Baby-Bombers.com Exclusive: Q&A With Braedyn Pruitt

After the 2007 Season, Baby-Bombers.com had the chance to talk with 2007 SI Yankee Braedyn Pruitt

http://baby-bombers.com/News/07Archive/Articles/39.htm




How did it feel to make your professional debut this past season?

It felt great, I'm glad I got the opportunity to play. Now the real work begins.



What was your favorite moment of the 2007 season?

It's difficult to narrow it down to one, but personally, the opening night game-my first pro baseball experience was a great time and very memorable.



Do you see yourself moving to first base full time in the next couple of seasons?

It's hard to say right now, it may just depend where there happens to be an opening, but I'll be happy playing anywhere.



Were you upset from the team’s early exit from the 2007 Playoffs?

Definitely, it’s never easy to play so hard throughout a season and then not finish the job completely.



Was it tough to make the transition from aluminum bats to wood bats?

I have been using wood in batting practice since high school and we used wood in college during the fall so luckily I had some experience with it beforehand. That definitely helped me make the adjustment.



How difficult was it to adjust to pitching in the NY-Penn League?

It was definitely a step up, the pitching was much better than what I was used to seeing in college.



Did you feel that you made progress at the plate and in the field?

I think so, but there is definitely much more to be done.



How difficult was it to bounce back from an injury early on in the season?

It was a bit disheartening to go down after one game, and things could have gone either way I feel, but fortunately it didn't hurt my timing too bad and I was able to assimilate back into the flow of the game in a relatively short amount of time.



What would you say was the hardest part of the 2007 season?

Personally, the injury. As a team, the playoff losses



Excluding yourself if you had to choose one player from the 2007 Staten Island Yankees that could rise through the Farm System who would it, be?

It's hard to say just one but Snyder's versatility in defense, and ability at the plate makes him hard to bet against.



Would you say that the rivalry between the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees rubbed off on some of the players and helped motivate them to do better against the Cyclones?

Definitely, there was that one game where both benches cleared and tension ran high, and that kind of atmosphere makes for a high level of play.



What are you doing to help yourself get better for next season?

I've got some drills/workouts that will target some key areas of my game and will hopefully make me a better player all around.



Where do you see yourself next season?

Not sure, I guess I'll have to see after spring training.



How would you compare the coaching at the professional level with that in college?

It's a bit different, the time structure is different in pro ball than in college so that affects the instructional style (as does different personalities), but I've been lucky and had great coaching everywhere I've played; both in college and in professional baseball.

http://firstinning.com/players/Christopher-Raber-a/


Bats/Throws: R/R

Basic Statistics
Basic Statistics
Year Age Team PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
2007 A- Staten Island 177 156 21 40 5 0 2 27 15 47 .256 .316 .327 643
Extended Statistics
Year Age Team PA AB ISOP BB% K% BABIP GB% LD% RC RC/27 wOBA
2007 A- Staten Island 177 156 .071 8.5% 26.6% .355 55% 17% .290
Extended Statistics

2007: Staten Island
Split Statistics with Staten Island in 2007
Split PA AB ISOP HR BB% K% BABIP GB% LD% AVG OBP SLG wOBA
June 33 25 .000 0 15.2% 21.2% .333 70% 10% .240 .364 .240 .295
July 46 44 .045 0 2.2% 23.9% .273 64% 21% .205 .217 .250 .207
August 76 69 .087 1 7.9% 30.3% .467 51% 20% .319 .368 .406 .345
September 22 18 .166 1 13.6% 27.3% .182 23% 8% .167 .273 .333 .269
AWAY 79 70 .086 1 5.1% 38.0% .359 58% 7% .214 .241 .300 .234
HOME 98 86 .058 1 11.2% 17.3% .353 53% 23% .291 .378 .349 .336
Game Log
Date Level Pos AB H 2B 3B HR SO BB
September 7 A- vs. Tri-City 1B 2 0 0 0 0 1 0
September 6 A- vs. Tri-City 1B 3 0 0 0 0 1 0
September 5 A- vs. Tri-City 1B 4 1 0 0 0 2 0
September 4 A- vs. Brooklyn DH 2 2 0 0 1 0 2
September 2 A- vs. Brooklyn 1B 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
September 2 A- vs. Brooklyn DH 2 0 0 0 0 1 1
September 1 A- @ Brooklyn DH 3 0 0 0 0 1 0
August 31 A- @ Hudson Valley 1B 4 1 0 0 0 2 0
August 30 A- vs. Hudson Valley 1B 4 2 0 0 0 0 0
August 29 A- vs. Aberdeen DH 5 4 0 0 0 0 0

Add C. Raber to your player tracker now!

After the 2007 Season, Baby-Bombers.com had the chance to talk with first-baseman Chris Raber

By: Robert Pimpsner
http://baby-bombers.com/News/07Archive/Articles/37.htm



December 6, 2007 –

First off, I would you to thank you for taking your time out for this Q&A session.

How did it feel to make your professional debut this past season?

It felt great. Having the opportunity to start my professional career at home against Brooklyn in front of a sold-out crowd was a great experience.


What was your favorite moment of the 2007 season?
My favorite moment of the 2007 season would have to be the opening night game in Staten Island in front of a sold out crowd.


How did it feel having two 6-RBI games in one month and hitting your first professional grand slam?
Having those two big games was certainly a pleasant surprise. Being able to have my first professional homerun be a grand slam and have some family at the game was something I will never forget.


Were you upset from the team’s early exit from the 2007 Playoffs?
Yes, I was upset with the way the playoffs ended for us. I felt as if we were playing good baseball down the stretch and we all had high expectations for the post-season.


Was it tough to make the transition from aluminum bats to wood bats?
The transition from metal to wood wasn't too bad during the season. It took a little bit of adjusting in the first week but then once you become familiar with the feel and find a model that feels good it isn't that big of a deal.


How difficult was it to adjust to pitching in the NY-Penn League?
There were a lot of good arms in the NY-Penn League. You were consistently seeing guys with good stuff. Being able to play everyday though made it somewhat easier to adjust though.


Did you feel that you made progress at the plate and in the field?
I feel I made a lot of progress at the plate and in the field from the time I walked in the door until the end of my first season. The instruction the Yankee staff provides is first class combined with hard work was the key to my progress.


During the ’07 season you had 8 stolen bases in 10 attempts. Is this an area of your game that you plan on expanding on in your first full season next year?
Yes, I like to run and expect to steal some bases next year. I have been working extremely hard on my strength and conditioning this off-season so I feel I will be in the shape necessary to do so.

What would you say was the hardest part of the 2007 season?

The hardest part of the 2007 season would probably have to be just staying as consistent as possible each and every day and not ever being too high or too low.

Excluding yourself if you had to choose one player from the 2007 Staten Island Yankees that could rise through the Farm System who would it, be?

I would have to say Zach McAllister. He has very good stuff and is still young. He has the size and strength to move up through the system.

Would you say that the rivalry between the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees rubbed off on some of the players and helped motivate them to do better against the Cyclones?

Yes, I think you can say that, but at the same time I feel the fans have a lot to do with it as well. The atmosphere was always exciting when we played each other and the players often feed off of that.

What are you doing to help yourself get better for next season?

I have been working extremely hard in all aspects of my game including weight lifting and running as well as the hitting and defense.


Where do you see yourself next season?
I see myself just working extremely hard and playing up to my potential and only take care of the things I can control.

How would you compare the coaching at the professional level with that in college?

I would say the coaching at the college level and professional level have some similarities. Both are focused on making you the best player you can be and that is the main thing.


Were the coaches at the professional level more knowledgeable then that in college?
The Yankees have an unbelievable staff of instructors that are very knowledgable in all areas of the game and they will work extremely hard with you.


Has the style of coaching changed from college to the professional level?
I think the hold the same goal and that is winning. Obviously the minor leagues is about players developing but coaches still strive to win and win a championship.