He may be known for his unusual name, Thad, but how about his 2009 no-hitter? Read his interview right here.

Selected in the 16th round of the 2008 draft, Thad Weber has been in the Detroit Tigers organization throughout four seasons now.

Currently a member of the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, Weber is 5-8 with a 5.82 ERA this season, numbers that don’t show his full potential as a starting pitcher.

His best season came in 2009, where he split time between Single-A Lakeland and Double-A Erie. That season he combined for a 11-7 record, a 3.15 ERA and a 2.90 K/BB ratio.

In that great 2009 season, Weber tossed a no-hitter against the Akron Aeros. Here what he had to say about that special night, along with a few other questions after the jump!

1. Growing up in the great plains of the United States, what sports did you play as a kid? What were some goals you set for yourself at a young age?

TW: I played about every sport possible when I was growing up.  Obvsiously baseball was my first love, but I also played basketball, football, golf, ran cross country, and ran track as well.  I thoroughly enjoyed doing a lot of different things.

2. Which baseball team did you watch as a kid? Did you have a favorite player you kept your eye on?

TW: As a kid I grew up a Chicago Cubs fan.  My grandpa and I use to watch the Cubs on WGN every afternoon so I grew up a big Ryne Sandberg fan.  I was probably a bigger Cal Ripken Jr. fan though.  I admired the way he played the game everyday for as long as he did.

3. You were drafted in the 35th round in the 2007 draft by the Reds, but came back to be drafted in the 18th round of the 2008 draft by the Tigers, why did decide to re-enter the draft and not go to the Cincinnati organization?

TW: I was honored to be drafted by the Reds in 07 but ultimately I decided to return to school to get my degree, which was very important to me.  I also felt like my junior year at Nebraska didnt go as I had envisioned so I wanted to return and have a better year, not only personally, but team wise as well.  Getting picked in the 16th round by the Tigers was humbling as well.  To get the chance to play professionally and have a chance to play in the big leagues is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

4. You have only appeared in one professional game as a reliever (with the Tigers Gulf Coast League team), what was that like compared to starting a game?

TW: The differences are huge. As a starter, you have 4 days to prepare for your outing. You have a bullpen in between starts and everything is very scheduled. The routine is nice to have. As a reliever, you come to the park everyday preparing to throw. The routine is much different. You don’t have as much side work and you could end up pitching 2-3 days in a row.

5. In 2009 you threw a No-Hitter with the Double-A Erie Seawolves, describe that experience. 

TW: The no-hitter I threw in 2009 was obviously very memorable.  It was one of those days where I couldnt really do anything wrong.  It was a very special moment to share with my teammates and coaches.  We scored a bunch of runs early and were up 10-0 or 12-0 through the 5th inning or so.  I realized I had something going on after the 7th inning.  The 9th inning flew by because it was such an adrenaline rush.  It is certainly something I’ll never forget.

6. I’m sure you’ve been asked this a hundred times, but where did the name “Thad” come from? Is their family history behind that?

TW: There really is no history with my name.  It isnt short for “Thaddeus” or anything like that.  My parents were going to name me George, which is my middle name (after my great grandfather), but then my mom somehow came up with Thad and thats what they went with.

7. What are some future baseball goals you have set for yourself?

TW: My future goal is to play in the big leagues and hopefully play there for a number of years.  When and how I get there really isnt in my control.  I am trying to work as hard as I can to perform to the best of my abilities and let the rest take care of itself.