Javi Sanchez Chat Wrap Irish baseball standout stopped by on Thursday afternoon to chat with fans. Senior baseball standout Javi Sanchez stopped by on Thursday afternoon for a live chat with Irish fans. Sanchez is the spirited leader of the 2004 Irish squad and serves as a team tri-captain. Noted for his unselfishness and versatility to play several positions, the prep second baseman shifted to a new position of shortstop in 2002 (after two of his teammates suffered season-ending injuries) and helped lead the Irish to the College World Series. He then tackled a new position of catcher starting in 2003 and has caught over 90% of the innings during the past two seasons, earning 3rd team all-BIG EAST honors for the 2004 season. His career highlights include being named the 2003 BIG EAST Tournament MVP and earning a spot on the all-tournament team at the 2003 NCAA Fullerton Regional. The Miami native currently serves as the team’s cleanup batter due to his clutch hitting that includes a .343 batting average with runners in scoring position and .324 batting with 2 outs (both marks rank 4th-best on the ’04 squad). He also is known for his clutch play on the road throughout his Notre Dame career, with six of his eight home runs coming outside of Eck Stadium (including a 3-run shot that capped the game’s scoring in a 4-3 loss to Stanford at the ’02 CWS). Sanchez – a product of Christopher Columbus High School (as is ND head coach Paul Mainieri) – also is the team’s resident philosopher and is known for his unique vocabulary and famous sayings that have become a part of his legacy with the Irish baseball program. He just graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in business management and closed his undergraduate studies with a 3.70 GPA in the 2004 spring semester. |
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| Javi Sanchez: Hello fans, thanks for joining me today on the live chat… | ||
| Tim Flahive- Delaware, Ohio: Javi- I would just like to know which Summer wooden bat league did you enjoy the most? Good luck this weekend we will be cheering for you and we love you! Your Delaware Family. | ||
| Javi Sanchez: All of them have been instramental in my development as a player. All my host families have been great. Thanks Tim. | ||
| Dan (New Jersey): What type of drills do you do to get a quicker release/foot speed when someone is stealing? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: a lot of jump rope | ||
| Marcus (South Bend): What do you know about your possible second game opponent, UC Irvine? What type of team are they and what do you expect from the Anteaters? Thank you! Marcus | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Not much, but I’m sure they are good comming from Cali. | ||
| Ed (Bergenfield): Congrats on the Big East tournament three-peat man. How does the competition in your regional measure up for you guys? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Thank you. We have a tough regional, but we feel very confident. | ||
| Katie Williams Granger IN: First of All i wanna just say Great season for the irish baseball team thus far my question is how do u feel of the chances of going to the college World series and what are your plans now since you have graduated from the Univeristy of Notre Dame again i wanna say good luck to you and to the Irish baseball team as they make there quest for the World Series | ||
| Javi Sanchez: We are 5 wins away from going to the CWS. I like are chances. After this season I plan to play minor league baseball. | ||
| Dan (New Jersey): From me watching your games, I’ve often wondered, what type of glove do you use? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Rawlings | ||
| Frank L. Anania. Omaha, NE: Congratulations Javi on an absolutely terrific baseball career at Notre Dame. It has been a pleasure following your progrssion and watching you play. There is no doubt that your leadership is going to play a key role in getting this team to Omaha in a couple of weeks. Whatever you choose to do in the future, I wish you the best of luck. But most of all Javi, congratulations on graduating from the University of Notre Dame. In my opinion Notre Dame is the greatest University in the entire world, and graduating from there would have to be a highlight in any ones life. I am curious as to your feelings on graduating from Notre Dame. How does that make you feel? Frank L. Anania Omaha, NE | ||
| Javi Sanchez: It was a great accomplishment to graduate from such an amazing university. I feel thrilled to be a part of the Notre Dame Family. | ||
| Mike Stanley: Do they still call Javi, Hollywood? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Mr. Stanley it’s great to hear from you. My buddies back home do actually call me Hollywood. We miss the Beave. | ||
| Cincinnati: Javi, Is it true that you get all of your athletic ability from your mom? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: My mom was a great athlete back in her day, however I feel both my mom and dad contributed. | ||
| taylor (shelbyville): hey, i am thinking about goin to notre dame or vanderbilt for a little sports and acedemics how do i pick which one oh and im 13 i just wonna know | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Come vist campus when you get a chance and your decision will be made. | ||
| Tweet, Memphis: Javi, what will you miss most about playing for Notre Dame once the season concludes? It sounds like you had a great senior year! Good luck with everything else! | ||
| Javi Sanchez: The people here, especially my teammates. | ||
| Scott (Stillwater, OK): Javi, Thanks for you great efforts and charisma while at ND. You will always be in the minds of ND baseball fans. My question is, many people think that ND is a “pretender” in the college baseball world because of our northern status. How do you players deal with that? Does it bother you that southern fans tend to brush ND baseball off because we are a northern school? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: It bothers me a bit. However, we try to concern ourselves with things that we can control and right now we a re in a position to open some eyes, once again. | ||
| Alex Cortes (Chicago): I love the Latin music when you come to bat. Good luck. | ||
| Javi Sanchez: I enjoy it as well, take care. | ||
| Tim O’Brien (Toms River, New Jersey): Do you realize how lucky you are to play at the University of Notre Dame? and Do you know where Toms River, New Jersey is? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: I realize how fortunate I am to be playing for the Irish and I try not to ever take that for granted. I am not exactly sure where Toms River is, but I do know that my teammate Ryan D. is from there. | ||
| uncle rick jr, cincinnati ohio: speaking of 90 mile an hour fast balls do you see the ball better when catching right handers versis lefties? who is the best hitter in college baseball? go irish all the way | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Righties or Lefties, no diffrence. You just got to pick up the ball right out of the hand. | ||
| Jay (Columbus OH): Javi: Any contingent plans in the business world if the phone doesn’t ring come draft days? Also wanted to let you know that you’re still missed around Littick Field and you still owe me an autograph on your 2001 Delaware Cows baseball card! | ||
| Javi Sanchez: I am going to stay in this game as long as I can. After, I do plan to enter the business world. I’ll sign that card when ever you want. | ||
| jim spring hill fl: javi kudos on you gpa. how do you balance your athletic and academic schedules ? any professional baseball asperations ? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Thanks. I try not to let my personal life interfere with my professional life. I take school very seriously because it is just as important as baseball. Yes, I do plan to play pro ball. | ||
| Jack (Mass): With a 3.7 GPA and a brutal travel schedule during the season, how/when/where do you study? What are your plans for post ND career? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: A lot of sacrifice and great time management. We also have academic services for student-athlete’s (tutors). | ||
| Tim from Omaha: Going into the 2002 season did you or any of your teammates ever guess that you would make it all the way to the College World Series? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: We knew we had a great team and we knew we were capable of playing with the best. | ||
| Jon Crawford, Gorham Maine: You guys have had a great season. What do you think about being slotted in the Stanford Bracket. Was it because your RPI was not as great as other teams, even though you were rated no lower than 8th in all National Polls you didn’t recieve a National Seed? Thanx and good luck … | ||
| Javi Sanchez: I guess we did not to enough to prove to the voters that we are indeed worthy of a national seed, but now as the post season begins we are in a position to prove them wrong once again. | ||
| Mike Stanley: Javi, All of us Columbus Ohio folks are rooting hard for you and the Irish. How are you keeping your focus on this week instead of getting ahead of yourselves? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: One game at a time. Right now our goal is to beat Kent State. Then we shift our focus to the next oponent. | ||
| Neil (St. Louis): Javi, Is your back sore from carrying the rest of the seniors, especially Thaman and Sollman, on your shoulders for the past four years? I also hear the hockey players are big baseball fans. Tell me, what is your fondest memory of when the hockey team was at one of your games? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: We carry eachother. Hockey guys are great we love and appreciate the support. One time Como and Lebda dressed up in their entire Hockey gear and came to the game. Boy they were crazy. | ||
| John Rodgers(Cincinnati): Javi, What is your fondest memory during your whole career at N.D.? What team would you prefer to get drafted by in this years draft? I grew up with Steve Sollmann and tell him I said Hi! GO IRISH!! | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Beating FSU in the super-regional in 2002, because nobody thought we could. I will play for whoever drafts me. | ||
| Joe Thaman-St. Louis: Do you still go by the name Hollywood? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Only in my hometown. | ||
| Scott (Smethport, Pa: hey Javi: congrats of the NCAA bid and the Big East Title: How difficult has it been for you to play SS, then catch, and some 2nd base as well?… Good luck in the Regional. | ||
| Javi Sanchez: It is hard to play different positions, but anytime you have such a passion for something I feel you can become a quick learner. | ||
| Harold (Harry) Setatestes;Athens, Greece: Javi, when you go pro is your brother going to be your agent too (Just like Steve Sollmann)? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: My brother deserves higher profile athlete’s. Once he passes the bar I’m all his. | ||
| Andrew Bard (Muskegon, MI): Javi, where do u see you yourselves making it to in the World Series. Great Job this Year! | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Sure, no diffrent than every other year. | ||
| Matt Panzer, East LA: Hollywood, Congrats on graduating my friend. What are your plans for the future? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: I plan on playing pro ball. Possibly go to graduate school and then go from there. Explore pride, I never forget where I came from. | ||
| Dan (New Jersey): What drills do you do to condition your arm for the long season? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Long toss, long toss, long toss. | ||
| Jon Crawford, Gorham Maine: Great Season Javi, What do you think of being seeded with Stanford, and what are your thoughts on the RPI impact on the seeding? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: We feel great about it, but we all know that we must first get passed our regional before we can worry about the super-regional. | ||
| Brent (Berkeley, CA): Do you call your own pitches or do you get the signal called from coach? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: 90% of the time coach. | ||
| James (Conn): Attending the Big East Tournament, I saw one of your pitchers throw a ball towards the St. Joh’ns outfield during warmups. I was just wondering what it might have said | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Mike Rosema is a St. John’s player that played with a couple of us this summer. So I am sure it was nothing more than a joke. | ||
| Sara Schoonaert (Houston): Javi you’ve had a great season thus far. I wanted to wish you and your teamates the best of luck from the ND softball team! We are pulling for you guys! | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Schoomer…thank you so much and best of luck to you. | ||
| Mickey (Minneapolis): Do you still do the mini-clinics on TV. I saw your feature on turning the double-play some time ago. Is broadcasting in your future? Congratulations and hit another HR in Eck this weekend. | ||
| Javi Sanchez: I no loger have that T.V. segment on the coaches show. It was a cool little gig I did my junior year. Broadcasting is not in my immediate future plans, but maybe one day. | ||
| Rick from washington: Who is the funniest guy on the team and what has he done to get this reputation? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Joe Thaman. What has he not done should be the question. | ||
| Slackermann (Granger, IN): Javi, to follow up on Schoonie’s comment, is there really a full-size poster of you in the ND Women’s Softball dugout? | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Thats false. | ||
| Javi Sanchez: Fans it was a pleasure talking to you guys. I apologize for the quick answers, but our time was limited. Also, I’m sorry if I did not get to answer your question. Thanks for all the support. Be Great and Go Irish! | ||
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