area. I'm a huge baseball nut. I've been playing since I was a kid and I was a pretty good player. I had the opportunity to play pro ball for seven years and I just got to a point in my career where I kind of hit a glass ceiling. This job opened up and I heard about it through the grapevine. I put in my application and a few days later I was the head coach. It was perfect timing and the administration allowed me to finish up my baseball career, which was extremely kind of them and understanding.
The team went 5-27 last year and it is a bit of a rebuilding year. How are you seeing things?
Right, well my philosophy is that the past it does nothing more than shape the future. It doesn't dictate the future. I believe that this is a better team than a 5-27 team. I obviously haven't seen any of these guys play in a spring game, but my expectations are that we are going to compete, we are going to play hard, and we are going to play the game the right way. Hopefully that will dictate a good outcome.
It is still early, but how is preseason going so far?
I think things have been great. Knock on wood, we have avoided serious injury. We did have two guys go down in the fall (Chris Pallas and Sean Fisher, who both had Tommy John surgery) - two of our top pitchers that we expected to carry a big workload for us this spring. However, we are adjusting and I think we are going to be good.
Weimer was hired in June and finished his professional playing career before coming to Utica College to coach. He has playing experience with minor league teams of the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. Weimer recently took the time to chat about his new position and some of his expectations.
First, why Utica? What brought you here?
Well I grew up in New Hartford and I live in Utica, so I was born and raised in the area. I'm a huge baseball nut. I've been playing since I was a kid and I was a pretty good player. I had the opportunity to play pro ball for seven years and I just got to a point in my career where I kind of hit a glass ceiling. This job opened up and I heard about it through the grapevine. I put in my application and a few days later I was the head coach. It was perfect timing and the administration allowed me to finish up my baseball career, which was extremely kind of them and understanding.
The team went 5-27 last year and it is a bit of a rebuilding year. How are you seeing things?
Right, well my philosophy is that the past it does nothing more than shape the future. It doesn't dictate the future. I believe that this is a better team than a 5-27 team. I obviously haven't seen any of these guys play in a spring game, but my expectations are that we are going to compete, we are going to play hard, and we are going to play the game the right way. Hopefully that will dictate a good outcome.
It is still early, but how is preseason going so far?
I think things have been great. Knock on wood, we have avoided serious injury. We did have two guys go down in the fall (Chris Pallas and Sean Fisher, who both had Tommy John surgery) - two of our top pitchers that we expected to carry a big workload for us this spring. However, we are adjusting and I think we are going to be good.
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