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University of Minnesota Athletics
The Learning Curve; Junior Pitcher C.J. Woodrow
4/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Junior right-handed pitcher C.J. Woodrow finds advantage in other aspects of the game. A curveball specialist, he uses his academic habits to help him excel on the baseball field. "I like to study my opponents," Woodrow said. "I like to read about them, learn about them, understand them. Physical talent is extremely important in athletics, but there are a lot of gifted athletes out there. If I can gain an edge by understanding the opposition, knowing how he works on the field, then I am going to do that."
A Plymouth, Minn. native, Woodrow graduated from Maple Grove High School. He was a three-sport athlete as a prep, participating in football and basketball, along with baseball. However, Woodrow was not your stereotypical jock. A three-time member of the "A" honor roll, he was a two-time recipient of the Presidential Scholar Award and a member of the National Honor Society. He graduated among the top one-percent of his class.
After his successful high school career, Woodrow chose the University of Minnesota because it was close to home, it offered a prestigious business program, but most importantly, it offered a challenge.
"I chose the University of Minnesota for a lot of reasons," Woodrow shared, "but the most determining factor was baseball. I came here to prove to myself that I could play at the highest level. I had opportunities at other schools at other levels, but I wanted the challenge of Division I. I wasn't offered a scholarship or guaranteed a starting position, but I was given an opportunity, and I wanted to seize that opportunity."
Woodrow joined the Maroon and Gold baseball program as a confident and determined freshman. Due to some injuries and setbacks to the pitching staff, he was given the chance to perform. He finished the season with a 2-2 record and an earned run average of 5.23. Not bad for a rookie, but the thing that impressed the coaches the most was his control. Woodrow struck out 38 batters in 43 innings, while walking a mere six.
That control carried over into his sophomore year, where he found a spot in the starting rotation. Woodrow started 13 of his 16 appearances, finishing with a 7-4 record and an earned run average of 4.82. He fanned 74 opposing batters and walked just 16.
"I have always tried to minimize my walks," Woodrow explained. "I am a location pitcher. That is how I pitch. I don't have overwhelming speed or a lot of hard-to-hit movement, so I try to get batters out by putting the ball where I want and making them go after my pitch. To be able to do that, I have to know where the batter can't hit the ball, but I also have to be able to throw strikes."
Woodrow's career strikeout to walk ratio is 5:1, the best on the team, and one of the best in the Big Ten. He also is a two-time scholar athlete, an Academic All-Big Ten award winner, he has one of the best grade-point averages on the roster, and is a Verizon Academic All-America nominee this season.
"School and baseball, for me, are closely linked," Woodrow said. "One feeds into the other. It takes mental discipline to be able to succeed at both. Being able to be the best at something, you have to work hard and be prepared. I don't leave anything to chance. When I take a test, I always study for it, no matter how much I know the material. The same goes for when I pitch. When I prepare to face an opponent, no matter how much I think I might know about them, or how good or bad they might appear to be, I study them. I want to know as much as I can, and I want to know them as best as I can, so I am prepared when I take the mound."
Woodrow prepares every day for opportunity. His dedication and hard work have made him a leader on the pitching staff and in the classroom, but despite his confidence and success, he refuses to let it relax his methods.
"You can't just go out there and try to or hope to repeat past performances," Woodrow stated. "Just because you did it once or twice doesn't mean that you can do it every time. I've made my share of mistakes and I try to learn from those mistakes. You have to continue to work hard, and continue to improve if you want to continue to succeed at this level, or at any level."
Woodrow has continued his success with each passing season and each passing lesson. Just a junior, Woodrow looks forward to more challenges, as he continues to improve, including graduation.
"If things don't happen to work out for me after I am finished playing baseball here at Minnesota," Woodrow shared, "I can be content knowing that I have a good degree from an esteemed University, and I can comfortably walk away knowing that I worked hard to get to where I am."
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Baseball Conact Michael Corrigan
Bigger, stronger, faster is the attitude that saturates many of today's athletes. Weight training, coupled with an endless reserve of supplements and "quick fixes" seems to be the equation that equals success. Granted, there is some truth in there. Proper training and exercise can help an athlete gain a competitive advantage on an opponent; but it is not the only answer.
Junior right-handed pitcher C.J. Woodrow finds advantage in other aspects of the game. A curveball specialist, he uses his academic habits to help him excel on the baseball field. "I like to study my opponents," Woodrow said. "I like to read about them, learn about them, understand them. Physical talent is extremely important in athletics, but there are a lot of gifted athletes out there. If I can gain an edge by understanding the opposition, knowing how he works on the field, then I am going to do that."
A Plymouth, Minn. native, Woodrow graduated from Maple Grove High School. He was a three-sport athlete as a prep, participating in football and basketball, along with baseball. However, Woodrow was not your stereotypical jock. A three-time member of the "A" honor roll, he was a two-time recipient of the Presidential Scholar Award and a member of the National Honor Society. He graduated among the top one-percent of his class.
After his successful high school career, Woodrow chose the University of Minnesota because it was close to home, it offered a prestigious business program, but most importantly, it offered a challenge.
"I chose the University of Minnesota for a lot of reasons," Woodrow shared, "but the most determining factor was baseball. I came here to prove to myself that I could play at the highest level. I had opportunities at other schools at other levels, but I wanted the challenge of Division I. I wasn't offered a scholarship or guaranteed a starting position, but I was given an opportunity, and I wanted to seize that opportunity."
Woodrow joined the Maroon and Gold baseball program as a confident and determined freshman. Due to some injuries and setbacks to the pitching staff, he was given the chance to perform. He finished the season with a 2-2 record and an earned run average of 5.23. Not bad for a rookie, but the thing that impressed the coaches the most was his control. Woodrow struck out 38 batters in 43 innings, while walking a mere six.
That control carried over into his sophomore year, where he found a spot in the starting rotation. Woodrow started 13 of his 16 appearances, finishing with a 7-4 record and an earned run average of 4.82. He fanned 74 opposing batters and walked just 16.
"I have always tried to minimize my walks," Woodrow explained. "I am a location pitcher. That is how I pitch. I don't have overwhelming speed or a lot of hard-to-hit movement, so I try to get batters out by putting the ball where I want and making them go after my pitch. To be able to do that, I have to know where the batter can't hit the ball, but I also have to be able to throw strikes."
Woodrow's career strikeout to walk ratio is 5:1, the best on the team, and one of the best in the Big Ten. He also is a two-time scholar athlete, an Academic All-Big Ten award winner, he has one of the best grade-point averages on the roster, and is a Verizon Academic All-America nominee this season.
"School and baseball, for me, are closely linked," Woodrow said. "One feeds into the other. It takes mental discipline to be able to succeed at both. Being able to be the best at something, you have to work hard and be prepared. I don't leave anything to chance. When I take a test, I always study for it, no matter how much I know the material. The same goes for when I pitch. When I prepare to face an opponent, no matter how much I think I might know about them, or how good or bad they might appear to be, I study them. I want to know as much as I can, and I want to know them as best as I can, so I am prepared when I take the mound."
Woodrow prepares every day for opportunity. His dedication and hard work have made him a leader on the pitching staff and in the classroom, but despite his confidence and success, he refuses to let it relax his methods.
"You can't just go out there and try to or hope to repeat past performances," Woodrow stated. "Just because you did it once or twice doesn't mean that you can do it every time. I've made my share of mistakes and I try to learn from those mistakes. You have to continue to work hard, and continue to improve if you want to continue to succeed at this level, or at any level."
Woodrow has continued his success with each passing season and each passing lesson. Just a junior, Woodrow looks forward to more challenges, as he continues to improve, including graduation.
"If things don't happen to work out for me after I am finished playing baseball here at Minnesota," Woodrow shared, "I can be content knowing that I have a good degree from an esteemed University, and I can comfortably walk away knowing that I worked hard to get to where I am."
Written by Men's Athletics Media Relations Baseball Conact Michael Corrigan
